Brennan Ward gets next assignment: Bellator 282 vs. Kassius Kayne
Brennan Ward has his second fight booked since his return from hiatus.
At Bellator 282, Ward (15-6 MMA, 11-6 BMMA) will once again fight in front of his home state crowd when he takes on former Victory FC welterweight champion and LFA headliner Kassius Kayne (12-7 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).
The event takes place June 24 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. with the main card on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.
Two people with knowledge of the booking recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
In February, Ward, 33, returned from nearly five years away from mixed martial arts competition as a long-term drug addiction boiled over into unbearableness, as he revealed in an exclusive, tell-all interview with MMA Junkie in January. At Bellator 274, Ward fought Brandon Bell on a one-off deal with the promotion and won via second-round TKO. Weeks later, Ward signed a multifight deal with the promotion.
Kayne, 35, has competed for a handful of notable regional promotions with his losses coming mostly to fighters who went on to sign with the UFC or Bellator. He’s only competed three times since 2018, but went 2-1 in that stretch including an April unanimous decision win over Montrel James.
With the addition, the Bellator 282 lineup includes:
Champion Gegard Mousasi vs. Johnny Eblen – for middleweight title
Enrique Barzola vs. Magomed Magomedov – bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal
Leandro Higo vs. Danny Sabatello – bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal
Brent Primus vs. Alexander Shabliy
Pam Sorenson vs. Cat Zingano
Ilara Joanne vs. Alejandra Lara
Dan Moret vs. Killys Mota
Sabah Homasi vs. Maycon Mendoca
Fabio Aguiar vs. Aaron Jeffery
Bryce Logan vs. Mandel Nallo
Lucas Brennan vs. Johnny Soto