Tag Archives: Bellator

Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

BELLATOR & DAZN SIGN NINE-FIGURE, MULTI-YEAR DISTRIBUTION DEAL

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LIVE SPORTS STREAMING PLATFORM TO DELIVER SEVEN EXCLUSIVE STAR-STUDDED BELLATOR MMA EVENTS PER YEAR

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CHAMPION VS. CHAMPION – GEGARD MOUSASI-RORY MACDONALD MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT, PLUS ‘RAMPAGE’ JACKSON-WANDERLEI SILVA IV HIGHLIGHT FIRST EVENT ON SEPT. 29 FROM SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator, a leading global combat sports franchise owned by Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands, and DAZN, the world’s largest dedicated live sports streaming service and part of Perform Group, today announced a multi-year landmark distribution agreement.

 

 

 

The nine-figure deal will feature seven exclusive stacked fight cards per year on DAZN and another 15 that are simulcast across Paramount Network and DAZN. All fights will stream in any country where DAZN is available. As part of the platform’s global expansion, DAZN will launch in the U.S. and Italy in 2018, with the service already live in Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan.

 

 

 

“The exciting new partnership with DAZN is a game-changer for Bellator,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “The investment will enable us to continue expanding our roster with free agents that make sense, so we can put on PPV-worthy fight cards that fans want to see. Plus, on DAZN’s worldwide platform, our fights will be seen live for the first time to new audiences around the globe.”

 

 

 

“It’s simple; fans want to see great fighters in competitive fights so we’ve handed the keys to Scott Coker and his venerable team to go out and recruit even more top-level talent to further stack Bellator fight cards and build on their success,” said DAZN CEO James Rushton.  “With the combination of this investment and our recent announcement to bring more than 30 nights of boxing to the platform annually, DAZN will be a must-have for fight fans in the U.S.”

 

 

 

“The DAZN partnership speaks to the incredible growth of Bellator into a global sports powerhouse and high-valued franchise in the Viacom portfolio,” said Kevin Kay, President, Paramount Network, TV Land and CMT.

 

 

 

The deal begins with an epic event on Saturday, Sept. 29 from SAP Center at San Jose. The card features a highly anticipated middleweight title fight pitting Gegard Mousasi (44-6-2) against Rory MacDonald (20-4), who is moving up a weight class for a title shot against the 185-pound champ, along with the fourth fight in the legendary rivalry between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (37-13) and Wanderlei Silva(35-13).

 

 

 

Also included on Sept. 29, will be the opening fight of Bellator’s first-ever Welterweight World Grand Prix, which will feature eight of the best welterweight fighters on the planet. The Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix will be a major component of the first year of the multi-year agreement between Bellator and DAZN.

 

 

 

An exclusive online presale for this event takes place tomorrow, June 27 through Thursday, June 28, with tickets going on sale to the general public on Friday, June 29 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets start at just $30 and will be available at the ThreatMetrix Ticket Office at SAP Center at San Jose, as well as Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.

 

 

 

The event will air live on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.  DAZN, which now streams 15,000 live events and 100 million hours of sports content globally each year, will be available in the U.S. this September with exact pricing and dates being announced this summer.

 

 

 

Mousasi vs. MacDonald:

 

 

 

Gegard Mousasi impressed in his promotional debut over former Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko, a win that earned him a shot at Rafael Carvalho, where 185-pound gold was on the line. Now, after a decisive victory against Carvalho at Bellator 200, Mousasi will defend his crown against Rory MacDonald, entering the bout with his current unbeaten streak at seven fights. “The Dreamcatcher,” who trains out of The Netherlands, holds one of the most impressive resumes in all of the sport, at one time winning the STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title, as well as the DREAM light heavyweight and middleweight titles.

 

 

 

Over the last several years, “The Red King” Rory MacDonald has become the most popular Canadian mixed martial artist due to his classic stand-up wars and wins over some of MMA’s best in Paul Daley, Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley, B.J. Penn and Demian Maia. Bellator’s welterweight champion joined the Viacom-owned promotion in 2016 and went on to defeat Douglas Lima for the welterweight title at Bellator 192. Now, the Tristar Gym-trained fighter sets his sights on winning gold in not one, but two separate weight classes.

 

 

 

“Rampage” vs. Silva:

 

 

A six-fight veteran of Bellator, “Rampage” Jackson’s legendary career has seen him compete against some of the top names in the sport, generating a loyal army of fans along the way. The former PRIDE and UFC champion is the proud owner of many epic highlight reel slams and knockouts that he has racked up throughout his epic battles with the likes of Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, “King Mo,” Kevin Randleman and, perhaps most-notably, his trilogy with fellow Bellator athlete Wanderlei Silva, who he now meets at heavyweight on Sept. 29.

 

 

Wanderlei Silva’s wars with “Rampage,” Tito Ortiz, Mirko Cro Cop, Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Chuck Liddell and Michael Bisping remain some of the more memorable bouts in MMA history. “The Axe Murderer” is far from ready to close the book on his illustrious career, returning to action against a man he has already competed against three times before. In addition to the PRIDE middleweight title, Silva’s trophy case includes awards for “Fight of the Year” (2003, 2004, 2007), KO of the Year (2008) and multiple “Fight of the Night” awards. Most recently, the Brazilian native made his Bellator debut against Chael Sonnen in the main event of Bellator: NYC.

 

 

Updated Bellator Fight Card:

 

Middleweight World Title Bout: Gegard Mousasi (44-6-2) vs. Rory MacDonald (20-4)

 

Heavyweight Feature Bout: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (37-13) vs. Wanderlei Silva (35-13)

 

Welterweight World Grand Prix First Round Bout

 

 

*Card subject to change.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

BELLATOR TO DEBUT IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA ON FRIDAY, AUG. 17 AT SANFORD PENTAGON

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BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION DARRION CALDWELL RETURNS TO 145-POUNDS AGAINST NOAD LAHAT IN BELLATOR 204 HEADLINER

 

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SOUTH DAKOTA’S OWN LOGAN STORLEY SET FOR CO-MAIN EVENT AGAINST A.J. MATTHEWS

LOS ANGELES – Bellator will hold its first-ever event in Sioux Falls, S.D. on Friday, Aug. 17 at Sanford Pentagon. Bellator 204 will be headlined by the promotion’s bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell (12-1) testing himself against Noad Lahat (12-3) in a non-title featherweight matchup.

 

 

 

A welterweight bout will serve as the co-main event of the card, when South Dakota-native Logan Storley (8-0) takes on the always-dangerous A.J. Matthews (9-7).

 

 

 

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, June 28 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets start at just $28 and will be available at the Sanford Pentagon box office, as well as Ticketmaster.

 

 

 

The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

 

 

 

“I’m excited to bring Bellator to Sioux Falls this summer with a great venue partner in the Sanford Pentagon,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “I always look forward to visiting a new market and having a crowd experience a live Bellator event for the first time. This is a great card with a lot of intriguing matchups that I know fans will enjoy. With this being such a strong wrestling community, I’m also excited to feature several former collegiate wrestlers on Aug. 17, including Darrion Caldwell and South Dakota’s Logan Storley.”

 

 

 

Caldwell, a 30-year-old Rahway, New Jersey native and the current Bellator bantamweight champion, will step up a weight class to take on Lahat in an exciting featherweight non-title affair on Aug. 17. Fighting out of San Diego, Calif., “The Wolf” has emerged as one of the most well-rounded fighters in the 135-pound class, collecting nine victories since signing with Bellator in 2013. The 2009 NCAA D1 National Champion wrestler from NC State boasts a resume that includes five first-round finishes, a 25-minute war against Eduardo Dantas for the world title and a textbook guillotine choke submission victory over Leandro Higo in his first career title defense earlier this year. Caldwell will look for his 13th professional and fourth consecutive win when he enters the cage as a 145-pounder for the first time since 2014.

 

 

 

A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu currently training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Lahat made his professional debut in 2008 where he began an impressive streak of seven consecutive victories. The 34-year-old hails from Alfei Menashe, Samaria, Israel, Lahat and served as a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces before transitioning to his MMA career. Lahat holds a 3-1 record in Bellator with his most recent win coming against Jeremiah Labiano this past November and now welcomes the Bellator bantamweight champion to his weight class when he enters the cage on Aug. 17.

 

 

 

Hailing from Webster, S.D., the 25-year-old Storley will fight in front of his hometown fans at Bellator 204 when he makes his fourth appearance for Bellator. The 4x NCAA All-American wrestler from the University of Minnesota has quickly climbed the ranks as one of the most dangerous welterweights in mixed martial arts, earning eight-straight victories to begin his career, including six knockouts and five first-round finishes. A win over the equally-dangerous Matthews on Aug. 17would only further cement his name amongst the division’s best, as Storley hopes to protect his unblemished mark of 8-0.

 

 

 

Fighting out of Carlsbad, Calif., Matthews will be making his 11th appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella; a seven-year stretch that has earned the promotional veteran five victories, including a pair of first-round knockouts and a highlight reel-soccer kick finish over Charlie Rader. The 30-year-old certainly knows how to put on a show, with nine of his 16 career fights ending in a knockout, including six in the first round. “Mercenary” will look to build on his recent win over Kendall Grove at Bellator 193, as he enters the cage against hometown favorite Storley in the co-main event.

 

 

 

Updated Bellator 204: Caldwell vs. Lahat Fight Card:

 

 

Featherweight Main Event: Darrion Caldwell (12-1) vs. Noad Lahat (12-3)

 

 

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Logan Storley (8-0) vs. A.J. Matthews (9-7)

 

 

 

*Card subject to change.

 

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, wrestling

This Week’s FNU Combat Sports Show: UFC and Bellator UK Show Recaps, Bisping Retires, Cop Boxing Teen Goes Viral

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This week on the FNU Combat Sports show, Tom, Tony and Rich discuss a slow week for boxing and recap two huge MMA cards in the United Kingdom last weekend. We also talk about Michael Bisping deciding to retire, weight cutting issues in the UFC, and a cop nicknamed “Blade” getting his 15 seconds of fame in a viral video where he boxes a teen in full uniform and comes out on top. Listen to the whole show below:

 

Bare Knuckle Boxing, Bellator, boxing, FNU Combat Sports Show, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC, UK Boxing

Maia vs. Usman Recap, New ESPN Deal, Boxing Promotional Battles are topics of discussion on this week’s FNU Combat Sports Show

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This week on the FNU Combat Sports Show, Tom, Tony and Rich discuss a wide variety of topics. We start out with the ESPN/UFC broadcast rights deal for five years, 30 fight cards and $1.5 billion. We also discuss the infighting among boxing promoters lately with both Bob Arum and UK upstart Eddie Hearn scrambling to sign free agents while trying to fill slots for slated shows in the United States over the coming year. We go on to recap last week’s combat sports action, highlighting the Adonis Stevenson vs. Badou Jack majority draw and the Usman vs Maia 5-round snoozefest headlining last Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night card. We of course also preview this weekend’s boxing matches and the UFC and Bellator cards coming out of England. We even touch on the regulation of bareknuckle boxing and Bobby Gunn’s claim of no fatalities recorded in the sport. Finally, we wrap up with  a reminder of what this weekend is all about: saluting our servicemen and women.  Listen to the whole show at the link below:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/v8zi5h9j4j7t07e/tonytomandrichmay262018.mp3?dl=0

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

MIRKO CRO COP OUT OF BELLATOR 200 DUE TO INJRY

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RAFAEL CARVALHO DEFENDS MIDDLEWIGHT TITLE AGAINST GEGARD MOUSASI IN NEW HEADLINER, WHILE ‘MVP’ TAKES ON DAVID RICKELS IN CO-MAIN

 

LOS ANGELES – Due to injury, Mirko Cro Cop can no longer compete in his highly anticipated Bellator debut atBellator 200 against Roy Nelson. As a result, the Bellator 200 main event now sees reigning middleweight champRafael Carvalho (15-1) defend his title against top contender Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2) in a five-round affair, while the co-main event features undefeated British striker Michael “Venom” Page (12-0), better known as “MVP,” againstDavid Rickels (19-4, 2 NC) at welterweight. Bellator 200 takes place Friday, May 25 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London and will air on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

 

 

The main card also includes former titleholder Phil Davis (18-4) taking on Linton Vassell (18-6) in a light heavyweight matchup and reality star turned MMA fighter Aaron Chalmers (3-0) making his promotional debut against fellow BritAsh Griffiths (4-5). The remainder of the main card will be announced later this week.

 

 

 

Prior to the main card on Paramount Network, Bellator 200 will also feature plenty of exciting preliminary matchups showcasing many of the U.K.’s top young talent. The undefeated Anastasia Yankova (5-0) returns against the always-tough Kate Jackson (9-3-1), while a trio of former BAMMA champions are in action when former middleweight champion Mike Shipman (11-1) fights Carl Noon (7-2), former BAMMA featherweight kingpin Daniel Crawford (10-1) challenges Pedro Carvalho (6-3) and former BAMMA lightweight titlist Ryan Scope (11-1) faces Martyn Harris(4-4). Fans will see Bellator veteran Anatoly Tokov (25-3) clash with Vladimir Filipovic (10-2), SBG Ireland-productCharlie Ward (4-3) in action against Louis King (1-1) and Mousasi-trained prospect Costello van Steenis (9-1) meeting Kevin Fryer (6-2).

 

 

 

Tickets for the event are on sale now at The SSE Arena, Wembley box office (0844 815 0815), Ticketmaster.com,ssearena.co.uk and axs.com. Bellator 200 will be broadcast on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT.

 

 

 

*Card subject to change.

Bellator, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

This Week’s Combat Sports Show: Nunes vs. Pennington Recap, Lomachenko vs. Linares analysis, Liddell Unretires and calls out Jon Jones

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This week’s fight news unlimited combat sports show is a great mix of boxing and mixed martial arts. Tom, Tony and Rich cover all the action from last weekend and marvel at the master of his craft that is Vasyl Lomachenko. We discuss Chuck Liddell coming out of retirement with Golden Boy MMA, and Tito Ortiz taking the debate to be his first opponent. We also have a bit of a debate about Raquel Pennington telling her corner she wanted to be done after the fourth round against Amanda Nunes. Her coaches pep talked her into continuing, which led to more blood loss and facial damage from a clearly more hyped up and fresh opponent. Weigh in right here in the comment section if you have your own opinion on the situation.

 

Listen to the show live through this link:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8igg415vwt22dij/tomtonyrichmay18th2018.mp3?dl=0

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

OFFICIAL BELLATOR 199: BADER vs. KING MO RESULTS & PHOTOS

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Ryan Bader (25-5) defeated “King Mo” Lawal (21-7, 1 NC) via knockout (punch) at :15 of round one

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/ycysrnua

 

Jon Fitch (31-7-1, 1 NC) defeated Paul Daley (40-16-2) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-26, 29-26)

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/y98s82hr

 

Aaron Pico (3-1) defeated Lee Morrison (19-9) via TKO (punch to body) at 1:10 of round one

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/ycdhxdko

 

Cheick Kongo (28-10-2) defeated Javy Ayala (10-7) via knockout (punches) at 2:29 of round one

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/yalv99d6

 

Adam Piccolotti (10-2) defeated Carrington Banks (7-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:41 of round three

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/y9bo2tea

 

Hyder Amil (2-0) defeated Elias Anderson (0-1) via TKO at 3:01 of round two

Ignacio Ortiz (1-0) defeated Matt Aragoni (1-1) via TKO at 2:57 of round three

Mark Climaco (2-0) defeated Daniel Oseguera (0-1) via TKO at 2:21 of round one

J.J. Okanovich (6-1) defeated Hugo Lujan (3-3) via unanimous decision

Tom Ponce de Leon (2-0) defeated Dominic Sumner (1-2) via TKO at 2:48 of round two

Nohelin Hernandez (7-2) defeated Josh San Diego (7-4) via unanimous decision

Josh Paiva (10-2) defeated Adam Antolin (13-4) via KO at :32 of round one

Cass Bell (1-0) defeated Khai Wu (1-1) via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:27 of round two

Jordan Williams (7-2) defeated Brandon Hester (4-1) via TKO (punches) at 1:11 of round two

Amber Leibrock (3-1) defeated Janay Harding (3-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

James Terry (20-9) defeated Danasabe Mohammed (5-2) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

Gaston Bolanos (3-1) defeated Malcom Hill (3-5) via TKO (leg kicks) at 2:54 of round one

Justin Tenedora (2-1) defeated David Rivera (0-3) via submission (triangle-choke) at 4:27 of round one

Deron Winn (4-0) defeated Ahmed White (0-1) via knockout (punches) at 2:32 of round one

 

Bellator, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale

FNU Combat Sports Show: Fight Recaps, Bellator and UFC Previews, Chuck vs. Tito 3?

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Tom, Tony and Rich recap last week’s boxing action, including the quick KO of Vanes Martirosyan by Gennady Golovkin. We also look ahead to Ryan Bader vs. King Mo Lawal in the Bellator Heavyweight Tournament. Additionally, Raquel Pennington takes on Amanda Nunes at UFC 224, and Pennington will likely have to win by knockout to get the belt in the Brazilian backyard of Nunes. We also chat about the week’s major news stories in combat sports, namely Chuck Liddell wanting a rematch with Tito Ortiz and Oscar De La Hoya promising to promote the fight in a new MMA venture for the boxing legend and promotional kingpin. Recently, after our broadcast Thursday night, Tito and Chuck moved much closer to that trilogy fight with Tito announcing he is coming out of retirement for the bout. Listen to the whole show by clicking on the link below.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/to7cvpsxpajkvot/fnucombatsportsmay92018.mp3?dl=0

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

BELLATOR 199: BADER vs. KING MO WEIGH-IN RESULTS & PHOTOS

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EVENT AIRS ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK AT 9 P.M. ET / 8 P.M. CT

 

WEIGH-IN PHOTOS HERE | RE-WATCH WEIGH-INS HERE

 

Bellator 199: Bader vs. King Mo takes place tomorrow at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.

 

Complete Bellator 199: Bader vs. King Mo Weigh-in Results:

Heavyweight Grand Prix Main Event: Ryan Bader (225.1) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (217.4)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Paul Daley (170.3) vs. Jon Fitch (171)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Lee Morrison (144) vs. Aaron Pico (145.7)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Cheick Kongo (241.7) vs. Javy Ayala (265.5)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Carrington Banks (155.6) vs. Adam Piccolotti (155.3)

140-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Elias Anderson (139.8) vs. Hyder Amil (137.9)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Matt Aragoni (144.9) vs. Ignacio Ortiz (145)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Mark Climaco (125) vs. Daniel Oseguera (124.7)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Hugo Lujan (154.7) vs. J.J. Okanovich (155.4)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Tom Ponce de Leon (169.7) vs. Dominic Sumner (170.9)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Nohelin Hernandez (135.9) vs. Josh San Diego (135.5)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Josh Paiva (125.7) vs. Adam Antolin (124.8)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Cass Bell (135.8) vs. Khai Wu (136)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Jordan Williams (184.1) vs. Brandon Hester (185.4)

Women’s Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Janay Harding (145.8) vs. Amber Leibrock (145)

165-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (164) vs. James Terry (164.7)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Malcom Hill (144.4) vs. Gaston Bolanos (145.6)

137-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Tenedora (135.8) vs. David Rivera (135.1)

190-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Deron Winn (192.1*) vs. Ahmed White (188.4)

 

*Missed weight

Bellator, boxing, FNU Combat Sports Show, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show: Fedor Floors Frank Mir, Tony’s Ringside Philly Boxing Report and Tom and Rich Recap the Latest TUF Season

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This week’s FNU Combat Sports Show covers a wide range of topics. We start off with a discussion about Fedor Emelianenko’s demolition of Frank Mir in the latest installment of their heavyweight tourney. We go on to discuss the FBI’s shadowing of Fedor leading up to his fight last weekend. We discuss the big Cinco De Mayo boxing matches coming up this weekend and recap last week’s fights, including the ones Tony attended personally in Philadelphia. We also catch up on the latest TUF season featuring Daniel Cormier coaching against Stipe Miocic.

 

Listen to the full show here:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s04cvryertbsj7r/tomtonyrichmay32018show.mp3?dl=0