 Background

The event marked the third event in Bellator's European series, with the Bellator London portion of the card airing on Channel 5 in the UK, including the five-round middleweight title fight between current champ Gegard Mousasi and Rafael Lovato Jr.The five fights billed as Bellator 223 will take place on Paramount Network and DAZN, with the headlining bout featuring Paul Daley and Erick Silva in a welterweight contest.The event featured a Bellator Middleweight World Championship bout between Gegard Mousasi and Rafael Lovato Jr.

Melvin Manhoef returned to action for the first time since 2017 at the event, facing England's Kent Kauppinen.