Hot on the heels of the main event announcement, Bellator Europe 8’s co-main attraction has been confirmed.
Birmingham middleweight contender [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] will look to star in the co-main event showcase when he takes on fellow European contender [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] in a pivotal bout at 185 pounds.
For Edwards (9-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA), the bout represents the step up in competition he called for after his victory over fellow Brit Mike Shipman in London at Bellator Europe 6 in November 2019. The Netherlands’ van Steenis (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) is a protege and training partner of former Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi, and is looking to bounce back into the win column after dropping a unanimous decision to American contender John Salter at Bellator 233.
Edwards and van Steenis will provide support to the bantamweight main event between Ireland’s James Gallagher and England’s Cal Ellenor at the SSE Arena, Wembley on May 16.
Also set to feature on the card is the MMA debut of former England rugby star James Haskell, who will swap sports and step into the Bellator cage for the first time against an opponent to be confirmed at a later date.
The event will be streamed live on Bellator’s official YouTube channel at 5 p.m. ET, with the action being broadcast live in the U.K. on Channel 5 from 10 p.m. BST.
Bellator Europe 8 confirmed fights include:
- Cal Ellenor vs. James Gallagher
- Fabian Edwards vs. Costello van Steenis
- James Haskell vs. TBA