# 2023 in Bellator MMA

2023 in Bellator MMA was the fifteenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.

## Events list

| # | Event | Date | Venue | City | Country |
| 13 | Bellator 301: Amosov vs. Jackson | November 17, 2023 | Wintrust Arena | Chicago, Illinois | U.S. |
| 12 | Bellator 300: Nurmagomedov vs. Primus | October 7, 2023 | Pechanga Arena | San Diego, California | U.S. |
| 11 | Bellator 299: Eblen vs. Edwards | September 23, 2023 | 3Arena | Dublin | Ireland |
| 10 | Bellator 298: Storley vs. Ward | August 11, 2023 | Sanford Pentagon | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | U.S. |
| 9 | Bellator MMA x Rizin 2 | July 30, 2023 | Saitama Super Arena | Saitama | Japan |
| 8 | Bellator 297: Nemkov vs. Romero | June 16, 2023 | Wintrust Arena | Chicago, Illinois | U.S. |
| 7 | Bellator 296: Mousasi vs. Edwards | May 12, 2023 | Accor Arena | Paris | France |
| 6 | Bellator 295: Stots vs. Mix | April 22, 2023 | Neal S. Blaisdell Arena | Honolulu, Hawaii | U.S. |
| 5 | Bellator 294: Carmouche vs. Bennett 2 | April 21, 2023 | Neal S. Blaisdell Arena | Honolulu, Hawaii | U.S. |
| 4 | Bellator 293: Golm vs. James | March 31, 2023 | Pechanga Resort and Casino | Temecula, California | U.S. |
| 3 | Bellator 292: Nurmagomedov vs. Henderson | March 10, 2023 | SAP Center | San Jose, California | U.S. |
| 2 | Bellator 291: Amosov vs. Storley 2 | February 25, 2023 | 3Arena | Dublin | Ireland |
| 1 | Bellator 290: Bader vs. Fedor 2 | February 4, 2023 | Kia Forum | Inglewood, California | U.S. |

## Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix Tournament

On September 28, 2022, Bellator president Scott Coker revealed in a The MMA Hour interview that a Lightweight World Grand Prix will take place in 2023. On January 11, 2023, during an appearance on "The MMA Hour," Bellator president Scott Coker revealed the fighters taking part in the tournament. The lineup includes Usman Nurmagomedov, A.J. McKee, Tofiq Musayev, Alexandr Shabliy, Patricky Freire, Mansour Barnaoui, Benson Henderson, and Sidney Outlaw. The tournament kicked off at Bellator 292 on March 10 in San Jose, California.
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final |
| Usman Nurmagomedov (c) | SUB | | |
| Benson Henderson | 1 | | |
| Benson Henderson | 1 | Usman Nurmagomedov (c) | UD |
| | | Brent Primus | 5 |
| Mansour Barnaoui | 5 | Brent Primus | 5 |
| Brent Primus | UD | | | |
| | | | | Alexandr Shabliy |
| Tofiq Musayev | 3 | | | Alexandr Shabliy |
| Alexandr Shabliy | TKO | | | |
| Alexandr Shabliy | TKO | Alexandr Shabliy | UD | |
| | | Patricky Pitbull | 5 |
| Roberto de Souza | 3 | Patricky Pitbull | 5 |
| Patricky Pitbull | TKO | | |
* ↑ Nurmagomedov's win was later overturned to a No Contest after he tested positive for a banned substance in a prescription drug. He was not stripped of the title due to the unintentional ingestion of the substance, but did receive a suspension.
* ↑ Primus replaced Sidney Outlaw after he was suspended for a positive drug test.
* ↑ The conclusion to the tournament was cancelled following the acquisition of Bellator MMA by Professional Fighters League in November 2023. Shabliy and Nurmagomedov did however eventually face each other the next year in a Lightweight Title bout at Bellator Champions Series 4, where Nurmagomedov won by unanimous decision.
* ↑ de Souza replaced A. J. McKee after he withdrew due to medical issues. The bout took place at catchweight of 161 pounds.

## Bellator Bantamweight World Grand Prix Tournament

The eight participants of the tournament were revealed on December 3, 2021. They include current champion Sergio Pettis, the former Rizin and Bellator champion Kyoji Horiguchi, another former Bellator champion in Juan Archuleta, who captured the vacant bantamweight title in 2020 against Patchy Mix, who will also be in the tournament. The final four fighters in the Grand Prix are all ranked in the top six by Bellator at 135 pounds: Magomed Magomedov, James Gallagher, Raufeon Stots and Leandro Higo. Pettis and Gallagher would eventually pull out due to injuries requiring surgery. Due to the pull outs, two wild card qualifier bouts between Josh Hill and Enrique Barzola, with the winner meeting Magomed Magomedov in the opening round, and the second qualifier between Jornel Lugo and Danny Sabatello, which will have the winner face Leandro Higo in the first round of the tournament. Due to Covid, Hill had to pull out of the bout and was replaced by Nikita Mikhailov.
| Wild Cards | Wild Cards | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| | | Juan Archuleta | 3 | | |
| | | Raufeon Stots | KO | | |
| | | | | Raufeon Stots (ic) | SD |
| | | | | Danny Sabatello | 5 |
| | | Leandro Higo | 5 | | |
| | | Danny Sabatello | UD | | |
| Danny Sabatello | UD | Danny Sabatello | UD | | |
| Jornel Lugo | 3 | | | | | | |
| Jornel Lugo | 3 | | | | | Raufeon Stots (ic) | 1 |
| | | | | | | Patchy Mix | KO |
| | | Magomed Magomedov | SUB | | | | |
| | | Enrique Barzola | 4 | | | | |
| Enrique Barzola | UD | Enrique Barzola | 4 | | | | |
| Nikita Mikhailov | 3 | | | | | | |
| Nikita Mikhailov | 3 | | | Magomed Magomedov | 2 | | |
| | | | | Patchy Mix | SUB |
| | | Patchy Mix | UD | | |
| | | Kyoji Horiguchi | 5 | | |

## Title fights

* ↑ For the Bellator Middleweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Heavyweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Welterweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Lightweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the interim Bellator Bantamweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Bantamweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship
* ↑ For the inaugural Bellator Flyweight World Championship. Accidental eye poke rendered Takahashi unable to continue.
* ↑ For the Bellator Middleweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Women's Flyweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Women's Featherweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Lightweight World Championship. Originally a unanimous decision win for Nurmagomedov; overturned after he tested positive for a banned substance.
* ↑ For the Bellator Bantamweight World Championship.
* ↑ For the Bellator Welterweight World Championship.