Former UFC title challengers Liz Carmouche and Cat Zingano set to make MMA returns at Bellator 256

As Bellator gets set to kick off 2021 on Showtime, Cat Zingano and Liz Carmouche are ready to make their sophomore appearances in the promotion.

Monday, it was revealed via ESPN that former UFC bantamweight title challenger turned Bellator featherweight, Cat Zingano, will be welcoming Olivia Parker to the promotion at Bellator 256 on April 9. Also taking place in the Mohegan Sun Arena that night will be the long-awaited debut of former Invicta FC flyweight champion, Vanessa Porto, who is welcomed by Liz Carmouche, reported FanSided.

Zingano (11-4) made her promotional debut last September with a dominant win over Gabby Holloway by unanimous decision. A few months prior at Invicta 40, Parker (4-1) suffered the first loss of her career in just 65 seconds when Chelsea Chandler submitted her by rear-naked choke.

As for Carmouche (14-7) and Porto (22-8), the former made their Bellator debut the night after Zingano when taking on DeAnna Bennett. A former UFC bantamweight and flyweight title challenger, Carmouche would rebound off of her loss to Valentina Shevchenko by submitted Bennett in round three of their contest – Carmouche’s first finish since 2013 when TKOing future strawweight champion Jessica Andrade.

Porto, on the other hand, enters in off a run as Invicta champion riding a solid four-fight winning streak. Her most recent win came in November 2019 over Karina Rodriguez in what would have been a five-round title tilt had Rodriguez not missed weight.

The full lineup for the second Bellator event of the year can be seen below.

• Light Heavyweight – 205lbs: Ryan Bader vs. Lyoto Machida
• Light Heavyweight: Corey Anderson vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov
• Featherweight – 145lbs: Julia Budd vs. Dayana Silva
• Featherweight: Jeremy Kennedy vs. Ádám Borics
• Featherweight: Cat Zingano vs. Olivia Parker
• Flyweight – 125lbs: Diana Avsaragova vs. Tara Graff
• Lightweight – 155lbs: Nainoa Dung vs. Izzy William
• Middleweight – 185bs: Dalton Rosta vs. Tony Johnson
• Bantamweight – 135lbs: Cass Bell vs. Jornel Lugo
• Bantamweight: Jaylon Bates vs. Jeffrey Glossner
• Featherweight: Talita Nogueira vs. Jessica Borga
• Featherweight: Cody Law vs. Nathan Ghareeb
• Flyweight: Liz Carmouche vs. Vanessa Porto