WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION

OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

وزن الوسط: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
وزن الريشة: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
للوزن الثقيل: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 من بعد ظهر. و
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. يوم الجمعة, يونيو 17

LAS VEGAS (أبريل 12, 2016) -World سلسلة من القتال (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) حدث, يعيشون على NBCSN في 9 عصرا. ET / 6 مساءا. من Foxwoods منتجع كازينو في من Mashantucket, كونيتيكت. يوم الجمعة, يونيو 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, نجم صاعد كريس "Huggy الدب" بارنيت (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) في وزن الوسط (170 جنيه) قضية.

In a featherweight (145 جنيه) scrap between two prolific strikers, لويس "البابون" بالومينو (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Sheymon مورايس (8-1).

في الحدث الرئيسي, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy ايفانوف (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) في حين, in the lightweight (155 جنيه) شارك في الحدث الرئيسي, النجوم جيسون "كانساس سيتي اللصوص" عالية (19-5) و مايك "المريخ" ريتشي (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

كريس بارنيت مقابل. Justin Willis

After spending the last year and a half making waves in Japan, 5 أقدام و 9, 29-year-old Barnett of Tampa, فلوريدا. will suit up as “Huggy Bear,” and make his way onto a major stage in the U.S. لأول مرة في حياته المهنية.

With heavy hands and tremendous agility for a fighter of his massive stature, Barnett has notched 12 من له 14 انتصارات الوظيفي عن طريق (تي)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-نعمr-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats قابيل فيلاسكيز و دانيال كورمييه, 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 رضوان Kuniev في طوكيو.

لويس بالومينو مقابل. Sheymon مورايس

5 أقدام 8, 35-year-old Palomino of Miami, فلوريدا. via Lima, Peru is coming off an epic year in which he engaged in twال, all-out wars with reigning, مهزوم بطولة العالم للقتال بطل الوزن الخفيف جوستين "تسليط الضوء" 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, ليله واحده, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, الجولة الأولى (4:55) منظمة الصحة العالمية (اللكمات) في الأغنياء Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) منظمة الصحة العالمية (اللكمات) at the hands من eventual tournament winner براين فوستر, Palomino will return to the featherweight division where he has held two world titles.

5 أقدام 8, 25-year-old Moraes of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil returned to form in his last bout, decimating fellow knockout artist روبي "مشاكل" بيرالتا by way of TKO (اللكمات) في الجولة الثانية (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) تسليم (المجردة الخلفي خنق) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 جنيه) بطل مارلون مورايس.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over أوريا قاعة, Siyar Bahadurzada و Cathal Pendred, ال 5-FOot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, كتلة. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (اللكمات) خسارة ل Tim Means في ديسمبر 10.

حتى الآن, Howard has notched 15 من له 23 انتصارات الوظيفي عن طريق (تي)KO أو تقديم. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, الجولة الثالثة (4:55) KO (اللكمات) on submission ace دينيس "سوبرمان" هولمان في ديسمبر 5, 2009, marking his third consecutive conquest in the league.

Meller of Porto Alegre, ريو غراندي دو سول, Brazil will look to collect his second win in a row, following his first round submission (المجردة الخلفي خنق) من Leonardo Rodriguez حزيران 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 من له 20 انتصارات الوظيفي, عن طريق تقديم.

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

سعرها من $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, في 5 عصرا. و, وستبدأ أول بطاقة نوبة الأولية في 6 عصرا.