WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION
OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS
WELTERWEIGHT: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
Featherweight: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
SUPERPEZULA: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS
LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 P.M. ET
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. VENDREDE, JUNIO 17
LASa VEGAS (Aprilo 12, 2016) -World Serio de Batalado (WSOF.com) today announced the addition of three star-studded matchups to complete the main card for its WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland world heavyweight championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Evento, vivi sur NBCSN ĉe 9 P.M. ET/6 p.M. from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. Vendrede, Junio 17.
In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, leviĝanta stelo Chris "Huggy Bear" Barnett (14-2) will make his World Series of Fighting debut against Team AKA prodigy Justin Willis (4-1).
Also stepping in the decagon cage for the first time, battle-tested warrior John “Doomsday” Howard (23-12) will collide with submission expert Thiago “Minu” Meller (20-7) in a welterweight (170 Funtoj) Afero.
In a featherweight (145 Funtoj) scrap between two prolific strikers, Ludoviko "Baboon" Palomino (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Sheymon Moraes (8-1).
En la #?efa evento, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) Dum, in the lightweight (155 Funtoj) co-main event, supersteluloj Jason "La Kansasurbo Bandito" Alta (19-5) Kaj Mike "La marsano" Ricci (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.
Chris Barnett vs. Justin Willis
After spending the last year and a half making waves in Japan, la 5-fut-9, 29-year-old Barnett of Tampa, Fla. will suit up as “Huggy Bear,” and make his way onto a major stage in the U.S. for the first time in his career.
With heavy hands and tremendous agility for a fighter of his massive stature, Barnett has notched 12 De lia 14 career victories by way of (T)KO, and has celebrated his wins in flamboyant fashion, with everything from cartwheels to breakdancing to hand stands.
Like Barnett, the stocky, 6-foot-3, 28-year-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats Kain Velásquez Kaj Daniel Cormier, has been enjoying success in Japan under the promotion of Inoki Genome Federation (IFG).
Willis will make his first start of 2016, and look to extend his win streak to four consecutive bouts. In his last effort on August 29, he earned a unanimous decision over Rizvan Kuniev En Tokio.
Ludoviko Palomino vs. Sheymon Moraes
The 5-foot-8, 35-year-old Palomino of Miami, Fla. via Lima, Peru is coming off an epic year in which he engaged in twO, all-out wars with reigning, undefeated World Series of Fighting lightweight champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje, both of which earned ?Fight of the Month” honors.
After closing out 2015 with a gutsy appearance in World Series of Fighting’s first-ever, unu-nokto, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, unua raŭndo (4:55) TKO (Stampiloj) Sur Riĉaj Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) TKO (Stampiloj) at the hands De eventual tournament winner Brian Foster, Palomino will return to the featherweight division where he has held two world titles.
The 5-foot-8, 25-year-old Moraes of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil returned to form in his last bout, decimating fellow knockout artist Robbie "Problemoj" Peralta by way of TKO (Stampiloj) en la dua raŭndo (3:21) of their matchup at WSOF26.
A seasoned Muay Thai stylist, Moraes ran to seven straight victories in his first seven starts as a professional MMA competitor before being handed his first career defeat by way of third round (3:46) submetiĝo (malantaŭ-nuda ĉokilo) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 Funtoj) Senegala Marlon Moraes.
John Howard vs. Thiago Meller
Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Uriah Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada Kaj Cathal Pendred, La 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Amaso. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (Stampiloj) loss to Tim Means decembro 10.
#Dati?i, Howard has notched 15 De lia 23 career victories by way of (T)KO aŭ submetado. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, third round (4:55) KO (Stampiloj) on submission ace Dennis “Superman” Hallman decembro 5, 2009, marking his third consecutive conquest in the league.
Meller of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil will look to collect his second win in a row, following his first round submission (malantaŭ-nuda ĉokilo) De Leonardo Rodriguez Sur junio 26, 2015.
The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 De lia 20 career wins, by way of submission.
The preliminary bout card lineup for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland will be announced soon.
Alprezigita el $39.99, tickets for the event are on sale at WSOF.com and Foxwoods.com.
Doors at The Grand Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino will open for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland, #?E 5 P.M. ET, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 6 P.M. |
