Ryan Bader is once again a free agent in mixed martial arts.
Despite having one fight remaining on his contract, the former Bellator heavyweight champion has reached a mutual agreement to separate from the Professional Fighters League (PFL). His sole appearance with PFL was in February 2024, where he was defeated by Renan Ferreira.
Sources familiar with the situation confirmed the news to MMA media outlets. Ariel Helwani was the first to report this development.
After his fight with Ferreira in 2024, Bader ventured into acting, securing a supporting role alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in “The Smashing Machine,” a film about the life of MMA legend Mark Kerr.
Following the completion of filming, Bader mentioned that he still had one fight remaining on his PFL contract and was uncertain about his return to fighting. Now that he and PFL have parted ways, Bader is a free agent, and his next fighting destination is unknown.
Bader released a statement on social media regarding his departure from PFL.
In his statement, Bader said: “I am officially a free agent. PFL and my team reached mutually agreeable terms regarding the remaining fight on my contract. My time with Bellator was incredible, a fantastic experience working with great people. I`m open to various opportunities in fighting. `The Smashing Machine` movie is coming out soon, making this an exciting year. Thanks to Mike Kogan for respecting fighters, which is rare, and to Scott Coker and the Bellator team for the great times. And thanks to David Martin for his leadership.”
In recent years as a heavyweight, Bader has a strong record of 6 wins, 1 loss, and 1 no-contest in eight fights. His only defeat was against Ferreira, but he has secured victories against notable fighters like Cheick Kongo, Valentin Moldavsky, and MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko.
Bader has a long history in the light heavyweight division, where he competed for most of his UFC career. However, he has stated he doesn`t want to return to 205 pounds, suggesting he will remain a heavyweight.
His next move is uncertain, but Bader is now free to sign with any MMA promotion after his release from PFL.
