UFC Vet Foster Added to Bellator Season 6 Welterweight Tourney

Foster will make his Bellator Fighting Championships debut in the opening round of the company’s sixth-season 170-pound tournament, event sources Thursday confirmed to Sherdog.com.

The eight-man welterweight field now stands at half capacity, with Foster joining previously announced participants Karl Amoussou, War Machine and Carlos “Indio” Pereira. Bellator’s sixth season begins March 2 and airs live on MTV2, though the start date for the welterweight bracket is currently unknown.

Despite riding a two-fight win streak with decisive victories over Matt Brown and Forrest Petz, 27-year-old Foster was medically released by the UFC in September after suffering a brain hemorrhage and a burst testicle in separate training incidents. In October, the Oklahoma native returned from a 10-month hiatus and notched a pair of first-round submissions against British standout Jack Mason and Midwestern vet LaVerne Clark.

Foster, who has yet to go the distance in 23 professional fights, signed with Bellator in November and immediately set his sights on the promotion’s welterweight ace.

“I’m getting that belt,” Foster said. “I want to fight the best. I want to fight Ben Askren and take home that belt. I ran through my last two opponents and I’m better than I’ve ever been. I’m very happy to be a part of Bellator and I’m coming for the top spot.” In addition to a title shot, the winner of Bellator’s sixth-season welterweight tourney will earn $100,000 in total pay.