#9 Ranked Gabrielle Holloway replaces injured Talita Nogueira to face Julia Budd at “Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko”
#9 Ranked Gabrielle Holloway replaces injured Talita Nogueira to face Julia Budd at “Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko”
Injury has forced Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Talita Nogueira (6-0) to withdraw from next week’s “Bellator MMA: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko.” However, 24-year-old Zamora Boxing product Gabrielle “Gabanator” Holloway (4-1) has agreed to step in on short notice and will now face Julia Budd (6-2).
A Virginia native, Holloway fought most recently in January, picking up a decision win over Lacie Jackson. She now steps up on less than two weeks’ notice with the hopes of making an impact on the national stage.
Nogueira is expected to make her official Bellator MMA debut later this year.
“Bellator MMA: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” takes place next Friday, Feb. 13, at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. The evening’s four-fight main card airs on Spike TV.
Bellator 133: Friday, Feb. 13, Save Mart Center, Fresno, Calif.
Main Card on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (29-12-1) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (50-9)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-6) vs. Daniel Weichel (34-8)
Bellator Women’s Featherweight Feature Fight: Julia Budd (6-2) vs. Gabrielle Holloway (4-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (5-0) vs. Clayton MacFarlane (4-0)
Preliminary card on Spike.com (8 p.m. ET)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Art Arciniega (14-4) vs. Emilio Chavez (7-5)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Blake Watkins (4-0) vs. George Zuniga (3-0)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Paul Ruiz (5-2) vs. Nicolas Sperling (3-2)
Preliminary card on Spike.com (Following Manhoef vs. Shlemenko)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Nick Bustamante (2-0) vs. Luis Jauregui (2-1)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: John Paul Elias (2-0) vs. Cody Sons (0-1)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Contrestano (4-0) vs. Ryan Tobar (3-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Ray Cervera (8-2) vs. Adam Piccolotti (4-0)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Mason Fowler (1-0) vs. TBD
