Bellator MMA will hold a pair of significant cards on back-to-back
days in September.
The California-based promotion will run Bellator 245 on Sept. 11
with a card that is headlined by a rematch between Phil Davis
and Lyoto
Machida. The lineup will also include Cat
Zingano’s Bellator debut against Gabrielle
Holloway at 145 pounds.
One day later, Bellator 246 will feature a showdown between
Juan
Archuleta and Patrick Mix
for the organization’s vacant bantamweight crown. Also at that
event, Jon
Fitch will meet Neiman
Gracie at welterweight, while Liz
Carmouche will make her first promotional foray against
DeAnna
Bennett at flyweight. Additionally, Roger
Huerta will lock horns with Derek
Campos.
Sherdog.com confirmed the events and bouts with a promotion
official following an initial report from ESPN.
Both Bellator 245 and Bellator 246 are likely to take place at the
Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. The promotion has held all
of its events at the same venue during the pandemic.
Davis and Machida initially met at UFC 163 in August 2013, with
Davis winning a unanimous decision. “Mr. Wonderful” was briefly the
Bellator light heavyweight champion after besting Liam
McGeary in 2016 but he relinquished the title to Ryan Bader in
his next appearance at Bellator 180. Davis has won four of his five
Bellator appearances since that defeat.
Machida, meanwhile, began his Bellator tenure with triumphs over
Rafael
Carvalho and Chael Sonnen
to extend his then-winning streak to four. In his most recent
outing, “The Dragon” suffered a split-decision defeat to Gegard
Mousasi at Bellator 228.
Archuleta had an 18-fight professional winning streak halted by
Patricio
Freire in the featherweight grand prix, but the former King of
the Cage Champion rebounded to outpoint Henry
Corrales in his most recent appearance at Bellator 238.
The 27-year-old Mix is undefeated in 13 professional bouts,
including submission triumphs over Ricky
Bandejas and Isaiah
Chapman under the Bellator banner. “Patchy” is coming off a
first-round guillotine of Yuki Motoya
at Rizin 20 on Dec. 31.