Bellator MMA’s Big Announcement: Melvin Manhoef vs. Doug Marshall Headlines In September, James Irvin Returns

In recent times, it would seem that Bellator MMA has undergone a big change, at least to the untrained eye; with Bjorn Rebney ousted from the picture, Scott Coker stepping up to the plate, and a rumoured signing of former Strikeforce champion and WMMA pioneer Gina Carano. As it turns out, the ‘big announcement’ scheduled for today wasn’t only the news that ‘Crush’ hadn’t signed for the promotion.

In fact, the announcement was that Bellator 125 will be headlined by Melvin Manhoef and Doug Marshall in a middleweight scrap. Also featuring on the card is former UFC middleweight/light-heavyweight James Irvin. Manhoef enters the Bellator cage looking to improve on his 45 second knockout of Evangelista Santos at Gringo Fights 10 (nowhere near as fun as their first fight), and Marshall returns from a nine-month suspension for a failed drug test.

Last seen competing in November, where he was finished by Alexander Schlemenko at Bellator 109, ‘The Rhino’ will be looking to get back to the form that saw him earn four straight wins before his title fight loss, and subsequent doping fail. ‘The Sandman’ will be returning after nearly two years of inactivity, having last fought at GC:Star Wars, getting TKOd by Scott Rosa.

Irvin fought for the UFC between 2005-10, and faced the middleweight champion of the time Anderson Silva in a light-heavyweight bout in 2008, but was cut following a failed drug test and weight issues. He faces Brian Rogers at Bellator 125, a flying knee specialist who most recently used his trademark finish to knock out Adrian Miles at Bellator 119. ‘The Professional Predator’ posts 11 wins and six losses as a pro.

So since Coker took the reigns as CEO over at BMMA, we have found out the promotion won’t be signing Gina Carano, will be featuring former drug test fails in the main/co-main event & will be dispatching of the tournament format. Although I totally agree with the tournament going out the window, I feel like the ailing promotion is in dire need of new talent.

I’m a big fan of Melvin Manhoef, but he unfortunately won’t be a name that the promotion can use to get bigger. The 38-year old kickboxer probably doesn’t have many fights left in him, and I’d hazard a guess that he will be the best signing Coker will make this year. The absolute circus that was Bellator’s first PPV featured a meaningless title fight, sprinkled with King Mo calling Bjorn Rebney a bitch ass, so surely the only way is up now?

Well if Coker doesn’t learn from the mistakes of the past, that is on him. That being said, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt until at least his first show in charge. The event will take place on the September 19 and also features bouts between Martin Stapleton & Goiti Yamauchi/Javy Ayala & Raphael Butler.