Category Archives: Spike TV

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BELLATOR MMA HISTORY, THE WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE WILL BE ON THE LINE, WHEN MARLOES COENEN & JULIA BUDD SQUARE OFF INSIDE WINSTAR WORLD CASINO & RESORT ON MARCH 3

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (January 9, 2017) – Two of the best women’s featherweights in the world, Marloes Coenen (23-7) and Julia Budd (9-2), will meet on March 3 to determine the undisputed 145-pound champion inside WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, OK.

“Bellator 174: Coenen vs. Budd” 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 the event go on sale Friday, January 13 and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino & Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Additional contests will be announced in coming weeks.

Coenen strung together a remarkable start to her professional career, recording victories in each of her first eight bouts and 13 of her first 14. The Dutch submission specialist has since continued along her impressive path, tallying 23 career wins, including 20 finishes. Now, the 35-year-old will look to build off of a pair of victories under the Bellator MMA banner and bring home the first ever Bellator MMA Women’s Featherweight World Title, adding to a mantel that already includes a Strikeforce Bantamweight Title. With 30 career fights under her belt, the most glaring advantage for “Rumina” will be her experience, as her opponent comes in having made only 11 professional appearances inside the cage.

Budd enters the contest on March 3 riding a seven-fight winning streak and has recorded victories in each of her first three fights under the direction of Bellator MMA. The former Strikeforce competitior has surrendered just two losses over her seven-year career, one at the hands of former Strikeforce Champion Ronda Rousey and one to the current UFC bantamweight world champion, Amanda Nunes. The 33-year-old Canadian has not suffered a defeat since 2011, making her one of the most prolific athletes in Bellator MMA’s 145-pound division. “The Jewel” will be in search of her first career world title, while looking to prevent the former Strikeforce world champion from collecting her second.

 

Updated “Bellator 174: Coenen vs. Budd” Main Card:

Women’s Featherweight World Title Bout: Marloes Coenen (23-7) vs. Julia Budd (9-2)

‘BELLATOR 173’ HEADS TO THE SSE ARENA IN BELFAST ON FEBRUARY 24 AS LIAM MCGEARY TAKES ON CHRIS FIELDS

 

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (January 10, 2017) – A light heavyweight bout pitting former 205-pound world champion Liam McGeary (11-1) against Chris Fields (11-7-1) will serve as the main event of “Bellator 173: McGeary vs. Fields,” which will take place inside The SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Friday, February 24.

 

“Bellator 173: McGeary vs. Fields” airs on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event start at just £35 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.ie, SSEArenaBelfast.com, or the SSE Arena box office.

 

Hailing from Andover, England, the 34-year-old McGeary will make the short trek up to Northern Ireland’s capital for the first time in his career, where he will once again compete in a main event. The former Bellator MMA light heavyweight champion will enter the cage for the 10th time under the Scott Coker-led promotion, where he has posted an 8-1 record with seven finishes. Following an 11-fight winning streak to begin his professional career, McGeary finally experienced the sour taste of defeat, when Phil Davis wrestled the title away from him at ‘Bellator 163.’ McGeary has consistently proven to be one of the most dangerous strikers and submission artists in the 205-pound division, finishing his victim in 10 of 11 career wins, including eight in the opening frame. Much like the “RMS Titanic,” which was built in Belfast, McGeary hopes to sink Fields when the two take center stage inside The SSE Arena on February 24.

 

A native of Dublin, Ireland, Fields will also have a short trek to Belfast when he enters the cage on February 24. “The Housewives’ Choice” will be making his Bellator MMA debut, following nine years under the direction of local promotions, including three appearances under European powerhouse BAMMA. After competing at middleweight in 2015, the 33-year-old Fields returned to the light heavyweight division, recording a first round submission victory over Dan Konecke at “BAMMA 24.” Fields has tallied finishes in each of his 11 career wins, making him one of the most menacing opponents for anyone standing in his way. Now the SBG Ireland product will look to make a splash in his first fight with Bellator MMA, as he prepares for the former division kingpin.

 

Hailing from nearby Straban, Ireland, the 20-year-old Gallagher is one of the brightest stars in all “The Emerald Island.” At age 15, “The Strabanimal” moved away from home to join Coach John Kavanagh at Straight Blast Gym (SBG), where he now trains alongside the best fighters in the country including Connor McGregor. Having made his Bellator debut in London this past July in London, Gallagher followed up in December with a submission victory over Anthony Taylor in front of a raucous home crowd at the 3Arena in Dublin. Gallagher’s opponent will be announced in the near future.

 

Updated “Bellator 173: McGeary vs. Fields” Main Card:

Light Heavyweight Main Event:  Liam McGeary (11-1) vs. Chris Fields (11-7-1)

Featherweight Feature: James Gallagher (5-0) vs. TBD

 

Undefeated Welterweight Prospects Miguel Cruz & Alex Martin Battle in Premier Boxing Champions on Spike Action Friday, January 13 from Hialeah Park Racing & Casino in Miami

 
Plus! Former Bantamweight World Champion Juan Carlos Payano
Returns to Face Mexico’s Isao Gonzalo Carranza
&
Lightweight Prospect Dennis Galarza, Miami’s Joey Hernandez & Undefeated Prospect Robert Daniels Jr. In Separate Bouts
 
MIAMI (January 4, 2017) – Undefeated prospects Miguel Cruz (13-0, 11 KOs) and Alex Martin (13-0, 5 KOs) will meet in a welterweight showdown featured on Premier Boxing Champions on Spike Friday, January 13 from Hialeah Park Racing and Casino in Miami.
PBC on Spike is headlined by super welterweight world champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara taking on former world champion Yuri Foreman. Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT with former super middleweight world champion Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell battling Hungary’s Norbert Nemesapati in a 10-round bout.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Warriors Boxing, are priced at $25, $35, $50, $75, $100 and $125, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online at www.myticketforce.com by clicking HERE, by phone at (877) 840-0457or at the Hialeah Park casino cage.
Additional action will feature former world champion Juan Carlos Payano (17-1, 8 KOs) taking on Mexico’s Isao Gonzalo Carranza (15-7-1, 8 KOs) in bantamweight action plus middleweight brawler Joey Hernandez (24-4-1, 14 KOs) facing Nicaragua’s Edwin Palacios(12-4-1, 8 KOs) in a six-round bout.
Rounding out the night of fights is lightweight prospect Dennis Galarza (13-2, 8 KOs) in a six-round matchup against Puerto Rico’s Edgardo Rivera (7-4-2, 5 KOs) and undefeated prospect Robert Daniels Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) of Miami battling Puerto Rico’s Antonio Alicea (0-1) in a four-round light heavyweight fight.
Born in Aguada, Puerto Rico and now residing in Lake Mary, Florida, the 26-year-old Cruz was a member of the Puerto Rico National Team as an amateur. He turned pro in 2012 and picked up five victories in 2015 as he ended fights with Virgil Green, Daniel Rodriguez, Eli Addison, Juan Rodriguez, Travis Hartman and Anthony Abbruzzese inside the distance. Most recently, Cruz earned a decision victory over previously unbeaten Samuel Figueroa in their May 2016 showdown.
A highly-regarded amateur fighter out of Chicago, Martin was a 2012 Olympic alternate in addition to earning multiple National Golden Gloves titles and boasting a 340-10 record. The 27-year-old turned pro in April 2013 and stopped his first five opponents inside of the distance. Martin picked up two victories in 2016 beating experienced opponents Juan Carlos Abreu and Rosemberg Gomez as he prepares for January 13 bout.
The two-time Dominican Olympian Payano will start his path towards another world title after first becoming a champion via a technical decision over Anselmo Moreno in September 2014. The accomplished amateur won gold at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean games with victories over McJoe Arroyo and Yoandris Salinas. The 32-year-old defeated Jundy Maraon, Jose Silveria and Luis Maldonado on the way to his title shot and most recently comes off a pair of exciting fights with Rau’shee Warren that saw him defense his title in August 2015 and lose in June 2016.
Representing Distrito Federal, Mexico, Carranza has fought professionally since 2010 and won 10 of his first 11 fights. The 30-year-old enters this fight with his last victory coming over Willy Velazquez before his most recent challenge of Alejandro Hernandez for a Mexican title. Carranza will be making his U.S. debut when he enters the ring on January 13.
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LaraBoxing, @YForeman, @AnthonyDirrell, @SpikeTV, @SpikeSports @WarriorsBoxingProm and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.  PBC on Spike is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

HEAVYWEIGHT BRAWL PITTING CHEICK KONGO AGAINST OLI THOMPSON ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 172’ ON FEB. 18

 

 

BATTLE OF UNDEFEATED ADAM PICCOLOTTI AND BRENT PRIMUS ALSO ADDED TO MAIN CARD

SANTA MONICA, CALIF — (January 4, 2017) – Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) will challenge Oli Thompson (17-9) during the main card of “Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione” on February 18, 2017 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. In addition, undefeated lightweights Adam Piccolotti (9-0) and Brent Primus(7-0) are also set to face off during the Spike-televised card.

In the main event of “Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione,” Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) will compete on American Soil for the first since 2011, when he meets Matt Mitrione (11-5). The event will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event start at only $30 and are available at SAP Center Box Office, Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. Additional fights will be announced in coming weeks.

Since joining the Bellator MMA fray in 2013, Kongo has strung together an impressive run that has seen him emerge victorious in seven of nine contests, including three consecutive victories. With 37 career fights under his belt, the Frenchman has tallied 25 professional wins, including 12 by way of knockout. The knockout artist hopes to build off his victory over Tony Johnson at “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson,” when he welcomes British sensation Oli Thompson back into the Bellator cage.

Hailing from East Sussex, England, Thompson enters the matchup in search of his first career win under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion. Dating back to 2015, “The Spartan” collected wins in five of his last six bouts, including a pair of brutal first round knockouts. Of his 17 career wins, the 36-year-old powerhouse has finished 13 of them, including seven knockouts. A former title-holder of Britain’s Strongest Man competition, Thompson will now look to add to that total when he and Kongo faceoff at SAP Center in San Jose.

Fighting out of Half Moon Bay, Calif., the undefeated Piccolotti is set to return to San Jose, where he has dominated competition over the past few years. Since signing with Bellator MMA, the 28-year-old lightweight has won all five of his bouts, including four consecutive victories in the “Capital of Silicon Valley.” Piccolotti dazzled in his most recent win over Brandon Girtz, ending the veteran’s three-fight winning streak while once again displaying his lethal combination of flawless jiu-jitsu and striking. Piccolotti has finished his opponent in six of nine career wins and three of his past four, making him one of the most dangerous weapons in the 155-pound division.

Primus also carries with him an undefeated target on his chest, as the battle to remain an unbeaten lightweights goes through SAP Center in 2017. Similar to Piccolotti, Primus saw immediate success in the world of mixed martial arts, recording first round finishes in each of his first five fights to begin his professional career. The five-time Bellator MMA veteran hopes to keep the ball rolling, as a win over the fan-favorite Piccolotti would certainly open a lot of doors. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the 31-years-old Primus hopes to build off of a 2016 campaign that was highlighted by a key win over Brazilian veteran “Toninho Furia.”

Updated “Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione” Main Card:

Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5)

Heavyweight Feature Bout: Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) vs. Oli Thompson (17-9)

Lightweight Feature Bout: Adam Piccolotti (9-0) vs. Brent Primus (7-0)

Preliminary Bouts:

Welterweight Prelim Bout: James Terry (18-9) vs. David Douglas (9-6)

Lightweight Prelim Bout: Nikko Jackson (1-1) vs. Cesar Gonzalez (0-1)

Featherweight Prelim Bout: Juan Cardenas (1-0) vs. Luis Vargas (0-1)

Welterweight Prelim Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (5-1) vs. Carlos Rocha (9-4)

Flyweight Prelim Bout: Anthony Do (4-1) vs. Bobby Escalante (4-5)

Flyweight Prelim Bout: Matt Ramirez (1-2) vs. Jeremy Murphy (3-3)

Lightweight Prelim Bout: J.J. Okanovich (3-1) vs. Paradise Vaovasa (5-1)

Featherweight Prelim Bout: Justin Tenedora (Debut) vs. Roque Reyes (0-3)

About Bellator:

Bellator is a leading Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the combat sports television leader.  Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in 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.

‘BELLATOR 170: ORTIZ VS. SONNEN’ OFFICIAL CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES FROM TITO ORTIZ, CHAEL SONNEN, BRENNAN WARD, PAUL DALEY AND SCOTT COKER

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. — (January 3, 2017) – Before the cage door closes at the Forum in Los Angeles, the main and co-main event fighters from “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” participated in a media conference call. If you weren’t on the line, you can listen to it here, or read a couple of the quotes below.

 

In the main event of the evening, Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) takes on Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). In addition, Ralek Gracie (3-0) and Hisaki Kato (7-2) will meet in a middleweight feature fight, while Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) and Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3) battle. Lastly, a fantastic welterweight co-main event pitting Paul Daley (38-14-2) against Brennan Ward (14-4) is also set for the Spike-televised main card.

 

Limited tickets for the mega-event start at $36 and are on sale at Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. The “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” undercard, streams live on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 6:50 p.m. ET / 3:50 p.m. PT.

 

Q: For Paul Daley…We had a chance to talk before you were schedule to fight Derek Anderson at ‘Bellator 163.’ He made the weight, but the fight didn’t happen. So, what’s going to change this time? Are you going to do anything different in your preparation and what do you expect from Brennan Ward?

Paul Daley: Things didn’t go according to plan at the last event that I was scheduled to compete in. I made the weight, but it was what happened after that was the problem. Those problems have been ironed out and we should have everything back on track and I’m ready to compete in what is going to be the most exciting fight on the card.

Q: For Brennan Ward…Both of you have definitely delivered exciting knockouts in recent performances, so I want to know what your expectation of the fight is and if you think it will be a quick showcase.

Brennan Ward: They don’t just line two guys up like Paul and I for no reason — on a card like this, that is probably the biggest card of the year and one of the biggest Bellator cards of all-time == They’re putting our matchup on there for a reason. They know fireworks are going to go off and they know this fight isn’t going the distance. Paul and I end fights, it’s what we do. Like he said, we’re going to put on the most exciting fight of the night for sure.

Q: I know that clip of you and Tito wrestling in college has been going around, so what do you expect from Tito this time around compared to the Tito you saw back then?

Chael Sonnen: Look, Tito’s a great fighter. He was a hell of a wrestler…I caught him in one position in that match, I’m not hanging my hat on that. I’m pumped to be in there and compete against a Hall of Famer like Tito. I’m going to do everything I can to beat him, but I don’t dismiss how good this guy is.

Q: It’s been a while since we saw you in there with Liam McGeary in that title fight. So, from then to now, what’s changed and what are you going to show us?

Tito Ortiz: I’ve been at work now for three years. I came from the UFC and Bellator gave me a chance to reinvigorate my career and I want to leave on my own terms. I want to leave respectfully. Scott Coker has done an amazing job with the company already and I sat back, thinking about what would be my last fight. All of a sudden, I’m watching Bellator on Spike TV and Chael Sonnen comes screaming out, calling me a coward and saying that he wants to fight me and I swear there has never been a bigger smile on my face. I was already getting ready to fight in November. I wasn’t sure who my opponent was going to be, but I was getting in shape. I’ve been training now for almost four months and this is probably one of the longest camps I’ve had and it’s time to showcase my skills. Chael says he’s fighting because he’s jealous and that’s the wrong way to come into a fight. I’m going in to get redemption and to me Chael is my enemy. This is no game, this is nothing fun, this is what I do for a living. I train and I go out to try and hurt my opponent. I know what I need to do. I need to defend the takedown, I need to watch out for the punches, I need to watch out for the guillotine. I know all of the moves that Chael has done and my job is to go in and destroy him. On January 21, two days before my birthday, I want to get the ‘Fight of the Night.’ I hope Chael’s in great shape because when I’m on top of him, he’s going to shit himself. I’m going to throw my elbows through his face and like I said, this is no joke. This is serious to me because my family’s watching, my kids are watching, and all of my fans are watching. I’ve given so much for this and I’ve sacrificed everything. I sacrificed my Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my New Year’s for this.

Q: Of all the guys you’ve verbally dueled with in your career, how would you size up where Tito stands? How does he compare to other guys that you’ve gone back and forth with verbally?

Chael Sonnen: Man, it’s painful. It was painful just listening to him read through that list of notes. He just rattled off all of his bullets right there in one answer and I think he asked to go to the bathroom during it, which was a little weird. I don’t care, I never thought about Tito Ortiz. I didn’t come to this organization to fight Tito Ortiz. I’ve been chasing Wanderlei Silva around, but Wanderlei is busy until the summer. They called me and asked if I’d fight Tito on January 21 and I didn’t have anything else going on, so I said yes.

Q: Beyond this fight, what are your goals in Bellator?

Chael Sonnen: I want to compete at Bellator. I want to be a champion, get to the top, and compete with all the guys. I want to find a weight class. I’d like to do it at 205-pounds, but I think there’s an opportunity at 185 and now we have some big signings at heavyweight and catchweight too. I just think there’s a lot of opportunity over here. I can tell you as far as training, working hard and being prepared, that’s what I do. I do it every day. I will bring my skills to the fight and if they’re enough I’ll win; If they’re not, I won’t. That’s just the way that this sport is played and I’m just looking forward to competing with these guys.

Q: Coming back to compete in California, with your history with that athletic commission, you’ve already taken an out-of-competition test. How do you look at that process? Were you surprised by the test? Was there an understanding that it was going to be a part of the deal to get you back in California?

Chael Sonnen: I was surprised by it. That’s why the test works. I was not ready to be tested and I didn’t know that I was going to be tested and I haven’t thought about it a whole lot. You have to understand that when you’re a guy with my background that’s just coming off of a suspension, that’s the way it goes. You’re going to have more tests than other guys and that’s just fair.

Q: Finally, can you just size up the marketplace since you left UFC and since they’ve been purchased?

Chael Sonnen: Look, I’m brand new. I only know a few guys at Bellator. I know three people, that’s how new I am. I’ve been to two Bellator shows; one at Mohegan Sun Arena and one in San Jose. Both events were sold out! When I was in San Jose, I was sitting there and down the ramp comes the greatest heavyweight of all time, Fedor Emelianenko. Coker signed him and didn’t even say anything to anybody. The place was packed and the ratings were going higher. I wanted to come to Bellator when I saw Ken Shamrock walk the ramp and I thought this is awesome. Connecticut and then California, both sides of the country and both sold out. The household name that Bellator has become is amazing. I used to have to explain to people what UFC and what MMA was. When I tell people I’m with Bellator, they know exactly what it is. When Tito and I met in that college wrestling match, there was 80 people there tops, nobody cared. It was a big sacrifice just to show off in front of 80 people. To show off in front of a sold out arena, a record-breaking show, is fun. We get Paul Daley and Brennan Ward to entertain us before we have to go out and take care of business.

Q: Tito, do you have any comment to Chael’s comments earlier about you reading from a script and all?

Tito Ortiz: This guy knows that he bit off a little more than he can chew. I’ve been through 20 years of competition, won world titles, and stepped into that cage over and over again. The proof is in the pudding. I’m sitting here listening to the tone that Chael has and it sounds like he’s drowning and on January 21, he’s going to be drowning in his own blood.

Chael Sonnen: I told you he was out of bullets! I warned you ahead of time!

Q: Chael, congratulations on Celebrity Apprentice last night…great to see you on the debut there. How difficult is it for you to balance the Celebrity Apprentice, ESPN, your podcast, and training all together?

Chael Sonnen: I hate days off. I hate it more than anything. When I look at my calendar before I go to bed, I hate seeing gaps in there. So as far as training goes, I’m in the gym three hours a day. It’s an hour in the morning, maybe even less, two hours in the afternoon, I’m out the door in three in a half hours tops. So, that leaves me with another 20 hours in the day and I like to fill it. I don’t like to sleep a lot and that’s just the way it goes. I like to stay busy, but nothing interferes with preparation for the competition. I haven’t missed a practice, a run, a workout, a sparring session; I go every day. I go to practice every day no matter what, twice a day. There are parts when I’ll pick up the intensity and work a little harder and then there are parts when I’ll take a break to get a drink of water, but it doesn’t change for me. I’m ready to go, that’s it.

Q: Chael, I know you said that you had a little more of a looser camp, where you’ve trained with a lot of different fighters, especially due to all of the traveling. How has it been, having access to some elite fighters in other parts of the country?

Chael Sonnen: I love working out in other parts of the country and I love going to different gyms. And that’s something new to me, because I didn’t used to travel. I was just locked at home in Portland, Oregon, but we had a hotbed out there, with guys like Randy Couture and Evan Tanner, I could name drop for you and it would really impress. We had a really great system out there, but it dried up and some of those guys retired. Some of them moved away and some of the gyms closed down, so all of these new traveling has been great. I’ve got a lot of rounds in and worked out with Georges St-Pierre and a bunch of hammers out there that you’ve never heard of yet, but you will. I’m getting good work in and I’m learning from these guys. The one thing that I try to do, and I copied Randy Couture on this, is always train with the kids. He would be in high school workout rooms doing some wrestling practice and it was very hard for the next generation to ever get ahead of him because he always trained with that younger generation. So, I spend a lot of time with those kids and I have my own practices on top of that. I’m not positive that I can take Tito down, I’m not positive that I can out-box him; everything has to get better. I have to get stronger, faster, better with more technique and better strategy and it all takes time.

 

Complete “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” Main Card:

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) vs. Chael Sonnen (28-14-1)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Brennan Ward (14-4)

Middleweight Main Card Bout: Ralek Gracie (3-0) vs. Hisaki Kato (7-2)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Derek Campos (17-6) vs. Derek Anderson (14-2, 1 NC)

 

Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chinzo Machida (4-2) vs. Jamar Ocampo (2-0)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Jack May (8-3) vs. Dave Cryer (11-2)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Henry Corrales (12-3) vs. Cody Bollinger (19-6)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Casey (9-5-1, 2 NC) vs. Keith Berry (15-13)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Guilherme “Bomba” Vasconcelos (8-3) vs. John Mercurio (8-7)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (3-0) vs. Jalin Turner (2-2)

Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Gonzalez (2-0) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (2-0)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jacob Rosales (4-2) vs. Ian Butler (3-2)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Johnny Cisneros (9-5) vs. Curtis Millender (9-3)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (4-4) vs. Tommy Aaron (2-1)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Rob Gooch (4-3) vs. James Barnes (6-2)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Rebecca Ruth (6-2) vs. Colleen Schneider (10-7)

 

‘Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen’ Fight Card Complete With Two New Matchups

REBECCA RUTH-COLLEEN SCHNEIDER FLYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN ADDED TO PRELIMINARY CARD

 SANTA MONICA, CALIF. — (December 28, 2016) – The stacked main card of “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” has added even more ammo to its arsenal with the news that Derek Campos (17-6) and Derek Anderson (14-2, 1 NC) will compete in a lightweight feature fight on January 21, 2017 inside The Forum in Los Angeles, Calif. In addition, a female flyweight bout pitting Rebecca Ruth (6-2) against Colleen Schneider (10-7) has been added to the preliminary portion of the event.

 

The lightweight clash joins a main card that is highlighted by a legendary faceoff between superstars Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) and Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). In addition, Ralek Gracie (3-0) and Hisaki Kato (7-2) will meet in a middleweight feature fight, while Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) and Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3) battle. Lastly, a fantastic welterweight co-main event pitting Paul Daley (38-14-2) against Brennan Ward (14-4) is also set for the Spike-televised main card.

 

 

Limited tickets for the mega-event start at $36 and are on sale at Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. The “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” undercard, streams live on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 6:50 p.m. ET / 3:50 p.m. PT.

 

Campos enters the bout riding a recent string of success, as the 28-year-old lightweight put together a flawless 2016 campaign that included a pair of noteworthy victories over Djamil Chan and Melvin Guillard. “The Stallion” continues to provide entertaining fights, as the Lubbock, Texas native has finished opponents in 10 of his 17 victories, including five knockouts and three of the first-round variety. Campos will be searching for his first three-fight winning streak under the Bellator MMA umbrella since 2013.

 

Following an explosive start to his professional career, collecting victories in 11 of his first 12 bouts, including one no-contest, Anderson has continued his success under the direction of Bellator MMA. Since joining the Scott Coker-led promotion in 2013, “The Barbaric” has tallied five impressive wins, highlighted by two knockouts and a pair of victories over Patricky Freire. Hailing from San Diego, Calif., Anderson has finished 11 of his 14 victims, and will not have to travel far as he prepares for number 12. With back-to-back victories over the aforementioned Freire and most recently Saad Awad at “Bellator 160,” Anderson has quickly entered the mix as one of the division’s top contenders. The 26-year-old lightweight will now look to take down the Bellator MMA veteran Campos and add yet another big name to his admirable resume.

 

The 37-year-old Ruth will be making her third appearance under the Bellator MMA banner and first of her 2017 campaign, following a year in which she earned her first promotional victory over Ukrainian submission specialist Lena Ovchynnikova. Prior to joining the Scott Coker-led promotion in 2016, “Ruthless” strung together an impressive 5-1 record to begin her career, including five knockout victories and three first round finishes. With wins in four of her last five contests, Ruth will look to start the year off on the right foot and add to her already impressive MMA resume.

 

The recently signed Schneider will be making her Bellator MMA debut on Jan. 21, as she also enters the contest having won four of her last five bouts. With six of her 10 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, look for Schneider to attack early and often in a flyweight clash that features two of the more dangerous opponents in the division. Standing at 5’9”, the 34-year-old Schneider will hold a significant height advantage over the veteran Ruth, who stands about five inches shy of the former Invicta FC product. Hailing from Los Angeles, Calif., Schneider will also not have to travel far for this incredible event, as the hometown crowd will surely be pulling for “Thoroughbred” at Inglewood’s famous Forum.

 

 

Ruth and Schneider will join a preliminary card that features the promotional debuts of Kevin Casey (9-5-1, 2 NC) and Jack May(8-3), as well as the return of Chinzo Machida (4-2), Henry Corrales (12-3), Guilherme “Bomba” (8-3), and Cody Bollinger (19-6).

 

Complete “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” Main Card:

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) vs. Chael Sonnen (28-14-1)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Brennan Ward (14-4)

Middleweight Main Card Bout: Ralek Gracie (3-0) vs. Hisaki Kato (7-2)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Derek Campos (17-6) vs. Derek Anderson (14-2, 1 NC)

 

Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chinzo Machida (4-2) vs. Jamar Ocampo (2-0)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Jack May (8-3) vs. Dave Cryer (11-2)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Henry Corrales (12-3) vs. Cody Bollinger (19-6)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Casey (9-5-1, 2 NC) vs. Keith Berry (15-13)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Guilherme “Bomba” Vasconcelos (8-3) vs. John Mercurio (8-7)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (3-0) vs. Jalin Turner (2-2)

Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Gonzalez (2-0) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (2-0)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jacob Rosales (4-2) vs. Ian Butler (3-2)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Johnny Cisneros (9-5) vs. Curtis Millender (9-3)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (4-4) vs. Tommy Aaron (2-1)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Rob Gooch (4-3) vs. James Barnes (6-2)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Rebecca Ruth (6-2) vs. Colleen Schneider (10-7)

‘KING MO’ DEFEATS SATOSHI ISHII WITH A SHUTOUT DECISION VICTORY AT ‘BELLATOR 169’

JAMES GALLAGHER & SINEAD KAVANAGH SCORE WINS FOR THEIR HOMETOWN FANS WHO PACKED THE 3ARENA IN DUBLIN

CLICK HERE FOR ALL FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS

DUBLIN, IRELAND. (Dec. 16, 2016) – In the evening’s main event, it was wrestler versus judo practitioner as Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (20-5, 1 NC) returned to moneyweight to face Olympic Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii (14-7-1). King Mo avoided Ishii’s crafty throws as he scored a couple takedowns of his own throughout the fight. The contest finished with a shutout unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) for “King Mo.”

Now, after yet another impressive performance during the main event of “Bellator 169,” Lawal looks to end 2016 in style by repeating his domination over Rizin Fighting Federation opponents, when the 2015 eight-man Rizin heavyweight tournament winner returns to grand prix action during the Japanese-based promotion’s New Year’s Eve weekend of events.

Fresh off his victory in Dublin tonight, Lawal now sets his sights on the fellow contestants competing in the quarterfinals of the open-weight grand prix on Dec. 29 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan – the semifinals and finals are set for Dec. 31.

The 35-year-old former Strikeforce Champion defeated Brett McDermott, Teodoras Aukstuolis and Jiri Prochazka en route to winning the heavyweight tournament last year, now the “King” looks to retain his crown against the likes of: Shane Carwin, Amir Aliakbari, Mirko Filipovic, Kaido Hoovelson, Tsuyoshi Kosaka, Valentin Moldavsky, and Szymon Bajor.

With a second tournament victory in Japan, “King Mo” would cap off a stellar 2016 campaign, a 365-day run where in addition to Ishii, the American Top Team standout took current Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Champion Phil Davis to the limit during their “Bellator 154” tussle back in May

Gallagher Sinks in RNC During Third Frame of Co-Main Event

 

In what many considered “the people’s main event,” the highly touted SBG prospect James Gallagher (5-0) kept his composure through the first two hard fought rounds against Anthony Taylor (1-2). The American threw several powerful strikes, connecting on multiple occasions as Gallagher fought from safe range. Not long after the start of the final round the “Strabanimal” took the back of “Pretty Boy” Taylor with a body triangle actively looking to find a choke. It looked as though Taylor had it under control, walking across the cage toward his corner, pandering to the camera with a smile but seconds later, he was on his stomach, where he succumbed to a rear naked choke at 1:52 of round three. At the time of the stoppage, the judges were split with the cards reading 20-18, 18-20 and 19-19 after the first two rounds.

Kavanagh Gets the Irish Crowd Started with UD Victory

Sinead Kavanagh (4-0) was determined to put one on the board for the home team and that’s exactly what she did when she defeated Elina Kallionidou (5-1) by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27). Kavanagh stalked the Greek regional champion around the cage and scored on a great deal of combinations up against the fence. Kallionidou showed impressive resiliance, toughing out firestorm after firestorm of punches and bouncing back as though unfazed.

“Drake” Weichel Wants Another Shot at the Title

In the first televised fight of the evening, the crowd was loud, hoping to propel their Irishman Brian “Pikeman” Moore (9-5) to victory against Daniel Weichel (38-9). Moore looked sharp on his feet, throwing crisp jabs before getting taken to the canvas. From the ground, Moore fought off several rear-naked choke attempts before rolling into a triangle choke 4:44 into the first frame, making it 0-2 for the Irish-born fighters to start the card.

Who Else but Cameron Else to Spoil Hot Prospect Dylan Tukes Night

 

An electric Irish partisan crowd was on hand at the 3Arena in Dublin, but it didn’t take long for Great Britan’s Cameron Else (4-3) to silence them all with a jaw-dropping knockout victory over the highly-touted hometown fighter Dylan Tuke (3-1) only 20 seconds into round one.

ALL FIGHTERS SUCCESSFULLY MAKE WEIGHT –  BELLATOR MMA & BAMMA DOUBLE HEADER EVENT SET TO TAKE PLACE TOMORROW NIGHT INSIDE 3ARENA IN DUBLIN

B169 Weigh In_0870

 

Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

 

DUBLIN, IRELAND. (Dec. 15, 2016) – The official weigh-ins for both “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” and “BAMMA 27” took place this afternoon at the 1878 club inside 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The competitors are now ready for action tomorrow at 3Arena, with the event airing on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

The Spike-televised main card will be highlighted by a heavyweight main event pitting “King Mo” (19-5, 1 NC) against Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii (14-6-1). In addition, Anthony Taylor (1-1) will look to quite the crowd as he enters enemy territory to challenge Northern Ireland’s own James Gallagher (4-0) in a featherweight co-main clash.

 

In addition to a full card of Bellator action, ticketholders will also have the unique opportunity to experience an additional fight card from Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, BAMMA. The bantamweight belt will be on the line at “BAMMA 27,” as Tom Duquesnoy (13-1, 1 NC) and Alan Philpott (16-8) prepare to duke it out for the division gold.

 

“Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” takes place inside 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, and will air free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

 

“Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” Card: (SPIKE TV – 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT)

 

Heavyweight Main Event: Satoshi Ishii (236.6 lbs.) vs. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (213 lbs.)

 

Featherweight Co-Main Event: Anthony Taylor (145.8 lbs.) vs. James Gallagher (145.6 lbs.)

 

Featherweight Feature Bout: Brian Moore (146 lbs.) vs. Daniel Weichel (145.6 lbs.)

 

Bantamweight Feature Bout: Elina Kallionidou (135.8 lbs.) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (135.2 lbs.)

 

Bantamweight Feature Bout: Cameron Else (145.2 lbs.) vs. Dylan Tuke (144.6 lbs.)

QUOTES AND PHOTOS FROM THE ‘BELLATOR 169’ & ‘BAMMA 27’ OFFICIAL PRESS CONFERENCE IN DUBLIN  

 

Presser_0850

OFFICIAL WEIGH-INS FOR INTERNATIONAL DOUBLE HEADER TO BE HELD AT 4 P.M. THURSDAY AT 3ARENA

 

Additional photos

 

DUBLIN (December 14, 2016) – Two of the top MMA promotions in the world, Bellator and BAMMA have joined forces to deliver an early Christmas gift for MMA fans everywhere with a unique doubleheader event at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland this Friday, Dec. 16.

Despite the cold and rainy weather in Dublin, the main and co-main event fighters turned up the heat at the Official Fight Week Press Conference for the co-promoted event inside the Gibson Hotel. Bellator MMA President Scott Coker took center stage alongside BAMMA CEO David Green, and the two were flanked by “Bellator 169” combatants King Mo(19-5, 1 NC) and Satoshi Ishii (14-6-1) along with James Gallagher (4-0), and Anthony Taylor (14-2), as well as BAMMA main eventers Tom Duquesnoy (13-1, 1 NC) and Alan Philpott (16-8), a Chris Fields (11-7-1), who takes on Andrew Clamp (8-1, 1 NC).

Below are several transcribed quotes from the press conference.

King Mo:

“The cold weather (in Ireland) gets me, you know what I’m saying. But it’s gonna be hot in the venue, because I’m gonna bring the heat.” It’s gonna be action packed. I’m ready to scrap.”

 

“I’m shocked (by the support from the Irish fans). I came here to do PR last time and everyone was cool, but this time around its been even better. I went to Nandos (chicken restaurant) and got hooked up with like $70 worth of food. If y’all haven’t eaten at Nandos yet I suggest you try it out because that place is good.”

 

(To Ishii)

“Don’t run around the cage. Fight me square, entertain the fans, and put on a good show.”

 

“All the people out there, ya’ll better tune in and watch me kick and beat Ishii’s a** out the cage.”

 

Satoshi Ishii:

“It’s an honor to fight in Dublin. I’m looking forward to the fight, I’m excited, and I will do my best.”

James Gallagher:

“At the end of the day I can say whatever I want and he can say whatever he wants, but, you step in there and none of that means jack s***. It’s a fight between me and him, and that’s all that matters, and I’ll come out the winner.

 

“I literally do not care about him. I just care about me and what I’m going to do. I’m just going to go in there and smash his face in and that’s that. Simple answer.”

 

“Everything he is saying is a load of old bullsh**. Tune in on Friday night and you’ll see who’s going to the hospital after.”

 

“It’s amazing to fight in your own country and right here in the 3Arena. Walking out into that crowd, that feeling of pride is something you will always remember for the rest of your life.”

 

Anthony Taylor:

“Oh man, everything is going my way. The fact that I’ve got him, one-on-one, with the pretty one, it’s going tremendously fine. The atmosphere in Ireland is so beautiful. The weather, the women…oh my gosh the women! This is cuddling season

and I’m on Tinder just swiping right.

 

“I’m excited for the opportunity to showcase my skills. Everyone is looking at me as the underdog and saying this is a test. This ain’t no test, this is finals, and guess what? He’s going to fail.”

 

“I’m going to shock the world on Friday, and let them know who the hell is Anthony Pretty Boy Taylor, the most electrifying man in Bellator MMA. That’s what’s up, and I’m going to put on a show for all the people out there.”

 

“I get a lot of criticism, but I’ve also got a lot of Irish fans, just as much as he’s got, so it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t have the pressure, it’s on him. I’m coming here to do my thing. If I lose, I suck it up like a man. But if I win, I’m gonna be a superstar. I already know I’m going to win, he can’t stop me.”

 

Scott Coker

“We’ve been on the road quite a bit this year with 25 fights, 28 if you include kickboxing.  This is something that David and I started talking about a year ago. It’s been seamless and a lot of fun. David’s been a great partner to work with, BAMMA’s been great.”

 

“We’ve been following this league for a couple years now. We know that they’re the powerhouse here in the UK and were happy to team up with them and bring our top fighters.”

 

“This is going to be a great show that is going to be televised all over the world. It will be on SPIKE UK, which airs here in Ireland as well on Saturday at 11 p.m. local time, as well as on SPIKE in the United States at 9 p.m. ET. It will also air in 140 countries around the world, so this is an event that brings worldwide recognition to this event here in Ireland, and we’re very proud to be here.”

 

(Is this somewhat of a scouting mission for you on Friday?)

“The mission statement of the company is to bring the best fighters in the world to Bellator. So we’re going to be watching very closely I know there is some great talent here, and I’m excited to watch it and see what the future holds.”

 

(On the event coming together)

“David (Green) and I became friends a little more than a year ago, and has a big television producing background, and he’s done stuff for Spike and Viacom in the past. He’s a very big producer here in the United Kingdom. But as far as coming together, if you look at the background of Strikeforce or even before that in kickboxing, we were never opposed to having fighters in one organization against fighters in another organization. In the earliest parts of the Strikeforce career in MMA, we sent Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson (among others) to Pride against some of the Japanese fighters and they sent over (Shinya) Aoki, (Tatsuya) Kawajiri and some of the best fighters they had. To me, this is what martial arts is all about. We should have more events like this where top guys from different leagues compete against each other to find out who the best is. We’re not going to be opposed to that. That’s always been our philosophy

 

(On doing it again)

“That’s something David and I will talk about once this is over. We both individually have a big schedule for next year. We (Bellator) are going to go to more international events and more cities across the world. We are going to go to Latin America next year with shows on Mexico and Brazil.

 

“So we are going to have an exciting schedule to announce soon. This (Dublin event) is something that has worked out fantastic. The schedule and the timing was perfect. The door is always going to be open, these guys are a great partner and have been fantastic to work with and we look forward to doing more events.”

 

EVENT INFO

 

BAMMA and Bellator MMA will hold a unique doubleheader event in Dublin, Ireland this Friday, Dec. 16, which will feature multiple BAMMA world title bouts and an incredible Bellator MMA heavyweight main event rematch pitting “King Mo” against Satoshi Ishii. But before our ‘Bellator 169’ and ‘BAMMA 27’ competitors meet inside the cage, join us for an afternoon of verbal submissions at the official press conference inside The Gibson Hotel in Dublin.

 

Also on Friday night, Anthony Taylor enters enemy territory with a featherweight bout against Northern Ireland’s own James Gallagher. Also hailing from Ireland, Brian Moore will look to take advantage of the home crowd when he faces off against Daniel Weichel. The BAMMA bantamweight belt will be on the line at “BAMMA 27,” as Tom Duquesnoy challenges Alan Philpott for the division gold. Lastly, the stacked event features a featherweight world title fight pitting former Bellator competitors Ronnie Mann against Martin Stapleton.

 

 

B-Roll: