Category Archives: Bellator

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

THE WAIT IS OVER – ‘PITBULL’ & SOUZA ARE READY FOR ACTION AT ‘BELLATOR 152’ TOMORROW

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Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

 

TORINO, ITALY. (April 15, 2016) – After Friday’s weigh-ins at the Turin Palace Hotel, all of the “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” competitors are set to enter the cage inside of Italy’s largest indoor arena, The Pala Alpitour.  The event airs on SPIKE tomorrow, Saturday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

 

The mixed martial arts portion of Bellator MMA’s first event overseas will also include the promotional debut of Italian fan-favorite Alessio Sakara (17-11), who faces Brian Rogers (12-8) in a light heavyweight matchup and one of MMA’s most promising young prospects, A.J. McKee (3-0), who fights Danilo Belluardo (5-1) at 145-pounds.

 

Also, Anastasia Yankova (2-0) will make her promotional debut against Anjela Pink in MMA flyweight action and Oktagon competitorsDaniele Miceli (2-0) and Daniele Scatizzi (6-2) will round out the MMA card with a featherweight showdown.

 

Main Card: (Live on SPIKE – 10 p.m. ET/PT)

 

Kevin Souza (70.3 kg / 155.2 lbs.) vs. Patricky Freire (70.5 kg / 155.2 lbs.)

Alessio Sakara (92.25 kg / 203.9 lbs.) vs. Brian Rogers (93.05 kg / 205.3 lbs.)

Danilo Belluardo (66.05 kg / 145.4 lbs.) vs. A.J. McKee (65.95 kg / 145.5 lbs.)

Anjela Pink (58.65 kg / 129.3 lbs.) vs. Anastasia Yankova (59.35 kg / 130 lbs.)

Daniele Miceli (76.10 kg / 167.5 lbs.) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (76.2 kg / 168.2 lbs.)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BOTH ‘PITBULL BROTHERS’ RECEIVE NEW OPPONENTS AHEAD OF BELLATOR 152 & BELLATOR 153

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SANTA MONICA, CA. (April 11, 2016) – Injuries to both Derek Campos and John Teixeira have forced Bellator MMA to find replacements to compete against brothers Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (15-7) and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-3) on April 16 and 22 respectively.

As a result, the Scott Coker-led promotion has put its newest free agent acquisition to work immediately, with the news that Kevin Souza (15-4) will compete against Patricky at 155-pounds, in the first fight of his freshly inked multi-fight contract during the main event of “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza.”

Meanwhile, in the co-main event of “Bellator 153: Henderson vs. Koreshkov,” Patricio will now fight the tenacious Henry Corrales (12-2), who agreed to face the former Bellator MMA Featherweight Champion on less than two weeks notice.

“Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” will also include the promotional debut of Italian fan-favorite Alessio Sakara (17-11), who faces Brian Rogers (12-8) in a light heavyweight matchup, while one of MMA’s most promising young prospects, A.J. McKee (3-0), fights Danilo Belluardo (5-1) at 145-pounds. Also, Anastasia Yankova (2-0) will make her promotional debut against Anjela Pink in MMA flyweight action and Oktagon competitors Daniele Miceli (2-0) and Daniele Scatizzi (6-2) will round out the MMA card with a featherweight showdown.

“Bellator 153: Henderson vs. Koreshkov” is also brimming with must-see mixed martial arts action as well, with the promotional debut of Benson Henderson (23-5), who challenges Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) for the 170-pound strap, Brennan Ward (13-3) goes to battle against “Cyborg” Santos (20-16), Michael “Venom” Page (9-0) faces Jeremie Holloway (7-1), and Brent Primus (6-0) meets “Toninho Furia” (27-5).

“Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” airs on SPIKE Saturday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, while “Bellator 153: Henderson vs. Koreshkov” airs at a special start time of 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT, which is immediately followed by the debut of “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Fresh off an emphatic knockout of Ryan Couture at “Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich” to kickoff 2016, Patricky “Pitbull” will look to extend his current winning streak when he takes on the debuting Kevin Souza.

A member of the Blackzilians, the 31-year-old has been victorious in 10 of his last 11 fights as a professional and put together an impressive 3-1 run with the UFC. The multi-time, post-fight bonus award winner has a knack for the spectacular, with 10 finishes coming in the opening round and 13 out of 15 victories ending before reaching the judges’ scorecards. The Salvador native has competed exclusively at 145-pounds, but due to the fight being on short notice, Souza will step up and compete against “Pitbull” at lightweight.

Henry Corrales continues his run of never turning down a fight in Bellator MMA, after agreeing to fight Patricio “Pitbull.” The fight will be Corrales’ third in the Viacom-owned promotion, after bouts against current featherweight titlist Daniel Straus and newly re-signed contender Emanuel Sanchez. A former King of the Cage bantamweight champion, “OK” has finished 10 of his 12 wins as a pro.

Complete “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” Main Card:

Bellator MMA Lightweight Main Event: Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (15-7) vs. Edimilson “Kevin” Souza (15-4)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Alessio Sakara (17-11) vs. Brian Rogers (12-8)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (3-0) vs. Danilo Belluardo (5-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Anastasia Yankova (2-0) vs. Anjela Pink (Debut)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Daniele Miceli (2-0) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (6-2)

Complete “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” Main Card:

Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title Bout: Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) vs. Benson Henderson (23-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main Event: Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-3) vs. Henry Corrales (12-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Brennan Ward (13-3) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (20-16)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Michael Page (9-0) vs. Jeremie Holloway (7-1)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Brent Primus (6-0) vs. Gleristone “Toninho Furia” Santos (27-5)

About Bellator MMA:

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s internet address is spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @SpikeTVPR for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About Oktagon:

Carlo Di Blasi created Oktagon in 1996. At its beginning the show was dedicated to free fight, the name that was given initially to MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). Other disciplines such as Kickboxing, Muay Thai and Savate were gradually added from the early 2000’s onwards. During the last 20 years Oktagon has reached a huge popularity, both in Italy and abroad, creating many superstars in the process including Bellator welterweight Paul Daley as well as The Petrosyan brothers (Giorgio and Armen), Robin Van Roosmalen, Valentijn Overeem, Rico Verhoeven and Artem Levin.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ADAM PICCOLOTTI-JORDAN PARSONS ADDED TO MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 154: DAVIS VS. KING MO’

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (April, 8) –Bellator MMA recently announced its next tentpole event; “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo,” and with that comes a plethora of action-packed fights. The newest addition to an already electric main card is a lightweight bout pitting Adam Piccolotti (7-0) against Jordan “Pretty Boy” Parsons (11-2) at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on May 14 LIVE on SPIKE.

The matchup joins a main card that features a light heavyweight main event between “King Mo” (19-4, 1 NC) and Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (15-3, 1 NC) to determine the No. 1 contender for Liam McGeary’s title. In the co-main event, San Jose’s own Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC) will meet longtime Bellator MMA lightweight standout “Iron” Michael Chandler (14-3), who’s fresh off a new long-term contract extension with the Scott Coker-led promotion.

In addition, the card’s preliminary card has been completed; with the announcement of 10 fights, which will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. The undercard is headlined by a “Veterans Operation Wellness” bout, pitting Maurice Slade of the U.S. Army Reserve against Jorge Acosta of the California Army Nat’l Guard.

“Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo” takes place on May 14, and airs live on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and start at just $30 on Bellator.com, as well as the SAP Center Box Office and Ticketmaster.

A native of Northern California, Piccolotti has been on a mission early in his young career, earning victories in all seven of his professional bouts, including three wins since joining the Bellator MMA team. The 27-year-old submission specialist made his promotional debut against Andrew Ramm at “Bellator 133: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko,” with a unanimous decision win and then added to his impressive resume by finishing his 2015 campaign on a high note, defeating Mario Soto at “Bellator 147: Thomson vs. Villaseca.”

Jordan Parsons will be challenging Piccolotti, having won four of his last five fights and two of his first three under the Bellator MMA banner. The 25-year-old was sidelined for over a year after suffering a torn meniscus during a knockout victory over Tim Bazer in his Bellator debut at “Bellator 117.” The Michigan native returned to action at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove” in May of 2015, taking down fellow prospect Julio Cesar Neves Jr., who entered the fight with an undefeated record of 30-0. “Pretty Boy” will look to duplicate that success when he enters the cage against Adam Piccolotti at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on May 14.

Updated “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Main Event: Phil Davis (15-3, 1 NC) vs. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (19-4, 1 NC)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Co-Main Event: Michael Chandler (14-3) vs. Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Adam Piccolotti (7-0) vs. Jordan Parsons (11-2)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA (160 lb.) “VOW” Preliminary Bout: Maurice Slade (US Army Reserve) vs. Jorge Acosta (California Army Nat’l Guard)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Victor Jones (0-1) vs. Anthony Taylor (0-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (3-0) vs. Martin Sano (4-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Josh Paiva (7-1) vs. Steven Gruber (5-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Sam Spengler (8-5) vs. Doyle Childs (2-1)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Josh San Diego (6-1) vs. Jeremiah Labiano (9-4)

Bellator MMA (130 lb.) Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Alvin Cacdac (16-12) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (10-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Thomas Diagne (5-5-1) vs. Mark Dickman (10-2)

Bellator MMA Strawweight Preliminary Bout: Stephanie Frausto (5-5) vs. Jamielene Nievara (3-1)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Brandon Hester (3-0) vs. Nick Pica (5-0)

Bellator, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

MATT MITRIONE AND SEAN GRANDE NAMED SPIKE’S ANNOUNCING TEAM FOR BELLATOR KICKBOXING: TORINO

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New York, NY, April 7, 2016 – Matt Mitrione, a former NFL defensive lineman and current Bellator MMA heavyweight will join Bellator MMA play-by-play announcer and The Voice of the Boston Celtics, Sean Grande as the broadcast duo for Bellator’s inaugural kickboxing event, “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” on Saturday, April 16 from the historic Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy. The announcement was jointly made today by Bellator President Scott Coker and Jon Slusser, Senior Vice President, Sports and Specials, Spike TV.
Mitrione joined Bellator MMA in early March after a stellar start to his career in the UFC. His 14-bout stint with that promotion began in 2009 on “The Ultimate Fighter,” airing on Spike. His list of formidable opponents included: Kimbo Slice, Gabriel Gonzaga, Ben Rothwell, Derrick Lewis, Brendan Schaub, Roy Nelson, Shawn Jordan, and Travis Browne among others.
Prior to competing in MMA, Mitrione earned a scholarship to play defensive tackle for the Purdue Boilermakers, not far from where he grew up in Springfield, Ill. After college, he played in the NFL for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings until 2005.
Sean Grande has served as Bellator’s play-by-play announcer since July of 2015. Completing his 18th season in the NBA and 15th as the voice of the Boston Celtics, Grande’s epic account of the two-month run to the 2008 World Championship cemented his status as one of the nation’s elite play-callers.  He is joined by analyst Cedric Maxwell for all Boston Celtics games. Since shortly after their 2001 pairing, “Grande and Max” have become one of Boston’s most popular and iconic on-air combinations.
On May 20, 2013, Grande made his Major League Baseball debut, after being named the alternate play-by-play voice of the World Champion Boston Red Sox.  It completed his cycle of broadcasting major pro sports (NBA, NFL, NHL, WNBA and MLS). 
“Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will be televised Friday, April 22 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” on Spike.
Complete “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” Fight Card:
 
Bellator Kickboxing Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (37-12) vs. Alexandru Negrea (8-2)
Bellator Kickboxing 165-Pound Feature Bout: Mustapha Haida (37-3-3) vs. Karim Ghajji (95-12)
Bellator Kickboxing Welterweight Feature Bout: Raymond Daniels (10-3) vs. Francesco Moricca (15-2-1)
Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight Feature Bout: Denise Kielholtz (43-2) vs. Veronica Vernocchi (31-6-1)
Bellator Kickboxing Bantamweight Feature Bout: Kevin Ross (30-9) vs. Matteo Taccini (24-3-1)
 

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘RAMPAGE’ JACKSON TO MAIN EVENT ‘BELLATOR: DYNAMITE 2’ IN ST. LOUIS ON JUNE 24 AGAINST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST SATOSHI ISHII

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 6, 2016) – For the first time since 2014, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (36-11) will return to action for Bellator MMA when he faces Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1) in the main event of “Bellator: Dynamite 2” on June 24, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

While “Rampage” has competed at 205-pounds for a vast majority of his nearly 17-year career, this main event contest against Ishii will take place at an agreed upon catchweight of 215 pounds.

Tickets for “Bellator: Dynamite 2,” which start at just $30, go on sale this Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. CT on Ticketmaster.com and the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center, with a special Bellator Nation presale available from 10 a.m. CT to 10 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 7 for fans using the code: “BELLATOR.” Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

“Bellator: Dynamite 2” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

Exactly like the groundbreaking inaugural “Dynamite” event this past September in San Jose, both a mixed martial arts cage and kickboxing ring will cover the floor at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, giving fans in attendance the opportunity to see both iterations of combat sports on the same night.

A three-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, “Rampage” signed with the organization in 2013 and is riding a four-fight winning streak. His legendary career has seen him compete against some of the top names in the sport across multiple organizations including PRIDE and the UFC, generating a loyal army of fans along the way. Jackson is the proud owner of many epic highlight reel slams and knockouts that he’s racked up throughout his battles with guys like: Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, Kevin Randleman, Ricardo Arona, Marvin Eastman, and perhaps most-notably his trilogy with fellow Bellator warrior Wanderlei Silva.

When he’s not beating people up in his MMA fights, Jackson’s larger than life personality has earned him multiple film roles, where he’s been able to beat people up on the big screen. Now, the 37-year-old returns to action for the fourth time under the Bellator MMA banner, where he looks to improve upon his unblemished mark within the promotion. With 19 of his fights taking place in Japan, the large contingent of Japanese MMA fans will have a hard time determining who to cheer for when “Rampage” takes on Ishii in June.

Ishii is a 29-year-old powerhouse Judoka who earned Gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing after defeating the best the world had to offer in the +100 kg division. Now fully focused on mixed martial arts, the Japanese star has competed in his home country almost exclusively throughout his 20-fight professional career and will be making his stateside debut on June 24 against “Rampage.” With half of his victories coming before reaching the judges’ scorecards, it’s worth noting that three of Ishii’s defeats have come at the hands of some of greatest the sport has to offer, such as Mirko Cro Cop and Fedor Emelianenko. Most recently, the judoka competed at light heavyweight for Rizin FF, during the promotion’s inaugural card on New Year’s Eve Weekend.

Updated “Bellator: Dynamite 2” Fight Card

Bellator MMA (215 lb.) Main Event: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (36-11) vs. Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

CHIDI NJOKUANI SET TO CHALLENGE DOUGLAS LIMA IN CO-MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 156’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 5, 2016) – A duo of Bellator MMA’s top welterweights, Chidi “Chidi Bang Bang” Njokuani (14-4) and Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (26-6), will square off in the co-main event of “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” on June 17 inside Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

 

The fight joins a main card that features a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) against Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4), with Galvao’s Bellator MMA bantamweight title on the line.

 

“Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. Additional fights will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for the event start at only $25 and are on sale at the Save Mart Center Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

 

“Chidi Bang Bang” has not lost in his past six fights dating back to March of 2013 and finished last year strong, recording a unanimous decision victory overRicky “The Sniper” Rainey in his Bellator MMA debut at “Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef.” The 27-year-old Las Vegas native is now looking to solidify himself atop Bellator’s always-competitive welterweight division when he takes on “The Phenom” in the co-main event of “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2.”

Douglas Lima will be entering the cage for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner, having already won eight of his 10 bouts with the Viacom-owned organization. The former Bellator MMA welterweight titlist saw his impressive five-fight winning streak come to an end in July of 2015, when current champion Andrey Koreshkov edged out a unanimous decision victory over Lima to win the title. Prior to the defeat, “The Phenom’s” hot streak consisted of five consecutive knockouts, four of which came in the first two rounds. Lima will now begin the climb back up the ladder, with the ultimate goal being to regain the strap by year’s end.

 

Updated “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Title Main Event: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Chidi Njokuani (14-4) vs. Douglas Lima (26-6)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘STITCH’ DURAN SIGNS CONTRACT WITH REEBOK

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April Fools..Stich is not getting a Reebok shoe… He’s the New Undisputed Bellator Hand-Wrapping Champion.

 107_Mo_Lawal

Above: Stitch wraps the hands of “King Mo” Lawal at “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” (Credit: Bellator/Esther Lin)

 

SANTA MONICA (March 31, 2016) – When watching any combat sports event, it’s odd not to see Jacob “Stitch” Duran as the professional cutman on duty. Today, Bellator MMA is pleased to secure his services as its lead cutman for the foreseeable future, after “Stitch” signed a multi-year contract with the Scott Coker-led promotion.

 

Starting with “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” on April 22 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in CT, the most famous cutman in the world will do everything in his power to get Bellator fighters prepped for entering the cage and helping them continue on once the bell rings, giving them “one more round.”

 

Stitch joins a great team of cutmen including Matt Marsden, Dean Lassiter and Paul Quiredos.

 

“Working with my old friend, Scott Coker and Bellator is a true honor,” said Duran. “I can’t wait to get started working for a great organization that respects their employees and truly makes their fighters the top priority!”

 

While working for Bellator, “Stitch” will not be prevented from seeking sponsors to wear and will also continue to work boxing events, with high profile clients the likes of Andre Ward, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

FANS ATTENDING ‘BELLATOR 153: KORESHKOV VS. HENDERSON’ WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET LEGENDARY BELLATOR MMA FIGHTERS ROYCE GRACIE & WANDERLEI SILVA

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (March 30, 2016) – Fans attending “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” onApril 22 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. will be able to meet two of the sport’s most popular athletes:Royce Gracie and Wanderlei Silva.

 

The two legendary Brazilian superstars will be participating in an exclusive meet and greet for ticketholders on the Mohegan Sun Arena concourse beginning at 6 p.m. ET.

 

The highly anticipated event features the debut of Benson “Smooth” Henderson (23-5), as he challenges welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) for his belt. Former featherweight titlist Patricio “Pitbull” Freire(24-3) meets John “Macapa” Teixeira (19-1-2) in the co-main event while other bouts on the card include Connecticut’s own “Irish” Brennan Ward (13-3) and British striking sensation Michael Page (9-0) fightingEvangelista “Cyborg” Santos (20-16) and Jeremie Holloway (7-1) respectively in welterweight attractions.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” start at just $30 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Box Office. The event airs live and free on SPIKE at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. The broadcast will be immediately followed by the groundbreaking, inaugural “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” event.

 

The name Gracie is synonymous with MMA, and that is largely in part to Royce Gracie, the man who is considered to have invented the sport as we know it today. The winner of the first several UFC events, Gracie would dismantle multiple opponents in a single night, many of whom were much larger than him. For many years there was no answer for the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu technique that he brought into a fight, today, it’s hard to find an MMA fighter who hasn’t trained in the art of jiu-jitsu. This past February, Gracie defeated Ken Shamrock in a record-shattering fight that was witnessed on Spike by over 3.5 million viewers.

 

Having first fought in the sport almost twenty years ago, very few men have a more legendary resume than Wanderlei Silva, who was recently signed to a Bellator MMA contract. “The Axe Murderer” is a Pride and UFC veteran, who brings an intimidating and imposing presence with him every time he steps into the cage. Silva hopes of adding to an already-impressive list of wins that include: Guy Mezger, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Ricardo Arona, Kazuyuki Fujita, Michael Bisping, Cung Le, Brian Stann and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (2x).

 

Complete “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title Bout: Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) vs. Benson Henderson (23-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main Event: Patricio Freire (24-3) vs. John Teixeira (19-1-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Brennan Ward (13-3) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (20-16)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Michael Page (9-0) vs. Jeremie Holloway (7-1)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Brent Primus (6-0) vs. Gleristone “Toninho Furia” Santos (27-5)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Honeycutt (6-1) vs. Matt Secor (7-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Djamil Chan (11-2) vs. Richard Patishnock (6-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Sam Watford (1-0) vs. Dean Hancock (2-0)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Foster (8-4) vs. Felipe Lavandoski (5-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Bakanowski (3-2) vs. T.J. Hepburn (4-2)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Pete Rogers (2-3) vs. Mike Mangan (0-3)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Zichelle (7-4) vs. Joe Cronin (19-16)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Matt Bessette (17-7) vs. Keith Richardson (14-6)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Tim Caron (3-0) vs. Justin Sumter (0-0)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Blair Tugman (7-6) vs. Jay Perrin (2-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

 

Preliminary Card

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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