Valentin Moldavsky (right)(image via Bellator/Twitter)

By press release

BELLATOR MMA will return to the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. on Friday, August 11 for a star-studded event filled with high stakes matchups headlined by a clash between former Interim Welterweight Champion and No. 1-ranked contender Logan Storley (14-2) and No. 8-ranked Brennan Ward (17-6), who is amid one of the greatest comeback stories in all of MMA.

The main card of BELLATOR MMA 298: Storley vs. Ward will air LIVE on SHOWTIME on Friday, August 11 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT. The preliminary card begins at 5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT, and will air on the BELLATOR and SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channels, as well as the BELLATOR channel on Pluto TV.

Tickets for the event start with a special presale beginning Wednesday, May 24. The general on sale begins Thursday, May 25 and can be purchased at Sanford Pentagon Box Office & Ticketmaster.

Former Interim Heavyweight Champion Valentin Moldavsky (11-3, 1 NC) will run it back against No. 3-ranked Steve Mowry (10-0-1, 1 NC) in a consequential rematch of their meeting in Sioux Falls last August which ended in a ‘No Contest.’ At middleweight, undefeated rising star, and No. 4-ranked Dalton Rosta (8-0) will battle Canadian standout and No. 6-ranked Aaron Jeffery (13-4) in a matchup between two of the 185-pound division’s upper echelon. Rounding out the main card will be a Top 10 lightweight tilt between No. 6-ranked Sidney Outlaw (16-5) and Russia’s No. 7-ranked Islam Mamedov (22-2-1).

On the preliminary portion of the card, two of the featherweight division’s most entertaining standouts will vie for another milestone victory when unbeaten submission ace and No. 10-ranked Lucas Brennan (8-0) squares off with Brazil’s Weber Almeida (7-1). The preliminary portion of BELLATOR MMA 298 stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 6 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT.

Fresh off his emphatic knockout victory of Sabah Homasi in the first-ever BELLATOR fight broadcast on CBS, Brennan Ward (17-6) will get right back to business in Sioux Falls against the former Interim Welterweight Champion, Logan Storley. Ward, 34, has been a one-man wrecking crew since returning to the BELLATOR cage in this next chapter of his thrilling career. He draws Storley, his most consequential opponent since his layoff, on the strength of three straight second-round knockouts and plans to keep his unrivaled 100% finishing rate with the promotion intact on August 11.

Opposite of Ward will be Webster, South Dakota’s own Logan Storley (14-2). It will be a veritable homecoming for the four-time NCAA Division I All-American out of the University of Minnesota, as Storley’s lofty athletic accolades began with six South Dakota high school state championships. After a valiant effort in his rematch against divisional kingpin Yaroslav Amosov, the 30-year-old will look to get back on track in dominant fashion this August 11 against the surging Ward in his hometown.

Almost one year to the day — in the very same Sanford Pentagon — top-ranked heavyweight contenders Valentin Moldavsky (11-3, 1 NC) and Steve Mowry (10-0-1, 1 NC) will meet in a rematch of their initial No Contest. Since, both men have faced off with different contenders. Moldavsky, 31, came up short against Linton Vassell in a title eliminator, while 30-year-old Mowry fought to a draw against Olympic wrestler Ali Isaev at BELLATOR 290. While each of these two titanic competitors seek to right the ship, only one future title hopeful will walk away with his hand raised in Sioux Falls.

Two of BELLATOR’s most popular athletes, undefeated rising star Dalton Rosta and Canadian sensation Aaron Jeffery, will throw down in a bout with major implications for the middleweight division. Aptly nicknamed “Hercules,” the 27-year-old Rosta has muscled his way into the Top 5 with a string of dominant performances — including a Superman-punch knockout of wrestling great Romero Cotton. Meanwhile, the mullet-donning Aaron Jeffery (13-4) hopes to be the immovable object to Rosta’s unstoppable force. Already boasting a knockout of Austin Vanderford, Jeffery hopes snatching the ‘0’ from Rosta’s record will earn him a coveted title shot.

Originally slated to compete in the $1,000,000 BELLATOR Lightweight World Grand Prix, No. 5-ranked contender Sidney Outlaw will kick off his 2023 campaign against Russia’s Islam Mamedov on the SHOWTIME-televised main card this August 11. Having won eleven of his last thirteen, the 31-year-old Philadelphian hopes to continue overcoming obstacles and re-establish himself as one of the top dogs in the 155-pound division with a victory over the battle-tested Mamedov. At 34, Mamedov’s lone blemish in nearly a decade and a half came by split decision to Benson Henderson, a certain face on the lightweight division’s Mt. Rushmore. Having won his last two fights on top of a decision victory over ex-champ Brent Primus, Mamedov looks to catch this Outlaw at the Sanford Pentagon.

Closing out today’s announcements, two top featherweight up-and-comers in Lucas Brennan and Weber Almeida will go toe-to-toe in an intriguing stylistic matchup. Despite being just 22 years of age, Brennan’s 8-0 record and seven finishes best demonstrate his advanced fight IQ and poise inside the BELLATOR cage. A tenacious grappler who aggressively hunts the finish, Brennan has been flawless on his way to being ranked the promotion’s No. 10 contender by the independent rankings panel. A karate black belt under the legendary Lyoto Machida, Almeida will be doubly incentivized to keep the fight standing this August 11. The high-flying 35-year-old will seek to hand Brennan his first loss as the Brazilian standout looks for his third straight victory.

Stay tuned for more news about this exciting event.

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BELLATOR MMA 298: STORLEY VS. WARD MAIN CARD:

SHOWTIME

Friday, August 11 — 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT

Welterweight Main Event: #1-Logan Storley (14-2) vs. #8-Brennan Ward (17-6)

Heavyweight Feature Bout: #2-Valentin Moldavsky (11-3, 1 NC) vs. #3-Steve Mowry (10-0-1, 1 NC)

Middleweight Feature Bout: #4-Dalton Rosta (8-0) vs. #6-Aaron Jeffery (13-4)

Lightweight Feature Bout: #6-Sidney Outlaw (16-5) vs. #7-Islam Mamedov (22-2-1)

BELLATOR MMA 298: STORLEY VS. WARD PRELIMINARY CARD:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV

5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT

Featherweight Bout: #10- Lucas Brennan (7-0) vs. Weber Almeida (7-1)