Flyweights Liz Carmouche, Kana Watanabe to Co-Headline Bellator 261

Liz Carmouche will lock horns with Kana Watanabe in a flyweight co-main event at Bellator 261.

The San Diego Union Tribune was first to report the booking, and Sherdog.com subsequently confirmed the bout with a promotion official. Bellator 261 takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on June 25 and is headlined by an interim heavyweight title clash pitting Timothy Johnson against Valentin Moldavsky. The evening’s main card airs on Showtime.

A former bantamweight and flyweight title challenger in the UFC, Carmouche is 2-0 since signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion. After submitting DeAnna Bennett in her debut at Bellator 246, “Girl-Rilla” outpointed Vanessa Porto in her most recent outing at Bellator 256 on April 9.

Tokyo’s Watanabe is unbeaten in 11 professional outings, with a draw against Yukari Nabe at Deep Jewels 19 the only blemish on her ledger thus far. The 32-year-old Fighter’s Flow product is also 2-0 in Bellator, with triumphs over Ilara Joanne and Alejandra Lara to her credit.