The lineup for Bellator 49 has officially been set after Monday's announcement of five preliminary fights. A featherweight matchup between Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra (10-1) and Scott Heckman (7-2) has been tabbed as the highlight of the undercard.
A fast-rising prospect out of Brazil, Bezerra trains at Daddis Fight Camps and competed as a member of the Brazilian national wrestling team. The 23-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt quickly made a name for himself in his first two fights under the Bellator banner, dispatching both Samuel Jones and Jesse Gross in the first round less than a month apart.
Nicknamed "The Animal," Heckman makes his promotional debut after winning numerous regional titles across the northeast United States. The 27-year-old trains out of Revolution Academy and is on a two fight win streak heading into the event.
Also included on the preliminary card is a featherweight bout between Kenny Foster (9-3) and Andy Main (5-1), a welterweight bout between Giedrius Karavackas (5-1) and LeVon Maynard (11-7), a heavyweight bout between Azunna Anyanwu (3-0) and J.A. Dudley (4-7), and a featherweight bout between Brylan Van Artsdalen (5-1) and Joel Roberts (4-3).
Bellator 49 is headlined by four quarterfinal fights tied to the promotion's welterweight tournament. The eight man bracket consists of Dan Hornbuckle vs. Luis Santos, Ben Saunders vs. Rick Hawn, Brent Weedman vs. Chris Lozano, and Douglas Lima vs. Steve Carl. Hawn, Hornbuckle, Lozano, and Weedman all return after participating in season four's tournament.
Bellator 49 will be held September 10th at Caesars Atlantic City in New Jersey. The event debuts Bellator's fifth season and is scheduled to be broadcast live on MTV2.
Updated Bellator 49 fight card:
Main Card (broadcast on MTV2):
Welterweight Quarterfinal: Dan Hornbuckle vs. Luis Santos
Welterweight Quarterfinal: Ben Saunders vs. Rick Hawn
Welterweight Quarterfinal: Brent Weedman vs. Chris Lozano
Welterweight Quarterfinal: Douglas Lima vs. Steve Carl
Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Alexandre Bezerra vs. Scott Heckman
Featherweight: Kenny Foster vs. Andy Main
Welterweight: Giedrius Karavackas vs. LeVon Maynard
Heavyweight: Azunna Anyanwu vs. J.A. Dudley
Featherweight: Joel Roberts vs. Brylan Van Artsdalen