New deal sees 2022 European events air live on new broadcast channel BBC Three with USA events airing live on BBC iPlayer
London UK– Leading mixed martial arts promotion BELLATOR MMA has today announced an exciting new partnership with BBC Sport which will see events emanating from outside America air live on the newly launched BBC Three channel and BBC iPlayer.
The ground-breaking broadcast deal will see BELLATOR MMA become one of the staples of the new channel. BBC Three and BBC iPlayer will have live broadcast of BELLATOR events taking place outside of the USA throughout 2022 whilst the promotion’s USA events will be available to watch live on BBC iPlayer.
The deal represents a commitment from the BBC to continue showing all BELLATOR events live across its platforms in 2022 following the promotion’s hugely successful partnership with the broadcaster in 2021. BELLATOR news, features and results will also be regularly featured across BBC Sport’s digital platforms such as the BBC Sport website and app.
BELLATOR MMA is home to some of the most entertaining and skilled mixed martial artists in the world including Ryan Bader, AJ McKee, געגאַרד מאָוסאַסי, Cris “Cyborg,” Yaroslav Amosov and London’s own Michael “Venom” Page.
The BBC Three tie-up will kick off in style with a triple-header of exciting European cards, starting with BELLATOR’s highly anticipated return to Dublin’s 3Arena on Friday, פעברואַר 25. The card features a middleweight title fight between MMA legend Gegard Mousasi and the undefeated Austin Vanderford.
Following Dublin is another huge night in Paris on Friday, מייַ 6, as BELLATOR Heavyweight World Champion Ryan Bader defends his title against iconic French mixed martial artist Cheick Kongo. The promotion made history in the capital in 2020 by becoming the first major MMA promotion to hold an event in France, which was also the first time an MMA event was shown live on the BBC.
Rounding out the first three massive European events live on BBC Three will be BELLATOR’s return to London on Friday, מייַ 13, with another world title fight topping the bill. After an electric London show in October, the UK’s Michael “Venom” Page takes on the undefeated welterweight champion, Yaroslav Amosov, as he aims to become just the second British BELLATOR MMA champion.
Head of BELLATOR MMA Europe, David Green, האט: “We’re thrilled to be renewing our relationship with the BBC and to be on BBC Three. We’ve enjoyed an incredibly successful first year partnered with the broadcaster and we’re looking forward to reaching millions more UK homes as part of an exciting new channel. We’ve worked incredibly hard to bring live action from this amazing sport to as many people in the UK as possible, and this is yet another landmark step on that journey.”
President of BELLATOR MMA, סקאַט קאָקער, מוסיף: “I’m so excited by the continued growth of MMA in the UK and delighted that we’ll continue to enjoy the support of the BBC by bringing our events live to existing British fans and new audiences in 2022.”
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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. אונטער דער ריכטונג פון וועטעראַן קעמפן פאַרשפּרייטער סקאַט קאָקער, 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. אין די פאַרייניקטע שטאַטן, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, לעבן געשעעניש אָרקאַסטריישאַן, פייטער אַנטוויקלונג / באַציונגען, וועניו ייַנשאַפונג, שותפות שאַפונג / אַנטוויקלונג, אינטערנאַציאָנאַלער ליסענסינג, אָפּזעצערייַ, גאַנצע, פּירסעם און קאָמיסיע באַציונגען. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, קאַליף. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, היים צו די וועלט 'ס פּרעמיער פאַרווייַלונג בראַנדז אַז פאַרבינדן מיט אַדיאַנסאַז דורך קאַמפּעלינג צופרידן אַריבער טעלעוויזיע, באַוועגונג בילד, אָנליין און רירעוודיק פּלאַטפאָרמס.
DUBLIN’S 3ARENA PLAYS HOST TO MASSIVE CARD ON FRIDAY, פעברואַר 25
DUBLIN –Leading mixed martial arts promotion BELLATOR MMA has today added a number of explosive fights toבעללאַטאָר 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford, taking place at the 3Arena in Dublin, ירעלאַנד, אויף פרייטאג, February 25.
In what is set to be the biggest Irish female fight ever, a women’s featherweight bout between Northern Ireland’sLeah McCourt (6-1) and Ireland’s most-recent title challengerSinead Kavanagh(7-5) is set to light up the main card. מער, a bantamweight main card attraction between home favoriteBrian Moore(14-8), whotakes on No. 9 ראַנגקטJornel Lugo (7-0).
The promotion’s explosive return to the Irish capital forבעללאַטאָר 275: Mousasi vs Vanderford,sees middleweight world championגעגאַרד מאָוסאַסיdefend his crown against undefeated AmericanAustin Vanderford. The co-main event sees Irish starPeter Queallyreturn to action against Manchester, ענגלאַנד סKane Mousah (13-4) in the lightweight division.
Broadcast details and additional fights are set to be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased online fromTicketmaster.ie אוןBellator.com.
Sinead Kavanagh will be hoping to respond to a heartbreaking world title loss against Cyborg in her last outing in November atבעללאַטאָר 271. A winner of her two previous BELLATOR outings before facing the pound-for-pound queen, Kavanagh will be looking to get back to her winning ways and live up to her “KO” moniker in front of the 3Arena crowd.
Currently riding a five-fight win streak, Northern Ireland’s McCourt returns to action following a dominant display in a unanimous decision victory againstJessica Borgaduring her last outing atBELLATOR 267אין אקטאבער. Now sitting at No. 4 in BELLATOR’s featherweight rankings, a win at the expense of her opponent on Feb. 25 will go a long way towards moving “The Curse” one step closer to a BELLATOR world title shot against incumbent champion, Cris Cyborg.
Brian Moore’s long-awaited Dublin return will see the Wexford fighter go toe-to-toe with No. 9 ranked bantamweight Jornel Lugo. “The Pikeman” will be hoping the home support helps him hand Lugo his first professional defeat and in doing so climb into the official bantamweight rankings for the first time. Lugo has won all four of his bouts under the BELLATOR banner, including an emphatic first round submission win against Keith Lee atבעללאַטאָר 265 פריער דעם יאָר.
Several additions have been confirmed for the preliminary card including a bantamweight bout between WelshmanBrett Johns (17-3) אוןKhurshed Kakhorov (8-0). Johns makes his return to European soil looking to make a statement in a must-see match-up against the undefeated Kakhorov. MMA veteran Johns boasts an impressive 17 wins from his 20 פאַכמאַן פיגהץ, while Kakhorov has won each of his first eight bouts, including a dominant unanimous decision win in his BELLATOR debut against Jair Junior atבעללאַטאָר 267in October.
England’s No. 5 ראַנגקטFabian Edwards (9-2) is set to make his return to the cage in Dublin when he takes onMarian Dimitrov(10-2). “The Assassin” won his first nine professional fights and established himself as one of the rising stars in BELLATOR’s middleweight division. He will be looking to bounce back from a defeat in his last fight against Dublin title challenger Austin Vanderford atבעללאַטאָר 259 מאי.
ירעלאַנד סDanni McCormack(5-0) returns to action fresh from her win at the 3Arena in November against Audrey Kerouche, when she facesStephanie Page(5-3) in a strawweight bout. The preliminary card also features a welterweight bout between ItalianStefano Paterno(13-4-1) and BELLATOR debutantLuca Poclit(6-1) and a featherweight fight between Wales’Scott Pedersen(1-2) and Ireland’sNathan Kelly(3-2).
Rounding out the additions to the preliminary card is a featherweight affair between up-and-coming IrishmanCiaran Clarke (4-0) and BELLATOR debutantAbou Tounkara (7-2).
Fans can see the updated card forבעללאַטאָר 275: Mousasi vs Vanderfordונטער:
LOS ANGELES –It was officially announced at tonight’sבעללאַטאָר 272: פּעטטיס ווס. Horiguchievent that next year’s prestigious BELLATOR World Grand Prix will take place in the promotion’s incredibly stacked bantamweight division. The winner of tonight’s 135-Pound World Championship fight betweenSergio Pettis אוןKyoji Horiguchiwill defend their title next year in the Bantamweight World Grand Prix featuring a gauntlet of the eight best athletes the weight class has to offer.
In addition to both Pettis and Horiguchi, the Bantamweight World Grand Prix is set to feature former divisional championJuan Archuleta, צי ניט. 2 ראַנגקט-Raufeon Stots, צי ניט. 3 ראַנגקט-Patchy Mix, צי ניט. 4 ראַנגקט-Magomed Magomedov, צי ניט. 5 ראַנגקט-לעאַנדראָ היגאָ, און ניט קיין. 6 ראַנגקט-James Gallagher, who will all vie for the right to be named the next BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion and take home a grand prize of one-million-dollars.
First-round matchups and additional details such as dates, locations and tournament alternates will be revealed soon.
All tournament bouts will be five-round contests and will be telecast in the United States exclusively on SHOWTIME.
Former BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion Kyoji Horiguchi enters tonight’s contest unranked due to inactivity within the promotion. Official BELLATOR Rankings will be updated and distributed on Monday, דעצעמבער. 6.
מייַסטער – Sergio Pettis (21-5):
Fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc.,Sergio Pettiscaptured the BELLATOR bantamweight crown in May 2021 by outpointing former championJuan Archuletain a fast-paced contest atBELLATOR 258.During a nearly six-year, 14-fight UFC stint, the Roufusport-product competed in both the flyweight and bantamweight classes, collecting nine victories and a pair of “Fight of the Night” honors against Alex Caceres and Matt Hobar in 2014. Prior to his UFC tenure, Pettis, the younger brother of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, earned world titles in Resurrection Fighting Alliance’s flyweight division and North American Fighting Championship’s 135-pound class. Following a trio of impressive triumphs over some of the division’s elite, BELLATOR’s bantamweight champion is set to protect his belt and an unblemished 3-0 promotional mark entering the tournament.
Former BELLATOR Bantamweight Champion – Kyoji Horiguchi (29-3):
Hailing from Takasaki, דזשאַפּאַן, די 31-יאָר-אַלטKyoji Horiguchiis the reigning RIZIN bantamweight champion who notoriously became a simultaneous, two-promotion champion in 2019 after taking down and upsetting then-BELLATOR champion Darrion Caldwell at Madison Square Garden. צומ באַדויערן, an injury would force Horiguchi to relinquish his BELLATOR title in 2019, and he now looks to reclaim his belt in a main event clash with current championSergio Pettis בייַבעללאַטאָר 272. While with RIZIN, the American Top Team-product amassed an impressive 10-1 promotional mark, highlighted by eight finishes and five first-round knockouts. אַדדיטיאָנאַללי, more than half of Horiguchi’s career victories have come via knockout. איצט, after reclaiming his RIZIN bantamweight strap and avenging only his third loss in 32 outings with a highlight-reel, opening-round knockout over Kai Asakura on New Year’s Eve 2020, the Japanese sensation fighting out of Coconut Creek, פלאַ., aims to get his hands back on BELLATOR’s title
צי ניט. 1 Ranked Bantamweight – Juan Archuleta (25-3):
With the Bantamweight World Grand Prix set, former BELLATOR World Champion and No. 1-ראַנגקטJuan Archuletasees a clear path toward regaining the 135-pound crown. Armed with 25 professional victories, אַרייַנגערעכנט 12 by way of K.O. אָדער סאַבמישאַן, the “Spaniard” has no issues stopping opponents inside the BELLATOR cage. The former four-division King of the Cage world champion, who holds victories over Patchy Mix, הענרי קאָרראַלעס, and Ricky Bandejas, strives to keep that trend going throughout the Grand Prix.
צי ניט. 2 Ranked Bantamweight – Raufeon Stots (17-1):
Considered one of the world’s best 135-pound fighters, Raufeon “Supa” Stotshas been in the title conversation since his 2019 BELLATOR debut. Currently riding a nine-fight winning streak, די ניט קיין. 2-ranked bantamweight has defeated some of BELLATOR’s finest, including Magomed Magomedov and Josh Hill, by smothering opponents with top-tier grappling ability. Sporting a near-perfect 17-1 רעקאָרד, the Roufusport product and two-time NCAA Division II Champion now has an opportunity to compete for a long-awaited crown.
צי ניט. 3 Ranked Bantamweight – Patchy Mix (15-1):
Set to make his sixth promotional appearance under the BELLATOR umbrella, the pride of Angola, נ.י., has collected two-first round submission victories while compiling a 4-1 record with the Scott Coker-led promotion. The 28-year-old Buffalo, נ.י.. native looks to build off his most recent win atבעללאַטאָר 270over James Gallagher in his opponent’s hometown of Dublin, ירעלאַנד, לעצטע חודש. Prior to his time with BELLATOR, Mix dominated the competition while on the regional scene by collecting nine of his 15 professional victories, including five first-round finishes. איצט, the submission specialist will face the toughest challenge of his career, a shot at the tournament’s $1 million prize and BELLATOR’s 135-pound strap.
צי ניט. 4 Ranked Bantamweight – Magomed Magomedov (18-2):
After capturing belts in different organizations, Dagestani phenomMagomed Magomedovhopes to add to his collection by taking home BELLATOR gold. Amassing an impressive 18-2 career record with 12 via finish, “Tiger” has made a swift impact on the BELLATOR 135-pound division since his December 2020 promotional debut by climbing to No. 4 in the rankings. Possessing both a blistering pace and superior grappling, Magomedov has the potential to be a nightmare matchup for anyone in the BELLATOR Bantamweight World Grand Prix.
צי ניט. 5 Ranked Bantamweight – לעאַנדראָ היגאָ (21-5):
After dropping in weight to 135-pounds, Leandro Higo has been on a tear by winning three consecutive fights and putting the entire bantamweight division on notice. Under the tutelage of the famed Pitbull Brothers camp, the Brazilian is coming off a hard-fought, split-decision victory over former Bantamweight World Champion Darrion Caldwellatבעללאַטאָר 259 מאי 2021. As 12 of Higo’s 21 pro victories have come by submission, the entire bracket knows that the No. 5-ranked bantamweight will not be an easy out.
צי ניט. 6 Ranked Bantamweight – James Gallagher (11-2):
Hailing from Strabane, ירעלאַנד, one of MMA’s brightest young fighters strives to notch his 12th career victory in a tournament stacked with 135-pound talent. Following a finish over Anthony Taylor atבעללאַטאָר 169 אין דעצעמבער 2016 and a pair of first-round submissions the following year, “The Strabanimal” has tallied four victories over his past six contests, including three first-round finishes and a highlight reel 35-second win atבעללאַטאָר 227. Poised for the biggest test of his young career, the former SBG Ireland-product aims to shed the shadow of former training partner, קאָנאָר McGregor, and add to his own legacy with a shot at BELLATOR bantamweight gold.
BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE IS ON THE LINE AS BELLATOR CLOSES OUT THE YEAR AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA WITH A FLURRY OF ACTION-PACKED FIGHTS
LOS ANGELES –BELLATOR MMA has confirmed the full fight card forBELLATOR MMA 272: Pettis vs Horiguchicard at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, קאַן. The event puts a stamp on the 2021 calendar year and is set to begin on SHOWTIME at10 פּ.ם. עט / פּט.
The stacked preliminary card will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at7 פּ.ם. עט / 4 פּ.ם. פּט.
אין די הויפּט געשעעניש פון די אָוונט, current BELLATOR Bantamweight World ChampionSergio Pettis (21-5) puts his belt on the line against former BELLATOR 135-pound titleholder and current RIZIN championKyoji Horiguchi (29-3). The co-main event features former featherweight world title challenger No. 4-ראַנגקטעממאַנועל סאַנטשעז (20-6) versus former UFC standout and No. 9-ראַנגקטJeremy Kennedy (16-3, 1 נק).
Also anchoring the main card will be a bantamweight bout between UFC veteranJared Scoggins (10-1) און ניט קיין. 7-ראַנגקטJosh Hill (20-4), as well as undefeated American Top Team-product, און ניט קיין. 5-ranked middleweightJohnny Eblen (9-0), who looks to protect his unblemished record against BELLATOR newcomerCollin Huckbody (10-3).
With seven thrilling fights in total, דיBELLATOR MMA 272preliminary card is highlighted by a pair of welterweight contests between Swedish submission specialist No. 10-ראַנגקטOliver Enkamp (10-2) and former Oklahoma State University wrestling standoutKyle Crutchmer (7-1) ווי געזונט וויLevan Chokheli (9-1, 1 נק) אוןVinicius de Jesus (9-4).
Hawaii’sKai Kamaka III (8-4-1) returns to the Scott Coker-led promotion, as he prepares for battle withJohn de Jesus (14-9) אין פעאַטהערוועיגהט קאַמף, ווייַלעDan Moret(15-6) אוןSpike Carlyle (12-3) meet in a 160-lb contract weight matchup.
Three additional lightweight matchups have also been announced with Russian sensationAlexander Shabliy (20-3) taking on Utah’sBobby King (10-3), Killys Mota (12-2) באַטלינגMike Hamel (8-5), אוןJustin Montalvo(3-0) squaring up withJacob Bohn (10-7)