Category Archives: mixed martial arts

RECENT NEF SIGNEE MAKES HIS PRO MMA DEBUT AT NEF XX

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (October 12, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE” on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event will feature a first for Maine – mixed-martial-arts (MMA) bouts and professional boxing bouts on the same event with an MMA cage and a boxing ring set up side-by-side.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of a professional flyweight bout to the MMA portion of the fight card.  Kevin “.50 Cal” Barrett (0-0) will meet Jimmy Alexander (1-10) at a fight weight of 125-pounds.

 

The bout will be Barrett’s professional debut in the MMA cage after going 2-1 as an amateur fighter.  Earlier this year, it was announced that Barrett had signed a multi-fight developmental deal with NEF.

 

“My mind is on one thing only,” stated Barrett.  “To be the best martial artist I can be. That’s it. Day in and day out that’s all I’m focused on. I’m not searching for fame. I’m searching to find out who I am, and so far martial arts has been kind of this light that’s guided me the last ten years to this very moment. I’ll be ready.”

 

Both of Barrett’s wins as an amateur came in the NEF cage, and he hopes to continue that success in the professional ranks.  While he has been inactive from competition for the past two years, Barrett is confident that his coaches and teammates at Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine will have him ready for his matchup with Alexander on November 21.

 

“I love my coaches and my teammates. They believe in me, which in return makes me believe in myself. I train at the best gym in New England every day. I’m blessed. But I take this sport day by day. My goal right now is to be ready for the best Jimmy Alexander anyone has ever seen. After November I’ll sit down with my coaches and go from there.”

 

Barrett insists that, while Alexander might not have a winning record, he will not take the Floridian lightly at “NEF XX.”  Alexander trains at F2 Arena under the guidance of Ryan Hodge (6-10).  Hodge and his team are recognized as dangerous opponents, and they often play the role of the “spoiler” when travelling to New England to compete.

 

“I love the fact I have a guy flying from another state to fight me,” continued Barrett. “I’m in no way looking past Jimmy. I know he has a lot of experience, he’s very explosive, he’s always down to stand and trade. You’ve got to respect that. I don’t have a prediction though. At the end of the day, all I can do is focus on what I’m doing, not what Jimmy is doing, and I’m sure he’s thinking the same thing. Win or lose I know there’s a lesson in this for me somewhere. I’m just trying to stay clear headed and open to whatever that might be.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE,” takes place on November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event will mark the first time in Maine history a mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event and a professional boxing event have taken place together on the same show.  Tickets for “NEF XX” 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.  In addition, 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 England 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.

Buchinger retains M-1 Challenge featherweight title Decisions Barnaoui

M-1 Challenge 62 Results
Ivan Buchinger (R) vs. Mansour Barnaoui
SOCHI, Russia (October 11, 2015) – M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger successfully defended his title last night with a hard fought five-round unanimous decision over Mansour “Tarzan” Barnaoui in the M-1 Challenge 62
main event at The Ice Cube Curling Center in Sochi, Russia.
Buchinger (30-4-0, 7 KO/TKO, 16 SUB), fighting out of Slovakia, improved his M-1 Global record to a perfect 5-0 with his second title defense victory. He originally captured his title belt a year ago, stopping Tural Ragimov in the fourth round at M-1 Challenge 52.

Barnaoui (12-3-0, 4 KO/TKO, 7 SUB), of Paris, relinguished his M-1 Challenge lightweight title belt he won this past May in his M-1 Global debut, when he knocked out Maxim Divnich via punches at M-1 Challenge 57.

Former M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (27-3-0, 11 KO/TKO, 7 SUB), of Russia, used a rear naked choke for a win by second-round submission against Croatian opponentKristijan “Pacman” Perak (8-2-1, 3 KO/TKO, 2 SUB).

Russian featherweight Kurbanali Abdusalamov (6-2-0, 1 KO/TKO, 3 SUB) won a decision over American invader Lee “American Bulldog” Morrison (14-6-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB), while red-hot Russian light heavyweight prospect Adam “The Beard” Yandiev (9-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) defeatedDemitry Voitov (10-5-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) by way of an opening-round neck crank.

Rounding out the main card, Russian welterweight Alexey Kunchenko (10-0-0, 8 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) continued on his roll, punching out Brazilian Alexandre “Sangue” Ramos (9-3-0 (1 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) in the first round.

Fighting on the preliminary card, Spainard Enoc Solves Torres (17-9-0) won by armbar in the opening round versus Georgian middleweight Nodar Kudukjasvili (10-2-0), Ukrainian featherweight Andrey “Iron” Leshnev (8-4-0) won a three-round decision over Russian favorite Nikita “Piranha” Chistyakov (4-2-1), and Russian Delgat Kudbudinov (3-0-0) submitted Italian Georgia Belsanti (4-5-0) by way of a neck crank.

Also fighting on the preliminary card, Ukrainian lightweight Sergey Astapov (6-4-0) locked a rear naked choke on Russian Nikolay Kaushansky (6-3-0) for a third-round win by submission. Ukrainian light heavyweight Boris Polezhay (9-5-0) opened the night with a first-round submission victory via an arm-bar over previously unbeaten Russian Alexey Shopin (3-1-0).

Complete results below:

MAIN CARD

M-1 CHALLENGE FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Ivan Buchinger (30-4-0), Slovakia
WDEC5
Mansour Barnaoui (12-3-0), Challenger, France
(Buchinger retained M-1 Challenge featherweight title)

MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (27-3-0), Russia
WSUB2 (Rear Naked Choke – 1:02)
Kristijan Perak (8-2-0), Croatia2

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Adam Yandiev (9-0-0), Russia
WSUB1 (Neck Crank – 4:34)
Dmitry Voitov (10-5-0), Belarus

WELTERWEIGHTS
Alexey Kunchenko (10-0-0), Russia
WKO/TKO1 (Punches – 4:32)
Alexandre Ramos (9-3-0), Brazil

FEATHERWEIGHTS
Kurbanali Abdusalamov (6-2-0), Russia
WDEC3
Lee Morrison (14-6-0), USA

PRELIMINARY CARD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Boris Polezhay (9-5-0), Ukraine
WSUB1 (Armbar – 4:39)
Alexey Shopin (3-1-0), Russia

MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Enoc Solves Torres (17-9-0), Spain
WSUB1 (Armbar – 1:54)
Nodar Kudukjasvali (10-2-0), George

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Sergey Astapov (5-4-0), Ukraine
WSUB3 (Rear Naked Choke – 3:26)
Nikolay Kaushansky (6-2-0), Russia

FEATHERWEIGHTS
Andrey Leshnev (8-4-0), Ukraine
WDEC3
Nikita Chistyakov (4-2-1), Russia

Giorgio Belsanti (5-4-0), Italy
WSUB1 (Neck Crank – 3:25
Delgat Kudbudinov (2-1-0), Russia
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
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M-1 Challenge 62 weights & pictures from Sochia, Russia

M-1 Challenge 62
 
WATCH LIVE ON M-1GLOBAL.TV
OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan Buchinger
MORE PICTURES BELOW
 
 
MAIN CARD
 
M-1 CHALLENGE FEATHERWIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 5 X 5
IVAN “Buki” BUCHINGER (29-4-0), Champion, Slovakia 143 ½ lbs. (65.2 kg)
MANSOUR “Tarzan” BARNAOUI (12-2-0), Challenger, France 143 ½ lbs. (65.3 kg)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
VYACHESLAV VASILEVSKY (26-3-0), Russia 185 lbs. (84 kg)
KRISTIJAN “Pacman” PERAK (8-1-0), Croatia 184 lbs. (83.6 kg) 
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
ADAM “The Beard” YANDIEV (8-0-0), Russia 193 lbs. (87.6 kg)
DMITRY VOITOV (10-4-0), Belarus 192 ½ lbs. (87.5 kg)
WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
ALEXEY KUNCHENKO (9-0-0), Russia 168 ½ lbs. (76.6 kg)
ALEXANDRE “Sangue” RAMOS (9-2-0), Brazil 168 ½ lbs. (76.6 kg)
FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
LEE “American Bulldog” MORRISON (14-5-0), USA 143 ½ lbs. (65.3 kg)                                    
KURBANALI ABDUSALAMOV (5-2-0), Russia 144 lbs. (65.5 kg)
PRELIMINARY CARD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS 3 X 5
BORIS POLEZHAY (8-5-0), Ukraine 203 lbs. (92.3 kg)
ALEXEY SHOPIN (3-0-0), Russia 200 lbs. (90.7 kg)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
ENOC SOLVES TORRES (16-9-0), Spain 186 lbs. (84.5 kg)
NODAR KUDUKJASVILI (10-1-0), Georgia 186 lbs. (84.5 kg)
 
LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
NIKOLAY KAUSHANSKY (6-2-0), Russia153lbs. (69.5 kg)
SERGEY ASTAPOV (5-4-0), Ukraine 153 ½ lbs. (69.8 kg.)
FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
NIKITA “Piranha” CHISTYAKOV (4-1-1), Russia 145 lbs. (65.8 kg)
ANDREY “Iron” LESHNEV (7-4-0), Ukraine 144 lbs. (65.5 kg)
GIORGIO BELSANTI (4-4-0), Italy 143 ½ lbs. (65.3 kg)
DELGAT KUDBUDINOV (2-0-0), Russia 145 lbs. (65.8 kg)
 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
WHAT:             M-1 Challenge 62
 
WHEN:             Saturday, October 10, 2015
                        
START TIMES:  Main Card: 12:30 p.m. (New York City), 7:30 p.m. (Moscow)
                          Preliminary Card:  10:00 a.m. (New York City, 5:00 p.m. (Moscow)
 
WHERE:           The Ice Cube Curling Center in Sochi, Russia 1:30
PROMOTER:    M-1 Global
LIVE STREAM:  WWW.M1GLOBAL.TV 
 
M-1 Challenge 62 will be streamed live from Sochie, Russia in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register atwww.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 Challenge 62 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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ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premier entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With its office in St Petersburg, Russia, the M-1 brand has staged more than 160 events worldwide, including M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the U.S. network, Showtime. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global Champions among the greatest fighters in the sport.
 
ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TVEnjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database.  It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers.  Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!

THE BARBARIAN ARRIVES IN NEF TO FACE THE BEAST FROM THE NORTH

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (October 9, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE” on Saturday, November 21, 2015at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event will feature a first for Maine – mixed-martial-arts (MMA) bouts and professional boxing bouts on the same event with an MMA cage and a boxing ring set up side-by-side.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of a professional light-heavyweight bout to the MMA portion of the fight card.  Matt “The Beast From the North” Andrikut (1-0) will return to Maine to take on Jesse “The Barbarian” Baughman (0-0) at a fight weight of 205-pounds.

 

Andrikut, an accomplished wrestler at the University of Southern Maine (USM) and a former finalist in the Northern New England Golden Gloves, made his NEF debut last month at “NEF XIX,” winning via technical knockout (TKO) in a mere 32-seconds of round one.  Andrikut is best known on the New England MMA scene for finishing Pat Walsh (6-2) in under a minute during their amateur meeting in 2011.  (Walsh would go on to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship [UFC] as a professional.)  Andrikut now lives in Reno, Nevada where he trains out of Conviction MMA.

 

“I am excited to come back to Maine to fight Jesse,” said Andrikut.  “He’s got a great record and trains for a great team. I love the people and the atmosphere in Maine – it’s a great place! On November 21, we will see who’s a greater fighter as we put our unblemished records on the line. I am sure we will both be ready and it will certainly be a crowd pleaser!”

 

The Lewiston bout will be the professional debut for Baughman, as well as his first fight with NEF in the state of Maine.  Baughman leaves the amateur division having amassed a perfect 5-0 record.  He has claimed regional championships while attaining the number-one ranking for New England amateur light-heavyweights.  A resident of Littleton, New Hampshire, Baughman trains at Team Link North in nearby Whitefield.

 

“Making my pro debut with NEF is nothing less than exciting,” said Baughman. “Being a New England native, I recognize the passion and support our fans have for the sport of MMA. As the top ranked light heavyweight amateur in New England, I expect to be put up against the toughest guys around in my division. Huge thanks to Matt Peterson for the opportunity and my manager Taylor Trahan. Barbarian is ready for war!”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE,” takes place on November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event will mark the first time in Maine history a mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event and a professional boxing event have taken place together on the same show.  Tickets for “NEF XX” 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.  In addition, 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 England 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.

Fight Network LIVE this Weekend – ONE: Tigers of Asia, RFA 31, M-1 Challenge 62 & Enfusion 32

Toronto | New York – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, delivers an action-packed weekend of live combat sports, beginning this Friday, October 9 at 9 a.m. ET with a live presentation of ONE Championship: Tigers of Asia from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Later that day at 10 p.m. ET, Resurrection Fighting Alliance takes over the airwaves with RFA 31: Smith vs. Marunde from Las Vegas.
On Saturday, October 10, the live action continues at 12:30 p.m. ET as M-1 Global presents M-1 Challenge 62 from Sochi, Russia, immediately followed by a live broadcast of Enfusion 32 world-class kickboxing from Gent, Belgium.
Airing live exclusively in Canada on Oct. 9 at 9 a.m. ET, ONE Championship: Tigers of Asia features a ONE middleweight championship clash between world champion Igor “Lionheart” Svirid (10-1) and undefeated Russian challenger Vitaly Bigdash (7-0). In other featured tilts, Adrian Pang(21-8-2) throws down with Peter Davis (10-3) in a lightweight bout, Ev Ting (9-3) meets Honorio Banario (8-5) in featherweight action, Ann Osman (3-1) takes on newcomer Irina Mazepa (0-0) in a women’s flyweight encounter, plus fan favorite Eric Kelly (11-1) returns for a featherweight barnburner against Japan’s Hiroshige Tanaka (10-2).
Airing live exclusively in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East on Oct. 9 at 10 p.m. ET, RFA 31: Smith vs. Marunde from Downtown Las Vegas is headlined by a pair of championship clashes, as RFA welterweight champion Gilbert Smith (11-4) defends against fellow UFC veteran Bristol Marunde (16-9), while Zoila Frausto (12-4) meetsJocelyn Lybarger (5-1) for the inaugural RFA women’s strawweight title. Other matchups include a middleweight meeting between Mike Jasper (9-2) and Gabriel Checco (8-2), a bantamweight bout between Matthew Lopez (6-0) and Justin Linn (7-1), a flyweight bout between Shai Lindsey (4-0) and Joseph Peukert (7-3) and a welterweight showcase between Bojan Velickovic (11-3) andVardan Sholinian (5-1). The domestic U.S. broadcast airs on AXS TV.
Airing live across North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East on Oct. 10 at 12:30 p.m. ET, M-1 Challenge 62 features a showdown for the M-1 featherweight title in the main event, as kingpinIvan Buchinger (29-4) defends his crown against highly touted Mansour Barnaoui (12-2). In other action, Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (26-3) takes on Kristijan Perak (8-1-1) in a middleweight bout,Kurbanali Abdusalamov (5-2) tangles with Lee Morrison (13-5) in a featherweight contest, light heavyweight Adam Yandiev (8-0) puts his perfect mark on the line against Dmitry Voitov (11-4), plus Alexey Kunchenko (10-0) looks to extend his unblemished record against Brazilian welterweight Alexandre Ramos (9-2).
Airing live across North America immediately following M-1 Challenge 62 on Oct. 10, Enfusion Live 32 from Gent, Belgium promises an exhilarating kickboxing card, headlined by Morocco’s Nordin Ben Moh against Spaniard Sergio Sanchez in a -70 kg clash. Plus the Enfusion -61 kg women’s title is on the line as Belgium’s Anke Van Gestel meets Holland’s Aleide Lawant, DutchmanDexter Suisse battles Frenchman Brice Guidon in a heavyweight special attraction, plus Morocco’sMohammed Jaraya enters enemy territory against Belgium’s Youssef Boulahtari.
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.

HEAVYWEIGHT CONTEST BETWEEN ALEX HUDDLESTON-AUGUSTO SAKAI TOPS ADDITION OF SEVEN PRELIMS TO ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE’

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (October 8, 2015) – With the five fight main card for “Bellator 145: Vengeance” set, the completed preliminary portion of the event has now also officially been rolled out by Bellator MMA.

 

The newly announced bouts include heavyweights Alex Huddleston (6-1) and Augusto Sakai (8-0), former TUF welterweight contestant Adam Cella (6-4) who goes up against Chel Erwin-Davis (2-1), Steve Mann (11-2) fighting Hugh Pulley (5-2) in lightweight action, as well as Kain Royer (1-2) versus Clay Mitchell (1-0) in a heavyweight bout and welterweights Kevin Engel (4-0) and Kyle Kurtz (4-1). Rounding out the preliminary contests will be the professional debut of Brandon Lowe, when he faces Rashard Lovelace (1-0) and Adam Meredith (3-1) taking on Jordan Dowdy (2-0).

 

The contests will take place during the preliminary card of “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which streams live on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT.

 

Top billing at the November 6 event features two world title bouts. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) defends his belt against Daniel Straus (23-6) and Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3) with the 155-pound title on the line. “Bellator 145: Vengeance” will also featureMichael Chandler (13-3) against Dave Rickels (16-3) and heavyweights Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) versus James Thompson (20-14).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, are on sale now on Ticketmaster.com and at the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

 

Both Huddleston and Sakai will bring both impressive records and finishes to the table when they face-off in the featured preliminary contest on Nov. 6.

 

Huddleston is the main training partner of Bobby Lashley, who also competes at the event. Also known as “The Shaved Gorilla,” Huddleston most recently stopped Javy Ayala with a nifty first-round, rear-naked choke submission at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov.” The win was the 29-year-old’s fourth finish in six tries. Sakai was also in action this past June, when he put a beating on Daniel Gallemore, so much so, the heavyweight was unable to get off the stool in between rounds. The Brazilian native has ended seven of his eight professional victories without help from the judges’ scorecards.

 

Complete “Bellator 145: Vengeance” Fight Card

Main Card:

Bellator Featherweight World Title Bout: Patricio Freire (24-2) vs. Daniel Straus (23-6)

Bellator Lightweight World Title Bout: Will Brooks (16-1) vs. Marcin Held (21-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Bout: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Justin Lawrence (7-2)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Michael Chandler (13-3) vs. Dave Rickels (16-3)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Bobby Lashley (13-2) vs. James Thompson (20-14)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Alex Huddleston (6-1) vs. Augusto Sakai (8-0)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Bout: Adam Cella (6-4) vs. Chel Erwin-Davis (2-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Bout: Garrett Gross (6-4) vs. Luke Nelson (2-1)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Steve Mann (11-2) vs. Hugh Pulley (5-2)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Bout: Chris Heatherly (9-3) vs. Vince Eazelle (9-2)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Bout: Kevin Engel (4-0) vs. Kyle Kurtz (4-1)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Kain Royer (1-2) vs. Clay Mitchell (1-0)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Bout: Adam Meredith (3-1) vs. Jordan Dowdy (2-0)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Bout: Garrett Mueller (2-0) vs. Scott Ettling (3-0

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Brandon Lowe (debut) vs. Rashard Lovelace (1-0)

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING HITS COMERICA THEATRE IN PHOENIX, ARIZ. WITH ONE-NIGHT, EIGHT-MAN LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT ON FRIDAY, NOV. 20, LIVE ON NBCSN

Tickets on sale Friday, Oct. 9

Luis Palomino, Brian Foster, Mike Ricci, Islam Mamedov, Brian Cobb, Jorge Patino, Joao Zeferino and Rich Patishnock all slated for action
in star-studded, single-elimination affair at WSOF 25

Winner will be named number one contender for world 155-pound title
LAS VEGAS (October 7, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) will return to Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. with a historic, one-night, eight-man tournament that will appoint its winner the number one contender in the promotion’s fearsome lightweight (155 pounds) division, on Friday, Nov. 20, live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 25: Eight-Man Lightweight Tournament” go on sale on Friday, Oct. 9 at 10 a.m. PT at the Comerica Theatre box office as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

All eight tournament participants – Luis “Baboon” Palomino, Brian Foster,Mike Ricci, Islam Mamedov, Brian “The Bandit” Cobb, Jorge “Macaco” Patino, Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino and Rich Patishnock – have been confirmed for battle in the first-ever World Series of Fighting one-night tournament.

Quarterfinal stage matchups for the tournament will be announced soon.

“We are excited to roll out our first-ever, one-night tournament filled with some of MMA’s top lightweight fighters, and to distinguish a new number one contender in this weight class that has been growing aggressively and is packed with world-class talent,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

Palomino (23-11) of Miami, Fla. is coming off an unforgettable, second, all-out slugfest with reigning, undefeated World Series of Fighting lightweight championJustin Gaethje in the main event of WSOF 23, a fight that was named “Fight of the Month” for September last week.

The 34-year-old Palomino, who holds notable wins over the likes of Jorge Masvidal, Gesias Cavalcante and Patino, put Gaethje on the defensive in the outset of their rematch before being stopped near the close of the second round (4:30) with a Gaethje barrage of punches.

Another proven entity who has fought remarkable wars in the cage, Foster (23-7) of Sallisaw, Okla. is fresh off a spectacular performance at WSOF 23 where the 31-year-old scored a thunderous, first round (:32) KO (punch) of previously unbeaten LaRue Burley.

Ricci (10-4) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada is one of the latest additions to the ever-growing World Series of Fighting roster.  The 29-year-old, Firas Zahabi-trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt has faced and defeated a collection of top rivals during his seven-year professional career.

Mamedov (12-1) of Jersey City, N.J. via Derbent, Dagestan, Russia is a ferocious 25-year-old who is unbeaten in his last 10 starts, a streak that dates back to Aug. 1, 2010.  To date, Mamedov has made two appearances in the World Series of Fighting cage, scoring vicious, first round TKO’s on Leon Davis and Jimmy Spicuzza at WSOF 20 and WSOF 22, respectively.

Cobb (20-8) of Bakersfield, Calif. is a wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu expert who has produced submission finishes in 12 of his 20 career wins since his professional debut in 2004.  He holds notable victories over fellow standouts Rad Martinez,Drew Fickett, Kazunori Yokota and Ronys Torres.

Patino (38-15-2, 1 NC) of Houston, Texas is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil who holds black belts in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, and boasts the most one-night tournament competition experience of the six competitors slated for action, thus far, in the Nov. 20 affair.  Of the seven previous one-night tournaments he saw action in, the 42-year-old emerged the winner in five of them.

Zeferino (18-6) of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil is a submission ace who has won 13 of his 18 career conquests by way of submission.  A new addition to the World Series of Fighting roster, the 29-year-old will make his promotional debut in the midst of a five-fight win streak.

Patishnock (6-2) of East Stroudsberg, Penn. is a 27-year-old rising star and a three-time veteran of World Series of Fighting action.  Under the promotional banner, he holds victories over Igor Gracie and Gregor Gracie, both members of MMA’s legendary first family.

World Series of Fighting will announce additional details concerning the format and rules of the tournament, soon.

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF.com) is a world wide 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. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

EDUARDO DANTAS SUFFERS RIB INJURY, FORCING POSTPONEMENT OF BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE SHOT AGAINST MARCOS GALVAO AT ‘BELLATOR 144’

 

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (October 7, 2015) – A rib injury sustained by Eduardo Dantas (17-4) during training camp has forced him to withdraw from his “Bellator 144” main event matchup against Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

 

As a result, the fight has been cancelled and a middleweight contest pitting Brandon Halsey (9-0) against Rafael Carvalho (11-1) will now serve as theOctober 23 headliner. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) versus Isao Kobayashi (18-2-4) has been promoted to the televised portion of action on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

In addition to the new main event of “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho,” a pair of welterweight contests will also be featured on the main card, when“Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) meets Dennis “The Menace” Olson (14-9) and Michael “Venom” Page (8-0) returns to face promotional newcomerCharlie Ontiveros (6-3).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho,” which start at just $25, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 6:00 p.m. ET local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after.

 

Please see below for the updated bout order for the fights slated to take place at “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho,” which airs live and free on Spike.

 

Complete “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho”  – October 23

 

Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT)

Bellator Middleweight Championship Fight: Brandon Halsey (9-0) vs. Rafael Carvalho (11-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (11-3) vs. Dennis Olson (14-9)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Isao Kobayashi (18-2-4) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (8-0) vs. Charlie Ontiveros (6-3)

* CLICK ABOVE FOR PRIOR PRESS RELEASES

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 6:50 p.m. ET/5:50 p.m. CT

Bellator 150-Pound Feature Fight: Pete Rogers Jr. (2-2) vs. Marius Enache (2-3)

Bellator Flyweight Feature Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-4) vs. Brandon Polcare (1-0)

Bellator 165-Pound Feature Fight: Keenan Raymond (2-1) vs. Damien Trites (6-6)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Kin Moy (7-2) vs. Walter Smith-Cotito (3-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Matt Bessette (15-7) vs. Kevin Roddy (15-15)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Matt Secor (6-2) vs. Jeremie Holloway (7-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Sam Watford (debut) vs. TJ Hepburn (4-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Ilya Kotau (1-0) vs. Kemran Lachinov (1-1)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Kevin Haley (3-3) vs. Mike Zichelle (7-3)

 

About Bellator MMA

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

 

About Spike:

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

FIRST CLASS MMA STAGES HOSTILE TAKEOVER OF NEF XX AMATEUR CARD

First Class

Lewiston, Maine (October 7, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE” on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event will feature a first for Maine – mixed-martial-arts (MMA) bouts and professional boxing bouts on the same event with an MMA cage and a boxing ring set up side-by-side.  On the amateur portion of the fight card, John Raio’s First Class MMA team of Brunswick, Maine will send no less than four competitors to the NEF cage that evening.

 

Still relatively in its infancy, Raio’s gym has grown, both figuratively and literally, since its inception in 2013.  Most recently, the team moved into a newer, larger space at Fort Andross in Brunswick.  With his own base in wrestling, Raio has also recently added trainers and classes in different martial arts disciplines to expand the learning of his students.

 

“I had a vision when I opened the gym to be sort of a University of mixed martial arts learning,” said Raio.  “A school that included all of the different components of MMA and fitness so that students could pick and chose classes they were interested in.  We are adding another fitness class this month and a yoga class soon.  Having the same instructor teach everything can be boring to some and instructors that teach every night can burn out. Some schools have one instructor that feels they know wrestling, BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), kickboxing, karate, judo, etc. well enough to teach them all at a high level. If you limit your training to what one individual knows, you can only learn as much as that one individual is able to relay to you.  We have a black belt that teaches BJJ-Tim Fawber, a Kempo black belt that teaches striking -Shawn Tardif, a pro Boxer that teaches boxing- James Carville, and I was a state champion wrestler, I wrestled in college for four years, and I competed in MMA several times.  Chris McBean and Katie Baker also teach BJJ. I attend all of our classes.  As an instructor and coach, I always continue to learn more about the sport.”

 

Raio retired from MMA competition this past June to spend more time with his family and to focus his efforts on developing his students at First Class.  He notes the differences between coaching and fighting and the personal sense of satisfaction each provides him.

 

“They are two totally different animals,” Raio stated. “I love them both for different reasons. I love competing because I can put all of my focus and training into my fight. I love coaching because I can put all of that focus onto another person. I feel so good each time one of my students win, it’s as if I was out there fighting. I feel like I can game plan well and know the game well enough to find good matchups as my fighters progress.”

 

The proof is in the pudding, as they say, when it comes to finding the right matchups for his students.  At “NEF XIX” last month, Raio’s team went undefeated with three big wins.  Nick Shea (2-0) won his second MMA bout that night while Hannah Sparrell (1-0) and BJJ black belt Rafael Velado (1-0) were victorious in their respective cage debuts.  Raio credits cross-training with other gyms and the quality of instruction from First Class coaches for the team’s recent success.

 

“It starts with our family friendly atmosphere,” said Raio.  “We allow kids and men and women of all ages to attend all of our classes except sparring. My wife Jody has been a huge help. Our instructors are excellent. We have been blessed to have talented athletes, wrestlers, strikers and grapplers walk through our doors. They all work hard and put in the time.  They all work together and want each other to win. They have positive attitudes and treat each other with respect.  We are trying to match seven fighters for NEF next February and have 15-20 students actively seeking fights in the next year. Many of our students are here to learn and not compete.  All of our students are helpful on giving advice and tips. We also cross train as much as we can. We have several students that train through the Foundry BJJ system for BJJ and travel to train at our gym for striking, wrestling and MMA.  Our BJJ coaches are all Foundry BJJ members. We try to spar with Team Irish in Brewer monthly and I still train at Choi’s (the Choi Institute of Portland, Maine) once a week. Hannah Sparrell goes to Choi’s once a week too.

 

“When I first opened the gym I was very focused on my own training and let the other students prepare for their fights as they wished. Now I am on top of fighters with mandatory sparring, minimum classes each week and mandatory weigh-ins. If you can’t meet the minimum requirements, you can’t fight for our gym. You may fight as an independent or you can find a school that approves of you training when you feel like it. We have been very successful since I changed the rules.”

 

On November 21, First Class MMA team member Nick Gulliver (1-0) will be in heavyweight action against Gravin Guillen (2-2).  Gulliver won his amateur debut last June in the NEF cage over Sonny Spratt (0-2).

 

“I’m so excited to fight again for a great organization like NEF,” exclaimed Gulliver. “It felt so amazing to win my first fight in front of my family and friends at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in June. I worked really hard for my first fight, but I feel like I have a lot to prove to myself. Since my hand was raised back in June, I have been training hard with First Class MMA and The Foundry. My instructors and coaches are the best anyone can ask for. I train in Farmington, Maine with the Foundry under Brianne Genschel and Seth Harris. They have put so much time into my training over the years and I cannot thank them enough. Someone else I would like to thank for pushing me would be my great friend and instructor Shawn Smith. Shawn is someone who is always training hard and I try and train like he does. He pushes everyone at the gym to train hard. I also train at First Class MMA with John Raio. John is the reason I have this opportunity to fight. John has been such an amazing role model and friend to myself and all his fighters. Everyone at both schools I train at are amazing and are great instructors. I’m so happy I get to fight for the Foundry and First Class MMA. I’m looking forward to getting back into the cage and showing my family and friends how hard I have been working. I want to be the best person I can be and I will do that. I want to have my hand raised not just for me, but for the people who put so much time into what you see in the cage. I’m looking forward to getting the opportunity to fight again for NEF and show the fans what I have. I promise I will train hard and give it everything I have to make the crowd happy. I can’t wait to see everyone on November 21st. Thank you to my family and friends and instructors for everything.

 

Gulliver extols the virtues of Raio’s coaching style at First Class, echoing the sentiments of others regarding instructors putting the needs of students first.

 

“Everyone at First Class MMA has the same goal and that is to win,” Gulliver continued.  “But what separates First Class from any other gym is that everyone will sacrifice their needs and goals to help you win.  What is so unique about First Class MMA is that any gym can teach you to fight, but with First Class, John teaches you heart. Just look at the last First Class performance at NEF. That was heart. We’re looking to do the same this time around.  John Raio is a class act. He’s not only a fighter or a coach, I also consider him a great friend. John doesn’t just tell you to do something, he does it with you. If you’re sweating, he’s sweating—and that goes back to my statement that our school has heart. It all stems from our coach, John.”

 

Rafael Velado, who was victorious last month at “NEF XIX” over Cory Trial (1-2), will once again represent First Class MMA on November 21 when he steps in the cage opposite Ken Dunn (0-2).  Like Gulliver, Velado credits the success of the team to Coach Raio.

 

“Two words, John Raio,” said Velado when asked to differentiate First Class from other gyms he has trained at.  “I’ve trained at several schools over my martial arts career, but never have I come in contact with a coach who walked the walk the way he does. I don’t have to tell you what a workhorse he is, and that work ethic is something that has translated well as a coach.  It’s no surprise to most that John has been so successful as an MMA coach. He wears many hats such as leader, friend, mentor, training partner and devil’s advocate when necessary. He has been in pretty much every situation you can think of in the cage, and that gives him credibility. I trust his advice implicitly and you will see his MMA mind at work when I step in the cage to execute his game plan.  Some gyms will destroy every new student that walks through the door, but First Class MMA is the antithesis of that approach. We welcome anyone and everyone to come train regardless of their background or ambition to fight MMA.”

 

Velado promises fans that they will see much more out of him in his upcoming bout with Dunn at “NEF XX.”

 

“Part of me wants every fight to go as scripted like my debut against Cory Trial, but I’m here for experience as well. I showed about 1% of what I can do in my last fight, so keep your eyes peeled for something you’ve never seen in NEF.”

 

Pierce Wiegman (0-0) will make his amateur MMA debut under the First Class banner on November 21 in Lewiston against David Thompson (0-1) of the Shatterproof Combat Club.  Unlike Velado, Wiegman, who will turn 30 prior to the event, has not trained at any other gym prior to joining First Class.  Like Velado, however, Wiegman can attest to the role Raio plays in the success of his students.

 

“I’m not going to speculate on the difference between our training regime versus any other gym’s, but what I can say is that every fight our fighters won came because of hard work, dedication and excellent coaching from all of our instructors,” stated Wiegman.  “John Raio is truly a first class man. His dedication to his family, his gym, and his fighters comes very unselfishly. John is very supportive of everyone who trains at his gym—kids, men and women and his instructors.”

 

“I’m just lucky to even be able to say I’m going to do this,” Wiegman continued. “And it’s all thanks to John and Jody Raio and all of our instructors at First Class that I have this opportunity. Win or lose, I am grateful to NEF for having these fights and all the gyms around the state that are providing the platform for people to succeed at pursuing their dream of becoming a successful fighter.”

 

Bryce Bamford (0-0) came to First Class MMA through the Foundry BJJ team, which cross-trains with Raio’s students.  Bamford is scheduled to make his amateur MMA debut in the heavyweight division at “NEF XX.”  Bamford sees many similarities between the two teams.

 

“Truth is, First Class MMA, is really similar to the Foundry, in the respect that everybody’s there to help everybody get better. It’s like training with friends, not just training partners. That’s what attracted me down there.  Steel sharpens steel. The better your training partners are, the better you are. John gives 100% to his whole team, and it makes it hard not give 100% back because he is so involved.”

 

When asked for a prediction on his fight on November 21, Bamford responded with a single word – “Brutality.”

 

“You can expect all of our fighters to be confident, well prepared, to treat their opponents with respect and to leave it all in the cage,” said Raio in closing.  “These guys all put their time in.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE,” takes place on November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event will mark the first time in Maine history a mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event and a professional boxing event have taken place together on the same show.  Tickets for “NEF XX” 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.  In addition, 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 England 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.

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING’S ‘GAETHJE VS. PALOMINO II’  NAMED ‘FIGHT OF THE MONTH’ BY USA TODAY’S MMAJUNKIE.COM

World championship rematch bests four other classic battles for coveted award

LAS VEGAS (October 6, 2015) –The second, epic championship battle between undefeated, reigning World Series of Fighting lightweight (155 pounds) kingpin Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje and rival challenger Luis “Baboon” Palomino that took place on Friday, Sept. 18, live on NBCSN from Phoenix, Ariz., has been named winner of the prestigious “Fight of the Month” award by USA Today’s MMAjunkie.com.

The rematch between the two gutsy and determined superstars came six months after the first memorable championship showdown that also won the “Fight of the Month” honor for March.

“We are extremely honored to receive this distinguished award for the second time in six months, and are proud of Justin and Luis for having the courage to put it all on the line again after what was an unforgettable, all-out war in March,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

“NBCSN is excited to have been home to two widely recognized World Series of Fighting championship bouts thus far in 2015, and we look forward to more high-level action in the cage in the upcoming months,” said Gary Quinn, Vice President, Programming, NBC Sports Group.

The second meeting topped four other, critically acclaimed fights – the bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup between John Lineker and Francisco Rivera at UFC 191, the welterweight (170 pounds) bout between Keita Nakamura and Li Jingliang at UFC Fight Night 75, the heavyweight tilt betweenJosh Barnett and Roy Nelson at UFC Fight Night 75 and the women’s bantamweight (135 pounds) contest between Raquel Pennington and Jessica Andrade at UFC 191 – for the award, all by steep margins.

The 26-year-old Gaethje (14-0) of Safford, Ariz. scored a second round (4:30) TKO on the 34-year-old Palomino (23-11) of Miami, Fla. last month with an onslaught of punches, after Gaethje was put on the defensive and momentarily found himself in danger, early on in the main event of WSOF 23.

In their initial meeting on March 28 that also took place in Phoenix, a wild, see-saw battle ended suddenly after Gaethje dug down deep and unloaded a combination of leg kicks and punches, to score a third round (3:57) TKO on Palomino.

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT with a world championship doubleheader from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.  In the welterweight main event of WSOF 24, Jon Fitch (26-7-1) of Fort Wayne, Ind. will face fellow master technician Yushin Okami (30-9) of Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.

In one of two WSOF 24 world title fights, reigning heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (12-1) of Sofia, Bulgaria will risk his belt for the first time against battle-tested Derrick Mehman (19-6) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa while, in the other,Magomed Bibulatov (19-0) of Grozny, Chechnya, Russia, a former number one ranked European fighter,  will face off with fellow undefeated star Donavon Frelow (4-0) of Las Vegas, Nev. in the first World Series of Fighting flyweight (125 pounds) championship bout in history.

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF.com) is a world wide 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. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.