Rory MacDonald (20-5-1) and Jon Fitch (32-7-2, 1 NC) fought to a majority draw (48-46, 47-47, 47-47) – MacDonald retains the welterweight title and advances in the Welterweight World Grand Prix
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (10-0) defeated Veta Arteaga (5-3) via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 1:50 of round three to retain the women’s flyweight title
Benson Henderson (27-8) defeated Adam Piccolotti (11-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Phil Davis (20-5, 1 NC) defeated Liam McGeary (13-4) via TKO (strikes) at 4:11 of round three
Gaston Bolanos (5-1) defeated Nathan Stolen (8-5) via KO (punch) at 2:21 of round one
Preliminary Card:
Aviv Gozali (2-0) defeated Travis Crain (0-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:15 of round one
Brandon Faumui (5-3) defeated Chris Avila (6-8) via split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)
Matt Perez (5-2) defeated Justin Tenedora (2-2) via KO (punches) at 4:52 of round one
Cass Bell (3-0) defeated Peter Ishiguro (1-1) via KO (punches) 2:59 of round two
Chuck Campbell (2-0) defeated Bruno Casillas (0-1) via KO (knee) at 1:45 of round one
Hyder Amil (3-0) defeated Paradise Vaovasa (6-4, 1 NC) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:34 of round one
Josh San Diego (9-4) defeated Brandon Laroco (5-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Jordan Williams (8-2, 1 NC) defeated Diego Herzog (4-3-1) via TKO at 1:21 of round three
Abraham Vaesau (5-2, 1 NC) defeated Justin Roswell (3-3, 1 NC) via TKO at 1:59 of round one
Chris Inocencio (1-1) defeated Boris Novachkov (0-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Thomas Ponce de Leon (3-0) defeated Jamario Mulder (2-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Ignacio Ortiz (2-0-1) and Roger Severson (3-3-1) fought to a unanimous draw (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)
Erik Gunha (2-0-1) and Jon Adams (0-0-1) fought to a majority draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28)
SAN JOSE, Calif. – All 18 bouts for the highly anticipated Bellator 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch event, streamed exclusively on DAZN, have been announced when Bellator returns home to the SAP Center at San Jose on Saturday, April 27.
Two title fights sit atop the card, as Bellator welterweight champion Rory MacDonald (20-5) defends his title world against Jon Fitch (31-7-1, 1 NC) in the final opening round bout of the Welterweight World Grand Prix, while undefeated Bellator flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane(9-0) returns to action against Veta Arteaga(5-2) in the evening’s co-headliner.
Bellator220: MacDonald vs. Fitch will stream live exclusively on DAZN, the fastest-growing sports streaming service in the world, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
Limited tickets remain available at the ThreatMetrix Ticket Office at SAP Center at San Jose, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
Three former world champions will also appear on the main card, as Benson Henderson (26-8) takes on the Bay Area’s own Adam Piccolotti (11-2) at lightweight, while Phil Davis(19-5, 1 NC) will run it back with Liam McGeary (13-3) in light heavyweight action. Additionally, featherweight Gaston Bolanos (4-1) looks to add to his impressive highlight reelwhen he kicks off the main card versus Nathan Stolen (8-4).
Preliminary action for Bellator 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch will feature the U.S. debut of second-generation Israeli fighter Aviv Gozali (1-0) in his sophomore appearance againstTravis Crain (Pro Debut).
Complete Bellator 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch Main Card:
Welterweight World Grand Prix Title Bout: Rory MacDonald (20-5) vs. Jon Fitch (32-7-1, 1 NC)
Women’s Flyweight World Title Bout: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (9-0) vs. Veta Arteaga (5-2)
Lightweight Main Card Bout: Benson Henderson (26-8) vs. Adam Piccolotti (11-2)
Light Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Phil Davis (19-5, 1 NC) vs. Liam McGeary (13-3)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Gaston Bolanos (4-1) vs. Nathan Stolen (8-4)
LOS ANGELES – Bellator’s return to WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. on Friday, July 12 will be headlined by a women’s featherweight title fight featuring Canada’s Julia Budd(12-2) defending her title for a third time against undefeated Olga Rubin(6-0) of Israel.
The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, as well as DAZN.com, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Ticketsare on sale now and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino and Resort box office, as well as through Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Fighting out of Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, Budd is set to enter the Bellator cage for the first time in 2019 and for the third time since claiming the inaugural Bellator women’s featherweight world title in 2017. Currently riding a winning streak of 10 bouts, including six straight since joining forces with Bellator in 2015, “The Jewel” has her eyes set on a third consecutive world title defense when she challenges the undefeated Rubin on July 12. Since knocking off Dutch legend Marloes Coenen for the 145-pound strap at Bellator 174, the Gibson MMA-product has since collected back-to-back victories over top contenders Arlene Blencowe and Talita Nogueira. With six of her 12 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the former kickboxing standout will look to hand Rubin the first loss of her professional career.
Making her fifth appearance since signing with Bellator in 2017, Rubin looks to protect her unblemished professional mark en route to her first career women’s featherweight world title on July 12. Following a pair of notable knockouts in her first two promotional appearances at Bellator 164 and Bellator 188, the 29-year-old prospect has bolstered her resume with dominating victories over the likes of Cindy Dandois and Iony Razafiarisonin each of her past two bouts. Now residing in Holon, Israel, Rubin splits her time training between Tel Aviv and London’s Team Titan under the tutelage of veteran Brad Pickett. “Big Bad” will look to become the first fighter to beat Budd in almost eight years and join a select group of women that includes just Ronda Rousey and Amanda Nunes, who have succeeded against the champ in the past.
Updated Bellator: Budd vs. Rubin Fight Card:
Women’s Featherweight World Title Bout:Julia Budd (12-2) vs. Olga Rubin (6-0)
BELLATOR LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMP MICHAEL CHANDLER DEFENDS HIS TITLE AGAINST FEATHERWEIGHT KINGPIN PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ IN LONG-AWAITED GRUDGE MATCH LIVE ON DAZN
THE WELTERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX CONTINUES WITH DOUGLAS LIMA TAKING ON MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE IN SEMI-FINAL ACTION
PLUS: UNDEFEATED PROSPECT A.J. MCKEE MEETS CHICAGO’S PAT CURRAN AND THE RETURN OF FORMER WWE STAR JAKE HAGER
LOS ANGELES – Bellator’s return to Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. on Saturday, May 11 is stacked with a must-see lineup of fights, headlined by current lightweight titleholder Michael Chandler(19-4) in his attempt to become the only man to defeat both Pitbull Brothers and put an end to their years-long rivalry, when he defends his belt against Bellator’s 145-pound champ Patricio “Pitbull” (28-4) in the main event of Bellator 221 – which will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.
The co-headliner will see former two-time Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima (30-7) face undefeated Michael “Venom” Page (14-0), better known to fans as “MVP,” in the first semi-final matchup in Bellator’s Welterweight World Grand Prix. Each fighter has their eyes set on moving one step closer to becoming Bellator welterweight champ and taking home one million dollars.
In addition, arguably one of the world’s top featherweight prospects A.J. McKee (13-0) will face the stiffest test of his young career when he fights two-time former Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran(23-7) on Curran’s home turf. Finally, former WWE championJake Hager (1-0) returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since his first-round submission victory in January looking to continue his early dominance inside the cage.
An exclusive online presale for Bellator 221: Chandler vs. Pitbull takes place between Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. CT and Thursday, Feb. 21 at 10 p.m. CT, with tickets going on-sale to the general public on Friday, Feb. 22 at 12 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event will be available at the Allstate Arena box office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
Bellator 221: Chandler vs. Pitbull will be broadcast live on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.
One of the most-decorated fighters in Bellator history, Michael Chandler reclaimed the lightweight championship this past December to become a three-time titleholder. “Iron” has defeated a who’s who among the division’s elite, including Brent Primus, Benson Henderson, Patricky Pitbull (x2), Goiti Yamauchi and Eddie Alvarez. The former University of Missouri wrestler from High Ridge, Mo., who now calls Nashville home, has had a slow-building feud with his May 11 opponent, verbally sparring with his foe following wins over Patricio’s brother Patricky and on social media. Now, the time for talk is over and both will enter the Bellator cage to finally settle the score.
Hailing from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, two-time featherweight champ Patricio “Pitbull” will enter the Bellator cage for a promotional record 21th time. With impressive wins to his name over Daniel Straus (x3), Daniel Weichel (x2) and Pat Curran, he most recently defeated Emmanuel Sanchez via unanimous decision at Bellator 209. Moving up a weight class for the first time since Bellator 160 when he met Benson Henderson, “Pitbull” is planning to leave his mark in a new division and go down as one of the all-time greats. Having earned a finish in 20 of his 28 wins as a professional, the reigning champion has become synonymous with excitement and fans can certainly expect more fireworks when looks to become a simultaneous two-division champion on May 11.
Fighting out of Atlanta, Ga., by way of Goiania, Brazil, Douglas “The Phenom” Lima has been a mainstay at the top of the 170-pound division for the better part of three years. With wins against the likes of Lorenz Larkin, Andrey Koreshkov (x2), Paul Daley and Ben Saunders, the 31-year-old advanced to the semifinals of the Welterweight World Grand Prix after a technical submission win against Koreshkov. A winner of nine out of his last 11 contests, the American Top Team product remains set on showing the world how dominant he truly is.
One of the most unorthodox strikers to ever compete, “MVP” has steadily worked his way up the welterweight ranks since signing with the organization in 2013. Known for his unique style and personality both inside the cage and out, every Michael Page fight is must-see entertainment. With an undefeated record of 14-0, and 11 of those victories coming by stoppage, the 31-year-old out of London Shootfighters advanced to the semifinals following a closely contested unanimous decision win against rival Paul Daley at Bellator 216.
Fighting out of Long Beach, Calif., A.J. McKeeputs his undefeated record on the line against the former champ on May 11. Currently training alongside the likes of Aaron Pico,“Baby Slice” and Joey Davis at The Body Shop under the tutelage of his father, MMA veteran Antonio McKee, the second-generation fighter has been making quite the name for himself since joining the professional ranks. At just 23 years of age, “Mercenary” has set the Bellator record for consecutive wins at 13, having defeated Daniel Crawford, Brian Moore, John “Macapa, Justin Lawrence and Dominic Mazzotta along the way. Known for his highlight-reel finishes, McKee will look to remain unbeaten and keep his name etched in the record books when he meets Curran at Bellator 221. A former two-time Bellator world featherweight champion, Pat Curran returns to the cage near his hometown looking to earn another shot at gold. Fighting out of Crystal Lake, Ill., “Paddy Mike” is in the midst of a three-fight win streak that includes victories over Emmanuel Sanchez, John “Macapa”and Georgi Karakhanyan. The longtime Bellator veteran, who debuted at Bellator 14 in 2010, owns additional wins over Patricio “Pitbull,” Joe Warren, Roger Huerta and Daniel Straus. Also, a two-time Bellator tournament winner, the 31-year-old’s return to the top of the 145-pound division begins with a tough test against McKee.
A native of Perry, Okla., Hager emphatically showed the world that he belongs in the sport of MMA with a submission win over J.W. Kizerat Bellator 214 in January. A collegiate wrestler at the University of Oklahoma, where he was an All-American and set the school record for most pins at the 285-pound weight class in a single season with 30. Following graduation and a conversation with legendary pro wrestling announcer and fellow Oklahoma Sooner, Jim Ross, Hager made the transition to professional wrestling and signed with World Wrestling Entertainment. While in WWE, Hager would go on to claim multiple coveted professional titles during his time with the organization, including the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, ECW Championship and WWE United States Championship. Now, the man also known to fans around the globe as “Jack Swagger” will return to action MMA action in Chicago against a soon-to-be-announced heavyweight opponent.
Updated Bellator 221: Chandler vs. Pitbull Card:
Lightweight World Title Bout: Michael Chandler (19-4) vs. Patricio “Pitbull” (28-4)
Welterweight World Grand Prix Semi-final: Douglas Lima (30-7) vs. Michael “Venom” Page (14-0)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: A.J. McKee (13-0) vs. Pat Curran (23-7)
Heavyweight Main Card Bout:Jake Hager (1-0) vs. TBA
LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s doubleheader return to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 has been completed with two stacked five-fight main cards and exciting preliminary matchups.
The main event of Friday’s card on Paramount Network, and simulcast on DAZN, will feature a heavyweight headliner, where former Bellator Grand Prix Semifinalist Matt Mitrione (13-6) faces Russian knockout artist Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC). Rounding out the stacked main card will see undefeated Logan Storley (9-0) meet SBG Dublin’sIon Pascu (18-9) at welterweight, former Bellator bantamweight champ Eduardo Dantas (20-6) return from injury to meet Hawaii’s Toby Misech (12-6) at 135-pounds, and the electric Mike Kimbel (2-0) making his main card debut against Rhode Island’s John Douma (3-1). The opener of Bellator 215 will be the promotional debut of Austin Vanderford (6-0), who looks to remain undefeated against Cody Jones (6-2), a winner of four consecutive fights.
The prelims for Bellator 215: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov will be highlighted by a women’s featherweight contest featuring Amber Leibrock(3-2) against Amanda Bell (5-5), as well as top heavyweight prospect Steve Mowry (5-0) taking on Darion Abbey (Pro Debut).
A mere 24-hours later, Bellator 216 will take place exclusively on DAZN and will be headlined by one of the most intense grudge matches in MMA history. On Saturday, Feb. 16,undefeated Michael “Venom” Page (13-0) will enter the Bellator cage against 58-fight professional Paul “Semtex” Daley (40-16-2) in a first-round fight of Bellator’s Welterweight World Grand Prix. The co-main event is a rematch between two heavyweights who undoubtedly will go down in the sport’s history books, when Mirko Cro Cop (37-11-2, 1 NC) makes his Bellator debut against Roy “Big Country” Nelson (23-16).
In addition, a No. 1 contender’s bout to determine who will face newly crowned heavyweight kingpin Ryan Bader will pit Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) against undefeated, longtime former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov (21-0). An intriguing welterweight encounter between Yaroslav Amosov (20-0) and the always-excitingErick Silva (20-9, 1 NC) is also official, as is the professional debut of multi-time taekwondo champion Valerie Loureda, when she meets Oklahoma’s Colby Fletcher (1-2) in the main card opener.
As if that wasn’t enough top-flight action, Tyrell Fortune (5-0), one of Bellator’s top homegrown prospects returns to the Bellator cage against Ryan Pokryfky (6-5) in the featured preliminary bout of Bellator 216: MVP vs. Daley.
Bellator: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov will be broadcast Friday, February 15 on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will stream LIVE on DAZN. Bellator: MVP vs. Daley will stream exclusively on DAZN on Saturday, February 16 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Preliminary action for both events will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
Tickets for both events are available now and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Fans can save when they purchase tickets to both events through the “Back-to-Back Pack!” Please visit Ticketmaster.com for more details.
Complete Bellator 215: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov Main Card:
Heavyweight Main Event Bout:Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC)
Welterweight Co-Main Event: Logan Storley (9-0) vs. Ion Pascu (18-9)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Eduardo Dantas (20-6) vs. Toby Misech (12-6)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Mike Kimbel (2-0) vs. John Douma (3-1)
175-Pound Catchweight Main Card Bout: Austin Vanderford (6-0) vs. Cody Jones (6-2)
Preliminary Card:
Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Mowry (5-0) vs. Darion Abbey (Pro Debut)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Amber Leibrock (3-2) vs. Amanda Bell (5-5)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Pat McCrohan (3-2) vs. Jason Markland (Debut)
Atomweight Preliminary Bout: Tabatha Watkins (3-0) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (4-1)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Pete Rogers (3-4) vs. Jason Rine (1-4)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Matt Probin (3-0) vs. Ali Zebian (1-0)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Zarrukh Adashev (1-1) vs. Ronie Arana (0-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Billy Goff (1-0) vs. Ryan Hardy (Pro Debut)
Complete Bellator 216: MVP vs. Daley Main Card:
Welterweight World Grand Prix Matchup:Michael Page (13-0) vs. Paul Daley (40-16-2)
Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Mirko Cro Cop (37-11-2, 1 NC) vs. Roy Nelson (23-16)
Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) vs. Vitaly Minakov (21-0)
Welterweight Main Card Bout: Yaroslav Amosov (20-0) vs. Erick Silva (20-9, 1 NC)
Flyweight Main Card Bout: Valerie Loureda (Pro Debut) vs. Colby Fletcher (1-2)
Preliminary Card:
Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Tyrell Fortune (5-0) vs. Ryan Pokryfky (6-5)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Patrick Casey (4-0) vs. Nekruz Mirkhojaev (3-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Vinicius De Jesus (6-2) vs. Rodolpho Barcellos (1-0)
RORY MACDONALD DEFENDS WORLD TITLE AGAINST JON FITCH IN OPENING ROUND OF WELTERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX
ALSO, UNDEFEATED FLYWEIGHT CHAMP ILIMA-LEI MACFARLANE MEETS VETA ARTEAGA IN THE CO-MAIN EVENT
LOS ANGELES – The fourth and final opening round matchup in the Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix will feature Bellator’s current welterweight champion Rory MacDonald (20-5) defending his title in the tournament against Jon Fitch(31-7-1, 1 NC) when Bellator returns to the Bay Area inside SAP Center at San Jose on Saturday, April 27.
In addition, undefeated Bellator flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane(9-0) will return to action against Boise, Idaho’s Veta Arteaga(5-2) in the co-headliner. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.
An exclusive online presale for this event takes place Wednesday, Jan. 30 through Thursday, Jan. 31, with tickets going on sale to the general public on Friday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets will be available at the ThreatMetrix Ticket Office at SAP Center at San Jose, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
Bellator: MacDonald vs. Fitch will stream live exclusively on DAZN, the fastest-growing sports streaming service in the world, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
Inarguably one of the greatest 170-pound fighters walking the planet, Rory MacDonald returns to the welterweight division following a once-in-a-lifetime “champion vs. champion” matchup against Gegard Mousasi in 2018. Now, “The Red King” sets his sights on one million dollars and clearing the landscape at welterweight, entering a tournament where he will defend his belt each and every time he steps inside the cage. First up for the British Columbia, Canada-native is Jon Fitch, a 40-fight veteran who has gone toe-to-toe with the some of the sport’s best, including Georges St-Pierre, B.J. Penn, Jake Shields and Paul Daley. Now, close to home, the AKA trained-fighter will have his first shot at Bellator gold.
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane closed out 2018 in style, remaining undefeated and defending her title in front of a sold-out Blaisdell Arena during Bellator’s debut in Hawaii. Finishing Valerie Letourneau via submission was the toughest test of the 28-year-old’s budding career, but now it’s back to business for the only flyweight champion in Bellator history, as she puts her belt on the line against Veta Arteaga in the co-main event. A native of Boise, Idaho, Arteaga has called Bellator home since 2016, when she made her promotional debut against Macfarlane’s Team Hurricane Awesome teammate Jackie Vandenburgh, a fight she won via unanimous decision. Now, after racking up three more victories, including wins against Bellator Kickboxing champion Denise Kielholtz and former flyweight title challenger Emily Ducote, 31-year-old Arteaga is ready for her opportunity to become champion.
Updated Bellator: MacDonald vs. Fitch Fight Card:
Welterweight World Grand Prix Title Bout: Rory MacDonald (20-5) vs. Jon Fitch (31-7-1, 1 NC)
Flyweight World Title Bout: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (9-0) vs. Veta Arteaga (5-2)
LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to the “Fabulous” Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on Jan. 26 has been completed with a five-fight main card and 11 preliminary contests.
The main event of the card will feature the Finals of the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix, where the greatest heavyweight of all-time Fedor Emelianenko (38-5, 1 NC) faces current light heavyweight champ Ryan Bader (26-5) for the Bellator world heavyweight title. The co-main event will feature the highly touted prospect Aaron Pico (4-1) against the always-tough Henry Corrales (16-3) at featherweight.
In addition, professional wrestling superstar Jake Hager begins his MMA career against J.W. Kiser (1-1) at heavyweight, Juan Archuleta (21-1) squares off with Ricky Bandejas (11-1) in a battle of surging bantamweights and Adel Altamimi(7-5), a coach with Jay Glazer’s Merging Vets and Players program, will make his Bellator debut against Brandon McMahan (5-6) in the main card opener. The prelims for Bellator 214: Fedor vs. Bader will feature the anticipated MMA debut of jiu-jitsu ace A.J. Agazarm (0-0) against Jesse Roberts (0-0), as well as the Bellator debut of 2016 Greco-Roman Word team member Chris Gonzalez(1-0) taking on Henry Mendez (0-1) and Lyoto Machida-training partner, Weber Almeida (1-0), facing Odan Chinchilla (1-0) at bantamweight.
Tickets for Bellator 214: Fedor vs. Bader are on sale now and can be purchased at the Forum box office, as well as Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will be simulcast live on DAZN. Preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
Complete Bellator: Fedor vs. Bader Fight Card:
Heavyweight World Grand Prix Finals Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko(38-5, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Bader (26-5)
Featherweight Co-Main Event: Aaron Pico (4-1) vs. Henry Corrales (16-3)
ALSO, TICKETS FOR BELLATOR: KORESHKOV VS. LARKIN ON SALE THIS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14
LOS ANGELES – Bellator returns to Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. on Friday, March 29 with an exciting welterweight clash, as former 170-pound world champion Andrey Koreshkov (21-3) squares off against Southern California native Lorenz Larkin (20-7, 1 NC) in the headliner.
Tickets for the event go on sale this Friday, December 14 and will be available at the Pechanga box office, as well as Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and Pechanga.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and simulcast on DAZN.com, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Hailing from Omsk, Russia, 28-year-old Andrey Koreshkov will enter this bout on the heels of a 23-minute marathon with Douglas Lima in the opening round of the Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix only a few months ago. “Spartan” will be making his 16th career appearance for Bellator and his first of his 2019 campaign. Since joining Bellator, Koreshkov has tallied a dozen victories over his six-year stint, emphasized by a welterweight world title win over former division king Douglas Lima at Bellator 140. Training alongside another former Bellator champion inAlexander Shlemenko, Koreshkov has earned 21 career wins over 24 bouts, including 15 finishes since making his professional debut in 2010. Of his 15 finishes, 12 have come by way of knockout and 10 via first-round KO, making the Russian knockout artist one of the toughest tests Larkin has ever faced. Koreshkov will look to add to an already impressive professional resume when he returns to action at Pechanga Resort Casino on March 29.
Larkin enters a pivotal main event matchup following a pair of victories over Fernando Gonzalez at Bellator 193 and Ion Pascu at Bellator 207. The official alternate in Bellator’s Welterweight World Grand Prix, “Da Monsoon” has held his own against the promotion’s elite, also competing against Douglas Lima and Paul Daley. Proudly hailing from Riverside, Calif., Pechanga Resort Casino provides an ideal site for the Millenia MMA-product to extend his current winning streak and put on a show for a raucous partisan crowd. With 11 of his 20 career victories coming via knockout, the 32-year-old striker hopes to add yet another former champion to his list of victims when he takes on Koreshkov in Temecula.
Updated Bellator: Koreshkov vs.Larkin Fight Card:
Welterweight Main Event: Andrey Koreshkov (21-3) vs. Lorenz Larkin (20-7, 1 NC)
FRIDAY NIGHT HEADLINED BY MATT MITRIONE VS. SERGEI KHARITONOV IN HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH
SATURDAY’S CARD TO FEATURE ‘MVP’ VS. PAUL DALEY IN WELTERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX GRUDGE MATCH & A HEAVYWEIGHT NO. 1 CONTENDER’S BOUT PITTING CHEICK KONGO AGAINST VITALY MINAKOV
LOS ANGELES –On February 15 and 16, Bellator returns to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. for two back-to-back nights of exciting MMA action.
On Friday, the event will be anchored by a heavyweight battle between Matt Mitrione (13-6) and Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC), while Saturday’s show will see the long-awaited matchup between Michael “Venom” Page (13-0) and Paul Daley (40-16-2) headline in a Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix opening round pairing. In addition, the card will also see a heavyweight No. 1 contender’s bout between Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) and undefeated former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov (21-0).
Tickets for both events are available early through an exclusive Bellator Nation pre-sale beginning Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday, Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Fans can save when they purchase tickets to both events through the “Back-to-Back Pack!” Please visit Ticketmaster.com for more details.
Bellator: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov will be broadcast Friday, February 15 on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will stream LIVE on DAZN.
Bellator: MVP vs. Daley will stream exclusively on DAZN on Saturday, February 16 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Preliminary action for both events will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.
Fresh off an impressive semi-final run in Bellator’s Heavyweight World Grand Prix, Matt Mitrione returns to action on February 15 against a true veteran in Sergei Kharitonov. The former Purdue football defensive lineman splits his training between Indianapolis and Combat Club in South Florida, and is in the best shape of his fighting career. Recently, Mitrione has defeated Roy Nelson and Fedor Emelianenko, adding to an already-impressive list of career victories.The man dubbed “The Paratrooper,” Kharitonov is the owner of an equally notable MMA resume, with the 38-year-old scoring wins against some of the sport’s most marquee names, including an incredible performance against Roy Nelson, as well as Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Pedro Rizzo, Murilo “Ninja” Rua and Alistair Overeem.
One of the most unorthodox strikers to ever compete for Bellator, “MVP” has steadily worked his way up the welterweight ranks since signing with the organization in 2013. Known for his antics both inside the cage and out, every Michael Page fight is must-see entertainment. With an undefeated record of 13-0, and 11 of those victories coming by stoppage, the 31-year-old out of London Shootfighters finally meets up with fellow Brit and longtime rival, Paul Daley. A veteran of Strikeforce, UFC and BAMMA, Nottingham’s Daley has competed professionally since 2003. Throughout his career, “Semtex” has been one half of some of the most memorable bouts in MMA history, including a knockout of the year over Brennan Ward in 2017.
A rematch of Bellator 115, Cheick Kongo will look for redemption against Bellator’s longest reigning heavyweight champion, when Vitaly Minakov returns for his first fight with the promotion since 2014. A winner of seven straight, including two consecutive first-round knockouts over Timothy Johnson and Javy Ayala, Kongo has earned the opportunity to compete in a No. 1 contender’s bout. Undefeated as a professional, Minakov earned a victory against Alexander Volkov, as well as a previous win against Kongo, in his previous Bellator stint, and later continued his winning ways in Russia against “Bigfoot” Silva and Tony Johnson. The two now meet to determine who will go on to face the winner of Fedor Emelianenko and Ryan Bader.
Updated Bellator: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov Fight Card:
Heavyweight Main Event Bout:Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC)
Updated Bellator: MVP vs. Daley Fight Card:
Welterweight World Grand Prix Matchup:Michael Page (13-0) vs. Paul Daley (40-16-2)
Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) vs. Vitaly Minakov (21-0)
