Bellator 78 Lands in Dayton, Ohio Including Return of Zoila Gurgel

Bellator Fighting Championships is set to return to the Buckeye state of Ohio on Oct 26 at the Nutter Center in Dayton.

According to Bellator officials, the newest card will serve as Bellator 78 and will feature the semifinals of the latest welterweight tournament.

The semifinal bouts will be determined on Sept 28 from Caesars Atlantic City, and the four winners from that night will then square off at Bellator 78 in Ohio.

In addition to the welterweight tournament, the card will also feature the return of Bellator women’s champion Zoila Gurgel.

Gurgel has been sidelined for over a year after suffering a major knee injury that required surgery that put her on the shelf for an extended period of time. Gurgel is currently riding a six-fight win streak including a victory over former top pound-for-pound women’s fighter Megumi Fujii.

While no opponent has been finalized, one name that has been tossed into the mix to face Gurgel has been Ohio born fighter Jessica Eye, who has won her last five fights in a row. Eye most recently competed at a NAAFS card where she defeated Angela Magana by unanimous decision.

Also on the Ohio card will be Brian Rogers, who returns to fight in his home state once again. Rogers is looking for a spot in the next Bellator middleweight tournament, and hopes to secure his place with a win in his home state.

Tickets for the event go on sale Wednesday, August 29.

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