Mixed martial arts fan favorite Nick Newell has signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA, promotion officials confirmed Wednesday with ESPN.
Newell, a congenital amputee born without most of his left arm, won his Bellator debut last month against Corey Browning by first-round submission.
The Bellator 225 bout against Browning was held at Mohegan Sun, just about 60 miles from Newell’s hometown of Milford, Connecticut. He is a popular local draw and Bellator is targeting his next fight to be back at Mohegan Sun in October, sources said. Bellator has events on back-to-back nights at the resort casino on Oct. 25 and 26.
Welcome to the Fam, @NotoriousNewell! ✒️📈 pic.twitter.com/reZApZrWUH
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) September 18, 2019
Newell has won two straight after a loss to Alex Muñoz on Dana White’s Contender Series in July 2018. Had Newell won that bout, he would have likely been signed to the UFC. Newell, 33, only has one other loss on his record, in a World Series of Fighting lightweight title fight against Justin Gaethje in 2014. The former college wrestler has 11 submissions and 13 total finishes in his 16 career wins.