Tag Archives: Pat Curran

MARLOES COENEN RECEIVES NEW OPPONENT AHEAD OF ‘BELLATOR 155’ — ALEXIS DUFRESNE REPLACES JULIA BUDD

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (May 10, 2016) – Due to injury, Julia Budd (8-2) has been forced to withdraw from her inaugural Bellator MMA Women’s Featherweight Championship Bout against Marloes Coenen (23-6). As a result, Alexis Dufresne (5-2) will take her place and challenge Coenen during the featured preliminary contest of “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho, on May 20.

The fight joins a card that already features a colossal Middleweight World Championship main event, in which Rafael Carvalho (12-1) defends his belt against the fiery Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef (30-12-1). In addition, former Bellator MMA featherweight titlist Pat Curran (21-7) will return to action for the first time since June, when he faces the resilient Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1) in the card’s co-main event. The last two men to challenge for Will Brooks’ lightweight title, Marcin Held (21-4) and Dave Jansen (20-3) will also be in action. Rounding out the televised portion of the event will be two heavyweight fights, when Dan Charles (10-3) meets Augusto Sakai (9-0) and Joey Beltran (17-12) takes on Chase Gormley (12-5).

Tickets for “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” start at just $25 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, the CenturyLink Arena Box Office or CenturyLinkArenaBoise.com. The event airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the can’t-miss preliminary card airs live on Bellator.comand The Bellator Mobile App.

A former Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion, Marloes Coenen, is riding a two-fight winning streak and undefeated record under the Bellator MMA fray into her bout with Dufresne. “Rumina” began her career winning eight consecutive fights and 13 of her first 14. The 35-year-old has been competing professionally since 2000 and has been an integral part of the progression of women’s mixed martial arts, challenging some of the best that the sport has to offer. Now, it’s back to the drawing board for the Dutch submission specialist when she looks to spoil the Bellator MMA debut of Alexis Dufresne.

The 25-year-old Alexis Dufresne began her career with a blazing start, earning victories in her first five scraps, all of which she ended in the first round. Born in Temecula, Calif., “Sneaky Zebra” has strung together an impressive resume, including three straight first round knockout wins dating back to her 2013-14 seasons and most recently two appearances for the UFC. Dufresne will be making her Bellator MMA debut next Friday and hopes to get back to her winning ways when she fills in for the absent Julia Budd on short notice.

 Complete “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” Fight Card

Bellator MMA Middleweight World Title Fight: Rafael Carvalho (12-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-12-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main Event: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Dan Charles (10-3) vs. Augusto Sakai (9-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Jansen (20-3) vs. Marcin Held (21-4)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Joey Beltran (17-12) vs. Chase Gormley (12-5)

 

Preliminary Card

 

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Marloes Coenen (23-6) vs. Alexis Dufresne (5-2)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Joe Hamilton (3-0) vs. Tyler Freeland (3-0)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Veta Arteaga (1-0) vs. Jackie Vandenburgh (0-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Vince Morales (3-1) vs. Hamilton Ash (3-1)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Brendon Raftery (4-2) vs. Casey Johnson (4-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Scott Thometz (9-5) vs. Josh Tyler (7-3)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Sean Powers (9-5) vs. Will Noland (15-6)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Ricky Steele (5-0) vs. Erick Cronkhite (2-1)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Jesse Brock (21-8) vs. Olly Bradstreet (39-12)

 

BELLATOR RETAINS THE SERVICES OF EXCITING FEATHERWEIGHT EMMANUEL SANCHEZ WITH CONTRACT EXTENSION

Above: Emmanuel Sanchez lands a shot on Daniel Pineda at “Bellator 149” on Feb. 19, 2016

 

SANTA MONICA (March 29, 2016) – Bellator MMA is proud to announce that it has retained the services of 25-year-old talent Emmanuel Sanchez (13-2), having re-signed the exciting fighter to a multi-year, multi-fight contract extension.

 

Sanchez boasts a 6-1 record under the Bellator banner, with his only loss coming in the form of a decision at the hands of former featherweight champion Pat Curran (21-7). The exciting product from the famed Roufusport Team earned his contract extension after winning three fights in a row against Henry Corrales (12-2), Justin Lawrence (8-3) and Daniel Pineda (21-12) all in under five months.

 

“El Matador’s” fight against Pineda kicked off action for the record breaking “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event that was watched by over 3.5 million viewers. You can watch the enthralling action by clicking on the image below.

 

VIDEO: Click above to re-watch the epic battle from Bellator 149

 

Sanchez trains under the tutelage of highly regarded coach Duke Roufus alongside former WWE superstar CM Punk and other talented MMA fighters the likes of Ben Askren and Anthony Pettis. Earlier this month, Roufus shed light on a positive story involving an MMA fighter and a motor vehicle, when he announced that Sanchez had used his “Bellator 149” purse to buy a new car for his mother.

 

 

TWO NEW BOUTS COMPLETE ‘BELLATOR 155: CARVALHO VS. MANHOEF’ MAIN CARD IN BOISE ON MAY 20 – ONLY ON SPIKE

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (March 24, 2016) – A lightweight bout pitting Marcin Held (21-4) against Dave Jansen (20-3) and a heavyweight contest pairing Chase Gormley (12-5) versus Joey Beltran (17-12), have been added to the main card of “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho on May 20.

 

The fights join a card that already features a colossal Middleweight World Championship main event, when Rafael Carvalho (12-1) defends his belt against the fiery Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef (30-12-1). In addition, former Bellator MMA Featherweight titlist Pat Curran (21-7) will return to action for the first time since June, when he faces the resilient Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1) in the card’s co-main event.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” start at just $25 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, the CenturyLink Arena Box Office or CenturyLinkArenaBoise.com. The event airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. An eight-fight preliminary card airs live on Bellator.com andThe Bellator Mobile App beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

 

Held, a 13-fight Bellator MMA veteran, looks to begin another long winning streak after seeing his most recent six-fight string snapped at the hands of division champion Will Brooks during “Bellator 145: With A Vengeance.” The 24-year-old submission specialist has recorded wins in 11 of his last 13 fights, with six of the previous seven coming by way of knockout or submission. His juicy matchup with “The Fugitive” at “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” marks his 2016 debut and first fight since November of 2015.

After a unanimous decision victory over the Polish native back in 2013 at “Bellator 93,” Dave Jansen will look to once again knock off Held in the evening’s lightweight feature bout. “The Fugitive” enters his ninth fight with Bellator MMA and looks to add to his impressive 7-1 record with the promotion. With winning streaks of seven and 13 fights over his illustrious nine-year career, the 36-year-old Oregon native will once again have his eyes set on starting a new stretch of wins when he steps into the cage on May 20.

 

In heavyweight action, Chase Gormley will look to build on an impressive three-year run that has seen him win five of his last six fights when he takes on Joey Beltran. The Titan Fighting Championship heavyweight kingpin won the promotion’s title with a unanimous decision win against Jon Madsen back in March of 2015.

 

Since entering the Bellator MMA fray in 2013, Beltran has competed against some of the top fighters the promotion has to offer, with matchups against:Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko, Emanuel Newton, and Brian Rogers. After transitioning to middleweight in April 2015, “The Mexicutioner” has won two of three fights, but now returns to the heavyweight division he once roamed.

 

Updated “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Middleweight World Title Fight: Rafael Carvalho (12-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-12-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main Event: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Dan Charles (10-3) vs. Augusto Sakai (9-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Jansen (20-3) vs. Marcin Held (21-4)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Joey Beltran (17-12) vs. Chase Gormley (12-5)

 

Preliminary Card

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Joe Hamilton (3-0) vs. Tyler Freeland (3-0)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Veta Arteaga (1-0) vs. Jackie Vandenburgh (0-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Vince Morales (3-1) vs. Hamilton Ash (3-1)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Brendon Raftery (4-2) vs. Casey Johnson (4-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Scott Thometz (9-5) vs. Josh Tyler (7-3)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Sean Powers (9-5) vs. Will Noland (15-6)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Ricky Steele (5-0) vs. Erick Cronkhite (2-1)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Jesse Brock (21-8) vs. Olly Bradstreet (39-12)

 

RAFAEL CARVALHO SET TO DEFEND MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST MELVIN MANHOEF AT ‘BELLATOR 155’ ON MAY 20

PAT CURRAN RETURNS AGAINST GEORGI KARAKHANYAN IN FEATHERWEIGHT ACTION

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (February 26, 2016) – Rafael Carvalho (12-1) will make his first defense of the Bellator MMA Middleweight Championship against heavy-handed Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef (30-12-1) in the main event of “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” on May 20 at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho.

 

In the co-main event, former Bellator MMA Featherweight Titlist Pat Curran (21-7) will return to action for the first time since June, when he faces the always-dangerous Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” start at just $25 and go on sale next Friday, March 4 at Bellator.com, the CenturyLink Arena Box Office, CenturyLinkArenaBoise.com or by phone at 208-331-TIXS.

 

“Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” 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. Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Carvalho’s second-round body kick knockout of Brandon Halsey at “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho” was the third biggest oddsmaker upset in 2015, and extended his current winning streak to 12. The 29-year-old will be making his fourth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner and has an impressive finishing rate of 83 percent.

With a resume of knockouts as violent as Manhoef, it’s no surprise the Dutch competitor has been given the nickname of “No Mercy.” Known for his relentless striking style, the former K-1 and Strikeforce competitor is fresh off his emphatic knockout of Hisaki Kato at “Bellator 146: Manhoef vs. Kato” in November. Now the 39-year-old is in position to lay claim to the Bellator 185-pound MMA title, before returning to kickboxing competition in the newly founded Bellator Kickboxing league.

 

It’s hard to find a Bellator MMA fighter with as many memorable moments for the Scott Coker-led promotion as Pat Curran. The former featherweight kingpin has been involved in wars with fighters the likes of: current champion Daniel Straus, Patricio Freire, Daniel Weichel, and Joe Warren. Now “Paddy Mike” sets his sights on “Insane,” in a bout that surely has future title implications at stake.

 

Karakhanyan made a splash in his return to Bellator MMA in 2015, choking out Bubba Jenkins in his first fight for the Viacom-owned promotion since 2011. Now, the Millenia MMA standout will put his knack for submitting opponents (14x) to the test against Curran, a fighter who has only been submitted once in 28-fights.

“Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” Updated Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Middleweight World Title Fight: Rafael Carvalho (12-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-12-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main Event: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1)

OFFICIAL ‘BELLATOR MMA: KONGO VS. VOLKOV’ RESULTS & PHOTOS

 

ALSO: BELLATOR MMA SIGNS JOSH “KOS” KOSCHECK TO MULTI-FIGHT DEAL

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR BELLATOR 139 PHOTOS

 

Mulvane, Kan. (June 26, 2015) Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) utilized a vast array of elbow strikes to defeat Alexander Volkov (24-6) via unanimous decision in the main event of Bellator MMA: “Kongo vs. Volkov” from Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kan., on Friday.

The Frenchman was relentless with his takedown attempts and “Drago” was unable to use his length to ward them off, spending a good duration of the heavyweight encounter on his back.

With the victory, Kongo improves to 4-2 under the Bellator MMA umbrella, while Volkov has now dropped two consecutive decisions.

 

In the co-main event, Dave Rickels (16-3, 1 NC) was seemingly en route to a spectacular stoppage of John Alessio (35-17, 1 NC) but an ill-advised knee to the head of a downed Alessio resulted in a no contest.

 

The 26-year-old Derby, Kan. native had the former World Extreme Cagefighting competitor wobbled against the cage, but the roar of the hometown fans may have clouded his decision making, as Rickels threw the knee and as a result referee Rob Hinds waved off the fight.

 

“Kansas, I’m so sorry,” Rickels said. “The fight was going exactly as I expected. You will see me do this again, except next time, I’m going to legally finish my opponent. I kneed him in the head, I screwed up, I could’ve stopped at any second but I just wanted to finish it.”

 

In what will undoubtedly end up as a “knockout of the year” candidate, Hisaki Kato (5-1) finished Joe Schilling (2-5) with a second-round Superman punch to impress in his Bellator MMA debut.

 

“I believed in myself. I know I have really heavy hands and it took just one big shot to knock him out,” Kato said after the fight. “I feel I did a great job of representing Japanese MMA. It’s not only about grappling, we are also strikers as well.”

 

Kato showcased his grappling the first round, nullifying the world-class muay Thai of Schilling on the ground. But after a few even exchanges to open the second slate, Kato struck with a perfectly placed punch that sent those in attendance into a frenzy. It’s worth noting that the Japanese international has won all five of his fights by KO or TKO.

 

In the opening main card bout of the evening, Pat Curran (21-7) got back on the winning track with a unanimous (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) decision over a game Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2).

 

Curran was originally slated to face Goiti Yamauchi, but an injury created the opportunity for Sanchez to fill-in on short notice. The two featherweights maintained a torrid pace over the course of 15 minutes, but the three judges appointed by the Kansas commission all ruled in favor of the former 145-pound champion.

 

After the fight, “Paddy Mike” promised to continue improving on his craft.

 

“I really needed this win,” Curran said. “I want to thank him for stepping up on three weeks notice and taking the fight. I’m going to keep coming, I have a lot to improve and keep working on. I’m going to head back to the gym and keep getting better.”

 

Josh Koscheck Signing:

 

Bellator MMA also announced the signing of Josh “Kos” Koscheck  (17-10)  to a multi-fight deal. The welterweight comes to the Scott Coker-led promotion from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) where he amassed his record fighting some of the most notable names in the welterweight division, including Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes.

 

Koscheck, is a former Division I wrestling champion who now joins an ultra-competitive welterweight division, where a rematch against Paul Daley could possibly come to fruition.

 

Preliminary Results:

Frederick Brown (3-1) stopped Derek Bohi (6-4) with punches in the Bellator 139 dark main event. The technical knockout came :29 seconds into the first round.

 

Aaron Ely (5-2) utilized his slick grappling skills to submit Jeimeson Saudino (8-5) with a standing guillotine choke at 1:05 of round two. “The Cyborg” has earned all of his five victories by way of submission.

 

The lone women’s fight on the Bellator 139 card did not disappoint, as Bryanna Fissori (2-0) earned a unanimous 29-28 decision win against Iony Razafiarison (2-1). The difference was the third and final frame, where “The Pink Ranger” secured a full mount and rained down punches, seeking the finish and receiving the benefit of the doubt from the judges.

Alex Huddleston (6-1) is making a habit of finishing scraps early, finishing his opponent Javy Ayala (8-4) via rear-naked choke a mere 72-seconds after the opening bell sounded.  With the win, “The Shaved Gorilla” has two first-round finishes in his two fights under the Bellator MMA banner.

 

Before Augusto Sakai (10-0) and Daniel Gallemore (4-3) could get off their stools for a third round, Gallemore’s corner stopped the fight. Somewhere along the way, “Big Kansas” began having trouble seeing, giving Sakai the win via TKO and keeping the Brazilian fighter’s record unblemished to begin his professional career.

 

Bubba Jenkins (9-2) got back to his winning way against Joe Wilk (19-10) on Friday night, finishing the Kansas-native with punches at 1:00 of round one. “The Highlight Kid” improved to 6-2 inside the Bellator MMA cage.

 

It took 15 tightly contested minutes to find a winner between lightweights Pablo Villaseca (9-1) and Bobby Cooper (12-5). In the end, two judges scored the fight in favor of the man they call “Super Duper,” giving him the split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) victory.

 

In the opening bout of the evening, Gaston Reyno (4-0, 2 NC) made quick work of Greg Scott (3-4), picking up the submission win after only 1:17 of featherweight action.

OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN RESULTS, PHOTOS AND INFORMATION FROM “BELLATOR MMA: KONGO VS. VOLKOV”

Mulvane, Kan. (June 25, 2015) – Following weigh-ins at Kansas Star Arena on Thursday, the Bellator 139 main event between Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and Alexander Volkov (24-5) will go on as planned less than 24-hours later.

In addition to the headliner, “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT, features three additional must-see main card bouts.

In the co-main event, home state hero David “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) looks to put an end to the present winning streak of John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17). Not only is Rickels exciting once he enters the cage, but it’s his walkouts that also garner plenty of attention

The always-exciting Joe Schilling (2-4) will continue his torrid pace in 2015 when he meets promotional newcomer Hisaki Kato (4-1). “Stitch Em’ Up” is already slated to compete during the kickboxing portion of “Bellator: Dynamite” in September.

In the opening televised bout of the evening, former Bellator Featherweight Champion Pat Curran (20-7) will try to put an end to his current two-fight skid when he meets 24-year-old Emmanuel Sanchez (10-1) on short notice. “Paddy Mike” was originally slated to face Goiti Yamauchi, but an injury derailed the tilt.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL WEIGH-IN PHOTOS

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (238.6) vs. Alexander Volkov (242)

 

Bellator Lightweight Fight: David Rickels (155.9) vs. John Alessio (155.4)

 

Bellator Middleweight Fight: Joe Schilling (185.9) vs. Hisaki Kato (185.5)

 

Bellator Featherweight Fight: Pat Curran (145.6) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (145.5)

 

Preliminary Card (6:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Fight: Derek Bohi (264) vs. Frederick Brown (229.4)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: Jeimeson Saudino (134.3) vs. Aaron Ely (134.7)

 

Bellator Featherweight Fight: Iony Razafiarison (140.8) vs. Bryanna Fissori (144)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Fight: Alex Huddleston (248.6) vs. Javy Ayala (263.9)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Fight: Daniel Gallemore (264.9) vs. Augusto Sakai (263)

 

Bellator Featherweight Fight: Bubba Jenkins (145.9) vs. Joe Wilk (145.8)

 

Bellator Lightweight Fight: Bobby Cooper (155.9) vs. Pablo Villaseca (156)

 

Bellator Featherweight Fight: Greg Scott (145.7) vs. Gaston Reyno (145)

Emmanuel Sanchez Replaces Injured Goiti Yamauchi; Plus Four Additional Preliminary Bouts Complete 13-Fight “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” Card On June 26

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 8, 2015) – With an unfortunate injury forcing the withdrawal of Goiti Yamauchi, Emmanuel “El Matador” Sanchez (10-1) receives the call to step in against former featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7). With this change of opponent, and four newly announced matchups, “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” on June 26 is now complete with 13 total scraps to sink your teeth into.

 

The additional fights include heavyweight bouts between Alex Huddleston (5-1) vs. Javy Ayala (8-3) and Derek Bohi (5-4) vs. Frederick Brown (2-1) as well as featherweights Greg Scott (3-3) vs. Gaston Reyno (3-0) and lightweights Marcio Navarro (13-11) vs. Cody Carrillo (8-11).

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” is headlined by a heavyweight clash between French striking specialist Cheick “The Darkness” Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5). The event takes place June 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.

 

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT. Tickets for “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” start at just $17 and are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.

 

Additional announced pairings on the SPIKE-televised card include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs.John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17) and a contest between middleweight sluggers with Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1).

 

The 24-year-old Sanchez is an explosive featherweight, fighting with Duke Roufus out of the famed Roufusport gym in Milwaukee. The two-time Bellator veteran has shined throughout his current six-fight winning streak, most recently scoring a first-round rear naked choke over Stephen Banaszak at Bellator 128 followed by a dominant unanimous decision over Costa Rican standout Alejandro Villalobos at Bellator 135 this past March.  Sanchez faces stiff competition in former featherweight kingpin Curran, who has been involved in some of the most memorable Bellator fights of all time.

 

Huddleston, 28, is a key training has won four consecutive tilts since dropping the first fight of his professional career in 2011. Most recently, “The Shaved Gorilla” stopped Derek Bohl at Bellator 130. Standing opposite Huddleston inside the cage will be the 26-year-old Ayala, who is on a three-fight promotional winning streak of his own. The California native has stopped his last three foes before reaching the judges’ discretion.

 

In the second added heavyweight feature, Bohl will seek his first win for the Southern California-based promotion. “Marshmallow” has won his first two bouts in 2015 on the regional circuit. Brown will have his second opportunity at success for Bellator against Bohl. The hometown fighter was finished by Daniel Gallemore at Bellator 113, which was his last time in action.

 

Undefeated at 3-0, Reyno will bring the tenacity he has shown on the independent MMA scene to the Bellator cage. “Tonga” has finished every fight he has been involved in and will look to make a mark on the featherweight division with his debut. Scott, a Whichita native, made his Bellator MMA debut in 2011 and has had a mixed bag of success.

 

Lastly, a pair of experienced lightweights will round out the preliminary portion of the card when Navarro and Carrillo tangle inside the steel mesh. With 43 professional bouts between them, both veterans will attempt to string together some wins under the Bellator banner.

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov”Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (10-1)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)

 

Preliminary Card 

 

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Bubba Jenkins (8-2) vs. Joe Wilk (18-10)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Jeimeson Saudino (8-4) vs. Aaron Ely (4-2)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Bobby Cooper (12-5) vs. Pablo Villaseca (9-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Daniel Gallemore (4-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (7-0)

Bellator Female Featherweight Prelim Fight: Iony Razafiarison (2-0) vs. Bryanna Fissori (1-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Alex Huddleston (5-1) vs. Javy Ayala (8-3)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Greg Scott (3-3) vs. Gaston Reyno (3-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Derek Bohi (5-4) vs. Frederick Brown (2-1)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Marcio Navarro (13-11) vs. Cody Carrillo (8-11)

Bellator Knocks Out Four Additional Preliminary Bouts for Kansas Card On June 26

 B139_PR_Banner

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 3, 2015) – With a complete four-fight main card already announced for “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” on June 26, the promotion has turned its focus to the preliminary showcase with four new fights.

 

The newly announced bouts include bantamweights Jeimeson “The Minion” Saudino (8-4) vs. Aaron “The Cyborg” Ely (4-2), lightweights Bobby “Super Duper” Cooper (12-5) vs. Pablo Villaseca (9-0), as well as heavyweights Daniel “Big Kansas” Gallemore (4-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (7-0), and female featherweights Iony Razafiarison (2-0) and Bryanna “Pink Ranger” Fissori (1-0).

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” is headlined by a heavyweight clash between French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5). The event takes place June 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.

 

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 6:45 p.m. ET/ 5:45 p.m. CT. Tickets for “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” start at just $17 and are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.

 

Additional announced pairings on the SPIKE-televised card include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs.John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17), former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) and a contest between middleweight sluggers with Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1) on the event’s featured portion.

 

In a bantamweight battle between two Kansas natives, Wichita’s Saudino is a scrapper who has won half of his eight professional victories without the judge’s help. He looks to improve to nine wins against Leavenworth’s Ely, a ground game specialist who has earned all four professional victories by submission. This 135-pound bout will be a must-see showcase of Midwest MMA talent.

 

RFA and Titan FC veteran Cooper has already earned two victories in the Bellator cage and will look to make his fight at Bellator 139 three in a row. He goes up against Villaseca, a Chilean MMA prospect with an unblemished professional record at 9-0, with three knockouts and three submission finishes.

 

Emporia’s “Big Kansas” Gallemore is a heavyweight who’s hands have earned all four of his victories, three of which have taken place under the Bellator banner. He will meet the undefeated Sakai, a dangerous Brazilian striker who has finished six of seven of his opponents with either his fists or knees.

 

Iony Razafiarison is a coming off of a unanimous decision victory in her professional debut this past January, and will look to make an immediate impact in her first fight with the Bellator promotion. She will take on Bryanna Fissori, who also makes her promotional debut at Bellator 139 after winning her first career victory by knockout last October.

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov”Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)

 

Preliminary Card 

 

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Bubba Jenkins (8-2) vs. Joe Wilk (18-10)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Jeimeson Saudino (8-4) vs. Aaron Ely (4-2)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Bobby Cooper (12-5) vs. Pablo Villaseca (9-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Daniel Gallemore (4-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (7-0)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Iony Razafiarison (2-0) vs. Bryanna Fissori (1-0)

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” receives first prelim fight, as featherweight standout Bubba Jenkins meets gritty Midwestern veteran Joe Wilk

 

 B139_PR_Banner

B139_Jenkins_Wilk

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” receives first prelim fight,

as featherweight standout Bubba Jenkins meets gritty Midwestern veteran Joe Wilk

 

Easy Tweet: “.@2sinsurrJenkins and @JoeNoseMMA set to headline #Bellator139 at the @KansasStarArena on June 26. http://bit.ly/1GfVzbx

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 18, 2015) – With an incredible four-fight Spike-broadcast main card already locked up for next month’s “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” event, Bellator MMA officials are now turning their attention to the evening’s Spike.com-streamed preliminary lineup.

 

The first preliminary contest booked features featherweight standout Bubba “The Highlight Kid” Jenkins (8-2), as he looks to build his way back to a title shot against 28-fight veteran Joe “The Nose” Wilk (18-10).

 

Featuring a heavyweight contest between French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5), “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” takes place June 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.

 

Additional announced matchups include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs. John “The Natural” Alessio(35-17), former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) and a contest between middleweight sluggers with Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1) on the event’s featured portion.

 

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT.

 

Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which start at just $17 and include cageside seats for just $97, are currently available atTicketmaster.com.

 

Jenkins, a former NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Arizona State University, also earned All-American honors during a separate stint at Penn State University. Just 27 years of age, Jenkins has already fought seven times under the Bellator MMA banner and is considered one of the top up-and-coming fighters in the 145-pound division. “The Highlight Kid” was one step away from a shot at the Bellator MMA Featherweight World Title before coming up short against Georgi Karakhanyan at Bellator 132 in January. The Corona, Calif. resident now looks to get back on the winning track at Bellator 139.

 

Wilk is a 33-year-old Kansas native who already boasts 28 professional contests to his name and made his Bellator MMA debut this past October, where he suffered a TKO loss to fellow Sunflower State veteran Ricky Musgrave. Wilk has been a staple on the Midwestern scene since 2007 and has incredibly fought to a judges’ decision only once in his 28 appearances. He’s at his most dangerous on the mat, where he’s earned a remarkable 15 of his 18 career victories by way of submission.

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov”Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)

 

Preliminary Card 

 

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Bubba Jenkins (8-2) vs. Joe Wilk (18-10)

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” receives first prelim fight,

as featherweight standout Bubba Jenkins meets gritty Midwestern veteran Joe Wilk

 

Easy Tweet: “.@2sinsurrJenkins and @JoeNoseMMA set to headline #Bellator139 at the @KansasStarArena on June 26. http://bit.ly/1GfVzbx

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 18, 2015) – With an incredible four-fight Spike-broadcast main card already locked up for next month’s “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” event, Bellator MMA officials are now turning their attention to the evening’s Spike.com-streamed preliminary lineup.

 

The first preliminary contest booked features featherweight standout Bubba “The Highlight Kid” Jenkins (8-2), as he looks to build his way back to a title shot against 28-fight veteran Joe “The Nose” Wilk (18-10).

 

Featuring a heavyweight contest between French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5), “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” takes place June 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.

 

Additional announced matchups include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs. John “The Natural” Alessio(35-17), former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) and a contest between middleweight sluggers with Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1) on the event’s featured portion.

 

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT.

 

Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which start at just $17 and include cageside seats for just $97, are currently available atTicketmaster.com.

 

Jenkins, a former NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Arizona State University, also earned All-American honors during a separate stint at Penn State University. Just 27 years of age, Jenkins has already fought seven times under the Bellator MMA banner and is considered one of the top up-and-coming fighters in the 145-pound division. “The Highlight Kid” was one step away from a shot at the Bellator MMA Featherweight World Title before coming up short against Georgi Karakhanyan at Bellator 132 in January. The Corona, Calif. resident now looks to get back on the winning track at Bellator 139.

 

Wilk is a 33-year-old Kansas native who already boasts 28 professional contests to his name and made his Bellator MMA debut this past October, where he suffered a TKO loss to fellow Sunflower State veteran Ricky Musgrave. Wilk has been a staple on the Midwestern scene since 2007 and has incredibly fought to a judges’ decision only once in his 28 appearances. He’s at his most dangerous on the mat, where he’s earned a remarkable 15 of his 18 career victories by way of submission.

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov”Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)

 

Preliminary Card 

 

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Bubba Jenkins (8-2) vs. Joe Wilk (18-10)

 

Easy Tweet: “.@2sinsurrJenkins and @JoeNoseMMA set to headline #Bellator139 at the @KansasStarArena on June 26. http://bit.ly/1GfVzbx

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 18, 2015) – With an incredible four-fight Spike-broadcast main card already locked up for next month’s “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” event, Bellator MMA officials are now turning their attention to the evening’s Spike.com-streamed preliminary lineup.

 

The first preliminary contest booked features featherweight standout Bubba “The Highlight Kid” Jenkins (8-2), as he looks to build his way back to a title shot against 28-fight veteran Joe “The Nose” Wilk (18-10).

 

Featuring a heavyweight contest between French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5), “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” takes place June 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.

 

Additional announced matchups include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs. John “The Natural” Alessio(35-17), former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) and a contest between middleweight sluggers with Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1) on the event’s featured portion.

 

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT.

 

Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which start at just $17 and include cageside seats for just $97, are currently available atTicketmaster.com.

 

Jenkins, a former NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Arizona State University, also earned All-American honors during a separate stint at Penn State University. Just 27 years of age, Jenkins has already fought seven times under the Bellator MMA banner and is considered one of the top up-and-coming fighters in the 145-pound division. “The Highlight Kid” was one step away from a shot at the Bellator MMA Featherweight World Title before coming up short against Georgi Karakhanyan at Bellator 132 in January. The Corona, Calif. resident now looks to get back on the winning track at Bellator 139.

 

Wilk is a 33-year-old Kansas native who already boasts 28 professional contests to his name and made his Bellator MMA debut this past October, where he suffered a TKO loss to fellow Sunflower State veteran Ricky Musgrave. Wilk has been a staple on the Midwestern scene since 2007 and has incredibly fought to a judges’ decision only once in his 28 appearances. He’s at his most dangerous on the mat, where he’s earned a remarkable 15 of his 18 career victories by way of submission.

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov”Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)

 

Preliminary Card 

 

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Bubba Jenkins (8-2) vs. Joe Wilk (18-10)

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” adds middleweight slugfest pitting Joe Schilling vs. Hisaki Kato, making it the fourth and final main-card matchup

Easy Tweet: “.@JoeSchilling187 and Hisaki Kato join #Bellator139 at the @KansasStarArena on June 26http://bit.ly/1GfVzbx

 

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 18, 2015) – A card loaded with explosive contests has received one more potential slugfest, as middleweight sluggers Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) and Hisaki Kato (4-1) will clash in the fourth and final main-card matchup of next month’s “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” event which airs live on Spike.

 

Headlined by a heavyweight contest between French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5), “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” takes place June 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.

 

Additional matchups include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs. John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17) and former Bellator MMA Featherweight Champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) taking on Goiti Yamauchi (18-2).

 

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which start at just $17 and include cage side seats for just $97, are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.

 

The 31-year-old Schilling has been fighting professionally since 2006, starting his combat sports career in muay Thai, where he earned both U.S. and world titles. Since he’s turned his focus to MMA, Schilling continues to compete in kickboxing events, as well, working his way to GLORY’s Last Man Standing tournament this past June, competing three times in a single evening. Schilling made his Bellator MMA debut in November, scoring a “Knockout of the Year” candidate stoppage of noted striker Melvin Manhoef.

 

A karate stylist who first made his name in Japan in the sport of Kudo – a hybrid version of MMA that involves fighting in a gi, gloves and a mask – the 32-year-old Kato will fight in the U.S. on June 26th for the first time. Kato’s transition in 2013 to traditional MMA rules has proven to be a rousing success, as he’s earned four knockout victories in his first five bouts. Three of those wins were earned in the first round, including an April 2014 victory that came in just 53 seconds.

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov”Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)