Yannick Bahati feels reborn as a light heavyweight and feels as though a win over Melvin Manhoef in the main event of Bellator Milan could pave his way to the top of the division.
Bahati rode a three-fight losing streak into his light heavyweight and Bellator debut against Amir Dadovic. After submitting “The Dragon” in the first round of their Birmingham meeting, the former EFC and BAMMA middleweight champion admits he wished he moved up a division earlier.
“Ever since my ACL surgery in 2015 I put on a lot of muscle and getting back down to middleweight was becoming very difficult for me,” Bahati told MMA Fighting.