Tag Archives: Bellator

Bellator, GLORY, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

GLORY KICKBOXING ADDS SECOND WORLD TITLE FIGHT TO ‘BELLATOR MMA: DYNAMITE 1,’ PITTING FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION GABRIEL VARGA AGAINST SERHIY ADAMCHUCK

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 7, 2015) – A third championship fight will take place on the already stacked “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” card, this time in Glory kickboxing’s featherweight division. Canadian World Champion Gabriel Varga (26-2, 8 KO) will defend his title against Ukrainian challenger Serhiy Adamchuck (29-5, 14 KO).

 

The featherweight title fight joins a landmark event in combat sports that will see both a Bellator cage and a Glory kickboxing ring on one arena floor at the same time — something that has never been done before. It all goes down September 19 from the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., featuring Tito Ortiz (18-11) challenging Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion Liam McGeary (10-0) in the main event.

 

Additionally, the previously announced fight card features a bout between Zack Mwekassa (13-2, 12 KO) and Saulo Cavalari (31-2, 19 KO) for the vacant Glory Light Heavyweight Championship as well as Bellator MMA’s four-man, one-night light heavyweight tournament to determine a No. 1 contender in the division that includes the promotional debut of Phil Davis (13-3), as well as Emanuel Newton(25-8-1), Linton Vassell (15-4-1) and the return of Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal(15-4, 1 NC).

 

“Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” airs live and free on Spike at 9/8c. Tickets for the historic event start at just $30 and are on sale now at the SAP Center box office and are also available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, as well as Bellator.com.

 

Varga most recently defeated top-ranked featherweight Mosab “The Jaguar” Amrani in a “Fight of the Year” contender at Glory 20 on April 3 to capture the vacant title. While Adamchuk earned his upcoming title shot following an impressive debut at Glory 22 on June 5, coming in on 24 hours notice to beat lightweight contender Marat Grigorian in one of the biggest upsets of 2015 thus far.

 

“Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” – Saturday, September 19 – SAP Center, San Jose, Calif.

 

Bellator Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Tito Ortiz (18-11) vs. © Liam McGeary (10-0)

Glory Vacant Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Saulo Cavalari (31-2) vs. Zack Mwekassa (13-2)

Glory Featherweight Title Fight: © Gabriel Varga (26-2) vs. Serhiy Adamchuck (29-5)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Competitors (first round pairings TBD):Phil Davis (13-3), Emanuel Newton (25-8-1), Linton Vassell (15-4-1), Muhammed Lawal (15-4, 1 NC)

Bellator, mixed martial arts

PRELIMINARY PORTION OF ‘BELLATOR MMA: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ FINALIZED WITH THE ADDITION OF FIVE PRELIMINARY BOUTS

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 3, 2015) – August 28th’s “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” is now complete with the addition of four new bouts which will take place during the preliminary card at the beautiful Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

In a critical lightweight matchup, Brent Primus (5-0) will put his undefeated record on the line against the dangerous Derek “The Barbaric” Anderson (12-1, 1 NC). Also on the card, middleweights AJ “The Mercenary” Matthews (7-3) versus Emiliano “He-Man” Sordi (13-4), as well as light heavyweights Ray Sloan (8-0), who goes to battle with Luc Bondole (4-1), and the young featherweight A.J. McKee (1-0) returns to face James Barnes (4-0). Finally, a third women’s bout has also been added, with the inclusion of Ilima Macfalane (1-0) against Maria Rios (2-2) in flyweight action.

The newly announced contests will stream on Spike.com at 7:45 p.m. ET during the preliminary portion of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which is followed by the main card, which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

Limited tickets for the event, which start at just $50, remain on sale now at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time.

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action that pits Saad Awad (18-6) against Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6). Opening the main card, Lorenzo Hood (9-2) will make his Bellator MMA debut against Raphael Butler (9-1-1).

 

San Diego’s Anderson will look to parlay his impressive technical knockout of Danny Navarro at Bellator 132 when he steps into the Bellator MMA cage for the second time in 2015. A product of Team Xplode MMA, the man fans describe as “The Barbaric” will be seeking his 12th finish in 14 tries.

 

Since joining the Bellator MMA fray in 2013, Primus has been on a tear, ripping through all three opponents with first-round finishes. Now, the 30-year-old Portland, Ore., native will face the stiffest test of his young career when he goes up against Anderson. Will he manage to keep his undefeated, first-round finish streak alive?

 

Known by most mixed martial arts fans as one of top up-and-coming 185-pound fighters on the Bellator MMA roster, Matthews emphatically solidified his contender role in the division with his show-stopping knockout of Kyle Bolt at Bellator 131 this past November. Known as “The Mercenary,” the Blackline MMA product and Strikeforce veteran will look to continue his rise to the top of the middleweight heap when he returns to action on Aug. 28.

 

Standing opposite of Matthews will be Sordi, who burst on the Bellator MMA scene with a 58-second submission of former UFC fighter Bubba McDaniel. The 24-year-old Argentinian has not tasted defeat since 2012 and has earned all 13 of his professional victories before reaching the judges’ scorecards.

 

Undefeated in eight fights, Sloan has entered Bellator MMA impressively, winning his first two tilts. The Oceanside, Calif., native trains out of Excel Jiu-Jitsu and has utilized the discipline to defeat seven out of eight opponents via submission.

 

Bondole is a highly regarded prospect, fighting out of Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, Calif., whos last outing resulted in a draw against Chris Hererra. Now, he will look to secure a win over Sloan on his own terms, and not let the judges have a say.

 

The son of respected MMA fighter Antonio McKee, “The Mercenary” will look to continue to pave his own way through the sport.  A.J. shined in his first outing, securing a first round rear-naked choke over Marcos Bonilla. He now faces a fellow Angelino in Barnes, who has been tearing up the Gladiator Challenge circuit, going 4-0 with two KO’s and two submissions, all taking place in the first round.

 

Best known for her viral performance in her professional MMA debut, Macfarlane will now make her first appearance for Bellator MMA when she faces Maria Rios.

“Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” – Friday, August 28, Pechanga Resort & Casino

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Melvin Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) vs. Brandon Girtz (11-4)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Patricky Pitbull (13-6) vs. Saad Awad (18-6)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Justin Wren (10-2) vs. Josh Burns (8-8)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Raphael Butler (9-1-1) vs. Lorenzo Hood (9-2)

Bellator Women’s Flyweight Prelim: Ilima Macfarlane (1-0) vs. Maria Rios (2-2)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim: A.J. McKee (1-0) vs. James Barnes (4-0)

Bellator Womens Featherweight Prelim: Adrienna Jenkins (18-6) vs. Lissette Neri (6-2)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim: Ray Sloan (8-0) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim: Johnny Cisneros (8-4) vs. Gabriel Miglioli (9-7)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim: Curtis Millender (7-2) vs. Steven Ciaccio (4-3)

Bellator Womens Featherweight Prelim: Marloes Coenen (22-6) vs. Arlene Blencowe (6-4)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim: Brent Primus (5-0) vs. Derek Anderson (12-1, 1 NC)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim: AJ Matthews (7-3) vs. Emiliano Sordi (13-4)

 

Bellator, GLORY, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

GLORY KICKBOXING ADDS LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT BETWEEN ZACK ‘THE BLACK WARRIOR’ MWEKASSA & SAULO ‘CASSIUS CLAY’ CAVALARI TO ‘BELLATOR MMA: DYNAMITE’

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Dynamite rendering

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 30, 2015) – On Saturday, September 19, Bellator MMA will present a landmark event in American combat sports history with “Bellator 142: Dynamite,” featuring Tito Ortiz taking on Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion Liam McGeary.  A spectacle so big, it will include two fields of battle – a Bellator cage and a Glory kickboxing ring, takes place at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., and airs live and free on Spike at 9/8c.

 

Today, Glory kickboxing has also added its own Light Heavyweight Championship bout to the “Bellator 142: Dynamite” docket.  Congolese power-puncher Zack “The Black Warrior” Mwekassa (13-2, 12 KO) will look for revenge against the last man to defeat him, Brazilian knockout artist Saulo “Cassius Clay” Cavalari (31-2, 19 KO), in an explosive clash that headlines the kickboxing portion of the card featured during “Bellator MMA: Dynamite.”

 

The new bout joins the previously announced fight card, which features MMA legend Ortiz (18-11) challenging Bellator’s reigning light heavyweight king, McGeary (10-0) and the four-man, one-night light heavyweight tournament to determine the No. 1 contender in the division that includes the promotional debut of Phil Davis (13-3), as well as Emanuel Newton (25-8-1), Linton Vassell (15-4-1) and the return of Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (15-4, 1 NC).

 

In their previous meeting, Cavalari defeated Mwekassa in the third round with a show-stopping head kick knockout. Additional Glory kickboxing bouts and competitors for “Bellator MMA: Dynamite” will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 142: Dynamite” start at just $30 and are on sale now at the SAP Center box office and are also available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

 

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

 

About GLORY:
Founded in 2012, GLORY is owned and operated by GLORY Sports International (GSI), a professional martial arts organization and television content provider that maintains offices in New York, Denver, London, Amsterdam, and Singapore. GLORY programming is seen in over 170 territories. GLORY kickboxing rules are comprised of a mix of several combat disciplines including Karate, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do and traditional Boxing. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @GLORY_WS, and visit us online at gloryworldseries.com.

 

About SAP Center in San Jose

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, SAP Center at San Jose is the premier sports and entertainment venue in Northern California.  Each year, SAP Center hosts approximately 175 events featuring professional and amateur athletes, Olympic athletes, Grammy award-winners, international recording artists, and a variety of performers who appeal to children and families alike.  SAP Center at San Jose is home to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League as well as the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League.  For more information about SAP Center at San Jose and for a list of upcoming events, visit the SAP Center home page atwww.sapcenter.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

FOUR PRELIMINARY BOUTS ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 141: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 22, 2015) – The preliminary portion of the “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” card is beginning to take shape with the addition of four fresh bouts which will stream live on Spike.com from the beautiful Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

At the forefront of the newly signed fights is a pair of women’s featherweight scraps with Marloes “Rumina” Coenen (22-6) vs. Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe(6-4) and Adrienna “AJ” Jenkins (18-6) vs. Lissette Neri (6-2), as well as welterweight action with Curtis Millender (7-2) facing Steven “Stryker” Ciacco(4-3) and Johnny “The Tattooed Terror” Cisneros (8-4) battling Gabriel “Biel” Miglioli (9-7).

The contests will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET during the preliminary card of “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which is followed by the main card, airing live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, are on sale now at Bellator.com, Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later.

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action when Saad Awad (18-6) takes on Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6). Opening the main card, Lorenzo Hood (9-2) will make his Bellator MMA debut against Raphael Butler (9-1-1).

 

Coenen will be returning to the Bellator MMA cage on the heels of third round rear-naked choke finish of Annalisa Bucci at Bellator 130. “Rumina” has been competing professionally since the year 2000 in promotions the likes of Strikeforce, Smackgirl, and Invicta Fighting Championships, winning a title under Bellator President Scott Coker in the process. The Dutch competitor wants nothing more than to eventually add a Bellator belt to her mantel in the near future.

 

Standing in the way will be former World Boxing Federation titlist Arlene Blencowe, who is also riding high after an impressive stoppage of “AJ” Jenkins at Bellator 137. Popularly known as “Angerfist,” the 32-year-old Australian has not suffered defeat since 2013 and has avoided the judges’ scorecards in four of her six professional victories. This tilt has 145-pound title implications written all over it.

 

In the second women’s featherweight matchup on the card, the aforementioned “A.J.” Jenkins will attempt to get back in the win column when she faces a surging Lissette Neri, who has started off her 2015 with an undefeated record.

 

After prominent roles on the main card of both Bellator 134 and Bellator 137, Millender will look to get back to his winning ways when he faces Jackson on August 28. “Curtious” hails from San Bernardino, Calif., and has an unquestionable amount of talent and size at his disposal and will play the role of spoiler when his “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz” opponent makes his debut.

 

With the nickname “Stryker,” it goes without saying that Steven Ciaccio has an affinity for helping his opponents find the canvas. The Irvine, Calif., native has slept his foe in three out of four wins and will be taking a significant step up in competition when he makes his Bellator MMA debut on Aug. 28.

 

The fourth preliminary bout will take place in the welterweight division, when Johnny Cisneros meets Gabriel Miglioli. “The Tattooed Terror” will be competing for the third time under the Bellator MMA umbrella and will likely have plenty of hometown support from his fellow citizens in Laguna Nigel, Calif. Hailing from Brazil, Miglioli has competed against the likes of Al Iaquinta and Rafael dos Anjos. “Biel” will be fighting for the second time in 2015.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV, women's MMA

BELLATOR MMA SIGNS KERI ANNE TAYLOR-MELENDEZ TO AN EXCLUSIVE, MULTI-FIGHT KICKBOXING & MMA CONTRACT

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 24, 2015) – Bellator MMA is pleased to announce the signing of Keri Anne Taylor-Melendez to an exclusive, multi-fight deal. The 31-year-old has previously competed in kickboxing and muay Thai, but fully intends on transitioning to the sport of mixed martial arts in the future.

 

Taylor-Melendez will debut as a kickboxer in front of her home town on June 19 at the highly anticipated “Bellator: Dynamite”show in San Jose, Calif. An opponent for Taylor-Melendez has yet to be decided upon.

 

The spouse of former WEC and Strikeforce Champion Gilbert Melendez and co-owner of El Nino Training Center in San Francisco, Taylor-Melendez first took up combat sports close to 10 years ago, making a name for herself on unsanctioned cards held in the Bay Area. After racking up a 4-1 amateur record, she took her talents to the professional circuit, where she currently holds a 2-1 kickboxing record.

 

“I’m very honored for the opportunity to fight on such a big stage with a great promotion and promoter. I actually fought for Scott Coker before Gilbert and we both have a great relationship with him, so I feel very comfortable with this situation,” Taylor-Melendez said. “Even though I haven’t been super active as a fighter I have never really stopped training and look forward to testing my skills as a muay Thai fighter and a mixed martial artist. My goal is to go out there and do my best and make my daughter, my family and team proud.”

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

LORENZO HOOD SET FOR PROMOTIONAL DEBUT AGAINST RAPHAEL BUTLER DURING MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 AT PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO

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Easy Tweet: Heavyweights with KOs for days! @RealThaSilencer takes on @hood_zo at #Bellator141

August 28, at @PechangaCasino and only on @spike

 B141_IG_butler_v_hood

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 22, 2015) – The highly anticipated promotional debut of Lorenzo “The Samoan Silverback” Hood (9-2) will come on the main card of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz” against Raphael “The Silencer” Butler (9-1-1) on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

 

The contest will serve as the opening main card bout of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, with preliminary bouts streaming on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, are on sale now at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later.

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action when Saad Awad (18-6) takes Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6).

 

One of the most sought-after heavyweight prospects in MMA, the 6-foot-3 Hood has been competing professionally since 2009 and has never allowed a fight to go past the first round. Of his nine career victories, each and every one has come by knockout. Hood has fought throughout the U.S. while competing on the regional circuit, earning himself the distinction of being one of the top heavyweight prospects in the sport.

 

“The Silencer” started his combat sports career as a professional boxer, where he racked up 28 knockouts in his 35 total victories, and still trains with high caliber strikers including Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder. Butler now makes his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, his first since finishing Josh Diekmann at “Bellator MMA: British Invasion” this past February. Much like Hood, the Minnesota native has never allowed a match-up to reach the judges’ scorecards, accruing six knockouts and three submissions along the way.

With all the hype surrounding the debut of Hood, Butler will look to play the role of spoiler when he enters the Bellator MMA cage for second time in 2015.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN RESULTS, PHOTOS AND INFORMATION FROM ‘BELLATOR 140: LIMA VS. KORESHKOV’

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Uncasville, CT. (July 16, 2015) – The official weigh-ins for “Bellator 140: Lima vs. Koreshkov” concluded today from The Mohegan Sun Arena, with both Welterweight Champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and his opponent Andrey Koreshkov (17-1) hitting their 170-pound marks.

 

In addition to the aforementioned headliner, Bellator 140, which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT, features four additional must-see welterweight attractions.

 

In the co-main event, the explosive Paul “Semtex” Daley (36-13) looks to put an end to the present winning streak of Dennis Olson(14-8). Daley looks to impress once again when he competes in Connecticut, following up on his victory at “British Invasion” in February.

Hometown favorite “Irish” Brennan Ward (10-3) looks to remain undefeated in 2015 when he meets Roger Carroll (16-11), who replaced Gavin Sterritt on short notice. “Irish” has not been involved in a fight that reached the judges’ scorecards since 2012.

Undefeated Edinboro University of Pennsylvania wrestling standout Chris “The Cutt” Honeycutt (6-0) receives the toughest test of his career, when he meets fellow All-American wrestler and nine-year MMA veteran Paul “The Gentleman” Bradley (22-6).

In the opening televised bout of the evening, Michael “Venom” Page (7-0) will attempt to return to his impressive trend of finishing fights when he faces 29-fight veteran Rudy “Bad News” Bears (16-13). “MVP” was originally slated to compete in February, but during the lead-up to the bout, sustained a cut that has kept him out of action since last year.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL WEIGH-IN PHOTOS

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

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Douglas Lima (170 lbs.) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (170 lbs.)

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Paul Daley (171 lbs.) vs. Dennis Olson (173 lbs.)

*Olson fined for missing weight

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Brennan Ward (171 lbs.) vs. Roger Carroll (171 lbs.)

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Chris Honeycutt (171 lbs.) vs. Paul Bradley (171 lbs.)

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Michael Page (171 lbs.) vs. Rudy Bears (170.75 lbs.)

 

Preliminary Card (6:45 p.m. ET) 

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Kaline Medeiros (124.25 lbs.) vs. Sarah Payant (128.5 lbs.)

*Payant fined for missing weight

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Dean Hancock (155.75 lbs.) vs. Alex Dunworth (155.25 lbs.)

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Ryan Quinn (159.75 lbs.) vs. Waylon Lowe (160 lbs.)

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Billy Giovanella (125.75 lbs.) vs. Remo Cardarelli (123 lbs.)

Blair Tugman (136 lbs.) vs. Kin Moy (138.25 lbs.)

*Moy fined for missing weight

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Parker Porter (260.25 lbs.) vs. Eric Bedard (257 lbs.)

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Ilya Kotau (170.5 lbs.) vs. Nicolas Sergiacomi (171 lbs.)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

LIGHTWEIGHT TILT PITTING SAAD AWAD AGAINST PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE TO SERVE AS CO-MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 AT PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 16, 2015) – Additional lightweight action will anchor the top of “Bellator: Guillard vs. Girtz” on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif., with the addition of Saad Awad (18-6) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6).

 

The contest serves as the co-headlining bout of “Bellator: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, go on sale this Friday at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later. Additional bouts will be announced shortly

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will make his highly anticipated Bellator MMA debut against Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

The lone man to defeat Bellator Lightweight Champion Will Brooks, Awad has amassed a 6-3 record since first lacing up the gloves for the promotion in 2009. With 14 of his 18 professional victories coming by way of finish, “Assassin” has generated a large Southern California fan base with his exciting fighting style.

Fighting out of Millenia MMA in Rancho Cucamonga, CA., Awad continues to work his way back towards a trilogy bout against “Ill Will” Brooks. The 32-year-old impressively defeated Rob Sinclair at Bellator 136 before suffering a leg injury that has since kept him out of action.

Awad now faces the elder brother of Bellator Featherweight Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Patricky, who has competed for Bellator MMA since 2011, amassing six victories along the way. It’s rare that “Pitbull’s” scraps reach the judges’ scorecards, with 10 of his 13 wins coming by way of finish.

Much like his Bellator 141 opponent, Freire has also been inactive as of late due to injury. As his social media exploits indicate, “Pitbull” has also set his sights on the lightweight belt and his matchup with Awad is the first step towards achieving his goal.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

MELVIN ‘THE YOUNG ASSASSIN’ GUILLARD SET FOR PROMOTIONAL DEBUT IN THE MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR 141 AGAINST BRANDON ‘COLD ROLL’ GIRTZ

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 15, 2015) – Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard’s (32-14-2 2 NC) first bout under the Bellator MMA banner will come in lightweight action against Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4) on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

 

The contest serves as the headlining bout of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for Bellator 141, which start at just $50, go on sale this Friday at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later.

 

“Since signing Melvin [Guillard] in May, we have been anxious to get him inside the Bellator cage,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “Brandon Girtz has performed well for us and will face his stiffest competition to date when he meets the 50-fight veteran. I’m really looking forward to the event, as well as returning to one of our favorite venues in Pechanga Resort and Casino.”

At only 32 years of age, “The Young Assassin” has amassed 50 professional bouts in a career that dates back to 2002. With 21 victories coming by KO, Guillard has generated a large fan base with his exciting fighting style.

Born in New Orleans, the knockout artist has honed his skills at some of the top MMA gyms in the world including: Jackson’s MMA, Blackzilians, Grudge Training Center and American Top Team, where he currently trains. During his 22-fight stint with Ultimate Fighting Championship, Guillard broke MMA great BJ Penn’s record for most KO’s in the lightweight division with eight, an accolade that he still holds to this day.

An NCAA Division II All-American at Minnesota State University, Girtz has competed for Bellator MMA since 2012, accruing a record of 4-2. It’s safe to say that the Northway Martial Arts-product is a “submission specialist,” with seven of his 11 professional victories coming by way of making his opponent tap out.

“Cold Roll” was officially cleared to return to active competition in May after suffering an ACL injury during training. This return bout will be Girtz’s first appearance in 2015, and will also serve as his first time in a headlining role.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

ROGER ‘THE LEPRECHAUN’ CARROLL STEPS UP ON SHORT NOTICE TO FACE ‘IRISH’ BRENNAN WARD AT BELLATOR 140 THIS FRIDAY

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 13, 2015) – Connecticut’s own“Irish” Brennan Ward (10-3) will compete against a new opponent at “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which takes place thisFriday, July 17 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.  Roger “The Leprechaun” Carroll (16-11) has agreed to face the dangerous welterweight on seven days’ notice,  in the place of Gavin Sterritt, who withdrew from the contest and was subsequently cut from the promotional roster.

 

“Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov” features five world-class 170-pound bouts including world champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and Andrey Koreshkov (17-1), Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6), Michael “Venom” Page (7-0) taking on Rudy Bears (16-13), and knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2) challenging Dennis Olson (14-8).

 

The main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the announced preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Limited tickets for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which start at just $25, remain on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com.

 

Having won Bellator’s Season 9 Middleweight tournament, Ward decided to test himself in the welterweight division, and shined in his 170-pound debut with a first-round rear-naked choke submission victory over Curtis Millender at “Bellator: The British Invasion” this past February.

 

The Waterford, Conn. native has an affinity for the finish, having ended nine of his ten professional tilts before reaching the judges’ scorecards. With his hometown a mere ten miles away from the venue, “Irish” is sure to have a strong home cage advantage over his short notice opponent.

 

Carroll rides into Connecticut in the midst of a three-fight winning streak. The Claremont, N.C. resident has spent most of his seven year mixed martial arts career competing at 185-pounds, but will make the move to welterweight for his Bellator MMA debut.

 

“The Leprechaun” fits the description of a “submission specialist,” with 15 of his 16 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent quit. One half of Carroll Brothers BJJ, Roger also doubles as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor alongside his brother Joseph at Superior Martial Arts Academy in North Carolina.

 

Main Card (9 P.M. EST)

Bellator Welterweight Title Fight: Douglas Lima (26-5) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (17-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (7-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-13)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (10-3) vs. Roger Carroll (16-11)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (36-13-2) vs. Dennis Olson (14-8)

 

Preliminary Card (7 P.M. EST)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Blair Tugman (7-5) vs. Kin Moy (6-2)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Ilya Kotau (debut) vs. Nicolas Sergiacomi (1-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Parker Porter (5-4) vs. Eric Bedard (6-5)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-3) vs. Remo Cardarelli (4-2)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Dean Hancock (1-0) vs. Alex Dunworth (2-1, 1 NC)

Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Kaline Medeiros (4-4) vs. Sarah Payant (1-0)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Quinn (10-5, 1 NC)

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike:

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