One week after he parted ways with the UFC, bantamweight Michael McDonald has signed a deal with Bellator.
ESPN.com was the first to report the news, and MMA Fighting confirmed with Bellator officials on Friday.
The 26-year-old McDonald (17-4) has long been a top-flight fighter in the UFC’s 135-pound division. “Mayday” fought for the UFC’s interim bantamweight title back in 2013 against Renan Barao, a bout he lost via fourth-round submission. He fought two more times in 2013 — a victory over Brad Pickett, and a loss against fellow Northern California fighter Urijah Faber — before taking an extended break from fighting.