Tag: Said Sowma

Bellator 294 post-event facts: Liz Carmouche crafting strong stats during title reign

Liz Carmouche is making her footprint on the Bellator record books after recording another title defense at Bellator 294.

The first half of Bellator’s doubleheader in Hawaii went down Friday with Bellator 294, which took place at Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu and saw a champion defend her title in the main event.

[autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag] (19-7 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) recorded a second consecutive defense of her women’s flyweight title when she rallied from a 3-0 deficit on the scorecards to submit [autotag]DeAnna Bennett[/autotag] (13-8-1 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) with an arm-triangle choke in the fourth frame of their rematch.

For more on the numbers behind Carmouche’s win, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts form Bellator 294.

Sara McMann’s debut, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane’s return, more added to Bellator’s Hawaii doubleheader

Sara McMann will begin the next chapter of her career in Bellator when the promotion returns to Honolulu in April.

Former UFC title challenger [autotag]Sara McMann[/autotag] has a date and opponent for her Bellator debut.

McMann will take on veteran and former Bellator title challenger [autotag]Arlene Blencowe[/autotag] (15-9 MMA, 6-3 BMMA) in a women’s featherweight bout at Bellator 294. The event is part of a two-night series set to go down on April 21 and April 22, which marks Bellator’s return to Hawaii.

News of the matchup was announced Wednesday by the promotion.

Both Bellator 294 and Bellator 295 go down at Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu.

McMann (13-6 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) was last seen in action in March, when she defeated Karol Rosa by unanimous decision at UFC on ESPN 33. That was her only fight in 2022. McMann was scheduled to make a return in two other separate occasions in 2022, one in August and the other in September, against Aspen Ladd, but both bouts fell through due to Ladd’s weight-cutting issues. Following the cancelations, McMann was released from her final fight of her UFC contract, and she signed with Bellator shortly after.

[lawrence-related id=2617219,2617218,2617019,2616889]

Additionally on that card, a heavyweight matchup between [autotag]Tim Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Said Sowma[/autotag] will serve as the co-main event. Johnson (15-9 MMA, 3-5 BMMA) looks to snap a three-fight losing streak. His last win came against Cheick Kongo back in 2020. Sowma (8-4 MMA, 2-3 BMMA) looks to snap a losing streak himself as he lost his two most recent bouts.

Bellator 295 also saw an addition to its lineup. Former women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Ilima-Lei Macfarlane[/autotag] returns against top contender [autotag]Kana Watanabe[/autotag].

Both fighters look to build momentum and turn it into streaks as Macfarlane (12-2 MMA, 11-1 BMMA) is coming off a decision win over Bruna Ellen last August, while Watanabe (11-1-1MMA, 3-1 BMMA) is on the heels of a submission finish over Denise Kielholtz last May.

Below are the updated lineups for both Bellator 294 and Bellator 295:

Bellator 294

  • Liz Carmouche vs. DeAnna Bennett
  • Tim Johnson vs. Said Sowma
  • Arlene Blencowe vs. Sara McMann

Bellator 295

  • Raufeon Stots vs. Patchy Mix
  • Adil Edwards vs. Kai Kamaka III
  • Charlie Leary vs. Yancy Medeiros
  • Keoni Diggs vs. Weber Almeida
  • Sumiko Inaba vs. Veta Arteaga
  • Bobby King vs. Aalon Cruz
  • Davion Franklin vs. Kasim Aras

Photos: Bellator 284 ceremonial weigh-ins

Check out these photos of the fighters on the scale and the final faceoffs at the Bellator 284 ceremonial weigh-ins in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Check out these photos of the main card fighters on the scale and the final pre-fight faceoffs at the Bellator 284 ceremonial weigh-ins in Sioux Falls, S.D. (Photos courtesy of Bellator MMA)

Bellator 284 predictions: Who are our two unanimous picks in Sioux Falls?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator 284 main card in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Gracie
vs.
Yamauchi		 Moldavsky
vs.
Mowry		 Ellen
vs.
Macfarlane		 Saricam
vs.
Sowma		 Jeffery
vs.
Vanderford
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
131-79		 yamauchi2022
Yamauchi
(58%)		 mowry2022
Mowry
(61%)		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane
(79%)		 saricam2022
Saricam
(62%)		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
(68%)
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
143-72
trophy copy 2018 Champion		 gracie2022
Gracie		 mowry2022
Mowry		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 saricam2022
Saricam		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
139-76		 gracie2022
Gracie		 moldavsky2022
Moldavsky		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 saricam2022
Saricam		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohn
137-78
trophy copy 2014 Champion		 gracie2022
Gracie		 moldavsky2022
Moldavsky		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 saricam2022
Saricam		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
135-80		 gracie2022
Gracie		 mowry2022
Mowry		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 saricam2022
Saricam		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
132-83		 gracie2022
Gracie		 mowry2022
Mowry		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 saricam2022
Saricam		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
131-84		 gracie2022
Gracie		 mowry2022
Mowry		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 saricam2022
Saricam		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
130-85		 gracie2022
Gracie		 moldavsky2022
Moldavsky		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 sowma2022
Sowma		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
Nolan King
@mma_kings
127-88		 gracie2022
Gracie		 moldavsky2022
Moldavsky		 ellen2022
Ellen		 sowma2022
Sowma		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
126-89
trophy copy 2017 Champion		 gracie2022
Gracie		 moldavsky2022
Moldavsky		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 saricam2022
Saricam		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
117-98		 gracie2022
Gracie		 mowry2022
Mowry		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 saricam2022
Saricam		 vanderford2022
Vanderford
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
104-111		 gracie2022
Gracie		 moldavsky2022
Moldavsky		 macfarlane2022
Macfarlane		 saricam2022
Saricam		 vanderford2022
Vanderford

Bellator returns to South Dakota this week with a welterweight bout atop the card, plus two former champions and a recent title challenger on the bill.

Bellator 284 takes place Friday at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, [autotag]Neiman Gracie[/autotag] (11-3 MMA, 9-3 BMMA) takes on first-time Bellator headliner [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] (27-5 MMA, 13-4 BMMA) at welterweight. Gracie is a -200 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Yamauchi is +150. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have Gracie as one of two unanimous picks on the main card – but in a rarity, our readers disagree and are backing Yamauchi at a big 58 percent clip.

In the co-feature, former interim heavyweight champion [autotag]Valentin Moldavsky[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) takes on unbeaten up-and-comer [autotag]Steve Mowry[/autotag] (10-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA). Moldavsky is more than a 2-1 favorite at the betting window, but he has the narrowest possible edge over Mowry in the picks at 6-5.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Bruna Ellen[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) takes on former women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Ilima-Lei Macfarlane[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 10-2 BMMA), who is fighting outside her native Hawaii or homebase of California for just the second time in nearly five years. Macfarlane is a slight favorite at -135, but is a near-unanimous pick with our staff members at 10-1. (It should be noted Macfarlane missed weight for for the first time in her MMA career. She came in at 129 pounds at Thursday’s weigh-ins.)

[autotag]Gokhan Saricam[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) is a 2-1 favorite in his heavyweight bout against [autotag]Said Sowma[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 2-2 BMMA), and he’s got a blowout from our pickers at 9-2.

And to open the main card, our second unanimous pick is recent middleweight title challenger [autotag]Austin Vanderford[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 5-1 BMMA), who is a -200 favorite against late replacement opponent [autotag]Aaron Jeffery[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). Vanderford has an 11-0 shutout from our staff members.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Yamauchi (58 percent), Mowry (61 percent), Macfarlane (79 percent), Saricam (62 percent) and Vanderford (68 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 284.

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Dec. 20-26)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken 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 Dec. 20-26.

Bellator 269 predictions: Who’s taking Tim Johnson over Fedor Emelianenko?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator 269 main card in Moscow, featuring Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Johnson at heavyweight.

Emelianenko
vs.
Johnson		 Minakov
vs.
Sowma		 Nurmagomedov
vs.
Pietila		 Davlatmurodov
vs.
Tokov
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2021: 167-97		 emelianenko2021
Emelianenko
(66%)		 minakov2021
Minakov
(91%)		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov
(92%)		 tokov2021
Tokov
(83%)
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2021: 172-92		 johnson2021
Johnson		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2021: 166-98		 emelianenko2021
Emelianenko		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2021: 164-100		 johnson2021
Johnson		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2021: 161-103
trophy copy 2020 Champion		 johnson2021
Johnson		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2021: 160-104
trophy copy 2018 Champion		 emelianenko2021
Emelianenko		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2021: 160-104		 emelianenko2021
Emelianenko		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2021: 159-105
trophy copy 2014 Champion		 emelianenko2021
Emelianenko		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2021: 155-109
trophy copy 2017 Champion		 johnson2021
Johnson		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2021: 154-110		 johnson2021
Johnson		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2021: 153-111		 emelianenko2021
Emelianenko		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2021: 151-113		 johnson2021
Johnson		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2021: 150-115		 emelianenko2021
Emelianenko		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov
Matthew Wells
@MrMWells
2021: 90-58		 emelianenko2021
Emelianenko		 minakov2021
Minakov		 nurmagomedov2021
Nurmagomedov		 tokov2021
Tokov

Bellator makes its debut in Russia this week with arguably the most famous Russian fighter of all time at the top of the bill.

Bellator 269 takes place Saturday at VTB Arena in Moscow. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] (39-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) fights in his home country for the first time in more than five years when he takes on [autotag]Tim Johnson[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) at heavyweight. Johnson, fighting in hostile territory, is a -160 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Emelianenko is +125. But it’s Emelianenko who has a 7-6 lead in the picks from our 13 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers at 13-0.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Vitaly Minakov[/autotag] (22-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) is a big -320 favorite at heavyweight against [autotag]Said Sowma[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 1-1 BMMA). He’s one of three unanimous picks from our staff members on the main card.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) will try to keep his unbeaten record intact against [autotag]Patrik Pietila[/autotag] (11-8 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) in a 160-pound contract weight fight. Nurmagomedov is a massive -3000 favorite, and not surprisingly he’s a unanimous pick.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Anatoly Tokov[/autotag] (29-3 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) is a huge -750 favorite at middleweight against [autotag]Sharaf Davlatmurodov[/autotag] (18-3-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and is our third unanimous choice.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Emelianenko (66 percent), Minakov (91 percent), Nurmagomedov (92 percent) and Tokov (83 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

Usman Nurmagomedov gets opponent for Bellator 269; Vitaly Minakov meets new foe

The Bellator 269 lineup is shaping up as Usman Nurmagomedov, Vitaly Minakov, and a handful of other fighters were added to the Oct. 23 card.

Bellator 269 is shaping up.

On Tuesday, the promotion announced a handful of additions – and a change – the Oct. 23 card scheduled for VTB Arena in Moscow. Included in the latest lineup is [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) who takes his third career Bellator assignment against [autotag]Patrik Pietila[/autotag] (11-8 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).

Nurmagomedov, , most recently competed at Bellator 263 in July when he defeated Manny Muro via first-round TKO. The younger cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov has been praised by Bellator president Scott Coker as one of the promotion’s top rising stars.

Additionally, with [autotag]Tyrell Fortune[/autotag] out, the former Bellator heavyweight champion [autotag]Vitaly Minakov[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 10-1 BMMA) now meets former Titan FC champion [autotag]Said Sowma[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 1-1 BMMA). The fight was first reported by Russian outlet Fight Time.

Minakov, 36, has not competed since August 2019 when he knocked out Tim Johnson in 105 seconds at Bellator 225. The victory returned him into the win column after his first career loss, which came against Cheick Kongo at Bellator 216 in February 2019.

Sowma, 28, rides into the matchup the momentum of his first Bellator victory. After a unanimous decision loss to Tyrell Fortune in November 2020, Sowma knocked out former UFC and PFL fighter Ronny Markes in 69 seconds at Bellator 262 in July.

The promotion also announced four prelim fights have also been added to the card including [autotag]Nikita Mikhailov[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 0-0 BMM A) vs. [autotag]Brian Moore[/autotag] (14-7 MMA, 5-3 BMMA), [autotag]Grachik Bozinyan[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Ross Houston[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 0-1 BMMA), [autotag]Irina Alekseeva[/autotag] (3-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Stephanie Ielo Page[/autotag] (5-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA, and [autotag]Christian Eckerlin[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Alexey Shurkevich[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).

The Mikhailov vs. Moore matchup was first reported by Severe MMA, while the Bozinyan vs. Houston fight was first reported by Armenia MMA.

Bellator 269 takes place Oct. 23 at VTB Arena in Moscow. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

With the addition, the Bellator 269 lineup includes:

  • Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Johnson
  • Vitaly Minakov vs. Said Sowma
  • Rustam Khabilov vs. Andrey Koreshkov
  • Nikita Mikhailov vs. Brian Moore
  • Grachik Bozinyan vs. Ross Houston
  • Irina Alekseeva vs. Stephanie Ielo Page
  • Christian Eckerlin vs. Alexey Shurkevich

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Bellator 262 results: Juliana Velasquez retains title with split decision over Denise Kielholtz

Check out how the main event of Bellator 262 unfolded between Juliana Velasquez and Denise Kielholtz.

[autotag]Juliana Velasquez[/autotag] has successfully defended her Bellator flyweight title for the first time.

The main event of Bellator 262 was a closely contested championship fight between champ Velasquez (12-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) and challenger [autotag]Denise Kielholz[/autotag].

The event took place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card aired on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

The first round started out with both fighters feeling out the striking range. The challenger, Kielholtz (6-3 MMA, 6-2 BMMA) put together quick combinations while Velasquez’s output was lower with single strikes throughout the round. With 30 seconds left, Kielholtz unleashed a beautiful five-punch combo to get the champ’s attention and put a stamp on the first five minutes of action.

In the second round, Velasquez worked behind a right-hand jab and started to increase her striking volume as she appeared to figure out her opponent’s range. Kielholtz seemed game for the change of pace, as she also answered with punches of her own.

The pair continued to trade strikes in the center of the cage early in the third round. Kielholtz led the charge by pressing forward with combinations, but Velasquez would circle away from danger before getting too close to the fence. Kielholtz controlled the center of the cage for the majority of the round, while Velasquez looked to counter with punches.

With 15 seconds left in the round, Velasquez secured her first takedown, but with a short time remaining, nothing significant came from it.

The fourth started similarly to the previous round as Kielholtz continued to keep the pressure on the champ as she circled on the outside. Velasquez’s right-hand jab continued to find the mark as the blood and bruising on Kielholtz’s face became more visible. The champ appeared to have her opponent’s timing and distance down, as she became more fluid defensively.

The final round started with a huge right hand from Kielholtz to briefly knock the champ off balance. Perhaps sensing the fight was close, the challenger turned up the pressure. The champ found the range again and returned to working from the outside while countering with punches. Kielholtz stuffed a takedown with a minute to go and led the striking exchanges until time expired.

Two of the judges scored the bout in favor of Velasquez with scores of 48-47, while the dissenting judge turned in a score of 48-47 in favor of Kielholtz.

Velasquez improves to 12-0 in her professional career, picking up her first flyweight title defense by split decision after becoming champion by defeating Ilima-Lei Macfarlane in December.

Kielholtz’s winning streak ends at four after falling to Velasquez in Friday’s main event. After losing to Veta Arteaga by second-round submission in 2018, Kielholtz went on a tear of four straight finishes to earn a shot at the Bellator title. However, she was one judge’s scorecard away from victory on Friday evening.

The full results of Bellator 262 are below:

  • Juliana Velasquez def. Denise Kielholtz via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
  • Tyrell Fortune def. Matt Mitrione via submission (strikes) – Round 1, 1:45
  • Matheus Mattos def. Cee Jay Hamilton via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:33
  • Arlene Blencowe def. Dayana Silva via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:00
  • Johnny Eblen def. Travis Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
  • Said Sowma def. Ronny Markes via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:09
  • Cody Law def. Theodore Macuka via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:54
  • Diana Avsaragova def. Gabriella Gulfin via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Adil Benjilany def. Johnny Soto via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Charlie Campbell def. Nicholas Giulietti via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 1:30

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Matt Mitrione-Tyrell Fortune, Linton Vassell-Marcelo Golm among Bellator 262 additions

A pair of heavyweight fights are among the latest additions to next month’s Bellator 262 event.

A pair of heavyweight fights are among the latest additions to next month’s Bellator 262 event.

[autotag]Matt Mitrione[/autotag] (13-8 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) is set to take on [autotag]Tyrell Fortune[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 10-1 BMMA) in a rebooking after Mitrione withdrew from their original matchup at Bellator 255 in April. Plus, [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] (8-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) will meet former title challenger [autotag]Linton Vassell[/autotag] (21-8 MMA, 9-5 BMMA) on the main card.

Promotion officials announced the new bookings Thursday. Bellator 262 takes place July 16 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

In addition, Bellator announced three new fights for the prelims. [autotag]Arlene Blencowe[/autotag] (13-8 MMA, 6-4 BMMA) will meet [autotag]Dayana Silva[/autotag] (9-6 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) in a women’s featherweight bout; [autotag]Ronny Markes[/autotag] (19-8 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Said Sowma[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) at heavyweight; and [autotag]Adil Benjilany[/autotag] (5-3 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Johnny Soto[/autotag] (4-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) is lined up at featherweight.

Mitrione will try to snap a three-fight skid, the worst slump of his career. After coming to Bellator from the UFC in 2016, the former NFL player won his first four fights in the promotion, including a stoppage of Fedor Emelianenko and a win over fellow “Ultimate Fighter 10” cast member Roy Nelson.

But his slide started with a loss to Ryan Bader in Bellator’s heavyweight tournament, then a TKO setback in a rematch with Sergei Kharitonov after a no contest six months prior and a first-round TKO loss to Tim Johnson in September 2020.

Fortune started his career 8-0, all with Bellator, and was on a four-fight finishing streak when he was upset by Johnson at Bellator 239 in February 2020. After a no contest with Jack May in September 2020, he bounced back with a decision win over Sowma this past November and a first-round TKO of May in April on short notice after his Mitrione fight was scrapped.

Golm will make his promotional debut. After going 1-3 in the UFC, he exited on a three-fight skid. But he picked up a knockout win over D.J. Linderman in October 2020 and a submission over Brandon Hebert in January.

Vassell has a two-fight winning streak after a three-fight skid that started when he lost a title fight against Bader at Bellator 186 in November 2017. After losses to Phil Davis and Valentin Moldavsky, In November 2019, he finished former champ Sergei Kharitonov with a second-round TKO, and this past December stopped Markes in the second round.

The Bellator 262 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Juliana Velasquez vs. Denise Kielholtz – for women’s flyweight title
  • Tyrell Fortune vs. Matt Mitrione
  • Marcelo Golm vs. Linton Vassell

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 5:30 p.m. ET)

  • Arlene Blencowe vs. Dayana Silva
  • Ronny Markes vs. Said Sowma
  • Adil Benjilany vs. Johnny Soto

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