Vitaly Minakov vs. Javy Ayala, Tyrell Fortune vs. Rudy Schaffroth added to Bellator 225

Two heavyweight bouts have been added to Bellator 225 in Bridgeport, Conn., on Aug. 24.

In the co-main event slot, former champion Vitaly Minakov is set to take on Javy Ayala, while Tyrell Fortune battles fellow undefeated prospect Rudy Schaffroth in a main card contest, sources told MMA Fighting on Tuesday. MMAjunkie and Sherdog first reported the news.

Minakov (21-1) recently suffered the first defeat of his professional career, losing a rematch to Cheick Kongo in a No. 1 contender bout in February. The fight marked his return to the promotion after a five-year, seven-fight run in Russia.

Ayala (11-7), who competes under the Bellator banner since 2013, is coming off a second-round knockout win over former UFC champion Frank Mir in December, bouncing back from defeats to Kongo and Roy Nelson.

Fortune built his perfect 6-0 record as a MMA fighter under the Bellator banner since Nov. 2016, including four TKO victories. In his last appearance in February, the former NCAA Division II national champion wrestler stopped Ryan Pokryfky in the first round.

Also unbeaten as a professional with six wins and one no contest, Schaffroth made his Bellator debut in July 2018 with a 42-second finish over Jon Hill. He came back four months later to score another first-round knockout, stopping Vernon Lewis with punches.

Headlined by a heavyweight showdown between veterans Matt Mitrione and Sergei Kharitonov, Bellator 225 will take place at the Webster Bank Arena. The card will also feature the debut of Nick Newell, taking on Corey Browning.