WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION

OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

વેલ્ટરવેઇટ: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
વજનમાં તદ્દન હલકી વ્યક્તિ: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
હેવીવેઇટ: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 વાગ્યાની. અને
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. શુક્રવારે, જૂન 17

LAS VEGAS (એપ્રિલ 12, 2016) ફાઇટીંગ -World સિરીઝ (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 (એમએમએ) ઘટના, પર NBCSN પર રહે છે 9 વાગ્યાની. ET / 6 વાગ્યાની. Mashantucket માં Foxwoods રિસોર્ટ કેસિનો થી, કનેક્ટિકટ. શુક્રવારે, જૂન 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, વધતી તારો ક્રિસ "Huggy રીંછ" બાર્નેટ (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) સબમિશન નિષ્ણાત સાથે ટકરાશે Thiago “Minu” Meller (20-7) એક વેલ્ટરવેઇટ માં (170 પાઉન્ડ) અફેર.

In a featherweight (145 પાઉન્ડ) scrap between two prolific strikers, લુઈસ "Baboon" Palomino (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Sheymon મોરાઇસ (8-1).

મુખ્ય ઘટનામાં, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) જ્યારે, in the lightweight (155 પાઉન્ડ) સહ મુખ્ય ઘટના, સુપરસ્ટાર્સ જેસન "કેન્સાસ સિટી ડાકુ" હાઇ (19-5) અને માઇક "આ માર્ટિન" રિક્કી (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

ક્રિસ બાર્નેટ વિ. Justin Willis

After spending the last year and a half making waves in Japan, 5 ફૂટ 9, 29-year-old Barnett of Tampa, ફ્લામાં. 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 તેમના 14 માર્ગ દ્વારા કારકિર્દી જીત (ટી)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-હાr-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (યુએફસી) greats કેન વેલાસ્કવીઝ અને ડેનિયલ 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 ટોક્યો માં.

વિ લુઈસ Palomino. Sheymon મોરાઇસ

The 5-foot-8, 35-year-old Palomino of Miami, ફ્લામાં. via Lima, Peru is coming off an epic year in which he engaged in twઆ, all-out wars with reigning, લડાઈ હળવા ચેમ્પિયન અપરાજિત વર્લ્ડ સિરીઝ જસ્ટિન "ધ હાઇલાઇટ" 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, એક રાત, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, પ્રથમ રાઉન્ડમાં (4:55) ડબ્લ્યુએચઓ (પંચની) પર શ્રીમંત Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) ડબ્લ્યુએચઓ (પંચની) at the hands ના eventual tournament winner બ્રાયન ફોસ્ટર, 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 રોબી "સમસ્યાઓ" Peralta by way of TKO (પંચની) બીજા રાઉન્ડમાં (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) રજૂઆત (પાછળનું નગ્ન ચોક) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 પાઉન્ડ) ચેમ્પિયન માર્લોન મોરાઇસ.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over ઊરિયા હોલ, Siyar Bahadurzada અને Cathal Pendred, આ 5-ગોઠણot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, માસ. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (પંચની) નુકશાન Tim Means ડિસેમ્બર 10.

તારીખ કરવા માટે, Howard has notched 15 તેમના 23 માર્ગ દ્વારા કારકિર્દી જીત (ટી)KO અથવા રજૂઆત. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 અને જૂન 2011, Howard scored a memorable, ત્રીજા રાઉન્ડમાં (4:55) KO (પંચની) on submission ace ડેનિસ "સુપરમેન" Hallman ડિસેમ્બર 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 (પાછળનું નગ્ન ચોક) ના Leonardo Rodriguez જૂન પર 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 તેમના 20 career wins, રજૂઆત માર્ગ દ્વારા.

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

થી કિંમતની $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, ખાતે 5 વાગ્યાની. અને, અને પ્રથમ પ્રારંભિક કાર્ડ વારો ખાતે શરૂ થશે 6 વાગ્યાની.