Los Angeles- Bellator MMA het aangekondig dat sy vyfde deelnemer vir die Nuwejaarsaand -skouspel teen Rizin Fighting Federation -teenstanders nee sal wees. 10-Ranglys liggewig, Gadzhi Rabadanov(18-4-2), neem die 27-jarige Japannese voorsprong aanKoji Takeda(15-3) In 'n dwingende wedstryd tussen twee mededingers wat hoog ry op die sterkte van opeenvolgende oorwinnings.
'N Eerste-van-sy-soort mede-bevordering, Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN vind Saterdag binne die Saitama Super Arena in Japan plaas, Desember 31, en kan in die Verenigde State op Showtime by gesien word 8 namiddag. ET/PT op Oujaarsaand.
Rabadanov teenoor Takeda sal deelneem aan 'n sterbelaaide vyf strydBellator MMA vs. RIZINhoof kaart, wat van bo na onder gestapel is met huidige en voormalige kampioene wat in die vierkantige ring meeding onder Rizin se unieke reëls. Die voorsprong van die byeenkoms is 'n droomwedstryd tussen Rizin Lightweight ChampionRoberto “Satoshi” de Souza(14-1) teen nr. 3 Bellator pond-vir-pond talentOok "Mercenary" McKee(19-1), met Bellator en Rizin Featherweight ChampionsPatricio Pitbull(34-5) enGom koike(31-5-1) Die mede-hoof van die moet-sien-geleentheid.
Voormalige Bellator -kampioeneJuan “The Spanjaard” Archuleta(26-4) enKyoji Horiguchi(30-5) sal die ongeëwenaarde hoofkaart afrond, In die gesig staar met Rizin'sSoo Chul Kim(18-6-1) enHiromasa ougikubo(25-6-2), onderskeidelik.
Gadzhi Rabadanov, 29, onderteken met Bellator in 2021 Nadat die Eagle FC liggewig titel verower is, and has made an immediate impact on the promotion’s remarkably deep lightweight division. He announced his arrival in thunderous fashion atBELLATOR 263with an emphatic viral knockout of Daniel Carey, which he followed up with back-to-back dominant unanimous decision victories over Jay Jay Wilson and Bobby King in 2022. The product of the renowned Club Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s School in Dagestan and the prestigious American Kickboxing Academy, Rabadanov’s pedigree is world-class. On New Year’s Eve, Rabadanov will look to continue building upon his momentum with an impressive performance against Koji Takeda.
“It is a childhood dream come true to fight in Japan at the legendary Saitama Super Arena,” said Rabadanov. “I’m very excited and I know I have a tough opponent, who always leaves everything in the ring. Expect a masterpiece from me, it will be a memorable fight.”
A former DEEP lightweight champion, Japan’sKoji Takedahas been an active fighter since his 2017 professionele debuut. Takeda boasts a compelling case for inclusion on this historic fight card, winning seven of his last ten and three of his last four outings under the RIZIN and DEEP banners. Takeda is also familiar with BELLATOR foes; he has previously fought Spike Carlyle and submitted Zach Zane by armbar, both of whom fought recently for the Scott Coker-led promotion. Takeda will look to add a third straight win to his resume against the highly-touted Rabadanov in his hometown of Saitama, Japan, Desember 31.
Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN MAIN CARD:
Showtime
Saterdag, Desember 31 — 8 PM ET/PT
Liggewig nie-titel hoofgebeurtenis: Ook McKee(19-1) teenRoberto de Souza(14-1)
Onoorwonne wêreldkampioenA.J. McKee Om Bellator MMA se wêreldtitel van 145 pond te verdedig teen die voormalige nommer een pond-vir-pond & Two-afdeling kampioenPatricio Pitbull
205-Pond kampioenVadim Germanies Om die top-gekeur te vegCorey Anderson Vir $1 Miljoen prys in Bellator ligte swaargewig wêreld Grand Prix -eindstryd
Bellator 277 Stel vir Vrydag, April 15, BY 10 Namiddag. ET / 7 pm. PTLive op Showtime in die SAP -sentrum in San Jose, CALIF.
Kaartjies te koop hierdie Vrydag
LOS ANGELES (Februarie. 16, 2022) -Twee uitstekende wêreldkampioenskapsverblyf. Vier van Bellator MMA se beste pond-vir-pond vegters. Een hoogs verwagte heruitsending. The promotion’s all-time greatest athlete striving to avenge a highlight-reel loss to the company’s homegrown superstar. A tournament final awarding a seven-figure jackpot to the victor.
BELLATOR’s fourth phenomenal fight card of 2022 promises to be one for the ages.
Fresh off a 117-second destruction of his upcoming opponent and claiming the $1 million bounty at the BELLATOR MMA Featherweight World Grand Prix Finale, unbeaten BELLATOR Featherweight World TitleholderA.J. McKee (18-0) hopes to take the next step toward becoming the sport’s greatest fighter as he battles former top pound-for-pound and two-division championPatricio Pitbull (32-5) for the second time in less than nine months on Friday, April 15, by10 namiddag. ET / 7 pm. PT woon op Showtime.
In the co-feature ofBELLATOR 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 by die SAP Center in San Jose, Kalifornië., current 205-pound BELLATOR MMA World ChampionVadim Nemkov (15-2) will defend his title for the third time and aims to take home the $1 million prize three days before U.S. Tax Day when he squares off against the surging No. 1-ingedeel aanspraakmakerCorey Anderson(16-5)in the BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix final.
Kaartjies virBellator MMA 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 gaan hierdie Vrydag te koop, Februarie. 18 at bothTicketmaster.com enBellator.comwith a special presale starting the day prior.
Daarbenewens, four preliminary bouts have been announced including a mouthwatering matchup between two highly ranked heavyweights as No. 5-ingedeelTim Johnson (15-8) faces surging No. 6-ingedeelTyrell fortuin(11-2, 1 NC) in a rematch fromBELLATOR 239.Their first fight ended with Johnson securing a win that earned great consideration for the 2020 KO of the Year. The preliminary bouts will stream live three hours earlier at7 namiddag. ET / 4 pm. PT Op die Bellator MMA YouTube -kanaal, Showtime Sports YouTube -kanaal en Pluto TV.
In their historic initial matchup at the Forum in Inglewood, Kalifornië., McKee stunned Pitbull by landing a punishing left leg kick to the head at 1:40 of the opening stanza atBELLATOR MMA 263Julie 31, 2021. Die kampioen het daarna die aanslag voortgesit deur 'n reeks wrede onbeantwoorde kopskote te ontketen wat die Brasiliaanse legende laat val het.
Oomblikke later terwyl McKee voortydig sy arms ter viering opsteek, Pitbull het opgestaan uit die dieptes van die nederlaag net om begroet te word deur 'n vegter wat sy kroon gesteel het en die eis van die $1 miljoen prys. Met die 25-keer Bellator MMA-veteraan wat teen die heining gerugsteun is, MMA se helderste jong brawler is toegesluit in 'n guillotine -verstikking. Dit lyk asof Pitbull bewussyn verloor, skeidsregter Mike Beltran het sake by 1:57 van die opening raam.
“Hosting the world’s best mixed martial artists in the great city of San Jose is something that has been important to me during my career as a fight promoter and I’m happy to continue that with our card on April 15,” BELLATOR President Scott Coker said. “The rematch between A.J. McKee and Patricio Pitbull for the featherweight title, as well as our Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final featuring Vadim Nemkov against Corey Anderson are two fights that could headline any event on their own, but we are bringing both to SAP Center at San Jose on the same night to show the fans here that we truly value their support throughout the years.”
A native of Long Beach, Kalifornië., BELLATOR’s top-rated pound-for-pound fighter has exceeded the lofty expectations placed on him since his professional debut three days following his 20ste verjaarsdag. Armed with six knockouts and seven submissions, the Team Bodyshop product, wat sal draai 27 eight days before his rematch against Pitbull, has shown a knack for securing lightning-fast finishes with 10 coming in the first round. “Mercenary” has earned dominant victories over every fighter who has opposed him, including former World Champions Pitbull, Pat Curran, and Darrion Caldwell, who McKee submitted with a rare-modified neck crank that was later dubbed the “McKee-otine.” The winner of the 2020 Submission of the Year Award for his 71-second annihilation of Caldwell has fought a total of 33 rounds across 18 loopbaan wedstryde (1.8 rounds per bout), while logging less than 41 total minutes in the BELLATOR cage since turning pro in August 2012.
One half of the vaunted Pitbull Brothers duo, Patricio has long been considered the crown jewel of BELLATOR MMA, where he currently sits at No. 3 in the BELLATOR MMA men’s pound-for-pound rankings. Holding a remarkable 32-5 record with wins over elite competition, including the likes of former World Champions Pat Curran, Juan Archuleta, and Daniel Straus (twee keer). In 2019, the 34-year-old Brazilian captured the BELLATOR Lightweight World Championship from Michael Chandler, becoming only the second BELLATOR athlete to hold two titles simultaneously. Met 23 finishes in 37 professionele gevegte, Pitbull has shown repeatedly that he possesses the well-rounded skillset required to reign over multiple weight classes.
Currently BELLATOR MMA’s second-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, Nemkov captured the BELLATOR MMA light heavyweight crown by defeating Ryan Bader via second-round TKO atBellator MMA 244in August 2020. Riding a nine-fight winning streak dating back to June 2016, the ferocious 29-year-old sports seven first-round knockouts, with two in the initial minute of action. After successfully defending his light heavyweight belt by earning a tough unanimous decision over Phil Davis, the pride of Belgorod, Russia and Fedor Emelianenko protégé scored a fourth-round submission of late replacement Julius Anglickas in the semifinals of the BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix during his last outing on Oct. 16, 2021.
Anders, of Robbinsville, N.J., has ascended to the top of the BELLATOR 205-pound rankings by vanquishing seven of his past eight opponents, insluitend 'n derde ronde stop van Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov byBellator MMA 257 April 16, 2021. Presies ses maande later omBellator MMA 268, Die Rockford, Siek., inheemse in die hok stap na die spellbindende klanke van die deure se “vyf tot een,”En het die liedtitel letterlik geneem deur die stoei -legende Ryan Bader in Arizona State University uit te slaan 51 Sekondes voor Bader se tuisdorpskare in die Footprint Centre in Phoenix, Ariz. In sy eerste promosieverskyning, “Overtime” het 'n tweede ronde TKO oor die Nederlandse kickboxing-legende Melvin Manhoef byBellator MMA 251 in November 2020. Voordat hy by Bellator aangesluit het, Anderson het 'n 10-5 rekord met 'n mededingende promosie, wen “The Ultimate Fighter 19” -toernooi in 2014, en spog met indrukwekkende oorwinnings oor Glover Teixeira, Jan Błachowicz en Johnny Walker, onder andere.
Bykomende aanvalle sal binnekort bekend gemaak word.
BELLATOR 277: McKee VS. PITBULL 2MAIN CARD:
Vrydag, April 15 - Leef aanShowtime
10 namiddag. ET / 7 pm. PT
Featherweight World Championship: C–A.J. McKee (18-0) vs. No. 1-Patricio Pitbull (15-5)
Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final: C-Vadim Nemkov (15-2) vs. Moenie. 1-Corey Anderson (16-5)
DUBLIN –It was announced today that former two-division championGabriël Vegahas made the decision to relinquish his BELLATOR Lightweight World Championship. As gevolg daarvan, BELLATOR MMA PresidentScott Cokerconfirmed that the hotly anticipated rematch between Waterford, Ierland se Peter “The Showstopper” Queally (13-5-1) en Patricky “Pitbull” (23-10) will be elevated to the main event ofBELLATOR 270with the newly vacated 155-pound world title on the line.
Bellator MMA 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2 takes place at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ierland, on Friday November 5ste.
In die Verenigde State van Amerika, the main card action will air live on SHOWTIME at 5 namiddag. ET/2 p.m. PT. BELLATOR fans in Ireland can watch the eagerly anticipated event on both Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media Sport, whilst UK fight fans can watch the event live on BBC iPlayer.
The preliminary card will stream live beginning at 2 namiddag. ET/11 a.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, Showtime Sports YouTube -kanaal en Pluto TV.
BELLATOR’s return to the Irish capital will be co-headlined by an explosive bantamweight fight between two grappling wizards in No. 6 ingedeel James “The Strabanimal” Gallagher (11-1) and the No. 2 ingedeel Patchy Mix (14-1).
Kaartjies vir BELLATOR 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2are on sale now and can be purchased online fromTicketmaster.ie en Bellator.com.
Also announced today – heavyweight hostilities featuringGokhan Sarikam (5-1) en Rob Beech (5-2) has been added to the preliminary card. Please find an updated bout listing below:
Bellator MMA 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2 MainCard: Showtime (US) / BBC iPlayer (Verenigde Koninkryk) / Maagd Media Twee & Maagd Media Sport (IERLAND) Vrydag, Oktober 1 - 9 namiddag. GMT/5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT
Lightweight World Title Main Event: #4-Peter Queally (13-5-1) vs. #1-Patricky “Pitbull”(23-10) Bantamweight Co-Main Event: #6-James Gallagher (11-1) vs. #2-Patrick Mix (14-1) Middelgewigtitel Bout: #6-Charlie Ward (9-4) vs. #9-Nobert NovenyiJr. (5-0) Veergewigtitel Bout: #6-Daniel Weichel (41-6) vs. #7-Pedro Carvalho (11-5)
Voorlopige Card: Bellator MMA YouTube -kanaal | Showtime Sports YouTube -kanaal | Pluto TV (US) BBC iPlayer (Verenigde Koninkryk) | Maagd Media Twee & Maagd Media Sport (IERLAND) 6 namiddag. GMT/2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT
Veergewigtitel Bout:Ciaran Clarke (3-0) vs. Jordan Barton (6-1-1) Veergewigtitel Bout:Ilias Bulaid(2-0) vs. Georges Sasu(5-2) Weltergewig Bout: Ashley Reece(8-2) vs. Luca Poclit (6-1) Liggewig Bout: Daniele Scatizzi (10-5) vs. Brian Hooi (16-8, 1 NC) Lig Swaargewig Bout: Lee Chadwick(26-15-1) vs. Arunas Andriuskevicus(15-4) Swaargewig Bout: Gokhan Sarikam(5-1) vs. Rob Beech(5-2) Weltergewig Bout:Nicolò Solli (3-1) vs. Bobby Pallett (5-0) Strawweight Bout: Danni Neilan(4-0) vs.Audrey Kerouche(7-5, 2 NC) Veergewigtitel Bout:Junior Morgan(3-0) vs. Darragh Kelly (Pro Debuut) Weltergewig Bout:Stephen Costello (Pro Debuut) vs. Joe Nazokatov(Pro Debuut)
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*Kevin Ross het onlangs die promosie se eerste veergewiggordel by sy reeds indrukwekkende lys toekennings gevoeg.
Besoek Bellator.com Vir meer inligting. Opgedateerde skedule van Bellator -gebeure Sat. Oktober. 16 // BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals// Footprint Center // Phoenix, DIE Sat. Oktober. 23 // BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson // VTB Arena // Moskou, Rusland Gratis. November. 5 // BELLATOR 270: Gallagher vs. Meng // 3Arena // Dublin, Ierland Gratis. November. 12 // BELLATOR 271: Cyborg VS. Kavanagh // Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino // Hollywood, FL
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Oor Bellator Bellator MMA is 'n toonaangewende wêreldwye gemengde vegkunsorganisasie met baie van die beste vegters ter wêreld. Onder die leiding van die veteraan stryd promotor Scott Coker, Bellator -geleenthede vind in groot stede wêreldwyd plaas en kan op televisie gesien word 160 lande aan 'n beskikbare gehoor van meer as een miljard mense. In die Verenigde State van Amerika, Bellator kan op Showtime gesien word. Bellator bestaan uit 'n uitvoerende span wat topbedryf in televisieproduksie insluit, lewende gebeurtenis orkestrasie, vegter ontwikkeling / verhoudings, venue verkryging, borgskap skepping / ontwikkeling, internasionale lisensiëring, bemarking, advertensies, publisiteit en kommissie verhoudings. Bellator is in Hollywood gebaseer, Kalifornië. en word besit deur vermaaklikheidsreus Viomcbs, die tuiste van die wêreld se voorste vermaak handelsmerke wat aansluit by gehore deur middel van dwingende inhoud oor televisie, rolprent, aanlyn-en mobiele platforms.
Los Angeles - Vandag, BELLATOR officials confirmed a must-see main event pitting hard-hitting heavyweightsCheick Kongo (30-11-2) en Sergei Kharitonov (32-8) against one another topsBellator MMA 265 Vrydag, Augustus 20 from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. and airs live on SHOWTIME at 9 namiddag. ET / 6 pm. PT.
The card has also confirmed top featherweights No. 3 Adam Borics (17-1) en Geen. 4 Jay-Jay Wilson (8-0) will meet for the right to face the winner of the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix Final betweenGabriël Vega (32-4) en Ook McKee (17-0), which takes place on Saturday, Julie 31.
Tickets for the event go on sale this Thursday at 10 voormiddag. CT and are available at Sanford Pentagon Box Office & Ticket.
The preliminary portion ofBellator MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov currentlyfeatures a flyweight bout pitting No.5-rankedAlejandra Lara (9-4) teen Deanna Bennett (10-7-1) and willbegin at 6:00 namiddag. En / 3:00 namiddag. PT and stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, Showtime Sports YouTube -kanaal en Pluto TV. Additional preliminary bouts will be announced in the near future.
Holding an impressive MMA record of 30-11-2, 1 NC, Moenie. 3-ranked Cheick Kongo returns to action for the first time since headlining the first-ever major MMA event in his native France last October. The former kickboxer remains a force to be reckoned with and holds records for the most fights (16) and wins (12) in BELLATOR heavyweight history. With high-profile victories overVitaly Minakov, Mirko Cro Cop, Antoni Hardonk, and Matt Mitrione, the Parisian is keen to pad his current promotional records, set new ones, and earn his shot at BELLATOR gold.
The man nicknamed “The Paratrooper,” Kharitonov is the owner of an equally notable MMA resume, with the Russian scoring vicious wins against some of the sport’s marquee names, such as Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Pedro Rizzo, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Matt Mitrione, and Alistair Overeem. Nou, fresh off two championship victories on the regional circuit, Kharitonov returns to the BELLATOR cage with the intention of climbing the heavyweight rankings and asserting himself as a BELLATOR title contender.
28-year-old Hungarian Adam “The Kid” Borics has won 17 van 18 fights to begin his professional career, bouncing back from his only loss with three straight victories. Training out of South Florida’s Sanford MMA gym, Borics has firmly established himself as a true threat to anyone in the 145-pound division, where he is currently ranked third.
Undefeated in his first eight fights as a professional, New Zealand’s Wilson has won in style, accumulating six finishes in those eight wins. Following a split decision win against Tywan Claxton, Wilson scored a violent knockout of Sergio DeBari, then followed that victory up with an equally vicious spinning backfist stoppage over SBG’s Pedro Carvalho in April. The Kiwi fighter will be looking to secure a high-stakes victory over Borics with a world title shot awaiting the winner.
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Bellator MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov Main kaart: Showtime Vrydag, Augustus 20 - 9 namiddag. ET / 6 pm. PT
Heavyweight Main Event: #3-Cheick Kongo (30-11-2) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (32-8) Featherweight No. 1 Contender’s Bout: #3-Adam Borics(17-1) vs. #4-Jay-Jay Wilson (8-0)
LOS ANGELES – June 17, 2021– BELLATOR MMA’s Featherweight and Lightweight World ChampionPatricio Pitbull (32-4) and undefeated top-ranked challengerOok McKee (17-0) previewed their must-watch Featherweight World Grand Prix Final and 145-pound title fight during a virtual press conference Wednesday. Both fighters’ head coaches, Eric Albarracinof Team Pitbull Brothers, en Antonio McKeeof Team Bodyshop, also chimed in with a look at the final preparations both fight camps are taking as we approach the massive event.
BELLATOR 263: Pitbull vs. McKee will emanate from the Forum in Inglewood, Kalifornië., and will air live on SHOWTIME at 10 namiddag. ET / 7 pm. PT. Tickets for the event go on sale tomorrow, Vrydag, Junie 18 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com.
Here is what the fighters and their coaches had to say Wednesday:
Patricio Pitbull, BELLATOR Featherweight World Champion & BELLATOR Lightweight World Champion
“I’m a little bit older and faster than the rest of my division and I’m going to use this in my favor. (22:47)
“Of all the opponents I’ve faced, AJ is the most dangerous, and I know that. Met wat gesê word, I know that I’m going to win this fight and prove his father wrong. (26:18)
“At the beginning of his career, he faced very low-level guys. He has a few wins over tough opponents, but he’s never fought anyone like me. He claims that he is ready for me, but he isn’t, and he’ll learn that very quickly in front of his home crowd.” (38:48) Ook McKee, Moenie. 1 Ranked BELLATOR Featherweight & Featherweight World Grand Prix Finalist
“It’s been a great journey and this is something I’ve dreamed of my entire career. Soos ek gesê het, I’ve been calling Pitbull’s name since I first stepped into that cage and he’s ignored me, pretending like he doesn’t know who I am. Aan die einde van die dag, there is nowhere else for him to run and he has to look me in my eyes. I’m looking forward to it. Everyone says I haven’t been tested and I agree. Maar, when you do see me get tested, a whole different animal will come out. (23:22)
“After I beat Pitbull and become the face of BELLATOR, we can run it back for that second belt too. Becoming champ-champ is something that I said I was always going to do, and that I will do. I went through the trials and tribulations of not wanting to fight, to then having my passion for this come back and me seeing all my goals be within reach. It’s going to be fun, especially after the long break due to my knee surgery. I can’t wait to get in there again. The Mercenary does one thing: he signs the contract and then takes the person out. (24:22)
“I’ve been preparing for this fight for six years because Pitbull has been at the top for so long. Weer, I have a foot longer reach on him, so he has to come to me. He says he is training with gold medal wrestlers, but I will do the same thing to him that I did to Pat Curran and Darrion Caldwell. I’m comfortable off my back. Just because he’s Brazilian, that doesn’t mean anything in terms of Jiu jitsu. I have that evolved Jiu jitsu and that’s what I get people with when they don’t see it coming.” (31:45)
Scott Coker, BELLATOR President “We’re excited to be back in California and we are excited to be back in the Forum, a place where we have had so many great fights. It’s going to be an amazing event. My staff is excited and the fighters are excited. When you think about live sports, it needs fans. We got a taste of it last week at the Mohegan Sun, which has been an amazing partner for us, but it’s time to travel and get back to what BELLATOR does best. That is putting on great fights touring from city-to-city, starting with this amazing fight on July 31. (4:10)
“This is the fight that everyone wanted to see. We have so many amazing athletes in this division that we went through the lottery system for matchups, which provided us with amazing fights. But at the beginning, I was wishing that the final would be McKee versus Pitbull. When we signed McKee, he had zero fights to his name. Nou, look at where he is today. Back then, Pitbull was our champion and obviously still is today, so this fight is the “OG” vs. the new guard and we’ll have to see what happens.” (5:13)
“Patricio’s had a bullseye on his back since he became the champ in 2014, when he beat Pat Curran and this run has gone exactly as we planned. We were the matchmakers, we sent Darrion Caldwell to the other side of the bracket to take out some of the young bucks and he did. Dan, AJ took him out and here we are. I think this is the perfect matchup for the finals. We have a young, up-and-coming, undefeated fighter and the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet, Patricio Pitbull. This is going to be the greatest fight in BELLATOR history. (7:20)
“Even at 17-0, AJ is still very young in the game. He’s very unpredictable. Maar, at the end of the day it’s Pitbull who is the pound-for-pound best on the planet, it’s Pitbull who is the double champ, it’s Pitbull who has the best coaches in the game and they don’t know how to prepare for that.” (8:18)
“I lived a different life, one where it wasn’t all good. I was dealing with a lot of stuff that a lot of African American men deal with. No mother and no father, growing up in the streets of Los Angeles. It was what it was, but I made the right decisions and never got caught for anything that I did that could have put me away for the rest of my life and found my drive and motivation through my son. The things that AJ would say as a kid, like ‘Daddy if you die, can I die with you?’ I didn’t care about living and I didn’t have a problem with killing either. And then one day AJ says ‘Dad, whatever you do and wherever you go, I want to come with you.’ I was ready to clock out, but then I realized that I needed to be here for him. He had nothing but me, so that gave me the drive and the strength to find a better way out.
“I made it this far, did my thing as a wrestler and was the best in the world. I did what I was doing, but I didn’t have the right mindset, so I had to check my mental and learn how to be a respectable human being. Sodra ek dit gedoen het, things started to shift for me and now here we are. I did things to keep AJ in private school, not to buy cars, musiek, and jewelry. I did it all to pay for his school tuition.” (14:36)
BELLATOR 263TAKES PLACE AT THE FORUM IN LOS ANGELES ON SATURDAY, Julie 31 – Woon op Showtime®
TICKETS FOR THIS MASSIVE EVENT GO ON SALE TOMORROW ATBELLATOR.COM
LOS ANGELES— And then there were two…
What began with 16 featherweight athletes vying for a one-million-dollar grand prize and the BELLATOR Featherweight World Championship has been narrowed to the greatest BELLATOR athlete in the history of the promotionPatricio Pitbull (32-4) and the company’s best-ever homegrown fighter in No. 1 ingedeelOok McKee (17-0).
The culmination of the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix takes place Saturday, Julie 31 by Die Forum in Inglewood, Kalifornië., and marks the company’s first domestic event hosted away from “The Fightsphere” since February 2020.
BELLATOR 263: Pitbull vs. McKeeairs live on SHOWTIME at 10 namiddag. ET / 7 pm. PT and tickets for the event go on sale this Friday, Junie 18 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com with a pre-sale taking place on Thursday.
“This is without a doubt going to be the biggest BELLATOR fight of all time,” said BELLATOR President Scott Coker. “AJ McKee has been calling for a shot at Pitbull’s title since his very first professional victory inside our cage six years ago. Now he’s finally getting the opportunity to realize his dream of becoming a world champion against the winningest fighter in BELLATOR history. For Pitbull a win over McKee in this tournament final would be a statement piece to add to his long list of accolades and legacy as the best 145-pounder on the planet.”
One half of the vaunted Pitbull Brothers duo, Patricio has long been considered the crown jewel of BELLATOR MMA, where he sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings. Holding a remarkable record of 32-4 with wins over elite competition including the likes ofPat Curran, Juan Archuleta, Daniel Weichel (x2) and most recently a second triumph over Emmanuel Sanchez, the 33-year-old stands alone as the featherweight king. Daarbenewens, he was able to capture the Lightweight World Championship in a 2019 contest opposite Michael Chandler, becoming only the second BELLATOR athlete to hold two titles simultaneously. Met 23 finishes in 36 professionele gevegte, Pitbull has shown time and time again that he possesses the well-rounded skillset required to reign over multiple weight classes.
With a perfect record of 17-0, AJ McKee has exceeded the lofty expectations placed on him since his professional debut at the ripe age of 20-years-old. With an even six knockouts and six submissions, the now-26-year-old McKee has shown a knack for securing finishes—and fast—with nine coming in the first round. “Mercenary” has earned dominant victories over every man who has opposed him including former champions Pat Curran, Georgi Karakhanyan, and Darrion Caldwell, who McKee submitted most-recently with a rare, modified neck crank that was later dubbed the “McKee-otine.” Finally, the Long Beach native will face the man he has called for since signing with BELLATOR, as he takes on Patricio Pitbull in the much-anticipated Featherweight World Grand Prix Final.
The preliminary portion of the event streams live at 7 namiddag. ET / 4 pm. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, Showtime Sports YouTube -kanaal, as well as Pluto TV and features former featherweight title challenger and No. 2 ingedeelEmmanuel Sanchez(20-5) versus Denmark’s No. 8 ingedeelMads Burnell(15-3), a bantamweight tilt between No. 3 ingedeelMagomed “Tiger” Magomedov(18-1) en Geen. 4 Raufeon “Supa” Stotte(16-1) and a lightweight affair pitting undefeatedUsman Nurmagomedov (12-0) teenManny Muro(12-6).
#6-Magomed Magomedov (18-1) verslaanCee Jay Hamilton (15-8) via voorlegging (agter-naak verstik) by 1:22 van die tweede ronde
Mandel van 'n skelm (8-1) verslaanRicardo Seixas (9-3) via uitklophou (stakings) by 3:23 van die eerste ronde
Khalid Murtazaliev (15-2) verslaanFabio Aguiar (17-2) via 'n eenparige besluit (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Chris Gonzalez (6-0) verslaanRoger Huerta (24-13-1) via voorlegging (stakings) by 3:01 van die derde ronde
Jose Augusto (17-1) verslaanJonathan Wilson (9-3) via voorlegging (head and arm choke) by 4:58 van die eerste ronde
Roman Faraldo (5-0) verslaanTrevor Gudde (2-2) via TKO 1:30 van die eerste ronde
Jordan Newman (3-0) verslaanBranko Busick (2-2) via TKO (stakings) by 2:30 van die tweede ronde
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THE FINALS OF THE BELLATOR MMA FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX – CHAMPION PATRICIO “PITBULL” VS. #1-RANKED AJ MCKEE
Aanhalings:
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.”
Ook 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. Vir my, it’s the new era. He said my time is over. My time has just begun. Ons sal sien.
“It’s a fight the fans have wanted for the longest. Op die top van dat, he’s underrated. He’s an outstanding champ. His accolades, his credentials, his record is phenomenal. Maar aan die einde van die dag, 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.”
Exclusive Fight Content Includes Past Events, Hoogtepunte, And In-Depth Analysis of Featherweight And Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix
NEW YORK – MARCH 19, 2021 – BELLATOR MMAis launching on SHOWTIME on Friday, April 2 withBellator MMA 255: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2followed by two consecutive Friday nights of live championship MMA fight action. In anticipation of the launch, SHOWTIME will air a collection of BELLATOR specials and fight replays across its distribution platforms to set the stage for the April 2 live event featuring theBELLATOR MMA Featherweight World Grand Prix Semifinal, as well as the beginning of the highly anticipatedBELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prixset to begin on Friday, April 9 and Friday, April 16.
Starting this week, both SHOWTIME subscribers and non-subscribers have access to an exclusive collection of fights that have paved the way for the compelling upcoming matchups in each of these premier mixed martial arts tournaments featuringGabriël Vega, Emmanuel Sanchez, Ook McKee, Vadim Nemkov, Ryan Bader en meer.
Daarbenewens, SHOWTIME Sports will present a pair of highlight-driven specials hosted byMorning Kombat’sBrian Campbell and Luke Thomas to preview the Pitbull vs. Sanchez featherweight semifinal and the start of the eight-man Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix tournament. TitledROAD TO BELLATOR MMA, bothspecial programs will consist of highlights, analysis, and fight predictions, as SHOWTIME Sports’ dynamic combat sports duo prepares viewers for the live debut of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME.
ROAD TO BELLATOR MMA: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2will debut on Monday, March 22 whileROAD TO BELLATOR MMA: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prixwill premiere one week later on Monday, Maart 29 op dieShowtime Sport enBellator MMAYouTube channels.Both programs also will beavailable to subscribers on all SHOWTIME On Demand platforms, on SHOWTIME EXTREME, as well as to SHOWTIME distributors for their free-on-demand and online portals.
Op Saterdag, Maart 27, a replay ofBellator MMA 253: Caldwell vs. McKeewill air on SHOWTIME at 8 namiddag. ET / PT.The four-fight card, includingMcKee’s iconic “McKee-otine” finish over former BELLATOR Bantamweight World ChampionDarrion Caldwellthat propelled the young star into the Featherweight World Grand Prix Final, will also replay onSHOWTIME on Sunday, Maart 28 by 12 Midnight ET/PT, and again on Thursday, April 1 by 9 namiddag. ET / PT.
BELLATOR 253, along with several past events which featured the world-class fighters in the upcoming tournaments, will be scheduled on SHOWTIME EXTREME weeknights at 10 namiddag. ET/PT and are now available on SHOWTIME On Demand platforms. Select events will be available for free to non-subscribers via SHOWTIME distributor platforms and on Pluto TV’s SHOWTIME Selects and BELLATOR MMA channels.
As part of the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME, the network is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up atSHO.com/BellatorMMA.
The following fight replays are scheduled for the weeks ahead as fans prepare for the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME:
·Bellator MMA 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho- (Original air date 11/12/2020)
·Bellator MMA 251: Manhoef vs. Anders- (Original air date 11/05/2020)
·Bellator MMA 245: Davis vs. Machida 2- (Original air date 09/11/2020)
·Bellator MMA 244: Bader Vs. Nemkov- (Original air date 08/21/2020)
·Bellator MMA 222: MacDonald vs. Gracie- (Original air date 06/14/2019)
·Bellator MMA 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch- (Original air date 04/27/2019)
·Bellator MMA 214: Fedor vs. Bader- (Original air date 01/26/2019)
·Bellator MMA 186: Bader Vs. Vassell- (Original air date 11/03/2017)
·Meer, two individual bouts from BELLATOR MMA 209: - (Original air date 11/16/2018)
Bellator 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho Main kaart: Gabriël Vega (31-4) verslaan Pedro Carvalho(11-4) via KO (punch) by 2:10 van die eerste ronde Yaroslav Amosov (25-0) verslaan Logan Storley(11-1) via split besluit (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Emmanuel Sanchez (20-4) verslaan Daniel Weichel (40-12) via 'n eenparige besluit (48-46, 49-46, 49-45)
Voorlopige Card: Aaron Pico (7-3) verslaan John de Jesus (13-9) via KO (punch) by 4:12 van die tweede ronde Keri Taylor Melendez (5-0) verslaan Emilee King (4-4) via voorlegging (agter-naak verstik) by 3:02 van die eerste ronde Manny Muro (12-6) verslaan Devin Powell (10-5) via 'n eenparige besluit (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) Jornel Lugo (5-0) verslaan Schyler Sootho (4-1) via 'n eenparige besluit (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) Lucas Brennan (4-0) verslaan Andrew Salas (6-5) via 'n eenparige besluit (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) Roman Faraldo (4-0) verslaan Pat Casey (6-4) via (WIE) punches at 2:30 van die tweede ronde Trevor Gudde (2-1) verslaan Khonry Gracie (2-2) via TKO (knie) by 3:28 van die derde ronde
CHAMP PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ DEFENDS HIS TITLE IN QUARTERFINAL MATCHUP AGAINST PEDRO CARVALHO, WHILE DANIEL WEICHEL FACES EMMANUEL SANCHEZ
MEER, DARRION CALDWELL MEETS UNDEFEATED AJ MCKEE IN SEMIFINALS ON NOV. 19
LOS ANGELES — The Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix resumes Thursday, November. 12 with two quarterfinal matchups set to take place, as champGabriël Vega (30-14) defends his title againstPedro Carvalho (11-3), terwyl Daniel Weichel (40-11) en Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4) square off in a battle of former title contenders. Daarbenewens, the first semifinal bout is set for Thursday, November. 19, when former titleholderDarrion Caldwell(15-3) squares off with undefeatedOok McKee(16-0) for a spot in the tournament finals. All the action airs LIVE onCBS Sports Network by 7 namiddag. ET / 4 pm. PT van Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
In die belangrikste gebeurtenis van Bellator 252 op November. 12, fans will see a featherweight world title bout with two-division Bellator champion Patricio “Pitbull” defending his 145-pound crown against SBG Ireland’s Carvalho. In addition to the five-round championship headliner, a second Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal will go down, as two former title challengers in Weichel and Sanchez meet again following a razor-thin split decision-victory for Weichel in 2016. The winners of these two bouts can expect to see each other in the next semifinal matchup.
Die Bellator 253 headliner on Nov. 19 sees former bantamweight world champion Caldwell go toe-to-toe with rising prospect McKee on the other side of the bracket in the first semifinal. The winner earns a guaranteed spot in the finals and a shot at the Bellator world title and a chance to take home one million dollars.
All three Featherweight World Grand Prix bouts were initially slated to take place at the postponedBellator 241 en Bellator 244 events prior to the COVID-19 pandemic effectively putting the yearlong tournament on hiatus.
CBS Sports Network sal die lug Bellator 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho en Bellator 253: Caldwell vs. McKee LIVE in all U.S. markets at 7 namiddag. ET / 4 pm. PT, while preliminary matchups will stream on CBSSports.com and Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.
Hailing from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasilië, two-time featherweight champ Patricio “Pitbull” will enter the Bellator cage for a promotional record 23rd time on Nov. 12. With impressive wins to his credit over Michael Chandler, Daniel Straus (x3), Daniel Weichel (x2) en Pat Curran, the 33-year old continues on in the Featherweight World Grand Prix not far removed from his lightweight championship victory in May of last year. Having earned a finish in 21 van sy 30 wen as 'n professionele, the simultaneous two-division champion most recently bested current bantamweight championJuan Archuletaon the scorecards in an exciting opening round World Grand Prix matchup and fans can certainly expect more fireworks when he finally sets his sights on Carvalho.
Portuguese submission specialist Pedro Carvalho will be entering the Bellator cage for just the fifth time in his eight-year professional career, looking for his seventh consecutive victory and his first world title victory. With victories in nine of his last 11 wedstryde, including against DerekCampos, DanielCrawfordand a face crank-submission over Sam Sicilia in the opening round, the 25-year-old SBG Ireland-product is on the cusp of greatness – and winning the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix would be the perfect way to solidify it.
Met meer as 50 professional fights to his name, Germany’s Daniel Weichel is ready to make his 2020 debut in a highly anticipated World Grand Prix quarterfinal bout with Sanchez, a fighter Weichel got the better of four years ago atBellator 159. Following his Bellator debut in 2014, “Drake” has enjoyed an impressive promotional mark of 9-3, including pivotal victories over Sanchez, Pat Curran, Georgi Karakhanyan en Saul Rogers.
On the heels of yet another masterful performance that ended in a submission victory overTywan Claxtonin the opening round of the World Grand Prix, “El Matador” is ready for another title run as he prepares for the 50-fight veteran and the man who beat him once before, Daniel Weichel. Since joining forces with Bellator in 2014, the Milwaukee, Wisc.-resident has collected 11 victories over a 14-fight stint, including key wins over the likes of Claxton, Daniel Straus, Marcos Galvao and Georgi Karakhanyan (2x).
Having needed just one round to put away his last opponent via submission in the quarterfinals of the World Grand Prix, Darrion Caldwell is on a mission to regain Bellator gold. “The Wolf,” a former North Carolina State University NCAA National Champion wrestler, has looked unstoppable since moving up to the featherweight division, having defeatedAdam Borics, sowel as Henry Corrales in the opening round of the tournament. Nou, the former bantamweight champ sits only two victories away from holding a title in his second division – a feat very few athletes can claim.
Touted byESPNas the best fighter in MMA under the age of 25, Ook McKee looks to back up the lofty expectations often held by the public for second generations-athletes. Undefeated in his career, “The Mercenary” has made himself known to the world through his flashy persona and trash talk, maar die belangrikste, his work inside the Bellator cage. With every one of his pro bouts taking place with Bellator, the Long Beach-native can achieve what he set out to do beginning atBellator 146 in 2015 and become world champion with just two more wins.
Also announced forBellator 252…is a third main card bout featuring the always-excitingAaron Pico (6-3) of Jackson-Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, N.M., who returns for his second appearance inside Bellator’s “FightSphere, having previously defeated Solo Hatley Jr. in impressive fashion atBellator 242. He will take on Pittsburgh’sJohn de Jesus (13-8), who was most recently victorious atBellator 244 against Vladyslav Parubchenko, in what promises to an explosive featherweight contest.
Opgedateer Bellator 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho Fight Card: CBS Sports Network | DAZN 7 namiddag. EN Featherweight World Title Bout/FWGP Quarterfinal:Gabriël VegaFreire (30-4) vs. Pedro Carvalho (11-3) Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal: Daniel Weichel (40-11) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4) Featherweight Main Card Bout: Aaron Pico (6-3) vs. John de Jesus (13-8)
Opgedateer Bellator 253: Caldwell vs. McKee Fight Card: CBS Sports Network | DAZN 7 namiddag. EN Featherweight World Grand Prix Semifinal:Darrion Caldwell (15-3) vs. Ook McKee (16-0)
*Kevin Ross het onlangs die promosie se eerste veergewiggordel by sy reeds indrukwekkende lys toekennings gevoeg.
