Bellator signs Brazilian lightweight Killys Mota

Killys Mota is the newest addition to the lightweight division in Bellator, promotion officials confirmed to MMA Fighting. The company has yet to announce a date and opponent for his debut.

A teammate of Glover Teixeira in Danbury, Conn., Mota racked up a perfect 11-0 record before suffering his first and only career loss last December, when he met future UFC fighter Austin Hubbard for the vacant LFA lightweight belt.

The Brazilian was working on a rear-naked choke against Hubbard late in the first round that night in Minnesota, but referee Joe Fipp blew it by ending the round before the time ran out. The title fight went on, and Hubbard ended up winning via TKO with 15 seconds left in the fifth stanza – a bad late stoppage by the referee.

Mota, who turns 29 in November, scored nine of his 11 career wins via stoppage with five knockouts and four submissions, including a TKO victory over Japanese legend Akihiro Gono. He was listed one of the Brazilian prospects to watch in 2017, when he was 9-0 as a professional.