Bellator light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader has an unsurprising choice for whom he’d like to face should he make the heavyweight tournament final.
Ryan Bader is among several career light heavyweights who is competing in Bellator’s heavyweight Grand Prix. The current Bellator 205-pound champion is scheduled to face Muhammed Lawal on May 12th at Bellator 199, and a win would see him advance to the semifinals to take on heavyweight veteran Matt Mitrione.
On the other side of the bracket are Chael Sonnen (def. Quinton Jackson in January), as well as Fedor Emelianenko and Frank Mir, who will round out the quarterfinals on April 28th. In an interview with MMAjunkie, Bader discussed all of the possible opponents he’d face should he make the final, and his top choice is one that isn’t much of a surprise.
“If I had my pick to fight somebody in the final, I’d love to fight Fedor in the finals,” Bader said. “I think everybody in this tournament, that’s their pick. He’s a legend of the sport, and to cap it off with a win over him to be the heavyweight champion? That’s the ultimate fairytale right there. But I can see either of those guys advancing, and I could even see Chael making it.
“Each of them bring their own thing. Fedor has the mystique about him and beating him, he’s a legend. But Chael’s also going to be running his mouth to build the fight. That’s a fun fight. I’ve always wanted to step in there with him. And Mir too – he’s got skills, and I’d like to test that. But I’ve got to win my side too, and that’s what I’m focusing on.”
Bader (24-5) is currently riding a four-fight winning streak between the end of his UFC run and his time with Bellator MMA. He won the light heavyweight strap from Phil Davis last June, then successfully defended his title against Linton Vassell in November.
Emelianenko (36-5, 1 NC) is an icon of the sport, but he’s entering this tournament on the back of a brutal KO loss to Mitrione on the same night as Bader winning the LHW title vs. Davis. Current betting odds actually have him as a slight underdog to Mir, who hasn’t fought in two years due to a USADA suspension.