Bellator Bantamweight Grand Prix set for 2022

Bellator is launching a Bantamweight Grand Prix in 2022, the promotion announced Friday.

The tournament will include reigning champion Sergio Pettis and Kyoji Horiguchi, who met in a highly anticipated title fight in Friday's Bellator 272 main event. Pettis won by fourth-round knockout to retain the title.

Juan Archuleta, Raufeon Stots, Patchy Mix, Magomed Magomedov, Leandro Higo, and James Gallagher round out the eight-man bracket.

Josh Hill, who scored a second-round knockout win over Jared Scoggins on Friday's main card, will be a tournament alternate, according to Bellator president Scott Coker.

First-round matchups and other tournament alternates will be revealed soon. All tournament bouts will be set for five rounds.

The grand prix will start in the first quarter of 2022. However, dates and locations haven't been finalized.

Like in previous Bellator tournaments, the bantamweight championship will be defended throughout it, with the tournament winner walking away with the belt and a $1-million grand prize.

Bellator has held four previous tournaments since Coker took over as president in 2014 - heavyweight, welterweight, featherweight, and, most recently, light heavyweight.