Bellator Paris: Fabian Edwards to fight Gegard Mousasi in May middleweight title eliminator

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Britain's Fabian Edwards will face Gegard Mousasi in a middleweight title eliminator at Bellator Paris on 12 May.

The winner will earn a shot at the belt currently held by American Johnny Eblen, who beat Dutch fighter Mousasi for the title in June.

Edwards, 29, had a successful 2022, beating MMA legend Lyoto Machida in May and Charlie Ward in October.

Should Edwards beat Mousasi, he would earn an opportunity to join his brother Leon as a world champion.

Leon stunned Kamaru Usman in August to win the UFC welterweight title, becoming only the second British champion in the promotion's history after Michael Bisping in 2016.

He was predicted to face Usman in a rematch at UFC 286 at the O2 Arena in London in March, however a hand injury to Usman has cast doubt over the fight taking place.

Never before have there been two brothers who are world champions simultaneously in two separate MMA promotions, meaning a win over Mousasi would present a historic opportunity for Edwards.

He is ranked second in the Bellator middleweight rankings, while Mousasi, 37, is ranked first.

British lightweights Saul Rogers and Kane Mousah will also feature in Paris. Rogers will fight Frenchman Davy Gallon Thibault Gouti and Manchester's Mousah will face Thibault Gouti.

Also in action is Frenchman Mansour Barnaoui, who will face American Sidney Outlaw in the quarter-final of Bellator's lightweight tournament.

Bellator will be making its return to Paris following its debut in the French capital last May.

MMA was only legalised in France in 2020, meaning large MMA promotions had previously been banned from hosting events in the country.

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