Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from July 11-17.
Pat Downey once again has his MMA debut scheduled.
[autotag]Pat Downey[/autotag] once again has his MMA debut scheduled.
Downey, a former Division-I All-American wrestler at Iowa State and USA Wrestling team member, will fight [autotag]Jeff Souder[/autotag] in a middleweight bout at Bellator 284 next month in South Dakota, he told Sports Illustrated. Souder will be making his pro debut, as well. Downey was supposed to make his pro debut at Bellator 277 earlier this year, but had to pull out.
Bellator 284 takes place Aug. 12 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Downey was set to take on Daniel Compton at Bellator 277, but withdrew from the fight after he was diagnosed with topical steroid withdrawal syndrome, also known as red skin syndrome. Downey posted a series of images and videos, which showed his neck and chest broken out in a red, oozing rash, to his Instagram account prior to the diagnosis.
He later announced in a follow-up post that his diagnosis was topical steroid withdrawal syndrome after he saw an allergist. Downey attributed the issue to stopping the use of topical cortisone creams, oral medications and injections.
Downey, who will turn 30 just before he fights at Bellator 284, was a USA Wrestling world team member who was at one point ranked No. 10 in the world. His resume includes a Dave Schultz Memorial International title, matches in the U.S. Open and World Team Trials and his NCAA All-American status.
With the addition, the Bellator 284 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (Showtime)
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie)
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Check out these photos from BKFC Fight Night: Omaha, which took place at Liberty First Credit Union Arena in Omaha, Neb
Check out these photos from BKFC Fight Night: Omaha, which took place at Liberty First Credit Union Arena in Omaha, Neb. (Photos courtesy of Phil Lambert, BKFC)
