WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION

OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

ВЕЛТЕРВЕИГХТ: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
ФЕАТХЕРВЕИГХТ: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
ХЕАВИВЕИГХТ: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 П.М. И
FROM MASHANTUCKET, ЦОНН. У ПЕТАК, ЈУН 17

ЛАС ВЕГАС (Април 12, 2016) -Ворлд Серија Фигхтинг (ВСОФ.цом) 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 (ММА) догађај, живе на НБЦСН у 9 п.м. ЕТ / 6 п.м. од Фоквоодс Ресорт Цасино у Масхантуцкет, Цонн. у петак, Јун 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, звезда у успону Крис "Хугги Беар" Барнет (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) у велтер (170 фунти) афера.

In a featherweight (145 фунти) scrap between two prolific strikers, Луис "Бабоон" Паломино (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Схеимон Мораес (8-1).

У главном догађају, reigning world heavyweight champion Благој Иванов (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) док, in the lightweight (155 фунти) ко-Маин Евент, Суперстарс Џејсон "Кансас Цити бандит" Високи (19-5) и Мике "Тхе Марсовац" Ричи (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

Крис Барнет против. Justin Willis

After spending the last year and a half making waves in Japan, 5-нога-9, 29-year-old Barnett of Tampa, Фла. 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 његовог 14 каријере победе по путу (Т.)КО, 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-глас 'да'r-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (УФЦ) greats Цаин Веласкуез и Даниел Цормиер, 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 Ризван Куниев у Токију.

Луис Паломино против. Схеимон Мораес

The 5-foot-8, 35-year-old Palomino of Miami, Фла. via Lima, Peru is coming off an epic year in which he engaged in two, all-out wars with reigning, непоражена на Ворлд Сериес оф Фигхтинг лагане шампиона Џастин "Хигхлигхт" Гаетхје, 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, једне ноћи, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, Први круг (4:55) ТКО (ударци) о Богата Патисхноцк in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) ТКО (ударци) at the hands од eventual tournament winner Бриан Фостер, 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 Роби "Проблеми" Пералта by way of TKO (ударци) у другом кругу (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) подношење (позади-Накед Цхоке) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 фунти) шампион Марлон Мораес.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Уриах сала, Siyar Bahadurzada и Cathal Pendred, the 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Маса. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) КО (ударци) губитак за Tim Means Децембар 10.

До данас, Howard has notched 15 његовог 23 каријере победе по путу (Т.)КО или покоравање. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, трећи круг (4:55) КО (ударци) on submission ace Денис "Супермен" Халлман Децембар 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 (позади-Накед Цхоке) од Leonardo Rodriguez он Јуне 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 његовог 20 career wins, путем достављања.

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

По цени од $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, у 5 п.м. И, а први прелиминарни картица борба ће почети у 6 п.м.