LONDON, UK –A women’s featherweight fight will serve as the co-main event forBELLATOR MMA 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 on Friday, October 1 when No. 5 kaalinta Leah McCourt (5-1) kulmay Jessica Borga (3-3) at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London.
The bout will sit atop the card alongside a must-see rematch between No. 1 kaalinta Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (32-9) iyo No. 2 kaalinta Michael Page "mariidka xun" (19-1) where the stylish striker from London will look to avenge the lone blemish on his record in front of his home crowd.
BELLATOR MMA 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 main card action will kick off at 9 p.m. BST/4 p.m. IYO, while the preliminary card begins at 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. IYO. BELLATOR fans can watch the event live on SHOWTIME (US), BBC iPlayer (UK), as well as both Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media Sport (Ireland). Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased online fromaxs.com/uk iyo BELLATOR.com.
Currently riding a four-fight win streak, Northern Ireland’s Leah McCourt returns to action following a stunning come-from-behind victory againstJanay Hardingduring her last outing atBELLATOR 259 in May. Now sitting at No. 5 in BELLATOR’s featherweight rankings, a win at the expense of her opponent on Oct. 1 will go a long way in moving “The Curse” one step closer to a BELLATOR world title shot against incumbent champion, Cris Cyborg.
Making her third appearance for BELLATOR, Jessica Borga will be competing for the second time in 2021. Dhowaan, “The Black Widow” went 15 minutes with former title challengerTalita Nogueira, following up an impressive submission triumph over Amber Leibrock in her promotional debut.
Additional bouts have been added to the fight card, which can be found below.
Updated schedule of BELLATOR MMA events Free. Aug. 20 // BELLATOR 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov //Sanford Pentagon // Sioux Falls, SD Sat. Todoba. 18 // BELLATOR 266: Davis vs. Romero //SAP Center // San Jose, SIDA Free. Oct. 1 // BELLATOR 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 //The SSE Arena, Wembley // London, England Sat. Oct. 16 // BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals// Footprint Center // Phoenix, THE Sat. Oct. 23 // BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson // VTB Arena // Moscow, Russia
BELLATOR MMA 267 Lima vs. MVP 2 MainCard: SHOWTIME (US) / BBC iPlayer (UK) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND) Friday, October 1 - 9 p.m. BST/4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT
Welterweight Main Event: #1-Douglas Lima (32-9) vs. #2-Michael Page (19-1) Featherweight xumad: #5-Leah McCourt(5-1) vs. Jessica Borga(3-3) Featherweight xumad: Robert Whiteford(16-4))vs. Andrew Fisher (18-8-1) Khafiif xumad: Yves Landu(16-8) vs. Tim Wilde(13-4) Light la saadaalinayaa in xumad: Luke Trainer(4-0) vs. Yannick Bahati (9-5)
Card hordhac ah: BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV (US) BBC iPlayer (UK) | Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND) 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT Welterweight xumad: Lewis Long(18-6) vs. Uros Jurisic(11-1) Khafiif xumad: Kane Mousah (13-3) vs. Davy Gallon (18-7-2) Flyweight Bout: Lucie Bertaud(3-2) vs. Elina Kallionidou(7-4) Khafiif xumad: Charlie Leary(17-11-1) vs. Gavin Hughes (10-2) Featherweight xumad: Fabacary Diatta (7-0)vs. Nathan Rose(7-3) Strawweight xumad: Chiara Penco(5-3) vs. Katherina Dalisda(5-2) Bantamweight xumad: Khurshed Kakhorov (7-0) vs. Mike Ekundayo(8-1) Welterweight xumad: Jack Grant (17-7) vs. Nathan Jones(13-10)
c-Gegard Mousasi (48-7-2) adkaaday #1-John Salter (18-5) via TKO (qaad) at 2:07 wareegsan saddex
Gegard Mousasi following retaining his middleweight title: “He’s a southpaw so everything is more difficult. It was a little bit more difficult to get my punches in, but other than that I felt good. I’m way stronger than people think. Maybe I look skinny but I’m a lot stronger and physically I was the stronger guy in there. On top, I felt like I could just pressure him, put my weight on him and hurt him with my punches. Make him feel the pressure. It was a five-rounder so in my mind, I’m saying ‘Okay, don’t do everything now because we can go five.’”
Andrey Koreshkov (24-4) adkaaday #10-Sabah Homasi(15-10) via go'aan loo dhan yahay (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
Andrey Koreshkov following his return to the BELLATOR MMA Cage:
“I try to show everybody that I’m here, I can compete, and I can beat anyone. I think I’m one of the top fighters in this division. In my opinion, I must fight with somebody for the third, second or first place. I’m open to anybody. It doesn’t matter. Neiman Gracie, Jason Jackson, Paul Daley, Michael “Venom” Page – anybody!"
#4-Raufeon Stots (17-1) adkaaday #3-Magomed Magomedov (18-2) via go'aan loo dhan yahay (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Raufeon Stots following his impressive victory:
“I’ve never claimed to be the best wrestler in MMA, but y’all better stop sleeping on my wrestling. I’m a two-time national champion for a reason. Ain’t nobody stopping me in the wrestling division. I’m the best wrestler in the division.”
#7-Davion Franklin(4-0) adkaaday Everett Cummings (15-1) via Ko (qaad) at :21 ka mid ah wareega
Davion Franklin has his sights set on fellow BELLATOR heavyweight Cheick Kongo:
“I was just thinking about putting him out. Getting him out in the first round. That was my goal this whole time. I learned just to keep going. By the way, I heard Cheick Kongo commented under Everett Cummings’ Instagram post saying that Everett’s gonna’ tap me out. Hey Cheick Kongo, step up, you’ll get done the same way, if not worse.”
Khadzhi Bestaev(11-4) adkaaday Ty Gwerder(5-3)via go'aan loo dhan yahay (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Khadzhi Bestaev had this to say following a successful BELLATOR debut:
“He was bigger than me and very tough, but I knew he was going to gas out. He started gassing out in the second or third round, but I’m still surprised by the decision. I thought it was a draw or maybe a split-decision. But I have to see the fight. In my head, he kicked and punched me so many times so hats off to him. He didn’t give up. I just dropped him a couple of times and that was the difference.” Card hordhac ah: Pam Sorenson (9-3) adkaaday Roberta Samad(5-1) via go'aan ku daatay (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Jeffrey Glossner (3-2) adkaaday Sebastian Ruiz (2-4) via go'aan loo dhan yahay (29-28, 29-28-29-28) Jon McNeil(1-0) adkaaday Orlando Mendoza (0-1) via TKO (qaad) at 3:57 wareegsan saddex
About BELLATOR BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under jihada of halyeeyga dagaalka horumariyaha Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. Maraykanka, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, dhacdo orchestration live, horumarinta dagaalka / xiriirka, iibsiga goobta, abuuridda taageeradu / horumarinta, liisan caalami ah, marketing, advertising, publicity, and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Message. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, guriga si aad caanka madadaalo ugu horeeyey dunida ee isku xidha leh dhageystayaasha marayo content qasab ah guud ahaan television, sawir soconaya, online iyo mobile.
FORMER BELLATOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION PHIL DAVIS CHALLENGES OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST YOEL ROMERO IN MAIN EVENT OFBELLATOR MMA 266 INSIDE THE SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE ON SATURDAY, Sept. 18 Special Night of Combat Sports on SHOWTIME begins with World Title Unification Boxing Event Live at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT Immediately Followed by BELLATOR 266
LOS ANGELES –A pair of elite mixed martial artists will meet in the main event ofBELLATOR MMA 266 on Saturday, Todoba. 18 inside the SAP Center at San Jose when former 205-pound champion and No. 3 kaalintaPhil Davis (22-6) welcomes MMA superstarYoel Romero(13-5) to the promotion.
Waxaa intaa dheer, a women’s flyweight contest between former title challenger #5-Alejandra Lara(9-4) iyoDeAnna Bennett(10-7-1) that was originally slated for next week’sBELLATOR MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonovevent in South Dakota has been re-booked for Sept. 18.
A pair of preliminary bouts have also been announced for BELLATOR’s return to San Jose, highlighted by the Bay Area’s own No. 10 ranked lightweightAdam Piccolot (12-4) welcoming the hard-hitting EnglishmanSaul Rogers (14-4) back to the division after competing at featherweight his past four outings. Sidoo kale, saadaalinayaa in iftiinka badininGrant Neal (6-0) returns to action against former LFA light heavyweight championAlex Polizzi (7-1).
BELLATOR 266will be the second half of a special combat sports doubleheader on SHOWTIME. The night will begin with SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT featuring a super bantamweight world championship unification bout between Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton Jr. The two unbeaten 122-pound titlists will meet in Las Vegas immediately before the liveBELLATOR 266telecast begins in San Jose.
The preliminary portion of the docket will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.
An exclusive online presale for this event takes place starting Wednesday, August 18 with tickets going on sale to the general public Thursday, August 19 atTicketmaster.com iyoBellator.com.
Hailing from Harrisburg, Penn., "Mr. Wonderful” will step into the BELLATOR cage for the 14thtime in his career, searching for his 10thpromotional victory. The former BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Champion is looking to make another run at the 205-pound strap, following victories in three of his past four bouts, including a pair of knockouts over Liam McGeary and Karl Albrektsson. A four-time NCAA Division-I All-American wrestler at Penn State University, Davis has proven time and time again that there are few fighters that can hold their own once he gets them to the ground.
Dagaal ka baxay Miami, Romero will be making his highly anticipated BELLATOR debut on Sept. 18. Following a seven-year stint under the direction of the UFC, the American Top Team-product became one of the most sought-after free agents prior to signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion in December 2020. Iyadoo 11 ee uu 13 career victories coming by way of knockout, including four of the first-round variety, “Soldier of God” possesses the type of knockout power that can force any opponent into early retirement. A three-time World Cup Freestyle Wrestling Champion, five-time Pan-American Freestyle Wrestling Champion, iyo 2000 Olympics Freestyle Wrestling Silver Medalist, the Cuban-born Romero has continuously showcased his elite talents at the highest level of competition. The only missing trophy to a near-flawless legacy is a BELLATOR world title.
Updated schedule of BELLATOR events
Free. Aug. 13 // BELLATOR 264: Mousasi vs. Salter // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, CT
Free. Aug. 20 // BELLATOR 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov//Sanford Pentagon // Sioux Falls, SD
Sat. Todoba. 18 // BELLATOR 266: Davis vs. Romero//SAP Center // San Jose, SIDA
Free. Oct. 1 // BELLATOR 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 //The SSE Arena, Wembley // London, England
Sat. Oct. 16 // BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals// Footprint Center // Phoenix, THE
Sat. Oct. 23 // BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson// VTB Arena // Moscow, Russia
****
BELLATOR MMA 266: Davis vs. RomeroCard Main:
SHOWTIME
Light Heavyweight Main Event: #3-Phil Davis (22-6) vs.Yoel Romero(13-5)
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under jihada of halyeeyga dagaalka horumariyaha Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. Maraykanka, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, dhacdo orchestration live, horumarinta dagaalka / xiriirka, iibsiga goobta, abuuridda taageeradu / horumarinta, liisan caalami ah, marketing, advertising, xiriirka sumcad iyo Komishanka. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Message. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, guriga si aad caanka madadaalo ugu horeeyey dunida ee isku xidha leh dhageystayaasha marayo content qasab ah guud ahaan television, sawir soconaya, online iyo mobile.
AboutSHOWTIME
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Roku®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers atShowtime.com. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. Wixii macluumaad dheeraad ah, tagtaawww.SHO.com.
Los Angeles– BELLATOR MMA has confirmed the full fight card forBELLATOR MMA 264: Mousasi vs Saltercard at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The event contributes to an action-packed month of fights on SHOWTIME and is set to begin live at9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Haddii ay dhacdo weyn ee fiidkii, BELLATOR middleweight kingGegard Mousasi (47-7-2) puts his world title on the line against jiu-jitsu ace No. 1 ranked middleweightJohn Salter (18-4). Complimenting this amazing main event is a clash between two of the hardest hitting welterweights on the planet, as former champion Andrey Koreshkov (23-4) takes on the No. 10 ranked welterweightSabah Homasi(15-9) in the co-main event and No. 3 ranked bantamweightMagomed Magomedov(18-1) squares off with No. 4 kaalintaRaufeon Stots (16-1) in a bout holding major title implications.
Rounding out the main card is a battle between undefeated heavyweights No. 7 kaalintaDavion Franklin(3-0) iyoEverett Cummings(16-0), along with a middleweight bout between KO-machineTy Gwerder (5-2) and the BELLATOR-debuting AKA-productKhadzhi Bestaev(10-4).
The preliminary card consists of seven fights and is stacked throughout, featuring the highly anticipated debut of former Invicta Featherweight ChampionPam Sorenson(8-3) qaadashada onRoberta Samad(5-1) and a bantamweight battle between the brash American Top Team-fighterDanny Sabatello(11-1) taking on the Boston-born veteranJohnny Campbell(21-13, 1 NC).
AllBELLATOR MMA 264: Mousasi vs. Salterprelims will stream live at6:00 p.m. IYO / 3:00 p.m. PTon the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.
As part of the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME, the network is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up atSHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 iyo meelo ka baxsan, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.
Full bout listings are below:
BELLATOR MMA 264: Mousasi vs. SalterCard Main:
Friday, August 13 – live onSHOWTIME
9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
Middleweight Title Bout: c-Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2) vs. #1-John Salter(18-4)
Welterweight xumad:Andrey Koreshkov(23-4) vs. #10-Sabah Homasi(15-9)
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under jihada of halyeeyga dagaalka horumariyaha Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. Maraykanka, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, dhacdo orchestration live, horumarinta dagaalka / xiriirka, iibsiga goobta, abuuridda taageeradu / horumarinta, liisan caalami ah, marketing, advertising, publicity, and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Message. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, guriga si aad caanka madadaalo ugu horeeyey dunida ee isku xidha leh dhageystayaasha marayo content qasab ah guud ahaan television, sawir soconaya, online iyo mobile.
About SHOWTIME
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., leedahay oo ay hawl shabakadaha television premium SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ iyo FLIX®, iyo sidoo kale bixisaa SHOWTIME dalabka®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ Dalabka iyo FLIX dalabka®, iyo shabakadda ee caddeeynta adeeg mar walba SHOWTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, hawl adeegga qulqulaya taagan oo keliya SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Sanadka®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers atShowtime.com. SNI suuqyada iyo qaybiyaa ciyaaraha iyo dhacdooyinka madadaalada bandhiga in macaamiishu ku salaysan pay per--view marayo SHOWTIME PPV®. Wixii macluumaad dheeraad ah, tagtaawww.SHO.com.
Los Angeles – BELLATOR MMA announced this morning that the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all-time, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (39-6, 1 NC) will take on number two ranked heavyweightTim Johnson (15-7) haddii ay dhacdo weyn ee BELLATOR Moscow: Fedor vs. Johnson on Saturday, Oct. 23 at the VTB Arena.
Tickets for the highly anticipated event are on sale now and can be purchased atKassir.ru. Additional matchups and SHOWTIME telecast details will be revealed soon.
Widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenkoreturns to the BELLATOR cage for the first time since his dominant first-round TKO victory overQuinton "duullaankii" Jackson in 2019. With an illustrious career that has seen him earn 30 stoppages in his 39 victories over legendary opposition, the former PRIDE FC Heavyweight World Champion will be fighting in his home country of Russia for the first time in five years. A four-time combat sambo world champion, “The Last Emperor” put together an insane eight-year unbeaten streak on his way to becoming an international MMA icon. Emelianenko has established Team Fedor, which features several top Russian fighters including BELLATOR’s Light Heavyweight World Champion Vadim Nemkov and BELLATOR’s Interim Heavyweight Champion Valentin Moldavsky. With his last three victories coming by way of first-round finish, Fedor is looking to add another exciting chapter to his storied fighting career on October 23.
2020 was a huge year for Johnson, as the UFC vet notched three wins in as many fights with impressive first-round finishes overMatt Mitrione iyo Tyrell Fortuneand a decision victory overCheick Kongoduring the historic, first-ever major MMA event in France. The Xtreme Couture-product showed that he’s got the skill and stamina for championship rounds as he went the full five with Team Fedor’sValentin Modlavsky (11-1) la soo dhaafay June. Proudly hailing from North Dakota, Johnson is a current member of the United States National Guard who won two national championships while wrestling at Minnesota State University.
Updated BELLATOR Moscow: Fedor vs. Johnson Card:
Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (39-6, 1 NC) vs. #2-Tim Johnson(15-7)
Light Heavyweight World Champion Vadim Nemkov Set To Defend Title Against ‘Rumble’ Johnson, While Ryan Bader Goes Toe-To-Toe With Corey Anderson Live on SHOWTIME®at 10 P.M. ET / 7 P.M. PT
Los Angeles– BELLATOR MMA’s massive second half of 2021 keeps rolling on Saturday, October 16, when both of the high-profile semifinal matchups for the Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix take place at the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. Light heavyweight kingpinVadim Nemkov (14-2) defends his world championship against No. 4 kaalintaAnthony“Rumble” Johnson (23-6), while current BELLATOR Heavyweight World ChampionRyan Bader (28-6) facesNo. 2-ranked light heavyweightCorey Anderson (15-5) haddii ay dhacdo co-weyn.
BELLATOR MMA: Light Heavyweight WorldGrand Prix Semifinalswill be televised live on SHOWTIME at10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The preliminary fights will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT. Additional bouts and ticket information will be announced at a later date.
Team Fedor’s Vadim Nemkov looks to remain BELLATOR 205-pound champion on September 25, further cementing his status as the best light heavyweight fighter on the planet. In uu taabtay kulankoodii ugu danbeysay, Nemkov went five hard rounds with former championPhil Davis, earning a unanimous decision victory en route to punching his ticket to the semifinals. Should Nemkov defend his belt again and move on to the grand prix final, between Davis—a wrestler by trade—and the power-punching “Rumble,” Nemkov will have showcased his full repertoire as a mixed martial artist in the tournament. Nemkov has been perfect in BELLATOR to this point, winning all six of his contests including three knockouts and a submission.
“Rumble” Johnsonmade his BELLATOR MMA debut in the opening round of the grand prix, engaging in a back-and-forth affair with Jose Augusto before notching another signature “Rumble” knockout in the second round. Iyadoo guusha, the 37-year-old made it clear his time away from the sport has not slowed him down, and with wins over the likes of Glover Teixeira, Alexander Gustafsson, Phil Davis and current BELLATOR heavyweight champion Ryan Bader, “Rumble” remains one of the most imposing forces in the entire sport.
A winner in eight of his last ten bouts, Arizona State University’s “Darth” Bader will have a home game as he looks to keep the ball rolling when he steps into the BELLATOR cage for the ninth time, on the road to re-capturing the 205-pound belt he once held. Bader—despite his participation in the Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix—remains the BELLATOR Heavyweight Champion, a title he plans on unifying with the interim-champValentin Moldavksyfollowing the conclusion of the 205-pound tournament. Bader’s storied career has earned him the moniker of a legend slayer, with wins over all-time greats likeFedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Rashad Evans, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Corey Anderson has made an excellent impression since his arrival in BELLATOR, reeling off two dominant victories over the likes of veteranMelvin Manhoefand former ACA ChampionDovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, both ending via TKO. The Rockton, Ill. product came to the promotion boasting an already impressive resumé, previously triumphing over Johnny Walker, Glover Teixeira and Jan Błachowicz amongst others. Anderson’s fight with Bader, his third under the BELLATOR banner, will be his first with the promotion while fans are in attendance.
BELLATOR MMA fans who are new subscribers to the SHOWTIME streaming service can sign up now for a limited time offer which includes a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up atSHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 iyo meelo ka baxsan, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.
BELLATOR MMA: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix SemifinalsCard Main:
SHOWTIME
10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Light Heavyweight World Title Main Event: C-Vadim Nemkov (14-2) vs. #4-Anthony “Rumble” Johnson(25-0)
Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinal Bout: #1-Ryan Bader (28-6) vs. #2-Corey Anderson (15-5)
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under jihada of halyeeyga dagaalka horumariyaha Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. Maraykanka, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, dhacdo orchestration live, horumarinta dagaalka / xiriirka, iibsiga goobta, abuuridda taageeradu / horumarinta, liisan caalami ah, marketing, advertising, xiriirka sumcad iyo Komishanka. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Message. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, guriga si aad caanka madadaalo ugu horeeyey dunida ee isku xidha leh dhageystayaasha marayo content qasab ah guud ahaan television, sawir soconaya, online iyo mobile.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ iyo FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI suuqyada iyo qaybiyaa ciyaaraha iyo dhacdooyinka madadaalada bandhiga in macaamiishu ku salaysan pay per--view marayo SHOWTIME PPV®. Wixii macluumaad dheeraad ah, tagtaawww.SHO.com.
THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED REMATCH BETWEEN DOUGLAS ‘THE PHENOM’ LIMA AND MICHAEL “VENOM” PAGE TO HEADLINEBELLATOR LONDON: Lima VS. MVP 2
TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY
LONDON, UK – Maanta, BELLATOR MMA announced it will be returning to The SSE Arena, Wembley in London on Friday, October 1, laBELLATOR London,a card headlined by a must-see rematch between No. 1 kaalintaDouglas “The Phenom” Lima (32-9) iyo No. 2 kaalintaMichael Page "mariidka xun" (19-1).
Fans in attendance at The SSE Arena, Wembley and those tuning in from around the world can expect an explosive night of elite MMA action in the capital, with two of the world’s best welterweights going toe-to-toe in a high-stakes match-up. Lima and Page will be putting everything on the line in pursuit of a win, with the fighter who emerges victorious booking themselves a fast-track ticket to a title shot against newly crowned welterweight champion, Yaroslav Amosov.
For the first time since February 2020, BELLATOR MMA fans in Europe will be able to fill the arena for the event that features a showcase of top international and homegrown athletes.
Qiimaha tikidhadaBELLATOR London: Lima vs. MVP 2go on sale on Friday, July 30, with a special pre-sale Thursday, July 29 and can be purchased online fromaxs.com/uk iyoBELLATOR.com.
TheBELLATOR Londonmain card action will kick off at 9 p.m. BST/4 p.m. IYO, while the preliminary card begins at 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. IYO. BELLATOR fans can watch the event live on SHOWTIME (US), BBC iPlayer (UK), as well as both Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media Sport (Ireland).
Lima and Page first met inside the BELLATOR Cage in May 2019 atBELLATOR 221in the semifinals of BELLATOR’s Welterweight World Grand Prix. After an even first round, Lima sent Page to the canvas with a sweeping leg kick, which he then followed up with a spectacular punch and ground and pound strikes to finish the fight.
Lima will be looking to cause an upset for the hometown faithful and stop Page for a second time, denying the Londoner his chance for gold, and earning himself an immediate shot at recapturing the welterweight title which he lost toYaroslav Amosovvia unanimous decision in June of this year.
“MVP has put together an impressive string of wins together, but when he gets back in the cage with me, the end result is going to be the same as the first time,” said Lima. “Right now, I’m on a mission to put the BELLATOR belt back around my waist. Anyone standing in my way will be dismantled.”
Widely regarded as the poster boy of MMA in the UK, Londoner Michael “Venom” Page, or ‘MVP’ as he is known to his fans, will step into the BELLATOR cage fresh off the back of his spectacular first round TKO victory overDerek "waxshinnimada The" Andersonla soo dhaafay May. Currently riding a five-fight win streak full of highlight real knockouts, the only defeat on Page’s MMA record to date came at the hands of Lima, a loss that he is hungry to avenge.
“The comeback is always bigger than the setback. It was always gonna happen, it’s written in the stars,” said Page. “The one and only MVP is back, and I will have my redemption in front of my hometown the only way I know how – in venomous style.”
The current fight card is available below with additional bouts to be announced in the coming weeks.
BELLATOR London: Lima vs. MVP 2MainCard:
SHOWTIME (US) / BBC iPlayer (UK) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)
LOS ANGELES – Maanta, BELLATOR officials confirmed a must-see main event pitting hard-hitting heavyweightsCheick Kongo (30-11-2) iyo Sergei Kharitonov (32-8) against one another topsBELLATOR MMA 265 on Friday, August 20 from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. and airs live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
The card has also confirmed top featherweights No. 3 Adam Borics (17-1) iyo No. 4 Jay-Jay Wilson(8-0) will meet for the right to face the winner of the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix Final betweenPatricio “Pitbull”(32-4) iyo AJ McKee (17-0), which takes place on Saturday, July 31.
Tickets for the event go on sale this Thursday at 10 a.m. CT and are available at Sanford Pentagon Box Office & Ticketmaster.
The preliminary portion ofBELLATOR MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov currentlyfeatures a flyweight bout pitting No.5-rankedAlejandra Lara (9-4) ka dhanka ah DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1) and willbegin at 6:00 p.m. IYO / 3:00 p.m. PT and stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Additional preliminary bouts will be announced in the near future.
Holding an impressive MMA record of 30-11-2, 1 NC, Ha. 3-ranked Cheick Kongo returns to action for the first time since headlining the first-ever major MMA event in his native France last October. The former kickboxer remains a force to be reckoned with and holds records for the most fights (16) and wins (12) in BELLATOR heavyweight history. With high-profile victories overVitaly Minakov, Mirko Cro Cop, Antoni Hardonk, and Matt Mitrione, the Parisian is keen to pad his current promotional records, set new ones, and earn his shot at BELLATOR gold.
The man nicknamed “The Paratrooper,” Kharitonov is the owner of an equally notable MMA resume, with the Russian scoring vicious wins against some of the sport’s marquee names, such as Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Pedro Rizzo, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Matt Mitrione, and Alistair Overeem. Hadda, fresh off two championship victories on the regional circuit, Kharitonov returns to the BELLATOR cage with the intention of climbing the heavyweight rankings and asserting himself as a BELLATOR title contender.
28-year-old Hungarian Adam “The Kid” Borics has won 17 of 18 fights to begin his professional career, bouncing back from his only loss with three straight victories. Training out of South Florida’s Sanford MMA gym, Borics has firmly established himself as a true threat to anyone in the 145-pound division, where he is currently ranked third.
Undefeated in his first eight fights as a professional, New Zealand’s Wilson has won in style, accumulating six finishes in those eight wins. Following a split decision win against Tywan Claxton, Wilson scored a violent knockout of Sergio DeBari, then followed that victory up with an equally vicious spinning backfist stoppage over SBG’s Pedro Carvalho in April. The Kiwi fighter will be looking to secure a high-stakes victory over Borics with a world title shot awaiting the winner.
# # #
BELLATOR MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov Card Main: SHOWTIME Friday, August 20 - 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
Heavyweight Main Event: #3-Cheick Kongo (30-11-2) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (32-8) Featherweight No. 1 Contender’s Bout: #3-Adam Borics(17-1) vs. #4-Jay-Jay Wilson (8-0)
C-Juliana Velasquez (12-0) adkaaday #3-Denise Kielholtz(6-3) via go'aan ku daatay (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
Juliana Velasquez: “I think I would be clinching a bit more, her striking didn’t surprise me, but I felt that I did enough to retain the title.”
“I beat her with my jab, if you look at her face, it’s messed up, if you look at mine, my face is fine. I think people in the audience favor her because she has a kickboxing style and I counter, but I think it was my boxing that was the difference tonight.”
“When I come in here, I don’t think of myself as a champion, I think of myself as someone who needs to earn the belt and tonight I felt that I did that.”
#5–Tyrell Fortune(11-1, 1 NC) adkaaday #7-Matt Mitrione (13-9, 1 NC) via soo gudbinta (weerarada) at 1:45 ka mid ah wareega Tyrell Fortune: “I feel great coming out of the fight. He stepped forward so I went for the shot instead of throwing the punch and I guess I made contact with my head. Besides that I was running through him for the takedown. As you saw, I finished on top, and the fight went from there.
“I didn’t feel it (the clash of heads), I can only go off of what he was saying at the time. Like I said, I was just looking to get on top and continue to fight so I didn’t really know what else to do. I thought if there was a contact that the ref would have saw and we would have stopped that’s why I paused for a second on top of him. I didn’t go right to punching. Once the ref said to continue, I was continuing to fight.
“I want Tim Johnson. I don’t want a title shot. I’d rather have Tim Johnson first. That’s really the only fight I’ve been training for since that loss. Aniga, with him taking that loss (against Valentin Moldavsky) and me getting this win, it should line us right up… I’m gonna’ try to knock his a– out just like he did me.”
Matheus Mattos (13-2-1) adkaaday Cee Jay Hamilton (15-9) via TKO (weerarada) at 1:33 wareegsanaa laba
Matheus Mattos: “He’s a wrestler. Sidaas, he could have done the boring game and taken me down. But he chose to go for the striking. Nasiib wanaag, he did it because it was a beautiful knockout. If Bellator could send more strikers to me, then they would be welcomed.”
"Waxaan dareemayaa weyn, perfectly strong. But I felt my knee go ‘thwack.’ And I stopped moving a lot. I didn’t do much footwork. I knew this was going to be on my hands, because my leg was painful. Waxaan rajeynayaa, everything went well.
“My two losses were to two of the best in the world. Sidaas, I’ve been fighting at a high level a long time and I’m prepared for everyone. They can see that this fight welcomed me to Bellator, and now they know me. They know Matheus Mattos is a striker and he’s coming for us.
“I’m in my prime now so I’m prepared for everyone.”
#2–Arlene Blencowe (14-8) adkaaday Dayana Silva (9-6) via TKO (qaad) at 1:00 wareegsan saddex
Arlene Blencowe: "Waxaan dareemayaa weyn. I want to give a shout out to my kids at home. I’ve been away from home for nine weeks and it’s the longest I’ve ever been without my kids. Sidaas, this win is for you.”
“I was just trying to gauge my distance. It was starting to be a little bit of a slow fight, so sorry about that fans. I could hear you yelling. But I was determined to keep my pace and not rush into anything. We knew that she swung with power and that the overhand right and the left hook came pretty quick. We’ve been working a lot on kicks, and I’m going to have a lot of bruises tomorrow. And hopefully her calves will be sore too.”
#5-Johnny Eblen(9-0) adkaaday Travis Davis (10-5) via go'aan loo dhan yahay (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) Johnny Eblen: “My coaches when I came back to the corner told me not to brawl. Sidaas, I took their advice and I thought I wrestled smart.”
“He was talking s— oo wuxuu ku yidhi, "Hey, let’s brawl in the corner.’ I’m like, ‘Bro, that’s stupid.’ That’s why you’re not where I’m at. Because you don’t fight smart. You’re trying to come out here and brawl. You can do that all you want, but you’re not going to be a world champion like me.”
Card hordhac ah: Said Sowma(7-2) adkaaday Ronny Markes (19-9) via Ko (qaad) at 1:09 ka mid ah wareega Cody Law (4-0) adkaaday Theodore Macuka(1-1) via TKO (qaad) at 1:54 ka mid ah wareega Diana Avsaragova (4-0) adkaaday Gabriella Gulfin (2-3) via go'aan ku daatay (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Adil Benjilany(6-3, 1 NC) adkaaday Johnny Soto (4-2) via go'aan loo dhan yahay (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Charlie Campbell (4-1) adkaaday Nicholas Giulietti(2-2) via TKO (qaad) at 1:30 wareegsanaa laba
About BELLATOR BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under jihada of halyeeyga dagaalka horumariyaha Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. Maraykanka, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, dhacdo orchestration live, horumarinta dagaalka / xiriirka, iibsiga goobta, abuuridda taageeradu / horumarinta, liisan caalami ah, marketing, advertising, publicity, and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Message. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, guriga si aad caanka madadaalo ugu horeeyey dunida ee isku xidha leh dhageystayaasha marayo content qasab ah guud ahaan television, sawir soconaya, online iyo mobile.
Los Angeles– BELLATOR President Scott Coker announced today that Danny Brener has been named Vice President of Communications and Public Relations. Brener, who has been a member of the promotion’s PR team since 2014, will oversee all communications and media relations for BELLATOR effective immediately.
“I first worked with Danny [Brener] in 2008 when he was a young and hungry publicist at BZA working as an account representative for the STRIKEFORCE brand,” BELLATOR President Scott Coker said. “Danny has consistently delivered results for us through the years with his hard work and dedication. This promotion is a testament to both of those things and makes sense as BELLATOR continues to grow and expand.”
During his time as Director of Communications for BELLATOR, Brener has helped promote some of the biggest spectacles in the sport of MMA, with massive events garnering press around the globe. In addition to his work on BELLATOR, Brener also maintained a leading role at BZA PR, where he worked on other key accounts including the NHL, NFL, and The Famous Group.
“I’ve been extremely fortunate to work in the combat sports industry for nearly 17 sano, and I’m grateful to Scott Coker for entrusting me with the opportunity to continue my journey in this field,” said Brener. “BELLATOR is home to many of the world’s very best athletes and I’m honored to be able to help share their incredible stories around the world.”
Beginning his MMA PR career printing credentials for UFC in 2004, Brener would go on to work with additional boxing and MMA companies including Goossen Tutor Promotions, Elite XC, and ultimately alongside Coker at STRIKEFORCE.
A second-generation publicist, Brener learned the craft of communications from his father Steve, the longtime PR executive for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He resides in the suburbs of Los Angeles with his wife Lauren and their two dogs, Gronk and Jules.
Brener will work with Senior Public Relations Manager C.J. Tuttle, as well as BZA PR, as they continue in their roles with BELLATOR. Brener can be reached at his new email: Danny.Brener@bellator.com.
