Paul Redmond signs with Bellator

Irish lightweight and former UFC fighter, Paul Redmond, has signed an exclusive deal with Bellator.

Bellator confirmed the signing to MMA Fighting on Saturday.

Redmond (14-7-0) is coming off a knockout loss to Gracjan Szadzinski at KSW 44. A win on the night would have potentially propelled the Team Ryano stalwart into a championship showdown with Mateusz Gamrot.

The loss to the Polish knockout artist snapped a three-fight win streak for Redmond. His only loss since leaving the UFC until that the point came by way of a controversial decision to fellow former UFC fighter Norman Parke.

Since his release from the promotion in in 2015, Redmond compiled a record of 4-2, with his wins coming against Chris Stringer, former BAMMA champion Rob Sinclair, Lukasz Chlewicki and Sergio de Jesus Santos, which marked his Bellator debut.

Redmond was given a short-notice call-up to the UFC in 2015 while he was in the process of making a run at the Cage Warriors lightweight title. He was served a baptism of fire when he met Mirsad Bektic in his debut at UFC Stockholm. Following his failure to make the featherweight mark for the first time after losing 33 pounds in two weeks, he lost a one-sided decision. His next outing under the banner came at UFC Glasgow where he lost to hometown-favorite Rob Whiteford in the first round via TKO.

Redmond’s most notable wins have come against Damien Brown, Lewis Long, Sinclair and Philip Mulpeter.