WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION

OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

WELTERWEIGHT: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
Lông: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
Hạng nặng: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 Giờ chiều. VÀ
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. VÀO THỨ SÁU, Tháng Sáu 17

LAS VEGAS (Tháng tư 12, 2016) -World Series of Fighting (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) biến cố, sống trên NBCSN tại 9 giờ chiều. ET / 6 giờ chiều. từ Foxwoods Resort Casino tại Mashantucket, Conn. vào thứ Sáu, Tháng sáu 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, ngôi sao đang lên 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) sẽ va chạm với chuyên gia trình Thiago “Minu” Meller (20-7) ở một người nặng (170 pounds) việc.

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

Trong các sự kiện chính, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) trong khi, in the lightweight (155 pounds) đồng chính sự kiện, siêu sao Jason "The Kansas City Bandit" High (19-5) và 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-foot-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 của mình 14 thắng lợi sự nghiệp bằng cách (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-vângr-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats Cain Velasquez và 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 ở 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 twcác, all-out wars with reigning, bất khả chiến bại World Series of Fighting vô địch nhẹ Justin "Các 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, một đêm, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, vòng đầu tiên (4:55) WHO (đấm) trên Giàu Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) WHO (đấm) at the hands của 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 "Vấn đề" Peralta by way of TKO (đấm) trong vòng hai (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) trình (phía sau naked sặc) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 pounds) quán quân Marlon Moraes.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Uriah Hội trường, Siyar Bahadurzada và Cathal Pendred, các 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Quần chúng. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (đấm) thiệt hại cho Tim Means vào ngày 10.

Để ngày, Howard has notched 15 của mình 23 thắng lợi sự nghiệp bằng cách (T)KO hoặc trình. During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, vòng thứ ba (4:55) KO (đấm) on submission ace Dennis "Superman" Hallman vào ngày 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 (phía sau naked sặc) của Leonardo Rodriguez vào ngày 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 của mình 20 thắng lợi trong sự nghiệp, bằng cách nộp.

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

Giá từ $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, tại 5 giờ chiều. VÀ, và bout thẻ sơ bộ đầu tiên sẽ bắt đầu lúc 6 giờ chiều.