UFC veteran Matthew Riddle will forego an appearance on the regional scene after Bellator bought out his contract with Texas-based Legacy Fighting Championships last week.

Instead, he will now fight in Bellator’s Season Nine Welterweight Tournament, the promotion reported on their official website Monday. The tournament will take place in the fall, though a start date is still to be determined.

Riddle seemed excited when talking about his new home.

“I had so many options after I left the UFC, but knowing I was able to compete in a tournament against guys like Paul Daley, Ben Saunders and Douglas Lima, signing with Bellator was an easy decision,” Riddle said in a statement.

Bellator Chairman/CEO Bjorn Rebney gushed about the signing, noting the depth Bellator's 170-pound division currently boasts.

“Matt’s got all the tools to be a force in our welterweight division,” Rebney said in a statement. “When I saw Matt get released from the UFC coming off 4 straight wins including his dominant win over Mills in February, we took notice.”

“We both realize that Matt will have a target on his back for his past indiscretions. But having discussed it with him, I’m comfortable that he’s in the right place to enter the Bellator cage this fall in what will be the most loaded Bellator Welterweight Tournament in the promotion’s history.”

Riddle has fought all 10 of his professional mixed martial arts bouts inside the Octagon, compiling a 7-3(2) record.

Spanning back to February 2012, Riddle had a four-fight win streak going. However, he failed two post-fight drug tests for marijuana and both those wins were overturned.

The fact that Riddle is an approved user of medical marijuana in Nevada did not have any impact on his suspensions or his subsequent firing after his second failed drug test in February.