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Bellator will look to continue gaining momentum after an eventful April. There were many surprises and title changes. Patricio Pitbull reclaimed the featherweight championship, while women’s MMA pioneer Liz Carmouche captured the women’s flyweight championship.
The women’s featherweight championship main event between Cris Cyborg and Arlene Blencowe concluded the April lineup with a bang. The bout exceeded expectations and was a fitting end to Bellator's back-to-back events in Honolulu, Hawaii.
May will be an important month for the promotion as they return to Europe for two significant events. On May 6, Bellator heads to Paris, France, and the following week London, England. Last year’s events in London and Paris were successful for the promotion as they garnered plenty of interest from the local market.
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Plenty of notable fighters will compete in May. Each promotion will include a contestant from the host nation in the main event, which is likely to boost attendance. This list will look at five great Bellator fights to look forward to in May.
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#5. Former Bellator title challenger Denise Kielholtz vs. Kana Watanabe
There could be title implications when No.3-ranked Denise Kielholtz and No.4-ranked Kana Watanabe compete at Bellator 281. Both women will be looking to get closer to a women’s flyweight title shot against new champion Liz Carmouche.
Kielholtz will be competing for the first time since her title fight against former champion Juliana Velasquez. Many felt that she should have been awarded the decision. And so she has an excellent opportunity to earn a title shot with the win. ‘Miss Dynamite’ has a decorated kickboxing background and is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Watanabe will be looking to make a statement and get back on track. She is coming off a technical knockout loss to current champion Carmouche. But before the defeat, she had an unbeaten record and was 2-0 in the promotion.
#4. No.7-ranked Bellator light heavyweight Alex Polizzi vs. Yoel Romero
Fans in Paris are in for a treat as fan-favorite Yoel Romero will compete in the co-main event of Bellator 280. He takes on No.7-ranked light heavyweight Alex Polizzi, who's looking to make a name for himself at his expense. Romero was initially scheduled to fight former title challenger Melvin Manhoef. But the Dutchman was forced to withdraw through injury.
When ‘The Soldier of God’ joined the promotion, he was met with a positive response from fans. Despite now being 45, he is still competitive. Romero performed well against former champion Phil Davis in his return to light heavyweight but still lost the decision.
'Eazy' Polizzi has a 10-1 MMA record and has looked great in his recent bouts. He is riding a three-fight winning streak that includes a third-round submission win over Jose Augusto. It'll be a quick turnaround for him as the bout with Augusto took place on March 12.
#3. Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader vs. Cheick Kongo 2
It’ll be a special moment for Cheick Kongo when Bellator returns to Paris, France. The MMA veteran will have his nation behind him as he challenges Ryan Bader for the heavyweight championship.
The bout is a rematch of their heavyweight championship fight, which ended controversially as an accidental eye-poke from Bader forced a stoppage at 3:52 of the first round. Bader was in control as he took Kongo down and controlled him on the ground for the majority of the contest.
Kongo earned another title opportunity after his submission win over Sergei Kharitonov. This could be Kongo's final opportunity to capture the title at this stage of his career. He will turn 47 on May 17, so it’s unclear how much longer he intends to fight.
#2. No.8 Bellator welterweight Paul Daley vs. Wendell Giacomo
Bellator 281 will be a special night for UK fans, as one of England’s greatest fighters ends his career. Paul Daley will step into the cage for the final time as he fights promotional newcomer Wendell Giacomo.
Daley was initially scheduled to fight former welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov. But, 'The Spartan' was forced to withdraw from the event, so Giacomo stepped in.
‘Semtex’ has had a great MMA career. He has competed in major promotions and ventured into kickboxing.
His UFC tenure was cut short after he punched Josh Koscheck after their fight. Dana White cut him from the promotion that night and said he’d never be brought back. Despite all that, he still became a fan favorite.
'White Walker' joins the promotion after years of competing in regional promotions. Giacomo comes into the fight riding a two-fight winning streak and will look to make Daley his third straight.
#1. Michael ‘Venom’ Page vs. Logan Storley – interim welterweight championship
The interim Bellator welterweight champion will be crowned in London, England, as Michael ‘Venom’ Page takes on Logan Storley. The interim title bout is the promotion making the most out of a bad situation.
Reigning champion Yaroslav Amosov withdrew from the bout to return to his native Ukraine during the ongoing war with Russia.
Page is one of the promotion’s homegrown stars and one of their most exciting fighters, thanks to a number of highlight-reel knockouts in his career. Since his first professional loss to Douglas Lima, Page has six straight wins, including a split-decision success over Lima in their rematch last October.
Storley has been impressive in his own right. He has won back-to-back fights. But his most recent unanimous decision win over former title challenger Neiman Gracie is what earned him this opportunity.
