Bellator 285 adds Albrektsson vs. Moore, Poclit vs. Schiro to Dublin lineup

The lineup for Bellator’s return to Ireland this fall continues to grow with the addition of two more fights.

Sweden’s Karl Albrektsson (13-3 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) will take on Ireland’s Karl Moore (9-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) in a light heavyweight bout at Bellator 285. And at welterweight, Dante Schiro (8-3 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) will take on Luca Poclit (6-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), an SBG Ireland fighter who will make his Bellator debut on his home turf. The promotion announced the two new matchups Thursday.

Bellator 285 takes place Sept. 23 at 3Arena in Dublin. The main card will air on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Albrektsson will bring a four-fight winning streak to the bout. He has toggled back and forth between Superior Challenge in Sweden and Bellator for those bouts. His two Bellator wins are decisions over Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov this past October and Viktor Nemkov in April 2021. The three losses in Albrektsson’s career have all been to either former champions or future champions: former Bellator titleholder Phil Davis (2019), current UFC champ Jiri Prochazka (2017) and then-future interim Bellator champ Valentin Moldavsky (2016).

Moore is a former Cage Warriors champion who return to the Bellator cage for his first fight in three years. His most recent bout came at Bellator 227 in front of his home-country fans in Dublin in September 2019. HE took a split decision from Lee Chadwick in that bout, but hasn’t fought since then.

With the additions, the Bellator 285 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (Showtime, 4 p.m. ET)

• Benson Henderson vs. Peter Queally
• Melvin Manhoef vs. Yoel Romero
• James Gallagher vs. Brett Johns
• Mads Burnell vs. Pedro Carvalho
• Leah McCourt vs. Dayana Silva

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 12:30 p.m. ET)

• Ciaran Clarke vs. Georges Sasu
• Brian Moore vs. Arivaldo Lima Silva
• Karl Albrektsson vs. Karl Moore
• Darragh Kelly vs. Kye Stevens
• Georgi Karakhanyan vs. Kane Mousah
• Alex Bodnar vs. Kenny Mokhonoana
• Luca Poclit vs. Dante Schiro