Timothy Johnson will look to bounce back from a disappointing promotional debut when he takes on Valentin Moldavsky at Bellator 225.
Sherdog’s Cole Shelton first reported the addition of Timothy Johnson vs. Valentin Moldavsky to Bellator 225.
Timothy Johnson had enough success in the UFC heavyweight addition to make him an interesting addition to Bellator’s roster. However, a first-round knockout loss to top contender Cheick Kongo last October has halted him from making an immediate impact.
Johnson was 4-3 in the Octagon, owning wins over Marcin Tybura and Shamil Abdurakhimov most notably. He has a pressure-first style and uses his massive frame to his advantage in his bouts, pushing many opponents against the cage with ease. Johnson has alternated wins and losses in his last eight bouts, making him due for a win if you believe in patterns.
Valentin Moldavsky is an up-and-coming heavyweight for Bellator, having gone 3-0 for the promotion thus far. Moldavsky won the Combat Sambo World Championship last year, making that the base of his great MMA success so far. Overall, the Russian is 7-1 and was a competitor in the RIZIN Openweight Grand Prix in 2016, going 2-1 and losing to eventual runner-up Amir Aliakbari by split decision. Moldavsky is coming off a win over former light heavyweight title challenger Linton Vassell.
Bellator 225 is the next event for the promotion, but it’s over a month away. It will take place at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on August 24. The card is headlined by the rematch between Matt Mitrione and Sergei Kharitonov, a fight that ended prematurely after a kick below the belt in the first minute.
