UNDEFEATED NEIMAN GRACIE CHALLENGES 30-FIGHT VETERAN RUDY BEARS IN CATCHWEIGHT BOUT
SANTA MONICA, CALIFÓRNIA (Outubro 6, 2016) –Two of Bellator’s highly touted wrestling prospects E Ruth e Tyrell Fortune will make their eagerly anticipated mixed martial arts debuts against Mark Mangiardi (Estréia) e Cody Miskell (Estréia) during the stacked card of "Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis" em Novembro 4 no Mohegan Sun Arena em Uncasville, Conn.
Além, Neiman Gracie (4-0) will look to remain undefeated to begin his professional career in a catchweight bout against Rudy Bears (16-14). All three of these contests will air on the Bellator.com-streamed preliminary card beginning at 7:50 p.m. E/5:50 p.m. CT.
The newly announced tilts complete a card headlined by a light heavyweight world title fight that pits champion Liam McGeary (11-0) contra Phil Davis (16-3). No co-main event, um pitting de confronto meio-médio Você Awad (19-8) contra Brennan Ward (13-4) will go down, while a heavyweight bout between Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) e Javy “Eye Candy” Ayala (9-5) will also be featured on the main card. Por fim, Paul Daley (38-14-2) and the always-exciting Derek Anderson (14-2) faceoff in a welterweight clash, while female featherweights Marloes Coenen (23-7) e Talita Nogueira (6-0) round out the live and free action on SPIKE.
Os ingressos para "Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis " já estão à venda em Bellator.com, as well as the Mohegan Sun Box Office and Ticketmaster. The event can be seen live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. E/8 p.m. CT, enquanto a ação preliminar será transmitida no Bellator.com e no aplicativo Bellator Mobile.
When looking up the word “prospect” in the dictionary, there should be a photo of Ed Ruth placed next to the definition. The three-time national champion joined a plethora of blue-chip amateur wrestling prospects on the Bellator MMA roster last year and now will make his long-awaited debut at 185-pounds on Nov. 4. An attendee of the world-renown Blair Academy in Susquehanna Township, PA, where he was the top-ranked recruit in the nation for his weight class, Ruth elected to stay local and attend wrestling powerhouse Penn State University where he went on to add three National Championships and four All-American accolades to his trophy room while wrestling with the Nittany Lions. Agora, Ruth’s chase for mixed martial arts gold begins –
Fighting out of Pennsylvania, Mark Mangiardi will have his hands full when he makes his professional debut against Ruth. With four amateur bouts already under his belt, the 28-year-old has tasted competition on the MMA scene unlike his Novembro. 4 adversário. With his first sanctioned bout taking place in 2012, this will be the first bout outside of his home state of Pennsylvania.
Another one of Scott Coker’s high profile wrestling signings, Fortune attended high school at Lakeridge in Oregon, where he won state championships in nearly every national age-group in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. The accolades didn’t stop there, with Fortune accepting an offer to wrestle at Ohio State University, before ultimately settling in at the highly acclaimed Grand Canyon Universities program. Since graduating college, Fortune represented Team USA in Olympic style wrestling, where he also experienced success. Splitting time between wrestling training in Arizona alongside fellow “Bellator 163” competitor Ed Ruth and mixed martial arts training with the Blackzilians in Florida, Fortune has spent a great deal of time honing his striking talents and submission defense.
Miskell has competed in both heavyweight and super heavyweight contests during his seven-fight amateur stint, acumulando um recorde de 5-2. Agora, the Kentucky native – who’s finished each of victories – looks to parlay his success into a run under the bright lights of Bellator MMA’s heavyweight division. It’s safe to say that Miskell’s wrestling pedigree will be challenged early and often when he meets Fortune during the Bellator.com-streamed prelims.
The Gracie name is synonymous with the sport of mixed martial arts, and once again another Gracie will now take center stage for Bellator MMA. This time it is Royce Gracie’s cousin Neiman, who will compete for the third time under the promotion’s banner. After beginning his career with back-to-back submission victories, Gracie made his Bellator MMA debut at “Bellator 134,” where he defeated Bobby Flynn with a first round submission. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt followed up the win with a win over Roger Carroll, and now looks to remain undefeated when he enters the Mohegan Sun Arena for the second time of his budding MMA career.
A 37-year-old Missouri native, Bears began his combat sports training in high school. Lutando profissionalmente desde 2007, Bears has appeared eight times previously under the Bellator MMA banner and now returns to the promotion after his appearance against Michael Page em "Bellator 140: Koreshkov vs. Lima.” Nicknamed “Bad News,” Bears has competed against MMA notables the likes of Zak Cummings, Paul Daley, Jason alta, Ryan Jensen, Isaac Vallie-Flagg and Tyron Woodley, and the aforementioned “MVP.”
Complete "Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis” Main Card:
Luta pelo título mundial de meio-pesado: Liam McGeary (11-0) vs. Phil Davis (16-3)
Evento Principal Co-Principal: Você Awad (19-8) vs. Brennan Ward (13-4)
Luta de recursos de peso médio: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Derek Anderson (14-2)
Luta de recursos pesados: Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) vs. Javy Ayala (9-5)
Luta preliminar peso pena: Marloes Coenen (23-7) vs. Talita Nogueira (6-0)
Complete Preliminary Card:
Luta preliminar do peso médio: E Ruth (Estréia) vs. Mark Mangiardi (Estréia)
Luta preliminar de peso pesado: Tyrell Forune (Estréia) vs. Cody Miskell (Estréia)
Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Neiman Gracie (4-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-14)
Luta preliminar de peso pesado: Josh Diekmann (15-7, 1 NC) vs. Tyler Rei (11-4)
Luta preliminar peso pena: Blair Tugman (8-6) vs. Walter Smith-Cotito (4-4, 1 NC)
Luta preliminar do peso médio: Michael Zichelle (8-4) vs. Tim Caron (5-0)
Luta preliminar peso meio-médio: Ilya Kotau (1-1) vs. Carlos Corriea (1-0)
Luta Preliminar de Peso Mosca: Sarah Pagar (1-3) vs. Hannah Regina (Estréia)
Luta preliminar peso meio-médio: Keenan Raymond (3-3) vs. Kastroit Xhema (Estréia)
Luta preliminar peso pena: Thomas English (6-6) vs. Christopher Foster (9-4)
Luta preliminar peso meio-médio: James Boran (6-0) vs. Vinícius de Jesus (4-1)