Category Archives: MMA

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA ANNOUNCES RETURN OF LIVE AUDIENCES AND NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH ELEVATE SPORTS VENTURES

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BELLATOR MMA TO WELCOME FANS BACK TO LIVE EVENTS BEGINNING WITH BELLATOR 260 ON JUNE 11 AND BELLATOR 261 ON JUNE 25 AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA
 
Elevate Sports Ventures Joins Bellator MMA To Support Sponsorship, Premium and Ticket Sales Strategies

NEW YORK – MAY 19, 2021 – BELLATOR MMA, a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring the world’s most dominant combat sports athletes, is set to welcome back fans in attendance to watch live events beginning with BELLATOR 260: Lima vs. Amosov on Friday, June 11, and BELLATOR 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky on Friday, June 25, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Both events will be televised live on SHOWTIME®.

To amplify the anticipated return to fan-attended events, BELLATOR has tapped Elevate Sports Ventures, an innovative and resourceful sports and entertainment marketing firm, to support sponsorship, premium and ticket sales strategies for the internationally renowned mixed martial arts brand.

A limited number tickets starting at $60 will be made available beginning this Friday, May 21 for BELLATOR 260: Lima vs. Amosov and BELLATOR 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky for purchase at Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

Elevate’s integration comes on the heels of BELLATOR MMA’s move to its new exclusive U.S. television partner, SHOWTIME, which began televising the promotion’s events in April. The sports agency additionally will support BELLATOR’s marketing, operational and routing strategies for events moving forward.

“We are very excited to be getting into business with Elevate,” said BELLATOR MMA President Scott Coker. “They bring a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience to the table with a proven track record of providing consistent results for top professional sports franchises, leagues and events. It feels like our family just got bigger, and I am confident that this new relationship will lead to the continued growth of the BELLATOR brand.”

“At Elevate, we are inspired by BELLATOR’s ambition to meaningfully connect and engage with current and new fans, and aggressively route new live events to its diverse, global fanbase,” said Elevate Sports Ventures Chairman and CEO Al Guido.  

Following this Friday’s BELLATOR 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2, BELLATOR MMA will have hosted 16 events without spectators in attendance at Mohegan Sun Arena during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the promotion held three cards in Milan, Italy, and a historic night of fights in Paris, which marked the first time a major MMA promotion held an event in France.

Elevate will leverage its “Insights” vertical, utilizing industry-leading data and analytics practices, to generate smarter sponsorship, premium and ticket-sales targets and strategies, including producing data-driven fan profile analysis, product and pricing strategies, lead-scoring modeling and more for BELLATOR MMA’s front office, global brand and future live events.

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

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA™ CONFIRMS FULL FIGHT CARD FOR BELLATOR 259 – LIVE ON SHOWTIME® NEXT FRIDAY, MAY 21 AT 9 P.M. ET

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CRIS CYBORG SET TO DEFEND WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST LESLIE SMITH IN A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED REMATCH

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LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA has confirmed the full fight card for BELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 this Friday, May 21 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The event caps off an exciting month of action for BELLATOR, and airs LIVE on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

With plans to continue her dominance over the women’s featherweight division, Cris Cyborg (23-2, 1 NC) will put her world championship on the line against No. 4 ranked featherweight Leslie Smith(12-8-1) in a rematch to crown the world’s top 145-pound female athlete.

The BELLATOR MMA 259 main card on SHOWTIME is loaded from top to bottom, including former bantamweight champion Darion Caldwell (15-4) rematching No. 6 ranked bantamweight Leandro Higo (20-5) in a 135-pound contest, a top-five middleweight clash between the undefeated No. 3 ranked Austin Vanderford (10-0) and No. 4 ranked Fabian Edwards (9-1), and a welterweight matchup that will see the streaking Jaleel Willis (14-2) face off against former LFA champion Maycon Mendonca (11-4), who’ll be making his promotional debut. Capping off the main card action will be the undefeated Jackson Wink-product and No. 9 ranked light heavyweight Christian Edwards (4-0) challenging Mississippi’s Ben Parrish (4-1).

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.

The nine-fight preliminary card has no shortage of action-packed bouts, featuring a top-10 light heavyweight matchup between No. 7 ranked Grant Neal (5-0) and No. 8 ranked Tyree Fortune (5-0) and the return of Israeli lightweight superstar Aviv Gozali (5-0), as he looks to add to his five first round finishes and record breaking 11-second submission win. Plus, the charismatic No. 8 ranked women’s flyweight Valerie Loureda (3-0), the always-exciting Saad Awad (23-13, 1 NC), and No. 6 ranked Australian featherweight Janay Harding (6-4), who takes on No. 7 ranked Irish sensationLeah McCourt (4-1). Finally, No. 9 ranked lightweight Alfie Davis (14-3) makes his sixth promotional appearance against BELLATOR newcomer Alexander Shabliy (19-3).

All prelims will stream live at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Full bout listings are below:

BELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 Main Card:

SHOWTIME

9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT 

Featherweight World Title Main Event: c-Cris Cyborg (23-2, 1 NC) vs. #4-Leslie Smith (12-8-1)

Bantamweight Co-Main Event: Darrion Caldwell (15-4) vs. #6-Leandro Higo (20-5)

Middleweight Bout: #3-Austin Vanderford (10-0) vs. #4-Fabian Edwards (9-1)

Welterweight Bout: Jaleel Willis (14-2) vs. Maycon Mendonca (11-4)

Light Heavyweight Bout: #9-Christian Edwards (4-0) vs. Ben Parrish (4-1)

 Preliminary Card: 

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

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

Lightweight Bout: Saad Awad (23-13, 1 NC) vs. Nate Andrews (16-3)

Light Heavyweight Bout: #7-Grant Neal (5-0) vs. #8-Tyree Fortune (5-0)

Flyweight Bout: Sumiko Inaba (1-0) vs. Kristina Katsikis (1-1)

Lightweight Bout: Aviv Gozali (5-0) vs. Sean Felton (5-2-1)

Flyweight Bout: #8-Valerie Loureda (3-0) vs. Hannah Guy (2-1)

Heavyweight Bout: Davion Franklin (2-0) vs. Tyler King (12-9)

Featherweight Bout: #6-Janay Harding (6-4) vs. #7-Leah McCourt (4-1)

Lightweight Bout: #9-Alfie Davis (14-3) vs. Alexander Shabliy (19-3)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

PAUL ‘SEMTEX’ DALEY TO FACE JASON JACKSON IN CO-MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR MMA 260 ON JUNE 11

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London UK – BELLATOR MMA have today confirmed that Paul “Semtex” Daley (43-17-2) will join the main card of BELLATOR MMA 260: Lima vs. Amosov, where he will take on No. 3 ranked Jason Jackson (14-4) in an explosive 175-pound contract weight co-main event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. on Friday, June 11.  The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

BELLATOR 260 will be headlined by Welterweight World Champion Douglas Lima (32-8), who will defend his 170-pound title against the undefeated and top-ranked Yaroslav Amosov (25-0).

Elsewhere on the card, 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 and Demarques Jackson (11-5) meets Mark Lemminger (11-3) at welterweight. Featherweight legacy fighter Lucas Brennan (4-0) takes on Matthew Skibicki (4-3) and Amanda Bell (7-7) takes on Marina Mokhnatkina (4-2) in female featherweight action.

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 Nottingham, England, the hard-hitting Paul “Semtex” Daley will head into the fight looking to make it three straight wins on the bounce inside the BELLATOR MMA cage. Daley, who remains one of the most experienced athletes on the BELLATOR MMA roster with 62 professional MMA fights to his name, returns to action after beating old foe Sabah “The Sleek Sheik” Homasivia TKO at BELLATOR 257 last month. Daley put on a dominant performance that night, reminding fans of his explosive power and ability to stop his opponent in the second round. With notable wins over Lorenz Larkin, Erick Silva and Saad Awad, Daley is currently the promotion’s No. 8 ranked welterweight athlete. Another win for the 38-year-old in his next fight against Jackson will see him rise up the welterweight rankings and could propel him into contention for a run at the title.

Standing in his way will be 30-year-old Jason Jackson, the electric welterweight who trains out of Sanford MMA in South Florida. Currently riding a four-fight win streak inside the BELLATOR MMA cage, Jackson put on a dominant display in his last performance against Neiman Gracie at BELLATOR 255. The win over Gracie is the latest in an impressive run with the promotion, which also includes victories over notable names including Kiichi Kunimoto, Jordan Mein and Benson Henderson. Currently ranked No. 3 in the promotion’s welterweight rankings, Jackson will hope to make it five wins in a row and add another victory to his name when he meets Daley on June 11.

With further bouts set to be announced in the coming weeks, fans can look forward to another stacked card and an unforgettable night of world-class MMA action from the Mohegan Sun Arena.

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)

Contract Weight Co Main Event:  #8- Paul Daley (43-17-2) vs. #3 Jason Jackson (14-4)

Preliminary Card: 

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

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

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

Featherweight Bout: Lucas Brennan (4-0) vs. Matthew Skibicki (4-3)

 Featherweight Bout: Amanda Bell (7-7) vs. Marina Mokhnatkina (4-2)

Welterweight Bout: Demarques Jackson (11-5) vs. Mark Lemminger (11-3)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit BELLATOR.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

SHOWTIME® OFFERS BIPOLAR ROCK ‘N’ ROLLER DOCUMENTARY FOR FREE TO NON-SUBSCRIBERS DURING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

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Raw and Revealing Documentary Film Chronicling Sportscaster Mauro Ranallo’s Lifelong Battle with Mental Health Premiered on SHOWTIME in 2018

WATCH TEASER: https://youtu.be/-NAkbSIXxVc

WATCH FULL FILM: https://youtu.be/8VT_5XcJiPo

In recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, BIPOLAR ROCK ’N’ ROLLER, a raw and revealing documentary chronicling the prolific combat-sports broadcaster Mauro Ranallo and his lifelong battle with mental illness, is available for free to non-subscribers on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel.

In addition, BIPOLAR ROCK ‘N’ ROLLER and QUIET STORM: THE RON ARTEST STORY, a documentary film that shines a spotlight on the polarizing NBA star who was at times feared and often misunderstood both on and off the basketball court, will be available for subscribers on all SHOWTIME ON DEMAND and SHOWTIME streaming service platforms during the month of May.

SHOWTIME Sports will also support mental health awareness throughout the month across all social media platforms with a range of informative, insightful and inspiring content from both documentaries as well as from other original SHOWTIME Sports programming including ALL THE SMOKE WITH MATT BARNES AND STEPHEN JACKSON.

BIPOLAR ROCK ‘N’ ROLLER explores Ranallo’s career, including his work on the two biggest pay-per-view events in television’s history, and his relentless pursuit of a childhood dream despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Through this deeply personal and unflinching portrait, Ranallo, who struggles with Bipolar Affective Disorder, hopes to inspire others to persevere in pursuing their dreams despite the challenges of a mental health condition. The film premiered on SHOWTIME during Mental Health Awareness Month in May 2018.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA™ CONFIRMS FULL FIGHT CARD FOR BELLATOR 258 ON SHOWTIME® THIS FRIDAY, MAY 7 AT 9 P.M. ET/6 P.M. PT

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LATE CHANGE SHIFTS BELLATOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX – JOSE ‘GUGU’ AUGUSTO NOW FACES ANTHONY “RUMBLE” JOHNSON IN QUARTERFINAL

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LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA has today confirmed the full slate of fights for this Friday’s BELLATOR MMA 258: Archuleta vs Pettis card inside the Mohegan Sun Arena. The event is the first of two being held in May, and kicks off an exciting month of fights on SHOWTIME with the action set to begin live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

In the main event of the evening, Juan “The Spaniard” Archuleta (25-2) puts his BELLATOR Bantamweight World Title on the line for the first time against No. 1 ranked 135-pounder Sergio “SP” Pettis (20-5). In addition to the headliner, three other main card bouts are confirmed, with the co-main event featuring a Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal bout with Team Pitbull product Jose “Gugu” Augusto (7-2, 1 NC) stepping up on a week’s notice to fight a debuting Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (22-6).

Rounding out main card action is a lightweight grudge match pitting the No. 2 ranked Patricky Pitbull (23-9) against the resilient Irishman, Peter Queally (12-5-1), and a must-watch bout between the No. 2 ranked welterweight Michael “Venom” Page (18-1) and No. 6 ranked welterweight Derek Anderson (17-3-1), a fight that has been booked twice previously, but was derailed due to injuries. 

The preliminary card consists of eight fights and is stacked throughout, featuring former 185-pound champion Rafael Carvalho (16-5) stepping in on less than a week’s notice to welcome Lorenz Larkin (22-7) to the BELLATOR middleweight division. Also, No. 5 ranked welterweight Logan Storley (11-1) returns against Omar Hussein (8-2).

Fans will also see the promotion’s bantamweight depth on display, seeing No. 4 ranked Raufeon Stots (15-1) face No. 7 ranked Josh Hill (20-3), as well as appearances from former title challenger and No 2. ranked bantamweight “Patchy” Mix (13-1), Erik “Goyito” Perez (19-8), and the always-game Henry Corrales (18-5), who moves to bantamweight for the first time in his BELLATOR career.

All BELLATOR MMA 258: Archuleta vs Pettis prelims will stream live at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and 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.  

Full bout listings are below:

BELLATOR MMA 258: Archuleta vs. Pettis Main Card:

Friday, May 7 – live on SHOWTIME

9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT 

Bantamweight Title Bout: c-Juan Archuleta (25-2) vs. #1-Sergio Pettis (20-5)

Light Heavyweight WGP Quarterfinal Bout: Anthony Johnson (22-6) vs. Jose “Gugu” Augusto (7-2, 1 NC)

Lightweight Bout: #2-Patricky Pitbull (23-9) vs. Peter Queally (12-5-1)

175-Pound Contract Weight Bout: #2-Michael Page (18-1) vs. #6-Derek Anderson (17-3, 1 NC)

Preliminary Card: 

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

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

Bantamweight Bout: #7-Josh Hill (20-3) vs. #4-Raufeon Stots (15-1)

Middleweight Bout: Lorenz Larkin (22-7, 1 NC) vs. Rafael Carvalho (16-5)

Bantamweight Bout: #2-Patchy Mix (13-1) vs. Albert Morales (10-6-1)

Welterweight Bout: #5-Logan Storley (11-1) vs. Omar Hussein (8-2)

Middleweight Bout: #6-Johnny Eblen (7-0) vs. Daniel Madrid (18-6)

Bantamweight Bout: Henry Corrales (18-5) vs. Johnny Campbell (20-13, 1 NC)

Featherweight Bout: Weber Almeida (5-0) vs. Johnny Soto (3-1)

Bantamweight Bout: Erik Perez (19-8) vs. Blaine Shutt (8-4)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS, QUOTES & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR MMA 257: NEMKOV VS. DAVIS 2

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COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS HERE – (PLEASE CREDIT: BELLATOR MMA / LUCAS NOONAN)

POST-FIGHT VIDEO INTERVIEWS HERE

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – BELLATOR 257: Nemkov vs. Davis 2 saw incumbent 205-pound champion Vadim Nemkov (13-3) retain his championship, he now awaits his future opponent. In the co-main event, #3-ranked Corey Anderson (15-5) advanced to the semi-finals to face #4 ranked pound-for-pound athlete Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC) at a future date in the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix.

BELLATOR MMA returns to action on May 7 with a bantamweight world title fight pitting c-Juan Archuleta (25-2) against #1 ranked Sergio Pettis (20-5) and a Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix opening round pairing between the debuting Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (22-6) and Yoel Romero (13-5) to determine Nemkov’s next title challenger. Bellator 258 airs exclusively on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

“Rumble” had this to say about his upcoming BELLATOR debut on SHOWTIME: “You know how I fight. I come out there and throw bombs. If you get in the way and get hit, that’s just what happens. Romero is a hell of an athlete. We all have watched him fight. For his age, which to me doesn’t play a factor at all, he’s a beast. I’m very excited to fight a man of his caliber. He’s a true challenge to anybody that he faces. I look forward to testing myself against him. He’s definitely an opponent that I respect. Somebody that I know I’ll enjoy fighting and the fans will enjoy it too.

“Right now, I can’t look past Yoel. I really can’t. I don’t look that far ahead. I have goals, but right now I got one of the toughest individuals you can possibly face in my face May 7. I’m looking forward to it and I just need to focus on Yoel. I’m just going to let the dice roll the way they’re going to roll and whoever makes it to the next round, I’ll focus on that later. Right now, I just need to focus on one individual and everybody else is not even on my radar right now. I just got to focus on the man that’s trying to knock my head off.”

BELLATOR MMA 257: Nemkov vs. Davis 2 Main Card:

c-Vadim Nemkov (13-2) defeated #2-Phil Davis (22-5, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

Vadim Nemkov: “My plan was to out-strike him today and defend the wrestling. I’m pretty happy with my performance but I had some mistakes and I’m going to work on them for next time.

“It’s very hard to knock out Phil Davis so I was getting ready for a five round fight and I knew it was going to go the distance. Our conditioning was on point.

“Both fighters [Johnson and Romero] are very unpredictable. They can strike or wrestle. I’m a champion and I’m ready for whoever wins that fight. It doesn’t matter to me who I face. Both fighters are really good on the ground or standup and it’s going to be a good fight for me either way.”

#3-Corey Anderson (15-5) defeated Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (18-6-1) via TKO (punches) at 2:15 of round three

Corey Anderson on facing Ryan Bader: “I love the matchup with Bader. I love the matchup with anybody in this tournament. I love the matchup with any 205-er in the world because I know how good I am. I’m just going to show the rest of the world that. Me and Bader, we have history from training together and like I said, one person knows. He knows. We’re just going to find out in July when we match up. One man has to go out there and make the statement on TV.

“He knows who he’s matched up against. That’s all. I ain’t one of those dudes who’s going to put the film out there on Instagram because that ain’t a good sport. But at the same time, he knows. We know. They know it’s going to be a tough match. He’s gotten better. I’ve gotten better. He knows it’s going to be a war. It’s not like he’s going to go in there and take me down like he does with all these other guys. Because he knows. He knows he ain’t gonna go out there and out-strike me.”

#7-Veta Arteaga (6-4) defeated Desiree Yanez (5-3) via majority decision (28-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Veta Arteaga: “My overall goal is to have another opportunity at the title shot. One fight at a time. I wasn’t overlooking Desiree at all and I’ve just been watching all the females that fight in this division to see who I may be potentially fighting. I’m excited to hopefully climb right back up in the rankings and have another title shot.”

Paul Daley (47-17-2) defeated #8-Sabah Homasi (15-9) via TKO (punches) at 1:44 of round two

Paul Daley on who is next…

“Whoever fancies it. Whoever struggles to get down to 170 and feels like 175 is a good division for them, I’ll fight them. I’ve been in with the best at 170 and now I’m saying here on SHOWTIME and around the world that the 175-pound division is my division. If you want the belt, f*cking come and get it.”

Preliminary Card:

#1-Julia Budd (15-3) defeated Dayana Silva (9-6) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

#5-Julius Anglickas (10-1) defeated Gregory Milliard (12-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

#7-Steve Mowry (9-0) defeated Shaun Asher (13-4-1) via TKO (punches) at :55 of round one

Grachik Bozinyan (11-4) defeated Demarques Jackson (11-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Raymond Daniels (3-1, 1 NC) defeated Peter Stanonik (4-4, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-26)

Lance Gibson Jr. (4-0) defeated Marcus Surin (6-3) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Karl Albrektsson (11-3) defeated Viktor Nemkov (30-8-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

#10-Mads Burnell (15-3) defeated Saul Rogers (14-4) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:08 of round two

#7-Jay-Jay Wilson (8-0) defeated #4-Pedro Carvalho (11-5) via TKO (strikes) at :53 of round two

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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.