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| (Image Source: MMA Plus/BELLATOR MMA) |
In a continuation of the promotion’s emphasis on growing the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in the country, BELLATOR MMA is thrilled to announce the signing of seven talented French athletes following the completion of BELLATOR’s second event in the country, BELLATOR 280: Bader vs. Kongo 2, which took place May 6, 2022 at the Accor Arena in Paris.
Headlining these new additions to the BELLATOR roster is world-class lightweight standout Mansour Barnaoui (19-4). Mansour Barnaoui, 29, is among the world’s most highly-touted lightweight prospects. The decorated athlete has a dazzling 95% finishing rate and is sure to enthrall fight fans with his all-action style. Barnaoui said upon signing with BELLATOR, “I have been very impressed by the two Bellator events in my home country, France. They were truly a success, and Bellator was the first high-ranking promotion coming in France, so that counts to me.” With these signings of seven French standouts — six of whom fought and won in emphatic fashion at BELLATOR 280 — BELLATOR continues to strengthen the French MMA scene and reaffirms its commitment to providing French combat sports fans with exciting, high-level MMA action.
BELLATOR MMA reached exclusive, multi-fight agreements with lightweights Davy Gallon (21-7-2 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) and Yves “You Know” Landu (17-9 MMA, 2-1 BMMA), welterweights Thibault “GT” Gouti (16-5 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) and Bourama Camara (5-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), and middleweights Gregory “Blade” Babene (22-11 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) and Youcef Ouabbas (3-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), all of whom notched impressive victories at BELLATOR 280. Davy Gallon, 33, initially signed with BELLATOR following his viral, rolling thunder “Knockout of the Year contender” over fan-favorite Ross Pearson in November of 2019. The Frenchman has kept his momentum going in the BELLATOR cage, adding three straight victories and two consecutive knockout finishes to his strong professional record against Kane Mousah, Charlie Leary, and most recently Switzerland’s Benjamin Brander. Yves Landu, 35, first joined the BELLATOR roster in 2020, when he was among the talented athletes competing at BELLATOR 248, the historical first major MMA event in Paris, France. The high-flying, dynamic Landu scored an explosive flying knee knockout and made massive waves online for his equally entertaining post-fight celebration backflip and breakdancing. The former breakdancer added to his BELLATOR highlight reel at BELLATOR 280, when he stopped England’s Gavin Hughes by first-round body kick TKO. Thibault Gouti, 35, made his promotional debut at BELLATOR 280 and extended his current winning streak to four straight victories with a dominant unanimous decision nod against Welshman Lewis Long. The former UFC lightweight staple took to social media to express his joy at re-signing with BELLATOR, putting the lightweight division on notice that he is “coming for the belt.”
Bourama Camara, 24, put on an absolute show at BELLATOR 280. Making his promotional debut in front of a hometown crowd, Camara unleashed a vicious combination of punches to defeat the well-regarded Victor Verchere by first-round TKO after settling into his rhythm. The six-foot-four welterweight prospect looked sensational in the second half of the round, using his 79-inch reach to control range and pick apart his opponent in a contract-securing performance. Gregory Babene, 38, is among the more well-traveled fighters to have competed at BELLATOR 280. Competing inside the BELLATOR cage for the first time since a first-round submission victory over Emeliano Sordi in 2016, Babene extended both his win and stoppage streak to seven straight fights with a swarming combination of right and left hooks that sent England’s Mike Shipman to the canvas in the first round of their main card matchup. Youcef Ouabbas, 24, made his promotional debut in his native France following a three-year layoff since his last professional outing. The six-foot-three middleweight prospect sent the sold-out French crowd into a frenzy to open the BELLATOR 280 event in his BELLATOR debut, battling through adversity to stop fellow Frenchman Matthieu Letho Duclos via knockout in an all-action first round.
