Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

Pib xyaum ua MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA

TRASH TALK BEGINS AROUND FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT AT NEF 22

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Lewiston, Maine (Lub ob hlis ntuj 12, 2016) - Tshiab England Fights (NEF), America lub xov tooj-ib regional sib ntaus qib, yuav tuav nws tom ntej no kev tshwm sim, “NEF 22: TAG NRHO txoj kev ua tau NTAWM NO” rau Saturday, Plaub Hlis Ntuj 22, 2016nyob rau Androscoggin txhab nyiaj Colisée nyob rau hauv Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Nyuam qhuav pib hnub no, NEF announced the addition of a featherweight contest to the amateur portion of the “NEF 22” sib ntaus card. Bantamweight Champion Johnny Crafts (4-0) will move up in weight to face Taylor Costantino (2-1) at 145-pounds.

 

Crafts was successful last Saturday in his attempt to capture the inaugural NEF MMA Amateur Bantamweight Title. He took out Henry Clark (3-2) in the third round of their bout in Lewiston. Crafts is a decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) brown belt out of Team New England United (TSHIAB). He also cross-trains with Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) nyob rau hauv Lewiston.

 

“I’m excited to step up to 145 to fight Taylor,” said Crafts of the upcoming matchup with Costantino. “I will be very strong at that weight seeing as I cut pretty extensively to make 135. It will allow me to focus on different areas this camp instead of putting a lot of my energy into cutting weight.”

 

Costantino is himself coming off a big win last Saturday at “NEF 21.” It took him a mere 25-seconds to down Frank Johanson (0-1), a training partner of Crafts at CMBJJ, nyob rau hauv thawj puag ncig. Costantino is clear that he is coming to fight on Plaub Hlis Ntuj 23, and he does not plan on engaging in a grappling contest with Crafts.

 

“Respect to him for coming up in weight,” said Costantino of Crafts. “He’s a glorified pajama warrior that has never been punched in the face with any type of authority. He will clinch quickly and look for the takedown. He’ll realize real quick that he has never fought or trained with anybody like me.”

 

Crafts and Costantino are not strangers to one another. Several years ago, the two met in a jiu-jitsu tournament with Crafts coming out on top.

 

“Taylor and I have competed before in a sport jiu-jitsu tournament,” recalled Crafts. “Taylor says I am a glorified pajama warrior who has never been punched in the face, but if I recall correctly, I submitted him without my ‘pajamas’ no-gi in that tournament pretty quickly. I train with a lot of very talented and tough fighters daily who punch me in the face very hard. People say the same thing about me not getting punched – zoo, I have had four fights and they just haven’t had the chance to. Anyone who has trained with high-level fighters will tell you that gi jiu-jitsu only makes you more of a technical fighter. If he doesn’t believe that, that is fine – he will feel it on April 23rd.”

 

“Johnny did submit me when I first moved to Maine,” Costantino admitted. “Legit submission, and his pure grappling is definitely high level. My grappling is MMA based, not slow jitsu. It’s grimy, grueling and punishing. Pure grappling, I would worry about his game. But it’s a fight, sport jiu-jitsu means next to nothing to me.

 

“I wish I could say people will get to see my whole game, but I can’t guarantee that. Johnny will feel my power and look to go to his comfort zone. I will break him, you will see quit in his eyes.”

 

“After Taylor won in impressive fashion at NEF 21, he immediately screamed at me while still inside the cage that he wanted a black belt for his next challenge,” hais tias NEF co-tswv tsev thiab matchmaker Matt Peterson. “Zoo, he’s getting a brown belt in Johnny Crafts who, by all accounts, is due to receive his black belt any day, is a perfect 4-0 in the cage and is the current NEF amateur bantamweight champion. This fight is dripping with drama and will define a future top contender for the featherweight title in NEF’s stacked 145-pound division.”

 

Tshiab hais Fights 'tom ntej no cov kev tshwm sim, "NEF 22: TAG NRHO txoj kev ua tau NTAWM NO,"Yuav siv sij hawm qhov chaw Saturday, Plaub Hlis Ntuj 23, 2016 nyob rau Androscoggin txhab nyiaj Colisée nyob rau hauv Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 thiab yog muag tam sim no nyob www.TheColisee.com los yog los ntawm hu rau Colisée chaw ua hauj lwm ntawm 207.783.2009 x 525. Yog xav paub ntxiv nyob rau hauv cov kev tshwm sim thiab kev sib ntaus card tshiab, thov mus saib cov qib lub website ntawm www.NewEnglandFights.com. Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, koj yuav saib NEF yeeb yaj duab ntawm www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, ua raws li lawv nyob rau Twitternefights thiab koom nrog cov nom Facebook pab pawg neeg "New England Fights."

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Ntsia hlau loj TV

MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT PITTING KENDALL GROVE AGAINST FRANCISCO FRANCE COMPLETES ‘BELLATOR 150’ MAIN CARD

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Raug Monica, California. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 11, 2015) – A fifth and final main card fight has been added to “Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2” at Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas on Lub ob hlis ntuj 26, with the news that Kendall Grove (22-15) has agreed to fight Francisco “Kiko” France (13-3-1).

 

Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, Bellator MMA’s Bantamweight Championship will be on the line in a rematch pitting Marcos "Loro" Galvao (17-6-1) tiv thaiv yav tas los yeej Eduardo "Dudu" Dantas (17-4) and hometown favorite, David Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) will return to action against Bobby Cooper (12-5). "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2 " also features the Bellator MMA debut of newly signed women’s flyweight Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), when she meets Rebecca Ruth (5-1) and a heavyweight co-main event of Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) tiv thaiv Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

 

The contests make up the televised portion of “Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2,” uas airs nyob rau ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App.

 

Daim pib rau "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2 " uas pib ntawm cia li $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, raws li tau zoo raws li lub Kansas Star Arena chaw ua hauj lwm.

Grove capped off 2015 with an emphatic knockout of Joey Beltran ntawm "Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis," nyob rau hauv lub Cuaj Hli Ntuj. The winner of “The Ultimate Fighter: 3," has fought professionally since 2003 for promotions all around the world, notably ProElite and UFC. This will be “Da Spyder’s” sixth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner as he hopes to climb back towards a 185-pound title shot – he competed for the gold last year against Brandon Halsey.

 

A veteran of Strikeforce, “Kiko” has strung together a five-fight winning streak as of late, most recently handing the formerly undefeated Ben Reiter the first loss of his young career at "Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef. " It’s safe to classify the 33-year-old Arizona native as a “submission specialist,"Nrog 12 ntawm nws 13 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent tap.

Sau kom tiav "Bellator 150: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title Main Event: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco Fabkis (13-3-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3) vs. Rebecca Ruth (5-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Gregory Babene (16-11) vs. Brandon Farran (12-10)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Gaston Reyno (5-0) vs. Chuka Willis (6-2)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: David Hammons (1-1) vs. Kyle Noblitt (1-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (4-0) vs. Julian Marquez (2-0)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Marcio Navarro (14-11) vs. Henry Lindsay (4-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Thai Clark (5-0) vs. Deron Carlis (4-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Manny Meraz (7-1) vs. Andre Fialho (5-0)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Ntsia hlau loj TV

GILBERT SMITH REPLACES MICHAEL PAGE, FACES FERNANDO GONZALEZ IN ‘BELLATOR 151’ CO-MAIN EVENT

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SIRWAN KAKAI MAKES PROFESSIONAL DEBUT AGAINST JOE TAIMANGLO

Raug Monica, California. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 10, 2015) – The main card of "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” rauLub peb hlis ntuj 4 is complete with today’s announcement that Gilbert Smith (12-4) will replace Michael Page and now face Fernando Gonzalez (24-13) in the evening’s co-main event.

 

Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, Sirwan Kakai (12-3) yuav ua kom nws debut promotional tiv thaiv Joe Taimanglo (21-6) in the fourth and final main card contest. Seven preliminary scraps have also been confirmed and can be found below.

Daim pib rau "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” are on sale now and start at just $45. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino and Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Qhov rooj rau cov kev tshwm sim qhib 5:00 p.m. I hauv zos lub sij hawm, with the first contest taking place one hour later.

"Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” airs nyob thiab dawb nyob rau ntawm cov ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, while preliminary boutswill stream live on Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App.

 

Smith will be making his Bellator MMA debut against a fighter who is currently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak. "Ib tag hmo Magic” is on a bit of a roll of his own, coming into the promotion riding a two-bout winning streak. A veteran of UFC and most recently RFA, Smith won the regional promotion’s welterweight belt in June, defending the title one time before signing with Bellator.

 

Gonzalez took a brief hiatus from MMA to compete in the kickboxing portion of the groundbreaking "Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1 " event in September, losing a tightly contest decision to world-renowned striker Paul "Semtex" Daley. Gonzalez now returns to his comfort zone of MMA, where he has strung together an impressive four-fight winning streak. A veteran of the Scott Coker-founded Strikeforce promotion, as well as World Extreme Cagefighting, Gonzalez has been competing professionally since 2003.

 

Kakai is one of Bellator MMA’s latest signings, joining the fray after a two-fight stint in the UFC. “Zohan," 26, hails from Sweden and owns 10 finishes in his 12 victories as a professional fighter. With a bantamweight title fight one-week prior and another marquee 135-pound pairing in the main event, it will be interesting to see what a win does for Kakai in the grand scheme of things.

 

Taimanglo will be making his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, and is riding a two-fight winning streak. A Guam-native, “The Juggernaut” has stopped his opponent in 21 of his victories and has only lost twice in his last 14 fights. Look for the 31-year-old to make an impression against the bantamweight division’s newest commodity.

 

Tshiab "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Joe Warren (13-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (8-0)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Gilbert Smith (12-4) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (24-13)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Yamauchi li (19-2) vs. Bubba Jenkins (10-2)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Bout: Sirwan Kakai (12-3) vs. Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Featherweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Chris Jones (10-3) vs. Ray Ntoo (5-1)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Steve Garcia (6-0) vs. Ricky Turcios (5-0)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Justin Patterson (6-1) vs. Chance Rencountre (8-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Treston Thomison (8-4) vs. Aaron Roberson (5-3)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Roger Carroll (16-13) vs. Neiman Gracie (3-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Derek Palmer (Debut) vs. Jermayne Barnes (0-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Shane Peterson (13-4) vs. Stephen Banaszak (5-5)

Pib xyaum ua MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, Tshiab England Fights

BOYINGTON RETAINS, THREE NEW CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT NEF 21

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Lewiston, Maine (Lub ob hlis ntuj 7, 2016) - Tshiab England Fights (NEF), America lub xov tooj-ib regional sib ntaus qib, held its most recent event, “NEF 21: Lub Immortals” Saturday hmo nyob rau ntawm Androscoggin Bank Colisée nyob rau hauv Lewiston, Maine. The Colisée was a packed house for the promotion’s second hybrid mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing event. Fight fans were treated to a marathon evening of nonstop action featuring 26 bouts in total.

 

In the MMA main event of the evening, in what can only be described as a “thriller,” Bruce “Zoo nkauj tub” Boyington (13-8) defeated Jon Lemke (5-4) via split decision to retain the NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Title. Boyington and Lemke battled back-and-forth for five brutal rounds in what many in attendance were calling one of the best fights in NEF history.

 

In the boxing headliner, Northeast Junior Welterweight Champion Brandon “Lub Cannon” Berry (11-1) handed Tollison Lewis the first loss of his professional boxing career (2-1) with a second-round stoppage via technical knockout (LEEJ TWG).

 

On the amateur MMA portion of the card, three inaugural champions were crowned. Ryan Glover (3-1) took home the light heavyweight title after defeating Mike Williams (1-1), while Johnny Crafts (4-0) captured the bantamweight strap and Ricky Dexter (5-2) won the welterweight championship.

 

NEF also announced that its next event would take place on Plaub Hlis Ntuj 23, 2016, once again at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston.

 

Cov kev tshwm sim los ntawm Lewiston, Maine:

 

KEV COB QHA COV BOXING

Brandon Berry def. Tollison Lewis via TKO, puag ncig 2

Evincii Dixon def. Antonio Chaves Fernandez via unanimous decision

Crowsneck Boutin fought Joel Bishop to a unanimous draw

KEV COB QHA COV MMA

 

Bruce Boyington Def. Jon Lemke via split decision (Boyington retains lightweight title)

Josh Lange def. Derek Shorey via rear-naked choke, puag ncig 1

Zach Elkins def. Mike Hansen via guillotine, puag ncig 1

CJ Ewer def. Zenon Herrera via ankle lock submission, puag ncig 1

Alex Henry def. Andrew Tripp via KO, puag ncig 1

Brandon Warne def. Norman Fox via guillotine, puag ncig 1

 

Pib xyaum ua MMA

 

Ryan Glover def. Mike Williams via armbar, puag ncig 2 (Glover wins light heavyweight title)

Ricky Dexter def. Caleb Farrington via TKO, puag ncig 1 (Dexter wins welterweight title)

Johnny Crafts def. Henry Clark via TKO, puag ncig 3 (Crafts wins bantamweight title)

Rafael Velado def. Mike Peitersen via split decision

Erin Lamonte def. Randi Beth Boyington via rear-naked choke, puag ncig 1

Erik Nelson def. Julio Martinez via unanimous decision

Matt Glover def. Gravin Guillen via TKO, puag ncig 1

Taylor Costantino def. Frank Johanson via TKO, puag ncig 1

Brendan Battles def. Dave Smith via TKO, puag ncig 1

Ras Hylton def. Zak Bergeron via TKO, puag ncig 1

Adam Nielsen def. Ruben Redman via TKO, puag ncig 1

Dustin Shorey def. Juan Meneses via TKO, puag ncig 1

Tom Burgess def. Caleb Swoveland via unanimous decision

Chad Murillo def. Tony Agust via split decision

Jake Denham def. Justin Witham via verbal submission, puag ncig 2

Richmond Pierce Wiegman def. Clifford Redman ntawm TKO, puag ncig 2

Caleb Costello def. David Thompson via KO, puag ncig 1

 

 

Tshiab hais Fights 'tom ntej no cov kev tshwm sim, "NEF 22: TAG NRHO txoj kev ua tau NTAWM NO,” takes place Saturday, Plaub Hlis Ntuj 23, 2016 nyob rau Androscoggin txhab nyiaj Colisée nyob rau hauv Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 thiab yog muag tam sim no nyob www.TheColisee.com los yog los ntawm hu rau Colisée chaw ua hauj lwm ntawm207.783.2009 x 525. Yog xav paub ntxiv nyob rau hauv cov kev tshwm sim thiab kev sib ntaus card tshiab, thov mus saib cov qib lub website ntawm www.NewEnglandFights.com. Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, koj yuav saib NEF yeeb yaj duab ntawm www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, ua raws li lawv nyob rau Twitternefights thiab koom nrog cov nom Facebook pab pawg neeg "New England Fights."

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

CHRIS ‘THE CRIPPLER’ LEBEN RETURNS TO MIXED MARTIAL ARTS, SIGNS WITH BELLATOR MMA

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IMG_9454

 

Raug Monica (Lub ob hlis ntuj 6, 2015) - Bellator MMA yog txaus siab ncha moo lub kos npe rau ntawm Chris “The Crippler” Leben (22-11) mus rau ib qho kom multi-xyoo, multi-sib ntaus daim ntawv cog lus. The former World Extreme Cagefighting Middleweight World Champion has fought professionally since 2002, and holds the record for most fights in the UFC at 185-pounds (22).

 

Since taking a break from the sport in 2014, Leben has resided in San Diego, California. and served as a coach at Victory MMA & Muaj zog. Known for his tendency to put on an exciting show each and every time he enters the cage, Leben was a member of the inaugural cast of “The Ultimate Fighter” alongside fellow Bellator MMA competitors Stephan Bonnar thiab Josh Koscheck. The 35-year-old has fought elite talent throughout his mixed martial arts tenure, against names the likes of: Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva, Brian Stann, Michael Bisping, Patrick Cote, Mark Muñoz, and Bellator MMA’s own Alessio Sakara.

 

“If I were to draw up the prototypical Bellator MMA competitor, there would be parts of Chris [Leben] in there,"Bellator MMA Thawj Tswj Hwm Scott Coker hais tias. “The guy has never had a boring fight and as I’ve said from day one, we’re going to continue to grow from the ground up and buy from the top down. I know that Chris still has a lot of fight left in him and I’m excited to see him fight We are hoping to see his Bellator debut this Spring.”

 

“Focusing on just coaching at Victory MMA has been amazing, but recently, I started to get the itch to compete again,” Leben said. “So I extended an olive branch to the people at Bellator and here I am. Kuv nyob rau hauv zoo zoo, I love the possible matchups this roster has to offer and I’m ready to show the world why they call me ‘The Crippler.’”

 

Leben joins a budding roster of Bellator MMA talent, with recent signings that include: Benson Henderson, Anastasia Yankova, Lena Ovchynnikova, thiab Sergei Kharitonov.

 

It has yet to be determined what weight class Leben will compete at, but when asked what division he hopes to settle in, Leben made it clear: “I’ll go wherever the big fights are.”

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Ntsia hlau loj TV

FEATHERWEIGHT ENCOUNTER FEATURING GOITI YAMAUCHI VERSUS BUBBA JENKINS ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 151’

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B151_Jenkins_Yamauchi

Raug Monica, California. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 4, 2015) – The main card of "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” rauLub peb hlis ntuj 4 is coming together with today’s addition of Yamauchi li (19-2), who will meet Bubba Jenkins (10-2) nyob rau hauv featherweight txiav txim, with both men hoping to keep their current winning streaks intact.

Daim pib rau "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” are on sale now and start at just $45. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino and Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Qhov rooj rau cov kev tshwm sim qhib 5:00 p.m. I hauv zos lub sij hawm, with the first contest taking place one hour later.

"Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” airs nyob thiab dawb nyob rau ntawm cov ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, while preliminary boutswill stream live on Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App.. Additional preliminary bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Yamauchi comes into the fight riding a wave of momentum he’s caught after wins against Mike Richman, Martin Stapleton, thiab Isao Kobayashi. The 23-year-old Japanese fighter has only lost once in six appearances under the Bellator MMA banner and has notched 15 ntawm nws 19 wins as a professional by way of submission.

 

It’s hard to ignore Jenkins inside or outside the Bellator MMA cage, being that “The Highlight Kid” also doubles as a podcast host during his free time. The Arizona State alum notched two straight wins to cap off 2015, tsis ntev los no, an impressive offensive display against a promising prospect in Jordan Parsons.

 

Tshiab "Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Joe Warren (13-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (8-0)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Michael Page (9-0) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (24-13)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Yamauchi li (19-2) vs. Bubba Jenkins (10-2)

mixed martial arts, MMA, NBC, Lub ntiaj teb no Series ntawm Sib ntaus

THREE NEW MATCHUPS COMPLETE WSOF29: GAETHJE VS. FOSTER MAIN CARD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 12

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NEW, LIVE NBCSN START TIME OF 10 P.M. THIAB
FROM GREELEY, COLORADO

Las Vegas (Lub ob hlis ntuj 3, 2016) -World Series ntawm Sib ntaus (WSOF.com) announced today the addition of three main card matchups, including a heavyweight co-main event contest between Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland(11-3) thiab Mike “300” Hayes (19-10-2), to its highly anticipated WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster world lightweight (155 phaus) championship event at the Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley, Ncej puab. rau Saturday, Lub peb hlis ntuj 12, nyob rau NBCSN ntawm 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

In other action on the four-bout live telecast that will be headlined by the lightweight championship showdown between reigning, undefeated kingpin Justin "Lub Highlight" Gaethje (15-0) and number one contender Brian Foster (25-9), Middleweight (185 phaus) standouts Cory "Lub ib" Devela (15-6) thiab Louis "Handgunz" Taylor (11-3) will collide in their respective World Series of Fighting debuts.

Kicking off the live, four-fight telecast will be a welterweight (170 phaus) scrap pitting Josh Cavan (11-6) tiv thaiv Kris Hocum (7-4).

Luv nqi los ntawm $39.99, tickets for WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster, are on sale at WSOF.com and the University of Northern Colorado’s online ticketing platform.

Josh Copeland vs. Mike Hayes

The 6-foot-1 Copeland of Denver, Ncej puab. is a former number one ranked heavyweight in his home state, and a four-time title holder since turning professional in 2010.

The 33-year-old, former Youth Ministry student at Dallas Baptist College, tau khwv 8 ntawm nws 11 career victories as a professional by way of (T)KO los yog cuav, nrog 5 of those wins coming in less than 2 feeb.

A teammate of Gaethje’s at Grudge Training Center, Copeland will look to rebound from a second round (2:50) cuav (kimura) defeat at the hands ofVitaly Minakov rau hlis ntuj nqeg 11, a result that snapped a two-fight win streak for Copeland.

During his professional career spanning eight-plus years, the 6-foot-4, 35-year-old Hayes of Redmond, Ntxuav. has faced off with elite level competition, including former world champion Andrei Arlovski and superstar Ruslan Magomedov, both of whom he fought to a decision.

Nyob rau lub kaum ib hlis 2, 2013, Hayes notched his most impressive victory to date, tw ib tug ntsoog loj heev, peb puag ncig (3:11) KO on decorated MMA, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and wrestling champion Jeff “The Snowman” Monson with a head kick.

In his last start on June 4, 2015, Hayes produced another impressive result, fighting former South African national wrestling champion and four-time MMA titlistTrevor Prangley, to a draw.

Cory Devela vs. Louis Taylor

Lub 6-taw-2, 31-year-old Devela of Bonney Lake, Ntxuav., will enter the decagon cage in the midst of a four-fight win streak that includes a unanimous decision victory over superstar Nick “The Promise” Ring Lub rau hli ntuj 26, 2015.

A longtime protégé of MMA superstar and submission expert Dennis "Superman" Hallman, Qhia, who has notched 11 ntawm nws 16 hauj lwm yeej los ntawm txoj kev ntawm (T)KO los yog cuav, burst into the national spotlight at a Strikeforce promoted event in Tacoma, Ntxuav. on Lub ob hlis ntuj 23, 2008, xeem ib tug thawj puag ncig (1:22) TKO on heralded superstar Joe "Diesel" Riggs with a thunderous slam that rendered Riggs unable to continue fighting.

Devela’s recent ascendance that has him knocking on the door of becoming a world championship contender again, comes after he took an extended, three-year hiatus from competition to care for a sick loved one between 2010 thiab 2013.

Also looking to earn his fifth consecutive win, lub 5-ko taw-11, 36-year-old Taylor of Chicago, Mob. is the number one ranked middleweight in his home state, according to the latest Tapology.com ratings.

A prolific striker who has finished 10 ntawm nws 11 opponents to date by way of (T)KO los yog cuav, Taylor’s last four victories all came inside of the first round of battle.

Prior to becoming a mixed martial artist, Taylor was a wrestling standout for the NCAA Division I program at Eastern Illinois University where he benefited from training with fellow, former team member turned assistant coach Matt Hughes, who went on to become a two-time UFC champion and Hall of Fame member.

Josh Cavan vs. Kris Hocum

Fighting out of Denver, Cavan is a 5-foot-10, 32-xyoo-laus, lifelong athlete who competed at the minor league level of professional hockey before turning his attention to MMA. A winner of 9 ntawm nws 11 professional career fights by way of (T)KO los yog cuav, Cavan will look to bounce back from a second round (1:28) LEEJ TWG (punches) defeat at the hands of Joe Eichelberger nyob rau hauv Kaum ib hlis 6.

The 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Hocum of Fort Collins, Ncej puab. made his professional debut on October 27, 2012 as a participant in a one-night, eight-man tournament, defeating multiple opponents to emerge the victor of the grueling affair. He will look to regain momentum after back-to-back losses in his last two appearances.

The WSOF29 preliminary bout card will be announced soon.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR MMA INKS SERGEI KHARITONOV TO AN EXCLUSIVE, NTAU Sib ntaus DAIM NTAWV COG LUS

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Raug Monica (Lub ob hlis ntuj 3, 2015) - Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) is the newest free agent by Bellator MMA, with the news that the Russian heavyweight has been signed to an exclusive multi-year, multi-sib ntaus daim ntawv cog lus. A veteran of both Strikeforce and Pride Fighting Championships, Kharitonov remains on active duty with the Russian Airborne Troops.

 

Doubling as a kickboxer at different points throughout his combat sports career, “The Paratrooper” has decided to parlay his recent five-fight winning streak and focus purely on mixed martial arts. Kharitonov’s resume is extensive, with the 35-year-old scoring wins against some of the sport’s most notable names including UFC Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Pedro Rizzo, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, and Alistair Overeem.

 

“I have had the best seat in the house for some of Kharitonov’s heavyweight outings,"Bellator MMA Thawj Tswj Hwm Scott Coker hais tias, “and I know Sergei [Kharitonov] can come in and make an immediate impact on our heavyweight division. He is an extremely skilled and experienced fighter who can end a fight in the blink of an eye, and we look forward to having him do just that inside the Bellator cage. Ntau, he’s already competed at one ‘Dynamite’ event before, maybe he could do so again in the future!"

 

Kharitonov joins a division that is currently championed by fellow Russian fighter Vitaly Minakov, other top names include Bobby Lashley, Cheick Kongo, Vinicius Queiroz, Kimbo Hlais, Tony Johnson, Justin Wren, Dan Charles, thiab James Thompson.

Pib xyaum ua MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, Tshiab England Fights

NEW ENGLAND FIGHTS TO HOLD WEIGH-INS THIS FRIDAY AT LEWISTON RAMADA

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Lewiston, Maine (Lub ob hlis ntuj 3, 2016) - Tshiab England Fights (NEF), America lub xov tooj-ib regional sib ntaus qib, yuav tuav nws tom ntej no kev tshwm sim, “NEF 21: Lub Immortals” no Saturday, Lub ob hlis ntuj 6, 2016 nyob rau Androscoggin txhab nyiaj Colisée nyob rau hauv Lewiston, Maine. The event will feature both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts with an MMA cage and a boxing ring set up side-by-side. Nyuam qhuav pib hnub no, the promotion announced that it would hold the event weigh-in this Friday, Lub ob hlis ntuj 5, 2016, ntawm 2:00 pm EST at the Ramada Hotel & Conference Center. The Ramada is located at 490 Pleasant Street in Lewiston, Maine.

 

Weigh-ins are open to the public and free to attend. All of the fighters competing on Saturday night will be at the weigh-in, including MMA headliners Bruce “Zoo nkauj tub” Boyington (12-8) and Jon Lemke (5-3), as well as boxing main event participants Brandon “Lub Cannon” Berry (10-1) and Tollison Lewis (2-0). Fans and press are encouraged to attend. For those unable to make it to the Ramada on Friday, weigh-ins will be streamed live on the NEF Youtube page at www.Youtube.com/nefmma.

 

Lub “NEF 21” sib ntaus card:

 

KEV COB QHA COV BOXING

149 Phaus: Tollison Lewis vs. Brandon Berry

147 Phaus: Evincii Dixon vs. Antonio Chaves Fernandez

175 Phaus: Crowsneck Boutin vs. Joel Bishop

KEV COB QHA COV MMA

 

155 POUND TITLE: Jon Lemke vs. Bruce Boyington (c)

145 Phaus: Derek Shorey vs. Josh Lange

185 Phaus: Zach Elkins vs. Mike Hansen

155 Phaus: Zenon Herrera vs. CJ Ewer

170 Phaus: Andrew Tripp vs. Alex Henry

125 Phaus: Norman Fox vs. Brandon Warne

 

Pib xyaum ua MMA

 

205 POUND TITLE: Mike Williams vs. Ryan Glover

170 POUND TITLE: Ricky Dexter vs. Caleb Farrington

135 POUND TITLE: Henry Clark vs. Johnny Crafts

145 Phaus: Rafael Velado vs. Mike Pietersen

120 Phaus: Erin Lamonte vs. Randi Beth Boyington

140 Phaus: Erik Nelson vs. Julio Martinez

265 Phaus: Gravin Guillen vs. Matt Glover

155 Phaus: Frank Johanson vs. Taylor Costantino

265 Phaus: Brendan Battles vs. Dave Smith

230 Phaus: Zak Bergeron vs. Ras Hylton

170 Phaus: Adam Nielsen vs. Ruben Redman

155 Phaus: Dustin Shorey vs. Juan Meneses

160 Phaus: Caleb Swoveland vs. Tom Burgess

155 Phaus: Tony Agust vs. Chad Murillo

125 Phaus: Justin Witham vs. Jake Denham

140 Phaus: Clifford Redman vs. Richmond Pierce Wiegman

135 Phaus: David Thompson vs. Caleb Costello

 

 

Tshiab hais Fights 'tom ntej no cov kev tshwm sim, "NEF 21: Lub Immortals,” takes place this Saturday, Lub ob hlis ntuj 6, 2016 nyob rau Androscoggin txhab nyiaj Colisée nyob rau hauv Lewiston, Maine. Bell time is 7:00 PM EST. Tickets for “NEF 21” start at just $25 thiab yog muag tam sim no nyob www.TheColisee.com los yog los ntawm hu rau Colisée chaw ua hauj lwm ntawm 207.783.2009 x 525. Yog xav paub ntxiv nyob rau hauv cov kev tshwm sim thiab kev sib ntaus card tshiab, thov mus saib cov qib lub website ntawm www.NewEnglandFights.com. Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, koj yuav saib NEF yeeb yaj duab ntawm www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, ua raws li lawv nyob rau Twitternefights thiab koom nrog cov nom Facebook pab pawg neeg "New England Fights."

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Ntsia hlau loj TV

MELVIN GUILLARD NOW FACES DEREK CAMPOS AT ‘BELLATOR 149: SHAMROCK VS. GRACIE’

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JUSTIN ‘THE BIG PYGMY’ WREN RETURNS TO ACTION IN EVENT’S FEATURED PRELIMINARY BOUT

Raug Monica, California. (Lub ob hlis ntuj 2, 2015) –An injury to Mike Bronzoulis has shifted things during the SPIKE-televised main card of "Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie " rau Feb. 19 ntawm Toyota Center nyob rau hauv Houston, Texas. Tam sim no, the lightweight contest will pit Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) tiv thaiv Derek Liaj teb (15-6).

 

Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, Justin “The Big Pygmy Viking” Wren (11-2) returns to action in what will be his second appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, thaum nws muaj raws li Juan Torres (4-4) in heavyweight fisticuffs.

 

The fights join a card that already features a double main event — Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) raws li Royce Gracie (14-2-3) rau ib tug peb lub sij hawm thiab Kimbo Hlais (5-2) yuav sib ntaus sib tua tus txiv neej uas tau raug hu nws tawm vim lawv kev phooj ywg twb xyoos dhau los, Dhafir Harris, zoo li "Lub hauv siab 5000" (2-0). In featherweight action, Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) will look to continue his torrid pace when he meets Daniel Pineda (21-11) and former light heavyweight titlist Emanuel Newton (25-9) battles Linton Vassell (15-5).

 

Daim pib rau no mixed martial arts extravaganza pib ntawm cia li $50 thiab yog rau cov muag khoom tam sim no nyob Bellator.com, raws li tau zoo raws li HoustonToyotaCenter.com, the Toyota Center Box Office and Houston area Randall’s locations.

 

"Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie " airs nyob thiab dawb nyob rau ntawm cov ntsia hlau loj ntawm 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej bouts yuav kwj nyob rau Bellator.com thiab Lub Bellator Mobile App.

 

Guillard suffered a horrific broken hand during his Bellator MMA debut against Brandon Girtz nyuam qhuav pib lub xyoo. “The Young Assassin” has made it clear that he intends on eventually fighting for the 155-pound title, and his road to the gold begins on Feb. 19 against a tough Texas native with plenty to prove. Of Guillard’s 32 yeej raws li ib tug kws, 23 victories have come before reaching the judges’ scorecards.

 

Known as “The Stallion” to those familiar with his mixed martial arts career, Campos will come into his meeting with Guillard riding a two-fight skid. During his eight-fight tenure with Bellator MMA, the 27-year-old Texan has faced a plethora of top lightweight talent, going up against names the likes of: Michael Chandler, Patricky Freire, Brandon Girtz (2x), and Estevan Payan.

 

You would be hard-pressed to find a better story in all of MMA than the one that Wren can tell. The two-time National High School Wrestling Champion generated massive amounts of media attention on the road to his promotional debut at "Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girt,” where he defeated Josh Burns. His story begins several years earlier, nyob rau hauv 2010, when Wren confronted an opponent tougher than any he could face in combat sports: addiction.

 

With an opportunity to continue fighting on the table, Wren left the sport and began his recovery process. A chance meeting with a friend led Wren on a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he came across and developed a deep connection with the Mbuti Pygmies, many of whom were enslaved, living on only the scraps the slave masters would pay them with. Wren found his calling there and wanted to do everything in his power to help the Pygmies. With multiple visits to the Congo, including a stint that lasted a year, Wren started a foundation called “Fight for the Forgotten.” Through his efforts, Wren and his staff of 17 have systematically bought the land of the slave owners, and have thus far legally given 2,740 acres of rainforest to the Pygmies, effectively freeing them from slavery.

 

Partnering with other groups like Shalom University and joining forces with Water4.org, Wren and his charity are responsible for drilling 26 water wells to help provide both the Pygmies and the former slave masters with clean water, and have plans to drill hundreds more. Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, the team has begun a sustainable farming project to benefit and provide food to both the Pygmies and non-Pygmies of the community.

 

Take a look below at the complete 19-fight "Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie " card and be sure to tune into SPIKE on February 19 ntawm 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT for an event that has something for every fight fan.

Completed “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” Fight Card

Bellator MMA Openweight Main kev tshwm sim: Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) vs. Royce Gracie (14-2-3)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main kev tshwm sim: Kimbo Hlais (5-2) vs. “Dada 5000” (2-0)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Emanuel Newton (25-5) vs. Linton Vassell (15-5)

Bellator MMA Hnav Feature Bout: Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) vs. Derek Liaj teb (15-6)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-11)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Wren (11-2) vs. Juan Torres (4-4)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Davis Sylvester (5-3) vs. Jeremy Mahon (5-4)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Charlie Ontiveros (6-4) vs. James Christopherson (2-2)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Ruben Esparsa (1-0) vs. C.J. Hancock (Debut)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Adrian Yanez (3-1) vs. Daniel Santos (3-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Isaac Villanueva (9-7) vs. Richard Knepp (3-3)

Bellator MMA Hnav Yam ua ntej Bout: Mike Trinh (2-3) vs. Angel Zamora (2-2)

Bellator MMA Hnav Yam ua ntej Bout: Jason Langellier (2-0) vs. Anthony Ivy (1-0)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Yam ua ntej Bout: Manny Lozoya (Debut) vs. Jacob Norsworthy (1-5)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Amateur Bout: Leomana Martinez (2-0) vs. Casey Jones (2-0)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Amateur Bout: Chris Solis (2-0) vs. Alex Macedo (2-0)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Amateur Bout: Jonathan Davis (2-0) vs. Shawn Solis (1-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Amateur Bout: Hunter Scott-Gregg (1-0) vs. Ricardo Deluque (1-0)