FNU Combat Sports Show: UFC and Bellator Recaps, PFL Preview, Boxing Schedule

Tom, Tony and Rich recap last week’s major events, including the controversial UFC Fight Night 112 finish and the near double KO at Bellator 180 from Madison Square Garden. We also discuss Conor McGregor calling out Khabib Nurmagomedov for his next opponent in the UFC Octagon. We of course also break down Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn.

 

 

Chris Eubank Jr. vs. “King” Arthur Abraham IBO Super Middleweight World Championship To air July 15 live on PPV in United States

TENAFLY, N.J.(June 29, 2017) – One of boxing’s most polarizing and exciting young fighters faces a dangerous three-time, two-division world champion, as Chris Eubank Jr. defends his International Boxing Organization (IBO) Super Middleweight Championship against “King” Arthur Abraham on Saturday, July 15, available to watch on Pay Per View in the United States, starting at 2:30 pm ET / 11:30 am PT, live from SES Arena, Wembley in London, England.
“Eubank Jr. vs. Abraham”, promoted by Poxon Sports in association with Team Sauerland, is presented in the United States by Integrated Sports Media and Protocol Sports Marketing, Ltd.
Integrated Sports Media will distribute “Eubank Jr. vs. Abraham” live in the United States on cable and satellite PPV via iN Demand, Vubiquity, and DISH for a suggested retail price of only $24.95. In Canada, the event will be available on television to fight fans that subscribe to premium pay television network Super Channel.
Outside of North America, “Eubank Jr. vs. Abraham” is being distributed to broadcasters worldwide by leading boxing television rights distribution firm, Protocol Sports Marketing Ltd.
Only 27 years old, the British-born Eubank Jr. (24-1, 19 KOs) enters the contest with less experience than Abraham but with power, a mean streak, and meaningful boxing pedigree. Eubank Jr. has won 16 of his last 17 fights by stoppage.
His father, Chris Eubank Sr. (45-5-2, 23 KOs), is a former World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight and middleweight world champion. Eubank Sr. co-trains and manages his son, in addition to being an idiosyncratic presence in and around his son’s fights, and the British fight scene.
A former Interim World Boxing Association (WBA) Middleweight World Champion, Eubank Jr. captured the IBO title this past February, stopping Renold Quinlan (11-1, 7 KOs) in the 10thround. His July 15th fight versus Abraham will mark the confident young champion’s first IBO title defense.
“Abraham is a strong, come forward fighter,” Eubank Jr. said, “but he’s one-dimensional. He’s very good in that one dimension, but a one-dimensional fighter cannot beat me. I see a lot of holes in his game and I’m going to exploit those holes ruthlessly.”
The IBO No. 1 rated Abraham (46-5, 30 KOs) fights out of Berlin, Germany. “King” Arthur is a two-time WBO super middleweight world champion, as well as a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) middleweight world champion. The powerful Armenian has a sensational 18-4 (9 KOs) record in world championships, 7-4 (4 KOs) against former or current world champions. Noted victims during his 17-year professional career reads like a Who’s Who of Boxing in the 160- and 168-pound divisions, including world champions Raul Marquez, Hector Javier Velazco, Jermain Taylor, Robert Stieglitz thrice, and Giovanni De Carolis. Abraham has also defeated world-class opponents such as Martin Murray, Paul Smith twice, Lajuan Simon, Edison Miranda twice, Khoren Gevor, Sebastian Demers, Kofi Jantuah, Kingsley Ikeke, Robin Krasniqi and Howard Eastman.
Four of Abraham’s five career losses have been to world champions Carl Froch, Andre Ward, Stieglitz and Gilberto Ramirez. Stieglitz is the only opponent to stop Abraham, who has won 10 of his last 11 fights, the most recent a 12-round unanimous decision win over Krasniqi (46-4, 17 KOs) this past April in Germany.
“I will make sure that I’m in top shape and ready to secure a great victory,” Abraham remarked. “I know Chris Eubank, Jr. is a good fighter, like his dad. I’m expecting a tough fight, but I am confident I will beat him.”
Also airing live is the 12-round International Boxing Federation (IBF) Featherweight World Championship match as popular Welshman “Lightning” Lee Selby (24-1, 9 KOs) makes his third defense of the title he captured May 30, 2015, when he won an eighth-round technical decision over previously unbeaten Evgeny Gradovich (19-0-1, 9 KOs).
Selby will be challenged by former WBA Featherweight World Champion Jonathan Victor “Yoni” Barros (41-4-1, 22 KOs), of Argentina, who is the IBF No. 1 contender.
Additional PPV fights will soon be announced.
 
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @IntegratedPPV, @SuperChannel

Ringstar Sports Rising Stars Return to Action Sunday, July 30 as 2016 Lithuanian Olympian Eimantas Stanionis Battles Eridanni Leon & Unbeaten Prospect Money Powell IV Takes on Carlos Lozano from Rabobank Theater in Bakersfield, California

 
Plus! The Pro Debut of Jose Balderas & Nigerian Amateur Standouts Efe Ajagba & Wesley Apochi in Undercard Attractions
 
Tickets on Sale Tomorrow!
 
BAKERSFIELD, CALIF. (June 29, 2017) – An exciting afternoon of undercard action onSunday, July 30 will be highlighted by a pair of Ringstar Sports rising prospects as 2016 Lithuanian Olympian Eimantas Stanionis (1-0, 1 KO) meets Eridanni Leon (5-2, 1 KO) in a six-round welterweight clash while unbeaten Money Powell IV (2-0, 2 KOs) battles Carlo Lozano (7-6, 4 KOs) in four-rounds of welterweight action from Rabobank Theater in Bakersfield, California.
The July 30 event is headlined by the return of former world champion Victor Ortiz battling Mexico’s Saul Corral in welterweight action. PBC on FS1 and FOX Deportes coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will feature super welterweight contender Justin DeLoach taking on former title challenger Fernando Guerrero plus 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas in his second pro fight.
Additional undercard action will feature a trio of young fighters making their pro debuts. Jose Balderas, brother of U.S. Olympian Karlos, will make his pro debut in a four-round bantamweight bout, 2016 Nigerian Olympian Efe Ajagba will compete in six rounds of heavyweight action against Tyrell Herndon (6-1, 2 KOs) and Wesley Apochi will step into the ring in a six-round cruiserweight attraction.
Sunday, July 30 will be a great opportunity for fans in Southern California to get a glimpse of the future of the sport,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO and Chairman of Ringstar Sports. “In addition to Karlos Balderas competing on the FS1 and FOX Deportes portion of the card, fans will get another look at the power of Eimantas Stanionis and the skills of Money Powell IV on their way to future stardom. Fans are going to want to show up early and catch all of the fights on July 30.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports, are priced at $80, $45 and $30 and are on sale Friday, June 30 for purchase online at AXS.com.
An accomplished amateur representing Kaunas, Lithuania, Stanionis is looking to become the next Eastern European fighter to make a splash in the U.S. The 22-year-old had a 141-19 record as an amateur and earned four senior national championships before winning gold at the European Olympic Qualifier to earn his trip to the 2016 Games. A gold medalist at welterweight at the 2015 European Amateur Boxing Championships, Stanionis was impressive in his pro debut, scoring a first round TKO of Rasheed Lawal in April.
Born in Germany, where his former boxer father was stationed in the military, Powell IVdedicated himself to boxing for good when his family moved back to the U.S. in 2011. The 19-year-old has quickly made a name for himself since then, winning the 2016 Youth Welterweight National Championship to earn the top ranking in the 152-pound division by USA Boxing. Fighting out of Fort Mitchell, on the state line of Alabama and Georgia, Powell made his pro debut with a first round knockout in April and followed it up with another first round stoppage in June.
Balderas made his name by winning numerous tournaments in the Southern California amateur boxing circuit while racking up an impressive 80 victories in 88 fights. In addition, the bantamweight won a National Golden Gloves title in 2013, a Junior Golden Gloves championship, two Adidas National tournaments, a National PAL title and two Junior Olympic tournaments. Jose also advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Olympic trials. Although he is a year older, Jose waited until his brother’s Olympic journey had finished to turn pro so that the two could enter the professional ranks in the same year.
The 23-year-old Ajagba is set to turn pro after beating the odds and making the 2016 Rio Olympics to represent his native Nigeria. Although he lost in the quarterfinals, Ajagba made a splash by delivering a highlight reel knockout in his opening bout against Trinidad and Tobago. The fighter known as “King Kong” also won an African games gold medal during his impressive amateur career.
Orogun, Nigeria’s Apochi was once the captain of his country’s national boxing team, a testament to how far he came since a surprising second place finish in the 2011 Africa Games. The 29-year-old represented Nigeria at the 2013 World Championships before earning a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in 2014.
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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Ringstar, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/RingstarSports andwww.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Highlights available at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions.PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Queens Wrestling attracts 19 students from 9 states to launch new program.

The Queens University of Charlotte Wrestling Program was started in April with the hiring of U.S. Olympian Ken Chertow. Chertow is a 3x All-American at Penn State and coached at Ohio State and Penn State while also developing and coaching his Gold Medal Training Camp System.

Today Chertow announced his initial recruiting class of nineteen student-athletes from 9 different states – NC, PA, VA, MD, SC, GA, FL, NY and CA.

The Queens Wrestling Team will get together for the first time Sunday, July 2 when they host the Gold Medal Training Camp at Queens July 2-6 as the team will be on campus serving as counselors.

The initial Queens Wrestling recruiting class of 2017 is led by high school All-American Noah Curreri from New York. Noah is a Flo Nationals All American, NY State Finalist and 2x NY State Placewinner with a career record of 133-26.

The Queens recruiting class includes six home state North Carolina wrestlers including two 2X North Carolina State Champions Anthony Toineeta from Cherokee High School and Marcelino Aponte from Jack Britt High School. Another 2x State Champion is Maryland’s Nathan Gainey who is a 3X state finalist and a 2X State Champion from Odenton, MD. Gainey finished his high school career with a record of 139-16.

Below is a breakdown of the entire Queens Roster in weight class order.  

125
Noah Gilbert is a 3x State Placewinner from East Burke HS in Hildebran, NC. Gilbert finished his season with a 49-1 record and finished his career 192-24 making him the record holder for all time wins in Burke County. Gilbert graduated with a 3.5 GPA and is the male athlete of the year at East Burke HS.

Melvin Rubio is a 2x North Carolina State Placewinner at Enka High School.

Alessandro Araujo is a 2x Georgia State Qualifier and transfer student from Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Noah Stoltzfus is a Pennsylvania regional qualifier from Middletown High School.

Nathan Gainey is a 2x Maryland State Champion.

133
Milton Jackson is a North Carolina State Qualifier from Mallard Creek HS with 138 career wins. He was awarded the Senior Male Outstanding Athlete Award winner and won the Excellence Award from Hendricks Lexus Dealership.

Devin Hayes is a California State Qualifier.

141
Daniel Goodwin is a 2x Virginia State Placewinner from Chesapeake, VA with a 4.0 GPA.

Stephon Haliburton is a Florida State Qualifier.

149
Drake Cable is a 2x North Carolina State Placewinner for Robbinsville High School.

Karson Ayres is a California State Qualifier from Fountain Valley, California. He is a 4x league champion and 2x CIF champion.

157
Mack Barnett is a transfer student from Suffolk County Community College in New York.

Steven Hamilton is a South Carolina State Placewinnner from Fort Mill High School.

165
Anthony Toineeta is a 2x North Carolina State Champion from Cherokee High School.

174
Noah Curreri is a Flo Nationals All-American and 2x State Placewinner from New York.

184
Jake Balmas is a North Carolina State Placewinner from Stanfield, NC. Balmas also excels in the Olympic Styles and is a 2x Freestyle state finalist and 3x Greco-Roman state finalist.

197
Benjie Hund is from Marvin Ridge High School near Charlotte.

 286
Jacob Marin is 2017 Florida State Champion at Heavyweight. Jacob finished this year at Wakulla High School with a record of 37-1. Jacob will also be playing Rugby at Queens.

In addition to these 19 wrestlers, the Queens Coaching Staff joining Chertow will include many outstanding coaches including:
-NCAA All-American and Rutgers graduate Tom Tanis
-NCAA All-American and Pitt graduate Zac Thomassueit
-North Carolina State Champion Rob Tate.
-VP of High Point IST Solutions Tim Hennessey
-UNC Chapel Hill graduate and Showmars VP Zach Zitsos
-2x Academic All-American at University of Wisconsin Whitewater Tom Trieloff
-Campbell graduate Paul Renaud,
-Gardner Webb graduate Alex Ventura.

Coach Tanis and Coach Hennessey will also continue to teach at the C2X Commitment to Excellence Wrestling Club in Fort Mill, SC.

Queens will host the Gold Medal Training Camp July 2-6 and the entire staff and team will be joining Coach Chertow and the campers. The team members will be serving as counselors creating a very personalized and beneficial experience.

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Welterweight Jamal James Battles Former Title Challenger Jo Jo Dan in Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 & FOX Deportes Action Saturday, July 15 from NYCB LIVE’s Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island

 
Plus! Unbeaten Prospect Brandon Figueroa Faces Eliezer Aquino in Bantamweight Matchup
 
Coverage Begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT Following
PBC on FOX & FOX Deportes Telecast
 
LONG ISLAND, NY (June 29, 2017) – Once-beaten welterweight Jamal James (20-1, 9 KOs) will meet former title challenger Jo Jo Dan (36-4, 19 KOs) in a 10-round showdown featured on Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes Saturday, July 15 at the newly-renovated NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Televised coverage on FS1 begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, immediately following the PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes show headlined by a welterweight brawl between former world champions Omar Figueroa and Robert Guerrero.
The FS1 show will also see unbeaten prospect Brandon Figueroa (12-0, 8 KOs) competing on his older brother Omar’s undercard as he takes on Eliezer Aquino (19-2-1, 13 KOs) in an eight-round bantamweight attraction.
“I’m excited to be able to get back in the ring on July 15,” said James. “I’m grateful to have the team that I have so that I could fight on this great card in Long Island on FS1 and FOX Deportes. I’ve been training hard and I’m hungry and anxious to get back in the ring and show off my skills.”
“I am back at welterweight for my fight on July 15 and I plan on putting on a good performance so that I can get back in the mix for a world title shot,” said Dan. “I am having a great training camp at the Grant brothers’ gym in Montreal and I’ll be in top shape on fight night. My team and I are thrilled to be part of this event that brings big-time boxing back to Long Island.”
Televised coverage on FOX and FOX Deportes begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and also features unbeaten light heavyweights Marcus Browne and Seanie Monaghan in a 10-round bout and a showdown between Polish heavyweights Artur Szpilka and Adam Kownacki.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $50 (not including applicable fees) and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visitingwww.ticketmaster.com, www.nycblive.com, or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Ticketmaster Box Office at NYCB LIVE. Group discounts are available by calling 516-231-4848.
A tall welterweight at 6’2″, James looks to bounce back after a decision loss to Yordenis Ugas last August in which the 28-year-old accepted the fight on less than a week’s notice. Fighting out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, James was unbeaten in his first 20 fights as a pro including impressive victories over Javier Molina and Wale Omotoso that began his 2016 campaign.
Born in Romania, Dan fights out of Quebec, Canada and has picked up victories in two of his three stateside fights. A pro since 2004, Dan was unbeaten in his first 26 professional starts. He owns two impressive victories over Canadian rival Kevin Bizier and challenged Kell Brook for his welterweight title in 2015. Dan fought twice at 154-pounds, including a challenge of now world champion Jarrett Hurd, before moving back down in weight and scoring a fifth-round stoppage of Jesus Gurrola in March.
The 20-year-old Brandon Figueroa turned pro in May of 2015 by defeating Hector Gutierrez and followed that up by stopping Ricardo Mena, Ramiro Ruiz and Francisco Muro to close out the year. The Weslaco-native stayed busy in 2016, picking up six victories, including five by way of stoppage before starting 2017 with a fourth-round stoppage of Raul Chirino in February and an eight-round decision of Luis Saavedra in May. On July 15 he will fight on the undercard of his brother Omar for the third time.
Fighting out of Higuey, Dominican Republic, Aquino has fought professionally since 2007 and was unbeaten in his first 18 pro bouts. The 30-year-old has previously fought twice in the U.S. heading into this showdown on July 15. Aquino enters this bout having won his last two bouts by way of stoppage.
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Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.comhttp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepagewww.foxdeportes.comwww.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @FS1, @FOXDeportes @LouDiBella, @NYCBLive and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionswww.facebook.com/foxsports andwww.facebook.com/foxdeportes.www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment,www.Facebook.com/NYCBLive. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.BROOKLYN BOXING on Long Island is an extension of BSE’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ brand. For more information, visit brooklynboxingshop.com.
 

M-1 Global returns to Finland for first time in 9 years

 

M-1 Challenge 82, August 5, in Helsinki

Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland
Home for M-1 Challenge 82
SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (June 28, 2017) – M-1 Global, one of the largest mixed-martial-arts organizations in the world, has announced its return to Finland for the first time in nine years, August 5, as top fighters from Finland, Russia, America and across Europe will compete in M-1 Challenge 82.
M-1 Challenge 82 will be streamed live from Helsinki, Finland in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
Hartwall Arena, the largest ice hockey arena in Finland, will host M-1 Challenge 82. The famous venue seats between 12,000 and 15,000 spectators, pending the event, and it has hosted the 1997, 2003 and 2012 World Ice Hockey Championships.
Past M-1 Challenge events have featured leading Finnish fighters over the years such as Marcus “Caveman” Vanttinen (pictured on left), Juha-Pekka Vainikainen, Niko Puhakka, Janne Tulirinta, Toni Valtonen and Lucio “Spartan” Linares. Some of these fighters will be competingAugust 5 at M-1 Challenge 82.
M-1 Global’s newest signed fighter, Vanttinen (24-6-0, M-1: 2-2-0), is a veteran member of the Team Finland. The 29-year-old Vanttinen faces Russian light heavyweight prospect Mikhail Ragozin (8-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0) at M-1 Challenge 82 main event.
Mikael “Hulk” Silander (16-5-0, M-1:0-0-0), 31, has an appropriate nickname. Powerfully built and possessing explosive physical force, he puts pressure on his rivals from the first second of the battle, using his grappling skills to his full advantage. Having won 15 of his 20 fights, Silander is matched against M-1 Challenge title challenger Viali Branchuk (22-6-0, M-1: 2-2-0), of Ukraine,
Finnish fan-favorite Janne “Jamba” Elonen-Kulmala (15-5-0, M-1: 0-0-0) makes his M-1 Global debut versus Brazilian bantamweight Heliton dos Santos (15-6-0, M-1: 0-1-0). Elonen-Kulmala will be fighting in front of his hometown fans in Helsinki.
Valtonen (27-15-0, M-1: 6-2-0) returns to M-1 action against Ukrainian heavyweight Boris “Bora” Polezhay(16-6-0, M-1: 1-1-0. Valtonen has been an MMA fighter for 14 years and for much of that time-period he has been one of the stars of Finnish MMA-promotion, Fight Festival, which was successful at the 2009 M-1 World Championship Challenge. Valtonen fought in KSW and Shooto competitions. Another Helsinki native on the M-1 Challenge 82, Valtonen figures to have tremendous support at Hartwell Arena.
Son Le “Buddah” Binh (5-2-0, M-1: 1-1-0), 28, lives and trains in Gothenburg, representing the Finnish team, East Front. The 28-year-old first competed in MMA competition only five years ago, but he has since had a total of eight amateur and professional fights. Although relatively inexperienced, his strong performances have resulted in him being Sweden’s No. 3 ranked bantamweight.
Binh is always in great physical shape and he has very good stamina. All eight of his fights went the distance but none were boring. In a contest against another Swedish prospect, Bilal Musa, Bing fractured his leg at the beginning of the second round, yet fought through the paid to earn victory by way of a three-round decision. In his very interesting M-1 debut against Emin Guseyov, who has an excellent strike technique. Binh used his wrestling and grappling skills, which he was taught by coach Babak Nejad, who also trains UFC star Anthony Johnson, to win a three-round decision.
      
Negotiations with several other leading fighters in Finland are also being concluded and their fights against foreign fighters will be announced shortly. Fighters from the United States, Brazil, France, Portugal, Sweden, Russia, Ukraine and Poland are also expected to compete on the M-1 Challenge 82 event.
INFORMATION:

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
 
M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
 
M-1 Challenge 81: July 22, 2017 in Ingushetia, Russia
M-1 Challenge 82: August 5, 2017 in Helsinki, Finland

LFA HEADS TO NORTH CAROLINA WITH INAUGURAL LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT

 
LFA 17 – MOISÉS vs. WATLEY

MAIN EVENT:
 
RFA LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION
THIAGO MOISÉS
vs.
REGIONAL KINGPIN
ROBERT WATLEY
 
LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
 
 
CO-MAIN EVENT:
 
“THE FUTURE”
DYLAN CALA
vs.
NCAA DIVISION I WRESTLER
TONY GRAVELY
 
FEATHERWEIGHT REMATCH
 
 
PLUS:
UNDEFEATED
NATHAN “MAYHEM” MANESS
and
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT WAR
ALEXA CONNERS vs. TALITA DE OLIVEIRA
 
 
FRIDAY, JULY 21tst LIVE on AXS TV
GRADY COLE CENTER in CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA
Tickets are on sale NOW through CrownTickets.com 
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will crown its inaugural lightweight champion in July when the promotion makes its first visit to North Carolina.
The main event of LFA 17 will feature the inaugural LFA lightweight world title fight between the final RFA lightweight champion Thiago Moisés and regional kingpin Robert Watley . LFA 17 – Moisés vs. Watley takes place Friday, July 21st at the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“LFA will crown its first lightweight champion at LFA 17 in North Carolina,” stated Soares. “Thiago Moisés is one of the most dominant champions in RFA history and Robert Watley has won multiple regional titles on the east coast. I am excited to see these two proud champions face off for the inaugural LFA lightweight title on July 21st.”
Tickets for LFA 17 – Moisés vs. Watley are available for purchase NOW. You can support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets through CrownTickets.com and selecting their name at checkout.
Moisés (9-1) is one of the most dominant champions in RFA history. This is a promotion that has sent champions such as Sergio Pettis, Pedro Munhoz, and Brian Ortega to the UFC. The 22-year-old Brazilian dominated in all four of his RFA fights, but his title winning performance at RFA 35 is perhaps the most memorable. Moisés utilized an ultra-rare Helicopter Armbar to submit David Castillo to capture the vacant title. Highlights of the submission went viral and he was subsequently nominated for “Submission of the Year” at the annual World MMA Awards in Las Vegas. Moisés then defended his title twice and was featured on Dana White: Lookin’ For A Fight during his first title defense. He is now looking to add the inaugural LFA lightweight title to his ever-growing list of accomplishments.
Watley (7-1) is widely considered the top lightweight prospect on the east coast. The Maryland native is currently riding a seven-fight win streak that has wreaked havoc along the eastern seaboard to the point that movie buffs are now looking to amend the famous quote from Wedding Crashers: “Crabcakes, Football, and MMA. That’s what Maryland does!” Watley is looking to win a third MMA title in four consecutive title fights. However, this will be the most prestigious title that he has vied for and he sees the LFA title as his proof that he his the undisputed top lightweight prospect in the sport. The surging Baltimore battering ram put the “harm” in Charm City and now looks to do the same further south as he heads to North Carolina to fight for the inaugural LFA lightweight tile.
The co-main event of LFA 17 will feature a heated border war and long-awaited rematch between top bantamweight prospects from North Carolina and Virginia, when Dylan Cala (5-1) looks to avenge the lone loss on his record against longtime rival Tony Gravely (9-4).  Cala is a highly-touted prospect from “The Tar Heel State”. He is looking to defend his home turf and even the score against the only man to defeat him. That man would be Gravely, who is an NCAA Division I wrestler who grew up just north of the border in Virginia.
In the women’s bantamweight division, Alexa Conners (4-1) returns to the LFA Octagon after an exciting and triumphant performance at LFA 8. That bout served as the first televised MMA fight to take place in her home state of South Carolina. The 26-year-old now heads north of the border where she will welcome one of Brazil’s top female prospects to the Carolinas.
Talita de Oliveira (5-1) has competed five times in her native Brazil and once in Europe. Her most recent bout was a first round win in Poland, which took place one day after Conners’ most recent bout at LFA 8. The 30-year-old Brazilian submission expert is now set to make her North American debut against one of the division’s top American prospects as she faces Conners at LFA 17.
LFA 17 will also feature the promotional debut of Nathan “Mayhem” Maness (8-0), who is one of the top bantamweight prospects in the country. The 25-year-old regional champion is widely considered one of the south’s most promising talents. After the first two opponents he signed on to face withdrew due to various reasons, the third scheduled opponent is expected to be named soon.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Lightweight Title Bout (155 lb)
– Thiago Moisés (9-1) vs. Robert Watley (7-1)
Co-Main Event | Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Dylan Cala (5-1) vs. Tony Gravely (9-4)
Women’s Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Alexa Conners (4-1) vs. Talita de Oliveira (5-1)
Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Nathan Maness (8-0) vs. TBD
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 17 will serve as the second LFA event to take place on the east coast. It will also be the first time that the LFA has traveled to “The Tar Heel State” of North Carolina before or after the merger. Further information about LFA 17 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 17 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
About LFA:
LFA is a professional Mixed Martial Arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. LFA was formed by the powerhouse merger between RFA and Legacy FC. LFA presents live Mixed Martial Arts events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, and Houston. LFA can be seen live in over 48 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Houston, TX,  LFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV FIGHTS:
AXS TV Fights presents more LIVE mixed martial arts and kickboxing events than any other television network with 45 scheduled LIVE world-class fight cards in 2017 Friday nights at 9pE/6pP. AXS TV Fights can be found online, on Facebook and on Twitter. AXS TV is widely distributed in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Sling TV, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite, telco and streaming providers. The network is also carried in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

‘SMOOTH’ BENSON HENDERSON RETURNS TO FACE PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ AT BELLATOR 183 ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 IN SAN JOSE

PLUS, THE DEBUT OF ROY ‘BIG COUNTRY’ NELSON VS. JAVY AYALA IN HEAVYWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT

 

ALSO, BELLATOR KICKBOXING 7 HEADLINED BY WELTERWEIGHT TITLE BOUT BETWEEN CHAMP KARIM GHAJJI AND

RAYMOND DANIELS

LOS ANGELES – Bellator returns home to SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, September 23 for Bellator 183 and Bellator Kickboxing 7, which features the return of former world champ “Smooth” Benson Henderson (24-7) taking on the always-dangerous Patricky “Pitbull” (17-8), while current Bellator welterweight kickboxing champ Karim Ghajji (97-13-1) defends his title against the flashy Raymond Daniels (11-3).

In addition, Bellator 183: Henderson vs. Pitbull will also feature the promotional debut of Roy “Big Country” Nelson (23-14) who meets California’s own Javy “Eye Candy” Ayala (10-5) in an explosive heavyweight showdown. Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

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. Tickets for the event go on sale Thursday, June 29 at 10:00 a.m. PST and are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Following what many considered to be 2016’s “Fight of the Year” against Michael Chandler, Henderson took time off to deal with nagging injuries. Now, the 33-year-old is back to 100-percent and ready to take on the other “Pitbull” brother, following a victory against Bellator’s current featherweight champion Patricio “Pitbull”at Bellator 160 in August of last year. With wins against Nate Diaz, Donald Cerrone, Frankie Edgar, Gilbert Melendez and Jorge Masvidal already in his nearly 11 years as a professional, “Smooth” is healthy again and looking for another championship run in his already-impressive career.

Patricky “Pitbull” comes into this bout seeking revenge against Henderson following his TKO win over younger brother, Patricio. The Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil product steps inside the Bellator cage for the18th time in his professional career and will be looking to build on an impressive start to his 2017 campaign. Having won seven of his last 10 bouts, including a second-round finish of Josh Thomson at Bellator 172 in February, the 31-year-old has seen 11 of his 12 career finishes come by way of knockout.

The inaugural Bellator welterweight kickboxing champion, Ghajji, traded victories with Zoltan Laszak on his road to meeting Daniels on September 23. The 36-year-old, known to many by the nickname “Gadjetboy,” will be making his fifth appearance under the Bellator Kickboxing umbrella, and will look to successfully defend his title for the first time since reclaiming the belt in April at Bellator Kickboxing 6 in Hungary.

Hailing from Los Angeles, Daniels will bring his aggressive, one-of-a-kind karate style to Northern California for the first time since debuting with Bellator last year. Undefeated with the promotion — earning three stoppages in four outings — “The Real Deal” will look to punish the body of Ghajji when Daniels competes to claim his first world kickboxing title.

Fighting out of Las Vegas, Nelson makes his Bellator debut following an eight-year, 19-fight run with UFC that saw him earn wins over Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, “Bigfoot” Silva and Cheick Kongo. With 19 of his 22 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, “Big Country” is ready to make his return to Spike, where he memorably defeated the late Kimbo Slice and later went on to win season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter.

Ayala will enter the Bellator cage against Nelson looking for another shocking upset following his last outing against Sergei Kharitonov at Bellator 163, where Ayala stole the show against Kharitonov by stopping the Russian heavyweight with a powerful punch a mere 16-seconds into the first round. Now, given the opportunity to formally welcome Nelson to the Bellator fray, “Eye Candy” is looking to stun the crowd once again and firmly establish himself as a threat to the entire heavyweight division. With all five of Ayala’s wins in Bellator coming by way of stoppage, the matchup with Nelson is sure to produce fireworks.

 

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)

 

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)

****

 

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.

Robert Easter vs. Denis Shafikov Final Press Conference  Quotes & Photos

 
Premier Boxing Champions on Bounce this Friday, June 30 from Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
 
Click HERE for Photos from De’Aris Ferguson/About Billions
 
TOLEDO, OH. (June 28, 2017) – Unbeaten lightweight world champion Robert Easter and top contender Denis Shafikov discussed their world title showdown with media Wednesday in advance of their bout that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on Bounce this Friday, June 30 from the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio.
Televised coverage on Bounce begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features super welterweight contender Julian Williams taking on once-beaten Joshua Conley. Both fighters were also in attendance Wednesday to discuss their 154-pound matchup.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by About Billions Promotions in association with Warriors Boxing, are priced at $225 $125, $100, $75, $55 and $35, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from the Huntingon Center:
ROBERT EASTER
“We’ve had a real tough camp. Every day I’ve been pushed by team and I thank them for that. They put me in the position that I need to be in.
“I understand that Shafikov is a really tough fighter. They’ve always said the guy in front of me is tough. I’m not here to talk about all the close fights he’s almost won. I will be the first man to stop him.
“Where I come from, we don’t play games. Especially when it comes to somebody taking something from us. We’re not going to let that happen.
“I’m thankful for everyone that came out here and everyone who helped put this great card together. I’m just excited to get there in the ring and stand next to him.
“I have an advantage in reach, but Shafikov is a tough opponent who’s coming to fight. I’m going to show-off my skills and be the first to stop him.
“I just have to be me. If you’ve ever seen me fight, you can see that I always stay composed. You’ll see the same thing in the ring on Friday.
“When you get in that ring, it’s only me and him. These great fans can’t help me, only my fists. I’m focused on taking control of the fight. I know how to adjust and be a professional in there if I have to.
“It’s been eight tough weeks of training camp and I can’t wait to have this beautiful city behind me. On June 30, it’ll be man down!”
DENIS SHAFIKOV
“I believe that this is my time. It’s my third title fight and this will be the time that I take home the belt and reach my dream.
“I give 100 percent every time I step into the ring. I know that this will be an exciting fight but I also know that I have to do whatever it takes to win the title.
“I’ve been able to bounce back after my last two title defeats and make myself a better fighter each time. You will see that on Friday night and I will be victorious.”
JULIAN WILLIAMS
“I appreciate everyone coming out to support the fight. This is really a great card. I watch Robert a lot on television and I can see that the fans here are really supporting him. I’m looking forward to an excited crowd.
“Joshua Conley and myself will put on a really good fight, and I expect to come out on top and get back in that win column.
“I’m ready to challenge anybody in the division and I’m going to show that I’m back on the right track this Friday night.”
JOSHUA CONLEY
“I’ve put in the hard work during camp to get a big victory and put myself on the map in the 154-pound division.
“I know that I’m fighting a really good fighter. This is my opportunity and if I knock Julian Williams out, I’ll be right in the mix with the best super welterweights in the world.”
#  #  #
Premier Boxing Champions on Bounce will be available to be streamed via via Bounce’s new subscription-video-on-demand service Brown Sugar, which features an extensive and one-of-a-kind library of iconic black movies as well as Bounce original programming and series. The new service is available for mobile phones and tablets in the Google Play Store and iTunes App Store as well as for Amazon Kindle Fire tablets in the Amazon Appstore and for computers at www.BrownSugar.com. There is a free initial trial period for subscribers with a retail price of $3.99/month thereafter. Brown Sugar has Google Chromecast capabilities which allow video to play on televisions directly from mobile devices available for consumers with Android and iOS devices.
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter@PremierBoxing, @RobertEaster_Jr, @BounceTV, and @Swanson_Comm and follow the conversation using #PBConBounce, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.Facebook.com/BounceTV. PBC on Bounce is sponsored by Corona: La Cerveza Mas Fina.
Bounce is the fastest-growing African-American (AA) network on television and airs on the broadcast signals of local television stations and corresponding cable carriage. The network features a programming mix of original and off-network series, theatrical motion pictures, specials, live sports and more.  Bounce has grown to be available in more than 94 million homes across the United States and 93% of all African American television homes, including all of the top AA television markets.  Among the founders of Bounce are iconic American figures Martin Luther King, III and Ambassador Andrew Young.
For local channel location, visit BounceTV.com.

Top featherweight prospect Toka Kahn-Clary Back where he belongs, climbing higher

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PROVIDENCE, RI (June 28. 2017) – Last Saturday night in Louisville, Kentucky, featherweight prospect Toka “T Nice” Kahn-Clary (22-1, 15 KOs) stole the show fighting in his promotional debut for Hall-of-Famer Evander Holyfield‘s Real Deal Sports & Management, putting on a boxing clinic to earn a one-sided eight-round decision over determined Dominican Angel “El Gato” Luna (11-3, 6 KOs).
The Liberia-born Toka-Kahn, fighting out of Providence, RI, fought on national television for the first time, live on CBS Sports Network Real Deal Championship Boxing series co-feature, at Freedom Hall as part of six-week “I Am Ali” festival, honoring the late, great Muhammad Ali in his hometown.
Luna came out strong, never let up and forced Kahn-Clary to fight effectively backing up, something that most boxers are unable to do. Toka dropped Luna in the seventh round en route to a near shutout victory with judges’ scores of 80-72, 80-72, 79-73.
“He must have seen me get caught early in my only loss (vs. Jhon Gemino) and he tried to do that too from the opening bell,” Kahn-Clary said. “He was in great shape and very determined. I buckled him once and dropped him, but he bounced right up and kept coming forward. He applied a lot of pressure and I couldn’t back him up. I felt good and was in great shape. I got hit with a few good shots but composed myself and just boxed I showed I could take shots and keep boxing. I put my opponent down after a flurry with an uppercut, right up the middle, doing the big damage. I wanted to impress Evander, letting him know I belong in his stable, and that I want and deserve a title-fight.”
Kahn-Clary’s adviser, Seth DeRobbio, announced that Toka will return to the ring in September, also back in Louisville, fighting for an undetermined title in a 10-round bout.
“This was a perfect fight for Toka,” he remarked. “He had to fight backpedaling, which is very difficult to do successfully. His will was tested but he put on a complete boxing clinic against a very tough opponent, who came out in a blaze and kept coming forward. They had a furious exchange with about 30 seconds remaining in the seventh round. Toka dropped him in final six-seconds of the seventh round. Luna beat the count but was really saved by the bell. Another 20 seconds left in that round, or if it was a 10-round fight, Toka very well may have stopped him. He threw beautiful 5-6 punch combinations.
“It was a great fight for Toka. His previous two fights he knew his opponents were outclassed going into the fight and that he was supposed to knock them out. This fight was against a much better opponent. Toka took a few good shots but he was in top shape. The fans in Louisville really moved watching him fight. We’ll be back there in September fighting for a title to be determined.”
INFORMATION:
Twitter & Instagram: @TokaKahnClary

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