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DARRION CALDWELL LOOKS TO SOLIDIFY HIMSELF AS NO. 1 CONTENDER AGAINST JOE TAIMANGLO DURING MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 159: CALDWELL VS. TAIMANGLO’ – FRIDAY, JULY 22 – LIVE AND FREE ON SPIKE

By Mike Johnson on 6/1/2016 12:25 PM

DARRION CALDWELL LOOKS TO SOLIDIFY HIMSELF AS NO. 1 CONTENDER AGAINST JOE TAIMANGLO DURING MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 159: CALDWELL VS. TAIMANGLO’ – FRIDAY, JULY 22 – LIVE AND FREE ON SPIKE

HOMETOWN HERO DAVE RICKELS SET FOR ACTION AGAINST MELVIN GUILLARD IN CO-HEADLINER

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 1, 2016) – Bellator MMA returns to Kansas with a pivotal matchup between undefeated phenom, Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (9-0) and Joe Taimanglo (22-6-1) to determine the No. 1 contender for the Bantamweight Title in the main event of “Bellator 159: Caldwell vs. Taimanglo” on July 22 inside Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas.

In the co-main event of the evening, local hometown hero Dave “Caveman” Rickels (17-4) will meet Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-16-2) in a lightweight matchup that will surely provide fireworks. Additional contests will be announced shortly.

“Bellator 159: Caldwell vs. Taimanglo" airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

Tickets for the event start at just $27 and go on sale Saturday, June 4, and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, KansasStarEventCenter.com. Doors for the event open at 5:30 p.m. CT local time and the first preliminary bout will commence one hour later.

At 28 years old, “The Wolf” may very well be the brightest young star in Bellator MMA’s deep bantamweight division. The New Jersey native has begun his career with nine consecutive victories, including five blistering first round finishes. Caldwell will be tasked with the headlining role for the second consecutive time after an impressive first outing at “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” in which he had his way with former two-division Bellator champion Joe Warren, winning via rear-naked choke submission. The former NC State standout wrestled to a National Championship and two All-American accolades before joining the Bellator MMA fray in 2014. The undefeated Caldwell is reinvigorated after recently re-signing a seven-fight contract with the Scott Coker-led promotion. For a closer look at Caldwell's most recent technical submission victory over Joe Warren in the main event of“Bellator 151,” click here.

A native of Yona, Guam, Taimanglo has emerged as one of the most prolific bantamweight fighters in MMA. Having gone 13-2 over his last 15 bouts dating back to 2009, it’s difficult to find a fighter more consistent than “The Juggernaut.” Since signing with Bellator in 2013, Taimanglo has accumulated a 5-2 record including a current string of three consecutive victories. Standing at 5’4,” Taimanglo will once again be squaring off against a much taller opponent in the 5’10’’ Caldwell. Click here to see exclusive footage of Taimanglo’s unanimous decision win over Sirwan Kakai at “Bellator 151.”

As is usually the case when Bellator rolls through Kansas, Rickels will be the center of attention when he fights Guillard on July 22. “The Caveman” delivered the proverbial “Fight of the Night” back in February with a first-round knockout of Bobby Cooper during the co-main event of “Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Spartan.” A native of Derby, Kansas, Rickels will be making his 17th appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, a promotion with which he has accrued 11 victories over the course of a six-year period. The 27-year-old recently re-signed with the Scott Coker-led promotion, ensuring his exciting fighting style will be seen exclusively in the Bellator cage for years to come.

With 52 career fights under his belt, 33-year-old Melvin Guillard will have a lot to prove when he takes on “The Caveman.” Guillard seems to have made a full recovery from his brutally broken hand that occurred during his Bellator MMA debut last year. Throughout his MMA tenure, “The Young Assassin” has displayed a knack for ending fights early, with 23 of his 32 professional victories coming before reaching the judges’ scorecards. On July 22 the New Orleans native will have an opportunity to take down another experienced lightweight in Rickels and reassert himself as a top 155-pounder.

Updated "Bellator 159: Caldwell vs. Taimanglo" Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Darrion Caldwell (9-0) vs. Joe Taimanglo (22-6-1)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Co-Main Event: Dave Rickels (17-4, 1 NC) vs. Melvin Guillard (32-16-2, 2 NC)

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Manny Meraz (8-2) vs. Trey Ogden (4-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Harris (6-0) vs. Matt Foster (6-8)

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike's press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About Kansas Star Arena:

The Kansas Star Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility, is located just off Exit 33 on the Kansas Turnpike and is adjacent to the Kansas Star Casino. The 42,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Kansas Star Arena is south-central Kansas’ home for big-name national acts such as Journey, Pat Benatar, Championship Rodeo, mixed martial arts events and more. The Arena accommodates up to 6,500 guests for headliner events. In 2014, Midwest Gaming and Travel awarded the Kansas Star more than 25 honors in its annual Reader’s Choice Awards, including “Best Concert Venue” in the state of Kansas. For more information, visit kansasstarcasino.com. Connect with Kansas Star Arena at facebook.com/kansasstararena and www.kansasstarcasino.com/entertain/arena. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Boyd Gaming and Kansas Star Casino press releases are available at boydgaming.mediaroom.com.