Irish bantamweight James Gallagher will return to action this August.
Gallagher (11-2), who has not competed since a loss to Patchy Mix in November of 2021, will face Cris Lencioni (11-3) at the event, set for the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on August 11, 2023.
The booking is one of three announced by Bellator MMA officials via press release on Wednesday.
“The StrabAnimal” has been forced to withdraw from a pair of high-profile match-ups since losing to now-bantamweight champion Mix over a year ago. He was booked opposite Brett Johns last year, and Leandro Higo in March, but didn’t make it to either date.
On a four-fight win streak prior to the Mix loss, Gallagher saw both his momentum halted and his ranking removed due to inactivity.
Lencioni has won four straight, including an inverted triangle choke submission of CFFC champ Blake Smith.
Making his debut at Bellator 298 in South Dakota, meanwhile, will be NCAA Division I All-American Michael Blockhus (0-0), who is transitioning to MMA after a successful wrestling career. He’s paired up with Eli Mefford (0-4) in a featherweight contest.
In lightweight action, London Shootfighters‘ Alfie Davis (15-4-1) takes on UFC alum Aalon Cruz (11-4).
Bellator 298 will air on Showtime in the U.S., and thus far consists of the following reported match-ups:
- Logan Storley vs. Brennan Ward
- Valentin Moldavsky vs. Steve Mowry
- Dalton Rosta vs. Aaron Jeffery
- Sidney Outlaw vs. Islam Mamedov
- James Gallagher vs. Cris Lencioni
- Lucas Brennan vs. Weber Almeida
- Michael Blockhus vs. Eli Mefford
- Alfie Davis vs. Aalon Cruz
