Former two-division Bellator champion and heavyweight title holder Ryan Bader officially split up with the PFL after a friendly agreement to free him from his contract.
Ryan Budder leaves PFL
The 41-year-old veteran left one fight in his deal, but is now a free agent, marking the end of an astonishing chapter in his MMA career, extending to Bellator, PFL and UFC. Badder announced the news on social media, expressing his gratitude for Bellator and his time at the PFL, hinting at future opportunities in the sport and promoting his upcoming film project, The Smashing Machine.
“What an explosion and surrounded by great people running through that organization. I’m still open to a variety of occasions in the fight game. The Smashing Machine movie has been released somewhat and will certainly be an exciting year.”
Ryan Bader’s departure comes amid widespread changes following the acquisition of Bellator in late 2023 by PFL. The merger led to the cancellation of the Bellator brand and the restructuring of the combat contract. Some have moved smoothly to PFL, but they are also asking for releases due to limited opportunities and complaints about new structures, including notable names like Patricio “Pitbull” Freire. Bader is on a growth list of famous fighter jets exploring free agency as they navigate the uncertain MMA landscape.
Check out this post on InstagramBadder’s career shines. After a successful stint at the UFC, accumulating a 15-5 record in the UFC, he joined Bellator in 2017, beating Phil Davis to win the Light Heavyweight title. He later made history by becoming Bellator’s first two simultaneous division champion after winning the heavyweight grand prix in a victory that knocked out MMA legend Feder Emelianenko in 2019. Badder defended the heavyweight title four times and set a record for back-to-back defensive in Bellator’s heavyweight division. However, his tenure ended with a sour note with a 21-second knockout loss to Renan Ferreira at the PFL vs. Bellator Champions event in early 2024.
As Bader step into his free agency, questions about his next move remain.