WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION

OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

Weltergewig: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
Veergewigtitel: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
Swaargewig: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 Namiddag. EN
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. OP Vrydag, Junie 17

LAS VEGAS (April 12, 2016) -World Reeks Veg (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 (Plaasmoorde) gebeurtenis, woon op NBCSN by 9 namiddag. ET / 6 pm. van Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. Vrydag, Junie 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, stygende ster 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) sal bots met die indiening kenner Thiago “Minu” Meller (20-7) in 'n weltergewig (170 pond) verhouding.

In a featherweight (145 pond) scrap between two prolific strikers, Luis "Bobbejaan" Palomino (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Sheymon Moraes (8-1).

In die belangrikste gebeurtenis, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) terwyl, in the lightweight (155 pond) mede-hoofren, supersterre Jason "Die Kansas City Bandit" High (19-5) en Mike "Die Mars" 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, die 5-voet-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 van sy 14 loopbaan oorwinnings deur middel van (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-jar-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats Kain Velasquez en 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 in Tokio.

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 twdie, all-out wars with reigning, onoorwonne World Series of Veg liggewig-kampioen Justin "Die Merk" 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, een nag, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, eerste ronde (4:55) WIE (stoot) op Rich Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) WIE (stoot) at the hands van 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 "Probleme" Peralta by way of TKO (stoot) in die tweede ronde (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) voorlegging (agter-naak verstik) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 pond) kampioen Marlon Moraes.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Uría Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada en Cathal Pendred, die 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Mass. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (stoot) verlies Tim Means Desember 10.

Tot op datum, Howard has notched 15 van sy 23 loopbaan oorwinnings deur middel van (T)KO of voorlegging. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, derde ronde (4:55) KO (stoot) on submission ace Dennis "Superman" Hallman Desember 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 (agter-naak verstik) van Leonardo Rodriguez Junie 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 van sy 20 career wins, by wyse van voorlegging.

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

Prys van $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, by 5 namiddag. EN, en die eerste voorlopige card bout sal begin by 6 namiddag.