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

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 Земле. ВА
FROM MASHANTUCKET, Пайв. РӮЗИ ҶУМЪА, ИЮН 17

Лас Вегас (Апрел 12, 2016) -World Силсилаи мубориза (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) ҳодиса, зиндагӣ ба NBCSN дар 9 Земле. ЕТ / 6 p.m. аз Foxwoods Resort Казино дар Mashantucket, Пайв. рӯзи ҷумъа, Июн 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, тулӯъи ситораи Крис "Huggy хирс» 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) дар Welterweight (170 мино) кор.

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

Дар чорабинии асосии, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Иванов (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) ҳол он, in the lightweight (155 мино) ҳамкорӣ асосии чорабинии, superstars Ёсӯн "The Канзас Сити роҳзан» баланд (19-5) ва Майк "The Martian" Ricci (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

Крис Barnett против. Justin Willis

After spending the last year and a half making waves in Japan, 5-пиёда-9, 29-year-old Barnett of Tampa, ФЛО. 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 аз худ 14 ғалабаҳои такмили ихтисос бо роҳи (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-Оре,r-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (Хабиб) greats Қобил Velasquez ва Дониёл 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 дар Токио.

Луис Palomino против. Sheymon Moraes

The 5-foot-8, 35-year-old Palomino of Miami, ФЛО. via Lima, Peru is coming off an epic year in which he engaged in twдар, all-out wars with reigning, Рокки силсилаи ҷаҳонии мубориза бар қаҳрамони қабул намояд Justin "The таъкид» 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, як шаб, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, Даври аввал (4:55) ТУТ (punches) ба Сарватманд Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) ТУТ (punches) at the hands аз eventual tournament winner Брайан 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 Робби «Мушкилоти" Peralta by way of TKO (punches) дар даври дуввум (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) итоат (каломро пушти сар-бараҳна) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 мино) қаҳрамони Марлон Moraes.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Уриё Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada ва Cathal Pendred, дар 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Омма. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (punches) аз даст ба Tim Means декабр 10.

То имрӯз, Howard has notched 15 аз худ 23 ғалабаҳои такмили ихтисос бо роҳи (T)KO ё пешниҳоди. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, даври сеюм (4:55) KO (punches) on submission ace Денис "Супермен" Hallman декабр 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 (каломро пушти сар-бараҳна) аз Leonardo Rodriguez июн 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 аз худ 20 career wins, бо роҳи пешниҳоди.

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

Priced аз $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, дар 5 Земле. ВА, ва аввалин Бут корти пешакӣ хоҳад дар оғоз 6 Земле.