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
Feerka: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS
LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 P.M. IYO
FROM MASHANTUCKET, Conn. Jimcadii, JUNE 17
Las Vegas (April 12, 2016) -World Taxanaha of Dagaal (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) dhacdo, ku nool NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. ka Foxwoods Resort Casino ee Mashantucket, Conn. on Friday, June 17.
In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, Xiddiga baxna 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 welterweight ah (170 pounds) amarkooda,.
In a featherweight (145 pounds) scrap between two prolific strikers, Luis "daanyeer" Palomino (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Sheymon Moraes (8-1).
Haddii ay dhacdo in ugu weyn, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) halka, in the lightweight (155 pounds) co-weyn ee dhacdada, xiddigaheeda Jason "The Kansas City burcad hubeysan" High (19-5) iyo Mike "Martian The" 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-foot-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 ee uu 14 xirfadiisa guul jidkii (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-Haahr-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats Qaabiil Velasquez iyo 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 ee 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 twka, all-out wars with reigning, badinin World Series of Dagaal horyaalka khafiifa Justin "Tilmaamay" 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, mid ka mid ah ayaa caawa, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, wareega hore (4:55) WHO (qaad) on Rich Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) WHO (qaad) at the hands of 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 "Dhibaatooyinka" Peralta by way of TKO (qaad) wareegii labaad (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) soo gudbinta (gadaal qaawan ceejiya) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 pounds) champion Marlon Moraes.
John Howard vs. Thiago Meller
Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Iyo Uuriyaah oo ahaa Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada iyo Cathal Pendred, ka 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Mass. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (qaad) gaartay Tim Means on December 10.
Si aad u taariikhda, Howard has notched 15 ee uu 23 xirfadiisa guul jidkii (T)Ko ama soo gudbinta. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, wareega saddexaad (4:55) KO (qaad) on submission ace Dennis "Superman" Hallman on December 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 (gadaal qaawan ceejiya) of Leonardo Rodriguez on June 26, 2015.
The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 ee uu 20 career wins, by hab oo soo gudbinta.
The preliminary bout card lineup for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland will be announced soon.
Fillooyinka ka $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, at 5 p.m. IYO, iyo xumad kaarka hordhac ugu horeysay bilaabi doono 6 p.m. |
