WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION

OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

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

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 פּ.ם. און
FROM MASHANTUCKET, קאַן. אויף פרייטאג, יוני 17

לאַס וועגאַס (אַפּריל 12, 2016) -וואָרלד סעריעס פון Fighting (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 (ממאַ) געשעעניש, לעבן אויף נבקסן ביי 9 פּ.ם. עט / 6 פּ.ם. פֿון פאָקסוואָאָדס רעסאָרט קאַסינאָ אין מאַשאַנטוקקעט, קאַן. אויף פרייטאג, יוני 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, רייזינג שטערן קריס "הוגגי בער" באַרנעט (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) אין אַ וועלטערווייט (170 פונט) ייסעק.

In a featherweight (145 פונט) scrap between two prolific strikers, לויס "באַבון" פּאַלאַמינאָו (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger שיימאָן מאָראַעס (8-1).

אין די הויפּט געשעעניש, reigning world heavyweight champion בלאַגוי יוואַנאָוו (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) ווייַלע, in the lightweight (155 פונט) גלויבנס-הויפּט געשעעניש, סופּערסטאַרס דזשייסאַן "די קאַנסאַס סיטי באַנדיט" הויך (19-5) און מייק "די מאַרשאַן" ריטשי (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

קריס באַרנעט ווס. Justin Willis

After spending the last year and a half making waves in Japan, די 5-פֿיס-9, 29-year-old Barnett of Tampa, פלאַ. 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 פון זיין 14 קאַריערע וויקטאָריעס דורך וועג פון (ה)קאָ, 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-יייr-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (ופק) greats קיין וועלאַסקוועז און דניאל קאָרמיער, 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 ריזוואַן קוניעוו אין טאָקיאָ.

לויס פּאַלאָמינאָ ווס. שיימאָן מאָראַעס

The 5-foot-8, 35-year-old Palomino of Miami, פלאַ. via Lima, Peru is coming off an epic year in which he engaged in twדי, all-out wars with reigning, ונדעפעאַטעד וועלט סעריעס פון קאַמף לייטווייט מייַסטער דזשאַסטין "דער הויכפּונקט" גאַעטהדזשע, 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, איינער-נאַכט, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, ערשטער קייַלעכיק (4:55) וואס (פּאַנטשיז) אויף ריטש פּאַטישנאָקק in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) וואס (פּאַנטשיז) at the hands פון eventual tournament winner ברייאַן 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 ראַבי "פּראָבלעמס" פּעראַלטאַ by way of TKO (פּאַנטשיז) אין די רגע קייַלעכיק (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) סאַבמישאַן (דערציען-נאַקעט שטיקער) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 פונט) מייַסטער מאַרלאַן מאָראַעס.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over וריאַה האַלל, Siyar Bahadurzada און Cathal Pendred, די 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, מאַסע. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) קאָ (פּאַנטשיז) אָנווער צו Tim Means אויף דעצעמבער 10.

צו דאַטע, Howard has notched 15 פון זיין 23 קאַריערע וויקטאָריעס דורך וועג פון (ה)קאָ אָדער סאַבמישאַן. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, דריט קייַלעכיק (4:55) קאָ (פּאַנטשיז) on submission ace דעניס "סופּערמאַן" האַללמאַן אויף דעצעמבער 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 (דערציען-נאַקעט שטיקער) פון Leonardo Rodriguez אויף יוני 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 פון זיין 20 career wins, דורך וועג פון סאַבמישאַן.

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

פּרייסט פון $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, בייַ 5 פּ.ם. און, און דער ערשטער פּרילימאַנערי קאָרט באַוט וועט אָנהייבן בייַ 6 פּ.ם.