Bellator MMA is returning to the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas tonight for Bellator 171 and the fight card will be headlined by a catchweight bout of 180 pounds between striking specialist as Melvin Guillard returns from suspension to meet Chidi Njokuani.
Along with the catchweight bout in the main event, the co-main event will feature the return of Kansas own David Rickels as he will meet Aaron Derrow in a lightweight bout. The rest of the main card will see undefeated featherweight prospect A.J. McKee meeting Brandon Phillips and Jessica Middleton will look to improve to 2-0 when she faces Alice Yauger.
Prior to the main card on Spike, the preliminary card on Bellator.com (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) will feature several notable matchups including Chris Harris vs. Jordan Young, Gaston Reyno vs. Justin Overton, Jarod Trice vs. Kevin Woltkamp, Tyrell Fortune vs. Will Johnson and Bruna Ellen vs. Carmella James.
Now let’s take a closer look at the four fights that will take place on the main card.
Melvin Guillard (32-16-2, 3 NC) vs. Chidi Njokuani (16-4, 1 NC)
Melvin Guillard will return to the Bellator cage tonight after serving a suspension handed down by the Kansas Athletic Commission last year following Bellator 159 due to a failed post fight drug test. At Bellator 159, he defeated David Rickels by knockout in the first round, but was overturned due to his failed drug test and he is 1-4, 2NC in his last seven fights.
- Guillard will be looking for his first official victory since July 5, 2014, which was a TKO victory against JZ Cavalcante at World Series of Fighting 11.
- Tied with Anthony Johnson and Lyoto Machida for the 3rd most knockdowns landed in UFC history.
Chidi Njokuani enters Bellator 171 following a knockout win at Bellator 167 against Andre Fialho in 21-seconds and he is 7-0, 1NC in his last eight fights. Since entering Bellator in 2015, Njokuani has gone 3-0 in the promotion and his last two wins have come by TKO/KO.
- 10 of Njokuani’s 16 wins have come by TKO/KO.
- Undefeated when the fight goes to the scorecards (5-0).
David Rickels (17-4, 2 NC) vs. Aaron Derrow (14-8)
Tonight will mark the 18th fight in Bellator for David Rickels and he is the main reason why Bellator continues to hold events at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane. He enters tonight’s fight card card following the no-contest against Guillard and is 2-1, 2NC in his last five fights.
- Rickels is tied with Daniel Straus, Marcin Held and Joe Warren for the 3rd most wins in Bellator history.
- With his fight tonight, Rickels will hold the record for most fights in Bellator history (currently tied with Patricio Pitbull and Joe Warren).
- Tied with Saad Awad for the 6th most wins in Bellator lightweight division history.
- Rickels victory over Jordan Smith in 22-seconds at Bellator 63 is tied with Ben Saunders for the 4th fastest victory in Bellator welterweight division history.
After dropping five in a row in 2012 and 2013, Aaron Derrow has won back to back fights including a decision win against Nate Jolly at Bellator 130. Twelve of his career victories have come by stoppage and he has never lost a fight by submission.
- This is the first fight for Derrow in 826 days (2 years, 3 months, 3 days).
- 10 victories by submission.
A.J. McKee (6-0) vs. Brandon Phillips (6-2)
A.J. McKee is consider one of the best and maybe the best prospect currently signed by Bellator and he will look for his seventh victory in Bellator against Phillips. In his last fight, he made it out of the first round for the second time in his career as he scored a decision victory against Ray Wood.
- Tied with Emmanuel Sanchez for the 6th most wins in Bellator featherweight division history.
- Currently tied with Shahbulat Shamahalev and Georgi Karakhanyan for the 3rd most TKO/KO wins in Bellator featherweight division history.
- With a submission victory tonight, he would tie seven other fighters for the most submission victories in Bellator featherweight division history.
Brandon Phillips made his Bellator debut last year at Bellator 159 and scored a decision victory against Chuka Willis. Since that fight, he took a fight outside of the promotion at World Series of Fighting 33 in October and was submitted by Bryce Mitchell.
- After starting 5-0, Phillips has lost two of his last three fights.
- Five of his six wins have come by stoppage.
Jessica Middleton (1-0) vs. Alice Yauger (4-4)
Jessica Middleton went undefeated in the amateur ranks and was signed by Bellator last year. Her mixed martial arts debut came at Bellator 159 and she scored a decision victory against Bruna Ellen.
- Won her amateur debut in 61-seconds against Nici Kearney in 2015.
Alice Yauger will make her Bellator debut tonight against Middleton and she enters this fight following back to back victories. Both of those victories came by decision and she is coming off a victory against Roxanne Ceasear at Xtreme Knockout 31.
- Won three of her last four fights.
- Six of her eight fights have gone the distance.
The current Bellator 171: Guillard vs. Njokuani fight card is below.
Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)
Melvin Guillard (32-16-2, 3 NC) vs. Chidi Njokuani (16-4, 1 NC)
David Rickels (17-4, 2 NC) vs. Aaron Derrow (14-8)
A.J. McKee (6-0) vs. Brandon Phillips (6-2)
Jessica Middleton (1-0) vs. Alice Yauger (4-4)
Preliminary Card: (Bellator.com – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT)
Chris Harris (7-0) vs. Jordan Young (5-0)
Gaston Reyno (6-1, 2NC) vs. Justin Overton (3-2)
Jarod Trice (1-0) vs. Kevin Woltkamp (1-2)
Tyrell Fortune (1-0) vs. Will Johnson (0-0)
Bruna Ellen (2-1) vs. Carmella James (0-0)
Will Lavine (0-0) vs. Domo Garcia (0-0)
Chance Rencountre (8-2) vs. Jake Lindsay (11-5)
Johnny Marigo (2-0) vs. Joe Fulk (4-4)
Manny Meraz (8-3) vs. Scott Heston (4-1)
Craig Farley (0-0) vs. Mike Breeden (0-0)