Two years after beating Eduardo Dantas to claim the Bellator bantamweight title, Joe Warren looks to do the same thing once more on Friday, in the same exact arena.For Warren (18-4), the self-proclaimed Baddest Man on the Planet, the sport is all about matchups, and he believes that history will repeat itself.I believe Im a terrible matchup for Dantas, Warren told ESPN.com. I think hes one of the best fighters in the world, but hes more of a point fighter. A jab and a kick is how hes going to win, and thats not how you beat me. Youre going to have to bring everything you have and dig deep into that trench to try to get me.Fridays Bellator 166 card resonates from the WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma, with Dantas (18-4) defending his 135-pound belt against the 40-year-old Warren (14-5).In their first meeting at Bellator 128 in October 2014, Dantas entered as the champion while Warren came in with an interim belt he picked up by defeating Rafael Silva, after Dantas suffered a head injury in training earlier in the year.The bout was hard-fought for 25 minutes, with Warren getting the nod on all three judges scorecards, 48-47. Warren relied on his Greco-Roman wrestling skills throughout, routinely absorbing a strike to secure a takedown. He was also able to neutralize multiple submission attempts from the Brazilian en route to becoming a two-division champion for Bellator.Warren went on to drop the belt in his next bout, a second-round submission loss to Marcos Galvao in March 2015. Three months later, Galvao was defeated by Dantas in their second fight at Bellator 156.Now, in Fridays rematch against Dantas, Warren looks to take the fight into deep waters, where he doesnt expect his opponent will want to go.Im just saying Dantas is ... hes a pretty boy fighter, man. He likes to win with his jabs and his kicks and not get hurt, not get hit, Warren said. Im not the person that you can do that with. Its going to have to be a drawn-out war that Im real comfortable in.Nine months after suffering a one-sided defeat to?Darrion Caldwell (9-1), one might be surprised to see Warren back in the title picture so soon. Especially considering Caldwells victory appeared to be a star-making performance for the 2009 NCAA champion, who rag-dolled Warren with a takedown before submitting him via rear-naked choke midway through Round 1.?But Caldwell was upset by Joe Taimanglo (who had missed weight) in their No. 1 contenders bout in July via third-round submission. The two will meet again in a rematch Saturday at Bellator 167, also taking place in Thackerville.?Warren believes his loss to Caldwell was largely caused by an early injury which threw him off his game.That first takedown, the first minute, I dislocated my kneecap and tore my MCL. I couldnt even stand up, Warren said. I was never in that situation in a fight and I was not sure what to do. I came up and when things go bad it goes real bad in that cage. I got body-slammed and choked out.Warren rested and rehabbed, which prevented him from attempting to qualify for the Olympics in Rio (something he called the saddest part of the injury). But he claims to be 100 percent, saying age isnt a factor because he doesnt think about it. He believes hes stronger, faster and smarter than he has ever been inside the cage, with the credit going to the training he receives at Phase IV Athletics with Robert Forster. Warrens training is all science based, and tailored specifically for his needs, focused more on recovery so he can be at his best on fight night.Warren was able to stamp his claim to top contender status by defeating Sirwan Kakai in September. In his first fight since the injury, Warren used his trademark wrestling and intensity to dictate where the fight took place. Warren landed a pair of strong knees to the face of Kakai, which led to a guillotine choke in the third round. It was a bloody and bruising fight for the former champion, something that he looks forward to imposing on Dantas.Id like to test who he is mentally, said Warren. Its a scary feeling when you have a man across from you in the cage that will never die. Custom Padres Jerseys . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. Cheap Custom Padres Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. http://www.custompadresjersey.com/ . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Authentic Custom Padres Jersey . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. Wholesale Custom Padres Shirts . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. ST .PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The World Series champion Kansas City Royals had another tough loss in what is shaping up as a disappointing season.Brad Miller hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Royals 3-2 on Thursday.Kansas City (51-57) split the four-game series after winning the first two games, and the loss dropped the Royals 11 games behind AL Central-leading Cleveland, which beat Minnesota 9-2.I know its frustrating to everybody, said Ian Kennedy, who allowed one hit in six-plus innings.Millers 19th homer was a drive off Joakim Soria (4-5), who gave up three of the Rays overall four hits during his one inning.Were lucky to have him, and it doesnt matter where plays, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. We know his bat plays.Kanas City dropped to 40-2 when ahead after seven innings.In my view it was a good pitch. . It was down in the zone, Soria said.Brad Boxberger (1-0) worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth, and Alex Colome got his 26th save in 27 chances despite giving up two hits during the ninth. Drew Smyly allowed two runs, five hits in seven innings and struck out 10.Bases loaded and one out. ... A tack-on run there is huge, Royals manger Ned Yost said of the eighth. I was hoping that wouldnt come back and haunt us, but it sure did.Kennedy walked four and had nine strikeouts. Alex Gordon hit his eighth home.The Rays are 8-25 against Kansas Cityy since the start of the 2012 season.ddddddddddddGordon had not homered or driven in a run in his previous 72 at-bats against left-handers this season before a two-run drive that put Kansas City ahead 2-0 in the fourth.Smyly has given up 23 homers, including six to left-handed hitters. He didnt allow a homer to a lefty last season.Kennedy entered tied with teammate Chris Young and Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey with a major league-high 26 homers allowed but hasnt given up a long ball in three consecutive starts.MLB SANCTIONRoyals DH Kendrys Morales received a one-game suspension and a fine for his actions following a ninth inning ejection, which included returning to the field, in Tuesday nights game. Morales appealed the ruling and started.FUTURE IN BLUE?Major League Baseball will hold a one-day free umpiring clinic for all ages at Tropicana Field Aug. 20. Baseball officials, including MLB umpire supervisor Charlie Reliford, will also be looking for scholarship candidates to attend a one-day pro mini-camp in December. Umpire Carlos Torres, who worked the Royals-Rays series, is a one-time camp participant that received an umpiring school scholarship.UP NEXTRoyals: RHP Dillon Gee (3-5) will face recently acquired Toronto LHP Francisco Liriano, who went 6-11 with Pittsburgh. ' ' '