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Bellator Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen last defended his title earlier this year at Bellator 290, defeating Anatoly Tokov by unanimous decision.
While the middleweight champion doesn’t have his next challenger lined up yet, but that hasn’t stopped Eblen from wanting Bellator to hold a middleweight grand prix.
“That would be awesome. I would like that,” Eblen told reporters backstage at Bellator 291 (transcript via Farah Hannoun & Abbey Subhan of MMA Junkie). “I would love a tournament, keeps me really active. I’m near my peak. I want to be as active as possible – being champion is hard to set up fights. But if you’re in a tournament-type of style, they’re forcing you to fight a lot. So I would really enjoy that.”
The promotion is currently in the midst of a bantamweight grand prix, while the lightweight grand prix is also kicking off shortly.
Eblen does believe his next title challenger will come from the winner of Gegard Mousasi vs. Fabian Edwards, which is scheduled to happen on May 12.
“Let’s see who wins, because the winner of that fight is probably gonna face me,” Eblen said. “I really don’t care (who wins). They’re fighting for my attention right now. So all I’m doing is focusing on myself and becoming a better fighter, and whoever wins that fight gets to challenge me.”
