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PROFESSIONAL WELTERWEIGHT MMA BOUT ADDED TO NEF 21 CARD
Lewiston, Maine (January 14, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS” on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card is scheduled to feature both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of a professional welterweight MMA bout to the fight card. Andrew Tripp (1-0) has signed to face Alex Henry (0-0) at a fight weight of 170-pounds.
Prior to competing in MMA, Andrew Tripp won two state championships wrestling for Massabesic High School in Waterboro, Maine. Currently a member of Team Irish, Tripp will appear in the NEF MMA cage for the first time since May 2013 when he fought at “NEF VII.” He is credited with winning the first fight in the promotion’s history over Tollison Lewis at “NEF I.” After putting together a stellar amateur record of 9-1, and holding the northeast region’s top amateur welterweight ranking, Tripp made his successful professional debut last fall. On February 6, he will be looking for his fifth win in a row.
“I am very excited,” said Tripp. “I’ve missed all the NEF fans and I’ve brought them a newer, better-rounded Tripp to watch in that cage. Alex Henry has never faced an opponent as game as me. I love the kid’s style – no dance, just fight – but he’s going to have to deal with me in that cage on February 6th, and I am going to make sure he won’t be up for the task. I’ll be surprised if we get through the first round.”
Alex Henry has yet to taste defeat in the MMA cage. He has amassed a perfect record of 6-0 since beginning his amateur career in 2013. Henry will make his professional debut at “NEF 21.” He is a member of New York State’s Team Bombsquad, a camp that has produced past NEF MMA headliners like Darrius Heyliger (4-3) and former NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion and Titan Fighting Championship Featherweight Champion Des “Predator” Green (15-5). Henry has won all three of his most recent bouts via first-round stoppage.
“Andrew and Alex have a combined 16-1 overall record between their amateur and professional careers,” stated NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “One of these two power punchers will be leaving the Colisee with their first professional loss on February 6th. This is a pick ’em fight and a dream addition to an already stellar card.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS,” takes place Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 21” 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.
New Home For the FNU Combat Sports Radio Show: Listen to our First Show of 2016
RYAN COUTURE-PATRICKY “PITBULL” FREIRE COMPLETES MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 148: DALEY VS. UHRICH’
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (January 12, 2016) – Ryan Couture (10-3) will face Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (14-7) during the main card of “Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich” on January 29 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.
Bellator officials previously announced two welterweight attractions featuring a main event pitting British slugger Paul “Semtex” Daley (37-13-2) against Andy Uhrich (11-5) and a rematch featuring Paul Bradley (22-6, 2 NC) against Chris Honeycutt (6-0, 1 NC), which will serve as the co-main event. Rounding out the Spike-televised main card will be heavyweights Raphael Butler (9-1) and Tony Johnson (9-2).
In addition, the preliminary portion of the card has been completed, with the news that Matt Perez (1-1) will meet Eugene Cancino, Nick Bustamante (3-0) takes on Salvador Becerra (4-2), Jermaine McDermott (1-0) fights Eric Huggins (1-0) and John Paul Elias (3-0) will also be in action.
“Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich” 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 at 5 p.m. PT. Tickets for the event start at only $25 and are on sale now at the Save Mart Center Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
Currently engrossed in a four-fight winning streak, including his first two contests with Bellator MMA, Couture will look to start off 2016 on the right foot. The son of MMA legend Randy Couture, the former Strikeforce competitor has finished all of the aforementioned wins via rear-naked choke submission. Couture was slated to compete at “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” but his opponent missed weight by more than 16 pounds.
Standing opposite of Couture will be the elder “Pitbull” brother, who agreed to the fight on short notice after Derek Anderson was forced to withdraw due to injury. Freire competed during the last event of 2015 and will now make his 14th appearance for Bellator MMA during the first event of 2016. It’s worth noting that 10 of Freire’s wins have come before reaching the judges’ scorecards.
Complete “Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich” Fight Card
Bellator MMA Welterweight Main Event: Paul Daley (37-13-2) vs. Andy Uhrich (11-5)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Chris Honeycutt (6-0, 1 NC) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6, 2 NC)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Ryan Couture (10-3) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (14-7)
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Raphael Butler (9-1) vs. Tony Johnson (9-2)
Preliminary Card:
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Mark Dickman (10-2) vs. Thomas Diagne (5-5-1)
Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Ilima Macfarlane (2-0) vs. Amber Tackett (1-1)
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Javy Ayala (8-4) vs. Carl Seumanutafa (9-6)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Anthony Avila (12-4) vs. John Reedy (11-6)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Art Arcienega (14-5) vs. Justin Smitley (9-7
Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Mason Fowler (2-0) vs. TBA
Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Bout: Paul Ruiz (6-2) vs. Josh San Diego (5-1)
Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Matt Perez (1-1) vs. Eugene Cancino (Debut)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Nick Bustamante (3-0) vs. Salvador Becerra (4-2)
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: John Paul Elias (3-0) vs. TBA
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Jermaine McDermott (1-0) vs. Eric Huggins (1-0)
MIKE RICCI OUT OF WSOF27 WITH INJURY; LUIZ FIRMINO STEPS UP TO FACE CAROS FODOR ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, LIVE ON NBCSN FROM MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
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M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev Named M-1 Global’s 2015 Fighter of the Year
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ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (January 12, 2016) – M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev has been named M-1 Global’s 2015 Fighter of the Year.
Russian welterweight Alexey Kunchenko was selected as “Prospect of the Year,” whileM-1 Challenge 63 was the M-1 Global “Event of the Year.” Emeev (13-3-0, M1: 7-1-0), fighting out of Russia, was a runaway winner as “Fighter of the Year,” garnering 84.5-percent of the votes to easily outdistance runner-up Viktor Nemkov(23-5-0, M-1: 14-4-0), the reigning M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion.
In 2015, Emeev won both of his M-1 fights with his title-winning submission (choke) of defending champion Vyacheslav Vasilevsky in the opening round of their rematch last April at M-1 Challenge 56, and first title defense this past December 4th at M-1 Challenge 63 when American challenger Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti was unable to answer the bell for the third round.
 (L-R) Emeev pounds Fioravanti
Kunchenko (12-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0), the undefeated Russian, defeated “Prospect of the Year” runner-up Adam “Beard” Yandiev and third-place finisher Raul Tutarauli (6-3-0, M-1: 3-0-0). Kunchenko won all five of his fights in 2015, highlighted by his opening-round stoppages of Dez Parker at M-1 Challenge 57 and Alexandre Ramos at M-1 Challenge 62.
 (L-R) Kunchenko vs. RamosM-1 Challenge 63 was headlined by the highly entertaining rematch between defending M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan Puetz, of Germany, and Nemkov, of Russia, in the latter’s victory by five-round decision. Emeev’s triumph over Fioravanti was the M-1 Challenge 63 co-feature. M-1 Challenge 56, headlined by Emeev’s title-winning performance against Vasilevsky, was “Event of the Year” runner-up.
 Nemkov (R) strikes Puetz in M-1 Challenge 63 “Event of the Year”
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WSOF29: GAETHJE VS. FOSTER IS ON! WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT SET FOR MARCH 12 IN LOVELAND, COLORADO LIVE ON NBCSN
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PIVOTAL WELTERWEIGHT PAIRING BETWEEN MICHAEL PAGE-FERNANDO GONZALEZ SET FOR CO-MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 151: WARREN VS. CALDWELL’ ON MARCH 4
SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (January 11, 2016) – The co-main event of Bellator MMA’s return to WinStar World Resort & Casino in Thackerville, OK on March 4 will feature undefeated striking sensation Michael “Venom” Page (9-0) taking on “The Menifee Maniac” Fernando Gonzalez (24-13) in welterweight action.
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 going down one hour later.
The main event of “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” features yet another undefeated Bellator MMA competitor, when Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell(8-0) faces “The Baddest Man on the Planet” Joe Warren (13-4). The televised card 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.
Mixed martial arts fans and pundits alike would be hard-pressed to find a striker as dynamic as Page. Look no further than his last outing against Charlie Ontiveros, or his 65-second knockout of Rudy Bears. Now “Venom” looks to strike against Gonzalez, who is no stranger to being the underdog when he enters the Bellator MMA fray. A proud son of London, England, the 28-year-old Page has only reached the judges’ scorecards once in his nine professional outings and hopes that his first fight since “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho” is no different.
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-renown kickboxer 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.
What type of shakeup will this pivotal matchup have to the warzone that is the 170-pound division, tune into the third Bellator MMA event in three consecutive weeks on Spike to find out!
Updated “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” Fight Card:
Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Joe Warren (13-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (8-0)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Michael Page (9-0) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (24-13)
About Bellator MMA:
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
M-1 Global signs Undefeated welterweight prospect Alexey Kunchenko
 ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (January 11, 2016) – M-1 Global has announced its signing of undefeated Russian welterweight prospect Alexey Kunchenko (12-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0) to an exclusive promotional contract.The 31-year-old Kunchenko, fighting out of Tyumen, Russia, has a Muay Thai foundation. Representing the Boets Club, Kunchenko has nine knockouts, along with two submission and one decision victory.
At M-1 Challenge 62 last October, Kunchenko stopped Alexandre Ramos in punches in the third round. (Below see picture of Kunchenko kicking Ramos)
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DAVE RICKELS-BOBBY COOPER ADDED TO MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 150: GALVAO VS. DANTAS 2’
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (January 6, 2015) – A lightweight contest pitting Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) against Bobby Cooper (12-5) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” at Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas on February 26.
In addition, Bellator MMA’s Bantamweight Championship will be on the line in a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) against former champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) and heavyweight Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) will face Augusto Sakai (9-0).
The contests will take up three slots of the televised portion of “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which airs live 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 fights will be announced shortly.
Tickets for “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, as well as the Kansas Star Arena box office.
A Bellator MMA event in Mulvane, Kansas just wouldn’t be the same without “The Caveman,” who will return to action for the first time since competing against Michael Chandler this past November. Rickels always comes ready to put on a show, whether it’s on his way to the cage, or when he’s taking on a who’s who of Bellator MMA lightweight talent. The 27-year-old will be making his 16th appearance under the promotional banner.
The last time Bobby Cooper fought inside the Kansas Star Arena, he took home a closely contested split decision victory over “Bellator 147” co-headlinerPablo Villaseca. Now, “Super Duper” will look to move to 3-0 under the Bellator MMA banner when he faces Rickels in hostile territory. It’s worth noting that the Missouri native has only lost twice in his last eight MMA appearances.
Updated “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Fight Card:
Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title Main Event: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (9-0)
Bellator MMA Lightweight Co-Main Event: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)