Valerie Loureda set to return at Bellator 238 after reality show stint

After putting her fighting career on pause to participate in a reality show, undefeated Valerie Loureda will return to action this month at Bellator 238.

A women’s flyweight matchup between Loureda (2-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) and Tara Gaff (1-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) is targeted for the Jan. 25 card, two people with knowledge of the booking told MMA Junkie on Monday. The people wished to remain anonymous because contracts have not been signed but are expected to be.

The fight will be part of the Bellator 238 prelims, which stream on MMA Junkie prior to the main card on DAZN from The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

Loureda, 21, last competed at Bellator 222 in June, where she earned a unanimous decision over Larkyn Dasch in her second professional bout. The taekwondo specialist, who trains out of American Top Team, then took a spot on the Telemundo reality show competition “Exatlon Estados Unidos.”

Graf, 33, meanwhile, will make her promotional debut at Bellator 238. “The Tiny Terror” hasn’t fought since November 2018, when she suffered her lone career loss.

The current Bellator 238 lineup includes:

• Champ Julia Budd vs. Cris Cyborg – for women’s featherweight title
• Adam Borics vs. Darrion Caldwell
• Alfred Khashakyan vs. Sergio Pettis
• Dillon Danis vs. Kegan Gennrich
• Juan Archuleta vs. Henry Corrales
• Aaron Pico vs. Daniel Carey
• Mario Navarro vs. Jay Jay Wilson
• Khonry Gracie vs. Hector Saldana
• David Pacheco vs. Craig Plaskett
• Brandon Bender vs. Joshua Jones
• Dominic Clark vs. Ricardo Seixas Filho
• Tyler Beneke vs. Jarrett Connor
• AJ Agazarm vs. Adel Altamimi
• Curtis Millender vs. Moses Murrietta
• Chris Avila vs. Anthony Taylor
• Raymond Daniels vs. Jason King
• Tara Graff vs. Valerie Loureda