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
Heavyweight: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 P.M. THIAB
FROM MASHANTUCKET, Conn. RAU Friday, RAU HLI 17

Las Vegas (Plaub Hlis Ntuj 12, 2016) -World Series ntawm Sib ntaus (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) kev tshwm sim, nyob rau NBCSN ntawm 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. los ntawm Foxwoods Resort Twv txiaj yuam pov nyob rau hauv Mashantucket, Conn. on Friday, Lub rau hli ntuj 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, nce lub hnub qub Chris "Huggy Xyooj" 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) nyob rau hauv ib tug welterweight (170 phaus) yi.

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

Nyob rau hauv lub ntsiab kev tshwm sim, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) thaum lub sij hawm, in the lightweight (155 phaus) co-ntsiab kev tshwm sim, superstars Jason "Lub Kansas City Bandit" High (19-5) thiab Mike "Lub 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, lub 5-ko taw-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 ntawm nws 14 hauj lwm yeej los ntawm txoj kev ntawm (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-muaj tseeb tiagr-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats Ka-ees Velasquez thiab 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 nyob rau hauv 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 twlub, all-out wars with reigning, undefeated ntiaj teb Series ntawm Sib ntaus sib tua sib zus Justin "Lub Highlight" 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, ib-hmo ntuj, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, thawj round (4:55) LEEJ TWG (punches) rau Rich Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) LEEJ TWG (punches) at the hands ntawm 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 "Teeb meem" Peralta by way of TKO (punches) nyob rau hauv lub thib ob puag ncig (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) cuav (rear-liab qab caj pas) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 phaus) champion Marlon Moraes.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Uriah Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada thiab Cathal Pendred, lub 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Pawg. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (punches) tsis rau Tim Means rau hlis ntuj nqeg 10.

Rau hnub tim, Howard has notched 15 ntawm nws 23 hauj lwm yeej los ntawm txoj kev ntawm (T)KO los yog cuav. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, peb puag ncig (4:55) KO (punches) on submission ace Dennis "Superman" Hallman rau hlis ntuj nqeg 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 (rear-liab qab caj pas) ntawm Leonardo Rodriguez Lub rau hli ntuj 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 ntawm nws 20 career wins, los ntawm txoj kev ntawm kev mloog lus.

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

Luv nqi los ntawm $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, ntawm 5 p.m. THIAB, thiab cov thawj ua ntej card bout yuav pib thaum 6 p.m.