PLUS, HEAVYWEIGHTS MATT MITRIONE AND TIMOTHY JOHNSON SQUARE OFF IN EXPLOSIVE CO-MAIN EVENT
LOS ANGELES – Bellator is pleased to announce multiple upcoming events set to take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., including Bellator 243 on Friday, Aug. 7, Bellator 244 on Friday, Aug. 21 and Bellator 245 on Friday, Sept. 11.
Bellator 243 sees former world champions Michael Chandler(20-5) and Benson Henderson(28-8) face off once again inside the Bellator cage nearly four years after their first unforgettable meeting, The highly anticipated lightweight main event rematch airs live Friday, Aug. 7 on Paramount Network and DAZN at 10 p.m. ET from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
In the card’s co-main event, perennial heavyweight contender Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) will take on the hard-hitting Timothy Johnson(13-6) in an exciting matchup that will likely not go to the judges’ scorecards.
Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 airs live on Paramount Network and DAZN on Friday, August 7 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. The event will also air live on Sky Sports in the UK. Preliminary action will stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel.
Making his 23rd promotional appearance for Bellator, “Iron” Michael Chandler will have the opportunity to silence his critics and prove that his November 19, 2016 split decision-win over Henderson was no fluke. Following victories in each of his first 12 professional bouts, highlighted by his first Bellator lightweight world title win and a pair of successful title defenses, the High Ridge, Missouri-native quickly made a name for himself in a stacked 155-pound class. The 34-year-old would eventually go on to collect a promotional record three lightweight title reigns that included three successful title defenses. Having won three of his previous five career rematches, including a pair of lightweight world title victories over Patricky Pitbull and Brent Primus, the 2009 NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri will look to add to that total and remind everyone what the former champion is capable of.
Fighting out of Glendale, Ariz., “Smooth” will once again have a shot at revenge with his longtime rival Chandler, following multiple attempts to schedule the fight over the past year. The highly anticipated rematch was originally slated to take place on New Year’s Eve at Rizin.20 in Japan, before Henderson was forced to withdraw due to an injury suffered during training. A few months later, the two former lightweight world champions were set to face off in the main event of Bellator’s return to the Windy City on June 6, before the global pandemic led to yet another postponement. Now, the MMA Lab-product will look to settle the score and collect his fifth consecutive victory en route to a final push at Bellator’s 155-pound strap. With half of his 28 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the 36-year-old former UFC and WEC lightweight world champion will aim to put all doubts to rest and finish his nemesis in emphatic fashion on August 7.
After initially being scheduled to face Ronny Markes at Bellator 241 in March prior to the pandemic, Matt Mitrione is now slated to meet Johnson, a competitor who also prefers to keep the fight upright. Prior to his MMA career, the 41-year old Illinois-native was a standout defensive end at Purdue University who subsequently earned his way into the NFL, playing six seasons as a member of the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. He ultimately found his way into MMA where he became the high-level competitor he is today, defeating the likes of the late Kimbo Slice, Derrick Lewis,Roy Nelson and Fedor Emelianenko.
A heavy betting underdog coming into his last matchup with Tyrell Fortune at Bellator 239, Timothy Johnson shocked many when he finished the undefeated competitor five years his junior via highlight reel-knockout in the opening frame. The win was the first for the Xtreme Couture-fighter inside the Bellator cage, who signed with the promotion in 2018 following seven outings in the UFC. With an impressive finishing mark of 10 stoppages in his 13 wins as a professional, Johnson will be looking to deliver another impressive outing when he returns to action next month.
Updated Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 Main Card: Paramount Network and DAZN 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT
Lightweight Main Event: Michael Chandler (20-5) vs. Benson Henderson (28-8) Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) vs. Timothy Johnson (13-6)
*Card subject to change.
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to Mohegan Sun Arena this Friday, March 13 is official with a stacked six-fight main card, headlined by current two-division champ Patricio Pitbull (30-4) defending his 145-lb. title in the Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinals against upstart SBG-product and tournament dark horse Pedro Carvalho (11-3).
Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho will stream live exclusively on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel, as well as DAZN, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
The exciting main card will also see a Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal take place in the co-main event,when Daniel Weichel (40-11) rematches Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4) for a future shot at the world title. In addition, former New York Giants lineman Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) will be taking on Ronny Markes (19-7) in a heavyweight main card bout, while England’s Paul Daley (42-17-2) and heavy-handed Sabah Homasi (13-8) go toe-to-toe in a 170-pound matchup that is sure to produce fireworks. Rounding out the main card will see Connecticut’s own Nick Newell (16-3) taking on Zach Zane (14-9) of Hawaii at lightweight and a must-see middleweight contest showcasing Anatoly Tokov (29-2) vs. Fabio Aguiar (17-1).
EVENT SET FOR FRIDAY, MAY 29 AT 10 P.M. ET/9 P.M. CT ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK & DAZN
TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 13!
LOS ANGELES – Bellator officials today announced that the eagerly anticipated promotional debut of LizCarmouche(13-7) will take place on Friday, May 29 at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. against undefeated SBG Ireland’s flyweight prospect Mandy Böhm (6-0, 1 NC).
Tickets for the Bellator 243: Carmouche vs. Böhm go on sale March 13 at 3 p.m. PT and are available at the Pechanga box office, as well asBellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and Pechanga.com.
The event will be broadcast live Friday, May 29 on Paramount Network and DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator’s MMA YouTube channel. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.
A United States Marine Corps veteran and established flyweight competitor, Carmouche joined Bellator’s women’s flyweight division this past December following a six-year run in UFC – a tenure that includes world title bouts in both the bantamweight and flyweight divisions, as well as notable wins over Katlyn Chookagian and Jessica Andrade.
Fighting out of San Diego, the 36-year-old Team Hurricane Awesome-product also formerly competed for Strikeforce, notching a pair of victories with the promotion. She also earned a win over Valentina Shevchenko earlier in her career. Prior to “Girl-Rilla’s” days as a professional athlete, the Lafayette, Louisiana-native spent five years serving as an aviation electrician in the United Stated Marine Corps, where she completed three tours of duty in the Middle East.
Fresh off a flyweight title victory on the regional MMA scene last May, Mandy Böhm is ready to bring her undefeated mark as a professional to the highest levels of the sport when she meets former two-division title challenger Liz Carmouche on May 29. Hailing from Germany, but training under the tutelage of John Kavanagh at SBG Ireland in Dublin, “Monster” is a force to be reckoned with on the feet, but showcased her strong submission skills when she handed top Canadian prospect Jade Masson-Wong the first loss of her career in 2019.
Updated Bellator 243: Carmouche vs. Böhm Fight Card:
Flyweight Main Event: Liz Carmouche (13-7) vs. Mandy Böhm (6-0, 1 NC)
MAIN CARD TO AIR ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK & DAZN AT 9 P.M. ET
LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. this Friday, February 21 has been finalized with a stacked four-fight main card airing at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Paramount Network and DAZN. Additionally, a total of 13 preliminary fights will stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel and DAZN beginning at 6:15 p.m. PT/5:15 p.m. CT.
The main event of Bellator 239 will feature an exciting welterweight clash between two of the division’s best prospects, as three-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion Ed Ruth (8-1) takes on undefeated Ukrainian striker Yaroslav Amosov (22-0). Also on the card, a premiere lightweight matchup between Minnesota’s own Brandon Girtz (16-8) and recent Bellator free agent signing Myles Jury (17-5), as well as two pivotal matchups in the heavyweight division as Tyrell Fortune (8-0) is set to meet UFC-veteran Timothy Johnson (12-6) and top contender Javy Ayala (11-7) goes to battle against a member of Fedor Emelianenko’s team in Russia, Valentin Moldavsky (8-1).
Preliminary action for Bellator 239: Ruth vs. Amosov will be highlighted by a number of young undefeated prospects returning to the cage, including Oklahoma’s Kyle Crutchmer (5-0), Christian Edwards (2-0), Chris Gonzalez (3-0), Grant Neal (2-0) and Texas’ Lucas Brennan (2-0), while familiar names in Cris Lencioni (5-2), Gaston Bolanos (5-2) and Shawn Bunch (9-4) are also scheduled to compete on the card.
Additionally, the prelims will feature appearances by two Bellator Kickboxing champions in flyweight champ Denise Kielholtz (4-2) and featherweight titleholder Gabriel Varga (1-0) as they both return to the Bellator MMA cage.
BATTLE FOR VACANT BELLATOR MMA MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AIRS LIVE ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK AND DAZN AT 10 P.M. ET/9 P.M. CT
Tickets go on sale this Friday, Feb. 14
LOS ANGELES – A middleweight superfight for the vacant 185-pound title, pitting former divisional champion Gegard Mousasi (46-7-2) against current Bellator welterweight titleholder Douglas Lima (32-7),has been added to Bellator’s exciting return to SAP Center at San Jose on Saturday, May 9 – LIVE on Paramount Network and DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.
The event is anchored by a previously announced heavyweight world title bout, featuring two-division Bellator champ Ryan Bader(27-5, 1 NC) defending his 205-pound title against Russia’s Vadim Nemkov (11-2).
Bellator: Bader vs. Nemkov airs live on Paramount Network and DAZN on Saturday, May 9 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. Preliminary action will stream on DAZN, Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets can be purchased at the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Ticket Office at SAP Center, through Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.
The Bellator middleweight title was recently relinquished by Rafael Lovato Jr. due to ongoing medical complications.
Fighting out of Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands, Mousasi has cemented legendary status within the sport, having won titles with multiple promotions across a 55-fight career. Most recently, Mousasi defeated Lyoto Machida via split decision, clearing his path to a shot at a second Bellator middleweight title run. With victories in his storied career against Machida, Rory MacDonald, Chris Weidman, Rafael Carvalho, Vitor Belfort, Jacare Souza, Dan Henderson and Mark Hunt, a victory over Douglas Lima will add to his already-impressive resume.
Looking to join the ranks of Ryan Bader and Patricio “Pitbull” as two-division champions, Lima moves up 15-pounds to try his hand against Mousasi. Since making his promotional debut in 2011, “The Phenom” has earned 14 victories, including a trio of world titles and 10 finishes, making the American Top Team-product one of the most dominant fighters in the 170-pound division. With 26 of his 32 career victories coming by way of knockout or submission, including consecutive dominant finishes over Andrey Koreshkov and Michael “Venom” Page” in the first two rounds of the World Grand Prix tournament, Lima most recently capped of his 2019 with a win over Rory MacDonald to regain the welterweight world title.
TICKETS ON SALE FEB. 14 FOR CARD SET INSIDE SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE
LOS ANGELES – On Saturday, May 9, SAP Center at San Jose will host Bellator with an event headlined by a light heavyweight world championship bout featuring two-division Bellator champion Ryan Bader(27-5, 1 NC) defending his 205-pound title against Russia’s Vadim Nemkov (11-2).
Bellator San Jose: Bader vs. Nemkov airs on Paramount Network and DAZN on Saturday, May 9 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Preliminary action will stream on DAZN, Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.
Tickets for Bellator San Jose: Bader vs. Nemkov are available early through an exclusive Bellator Nation pre-sale beginning Wednesday, Feb. 12 through Thursday, Feb. 13. Tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday, Feb. 14. Tickets can be purchased at the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Ticket Office at SAP Center, through Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.
A winner of seven out of his last eight fights at both heavyweight and light heavyweight, Bellator’s two-division champion Ryan Bader will make his first light heavyweight title defense since defeating“King Mo” Lawal, Matt Mitrione and Fedor Emelianenko en route to winning Bellator’s 2018 Heavyweight World Grand Prix and becoming world heavyweight champ. Fighting out of Chandler, Ariz., the former two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler from Arizona State University began his professional career by winning season eight of The Ultimate Fighter. “Darth” continued his path of dominance by collecting victories over some of the 205-pound division’s top talent, including wins over former world champions “Rampage” Jackson, Rashad Evans, Phil Davis (x2) and Rafael “Feijão” Cavalcante, as well as Ovince Saint Preux and Vinny Magalhães, before signing with Bellator in 2017.
Vadim Nemkov, who is undefeated over his last six fights and a perfect 4-0 in Bellator since signing in 2017, will come into his first-ever title shot in MMA fresh off a submission win against former middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho. With the victory, Nemkov has unequivocally defeated some of the best athletes Bellator has to offer, including three former champions in Carvalho, Phil Davis and Liam McGeary. A three-time Russian national sambo champion, Nemkov trains alongside Fedor Emelianenko in Stary Oskol, Russia.
Updated Bellator San Jose: Bader vs. Nemkov Main Card:
DAZN/Paramount Network
10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Light Heavyweight World Title Bout:Ryan Bader (27-5, 1 NC) vs. Vadim Nemkov (11-2)
FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX QUARTERFINALS CONTINUE AS DANIEL WEICHEL MEETS EMMANUEL SANCHEZ IN THE CO-MAIN EVENT
Tickets on sale next Friday, January 17
LOS ANGELES – On Friday, March 13, Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. will host Bellator 241, an event featuring TWO quarterfinal matchups of the Featherweight World Grand Prix. In the main event, fans will see a featherweight world title bout with two-division Bellator champion Patricio “Pitbull” (30-4) defending his 145-pound crown against SBG Ireland-product Pedro Carvalho (11-3).
In addition to the five-round championship main event, a second Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal will also take place, as two former title challengers, Daniel Weichel (40-11) and Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4), meet for the first time since their 2016 razor-thin split decision.
Tickets for Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho are available early through an exclusive Bellator Nation pre-sale beginning Thursday, Jan. 16 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday, Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, as well Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.
Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho will stream exclusively on DAZN on Friday, March 13 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Preliminary action will stream on DAZN, Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.
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 March 13. With impressive wins to his name over Daniel Straus (x3), Daniel Weichel (x2) and Pat Curran, the 32-year old continues in the Featherweight World Grand Prix not far removed from his lightweight championship win over Michael Chandler in May of last year. Having earned a finish in 21 of his 30 wins as a professional, the simultaneous two-division champion most recently bested Juan Archuleta on the scorecards in an exciting opening round grand prix matchup and fans can certainly expect more fireworks when he meets Carvalho on March 13.
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 contests, including against Derek Campos, Daniel Crawford and a face crank submission over Sam Sicilia in the opening round, the 23-year-old SBG Ireland-product is on the cusp of becoming an elite force in the 145-pound division – winning the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix would be the perfect way to solidify it.
With over 50 professional fights to his name, Germany’s Daniel Weichel is ready to make his 2020 debut in a highly anticipated grand prix quarterfinal bout with Sanchez, a fighter Weichel got the better of nearly four years ago at Bellator 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 and Saul Rogers.
On the heels of yet another masterful performance that ended in a submission victory over Tywan Claxton in the opening round of the grand prix, “El Matador” is ready for another title run as he prepares for the undefeated 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).
Updated Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. CarvalhoMain Card:
DAZN
10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
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)
‘The Dream’ Meets Unbeaten Dominican Challenger in Los Angeles on Nov 9
LAS VEGAS, NV (November 2, 2019) – Devin Haney will face Alfredo Santiago in the first defense of his WBC World Lightweight title at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Saturday November 9, live on DAZN in the US, Sky Sports in the UK and distributed globally on FITE.
Haney (23-0 15 KOs) was elevated to full champion at the recent WBC Convention in Cancun, Mexico, following his dominant performance against Zaur Abdullaev in New York in September where he overpowered the unbeaten Russian over four blistering rounds to force Abdullaev to retire, and land ‘The Dream’ the interim belt at 135lbs.
Now Haney makes the short trip from his Las Vegas home to Los Angeles where he faces Santiago (12-0 4 KOs) in his maiden defence, the unbeaten Dominican talent, who turns 25 the day after the fight, will be on looking to derail Haney’s reign as champion at the first hurdle.
“I’m happy we got this deal done,” said Haney. “I’m not just a WBC World Champion that’s holding somebody else’s belt. I’m the sole champion, and I will defend the Lightweight World title on November 9. I’ve been working hard and I’m extremely focused. This will be the perfect gift to myself for my 21st birthday.
“All the fans at STAPLES Center and the millions watching on DAZN, are going to witness another dominant performance. I’m going to continue to show the world that I’m the best in my division.
“Alfredo Santiago is my next opponent; he’s undefeated, he’s hungry, and he’s coming to win. I take every fight very serious and this fight is no different. Tune in next Saturday and you’ll see that the hype is real.”
“First and foremost, I would like to thank Matchroom Boxing and Fresh Productions for this opportunity,” said Santiago. “This is the moment that I’ve been dreaming of since I was a kid, and the one I’ve been waiting for since I became a boxer. I am physically and mentally ready, and I am going to show who the best 135lber in the world is.
“Mr. Haney is a formidable fighter who chose the wrong opponent. He cannot beat me. I belong to ‘The Terror Squadron’, the best boxing team in the world. This is my time.”
“I am delighted to see Devin defend his World title on November 9,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “We’re going to have a huge crowd of new fight fans at the arena and tuning in all around the world to watch KSI and Logan Paul, and Devin is the perfect fighter to showcase what boxing is all about to a potential crop of new fight fans – he’s young, exciting, confident and relatable – the perfect mix.
“Alfredo Santiago is a hungry young fighter himself and this is a golden opportunity for him to halt Devin’s charge to superstardom – but I believe that ‘The Dream’ will shine and being his reign as World champion in style.”
Haney’s clash with Santiago is part of a huge night of action in Los Angeles as YouTube sensations KSI and Logan Paul clash in a rematch of their controversial draw – this time as professional fighters.
Billy Joe Saunders (28-0 13 KOs) makes his American debut and defends his WBO World Super-Middleweight title against unbeaten Argentine Marcelo Coceres (28-0-1 15 KOs), and he is joined on the card by a quartet of Eddie Hearn’s talented rising US stars in Nikita Ababiy (7-0 6 KOs), Diego Pacheco (6-0 5 KOs), Reshat Mati (4-0 ) and Alexis Espino (4-0 3 KOs).
LAS VEGAS, NV (October 10, 2019) – Prince Ranch Boxing’s undefeated welterweight contender,Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (12-0-1, 8 KOs), who is by promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, faces Carlos Ortiz (11-4, 11 KOs) of Torreon, Mexico, for the vacant NABF title. The 10-round bout will take place on November 2, 2019, as part of the undercard of Canelo Alvarez versus Sergey Kovalev at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, which will air live on DAZN.
“It is a great opportunity and one I’m going to take full advantage of,” said Blair Cobbs, who is managed by Greg Hannley of Prince Ranch Boxing. “I have worked very hard and I feel that fighting on a Canelo card, and for the NABF title, is the perfect chance for me to elevate my game, as well as put on a show for my fans.”
Cobbs, who is also advised by Shahid Malik, made noise earlier this year by defeating Ferdinand “Lucky Boy” Kerobyan (12-1, 7 KOs), in Kerobyan’s hometown of Hollywood, California, and in his last bout stopped Steve “Manos de Oro” Villalobos (11-1, 1, 9 KOs) by way of a ninth-round knockout. Blair’s last three opponents had a combined record of (29-1-1, 22 KOs) making Cobbs one of the most battle-tested contenders in the welterweight division.
“We’re very excited with the way that Blair Cobbs has performed as a professional,” stated Greg Hannely, Cobbs manager. “He has defeated great opponents and is rising to the occasion each and every time he steps up in competition. A win in this bout will catapult him to a top-15 ranking. In addition, the exposure he will get fighting on this card will be unbelievable. Blair is a fan favorite, and everyone wants to see him fight.”
“I just want to put on a show and have fun like I always do,” Cobbs continued. “I am excited to show off my talent to a bigger audience. Blair “The Flair” is coming…Whooo!”
# # #
Canelo vs. Kovalev is a 12-round fight for the WBO Light Heavyweight World Title presented by Golden Boy, Main Events and Krusher Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING,” Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and Brand-New Grapefruit Crush, Knockout Flavor. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN. The title clash is one of several highlights this fight season on DAZN – an entire fall featuring boxing’s biggest matchups in one of the best schedules in boxing history.
Tickets for Canelo vs. Kovalev are on sale and are priced at $1,754, $1,254, $854, $654, $404 and $204, not including applicable service charges and taxes. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.axs.com
Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/CaneloKovalev to a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy or Main Events where applicable for any photo and/or video usage.
