What began on September 29th of 2018 will likely see its end point on October 26th, 2019. Bellator’s welterweight Grand Prix is coming to a close, and it’s more or less doing so exactly where it started.
Back in January of 2018, Rory MacDonald defeated Douglas Lima to win the 170 lb strap. Six months later, the promotion announced plans for a 10-fighter (including 2 alternates) tournament—throughout which the welterweight title would be on the line. MacDonald made a brief jaunt to 185 – in a losing effort against then-champion Gegard Mousasi – before the whole thing kicked off, but his win over Lima was the last 170 lb bout for either man before the Grand Prix got under way.