Bellator Signs Brits Paul Sass, Rob Sinclair, Martin Stapleton

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Bellator has added a trio of English talents to its roster, signing Paul Sass, Rob Sinclair and Martin Stapleton to long-term deals.

“Our talent development team does the best job in MMA by bringing hugely talented fighters to Bellator from around the globe,” Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney stated in a release. “The No. 1 question I get from fans is, ‘When will a U.K. television deal be completed with Bellator?’ With these three signings, along with a roster already featuring the likes of Paul Daley, Ronnie Mann and Michael Page, we are setting the table for making Bellator an every-week televised occurrence in the U.K.”

Known for his mastery of the triangle choke, Sass (Pictured, bottom) owns 12 of his 13 career victories by way of submission. After beginning his Octagon career with three consecutive wins, however, “Sassangle” was released by the UFC earlier this year on the heels of back-to-back defeats.

“I’m incredibly excited to get the chance to compete with Bellator,” Sass said. “After meeting with their staff and having a clear understanding of what’s next, I can’t wait to get into the cage and get into my first tournament.”

Sinclair, 33, captured the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts (BAMMA) lightweight title in 2010 and has defended that belt successfully three times, most recently besting UFC veteran Andre Winner in a split decision this past September at BAMMA 10. Known as “C4,” the Brit has earned nine knockouts in 12 career triumphs.

Stapleton, meanwhile, has not lost since 2008 and rides an eight-fight winning streak into his Bellator debut. The Brit returned to competition last year after spending nearly three years away from the cage on military duty, posting wins in June and July before winning a single-night, eight-man tournament on Dec. 1 under England’s Cage Contender banner.