A bantamweight title rematch against former teammates Marcos Galvao and Eduardo Dantas will headline Bellator 144 on Oct. 23.
Bellator officials announced the 135-pound title fight on Wednesday. The televised event is set for Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
It will mark the second meeting between the two Brazilians with a championship on the line. Dantas (17-4) knocked Galvao out cold in the second round of a title fight February 2013. The two used to train under the same roof at Nova Uniao in Rio de Janeiro, but Galvao has since split from the team.
Galvao (17-6-1) will seek his first title defense. He claimed the belt by submitting Joe Warren via kneebar in March. The 34-year-old champion is on a four-fight winning streak.
Dantas, 26, lost the Bellator bantamweight title to Warren in October, following two successful defenses. He is coming off a quality win against Mike Richman in May. Dantas won that fight via decision.
"I was thoroughly impressed with Galvao's kneebar at Bellator 135 to capture the belt," said Bellator president Scott Coker in a statement. "Seeing how much that title win meant to him, by taking it back home to Brazil and visiting his mother's grave, is really what mixed martial arts is all about to me. But Dantas showcased his desire to reach the top too, by his performance against Mike Richman. I have no idea who is going to come out of Connecticut with the win."
