Tag Archives: Bellator

Bellator, mixed martial arts

Royce Gracie Hosts Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Seminar Live Today at 3 p.m. PST / 6 p.m. EST on Bellator MMA’s Social Channels

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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.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

Bellator MMA Statement on May Events

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Due to the ongoing safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as current federal, state and local government mandates, Bellator MMA officials today have announced that three upcoming live events scheduled for May have been postponed.

These events include:

  • Bellator 242 – May 9 in San Jose, Calif.
  • Bellator European Series London – May 16 in London
  • Bellator 243 – May 29 in Temecula, Calif.

The organization will continue to monitor the situation closely and fully intends to reschedule the events as soon as possible.

As always, the health and safety of our athletes, fans, partners and staff remains our top priority. We appreciate the understanding and patience of everyone involved during this incredibly difficult time.

Refunds for ticketholders to these events, as well as Bellator 241 originally scheduled for March 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena, will be available at their original point of purchase.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, Paramount Network

FULL FIGHT CARD AND BROADCAST DETAILS FOR THIS FRIDAY’S BELLATOR 241: PITBULL VS. CARVALHO EVENT AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA – LIVE ON DAZN

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UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to Mohegan Sun Arena this Friday, March 13 is official with a stacked six-fight main card, headlined by current two-division champ Patricio Pitbull (30-4) defending his 145-lb. title in the Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinals against upstart SBG-product and tournament dark horse Pedro Carvalho (11-3).

 

Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho will stream live exclusively on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel, as well as DAZN, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.

 

The exciting main card will also see a Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal take place in the co-main event,when Daniel Weichel (40-11) rematches Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4) for a future shot at the world title. In addition, former New York Giants lineman Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) will be taking on Ronny Markes (19-7) in a heavyweight main card bout, while England’s Paul Daley (42-17-2) and heavy-handed Sabah Homasi (13-8) go toe-to-toe in a 170-pound matchup that is sure to produce fireworks. Rounding out the main card will see Connecticut’s own Nick Newell (16-3) taking on Zach Zane (14-9) of Hawaii at lightweight and a must-see middleweight contest showcasing Anatoly Tokov (29-2) vs. Fabio Aguiar (17-1).

 

The preliminary card for Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho will stream live stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel and DAZN at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. The prelims feature appearances from Bellator prospects and other familiar names in Baby Slice (3-2, 1 NC), Robson Gracie Jr. (3-0), Leslie Smith (11-8-1), Romero Cotton (4-0), Mike Kimbel
 (3-2), and Leandro Higo (19-5) meeting Dominic Mazzotta (15-3) at featherweight.

 

Complete Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho Main Card:

DAZN

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

 

Featherweight WGP Quarterfinal World Title Bout: Patricio Pitbull (30-4) vs. Pedro Carvalho (11-3)

Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal Bout: Daniel Weichel (40-11) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4) 

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) vs. Ronny Markes (19-7)

Welterweight Main Card Bout: Paul Daley (42-17-2) vs. Sabah Homasi (13-8)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Nick Newell (16-3) vs. Zach Zane (14-9)

Middleweight Main Card Bout: Anatoly Tokov (29-2) vs. Fabio Aguiar (17-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator’s YouTube Channel | DAZN

7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

 

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Robson Gracie Jr. (3-0) vs. Billy Goff (2-2)

160-lb. Contract Weight Preliminary Bout: Baby Slice (3-2, 1 NC) vs. Kaheem Murray (3-3)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Jordan Newman (2-0) vs. Pat McCrohan (4-3)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Romero Cotton (4-0) vs. Justin Sumter (7-3)

140-lb. Contract Weight Preliminary Bout: Mike Kimbel (3-2) vs. Kenny Rivera (2-2)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Killys Mota (12-1) vs. Nate Andrews (16-3)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Leandro Higo (19-5) vs. Dominic Mazzotta (15-3)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Leslie Smith (11-8-1) vs. Jessy Miele (9-3)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Ion Pascu (18-10) vs. Mark Lemminger (10-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Vladimir Tokov (7-0) vs. Marcus Surin (6-2)

 

*Card subject to change.

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.
Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network, women's MMA

LIZ CARMOUCHE TO MAKE BELLATOR MMA DEBUT AGAINST UNDEFEATED MANDY BÖHM IN MAIN EVEN EVENT OF PROMOTION’S RETURN TO PECHANGA RESORT CASINO

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EVENT SET FOR FRIDAY, MAY 29 AT 10 P.M. ET/9 P.M. CT ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK & DAZN

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 13!

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator officials today announced that the eagerly anticipated promotional debut of Liz Carmouche (13-7) will take place on Friday, May 29 at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. against undefeated SBG Ireland’s flyweight prospect Mandy Böhm (6-0, 1 NC).

 

Tickets for the Bellator 243: Carmouche vs. Böhm go on sale March 13 at 3 p.m. PT and are available at the Pechanga box office, as well asBellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and Pechanga.com.

 

The event will be broadcast live Friday, May 29 on Paramount Network and DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator’s MMA YouTube channel. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

 

A United States Marine Corps veteran and established flyweight competitor, Carmouche joined Bellator’s women’s flyweight division this past December following a six-year run in UFC – a tenure that includes world title bouts in both the bantamweight and flyweight divisions, as well as notable wins over Katlyn Chookagian and Jessica Andrade.

 

Fighting out of San Diego, the 36-year-old Team Hurricane Awesome-product also formerly competed for Strikeforce, notching a pair of victories with the promotion. She also earned a win over Valentina Shevchenko earlier in her career. Prior to “Girl-Rilla’s” days as a professional athlete, the Lafayette, Louisiana-native spent five years serving as an aviation electrician in the United Stated Marine Corps, where she completed three tours of duty in the Middle East.

 

Fresh off a flyweight title victory on the regional MMA scene last May, Mandy Böhm is ready to bring her undefeated mark as a professional to the highest levels of the sport when she meets former two-division title challenger Liz Carmouche on May 29. Hailing from Germany, but training under the tutelage of John Kavanagh at SBG Ireland in Dublin, “Monster” is a force to be reckoned with on the feet, but showcased her strong submission skills when she handed top Canadian prospect Jade Masson-Wong the first loss of her career in 2019.

 

Updated Bellator 243: Carmouche vs. Böhm Fight Card:

Flyweight Main Event: Liz Carmouche (13-7) vs. Mandy Böhm (6-0, 1 NC)

 

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

COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 239: RUTH VS. AMOSOV

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COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS


Bellator 239: Ruth vs. Amosov Main Card:

Yaroslav Amosov (23-0) defeated Ed Ruth (8-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Myles Jury (18-5) defeated Brandon Girtz (16-9) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Tim Johnson (13-6) defeated Tyrell Fortune (8-1) via KO (punches) at 2:35 of round one

Valentin Moldavsky (9-1) defeated Javy Ayala (11-8) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-24, 30-24)

 

Preliminary Card:  

Davion Franklin (1-0) defeated J.W. Kiser (5-3) via TKO (punches) at 1:30 of round one

Chris Gonzalez (4-0) defeated Aaron McKenzie (7-2-1) via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

Kevin Croom (21-12) defeated Adil Benjilany (5-3, 1 NC) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Cris Lencioni (6-2) defeated Salim Mukhidinov (7-4) via split decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)

Kyle Crutchmer (6-0) defeated Scott Futrell (11-10) via submission (anaconda choke) at 2:58 of round one

Grant Neal (3-0) defeated Claude Wilcox (1-2) via TKO (punches) at 3:37 of round three

Josh Hill (19-3)defeated Vinicius Zani (11-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Solo Hatley Jr. (8-2) defeated Gaston Bolanos (5-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Denise Kielholtz (5-2) defeated Kristina Williams (3-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:15 of round one

TeeJay Britton (6-2) defeated Gabriel Varga (1-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Keith Lee (6-3) defeated Shawn Bunch (9-5) via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-27)

Christian Edwards (3-0) defeated Marco Hutch (3-3) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.
Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

FULL FIGHT CARD AND BROADCAST DETAILS FOR BELLATOR 239: RUTH VS. AMOSOV THIS FRIDAY, FEB. 21

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MAIN CARD TO AIR ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK & DAZN AT 9 P.M. ET

 

 

LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. this Friday, February 21 has been finalized with a stacked four-fight main card airing at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Paramount Network and DAZN. Additionally, a total of 13 preliminary fights will stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel and DAZN beginning at 6:15 p.m. PT/5:15 p.m. CT. 

 

The main event of Bellator 239 will feature an exciting welterweight clash between two of the division’s best prospects, as three-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion Ed Ruth (8-1) takes on undefeated Ukrainian striker Yaroslav Amosov (22-0). Also on the card, a premiere lightweight matchup between Minnesota’s own Brandon Girtz (16-8) and recent Bellator free agent signing Myles Jury (17-5), as well as two pivotal matchups in the heavyweight division as Tyrell Fortune (8-0) is set to meet UFC-veteran Timothy Johnson (12-6) and top contender Javy Ayala (11-7) goes to battle against a member of Fedor Emelianenko’s team in Russia, Valentin Moldavsky (8-1).

 

Preliminary action for Bellator 239: Ruth vs. Amosov will be highlighted by a number of young undefeated prospects returning to the cage, including Oklahoma’s Kyle Crutchmer (5-0), Christian Edwards (2-0), Chris Gonzalez (3-0), Grant Neal (2-0) and Texas’ Lucas Brennan (2-0), while familiar names in Cris Lencioni (5-2), Gaston Bolanos (5-2) and Shawn Bunch (9-4) are also scheduled to compete on the card.

 

Additionally, the prelims will feature appearances by two Bellator Kickboxing champions in flyweight champ Denise Kielholtz (4-2) and featherweight titleholder Gabriel Varga (1-0) as they both return to the Bellator MMA cage.

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

Bellator 239: Ruth vs. Amosov Main Card:

Paramount Network and DAZN

9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT

 

Welterweight Main Event: Ed Ruth (8-1) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (22-0)

Lightweight Co-Main Event: Brandon Girtz (16-8) vs. Myles Jury (17-5)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Tyrell Fortune (8-0) vs. Tim Johnson (12-6)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Javy Ayala (11-7) vs. Valentin Moldavsky (8-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA’s YouTube Channel and DAZN

6:15 p.m. ET/5:15 p.m. CT:

 

Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Edwards (2-0) vs. Marco Hutch (3-2)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Shawn Bunch (9-4) vs. Keith Lee (5-3)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Varga (1-0) vs. TeeJay Britton (5-2)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Denise Kielholtz (4-2) vs. Kristina Williams (3-2)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Gaston Bolanos (5-2) vs. Solo Hatley Jr. (7-2)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Josh Hill (18-3) vs. Vinicius Zani (11-5)

Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Grant Neal (2-0) vs. Claude Wilcox (1-1)

175-lb. Contract Weight Bout: Kyle Crutchmer (5-0) vs. Scott Futrell (11-9)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Cris Lencioni (5-2) vs. Salim Mukhidinov (7-3)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Adil Benjilany (5-2, 1 NC) vs. Kevin Croom (20-12)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Lucas Brennan (2-0) vs. Jamese Taylor (0-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Gonzalez (3-0) vs. Aaron McKenzie (7-1-1)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: J.W. Kiser (5-2) vs. Davion Franklin (Pro Debut)

 

*Card subject to change

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

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

DOUGLAS LIMA SEEKS DOUBLE CHAMP STATUS AGAINST GEGARD MOUSASI IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SUPERFIGHT ON SATURDAY, MAY 9 INSIDE SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE

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BATTLE FOR VACANT BELLATOR MMA MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AIRS LIVE ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK AND DAZN AT 10 P.M. ET/9 P.M. CT

Tickets go on sale this Friday, Feb. 14

 

LOS ANGELES – A middleweight superfight for the vacant 185-pound title, pitting former divisional champion Gegard Mousasi (46-7-2) against current Bellator welterweight titleholder Douglas Lima (32-7), has been added to Bellator’s exciting return to SAP Center at San Jose on Saturday, May 9 – LIVE on Paramount Network and DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.

 

The event is anchored by a previously announced heavyweight world title bout, featuring two-division Bellator champ Ryan Bader (27-5, 1 NC) defending his 205-pound title against Russia’s Vadim Nemkov (11-2).

 

Bellator: Bader vs. Nemkov airs live on Paramount Network and DAZN on Saturday, May 9 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. Preliminary action will stream on DAZN, Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets can be purchased at the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Ticket Office at SAP Center, through Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

 

The Bellator middleweight title was recently relinquished by Rafael Lovato Jr. due to ongoing medical complications.

 

Fighting out of Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands, Mousasi has cemented legendary status within the sport, having won titles with multiple promotions across a 55-fight career. Most recently, Mousasi defeated Lyoto Machida via split decision, clearing his path to a shot at a second Bellator middleweight title run. With victories in his storied career against Machida, Rory MacDonald, Chris Weidman, Rafael Carvalho, Vitor Belfort, Jacare Souza, Dan Henderson and Mark Hunt, a victory over Douglas Lima will add to his already-impressive resume.

 

Looking to join the ranks of Ryan Bader and Patricio “Pitbull” as two-division champions, Lima moves up 15-pounds to try his hand against Mousasi. Since making his promotional debut in 2011, “The Phenom” has earned 14 victories, including a trio of world titles and 10 finishes, making the American Top Team-product one of the most dominant fighters in the 170-pound division. With 26 of his 32 career victories coming by way of knockout or submission, including consecutive dominant finishes over Andrey Koreshkov and Michael “Venom” Page” in the first two rounds of the World Grand Prix tournament, Lima most recently capped of his 2019 with a win over Rory MacDonald to regain the welterweight world title.

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

Updated Bellator: Bader vs. Nemkov Main Card:

Paramount Network and DAZN

10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT

 

Light Heavyweight World Title Bout: Ryan Bader (27-5, 1 NC) vs. Vadim Nemkov (11-2)

Middleweight World Title Bout: Gegard Mousasi (46-7-2) vs. Douglas Lima (32-7)

 

*Card subject to change

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR RE-SIGNS CHAMPIONS DOUGLAS LIMA AND ILIMA-LEI MACFARLANE TO MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-FIGHT CONTRACT EXTENSIONS

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LOS ANGELES – Bellator is proud to announce that welterweight champion Douglas Lima (32-7) and flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-0) will continue to compete inside the Bellator cage after signing exclusive multi-year, multi-fight extensions to remain with the ViacomCBS-owned promotion.

 

“Both Douglas Lima and Ilima-Lei Macfarlane continue to prove they are two of the most dominant fighters on the Bellator roster,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “They made their Bellator debuts very early on in their careers, have climbed to the top of their respective divisions and have come to represent what this promotion is all about. As champions, both have taken on all challenges and have succeeded in every opportunity. I look forward to watching them continue their careers with us.”

 

Hailing from Goiania, Brazil and now fighting out of Atlanta, Georgia, the 32-year-old Lima most recently handled Rory MacDonald in a rematch – a Welterweight World Grand Prix final matchup that saw Lima leave as a world champion with a one-million-dollar prize. Since making his promotional debut in 2011, “The Phenom” has earned 14 victories, including a trio of world titles and 10 finishes, making the American Top Team-product one of the most dominant fighters in the 170-pound division. With 26 of his 32 career victories coming by way of knockout or submission, including consecutive dominant finishes over Andrey Koreshkov and Michael “Venom” Page” in the first two rounds of the World Grand Prix tournament, Lima has recently made it clear that he now has title aspirations at middleweight.

 

Re-live Douglas Lima’s most recent championship victory here

 

Born and raised in Honolulu, the inaugural Bellator flyweight champ Macfarlane made her pro debut in 2015 with a KO victory that went viral and has not looked back since, while remaining undefeated in her career. With impressive victories over Valerie Letourneau and Veta Arteaga, Macfarlane was the focal point of Bellator’s debut in Hawaii last year and returned to Hawaii with a submission win over Kate Jackson this past December. A proud graduate of Honolulu’s Punahou High School in 2009, Macfarlane later attended San Diego State University, where she would go on to earn her Master’s degree in liberal arts and science with a focus on indigenous issues – a subject she remains passionate about, recently launching “The Ilimanator Scholarship” for indigenous girls.

 

Re-live Ilima-Lei’s most recent championship victory here

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

About Bellator: 

Bellator is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing promotion featuring many of the best athletes in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on both Paramount Network and DAZN, the world’s first truly dedicated LIVE sports streaming service. Bellator 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 Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

   
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION RAFAEL LOVATO JR. RELINQUISHES TITLE DUE TO ONGOING MEDICAL ISSUES

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LOS ANGELES – Following the medical complications that were publicly disclosed by Rafael Lovato Jr. (10-0) late last month, the Bellator middleweight champion has decided to relinquish his 185-lb world title. The unbeaten Lovato Jr. defeated former champ Gegard Mousasi to win the title at Bellator 223 in London on June 22, 2019.

 

“My journey with my team and family to become the Bellator middleweight world champion was incredible and something I will cherish forever,” said Lovato Jr. “I dreamed of having a long reign as champion, but sometimes life has another plan. Bellator has been very supportive during this difficult process, a situation that has never really happened before in our sport. I know the division must move on while I am on the sidelines and I wish everyone great fights on their way to that belt. I will be working to come back if it is possible – and if not, life will continue to be amazing for me and I look forward to working with Bellator in another fashion.”

 

“This has been an incredibly challenging time for Lovato Jr., his team and his family at home,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “He is a true warrior of the sport and I cannot say enough about him for making such a difficult decision. His health is the priority for us and we will continue to work with him on addressing the next steps in his career.”

 

Bellator will announce plans for the vacant middleweight title in the coming days.

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.
Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

BELLATOR DOUBLE CHAMP RYAN BADER DEFENDS LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE AGAINST VADIM NEMKOV ON SATURDAY, MAY 9 – LIVE ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK

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TICKETS ON SALE FEB. 14 FOR CARD SET INSIDE SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE

LOS ANGELES – On Saturday, May 9, SAP Center at San Jose will host Bellator with an event headlined by a light heavyweight world championship bout featuring two-division Bellator champion Ryan Bader (27-5, 1 NC) defending his 205-pound title against Russia’s Vadim Nemkov (11-2).

 

Bellator San Jose: Bader vs. Nemkov airs on Paramount Network and DAZN on Saturday, May 9 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Preliminary action will stream on DAZN, Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

 

Tickets for Bellator San Jose: Bader vs. Nemkov are available early through an exclusive Bellator Nation pre-sale beginning Wednesday, Feb. 12 through Thursday, Feb. 13. Tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday, Feb. 14. Tickets can be purchased at the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Ticket Office at SAP Center, through Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

 

A winner of seven out of his last eight fights at both heavyweight and light heavyweight, Bellator’s two-division champion Ryan Bader will make his first light heavyweight title defense since defeating“King Mo” Lawal, Matt Mitrione and Fedor Emelianenko en 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 from Arizona State University began his professional career by winning season eight of The Ultimate Fighter. “Darth” continued his path of dominance by collecting victories over some of the 205-pound division’s top talent, including wins over former world champions “Rampage” Jackson, Rashad Evans, Phil Davis (x2) and Rafael “Feijão” Cavalcante, as well as Ovince Saint Preux and Vinny Magalhães, before signing with Bellator in 2017.

 

Vadim Nemkov, who is undefeated over his last six fights and a perfect 4-0 in Bellator since signing in 2017, will come into his first-ever title shot in MMA fresh off a submission win against former middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho. With the victory, Nemkov has unequivocally defeated some of the best athletes Bellator has to offer, including three former champions in Carvalho, Phil Davis and Liam McGeary. A three-time Russian national sambo champion, Nemkov trains alongside Fedor Emelianenko in Stary Oskol, Russia.

 

Updated Bellator San Jose: Bader vs. Nemkov Main Card:

DAZN/Paramount Network

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

 

Light Heavyweight World Title Bout: Ryan Bader (27-5, 1 NC) vs. Vadim Nemkov (11-2)

 

*Card subject to change

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.