WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION

OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

WELTERWEIGHT: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
羽量級: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
重量級: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 P.M. AND
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. 在週五, JUNE 17

LAS VEGAS (四月 12, 2016) - 世界系列的戰鬥 (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) 事件, 住在NBCSN在 9 P.M. ET /下午6時. 從康州快活大賭場在馬山, 康涅狄格州. 在週五, 六月 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, 後起之秀 克里斯“Huggy熊”巴內特 (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) 將與提交專家發生衝突 Thiago “Minu” Meller (20-7) 在次中量級 (170 英鎊) 事.

In a featherweight (145 英鎊) scrap between two prolific strikers, 路易斯“狒狒”帕洛米諾 (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Sheymon莫賴斯 (8-1).

在主要事件, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy伊万諾夫 (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) 而, in the lightweight (155 英鎊) 合作的主要事件, 超級巨星 傑森“堪薩斯城強盜”高 (19-5) 和 邁克“火星”利瑪竇 (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

克里斯·巴尼特VS. Justin Willis

After spending the last year and a half making waves in Japan, 5尺9寸, 29-year-old Barnett of Tampa, 佛羅里達州. 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 他 14 事業勝利途經 (牛逼)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-是啊r-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats 該隱貝拉斯克斯 和 丹尼爾·科米爾, 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 在東京.

路易斯·帕洛米諾VS. Sheymon莫賴斯

The 5-foot-8, 35-year-old Palomino of Miami, 佛羅里達州. via Lima, Peru is coming off an epic year in which he engaged in tw該, all-out wars with reigning, 不敗的世界系列格鬥輕量級冠軍 賈斯汀的“亮點”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, 一晚, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, 第一輪 (4:55) WHO (拳) 上 豐富的Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) WHO (拳) at the hands 的 eventual tournament winner 布賴恩·福斯特, 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 羅比“問題”佩拉爾塔 by way of TKO (拳) in the second round (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) 服從 (後方裸體扼流圈) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 英鎊) 冠軍 馬龍·莫賴斯.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over 烏利亞大廳, Siyar Bahadurzada 和 Cathal Pendred, 該 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, 質量. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (拳) 損失 Tim Means 上月 10.

至今, Howard has notched 15 他 23 事業勝利途經 (牛逼)KO或提交. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, 第三輪 (4:55) KO (拳) on submission ace 丹尼斯·“超人”霍爾曼 上月 5, 2009, marking his third consecutive conquest in the league.

Meller of Porto Alegre, 南里奧格蘭德州, Brazil will look to collect his second win in a row, following his first round submission (後方裸體扼流圈) 的 Leonardo Rodriguez 六月 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 他 20 career wins, 通過提交方式.

The preliminary bout card lineup for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland will be announced soon.

從價格 $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, 在 5 P.M. AND, 與第一預備卡回合將在開始 6 P.M.