After exchanging tense messages on social media, Mads Burnell and Pedro Carvalho are now teed up to fight.
Burnell (16-4 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) and Carvalho (12-6 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) will meet in a matchup of featherweight contenders at Bellator 285 on Sept. 23 from 3Arena in Dublin.
MMA Junkie confirmed the booking with a Bellator official on Tuesday following an initial report from Severe MMA.
Burnell, 28, is coming off a main event loss to Adam Borics at Bellator 276. He fell short by unanimous decision, snapping a seven-fight winning streak that began after he was released from the UFC in May 2018. The Danish fighter has earned two of his three Bellator wins by stoppage.
Carvalho, 26, will get a home game of sorts at Bellator 285. The Portuguese fighter trains out of SBG Ireland, which will perhaps give him a boost as he goes into a critical fight. Carvalho started his Bellator tenure on a four-fight winning streak, but since then has last three of his past four.
The latest Bellator 285 lineup now includes:
- Benson Henderson vs. Peter Queally
- Melvin Manhoef vs. Yoel Romero
- Sinead Kavanagh vs. opponent TBA
- James Gallagher vs. Brett Johns
- Brian Moore vs. Arivaldo Lima Silva
- Georgi Karakhanyan vs. Kane Mousah
- Darragh Kelly vs. Kye Stevens
- Alex Bodnar vs. Kenny Mokhonoana
- Mads Burnell vs. Pedro Carvalho
