Bellator MMA
Ward was expected to make his debut against Valter Roberto on November 16, 2012, at Bellator 81. However, Roberto was replaced by Sam McCoy due to undisclosed reasons. [5] Ward won via KO in the very first round. [6]
Ward faced Aaron Johnson on February 14, 2013, at Bellator 89. He had his first career's defeat via submission at 15 seconds of round one. [7]
Ward was expected to face Vadiano La Luz on February 28, 2013, at Bellator 91. However, La Luz was replaced by Yair Moguel due to undisclosed reasons. [8] Ward won via submission due to a rear-naked choke in the first round. [9]
Ward was expected to face Dave Vitkay on September 7, 2013, at Bellator 98. However, he was called to replace Andreas Spång against Justin Torrey in the quarterfinal match of Bellator Season Nine Middleweight Tournament at the same event. [10] Ward won via TKO in the second round and advanced to the semifinal. [11]
Ward was expected to face Perry Filkins in the semifinal on October 4, 2013, at Bellator 102. Filkins, however, was injured and replaced by Joe Pacheco. [12] Ward won the fight via submission in the second round. [13]
Ward faced Mikkel Parlo in the finals on November 8, 2013, at Bellator 107. He won the fight via TKO due to punches in the second round. [14]
Ward faced Bellator Middleweight Champion Alexander Shlemenko at Bellator 114 on March 28, 2014. [15] Despite doing well in the first round, Ward lost the bout due to a submission early in the second round.
Ward was expected to face James Irvin at Bellator 123 on September 5, 2014, however, the bout was cancelled for unknown reasons. Ward instead faced Tamdan McCrory on the same card. [16] Ward lost the bout via knockout in the first round.
Ward was expected to make his Welterweight debut against Jesse Juarez on February 27, 2015, at Bellator 134. [17] However, Ward has been moved up to the main card to face Curtis Millender after Millender's opponent, Michael Page, pulled out of the fight due to a cut over his left eye. [18] [19] Ward defeated Millender via submission in the first round.
Ward was expected to face English fighter Gavin Sterritt at Bellator 140 on July 17, 2015. [20] However, a week before the fight, his opponent was changed to Roger Carroll. Ward won the fight via knockout in the first round.
Ward next faced Dennis Olson at Bellator 144 on October 23, 2015. He won the fight via KO in the first round.
Ward made his international MMA debut on December 31, 2015, as a Bellator MMA representative at Rizin Fighting Federation 2. He faced Ken Hasegawa in a 179-pound catchweight bout and won the fight via submission in the second round.
On March 1, 2016, it was announced that Ward would face Strikeforce vet Evangelista Santos on April 22, 2016, at Bellator 153. [21] He lost the fight via heel hook submission in the first round.
Ward next faced Saad Awad at Bellator 163 on November 4, 2016. He won the fight via knockout in the first round.
Ward made a quick return to the cage, facing Paul Daley in the co-main event at Bellator 170 on January 21, 2017. He lost the fight due to a flying knee in the first round.
Ward faced Fernando Gonzalez at Bellator 182 on August 25, 2017. He lost the fight via a guillotine choke submission in the third round. [22]
Ward was expected to face David Rickels at Bellator 185 on October 20, 2017. [23] Ward pulled out of the fight due to an injury and, as a result, Rickels was removed from the fight card. [24]
After a 15-month layoff, Ward was scheduled to face Andre Fialho on October 12, 2018, at Bellator 207. [25] However on September 10, 2018, Ward notified the promotion that he will retire from MMA. [26]
Return to Bellator MMA
Ward battled with drug addiction throughout his career and after spending time in jail Ward decided to attend rehab and get sober. His first mixed martial arts bout in four and a half years took place at Bellator 274 on February 19, 2022, against Brandon Bell. [31] He won the bout in dominant fashion, finishing Bell in the second round via technical knockout. [32]
On April 15, 2022, it was announced that Ward signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator. [33]
Ward's next bout in Bellator was at Bellator 282 on June 24, 2022, against Kassius Kayne. [34] He won the bout via TKO stoppage in the second round. [35]
Ward faced Sabah Homasi on February 4, 2023, at Bellator 290. [36] Ward won by technical knockout in the second round, after dropping Homasi with a head kick and finishing the bout with ground and pound. [37]
Ward faced Logan Storley on August 11, 2023, at Bellator 298. [38] He lost the fight via TKO in the second round.It was later revealed that Brennan Ward was severely injured going into the Storley fight, having sustained a torn bicep tendon,as well as a torn UCL ligament in his left arm three weeks before the fight, essentially leaving him with one arm during the entire fight. Brennan's youngest daughter had also just recently been born, complicating his training. Despite this, Brennan insisted on fighting saying "In my younger days, I might've pulled out of that fight. But it was the main event, fighting Logan in his hometown, I know that I had a puncher's chance with my right hand...and I went out there and fought, 'cause that's what I do bro" "But I was not, I was probably about forty percent of myself during that fight" [39] [40]
