LOS ANGELES – Ahead of Bellator’s return to Hawaii on December 20 en 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 NC), Jamie Thorton (6-5), Hunter Ewald (voor debuut), Keoni Diggs (7-0), Scotty Hao (4-2), Swayne Lunasco (7-0), Kaylan Gorospe (voor debuut) en Ben Wilhelm (3-0).
Bij Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the Troops op vrijdag, December. 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 Josh Barnett (35-8) en Ronny Markes (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, als Alejandra Lara (8-3) pleinen af tegen 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. Ook, 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) neemt Tiani Valle (3-2) of Maui at flyweight.
Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the Troops will air on Paramount Network on Friday, December 20 bij 10 p.m. EN / 21.00 uur. CT. The entire event will also stream on DAZN, while preliminary bouts will stream on Bellator.com, DAZN en wereldwijd op de Bellator mobiele app.
Zaterdag, December. 21'S Bellator Hawaï: Macfarlane vs. Jackson will feature another tryout participant deserving of a main card bout, als Cheyden Leialoha (7-1) meets another top prospect in Nebraska’s Raufeon Stots (12-1) op bantamgewicht. This fight joins a card topped by undefeated Bellator women’s flyweight champ Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (10-0) defending her title against Kate Jackson (11-3-1), A.J. McKee (15-0) nemen Derek Fields (20-9) in a quarterfinal matchup of the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix, Neiman Gracie (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 NC) and women’s flyweight title hopefuls Julianna Velasquez (9-0) en Brown Ellen (5-2) going to battle.
Op de Bellator 236 voorlopige kaart, undefeated tryout prospect Ben Wilhelm (3-0) will take on two-time Bellator veteran Kona Oliveira (1-2) in een weltergewicht wedstrijd, while Wahiawa-born Keoni Diggs (7-0) and Hilo’s Scotty Hao (4-2) were also selected and will fight each other at 155 pond. Ten slotte, Hawaii's Swayne Lunasco, wie ging 7-0 als amateur, en Kaylan Gorospe, who were both selected from the tryouts, will make their pro debuts against each other at bantamweight.
Bellator Hawaï: Macfarlane vs. Jackson- een van de door sterren aangedreven, year-end highlights of fight season on DAZN – will stream Saturday, December 21 live exclusively on DAZN bij 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, terwijl de voorbereidende actie zal streamenBellator.com, DAZN en wereldwijd op de Bellator mobiele app.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through Bellator.com, evenals Ticketmaster.com of de Neal S. Blaisdell Arena-kassa.
Bijgewerkt Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the Troops Hoofd Card:
Paramount Network & DAZN
10 p.m. EN / 21.00 uur. CT/5 p.m. HST
Zwaargewicht Main Event: Josh Barnett (35-8) vs. Ronny Markes (19-7)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Toby Misech (11-7) vs. Erik Perez (19-6)
Vlieggewicht hoofdkaartgevecht: Alejandra Lara (8-3) vs. Veta Artega (5-3)
Vedergewicht hoofdkaartgevecht: Tywan Claxton (5-1) vs. Braydon Akeo (3-0)
Bijgewerkte voorlopige kaart:
DAZN, Bellator.com & the Bellator Mobile App
8:45 p.m. EN / 7:45 p.m. CT/3:45 p.m. HST
Bantamweight Voorlopige aanval: Cass Bell (4-0) vs. Pierre Daguzan (5-3, 1 NC)
Weltergewicht Voorlopige aanval: Hunter Ewald (Pro Debuut) vs. Jonathan Pico (1-1)
Vlieggewicht Voorlopige aanval: Tiani Valle (3-2) vs. Jamie Thorton (6-5)
Bijgewerkt Bellator Hawaï: Macfarlane vs. Jackson Hoofd Card:
DAZN
10 p.m. EN / 21.00 uur. CT/5 p.m. HST
Vlieggewicht wereldtitelgevecht: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (10-0) vs. Kate Jackson (11-3-1)
Vedergewicht World Grand Prix kwartfinale: A.J. McKee (15-0) vs. Derek Fields (20-9)
Weltergewicht Main Card Bout: Neiman Gracie (9-1) vs. Kiichi Kunimoto (20-8-2, 1 NC)
Vlieggewicht hoofdkaartgevecht: Julianna Velasquez (9-0) vs. Brown Ellen (5-2)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Raufeon Stots (12-1) vs. Cheyden Leialoha (7-1)
Bijgewerkte voorlopige kaart:
DAZN, Bellator.com & the Bellator Mobile App
8:30 p.m. EN / 7:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. HST
Bantamweight Voorlopige aanval: Swayne Lunasco (Pro Debuut) vs. Kaylan Gorospe (Pro Debuut)
Lichtgewicht voorronde: Keoni Diggs (7-0) vs. Scotty Hao (4-2)
Vlieggewicht Voorlopige aanval: Nate Yoshimura (Pro Debuut) vs. Chas Dunhour (0-1)
Vedergewicht voorlopige wedstrijd: Kai Kamaka III (5-2) vs. Spencer Higa (7-10)
Weltergewicht Voorlopige aanval: Kona Oliveira (1-2) vs. Ben Wilhelm (3-0)
Lichtgewicht voorronde: Dustin Barca (3-0) vs. Brandon Pieper (11-13)
Lichtgewicht voorronde: Nainoa Mest (3-0) vs. Zach Zane (13-9)
*Cards subject to change.
Kunt u terecht op Bellator.com voor meer informatie.