Rory MacDonald signs his Bellator MMA contract
Rory MacDonald is Heading to The Professional Fighters League in 2020
Rory MacDonald is not retiring from fighting. However, he has decided to continue his career over at the Professional Fighters League (PFL) for the 2020 season. MacDonald will compete in the welterweight division for the 2020 million dollar prize.
The former Bellator welterweight world champion last fought in Bellator’s welterweight Grand Prix, making it to the finals where he lost to Douglas Lima last October. Lima was the man he was able to win the title from in January of 2018, then after making a run at Gegard Mousasi in an attempt to win a second title, he lost via TKO. In his own division’s Grand Prix, he fought to a draw against Jon Fitch and afterward, had fans question his motivation on the future of his fighting career.
MacDonald obviously finished the Grand Prix that ended with his rematch against Lima and lost the title but it looks like MacDonald liked the idea of competing for a $1-million-dollar prize at the end of the year. ESPN reported the news this morning that he would be competing in the 2020 season of the PFL, which usually begins their selection process during the first quarter of the year.
Former UFC title challenger and former Bellator champion @rory_macdonald has signed a multi-fight deal with @ProFightLeague, MacDonald and PFL officials tell @arielhelwani.
He will compete for the promotion’s welterweight title and $1 million grand prize during the 2020 season. pic.twitter.com/Y1GD2ikrr0
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 18, 2019
David Michaud and Ray Cooper III will be fighting for the 2019 welterweight title and Cooper was a finalist in 2018 where he lost to Magomed Magomedkerimov. Since the format is not what is traditionally done in MMA, regardless of who wins at the end of the year, everyone including MacDonald will have a chance at being a champion in the New Year.
The current season of the PFL will come to a close and crown their 2019 champions on New Year’s Eve in Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater. The PFL Championship will air on ESPN 2 at 7 p.m. EST and there will likely be more details on MacDonald and what to expect in 2020 as the season comes to close.
