Qeb Archives: mixed martial arts

mixed martial arts, MMA, NBC, Ntiaj teb Series ntawm sib ntaus

WSOF26: Tyrone Spong Injured, Five Undercard Bouts Announced

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Jake Heun (left) will square off with Clinton Williams in a WSOF26 preliminary card bout on Friday, Dec. 18. Heun’s original opponent, Tyrone Spong, was forced to withdraw from the matchup due to injury. Photo credit: Steve Bauzen/World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING
ANNOUNCES FIVE MATCHUPS FOR WSOF26 UNDERCARD
FRIDAY, DEC. 18 AT THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS

TYRONE SPONG WITHDRAWS FROM WSOF26 DUE TO INJURY;
JAKE HEUN TO FACE CLINTON WILLIAMS

Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Danny Davis, ❏ Jr ❏. in welterweight undercard attraction
Hakeem Dawodu vs. Marat Magomedov in battle of undefeated featherweights
Andreas Spang vs. Shamil Gamzatov in light heavyweight matchup
Gil Guardado vs. Giga Chikadze in lightweight collision

Four-fight world championship main card airs live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

LAS VEGAS (Dec. 2, 2015) – Ntiaj teb Series ntawm sib ntaus has announced five bouts for the preliminary card of its much-anticipated “WSOF26: Palmer vs. Almeida” world championship event at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas rau Hnub vas Xuv, Dec. 18, live on NBCSN, tom 9 p.m. LI / 6 p.m. PT.

tsis tas li ntawd, an injury has forced Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong to withdraw from his scheduled light heavyweight (205 pounds) co-main event bout with Jake Heun (7-4) of Coconut Creek, Fla., who will now face Clinton Williams (10-2) of Las Vegas in a preliminary card matchup.

The preliminary card will stream live in its entirety, on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com, pib thaum uas muaj 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Also featured on the undercard bill will be ib welterweight (170 pounds) showdown between Abubakar Nurmagomedov, who will return to the decagon cage after a successful World Series of Fighting debut, to face Danny “Dee1” Davis, ❏ Jr ❏.

Nurmagomedov (10-1) of Dagestan, Russia earned a unanimous decision overJorge Moreno at WSOF22 on August 1. The bout marked the first time in his career that Nurmagomedov, whose previous nine victories all came by way of (T)KO or submission, required the judges’ scorecards to declare him the victor of a fight.

Davis Jr. (11-9-1) of Las Vegas is looking to return to the win column after a close, split decision loss to Matthew Frincu at WSOF23 on September 18, snapped a five-fight win streak that Davis, ❏ Jr ❏. had been riding. The last three wins in Davis’ run all came under the World Series of Fighting banner.

In a light heavyweight (205 pounds) attraction, aggressive-minded finisherAndreas “Sweet Swede” Spang will battle undefeated wrecking machineShamil Gamzatov.

Fighting out of Las Vegas where he trains under guru “One Kick” Nick Blomgren, the 37-year-old Spang, who has earned six of nine career wins by way of (T)KO or submission, will enter the cage for the first time in 2015. In his last effort, he notched a unanimous decision over J.A. Dudley on December 5, 2014.

Also making his first start of the year, the 25-year-old Gamzatov (9-0) of Makhachkala, Russia is the number four ranked light heavyweight in Ukraine. To date, all of his victories have come by way of (T)KO or submission.

In a matchup between two fearsome, undefeated featherweights (145 pounds) rising stars, Hakeem “Mean” Dawodu will lock horns with Marat Magomedov.

Dawodu (5-0) of Calgary, Alberta, Canada is a 24-year-old protégé of renowned Muay Thai master Mike Miles and a five-time veteran of World Series of Fighting competition. To date, Dawodu has scored (T)KO victories on all five of his opponents, including his last two adversaries – Tristan Johnson thiab Chuka Willis – whom he defeated by way of third round (1:59) TKO (punches) on February 12, and by way of second round (2:55) TKO (knees and elbows) on June 5, respectively.

Magomedov (7-0) of Dagestan, Russia is looking for his second win of 2015 after finishing Husanboy Ataghanov by way of first round (4:35) submission (rear-naked choke) on September 18. The 25-year-old has been taken the distance of a fight only once, earning all six of his other career wins via submission.

Nyob rau hauv the opening WSOF26 preliminary card bout, Gil Guardado will mix it up withGiga Chikadze at lightweight.

Guardado (4-1) of Las Vegas is a 30-year-old member of Xtreme Couture’s fight team seeking his second win of the year after submitting Pete Martin with a guillotine choke in the first round (3:31) of their bout at WSOF22. All four of Guardado’s wins to date have come by way of (T)KO or submission.

Chikadze (1-0) of Huntington Beach, Calif. via Tbisili, Georgia is a 27-year-old seasoned kickboxer who has twice competed for Glory where he holds a record of 1-1 and scored a first round KO on Ken Tran on May 8.

Priced from $29.99, tickets are available for purchase atwww.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com, www.WSOF.com los sis www.ticketmaster.com.

In the world championship featherweight main event, reigning kingpin Lance Palmer (10-1) will square off with submission expert Alexandre Almeida (17-5).

In other action on the four-bout, live NBCSN telecast, hard-hitting, rising star Ozzy Dugulubgov (7-2) will meet streaking submission ace Nic Herron-Webb (18-6) in a lightweight scrap.

Former World Series of Fighting championship challenger Josh “Gentleman” Hill (12-1) will collide with undefeated sensation Bekbulat Magomedov (16-0) in a bantamweight matchup.

Leading off the live NBCSN telecast will be a featherweight affair between accomplished KO artist Robbie “Problems” Peralta (18-6) who will make his World Series of Fighting debut against hard-hitting Muay Thai stylist Sheymon Moraes (7-1).

Doors at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas will open for WSOF26 at 3 p.m. PT and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 3:30 p.m.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING
“Ntiaj teb Series ntawm sib ntaus” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “Ntiaj teb Series ntawm sib ntaus” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries. WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS HITS HOLLYWOOD!

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First U.S. Hispanic MMA franchise brings live televised
“Road To The Championship” fight series to Los Angeles on Hnub peb, Dec. 16

“Sexy Mexy” faces “Kiko” Lopez in bantamweight main event
Ricky Palacios battles Anthony Paredes in bantamweight co-main event

Kyra Batara squares off with Liz McCarthy in women’s atomweight action

Live, four-fight NBC UNIVERSO telecast begins at 11 p.m. LI/8 p.m. PT

Tickets on sale now

NEW YORK – December 1, 2015 – Combate Americas, the first-ever U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise founded by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-creator Campbell McLaren, today announced that it will make its debut in Los Angeles, Calif. with a stellar, nine-bout fight card at Florentine Gardens, live on NBC UNIVERSO, the modern entertainment and sports cable channel for Latinos, rau Hnub peb, Dec. 16 tom 11 p.m. LI/8 p.m. PT.

“This event represents Combate Americas coming of age, and presenting a lineup that is second to none with a collection of the brightest up-and-coming Hispanic fighters in the U.S.,” said McLaren.

Priced from $40, tickets for “Premier Insurance Services and Aspira Mas Present Combate Americas: Road To The Championship Hollywood,” are on sale atwww.HollywoodFightNight.com.

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) main event of the live, four-fight telecast on NBC Universo, John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda, fresh off his victory at the inaugural “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event in Las Vegas, Nev. rau September 17, will square off with fellow striking sensation Federico “Kiko” Lopez.

The 23-year-old Castaneda (8-2), a seasoned striker who hails from Mankato, Minn., earned his third consecutive victory in the form of a unanimous decision over Justin Governale in the Combate Americas cage.

A 31-year-old member of Team Quest, Lopez (10-5) of Murrieta, Calif. is riding a five fight win streak, with four of those victories having come by way of either (T)KO or submission.

In the bantamweight co-main event, Combate Americas reality television series star and power puncher Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios will square off with dangerous scrapper Anthony Paredes of Murrieta.

Palacios (5-1), a 28-year-old resident of Mission, Texas who also boasts an unblemished professional boxing record of 2-0-1, scored a thunderous, first round (1:00) KO on Benji Gomez with a head kick at the “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event on September 17, while the 26-year-old Paredes, another member of Team Quest, is looking to return to the win column after suffering a loss in July that snapped a two-fight win streak.

In a featured women’s atomweight (105 pounds) attraction on the live telecast,Kyra “Mogwai” Batara will collide with “Lightning Liz McCarthy.

Fighting out of Las Vegas, Batara (3-3) is a 21-year-old protégé of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guru Eddie Bravo. During the “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event in Las Vegas, Batara pulled off a stunning upset win via unanimous decision over Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc, a former world championship challenger with five times as many professional bouts as Batara.

The 29-year-old McCarthy (2-3), also fighting out of Las Vegas, is a four-time veteran of Invicta FC, the world’s premier all-women’s MMA league. Prior to her professional debut at Invicta FC 2 where she defeated Jessica Philippus by way of first round (5:00) TKO (doctor stoppage) on July 28, 2012, McCarthy amassed a perfect, 6-0 record as an amateur.

The live NBC UNIVERSO telecast will kick off with a featherweight (145 pounds) matchup between Urijah Faber protégé and prolific finisher Erick Sanchez (5-2) of Sacramento, Calif. and fellow rising star “Ruthless” Rudy Morales (3-3) of Las Vegas.

The complete, five-bout preliminary card for “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship Hollywood” will be announced soon.

Doors at Florentine Gardens open at 5 p.m. PT for the event, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m.
Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New hais Fights

POPULAR DEMAND WINS OUT; IMMEDIATE REMATCH ORDERED FOR NEF 21

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Lewiston, Maine (Hlis ntuj nqeg 2, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS” rau Hnub vas xaum, Lub ob hlis ntuj 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card is scheduled to feature both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur female strawweight fight to the MMA portion of the card. Randi Beth Boyington (1-2) is scheduled to face Erin Lamonte (5-0).

 

The bout will be a rematch from “NEF XX” last month in Lewiston. The previous fight ended with a first-round submission victory for Lamonte. Veteran referee John English stopped the bout when it appeared as though Lamonte had an armbar locked in deep on Boyington. Per the Unified Rules of Amateur MMA, as adopted in Maine, a referee is allowed to stop a bout on a technical submission to prevent injury to a fighter.

 

Shortly after English stopped the fight, Boyington popped out of the armbar and began to vehemently protest the call. Her fans and supporters in the audience were incensed. They contended that Boyington was in the process of breaking free of the hold, and therefore the fight should have continued.

 

“Before the next fight even made it to the cage, we had at least a half-dozen messages on our Facebook page demanding a rematch,” recalled NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “Our fans are passionate. If the fans want it, and the fighters want it, then we will do a rematch. It’s as simple as that.”

 

Tus February 6th rematch will not be the first time a Boyington has had the opportunity to avenge a controversial submission finish in the NEF cage. Randi’s husband and trainer, current NEF MMA Professional MMA Lightweight Champion Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (12-8), defeated John “First Class” Raio (2-8) earlier this year via second-round TKO. That bout was a rematch of a February 2014 fight in which Raio submitted Bruce in a controversial stoppage by referee Jimmy Bickford.

 

Lamonte sees things quite differently, and is certain that she will defeat Randi for the second time at “NEF 21.”

 

“I’m excited to get back in there with Randi Beth for NEF 21,” said Lamonte. “I submitted her in front of her fans once before, I sure don’t mind doing it again. This time I will lose the empathy factor as I see the ref circling, and I’ll just go at the finish 100%. She should be thanking me and the ref that she wasn’t maimed that night. I could be a poor sport and say a few things about Randi, as she and her fans have about me and the finish, but my mother taught me better than that.February 6th, I will prove, again, who the better fighter is in the NEF cage.”

 

I’m ecstatic to be closed in the cage with Erin Lamonte on Feb 6th,” exclaimed Randi Beth Boyington when reached for comment. “I’ll be returning with a vengeance to correct a fight that was stopped too early. I’m looking to end this fight the way it should have ended on November 21st because my parents taught me: when you start something, finish it!”

 

New hais Fights’ next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS,” takes placeHnub vas xaum, Lub ob hlis ntuj 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Daim pib mus “NEF 21” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. tsis tas li ntawd, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New hais Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Tua Network, Judo, martial arts, mixed martial arts, wrestling

FIGHT NETWORK MMA, KICKBOXING, WRESTLING & JUDO PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2015)

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(U.S. only schedules unless otherwise indicated. For full Canadian schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com from your region.)
Tua Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, boxing, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.
Below find highlights of this week’s programming:

 

Monday, Nov. 30
6:00 p.m. LI — Global Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around the global wrestling scene, including interviews, features, the latest news and results, plus a look back at the past.
6:30 p.m. LI – Judo Zagreb Grand Prix Highlights – Highlights from the Judo Zagreb Grand Prix from Tej zaum 1-3, 2015 in Croatia.
7:30 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
9:00 p.m. LI – GFL Greatest Knockouts – Compilation show of boxing, MMA and kickboxing knockouts.
11:00 LI – 5 Rounds – Fight Network’s John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to breakdown the weekend of MMA action.
Hnub, Dec. 1
12:00 p.m. LI – GFL Greatest Knockouts – Compilation show of boxing, MMA and kickboxing knockouts.
2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. LI – 5 Rounds – Fight Network’s John Ramadeen and Robin Black invite special guests to breakdown the weekend of MMA action.
5:00 & 5:30 p.m. LI – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based pro MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.
6:00 p.m. LI – 5 Rounds Today – Video podcast with John Ramdeen and Robin Black breaking down a wide variety of topics in the MMA world, including previews of upcoming events and all the latest rumors and headlines.
8:30 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
9:00 p.m. LI – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and others.
10:00 p.m. LI – Ring of Combat 50 – Featuring George Sheppard vs. Jeff Lentz, Phillipe Nover vs. Dan Cion, Julio Arce vs. Thomas Vasquez and Chris Piriz vs. Leo Muniz from Jan. 23, 2015 in Atlantic City,
NJ.
Hnub peb, Dec. 2
5:00 p.m. LI – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star State’s top prospects in the cage.
6:00 p.m. LI – Best of Cage Rage – Featuring classic fights from the OK-based Cage Rage organization with Anderson Silva, Antonio Silva, Vitor Belfort, Paul Daley and others.
7:00 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and feature.
7:30 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
8:00 p.m. LI – Cage Warriors Fighting Championships 63 – Featuring Stevie Ray vs. Ivan Buchinger for the lightweight title, plus Jim Alers vs. Graham Turner for the featherweight title from Dec. 31, 2013 in Dublin, Ireland.
10:30 p.m. LI – Cage Contender FanZone – A trip into the archives of the UK-based Cage Contender to relive the promotion’s best fights and highlights.
11:00 p.m. LI – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.
11:30 p.m. LI – World Combat Games Day 1 Highlights – Highlights from Day 1 of the 2013 SportAccord World Combat Games from Oct. 19, 2013 in St. Petersburg, Zog ntawm Guj kuj,
Hnub plaub, Dec. 3
1:30 a.m., 4:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. LI – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews.
2:00 a.m. LI – Ultimate Challenge MMA 36: Kinslow vs. Chapman – Featuring Carl Kinslow vs. Nick Chapman from Oct. 5, 2013 in London.
6:00 p.m. LI – Championship Fighting Alliance – Pro MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkie, Luis Palomino and others.
8:00 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and feature.
8:30 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
9:00 p.m. LI – KSW 33: Khalidov vs. Materia – Featuring Mamed Khalidov vs. Michal Materia for the KSW middleweight title and Michael Kita vs. Karol Bedorf for the KSW heavyweight title from Nov. 28, 2015 in Krakow, Poland.
Hnub vas Xuv, Dec. 4
12:00 a.m. LI — It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan.
12:30 p.m. LI – M 1 sib tw 63: Puetz vs. Nemkov 2 – LIVE MMA from St. Petersburg, Zog ntawm Guj kuj, featuring Stephan Puetz defending his M-1 light heavyweight title vs. Viktor Nemkov.
5:00 p.m. LI – Fighting Rookies – Aspiring kickboxers climb the ladder of success in the sport as rookies compete for a chance to become professionals and get experience needed to succeed at a higher level.
6:00 p.m. LI – M 1 sib tw – Pro MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.
7:00 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and feature.
7:30 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
8:00 p.m. LI – Toe 2 Toe with Luke Rockhold – Sitdown interview with current UFC star and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold.
8:30 p.m. LI – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m vy 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.
9:00 p.m. LI – KSW 28: Fighters’ Den – Featuring Karol Bedorf vs. Rolles Gracie for the KSW heavyweight title from Oct. 4, 2014 in Szcecin, Poland.
Hnub vas xaum, Dec. 5
6:00 a.m. LI — Best of TKO – Featuring Shonie Carter vs. Jason MacDonald from TKO 21.
7:00 a.m. LI – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Joe Stevenson vs. Kai Kamaka from Gladiator Challenge 2.
8:00 a.m. LI – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest. Hosted by UFC veterans Matt LIndland and Chael Sonnen. This episode features Brian Caraway and Ian Loveland in action.
5:00 p.m. LI – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.
6:00 p.m. LI – Enfusion Live #34: Holland – Featuring Artur Kyshenko vs. Hicham El Gaoul, plus Ilias Bulaid vs. Houcine Bennoui for the Enfusion -67 kg world championship from Nov. 21, 2015.
8:00 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and feature.
8:30 p.m. LI – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
9:00 p.m. LI – M 1 sib tw 63: Puetz vs. Nemkov 2 – Featuring Stephan Puetz defending his M-1 light heavyweight title vs. Viktor Nemkov from Dec. 4, 2015 in St. Petersburg, Zog ntawm Guj kuj.
Hnub xya, Dec. 6
11:00 a.m. LI – Best of ADCC– Features compilations of the greatest grappling matches ever held, featuring Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Eddie Bravo, Fabricio Werdum, Marcelo Garcia, Ronaldo Souza and Royler Gracie.
12:00 p.m. LI – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters taking on the renowned Thailand National Team.
1:00 p.m. LI – Legend 3: Pour Homme – Featuring hybrid MMNA/kickboxing action from Milan, Italy, including Armen Petrosyan, Andy Souwer and Pavel Zhuravlev and Paul Daley from Apr. 5, 2014.
5:00 p.m. LI – Global Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casper gives weekly news and analysis centering around the global wrestling scene, including interviews, features, the latest news and results, plus a look back at the past.
5:30 p.m. LI – Judo Baku Grand Slam – Highlights from the Judo Baku Grand Slam from May 8-10, 2015 in Azerbaijan
6:00 p.m. LI – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend FFC, M-1 and more.
Information:
Twitter & Instagram @fightnet
mixed martial arts

RIZIN FF Announces Tournament Brackets, Matchups for Eight-Man Heavyweight Tournament on December 29 thiab 31

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Fighters comment on the highly-anticipated tournament that will award its winner a $300,000 grand prize

TOKYO, JAPAN (Nov. 30, 2015) –A drawing to determine the tournament brackets and first stage matchups for the RIZIN FIGHTING GRAND-PRIX 2015 eight-man, heavyweight tournament that will take place over the course of two days – Hlis ntuj nqeg 29 and December 31 – and will award its winner a grand prize of $300,000, was held today in Tokyo.

BAMMA Heavyweight Champion Mark Godbeer, who had been scheduled to compete in the tournament, was forced to withdraw due to a neck injury sustained in training. BAMMA will announce a replacement fighter for the tournament soon.

Prior to the drawing, Chairman Nobuyuki Sakakibara stated, “This tournament will be the highlight of RIZIN. Fighters from around the world who are proud to represent their promotion and country, and are eager to use this platform to boost their career to make a name for themselves have gathered in the tournament. The majority of the media who gathered today may not know much about these athletes, but when K-1 first kicked off in 1993, nobody knew about Branko Cikatić los sis Mike Bernardo. The fighters who open up the new doors are those who exceed their expectations.”

The seven contestants slated for tournament action appeared at the press conference. Each drew an envelope numbered one through seven, and those who drew numbers one through four received the opportunity to choose their respective places in the tournament draw.

The first stage tournament matchups will be as follows:

Bout # 1: Lawal vs BAMMA fighter
Bout # 2: Aukstuolis vs Cappelozza,
Bout # 3 Ishii vs Prochazka,
Bout # 4: Reljic vs Nemkov.

A tournament reserve bout between Valentine Moldovsky and Yuta Uchida was also announced during the press conference.

Fighter Quotes:

– 1st Pick = “King Mo” Lawal – selected Slot A

“I am honored to fight for RIZIN. I am excited to showcase my skills in front of the Japanese fans and get the job done. I’m happy to be able to pick number one. I’m always number one. I’m in a position where others will pick me, my job is to crush whoever stands next to me.”

““I currently don’t have an opponent, but I’m sure that BAMMA will send a good fighter for me. But unfortunately whoever comes will get smashed so he better be prepared. I think Ishii made a smart choice by avoiding me and my bracket. Good for him.”

“That’s a lot of money! I’d buy a bunch of ice cream, some nice clothes, and go to Disney World and see a bunch of movies. I’d go to Vegas and party, and buy tons of gold accessories.”
– 2nd Pick = Teodoras Aukstuolis (BUSHIDO Europe Champion) – selected Slot C

“I am grateful to be given such an opportunity. At this level of competition, you have to be ready to fight anybody so I don’t care who my opponent will be. I believe in myself and am ready to fight anybody.”

“For me, becoming the champion in more important than the money. Money will follow as a result of being a true champion. My mind is set to win the tournament.”

“The reason why I am here is because I believe in myself. I will fight to represent my small country. My opponent has wild striking but there is no reason why I would lose. I will put on a show and come out victorious.”

– 3rd Pick = Goran Reljic (Former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion) – selected Slot G

“I don’t care who fights me. My dream since I was a kid was to fight in Japan, and I am living the dream right now, my goal is to show my best performance on New Years Eve.”

“I like the matchup. I’ve been training with Sambo world champion Blagoi Ivanov and am familiar with the Sambo fight style. I know he comes from a great team, but I will be ready to take anything he has to offer so it will be a good fight.”

“I am living a childhood dream. I am more focused on continuing my journey on my dream to become a champion in Japan. I will think of what to do with the money once I achieve my goal.”

– 4th Pick = Satoshi Ishii (Beijing Olympics Judo Gold medalist) – selected Slot E

“Preparation is good. I will not feel that a fight is a fight, the battle on NYE has just begun.”

“My plan is to invest half of the prize money in gambling and will donate the rest.”

“This was a good offer that I could not turn down. An MMA tournament, Good opponents, good prize money. I don’t want to focus too much on winning the tournament because that will affect my mental game, so I will focus on one fight at a time.”

– 5th Pick = Bruno Cappelozza (Jungle Fight 100kg Champion) – selected Slot D

“I really don’t know any of the fighters here today, so I will choose my opponent and hope I’m lucky.”

“That type of big money will change my life and my family’s life. And also becoming a champion. Those two aspects will be huge accomplishments for me.”

“It has been my dream to fight in Japan. I do not know too much about my opponent, but I’m sure we will both be prepared for an exciting fight. I think this will be an excellent fight.”

– 6th Pick = Vadim Nemkov (MMA Union Heavyweight Champion) – selected Slot H

“I will be representing Sambo. I would like to show the beauty of Sambo and the art of Sambo.”

– 7th Pick = Jiri Prochazka (GCF Czech Light Heavyweight Champion) – selected Slot F“I am very excited to be able to show my skills in a country where the Samurai was born. I will not disappoint you.”

“Everybody here is tough. Since I will be fighting the hometown favorite, my fight will be gathering attention. I would like to use this opportunity and this challenge to become the next big thing.”

“It is so much money I do not know where to start. I believe that the money will come later. So as of now, my focus is to give it all I have to make RIZIN proud that they chose me for a participant.”

General Manager Nobuhiko Takada took the microphone after the drawing, “I am feeling a familiar, comfortable yet tense atmosphere right now. I am just excited to witness the birth of future stars. I hope Ishii can perform in a way where he will make us Japanese fans proud. Ishii’s first accomplishment was winning the gold medal, but we have not seen any outstanding results from him in MMA. I really hope he can use this opportunity to achieve the biggest accomplishment of his career.”
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Ntsia hlau loj TV

BELLATOR MMA ANNOUNCES FIRST OVERSEAS EVENT TO TAKE PLACE AT PALA ALPITOUR IN TORINO, ITALY ON APRIL 16, 2016

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Coker and Di Blasi

Above: Scott Coker and Carlo Di Blasi

 

PARIS (Nov. 27, 2015) – Not even an entire month after announcing plans to host multiple international events in 2016, Bellator MMA has come out with a date and location for its first foray across the pond. Bellator MMA President Scott Coker joined Oktagon Kickboxing President Carlo Di Blasi in Paris this afternoon to announce a co-promoted event set to take place on Tim 16 at the Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy.

The event will feature both Bellator MMA and Oktagon Kickboxing bouts, with the Bellator MMA portion airing in the United States on SPIKE. Exact broadcast information and fight card will be announced in the near future. Tickets for the event will be available at www.oktagon.it beginning December 14th 2015.

“We are very excited to be working side by side with my friend Carlo Di Blasi and his team,” said Coker. “Carlo is a great ally, and someone who I admire for all of the amazing work he has done in combat sports throughout Europe over the past twenty years. We look forward to putting on an amazing show for the Italian people, and fans tuning in from around the world when we combine our efforts on Tim 16 in Torino”

“Oktagon has had incredible success building a loyal and committed fanbase throughout Europe over the past twenty years,” said Di Blasi. “I know that these fans are going to really enjoy the exciting brand of MMA that Bellator offers when we partner with them on Tim 16.”

In conjunction with the fight announcement, Bellator MMA has signed one of Italy’s most notable mixed martial artists, Alessio Sakara (17-11, 2 NC MMA / 8-1 Thawv), who is expected to fight at the event. Sakara has competed as a middleweight, but recently returned to light heavyweight, scoring a TKO victory just 1:32 into his last outing this past September. The tattooed striker has always performed well in front of his countrymen, going 6-0 in MMA and 6-1 in boxing when fighting in Italy, and looks to add onto that success next April.

Bellator has had a record-shattering year in 2015 with Coker at the helm, powered by several major events including “Bellator: Kimbo vs. Shamrock,” which generated 2.9 million viewers and “Bellator: Dynamite 1,” which set company records for attendance and gate. The event in Torino marks Bellator’s first-ever event overseas, but it won’t be the last. In addition to the Torino event, Bellator MMA has announced plans for additional international events in London and Israel slated for 2016.

Oktagon Kickboxing has been a mainstay in combat sports for 20 years now, officially founded in 1996. Under the watchful eye of Di Blasi, the promotion has put on some memorable matchups throughout the years with top fighters including Bellator welterweight Paul Daley as well as The Petrosyan brothers (Giorgio and Armen), Robin Van Roosmalen, Valentijn Overeem, Rico Verhoeven and Artem Levin.

mixed martial arts, MMA, UFC

Fight Network Presents UFC Fight Night Seoul Main Card & Pre-Show LIVE

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TORONTO (November 26, 2015) — Tua Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents extensive coverage of UFC tua hmo ntuj™: Henderson vs. Masvidal qhov no Hnub vas xaum, November 28 from Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul, South Korea.
Fight Network will air the live UFC tua hmo ntuj™: Henderson vs. Masvidal main card exclusively in Canada at 8 a.m. LI. Encores will air in primetime at 9 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. PT for viewers on the West Coast.
Nyob rau hauv cov kev tshwm sim loj, former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson (22-5) seeks his second straight win at 170 pounds opposite battle-tested veteran Jorge Masvidal (29-9). Local welterweight superstar Dong Hyun Kim (20-3-1, 1NC) competes in the co-feature against late replacement Dominic Waters (9-3). Rounding out the main card, Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-5, 2NC) returns to South Korea for the first time since 2007 for a welterweight matchup with undefeated grappling ace Alberto Mina (11-0), while explosive South Korean knockout artist Doo Ho Choi (12-1) looks to build on an impressive promotional debut last November when he faces off with fellow featherweight Sam Sicilia (15-5), who carries a two-fight winning streak into the bout.
On Thursday, Nov. 26 tom 7 p.m. LI, Fight Network premieres a one-hour UFC® Fight Night Seoul Pre-Show, which features previews, predictions and analysis for the event, and also serves as a lead-in to the live prelims.
In addition to all the live events, Fight Network is the destination for UFC library content, specials and series, including UFC Unleashed, UFC Now, UFC Ultimate Insider and classic UFC PPV events.
This Hnub xya, Nov. 29 tom 9 p.m. LI, catch a full encore presentation of UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez from October 2010 in Anaheim, Calif., headlined by a showdown between champion Brock Lesnar and challenger Cain Velasquez for the UFC heavyweight championship, plus Jake Shields makes his UFC debut against Martin Kampmann, The Ultimate Fighter 1 winner Diego Sanchez collides with Paulo Thiago, pioneer Tito Ortiz clashes with former pupil Matt Hamill,thiab Brendan Schaub battles Gabriel Gonzaga in heavyweight action.
The full card for UFC tua hmo ntuj™: Henderson vs. Masvidal includes:
Main Card (Live on Fight Network, 8 a.m. LI):
-Benson Henderson (22-5) vs. Jorge Masvidal (29-9)
-Dong Hyun Kim (20-3-1, 1NC) vs. Dominic Waters (9-3)
-Yoshihiro Akiyama (14-5, 2NC) vs. Alberto Mina (11-0)
-Doo Ho Choi (12-1) vs. Sam Sicilia (15-5)
Preliminary Card (Live on UFC Fight Pass, 5 a.m. LI):
-Dongi Yang (12-3) vs. Jake Collier (9-2)
-Yui Chul Nam (18-5-1) vs. Mike De La Torre (13-5, 1NC)
-Tae Hyun Bang (17-9) vs. Leo Kuntz (17-2-1)
-Seohee Ham (15-6) vs. Cortney Casey (4-2)
-Yao Zhikui (2-3) vs. Fredy Serrano (2-0)
-Ning Guangyou (6-2-1) vs. Marco Beltran (6-4)
-Dominique Steele (13-6) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (13-6)
For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Ntsia hlau loj TV

EMMANUEL SANCHEZ-DANIEL PINEDA ADDED TO MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 149’

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MONICA RAUG, CALIF. (November 25) – A featherweight contest pitting Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) against Daniel Pineda (21-11) has been added to the SPIKE-televised main card of “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” rauFEB. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

 

The fight joins a card that already features a double main event — MMA legends Ken Shamrock thiab Royce Gracie meet for a third time and Kimbo Slice will fight the man who has been calling him out since their friendship ended years ago, Dhafir Harris, better known as “Dada 5000.”

 

Tickets for this mixed martial arts extravaganza start at just $30 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as HoustonToyotaCenter.com, Toyota Center Box Office, and Houston area Randall’s locations.

 

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” airs live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. LI/8 p.m. I, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Spike.com.

 

Sanchez has bounced back from a tough decision loss against former Bellator MMA Featherweight Champion Pat Curran with two wins against young, top-flight 145-pound talent, distancing himself from the title of prospect and solidifying himself as a contender. “El Matador” now boasts a 4-1 record under the Bellator MMA umbrella and will be fighting for the fifth time in a span of 329 days.

 

Standing opposite of the Roufusport fighter will be Pineda, a 30-year-old that already has amassed a 32-fight professional career. A veteran of Legacy Fighting Championship, “The Pit” has never seen a victory reach the judges’ scorecards, finishing 15 pairings via submission, the other six by knockout. This will be Pineda’s first appearance for Bellator MMA since 2010 tom “Bellator 19.”

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” Updated Fight Card

Bellator MMA Openweight Main Event: Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) vs. Royce Gracie (14-2-3)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (5-2) vs. Dada 5000 (2-0)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-11)

mixed martial arts, Ntiaj teb Series ntawm sib ntaus

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING FINALIZES STAR-STUDDED WSOF26 MAIN CARD FOR FRIDAY, DEC. 18 AT THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS, LIVE ON NBCSN

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Featherweight Championship Main Event:
Lance Palmer (Champion) vs. Alexandre Almeida (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Tyrone Spong vs. Jake Heun

Ntxiv:
Lightweight: Ozzy Dugulubgov vs. Nic Herron-Webb
Bantamweight: Josh Hill vs. Bekbulat Magomedov
Featherweight: Robbie Peralta vs. Sheymon Moraes
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 24, 2015) – World Series of Fighting announced today that it has added three new bouts to complete the main card for “WSOF26: Palmer vs. Almeida,” which will be headlined by a world championship showdown between reigning featherweight kingpin Lance Palmer thiab Alexandre Almeida, at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Friday, Dec. 18, live on NBCSN, tom 9 p.m. LI / 6 p.m. PT.

Joining the previously announced main event and light heavyweight co-main event between Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong thiab Jake Heun, will be a lightweight (155 pounds) contest between aggressive-minded, rising star Ozzy Dugulubgov and submission wizard Nic “Naptime” Herron-Webb; a bantamweight matchup between wrestling phenom Josh “Gentleman” Hill and undefeated sensation Bekbulat Magomedov; and a featherweight (145 pounds) tilt between devastating strikers Robbie “Problems” Peralta thiab Sheymon Moraes.

“We are looking forward to closing out a year of incredible growth for World Series of Fighting with an exceptional lineup of world-class bouts featuring some of our most established superstars as well as several new faces that we recently welcomed to our roster and that we expect to make an immediate impact in our decagon cage,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

Priced from $29.99, tickets are available for purchase atwww.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com , www.WSOF.com los sis www.ticketmaster.com.

The complete WSOF26 preliminary bout card will be announced soon. The card is subject to change.

Ozzy Dugulubgov vs. Nic Herron-Webb

The 26-year-old Dugulubgov (7-2) of Hackensack, N.J. is looking to notch his third consecutive win and second of 2015, following a first round (3:39) TKO (arm injury) of Lucas Montoya on April 10. Prior to his latest conquest, Dugulubgov, ib Renzo Gracie protégé that boasts a near-perfect record of 4-1 in World Series of Fighting competition, scored a highlight reel-worthy KO (punch) ofKeon Caldwell in the third round (1:38) of their matchup on September 13, 2014.

Herron-Webb (18-6) of Anchorage, Alaska is a 25-year-old, former welterweight (170 pounds) who has been fire, winning all four of his last bouts by way of submission, to arrive at his debut with World Series of Fighting. To date, 14 of Herron-Webb’s 18 professional career wins have come by way of submission, 8 of which he produced inside the first round of battle.

Josh Hill vs. Bekbulat Magomedov

A former World Series of Fighting championship challenger, Hill (12-1) of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada went the distance with reigning bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes before finding himself on the losing end of a unanimous decision on February 12.

The 28-year-old has since re-grouped after what marked his first career defeat, and reeled off two consecutive wins outside of the World Series of Fighting decagon – a third round (2:01) submission (rear-naked choke) of Josh Rettinghouse on May 30, and a unanimous decision over Ion Vranceanu on August 31.

Magomedov (16-0) of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Zog ntawm Guj kuj, will risk his perfect record in the U.S. for the first time ever, after a run that has distinguished the 24-year-old Sambo champion as the number two ranked featherweight in Ukraine and the number seven ranked featherweight in Russia.

Of Magomedov’s 16 professional career victories, 8 have come by way of (T)KO and 3 have come by way of submission.

Robbie Peralta vs. Sheymon Moraes

Making his World Series of Fighting debut, Peralta (18-6, 1 NC) of Escondido, Calif. has served up several memorable moments in the cage with his punching power, notching 13 of his 18 professional career wins to date by way of (T)KO. The 29-year-old made his first big mark in the sport on April 9, 2011 when he scored a major upset over then-DREAM champion Hiroyuki Takaya by way of split decision under the promotion of the now-defunct Strikeforce.

Moraes will look to rebound after suffering his first professional defeat at the hands of reigning World Series of Fighting champion Marlon Moraes on August 1. Prior to the title fight, the dangerous 25-year-old member of Team Nogueira had appeared to be unstoppable, scoring (T)KO wins over four of his first seven opponents.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING
“Ntiaj teb Series ntawm sib ntaus” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “Ntiaj teb Series ntawm sib ntaus” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries. WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.

ABOUT THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is a luxury resort offering a decidedly different perspective. Located at the heart of The Strip, the resort’s uniquely vertical multi-tower design offers spectacular views of the vibrant city. The new 2,959-room resort features oversized residential-style living spaces with expansive, one-of-a-kind private terraces. The Cosmopolitan’s luxurious resort amenities include a 100,000 square foot casino; Sahra Spa & Hammam and Violet Hour Hair Nails Beauty; three unique pool experiences; Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub, a multi-level integrated indoor/outdoor nightclub; 150,000 square feet of state-of-the-art convention and meeting space; 40,000-square foot performance and event space The Chelsea; and modern supper club Rose. Rabbit. Lie. An eclectic line-up of new-to-market retailers include: AllSaints Spitalfields, CRSVR Sneaker Boutique, DNA2050, Jason of Beverly Hills, Kidrobot, Molly Brown’s Swimwear, Rent the Runway, Retrospecs & Co, Skins 62 Cosmetics, Stitched and U*tique Shop. Signature restaurants include: Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill by restaurateurs Bruce and Eric Bromberg; Estiatorio Milos, by international restaurateur Costas Spiliadis; Holsteins from Block 16 Hospitality; Jaleo and China Poblano restaurants by acclaimed Chef José Andrés; Scarpetta and D.O.C.G. by award-winning Chef Scott Conant; and popular steakhouse STK from The ONE Group; bustling culinary food hall The Wicked Spoon; and The Henry, an all-day dining concept.

For more information visit: www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
Follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/cosmopolitan_lv
Nrhiav peb ntawm Facebook: www.Facebook.com/thecosmopolitan
Follow us on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/cosmopolitan_lv
M-1, M 1 sib tw, mixed martial arts, MMA

M-1 Medieval Knight Fight added to stacked M-1 Challenge 63, Dec 4 in St. Petersburg, Zog ntawm Guj kuj

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WATCH LIVE ON WWW.M1GLOBAL.TV

ST. PETERSBURG, Zog ntawm Guj kuj (November 24, 2015) – An already stacked M 1 sib tw 63got even more entertaining with M-1 Global’s announced addition of the inaugural M-1 Challenge Knight Fighting Lightweight Championship.
Russian knight fighters Dmitry Kovrizhin (4-0-0) thiab Evgeniy Bedenko (7-1-0) battle on the preliminary card for the first M-1 Challenge Medieval title, Hlis ntuj nqeg 4 at the Sports and Concert Complex in St. Petersburg, Zog ntawm Guj kuj.
Rising MMA star Stephan “T-800” Puetz (13-1-0, 5 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) defends his M-1 Challenge light heavyweight crown against former champion Viktor Nemkov (22-5-0, 4 KO/TKO, 9 SUB)., Also featured on the main card is another title fight as M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev (12-3-0, 2 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) faces American challenger Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti (26-13-0, 10 KO/TKO, 2 SUB).
Kovrizhin, representing the Bern Fight Club in Moscow, was a member of the 2014 thiab 2015 World Champion Team. He stopped Roman Zuevearly in his M 1 sib tw 60 fight.
Bedenko (pictured to left) was a winner at the White Castle and Battle of Nations. He won impressively atM 1 sib tw 56, where he defeated Ivan Vasilev.
Three other fights on the main card pits German light heavyweight Martin “King Kong” Zawada (26-12-0, 16 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) vs. Russian Rashid Yusupov (6-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 2 SUB), Russian lightweight Alexey “Ataman” Makhho (10-3-0, 4 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) vs. Georgian Raul Tutarauli (5-2-0, 4 KO/TKO, 1 SUB), and Russian featherweight Mikhail Korobkov (9-0-0, 1 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) vs. Brazilian foe Rodrigo “Delegado” Magalhaes(7-0-0, 6 SUB).
Two other fights have been announced for the preliminary card: Ukraine veteran lightweightAlexander Butenko (38-11-0, 4 KO/TKO, 24 SUB) meets Heydar Mamadaliev (8-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 2 SUB), of Azerbaijan, while Russian middleweights Ruslan Shamilov thiabButat Zhumabatov make their professional debuts against each other.
M 1 sib tw 63 will be streamed live from St. Petersburg in high definition onwww.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
Fight Network will air M 1 sib tw 63 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable, Suddenlink Communications and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
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