Bellator Signs UFC, Strikeforce Veteran Riggs

“Joe is a battle-tested veteran who brings it in every fight,” Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney said in a release. “He is a great addition to our middleweight division, and I’m looking forward to seeing Joe in action during Season 4.”

Riggs will carry a two-fight winning streak into his next appearance. The 28-year-old last appeared under the King of the Cage banner in November, when he stopped Trent Thorne on first-round elbows at the Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. A potent finisher, Riggs has secured 31 of his 34 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. Wins over current Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, UFC and Pride Fighting Championships veteran Phil Baroni, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner Kendall Grove and resurgent UFC welterweight contender Chris Lytle anchor his resume.

Riggs joins Bellator’s middleweight stable, which includes champion Hector Lombard and World Extreme Cagefighting alum Bryan Baker.

“Bellator has a lot of well-rounded, talented guys in their middleweight division,” Riggs said. “There are some really good middleweights for me to test myself against, and it was one of the reasons I came to Bellator.”