Caldwell (photo via Legacy Fights.net)

By FCF Staff

Bellator has added another decorated wrestler to its roster, as it’s announced that former NCAA champion and two time All American Darrion Caldwell has signed with the promotion. The featherweight has gone 3-0 in MMA since turning pro last year.

“Everything just really fell into place for me to sign with a prestigious organization like Bellator. I’m really embracing this opportunity,” Caldwell said in a press release from Bellator. “During our talks, the tournament format is something I thought about a lot, and that’s what I always grew up with being a Division I wrestler. I’m used to looking at a bracket and seeing my name against another fighter, so I’m absolutely looking forward to my first tournament run.”

“Darrion’s a tremendous addition to our stacked 145 pound division,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Similar to what we’ve done with other top prospects, Darrion will be brought along slowly and given time to develop before facing many of the best featherweights in the world in our tournament. The sky is the limit for Darrion.”

The 25 year-old Caldwell will make his promotional debut in 2014, and is expected to enter a tournament at some juncture.

“I think after my first fight with Bellator, people are really going to see a well-rounded mixed martial artist, no one is going to say that I’m just another wrestler coming into MMA, that’s just not my game,” Caldwell said. “I only have one goal, and that’s to become Champion. Whether that happens short term or in the future, that is the ultimate goal, and really the only goal. I feel like right now I’m ready to battle with the best of them, but at the same time, I have complete trust in the Bellator team to put me in the best position to succeed, and reach my full potential inside the Bellator cage.”

Most recently, at a Legacy FC event in July, Caldwell scored a unanimous decision win over Gerzan Chaw.