Manager: Eduardo Dantas vs. Joe Warren set for September

RIO DE JANEIRO — There can only be one Bellator bantamweight champion.

Eduardo Dantas and Joe Warren, Bellator champion and interim champion, respectively, will square off for the undisputed 135-pound title in September, Dantas’ coach and manager Andre Pederneiras said during a media day at Nova Uniao on Wednesday.

“September,” Pederneiras said when asked when Dantas will fight again. “He has a fight scheduled, but I don’t have the exact date of the fight.”

Dantas (16-3) defended his title for the last time with a submission victory over Anthony Leone in March, and Bellator decided to create an interim title when he pulled out of a fight with Warren in May.

Warren (11-3), a former Bellator featherweight champion, defeated Rafael Silva to win the interim championship at Bellator 118.

“’Dudu’ fought on March 7 and was asked to fight again on May 2. He couldn’t fight, so they decided to create an interim title,” he said. “They thought the other one (Warren) was pretty, he speaks English and is a former Olympic wrestler. It’s a business decision. You can’t say anything about it.”

Pederneiras accepted Bellator’s decision to create an interim title even with his fighter expecting to be back in action in September, five months after his last title defense, but doesn’t think it’s fair.

“I don’t think it’s right,” he said. “(Dantas) just fought, you tell him to fight again in two months and he can’t because he’s injured, so you do an interim title, but they thought it was the right decision. You have to accept it.”

RIO DE JANEIRO — There can only be one Bellator bantamweight champion.

Eduardo Dantas and Joe Warren, Bellator champion and interim champion, respectively, will square off for the undisputed 135-pound title in September, Dantas’ coach and manager Andre Pederneiras said during a media day at Nova Uniao on Wednesday.

“September,” Pederneiras said when asked when Dantas will fight again. “He has a fight scheduled, but I don’t have the exact date of the fight.”

Dantas (16-3) defended his title for the last time with a submission victory over Anthony Leone in March, and Bellator decided to create an interim title when he pulled out of a fight with Warren in May.

Warren (11-3), a former Bellator featherweight champion, defeated Rafael Silva to win the interim championship at Bellator 118.

“’Dudu’ fought on March 7 and was asked to fight again on May 2. He couldn’t fight, so they decided to create an interim title,” he said. “They thought the other one (Warren) was pretty, he speaks English and is a former Olympic wrestler. It’s a business decision. You can’t say anything about it.”

Pederneiras accepted Bellator’s decision to create an interim title even with his fighter expecting to be back in action in September, five months after his last title defense, but doesn’t think it’s fair.

“I don’t think it’s right,” he said. “(Dantas) just fought, you tell him to fight again in two months and he can’t because he’s injured, so you do an interim title, but they thought it was the right decision. You have to accept it.”