Category Archives: Spike TV

boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

ANDRZEJ FONFARA & NATHAN CLEVERLY COLLIDE IN LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN AS PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON SPIKE RETURNS TO UIC PAVILION IN CHICAGO ONFRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 AT 9 P.M. ET/PT

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Tickets on Sale Now!
 
CHICAGO (August 26, 2015) – Bruising Polish star Andrzej Fonfara (27-3, 16 KOs) and former world champion Nathan Cleverly (29-2, 15 KOs) will meet in a 12-round light heavyweight battle as Premier Boxing Champions on Spike returns to UIC Pavilion in Chicago on Friday, October 16, with televised coverage beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
 
Fonfara, a fan-favorite in Chicago, will be fighting at UIC Pavilion for the 14th time in his career and is fresh off a stunning performance against former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in April of this year. He steps up again to fight a top light heavyweight in former world champion Cleverly and if he can get by this stiff test, he will be in a position to face all of the other top light heavyweights in this talent rich division.  
 
“I’m excited to return to my hometown of Chicago on this big fight night against a world class fighter like Nathan Cleverly,” said Fonfara. “This will be a tough fight for both of us. Cleverly is a solid fighter and it’s no fluke that he was a world champion and that he defended his belt so many times. Our fighting styles guarantee that everyone can expect fireworks on October 16th. I want this fight to be a quick stop on my way to a rematch with Adonis Stevenson.”
 
“This is a major platform for me to prove that I am more than capable of becoming world champion again,” said Cleverly. “If I beat Fonfara it’s a doorway fight to the world title and establishing myself as one of the best light heavyweights once again. Fonfara is a good fighter. He’s tall, has power and has moved up through the levels in his career. I am looking forward to coming over to Chicago and I am very confident that our styles will blend well for a really exciting fight.
 
“Spike has been the home to some of boxing’s most exciting bouts of 2015 including Marco Huck vs. Krzysztof Glowacki and Andre Berto vs. Josesito Lopez,” said Jon Slusser, Senior Vice President, Sports, Spike. “We feel this trend will continue as Andrzej Fonfara vs. Nathan Cleverly is an equally matched fight that will bring a ton of action.”
 
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing in association with Matchroom Boxing, are priced at $151, $101, $51, $41 and $31, not including applicable service charges, and are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or UIC Pavilion Box Office at (312) 413-5740. Tickets are also available at www.ticketmaster.com or by visiting the UIC Pavilion Box Office (Thursday or Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.).
 
Born in Warsaw, Poland, but fighting now out of Chicago, Fonfara will look to take advantage of a supportive atmosphere on October 16 as he returns to UIC Pavilion. After racking up victories over Tommy Karpency, Gabriel Campillo and Doudou Ngumbu, the 27-year-old took down his biggest name when he stopped Chavez Jr. in the ninth-round on April 18. With 13 of his last 15 wins coming by way of knockout, Fonfara will no doubt deliver a great fight for fans on October 16.
 
A former world champion with a strong resume that includes victories over Tony Bellew, Karo Murat, Tommy Karpency and Nadjib Mohammedi, the Welsh Cleverly hopes to make an impact in his third career fight in the U.S. The 28-year-old made five defenses of his light heavyweight crown and is coming off of an early stoppage of Tomas Man in May.
 
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Andrzej_Fonfara, @NathanClev, @WarriorsBoxProm and @SpikeTV and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing,www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo and www.Facebook.com/Spike.
boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

ANDRZEJ FONFARA & NATHAN CLEVERLY COLLIDE IN LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN AS PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON SPIKE RETURNS TO UIC PAVILION IN CHICAGO ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 AT 9 P.M. ET/PT

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Tickets on Sale Now!
 
CHICAGO (August 26, 2015) – Bruising Polish star Andrzej Fonfara (27-3, 16 KOs) and former world champion Nathan Cleverly (29-2, 15 KOs) will meet in a 12-round light heavyweight battle as Premier Boxing Champions on Spike returns to UIC Pavilion in Chicago on Friday, October 16, with televised coverage beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Fonfara, a fan-favorite in Chicago, will be fighting at UIC Pavilion for the 14th time in his career and is fresh off a stunning performance against former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in April of this year. He steps up again to fight a top light heavyweight in former world champion Cleverly and if he can get by this stiff test, he will be in a position to face all of the other top light heavyweights in this talent rich division.
“I’m excited to return to my hometown of Chicago on this big fight night against a world class fighter like Nathan Cleverly,” said Fonfara. “This will be a tough fight for both of us. Cleverly is a solid fighter and it’s no fluke that he was a world champion and that he defended his belt so many times. Our fighting styles guarantee that everyone can expect fireworks on October 16th. I want this fight to be a quick stop on my way to a rematch with Adonis Stevenson.”
“This is a major platform for me to prove that I am more than capable of becoming world champion again,” said Cleverly. “If I beat Fonfara it’s a doorway fight to the world title and establishing myself as one of the best light heavyweights once again. Fonfara is a good fighter. He’s tall, has power and has moved up through the levels in his career. I am looking forward to coming over to Chicago and I am very confident that our styles will blend well for a really exciting fight.
“Spike has been the home to some of boxing’s most exciting bouts of 2015 including Marco Huck vs. Krzysztof Glowacki and Andre Berto vs. Josesito Lopez,” said Jon Slusser, Senior Vice President, Sports, Spike. “We feel this trend will continue as Andrzej Fonfara vs. Nathan Cleverly is an equally matched fight that will bring a ton of action.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing in association with Matchroom Boxing, are priced at $151, $101, $51, $41 and $31, not including applicable service charges, and are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or UIC Pavilion Box Office at (312) 413-5740. Tickets are also available at www.ticketmaster.com or by visiting the UIC Pavilion Box Office (Thursday or Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.).
Born in Warsaw, Poland, but fighting now out of Chicago, Fonfara will look to take advantage of a supportive atmosphere on October 16 as he returns to UIC Pavilion. After racking up victories over Tommy Karpency, Gabriel Campillo and Doudou Ngumbu, the 27-year-old took down his biggest name when he stopped Chavez Jr. in the ninth-round on April 18. With 13 of his last 15 wins coming by way of knockout, Fonfara will no doubt deliver a great fight for fans on October 16.
A former world champion with a strong resume that includes victories over Tony Bellew, Karo Murat, Tommy Karpency and Nadjib Mohammedi, the Welsh Cleverly hopes to make an impact in his third career fight in the U.S. The 28-year-old made five defenses of his light heavyweight crown and is coming off of an early stoppage of Tomas Man in May.
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Andrzej_Fonfara, @NathanClev, @WarriorsBoxProm and @SpikeTV and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing, www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromoand www.Facebook.com/Spike.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

TICKETS FOR ‘BELLATOR 144: GALVAO VS. DANTAS 2’ ON SALE NOW

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B144_1000x1000_Page_Ward

 

WELTERWEIGHTS MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE AND ‘IRISH’ BRENNAN WARD RETURN TO MOHEGAN SUN ARENA ON OCTOBER 23

 

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 21, 2015) – Tickets are on sale now for Bellator MMA’s return to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT on Friday, Oct. 23. “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” pits two former training partners against one another in a highly anticipated rematch between current bantamweight champion Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) and former titlist Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4).

 

Additionally, highly touted welterweights Michael “Venom” Page (8-0) and “Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) will return to Mohegan Sun Arena, where both fighters scored brutal knockout victories at July’s “Bellator 140: Lima vs Koreshkov,” resulting in each man earning a spot on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10. Opponents for both Page and Ward will be announced in the near future.

 

Both London’s Page and Connecticut’s Ward will be featured on the televised portion of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional fights will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which start at just $25, go on sale TODAY Friday, August 21 at Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 6:00 p.m. ET local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

FORMER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION PAT CURRAN FACES JUSTIN LAWRENCE AT ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 20, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Featherweight Championship will be defended in the main event of“Bellator 145: Vengeance,” but another exciting 145-pound tilt will also emanate from Scottrade Center in Saint Louis on November 6, when former champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (21-7) meets Justin “The American Kid” Lawrence (8-2).

 

The contest will take place during the main card of “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Top billing at the November 6 event features two world title bouts. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) defends his strap against Daniel Straus (23-6) and Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3) with the 155-pound belt on the line.“Bellator 145: Vengeance” on Spike will also feature Michael Chandler (13-3) and heavyweight Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) competing inside the Bellator MMA cage. Opponents for both fighters will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, go on sale TOMORROW at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com and at theFord Box Office at Scottrade Center. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

 

Curran is a multi-time Bellator MMA tournament winner, emerging victorious in lightweight and featherweight iterations of the competition. “Paddy Mike” holds an impressive 11-4 record under the Bellator MMA banner and has been involved in some of the promotion’s most enduring fights, including his last-minute title win against Daniel Straus at “Bellator 112: Curran vs. Straus 2.” The 27-year-old bounced back from a two-fight skid to defeat Emmanuel Sanchez at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov” in July.

 

Making his promotional debut during the preliminary card of the record-breaking “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business” event,Lawrence’s finish of Sean Wilson was so impressive, it made its way to the Spike telecast. “The American Kid” is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor who went on to win the Resurrection Fighting Alliance title before signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion in early 2015. The Power MMA product has won four straight tilts and finished the last two within the first five minutes of action.

 

“Bellator 145: Vengeance” Updated Fight Card

 

Bellator Featherweight World Title Bout: Patricio Freire (24-2) vs. Daniel Straus (23-6)

Bellator Lightweight World Title Bout: Will Brooks (16-1) vs. Marcin Held (21-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Bout: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Justin Lawrence (7-2)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Michael Chandler (13-3) vs. TBD

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Bobby Lashley (13-2) vs. TBD

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

PROMOTIONAL DEBUT OF EWERTON TEIXEIRA COMPLETES THE MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 143: WARREN VS. DAVIS,’ WHEN HE FACES VINICIUS QUEIROZ

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THREE ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY CONTESTS FEATURING PROSPECTS WITH A COMBINED RECORD OF 19-1

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 19, 2015) — A heavyweight tilt featuring feared striker Ewerton Teixeira (3-0) taking on Vinicius Queiroz (7-3) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas onSeptember 25.

 

Two lightweight tilts will also emanate from The Lone Star State, when Jose Flores (3-0) meets Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0) and Guilherme Farias da Costa (3-0) faces Jared Chaffe (4-1). A third preliminary bout features two undefeated welterweight prospects who also share a record of 3-0, when Bryce Mejia takes on Abdul Razak Alhassan.

Teixeira versus Queiroz completes the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 8 p.m. CT. The three previously confirmed fights feature Joe Warren (12-4) taking on L.C. Davis (23-6) in the bantamweight headlining attraction, while the Bellator 143 co-main event will pit Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) against top middleweight Kendall Grove (21-15) and Henry Corrales (12-1) battling Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2). Additional preliminary bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place a half an hour later.

A black belt in Kyokushin karate, the 33-year-old Teixeira has been racking up titles in striking competitions for more than a decade. Teixeira reached the pinnacle of standup fighting in 2008, when he earned that year’s K-1 World Grand Prix in Fukuoka title and then fought his way to the K-1 World Grand Prix Final’s championship bout. Teixeira turned his attention to MMA in 2012, and has remained undefeated through his first three professional contests in the sport and is now ready to try his hand at MMA’s highest level.

 

Queiroz will be making his fourth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner when he enters the cage on September 25. A veteran of Ultimate Fighting Championship, “Spartan” has never allowed one of his seven professional victories to reach the judges’ scorecards. The Team Nogueira standout was slated to compete against Cheick Kongo at “Bellator 106: Chandler vs. Alvarez 2” but an injury derailed the tilt. After an inactive 2014, the 31-year-old will look to change the tide in 2015.

 

Further down the preliminary bouts, Jose Flores will make his Bellator MMA debut and look to keep his undefeated record intact in the process. The 27-year-old has finished all three of his fights on the regional circuit via submission. He will be going up against Gonzalez, who shares a perfect record through his first three professional bouts. Both fighters fight out of McAllen, TX, just a short drive from the State Farm Arena.

 

Another pair of talented local prospects will look to wow the home crowd when Guilherme Farias da Costa aims to stay unbeaten against Jared Chaffe, who most recently suffered the first loss of his professional career after the doctor stopped his fight due to a severe cut.

 

In another fight that will see someone’s undefeated record come to an end, San Diego’s Bryce Mejia will meet Abdul Razak Alhassan, who trains out of Arlington, TX.

 

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts 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 MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA 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 Santa Monica, California 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, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

BELLATOR MMA CONTINUES TO BOLSTER ROSTER WITH THE ADDITION OF ISAO KOBAYASHI & THIAGO JAMBO GONCALVES

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 17, 2015) – Bellator MMA officials are proud to announce the signings of Isao Kobayashi (18-2-4) and Thiago Jambo Goncalves (18-4, 1 NC) to multi-year, multi-fight contracts.

 

Kobayashi and Goncalves join a roster that has recently added names the likes of: Josh Thomson, Josh Koscheck, Melvin Guillard, Lorenzo Hood, Phil Davis, and Ed Ruth – amongst others.

 

At 26-years-old, Kobayashi holds the distinction of being a former “King of Pancrase,” earning the Japanese promotion’s lightweight title before making the transition to featherweight. A member of Sakaguchi Dojo Ichizoku, “Isao” is currently riding a two-fight winning streak, most recently defeating Will Chope at a Pancrase event on August 9.

 

Goncalves is a pupil of Bellator MMA Featherweight Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and his brother Patricky Freire at Pitbull Brothers Academy in Brazil. The 34-year-old welterweight has competed professionally since 2004 and has accrued seven victories along the way. A winner of eight out of his last 10 tilts, “Jambo” joins a division that recently crowned a new champion in Andrey “Spartan” Koreshkov.

 

Debut dates and opponents will be announced for the two fighters in the near future.

 

boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

HEAVYWEIGHTS ANTONIO TARVER  AND STEVE CUNNINGHAM FIGHT TO SPLIT DECISION DRAW;   POLAND’S KRZYSTOF GLOWACKI SCORES 11TH ROUND TKO OVER MARCO HUCK FOR THE CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE IN A SOLID NIGHT OF PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON SPIKE BOXING ACTION AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY

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Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
NEWARK, NJ (August 15, 2015) – Heavyweights Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (31-6, 22 KOs) and Steve “U.S.S.” Cunningham (28-7, 13 KOs) fought to a split decision draw in the main event of tonight’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Both Tarver and Cunningham fought at a consistent pace throughout the bout, exchanging punches evenly in the early rounds. Tarver caught Cunningham in the fourth round with a sneaky right cross that wobbled the younger fighter who quickly regained his composure and finished out the round.  The back and forth action, which left Cunningham bruised and swollen around the eyes, lead to the draw with judges scores of 115-113 Cunningham, 115-114 Tarver and 114-114.
In the opening bout of the telecast, Poland’s Krzystof Glowacki (24-0, 15 KOs) scored an 11th round technical knockout victory over Germany’s Marco Huck (38-2-1, 26 KOs) in a huge upset that saw Glowacki capture Huck’s cruiserweight title. Huck was hoping to set a new record for most cruiserweight title defenses with a 14th successful defense tonight. Both fighters were making their US debut in front of a crowd of 5,843, many of which were their Polish and German countrymen living stateside.
In the give and take cruiserweight bout, Glowacki came out strong in the early rounds beating Huck with his power and speed on the inside. Huck started to find his rhythm in the middle rounds and out of nowhere put Glowacki on the canvas in the sixth with a punishing left hook to the temple.  Glowacki recovered quickly and was able to finish the round. Both men stayed busy for the remainder of the later rounds with the judges heeding favor to Huck by the end of the 10th. However, Glowacki came out in the 11th and late in the round put Huck on the canvas with a hard left right combination. Huck beat the count only to have Glowacki jump on him immediately, throwing a series of punches that forced the referee to stop the fight at 2:39 in the round.  Glowacki shocked the boxing world with a devastating 11th technical knockout of the 8-1 favored Huck in what will surely be a fight considered for upset of the year.
ANTONIO TARVER
“I knew they weren’t educated on my defense and ring generalship. I threw the harder punches and wasn’t tired. I controlled the tempo, kept my jab busy and feel like I outboxed him too.
“He didn’t hurt me and couldn’t get to my body. I did what I had to do but didn’t get the win. We got a draw and I’m not satisfied with it at all.”
STEVE CUNNINGHAM
“I’m the man I’ve always been before and after the fight, and this decision, you won’t find me kicking and screaming.
“I have nothing to be ashamed of and I’ll get together with my team and family and talk about what we do next.”
KRYSZTOF GLOWACKI
“The US market is now open to me, and fans around the world are going to have to respect the cruiserweight division now.
“When I was knocked down in the sixth round I didn’t know where I was and it took me a whole round to regain myself. I still cannot hear well. I was listening to my corner though and when I heard that there was only one minute left in the eleventh round I knew I had to come on strong.
“I’ve always had a thing against bullies and Huck was trying to bully me in there. So I brought it to him. I want to thank all my fans in Poland and from around the world for supporting me. We kept “believing” and that’s how we won this world title. This is the biggest night of my life.”
MARCO HUCK
Was unavailable for quotes. Both Glowacki and Huck were taken to Rutgers University Hospital for pre-cautionary observation.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

TWO WORLD TITLE FIGHTS HEADLINE ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE,’ WHEN PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE MEETS DANIEL STRAUS FOR THE FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP & WILL BROOKS FACES MARCIN HELD FOR LIGHTWEIGHT GOLD

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HOMETOWN FAVORITES MICHAEL ‘IRON’ CHANDLER & BOBBY ‘THE DOMINATOR’ LASHLEY WILL ALSO BE IN ACTION AT SCOTTRADE CENTER IN ST. LOUIS ONNOVEMBER 6

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 14, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Featherweight Championship will be defended in a trilogy contest between incumbent titlist Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) and former champion Daniel Straus (23-6, 1 NC) when the two square off in the main event of “Bellator 145: Vengeance” at Scottrade Center in Saint Louis on November 6.

 

In a fight also worthy of main event billing, Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) will look to defend his 155-pound belt when he meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3). Fans who tune-in to “Bellator 145: Vengeance” on Spike will also be treated to lightweight Michael Chandler (13-3) and heavyweight Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) competing inside the Bellator MMA cage. Opponents for both fighters will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

The contests will take up four spots during the main card of “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 6 p.m. CT.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, go on sale next Friday, August 21 at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com and at the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center, with a special Bellator Nation presale available on the 19th and 20th for fans using the code: FIGHT. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

 

“Following the success of ‘Unfinished Business’ in June, it was a no-brainer for us to make our return to the Scottrade Center and St. Louis before the year’s end. Once again, I look forward to working alongside Jesse Finney and his standout promotion Shamrock FC on putting together another must-see event,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “In addition to not one, but two world-class title fights, Michael Chandler and Bobby Lashley also being featured at ‘Vengeance’ brings a sense of hometown pride back to the outstanding fans of Missouri.”

 

Freire is a multi-time Bellator Featherweight Tournament winner who has only tasted defeat twice in his illustrious 26-fight career. Best known as “Pitbull,” the tenacious striker has finished 18 of his 24 wins and was most recently on the positive end of a devastating knockout of Daniel Weichel at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business.” A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, “Pitbull” owns victories over his “Bellator 145: Vengeance” opponent in their prior two battles.

 

After recovering from a devastating knee injury following his last meeting with Freire, Daniel Straus bounced back with a spectacular submission stoppage of Henry Corrales at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business.” A member of American Top Team in Florida, the 31-year-old wants to reclaim the belt that he still considers to be his, which was made clear during his post-fight interview with Bellator MMA color commentator Jimmy Smith where he said: “Whoever holds the featherweight belt, I am coming to beat you up.”

 

A training partner of Straus at ATT, Brooks has been yearning to return to action since his unanimous decision victory over Dave Jansen at “Bellator 136: Brooks vs. Jansen.” The 28-year-old will be making his 10th appearance inside the Bellator MMA cage and competing in a bout where the lightweight title is on the line for the fourth consecutive time. The Chicago native currently sits at No. 6 on Sherdog.com’s official lightweight rankings.

 

At only 23-years-old, Held will officially cash-in the title shot earned from his Bellator Season 10 Lightweight Tournament Final victory at “Bellator 126: Shlemenko vs. Halsey.” A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Held has earned titles at prominent grappling tournaments the likes of: ADCC, FILA and IBJJF. In his most recent Bellator MMA appearance, the Polish fighter finished Alexander Sarnavskiy via kneebar, pushing his career total of wins by way of submission to 12.

 

About Bellator MMA:

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts 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 MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA 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 Santa Monica, California 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.

 

About Scottrade Center:

Scottrade Center is a contemporary, 12-story glass and concrete structure located in the heart of downtown St. Louis. The home of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Scottrade Center also features a full range of arena programming, including concerts, ice shows, family shows and other sporting events.

 

boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

Aug. 14 PBC on Spike TV  Official weights & pictures

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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment:
Antonio Tarver
Steve Cunningham
Tarver & Cunningham
MAIN EVENT – HEAVYWEIGHTS – 12 ROUNDS
ANTONIO “The Magic Man” TARVER (31-6, 22 KOs), Tampa, FL 217 lbs.
STEVE “USS” CUNNINGHAM (28-7, 13 KOs), Philadelphia, PA 204lbs.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Warriors Boxing and Huck Sports Promotion are priced at $150, $100, $70 and $45, not including applicable service charges and are on sale now via Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets may also be purchased at Prudential Center’s box office.
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Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

HENRY ‘OK’ CORRALES RETURNS TO FIGHT EMMANUEL ‘EL MATADOR’ SANCHEZ AT BELLATOR 143 IN HIDALGO, TEXAS

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GLERISTONE ‘TONINHO FURIA’ SANTOS MAKES PROMOTIONAL DEBUT AGAINST JOHN ‘MACAPA’ TEIXEIRA

 

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 13, 2015) – Two featherweight contests pitting Henry “OK” Corrales (12-1) against Emmanuel “El Matador” Sanchez (10-2) and Gleristone Santos (27-4) making his Bellator MMA debut against John Teixeira (18-1-2) have been added to “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas on September 25.

 

Corrales versus Sanchez will take place during the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Meanwhile, Santos versus Teixeira will stream on Spike.com at5:30 p.m. CT during the stacked preliminary portion of the card.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place 30 minutes later.

 

The two previously confirmed fights feature Joe Warren (12-4) taking on L.C. Davis (23-6) in main event bantamweight action, while the Bellator 143 co-main event will pit Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) against top middleweight Kendall Grove (21-15). Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Corrales was one half of an exciting back-and-forth fight against Daniel Straus at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business.” The former King of the Cage titlist has finished 10 of his 12 victories as a professional before reaching the judges’ scorecards and has an extensive background when the fight hits the mat, learning the ways of Brazilian jiu-jitsu under famed practitioner, John De La O.

 

Following a hard fought battle against Pat Curran at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov” in June, “El Matador” returns to the Bellator MMA cage three months later with revenge on his mind. A short notice injury replacement against Curran, the 24-year-old Roufusport standout impressed in his third bout under the Bellator banner. Now, the Milwaukee native will look to bounce back at the expense of Corrales on September 25.

 

Long considered one of Brazil’s top prospects, the 26-year-old Santos debuted in 2005 when he was just 16 years old and earned victories in his first nine professional bouts. Born in Campina Grande, Paraiba, Santos currently boasts a nine-fight winning streak and is an incredible 16-1 in his past 17 appearances.

 

Best known as “Macapa,” the 28-year-old will be making his third appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, and his second in 2015. The submission specialist, who trains at the world renown Nova Uniao camp, has been on the winning end of two consecutive closely contested split decision wins. The lone loss of Teixeira’s promising MMA career came against Hugo Viana in the UFC back in 2012.

 

Are these two contests a look at the future of the 145-pound division? Tune into “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” on Spike to find out.

 

Updated “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” Card

 

Main Card:

 

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Joe Warren (12-4) vs. L.C. Davis (23-6)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joey Beltran (16-11) vs. Kendall Grove (21-15)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Henry Corrales (12-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Gleristone Santos (27-4) vs. John Teixeira (18-1-2)