Ryan Bader is once again a free agent in the world of mixed martial arts. The former Bellator heavyweight champion and PFL have mutually agreed to terminate his contract, even though it still had one fight remaining.
Bader`s sole appearance in the PFL cage was in February 2024, where he faced a defeat against Renan Ferreira. This marked his only fight under the PFL banner.
Sources familiar with the situation have confirmed this news. Ariel Helwani was the first to report the development.
After his fight with Ferreira earlier this year, Bader ventured into acting, securing a supporting role alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the upcoming film The Smashing Machine. This movie is based on the life story of UFC and PRIDE veteran Mark Kerr.
Following the completion of filming, Bader had mentioned that he still had one fight left on his PFL contract but was uncertain about his return to active competition. Now, with his departure from PFL finalized, Bader is officially a free agent, leaving his next career move an open question.
Bader himself addressed his departure from PFL in a statement on social media.
“Officially a free agent,” Bader announced. “PFL and our team reached mutually agreeable terms for my release, despite one fight remaining on the contract. My time with Bellator was incredible and filled with great people. I`m open to exploring various opportunities in the fight game. The release of The Smashing Machine movie is approaching, making this an exciting year. A big thank you to Mike Kogan for his respectful treatment of fighters, which is rare, and to Scott Coker and the rest of the Bellator team for the great times. And thanks to David Martin for his leadership.”
Over the past few years, Bader successfully transitioned to the heavyweight division, achieving a record of 6 wins, 1 loss, and 1 no-contest in eight fights. His only defeat in this weight class was against Ferreira. Notably, he secured victories against prominent fighters such as Cheick Kongo, Valentin Moldavsky, and PRIDE legend Fedor Emelianenko.
While Bader has a significant history in the light heavyweight division, particularly during his time in the UFC, he has previously stated his unwillingness to cut back down to 205 pounds. It is therefore expected that he will continue to compete as a heavyweight in the future.
With his release from PFL, Bader is now free to negotiate and sign with any MMA promotion, making his next destination a subject of much anticipation.
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