Paul Daley, Eduardo Dantas, Ryan Ford to Compete at Bellator 79 in Ontario

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Bellator Fighting Championships will return to Canada on Nov. 2 to stage Bellator 79 at Casino Rama in Rama, Ontario.

Promotion officials announced the news Tuesday, also revealing that bantamweight champion Eduardo Dantas, Paul Daley and Ryan Ford will compete at the event. Opponents for the trio were not announced, but all three fighters are expected to appear on the main card, which will be broadcast on MTV2 and Epix.

Dantas, 23, has not lost in over three years. The Nova Uniao product has been perfect in his four fights with Bellator, topping Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila to capture the Season 5 bantamweight tournament crown before challenging reigning 135-pound pacesetter Zach Makovsky at Bellator 65 this past April. “Dudu” made the most of his opportunity, choking out “Fun Size” with an arm-triangle in the second round to become Bellator’s new bantamweight titlist.

Before he returns to Bellator, Dantas will square off with Oregonian Tyson Nam at Shooto Brazil 33 on Aug. 25 in Rio de Janeiro.

Daley has won three of his last four fights, closing out 2011 with back-to-back victories over Jordan Radev and fellow UFC vet Luigi Fioravanti before dropping a split decision to ex-Pride Fighting Championships talent Kazuo Misaki on March 3. That contest would serve as Daley’s last appearance in the Strikeforce cage, as “Semtex” requested and received his release from the promotion following the defeat. However, the 29-year-old Brit rebounded with a victory in his most recent outing, knocking out Rudy Bears in his July 20 Bellator debut.

Ford, 30, also impressed in his lone Bellator appearance, finishing Season 5 tournament semifinalist Luis Santos on May 4 at Bellator 67. The Canadian has won six of his last seven, besting former UFC talents Pete Spratt and Karo Parisyan in that span. The Canadian has stopped 17 of his 18 career victims and has never been knocked out in five years as a pro.