Former Bellator MMA Heavyweight Champion Vitaly Minakov Re-Signs with Promotion

Vitaly Minakov has re-signed with Bellator MMA.

The former heavyweight champion was stripped by the promotion of his title in 2015 due to inactivity. He has since fought in Russia under the Fight Nights Global banner, where he has notched seven finishes in as many appearances. With 21 fights in the sport of mixed martial arts, he has yet to be defeated.

Minakov’s departure is part of the reason Bellator is holding a heavyweight tournament in 2018 and with his return to the promotion, fans may be wondering where his place will be among the heavyweights. When ESPN first reported the story it was stated that he would compete once in his return before facing the tournament winner.

Edward Carbajal serves as the lead MMA analyst for Frontproof Media and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a brown belt in Ishin Ryu Karate. He has covered combat sports since 2014 and has been a fan of MMA since UFC 1. You can follow him on Twitter @Carbazel or at his website TheBlogBoardJungle.com.