Category Archives: Spike TV

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

 

Please visit Bellator.com for details.

 

*Event schedule subject to change.

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

 

TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

Updated Bellator Card:

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

 

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About Bellator:

Bellator is a leading mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 1 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on SPIKE, the combat sports television leader. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:

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

 

Bellator 183 Results and Photos

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

BELLATOR 182 RESULTS & PHOTOS FROM TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO IN VERONA, NEW YORK

 

Complete Event Photos Here

Andrey Koreshkov (20-2) defeated Chidi Njokuani (17-5) via TKO (punches) at 4:08 of round one

Fernando Gonzalez (27-14) defeated Brennan Ward (14-6) via submission (guillotine) at 1:02 of round three

Bruna Ellen (4-1) defeated Veta Arteaga (3-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

A.J. McKee (9-0) defeated Blair Tugman (10-7) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Joey Davis (2-0) defeated Justin Roswell (1-2) via TKO (strikes) at 1:35 of round one

Arlene Blencoe (10-6) defeated Sinead Kavanagh (4-2) via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)

Chris Honeycutt (10-1) defeated Kevin Casey (9-6-2) via TKO (punches) at 2:06 of round two

Kate Jackson (9-2) defeated Colleen Schneider (11-8) via TKO (leg injury) at 5:00 of round one

Georgi Karakhanyan (27-7-1) defeated Daniel Pineda (22-13) via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 4:05 of round two

Henry Corrales (14-3) defeated Noad Lahat (11-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Vadim Nemkov (7-2) defeated Philipe Lins (10-2) via KO (punches) at 3:03 of round one

Talita Nogueira (7-0) defeated Amanda Bell (5-5) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:44 of round one

Ricky Rainey (13-4) defeated Marc Stevens (21-11) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

Kristi Lopez (1-1-1) fought Jessica Sotack (1-1-1) to a split draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)

Matt Secor (9-4) defeated T.J. Sumler (5-6) via submission (Americana) at 4:00 of round one

Tom Regal (2-0) defeated Kastroit Xhema (1-1) via KO (punches) at 3:21 of round one

Alex Potts (1-0) defeated Brandon Polcare (1-1) via submission (kimura) at 3:10 of round one

Joshua Ricci (4-0) defeated Brandon Warne (1-3) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY’S BRYCE JORDAN CENTER TO HOST BELLATOR 186 ON FRIDAY, NOV. 3

 

RYAN BADER MAKES FIRST LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST LINTON VASSELL IN MAIN EVENT

PLUS, FORMER STANDOUT NITTANY LIONS PHIL DAVIS AND ED RUTH SET TO COMPETE

LOS ANGELES – Bellator is set to make its debut at Bryce Jordan Center on the campus of Penn State University in University Park, Pa. on Friday, November 3 for Bellator 186: Bader vs. Vassell.

In the main event of Bellator 186, newly crowned light heavyweight champion Ryan “Darth” Bader (23-5) will make his first title defense against British sensation Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (18-5, 1 NC).

In addition, two Bellator competitors who spent their college years as members of the Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling team, Phil Davis(17-4, 1 NC) and Ed Ruth (3-0), will return to their alma mater to compete in MMA for the first time in their careers. Their opponents are yet to be determined.

Bellator 186: Bader vs. Vassell 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 start at just $25 and will be available at the Bryce Jordan Center Box Office and Ticketmaster. A Bellator Nation presale takes place Wednesday, August 30 – Thursday, August 31, while public on-sale begins Friday, September 1 at 10 a.m. ET. Additional bouts will be announcing in the coming weeks.

Bader returns to the cage for the first time since dethroning former Penn State wrestling standout Phil Davis as light heavyweight champion in June at Bellator 180. Fighting out of Tempe, Ariz., Bader began his professional career on an impressive run, steamrolling the competition en route to a 12-fight winning streak and winning one of the most competitive seasons of The Ultimate Fighter in franchise history on Spike in 2008. “Darth” continued his path of dominance by collecting wins over some of the 205-pound division’s top talent, including victories over former world champions Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, “Rampage” Jackson, Rashad Evans, as well as a previous win over Phil Davis. Currently riding a three-fight winning streak with victories in eight of his past nine bouts, the former two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler from Arizona State University will look to protect his belt on November 3.

Currently training at Combat Club in South Florida alongside Matt Mitrione, Michael Chandler and Robbie Lawler, Vassell has once again put himself in position to fight for Bellator’s 205-pound title. After making his professional debut in 2008, the Milton Keynes, England native has tallied 18 victories, including 14 finishes and 10 coming inside the first round, as well as seven wins over nine bouts in just four years with Bellator. Following three consecutive victories over two former champs in Liam McGeary and Emanuel Newton, as well as Francis Carmont, the 34-year-old Vassell will attempt to become the second-ever Bellator light heavyweight champion who hails from the United Kingdom.

A native of Harrisburg, Pa., Phil “Mr. Wonderful” attended Harrisburg High School and would go on to an extremely successful wrestling career at Penn State University. After transitioning to the sport MMA, Davis made his pro debut in 2008 and went on to win his first nine bouts. He’s established himself as one of the best light heavyweights in all of MMA, winning the Bellator Light Heavyweight Grand Prix and Bellator 205-pound title. The San Diego-based fighter now boasts career wins over Liam McGeary,Alexander Gustafsson, Lyoto Machida,“King Mo” Lawal, Glover Teixeira, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Francis Carmont.

One of the most celebrated wrestlers in Penn State University history, Ed Ruth has followed in the footsteps of Phil Davis by pursuing a career in MMA. The 3x NCAA D1 champion, who now trains out of Fresno, Calif., makes his fourth appearance inside the Bellator cage looking to keep his undefeated streak intact. With three consecutive KO finishes, Ruth has established himself as a new threat in the middleweight division. Born in Harrisburg, Pa., Ruth returns to familiar territory for this upcoming bout with plans to put on another exciting bout for his hometown fans.

 

Updated Bellator 186: Bader vs. Vassell Fight Card:

Light Heavyweight Championship Main Event: Ryan Bader (23-5) vs. Linton Vassell (18-5, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Phil Davis (17-4, 1 NC) vs. TBA

Middleweight Feature Bout: Ed Ruth (3-0) vs. TBA

SPIKE PRESENTS AN ENCORE PRESENTATION OF BELLATOR’S BIGGEST EVENT EVER – BELLATOR NYC: SONNEN VS SILVA

Special Broadcast on Friday, July 28 from 9-11:30pm ET/PT

 

 

LOS ANGELES – From a wild and rare double-knockdown featuring an MMA icon, to a back-and-forth battle for the lightweight title fight, to an even more shocking upset of an MMA prodigy – Bellator NYC: Sonnen vs. Silva was certainly entertaining, exciting and often unpredictable.

 

For those who missed the Pay-Per-View telecast on June 24, Spike will present a special encore presentation of this memorable event onFriday, July 28 from 9-11:30 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Emanating from Madison Square Garden in in the heart of New York, Bellator’s biggest fight card featured a double main event between fierce rivals Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva, while Matt Mitrione stood toe-to-toe with the iconic Fedor Emelianenko in a heavyweight showdown for the ages. In addition, two explosive title fights took place, as Douglas Lima looked to defend his welterweight crown against Lorenz Larkin and lightweight champ Michael Chandler took on the undefeated Brent Primus. Rounding out the action, Aaron Pico made his long-awaited MMA debut against Zach Freeman in a lightweight bout and Brazilian jiu-jitsu aceNeiman Gracie put his skills on display against New York’s Dave Marfone.

EXPLOSIVE WELTERWEIGHT BOUT PITTING PAUL DALEY AGAINST LORENZ LARKIN ADDED TO BELLATOR 183 ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 IN SAN JOSE

 

LIGHTWEIGHT MATCHUP PITTING UNDEFEATED ADAM PICCOLOTTI AGAINST GOITI YAMAUCHI ALSO ADDED TO MAIN CARD

LOS ANGELES – An exciting welterweight contest between British slugger Paul Daley (39-15-2) and California’s Lorenz Larkin (18-6, 1 NC), as well as a compelling lightweight bout pitting Adam Piccolotti (9-0) against Goiti Yamauchi (21-3) have been added to Bellator 183: Henderson vs. Pitbull on Saturday, September 23 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

That evening, SAP Center in San Jose will also play host to Bellator Kickboxing 7, which features a welterweight world title main event with current champ Karim Ghajji (97-13-1) set to defend his title against Raymond Daniels (11-3).

Bellator 183: Henderson vs. Pitbull 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. Bellator Kickboxing 7: Ghajji vs. Daniels will air on SPIKE immediately following Bellator 184: Dantas vs. Caldwell on October 6. Tickets for the event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.

A veteran of 56 professional fights, Paul “Semtex” Daley will look to once again showcase his explosive and dangerous power against Lorenz Larkin. With nine of his last 10 wins coming by way of knockout, including an emphatic flying knee KO against Brennan Ward at Bellator 170 in January, Daley will look to re-establish himself as a top contender in Bellator’s stacked welterweight division with a win on September 23.

 

Larkin enters the bout against Daley with an equally impressive arsenal of strikes and power. With 11 of 18 wins coming by way of knockout, the Riverside, Calif. native comes into the event following a must-see title bout against Douglas Lima at Bellator NYC in June, a fight that marked “The Monsoon’s” promotional debut. With marquee wins over Robbie Lawler, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Jorge Masvidal and Neil Magny to his name, Larkin will look to add Paul Daley to his long list of defeats on his way to reaffirming his status as the division’s top contender.

 

Fighting out of Half Moon Bay, Calif., Piccolotti will enter the cage for the first time in 2017 following his unanimous decision victory over Brandon Girtz last November at Bellator 165. The 28-year-old lightweight began his professional career on the regional MMA scene where he collected four consecutive victories, including a trio of finishes before joining forces with the Viacom-owned promotion. “AP” has continued his success with Bellator MMA, earning five straight wins over competitors in the stacked lightweight division, including three submission finishes.

 

Coming off a win against Valeriu Mircea at Bellator 168, the 24-year-old Yamauchi, who trains out of Anjo, Japan, will continue his run in the lightweight division after making the jump to 155-pounds in 2016. In his career, the Yamauchi has an incredible 17 submission victories among his 21 career victories and holds wins against Ryan Couture, Isao Kobayashi and Mike Richman.

Updated Bellator 183: Henderson vs. Pitbull Fight Card

Lightweight Main Event: Benson Henderson (24-7) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (17-8)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Roy Nelson (23-14) vs. Javy Ayala (10-5)

Welterweight Main Card Bout: Paul Daley (39-15-2) vs. Lorenz Larkin (18-6, 1 NC)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Adam Piccolotti (9-0) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (21-3)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Aaron Pico (0-1) vs. TBA

Updated Bellator Kickboxing 7: Ghajji vs. Daniels Fight Card

Welterweight Kickboxing World Title Main Event: Karim Ghajji (97-13-1) vs. Raymond Daniels (11-3)

 

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GEGARD MOUSASI TO DEBUT AT BELLATOR 185 AGAINST ALEXANDER SHLEMENKO ON OCTOBER 20

 

‘KING MO’ MEETS LIAM MCGEARY IN LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

LOS ANGELES – On the heels of his recent Bellator signing, Gegard Mousasi (42-6-2) will make his promotional debut against former champ Alexander Shlemenko (56-9, 1 NC) on Friday, October 20 at Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko, an event that takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

In addition, the co-main event of Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko will feature a light heavyweight contest pitting “King Mo” Lawal (21-6, 1 NC) against former titleholder Liam McGeary (12-2). Additional main and preliminary card bouts will be announcing in the coming weeks.

The event 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 this massive event start at $30, with an exclusive Bellator Nation Presale offer on Wednesday, July 19 at 10 a.m. ET through Thursday, July at 10 p.m. ET. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 21 at 10 a.m. ET and are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

Long-considered to be one of the elite two-division threats in MMA, Mousasi is set for his Bellator debut and is currently riding a five-fight win streak that includes recent knockout victories over two former world champions in Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort. Prior to his UFC tenure, Mousasi captured the STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title, as well as the DREAM light heavyweight and middleweight titles in Japan. “The Dreamcatcher,” who currently trains out of The Netherlands, has earned victories over some of the sports’ biggest names, including Dan Henderson, “Jacare” Souza, Mark Hunt, Ovince Saint-Preux, Melvin Manhoef, Hector Lombard and “Babalu” Sobral.

 

Shlemenko, a former middleweight champion, has competed under the Viacom-owned promotion’s umbrella since Bellator 16 in 2010. Known for his vicious finishing ability, “Storm” ruled with an iron fist over Bellator’s 185-pound division, defending his belt on three occasions. One of the most dominant champions in Bellator history and currently riding a five-fight win streak, which includes a TKO victory over Kendall Grove at Bellator 162, Shlemenko has his sights set on earning a shot at once again becoming world champion.

 

It was only a matter of time before “King Mo” Lawal and Liam McGeary squared off inside the Bellator cage. On the heels of a unanimous decision victory over “Rampage” Jackson at Bellator 175, the king of Bellator’s “money-weight” division returns to meet Britain’s McGeary. Never one to shy away from a fight, the former STRIKEFORCE champion, has stepped inside the Bellator cage on 14 separate occasions and was also victorious during RIZIN’s first open-weight tournament in 2015.

 

Widely regarded as one of the top light heavyweights in the world, McGeary will enter his bout with Lawal looking to once again stake his claim on the division he once sat atop of. A member of Team Renzo Gracie in New York, McGeary brings his renowned jiu-jitsu skills to the table against an opponent who has yet to be submitted in 27-fights as a professional. Of the 34-year-old’s 12 wins, 11 have come before reaching the judges’ scorecards, a feat McGeary hopes to continue in the co-main event of Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko.

 

Updated Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko Fight Card:

Middleweight Main Event: Gegard Mousasi (42-6-2) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (56-9, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (21-6, 1 NC) vs. Liam McGeary (12-2)

 

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About Bellator:

Bellator is a leading mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 1 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on SPIKE, the combat sports television leader. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike:

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

OFFICIAL BELLATOR 181: CAMPOS VS. GIRTZ 3 RESULTS & PHOTOS

Derek Campos (18-6) defeated Brandon Girtz (14-6) via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round two

Photos Here

John Salter (14-3) defeated Kendall Grove (23-17) via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:37 of round one

Photos Here

Emily Ducote (6-2) defeated Jessica Middleton (2-2) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Photos Here

Joe Warren (15-6) defeated Steve Garcia (7-2) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Photos Here

Preliminary Card Results:

Jonathan Gary (13-8-2) defeated Will Florentino (5-5)via unanimous decision (29-27 x3)

Romero Cotton (1-0) defeated Aaron Rodriguez (0-1) via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)

Logan Storley (6-0) defeated Kemmyelle Haley (7-5) via TKO (elbows) at 1:44 of round one

Andre Fialho (19-1) defeated A.J. Matthews (8-7) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Amanda Bell (5-4) defeated Brittney Elkin (3-4) via TKO (punches) 4:56 of round two

E.J. Brooks (11-5) defeated Guilherme Bomba (9-4) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Rafael Lovato Jr. (6-0) defeated Mike Rhodes (10-5) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:59 of round one

Justin Lawrence (10-4) defeated Treston Thomison (10-6) via TKO (doctor stoppage) 3:34 of round one

Valentin Moldavsky (6-1) defeated Carl Seumanutafa (10-8) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)

Katy Collins (7-2) defeated Bruna Vargas (2-2) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Jordan Howard (10-3) defeated Johnny Marigo (4-1) via KO (punches) 1:26 of round one

Guillermo Gomez (0-0) vs. Fernando Trevino (1-0) – Scratched

Preliminary Card Photos Here

BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE FIGHT BETWEEN EDUARDO DANTAS AND DARRION CALDWELL TO HEADLINE BELLATOR 184 ON OCTOBER 6 AT WINSTAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT

 

PLUS, FORMER BELLATOR FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION DANIEL STRAUS MEETS EMMANUEL SANCHEZ IN CO-MAIN EVENT

LOS ANGELES – Bellator returns to WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. for the third time in 2017 on Friday, October 6 for Bellator 184: Dantas vs. Caldwell.

The main event of Bellator 184 will feature Bellator’s two-time bantamweight champion Eduardo Dantas (20-4) defending his belt against Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (10-1). In addition, the co-feature pits former featherweight titleholder Daniel Straus (24-7, 1 NC) competing against Emmanuel “El Matador” Sanchez (15-3). The event 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 184: Dantas vs. Caldwell are on sale now and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino and Resort box office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Additional main and preliminary card bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Originally, Dantas and Caldwell were scheduled to compete for the title at Bellator 177; however, when Caldwell was forced to withdraw due to injury, “Dudu” went on to defeat Leandro Higo, besting his opponent on short notice. Hailing from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, the flashy 27-year-old is widely known as one of the most dynamic competitors in the division, recording victories in 13 of his last 15 bouts. Currently in the midst of his second stint as Bellator’s bantamweight world champion, Dantas will look to stop Caldwell’s meteoric rise to the top of the 135-pound division.

Coming off a victory over Joe Taimanglo at Bellator 167, the 29-year-old Caldwell will be competing for promotional gold for the first time in his career on October 6. “The Wolf” was able to avenge his earlier loss to Taimanglo, earning his 10th career victory. Caldwell has collected five wins by way of first-round knockout or submission, making him one of the most dangerous competitors at 135-pounds. Hailing from Rahway, N.J. and training alongside Bellator stars Phil Davis and Justin Lawrence at Alliance MMA in San Diego, Calif., Caldwell has quickly put together an impressive professional resume inside the cage, highlighted by a remarkable first-round finish over former multi-division champion Joe Warren.

One half of some of the greatest fights to ever take place inside the Bellator cage, Daniel Straus returns to action following his featherweight title bout against Patricio “Pitbull” at Bellator 178 this past April. A longtime member of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla., the 32-year-old will be competing for the second time in 2017. The two-time champion returns to action with redemption on his mind, as he looks to climb back up the 145-pound ranks and earn a shot for the title that he still considers to be his.

Since debuting with Bellator MMA in 2014, the 26-year-old Sanchez has gone about his business by taking on the top competitors that Bellator’s featherweight division has to offer, fighting Pat Curran, Georgi Karakhanyan, Justin Lawrence and Marcos Galvao en route to his meeting with Straus at Bellator 184. Proclaiming that he hopes to eventually become the “Oscar De La Hoya of MMA,” Sanchez is well on his way, earning six victories since 2015. Training at Roufusport in Milwaukee, Wis., “El Matador” trains alongside some of the world’s elite fighters, making his matchup with Straus that much more intriguing.

 

Updated Bellator 184: Dantas vs. Caldwell Fight Card:

Bantamweight World Title Main Event: Eduardo Dantas (20-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (10-1)

Featherweight Co-Main Event: Daniel Straus (24-7, 1 NC) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (15-3)

 

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About Bellator:

Bellator is a leading mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 1 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on SPIKE, the combat sports television leader. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

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