BELLATOR’S NO. 4-RANKED WELTERWEIGHT NEIMAN GRACIETO TAKE ON NO. 5 LOGAN STORLEY IN AN INTERNATIONAL BATTLE OF TOP-10 CONTENDERS IN MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR MMA 274 RAU HNUB SATURDAY, FEB. 19, NYOB RAU SHOWTIME
FORMER BELLATOR CHAMPION ANDREY KORESHKOV FACES FELLOW RUSSIAN STAR MUKHAMED BERKHAMOV IN CO-HEADLINER WHEN BELLATOR RETURNS TO MOHEGAN SUN ARENA IN UNCASVILLE, CONN., WITH AN ACTION-PACKED NIGHT OF FIGHTS
LOS ANGELES – Fresh off an 87-second destruction of Mark Lemminger in the co-main event ofBELLATOR MMA 266, Ua Tsis. 4-rankedNeiman Gracie(11-2) will strap on the BELLATOR gloves for the 12th consecutive time when he takes on once-beaten and No. 5-rankedLogan Storley(12-1) in a clash of top-10 170-pounders atBELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley nyob rau hnub Saturday, Feb. 19.
In the co-featured bout inside Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., former BELLATOR Welterweight Champion and No. 8-rankedAndrey Koreshkov (24-4) will return to action and open his 2022 campaign againstMukhamed Berkhamov(15-1), a winner of his last seven contests. The main card will also see undefeatedKeri Taylor Melendez (5-0) compete at flyweight against former title challenger and No. 6-rankedVeta Arteaga (6-4) and a pair of heavyweights who find themselves tied at No. 8 in the official rankings will open the main card, when undefeated prospectDavion Franklin (4-0) fightsSaid Sowma (8-2).
SHOWTIME will televise theBELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley main card live at9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.Tsis tas li ntawd, the thrilling preliminary fights will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at6 p.m. ET/3p.m. PT.
Daim pib rauBELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley will go on sale Friday, Jan. 7 at bothTicketmaster.com thiabBellator.com, with a special presale taking place Thursday, Jan. 6.
Five preliminary contests are also official forBELLATOR MMA 274, three lightweight bouts, the first pitting 44-fight veteranGeorgi Karakhanyan(31-12-1) against Northern California’sAdas Piccolot(12-4), a battle between two of the best nicknames in MMA, Mandel “Rat Garbage” Nallo (8-1, 1 NC) thiabNick “Nyquil” Browne(12-1), raws li zoo raws liCorey Samuels (3-2), who won in ten seconds in his BELLATOR debut, returning to face undefeatedJustin Montalvo(4-0).
The final two preliminary contests will seeIsaiah Hokit (0-1) will move down to featherweight in his second BELLATOR outing, thaum nws yuav siv sij hawm nyob rau hauvAlbert Birckhead (0-1) nyob rau hauv nws debut promotional. Lastly, top-flight bantamweight prospectJaylon Bates (4-0) welcomesChris Disonell (6-4) back to BELLATOR for the first time since 2019.
Originating from the exalted Brazilian jiu-jitsu family, Gracie scored his first professional TKO when he backed his opponent against the fence and unleashed a barrage of unanswered punches to Lemminger’s head, forcing referee Jason Herzog to stop the contest at 1:27 of the opening round on Sept. 18, 2021, nyob rau hauv San Jose, California.
The great grandson of Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu founder Carlos Gracie, nephew of MMA icon Royce Gracie, and cousin to Renzo Gracie, Neiman Gracie opened his outstanding MMA career by recording nine consecutive wins of then-undefeated opponents, including eight by submission.
A native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the 33-year-old BELLATOR veteran currently holds a 9-2 promotional record. While others his age were learning to speak their native language, Gracie began jiu-jitsu training at age four. Fast forward to 18 years later when the multi-faceted fighter earned the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt at 22. Tsis tas li ntawd, the Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Kings MMA fighter captured the 2011 U.S National Jiu-Jitsu title, 2008 Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu crown, thiab 2007 American National Jiu-Jitsu championship during an illustrious amateur career.
Hailing from Webster, S.D., the hard-hitting Storley commenced his pro vocation with six consecutive knockouts, including five in the initial stanza, en route to 11 straight triumphs overall. Tsis tas li ntawd, “The Storm” will make his ninth consecutive BELLATOR appearance where he currently holds a magnificent 7-1 cov ntaub ntawv.
Like his counterpart on Feb. 19, Storley began wresting at a young age, albeit one year later at age five. Tsis tas li ntawd, the Sanford MMA product and former folkstyle wrestler completed a fabled amateur career as a four-time NCAA Division-I champion at the University of Minnesota, as well as a six-time South Dakota High School Activities Association titlist.
The 29-year-old Storley, who holds academic degrees in both business and marketing, thrilled his hometown crowd in his last turn by earning a split-decision victory over Dante Schiro in the co-featured bout ofBELLATOR MMA 265 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
BELLATOR MMA 274: GRACIE VS. STORLEYMAIN CARD:
Saturday, Feb. 19 – live onSHOWTIME
9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT
Welterweight Main kev tshwm sim: #4-Neiman Gracie (11-2) vs. #5-Logan Storley (12-1)
Welterweight Co-Main Event: #8-Andrey Koreshkov (24-4) vs.Mukhamed Berkamov (15-1)
Flyweight Bout: #6–Veta Arteaga (6-4) vs.Keri Taylor Melendez (5-0)
Heavyweight Bout: #8-Said Sowma (8-2) vs.#8–Davion Franklin(4-0)
Nteg CARD:
BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV
6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT
Hnav Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan(31-12-1) vs.Adas Piccolot(12-4)
Hnav Bout: Mandel Nallo (8-1, 1 NC) vs.Nick Browne(12-1)
Bantamweight Bout: Jaylon Bates (4-0) vs.Chris Disonell (6-4)
Hnav Bout: Corey Samuels (3-2) vs. Justin Montalvo(4-0)
Featherweight Bout: Isaiah Hokit (0-1) vs.Albert Birckhead (0-1)
*Card subject to change.
Thov mus saibBellator.com rau cov lus qhia ntxiv.
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Updated schedule of BELLATOR events
Sat. Jan. 29 // Bellator 273: Bader vs. Moldavsky// Footprint Center // Phoenix, Ariz.
Sat., Feb. 19/ / Bellator 274: Gracie vs. Storley // Mohegan Sun Area // Uncasville, Conn.
Dawb. Feb. 25 // Bellator 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland