Rory MacDonald to Defend Welterweight Title Against Jon Fitch at Bellator MMA Event in April

Reigning welterweight champion Rory MacDonald will face Jon Fitch as part of the first round of the Bellator grand prix at an event in San Jose, Calif., on April 27.

MacDonald will also put his belt on the line in the five-round bout, with the winner moving on to the semifinals as the California-based promotion’s welterweight champion. MMAFighting.com was first to report the matchup, which is expected to take place at the SAP Center. Bellator has not officially confirmed the booking.

MacDonald is coming off a lopsided second-round TKO loss at the hands of Gegard Mousasi in a middleweight championship tilt at Bellator 206 this past September. “The Red King” debuted in the promotion with a submission of Paul Daley before taking a five-round verdict over Douglas Lima to claim 170-pound gold at Bellator 192.

Fitch enters the matchup on a five-fight winning streak, which includes a decision triumph over Daley at Bellator 199. Prior to that, the former UFC title challenger went 6-2 during a stint in the PFL and WSOF, earning wins over the likes of Jake Shields, Yushin Okami and Brian Foster while capturing the organization’s welterweight crown.