Bellator Cuts Ties With Lightweight Champ Will Brooks

Bellator MMA is no longer is the Will Brooks business.

On Saturday morning, Bellator MMA President Scott Coker has announced the promotion has cut ties with it’s lightweight champion. MMAJunkie was the first to report the news.

Brooks (17-1) debuted for the promotion in January 2013, earning a decision Ricardo Tirloni in the quarterfinals of the company’s Season 8 lightweight tournament before suffering the only loss of his career in the tournaments semifinals at the hands of a Saad Awad first round knockout

The man known as “Ill” would later enter the promotions Season 9 lightweight tournament where he would claim victory after earning decision over John Alessio, Alexander Sarnavskiy and avenging his loss to Awad.

The American Top Team product would eventually fill in for the injured champion Eddie Alvarez against Michael Chandler in May 2015. Brooks would go onto earn the close  split decision win over the heavily favored Chandler, earning the promotion’s interim title in the process.

It was not soon after Alvarez jumped shipped to the UFC, Bellator booked the immediate rematch between Brooks and Chandler for the the now vacant lightweight title. Brooks ended up defeated Chandler by fourth round TKO, claiming the undisputed title in the process.

Brooks would go no to defend his against Marcin Held and Dave Jansen before cutting ties with Bellator.

Since then, Brooks has become an outspoken critic of Bellator’s promotional tactics while declaring his desire to test the waters in free agency.