One of Bellator’s most recent big-name roster signings has come in the form of kickboxing star featherweight, Robin Van Roosmalen (2-0 MMA, 51-18 KB) as was announced by Bellator President, Scott Coker on May 28.
The Body Lock has confirmed with sources following an initial report from Babrants Dagblad that Roosmalen will be welcomed to the cage by Cris “Sunshine” Lencioni (5-2) on October 26 at Bellator 232 in Uncasville, Connecticut.
For the 29-year-old Dutchman in Roosmalen, this will be his third career bout in MMA after two prior successful knockout wins that came in 2016 and most recently, 2017. As for his most recent fight overall, that came in September 2018 when he suffered a unanimous decision loss in his kickboxing rematch with Petpanomrung Kiatmuu9 at Glory 59.
The former Glory featherweight and lightweight champion also owns a black belt in Judo thus making this matchup with the grappling savvy “Sunshine” all the more interesting.
Lencioni, 25, made his Bellator debut in December 2017 when he earned a quick triangle choke submission victory over Thomas Lopez at Bellator 189 in just one minute and 39 seconds.
Unfortunately for the American Top Team: Portland standout, his first two career losses would consecutively follow the biggest win of his still very young career.
However, since getting back into the cage earlier this year at Bellator 221, Lencioni is back to his winning ways as he dispatched of Adil Benjilany with yet another opening-round triangle.
One month later and the Sunshine Athletics & Fabiano Scherner Jiu-Jitsu co-founder picked up another win. But this time it was in the grappling world as he defeated Chad McKinney by decision at Fight 2 Win 114. Not long after that, Lencioni and his tag team partner out of ATT: PDX, John Simon, would earn a 3 submissions to none victory at Submission Underground 9 over Team Solid Base. Lencioni scored all three of his team’s submissions.
Just this past Saturday night, he added yet another submission win to his winning streak at Seizon Grappling 1. He would defeat his opponent, Sam Hardy, with a one-armed kimura.
As for the rest of Bellator 232, it is still taking shape. But sitting atop everything will be the highly anticipated welterweight title rematch of the welterweight Grand Prix finals as champion, Rory MacDonald looks to once again beat “The Phenom,” Douglas Lima.
Directly preceding that is an exciting welterweight clash between Paul Daley and Sabah Homasi.