Las Vegas (June 15, 2016) -World Taxanaha of Dagaal (WSOF.com) announced today that Thiago Meller has withdrawn from his scheduled welterweight (170 pounds) tartanka ka dhanka ah John “Doomsday” Howard (23-12), kuwaas oo haatan wajihi doonta“Mad” Mike Arrant (15-10) in a middleweight (185 pounds) bout at the much-anticipated WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland world championship doubleheader Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) dhacdo, ku nool NBCSN (9 p.m. IYO/6 p.m. PT) ka Foxwoods Resort Casino ee Mashantucket, Conn. on Friday, June 17.

Waxaa intaa dheer, badinin Marcus Surin (3-0) of Stamford, Conn. has been tabbed to step in for Sam Watford in jadwalka khafiifa (155 pounds) preliminary card contest against Christian “The Terminator” Torres (0-0) of Endicott, N.Y..

Originally hailing from Orlando, Fla., 5-foot-9, 28-year-old Arrant, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, resides in Las Vegas, where he is a member of legendary champion Randy “The Natural” Couture’s Xtreme Couture fight squad.

Arrant is looking to return to the win column following a unanimous decision defeat in his last start on August 7, 2015, at the hands of two-time UFC veteran Brock Jardine.

Prior to the loss, Arrant had reeled off six consecutive victories, five of which he produced in the first round, by way of (T)Ko ama soo gudbinta. Si aad u taariikhda, 12 ee uu 15 professional wins have been finishes.

During the six-fight win streak, Arrant seized his first championship – regional promotion SteelFist Fight Night’s welterweight title – with a first round (5:00) WHO (retirement) of Carl Dieckmann on July 12, 2013.

Like Arrant, the 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard boasts a phenomenal finish rate with 15 ee uu 23 professional victories having come by way of (T)Ko ama soo gudbinta.

Howard will make his promotional debut with World Series of Fighting following a second stint with the UFC that spanned seven fights and included wins over Iyo Uuriyaah oo ahaa Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada iyo Cathal Pendred.

Fillooyinka ka $39.99, tickets for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland are on sale at WSOF.com and Foxwoods.com.

Doors at The Grand Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino will open at 5 p.m. IYO, and the first of seven preliminary card bouts will begin at 5:45 p.m.

Oo dhan kaarka dagaalka hordhac ah oo ku saabsan an video ciyaaryahan embeddable on WSOF.com qulquli doonaa live.

In the main event of the five-bout, ku nool telecast NBCSN, reigning World Series of Fighting heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will put his title on the line against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (12-3).

In si wada jir ah ugu weyn ay dhacdo khafiifa, 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.

WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND

KAARKA MAIN (Live on NBCSN)

World Series of Fighting Heavyweight Championship Main Event:
Blagoy Ivanov (Champion) vs. Josh Copeland (Tartame)

Co-Main khafiif Event:
Jason High vs. Mike Ricci

Dhexe: John Howard vs. Mike Arrant
Featherweight: Luis Palomino vs. Sheymon Moraes
Dhexe: Phil Hawes vs. Josh Key

KAARKA hordhac ah (Live on WSOF.com)

Cadaa: Tom Marcellino vs. Devin Powell
Feerka: Juliano Coutinho vs. Justin Willis
Feerka: Tyler King vs. Lorenzo Hood
Welterweight: Robert Fonseca vs. Sean Lally
Cadaa: Bruce Boyington vs. Markaasaa Saa'uul Almeida
Bantamweight: Rodrigo Almeida vs. Ben Pierre-Saint
Cadaa: Marcus Surin vs. Christian Torres