Bellator MMA returns with a bang as the Scott Coker led brand jumps into 2023 action with its first event since its cross-promotional battle with RIZN.
✌️ belts are on the line 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑺𝑨𝑻𝑼𝑹𝑫𝑨𝒀‼️#Bellator290 | ⏰ 9p ET / 6p PT | 📺 @CBS ➕ @ParamountPlus pic.twitter.com/mhCvhMriiG
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) January 31, 2023
WATCH: LWWGP Press Conference & Weigh-Ins || Bellator 290
The card, which is set to take place tomorrow, will be headlined by two championship bouts. The first, which will be contested for the middleweight title, will see current champion Johnny Eblen do battle with Russian superpower Anatoly Tokov. The Fedor Team member is a perfect 7-0 in the Bellator cage and has not seen a loss since 2016, whereas “The Human Cheat Code” has not seen a blemish to his professional record as of his twelve professional fights.
In the main event, a heavyweight grudge match between current champion Ryan “Darth” Bader and Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko will take place. The pair of heavyweights collided in 2019 to close out the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix. Bader would close the show out early when he would catch Emelianenko with a lead left hook, sending the MMA great plummetting to the mat.
The rematch is set to take place just over four years later with Bader losing his light heavyweight title to Fedor Team member Vadim Nemkov and successfully defending his heavyweight title twice since their first encounter. As for Fedor, the 46-year-old Russian has won two straight fights, finishing both Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Tim Johnson.
Lightweight World Grand Prix Press Conference
With Bellator having announced the Lightweight World Grand Prix last month, the company will hold a press conference today. The eight-man tournament will feature champion Usman Nurmagomedov, A.J. McKee, Patricky Pitbull, Tofiq Musayev, Benson Henderson, Alexander Shabliy, Sidney Outlaw, and Mansour Barnaoui.
How to Watch Bellator 290
Bellator 290 will take place tomorrow with the prelims starting at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT. The main card, which will air on CBS, will start at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.
