Veta Arteaga and Desiree Yanez matched up again, will fight at Bellator 257

Bellator is giving Veta Arteaga vs. Desiree Yanez another try.

The women’s flyweight fight has once again been scheduled, this time for April 16 on the Bellator 257 preliminary card. The fight was originally booked for Bellator 250 in October. However, Arteaga (5-4 MMA, 4-4 BMMA) withdrew the day of the fight due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Bellator  257 takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena and airs on Showtime.

Arteaga, 33, rides a two-fight losing skid into the fight. In April 2019 at Bellator 220, Arteaga’s two-fight winning streak was snapped in a title challenge against Ilima-Lei Macfarlane. The fight was stopped in Round 3 due to a gash on Arteaga’s forehead. She returned in December 2019 and lost a unanimous decision to Alejandra Lara.

As for Yanez (5-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), Bellator 257 will mark her promotional debut. The 31-year-old fighter enters Bellator with career wins in Combate Americas and LFA among victories under other promotional banners.

With the addition, the Bellator 257 lineup includes:

• Champion Vadim Nemkov vs. Phil Davis – for Bellator light heavyweight title, grand prix quarterfinal
• Anthony Johnson vs. Yoel Romero – grand prix quarterfinal
• Aiden Lee vs. Aaron Pico
• Sabah Homasi vs. Paul Daley
• Veta Arteaga vs. Desiree Yanez