Los Angeles— BELLATOR MMA has announced that its fifth participant for the New Year’s Eve spectacle against RIZIN Fighting Federation opponents will be No. 10-ranked lightweight, Gadzhi Rabadanov(18-4-2), taking on 27-year-old Japanese standoutKoji Takeda(15-3) in a compelling matchup between two competitors riding high on the strength of consecutive victories.
A first-of-its-kind blockbuster co-promotion, BELLATOR MMA vs. RIZINtakes place inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday, Desemba 31, and can be seen in the United States on SHOWTIME at 8 p.m. ET/PT on New Year’s Eve.
Rabadanov versus Takeda will join a star-studded five-fightBELLATOR MMA vs. RIZINkadi kuu, which is stacked from top to bottom with current and former champions competing in the four-sided ring under RIZIN’s unique rules. Headlining the event will be a dream matchup between RIZIN lightweight championRoberto “Satoshi” de Souza(14-1) against No. 3 BELLATOR pound-for-pound talentAJ “Mercenary” McKee(19-1), with BELLATOR and RIZIN featherweight championsPatricio Pitbull(34-5) naKleber Koike(31-5-1) co-headlining the must-see event.
Former BELLATOR championsJuan “The Spaniard” Archuleta(26-4) naKyoji Horiguchi(30-5) will round out the unparalleled main card, facing off with RIZIN’sSoo Chul Kim(18-6-1) naHiromasa Ougikubo(25-6-2), mtiririko.
Gadzhi Rabadanov, 29, signed with BELLATOR in 2021 after capturing the Eagle FC lightweight title, 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 mtaalamu kwanza. 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, Desemba 31.
BELLATOR MMA VS. RIZIN MAIN CARD:
Showtime
Jumamosi, Desemba 31 — 8 PM ET/PT
Lightweight Non-Title Main Event: AJ McKee(19-1) vs.Roberto de Souza(14-1)
Featherweight Non-Title Main Event: Patricio Pitbull(34-5) vs.Kleber Koike(31-5-1)
Bantamweight Feature Bout: Juan Archuleta(26-4) vs.Soo Chul Kim(18-6-1)
UNDEFEATED WORLD CHAMPIONA.J. MCKEETO DEFEND BELLATOR MMA 145-POUND WORLD TITLE IN REMATCH AGAINST FORMER NUMBER ONE POUND-FOR-POUND & TWO-DIVISION CHAMPIONPATRICIO PITBULL
205-POUND CHAMPIONVADIM NEMKOVTO BATTLE TOP-RANKEDCOREY ANDERSONFOR $1 MILLION PRIZE IN BELLATOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX FINAL
BELLATOR 277SET FOR FRIDAY, Aprili 15, AT 10 P.M. ET / 7 P.M. PTLIVE ON SHOWTIME INSIDE THE SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE, CALIF.
TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY
LOS ANGELES (Februari. 16, 2022) -Two outstanding world-championship showdowns. Four of BELLATOR MMA’s best pound-for-pound fighters. One highly anticipated rematch. 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, Aprili 15, katika10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT kuishi juu ya Showtime.
In the co-feature ofBELLATOR 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 katika Kituo cha SAP katika San Jose, Calif., 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-nafasi mgombeaCorey Anderson(16-5)in the BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix final.
Tiketi kwa ajili yaBELLATOR MMA 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2go on sale this Friday, Februari. 18 at bothTicketmaster.com naBellator.comwith a special presale starting the day prior.
Zaidi ya hayo, four preliminary bouts have been announced including a mouthwatering matchup between two highly ranked heavyweights as No. 5-nafasiTim Johnson (15-8) faces surging No. 6-nafasiTyrell Fortune(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 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PTon the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.
In their historic initial matchup at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., McKee stunned Pitbull by landing a punishing left leg kick to the head at 1:40 of the opening stanza atBELLATOR MMA 263Julai 31, 2021. The champion then continued the onslaught by unleashing a series of brutal unanswered head shots that floored the Brazilian legend.
Moments later as McKee prematurely raised his arms in celebration, Pitbull rose from the depths of defeat only to be greeted by a fighter hell bent on stealing his crown and claiming the $1 million prize. With the 25-time BELLATOR MMA veteran backed up against the fence, MMA’s brightest young brawler locked in a guillotine choke. With Pitbull seeming to lose consciousness, referee Mike Beltran halted matters at 1:57 ya sura ya ufunguzi.
“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, Calif., BELLATOR’s top-rated pound-for-pound fighter has exceeded the lofty expectations placed on him since his professional debut three days following his 20th kuzaliwa. Armed with six knockouts and seven submissions, the Team Bodyshop product, ambaye kurejea 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 kazi mashindano (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 (mara mbili). Katika 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. Kwa 23 finishes in 37 mapambano mtaalamu, 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.
Anderson, of Robbinsville, N.J., has ascended to the top of the BELLATOR 205-pound rankings by vanquishing seven of his past eight opponents, including a third-round stoppage of Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov atBELLATOR MMA 257 Aprili 16, 2021. Exactly six months later atBELLATOR MMA 268, the Rockford, Mgonjwa., native walked into the cage to the spellbinding sounds of The Doors’ “Five to One,” and took the song title literally by knocking out Arizona State University wrestling legend Ryan Bader in 51 seconds in front of Bader’s hometown crowd at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Ariz. In his first promotional appearance, “Overtime” registered a second-round TKO over Dutch kickboxing legend Melvin Manhoef atBELLATOR MMA 251 Novemba 2020. Prior to joining BELLATOR, Anderson tallied a 10-5 record with a rival promotion, winning “The Ultimate Fighter 19” tournament in 2014, and boasting impressive wins over Glover Teixeira, Jan Błachowicz and Johnny Walker, miongoni mwa wengine.
Vipindi vya ziada yatatangazwa hivi karibuni.
BELLATOR 277: McKEE VS. PITBULL 2CARD MAIN:
Ijumaa, Aprili 15 – live onShowtime
10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. 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. Je Si. 1-Corey Anderson (16-5)
DUBLIN –It was announced today that former two-division championPatricio “Pitbull”has made the decision to relinquish his BELLATOR Lightweight World Championship. Matokeo yake, BELLATOR MMA PresidentScott Cokerconfirmed that the hotly anticipated rematch between Waterford, Ireland ya Peter “The Showstopper” Queally (13-5-1) na 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, Ireland, on Friday November 5th.
Katika Umoja wa Mataifa, the main card action will air live on SHOWTIME at 5 p.m. 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 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and 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 nafasi James “The Strabanimal” Gallagher (11-1) and the No. 2 nafasi Patchy Mix(14-1).
Tiketi kwa ajili ya BELLATOR 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2are on sale now and can be purchased online fromTicketmaster.ie na Bellator.com.
Also announced today – heavyweight hostilities featuringGokhan Saricam (5-1) na 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 (Marekani) / BBC iPlayer (Uingereza) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND) Ijumaa, Oktoba 1 - 9 p.m. 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) Middleweight Bout: #6-Charlie Ward (9-4) vs. #9-Nobert NovenyiJr. (5-0) Featherweight Bout: #6-Daniel Weichel (41-6) vs. #7-Pedro Carvalho (11-5)
Awali Kadi: BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV (Marekani) BBC iPlayer (Uingereza) | Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND) 6 p.m. GMT/2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT
Featherweight Bout:Ciaran Clarke (3-0) vs. Jordan Barton (6-1-1) Featherweight Bout:Ilias Bulaid(2-0) vs. Georges Sasu(5-2) Welterweight Bout: Ashley Reece(8-2) vs. Luca Poclit (6-1) Nyepesi Bout: Daniele Scatizzi (10-5) vs. Brian Hooi (16-8, 1 NC) Mwanga Heavyweight Bout: Lee Chadwick(26-15-1) vs. Arunas Andriuskevicus(15-4) Heavyweight Bout: Gokhan Saricam(5-1) vs. Rob Beech(5-2) Welterweight Bout:Nicolò Solli (3-1) vs. Bobby Pallett (5-0) Strawweight Bout: Danni Neilan(4-0) vs.Audrey Kerouche(7-5, 2 NC) Featherweight Bout:Junior Morgan(3-0) vs. Darragh Kelly(Pro Albamu) Welterweight Bout:Stephen Costello (Pro Albamu) vs. Joe Nazokatov(Pro Albamu)
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*Card subject to change.
Tafadhali ziara Bellator.com kwa maelezo ya ziada. Updated schedule of BELLATOR events Sat. Oktoba. 16 // BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals// Footprint Center // Phoenix, THE Sat. Oktoba. 23 // BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson // VTB Arena // Moscow, Russia Free. Novemba. 5 // BELLATOR 270: Gallagher vs. Mix// 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland Free. Novemba. 12 // BELLATOR 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanagh // Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino // Hollywood, FL
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About BELLATOR BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Chini ya uongozi wa mkongwe kupambana promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. Katika Umoja wa Mataifa, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, kuishi tukio muziki wa, fighter maendeleo / mahusiano, ukumbi manunuzi, kuundwa udhamini / maendeleo, leseni ya kimataifa, masoko, matangazo, utangazaji na tume mahusiano. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, nyumbani kwa duniani bidhaa Waziri burudani kwamba kuungana na watazamaji kupitia maudhui kulazimisha katika televisheni, picha mwendo, majukwaa online na simu.
LOS ANGELES – Leo, BELLATOR officials confirmed a must-see main event pitting hard-hitting heavyweightsCheick Kongo (30-11-2) na Sergei Kharitonov (32-8) against one another topsBELLATOR MMA 265 Ijumaa, Agosti 20 from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. and airs live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
The card has also confirmed top featherweights No. 3 Adam Borics (17-1) na No. 4 Jay-Jay Wilson(8-0) will meet for the right to face the winner of the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix Final betweenPatricio “Pitbull”(32-4) na AJ McKee (17-0), which takes place on Saturday, Julai 31.
Tickets for the event go on sale this Thursday at 10 a.m. CT and are available at Sanford Pentagon Box Office & Ticketmaster.
The preliminary portion ofBELLATOR MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov currentlyfeatures a flyweight bout pitting No.5-rankedAlejandra Lara (9-4) dhidi ya DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1) and willbegin at 6:00 p.m. NA / 3:00 p.m. PT and stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Additional preliminary bouts will be announced in the near future.
Holding an impressive MMA record of 30-11-2, 1 NC, Je Si. 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. Sasa, 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 ya 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.
# # #
BELLATOR MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov Kuu ya Kadi: Showtime Ijumaa, Agosti 20 - 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. 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)
Awali Kadi: BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV 6:00 p.m. NA / 3:00 p.m. PT
Flyweight Bout: #5-Alejandra Lara (9-4) vs. DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1)
For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, ziara BELLATOR.com.
LOS ANGELES – June 17, 2021– BELLATOR MMA’s Featherweight and Lightweight World ChampionPatricio Pitbull (32-4) and undefeated top-ranked challengerAJ 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, na 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, Calif., and will air live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Tickets for the event go on sale tomorrow, Ijumaa, Juni 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. Pamoja na kwamba kuwa alisema, 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) AJ McKee, Je Si. 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. Like I said, 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. Wakati wa mwisho wa siku, 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. Lakini, 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. Kwa mara nyingine tena, 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. Sasa, 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. Kisha, 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. Lakini, 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. Once I did that, things started to shift for me and now here we are. I did things to keep AJ in private school, not to buy cars, muziki, 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, Julai 31 – LIVE ON 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 nafasiAJ McKee (17-0).
The culmination of the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix takes place Saturday, Julai 31 katika Forum katika Inglewood, Calif., 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 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT and tickets for the event go on sale this Friday, Juni 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. Zaidi ya hayo, 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. Kwa 23 finishes in 36 mapambano mtaalamu, 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 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, as well as Pluto TV and features former featherweight title challenger and No. 2 nafasiEmmanuel Sanchez(20-5) versus Denmark’s No. 8 nafasiMads Burnell(15-3), a bantamweight tilt between No. 3 nafasiMagomed “Tiger” Magomedov(18-1) na No. 4 Raufeon “Supa” Stots(16-1) and a lightweight affair pitting undefeatedUsman Nurmagomedov (12-0) dhidi yaManny Muro(12-6).
Chris Gonzalez (6-0) kushindwaRoger Huerta (24-13-1) kupitia utii (mgomo) katika 3:01 ya pande zote tatu
Jose Augusto (17-1) kushindwaJonathan Wilson (9-3) kupitia utii (head and arm choke) katika 4:58 ya duru moja
Roman Faraldo (5-0) kushindwaTrevor Gudde (2-2) kupitia TKO 1:30 ya duru moja
Jordan Newman (3-0) kushindwaBranko Busick (2-2) kupitia TKO (mgomo) katika 2:30 ya mbili duru
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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. Kwa maana mimi, 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. Juu ya kwamba, he’s underrated. He’s an outstanding champ. His accolades, his credentials, his record is phenomenal. But at the end of the day, 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, Highlights, 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, Aprili 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 featuringPatricio “Pitbull”, Emmanuel Sanchez, AJ McKee, Vadim Nemkov, Ryan Bader na zaidi.
Aidha, 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, Machi 29 juu yaShowtime Sports naBELLATOR 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.
Siku ya Jumamosi, Machi 27, a replay ofBELLATOR MMA 253: Caldwell vs. McKeewill air on SHOWTIME at 8 p.m. 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, Machi 28 katika 12 Midnight ET/PT, and again on Thursday, Aprili 1 katika 9 p.m. 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 p.m. 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. Anderson- (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)
·Zaidi, two individual bouts from BELLATOR MMA 209: - (Original air date 11/16/2018)
Bellator 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho Kuu ya Kadi: Patricio “Pitbull” (31-4) kushindwa Pedro Carvalho(11-4) kupitia KO (ngumi) katika 2:10 ya duru moja Yaroslav Amosov(25-0) kushindwa Logan Storley(11-1) kupitia uamuzi kupasuliwa (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Emmanuel Sanchez (20-4) kushindwa Daniel Weichel (40-12) kupitia uamuzi usiojulikana (48-46, 49-46, 49-45)
Awali Kadi: Aaron Pico (7-3) kushindwa John de Jesus (13-9) kupitia KO (ngumi) katika 4:12 ya mbili duru Keri Taylor Melendez (5-0) kushindwa Emilee King (4-4) kupitia utii (nyuma-uchi hulisonga) katika 3:02 ya duru moja Manny Muro (12-6) kushindwa Devin Powell (10-5) kupitia uamuzi usiojulikana (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) Jornel Lugo (5-0) kushindwa Schyler Sootho (4-1) kupitia uamuzi usiojulikana (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) Lucas Brennan (4-0) kushindwa Andrew Salas (6-5) kupitia uamuzi usiojulikana (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) Roman Faraldo (4-0) kushindwa Pat Casey (6-4) kupitia (WHO) punches at 2:30 ya mbili duru Trevor Gudde (2-1) kushindwa Khonry Gracie (2-2) kupitia TKO (goti) katika 3:28 ya pande zote tatu
Tafadhali ziara Bellator.com kwa maelezo ya ziada.
CHAMP PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ DEFENDS HIS TITLE IN QUARTERFINAL MATCHUP AGAINST PEDRO CARVALHO, WHILE DANIEL WEICHEL FACES EMMANUEL SANCHEZ
ZAIDI, DARRION CALDWELL MEETS UNDEFEATED AJ MCKEE IN SEMIFINALS ON NOV. 19
LOS ANGELES — The Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix resumes Thursday, Novemba. 12 with two quarterfinal matchups set to take place, as champPatricio “Pitbull” (30-14) defends his title againstPedro Carvalho (11-3), wakati Daniel Weichel (40-11) na Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4) square off in a battle of former title contenders. Zaidi ya hayo, the first semifinal bout is set for Thursday, Novemba. 19, when former titleholderDarrion Caldwell(15-3) squares off with undefeatedAJ McKee(16-0) for a spot in the tournament finals. All the action airs LIVE onCBS Sports Network katika 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
Katika tukio kuu ya Bellator 252 juu ya Novemba. 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.
The 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 na Bellator 244 events prior to the COVID-19 pandemic effectively putting the yearlong tournament on hiatus.
CBS Sports Network itakuwa hewa Bellator 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho na Bellator 253: Caldwell vs. McKee LIVE in all U.S. markets at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. 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, Brazil, 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) na 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 yake 30 mafanikio kama mtaalamu, 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 mashindano, 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.
Na zaidi 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 na 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, vilevile Henry Corrales in the opening round of the tournament. Sasa, 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, AJ McKeelooks 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, lakini muhimu zaidi, 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 katika 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.
For further information, tafadhali tembelea Bellator.com.
Updated Bellator 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho Fight Card: CBS Sports Network | DAZN 7 p.m. NA Featherweight World Title Bout/FWGP Quarterfinal:Patricio “Pitbull”Freire (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)
Updated Bellator 253: Caldwell vs. McKee Fight Card: CBS Sports Network | DAZN 7 p.m. NA Featherweight World Grand Prix Semifinal:Darrion Caldwell (15-3) vs. AJ McKee (16-0)
