Ronnie Mann dropping to bantamweight, awaits next Bellator assignment

After a disappointing 1-2 stretch under the Bellator Fighting Championships banner, former Shark Fights champ and Sengoku veteran Ronnie Mann (21-5-1 MMA, 3-2 BFC) is ready to reinvent himself as a bantamweight.

"It's been on my mind for a while," Mann told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I just kind of realized that everyone in the featherweight division is kind of big for me."

Mann and his camp have already informed Bellator officials of their intentions, and while they admit there has been a little resistance to the decision, the fighter said he hopes to fight in late October or early November.

"We've encountered some resistance to Ronnie's move to 135 pounds, but I believe this move will ultimately happen and increase the level of the already-stellar competition making it's home in the Bellator bantamweight division," Ibarra told MMAjunkie.com.

The 5-foot-6 Mann, who was long considered one of the top featherweight prospects in the world, said he's toyed with the idea for quite some time, but after recent losses to Mike Corey and Pat Curran, he finally realized his body was best suited for 135 pounds.

"I was kind of in denial when I was fighting in the featherweight division because I was doing well," Mann said. "But obviously some of the losses I've had, some of it was due to the size difference, as well. That's one of the reasons.

"Sometimes the psychological battle, I kind of hold back a little when I fight. But I think some of it is down to size. Now I'm hoping to fight people my own size, and hopefully I can get a little better."

Mann, who hasn't fought since March, said he's already gone through a test cut down to 136 pounds, and he was able to hit the mark without issue.

"It worked out fine," Mann said. "I felt good, and I trained hard with it, as well. I know I can do it. It's just a matter of waiting for a fight now and fighting for the first time at that weight."

Bellator brass do not currently have plans for a bantamweight tournament in the promotion's upcoming seventh season, but Mann said he's more than happy to take any opponent the promotion lines up.

"Anyone, really," Mann said. "To be honest, I feel like I can hang with the top guys in the weight division, so I'll fight anybody. It doesn't matter who."

In the meantime, Mann is focused on a gym he recently opened in Evesham, England, which is located a short drive from his home in Cheltenham. While he still maintains a rigorous travel and training schedule with a variety of top-tier partners, Mann is also hoping to build a fight team from scratch at his new facility, aptly named Iron Mann Gym.

But nothing is distracting him from the ultimate goal, which is getting back into the cage as quickly as possible and putting the sting of those losses behind.

"I feel like I need that next fight to prove to myself and everyone else that I'm still in the game – that I'm still one of the top dogs – but I need to get that next fight to prove it," Mann said. 'So for now, I'm just waiting."

And while Mann waits for his phone to ring with an offer, his manager said he's looking forward to watching his client perform in a new division.

"Ronnie has always been a phenomenal athlete and has shown he is able to compete with the much larger fighters at 145 pounds, so a move to 135 makes him even more dangerous," Ibarra said.

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