Category Archives: Bellator

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA CONFIRMS FULL FIGHT CARD FOR BELLATOR 262 – LIVE ON SHOWTIME FRIDAY, JULY 16 AT 9 P.M. ET

July 2, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

**UNDEFEATED FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION JULIANA VELASQUEZ AND NO. 3 RANKED DENISE KIELHOLTZ SQUARE OFF FOR 125-POUND STRAP WHILE TOP-10 HEAVYWEIGHTS TYRELL FORTUNE AND MATT MITRIONE MEET IN THE CO-MAIN EVENT**.

**LOS ANGELES** – BELLATOR MMA has confirmed the full fight card for *BELLATOR MMA 262: Velasquez vs. Kielholtz* on **Friday, July 16** at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The event airs LIVE on SHOWTIME at **9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT** and is headlined by undefeated flyweight world champion **Juliana Velasquez** (11-0) versus BELLATOR Kickboxing’s Flyweight World Champion and No. 3 ranked **Denise Kielholtz** (6-2) for the promotion’s 125-pound belt.

In addition to the must-see main event, four other exciting main card bouts are confirmed for *BELLATOR 262* on SHOWTIME, including No. 5 ranked **Tyrell Fortune** (10-1, 1 NC) taking on former New York Giants football star and No. 7 ranked **Matt Mitrione** (13-8, 1 NC) at heavyweight, a women’s featherweight matchup between No. 2 ranked former title challenger **Arlene Blencowe** (13-8) and Brazil’s **Dayana Silva** (9-6), a men’s heavyweight contest pitting No. 4 ranked **Linton Vassell** (20-8, 1 NC)versus BELLATOR newcomer **Marcelo Golm** (8-3), and undefeated No. 5 ranked **Johnny Eblen** (8-0) facing off against **Travis Davis** (10-4) in an explosive middleweight bout to open the main card.

The preliminary card is confirmed for six bouts and features a heavyweight slugfest between knockout artist **Ronny Markes** (19-8) and **Said Sowma** (6-2), as well as a featherweight contest pitting undefeated top prospect **Cody Law** (3-0) against **Theodore Macuka** (1-0). In addition, South Florida’s **Roman Faraldo** (5-0) welcomes **John Ramirez** (5-5) to the fray in a welterweight clash, while Team Pitbull Brothers-product **Matheus Mattos** (12-2-1) faces off against **Cee Jay Hamilton** (15-8) in a bantamweight battle. Lastly, **Johnny Soto** (4-1) and **Adil Benjilany** (5-3, 1 NC) square off in a 145-pound matchup and the undefeated Diana Avsaragova (3-0) takes on **Gabriella Gulfin** (2-2) in a flyweight showdown.

All prelims will stream live at **6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT** on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Full bout listings are below:

SHOWTIME streaming service is offering 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 at SHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two live premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 and beyond, anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.

# # #

***BELLATOR MMA 262:*** *Velasquez vs. Kielholtz* Main Card:
Friday, July 16 – Live on SHOWTIME
9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

*Flyweight World Title Main Event:* C-**Juliana Velasquez** (11-0) vs. #3-**Denise Kielholtz** (6-2)
*Heavyweight Bout:* #5–**Tyrell Fortune** (10-1, 1 NC) vs. #7-**Matt Mitrione** (13-8, 1 NC)
*Heavyweight Bout:* #4-**Linton Vassell** (20-8, 1 NC) vs. **Marcelo Golm** (8-3)
*Featherweight Bout:* #2–**Arlene Blencowe** (13-8) vs. **Dayana Silva** (9-6)
*Middleweight Bout:* #5-**Johnny Eblen** (8-0) vs. **Travis Davis** (10-4)

**Preliminary Card:**
**BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV**
6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

*Bantamweight Bout:* **Matheus Mattos** (12-2-1) vs. **Cee Jay Hamilton** (15-8)
*Heavyweight Bout:* **Ronny Markes** (19-8) vs. **Said Sowma** (6-2)
*Featherweight Bout:* **Cody Law** (3-0) vs. **Theodore Macuka** (1-0)
*Welterweight Bout:* **Roman Faraldo** (5-0) vs. **John Ramirez** (5-5)
*Flyweight Bout:* **Diana Avsaragova** (3-0) vs. **Gabriella Gulfin** (2-2)
*Featherweight Bout:* **Johnny Soto** (4-1) vs. **Adil Benjilany** (5-3, 1 NC)

*Card subject to change.

For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, visit BELLATOR.com.

****

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Gegard Mousasi Set to Defend BELLATOR MMA Middleweight World Championship Against John Salter on Friday, August 13

June 26, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Description automatically generated — **LOS ANGELES –** The BELLATOR MMA Middleweight World Championship will be up for grabs on Friday, August 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena when current 185-pound titlist **Gegard Mousasi** (47-7-2) defends his belt against No. 1-ranked **John Salter** (18-4).

The main card of BELLATOR 263: Mousasi vs. Salter airs live on SHOWTIME at **9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT**, while the preliminary portion of the event will stream live at **6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT** on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Additional contests for the event will be announced shortly.

Tickets for the event go on sale next Thursday, July 1 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com with a pre-sale taking place on Wednesday, June 30.

Fighting out of Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands, Mousasi has cemented legendary status within the sport, having won titles with multiple promotions across a 56-fight career. Most recently, Mousasi defeated former BELLATOR Welterweight Champion Douglas Lima, clearing his path to a shot at a second middleweight title run. With victories in his storied career against Lyoto Machida, Rory MacDonald, Chris Weidman, Vitor Belfort, Jacare Souza, Dan Henderson and Mark Hunt, the Dutch MMA legend now faces a stiff challenge from John Salter.

North Carolina’s Salter enters his title shot on August 13 riding a three-fight winning streak with victories over Chidi Njokuani, Andrew Kapel and Mousasi’s teammate Costello van Steenis. The 36-year-old boasts a suffocating grappling and wrestling repertoire, ending six of his eight BELLATOR victories via submission. The bout will be Salter’s tenth with the promotion and his first opportunity to capture BELLATOR gold.

***BELLATOR MMA 2****63: Mousasi vs. Salter* Main Card:
Friday, August 13 – Live on SHOWTIME
9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

*Middleweight World Title Main Event:* C-**Gegard Mousasi** (47-7-2) vs. #1-**John Salter** (18-4)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Fedor Emelianenko Returns Home to Moscow’s VTB Arena on Oct. 23 to Main Event BELLATOR: Moscow

June 26, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Description automatically generated — **WATCH TODAY’S BELLATOR: MOSCOW ANNOUNCEMENT HERE**

**PHOTOS FROM TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT HERE – PHOTO CREDIT: WILL FOX**

**LOS ANGELES** – It is with great pride that BELLATOR MMA announces that on Saturday, Oct. 23, the promotion will hold its first-ever event in Moscow, Russia, at the VTB Arena and that the historic card will be headlined by the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all-time, **Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko** (39-6, 1 NC).

Emelianenko’s opponent, along with additional matchups, and SHOWTIME telecast details will be announced in the coming weeks.

“I have had the pleasure of working alongside Fedor for 12 years and nine of his fights during his time with BELLATOR and STRIKEFORCE,” said BELLATOR President Scott Coker. “It’s an honor to bring him home to compete in front of his fans who have followed his entire career. In addition to Fedor, we will showcase BELLATOR’s deep roster of Russian talent and put together a historic card for our first trip to Russia on Oct. 23.”

Tickets for Fedor’s highly anticipated return home are on sale now and can be purchased at Kassir.ru.

Widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, **Fedor Emelianenko** returns to the BELLATOR cage for the first time since his dominant first-round TKO victory over **Quinton “Rampage” 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 Valentin Moldavsky, who is fighting for the interim heavyweight title tonight. Already proving to be a formidable head coach, 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.

BELLATOR returns to action later this evening as Team Fedor’s **Valentin Moldavsky** (10-1) vies for the Interim Heavyweight Championship against No. 1 ranked **Tim Johnson** (15-6) at *BELLATOR 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky.* Tonight’s event will air live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT in America and live on OKKO Sport in Russia.

**Updated *BELLATOR: Moscow* Card:**

*Heavyweight Main Event:* **Fedor Emelianenko** (39-6, 1 NC) vs. TBA

****

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

Complete Weigh-In Results & Photos for Tomorrow’s BELLATOR 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky Event – Live on SHOWTIME

June 24, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

**COMPLETE WEIGH-IN PHOTOS**

**UNCASVILLE, Conn. –** *BELLATOR 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky* will be broadcast tomorrow, Friday, June 25 on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, while preliminary bouts will stream on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

*BELLATOR MMA 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky* Main Card:
Friday, June 25 – Live on SHOWTIME
9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

*Interim Heavyweight World Title Main Event:* #1-**Timothy Johnson** (260) vs. #3-**Valentin Moldavsky** (234)
*Flyweight Co-Main Event:* #2-**Liz Carmouche** (125.5) vs. #3-**Kana Watanabe** (125.25)
*Featherweight Bout:* #6-**Daniel Weichel** (145.5) vs. **Keoni Diggs** (146)
*Lightweight Bout:* #4-**Myles Jury** (156) vs. #6-**Sidney Outlaw** (156)
*Light Heavyweight Bout:* **Christian Edwards** (206) vs. **Simon Biyong** (204.5)

**Preliminary Card:**
**BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV**
6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT

*Lightweight Bout:* **Soren Bak** (156) vs. **Bobby Lee** (155.25)
*Lightweight Bout:* **Isaiah Hokit** (155.75) vs. **Corey Samuels** (156)
*Bantamweight Bout:* **Jaylon Bates** (136) vs. **Cody Matthews** (135)
*Middleweight Bout:* **Taylor Johnson** (185.25) vs. **Lance Wright** (184.75)
*Featherweight Bout:* **John Macapa** (144.75) vs. **John de Jesus** (145.5)

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

**About BELLATOR**
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter 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. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

**About** **SHOWTIME**
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^™ and FLIX^®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV^®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA 261 MEDIA DAY VIDEOS AND QUOTES

June 24, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR MMA 263: PITBULL VS. MCKEE VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

June 19, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

**FULL PRESS CONFERENCE VIDEO HERE**

**LOS ANGELES – June 17, 2021** – BELLATOR MMA’s Featherweight and Lightweight World Champion **Patricio Pitbull** (32-4) and undefeated top-ranked challenger **AJ McKee** (17-0) previewed their must-watch Featherweight World Grand Prix Final and 145-pound title fight during a virtual press conference Wednesday. Both fighters’ head coaches, **Eric Albarracin** of Team Pitbull Brothers, and **Antonio McKee** of Team Bodyshop, also chimed in with a look at the final preparations both fight camps are taking as we approach the massive event.

*BELLATOR 263: Pitbull vs. McKee* will emanate from the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and will air live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Tickets for the event go on sale tomorrow, Friday, June 18 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com.

Here is what the fighters and their coaches had to say Wednesday:

**Patricio Pitbull, BELLATOR Featherweight World Champion & BELLATOR Lightweight World Champion**

“I’m a little bit older and faster than the rest of my division and I’m going to use this in my favor. (22:47)

“Of all the opponents I’ve faced, AJ is the most dangerous, and I know that. With that being said, I know that I’m going to win this fight and prove his father wrong. (26:18)

“At the beginning of his career, he faced very low-level guys. He has a few wins over tough opponents, but he’s never fought anyone like me. He claims that he is ready for me, but he isn’t, and he’ll learn that very quickly in front of his home crowd.” (38:48)

**AJ McKee, No. 1 Ranked BELLATOR Featherweight & Featherweight World Grand Prix Finalist**

“It’s been a great journey and this is something I’ve dreamed of my entire career. Like I said, I’ve been calling Pitbull’s name since I first stepped into that cage and he’s ignored me, pretending like he doesn’t know who I am. At the end of the day, there is nowhere else for him to run and he has to look me in my eyes. I’m looking forward to it. Everyone says I haven’t been tested and I agree. But, when you do see me get tested, a whole different animal will come out. (23:22)

“After I beat Pitbull and become the face of BELLATOR, we can run it back for that second belt too. Becoming champ-champ is something that I said I was always going to do, and that I will do. I went through the trials and tribulations of not wanting to fight, to then having my passion for this come back and me seeing all my goals be within reach. It’s going to be fun, especially after the long break due to my knee surgery. I can’t wait to get in there again. The Mercenary does one thing: he signs the contract and then takes the person out. (24:22)

“I’ve been preparing for this fight for six years because Pitbull has been at the top for so long. Once again, I have a foot longer reach on him, so he has to come to me. He says he is training with gold medal wrestlers, but I will do the same thing to him that I did to Pat Curran and Darrion Caldwell. I’m comfortable off my back. Just because he’s Brazilian, that doesn’t mean anything in terms of Jiu jitsu. I have that evolved Jiu jitsu and that’s what I get people with when they don’t see it coming.” (31:45)

**Scott Coker, BELLATOR President**

“We’re excited to be back in California and we are excited to be back in the Forum, a place where we have had so many great fights. It’s going to be an amazing event. My staff is excited and the fighters are excited. When you think about live sports, it needs fans. We got a taste of it last week at the Mohegan Sun, which has been an amazing partner for us, but it’s time to travel and get back to what BELLATOR does best. That is putting on great fights touring from city-to-city, starting with this amazing fight on July 31. (4:10)

“This is the fight that everyone wanted to see. We have so many amazing athletes in this division that we went through the lottery system for matchups, which provided us with amazing fights. But at the beginning, I was wishing that the final would be McKee versus Pitbull. When we signed McKee, he had zero fights to his name. Now, look at where he is today. Back then, Pitbull was our champion and obviously still is today, so this fight is the “OG” vs. the new guard and we’ll have to see what happens.” (5:13)

**Eric Albarracin, Team Pitbull Brothers Head Coach**

“Patricio’s had a bullseye on his back since he became the champ in 2014, when he beat Pat Curran and this run has gone exactly as we planned. We were the matchmakers, we sent Darrion Caldwell to the other side of the bracket to take out some of the young bucks and he did. Then, AJ took him out and here we are. I think this is the perfect matchup for the finals. We have a young, up-and-coming, undefeated fighter and the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet, Patricio Pitbull. This is going to be the greatest fight in BELLATOR history. (7:20)

“Even at 17-0, AJ is still very young in the game. He’s very unpredictable. But, at the end of the day it’s Pitbull who is the pound-for-pound best on the planet, it’s Pitbull who is the double champ, it’s Pitbull who has the best coaches in the game and they don’t know how to prepare for that.” (8:18)

**Antonio McKee, Team Bodyshop Head Coach**

“I lived a different life, one where it wasn’t all good. I was dealing with a lot of stuff that a lot of African American men deal with. No mother and no father, growing up in the streets of Los Angeles. It was what it was, but I made the right decisions and never got caught for anything that I did that could have put me away for the rest of my life and found my drive and motivation through my son. The things that AJ would say as a kid, like ‘Daddy if you die, can I die with you?’ I didn’t care about living and I didn’t have a problem with killing either. And then one day AJ says ‘Dad, whatever you do and wherever you go, I want to come with you.’ I was ready to clock out, but then I realized that I needed to be here for him. He had nothing but me, so that gave me the drive and the strength to find a better way out.

“I made it this far, did my thing as a wrestler and was the best in the world. I did what I was doing, but I didn’t have the right mindset, so I had to check my mental and learn how to be a respectable human being. Once I did that, things started to shift for me and now here we are. I did things to keep AJ in private school, not to buy cars, music, and jewelry. I did it all to pay for his school tuition.” (14:36)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Pair of Explosive Heavyweight Fights Added to Main Card of BELLATOR 262 on Friday, July 16

June 19, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

TYRELL FORTUNE-MATT MITRIONE AND LINTON VASSELL-MARCELO GOLM CONFIRMED FOR SHOWTIME BROADCAST

THREE ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY CONTESTS ALSO OFFICIAL

LOS ANGELES – The slate of action scheduled for BELLATOR 262 on Friday, July 16 continues to grow with the addition of five must-see contests.

Two heavyweight fights have been added to the main card of BELLATOR 262, when No. 5 ranked heavyweight Tyrell Fortune (10-1, 1 NC) meets the always-exciting No. 7 ranked Matt Mitrione (13-8, 1 NC) and former title challenger #4-Linton Vassell (20-8, 1 NC) welcomes Brazil’s Marcelo Golm (8-3) to the BELLATOR cage.

The main event of BELLATOR 262 features undefeated 125-pound world champion Juliana Velasquez (11-0) making the first defense of her title against BELLATOR Kickboxing’s Flyweight World Champion and No. 4 ranked Denise Kielholtz (6-2). The card emanates from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. and airs live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

A limited number of tickets starting at $60 are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

The preliminary portion of BELLATOR MMA 262 has three confirmed tilts, with the news that former featherweight title challenger #2-Arlene Blencowe (13-8) welcomes Dayana Silva (9-6) to the fray, heavyweight sluggers Ronny Markes (19-8) and Said Sowma (6-2) go to battle, and a featherweight bout pitting Johnny Soto (4-1) against Adil Benjilany (5-3, 1 NC) is now official. All the preliminary actionbegins at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT and will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.

At one time best known for his collegiate wrestling prowess, Tyrell Fortune has vastly improved his striking as his budding professional MMA career has progressed, earning knockouts with his fists in six of his ten victories. Currently ranked in the top five of BELLATOR’s heavyweight division, Mitrione poses the stiffest test yet for the 30-year-old Arizona resident when he competes on the main card of BELLATOR 262.

Entering the BELLATOR cage for the ninth time since signing with the promotion in 2016, former New York Giants football star Matt Mitrione will look to defeat the man 12 years his junior when he returns to action on July 16. Known for his heavy-handed, in-your-face style, Mitrione will be making the walk for the first time in 2021, following a defeat at the hands of current interim heavyweight title challenger Tim Johnson last year.

A former two-time light heavyweight title challenger, Linton Vassell recently returned to heavyweight where he has found immediate success, finishing both Ronny Markes and Sergei Kharitonov to solidify himself as the number four ranked big man in the division. A proud British fighter, “The Swarm” will be making his 15^th promotional appearance at Bellator 262, averaging nearly two fights a year since signing with the Scott Coker-led company in 2013.

A veteran of the UFC, 28-year-old Marcelo Golm inked a multi-fight contract with BELLATOR in April of this year. The Sao Paulo, Brazil native is currently riding a two-fight winning streak on the regional circuit, defeating D.J. Linderman by first-round TKO, and then submitting Brandon Hebert by second-round arm-triangle choke. With his upcoming booking against No. 4-ranked Vassell, it’s safe to say an emphatic victory will likely earn him top-ten ranking following his debut

# # #

BELLATOR MMA 262: Velasquez vs. Kielholtz Main Card:

SHOWTIME

Friday, July 16 – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT 

Flyweight World Title Main Event: C-Juliana Velasquez (11-0) vs. #4-Denise Kielholtz (6-2)

Heavyweight Bout: #5–Tyrell Fortune (10-1, 1 NC) vs. #7-Matt Mitrione (13-8, 1 NC)

Heavyweight Bout: #4-Linton Vassell (20-8, 1 NC) vs. Marcelo Golm (8-3)

Preliminary Card: 

BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV

5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT

Featherweight Bout: #2-Arlene Blencowe (13-8) vs. Dayana Silva (9-6)

Heavyweight Bout: Ronny Markes (19-8) vs. Said Sowma (6-2)

Featherweight Bout Johnny Soto (4-1) vs. Adil Benjilany (5-3, 1 NC)

For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, visit BELLATOR.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Featherweight World Champion Patricio Pitbull Meets AJ McKee in the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix Finals on Saturday, July 31 — Live on SHOWTIME

June 19, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

BELLATOR 263 TAKES PLACE AT THE FORUM IN LOS ANGELES ON SATURDAY, JULY 31 – LIVE ON SHOWTIME^®

TICKETS FOR THIS MASSIVE EVENT GO ON SALE TOMORROW AT BELLATOR.COM

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LOS ANGELES — And then there were two…

What began with 16 featherweight athletes vying for a one-million-dollar grand prize and the BELLATOR Featherweight World Championship has been narrowed to the greatest BELLATOR athlete in the history of the promotion Patricio Pitbull (32-4) and the company’s best-ever homegrown fighter in No. 1 ranked AJ McKee (17-0).

The culmination of the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix takes place Saturday, July 31 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and marks the company’s first domestic event hosted away from “The Fightsphere” since February 2020.

BELLATOR 263: Pitbull vs. McKee airs live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and tickets for the event go on sale this Friday, June 18 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com with a pre-sale taking place on Thursday.

“This is without a doubt going to be the biggest BELLATOR fight of all time,” said BELLATOR President Scott Coker. “AJ McKee has been calling for a shot at Pitbull’s title since his very first professional victory inside our cage six years ago. Now he’s finally getting the opportunity to realize his dream of becoming a world champion against the winningest fighter in BELLATOR history. For Pitbull a win over McKee in this tournament final would be a statement piece to add to his long list of accolades and legacy as the best 145-pounder on the planet.”

One half of the vaunted Pitbull Brothers duo, Patricio has long been considered the crown jewel of BELLATOR MMA, where he sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings. Holding a remarkable record of 32-4 with wins over elite competition including the likes of Pat Curran, Juan Archuleta, Daniel Weichel (x2) and most recently a second triumph over Emmanuel Sanchez, the 33-year-old stands alone as the featherweight king. Additionally, he was able to capture the Lightweight World Championship in a 2019 contest opposite Michael Chandler, becoming only the second BELLATOR athlete to hold two titles simultaneously. With 23 finishes in 36 professional fights, Pitbull has shown time and time again that he possesses the well-rounded skillset required to reign over multiple weight classes.

With a perfect record of 17-0, AJ McKee has exceeded the lofty expectations placed on him since his professional debut at the ripe age of 20-years-old. With an even six knockouts and six submissions, the now-26-year-old McKee has shown a knack for securing finishes—and fast—with nine coming in the first round. “Mercenary” has earned dominant victories over every man who has opposed him including former champions Pat Curran, Georgi Karakhanyan, and Darrion Caldwell, who McKee submitted most-recently with a rare, modified neck crank that was later dubbed the “McKee-otine.” Finally, the Long Beach native will face the man he has called for since signing with BELLATOR, as he takes on Patricio Pitbull in the much-anticipated Featherweight World Grand Prix Final.

The preliminary portion of the event streams live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, as well as Pluto TV and features former featherweight title challenger and No. 2 ranked Emmanuel Sanchez (20-5) versus Denmark’s No. 8 ranked Mads Burnell (15-3), a bantamweight tilt between No. 3 ranked Magomed “Tiger” Magomedov (18-1) and No. 4 Raufeon “Supa” Stots (16-1) and a lightweight affair pitting undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov (12-0) against Manny Muro (12-6).

BELLATOR 263: Pitbull vs. McKee Main Card:

Saturday, July 31 – Live on SHOWTIME

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Featherweight World Title Main Event: C-Patricio Pitbull (32-4) vs. #1-AJ McKee (17-0)

Preliminary Card:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Featherweight Bout: #2-Emmanuel Sanchez (20-5) vs. #8-Mads Burnell (15-3)

Bantamweight Bout: #3-Magomed Magomedov (18-1) vs. #4-Raufeon Stots (16-1)

Lightweight Bout: Usman Nurmagomedov (12-0) vs. Manny Muro (12-6)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Official Fight Night Results, Quotes & Photos for BELLATOR MMA 260: Lima vs. Amosov

June 16, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Description automatically generated — **COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS HERE – (PLEASE CREDIT: BELLATOR MMA / LUCAS NOONAN)**

**POST-FIGHT VIDEO INTERVIEWS HERE**

#1-**Yaroslav Amosov** (26-0) defeated c-**Douglas Lima** (32-9) via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

*Yaroslav Amosov after winning the title:*

“I am happy because this is my life. It’s been a long time in training. It’s the result I wanted and I am happy. Now I must recover. But, it doesn’t matter, I have my undefeated record.”

#3-**Jason Jackson** (15-4) defeated #6-**Paul Daley** (43-18-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

*Jason Jackson following his unanimous decision win:*

“It’s not easy to come out here and do what me and Paul Daley just did. We came out here, we fought our ass off.

“I needed to prove to myself that I could go in there and fight the champ. This guy went five rounds with Douglas Lima. So, I knew if I take this opportunity to fight him and go and fight the way I trained, then I could beat Douglas Lima and win the championship.”

#6-**Aaron Pico** (8-3) defeated **Aiden Lee** (9-5) via submission (anaconda choke) at 1:33 of round three

*Aaron Pico speaks post victory:*

“He’s a warrior, first of all. My team and I put in a lot of work, but I feel like I could’ve done a little bit better. Thank God I have no injuries, I can fight next month if I needed to. And I just want to say thank you to all of the fans.”

“I’ll fight anybody in the top ten honestly. I’ll fight anybody. I feel like I’m ready. I’m sorry I didn’t get the knockout tonight but I’m happy with the submission.”

**Mark Lemminger** (12-3) defeated **Demarques Jackson** (11-6) via TKO (punches) at 3:30 of round two

*Mark Lemminger on his win:*

“He’s strong. He was slowing down [as the fight went on], but he still felt pretty strong. I was able to control my position. I didn’t make the same mistake I made last time I was here and I put him belly down and I got the stoppage.”

**Preliminary Card:**
**Kyle Crutchmer** (7-1) defeated **Levan Chokheli** (9-1, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
**Justin Gonzales** (12-0) defeated #9-**Tywan Claxton** (6-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
**Bobby King** (10-3) defeated **Nick Newell** (16-4) via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
**Lucas Brennan** (5-0) defeated **Matthew Skibicki** (4-4) via submission (anaconda choke) at 1:54 of round one
**Marina Mokhnatkina** (5-2) defeated #8-**Amanda Bell** (7-8) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
**Alex Polizzi** (8-1) defeated **Gustavo Trujillo** (3-2) via submission (straight armbar) at 4:22 of round one

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

LIZ CARMOUCHE MEETS UNDEFEATED KANA WATANABE IN THE CO-MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR MMA 261 ON FRIDAY, JUNE 25 – LIVE ON SHOWTIME AT 9 P.M. ET/6 P.M. PT

June 10, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Description automatically generated — **LOS ANGELES – Liz Carmouche** (15-7), who is No. 5 in the BELLATOR women’s pound-for-pound rankings, will face the promotion’s No. 3 ranked flyweight **Kana Watanabe** (10-0-1) during the co-main event of BELLATOR MMA 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky on Friday, June 25.

The *BELLATOR 261* main card airs live on **SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT** and takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. A limited number of tickets starting at $60 are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

Newly announced preliminary matchups feature a bantamweight tilt pitting **Jaylon Bates** (2-0) against **Cody Matthews** (1-1) and middleweight matchup between **Taylor Johnson** (6-2) and **Lance Wright** (5-1).

The preliminary portion of *BELLATOR 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky* begins at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT and will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.

*BELLATOR 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky* is anchored by an interim heavyweight title bout between No. 1 ranked **Timothy Johnson** (15-6) and No. 3 ranked **Valentin Moldavsky** (10-1). A featherweight fight featuring former title challenger No. 5 ranked **Daniel Weichel** (40-12) against Hawaii’s undefeated **Keoni Diggs** (9-0) and a light heavyweight re-booking between No. 10 ranked **Christian Edwards** (4-0) and **Ben Parrish** (4-1) have also been confirmed for the main card.

Additional prelims include a lightweight bout featuring No. 6 ranked **Myles Jury** (19-5) versus No. 7 ranked **Sidney Outlaw** (15-4), a women’s strawweight fight pitting **Lena Ovchynnikova** (12-6, 1 NC) against **Kyra Batara** (8-4), a light heavyweight contest seeing **Lee Chadwick** (26-15-1) versus **Simon Biyong** (7-1), and a lightweight affair between **Søren Bak** (14-1) and **Bobby Lee** (12-5).

Carmouche is a highly skilled veteran of the sport who joined BELLATOR’s women’s flyweight division in 2019 following a six-year run in the UFC. Fighting out of San Diego, the 37-year-old Team Hurricane Awesome-product also formerly competed for Strikeforce, notching a pair of victories with the promotion. Since signing with BELLATOR, “Girl-Rilla” has rallied off two straight wins, defeating Vanessa Porto and DeAnna Bennett. Prior to Carmouche’s days as a professional athlete, the Lafayette, Louisiana-native spent five years serving as an aviation electrician in the United Stated Marine Corps, where she completed three tours of duty in the Middle East.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the cage. I plan to end this fight with a dominant finish that stamps my name as the top contender for the belt,” Carmouche said.

Undefeated through 11 professional fights, Japan’s Watanabe steps into the BELLATOR MMA cage for the third time in as many years. With frying-pan-bending strength, the 32-year-old judoka boasts an impressive 60% finishing rate and has bested fellow BELLATOR flyweights Alejandra Lara and Ilara Joanne since joining the promotion’s ranks. The No. 3 ranked flyweight is looking to make a statement of her own and stake her claim to a shot at BELLATOR’s coveted 125-pound championship.

“I am very grateful to be given another opportunity to fight during these hard times. Liz Carmouche has tons of experience and has constantly been fighting the best which makes her without a doubt one of the best in the world,” Watanabe said. “I fully respect her in every aspect and am truly honored to face such an athlete. With that being said, I am excited to take on this challenge to prove to everybody and myself that I have what it takes to become the best in the world. I want to win this fight in a convincing way, to open up the doors for a title challenge shot.”

****

***BELLATOR MMA 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky*** **Main Card:**
**SHOWTIME**
9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

*Interim Heavyweight Title Main Event:* #1-**Tim Johnson** (15-6) vs. #3-**Valentin Moldavsky** (10-1)
*Flyweight Co-Main Event:* #2– **Liz Carmouche** (15-7) vs. #3-**Kana Watanabe** (10-0-1)
*Featherweight Main Card Bout:* #5- **Daniel Weichel** (40-12) vs. **Keoni Diggs** (9-0)
*Light Heavyweight Main Card Bout:* #10– **Christian Edwards** (4-0) vs. **Ben Parrish** (4-1)

**Preliminary Card:**
**BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV**
5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT

*Strawweight bout:* **Lena Ovchynnikova** (12-6, 1 NC) vs. **Kyra Batara** (8-4)
*Lightweight bout:* #6-**Myles Jury** (19-5) vs. #7-**Sidney Outlaw** (15-4)
*Lightweight bout:* **Søren Bak** (14-1) vs. **Bobby Lee** (12-5)
*Bantamweight Bout:* **Jaylon Bates** (2-0) vs. **Cody Matthews** (1-1)
*Middleweight Bout:* **Taylor Johnson** (6-2) vs. **Lance Wright** (5-1)
*Light Heavyweight Bout:* **Lee Chadwick** (26-15-1) vs. **Simon Biyong** (7-1)

*Card subject to change.

For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, visit BELLATOR.com.

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LIZ CARMOUCHE MEETS UNDEFEATED KANA WATANABE IN THE CO-MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR MMA 261 ON FRIDAY, JUNE 25 – LIVE ON SHOWTIME AT 9 P.M. ET/6 P.M. PT

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