Nova União teammates Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas and Marcos “Lôro” Galvão had no choice. They’re going to have to face each other in a title showdown at Bellator 89 on Feb. 14 in North Carolina, and the promotion has made it more than official by releasing the official poster promoting the fight via its Twitter account.
Dudu is undefeated within the ranks of Bellator and currently holds the promotion’s bantamweight belt since tapping Zach Makovsky out with a second-round triangle at Bellator 65. However, he defends his title with his stock at a low, having suffered a knockout loss at the hands of Tyson Nam in the first round of their Shooto 33 headliner in Brazil.
Galvão trains out of Nova União USA and is riding a three-fight win streak in Bellator, the latest being a second-round knockout victory over countryman Luis “Betão” Nogueira.
Both fighters are black belts under Nova União head coach André Pederneiras, whose stable also includes the likes of UFC featherweight champion José Aldo, interim bantamweight champion Renan Barão and middleweights Ronny Markes and Caio Magalhães.
When asked about the match-up between his students, Pederneiras, who eagerly awaits the result of his nomination for category of best coach at the MMA Awards, had the following to tell Brazilian Sportv channel’s reporter Ana Hissa:
“I’ll be watching it from the stands. How can I stand in the way of both of their dreams of winning the belt?”
What are your thoughts on this dramatic clash of Nova União bantamweights? Let us know in the comments field below!
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