Azunna Anyanwu signs multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA, meets Tim Johnson on Aug. 24
Former UFC heavyweight fighter and reigning Cage Fury Fighting Championships champion Azunna Anyanwu has signed a multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA.
Anyanwu (15-5) tells MyMMANews.com that he will meet fellow former UFC heavyweight Tim Johnson on the main card of Bellator 225 on August 24 at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Johnson was scheduled to meet Valentin Moldavsky who has withdrawn from the contest.
“Honestly, I only want to fight for Bellator or PFL,” Anyanwu told FloCombat last year after his release from the UFC. “Basically there are only two options. I want to go big or go home. If the UFC calls me back up, it’s got to be a fight [that’s] worth it. They left a really bad taste in my mouth. They don’t give a shit. They don’t care. Nowadays it’s just entertainment, a business.”
Anyanwu did return to CFFC where he defeated Christopher Daukaus to successfully defend promotion’s heavyweight strap once again, but could not come to an agreement on a title defense matchup.
“Happy to be a part of the Bellator organization,” Anyanwu told MyMMANews. “He’s a tough guy with an amazing mustache,” he jokingly said of his opponent. “Unfortunately, we have to fight. I eventually want my shot at the Bellator world title.
Anyanwu is not new to the Bellator MMA promotion. He competed for the organization back at Bellator 49 in 2011, defeating JA Dudley with strikes.
Aside from the split decision loss to Justin Ledet while with the UFC, Zu’s last lost came back in 2015. Since then he has gone 6-1, with five of six wins with the CFFC promotion over top regional contenders such as Daukaus, Plinio Cruz, Shawn Teed, Jose Pinto, and Chris Birchler. He also holds a win over Greg Rebello on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Bellator 225 is headlined by a rematch between heavyweight Matt Mitrione and Sergei Kharitnov.
Current Bellator 225 fight card:
Bellator 225 Main Card (9 p.m. ET):
265 lbs.: Matt Mitrione (13-6, 1 NC) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (28-6, 2 NC)
265 lbs.: Timothy Johnson (12-5) vs. Azunna Anyanwu (15-5)
265 lbs.: Vitaly Minakov (21-1) vs. Javy Ayala (11-7)
170 lbs.: David Rickels (21-5, 2 NC) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (21-0)
265 lbs.: Tyrell Fortune (6-0) vs. Rudy Schaffroth (6-0)
Bellator 225 “Prelims” Undercard (7 p.m. ET):
125 lbs.: Alejandra Lara (7-3) vs. Taylor Turner (2-4)
170 lbs.: Kastriot Xhema (3-3, 1 NC) vs. Rodolfo Rocha (1-2)
155 lbs.: Corey Browning (4-1) vs. Nick Newell (15-2)
185 lbs.: Austin Vanderford (7-0) vs. Doug Usher (10-3)
170 lbs.: Sabah Homasi (11-8) vs. Micah Terrill (13-7)
135 lbs.: Ricky Bandejas (11-3) vs. Ahmet Kayretli (9-3)
170 lbs.: Khonry Gracie (1-1) vs. Oscar Vera (0-1)
