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Ryan Bader worried about 'the state of MMA' for fighters as promotional options dwindle

Ryan Bader has been around the block in MMA.

In 2025, there are fewer major players in the promotional space than arguably ever before, especially in the western world. Luckily for Bader, he's landed in an advantageous spot for what will likely be his final fighting home, having signed with Japan's RIZIN Fighting Federation after recently leaving the PFL.

Bader, a former two-division Bellator champion, was one of multiple ex-champs to depart the PFL in recent months. When examining the current overall MMA landscape, having just experienced another round of free agency, Bader explained on Tuesday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show" why he believes the playing field is reaching dangerous levels of scarcity.

"I feel like the state of MMA, right now, for the opportunity for fighters, is not good," Bader said. "There's not a ton of promotions. Bellator is gone, and Bellator was a place we could go and get paid. As fewer and fewer promotions are paying that kind of money and not picking up fighters, you get pigeonholed. You're going to the UFC, or they (free-agent fighters) got to pick from there.

"RIZIN definitely has the opportunity. It's obviously huge out there with the Japanese people and culture, and they're pretty picky about what foreigners they bring over, but I definitely see them kind of rising to that No. 2 spot."

Bader, 41, only fought once under the PFL banner after Bellator was acquired by the promotion in late 2023. Entering as the reigning heavyweight champion, Bader competed as part of the champions vs. champions introductory PFL vs. Bellator event in February 2024, coming up short via 21-second stoppage in his showdown against one-time PFL heavyweight tournament winner Renan Ferreira.

Bader noted that his discussions and signing with RIZIN happened relatively quickly after his PFL departure. To announce his addition to the roster, Bader flew out to Japan earlier this month to sit ringside for the big RIZIN: Otoko Matsuri event at the world-famous Tokyo Dome.

At this year's RIZIN New Year's Eve event, Bader will make his debut competing for the inaugural RIZIN heavyweight title against the winner of an ongoing grand prix tournament.

"It was one of those deals where if the money's not right, we might not fight again," Bader said.

"For me, fighting for a chance at another belt, legacy, and maybe just going out my last one like that would be amazing."

Bader's lone appearance competing in Japan came when he defeated Quinton "Rampage" Jackson all the way back in 2012 at UFC 144. The former champion recalls nearly returning for one of the Bellator/RIZIN crossover events that took place over the final years of Bellator, but a matchup never came together.

The timing couldn't have worked out better for Bader, who's kept busy by diving into the acting world. Bader plays the role of MMA legend Mark Coleman in the upcoming biopic "The Smashing Machine," about heavyweight pioneer Mark Kerr, who's played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

With pivotal portions of Coleman and Kerr's careers taking place in Japan, everything about Bader's involvement in the latest project made his ambitions all the greater. Whether that's for more than one fight remains to be seen, but he'll at least get to check one more box off on the bucket list.

"We dissected their fights, we rehearsed their fights, tried to make them look true to form, and then I was thinking, 'Man, it would be cool to use this rule set,' being a wrestler," Bader said of working on the film. "With Coleman kneeing guys in the head, a grounded opponent, the storyline was just too good to be true. Then they come and I get to do it for real — I get to play Coleman and go through his fights, and his legacy in PRIDE, and turn around on New Year's Eve and do it for real [with RIZIN].

"If this is my last one, go out with a bang in that promotion and have the potential to win another belt in another major promotion. I mean, why not? ... Who knows? I might have a blast out there. After you get a win, get another belt, you're like, 'I got one more in me.' So there's nothing definitive right now. I'll always keep my options open. We'll see what happens."

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