Ryan Bader on PFL vs. Bellator, Francis Ngannou, & Being The World’s Most Underrated Heavyweight
The best heavyweight in the world is Jon Jones. But Ryan Bader would test him in a way few others can.
Bader (31-7, 1 NC) is the reigning Bellator heavyweight champion. With all due respect to Stipe Miocic and Tom Aspinall, it is Jones and Bader who are currently the sport’s top two heavyweights. Jones defeated Bader in a light heavyweight battle in 2011, handing Bader the first defeat of his career in his thirteenth pro fight. While it is unlikely that there will ever be a rematch between the heavyweight champs, Bader is only weeks away from fighting a top title holder from another promotion.
Courtesy PFL
Bader is slated to face Renan Ferreira in the main event of the upcoming PFL vs. Bellator pay-per-view on February 24. Though no title is on the line, Ferreira (12-3, 3 NC) won the 2023 PFL heavyweight championship. This heavyweight battle will headline the card, and Bader is eager to make another statement.
“This is a chance to prove that I am one of the best in the world,” said Bader. “Even if the title isn’t on the line, if you win, you’re basically the Bellator and PFL champ.”
Courtesy PFL
For the perpetually underrated Bader, a knockout victory will add to his fight portfolio. Despite giving up six inches to Ferreira, who stands tall at 6’8”, Bader has fought–and defeated–an entirely different class of opponent throughout his career.
“People see the size difference and think I’m going to get killed, but he hasn’t been at this level,” said Bader. “I’m going to put on a show and buzzsaw right through him.”
Bader continues to age like a fine wine. He finds himself at 40 with a three-fight win streak. A victory against Ferreira, at least in theory, would put him at the front of the line to fight Francis Ngannou. But with Ngannou’s MMA future in question as he focuses on boxing, another possibility for Bader is a rematch–this time at heavyweight–against Vadim Nemkov.
Nemkov defeated Bader in 2020 for the Bellator light heavyweight title, and the notion of a rematch is one that appeals to the ever-competitive Bader.
“Francis would be a huge fight,” said Bader. “It’s a big money fight, but who knows if Francis comes back. He’s boxing now. Does he want to come back? Is he training on the ground? If he doesn’t, we’ll see who is next. I want that loss back from Nemkov. Ideally, I knock off Renan, and then I get Francis.
“I’m excited to fight Renan. I love doing something new. I’ve been doing this since 2006. Moving to Bellator, fighting in the Grand Prix, that got me motivated. This does, too. I’m really up for it. I’m always training hard and always motivated, but this is giving me even more motivation.”
Ryan Bader has dominated his last three heavyweight title defenses, including defeating Cheick Kongo in May of 2022 at Bellator 280
Courtesy PFL
Bader was scheduled to defend the title this past October at Bellator 300. Considering there was ample speculation that it would be Bellator’s final pay-per-view, Bader was extremely disappointed when scheduled opponent Linton Vassell withdrew only days beforehand.
“I wanted that fight really bad,” said Bader. “I’d heard the rumblings, and I wanted one more Bellator fight. I was also worried I wouldn’t fight until the summer. But I feel like I haven’t missed a beat, and I’m ready to get back in there.”
Detractors moving the goalposts against Bader feels like a regular occurrence. He demolished the great Fedor Emeliankenko, but the bulk of post-fight chatter focused on Emelianenko being past his prime.
But opponents keep lining up, and Bader keeps knocking them down. Next up is Ferreira on February 24.
“I’ve been putting in work,” said Bader. “I’m ready and I’m excited for champ versus champ against Ferreira.”
