Bellator 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 is an upcoming mixed martial arts event scheduled for May 21, 2021 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, United States.
Fight Card
Main Card (Showtime)
Women's Featherweight Cris Cyborg (c) vs. Leslie Smith Women's Featherweight Championship
Bantamweight Darrion Caldwell vs. Leandro Higo
Light Heavyweight Christian Edwards vs. Ben Parrish
Welterweight Jaleel Willis vs. Maycon Mendonça
Middleweight Austin Vanderford vs. Fabian Edwards
Preliminary Card
Lightweight Saad Awad vs. Nate Andrews
Light Heavyweight Grant Neal vs. Tyree Fortune
Women's Flyweight Sumiko Inaba vs. Kristina Katsikis
Lightweight Aviv Gozali vs. Sean Felton
Women's Flyweight Valerie Loureda vs. Hannah Guy
Heavyweight Davion Franklin vs. Tyler King
Women's Featherweight Leah McCourt vs. Janay Harding
Bantamweight Brett Johns vs. Danny Sabatello
Lightweight Alfie Davis vs. Alexander Shabliy
Background
The event is expected to feature a Bellator Women's Featherweight Championship bout between the champion Cris Cyborg and Leslie Smith. They previously met at UFC 198, which was Cyborg's UFC debut, where she won by TKO in the first round.
A bantamweight bout between Brett Johns and Matheus Mattos was announced as part of the event.On May 13, it was announced that Mattos had pulled out from the bout after contracting COVID-19 and was replaced by Former Titan FC Bantamweight Champion Danny Sabatello.
A middleweight contest between the #3 ranked Austin Vanderford and #4 ranked Fabian Edwards is expected to take place at the event.
Former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Darrion Caldwell was announced make his return to bantamweigh against Leandro Higo on the main card.
A women's flyweight bout between Valerie Loureda and Hannah Guy was set for Bellator 258, but was moved to this event.
A lightweight bout between Alfie Davis and Alexander Shabliy was scheduled to take place at the event.
Two additional lightweight bouts were added to the preliminary portion of the card, as Saad Awad was scheduled to take on Nate Andrews, while Aviv Gozali was scheduled to fight Sean Felton.
A women's featherweight bout between Leah McCourt and Janay Harding were likewise added to the preliminary fights.
Two ranked light heavyweights, the #8 ranked Tyree Fortune and #6 ranked Grant Neal, were scheduled to fight on the prelims.
A lightweight bout between Georgi Karakhanyan and Adam Piccolotti was expected to take place at this event. However, Piccolotti pulled out due to injury. A replacement is being sought.