Bellator two-division champion Ryan Bader will never be mistaken for a braggart touting his resume but he’s also not going to back down from calling himself the best in the world.
Just recently, Bellator president Scott Coker proclaimed that Bader was the best heavyweight in mixed martial arts following Stipe Miocic’s fourth-round comeback victory to defeat Daniel Cormier at UFC 241.
ader, who competed in the UFC as a light heavyweight, has gone undefeated since moving up a division while tearing through the competition in the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix. With wins over “King Mo” Lawal, Matt Mitrione and most notably former PRIDE champion Fedor Emelianenko, Coker believes his heavyweight champion has separated himself from the rest of the pack.
And Bader agrees with him.
“For me, I believe that [I am the best]. If you don’t believe that, then you shouldn’t be in this sport. I do believe I’m the best in the world,” Bader said when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I believe coming up to heavyweight, I can shine.
“That’s where I feel the best in terms of being agile, speed, cardio, all that kind of stuff plus I have the power. It was nice to get that recognition, too, so now I just have to go out there and continue to prove it.”
Unfortunately for Bader as much as he’d love the opportunity to settle any debate by facing the UFC heavyweight champion, he knows it’s probably never going to happen.