Tag Archives: mma

Bellator, GLORY, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

KIMBO SLICE TO JOIN THE FIGHT WEEK FESTIVITIES FOR ‘BELLATOR: DYNAMITE 1’ ONSEPT. 19 AT THE SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE

September 11, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

“Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” ticketholders will now be able to grab a signature from one of the sport’s most recognizable stars in front of the SAP Center Box Office next Saturday at 3 p.m. PT local time, as they enter the arena. Kimbo Slice, who scored a knockout victory over MMA legendKen Shamrock in his Bellator debut this past June, will be on site signing autographs and taking photos with fans before taking in the explosive action at the “Dynamite 1” event.

B142_Kimbo_Signing2

For the first time ever, “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” will feature both a Bellator MMA cage and a Glory kickboxing ring on one arena floor at the same time. In the evening’s main event, Tito Ortiz (18-11) will challenge the undefeated Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion, Liam McGeary (10-0) for the title.

The revolutionary event airs live and free on Spike at 9/8c. Tickets for the historic event start at just $30 and are on sale now at the SAP Center box office and are also available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, as well as Bellator.com.

Additionally, the previously announced fight card features a Glory kickboxing title fight featuring Zack Mwekassa (13-2, 12 KO) and Saulo Cavalari (31-2, 19 KO) for the vacant Light Heavyweight Championship, as well as Bellator MMA competitors Paul “Semtex” Daley (37-13-2) and Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (24-13) also competing in Glory action, when they trade-in the MMA gloves for kickboxing gloves. Finally, recently signed Keri Anne Taylor-Melendez (2-1) will compete in kickboxing action against Hadley Griffith.

On the mixed martial arts side, Bellator MMA will also conduct a four-man, one-night light heavyweight tournament to determine the No. 1 contender in the division that features Phil Davis (13-3) taking on Emanuel Newton (25-8-1) and Linton Vassell (15-4-1) facing Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (15-4, 1 NC). Newly signed lightweight standout Josh “The Punk” Thomson (20-8, 1 NC) is also in action, when he makes his Bellator MMA debut against Mike “The Greek Assassin” Bronzoulis (18-8-1).

“Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” – Saturday, September 19 – SAP Center, San Jose, Calif.

Main Card:

Bellator Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Tito Ortiz (18-11) vs. © Liam McGeary (10-0)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Final: TBD vs. TBD

Glory Vacant Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Saulo Cavalari (31-2) vs. Zack Mwekassa (13-2)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Josh Thomson (20-8) vs. Mike Bronzoulis (18-8-1)

Glory Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (37-13-2 MMA/20-3 Kickboxing) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (24-13/1-2 Kickboxing)

Glory Bantamweight Feature Fight: Kerri-Anne Taylor Melendez (2-1) vs. Hadley Griffith (Debut)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Fight: Phil Davis (13-3) vs. Emanuel Newton (25-8-1)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Fight: Linton Vassell (15-4-1) vs. Muhammed Lawal (15-4, 1 NC)

Preliminary Card:

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Victor Jones (Debut) vs. David Blanco (1-0) *

Bellator Flyweight Amateur Fight: Gloria Telles (Debut) vs. Alysia Cortez (Debut) *

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Nick Pica (4-0) vs. Mauricio Alonso (10-5)

Glory Lightweight Feature Fight: Jose Palacios (7-7) vs. TJ Arcengal (4-1) *

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Brandon Hester (1-0) vs. DeMarco Villalona (1-0) *

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Israel Delgado (0-1) vs. JJ Okanovich (0-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: James Terry (15-8) vs. Carlos Rocha (9-3)

Bellator Flyweight Feature Fight: Matt Ramirez (1-1) vs. Josh Paiva (5-1)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Gabe Carrasco (5-0) vs. Joe Neal (5-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Adam Piccolotti (5-0) vs. Marlen Magee (3-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Thomas Diagne (5-4) vs. Mike Malott (4-1)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Alternate Bout: Francis Carmont (23-10) vs. Roy Boughton (12-5)

Combat Zone MMA, mixed martial arts

COMBAT ZONE 55 “PRIDE & GLORY” IS NEXT FRIDAY!

September 11, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

Bellator, GLORY, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

THE MOST UNMISTAKABLE VOICE IN MIXED MARTIAL ARTS JOINS ONE OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE SPORT AT ‘BELLATOR: DYNAMITE 1’ ON SEPT. 19 AT THE SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE

September 11, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

TURN THE VOLUME UP – CLICK THE SOUNDCLOUD LINK BELOW – ENJOY

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

M-1 Challenge 61 Super Fight Featherweight champion Ivan Buchinger vs. Ex-lightweight champion Mansour Barnaoui Oct. 10 in Sochi, Russia

September 11, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Ivan Buchinger Mansour Barnaoui

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (September 10, 2015) – M-1 Global has announced a Super Fight between M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger and M-1 Challenge lightweight titlist Mansour “Tarzan” Barnaoui will headline M-1 Challenge 62, October 10,at The Ice Cube Curling Centerin Sochi, Russia.

M-1 Challenge 62 will be streamed live from Sochi, Russia in high definition onwww.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.

Buchinger strikes Tural Ragimov in their 2014 title fight

Buchinger (29-4-0, 7 KO/TKO, 16 SUB), unbeaten in M-1 fights with a perfect 4-0-0 record, will be making the second defense of the M-1 Challenge title he captured October 17, 2014 at M-1 Challenge 52, when he stopped Tural Ragimov in the fourth round in their “Fight of the Night.”

Fighting out of Gabcikovo, Slovakia, Buchinger is riding an eight-right win streak, last losing nearly three years to Conor McGregor. “Buki” successfully defended his crown this past April at M-1 Challenge 56, punching out Aliyar Sarkerov in two rounds.

Barnaoui celebrates his title-winning victory over Maxim Divnich

Barnaoui (12-2-0, 4 KO/TKO, 7 SUB), fighting out of Paris, won the M-1 Challenge lightweight championship in his last fight, knocking out Maxim Divnich in the opening round this past May at M-1 Challenge 57. Barnaoui, who has vacated his lightweight title, has won his last four fights.

Also fighting on the card against an opponent to be determined is undefeated Russian light heavyweight Adam “Beard” Yandiev (8-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 5 SUB), a rising MMA star who is a judo specialist. In his last fight at M-1 Challenge 58, Yandiev defeated previously undefeated (7-0-0) Valdas Pocevicius in the first round via a choke hold.

Yandiev’s hand is raised in victory at his last fight vs. Pocevicius

Fights and fighters are subject to challenge. Additional bouts will soon be announced.

Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 62 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable, Suddenlink Communications and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Upcoming Event: M-1 Challenge 61, September 19, 2015 in Ingushetia, Russia.

Information

www.M1Global.tv

www.mixfight.ru

www.wmmaa.org

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews

@VFinkelchtein

@M1Global

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-GlobalNews

mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING SIGNS CAROS FODOR AND COREY DEVELA TO EXCLUSIVE PROMOTIONAL AGREEMENTS

September 10, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

LAS VEGAS (September 10, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has inked another pair of recognized stars – lightweight (155 pounds) Caros “The Future” Fodor and middleweight (185 pounds) Cory “The One” Devela – to exclusive, multi-year agreements. Each athlete’s promotional debut will be announced soon.

Fodor (10-4) of Kirkland, Wash. joins his brother, rising star and costumed crime fighter Phoenix Jones aka Ben Fodor, on the World Series Fighting roster.

“Caros and Cory are two seasoned and accomplished stars in their respective weight classes, so it is a pleasure to welcome them aboard,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

“With our roster of stars,” said Sefo, “and our schedule of live events and television programming all growing rapidly, this is a more exciting time than ever for World Series of Fighting, and we are delighted to be able to have more and more established talent like Caros and Cory be a part of what we are building.”

The 31-year-old Fodor, a protégé of famed trainer Matt Hume, has won three of his last four bouts that took place over the course of a two-year stint competing in Asia. Fodor put himself on the map in 2010 after signing with Strikeforce and reeling off five consecutive victories on national television while competing for the now-defunct, former number two promotion in the world.

Fodor boasts a 70 percent finish rate, having earned 5 of his 10 career wins by submission and 2 wins by (T)KO. Since he began his career as an amateur 10 years ago, he has not suffered a knockout.

Also 31 years old, Devela (15-6) of Bonney Lake, Wash. is coached by wrestling guru and MMA submission ace Dennis “Superman” Hallman. Like Fodor, he established his name at a young age by competing against top-level competition on a major stage.

Devela, who will look for his fourth consecutive victory after earning a unanimous decision over superstar Nick Ring on June 26, produced one of the memorable moments in Strikeforce history when he stopped Joe “Diesel” Riggs with a vicious body slam in the first round (1:22) of their matchup on February 23, 2008.

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

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

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

4 PRELIMINARY BOUTS ANCHORED BY RYAN COUTURE VERSUS NICK GONZALEZ COMPLETES ‘BELLATOR 143: WARREN VS. DAVIS’ ON SEPTEMBER 25

September 5, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 24, 2015) – Four fights have been added to the preliminary portion of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” on September 25 at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, with the addition of Ryan Couture (10-3) versus Nick “The Ghost” Gonzalez, (18-12) as well as three other preliminary scraps.

The remaining fights round out a stacked card that also includes: Abram Torres (3-3) taking on Daniel Cervantes (2-3), Saul Elizondo (6-5) returning to action against Amador Ramirez (4-4) and undefeated Steve Garcia (5-0) meeting Eduardo Bustillos (4-1).

The contests will take place during the prelims of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the opening portion of the event will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.

Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after.

Currently engrossed in a four-fight winning streak, including his first two contests with Bellator MMA, Ryan Couture will look to remain undefeated in 2015. The son of MMA legend Randy Couture, the former Strikeforce competitor has finished all of the aforementioned wins via rear-naked choke submission.

Couture will go up against Gonzalez, who you can call a true Bellator MMA veteran. “The Ghost” competed at the promotion’s inaugural event back in 2009 and then again at Bellator 6. With 30-fights to his name, the Austin, Texas native will compete professionally for the first time in nearly two years.

In a battle of 170-pounders, Torres will look to end a two-fight losing when he faces Cervantes on September 25. Cervantes has won his only fight in 2015, a unanimous decision win on May 29.

Elizondo and Ramirez will square off in bantamweight action. Both men will be making their Bellator MMA debuts.

Finally, undefeated Steve “Mean Machine” Garcia will look to add to the impressive start to his pro career when he meets Eduardo Bustillos. The 23-year-old has already notched three wins under the Bellator MMA banner and has finished four out of five bouts. Bustillos is no slouch, having ended three of his four wins via submission.

“Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” Updated Fight Card

Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Joe Warren (12-4) vs. L.C. Davis (23-6)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) vs. Kendall Grove (21-15, 1 NC)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Henry Corrales (12-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Vinicius Queiroz (7-3) vs. Ewerton Teixeira (3-0)

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Ryan Couture (10-3) vs. Nick Gonzalez (18-12)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Dan Charles (9-3) vs. Chase Gormley (12-4, 1 NC)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Darrion Caldwell (7-0) vs. Shawn Bunch (4-1)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Gleristone Santos (27-4) vs. John Teixeira (18-1-2)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Jose Flores (3-0) vs. Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Guilherme Farias da Costa (3-0) vs. Jared Chaffe (4-1)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Bryce Mejia (3-0) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (3-0)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Abram Torres (3-3) vs. Daniel Cervantes (2-3)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Saul Elizondo (6-5) vs. Amador Ramirez (4-4)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Steve Garcia (5-0) vs. Eduardo Bustillos (4-1)

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.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

JOHN RAIO THRIVING IN RETIREMENT WITH A FIRST CLASS TEAM

September 5, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (September 3, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature three members of First Class MMA in action that night. Hannah Sparrell (0-0), Rafael Velado (0-0) and Nick Shea (1-0) from the Brunswick, Maine-based gym. Recently, First Class MMA founder and head coach John “First Class” Raio joined NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson as the guest on the NEF Podcast.

This past June, 38-year-old Raio retired after competing in the NEF cage for some three-and-a-half years. Raio now concentrates on training the members of his First Class MMA gym, including preparing Sparrell, Velado and Shea for their upcoming bouts.

“I definitely can put a lot more time into my fighters as well as my family,” said Raio. “The fighters, I can put a lot more time into them because it’s not all about me. When you’re fighting, when you’re training for a fight, no matter how much you try to focus on Nick Shea or Nick Gully or Hannah Sparrell or Rafael or any of our fighters, you can’t really put 100% effort into a fighter when you really focus on your own fight. It’s tough splitting between their fight and your fight and your job, your family and your kids.”

Since the birth of NEF in early 2012, and the subsequent explosion of the sport’s popularity in the state, many new gyms have sprung up in recent years, including First Class MMA. Raio enjoys, more than anything else, the tight-knit, family-like atmosphere that has developed at the facility since he opened the gym.

“The biggest thing I like about our gym, I enjoy going and being a part of, is there’s a very humble group of students and instructors,” noted Raio. “Everyone who teaches in there is about the fighters. It’s about the students. They’re not about themselves. They’re more about trying to help people get better. Whether they’re a fighter or a teacher, we have a few teachers who go there and we have several women students and several children and adults. It’s a real good mix and very much a family atmosphere. We rarely lose a student.”

The “First Class” moniker is not merely a nickname given to Raio because of his past job with the postal service. Early on in his MMA career, Raio earned the reputation of a respectful, classy, professional, likeable individual, hence the pun in his nickname. Those same qualities have carried over to the students of First Class MMA.

“I try to treat everybody equally,” said Raio. “I try to treat everyone respectfully. I think a lot of those guys (at the gym), in turn, treat each other respectfully. If I ever have an issue with a student, if they’re not acting respectful to the instructors or the other students, I’ll pull them aside and if they have to leave then they have to leave. That’s part of life… Our gym attracts, for some reason, people who are just nice people.”

With more and more new students coming through his gym’s door, Raio has definitely kept busy since his retirement from active competition. Like a proud father, Raio has a real passion for the success of his students. The ultimate reward for him is seeing his protégées do well in the cage.

“After the last show (NEF XVIII), when I saw Nick (Gulliver, 1-0) have his arm raised and Rob (Robinson, 1-0), I was so happy for those guys,” recalled Raio. “I’m so happy to see these two guys win. As much as I didn’t come away with a win against Bruce (Boyington, 10-8), I said ‘if we go 2-1, I’d rather be the one that didn’t pull off the victory.’ I’ve never been as happy for my own win than I was for Nick and Rob that night.”

To learn more about First Class MMA, you can visit the team’s Facebook page “First Class Fitness & MMA.”

You can listen to the NEF Podcast in its entirety atwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Podcasts/.

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

About New England Fights

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

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

UNDEFEATED DARRION ‘THE WOLF’ CALDWELL MEETS SHAWN ‘BUNCH THE GREAT’ BUNCH AT ‘BELLATOR 143: WARREN VS. DAVIS’ ON SEPTEMBER 25

September 3, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

CHASE GORMLEY MAKES HIS BELLATOR MMA DEBUT AGAINST DAN CHARLES

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 2, 2015) – Not one, but two must-see bouts have been added to the preliminary portion of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” on September 25 at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, with the addition of undefeated Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (7-0) versus Shawn Bunch (4-1) and heavyweight action seeing Chase Gormley (12-4, 1 NC) against Dan “The Man” Charles (9-3).

Caldwell remained undefeated with an impressive unanimous decision win over Rafael Silva at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The standout collegiate wrestler has made it clear that he hopes to have Bellator MMA championship gold on his mantle before the year is out. “The Wolf” plans to remain at bantamweight for the foreseeable future even though he was unbeaten at 145-pounds as well.

Standing opposite of Caldwell will be Bunch, a 32-year-old Ohio native who has seen all six of his professional fights take place in Bellator MMA. A member of American Kickboxing Academy in Northern California, “Bunch The Great” wants nothing more than to give Caldwell his first defeat as a pro.

In heavyweight action, former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Chase Gormley will look to keep his five-fight winning streak intact when he competes on September 25. The Titan Fighting Championship heavyweight kingpin won the regional promotion’s title in his last outing with a unanimous decision win over Jon Madsen in March.

Dan Charles will return to action for the first time since his matchup with Bobby Lashley at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business,” a bout that “The Man” took on short notice after James Thompson was forced out due to injury. The 29-year-old will be making his fifth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner and has earned victory via finish in seven out of nine wins.