Breaking: Pedro Carvalho vs Mads Burnell Added to Bellator 285 in Dublin

Photo credit: Lucas Noonan / Bellator MMA

A featherweight fight between #3 ranked Mads Burnell (16-4) and #6 Pedro Carvalho (12-6) has been added to Bellator 285, which takes place on Friday 23rd September in Dublin’s 3Arena. Multiple sources confirmed the matchup to SevereMMA.com.

The pair have been trading barbs on social media for quite some time, again calling for a fight with one another just this week.

Portugal’s Carvalho, who trains out of SBG Ireland, will be looking to get back in the win column. A former Bellator title challenger, “The Game” has struggled to find consistent results his ascent to the championship stakes. Following back-to-back stoppage losses to Patricio Pitbull and Jay Jay Wilson, Carvalho wowed the Dublin crowd last November, besting 53-fight veteran Daniel Weichel over three rounds. However, Carvalho most recently lost a Split Decision to Bellator newcomer Piotr Niedzielski (16-4) earlier this month in the promotion’s return to Paris.

Similar to Carvalho, Mads Burnell will be aiming to return to winning ways when the pair collide. After parting ways with the UFC in 2018, the Danish fighter would go on to mount an impressive 7-fight win streak, capturing the Cage Warriors featherweight title before signing with Bellator. The Xtreme Couture fighter notched wins over Darko Banovic, Saul Rogers, and Emmanuel Sanchez, before suffering his first setback in the Bellator gloves in March, losing a 5-round decision to Adam Borics in the main event of Bellator 276.

Bellator 285 looks set to be another bumper event in the promotion’s calendar. Crowd favourite Peter “The Showstopper” Queally headlines the card in a lightweight showdown with former UFC champion Benson Henderson. See below for full card and broadcast details.

BELLATOR 285: HENDERSON VS. QUEALLY – MAIN CARD:

SHOWTIME (U.S.) | BBC Three & BBC iPlayer (U.K.) | Virgin Media (IRELAND)

Friday, September 23 – 9 p.m. BST/4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT

Lightweight Bout: #3-Benson Henderson (29-11)vs. #5-Peter Queally (13-6)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Melvin Manhoef (32-15-1) vs. #8-Yoel Romero (14-6)

Bantamweight Bout: #7-James Gallagher (11-2) vs. Brett Johns (18-3) 

Featherweight Bout: Ciaran Clarke (5-0) vs. Georges Sasu (5-2)

BELLATOR 285: HENDERSON VS. QUEALLY – PRELIMINARY CARD:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV (US)

BBC iPlayer (UK) | Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)

5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT

Bantamweight Bout: Brian Moore (14-9) vs. Arivaldo Lima da Silva (19-10)

Lightweight Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (31-13-1) vs. Kane Mousah (13-4)

Lightweight Bout: Darragh Kelly (1-0) vs. Kye Stevens (3-1, 1 NC)

Featherweight Bout: Kenny Mokhonoana (3-0) vs. Alex Bodnar (4-1)