Former Bellator MMA heavyweight champion Vitaly
Minakov will return to action for the first time in more than
two years when he faces Tyrell
Fortune in the promotion’s Moscow debut on Oct. 23.
Sherdog.com confirmed the booking with a promotion official after
Bellator president Scott Coker announced the bout via Russian news
outlet Tass. The card
takes place at the VTB Arena and will also see Fedor
Emelianenko square off against an as yet to be announced
opponent.
Minakov hasn’t competed since a first-round knockout victory over
Timothy
Johnson at Bellator 225 on Aug. 24, 2019. Prior to that, he
suffered his first career defeat in a decision loss to Cheick Kongo
at Bellator 216. The 36-year-old Russian claimed Bellator
heavyweight gold with a first-round stoppage of Alexander
Volkov in November 2013 before defending the crown in a
five-round verdict over Kongo. He was stripped of the belt due to
inactivity and enjoyed a 7-0 stint with Fight Nights Global before
returning to Bellator.
Fortune, meanwhile, is currently on a three-bout winning streak
that includes back-to-back first-round stoppages of Matt
Mitrione and Jack May. The
Arizona Combat Sports representative is 11-1 with one no contest
over the course of a professional career that has been contested
entirely under the Bellator banner.