Dantas vs. Caldwell for Bantamweight Title Headlines Bellator 184, October 6
BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE FIGHT BETWEEN EDUARDO DANTAS AND DARRION CALDWELL TO HEADLINE BELLATOR 184 ON OCTOBER 6 AT WINSTAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT
PLUS, FORMER BELLATOR FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION DANIEL STRAUS MEETS EMMANUEL SANCHEZ IN CO-MAIN EVENT
LOS ANGELES – Bellator returns to WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. for the third time in 2017 on Friday, October 6 for Bellator 184: Dantas vs. Caldwell.
The main event of Bellator 184 will feature Bellator’s two-time bantamweight champion Eduardo Dantas (20-4) defending his belt against Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (10-1). In addition, the co-feature pits former featherweight titleholder Daniel Straus (24-7, 1 NC) competing against Emmanuel “El Matador” Sanchez (15-3). The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for Bellator 184: Dantas vs. Caldwell are on sale now and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino and Resort box office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Additional main and preliminary card bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Originally, Dantas and Caldwell were scheduled to compete for the title at Bellator 177; however, when Caldwell was forced to withdraw due to injury, “Dudu” went on to defeat Leandro Higo, besting his opponent on short notice. Hailing from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, the flashy 27-year-old is widely known as one of the most dynamic competitors in the division, recording victories in 13 of his last 15 bouts. Currently in the midst of his second stint as Bellator’s bantamweight world champion, Dantas will look to stop Caldwell’s meteoric rise to the top of the 135-pound division.
Coming off a victory over Joe Taimanglo at Bellator 167, the 29-year-old Caldwell will be competing for promotional gold for the first time in his career on October 6. “The Wolf” was able to avenge his earlier loss to Taimanglo, earning his 10th career victory. Caldwell has collected five wins by way of first-round knockout or submission, making him one of the most dangerous competitors at 135-pounds. Hailing from Rahway, N.J. and training alongside Bellator stars Phil Davis and Justin Lawrence at Alliance MMA in San Diego, Calif., Caldwell has quickly put together an impressive professional resume inside the cage, highlighted by a remarkable first-round finish over former multi-division champion Joe Warren.
One half of some of the greatest fights to ever take place inside the Bellator cage, Daniel Straus returns to action following his featherweight title bout against Patricio “Pitbull” at Bellator 178 this past April. A longtime member of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla., the 32-year-old will be competing for the second time in 2017. The two-time champion returns to action with redemption on his mind, as he looks to climb back up the 145-pound ranks and earn a shot for the title that he still considers to be his.
Since debuting with Bellator MMA in 2014, the 26-year-old Sanchez has gone about his business by taking on the top competitors that Bellator’s featherweight division has to offer, fighting Pat Curran, Georgi Karakhanyan, Justin Lawrence and Marcos Galvao en route to his meeting with Straus at Bellator 184. Proclaiming that he hopes to eventually become the “Oscar De La Hoya of MMA,” Sanchez is well on his way, earning six victories since 2015. Training at Roufusport in Milwaukee, Wis., “El Matador” trains alongside some of the world’s elite fighters, making his matchup with Straus that much more intriguing.
Updated Bellator 184: Dantas vs. Caldwell Fight Card:
Bantamweight World Title Main Event: Eduardo Dantas (20-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (10-1)
Featherweight Co-Main Event: Daniel Straus (24-7, 1 NC) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (15-3)
