Bellator MMA returns to Milan, Italy on October 29, 2022, and Bellator 287 has begun to take shape.
In a press release distributed Wednesday, promotion officials announced that the Bellator Milan main event would feature lightweight Adam Piccolotti (13-4) taking on France’s Mansour Barnaoui (19-4), with the latter making his promotional debut.
In the co-main event, a key middleweight bout sees England’s Fabian Edwards (10-2) face off with Ireland’s Charlie Ward (10-4).
Piccolotti, who most recently competed in February when he picked up a unanimous decision win over Georgi Karakhanyan, will be entering is 14th fight in the organization against Branaoui. Debuting with the company in 2015, Piccolotti won his first five fights, improving to 9-0 overall before suffering his first career defeat at the hands of Goiti Yamauchi in 2017.
Since the Yamauchi fight, the California native has posted a 4-3 record overall. Piccolotti was expected to fight Tofiq Musayev last month, but was forced out of the event due to injury.
Barnaoui has long been one of the top fighters out of France, and previously competed for both KSW and South Korea’s ROAD FC. Barnaoui won the latter’s million dollar tournament and captured lightweight gold in 2019. He has not fought since.
Bellator 287 will take place on October 29, 2022 at the Allianz Cloud Arena in Milan, Italy. The following fights have been confirmed for the event:
- Adam Piccolotti vs. Mansour Barnaoui
- Fabian Edwards vs. Charlie Ward
- Saul Rogers vs. Tim Wilde
- Justin Gonzalez vs. Andrew Fisher
- Davy Gallon vs. Daniele Scatizzi
- Simon Biyong vs. Dragos Zubco
- Alfie Davies vs. Thibault Gouti
- Chiara Penco vs. Manuela Marconetto
- Yves Landu vs. Walter Cogliandro
- Costello van Steenis vs. Kamil Oniszczuk
- Nicolò Solli vs. Bourama Camara
- Steven Hill vs. Walter Pugliesi
