Bellator announced the pairing on Wednesday. Additionally, John Salter will lock horns with Anatoly Tokov in the middleweight co-main event. Bellator 188 takes place Menora Mivtachim Arena Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Freire and Weichel first met at Bellator 138, where “Pitbull” scored a spectacular knockout of his German opponent 32 seconds into the second round on June 19, 2015. After losing the belt to Daniel Straus at Bellator 145, Freire reclaimed the throne with a second-round submission of Straus at Bellator 178 on April 21.
Weichel, meanwhile, has won four consecutive bouts since losing to Freire. Most recently, the 32-year-old Team MMA Spirit representative garnered a split verdict over John Teixeira da Conceicao at Bellator 177. The M-1 Challenge veteran has won eight of his nine Bellator appearances.