PREVIEW: John Salter set for Bellator 181 bout Friday
Published 1:23 pm Thursday, July 13, 2017
- Gardendale alum John Salter following his first round win over Brandon Halsey in the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. Salter now holds a professional MMA record of 13-3.
A win would improve his Bellator MMA record to 4-0.
Former Gardendale wrestler John Salter (13-3)—a title contender in Bellator’s middleweight division—will be back in the cage on Friday. He’ll stand opposite a tall task at Bellator 181 from WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
Kendall Grove enters the bout with an MMA record of 23-16. The 6-foot-6 Hawaiian has won four of his seven Bellator fights, and brings a five-inch height advantage into the ring.
Salter, a winner in his last four conflicts, is no stranger to top-tier competition. The Gardendale native left Florence, Italy with a round-one TKO over Claudio Annicchiarico (0-3) on December 10.
“I’m the best 185-fighter in Bellator and I’m ready for my title shot next,” said Salter after his win in Italy. “On the ground, I’m the best there is in the division so when I put them on their back, I’m going to stop them.”
Before that he finished former Bellator champion Brandon Halsey (9-3) with a triangle choke in the first round of a Bellator 156 fight last June. Bellator 181 will be televised live on Spike TV at 8 p.m. Friday, July 14.
Erik Harris is the Sports Editor of The North Jefferson News. Email him at njnsports@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jeharris2.
