Rafael Dias-Ran Weathers Headlines BXC ‘The Rise’ Stream on Sherdog.com

---

American Top Team’s Rafael Dias will lock horns with Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts representative Ran Weathers in the Battle Xtreme Championship “The Rise” headliner on Saturday at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. The event streams live on Sherdog.com at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

A Bellator Fighting Championships, World Extreme Cagefighting and International Fight League veteran, Dias (15-9-2) last appeared at Bellator 58 in November, when he succumbed to a first-round arm-triangle choke from former Sengoku featherweight champion Marlon Sandro. The 32-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has secured 10 of his 15 career victories by submission.

Weathers (16-11) has lost seven of his past 10 bouts. The 30-year-old journeyman last competed under the Cedartown Beatdown banner in April, when he took a unanimous decision from Sean Dyer and threw the brakes on a three-fight losing streak. Weathers has proven notoriously durable throughout his career, as nine of his 11 professional defeats have come by decision. Wins over “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 14 winner Diego Brandao and WEC veteran Phil Cardella anchor his resume.

In the co-main event, undefeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann will square off with Bellator veteran Anita Rodriquez in a women’s bantamweight showcase.

A decorated amateur wrestler, the 31-year-old McMann (5-0) has not competed since January, when she defeated Hitomi Akano by unanimous decision at ProElite 3 in Hawaii. Rodriguez (5-3), a Phalanx MMA Academy export, will enter the matchup having lost two of her last three fights.

Battle Xtreme Championship “The Rise”
Saturday, June 16
MassMutal Center
Springfield, Mass.

Rafael Dias vs. Ran Weathers
Sara McMann vs. Anita Rodriguez
Drew McFedries vs. Brad Johnson
Rory Markham vs. Jon Kirk
Ramico Blackmon vs. Chris Davis
Alexandre Moreno vs. Trevor Smith
Rafael Rebello vs. Bobby Huron
Kym Sturdivant vs. Robby Roberts
Kevin Axline vs. Pat Early