Category Archives: MMA

boxing, FNU Combat Sports Show, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC, UK Boxing

Psychic Tom Predicts Win For Mark Hunt; Rabble Rousin’ Rich Opens the Show with Demetrious Johnson vs. Dana White Rant; Tony the Tornado rips Stevenson/Fonfara on this week’s FNU Combat Sports Show

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Rich Bergeron opens this week’s FNU Combat Sports show by giving his unique take on the Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson feud with the UFC brass, namely Dana White. Upon refusing to take a fight with T.J. Dillashaw without getting certain assurances and conditions met, many fans on social media insisted DJ was running scared. Even Dillashaw took the opportunity to blast the move by the flyweight champ as “chickenshit.” Dana White even reportedly threatened to shut down the entire flyweight division if Johnson refused to fight TJ. “Mighty Mouse” didn’t blink and didn’t cave to the organization’s demands, and Rich explains in his opening dialogue why DJ should be respected and given the benefit of the doubt for his decision rather than being criticized and dragged through the mud for standing up for himself.

 

During the rest of the broadcast, Tony “The Tornado” Penecale details his night out at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia for a fight card headlined by Hank Lundy. He also recaps Fonfara vs. Stevenson II and calls the fight “a disgrace.”

 

“Psychic” Tom Padgett chips in with some post-fight analysis of Aldo vs. Holloway. He also predicts Mark Hunt will benefit from home cage advantage in his battle with Derrick Lewis this weekend at UFC Fight Night 110 in New Zealand.

 

There’s also an update on Hunt’s lawsuit against the UFC and Brock Lesnar and lots of other fight previews and recaps. Listen to the whole broadcast to catch up on what’s new in combat sports this week.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BRENDAN SCHAUB TO CO-HOST BELLATOR NYC: SONNEN VS. SILVA PRE-SHOW LIVE FROM MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

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LOS ANGELES — Brendan Schaub, a former professional MMA fighter and football player, host of the popular MMA podcast “Big Brown Breakdown” and co-host of the hit podcast “Fighter and the Kid”, will serve as co-host for Spike TV’s LIVE pre-show leading into Bellator’s epic event, Bellator NYC: Sonnen vs. Silva, from New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden.

Schaub will join Bellator host, Jenn Brown, in the broadcast booth and will offer insight and analysis for all the fights on Spike’s stacked Bellator 180: Davis vs. Bader card leading into the biggest event in the promotion’s history, Bellator NYC: Sonnen vs. Silva. Additionally, Schaub will be featured in original Bellator digital content in advance of the event.

Headlined by the long-awaited fight between two of the biggest names in mixed martial arts history, Chael Sonnen (29-15-1) and Wanderlei Silva (35-12-1, 1 NC), Bellator NYC: Sonnen vs. Silva airs live on pay-per-view beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Prior to the pay-per-view event, SPIKE will air Bellator 180: Davis vs. Bader LIVE and FREE on both coasts, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Additionally, Bellator 180 prelims will air exclusively on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

Emanating from Madison Square in New York City, the mecca of combat sports, this blockbuster event includes a heavyweight bout between MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) and hard-hitting Matt Mitrione (11-5), along with two championship bouts, including Douglas Lima (28-6) defending his 170-pound strap against Lorenz Larkin (18-5, 1 NC) and current lightweight champion Michael Chandler (16-3) putting his world title on the line against the undefeated Brent Primus (7-0).

Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

RELEVENT SPORTS AND COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCE GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIP FOR “COMBATE CLASICO” ON THURSDAY, JULY 27

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FIGHTERS FROM BARCELONA AND MADRID FACE OFF IN A
LIVE MMA TELEVISION EXTRAVAGANZA
TWO DAYS BEFORE FC BARCELONA AND REAL MADRID
FACE OFF IN EL CLASICO MIAMI

Tickets for “Combate Clasico” on sale now

NEW YORK – June 2, 2017 – Relevent Sports, a division of RSE Ventures, and Combate Americas today announced a groundbreaking partnership to produce “Combate Clasico,” a spectacular, world-class Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) live television event in Miami, Fla. on Thursday, July 27.

Tickets for “Combate Clasico” are on sale online at Ticketon.com.

In the main event of a 10-bout affair that takes place at Mana Wynwood, the two premier, pound-for-pound fighters from rival cities in Spain – Abner “Skullman” Lloveras (20-9-1) of Barcelona and Javier Fuentes (9-4) of Madrid – will face off two days before the El Clasico Miami, a meeting between global soccer powers Real Madrid and FC Barcelona at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.  The match, which marks the clubs’ first meeting in North America and the first outside of Spain since 1982, is part of the International Champions Cup presented by Heineken.

The “Combate Clasico” live MMA event will be part of a nearly week-long extravaganza that will begin with a match between marquee soccer clubs Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain at Hard Rock Stadium on July 26 as well as concerts, parties and other interactive events prior to El Clasico Miami on July 29.

For more information on El Clasico Miami fans can visit elclasicomiami.com and internationalchampionscup.com.

“Relevent Sports is thrilled to partner with Combate Americas,” said Relevent Sports Chairman Charlie Stillitano.  “Combate Clasico promises to be another must-see event in the lead up to El Clasico Miami at Hard Rock Stadium.”

“We are excited to be working with Relevent Sports and the International Champions Cup to bring the Combate Americas brand of electrifying, professional Hispanic MMA action to Miami,” said Combate Americas CEO and UFC co-founder Campbell McLaren.  “This promises to be a phenomenal week of live sports and music, culminating in a historic showdown between the world’s two biggest soccer powerhouses.”

The event will air live in the U.S. on Azteca America at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.  It will also air the following night, Friday, July 28 on TV Azteca in Mexico.

The pride of Barcelona, the 34-year-old Lloveras is a 2010 Spanish Olympic boxing tournament Gold Medalist and three-time national boxing champion.  In 2015, Lloveras, who holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter:  Team McGregor vs. Team Faber reality television series on Fox Sports 1.

The 27-year-old Fuentes is an aggressive-minded and fast-paced competitor who has earned all of his professional career victories to date by way of (T)KO or submission.

Additional matchups for “Combate Clasico” will be announced soon.
M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

“Storm” Rising Alexander Shlemenko avenges 2 ½-year-old loss Stops Brandon Halsey in 25 seconds

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
M-1 CHALLENGE 79 RESULTS

Alexander Shlemenko’s sensation stoppage of Brandon Halsey sets up a possible trilogy match

Go here for more pictures: https://yadi.sk/d/4xHtiukp3JjhgV
SAINT PETERSBURG; Russia (June 2, 2017) — MMA star Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko needed only 25 seconds to avenge a loss to middleweight Brandon “Bull” Halsey in last night’s M-1 Challenge 79 headliner at Saint Petersburg, Russia.
M-1 Challenge 79 was a part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum’s Cultural Program. Nine different countries were represented in this International event: Russia, USA, UK, Israel, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan, Germany, South Korea, Ukraine.
Shlemenko (56-7-0, M-1: 6-0-0) came out for the opening bell with force, unloading a series of powerful kicks and punches to the body of an overwhelmed Halsey (9-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), who made his M-1 Global debut, and he was unable to make it past the 25-seconds mark of the opening round.
In this battle of former Bellator champions, Shlemenko gained revenge for his Bellator loss to Halsey, by way of a rear-naked-choke in 35-seconds, on September 26, 2014.
Shlemenko, fighting out of Russia, noted after the fight that his electrifying start wasn’t a coincidence. “I’m just happy,” he said. “I mean, if I’d just won, everyone would say, ‘Well, I got it done.’ But, I won in 25 seconds; it’s just real happiness. I think everyone’s happy. It was wonderful and beautiful and no left no questions,”
Halsey later said he’s ready for a third match against Shlemenko to complete their trilogy. “I’m ready to go against Russian again,” Halsey commented. “You all saw that Alexander came out aggressively. He had a good start and everything was pre-decided. I lost and it hurts, but I’m ready to go back to battle. I will not excuse myself. There’s nothing less to worry about than anyone else’s opinion in the forums. Today, Shlemenko was stronger. I am prepared learn from my mistakes. I got a quick win last time. Now, Shlemenko won quickly. The score is 1-to-1 and I am ready to meet him again to finally determine who is the better fighter.
Russian welterweight Sergey Romanov (11-0, M-1: 5-1-0) defeated M-1 pro-debutingArda “Boma Ye” Adas (7-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), of Germany, by first-round technical knockout due to an arm injury.
Russian lightweight Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (14-5-0, M-1: 4-2-0) took a majority decision over Brazilian Michel “Sassarito” Silva (18-6-1, M-1: 0-1-0), while Russian middleweight Oleg Oleniochev (9-4-0, M-1: 2-0-0) won a unanimous decision overEnoc Solves Torres (19-10-1, M-1: 5-7-1).
In the main card opener, Russian bantamweight Dalgiev Khamzat (9-1-0, M-1: 6-1-0) used a heel hook to submit Brit Dragan “Little Wonder” Pesic (13-8-0, M-1: 0-1-0).
American bantamweight “The Finisher” Josh Rettinghouse (15-4-0, M-1: 3-0-0) remained unbeaten in M-1 Global competition, submitting previously undefeatedBakhtiyar “Baha” Toychubaev (6-1-1, M-1: 0-1-0) in the second round with a rear-naked choke.
Also fighting on the preliminary card were winners by unanimous decision: Ukrainian light heavyweight Dmitriy Mikutsa (7-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Russian heavyweight Anton Vyazigin (8-1-0, M-1: 3-0-0) and Russian bantamweight Alexander Osetrov (2-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), respectively, against Russian Dmitry Tebekin (5-3-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Ukrainian Yuri Protsenko (8-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0) and Israeli Almog Shay (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0).
Russian bantamweight Bair Shtepin (4-2-0, M-1: 1-2-0) punched out “Hellboy” Won Jun Jang (4-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), of South Korea, in the first round. Russian lightweightsNikolay Goncjarpv (0-0-1, M-1: 0-0-1) and Maxim Pugachev (7-1-1, M-1: 3-0-1) fought to a three-round draw.
Complete results below:
 
 
MAIN CARD
MAIN EVENT – MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Alexander Shlemenko (56-7-0, M-1: 6-0-0), Russia
WTKO1 (0:25 – punches)
Brandon Halsey (9-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), USA
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Sergey Romanov (11-1-0, M-1: 4-2-0), Russia
WTKO1 (4:19 – arm injury)
Arda Adas (7-3-0, M-1: 0-010), Germany
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Alexey Makhno (14-5-0, M-1: 4-2-0), Russia
WDEC3
Michael Silva (18-6-1, M-1: 0-1-0) Brazil
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Oleg Olenichev (9-4-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Russia
WDEC3
Enoc Solves Torres (19-10-1, M-1: 5-7-1), Spain
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Dalgiev Khamzat (9-1-0, M-1: 6-1-0), Russia
WSUB1 (heel hook)
Dragan Pesic (13-8-0, M-1: 0-1-0), UK
PRELIMINARY CARD
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Anton Vyazigin (8-1-0, M-1: 3-0-0), Russia
DEC3
Yuri Protsenko (8-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Ukraine
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Dmitry Mikutsa (7-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Ukraine
WDEC3
Dmitry Tebekin (5-3-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Russia
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Nikolay Goncharov (0-0-1, M-1: 0-0-1), Russia
Draw3
Maxim Pugachev(7-1-1, M-1: 3-0-1), Russia
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Josh Rettinghose (15-4-0, M-1: 3-0-0), USA
WSUB2 (4:31 – rear-naked choke)
Bakhtiyar Toychubaev (6-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Kyrgzstan
Bair Shtepin (4-2-0, M-1: 1-2-0), Russia
WKO3 (2:31 – punches)
Won Jun Jang (4-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), South Korea
        
INFORMATION:

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@M1GlobalNews
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@M1Global
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M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
 
M-1 Challenge 80: Kharitonov vs. Lopes – June 15, 2017 in Habin, China
Bellator, boxing, Gleason's Gym, mixed martial arts, MMA

News From Gleason’s Gym

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  1. Heather “The Heat” Hardy will make her MMA debut at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, June 24th.

Heather is a two sport woman. She is the WBC International Female Featherweight Champion with a 20-0-0 record. Purchase tickets at Gleason’s Gym or at  www.heather-hardy.com/events

2. Sonya “The Scholar” Lamonakis Sonya Lamonakis 10-2-2 will be boxing June 10 in Worcester Massachusetts at the DCU for the UBF WORLD TITLE. Tickets are $45 if interested please call 6468950890.
3. 31 Years Later, Boxing Returns to the Coliseum on July 15
After a 31-year absence, professional boxing returns to NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum with PBC on FOX on July 15, 2017. Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment proudly announces the first professional boxing match at the Coliseum since Mike Tyson knocked out Steve Zouski on March 10, 1986.
Opening night of Brooklyn Boxing On Long Island will be headlined by a welterweight battle between former champions
Omar Figueroa and Robert Guerrero. Long Island favorite Seanie Monaghan will face Staten Island’s Marcus Browne in a collision of undefeated light heavyweights. The card also includes a heavyweight brawl between Artur Szpilka and Adam Kownacki.
Tickets are on sale now.
4. USA Boxing Alumni Association   USA Boxing is establishing a formal USA Boxing Alumni Association.  The goal is to increase the relationships amongst fellow alumni and with USA Boxing as a whole.  In order to launch this association, they need to collect a sufficient amount of responses form their survey.  If we achieve a certain response rate, we’ll get the funding we need from the donors. Please take five minutes and complete this survey. It will only be up for two weeks.   http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Boxing/Features/2017/May/24/USA-Boxing-Needs-Your-Help

GLEASON’S INTERNATIONAL MASTER TOURNAMENT June 15-17, 2017

15th Annual Gleason’s Fantasy Camp August 10 through 13, 2017
boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

DREAM MATCHES, BELLATOR VETERANS & TITLE FIGHTS TOP NEF 29 FIGHT CARD

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Lewiston, Maine (June 1, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on June 17 with a fight card featuring both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the full fight card for the event.  The fight card is subject to approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine (CSAM).  The boxing portion of the card will begin at 7 pm EDT with the MMA card to immediately follow.

 

In a highly-anticipated “Superfight,” Maine MMA star Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (14-9 MMA, 1-0 boxing) will take on Maine’s premier boxer Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour, Jr. (15-2, 7 KOs) in a six-round boxing bout.  The fight will be a dream match for fans who never expected to see each sports’ top in-state athletes face one another.  Boyington and Lamour have both been featured in nationally-televised bouts on NBC and ESPN in recent years.  Lamour is the former New England Middleweight Champion, while Boyington held the NEF MMA Lightweight Title until relinquishing it last year to sign with the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) global promotion.

 

“Bruce and Russell are at the top of their respective games,” noted NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “Russell is a great boxer, and he’s going to face a superb striker in the form of Taekwondo black belt Bruce Boyington.  This is a true dream match for Maine fight fans.”

 

The professional MMA portion of the fight card will feature the long-awaited return of former NEF MMA Featherweight Champion Ray “All Business” Wood (8-3) as he faces Brazilian prospect Alexandre “Popo” Bezerra (19-5).  Wood left Maine more than two years ago to re-settle in South Carolina and then Texas.  Both Wood and Bezerra are veterans of the Bellator cage with a dozen fights between them for the national promotion.

 

“When you consider both sides, this is probably the highest-level fight to ever take place in NEF,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “This fight could easily be slid into any UFC card on FS1 or Fox and steal the show.  Either one of these athletes could get the call up after this fight.  Our fans are about to see something special.”

 

The amateur MMA card will be headlined by a title fight with Rafael “Deez Nuts” Velado (4-0) defending the amateur lightweight championship against Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance Hall of Famer Pat Kelly(3-0).  At age 52, Kelly will be the oldest fighter to ever challenge for an NEF title.

 

In addition to the fights, legendary boxer James “Buster” Douglas (38-6-1, 25 KOs) will make an appearance at “NEF 29” as the guest of honor.  Douglas will hold an hour-long meet-and-greet with fans at the Colisee from 6 pm to 7 pm prior to the opening bell.  Longtime fans will remember Douglas as the architect of the greatest upset in professional sports history with his knockout of “Iron” Mike Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) in 1990 to claim the world heavyweight title.  Douglas halted the 37-fight undefeated streak that opened Tyson’s pro career.

 

The full “NEF 29” fight card (subject to change and approval of CSAM):

 

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

200 Crowsneck Boutin (Independent) vs. Cristiano Pedro (Cugno)

168 Jason Quirk (PBC) vs. Borngod Washington (Meekins)

160 Russell Lamour (PBC) vs. Bruce Boyington (Boyington’s TKD)

154 Casey Kramlich (PBC) vs. Bryan Goldsby (Jorge Gurgle)

 

PROFESSIONAL MMA

265 Ras Hylton (First Class/Dragon Fire) vs. Eric Ramsey (Trinity)

145 Alexandre Bezerra (Daddis) vs. Ray Wood (Nick’s)

145 Dominic Jones (First Class) vs. Matt Denning (CMBJJ)

145 Andre Belcarris (NE Assassins) vs. Josh Parker (Ruthless)

 

AMATEUR MMA

155*TITLE Rafael Velado (First Class) (c) vs. Pat Kelly (Young’s)

185  Mike Williams (CMBJJ) vs. John Tefft (First Class)

185 Anthony Spires (Independent) vs. Josh Jones (First Class)

150 Jacob Deppmeyer (First Class) vs. Ben Harrington(CMBJJ)

145 Derek Daley (First Class) vs. Frank Johanson (CMBJJ)

140 Glenn Kasabian (Nostos) vs. Kam Arnold (CMBJJ)

115 Alex Walker (Kaze) vs. Sarah Ziehm (CMBJJ)

 

 

New England Fights returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine with its next event, “NEF 29: STARS & STRIPES,” on Saturday, June 17, 2017.  Tickets are on sale now at the Colisee box office 207-783-2009 x 525 and online at www.TheColisee.com.  The event will be broadcast live on the FloCombat app on Roku and Apple TV and streamed live at www.FloCombat.com.

 

For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Fight Network, M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia, UFC

Fight Network to Live Broadcast M-1 Challenge 79, Fight Nights Global 68, LFA 13 & Extensive UFC 212 Fight Coverage

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For Immediate Release – May 31, 2017

TORONTO – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents another busy weekend of live events, beginning this Thursday, June 1 with M-1 Challenge 79: Shlemenko vs. Halsey 2 from St. Petersburg, Russia, which kicks off at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Airing live exclusively across Canada, M-1 Challenge 79: Shlemenko vs. Halsey 2 is headlined by a highly anticipated middleweight rematch between former Bellator MMA champions Alexander Shlemenko(55-9) and Brandon Halsey (9-2). In other featured bouts, German welterweight Arda Adas (7-2) enters enemy territory against Russia’s Sergey Romanov (11-1), Brazilian lightweight Michel Silva (18-5) throws down with Alexey Makhno (13-5), Spanish middleweight Enoc Solves Torres (19-9) meets Oleg Olenyechev (8-4) and Serbian featherweight Dragan Pesic (13-7) faces off with Khamzat Dalgiev (8-1).

The live M-1 Challenge 79: Shlemenko vs. Halsey 2 main card will immediately follow the M-1 Selectionprelims, which kick off at 12 p.m. ET and air live on Fight Network in Canada, the U.S. and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The M-1 Selection broadcast features American bantamweight Josh Rettinghouse (14-4) taking on Kyrgyzstan’s Bakhtiyar Toichubaev (7-3), while undefeated Temirlan Sharipov (3-0) meets Danila Prikaza (6-1) in an all-Russian welterweight affair.

The Russian city of St. Petersburg will play host to more live action on Friday, June 2 at 12 p.m. ET, as Fight Nights Global 68 airs live on Fight Network in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The light heavyweight title is up for grabs in the main event as undefeatedSergey Pavlovich (10-0) takes on Mikhail Mokhnatkin (9-1-2). Meanwhile, a heavyweight superfight is set for the co-main event, with unbeaten Russian powerhouse Vitaly Minakov (19-0) taking on former EliteXC kingpin and UFC title challenger Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva (19-11). Rounding out the star-studded card,Stjepan Bekavac (19-6) welcomes UFC veteran Nikita Krylov (21-5) to the promotion, Tony Johnson Jr.(10-3) squares off with Baga Agaev (28-19) in a heavyweight encounter, Asif Tagiev (5-2-1) meets Dmitry Aryshev (5-5-1) in a welterweight bout, plus unbeaten Israeli prospect Jackie Gosh (7-0) looks to extend his perfect mark against Russia’s Oleg Dadonov (6-1).

On Friday, June 2 at 9 p.m. ET, Legacy Fighting Alliance invades Burbank, Calif. for LFA 13: Millender vs. Holland, featuring pivotal duels in the welterweight division, as Curtis Millender (11-3) takes on Kevin Holland (9-2), while Karen Darabedyan (12-6) faces Sam Liera (12-9). In light heavyweight bouts,Dominick Reyes (5-0) takes on Jordan Powell (8-6), while Alonzo Menifield (2-0) battles Khadzhimurat Bestaev (4-1). A bantamweight bout between undefeated American Kyler Phillips (3-0) and Mexico’sJonathan Quiroz (2-1) will round out the card, which airs live on Fight Network in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Finally, on Saturday, June 3, Fight Network presents extensive live pre and post-fight coverage for UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. But first, the live weigh-ins will be televised on Fight Network on Friday, June 2 at 6 p.m. ET, with all the stars tipping the scales ahead of their pay-per-view showdowns.

The UFC 212 PRE-FIGHT SHOW will air live on Fight Network in Canada on Saturday, June 3 at 7 p.m. ET leading into the LIVE PRELIMS on TSN3. The UFC 212 PRE-FIGHT SHOW will feature featherweight contender Cub Swanson, middleweight champion Michael Bisping and former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans working as desk analysts with host Karyn Bryant and reporter Laura Sanko conducting on-site fighter interviews in Brazil.

At the conclusion of Saturday’s pay-per-view broadcast, the live UFC 212 POST-FIGHT SHOW at approximately 1 a.m. ET on Fight Network features highlights, analysis and post-fight interviews.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BELLATOR MMA SIGNS HEAVYWEIGHT FAN-FAVORITE ROY ‘BIG COUNTRY’ NELSON TO AN EXCLUSIVE MULTI-FIGHT CONTRACT

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PROMOTIONAL DEBUT TO TAKE PLACE LATER THIS YEAR

 

LOS ANGELES — Bellator MMA is proud to announce the signing of heavyweight knockout artist Roy Nelson (22-14) to an exclusive, multi-fight contract.

 

Fighting out of Las Vegas, Nelson joins the Viacom-owned promotion following an eight-year, 19-fight run under the direction of the UFC that saw him earn wins over Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, “Bigfoot” Silva and Cheick Kongo, while tangling in notable slugfests with former and current UFC title holders Fabricio Werdum, Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier. With 19 of his 22 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, Nelson should prove to be an exciting addition to the heavyweight division.

 

The signing sees Nelson return to Spike, where his bout with the late Kimbo Slice on season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter remains the most-watched fight in the history of the reality series. Nelson would eventually go on to win the season, defeating Brendan Schaub in the finale.

 

“With the direction that Bellator MMA is heading, I consider Roy an extremely valuable addition to our roster,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “When you look at Nelson’s record and some of the superstar opponents that he’s faced over the years, as well as his ability to connect with the fans, we felt he was the perfect fit for Bellator. I’ve been a fan of his for years and we are anxious to see him return to Spike inside the Bellator cage.”

 

“I wanted to work with Scott Coker because I have heard nothing but great things – plus I get to work with Spike and Viacom again who catapulted MMA in America,” added Nelson. “I am excited to join Bellator and to show how an All-American like myself will make new and old fans fall in love with MMA again and again!”

 

Nelson’s promotional debut will be determined at a later date, but the heavyweight slugger is expected to return to action at some point this year. “Big Country” joins the Bellator MMA fray with an impressive 22-14 professional record and will compete in a heavyweight class that features accomplished fighters, including Fedor Emelianenko, Matt Mitrione, Cheick Kongo, Bobby Lashley and Sergei Kharitonov amongst others.

 

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 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 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.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

FORMER CHAMP ANDREY KORESHKOV TAKES ON CHIDI NJOKUANI DURING BELLATOR 182 MAIN EVENT AT TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO IN UPSTATE NEW YORK ON AUGUST 25

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ALSO, CONNECTICUT’S BRENNAN WARD RETURNS AGAINST FERNANDO GONZALEZ IN EXPLOSIVE MATCHUP

LOS ANGELES — Following Bellator NYC at Madison Square Garden, Bellator MMA returns to the Empire State to make its Upstate New York debut set to invade Turning Stone ResortCasino in Verona, N.Y. with a welterweight main event pitting former Bellator champ Andrey Koreshkov (19-2) against Chidi Njokuani (17-4, 1 NC) on Friday, August 25for Bellator 182.

In addition, a second welterweight bout will serve as the evening’s co-main showdown when Brennan Ward (14-5) meets Fernando Gonzalez (26-14) in a bout sure to produce fireworks, while featherweight A.J. McKee returns to the cage fresh off an ESPN “SportsCenter” Top-Ten finish of Dominic Mazzotta in his last outing.

Bellator 182: Koreshkov vs. Njokuani will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for Bellator 182 go on sale Friday, June 2 at 10:00 a.m. ET for $85, $65, $47 and $37 and can be purchased in person at the Turning Stone Box Office, by calling 877.833.SHOW, or online at Ticketmaster.com.

Additional main and preliminary card bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

The 26-year-old Russian phenom Koreshkov has been ascendant since his very first professional fight, claiming 19 career victories over 21 bouts, including wins in each of his first 13 contests. Fighting out of Omsk, Russia, “Spartan” will be making his 13th career appearance under the Bellator MMA banner and his first of 2017. Under the direction of Bellator MMA, Koreshkov has accrued a total of 10 victories over a four-year run, highlighted by a welterweight world title triumph over current champion Douglas Lima and a successful title defense over Benson Henderson at Bellator 153. Since making his professional debut in 2010, Koreshkov has collected 13 finishes, including 10 knockouts, eight of which came in the first round, making him one of the most dangerous 170-pounders in the game.

Fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev., Njokuani enters the cage riding momentum of an impressive streak that has seen him win eight consecutive bouts and 12 of his last 13. Since joining the Bellator MMA fray in 2015, the 28-year-old Njokuani has collected four victories, including a pair of knockout finishes. Most recently, “Chidi Bang Bang” defeated Melvin Guillard at Bellator 171 in January, adding to his current run of success.

The 28-year-old Ward enters the contest as one of the most feared fighters in Bellator MMA’s stacked 170-pound class. With 13 finishes over his 14 career victories, including nine knockouts, “Irish” possesses the perfect combination of pure strength and fearlessness. A 14-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, the Waterford, Conn. native will look to earn his 10th win under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion. Since joining Bellator MMA in 2012, Ward has yet to see a bout enter the third frame and has finished six of his nine opponents in the opening round. Fans can expect to see fireworks when Ward is inside the Bellator cage on August 25.

Hailing from Menifee, Calif., the 33-year-old Gonzalez will enter the Bellator cage for the eighth time in his 14-year professional career. Gonzalez has seen a great deal of success since joining forces with Bellator MMA; collecting six victories over a seven-fight, three-year span, highlighted by a first round knockout of Karo Parisyan.Gonzalez has come on strong as of late, tallying nine wins over his last 12 bouts, including a pair of first round knockouts and a five-fight winning streak from 2014-16. With 16 of his 26 career victories coming by way of knockout or submission, the 40-fight veteran will look to add to that total as he prepares to go toe-to-toe with one of the most unshakable talents the welterweight division has to offer.

The son of respected MMA veteran Antonio McKee, A.J. McKee spent his entire childhood in the gym soaking up every bit of knowledge and experience available to him. The 22-year-old prodigy has applied that knowledge inside the Bellator cage and has made quite a splash in his first eight fights as an MMA professional, racking up six finishes in eight outings. The Long Beach, Calif. native heads to the East Coast looking to stay undefeated with another impressive finish.

Nationally-recognized for hosting legendary, fight-of-the-year-level boxing events, rivaling venues in major cities such as Las Vegas, Miami and New York City, Turning Stone was one of the first venues in New York to host professional MMA after it was legalized by the State last year, further distinguishing it as the premier destination for live combat sports. The August 25 Bellator MMA event will mark Turning Stone’s third professional MMA event in less than a year.

Updated Bellator 182: Koreshkov vs. NjokuaniMain Card:

Welterweight Main Event: Andrey Koreshkov (19-2) vs. Chidi Njokuani (17-4, 1 NC)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Brennan Ward (14-5) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (26-14)

Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (8-0) vs. TBD