# 2021 in Bellator MMA

2021 in Bellator MMA was the thirteenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. Bellator held 18 events in 2021.

## Background

The promotion went on a hiatus following Bellator 254 on December 10, 2020, which would be the final card to air on CBS Sports Network. Beginning in April, Bellator's U.S broadcasts moved to the premium Showtime network. Bellator 255, which took place on April 2, 2021, was the promotion's debut on Showtime, and the first MMA card to air on the network in over eight years; the last event being Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine on January 12, 2013.

## Events list
### Past events

| # | Event | Date | Venue | City | Country | Atten. |
| 18 | Bellator 272: Pettis vs. Horiguchi | December 3, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | |
| 17 | Bellator 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanagh | November 12, 2021 | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood | Hollywood, Florida | U.S. | |
| 16 | Bellator 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2 | November 5, 2021 | 3Arena | Dublin | Ireland | |
| 15 | Bellator 269: Fedor vs. Johnson | October 23, 2021 | VTB Arena | Moscow | Russia | |
| 14 | Bellator 268: Nemkov vs. Anglickas | October 16, 2021 | Footprint Center | Phoenix, Arizona | U.S. | |
| 13 | Bellator 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 | October 1, 2021 | Wembley Arena | London | England | |
| 12 | Bellator 266: Davis vs. Romero | September 18, 2021 | SAP Center | San Jose, California | U.S. | |
| 11 | Bellator 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov | August 20, 2021 | Sanford Pentagon | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | U.S. | |
| 10 | Bellator 264: Mousasi vs. Salter | August 13, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | |
| 9 | Bellator 263: Pitbull vs. McKee | July 31, 2021 | The Forum | Inglewood, California | U.S. | |
| 8 | Bellator 262: Velasquez vs. Kielholtz | July 16, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | |
| 7 | Bellator 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky | June 25, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | |
| 6 | Bellator 260: Lima vs. Amosov | June 11, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | |
| 5 | Bellator 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 | May 21, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | 0 |
| 4 | Bellator 258: Archuleta vs. Pettis | May 7, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | 0 |
| 3 | Bellator 257: Nemkov vs. Davis 2 | Apr 16, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | 0 |
| 2 | Bellator 256: Bader vs. Machida 2 | Apr 9, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | 0 |
| 1 | Bellator 255: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 | Apr 2, 2021 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, Connecticut | U.S. | 0 |

## Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix Tournament

| Opening round | Opening round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| A. J. McKee | KO | | | | |
| Georgi Karakhanyan | 1 | | | | |
| Georgi Karakhanyan | 1 | A. J. McKee | SUB | | |
| | | Derek Campos | 3 | | |
| Derek Campos | UD | Derek Campos | 3 | | |
| Daniel Straus | 3 | | | | |
| Daniel Straus | 3 | | | A. J. McKee | SUB |
| | | | | Darrion Caldwell | 1 |
| Darrion Caldwell | UD | | | Darrion Caldwell | 1 |
| Henry Corrales | 3 | | | | |
| Henry Corrales | 3 | Darrion Caldwell | SUB | | |
| | | Ádám Borics | 1 | | |
| Ádám Borics | TKO | Ádám Borics | 1 | | |
| Pat Curran | 2 | | | | | | |
| Pat Curran | 2 | | | | | A. J. McKee | SUB |
| | | | | | | Patrício Pitbull (c) | 1 |
| Patrício Pitbull (c) | UD | | | | | Patrício Pitbull (c) | 1 |
| Juan Archuleta | 5 | | | | | | |
| Juan Archuleta | 5 | Patrício Pitbull (c) | KO | | | | |
| | | Pedro Carvalho | 1 | | | | |
| Pedro Carvalho | SUB | Pedro Carvalho | 1 | | | | |
| Sam Sicilia | 2 | | | | | | |
| Sam Sicilia | 2 | | | Patrício Pitbull (c) | SUB | | |
| | | | | Emmanuel Sanchez | 1 |
| Emmanuel Sanchez | SUB | | | Emmanuel Sanchez | 1 |
| Tywan Claxton | 2 | | | | |
| Tywan Claxton | 2 | Emmanuel Sanchez | UD | | |
| | | Daniel Weichel | 5 | | |
| Daniel Weichel | UD | Daniel Weichel | 5 | | |
| Saul Rogers | 3 | | | | |

## Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| Vadim Nemkov (c) | UD | | |
| Phil Davis | 5 | | |
| Phil Davis | 5 | Vadim Nemkov (c) | SUB |
| | | Julius Anglickas | 4 |
| Anthony Johnson | KO | Julius Anglickas | 4 |
| Jose Augusto | 2 | | | | |
| Jose Augusto | 2 | | | Vadim Nemkov (c) | UD |
| | | | | Corey Anderson | 5 |
| Corey Anderson | TKO | | | Corey Anderson | 5 |
| Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | 3 | | | | |
| Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | 3 | Corey Anderson | TKO | | |
| | | Ryan Bader | 1 |
| Ryan Bader | UD | Ryan Bader | 1 |
| Lyoto Machida | 5 | | |
* ↑ Julius Anglickas replaced an injured Anthony Johnson.
* ↑ Original final match was held at Bellator 277 and ended in a No Contest; A rematch final took place November 18, 2022 at Bellator 288.

## Title fights

* ↑ For the Bellator Featherweight World Championship
* ↑ For the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship
* ↑ For the Bellator Bantamweight World Championship
* ↑ For the Bellator Women's Featherweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Welterweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the interim Bellator Heavyweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Featherweight World Championship
* ↑ For the Bellator Middleweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship
* ↑ For the vacant Bellator Lightweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Women's Featherweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Bantamweight World Championship.