Gegard Mousasi vs. Rafael Lovato Jr. set for Bellator 214

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TheEmperorRises

Right click hospital, left click cemetery
Dec 4, 2015
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Bellator is looking to kick 2019 off with a bang.

Middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi is slated to defend his title on Jan. 26 in a featured bout at Bellator 214 against undefeated jiu-jitsu ace Rafael Lovato Jr., the promotion announced Monday. The matchup will serve as the co-main event underneath Bellator’s heavyweight tournament grand prix finals between Russian legend Fedor Emelianenko and light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader.

Mousasi (45-6-2) has won eight straight contests stretching back to his UFC days and is a perfect 3-0 under the Bellator umbrella. The 33-year-old champion won his promotional debut with a contentious decision over Alexander Shlemenko, then captured Bellator middleweight gold with a first-round destruction of Rafael Carvalho. In his last fight, Mousasi routed welterweight titleholder Rory MacDonald en route to a second-round TKO in Bellator’s first-ever champion vs. champion bout.

Lovato (9-0), likewise, has been flawless thus far in his Bellator run. A decorated jiu-jitsu practitioner who has finished eight of his nine professional wins, Lovato’s résumé includes submission wins over UFC veterans Mike Rhodes, Gerald Harris, and John Salter.

Bellator 214 takes place at The Forum in Inglewood, California. A featherweight bout between blue-chip prospect Aaron Pico and top contender Henry Corrales has also been announced for the card, which will go head-to-head on the same night and in the same market as UFC 233, which takes place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.



Full story here:
Gegard Mousasi vs. Rafael Lovato Jr. set for Bellator 214
 
M

member 603

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This will be an incredible fight, tough one for Lovato for sure, but if he can get Moose to the ground, we could have a new champ.
 

sparkuri

Pulse On The Finger Of The Community
First 100
Jan 16, 2015
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Fedor & Mousasi as main & co-main events.
#TogetherAgain
With Pico to boot.
Can't wait.
 

TheEmperorRises

Right click hospital, left click cemetery
Dec 4, 2015
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Mousasi finished Carvalho and MacDonald on the ground, but I can't imagine he wants to take that chance against Lovato Jr.
 

FrankieNYC

"My balls was hot!"
Aug 13, 2017
3,959
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UFC was foolish to purposely go against this card with a PPV
it will still hurt UFC that night

I'm guessing they thought Brock/DC would be that night, but after the last 4-5 years of fights falling through, banking on that is asinine
 

SuperPig

Enjoy yourselves
Aug 7, 2015
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Is this going to be one of the DAZN exclusive cards or simulcast on Paramount?
 

SuperPig

Enjoy yourselves
Aug 7, 2015
30,979
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With the way they're stacking it, I'd bank on DAZN exclusive.
I hope they don't. Even though it's a pretty good platform, with the UFC counter programming, it's better for them to have an easy to access, free option.

If there was no head to head then it would be smart to go exclusive just to try to get more sign ups for the service.
 

SuperPig

Enjoy yourselves
Aug 7, 2015
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Also, this is a great fight. I think the Moose is too good of a striker for Lovato but if can close the distance and put Gegard on his back then it's w wrap.

I love it.