James Gallagher now faces James Gonzalez at Bellator 298

James Gallagher’s new opponent for his August matchup in the Bellator cage is set.

Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed to MMA Fighting that Gallagher will now face James Gonzalez at Bellator 298. The event takes place Aug. 11 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Gonzalez will replace Cris Lencioni, who suffered cardiac arrest earlier this month, according to his wife Marca in a social media post.

Gallagher will finally step back in the cage after a pair of withdrawals since his most recent loss to Patchy Mix at Bellator 270 in November 2021. Prior to that, “The Strabanimal” racked up four straight victories, three by submission.

Gonzalez, a former CFFC champion, enters the matchup with victories in four of six, including handing Cody Law his first pro loss at Bellator 282 in June 2022. In his most recent outing, Gonzalez dropped a unanimous decision to Aaron Pico at April’s Bellator 295 event.

Bellator 298 will be headlined by a welterweight bout between Logan Storley and Brennan Ward.