When Melvin Manhoef joined Bellator in July, fans instantly began creating their own dream matchups for the Dutch finisher. Bellator President Scott Coker wasted no time putting Manhoef in a fight fans couldn’t wait to see, pitting “No Mercy” against “The Rhino” Doug Marshall, and Manhoef didn’t disappoint, delivering a violent one punch blow that ended Marshall’s night in under two minutes. With momentum on his side, Manhoef is set to meet his next challenger, #1 Ranked GLORY Kickboxing Middleweight Joe Schilling. Nicknamed “Stich ‘Em Up” for his devastating fight style, Schilling returns to the MMA cage for the first time in since 2008 and is very clear on his expectations for November 15th.
“My name is Joe Schilling. You might not know it today but you will very soon. I’m one if the best strikers on the planet, and if you want to see people got laid the hell out, just watch me fight on November 15th.”
Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased on Bellator.com, AXS.com, as well as the Valley View Casino Center.
“I’ve said since the day I began my career in combat sports that styles make fights,” Coker said. “I came to Bellator to create the most compelling fights possible, and Manhoef vs. Schilling has the chance to be fight of the night on November 15th. When you put together guys like Manhoef and Schilling, records sort of go out the window. You know when that cage door shuts, these two guys are going to stand up and engage in what should be an insanely entertaining fight. We’ve just added this fight to a card that already features Tito and Bonnar, Chandler and Brooks, and Mo and DeBlass. November 15th is going to be a very fun night, and we’ve got more coming.”
In addition to Manhoef and Schilling, the night will also feature one of the biggest grudge matches in the sport as MMA icons clash when Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz returns to the Bellator cage to face “The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar in a light heavyweight affair, while Michael Chandler and Will Brooks will battle for the vacant Bellator Lightweight Title.
With the addition, Bellator 131 now features:
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Tito Ortiz (17-11) vs. Stephan Bonnar (15-8)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Michael Chandler (12-2) vs. Will Brooks (14-1)
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: King Mo (13-4) vs. Tom DeBlass (9-2)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Melvin Manhoef (29-11 MMA, 37-12 Kickboxing) vs. Joe Schilling (1-3 MMA, 17-7 Kickboxing)
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA