Who knows what checking the market can bring?

After choosing to fight out the end of his UFC contract in order to test free agency, Rory MacDonald has left the UFC and signed with Bellator MMA.

Reports (credit to FloCombat for breaking the story) stated the move became complete after the UFC declined to match Bellator’s offer last night.

MacDonald, who before being removed from the UFC rankings was a top five welterweight, was last seen in the Octagon in a losing effort to Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson. Before that bout, he was famously involved in the 2015: Fight Of The Year against Robbie Lawler.

Despite riding a two loss streak, at just twenty-seven years of age, the Canadian remains one of the top prospects and talents in the sport.

While reports suggest nothing has yet been signed, it’s likely that MacDonald’s first opponent outside of the UFC will be Bellator welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov, who shocked fans by defeating Benson Henderson in April of this year.