Bellator 262 Update: Tyrell Fortune-Matt Mitrione, 3 Additional Fights Added

: Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione)-Tyrell Fortune (@FortuneOverFam) and Linton Vassell-Marcelo Golm (@MarceloGolm) added to #Bellator262 main card.https://t.co/KwS4GHvtYH

— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) June 17, 2021

A pair of heavyweight battles and more are now a part of Bellator MMA’s July 16 card.

According to a press release on Thursday, Bellator 262 has just been beefed up by four new matchups. The organization further confirmed the previously announced Ronny Markes vs. Said Sowma slugfest, while adding two more heavyweight matches, a women’s featherweight tilt and a 145-pound bout between two prospects. The bout that may serve in the co-main event sees top-10 heavyweights Tyrell Fortune (10-1, 1 NC) take on Matt Mitrione (13-8, 1 NC).

Since suffering the first loss in his career – a first-round knockout to upcoming title challenger Timothy Johnson – Fortune has looked nigh-unstoppable. Although he kneed Jack May in the groin in September 2020 that resulted in a no contest, a follow-up effort less than two months later against the aforementioned Sowma went his way. In his last time out, the Arizona Combat Sports product rematched May on short notice, and he clubbed the rangy kickboxer to force a stoppage in just over three minutes.

Mitrione will be 12 years his opponent’s senior, without a win on his ledger since 2018. Following his majority verdict victory over Roy Nelson, Mitrione dropped a lopsided tournament bout to Ryan Bader later that year. After landing a groin kick that halted a fight with Sergei Kharitonov, the two ran it back six months later and Mitrione fell short due to strikes. A subsequent meeting with Johnson in August 2020 did not go his way, when the mustached mauler dispatched Mitrione in the opening frame.

In addition to Fortune vs. Mitrione, another pair of heavyweights in Linton Vassell (20-8, 1 NC) and Marcelo Golm (8-3) will toe the line on the event’s main card. Even though Vassell is ranked above both Fortune and Mitrione, his battle with the Brazilian brawler will be held below Fortune-Mitrione.

At featherweight on the prelims, multiple-time title challenger Arlene Blencowe (13-8) will square off with Dayana Silva (9-6), with the latter taking ex-champ Julia Budd to the distance in a close contest. Also on the early preliminary portion is another featherweight collision, as Johnny Soto (4-1) comes to blows with Adil Benjilany (5-3, 1 NC).

Bellator 262 will go down at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on July 16. Fans will be in attendance for the card that will be capped off by a women’s flyweight championship tilt between champ Juliana Velasquez and Denise Kielholtz.