Bellator MMA has added a former NCAA champion and two time All American to its roster as they signed Darrion Caldwell to a long term promotional agreement.
The signing was announced on Tuesday and Caldwell will compete in the Bellator featherweight division.
“Darrion’s a tremendous addition to our stacked 145 pound division,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Similar to what we’ve done with other top prospects, Darrion will be brought along slowly and given time to develop before facing many of the best featherweights in the world in our tournament. The sky is the limit for Darrion.”
Caldwell (3-0) wrestled at North Carolina State and he trains at Power MMA in Arizona with MMA fighters Ryan Bader, C.B. Dollaway, and others. He made his professional MMA debut last year and all of his fights have taken place in the Texas based promotion, Legacy Fighting Championship. His most recent fight took place in July and defeated Gerzan Chaw by unanimous decision.
“Everything just really fell into place for me to sign with a prestigious organization like Bellator. I’m really embracing this opportunity,” Caldwell said. “During our talks, the tournament format is something I thought about a lot, and that’s what I always grew up with being a Division I wrestler. I’m used to looking at a bracket and seeing my name against another fighter, so I’m absolutely looking forward to my first tournament run.”
“I think after my first fight with Bellator, people are really going to see a well-rounded mixed martial artist, no one is going to say that I’m just another wrestler coming into MMA, that’s just not my game. I only have one goal, and that’s to become champion. Whether that happens short term or in the future, that is the ultimate goal, and really the only goal. I feel like right now I’m ready to battle with the best of them, but at the same time, I have complete trust in the Bellator team to put me in the best position to succeed, and reach my full potential inside the Bellator cage.”
Caldwell will make his debut in Bellator MMA in 2014 and have feature fights before potentially being placed into a featherweight tournament.