Ryan Bader has joined the RIZIN promotion.
The veteran fighter, a former two-division champion in Bellator who also competed in PFL and UFC, appeared in the ring during RIZIN`s Otoko Matsuri event at the Tokyo Dome on Sunday to announce he has signed with the Japanese organization.
Bader is anticipated to make his debut at RIZIN`s traditional New Year`s Eve event on December 31st. He will face the winner of the current heavyweight grand prix tournament. This tournament began at Sunday`s show, with former Bellator fighter Jose Augusto advancing to the semifinals alongside Marek Samociuk from Poland and Mikio Ueda from Japan. A scheduled fourth quarterfinal bout between Islambek Baktybek Uulu and Alexander Soldatkin was cancelled.
The 41-year-old Bader hasn`t competed for over a year; his last fight was in February 2024 at the PFL vs. Bellator event. In that bout, Bader was defeated by TKO in just 21 seconds by Renan Ferreira, which ended his three-fight winning streak.
Bader enjoyed a highly successful tenure with Bellator, capturing both the heavyweight and light heavyweight championships. His notable wins there include victories over legends like Fedor Emelianenko and Lyoto Machida, as well as Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and Phil Davis. He signed with Bellator in 2017 after establishing himself as a top 10 light heavyweight in the UFC, where his record stood at 15-5.
“I want to fight,” Bader stated on Sunday. “One hundred percent, and I will be your champion by January.”
This past year has presented Bader with new opportunities, including an acting role where he portrays UFC legend Mark Coleman in Dwayne Johnson`s film, The Smashing Machine. The movie is set for a nationwide premiere on October 3rd, and Johnson stars as former UFC and Pride notable Mark Kerr.
