Romanian veteran Ion Pascu (17-7) has competed for some of the biggest promotions in Europe. With fights in BAMMA, ACB, Cage Warriors and UCMMA, it appears as though Pascu is being lined up for a world title match in BAMMA after he was lined up against recent Welterweight Champion Alex Lohore on BAMMA 35 on May 12th.
After a two-fight win streak for the promotion in 2017, it made sense to give Pascu the opportunity to raise his profile in a showcase fight.
However, things got weird when just hours later, Pascu was slated to fill in for Laszlo Furko against Bellator golden boy Ed Ruth at Bellator 196. This event, which takes place in Budapest, Hungary, takes place just 36 days before BAMMA 35.
There appears to be a conflict of interests, as it’s not uncommon for a fighter to be ruled out of action for more than 36 days. Another variable to consider is that Ed Ruth has topped all 4 of his previous opponents before the third round. A knockout loss for Pascu would almost definitely write off his challenge of Alex Lohore the following month.
It’s currently unclear if BAMMA and Bellator were in contact over the scheduling conflict, or if Ion Pascu even intends on competing at both events, but the situation is particularly strange when you consider that both fight announcements are made under 24 hours of one another. BAMMA had already invested in the artwork for its announcement, and with Alex Lohore being one of the most notable competitors on the BAMMA roster, it’s a confusing situation as it currently stands.
Bellator 196 takes place on April 6th in Budapest, Hungary, and is main evented by former UFC standouts Ben Henderson and Roger Huerta.
BAMMA 35 will go down in Dublin, Ireland on May 12th, with no headline currently announced.
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