Bellator president Scott Coker announced the participants during an appearance on "The MMA Hour” on Wednesday. They are as follows: Usman Nurmagomedov, A.J. McKee, Tofiq Musayev, Alexandr Shabliy, Patricky Freire, Mansour Barnaoui, Benson Henderson and Sidney Outlaw.
The tournament will begin on March 10 in San Jose, Calif.. Reigning 155-pound champion Nurmagomedov headlines the field, which also includes former lightweight king Freire and ex-featherweight champ McKee. McKee has been vocal about wanting to face Nurmagomedov in the opening round of the bracket.
“It’s gonna be a fantastic tournament. If you look at our lightweight division, it’s really stacked,” Coker said. “I’m excited for these guys to all get it on.”
As with previous tournaments, the winner will receive a $1 million payout.
“There’s a lot riding on the line, and I know these guys are gonna fight their hearts out,” Coker said. “Everybody has something to prove.”