לאס אנדזשעלעס – Ahead of Bellator’s return to Hawaii on December 20 און 21 at Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, the world’s leading global mixed martial arts promotion held open tryouts in Honolulu in an effort to further Bellator’s continued commitment to the local MMA scene in Hawaii.
After an overwhelming turnout, 10 athletes from the tryout have been selected to compete inside the Bellator cage next month – and if victorious, will have a chance to earn an exclusive multi-fight Bellator contract. The fighters selected include Braydon Akeo (3-0), Cheyden Leialoha (7-1), Pierre Daguzan (5-3, 1 נק), Jamie Thorton (6-5), Hunter Ewald (פֿאַר דעבוט), Keoni Diggs (7-0), Scotty Hao (4-2), Swayne Lunasco (7-0), Kaylan Gorospe (פֿאַר דעבוט) און Ben Wilhelm (3-0).
בייַ Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the Troops אויף פרייטאג, דעצעמבער. 20, Maili, Hawaii’s Braydon Akeo (3-0) earns a spot on the main card at 145-pounds against Tywan Claxton (5-1), who will make his first appearance since competing in the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix. This bout joins the previously announced heavyweight main event between דזשאָש באַרנעט (35-8) און ראַני מאַרקעס (19-7), a bantamweight scrap featuring newly signed Erik Perez (19-6) against Hawaii’s Toby Misech (11-7) and a flyweight contest pitting former title challengers against each other, ווי Alejandra Lara (8-3) סקווערז אַוועק קעגן Veta Artega (5-3).
On Friday’s prelims, Kauai’s Hunter Ewald, who was also selected from the tryouts, will make his professional debut against fellow Hawaiian Jonathan Pico (1-1) at 170-pounds. אויך, recently signed to an exclusive deal of his own, Northern California’s Cass Bell (4-0) will face Max Holloway’s training partner Pierre Daguzan (5-3) at bantamweight and 82nd Airborne Army Veteran Jamie Thorton (6-5) נעמט אויף Tiani Valle (3-2) of Maui at flyweight.
Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the Troops will air on Paramount Network on Friday, דעצעמבער 20 בייַ 10 פּ.ם. ET/9 p.m. קאָרט. The entire event will also stream on DAZN, while preliminary bouts will stream on Bellator.com, DAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
שבת, דעצעמבער. 21'S Bellator Hawaii: Macfarlane vs. זשעקסאן will feature another tryout participant deserving of a main card bout, ווי Cheyden Leialoha (7-1) meets another top prospect in Nebraska’s Raufeon Stots (12-1) בייַ באַנטאַמוועיגהט. This fight joins a card topped by undefeated Bellator women’s flyweight champ ילימאַ-ליי מאַקפאַרלאַנע (10-0) defending her title against Kate Jackson (11-3-1), אַ.דזש. מאַקי (15-0) גענומען אויף דערעק פיעלדס (20-9) in a quarterfinal matchup of the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix, נימאַן גרייסי (9-1) returning to action for the first time since his welterweight title shot in a welterweight bout against Kiichi Kunimoto (20-8-2, 1 נק) and women’s flyweight title hopefuls Julianna Velasquez (9-0) און Bruna Ellen (5-2) going to battle.
אויף די בעללאַטאָר 236 פּרילימאַנערי קאָרט, undefeated tryout prospect Ben Wilhelm (3-0) will take on two-time Bellator veteran Kona Oliveira (1-2) אין אַ וועלטערווייט קאָנקורס, while Wahiawa-born Keoni Diggs (7-0) and Hilo’s Scotty Hao (4-2) were also selected and will fight each other at 155 פונט. Lastly, Hawaii’s Swayne Lunasco, who went 7-0 ווי אַ ליבהאָבער, און Kaylan Gorospe, who were both selected from the tryouts, will make their pro debuts against each other at bantamweight.
Bellator Hawaii: Macfarlane vs. Jackson – one of the star-powered, year-end highlights of fight season on DAZN – will stream Saturday, דעצעמבער 21 live exclusively on DAZN בייַ 10 פּ.ם. עט / 7 פּ.ם. פּט, while preliminary action will stream onBellator.com, DAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com or the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena box office.
דערהייַנטיקט Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the Troops הויפּט קאַרד:
העכסט נעטוואָרק & DAZN
10 פּ.ם. ET/9 p.m. CT/5 p.m. HST
Heavyweight Main Event: דזשאָש באַרנעט (35-8) ווס. ראַני מאַרקעס (19-7)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Toby Misech (11-7) ווס. Erik Perez (19-6)
Flyweight Main Card Bout: Alejandra Lara (8-3) ווס. Veta Artega (5-3)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Tywan Claxton (5-1) ווס. Braydon Akeo (3-0)
Updated Preliminary Card:
DAZN, Bellator.com & the Bellator Mobile App
8:45 פּ.ם. און / 7:45 פּ.ם. CT/3:45 פּ.ם. HST
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Cass Bell (4-0) ווס. Pierre Daguzan (5-3, 1 נק)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Hunter Ewald (פּראָ דעבוט) ווס. Jonathan Pico (1-1)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Tiani Valle (3-2) ווס. Jamie Thorton (6-5)
דערהייַנטיקט Bellator Hawaii: Macfarlane vs. זשעקסאן הויפּט קאַרד:
DAZN
10 פּ.ם. ET/9 p.m. CT/5 p.m. HST
Flyweight World Title Bout: ילימאַ-ליי מאַקפאַרלאַנע (10-0) ווס. Kate Jackson (11-3-1)
Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal Bout: אַ.דזש. מאַקי (15-0) ווס. דערעק פיעלדס (20-9)
Welterweight Main Card Bout: נימאַן גרייסי (9-1) ווס. Kiichi Kunimoto (20-8-2, 1 נק)
Flyweight Main Card Bout: Julianna Velasquez (9-0) ווס. Bruna Ellen (5-2)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Raufeon Stots (12-1) ווס. Cheyden Leialoha (7-1)
Updated Preliminary Card:
DAZN, Bellator.com & the Bellator Mobile App
8:30 פּ.ם. און / 7:30 פּ.ם. CT/3:30 פּ.ם. HST
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Swayne Lunasco (פּראָ דעבוט) ווס. Kaylan Gorospe (פּראָ דעבוט)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Keoni Diggs (7-0) ווס. Scotty Hao (4-2)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Nate Yoshimura (פּראָ דעבוט) ווס. Chas Dunhour (0-1)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Kai Kamaka III (5-2) ווס. Spencer Higa (7-10)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Kona Oliveira (1-2) ווס. Ben Wilhelm (3-0)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Dustin Barca (3-0) ווס. Brandon Pieper (11-13)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Nainoa Dung (3-0) ווס. Zach Zane (13-9)
*Cards subject to change.
ביטע באַזוכן Bellator.com פֿאַר מער אינפֿאָרמאַציע.