A new era of Bellator will debut on Jan. 20 when the promotion holds its first show on the Paramount Network, the newly re-branded channel that formerly went by Spike TV. But MMA fans will notice another big change as well. Bellator 192 will mark the promotion’s first event without its longtime color commentator Jimmy Smith, who parted ways with the company in a surprise announcement at the end of 2017.
Smith’s departure from Bellator was an unexpected development to many within the sport. The ex-fighter was one of the few holdovers from the Bjorn Rebney era, and, over time, his presence in the broadcast booth became synonymous with the Bellator brand itself.