Less than three weeks away, Bellator 288 has some new additions.
Undefeated Russian prospect Timur Khizriev (11-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) has officially signed with Bellator and will fight Daniel Weichel (42-13 MMA, 11-5 BMMA) on the Nov. 18 main card, filling in for Akhmed Magomedov, who withdrew for undisclosed reasons.
In addition, rising light heavyweight Sullivan Cauley (4-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) returns to fight Jay Radick (3-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). Also on the prelims, Glover Teixeira underling Killys Mota (13-3 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) fights Jairo Pacheco (7-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in a lightweight bout and featherweights Laird Anderson (2-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) and Rob Fenicle (2-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) collide.
A promotion official informed MMA Junkie of the additions Tuesday.
Bellator 288 takes place at Wintrust Arena in Chicago with the main card airing on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
The card is headlined by two title fights including the light heavyweight grand prix final rematch between champion Vadim Nemkov (14-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) and challenger Corey Anderson (16-5 MMA, 3-0 BMMA).
In the co-main event, lightweight champion Patricky Freire (24-10 MMA, 15-8 BMMA) will attempt to defend the title for the first time against undefeated challenger Usman Nurmagomedov (15-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA).
With the addition, the Bellator 288 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET)
- Champion Vadnim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson – grand prix final for light heavyweight title
- Champion Patricky Freire vs. Usman Nurmagomedov – for lightweight title
- Timur Khizriev vs. Daniel Weichel
- Tyrell Fortune vs. Daniel James
- Levan Chokheli vs. Roman Faraldo
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 6 p.m. ET)
- Khasan Askhabov vs. Otto Rodrigues
- Imamshafi Aliev vs. Sean Fallon
- Killys Mota vs. Jairo Pacheco
- Jaylon Bates vs. Jornel Lugo
- Archie Colgan vs. Jesse Hannam
- Lucas Brennan vs. Nick Talavera
- Sullivan Cauley vs. Jay Radick
- Jordan Newman vs. Jayden Taulker
- Laird Anderson vs. Rob Fenicle
- Isaiah Hokit vs. Matias Nader
- Wladimir Gouvea vs. Kory Moegenburg
