COVERAGE KICKS OFF THURSDAY, Oct. 1 WITHBellator 247 LIVE FROM MILAN, LTALIS NTXIV, CHAMPION CRIS ‘CYBORG’ AND ARLENE BLENCOWE MEET IN EPIC WORLD TITLE BOUT IN PRIMETIME ON OCT. 15
LOS ANGELES-Bellator MMA, a leading mixed martial arts promotion owned by ViacomCBS,thiabCBS kev ua si Networkhave announced an exciting new partnership that will see the organization’s live events featured on the 24-hour home of CBS Sports beginning this fall.
CBS Sports Network will televise Bellator events, both domestic and international, LIVE in all U.S. ciaj uas muag, while preliminary matchups will stream on CBSSports.com and Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel. Additional details will be announced at a later date.
To kick off the new partnership, CBS Sports Network will air Bellator events live from Europe, kuj muajBellator 247rau hnub Thursday, Oct. 1 (4 p.m. THIAB) nyob rau hauv Milan, Ltalis, as well as the monumentalBellator Pariskev tshwm simnyob rau hnub Saturday, Oct. 10 (11:30 a.m. THIAB) in France.Bellator 247is headlined by a welterweight battle between veteranPaul Daley (42-17-2) thiabDerek Anderson(16-3, 1 NC), thaum lub sij hawmBellator Parissees“MVP” Michael Page(17-1) noj nyob rau hauvRoss Houston (8-0, 1 NC) at welterweight andCheick Kongo (30-10-2, 1 NC) lub ntsej muagTim Johnson(14-6) nyob rau hauv ib tug Heavyweight sib ntau sib tw.
The first primetime event live from the U.S. takes place Thursday, Oct. 15 (9 p.m. THIAB) with a massive card anchored by the first world title defense of current championCris “Cyborg”(22-2, 1 NC), who takes on Australia’sArlene Blencowe (13-7), ntawmBellator 249from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
“We’re excited to have CBS Sports Network serve as the new home of live Bellator MMA events. It’s a great opportunity to showcase some of the best events and biggest names in the sport,” said CBS Sports Executive Vice President of Programming Dan Weinberg. “Adding Bellator MMA to the CBS Sports portfolio will allow for greater promotion, engagement and exposure across all our platforms and assets including CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports HQ as well as our various social accounts.”
“I am thrilled that Bellator live events will be coming to CBS Sports Network beginning on Oct. 1, as well as the unique opportunities the partnership creates across all CBS Sports platforms,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “CBS Sports is synonymous with iconic sports broadcasting and it is incredible to now have Bellator MMA included in that family. I would like to thank Paramount Network, formerly Spike TV, for the years of support that helped build Bellator into the organization that it is today, and this news marks yet another exciting relationship between two ViacomCBS properties. I look forward to bringing the biggest fights, featuring the top athletes in the world, live to CBS Sports Network and introducing Bellator to an entirely new audience this fall.”
CBS kev ua si Network, the 24-hour home of CBS Sports, is available through all major cable, satellite and telco distributors as well as via OTT streaming service providers YouTube TV, fuboTV, DirecTV and Hulu.
Bellator will continue to produce all of its own live events, led by Executive Producer Scott Fishman.
The second Bellator woman’s featherweight champion in the company’s history, Cris “Cyborg” is coming off of a dominant performance over Julia Budd in January to win the 145-pound world title. Already an MMA legend at 35-years-old, “Cyborg” will be looking to further her legacy as the greatest woman’s mixed martial artist of all-time when she meets Arlene Blencowe on Oct. 15. After winning the Bellator belt in her 12th career title fight, “Cyborg” made history by becoming a world champion in her fourth major promotion, previously holding belts in both the UFC and Strikeforce. With a professional record of 22-2, 1 NC, kuj muaj 18 wins by way of finish, the Brazilian-born fighter holds victories over tough competition such as Budd, Holly Holm, Felicia Spencer and Gina Carano.
With wins in six of her last seven fights, including five knockouts, “Angerfist” has put herself in position to challenge for the women’s featherweight title. Coming off a unanimous decision victory over Leslie Smith, the former two-time boxing world champion will look to keep her momentum rolling and claim her first MMA title. Tied for the most knockouts in Bellator woman’s featherweight history, the fighter out of New South Wales, Australia aims to claim sole possession of that record, as she takes on her toughest challenge to date in Cris “Cyborg.”
A longtime MMA veteran, Paul Daley has competed professionally since 2003, amassing over 60 career fights. Throughout his tenure, “Semtex” has been one half of some of the most memorable bouts in MMA history, xws li ib tugknockout of the year over Brennan Ward in 2017. Uas nyuam qhuav, the Nottingham, England native notched consecutive wins over Erick Silva and Saad Awad, running his record in Bellator MMA to 8-4. Fighting out of San Diego, California., the 30-year-old Derek Anderson will be making his 11th appearance for Bellator MMA in search of his third consecutive victory. Nrog 11 ntawm nws 16 career wins coming by way of finish, “The Barbaric” hopes to earn his eighth promotional victory and first of his 2020 phiaj los nqis tes.
Currently riding a three-fight win streak, Michael "lom" Nplooj ntawv, better known to fans as “MVP,” returns with the intention of spoiling the debut of European welterweight prospect, Ross Houston. Holding a career record of 17-1, nrog 14 wins coming by way of stoppage, the pride of London Shootfighters looks to remind people why he is one of the most exciting strikers in all of MMA. After signing with Bellator in February, Scotland’s Houston will make his promotional debut against one of Bellator’s biggest stars in Page. “The Hitman” plans on keeping his 8-0, 1 NC undefeated record intact and improve on the three submission victories already to his name by using his known Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills.
Holding an impressive MMA record of 30-10-2, 1 NC, France’s Cheick Kongo returns to action following a title fight against heavyweight champion Ryan Bader last September. The former kickboxer remains unbeaten since 2015 and will enter the Bellator cage on home soil for a rematch against a familiar opponent in heavyweight contender in Tim Johnson. Coming off a dominant TKO victory over veteran Matt Mitrione atBellator 243 nyob rau hauv lub yim hli ntuj, Johnson is set to compete for the third time in 2020 seeking revenge in a rematch from 2018 against Kongo. Now training out of Las Vegas, Johnson has quickly earned his place near the top of the Bellator heavyweight division with his recent wins, including a viral knockout over top prospect Tyrell Fortune in February.
WITH FANS IN ATTENDANCE, FRANCE’S CHEICK KONGO FACES TIM JOHNSON AT HEAVYWEIGHT, WHILE MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE TAKES ON THE DEBUTING ROSS HOUSTON Tickets on sale Tuesday, Xya. 15!
LOS ANGELES –France has approved the practice of mixed martial arts and has placed the sport under the supervision of the French Boxing Federation (FFB). With these recent government approvals, Bellator is pleased to announce that it will become the first promotion to hold a major MMA event in France with a monumental show on Saturday, Lub kaum hli ntuj 10, 2020 at Accor Arena in Paris. Bellator Paris yuav feature 13 MMA bouts and three boxing matchups.
Among the athletes competing atBellator Paris, 10 French fighters will appear on the card, including the renownedCheick Kongo (30-10-2, 1 NC), who will face off againstTim Johnson (14-6) in a heavyweight clash. Tsis tas li ntawd, an exciting welterweight bout betweenMichael “Venom” Nplooj ntawv (17-1), better known to fans as “MVP,” and the debuting undefeatedRoss Houston (8-0,1 NC) is also booked for the event.
A limited number of fans will be allowed in attendance for this historic event. Tickets will be available beginning at 10 a.m. CEST on Tuesday, Cuaj hlis 15 ntawmaccorarena.com thiabbellator.fr.
Following the governmental decree, the French Boxing Federation is responsible for the implementation of MMA in France. “If I made the choice to initiate a delegation procedure for MMA, it was for its recognition; it is to liberate, supervise and develop its practice,” indicates the Minister of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu. This is a turning point in the history of French sport, as MMA is a discipline that is enjoying growing success, proven by these events capable of bringing together thousands of people and attracting millions of spectators.
“This is a monumental moment in the history of the sport, as well as our organization, and I am honored that Bellator will promote the very first MMA event in France by a major promotion,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “Many people have worked tirelessly to bring this to fruition, and it would not have been possible without the support of the Minister of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, as well as the French Kickboxing Federation sanctioning body. I would also like to thank Accor Arena, who have been an incredible venue partner, and I cannot wait for the French fans to be in attendance and join us live for what will be an unforgettable night of action in Paris on Oct 10.”
Holding an impressive MMA record of 30-10-2, 1 NC, France’s Cheick Kongo returns to action following a title fight against heavyweight champion Ryan Bader last September. The former kickboxer remains unbeaten since 2015 and will enter the Bellator cage on home soil for a rematch against a familiar opponent in heavyweight contender, Tim Johnson. With the most fights (15) and wins (12) in Bellator heavyweight history, as well as victories over Vitaly Minakov, Mirko Cro Cop, Antoni Hardonk and Matt Mitrione, the Parisian is planning for a successful homecoming on Oct. 10.
On the heels of a dominant TKO victory over veteran Matt Mitrione atBellator 243 nyob rau hauv lub yim hli ntuj, Tim Johnson is set to compete for the third time in 2020 seeking revenge in a rematch from 2018 against Cheick Kongo. Now training out of Las Vegas, Johnson has quickly earned his place near the top of the Bellator heavyweight division with his recent wins, including a viral knockout over top prospect Tyrell Fortune in February. Boasting a career record of 14-6, nrog 11 coming by way of finish, the Minnesota-born military veteran looks to carry his momentum into a fight that has future world title implications.
Currently riding a three-fight win streak, Michael "lom" Nplooj ntawv, better known to fans as “MVP,” returns with the intention of spoiling the debut of European welterweight prospect, Ross Houston. Holding a career record of 17-1, nrog 14 wins coming by way of stoppage, the pride of London Shootfighters looks to remind people why he is one of the most exciting strikers in all of MMA. In addition to his MMA accolades, Page is a 10-time kickboxing world champion and also undefeated as a professional boxer.
After signing with Bellator in February, Scotland’s Ross Houston will make his promotional debut against one of Bellator’s biggest stars in Michael Page. “The Hitman” plans on keeping his 8-0, 1 NC undefeated record intact and moving one step closer to Bellator gold in the toughest test of his career to date. With three submission victories to his name, Houston’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills make him a viable threat if the fight goes to the ground against one of Bellator’s most feared strikers.
FORMER CHAMPS PHIL DAVIS AND LYOTO MACHIDA COLLIDE IN LONG-AWAITED REMATCH ATBellator 245 RAU Friday, Cuaj hlis ntuj. 11 JUAN ARCHULETA FACES UNDEFEATED PATCHY MIX FOR THE VACANT BELLATOR BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE ATBellator 246 RAU HNUB SATURDAY, Cuaj hlis ntuj. 12
NTXIV, THE BELLATOR DEBUTS OF FORMER TITLE CHALLENGERS CAT ZINGANO AND LIZ CARMOUCHE
LOS ANGELES— For the first time, Bellator MMA’s “FightSphere” atMohegan Sun Arena nyob rau hauv Uncasville, Conn. will host a stacked doubleheader weekend on Friday, Xya. 11 and Saturday, Xya. 12. On night one, Bellator 245is headlined by former world champsPhil Davis(21-5, 1 NC) thiabLyoto Machida (26-9) in a light heavyweight rematch, thaum lub sij hawmBellator 246on night two sees a bantamweight world championship fight featuring top contenderJuan Archuleta(24-2) taking on the undefeatedPatchy Mix (13-0) for the vacant title.
Two former world title challengers also make their long-awaited Bellator debuts, raws liCat Zingano(10-4)yuav siv sij hawm nyob rau hauvGabby Holloway(6-5)in a featherweight matchup atBellator 245,thaum lub sij hawmLiz Carmouche (13-7) meets the newly signedDeAnna Bennett(10-6-1) at flyweight during the main card ofBellator 246.
Bellator 245: Davis vs. Machida 2on Friday, Xya. 11 thiabBellator 246: Archuleta vs. Mixnyob rau hnub Saturday, Xya. 12 air live onparamount Network thiabDAZN ntawm 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. I. Preliminary action will stream onBellator MMA’s YouTube channel. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming days.
A former Bellator light heavyweight world champion, Phil Davis returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since stoppingKarl Albrektsson ntawmBellator 231in October of last year.A four-time NCAA D-I All-American wrestler at Penn State University, "Mr. Wonderful” has earned professional victories over Brian Stann, Alexander Gustafsson, Antônio Rogério Nogueira, and the man he will face again on Sept. 11, Lyoto Machida. With eight Bellator appearances already, the San Diego-based fighter has his sights set on reclaiming his world title in the sport’s toughest light heavyweight division.
After signing with Bellator in 2018, Lyoto Machida made his highly anticipated promotional debut with a victory over former champRafael CarvalhontawmBellator 213and would later go on to defeat the now-retiredChael Sonneninside the famed Madison Square Garden atBellator 222. The former UFC light heavyweight champ, known to fans around the globe as “The Dragon,” owns notable career wins over Tito Ortiz, “Shogun” Rua, Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans and Randy Couture. Having lost to Davis in the first matchup in Brazil, the native ofSalvador, Bahia, Brazil is looking for redemption and a future shot at Bellator gold.
Fresh off of an impressive victory overHenry Corrales ntawmBellator 238 nyuam qhuav pib lub xyoo, Juan Archuleta will look to capture the promotion’s vacant bantamweight strap. Fighting out of Hesperia, California., the 32-year-old knockout artist will once again drop down a weight class for a shot at the world title, something he successfully accomplished on four separate occasions while competing for regional promotion King of the Cage (light welterweight, sib, flyweight and bantamweight). Following a hard-fought featherweight world title bout withPatricio Pitbull last September, “The Spaniard” returns to bantamweight, where he has been undefeated for over five years.
Currently fighting out of Jackson Wink MMA in Albuquerque, N.M., Patchy Mix will make his fourth appearance for Bellator, where he has tallied three first-round submission victories. The 26-year-old Buffalo, N.Y.-native hopes to remain undefeated and build off of his most recent win on New Year’s Eve, which saw “No Love” earn a guillotine choke-submission over Yuki Motoya at Bellator’s co-promotional event with Rizin atRizin.20nyob rau hauv Nyiv. Prior to his time with the Scott Coker-led promotion, Mix dominated his competition in all nine of his fights with King of the Cage, collecting five first round finishes. Tam sim no, the submission specialist will face the toughest test of his young career, a matchup with the former Bellator featherweight world title contender and a shot at Bellator’s vacant 135-pound strap.
Also announced forBellator 245…“Easy” Ed Ruth (8-2) returns to middleweight against the debutingTaylor “Tombstone” Johnson (5-1) on the main card; current Bellator Kickboxing welterweight world champRaymond “The Real Deal” Daniels(2-1) returns to MMA againstPeter Stanonik(5-4); former middleweight champRafael Carvalho(16-4) squares off with undefeatedAlex “Easy” Polizzi(6-0) ntawm lub teeb heavyweight; hard-hitting heavyweightsTyrell Fortune(8-1) thiabJack May(11-6) collide; “Killa” Keith Lee (6-3) ntsej muagDominic “The Honey Badger” Mazzotta (15-3) in a 140-lb. contract weight preliminary matchup.
Also announced forBellator 246…top welterweight contendersJon Fitch (32-7-2, 1 NC) thiabNeiman Gracie (9-1) square off in the co-main event; Derek "Lub Stallion" Campos(20-10) thiabRoger “El Matador” Huerta(24-12-1, 1 NC) go toe-to-toe in a lightweight battle; Jackson Wink MMA heavyweight prospectDavion “The Don” Franklin (1-0) yuav siv sij hawm nyob rau hauvRas “The Jamaican Shamrock” Hylton (6-4) on the prelims; Hawaii’sTy “Savage” Gwerder(4-1) meets London’sGeorge “Tuco” Tokkos(4-1) in a middleweight contest.
TshiabBellator 245: Davis vs.Machida 2Main Card:
Paramount Network and DAZN
Friday, Xya. 11 - 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. I
Light Heavyweight Main Event: Phil Davis(21-5, 1 NC) vs.Lyoto Machida (26-9)
LOS ANGELES — Bellator MMA is proud to announce that undefeatedValerie Loureda(3-0) will continue to compete inside the Bellator cage after signing an exclusive multi-year, multi-fight extension to remain with the ViacomCBS-owned promotion.
“I am pleased to have re-signed with Bellator,” Loureda said. "Raws li kuv tau ib txwm hais tias, I am here to show the world the true martial artist that I am and chase the flyweight belt. I was born for this, I am a natural born fighter.”
Undefeated to start her mixed martial arts career, a run that has been spent entirely with Bellator, the 22-year-old Loureda has immediately made a mark on the flyweight division by emphatically winning all three of her fights. A 4th dan taekwando black belt who was a former member of the U.S. Olympic team, “Master” Loureda is a proud Miami resident who spends a great deal of her time training at American Top Team. Uas nyuam qhuav, Loureda made her 2020 debut inside Bellator’s “FightSphere” atBellator 243, stopping Tara Graff in the second round, a finish that garnered worldwide media attention and that earned over 11 million views through Bellator’s social media platforms.
Loureda competes in Bellator MMA’s flyweight division, a weight class currently championed byIlima-Lei MacFarlaneand includes other top athletes the likes ofLiz Carmouche, Juliana Velasquez, Alejandra Lara, Denise Kielholtz, Malin Hermansson, nrad lwm tus.
Bellator 244 AIRS LIVE ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK AND DAZN AT 10 P.M. ET FROM MOHEGAN SUN ARENA
NTXIV, FORMER TITLEHOLDER JULIA BUDD RETURNS TO ACTION AGAINST JESSY MIELE IN THE CO-MAIN EVENT
LOS ANGELES– On Friday, August 21, Bellator’s “FightSphere” atMohegan Sun Arena nyob rau hauv Uncasville, Conn. will host a light heavyweight world title main event bout featuring two-division Bellator champRyan Bader(27-5, 1 NC) defending his 205-pound championship against Russia’sVadim Nemkov (11-2).
The evening’s co-main event sees fomer world championJulia Budd(13-3) take on Connecticut’sJessy Miele (9-3) in a featherweight clash.
Bellator 244: Bader vs. Nemkovairs live onparamount Network thiabDAZN Friday, Lub yim hli ntuj 21 ntawm 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. I. Preliminary action will stream onBellator MMA’s YouTube channel. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming days.
A winner of seven out of eight contests at both heavyweight and light heavyweight, Bellator’s double champ Ryan Bader will make his first light heavyweight title defense since defeating “King Mo” Lawal, Matt Mitrione thiabFedor Emelianenkoen route to winning Bellator’s 2018 Heavyweight World Grand Prix and becoming world heavyweight champ. Fighting out of Chandler, Ariz., the former two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler out of Arizona State University began his professional career by winning season eight ofQhov kawg Fighter. “Darth” continued his path of dominance by collecting victories over some of the 205-pound division’s top talent, including career wins overPhil Davis(x2), Linton Vassell, “Rampage” Jackson, Rashad Evans, Rafael “Feijão” Cavalcante and Ovince Saint Preux. Uas nyuam qhuav, Bader fought heavyweightCheick Kongoto a no contest following an accidental eye poke.
The 28-year-old Russian powerhouse Vadim Nemkov, who is undefeated over his last six fights and a perfect 4-0 in Bellator since signing in 2017, will enter his first-ever title shot in MMA fresh off a submission win against former middleweight world championRafael Carvalho. With that victory, Nemkov has defeated some of the best athletes Bellator has to offer, including three former champions consecutively in Carvalho, Phil Davis thiabLiam McGeary. A three-time Russian national sambo champion, Nemkov trains alongside the legendary Fedor Emelianenko in Stary Oskol, Russia for the standout Team Fedor.
Former Bellator featherweight world champion Julia Budd has won 11 of her last 12 xaus, including seven victories since signing with Bellator in 2015. After defeating Dutch legend Marloes Coenen for the inaugural Bellator women’s featherweight world title atBellator 174, the Gibson MMA-product and Port Moody, British Columbia native has gone on to collect victories over top contendersOlga Rubin, Arlene Blencowe thiabTalita Nogueira. With seven of her 13 career victories coming by way of knockout or submission, “The Jewel” will look to jump back into title contention with a statement win on August 21.
With an impressive career mark of 9-3, Jessy Miele will look to parlay her most recent win over former Bellator title contenderTalita Nogueirawhen she competes atBellator 244.Hailing from Waterbury, Conn. the 35-year-old is currently in the midst of a four-fight unbeaten streak and was slated to compete againstLeslie Smith ntawmBellator 241before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic. Fighting professionally since 2014, and competing against the likes of Nogueira and Charmaine Tweet along the way, “The Widowmaker” will undoubtedly face the stiffest test of her nearly six year-career when she meets Budd on August. 21.
TshiabBellator 244: Bader vs. NemkovMain Card:
Paramount Network and DAZN
10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. I
Light Heavyweight World Title Bout: Ryan Bader (27-5, 1 NC) vs.Vadim Nemkov(11-2)
Featherweight Co-Main Event: Julia Budd(13-3) vs.Jessy Miele(9-3)
Heavyweight Feature Bout: Roy Nelson(23-19) vs.Valentin Moldavsky(9-1)
Updated Preliminary Card:
Bellator MMA’s YouTube Channel
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: John Salter(17-4) vs.Andrew Kapel(15-6)
LOS ANGELES– Bellator MMA and Pluto TV, ViacomCBS companies, today announced that they have partnered to launch an exclusive channel on Pluto TV with iconic, action-packed past matches showcasing legendary talent and champions all from Bellator’s extensive library of content. The Bellator MMA channel on Pluto TV officially launched today with nonstop, adrenaline-rich entertainment and can be found in the “Sports” category on the leading, free streaming television service in the US.
The Bellator MMA channel on Pluto TV will debut with more than 500 fights from Bellator’s vast collection of past events. Fans will see historic bouts featuring current world championsRyan Bader,Douglas Lima,Patricio “Pitbull”thiab Ilima-Lei MacFarlane, as well as other iconic names and top talent in the sport, kuj muaj Fedor Emelianenko, Michael Chandler,Gegard Mousasi,Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, A.J. McKee, Benson Henderson, Jake Hager, Michael "lom" Nplooj ntawv thiab Chael Sonnen.
“I am excited for the launch of the Bellator MMA channel on Pluto TV that will feature unlimited access to our extensive content library,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “This is a great way to increase the promotion’s visibility across additional ViacomCBS platforms, while giving our fans the opportunity to relive these incredible moments from inside the Bellator cage.”
“We are excited to welcome a renowned and respected mixed martial arts organization like Bellator MMA to Pluto TV. Being a part of the ViacomCBS organization affords us unique access to a coveted portfolio of premium brands and properties with built-in fanbases, like Bellator, that further differentiates the types of programming we can stream on Pluto TV,” states Amy Kuessner, SVP of Content Strategy & Global Partnerships at Pluto TV. “The launch of Bellator MMA as an exclusive channel on Pluto TV brings free and easy access to millions of new and existing fans, with premium content that is guaranteed to really pack a punch.”
Pluto TV offers hundreds of channels and thousands of movies and television series on-demand to a domestic audience of over 24 million users. Nrog nyob 100,000 hours of premium content available on the platform, Pluto TV is available across all major mobile, connected TV and web-based devices and has a global footprint spanning three continents across 22 lub teb chaws.
NTXIV, HEAVYWEIGHTS MATT MITRIONE AND TIMOTHY JOHNSON SQUARE OFF IN EXPLOSIVE CO-MAIN EVENT
LOS ANGELES – Bellator is pleased to announce multiple upcoming events set to take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., kuj muaj Bellator 243 on Friday, Aug. 7, Bellator 244 on Friday, Aug. 21 thiab Bellator 245 on Friday, Xya. 11.
Bellator 243 sees former world championsMichael Chandler(20-5) thiab Benson Henderson(28-8) face off once again inside the Bellator cage nearly four years after their first unforgettable meeting, The highly anticipated lightweight main event rematch airs live Friday, Aug. 7 rau Paramount Network and DAZN at 10 p.m. THIABfrom Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
In the card’s co-main event, perennial heavyweight contenderMatt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) will take on the hard-hittingTimothy Johnson(13-6) in an exciting matchup that will likely not go to the judges’ scorecards.
Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 airs live on Paramount Network and DAZN on Friday, Lub yim hli ntuj 7 ntawm 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. I. The event will also air live on Sky Sports in the UK. Preliminary action will stream onBellator MMA’s YouTube channel.
Making his 23rd promotional appearance for Bellator, “Iron” Michael Chandler will have the opportunity to silence his critics and prove that his November 19, 2016 split decision-win over Henderson was no fluke. Following victories in each of his first 12 kev bouts, highlighted by his first Bellator lightweight world title win and a pair of successful title defenses, the High Ridge, Missouri-native quickly made a name for himself in a stacked 155-pound class. The 34-year-old would eventually go on to collect a promotional record three lightweight title reigns that included three successful title defenses. Having won three of his previous five career rematches, including a pair of lightweight world title victories overPatricky Pitbull thiab Brent Primus, lub 2009 NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri will look to add to that total and remind everyone what the former champion is capable of.
Fighting out of Glendale, Ariz., “Smooth” will once again have a shot at revenge with his longtime rival Chandler, following multiple attempts to schedule the fight over the past year. The highly anticipated rematch was originally slated to take place on New Year’s Eve atRizin.20 nyob rau hauv Nyiv, before Henderson was forced to withdraw due to an injury suffered during training. A few months later, the two former lightweight world champions were set to face off in the main event of Bellator’s return to the Windy City on June 6, before the global pandemic led to yet another postponement. Tam sim no, the MMA Lab-product will look to settle the score and collect his fifth consecutive victory en route to a final push at Bellator’s 155-pound strap. With half of his 28 hauj lwm yeej los ntawm txoj kev ntawm knockout los yog kev mloog lus, the 36-year-old former UFC and WEC lightweight world champion will aim to put all doubts to rest and finish his nemesis in emphatic fashion on August 7.
After initially being scheduled to faceRonny Markes ntawm Bellator 241 in March prior to the pandemic, Matt Mitrione is now slated to meet Johnson, a competitor who also prefers to keep the fight upright. Prior to his MMA career, the 41-year old Illinois-native was a standout defensive end at Purdue University who subsequently earned his way into the NFL, playing six seasons as a member of the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. He ultimately found his way into MMA where he became the high-level competitor he is today, defeating the likes of the lateKimbo Hlais, Derrick Lewis,Roy Nelson thiab Fedor Emelianenko.
A heavy betting underdog coming into his last matchup withTyrell Fortune ntawm Bellator 239, Timothy Johnson shocked many when he finished the undefeated competitor five years his junior viahighlight reel-knockout in the opening frame. The win was the first for the Xtreme Couture-fighter inside the Bellator cage, who signed with the promotion in 2018 following seven outings in the UFC. With an impressive finishing mark of 10 stoppages in his 13 yeej raws li ib tug kws, Johnson will be looking to deliver another impressive outing when he returns to action next month.
Tshiab Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 Main Card: Paramount Network and DAZN 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. I
Lightweight Main Event: Michael Chandler (20-5) vs. Benson Henderson (28-8) Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) vs. Timothy Johnson (13-6)
Today at 3 p.m. PST / 6 p.m. EST on Bellator MMA’s social channels, one of the most influential MMA fighters of all-time, Royce Gracie, will be teaching a Brazilian jiu-jitsu seminar.
The event will begin promptly on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
