Former UFC bantamweight Brett Johns signs multi-fight deal with Bellator

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Former UFC bantamweight Brett Johns signs multi-fight deal with Bellator

Brett Johns is the latest addition to the Bellator roster.

Johns (17-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC), Wales’ first UFC fighter, opted to sign with Bellator after he couldn’t come to terms with the UFC on a new deal. MMA Junkie confirmed the news after an initial report from ESPN.

Johns also released a statement on Instagram, detailing what went wrong during his negotiations with the UFC.

View this post on Instagram

Right where do I start, firstly I would like to thank the @ufc and all the staff for the last 4 years in the organisation from the @ufcpi team to the fight week staff always taking care of me and my team. Thanks to @danawhite for the opportunity memories that will last a lifetime. I have decided to take a different road in my career, as fighters our health is put on the line every time we sign on the dotted line and I’m okay with that. But I’m here to get paid what I believe Is fair. My last bout was the final on my 2nd contact with the ufc. I accepted a bout for November 7th in Las Vegas against a tough (15-1) opponent, If you’ve followed my career you’ll know I’ll fight any man on the planet. But we couldn’t agree on a figure that was right for both parties on the new contract. 7 fights, 5 wins and 2 losses to the top guys in the division, once ranked 13th, 2nd calf slicer in the ufcs history and currently on a 2 fight win streak to up and coming prospects is valued differently between us. And that’s just business nothing personal it’s never personal in my eyes, I wish the @ufc all the best in the future. A different offer was made an offer that I couldn’t turn down an one I believe I deserve. I’m grateful that it was made and I’m excited to put my skills on show for another worldwide organisation. That’s that for now still training the same way, still aims of adding another world championship to the CV with the welsh flag over my shoulders. I’ll always be in the history books first welsh fighter to fight in the UFC. Over and out The Pikey

A post shared by Brett Johns (@brettjohnsmma) on

“Right where do I start, firstly I would like to thank the @ufc and all the staff for the last 4 years in the organisation from the @ufcpi team to the fight week staff always taking care of me and my team. Thanks to @danawhite for the opportunity memories that will last a lifetime.

I have decided to take a different road in my career, as fighters our health is put on the line every time we sign on the dotted line and I’m okay with that. But I’m here to get paid what I believe Is fair.

My last bout was the final on my 2nd contact with the ufc. I accepted a bout for November 7th in Las Vegas against a tough (15-1) opponent, If you’ve followed my career you’ll know I’ll fight any man on the planet. But we couldn’t agree on a figure that was right for both parties on the new contract. 7 fights, 5 wins and 2 losses to the top guys in the division, once ranked 13th, 2nd calf slicer in the ufcs history and currently on a 2 fight win streak to up and coming prospects is valued differently between us.

And that’s just business nothing personal it’s never personal in my eyes, I wish the @ufc all the best in the future.

A different offer was made an offer that I couldn’t turn down an one I believe I deserve. I’m grateful that it was made and I’m excited to put my skills on show for another worldwide organisation.

That’s that for now still training the same way, still aims of adding another world championship to the CV with the welsh flag over my shoulders.

I’ll always be in the history books first welsh fighter to fight in the UFC.

Over and out

The Pikey”

Johns leaves the UFC on a two-fight winning streak, scoring a submission win over Tony Gravely in January and most recently a unanimous decision over Montel Jackson at UFC on ESPN+ 30 in July. He joins UFC veterans Corey Anderson, Jeremy Kennedy and Rustam Khabilov as some of Bellator’s most recent signings.

Former UFC bantamweight Brett Johns signs multi-fight deal with Bellator