Raug Monica, California. (Lub rau hli ntuj 8, 2015) – With an unfortunate injury forcing the withdrawal of Yamauchi li, Emmanuel "El Matador" Sanchez (10-1) receives the call to step in against former featherweight champion Pat "Liaj Mike" Curran (20-7). With this change of opponent, and four newly announced matchups, "Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” on Lub rau hli ntuj 26 is now complete with 13 total scraps to sink your teeth into.

 

The additional fights include heavyweight bouts between Alex Huddleston (5-1) vs. Javy Ayala (8-3) thiab Derek OHI (5-4) vs. Frederick Brown (2-1) as well as featherweights Greg Scott (3-3) vs. Gaston Reyno (3-0) thiab lightweights Marcio Navarro (13-11) vs. Cody Carrillo (8-11).

 

"Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” is headlined by a heavyweight clash between French striking specialist Cheick “The Darkness” Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5). Qhov kev tshwm sim yuav siv sij hawm qhov chaw Lub rau hli ntuj 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Tej zaum.

 

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. THIAB/ 8 p.m. I, thaum ntej bouts kwj rau Spike.com ntawm 7 p.m. THIAB/ 6 p.m. I. Daim pib rau “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” start at just $17 and are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.

 

Additional announced pairings on the SPIKE-televised card include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs.John “lub Ntuj” Alessio (35-17) and a contest between middleweight sluggers with Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1).

 

The 24-year-old Sanchez is an explosive featherweight, fighting with Duke Roufus out of the famed Roufusport gym in Milwaukee. The two-time Bellator veteran has shined throughout his current six-fight winning streak, most recently scoring a first-round rear naked choke over Stephen Banaszak at Bellator 128 followed by a dominant unanimous decision over Costa Rican standout Alejandro Villalobos at Bellator 135 no yav dhau los peb hlis ntuj. Sanchez faces stiff competition in former featherweight kingpin Curran, who has been involved in some of the most memorable Bellator fights of all time.

 

Huddleston, 28, is a key training has won four consecutive tilts since dropping the first fight of his professional career in 2011. Uas nyuam qhuav, “The Shaved Gorilla” stopped Derek Bohl at Bellator 130. Standing opposite Huddleston inside the cage will be the 26-year-old Ayala, who is on a three-fight promotional winning streak of his own. The California native has stopped his last three foes before reaching the judges’ discretion.

 

In the second added heavyweight feature, Bohl will seek his first win for the Southern California-based promotion. “Marshmallow” has won his first two bouts in 2015 on the regional circuit. Brown will have his second opportunity at success for Bellator against Bohl. The hometown fighter was finished by Daniel Gallemore at Bellator 113, which was his last time in action.

 

Undefeated at 3-0, Reyno will bring the tenacity he has shown on the independent MMA scene to the Bellator cage. “Tonga” has finished every fight he has been involved in and will look to make a mark on the featherweight division with his debut. Scott, a Whichita native, made his Bellator MMA debut in 2011 and has had a mixed bag of success.

 

Lastly, a pair of experienced lightweights will round out the preliminary portion of the card when Navarro and Carrillo tangle inside the steel mesh. Nrog 43 professional bouts between them, both veterans will attempt to string together some wins under the Bellator banner.

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” - Friday, Lub rau hli ntuj 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, MULVANE, Kansas

Main Card (9 p.m. THIAB)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main tshwm sim: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)

Bellator Sib Feature sib ntaus: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)

Bellator Featherweight Feature sib ntaus: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (10-1)

Bellator Middleweight Feature sib ntaus: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)

 

Preliminary Card

Bellator Featherweight Prelim sib ntaus: Bubba Jenkins (8-2) vs. Joe Hma (18-10)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim sib ntaus: Jeimeson Šaudiņš (8-4) vs. Aaron Ely (4-2)

Bellator Sib Prelim sib ntaus: Bobby Cooper (12-5) vs. Pablo Villaseca (9-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim sib ntaus: Daniel Gallemore (4-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (7-0)

Bellator Female Featherweight Prelim Fight: Iona Razafiarison (2-0) vs. Bryanna Fissori (1-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim sib ntaus: Alex Huddleston (5-1) vs. Javy Ayala (8-3)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim sib ntaus: Greg Scott (3-3) vs. Gaston Reyno (3-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim sib ntaus: Derek OHI (5-4) vs. Frederick Brown (2-1)

Bellator Sib Prelim sib ntaus: Marcio Navarro (13-11) vs. Cody Carrillo (8-11)