It is where MMA fighters who can't hack it in the UFC go to fight in a vain attempt to stay relevant. A number of the fighters in Bellator were once superstars of the sport but are now too old, too slow, or too overweight to fight at an elite level. Among the most notable Bellator fighters are:
Royce Gracie (the grandfather of modern-day MMA),
Fedor Emelianenko (who went undefeated for 10 years straight), Frank Mir, Roy Nelson, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson,
Chael Sonnen, and Tito Ortiz .
Bellator also has the dubious honor of headlining what most observers have arguably called the "worst fight in MMA history" between Kimbo Slice vs Dada 5000 at Bellator 149. That fight was a street brawl between two out-of-shape fighters that lacked skillful MMA tactics of any kind (no striking skill, no takedown skill, no grappling skill) with both fighters completely gassed by the 2nd round.
The word "Bellator" means warrior in Latin.