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Conor McGregor Fastest Climber On 120 Sports, MVPindex Most Valued Athletes On Social Media Of 2016
McGregor topped only by three NFL Players and Rory McIlroy, and ahead of LeBron James; Ronda Rousey in at Number 18; NFL Dominates with Nine Athletes in Top 25
January 11, 2017 (CHICAGO) – The Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson (No. 1), New York Giants Odell Beckham Jr. (No. 2) and the Houston Texans JJ Watt (No. 3) were officially named the Top 3 Most Valued Athletes in Social Media of 2016 in a ranking created in partnership between MVPindex™ and 120 Sports. UFC star Conor McGregor jumped an impressive 33 spots from last year’s index to claim the No. 5 spot in 2016, just behind golfer Rory McIlroy and ahead of Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James.
The ranking includes U.S. professional and Olympic athletes.
To determine the most valued athletes on social media this year, Chicago-based digital sports network 120 Sports collaborated with industry-leading social measurement and valuation platform MVPindex to rank athletes using a proprietary algorithm that evaluates all of their social activity throughout the past year. The ranking combines three separate scores: Reach (fans, followers, impressions), Engagement (likes, comments, shares, retweets, favorites) and Conversation (positive/negative mentions).
At 9 p.m. ET tonight, 120 Sports will reveal the full list and take a deeper look at the Top Valued Athletes in Social Media on its nightly sports show, The Rally, a two-hour, first-of-its-kind interactive prime-time highlights show exclusively on Twitter. 120 Sports uses up-to-the-moment insight from consumer trends to shape the way it produces its daily live and on-demand programming, providing real-time data on what is resonating most with sports fans.
The National Football League dominated the 2016 ranking with 9 players in the Top 25. The NBA followed with five of the Top 25 athletes. Wilson claimed the top spot for the second straight year with an overall ranking of 0.983, remaining at the center of the social spotlight this year not only for his athletic performance, but also for his recent marriage to singer Ciara.
The 120 Sports talent team will provide insights and analysis on the Top 25 list, as well as break down the top viral trends, videos and photos on social media from this past year, ranking their top 3 in a variety of categories that resonated with sports fans this year like “Best Athlete & Team Mannequin Challenge,” “Cutest Athlete’s Kid Dance,” and “Best Workout Session Video.”
“We produce and deliver sports content based on whatever is the hottest story as indicated by what is trending on social media and what sports fans are talking about on social platforms,” said Jason Coyle, president of 120 Sports. “MVPindex helps us to quantify the commanding voices and influencers on social media from the past year so we can continue to relate with our fans by showcasing the athletes that matter most to them.”
In addition, Cam Newton (No. 16), Stephen Curry (No. 11) and Antonio Brown (No. 12) all made notable double-digit climbs up from 2015.
There are five women represented on the list in 2016; Alex Morgan (No. 15), Serena Williams (No. 16), Ronda Rousey (No. 18), Hope Solo (No. 22) and Kerri Walsh Jennings (No. 25). The Seahawks, Patriots and Cavaliers all have two players each; the youngest person on the list is Beckham Jr. at 24, and the oldest is Tiger Woods at 41.
Top athletes in each sport include:
Robinson Cano (MLB)
Conor McGregor (UFC)
Russell Wilson (NFL)
Rory McIlroy (PGA TOUR)
LeBron James (NBA)
Alex Morgan (US Soccer)
Serena Williams (WTA)
Jeff Gordon (NASCAR)
Kerri Walsh Jennings (AVP)
The 2016 list reveals interesting findings including a spotlight on the growth in popularity of MMA/UFC in the past year, as both McGregor (No.5) and Ronda Rousey (No. 18) are featured in the Top 25.
“For years, the yard stick in determining social media value was based solely on the number of followers someone had. But at MVP we know that quantity does not mean quality,” said MVPindex co-founder Kyle Nelson. “With our sophisticated Engagement Value Assessment™ tool, we look at social media impressions, engagement, virality and social authority to help figure out what it’s all really worth.”
Nelson continued: “This year’s list rewarded those athletes who were able to leverage their success on the field of play to also win on social. They were able to consistently drive high levels of engagement through compelling content and authentic conversations with consumers. This not only helps build their own personal brands but also makes them the most effective ambassadors for the brands they represent.”
The Top 10 of the list is as follows:
Russell Wilson (NFL)
Odell Beckham Jr. (NFL)
J.J. Watt (NFL)
Rory McIlroy (PGA TOUR)
Conor McGregor (UFC)
LeBron James (NBA)
Tiger Woods (PGA TOUR)
Richard Sherman (NFL)
Tom Brady (NFL)
Rob Gronkowski (NFL)
To watch the full reveal of the Top 25 ranking results this evening including an additional spotlight on the Top 30 Social Athletes Under 30, visit rally.twitter.com from 9 -11 p.m. ET.
About MVPindex
Founded in 2014, MVPindex was the first social media intelligence platform to analyze athletes’ social media portfolios and calculate their digital brand value. Today, MVPindex is a comprehensive social media index and valuation platform for the sports and entertainment industries, offering real-time analytics on more than 43,000 athletes, entertainers, teams, leagues, and brands ranked across the most popular social platforms. The MVPindex Engagement Value Assessment™ (EVA) has become the de facto industry standard for calculating the monetary value of social media campaigns and properties. MVPindex clients rely on this data and insight to make strategic decisions about brand ambassadors; evaluate their partnerships; maximize sponsorships; and see what is resonating with their fans. For more information or to request a demonstration, visit www.mvpindex.com.
About 120 Sports
120 Sports is the ultimate destination for up-to-the-moment expert commentary on all trending sports topics. The digital-only broadcast network offers more than 50 hours of live and original content, plus more than 1,200 on-demand video clips, each week. Equity partners in 120 Sports include MLBAM, the NHL, the PGA TOUR, Campus Insiders, Time Inc. /Sports Illustrated, and Silver Chalice. The network’s daily live broadcasts include hosted programming delivering timely narratives of the stories across every sport, as well as breaking news, fan response, video highlights and live look-ins, all integrated with social conversation and expert analysis. The 120 Sports free app has been lauded as one of the best in class by a host of media outlets and is available in both the Google Play and Apple App Store as well as a web experience at 120Sports.com. In addition to Chromecast, 120 Sports is also available on Apple TV, as well as other distribution outlets.
GH3 PROMOTIONS FIGHTERS LEROY DAVILA, KEENAN SMITH HIGHLIGHT NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD ON FRIDAY, JAN. 20 AT BALLYS ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL AND CASINO
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A must win for Nicklow; Golden opportunity for Fields
Baltimore, MD (January 11, 2017) – When Jessie “The Beast” Nicklow enters the ring Friday evening against Chauncey Fields, he’ll do so in need of an impressive victory.
The Baltimore native has a solid 25-8-3 record with 8 knockouts and built a reputation for remarkable physical toughness. The 29-year-old however has come up short in some of his recent bouts against world class fighters including 2012 Olympic gold medalist Ryota Murata, Ronald Gavril and Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Nicklow’s undefeated when he fights in Maryland but is faced with a hungry opponent that has everything to gain.
Enter Chauncey “Grimm” Fields. Living and fighting out of Lynchburg, VA, Fields is 4-0 with 2 knockouts. On paper, some have been critical due to the experience gap however Fields’ first four fights were six rounders and he sees the opportunity as a way to better his career sooner than later.
“This is an interesting fight because Jessie needs this win to remain a contender and Chauncey wants to make a name for himself at an early stage of his career,” said Jake Smith. “The winner will definitely move onto bigger things and both guys understand the importance of this fight.”
The eight round super middleweight contest headlines a Jake Smith’s Baltimore Pro Boxing pro-am card dubbed as “Scary Night at the Fights” live from Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD. Tickets from $50 are on sale by logging onto Baltimoreboxing.com or calling 410-375-9175.
In the co-main event, Baltimore’s “Dangerous” Donald Wallace looks to go 2-0 when he faces fellow unbeaten Tahir Thomas (4-0-1, 3 KO’s), of Salisbury, MD over six rounds. Wallace turned pro last year with a first round knockout while Thomas most recently drew with 10-0 Antowyan Aikens.
Undercard bouts include four rounders featuring Roger Caruso and Lamont White, Ernest Hall against Cleveland Hemphill and Gary Hudson vs Marvin Johnson.
There will also be an amateur portion of the card, topped by a heavyweight title rematch between Brian “Bam Bam” Haneschlager and Dallas Butts and Baltimore Boxing is running a 50/50 along with a silent auction to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
For more information, visit Baltimoreboxing.com.
Selina Barrios to Make Pro Debut Jan, 21 in San Antonio
STACKED FIGHT CARD OPENS THE YEAR FOR NEF IN LEWISTON
Lewiston, Maine (January 11, 2017) –New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on February 11, 2017 with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 27: RESURGENCE.” Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the full card for the event. The night will feature both amateur and professional MMA bouts.
Headlining the evening will be the semi-finals of the tournament to crown a new professional lightweight champion. The title was vacated when previous champion Devin Powell (8-1) signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Ryan Sanders (12-8) will take on John Ortolani (8-10) while Jon Lemke (5-7) faces Jesse Erickson (9-5) in a rematch from Bellator 93. The winners of those two bouts will meet in the finals tentatively scheduled for “NEF 28” later this year.
In a highly-anticipated heavyweight bout, Ras Hylton (0-0) will make his professional debut against Mike Hansen (5-4). The 6’6″ Hylton, or “Rasquatch” as he is known amongst his fans, was voted the “2016 Rookie of the Year” by NEF fans after going 3-0 as an amateur. Hansen was a Maine state wrestling champion for Mountain Valley High School (MVHS), and he has developed quite a reputation for downing larger opponents on both the mats and the MMA cage. Hansen was the recipient of the “2016 Submission of the Year” award.
Speaking of 2016 award winners, the “Fighter of the Year,” featherweight prospect Aaron Lacey (4-0), will look for his fifth consecutive victory in less than a year when he meets Florida’s Chris Jacobs (1-0). Jacobs put together an impressive 8-3 record as an amateur, winning regional titles along the way.
The amateur card will feature a bout for the light-heavyweight strap as Ryan Glover (3-1) defends against Victor Irwin (2-0). Glover has held the title since last February. Both Glover and Irwin were Maine state wrestling champions – Glover with MVHS and Irwin with Brewer High School.
Also scheduled on the amateur card are no less than three women’s bouts. Angela Young (1-2), who put on multiple “Fight of the Night” performances in 2016, returns to face New Hampshire’s Christine Brothwell (0-2). Young’s teammate, Katie Baker (0-0), will make her in-cage debut against another tough competitor from the Granite State in the form of Alex Walker (2-1), while Sarah Ziehm makes her debut against Nicole Burgess (0-1).
The full “NEF 27: RESURGENCE” fight card (subject to change):
PROFESSIONAL
235 Mike Hansen 5-4 (Berserkers MMA) vs Ras Hylton 0-0 (First Class MMA)
160 Matt Denning 3-5 (CMBJJ) vs Ricky Dexter 0-0 (Team Irish)
155 Ryan Sanders 12-8 (Young’s MMA) vs John Ortolani 8-10 (South Tampa Jiu-Jitsu & MMA)
155 Jesse Erickson 9-5 (CMBJJ) vs Jon Lemke 5-7 (Team Irish)
145 Aaron Lacey 4-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Chris Jacobs 1-0 (Pete White Boxing & MMA)
145 Josh Harvey 2-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Richie Collingham 3-3 (Lakes Region Vale Tudo)
135 Elias Leland 2-2 (The Academy) vs Nick Santos 0-4 (Team Fury)
AMATEUR
205*TITLE Ryan Glover 3-1 (Berserkers MMA) (c) vs Victor Irwin 2-0 (Young’s MMA)
205 Zeal McGrew 1-1 (Redline) vs Pete Grinnel 0-0 (Lawton BJJ)
185 Jon Tefft 0-0 (First Class MMA) vs Sean Worcester 0-1 (Independent)
155 Devin Corson 0-0 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Winston Cortez 0-0 (S. Tampa Jiu-Jitsu & MMA)
155 Ross Dannar 0-1 (Nostos) vs Phil Chason 0-0 (The Academy)
155 Ken Dunn 0-4 (Independent) vs Corey Hinkley 2-4 (CMBJJ)
145 Jacob Deppmeyer 0-0 (First Class MMA) vs Frank Johanson 1-2 (CMBJJ)
140 Henry Clark 3-1 (Choi Institute) vs Alex Clark 3-2 (Young’s MMA)
135 Michael Crespo 3-2 (First Class MMA) vs Fred Lear 4-2 (Young’s MMA)
135 Walt Shea 1-0 (First Class MMA) vs Alan Bustamante 0-0 (South Tampa Jiu-Jitsu & MMA)
125 Jeremiah Barkac 0-0 (Independent) vs James Ploss 0-0 (Kaze Dojo)
125 Ryan Burgess 2-1 (Berserkers MMA) vs Justin Witham 2-4 (Shatterproof Combat Club)
125 Angela Young 1-2 (Young’s MMA) vs Christine Brothwell 0-2 (Bucket Brigade)
115 Nicole Burgess 0-1 (Berserkers MMA) vs Sarah Ziehm 0-0 (CMBJJ)
115 Katie Baker 0-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Alex Walker 2-1 (Kaze Dojo)
NEF’s next event, “NEF 27: RESURGENCE” takes place on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.
For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
Leo Santa Cruz, Dejan Zlaticanin & Mikey Garcia Los Angeles Media Workout Quotes & Photos
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FANS INVITED TO JOIN ROYCE GRACIE, SAKURABA, WANDERLEI SILVA, MATT MITRIONE, ‘KING MO’ & ‘BIG’ JOHN MCCARTHY AT BELLATOR 170 FAN FEST AT DAVE & BUSTER’S IN LOS ANGELES
WHAT: Bellator 170 Fan Fest
WHERE: Dave & Buster’s at The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center
6081 Center Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
WHEN: Thursday, January 19
8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
WHO: Royce Gracie
Kazushi Sakuraba
Wanderlei Silva
King Mo
John McCarthy
Matt Mitrione
Royce Gracie
The name Gracie is synonymous with MMA, and that is largely in part to Royce Gracie, a man who is considered to have invented the sport as we know it today. The winner of the first several UFC events, Gracie would dismantle multiple opponents in a single night, many of whom were much larger than him. For many years there was no answer for the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu technique that he brought into a fight. Today, it’s hard to find an MMA fighter who hasn’t trained in the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu that his father invented. In February of 2016, Gracie headlined “Bellator 149,” an event that shattered company viewership records that remain intact to this day.
Kazushi Sakuraba
With an incredible resume highlighted by wins over four members of the legendary Gracie family, including Royler, Renzo, Ryan, and Royce Gracie, Sakuraba has inherited the nickname “The Gracie Hunter.” The Japanese mixed martial artist is especially remembered for his first clash with Royce, a ninety-minute marathon that ended in a TKO (corner stoppage) victory for Sakuraba nearly 17 years ago. Gracie would later avenge his loss, earning a unanimous decision win over Sakuraba at “K-1 Dynamite USA!!” inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Now, almost a decade later, the two legends meet again and Bellator MMA is giving you the chance to be there when it happens!
Matt Mitrione
Matt Mitrione originally took his talents to the football gridiron, signing as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants in 2002. After brief stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings, Mitrione entered the MMA cage and hasn’t looked back since. The 14-time UFC veteran began his professional career with victories in his first five fights, four of which came by way of knockout. Known as one of the top finishers in the sport, the 37-year-old Indianapolis native recently finished his run with his former employer, making the decision to test free agency. Mitrione will now look to duplicate the success that he found throughout his career, when he meets Fedor Emelianenko in San Jose this February.
Wanderlei Silva
Former UFC superstar Wanderlei Silva will also be in attendance on January 20, as “The Axe Murderer” prepares for his Bellator MMA debut in the highly anticipated year of 2017. The man who has consistently called him out since joining the Scott Coker-led promotion, Chael Sonnen, will be competing in the main event of ‘Bellator 170’ just one day after the “Fan Fest.” A 48-fight veteran, Silva joined the Bellator MMA fray following an illustrious career with UFC, sifting through middleweight powerhouses Cung Le, Brian Stann, and current division champion Michael Bisping. With 25 of his 35 career victories coming by way of knockout, the 40-year-old Brazilian hotshot is eager to make his presence felt inside the Bellator MMA cage. Join us for ‘Bellator 170’ “Fan Fest” in Los Angeles and meet the legend himself before he makes his promotional debut.
King Mo
“King Mo” has been a mainstay with Bellator MMA since 2013, fighting everyone both the light heavyweight and heavyweight division has to offer. This will be Lawal’s second appearance at Bellator MMA’s “Fan Fest” event, giving fans another opportunity to meet the explosive striker outside of the cage. After his recent main event victory over Satoshi Ishii, “Mo” now sets his sights on other “Moneyweight” bouts to satiate his thirst.
John McCarthy
Known to many as “Big” John McCarthy, the longtime MMA referee will turn his attention to Bellator MMA’s “Fan Fest” and call the shots at a fun-filled day with some of the greatest fans the sport has to offer. McCarthy has officiated a number of memorable bouts promoted by Bellator MMA, the UFC and others, becoming one of the most notorious referees in the history of the sport.
FIGHT INFO: Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen takes place on Saturday, January 21 from the Forum in Los Angeles and will air live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. The highly anticipated undercard streams live on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 6:50 p.m. ET/3:50 p.m. PT.
Tickets for the event start at $36 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com.
The epic main card is headlined by a legendary light heavyweight clash that pits superstars Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) against Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). In addition, a welterweight co-main event featuring Paul Daley (38-14-2) against Brennan Ward (14-4) and a middleweight bout between Ralek Gracie (3-0) and Hisaki Kato (7-2) will also be featured on the Spike-televised main card. Lastly, a featherweight contest pitting Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) against Emmanuel Sanchez(13-3) and a recently-announced lightweight battle featuring Derek Campos (17-6) and Derek Anderson (14-2, 1 NC) wrap up Bellator MMA’s first main card of the new year.
On the Bellator.com-streamed preliminary card, female flyweights Rebecca Ruth (6-2) and Colleen Schneider (10-7) will join the promotional debuts of LA’s own Kevin Casey (9-5-1, 2 NC) and heavyweight knockout artist Jack May (8-3). Also featured on the undercard is the anticipated return of Chinzo Machida (4-2), Henry Corrales (12-3), Guilherme “Bomba” (8-3), and Cody Bollinger (19-6).
Adrien Broner, Adrian Granados & Floyd Mayweather Press Conference Quotes & Photos
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MELVIN GUILLARD-CHIDI NJOKUANI SET TO MAIN EVENT BELLATOR 171 INSIDE KANSAS STAR ARENA ON JAN. 27
HOLLYWOOD, CA. (Jan. 10, 2017) – A catchweight bout pitting Melvin Guillard (32-16-2, 3 NC) against Chidi Njokuani (16-4, 1 NC) will serve as the main event of Bellator 171 at the Kansas Star Arena on Jan. 27.
The SPIKE-televised main card will feature the return of “The King of Kansas” David Rickels (17-4, 2 NC), who will meet Aaron Derrow (14-8). Lastly, a middleweight fight pitting undefeated prospect Chris Harris (7-0) against Jordan Young (5-0) will be featured during the preliminary portion of the event.
Tickets for Bellator 171: Guillard vs. Njokuani start at $24 and are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com. Additional main and preliminary card bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App.
After beginning his professional career 11-0, Guillard continued to make a name for himself under the direction of UFC, where he fought 22 times over a nine-year stint. “The Young Assassin” has made 50 professional appearances inside the cage over his 15-year career, making him one of the most experienced veterans Njokuani has ever faced. With 21 of his 32 professional wins coming by way of knockout, we can be sure to see fireworks fly when Guillard returns to action inside Kansas Star Arena on Jan. 27.
A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Njokuani enters the cage riding momentum of an impressive streak that has seen him win seven consecutive bouts and 11 of his last 12. Since joining the Bellator MMA fray in 2015, the 28-year-old Njokuani has collected three victories, including a pair of knockout finishes. Most recently, “Chidi Bang Bang” made quick work of rising star Andre Fialho at ‘Bellator 167,’ handing the Portuguese powerhouse the first loss of his young career with a brutal stoppage just 21 seconds into the fight. With 10 of his 16 career wins coming by way of knockout, Njokuani brings a fearless style of fighting that pairs perfectly with his equally unshakable opponent Guillard.
Updated Bellator 171: Guillard vs. Njokuani Main Card:
175 lb. Catchweight Main Event: Melvin Guillard (32-16-2, 3 NC) vs. Chidi Njokuani (16-4, 1 NC)
Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (17-4, 2 NC) vs. Aaron Derrow (14-8)
Updated Preliminary Card:
Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (7-0) vs. Jordan Young (5-0)