Bellator MMA is booking one of its greatest cards of all time with an incredible April 15 offering
- One of Bellator MMA's greatest cards is booked for April 15 in San Jose.
- A.J. McKee and Patricio Freire will headline, with Vadim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson in the co-main.
Bellator MMA is in the midst of booking one of the greatest events in its company's history with an April 15 offering set to take place inside the SAP Center in San Jose.
Fast-rising superstar fighter A.J. McKee makes his long-awaited return to the cage after his iconic run to the featherweight grand prix final in 2021, a $1 million bout in which he claimed a thrilling knockout win over Patricio Freire.
The legendary Brazilian combatant Freire has been a mainstay at the highest echelons of Bellator MMA for a decade and had earned praise as the greatest fighter in the promotion's history by its president Scott Coker.
Now, McKee and Freire will again trade blows as they headline the San Jose card to determine whether the 26-year-old retains the 145-pound title or if veteran fighter Freire, 34, can reclaim his crown.
"Hosting the world's best mixed martial artists in the great city of San Jose is something that has been important to me during my career as a fight promoter, and I'm happy to continue that with our card on April 15," said Coker in a statement sent to Insider.
McKee vs. Freire is not the only significant showdown April 15
Coker has booked a second significant showdown for April 15 as the light heavyweight grand prix final lands on that date, too.
Like the company's statement featherweight grand prix, the eight-man tournament in the 205-pound division has been a multi-event competition designed to determine one thing — the baddest man in that weight class.
The competition has featured big-name contestants like Ryan Bader, Lyoto Machida, and Anthony "Rumble" Johnson, but there are only two fighters left in the bracket.
Those fighters — Bellator champion Vadim Nemkov and former UFC competitor Corey Anderson — conclude the competition in a bout that sees a $1 million check handed to the winner.
"The rematch between A.J. McKee and Patricio Pitbull for the featherweight title, as well as our light heavyweight final featuring Vadim Nemkov against Corey Anderson, are two fights that could headline any event on their own," Coker said.
"But we are bringing both to SAP Center at San Jose on the same night to show the fans here that we truly value their support throughout the years."
Only half of the card has been constructed so far, with six matches formally announced.
Though the two high-stakes fights will get broadcast live on the premium network Showtime, the preliminary card will be aired on YouTube — by Showtime and Bellator MMA.
Here are the four matches confirmed for YouTube:
- Tim Johnson vs. Tyrell Fortune — heavyweight
- Kyle Crutchmer vs. Michael Lombardo — welterweight
- Shane Keefe vs. Tyson Miller — welterweight
- Gaston Bolanos vs. Cass Bell — 140-pound catchweight