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Tag Archives: mma
KARL AMOUSSOU AND MATT INMAN GIVE JOINT INTERVIEW TO CAGE WARRIORS AHEAD OF WELTERWEIGHT TITLE SHOWDOWN AT CW 80
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MARTIN ‘.50CAL’ STAPLETON FOCUSED ON A FINISH AT CAGE WARRIORS 80 IN LONDON
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FNU Combat Sports Show: MacGregor/Mayweather Talks; Soccer Headers as Dangerous as Heavyweight Boxing; UFC Recaps and Previews; Fedor vs. Mitrione Bellator Preview and Predictions
Tony, Rich and Tom come back from a week off with a ton of stuff to talk about. From the controversy of Holly Holm’s UFC 208 main event title fight with Germaine De Randamie to the upcoming battle between Matt Mitrione and Fedor Emelianenko, we cover a wide range of past and upcoming MMA events. We also look back at Ivan Barnchyk’s masterful comeback last weekend against Abel Ramos in a thrilling boxing match. We also go over the upcoming week’s boxing schedule. We also update the Mayweather vs. MacGregor negotiations with a big surprise: The UFC is the big stumbling block at this point. Additionally we discuss the recent study showing soccer players can suffer the same damage as heavyweight boxers after long careers in the sport where heading soccer balls repeatedly can bring on CTE in retired players. We also spend time discussing Brock Lesnar’s retirement and GSP’s imminent return.
Part One:
Part Two:
BELLATOR 172 COMPETITORS TAKE US BEHIND THE SCENES PRIOR TO SATURDAY NIGHT’S SHOWDOWN AT SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE
SAN JOSE, CALIF. (Feb. 16, 2017) – We are just days away from one of the most highly anticipated heavyweight battles in Bellator MMA history, as Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) and Matt Mitrione (11-5) headline a massive main card at Bellator 172. Once again, Bellator’s digital team has put together a collection of exclusive new content in preparation of Saturday’s festivities at SAP Center. If you’re searching for a deeper look inside these competitors’ road to the main event, join us as we explore some fantastic behind-the-scenes footage available now on Bellator’s dynamic YouTube page.
| The Legend of Fedor’s Sweater
Fedor’s monumental career goes hand-in-hand with his “Glorious Sweater of Absolute Victory.” Adam Carolla and others chime in on the Russian slugger’s mysterious attire. |
What to Watch: Fedor vs. Mitrione
Bellator 172 features a must-watch heavyweight main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Matt Mitrione, but before the two meet inside the cage Jimmy Smith covers what’s at stake. |
| Backstage With Fedor Emelianenko
Let’s go backstage with one of the game’s greatest and take a closer look at the initial signing that took place at the promotion’s last event in San Jose at Bellator 165. |
Sit Down With Matt Mitrione
Heavyweight superstar Matt Mitrione sits down with us to discuss his upcoming main event showdown with the legendary Fedor. |
| In Focus: Josh Thomson
We take a closer look at Josh Thomson’s story and close relationship with Bellator MMA President Scott Coker in the latest edition of In Focus. |
FIGHT INFO: The evening’s main event features a highly anticipated heavyweight slugfest pitting the legendary Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) against Matt Mitrione (11-5).
San Jose’s own Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC) returns to the Bellator MMA cage to take on veteran knockout artistPatricky “Pitbull” (16-8) in a lightweight co-main clash. Fans can also experience a heavyweight feature fight pittingCheick Kongo (25-10-2) against British phenom Oli Thompson (17-9) and a female flyweight fight pairing Veta Arteaga (2-1) against Brooke Mayo (Debut). Lastly, a welterweight showdown pitting Josh Koscheck (17-10) againstMauricio Alonso (12-7, 1 NC) rounds out the Spike-televised main card action.
Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione 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. Very few tickets remain and they can be purchased at the SAP Center Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
Complete Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione SPIKE-Televised Main Card:
Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” (16-8)
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) vs. Oli Thompson (17-9)
Flyweight Feature Fight: Veta Arteaga (2-1) vs. Brooke Mayo (Debut)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Josh Koscheck (17-10) vs. Mauricio Alonso (12-7, 1 NC)
Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Anatoly Tokov (24-2) vs. Francisco France (13-4-1)
Welterweight Prelim Bout: James Terry (18-9) vs. J.C. Llamas (8-5)
Lightweight Prelim Bout: Nikko Jackson (1-1) vs. Cesar Gonzalez (0-1)
Featherweight Prelim Bout: Juan Cardenas (1-0) vs. Luis Vargas (0-1)
Welterweight Prelim Bout: Dominic Sumner (1-0) vs. Abraham Vaesau (1-0)
Flyweight Prelim Bout: Anthony Do (4-1) vs. Bobby Escalante (4-5)
Flyweight Prelim Bout: Matt Ramirez (1-2) vs. Jeremy Murphy (3-3)
Lightweight Prelim Bout: J.J. Okanovich (3-1) vs. Zach Andrews (5-1)
Featherweight Prelim Bout: Abner Perez (Debut) vs. Gaston Bolanos (Debut)
Featherweight Prelim Bout: Justin Tenedora (Debut) vs. Roque Reyes (0-3)
Middleweight Prelim Bout: Martin Sano (4-2) vs. Diego Herzog (4-2)
THOUSANDS BRAVE WINTER WEATHER FOR LEWISTON MMA EVENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (February 11, 2017) – A nor’easter 48 hours earlier, sub-zero temperatures, heavy snowfall at bell-time, and a blizzard looming on the horizon could not stop more than 2,500 devoted fight fans from getting their fill of mixed-martial-arts action at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday night. The event marked fight promotion New England Fights’ (NEF) five-year anniversary at the venerable fight arena.
The show was headlined by the semi-finals of the NEF Professional MMA Lightweight Title tournament. Jon Lemke (6-7) advanced to the finals with a first round technical knockout of Jesse Erickson (9-6). Ryan Sanders (13-8) joined Lemke in the final round with a first-round knockout of John Ortolani (8-11).
Ras Hylton (1-0) was victorious in his professional debut over Mike Hansen (5-5), while former NEF Amateur MMA Welterweight Champion Ricky Dexter (1-0) also entered the pro ranks with a verbal submission win over Matt Denning (3-6) after a brutal body shot.
On the amateur portion of the fight card, Victor Irwin (3-0) became the new light-heavyweight champion with a submission of Ryan Glover (3-2).
NEF further announced that its next MMA event, “NEF 28: INVINCIBLE,” would originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday, April 29, 2017.
The full results of “NEF 27: RESURGENCE”:
PROFESSIONAL
Ryan Sanders def. John Ortolani via KO, round 1
Jon Lemke def. Jesse Erickson via TKO, round 1
Ras Hylton def. Mike Hansen via verbal submission
Ricky Dexter def. Matt Denning via verbal submission
Josh Harvey def. Richie Collingham via D’arce choke, round 1
Elias Leland def. Nick Santos via arm triangle, round 1
AMATEUR
Victor Irwin def. Ryan Glover via rear-naked choke, round 1
Walt Shea def. Alan Bustamante via unanimous decision
Justin Witham def. Ryan Burgess via anaconda choke, round 2
Alex Clark def. Henry Clark via unanimous decision
John Tefft def. Sean Worcester via TKO, round 2
Sarah Ziehm def. Nicole Burgess via rear-naked choke, round 3
Fred Lear def. Michael Crespo via TKO, round 2
Devin Corson def. Winston Cortez via unanimous decision
Zeal McGrew def. Pete Grinnell via TKO, round 1
Frank Johanson def. Jacob Deppmeyer via triangle choke, round 3
Ross Dannar def. Phil Chason via unanimous decision
Angela Young def. Christine Brothwell via unanimous decision
New England Fights returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 28: INVINCIBLE,” on Saturday, April 29, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at the Colisee box office 207-783-2009 x 525 and online at www.TheColisee.com.
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 the promotion on Twitter and Instagram @nefights, and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
CAGE WARRIORS RETURNS HOME AS KARL MOORE BATTLES JOSH CLARKE FOR LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE IN DUBLIN
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Ryan Glover Ready to Rock at NEF February 11th
By: Kalle Oakes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (February 9, 2017) – Championships have played a defining role in Ryan Glover’s young life.
That tradition dates back to his junior year at Mountain Valley High School, when Glover achieved the rare double of a team state championship in football and an individual heavyweight wrestling title in the space of three months.
He has continued that tradition as a mixed martial artist, winning the New England Fights light heavyweight amateur strap in only his fourth career foray into the cage.
Growing up in blue-collar Rumford and Mexico also taught Glover that sports aren’t everything, however. That is why his initial title defense against Victor Irwin at “NEF 27: Resurgence” will be his first appearance in the hexagon in 53 weeks.
Glover-Irwin will headline the amateur segment of an ambitious card Saturday, February 11 at Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.
“I was on the road in Florida and Virginia a lot for work all summer and didn’t have time to train with the guys I usually train with,” Glover said. “You have to pay the bills before you can go do this stuff. This is just for fun. I hope (Irwin) knows I’ll be prepared for this one.”
Once the opening bell tolls, Glover (3-1) will have experienced more title bouts in the cage than non-title trials. He also battled in an unforgettable slugfest for the NEF amateur heavyweight belt, one that went to his opponent in that fight by a close but unanimous decision.
His experience is one of the reasons Glover envisions a triumphant return.
“He’s a good athlete, but a young kid who doesn’t have any experience beyond the first round,” Glover said. “When I had my first title fight, that was my first time going into a second round and I was kind of dead in the water at that point.”
Glover won the title with a second round submission via arm lock over Mike Williams.
That rapid ascent through the New England heavyweight ranks so early in his career shouldn’t surprise anyone who has followed Glover’s athletic achievements. He has always been ahead of the usual learning curve.
As a junior on an undefeated 2010 Mountain Valley football powerhouse that featured senior standouts Cam Kaubris and Christian Durland, Glover’s work at linebacker was so impressive that he was named the Lewiston Sun Journal player of the year.
“It helps,” Glover said of his gridiron background. “I’ve seen some of the biggest venues there are when it comes to high school sports.”
State wrestling finals packed in two of Maine’s most hallowed indoor sports facilities – Augusta Civic Center and the old Bangor Auditorium – during Glover’s four years on the mat.
Glover made the jump from the 215-pound class to 285 his sophomore year, even though he tipped the scales far beneath the limit. It was a tradition started by Berserker’s MMA stablemate and fellow NEF star Mike “The Mustache” Hansen about six years earlier.
“Mike was kind of the guinea pig for wrestling against those bigger heavyweights,” Glover said. “That’s the way (Coach) Gary Dolloff sold it to me. I remember him saying that the reason he decided to try that with me was because Mike had been successful at it. And of course he was right, because we got a state championship out of it.”
Senior year didn’t live up to that junior promise. Illness and injury conspired to keep Glover from defending both the football and wrestling titles.
“I was ranked No. 1 going into my senior year and got sick,” he said. “That just goes to show that sometimes life gets in the way.”
Glover didn’t follow the college track, opting for the work force instead, and it seemed that his sports days were over.
He tried auto racing for a while, then turned to boxing and MMA training to get back in shape. That led to his debut in February 2015, followed quickly by three more cage fights and an amateur boxing match for good measure.
Only when his work commitments returned to the River Valley this past fall did Glover consider getting back into the cage. Family obligations came first, he said. And yes, pride in the name he’s made for himself over the years was a factor too.
“It’s definitely a sport where you can get hurt if you try to do it (halfway), especially against an opponent like I’m fighting,” Glover said. “He’s a good athlete. He’s as good at wrestling as I ever was, maybe even better.”
Family and friends in the close-knit, upstart Berserkers camp have Glover better prepared than ever. Ryan’s brother, Matt, also has two NEF appearances to his credit.
“I’ve been rolling with my brother and other guys who are 250 or better,” Glover said. “It’s a game-changer. I feel like I’m lot more of a scrambler than (Irwin) is. And especially where I’ll be cutting weight to get to 205, I’ll have the strength advantage.”
He might enjoy one other distinct advantage: Fan support.
Name recognition has its privileges. Or perhaps it is a case of Glover’s absence making his fans’ hearts grow fonder. In any case, his fight is shaping as one of the most anticipated attractions at NEF 27.
“Right after I took the fight I sold 50 tickets by myself,” Glover said. “When my song comes on, I know the place is going to blow up. Young’s (of Bangor) always brings a big crowd, so we need that support.”
The opening bell for “NEF 27: Resurgence” on February 11 is set for 7 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and are available at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.
‘THE RED KING’ RORY MacDONALD RETURNS, MAKES BELLATOR DEBUT AGAINST BRITISH SLUGGER PAUL ‘SEMTEX’ DALEY
BELLATOR 179: DALEY VS. MacDONALD EMANATES FROM THE SSE ARENA, WEMBLEY ON MAY 19 – TICKETS ON SALE MARCH 3
LONDON — (Feb. 9, 2017) – Paul “Semtex” Daley (39-14-2) is getting what he asked for. On May 19, the explosive fighter from Nottingham, England will meet Rory MacDonald(18-4) in the main event of Bellator 179: Daley vs. MacDonald at The SSE Arena, Wembley.
Rising undefeated British sensation, Michael “Venom” Page (12-0), better known to Bellator fans as “MVP,” is also expected to make his in-cage return in front of a hometown crowd.
Bellator 179: Daley vs. MacDonald will be broadcast on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event will be available Friday, March 3 at The SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office (0844 815 0815), ssearena.co.uk and axs.com. A special SSE pre-sale will take place Wednesday, March 1 through Thursday, March 2. A pre-sale for The SSE Arena, Wembley will be available Thursday, March 2.
Immediately following his flying-knee knockout of Brennan Ward at Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen, Daley took the microphone during his post-fight interview and made the most of his time, emphatically calling for his May 19 opponent by name. Now, a little more than 100 miles from his home, “Semtex” will attempt to spoil the Bellator MMA debut of MacDonald. A 55-fight veteran of the sport, with six appearances under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion, the British heavy hitter has recorded victories in 10 of his last 12 bouts with 31 of his 39 victories coming via finish.
After signing MacDonald to an exclusive, multi-year, multi-fight contract in 2016, the must-see talent returned to the gym where he carefully honed his craft and readied himself for an eagerly-anticipated return to MMA. The former No. 1 contender to the UFC welterweight crown now sets his sights on the always-exciting Daley, looking to add to a list of strong career wins, which includes current UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, B.J. Penn, Demian Maia and Nate Diaz. “The Red King” is clearly the most popular active Canadian mixed martial artist since Georges St-Pierre, whom MacDonald has trained under for years at the world-renowned TriStar Gym in Montreal. At only 27-years-old, MacDonald joins Bellator’s welterweight fray poised to immediately make an impact in the division, as he looks to defeat Daley and shock the London crowd.
Updated Bellator 179: Daley vs. MacDonald Main Card:
Welterweight Main Event: Paul Daley (39-14-2) vs. Rory MacDonald (18-4)
BELLATOR ANNOUNCES IT RETURN TO PALA ALPITOUR IN TORINO, ITALY FOR MORE MMA & KICKBOXING ACTION ON APRIL 8, 2017
THE INTERNATIONAL BELLA – TOUR CONTINUES
Above: Scott Coker and Carlo Di Blasi
TORINO (Feb. 7, 2017) – Bellator President Scott Coker today announced that his fast-rising promotion will be revisiting Torino, Italy for Bellator 176, which will be immediatelyfollowed by Bellator Kickboxing 5 at the Pala Alpitour on Saturday, April 8.
Less than one year ago, Bellator hosted it’s first-ever international event at the Pala Alpitour in front of a sold-out crowd of over 15,000 fans. Since that show, the company has rapidly and successfully expanded across the globe under the direction of Coker, visiting London, Dublin, Budapest, Israel, Florence and has an event booked in Belfast later this month.
The highly-anticipated return to Torino will feature MMA action starting with Carrington “Jetsetter” Banks (6-0) vs. Mihail Nica (5-0) in welterweight action as well as Djamal Chan (12-3) vs. Valeriu Mircea (13-4) in a lightweight affair. Additional bouts, including a main event will be announced shortly.
In kickboxing action, Bellator’s female flyweight World Champion Denise Kielholtz (46-3) defends her strap for the first time against ISKA and WKU World Champion Martine Michieletto (34-12-5) in the main event while Giorgio Petrosyan (83-2-2, 1NC) takes on Amansio Paraschiv (23-5-1)
Bellator 176 and Bellator Kickboxing 5 will be aired on SPIKE in America and further broadcast details will be announced shortly.
Tickets for the event are available now at www.oktagon.it and include access to an Oktagon Kickboxing event in addition to the Bellator 176 and Bellator Kickboxing 5 events.
“We are thrilled to be returning to the amazing city of Torino and once again working with my friend Carlo Di Blasi and his team,” said Coker. “Carlo is a great partner, and we look forward to replicating the success we had in this sold-out arena last year.”
“Oktagon is fortunate to be based in Italy, which is home to the most loyal and passionate sports fans in the world,” said Oktagon President Di Blasi. “The past two co-promotions with Scott and Bellator have been incredibly successful, and I know that this show will be no different.”
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.
About Oktagon:
Oktagon has been a mainstay in combat sports for over 20 years now, after officially being founded by Carlo Di Blasi in 1996. At its beginning the show was dedicated to free fight, the name that was given initially to MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Other disciplines such as Kickboxing, Muay Thai and Savate were gradually added. From the early 2000’s onwards. During the last years Oktagon has reached a huge popularity, both in Italy and abroad, creating many superstars in the process. Under the watchful eye of Di Blasi, the promotion has put on some memorable matchups throughout the years with top fighters including Bellator welterweight Paul Daley as well as The Petrosyan brothers (Giorgio and Armen), Robin Van Roosmalen, Valentijn Overeem, Rico Verhoeven and Artem Levin.