Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

51-YEAR-OLD WRESTLING COACH RETURNS TO MMA CAGE

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Lewiston, Maine (August 26, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of an amateur catchweight bout to the fight card.  Pat Kelly (3-0) is scheduled to meet Ken Dunn (0-1) at a fight weight of 160-pounds.

 

Kelly is the 51-year-old coach of the Camden Hills Regional High School wrestling team in Rockport, Maine, where he has led the team to three state championships.  He also teaches at the school.  Kelly is a 2007 inductee of the Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame.  He won a state title wrestling for Camden-Rockport High School in the early 1980s.  He later wrestled for the University of Maine, winning the New England Championship and competing in the NCAA championships in 1986.  Kelly made his MMA debut in the fall of 2014 at the age of 50 as a member of Bangor, Maine’s Young’s MMA.  Earlier this year, he was the subject of international headlines after defeating the father-son duo of 46-year-old Dr. Steve Bang (0-1) and Steve Bang, Jr. (3-3) at separate NEF events.

 

Kelly’s opponent Ken Dunn is a member of Maine Kyokushin Karate (MKK) located in Norway, Maine.  As a practitioner of Kyokushin, Dunn is well-versed in full-contact sparring and will no doubt bring his striking skills to bear against the wrestler Kelly.  He will be making his debut in the NEF cage on September 12 in Lewiston.

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  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.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

BELLATOR, WSOF & CFFC VETERAN STEPS IN TO FACE HEYLIGER AT NEF XIX

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Lewiston, Maine (August 24, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced that Sidney “Da Gun” Outlaw (4-1) had stepped in to replace Brandon Chagnon (5-4) in a professional welterweight bout against Darrius Heyliger (4-2).

 

Outlaw is a veteran of the national stage, having competed for Bellator, World Series of Fighting (WSOF) and Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) in the past.  He trains out of Dante Rivera BJJ.  Prior to going professional, Outlaw had a stellar amateur career of 7-1 and captured several regional titles across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

 

“This is an elite fight,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “You have two athletes who are maybe one or two solid wins away from getting the call up permanently to the major leagues of the sport.  We always tell our fans to come see these guys now before you can see them on national TV and pay-per-view.  This fight definitely falls in that category.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  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.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

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

Marcin Tybura to defend M-1 Challenge Heavyweight Title Belt vs. Ante Delija M-1 Challenge 61 main event Sept. 20 in Ingushetia, Russia

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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (August 24, 2015) – M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Marcin Tybura will defend his title September 20 in the rescheduled M-1 Challenge 61 main event against Ante “The Walking Trouble” Delija in Ingushetia, Russia
 
Tybura vs. Delija was originally scheduled to headline M-1 Challenge 61, Sept. 5 in Beijing, China, which was postponed until a date to be determined due to the 70th celebration of China’s victory over Japan at the end of World War II.  Authorities prohibited major events in China from Aug. 20 through Sept. 10.
 
In another fight previously announced, former M-1 Global middleweight champion Magomed “The White Wolf” Sultanakhmedov (18-5-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 SUB), of Russia, will return to action after a 4 1/2-year hiatus to fight Brazilian veteran Marcelo Brito 13-7-0, 2 KO/TKO. 5 SUB).
 
M-1 Challenge 61 will be streamed live from Russia in high definition onwww.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.
 
The 29-year-old Tybura (12-1, 3 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) captured the coveted M-1 Challenge heavyweight title August 15, 2014, choking-out defending championDamian Grabowski in the opening round with the M-1 Challenge 50 “Submission of the Night”.
The 6′ 3″, 250-pound Tybura (on top in picture to left), fighting out of Poland, successfully defended his title in his first defense last November in Beijing against previously undefeated Denis Smoldarev, using another choke hold in the first round at M-1 Challenge 53.
A former M-1 Challenge Grand Prix heavyweight titlist, Tybura is coming off his only professional loss this past May at M-1 Challenge 57, in which he was stopped in the third round by M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan Puetz in their “Super Fight,” due to a severely broken nose.
Undefeated in his last five fights, Delija (14-2-0, 5 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) is a grappling specialist from Croatia, who is coached by M-1 Challenge light heavyweight contender Maro Perak.
The 6′ 5″, 250-pound Delija (standing in picture to right) won a three-round decision over veteran Konstantin Gluhov last April at M-1 Challenge 56 to earn this heavyweight title shot.  Delija, 24, and Tybura have two common opponents:  both defeated Gluhov – Tybura by first-round submission –  Delija lost to Smoldarev by second-round submission.
Fights and fighters are subject to change.  Additional bouts will soon be announced.
 
 
Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 61 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable, Suddenlink Communications and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Information

www.mixfight.ru

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

TICKETS FOR ‘BELLATOR 144: GALVAO VS. DANTAS 2’ ON SALE NOW

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B144_1000x1000_Page_Ward

 

WELTERWEIGHTS MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE AND ‘IRISH’ BRENNAN WARD RETURN TO MOHEGAN SUN ARENA ON OCTOBER 23

 

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 21, 2015) – Tickets are on sale now for Bellator MMA’s return to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT on Friday, Oct. 23. “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” pits two former training partners against one another in a highly anticipated rematch between current bantamweight champion Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) and former titlist Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4).

 

Additionally, highly touted welterweights Michael “Venom” Page (8-0) and “Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) will return to Mohegan Sun Arena, where both fighters scored brutal knockout victories at July’s “Bellator 140: Lima vs Koreshkov,” resulting in each man earning a spot on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10. Opponents for both Page and Ward will be announced in the near future.

 

Both London’s Page and Connecticut’s Ward will be featured on the televised portion of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional fights will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which start at just $25, go on sale TODAY Friday, August 21 at Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 6:00 p.m. ET local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

 

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

HARVEY PREDICTS FIGHT TO THE FINISH WITH DIBARTOLOMEO

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (August 21, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Headlining the amateur portion of the fight card will be Josh Harvey (4-1) defending the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Title against Ryan Dibartolomeo(4-3).  Recently, Harvey was the guest of NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson on the NEF Podcast.

 

Harvey was introduced to the mats early in life.  He started wrestling in junior high school and continued through his high school years.  He began boxing at the age of 15 and trained in the ring for the next seven years.  It was not until he attended “NEF VIII: Nations Collide” in Bangor that Harvey realized he could have a future in the sport of MMA.

 

“When NEF came to Bangor and I watched Ray Wood capture the title, and I remembered him from high school wrestling, that was my cue to get in on this,” said Harvey.  “I knew it was a true possibility to go somewhere in MMA.  After college, there’s nowhere for wrestlers to go.  MMA, that’s the outlet.  That’s why you see wrestlers dominating in MMA all the way to the top.”

 

Soon after the event, then Young’s MMA wrestling coach Mark Heathcote reached out to Harvey through Facebook to invite him to train with the team.  Harvey quickly found a home at the Bangor gym founded by Chris Young.  He joined in on the massive success the team had already found in the MMA cages of New England.

 

“I was greeted very warmly at Young’s,” Harvey recalled.  “Everyone was very kind over there.  Bruce (Boyington, current NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion) was the first person to take me, not to say under his wing, but to get together outside of the gym and we became friends.  As far as the success Young’s has had as a team, I’m not gonna say you can chalk it all up to superior coaching, but we’ve got the best around, at least in this state, possibly in New England.”

 

On his way to claiming the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Championship this past June, Harvey finished all three of his NEF opponents in a total of just over three minutes.  Harvey, however, sees his future in the sport in the featherweight division.

 

“I don’t train to finish them all in the first round,” said Harvey.  “That’s just how it wound up.  Maybe you’ll see me go the distance as the competition gets thicker.  That’s why I love this fight with Ryan (Dibartolomeo).  He is, I believe, ranked number-two, so this is a good way to find out where I lay in that level.  I’m not a 55er.  As far as I’m concerned, I’m a 45er that’s fighting at 55.  Best 45er?  Amateur in New England?  Yes.  The game’s gonna change when I go professional.  We’ll see where I stack up there.”

 

When Harvey began discussing potential opponents for “NEF XIX” with NEF matchmakers, he was very clear that he wanted the toughest opponent they could find for him.  If he wanted tough, he will get just that in Ryan Dibartolomeo.  Dibartolomeo is out of John Fain’s Team Triumph/Boston BJJ of Nashua, New Hampshire.  After dropping his first three, Dibartolomeo has won his last four fights in a row, an impressive streak that began at “NEF X” in September 2013.

 

“All his fights that he’s won have been by decision,” said Harvey.  “In my mind, he let the judges win those fights for him.  Fights aren’t won by judges.  Fights are won by fighters.  My prediction is it’s gonna be a finish.  I’m gonna go out there, kill or be killed.  He’s either gonna finish me or I’m gonna finish him.  That’s how it’s gonna happen.”

 

You can listen to the entire NEF Podcast interview atwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Podcasts/

 

You can follow Josh Harvey on his official Facebook fan page “hookonharvey.”  For more information on Young’s MMA, please visit their Facebook page “Young’s MMA.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” takes place onSaturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  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.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

FORMER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION PAT CURRAN FACES JUSTIN LAWRENCE AT ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 20, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Featherweight Championship will be defended in the main event of“Bellator 145: Vengeance,” but another exciting 145-pound tilt will also emanate from Scottrade Center in Saint Louis on November 6, when former champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (21-7) meets Justin “The American Kid” Lawrence (8-2).

 

The contest will take place during the main card of “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Top billing at the November 6 event features two world title bouts. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) defends his strap against Daniel Straus (23-6) and Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3) with the 155-pound belt on the line.“Bellator 145: Vengeance” on Spike will also feature Michael Chandler (13-3) and heavyweight Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) competing inside the Bellator MMA cage. Opponents for both fighters will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, go on sale TOMORROW at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com and at theFord Box Office at Scottrade Center. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

 

Curran is a multi-time Bellator MMA tournament winner, emerging victorious in lightweight and featherweight iterations of the competition. “Paddy Mike” holds an impressive 11-4 record under the Bellator MMA banner and has been involved in some of the promotion’s most enduring fights, including his last-minute title win against Daniel Straus at “Bellator 112: Curran vs. Straus 2.” The 27-year-old bounced back from a two-fight skid to defeat Emmanuel Sanchez at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov” in July.

 

Making his promotional debut during the preliminary card of the record-breaking “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business” event,Lawrence’s finish of Sean Wilson was so impressive, it made its way to the Spike telecast. “The American Kid” is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor who went on to win the Resurrection Fighting Alliance title before signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion in early 2015. The Power MMA product has won four straight tilts and finished the last two within the first five minutes of action.

 

“Bellator 145: Vengeance” Updated Fight Card

 

Bellator Featherweight World Title Bout: Patricio Freire (24-2) vs. Daniel Straus (23-6)

Bellator Lightweight World Title Bout: Will Brooks (16-1) vs. Marcin Held (21-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Bout: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Justin Lawrence (7-2)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Michael Chandler (13-3) vs. TBD

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Bobby Lashley (13-2) vs. TBD

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

M-1 Challenge 61 pushed back to Sept. 19 and moved to Russia Sultanakhmedov returns vs. Brito

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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

The Champ is back! Magomed Sultanakhmedov
 
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (August 20, 2015) – M-1 Challenge 61 has been pushed back two weeks to September 19 and moved from Beijing, China to Ingushetia, Russia, promoter M-1 Global has announced.
 
Originally scheduled for Sept.5, the second annual M-1 Challenge show in Beijing was postponed until a date to be determined due to the 70th celebration of China’s victory over Japan at the end of World War II. Authorities prohibited major events in China from Aug. 20 through Sept. 10.
 
Former M-1 Global middleweight champion Magomed “The White Wolf” Sultanakhmedov will return to action after a 4 1/2-year hiatus to headline M-1 Challenge 61 in Ingushetia against Brazilian veteran Marcelo Brito.
 
The 31-year-old Sultanakhmedov (18-5-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 SUB), fighting out of Tula, Russia, captured the vacant M-1 Global middleweight title March 25, 2011, stopping his American challenger Tyson Jeffries in the second round at M-1 Challenge 24.
 
A former World Kickboxing and Universal Karate champion, Sultanakhmedov is a feared striker who hasn’t fought in an MMA event since he captured the M-1 Global crown more than four years ago.
 
Brito (13-7-0, 2 KO/TKO. 5 SUB), 37, last fought this past June in a non-stop fight with Murad Abdulaev, losing a five-round decision for the vacant M-1 Challenge welterweight title at M-1 Challenge 58: Battle of the Mountains 4.
(L-R) – Murad Abdulaev and Marcelo Brito            
 
M-1 Challenge 61 will be streamed live from Ingushetia, Russia in high definition onwww.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.
 
Fights and fighters are subject to challenge.  Additional bouts will soon be announced.
Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 61 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable, Suddenlink Communications and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Information

www.mixfight.ru

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premier entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With its office in St Petersburg, Russia, the M-1 brand has staged more than 160 events worldwide, including M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the U.S. network, Showtime. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global Champions among the greatest fighters in the sport.
 
ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV:  Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database.  It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers.  Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING SIGNS LIGHTWEIGHT HEAVY HITTERS  JASON HIGH AND MIKE RICCI TO EXCLUSIVE PROMOTIONAL AGREEMENTS

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LAS VEGAS (August 19, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has signed two more marquee athletes – lightweights (155 pounds) Jason High and Mike Ricci – to exclusive, multi-year fight agreements.  The promotional debut of each fighter will be announced soon.

“We are pleased to welcome Jason High and Mike Ricci, two extremely talented and exciting athletes, to our roster,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

“Our lightweight division is expanding at an aggressive pace,” continued Sefo, “and both Jason and Mike will surely add depth to the competitive pool of athletes in this weight class, and provide us with the means to create some highly compelling matchups with potential title fight implications.”

The 33-year-old High (18-6) of Kansas City, Mo. earned the fight world’s attention for the first time six years ago during a stint at welterweight (170 pounds) with the Japan-based promotion Dream, where he notched a first round (:59) submission (rear-naked choke) victory over Yuya Shirai followed by a split decision win over Andre Galvao on April 5, 2009 and July 20, 2009, respectively.

After an impressive, unanimous decision conquest of rival star Jordan Mein on U.S. soil on Aug. 26, 2010, High returned to Japan where he edged out a split decision over all-time great Hayato Sakurai on New Year’s Eve that year.

High’s stock has continued to rise with successful performances in the now-defunct, former number two promotion in the world, Strikeforce, followed by his move to lightweight.

Ricci (10-4) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada is a 29-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt trained by famed Georges St. Pierre-mentor Firas Zahabi.  Like High, he has faced and defeated stiff competition under some of the world’s top promotional banners.

When he makes his World Series of Fighting debut, Ricci will hunt for his third straight victory, following a first round (3:57) TKO (punches and elbows) of road warrior Jorge Gurgel on Feb. 28, 2014 and a unanimous decision over George Sotiropoulos on Aug. 22, 2014.

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN on Friday, Sept. 18 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with the much-anticipated “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” world championship doubleheader event that will be headlined by a world lightweight championship rematch between reigning kingpin Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje(14-0) and hard-hitting rival Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-10).

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF.com) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

PROMOTIONAL DEBUT OF EWERTON TEIXEIRA COMPLETES THE MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 143: WARREN VS. DAVIS,’ WHEN HE FACES VINICIUS QUEIROZ

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THREE ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY CONTESTS FEATURING PROSPECTS WITH A COMBINED RECORD OF 19-1

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 19, 2015) — A heavyweight tilt featuring feared striker Ewerton Teixeira (3-0) taking on Vinicius Queiroz (7-3) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas onSeptember 25.

 

Two lightweight tilts will also emanate from The Lone Star State, when Jose Flores (3-0) meets Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0) and Guilherme Farias da Costa (3-0) faces Jared Chaffe (4-1). A third preliminary bout features two undefeated welterweight prospects who also share a record of 3-0, when Bryce Mejia takes on Abdul Razak Alhassan.

Teixeira versus Queiroz completes the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 8 p.m. CT. The three previously confirmed fights feature Joe Warren (12-4) taking on L.C. Davis (23-6) in the bantamweight headlining attraction, while the Bellator 143 co-main event will pit Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) against top middleweight Kendall Grove (21-15) and Henry Corrales (12-1) battling Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2). Additional preliminary bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place a half an hour later.

A black belt in Kyokushin karate, the 33-year-old Teixeira has been racking up titles in striking competitions for more than a decade. Teixeira reached the pinnacle of standup fighting in 2008, when he earned that year’s K-1 World Grand Prix in Fukuoka title and then fought his way to the K-1 World Grand Prix Final’s championship bout. Teixeira turned his attention to MMA in 2012, and has remained undefeated through his first three professional contests in the sport and is now ready to try his hand at MMA’s highest level.

 

Queiroz will be making his fourth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner when he enters the cage on September 25. A veteran of Ultimate Fighting Championship, “Spartan” has never allowed one of his seven professional victories to reach the judges’ scorecards. The Team Nogueira standout was slated to compete against Cheick Kongo at “Bellator 106: Chandler vs. Alvarez 2” but an injury derailed the tilt. After an inactive 2014, the 31-year-old will look to change the tide in 2015.

 

Further down the preliminary bouts, Jose Flores will make his Bellator MMA debut and look to keep his undefeated record intact in the process. The 27-year-old has finished all three of his fights on the regional circuit via submission. He will be going up against Gonzalez, who shares a perfect record through his first three professional bouts. Both fighters fight out of McAllen, TX, just a short drive from the State Farm Arena.

 

Another pair of talented local prospects will look to wow the home crowd when Guilherme Farias da Costa aims to stay unbeaten against Jared Chaffe, who most recently suffered the first loss of his professional career after the doctor stopped his fight due to a severe cut.

 

In another fight that will see someone’s undefeated record come to an end, San Diego’s Bryce Mejia will meet Abdul Razak Alhassan, who trains out of Arlington, TX.

 

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 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.

Fight Network, RFA

Fight Network Presents RFA 29: USA vs. Brazil  LIVE this Friday, Aug. 21 at 10 p.m. ET

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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
TORONTO (Aug. 19, 2015) — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a live broadcast of RFA 29: USA vs. Brazil tonight at 10 p.m. ET, pitting top American prospects against top Brazilian prospects with current UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler and former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida serving as honorary coaches.
Fight Network’s live broadcast of RFA 29: USA vs. Brazil will air nationwide in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The domestic U.S. broadcast airs on AXS TV.
Emanating from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, RFA 29 will be headlined by an RFA featherweight title fight between top contenders Ricky Musgrave (14-4) and Raoni Barcelos (8-1).
“RFA 29 will have a USA vs. Brazil team concept that will feature some of the top MMA prospects from each country,” stated RFA president Ed Soares. “Robbie Lawler and Lyoto Machida will be the honorary coaches for each team. In the main event, Ricky Musgrave and Raoni Barcelos will also be competing for the vacant RFA featherweight title. This entire card is stacked and I can’t wait to see what happens.”
In the co-main event, South Dakota’s own Jordon Larson (6-1) will be tasked with facing Brazilian juggernaut Ackson Junior (5-0).
RFA 29 will also feature a trio of exciting bantamweight bouts, as Terrion Ware (13-4) meetsLeandro Higo (14-2), Joey Miolla (5-1) faces Pedro Falcao (6-1) and Matthew Lopez (5-0) risks his unblemished record against Kevin Clark (4-1). Rounding out the main card is a light heavyweight showdown between undefeated Devin Clark (4-0) and Dervin Lopez (7-2).
For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
For More Information Contact:
 
Fight Network
Chad Midgley
VP, Content
chad@fightnetwork.com
www.fightnetwork.com
 
Fight Network
Ariel Shnerer
Director, Programming & Communications
ariel@fightnetwork.com
www.fightnetwork.com