Joe Warren vs. Joe Taimanglo booked for Bellator 195

Joe Warren has his first fight set for 2018.

The three-time Bellator titleholder returns to action in a bantamweight bout vs. Joe Taimanglo at Bellator 195 on March 2 at the WinStar World Casino in Thackervile, Okla. Officials announced the bout on Friday’s Bellator 193 broadcast.

Warren, 41, has alternated wins and losses in his last seven bouts. He defeated Steve Garcia by unanimous decision at Bellator 181, his lone appearance for the promotion last year. Warren’s professional MMA record stands at 15-6 and he has held the Bellator featherweight and bantamweight championships, as well as an interim iteration of the latter.

A native of Guam, Taimanglo (23-8-1) is looking to stop a two-fight skid after dropping back-to-back unanimous decisions to Leandro Higo and current Bellator bantamweight king Darrion Caldwell. He upset Caldwell with a third-round guillotine choke submission in their first meeting at Bellator 159 before being outpointed in the rematch.

Bellator 195 is scheduled to feature Caldwell’s first title defense against Higo.