Bellator Shifts Shlemenko-Vianna Middleweight Final to Nov. 12
Bellator
Fighting Championships’ fifth-season middleweight finalists
will collide one week sooner than expected, as Alexander
Shlemenko and Vitor
Vianna have been assigned to
Bellator 57 on Nov. 12.
Sherdog.com confirmed the change of plans with a source close to the bout on Wednesday. Originally expected to clash at Bellator 58, the fight will instead highlight the promotion’s return to Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario, Canada.
Also featuring the welterweight tournament final between Ben Saunders and Douglas Lima, Bellator 57’s main card will air live on MTV2 and Epix. Though no contests have yet been announced for the undercard, the preliminary proceedings will stream live on Spike.com.
Shlemenko has been impressive in his run through the Chicago-based promotion’s Season 5 tournament so far, stopping Zelg Galesic with a standing guillotine before knocking out a game Brian Rogers in the semifinals. The Russian striker known as “Storm” has lost only once in the last two years, failing to capture the middleweight title from Hector Lombard after winning the second-season tournament in 2010.
Like his opponent, Vianna (Pictured) has won five straight heading into the bout. Representing Wanderlei Silva’s Wand Fight Team, Vianna squeaked by Sam Alvey in the tournament quarterfinals before unloading on Bryan Baker in the round of four. The once-beaten Brazilian floored Baker with a crisp hook early on in their Oct. 15 affair and followed him to the floor, finishing the job with punches in just 54 seconds.
Sherdog.com confirmed the change of plans with a source close to the bout on Wednesday. Originally expected to clash at Bellator 58, the fight will instead highlight the promotion’s return to Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario, Canada.
Also featuring the welterweight tournament final between Ben Saunders and Douglas Lima, Bellator 57’s main card will air live on MTV2 and Epix. Though no contests have yet been announced for the undercard, the preliminary proceedings will stream live on Spike.com.
Shlemenko has been impressive in his run through the Chicago-based promotion’s Season 5 tournament so far, stopping Zelg Galesic with a standing guillotine before knocking out a game Brian Rogers in the semifinals. The Russian striker known as “Storm” has lost only once in the last two years, failing to capture the middleweight title from Hector Lombard after winning the second-season tournament in 2010.
Like his opponent, Vianna (Pictured) has won five straight heading into the bout. Representing Wanderlei Silva’s Wand Fight Team, Vianna squeaked by Sam Alvey in the tournament quarterfinals before unloading on Bryan Baker in the round of four. The once-beaten Brazilian floored Baker with a crisp hook early on in their Oct. 15 affair and followed him to the floor, finishing the job with punches in just 54 seconds.
Related Articles
