Free agency has become a hot topic in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). Fighters are starting to see opportunities outside of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) that are worth their while. One fighter who is testing the market is Ryan Bader.
Bader has put together a 22-5 record in his professional career. At the age of 33, “Darth” certainly has some gas left in the tank. He realizes, however, that he isn’t getting any younger and he wants a shot at gold.
A Bellator official has confirmed that the promotion will be making Bader an offer in the next two weeks (via MMAJunkie.com). Bader recently expressed great interest in facing Phil Davis for Bellator’s light heavyweight championship. The UFC is allowed to match offers made to Bader by other promotions since he is still in the matching phase.
Another fighter that has been testing the market is welterweight Lorenz Larkin. Negotiations have hit a snag as the asking price could not be agreed upon.
Like Bader, Larkin has won two straight and decided to go into free agency. “The Monsoon’s” last victory was an eye opener, knocking out Neil Magny in the first round at UFC 202. Magny was riding a three-fight winning streak and had never been knocked out before.
