Sengoku vet Ronnie Mann signs with Bellator

British featherweight star Ronnie Mann is officially in the Bellator fold.

The former Sengoku fighter has recently been release from his contract, along with several other notable fighters including Dave Herman and Jorge Santiago who have since signed witht the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Now at 24-years-old and with nearly eight years experience as a professional, Mann will look to etch his spot into the United States mixed martial arts scene with the budding promotion.

If there were any indications that the fledgling Japanese scene was dying down, all signs could be attributed to either Sengoku or DREAM, two of Japan’s most prominent promotions whom have come under heavy scrutiny due to their financial woes.

MMAFighting.com recently spoke with Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney who confirmed the signing of Mann. Ronnie, 18-2-1, had been in talks with the WEC sometime last year, however a deal to sign with the Zuffa owned promotion failed to materialize.

Mann is currently training under Shawn Tompkins out of the Tapout Center in Las Vegas and scored a split-decision win over UFC veteran Doug Evans to capture the Shark Fights 145-pound championship. He is 7-1 in his last eight outings with his lone loss coming at the hands of top-ranked Japanese star Hatsu Hioki under the Sengoku banner.

No word on a possible opponent for the Englishman has come to light.

So, MMA peeps, for those familiar with Mann, what do you think about the recent signing? How do you think Ronnie will fair state side? Sound off in the comment section below.