Vinicius Queiroz returns to action this Friday against Ewerton Teixeira at Bellator 143. Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov will fight on the same night, but 7,200 miles away from Hidalgo, Texas.
Fighting for the first time since a 23-second knockout over Lavar Johnson in 2013, Queiroz hopes to earn a shot at the Bellator title with a win over the K-1 veteran, but is unsure it will happen.
Minakov, who takes on Geronimo dos Santos at Fight Nights Dagestan in Russia on Friday night, defended his title for the last time in April of 2014, and "Spartan" hopes the promotion creates an interim belt to keep the division going while the champion is out.