Bellator MMA has announced the first-round matchups for its highly anticipated Welterweight Grand Prix, which kicks off on Sept. 29 in San Jose.
The tournament will begin with a previously announced rematch between former champions Douglas Lima (29-7) and Andrey Koreshkov (21-2). That bout will take place at Bellator 206, inside SAP Center.
The opening round will also consist of a long-awaited matchup between Paul Daley (40-6) and Michael Page (13-0), both of whom recently signed contract extensions with Bellator.
Both welterweights are from England, and they have gone back and forth in headlines for years. They were also involved in an altercation at Bellator 179 in May 2017. Bellator did not announce a date or venue for that matchup.
Rounding out the first round are fights between highly-touted prospects Ed Ruth (6-0) and Neiman Gracie (8-0), and current champion Rory MacDonald (20-4) and Jon Fitch (31-7-1).
MacDonald, of British Columbia, is also scheduled to challenge Gegard Mousasi for the middleweight title on Sept. 29. He will enter the tournament thereafter, win or lose. Bellator president Scott Coker told ESPN that MacDonald's title will be on the line every time he fights in the Grand Prix.
The tournament also includes an alternate bout between Lorenz Larkin (19-7) and Yaroslav Amosov (20-0), of Ukraine.
