UFC books Bellator notable Mandel Nallo vs. Cage Warriors champ Samuel Silva for DWCS
UFC books Bellator notable Mandel Nallo vs. Cage Warriors champ Samuel Silva for DWCS
MMA worlds will collide as a former Bellator knockout artist and a current Cage Warriors champion will collide this summer with a UFC contract on the line.
Tristar's Mandel Nallo and Cage Warriors lightweight champion Samuel Silva are set to square off Sept. 2 on Dana White's Contender Series at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Nallo (13-3) competed eight times for Bellator from 2017 to 2023. He compiled a 4-3 record with one no contest, as the promotion struggled to find him fights. That problem continued when Nallo hit free agency in early 2023. Since then, he's 4-0 in MMA with an additional win in bareknuckle MMA. All five of those fights he finished inside the distance.
Silva (13-4-1) empathically turned heads in March when he upset Cage Warriors champion George Hardwick in an epic five-round battle. Silva won the bout via unanimous decision to extend his winning streak to five.
The current DWCS lineup for Sept. 2 includes:
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