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Tag Archives: mma
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.
MIKE HANSEN NO STRANGER TO TALL CHALLENGERS
By: Kalle Oakes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (February 7, 2017) – On paper, it’s a mismatch. OK, while we’re being brutally honest, maybe it’s even a little crazy.
Mike “The Mustache” Hansen of Rumford stands a typical 5-foot-10. He has spent most of his competitive and everyday life since his junior year at Mountain Valley High School at a window between 200 and 215 pounds.
When he hits the double-digit threshold of fights as a professional mixed martial artist on Saturday, February 11, Hansen (5-4) will take on a relative giant making his pro debut.
Ras Hylton stands 6-foot-6, probably even in bare feet. He entered the cage for the last of his three amateur fights, a second-round stoppage of Kevin Smith, at 248 pounds.
Hansen, 31, says “NEF 27: Resurgence” at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston is simply another day at the office for a fighter who’s a light heavyweight in body but a heavyweight in spirit.
“People don’t realize my background in high school. My sophomore year I weighed 185 pounds. I never went below that,” Hansen said. “When I turned 17, I went above 200 pounds and stayed there. After that I wrestled exclusively at 275. Guys that are 6-4 or taller, guys who weigh 270, I’ve been playing with them for about 16 years.”
Grit, determination and technique have served Hansen beautifully since his days at that level, when he was a state champion.
In addition to a stint in the U.S. Army, Hansen spent the early years of his adult life dabbling in what was the relatively new discipline of MMA.
Not only were the opponents bigger than Hansen, they were chosen essentially at random. He rarely ventured into the cage with the benefit of a scouting report.
“There would be a place set up in a bar, it would be $25 at the door, and you wouldn’t know who you were going to fight until you got there. But I needed the experience,” Hansen said. “I had a lot of unsanctioned fights, and that makes for a lot of unsanctioned experience. Now I know the rules and mechanisms are set up to give me the best chance not to get injured. I feel like I’ve already experienced the worst that can happen to me.”
Hansen’s propensity for fighting anyone, anytime, anywhere has followed him to the more structured environment of NEF.
He was still admittedly getting back into fighting shape when he accepted the challenge against veteran super heavyweight Artie Mullen (265 pounds) on Feb. 7, 2015. Hansen took the battle to the canvas quickly and outdueled Mullen in 57 seconds.
Brendan Battles checked in at nearly 260 pounds when he dealt Hansen a first-round TKO. Even at his more natural 205-pound limit, Hansen hasn’t shied away from the best or the biggest. He owns victories over past NEF fighter of the year Crowsneck Boutin and the 6-foot-3 Matt Andrikut.
Hansen said that the ingredients to that success are no secret: Stay aggressive, push the issue early and stick to the game plan. Win or lose, he has never sat on the stool in the corner during a pro fight. Each has ended in the first round.
“I’m a first-round fighter. If this one gets to the second round, it’s because I changed my game plan for some reason,” Hansen said. “If you look at my Artie Mullen and Jesse Baughman (Hansen won by triangle choke in 4:21) fights, you could say, ‘Act 1, Scene 1,’ and it played out exactly the way I choreographed it. I was that meticulous.”
That’s the voice of experience, another element that is squarely in Hansen’s corner heading into the Hylton showdown.
The 28-year-old Hylton’s three amateur scraps – he also knocked out Zak Bergeron in the first round and Hansen’s teammate at Berserkers MMA, Matt Glover, in the second stanza – have required him to fight for a total of 9 minutes, 41 seconds.
“He’s a black belt in taekwondo, so he’s no joke. He’s had three fights. I know he wanted to go pro and find better competition,” Hansen said. “I welcome it, just like when I fought Brendan Battles. They’re both really talented, really skilled guys, but you can’t get that experience from three or four amateur fights.
”I think my number one advantage is my experience, if you add up all my time spent in the cage. You can’t get that from training. You just have to do it.”
Hansen points out that stamina is a question for bigger fighters, especially those making the transition from amateur to pro.
Rounds increase in length from three to five minutes. Fighters often believe that their training camp has prepared them for the change, until they hit the proverbial, invisible wall.
“In an amateur fight you go hard for three minutes, take a one-minute break, feel pretty good, go three more minutes and you’re just about done,” Hansen said. “In a pro fight, you go into that first round and three-and-a-half minutes in, you’re saying, ‘I’m good, let’s go.’ Then it gets to four minutes and you’re like, ‘Holy crap, I’m tired now.’”
Although he suspects that most observers expect Hylton to win on the merits of his size advantage and impressive amateur winning streak, Hansen said that being underestimated is as customary to him as being undersized.
“I’ve had people tell my striking coach, J.B. (Jason Eric Bell), before a fight that they felt sorry for me that their guy had such an advantage. They’ve told my wrestling coach, Gary Dolloff, the same thing,” Hansen said. “Then we get in there and it’s a different story.”
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.
WELTERWEIGHT CLASH PITTING ANDREY KORESHKOV AGAINST FERNANDO GONZALEZ SET FOR CO-MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR 174 AT WINSTAR WORLD CASINO & RESORT ON MARCH 3
CHRIS HONEYCUTT-KENDALL GROVE SET FOR 2017 DEBUTS IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (February 3, 2017) – A welterweight fight pitting Andrey Koreshkov (19-2) against Fernando Gonzalez (25-14) and a middleweight bout featuring Chris Honeycutt (9-1, 1 NC) against Kendall Grove (23-16, 1 NC) have been added to the main card of Bellator 174: Corenen vs. Budd on March 3 at WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, OK.
The bouts will join a card that is headlined by the first-ever Bellator MMA Women’s Featherweight World Title fight pitting Marloes Coenen (23-7) against Julia Budd (9-2). One additional main card contest will be announced shortly.
Bellator 174: Coenen vs. Budd will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino & Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.
Hailing from Omsk, Russia, the 26-year-old Koreshkov will enter the cage for the 22nd time in his professional career and 13th under the Bellator MMA banner. “Spartan” began his career with 13 consecutive victories, including his first five wins under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion. Koreshkov continued to see success as his name began to grow in the mixed martial arts world, collecting six wins over his last seven fights, including a welterweight world title victory over current champion Douglas Lima and a successful title defense over Benson Henderson. With 10 of his 19 career wins coming by way of knockout, the Russian phenom possesses the type of power that can put an emphatic end to any opponent’s night when he is in the cage.
A 39-fight veteran of mixed martial arts, Gonzalez will be making his seventh appearance under the direction of Bellator MMA. Since joining the promotion in 2014, “The Menifee Maniac” has tallied five victories, including a brutal knockout of Karo Parisyan just 1:43 into the bout. In his most recent contest, Gonzalez nearly edged the undefeated Michael Page, becoming just the second opponent to take him the distance in a controversial split decision. With 16 of his 25 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the 33-year-old Gonzalez continues to be one of the most feared strikers in Bellator MMA’s stacked welterweight division.
The 28-year-old Honeycutt will make his 2017 debut, following an impressive 2016 campaign that saw him emerge victorious in each of his three bouts. A native of Fresno, Calif. “The Cutt” had a blazing start to his professional career, earning victories in each of his first six contests, including four knockouts and three first-round finishes. Honeycutt continued to see success under the Bellator MMA umbrella, collecting five wins over a three year stretch. Fireworks are all but guaranteed in this slugfest, as the equally fearless Grove hopes to give the Thackerville fan base exactly what they came for.
Hailing from Maui, Hawaii, Grove will be making his make his eighth appearance for Bellator MMA, as the veteran continues to climb the ranks in a competitive middleweight class. “Da Spyder” has finished 17 of his 23 career victims, including seven of his last eight, making him must-see television every time he competes on SPIKE. The 34-year-old striker also holds a significant height advantage over his opponent, standing at 6’6′ compared to Honeycutt’s 5’10′ frame. With each of his last six bouts ending in a stoppage, we can be sure to see more of the same aggressive style when he and Honeycutt go toe-to-toe inside WinStar World Casino & Resort on March 3.
Updated Bellator 174: Coenen vs. Budd Main Card:
Women’s Featherweight World Title Bout: Marloes Coenen (23-7) vs. Julia Budd (9-2)
Welterweight Co-Main Event: Andrey Koreshkov (19-2) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (25-14)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (9-1, 1 NC) vs. Kendall Grove (23-16, 1 NC)
Preliminary Card:
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Cody Pfister (12-6) vs. Jonathan Gary (12-7)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Witt (7-3) vs. Justin Patterson (8-1)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Emmanuel Rivera (5-0) vs. Treston Thomison (10-4)
MMA fighters & fans of rival Russian soccer teams Added to M-1 Challenge 74 card
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JOSH KOSCHECK RETURNS TO THE CAGE AGAINST MAURICIO ALONSO AT SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE ON FEB. 18
MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT FEATURING ANATOLY TOKOV AGAINST FRANCISCO FRANCE ADDED TO THE PRELIMINARY CARD
HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (January 31, 2017) – A welterweight bout pitting Josh Koscheck (17-10) against Mauricio Alonso(12-7, 1 NC) has been added to the Spike-televised main card of Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on February 18, 2017.
In addition, recently signed Russian star Anatoly Tokov (24-2) is set to square off against Francisco France (13-4-1) in a middleweight clash that will be featured on the Bellator.com-streamed undercard, while a previously announced main card bout between Adam Piccolotti and Brent Primus has been cancelled after Piccolotti has been forced to withdraw due to an undisclosed injury.
Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for the event are on sale now at the SAP Center Box Office as well as Ticketmaster.com.
Koscheck will be making his highly anticipated Bellator MMA debut after signing with the Viacom-owned promotion in 2015. Prior to the signing, “Kos” competed under the UFC banner for nearly a decade, compiling 15 wins and nine finishes. Now, the 39-year-old Dethrone Base Camp product hopes to soar to the top of Bellator MMA’s stacked welterweight class and add to his impressive resume of 17 career victories. Never one to mince words, Koscheck has made it clear that he hopes to once again meet Paul Daley inside the cage, but first, the Fresno, Calif. native must get through Alonso on Feb. 18 when he returns to action on Spike.
Hailing from Parana, Brazil, Alonso will be making his second appearance under the direction of Bellator MMA and first in the welterweight division since 2014. The 36-year-old enters the bout riding a recent string of success, earning victories in each of his last two contests and seven of his last 10 dating back to 2010. Of his 12 career wins, Alonso has finished his opponent five times, including four knockouts. Alonso will look to build off of an undefeated 2016 campaign when he competes on Feb 18.
Under the tutelage of the legendary Fedor Emilianenko, Tokov has strung together an impressive resume of his own, where from 2012 to 2016, the prospect was riding a streak of 17 consecutive wins. The 26-year-old Russian is known to end fights early and often, finishing his opponent in 19 of his 24 career wins, including nine first round finishes. If Tokov is going to continue to blossom on the Bellator roster, he will have to defeat his opponent on Feb. 18 first.
Hailing from Gilbert, Arizona, 18-fight veteran France enters the bout having won six of his last eight contests, including one draw and five finishes. The 33-year-old submission specialist will be making his third appearance under the Bellator MMA banner and first in nearly a year at Bellator 172. “Kiko” brings with him one of the most dynamic ground games in the division, finishing 12 of his 13 victims via submission; displaying a wide array of devastating techniques, including rear-naked and arm-triangle chokes, arm bars, and kimuras.
Updated Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione Main Card:
Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5)
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” (16-8)
Heavyweight Feature Bout: Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) vs. Oli Thompson (17-9)
Welterweight Feature Bout: Josh Koscheck (17-10) vs. Mauricio Alonso (12-7, 1 NC)
Preliminary Bouts:
Middleweight Preliminary Fight: Anatoly Tokov (24-2) vs. Francisco France (13-4-1)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: James Terry (18-9) vs. David Douglas (9-6)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Nikko Jackson (1-1) vs. Cesar Gonzalez (0-1)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Juan Cardenas (1-0) vs. Luis Vargas (0-1)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (5-1) vs. Carlos Rocha (9-4)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Anthony Do (4-1) vs. Bobby Escalante (4-5)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Matt Ramirez (1-2) vs. Jeremy Murphy (3-3)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: J.J. Okanovich (3-1) vs. Paradise Vaovasa (5-1)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Tenedora (Debut) vs. Roque Reyes (0-3)
COMPLETE BELLATOR 171 RESULTS, QUOTES & PHOTOS
Chidi Njokuani (17-4) defeated Melvin Guillard (32-17) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-24, 30-26)
Quote: “I felt like the fight was pretty good, I had taken it on short notice, so I didn’t really have a lot of time to prepare for it,” Chidi Njokuani said. “Overall, I thought I did alright, but like I said, I just didn’t have a full camp and I could tell the difference.”
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/per4k86majpp5m7/AACAUkbQzegBSRD_TQ6OVkl0a?dl=0
David Rickels (18-5) defeated Aaron Derrow (14-9) via TKO at :45 of round three
Quote: “I can’t wait to re-watch that walkout. Shoutout to everyone that helped with that, including Sean Grande,” David Rickels said. “Now, give me the fun fights. Give me whoever wants it. I dropped him with a good combination 30 seances in and set the tone, I really wanted to get the finish and after tonight, I’m one step closer to being the best of the best.”
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/km0yv4a45r6tiee/AAAZ8aLX6To6KuU1zIOrtMKCa?dl=0
Jessica Middleton (2-0) defeated Alice Yauger (4-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-26)
Quote: “Blood and pain, isn’t that what you guys wanted? She was tough, after the first round I was like ‘holy crap,’ Jessica Middleton said. “I’m not truly happy with my performance, I want to get better and I will come back stronger and more efficient. Emily Ducote is great, I’d love to fight her, but I’m ready for any flyweight, I’m ready to go.”
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qx27fz4n49oakqx/AAAvwiCrRmPgTVdzb0eI9MRga?dl=0
A.J. McKee (6-0) defeated Brandon Phillips (6-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Quote: “I thought the night went well. It’s a fight and you never know what result you’re going to get in a fight. End of the day, I’m coming home with the victory,” A.J. McKee said. “I knew I could go out there and wrestle, but I wanted to do something different and entertain the fans.”
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/492bpnr154drzqo/AACkb5DI-_f1oB5lHXFFK6jTa?dl=0
Jarod Trice (2-0) defeated Kevin Woltkamp (1-3) via knockout at 3:17 of round two
Quote: “Everything went according to plan tonight. I told my coaches that I have the best left hook in the world and my opponent better watch out for it,” Jarod Trice said. “I’m going to take fights from 185 to 265 pounds and best believe that they all can catch these hands”
Tyrell Fortune (2-0) defeated Will Johnson (0-1) via TKO at 4:27 of round two
Quote: “It was a good fight and a good win, but I took a few shots the groin that really made it difficult for me tonight,” Tyrell Fortune said. “I’ll take the win, but I paid for it.”
Jordan Young (6-0) defeated Chris Harris (7-1) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Justin Overton (4-2) defeat Gaston Reyno (6-2) via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at :34 of round two
Bruna Ellen (3-1) defeated Carmella James (0-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Domo Garcia (1-0) defeated Will Lavine (0-1) via submission (triangle choke) at 2:08 of round two
Chance Rencountre (9-2) defeated Jake Lindsay (11-6) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Johnny Marigo (3-0) defeated Joe Fulk (4-5) via TKO at 1:23 of round one
Manny Meraz (9-3) defeated Scott Heston (4-2) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Mike Breeden (1-0) defeated Craig Farley (0-1) via TKO at 4:38 of round 1
JOSH THOMSON RETURNS TO THE BELLATOR MMA CAGE AGAINST PATRICKY PITBULL FOR LIGHTWEIGHT FACEOFF AT SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE ON FEB. 18
HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (January 27, 2017) – A lightweight feature bout pitting Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC) against Patricky “Pitbull” (16-8) will serve as the co-main event of Bellator 172 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Feb. 18.
The contest joins a stacked main card that includes a pair of heavyweight competitors featuring Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) against Matt Mitrione(11-5) in the main event and Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) against Oli Thompson (17-9) in main card action. In addition, undefeated lightweights Adam Piccolotti (9-0) and Brent Primus (7-0) round out the Spike-televised main card. Additional contests will be announced shortly.
Bellator 172 will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for the event are on sale now at the SAP Center Box Office as well as Ticketmaster.com.
After earning victories in each of his first seven professional contests, the 38-year-old Thomson joined forces with the UFC and Strikeforce, stringing together an impressive resume that included notable wins over Nate Diaz and Gilbert Melendez. Now under the direction of Bellator MMA, “The Punk” has recorded back-to-back finishes in his first two bouts with the Scott Coker-led promotion. With 16 of his 22 career victories coming by way of knockout or submission, Thomson is always a threat to end his opponent’s night early. Hailing from San Jose, Calif., Thomson hopes to put on a show in front of his hometown faithful and move one step closer to finally meeting Bellator MMA Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler.
The 31-year-old “Pitbull” enters the cage for the 17th time under the Bellator MMA umbrella, second most in the promotion’s history behind only David Rickels. The Brazilian knockout artist continues to be at the forefront of Bellator MMA’s lightweight division and has tallied six wins over his past nine bouts, including a trio of knockouts over proven veterans Rickels, Derek Campos, and Ryan Couture. Hailing from Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil, Freire has notched 10 knockouts over his professional career, with five of the finishes coming in the opening round of action. “Pitbull” will once again look to play the role of spoiler when he tries to take down San Jose’s own Thomson on Feb. 18.
Complete Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione Main Card:
Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5)
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC) vs. Patricky “Pitbull (16-8)
Heavyweight Feature Bout: Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) vs. Oli Thompson (17-9)
Lightweight Feature Bout: Adam Piccolotti (9-0) vs. Brent Primus (7-0)
Preliminary Bouts:
Welterweight Prelim Bout: James Terry (18-9) vs. David Douglas (9-6)
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: Danasabe Mohammed (5-1) vs. Carlos Rocha (9-4)
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. Paradise Vaovasa (5-1)
Featherweight Prelim Bout: Justin Tenedora (Debut) vs. Roque Reyes (0-3)