Bellator 287: French star Mansour Barnaoui set for main event debut

The Allianz Cloud in Milan, Italy will play host to Bellator 287 on Saturday, October 29 as the promotion gets set to welcome a top European fighter to its roster.

France’s Mansour Barnaoui will make his promotional debut in the main event, where he’ll take on America’s Adam Piccolotti in a 155-pound matchup.

Barnaoui has captured championship gold for South Korean promotion ROAD FC, Russian organization M-1 Global and now-defunct English promotion BAMMA. Now he’s set to join Bellator’s lightweight division, where he hopes to eventually add another belt to his collection.

“Fans can be expecting that a true warrior is coming to Bellator, and I am motivated to win all my matches in impressive style,” said Barnaoui.

“My style is hard-hitting and tight submissions. I am a finisher, that’s my style.”

Also set for action is a pair of British contenders looking to make strides towards title shots in their respective weight classes.

Fabian Edwards surged into the No. 3 position in the Bellator middleweight rankings after his stunning knockout of former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida, and will get the chance to solidify himself as a title challenger when he faces teak-tough Irish middleweight Charlie Ward in the co-main event.

Elsewhere, Saul Rogers will face off against fellow Englishman Tim Wilde as he looks to build momentum in the lightweight division.

The fight card features a host of Bellator’s top European fighters, including the Netherlands’ middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, French lightweight Davy Gallon and English 155-pounder Alfie Davis.