Two of Bellator’s best light heavyweights are set to collide in Chicago.
MMA Fighting confirmed with officials that Corey Anderson (16-6, 1 NC) and Phil Davis (24-6, 1 NC) will battle at Bellator 297 on June 16 at Wintrust Arena. The bout was first reported by ESPN and has since been announced by the promotion.
Anderson and Davis are currently ranked in the top 10 of the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, with Anderson sitting at No. 6 and Davis at No. 9.
This is Anderson’s first booking since a loss to Vadim Nemkov this past November, which was both for Nemkov’s 205-pound title, a Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix tournament crown, and a million-dollar prize. It was Anderson’s first loss in five appearances for Bellator.
Davis, a former Bellator champion who successfully defended the light heavyweight title once, is on a two-fight win streak with back-to-back decision wins over Julius Anglickas and Yoel Romero. He has won five of his past seven fights.
Bellator 297 is scheduled to be headlined by a light heavyweight championship bout between Nemkov and Romero, with a recently added co-main event featuring the returning Sergio Pettis defending his bantamweight title against featherweight champion and former lightweight champion Patricio Pitbull.
Damon Martin contributed to this report.