Bellator Reveals Full Lineup for Bellator 288 on Nov. 18 in Chicago

ANNOUNCEMENT:

The following action-filled bouts have been added to the #Bellator288 main card:

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- 265lb5⃣@FortuneOverFam (12-2) vs. @djames1981 (13-6-1)
- 145lb7⃣ @danielweichel (42-13) vs. Akhmed Magomedov (9-0)
- 170lb🔟 @RomanFaraldo (8-0) vs. @LevanChokheli2 (10-2)

— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) October 6, 2022

Bellator MMA is stuffing its lineup with several ranked contenders and red-hot prospects into the Chicago oven the week before Thanksgiving.

Prior to Thursday, the only two fights official for Bellator 288 in Chicago at the Wintrust Arena were the championship fights at 205 and 155 pounds. Per a press release sent out by the organization on Thursday, the billing grew to 13 fights, which include five on the main card, and all five of those include at least one ranked competitor. Additionally, six competitors with unbeaten records of 5-0 will be joining the fray.

The highest-billed bout added in the release comes at 145 pounds between former title challenger Daniel Weichel (42-13) and Akhmed Magomedov (9-0, 1 NC). Weichel put himself on the map by winning the 2014 Bellator tournament at featherweight, one that eventually culminated with a failed championship outing against Patricio Freire. After that 2015 loss to “Pitbull,” Weichel strung another win streak together and vied for the belt once more in 2018, but he fell short again by split decision. Since then, his time with the promotion has been rocky, reaching the quarterfinals of the featherweight world grand prix in 2020 but losing a five-round effort to Emmanuel Sanchez. Following that 2018 defeat to Freire, Weichel has alternated wins and losses in his last six.

Dagestan’s Magomedov announced himself to Bellator in 2022 by throttling Kevin Boehm with a rear-naked choke in 76 seconds. Unbeaten as a professional in 10 walks, Magomedov has either won by submission or decision, without a stoppage due to strikes in the bunch. Prior to his signing with Bellator, Magomedov worked his way up Brave Combat Federation, competing anywhere from 145 to 170 pounds.

The main card will be rounded out by two more matchups, which come at heavyweight between no. 5 Tyrell Fortune (12-2, 1 NC) and ex-Absolute Championship Akhmat champ Daniel James (13-6-1), and in the welterweight division when the 10th-ranked Roman Faraldo (8-0) takes on Georgian knockout artist Levan Chokheli (10-2, 1 NC).

Bellator 288 Lineup:

Vadim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson – light heavyweight title and grand prix final
Patricky Freire vs. Usman Nurmagomedov – lightweight title
Daniel Weichel vs. Akhmed Magomedov – featherweight
Tyrell Fortune vs. Daniel James – heavyweight
Roman Faraldo vs. Levan Chokheli – welterweight
Otto Rodrigues vs. Khasan Askhabov – featherweight
Lucas Brennan vs. Nick Talavera – featherweight
ImamShafi Aliev vs. Sean Connor Fallon – middleweight
Archie Colgan vs. Jesse Hannam – lightweight
Jaylon Bates vs. Jornel Lugo – bantamweight
Jordan Newman vs. Jayden Taulker – middleweight
Isaiah Hokit vs. Matias Nader – featherweight
Vladimir Gouvea vs. Kory Moegenburg – heavyweight