Five additional fights have been set for the upcoming Bellator 180 card as Neiman Gracie faces Dave Marfone, Ryan Couture faces Haim Gozali, Jerome Mickle faces Anthony Giacchina, John Salgado faces Hugh McKenna and Matt Rizzo faces Sergio Da Silva.
Gracie (5-0-0) has already earned three victories in Bellator MMA, defeating Rudy Bears, Roger Carroll and Bobby Flynn. Gracie has only seen one of his five professional MMA fights go the distance, that was the bout with Roger Carroll at Bellator 151.
Marfone (5-2-0) is making his Bellator MMA debut in this fight and only one of his seven professional MMA fights have gone the distance. Marfone is a veteran of the Cage Fury Fighting Championships promotion, but he has only won just one of three fights there.
Couture (10-5-0) is entering the fight riding a two fight winning streak and he hasn’t earned a victory in over two years. Couture also went winless during his time in the UFC, dropping those fights to Ross Pearson and Al Iaquinta.
Gozali (7-3-0) is currently undefeated in Bellator MMA competition, having defeated Zane Clerk by submission at Bellator 164. Gozali will be making his North American MMA debut in this fight, as the majority of his fights have come in the country of Israel.
Mickle (2-1-0) is making his Bellator MMA debut in this fight and he will be doing so on the strength of a two fight winning streak. Mickle has competed in the Ring Of Combat promotion, where he earned victories over Nick Fiore and Sambet Naimanbayev.
Giacchina (1-1-0) is making his Bellator MMA debut in this fight, but he has competed before in the CES MMA promotion. Giacchina also went winless during his time as an amateur MMA fighter, the fighter has just won one of six fights as a pro and amateur.
Salgado (4-7-1) will enter the fight riding a five fight losing streak and the fighter hasn’t earned a victory in over seven years. Salgado did competed once under the Strikeforce banner, dropping a decision to Igor Gracie at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva.
McKenna (0-1-0) made his professional MMA debut earlier this year at Ring Of Combat 58, dropping a decision to Wendell Sneed. McKenna won two of four fights as an amateur MMA fighter, but he took a few years break between his last amateur fight and his first pro fight.
Rizzo (9-2-0-1NC) is making his Bellator MMA debut in this fight and he is also competing for the first time in almost two years. Rizzo also competed on the UFC Ultimate Fighter 24, losing to Matt Schnell in the opening round of the reality show.
Da Silva (6-8-0) is currently winless under the Bellator MMA banner, dropping a fight to Robert Sullivan at Bellator 108 in November 2013. Da Silva is also winless against UFC veterans, having dropped fights to both Alptekin Ozkilic and Aljamain Sterling.
Bellator 180 takes place on Saturday, June 24 from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York with Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
