Bellator 202: Budd vs. Nogueira - July 13 (OFFICIAL DISCUSSION)

Bellator 202
July 13, 2018
WinStar World Casino and Resort
Thackerville, Oklahoma, USA

Main Card:
Julia Budd  (11-2)           vs.     (7-0) Talita Nogueira   
Main Event |  Title Fight | Women's Featherweight | 145 lbs (66 kg)
Michael McDonald (18-4) vs.   (18-5) Eduardo Dantas   
Co-Main Event | Bantamweight | 135 lbs (61 kg)
Chris Honeycutt (10-2)    vs.             (10-1) Leo Leite   
Main Card | Middleweight | 185 lbs (84 kg)
Ernest James (1-0)          vs.(7-1) Valentin Moldavsky   
Main Card | Heavyweight | 265 lbs (120 kg)


Prelims Card:
Steve Kozola (8-2)          vs.            (8-3) Ryan Walker   
Prelims | Lightweight | 155 lbs (70 kg)

Gerald Harris (25-6)        vs.    (19-0) Yaroslav Amosov   
Prelims | Welterweight | 170 lbs (77 kg)

Emily Ducote (6-4)          vs.            (3-2) Veta Arteaga   
Prelims | Women's Flyweight | 125 lbs (57 kg)

Julia Budd (11-2) will defend her featherweight world title against Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Talita Nogueira (7-0), in the main event of Bellator 202 at WinStar World Casino and Resort. In addition, the co-headliner will feature former Bellator world champion Eduardo Dantas (20-5) taking on Michael McDonald (18-4) in a bantamweight clash of top contenders.
 
Julia Budd, the only fighter to sit atop Bellator women's featherweight division, has bested Germaine de Randamie, Arlene Blencowe and Marloes Coenen amongst other names over the course of her eight-year mixed martial arts career. "The Jewel" is also the only woman to defeat Gina Carano in Muay-Thai competition. Now, the Canada-native and former STRIKEFORCE competitor, returns to Oklahoma, where she makes her second title defense since winning the belt last year at Bellator 174.
 
Talita Nogueira had already been crowned a world champion in jiu-jitsu prior to testing her hand in MMA. "Treta" went undefeated in six MMA contests in her home town of Sao Paulo, Brazil between 2009 and 2013, before signing to compete with Bellator. Originally slated to fight Budd at Bellator 133, Nogueira suffered an injury that forced her to withdraw from the contest. Her highly-anticipated promotional debut ultimately took place at Bellator 182, where the 32-year-old scored a first-round submission over Amanda Bell. The Demain Maia-trained fighter now gets a second chance to compete against Budd, and this time, the world championship is on the line.
 
Former two-time world champion Eduardo "Dudu" Dantas has proven himself a perennial top-10 bantamweight fighter with impressive performances over Joe Warren, Marcos Galvao (x2), Wilson Reis and Zach Makovsky. The Bellator Season 5 tournament champion has strung together an impressive 10-2 record with Bellator during his seven-year tenure with the promotion. The 29-year-old trains alongside the likes of Jose Aldo at the famed Nova Uniao team in his home town of Rio de Janeiro and is looking for another shot at Bellator gold.
 
Fighting professionally since the age of 16, McDonald has been a mainstay in the bantamweight rankings for the better part of 11 years. The exciting Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has amassed an astonishing finishing rate, reaching the judges' scorecards only three times in his 22 fights. "Mayday" made his Bellator debut in 2017, scoring a victory over Peter Ligier, despite fracturing his hand early in the fight. Now that his hand has fully healed, the former world title challenger from Modesto, Calif. will look to defeat Dantas July 13.

Wonder when the next HW GP fight will be.

It has to be soon I say I think they should put both the semi finals on the same card.

westcott123 wrote:It has to be soon I say I think they should put both the semi finals on the same card.

I hope so. Would be good if they were both on same card.

A heavyweight clash between Valentin Moldavsky and Ernest James will kick off the main card, with both men looking to remain undefeated in the Bellator cage.

James made his pro debut at Bellator 184, with a first round stoppage of Rashemm Jones, a fellow debuting fighter. Across the cage is Moldavsky, who would go the distance in his Bellator debut at Bellator 181, where he would defeat Carl Seumanutafa.

Kingfedor wrote:
A heavyweight clash between Valentin Moldavsky and Ernest James will kick off the main card, with both men looking to remain undefeated in the Bellator cage.

James made his pro debut at Bellator 184, with a first round stoppage of Rashemm Jones, a fellow debuting fighter. Across the cage is Moldavsky, who would go the distance in his Bellator debut at Bellator 181, where he would defeat Carl Seumanutafa.

Good to see both fighting but I'm surprised they're against each other so soon. I figure they slowly build James up while Moldavsky would face Timothy Johnson. I guess that fight fell through. Should be good and I'm glad they're getting a main card position but I hate one has to lose.

Rocksoldier84 wrote:

Kingfedor wrote:
A heavyweight clash between Valentin Moldavsky and Ernest James will kick off the main card, with both men looking to remain undefeated in the Bellator cage.

James made his pro debut at Bellator 184, with a first round stoppage of Rashemm Jones, a fellow debuting fighter. Across the cage is Moldavsky, who would go the distance in his Bellator debut at Bellator 181, where he would defeat Carl Seumanutafa.

Good to see both fighting but I'm surprised they're against each other so soon. I figure they slowly build James up while Moldavsky would face Timothy Johnson. I guess that fight fell through. Should be good and I'm glad they're getting a main card position but I hate one has to lose.

Yeah, they should build up these prospects before pitting them against each other, I agree. It is an interesting fight but odd they are against each other.

I'd like to see Dantas take out MccDonald tomorrow.

Hope to catch this one live tomorrow night.