Ryan Scope vs. Martyn Harris booked for Bellator 200

Former BAMMA lightweight champion Ryan Scope will make his promotional debut on the preliminary card of Bellator 200 on May 25 in London against Martyn Harris.

Bellator confirmed the lightweight bout to MMA Fighting on Wednesday.

Bellator signed Scope (11-1) after his title winning performance against UFC veteran, Mickael Lebout, at BAMMA 33.

In his last fight before claiming the BAMMA strap, he suffered his only defeat when Welsh veteran, Lewis Long, submitted him in the first round of their M4TC welterweight title bout. Ahead of his Bellator signing, Scope was considered one of the best prospects in UK MMA.

Harris (4-4) registered two consecutive defeats for the first time when he met a resurgent Steve O’Keefe earlier this month at BAMMA 34. O’Keefe took the fight to the ground and submitted him in just over a minute.

Harris faced another highly touted UK prospect, Alex Lohore, earlier in his career. He retired in between the first and second rounds after finding himself on the end of a brutal combination of kicks, knee and punches in the dying embers of the opening round.