Sean Grande returns to broadcast booth for 'one night only' at Bellator 196

Bellator fans will hear a recognizable voice on play-by-play next month at Bellator 196.

Sean Grande, who parted ways with Bellator this past year after the company decided to move in a new direction with the hirings of veteran broadcasters Mike Goldberg and Mauro Ranallo, will return to the company for “one night only” at April’s Bellator 196 event.

A Bellator official verified the news to MMAjunkie following an announcement from Grande on social media (via Twitter):

Bellator 196 takes place April 6 at Budapest Sports Arena in Budapest, Hungary, and it airs via same-day delay on Paramount.

As Grande wrote, he’s donating his paycheck for the night to help cover medical expenses for former fighter and Bellator Spanish-language broadcaster Manny Rodriguez, who’s battling heart issues following the diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism. More information, including steps to donate, are available at youcaring.com.

The last time Grande, who also works as an NBA radio broadcaster for the Boston Celtics, called a Bellator card was at Bellator 179 in May 2017. Since then, Goldberg and Ranallo have rotated play-by-play duties.

A Bellator official could not confirm at this time who will be joining Grande in the broadcast booth at Bellator 196, which features a Benson Henderson vs. Roger Huerta headliner.

For more on Bellator 196, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.