| Bellator Champions Series 1: Anderson vs. Moore | |
| Promotion: | Bellator MMA |
| Venue: | SSE Arena |
| City: | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Previousevent: | PFL vs. Bellator |
| Followingevent: | Bellator Champions Series 2: Mix vs. Magomedov 2 |
Bellator Champions Series 1: Anderson vs. Moore (also known as Bellator Champions Series Belfast and Bellator 302) was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA, that took place on March 22, 2024, at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[1] [2] [3] It marked the first show to air on Max as part of a new U.S. television deal with Warner Bros. Discovery.[4]
The event marked the promotion's second visit to Belfast and first since Bellator 173 in February 2017. This event also marked Bellator's first since being acquired by the Professional Fighters League (PFL) late last year.[5]
A Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship bout for the vacant title between light heavyweight winner Corey Anderson and Karl Moore headlined the event.[6] The previous titleholder Vadim Nemkov vacated the title and returned in the heavyweight division against 2021 PFL heavyweight winner Bruno Cappelozza at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions on February 24.[7] [8]
A featherweight bout between Sinead Kavanagh and Leah McCourt was scheduled for this event.[9] On February 20, McCourt announced that she was out of the bout after suffering broken ribs and a torn oblique.[10]
A featherweight bout between Jeremy Kennedy and James Gallagher was scheduled for this event.[11] However, at the beginning of the month, Kennedy was rescheduled for a Bellator Featherweight Championship bout against reigning champion Patrício Pitbull, while Gallagher was rescheduled against Leandro Higo.[12]
On March 15, it was announced that the lightweight bout between 2019 Rizin Lightweight Grand Prix winner Tofiq Musayev and Alfie Davis and the middleweight bout between Steven Hill and Jordan Newman were scrapped. Instead, Davis will take on Oscar Ownsworth (8-2-1) and both middleweight will no longer appear on the card.[13]
At the weigh-ins, Vikas Singh Ruhil weighed in at 147 pounds, one pound over the featherweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at catchweight and he was fined a percent of his purse which went to his opponent Nathan Kelly.[14]