Ricky Bandejas has risen through Bellator’s bantamweight ranks fast and he owes at least a small debt of gratitude to James Gallagher.
It was at Bellator 204 last August that Bandejas was matched up with the 22-year-old Irishman whose association with Conor McGregor’s SBG team, willingness to talk up a storm, and unbeaten record had made him a polarizing figure just seven fights into his career. An interim titleholder with New Jersey’s Cage Fury Fighting Championships promotion, Bandejas wasn’t expected to be a pushover, but Gallagher still entered the bout as the favorite.