Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon Halsey meets Kendall Grove at California’s Pechanga Resort & Casino – Friday, May 15 on Spike TV

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 3, 2015) – Undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) looks to defend his belt for the first time when he takes on towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14).

 

The contest serves as the headlining bout of “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which takes place onFriday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike TV, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

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

 

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

“We’re really looking forward to bringing another exciting world championship fight to a great sell-out crowd at Pechanga Resort & Casino this May,” said Bellator President Scott Coker.  “Our middleweight champion Brandon Halsey has been extremely impressive through his first 8 fights, and I’m looking forward to watching him defend his belt for the first time against Kendall Grove.”

 

Halsey, from Huntington Beach, Calif., is a former Division I wrestler at Cal-State Bakersfield who turned his attention to mixed martial arts in 2012 and has kept his professional record unblemished through the first eight matchups of his career. At just 28 years old, Halsey already owns six victories under the Bellator MMA banner, including a four-man tournament victory to earn a shot at the belt and a stunning, 35-second stoppage of then-champ Alexander Shlemenko to claim the Bellator MMA World Middleweight Championship.

 

Three of Halsey’s past four wins have come by way of first-round stoppage.

 

Meanwhile, the 32-year-old Grove has been fighting professionally for nearly 12 years. The Hawaiian-born Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is a former winner of “The Ultimate Fighter,” who has earned 15 of his 21 career victories by stoppage, include 10 wins by submission.

 

The 6-foot-6 Grove signed with Bellator MMA in 2013 and earned his shot at the belt with an October submission win over former Bellator MMA World Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M’Pumbu.

 

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

 

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

 

About Bellator MMA

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

 

About Spike TV:

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

DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK:  The Jeff Curran Story

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JEFF CURRAN: DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK!

  

RFA 24 IN MINNESOTA

FRIDAY MARCH 6TH LIVE ON AXS TV

 

BY K. David Bena 
@kdavidbena


 

UFC, PRIDE, WEC, WFA, IFL, Strikeforce. Only ONE FIGHTER has fought for all six of these promotions that are currently under the Zuffa umbrella. That fighter? Jeff “Big Frog” Curran.

Curran ends his 19-month retirement and enters the octagon at RFA 24 on Friday, March 6th at the Mystic Lake Casino & Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The event will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV. The veteran bantamweight, Curran (36-16-1) will test his mettle in the co-main event against the surging Melvin Blumer (11-2) who is touting a 5-fight win streak.

Think back to 1991… What were you doing? Well, Curran was a wide-eyed 14-year old that decided to train jiu-jitsu. Curran explains, “My first class, I learned something called ‘paint the floor’ also known as an Americana and I knew that’s what I wanted to do and I just continued training jiu-jitsu ever since. I kept the focus on myself as an athlete and a fighter and one thing kept leading to another.”

Fast-forward to August 16, 2013 at RFA 9, Curran lost a split decision in a bantamweight title fight against Pedro Munhoz. “I retired after my last fight in the RFA. I’ve fought for a world title and been in every major show in the sport and been fighting, at that time, for 17 years. I just felt that with my business and the gym, where I was at that stage in my life, my kids and family, I thought that it was time to retire.”

Curran adds, “But, mainly, I didn’t want to be second best, I never wanted to be average as a fighter. Once I felt the dream was gone or the opportunity was gone to climb back to the UFC, to fight the best guys in the world, I felt it was best to stop since my prime has kind of passed.”

However, after careful introspection and the smoldering desire to continue fighting, Curran decided to step back into the cage. “I wanted to win the fight, win the belt, and go out on top. I felt it would be a real admirable way to retire, but it didn’t go my way. So I retired – and it never sat well with me,” Curran explained. “And the more time that went on, I felt the need to fight. I started to look for opportunities and RFA found an opportunity for me to fight again. So here I am.”

Juggling roles as a family man, business man, coach, and fighter might make some people’s head spin, but Curran explains, “I had my gym before I had my first fight, so I was always used to the responsibility of splitting my time, but now it’s a lot more in-depth than it used to be because my fighters are at different levels and require more time. Business is also on a different level – and I have two boys that are growing faster by the day and I have my wife. There’s responsibility across the board and it’s more than it was schedule-wise than back when I was opening a school. Yeah, it’s a lot to juggle, but I do it.”

Through all his responsibilities, Curran maintains focus for his upcoming fight with the dangerous Melvin Blumer, “His win streak speaks volumes, especially in the Midwest because a lot of the guys you fight are pretty similar in strength and skill set, so you get tough competition and local promoters in the Midwest are always looking to put on good fights. A guy that is 11-2 (Blumer) and on a 5-fight win streak is impressive to me and it’s exactly what I want.”

Curran explains further, “I don’t want to fight some bum or fight someone I know I can beat. I want to fight someone that can challenge me and let me know if I still belong in the game or give me the right sense of accomplishment if I win, so Blumer’s a great opponent. Blumer is tough. I give him enough respect to train my ass off and treat him as a top ten guy. But with that being said, I know I’m top ten caliber, so I’m bringing everything I got and I think it will make for a good fight.”

And what is Curran’s next step with a victory? Even he isn’t sure, “I don’t know what my next move is. I didn’t make a definite decision one way or another. To be honest, I know when I lost, retirement didn’t fit well with me, but with the right win it most likely could, but at the same time with the right win, I can get the attention of the UFC and decide if I want to chase my first UFC victory.”

On Friday, March 6th, Curran and everyone watching will be wondering what the “Big Frog’s” next venture in life will be.

About RFA:
RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents up to 10 fights annually around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 40 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights:
AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, The University of MMA

UNIVERSITY OF MMA LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT BEGINS AT FIGHT NIGHT 9 MARCH 8 AT CLUB NOKIA AT L.A. LIVE

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Los Angeles, CA – The University of MMA begins it’s 2015 season on March 8, at their regular campus, Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE, withUniversity of MMA: Fight Night 9. Already overflowing with 19 guaranteed explosive matches, Fight Night 9 will feature one of the most diverse fight cards in U of MMA history, including three women’s matches, two University of MMA championship title defenses, and the opening round of the University of MMA’s second-ever lightweight championship tournament. Tickets are now on sale at www.UofMMA.com and www.axs.com.

“The buzz around this show has been tremendous. We’re just as excited as the fighters and fans, and we’re looking forward to launching the U of MMA in 2015 with a boom, not a bang,” said U of MMA promoter Turi Altavilla.

Elite Training Center teammates Roman ‘The Gladiator’ Todorovich and Tommy ‘The Spaniard’ Aaron currently reign supreme in the U of MMA as champions in their respective divisions. At featherweight, newly-crowned king Tommy ‘The Spaniard’ Aaron will defend his belt for the first time againstSergio ‘Surge the Kid’ Perez (Hayastan MMA) who bounds into the match undefeated at the U. The reigning Aaron is also undefeated, riding a four-fight win streak on top of two pankration matches before that.

The University of MMA welterweight belt finds itself in an unusual position, as current champion Roman Todorovich not only returns to defend the belt for an unprecedented second time, but he will defend it against the same former champion from whom he won it, Jarett Conner. The two fought just over one year ago in Conner’s first title defense. Since that time, the man formerly known as ‘Real Talk’ has reinvented himself, and is more motivated than ever to reclaim the championship he feels he should never have lost.

The first match in the quest to fill the vacant University of MMA lightweight championship throne pairs up rising star Julio Lopez (Ruckus MMA) vs. former title contender Pious ‘Voodoo’ Enilolobo, Jr. (BJMUTA/Flying Kick Martial Arts). Lopez is undefeated in his amateur career and has finished all of his opponents, including a first-round submission victory at Fight Night 8. Enilolobo is one of the most dynamic fighters in the U, finishing two of his first three fights in dominating fashion. He previously challenged former champion Derion ‘DC’ Chapman in one of the most anticipated U of MMA matches.

On the opposite side of the bracket, T.J. Scot (Team Lagarto)faces off against former University of MMA champion A.J. Lavarias (Systems Training Center). In his only U of MMA appearance, Scot submitted Lavarias’ teammate, Carnacion Contreras, in the first round to earn Blue Chip Honors on the University of MMA’s Dean’s List. Lavarias is coming back after a year’s hiatus, rejuvenated and rededicated to becoming a champion once again.

 

Several U of MMA veterans will be returning after lengthy hiatus, including Stefani Pogue (Systems Training Center), Cruz Martinez (10th Planet Van Nuys), Thom Landeros (All In MMA), Mike Derderian (10th Planet HQ Fight Team), and Vince Cachero (Systems Training Center). Coincidentally, Derderian and Cachero find themselves pitted against each other at 135 lbs. Schuyler ‘Scorpio Sky’ Andrews (The Guild) makes his second showing at the U, while the most veteran U of MMA fighter, Ryan ‘The Lion’ Lilley (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA) comes in for a record seventh time, fighting the dangerous and experienced Jonathan Quiroz (California MMA).

 

Continuing to support womens’ MMA, Fight Night 9 features an unprecedented three female fights. Aside from the returning Pogue, all the other ladies are fresh faces to U of MMA fans. Pogue faces Kelli Vanhoy (Millennia MMA), while Daria ‘The Jersey Devil’ Berenato (Systems Training Center) takes on Jasmine Pouncy (Nubian MMA), and Anita Hoehenleiter (JFM Boxing/Systems Training Center) meets Ashlee Grant (Bowman’s Dojo), a world-class karate champion making her long-anticipated MMA debut.

 

“I’m ecstatic about the mix of new names and familiar faces we’re working with,” professed U of MMA matchmaker Jay Tan. “Fans are going to see a whole fresh crop of young stars, starting with this show.”

 

Confirmed matches for University of MMA: Fight Night 9 include:

 

University of MMA Featherweight Championship:
145 lbs. – Tommy ‘The Spaniard’ Aaron (Elite Training Center)vs. Sergio ‘Surge the Kid’ Perez (Hayastan MMA)

 

University of MMA Lightweight Championship Tournament Opening Round:
155 lbs. – T.J. Scot (Team Lagarto) vs. A.J. Lavarias (Systems Training Center)

 

University of MMA Welterweight championship:
170 lbs. – Roman ‘The Gladiator’ Todorovich vs. Jarett Conner (Independent)

 

University of MMA Lightweight Championship Tournament Opening Round:
155 lbs. – Pious ‘Voodoo’ Enilolobo, Jr. (BJMUTA/Flying Kick Martial Arts) vs. Julio Lopez (Ruckus MMA)

 

170 lbs. – Scorpio Sky (The Guild) vs. Lance ‘The Black Ranger’ Bush (Team Lagarto)

 

135 lbs. – Michael Derderian (10th Planet HQ Fight Team) vs.Vince Cachero (Systems Training Center)

 

125 lbs. – Hugo Aranda (House of Champions) vs. Thom ‘The Beast’ Landeros (All In MMA)

 

125 lbs. – Jasmine ‘Tapout Queen’ Pouncy (Nubians MMA) vs.Daria ‘The Jersey Devil’ Berenato (Systems Training Center)

 

135 lbs. – Richie Meister (BJMUTA) vs. Milton Arguello (10thPlanet Van Nuys)

 

145 lbs. – Jonathan Quiroz (California MMA) vs. Ryan ‘The Lion’ Lilley (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Gym)

 

125 lbs. – Kelly Vanhoy (Millennia MMA) vs. Stefani Pogue (Systems Training Center)

 

205 lbs. – Travis Williams (Elite Training Center) vs. Michael ‘Lazer’ Reyes (10th Planet Van Nuys)

 

165 lbs. – Arsalan Homayun (10th Planet Burbank) vs. Yaskin Solano (Paragon BJJ)

 

170 lbs. – Sergey Martirosyan (Docando/Haystan MMA) vs.Cruz Martinez (10th Planet Van Nuys)

 

155 lbs. – Ashlee Grant (Bowman’s Dojo) vs. Anita Hoehenleiter (JFM Boxing/Systems Training Center)

 

155 lbs. – Ernie Leyva (CSW) vs. Vlad Kochiev (10th Planet Van Nuys)

 

170 lbs. – Danny Llamas (The Guild) vs. Aaron Landry (Ring of Fire Martial Arts Academy)

 

125 lbs. – Sonny Ashton (Smash Squad) vs. Angel ‘The Kraken’ Diaz (Systems Training Center)

 

150 lbs. – Victor ‘The Blitz’ Rivera (Nubians MMA) vs. Lance Lee ‘Vanquish’ (Kings MMA)

 

The University of MMA: Fight Night 9 takes place at 5:00pm on Sunday, March 8, 2014, at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE, 800 West Olympic Boulevard. Doors open at 4:30pm. Fight card is subject to change. Tickets are now available and can be purchased throughwww.UofMMA.com and www.AXS.com, charge by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or 888-929-7849, and from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, Mon- Fri at the STAPLES Center Box Office located at 1111 S. Figueroa St. Applicable fees may apply. The Club Nokia box office will open at2:00pm the day of the event.

 

***** ***** ***** ***** ****

 

CONTACT: Either Jay Tan at jaytan@UofMMA.com and (213) 618-0332 or Turi Altavilla at turi@UofMMA.com and (310) 701-8331.

 

***** ***** ***** ***** ****

 

ABOUT THE University of MMA (www.UofMMA.com): The University of Mixed Martial Arts (aka “The U of MMA”) is a Los Angeles-based fight promotion specializing in high-octane, upscale amateur MMA events. Its mandate is to provide a stage for young, aspiring fighters to hone their MMA skills and develop themselves as marketable personalities and respectable ambassadors of the sport. The U of MMA was founded in 2010, and serves as a scouting show for professional organizations such as King of the Cage and the Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA). Each event is sanctioned by CAMO, which upholds the highest safety standards in the nation for amateur MMA. The team behind the U of MMA collectively has over 20 years of professional promoting experience at the highest level of the sport, including international and domestic events which were broadcast on pay-per-view, cable, and network television in the United States, Japan, and Great Britain. For tomorrow’s MMA stars and champions, IT STARTS HERE!

 

About Club Nokia: Club Nokia, a multi-use music, entertainment and concert venue–located in the heart of the acclaimed L.A. LIVE sports, residential and entertainment district– accommodates over 2,300 guests. Featuring state-of-the-art acoustics designed for live entertainment, Club Nokia is the perfect venue for emerging music acts and cultural shows while also providing excellent space for corporate events and private parties. The theatre brings the latest technology to music enthusiasts including an innovative interactive experience embedded in foot-controlled floor interfaces, touchscreens, and a large LED installation within the lobby of the Club Nokia space. This interactive experience allows users to scroll through the history and the future of Club Nokia events and interact with pictures, video and text messages submitted by fellow concert fans. Club Nokia has been honored two consecutive years at the annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards-in 2009 as “Best New Major Concert Venue” and in 2010 as “Nightclub Of The Year”; along with a Zagat Award for Best Live Music Club in Los Angeles (2009).
The University of MMA | | info@UofMMA.com | http://www.UofMMA.com
Fight Network, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, wrestling

FIGHT NETWORK MMA & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Mar. 2-8, 2015)

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Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, boxing, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.

 

Below find highlights of this week’s programming:

Monday, Mar. 2

 

2:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 48 – Featuring Brandon Barrett vs. Justin Woods and Chris Wade vs. Frankie Perez from May 16, 2014 in Atlantic City, NJ.

 

5:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and more.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – USA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features and a look back at the past.

 

6:30 p.m. ET – Judo Paris Grand Slam 2014 – Highlights from the Judo Paris Grand Slam from Feb 8-9, 2014 in France.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live: Mallorca, Spain – Featuring Iman Barlow vs. Iman Ghablou and David Calbo vs. Gil Salva from July 12, 2014.

Tuesday, Mar. 3

 

12:00 a.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

 

1:00 a.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Josh Koscheck – Sit-down interview with former UFC welterweight star Josh Koscheck

 

1:30 a.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

 

2:30 am. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S pro and amateur MMA.

 

7:00 & 7:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Fight4Pride Championship 2 – Featuring Stahinja Gavrilovic vs. Yacine Bandoui, Martin Grandmont vs. Loyd Galindo and Will Romero vs. Dimitri Waardenburg from Nov. 22, 2014 in Laval, Quebec, Canada.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – Cage Fury Fighting Championships 37 – Featuring Azunna Anyanwu vs. Keith Bell and Bill Algeo vs. Mike Pope from June 28, 2014 in Philadelphia.

Wednesday, Mar. 4

 

3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star’s top prospects in the cage.

 

4:00 a.m. ET – Rocktagon MMA – Pro and amateur MMA from Ohio featuring the next generation of stars.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Best of Cage Rage – Featuring classic fights from the UK-based Cage Rage organization with Anderson Silva, Antonio Silva, Victor Belfort, Paul Daley and others.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now. MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from ONE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa, and more.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 67 – Featuring Brett Johns vs. James Brum for the vacant bantamweight title from Apr. 12, 2014 Swansea, Wales.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.

 

11:30 p.m. ET – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews.

Thursday, Mar. 5

 

12:00 a.m. ET — Fight News Now. MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

1:30 a.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 35 – Featuring Karlos Vemola vs. Denniston Sutherland and Przemyslaw Mysiala vs. Carl Kinslow from Aug. 3, 2013 in London.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fightling Alliance – Pro MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkie, Luis Palomino and others.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Rookies – Aspiring kick-boxers climb the ladder of success in the sport as rookies compete for a chance to become professionals and get experience needed to succeed at a higher level.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – DEEP: 67 Impact – Featuring Yuki Motoya vs. Yoshiro and Haruo Ochi vs. Masakazu Imanari from June 22, 2014 in Tokyo.

Friday, Mar. 6

 

12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan.

 

2:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

 

4:00 a.m. ET – Best of DEEP – Featuring class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

 

5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA league, Jewels.

 

6 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge – Professional MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.

 

7:00 p.m. ET — Fight News Now. MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Renzo Gracie – Sit-down interview with MMA and BJJ legend Renzo Gracie.

 

8:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m-by-12m arena with three levels.

 

9:00 p.m. ET — KSW 8 – Featuring Alexey Oleinik, Karol Bedorf, Mamed Khalidov and Moise Rimbon fro, Nov. 10, 2007 in Warsaw, Poland.

Saturday, Mar. 7

 

12:00 a.m. ET — Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

1:00 a.m. ET – SuperKombat: World Grand Prix Romania 2013 – Featuring D’Angelo Marshall, Giannis Stoforidis, Gaetan Sautron and Leroy Johnson in heavyweight tournament action from Sept. 28, 2013 in Botosani, Romania.

 

6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Mark Hominick vs. Hatsu Hioki from TKO 28.

 

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Tyson Griffin vs. Jorge Evanelista from Gladiator Challenge 46.

 

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest. Hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.

 

3:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 49 – Featuring Andre Harrison vs. Jeff Lentz and Julio Arce vs. Jake Grigson from Sept. 19, 2004 in Atlantic City, NJ.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship: Futures 3 MMA – Featuring Ante Delija vs. Archontis fro, Sept. 27, 2014 in Zagreb, Croatia.

 

11:00 p.m. ET — Final Fight Championship: Futures 3 Kickboxing – Featuring Mladen Brestovac vs. Luca Panto from Sept. 27, 2014 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Sunday, Mar. 8

 

6:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

 

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of ADCC – Featuring compilations of the greatest grappling matches ever held, featuring Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Eddie Bravo, Fabricio Werdum, Marcelo Garcia, Ronaldo Souza and Royler Gracie.

 

11:00 a.m. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters taking on the renowned Thai National team.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – USA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features and a look back at the past.

 

7:30 p.m. ET – Judo Dusseldorf Grand Prix 2014 – Highlights of the 2014 Judo Dusseldorf Grand Prix from Feb. 21-23, 2014 in Belgium.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – King of Kings: Hero’s Bushido Vilnius 2014 – Featuring Pavel Voronin vs. Sergei Maslobojev and Jordann Pikeur vs. Tadas Jonkus from Nov. 15, 2014 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

 

Information:

 

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

 
ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK:  Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

LIAM MCGEARY BECOMES MMA’S FIRST-EVER BRITISH WORLD CHAMPION AT “BELLATOR: THE BRITISH INVASION”

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Photo credit: Bellator MMA / Eric Coleman ALL FIGHT PHOTOS AND SCORE CARDS
 

 

Englishman Liam McGeary (10-0) kept his professional record unblemished, capping off a successful “British Invasion” and claiming the Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight title with a five-round decision win over former champion Emanuel Newton (25-8-1).

The contest served as the headlining bout of Friday’s “Bellator MMA: British Invasion” event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

McGeary attacked from the start, as he used his lanky frame and incredible grappling to move from submission attempt to submission attempt in entertaining fashion. From triangle choke to kimura to armbar, McGeary was constantly on the move, but Newton showed capable defense and pulled free from each hold.

Despite the obvious danger on the ground, Newton continued to take the fight to the floor in the second round, working from his opponent’s extremely active guard. Once again, McGeary’s submission attempts were relentless, but Newton pulled free from each hold.

The remainder of the fight played out in similar fashion, with Newton able to take the fight to the floor with ease but forced to defend constant grappling attacks from McGeary. Both fighters could make arguments for the win, with Newton enjoying extended stretches in the dominant position. However, McGeary’s constant offense set the tone for the action. In the end, judges sided with McGeary, awarding him the win with scores of 48-46, 48-47 and 48-47.

McGeary remains perfect through the first 10 fights of his career.

Meanwhile, Newton sees a seven-fight winning streak come to an end.

“It was a close fight,” Newton said. “I was on the ground. I didn’t stop hitting and moving with triangle hits. That guy is so slippery and tough.”

In the night’s co-feature, light heavyweight contender Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (15-4) moved up to the heavyweight division and earned an impressive decision win over Cheick Kongo (22-10-2).

Facing a massive size differential, Lawal turned to his wrestling base rather than try and trade with the bigger man. The plan worked, as Lawal controlled the action in the clinch and racked up points with takedowns. While the crowd tried to entice Lawal to take a more risky approach, “King Mo” remained disciplined in his approach and cruised to what looked like a clear-cut decision win, though he had to settle for a split result, 30-27, 28-29 and 29-28.

“I don’t agree with the split decision at all,” Lawal said after the fight. “I won all three rounds. He knows he lost that fight. I got the victory and that’s all that matters. Wrestling works and it showed in this fight.

“I have a great coaching staff at American Top Team. I could’ve gone another two rounds. At the end of the third round, I knew he was gassed, so I just walked him off. I hope to get the chance to fight for a title next.”

In welterweight action, Brazilian veteran Andre “Chatuba” Santos (37-10) proved himself a game opponent against Paul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2), but the British slugger ultimately cruised to a decision win.

In typical Daley fashion, he fired heavy punches on the feet, looking for the knockout. However, Santos proved resilient, answering with strikes of his own while also looking to work from the clinch. The action went back and forth for the opening two rounds before Daley took over in the third.

An early Daley knockdown set the tone for the final frame, and Daley worked hard for the finish. Santos, however, simply wouldn’t quit, and despite being dominated in the final round, he did survive until the final bell, where Daley was awarded a decision win.

“It feels good to be back in MMA; I was a little rusty,” Daley, who had been focusing on his kickboxing career, admitted after the win. “This guy was so tough. I caught him with heavy, wild shots, and normally I would’ve taken my opponent out in the second or third round, but he didn’t quit; he has a ton of heart. It was a great fight.”

Fighting for the first time since a failed bid for the Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight World Title, Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (15-4) scored a second-round TKO over Rameau “The African Assassin” Sokoudjou (16-13).

Vassell controlled the action from the start, taking Sokoudjou to the floor and scoring with ground-and-pound blows while hunting out opportunities to end the fight with a submission. That opening would come in the second round.

Again working hard to take the fight to the floor, Vassell refused to give Sokoudjou any room to work, scoring top position and utilizing superior grappling skills. Sokoudjou was unable to get back to his feet, and Vassell eventually unleashed a flurry of strikes that earned the stoppage at the 3:18 mark of the second.

“I wanted to finish him in the first round,” Vassell said after the win. “He held my arms and stopped me from taking him down.

“It feels great representing my country and to come here and fight in front of all the American fans is a great honor.”

In the night’s first main-card contest, welterweight Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward (10-3) made quick work of “Courteous” Curtis Millender (7-1), needing just 64 seconds to score a submission win.

The two went toe-to-toe on the feet to open, and it appeared Millender was getting the best of the initial exchanges. But after coming up short on a takedown, Ward scored a crisp two-punch combination that sent his opponent to the floor. Ward took advantage of the opening, hopping on his opponent’s back and sinking in a rear-naked choke, ending the fight at the 1:37 mark of the first round.

“You know me, man,” Ward said after the quick win. “I come straight at guys like always.”

In bouts shown on Spike TV, around the world on Spike.com, hometown fighters did not disappoint here at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT as Blair Tugman (North Haven), Matt Bessette(Hartford) and Dean Hancock (Danbury) all won their bouts in impressive fashion.

Tugman (7-5) started off the night with a dominating performance over Marvin Maldonado (2-4) of Latham, N.Y, scored 30-26, 30-27 twice, all in favor of Tugman.

“Felt great to get another win in Bellator against a tough opponent in Marvin,” said Tugman. “I was excited to fight in front of my home crowd. I have a great coach (Andrew Calandrelli) and training partners at Ultimate MMA Training Center in North Haven, CT. And was confident that if I implemented my game plan I would come out with the victory. I’m upset I didn’t finish Marvin but he’s a tough guy to finish. I hope my dominant performance shows Bellator I am ready for bigger fights.

Bessette (14-6), who was able to break free of Josh Laberge’s (9-5) attack by striking him with power punches and stuns to the jaw. “Everything went right tonight, I won,” said an ecstatic Bessette.” I was able to throw my power shots and did to him what he does to other people.

“I got the win, which is the most important thing. Josh [Laberge] gave me an awesome fight and I couldn’t be happier.”

In a swing bout, Hancock looked poised in his professional debut against Mike Mangan (0-3), despite early jitters.  “It felt great coming out of the cage, the first few seconds were like a blur to me,” said Hancock. “Once I got my bearings I was able to go to work and do what I do best. It was a huge moment for me.

“I feel like I belong in Bellator, it was great to get my first professional win. I need to just keep moving forward.”

Also on tonight’s preliminary card

New York transplant Neiman Gracie did what Gracie’s do best: win via rear naked choke at 2:36 of round 1 over Massachusetts’s Bobby Flynn (4-3).  With the win, Gracie keeps his unbeaten streak intact at 3-0.

Also from New York, Binghamton’s Tamdan McCrory (13-3) scored an armbar victory over Jason Butcher (8-2) at 1:06 of the first frame.

Emergency! Raphael Butler is now 9-1-1 after scoring a guillotine choke victory over Josh Diekmann (15-6) at 1:04 of round 1.

Main Card Results

Liam McGeary def Emanuel Newton by unanimous decision (48-46, 48-47, 48-47) to win Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight title

Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal def. Cheick Kongo by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Paul Daley def. Andre Santos by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Linton Vassell def. Rameau Sokoudjou by TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:18

Brennan Ward def. Curtis Millender by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:37

Preliminary Card Results

Dean Hancock def. Mike Mangan by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:33

Matt Bessette def. Josh LaBerge by TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 2, 5:00

Raphael Butler def. Josh Diekmann by submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:04

Tamdan McCrory def. Jason Butcher by submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:06

Neiman Gracie def. Bobby Flynn by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:36

Blair Tugman def. Marvin Maldonado by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

About Bellator MMA

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

 

About Spike TV:

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

ONE IF BY LAND. TWO IF BY SEA.  THREE AMAZING BRITS FIGHTING ON SPIKE TV

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THE BRITISH ARE COMING

 

OFFICIAL WEIGH IN RESULTS, QUOTES AND PHOTOS FROM

BELLATOR’S “BRITISH INVASION”

 

Light Heavyweight Champion Emanuel Newton vs. Liam McGeary

Photo Credit: Bellator MMA/ Eric Coleman / CLICK HERE FOR FULL PHOTO GALLERY

The official weigh-ins concluded this afternoon for Bellator’s highly anticipated “British Invasion” show which will serve as the first tentpole event of the year and takes place tomorrow, Feb. 27..  The night of fights airs LIVE and FREE on Spike TV at 9/8c from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, and features three of the UK’s top MMA fighters competing on American soil, as well as a super fight between “King Mo” Lawal and Cheick Kongo.

 

Champ Emanuel Newton (204.5 lbs.) vs. Liam McGeary (204 lbs.)

Cheick Kongo (239 lbs.) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (217 lbs.)

Paul Daley (171 lbs.) vs. Andre Santos (171 lbs.)

Linton Vassell (205 lbs.) vs. Rameau Sokoudjou (205 lbs.)

Brennan Ward (171 lbs.) vs. Curtis Millender (170 lbs.)

Matt Bessette (145 3/4 lbs.) vs. Josh Laberge (145 lbs.)

Raphael Butler (260 lbs.) vs. Josh Diekmann (238 1/4 lbs.)

Jason Butcher (186 lbs.) vs. Tamdan McCrory (185.5 lbs.)

Bobby Flynn (170.5 lbs.) vs. Neiman Gracie (171 lbs.)

Marvin Maldonado (136 lbs.) vs. Blair Tugman (136 lbs.)

Michael Mangan (155 1/4 lbs.) vs. Dean Hancock (155.5 lbs.)

Newton: “I am going to finish [Liam McGeary] tomorrow. Whether it be by choke, KO, TKO or submission, I am going to finish him.

 

“I am connected to my inner-being. All I ever request of myself is victory. I don’t request a nice car or a big house, all I request is victory and it will be given to me.”

 

Liam McGeary: “I am going to become the first Englishmen to win a major title in America tomorrow. I put the work in. I have sacrificed too much to come up short. I have a great team behind me.”

 

Chieck Kongo: “Two big guys are getting in that cage tomorrow, and at the end I will be the winner.

 

“I trained like crazy for this fight. I finished training camp without injury and I came to get what I deserve.

 

“If he gives me the opportunity to knock him out, I surely will do it. But if not, we will go the full rounds and I will claim victory.”

 

King Mo: “I am going to have my hand raised tomorrow. I am not sure how exactly it’s going to happen, but I will make sure of it.

 

“I train hard and smart. I have seen everything there is to see in this game. My camp was great.

 

“Whatever he gives me, I’m going to take.”

 

Daley: “Andres Santos is in a lot of trouble. He is going to get knocked spark out. He says he’s Brazilian and a lot of these guys are getting laid out on the floor; he’s going to be another one of them.”

 

Andres Santos: “I am very confident in my ability tomorrow. I know I will come out with the victory. I have prepared very long and hard for this fight and I will come out the victor.”

 

Vassell: “I’m going to finish him [Sokoudjou] either on the ground, pound or by submission. He only has a couple minutes in him and that’s when I will be looking for the knockout. If not, then I will take him down and save up for the TKO or submission.”

 

Sokoudjou: “I’m going to beat him to the ground, that’s the game plan. Whether it is on our feet or on the ground, I am going to beat him.

“I trained very hard during training camp, it was very tough. I am healthy and ready to go.”

 

Brennan Ward: “Im going to go out there and punch [Millender] him on his head. I’m Brennan Ward and I’m going to do when I do. When I’m on my game, no one can stop me.

 

“It means a lot to be fighting in front of my hometown friends and family. I’m going to put on a show.”

 

Millender: “I’m going to take him down and beat him at his own game. My striking is my biggest strength.

 

“He’s not going to expect me to be the wrestler that I am. He’s going to be in a lot of trouble.

 

“I am absolutely looking for the knockout, it doesn’t matter how I get it.”

  Cheick Kongo vs. King Mo


Paul Daley vs. Andre Santos

Linton Vassell vs. Sokoudjou
 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Champ Emanuel Newton (25-7) vs. Liam McGeary (9-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Cheick Kongo (22-9-2) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (14-4)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (35-13) vs. Andre Santos (37-9)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Linton Vassell (14-4) vs. Rameau Sokoudjou (16-12)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (9-3) vs. Curtis Millender (7-0)

 

Preliminary Card (6:45 p.m. ET)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Matt Bessette (13-6) vs. Josh Laberge (9-4)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Josh Diekmann (15-5) vs. Raphael Butler (8-1-1)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Tamdan McCrory (12-3) vs. Jason Butcher (8-1)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight:  Neiman Gracie (2-0) vs. Bobby Flynn (4-2)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Marvin Maldonado (2-2) vs. Blair Tugman (6-5)

 

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

Bellator Featherweight Dark Bout: Michael Mangan (2-0) vs. Dean Hancock (pro debut)


About Bellator MMA

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

 

About Spike TV:

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

QUOTES AND PHOTOS FROM WEDNESDAY’S “BELLATOR: BRITISH INVASION” MEDIA DAY AT BRISTOL’S BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB

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Photo Credit: Bellator/Lucas Noonan – CLICK FOR FULL PHOTO GALLERY

BRISTOL, Conn. (Feb. 25, 2015) — Bellator MMA kicked off fight week for “Bellator: The British Invasion” on Wednesday with a very special event at the Bristol Boys and Girls Club that catered to high school wrestlers and mixed martial artists from all over Connecticut.

Prior to the official “Bellator: British Invasion” press conference, fans in attendance were treated to a very special Q&A session comprised of a panel of the biggest names of MMA’s past, present and future with MMA’s inventor Royce Gracie, MMA Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz and wrestling phenom Aaron Pico.

After the special Q&A, Bellator President Scott Coker and all 10 fighters scheduled for the televised portion of the event converged to preview the highly anticipated bouts.

The “Bellator: British Invasion” event takes place this Friday, Feb. 27 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. and airs LIVE and FREE on Spike TV.

A limited number of tickets for “Bellator: The British Invasion” are still available at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

Scott Coker, Bellator President:

“These guys are amazing world-class athletes, and you’re going to see some great fights Friday. We were in London a few months ago, and I can tell you that the people over there are really excited about these fights.”

Emanuel Newton:

“I’m the champion, and I’m planning to keep my belt. It doesn’t matter who I’m fighting – I’m going to keep my belt. I’ve been training smarter.”

Liam McGeary:

“There’s a whole lot more British fighters than just the guys who are here this week who are looking for the opportunity we have. I think we have something to prove for sure.”

“King Mo” Lawal:

“I’m a wrestler. I’ve wrestled all throughout my career, and I’m going to be successful Friday night. So I’m not going to change anything no matter who I’m going up against. I’m all Team America.”

“I’m a ‘moneyweight.’ If someone offers me a contract to fight, I’m going to take it. I’m a fighter – my job is to fight.”

Paul Daley:

“Being from England, fighting’s part of our culture. I’m a fighter, that’s it.”

“It’s a fight for us (British guys). Fighting’s just a part of our culture. The Americans see this as a sport, but we don’t treat it like that. I think I can speak for the rest of the British guys when I say that we’re not here to play a sport – we’re here to fight.”

Sokoudjou:

“I’m going to beat [Linton Vassell’s] ass.”

Brennan Ward:

“It’s great to be fighting at home.”

“I always love fighting in front of a packed house, and I’m sure I’ll be responsible for at least a few hundred tickets that are sold. It’s electric in there.

 

“Bellator: British Invasion” – Friday, February 27, Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Conn.

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Champ Emanuel Newton (25-7) vs. Liam McGeary (9-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Cheick Kongo (22-9-2) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (14-4)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (35-13) vs. Andre Santos (37-9)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Linton Vassell (14-4) vs. Rameau Sokoudjou (16-12)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (9-3) vs. Curtis Millender (7-0)

Preliminary Card (6:45 p.m. ET)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Matt Bessette (13-6) vs. Josh Laberge (9-4)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Josh Diekmann (15-5) vs. Raphael Butler (8-1-1)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Tamdan McCrory (12-3) vs. Jason Butcher (8-1)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight:  Neiman Gracie (2-0) vs. Bobby Flynn (4-2)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Marvin Maldonado (2-2) vs. Blair Tugman (6-5)

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

Bellator Featherweight Dark Fight: Michael Mangan (2-0) vs. Dean Hancock (Pro Debut)

About Bellator MMA

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

 

About Spike TV:

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

HISTORY TO BE MADE APRIL 11 WITH FIRST PRO WOMEN’S FIGHT IN MAINE

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Lewiston, Maine (February 25, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on April 11, 2015 with its seventeenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event.  Earlier today, the company announced the addition of a professional female strawweight bout to the fight card.  Kaline “The Dark Angel” Medeiros (3-4) has signed to face Calie “The Honey Badger” Cutler (3-0) at a fight weight of 115-pounds.  It will be the first professional women’s fight in Maine since the state legislature legalized the sport of MMA in 2009.

 

“It’s really sad that it’s taken this long,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “We’re huge fans of women’s MMA in NEF.  We’ve tried numerous times to put pro women’s fights together, but they’ve always fallen through.  History will finally be made on April 11 and, once again, NEF is at the forefront.  We hope the fans will come out and support this fight, support women’s MMA.  This is a very proud moment for everyone involved.  It is a step in the right direction for MMA in Maine.”

 

This will not be the first time Kaline Medeiros has made history in the cage.  In 2013, Medeiros fought in, and won, the first-ever women’s MMA bout to be contested in Rhode Island.  Fighting out of Fall River, Massachusetts, Medeiros is a native of Brazil and has been training in MMA since 2008.  Having faced top female competitors since arriving in the professional ranks, such as Invicta FC veterans Peggy Morgan (3-2) and Stephanie Eggink (4-2), who she knocked out in just seven-seconds, Medeiros certainly has the experience and pedigree to get to the next level in the sport.

 

“It’s a pleasure to invite all my fans for my upcoming fighting onApril 11,” said Medeiros.  “NEF is bringing me to be the first ever  professional female fighter stepping in the cage, it’s an honor for me. Thanks NEF for the recognition, and I can’t wait to bring an exciting fight for the fans.”

 

Michigan’s Calie Cutler has raised a lot of eyebrows since making her MMA debut in 2012.  Cutler amassed an impressive 7-1 record as an amateur prior to turning pro.  She has finished all three of her opponents as a professional, including a second-round submission victory over Nikki Duncan (0-1) last weekend on a fight card in Michigan.  Cutler will look to continue her undefeated streak as a professional on her path towards the big leagues of the sport when she meets Kaline Medeiros on April 11 in Lewiston.

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVII,” is scheduled to take place on April 11, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) will defend the NEF MMA Lightweight Title against number-one contender Jamie Harrison (5-1).  In addition, Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) meets Dennis Olson (12-7) in a welterweight contest.  Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at207.783.2009 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

BELLATOR MMA CONTINUES GROWTH WITH NEW TERRITORIES

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ELECTUS INTERNATIONAL SECURES DEALS IN AUSTRALIA, FRANCE, ITALY, SPAIN, SOUTHEAST ASIA, ISRAEL, POLAND, PORTUGAL AND CROATIA.

BELLATOR NOW REACHES OVER 400 MILLION HOMES IN OVER 120 COUNTRIES.

Los Angeles, CA (February 25, 2015) — Multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI) today announces that Electus International has secured new deals for Bellator MMA™ with broadcasters in Australia (Network Ten), France (RTL9), Italy (Discovery), Spain (15 TV), Portugal (SIC) and Croatia (Fight Channel), exemplifying the widespread growth the emerging mixed martial arts (MMA) league has shown since appointing veteran fight promoter Scott Coker as Bellator president in June 2014.  Electus International has also renewed deals with broadcasters in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong (Celestial Tiger Entertainment), Israel (Ananey) and Poland (NC+).  Bellator continues its partnerships in Latin America (Fox Sports), Brazil (Esporte), Russia (R2), the Middle East (OSN) and New Zealand (Sky Networks).

 

Bellator MMA can now be seen in over 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries, further growing the promotion globally.

 

“Bellator has made record-breaking strides, establishing itself as an elite MMA promotion with an expansive global audience and we’re thrilled to bring it to viewers and fans worldwide” said John Pollak, President of Electus International.

 

In November 2014, Bellator 131, the first major event under Coker, smashed rating records during its broadcast for Spike TV.  The main event between Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar delivered 2.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched MMA fight on cable in 2014. Bellator 131 was also the highest-rated Bellator event in league history.

 

The next big Bellator event, “Bellator 134:  The British Invasion,” takes place on Friday February 27th at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, featuring the UK’s best fighters including Paul Daley and Liam McGeary. The special event will include a superfight between “King Mo” and Cheick Kongo.
Bellator is owned by American global media company, Viacom, and is available in almost 100 million homes on Spike TV in North America. Additional exclusive Bellator content, Bellator preview shows, fighter profiles, and high-octane fight highlights run on Spike TV and Bellator.com.

Bellator features many of the best and exciting fighters in the world, including Tito Ortiz, Will Brooks, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Michael Chandler, Joe Warren, Bobby Lashley, Douglas Lima, Emanuel Newton, Kimbo Slice, Brandon Halsey, Liam McGeary, Michael Page and Eduardo Dantas among others.
About Electus
Electus is the first integrated multimedia entertainment studio to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world, including: broadcast, cable, digital, OTT and various emerging technologies. The company connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be true partners in campaigns and content creation. Electus International, the global distribution arm of Electus, is responsible for all international sales and distribution for Electus’ programming and its studio partners as well as programs and formats from other well-known 3rd party providers. Electus is an operating business of IAC [NASDAQ: IACI]. For more information on Electus, visit www.electus.com.

 

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

 

About Spike TV

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

Fight Network, kickboxing, martial arts, mixed martial arts

Fight Network weekly MMA & kickboxing programming (Feb. 23-Mar. 1)

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Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, boxing, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.

 

Below find highlights of this week’s programming:

Monday, Feb. 23

 

2:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 47 – Featuring Chris Wade vs. Pat Defranco and Frankie Perez vs. Mike Santiago from Jan. 24, 2014 in Atlantic City, NJ.

 

5:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and more.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m-by-12m arena with three levels.

 

6:30 p.m. ET – USA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features and a look back at the past.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

 

7:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live #19: London – Featuring Andrew Tate vs. Wendell Roche for the -90kg world title, plus Daniel Sam vs. Andrew Thompson for the super heavyweight title, from June 29, 2014.

 

Tuesday, Feb. 24

 

2:30 a.m. ET — XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S. professional and amateur MMA events.

 

3:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Frankie Edgar – Sit-down interview with former UFC lightweight champion and featherweight contender Frankie Edgar.

 

7:00 & 7:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

 

8:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Havoc Fighting Championship 7 – Featuring Jordan McKay vs. Andrew Buckland and Sabah Fadai vs. Tim Tamaki from Dec. 19, 2014 in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – GFL: Best Battles 3 – Highlights from regional MMA, kickboxing and boxing events showcasing memorable knockouts and submissions.

 

Wednesday, Feb. 25

 

3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star’s top prospects in the cage.

 

4:00 a.m. ET – Rocktagon MMA – Pro and amateur MMA from Ohio featuring the next generation of stars.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Best of Cage Rage – Featuring classic fights from the UK-based Cage Rage organization with Anderson Silva, Antonio Silva, Victor Belfort, Paul Daley and others.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now. MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

7:30 p.m. ET – – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship: Fight Night 10 – Featuring Allan Love vs. Norman Paraisy from Mar. 28, 2014 in Amman, Jordan.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.

 

11:30 p.m. ET – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews.

 

Thursday, Feb. 26

 

1:30 a.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 34 – Featuring Makunga Bunduku vs. Ricky Campbell and Nathan Jones vs. Julian Kerr from June 1, 2013 in London.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fightling Alliance – Pro MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkie, Luis Palomino and others.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Rookies – Aspiring kickboxers climb the ladder of success in the sport as rookies compete for a chance to become professionals and get experience needed to succeed at a higher level.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Season 3 – Fighters from 18 different countries compete in the 85kg MAX category in Ohrid, Macedonia as they love and train together in their quest for a kickboxing title.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

8:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, featur4es and inside analysis on the fight game.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge 55: Guram Gugenishvili Memorial Show– Featuring Denis Smoldarev vs. Maro Perak and Kenny Garner vs. Aslambek Musaev from Feb. 21, 2015 in Tbilisi, Georgia.

 

Friday, Feb. 27

 

12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan.

 

2:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

 

4:00 a.m. ET – Best of DEEP – Featuring class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

 

5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA league, Jewels.

 

6 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge – Professional MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – UFC 184 Weigh-In – Live coverage of the official weigh in for UFC 184: Rousey vs. Zingano from Los Angeles.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Josh Koscheck – Sit-down interview with UFC welterweight star Josh Koscheck.

 

8:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m-by-12m arena with three levels.

 

9:00 p.m. ET — KSW 30: Genesis – Featuring Borys Mankowski vs. Michail Tsarev and Aslambek Saidov vs. Rafal Moks from Feb. 21, 2015 in Posnan, Poland.

 

Saturday, Feb. 28

 

12:00 a.m. ET — Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

12:30 a.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, featur4es and inside analysis on the fight game.

 

1:00 a.m. ET – SuperKombat: VIP Edition Bucharest 2013 – Featuring Mike Zambidis vs. Harun Kina for the SuperKombat middleweight title from Aug. 31, 2013 in Bucharest, Romania.

 

6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring Patrick Cote vs. Jason Day from TKO29.

 

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Rashad Evans vs. Jamie Jara from Gladiator Challenge 27.

 

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest. Hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.

 

3:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 48 – Featuring Brendan Barrett vs. Justin Woods and Chris Wade vs. Frankie Perez from May 16, 2014 in Atlantic City, NJ.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – UFC 184 Pre-Show – Live pre-fight coverage for UFC 184: Rousey vs. Zingano in Los Angeles.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

8:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship: Futures 2 MMA – Featuring Ante Delija vs. Ruben Wolf from May 3, 2014 in Opatija, Croatia.

 

11:00 p.m. ET — Final Fight Championship: Futures 2 Kickboxing – Featuring Mladen Brestovac vs. Tomas Pakutinskas from May 3, 2014 in Opatija, Croatia.


Sunday, Mar. 1

 

1:00 a.m. ET – UFC 184 Post Show – Live post-fight reaction to UFC 184: Rousey vs. Zingano featuring event highlights and the live post-fight press conference.

 

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of ADCC – Featuring compilations of the greatest grappling matches ever held, featuring Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Eddie Bravo, Fabricio Werdum, Marcelo Garcia, Ronaldo Souza and Royler Gracie.

 

11:00 a.m. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters takingon the renowned Thai National team.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – USA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features and a look back at the past.

 

7:30 p.m. ET – Judo Paris Grand Slam 2014 Highlights – Highlights of the 2014 Judo Grand Slam from Feb. 8-9, 2014 in Paris.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – King of Kings: World Grand Prix 2014 Gdansk 1 – Featuring Artur Kyshenko vs. Radoslaw Paczuski, plus the one-night, single elimination -93kg tournament from Oct. 17, 2014 in Gdansk, Poland.

 

Monday, March 2

 

1:00 a.m. ET – Best of GYM Boxing: MMA Fighters in Boxing – A special look at some MMA fighters in boxing action including Ali Nestor Charles and Travis Fulton.
Information:

 

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

 
ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK:  Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.