James Gallagher has brought the Dublin crowd to its feet on several occasions.
When Bellator returns to Dublin on Sept. 23, Gallagher (11-2 MMA, 8-2 BMMA) will have the chance to make that happen once again when he takes on former UFC fighter Brett Johns (18-3 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) in a bantamweight bout at 3Arena.
A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie on Thursday after a tweet from MMA reporter Ariel Helwani. The person asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Gallagher, 25, will look to regain some momentum after a tough stretch. In November, Gallagher was submitted in front of his home crowd by Patchy Mix. He then was chosen for the Bellator bantamweight grand prix, but withdrew due to injury.
Johns signed with Bellator in late 2020 after back-to-back wins finished off his UFC deal. In what was considered a surprise upset to many, Johns lost to short-notice debutant Danny Sabatello in his first Bellator fight. He returned strong in February, however, when he ground-and-pounded his way to a TKO against Khurshed Kakhorov.
With the addition, the Bellator Dublin lineup includes:
- James Gallagher vs. Brett Johns
- Melvin Manhoef vs. Yoel Romero
- Benson Henderson vs. Peter Queally
