Neiman Gracie, Goiti Yamauchi to fight at Bellator 284

Neiman Gracie and Goiti Yamauchi will square off in a five-round welterweight clash in the main event on Bellator 284 on Aug. 12.

The California-based promotion announced the booking on Wednesday. Bellator 284 takes place at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., and will also see former interim heavyweight champion Valentin Moldavsky lock horns with Steve Mowry in another main card bout, while ex-flyweight queen Ilima-Lei Macfarlane faces Bruna Ellen. The evening’s main draw airs on Showtime beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

One preliminary bout was also confirmed, as Weber Almeida will meet Ilias Bulaid at featherweight. Prelims will air on the Showtime Sports YouTube channel, the Bellator MMA YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Gracie appeared in the first non-title, five-round main even in promotion history this past February, when he dropped a unanimous decision to Logan Storley at Bellator 274. After beginning his professional tenure with nine straight triumphs, Gracie has lost three of his last five under the Bellator banner, with other defeats coming at the hands of Jason Jackson and Rory MacDonald.

Yamauchi was successful in his 170-pound debut, as he submitted Levan Chokheli with an armbar in the opening round of their Bellator 279 showdown. The 29-year-old has been victorious in five of his last six Bellator appearances while primarily competing at lightweight.