WELTERWEIGHT BELLATOR KICKBOXING TITLE ALSO ON THE LINE WHEN ZOLTAN LASZAK DEFENDS BELT AGAINST KARIM GHAJJI ATBELLATOR KICKBOXING 6
BUDAPEST— (Fevriye 8, 2017) – Bellator is returning to Hungary with a bantamweight world title fight pittingEduardo "Dudu" Dantas (19-4) kont Darrion "Wolf a" Caldwell (10-1) serving as the main event ofLa ap 177: Dantas vs. Caldwellfrom the Budapest Sports Arena on April 14. The MMA portion of the evening will also feature a featherweight bout between Hungarian-bornAdam “The Kid” Borics(5-0) ak Anthony “Pretty Boy” Taylor(1-2).
Anplis de sa, Bellator Kickboxing 6 will be headlined by a welterweight world title rematch featuringZoltan Laszak(11-2) kont Karim Ghajji (97-13-1). Additional bouts for both events will be announced in the coming weeks.
La ap 177: Dantas vs. Caldwellwill be broadcast on SPIKE at9 p.m. AK/8 p.m. CT, pandan y ap Bellator Kickboxing 6 will air immediately following the MMA portion of the event, kòmanse nan 11pm ET/10pm CT.
Dantas made his presence felt during his last outing, successfully defending his bantamweight championship belt in a five-round victory overJoe Warren. A 10-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, “Dudu” has recorded victories in 12 nan dènye l ' 14 bout, including nine under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion. Hailing from Rio De Janeiro, Brezil, the flashy 27-year-old is widely known as one of the most dynamic competitors in the division, tallying four knockouts and six submissions over his 23-fight career. A two-time Bellator MMA bantamweight world champion, Dantas will look to defend his title for the second time since winning the belt in a victory over former championMarcos Galvão, and for the fourth time overall.
The 29-year-old Caldwell will be competing for division gold for the first time in his career and is coming off of a crucial victory overJoe Taimanglo nan La ap 167.“The Wolf” was able to avenge his earlier loss to Taimanglo, earning his 10th career victory and seventh under the Bellator MMA banner. Caldwell has collected five wins by way of first round knockout or submission, making him one of the most dangerous compeititors in the 135-pound class. Hailing from Rahway, N.J., the 11-fight veteran has quickly put together an impressive professional resume inside the cage, highlighted by a remarkable first round finish over former multi-division championJoe Warren, a man whom Caldwell idolized coming into the sport. The Alliance MMA product now has the opportunity of a lifetime, as he prepares for the next chapter of his career and a shot at championship glory.
After winning the welterweight kickboxing championship at Bellator’s inaugural kickboxing show in Turin, Italy in 2016, Ghajji dropped his belt to world-renowned Hungarian champion Laszak when the pair met during Bellator’s first visit to Budapest last year. Koulye a,, fresh off an impressive win in Florence, Ghajji hopes to reclaim the belt that he feels is his.
If you missed their first enthralling encounter, watch itisit la.
À La ap 177: Dantas vs. Caldwell Kat Main:
Bantamweight World Title Bout: Eduardo Dantas (19-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (10-1)
Featherweight Feature Bout: Adam Borics (5-0) vs. Anthony Taylor (1-2)
À Bellator Kickboxing 6 Kat Main:
Welterweight World Title Bout: Zoltan Laszak (11-2) vs. Karim Ghajji (97-13-1)
TORINO(Feb. 7, 2017) – Bellator President Scott Coker today announced that his fast-rising promotion will be revisiting Torino, Italy forLa ap 176, which will be immediatelyfollowed byBellator Kickboxing 5at the Pala Alpitour onSamdi, Avril 8.
Less than one year ago, Bellator hosted it’s first-ever international event at the Pala Alpitour in front of a sold-out crowd of over 15,000 fanatik. Since that show, the company has rapidly and successfully expanded across the globe under the direction of Coker, visiting London, Dublin, Budapest, Pèp Izrayèl la, Florence and has an event booked in Belfast later this month.
The highly-anticipated return to Torino will feature MMA action startingak Carrington “Jetsetter” Banks(6-0) vs. Mihail Nica(5-0) in welterweight action as well asDjamal Chan(12-3) vs. Mircea Valeriu (13-4) in a lightweight affair. Additional bouts, including a main event will be announced shortly.
In kickboxing action, Bellator’s female flyweight World ChampionDenise Kielholtz(46-3) defends her strap for the first time against ISKA and WKU World ChampionMartine Michieletto(34-12-5) in the main event whileGiorgio Petrosyan(83-2-2, 1NC) pran sou Amansio Paraschiv (23-5-1)
La ap 176 ak Bellator Kickboxing 5 will be aired on SPIKE in America and further broadcast details will be announced shortly.
Tickets for the event are available now atwww.oktagon.itand include access to anOktagon Kickboxingevent in addition to theLa ap 176 ak Bellator Kickboxing 5 evènman.
“We are thrilled to be returning to the amazing city of Torino and once again working with my friend Carlo Di Blasi and his team,"Te di Coker. “Carlo is a great partner, and we look forward to replicating the success we had in this sold-out arena last year.”
“Oktagon is fortunate to be based in Italy, which is home to the most loyal and passionate sports fans in the world,” said Oktagon President Di Blasi. “The past two co-promotions with Scott and Bellator have been incredibly successful, and I know that this show will be no different.”
Sou la ap mma:
La ap mma se yon dirijan Melanj Martial Arts òganizasyon prezante anpil nan konbatan yo ki pi bon nan mond lan. Sou direksyon veteran pwomotè batay Scott Coker, La ap se disponib nan prèske 500 milyon kay atravè lemond nan plis pase 140 peyi. Nan peyi Etazini an, La ap ka wè sou Spike, lidè nan televizyon mma. La ap mma se konpoze de yon ekip egzekitif ki gen ladan endistri pwofesyonèl tèt nan pwodiksyon televizyon, ap viv òkestrasyon evènman, devlopman avyon de gè / relasyon, pidevan akizisyon, kreyasyon parennaj / devlopman, lisans entènasyonal, maketing, piblisite, piblisite ak komisyon relasyon. La ap se ki baze nan Santa Monica, California ak posede pa amizman jeyan Viacom, lakay yo nan mak nan mond lan premye minis amizman ki konekte ak odyans nan kontni irezistib toupatou nan televizyon, foto mouvman, sou entènèt ak mobil tribin.
Sou Spike:
Spike ki disponib nan 98.7 milyon kay e se yon divizyon Viacom Media Networks. Yon inite nan Viacom (Nasdaq: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks se youn nan créateur dirijan nan mond lan nan pwogram ak kontni atravè tout tribin medya. Spike’s Internet address iswww.spike.com ak pou monte-a-la-minit ak enfòmasyon pou laprès archival ak foto, visit Spike’s press site athttp://www.spike.com/press. Swiv nou sou Twitter spiketvpr pou dènye a nan kraze dènye nouvèl, dèyè-sèn-enfòmasyon an ak foto.
About Oktagon:
Oktagon has been a mainstay in combat sports for over 20 ane kounye a, after officially being founded by Carlo Di Blasi in 1996. At its beginning the show was dedicated to free fight, the name that was given initially to MMA (Melanj Martial Arts). Other disciplines such as Kickboxing, Muay Thai and Savate were gradually added. From the early 2000’s onwards. During the last years Oktagon has reached a huge popularity, both in Italy and abroad, creating many superstars in the process. Under the watchful eye of Di Blasi, te pwomosyon nan mete yo sou kèk matchups memorab nan tout ane yo ak avyon de gè tèt ki gen ladan la ap wèltèr Pòl Daley kòm byen ke Frè m 'yo Petrosyan (Giorgio ak Armen), Robin Van Roosmalen, Valentijn Overeem, Rico Verhoeven ak Artem Levin.
DUBLIN, IRELAND. (Dec. 16, 2016) – In the evening’s main event, it was wrestler versus judo practitioner asMuhammad "wa Mo" Lawal (20-5, 1 NC) returned to moneyweight to face Olympic Gold MedalistSatoshi Ishii (14-7-1). King Mo avoided Ishii’s crafty throws as he scored a couple takedowns of his own throughout the fight. The contest finished with a shutout unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) pou “King Mo.”
Koulye a,, after yet another impressive performance during the main event of“Bellator 169,”Lawal looks to end 2016 in style by repeating his domination over Rizin Fighting Federation opponents, when the 2015 eight-man Rizin heavyweight tournament winner returns to grand prix action during the Japanese-based promotion’s New Year’s Eve weekend of events.
Fresh off his victory in Dublin tonight, Lawal now sets his sights on the fellow contestants competing in the quarterfinals of the open-weight grand prix onDec. 29at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan – the semifinals and finals are set forDec. 31.
The 35-year-old former Strikeforce Champion defeated Brett McDermott, Teodoras Aukstuolis and Jiri Prochazka en route to winning the heavyweight tournament last year, now the “King” looks to retain his crown against the likes of: Shane Carwin, Amir Aliakbari, Mirko Filipovic, Kaido Hoovelson, Tsuyoshi Kosaka, Valentin Moldavsky, and Szymon Bajor.
With a second tournament victory in Japan, “King Mo” would cap off a stellar 2016 kanpay, a 365-day run where in addition to Ishii, the American Top Team standout took current Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Champion Phil Davisto the limit during their“Bellator 154”tussle back in May
Gallagher Sinks in RNC During Third Frame of Co-Main Event
In what many considered “the people’s main event,” the highly touted SBG prospectJames Gallagher (5-0) kept his composure through the first two hard fought rounds againstAnthony Taylor (1-2). The American threw several powerful strikes, connecting on multiple occasions as Gallagher fought from safe range. Not long after the start of the final round the “Strabanimal” took the back of “Pretty Boy” Taylor with a body triangle actively looking to find a choke. It looked as though Taylor had it under control, walking across the cage toward his corner, pandering to the camera with a smile but seconds later, he was on his stomach, where he succumbed to a rear naked choke at1:52 fè wonn tant twa. Nan moman sa a nan estopaj a, the judges were split with the cards reading 20-18, 18-20 ak 19-19 after the first two rounds.
Kavanagh Gets the Irish Crowd Started with UD Victory
Sinead Kavanagh (4-0) was determined to put one on the board for the home team and that’s exactly what she did when she defeatedElina Kallionidou (5-1) pa desizyon inanim (30-25, 30-26, 30-27). Kavanagh stalked the Greek regional champion around the cage and scored on a great deal of combinations up against the fence. Kallionidou showed impressive resiliance, toughing out firestorm after firestorm of punches and bouncing back as though unfazed.
“Drake” Weichel Wants Another Shot at the Title
In the first televised fight of the evening, the crowd was loud, hoping to propel their IrishmanBrian “Pikeman” Moore (9-5) to victory againstDaniel Weichel (38-9). Moore looked sharp on his feet, throwing crisp jabs before getting taken to the canvas. From the ground, Moore fought off several rear-naked choke attempts before rolling into a triangle choke4:44into the first frame, making it 0-2 for the Irish-born fighters to start the card.
Who Else but Cameron Else to Spoil Hot Prospect Dylan Tukes Night
An electric Irish partisan crowd was on hand at the 3Arena in Dublin, but it didn’t take long for Great Britan’sCameron Else (4-3) to silence them all with a jaw-dropping knockout victory over the highly-touted hometown fighterDylan Tuke(3-1) sèlman 20 seconds into round one.
DUBLIN, IRELAND. (Dec. 15, 2016) – The official weigh-ins for both"La ap 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” ak “BAMMA 27”took place this afternoon at the 1878 club inside 3Arena in Dublin, Iland. The competitors are now ready for actiondemenat 3Arena, with the event airing on SPIKE at9 p.m. AK/8 p.m. CT.
The Spike-televised main card will be highlighted by a heavyweight main event pitting“King Mo” (19-5, 1 NC) against Olympic Judo Gold MedalistSatoshi Ishii (14-6-1). Anplis de sa, Anthony Taylor (1-1) will look to quite the crowd as he enters enemy territory to challenge Northern Ireland’s ownJames Gallagher (4-0) in a featherweight co-main clash.
In addition to a full card of Bellator action, ticketholders will also have the unique opportunity to experience an additional fight card from Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, Bamma. The bantamweight belt will be on the line at “BAMMA 27,” asTom Duquesnoy(13-1, 1 NC) ak Alan Philpott(16-8) prepare to duke it out for the division gold.
"La ap 169: King Mo vs. Ishii”takes place inside 3Arena in Dublin, Iland, and will air free on SPIKE at9 p.m. AK/8 p.m. CT.
"La ap 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” Card: (SPIKE TV –9 p.m. AK/8 p.m. CT)
Heavyweight Main Event: Satoshi Ishii (236.6 lbs.) vs. Muhammad "wa Mo" Lawal (213 lbs.)
Featherweight Co-Main Event: Anthony Taylor (145.8 lbs.) vs. James Gallagher (145.6 lbs.)
Featherweight Feature Bout: Brian Moore (146 lbs.) vs. Daniel Weichel (145.6 lbs.)
Bantamweight Feature Bout: Elina Kallionidou (135.8 lbs.) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (135.2 lbs.)
DUBLIN (Desanm 14, 2016) – Two of the top MMA promotions in the world, Bellator and BAMMA have joined forces to deliver an early Christmas gift for MMA fans everywhere with a unique doubleheader event at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland thisVandredi, Dec. 16.
Despite the cold and rainy weather in Dublin, the main and co-main event fighters turned up the heat at the Official Fight Week Press Conference for the co-promoted event inside the Gibson Hotel. La ap mma Prezidan Scott Cokertook center stage alongside BAMMA CEODavid Green, and the two were flanked by“Bellator 169”combatantsWa Mo(19-5, 1 NC) ak Satoshi Ishii (14-6-1) ansanm ak James Gallagher (4-0), ak Anthony Taylor (14-2), as well as BAMMA main eventersTom Duquesnoy (13-1, 1 NC) ak Alan Philpott (16-8), yon Chris Fields (11-7-1), ki moun ki pran sou Andrew Clamp (8-1, 1 NC).
Below are several transcribed quotes from the press conference.
Wa Mo:
“The cold weather (in Ireland) gets me, you know what I’m saying. But it’s gonna be hot in the venue, because I’m gonna bring the heat.” It’s gonna be action packed. I’m ready to scrap.”
“I’m shocked (by the support from the Irish fans). I came here to do PR last time and everyone was cool, but this time around its been even better. I went to Nandos (chicken restaurant) and got hooked up with like $70 worth of food. If y’all haven’t eaten at Nandos yet I suggest you try it out because that place is good.”
(To Ishii)
“Don’t run around the cage. Fight me square, entertain the fans, and put on a good show.”
“All the people out there, ya’ll better tune in and watch me kick and beat Ishii’s a** out the cage.”
Satoshi Ishii:
“It’s an honor to fight in Dublin. I’m looking forward to the fight, Mwen eksite, and I will do my best.”
James Gallagher:
“At the end of the day I can say whatever I want and he can say whatever he wants, men, you step in there and none of that means jack s***. It’s a fight between me and him, e ke sa a tout sa ki zafè, and I’ll come out the winner.
“I literally do not care about him. I just care about me and what I’m going to do. I’m just going to go in there and smash his face in and that’s that. Simple answer.”
“Everything he is saying is a load of old bullsh**. Tune innan Vandredinight and you’ll see who’s going to the hospital after.”
“It’s amazing to fight in your own country and right here in the 3Arena. Walking out into that crowd, that feeling of pride is something you will always remember for the rest of your life.”
Anthony Taylor:
“Oh man, everything is going my way. The fact that I’ve got him, one-on-one, with the pretty one, it’s going tremendously fine. The atmosphere in Ireland is so beautiful. The weather, the women…oh my gosh the women! This is cuddling season
and I’m on Tinder just swiping right.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to showcase my skills. Everyone is looking at me as the underdog and saying this is a test. This ain’t no test, this is finals, and guess what? He’s going to fail.”
“I’m going to shock the worldnan Vandredi, and let them know who the hell is Anthony Pretty Boy Taylor, the most electrifying man in Bellator MMA. That’s what’s up, and I’m going to put on a show for all the people out there.”
“I get a lot of criticism, but I’ve also got a lot of Irish fans, just as much as he’s got, so it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t have the pressure, it’s on him. I’m coming here to do my thing. Si mwen pèdi, I suck it up like a man. But if I win, I’m gonna be a superstar. I already know I’m going to win, he can’t stop me.”
Scott Coker
“We’ve been on the road quite a bit this year with 25 batay, 28 if you include kickboxing. This is something that David and I started talking about a year ago. It’s been seamless and a lot of fun. David’s been a great partner to work with, BAMMA’s been great.”
“We’ve been following this league for a couple years now. We know that they’re the powerhouse here in the UK and were happy to team up with them and bring our top fighters.”
“This is going to be a great show that is going to be televised all over the world. It will be on SPIKE UK, which airs here in Ireland as wellnan Samdi nan 11 p.m. lè lokal, as well as on SPIKE in the United States at9 p.m. AK. It will also air in 140 countries around the world, so this is an event that brings worldwide recognition to this event here in Ireland, and we’re very proud to be here.”
(Is this somewhat of a scouting mission for younan Vandredi?)
“The mission statement of the company is to bring the best fighters in the world to Bellator. So we’re going to be watching very closely I know there is some great talent here, and I’m excited to watch it and see what the future holds.”
(On the event coming together)
“David (Green) and I became friends a little more than a year ago, and has a big television producing background, and he’s done stuff for Spike and Viacom in the past. He’s a very big producer here in the United Kingdom. But as far as coming together, if you look at the background of Strikeforce or even before that in kickboxing, we were never opposed to having fighters in one organization against fighters in another organization. In the earliest parts of the Strikeforce career in MMA, we sent Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson (nan mitan lòt moun) to Pride against some of the Japanese fighters and they sent over (Shinya) Aoki, (Tatsuya) Kawajiri and some of the best fighters they had. Pou mwen, this is what martial arts is all about. We should have more events like this where top guys from different leagues compete against each other to find out who the best is. We’re not going to be opposed to that. That’s always been our philosophy
(On doing it again)
“That’s something David and I will talk about once this is over. We both individually have a big schedule for next year. We (La ap) are going to go to more international events and more cities across the world. We are going to go to Latin America next year with shows on Mexico and Brazil.
“So we are going to have an exciting schedule to announce soon. Sa a (Dublin event) is something that has worked out fantastic. The schedule and the timing was perfect. The door is always going to be open, these guys are a great partner and have been fantastic to work with and we look forward to doing more events.”
EVENT INFO
BAMMA and Bellator MMA will hold a unique doubleheader event in Dublin, Ireland thisVandredi, Dec. 16, which will feature multiple BAMMA world title bouts and an incredible Bellator MMA heavyweight main event rematch pitting“King Mo” kont Satoshi Ishii. But before our‘Bellator 169’ ak ‘BAMMA 27’competitors meet inside the cage, join us for an afternoon of verbal submissions at the official press conference inside The Gibson Hotel in Dublin.
Epitou nan Vandredi lannwit, Anthony Taylorenters enemy territory with a featherweight bout against Northern Ireland’s ownJames Gallagher. Also hailing from Ireland, Brian Moorewill look to take advantage of the home crowd when he faces off againstDaniel Weichel. The BAMMA bantamweight belt will be on the line at“BAMMA 27,” kòm Tom DuquesnoychallengesAlan Philpottfor the division gold. Lastly, the stacked event features a featherweight world title fight pitting former Bellator competitorsRonnie Mann kont Martin Stapleton.
NEW WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT ADDED TO THE LAST EVENT OF THE YEAR
SANTA MONICA, CALIF (Desanm 12, 2016) – After an incredible year that saw Bellator MMA host events in international territories all around the globe, it is only fitting that the promotion’s year-ending event, "La ap 169: King Mo vs. Ishii," pran plas sa a Vandredi, Desanm 16at the 3Arena in Dublin, Iland.
Shortly after her fight againstHelen Harper (4-1) was announced, Bruna Vargas(2-1) has withdrawn from the bout due to injury. Harper will be paid her show money and a new women’s featherweight bout has been added to the SPIKE-televised card between undefeated fightersSinead Kavanagh(3-0) ak Elina Kallionidou(5-0).
The Spike-televised main card will be highlighted by a heavyweight main event pitting“King Mo” (19-5, 1 NC) against Olympic Judo Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii (14-6-1). Anplis de sa, a pair of anticipated featherweight scraps will seeAnthony Taylor (1-1) look to quiet the crowd as he enters enemy territory to challenge Northern Ireland’sJames Gallagher (4-0) ak, Iland a Brian Moore(9-4) take on the always-game Daniel Weichel (37-9).
Tikè pou "La ap 169: King Mo vs. Ishii”are on sale now and start at 35€ atBellator.com, Ticketmaster.ieand the 3Arena Box Office. The event can be seen free on SPIKE at9 p.m. AK/8 p.m. CT, and will be immediately followed by"La ap Kikboksin: Florence.”
Fighting out of Straight Blast Gym (SBG) nan Dublin, “KO” Kavanagh has fought all three of her professional bouts with BAMMA, and has earned her nickname bye scoring two knockouts in her first three fights. Kavanagh fought in BAMMA’s first-ever women’s fight, and ended her opponent’s night in just 17 segonn. Originally slated to compete in a bantamweight fight against Eeva Siiskonen (5-4-2) on the BAMMA portion of this co-promoted night of fights, Kavanagh now moves up in weight to face Kallionidou under the Bellator banner.
Nan sèlman 18 ane ki gen laj, Kallionidou has already made a name for herself in her home country Greece, where she holds the Cage Survivor women’s featherweight title. Incredibly, “Gunner” started her professional career off with a bang, scoring a first-round TKO just a month after her 16th anivèsè nesans. Depi lè sa a, the Greek fighter has gone 5-0, ak twa debouchur. The fight this Friday night, will be her first fight outside of Greece.
In addition to a full card of Bellator action, ticketholders will also have the unique opportunity to experience an additional fight card from Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, Bamma. The bantamweight belt will be on the line at “BAMMA 27,” asTom Duquesnoy(13-1, 1 NC) ak Alan Philpott(16-8) prepare to duke it out for the division gold. Lastly, the stacked event features a featherweight world title fight pitting former Bellator competitorsRonnie Mann(25-8-1) kont Martin Stapleton (18-4).
Ranpli "la ap 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” Main Card:
Heavyweight Main Event: Muhammad "wa Mo" Lawal (19-5, 1 NC) vs. Satoshi Ishii (14-6-1)
Featherweight Co-Main Event: James Gallagher (4-0) vs. Anthony Taylor (1-1)
Featherweight Feature Bout: Daniel Weichel (37-9) vs. Brian Moore (9-4)
Featherweight Feature Bout: Sinead Kavanagh (3-0) vs. Elina Kallionidou (5-0)
Bantamweight Feature Bout: Shay Walsh (14-4) vs. Luiz Tosta (9-2)
Updated “BAMMA 27” Main Card:
Bantamweight World Title Bout: Tom Duquesnoy (13-1, 1 NC) vs. Alan Philpott (16-8)
Featherweight World Title Bout:Ronnie Mann (25-8-1) vs. Martin Stapleton (18-4)
Featherweight Main Card Bout:Dylan Tuke (3-0) vs. Sean Tobin (4-2)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Brian Moore (9-4) vs. Niklas Backstrom (10-2)
Welterweight Main Card Bout: Kiefer Crosbie (1-0) vs. Conor Riordan (Premye)
Welterweight Main Card Bout: Nathan Jones (9-5) vs. Walter Gahadza (16-0)
FLORENCE, Itali — (Desanm 9, 2016) — Following weigh-insnan Vandredimorning from Grand Hotel Mediterraneo in the capital city of Tuscany, all 10 competitors fighting during the main card of“La ap 168: Sakara vs. Beltran” are now ready to competedemen swa nan 4 p.m. AK/3 p.m. CT, LIVE and FREE on SPIKE.
The mixed martial arts portion of action is headlined by a light heavyweight main event contest featuring Italy’s ownAlessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC), ki moun ki pral pran sou Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC). Anplis de sa, Jan saleur (12-3) satisfè Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4) nan yon bout middleweight, Philipe Lins (10-1) competes againstKleber Raimundo Silva (12-7), Yamauchi moute (20-3) returns to lightweight action againstMircea Valeriu (12-3), ak Men, Rit (1-0)sanble yo rete undefeated nan 2016 on short notice againstEmanuele Palombi(5-2)
See below for complete weights and photos from today’s weigh-in proceedings.
SANTA MONICA, CALIF (Dec. 6, 2016) – It was announced today that one of MMA’s hottest prospects, Men, Rit (1-0), will waste no time continuing to build his resume, as he fightsEmanuele Palombi (5-2) for his second fight in as many months. The bout takes placesa a Vandredi nan "La ap 168: Sakara vs. Beltran," sou Dec. 10from the Mandela Forum in Florence and will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at4pm ET/PT.
Nan sèlman 26 ane fin vye granmoun, Ruth is looking to pave the way for the other members of “The New Breed,"a group of highly accomplished wrestlers who have all signed to fight under the Bellator MMA banner including: Joey Davis (1-0), Tyrell Fortune (1-0), Jarod Trice (1-0) osi byen ke Arawon Pico ak Romero Cotton– the last of which have yet to make their highly anticipated professional debuts. Before he was a three-time National Champion and four-time All-American wrestler at Penn State University, Ruth attended the world-renown Blair Academy in Susquehanna Township, PA, where he was the top-ranked recruit in the nation for his weight class. Having achieved great success at every stage of competition throughout his life, Ruth aspires to have the Bellator middleweight gold around his waist before long. After making the move across the country to Fresno, Kalifòni., where he now trains at Dethrone Basecamp with other Bellator MMA fighters likeJosh Koscheck ak Chris HONEYCUTT, Ruth made his professional MMA debut just last month onNov. 4, when he finished Dustin Collins-Miles with strikes at3:19 nan premye tou an.
Ruth now faces Rome’s Palombi, a seven-fight veteran with five victories including three KO’s and one submission. Ruth, who is taking the fight on less than a week’s notice, must quickly learn how to tune out a hometown crowd, who will certainly be heavily in favor of the Italian fighter.
The evening is highlighted by a main event featuring Italy’s most renowned mixed martial artistAlessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC), who will duke it out withJoey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) in a light heavyweight main event. Other Bellator MMA competitors will also be in action, Ki gen ladan Jan saleur (12-3), Yamauchi moute (31-9) ak Philipe Lins(10-1).
The Bellator Kickboxing brand will also be on display in Italy with a card that features a female flyweight rematch betweenDenise Kielholtz(45-3) ak Gloria Peritore (11-1-1), but this time, a world title will be on the line. "La ap Kikboksin: Florence”will also include a lightweight clash betweenGiorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) and British kickboxing championJordan Watson (48-11-2), a middleweight matchup pittingJoe childinc (19-9) kont Victorio Lermano (30-7), a welterweight contest pairingLuca Novello (22-4-2) ak Karim Ghajji (96-13-1), ak Kevin Ross(31-9) ap rankontre Alessio Arduini (26-14-2) nan yon batay ki lejè. "La ap Kikboksin: Florence”airsVandredi, Dec. 16 nan 11:15 pm ET, immediately following"La ap 169: King Mo vs. Ishii.”
SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (Novanm 30, 2016) - Yon bout opozan ki lejè Yamauchi moute (20-3) kont Mircea Valeriu (12-3) completes the MMA portion of"La ap 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2,”on a night which will feature both Bellator MMA and Bellator Kickboxing brands inside the Mandela Forum in Florence.
Anplis de sa, due to an injury suffered by Pietro Cappelli, Philipe Lins (10-1) will now meetKleber Raimundo Silva (12-7) in light heavyweight action onDec. 10.
The mixed martial arts portion of action onDec. 10is headlined by a middleweight world title fight featuring a rematch betweenRafael Carvalho (13-1) ak Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC), while Italy’s ownAlessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) ap pran sou Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) at 205-pounds, ak Jan saleur (12-3) satisfè Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4) nan yon bout middleweight. "La ap 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2”will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at4pm ET/PT.
The Bellator Kickboxing card features a female flyweight rematch betweenDenise Kielholtz(45-3) ak Gloria Peritore (11-1-1), but this time, a world title will be on the line. "La ap Kikboksin: Florence”will also feature a lightweight clash betweenGiorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) and British kickboxing championJordan Watson (48-11-2), a middleweight matchup pittingJoe childinc (19-9) kont Victorio Lermano(30-7), a welterweight contest pairingLuca Novello (22-4-2) ak Karim Ghajji (96-13-1), ak Kevin Ross(31-9) ap rankontre Alessio Arduini (26-14-2) nan yon batay ki lejè. "La ap Kikboksin: Florence”airsVandredi, Dec. 16 nan 11:15 pm ET, immediately following"La ap 169: King Mo vs. Ishii.”
An 8-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, Yamauchi enters the cage in search of his 21stcareer win and seventh under the Scott Coker-led promotion. You would be hard-pressed to find a fighter with more promise than the 23-year-old top prospect, who has already taken down proven veterans the likes of Martin Stapleton, Isao Kobayashi, ak pi resamman Ryan Couture. The former featherweight returned to the lightweight division to face the aforementioned Couture earlier in the year at"La ap 162: Shlemenko vs. Grove,"a fight in which Yamauchi dominated from the get-go, earning yet another first round submission victory. Yamauchi has finished his opponent in 17 nan l ' 20 career wins, Ki gen ladan 14 in the opening round of action. The Japanese-Brazilian submission specialist continues to make great strides in the sport, consistently displaying the flawless Brazilian jiu-jitsu technique that has given opponents many nightmares year after year.
Challenging Yamauchi will be Valeriu Mircea, a Moldova-born competitor that has also seen a great deal of success early on in his MMA career. The 23-year-old knockout artist will be making his Bellator MMA debut following three consecutive victories, including a pair of first round knockouts. Dating back to 2015, Mircea has collected wins in nine of his last 10 bouts and has already tallied six victories over his 2016 kanpay. With three of his last four wins coming by way of first round knockout, you can expect an early array of attack in this pairing of two top prospects.
Taking on Lins will now be Raimundo Silva, a 28-year-old striker who will be making both his 2016 and Bellator MMA debut. Dating back to 2011, “Orgulho” has won seven of his last 11 konpetisyon, highlighted by his most recent knockout victory over Claudio Rocha, which came just3:25 nan premye tou an.
Ranpli "la ap 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” Card:
Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (13-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC)
MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT PITTINGJOHN SALTERAGAINSTCLAUDIO ANNICCHIARICOADDED TO MAIN CARD OF BELLATOR MMA’S RETURN TO ITALY
SANTA MONICA, CALIF (Novanm 1, 2016) – A light heavyweight bout pittingPhilipe Lins (10-1) kont Pietro Cappelli (2-1) and a middleweight fight betweenJan saleur (12-3) ak Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4) have been added to"La ap 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2,”which will feature both Bellator MMA and Bellator Kickboxing brands emanating from the Mandela Forum in Florence on Dec. 10.
The evening is highlighted by a main event middleweight world title rematch pittingRafael Carvalho (13-1) kont Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC). Anplis de sa, Italy’s ownAlessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) ak Joey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) will duke it out in a light heavyweight feature fight. "La ap 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2”will air on SPIKE at4pm ET/PT.
A native of Florence, Itali, Cappelli has made an immediate splash in MMA, earning consecutive victories following his professional debut in 2015. Cappelli’s first career win came at the expense of Andrzej Kulik, when the 32-year-old delivered a brutal first round knockout. He then parlayed the emphatic victory with another first round finish, displaying his noteworthy ground game with a keylock submission just one minute and one second into the bout. With a noticeable message reading “unscarred” across his stomach, the Italian competitor prepares to dive in head first with a challenging matchup against the veteran Lins in his Bellator MMA debut.
The 31-year-old Lins will enter the cage for the 12th time in his career and fifth since making his Bellator MMA debut in 2014. Orijinèr soti nan Brezil, Lins began his professional career on a nine-fight winning streak, finishing opponents in seven of the victories. “Monstro” has recorded a trio of significant victories since joining the Scott Coker-led promotion, including two first round finishes and his most recent knockout win over fellow Brazilian competitorWilliam Viana nan "La ap 159: Caldwell vs. Taimanglo.”Lins hopes to build off of his big win and silence a crowd that will be heavily in favor of his Italian opponent Cappelli.
Fresh off of his first career victory, a first round knockout over Ilyrian Hoxhay, the 32-year-old Annicchiarico looks to continue his success when he enters the cage for the first time under the direction of Bellator MMA. The Italian middleweight will face a difficult first test in Salter, a 15-fight veteran that hasn’t been defeated since 2012. With a pair of submission defeats to Salter’s name, look for Annicchiarico to take the fight to the ground and grind it out there.
The former Strikeforce competitor Salter will make his third appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, after recording victories in his first two bouts with the promotion. He is riding a recent string of success, having won four consecutive contests and seven of his past eight. Over his seven-year career, the 31-year-old Nashville, Tenn., native has collected a dozen professional victories, recording finishes in all. With nine of his 12 career wins coming in the opening round of action, Salter is known to be one of the quickest strikers in the division and most recently finished former middleweight champion Brandon Halsey.
Ranpli "la ap 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” Card:
Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (13-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC)