Although the exact launch date is still unknown, MMA addict confirmed that Bellator MMA will be adding a new male division in the near future.
The promotion will add the men’s flyweight (125 pound) as the 10th weight class, giving the company eight men’s and two women’s classes. Bellator currently has two fewer weight classes than the UFC (12 weight classes) and four more weight classes than the PFL (which has six weight classes).
One of Bellator’s top fighters, Kyoji Horiguchi (31-5), who competes in bantamweight (135 pounds), was scheduled to take on Ray Borg (16-5) in his first flyweight bout. of the promotion in April, but the match was canceled after Borg was reported to have struggled to gain weight.
Horiguchi, who was underrated as a bantamweight fighter despite winning the division’s title in both the Bellator and RIZIN promotions, supported Bellator by adding the 125-pound weight class for a time.
“My weight is usually very light compared to bantamweights,” says Horiguchi mixed martial arts in December. “I can make flying weights very easily, so that’s why I’m switching [there]. … [I feel better at flyweight] because my weight is very, very light. I talked to [Bellator president Scott Coker] a bit but not a deep conversation. I just said I want to be a fly – can you do that?
While Horiguchi will likely be the face of the Bellator flyweight, there’s still room for promotion to sign some of the top 125-pound fighters currently competing outside of the UFC including Jose Torres (11) -1-1), Zach Makovsky (November 21), Ali Bagautinov (July 22), Dustin Ortiz (20-9) and Rafael Estevam (11-0).
