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

COMPLETE BELLATOR 150 PHOTOS HERE

MULVANE, Kan. (February 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.

 

In the evening’s main event, 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. But in the end, 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) stopped Francisco France (13-4-1) with a vicious punch 35 seconds into the second round, 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) handed 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 minutes, 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) defeated Lena Ovchynnikova (10-4) via unanimous decision (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 Results:

 

Kyle Noblitt (2-0) defeated David Hammons (1-2) via TKO (punches)

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

Chris Harris (5-0) defeated Julian Marquez (2-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

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

Gregory Babene (17-11) defeated Brandon Farran (12-11) via submission (rear-naked choke) 3:37, R1

Thai Clark (6-0) defeated Deron Carlis (4-2) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

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

MULVANE, Kan. (February 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. CT, Dantas was paid his show money. The fight will be rescheduled in the near future.

 

As a result, Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) against Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will now serve as the headliner and David Rickels (16-4) versus 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) against Kiko France (13-3-1), the Bellator MMA debut of Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), when she fights Rebecca Ruth (5-1) and 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 live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

 

Complete “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: 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 France (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 Lightweight 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 Lightweight 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”

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 22, 2015) –  This 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) at “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2.

 

The event emanates from the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas this Friday, February 26, and airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, as well as the Kansas Star Arena box office.

 

In addition to the title fight, a heavyweight co-main event of Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) against Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will anchor the number two spot.  Also on the card, Kendall Grove (22-15) takes on Francisco “Kiko” France (13-3-1), hometown favorite 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), who takes on Rebecca Ruth (5-1).

 

“Loro,” who has fought for world-renowned promotions the likes of World Extreme Cagefighting and Shooto since 2003, will be competing for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner. The 34-year-old is presently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak and has emerged victorious in seven of his last eight scraps. In his last outing, Galvao finished Joe Warren at “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 will be looking to duplicate the success he had against Galvao in their first meeting, which resulted in a second-round knockout at “Bellator 89.” Last May, the 27-year-old Nova Uniao product dispelled of Mike Richman via unanimous decision at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament winner is looking to become a two-time bantamweight champion come October 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 Arena — Kongo impressively defeated Volkov via unanimous decision.

 

After nearly two years out of action, Queiroz returned to the Bellator MMA cage against Ewerton Teixeira at “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 at “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” in September. 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,” with 12 of his 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 this past November. Rickels always comes ready to put on a show, whether it’s on his way to the cage, or when he’s taking on a who’s who of Bellator MMA lightweight talent. 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. Now, “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. Now, Ovchynnikova looks to solidify herself as a top contender in the budding women’s flyweight division on February 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.

 

 

Complete “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 Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco France (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 Lightweight 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 Lightweight Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)

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

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 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 February 26, with the news that Kendall Grove (22-15) has agreed to fight Francisco “Kiko” France (13-3-1).

 

In addition, Bellator MMA’s Bantamweight Championship will be on the line in a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) against former champion 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) against Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

 

The contests make up the televised portion of “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, as well as the Kansas Star Arena box office.

Grove capped off 2015 with an emphatic knockout of Joey Beltran at “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” in September. 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,” with 12 of his 13 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent tap.

 

Complete “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 Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco France (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 Lightweight 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 Lightweight Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)

INJURY TO AUGUSTO SAKAI ALTERS ‘BELLATOR 150: GALVAO VS. DANTAS 2’ CO-MAIN EVENT

 

 

ALSO: LENA OVCHYNNIKOVA SET FOR BELLATOR MMA DEBUT

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (January 15, 2015) – An injury to Augusto Sakai has derailed his previously announced pairing with Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) during “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” at Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas. As a result, Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) has agreed to fight Kongo in the co-main event on February 26.

 

In addition, the main card will feature the Bellator MMA debut of newly signed women’s flyweight Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), when she meets Rebecca Ruth (5-1).

 

Bellator MMA’s Bantamweight Championship will be on the line at “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” in a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao(17-6-1) against former champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) and hometown favorite, David Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) will return to action against Bobby Cooper (12-5).

 

The contests make up the televised portion of “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, as well as the Kansas Star Arena box office.

 

Kongo will be making his eighth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, looking to add to his impressive promotional mark of 5-2. The Paris 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 Arena — Kongo impressively defeated Volkov via unanimous decision.

 

After nearly two years out of action, Queiroz returned to the Bellator MMA cage against Ewerton Teixeira at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov,” defeating his 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.

 

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. Now, Ovchynnikova looks to solidify herself as a top contender in the budding women’s flyweight division on February 26 against a tough foe in Ruth.

 

“Becky” Ruth was undefeated in 2015, winning all three of her matchups by echnical 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.

 

The “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” undercard has also nearly been completed, with the announcement of eight pairings which are listed below. An undefeated Bellator MMA prospect will be in action during the preliminary portion of the event, when Gaston Reyno (5-0) returns to the cage with the intent of keeping his unblemished record intact.

 

Updated “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 Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

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. Trey Houston (11-3)

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

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Daniel Gallemore (4-3) vs. Frederick Brown (3-2)      

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

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

JOE WARREN-L.C. DAVIS PREPARED FOR MAIN EVENT CLASH AT ‘BELLATOR 143’ LIVE & FREE ON SPIKE

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE WEIGH-IN PHOTOS

HIDALGO, Texas (September 24, 2015) – Less than 24 hours separates Joe Warren (12-4) and L.C. Davis (23-6) from competing in the main event of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” at State Farm Arena, in what amounts to a crucial pairing in the bantamweight division.

 

Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the stacked preliminary portion of the event will stream live on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.

 

Both men hit their required marks of 135-pounds, as did the remainder of the four-fight main card on Spike, which features a middleweight pairing between Kendall Grove (21-15, 1 NC) and Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC), a featherweight contest pitting Henry Corrales (12-1) against Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2), and a heavyweight tilt that with Vinicius Queiroz(7-3) welcoming promotional newcomer Ewerton Teixeira (3-0).

 

The Spike.com-streamed preliminary card also features several must-see fights, including the promotional debuts of Chase Gormley and Gleristone Santos and what promises to be a barnburner, when Darrion Caldwell and Shawn Bunch meet at 135-pounds. Ryan Couture was supposed to make his return to the Bellator MMA cage, but the fight was scrapped when his opponent Nick Gonzalez missed weight.

 

Below are the official weights and weigh-in photos for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis.”

4 PRELIMINARY BOUTS ANCHORED BY RYAN COUTURE VERSUS NICK GONZALEZ COMPLETES ‘BELLATOR 143: WARREN VS. DAVIS’ ON SEPTEMBER 25

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 24, 2015) – Four fights have been added to the preliminary portion of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” on September 25 at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, with the addition of Ryan Couture (10-3) versus Nick “The Ghost” Gonzalez, (18-12) as well as three other preliminary scraps.

 

The remaining fights round out a stacked card that also includes: Abram Torres (3-3) taking on Daniel Cervantes (2-3), Saul Elizondo (6-5) returning to action against Amador Ramirez (4-4) and undefeated Steve Garcia (5-0) meeting Eduardo Bustillos (4-1).

 

The contests will take place during the prelims of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the opening portion of the event will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after.

 

Currently engrossed in a four-fight winning streak, including his first two contests with Bellator MMA, Ryan Couture will look to remain undefeated in 2015. The son of MMA legend Randy Couture, the former Strikeforce competitor has finished all of the aforementioned wins via rear-naked choke submission.

 

Couture will go up against Gonzalez, who you can call a true Bellator MMA veteran. “The Ghost” competed at the promotion’s inaugural event back in 2009 and then again at Bellator 6. With 30-fights to his name, the Austin, Texas native will compete professionally for the first time in nearly two years.

 

In a battle of 170-pounders, Torres will look to end a two-fight losing when he faces Cervantes on September 25. Cervantes has won his only fight in 2015, a unanimous decision win on May 29.

 

Elizondo and Ramirez will square off in bantamweight action. Both men will be making their Bellator MMA debuts.

 

Finally, undefeated Steve “Mean Machine” Garcia will look to add to the impressive start to his pro career when he meets Eduardo Bustillos. The 23-year-old has already notched three wins under the Bellator MMA banner and has finished four out of five bouts. Bustillos is no slouch, having ended three of his four wins via submission.

 

“Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” Updated Fight Card

 

Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Joe Warren (12-4) vs. L.C. Davis (23-6)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) vs. Kendall Grove (21-15, 1 NC)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Henry Corrales (12-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Vinicius Queiroz (7-3) vs. Ewerton Teixeira (3-0)

 

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Ryan Couture (10-3) vs. Nick Gonzalez (18-12)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Dan Charles (9-3) vs. Chase Gormley (12-4, 1 NC)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Darrion Caldwell (7-0) vs. Shawn Bunch (4-1)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Gleristone Santos (27-4) vs. John Teixeira (18-1-2)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Jose Flores (3-0) vs. Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Guilherme Farias da Costa (3-0) vs. Jared Chaffe (4-1)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Bryce Mejia (3-0) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (3-0)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Abram Torres (3-3) vs. Daniel Cervantes (2-3)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Saul Elizondo (6-5) vs. Amador Ramirez (4-4)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Steve Garcia (5-0) vs. Eduardo Bustillos (4-1)

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, 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.

UNDEFEATED DARRION ‘THE WOLF’ CALDWELL MEETS SHAWN ‘BUNCH THE GREAT’ BUNCH AT ‘BELLATOR 143: WARREN VS. DAVIS’ ON SEPTEMBER 25

 

CHASE GORMLEY MAKES HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT AGAINST DAN CHARLES

  

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 2, 2015) – Not one, but two must-see bouts have been added to the preliminary portion of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” on September 25 at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, with the addition of undefeated Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (7-0) versus Shawn Bunch (4-1) and heavyweight action seeing Chase Gormley (12-4, 1 NC) against Dan “The Man” Charles (9-3).

 

The contests will take place during the prelims of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the opening portion of the event will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after. Additional preliminary bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Caldwell remained undefeated with an impressive unanimous decision win over Rafael Silva at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The standout collegiate wrestler has made it clear that he hopes to have Bellator MMA championship gold on his mantle before the year is out. “The Wolf” plans to remain at bantamweight for the foreseeable future even though he was unbeaten at 145-pounds as well.

 

Standing opposite of Caldwell will be Bunch, a 32-year-old Ohio native who has seen all six of his professional fights take place in Bellator MMA. A member of American Kickboxing Academy in Northern California, “Bunch The Great” wants nothing more than to give Caldwell his first defeat as a pro.

 

In heavyweight action, former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Chase Gormley will look to keep his five-fight winning streak intact when he competes on September 25. The Titan Fighting Championship heavyweight kingpin won the regional promotion’s title in his last outing with a unanimous decision win over Jon Madsen in March.

 

Dan Charles will return to action for the first time since his matchup with Bobby Lashley at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business,” a bout that “The Man” took on short notice after James Thompson was forced out due to injury. The 29-year-old will be making his fifth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner and has earned victory via finish in seven out of nine wins.

 

“Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” Updated Fight Card

 

Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Joe Warren (12-4) vs. L.C. Davis (23-6)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) vs. Kendall Grove (21-15, 1 NC)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Henry Corrales (12-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Vinicius Queiroz (7-3) vs. Ewerton Teixeira (3-0)

 

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Darrion Caldwell (7-0) vs. Shawn Bunch (4-1)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Dan Charles (9-3) vs. Chase Gormley (12-4, 1 NC)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Gleristone Santos (27-4) vs. John Teixeira (18-1-2)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Jose Flores (3-0) vs. Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Guilherme Farias da Costa (3-0) vs. Jared Chaffe (4-1)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Bryce Mejia (3-0) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (3-0)

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, 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.

 

CHASE GORMLEY MAKES HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT AGAINST DAN CHARLES

  

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 2, 2015) – Not one, but two must-see bouts have been added to the preliminary portion of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” on September 25 at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, with the addition of undefeated Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (7-0) versus Shawn Bunch (4-1) and heavyweight action seeing Chase Gormley (12-4, 1 NC) against Dan “The Man” Charles (9-3).

 

The contests will take place during the prelims of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the opening portion of the event will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after. Additional preliminary bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Caldwell remained undefeated with an impressive unanimous decision win over Rafael Silva at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The standout collegiate wrestler has made it clear that he hopes to have Bellator MMA championship gold on his mantle before the year is out. “The Wolf” plans to remain at bantamweight for the foreseeable future even though he was unbeaten at 145-pounds as well.

 

Standing opposite of Caldwell will be Bunch, a 32-year-old Ohio native who has seen all six of his professional fights take place in Bellator MMA. A member of American Kickboxing Academy in Northern California, “Bunch The Great” wants nothing more than to give Caldwell his first defeat as a pro.

 

In heavyweight action, former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Chase Gormley will look to keep his five-fight winning streak intact when he competes on September 25. The Titan Fighting Championship heavyweight kingpin won the regional promotion’s title in his last outing with a unanimous decision win over Jon Madsen in March.

 

Dan Charles will return to action for the first time since his matchup with Bobby Lashley at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business,” a bout that “The Man” took on short notice after James Thompson was forced out due to injury. The 29-year-old will be making his fifth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner and has earned victory via finish in seven out of nine wins.

 

“Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” Updated Fight Card

 

Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Joe Warren (12-4) vs. L.C. Davis (23-6)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) vs. Kendall Grove (21-15, 1 NC)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Henry Corrales (12-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Vinicius Queiroz (7-3) vs. Ewerton Teixeira (3-0)

 

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Darrion Caldwell (7-0) vs. Shawn Bunch (4-1)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Dan Charles (9-3) vs. Chase Gormley (12-4, 1 NC)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Gleristone Santos (27-4) vs. John Teixeira (18-1-2)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Jose Flores (3-0) vs. Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Guilherme Farias da Costa (3-0) vs. Jared Chaffe (4-1)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Bryce Mejia (3-0) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (3-0)

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, 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.

PROMOTIONAL DEBUT OF EWERTON TEIXEIRA COMPLETES THE MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 143: WARREN VS. DAVIS,’ WHEN HE FACES VINICIUS QUEIROZ

THREE ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY CONTESTS FEATURING PROSPECTS WITH A COMBINED RECORD OF 19-1

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 19, 2015) — A heavyweight tilt featuring feared striker Ewerton Teixeira (3-0) taking on Vinicius Queiroz (7-3) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas onSeptember 25.

 

Two lightweight tilts will also emanate from The Lone Star State, when Jose Flores (3-0) meets Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0) and Guilherme Farias da Costa (3-0) faces Jared Chaffe (4-1). A third preliminary bout features two undefeated welterweight prospects who also share a record of 3-0, when Bryce Mejia takes on Abdul Razak Alhassan.

Teixeira versus Queiroz completes the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 8 p.m. CT. The three previously confirmed fights feature Joe Warren (12-4) taking on L.C. Davis (23-6) in the bantamweight headlining attraction, while the Bellator 143 co-main event will pit Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) against top middleweight Kendall Grove (21-15) and Henry Corrales (12-1) battling Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2). Additional preliminary bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place a half an hour later.

A black belt in Kyokushin karate, the 33-year-old Teixeira has been racking up titles in striking competitions for more than a decade. Teixeira reached the pinnacle of standup fighting in 2008, when he earned that year’s K-1 World Grand Prix in Fukuoka title and then fought his way to the K-1 World Grand Prix Final’s championship bout. Teixeira turned his attention to MMA in 2012, and has remained undefeated through his first three professional contests in the sport and is now ready to try his hand at MMA’s highest level.

 

Queiroz will be making his fourth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner when he enters the cage on September 25. A veteran of Ultimate Fighting Championship, “Spartan” has never allowed one of his seven professional victories to reach the judges’ scorecards. The Team Nogueira standout was slated to compete against Cheick Kongo at “Bellator 106: Chandler vs. Alvarez 2” but an injury derailed the tilt. After an inactive 2014, the 31-year-old will look to change the tide in 2015.

 

Further down the preliminary bouts, Jose Flores will make his Bellator MMA debut and look to keep his undefeated record intact in the process. The 27-year-old has finished all three of his fights on the regional circuit via submission. He will be going up against Gonzalez, who shares a perfect record through his first three professional bouts. Both fighters fight out of McAllen, TX, just a short drive from the State Farm Arena.

 

Another pair of talented local prospects will look to wow the home crowd when Guilherme Farias da Costa aims to stay unbeaten against Jared Chaffe, who most recently suffered the first loss of his professional career after the doctor stopped his fight due to a severe cut.

 

In another fight that will see someone’s undefeated record come to an end, San Diego’s Bryce Mejia will meet Abdul Razak Alhassan, who trains out of Arlington, TX.

 

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, 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.

BELLATOR MMA INKS JOSH THOMSON TO AN EXCLUSIVE, MULTI-FIGHT CONTRACT

JT

SANTA MONICA (August 11, 2015) – Bellator MMA is proud to announce the signing of Josh “The Punk” Thomson (20-8, 1 NC) to an exclusive multi-year, multi-fight contract. At 36-years-young, the former Strikeforce Lightweight World Champion remains one of the top 155-pounders in the sport, having competed in top organizations including UFC and Pride.

 

Residing in San Jose, Calif. and training at the renowned American Kickboxing Academy alongside some of the sports very best, Thomson earned his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Dave Camarillo. In addition to his formidable ground game, Thomson’s striking pedigree is on-point as well, earning a “Knockout of the Night” award for his output in his fight against Nate Diaz in 2013. It’s also worth being said that “The Punk” holds a record of 3-0 in professional kickboxing.

 

“I had the pleasure of working with Josh in Strikeforce and I look forward to continuing this relationship in Bellator MMA. Josh is a world-class mixed martial artist and we are very happy to be adding him to our roster of some of the best lightweights in the world,” said the promotion’s president, Scott Coker. “Bellator remains fully committed to building its roster by signing top free agents like Thomson, as well as grooming up-and-coming blue-chip stars. We have some amazing matchups in mind for “The Punk” that we hope to be announcing in the weeks to come.”

 

“I’m over here reading this UFC reporter saying that they’ve declined to re-sign me when the truth of the matter is that they’ve been trying to re-sign me for my last two fights. I declined and instead chose to fight out my contract and test the free agency market with Bellator. At that point, Bellator made me an offer that the UFC was unable to match given their relationships with FOX and Reebok.  It’s a done deal, I’m back working with Coker, and I couldn’t be more excited to get back to an organization that is trending upwards with fighter-friendly contracts.  Any intelligent fighter is going to go where the money is, and for me the money was at Bellator.”

 

“The Punk” joins a prominent list of athletes that have recently signed with Bellator over the past year including: Phil Davis, Josh Koscheck, Melvin Guillard, Ed Ruth, Aaron Pico, Lorenzo Hood, Ewerton Teixeira, Gleristone Santos, amongst others.

 

He will continue to fight in the lightweight division which is deep starting with: kingpin Will Brooks, down to other fighters likeMichael Chandler, Marcin Held, Dave Rickels, Patricky “Pitbull” Freire and Dave Jansen.