New main card bout! Intense Irish battle slated for Bellator MMA this Friday at Mohegan Sun

(PRESS RELEASE) -- SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 13, 2015) – Connecticut’s own “Irish” Brennan Ward (10-3) will compete against a new opponent at “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which takes place this Friday, July 17 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Roger Carroll (16-11) has agreed to face the dangerous welterweight on seven days’ notice, in the place of Gavin Sterritt, who withdrew from the contest and was subsequently cut from the promotional roster.

“Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov” features five world-class 170-pound bouts including world champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and Andrey Koreshkov (17-1), Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6), Michael Page (7-0) taking on Rudy Bears (16-13), and knockout artist Paul Daley (36-13-2) challenging Dennis Olson (14-8).

The main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the announced preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Limited tickets for "Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov," which start at just $25, remain on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com.

Having won Bellator’s Season 9 Middleweight tournament, Ward decided to test himself in the welterweight division, and shined in his 170-pound debut with a first-round rear-naked choke submission victory over Curtis Millender at “Bellator: The British Invasion” this past February.

The Waterford, Conn. native has an affinity for the finish, having ended nine of his ten professional tilts before reaching the judges’ scorecards. With his hometown a mere ten miles away from the venue, “Irish” is sure to have a strong home cage advantage over his short notice opponent.

Carroll rides into Connecticut in the midst of a three-fight winning streak. The Claremont, N.C. resident has spent most of his seven year mixed martial arts career competing at 185-pounds, but will make the move to welterweight for his Bellator MMA debut.

“The Leprechaun” fits the description of a “submission specialist,” with 15 of his 16 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent quit. One half of Carroll Brothers BJJ, Roger also doubles as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor alongside his brother Joseph at Superior Martial Arts Academy in North Carolina.

Main Card (9 P.M. EST)

Bellator Welterweight Title Fight: Douglas Lima (26-5) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (17-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (7-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-13)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (10-3) vs. Roger Carroll (16-11)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (36-13-2) vs. Dennis Olson (14-8)

Preliminary Card (7 P.M. EST)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Blair Tugman (7-5) vs. Kin Moy (6-2)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Ilya Kotau (debut) vs. Nicolas Sergiacomi (1-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Parker Porter (5-4) vs. Eric Bedard (6-5)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-3) vs. Remo Cardarelli (4-2)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Dean Hancock (1-0) vs. Alex Dunworth (2-1, 1 NC)

Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Kaline Medeiros (4-4) vs. Sarah Payant (1-0)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Quinn (10-5, 1 NC)

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:

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