UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Two of Bellator’s top lightweight contenders will square off this June.
At Bellator 261, former Bellator featherweight title challenger Daniel Weichel will square off with surging Hawaiian up-and-comer Keoni Diggs. The event takes place Saturday, June 25 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.
Bellator officials confirmed the matchup Tuesday after an initial report by Fansided.
Weichel (40-12 MMA, 9-4 BMMA) looks to rebound from a November unanimous decision loss to Emmanuel Sanchez in the Bellator featherweight grand prix semifinal. The defeat was Weichel’s third in four fights. His lone loss in the stretch was a unanimous decision over Saul Rogers in the opening round of the tournament.
Diggs (9-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), meanwhile, has not competed since September. He was scheduled to fight Mandel Nallo at Bellator 255 in April but withdrew for unknown reasons. In his nine professional fights, Diggs has accumulated seven finishes, with six submissions and one TKO.
Bellator 261 is currently headlined by an interim heavyweight title fight between former UFC fighter Tim Johnson (15-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) and Fedor Emelianenko underling Valentin Moldavsky (10-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA).
With the addition, the Bellator 261 lineup includes:
- Tim Johnson vs. Valentin Moldavsky – for the interim heavyweight title
- Keoni Diggs vs. Daniel Weichel
- Kyra Batara vs. Lena Ovchynnikova
- Isaiah Hokit vs. Aaron Hughes
- Myles Jury vs. Sidney Outlaw
