WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION

OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

WELTERWEIGHT: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
FEATHERWEIGHT: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
Matakin matsakaicin nauyi: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 P.M. DA
FROM MASHANTUCKET, Conn. RAN JUMA'A, Ta watan Yunin 17

Las Vegas (Afrilu 12, 2016) -World Series na yãƙi (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) taron, zauna a NBCSN a 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. daga Foxwoods Dabbab Casino a Mashantucket, Conn. a ranar Jumma'a, Yuni 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, tanã fita star 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) will collide with submission expert Thiago “Minu” Meller (20-7) a cikin wani welterweight (170 fam) al'amarinsu.

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

A cikin babban taron, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) yayin da, in the lightweight (155 fam) co-main taron, zakaru Jason "A Kansas City ɗan fashi" High (19-5) da kuma Mike "The Martian" 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, 5-ƙafa-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 da ya 14 aiki cin nasarar yaki da hanyar (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-Ã'ar-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats Kayinu Velasquez da kuma 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 a Tokyo.

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 twda, all-out wars with reigning, undefeated Duniya Series of Yin yãƙi hur Zakaran Justin "The Haskaka" 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, daya-dare, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, zagayen farko (4:55) WHO (punches) a kan Rich Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) WHO (punches) at the hands na eventual tournament winner Brian dauki reno, 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 "Matsaloli" Peralta by way of TKO (punches) a zagaye na biyu (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) biyayya (raya-tsirara shaƙa) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 fam) Zakaran Marlon Moraes.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Uriya Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada da kuma Cathal Pendred, da 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Mass. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (punches) hasãra ga Tim Means a Disamba 10.

Na zamani, Howard has notched 15 da ya 23 aiki cin nasarar yaki da hanyar (T)KO ko biyayya. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, na uku zagaye (4:55) KO (punches) on submission ace Dennis "magabacin mutumi" Hallman a Disamba 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 (raya-tsirara shaƙa) na Leonardo Rodriguez a kan Yuni 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 da ya 20 career wins, ta hanyar biyayya.

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

Saka farashi daga $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, a 5 p.m. DA, kuma na farko da na farko da katin fadan zai fara a 6 p.m.