While Daniel
James is turning heads in the Bellator heavyweight division
with his considerable knockout power, he’ll likely have to wait if
a title shot is his main desire.
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Promotion head Scott Coker confirmed at the Bellator 293 post-fight
press conference that Linton
Vassell is likely the No. 1 contender in the heavyweight
division, which presumably sets up a rematch with reigning champ
Ryan
Bader at a future event. James, meanwhile, earned his fifth
straight professional triumph in the Bellator 293 headliner with a
third round stoppage of Marcelo
Golm at the Pechanga Casino & Resort in Temecula, California,
on Friday night.
“The title shot is most likely going to go to Linton
Vassell, because he’s been on a tear or two,” Coker said. ” But
I think [James] is right up there. We definitely will invite him to
come fight [at Bellator 297] in Chicago.”
Vassell and Bader initially fought for the light heavyweight crown
at Bellator 186. Bader defended his belt with a second-round
technical knockout in the November 2017 contest. Vassell is
currently in the midst of a five-bout Bellator winning streak since
moving up from 205 pounds. A date for Bader-Vassell heavyweight
title bout has not been announced.