A series of matchups have recently been confirmed for Bellator 262, which is set to take place on July 16th at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, USA.
A Trio of Heavyweight Bouts Join Lineup
Three heavyweight matchups are expected to happen at Bellator’s July 16th event.
Matt Mitrione will look for his first win in years when facing Tyrell Fortune. The booking was first set to happen earlier this year but didn’t happen due to Mitrione’s departure from a card.
Mitrione has lost three of his last four bouts, with the other bout being a no-contest finish. He last competed in August last year, where Timothy Johnson finished him within a round with strikes.
His last victory was a decision over Roy Nelson in 2018.
Fortune has picked up a win in his last two showings. He scored a first-round ground and pound in his last fight, stopping Jack May in April. The bout avenged a no-contest outcome that Fortune took against May last year due to an accidental groin shot.
Former UFC fighter Marcelo Golm will make his Bellator debut against Linton Vassell on the card.
Golm fought in the UFC from 2017 to 2019, where he put together a record of one win and three losses. He has earned two wins on the regional scene since leaving the UFC.
He now faces Vassell, a veteran of the promotion. The 38-year-old has won his last two fights, including a win over Ronny Markes from late last year.
Both fighting to find success after losing their Bellator debuts, Ronny Markes and Said Sowma will compete on the card.
Sowma lost his Bellator debut last year to Tyrell Fortune, who defeated him via unanimous decision. Sowma was entering the promotion after defeating Bobby Brents to become the Titan FC Heavyweight Champion.
Markes, a former UFC and PFL fighter, lost to Linton Vassell last year in what was his first Bellator appearance.
Former Title Challenger Blencowe Returns Against Silva
Competing for the first time after losing a title fight, Arlene Blencowe will meet Dayana Silva in July.
Blencowe lost a fight to Bellator Featherweight Champion Cris Cyborg in October, getting submitted in the second round with a rear naked choke. The fight stopped the momentum that Blencowe had developed with a three-fight winning streak from 2018 to 2019.
Silva lost her Bellator debut earlier this year, as former champ Julia Budd defeated her via split decision.
Soto Gets Quick Turnaround Against Benjilany
Returning to Bellator just two months after his debut in the promotion, Johnny Soto will face Adil Benjilany at featherweight.
Soto fought in the Bellator cage for the first time in May, pulling off an upset by handing Weber Almeida his first pro loss via unanimous decision. He was booked for the fight after scoring three consecutive wins on the regional scene.
Benjilany will be making his return to the cage in July. He has lost his last two appearances in the cage, being submitted by Cris Lencioni and dropping a split decision to Kevin Croom early last year.
Updated Lineup
Bellator Flyweight Champion Juliana Velasquez is set to face Denise Kielholtz in the main event of the promotion’s July 16th card. Here is the full updated lineup:
Bout 6: Juliana Velasquez (11-0) vs. Denise Kielholtz (6-2) (Bellator Flyweight Championship)
Bout 5: Tyrell Fortune (10-1) vs. Matt Mitrione (13-8) (Heavyweight)
Bout 4: Linton Vassell (21-8) vs. Marcelo Golm (8-3) (Heavyweight)
Bout 3: Ronny Markes (19-8) vs. Said Sowma (6-2) (Heavyweight)
Bout 2: Arlene Blencowe (13-8) vs. Dayana Silva (9-6) (Featherweight)
Bout 1: Johnny Soto (4-1) vs. Adil Benjilany (5-3) (Featherweight)
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