A pair of welterweights coming off wins over MMA notables will clash, with [autotag]Neiman Gracie[/autotag] facing [autotag]Jason Jackson[/autotag] at Bellator 255.
Two people with knowledge of the booking informed MMA Junkie on Thursday but asked to remain anonymous because Bellator has yet to officially announce the bout.
Featuring a featherweight title fight with reigning two-division champion Patricio Freire and Emmanuel Sanchez that also serves as a featherweight grand prix semifinal, Bellator 255 takes place April 2 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The card airs on Showtime.
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A member of MMA’s legendary “First Family,” Gracie (10-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) opened his career with nine straight victories, including eight by submission. In 2019, Gracie suffered the first loss of his career, coming up short against then-champ Rory MacDonald in the semifinals of the welterweight grand prix. However, Gracie has since bounced back with a submission win over longtime veteran and former UFC title challenger and PFL champion Jon Fitch.
Meanwhile, Jackson (13-4 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) currently boasts three straight Bellator wins over UFC veterans, including former lightweight champ Benson Henderson, as well as Canada’s Jordan Mein and Japan’s Kiichi Kunimoto. A former cast member of “The Ultimate Fighter” and a veteran of Dana White’s Contender Series, “The Ass-Kicking Machine” is 6-1 in his past seven contests.
With the addition to the lineup, Bellator 255 now includes:
- Champ Patricio Freire vs. Emmanuel Sanchez – featherweight grand prix semifinal; for featherweight title
- Neiman Gracie vs. Jason Jackson
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