A hand injury has limited the two-time Bellator featherweight champion to one bout appearance in the past two years, and Straus (25-7) is hoping that Friday’s fight with Emmanuel Sanchez (15-3) at Bellator 184 signals a return to a more consistent schedule. Straus competed three times in 2015 before being sidelined with a major hand injury.
Straus successfully underwent surgery, but the time away meant that he was unable to capitalize on finally overcoming the hurdle that was Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, an opponent who had twice defeated Straus before the 33-year-old Ohioan was able to take a unanimous decision over him on Nov.