More names added to Bellator Birmingham

Bellator MMA today confirmed a host of preliminary bouts have been added to Bellator Birmingham: Primus vs. Wilde, ahead of the next event in the 2019 European Fight Series.

The announcement ensures the highly-anticipated card will be stacked with British mixed martials arts talent, as the second of six UK and European events slated for 2019 begins to take shape.

Joining headliners Brent Primus and Tim Wilde at the Resorts World Arena on Saturday, May 4, are featherweights Saul “The Hangman” Rogers (12-2) and Aiden Lee (7-3), with both fighters making their Bellator debuts, whilst James “The Juggernaut” Mulheron (11-3) faces Lee “The Butcher” Chadwick(24-14-1) at light heavyweight, in another all-British match-up. 

Meanwhile, popular Loughborough welterweight, Jim “Judo” Wallhead (30-11) returns to take on Italy’s Giorgio Pietrini (16-4-1) and the promising Dominique “The Black Panther” Wooding (5-2) faces David “Demolition Man” Khalsa (2-3), with the featherweights both appearing at their first Bellator event.

Further British interest comes from Craig Turner(7-0-1) and Ashley “The Beast” Reece (7-1), who come together in a welterweight clash, and Rob “The Juggernaut” Beech (4-2), who is pitted against fellow heavyweight Domingos Barros (6-0), of Portugal. 

Elsewhere on the card, SBG Ireland’s Brian “The Pikeman” Moore (11-7) will collide with Binh Son “Buddha” Le (5-2-1) at featherweight. 

Bellator Birmingham: Primus vs. Wilde will air live on free to air Channel 5 at 10 p.m. GMT on Saturday, May 4. Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased fromTheTicketFactory.com and Bellator.com, as well as the Resorts World Arena box office.

The Birmingham public will be excited by the news that local featherweight fighter Aiden Lee has been added to the card. Having competed for promotions such as BAMMA and Cage Warriors, he will make a dream Bellator debut in front of thousands of his hometown fans with the sole aim of adding to his seven professional career wins.

Standing in his way is a name familiar to many British MMA fans, Saul Rogers. The former The Ultimate Fighter contestant has been out of action for the past two years, having last competed in March 2017. With 12 wins from 14 bouts to his name – and six from his past seven – Rogers, from Bolton, will be hoping for a successful return to the MMA stage against the local hero. 

James Mulheron experienced the thrill of fighting in front of a home crowd last time out, as he took on Arunas Andriuskevicus at Bellator Newcastle in February. He’ll be hoping for a different outcome in Birmingham, as he fell to a third round TKO defeat to the lively Lithuanian to keep him locked on 11 wins from 14 professional bouts to date.

Liverpool’s Lee Chadwick tasted defeat on that same card and steps up to face Mulheron at light heavyweight with a 25th career win in his sights. That loss, a unanimous decision to Birmingham’s Fabian Edwards, was just the 10th of 39 career bouts to go the distance, with Chadwick determined to add to his 19 stoppage wins at the Resorts World Arena.

Jim Wallhead made a long-awaited return to MMA action at Bellator Newcastle, securing the 30th win of his career against Abner Lloveras via a unanimous decision. Having been away from the sport for almost two years, the Loughborough man was clearly emotional as he celebrated victory and will be aiming for back-to-back wins for the first time since April 2016.

Facing him is Italian fighter Giorgio Pietrini, who is undefeated in his last six bouts and has won seven of his last nine. Less than a third of his 21 career bouts have gone to the judges’ decision and with Wallhead on similar figures fans can expect an exciting welterweight bout. 

More bouts will be added as the card begins to take shape for what promises to be an unmissable night of live MMA action in front of an electric crowd in Birmingham. 

Updated Bellator Birmingham: Primus vs. Wilde Card:

Main card

Lightweight Main Event: Brent Primus (8-1) vs. Tim Wilde (12-3)

Prelims

Featherweight bout: Saul Rogers (12-2) vs. Aiden Lee (7-3)

Bantamweight bout: Brian Moore (11-7) vs. Binh Son Le (5-2-1)

Heavyweight bout: Domingos Barros (6-0) vs. Rob Beech (4-2)

Light heavyweight bout: James Mulheron (11-3) vs.Lee Chadwick (24-14-1)

Welterweight bout: Jim Wallhead (30-11) vs. Giorgio Pietrini (16-4-1)

Featherweight bout: Dominique Wooding (5-2) vs.David Khalsa (2-3)

Welterweight bout: Craig Turner (7-0-1) vs. Ashley Reece (7-1)

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