Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Fifteen fighters are no longer on the promotion’s roster – including one 10-year veteran.
Over a dozen fighters are no longer with Bellator MMA.
Promotion officials recently informed MMA Junkie of 15 athletes who have parted ways with the promotion, though they didn’t specify if the departures are a result of contract termination, free agency or something else.
Twelve of the 15 names are fighters from the promotion’s European series, which has not held an event since October 2020.
Scroll below to see the names who have parted ways with Bellator.
Costello van Steenis scored yet another impressive win at Bellator Europe 8.
[autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] is no longer undefeated.
The heralded Bellator middleweight contender dropped a split decision to [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] in the main event of Saturday’s Bellator Europe 8 event. The card went down at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy.
As the judges’ 29-28, 28-27, 28-29 scores indicate, the bout was close and competitive. Van Steenis (13-2 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) had success early. “The Spaniard” did well in the striking department in the first round, pushing the action and landing several leg kicks while avoiding most of Edwards’ (9-1 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) strikes. The second round was more clear for van Steenis, as he took down Edwards and controlled the action to eventually advance positions and finish out on mount.
In the third round the tide turned for Edwards. The British fighter pushed the action and took van Steenis’ back off a failed takedown. He remained on top position for the majority of the round.
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In addition to the 185-pound main event, two other middleweights had dominant performances in Milan.
[autotag]Will Fleury[/autotag] used his superior ground game and control to outpoint [autotag]Kent Kauppinen[/autotag]; while [autotag]Michael Shipman[/autotag] outstruck [autotag]Pietro Penini[/autotag] for the majority of their contest. Both Shipman and Fleury picked up 30-27 scores in all three judges’ scorecards for unanimous decisions.
Complete results Bellator Europe 8 results:
MAIN CARD
PRELIMINARY CARD
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Follow the action live as the Bellator cage returns to European soil for Bellator Europe 8 in Milan, Italy.
The Bellator cage returns to European soil as the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy plays host to Bellator Europe 8.
The main event features a battle of European middleweight contenders, as England’s [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) takes on the Netherlands’ [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA), while the co-main event showcases two more middleweights looking to deliver a statement performance, as Italy’s [autotag]Pietro Penini[/autotag] (9-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) faces off against England’s [autotag]Mike Shipman[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-2 BMMA).
The main card’s middleweight flavor continues with Ireland’s [autotag]Will Fleury[/autotag] (7-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) against England’s [autotag]Kent Kauppinen[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA), while the preliminary card is packed with a host of European prospects, including a notable lightweight battle between fellow Brits [autotag]Alfie Davis[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Akonne Wanliss[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA).
Follow the action via Bellator’s official live stream above, and stay up to date with the official results below.
MAIN CARD (MMA Junkie, 5 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 1:15 p.m. ET)
Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator Europe 8 main card in Milan, Italy.
| Edwards vs. Van Steenis |
Fleury vs. Kauppinen |
Penini vs. Shipman |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2020: 104-62 |
 Edwards (57%) |
 Kauppinen (56%) |
 Shipman (77%) |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 2020: 113-53 |
 Van Steenis |
 Fleury |
Shipman |
| Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2020: 111-55 |
Van Steenis |
Kauppinen |
Shipman |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 2020: 110-56  2017 Champion |
Edwards |
Fleury |
Shipman |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2020: 110-56 |
Van Steenis |
Fleury |
Shipman |
| Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2020: 109-57 |
Van Steenis |
Fleury |
Shipman |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2020: 108-58 |
Edwards |
Fleury |
Shipman |
| Simon Head @simonhead 2020: 108-58 2019 Champion* |
Edwards |
Fleury |
Shipman |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2020: 106-60 2014 Champion |
Edwards |
Kauppinen |
Shipman |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 2020: 104-62 |
Edwards |
Fleury |
Shipman |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2020: 103-63 |
Edwards |
Fleury |
 Penini |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2020: 101-65 |
Van Steenis |
Fleury |
Shipman |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2020: 101-65 2018 Champion |
Edwards |
Fleury |
Shipman |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2020: 99-67 |
Edwards |
Kauppinen |
Shipman |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2020: 69-97 |
Van Steenis |
Kauppinen |
Penini |
Bellator is back this week with its first overseas event since the start of the pandemic.
Bellator Europe 8 takes place Saturday at Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy. The card streams on MMA Junkie and Bellator’s YouTube page.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) tries to keep his unbeaten record intact when he takes on fellow middleweight [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA). It’s a close matchup with our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts. Edwards has just a slim 8-6 lead in the picks.
In the co-main event, [autotag]Pietro Penini[/autotag] (9-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) meets [autotag]Mike Shipman[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) in a middleweight bout. Shipman has a big 12-2 picks lead.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Will Fleury[/autotag] (7-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Kent Kauppinen[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) in a third bout at 185 pounds. Fleury has a big 10-4 lead in the picks.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Edwards (57 percent), Shipman (77 percent) and Kauppinen (56 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
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The full fight card for Bellator Europe 8, set for Milan, Italy on Sept. 24, has been confirmed.
The fight card for the first leg of Bellator’s Italian triple-header is now set.
Bellator Europe 8 takes place Sept. 26 at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy, with a 10-fight preliminary card setting the stage ahead of a three-bout all-middleweight main card.
Headlining the event is a battle of European middleweight contenders as England’s [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) takes on the Netherlands’ [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA).
Co-main event support comes in the form of an Italy vs. England clash, as former Venator middleweight champion [autotag]Pietro Penini[/autotag] (9-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) faces off against former BAMMA 185-pound champ [autotag]Mike Shipman[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-2 BMMA). Kicking off the main card is a battle between hard-hitting 185-pounders as Ireland’s Will Fleury (7-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) takes on England’s Kent Kauppinen (12-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA).
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The preliminary card features a battle between British lightweight prospects as [autotag]Alfie Davis[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Akonne Wanliss[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), while former Cage Warriors featherweight tournament champion Aiden Lee (8-4 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) takes on seasoned Canadian veteran Jeremy Petley (13-8-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA)
With the additions, the Bellator Europe 8 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie)
Check out the full list of medical suspensions from Bellator Europe 6 in London.
Bellator finished closed out its 2019 European series schedule Saturday in London with Bellator Europe 6, which took place at The SSE Arena, Wembley.
In the main event, [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] ran through Italian newcomer [autotag]Giovanni Melilla[/autotag] by picking up another first-round knockout. The co-headliner saw [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] edge out a split decision win against [autotag]Mike Shipman[/autotag].
On Monday, MMA Junkie received medical suspensions from Mohegan Sun Tribe Department of Regulation president Mike Mazzulli, who oversaw regulation of the event. Among those facing lengthy suspensions is [autotag]Sam Sicilia[/autotag]. The Washington-based fighter was knocked out by fellow UFC veteran Robert Whiteford and will need neurological clearance to return. Whiteford was suspended indefinitely for a potential ankle/foot injury.
After his win over [autotag]Terry Brazier[/autotag], [autotag]Soren Bak[/autotag] was suspended indefinitely until his right knee is cleared by a physician.
Additionally, [autotag]Josie Blaber[/autotag] was suspended 180 days or until cleared by a doctor. Blaber was on the receiving end of brutal, dragged-out attack by [autotag]Charlotte McIntyre[/autotag] in the card’s curtain jerker.
Check out the full Bellator Europe 7 medical suspensions below:
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