Tag Archives: Georgi Karakhanyan

TOP-FIVE Welterweights Neiman Gracie & Logan Storley to Headline Bellator 274 Saturday, Feb. 19

FULL CARD CONFIRMED FOR BELLATOR 274 EVENT

AT THE MOHEGAN SUN ARENA IN UNCASVILLE, CONN.

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LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA has confirmed the full fight card for BELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley this Saturday, Feb. 19, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. SHOWTIME will televise the phenomenal main card live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Additionally, nine thrilling preliminary fights will stream live three hours earlier on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3p.m. PT

In the main event of the evening, No. 4-ranked Neiman Gracie (11-2) will strap on the BELLATOR gloves for the 12th consecutive time when he takes on former four-time collegiate All-American wrestler and No. 5-ranked Logan Storley (12-1) in a five-round clash of top-5 welterweights. In the co-featured bout, former BELLATOR Welterweight Champion and No. 9-ranked Andrey Koreshkov (24-4) will return to action and open his 2002 campaign against Alliance MMA product and owner of seven first-round finishes Chance Rencountre (16-4) of Pawhuska, Okla.

The updated and complete listing of bouts can be found below.

Tickets for BELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley are on sale now at both Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

BELLATOR MMA 274: GRACIE VS. STORLEY MAIN CARD:

Saturday, Feb. 19 – live on SHOWTIME

9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT 

Welterweight Main Event: #4-Neiman Gracie (11-2) vs. #5-Logan Storley (12-1)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: #9-Andrey Koreshkov (24-4) vs. Chance Rencountre (16-4)

Lightweight Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (31-12-1) vs. Adam Piccolotti (12-4)

Heavyweight Bout: #8-Davion Franklin (4-0) vs.#9Said Sowma (8-2)

PRELIMINARY CARD: 

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV

6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

Lightweight Bout: Mandel Nallo (8-1, 1 NC) vs. Nick Browne (12-1)

175-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Brennan Ward (14-6) vs. Brandon Bell (10-10)

Bantamweight Bout: Jaylon Bates (4-0) vs. Chris Disonell (6-4)

Lightweight Bout: #9-Aviv Gozali (6-0) vs. Bobby King (10-4)

Flyweight Bout: #7-DeAnna Bennett (11-7-1) vs. Justine Kish (7-4)

Middleweight Bout: Jordan Newman (3-0) vs. Cody Herbert (2-0)

Lightweight Bout: Justin Montalvo (4-0) vs. Corey Samuels (3-2)

Featherweight Bout: Isaiah Hokit (0-1) vs. Theodore Macuka (1-2)

Welterweight Bout: Orlando Mendoza (0-1) vs. Jonathan Di Lorenzo (1-0)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Sat., Feb. 19 // BELLATOR 274: Gracie vs. Storley // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, Conn.

Fri. Feb. 25 // BELLATOR 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland

Sat. March 12 // BELLATOR MMA 276: Borics vs. Burnell // The Family Arena // St. Louis

Fri. May 6 // BELLATOR PARIS: Bader vs. Kongo 2 // Accor Arena // Paris

Fri. May 13 // BELLATOR LONDON: Amosov vs. MVP // The OVO Arena Wembley // London

Complete Fight Night Results & Photos For BELLATOR MMA 266: Davis vs. Romero

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Complete Event Photos Here – Please Credit: Lucas Noonan / BELLATOR MMA
 
#3-Phil Davis (23-6) defeated Yoel Romero (13-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-26)
 
Phil Davis had this to say following his win over Yoel Romero: “Six years ago, I was making my Bellator debut right here in San Jose, and I absolutely forgot –  it’s one of my biggest mistakes ever – I forgot to encourage one of my best friends, training partners, roommates at Penn State. He was in the hospital with cancer and I forgot to encourage him. He ended up losing his battle with cancer. Now, I want to rectify that moment by just saying that my mom and dad, who are tremendous and are everything that I wish a mom and dad could be, are just wonderful. Last September,  two weeks before my fight with Lyoto Machida, my mom calls me and tells me she has malignant breast cancer, so she had to go and get that taken care of. Exactly three days later my father told me he had aggressive prostate cancer. Then two weeks later I had to go and fight The Dragon. I really had to dig deep in a number of ways and I just want to say to my Mom and Dad – by God’s grace they’re still here, my mother’s in the crowd, my father’s at home staring at the tv crying – I love you guys and I cannot do this without you. You guys are amazing.”
 
#4-Neiman Gracie (11-2) defeated Mark Lemminger (12-4) via TKO (punches) at 1:27 of round one
 
Neiman Gracie made it clear who he wants next: “I don’t need to take people down to win fights anymore. I can do it all, but if I take you down, oh boy. I saw he was putting his head down so I come up with the uppercut. If you keep the fight standing, it’s the hospital. If you go to the ground, it’s the cemetery. There’s a couple guys I want to fight. I want to fight MVP. I’ve been calling this guy out forever and the fight never happens. They always have another excuse. I want my rematch with Jason Jackson… and I want Mr. Yaroslav Amosov,, I have the worst game for him and I believe I’ll be the one to give him his first loss.”
 
DeAnna Bennett (11-7-1) defeated #5-Alejandra Lara (9-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
 
DeAnna Bennett after her unanimous decision win: “I can’t describe to you how I’m feeling right now. This place means everything to me. I’m born and raised in the bay area… I’m so glad to be her fighting in this cage for Bellator with all of these fans here. My dad, he’s with me here…He always knew I was gonna fight here and get my hand raised in this building. I wanted that first round finish so bad, but Alejandra, she’s so tough, so tough. You can’t have a good fight with just one person. Both fighters have to be great fighters to put on a good show so half this victory belongs to her for coming into the cage and being a good opponent and being willing to put everything out there just like I did. I felt better in the standup than I did on the ground… honestly a lot of that has been working with my coach here Brian Wright (sp?) Here at Killer Bee. I owe this resurgence in my career to him because he’s really helped me become the fighter, become well-rounded. I’ve had a lot of coaches in the past who’ve been like, “if you don’t get a takedown, you’re not gonna win a fight” well, boom, looks like I just won a fight.“
 
Saul Rogers (15-4) defeated Georgi Karakhanyan (31-12-1, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
 
Following the win, Saul Rogers had this to say: “It felt amazing. I’ve been killing myself too long trying to cut down to 145 and now that I’ve moved up, I feel stronger, I feel more dominant. I’m always good at guillotines but tonight, none of those guillotines were even close – I wasn’t in danger. But the knee, he hit me with one clean and then the second got through not as clean and I just tried staying protected. But you as you seen in the fight, I had a big smile on my face. I love that sh*t, you know what I mean? I feel miles better. In other fights, after maybe around two and a half minutes, my hands gassing and I had nothing to carry on then. I controlled him for three rounds and I still feel good to go. Any of these fighters that are on the cusp and are still killing themselves, take it from me, move up, be healthier, be happier, have a longer career. It’s much better.”
 
Ben Parrish (5-1) defeated#8-Christian Edwards (5-1) via KO (punches) at 0:38 of round one
 
Ben Parrish after his shocking knockout of Christian Edwards: “It feels good to shut a lot of people up, man that’s all I will say. I told my boss, Casey, back home, I’ll knock him out with a left hook. What’d I say? Don’t get it twisted, everybody’ll find an excuse to throw salt on me – hey, that’s not luck, that’s preparation, baby. If I can’t do it with six months of training, beat him, nobody was gonna beat him.”
 
Preliminary Card: 
Alex Polizzi (9-1) defeated #7-Grant Neal (6-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Anthony Adams (9-2) defeated Khalid Murtazaliev (15-3) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Bobby Seronio III (1-0) defeated Socrates Hernandez (0-1) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-26, 29-26)
Abraham Vaesau (6-3, 1 NC) defeated Albert Gonzales (2-3) via KO (punches) at 2:17 of round one
Shane Keefe (2-0) defeated Rhalan Gracie (0-3) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Edwin De Los Santos (1-0) defeated Jon Adams (0-2-1) via TKO (strikes) at 3:29 of round one
Jesse Delgado (1-0) defeated Joshua Dillon (1-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
 
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
 
****
 
About BELLATOR
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters 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 SHOWTIME. 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.
 
About SHOWTIME
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com

UPDATED BOUT LISTING AND BROADCAST DETAILS FOR BELLATOR 266: DAVIS VS. ROMERO NEXT SATURDAY

LOS ANGELES – A pair of elite mixed martial artists meet in the main event of BELLATOR MMA 266 next Saturday, Sept. 18 inside the SAP Center at San Jose when former 205-pound champion and No. 3 ranked Phil Davis (22-6) welcomes MMA superstar Yoel Romero (13-5) to the BELLATOR promotion. The main card of BELLATOR MMA 266Davis vs. Romero airs live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT.
 
In addition, the evening features a welterweight co-main event pitting No. 4 ranked Neiman Gracie (10-2) against Mark Lemminger (12-3) and a women’s flyweight contest between former title challenger #5-Alejandra Lara (9-4) and DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1).
 
Two additional main card fights have been added with a lightweight fight featuring Georgi Karakhanyan (31-11-1, 1 NC) versus Saul Rogers (14-4) and a light heavyweight tilt between No. 10 ranked Christian Edwards (4-0) against Ben Parrish (4-1) kicking off the action.
 
Nine action-packed preliminary fights will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT. Complete bout listing available below.
 
Tickets for the event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
 
Updated schedule of BELLATOR events
Sat. Sept. 18 // BELLATOR 266: Davis vs. Romero //SAP Center // San Jose, CA
Fri. Oct. 1 // BELLATOR 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 //The SSE Arena, Wembley // London, England
Sat. Oct. 16 // BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals // Footprint Center // Phoenix, AZ
Sat. Oct. 23 // BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson // VTB Arena // Moscow, Russia
Fri. Nov. 5 // BELLATOR 270: Gallagher vs. Mix // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland
 
****
 
BELLATOR MMA 266: Davis vs. Romero Main Card:
Saturday, September 18 – live on SHOWTIME
10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
 
Light Heavyweight Main Event: #3-Phil Davis (22-6) vs. Yoel Romero (13-5)
Welterweight Bout: #4-Neiman Gracie (10-2) vs. Mark Lemminger (12-3)
Flyweight Bout: #5-Alejandra Lara (9-4) vs. DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1)
Lightweight Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (31-11-1, 1 NC) vs. Saul Rogers (14-4)
Light Heavyweight Bout: #10-Christian Edwards (4-0) vs. Ben Parrish (4-1)

Preliminary Card:
BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV
7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT

Light Heavyweight Bout: #7-Grant Neal (6-0) vs. Alex Polizzi (8-1)
Middleweight Bout: Khalid Murtazaliev (15-2) vs. Anthony Adams (8-2)
175-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Abraham Vaesau (5-3, 1 NC) vs. Albert Gonzales (2-2)
Bantamweight Bout: Socrates Hernandez (Pro Debut) vs. Pedro Juarez (Pro Debut)
Bantamweight Bout: Bobby Seronio III (Pro Debut) vs. Erin Hunter (Pro Debut)
Welterweight Bout: Rhalan Gracie (0-2) vs. Shane Keefe (1-0)
160-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Eddie Abasolo (Pro Debut) vs. Art Hernandez (4-5, 1 NC)
Flyweight Bout: Edwin De Los Santos (Pro Debut) vs. Jon Adams (0-1-1)
130-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Jesse Delgado (Pro Debut) vs. Joshua Dillon (1-1)
 
*Card subject to change.
 
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
 
****
 
About BELLATOR
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters 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 SHOWTIME. 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.
 
About SHOWTIME
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Roku®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers at Showtime.com. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com
 

BELLATOR MMA™ CHAMP CRIS ‘CYBORG’ DEFENDS FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE IN REMATCH AGAINST LESLIE SMITH ON SHOWTIME®

BELLATOR MMA 259 AIRS LIVE ON FRIDAY, MAY 21 FROM MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

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LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA and SHOWTIME Sports today announced BELLATOR MMA 259 on Friday, May 21, will be headlined by a featherweight championship rematch pitting current 145-pound titleholder and the top-ranked women’s pound-for-pound fighter Cris “Cyborg” (23-2, 1 NC) against Northern California’s Leslie Smith (12-8-1). The event airs live exclusively on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and emanates from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

In addition to the main event, two matchups are confirmed, as No. 7 lightweight Adam “The Bomb” Piccolotti (12-4) takes on No. 10 Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (30-11-1, 1 NC), while the undefeated No. 7Christian “Pain” Edwards (4-0) meets Ben “Big Tuna” Parrish (4-1) in a light heavyweight contest. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.

“I believe in five years she’s going to be a better fighter. More training, more working and fighting. More experience. The first fight was very fast, so I think this one is going to be a longer fight. She’s a warrior. She likes to fight and it’s going to be nice to fight somebody like this,” said Cyborg, who appeared on tonight’s BELLATOR 255 broadcast to confirm the event.

“Of course, I want this fight. Everyone’s goal is to get a title in the premiere organization, which this is. This is the best organization for my weight class, and the best possible place I can be. I can guarantee it will be an entertaining fight,” added Smith.

Just the second BELLATOR woman’s featherweight champion in the company’s history, Cris “Cyborg” is coming off the first defense of her BELLATOR title, a victory against Arlene Blencowe, that also marked the first submission win of her illustrious career. An MMA legend at 35-years-old, “Cyborg” will be looking to further her legacy as the greatest woman’s mixed martial artist of all-time when she faces Leslie Smith for the second time on May 21. After winning BELLATOR gold in the 12th title fight of her career, the native of Curitiba, Brazil made history by becoming a world champion in her fourth major promotion, previously holding belts in both the UFC and Strikeforce. With a pro record of 23-2, 1 NC, including 19 wins by finish, the Brazilian-born fighter who now calls Southern California home, holds victories over tough competition, including Julia Budd, Holly Holm, Marloes Coenen and Gina Carano.

Known for an exciting in-your-face striking style, Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith will enter the BELLATOR cage on May 21 for the fifth time in her nearly 11-year MMA career. She gets a second shot at defeating “Cyborg,” following their first meeting at UFC 198 in Brazil on May 14, 2016. Since that bout, Smith has won four out of five fights with victories over Irene Aldana and Sinead Kavanagh among them. A teammate of fellow BELLATOR athlete Keri Taylor Melendez, Smith trains out of El Nino Training Center in San Francisco.

The preliminary card for BELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 will air LIVE in all U.S. markets on the BELLATOR and SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channels, as well as Pluto TV.

As part of the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME, the network is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up at SHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 and beyond, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.  

Updated BELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 Fight Card:

Featherweight World Title Bout: C-Cris “Cyborg” (23-2, 1 NC) vs. #4-Leslie Smith (12-8-1)

Lightweight Bout: #7-Adam Piccolotti (12-4) vs. #10-Georgi Karakhanyan (30-11-1, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Bout: #7-Christian Edwards (4-0) vs. Ben Parrish (4-1)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit BELLATOR.com for additional information.

RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 218: SANCHEZ vs. KARAKHANYAN 2


COMPLETE EVENT PHOTOS

 

Bellator 218: Sanchez vs. Karkhanyan 2 Main Card:

Emmanuel Sanchez (17-4) defeated Georgi Karakhanyan (28-8-1) (29-28 x3)

Valentin Moldavsky (8-1) defeated Linton Vassell (18-8) via unanimous decision (29-27 x3)

     Anatoly Tokov (28-2) defeated Gerald Harris (25-7-1) via submission (guillotine choke) at 0:37 of round two

Nobert Novenyi Jr. (3-0) defeated Will Lavine (1-2) via submission (head and arm choke) at 4:05 of round two

 

Preliminary Card:

Deborah Kouzmin (2-0) defeated Ky Bennett (1-2) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Johnny Eblen (5-0) defeated Chauncey Foxworth (9-8) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

John Macapa (22-4-3) defeated Kevin Croom (18-12) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-27)

Jordan Newman (1-0) defeated Joseph Holmes (0-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Vladimir Tokov (4-0) defeated Ryan Walker (8-5) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Victoria Leonardo (5-1) defeated Malin Hermansson (2-1) via submission (armbar) at 4:49 of round one

Nation Gibrick (3-0) defeated Nick Page (0-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:14 of round one

Isaiah Gutierrez (5-1) defeated Aaron Vickers (3-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Luis Erives (2-1) defeated Craig Fairley (2-2) via TKO at 2:40 of the second round

 


FULL FIGHT CARD ANNOUNCED FOR BELLATOR 218: SANCHEZ VS. KARAKHANYAN 2 THIS FRIDAY ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK


LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. this Friday, March 22 has been completed with a stacked four-fight main card and a total of 10 preliminary contests.

 

The main event of Friday’s card at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Paramount Network, and simulcast on DAZN, will feature a 145-pound headliner, when former featherweight title contender Emmanuel Sanchez (17-4) rematches the returning Georgi Karakhanyan (28-8-1, 1 NC). Rounding out the stacked main card will see a heavyweight matchup pitting England’s Linton Vassell (18-7, 1 NC) in his divisional debut against Russia’s Valentin Moldavsky (7-1), the always-game Gerald Harris (25-7-1) returning to action against the surging Anatoly Tokov (27-2) in a middleweight contest and an intriguing middleweight contest between undefeated London Shootfighters-prospect Norbert Novenyi (2-0) and Kansas’ Will Lavine (1-1).



The prelims for Bellator 218: Sanchez vs. Karakhanyan 2 will be highlighted by multiple bouts featuring recent Bellator signings, including Duke Rufus-trained prospect Jordan Newman, the professional debut of Christian Edwards of Jackson-Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, N.M., Sweden’s Malin Hermansson (2-0) and Johnny Eblen (4-0), who brings his undefeated record to Bellator. Anatoly Tokov’s younger brother, Vladimir Tokov (3-0), will also enter the Bellator cage for the first time when he competes at lightweight against Ryan Walker (8-4).  Additionally, seven-fight Bellator veteran John “Macapa” (21-4) meets 30-fight veteran Kevin Croom (19-11) at featherweight.

 

Bellator 218: Sanchez vs. Karakhanyan 2 will be broadcast Friday, March 22 on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will stream LIVE on DAZN. Preliminary action for both events will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.

 

Complete Bellator 218: Sanchez vs. Karakhanyan 2 Main Card:

Featherweight Main Event Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (17-4) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (28-8-1, 1 NC)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Valentin Moldavsky (7-1) vs. Linton Vassell (18-7, 1 NC)

Middleweight Main Card Bout: Anatoly Tokov (27-2) vs. Gerald Harris (25-7-2)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Nobert Novenyi (3-0) vs. Will Lavine (1-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Johnny Eblen (4-0) vs. Chauncey Foxworth (9-7)

Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Edwards (Pro Debut) vs. Roman Huerta (1-0)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Vladimir Tokov (3-0) vs. Ryan Walker (8-4)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: John “Macapa” (21-4-2) vs. Kevin Croom (19-11)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Jordan Newman (Pro Debut) vs. Joseph Holmes (Pro Debut)

Women’s Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Malin Hermansson (2-0) vs. Victoria Leonardo (4-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Nick Page (0-2) vs. Nation Gibrick (2-0)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Aaron Vickers (3-1) vs. Isaiah Gutierrez (4-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Craig Fairly (2-1) vs. Luis Erives (1-1)

Women’s 130-lb. Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Deborah Kouzmin (1-1) vs. Ky Bennett (1-1)

 

*Card subject to change

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

1.85 MILLION VIEWERS TUNE IN FOR TITO ORTIZ – CHAEL SONNEN MAIN EVENT ON SPIKE TV

 New York, NY, January 24, 2017 – 1.85 million viewers tuned in for the final fight in Tito Ortiz’s storied career, a first round submission victory over Chael Sonnen. This marks the most watched Bellator fight on Spike since last February and the most watched MMA fight on television in 2017.
*these are preliminary numbers as the more accurate viewership total factoring in DVR +3 will be released Thursday.
In the co-feature, 1.7 million viewers witnessed Paul Daley’s devastating flying knee KO over Brennan Ward.
Overall, Bellator 170 delivered 1.4 million viewers – making it the 3rd most watched card in the franchise’s history. The 3-hour Spike telecast was also ranked #1 in cable with Men 18-49 in the timeslot.

 

Bellator 170 was also a digital and social success as well.

 

  • The Bellator 170 prelims drew the second most viewers on Bellator.com and Bellator mobile app in franchise history (only behind Bellator 149).
  • The post-fight press conference streamed exclusively on YouTube saw the most concurrent viewers in Bellator history.
  • #Bellator170 was the #1 trending topic on Twitter during the event and Tito Ortiz, Chael Sonnen and Bellator MMA trended #1 on Google Trends.

 

STAGE IS SET FOR LEGENDARY LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT MAIN EVENT AT BELLATOR 170 TONIGHT INSIDE THE FORUM IN LOS ANGELES

 

 

Complete Weigh-In Photos Here / Video Replay Here

 

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (Jan. 20, 2017) –The official weigh-ins for Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen took place Friday morning in front of a rowdy crowd inside the Sheraton Gateway hotel in Los Angeles, Calif. The competitors are now ready for action tonight at The Forum, with the event airing LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

The epic event is headlined by a legendary light heavyweight matchup pitting Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) against Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). The evening’s co-main event features a welterweight showdown pitting Paul Daley (38-14-2) against Brennan Ward (14-4), while Ralek Gracie (3-0) and Hisaki Kato (7-2) square off in a middleweight bout on the main card of Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen.

 

Main Card: (Live on SPIKE – 9 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT)

 

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Tito Ortiz (204.8 lbs.) vs. Chael Sonnen (205.8 lbs.)

 

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Paul Daley (170.8 lbs.) vs. Brennan Ward (170.9 lbs.)

 

Middleweight Main Card Bout: Ralek Gracie (183.9 lbs.) vs. Hisaki Kato (185 lbs.)

 

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (145.9 lbs.) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (145.6 lbs.)

 

Catchweight Main Card Bout: Derek Anderson (160.1 lbs.) vs. Derek Campos (154.2 lbs.)

 

Preliminary Card: (Bellator.com – 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chinzo Machida (145.3 lbs.) vs. Jamar Ocampo (145.2 lbs.)

Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Colleen Schneider (129 lbs.) vs. Chrissie Daniels (126 lbs.)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Jack May (261 lbs.) vs. Dave Cryer (239 lbs.)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Henry Corrales (144.3 lbs.) vs. Cody Bollinger (146 lbs.)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Casey (184.8 lbs.) vs. Keith Berry (184.8 lbs.)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Guilherme “Bomba” Vasconcelos (169.3 lbs.) vs. John Mercurio (170.4 lbs.)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (154.9 lbs.) vs. Jalin Turner (155.6 lbs.)

Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Gonzalez (182.4 lbs.) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (178.3 lbs.)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Demarcus Brown (146 lbs.) vs. Alex Soto (147.4 lbs.)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jacob Rosales (154.7 lbs.) vs. Ian Butler (158.9 lbs.)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Johnny Cisneros (170.6 lbs.) vs. Curtis Millender (171 lbs.)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (155.6 lbs.) vs. Tommy Aaron (145.5 lbs.)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Rob Gooch (136 lbs.) vs. James Barnes (134.5 lbs.)

FANS INVITED TO JOIN ROYCE GRACIE, SAKURABA, WANDERLEI SILVA, MATT MITRIONE, ‘KING MO’ & ‘BIG’ JOHN MCCARTHY AT BELLATOR 170 FAN FEST AT DAVE & BUSTER’S IN LOS ANGELES

 

 

WHAT:                      Bellator 170 Fan Fest

WHERE:                   Dave & Buster’s at The Promenade at Howard Hughes Center

                                    6081 Center Dr.

Los Angeles, CA 90045

 

WHEN:                      Thursday, January 19

8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

 

WHO:                         Royce Gracie

                                    Kazushi Sakuraba

Wanderlei Silva

                                    King Mo

                                    John McCarthy

                                    Matt Mitrione

 

Royce Gracie

The name Gracie is synonymous with MMA, and that is largely in part to Royce Gracie, a man who is considered to have invented the sport as we know it today.  The winner of the first several UFC events, Gracie would dismantle multiple opponents in a single night, many of whom were much larger than him.  For many years there was no answer for the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu technique that he brought into a fight.  Today, it’s hard to find an MMA fighter who hasn’t trained in the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu that his father invented. In February of 2016, Gracie headlined “Bellator 149,” an event that shattered company viewership records that remain intact to this day.

 

Kazushi Sakuraba

With an incredible resume highlighted by wins over four members of the legendary Gracie family, including Royler, Renzo, Ryan, and Royce Gracie, Sakuraba has inherited the nickname “The Gracie Hunter.” The Japanese mixed martial artist is especially remembered for his first clash with Royce, a ninety-minute marathon that ended in a TKO (corner stoppage) victory for Sakuraba nearly 17 years ago. Gracie would later avenge his loss, earning a unanimous decision win over Sakuraba at “K-1 Dynamite USA!!” inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Now, almost a decade later, the two legends meet again and Bellator MMA is giving you the chance to be there when it happens!

 

Matt Mitrione

Matt Mitrione originally took his talents to the football gridiron, signing as an undrafted free agent with the New York Giants in 2002. After brief stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings, Mitrione entered the MMA cage and hasn’t looked back since. The 14-time UFC veteran began his professional career with victories in his first five fights, four of which came by way of knockout. Known as one of the top finishers in the sport, the 37-year-old Indianapolis native recently finished his run with his former employer, making the decision to test free agency. Mitrione will now look to duplicate the success that he found throughout his career, when he meets Fedor Emelianenko in San Jose this February.

 

Wanderlei Silva

Former UFC superstar Wanderlei Silva will also be in attendance on January 20, as “The Axe Murderer” prepares for his Bellator MMA debut in the highly anticipated year of 2017. The man who has consistently called him out since joining the Scott Coker-led promotion, Chael Sonnen, will be competing in the main event of ‘Bellator 170’ just one day after the “Fan Fest.” A 48-fight veteran, Silva joined the Bellator MMA fray following an illustrious career with UFC, sifting through middleweight powerhouses Cung Le, Brian Stann, and current division champion Michael Bisping. With 25 of his 35 career victories coming by way of knockout, the 40-year-old Brazilian hotshot is eager to make his presence felt inside the Bellator MMA cage. Join us for ‘Bellator 170’ “Fan Fest” in Los Angeles and meet the legend himself before he makes his promotional debut.

 

King Mo

“King Mo” has been a mainstay with Bellator MMA since 2013, fighting everyone both the light heavyweight and heavyweight division has to offer. This will be Lawal’s second appearance at Bellator MMA’s “Fan Fest” event, giving fans another opportunity to meet the explosive striker outside of the cage. After his recent main event victory over Satoshi Ishii, “Mo” now sets his sights on other “Moneyweight” bouts to satiate his thirst.

 

John McCarthy

Known to many as “Big” John McCarthy, the longtime MMA referee will turn his attention to Bellator MMA’s “Fan Fest” and call the shots at a fun-filled day with some of the greatest fans the sport has to offer. McCarthy has officiated a number of memorable bouts promoted by Bellator MMA, the UFC and others, becoming one of the most notorious referees in the history of the sport.

 

FIGHT INFO:           Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen takes place on Saturday, January 21 from the Forum in Los Angeles and will air live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. The highly anticipated undercard streams live on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 6:50 p.m. ET/3:50 p.m. PT.

 

Tickets for the event start at $36 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com.

 

The epic main card is headlined by a legendary light heavyweight clash that pits superstars Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) against Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). In addition, a welterweight co-main event featuring Paul Daley (38-14-2) against Brennan Ward (14-4) and a middleweight bout between Ralek Gracie (3-0) and Hisaki Kato (7-2) will also be featured on the Spike-televised main card. Lastly, a featherweight contest pitting Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) against Emmanuel Sanchez(13-3) and a recently-announced lightweight battle featuring Derek Campos (17-6) and Derek Anderson (14-2, 1 NC) wrap up Bellator MMA’s first main card of the new year.

 

On the Bellator.com-streamed preliminary card, female flyweights Rebecca Ruth (6-2) and Colleen Schneider (10-7) will join the promotional debuts of LA’s own Kevin Casey (9-5-1, 2 NC) and heavyweight knockout artist Jack May (8-3). Also featured on the undercard is the anticipated return of Chinzo Machida (4-2), Henry Corrales (12-3), Guilherme “Bomba” (8-3), and Cody Bollinger (19-6).

 

‘BELLATOR 170: ORTIZ VS. SONNEN’ OFFICIAL CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES FROM TITO ORTIZ, CHAEL SONNEN, BRENNAN WARD, PAUL DALEY AND SCOTT COKER

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. — (January 3, 2017) – Before the cage door closes at the Forum in Los Angeles, the main and co-main event fighters from “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” participated in a media conference call. If you weren’t on the line, you can listen to it here, or read a couple of the quotes below.

 

In the main event of the evening, Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) takes on Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). In addition, Ralek Gracie (3-0) and Hisaki Kato (7-2) will meet in a middleweight feature fight, while Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) and Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3) battle. Lastly, a fantastic welterweight co-main event pitting Paul Daley (38-14-2) against Brennan Ward (14-4) is also set for the Spike-televised main card.

 

Limited tickets for the mega-event start at $36 and are on sale at Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. The “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” undercard, streams live on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 6:50 p.m. ET / 3:50 p.m. PT.

 

Q: For Paul Daley…We had a chance to talk before you were schedule to fight Derek Anderson at ‘Bellator 163.’ He made the weight, but the fight didn’t happen. So, what’s going to change this time? Are you going to do anything different in your preparation and what do you expect from Brennan Ward?

Paul Daley: Things didn’t go according to plan at the last event that I was scheduled to compete in. I made the weight, but it was what happened after that was the problem. Those problems have been ironed out and we should have everything back on track and I’m ready to compete in what is going to be the most exciting fight on the card.

Q: For Brennan Ward…Both of you have definitely delivered exciting knockouts in recent performances, so I want to know what your expectation of the fight is and if you think it will be a quick showcase.

Brennan Ward: They don’t just line two guys up like Paul and I for no reason — on a card like this, that is probably the biggest card of the year and one of the biggest Bellator cards of all-time == They’re putting our matchup on there for a reason. They know fireworks are going to go off and they know this fight isn’t going the distance. Paul and I end fights, it’s what we do. Like he said, we’re going to put on the most exciting fight of the night for sure.

Q: I know that clip of you and Tito wrestling in college has been going around, so what do you expect from Tito this time around compared to the Tito you saw back then?

Chael Sonnen: Look, Tito’s a great fighter. He was a hell of a wrestler…I caught him in one position in that match, I’m not hanging my hat on that. I’m pumped to be in there and compete against a Hall of Famer like Tito. I’m going to do everything I can to beat him, but I don’t dismiss how good this guy is.

Q: It’s been a while since we saw you in there with Liam McGeary in that title fight. So, from then to now, what’s changed and what are you going to show us?

Tito Ortiz: I’ve been at work now for three years. I came from the UFC and Bellator gave me a chance to reinvigorate my career and I want to leave on my own terms. I want to leave respectfully. Scott Coker has done an amazing job with the company already and I sat back, thinking about what would be my last fight. All of a sudden, I’m watching Bellator on Spike TV and Chael Sonnen comes screaming out, calling me a coward and saying that he wants to fight me and I swear there has never been a bigger smile on my face. I was already getting ready to fight in November. I wasn’t sure who my opponent was going to be, but I was getting in shape. I’ve been training now for almost four months and this is probably one of the longest camps I’ve had and it’s time to showcase my skills. Chael says he’s fighting because he’s jealous and that’s the wrong way to come into a fight. I’m going in to get redemption and to me Chael is my enemy. This is no game, this is nothing fun, this is what I do for a living. I train and I go out to try and hurt my opponent. I know what I need to do. I need to defend the takedown, I need to watch out for the punches, I need to watch out for the guillotine. I know all of the moves that Chael has done and my job is to go in and destroy him. On January 21, two days before my birthday, I want to get the ‘Fight of the Night.’ I hope Chael’s in great shape because when I’m on top of him, he’s going to shit himself. I’m going to throw my elbows through his face and like I said, this is no joke. This is serious to me because my family’s watching, my kids are watching, and all of my fans are watching. I’ve given so much for this and I’ve sacrificed everything. I sacrificed my Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my New Year’s for this.

Q: Of all the guys you’ve verbally dueled with in your career, how would you size up where Tito stands? How does he compare to other guys that you’ve gone back and forth with verbally?

Chael Sonnen: Man, it’s painful. It was painful just listening to him read through that list of notes. He just rattled off all of his bullets right there in one answer and I think he asked to go to the bathroom during it, which was a little weird. I don’t care, I never thought about Tito Ortiz. I didn’t come to this organization to fight Tito Ortiz. I’ve been chasing Wanderlei Silva around, but Wanderlei is busy until the summer. They called me and asked if I’d fight Tito on January 21 and I didn’t have anything else going on, so I said yes.

Q: Beyond this fight, what are your goals in Bellator?

Chael Sonnen: I want to compete at Bellator. I want to be a champion, get to the top, and compete with all the guys. I want to find a weight class. I’d like to do it at 205-pounds, but I think there’s an opportunity at 185 and now we have some big signings at heavyweight and catchweight too. I just think there’s a lot of opportunity over here. I can tell you as far as training, working hard and being prepared, that’s what I do. I do it every day. I will bring my skills to the fight and if they’re enough I’ll win; If they’re not, I won’t. That’s just the way that this sport is played and I’m just looking forward to competing with these guys.

Q: Coming back to compete in California, with your history with that athletic commission, you’ve already taken an out-of-competition test. How do you look at that process? Were you surprised by the test? Was there an understanding that it was going to be a part of the deal to get you back in California?

Chael Sonnen: I was surprised by it. That’s why the test works. I was not ready to be tested and I didn’t know that I was going to be tested and I haven’t thought about it a whole lot. You have to understand that when you’re a guy with my background that’s just coming off of a suspension, that’s the way it goes. You’re going to have more tests than other guys and that’s just fair.

Q: Finally, can you just size up the marketplace since you left UFC and since they’ve been purchased?

Chael Sonnen: Look, I’m brand new. I only know a few guys at Bellator. I know three people, that’s how new I am. I’ve been to two Bellator shows; one at Mohegan Sun Arena and one in San Jose. Both events were sold out! When I was in San Jose, I was sitting there and down the ramp comes the greatest heavyweight of all time, Fedor Emelianenko. Coker signed him and didn’t even say anything to anybody. The place was packed and the ratings were going higher. I wanted to come to Bellator when I saw Ken Shamrock walk the ramp and I thought this is awesome. Connecticut and then California, both sides of the country and both sold out. The household name that Bellator has become is amazing. I used to have to explain to people what UFC and what MMA was. When I tell people I’m with Bellator, they know exactly what it is. When Tito and I met in that college wrestling match, there was 80 people there tops, nobody cared. It was a big sacrifice just to show off in front of 80 people. To show off in front of a sold out arena, a record-breaking show, is fun. We get Paul Daley and Brennan Ward to entertain us before we have to go out and take care of business.

Q: Tito, do you have any comment to Chael’s comments earlier about you reading from a script and all?

Tito Ortiz: This guy knows that he bit off a little more than he can chew. I’ve been through 20 years of competition, won world titles, and stepped into that cage over and over again. The proof is in the pudding. I’m sitting here listening to the tone that Chael has and it sounds like he’s drowning and on January 21, he’s going to be drowning in his own blood.

Chael Sonnen: I told you he was out of bullets! I warned you ahead of time!

Q: Chael, congratulations on Celebrity Apprentice last night…great to see you on the debut there. How difficult is it for you to balance the Celebrity Apprentice, ESPN, your podcast, and training all together?

Chael Sonnen: I hate days off. I hate it more than anything. When I look at my calendar before I go to bed, I hate seeing gaps in there. So as far as training goes, I’m in the gym three hours a day. It’s an hour in the morning, maybe even less, two hours in the afternoon, I’m out the door in three in a half hours tops. So, that leaves me with another 20 hours in the day and I like to fill it. I don’t like to sleep a lot and that’s just the way it goes. I like to stay busy, but nothing interferes with preparation for the competition. I haven’t missed a practice, a run, a workout, a sparring session; I go every day. I go to practice every day no matter what, twice a day. There are parts when I’ll pick up the intensity and work a little harder and then there are parts when I’ll take a break to get a drink of water, but it doesn’t change for me. I’m ready to go, that’s it.

Q: Chael, I know you said that you had a little more of a looser camp, where you’ve trained with a lot of different fighters, especially due to all of the traveling. How has it been, having access to some elite fighters in other parts of the country?

Chael Sonnen: I love working out in other parts of the country and I love going to different gyms. And that’s something new to me, because I didn’t used to travel. I was just locked at home in Portland, Oregon, but we had a hotbed out there, with guys like Randy Couture and Evan Tanner, I could name drop for you and it would really impress. We had a really great system out there, but it dried up and some of those guys retired. Some of them moved away and some of the gyms closed down, so all of these new traveling has been great. I’ve got a lot of rounds in and worked out with Georges St-Pierre and a bunch of hammers out there that you’ve never heard of yet, but you will. I’m getting good work in and I’m learning from these guys. The one thing that I try to do, and I copied Randy Couture on this, is always train with the kids. He would be in high school workout rooms doing some wrestling practice and it was very hard for the next generation to ever get ahead of him because he always trained with that younger generation. So, I spend a lot of time with those kids and I have my own practices on top of that. I’m not positive that I can take Tito down, I’m not positive that I can out-box him; everything has to get better. I have to get stronger, faster, better with more technique and better strategy and it all takes time.

 

Complete “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” Main Card:

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) vs. Chael Sonnen (28-14-1)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Brennan Ward (14-4)

Middleweight Main Card Bout: Ralek Gracie (3-0) vs. Hisaki Kato (7-2)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Derek Campos (17-6) vs. Derek Anderson (14-2, 1 NC)

 

Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chinzo Machida (4-2) vs. Jamar Ocampo (2-0)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Jack May (8-3) vs. Dave Cryer (11-2)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Henry Corrales (12-3) vs. Cody Bollinger (19-6)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Casey (9-5-1, 2 NC) vs. Keith Berry (15-13)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Guilherme “Bomba” Vasconcelos (8-3) vs. John Mercurio (8-7)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (3-0) vs. Jalin Turner (2-2)

Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Gonzalez (2-0) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (2-0)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jacob Rosales (4-2) vs. Ian Butler (3-2)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Johnny Cisneros (9-5) vs. Curtis Millender (9-3)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (4-4) vs. Tommy Aaron (2-1)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Rob Gooch (4-3) vs. James Barnes (6-2)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Rebecca Ruth (6-2) vs. Colleen Schneider (10-7)