With mixed martial arts becoming legalized in France in 2020, BELLATOR became the first promotion to hold a major MMA event with Bellator 248 in October of that year. The success of that historic card propelled BELLATOR to make a return to “The City of Lights” in 2022 in a big way with a main event featuring undisputed BELLATOR MMA Heavyweight Champion, Ryan Bader (29-7, 1 NC) defending his crown in enemy territory against hometown favorite and No. 2-ranked heavyweight Cheick Kongo (31-11-2, 1 NC).
In addition to the main and co-main event, a lightweight tilt pitting the last man to defeat media darling Paddy Pimblett, Søren Bak (15-1) against England’s Saul Rogers (15-4) is also official. Bak has only tasted defeat once in his 16 professional fights and held both the featherweight and lightweight titles in Cage Warriors before joining the BELLATOR roster. Fighting out of Denmark, “The True Viking” is riding a seven-fight win streak into battle against the SBG Manchester product, Rogers. Known as “The Hangman,” Rogers also has amassed 15 victories on his resume including wins over Artem Lobov, Ryan Hall and Georgi Karakhanyan.
The preliminary card is guaranteed to feature a showcase of French talent and has begun to take shape with the return of Ivonis Landu (16-9), who takes on Liverpool’s Hughes Gavin (10-2) in a lightweight affair. Preliminary card action will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, Showtime ludis YouTube alveum et Plutonem TV beginning at 6:30 p.m. CEST/12:30 p.m. ATQUE.
Tickets for the fight are on sale now at accorarena.com atque bellator.fr. Follow Bellator France on Instagram @BellatorFrance and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorFrance/
Pugnae out of Miami, Florida, Romero will be making his second BELLATOR appearance on May 6 Lutetiae. Post septem annos mora sub UFC, the American Top Team-product became one of the most sought-after free agents prior to signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion in 2020. Apud 11 eius 13 curriculo victorias per viam Knockout, quattuor primis per varietatem, “Soldier of God” possesses the type of knockout power that can force any opponent into submission. A three-time World Cup Freestyle Westling Champion, Quinque-Tempus Pan-American Freestyle Wrestling Champion, atque 2000 Olympia Freestyle Wrestling Silver Medalist, Cubanus Romero primogenitus suos electos talenta continenter ostendit in summa certaminis gradu. Solum trophaeum absentis ad legatum vicinum sine fine est titulus mundi BELLATOR.
Making his tenth appearance for BELLATOR MMA, Dutch superstar Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef has put together an impressive resume throughout his illustrious career in multiple combat sports disciplines that has seen him finish 29 eius 32 MMA victims via knockout, including 26 in the first round and eight in the opening minute of action. A native of Amsterdam, Netherlands, the ageless wonder and No. 10-ranked BELLATOR light heavyweight will now look to add to a trio of impressive knockouts that he’s collected since joining the promotion back in 2014.
BELLATOR PARIS: BADER VS. KONGO 2 CARD PRINCEPS:
SHOWTIME (NOBIS.) / RMC SPORT (GALLIA) / BBC Three & BBC iPlayer (U.K.) / Virgin Media Duo & Virgin Media Sport (HIBERNIA)
Friday, May 6, 10 p.m. CEST/9 p.m. GMT/4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT
Heavyweight World Title Main Event: #C-Ryan Bader (29-7, 1 NC) vs. #2-Cheick Kongo (31-11-2, 1 NC)
Lux Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Yoel Romero (13-6) vs. #10-Melvinus Manhoef (32-15-1, 2 NC)
Lightweight Bout: Søren Bak (15-1) vs. Saul Rogers (15-4)
Lightweight Bout: Ivonis Landu (16-9) vs. Hughes Gavin (10-2)
*Card subiectum ad mutationem.
Placere visitabo www.Bellator.fr atque Bellator.com pro additional notitia.
Updated schedule of BELLATOR events
Sat., Feb. 19 / / BELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley // Arena Mohegan Sun // Uncasville, Conn.
Liberum. Feb. 25 // BELLATOR MMA 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford // 3Arena // Dublin, IRE
Sat. March 12 // BELLATOR MMA 276: Borics vs. Burnell // The Family Arena // S.. Louis
Liberum. May 6 // BELLATOR PARIS: Bader vs. Kongo 2 // Accor Arena // Paris, FRA
Liberum. May 13 // BELLATOR LONDINENSIA: Amosov vs. MVP // SSE Arena, Wembley // London