In Re-Signing Emmanuel Sanchez, Bellator Bolsters Its Prospect Stable

Bellator has gained widespread attention recently for booking well-known but over-the-hill fighters. The promotion made a move in the exact opposite direction Monday when it quietly re-signed one of its most decorated prospects.

Luke Thomas of MMA Fighting reported that featherweight Emmanuel Sanchez, 25, signed a deal that will keep him with Bellator for multiple years. Additional contract details were not available.

Sanchez (13-2) took his career to another level on February 19 when he bested UFC alum Daniel Pineda on the main card of Bellator 149. The widely watched event was topped by bouts between street-fighting legends Dhafir Harris and Kimbo Slice (combined age 80) as well as UFC legends Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie (combined age 101).

It was Sanchez's second consecutive win over a former UFC fighter. He previously defeated The Ultimate Fighter veteran Justin Lawrence in November.

The win also marked the third consecutive victory for Sanchez that came by split decision. Although he trains with a camp known largely for technical striking prowess—Milwaukee's Roufusport gym—Sanchez is not yet an MMA wizard.

Aggressive but unpolished, he has earned seven wins by decision compared with one by knockout and five by submission.

Sanchez is 5-1 since debuting for Bellator in 2014. His lone defeat came in June to Pat Curran by decision at Bellator 139.

For Bellator, which is owned by media giant Viacom and airs on the Viacom-owned Spike TV cable network, Sanchez's re-signing adds depth and a spark to a fairly deep 145-pound division.

In addition to his record, Sanchez also could be marketable because of his roots as an American fighter of Mexican heritage. Many MMA promotions, including the market-dominant UFC, have long attempted to gain a foothold in Mexico, which has an abiding love for boxing and professional wrestling but has yet to embrace MMA fully.

Daniel Straus recently captured Bellator's featherweight title after defeating longtime champ Patricio Freire. Other notable Bellator featherweights include Curran, Bubba Jenkins, Nam Phan and Georgi Karakhanyan.