PLUS, THE BELLATOR DEBUTS OF FORMER TITLE CHALLENGERS CAT ZINGANO AND LIZ CARMOUCHE

LOS ANGELES — For the first time, Bellator MMA’s “FightSphere” at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. will host a stacked doubleheader weekend on Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12. On night one, Bellator 245 is headlined by former world champs Phil Davis (21-5, 1 NC) and Lyoto Machida (26-9) in a light heavyweight rematch, while Bellator 246 on night two sees a bantamweight world championship fight featuring top contender Juan Archuleta (24-2) taking on the undefeated Patchy Mix (13-0) for the vacant title.

Two former world title challengers also make their long-awaited Bellator debuts, as Cat Zingano (10-4) takes on Gabby Holloway (6-5) in a featherweight matchup at Bellator 245, while Liz Carmouche (13-7) meets the newly signed DeAnna Bennett (10-6-1) at flyweight during the main card of Bellator 246.

Bellator 245: Davis vs. Machida 2 on Friday, Sept. 11 and Bellator 246: Archuleta vs. Mix on Saturday, Sept. 12 air live on Paramount Network and DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. Preliminary action will stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming days.

A former Bellator light heavyweight world champion, Phil Davis returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since stopping Karl Albrektsson at Bellator 231 in October of last year. A four-time NCAA D-I All-American wrestler at Penn State University, “Mr. Wonderful” has earned professional victories over Brian Stann, Alexander Gustafsson, Antônio Rogério Nogueira, and the man he will face again on Sept. 11, Lyoto Machida. With eight Bellator appearances already, the San Diego-based fighter has his sights set on reclaiming his world title in the sport’s toughest light heavyweight division.

After signing with Bellator in 2018, Lyoto Machida made his highly anticipated promotional debut with a victory over former champ Rafael Carvalho at Bellator 213 and would later go on to defeat the now-retired Chael Sonnen inside the famed Madison Square Garden at Bellator 222. The former UFC light heavyweight champ, known to fans around the globe as “The Dragon,” owns notable career wins over Tito Ortiz, “Shogun” Rua, Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Randy Couture. Having lost to Davis in the first matchup in Brazil, the native ofSalvador, Bahia, Brazil is looking for redemption and a future shot at Bellator gold.

Fresh off of an impressive victory over Henry Corrales at Bellator 238 earlier this year, Juan Archuleta will look to capture the promotion’s vacant bantamweight strap. Fighting out of Hesperia, Calif., the 32-year-old knockout artist will once again drop down a weight class for a shot at the world title, something he successfully accomplished on four separate occasions while competing for regional promotion King of the Cage (light welterweight, lightweight, flyweight and bantamweight). Following a hard-fought featherweight world title bout with Patricio Pitbull last September, “The Spaniard” returns to bantamweight, where he has been undefeated for over five years.

Currently fighting out of Jackson Wink MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., Patchy Mix will make his fourth appearance for Bellator, where he has tallied three first-round submission victories. The 26-year-old Buffalo, N.Y.-native hopes to remain undefeated and build off of his most recent win on New Year’s Eve, which saw “No Love” earn a guillotine choke-submission over Yuki Motoya at Bellator’s co-promotional event with Rizin at Rizin.20 in Japan. Prior to his time with the Scott Coker-led promotion, Mix dominated his competition in all nine of his fights with King of the Cage, collecting five first round finishes. Now, the submission specialist will face the toughest test of his young career, a matchup with the former Bellator featherweight world title contender and a shot at Bellator’s vacant 135-pound strap.

Also announced for Bellator 245…“Easy” Ed Ruth (8-2) returns to middleweight against the debuting Taylor “Tombstone” Johnson (5-1) on the main card; current Bellator Kickboxing welterweight world champ Raymond “The Real Deal” Daniels (2-1) returns to MMA against Peter Stanonik (5-4); former middleweight champ Rafael Carvalho (16-4) squares off with undefeated Alex “Easy” Polizzi (6-0) at light heavyweight; hard-hitting heavyweights Tyrell Fortune (8-1) and Jack May (11-6) collide; “Killa” Keith Lee (6-3) faces Dominic “The Honey Badger” Mazzotta (15-3) in a 140-lb. contract weight preliminary matchup.

Also announced for Bellator 246…top welterweight contenders Jon Fitch (32-7-2, 1 NC) and Neiman Gracie (9-1) square off in the co-main event; Derek “The Stallion” Campos (20-10) andRoger “El Matador” Huerta (24-12-1, 1 NC) go toe-to-toe in a lightweight battle; Jackson Wink MMA heavyweight prospect Davion “The Don” Franklin (1-0) takes on Ras “The Jamaican Shamrock” Hylton (6-4) on the prelims; Hawaii’s Ty “Savage” Gwerder (4-1) meets London’s George “Tuco” Tokkos (4-1) in a middleweight contest.

Updated Bellator 245: Davis vs. Machida 2 Main Card:

Paramount Network and DAZN

Friday, Sept. 11 – 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Phil Davis (21-5, 1 NC) vs. Lyoto Machida (26-9)

Featherweight Co-Main Event: Cat Zingano (10-4) vs. Gabby Holloway (6-5)

Middleweight Feature Bout: Ed Ruth (8-2) vs. Taylor Johnson (5-1)

Welterweight Feature Bout: Raymond Daniels (2-1) vs. Peter Stanonik (5-4)

Updated Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA’s YouTube Channel

Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Rafael Carvalho (16-4) vs. Alex Polizzi (6-0)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Tyrell Fortune (8-1) vs. Jack May (11-6)

140-lb. Contract Weight Preliminary Bout: Keith Lee (6-3) vs. Dominic Mazzotta (15-3)

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Updated Bellator 246: Archuleta vs. Mix Main Card:

Paramount Network and DAZN

Saturday, Sept. 12 – 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT

Bantamweight World Title Bout: Juan Archuleta (24-2) vs. Patchy Mix (13-0)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Jon Fitch (32-7-2, 1 NC) vs. Neiman Gracie (9-1)

Flyweight Feature Bout: Liz Carmouche (13-7) vs. DeAnna Bennett (10-6-1)

Lightweight Feature Bout: Derek Campos (20-10) vs. Roger Huerta (24-12-1, 1 NC)

Updated Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA’s YouTube Channel

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Ty Gwerder (4-1) vs. George Tokkos (4-1)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Davion Franklin (1-0) vs. Ras Hylton (6-4)

*Card subject to change.

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