A pair of top-five ranked Bellator heavyweights will collide in November.
MMA Junkie was first to report the news that No. 4 ranked heavyweight Tyrell Fortune will fight No. 5 ranked Linton Vassell on November 12 at Bellator 271. Bellator officials subsequently confirmed the booking to Cageside Press.
Fortune (11-1-1) is riding a three-fight win streak with first-round finishes in his last two. In his last fight, he finished Matt Mitrione in less than two minutes. Fortune has completely bounced back from a rough 2020 where he suffered his first professional loss to former title challenger Tim Johnson and then a no-contest where he accidentally landed a low-blow on Jack May. Fortune was scheduled to fight Vitaly Minakov at Bellator 269 in October but had to withdraw.
After losing his heavyweight debut to current interim heavyweight champion Valentin Moldavsky, Vassell (20-8-1) is riding a two-fight win streak. He finished Sergei Kharitonov and Ronny Markes both in the first round. The two-time light heavyweight title challenger will look to make a run at the heavyweight title with a win over Fortune.
Bellator 271 takes place on November 12 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. Cris Cyborg and Sinead Kavanagh will headline the fight card.
Bellator 271 looks like this so far:
- Cris Cyborg vs. Sinead Kavanagh – for the Bellator women’s featherweight championship
- Tyrell Fortune vs. Linton Vassell
