Category Archives: Paramount Network

TICKETS ON SALE THIS WEEK FOR BELLATOR’S RETURN TO ALLSTATE ARENA IN CHICAGO ON MAY 11


BELLATOR LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMP MICHAEL CHANDLER DEFENDS HIS TITLE AGAINST FEATHERWEIGHT KINGPIN PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ IN LONG-AWAITED GRUDGE MATCH LIVE ON DAZN



THE WELTERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX CONTINUES WITH DOUGLAS LIMA TAKING ON MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE IN SEMI-FINAL ACTION

 

PLUS: UNDEFEATED PROSPECT A.J. MCKEE MEETS CHICAGO’S PAT CURRAN AND THE RETURN OF FORMER WWE STAR JAKE HAGER 

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator’s return to Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. on Saturday, May 11 is stacked with a must-see lineup of fights, headlined by current lightweight titleholder Michael Chandler (19-4) in his attempt to become the only man to defeat both Pitbull Brothers and put an end to their years-long rivalry, when he defends his belt against Bellator’s 145-pound champ Patricio “Pitbull” (28-4) in the main event of Bellator 221 – which will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

 

The co-headliner will see former two-time Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima (30-7) face undefeated Michael “Venom” Page (14-0), better known to fans as “MVP,” in the first semi-final matchup in Bellator’s Welterweight World Grand Prix. Each fighter has their eyes set on moving one step closer to becoming Bellator welterweight champ and taking home one million dollars.

 

In addition, arguably one of the world’s top featherweight prospects A.J. McKee (13-0) will face the stiffest test of his young career when he fights two-time former Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran (23-7) on Curran’s home turf. Finally, former WWE champion Jake Hager (1-0) returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since his first-round submission victory in January looking to continue his early dominance inside the cage.

 

An exclusive online presale for Bellator 221: Chandler vs. Pitbull takes place between Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. CT and Thursday, Feb. 21 at 10 p.m. CT, with tickets going on-sale to the general public on Friday, Feb. 22 at 12 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event will be available at the Allstate Arena box office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

 

Bellator 221: Chandler vs. Pitbull will be broadcast live on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

 

One of the most-decorated fighters in Bellator history, Michael Chandler reclaimed the lightweight championship this past December to become a three-time titleholder. “Iron” has defeated a who’s who among the division’s elite, including Brent PrimusBenson HendersonPatricky Pitbull (x2), Goiti Yamauchi and Eddie Alvarez. The former University of Missouri wrestler from High Ridge, Mo., who now calls Nashville home, has had a slow-building feud with his May 11 opponent, verbally sparring with his foe following wins over Patricio’s brother Patricky and on social media. Now, the time for talk is over and both will enter the Bellator cage to finally settle the score.

 

Hailing from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, two-time featherweight champ Patricio “Pitbull” will enter the Bellator cage for a promotional record 21th time. With impressive wins to his name over Daniel Straus (x3), Daniel Weichel (x2) and Pat Curran, he most recently defeated Emmanuel Sanchez via unanimous decision at Bellator 209. Moving up a weight class for the first time since Bellator 160 when he met Benson Henderson, “Pitbull” is planning to leave his mark in a new division and go down as one of the all-time greats. Having earned a finish in 20 of his 28 wins as a professional, the reigning champion has become synonymous with excitement and fans can certainly expect more fireworks when looks to become a simultaneous two-division champion on May 11.

 

Fighting out of Atlanta, Ga., by way of Goiania, Brazil, Douglas “The Phenom” Lima has been a mainstay at the top of the 170-pound division for the better part of three years. With wins against the likes of Lorenz LarkinAndrey Koreshkov (x2), Paul Daley and Ben Saunders, the 31-year-old advanced to the semifinals of the Welterweight World Grand Prix after a technical submission win against Koreshkov. A winner of nine out of his last 11 contests, the American Top Team product remains set on showing the world how dominant he truly is.

 

One of the most unorthodox strikers to ever compete, “MVP” has steadily worked his way up the welterweight ranks since signing with the organization in 2013. Known for his unique style and personality both inside the cage and out, every Michael Page fight is must-see entertainment. With an undefeated record of 14-0, and 11 of those victories coming by stoppage, the 31-year-old out of London Shootfighters advanced to the semifinals following a closely contested unanimous decision win against rival Paul Daley at Bellator 216.

 

Fighting out of Long Beach, Calif., A.J. McKee puts his undefeated record on the line against the former champ on May 11. Currently training alongside the likes of Aaron Pico,“Baby Slice” and Joey Davis at The Body Shop under the tutelage of his father, MMA veteran Antonio McKee, the second-generation fighter has been making quite the name for himself since joining the professional ranks. At just 23 years of age, “Mercenary” has set the Bellator record for consecutive wins at 13, having defeated Daniel Crawford, Brian MooreJohn “Macapa, Justin Lawrence and Dominic Mazzotta along the way. Known for his highlight-reel finishes, McKee will look to remain unbeaten and keep his name etched in the record books when he meets Curran at Bellator 221. A former two-time Bellator world featherweight champion, Pat Curran returns to the cage near his hometown looking to earn another shot at gold. Fighting out of Crystal Lake, Ill., “Paddy Mike” is in the midst of a three-fight win streak that includes victories over Emmanuel SanchezJohn “Macapa”and Georgi Karakhanyan. The longtime Bellator veteran, who debuted at Bellator 14 in 2010, owns additional wins over Patricio “Pitbull,” Joe Warren, Roger Huerta and Daniel Straus. Also, a two-time Bellator tournament winner, the 31-year-old’s return to the top of the 145-pound division begins with a tough test against McKee.

 

A native of Perry, Okla., Hager emphatically showed the world that he belongs in the sport of MMA with a submission win over J.W. Kizer at Bellator 214 in January. A collegiate wrestler at the University of Oklahoma, where he was an All-American and set the school record for most pins at the 285-pound weight class in a single season with 30. Following graduation and a conversation with legendary pro wrestling announcer and fellow Oklahoma Sooner, Jim Ross, Hager made the transition to professional wrestling and signed with World Wrestling Entertainment. While in WWE, Hager would go on to claim multiple coveted professional titles during his time with the organization, including the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, ECW Championship and WWE United States Championship. Now, the man also known to fans around the globe as “Jack Swagger” will return to action MMA action in Chicago against a soon-to-be-announced heavyweight opponent.

 

Updated Bellator 221: Chandler vs. Pitbull Card:

Lightweight World Title Bout: Michael Chandler (19-4) vs. Patricio “Pitbull” (28-4)

Welterweight World Grand Prix Semi-final: Douglas Lima (30-7) vs. Michael “Venom” Page (14-0)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: A.J. McKee (13-0) vs. Pat Curran (23-7)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Jake Hager (1-0) vs. TBA

 
*Card subject to change

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

BELLATOR 215: MITRIONE vs. KHARITONOV RESULTS & PHOTOS


FULL PHOTOS HERE

  

Complete Bellator 215 Results:

Matt Mitrione (13-6, 1 NC) and Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 2 NC) ended in a no contest

Logan Storley (10-0) defeated Ion Pascu (18-9) via unanimous decision (30-27 30-26, 30-26)

Eduardo Dantas (21-6) defeated Toby Misech (11-7) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

John Douma (4-1) defeated Mike Kimbel (2-1) via submission (triangle choke) at 2:51 of round one

Austin Vanderford (7-0) defeated Cody Jones (6-3) via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:49 of round one

 

Preliminary Card:

Steve Mowry (6-0) defeated Darion Abbey (0-1) via submission (kimura) at 1:27 of round one

Amanda Bell (6-5) defeated Amber Leibrock (3-3) via KO (punches) at 3:52 of round one

Pat McCrohan (4-2) defeated Jason Markland (0-1) via TKO (punches) at 1:11 of round one

Lindsey VanZandt (5-1) defeated Tabatha Watkins (3-1) via TKO (punches) at 3:25 of round two

Pete Rogers (4-4) defeated Jason Rine (1-5) via TKO (strikes) at :50 of round two

Matt Probin (4-0) defeated Ali Zebian (1-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Zarrukh Adashev (2-1) defeated Ronie Arana (0-3) via unanimous decision (29-28. 30-27, 30-27)

Billy Goff (2-0) defeated Ryan Hardy (0-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 


FULL FIGHT CARDS FOR BELLATOR 215: MITRIONE VS. KHARITONOV THIS FRIDAY & BELLATOR 216: MVP VS. DALEY THIS SATURDAY


FULL PHOTOS HERE

 

LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s doubleheader return to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 has been completed with two stacked five-fight main cards and exciting preliminary matchups.

 

The main event of Friday’s card on Paramount Network, and simulcast on DAZN, will feature a heavyweight headliner, where former Bellator Grand Prix Semifinalist Matt Mitrione (13-6) faces Russian knockout artist Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC). Rounding out the stacked main card will see undefeated Logan Storley (9-0) meet SBG Dublin’s Ion Pascu (18-9) at welterweight, former Bellator bantamweight champ Eduardo Dantas (20-6) return from injury to meet Hawaii’s Toby Misech (12-6) at 135-pounds, and the electric Mike Kimbel (2-0) making his main card debut against Rhode Island’s John Douma (3-1). The opener of Bellator 215 will be the promotional debut of Austin Vanderford (6-0), who looks to remain undefeated against Cody Jones (6-2), a winner of four consecutive fights.



 

The prelims for Bellator 215: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov will be highlighted by a women’s featherweight contest featuring Amber Leibrock (3-2) against Amanda Bell (5-5), as well as top heavyweight prospect Steve Mowry (5-0) taking on Darion Abbey (Pro Debut).

 

A mere 24-hours later, Bellator 216 will take place exclusively on DAZN and will be headlined by one of the most intense grudge matches in MMA history. On Saturday, Feb. 16, undefeated Michael “Venom” Page (13-0) will enter the Bellator cage against 58-fight professional Paul “Semtex” Daley (40-16-2) in a first-round fight of Bellator’s Welterweight World Grand Prix. The co-main event is a rematch between two heavyweights who undoubtedly will go down in the sport’s history books, when Mirko Cro Cop (37-11-2, 1 NC) makes his Bellator debut against Roy “Big Country” Nelson (23-16).



In addition, a No. 1 contender’s bout to determine who will face newly crowned heavyweight kingpin Ryan Bader will pit Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) against undefeated, longtime former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov (21-0). An intriguing welterweight encounter between Yaroslav Amosov (20-0) and the always-excitingErick Silva (20-9, 1 NC) is also official, as is the professional debut of multi-time taekwondo champion Valerie Louredawhen she meets Oklahoma’s Colby Fletcher (1-2) in the main card opener.

 

As if that wasn’t enough top-flight action, Tyrell Fortune (5-0), one of Bellator’s top homegrown prospects returns to the Bellator cage against Ryan Pokryfky (6-5) in the featured preliminary bout of Bellator 216: MVP vs. Daley.

 

Bellator: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov will be broadcast Friday, February 15 on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will stream LIVE on DAZN. Bellator: MVP vs. Daley will stream exclusively on DAZN on Saturday, February 16 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Preliminary action for both events will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.

 

Tickets for both events are available now and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Fans can save when they purchase tickets to both events through the “Back-to-Back Pack!” Please visit Ticketmaster.com for more details.




Complete Bellator 215: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov Main Card:

Heavyweight Main Event Bout: Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Logan Storley (9-0) vs. Ion Pascu (18-9)

Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Eduardo Dantas (20-6) vs. Toby Misech (12-6)

Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Mike Kimbel (2-0) vs. John Douma (3-1)

175-Pound Catchweight Main Card Bout: Austin Vanderford (6-0) vs. Cody Jones (6-2)

 

Preliminary Card:

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Mowry (5-0) vs. Darion Abbey (Pro Debut)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Amber Leibrock (3-2) vs. Amanda Bell (5-5)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Pat McCrohan (3-2) vs. Jason Markland (Debut)

Atomweight Preliminary Bout: Tabatha Watkins (3-0) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (4-1)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Pete Rogers (3-4) vs. Jason Rine (1-4)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Matt Probin (3-0) vs. Ali Zebian (1-0)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Zarrukh Adashev (1-1) vs. Ronie Arana (0-2)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Billy Goff (1-0) vs. Ryan Hardy (Pro Debut)

 

Complete Bellator 216: MVP vs. Daley Main Card:

Welterweight World Grand Prix Matchup: Michael Page (13-0) vs. Paul Daley (40-16-2)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Mirko Cro Cop (37-11-2, 1 NC) vs. Roy Nelson (23-16)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) vs. Vitaly Minakov (21-0)

Welterweight Main Card Bout: Yaroslav Amosov (20-0) vs. Erick Silva (20-9, 1 NC)

Flyweight Main Card Bout: Valerie Loureda (Pro Debut) vs. Colby Fletcher (1-2)

 

Preliminary Card:

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Tyrell Fortune (5-0) vs. Ryan Pokryfky (6-5)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Patrick Casey (4-0) vs. Nekruz Mirkhojaev (3-2)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Vinicius De Jesus (6-2) vs. Rodolpho Barcellos (1-0)

165-Pound Catchweight Bout: Kastriot Xhema (2-2, 1 NC) vs. Kemran Lachinov (7-2)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Reginaldo Felix (5-2) vs. Justin Sumter (6-2)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Jesse Kosakowski (2-0) vs. Rodolfo Rocha (1-1)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Demetrius Plaza (Pro Debut) vs. Andrews Rodriguez (1-0)

 

*Card subject to change

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

 

FULL FIGHT CARD ANNOUNCED FOR BELLATOR 214: FEDOR VS. BADER ON SATURDAY, JAN. 26

LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to the “Fabulous” Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on Jan. 26 has been completed with a five-fight main card and 11 preliminary contests.

The main event of the card will feature the Finals of the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix, where the greatest heavyweight of all-time Fedor Emelianenko (38-5, 1 NC) faces current light heavyweight champ Ryan Bader (26-5) for the Bellator world heavyweight title. The co-main event will feature the highly touted prospect Aaron Pico (4-1) against the always-tough Henry Corrales (16-3) at featherweight.

In addition, professional wrestling superstar Jake Hager begins his MMA career against J.W. Kiser (1-1) at heavyweight, Juan Archuleta (21-1) squares off with Ricky Bandejas (11-1) in a battle of surging bantamweights and Adel Altamimi (7-5), a coach with Jay Glazer’s Merging Vets and Players program, will make his Bellator debut against Brandon McMahan (5-6) in the main card opener. The prelims for Bellator 214: Fedor vs. Bader will feature the anticipated MMA debut of jiu-jitsu ace A.J. Agazarm (0-0) against Jesse Roberts (0-0), as well as the Bellator debut of 2016 Greco-Roman Word team member Chris Gonzalez (1-0) taking on Henry Mendez (0-1) and Lyoto Machida-training partner, Weber Almeida (1-0), facing Odan Chinchilla (1-0) at bantamweight.

Tickets for Bellator 214: Fedor vs. Bader are on sale now and can be purchased at the Forum box office, as well as Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will be simulcast live on DAZN. Preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.

Complete Bellator: Fedor vs. Bader Fight Card:

Heavyweight World Grand Prix Finals Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (38-5, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Bader (26-5)

Featherweight Co-Main Event: Aaron Pico (4-1) vs. Henry Corrales (16-3)

Heavyweight Feature Bout: Jake Hager (Pro Debut) vs. J.W. Kiser (1-1)

Bantamweight Feature Bout: Juan Archuleta (21-1) vs. Ricky Bandejas (11-1)

Featherweight Feature Bout: Brandon McMahan (5-6) vs. Adel Altamimi (7-5)

Preliminary Card:

160-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: A.J. Agazarm (Pro Debut) vs. Jesse Roberts (Pro Debut)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Gonzalez (1-0) vs. Henry Mendez (0-1)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Weber Almeida (1-0) vs. Odan Chinchilla (1-0)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Jay Jay Wilson (1-0) vs. Tyler Beneke (Pro Debut)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Sean Johnson (3-1) vs. Art Rivas (5-2)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jorge Juarez (3-0) vs. David Pacheco (Pro Debut)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Jesse Merritt (5-4) vs. Thor Skancke (10-8-1)

190-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Osman Diaz (2-1) vs. Christopher Reyes (Pro Debut)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: James Barnes (11-3) vs. Ryan Lilley (9-4)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Ian Butler (4-5, 1 NC) vs. Craig Plaskett (3-3)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Ramirez (6-3) vs. Desmond Torres (5-1)

*Card subject to change

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

FORMER CHAMPION ANDREY KORESHKOV MEETS LORENZ LARKIN IN BELLATOR MAIN EVENT AT PECHANGA RESORT CASINO ON MARCH 29



ALSO, TICKETS FOR BELLATOR: KORESHKOV VS. LARKIN ON SALE THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14

LOS ANGELES – Bellator returns to Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. on Friday, March 29 with an exciting welterweight clash, as former 170-pound world champion Andrey Koreshkov (21-3) squares off against Southern California native Lorenz Larkin (20-7, 1 NC) in the headliner.

Tickets for the event go on sale this Friday, December 14 and will be available at the Pechanga box office, as well as Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and Pechanga.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and simulcast on DAZN.com, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Hailing from Omsk, Russia, 28-year-old Andrey Koreshkov will enter this bout on the heels of a 23-minute marathon with Douglas Lima in the opening round of the Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix only a few months ago. “Spartan” will be making his 16th career appearance for Bellator and his first of his 2019 campaign. Since joining Bellator, Koreshkov has tallied a dozen victories over his six-year stint, emphasized by a welterweight world title win over former division king Douglas Lima at Bellator 140. Training alongside another former Bellator champion inAlexander Shlemenko, Koreshkov has earned 21 career wins over 24 bouts, including 15 finishes since making his professional debut in 2010. Of his 15 finishes, 12 have come by way of knockout and 10 via first-round KO, making the Russian knockout artist one of the toughest tests Larkin has ever faced. Koreshkov will look to add to an already impressive professional resume when he returns to action at Pechanga Resort Casino on March 29.

Larkin enters a pivotal main event matchup following a pair of victories over Fernando Gonzalez at Bellator 193 and Ion Pascu at Bellator 207. The official alternate in Bellator’s Welterweight World Grand Prix, “Da Monsoon” has held his own against the promotion’s elite, also competing against Douglas Lima and Paul Daley. Proudly hailing from Riverside, Calif., Pechanga Resort Casino provides an ideal site for the Millenia MMA-product to extend his current winning streak and put on a show for a raucous partisan crowd. With 11 of his 20 career victories coming via knockout, the 32-year-old striker hopes to add yet another former champion to his list of victims when he takes on Koreshkov in Temecula.

Updated Bellator: Koreshkov vs. Larkin Fight Card:

Welterweight Main Event: Andrey Koreshkov (21-3) vs. Lorenz Larkin (20-7, 1 NC)

*Card subject to change

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

BELLATOR RETURNS TO MOHEGAN SUN ARENA FOR MASSIVE DOUBLEHEADER ON FEBRUARY 15 & 16


FRIDAY NIGHT HEADLINED BY MATT MITRIONE VS. SERGEI KHARITONOV IN HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH

SATURDAY’S CARD TO FEATURE ‘MVP’ VS. PAUL DALEY IN WELTERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX GRUDGE MATCH & A HEAVYWEIGHT NO. 1 CONTENDER’S BOUT PITTING CHEICK KONGO AGAINST VITALY MINAKOV

LOS ANGELES – On February 15 and 16, Bellator returns to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. for two back-to-back nights of exciting MMA action.

On Friday, the event will be anchored by a heavyweight battle between Matt Mitrione (13-6) and Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC), while Saturday’s show will see the long-awaited matchup between Michael “Venom” Page (13-0) and Paul Daley (40-16-2) headline in a Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix opening round pairing. In addition, the card will also see a heavyweight No. 1 contender’s bout between Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) and undefeated former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov (21-0).

Tickets for both events are available early through an exclusive Bellator Nation pre-sale beginning Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday, Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Fans can save when they purchase tickets to both events through the “Back-to-Back Pack!” Please visit Ticketmaster.com for more details.

Bellator: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov will be broadcast Friday, February 15 on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will stream LIVE on DAZN.

Bellator: MVP vs. Daley will stream exclusively on DAZN on Saturday, February 16 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Preliminary action for both events will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

Fresh off an impressive semi-final run in Bellator’s Heavyweight World Grand Prix, Matt Mitrione returns to action on February 15 against a true veteran in Sergei Kharitonov. The former Purdue football defensive lineman splits his training between Indianapolis and Combat Club in South Florida, and is in the best shape of his fighting career. Recently, Mitrione has defeated Roy Nelson and Fedor Emelianenko, adding to an already-impressive list of career victories.The man dubbed “The Paratrooper,” Kharitonov is the owner of an equally notable MMA resume, with the 38-year-old scoring wins against some of the sport’s most marquee names, including an incredible performance against Roy Nelson, as well as Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Pedro Rizzo, Murilo “Ninja” Rua and Alistair Overeem.

One of the most unorthodox strikers to ever compete for Bellator, “MVP” has steadily worked his way up the welterweight ranks since signing with the organization in 2013. Known for his antics both inside the cage and out, every Michael Page fight is must-see entertainment. With an undefeated record of 13-0, and 11 of those victories coming by stoppage, the 31-year-old out of London Shootfighters finally meets up with fellow Brit and longtime rival, Paul Daley. A veteran of Strikeforce, UFC and BAMMA, Nottingham’s Daley has competed professionally since 2003. Throughout his career, “Semtex” has been one half of some of the most memorable bouts in MMA history, including a knockout of the year over Brennan Ward in 2017.

A rematch of Bellator 115, Cheick Kongo will look for redemption against Bellator’s longest reigning heavyweight champion, when Vitaly Minakov returns for his first fight with the promotion since 2014. A winner of seven straight, including two consecutive first-round knockouts over Timothy Johnson and Javy Ayala, Kongo has earned the opportunity to compete in a No. 1 contender’s bout. Undefeated as a professional, Minakov earned a victory against Alexander Volkov, as well as a previous win against Kongo, in his previous Bellator stint, and later continued his winning ways in Russia against “Bigfoot” Silva and Tony Johnson. The two now meet to determine who will go on to face the winner of Fedor Emelianenko and Ryan Bader.

Updated Bellator: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov Fight Card:

Heavyweight Main Event Bout: Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC)

Updated Bellator: MVP vs. Daley Fight Card:

Welterweight World Grand Prix Matchup: Michael Page (13-0) vs. Paul Daley (40-16-2)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) vs. Vitaly Minakov (21-0)

*Card subject to change

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

FULL FIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 211 & BELLATOR KICKBOXING 11

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Bellator 211 Photos Here

 

Bellator 211: Sakara vs. Kauppinen Results:

Kent Kauppinen (11-4) def. Alessio Sakara (23-13, 2 NC) via KO at 1:10 of round 1

Domingos Barros (6-0) def. Hesdy Gerges (0-1) via TKO at 2:53 of round 1

Pedro Carvalho (9-3) def. Luca Vitali (11-5) via sub. (guillotine) at 0:43 of round 1

Alen Amedovski (8-0) def. Ibrahim Mane (7-2) via KO at 0:12 of round 1

Kiefer Crosbie (5-0) def. Orlando D’Ambrosio (7-4) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Giorgio Pietrini (15-4-1) def. Nemanja Milakovic (5-4) via KO at 0:20 of round 1

Andrea Fusi (7-4) def. Walter Pugliesi (4-1) via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

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Bellator Kickboxing 11 Photos Here

 

Bellator Kickboxing 11: Varga vs. Cangelosi Results:

Gabriel Varga (17-6) def. Shan Cangelosi (34-10-1) via KO at 2:42 of round 1 to retain championship

Raymond Daniels (35-3) def. Zakaria Laaouatni (10-4) via majority decision (29-28 x2, 29-29)

Yuri Bessmertny (42-19-2) def. Karim Ghajji (99-16-1) via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27 x2)

Gabriele Casella (20-2-1) def. Dani Traore (21-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Younes Rahmouni (14-4-1) def. Tiziano Campus (15-5-1) via majority decision (29-28 x2, 28-28)

Christian Zahe (58-24-7) def. Samuel Toscano (28-12-3) at 2:20 of round 1

 

Bellator Kickboxing 11 Preliminary Card Results:

Sabir Temirkhnov (13-4) def. Matteo Costa (18-7-2) via TKO at 0:39 of round 2

Giacomo Licheri (6-0) def. Filippo Solheid (43-18-8) via split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)

Matteo Di Luca (24-9-2) def. Giacomo D’Aquino (22-3-8) via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

FULL FIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 210: NJOKUANI vs. SALTER 

 

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Full Event Photos Here

 

Bellator 210: Njokuani vs. Salter Main Card Results:

John Salter (16-4) defeated Chidi Njokuani (18-6, 1 NC) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:32 of round one

David Rickels (20-5) defeated Guilherme Bomba (10-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Kristina Williams (3-1) defeated Bruna Ellen (4-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Juan Archuleta (21-1) defeated Jeremy Spoon (20-5) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-26)

 

Preliminary Card Results:

Costello Van Steenis (11-1) defeated Chris Honeycutt (11-3, 1 NC) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Jordan Young (10-0) defeated Anthony Ruiz (34-23) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:48 of round one

Goiti Yamauchi (23-4) defeated Daniel Weichel (39-11) via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)

Joe Schilling (3-5) defeated Will Morris (4-1) via TKO (corner stoppage) at 5:00 of round one

Shawn Bunch (8-3) defeated Joe Warren (15-8) via verbal submission (punches) at 1:42 of round one

Mike Shipman (12-1) defeated Scott Futrell (8-5) via submission (anaconda choke) at 2:58 of round one

Noad Lahat (13-4) defeated Brian Moore (11-7) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Rudy Schaffroth (6-0, 1 NC) defeated Vernon Lewis (6-4) via KO (punch) at 2:51 of round one

Adil Benjilany (5-1) defeated Daniel Carey (5-3) via TKO (punches) at :43 of round two

Hracho Darpinyan (17-8-2) and Gerald Harris (25-7-1) fight to a majority draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)

 

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

EMMANUEL SANCHEZ HEADLINES BELLATOR’S RETURN TO WINSTAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT ON MARCH 22 AGAINST ASHLEIGH GRIMSHAW IN FEATHERWEIGHT CLASH

 

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LOS ANGELES – Following his exciting back-and-forth championship bout at Bellator 209 earlier this month, Emmanuel Sanchez (17-4) quickly returns to featherweight action on Friday, March 22 at WinStar World Casino and Resort against one of Bellator’s newest European signings, Ashleigh Grimshaw (20-10-1, 3 NC).

 

 

 

The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, as well as DAZN.com, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino and Resort box office, as well as through Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

 

 

The 28-year-old, nicknamed “El Matador,” will serve as Bellator’s headliner for the second consecutive time in his 13th fight with the promotion. A homegrown fighter from the famed Roufusport MMA Academy in Milwaukee has defeated a who’s who of 145-pounders including former champions Daniel Straus and Marcos Galvao, as well as standouts Sam Sicilia, Justin Lawrence and Georgi Karakhanyan. Now, Sanchez looks to immediately put himself back into contender status with a tough test on March 22.

 

 

 

Based out of London, Ashleigh “The White Wolf” Grimshaw has competed professionally since 2003, amassing more than 30 professional bouts across the European MMA scene. Unbeaten in his last four contests, Grimshaw has finished his opponent 18 times in his 20 victories. Now, set for his promotional debut with Bellator, the 36-year-old will be looking to make noise in a division currently championed by Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.

 

 

 

Updated Bellator: Sanchez vs. Grimshaw Fight Card:

 

 

Featherweight Main Event Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (17-4) vs. Ashleigh Grimshaw (20-10-1, 3 NC)

 

 

 

*Card subject to change

 

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

****

TWO TITLES ON THE LINE AT BELLATOR 214 IN L.A. ON JANUARY 26

 

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GEGARD MOUSASI DEFENDS BELLATOR MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST UNBEATEN RAFAEL LOVATO JR.

 

LOS ANGELES – The co-main event of Bellator’s return to the “Fabulous” Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on Jan. 26 will see reigning middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi (45-6-2) defend his title against undefeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Rafael Lovato Jr. (9-0).

 

 

 

The main event of the card will feature the Finals of the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix, where the greatest heavyweight of all-time Fedor Emelianenko (38-5, 1 NC) faces current light heavyweight champ Ryan Bader (26-5) for the Bellator world heavyweight title. A recently added featherweight bout will pit super-prospect Aaron Pico (4-1) against the always-tough Henry Corrales (16-3). Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

 

 

Tickets for Bellator 214: Fedor vs. Bader are on sale now and can be purchased at the Forum box office, as well as Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will be simulcast live on DAZN. Preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.

 

 

 

Fighting out of Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands, Gegard Mousasi will be looking to follow-up his decisive TKO victory over Rory MacDonald at Bellator 206 in what will be his second title defense since becoming champion earlier this year. “The Dreamcatcher” is currently in the midst of an impressive eight-fight win streak that dates back to 2016. The 33-year-old judo black belt has dominated the stacked middleweight class since signing with Bellator in 2017, collecting three victories in as many bouts, including a pair of knockouts against Rafael Carvalho and MacDonald in both of his world title fights. The former Strikeforce champion, who debuted in impressive fashion against Alexander Shlemenko, now looks to extend his current win streak and defend the middleweight belt for the second time in just five months.

 

 

 

Rafael Lovato Jr. will be making his sixth appearance for Bellator, a bout where not only will the 35-year-old’s unblemished mark of 9-0 be on the line, but also a world championship belt. Since signing with the Viacom-owned promotion in 2017, the Oklahoma City-based fighter has tallied five wins and four finishes, three of which came in the opening round, including his most recent submission win over top middleweight contender John Salter at Bellator 205. A fourth-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the former Legacy FC middleweight champ will finally have his shot at Bellator gold when he takes on current 185-pound champion Mousasi in the co-main event of Bellator’s return to Los Angeles on Jan. 26.

 

 

 

Updated Bellator: Fedor vs. Bader Fight Card:

 

 

Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (38-5, 1NC) vs. Ryan Bader (26-5)

Middleweight World Title Bout: Gegard Mousasi (45-6-2) vs. Rafael Lovato Jr. (9-0)

Featherweight Feature Bout: Aaron Pico (4-1) vs. Henry Corrales (16-3)

 

 

 

Updated Preliminary Card:

 

 

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (9-6) vs. Richard Leroy (7-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jorge Juarez (3-0) vs. David Pacheco (Pro Debut)

 

 

 

*Card subject to change

 

 

 

For more information, please visit Bellator.com.