LFA
After spending the past year trying to get the UFC’s attention, Newell has moved on and signed with Bellator.
Okay let’s clarify something right away: Nick Newell isn’t really a one-armed fighter. He has two arms … one of those arms just ends after the elbow. The fact that he’s a congenital amputee hasn’t stopped him from amassing an impressive 15-2 record, but it has hampered him in his quest to earn a spot on the UFC roster.
UFC president Dana White has made multiple comments about Newell suggesting his handicap makes him unfit for the promotion.
“I just always believed that the UFC was a tough place for Nick,” he said. “This is a tough place with two arms and two legs.”
But just under a year ago, White finally relented and gave Newell a shot via the Tuesday Night Contender Series. Unfortunately Newell lost his fight to Alex Munoz by decision and wasn’t awarded a contract with the organization.
He kept pushing for UFC matchmakers to call him, once again lobbying the UFC to pick him up following a first round submission win at CES MMA 56 in May. But with the phone not ringing it seems he’s finally decided to move on and sign with Bellator. Via the Milford Courant, Newell will make his debut at Bellator 225 in his hometown of Hartford, Connecticut on August 24th against 5-2 Corey Browning.
According to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, Newell’s deal is for one fight and he’ll compete on the prelims.
“This is what everyone that fights wants to do,” Newell told the Courant. “You want to fight for the biggest shows, and you want to fight for the arena in your hometown. I’ve always tried to be good to the people that support me and follow me, and now it’s all coming full circle and I’m getting an opportunity to put on a show in my hometown.”
Newell is a former XFC champion and aside from the Contender Series to Munoz, his sole loss comes at the hands of Justin Gaethje back in 2014. Gaethje knocked Newell out in the second round of their World Series of Fighting bout, and the match is one to watch if you’ve got ten minutes.
What do you think, Maniacs? Is the UFC’s loss Bellator’s gain?