Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho will make his first title defense this May at Bellator 155 against Melvin Manhoef.
The event, which airs live on Spike TV, takes place May 20 from the CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho. The fight announcement was made recently by officials.
Carvalho (12-1) won the belt when he finished Brandon Halsey last year in one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. The 29-year-old connected with a body kick, earning his 12th straight win and improving to 4-0 with Bellator.
In Manhoef, he’ll face a veteran of the sport. “No Mercy” is 30-12-1 overall and coming off a knockout of Hisaki Kato.
The card will also feature Pat Curran, a former Bellator featherweight champion, taking on Georgi Karakhanyan in the co-main event.
