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Category Archives: mixed martial arts
M-1 Global president Vadim Finkelchtein2017 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RETURNING TO THE CAGE AT NEF 32
Lewiston, Maine (December 27, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Lewiston onSaturday, February 3, 2018 with the fight promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday.” Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur women’s bantamweight bout to the card. Jayda “Lil Killah” Bailey(1-0) is scheduled to face Amanda Gallo (0-1) at a fight weight of 135-pounds.
Jayda Bailey made headlines this year when she became the youngest athlete to ever compete in a sanctioned MMA fight in Maine. A mere eight days after her 18th birthday, the legal minimum age for an MMA participant in the state, Bailey put together a dominant performance in her debut against Danae Dostie (0-1) at “NEF 31.” It took her just over 90-seconds to pound out a TKO victory. So impressive was the win that it earned Bailey a nomination for “Rookie of the Year.” The fans agreed and voted the Hermon, Maine teenager as the recipient of the award. Bailey is currently a member of Young’s MMA of Bangor. This summer, upon graduation from high school, she plans to relocate to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she will join Jackson Wink MMA Academy – home to many top UFC stars.
“I can’t wait to step into the cage again and display my abilities,” said Bailey. “I look to get better every time I fight, and I’m excited to be facing a new challenge.”
That new challenge will come in the form of Amanda Gallo. Gallo trains with Robson Moura Nations United (RMNU) based in Tampa, Florida. She made her cage debut in the fall of 2016 against Laine Orabona (2-2) on a fight card in Georgia. The thrilling contest went the distance and saw Gallo lose a very close split decision on the judges’ scorecards. She will come to Maine looking for the first win of her young career.
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday,” will see the company make its return to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 3, 2018. Tickets are on-sale now online atwww.TheColisee.com.
DARRION CALDWELL TO DEFEND BELLATOR BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST LEANDRO HIGO ON MARCH 2 AT WINSTAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT
TICKETS FOR BELLATOR 195 GO ON SALE THIS FRIDAY AT 10 A.M. CT
LOS ANGELES – The Bellator bantamweight championship will be up for grabs Friday, March 2 when Darrion Caldwell (11-1) makes his first title defense against Leandro Higo (18-3) at Bellator 195 inside WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla., the same venue where “The Wolf” captured the belt earlier this year.
“Darrion Caldwell is an exciting young fighter that has worked his way to the top of a very competitive bantamweight division to become a world champion,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “I’m excited to see what he can do in his first title defense against Leandro Higo, who is an incredibly tough competitor with the ability to submit his opponent at any time. The fans are in for a great matchup between these two grapplers.”
The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for Bellator 195: Caldwell vs. Higo go on sale this Friday, Dec. 22 at 10 a.m. CT and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino and Resort box office, as well as through Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Caldwell has been on a steady ascension to championship status since signing with Bellator in 2014. Ahead of his championship victory over Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 184, which brought his Bellator record to 8-1, the 30-year-old collected five wins by way of first-round knockout or submission. The run was highlighted by a remarkable stoppage of former multi-division champion Joe Warren. Hailing from Rahway, N.J. and training alongside Bellator standouts Phil Davis and Justin Lawrence at Alliance MMA in San Diego, Calif., “The Wolf” also serves as one of the main sparring partners of former UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz.
Higo signed with Bellator in February riding an eight-fight win-streak and earned the Legacy Fighting Alliance 135-pound crown in the process. Fresh off animpressive win against Joe Taimanglo, the 28-year-old Pitbull Brothers product also competed on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4 in 2015. A proud carrier of the Olympic torch ahead of the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil, “Pitbull” will now set his sights on carrying the torch in Bellator’s bantamweight division.
Updated Bellator 195: Caldwell vs. Higo Fight Card:
Bantamweight World Title Main Event: Darrion Caldwell (11-1) vs. Leandro Higo (18-3)
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MCDONALD & LETOURNEAU IMPRESS IN BELLATOR DEBUTS, CAPPING OFF FINAL EVENT ON SPIKE
Complete Bellator 191: McDonald vs. Ligier Fight Card Results:
Michael McDonald (18-4) defeated Peter Ligier (8-2-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8acndyoa13mtgs7/AABOlDgJCtycBa-bPH8L1e8Qa?dl=0
McDonald Quote: “I was happy with the performance. He ate some heavy punches. I hit him hard enough to break my right hand again, so he’s very durable and I expected that from him. I’ve seen him get put down and keep coming. He was very impressive, I’m honored to have fought him and he really stepped up to the occasion. I think that I have some pretty high accolades for a bantamweight, but I really have no idea how that stacks up to the other guys in my division. We will let this hand heal up and find out soon.”
Valerie Letourneau (9-6) defeated Kate Jackson (9-3-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xv8mhtcx9eku5p9/AAB94OCwYqOCIUbHyTcU3chUa?dl=0
Letourneau Quote: “I never feel like I’m doing enough. That’s the first thing I ask my coach: ‘Was it a good fight?’ I think experience has taught me to be patient in the fight and to fight smart. You always want to put on a show, but sometimes it can cost you the fight. In my last fight, I didn’t do enough because I was too careful. I wanted to bring all that experience together and make the best of it.”
“This was a very important fight for me. I’m 34, my daughter’s a teenager now. I’ve sacrificed a lot of things for my career. But I want this Bellator belt so bad. It was really hard for me to watch Ilima Macfarlane and Emily Ducote fight for it first. I have so much respect for both of them, but I wanted to be the first one to fight for the title. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen but to me that’s the only thing I have on my mind right now. Ilima knows I want to fight her and she had a really good performance in her last fight. When it happens, I think it’s going to be a really good matchup. It’s going to be an exciting fight.”
Mohammad Yahya (4-1) defeated Ash Griffiths (4-5) via TKO at 3:26 of round one
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/62fh9s38lo1de3x/AAAF5NCgKybT6v1HG9qYJOaHa?dl=0
Yahya Quote: “This is what we trained for and we executed exactly as we planned. I was very confident in the opening round. I said that I was going to win in the first round by TKO and I did just that. It’s confidence, but this is also a product of hard work. I was training very hard for this and I executed. I knew that I had the best team in the world and we’re on to the next one now.”
Philip De Fries (14-6, 1 NC) def. James Thompson (20-17, 1 NC) via submission (guillotine) at 1:33 of round one
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/efcurjmp6k10j2q/AADd556tK8j6Lg-T7Te54Z_ma?dl=0
De Fries Quote: “I feel great, the less damage the better. I’m not getting any prettier. Hats off to James, he’s a legend. It’s a shame it was over so quick, it could have been a barn burner. But I’m happy. I want to climb the ladder here in Bellator. If there is an opening in this tournament, I’ll gladly step in. I feel great at the moment. Fighting is 90 percent mental and the first half of my career, I didn’t have the head for it. But now I’m putting everything together, I feel great and I’m performing. I’m ready, I’ll fight anybody.
Jeremy Petley (12-8) def. Lewis Monarch (9-3) via split decision (29-28 x2, 27-30)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q1gw2zn80ujf2ps/AABweE-l4KMFb00-hvR7CExDa?dl=0
Petley Quote: “I was prepared to do the job and really demonstrate my skills. He put up a tough fight and made me work for it. I was prepared for a war, and that’s what he gave me so I had to dig deep. Lewis was a good opponent but I knew no matter what the situation or adversity, that I have a big heart, I have work ethic, a good skillset and a good corner behind me. I knew that no matter what happened, I would come out with the victory.”
“This is a fraction of my potential. I want the big fights, I want the Bellator title. I want to move up, I want to move forward and fight late in the night. I have what it takes, so I’ll take anybody. This was not the most convincing win, but no matter who I face, I can win. I don’t care who it is up against me, I can always find a way. I find a way to win. That’s what I do.”
FNU Combat Sports Show: Quitters Never Win
This broadcast of the FNU Combat Sports Show starts off with one of the most controversial stories of the week. Many sports pundits are quick to ridicule Guillermo Rigondeaux for bowing out of his blockbuster boxing match with Vasyl Lomachenko last Saturday. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith wasted no time during the broadcast, ripping into the Cuban boxer for refusing to come out for the seventh round of the one-sided fight. Teddy Atlas, exiled from his ringside reporting duties thanks to his outspoken views on boxing corruption and his abrasive treatment of lesser-experienced commentators, came to Rigo’s defense. Atlas argued with Smith from his own home studio, basically explaining that everyone is human. Tom, Tony and Rich all offer their own takes on the situation and their thoughts on the “fight.”
We also track the latest news in combat sports, recap the past week’s events and preview competing UFC and Bellator events this Saturday. We even touch on the multiple story lines involving Floyd Mayweather Jr. that are making the rounds in the sports media this week. “Money” claims he can make up to a billion dollars if he goes into the UFC for a three or four fight deal. Well, good luck, Floyd. I hear CM Punk wants another fight.
Listen to the two part broadcast below.
Part 1:
Part 2:
BELLATOR 191 WEIGH-IN RESULTS & PHOTOS
BELLATOR’S FINAL EVENT ON SPIKE TAKES PLACE
TOMORROW NIGHT AT 9/8c
PRESS CONFERENCE PHOTOS / WEIGH IN PHOTOS
NEWCASTLE, England – Only one main event competitor is sure to be smiling after their matchup tomorrow night when Michael McDonald(17-4) makes his Bellator debut against Peter Ligier (8-1-1) in the headlining bout of Bellator 191.
Another high-profile free agent signing in Valerie Letourneau (8-6) is also set to make her long-awaited promotional debut, squaring off against Kate Jackson (9-2-1) in the co-main event at Newcastle, England’s Metro Radio Arena.
Bellator 191: McDonald vs. Ligier will be broadcast free on SPIKE Friday, Dec. 15 at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT. The event marks the last time Bellator will air on SPIKE before the network rebrands itself as Paramount Network in January.
Tickets for the event can be purchased from Ticketmaster.co.uk & event.co.uk
Complete Bellator 191: McDonald vs. Ligier Fight Card:
138 Pound Catchweight Main Event: Michael McDonald (137.6 lbs.) vs. Peter Ligier (135.8 lbs.) Photos
Women’s Flyweight Co-Main Event: Valerie Letourneau (125.8 lbs.) vs. Kate Jackson (125.5 lbs.) Photos
Heavyweight Feature Bout: James Thompson (266 lbs.) vs. Phil De Fries (261 lbs.) Photos
Welterweight Feature Bout: Mohammad Yahya (163 lbs.) vs. Ash Griffiths (170.5 lbs.) Photos
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Jeremy Petley (146.4 lbs.) vs. Lewis Monarch (146 lbs.) Photos
RIZIN FIGHTING FEDERATION WORLD GRAND PRIX 2017
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NEW YORK CITY(RIZIN FIGHTING FEDERATION WORLD GRAND PRIX 2017
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LFA STARTS 2018 WITH 1-2-3 PUNCH!
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LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced the promotion will kick off 2018 with a 1-2-3 punch in January with a trio of star-studded shows in California, Arizona, and Louisiana.
The main event of LFA 30 will feature the long-awaited clash between southern California kingpins and top LFA welterweights “Curtious” Curtis Millender and Nick “The Phoenix” Barnes. LFA 30 – Millender vs. Barnes takes place Friday, January 12th at Costa Mesa Hall at OC Fair Grounds in Costa Mesa, California.
The following week, LFA heads to Arizona with a fierce interim featherweight title fight in the Valley of the Sun. In the main event, former RFA title challenger and BJJ black belt Bobby “The Wolfman” Moffett battles knockout sensation Thanh Le for the LFA interim featherweight title. LFA 31 – Moffett vs. Le takes place Friday, January 19th at the Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona.
LFA caps the month of January with a pair of title fights in southern Louisiana. In the main event, former LFA title challenger Brendan “All In” Allen faces top undefeated prospect Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez for the vacant LFA middleweight title. In the co-headliner, red-hot Ryan “Superman” Spann will lock horns with UFC vet Alex “The Spartan” Nicholson for the inaugural LFA light-heavyweight title. LFA 32 – Allen vs. Hernandez takes place Friday, January 26th at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
The entire main card of all three of these events will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“I’m excited to kick off 2018 with three straight weeks of LFA action across the country”, stated Soares. “Curtis Millender and Nick Barnes are coming off big wins in LFA headliners and will meet in the main event of LFA 30 in southern California on January 12th. The following week, we head to Arizona with top contenders Bobby Moffett and Thanh Le meeting for the interim featherweight title in the main event LFA 31. We finish the month with two title fights at LFA 32 in southern Louisiana. Brendan Allen faces Anthony Hernandez for the vacant middleweight title in the main event and Ryan Spann will take on Alex Nicholson for the inaugural light-heavyweight title in the co-headliner.”
Millender (13-3) returns home to the building where he fought and won his first seven fights. The Orange County juggernaut is looking to build off a perfect 2017 where he won three fights, including back-to-back LFA headliners. His most recent win came via highlight reel Head Kick KO in the main event of LFA 24. Millender will meet Barnes (12-2) in a long-awaited showdown between two of southern California’s finest. The welterweight stars started their careers in the southern California regional circuit, moved on to Bellator, and will finally meet in the main event of LFA 30. Barnes, like Millender, is coming off an impressive win in an LFA headliner.
The main event of LFA 31 is a fight that casual fans and MMA purists alike are salivating over. It pits a rugged and accomplished BJJ black belt in Moffett (10-2) against one of the most dynamic strikers in all of MMA in Le (7-1) with the LFA interim featherweight title on the line. On paper, this is a textbook grappler vs. striker bout at its highest form. However, both men bring so much more to the table than what their respective martial arts backgrounds represent. Moffett, who trains out of The MMA Lab, has shown a willingness to throw down with anyone, while Le trains with BJJ wunderkind and UFC star Ryan Hall in northern Virginia.
LFA will conclude its busy month of January with a pair of title tilts in southern Louisiana. LFA standout and Louisiana native Allen (8-2) will get a second shot at LFA gold after going five rounds with current UFC star Eryk Anders for the inaugural LFA middleweight title in June. Allen quickly rebounded six weeks later with a submission win in the co-main event of LFA 18. He will face another highly-touted undefeated prospect for the title. This time it comes in the form of the northern California destroyer Hernandez (5-0). The man known as “Fluffy” has finished everyone he has faced inside the first round.
The co-main event of LFA 32 will crown the inaugural LFA light-heavyweight champion. Spann (12-5) is a former Legacy FC title challenger that will look to capture LFA gold in front of his home crowd. “Superman” is riding considerable momentum heading into this fight after dispatching a pair of top contenders in the first round of his last two bouts at LFA 23 and LFA 27. He will face Nicholson (10-4) who has been a man on fire since his four-fight run with the UFC ended in May. The Florida native has been a tour de force since then as he looks to make his way back. In the past two months, “The Spartan” has knocked out three quality opponents in grand total of 3 minutes and 28 seconds.
In September 2016, Legacy FC and RFA officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. Legacy FC and RFA have launched the careers of over 150 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
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RAFAEL CARVALHO RETAINS BELLATOR MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE WITH DOMINANT PERFORMANCE
COMPLETE RESULTS, PHOTOS, VIDEO & QUOTES FROM BELLATOR 190 & BELLATOR KICKBOXING 8 IN FLORENCE, ITALY
ALSO, BELLATOR SET FOR HISTORIC ROME DEBUT JULY 7, 2018
FLORENCE, Italy – A sold out crowd was on hand for Bellator’s return to the Nelson Mandela Forum in Florence, Italy to cheer on their national hero, Alessio Sakara, in his bid for the middleweight title at Bellator 190. However, reigning champion Rafael Carvalho emerged victorious in his third defense of the belt with yet another exciting performance. With the victory, Carvalho is now tied with Alexander Shlemenko for most title defenses in promotional history.
Additionally, Bellator has announced plans for a summer return to Italy in the country’s capital city of Rome on July 7 with an event that will air on the soon-to-launch Paramount Network. The date marks the company’s first trip to Rome, after hosting multiple events in both Torino and Florence.
“After the success of our events in Torino and Florence, Italy over the last two years, we knew that it was time to do a show in Rome, a city rooted deep in combat sports history,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “The Italian fans have shown their passion for the sport and we look forward to bringing a huge card to Rome next year on July 7.”
Additional details about the card, including matchups, ticket and broadcast details will be announced shortly.
Bellator 190: Carvalho vs. Sakara Results:
Rafael Carvalho (15-1) defeated Alessio Sakara (19-12, 2 NC) via KO at 0:44 of round one
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1mimwbtlv7zjc8q/AAATYi5x1XR6AT9CWR9XW1aNa?dl=0
Quote: “I trained really hard for this fight. I made many sacrifices to get here and get ready for a tough fight with [Alessio] Sakara. With my preparation, I was able to get a good result quickly and I’m happy about that. I hurt my hand a little bit in the final sequence, maybe I punched the mat, but I hope to get back in the cage as soon as possible to continue defending my belt.”
Brandon Girtz (15-7) defeated Luka Jelcic (10-3) via TKO at 1:57 of round one
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/42f9tpuq9tlmmo2/AAAVZtpCY5RiOtfhqwGxQ2oIa?dl=0
Quote: “I was just going out there to throw bombs and put him away quickly and that’s exactly what happened. That’s what I usually do. Training camp was great, I was able to actually prepare for my opponent and it worked out well. I’ve had a great experience out here in Italy, it has been a journey and I treated it like an adventure. It was my first time fighting out of the country so everything was an adjustment and I came out nine days in advance to get acclimated. I want another tough opponent. Luka [Jelcic] was a tough guy, he was no slouch whatsoever. I want another top guy, that’s why I’m here – to fight the top guys and that’s what I’ve been doing since I got here to Bellator.”
Alejandra Lara (7-1) defeated Lena Ovchynnikova (12-5, 1 NC) via rear-naked choke at 4:09 of round one
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/j0e20cweikosmcr/AACc1OTFCsi6xmFNIxCRdFTwa?dl=0
Quote: “I was very excited for my Bellator debut and to be the first Colombian female in the promotion. I’ve been training incredibly hard, I felt that I was very well prepared for this fight. I just wanted to show the world how tough I am and I think I did that tonight. I spent half of my camp in Guadalajara with Alexa Grasso and Team Grasso there, and then I also went up to work with Roufusport Academy in Milwaukee to prepare for the fight. Both camps were amazing for me, and I learned a great deal, I just want to keep learning and competing. I am prepared for whatever is next. I look forward to big challenges in Bellator.”
Carlos Miranda (11-3) defeated Mihail Nica (6-1) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/h2xekntid4tt03r/AAB1CBdvVX4cfuFA3FWKTDgva?dl=0
Gregory Babene (19-11) defeated Tony Zanko (1-5) via arm bar at 2:04 of round one
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rqyfbyrdps1oejo/AABdgCAaFdb7u-MeN_ONq8ITa?dl=0
Video Highlights Here: http://qlnk.io/ql/5a2c8784e4b073ff34846f4f
Bellator Kickboxing 8 Results:
Raymond Daniels (13-3) defeated Giannis Boukis (27-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dacqyn8gk1t6ov1/AABXyk_AvcaG8WUVZM3bWLJTa?dl=0
Quote: “Speed is definitely my advantage every time I get in the ring, and it was no different tonight. First and foremost, I’d like to give all the glory to God, because through him, all things are possible. I’d like to thank my opponent for taking this fight. It’s an honor to come here and fight in front of the Italian people. This is an incredible country with beautiful people, beautiful food, beautiful wine, great history. This is a fighting country. I think I might have some Italian in my DNA because every time I come here my blood boils and I feel like I’m ready to spar, I’m ready to fight. To anyone who wants it: come on, take a number and stand in line. You have seen my highlight reel, if you want to be part of it – I promise you, I can make you famous.”
Joe Schilling (23-9) defeated Filip Verlinden (44-19-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/liprom6xnlsvco3/AABPJD0B3Pe8d_8Gm5LmbNYua?dl=0
Quote: “I’ve got to watch the replay again. I thought Filip did a really good job and I was really excited to be fighting somebody of his caliber. Going into the fight, I thought he was the toughest guy Bellator has given me. When we were both with my last promotion, we were both top three the entire time I was there. I knew he was going to be a tough opponent, that’s why there was no trash talk from either one of us, I think we were both ready for a great fight and we delivered. I honestly was pretty frustrated with my performance and after the fight I told Jimmy (Smith) that I thought he had won. Now I’m back here in the locker room and everyone is telling me that I’m crazy for that take. I’d love to fight him again and finish him off. Maybe for a world championship. That’d be nice. But for now, I’m excited to go enjoy my vacation.”
John Wayne Parr (98-32) defeated Piergiulio Paolucci (24-6-1) via TKO at 2:32 of round three
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/er6m9gzbvk7knb5/AAAqbhlfJSLrXjwPsBMetIe9a?dl=0
Quote: “I’m very excited coming off of this performance. I thought my opponent was a bit awkward. I wanted to give him respect because I knew he had heavy hands. But once I felt that I could win, I started walking forward more and I threw a couple spinning back kicks just for fun, just to entertain. I had the one spinning heel kick that landed and thought that was pretty cool. I was pretty excited about that. I was just happy to get the stoppage really, because nobody wants to win by points. I’m inching closer to 100 victories and I’d love to hit that milestone here in such a major promotion like Bellator. Especially at my age of 41, being able to fight on the big stage is so surreal. I can’t believe that I’m still here competing in this sport that I love, and more than just competing, I’m being successful. I’ve got to thank Scott Coker, everyone at Bellator and Spike, and everyone that follows the sport for giving me the opportunity to do what I do. I’m really scared to be 41 and know that one day I’m going to have to retire, but right now, I’m having too much fun to stop.”
Hamza Imane (50-12-2) defeated Kevin Ross (45-13) via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tz29hlhly6x48b6/AAC3AugQrbNxNWFAQXtIvc-2a?dl=0
Gabriel Varga (14-5) defeated Roberto Gheorghita (30-7-3) via TKO at 2:49 of round two
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7s75mm0hl33pzse/AAD-U3845d0GcdY83eBB0EM6a?dl=0
Video Highlights Here: http://qlnk.io/ql/5a2c8784e4b073ff34846f4f
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