With Mark Lemminger sporting a fresh new Bellator MMA contract, the promotion is wasting no time booking him into big fights.
Lemminger (12-3) has been placed opposite Neiman Gracie (10-2) at next month’s Bellator 266, Cageside Press has learned. Promotion officials confirmed the booking following an initial report by MMA Fighting. The welterweight fight will server as the San Jose, CA show’s co-main event.
Lemminger arrived in the promotion last year, defeating Jake Smith in his debut. He then found himself in much tougher match-ups, against future champ Yaroslav Amosov and and prospect Jaleel Willis. After dropping both of those contests, Lemminger bounced back in June, finishing Demarques Jackson in the second round at Bellator 260.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout Neiman Gracie has had a couple of stumbles since starting his MMA career 9-0. The first came as part of the promotion’s welterweight grand prix in 2019, when Gracie lost a unanimous decision in a title bid against Rory MacDonald.
Gracie bounced back from that loss with a win against Jon Fitch, but he hit a road block in the form of Jason “The Ass-Kicking Machine” Jackson last time out.
Bellator 266 is set to take place at the SAP Center in San Jose, CA on September 18, 2021. The main event features the debut of former UFC star Yoel Romero, in a light heavyweight battle against ex-champ Phil Davis.
The card to date breaks down as follows:
Yoel Romero vs. Phil Davis
Neiman Gracie vs. Mark Lemminger
Alejandra Lara vs. DeAnna Bennett
Adam Piccolotti vs. Saul Rogers
Grant Neal vs. Alex Polizzi
Christian Edwards vs. Ben Parrish
Khalid Murtazaliev vs. Travis Davis
Abraham Vaesau vs. Albert Gonzales
