Category Archives: mixed martial arts

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF ANNOUNCES MONUMENTAL FIGHT CARD FOR PORTLAND DEBUT

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Portland, Maine (October 6, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland on Friday, November 3, 2017 at Aura with “NEF 31: The Old Port.”  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the full fight card for the event featuring a full slate of professional and amateur mixed-martial-arts bouts.

Maine fan-favorite Paul Gorman (10-9) is scheduled to take on James “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Blair (5-1) in the main event of the evening.  Gorman, the former NEF bantamweight titleholder and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt out of the Academy in Portland, makes his return to the NEF cage after a three-year absence.  Blair is a hot prospect from the world-renowned American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida where he trains alongside a veritable murderers’ row of current and former world champions like Mike Brown (26-9), Tyron Woodley (18-3-1), and Joanna Jędrzejczyk (14-0) just to name a few.

Reigning NEF Professional Middleweight Champion CJ Ewer (3-0) will be in action when he takes on Crowsneck Boutin (2-3) in a non-title affair.  Ewer captured the 185-pound title over the summer when he submitted Mike Hansen (5-6) at “NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor.”  Boutin will be coming off a year-long layoff from competition.

“The Blackpool Ripper” Matt Probin (0-0) makes his pro MMA debut against rugged veteranJosh Parker (6-9).  Both Probin and Parker have extensive backgrounds as professional boxers.  Probin has trained and competed in Muay Thai in Thailand.  Parker is the founder of Ruthless MMA & Boxing of Waterville, Maine.

John “First Class” Raio (2-8) will come out of retirement to face Zenon “K-Bar” Herrera (0-5).  Raio last fought in the summer of 2015.  He is the head coach of First Class MMA based in Brunswick, Maine.  Herrera, a veteran of both the United States Army and Marine Corps, is looking for his first win since joining the professional ranks two years ago.

The amateur side of the card will feature a total of three title fights.  NEF Amateur Heavyweight Champion Nick “The Guardian” Gulliver (4-0) will defend his strap against WWE signeeTerrance Jean-Jacques (2-0), while Nate Boucher (2-0) and Justin Witham (3-4) square off for the vacant flyweight title.  Alex Walker (4-1) and Hilarie Rose (4-3) will make history when they battle for the first-ever NEF women’s championship in the strawweight division.

The Walker-Rose fight will be one of four female bouts featured on the “NEF 31” amateur card.  Carol Linn Powell (0-0), wife of former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion and current UFC competitor Devin Powell (8-3), is scheduled to make her cage debut against Francesca Morabito (0-0). Jayda “Lil Killah” Bailey (0-0) makes her debut just eight days after her 18th birthday, the legal minimum age for competing in MMA in Maine, in a bantamweight bout with Danae Dostie (0-0) while Sarah Matulis (0-0) and Chelsea Elizabeth(0-0) face off in yet another double amateur debut.

The full “NEF 31” fight card (subject to change and approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine):

 

PROFESSIONAL MMA

180 CJ Ewer 3-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Crowsneck Boutin 2-3 (Independent)

 

150 John Raio 2-8 (First Class MMA) vs Zenon Herrera 0-5 (Independent)

 

145 Josh Parker 6-9 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing) vs Matt Probin 0-0 (CMBJJ/Young’s MMA)

 

135 Paul Gorman 10-9 (The Academy) vs James Blair 5-1 (American Top Team)

 

AMATEUR MMA

 

265*TITLE  Nick Guilliver 4-0 (c) (First Class /Foundry) vs Terrance Jean-Jacques 2-0 (Team Link)

 

125*TITLE  Nate Boucher 2-0 (CMBJJ) vs Justin Witham 3-4 (Shatterproof Combat Club)

 

115 *TITLE Alex Walker 4-1 (Kaze) vs Hilarie Rose 4-3 (USMMA)

265 Matt Glover 1-1 (Berserkers MMA) vs Jason Field 0-2 (Kenney’s MMA)

 

175 Carlton Charles 1-0 (Charles Family Fighting/Fire&Iron Athletics) vs Nate Evans 0-0

 

170 Mohammed al Kinani 0-0 (Evolution Athletix) vs Phil Pearson 0-1 (First Class MMA)

 

170 David Grant 0-0 (Evolution Athletix) vs Tom Rials 0-0 (Nostos)

 

155 Will McCall 1-2 (Evolution Athletix) vs Chad Pierce 1-0 (The Academy)

 

155 Nick Banks 0-0 (Choi Institute) vs Emmett Huber 0-1 (The Academy)

 

155 Garry Carr 0-0 (CMBJJ) vs David Hart 0-1 (Kenney’s MMA)

135 Sarah Matulis 0-0 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Chelsea Elizabeth 0-0 (First Class MMA)

 

135 Danae Dostie 0-0 (Kenney’s MMA) vs Jayda Bailey 0-0 (Young’s MMA)

 

135 Carl Langston 6-9 (Young’s MMA) vs Henry Clark 3-3 (Choi Institute)

 

135 Kam Arnold 1-0 (CMBJJ) vs Caleb Costello 3-4 (Young’s MMA)

 

135 Carol Linn Hawkins 0-0 (Nostos) vs Francesca Morabito 0-0 (Choi Institute)

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 31: The Old Port,” will see the company debut in Portland, Maine at the brand new, state-of-the-art venue Aura.  The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 3, 2017.  Tickets are on sale now at www.auramaine.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

MONSTER ENERGY BELLATOR MMA FIGHT SERIES VISITS TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY UNDER THE LIGHTS ON NASCAR RACE WEEKEND FRIDAY, OCT. 13

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Also, Appearances by Former Bellator Champ and Monster Energy Athlete Michael Chandler and Heavyweight Fan-Favorite Roy Nelson

 

 

LOS ANGELES – The Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series heads to the legendary Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala. for its third event on Friday, Oct. 13. For the first time, fighters will step into the cage after the sun has set on Friday evening, kicking off an exciting weekend for fans that culminates with the fifth race of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs on Sunday.

 

Ahead of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Alabama 500 on Sunday, Oct. 15, the Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series will feature MMA action on Friday evening beginning at 8:30 p.m. CT at the Monster Energy Fan Zone in the Talladega Infield, immediately following the track’s “Big One on the Blvd” parade and party. Talladega Infield access is required for admission.

 

Additionally, on Friday, October 13 from 3-4 p.m. CT, fans will have the opportunity to meet former Bellator lightweight champion and Monster Energy athlete “Iron” Michael Chandler, as well as heavyweight fan-favorite Roy “Big Country” Nelson, at the Monster Energy Fan Zone in the Talladega Fan Zone, directly outside admission gates behind the north end of the frontstretch grandstands.

 

“The Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series has been a great way for us to share MMA, as well as the Bellator brand, with an entirely new fan base this year,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “With the support of Monster Energy, we’ve already seen the crossover appeal these events offer. I’m excited to head to one of the most iconic tracks in motorsports with Hans Molenkamp, Aaron Quesada, Austin Hodges and the entire Monster Energy team to bring Bellator MMA action to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs at Talladega.”

 

Through Bellator MMA, alongside longstanding partner Monster Energy, mixed martial arts will be included as a pre-race activation exclusively for fans in attendance. The lineup on Friday will consist of four MMA bouts featuring some of the best regional up-and-coming talent, with the main event prospects in consideration to be signed to a multi-fight Bellator MMA contract.

 

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Alabama 500 at Talladega takes place Sunday, October 15 at 1 p.m. CT. Tickets to the race are available at ‪NASCAR.com/tickets, TalladegaSuperspeedway.com/tickets or by calling Talladega Superspeedway at 1-855-518-RACE (7223).

 

Updated Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series at Talladega Superspeedway Fight Card:

Lightweight Main Event: Omar Johnson (8-1, Birmingham, Ala.) vs. Jonathan Pearce (5-3, Johnson City, Tenn.)

Heavyweight Bout: Frank Tate (4-4, Birmingham, Ala.) vs. Kem Oti (2-1, Decatur, Ala.)

Middleweight Bout: Marcel Stamps (1-0, Birmingham, Ala.) vs. Derek Wilson (Pro Debut, Atlanta, Ga.)

Heavyweight Amateur Bout: Christian Echols (2-0, Cullman, Ala.) vs. Billy Swanson (7-1, Cleveland, Tenn.)

 

Please visit Bellator.com for details.

 

*Event schedule subject to change.

mixed martial arts, MMA, WMMAA

Astana, Kazakhstan hosting 5th World MMA Championships

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October 6-7
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (October 5, 2017) — This weekend more than 100 rising MMA stars, representing 26 different countries, will compete for world titles in eight weight classes at the 5th World MMA Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Female amateur fighters will be divided into two weight classes, marking the debut of women at the World MMA Championships.
The event will be broadcast live by Kazakh national television companies and some international sports TV channels.
LIVE broadcast of the Finals will be available October 7 at http://video.m1global.tv/
To watch the finals of the 5th World MMA Championships from your smartphone or tablet, please, download the M1GLOBAL.TV app:
The countries competing in the 5th World MMA Championships are the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Germany, France, Spain, Armenia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan. China, Czech Republic, Belarus, Tajikistan, Georgia, Greece, Iran, India, South Korea, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia.
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @theWMMAA
Instagram: @worldmmaa
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS AND TELEMUNDO DEPORTES ANNOUNCE HISTORIC, LIVE MMA BROADCAST OF $100,000 GRAND PRIZE “COPA COMBATE” TOURNAMENT ON SATURDAY, NOV. 11 FROM CANCUN, MEXICO

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Telemundo and Combate Americas have announced a historic partnership for the broadcast television network’s first-ever live MMA event with “Copa Combate,” the one-night, eight-man, $100,000 grand prize tournament in Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 11.

(Pictured from left to right below): Tournament fighter Mikey Erosa of San Juan, Puerto Rico; multi-time WWE Heavyweight Champion and Combate Americas talent Alberto Del Rio; tournament fighter Marcelo Rojo of Cordoba, Argentina; tournament fighter John Castaneda of Mankato, Minn; Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren; Telemundo Deportes President Ray Warren; tournament fighter Carlos Rivera of Mexico City, Mexico; tournament fighter Ricky Palacios of Mission, Texas; and tournament fighter Marc Gomez of Barcelona, Spain

One night, eight-man tournament takes place on the 24th anniversary of UFC 1, pitting the most fearsome competitors from the
U.S., Latin America and Spain against each other in
high stakes showdown

All eight tournament fighters announced

MIAMI – October 5, 2017 – Combate Americas and Telemundo Deportes announced, at a news conference in the Wynwood district of Miami, a landmark partnership to produce the first-ever Telemundo broadcast of a live Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event with “COPA COMBATE,” the epic, one-night, eight-man tournament, the winner of which will have persevered through three bouts in one night to take home a $100,000 grand prize. The event will take place onNovember 11 at 11:30 p.m. ET/ 8:30 p.m. PT, live from Cancun, Mexico.

The historic, 90-minute live broadcast on Telemundo will coincide with the 24thanniversary of the now legendary UFC 1, which was executive produced by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-founder and Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren, and which was also headlined by a one-night, eight-man tournament.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Telemundo Deportes and to bring back to life, live on Telemundo, the leading U.S. broadcast television network, the most thrilling format for competitive fighting that was responsible for changing the combat sports world forever when I introduced the UFC in 1993,” said McLaren.

“Telemundo Deportes is committed to continue expanding its portfolio of sports events, and we are thrilled to partner with Combate Americas to bring this unique MMA tournament to millions of Hispanic viewers,” said Ray Warren, President of Telemundo Deportes. “Copa Combate is a tournament created for our core audience featuring an exciting format and a diverse group of Hispanic competitors, and we look forward to an historic broadcast.”

“COPA COMBATE” will assemble a collection of the most fearsome stars in MMA’s bantamweight (135 pounds) division, hailing from the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru, and will see them battle in La Jaula, the Combate Americas competition cage, over the course of three tournament stages – quarterfinal, semifinal and championship – before the eventual winner is crowned.

The event marks the first time in history that fighters will represent their respective countries on a quest to win the inaugural ‘Copa.’

Joining the previously announced John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (14-2) of Mankato, Minn. in the tournament field, will be the highest ranked bantamweight fighters in their respective countries:

  • Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (12-4) of Cordoba, Argentina
  • Carlos “Lobo” Rivera (10-2) of Mexico City, Mexico
  • Mikey “El Terrible” Erosa (12-5) of San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Marc “Lufo” Gomez (20-10) of Barcelona, Spain
  • Andres “Doble A” Ayala (11-4) of Bogota, Colombia
  • Kevin “El Frio” Moreyra (4-1) of Lima, Peru

Filling the eighth spot in the tournament field will be wild card entry, Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (9-1) of Mission, Texas.

Palacios, a 30-year-old knockout artist, is riding a six-fight win streak, and is tied with Castaneda for the most wins – six – held under the Combate Americas promotional umbrella.  In his last two starts, Palacios earned decisions over UFC veterans Roman Salazar and Chris Avila, respectively.

The eight competitors will be separated into four tournament brackets, with the top four fighters given seeded positions based on their worldwide rankings.

Quarterfinal stage opponents for the four fighters will be determined based on a lottery ball drawing that will take place on a date to be announced.

Telemundo’s live broadcast of “COPA COMBATE” will feature the tournament’s semifinal stage consisting of two bouts that pit the winners of the quarterfinal stage bouts in each tournament bracket against one another. The entire quarterfinal stage of the tournament will stream live on the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app and TelemundoDeportes.com.

Telemundo Deportes, one of the leading providers of sports content in Spanish in the United States, is home to two of the world’s most popular sporting events: the FIFA World Cup™ through 2026 and the Summer Olympic Games through 2032. In addition, Telemundo Deportes broadcasts the FIFA World Cup™ CONCACAF qualifying matches for most of the region, including the Mexico and USA national teams’ away matches and the Premier League. Telemundo Deportes is also home to “Boxeo Telemundo Ford,” the #1 boxing program in Spanish, and “Titulares y Más,” the #1 sports news, entertainment and commentary show in Spanish, among other recognized sports properties.
# # #
M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

M-1 Challenge welterweight champion Alexey Kunchenko to defend title against Top contender Sergey Romanov

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M-1 Challenge 84, Oct. 27, in Saint Petersburg, Russia
SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (October 4, 2017) – Undefeated M-1 Challenge welterweight champion Alexey Kunchenko will make his third title defense in the M-1 Challenge 84 main event against once-beaten challenger Sergey Romanov on October 27at Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
M-1 Challenge 84 will be streamed live from Saint Petersburg in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register atwww.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
In a battle of Russian welterweight fighters, Kunchenko (16-0-0, M-1: 8-0-0) is a Muay Thai specialist who captured his title on April 9, 2016, at M-1 Challenge 65, when Murad Abdulaev retired in the fourth round.
Kunchenko has made two successful title defenses, both won by way of unanimous decisions, against Abdulaev in a rematch and this past March in his last action versusMaksim Grabovich.
  Kunchenko unloaded on Grabovich
Romanov (11-1-0, M-1: 5-0-0), who is also unbeaten in M-1 Global competition, defeating Arda Adas, Magomed Sultanakhmedov, Carlos Pereira, Andreas Birgels and Sergio de Fatima. Romanov is a strong striker with eight knockouts on his impressive resume.
Romanav was too much for de Fatima
Undefeated Russian middleweight prospect Artiom Frolov (9-0-0, M-1: 7-0-0) steps up in terms of quality opposition against dangerous Brazilian middleweight Caio “Hellboy” Magalhaes (10-3-0, M-1: 1-0-0) in a fight that has future title implications. Frolov is coming off back-to-back victories in M-1 main card fights against Talekh Nadzhafzade and veteran American fighter Luigi Fioravanti. Magalhaes has fought professionally in the UFC and in his M-1 Global debut at M-1 Challenge 78 last May, he choked Dmitry Voitov into an opening-round submission.
American middleweight Joe “Diesel” Riggs (45-17-1, M-1: 1-0-0) takes on Oleg Olenichev (9-4-0, M-1: 1-0-0) in an intriguing match-up. Another former UFC fighter, Riggs has also had success fighting in Bellator and Strikeforce. The battle-tested Riggs, who was born in Maine and fights out of Arizona, is riding a five-fight win streak. Olenichev made his M-1 Global debut in his last fight, this past June at M-1 Challenge 79, winning a three-round unanimous decision over Enoc Solves Torres (19-9-1), of Spain.
In other main card match-ups, Finnish bantamweight Janne “Jamba” Elonen-Kulmala (15-5-1, M-1: 1-0-1) throws-down with Bair Shtepin (4-2-0, M-1: 1-2-0), and Russian welterweight Temirlan Sharipov (3-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0) takes on fellow countryman Maksim Grabovich (5-3-0, M-1: 4-3-0).
Two preliminary bouts are set as American heavyweight Philip “F-11” De Fries (12-6-0, M-1: 0-0-0) and Russian Anton Vyazigin (7-1-0, M-1: 3-0-0) square-off and Finnish lightweight Jani Salmi (9-3-0, M-1: 0-0-0) faces Russian Roman Bogatov (2-0-0, M-1: 2-0-0).
Additional bouts will soon be announced. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
INFORMATION:

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
 
M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
 
M-1 Challenge 84: October 27, 2017 in St. Petersburg, Russia
M-1 Challenge 85: November 10, 2017 in Moscow, Russia
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES JOHN “SEXY MEXY” CASTANEDA FOR “COPA COMBATE” ONE-NIGHT, EIGHT-MAN $100,000 GRAND PRIZE TOURNAMENT ON NOVEMBER 11

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John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (14-2) (right) has been announced as the first entrant into Combate Americas’ historic, one-night, eight-man bantamweight (135 pounds) “Copa Combate” tournament that will award its winner a grand prize of $100,000 in Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 11.
Historic event takes place in Cancun, Mexico
on the 24th anniversary of
Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren’s UFC 1

NEW YORK – September 28, 2017 –Combate Americas today announced the entry of 25-year-old trailblazer and its all-time winningest fighter, John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (14-2), into “Copa Combate,” the historic, one-night, eight-man bantamweight (135 pounds) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament that will award its winner of three consecutive bouts a grand prize of $100,000 in Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 11.

“Copa Combate” takes place on the 24th anniversary of UFC 1, which was executive produced by Combate Americas CEO and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-founder, Campbell McLaren.  The storied event set off a combat sports revolution, and changed the martial arts fight world forever.

Castaneda of Mankato, Minn. will enter La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, riding a nine-fight win streak that dates back to May 2015, and that recently extended on August 1 when he put on a dominant performance to earn a unanimous decision over Cheyden Leialoha in UFC President Dana White’sTuesday Night Contender Series.

“We are excited to welcome John Castaneda back to Combate Americas, where he has amassed the most wins of any fighter in our young, but fast-growing organization, and delivered some of the most memorable moments ever in La Jaula with his explosive style of fighting and vicious knockout power,” said McLaren.

Following the recent victory, Castaneda signed a new, exclusive, multi-fight promotional agreement with Combate Americas, which was the first organization to place him on a national stage during its debut live event that aired on NBC Universo from Las Vegas, Nev. on September 17, 2015.  Castaneda immediately shined, defeating Justin Governale by way of unanimous decision.

In his last start in La Jaula on May 5, Castaneda scored a devastating, second round (:42) TKO (punches) on five-time UFC veteran Chris “The Real Deal” Beal.

The remaining seven “Copa Combate” tournament competitors will be announced soon, and will hail from various parts of Latin America, as well as Spain and the U.S., marking the first time in history that fighters will represent their respective countries on a mission to achieve greatness.

Tournament fighters will be separated into four brackets, and the top four fighters will be assigned seeded positions based on their respective worldwide rankings.  Quarterfinal stage opponents for the four seeded fighters will be determined based on a lottery ball drawing.

The host venue in Cancun for “Copa Combate,” as well as ticket on-sale information for the event, will be announced soon.
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA BACK IN HOUSTON FOR LFA 26 ODOMS vs. HUGHES

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MAIN EVENT:
LFA HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION
RICHARD “THE BLACK EAGLE” ODOMS
vs.
JEFF “LIGHTS OUT” HUGHES
HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD LIVE on AXS TV
ARENA THEATRE in HOUSTON, TEXAS
Tickets are on sale NOW through at Arena Theatre

HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) officials announced today LFA will return home to Houston, TX for LFA 26.
The main event will feature LFA Heavyweight Champion Richard “The Black Eagle” Odoms defending his title for the first time since he won it at LFA 15. Standing opposite him in the cage will be Ohio’s Jeff “Lights Out” Hughes. LFA 26 – Odoms vs. Hughes takes place Friday, November 3rd at the Arena Theatre in Houston, Texas. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Tickets for LFA 26 – Odoms vs. Hughes are available for purchase NOW at Arena Theatre.
Odoms (13-3), a full time San Antonio police officer, is currently riding a two-fight win streak, both of which were in LFA, and has finished both opponents. The latest win culminated in Odoms, who also is a veteran of Legacy FC, winning the vacant LFA Heavyweight Title when he submitted previously undefeated Jared Vanderaa (6-1) in the fifth round.
Hughes (7-1) will look to capitalize on his nickname “Lights Out” when he tries to take away Odoms’ heavyweight title. Hughes is currently ranked as one of the top regional heavyweights in the Midwest and has wins over Strikeforce and Bellator veterans, including a highlight reel KO when he knocked out Strikeforce veteran Jason Riley with a spinning wheel kick.
The co-main event will feature LFC and LFA veteran Bilal Williams (8-4) moving up in weight to take on another LFC veteran in Larry “Tae Kwon” Crowe (9-6) in what is sure to be a very fun fight for everyone watching, as both fighters rarely go the distance. Williams fought five times in one year for LFC, even taking fights on short notice and became a fan favorite with his relentless style. Crowe was another LFC favorite who was always looking for the knockout with his explosive power, which earned him two shots at the LFC Middleweight Title. Williams and Crowe are coming off of losses to recently-signed UFC fighters, and are looking to prove they belong in the big show.
Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Heavyweight Title Bout (265 lb)
– Richard Odoms (13-3) (champion) vs. Jeff Hughes (7-1)
Co-Main Event | Middleweight Bout (185 lb)
– Bilal Williams (8-4) vs Larry Crowe (9-6)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Kolton Englund (5-2) vs. Thomas Webb (13-4)
Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Cameron Graves (5-1) vs. Charles Cheeks (11-6)
Women’s Strawweight Bout (115 lb)
– Itzel Esquivel (2-1) vs. Nicolle Caliari (3-1)
Light Heavyweight Bout (205 lb)
– Jon Harris (10-6) vs. Aaron Davis (8-5)
Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Adrian Yanez (5-2) vs. David Acosta (5-2)
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 26 will mark the third LFA event to take place in Houston, where Legacy Fighting Alliance is headquartered. Further information about LFA 26 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 26 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
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.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

CHAMP DOUGLAS LIMA SET FOR BELLATOR WELTERWEIGHT TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST RORY MACDONALD AT THE FORUM IN LOS ANGELES ON JAN. 20

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TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY

LOS ANGELES – One year removed from its previous event at the world-famous Forum, Bellator returns to Los Angeles to kick off its 2018 schedule with a championship bout on Saturday, January 20.

The main event features two of the best 170-pounders in the world, as champ Douglas Lima (29-6) defends his Bellator welterweight world title against Rory MacDonald (19-4) in a thrilling five-round matchup.

A special Bellator Nation presale takes place Wednesday, Sept. 27 and Thursday, Sept. 28, while tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at the Forum box office, as well as Ticketmaster.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network (formerly named Spike TV) at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Fighting out of Atlanta, Ga., Douglas “The Phenom” Lima has been ruling the roost at 170-pounds in Bellator for the better part of three years. With wins against the likes of Lorenz Larkin, Andrey Koreshkov, Paul Daley and Ben Saunders, the 29-year-old has quietly placed himself among division’s elite. A winner of 17 of his last 19 contests, the American Top Team product remains set on showing the world how dominant he is.

 

Over the last several years, “The Red King” Rory MacDonald has become the most popular Canadian mixed martial artist due to his classic stand-up wars and wins over some of MMA’s best in Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley, B.J. Penn and Demian Maia. A training partner of Georges St-Pierre at the world-renowned TriStar Gym in Montreal, the 28-year-old joined Bellator’s welterweight fray in 2016 and immediately made an impact by submittingPaul Daley at Bellator 179 in the second round.

 

Updated Bellator Card:

Welterweight World Title Main Event: Douglas Lima (29-6) vs. Rory MacDonald (19-4)

 

****

 

About Bellator:

Bellator is a leading mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 1 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on SPIKE, the combat sports television leader. 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 Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:

Spike  is available in 98.7 million  homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is  www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at  http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter  @spiketvpr  for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

 

boxing, M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

Brandon Halsey defeats Mikhail Ragozin by Decision in light heavyweight Super Fight

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Aleksander Doskalchuk captures inaugural
M-1 Challenge flyweight championship
 
M-1 CHALLENGE 83 RESULTS

 Brandon Halsey recorded his first M-1 Global victory
KAZAN, Russia (September 23, 2017) – American MMA fighter Brandon “Bull” Halsey, fighting as a light heavyweight for the first time, won a hard-fought, three-round unanimous decision over his Russian opponent, Mikhail Ragozin, in yesterday’s (Saturday) M-1 Challenge 83: TATFIGHT 5 main event, marking the first international MMA event ever held in Kazan, Russia.
In the co-feature, Aleksander Doskalchuk became the first M-1 Challenge flyweight champion.
Eight different countries – Russia, USA, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan, and Netherlands – were represented by fighters in this international event.
The 30-year-old Halsey (10-3-0, M-1: 1-1-0), fighting out of Huntington Beach, California, was a standout wrestler at the California State University in Bakersfield. He is a former two-time Bellator whose decision to move up to light heavyweight from middleweight, after him being stopped in the opening round ofM-1 Challenge 79 this past June to Russian MMA star Alexander Shlemenko, proved correct as he won a three-round decision over Ragozin for his initi  al M-1 Global victory, establishing himself as a leading contender for the coveted M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title.
Doskalchuk (8-1-0, M-1: 2-0-0), of Ukraine, used a choke hold to force Russian flyweight Vadim “Bad Santa” Malygin (11-3-1, M-1: 2-2-1) to tap out in the second round. Doskalchuk became the first M-1 Challenge flyweight champion.
In other main event action, Georgian lightweight Raul Tutarauli (18-3-0, M-1: 6-1-0) took a three-round unanimous decision over previously undefeatedVladimir Kanunnikov (8-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0, of Russia; American featherweightNate “The Train” Landwehr (9-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0) stopped his Russian foe,Mikhail Korobkov (13-3-1, M-1: 1-3-1), on punches in the second round; Kazakh bantamweight Sergey Morozov (10-3-0, M-1: 5-2-0) punched out Luan Fernandes (8-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0) in the second fame.
 
Nate “The Train” Landwehr celebrated his first M-1 win
The judges were very busy working the undercard as only two fights ended before the full distance with Russian featherweight knocking out his countryman, pro-debuting Rinat Shakirov in the third round, and Russian lightweight Viktor Kolesnik (11-3-1, M-1: 2-0-1) doing the same to Netherlands kickboxing specialist Brian Hooi (14-7-0, M-1: 0-1-0), only in the opening round.
Ukrainian light heavyweight Vadim Shabadash (5-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0) and Russian bantamweight Alexander Osetrov won unanimous decisions over, respectively, Russian Kirill Kusmin (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0) and pro-debuting Lenar Suleymanov, of Russia.
Russian light weight Alik Albagachiev (4-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0) took a majority decision win from Russian Ruslan Khisamutdinov (4-4-0, M-1: 0-1-0) and Russian welterweight Vadim Sinitsyn (2-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0) had the exact same outcome versus Timur Gilimzyanov (4-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0). Brazilian lightweightDiego Davela (18-6-1, M-1: 1-1-1) and Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu (8-2-1, M-1: 0-0-1), of Kyrgyzstan, fought to a three-round split draw.
Complete results and photo gallery below:
 
MAIN CARD
MAIN EVENT – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Brandon Halsey (10-3-0, M-1: 1-1-0), USA
WUDEC3
Mikhail Ragozin (8-3-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia
INAUGURAL M-1 CHALLENGE FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Aleksander Doskalchuk (8-1-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Ukraine
WSUB2 (CHOKE – 1:26)
Vadim Malygin (11-3-1, M-1: 2-2-1), Russia
(Doskalchuk Won M-1 Challenge flyweight title)
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Raul Tutarauli (18-3-0, M-1: 6-1-0), Georgia
WUDEC
Vladimir Kanunnikov (8-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia)
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Nate Landwehr (9-2-0 (M-1: 1-0-0), USA
WKO/TKO (punches – 1:31)
Mikhail Korobkov (13-3-1, M-1: 1-3-1), Russia
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Sergey Morozov (10-3-0, M-1: 5-2-0), Kazakhstan
WKO/TKO2 (punches – 4:48)
Luan Fernandes (8-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Brazil
PRELIMINARY CARD
 
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Vadim Shabadash (5-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Ukraine
WUDEC
Kirill Kuzmin (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia
WELTERWEIGHTS
Vadim Sinitsyn (2-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
WMDEC
Timur Gilimzyanov (4-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Diego Davella (18-6-1, M-1: 1-1-1), Brazil
SD
Busurmankul Abditbait Uulu (8-2-1, M-1: 0-0-1), Kyrgyzstan
Viktor Kolesnik (11-2-1, M-1: 2-0-1), Russia
WKO/TKO1 (punches – 3:36)
Brian Hooi (14-7-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Netherlands
Alik Albagachiev (4-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
WMDEC
Ruslan Khisamutdinov (4-4-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Nidzhat Imanov (2-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0)
WKO/TKO3 (punches)
Rinat Shakirov (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Alexander Osetrov (2-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
WUDEC
Lenar Suleymanov (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia
 
 
 
 INFORMATION:

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M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
 
M-1 Challenge 84: October 27, 2017 in St. Petersburg, Russia
M-1 Challenge 85: November 10, 2017 in Moscow, Russia
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

Bellator 183 Results and Photos

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Patricky “Pitbull” defeated Benson Henderson via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Quote:
“I want the champion. I want Brent Primus. Tonight I took down another former champion and I want my shot at that belt,” Patricky Freire said. “He keeps running from me but now it’s time. I want that belt and after tonight I earned my shot at it. Benson Henderson is a good, tough fighter, but I’ve got my mind on the division title now. You can’t keep running Primus.”
Paul Daley defeated Lorenz Larkin via knockout at 2:40 of round two
Quote:
“The fight went as planned. I felt great and I knew how this would end,” Paul Daley said. “Lorenz Larkin was acting very uncharacteristically leading up to the fight and when I saw all of his antics and what not, I knew the fight would only end one way and that’s with him flat on the canvas.”
Roy Nelson defeated Javy Ayala via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-28)
Quotes:
“The goal was just to go out there, get the win, and work my game a little bit. It felt good to throw some bombs for these fans in San Jose. I had to give Bellator some footage to use, especially since the UFC doesn’t license anything out,” Roy Nelson said. “It was a tough fight and Javy’s a talented fighter. Really, any heavyweight has power and if you connect the other person is definitely going to get knocked out and that is exactly what these fans come to see.”
“Overall I was pretty happy with my performance. I thought I was doing a good job with my stand up against him, but he’s really tough,” Javy Ayala said. “I just wasn’t able to stop the takedowns and his top control was at the elite level. But again I’m pretty pleased with my performance and I’m already looking forward to getting back into that cage for Bellator.”
Aaron Pico defeated Justin Linn via knockout at 3:45 of round one
Aaron Pico Quote: “First of all, hats off to Justin [Linn]. He’s a great competitor and I knew it was going to be a tough fight. It feels good fighting at 145-pounds. This is my natural weight and it felt great. I’m going to have to watch the replay of this fight because I’m not even sure how I hit him, it was just very instinctual. I always knew that I had very powerful hands and I’m not being cocky, I’m just confident because I spar with some of the best boxers in the world over at Team Bodyshop in Long Beach. The key to this fight was just relaxing because I knew that as long as I was relaxed in there, my skillset was going to show.”
Goiti Yamauchi defeated Adam Piccolotti via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:19 of round one
Quote from Goiti Yamauchi: “I’m ready to sign the contract for my next fight right now,” Yamauchi said. “I feel that I’m one fight away from a title shot, after another win like the one tonight, I don’t think there’s any way that Bellator can deny that I’m the number one contender.”