Bellator 300 was officially confirmed earlier today with the announcement of Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Brent Primus. The event will take place on October 7th in San Diego and feature the massive lightweight title matchup. BJPenn.com was first on the news. One source told BJPenn that it could be the final event in Bellator’s promotion history. It’s unclear if the fight between Nurmagoemdov and Primus will serve as the main event, but multiple title fights are expected for what seems to be Bellator’s final card.
Being the cousin of Khabib, Usman seems to have all the makings of a star and has proven such in recent performances. After taking the title with a dominant decision win over Patricky Pitbull, Nurmagomedov brutally finished Benson Henderson in just half a round. The win gave the youngest lightweight champion in promotion history his first title defense and moved him onto the next round of the Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix.
Primus is coming off a unanimous decision win over Mansour Barnaoui in his quarterfinal bout of the grand prix. Primus came into the tournament as a late-notice replacement for Sidney Outlaw after a positive drug test. Despite not being originally selected for the tournament, Primus is a former champion and poses a serious threat to Nurmagomedov. Already holding big wins over Michael Chandler and Benson Henderson, Primus looks to add another underdog win to his resume.
Is Bellator 300 the End?
Bellator has been a hot topic in the MMA world with the promotion being up for sale. Bellator 299 was confirmed for Dublin in September and headlined by middleweight champion Johnny Eblen against blazing-hot Fabian Edwards. It was unclear if that would serve as the promotion’s farewell, but Bellator 300’s announcement clears any of that suspicion. Most rumors point to the PFL purchasing Bellator, but nothing is official as of now. With the announcement of Bellator 300 and the likelihood of multiple title fights on the card, it’s safe to assume that Bellator is making the event its last major splash.
It’s unsure what will happen to the rest of Bellator’s Lightweight Grand Prix with the future of the promotion in question. Patricky Pitbull was expected to face Alexander Shabliy, but that fight is unlikely with Pitbull having fought last weekend. Pitbull defeated short-notice replacement Kleber Koike by KO at Bellator x Rizin, advancing to the semifinals. Despite Bellator’s potential end nearing, the promotion seems to be going all out for its final showcase. Sources have told me that Patchy Mix vs. Sergio Pettis and more big matchups are expected for the event. Expect more major announcements in the coming weeks.
Do you think Bellator 300 will be Bellator’s big farewell? What do you think will happen to the promotion? Let us know in the comments below.
Images via Yahoo Sports and Bellator PR on Twitter
