Tag Archives: Cheick Kongo

PRELIMINARY ACTION FEATURING PROMOTIONAL DEBUT OF KENYA MIRANDA ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 161’

 

MARK DICKMAN-DANIEL PINEDA SET FOR FEATHERWEIGHT CLASH & MIDDLEWEIGHTS GREGORY BABENE-‘KIKOFRANCE READY FOR BATTLE ON SEPTEMBER 16

Raug Monica, California (Lub yim hli ntuj 30, 2016) – A female flyweight bout pitting Kenya Miranda (2-2) against Emily Ducote (3-1) has been added to the preliminary portion of “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson,” which takes place on September 16 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, Texas.

Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, featherweights Mark Dickman (11-2) and Daniel Pineda (21-12) have agreed to slug it out while Gregory Babene (17-11-1) thiab Francisco “Kiko” Fabkis (13-4-1) square off in a middleweight bout that will also be featured on the Bellator.com-streamed preliminary card.

The fights join a heavyweight main event pitting Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) against Tony Johnson (10-2) and a bantamweight showdown pitting Joe Warren (13-5) against Sirwan Kakai (12-4). Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, a lightweight feature fight featuring Derek Campos (16-6) against Djamil Chan (12-2) and a female flyweight battle between Anastasia Yankova (3-0) and Veta Arteaga (2-0) will also highlight an electric main card.

"Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. I. Daim pib rau cov kev tshwm sim pib thaum nyuam qhuav $25 and can be purchased at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster, or the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park Box Office.

Ntawm 28, Miranda will be making her Bellator MMA debut when she steps into the cage on September 16. Since begining her professional career in 2014, Miranda has recorded a pair of wins, both of which came at the expense of opponent Natalia Cristina Silva. In her first career victory, the Brazilian prospect finished her challenger with a second round knockout and followed up the impressive performance with an equally splendid first round rear-naked choke submission. A native of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Miranda will look to prove she belongs with the world’s best when she meets her “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” opponent.

Ducote burst onto the Bellator MMA scene following a second-round rear-naked choke finish of Bruna Vargas at “Bellator 159: Caldwell vs. Taimanglo.” The win earned the the 23-year-old Oklahoma native an exclusive contract with the Scott Coker-led promotion, and was her third straight win in 2016 since dropping the opening bout of her young mixed martial arts career. Training out of American Top Team’s affiliate in OKC, “Gordinha” will look to keep the momentum going when she takes on another top Brazilian prospect on September 16.

At 32-years-old, Dickman has quietly climbed the ranks as one of MMA’s most consistent featherweights. After beginning his professional career 5-0, the Las Vegas native continued his hot start, emerging victorious in nine of his first 10 xaus. The knockout artist will be making his second appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, after defeating Thomas Diagnevia brutal third round knockout at “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo.” Of his 11 professional victories, seven have come by way of KO, punctuated by three first round finishes. “Tricky” enters this fight having won six of his last seven bouts and his last two, as he tries to add to his career total and remain unbeaten since joining the Bellator MMA circuit.

Best known as a submission specialist, the 30-year-old Pineda has spent time with multiple local promotions as well as the UFC during his 33-fight career. Nicknamed “The Pit,” Pineda enters the cage having won three of his last four bouts and the opportunity to earn his first victory since joining the Bellator MMA fray. Hailing from Houston, Pineda will have the hometown edge over his opponent as the Scott Coker-led promotion will take its talented roster to Cedar Park and the H-E-B Center for the first time. Dating back to 2012, each of his last six wins has come by way of submission, with five of them occurring in the opening round of action. It’s worth noting that all 21 of Pineda’s wins have come by way of knockout or submission.

Hailing from Paris, Fabkis, 29-fight veteran Babene will be making his second appearance under the Bellator MMA banner. The 32-year-old “Blade” emerged victorious in his promotional debut earlier this year, when he defeated Brandon Farran with a first round rear-naked choke submission at “Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Spartan.” The French middleweight has amassed 17 career wins thus far, 14 of which have come by way of knockout or submission. Babene will face one of the stiffest tests of his career, as he prepares to face rising middleweight “Kiko” France.

France will be fighting for the third time under the direction of Bellator MMA, after earning a victory over Ben Reiter in his Bellator debut at “Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef.” The 33-year-old nicknamed “Kiko” will also be making his 19th overall appearance in the cage, where he has accrued 13 professional wins; 12 of which have come by way of submission. The Gilbert, Arizona native is currently riding a hot streak, claiming victories in six of his last eight fights (including one draw). The veteran submission specialist will have his hands full, as he prepares to enter enemy territory and challenge Babene in his home state of Texas on September 16th.

Tshiab "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” Main Card:
Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) vs. Tony Johnson (10-2)
Bantamweight Feature Bout: Joe Warren (13-5) vs. Sirwan Kakai (12-4)
Flyweight Feature Bout: Anastasia Yankova (3-0) vs. Veta Arteaga (2-0)
Lightweight Feature Bout: Derek Liaj teb (16-6) vs. Djamil Chan (12-2)

Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Kenya Miranda (2-2) vs. Emily Ducote (3-1)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Mark Dickman (11-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-12)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Gregory Babene (17-11-1) vs. Francisco Fabkis (13-4-1)

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BANTAMWEIGHT STANDOUTS JOE WARREN AND SIRWAN KAKAI SET FOR BATTLE DURING CO-MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 161’

 

Raug Monica, California (Lub yim hli ntuj 10, 2016) – A bantamweight showdown pitting Joe Warren (13-5) tiv thaiv Sirwan Kakai (12-4) has been added to the main card of "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson," uas yuav siv sij hawm qhov chaw nyob rau Cuaj hlis 16 inside the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, Texas, and will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE.

The bantamweight contest joins a heavyweight main event featuring Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) kev noj nyob Tony Johnson (10-2), and the U.S. debut ntawm Anastasia Yankova (3-0), uas muaj raws li Veta Arteaga (2-0). Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Daim pib rau "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” pib ntawm xwb $25 can be purchased at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster, or the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park Box Office. The event will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 10 p.m. THIAB/9 p.m. I.

A 15-fight veteran of Bellator MMA and champion in not one but two different weight classes, Warren enters the cage with an 11-4 mark under the Scott Coker-led promotion, including multiple streaks of five consecutive wins. Dating back to 2015, lub 2006 Pan American and World Champion wrestler has made three consecutive appearances in Bellator’s main event, including an impressive unanimous decision victory over L.C. Davis at "Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis. " Hailing from Denver, Colorado, the “Baddest Man on the Planet” will look to become the first-ever fighter to knock out Kakai when the two meet in main card action on SPIKE.

 

Nicknamed “Zohan,” Kakai comes into the fight in search of his first career win under the Bellator MMA banner. Ntawm cia li 26 xyoo ntawm hnub nyoog, the Swedish submission specialist hopes to make a splash against the former two-division champion in Warren. Since making his professional debut in 2008, Kakai has recorded 12 wins as a pro, with half coming by way of submission. Prior to joining the Bellator MMA fray, Kakai made a splash fighting under the direction of the UFC, recording a unanimous decision victory over Danny Martinez in his promotional debut. Kakai now faces one of the most challenging opponents Bellator MMA’s stacked bantamweight division has to offer when he enters the cage on September 16 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.

 

Tshiab "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” Main Card:

Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) vs. Tony Johnson (10-2)

Bantamweight Co-Main Event: Joe Warren (13-5) vs. Sirwan Kakai (12-4)

Flyweight Feature Bout: Anastasia Yankova (3-0) vs. Veta Arteaga (2-0)

ANASTASIA YANKOVA PUTS UNDEFEATED RECORD ON THE LINE AGAINST VETA ARTEAGA ON SEPTEMBER 16AT ‘BELLATOR 161’

Raug Monica, California (Lub yim hli ntuj 4, 2016) – A flyweight bout pitting Anastasia Yankova (3-0) tiv thaiv Veta Arteaga (2-0) has been added to the SPIKE-televised portion of "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson," uas yuav siv sij hawm qhov chaw nyob rau Cuaj hlis 16 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, Texas.

The fight joins a main card that features a heavyweight main event pitting French phenom Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) against the streaking Tony Johnson (10-2). Additional main and preliminary contests will be announced shortly.

Qhov rooj rau cov kev tshwm sim qhib 7:45 p.m. I local time and the first preliminary bout – which streams live on Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App — pib thaum 8:00 p.m. I. Daim pib rau cov kev tshwm sim pib thaum nyuam qhuav $25 and can be purchased now at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster, or the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park Box Office.

The 25-year-old Yankova will make her second appearance of the year, after garnering the attention of the MMA world with an impressive promotional debut in Italy at "Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza.” The Russian submission specialist began her professional career 2-0, before earning her first victory under the direction of Bellator MMA with an impressive first round armbar victory. An avid artist outside of the cage, Yankova hopes to carve out her next masterpiece when she returns to action on Xya. 16.

Since making her professional debut earlier this year, Arteaga has strung together back-to-back wins, including a unanimous decision victory over Jackie Vandenburgh in her promotional debut at "Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef. " Yog li deb, each of Arteaga’s first two wins have gone to the judges’ table, leaving the 28-year-old Boise, Idaho native itching for her first career stoppage win.

 

Tshiab "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” Main Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main kev tshwm sim: Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) vs. Tony Johnson (10-2)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Anastasia Yankova (3-0) vs. Veta Arteaga (2-0)

EVERYTHING’S BIGGER IN TEXAS: HEAVYWEIGHTS CHEICK KONGO AND TONY JOHNSON HEADLINE ‘BELLATOR 161’

 

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NEWLY ANNOUNCED EVENT TAKES PLACE CUAJ HLI 16 AT H-E-B CENTER AT CEDAR PARK, Texas

Raug Monica, California (Lub Xya hli ntuj, 22) – Bellator MMA is heading back to the “Lone Star State,” where a heavyweight bout pitting Cheick Kongo(24-10-2) tiv thaiv Tony Johnson (10-2) will serve as the main event of "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson," uas yuav siv sij hawm qhov chaw nyob rau Cuaj hlis 16 at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, Texas, and will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE.

 

The Scott Coker-led promotion will be holding its first-ever event at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park, which is just a short drive from Austin. Daim pib rau "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” pib thaum $25 can be purchased at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster, or the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park Box Office starting next Friday, Lub Xya hli ntuj 29 with an exclusive Bellator Nation pre-sale running the Wednesday thiab Thursday prior. Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Hailing from Paris, Kongo will enter the cage for the ninth time under the direction of Bellator MMA and make his third consecutive appearance in a card’s main event. An 18-fight veteran of the UFC, Kongo hopes to add to his current two-fight winning streak and 6-2 mark since joining the Viacom-owned promotion back in 2013. Standing 6 ko taw 4, Kongo will have a noticeable height advantage over his shorter opponent. With half of his 24 career wins coming by way of knockout, Kongo will also attempt to finish Johnson for the first time of his professional career.

 

A native of North Platte, Nebraska, Johnson has strung together an impressive streak of three straight victories, including two in a row since re-joining the Bellator MMA fray. After making his professional debut in 2008, the 30-year-old made his Bellator MMA debut with a unanimous decision win over Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis at “Bellator 46.” Since challenging current UFC Champion Daniel Cormier in 2010, Johnson has gone 6-1 with three knockout finishes, including noteworthy victories over Alexander Volkov and most recently Raphael Butler, thaum lub sij hawm"Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich” nyuam qhuav pib lub xyoo.

 

Tshiab "Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” Main Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main kev tshwm sim: Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) vs. Tony Johnson (10-2)

MATT MITRIONE CHOOSES BELLATOR MMA, SIGNING AN EXCLUSIVE, MULTI-FIGHT CONTRACT WITH THE PROMOTION

Raug Monica (Lub peb hlis ntuj 14, 2016) – Last week, top mixed martial art’s free agent Matt Mitrione (9-5) joined Ariel Helwani’s “MMA Hour” show and revealed that he had been fielding offers from multiple promotions, including a great bid he had received from Bellator MMA. In a very rare move, Helwani had Mitrione rejoin his popular talk show for a second straight week to announce that the paperwork has been finalized, making Mitrione the newest member of Bellator MMA’s heavyweight division.

 

“There comes a time in every athlete’s life, where the scenarios change and the landscape has eroded from what made you fall in love with it initially,” said Mitrione. “It has become that time for me. After a mutually beneficial free agency period, I’ve decided to move my career to Bellator. I’ve enjoyed almost every second of my career and unlike most that switch organizations due to being cut or no longer being able to perform at the sports highest levels, I am bringing a body and skillset that are only getting better and I cannot wait to test my abilities against the best Bellator has to offer.”

 

Lovingly referred to as “Meathead,” Mitrione is one of the few fighters to have started his professional career with the UFC without previously competing on the regional circuit. His 14-bout stint with that promotion began in 2009, where he faced formidable opponents the likes of: Kimbo Hlais, Gabriel Gonzaga, Ben Rothwell, Derrick Lewis, Brendan Schaub, Roy Nelson, Shawn Jordan and Travis Brown amongst others.

 

Ua ntej yuav sib tw nyob rau hauv MMA, Mitrione earned a scholarship to play defensive tackle for the Purdue Boilermakers football team, not far from where he grew up in Springfield, Mob. Tom qab kawm ntawv qib siab, he played in the NFL for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings until 2005.

 

At the conclusion of his professional football career, the Shotokan Karate Black Belt focused all of his attention on the sport of MMA. Mitrione spent time training with Duke Roufus and the highly-respected Roufusport team before landing with the famed Blackzilians camp in Boca Raton, Fla, where he trains today.

 

The extremely popular and well-spoken Mitrione has allowed the judges to determine the result of his fight only twice, tiv thaiv Joey Beltran thiab Cheick Kongo, both of whom currently fight for Bellator MMA. His entertaining fighting style has earned him recognition with “Performance of the Night” (ob zaug) thiab “Sib ntaus ntawm cov Hmo ntuj” accolades.

 

Prior to his last fight with his former promotion, Mitrione was forced to participate in a media session barefoot, as his shoes didn’t adhere to the strict company uniform policy. He will have no such problems at Bellator, where he is free to secure his own sponsors and keep his feet warm with the footwear of his choosing.

 

Bellator has been bolstering their heavyweight division as of late, and Mitrione becomes the second heavyweight free agent the promotion has signed in as many months, raws li Sergei Kharitonov joined the fray in February. The division is currently championed by Vitaly Minakov, and includes other top names like Slice, Bobby Lashley, Cheick Kongo, Vinicius “Spartan,” Tony Johnson, Justin Wren, Dan Charles thiab Augusto Sakai.

CHEICK KONGO INCHES PAST VINICIUS SPARTAN IN ‘BELLATOR 150MAIN EVENT ON SPIKE

COMPLETE BELLATOR 150 PHOTOS HERE

MULVANE, Tej zaum. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 26, 2015) – A week removed from the most watched Bellator MMA event in company history, the Scott Coker-led promotion returned to action on SPIKE with "Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz,” an event that delivered five spectacular main card fights.

 

Nyob rau hauv lub yav tsaus ntuj lub ntsiab kev tshwm sim, Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) intelligently managed the distance between he and Vinicius Spartan (8-4), kicking and jabbing his way to a split decision victory (30-27, 28-29, 29-28).

 

Spartan did have his moments during the heavyweight encounter, securing takedowns in rounds two and three, followed by a knockdown late. Tab sis nyob rau hauv lub kawg, Kongo received the benefit of the doubt from the Kansas-appointed judges. The Frenchman has now won two straight, and improved to 6-2 overall under the Bellator MMA banner.

It only took David Rickels (17-4) three minutes and 49 seconds to finish Bobby Cooper (12-6) in front of a sellout crowd at Kansas Star Arena on Friday. Both men had their moments during the action, but after a knee to the body dropped Cooper to his knees, “The Caveman” pummelled his foe with hammerfists until referee John McCarthy called a stop to the action.

Kendall Grove (23-15) nres Francisco Fabkis (13-4-1) with a vicious punch 35 vib nas this mus rau hauv lub thib ob puag ncig, winning by knockout. The victory was an emotional one for “Da Spyder,” who recently lost his brother and made it clear his performance was dedicated to his late sibling. Grove has now won three of his last four tilts, all via finish.

Chuka Willis (7-2) tes laug Gaston Reyno (5-1) the first defeat of his mixed martial arts career on Friday, winning via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27). The scrap went back-and-forth over the course of 15 feeb, with multiple submission attempts and knockdowns by both men. But in the end – much to the delight of the partisan crowd – Willis earned the nod.

Former Shamrock FC Flyweight Champion Rebecca Ruth (6-1) yeej Lena Ovchynnikova (10-4) ntawm unanimous kev txiav txim siab (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) in the opening main card fight at "Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz.” For “Ruthless” the win is the first of her career via the judges’ scorecards and extended her current winning streak to four straight.

 

Preliminary Card tau:

 

Kyle Noblitt (2-0) yeej David Hammons (1-2) ntawm TKO (punches)

Rome Lindsay (5-5) yeej Marcio Navarro (14-12) ntawm TKO (punches) 2:30, R1

Chris Harris (5-0) yeej Julian Marquez (2-1) ntawm unanimous kev txiav txim siab (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Andre Fialho (6-0) yeej Manny Meraz (7-2) ntawm knockout (punches) :29, R1

Gregory Babene (17-11) yeej Brandon Farran (12-11) ntawm cuav (rear-liab qab caj pas) 3:37, R1

Thai Clark (6-0) yeej Deron Carlis (4-2) ntawm unanimous kev txiav txim siab (29-28 x 3)

ILLNESS REMOVES MARCOS GALVAO FROM CARD, CHEICK KONGO VERSUS VINICIUS QUEIROZ PROMOTED TO MAIN EVENT SLOT

MULVANE, Tej zaum. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 25, 2015) – Over the course of fight week, Marcos "Loro" Galvao (17-6-1) has been battling an illness. After consulting physicians, Bellator officials have decided to to pull him from his Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title defense against former champion Eduardo Dantas (17-4).

 

After making weight inside Kansas Star Arena at 10 a.m. I, Dantas was paid his show money. The fight will be rescheduled in the near future.

 

Raws li ib tug tshwm sim, Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) tiv thaiv Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will now serve as the headliner and David Rickels (16-4) tiv tiag Bobby Cooper (12-5) is the new co-main event. Rounding out the SPIKE-televised card will be a middleweight attraction pitting Kendall Grove (22-15) tiv thaiv Kiko France (13-3-1), the Bellator MMA debut of Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), when she fights Rebecca Ruth (5-1) thiab Gaston Reyno (5-0) – fresh off his new exclusive multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA – will fight against Chuka Willis (6-2).

 

Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz,” airs nyob rau ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App.

Sau kom tiav "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main kev tshwm sim: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Co-Main Event: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco Fabkis (13-3-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Gaston Reyno (5-0) vs. Chuka Willis (6-2)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3) vs. Rebecca Ruth (5-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: David Hammons (1-1) vs. Kyle Noblitt (1-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Brandon Farran (12-10) vs. Gregory Babene (16-11)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Manny Meraz (7-1) vs. Andre Fialho (5-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (4-0) vs. Julian Marquez (2-0)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Marcio Navarro (14-11) vs. Henry Lindsay (4-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Thai Clark (5-0) vs. Deron Carlis (4-1)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)

'BELLATOR 150: GALVAO VS. DANTAS 2’ THIS FRIDAY – UPDATED FIGHT CARD INFORMATION

Click above for “What to Watch: Gavao vs. Dantas”

 

Raug Monica, California. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 22, 2015) - No hnub Friday, Bellator MMA brings a world championship matchup between two highly skilled mixed martial arts practitioners when bantamweight champion Marcos "Loro" Galvao (17-6-1) defends his strap against former champion and former friend and training partner, Eduardo "Dudu" Dantas (17-4) nyob rau hauv "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2.

 

The event emanates from the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas this Friday, Lub ob hlis ntuj 26, and airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App. Daim pib rau "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2 " uas pib ntawm cia li $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, raws li tau zoo raws li lub Kansas Star Arena chaw ua hauj lwm.

 

In addition to the title fight, a heavyweight co-main event of Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) tiv thaiv Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will anchor the number two spot. Tsis tas li ntawd nyob rau hauv daim ntawv, Kendall Grove (22-15) yuav siv sij hawm nyob rau hauv Francisco “Kiko” France (13-3-1), hometown nyiam David Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) will return to action against Bobby Cooper (12-5), plus the Bellator MMA debut of newly signed women’s flyweight Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), uas yuav siv sij hawm nyob rau hauv Rebecca Ruth (5-1).

 

"Lawv,"Uas tau tiv thaiv rau lub ntiaj teb no-nrov npe promotions cov yam koj nyiam uas lub ntiaj teb no huab Cagefighting thiab Shooto txij li thaum 2003, yuav tsum sib tw rau lub 11th lub sij hawm nyob rau hauv lub Bellator MMA banner. Lub 34-xyoo-laus yog presently nyob rau hauv lub midst ntawm ib tug plaub-sib ntaus yeej streak thiab muaj emerged yeej nyob rau hauv xya ntawm nws lub xeem yim scraps. Nyob rau hauv nws cov nag mus ua si, Galvao tiav lawm Joe Warren ntawm "Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao " via submission to win his first-ever championship and fulfil a promise he made to his mother before her unfortunate passing.

 

Meanwhile, Dantas yuav tau nrhiav los theej tawm txoj kev vam meej nws muaj tiv thaiv nyob rau hauv lawv cov thawj Galvao lub rooj sib tham, which resulted in a second-round knockout at “Bellator 89.” Last May, the 27-year-old Nova Uniao product dispelled of Mike Richman ntawm unanimous kev txiav txim siab ntawm "Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove. " Lub Bellator caij 5 Bantamweight Tournament winner is looking to become a two-time bantamweight champion come Lub kaum hli ntuj 23.

 

Kongo will be making his eighth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, looking to add to his impressive promotional mark of 5-2. The Parisian native has fought a who’s who in the mixed martial arts landscape, with notable wins against Mirko Cro Cop, Pat Barry, Matt Mitrione, and Alexander Volkov already on his record. In his last outing – which just so happened to be inside the Kansas Star ArenaKongo impressively defeated Volkov via unanimous decision.

 

After nearly two years out of action, Queiroz returned to the Bellator MMA cage against Ewerton Teixeira ntawm "Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov," defeating his fellow Brazilian opponent via second round arm-triangle choke. “Spartan” hopes to plant the seeds for a busy 2016 with the matchup against Kongo, where a win can undoubtedly place him in the midst of the heavyweight title picture.

 

Grove capped off 2015 with an emphatic knockout of Joey Beltran ntawm "Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis," nyob rau hauv lub Cuaj Hli Ntuj. The winner of“The Ultimate Fighter: 3," has fought professionally since 2003 for promotions all around the world, notably ProElite and UFC. This will be “Da Spyder’s” sixth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner as he hopes to climb back towards a 185-pound title shot – he competed for the gold last year against Brandon Halsey.

 

A veteran of Strikeforce, “Kiko” France has strung together a five-fight winning streak as of late, most recently handing the formerly undefeated Ben Reiter the first loss of his young career at "Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef. " It’s safe to classify the 33-year-old Arizona native as a “submission specialist,"Nrog 12 ntawm nws 13 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent tap.

 

A Bellator MMA event in Mulvane, Kansas just wouldn’t be the same without “The Caveman,” who will return to action for the first time since competing against Michael Chandler no yav dhau los Kaum ib hlis. Rickels always comes ready to put on a show, seb nws yog nyob rau nws txoj kev mus rau hauv lub tawb, los yog thaum nws noj rau ib tug uas yog leej twg Bellator MMA sib txuj ci. The 27-year-old will be making his 16thappearance under the promotional banner.

 

The last time Bobby Cooper fought inside the Kansas Star Arena, he took home a closely contested split decision victory over“Bellator 147” co-headliner Pablo Villaseca. Tam sim no, “Super Duper” will look to move to 3-0 under the Bellator MMA banner when he faces Rickels in hostile territory. It’s worth noting that the Missouri native has only lost twice in his last eight MMA appearances.

 

Hailing from Ukraine, Ovchynnikova will enter the fray fresh off a new exclusive, multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA. “Hunter” has previously fought the likes of Joanne Calderwood and at only 28-years-old has already competed professionally since 2006. Tam sim no, Ovchynnikova looks to solidify herself as a top contender in the budding women’s flyweight division on Lub ob hlis ntuj 26 against a tough foe in Ruth.

 

“Becky” Ruth was undefeated in 2015, winning all three of her matchups by technical knockout under the Shamrock Fighting Championships banner. The lone loss on the Missouri native’s record came against Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger, via controversial split decision.

 

 

Sau kom tiav "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title Main Event: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco Fabkis (13-3-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3) vs. Rebecca Ruth (5-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: David Hammons (1-1) vs. Kyle Noblitt (1-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Brandon Farran (12-10) vs. Gregory Babene (16-11)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Manny Meraz (7-1) vs. Andre Fialho (5-0)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Gaston Reyno (5-0) vs. Chuka Willis (6-2)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (4-0) vs. Julian Marquez (2-0)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Marcio Navarro (14-11) vs. Henry Lindsay (4-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Thai Clark (5-0) vs. Deron Carlis (4-1)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)

MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT PITTING KENDALL GROVE AGAINST FRANCISCO FRANCE COMPLETES ‘BELLATOR 150’ MAIN CARD

Raug Monica, California. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 11, 2015) – A fifth and final main card fight has been added to “Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2” at Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas on Lub ob hlis ntuj 26, with the news that Kendall Grove (22-15) has agreed to fight Francisco “Kiko” France (13-3-1).

 

Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, Bellator MMA’s Bantamweight Championship will be on the line in a rematch pitting Marcos "Loro" Galvao (17-6-1) tiv thaiv yav tas los yeej Eduardo "Dudu" Dantas (17-4) and hometown favorite, David Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) will return to action against Bobby Cooper (12-5). "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2 " also features the Bellator MMA debut of newly signed women’s flyweight Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), when she meets Rebecca Ruth (5-1) and a heavyweight co-main event of Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) tiv thaiv Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

 

The contests make up the televised portion of “Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2,” uas airs nyob rau ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App.

 

Daim pib rau "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2 " uas pib ntawm cia li $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, raws li tau zoo raws li lub Kansas Star Arena chaw ua hauj lwm.

Grove capped off 2015 with an emphatic knockout of Joey Beltran ntawm "Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis," nyob rau hauv lub Cuaj Hli Ntuj. The winner of “The Ultimate Fighter: 3," has fought professionally since 2003 for promotions all around the world, notably ProElite and UFC. This will be “Da Spyder’s” sixth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner as he hopes to climb back towards a 185-pound title shot – he competed for the gold last year against Brandon Halsey.

 

A veteran of Strikeforce, “Kiko” has strung together a five-fight winning streak as of late, most recently handing the formerly undefeated Ben Reiter the first loss of his young career at "Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef. " It’s safe to classify the 33-year-old Arizona native as a “submission specialist,"Nrog 12 ntawm nws 13 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent tap.

Sau kom tiav "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title Main Event: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco Fabkis (13-3-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3) vs. Rebecca Ruth (5-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Gregory Babene (16-11) vs. Brandon Farran (12-10)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Gaston Reyno (5-0) vs. Chuka Willis (6-2)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: David Hammons (1-1) vs. Kyle Noblitt (1-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (4-0) vs. Julian Marquez (2-0)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Marcio Navarro (14-11) vs. Henry Lindsay (4-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Thai Clark (5-0) vs. Deron Carlis (4-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Manny Meraz (7-1) vs. Andre Fialho (5-0)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)

BELLATOR MMA INKS SERGEI KHARITONOV TO AN EXCLUSIVE, NTAU Sib ntaus DAIM NTAWV COG LUS

Raug Monica (Lub ob hlis ntuj 3, 2015) - Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) is the newest free agent by Bellator MMA, with the news that the Russian heavyweight has been signed to an exclusive multi-year, multi-sib ntaus daim ntawv cog lus. A veteran of both Strikeforce and Pride Fighting Championships, Kharitonov remains on active duty with the Russian Airborne Troops.

 

Doubling as a kickboxer at different points throughout his combat sports career, “The Paratrooper” has decided to parlay his recent five-fight winning streak and focus purely on mixed martial arts. Kharitonov’s resume is extensive, with the 35-year-old scoring wins against some of the sport’s most notable names including UFC Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Pedro Rizzo, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, and Alistair Overeem.

 

“I have had the best seat in the house for some of Kharitonov’s heavyweight outings,"Bellator MMA Thawj Tswj Hwm Scott Coker hais tias, “and I know Sergei [Kharitonov] can come in and make an immediate impact on our heavyweight division. He is an extremely skilled and experienced fighter who can end a fight in the blink of an eye, and we look forward to having him do just that inside the Bellator cage. Ntau, he’s already competed at one ‘Dynamite’ event before, maybe he could do so again in the future!"

 

Kharitonov joins a division that is currently championed by fellow Russian fighter Vitaly Minakov, other top names include Bobby Lashley, Cheick Kongo, Vinicius Queiroz, Kimbo Hlais, Tony Johnson, Justin Wren, Dan Charles, thiab James Thompson.