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Bellator, mixed martial arts, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

BELLATOR MMA™ WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION DOUGLAS LIMA SET TO DEFEND TITLE ON JUNE 11 AGAINST UNDEFEATED NO. 1 RANKED YAROSLAV AMOSOV LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

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Also, No. 9 Ranked Featherweight Tywan Claxton Welcomes Unbeaten Justin Gonzales to BELLATOR and ‘Notorious’ Nick Newell Battles Bobby King at Lightweight

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LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA’s Welterweight World Champion Douglas Lima (32-8) will defend his 170-pound title against the undefeated and top-ranked Yaroslav Amosov (25-0) in the main event of BELLATOR MMA 260 on Friday, June 11 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

In addition to the main event, a pair of preliminary bouts are official, as No. 9 ranked Tywan Claxton (6-2) faces the undefeated and newly signed Justin Gonzales (11-0) in featherweight action, while Connecticut’s Nick Newell (16-3) takes center stage against promotional debutant Bobby King (9-3) in a 155-pound clash. The preliminary card 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.

Fighting out of American Top Team in Atlanta, Ga., “The Phenom” Douglas Lima will look to protect the 170-pound title for the first time since reclaiming his status as division king with a win over Rory MacDonald at BELLATOR 232 in 2019. With notable wins over the likes of Michael “Venom” Page, Paul Daley, Lorenz Larkin, and MacDonald, Lima is the promotion’s No. 6 ranked pound-for-pound fighter. Now, he looks to reassert his dominance at 170-pounds after challenging middleweight world champion Gegard Mousasi in an attempt to become double-champ. The BELLATOR MMA Welterweight World Grand Prix winner went five rounds with Mousasi, giving fans an instant-classic and a glimpse of just how special the three-time BELLATOR welterweight world champion truly is. The 18-fight BELLATOR veteran is on a mission to to become the first to defeat Amosov on June 11.

“I’m pumped to get back in the cage and show everyone why I’m the most-feared welterweight in the game,” said Lima. “Amosov is a game opponent, who has climbed the rankings against top competition. He’s more than deserving of this title shot, but this is still my division and that isn’t changing any time soon.”

A relatively new addition amongst the sport’s elite welterweights, Amosov will enter his first BELLATOR world title bout riding a streak of six consecutive victories since signing with BELLATOR in 2018. “Dynamo” has established himself as a well-rounded and extremely dangerous fighter, collecting a remarkable 19 wins by finish, including 13 in the first round. The 27-year-old native of Irpin, Ukraine is a three-time combat sambo world champion and the No. 10 ranked pound-for-pound athlete in BELLATOR. Training out of American Top Team in Florida, Amosov aims to protect his unblemished professional mark of 25-0 and snatch away Lima’s most prized possession.

“It is an honor to challenge Douglas Lima for the Bellator Welterweight Title,” Amosov said. “I have dreamed of becoming a champion since I have chose this path of MMA. Here I am, undefeated and on the verge of earning the gold.”

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 at SHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 and beyond, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.  

BELLATOR MMA 260: Lima vs. Amosov Main Card:

SHOWTIME

9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT 

Welterweight World Title Main Event: C-Douglas Lima (32-8) vs. #1-Yaroslav Amosov (25-0)

Preliminary Card: 

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

6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

Featherweight Bout: #9-Tywan Claxton (6-2) vs. Justin Gonzales (11-0)

Lightweight Bout: Nick Newell (16-3) vs. Bobby King (9-3)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA 257 VIRTUAL MEDIA AVAILABILITY QUOTES

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“I want to be the first one to finish Phil Davis in his life,” – Nemkov

“He’s coming to make a statement that he is the rightful champion. And I am coming to say, ‘No you not!’” – Davis

“The plan is to go out there and dominate, win in the best fashion and get to him before he gets to me,” – Anderson

“I can fight with anybody in this tournament,” – Yagshimuradov

NEW YORK – April 14, 2021 – Newly-crowned light heavyweight king Vadim Nemkov and No. 2 ranked light heavyweight Phil Davis previewed their BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME main event fight during a virtual media availability Wednesday. In an anticipated rematch three years in the making, Nemkov and Davis will battle for both the light heavyweight strap and to advance to the semifinals of the BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix live on SHOWTIME on Friday, April 17 from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

BELLATOR MMA 257: Nemkov vs. Davis 2 is the third of three straight weeks of BELLATOR MMA action on SHOWTIME and begins live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Completing the stacked main card are three other must-watch bouts, including No. 3 ranked Corey Anderson welcoming the highly-touted Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov to the BELLATOR cage in a Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal matchup, a 175-pound contract weight bout between MMA legend Paul Daley and the always-exciting Sabah Homasi and a women’s flyweight contest matching Veta Arteaga against Desiree Yanez.

SHOWTIME 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 at SHO.com/BellatorMMA.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

Vadim Nemkov, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Champion

Click HERE to view Nemkov’s full media session

“Yes, I am entering the Grand Prix as a champion but I try to move those things out of my head, so I’m entering the tournament like a regular fighter and I just want to win. For me, it’s much more important to win this tournament right now. Not the belt.

“I want to win this tournament. I want to prove myself to everybody. I’m in my prime age right now. I already have a lot of experience. I’m well prepared for this tournament and because I’m younger, that’s even more of a plus for me.

“I’m very glad that I have three fights this year to defend my title. That’s really good for me to fight a lot and to prove that I am the best. That I am a champion. Not wasting any time. I’m really happy that these other legends in the tournament want my belt and I have a chance to fight with them and prove that I am better.

“I’m ready to fight with Phil Davis for five rounds. I’m prepared for it. But I want to finish it. I don’t want to spend five rounds with Phil Davis and I want to be the first one to finish him in his life.”

Phil Davis, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Competitor

*Click HERE to view Davis’ full media session

“Honestly, it’s sort of cliché but the toughest test in this tournament would be Nemkov. He’s champion for a reason. He’s a tough cat and he’s the guy to beat. I want to get this light heavyweight belt and then after that, clean up the rest of the tournament.

“This fight is going to be crazy. I can promise you that. With Nemkov, you know when you skate by with a win. This time, he’s coming to make a statement that he is the rightful champion. And I am coming to say, ‘No you not!’ It’s definitely going to be a very aggressive and exciting fight.

“I look back at that loss and I never would wish I would lose, but at the same time, I do feel like it adds a little more theatrics to this moment and how sweet it would be to win the belt back from a very close decision in such an amazing light heavyweight tournament.

“All of those matchups [rematches with Nemkov, Johnson, Bader] are freaking awesome. I am definitely motivated to avenge a loss but I am just more motivated about winning this tournament because it has some of the who’s who of the sport and of the light heavyweight division. Whoever wins this, the fans will say, ‘That guy is freaking awesome. You went head-to-head with all the killers in this division.’

“I think it’s a mistake to think that you know a guy or think that you know what he’s going to do. I approach it almost as a brand-new fighter, brand-new fight. It keeps me from falling into the trap of underestimating him or maybe thinking he didn’t improve in certain areas. I have limited knowledge of what you like to do and what I think your plan of attack will be and my job is just to come at you with a blank slate because a lot of times, especially with rematches, they tend to be completely different from the first one.”

Corey Anderson, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix competitor

*Click HERE to view Anderson’s full media session

“The re-focus is back. I spent so much time with my son during the quarantine. Watching him grow and building that relationship and just remembering that every move I make is for my family so I can give them a better life. I need to go out there and be smart about it. Now that I have two with my baby girl, and not only having her as a baby but delivering the baby myself, it just put a whole different aspect on everything.

“The moment I got the release and everything settled from UFC and signed with BELLATOR, I knew I was valued more over here already before even meeting anybody. My manager let people know that we got out of UFC and within an hour, hour-and-a-half, BELLATOR hit us with a huge offer that we couldn’t pass. The people I was with at the time were like, ‘Yo, if you don’t take that money you are stupid.’ So, we took that and that showed me how much they valued me as a fighter. In a matter of 24 hours, a new promotion had offered me my worth in money, actually reached out and talked to me and then they wanted to meet with my face-to-face. That’s something that in my seven years in UFC, I still hadn’t had a face-to-face meeting with Dana White.

“I go into training camp and I look at my training partners like I’m going to look at my opponent. Granted, I’m not going out there to hurt them. I don’t plan on hurting my opponent if I don’t have to in the fight. But the plan is to go out there and dominate and win in the best fashion and get to him before he gets to me. It can be the No. 1 ranked guy or the lowest ranked guy in the world, but the plan is to go out there and fight like Corey Anderson fights. Go out there and be the mixed martial artist that you train to be every day.

“He was the champ somewhere else. He is legitimate enough to be in this tournament with the other seven fighters. With that being said, I’m not going in there and looking past him because he’s not a name we know. I’m not looking in there thinking that I because I was in the UFC and I fought at the top that this guy is not ready. I’m going out there thinking this guy is as dangerous as anybody else. He has two fists. He has two legs, two eyes and two ears. He can hear, see and throw whatever he wants to throw when he sees it.

“BELLATOR’s light heavyweight division has all the numbers. We have all the skills. We have all the names. In 205 over there in UFC, all you really have right now is the champ and Glover. People over here already beat both of those guys. It’s kind of like, it shouldn’t even be a question.”

Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Competitor

Click HERE to view Yagshimuradov’s full media session

“Sometimes I don’t even know how to describe my own fighting style. It’s some kind of weird style. Usually, I start adapting to my opponent during the fight. If the guy tries to wrestle, I strike with him. If the guy tries to strike, I wrestle with him.

“I don’t like to predict the fights, especially my own fights. It’s easier to predict somebody else’s fight but it’s hard to say what’s going to happen. Everything about what is going to happen is going to be shown Friday night in the cage. The only thing I can tell you about what I’m going to do is I’m going to go out there and fight with the guy.

“I don’t feel any kind of pressure because there are a lot of big names in this tournament. It’s only names. They are still fighters even though they may be more known fighters and more promoted fighters than me. In my career, I’ve fought competition that’s not worse and, in some moments, even better than these guys. I have really good experience so I can fight with any of them.

“I think Yoel Romero would the guy I’d like to fight. It’s not like I really want to fight him or there’s something special about this fight, but I was always a fan of his fight style and the way he acts in the public. I kind of respect this guy so if you ask me who I would like to fight from this tournament, it would be Yoel Romero.”

Paul Daley, BELLATOR Welterweight

*Click HERE to view Daley’s full media session

“In regards to Homasi saying he’s not fazed by my record, I think he has to say that for his confidence. I know already that he’s nervous. He’s already doubting himself. It’s a big change from the interview when we were supposed to fight pre-COVID when he was saying that he was a fan of me and he’s been watching me fight for a while. That just tells me that he’s nervous about the fight and it’s just for his confidence that he’s saying stuff like that. Just to reassure him that he deserves to be in there with me.

“Who knows what’s next. I’m just here to fight Friday night and put on a fantastic performance. Stop the guy. Take him out of there and leave no questions to my ability and just put on a great show.

“I’m just looking forward to fighting regardless of who’s in there with me on Friday night. It just so happens that it’s going to be Sabah. On paper, he should bring it. It should be a standup war but I don’t think it’s going to be as much of a war while standing and I think there’s going to be quite a few takedown attempts.

“Very few people who meet me have the same idea as prior to meeting me. Everybody thinks I’m this psychotic fighting machine but deep down I’m a martial artist. What brought me to martial arts was ninjas. That is what got me into martial arts. It wasn’t the fact that I was some kind of street fighter. I just wanted to be a ninja. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to do the meditation things. Intertwine my fingers and summon a dragon or something like that. Deep down, I’m a martial artist and that’s what keeps me going. It’s the endless search of perfection that drives me. I just want to be the best martial artist I can be. I’ve just recently been awarded my black belt in Brazilian jiujutsu and I’m still here in BELLATOR competing against these guys after so many fights and so many years in the game.”

Sabah Homasi, BELLATOR Welterweight

*Click HERE to view Homasi’s full media session

“After this win, I see myself just climbing the ladder. Getting closer to a title shot.

“It’s more of a mental state with me. Something mentally clicked for me and I’m putting everything together now. I have the skillset. Everything is coming together and it’s perfect timing for me.

“I just have to respect his power. But he has to respect mine too. Other than that, I see myself beating him everywhere. I don’t care how many fights he has. I fought people with more fights than him. I do it every day in the gym and to me this is just a fight.”

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

UPDATED OFFICIAL BELLATOR MMA™ FIGHTER RANKINGS

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MAJOR SHAKEUP IN RANKINGS FOR MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT, WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND DIVISIONS 

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Click here for additional information detailing fighter eligibility, as well as additional voting criteria.

MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND
1. Patricio Pitbull (32-4)2. Vadim Nemkov (12-2)3. Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2)4. Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC)5. Juan Archuleta (25-2)6. Douglas Lima (32-8)7. AJ McKee (17-0)8. Phil Davis (22-5)9. Corey Anderson (14-5)10. Yaroslav Amosov (25-0) 		WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND
1. Cris Cyborg (23-2, 1 NC)2. Juliana Velasquez (11-0)3. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-1)4. Julia Budd (14-3)5. Arlene Blencowe (13-8)6. Liz Carmouche (15-7) ∆17. Denise Kielholtz (6-2) ∇18. Cat Zingano (12-4) ∆19. Kana Watanabe (10-0-1) ∇110. Leslie Smith (12-8-1)		MEN’S HEAVYWEIGHT
C. Ryan Bader (28-6)1. Timothy Johnson (15-6)2. Cheick Kongo (30-11-2)3. Valentin Moldavsky (10-1)4. Tyrell Fortune (10-1)5. Fedor Emelianenko (39-6)6. Linton Vassell (20-8)7. Steven Mowry (8-0)8. Matt Mitrione (13-8)9. Sergei Kharitonov (32-8)10. Javy Ayala (11-8)
MEN’S LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTC. Vadim Nemkov (12-2)1. Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC)2. Phil Davis (22-5, 1 NC)3. Corey Anderson (14-5)4. Lyoto Machida (26-11)5. Julius Anglickas (9-1)6. Grant Neal (5-0)7. Christian Edwards (4-0)8. Tyree Fortune (5-0)9. Melvin Manhoef (32-15-1)10. Alex Polizzi (7-1)MEN’S MIDDLEWEIGHTC. Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2)1. John Salter (18-4)2. Anatoly Tokov (29-2)3. Austin Vanderford (10-0)4. Fabian Edwards (9-1)5. Costello van Steenis (13-2)6. Johnny Eblen (7-0)7. Charlie Ward (9-4)8. Mike Shipman (14-3)9. Romero Cotton (5-0)10. Ed Ruth (8-3)MEN’S WELTERWEIGHTC. Douglas Lima (32-8)1. Yaroslav Amosov (25-0)2. Michael Page (18-1)3. Jason Jackson (14-4)4. Neiman Gracie (10-2)5. Logan Storley (11-1)6. Derek Anderson (17-3)7. Joey Davis (8-0)8. Sabah Homasi (15-8)9. Oliver Enkamp (10-2)10. Jaleel Willis (14-2)
MEN’S LIGHTWEIGHTC. Patricio Pitbull (32-4)1. Brent Primus (10-1)2. Patricky Pitbull (23-9)3. Goiti Yamauchi (25-5)4. Benson Henderson (28-10)5. Sidney Outlaw (15-4)6. Myles Jury (19-5)7. Adam Piccolotti (12-4)8. Alfie Davis (14-3)9. Dan Moret (15-6) NR10. Aviv Gozali (5-0) ∇1MEN’S FEATHERWEIGHTC. Patricio Pitbull (32-4)1. AJ McKee (17-0)2. Emmanuel Sanchez (20-5)3. Adam Borics (17-1)4. Pedro Carvalho (11-4)5. Daniel Weichel (40-12)6. Aaron Pico (7-3)7. Jay Jay Wilson (7-0)8. Jeremy Kennedy (16-3, 1 NC)9. Tywan Claxton (6-2)10. Mads Burnell (14-3)MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHTC. Juan Archuleta (25-2)1. Sergio Pettis (20-5)2. Patchy Mix (13-1)3. Magomed Magomedov (18-1) ∆14. Raufeon Stots (15-1) ∇15. James Gallagher (11-1)6. Leandro Higo (20-5)7. Josh Hill (20-3)8. Jornel Lugo (6-0) ∆29. Cass Bell (5-2) ∇110. Brian Moore (13-7) NR
WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHTC. Cris Cyborg (23-2, 1 NC)1. Julia Budd (14-3)2. Arlene Blencowe (13-8)3. Cat Zingano (12-4)4. Leslie Smith (12-8-1)5. Sinead Kavanagh (7-4)6. Janay Harding (6-4)7. Amanda Bell (7-7) ∆18. Leah McCourt (4-1) ∇19. Olga Rubin (6-2)10. Jessy Miele (9-5)WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHTC. Juliana Velasquez (11-0)1. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-1)2. Liz Carmouche (15-7)3. Kana Watanabe (10-0-1) ∆14. Denise Kielholtz (6-2) ∇15. Alejandra Lara (9-4)6. Kate Jackson (11-5-1)7. Veta Arteaga (5-4)8. Mandy Böhm (7-0)9. Valerie Loureda (3-0)10. Bruna Ellen (5-3)  Logo Description automatically generated

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 256: BADER VS. MACHIDA 2

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 Complete Fight Night Photos Here
Post-Fight Interviews available on the BELLATOR PR YouTube Channel
 
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – BELLATOR 256: Bader vs. Machida 2 is officially in the books.
 
The BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix rolls on as Bellator MMA returns next Friday, April 16 on SHOWTIME, when Vadim Nemkov defends his light heavyweight world title against former championPhil Davis and Corey Anderson welcomes Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov to the BELLATOR Cage in the event’s co-headliner. The opening round culminates on SHOWTIME on May 7 when Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Yoel Romero square off at BELLATOR MMA 258, a massive event headlined by a bantamweight world title fight featuring Juan Archuleta vs. Sergio Pettis. 



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BELLATOR MMA 256: Bader vs. Machida 2 Main Card:
#1-Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC) defeated #4-Lyoto Machida (26-11) via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-45, 49-45)
Bader “I don’t know who I’d rather face next. I don’t know much about [Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov] but I know Corey [Anderson] really well. I brought him in for training camps for Phil Davis. He’s a good guy so I’m rooting for him. But if I have to fight him, I know he’s tough. I’m in this tournament and I ran through another tournament before. I had fun so that’s why I came down here. It doesn’t matter who’s in my way. I want that belt back and this was the first step right here.
 
“There’s redemption this whole tournament. I got one back on Machida but I’ve lost to Nemkov and I’ve lost to Anthony Johnson, so I would like to meet one of them in the finals. But honestly, to make it to the finals and fight for the belt, I’d be happy with whoever it is.”
 
#2-Liz Carmouche (15-7) defeated Vanessa Porto (22-8) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Carmouche: “As soon as they say I’m clear and I’m good, I’m ready to get right back into fighting camp and go for the belt. If I don’t get a title shot, I’d be disappointed of course. I came in here with the hopes that I would work up the ranks to fight for the title. I just need to know what I need to do. You tell me who I need to beat to get that fight and I’ll do it. I certainly hope that taking somebody who has more fights than I do and beating her tonight would put me in contention for that belt.”
 
#3-Adam Borics (17-1) defeated#8-Jeremy Kennedy (16-3, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Borics: “I don’t care who my next opponent is, but just give me the winner of the [Featherweight World Grand Prix] tournament. I’m definitely next in line. My goal is to get the winner but let’s see what BELLATOR wants. I am really happy I got this opportunity to fight during these crazy times. I feel that I am ready for a title. I have eight or nine fights with BELLATOR so yes, I would like to fight for the title next.”
 
#3-Cat Zingano (12-4) defeated Olivia Parker (4-2) via submission (armbar) at 2:56 of round one
Zingano: “I want to go against the best. I know who’s the best. I know these two girls [Cris Cyborg and Leslie Smith] have a fight coming up in a couple months and I’d love to get a shot at the belt over here in BELLATOR. That would mean a lot to me.”
 
Dan Moret (15-6) defeated #3-Goiti Yamauchi (25-5) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
 
Rising welterweight star Jaron “Boots” Ennis was interviewed on the telecast ahead of his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event debut tomorrow night against former 140-pound world champion Sergey Lipinets.
 
“You’re going to see a lot of speed, power, and me having fun. It’s about making statements and getting knockouts at the end of the night,” said the 23-year-old Ennis, who will be taking on the toughest challenge of his career in Lipinets as he pursues a world title shot. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for me to headline my first SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and it’s the start of me being a pay-per-view star. It’s only up after this. It’s time for me to do my thing tomorrow night.”
 
Preliminary Card: 
Dalton Rosta (5-0) defeated Tony Johnson (9-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Talita Nogueira (8-2) defeated Jessica Borga (3-3) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
#10-Jornel Lugo (6-0) defeated #8-Cass Bell (5-2) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Cody Law (3-0) defeated Nathan Ghareeb (2-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jaylon Bates (2-0) defeated Jeffrey Glossner (2-2) via submission (guillotine) at 1:27 of round two
Nainoa Dung (4-2) defeated Izzy William (4-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Diana Avsaragova (3-0) defeated Tara Graff (1-3) via knockout (punches) at :29 of round one
John Douma (5-2) defeated Will Smith (3-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
 
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR MMA 255: PITBULL VS. SANCHEZ 2

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COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS

BELLATOR MMA 255: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 Main Card:

C-Patricio Pitbull (32-4) defeated #2-Emmanuel Sanchez (20-5) via technical submission (guillotine choke) at 3:35 of round one

#6-Jason Jackson (14-4) defeated #3-Neiman Gracie (10-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

#6-Tyrell Fortune (10-1) defeated Jack May (11-8) via TKO (punches) at 3:16 of round one

Usman Nurmagomedov (12-0) defeated Mike Hamel (7-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

5-Kana Watanabe (10-0-1) defeated #4-Alejandra Lara (9-4) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Preliminary Card:  

#6-Magomed Magomedov (18-1) defeated Cee Jay Hamilton (15-8) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:22 of round two

Mandel Nallo (8-1) defeated Ricardo Seixas (9-3) via knockout (strikes) at 3:23 of round one

Khalid Murtazaliev (15-2) defeated Fabio Aguiar (17-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Chris Gonzalez (6-0) defeated Roger Huerta (24-13-1) via submission (strikes) at 3:01 of round three

Jose Augusto (17-1) defeated Jonathan Wilson (9-3) via submission (head and arm choke) at 4:58 of round one

Roman Faraldo (5-0) defeated Trevor Gudde (2-2) via TKO 1:30 of round one

Jordan Newman (3-0) defeated Branko Busick (2-2) via TKO (strikes) at 2:30 of round two

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THE FINALS OF THE BELLATOR MMA FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX – CHAMPION PATRICIO “PITBULL” VS. #1-RANKED AJ MCKEE

Quotes:

Patricio “Pitbull:” “I am ready to fight AJ McKee right now, please just tell SHOWTIME, I will get in the cage and we can take care of this tomorrow.”

“I want to be the first man to defeat McKee, he has been opening his mouth about me for a very long time, this will be the biggest fight in BELLATOR history.”

AJ McKee: “Patricio Pitbull has been the man. Nothing against him. He’s got great accolades. I already said I’m going to be the champ-champ. For me, it’s the new era. He said my time is over. My time has just begun. We’ll see.

“It’s a fight the fans have wanted for the longest. On top of that, he’s underrated. He’s an outstanding champ. His accolades, his credentials, his record is phenomenal. But at the end of the day, nobody has a win over me. Nobody has a belt with my name on it and nobody is going to get a belt with my name on it.”

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA™ CHAMP CRIS ‘CYBORG’ DEFENDS FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE IN REMATCH AGAINST LESLIE SMITH ON SHOWTIME®

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BELLATOR MMA 259 AIRS LIVE ON FRIDAY, MAY 21 FROM MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

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LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA and SHOWTIME Sports today announced BELLATOR MMA 259 on Friday, May 21, will be headlined by a featherweight championship rematch pitting current 145-pound titleholder and the top-ranked women’s pound-for-pound fighter Cris “Cyborg” (23-2, 1 NC) against Northern California’s Leslie Smith (12-8-1). The event airs live exclusively on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and emanates from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

In addition to the main event, two matchups are confirmed, as No. 7 lightweight Adam “The Bomb” Piccolotti (12-4) takes on No. 10 Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (30-11-1, 1 NC), while the undefeated No. 7Christian “Pain” Edwards (4-0) meets Ben “Big Tuna” Parrish (4-1) in a light heavyweight contest. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.

“I believe in five years she’s going to be a better fighter. More training, more working and fighting. More experience. The first fight was very fast, so I think this one is going to be a longer fight. She’s a warrior. She likes to fight and it’s going to be nice to fight somebody like this,” said Cyborg, who appeared on tonight’s BELLATOR 255 broadcast to confirm the event.

“Of course, I want this fight. Everyone’s goal is to get a title in the premiere organization, which this is. This is the best organization for my weight class, and the best possible place I can be. I can guarantee it will be an entertaining fight,” added Smith.

Just the second BELLATOR woman’s featherweight champion in the company’s history, Cris “Cyborg” is coming off the first defense of her BELLATOR title, a victory against Arlene Blencowe, that also marked the first submission win of her illustrious career. An MMA legend at 35-years-old, “Cyborg” will be looking to further her legacy as the greatest woman’s mixed martial artist of all-time when she faces Leslie Smith for the second time on May 21. After winning BELLATOR gold in the 12th title fight of her career, the native of Curitiba, Brazil made history by becoming a world champion in her fourth major promotion, previously holding belts in both the UFC and Strikeforce. With a pro record of 23-2, 1 NC, including 19 wins by finish, the Brazilian-born fighter who now calls Southern California home, holds victories over tough competition, including Julia Budd, Holly Holm, Marloes Coenen and Gina Carano.

Known for an exciting in-your-face striking style, Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith will enter the BELLATOR cage on May 21 for the fifth time in her nearly 11-year MMA career. She gets a second shot at defeating “Cyborg,” following their first meeting at UFC 198 in Brazil on May 14, 2016. Since that bout, Smith has won four out of five fights with victories over Irene Aldana and Sinead Kavanagh among them. A teammate of fellow BELLATOR athlete Keri Taylor Melendez, Smith trains out of El Nino Training Center in San Francisco.

The preliminary card for BELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 will air LIVE in all U.S. markets on the BELLATOR and SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channels, as well as 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 at SHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 and beyond, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.  

Updated BELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 Fight Card:

Featherweight World Title Bout: C-Cris “Cyborg” (23-2, 1 NC) vs. #4-Leslie Smith (12-8-1)

Lightweight Bout: #7-Adam Piccolotti (12-4) vs. #10-Georgi Karakhanyan (30-11-1, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Bout: #7-Christian Edwards (4-0) vs. Ben Parrish (4-1)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit BELLATOR.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

SHOWTIME® TO DELIVER A FLURRY OF BELLATOR MMA™ CONTENT ACROSS PLATFORMS IN ADVANCE OF LIVE BELLATOR DEBUT ON APRIL 2

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Exclusive Fight Content Includes Past Events, Highlights, And In-Depth Analysis of Featherweight And Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix

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NEW YORK – MARCH 19, 2021 – BELLATOR MMAis launching on SHOWTIME on Friday, April 2 with BELLATOR MMA 255: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 followed by two consecutive Friday nights of live championship MMA fight action. In anticipation of the launch, SHOWTIME will air a collection of BELLATOR specials and fight replays across its distribution platforms to set the stage for the April 2 live event featuring the BELLATOR MMA Featherweight World Grand Prix Semifinal, as well as the beginning of the highly anticipated BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix set to begin on Friday, April 9 and Friday, April 16.

Starting this week, both SHOWTIME subscribers and non-subscribers have access to an exclusive collection of fights that have paved the way for the compelling upcoming matchups in each of these premier mixed martial arts tournaments featuring Patricio “Pitbull”, Emmanuel Sanchez, AJ McKee, Vadim Nemkov, Ryan Bader and more.

In addition, SHOWTIME Sports will present a pair of highlight-driven specials hosted by Morning Kombat’s Brian Campbell and Luke Thomas to preview the Pitbull vs. Sanchez featherweight semifinal and the start of the eight-man Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix tournament. Titled ROAD TO BELLATOR MMA, bothspecial programs will consist of highlights, analysis, and fight predictions, as SHOWTIME Sports’ dynamic combat sports duo prepares viewers for the live debut of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME. 

ROAD TO BELLATOR MMA: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 will debut on Monday, March 22 while ROAD TO BELLATOR MMA: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix will premiere one week later on Monday, March 29 on the SHOWTIME Sports and BELLATOR MMA YouTube channels. Both programs also will be available to subscribers on all SHOWTIME On Demand platforms, on SHOWTIME EXTREME, as well as to SHOWTIME distributors for their free-on-demand and online portals. 

On Saturday, March 27, a replay of BELLATOR MMA 253: Caldwell vs. McKee will air on SHOWTIME at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The four-fight card, includingMcKee’s iconic “McKee-otine” finish over former BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion Darrion Caldwell that propelled the young star into the Featherweight World Grand Prix Final, will also replay onSHOWTIME on Sunday, March 28 at 12 Midnight ET/PT, and again on Thursday, April 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

BELLATOR 253, along with several past events which featured the world-class fighters in the upcoming tournaments, will be scheduled on SHOWTIME EXTREME weeknights at 10 p.m. ET/PT and are now available on SHOWTIME On Demand platforms. Select events will be available for free to non-subscribers via SHOWTIME distributor platforms and on Pluto TV’s SHOWTIME Selects and BELLATOR MMA channels.

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 at SHO.com/BellatorMMA.

The following fight replays are scheduled for the weeks ahead as fans prepare for the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME:

·       BELLATOR MMA 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho – (Original air date 11/12/2020)

·       BELLATOR MMA 251: Manhoef vs. Anderson – (Original air date 11/05/2020)

·       BELLATOR MMA 245: Davis vs. Machida 2 – (Original air date 09/11/2020)

·       BELLATOR MMA 244: Bader vs. Nemkov – (Original air date 08/21/2020)

·       BELLATOR MMA 222: MacDonald vs. Gracie – (Original air date 06/14/2019)

·       BELLATOR MMA 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch – (Original air date 04/27/2019)

·       BELLATOR MMA 214: Fedor vs. Bader – (Original air date 01/26/2019)

·       BELLATOR MMA 186: Bader vs. Vassell – (Original air date 11/03/2017)

·       Plus, two individual bouts from BELLATOR MMA 209: – (Original air date 11/16/2018)

  • BELLATOR MMA: Davis vs Nemkov
  • BELLATOR MMA: Pitbull vs. Sanchez

For more information visit www.bellator.com or www.SHO.com, follow on Twitter @BellatorMMA and @ShowtimeSports,  on Instagram @BellatorMMA and @ShoSports, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BellatorMMA.

boxing, FITETV, mixed martial arts

Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta To Host Triller Fight Club’s 2021 Kickoff Event on April 17, the PPV Boxing Card Headlined by Jake Paul and Ben Askren

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iNDemand is Exclusive North American Cable, Satellite & Telco Pay-Per-View Distributor; FITE to Handle Live Global Digital Streaming and Power TrillerFightClub.com

Atlanta and Los Angeles, March 8, 2021 – Triller Fight Club today announced that Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, will be the home for TFC’s inaugural event of 2021, the April 17 boxing Pay-Per-View card headlined by Jake Paul and Ben Askren. This will be the first-ever fighting event at one of the most dynamic venues in the world, which was the home of Super Bowl LIII.

iNDemand, the leading transactional video-on-demand and PPV programming provider in North America, will serve as the exclusive U.S. and Canadian cable, satellite, and telco PPV provider for the event. Fans will be able to order the event on PPV through their existing cable, satellite and telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DirecTV, AT&T TV, Dish, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), as well as Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Videotron, and Sasktel (Canada). FITE, the premier PPV digital platform will handle worldwide live pay-per-view streaming distribution online, and via FITE mobile and Smart TV apps, game controllers and all major OTT devices as well as power TrillerFightClub.com.

The suggested PPV retail price for the event is $49.99 (U.S. & Canada). Fans outside North America can check the FITE link at https://www.fite.tv/watch/jake-paul-vs-ben-askren/2p8y0/ for international pricing.

The four-hour show, which will kick off at 8pm ET with the live PPV main card starting at 9pm ET, will also feature an exciting undercard of fights that will be announced shortly. Triller Fight Club is a partnership between Triller and Snoop Dogg and is spearheaded by Ryan Kavanaugh.

“Our vision of big fights, big entertainment and world class events can only fit into a world class venue, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium fits that vision,” said Kavanaugh. “April 17th will have an element of surprise and action for everyone, from music fans to the casual and diehard fight fan. The way we will present the night in this state-of-the-art venue will continue to redefine consumer engagement for a global consumer, with world class partners like iNDemand and FITE joining us not just for this event, but for the others we will have in 2021 and beyond.”

“Mercedes-Benz Stadium will continue to be the place where sports and entertainment’s biggest events are held, and we welcome Triller Fight Club for this special event,” said Tim Zulawski, Chief Revenue Officer for AMB Sports and Entertainment. “We look forward to showcasing our stadium to the global audience that Ryan and his team are building, and are proud to be a part of this historic night of boxing and entertainment.”

Mercedes-Benz Stadium serves as the home stadium of the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL) and Atlanta United of Major League Soccer (MLS). One of the most acclaimed venues in the world, the Stadium has hosted the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2018, MLS All-Star Game and some of the biggest music and entertainment events in addition to its NFL and MLS tenants. There will be no public sale of tickets for the event. A very limited number of fans and guests will be selected to join in the live event, with details to be announced in the coming weeks, and everything will be subject to stringent local, state and federal protocols due to COVID 19.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Triller again after the incredible success of our Tyson vs. Jones Jr. PPV event last November—it was one of the best-selling PPV events of all time,” said Mark Boccardi, iNDemand’s SVP, Programming & Marketing. “2021 is going to be a great year for the Pay-Per-View event category, and we know that Jake Paul and Ben Askren will put on an exciting main event on April 17th.”

“Triller Fight Club has already reinvented the fight sport presentation genre, and we are excited to be a part of bringing this event to a global audience,” said Michael Weber, COO of FITE. “Triller and FITE are the perfect pair to deliver a flawless, no-filler fan experience worthy of this moment.”

The April 17th card will be Triller Fight Club’s first in a series of 2021 special events, following the debut record setting Tyson vs. Jones Jr. PPV fight in 2020, which shattered all digital fight PPV records and became the eighth most successful fight PPV in history. This event will feature Jake Paul taking on former Bellator and ONE Championship champion Ben Askren in the headline matchup of the night. Paul, whose boxing debut against former professional athlete Nate Robinson set all kinds of records for fan engagement, will face Askren, who transitions to boxing after an MMA record of nineteen wins and two losses, six knockouts and six submissions. Askren made his professional MMA debut in 2009 against Josh Flowers where he won by TKO in the first round. As a former Bellator Champion, ONE Championship Champion, PAN American Champion in freestyle wrestling, two-time NCAA wrestling champion for Missouri and two-time winner of The Dan Hodge Trophy, Askren joins Triller’s Fight Club with a significant amount of experience in the ring.

In addition to being a co-owner, Snoop also provides strategic counsel to Triller Fight Club, helping to select fighters and musical acts for the show-stopping events. An entertainment expert who has successfully maneuvered through a range of projects in a variety of different fields, Snoop secured his spot as a fan favorite during Triller’s first sporting event, Tyson vs. Jones.

**HOW TO WATCH THE APRIL 17, 2021, TRILLER FIGHT CLUB PPV EVENT**

TV: Cable, satellite & telco PPV providers, including Xfinity, Spectrum, Contour, DirecTV, AT&T TV, Dish, Fios, and Optimum (U.S.), as well as Rogers, Bell, Shaw, Videotron, and Sasktel (Canada).

Worldwide Streaming: FITE.TV and all FITE mobile, Smart TV, game controller and OTT apps as well as the event microsite hub: TrillerFightClub.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA™ LAUNCHES OFFICIAL FIGHTER RANKINGS

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MEDIA MEMBERS TO VOTE ON TOP 10 COMPETITORS IN NINE WEIGHT CLASSES, AS WELL AS MEN’S & WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND LISTS

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INITIAL RANKINGS SET TO BE RELEASED IN ADVANCE OF BELLATOR’S APRIL DEBUT ON SHOWTIME®

LOS ANGELES – Bellator MMA™ is pleased to announce the organization will implement an official fighter rankings system for each of its weight classes, in addition to a pound-for-pound list for both the men’s and women’s divisions, in the coming weeks. The official Bellator MMA Fighter Rankings will be determined by a 15-person voting panel, comprised exclusively of members of the MMA media.

“This is the greatest roster in the history of Bellator,” said Bellator MMA President Scott Coker. “As we continue to sign the top free agents in the sport and see the success of young prospects inside the Bellator cage, we felt that the time was right to introduce official fighter rankings. We are always looking at ways to improve our product and this adds a new and exciting aspect to the organization that will have a significant impact on how fans watch Bellator. Every division is competitive, every matchup is important, and we are set for several potential blockbusters as we begin a new year on Showtime.”

Votes will be cast for eligible fighters following each Bellator live event and final results will be made public. To ensure transparency, the tabulation of votes will be overseen solely by a third-party company, Combat Registry.

The initial rankings will be released in the days leading up to Bellator’s return to action and debut on SHOWTIME® Friday, April 2 with Bellator 255: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 at 9 p.m. ET.

Information detailing fighter eligibility, as well as additional voting criteria, is listed below:

Divisional Rankings:

  • Top 10 fighter rankings will be voted on in nine Bellator MMA weight classes, in addition to two pound-for-pound lists.
  • Champions of each division will be automatically assigned to the Champions slot atop the rankings.
  • Fighters in seven men’s divisions will be ranked, including:
    • Heavyweight
    • Light Heavyweight
    • Middleweight
    • Welterweight
    • Lightweight
    • Featherweight
    • Bantamweight
  • Fighters in two women’s divisions will be ranked, including:
    • Featherweight
    • Flyweight
  • Two pound-for-pound lists will be voted on, including:
    • Men’s
    • Women’s

 New Fighter Eligibility:

  • A fighter must have competed once inside the Bellator cage on a current term with the company to be eligible.

Inactivity:

  • A fighter is eligible to be ranked for up to 15-months without competing.

Retirement

  • A fighter remains eligible for 60 days after an indication of retirement, with the organization ultimately determining if the fighter remains active and eligible.

Multiple Weight Classes:

  • A fighter is allowed to be actively ranked in two different weight classes and is eligible to be ranked in an additional weight class once they have competed at least once in that division.
  • A fighter must actively compete in each weight class – a period of inactivity longer than 15 months in a given weight class will result in the removal from that specific weight class, but not necessarily from another division or the overall rankings pool.
    • With the exception being that a fighter is actively participating in a World Grand Prix tournament in a different weight class.

Removal/Ineligibility:

  • A fighter serving a non-medical suspension from an overseeing regulatory body and/or the organization for longer than six months will be removed from rankings eligibility. A fighter will remain eligible with a suspension of six months or fewer.

Fighter Rankings Pool:

  • The final list of eligible fighters, and the weight classes in which they are eligible to be ranked, will ultimately be determined by the organization.

Voting Frequency:

  • New Bellator rankings will only be voted on after every event, regardless of frequency.
  • Votes will be due the Monday following a Bellator live event.

First-Place Votes:

  • Each rankings period will reveal how many number one contender votes each fighter received.

Voting Tabulation:

  • Tabulation of votes will be handled exclusively by Combat Registry, a third-party independent of Bellator MMA.

Voting Panel:

  • Bellator fighter rankings will be voted on exclusively by media members within the MMA industry.
  • In no capacity, will Bellator staff, athletes, talent or other organization personnel participate in voting.

The inaugural voting panel will include the following members of the media:

  1. Jeff Cain – MMA Weekly
  2. Brian Campbell – CBS Sports
  3. Rodrigo Del Campo – Claro Sports
  4. Rob DeMello – KHON Hawaii
  5. Jason Floyd – The MMA Report
  6. George Garcia – MMA Junkie
  7. Amy Kaplan – FanSided
  8. Nolan King – MMA Junkie
  9. John Hyon Ko – South China Morning Post
  10. Mark LaMonica – Newsday
  11. Igor Lazarin – TASS Russia
  12. Shakiel Mahjouri – Fightful MMA
  13. Joe McDonagh – Cageside Press
  14. John Morgan – MMA Junkie
  15. Ken Pishna – MMA Weekly

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

iKon Fighting Federation, mixed martial arts, MMA

Jason “The Kid” Knight to headline iKON 5

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iKON 5 STREAMING LIVE & EXCLUSIVELY ON UFC FIGHT PASS® 

MARCH 5th FROM BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI 

LAS VEGAS (February 18, 2021) – Mississippi featherweight Jason “The Kid” Knight will headline iKON 5, streaming live and exclusively March 5th on UFC FIGHT PASS®, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, from Biloxi Civic Center in Biloxi, Mississippi. 

To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, please visit www.ufcfightpass.comor download the UFC app. 

iKON 5 is presented by iKON Fighting Federation in association with Roy Jones Jr. Boxing. 

“We’re thrilled to return to where iKON Fighting Federation started last September,” iKON president Keith Veltre said.  “We’ve improved each show from then and are prepared for a breakout year in 2021.  We were able to successfully launch a new MMA company during a pandemic, despite all of the challenging restrictions, and we’re moving forward full force this year as we continue growing.”  

The 28-year-old Knight (20-6-0), fighting out of Lucedale (MS), is coming off an impressive bare knuckle fighting victory last November, when he stopped former UFC fighter Artem Lebov in the fifth round.  A Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai specialist, Knight fought in the UFC between 2015 and 2018.  He is matched against Taurean Boggues (15-11-0) in the main event. 

Undefeated Louisiana welterweight “The Ghost” AJ Fletcher (6-0-0) will face an opponent to be determined in the co-featured event. 

Tallahassee (FL) welterweight Socrates “The Sounds of Kaos” Pierre (11-6-0), who is matched against local favorite Harris “Sandman” Stephenson (6-2-0), another fighter with a bare-knuckle fighting background.  

Also slated to be in action is Charlie Decca (2-0-0), of Miami, who will throw-down with Alabama’s Kyle McDonough (0-1-0) at a catchweight. 

Three female strawweight matches are scheduled: California’s Valerie “The Violator” Wong (0-1-0), who made her pro debut in Invicta, vs. Denver’s Kathryn Paprocki (2-1-0)), Louisiana’s pro-debuting Macy Breaux vs. Orlando’s (FL) Shawna “Bam Bam” Ormsby (2-2-0), and West Palm Beach’s (FL) Kayla “K-Rock” Hracho (3-2-0, iKON: 2-0-0) vs. Knoxville’s (TN) Emilee King (4-4-0). There is another female fight on tap between pro-debuting Alabama flyweight Griffin Fisk vs. Connecticut’s Alexandra Ballou (1-0-0), who won her pro-debut in Bellator competition. 

Card subject to change. 

INFORMATION:  

Websites:   http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com, www.ufcfightpass.com  

Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /KeithVeltre  

Twitter: @iKONFightingFederation, @UFCFightPass, @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial 

Instagram: @iKONFightingFederation, @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @RoyJonesJrBoxing 

ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing.  RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years.  Creating exhilarating content for UFC Fight Pass, CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport.    


Based in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable: NABF super flyweight champion, IBF #8 and WBC # 15 Jade “Hurricane” Bornea (15-0, 10 KOs); two-time world title challenger, WBO #11 bantamweight “Mighty” Aston Palicte (26-4-1, 22 KOs); NABF welterweight champion, WBC #14 and Santiago “Somer” Dominguez (24-0, 18 KOs); former NABA welterweight champion Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (17-2, 8 KOs), former Interim World middleweight title challenger John “The Phenom” Vera (19-1, 11 KO), unbeaten super middleweight prospect Juan “Just Business” Barajas (11-0-1, 7 KOs), and former WBC World Youth heavyweight titlist Alexander “The Great” Flores (18-3-1, 16 KOs).  

ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS®: UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 20,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.