ESPN reports that a high profile match-up between two of MMA’s most experienced fighters will be a part of the promotion’s second event inside the world famous Madison Square Garden later this year.
Chael Sonnen and Lyoto Machida, veterans of several world title fights through their careers, will clash on June 14 next in a light heavyweight bout. It has been reported, also by ESPN, that the two fighters had agreed to face each other as early as last February but now it seems that a date and a location have finally been locked down.
Sonnen, who will be 43 years old by the time the fight rolls around, is currently 2-2 in Bellator since signing a deal with the promotion, ending a four-year stint with the UFC in which he challenged for both the middleweight and light heavyweight world titles. He was last seen in October losing to Fedor Emelianenko after successive wins against Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Wanderlei Silva. He lost his promotional debut to Tito Ortiz in January 2017.
Sonnen was victorious in the main event of Bellator’s first event in MSG in June 2017, defeating longtime rival Wanderlei Silva by unanimous decision.
Machida, meanwhile, is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and won his Bellator debut last December, defeating Rafael Carvalho via split decision. Prior to that he won two straight in the UFC with wins against Vitor Belfort and Eryk Anders.
No further bouts have been revealed at this time, though you can expect more word to filter out in the coming weeks and months.
