“The Alpha Ginger” is back on the big stage.
Three-fight UFC veteran [autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag] is filling in for Ricardo Seixas and has accepted a short-notice 160-pound contract weight fight against [autotag]Dan Moret[/autotag] next Friday at Bellator 272 from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., according to promotion officials. The reason for Seixas’ withdrawal is unclear.
Carlyle, 28, was 8-1 when he made his UFC debut on February 29, 2020, winning by first-round TKO over Aalon Cruz. Carlyle’s next two UFC fights that year were unanimous decision losses to Billy Quarantillo and Bill Algeo. Since departing the UFC, Carlyle (12-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) has won three consecutive fights – two submissions and a knockout. He most recently KO’d J.J. Ambrose in the second round last month at Cage Warriors 130 in his hometown of San Diego.
Moret (15-6 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) is coming off his Bellator debut win this past April, a split decision over Goiti Yamauchi. That marked Moret’s second consecutive victory since losing all three of his UFC appearances in 2018 and 2019.
The updated Bellator 272 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (Showtime, 10 p.m. ET)
- Champ Sergio Pettis vs. Kyoji Horiguchi – for bantamweight title
- Jeremy Kennedy vs. Emmanuel Sanchez
- Alfie Davis vs. Jay Jay Wilson
- Johnny Eblen vs. Collin Huckbody
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 7 p.m. ET)
- Kyle Crutchmer vs. Oliver Enkamp
- Josh Hill vs. Jared Scoggins
- Levan Chokheli vs. Vinicius de Jesus
- Mike Hamel vs. Killys Mota
- Bobby King vs. Alexander Shabliy
- John DeJesus vs. Keoni Diggs
- Spike Carlyle vs. Dan Moret
- Tommy Espinosa vs. Jornel Lugo
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