Category Archives: Bellator

BELLATOR MMA BRINGS FANS CLOSER TO THEIR FAVORITE FIGHTERS WITH NEW VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY

 

LINK TO VIEW VIRTUAL REALITY FOOTAGE BELOW

Saum toj no: Frank Shamrock experiencing Virtual Reality (VR) via headset (photo credit: Bellator MMA/Lucas Noonan)

 

Raug Monica (Lub peb hlis ntuj 9, 2016) – Bellator MMA is always looking for new and exciting ways to bring the most forward-thinking technology to its ever-increasing fan-base, providing them with unrivaled access to the world-class promotion and its superstars. During the record-shattering “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event this past February, Bellator launched a virtual reality initiative, giving fans a new immersive behind-the-scenes experience, from inside and Kimbo Slice’s locker room before their fights to walking down the ramp with the fighters in front of thousands of fans at the Toyota Center in Houston.

 

“We’re continuously looking for new ways to leverage technology to bring our fans into the cage yog li hais lus,"Hais tias Bellator COO Jason Jordan. “We want to make them feel more connected to the sport of MMA, to the fighters themselves and to the underlying storylines that fuel the emotion and passion of the sport. In this sense, we are very excited about the potential that Virtual Reality holds, and this was unequivocally proven in Houston where we captured some groundbreaking and incredibly immersive footage that I’m sure both hardcore and casual fans alike will enjoy. Not only did we break ratings records that night, but we also raised the creative bar with our VR coverage in terms of literally engulfing fans in the energy and excitement that makes MMA like no other sport.”

 

To shoot the VR footage, Bellator used three separate six-camera rigs using GoPro cameras including one that was fully spherical, attached to a stabilized, mobile monopod. This camera was used for capturing fighters as they left their locker rooms and entered the arena. Two rigs were tethered to a monitoring command center, which allowed producers to monitor the cameras from each rig. Bellator also used Kolor’s Autopano software to stitch together the footage from the GoPro rigs and Adobe Premiere and After Effects to edit and apply graphics to the final stitch.

 

CHECK IT OUT: To re-live some of the action from “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie,” fans can check out the Bellator VR Experience by clicking no. It is recommended to use a smartphone or tablet for best results, or better yet a VR headset.

 

Hais txog Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA yog ib tug uas Mixed Martial Arts lub koom haum featuring ntau ntawm qhov zoo tshaj plaws neeg tua hluav taws nyob rau hauv lub ntiaj teb no. Nyob rau hauv cov kev coj ntawm qub tub rog sib ntaus pab txhawb Scott Coker, Bellator yog muaj rau ze li ntawm 500 lab tsev thoob ntiaj teb nyob rau hauv dhau 140 lub teb chaws. Nyob rau hauv lub tebchaws United States, Bellator yuav pom nyob rau hauv cov ntsia hlau loj TV, lub MMA TV thawj coj. Bellator MMA yog dub ntawm ib tug thawj pab neeg uas muaj xws li kev lag luam sab saum toj cov tub txawg nyob rau hauv TV lawm, nyob kev tshwm sim orchestration, fighter txoj kev loj hlob / kev sib raug zoo, venue ceev, sponsorship creation / kev loj hlob, thoob ntiaj teb daim ntawv tso cai, marketing, advertising, tshaj tawm thiab commission kev sib raug zoo. Bellator yog raws li nyob rau hauv Santa Monica, California thiab uas los ntawm kev lom zem loj heev Viacom, lub tsev mus rau lub ntiaj teb premier lom zem hom uas txuas nrog audiences los ntawm yuam cov ntsiab lus nyob rau hauv TV, tsab ntawv tsa suab duab, hauv internet thiab mobile platforms.

 

Hais txog ntsia hlau loj:

Ntsia hlau loj yog muaj nyob rau hauv 98.7 lab tsev thiab yog ib tug faib ntawm Viacom Media tes hauj lwm. Ib tug unit ntawm Viacom (Nasdaq: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media tes hauj lwm yog ib tug ntawm lub ntiaj teb uas creators ntawm programming thiab cov ntsiab lus nyob rau tag nrho tawm platforms. Ntsia hlau loj lub Internet chaw nyob yog www.spike.com thiab mus txog-rau-tus-feeb thiab archival xovxwm ntaub ntawv thiab duab, mus saib cov ntsia hlau loj tus xovxwm site ntawm http://www.spike.com/press. Raws li peb ntawm Twitter spiketvpr rau qhov tseeb nyob rau hauv tawg xov xwm tshiab, qab-lub-scenes cov ntaub ntawv thiab cov duab.

WANDERLEI SILVA RETURNS TO JAPAN! RIZIN FF SIGNS LEGENDARY PRIDE CHAMPION; ANNOUNCES SEVEN FIGHTERS, INCLUDING SILVA, FOR APRIL 17 LIVE EVENT IN NAGOYA, Nyiv

(CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO BE RE-DIRECTED TO A VIDEO)

TOKYO – March 7, 2016- Re'zin FF, nqe ntaus rog kev ua si nce qib coj los ntawm yav tas muaj nuj nqis FC lub taub hau Nobuyuki Sakakibara, announced during a press conference, the signing of all-time Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) zoo Wanderlei "Tus taus tua neeg" Silva (35-12-1, 1 NC) to a multi-year promotional contract, as well as the first two bouts, one of which will feature Silva, for its second live event that will take place at the 10,000 capacity Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya, Nyiv rauSunday, Plaub Hlis Ntuj 17.

Luv nqi los ntawm 100,000 yen, tickets for “Top Presents RIZIN Fighting Federation I” are on sale and can be purchased online at TicketBis.com.

Silva, the former PRIDE middleweight champion and 2003 PRIDE Grand Prix middleweight champion, will team up with a fighter to be determined, nyob rau hauv ib tug tshwj xeeb grappling "lossis match,” the rules for which will be announced soon, and battle a duo consisting of another legend, Kazushi Sakuraba, (26-17-1, 2 NC) thiab Hideo Tokoro (33-28-2).

Following the April contest, Silva, who held several records under the PRIDE banner, including longest win streak and most KO’s, will compete under MMA rules in future RIZIN FF events.

Nyob rau hauv ib tug 180 pound MMA rules contest, ntsoog loj heev hwj chim Puncher Hisaki Kato (5-2) will take on fellow prolific finisher Yuta "Lwm yam" Watanabe (19-6-4).

A former HEAT middleweight title holder, the 33-year-old Kato made an explosive debut before a live U.S. television audience on Spike when he scored what was later named “Knockout of the Month” – a crushing, ob puag ncig (:34) KO (punch) on American star Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling ntawm Bellator 139 Lub rau hli ntuj 26, 2015.

Rau hnub tim, all of Kato’s professional victories have come by way of (T)KO.

Watanabe is a 31-year-old grappling ace who boasts a splendid 84 feem pua ​​finish nqi, nrog 11 ntawm nws 19 career wins to date having come by way of submission and another 6 victories having come by way of (T)KO.

The number 10 ranked welterweight in Japan, Watanabe will make his first appearance of 2016 and look to rebound from a first round (2:00) cuav (rear-liab qab caj pas) defeat at the hands of Keita Nakamura Lub Xya hli ntuj 20, 2015, a loss that halted a seven-fight win streak for Watanabe.

In two different women’s bouts, Rena Kubota (1-0 MMA, 31-5-1 shoot boxing) will square off an opponent to be named under shoot boxing rules, while decorated wrestler Kanako Murata (0-0) will make her highly-anticipated MMA debut against an opponent to be announced soon.

The 24-year-old Kubota is a three-time shoot boxing tournament champion who made her much-anticipated MMA debut in stunning fashion at the RIZIN FF New Year’s Eve extravaganza, where she notched a second round (3:31) submission victory over Jleana Valentino with a flying armbar.

The 22-year-old Murata’s impressive resume includes three junior Olympic medals. Her most impressive feat, Txawm li cas los, came in 2011 when Murata nearly defeated four-time Olympic gold medalist Saori Yoshida during the All-Japan championships.

Additional bouts for “Top Presents RIZIN Fighting Federation I” will be announced soon.

Ua raws li Re'zin FF:

Lub vas sab – http://www.rizinff.com/en/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/rizinfightingfederation /
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rizin_PR

DARRION CALDWELL SUPLEXES, CHOKES HIS WAY TO MAIN EVENT VICTORY AT ‘BELLATOR 151’ RAU ntev

 

Complete Event Photos Here

 

THACKERVILLE, OK. (Lub peb hlis ntuj 4, 2016) – It’s safe to say Darrion Caldwell (9-0) asserted himself as a legitimate title contender with his victory over Joe Warren (13-5) nyob rau hauv lub ntsiab kev tshwm sim ntawm “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” on Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd at WinStar Resort and Casino.

As many expected, the fight quickly made it to the mat, nrog “The Wolf” taking down the self-proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet” and initiating a sequence of ground-and-pound offense. After Warren made it back to his feet, the former NC State wrestler suplexed Warren and sunk in a rear-naked choke — that Warren refused to tap to — forcing referee Dan Miragliotta to wave off the bout at 3:23 ntawm puag ncig ib.

Following the technical submission victory, Caldwell made good use of his time on the microphone with color commentator Jimmy Smith, calling out current bantamweight champion Marcos Galvao, simply saying: “F*ck you [Marcos] Galvao, you’re a p*ssy.That’s nine straight victories for the former NCAA Champion to begin his mixed martial arts career, three wins since making the transition from featherweight to bantamweight. Meanwhile, Warren has now dropped two out of three and will not get a shot at the winner of Galvao and Eduardo Dantas when they do finally meet.

 

In the co-main event of the evening, Fernando Gonzalez (25-13) extended his winning streak to five at the expense of Gilbert Smith (12-5), taking home a split decision win (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). The takedowns were likely the difference on the judges’ scorecards, but both fighters had their moments over the course of 15 feeb. Gonzalez now moves even closer to a shot at the 170-pound title, or a matchup with Michael Page, who was originally slated to face “Lub Menifee cov neeg vwm Flash” before withdrawing. The future of the division will be much clearer following “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” Plaub Hlis Ntuj 22, thaum Benson Henderson challenges Andrey Koreshkov for the welterweight belt.

 

Yamauchi li (19-3) came into his fight against Bubba Jenkins (11-2) riding a wave of momentum after three-straight wins, but the Arizona State wrestling standout used his world-class grappling to neutralize the striking and jiu-jitsu prowess of Yamauchi. The 23-year-old Japanese competitor took the back of Jenkins for the duration of round one and nearly secured an arm bar late in the final round, tab sis “The Highlight Kid’s” effective grappling was the difference, earning the unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-27). Jenkins now has won three consecutive fights since his January 2015 tsis rau Georgi Karakhanyan.

During the opening main card contest at “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell,” Sirwan Kakai (12-4) dropped his first fight under the Bellator MMA banner to Joe Taimanglo (22-6-1) ntawm unanimous kev txiav txim siab (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). It looked as though “Baby Joe” was going to finish the contest early — sinking in an Anaconda Choke before transitioning to a deep guillotine — but “Zohan” weathered the storm and hung around for the final ten minutes, even creating some bright spots of his own in the third and final round. Nyob rau hauv lub kawg, lub tsev hais plaub’ cage side awarded the Guam-native his third consecutive victory and sent Kakai back to the drawing board.

 

Preliminary Card tau:

Treston Thomison (9-4) yeej Aaron Roberson (5-4) ntawm raws (Guillotine) R2, 2:20

Jermayne Barnes (1-1) yeej Derek Palmer (0-1) ntawm raws (Punches) R2, 1:17

Neiman Gracie (4-0) yeej Roger Carroll (16-14) via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Ricky Turcios (6-0) yeej Steve Garcia (6-1) via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

Justin Patterson (7-1) yeej Chance Rencountre (8-2) via Split Decision (29-28. 28-29. 29-28)

Ray Ntoo (6-1) yeej Chris Jones (10-4) ntawm TKO (Punches) R1, 3:10

WEIGH-IN RESULTS FOR “BELLATOR 151: Warren VS. CARDWELL’ – AIRING TOMORROW ON SPIKE AT 9 PM ET/8PM CT

Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

THACKERVILLE, OK (Lub peb hlis ntuj 3, 2016) – For the third consecutive Friday, Bellator MMA returns to Spike, this time around with "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell.” Nyob rau hauv lub ntsiab kev tshwm sim, Joe Warren (13-4) looks to live up to his self-proclaimed label as the “Baddest Man on the Planet” against one of Bellator MMA’s brightest young stars in the undefeated Darrion Caldwell (8-0).

 

"Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” airs nyob thiab dawb nyob rau ntawm cov ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiabLub Bellator Mobile App.

Nyob rau hauv lub co-ntsiab kev tshwm sim, Gilbert Smith (12-4) will try to put an end to Fernando Gonzalez’s (24-13) four-fight winning streak when the two go toe-to-toe. Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, Yamauchi li (19-2) comes into the fight riding a wave of momentum after three-straight wins, but Arizona State wrestling standout Bubba Jenkins (10-2) will look put an end to that win streak. In bantamweight action, Sirwan Kakai (12-3) will make his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, and is riding a two-fight winning streak as he prepares for Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1).

 

Daim pib rau "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” are on sale now and start at just $45. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino and Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Qhov rooj rau cov kev tshwm sim qhib 5:00 p.m. I hauv zos lub sij hawm, with the first contest taking place 45 feeb tom qab.

 

Main Card: (Live on SPIKE – 9 p.m. THIAB/8:00 p.m. I)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Joe Warren (135.2) vs. Darrion Caldwell (135.6)

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Gilbert Smith (170.4) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (171)

 

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Yamauchi li (146) vs. Bubba Jenkins (146)

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Bout: Sirwan Kakai (135.6) vs. Joe Taimanglo (135.4)

 

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com - 6:45 p.m. THIAB/5:45 p.m. I)

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Fight: Roger Carroll (169.8) vs. Neiman Gracie (170.6)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Fight: Steve Garcia (135.4) vs. Ricky Turcios (135)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Fight: Justin Patterson (170.2) vs. Chance Rencountre (169.2)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature sib ntaus: Chris Jones (152.4) vs. Ray Ntoo (145.4)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature sib ntaus: Derek Palmer (194) vs. Jermayne Barnes (202.4)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature sib ntaus: Treston Thomison (145.6) vs. Aaron Roberson (146)

BELLATOR MMA IS THE NEW FIGHTING HOME OF WANDERLEI ‘THE AXE MURDERER’ SILVA

Bellator President Scott Coker and Wanderlei Silva (Credit: Bellator / Lucas Noonan)

 

Raug Monica (Lub peb hlis ntuj 2, 2016) –Bellator MMA is pleased to announce that one of the most popular, recognizable and beloved fighters in the sport of mixed martial arts, Wanderlei "Tus taus tua neeg" Silva (35-12-1), has signed an exclusive multi-year, multi-fight contract with the promotion. The 39-year-old publicly fielded offers from companies all around the world, but the former Pride FC Middleweight Champion made the decision to take his explosive style to Bellator MMA.

 

“The Axe Murderer” has fought in some of the most memorable feuds and battles the sport has ever seen. His wars with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Tito Ortiz, Mirko Cro Cop, Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Chuck Liddell, and Michael Bisping are the stuff of legend – but Silva is far from ready to close the book on his illustrious career.

 

In addition to his Pride FC Middleweight World Championship, Silva’s packed trophy case of accolades includes awards for Fight of the Year (2003, 2004, 2007), KO ntawm lub xyoo (2008), and multiple Fight of the Night awards including one for each of his last three fights, just to name a few. He now looks to continue to provide his award-winning, entertaining fights inside the Bellator cage.

 

Silva has several options for his first fight with Bellator. Although he has spent the majority of his career at 185-pounds, one of the things that his fans love most about him has been Wanderlei’s willingness to fight the best of the best – even if it was up two weight classes at heavyweight – as proven by his heavyweight wars against guys like Mark Hunt, Gilbert Yvel, Kazuyuki Fujita and Cro Cop; Or, his battles against light heavyweights like Ortiz, and his most recent opponent, Brian Stann, who he knocked out in the second frame.

 

Silva is the latest in a long line of recent free agent signings made by Scott Coker and Bellator MMA. The former Chute Box competitor joins: Josh Thomson, Phil Davis, Benson Henderson, Sergei Kharitonov thiab Anastasia Yankova on a roster with champions the likes of: Marcos Galvao, Daniel Straus, Yuav Brooks, Andrey Koreshkov, Rafael Carvalho, Liam McGeary thiabVitaly Minakov,

PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE VS. JOHN ‘MACAPA’ TEIXEIRA TO CO-MAIN EVENT AT ‘BELLATOR 153: KORESHKOV VS. HENDERSON’ APRIL 22 RAU ntev

B153_1920x1080_comain_inhouse

‘IRISH’ BRENNAN WARD WELCOMES EVANGELISTA ‘CYBORG’ SANTOS TO THE BELLATOR MMA WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION

FOUR ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY MATCHUPS ADDED TO THE MOHEGAN SUN EVENT IN CONNECTICUT

Raug Monica, California. (Lub peb hlis ntuj 1, 2016) – The co-main event for "Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson " is set, with the news that Patricio "Pitbull" Freire (24-3) will compete against John "Macapa" Teixeira (19-1-2) in featherweight action on Plaub Hlis Ntuj 22 ntawm Mohegan Sun Arena nyob rau hauv Uncasville, Conn.

 

Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, Connecticut tus kheej "Irish" Brennan Ward (13-3) returns to action in his home state fresh off an impressive victory in Japan, thaum nws zoo siab txais tos Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos (20-16) mus rau hauv lub Bellator MMA fray ntawm 170-phaus.

 

The two bouts join a main event that features the highly anticipated Bellator debut of Benson "Du" Henderson (23-5), raws li nws txoj kev sib tw welterweight yeej Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) rau nws txoj siv. Four preliminary bouts were also announced; additional contests will be added in the coming weeks.

 

Daim pib rau "Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson " pib ntawm cia li $30 thiab yog rau cov muag khoom tam sim no nyob Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com thiab cov Mohegan Tshav Box Office. Qhov kev tshwm sim airs nyob thiab dawb rau cov ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App.

 

For “Pitbull,” a fight on Plaub Hlis Ntuj 22 is the first step back towards a shot at Daniel Straus’ featherweight title, a belt that Freire held before the two met at "Bellator 145: Nrog Ib pauj. " Ntawm 28 years of age and with already 15 fights under the Bellator MMA banner, the Natal-native has been victorious in seven out of his last eight outings and emphatically finished Daniel Weichel in what was a knockout of the year candidate in 2015.

 

Undefeated in Bellator MMA, including an entertaining victory his last time out against Gleristone Santos; “Macapa” has not suffered defeat since 2012. A product of the highly regarded Nova Uniao team, Teixeira has previously competed in the UFC, where he was a competitor on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil.” Plaub Hlis Ntuj 22 will only be the fourth time the 29-year-old has fought outside of Brazil.

 

For Ward, fighting at the Mohegan Sun is like competing in his own backyard. Nyob 10 miles from his home in New London, Conn., “Irish” has won four times at the Mohegan Sun, all by finish with three KOs and one submission. Uas nyuam qhuav, the 27-year-old former NCAA All-American moved up in weight and submitted former heavyweight Ken Hasegawa in Japan while representing Bellator MMA during Rizin FF’s inaugural event this past December. The win brought Ward’s current winning streak to five fights, all coming by way of finish.

 

Best known to fans as “Cyborg,” Santos enters the Scott Coker-led promotion fresh off a win already in 2016. A veteran of Pride FC and Strikeforce, “Cyborg” has been involved in some memorable tussles against names the likes of: Nick Diaz, Gegard Mousasi, Francis Carmont, thiab Melvin Manhoef (2x). Tam sim no, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt will turn his attention to one of Bellator MMA’s fastest rising stars.

"Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson "tshiab sib ntaus Card:

Bellator MMA Welterweight ntiaj teb Title Bout: Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) vs. Benson Henderson (23-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main kev tshwm sim: Patricio Freire (24-3) vs. John Teixeira (19-1-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Brennan Ward (13-3) vs. Evangelista Santos (20-16)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Hnav Yam ua ntej Bout: Sam Watford (1-0) vs. Dean Hancock (2-0)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Chris Foster (8-4) vs. Felipe Lavandoski (5-0)

Bellator MMA Hnav Yam ua ntej Bout: Jason Bakanowski (3-2) vs. T.J. Hepburn (4-2)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Pete Rogers (2-3) vs. Mike Mangan (0-3)

'BELLATOR 151: Warren VS. CALDWELL’ FIGHT CARD UPDATE – THIS FRIDAY ON SPIKE

 

B151_18x24_tunein

Click below for “What to Watch: Warren vs. Caldwell”

Raug Monica, California. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 29, 2016) – This Friday, Bellator MMA returns to Spike for the third consecutive Friday with "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell.” The event takes place from the WinStar World Casino & Resort nyob rau hauv Thackerville, OK, and features a main event between highly touted undefeated bantamweight Darrion Caldwell (8-0) challenging former two-division world champion and the self-proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet” Joe Warren (13-4).

Daim pib rau "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” are on sale now and start at just $45. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino and Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Qhov rooj rau cov kev tshwm sim qhib 5:00 p.m. I hauv zos lub sij hawm, with the first contest taking place 45 feeb tom qab.

"Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” airs nyob thiab dawb nyob rau ntawm cov ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App.. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Joe Warren (13-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (8-0)

Warren has just about done it all under the Bellator MMA banner, winning titles at featherweight and bantamweight during his nearly six-year promotional tenure. Tam sim no, Warren has his sights set on another run with the 135-pound title, a belt he lost during an intense encounter with Marcos Galvao early in 2015. A 2006 Pan American and World Champion in Greco-Roman competition, the 39-year-old will test himself against a young competitor who excels in the same skillset that Warren has used to his advantage for most of his career, wrestling.

 

With five impressive outings in a little over a year and a half under the Bellator MMA umbrella, it was only a matter of time before “The Wolf” found himself in a position to compete for a world title. The next stop on the road to championship gold goes through Warren, a man who has held Galvao’s belt already. A standout on the wrestling team at NC State University, the 27-year-old Caldwell most recently submitted Shawn Rev via rear-naked choke in the first frame, adding to his tally of finishes (4). Initially a featherweight, Caldwell looks much more comfortable now at 135-pounds and as he proclaimed during a recent interview, “I foresee myself competing against Joe [Warren] with a No. 1 contender shot on the line, sooner rather than later.”

 

Fernando Gonzalez (24-13) vs. Gilbert Smith (12-4)

Gonzalez took a brief hiatus from MMA to compete in the kickboxing portion of the groundbreaking "Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1 " event in September, losing a tightly contest decision to world-renowned striker Paul "Semtex" Daley. Gonzalez now returns to his comfort zone of MMA, where he has strung together an impressive four-fight winning streak. A veteran of the Scott Coker-founded Strikeforce promotion, as well as World Extreme Cagefighting, Gonzalez has been competing professionally since 2003.

 

Smith will be making his Bellator MMA debut against a fighter who is currently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak. "Ib tag hmo Magic” is on a bit of a roll of his own, coming into the promotion riding a two-bout winning streak. A veteran of UFC and most recently RFA, Smith won the regional promotion’s welterweight belt in June, defending the title one time before signing with Bellator.

 

Yamauchi li (19-2) vs. Bubba Jenkins (10-2)

Yamauchi comes into the fight riding a wave of momentum he’s caught after wins against Mike Richman, Martin Stapleton, thiab Isao Kobayashi. The 23-year-old Japanese fighter has only lost once in six appearances under the Bellator MMA banner and has notched 15 ntawm nws 19 wins as a professional by way of submission.

 

It’s hard to ignore Jenkins inside or outside the Bellator MMA cage, being that “The Highlight Kid” also doubles as a podcast host during his free time. The Arizona State alum notched two straight wins to cap off 2015, tsis ntev los no, an impressive offensive display against a promising prospect in Jordan Parsons.

 

Sirwan Kakai (12-3) vs. Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1)

Taimanglo will be making his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, and is riding a two-fight winning streak. A Guam-native, “The Juggernaut” has stopped his opponent in 21 of his victories and has only lost twice in his last 14 fights. Look for the 31-year-old to make an impression against the bantamweight division’s newest commodity.

 

Kakai is one of Bellator MMA’s latest signings, joining the fray after a two-fight stint in the UFC. “Zohan," 26, hails from Sweden and owns 10 finishes in his 12 victories as a professional fighter. With a bantamweight title fight one-week prior and another marquee 135-pound pairing in the main event, it will be interesting to see what a win does for Kakai in the grand scheme of things.

 

Sau kom tiav "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Joe Warren (13-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (8-0)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Gilbert Smith (12-4) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (24-13)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Yamauchi li (19-2) vs. Bubba Jenkins (10-2)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Bout: Sirwan Kakai (12-3) vs. Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Welterweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Roger Carroll (16-13) vs. Neiman Gracie (3-0)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Steve Garcia (6-0) vs. Ricky Turcios (5-0)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Justin Patterson (6-1) vs. Chance Rencountre (8-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Chris Jones (10-3) vs. Ray Ntoo (5-1)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Derek Palmer (Debut) vs. Jermayne Barnes (0-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Steven Peterson (13-4) vs. Stephen Banaszak (5-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Treston Thomison (8-4) vs. Aaron Roberson (5-3)

 

CHEICK KONGO INCHES PAST VINICIUS SPARTAN IN ‘BELLATOR 150MAIN EVENT ON SPIKE

COMPLETE BELLATOR 150 PHOTOS HERE

MULVANE, Tej zaum. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 26, 2015) – A week removed from the most watched Bellator MMA event in company history, the Scott Coker-led promotion returned to action on SPIKE with "Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz,” an event that delivered five spectacular main card fights.

 

Nyob rau hauv lub yav tsaus ntuj lub ntsiab kev tshwm sim, Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) intelligently managed the distance between he and Vinicius Spartan (8-4), kicking and jabbing his way to a split decision victory (30-27, 28-29, 29-28).

 

Spartan did have his moments during the heavyweight encounter, securing takedowns in rounds two and three, followed by a knockdown late. Tab sis nyob rau hauv lub kawg, Kongo received the benefit of the doubt from the Kansas-appointed judges. The Frenchman has now won two straight, and improved to 6-2 overall under the Bellator MMA banner.

It only took David Rickels (17-4) three minutes and 49 seconds to finish Bobby Cooper (12-6) in front of a sellout crowd at Kansas Star Arena on Friday. Both men had their moments during the action, but after a knee to the body dropped Cooper to his knees, “The Caveman” pummelled his foe with hammerfists until referee John McCarthy called a stop to the action.

Kendall Grove (23-15) nres Francisco Fabkis (13-4-1) with a vicious punch 35 vib nas this mus rau hauv lub thib ob puag ncig, winning by knockout. The victory was an emotional one for “Da Spyder,” who recently lost his brother and made it clear his performance was dedicated to his late sibling. Grove has now won three of his last four tilts, all via finish.

Chuka Willis (7-2) tes laug Gaston Reyno (5-1) the first defeat of his mixed martial arts career on Friday, winning via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27). The scrap went back-and-forth over the course of 15 feeb, with multiple submission attempts and knockdowns by both men. But in the end – much to the delight of the partisan crowd – Willis earned the nod.

Former Shamrock FC Flyweight Champion Rebecca Ruth (6-1) yeej Lena Ovchynnikova (10-4) ntawm unanimous kev txiav txim siab (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) in the opening main card fight at "Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz.” For “Ruthless” the win is the first of her career via the judges’ scorecards and extended her current winning streak to four straight.

 

Preliminary Card tau:

 

Kyle Noblitt (2-0) yeej David Hammons (1-2) ntawm TKO (punches)

Rome Lindsay (5-5) yeej Marcio Navarro (14-12) ntawm TKO (punches) 2:30, R1

Chris Harris (5-0) yeej Julian Marquez (2-1) ntawm unanimous kev txiav txim siab (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Andre Fialho (6-0) yeej Manny Meraz (7-2) ntawm knockout (punches) :29, R1

Gregory Babene (17-11) yeej Brandon Farran (12-11) ntawm cuav (rear-liab qab caj pas) 3:37, R1

Thai Clark (6-0) yeej Deron Carlis (4-2) ntawm unanimous kev txiav txim siab (29-28 x 3)

RAFAEL CARVALHO SET TO DEFEND MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST MELVIN MANHOEF AT ‘BELLATOR 155’ ON MAY 20

PAT CURRAN RETURNS AGAINST GEORGI KARAKHANYAN IN FEATHERWEIGHT ACTION

Raug Monica, California. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 26, 2016) - Rafael Carvalho (12-1) will make his first defense of the Bellator MMA Middleweight Championship against heavy-handed Melvin "Tsis hlub" Manhoef (30-12-1) nyob rau hauv lub ntsiab kev tshwm sim ntawm "Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef " on May 20 ntawm CenturyLink Arena nyob rau hauv Boise, Idaho.

 

Nyob rau hauv lub co-ntsiab kev tshwm sim, former Bellator MMA Featherweight Titlist Pat Curran (21-7) yuav rov qab mus ua hauj lwm rau tus thawj lub sij hawm txij li thaum lub rau hli ntuj, when he faces the always-dangerous Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1).

 

Daim pib rau "Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef " pib ntawm cia li $25 and go on sale next Friday, Lub peb hlis ntuj 4 ntawm Bellator.com, the CenturyLink Arena Box Office, CenturyLinkArenaBoise.com or by phone at 208-331-TIXS.

 

"Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef " airs nyob thiab dawb nyob rau ntawm cov ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App. Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Carvalho’s second-round body kick knockout of Brandon Halsey ntawm "Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho” was the third biggest oddsmaker upset in 2015, and extended his current winning streak to 12. The 29-year-old will be making his fourth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner and has an impressive finishing rate of 83 feem pua.

With a resume of knockouts as violent as Manhoef, it’s no surprise the Dutch competitor has been given the nickname of “No Mercy.” Known for his relentless striking style, the former K-1 and Strikeforce competitor is fresh off his emphatic knockout of Hisaki Kato ntawm "Bellator 146: Manhoef vs. Kato” nyob rau hauv Kaum ib hlis. Now the 39-year-old is in position to lay claim to the Bellator 185-pound MMA title, before returning to kickboxing competition in the newly founded Bellator Kickboxing league.

 

It’s hard to find a Bellator MMA fighter with as many memorable moments for the Scott Coker-led promotion as Pat Curran. The former featherweight kingpin has been involved in wars with fighters the likes of: current champion Daniel Straus, Patricio Freire, Daniel Weichel, thiab Joe Warren. Now “Paddy Mike” sets his sights on “Insane,” in a bout that surely has future title implications at stake.

 

Karakhanyan made a splash in his return to Bellator MMA in 2015, zawm tawm Bubba Jenkins in his first fight for the Viacom-owned promotion since 2011. Tam sim no, the Millenia MMA standout will put his knack for submitting opponents (14x) to the test against Curran, a fighter who has only been submitted once in 28-fights.

"Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” Updated Fight Card

Bellator MMA Middleweight ntiaj teb Title sib ntaus: Rafael Carvalho (12-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-12-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main kev tshwm sim: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1)

ILLNESS REMOVES MARCOS GALVAO FROM CARD, CHEICK KONGO VERSUS VINICIUS QUEIROZ PROMOTED TO MAIN EVENT SLOT

MULVANE, Tej zaum. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 25, 2015) – Over the course of fight week, Marcos "Loro" Galvao (17-6-1) has been battling an illness. After consulting physicians, Bellator officials have decided to to pull him from his Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title defense against former champion Eduardo Dantas (17-4).

 

After making weight inside Kansas Star Arena at 10 a.m. I, Dantas was paid his show money. The fight will be rescheduled in the near future.

 

Raws li ib tug tshwm sim, Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) tiv thaiv Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will now serve as the headliner and David Rickels (16-4) tiv tiag Bobby Cooper (12-5) is the new co-main event. Rounding out the SPIKE-televised card will be a middleweight attraction pitting Kendall Grove (22-15) tiv thaiv Kiko France (13-3-1), the Bellator MMA debut of Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), when she fights Rebecca Ruth (5-1) thiab Gaston Reyno (5-0) – fresh off his new exclusive multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA – will fight against Chuka Willis (6-2).

 

Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz,” airs nyob rau ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App.

Sau kom tiav "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main kev tshwm sim: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Co-Main Event: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco Fabkis (13-3-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Gaston Reyno (5-0) vs. Chuka Willis (6-2)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3) vs. Rebecca Ruth (5-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: David Hammons (1-1) vs. Kyle Noblitt (1-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Brandon Farran (12-10) vs. Gregory Babene (16-11)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Manny Meraz (7-1) vs. Andre Fialho (5-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (4-0) vs. Julian Marquez (2-0)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Marcio Navarro (14-11) vs. Henry Lindsay (4-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Thai Clark (5-0) vs. Deron Carlis (4-1)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)