After a weekend of exciting back-and-forth action, undefeated knockout-artist Alexis Vila (11-0) and rising prospect Eduardo Dantas (12-2) have been scheduled to face-off at Bellator 59 on November 29th for the Bellator season-five bantamweight tournament finale. The winner of the contest is slated to earn a $100,000 grand prize and a promised title shot against Bellator champion Zach Makovsky. Promotion officials tweeted the news on Monday.
@BellatorMMA
Bellator November is a great time to be an MMA fan - Vila vs. Dantas added to Bellator 59 Nov. 26 in Atlantic City! @Alexis_Vila135 @Dudantas22
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Vila enters the finale on the heels of a stunning 64-second knockout of Bellator featherweight champion Joe Warren in the quarterfinals and a controversial split decision victory against Marcos Galvao on Saturday. Known as "The Exorcist", the 40-year-old Olympic bronze medalist has maintained an undefeated professional record despite moving up from the flyweight division specifically for the tournament.
Meanwhile, Dantas blazed his trail to the final in equally surprising fashion, knocking Wilson Reis out cold with a flying knee at Bellator 51 before edging Ed West with a split decision win at Bellator 55. The pair of victories capped a five-fight win streak for the young Nova Uniao-product.
Bellator 59 will be held at Caesars Atlantic City in Atlantic City, New Jersey and aired live on MTV2. The card also marks the return of UFC lightweight veteran Kurt Pellegrino.
Bellator 59 fight card:
Bantamweight Tournament Final: Alexis Vila vs. Eduardo Dantas
Lightweight: Kurt Pellegrino vs. Patricky Freire
Lightweight: Phillipe Nover vs. Marcin Held