Chris Honeycutt knows he has a tremendous opportunity before him this Friday night when he co-headlines Bellator 189 vs. Rafael Lovato Jr.
Honeycutt, who has won four in a row to improve his record to 10-1 overall, could make a big statement in the middleweight division with a victory over Lovato.
Earlier this year, “The Cutt” finished off Kevin Casey in the second round, securing his first stoppage win since 2015.
That was a rough year for Honeycutt, his first fight with Paul Bradley was declared a no-contest due to an accidental headbutt. At the start of 2016, the two met again, with Bradley handing him his first – and only to date – loss.
But Honeycutt, a former two-time NCAA Div. I All-American wrestler who trains at the Dethrone Base Camp under Josh Koscheck, rebounded. He picked up three decision wins over Matt Secor, Mikkel Parlo and Ben Reiter, putting him in a prime position.
It isn’t going to be an easy night for Honeycutt, though, as Lovato was the third American to ever win the World Jiu Jitsu Championship as a black belt. He has scored several gold, silver and bronze medals competing at various championships since 2007.
The Bellator middleweight division is currently ruled by Rafael Carvalho, who defends his belt against Alessio Sakara at Bellator 190 next month. A win over Lovato could position Honeycutt near the top of the list in 2018 for a shot at the belt.
