Two of the top middleweight talents on Bellator’s European roster are set to collide in Italy as England’s Fabian Edwards puts his undefeated record on the line against Dutch contender Costello van Steenis.
The two 185-pound contenders will go head to head in the main event of Bellator Europe 8, which takes place Sept. 26 at the Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy. Bellator officially confirmed the matchup Tuesday.
The fight marks Edwards’ (9-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) return to action for the first time since his split-decision victory over fellow countryman Mike Shipman at Bellator Europe 6 last November. That victory capped off a successful year for the Birmingham native, who went 4-0 inside the Bellator cage in 2019 following a stint with UK promotion BAMMA.
He’ll be facing van Steenis (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA), who is looking to bounce back after his decision defeat to John Salter at Bellator 233 last November.
After that fight, “The Spaniard” was booked to face Edwards at Bellator’s May 16 event in London, but that show was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now the pair have been rebooked and are set to face off at Bellator Europe 8, with the winner set to move a big step closer to a possible shot at the Bellator 185-pound strap.
Also confirmed on the card are two more middleweight matchups, as Ireland’s Will Fleury takes on England’s Kent Kauppinen, while Italy’s Pietro Penini faces the aforementioned Shipman.
Confirmed bouts for Bellator Europe 8 include:
- Fabian Edwards vs. Costello van Steenis
- Will Fleury vs. Kent Kauppinen
- Pietro Penini vs. Mike Shipman
