Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE EARNS SHUTOUT VICTORY IN BELLATOR’S HISTORIC, FIRST-EVER INTERNATIONAL EVENT

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ALL OF ITALY GOES WILD FOR THEIR HERO ALESSIO SAKARA AFTER KNOCKOUT VICTORY

Credit: Bellator MMA

TORINO, ITALY. (April 15, 2016) – An electric, packed house was on hand Saturday night to bear witness to Bellator MMA’s inaugural international event, “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza,” at Italy’s largest indoor arena, The Pala Alpitour. The venue, which housed several events during the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, provided an incredible atmosphere for the historic card.

In the main event of the evening, Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (16-7) welcomed Kevin Souza (15-5) to Bellator MMA with a unanimous decision loss (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). The matchup between the two Brazillians was well contested, as Souza took the fight on short notice after replacing Derek Camposbecause of injury only a week ago. “Pitbull” spent much of the bout trying to figure out his opponent’s unorthodox style, but in the third and final round, “Pitbull” was able to score a couple solid shots and a takedown to cement his position on the scorecards.

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

Few fighters can inspire a nation the way that Rome’s Alessio Sakara (18-11) had his Italian countrymen rooting for him tonight. The support paid off, as “Legionarius” got the better of Brian Rogers (12-9) in a slugfest for the ages. Crisp, precise, power-punches connected with Rogers putting him on the canvas, forcing the TKO stoppage at 2:29 of round two and making Sakai’s Bellator debut one to remember.

DIVISION ON LOCK? MCKEE’S GOT THE KEY

One of MMA’s hottest prospects, A.J. McKee (4-0) defeated Milan’s Danilo Belluardo (5-2) in front of his home crowd on Friday. Although the audience was raucous in support for Belluardo, they cheered with great appreciation for McKee’s performance and sportsmanship following his victory. During his fight against J.T. Donaldson at “Bellator 147: Thomson vs. Villaseca,” McKee was cut above the eye, the sight of his own blood seemed to cause the 20-year-old to hit the turbo button. Similarly tonight, McKee was on the wrong side of an accidental low blow and after a short resting period, “Mercenary” came out swinging with a torrid pace, ultimately connecting with a left kick to the ribs of Belluardo that sent him falling to the mat. The referee gave him a moment to defend himself but McKee rained down an efficient flurry of ground and pound, earning the TKO at 2:44 of the very first frame. Sending a message to Scott Coker and the very deep Bellator featherweight division that he means business, McKee said in his post-fight interview: “If you ain’t got the belt, I ain’t got my eye on you.”

A STAR IS BORN IN ANASTASIA YANKOVA

Anastasia Yankova (3-0) quickly fought her way into a full mount against Anjela Pink (0-1) and applied a slick armbar submission to hand Pink a loss in her professional debut at 1:35 of the opening round. The young Russian striker has had the Italian fans clamoring to see her in action all week long, and had them on their feet celebrating her first-round victory. Yankova has now finished all of her professional MMA fights via submission and after the bout made it clear that she will be in action sooner, rather than later, “I promise to come back soon and have my second fight in Bellator, Yankova said. “It is really great to be a part of Bellator, I feel really happy.”

HOMETOWN HEROES IMPRESS IN BELLATOR DEBUT

Two Italian competitors who regularly compete with Oktagon, Daniele Scatizzi (7-2) and Daniele Miceli (2-1) kicked things off at “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” with a fast paced featherweight scrap. Scatizzi was able to secure a dominant position on Miceli’s back, sinking his hooks in and raining down unanswered strikes, forcing referee “Big John” McCarthy to call a stop to the action at 3:20 of round one and declaring Rome’s Scatizzi victorious by TKO.

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

THE WAIT IS OVER – ‘PITBULL’ & SOUZA ARE READY FOR ACTION AT ‘BELLATOR 152’ TOMORROW

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Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

 

TORINO, ITALY. (April 15, 2016) – After Friday’s weigh-ins at the Turin Palace Hotel, all of the “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” competitors are set to enter the cage inside of Italy’s largest indoor arena, The Pala Alpitour.  The event airs on SPIKE tomorrow, Saturday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

 

The mixed martial arts portion of Bellator MMA’s first event overseas will also include the promotional debut of Italian fan-favorite Alessio Sakara (17-11), who faces Brian Rogers (12-8) in a light heavyweight matchup and one of MMA’s most promising young prospects, A.J. McKee (3-0), who fights Danilo Belluardo (5-1) at 145-pounds.

 

Also, Anastasia Yankova (2-0) will make her promotional debut against Anjela Pink in MMA flyweight action and Oktagon competitorsDaniele Miceli (2-0) and Daniele Scatizzi (6-2) will round out the MMA card with a featherweight showdown.

 

Main Card: (Live on SPIKE – 10 p.m. ET/PT)

 

Kevin Souza (70.3 kg / 155.2 lbs.) vs. Patricky Freire (70.5 kg / 155.2 lbs.)

Alessio Sakara (92.25 kg / 203.9 lbs.) vs. Brian Rogers (93.05 kg / 205.3 lbs.)

Danilo Belluardo (66.05 kg / 145.4 lbs.) vs. A.J. McKee (65.95 kg / 145.5 lbs.)

Anjela Pink (58.65 kg / 129.3 lbs.) vs. Anastasia Yankova (59.35 kg / 130 lbs.)

Daniele Miceli (76.10 kg / 167.5 lbs.) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (76.2 kg / 168.2 lbs.)

mixed martial arts, MMA, NBC, World Series of Fighting

WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

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WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD COMPLETE WITH ADDITION

OF THREE NEW, STAR-STUDDED MATCHUPS

WELTERWEIGHT: JOHN HOWARD VS. THIAGO MELLER
FEATHERWEIGHT: LUIS PALOMINO VS. SHEYMON MORAES
HEAVYWEIGHT: CHRIS “HUGGY BEAR” BARNETT VS. JUSTIN WILLIS

LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 P.M. ET
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. ON FRIDAY, JUNE 17

LAS VEGAS (April 12, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) today announced the addition of three star-studded matchups to complete the main card for its WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland world heavyweight championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event, live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. on Friday, June 17.

In a second heavyweight matchup, dynamic, rising star Chris “Huggy Bear” Barnett (14-2) will make his World Series of Fighting debut against Team AKA prodigy Justin Willis (4-1).

Also stepping in the decagon cage for the first time, battle-tested warrior John “Doomsday” Howard (23-12) will collide with submission expert Thiago “Minu” Meller (20-7) in a welterweight (170 pounds) affair.

In a featherweight (145 pounds) scrap between two prolific strikers, Luis “Baboon” Palomino (24-12) will face off with former world championship challenger Sheymon Moraes (8-1).

In the main event, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1) while, in the lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event, superstars Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High (19-5) and Mike “The Martian” Ricci (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

Chris Barnett vs. Justin Willis

After spending the last year and a half making waves in Japan, the 5-foot-9, 29-year-old Barnett of Tampa, Fla. will suit up as “Huggy Bear,” and make his way onto a major stage in the U.S. for the first time in his career.

With heavy hands and tremendous agility for a fighter of his massive stature, Barnett has notched 12 of his 14 career victories by way of (T)KO, and has celebrated his wins in flamboyant fashion, with everything from cartwheels to breakdancing to hand stands.

Like Barnett, the stocky, 6-foot-3, 28-year-old Willis, a training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) greats Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier, has been enjoying success in Japan under the promotion of Inoki Genome Federation (IFG).

Willis will make his first start of 2016, and look to extend his win streak to four consecutive bouts.  In his last effort on August 29, he earned a unanimous decision over Rizvan Kuniev in Tokyo.

Luis Palomino vs. Sheymon Moraes

The 5-foot-8, 35-year-old Palomino of Miami, Fla. via Lima, Peru is coming off an epic year in which he engaged in two, all-out wars with reigning, undefeated World Series of Fighting lightweight champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje, both of which earned “Fight of the Month” honors.

After closing out 2015 with a gutsy appearance in World Series of Fighting’s first-ever, one-night, eight-man tournament in which he scored a devastating, first round (4:55) TKO (punches) on Rich Patishnock in the event’s quarterfinal stage, before being stopped in the semifinal stage of battle via second round (4:19) TKO (punches) at the hands of eventual tournament winner Brian Foster, Palomino will return to the featherweight division where he has held two world titles.

The 5-foot-8, 25-year-old Moraes of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil returned to form in his last bout, decimating fellow knockout artist Robbie “Problems” Peralta by way of TKO (punches) in the second round (3:21) of their matchup at WSOF26.

A seasoned Muay Thai stylist, Moraes ran to seven straight victories in his first seven starts as a professional MMA competitor before being handed his first career defeat by way of third round (3:46) submission (rear-naked choke) in a title bid against reigning bantamweight (135 pounds) champion Marlon Moraes.

John Howard vs. Thiago Meller

Following his second stint with the UFC that spanned seven bouts and included victories over Uriah Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada and Cathal Pendred, the 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Mass. will aim to rebound from a second round (:21) KO (punches) loss to Tim Means on December 10.

To date, Howard has notched 15 of his 23 career victories by way of (T)KO or submission.  During his initial run with the UFC between January 2009 and June 2011, Howard scored a memorable, third round (4:55) KO (punches) on submission ace Dennis “Superman” Hallman on December 5, 2009, marking his third consecutive conquest in the league.

Meller of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil will look to collect his second win in a row, following his first round submission (rear-naked choke) of Leonardo Rodriguez on June 26, 2015.

The 5-foot-10, 33-year-old Meller, a near 13-year veteran of the sport, has emerged victorious in 14 of his 20 career wins, by way of submission.

The preliminary bout card lineup for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland will be announced soon.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for the event are on sale at WSOF.com and Foxwoods.com.

Doors at The Grand Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino will open for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland, at 5 p.m. ET, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 6 p.m.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BOTH ‘PITBULL BROTHERS’ RECEIVE NEW OPPONENTS AHEAD OF BELLATOR 152 & BELLATOR 153

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SANTA MONICA, CA. (April 11, 2016) – Injuries to both Derek Campos and John Teixeira have forced Bellator MMA to find replacements to compete against brothers Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (15-7) and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-3) on April 16 and 22 respectively.

As a result, the Scott Coker-led promotion has put its newest free agent acquisition to work immediately, with the news that Kevin Souza (15-4) will compete against Patricky at 155-pounds, in the first fight of his freshly inked multi-fight contract during the main event of “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza.”

Meanwhile, in the co-main event of “Bellator 153: Henderson vs. Koreshkov,” Patricio will now fight the tenacious Henry Corrales (12-2), who agreed to face the former Bellator MMA Featherweight Champion on less than two weeks notice.

“Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” will also include the promotional debut of Italian fan-favorite Alessio Sakara (17-11), who faces Brian Rogers (12-8) in a light heavyweight matchup, while one of MMA’s most promising young prospects, A.J. McKee (3-0), fights Danilo Belluardo (5-1) at 145-pounds. Also, Anastasia Yankova (2-0) will make her promotional debut against Anjela Pink in MMA flyweight action and Oktagon competitors Daniele Miceli (2-0) and Daniele Scatizzi (6-2) will round out the MMA card with a featherweight showdown.

“Bellator 153: Henderson vs. Koreshkov” is also brimming with must-see mixed martial arts action as well, with the promotional debut of Benson Henderson (23-5), who challenges Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) for the 170-pound strap, Brennan Ward (13-3) goes to battle against “Cyborg” Santos (20-16), Michael “Venom” Page (9-0) faces Jeremie Holloway (7-1), and Brent Primus (6-0) meets “Toninho Furia” (27-5).

“Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” airs on SPIKE Saturday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, while “Bellator 153: Henderson vs. Koreshkov” airs at a special start time of 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT, which is immediately followed by the debut of “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Fresh off an emphatic knockout of Ryan Couture at “Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich” to kickoff 2016, Patricky “Pitbull” will look to extend his current winning streak when he takes on the debuting Kevin Souza.

A member of the Blackzilians, the 31-year-old has been victorious in 10 of his last 11 fights as a professional and put together an impressive 3-1 run with the UFC. The multi-time, post-fight bonus award winner has a knack for the spectacular, with 10 finishes coming in the opening round and 13 out of 15 victories ending before reaching the judges’ scorecards. The Salvador native has competed exclusively at 145-pounds, but due to the fight being on short notice, Souza will step up and compete against “Pitbull” at lightweight.

Henry Corrales continues his run of never turning down a fight in Bellator MMA, after agreeing to fight Patricio “Pitbull.” The fight will be Corrales’ third in the Viacom-owned promotion, after bouts against current featherweight titlist Daniel Straus and newly re-signed contender Emanuel Sanchez. A former King of the Cage bantamweight champion, “OK” has finished 10 of his 12 wins as a pro.

Complete “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” Main Card:

Bellator MMA Lightweight Main Event: Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (15-7) vs. Edimilson “Kevin” Souza (15-4)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Alessio Sakara (17-11) vs. Brian Rogers (12-8)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (3-0) vs. Danilo Belluardo (5-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Anastasia Yankova (2-0) vs. Anjela Pink (Debut)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Daniele Miceli (2-0) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (6-2)

Complete “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” Main Card:

Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title Bout: Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) vs. Benson Henderson (23-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main Event: Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-3) vs. Henry Corrales (12-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Brennan Ward (13-3) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (20-16)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Michael Page (9-0) vs. Jeremie Holloway (7-1)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Brent Primus (6-0) vs. Gleristone “Toninho Furia” Santos (27-5)

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, 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 spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @SpikeTVPR for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About Oktagon:

Carlo Di Blasi created Oktagon in 1996. At its beginning the show was dedicated to free fight, the name that was given initially to MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Other disciplines such as Kickboxing, Muay Thai and Savate were gradually added from the early 2000’s onwards. During the last 20 years Oktagon has reached a huge popularity, both in Italy and abroad, creating many superstars in the process including Bellator welterweight Paul Daley as well as The Petrosyan brothers (Giorgio and Armen), Robin Van Roosmalen, Valentijn Overeem, Rico Verhoeven and Artem Levin.

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA

Emeev advances to M-1 Global Grand Prix Middleweight Championship

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Kunchenko captures
M-1 Challenge welterweight title
 
M-1 Challenge 65 Official Results

– Photo Gallery Below –
 
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (April 10, 2016) – M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev won last night at M-1 Challenge 65 to advance to the M-1 Global Grand Prix Middleweight Championship, while undefeated challenger Alexey Kunchenkodefeated defending champion Murad “Hunter” Abdulaev to become the new M-1 Challenge welterweight titlist, at CSC Sibur Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia.
 
Ramazan (14-3-0, M-1: 810), the 2015 M-1 Global Fighter of the Year, used a choke hold on his Brazilian opponent, Maiquel “Big Rig” Facao (35-9-0, M-1: 0-1-0), in their M-1 Grand Prix middleweight semifinals match.  The main event ended at the 2:50 mark of the opening round as Ramazan advances to face three-time Bellator champion Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (51-9-0, M-1: 2-0-0) in the upcoming M-1 Grand Prix Middleweight Championship showdown.
Emeev finishes off Falcao
 
In the co-feature, undefeated Russian Alexey Kunchenko (13-0-0, M-1: 5-0-0) wrested the M-1 Challenge welterweight title from his fellow countryman, defending champion Murad “Hunter” Abdulaev (14-1-0, M-1: 5-1-0), whose corner stopped the bout in the fourth round.
 
New champ Kunchenko strikes
 
Former M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Max Divnich (12-1-0, M-1: 6-1-0) put himself back into title contention with an impressive second-round stoppage on punches of M-1 Global-debuting American opponent Robert “TQ” Turnquest (5-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0).
 
Russian middleweight prospect Artem Frolov (6-0-0, M-1: 2-0-0) kept his unbeaten pro record intact, submitting Kristijan “Klitschko” Perak (8-3-1, M-1: 0-2-1) in the first round by way of an arm-bar.
 
Rounding out the main card, Russian welterweight Sergei Romanov (8-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0) stopped Brazilian Sergio “Sergingo” de Fatima (12-3-1, M-1: 0-1-0) in the first round of a battle featuring a pair making their M-1 Global debut.
 
On the preliminary card, Russian light heavyweight Murad Kamilov (6-5-0, M-1: 1-1-0) was victorious when the corner of Brazilian veteran Charles “Gracie” Andrade (28-28-0, M-1: 1-3-0) corner stopped the match in the second round, Russian welterweight Danila Prikaza(3-0-1, M-1: 2-0-0) remained unbeaten with a first-round stoppage of Azerbaijan foe Manaf Damirli (1-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Ukrainian lightweight Alexander “Iron Capture” Butenko(40-11-0, M-1: 7-1-0) won his 40th pro fight with a three-round decision over GermanSascha Sharma (8-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russian lightweight Damir Ismagulov (5-2-0, M-1: 3-1-0) forced an opening-round submission of Ukrainian Vyacheslav Ten (12-8-2, M-1: 0-2-0) via a rear naked choke, and in a St. Petersburg MMA SuperCup match, RussianSalman Magomedov (3-0-0, M-1: 0-1-0) choked out Georgian pro-debuting Zurab Jojua (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0) with an arm triangle in the second round.
Complete results:
 
MAIN CARD
M-1 GLOBAL GRAND PRIX MIDDLEWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – SEMIFINALS
Ramazan Emeev (14-3-0, M-1: 8-1-0), Russia
WSUB 1 (Choke – 2:50)
Maiquel Falcaio (35-6-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Brazil
M-1 CHALLENGE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Alexey Kunchenko (13-0-0, M-1: 5-0-0), Russia
WTKO4 (Corner Stoppage – 3:12)
Murad “Hunter” Abdulaev (13-2-0, M-1: 4-2-0), Russia
 (Kunchenko won M-1 Challenge welterweight title)
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Maxim Divnich (12-1-0, M-1: 6-1-0), Russia
WKO/TKO2 (Punches – 4:40)
Robert “Turnquest (5-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), USA
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Artem Frolov (6-0-0, (M-1: 3-0-0), Russia
WSUB1 (Armbar – 4:54
Kristijan Perak (8-3-1, M-1: 0-2-1), Croatia
WELTERWEIGHTS
Sergei Romanov (8-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
WKO/TKO1 (Punches – 3:44)
Sergio de Fatima (12-2-1, M-1), Brazil
PRELIMINARY CARD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Murad Kamilov (6-5-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Russia
WSUB2 (Corner Stoppage – 3:35)
Charles Andrade (28-28-0, M-1: 1-3-0), Brazil
Danila Prikaza (3-0-1, M-1: 2-0-0), Russia
WTKO1 (Punches – 4:33)
Manaf Damirli (1-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Azerbaijan
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Alexander Butenko (40-11-0, M-1: 7-1-0), Ukraine
WDEC3
Sascha Sharma (8-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Germany
Damir Ismagulov (5-2-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia
WSUB1 (Rear Naked Choke – 2:30)
Vyacheslav Ten (12-8-2, M-1: 0-2-0), Ukraine
Salman Magomedov (3-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
(Arm Triangle Choke – 3:10)
Zurab Jojua (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Georgia
 
Emeev dominated



Kunchenko & Abdulaev
Divnich kicks Turnquest
Frolov & Perak
Romanov vs. de Fatima

Prikaza rocks Damirli

Butenko & Sharma
Ismagulov & Ten
 

Magomedov & Jojua

Information

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
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Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ADAM PICCOLOTTI-JORDAN PARSONS ADDED TO MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 154: DAVIS VS. KING MO’

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (April, 8) –Bellator MMA recently announced its next tentpole event; “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo,” and with that comes a plethora of action-packed fights. The newest addition to an already electric main card is a lightweight bout pitting Adam Piccolotti (7-0) against Jordan “Pretty Boy” Parsons (11-2) at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on May 14 LIVE on SPIKE.

The matchup joins a main card that features a light heavyweight main event between “King Mo” (19-4, 1 NC) and Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (15-3, 1 NC) to determine the No. 1 contender for Liam McGeary’s title. In the co-main event, San Jose’s own Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC) will meet longtime Bellator MMA lightweight standout “Iron” Michael Chandler (14-3), who’s fresh off a new long-term contract extension with the Scott Coker-led promotion.

In addition, the card’s preliminary card has been completed; with the announcement of 10 fights, which will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. The undercard is headlined by a “Veterans Operation Wellness” bout, pitting Maurice Slade of the U.S. Army Reserve against Jorge Acosta of the California Army Nat’l Guard.

“Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo” takes place on May 14, and airs live on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and start at just $30 on Bellator.com, as well as the SAP Center Box Office and Ticketmaster.

A native of Northern California, Piccolotti has been on a mission early in his young career, earning victories in all seven of his professional bouts, including three wins since joining the Bellator MMA team. The 27-year-old submission specialist made his promotional debut against Andrew Ramm at “Bellator 133: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko,” with a unanimous decision win and then added to his impressive resume by finishing his 2015 campaign on a high note, defeating Mario Soto at “Bellator 147: Thomson vs. Villaseca.”

Jordan Parsons will be challenging Piccolotti, having won four of his last five fights and two of his first three under the Bellator MMA banner. The 25-year-old was sidelined for over a year after suffering a torn meniscus during a knockout victory over Tim Bazer in his Bellator debut at “Bellator 117.” The Michigan native returned to action at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove” in May of 2015, taking down fellow prospect Julio Cesar Neves Jr., who entered the fight with an undefeated record of 30-0. “Pretty Boy” will look to duplicate that success when he enters the cage against Adam Piccolotti at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on May 14.

Updated “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Main Event: Phil Davis (15-3, 1 NC) vs. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (19-4, 1 NC)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Co-Main Event: Michael Chandler (14-3) vs. Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Adam Piccolotti (7-0) vs. Jordan Parsons (11-2)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA (160 lb.) “VOW” Preliminary Bout: Maurice Slade (US Army Reserve) vs. Jorge Acosta (California Army Nat’l Guard)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Victor Jones (0-1) vs. Anthony Taylor (0-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (3-0) vs. Martin Sano (4-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Josh Paiva (7-1) vs. Steven Gruber (5-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Sam Spengler (8-5) vs. Doyle Childs (2-1)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Josh San Diego (6-1) vs. Jeremiah Labiano (9-4)

Bellator MMA (130 lb.) Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Alvin Cacdac (16-12) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (10-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Thomas Diagne (5-5-1) vs. Mark Dickman (10-2)

Bellator MMA Strawweight Preliminary Bout: Stephanie Frausto (5-5) vs. Jamielene Nievara (3-1)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Brandon Hester (3-0) vs. Nick Pica (5-0)

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

RAZZLE DAZZLE AND DUSTIN VEINOTT PREPARE TO CAGE THE CAPE ON MAY 14

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Hyannis, Massachusetts (April 8, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will bring Cape Cod its first sanctioned mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event this spring.  The event, entitled “NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” will take place on May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center (HYCC) in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Both professional and amateur MMA bouts will be presented that evening.  Earlier today, NEF announced the first amateur bout on the fight card.  Ryan “Razzle Dazzle” Kane (4-3) will meet Dustin Veinott (4-4) in a three-round amateur flyweight bout at a fight weight of 125-pounds.

 

At age eighteen, Ryan Kane burst onto the New England MMA scene in early 2014.  And while eighteen may seem like an early start, Kane had already established himself in combat sports at a younger age.  In 2011, and then again in 2012, Kane medaled in the World Pankration Championships in Greece.  The Plymouth, Massachusetts-native trains with Team Juniko and Sityodtong.  Kane will be looking to rebound from a first-round loss in his last MMA bout earlier this year.

 

“I train with the best to become the best,” said Kane when reached for comment.  “I will outclass Dustin anywhere this fight goes.  If he’s judging me from my last fight, he’s in for a very long night.  I promise you I’m hungrier than ever and I’m ready to eat.”

 

Dustin Veinott began his amateur MMA career at 0-3.  Refusing to give up, Veinott came roaring back, winning his next four in a row.  In June 2015, he captured the NEF MMA Amateur Flyweight Title, losing it later that year to Ryan Burgess (2-0) in a very close split decision on the judges’ scorecards.  Veinott trains at Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) in Lewiston, Maine.  The bout on May 14 will be Veinott’s first outside of his home state of Maine.

 

“Losing the title has made me more determined than I have ever been – especially after the way I lost the belt,” said Veinott of the split-decision loss to Burgess.  “I’m eager to step up in competition and get into the cage with someone who trains at the level that he trains.  Razzle Dazzle is very well-rounded, but I don’t think anyone has seen me at my full potential.  I truly hope he doesn’t underestimate me.  I have trained very hard for this fight and I am ready to showcase the things I have been working on.  I will show up prepared and ready for a war!”

 

“NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” takes place Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Tickets for “NEF 23” are $40 for general admission and $60 for cageside.  They are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets/ .

 

For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA

M-1 Challenge 65:  OFFICIAL WEIGHTS

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April 9 in St. Petersburg, Russia
WATCH FOR FREE ON M1.GLOBAL.TV
 
MAIN CARD
MAIN EVENT – M-1 GLOBAL GRAND PRIX MIDDLEWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – SEMIFINALS – 5 X 5
Ramazan Emeev (13-3-0, M-1: 7-1-0), Russia 185 lbs. (84 kg)
Maiquel “Big Rig” Falcao (35-8-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Brazil 184 ½ lbs. (83.7 kg)
CO-FEATURE – M-1 CHALLENGE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 5 X 5
Murad “Hunter” Abdulaev (13-1-0, M-1: 4-1-0), Champion, Russia 170 lbs. (77.15 kg)
Alexey Kunchenko (12-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0), Challenger, Russia 169 lbs. (76.9 kg)
LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
Maxim Divnich (11-1-0, M-1: 5-1-0), Russia 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)
Robert “TQ” Turnquest (5-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), USA 159 lbs. (72.25 kg)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
Kristijan “Klitschko” Perak (8-2-1, M-1: 0-1-1), Croatia 184 ½ lbs. (83.8 kg)
Artem Frolov (5-0-0 (M-1: 2-0-0), Russia 185 lbs. (84.0 kg)
 WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
Sergio “Serginho” de Fatima (12-2-1, M-1), Brazil 169 ½ lbs. (77.1 kg)
Sergei Romanov (7-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 169 ½ lbs. (77.1 kg)
PRELIMINARY CARD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
Charles “Gracie” Andrade (28-27-0, M-1: 1-2-0), Brazil 202 lbs. (91.95 kg)
Murad Kamilov (5-5-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia 200 ½ lbs. (91.1 kg)
Danila Prikaza (2-0-1, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia 169 ½ lbs. (77.05 kg)
Manaf Damirli (1-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Azerbaijan 169 lbs. (76.85 kg)
LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
 

Alexander “Iron Capture” Butenko (39-11-0, M-1: 6-1-0), Ukraine 154 lbs. (70.1 kg)
Sascha Sharma (8-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Germany 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)
 Vyacheslav Ten (12-7-2, M-1: 0-1-0), Ukraine 154 lbs. (70.1 kg)
Damir Ismagulov (4-2-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Russia 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)
Salman Magomedov (2-0-0), Russia 139 lbs. (63.1 kg)
Zurab Jojua (pro debut), Georgia 137 lbs. (62.3 kg)
 
WHAT:             M-1 Challenge 65
 
WHEN:             Saturday, April 8, 2016 (6 p.m. in Moscow, 10 a.m. in New York City)
WHERE:           CSC Sibur Arena, St. Petersburg, Russia
PROMOTER:    M-1 Global
M-1 Challenge 65 will be streamed for free, live from Moscow in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
 
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Bellator, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

MATT MITRIONE AND SEAN GRANDE NAMED SPIKE’S ANNOUNCING TEAM FOR BELLATOR KICKBOXING: TORINO

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New York, NY, April 7, 2016 – Matt Mitrione, a former NFL defensive lineman and current Bellator MMA heavyweight will join Bellator MMA play-by-play announcer and The Voice of the Boston Celtics, Sean Grande as the broadcast duo for Bellator’s inaugural kickboxing event, “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” on Saturday, April 16 from the historic Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy. The announcement was jointly made today by Bellator President Scott Coker and Jon Slusser, Senior Vice President, Sports and Specials, Spike TV.
Mitrione joined Bellator MMA in early March after a stellar start to his career in the UFC. His 14-bout stint with that promotion began in 2009 on “The Ultimate Fighter,” airing on Spike. His list of formidable opponents included: Kimbo Slice, Gabriel Gonzaga, Ben Rothwell, Derrick Lewis, Brendan Schaub, Roy Nelson, Shawn Jordan, and Travis Browne among others.
Prior to competing in MMA, Mitrione earned a scholarship to play defensive tackle for the Purdue Boilermakers, not far from where he grew up in Springfield, Ill. After college, he played in the NFL for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings until 2005.
Sean Grande has served as Bellator’s play-by-play announcer since July of 2015. Completing his 18th season in the NBA and 15th as the voice of the Boston Celtics, Grande’s epic account of the two-month run to the 2008 World Championship cemented his status as one of the nation’s elite play-callers.  He is joined by analyst Cedric Maxwell for all Boston Celtics games. Since shortly after their 2001 pairing, “Grande and Max” have become one of Boston’s most popular and iconic on-air combinations.
On May 20, 2013, Grande made his Major League Baseball debut, after being named the alternate play-by-play voice of the World Champion Boston Red Sox.  It completed his cycle of broadcasting major pro sports (NBA, NFL, NHL, WNBA and MLS). 
“Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will be televised Friday, April 22 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” on Spike.
Complete “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” Fight Card:
 
Bellator Kickboxing Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (37-12) vs. Alexandru Negrea (8-2)
Bellator Kickboxing 165-Pound Feature Bout: Mustapha Haida (37-3-3) vs. Karim Ghajji (95-12)
Bellator Kickboxing Welterweight Feature Bout: Raymond Daniels (10-3) vs. Francesco Moricca (15-2-1)
Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight Feature Bout: Denise Kielholtz (43-2) vs. Veronica Vernocchi (31-6-1)
Bellator Kickboxing Bantamweight Feature Bout: Kevin Ross (30-9) vs. Matteo Taccini (24-3-1)
 

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘RAMPAGE’ JACKSON TO MAIN EVENT ‘BELLATOR: DYNAMITE 2’ IN ST. LOUIS ON JUNE 24 AGAINST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST SATOSHI ISHII

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 6, 2016) – For the first time since 2014, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (36-11) will return to action for Bellator MMA when he faces Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1) in the main event of “Bellator: Dynamite 2” on June 24, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

While “Rampage” has competed at 205-pounds for a vast majority of his nearly 17-year career, this main event contest against Ishii will take place at an agreed upon catchweight of 215 pounds.

Tickets for “Bellator: Dynamite 2,” which start at just $30, go on sale this Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. CT on Ticketmaster.com and the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center, with a special Bellator Nation presale available from 10 a.m. CT to 10 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 7 for fans using the code: “BELLATOR.” Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

“Bellator: Dynamite 2” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

Exactly like the groundbreaking inaugural “Dynamite” event this past September in San Jose, both a mixed martial arts cage and kickboxing ring will cover the floor at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, giving fans in attendance the opportunity to see both iterations of combat sports on the same night.

A three-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, “Rampage” signed with the organization in 2013 and is riding a four-fight winning streak. His legendary career has seen him compete against some of the top names in the sport across multiple organizations including PRIDE and the UFC, generating a loyal army of fans along the way. Jackson is the proud owner of many epic highlight reel slams and knockouts that he’s racked up throughout his battles with guys like: Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, Kevin Randleman, Ricardo Arona, Marvin Eastman, and perhaps most-notably his trilogy with fellow Bellator warrior Wanderlei Silva.

When he’s not beating people up in his MMA fights, Jackson’s larger than life personality has earned him multiple film roles, where he’s been able to beat people up on the big screen. Now, the 37-year-old returns to action for the fourth time under the Bellator MMA banner, where he looks to improve upon his unblemished mark within the promotion. With 19 of his fights taking place in Japan, the large contingent of Japanese MMA fans will have a hard time determining who to cheer for when “Rampage” takes on Ishii in June.

Ishii is a 29-year-old powerhouse Judoka who earned Gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing after defeating the best the world had to offer in the +100 kg division. Now fully focused on mixed martial arts, the Japanese star has competed in his home country almost exclusively throughout his 20-fight professional career and will be making his stateside debut on June 24 against “Rampage.” With half of his victories coming before reaching the judges’ scorecards, it’s worth noting that three of Ishii’s defeats have come at the hands of some of greatest the sport has to offer, such as Mirko Cro Cop and Fedor Emelianenko. Most recently, the judoka competed at light heavyweight for Rizin FF, during the promotion’s inaugural card on New Year’s Eve Weekend.

Updated “Bellator: Dynamite 2” Fight Card

Bellator MMA (215 lb.) Main Event: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (36-11) vs. Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1)