Zach Makovsky set to make first defense
Bellator Fighting Championships bantamweight titleholder Zach Makovsky will make the first defense of his belt April 13 against Season 5 tournament winner Eduardo Dantas, the promotion announced Friday.
The fight will be at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., and air on MTV2 at 8 p.m. ET.
"Our bantamweight division has been electrifying and had provided some of the best Bellator moments," promotion chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney said. "Zach and Eduardo are two of the greatest bantamweights in MMA today, so this should be a really spectacular fight."
Makovsky (14-2) has won two nontitle bouts since winning the Season 3 bantamweight tournament in October 2010 and being named Bellator's first 135-pound champion.
He enters the cage in April riding an eight-fight win streak. Despite his success, Makovsky believes he has a lot more room for improvement.
"I want to dominate everyone I compete against, but at the same time, I don't feel like I have to make any kind of statement," Makovsky said. "I just want to continue getting better and do the best I can every time I enter the cage."
Dantas has won six straight fights. He has a professional record of 13-2.
In a welterweight bout, former champion Lyman Good returns to action for the first time in more than a year when he faces LeVon Maynard.
Franklin McNeil covers mixed martial arts and boxing for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Franklin_McNeil.
- MMA columnist for ESPN.com
- Analyst for "MMA Live"
- Covered MMA/Boxing for The Star-Ledger
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