Gallery Photos: Best of Ryan Bader view 33 images Ryan Bader isn’t certain how Bellator’s heavyweight grand prix is going to play out, but he has an ideal ending. Bader (24-5 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), the Bellator’s current light-heavyweight champion, moves up a weight class for the eight-man, single-elimination tournament that will crown a new owner of the vacant heavyweight belt. His opening-round matchup takes place at Bellator 199 on May 12, when he meets Muhammed Lawal (21-6 MMA, 10-4 BMMA). If Bader can beat “King Mo,” he knows a semifinal matchup with Matt Mitrione (13-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) is on the horizon. If he can get through that, the tourney final would come against Fedor Emelianenko (36-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA), Frank Mir (18-11 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) or Chael Sonnen (30-15-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA)
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