The Speed Bag: The lunacy of Bellator's heavyweight grand prix – and why that's a great thing

At long last, Bellator will have a new heavyweight champion. It’s just that, you’re going to have to wait more than a year from now, it appears, to know who it is.

And when the new champ’s name gets called, there’s a chance it could be a fighter many MMA fans would’ve otherwise considered to be washed up. There’s also a chance it could be a fighter who’s not a heavyweight at all, but instead a 205-pounder.

Is it a little bit crazy that Bellator has put together a yearlong eight-man grand prix featuring four heavyweights (Fedor Emelianenko, Frank Mir, Matt Mitrione and Roy Nelson) and four guys who are normally light heavyweights (current champ Ryan Bader, plus Quinton Jackson, Muhammad Lawal and Chael Sonnen)? Yeah, of course it is.

But in the latest edition of The Speed Bag, our own Ben Fowlkes says that’s just what makes it, well … kinda awesome.

For Ben’s take on the heavyweight grand prix, check out the video above.

And for more on the upcoming Bellator schedule, visit the MMA Rumors section of the site.