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

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 ప్రధానమంత్రి. AND
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. శుక్రవారం, JUNE 17

LAS VEGAS (ఏప్రిల్ 12, 2016) ఫైటింగ్ -World సిరీస్ (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) ఈవెంట్, వద్ద NBCSN న నివసిస్తున్నారు 9 ప్రధానమంత్రి. ET / 6 గంటల. Mashantucket లో Foxwoods రిసార్ట్ కాసినో నుండి, కాన్. శుక్రవారం, జూన్ 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, వర్ధమాన క్రిస్ "Huggy బేర్" బార్నెట్ (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) ఒక వేల్టర్వెయిట్ లో (170 పౌండ్ల) వ్యవహారం.

In a featherweight (145 పౌండ్ల) scrap between two prolific strikers, లూయిస్ "బబూన్" Palomino (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Sheymon మొరెస్ (8-1).

ముఖ్య ఘట్టంలో, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy ఇవనోవ్ (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) అయితే, in the lightweight (155 పౌండ్ల) సహ ప్రధాన ఈవెంట్, సూపర్ స్టార్స్ జాసన్ "కాన్సాస్ సిటీ బందిపోటు" హై (19-5) మరియు మైక్ "మార్టిన్" రిక్కీ (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

క్రిస్ బార్నెట్ వర్సెస్. Justin Willis

After spending the last year and a half making waves in Japan, 5 అడుగుల 9, 29-year-old Barnett of Tampa, ఫ్లోరిడా. 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 తన 14 ద్వారా కెరీర్ విజయాలు (T)కో, 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-అవునుr-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats కయీను Velasquez మరియు డేనియల్ కోర్మియెర్, 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 టోక్యో లో.

Vs లూయిస్ Palomino. Sheymon మొరెస్

The 5-foot-8, 35-year-old Palomino of Miami, ఫ్లోరిడా. via Lima, Peru is coming off an epic year in which he engaged in twది, all-out wars with reigning, పోరు తేలికైన ఛాంపియన్ అజేయమైన వరల్డ్ సిరీస్ జస్టిన్ "హైలైట్" 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, ఒక రాత్రి, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, మొదటి రౌండ్ (4:55) WHO (గుద్దులు) న రిచ్ Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) WHO (గుద్దులు) at the hands యొక్క eventual tournament winner బ్రియాన్ ఫోస్టర్, 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 రాబీ "ప్రొబ్లెంస్" పెరాల్టా by way of TKO (గుద్దులు) రెండో రౌండ్లో (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) సమర్పణ (వెనుక-నగ్న చౌక్) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 పౌండ్ల) ఛాంపియన్ మార్లన్ మొరెస్.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over ఊరియా హాల్, Siyar Bahadurzada మరియు Cathal Pendred, ది 5-ఫోot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, మాస్. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) కో (గుద్దులు) నష్టం Tim Means డిసెంబర్ 10.

తేదీ, Howard has notched 15 తన 23 ద్వారా కెరీర్ విజయాలు (T)కో లేదా సమర్పణ. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, మూడవ రౌండ్ (4:55) కో (గుద్దులు) on submission ace డెన్నిస్ "సూపర్మ్యాన్" Hallman డిసెంబర్ 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 (వెనుక-నగ్న చౌక్) యొక్క Leonardo Rodriguez జూన్ 26, 2015.

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

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

నుండి ధరతో $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, వద్ద 5 ప్రధానమంత్రి. AND, మరియు మొదటి ప్రాథమిక కార్డు బాక్సింగ్ వద్ద ప్రారంభమవుతుంది 6 ప్రధానమంత్రి.