Tag Archives: King Mo

This Week’s Combat Sports Show: Nunes vs. Pennington Recap, Lomachenko vs. Linares analysis, Liddell Unretires and calls out Jon Jones

This week’s fight news unlimited combat sports show is a great mix of boxing and mixed martial arts. Tom, Tony and Rich cover all the action from last weekend and marvel at the master of his craft that is Vasyl Lomachenko. We discuss Chuck Liddell coming out of retirement with Golden Boy MMA, and Tito Ortiz taking the debate to be his first opponent. We also have a bit of a debate about Raquel Pennington telling her corner she wanted to be done after the fourth round against Amanda Nunes. Her coaches pep talked her into continuing, which led to more blood loss and facial damage from a clearly more hyped up and fresh opponent. Weigh in right here in the comment section if you have your own opinion on the situation.

 

Listen to the show live through this link:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8igg415vwt22dij/tomtonyrichmay18th2018.mp3?dl=0

OFFICIAL BELLATOR 199: BADER vs. KING MO RESULTS & PHOTOS

 

 

Ryan Bader (25-5) defeated “King Mo” Lawal (21-7, 1 NC) via knockout (punch) at :15 of round one

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/ycysrnua

 

Jon Fitch (31-7-1, 1 NC) defeated Paul Daley (40-16-2) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-26, 29-26)

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/y98s82hr

 

Aaron Pico (3-1) defeated Lee Morrison (19-9) via TKO (punch to body) at 1:10 of round one

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/ycdhxdko

 

Cheick Kongo (28-10-2) defeated Javy Ayala (10-7) via knockout (punches) at 2:29 of round one

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/yalv99d6

 

Adam Piccolotti (10-2) defeated Carrington Banks (7-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:41 of round three

 

Photos: https://tinyurl.com/y9bo2tea

 

Hyder Amil (2-0) defeated Elias Anderson (0-1) via TKO at 3:01 of round two

Ignacio Ortiz (1-0) defeated Matt Aragoni (1-1) via TKO at 2:57 of round three

Mark Climaco (2-0) defeated Daniel Oseguera (0-1) via TKO at 2:21 of round one

J.J. Okanovich (6-1) defeated Hugo Lujan (3-3) via unanimous decision

Tom Ponce de Leon (2-0) defeated Dominic Sumner (1-2) via TKO at 2:48 of round two

Nohelin Hernandez (7-2) defeated Josh San Diego (7-4) via unanimous decision

Josh Paiva (10-2) defeated Adam Antolin (13-4) via KO at :32 of round one

Cass Bell (1-0) defeated Khai Wu (1-1) via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:27 of round two

Jordan Williams (7-2) defeated Brandon Hester (4-1) via TKO (punches) at 1:11 of round two

Amber Leibrock (3-1) defeated Janay Harding (3-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

James Terry (20-9) defeated Danasabe Mohammed (5-2) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

Gaston Bolanos (3-1) defeated Malcom Hill (3-5) via TKO (leg kicks) at 2:54 of round one

Justin Tenedora (2-1) defeated David Rivera (0-3) via submission (triangle-choke) at 4:27 of round one

Deron Winn (4-0) defeated Ahmed White (0-1) via knockout (punches) at 2:32 of round one

 

FNU Combat Sports Show: Fight Recaps, Bellator and UFC Previews, Chuck vs. Tito 3?

Tom, Tony and Rich recap last week’s boxing action, including the quick KO of Vanes Martirosyan by Gennady Golovkin. We also look ahead to Ryan Bader vs. King Mo Lawal in the Bellator Heavyweight Tournament. Additionally, Raquel Pennington takes on Amanda Nunes at UFC 224, and Pennington will likely have to win by knockout to get the belt in the Brazilian backyard of Nunes. We also chat about the week’s major news stories in combat sports, namely Chuck Liddell wanting a rematch with Tito Ortiz and Oscar De La Hoya promising to promote the fight in a new MMA venture for the boxing legend and promotional kingpin. Recently, after our broadcast Thursday night, Tito and Chuck moved much closer to that trilogy fight with Tito announcing he is coming out of retirement for the bout. Listen to the whole show by clicking on the link below.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/to7cvpsxpajkvot/fnucombatsportsmay92018.mp3?dl=0

BELLATOR 199: BADER vs. KING MO WEIGH-IN RESULTS & PHOTOS

EVENT AIRS ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK AT 9 P.M. ET / 8 P.M. CT

 

WEIGH-IN PHOTOS HERE | RE-WATCH WEIGH-INS HERE

 

Bellator 199: Bader vs. King Mo takes place tomorrow at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.

 

Complete Bellator 199: Bader vs. King Mo Weigh-in Results:

Heavyweight Grand Prix Main Event: Ryan Bader (225.1) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (217.4)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Paul Daley (170.3) vs. Jon Fitch (171)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Lee Morrison (144) vs. Aaron Pico (145.7)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Cheick Kongo (241.7) vs. Javy Ayala (265.5)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Carrington Banks (155.6) vs. Adam Piccolotti (155.3)

140-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Elias Anderson (139.8) vs. Hyder Amil (137.9)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Matt Aragoni (144.9) vs. Ignacio Ortiz (145)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Mark Climaco (125) vs. Daniel Oseguera (124.7)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Hugo Lujan (154.7) vs. J.J. Okanovich (155.4)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Tom Ponce de Leon (169.7) vs. Dominic Sumner (170.9)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Nohelin Hernandez (135.9) vs. Josh San Diego (135.5)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Josh Paiva (125.7) vs. Adam Antolin (124.8)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Cass Bell (135.8) vs. Khai Wu (136)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Jordan Williams (184.1) vs. Brandon Hester (185.4)

Women’s Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Janay Harding (145.8) vs. Amber Leibrock (145)

165-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (164) vs. James Terry (164.7)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Malcom Hill (144.4) vs. Gaston Bolanos (145.6)

137-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Tenedora (135.8) vs. David Rivera (135.1)

190-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Deron Winn (192.1*) vs. Ahmed White (188.4)

 

*Missed weight

BELLATOR 198: FEDOR vs. MIR OFFICIAL RESULTS & PHOTOS

 

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FULL EVENT PHOTOS | FULL VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

 

Bellator 198: Fedor vs. Mir Results:

Fedor Emelianenko (37-5, 1 NC) defeated Frank Mir (18-12) via TKO (punches) at :48 of round one

Emmanuel Sanchez (17-3) defeated Sam Sicilia (16-9) via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:52 of round one

Rafael Lovato Jr. (8-0) defeated Gerald Harris (25-6) via submission (armbar) at 1:11 of round one

Neiman Gracie (8-0) defeated Javier Torres (10-4, 1 NC) via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:18 of round two

Dillon Danis (1-0) defeated Kyle Walker (2-5) via submission (toe hold) at 1:38 of round one

 

Preliminary Card:

R’Mandel Cameron (6-3) defeated P.J. Cajigas (6-7) via unanimous decisión (29-28 x3)

Mark Stoddard (16-9) defeated Dan Stittgen (12-6) via submission (triangle choke) at 4:43 of round one

Eric Wisely (29-9-1) defeated Morgan Sickinger (20-11) via submission (armbar) at 1:12 of round one

Joey Diehl (12-9) defeated Nate Williams (27-18) via submission (triangle choke) at 54 seconds of round one

Asef Askar (1-0-1) and Andrew Johnson (0-0-1) fought to a majority draw (28-27, 28-28, 28-28)

Adil Benjilany (4-1, 1 NC) defeated Corey Jackson (3-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Sultan Umar (6-2) defeated Tom Angeloff (7-6, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Robert Morrow (24-21-1) defeated Adam Maciejewski (13-7-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

 

BELLATOR’S HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX CONTINUES WITH DREAM MATCHUP BETWEEN FEDOR EMELIANENKO AND FRANK MIR AT ALLSTATE ARENA ON APRIL 28

 

 

TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES – The third opening round matchup in 2018’s Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix will feature the greatest heavyweight of all time Fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 NC) taking on former world champion Frank Mir (18-11) in Bellator’s return to Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. on Saturday, April 28.

 

 

 

An exclusive online presale for this event takes place Wednesday January 24 and Thursday January 25, with tickets going on-sale to the general public on Friday January 26 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets for the event start at just $30 and are available at the Allstate Arena box office and Ticketmaster.

 

 

 

The event, presented by Miller Lite, will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network (formerly Spike) at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

 

 

 

A former PRIDE champion, “The Last Emperor” is one of the most revered and respected heavyweight fighters the sport has seen. Stone-faced and quiet, Emelianenko boasted one of the most impressive unbeaten streaks in the history of MMA, not losing a bout between 2001 and 2009. A multi-time world champion in MMA and Sambo, Fedor recently returned to the sport after a brief hiatus, accumulating two decisive wins since his return to action and taking on Matt Mitrione in an instant classic at Bellator NYC.

 

 

 

Frank Mir joined Bellator earlier this year following 15 years in the UFC where he became a two-time world champion, collected 16 victories and defeated a who’s who of heavyweight contenders, including Brock Lesnar, “Bigfoot” Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mirko Cro Cop. Fighting out of Las Vegas, Mir set numerous records while competing with his former promotion, highlighted by the most fights (27), victories (16), and submissions (8) in heavyweight history. With 14 of his 18 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt will now try his hand in Bellator’s heavyweight division.

 

 

 

Updated Fight Card:

Heavyweight Grand Prix First Round: Fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 NC) vs. Frank Mir (18-11)

 

****

FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS SET FOR BELLATOR WORLD GRAND PRIX 2018 HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT

 

 

 

TOURNAMENT KICKS OFF WITH ‘RAMPAGE’ JACKSON VS. CHAEL SONNEN ATBELLATOR 192 IN LA ON JAN. 20

 

LOS ANGELES –The bracket for the Bellator MMA World Grand Prix 2018 Heavyweight Tournament has been set.

 

At Bellator 192: Lima vs. MacDonald on January 20, 2018 at The Forum in Los Angeles, the tournament will begin with former champ Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (37-12) taking on renowned trash-talker Chael Sonnen (30-15-1) in an exciting first-round matchup. The event will air on the soon-to-launch Paramount Network.

 

Shortly thereafter, Matt Mitrione (12-5) will meet Roy Nelson (23-14) on February 16 at Bellator 194, an event which will emanate from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. In April, the greatest heavyweight of all time Fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 NC) battles former UFC champ Frank Mir(18-11) inside Allstate Arena in Chicago in a long-awaited clash. The final first round bout will feature current Bellator light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader (24-5) taking on former STRIKEFORCE champ “King Mo” Lawal (21-6, 1 NC) at San Jose, California’s SAP Center in May.

 

Dates for both the semi-finals and final will be determined, as will tournament alternates who will be available to fill in due to any unforeseen circumstances. The year-long World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament will culminate in the winner becoming the new Bellator world heavyweight champion.

 

Below, you will find the official trailer for the Bellator MMA World Grand Prix 2018 Heavyweight Tournament. Please feel free to share:

Watch video here

 

Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix First-Round Matchups:

Bellator 192 at The Forum – Jan. 20, 2018: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (37-12) vs. Chael Sonnen (30-15-1)

Bellator 194 at Mohegan Sun Arena – Feb. 16, 2018: Matt Mitrione (12-5) vs. Roy Nelson (23-14)

Bellator at Allstate Arena – April, 2018: Fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 NC) vs. Frank Mir (18-11)

Bellator at SAP Center – May, 2018: Ryan Bader (24-5) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (21-6, 1 NC)

BELLATOR TO HOLD EIGHT-MAN WORLD GRAND PRIX HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT IN 2018

 

 

WINNER TO BE CROWNED NEW BELLATOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator has announced plans to host a year-long grand prix heavyweight tournament in 2018 featuring eight of the roster’s biggest stars with the winner becoming the new Bellator world heavyweight champion. The Bellator MMA World Grand Prix 2018 Heavyweight Tournament will air on the soon-to-launch Paramount Network.

 

The star-studded list of participants includes newly signed Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (37-12), Roy Nelson (23-14), Chael Sonnen (30-15-1),Frank Mir (18-11), “King Mo” (21-6, 1 NC), Fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 NC), Matt Mitrione (12-5) and Bellator light heavyweight champion Ryan Bader (24-5).

 

Spanning multiple events and locations throughout 2018, the three-round tournament allows for matchups never before thought possible and will ultimately crown a new Bellator heavyweight champion. Previously, Bellator President Scott Coker orchestrated the most recent successful heavyweight tournament in mixed martial arts with the STRIKEFORCE Heavyweight Grand Prix that spanned from 2011-12.

 

Matchups, dates and locations for the single-elimination grand prix will be determined shortly, as will tournament alternates who will be available to fill in due to any unforeseen circumstances.

 

A five-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, “Rampage’s” legendary career has seen him compete against some of the top names in the sport, generating a loyal army of fans along the way. The former PRIDE and UFC champion is the proud owner of many epic highlight reel slams and knockouts that he has racked up throughout his epic battles with the likes of Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, “King Mo,” Kevin Randleman and, perhaps most-notably, his trilogy with fellow Bellator athlete Wanderlei Silva.

 

Fighting out of Las Vegas, Roy Nelson made his Bellator debut earlier this year with a hard-fought victory over Javy Ayala following an eight-year, 19-fight run with UFC that saw him earn wins over Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, “Bigfoot” Silva and Cheick Kongo. “Big Country” also memorably defeated the late Kimbo Slice and later went on to win season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter. With 19 of his 22 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the long-time fan-favorite looks to add a championship to his impressive resume.

 

Chael Sonnen spent a majority of his 44-fight career with the UFC and WEC, a run that saw him defeat former middleweight champion Michael Bisping, and compete against the likes of Jon Jones, Anderson Silva (twice), Rashad Evans, “Shogun” Rua, Demian Maia and Brian Stann. In addition to his in-ring action, the West Linn, Ore. native has mastered the art of being in front of the camera, having done broadcast work for both ESPN and Fox Sports. Following a three-year hiatus from active MMA competition, Sonnen returned to the cage against Tito Ortiz at Bellator 170 in January and then went on to defeat Wanderlei Silva in the main event of Bellator: NYC.

 

Frank Mir joined Bellator earlier this year following 15 years under in the UFC where he became a two-time world champion, collected 16 victories and defeated the who’s who of heavyweight contenders, including Brock Lesnar, “Bigfoot” Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Roy Nelson. Fighting out of Las Vegas, Mir set numerous records while competing with his former promotion, highlighted by the most fights (27), victories (16), and submissions (8) in heavyweight history. With 14 of his 18 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt will now try his hand in Bellator’s heavyweight division.

 

“King Mo” will again fight at heavyweight and look to build off his success within the division following recent wins against Satoshi Ishii and Cheick Kongo. A winner in nine out of his last 11 fights, the 36-year-old will look to claim heavyweight gold in 2018 and add to his championship collection that already includes a STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title. The “Moneyweight” fighter owns additional wins over Linton Vassell, Gegard Mousasi, Roger Gracie and has split a pair of bouts with “Rampage” Jackson with their series tied at one win each.

 

A former PRIDE champion, “The Last Emperor” is one of the most revered and respected heavyweight fighters the sport has seen. Stone-faced and quiet, Emelianenko boasted one of the most impressive unbeaten streaks in the history of MMA, not losing a bout between 2001 and 2009. A multi-time world champion in MMA and Sambo, Fedor recently returned to the sport after a brief hiatus, accumulating two decisive wins since his return to action and competing against Matt Mitrione in an instant classic at Bellator: NYC.

 

Matt Mitrione remains poised to make an impact in the Bellator heavyweight division following three knockout wins since signing with Bellator in 2016, including a first-round KO of Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator NYC this June. The Illinois native and standout defensive end at Purdue University earned All-Big Ten honors in 2000 and subsequently earned his way into the NFL where he played six seasons as a member of the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. Mitrione ultimately found his way into MMA where he became a high-level competitor, defeating the likes of the late Kimbo Slice, Derrick Lewis and Gabriel Gonzaga.

 

Bader will make his third appearance for Bellator and first since defending his light heavyweight championship at Bellator 186. Fighting out of Tempe, Ariz., Bader began his professional career on an impressive run, steamrolling the competition en route to a 12-fight winning streak and winning one of the most competitive seasons of The Ultimate Fighter in franchise history on Spike in 2008. “Darth” continued his path of dominance by collecting 15 over some of the 105-pound division’s top talent, including victories over former world champions Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Rashad Evans, as well as two wins over Phil Davis. Currently riding a four-fight winning streak with victories in nine of his past ten bouts, the former two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler from Arizona State University will look to become a current two-division champion in Bellator MMA.

 

Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix Participants:

Bellator World Light Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader (24-5)

Fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 NC)

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (37-12)

“King Mo” Lawal (21-6, 1 NC)

Frank Mir (18-11)

Matt Mitrione (12-5)

Roy Nelson (23-14)

Chael Sonnen (30-15-1)

 

****

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).

 

PAIR OF INJURIES MAKE WAY FOR BRUNA VARGAS AND BRIAN MOORE ON MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 169’ INSIDE 3ARENA IN DUBLIN

 

 

BANTAMWEIGHT FEATURE FIGHT PITTING SHAY WALSH AGAINST LUIZ TOSTA ALSO ADDED TO MAIN CARD ON DEC. 16

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (December 5, 2016) – Injuries to both Paul Redmond and Bruna Ellen have led to new opponents for Daniel Weichel (37-9) and Helen Harper (4-1) on December 16. Weichel will now face Ireland native Brian Moore (9-4) in a featherweight bout, while Harper will be challenged by Bruna Vargas (2-1) in a flyweight fight at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Finally, a bantamweight bout pitting Shay Walsh (14-4) against Luiz Tosta (9-2) puts a stamp on the main card of “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii.”

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). In addition, Anthony Taylor (1-1) will look to quiet the crowd as he enters enemy territory to challenge Northern Ireland’s James Gallagher (4-0) in a featherweight clash.

Tickets for “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” are on sale now and start at 35€ at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.ie and the 3Arena Box Office. The event can be seen free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

In addition to a full card of Bellator action, ticket holders 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,” as Tom Duquesnoy (13-1, 1 NC) and Alan Philpott(16-8) prepare to duke it out for division gold.

Fighting out of Lancaster, England, Walsh will be making his Bellator MMA debut and against the savvy veteran Tosta. Dating back to 2014, Walsh has accrued four victories over his past five contests, including a brutal knockout of Gaz Pilot at “BAMMA 21: DeVent vs. Kone.” Of his 14 career wins, nine have come by way of knockout or submission, making it easy to picture another explosive attack out of the gates by Walsh. After competing in the 145-pound division for the first 15 fights of his professional career, Walsh made the move down to the bantamweight division, where he has strung together wins in two of his first three appearances.

The 36-year-old Tosta enters the bout riding a recent string of success that includes victories in seven of his last eight contests with one draw. Hailing from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tosta will be making his second appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, after recording the aforementioned draw in his promotional debut earlier this year at “Bellator 158.” With each of his nine career victories coming by way of submission, seven of which occurred in the first round, it’s clear that Tosta will once again look for the early takedown and finish his opponent.

Filling in for the injured Redmond is Brian Moore, as he enters the cage riding a current two-fight winning streak and a blossoming career that is ready to take off. The 29-year-old Moore has won five of his last seven contests, including a trio of first round victories, highlighted by a vicious knockout that came just 2:30 into his bout earlier in the year. Of his nine career wins, Moore has finished seven of his victims, making him a tall task for the wily veteran Weichel. A native of Wexford, Ireland, “The Pikeman” will not have to travel far for his upcoming showdown with one of Bellator MMA’s most proven veterans, as “The Weasel” will enter hostile territory for this face-off.

Replacing Ellen is the always dangerous Bruna Vargas, who will square off with Harper in search of her first win under the direction of Bellator MMA. The 27-year-old Vargas has recorded two wins over three contests, since making her professional debut in 2013. Hailing from Porto Alegre, Brazil, the Team Nogueira prospect hopes to redeem herself with a promising performance against another stiff opponent in Harper.

Complete “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii” Main Card:

Heavyweight Main Event: Muhammed “King 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)

Flyweight Feature Bout: Bruna Vargas (2-1) vs. Helen Harper (4-1)

Bantamweight Feature Bout: Shay Walsh (14-4) vs. Luiz Tosta (9-2)

 

Updated “BAMMA 27” Card:

Bantamweight World Title Bout: Tom Duquesnoy (13-1, 1 NC) vs. Alan Philpott (16-8)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Chris Fields (11-7-1) vs. Andy Clamp (8-1)

Featherweight Bout: Ronnie Mann (25-8-1) vs. Niklas Backstrom (10-2)

Featherweight Bout: Dylan Tuke (3-0) vs. Sean Tobin (4-2)

Lightweight Bout: Rhys McKee (4-0) vs. Jai Hebert (4-0)

Welterweight Bout: Kiefer Crosbie (1-0) vs. Conor Riordan (Debut)

Welterweight Bout: Nathan Jones (9-5) vs. Walter Gahadza (16-0)

Bantamweight Bout: Ian Cleary (Debut) vs. Andrew Lofthouse (Debut)

Welterweight Bout: Terry Brazier (6-1) vs. Niklas Stolze (7-1)

Bantamweight Bout: Sinead Kavanagh (3-0) vs. Eeva Siiskonen (5-4-2)

Bantamweight Bout: Richie Smullen (2-0) vs. Conor Dillon (5-8)

Bantamweight Bout: Blaine O’Driscoll (2-1) vs. Neil Ward (2-2)

Welterweight Bout: Keith McCabe (1-1) vs. Richard Kiely (Debut)

Welterweight Bout:Will Fleury (1-0) vs. Kyle Mclurkin (Debut)