Category Archives: Bellator

MMA STAR HECTOR LOMBARD SIGNS WITH BARE KNUCKLE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Cuban Olympian & UFC Veteran Looks to Conquer
BKFC Light Heavyweight Division

PHILADELPHIA (October 8, 2019) – Former Olympian and UFC standoutHector Lombard has become the latest fighter to sign with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) as he looks to make his mark in the biggest and best bare knuckle fights that the sport has to offer.
 
Lombard is the first-ever Olympian to sign with BKFC, having represented Cuba in judo in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
 
“I’ve wanted to fight for this amazing organization for a while and I’m excited that it’s all come together,” said Lombard, who will compete in the 185-pound light heavyweight division. “Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is the next level of fighting and I am glad to be part of it.”
 
“Hector Lombard is one of the most devastating punchers in MMA history and we are looking for Hector to make a huge splash with BKFC,” said BKFC founder and president David Feldman. “As a fan, I cannot wait to see how Hector does in the squared circle. He’s exciting and explosive. This is an incredible signing.”
 
Lombard also holds the distinction of being the first Bellator champion to sign with BKFC. He was the inaugural Bellator middleweight champion, winning the title in 2009. Lombard went 8 – 0 in Bellator with seven finishes, including a six-second knockout of UFC veteran Jay Silva in May of 2010.
 
Lombard relinquished the Bellator middleweight championship in 2012, when he moved to the UFC. In the UFC, Lombard fought a total of 12 times, recording notable knockout wins against Rousimar Palhares and Nate Marquardt.
 
In his professional MMA career, Lombard tallied 34 wins, 22 of which have come by knockout or TKO. He is regarded as one of the hardest punching middleweights and welterweights in MMA history.
 
Lombard is from Cuba and moved to Australia after the 2000 Summer Olympics. He now lives in Florida.
 
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OFFICIAL BELLATOR 229: KORESHKOV VS. LARKIN FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS

Complete Fight Night Photos



 Bellator 229: Koreshkov vs. Larkin Main Card

Lorenz Larkin (21-7, 1 NC) defeated Andrey Koreshkov (22-4) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Goiti Yamauchi (24-4) defeated Saad Awad (23-12) via submission (armbar) at 1:40 of round one

Keri Taylor Melendez (4-0) defeated Mandy Polk (6-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Tony Johnson (8-2) defeated Joe Schilling (4-6) via KO (punches) at 2:07 of round three

 

Preliminary Card

Salim Mukhidinov (7-3) defeated Adel Altamimi (8-6) via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26, 30-27)

Anatoly Tokov (29-2) defeated Hracho Darpinyan (17-9-2) via TKO at 4:38 of round two

Derek Anderson (16-3, 1 NC) defeated Guilherme “Bomba” (10-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Joey Davis (6-0) defeated Jeff Peterson (10-8) via KO (flying knee) at 1:00 of round one

Johnny Eblen (6-0) defeated Mauricio Alonso (13-8, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Vladimir Tokov (5-0) defeated Brandon Hastings (6-4) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Jordan Newman (2-0) defeated Riley Miller (0-1) via TKO at 4:28 of round one

Kelvin Gentapanan (1-0) defeated Sunni Imhotep (2-0) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Jay-Jay Wilson (4-0) defeated Jorge Juarez (4-2) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:33 of round one

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

  

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UNDEFEATED ILIMA-LEI MACFARLANE RETURNS HOME TO HAWAII ON DEC. 21 FOR FLYWEIGHT TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST KATE JACKSON EXCLUSIVELY ON DAZN

PLUS, BELLATOR’S FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX CONTINUES AS UNDEFEATED A.J. MCKEE MEETS DEREK CAMPOS IN FIRST QUARTERFINAL MATCHUP

Tickets on sale next Friday, Oct. 11

 

LOS ANGELES – For the second time in as many years, Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii will host the homecoming of Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (10-0), as she puts her undefeated record and Bellator women’s flyweight title on the line against No. 1 contender Kate Jackson (11-3-1) in the main event on Saturday, Dec. 21, streamed exclusively on the DAZN app.

 

In addition, Bellator Hawaii will feature the first quarterfinal matchup of Bellator’s Featherweight World Grand Prix, when the man with the longest winning streak in promotional history, A.J. McKee (15-0), takes on the always-exciting Derek Campos (20-9) in the evening’s co-headliner.

 

Bellator: Macfarlane vs. Jackson – one of the star-powered, year-end highlights of fight season on DAZN – will stream live exclusively on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.comDAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets go on sale next Friday, Oct. 11 and can be purchased through Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com or the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena box office. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Born and raised in Honolulu, current Bellator women’s flyweight champ Macfarlane made her pro debut in 2015 with a KO victory that went viral and has not looked back since, remaining undefeated in her career. With impressive victories over Valerie Letourneau and Veta Arteaga, Macfarlane was the focal point of Bellator’s debut in Hawaii last year. A proud graduate of Honolulu’s Punahou High School in 2009, Macfarlane later attended San Diego State University, where she would go on to earn her Master’s degree in liberal arts and science with a focus on indigenous issues – a subject she remains passionate about, launching “The Ilimanator Scholarship” for indigenous girls last year. Now Ilima-Lei turns her focus to Kate Jackson, who will be looking to play the role of spoiler when she enters the Bellator cage on December 21.

 

A winner of seven of her last eight fights, Kate Jackson has earned her way to a title shot against the division’s inaugural champion. A competitor on the 23rd season of The Ultimate Fighter, Jackson hails from Lostwithiel, Cornwall, England, and most recently defeated Lena Ovchynnikova in London. Jackson made her Bellator debut in 2017 with a first round-victory over of Colleen Schneider and would later go on to dominate Anastasia Yankova at historic Bellator 200 in front of her hometown crowd. Facing the biggest test of her career, Jackson looks to reign atop the flyweight division when she leaves Hawaii.

 

With an undefeated professional record of 15-0, including six knockouts and eight first round finishes, there doesn’t seem to be much more for the talent-oozing 24-year-old to prove to the MMA community before his name is routinely mentioned among the division’s elite. Fighting out of Long Beach, Calif., “Mercenary” is fresh off of a jaw-dropping performance that saw him finish Georgi Karakhanyan in only eight seconds just moments after watching his father, Antonio McKee, collect a knockout victory in what was the first ever father-son duo to compete on the same card in the US. With all 15 of his career wins coming under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion, the Team BodyShop product has made it clear that he has his sights on Patricio “Pitbull” and his 145-pound belt, as he continues to build a strong argument as the new face of Bellator. Constantly looking for new records to break, McKee may have found the perfect match in Campos, as the two brawlers have combined for a remarkable 22 finishes over 36 career victories.

 

Fighting out of Lubbock, Texas, Campos will be competing in the first of the four quarterfinal matchups in Bellator’s Featherweight World Grand Prix, following a decisive victory over former featherweight world champion Daniel Straus at Bellator 226 this past September. The 31-year-old knockout artist is ready to build on his impressive professional record of 20-9, when he takes on undefeated superstar McKee on December 21. Always ready to trade blows, the heavy-handed veteran has spent much of his time competing in Bellator’s lightweight and welterweight divisions over the past six years of his career. Now, “The Stallion” hopes to continue his impressive surge in the 145-pound class, as he prepares to go toe-to-toe with one of the most dangerous featherweights in the world. With a shot at one million dollars on the line, Campos will rely on his fearless fighting style and sound wrestling background if he wants to advance in what many have pinned as one of the most anticipated matchups in the second round.

 

Bellator Hawaii: Macfarlane vs. Jackson Main Card:

Flyweight World Title Bout: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (10-0) vs. Kate Jackson (11-3-1)

Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal Bout: A.J. McKee (15-0) vs. Derek Campos (20-9) 

 

*Card subject to change.

 

For more information, please visit Bellator.com.

OFFICIAL BELLATOR 228 FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS

Complete Event Photos Here

 

Bellator 228 Main Card Results:

Gegard Mousasi (46-7-2) defeated Lyoto Machida (26-9) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (30-4) defeated Juan Archuleta (23-2) via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 49-46)

A.J. McKee (15-0) defeated Georgi Karakhanyan (28-10-1, 1 NC) via KO (punches) at :08 of round one

Darrion Caldwell (14-3) defeated Henry Corrales (17-4) via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Daniel Weichel (40-11) defeated Saul Rogers (13-3) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)

 

Preliminary Card:

Adrian Najera (2-0) defeated Jason Edwards (2-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:28 of round three

Benji Gomez (9-12) defeated Johnny Santa Maria (3-5) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Ozzy Diaz (4-1) defeated Andre Walker (5-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:05 of round one

Ian Butler (7-6) defeated Emilio Williams (4-3) via TKO (punches) at :53 of round two 

AJ Agazarm (2-1) defeated Jonathan Quiroz (3-4) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Ava Knight (1-0) defeated Shannon Goughary (4-4) via TKO (punch) at 1:46 of round three

Antonio McKee (30-6-2) defeated William Sriyapai (14-9) via TKO (punches) at 1:17 of round two

Johnny Cisneros (13-7) defeated Mike Jasper (13-6) via TKO (leg injury) at 4:28 of round two

Leandro Higo (19-5) defeated Shawn Bunch (9-4) via submission (guillotine choke) at 4:34 of round two

Weber Almeida (2-0) vs. Castle Williams (4-2) via TKO at 0:20 of round two

 Joshua Jones (9-4) defeated Dominic Clark (14-9) via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:39 of round one

James Barnes (12-4) defeated David Duran (8-6) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:51 of round two

 

 

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BELLATOR FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP SUPERFIGHT BETWEEN JULIA BUDD AND CRIS ‘CYBORG’ IS OFFICIAL

MATCHUP SET FOR JANUARY 25 AT THE FORUM IN LOS ANGELES AND LIVE EXCLUSIVELY ON DAZN

TICKETS ON SALE NEXT FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator is set to deliver one of the most anticipated bouts in the history of women’s MMA on Saturday, January 25 at the “Fabulous” Forum in Inglewood, Calif. when reigning champ Julia Budd (13-2) defends her world featherweight title against Cris “Cyborg” (21-2, 1 NC) in the main event.

 

Tickets for Bellator: Budd vs.Cyborg go on sale to the general public Friday, Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at the Forum box office, as well as Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. A special presale is scheduled to take place Wednesday, Oct. 2 through Thursday, Oct. 3 using code “BELLATOR” upon purchase.

 

Bellator: Budd vs. Cyborg will stream live exclusively on the DAZN app at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com,DAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Fighting out of Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, Budd will enter the Bellator cage in January for the fourth time since claiming the inaugural Bellator women’s featherweight world title in 2017. Currently riding a winning streak of 11 bouts, including seven straight fights since joining forces with Bellator in 2015, “The Jewel” has her eyes set on a fourth consecutive world title defense when she finally has the opportunity to challenge “Cyborg.” Since knocking off Dutch legend Marloes Coenen for the 145-pound strap at Bellator 174, the Gibson MMA-product has since collected victories over top contenders Olga Rubin,Arlene Blencowe and Talita Nogueira. With seven of her 13 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the former kickboxing standout will look to derail the Bellator debut of “Cyborg.”

 

On the heels of signing the largest contract in women’s MMA history, Cris “Cyborg” will enter the Bellator cage for the first time on January 25, with the opportunity to lay claim to Bellator gold. Just like her upcoming opponent, “Cyborg” too was an inaugural champion, winning the inaugural Strikeforce Featherweight Championship in 2009 after defeating Gina Carano. The 34-year-old Curitiba, Brazil-native’s Bellator tenure follows a three-year run in UFC,  multiple world title and a 20-fight unbeaten streak that includes notable victories against Holly Holm, Tonya Evinger, Marloes Coenen and Leslie Smith.

 

Updated Bellator: Budd vs. Cyborg Fight Card:

Featherweight World Title Bout: Julia Budd (13-2) vs. Cris “Cyborg” (21-2, 1 NC)

 

*Card subject to change

 

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

  

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COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 226: BADER vs. KONGO

COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS

 

Bellator 226: Bader vs. Kongo Main Card:

Ryan Bader (27-5, 1 NC) and Cheick Kongo (30-10-2, 1 NC) was ruled a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke

Derek Campos (20-9) defeated Daniel Straus (26-9) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-25)

Adam Borics (14-0) defeated Pat Curran (23-9) via TKO (punches) at 4:59 of round one

Pedro Carvalho (11-3) defeated Sam Sicilia (17-10) via submission (face-crank) at 1:56 of round two

Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4) defeated Tywan Claxton (5-1) via submission (triangle choke) at 4:11 of round two

Daniel Carey (7-3) defeated Gaston Bolanos (5-2) via technical submission (guillotine) at 4:19 of round one

 

Preliminary Card:

Ivan Batinich (4-1) defeated Daniel Compton (2-2) via submission (rear-naked choke) a 4:33 of round two

Tyson Miller (1-0) defeated Albert Gonzales (1-2) via TKO at 1:18 of round one

Alan Benson (1-1) defeated Favian Gutierrez (2-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Peter Ishiguro (2-1) defeated Elias Anderson (0-1) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Daniel Gonzalez (3-2) defeated Jon Adams (0-1-1) via TKO (strikes) at 4:56 of round two

Cornelius Savage (1-0) defeated Evan Gubera (0-2) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

John Macapa (23-4-2) defeated Ashleigh Grimshaw (20-11-1) via TKO (corner stoppage) at 5:00 of round two

Adam Piccolotti (12-3) defeated Jake Smith (7-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:34 of round two

Jessica Borga (3-2) defeated Amber Leibrock (3-4) via submission (armbar) at 4:45 of round one

Cass Bell (4-0) defeated Isaiah Rocha (1-1) via submission (guillotine choke) at 1:21 of round one

Batsumberel Dagvadorj (6-0) defeated James Terry (20-11) via submission (bulldog choke) at 2:43 of round one

Renato Valente Alves (6-4) defeated Abraham Vaesau (5-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:36 of round three

Hyder Amil (4-0) defeated Ignacio Ortiz (2-1-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Chris Gonzalez (3-0) defeated Luis Vargas (2-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

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BELLATOR SIGNS CRIS ‘CYBORG’ TO LARGEST CONTRACT IN WOMEN’S MMA HISTORY

LOS ANGELES  Bellator is proud to announce the signing of Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino (21-2, 1 NC) to the organization. The deal – the largest of its kind in women’s MMA history – exclusively secures “Cyborg’s” talents with a multi-year, multi-fight contract.

“Cyborg” joins current champ Julia BuddOlga Rubin, Arlene BlencoweJanay Harding and Leslie Smith among others, cementing Bellator’s 145-pound weight class as the strongest women’s featherweight division in MMA.

“Cyborg” joins Bellator following a three-year run in UFC, multiple world titles and a 20-fight unbeaten streak that includes notable victories against Holly Holm, Tonya Evinger, Marloes Coenen and Leslie Smith. Notably, the 34-year-old Curitiba, Brazil-native was the inaugural Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Champion, defeating Gina Carano for the title in 2009.

“I have worked with countless athletes over my thirty-plus years of promoting combat sports, but there is no one quite like ‘Cyborg’,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “Her ability to excite the crowd from the moment she makes her walk to the cage is special, and having had the pleasure of promoting several of her fights in the past, I am looking forward to the opportunity of promoting her once again. ‘Cyborg’ is the most dominant female fighter in the history of the sport and she will be a perfect fit here at Bellator, where champion Julia Budd and the other women that make up best female featherweight division in the world have eagerly awaited her arrival.”

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

FULL CARD SET FOR BELLATOR’S DEBUT IN BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 AT WEBSTER BANK ARENA

BELLATOR 225: MITRIONE VS. KHARITONOV 2 AIRS ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK AND DAZN AT 9 P.M. ET/8 P.M. CT

LOS ANGELES – Bellator will hold the first-ever MMA event at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Saturday, August 24 when the always-exciting Matt Mitrione (13-6, 1 NC) once again squares off against Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 2 NC) in a heavyweight headliner.


The remainder of the main card features four other must-see bouts, including two additional heavyweight slugfests, as former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov (21-1) faces Javy Ayala (11-7) in the co-main event, while undefeated heavyweight prospects Tyrell Fortune (6-0) and Rudy Schaffroth (6-0, 1 NC), who both originally hail from Portland, Ore., collide in the main card opener.

 

Rounding out the five-fight card on Paramount Network – the man with the most appearances inside the Bellator Cage in history, David Rickels (21-5, 2 NC), takes on the undefeated Ukrainian Yaroslav Amosov (21-0) in a 175-pound catchweight bout, and former flyweight title contender Alejandra Lara (7-3) meetsTaylor Turner (4-5) at bantamweight, who returns after recently upsetting Heather Hardy at Madison Square Garden earlier this summer.

 

The main card can be seen live on Paramount Network and DAZN at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.comDAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 5:45 pm EST/2:45 pm PST.

 

Tickets for Bellator 225: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2 are on sale now, and are available in-person at the Click It or Ticket Box Office at Webster Bank Arena, as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

 

Earlier in the evening, Connecticut’s own “Notorious” Nick Newell (15-2) will lace up the Bellator gloves for the first time in his career and make the short drive from his home in Milford, Conn. to Webster Bank Arena, when he meets Corey Browning (5-2), a man who has already defeated “Baby Slice” and Aaron Chalmers. Also representing the “The Constitution State,” the surging Mike “The Savage” Kimbel (3-1) will be looking to impress the partisan crowd againstChris Disonell (3-3).

 

Preliminary action is highlighted by appearances from top Bellator prospects, including Royce Gracie’s eldest son Khonry Gracie (1-1), Israel’s Aviv Gozali (2-0) and the promotional debut of light heavyweight Grant “The Truth” Neal (1-0). Plus, long-time UFC and TUF veteran Sabah Homasi (12-8) returns to the Bellator Cage for the first time since Bellator 124.

 

Also on the card, unbeaten Austin “The Gentleman” Vanderford (7-0) will make his middleweight debut against Georgia’s Joseph Creer (6-0-1), New Jersey’s Ricky Bandejas (11-3) will return to action for the first time since relocating to American Top Team in Florida, when he competes at bantamweight against Virginia’s Ahmet Kayretli (8-3, 1 NC) and the always-exciting Tim Johnson (12-5) will make his sophomore Bellator appearance against recently signedAzunna Anyanwu (15-5) of Philadelphia in a heavyweight matchup.

 

Complete Bellator 225: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2 Fight Card:

Heavyweight Main Event: Matt Mitrione (13-6, 1 NC) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 2 NC)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Vitaly Minakov (21-1) vs. Javy Ayala (11-7)

Bantamweight Feature Bout: Alejandra Lara (7-3) vs. Taylor Turner (4-5)

175-Pound Catchweight Feature Bout: David Rickels (21-5, 2 NC) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (21-0)

Heavyweight Feature Bout: Tyrell Fortune (6-0) vs. Rudy Schaffroth (6-0, 1 NC)

 

Preliminary Card:

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Khonry Gracie (1-1) vs. Oscar Vera (0-1)

165-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Aviv Gozali (2-0) vs. Eduard Muravitskiy (9-8)
Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Grant Neal (1-0) vs. Alpha Toure (Pro Debut)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Sabah Homasi (12-8) vs. Micah Terrill (14-7, 1 NC)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Austin Vanderford (7-0) vs. Joseph Creer (6-0-1)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Tim Johnson (12-5) vs. Azunna Anyanwu (15-5)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Ricky Bandejas (11-3) vs. Ahmet Kayretli (8-3, 1 NC)

140-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Kimbel (3-1) vs. Chris Disonell (3-3)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Nick Newell (15-2) vs. Corey Browning (5-2)

165-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Kastriot Xhema (3-3, 1 NC) vs. Connor Dixon (Pro Debut)

175-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Jon Manley (11-6) vs. Thiago Rela (10-7)

 

*Card subject to change.

 

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BELLATOR DEBUTS IN MILAN, ITALY ON SATURDAY, OCT. 12 WITH STACKED EVENT FEATURING DUAL-MMA CARDS AND THE RETURN OF BELLATOR KICKBOXING

FORMER CHAMP RAFAEL CARVALHO MEETS VADIM NEMKOV IN MAIN EVENT OF PARAMOUNT NETWORK’S BELLATOR 230

BELLATOR EUROPEAN SERIES SEES MELVIN MANHOEF TAKE ON YANNICK BAHATI IN BELLATOR MILAN HEADLINER

Plus, Gabriel Varga Defends His Bellator Kickboxing Featherweight Title Against Cristian Faustino At Bellator Kickboxing 12 and Rome’s Alessio Sakara Looks to Entertain the Italian Crowd


 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator returns to Italy for the seventh time on Saturday, Oct. 12 with a unique event worthy of three separate billings. The MMA and kickboxing action will all emanate from Allianz Cloud (Ex Palalido) in the heart of Milan for one incredible night of combat sports.

 

The Paramount Network (and DAZN simulcast) portion of the card will be headlined by former middleweight titleholder Rafael Carvalho (16-3) squaring off withVadim Nemkov (10-2) in a light heavyweight affair as part of the Bellator 230: Carvalho vs. Nemkov broadcast. Bellator 230 will air on a tape-delay in the U.S. at9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

Additionally, the fifth installment of the Bellator European Series, Bellator Milan: Manhoef vs. Bahati, will feature an explosive 205-pound matchup betweenMelvin Manhoef (31-14-1, 2 NC) and Yannick Bahati (9-4, 1 NC) that will stream live on the Bellator Mobile App in the U.S at 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CTBellator Milanwill air LIVE at 10 p.m. BST on Channel 5 in the U.K. Also on the card, Italian MMA legend and Bellator ambassador Alessio Sakara (20-13, 2 NC) takes on light heavyweight Canaan Grigsby (8-7) in a special feature bout.

 

Opening the evening’s action will be Bellator Kickboxing 12: Varga vs. Faustino, a card anchored by current Bellator Kickboxing featherweight championGabriel Varga (17-6) defending his title against Palermo, Italy’s Cristian Faustino (48-18), while the co-main will also see Chingiz Allazov (55-3, 1 NC) compete in a 158-pound catchweight bout against Sudsakorn (289-54-4). Bellator Kickboxing 12 will kick off the action live on the Bellator Mobile App at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Tickets for the entire night of action are on sale now and are available at Bellator.com and Bellator.it.

 

Hailing from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, the 33-year-old Carvalho will make his second appearance of the year, following an impressive win over Chidi Njokuani just last month. Since signing with Bellator in 2014, the American Top Team-fighter has collected seven victories, highlighted by his middleweight championship win over Brandon Halsey, which he later followed with three successful title defenses. Standing opposite the Brazilian knockout artist will be fellow international powerhouse Vadim Nemkov, as the 27-year-old Russian will look to add to his current five-fight winning streak. Since making his professional debut in 2013, the former Sambo World Champion and Fedor Emelianenko-protégé has strung together 10 victories over a dozen bouts, with eight knockouts and eight first round finishes highlighting his resume.

 

Making his eighth appearance for Bellator, Melvin Manhoef has built a name for himself over the course of a 24-year career that has seen him finish 28 of his 31 victims via knockout, including 25 in the first round and eight within the opening minute of action. Fighting out of Amsterdam, the versatile 43-year-old also has 38 career kickboxing wins under his belt, making him one of the most experienced and dynamic fighters in the business. With three wins and a pair of impressive knockouts since joining Bellator, “No Mercy” hopes to find his way back into title contention with a win over the recently signed Bahati. “Black Mamba” enters the Bellator cage for the second time of his career, hoping to duplicate the success he had in May when he finished Amir Dadovic in the opening round of Bellator Birmingham. The 29-year-old middleweight will be making the jump up in weight class to challenge what will undoubtedly be the toughest task of his eight-year career in Manhoef.

 

Gabriel Varga is fresh off an emphatic win in his mixed martial arts debut, a fight he finished with a jumping knee and punches at Bellator 224. Now, the Toronto-native returns to the sport where he made his name and became the inaugural Bellator Kickboxing 145-pound champion. The 34-year-old Canadian has tallied three knockout wins over a four-fight run, which includes championship victories over Kevin Ross and Shan Cangelosi. Hailing from Palermo, Italy, Faustino will enter the kickboxing ring with the support of his country behind him. The 29-year-old Italian competes out of Pro Fighting Sempre Avanti Bologna and holds almost 60 fights to his name. Now, he has a shot at Bellator Kickboxing gold when he competes on Oct.12.

 

Fighting out of Minsk, Belarus, Chingiz Allazov will be competing under the direction of Bellator Kickboxing for just the second time in his eight-year career, where the 26-year-old phenom has earned 55 victories over a 59-bout stretch. Having already defeated Klinmee in Italy just last year, the former K-1 Super Middleweight Champion will try to replicate the victory in an exciting rematch. Hailing from Pattaya, Thailand, the 32-year-old Sudsakorn Sor Klinmee will make his Bellator Kickboxing debut on Oct. 12. The reigning Thailand and World Kickboxing Network Muay Thai welterweight world champion also hopes to add to his extensive professional resume, which includes 289 wins and 74 knockouts.

 

Born in Rome, Sakara will return to his home country for the sixth time since signing with Bellator in 2016. When fighting in Italy under the promotion, “Legionarius” has amassed three victories, all of which ended in a knockout. The 37-year-old former world title contender has earned 20 career victories, including 16 finishes and 14 knockouts, making him one of the most dangerous 205-pound athletes on the roster. Tasked with the opportunity to spoil Sakara’s homecoming is 39-year-old Oklahoman Canaan Grigsby, who is also known for his ability to put his adversaries away early in the fight. With seven of his eight career victories coming by way of knockout, including four first round-finishes, “Super Beast” will be looking for the biggest win of his seven-year professional career when he steps inside the Bellator cage for the first time.

 

Updated Bellator 230: Carvalho vs. Nemkov Fight Card:

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Rafael Carvalho (16-3) vs. Vadim Nemkov (10-2)

 

Updated Bellator Milan: Manhoef vs. Bahati Fight Card:

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (31-14-1, 2 NC) vs. Yannick Bahati (9-4, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Event: Alessio Sakara (20-13, 2 NC) vs. Canaan Grigsby (8-7)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Andrea Fusi (8-4) vs. Walter Pugliesi (4-2)

 

Updated Bellator Kickboxing 12: Varga vs. Faustino Fight Card:

Kickboxing Featherweight World Title Main Event: Gabriel Varga (17-6) vs. Cristian Faustino (48-18)

158-Pound Catchweight Co-Main Event: Chingiz Allazov (55-3, 1 NC) vs. Sudsakorn Sor Klinmee (289-54-4)

Featherweight Bout: Enderson Bonat (21-9) vs. Kebrom Neguse (33-2-2) 

 

*Card subject to change.

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

COMPLETE RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 222: MACDONALD vs. GRACIE

COMPLETE EVENT PHOTOS HERE

  

 Bellator 222: MacDonald vs. Gracie Main Card:

Rory MacDonald (20-5-1) vs. Neiman Gracie (9-0) (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)

Lyoto Machida (26-8) defeated Chael Sonnen (30-17-1) via TKO (punches) at :22 of round two

Dillon Danis (2-0) defeated Max Humphrey (3-3) via submission (armbar) at 4:28 of round one

Patrick Mix (11-0) defeated Ricky Bandejas (11-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:06 of round one

Juan Archuleta (23-1) defeated Eduardo Dantas (21-7) via KO (punch) at 4:59 of round two

Kyoji Horiguchi (28-2) defeated Darrion Caldwell (13-3) via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)

 

Preliminary Card:

Adam Borics (13-0) defeated Aaron Pico (4-3) via KO (knee) at 3:55 of round two

Taylor Turner (4-5) defeated Heather Hardy (2-2) via TKO (punches) at 3:53 of round one

Valerie Loureda (2-0) defeated Larkyn Dasch (0-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Robson Gracie Jr. (2-0) defeated Oscar Vera (0-1) via submission (armbar) at 3:15 of round one

Lindsay VanZandt (6-1) defeated Rena Kubota (8-3) via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:04 of round one

Haim Gozali (11-6) defeated Gustavo Wurlitzer (22-23, 1 NC) via submission (triangle choke) at 4:02 of round one

Mike Kimbel (3-1) defeated Sebastian Ruiz (2-3) via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

Marcus Surin (6-1) defeated Nekruz Mirkhojaev (4-3) via split decision (30-27, 27-29, 29-27)

Phil Hawes (5-2) defeated Michael Wilcox (6-4) via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round one

Brandon Polcare (2-2) defeated Brandon Medina (0-1) via submission (guillotine choke) at 4:33 of round one

Kastriot Xhema (3-3) defeated Whitney Jean Francois (2-7-1) via TKO (punches) at 3:17 of round two

John Beneduce (3-2) defeated Kenny Rivera (2-2) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

 

  

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.