Pellegrino

By FCF Staff

Bellator has announced that UFC vet and decorated grappler Kurt Pellegrino is coming out of retirement and will fight Saul Almeida on November 15th. The bout will take place at the Revel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 34 year-old Pellegrino hasn’t fought since November, 2011, when he stopped by Patricky Freire at Bellator 59.

“I’ve been in retirement for the last two years, but I’ve been in the gym every day since and the competitive fire has still been burning inside of me,” Pellegrino said in a press release from the promotion. “Every morning I wake up I realize I had the same dream as the night before, and it’s to go out the way I want. With Bellator back in Atlantic City, this is my opportunity to end my nightmare and go out the way I want, the way I deserve.”

Pellegrino dropped bouts to George Sotiropoulos and Gleison Tibau before facing Freire, while he was still fighting under the UFC banner. Prior to the defeats, however, “Batman” had won four straight.

Almeida (12-4) has also lost three fights in a row after posting a five fight win streak.

Bellator has announced that veteran Tom DeBlass will also compete November 15th, and that the card will feature the welterweight and featherweight finals for its upcoming tourneys.