| Bellator 296: Mousasi vs. Edwards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for Bellator 296: Mousasi vs. Edwards | ||||
| Information | ||||
| Promotion | Bellator MMA | |||
| Date | May 12, 2023 | |||
| Venue | Accor Arena | |||
| City | Paris, France | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
Bellator 296: Mousasi vs. Edwards (also known as Bellator Paris) was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on May 12, 2023, at Accor Arena in Paris, France. [1] [2] [3]
The event marked the promotion's third visit to Paris and first since Bellator 280 in May 2022. [4]
A middleweight title eliminator bout between former two-time Bellator Middleweight Champion Gegard Mousasi and Fabian Edwards headlined the event. [1]
A Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal bout between Mansour Barnaoui and Sidney Outlaw was scheduled to serve as the co-main event. [2] However at the end of February, Outlaw tested positive for banned substances and was suspended, and was replaced by former Bellator Lightweight Champion Brent Primus. [5]
A bantamweight bout between Brett Johns and Marcirley Alves Da Silva, as well a middleweight bout between Gregory Babene and Kyle Stewart were scheduled for this event. [6] However, the week of the event, Johns pulled out due to staph infection and Stewart was not approved by the commission due to his partial myopia. [7] [8]
At weigh-ins, Steven Hill weighed in at 174.8 pounds for his fight against Nicolo Solli – 3.8 pounds over the welterweight non-title bout limit, leading to Solli to refusing to accept the bout. Romain Debienne weighed in at 172.4 lbs, 1.4 pounds over the limit, and was fined a percentage of his purse which went to his opponent. [9] [10]
| Main card (Showtime) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Middleweight | Fabian Edwards | def. | Gegard Mousasi | Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 49–46) | 5 | 5:00 | [lower-alpha 1] |
| Lightweight | Brent Primus | def. | Mansour Barnaoui | Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | [lower-alpha 2] |
| Middleweight | Douglas Lima | def. | Costello van Steenis | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Thibault Gouti | def. | Kane Mousah | KO (punch) | 2 | 3:58 | |
| Preliminary card (Youtube/Pluto TV) | |||||||
| Women's Flyweight | Denise Kielholtz | def. | Paula Cristina | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Welterweight | Luca Poclit | def. | Oliver Enkamp | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Saul Rogers | vs. | Davy Gallon | No Contest (overturned) | 1 | 2:12 | [lower-alpha 3] |
| Featherweight | Yves Landu | def. | Piotr Niedzielski | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Catchweight (141 lb) | Sarvarjon Khamidov | def. | Kevin Petshi | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 3 | 1:33 | |
| Lightweight | Tim Wilde | def. | Chris Gonzalez | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Featherweight | Fabacary Diatta | def. | Keir Harvie | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–26) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Catchweight (150 lb) | Asaël Adjoudj | def. | Georges Sasu | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Welterweight | Romain Debienne | def. | Bourama Camara | KO (punches) | 2 | 1:04 | [lower-alpha 4] |
| Light Heavyweight | José Augusto Azevedo | def. | Simon Biyong | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
Gegard Mousasi is a Dutch mixed martial artist and former kickboxer, currently competing in Bellator MMA, where he is the former two-time Bellator Middleweight Champion. He is also the former DREAM Light Heavyweight Champion, former DREAM Middleweight Champion, former Cage Warriors World Middleweight Champion, and the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, thus making Mousasi an overall six-time MMA world champion. At the moment of his departure from the UFC in July 2017, he was #4 in the official UFC middleweight rankings, and he is currently ranked the #12 middleweight MMA fighter in the world by Fight Matrix.
Dream 11: Feather Weight Grand Prix 2009 Final Round was a mixed martial arts event promoted by Fighting and Entertainment Group's mixed martial arts promotion Dream held on October 6, 2009.
Douglas Lima is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the welterweight and middleweight divisions of Bellator MMA, where he is a former three-time Bellator Welterweight Champion. He is also the former MFC Welterweight Champion. Lima and his younger brother, Dhiego, own and operate American Top Team - Team Lima in Duluth, Georgia.
Brent Primus is an American mixed martial artist currently competing for Bellator MMA, where he is the former Bellator Lightweight World Champion.
Thibault Gouti is a French mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division of Bellator MMA. A professional since 2011, he has also competed in the UFC.
2018 in Bellator MMA was the tenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. Bellator held 23 events in 2015.
2019 in Bellator MMA was the eleventh year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. Bellator held 27 events in 2019.
Fabian Edwards is an English professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division of Bellator MMA. He is the younger brother of Leon Edwards, the current UFC Welterweight champion.
2020 in Bellator MMA was the twelfth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. Bellator held 18 events in 2020.
Bellator 258: Archuleta vs. Pettis was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on May 7, 2021 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. This fight card is notable for being Anthony Johnson's final fight before his death.
Bellator 264: Mousasi vs. Salter was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on August 13, 2021 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Bellator 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2 was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on November 5, 2021 at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The event marked Bellator's first return to Irish soil since February 2020.
Johnny Eblen is an American professional mixed martial artist currently signed to Bellator MMA, where he is the current Bellator Middleweight Champion.
2022 in Bellator MMA was the fourteenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
Bellator 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on February 25, 2022, at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.
Sidney Outlaw is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division. A professional since 2013, he has competed in promotions such as Bellator MMA and Titan FC.
Bellator 282: Mousasi vs. Eblen was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on June 24, 2022, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, United States.
Mansour Barnaoui is a Tunisian-French mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division of Bellator MMA.
2023 in Bellator MMA was the fifteenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
Bellator 299: Eblen vs. Edwards was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA, that took place on September 23, 2023, at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.
