LOS ANGELES –BELLATOR MMA has confirmed the full fight card forBELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storleyno hnub vas xaum, Feb. 19, nyob rau ntawm lub Mohegan Sun Arena nyob rau hauv Uncasville, Conn. SHOWTIME will televise the phenomenal main card live at9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Tsis tas li ntawd, nine thrilling preliminary fights will stream live three hours earlier on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at6 p.m. ET/3p.m. PT.
Nyob rau hauv lub ntsiab kev tshwm sim ntawm yav tsaus ntuj, Ua Tsis. 4-rankedNeiman Gracie(11-2) will strap on the BELLATOR gloves for the 12thconsecutive time when he takes on former four-time collegiate All-American wrestler and No. 5-rankedLogan Storley(12-1) in a five-round clash of top-5 welterweights. Nyob rau hauv lub co-featured bout, former BELLATOR Welterweight Champion and No. 9-rankedAndrey Koreshkov (24-4) will return to action and open his 2002 campaign against Alliance MMA product and owner of seven first-round finishesChance Rencountre(16-4) of Pawhuska, Okla.
The updated and complete listing of bouts can be found below.
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 12thconsecutive 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. Storleymain 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. Storleywill 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 265in 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)
Jose Augusto (17-1) yeejJonathan Wilson (9-3) ntawm cuav (head and arm choke) ntawm 4:58 ntawm puag ncig ib
Roman Faraldo (5-0) yeejTrevor Gudde (2-2) ntawm TKO 1:30 ntawm puag ncig ib
Jordan Newman (3-0) yeejBranko Busick (2-2) ntawm TKO (ntaus) ntawm 2:30 ntawm round ob
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THE FINALS OF THE BELLATOR MMA FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX – CHAMPION PATRICIO “PITBULL” VS. #1-RANKED AJ MCKEE
Quotes:
Patricio “Pitbull:"“I am ready to fight AJ McKee right now, please just tell SHOWTIME, I will get in the cage and we can take care of this tomorrow.”
“I want to be the first man to defeat McKee, he has been opening his mouth about me for a very long time, this will be the biggest fight in BELLATOR history.”
AJ McKee: “Patricio Pitbull has been the man. Nothing against him. He’s got great accolades. I already said I’m going to be the champ-champ. Rau kuv, it’s the new era. He said my time is over. My time has just begun. We’ll see.
“It’s a fight the fans have wanted for the longest. On to top ntawm hais tias, he’s underrated. He’s an outstanding champ. His accolades, his credentials, his record is phenomenal. Tiam sis thaum kawg ntawm lub hnub, nobody has a win over me. Nobody has a belt with my name on it and nobody is going to get a belt with my name on it.”
Brent Primus Defends Lightweight Title Against Michael Chandler in Long-Awaited Main Event Rematch to Kick Off Honolulu Doubleheader
LOS ANGELES –To honor the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, Bellator MMA has partnered with the USO to present a special live event free for the troops, along with their friends and families, rau hlis ntuj nqeg 14.
“Having worked with the Army Combatives Program to evaluate and update their combat readiness, I have long respected the military and their courage,” said Royce Gracie, MMA Legend and Bellator Ambassador. “When I found out we were doing an event in Hawaii, knowing the large military population there, I knew we had to show our support and appreciation through MMA.”
Bellator President Scott Coker is proud of this new relationship with USO and is eager to show his support to the brave service men and women.
“The USO is a historic military support organization – not just in entertainment but in connecting them back to the things they love and fight for,"Hais tias Coker. “It made perfect sense for Bellator to establish a relationship with the USO and provide a unique opportunity to Hawaii’s military population. We appreciate their service to the nation, and we hope this is just the first of many opportunities for us to work together.”
Emanating from the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, this unique show will be headlined by a title fight featuring current lightweight champBrett Primus(8-0) against two-time former titlistMichael Chandler(18-4), while heavyweight iconFrank Mir(18-12) raws li Javy Ayala(10-7)in a heavyweight clash.
Bellator and USO Present: Salute the Troopswill air on Paramount Network on Friday, Kaum Ob Hlis Ntuj 14 ntawm 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT and will be simulcast on CMT. The event will also stream LIVE on DAZN, while preliminary bouts will stream onBellator.comand globally on theBellator Mobile App. Ntxiv bouts yuav muab tshaj tawm nyob rau hauv yuav los tom ntej lub lis piam.
Reigning champ Brent Primus puts both his title and undefeated streak on the line in a highly anticipated rematch for the Bellator lightweight title. After upsetting Chandler last year, the Eugene, Ore.-native has since battled injuries that have delayed his return to the cage. Tam sim no, he looks to silence the critics and prove that he is the rightful and deserving 155-pound champion. One of the most-decorated fighters in Bellator history, Michael Chandler has plans to reclaim the championship and become a three-time titleholder. “Iron” has defeated a who’s who among the division’s elite, kuj muaj Benson
Henderson, Patricky Pitbull (x2), Yamauchi li and Eddie Alvarez. The former University of Missouri wrestler, who now calls Nashville home, has earned his way back to No. 1-contender status with his sights set on leaving Hawaii with the belt.
Former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir returns to the Bellator cage following his exciting back-and-forth battle withFedor Emelianenkolast spring. With career wins overRoy Nelson, Antonio “Big Nog” Nogueira (x2), Brock Lesnar and Mirko Cro Cop, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt looks for another impressive victory to add to his illustrious career. After shocking the world when he KO’dSergei Kharitonov, Javy Ayala become an overnight sensation to MMA fans. Known to fans as “Eye Candy,” the heavyweight has also impressively defeated Eric Prindle and Raphael Butler. Fighting out of Porterville, California., Ayala returns hoping to yet again shock the world and defeat one of the greatest heavyweights in MMA history.
This unforgettable night will be part of an historic weekend culminating with the previously announcedBellator Hawaii nyob rau hnub Saturday, Kaum Ob Hlis Ntuj 15, airing exclusively on DAZN. This highly-anticipated fight card includes Bellator women’s flyweight champIlima-Lei MacFarlanedefending her title againstValnws yogrieLétourneau, Lyoto Machidamaking his Bellator debut against former champRafael Carvalho, Neiman Gracie kev noj nyob Thiab Ruthin an opening round matchup in the Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix and much more.
Bellator and the USO will also partner for a week of special events in Hawaii leading up to the big weekend of exciting fights on December 14 thiab 15. More details to come soon.
Tshiab Bellator and USO Present: Salute the TroopsFight Card:
Lightweight World Title Main Event:Brent Primus (8-0) vs. Michael Chandler (18-4)
Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Frank Mir (18-12) vs. Javy Ayala (10-7)
BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU WORLD CHAMP MEETS KYLE WALKER IN MAIN CARD BOUT AT ALLSTATE ARENA
LOS ANGELES– Renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu aceDillon Danis (0-0) will make his highly anticipated mixed martial arts debut againstKyle Walker(2-4) at Bellator’s return to Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Mob. rau Saturday, Plaub Hlis Ntuj 28rau Bellator 198: Fedor vs. Kuv.
Bellator 198, headlined by a first-round Heavyweight World Grand Prix bout betweenFedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 NC) thiab Frank Mir (18-11), will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at9 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. I, thaum ua ntej kev txiav txim yuav kwj rau Bellator.com thiab thooj plawv nyob rau hauv Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for the event are on sale now and are available at the Allstate Arena box office and Ticketmaster.
Under the tutelage of Marcelo Garcia at Alliance in New York, Danis began competing at an elite level on the jiu-jitsu circuit not long after emerging on the scene. Danis would win the IBJJF World Championship in Gi and No-Gi in 2014 as a brown belt, with those victories earning him his black belt in 2015. The very next year, Danis would return to the IBJJF tournament and take home the Pan American No-Gi Championship. Garnering the attention of fans along the way, Conor McGregor also took notice, enlisting the services of the New Jersey native to help him train for his 2016 rematch with Nate Diaz. Always one to challenge himself, Danis signed an exclusive multi-fight contract with Bellator in 2017 and has already settled in for training camp at the famed SBG Ireland.
Fighting out of Herrin, Mob., Kyle Walker will enter the Bellator cage for the first time atBellator 198, where he will likely play the role of underdog to the BJJ kingpin. Walker made his pro debut in 2013, racking up wins in two of his first three matchups within the calendar year. After taking some time away from the sport, Walker stepped back inside the cage competing for some of the best regional promotions, including a return to Shamrock FC.
CompleteBellator 198 Main Card:
Heavyweight Grand Prix Thawj Round: Fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 NC) vs. Frank Mir (18-11)
Featherweight Co-Main Event: Emmanuel Sanchez (16-3) vs. Sam Sicilia (16-8)
Middleweight Main Card Bout: John Salter (15-3) vs. Rafael Lovato Jr. (7-0)
Welterweight Main Card Bout: Neiman Gracie (7-0) vs. Javier Torres(10-3)
175-Pound Catchweight Main Card Bout: Dillon Danis(Pro Debut) vs. Kyle Walker(2-4)
Preliminary Card:
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: R’Mandel Cameron (4-3) vs. P.J. Cajigas (6-6)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Dan Stittgen(12-5) vs. MarkStoddard (15-9)
150-Pound Catchweight Feature Bout: Eric Wisely(27-9-1) vs. Morgan Sickinger (20-10)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout:Matt Paul(2-2) vs. Brian Booth(4-3)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Joey Diehl(11-9) vs. Nate Williams(27-17)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Tom Shoaff(8-3) vs. Mike Budnik(13-4)
*Card subject to change
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.