Tag Archives: Bellator

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BELLATOR MMA’S INTERNATIONAL ROADSHOW CONTINUES AT 3ARENA IN DUBLIN, IRELAND FRIDAY, DEC. 16

October 14, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

KING MO RETURNS TO MONEYWEIGHT TO MEET SATOSHI ISHII IN MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR MMA’S DEBUT IN ‘THE EMERALD ISLE’

NORTHERN IRELAND’S OWN JAMES ‘THE STRABANIMAL’ GALLAGHER ALSO SET TO RETURN TO ACTION

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (October 12, 2016) – Check Ireland off the list of countries Bellator MMA has yet to hold an event in, with the announcement that the Scott Coker-led promotion is set for action at the heart of Dublin’s docklands on Dec. 16.

“Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” emanates from the state-of-the-art 3Arena, and will be headlined by a heavyweight fight pitting “King Mo” (19-5, 1 NC) against Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii (14-6-1). Ireland will also have one of its brightest prospects on the card as well, as the pride of Strabane, James Gallagher (4-0) returns home against a yet-to-be-announced foe.

Tickets for “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” start at 35€ and go on sale at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.ie and the 3Arena Box Office on Friday, October 14, with a special presale on the 12 & 13. The event can be seen free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Additional main and preliminary card bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

In addition, Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion BAMMA will be holding “BAMMA 27,” alongside “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” in an effort to showcase some of the world’s leading MMA athletes from both organizations. “BAMMA 27” will be headlined by a bantamweight title fight pitting Tom Duquesnoy (13-1, 1 NC) against Alan Philpott (16-8), as well as a featherweight title fight featuring Ronnie Mann (25-8-1) against former Bellator MMA competitor Martin Stapleton (18-4).

“When thinking of a country that respects, understands and yearns for quality mixed martial arts action, Ireland immediately comes to mind,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “I’m very excited for this event, with ‘King Mo’ versus Ishii in the main event, and I cannot wait to be inside the 3Arena when ‘The Strabanimal,’ James Gallagher takes center stage, it’s going to be a madhouse. With that being said, I’m pleased to be bringing this action to Dublin alongside a promotion like BAMMA and David Green, who has been a good friend for years.”

BAMMA CEO David Green added: “It’s going to be the biggest and boldest MMA show in Ireland this year, as fans get the chance to get up close and personal with MMA superstars from both promotions.

“King Mo” returns to the cage for the second time in 2016, and first time at heavyweight since his Rizin Grand Prix heavyweight tournament victory. A winner in seven out of his last eight fights, Mo yearns for an opportunity to meet the winner of Liam McGeary versus Phil Davis at “Bellator 163,” onNov. 4, but instead of remaining inactive, the 35-year-old now looks to test himself against Ishii. A former Strikeforce champion, Mo has his sights set on adding Bellator gold to his mantel.

Ishii is a 29-year-old powerhouse Judoka who earned Gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing after defeating the best the world had to offer in the +100 kg division. Now fully focused on mixed martial arts, the Japanese star has competed in his home country almost exclusively throughout his 21-fight professional career and will be fighting three days ahead of his Dec. 19 birthday when he meets Lawal on Dec. 16 in Ireland. With half of his victories coming before judges’ scorecards, it’s worth noting that four of Ishii’s defeats have come at the hands of some of greatest the sport has to offer such as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Mirko Cro Cop and Fedor Emelianenko.

Perfect through his first four professional fights, the 19-year-old Gallagher is one of the brightest stars in all of “The Emerald Island.” Hailing from nearby Straban in Northern Ireland, “The Strabanimal” moved away from home at age 15 to join coach John Kavanagh at Straight Blast Gym (SBG), where he now trains alongside the best fighters in the country including Connor McGregor. Having made his Bellator debut in London this past July when he beat Mike Cutting in London, Gallagher will look to make it five straight to start his career in front of a raucous home crowd. Please note: Gallagher was scheduled to appear at Bellator 164 in Tel Aviv Israel on Nov. 10, and will no longer be competing on that card. A replacement for him will be named shortly.

Updated “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” Main Card:

Heavyweight Main Event: Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (19-5, 1 NC) vs. Satoshi Ishii (14-6-1)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: James Gallagher (4-0) vs. TBA

Updated “BAMMA 27” Main Card:

Bantamweight World Title Bout: Tom Duquesnoy (13-1, 1 NC) vs. Alan Philpott (16-8)

Featherweight World Title Bouut: Ronnie Mann (25-8-1) vs. Martin Stapleton (18-4)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Dylan Tuke (3-0) vs. Sean Tobin (4-2)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

UNDEFEATED ADAM PICCOLOTTI SET FOR LIGHTWEIGHT CLASH WITH BRANDON GIRTZ AT SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE ON NOV. 19 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS LINTON VASSELL AND FRANCIS CARMONT ALSO ADDED TO THE SPIKE-TELEVISED MAIN CARD

October 12, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (October 11, 2016) – A lightweight showdown pitting Adam Piccolotti (8-0) against Brandon Girtz (14-4) and a light heavyweight matchup pitting Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (16-5) versus Francis Carmont (14-4) have been added to the main card of “Bellator 165: Chandler vs. Henderson” at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Nov. 19.

The bouts join a pair of action-packed fights highlighted by a lightweight world title main event featuring Michael Chandler (15-3) against Benson Henderson (24-6). In addition, a welterweight clash between undefeated British striker Michael “Venom” Page (11-0) and California’s own Fernando Gonzalez (25-13) will also be the card’s co-main event. Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Bellator 165: Chandler vs. Henderson” will take place on November 19, airing LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m ET/ 8 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at Bellator.com, as well as SAP Center Box Office and Ticketmaster.

After emerging victorious in his first four professional fights, Piccolotti has continued with more of the same under the Scott Coker-led promotion’s banner. Since making his Bellator MMA debut in 2015, the California native has recorded wins in each of his four bouts, including three consecutive finishes via submission. Piccolotti opened his 2016 campaign with a nifty first round finish of Ray Wood at “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo,” lifting his overall record to 8-0. The 27-year-old will look to protect his unblemished mark when he challenges Girtz on November 19 inside SAP Center.

One year removed from an impressive first round finish that left opponent Derek Campos on the Bellator MMA canvas just 37 seconds into the bout, Girtz returns to the cage in an attempt to build off of his current three-fight winning streak. The Mankato, Minn., native holds an impressive 6-2 promotional mark since joining Bellator MMA, including four finishes and a pair of first round knockouts. Since making his professional debut in 2008, the 31-year-old Girtz has recorded 10 finishes, eight of which have come by way of submission. Having won five of his last six bouts, the powerful grappler will look to pick up right where he left off and further his case for a 155-pound title shot.

A seven-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, Vassell has recorded five wins since making his promotional debut in 2013. The 33-year-old British striker is known for ending fights early with his elite striking and a near-flawless ground game. In total, “The Swarm” has finished 13 of his 16 opponents, including 10 first round finishes and six knockout blows. Vassell hopes to build off of a strong performance at the record shattering “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, where he defeated Emauel Newton. Vassell now turns his attention to Francis Carmont, an opponent that he was originally slated to face earlier in the year at “Bellator 158: Daley vs. Lima,” before an injury forced Vassell to withdraw.

Similar to his opponent, former UFC competitor Francis Carmont also has a knack for finishing opponents early and often in his bouts. The 34-year-old Carmont has stopped his opponent in 17 of his 25 career wins, including 11 submission victories and six knockouts. Hailing from Paris, France, “Limitless” credits much of his success to the top-notch trainers at Tristar Gym in Montreal, Canada. The well-known training camp is loaded with accomplished instructors, who have helped develop a number of talented fighters, including recent Bellator MMA free agent signee Rory MacDonald. With more than half of his submission finishes coming in the opening round of action, we can expect the dynamic Carmont to attack his opponent right off the bat in hopes of adding to that remarkable total.

Updated “Bellator 165: Chandler vs. Henderson” Main Card:

Lightweight World Title Main Event: Michael Chandler (15-3) vs. Benson Henderson (24-6)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Michael “Venom” Page (11-0) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (25-13)

Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Linton Vassell (16-5) vs. Francis Carmont (25-11)

Lightweight Feature Bout: Adam Piccolotti (8-0) vs. Brandon Girtz (14-4)

Preliminary Card:

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Diego Herzog (3-2) vs. Nick Pica (5-0)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: James Terry (17-9) vs. Justin Baesman (19-10-1)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Jose Perez (2-1) vs. J.T. Donaldson (2-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: J.J. Okanovich (2-1) vs. Luis Vargas (Debut)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Hugo Lujan (0-1) vs. Cesar Gonzalez (Debut)

Welterweight “VOW” Preliminary Bout: Dominic Sumer (Debut) vs. Justin Roswell (1-0)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (5-0) vs. Dwight Grant (6-1)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Sarah D’Alelio (10-6) vs. Jaimelene Nievera (4-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BELLATOR MMA PRESENTS A SPECIAL DOUBLEHEADER ON DECEMBER 2 & 3 FROM THE WINSTAR WORLD CASINO & RESORT IN OK.

October 12, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

NIGHT ONE WILL SEE A BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE REMATCH PITTING CHAMPION EDUARDO DANTAS AGAINST JOE WARREN

NIGHT TWO HEADLINED BY FEATHERWEIGHT MAIN EVENT BETWEEN FORMER CHAMPION PAT CURRAN AND JOHN TEIXEIRA

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (October 10, 2016) – Bellator MMA is thrilled to announce the promotion’s first ever Friday/Saturday doubleheader event. The first night of entertainment will feature a bantamweight world title rematch pitting current division champion Eduardo Dantas (18-4) against a dangerous former two-division champion Joe Warren (14-5), which joins a previously announced featherweight showdown between A.J. McKee (5-0) and Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3).

Meanwhile, the second night of action will be headlined by a featherweight fight pitting former champion Pat Curran (22-7) against John Teixeira (19-1-2).

The unique doubleheader event will take place on Friday, December 2 and Saturday, December 3 inside WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, OK. Tickets start at just $45 and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino & Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

“Bellator 166: Dantas vs. Warren 2” airs live and free on Friday 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.

“Bellator 167: Curran vs. Teixeira” airs live and free on Saturday 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 bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Fresh off a win over Marcos Galvao that crowned him bantamweight champion, the 27-year-old Dantas will look to defend his belt for the first time this year. The elusive Brazilian enters the contest having won 11 of his past 13 bouts, including seven finishes, giving him a total of 10 stoppages over his 18 career victories. Since making his promotional debut in 2011, “Dudu” has cemented himself among the Bellator MMA elite, collecting wins in eight of his nine appearances, with the lone loss coming at the hands of his upcoming opponent, Joe Warren. After successfully defending his title twice, Dantas lost the belt to Warren via unanimous decision at “Bellator 128.” Now that he has the gold around his waist again, Dantas will need to put forth his best effort to ensure history does not repeat itself against “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”

Warren will be looking to duplicate his success against the feisty Dantas, after defeating him in a five round, 25-minute bloodbath that took place in the same venue nearly two years ago. The win capped off a five-fight winning streak and allowed Warren to unify the 135-pound title. A native of Denver, Colorado, “The Baddest Man on the Planet” has now emerged victorious in seven of his last nine bouts, including his most recent finish over former UFC competitor Sirwan Kakai at “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson.” At 39 years old, the former two-division Bellator MMA champion will now attempt to become the oldest fighter to win a championship in Bellator history.

Bellator MMA veteran Pat Curran will enter the cage for the 17^th time under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion, which will tie him with David Rickels for the most in the promotion’s history. On top of that, “Paddy Mike” will have the opportunity to join Patricio “Pitbull” for the most wins in Bellator MMA history, with 13, if he can emerge victorious. Since joining the promotion in 2010, Curran has accrued 12 wins, including notable victories over current featherweight champion Daniel Straus, former featherweight titleholder Patricio “Pitbull,” and former bantamweight/featherweight king Joe Warren. The 29-year-old Crystal Lake, Illinois native comes in on a hot streak, having won two consecutive bouts and nine of his last 12. With two World Title victories and a pair of successful title defenses under his belt, Curran has proven time and time again that his name belongs atop Bellator MMA’s always-competitive featherweight division.

The 29-year-old Teixeira continues to make a name for himself in Bellator MMA’s featherweight division, as he makes his fourth appearance under the promotion’s direction. Similar to his opponent, Teixeira also steps into the cage on a recent string of success, having won three straight and seven of his last eight bouts, including a trio of first-round knockouts. Prior to his days with Bellator MMA, Teixeira began his professional career fighting exclusively in Brazil, posting an undefeated record of 12-0 with one draw. The upcoming bout marks only the fourth time in Teixeira’s nine year career that he will fight outside of his native Brazil. With 14 of his 19 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, you can be sure to see “Macapa” go for the finishing blow early and often in this mouthwatering matchup.

Updated “Bellator 166: Dantas vs. Warren 2” Main Card:

Bantamweight World Title Main Event: Eduardo Dantas (18-4) vs. Joe Warren (14-5)

Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (5-0) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3)

Updated “Bellator 167: Curran vs. Teixeira”Main Card:

Featherweight Main Event: Pat Curran (22-7) vs. John Teixeira (19-1-2)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BLUE CHIP PROSPECTS ED RUTH & TYRELL FORTUNE SET FOR BELLATOR MMA DEBUTS AS TRIO OF PRELIMINARY BOUTS COMPLETE STACKED ‘BELLATOR 163’ CARD

October 8, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

UNDEFEATED NEIMAN GRACIE CHALLENGES 30-FIGHT VETERAN RUDY BEARS IN CATCHWEIGHT BOUT

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (October 6, 2016) –Two of Bellator’s highly touted wrestling prospects Ed Ruth and Tyrell Fortune will make their eagerly anticipated mixed martial arts debuts against Mark Mangiardi (Debut) and Cody Miskell (Debut) during the stacked card of “Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis” on November 4 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

In addition, Neiman Gracie (4-0) will look to remain undefeated to begin his professional career in a catchweight bout against Rudy Bears (16-14). All three of these contests will air on the Bellator.com-streamed preliminary card beginning at 7:50 p.m. ET/5:50 p.m. CT.

The newly announced tilts complete a card headlined by a light heavyweight world title fight that pits champion Liam McGeary (11-0) against Phil Davis (16-3). In the co-main event, a welterweight showdown pitting Saad Awad (19-8) against Brennan Ward (13-4) will go down, while a heavyweight bout between Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) and Javy “Eye Candy” Ayala (9-5) will also be featured on the main card. Lastly, Paul Daley (38-14-2) and the always-exciting Derek Anderson (14-2) faceoff in a welterweight clash, while female featherweights Marloes Coenen (23-7) and Talita Nogueira (6-0) round out the live and free action on SPIKE.

Tickets for “Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis” are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as the Mohegan Sun Box Office and Ticketmaster. The event can be seen 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.

When looking up the word “prospect” in the dictionary, there should be a photo of Ed Ruth placed next to the definition. The three-time national champion joined a plethora of blue-chip amateur wrestling prospects on the Bellator MMA roster last year and now will make his long-awaited debut at 185-pounds on Nov. 4. An attendee of the world-renown Blair Academy in Susquehanna Township, PA, where he was the top-ranked recruit in the nation for his weight class, Ruth elected to stay local and attend wrestling powerhouse Penn State University where he went on to add three National Championships and four All-American accolades to his trophy room while wrestling with the Nittany Lions. Now, Ruth’s chase for mixed martial arts gold begins –

Fighting out of Pennsylvania, Mark Mangiardi will have his hands full when he makes his professional debut against Ruth. With four amateur bouts already under his belt, the 28-year-old has tasted competition on the MMA scene unlike his Nov. 4 opponent. With his first sanctioned bout taking place in 2012, this will be the first bout outside of his home state of Pennsylvania.

Another one of Scott Coker’s high profile wrestling signings, Fortune attended high school at Lakeridge in Oregon, where he won state championships in nearly every national age-group in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. The accolades didn’t stop there, with Fortune accepting an offer to wrestle at Ohio State University, before ultimately settling in at the highly acclaimed Grand Canyon Universities program. Since graduating college, Fortune represented Team USA in Olympic style wrestling, where he also experienced success. Splitting time between wrestling training in Arizona alongside fellow “Bellator 163” competitor Ed Ruth and mixed martial arts training with the Blackzilians in Florida, Fortune has spent a great deal of time honing his striking talents and submission defense.

Miskell has competed in both heavyweight and super heavyweight contests during his seven-fight amateur stint, accruing a record of 5-2. Now, the Kentucky native – who’s finished each of victories – looks to parlay his success into a run under the bright lights of Bellator MMA’s heavyweight division. It’s safe to say that Miskell’s wrestling pedigree will be challenged early and often when he meets Fortune during the Bellator.com-streamed prelims.

The Gracie name is synonymous with the sport of mixed martial arts, and once again another Gracie will now take center stage for Bellator MMA. This time it is Royce Gracie’s cousin Neiman, who will compete for the third time under the promotion’s banner. After beginning his career with back-to-back submission victories, Gracie made his Bellator MMA debut at “Bellator 134,” where he defeated Bobby Flynn with a first round submission. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt followed up the win with a win over Roger Carroll, and now looks to remain undefeated when he enters the Mohegan Sun Arena for the second time of his budding MMA career.

A 37-year-old Missouri native, Bears began his combat sports training in high school. Fighting professionally since 2007, Bears has appeared eight times previously under the Bellator MMA banner and now returns to the promotion after his appearance against Michael Page at “Bellator 140: Koreshkov vs. Lima.” Nicknamed “Bad News,” Bears has competed against MMA notables the likes of Zak Cummings, Paul Daley, Jason High, Ryan Jensen, Isaac Vallie-Flagg and Tyron Woodley, and the aforementioned “MVP.”

Complete “Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis” Main Card:

Light Heavyweight World Title Bout: Liam McGeary (11-0) vs. Phil Davis (16-3)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Saad Awad (19-8) vs. Brennan Ward (13-4)

Welterweight Feature Bout: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Derek Anderson (14-2)

Heavyweight Feature Bout: Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) vs. Javy Ayala (9-5)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Marloes Coenen (23-7) vs. Talita Nogueira (6-0)

Complete Preliminary Card:

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Ed Ruth (Debut) vs. Mark Mangiardi (Debut)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Tyrell Forune (Debut) vs. Cody Miskell (Debut)

Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Neiman Gracie (4-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-14)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Josh Diekmann (15-7, 1 NC) vs. Tyler King (11-4)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Blair Tugman (8-6) vs. Walter Smith-Cotito (4-4, 1 NC)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Michael Zichelle (8-4) vs. Tim Caron (5-0)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Ilya Kotau (1-1) vs. Carlos Corriea (1-0)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Sarah Payant (1-3) vs. Hannah Regina (Debut)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Keenan Raymond (3-3) vs. Kastroit Xhema (Debut)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Thomas English (6-6) vs. Christopher Foster (9-4)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: James Boran (6-0) vs. Vinicius De Jesus (4-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PAUL DALEY RETURNS TO STATESIDE ACTION AGAINST DEREK ANDERSON AT ‘BELLATOR 163’ ON NOVEMBER 4

October 4, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

SERGEI KHARITONOV SET FOR BELLATOR MMA HEAVYWEIGHT DEBUT AGAINST JAVY AYALA, LIVE & FREE ON SPIKE

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (October 3, 2016) – A welterweight showdown pitting Paul “Semtex” Daley (38-14-2) against Derek “The Barbaric” Anderson (14-2) as well as a heavyweight bout featuring Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) against Javy “Eye Candy” Ayala (9-5) complete the SPIKE-televised main card of “Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis” on November 4 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

The addition of the two bouts round out a main card chalk full of action, highlighted by a light heavyweight world title main event pitting current champion Liam McGeary (11-0) against Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (16-3). In addition, Saad Awad (19-8) and hometown favorite Brennan Ward (13-4) square-off in a welterweight bash live and free on SPIKE, along with female featherweights Marloes Coenen (23-7) and Talita Nogueira (6-0). Tickets for“Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis” are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as the Mohegan Sun Box Office and Ticketmaster. The event can be seen 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.

With 54 career fights under his belt, the 33-year-old Daley has seen it all. “Semtex,” a former member of the British Army, made his professional debut in 2003, before competing under the direction of both Strikeforce and UFC. Now the Nottingham, England native seems to have found a home, as he will make his fifth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, following three wins and a pair of knockout finishes in his first stint with the promotion. Daley has emerged victorious in nine of his last 11 contests, with eight of the nine wins coming by way of knockout. It should come as no surprise that the former Cage Rage Welterweight Champion has strung together a recent flurry of finishes, as 30 of his 38 career wins have come by way of finish. Daley hopes to continue along his path of dominance and further cement his name among the division’s elite when he and Anderson square off on November 4.

Fresh off of an entertaining unanimous decision victory over Saad Awad at “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull,” Anderson hops back into the cage in search of his sixth win since joining the Viacom-owned promotion back in 2013. Prior to signing with Bellator MMA, “Barbaric” strung together an unblemished mark of 9-0, finishing all nine of his victims, including six in the first round. Now, the 26-year-old San Diego native will be jumping up in weight class to challenge Daley in the welterweight division for the first time in his professional career. The tall and lengthy Anderson will look to add to his current two-fight winning streak as he faces the British striking sensation in a marquee matchup at Bellator MMA’s latest tentpole offering.

After being forced to withdraw from his originally scheduled Bellator MMA debut earlier this year, the 36-year-old Kharitonov will once again prepare to take center stage for first time under the bright lights of Bellator MMA. A winner in 10 of his last 12 fights, including his last five outings, “The Paratrooper” enters the cage as a surefire contender for the vacant heavyweight belt. A veteran of PRIDE Fighting Championships, Strikeforce, and DREAM, the Moscow native prefers to take matters into his own hands rather than the judges, tallying 22 finishes over his 23 career wins, including stoppages in each of his last 10 victories. The multi-dimensional Kharitonov holds notable wins over former UFC Champions Fabricio Werdum and Andrei Arlovski, all while remaining on active duty with the Russian Airborne Troops.

Ayala, another heavyweight competitor capable of ending a fight in the blink of an eye, has finished his opponent in eight of his nine career wins. “Eye Candy” also has a knack for putting his challengers out of their misery early in the bout, recording seven of his eight finishes in the first round of action. A 6-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, the 28-year-old has recorded victories in four of his six contests since joining the Scott Coker-led promotion back in 2013. Ayala’s success in mixed martial arts runs in the family, as his cousin, Joe Soto, is a former Bellator MMA Champion. Be sure to tune in on November 4 as two of the top finishers in the highly competitive heavyweight division clash at Mohegan Sun Arena.