Rory MacDonald Believes Bellator’s Welterweight Division on Par with UFC’s

Rory MacDonald is set to take on Gegard Mousasi for Bellator’s middleweight championship on Saturday (Photo Via: Bellator MMA)

Throughout Rory MacDonald’s time in the UFC, few welterweights ever got the better of the Bellator champ. Each and every time he stepped into the Octagon he faced one of the sport’s best 170-pounders, and victories over the likes of world-class opponents such as current UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia and Nate Diaz, made MacDonald a permanent part of the division’s title discussion.

But eventually, missed opportunities in the form of consecutive losses to Robbie Lawler and Stephen Thompson, coupled with some significant changes in his personal life, led MacDonald to leave his sport’s top promotion to join Bellator in 2016. Since, he’s risen to the top of his new division with convincing victories over Paul Daley and Douglas Lima, establishing himself as one of the top two or three welterweights in all of MMA.

On Wednesday, Bellator’s roster met up with various local celebrities ahead of Saturday’s card. Pictured from left to right are former welterweight champ Douglas Lima, Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, and welterweight champion Rory MacDonald (Photo Via: Bellator MMA press release)

While that success has brought MacDonald many opportunities, such as his upcoming crack at Gegard Mousasi and the middleweight crown at Saturday’s Bellator 206, the Canuck’s top priority remains the welterweight division. And when asked how his new stomping grounds compare to the UFC’s 170-pound weight class during last week’s Bellator 206 media conference call, MacDonald had some very high praise Bellator’s welterweight division.

“I think they’re competing very well,” said MacDonald. “I like what Bellator is doing with the management of it. I think we have a more exciting division, especially with the way they’re [Bellator] doing tournaments. I just think they’re managing it better in terms of their talent. They’re giving us better opportunities.”

“Obviously the UFC has great talent, but the match-ups, and the way they’re managing it [the welterweight division], I just don’t find it very intriguing. And I find the fans are feeling the same way about it.”

In the past, MacDonald has openly expressed his desire to fight more often, and initially, a lot of knowledgeable folks felt that his transition from the UFC to Bellator wouldn’t last. But it appears that MacDonald’s disappointment has been replaced by gratitude, and regardless of what happens against Mousasi, it appears that Bellator has found a loyal superstar.