洛杉磯— BELLATOR MMA has announced that its fifth participant for the New Year’s Eve spectacle against RIZIN Fighting Federation opponents will be No. 10-ranked lightweight, Gadzhi Rabadanov(18-4-2), taking on 27-year-old Japanese standoutKoji Takeda(15-3) in a compelling matchup between two competitors riding high on the strength of consecutive victories.
A first-of-its-kind blockbuster co-promotion, BELLATOR MMA vs. 日進takes place inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday, 十二月 31, and can be seen in the United States on SHOWTIME at 8 P.M. ET/PT on New Year’s Eve.
Rabadanov versus Takeda will join a star-studded five-fightBELLATOR MMA vs. 日進主卡, which is stacked from top to bottom with current and former champions competing in the four-sided ring under RIZIN’s unique rules. Headlining the event will be a dream matchup between RIZIN lightweight championRoberto “Satoshi” de Souza(14-1) against No. 3 BELLATOR pound-for-pound talentAJ “Mercenary” McKee(19-1), with BELLATOR and RIZIN featherweight champions帕特里西奧鬥犬(34-5) 和Kleber Koike(31-5-1) co-headlining the must-see event.
Former BELLATOR championsJuan “The Spaniard” Archuleta(26-4) 和堀口恭司(30-5) will round out the unparalleled main card, facing off with RIZIN’sSoo Chul Kim(18-6-1) 和Hiromasa Ougikubo(25-6-2), 分別.
Gadzhi Rabadanov, 29, signed with BELLATOR in 2021 after capturing the Eagle FC lightweight title, and has made an immediate impact on the promotion’s remarkably deep lightweight division. He announced his arrival in thunderous fashion atBELLATOR 263with an emphatic viral knockout of Daniel Carey, which he followed up with back-to-back dominant unanimous decision victories over Jay Jay Wilson and Bobby King in 2022. The product of the renowned Club Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s School in Dagestan and the prestigious American Kickboxing Academy, Rabadanov’s pedigree is world-class. On New Year’s Eve, Rabadanov will look to continue building upon his momentum with an impressive performance against Koji Takeda.
“It is a childhood dream come true to fight in Japan at the legendary Saitama Super Arena,” said Rabadanov. “I’m very excited and I know I have a tough opponent, who always leaves everything in the ring. Expect a masterpiece from me, it will be a memorable fight.”
A former DEEP lightweight champion, Japan’sKoji Takedahas been an active fighter since his 2017 專業首演. Takeda boasts a compelling case for inclusion on this historic fight card, winning seven of his last ten and three of his last four outings under the RIZIN and DEEP banners. Takeda is also familiar with BELLATOR foes; he has previously fought Spike Carlyle and submitted Zach Zane by armbar, both of whom fought recently for the Scott Coker-led promotion. Takeda will look to add a third straight win to his resume against the highly-touted Rabadanov in his hometown of Saitama, 日本, 上月 31.
BELLATOR MMA VS. RIZIN MAIN CARD:
開演時間
星期六, 十二月 31 — 8 PM ET/PT
Lightweight Non-Title Main Event: 阿傑麥基(19-1) 與Roberto de Souza(14-1)
Featherweight Non-Title Main Event: 帕特里西奧鬥犬(34-5) 與Kleber Koike(31-5-1)
TOP FEATHERWEIGHT CONTENDERS CAT ZINGANO AND PAM SORENSON WILL BATTLE ON PRELIMINARY CARD, ALONG WITH PIVOTAL WELTERWEIGHT CLASH BETWEEN DEREK ANDERSON VS. GOITI YAMAUCHI
TOP PROSPECTS ROMERO COTTON, CODY LAW, ROMAN FARALDO ALSO SET FOR ACTION
洛杉磯 - A plethora of fantastic fighters armed with world-title aspirations have joined the stackedBELLATOR MMA 276: Borics vs. Burnell卡上週六, 三月 12. SHOWTIME will televise the mammoth main card live from inside the Family Arena in St. 查爾斯, 密蘇里州, 在9 P.M. ET /下午6時. PT.
Former title challenger and No. 2 排名-約翰·索爾特 (18-5), as well as undefeated BELLATOR MMA No. 3-排名約翰尼·埃布倫(10-0), and women’s No. 2 featherweight貓桌(12-4) hope to take the next step toward BELLATOR MMA gold as they join the four co-headline brawlers currently ranked among the upper echelon of their respective divisions.
Featured among the magnificent MMA melees will be three of the top-ten middleweights, five undefeated and one unblemished amateur, four top-two contenders, and ten fighters ranked along with BELLATOR MMA’s elite.
在晚上的重頭戲, 亞當Borics (17-1) 和Mads Burnell(16-3), two featherweights currently tied at No. 2 in the official BELLATOR MMA rankings, will square off for a future shot at the BELLATOR 145-pound world title. 在協調功能回合, former BELLATOR Light Heavyweight Champion, 13-time BELLATOR veteran, 和No. 2-排名菲爾·戴維斯 (23-6, 1 NC) will open his 2022 campaign against No. 4 朱利葉斯·Anglickas(10-2), who most recently challenged for the 205-pound title. 另外, the main card will spotlight an international lightweight extravaganza as undefeated New Alliance Jiu-Jitsu team member傑伊·威爾遜 (8-0) of Auckland, 新西蘭, moves up in weight to meet Dagestan, 俄羅斯Gadzhi Rabadanov(16-4-2), who is coming off a first-round knockout in his promotional debut atBELLATOR MMA 263 在七月 2021.
Prior to the consequential co-featured contests, a pair of top middleweights will round out the main card as Salter and Eblen square off for a shot at the winner of the upcoming world title bout pitting 185-pound ChampionGegard Mousasiagainst No. 1-排名 奧斯汀Vanderford 在 BELLATOR MMA 275later this month in Dublin, 愛爾蘭.
Armed with an 8-2 BELLATOR record, Salter, a 15-year pro MMA veteran out of Nashville, Tenn., holds the promotional record for most submissions in BELLATOR MMA middleweight history, and has stopped 17 他 23 對手. Nicknamed “Diamond Hands” due to his love for crypto currency and willingness to hold onto his investments, Eblen is coming off a 71-second annihilation of Collin Huckbody atBELLATOR MMA 272十二月 2021. The six-time BELLATOR MMA veteran and American Top-Team product, who recently signed a six-fight BELLATOR contract extension, has secured six opening-round stoppages, including two of his three 2021 對手.
In addition to the magnificent main card, a veritable cornucopia of pulsating preliminary punch ups will commence the preeminent night of action, including a Minnesota midwestern melee pitting former UFC title challenger and Winona, 從。, native Zingano against No.7-ranked lightweightPam Sorenson(9-4) of Blaine, 從.
Set to make her third straight BELLATOR MMA appearance with aspirations of challenging BELLATOR MMA Women’s Welterweight World Champion克里斯機器俠, Zingano has had a decorated fighting career. The former NCAA Division III All-American wrestler became the first mother to compete in the UFC and initial woman to capture the company’s “Fight of the Night” award, counting victories over Miesha Tate, 阿曼達·努內斯, Marion Reneau, and Gabrielle Holloway. 最近, “Alpha” was featured in the series “Double Duty” that chronicled the attempts to maintain a balance between the daily responsibilities of parenthood and earning a living as a pro athlete.
A former Invicta FC women’s featherweight champion, Sorenson started kickboxing after the passing of her best friend. After vacating her crown and requesting a release from Invicta in July 2021, the Minneapolis mauler signed a multi-fight deal with BELLATOR MMA in mid-2021. Soon after joining the pioneering company, the 35-year-old recorded a hard-fought split decision over Roberta Samad atBELLATOR MMA 264 在 安卡斯維爾, 康涅狄格州.
Also featured will be a bruising brawl pitting two hard-hitting heavyweights with seven career stoppages apiece as No. 8-排名Alex “Eazy” Polizzi (9-1) of Madison, 威斯康星州。, clashes with Team Pitbull’sJose “Guru” Augusto (7-3, 1 NC). 另外, 聖地亞哥, 加利福尼亞州. 本地人, 11-time BELLATOR MMA veteran, 和No. 6-排名“Barbaric” Derek Anderson(17-4, 1 NC) will mix it up with submission specialist, BELLATOR Brazilian bruiser, and Japanese-bornGoiti Yamaguchi (26-5), in a worldwide welterweight war.
此外, added toBELLATOR MMA 276: Borics vs. Burnellis a memorable middleweight match pitting undefeated, 別. 6-ranked 185-pounder and owner of three consecutive stoppages羅梅羅棉 (5-0) of Hutchinson, 堪薩斯州, who will bravely battle the horrors of“The Boogeyman”Lance Wright (5-2). 而且, former Division II All-American wrestler and fantastic featherweight科迪·羅(5-0), fresh off his third opening-round finish, strives to avoid being scared off by“Phantom”Johnny Soto (5-2) 埃斯孔迪多, 加利福尼亞州.
Continuing the unforgettable night of amazing action, undefeated welterweight and American Top-Team memberRoman Faraldo (6-0) will make his fourth consecutive promotional appearance when he challenges BELLATOR MMA rookieKelvin Rayford (5-3), while local combatantJordan Howard (10-5) of Jefferson City hopes to thrill the Missouri faithful against Athens, Illinois’ ownTrevor Ward(5-5). Two flyweights will test their skills as well, 什麼時候戴安娜·阿夫薩拉戈娃(4-0) of Russia welcomesAshley Deen (5-6) to BELLATOR. 最後, a Show-Me State lightweight showdown between BELLATOR beginnerDan Busch (4-1) makes his sixth straight Missouri appearance by confronting St. Louis’Josh Augustine (5-2).
The thrilling preliminary fights will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, 在安卡斯維爾的 Mohegan Sun Arena 內的共同特色比賽中6 P.M. AND /下午3時. PT.