Tag Archives: Mike Richman

MARCOS GALVAO MEETS EDUARDO DANTAS IN REMATCH FOR BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE AT ‘BELLATOR 150: GALVAO VS. DANTAS 2’ ON FEBRUARY 26

ALSO: DAVID ‘THE CAVEMAN’ RICKELS RETURNS HOME

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (December 4, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Bantamweight Championship will be on the line in a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) against former champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) at Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas, on February 26.

 

In addition, hometown favorite, David Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) will return to action against an opponent that will be revealed at a later date. “The Caveman” always comes ready to put on a show, whether it’s on his way to the cage, or when he’s taking on a who’s who of Bellator MMA lightweight talent.

 

The main event, as well as Rickels’ fight will make up two of the televised contests at “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Bellator.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional fights will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $27, go on sale next Saturday, December 12 at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, as well as the Kansas Star Arena box office.

 

A rib injury sustained by Dantas during training camp forced him to withdraw from his previously scheduled title shot at“Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho.” Now fully recovered, promotional officials have rebooked the tilt.

 

“Loro,” who has fought for world-renowned promotions the likes of World Extreme Cagefighting and Shooto since 2003, will be competing for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner. The 34-year-old is presently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak and has emerged victorious in seven of his last eight scraps. In his last outing, Galvao finished Joe Warren at“Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao” via submission to win his first-ever championship.

 

Meanwhile, Dantas will be looking to duplicate the success he had against Galvao in their first meeting, which resulted in a second-round knockout at “Bellator 89.” The 26-year-old Nova Uniao product bounced back from his unanimous decision loss against Warren to dispel of Mike Richman in the same manner at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament winner is looking to call himself a two-time bantamweight champion come October 23.

 

BELLATOR MMA TO AIR ON AMERICAN FORCES NETWORK

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 25, 2015) – On a holiday when Americans take a moment to remember those who gave their lives serving in the country’s armed forces, Bellator MMA officials are honored to announce a new partnership with the American Forces Network.

 

With the new deal in place, the American Forces Network will now broadcast Bellator MMA events on its global networks to American servicemen and women, as well as U.S. Navy ships at sea.

 

“We at Bellator are always looking for ways to give back to our troops,” said Bellator MMA President Scott Coker. “We’re all extremely grateful for all that they do abroad to keep us safe, and we hope that they will enjoy some Bellator fights during any downtime they may have.”

 

Multiple Bellator athletes including Bobby Lashley and Mike Richman have served in the American Military.

 

“I’m personally thrilled for this new partnership,” said Bobby Lashley, who fights James Thompson on June 19. “AFN is providing a platform for me to be fighting for my brothers and sisters who are away from home, fighting for us.”

 

The new partnership commences with June’s dual Bellator MMA events.

 

On June 19, Bellator MMA visits St. Louis’ Scottrade Center for “Bellator MMA: Unfinished Business,” featuring one of the most anticipated fights in the history of the sport with Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock. Also, several current Bellator fighters as well as some of the sport’s biggest legends will pay a visit to Scott Air Force Base on Wednesday, June 17.

 

On June 26, the promotion touches down at Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kan., with “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which sees French striking specialist Cheick Kongo and Russian knockout artist and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov stand toe-to-toe in the Bellator MMA cage.

 

Complete details of the new Bellator MMA-American Forces Network partnership will be available shortly.

Brandon Halsey Defeats Kendall Grove Via Technical Knockout   Vacates Bellator Middleweight Title Due To Missing Weight

 

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All photos by: Bellator MMA/Eric Coleman

TEMECULA, Calif. (May 15, 2015) – While Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-0) can no longer say he’s Bellator MMA’s Middleweight World Champion, he’s still managed to show his talent with a one-sided destruction of proven veteran Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-15).

 

The contest served as the feature main event of Friday’s “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” card at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

 

Halsey nearly finished the fight in the early going, moving to an arm-triangle choke that would have finished a lesser opponent, but Grove somehow battled through the effort. Still, it was a one-sided round for the former champ.

 

Grove was able to avoid such a precarious position in the second, but he was still forced to be on the defensive throughout most of the frame. With a high-paced wrestling attack, Halsey simply pushed his way to the floor and enjoyed top position for almost the entirety of the round.

 

The pattern continued as the fight wore on, with Halsey simply overpowering his opponent and constantly earning himself the dominant position. Grove briefly threatened with an armbar in the fourth frame, but Halsey simply yanked his limb free and pounded away with punches shortly after until he earned the TKO win at the 2:25 mark of the frame.

 

The undefeated Halsey, who was stripped of the Bellator MMA Middleweight World Title for failing to make weight, will look to again earn the belt in his next appearance.

 

“I was my own worst enemy. It was how I performed. He didn’t throw anything at me that I wasn’t ready for. I was just trying to tough through the injury. I had to tough it out and come out with the victory,” Halsey said.

 

“Obviously, you want to be as dominant as possible. I just felt like I couldn’t explode through my combinations or explode through the fight and finish how I wanted to. But like I said, you’ve got to deal with adversity, and I did it the best I could,” Halsey continued.

 

“I learned my lesson. I thank Bellator. I apologize to the commission. It’s unprofessional not to make weight. No excuses, but anybody knows that it’s hard to cut weight with an injury. The belt’s just a decoration, so I’m still the champ in my eyes. No one has taken the belt from me.”

 

In the night’s co-main event, former Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4), of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took a step toward another shot at the title with a hard-fought decision victory over the hard-hitting Mike “The Marine” Richman, of Rose Mount, Minn.

 

While Richman showed excellent takedown defense throughout the 15-minute affair, Dantas’ work rate helped him earn the favor of the judges. Constantly pressing and looking to bring the fight to the floor, Dantas was able to just edge out Richman on the cards, 29-28 according to all three officials.

 

“I went out there and fought the way I trained to fight,” Dantas said after the win. “I knew Mike Richman was going to come with everything, but I wanted to win this fight and get back to the title. The only fight that makes sense next is for the title.

 

In a welterweight contest, Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (24-13), of Menifee, Calif., scored a thrilling, come-from-behind victory over “Curtious” Curtis Millender (7-2), of San Bernardino, Calif.

 

With Millender enjoying a six-inch height advantage, the smaller Gonzalez struggled to score points in the first two rounds. But when the fight hit the floor in the third, Gonzalez latched onto a guillotine choke and earned a tap from his opponent at the 1:14 of the final round.

 

“I’m 4-0 right now,” Gonzalez said after the win. “That’s one step closer to the title, and I’m excited to get in there and mix it up with whoever is next.”

 

With the result, Gonzalez now boasts four-straight Bellator MMA victories and put himself in line for a potential shot at the promotion’s Welterweight Title.

 

In the night’s first main-card matchup, undefeated prospect Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (7-0), of Rahway, N.J., used a superior wrestling game to outwork more experienced opponent Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-5), of Lajes, Brazil, en route a unanimous-decision victory.

 

With Caldwell scoring takedowns throughout the matchup, Silva looked for submissions when available, but he simply couldn’t find the necessary hold to work past his opponent’s defense. Instead, Caldwell kept his pressure high, and judges awarded him the fight, 29-28 on all three cards.

 

After the victory, Caldwell made it clear he’s clearing his way to a shot at the Bellator MMA World Title.

 

“I don’t think there are any fighters out there as explosive as me at 135 pounds, or as fast,” Caldwell said. “Eventually, I’ll be able to prove that.”

 

In the night’s final preliminary bout, Guam’s Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1) scored a third-round knockout of Mexico’s Antonio Duarte (18-6).

 

Additionally, featherweight prospect Jordan Parsons (11-1), of San Diego, Calif., earned a third-round decision win over the previously undefeated Brazilian Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-1).

 

In a light heavyweight contest, Virgil Zwicker (14-4-1), of Temecula, Calif., earned a first-round knockout win over Razak Al-Hassan (12-5), of Milwaukee, Wisc.

 

And in the night’s first fight, Ricky “The Sniper” Rainey (11-3), of Gastonia, N.C., earned a second-round knockout win over Jessie Juarez (22-10), of Torrance, Calif.

 

Brandon Halsey (9-0) def. Kendall Grove (21-15)

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Eduardo Dantas (17-4) def. Mike Richman (18-6 )

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Fernando Gonzalez (24-14) def. Curtis Millender (7-2)

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Darrion Caldwell (7-0) def. Rafael Silva (22-5)

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About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN RESULTS, PHOTOS AND INFORMATION FROM “BELLATOR: HALSEY VS. GROVE”

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TEMECULA, Calif. (May 14, 2015) – All twenty-six athletes competing at tomorrow’s “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” event were happy to rehydrate after stepping on the scales at today’s official weigh-in, which took place at the Cabaret Theatre inside the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif.

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT, features a main event between Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) and well-respected veteran Kendall “Da Spyda” Grove (21-14). The incumbent champion failed to hit the required mark of 185-pounds. As a result, Grove is the only fighter who can leave the event as the champion, if Halsey does manage to win, he will be forced to vacate the belt.

In the co-main event, a bantamweight battle will go on as planned between former 135-pound champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas(16-4) and a streaking Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), despite Richman missing weight.

In a critical welterweight battle between two hometown fighters, Cinderella Man Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) looks to continue his hot streak against a young Curtis “Curtious” Millender (7-1).

In the opening televised bout of the evening, one of MMA’s most promising prospects Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0), looks to keep his record unblemished against a tough Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4), who has only suffered one defeat in his last 15 bouts

CLICK HERE FOR ALL WEIGH-IN PHOTOS

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (188.1 lbs.) vs. Kendall Grove (184.9 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (135.2 lbs.) vs. Mike Richman (139.8 lbs.)

 

Bellator Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (170.9 lbs.) vs. Curtis Millender (170.8 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (135.7 lbs.) vs. Rafael Silva (135.7 lbs.)

 

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Fight: Benji Radach (186 lbs.) vs. Ben Reiter (186 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: Joe Taimanglo (136.2 lbs.) vs. Antonio Duarte (135.1 lbs.)

 

Bellator Featherweight Fight: Jordan Parsons (145.5 lbs.) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (146 lbs.)

 

Bellator Light Heavyweight Fight: Virgil Zwicker (206.7 lbs.) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (205.6 lbs.)

 

Bellator Welterweight Fight: Jesse Juarez (171 lbs.) vs. Ricky Rainey (170.7 lbs.)

 

Bellator Featherweight Fight: A.J. Jenkins (146 lbs.) vs. Arlene Blencowe (145.8 lbs.)

 

Bellator Lightweight Fight: Steve Kozola (155.8 lbs.) vs. Ian Butler (155.2 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: Shawn Bunch (135.4 lbs.) vs. Rolando Perez (135.3 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: John Yoo (135.4 lbs.) vs. Albert Morales (134.4 lbs.)

 

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

Veteran knockout artist Benji “The Razor” Radach returns to the cage to face Ben Reiter at “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove”

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EASY TWEET: Hard-hitting MMA vet @benjyradach returns to face undefeated former @PennWrestling star @BenReiterMMA May 15 #Bellator

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 7, 2015) – One of MMA’s hardest-hitting pioneers will return to action for the first time since 2010, as Benji “The Razor” Radach(21-6) has agreed to replace an injured A.J. Matthews (7-3) in a middleweight preliminary fight against Ben “The Hunter” Reiter (15-0-1).

 

The new addition again finalizes a full nine-bout preliminary card scheduled in support of four main-card contests at “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove.”

 

The night’s featured matchups include undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1) and bantamweights Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4).

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

 

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 45 minutes later.

 

Fighting professionally since 2001, Radach fought for many of MMA’s biggest promotions, including Strikeforce, EliteXC, the International Fight League and the UFC. Seventeen of Radach’s 21 career wins have come by knockout, and he makes no secret of his intentions when he enters the cage. Boasting past clashed with MMA notables such as Brian Foster, Gerald Harris, Matt Horwich, Chris Leben, Gustavo Machado, Murilo “Ninja” Rua and Scott Smith, among others, Radach put his fighting career on hold in 2010, as he addressed a variety of nagging injuries. Now fully recovered, Radach looks to make a successful return to action.

 

Radach now meets a top undefeated prospect and former UPenn wrestling star Reiter, who fights for the second time under the Bellator MMA banner after spending much of his early career in Peru.

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove”Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael Silva (22-4)

 

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Benji Radach (21-6) vs. Ben Reiter (14-0)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

 

Dark Bouts (approx. 11 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert Morales (1-0)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Shawn Bunch (3-1) vs. Rolando Perez (7-4)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Steve Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene Blencowe (5-4)

 

“Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” finalizes action-packed 13-fight lineup with additions of A.J. Jenkins vs. Arlene Blencowe, Shawn Bunch vs. Rolando Perez and John Yoo vs. Albert Morales

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 16, 2015) – A thrilling 13-bout lineup for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” is now complete with the addition of women’s featherweights A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe (5-4), bantamweights Shawn “Bunch the Great” Bunch (3-1) vs.Rolando Perez (7-4) and John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert “The Warrior” Morales (1-0) to the evening’s preliminary card.

 

The three new additions finalize a nine-fight preliminary card scheduled in support of “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” four main card contests.

 

The night’s featured matchups include undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1) and bantamweightsDarrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4).

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

 

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 45 minutes later.

 

Jenkins, of Oceanside, Calif., is one of the most experienced competitors in women’s MMA. Fighting professionally since 2004, Jenkins now makes her Bellator MMA debut. The 33-year-old boasts past tussles with MMA notables Shayna Baszler, Tonya Evinger, Jan Finney, Kelly Kobold and Sarah Schneider, among others.

 

An Australian native, Blencowe is a world-class athlete and former Women’s International Boxing Association World light welterweight champion. After turning her attention to MMA in 2013, Blencowe initially garnered only mixed results as she adjusted to life in the sport. However, she has racked up three-consecutive stoppage wins as of late, and that run earned her a call from Bellator MMA.

 

Bunch is one of MMA’s most elite-level wrestlers as a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and two-time U.S. Olympic Team alternate. He now trains with the famed American Kickboxing Academy banner and has spent his entire professional MMA career under the Bellator MMA banner.

 

Meanwhile, Alliance MMA product Perez is a 10-year veteran of the sport who made his Bellator MMA in November and fought to a rarely-seen split draw. Still, Perez is unbeaten in his past four contests and now looks to get his first win in the promotion.

 

Yoo, of Irvine, Calif., makes his professional debut. He meets Morales, of Carson, Calif., who picked up a submission victory in the Bellator cage in his first professional contest.

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove”Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael Silva (22-4)

 

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: A.J. Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben Reiter (14-0)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

 

Dark Fights (approx. 11 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert Morales (1-0)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Shawn Bunch (3-1) vs. Rolando Perez (7-4)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Steve Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene Blencowe (5-4)

 

“Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” adds top bantamweights Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell vs. Rafael “Morcego” Silva to evening’s Spike-televised main card

 

EASY TWEET: #BellatorMMA adds @morcego_mma and @thewolf_mma to the May 15 Event headlined by @BrandBullHalsey & @kendallgrovemma

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 15, 2015) – A four-fight Spike-broadcast main card for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” has received another thrilling contest, as undefeated bantamweight prospect Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0) takes on Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4).

 

The new addition finalizes the four-bout main card for “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove,” which includes undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapperKendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), and welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs.“Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1).

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

 

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 45 minutes later.

 

Two new bouts have also been added to the night’s preliminary card, with middleweights A.J. “The Mercenary” Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben “The Hunter” Reiter (15-0) and lightweights Steve “Thunderbeast” Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1).

 

Additionally, a light heavyweight matchup of Virgil “Rezdog” Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. “Razor” Razak Al-Hassan (12-4) that was initially announced as a main-card matchup will now be featured on the night’s preliminary card, instead.

 

Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

A New Jersey native now fighting out of Arizona, Caldwell was a Division I wrestler at North Carolina State. Caldwell made his MMA debut in 2012 and has kept his record perfect through the first six fights of his career, including Bellator MMA wins over Anthony Dizy, Joe Pingitore and Lance Surma. Previously competing as a featherweight, the 27-year-old Caldwell now moves down to the bantamweight division.

 

He now faces “Morcego” Silva, a battle-tested 30-year-old fighter with championship-level experience in the Bellator MMA cage. With nearly a decade of professional fights to his name, Silva is an incredible 14-1 in his past 15 overall appearances. His only loss during that run was a 25-minute decision against former Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Joe Warren. Seventeen of Silva’s 22 career wins have come by stoppage, including eight knockouts and nine submissions.

 

A former cast member on Bellator MMA’s “Fight Master” series, Matthews fought most recently in November, earning a decision win over Kyle Bolt. He now meets undefeated prospect Reiter, an intriguing individual who left Wall Street to pursue a career in MMA and now fights for the second time under the Bellator MMA banner after spending much of his early career in Peru.

 

Kozola, of San Diego, Calif., fights for the second time under the Bellator MMA banner after debuting with a knockout victory over Jonathan Rivera in January. He now meets Butler, who returns to the promotion after a November Bellator MMA debut that saw him suffer a submission loss to Joao Paulo Faria.

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove”Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael Silva (22-4)

 

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: A.J. Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben Reiter (14-0)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

 

Dark Bouts (approx. 11 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Steve Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1)

“Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” preliminary card takes shape with Jesse Juarez vs. Ricky Rainey, Joe Taimanglo vs. Antonio Duarte, and Jordan Parsons-Julio Cesar Neves Jr.

 

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 9, 2015) – A talent-laden preliminary card for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” event is starting to take shape with the addition of welterweights Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky “The Sniper” Rainey (10-3), bantamweights Joe “The Juggernaut” Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio “Tigre” Duarte (18-5) and featherweight Jordan “Pretty Boy” Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar “Morceguinho” Neves Jr. (30-0).

 

The new additions complement the four-bout main card for “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove,” which includes undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), light heavyweights Virgil “Rezdog” Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. “Razor” Razak Al-Hassan (12-4) and welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1).

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

 

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 3:30 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 30 minutes later. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Juarez, of Torrance, Calif., is a seven-time Bellator MMA veteran whose days with the company date back to the promotion’s second show. The 33-year-old has been fighting professionally since 2006 but is currently enjoying one of the best runs of his career at 5-1 in his past six appearances, a run that includes Bellator MMA wins over Ron Keslar, Joe Williams and Jordan Smith.

 

Rainey, of Gastonia, N.C., fights for the fourth time under the Bellator MMA banner. All three of Rainey’s Bellator MMA fights have ended in the first round, as he’s bracketed TKO wins over Johnny Cisneros and Andy Murad around a loss to top contender Michael “Venom” Page. Seven of Rainey’s 10 career wins have come by finish, including six by knockout.

 

A five-time Bellator MMA veteran, Taimanglo has quickly established himself as one of Guam’s top fighting exports. A scrappy 30-year-old, Taimanglo never fails to entertain. He fought most recently in September, scoring a decision win over Michael Parker.

 

Fighting professionally since 2006, Duarte hails from Tijuana, Mexico. He makes his Bellator MMA debut on the strength of back-to-back submission wins over Marco Beristain and Ed West. Fifteen of Duarte’s 18 career wins come by way of stoppage, including 11 by tapout.

 

The 24-year-old Parsons, of Fargo, N.D., is a member of California’s famed Alliance MMA. Fighting professionally, Parsons has established himself as one of the top prospects in the world after winning 10 of his first 11 professional fights, including three by knockout and two by submission. Parsons made his Bellator MMA debut in April 2014, scoring a knockout win over Tim Bazer just four seconds into the second round.

 

Brazil’s Neves Jr. has compiled an incredible career mark of 30-0 despite being just 20 years old. Competing professionally since 2011, when he was just 17 years old, Neves Jr. already owns a pair of Bellator MMA victories by TKO, as he downed Poppies Martinez in the first round of a September 2014 matchup and finished Josh Arocho in the second round of an April 2014 contest.

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove”Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

Bellator Featured Light Heavyweight Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)

Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

 

Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)

“Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” main card complete with additions of Eduardo Dantas vs. Mike Richman, Virgil Zwicker vs. Razak Al-Hassan, Fernando Gonzalez vs. Curtis Millender

 Follow us on Twitter EASY TWEET: 

 adds three hard-hitting main card scraps, with 

@MikeUSMCRichman/@DuduDantasMMA, Zwicker/Al-Hassan & Millender/Gonzalez!

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 31, 2015) – The four-bout main card for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” is now complete with the additions of former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), light heavyweights Virgil “Rezdog” Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. “Razor” Razak Al-Hassan (12-4) and welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs.“Curtious” Curtis Millender (7-1).

Featuring undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” takes place onFriday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike TV, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 3:30 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 30 minutes later. A full preliminary card will be announced shortly.

“I’m pumped that we were able to reschedule the Dantas-Richman fight so quickly,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “Last Friday, Bellator saw two amazing bantamweight contests that produced a new champion and a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate.  Both Dantas and Richman are extremely exciting fighters who are undeniable standouts in a bantamweight division with a lot of depth.”

A key member of Brazil’s famed Nova Uniao team, Dantas has been competing professionally since 2007, fighting in both Japan and his native Brazil before making his way to Bellator MMA. The well-rounded fighter found immediate success, downing Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila to claim a tournament victory that earned Dantas a shot at the Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Title. Dantas made good on the opportunity, choking out Zach Makovsky to claim the belt.

The 25-year-old Dantas successfully defended the belt twice with a knockout of current champ Marcos Galvao and a submission win over Anthony Leone before losing a hard-fought October decision to former champ Joe Warren in a “Fight of the Year” candidate.

Meanwhile, United States Marine Corps veteran Richman began his professional career in 2008, earning an impressive 11-1 record fighting exclusively in his home state of Minnesota. That run earned him a call from Bellator MMA, where he promptly earned knockout wins over Chris Horodecki and Jeremy Spoon in a combined time of just 106 seconds. Mixed results would follow, as he scored wins over Mitch Jackson, Alexandre Bezerra and Akop Stepanyan but fell short against the featherweight division’s very best fighters in Goiti Yamauchi, Desmond Green, Magomedrasul Khasbulaev and Shahbulat Shamhalaev.

The losses prompted Richman to make a move down to 135 pounds, and the choice has paid immediate dividends. The 29-year-old Richman has looked unbeatable at bantamweight, registering devastating first-round knockout wins over Nam Phan and Ed West.

The heavy-handed Zwicker fights in his hometown while making his fifth Bellator MMA appearance. The 32-year-old Team Quest fighter appeared most recently in January, earning a hard-fought split-decision victory over Houston Alexander. A striker by nature, nine of Zwicker’s 13 career wins have come by way of knockout.

Al-Hassan makes his Bellator MMA debut. Also 32 years old, the Roufusport fighter has been competing professionally since 2007 and has earned 11 of his 12 career wins by stoppage. However, in contrast to his opponent, Al-Hassan owns eight of those victories by submission. Al-Hassan returns from a two-year layoff from competition.

Gonzalez is hoping to earn his way to a shot at the Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title with another impressive victory. A native of Menifee, Calif., the 31-year-old has looked absolutely unstoppable in a three-fight Bellator MMA run, scoring consecutive victories over MMA notables Marius Zaromskis, Karo Parisyan and Karl Amoussou.

Millender hails from San Bernadino, Calif. The 27-year-old opened his professional career in 2013 with seven consecutive wins, earning him a spot on the Bellator MMA roster. However, in his promotional debut, he was forced to submit to a rear-naked choke against top contender Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward. Millender now looks to rebound from that loss and earn his first Bellator MMA victory.

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” – Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

Bellator Featured Light Heavyweight Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)

Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.