Brennan Ward signs multifight deal with Bellator after comeback
Bellator gave Brennan Ward a chance to show he'd changed after his battle with drug addiction – and he passed the test.
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Brennan Ward will be sticking around Bellator.
Following an unofficial tryout, Ward (15-6 MMA, 11-6 BMMA) recently signed an exclusive, multifight deal with Bellator, a promotion official informed MMA Junkie on Friday. Additional terms of the deal were not disclosed, though the promotion expects him to compete at welterweight.
Ward, 33, returned to mixed martial arts competition at Bellator 274 in February after a near five-year hiatus when he defeated Brandon Bell by second-round TKO.
His time away from MMA was largely due to an ongoing battle with severe drug addiction, which he revealed in an exclusive tell-all interview with MMA Junkie early this year. Ward described a rock star lifestyle with little to no training during the majority of his career, as he abused heroin, pills, alcohol, cocaine, and more.
Following the victory over Bell, an emotional Ward didn’t immediately know what the future would hold – but he hoped to stick around with Bellator.
“I’m never not going to put on show ever,” Ward said. “I’ll fight anyone who wants to bang. I don’t want anyone who is going to try to go to the ground and f*cking lay around and be a little b*tch. Give me a dog fight. I’m a dog.”
Ward’s next bout has not been set, though likely will happen June 24 at Bellator 282, which takes place in his backyard of Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
MMA Junkie followed Ward backstage through the preparation for his return bout and published a mini-documentary on him titled “Brennan Ward: Found,” which can be watched above.