A pair of title fights together with a champion vs. champion showdown will headline Bellator 297 on June 16 in Chicago.
In the principle occasion, Vadim Nemkov will defend his gentle heavyweight championship towards ex-UFC title challenger Yoel Romero whereas Sergio Pettis will make his lengthy awaited return to motion whereas welcoming Bellator featherweight king Patricio Pitbull to 135 kilos the place they may conflict with the bantamweight title going up for grabs.
Bellator officers confirmed the information to MMA Combating on Monday following an preliminary report from NBC Chicago.
Nemkov vs. Romero was initially anticipated to occur in February however the Russian champion wasn’t in a position to compete so shortly after defending his belt with a win over Corey Anderson simply two months earlier.
Now Nemkov is able to struggle once more and he’ll conflict with Romero because the Olympic silver medalist in wrestling seeks to say his first title since signing with Bellator in late 2020.
As for the co-main occasion, Pettis will look to defend his bantamweight title for the primary time since successful the belt in 2021. An damage compelled Pettis out of the continuing Bellator Bantamweight Grand Prix with Raufeon Stots and Patchy Combine nonetheless competing for an interim title with a struggle scheduled on April 22.
Total, Pettis has gained his final 5 fights in a row together with three straight wins since becoming a member of the Bellator roster in free company following a future with the UFC.
The struggle can even function a historic alternative for Pitbull as he seeks to turn into the primary fighter in Bellator historical past to say titles throughout three completely different divisions. Pitbull nonetheless holds the Bellator featherweight title after beforehand successful the Bellator light-weight belt with a knockout win over Michael Chandler again in 2019.
Pitbull ultimately relinquished that title simply over two years later however now he’ll look so as to add the bantamweight championship to his resume when he clashes with Pettis in June.
The cardboard will happen on the Wintrust Enviornment, which serves because the hope to DePaul College’s basketball groups in addition to the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.
