The Bellator 253 lineup is filling out.
On Monday, a promotion official informed MMA Junkie of five fights including Raufeon Stots vs. Keith Lee and the return of “Baby Slice” Kevin Ferguson Jr., son of the late combat sports legend Kimbo Slice.
Bellator 253 takes place Thursday, Nov. 19 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The main card airs on CBS Sports Network after prelims on MMA Junkie.
Stots (14-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) vs. Lee (7-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) will take place on the main card, after Ferguson (3-2 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) battles Kaheem Murray in a lightweight fight on the prelims. The matchup was first reported by MMA reporter James Lynch on Sunday.
Stots, 31, most recently competed at Bellator 242 in July when he submitted previously-undefeated Cass Bell by third-round rear-naked choke. Seven weeks later at Bellator 245, Lee defeated Vinicius Zani by unanimous decision.
Ferguson and Murray (3-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) were scheduled to fight at Bellator 241 in March 2020. However, the event was canceled hours prior to its scheduled start time due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
Also on the prelims, Gaston Bolanos (5-3 MMA, 5-3 BMMA) fights Johnny Soto (3-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) at a 140-pound contract weight, Jaleel Willis (13-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) fights Mark Lemminger (11-2 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) at welterweight, and Marcus Surin (6-2 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) takes on Ricardo Seixas (9-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) at lightweight.
With the additions, the Bellator 253 lineup includes:
- Darrion Caldwell vs. A.J. McKee
- Joey Davis vs. Bobby Lee
- Keith Lee vs. Raufeon Stots
- Matt Bessette vs. Jeremy Kennedy
- Lance Gibson Jr. vs. Shane Krutchen
- Kevin Ferguson Jr. vs. Kaheem Murray
- Gaston Bolanos vs. Johnny Soto
- Mark Lemminger vs. Jaleel Willis
- Ricardo Seixas vs. Marcus Surin
Raufeon Stots vs. Keith Lee, ‘Baby Slice’ return among five fights added to Bellator 253
