Bellator 296
{{short description|Bellator mixed martial arts event in 2023}}
{{Infobox MMA event
|name=Bellator 296: Mousasi vs. Edwards
|image=BellatorParis.jpg
|image_size=
|promotion=Bellator MMA
|date={{Start date|2023|05|12}}
|venue=Accor Arena
|city=Paris, France
|previousevent= Bellator 295: Stots vs. Mix
|followingevent= Bellator 297: Nemkov vs. Romero
}}
Bellator 296: Mousasi vs. Edwards (also known as Bellator Paris) was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on May 12, 2023, at Accor Arena in Paris, France.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/64186658|title=Bellator Paris: Fabian Edwards to fight Gegard Mousasi in May middleweight title eliminator|website=BBC Sport|access-date=2023-01-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/bellator-paris-gegard-mousasi-vs-fabian-edwards-lightweight-grand-prix-quarterfinal-booked-may-12|title=Gegard Mousasi vs. Fabian Edwards, lightweight grand prix quarterfinal headline Bellator Paris in May|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Farah Hannoun|date=2023-01-12|access-date=2023-01-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmanews.com/2023/01/gegard-mousasi-fabian-edwards/|title=Gegard Mousasi vs. Fabian Edwards headlines Bellator Paris, MMA Twitter Reacts|website=MMA News|author=Harvey Leonard|date=2023-01-12|access-date=2023-01-12}}
Background
The event marked the promotion's third visit to Paris and first since Bellator 280 in May 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://cagesidepress.com/2023/01/12/bellator-returning-paris-mousasi-vs-edwards-barnaoui-vs-outlaw-board/|title=Bellator Returning to Paris in May with Mousasi vs. Edwards, Barnaoui vs. Outlaw on Board|website=Cageside Press|author=Jay Anderson|date=2023-01-12|access-date=2023-01-12}}
A middleweight title eliminator bout between former two-time Bellator Middleweight Champion Gegard Mousasi and Fabian Edwards headlined the event.
A Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal bout between Mansour Barnaoui and Sidney Outlaw was scheduled to serve as the co-main event. However at the end of February, Outlaw tested positive for banned substances and was suspended, and was replaced by former Bellator Lightweight Champion Brent Primus.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/2/21/23609221/sidney-outlaw-flunks-drug-test-brent-primus-enters-lightweight-grand-prix-at-bellator-paris|title=Sidney Outlaw flunks drug test, Brent Primus enters lightweight grand prix at Bellator Paris|website=MMAFighting.com|author=Steven Marrocco|date=2023-02-21|access-date=2023-02-21}}
A bantamweight bout between Brett Johns and Marcirley Alves Da Silva, as well a middleweight bout between Gregory Babene and Kyle Stewart were scheduled for this event.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-01 |title=Brett Johns added to Bellator 296 card in Paris {{!}} MMA UK |url=https://mmauk.net/2023/05/01/brett-johns-added-to-bellator-296-card-in-paris/ |access-date=2023-05-02 |website=mmauk.net |language=en-GB}} However, the week of the event, Johns pulled out due to staph infection and Stewart was not approved by the commission due to his partial myopia.{{Cite news |title=Johns withdraws from Da Silva fight |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/65441259 |access-date=2023-05-11}}{{Cite web |last=FightBookMMA |date=2023-05-09 |title=Bellator 296 Press Conference Quotes From The Eiffel Tower |url=https://www.fightbookmma.com/bellator-296-press-conference-quotes-from-the-eiffel-tower/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=FightBook MMA |language=en-US}}
At weigh-ins, Steven Hill weighed in at 174.8 pounds for his fight against Nicolo Solli – 3.8 pounds over the welterweight non-title bout limit, leading to Solli to refusing to accept the bout. Romain Debienne weighed in at 172.4 lbs, 1.4 pounds over the limit, and was fined a percentage of his purse which went to his opponent.{{Cite web |last=Sherdog.com |title=Bellator 296 Weigh-in Results: Main Event Set; 1 Fight Canceled |url=https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Bellator-296-Weighin-Results-Main-Event-Set-1-Fight-Canceled-189964 |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Sherdog |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-05-11 |title=Bellator 296 weigh-in results: One fight canceled, lightweight grand prix quarterfinal official |url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/05/bellator-296-paris-france-gegard-mousasi-fabian-edwards-lightweight-grand-prix-weigh-in-results |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=MMA Junkie |language=en-US}}
Results
{{MMAevent}}
{{MMAevent card|Main card (Showtime)}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Middleweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 49–46)
|5
|5:00
|Bellator Middleweight title eliminator.
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 48–47)
|5
|5:00
|Bellator Lightweight World Grand Prix Quarter-Final bout.
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Middleweight
|def.
|Costello van Steenis
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|Kane Mousah
|KO (punch)
|2
|3:58
|
}}
{{MMAevent card|Preliminary card (Youtube/Pluto TV)|header=no}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Women's Flyweight
|def.
|Paula Cristina
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Welterweight
|Luca Poclit
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|Saul Rogers
|vs.
|Davy Gallon
|No Contest (overturned)
|1
|2:12
|Originally a Submission (D'Arce choke) victory for Rogers. Overturned due to referee error on stoppage.
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Featherweight
|Yves Landu
|def.
|Piotr Niedzielski
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Catchweight (141 lb)
|Sarvarjon Khamidov
|def.
|Kevin Petshi
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|3
|1:33
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|Tim Wilde
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Featherweight
|Fabacary Diatta
|def.
|Keir Harvie
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–26)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Catchweight (150 lb)
|Asaël Adjoudj
|def.
|Georges Sasu
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Welterweight
|Romain Debienne
|def.
|Bourama Camara
|KO (punches)
|2
|1:04
|Debienne missed weight (172.4 lb).
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|José Augusto Azevedo
|def.
|Simon Biyong
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent end|note=yes}}
See also
{{Portal|Martial Arts}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Bellator Tournament Events}}
{{2023 in mixed martial arts}}
Category:2023 in mixed martial arts
Category:Mixed martial arts in France