2023 light heavyweight tournament champ Impa Kasanganay, who went all the way to the 2024 final before losing to Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, is back. So too is Josh Silveira, the 2023 finalist and 2024 semifinalist, who was bounced both seasons by Kasanganay.

Prior to 2025, the PFL did not feature a middleweight division as part of its season/tournament format. As a result, fighters like Kasanganay, who fought at 185lbs in the UFC, moved up.

In addition, Bellator vet Aaron Jeffrey will join the tournament fresh off a win over former Bellator welterweight champ/middleweight challenger Douglas Lima. Dalton Rosta is another Bellator MMA import set to join the tournament, as is Fabian Edwards. Edwards, a two-time Bellator middleweight title challenger, is brother of former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards. After coming up short twice against Johnny Eblen, Edwards now has another crack at winning a major world championship.

The full eight-man PFL middleweight roster breaks down as follows:

• Impa Kasanganay (18-5) of the United States
• Mike Shipman (17-4) of England
• Fabian Edwards (13-4) of England
• Aaron Jeffery (14-5) of Canada
• Josh Silveira (13-4) of the United States
• Sadibou Sy (17-8-2) of Sweden
• Murad Ramazanov (12-2, 1NC) of Russia
• Dalton Rosta (9-1) of the United States

Alternates are expected to be announced shortly.

The post PFL’s 2025 Middleweight World Tournament: Kasanganay, Silveira Return appeared first on Cageside Press.

The win did not come without its share of controversy, after Shipman (16-4) landed a borderline illegal knee in the opening round. Hill was on the way up, and replays showed the strike was very close to being a foul. When Hill was unable to answer the bell to start round two, the fight was waved off, with Shipman announced as the winner.

Even Mike Shipman himself, however, admitted that the knee was a close call.

“I’d feel pretty bad if he was down when I threw it. It’s one of those things, it’s very very fine margins. Because he was on the way up; if you leave it too long, he’s guarded again, you lose the opportunity,” Shipman explained following the fight, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press. “I thought his knee was coming up.”

“It was a close call, but hopefully it wasn’t too bad, it wasn’t too egregious,” Shipman added. “Otherwise, I feel good.”

Asked whether he was in favor of knees to grounded opponents being legal, as they are in RIZIN and ONE Championship, Shipman clarified that he was, but that he’d accept any ruleset he’s required to fight under.

“I feel that the ruleset I’m fighting to is the ruleset that I’m fighting too. So it’s my responsibility that I follow the ruleset. I may have fallen short, it was a close call,” he stated. “In general, yeah, I’m in favor of kneeing. I don’t see the problem with kneeing a grounded opponent. I think it opens up those opportunities, especially for wrestlers to become more prolific finishers if they can throw from a front headlock when someone’s grounded. It completely changes the ground n’ pound game.”

Shipman also questioned the belief that knees to a grounded opponent are more dangerous than those landed from other positions.

“I don’t feel it necessarily introduces any element of danger. You’re still allowed to knee people, elbow them in the face anyway, why not knee them when they’re grounded, provided it’s not to the back of the head, it’s a safe shot? But that’s not in defense of, if that was a foul. The ruleset is the ruleset, but as you can see, I’m all for it.”

Watch the full Bellator Paris post-fight media scrum with Mike Shipman above.

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Shipman (14-3) will look to play spoiler against Gregory Babene, who returns to the Bellator cage on a six-fight win streak. Shipman himself will be looking for his second straight win, competing for the first time since September 2020 — and he’s happy to play spoiler in Paris, though he hasn’t given it too much thought.

“Yeah sure. I mean, my primary concern is the guy across from me. If I can get a reaction out of the crowd, then great. It’s just some added energy,” Shipman told Cageside Press during this week’s Bellator 280 media day. “I’ve not really thought too much about being the spoiler or being the hero, what role I’m playing, so much as just going out there and enjoying myself. Hopefully I win the crowd over with a good performance.”

During his absence, Shipman was called out by Dalton Rosta, an ATT middleweight who has fought his way into the 185 pound rankings. That’s a callout Shipman is aware of, and he’s up for the challenge moving forward.

“We did see it,” said Shipman, adding that he and his coaches reached out to the promotion about the match-up. “We asked Bellator about it as well. So that’s definitely something that I’d be interested in. I think he’s ranked now, and during my inactivity I’ve been dumped out of the rankings. So yeah, sure, anyone in the rankings is great, and I think he may have bit off a bit more than he can chew. But I’ll be happy to meet him in the Bellator cage.”

Mike Shipman faces Gregory Babene at Bellator 280 in Paris, France, this Friday, May 6, 2022, on Showtime. Watch the rest of Shipman’s media day interview above. More coverage can be found below.

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The pair had exchanged words at the weigh-in. van Steenis insisted that the dislike was real, labeling Edwards the type of fighter who does his talking for the cameras. In any case, the pair would get a chance to settle their differences inside the cage on Saturday, at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy.

Outside of the main event, Saturday’s Bellator Euro Series 8 card also saw appearances by Ireland’s Will Fleury, taking on Kent Kauppinen, and Mike Shipman — the London Shootfighters combatant otherwise known as Sea Bass.

Airing on Channel 5 in the U.K., Bellator Euro Series 8 was available elsewhere live and free via the promotion’s official Youtube channel. The main card of the Milan-based event kicked off at 5PM ET — you can view all the action via the embed above.

Bellator Euro Series 8: Edwards vs. Van Steenis Results

Costello van Steenis def. Fabian Edwards by split decision (28-29, 28-27, 29-28)
Michael Shipman def. Pietro Penini by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Will Fleury def. Kent Kauppinen by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

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Bellator’s latest trip to London, England was their final European card of 2019. Going down Saturday at the SSE Arena, the co-main event of the evening was populated by Fabian Edwards, brother of UFC standout Leon, taking on Mike Shipman at middleweight.

Edwards was an undefeated 8-0 entering the fight against Shipman, who was coming off a loss to Costello Van Steenis.

Edwards opened at center, with Shipman circling around him. However, their first clinch led to a low blow by Shipman and a brief pause in the action. Back underway, it wasn’t long before Shipman initiated another clinch along the fence. Tying up Edwards, he looked to land knees while trying to take the fight to the ground. He couldn’t get Fabian Edwards down, however, and wound up back in the open with him, at range. Not a good place to be, but Shipman survived what ended up being a close first round.

The second round had Edwards with his back to the fence early once again. This time Shipman had some success, and Edwards was on the mat roughly a minute in. Shipman worked to position him away from the cage, but Edwards fired off an upkick or two and was able to escape. Shipman then worked to take his opponent’s neck, hoping to wrench him back down, but Edwards broke free. He then went on the attack with half the second round remaining, landing a kick, but being forced to contend with another takedown attempt. While Edwards would make it back to his feet, he was only able to land a handful of strikes, including a left hand and some leg kicks, prior to the end of the frame.

Fabian Edwards came out swinging to open the third. However within thirty seconds, Shipman had landed a powerful takedown, driving through the attempt and landing it by the fence. Edwards would make it back up with over half a round remaining, but time was becoming a factor. He fired off a combo, connecting at the end, only for Shipman to secure a body lock and work for a takedown. Edwards would fight that off, and with a minute left, needed to make something happen. He did, tagging Shipman with an uppercut! A moment later, he landed a standing elbow in an exchange, following it up with a few more punches. Shipman was forced to retreat, and Edwards managed to force him down and get on top to finish the round! With Edwards clearly winning the third, whether the judges saw either of the first two rounds in his favor was the question.

Someone, one judge awarded all three rounds to Edwards, and ultimately he won a split decision.

Official Result: Fabian Edwards def. Mike Shipman by unanimous decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

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Many people this side of the pond may be confused as to how we got there, but we eventually did arrive at the conclusion of a wacky and wild Bellator 223 in London. A new middleweight champion now reigns supreme in Bellator’s 185-pound division, and plenty of other fighters picked up critical wins for their careers as well. Here’s who I would match each Bellator 223 main card fighter with, next.

Raphael Lovato Jr. vs. Lyoto Machida

The culmination of a mere five years work beautifully blossomed from a world Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion’s determination to be a world champion in another discipline on Saturday, as Raphael Lovato Jr. carefully went about his gameplan to stun Gegard Mousasi and capture Bellator gold. 

Lovato’s next challenge solely depends on how the landscape shifts for the fire-breathing one waiting in the wings, and by that, I speak of Lyoto Machida’s decision to stay or move back down from his last contracted weight of 205 pounds. Should he opt to move down, I’m sure Bellator would be itching to get him a title shot as soon as possible given his track record.

Gegard Mousasi vs. John Salter

In what some would coin as a relatively underwhelming stint with Bellator thus far, Gegard Mousasi took his first defeat under the promotional banner thus relinquishing his middleweight title to new champion Raphael Lovato Jr. Mousasi could be considered for an immediate rematch year, however, if he is not, he can stamp himself right back amongst the division’s elite by holding off surging contender John Salter. 

Melvin Manhoef vs. Phil Davis

The living legend in the form of a Dutch mixed martial artist in Bellator’s light heavyweight division got his first win in nearly four years on Saturday, outgunning the hometown favorite in Kent Kauppinen.

Manhoef’s win did not go unnoticed, as Kauppinen’s stock as a fighter had never been higher than it was coming into this contest. If the legendary figure opts to remain at 205, Phil Davis is a guy who is also coming off a win, and has practically fought everybody else there is for him to possibly fight in that division. This would be a fun matchup, and one Bellator could use in just about any capacity.

Kent Kauppinen vs. James Mulheron

Failing to capitalize on the momentum that brought him as high as the next-to-last fight on a card as massive as this one was, Kent Kauppinen just didn’t quite muster enough offense to get by Melvin Manhoef on Saturday. 

Kauppinen’s local heritage makes him a prime target for billings on their European Series shows, one role fellow British light heavyweight James Mulheron has taken on as of late himself. Mulheron is coming off a decision loss to Lee Chadwick.

Aaron Chalmers vs. Promotional Newcomer

Aaron Chalmers bounced back into the win column in style Saturday night, and the ‘Geordie Shore’ cast sat front and center to witness his second-round submission victory over the 2-1 Fred Freeman in his sophomore campaign for the promotion.

Until we see Corey Browning fight again, I’d say we should hold off on gauging just how high the ceiling is for Aaron Chalmers, or ‘Baby Slice’ for that matter. 

Lob him another softball, Scott.

Fred Freeman: Fight outside the promotion

Fred Freeman entered his Bellator debut as a sacrificial lamb with a winning record, at least. However, he was clearly outmatched by a relatively green fighter himself in Aaron Chalmers. Freeman was brought in as a ‘sacrificial lamb’ per say against ‘Baby slice’ in 2017, and was choked out inside of two minutes. This time around, he was choked out inside of two rounds. I doubt Bellator brings him back on an immediate basis.

Paul Daley vs. Andrey Koreshkov

Paul Daley did just about everything he could to win, except finish his opponent through fifteen minutes of his main event (I think?) slot opposite former UFC welterweight Erick Silva. Daley swarmed the Brazilian in the second round, nearly scoring the finish of the relative promotional newcomer. 

Think about this; Daley and Koreshkov combine for 85 professional fights, with 27 of them coming under the Bellator promotional banner. And these two haven’t fought yet? 

Erick Silva vs. Lorenz Larkin

Erick Silva failed once again on Saturday to re-gather the momentum that saw him emerge as a top welterweight prospect once upon a time, losing a fairly one-sided decision to Paul Daley.

Silva drops to 0-2 in Bellator, has lost four of his last five and six of his last eight spanning back to 2015. Silva and Larkin were originally booked to fight at Bellator 207 last October.

James Gallagher vs. Patrick Mix

Bellator’s favorite Irish firecracker outworked a game opponent in the form of a natural featherweight in Jeremiah Labiano. Gallagher now makes it back-to-back wins since his first professional defeat to Ricky Bandejas last August.

Call me crazy, and call it unlikely, but I found Patrick Mix’s callout of James Gallagher just over a week ago inside Madison Square Garden as an admirable move from the blue-chip prospect. It appears to be an evenly-matched fight, between two grappling specialists. Bellator has been rumored to be returning to Dublin in September, where Gallagher will all but surely be one half of the main event. So my question is, why not?

Jeremiah Labiano vs. Adil Benjilany

In what was a valiant effort, Jeremiah Labiano ultimately came up short in his bid to play spoiler and rain on James Gallagher’s parade. Labiano fell to an unflattering mark of 12-7, and is now all square at 3-3 inside of the Bellator cage.

I’m not very supportive of the notion that includes Labiano in the featherweight tournament, unless he’s serving some sort of alternate role. Adil Benjilany is another Bellator featherweight I believe fits that mold, and is also coming off a loss, a submission loss to Cris Lencioni back in May at Bellator 221.

Fabian Edwards vs. Leo Leite

Fabian Edwards once again looked fantastic against a grossly overmatched opponent on Saturday, and looked impressive despite failing to secure the finish. Brother of UFC welterweight contender Leon, Edwards is now 8-0 as a professional pushing his record to 4-0 inside the Bellator cage.

I’m not sure whether or not they’ll actually serve him up a true test in his next fight, but I’m willing to meet squarely in the middle between expectation and necessity. Leo Leite is 10-2 as a professional, but 0-2 inside the Bellator cage and has not fought since dropping a decision to Chris Honeycutt last July.

Jonathan Bosuku: Fight outside the promotion

Bosuku was largely outclassed, and rarely in control of a fight he was likely brought in to lose in the first place.

Despite entering the weekend on a five-fight win streak, Bosuku was outmatched from the start and is unlikely to get a call to return.

Costello van Steenis: Rafael Carvalho/Chidi Njokuani Winner

Outside of our new middleweight champion, the Dutch prospect Costello van Steenis was the only underdog on the card to score a victory across the pond Saturday night. Van Steenis has now won six fights in a row, and all four of them under the Bellator banner. 

This was a massive win for the 26-year old, as he officially stamps himself as a legitimate threat in this middleweight division. Testing him with whoever comes out of the Carvalho-Njokuani matchup would be the perfect measuring stick to determine whether or not ‘The Spaniard’ is ready for his shot at the title.

Mike Shipman vs. Charlie Ward

Mike Shipman was riding a 13-fight win streak heading into his fight with Costello van Steenis, all of those wins coming by way of finish, and was certainly on the doorstep of a middleweight title shot. 

Unfortunately, one elbow in the clinch during round two was the beginning of the end, and the British middleweight upstart now heads back to the drawing board.

With Bellator’s return to Ireland looming this Fall, Shipman could easily get a call to be featured on that card. A fun fight in which we can see what we could learn about both guys, a Charlie Ward matchup in Ireland makes all the sense in the world.

Charlie Ward vs. Mike Shipman

It’s crazy to imagine that just under two years ago, Charlie Ward was a member of the UFC’s middleweight roster. Four knockouts later, Ward’s stock is as high as it’s ever been as a fighter. The only problem is, with a combined record of 22-21, those four opponents his knockout streak spans across tell us that we’re not sure just yet how good he’s really become.

In what would certainly be a fun fight for the local, and international fans, a matchup with Mike Shipman would be an ideal measuring tool as to just how good Charlie Ward can be.

Taylor Moore: Fight outside the promotion

While it wasn’t all downhill all the time for the promotional newcomer, Taylor Moore ultimately succumbed to strikes on the ground to the SBG centerfold Charlie Ward in round two.

Moore is 34, and has now lost his last two fights, being finished in the second round of both. Unless Bellator needs a short-notice replacement on a European card prelim, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Moore’s next appearance inside the Bellator cage.

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Mike Shipman returned to action at Bellator 223 on Saturday in London, taking on Costello Van Steenis.Van Steenis, a training partner of Gegard Mousasi, was born in the Netherlands, but spent two decades in Spain. A striking expert, the key was going to be whether Shipman could execute his gameplan, and win on the grappling side. Shipman had been expected to fight earlier in the year at Bellator 218, but was forced out due to injury.

The fight started out with grappling in mind. Shipman employed his grappling game early, taking his opponent down as soon as possible. Van Steenis, however, made it right back to his feet. The pair would then battle it out on the feet, until Van Steenis managed to get in control on top late in the frame. He landed some heavy elbows from there, and they’d head to the second.

In the second, Costello Van Steenis made a statement. Back to the fence, in the clinch, Van Steenis landed a pair of crushing elbows. The first had Mike Shipman stunned. The second sent him crashing back. Van Steenis pounced, just unloading with follow-up punches that sent Shipman’s mouth guard flying. The ref dove in for the save, and

Costello Van Steenis def. Mike Shipman by knockout, Round 2, 1:34

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Contender Series fighters will not be included due to my weekly breakdowns of those cards. Now on to the Weekly MMA prospect report.

Combate 40 | Friday | Texas

Featherweight, Ricky Palacios (11-1)

“El Gallero” is a banger who is very fun to watch as he loves to stand and trade and put on a show. Palacios can be wild at times but he is technical with good boxing with a solid jab and heavy leg kicks as well. He’s solely a striker who will test the chin of any of his opponents and has an iron chin himself. Palacios is a very good fighter who has struggled with takedown defense but he has always shown good ability to get back to his feet. He fights Cooper Gibson (9-2).

Bellator London/Bellator 223 | Saturday | UK

Middleweight, Mike Shipman (13-1)

After losing his first pro fight, Shipman has gone on to win the following 13 fights, finishing 10 of his wins in the first round. He is a threat everywhere, with very good wrestling and his timing is perfect along with the strength he possesses, frequently getting the body lock and slamming his opponent to the mat. On top of that, Shipman is very heavy on top with excellent control and a knack for grabbing the neck, winning all five of his submissions by a variety of chokes. On the feet, Shipman has considerable power in his hands, enough to end the fight in one punch or send his opponent to the canvas. He fights Costello van Steenis (11-1).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktwvt9ePU4M

Middleweight, Costello van Steenis (11-1)

The 26-year-old is one of the brightest prospects out of the Netherlands who is riding a five-fight win streak. Steenis has a background in grappling, winning tournaments in Rotterdam. On the feet, Steenis has a good lead jab and heavy leg kicks but is more so a wrestler. His grappling is his best aspect and while he has five submissions, his ground-and-pound is just as good. His last fight was against Chris Honeycutt and it was a close fight that could of went either way. He fights Mike Shipman (13-1).

Middleweight, Fabian Edwards (7-0)

Edwards has excellent distance management, using effective footwork and speed to stay on the outside. Edwards throws single strikes at times but makes up for it with crazy explosiveness and athleticism, as well as his speed. That allows him to fire straight punches quickly and with plenty of power. He’s also the younger brother of UFC welterweight contender Leon Edwards. I do worry about his takedown defense though once he fights a good wrestler. He fights Jonathan Bosuku (7-4), who I think Edwards should put away.

Lightweight, Chris Bungard (14-4)

After a few setbacks in his career Bungard is now on a four-fight win streak for the first time since he started his pro career. He made a big statement in his last outing stopping highly touted Terry Brazier. Despite some overall good kicks in his arsenal, Bungard is mainly a grappler. While his wrestling isn’t all that good, he’s a strong guy and does well pulling guys to the mat. He’s comfortable fighting off his back as he’s a big submission threat. Bungard though is at his best on top as he’s shown over and over his ground and pound is solid and will take the back and sink in the choke. He fights Charlie Leary (15-10) who is tough but is a step down from Brazier.

Welterweight, Justin Burlinson (4-0)

Burlinson may be only 4-0 as a pro but this 22-year-old has a lot of experience as he went 15-1 as an amateur. Burlinson is well-rounded that needs a little sharpening around the edges with takedown defense and at times, his striking. He has knockout power and good striking fundamentals but is better on the ground with effective jiu-jitsu. He’s a big threat with submissions holding twelve career wins by that method. He fights Wendle Lewis (8-4), which should be a gimme fight for Justin.

Lightweight, Alfie Davis (11-3)

Davis’ ground game has improved greatly throughout his career. He is dangerous off his back with submissions or just simply sweeping his opponent. Being on his back at times, he has never been in trouble and he always works his way back to his feet very quickly. On the feet, he is a treat to watch, as everything is set up with his sublime kickboxing. His kickboxing is very dynamic, always throwing a variety of kicks and attacks with every limb of the body, always feinting and switching stances, showing excellent footwork with crazy speed. Davis doesn’t usually box enough, but his kickboxing, staying on the outside and keeping his opponent guessing, is good enough. His last two losses have been fights I thought he won. He fights Jorge Kanella (8-7), who is a step down in competition.

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A late shakeup to Bellator 218 has seen a middleweight scrap lost from the show’s main card. And the heavyweight fight to replace that has also fallen through. It’s a bizarre turn of events for this Friday’s card. The first blow came as middleweight Mike Shipman, who was expected to make his much anticipated return against Hracho Darpinyan, fell out due to injury. Bellator officials reflected the change on the official fight card following an initial report from MMA Junkie. Originally, the plan was to have Jeremy Hardy vs. Rudy Schaffroth promoted to the main card, as no replacement could be found for Derpinyan.

However, that heavyweight fight is now off as well, as Hardy was involved in a car crash. An MMA Junkie report on that mishap noted that Hardy vs. Schaffroth was set to be replaced by Will Lavine vs Norbert Novenyi at middleweight.

Hardy, who was looking to bounce back from a loss under the LFA banner last time out, later addressed the incident on social media.

“I’m blessed to have some amazing [people] in my life. Thank you for all the visits and well wishes. F*ck the 2 cars who decided to cut me off and smash on their brakes half in the lane/half on the shoulder. Took the earth to finally hurt me and I’m still good. It def could’ve been worse and I’m so gracious to still be here to write this post,” the fighter wrote.

The good news is, Hardy seems to be in good spirits. The bad news, those pesky MMA Gods have seen fit to strike two fights off the Bellator 218 card.

The event at the Winstar World Casino in Thackerville, OK now shapes up as follows:

Bellator 218: Sanchez vs. Karakhanyan

Main Card (Paramount Network/DAZN, 9PM EST)

Emmanuel Sanchez vs. Georgi Karakhanyan
Valentin Moldavsky vs. Linton Vassell
Gerald Harris vs. Anatoly Tokov
Will Lavine vs. Norbert Novenyi

Preliminary Card (Cageside Press/Bellator App, 6:30PM EST)

Kevin Croom vs. John Teixeira
Johnny Eblen vs. Chauncey Foxworth
Nation Gibrick vs. Nick Page
Malin Hermansson vs. Victoria Leonardo
Isaiah Gutierrez vs. Aaron Vickers
Ky Bennett vs. Deborah Kouzmin
Christian Edwards vs. Roman Huerta
Luis Erives vs. Craig Farley
Vladimir Tokov vs. Ryan Walker

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Mike Shipman hasn’t lost a fight since his pro debut in 2013. Has never gone to a decision in his career. Now at 13-1, it’s the kind of run that is bound to turn heads in any weight class, in any promotion. As the win streak has built up, so too has the level of competition. Former UFC fighter Craig White is on the list, and Shipman snapped the three-fight win streak of Scott Futrell at Bellator 210 last November. Returning at Bellator 218 in Thackerville, Oklahoma this weekend, he’ll take on Hracho Darpinyan — himself undefeated since 2015.

When it comes to that finishing streak, “it’s not even something I think about as a game plan,” he told Cageside Press. “I think it’s just— my attitude toward a fight is, during a fight, you want to finish that fight. I don’t look at is so much as a sport. I’m not looking to win a game, I’m looking to win a fight.”

While he won’t turn his nose up at a decision, “I’m always going to be looking for a finish.” His style — he describes himself as a power puncher who has a tight squeeze when it comes to submissions — and attributes speak to that. He’s got some skilled teammates helping him along to his goal, including fellow Bellator star Michael ‘Venom’ Page.

At Bellator 200 last year, Shipman really hit the radar with a 10 second finish of Carl Noon. On that experience, he said “it was cool, getting reposted by 57,000 on Instagram.” Though he admits, MMA fans have short memories, and it’s quickly “on to the next thing.” Being on “such a stacked card” also added to the experience, however.

His return at Bellator 218 will be no walk in the park. It’s unlikely to be over in 10 seconds either. “He’s durable,” Shipman said of his next opponent, Darpinyan. “He’s got good power in his hands.”

“It’s going to be an exciting fight, but I don’t think he outclasses me in any aspect. So I think it’s going to be an exciting fight, but I think I finish it in round one or two,” he added.

If Shipman keeps winning, it’s hard to imagine he doesn’t get a step up in competition soon. In fact, “I see Darpinyan himself as a step up,” he told us. “He’s got a strong resume, he’s an exciting fighter. I think a good exciting win over Darpinyan puts me in a very good position for my next fight. A household name.”

Beyond that, he’s also targeting a bout at home. “I’d love to fight back in the home country, in London, in front of the home crowd.” That would be fortuitous timing, with Bellator making a strong push in the U.K. thanks to new deals with Channel 5, Sky Sports, and their European Series.

“I think [those deals] are really going to make it more mainstream, in Europe at least,” he said of Bellator’s push back home. And that’s good for the sport in general, not just in viewership but in sponsors and the like.

None of that will matter in Thackerville, however. There, he’s simply focused on the win, predicting another finish. A knockout.

Bellator 218 takes place March 22 at the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, OK.

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