Tag Archives: mma

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

WOMEN’S MMA FIGHT CONFIRMED FOR NEF 22 IN LEWISTON

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Lewiston, Maine (March 8, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts.  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur women’s featherweight contest to the MMA portion of the “NEF 22” fight card.  “Hollywood” Hannah Sparrell (1-0) will battle Angela Young (0-1) at a fight weight of 140-pounds.

 

Hannah Sparrell was introduced to the sport when she began taking her daughter to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) classes.  Sparrell soon found herself training at John Raio’s First Class MMA in Brunswick, Maine.  She made her in-cage debut last fall against Young’s teammate Kira Innocenti (0-1) at “NEF XIX” in Lewiston.  Sparrell was victorious that evening, scoring a unanimous decision from the judges after an exhausting three-round fight.  She looks forward to representing First Class MMA for a second time at “NEF 22.”

 

“I’m excited to be entering the NEF cage again, on April 23rd, against Angela Young,” said Sparrell.  “Angela, coming from the school recently named New England’s ‘team of the year,’ has proven to be a heavy hitter, as we saw in her blood-shedding battle at ‘NEF XIX.’  That being said, First Class has been putting its name on the map, displaying our skilled training, coaches and leadership, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about going head-to-head against Young’s MMA once again.  I learned a lot from the experience from my last fight and have used it as a catalyst in my focused training this winter.  I will be entering the NEFXXII cage confidently and ready for a good solid fight.”

 

Angela Young is the wife of Young’s MMA founder and head coach Chris Young.  Like Sparrell, Young made her debut in the NEF cage last fall at “NEF XIX.”  In a wild, “fight of the night” performance, Young battled back and forth with Rachel Reinheimer (2-0) of Team Sityodtong.  Reinheimer would win the decision on the judges’ scorecards, but Young would win the respect of the entire New England MMA community with her valiant effort.  On April 23rd, Young vows to chalk up the first win on her record.

 

“I am beyond ecstatic for the opportunity to fight for NEF again,” stated Young.  “Especially against an opponent as respectful and professional as Hannah.  I’ve put the work in, I’ve improved my game and I’m aiming for another ‘fight of the night.’  This time, however, my hand will be raised.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF 22” 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, MMA, Spike TV

DARRION CALDWELL SUPLEXES, CHOKES HIS WAY TO MAIN EVENT VICTORY AT ‘BELLATOR 151’ ON SPIKE

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Complete Event Photos Here

 

THACKERVILLE, OK. (March 4, 2016) – It’s safe to say Darrion Caldwell (9-0) asserted himself as a legitimate title contender with his victory over Joe Warren (13-5) in the main event of “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” on Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd at WinStar Resort and Casino.

As many expected, the fight quickly made it to the mat, with “The Wolf” taking down the self-proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet” and initiating a sequence of ground-and-pound offense. After Warren made it back to his feet, the former NC State wrestler suplexed Warren and sunk in a rear-naked choke — that Warren refused to tap to — forcing referee Dan Miragliotta to wave off the bout at 3:23 of round one.

Following the technical submission victory, Caldwell made good use of his time on the microphone with color commentator Jimmy Smith, calling out current bantamweight champion Marcos Galvao, simply saying: “F*ck you [Marcos] Galvao, you’re a p*ssy.” That’s nine straight victories for the former NCAA Champion to begin his mixed martial arts career, three wins since making the transition from featherweight to bantamweight. Meanwhile, Warren has now dropped two out of three and will not get a shot at the winner of Galvao and Eduardo Dantas when they do finally meet.

 

In the co-main event of the evening, Fernando Gonzalez (25-13) extended his winning streak to five at the expense of Gilbert Smith (12-5), taking home a split decision win (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). The takedowns were likely the difference on the judges’ scorecards, but both fighters had their moments over the course of 15 minutes. Gonzalez now moves even closer to a shot at the 170-pound title, or a matchup with Michael Page, who was originally slated to face “The Menifee Maniac” before withdrawing. The future of the division will be much clearer following “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” April 22, when Benson Henderson challenges Andrey Koreshkov for the welterweight belt.

 

Goiti Yamauchi (19-3) came into his fight against Bubba Jenkins (11-2) riding a wave of momentum after three-straight wins, but the Arizona State wrestling standout used his world-class grappling to neutralize the striking and jiu-jitsu prowess of Yamauchi. The 23-year-old Japanese competitor took the back of Jenkins for the duration of round one and nearly secured an arm bar late in the final round, but “The Highlight Kid’s” effective grappling was the difference, earning the unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-27). Jenkins now has won three consecutive fights since his January 2015 loss to Georgi Karakhanyan.

During the opening main card contest at “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell,” Sirwan Kakai (12-4) dropped his first fight under the Bellator MMA banner to Joe Taimanglo (22-6-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). It looked as though “Baby Joe” was going to finish the contest early — sinking in an Anaconda Choke before transitioning to a deep guillotine — but “Zohan” weathered the storm and hung around for the final ten minutes, even creating some bright spots of his own in the third and final round. In the end, the judges’ cage side awarded the Guam-native his third consecutive victory and sent Kakai back to the drawing board.

 

Preliminary Card Results:

Treston Thomison (9-4) defeated Aaron Roberson (5-4) via Submission (Guillotine) R2, 2:20

Jermayne Barnes (1-1) defeated Derek Palmer (0-1) via Submission (Punches) R2, 1:17

Neiman Gracie (4-0) defeated Roger Carroll (16-14) via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Ricky Turcios (6-0) defeated Steve Garcia (6-1) via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

Justin Patterson (7-1) defeated Chance Rencountre (8-2) via Split Decision (29-28. 28-29. 29-28)

Ray Wood (6-1) defeated Chris Jones (10-4) via TKO (Punches) R1, 3:10

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

FIGHTERS HOPE TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES IN THE CAGE AT NEF 22

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Lewiston, Maine (March 4, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts.  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional lightweight contest to the MMA portion of the “NEF 22” fight card.  Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (2-1) will meet Josh “Hook On” Harvey (0-0) at a fight weight of 150-pounds.

 

Lewiston’s Matt Denning is coming off the first loss of his professional career this past November against Jon Lemke (5-4).  Prior to that defeat, Denning was riding a four-fight win streak, all four of those wins coming by way of submission.  He is a member of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ).  Denning acknowledges personal issues have existed in the past between he and Harvey, culminating in a cageside confrontation between the two athletes at the close of “NEF XV” in the fall of 2014.

 

“I’m honored to have been asked specifically for this fight,” said Denning.  “Josh is the 155 ammy champ and is an amazing fighter.  I’m excited to watch him continue his career as a pro and move up to the top of the professional rankings.  We had some personal issues between the two of us because of a poor decision I made, and I hope with us fighting it will clear the air and I’ll be able to cross train with him and Young’s MMA.  We gotta give the fans what they want and this is what they wanted.  I look forward to seeing everyone April 23rd.”

 

The bout will indeed be the professional debut for Harvey after an amateur career in which he went 5-1.  He is the reigning NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Champion, a title which he will now vacate as a professional.  Harvey capped off his amateur stint with a highlight reel knockout over Ryan Dibartolomeo (4-4), a victory that solidified his position as the northeast region’s top-ranked amateur lightweight.  Harvey is a member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.  He recently signed a long-term NEF developmental deal.

 

“I’m feeling blessed to be a signed professional cage fighter,” said Harvey.  “I’m one step closer to my goal and April 23rd I’ll take another.  I’ve wanted a chance to fight ‘Ken Doll’ ever since I met him – he is just one of those guys.  I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

 

“One thing is very clear in this matchup – Josh and Matt don’t like each other,” stated NEF matchmaker and co-owner Matt Peterson.  “There is some deep, pent-up frustration that has been percolating between these two for a long time – and on April 23rd, the cork comes out.  It’s going to be spectacular.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF 22” 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.

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

CAPE COD GETS ITS FIRST MMA CAGEFIGHTING EVENT; BATTLES & LAMONTE TO MAKE PRO DEBUTS

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Hyannis, Massachusetts (March 4, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, announced today that it will bring Cape Cod its first-ever mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event this spring.  The event, entitled “NEF 23: NEF CAGES THE CAPE,” will take place on May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center (HYCC) in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Both professional and amateur MMA bouts will be presented that evening.

 

To date, NEF has held twenty-two events, a mix of MMA and boxing shows, in the state of Maine.  The promotion was formed in 2012 by business partners Nick DiSalvo and Matt Peterson.  NEF has a reputation of putting on action-packed events in venues filled with thousands of rabid fight fans.  The promotion has a large, dedicated fan base unmatched by any of its competitors on the regional level.  Over the years, NEF’s cage has played host to UFC veterans such as Marcus Davis (22-11) and two-time UFC World Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia (31-10), among others.  NEF co-promoted a nationally-televised event with Bellator in the spring of 2013.  Its fight highlights have been featured prominently on AXS TV, TUFF TV and the “World’s Greatest Knockouts” on Spike TV.

 

“The NEF brand is expanding,” noted DiSalvo.  “Cape Cod is hungry for an MMA event.  I’m surprised it’s taken this long to happen with so many great teams located in the area.  NEF is honored to be the first to present an MMA show on the Cape.”

 

One MMA team whose fighters will be featured prominently on the May 14 card will be Hyannis-based Team Juniko.

 

“This show will be the first MMA show on Cape Cod in Team Juniko’s backyard,” remarked Team Juniko coach Mike Gresh.  “Congrats NEF!”

 

Gresh is a longtime, respected leader in the New England MMA community.  Two of his team’s members have been confirmed as making their professional debuts on May 14 – Erin “Fun Size” Lamonte and Brendan “Lockdown” Battles.

 

Scituate’s Erin Lamonte put together a perfect 6-0 record as an amateur competitor.  She is coming off back-to-back submission victories in Lewiston, Maine.

 

“I cannot wait for NEF to come to the Cape,” exclaimed Lamonte.  “All but one of my fights have been out of state, so I am so excited to fight in front of all my family and friends in my own backyard!  Don’t miss it.  May 14th ‘Fun Size’ goes pro and makes her presence known in the women’s straweight division!”

 

Brendan Battles is a native of nearby Eastham, Massachusetts where he was a three-time All-American wrestler for Nauset Regional High School.  Battles won two state championships and three New England regional championships while amassing a total of 161 wins over the course of his high school wrestling career.  Later, Battles played defensive end and tackle for the University of Connecticut.

 

“It’s an honor to fight down the street from my hometown and the gym where I train,” said Battles.  “It gives me the chills to fight my very first professional fight on my home turf, with my family, friends, and all who supports me to see the work I’ve put in and the fighter I have evolved into at this point of my career.”

 

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

 

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

 

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 New England’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, MMA, Spike TV

WEIGH-IN RESULTS FOR “BELLATOR 151: WARREN VS. CARDWELL’ – AIRING TOMORROW ON SPIKE AT 9 PM ET/8PM CT

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Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

THACKERVILLE, OK (March 3, 2016) – For the third consecutive Friday, Bellator MMA returns to Spike, this time around with “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell.” In the main event, Joe Warren (13-4) looks to live up to his self-proclaimed label as the “Baddest Man on the Planet” against one of Bellator MMA’s brightest young stars in the undefeated Darrion Caldwell (8-0).

 

“Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” airs live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com andThe Bellator Mobile App.

In the co-main event, Gilbert Smith (12-4) will try to put an end to Fernando Gonzalez’s (24-13) four-fight winning streak when the two go toe-to-toe. In addition, Goiti Yamauchi (19-2) comes into the fight riding a wave of momentum after three-straight wins, but Arizona State wrestling standout Bubba Jenkins (10-2) will look put an end to that win streak. In bantamweight action, Sirwan Kakai (12-3) will make his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, and is riding a two-fight winning streak as he prepares for Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” are on sale now and start at just $45. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino and Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, with the first contest taking place 45 minutes later.

 

Main Card: (Live on SPIKE – 9 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT)

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Joe Warren (135.2) vs. Darrion Caldwell (135.6)

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Gilbert Smith (170.4) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (171)

 

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Goiti Yamauchi (146) vs. Bubba Jenkins (146)

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Bout: Sirwan Kakai (135.6) vs. Joe Taimanglo (135.4)

 

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 6:45 p.m. ET/5:45 p.m. CT)

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Fight: Roger Carroll (169.8) vs. Neiman Gracie (170.6)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Fight: Steve Garcia (135.4) vs. Ricky Turcios (135)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Fight: Justin Patterson (170.2) vs. Chance Rencountre (169.2)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Fight: Chris Jones (152.4) vs. Ray Wood (145.4)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Fight: Derek Palmer (194) vs. Jermayne Barnes (202.4)  

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Fight: Treston Thomison (145.6) vs. Aaron Roberson (146)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV, UFC

BELLATOR MMA IS THE NEW FIGHTING HOME OF WANDERLEI ‘THE AXE MURDERER’ SILVA

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Bellator President Scott Coker and Wanderlei Silva (Credit: Bellator/Lucas Noonan)

 

SANTA MONICA (March 2, 2016) –Bellator MMA is pleased to announce that one of the most popular, recognizable and beloved fighters in the sport of mixed martial arts, Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva (35-12-1), has signed an exclusive multi-year, multi-fight contract with the promotion. The 39-year-old publicly fielded offers from companies all around the world, but the former Pride FC Middleweight Champion made the decision to take his explosive style to Bellator MMA.

 

“The Axe Murderer” has fought in some of the most memorable feuds and battles the sport has ever seen. His wars with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Tito Ortiz, Mirko Cro Cop, Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Chuck Liddell, and Michael Bisping are the stuff of legend – but Silva is far from ready to close the book on his illustrious career.

 

In addition to his Pride FC Middleweight World Championship, Silva’s packed trophy case of accolades includes awards for Fight of the Year (2003, 2004, 2007), KO of the Year (2008), and multiple Fight of the Night awards including one for each of his last three fights, just to name a few. He now looks to continue to provide his award-winning, entertaining fights inside the Bellator cage.

 

Silva has several options for his first fight with Bellator. Although he has spent the majority of his career at 185-pounds, one of the things that his fans love most about him has been Wanderlei’s willingness to fight the best of the best – even if it was up two weight classes at heavyweight – as proven by his heavyweight wars against guys like Mark Hunt, Gilbert Yvel, Kazuyuki Fujita and Cro Cop; Or, his battles against light heavyweights like Ortiz, and his most recent opponent, Brian Stann, who he knocked out in the second frame.

 

Silva is the latest in a long line of recent free agent signings made by Scott Coker and Bellator MMA. The former Chute Box competitor joins: Josh Thomson, Phil Davis, Benson Henderson, Sergei Kharitonov and Anastasia Yankova on a roster with champions the likes of: Marcos Galvao, Daniel Straus, Will Brooks, Andrey Koreshkov, Rafael Carvalho, Liam McGeary andVitaly Minakov,

mixed martial arts, MMA, RFA

RFA RETURNS TO SOUTH DAKOTA IN APRIL WITH CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER

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MAIN EVENT:  RAFAEL VIANA vs. DEVIN CLARK  LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
CO-MAIN EVENT:
 LEANDRO HIGO vs.

JOEY MIOLLA
BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
FEATURE FIGHT:
JORDON LARSON vs. BRIAN CAMOZZI
WELTERWEIGHT WAR
FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH, 2016 LIVE ON AXS TV
LIVE at the SANFORD PENTAGON in SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
 
Tickets on Sale Now at Ticketmaster.com
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the RFA will be returning to South Dakota in April and is set to crown its first light-heavyweight champion and a new bantamweight champion. In the main event, Devin “Brown Bear” Clark will fight for a world title in his hometown against top Brazilian prospect Rafael “Gaucho” Viana. In the co-main event, Joey “The Beast” Miolla and Leandro “Pitbull” Higo will battle for the vacant bantamweight crown.
RFA 37 – Viana vs. Clark takes place Friday, April 15th at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to announce that the RFA will be bringing two world title fights to South Dakota in April,” stated Soares. “Rafael Viana and Devin Clark are undefeated and two of the top 205-pound prospects in the world. They will compete for the inaugural RFA light-heavyweight title in the main event of RFA 37. In the co-headliner, Joey Miolla and Leandro Higo will both return to the Sanford Pentagon to fight for the vacant RFA bantamweight title.”
Tickets for RFA 37 – Viana vs Clark are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com. You can also support your favorite fighter buy purchasing your tickets through CageTix.com/RFA.
Clark (5-0) is the most successful 205-pound fighter in RFA history and is looking to become the promotion’s first light-heavyweight champion in front of his hometown crowd. Clark is an NJCAA wrestling champion and a Golden Gloves boxing champion that has quickly seen his name rise to the top of several MMA light-heavyweight prospect rankings.  The Lincoln High School graduate has earned over half of his career wins inside the RFA Octagon and will be looking for the biggest win of his career in the main event of RFA 37.
“It’s an honor to fight for the inaugural RFA light-heavyweight title in front of my hometown crowd in Sioux Falls,” stated Clark. “Becoming the first RFA light-heavyweight champion will mean even more to me since I get to do it against such a talented and tough opponent.”
Viana (6-0) is the older brother of Bellator star Guilherme Viana and he also trains alongside UFC star Glover Teixeira. He is a BJJ black belt and the reigning Shooto Brasil light-heavyweight champion. Viana, like Clark, has proven to be clinical with his finishing ability and is eager to fight outside of his native Brazil for the first time. His international debut will also be his first fight televised worldwide and Viana is looking to take full advantage of it.
“I am very honored to be given this opportunity,” stated Viana. “This will be my first international fight and it is a great honor to fight for the inaugural RFA light-heavyweight title. I will put on a great show for the fans at RFA 37.”
The co-main event of RFA 37 will culminate in crowning the third bantamweight champion in RFA history. The first two champions, Pedro Munhoz and Luke Sanders, went 4-0 in the RFA before signing with the UFC. The vacant RFA bantamweight title will be up for grabs between two men who made their RFA debut on the same card last summer in back-to-back bouts. Joey Miolla (8-1) and Leandro Higo (15-2) represented their home countries on the historic “USA vs. BRAZIL” event that took place last August at RFA 29. Both men were victorious that night and showed why they are two of the most highly-regarded 135-pound prospects in the sport. On Friday, April 15th, Miolla and Higo will face off inside the same building that they made their RFA debut last summer, but this time the winner will be walking away with RFA gold strapped around their waist.
RFA 37 will also feature one of South Dakota’s favorite sons as Jordon Larson (6-2) is set to return in the welterweight feature fight. Larson will be making his fourth appearance for the RFA in his hometown of Sioux Falls against Colorado native Brian Camozzi (5-2). Larson, who has been the recipient of three of the loudest ovations in RFA history, will once again make the walk to the RFA Octagon in front of his adoring hometown fans. He will face Camozzi, who is the younger brother of UFC star Chris Camozzi. The younger Camozzi brother made a huge statement in his RFA debut in January. He showcased his dynamic skill set by becoming the first person to finish Tyler Milner and he did it in less than one round.
RFA 37 – Viana vs Clark takes place Friday, April 15th at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Additional bouts on the main card and preliminary card of RFA 37 will be announced soon. This will be the promotion’s fourth event to take place in “The Mount Rushmore State” of South Dakota and it will be the fourth RFA event of 2016. The entire main card of RFA 37 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT thisFriday, April 15th.
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.
BAMMA, mixed martial arts, MMA

BAMMA 24 – Kone vs. Phillips Results, Fight Highlight’s and Video Footage

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BAMMA’s second event in Ireland was even more successful than their first, as nearly 6,000 fans packed the 3Arena for ‘BAMMA 24 – Kone vs. Phillips’ on February 27. The card, stacked with many of Ireland’s top contender’s, did not disappoint.  BAMMA 24 delivered many impressive KO and submission wins throughout the night, as 12 of the events 16 bouts ended with a finish. Some of the night’s stand-outs include John ‘The White Mike Tyson’ Phillips, BAMMA Featherweight Champion Tom ‘Firekid’ Duquesnoy, Irish fan favorite ‘The Housewives Choice’ Chris Fields and Dylan ‘The Nuke’ Tuke.

 

Phillips pulled off the big upset of the night by knocking out Cheick ‘Animal’ Kone in just 65 seconds, becoming the new BAMMA Middleweight Champion. BAMMA Featherweight Champion Tom ‘Firekid’ Duquesnoy knocked Damien ‘The Rage’ Rooney out cold in his bantamweight debut, ‘The Housewives Choice’ Chris Fields clinched an impressive first round submission win, and Dylan ‘The Nuke’ Tuke delivered a brutal TKO that fans are still talking about!

 

Click here to view BAMMA 24 replay footage: http://grabyo.com/g/bamma-2016

 

The stacked card for this Dublin event also featured several elite fighters from Straight Blast Gym (SBG) in Ireland. As noted on Fightsday.com, UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor took to FacebookSaturday night to pay tribute to his SBG teammates fighting on the BAMMA card. (See Facebook snapshot)

 

*FB Image source: Fightsday.com

 

Below are the official results from ‘BAMMA 24: Kone vs. Phillips’ held on Saturday February, 27 at the famed 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.  BAMMA’s next event is BAMMA 25, to be held on May 14, 2016 at the Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham.  Tickets are on sale now at http://bit.ly/BAMMA25. For more information, please visit www.Bamma.com.

 

BAMMA 24 – Kone vs. Phillips Official Results

BAMMA is brought to you in Association with:

Spike TV & Channel 5 – BAMMA Broadcast Partners

Lonsdale & Sports Direct – The Official Equipment Partners of BAMMA

Safe MMA – Independent British Medical Organization

 

#BAMMA24 #ThisIsNotATest

 

MAIN CARD
(Main Event) BAMMA MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE
John ‘The White Mike Tyson’ Phillips Def. Cheick ‘Animal’ Kone via Knockout (Punch) Rd.1 1:05

MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT
Andy ‘Lions Paw’ DeVent Def. Paul Byrne via Knockout (Punches) Rd.1 0:59 

BANTAMWEIGHT SUPERFIGHT
Tom ‘Firekid’ DuQuesnoy Def. Damien ‘The Rage’ Rooney Via Knockout (Punch) Rd.1 1:23 

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT
‘The Housewives Choice’ Chris Fields Def. Dan Konecke via Submission (Darce Choke) Rd.1 4:39

 

PRELIMINARY CARD
LONSDALE BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE
Alan ‘The Apprentice’ Philpott Def. Nathaniel ‘The Prospect’ Wood Via TKO (Doctor Stoppage – Broken Nose) Rd.3 3:40

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT
‘Magic’ Myles Price Def. Mario ‘Rudeboy’ Saeed Via TKO (Strikes) Rd. 2 1:24

WELTERWEIGHT BOUT
Peter ‘The Showstopper’ Queally Def. Nathan ‘Mr. Bag & Tag’ Jones Via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT
Dylan ‘The Nuke’ Tuke Def. Mark ‘The Prophet’ Andrew Via TKO (Strikes) Rd.1 0:51

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT

Brian ‘Pikeman’ Moore Def. Mick ‘Basher’ Brennan Via TKO (Strikes) Rd.1 2:39

FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT
Decky ‘The Diamond’ Dalton Def. Mike ‘Gip’ Cutting Via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT
James Gallagher Def. Gerard Gilmore Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Rd.1 2:55

WOMENS FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT
Sinead Kavanagh Def. Zarah Fairn Dos Santos Via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

BANTAMWEIGHT BOUT
Sean Tobin Def. Gary ‘The Dumptruck’ Morris Via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Rd.2 3:53

FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT
Lloyd Manning Def. Nicholas Ott Via Knockout (Punch) Rd.1 0:59

160lb CATCHWEIGHT BOUT
Rhys ‘Skeletor’ McKee Def. Alex Masuku Via Knockout (Headkick) Rd.1 2:51 

(AMATUER) LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT
Jay Moogan Def Cian Cowley Via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

*Tom DuQuesnoy is still the BAMMA Featherweight Champion, this was his debut at Bantamweight

 

A range of BAMMA 24 replay clips are now available here for use with your reports: http://grabyo.com/g/bamma-2016

 

ABOUT BAMMA:

BAMMA is Europe’s largest and most premier MMA organization. BAMMA launched in 2009 with the aim of delivering Mixed Martial Arts events that fully capture the entertainment and sporting prowess on display in the world’s fastest growing sport. BAMMA’s combination of arena sized venues, compelling fight cards and exceptional production values has led to the fight organizations unrivaled position as Europe’s leading MMA promotion, as well as a broadcast deal with Spike TV UK.  For more information, please visitwww.Bamma.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE VS. JOHN ‘MACAPA’ TEIXEIRA TO CO-MAIN EVENT AT ‘BELLATOR 153: KORESHKOV VS. HENDERSON’ APRIL 22 ON SPIKE

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‘IRISH’ BRENNAN WARD WELCOMES EVANGELISTA ‘CYBORG’ SANTOS TO THE BELLATOR MMA WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION

 

FOUR ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY MATCHUPS ADDED TO THE MOHEGAN SUN EVENT IN CONNECTICUT

 

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (March 1, 2016) – The co-main event for “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” is set, with the news that Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-3) will compete against John “Macapa” Teixeira (19-1-2) in featherweight action on April 22 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

 

In addition, Connecticut’s own “Irish” Brennan Ward (13-3) returns to action in his home state fresh off an impressive victory in Japan, when he welcomes Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (20-16) into the Bellator MMA fray at 170-pounds.

 

The two bouts join a main event that features the highly anticipated Bellator debut of Benson “Smooth” Henderson (23-5), as he challenges welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) for his belt. Four preliminary bouts were also announced; additional contests will be added in the coming weeks.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” start at just $30 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Box Office. The event airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

 

For “Pitbull,” a fight on April 22 is the first step back towards a shot at Daniel Straus’ featherweight title, a belt that Freire held before the two met at “Bellator 145: With A Vengeance.” At 28 years of age and with already 15 fights under the Bellator MMA banner, the Natal-native has been victorious in seven out of his last eight outings and emphatically finished Daniel Weichel in what was a knockout of the year candidate in 2015.

 

Undefeated in Bellator MMA, including an entertaining victory his last time out against Gleristone Santos; “Macapa” has not suffered defeat since 2012. A product of the highly regarded Nova Uniao team, Teixeira has previously competed in the UFC, where he was a competitor on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil.” April 22 will only be the fourth time the 29-year-old has fought outside of Brazil.

 

For Ward, fighting at the Mohegan Sun is like competing in his own backyard. Located 10 miles from his home in New London, Conn., “Irish” has won four times at the Mohegan Sun, all by finish with three KOs and one submission. Most recently, the 27-year-old former NCAA All-American moved up in weight and submitted former heavyweight Ken Hasegawa in Japan while representing Bellator MMA during Rizin FF’s inaugural event this past December. The win brought Ward’s current winning streak to five fights, all coming by way of finish.

 

Best known to fans as “Cyborg,” Santos enters the Scott Coker-led promotion fresh off a win already in 2016. A veteran of Pride FC and Strikeforce, “Cyborg” has been involved in some memorable tussles against names the likes of: Nick Diaz, Gegard Mousasi, Francis Carmont, and Melvin Manhoef (2x). Now, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt will turn his attention to one of Bellator MMA’s fastest rising stars.

 

“Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” Updated Fight Card:

 

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

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main Event: Patricio Freire (24-3) vs. John Teixeira (19-1-2)

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

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Sam Watford (1-0) vs. Dean Hancock (2-0)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Foster (8-4) vs. Felipe Lavandoski (5-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Bakanowski (3-2) vs. T.J. Hepburn (4-2)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Pete Rogers (2-3) vs. Mike Mangan (0-3)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘BELLATOR 151: WARREN VS. CALDWELL’ FIGHT CARD UPDATE – THIS FRIDAY ON SPIKE

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Click below for “What to Watch: Warren vs. Caldwell”

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (February 29, 2016) – This Friday, Bellator MMA returns to Spike for the third consecutive Friday with “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell.” The event takes place from the WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, OK, and features a main event between highly touted undefeated bantamweight Darrion Caldwell (8-0) challenging former two-division world champion and the self-proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet” Joe Warren (13-4).

Tickets for “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” are on sale now and start at just $45. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino and Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, with the first contest taking place 45 minutes later.

“Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” airs live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Joe Warren (13-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (8-0)

Warren has just about done it all under the Bellator MMA banner, winning titles at featherweight and bantamweight during his nearly six-year promotional tenure. Now, Warren has his sights set on another run with the 135-pound title, a belt he lost during an intense encounter with Marcos Galvao early in 2015. A 2006 Pan American and World Champion in Greco-Roman competition, the 39-year-old will test himself against a young competitor who excels in the same skillset that Warren has used to his advantage for most of his career, wrestling.

 

With five impressive outings in a little over a year and a half under the Bellator MMA umbrella, it was only a matter of time before “The Wolf” found himself in a position to compete for a world title. The next stop on the road to championship gold goes through Warren, a man who has held Galvao’s belt already. A standout on the wrestling team at NC State University, the 27-year-old Caldwell most recently submitted Shawn Bunch via rear-naked choke in the first frame, adding to his tally of finishes (4). Initially a featherweight, Caldwell looks much more comfortable now at 135-pounds and as he proclaimed during a recent interview, “I foresee myself competing against Joe [Warren] with a No. 1 contender shot on the line, sooner rather than later.”

 

Fernando Gonzalez (24-13) vs. Gilbert Smith (12-4)

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

 

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

 

Goiti Yamauchi (19-2) vs. Bubba Jenkins (10-2)

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

 

It’s hard to ignore Jenkins inside or outside the Bellator MMA cage, being that “The Highlight Kid” also doubles as a podcast host during his free time. The Arizona State alum notched two straight wins to cap off 2015, most recently, an impressive offensive display against a promising prospect in Jordan Parsons.

 

Sirwan Kakai (12-3) vs. Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1)

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

 

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

 

Complete “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” Fight Card:

 

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

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

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

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

 

Preliminary Card:

 

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

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

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

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Jones (10-3) vs. Ray Wood (5-1)

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

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Steven Peterson (13-4) vs. Stephen Banaszak (5-5)

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