Along with several other Bellator titles, the Bellator bantamweight championship will also be contested in 2013. The promotion announced today reigning champion Eduardo Dantas will defend his strap against fellow Brazilian and Novia Uniao teammate Marcos Galvao. The bout will take place on February 14th from Charlotte, N.C.’s Bojangles’ Coliseum and will air on Spike TV.
Dantas, 23, won the Bellator bantamweight title at Bellator 65 in April when he defeated Zach Makovsky by submission. He earned the title shot based on winning the season five bantamweight tournament where he bested Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila. However, Dantas was knocked out in the first round by Tyson Nam at Shooto Brazil in August. Despite the loss, that bout had no bearing on his Bellator title or standing.
Galvao, 30, won the season six bantamweight tournament to earn his title shot against Dantas. He defeated Ed west, Travis Marx and Luis Nogueira all in 2012 to claim his spot. While Galvao is also a member of Noba Uniao, he trains in the United States. Dantas, meanwhile, resides and trains in Brazil.
Bellator 89 will also play host to the opening round of their middleweight tournament.