FRESH OFF DEBUT KNOCKOUT WIN, AARON JEFFERY STEPS IN TO FACE #2-RANKED AUSTIN VANDERFORD ON SHORT NOTICE
LOS ANGELES — The full event lineup for BELLATOR 284: Gracie vs. Yamauchi, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, August 12 from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has been rounded out with a total of five exhilarating main card matchups and ten preliminary bouts.
The main card, which airs live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET is headlined by a 5-round welterweight main event between Neiman Gracie (11-3) and fellow submission ace Goiti Yamauchi (27-5). Top heavyweights clash in the co-main event when former interim champion #1-Valentin Moldavsky (11-2) faces off with undefeated #5-ranked contender Steve Mowry (10-0), and former flyweight champion and #4-ranked Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-2) takes on Brazil’s Bruna Ellen (6-3) in a feature bout. The return of #2-ranked middleweight Austin Vanderford against late notice replacement Aaron Jeffery (12-3) and a battle between #9- and #10-ranked heavyweights Said Sowma (8-3) and Gokhan Saricam (7-1) complete the main card portion of the event.
Canada’s Jeffery, 29, wowed BELLATOR fans with a second-round TKO of Brazil’s Fabio Aguiar (18-3) in his promotional debut at June’s BELLATOR 282. Jeffery steps in to face Vanderford on short notice after the withdrawal of originally-scheduled foe #9-ranked Anthony Adams (9-2). Jeffery, a former CFFC middleweight champion, has won six of his last seven fights and will leap at a massive opportunity against Vanderford, the division’s #2-ranked contender and a recent title challenger.
In other updates to the event, a featherweight bout between Fresno State wrestling alumnus Isaiah Hokit (1-1) and nine-fight amateur Nick Perez (0-0) has been changed to a lightweight bout. Additionally, M, A, Yah II (4-0) steps in to face South Dakota State wrestler amateur Brett Bye (1-0) in a 175-pound contract weight amateur fight. A middleweight bout between Jordan Newman (4-0) and Lance Wright (5-2) has been canceled.
The preliminary portion of the card kicks off at 6:00 PM ET and features a bevy of compelling fights. #9-ranked bantamweight Josh Hill (21-4) seeks to repel Brazilian finisher Marcos Breno (14-2) in his first fight since withdrawing from the BELLATOR Bantamweight World Grand Prix, wrestling star Patrick Downey III (0-0) makes his MMA debut, plus additional undefeated prospects Sullivan Cauley (3-0) and Bailey Schoenfelder (2-0) are both set for action on the talent-stacked preliminary show.
BELLATOR 284: Gracie vs. Yamauchi will be broadcast on SHOWTIME at 9:00 PM ET on Friday, August 12, live from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The preliminary portion of the card will air free-to-watch beginning at 6:00 PM ET on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, and Pluto TV.
Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at Bellator.com, Sanford Pentagon Box Office & Ticketmaster.# # #
BELLATOR 284: GRACIE VS. YAMAUCHI MAIN CARD:
SHOWTIME
Friday, August 12 — 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT
Welterweight Main Event: #5-Neiman Gracie (11-3) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (27-5)
Heavyweight Co-Main Event: #1-Valentin Moldavsky (11-2) vs. #5-Steve Mowry (10-0)
Flyweight Main Card Bout: #4-Ilima-Lei MacFarlane (11-2) vs. Bruna Ellen (6-3)
Heavyweight Main Card Bout: #9-Said Sowma (8-3) vs. #10-Gokhan Saricam (7-1)
Middleweight Main Card Bout: #2-Austin Vanderford (11-1) vs. Aaron Jeffery (12-3)
BELLATOR 284: GRACIE VS. YAMAUCHI PRELIMINARY CARD:
BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV
6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: #9-Josh Hill (21-4) vs. Marcos Breno (14-2)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: #6-DeAnna Bennett (12-7-1) vs. #8-Justine Kish (8-5)
Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Sullivan Cauley (3-0) vs. Tyson Jeffries (14-11)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Patrick Downey III (0-0) vs. Jeff Souder (0-0)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Isaiah Hokit (1-1) vs. Nick Perez (0-0)
Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Bailey Schoenfelder (2-0) vs. Mark Currier (1-1)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Mitchell McKee (2-0) vs. Tony Ortega (5-4)
175-lb Contract Weight Amateur Bout: Brett Bye (1-0) vs. M, A, Yah II (4-0)
*Card subject to change
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