Bellator inks 3-time NCAA Division II champ Romero Cotton, who eyes 2017 debut

Bellator continues to beef up his its roster of amateur-wrestling standouts.

On Monday the organization announced the signing of three-time NCAA Division II national wrestling champion Romero Cotton.

Terms of the multi-fight exclusive deal weren’t disclosed.

The 26-year-old is current finishing a psychology degree at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and eyes a 2017 Bellator and pro-MMA debut, which will come at middleweight, according to the announcement.

“Having an opportunity to be part of a promotion like Bellator so early in my MMA career is one that I am thankful for,” Cotton stated in the announcement. “Being that I’m just starting out in the sport, I thought it would be two or three years of grinding and working my way up the ladder before reaching a company of this magnitude.

“Having seen how Bellator’s recent string of wrestlers have been treated and performed, I’m honored to be the latest, and there’s nothing I’m looking forward to more than showing the world my skills that I’ve acquired throughout my life not only as a wrestler, but as an athlete. Now, I move onto the next phase of my career and will continue to develop into a well-rounded fighter.”

In addition to three national titles, Cotton, who wrestled at 197 pounds, earned All-American honors four times while posting an overall 66-10 record. He also redshirted in football his freshman year at the University of Nebraska before transferring to UN-Kearney, where he played three seasons and earned all-MIAA third-team honors, in addition to wrestling.

In high school, he won 10 state championships – four in wrestling, four in football and two in powerlifting.

Bellator has also signed standout wrestlers Aaron Pico, Joey Davis, Jarod Trice, Tyrell Fortune and Ed Ruth in recent years.

For more on Bellator’s upcoming schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.