Let’s be honest, Tito vs. Rampage doesn’t factor to be the most relevant fight in recent memory—both of them are past their primes. But while some may question Bellator’s decision to feature two ex-UFC stars in the main event of their inaugural pay-per-view outing, I can understand why they would do it.
There’s no question that guys like Michael Chandler, Ben Askren and Pat Curran are legitimate fighters capable of putting on pay-per-view worthy performances, but to casual fans of the sport they remain relatively unknown. For better or worse, Tito and Rampage have the recognition to pull in viewers that might otherwise pass on anything that isn’t branded with the UFC. Let’s hope that is the case, because while Tito and Rampage have certainly earned their place in the MMA history books, it’s the Bellator fighters that have been grinding away to lesser fanfair who now deserve to shine.
No, Bellator doesn’t come close to the UFC in terms of size or influence, but they have been steadily building a solid roster of talent that is becoming harder to brush aside as simply “not good enough for the UFC”. This month, we focus on one the brightest of these talents, and one who comes with a solid MMA pedigree. Pat Curran was brought into the MMA fold at the behest of his cousin and UFC veteran, Jeff Curran, and has been on a tear ever since. Is Pat good enough to compete at the upper levels of the UFC? Does he even have any interest? We look to answer these questions and more on page 46.
Elsewhere in the issue, we visit with Ranger Up’s Tim Kennedy to find out more about his unique preparation for his most recent bout, and our expert columnists chime in to provide some great nutrition and meal planning guidance to help keep you training to your fullest potential.
Ladd Dunwoody
Editor-in-Chief
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