“Hands Of Stone” opens on August 26th. Watch below.
Boxing BioPic “Hands Of Stone” opens on August 26th
M-1 Challenge 65 Bonus Performances Announced
M-1 Challenge 65 Fight of the Night: Artem Frolov vs. Kristijan Perak
MOSCOW (April 19, 2016) – M-1 Global recently announced its M-1 Challenge 65 bonus performances, highlighted by the Fight of the Night award, along with Submission of the Night and KO of the Night.
The M-1 Challenge 65 Fight of the Night was between Russian middleweight prospect Artem Frolov (6-0-0, M-1: 2-0-0) against Kristijan “Klitschko” Perak (8-3-1, M-1: 0-2-1), in which Frolov won by way of an opening-round submission by way of an arm-bar.
M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev (14-3-0, M-1: 8-1-0) was awarded the Submission of the Night. The reigning M-1 Challenge middleweight champion, who advanced to the M-1 Global Grand Prix Middleweight Championship versusAlexander “Storm” Shlemenko (51-9-0, M-1: 2-0-0), used a choke hold on his Brazilian opponent, Maiquel “Big Rig” Facao (35-9-0, M-1: 0-1-0), midway through the first round to win the main event.
M-1 Challenge 65 Submission of the Night: Ramazan EmeevFormer M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Max Divnich (12-1-0, M-1: 6-1-0) captured KO of the Night honors with an impressive second-round stoppage (punches) of Robert “TQ” Turnquest (5-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0).
M-1 Challenge 65 KO of the Night: Max Divnich
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BRANDON HALSEY & JOHN SALTER JOIN MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 156’ IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 19, 2016) – A middleweight matchup between Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-1) and John Salter (11-3) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” on June 17 inside Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.
The fight joins a main card that features two of Bellator MMA’s top welterweights, in Chidi “Chidi Bang Bang” Njokuani (14-4) and Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (26-6), and a rematch between Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) and Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4), where the Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title will be on the line. In addition, eight preliminary contests have been added to the event.
“Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. Additional fights will be announced shortly.
Tickets for the event start at only $25 and are currently on sale at the Save Mart Center Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
Halsey will be making his ninth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, and be looking to add to his impressive promotional mark of 7-1. The former Fresno State Bulldog began his professional career 9-0 before recently surrendering his first loss against the present Bellator MMA Middleweight titlistRafael Carvalho at “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho.” The 29-year-old will look to start another long streak of victories when he challenges John Salter in main card action at “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” on June 17.
Salter comes into his bout with a professional record of 11-3 and is currently in the midst of a three-fight winning streak. In his Bellator MMA debut, Salter put an end to Dustin Jacoby’s night with a second-round, rear-naked choke submission at “Bellator 132.” A native of Tennessee, Salter has stopped his opponent in all 11 of his victories and has only lost once in his last seven fights as a professional. With five knockout victories coming in the opening frame, look for the 31-year-old to come out swinging inside Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.
Updated “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas” Fight Card:
Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title Bout: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Chidi Njokuani (14-4) vs. Douglas Lima (26-6)
Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Brandon Halsey (9-1) vs. John Salter (11-3)
Preliminary Card:
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Jermaine McDermott (2-0) vs. Blake Watkins (5-0)
Bellator MMA 140lb. Preliminary Bout: Paul Ruiz (6-4) vs. Chris Buron (5-0)
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Javy Ayala (8-5) vs. Josue “J.R.” Lugo (7-3)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Nick Bustamante (5-1) vs. Antoine Smith (3-5)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: C.J. Keith (8-3) vs. Carrington Banks (4-0)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Smitley (10-7) vs Chris Avila (4-2)
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: John Paul Elias (3-0) vs. TBA
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Lewis (0-0) vs. Ernest James (0-0)
World MMA Association 2016 Asian Championship May 27-30 in South Korea
MONTE CARLO, Monaco (April 19, 2016)- The second annual World MMA Association (WMMAA) Asian Championship will be held May 27-30 at Hwasoon Culture and Sports Center in the Republic of South Korea.
The Asian MMA Championship will feature the top amateur MMA fighters in six different weight classes.
“This year’s Asian MMA Championship is a significant milestone for our association,” WMMAA president Vadim Finkelchtein said. “We strive to educate people from each country in which we hold regional championships. This time will be no different with more people learning the beauty of Mixed Martial Arts. We’re also organizing a judges and referee seminar within a certification process. We are looking forward to this event and hope to have as many Asian countries participating as possible.”
An international judges’ seminar will be held May 24-27, to certify and accredit judges. Only accredit judges will be allowed to work during the Asian MMA Championships. Preliminary and semifinal matches will be May 28, followed by the championship final matches.
The official weigh-ins and competition draws will be conductedMay 27,
The Asia Division Congress: Battle of the Nomads of the WMMAA Pro Asian Division will be held May 29.
Individual team competition will be held in accordance with the “Official Rules of Mixed Martial Arts Competition, subject to WMMAA approval. Including revisions, additions and clarifications of certain clauses. Matches will held in accordance with the Olympic system with two third-places in each of the six weight divisions.
Team scoring is awarded by the maximum amount of points scored by individual team members on the following basis: 1st – 10, 2nd – 8, 3rd – 6, 4th – 5, 5th – 4, 6th – 3, 7th – 2, 8th – 1.
All individual first-place winners will be awarded special championship belts and medals, second and third-place finishers will receive a medal and certificate. Teams finishing among the top three in the final standings will be awarded cups and certificates.
In addition to the host, South Korea, other eligible countries to compete in the Asian MMA Championship include Afghanistan, China, Chinese Taipei, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Singapore and Tajikistan
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Badou Jack & Lucian Bute Media Workout Quotes & Photos Ahead Of World Title Showdown On Saturday, April 30 Live on SHOWTIME® From the DC Armory in Washington, D.C.
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UNDEFEATED CRUISERWEIGHTS ANDREW TABITI, KEITH TAPIA TO DEFEND THEIR PERFECT RECORDS ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION LIVE ON SHOWTIME FRIDAY, MAY 13 FROM SAM’S TOWN LIVE IN LAS VEGAS
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BELLATOR MMA SET FOR ACTION AT O2 ARENA IN LONDON ON JULY 16 WITH KIMBO SLICE-JAMES THOMPSON, JOSH KOSCHECK-PAUL DALEY IN TOW
MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE, LINTON ‘THE SWARM’ VASSELL ALSO SET TO COMPETE
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 18, 2016) – It was the most-watched fight in the history of mixed martial arts with 7.28 million viewers, and on Sunday night Bellator MMA President Scott Coker joined ESPN’s SportsCenter to officially announce that Kimbo Slice (6-2) and James Thompson (20-16) are going to run it back inside the world famous O2 Arena in London on July 16 during the main event of “Bellator 158: London.” The tentpole event also features another highly anticipated rematch in the co-main event — when a grudge match nearly six years in the making boils over as Josh Koscheck (17-10) takes on Paul “Semtex” Daley (38-13-2).
In the United Kingdom, the event will be broadcast free on SPIKE UK and Channel 5, while in America, the card will air free on SPIKE. Exact broadcast details for “Bellator 158: London” will be revealed in the near future.
Tickets for “Bellator 158: London,” go on sale this Friday, April 22, with a Bellator Nation presale running thisThursday, April 21. Tickets starting at £40.00 will be available at TheO2.co.uk or The O2 Box Office.
In addition, a pair of English natives will also be in action on July 16, when Michael “Venom” Page (9-0) and Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (16-5) face yet-to-be-announced opponents. London’s Page, also known as “MVP,” will be competing during the main card of “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” this Friday, live and free on Spike at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
Fresh off his performance in the main event of “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie,” the record-shattering card that generated 3.5 million viewers, Slice returns to action against the man he previously defeated back in 2008. It’s without question that Slice, a member of American Top Team in his home state of Florida, is one of the most must-see competitors in the sport of mixed martial arts, as it’s become increasingly clear fans can never truly expect what will happen when the brawler enters the Bellator cage.
“The Colossus” will likely have a sold-out O2 Arena strongly in his corner, being that he hails from Bristol, England and hasn’t fought on home turf since 2010. Thompson, 37, has been calling for a rematch with Slice since their infamous meeting nearly eight years ago and would like nothing more than to bounce back from a recent string of bad luck with a win against a name the likes of the former YouTube sensation. Thompson’s resume already features wins against Dan Severn, Don Frye and Bobby Lashley, amongst others.
In the card’s co-main event, Koscheck will make his promotional debut a little over a year after signing with Bellator MMA. Its pained the Fresno native to be out of action for so long, especially after being forced to withdraw from a headlining spot in his hometown against Matt Secor at “Bellator 148,” a card that “Semtex” went on to main event. It was there that the seeds for a rematch were cemented even further, as Daley trashed “Kos” in front of his partisan fans, pushing the 38-year-old to return.
While Daley may have the results as of late to upstage his foe, Koscheck owns a victory over the Brit in their first meeting, which Daley followed with an infamous punch after the bell that changed the trajectory of his career. Now, with nine wins in his last ten fights, Daley returns home to put an end to a moment in his profession that has cast a shadow over most of his success, while Koscheck looks to prove that their first meeting was no fluke.
These two momentous matchups are set to take place on July 16 at the legendary 20,000-seat O2 Arena, as Kimbo Slice-James Thompson II and Josh Koscheck-Paul Daley II emanate from the United Kingdom, and there’s no other place to watch the action unfold than FREE on Spike.
Updated “Bellator 158: London” Fight Card
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson (6-2) vs. James Thompson (20-16)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Josh Koscheck (17-10) vs. Paul Daley (38-13-2)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Bout: Michael Page (9-0) vs. TBA
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Bout: Linton Vassell (16-5) vs. TBA
WITH HIGHLIGHT-REEL KNOCKOUT, MASON MENARD NOW SERIOUS CONTENDER IN LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION
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USA Women World champions Gray, Maroulis to face Canadian opponents in Beat the Streets “United In The Square,” in Times Square on May 19
3X World champion Adeline Gray to battle Justina Distasio at 75 kg; World champion Helen Maroulis to face Samantha Stewart at 53 kg
Gray is a three-time World champion who earned a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team with her victory at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials on April 10. Gray will face 2015 Canadian World Team member Justina Distasio in a match at 75 kg/165 lbs.
Gray won World gold medals in 2012, 2014 and 2015, and is also a two-time World bronze medalist in 2011 and 2013. Gray is currently on a 37-match winning streak. She was a 2015 Pan American Games champion, is a two-time World Cup champion, and has also won World titles on the University and Junior levels. She is a native of Denver, Colo., and competes for the New York Athletic Club.
Di Stasio competed on the 2015 Canadian Senior World Team. She won gold medals in the 2015 and 2016 Pan American Championships, and was a silver medalist at the 2015 Pan American Games. Di Stasio was second at the 2016 Canadian Olympic Trials. She was fifth in the 2012 Junior World Championships. Di Stasio was a three-time WCWA Women’s College national champion for Simon Fraser University.
This is a rematch of the 2015 Pan American Games gold medal finals, won by Gray with a come-from-behind last-second score for a 9-6 victory.
It will be Gray’s first time competing in Times Square at a Beat the Streets competition, and Di Stasio will be making her Times Square debut as well.
Maroulis was a 2015 World champion at 55 kg, and has won a 2012 World silver medal and a 2013 World bronze medal. Maroulis recently won the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at 53 kg, and will be competing at the World Olympic Games Qualifier in Ulaanbataar, Mongolia, April 22–24, where she will attempt to qualify the United States for the Rio Olympic Games at her weight class.
Maroulis is a six-time U.S. Open champion. She has won two World Cup gold medals and 2011 Pan American Games champion. She won three career Junior World titles. Maroulis won four WCWA women’s college national titles for Simon Fraser University. She is a native of Rockville, Md. and competes for the Sunkist Kids.
Stewart was a bronze medalist at the 2012 World University Championships, and was a 2016 Pan American Championships gold medalist. She placed fourth in the 2009 Senior World Championships. Stewart has won medals at international competitions in Germany, Canada, France, Brazil and Romania. She won the Canadian Team Trials in December 2015.
Maroulis has competed in a Beat the Streets event three previous times, scoring victories in all of her bouts. She first competed in the “Rumble on the Rails” in Grand Central Terminal in 2013, pinning Irina Kisel of Russia in the second period. In 2014, she scored a pin over Marcia Andrades of Venezuela in 5:53 in Times Square at the “Team USA vs. the World” event. In 2015, she scored a 10-0 technical fall over Yamilka del Valle of Cuba in the “Salsa in the Square” in Times Square. This will be Stewart’s first appearance in a Beat the Streets event.
Competitors for Team USA will also compete in men’s freestyle against world power Iran. There will be two Olympic-level matches and four Junior-level matches as part of the men’s freestyle competition. In addition, there will also be Greco-Roman competition on the card. These matchups will be announced at a later date.
Billed as “United in the Square,” this will be the second time that Iran has been featured as part of the Beat the Streets Gala competition. In 2013, the event dubbed “The Rumble on the Rails,” was hosted in historic Grand Central Terminal and featured dual meets between Team USA, Russia and Iran.
The world-class competition has been hosted in Times Square four previous times. In 2011, the United States defeated World Champion Russia, 5-2, the first sports event ever held in historic Times Square. In 2012, another U.S. vs. Russia dual meet was held in Times Square, along with the U.S. Olympic Team Wrestle-off for the 60 kg/132 lbs. position on the U.S. Olympic Team in men’s freestyle. In 2014, Team USA defeated a World All-Star Team in Times Square, 8-3. In 2015, “Salsa in the Square” featured a meeting between Team USA and Team Cuba in the three Olympic styles, held shortly after the historic change in USA and Cuban political relations.
This will be the seventh straight year in which a major international-style wrestling competition will be hosted as part of the Beat the Streets Gala activities. In 2010, an all-star challenge featuring top U.S. wrestlers was held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier docked on the west side of Manhattan.
Top Beat the Streets youth wrestlers will take the mat showcasing their skills in exhibition matches beginning at 3:30 p.m. to start the evening. A new feature to be held is the PSAL Girls Freestyle Dual Meet Championships finals, featuring the two top New York City girl’s freestyle wrestling high school teams from the spring girl’s freestyle season. Then it’s Team USA vs. Iran and other guests at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Beat the Streets Gala Celebration.
The Beat the Streets competition requires a ticket for reserved seating in Times Square, but is an outdoor event. Pedestrians and non-ticket holders are encouraged to watch. Admission tickets may be bought in advance atwww.btsny.org or 212.245.6570. A ticket is required for the Gala Celebration at the PlayStation Theater. More details are available athttp://www.btsny.org/gala.
The Gala Celebration will follow the wrestling competition. This unique and electrifying annual event helps Beat the Streets (BTS) raise significant funds to further its mission. Whether it’s providing a safe, constructive outlet for our urban youth, fighting childhood obesity, empowering women, or uniting entire nations, wrestling teaches persistence, dedication, and the value of working hard to achieve one’s goals, creates opportunities for personal and universal growth. BTS currently serve over 3,000 student-athletes every year.
“United In The Square,” Beat the Streets Matchups
In New York City, May 19, 2016
Women’s 53 kg/116.5 lbs. – Helen Maroulis (USA) vs. Samantha Stewart (Canada)
Women’s 75 kg/165 lbs.– Adeline Gray (USA) vs. Justina Di Stasio (Canada)
Note: USA vs. Iran freestyle matches and featured Greco-Roman bout to be announced later.
Wrestling Schedule
3:30 p.m. – Beat the Streets Youth Exhibition Matches between 42nd and 43rd Streets
4:45 p.m. – New York City Girl’s Freestyle Dual Meet Championships Finals between 42nd and 43rd Streets
6:30 p.m. – World Class Wrestling: Team USA vs. Team Iran between 42nd and 43rd Streets
Followed by Gala Celebration
Carney, Clayton and Russo In Knockout Form at BIBA Inaugural Event
On Friday night, at the Kyle Gallagher (Fight Club) promoted event at the Devonshire House Hotel in Liverpool, the British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) successfully sanctioned their inaugural event, since taking over the British and Irish operations of the Malta Boxing Commission (MBC) earlier this month.
The first bout of the night, see Lee Clayton make his professional debut against two-bout veteran Thomas Murry.
The two combatants went at it hammer and tongs from the off, both men vying for centre ring with a passion. As the round progressed into the second minute Clayton began to dominate, letting rip with vicious body shots whenever the opportunity arose.
By the third minute Clayton stepped it up even further and then on around two minute thirty mark Clayton landed a peach of a body shot to send Murry down. The Mancunian lad initially attempted to rise but was clearly in a lot of pain and motioned to Referee Jimmy Byrne that he couldn’t continue and the bout was waived off at the 2 minute and 42 second mark.
Local lad Dayle Clayton faced Belfast’s Marty Kayes in the second bout of the night. From the opening bell right through to the closing bell of the bout these two warriors battled it out much to the delight of the packed house, after four very closely fought rounds Referee Jimmy Byrne scored the bout 40-36 in favour of Dayle Gallagher, whose record now stands as 2-0.
Third bout of the night see Hyde, Cheshire’s Will O’Reilly make his professional debut against Newark, Nottingham’s Vaclav Skromach.
Again another full on war from start to finish, both men giving their all for the full four rounds, as with the Clayton-Hayes bout each round was very close, in this case so close that Referee Jimmy Byrne scored the bout 39-37 in favour of debut kid Will O’Reilly.
Next up see Liverpool’s Lee Boyce against Castlerae, Ireland’s John Waldron. Another cracking all action bout.
Boyce dominated the majority of the first round, using his exceptional movement to keep the Irishman out of range, before moving forward and letting rip with clean sharp shots to body or head.
Many in attendance thought it was going to be an early finish, after Waldron was sent down following a vicious body shot in the first, but the Irishman is of much tougher stock, as proved in the second round which Waldron won.
Third and fourth rounds were full on Battle Royales with Boyce capturing one and Waldron the other, so after four sensational rounds of boxing it was clearly going to be close, so no surprise that Referee Jimmy Byrne’s scorecards showed Boyce the victor by a very close 38-37, the first round knockdown being the difference. A seriously great fight and surely a rematch in the future should be on the cards.
The fifth bout of the night saw former England Amateur star Nathan Russo making his debut against the equally talented and also debuting James McDonald.
The first minute or so of the bout was sensational to put it mildly, first one lad dominated the other and then visa versa, however as the round progressed Russo began to get major success with vicious body-shots and big lefts to the head, so much so around the two minute thirty mark Russo stepped it up even further, forcing McDonald to cover up much more than he had in the early parts of the round, then just as the bell to end the round was about to be rung Russo let rip with a huge left to the head, sending McDonald straight down and out.
Referee Jimmy Byrne realized the instant the punch landed it was a knockout and dived straight to the prone lads side to check his condition before signaling to the ringside medical team to enter the ring to attend to the injured warrior.
The crowd stood respectfully quietly, as did Nathan Russo, as the medical team went to work on the prone McDonald, but when eventually McDonald was assisted to the stool some two or three minutes later the entire crowd to a man (or woman) stood and applauded.
Although James McDonald seemed to be fully recovered, he was taken to hospital for checks to be on the safe side.
The final bout of the night see local lad Jay Carney against pro debuting Jak Johnson, from Newcastle.
Everyone was expecting this to be a serious good fight, as these two lads had fought each other previously in the amateurs, and they were to proved right.
What a first round, these two really went for it, both lads boxing beautifully throughout. Early in the second Johnson began to take control, landing some pinpoint perfect shots, Carney though is as tough as they come and weathered the onslaught and as the round progressed fought back magnificently and began to regain control.
Around the two minute thirty mark Carney stepped things up and started landing some big shots, causing Johnson to cover up, however this tactic opened up the body, which Carney took advantage of, throwing a huge body shot to send Johnson down.
As with Thomas Murry, initially Johnson tried to rise but was too winded to do so. Referee Jimmy Byrne waived the fight off on the two minute forty five second mark of the second round.
Following the event British & Irish Boxing Authority Vice President and CEO Gianluca Di Caro spoke briefly about the event.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better event to launch the British & Irish Boxing Authority, Kyle (promoter Kyle Gallagher) had put together a fantastic show, he’s without doubt one of the UK’s best promoters, his attention to detail is first class.
The venue was superb and the matching of the bouts was first class and more importantly, well to us, featured both British and Irish boxers, so we are over the moon he has chosen to be with the British & Irish Boxing Authority.
I have nothing but praise for every single fighter tonight, every single one of them fought their hearts out and put on a great show.
I am pleased to report that James McDonald is fine, but have to admit I was worried as it looked quite serious at the time, and to be honest if it wasn’t for the quick reactions of Jimmy (Referee Jimmy Byrne), John (Dr John Oates) and Chris (Trauma Medic Chris Say) and his team it could so easily have been.
With our first event done and dusted, it’s onwards and upwards. Events are coming in thick and fast, so much so that next weekend we have two events, Lee Murtagh’s event at the Aria Suite in Leeds, that will feature the pro debut of the excellent Sophie Varley as well as a full card of well matched bouts on the Friday and on SaturdayThomas Melville’s quadruple WBF title headed show at the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley.”
For further information on the British & Irish Boxing Authority (BIBA) please see the official website; www.boxbiba.com and also please follow on Facebook www.facebook.com/BibaBoxing and Twitter www.twitter.com/BIBABoxing