Tag Archives: mma

Bellator, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show: July 13, 2017

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Mayweather and McGregor lead off tonight’s show as Tony and Rich tease Psychic Tom about not wanting to watch the August 26th “superfight.” We also recap the TUF 25 Finale and UFC 213 cards. We preview the Bellator and UFC cards coming up this weekend and all the incredible boxing action from the UK to New York.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

DEREK CAMPOS-BRANDON GIRTZ MEET FOR TRILOGY REMATCH DURING MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR 181TOMORROW NIGHT

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Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

THACKERVILLE, OKLA. — The official weigh-ins for Bellator 181: Campos vs. Girtz 3 took place this evening at the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, OKLA. The competitors are now ready for action tomorrow, with the event airing LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

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

Catchweight Main Event: Derek Campos (155.4) vs. Brandon Girtz (157.7)

 

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Kendall Grove (185.7) vs. John Salter (185)

 

Women’s Flyweight Feature Bout: Emily Ducote (124.4) vs. Jessica Middleton (125.9)

 

Bantamweight Feature Bout: Joe Warren (135.9) vs. Steve Garcia (134.5)

Preliminary Card: (Bellator.com – 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Will Florentino (170.9) vs. Jonathan Gary (169.1)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Aaron Rodriguez (184.8) vs. Romero Cotton (185.1)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Kemmyelle Haley (170.1) vs. Logan Storley (170.3)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Andre Fialho (169.9) vs. A.J. Matthews (169.9)

Women’s Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Brittney Elkin (146) vs. Amanda Bell (144.2)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: E.J. Brooks (170.9) vs. Guilherme Bomba (169.2)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Rhodes (185.2) vs. Rafael Lovato Jr. (185.6)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Treston Thomison (145.9) vs. Justin Lawrence (145.6)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Valentin Moldavsky (234.8) vs. Carl Seumanutafa (263.6)

Women’s Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Katy Collins (124.2) vs. Bruna Vargas (125)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Jordan Howard (135) vs. Johnny Marigo (135.1)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Guillermo Gomez (169.4) vs. Fernando Trevino (170.5)

Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

Retired Women’s MMA Star Named Combate Americas Fight Director

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Retired, former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world champion Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc has been appointed Combate Americas Fight Director.  Photo credit: Fred Siegel/Combate Americas, LLC

COMBATE AMERICAS NAMES
NICDALI RIVERA-CALANOC
FIGHT DIRECTOR

Former MMA world champion becomes the first Mexican American woman In history to lead matchmaking efforts for a combat sports franchise

NEW YORK – July 13, 2017 – Combate Americas has named retired, former women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world champion Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc, a Fight Director for the Hispanic sports and media franchise.

The appointment makes Rivera-Calanoc the first Mexican American woman in history to be charged with leading recruitment and matchmaking efforts for a combat sports organization.

Based in Las Vegas, Nev., Rivera-Calanoc, a training partner of former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) world champion Miesha Tate, will be responsible for managing the rapidly expanding field of women athletes that compete for the Combate Americas live television event series, both in the U.S., and internationally in Latin America.

She will also participate in the recruiting and matchmaking processes for the Combate Americas men’s division.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc to our fast-growing and robust team of executives,” said Combate Americas CEO and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-founder Campbell McLaren.

“Throughout her involvement in the sport,” continued McLaren, “Nicdali has been the consummate professional both in and out of competition, and we are confident that her vast experience as a professional athlete, will be a conduit to success working with the new generation of the sport that Combate Americas is investing in.”

Rivera-Calanoc has made history with Combate Americas twice before, competing in both the franchise’s first-ever, live televised U.S. event in Las Vegas in 2015, as well as its first live televised event in Mexico last January with Tate in her corner.

A 10-year veteran of professional MMA competition, Rivera-Calanoc was ranked amongst the top 10 fighters in the world in three different weight classes – flyweight (125 pounds), strawweight (115 pounds) and atomweight (105 pounds) – at three different points in her career.

On August 23, 2008, Rivera-Calanoc was crowned a world champion after defeating Shawn Tamaribuchi by way of unanimous decision in a flyweight contest in Shawnee, Okla.

Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, Rivera-Calanoc immigrated to the U.S. at age 5 with her family, and was raised in Tulsa, Okla.  She returned to her roots in Chihuahua annually until her latter teenage years.
Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ADDS FIVE NEW BOUTS TO STACKED “COMBATE CLÁSICO” LINE UP IN MIAMI ON THURSDAY, JULY 27

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Combate Americas superstar Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (right) returns to action at “Combate Clascio” at Mana Wynwood in Miami on July 27.  Palacios will face his biggest test to date in Nate Diaz protege Chris Avila. Photo credit: Scott Hirano/Combate Americas LLC

COMBATE AMERICAS ADDS FIVE NEW BOUTS TO STACKED “COMBATE CLÁSICO” LINE UP IN MIAMI ON THURSDAY, JULY 27

Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios returns for a featherweight showdown
opposite Chris Avila

Plus:
Bantamweight: Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo vs. Billy Molina
Featherweight: Alberto Montes vs. Jonathan Quiroz
Bantamweight: Irvin “The Beast” Rivera vs. Chino Duran
Bantamweight: Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet vs. Vinney “The Instigator” Pantaleon

NEW YORK – July 11, 2017 – Combate Americas and Relevent Sports, a division of RSE Ventures, today announced five new marquee bouts to its upcoming “Combate Clásico” professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event in Miami, Fla., on Thursday, July 27.

Making his return to the Combate Americas cage La Jaula is top-ranked bantamweight (135 pounds) star Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (8-1), who will move up to the featherweight (145 pounds) division for the second time in his Combate Americas career to face his toughest test to date – two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran and Nate Diaz protégé, Chris Avila (5-4) of Stockton, Calif.

“This is shaping up to be our most stellar fight card, from top to bottom, to date. With the matchup between Ricky Palacios and Chris Avila, we are destined for another memorable night of electrifying action in La Jaula,” Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren said.

Fresh off his triumphant victory over another former UFC star Roman “El Gallito” Salazar at Combate 13 on April 20, the hard-hitting 30-year-old Palacios of Mission, Texas, also an unbeaten professional boxer, looks to extend his five-fight winning streak.

The 24-year-old Avila of the famed Cesar Gracie Fight Team makes his debut in La Jaula following a pair of hard-fought decisions under the UFC.

In bantamweight action, the red-hot Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (11-4) aims for his fourth consecutive win and second straight inside La Jaula following his blistering, technical knockout win over Ivan Hernandez “Brasil” Flores at Combate 12 last March in Tijuana, Mexico.

The 29-year-old Argentinian will be paired off against Puerto Rican sensation Billy Molina (5-3), 30, making his Combate Americas debut after last month’s return to action in Bayamon.

Joining the featherweight (145 pounds) division for “Combate Clásico” is undefeated Venezuelan finisher Alberto Montes (3-0). Fighting out of the MMA Masters gym in Miami, the 23-year-old prospect locks horns with 30-year-old Combate Americas veteran Jonathan Quiroz (2-2) of Long Beach, Calif.

Grizzled veteran Irvin “The Beast” Rivera (5-3), best known for his thrilling, back-and-forth wars with Jose “Ghost” Ceja, looks to get back to his winning ways at the expense of prolific bantamweight wrestler Chino Duran (8-9), who makes his return to Combate Americas after a torrid run on the Florida MMA circuit.

Rounding out the newest additions to “Combate Clásico” is 24-year-old Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet (4-1), coming off consecutive wins in La Jaula and ready to make a run at the top of the bantamweight division by tangling with Florida’s own Vinney “The Instigator” Pantaleon (1-1).

Tickets for “Combate Clásico” are on sale online at Ticketon.com. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming days.

The “Combate Clásico” live MMA event will join a nearly week-long extravaganza that begins with a match between marquee soccer clubs Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain at Hard Rock Stadium on July 26 as well as concerts, parties and other interactive events prior to El Clásico Miami on July 29.

For more information on El Clásico Miami fans can visit elclasicomiami.com and internationalchampionscup.com.

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

BELLATOR MMA SIGNS TOP-RANKED MIDDLEWEIGHT GEGARD MOUSASI TO EXCLUSIVE MULTI-FIGHT CONTRACT

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PROMOTIONAL DEBUT TO BE ANNOUNCED IN COMING DAYS

LOS ANGELES — Bellator MMA is proud to announce the signing of perennial top contender Gegard Mousasi to an exclusive, multi-fight contract.

 

Long-considered to be one of the elite two-division threats in MMA, Mousasi joins Bellator currently riding a five-fight win streak that includes recent knockout victories over two former world champions in Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort. Prior to his UFC tenure, Mousasi captured the STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title, as well as the DREAM light heavyweight and middleweight titles in Japan. The signing sees Mousasi rejoin Bellator President Scott Coker following his successful run with STRIKEFORCE from 2009-2013.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Gegard to the growing Bellator family,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “He’s one of the most well-rounded fighters in all of MMA and can compete in multiple divisions, so that really opens up some exciting matchmaking opportunities for us and for the fans. We’re looking forward to having him compete on Spike very soon.”

“I am looking forward to fighting in Bellator,” added Mousasi. “I have a long-standing relationship with Scott Coker that goes back many years. Be ready, I am coming after the Bellator middleweight championship.”

The Iranian-born Mousasi, who currently trains out of The Netherlands, has amassed an overall career record of 42-6-2 and has earned victories over some of the sports’ biggest names, including Dan Henderson, “Jacare” Souza, Mark Hunt, Ovince Saint-Preux, Melvin Manhoef, Hector Lombard and “Babalu” Sobral. The addition of Mousasi adds depth to an ever-growing Bellator roster, which has recently seen free agents Rory MacDonald, Lorenz Larkin, Michael McDonald and current Bellator light heavyweight champ Ryan Bader join the Viacom-owned promotion.

mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA RETURNS TO DALLAS THIS FRIDAY WITH NEW MAIN EVENT LFA 16 – BEDFORD vs. FLICK

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MAIN EVENT:
 
6-time UFC vet
“BRUTAL” JOHNNY BEDFORD
vs.
Former Legacy FC title challenger
JIMMY “THE BRICK” FLICK 
BANTAMWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
CO-MAIN EVENT:
UNDEFEATED
MILES JOHNS
vs.
BJJ BLACK BELT
LEVI MOWLES
BANTAMWEIGHT BATTLE
FRIDAY, JULY 14th LIVE on AXS TV
THE BOMB FACTORY in DALLAS, TEXAS
Tickets are on sale NOW through TheBombFactory.com
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion has a new main event at LFA 16, which takes place this Friday, July 14th at The Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas.
LFA 16 will feature a new main event when six-time UFC veteran “Brutal” Johnny Bedford faces former Legacy FC title challenger Jimmy “The Brick” Flick in a bantamweight showcase. The change came when original headliner Davina Maciel was forced off the card due to visa issues, which has prevented her from traveling from her native Brazil. Andrea Lee was set to defend her flyweight title against Maciel, but will now defend her title at a later date. LFA 16 – Bedford vs. Flick takes place this Friday, July 14th at The Bomb Factory in Dallas, Texas. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“Johnny Bedford is an experienced and dangerous UFC vet that is on an impressive four-fight win streak,” stated Saores. “He will make his LFA debut against former Legacy FC title challenger Jimmy Flick in the new main event of LFA 16. Andrea Lee is a great champion and will defend her title at a later date since her opponent was unable to take the fight due to visa issues. We are all looking forward to the return of Andrea Lee as well as Johnny Bedford vs. Jimmy Flick this Friday night in Dallas, Texas.”
Tickets for LFA 16 – Bedford vs. Flick are available for purchase NOW at TheBombFactory.com.
Bedford (23-12-1) brings more cage experience into his LFA debut than perhaps anyone in LFA history. Bedford made his Bellator debut in May of 2010 at Bellator 19. The following year, he found himself competing on the fourteenth season of the hit UFC reality television show The Ultimate Fighter. Bedford advanced to the semi-finals of TUF 14 and earned a UFC contract. Bedford fought in the UFC for three years and had six memorable fights for the promotion. After leaving the UFC, Bedford won a regional title in Michigan and defended it three times via stoppages. He now looks to continue his winning ways in the LFA 16 headliner.
Flick (9-3) is no stranger to big-time competition and headlining status on AXS TV. Coincidentally, the man known as “The Brick” made his Legacy FC debut in December of 2012 in the main event of Legacy FC 16. Now an older, more experienced, and bigger Flick will be making his LFA debut in the main event of LFA 16. In both headliners Flick was matched against seasoned UFC veterans, but he is now four and half years older with twice the fighting experience under his belt. Flick will look to use that experience to continue the momentum he started earlier this year when he stopped Argentinian fighter Ben Vasquez in just 50 seconds in regional action.
The co-main event of LFA 16 will feature a good old fashioned Texas showdown between two of Legacy FC’s most popular fighters. Undefeated Miles Johns (4-0) will lock horns with BJJ black belt and fellow Legacy FC standout Levi Mowles (6-2) in a bout between two fighters looking for a signature win to catapult them to the top of one of LFA’s most stacked divisions. Johns returns to the cage thirteen months after winning his Legacy FC debut via TKO. He will face Mowles who is a six-time Legacy FC vet and a black belt in jiu-jitsu under Brandon Quick just like LFA 16 headliner Johnny Bedford and LFA welterweight champion Derrick Krantz.
Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Johnny Bedford (23-12-1) vs. Jimmy Flick (9-3)
Co-Main Event | Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Miles Johns (4-0) vs. Levi Mowles (6-2)
Catchweight Bout (140 lb)
– Steven Peterson (5-1) vs. Ryan Hollis (12-10)
Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Geoff Neal (6-2) vs. Bilal Williams (8-3)
Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Damon Jackson (11-2-1) vs. Eliazar Rodriguez (7-6)
Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Cameron Miller (3-0) vs. Brandon Lewis (3-0)
Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Fernando Salas (4-1) vs. Jessie Vasquez (2-2)
In September 2016, Legacy FC and RFA officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. Legacy FC and RFA have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 16 will be the second LFA event to take place in the City of Dallas. It will also be the fifth time that the LFA has traveled to “The Lone Star State” of Texas. Further information about LFA 16 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 16 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

SERGEI KHARITONOV vs. GERONIMO DOS SANTOS M-1 CHALLENGE 81 PROMO VIDEO

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M-1 Challenge 81 will be streamed live from Ingushetia, Russia in high definition on www.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 the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
INFORMATION:

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
 
M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
 
M-1 Challenge 81: July 22, 2017 in Ingushetia, Russia
M-1 Challenge 82: August 5, 2017 in Helsinki, Finland
boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show: PFL Debut, Pac-Man Upset and UFC Fight Previews

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This episode of the FNU Combat Sports Show features Tom, Tony and Rich discussing the controversy surrounding Jeff Horn’s upset of Manny Pacquiao and recapping the combat sports action from last week. We also highlight the upcoming schedule, including an action-packed weekend for the UFC with the Ultimate Fighter Finale on Friday night and UFC 213 on Saturday night.

Fight Network, mixed martial arts, MMA, women's MMA

Fight Network Presents ENFUSION LIVE #51 from Halifax this Saturday, July 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET

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For Immediate Release – July 6, 2017

TORONTO – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the Canadian debut of ENFUSION LIVE this Saturday, July 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET, as ENFUSION LIVE #41 emanates from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, headlined by a five-round showdown between England’s Iman Barlow and Canadian Ashley Nichols for the Enfusion -54 kg world championship.

The live broadcast of ENFUSION LIVE #41 will air at 8:00 p.m. ET on Fight Network across Canada. The full line-up includes:

-54kg World Title – Iman Barlow (England) vs. Ashley Nichols (Canada)

-80kg – Thomas Dalziel (Canada) vs. Ariel Abreu (USA)

-85kg – Mark MacKinnon (Canada) vs. Joey George (Canada)

-75kg – Justin Condie (Canada) vs. Matthew Kendell (Canada)

-70kg – Chris McMillan (Canada) vs. Kyle Nelson (Canada)

-60kg – Lenny Wheeler (Canada) vs. Desmond Johnson (Canada)

Ahead of ENFUSION LIVE #41, the UFC 213 PREFIGHT SHOW will air live at 7:00 p.m. ET, featuring final predictions and analysis from Las Vegas, including UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping and retired contender Kenny Florian serving as desk analysts with host Karyn Bryant and reporter Megan Olivi conducting on-site interviews.

The live UFC 213 POSTFIGHT SHOW airs at approximately 1:00 a.m. ET, recapping the championship doubleheader featuring the rematch between Amanda Nunes and Valentina Shevchenko, plus the clash between Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker for the interim middleweight crown.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ADDS KYRA BATARA VS. VANESA RICO ATOMWEIGHT GRUDGE MATCH TO “COMBATE CLÁSICO” ON JULY 27 IN MIAMI

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Tickets for “Combate Clásico” on sale now

NEW YORK – July 6, 2017 – Combate Americas today announced the highly-anticipated atomweight (105 pounds) showdown pitting grappling sensation Kyra “Mogwai” Batara (5-4) against Judo black belt Vanesa Rico (2-2) at the upcoming “Combate Clásico” 10-bout professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event in Miami, Fla., on Thursday, July 27, televised live on Azteca America and ESPN LATAM.

Tickets for “Combate Clásico” are on sale online at Ticketon.com.

Nearly six months after failing to make weight for her Combate 11 main event, the 22-year-old Batara (5-4) of Las Vegas, Nev., a protégé of jiu-jitsu legend Eddie Bravo, will risk her undefeated record in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, at Miami’s Mana Wynwood venue, following a bitter rivalry that continues to intensify on social media.

“It’s no secret there’s bad blood between us and I am excited to ‘bring the heat’ to Miami and ignite a ‘Fight of the Night’ performance on such a grand stage,” Batara said. “Being from Las Vegas, I don’t like to gamble, but if there’s one thing I’m willing to bet on, it’s myself.”

Making her U.S. debut, the 36-year-old Rico (2-2) of Alicante, Spain, holds a second-degree black belt in Judo and is a 13-year member of the Spanish national Judo team and former national freestyle wrestling champion. Her two professional MMA career victories to date both came by way of submission.

“I was really looking forward to fighting for Combate in February but unfortunately, Kyra robbed me of that chance with her unprofessional behavior by missing weight,” Rico said. “I hope that Kyra comes ready this time because I am very motivated to show the world who I am. I’ve waited so long now to get in the cage at Combate, it’s my time!”

The “Combate Clásico” live MMA event will join a nearly week-long extravaganza that begins with a match between marquee soccer clubs Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain at Hard Rock Stadium on July 26 as well as concerts, parties and other interactive events prior to “El Clásico Miami” on July 29.

The event will air live in the U.S. on Azteca America and live on ESPN LATAM in Latin America at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.  It will also air the following night, Friday, July 28 on TV Azteca in Mexico. Additional matchups for “Combate Clásico” will be announced soon.

For more information on El Clásico Miami fans can visit elclasicomiami.com and internationalchampionscup.com.