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Dana White Open to Signing Vadim Nemkov Away From Bellator: "We'll See"

The Bellator light heavyweight champion caught Dana White's attention at the UFC 294 presser.

Zain Bando

Dana White Open to Signing Vadim Nemkov Away From Bellator: "We'll See"
Dana White Open to Signing Vadim Nemkov Away From Bellator: "We'll See" /

With Bellator-PFL talks looming, UFC CEO Dana White has been watching how the competition could look when fighters transition to the UFC. One name mentioned was Vadim Nemkov, the current Bellator light heavyweight champion.

White, who had trouble hearing many of the questions at the UFC 294 post-fight presser, needed clarification when asked by a reporter if he was interested in signing the 31-year-old Russian superstar.

"Ok, did Bellator close down yet?" White asked. 

After the reporter clarified that Bellator's last event under the Viacom banner would be Bellator 301 next month, there remains a lack of clarity. White then followed up.

"Sounds good to me," White said. "We'll see what happens with Bellator, who goes where, what happens."

The UFC potentially signing a Bellator champion would be nothing new, as the likes of Michael Chandler and Eddie Alvarez have had stints in the promotion over the last 10 years.

Nemkov has been a staple in Bellator for the last few years, defeating the likes of Corey Anderson, Phil Davis, Yoel Romero, and Ryan Bader. Nemkov is currently 9-0 in Bellator and has been praised by the promotion's president Scott Coker as one of the best light heavyweights in the world.

VIDEO: Islam Makhachev Finishes Alex Volkanovski With Sensational Head Kick At UFC 294

A signing of Nemkov could spice up the division, as the title is currently vacant for the next few weeks before leading into Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 inside Madison Square Garden.

Nonetheless, clarity on the division is coming soon, regardless of who the title holder ends up being.

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Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99

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