A welterweight title fight is planned for Bellator’s return to New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Champion Rory MacDonald’s title is on the line throughout the eight-man grand prix, and he is currently scheduled to face Jon Fitch in a quarterfinal matchup April 27 at Bellator 220.
Whoever emerges victorious from that bout will face Neiman Gracie and defend the belt in the semifinals June 14th at Bellator 222.
MMA Junkie confirmed an initial ESPN report through a Bellator official.
Gracie (9-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) earned his semifinal spot with a fourth-round submission victory over Ed Ruth. The other semifinal in the tournament, which boasts a $1 million prize for the winner, features Douglas Lima vs. Michael Page.
Should the winner of the MacDonald-Fitch bout be unable to turn around on six weeks’ notice, Bellator would be open to placing alternate Lorenz Larkin into the tourney against Gracie, according to ESPN.
With the addition, the Bellator 222 lineup now includes:
- Lyoto Machida vs. Chael Sonnen
- Neiman Gracie vs. opponent TBC – for welterweight title
For more on Bellator 222, check out the Rumors section of the site.
