First, a title-winning display at the iconic Madison Square Garden. Then, a successful defense on a headlining affair. Now, the chance to become a two-division champion.

Looking at Ryan Bader’s past six months, one can see why he has “no regret whatsoever” about his decision to join Bellator’s roster after a 20-fight stint under the UFC banner.

“I’m totally happy with my decision,” Bader told MMAjunkie Radio last week. “Go out, win the belt, defend it, and then get offered to go in a heavyweight tournament? It doesn’t get, really, much better than that. I came over here for those unique opportunities, you know. And they brought it up to me – I didn’t have to go searching for (them).

“When I first met with them, they were like, ‘Would you be willing to fight in Japan? Would you be willing to go to heavyweight?’ I said yes to all of that. ‘Give me those opportunities.’ So when it presented itself to be in this tournament, we said, ‘Hell yeah, why not? Let’s do it.'”

By “this tournament,” Bader means Bellator’s heavyweight grand prix – which will determine who’ll take the promotion’s vacant heavyweight throne. According to the recently-revealed bracket, it kicks off on Jan. 20 with Chael Sonnen vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The idea is to have a champ crowned by December 2018.

Bader (24-5 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), who’s coming off a TKO win over Linton Vassell at Bellator 186, wasn’t yet aware of how the tournament was going to go by the time he checked in with MMAjunkie Radio. He, in fact, didn’t even know he was going to get his post-fight wish granted with a May booking vs. Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal (21-6 MMA, 10-4 BMMA) .

But not really knowing what will happen is not that big of a problem when you, simply put, don’t really care.

“I can make the case for fighting anyone of those guys would be awesome,” Bader said. “It’s one of those stacked tournaments where you look at one paper and you’re like, ‘Man, there’s some big names in here. Big guys.’ But there’s not a guy in there that I’m like, ‘Oh man, he may be too big.’ Or (that) I’m concerned about. I’m going in there to win that thing. So it really doesn’t matter to me.

“It’s kind of breaking it down like I used to do it in the old wrestling das, when you’re going to a national tournament and there’s 64 men in your bracket. You look at it and it’s pretty daunting, but you just go out there and you wrestle one match at a time.

“Same with fighting: You go out there, fight your fight. You win three in a row and you’re the heavyweight champion.”

According to the grand prix’s initial layout, a win over Lawal would put Bader against either Roy Nelson or Matt Mitrione – who are set to meet on Feb. 16 – in the semifinals. That would mean, if Fedor Emelianenko gets past Frank Mir and then the winner of Sonnen vs. “Rampage” Jackson, a Bader vs. Emelianenko final.

For many, a chance to fight “The Last Emperor” is certainly something to be celebrated. After all, while Emelianenko (36-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) is coming off a loss to Mitrione in his Bellator debut, we are talking about a longtime PRIDE champion who’s still generally regarded as the best heavyweight in MMA history.

Bader is certainly part of that group. Which, of course, is not to say that he’s in any way letting the legend get in his path.

“Before Fedor is done, it’d be an honor to get in the cage with him,” Bader said. “And it’s just one of those things, where it’s nothing but respect. For me, I was watching a lot of the wrestlers coming up, because I was wrestling at (Arizona State University) and watching Fedor just tearing people apart like a buzzsaw over in PRIDE, (he’s) definitely one of my favorite fighters.

“To be able to share that cage with him and those guys that are on my record, it’s pretty surreal. I don’t really take the time to look back and reminisce on that, and there will be a time for that, but now is time to go forward. To fight him would be a great honor but, make no mistake about it, I’m trying to run through him.”

For more on Bellator’s upcoming schedule, visit the MMA Rumorssection of the site.

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