WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION
OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS
WELTERWEIGHT: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
Plum: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
Pwa loud: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS
LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 P.m. AK
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. Nan Vandredi, JUNE 17
LAS VEGAS (Avril 12, 2016) -World Seri de Goumen (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) evènman, ap viv sou NBCSN a 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. soti nan Foxwoods Resort Casino nan Mashantucket, Conn. nan Vandredi, Jen 17.
In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, k ap monte zetwal 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) nan yon wèltèr (170 liv) zafè.
In a featherweight (145 liv) scrap between two prolific strikers, Luis "babwen" Palomino (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Sheymon Moraes (8-1).
Nan evènman an prensipal, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) pandan y ap, in the lightweight (155 liv) ko-prensipal evènman, supèrstar Jason "Kansas City Bandit nan" segondè (19-5) ak Mike "marsyèn a" 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, -5 nan pye-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 nan l ' 14 viktwa karyè pa fason pou (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-wir-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (Ch) greats Kayen Velásquez ak 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 nan Tokyo.
Luis 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 twnan, all-out wars with reigning, undefeated Mondyal seri de Goumen chanpyon ki lejè Justin "rekò nan" 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, yon sèl-lannwit, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, premye tou (4:55) KI MOUN KI (pwenson) sou Rich Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) KI MOUN KI (pwenson) at the hands nan 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 "Pwoblèm" Peralta by way of TKO (pwenson) nan wonn nan dezyèm (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) soumèt (dèyè-toutouni toufe) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 liv) chanpyon Marlon Moraes.
John Howard vs. Thiago Meller
Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Ouri Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada ak Cathal Pendred, nan 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Mass. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (pwenson) pèt Tim Means sou Desanm 10.
Pou dat, Howard has notched 15 nan l ' 23 viktwa karyè pa fason pou (T)KO oswa soumèt. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, twazyèm wonn (4:55) KO (pwenson) on submission ace Dennis "devni selèb" Hallman sou Desanm 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 (dèyè-toutouni toufe) nan Leonardo Rodriguez sou jen 26, 2015.
The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 nan l ' 20 career wins, pa fason pou soumèt.
The preliminary bout card lineup for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland will be announced soon.
Soti nan pwi $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, nan 5 p.m. AK, ak premye bout nan kat preliminè pral kòmanse nan 6 p.m. |
