Former Bellator middleweight title challenger Anatoly Tokov explained why he will fight Magomed Ismailov in the ACA league, having a valid contract with the American organization in hand.
“While the PFL and Bellator are united, there was a pause, it’s not clear when the fight will take place, and that’s why we were officially allowed to hold the fight in Russia,” Tokov told the channel “Ushataika”. “Bellator promises a fight with Gegard Mousasi, but it’s not clear when – there’s no date. I don’t know what the problem is. They were still talking that year, I was preparing for November-December, I thought they would give me the fight, but it turned out the way it did. But nothing – now I have a fight with Magomed Ismailov, and it will be great for Russian fans”
Last year, 33-year-old Anatoly Tokov made a failed attempt to take the Bellator middleweight championship belt from Johnny Eblin, losing to the American by unanimous decision over five rounds, while 37-year-old Magomed Ismailov had his last mixed martial arts fight in December 2022, winning by unanimous decision over Alexander Shlemenko.
Gegard Mousasi, 38, last fought last May at Bellator 296 in Paris, losing by unanimous decision to Britain’s Fabian Edwards in a challenger bout.
Recall that the fight between Anatoly Tokov and Magomed Ismailov on March 9 will headline the ACA 172 tournament in Moscow.
Source: https://fighttime.ru/news/item/33782-anatolij-tokov-ob-yasnil-organizatsiyu-boya-s-magomedom-ismailovym.html?rand=19907
