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Category Archives: mixed martial arts
The 31-year-old Sultanakhmedov (18-5-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 SUB), fighting out of Tula, Russia, captured the vacant M-1 Global middleweight title March 25, 2011, stopping his American challenger Tyson Jeffries in the second round at M-1 Challenge 24.
WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING SIGNS LIGHTWEIGHT HEAVY HITTERS JASON HIGH AND MIKE RICCI TO EXCLUSIVE PROMOTIONAL AGREEMENTS
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PROMOTIONAL DEBUT OF EWERTON TEIXEIRA COMPLETES THE MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 143: WARREN VS. DAVIS,’ WHEN HE FACES VINICIUS QUEIROZ
THREE ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY CONTESTS FEATURING PROSPECTS WITH A COMBINED RECORD OF 19-1
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 19, 2015) — A heavyweight tilt featuring feared striker Ewerton Teixeira (3-0) taking on Vinicius Queiroz (7-3) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis” at State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas onSeptember 25.
Two lightweight tilts will also emanate from The Lone Star State, when Jose Flores (3-0) meets Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0) and Guilherme Farias da Costa (3-0) faces Jared Chaffe (4-1). A third preliminary bout features two undefeated welterweight prospects who also share a record of 3-0, when Bryce Mejia takes on Abdul Razak Alhassan.
Teixeira versus Queiroz completes the main card of “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which airs live on Spike at 8 p.m. CT. The three previously confirmed fights feature Joe Warren (12-4) taking on L.C. Davis (23-6) in the bantamweight headlining attraction, while the Bellator 143 co-main event will pit Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) against top middleweight Kendall Grove (21-15) and Henry Corrales (12-1) battling Emmanuel Sanchez (10-2). Additional preliminary bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” which start at just $20, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place a half an hour later.
A black belt in Kyokushin karate, the 33-year-old Teixeira has been racking up titles in striking competitions for more than a decade. Teixeira reached the pinnacle of standup fighting in 2008, when he earned that year’s K-1 World Grand Prix in Fukuoka title and then fought his way to the K-1 World Grand Prix Final’s championship bout. Teixeira turned his attention to MMA in 2012, and has remained undefeated through his first three professional contests in the sport and is now ready to try his hand at MMA’s highest level.
Queiroz will be making his fourth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner when he enters the cage on September 25. A veteran of Ultimate Fighting Championship, “Spartan” has never allowed one of his seven professional victories to reach the judges’ scorecards. The Team Nogueira standout was slated to compete against Cheick Kongo at “Bellator 106: Chandler vs. Alvarez 2” but an injury derailed the tilt. After an inactive 2014, the 31-year-old will look to change the tide in 2015.
Further down the preliminary bouts, Jose Flores will make his Bellator MMA debut and look to keep his undefeated record intact in the process. The 27-year-old has finished all three of his fights on the regional circuit via submission. He will be going up against Gonzalez, who shares a perfect record through his first three professional bouts. Both fighters fight out of McAllen, TX, just a short drive from the State Farm Arena.
Another pair of talented local prospects will look to wow the home crowd when Guilherme Farias da Costa aims to stay unbeaten against Jared Chaffe, who most recently suffered the first loss of his professional career after the doctor stopped his fight due to a severe cut.
In another fight that will see someone’s undefeated record come to an end, San Diego’s Bryce Mejia will meet Abdul Razak Alhassan, who trains out of Arlington, TX.
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is 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.
DEXTER GETS SECOND CHANCE TO WIN GOLD IN A NEW WEIGHT CLASS
Lewiston, Maine (August 19, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. That night, Team Irish’s Ricky Dexter (3-1) is scheduled to meet CJ Ewer (3-2) in an NEF MMA Amateur Welterweight Title eliminator. Recently, Dexter was the guest on the NEF Podcast hosted by NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.
A veteran of the United States Navy, Dexter joined Marcus Davis’s Team Irish gym after moving home to Bangor, Maine at the conclusion of his military service. Eventually, Dexter took over the fitness program at the gym, now known as “207 Athletes.” Dexter touched on his progression from joining the gym to becoming a trainer.
“I wanted to keep working out and keep in good shape,” said Dexter of his return home to Maine from military service. “I figured I’d go work out with the guys at Team Irish. I started doing their workout regimen. I dabbled a little bit with MMA training. Slowly I got more into it over time. It was a good workout. As time went on, I got better at it. I got more addicted with the more I learned, with Marcus’s knowledge, I got addicted to it. He hired me to run his fitness class. After that, I figured I’d take a fight. I was in pretty good shape.”
Earlier this year, Dexter engaged in a grueling slugfest with Cory Trial (1-1) at “NEF XVI.” It was just Dexter’s second fight in the MMA cage. The bout ended in a knockout victory for Dexter. The highlight-reel knockout will, no doubt, be in the running for a nomination for “KO of the Year” at the “NEF 2015 Year-End Awards.”
“The first round I pretty much remember,” recalled Dexter. “The second round I kind of went into a trance. I don’t really remember much of it, just from watching the video. When you get to that point your training takes over. You kind of black out and, before you know it, you’re getting your hand raised.”
In all, Dexter finished his first three amateur bouts on his way to getting a shot at the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Championship at “NEF XVIII” this past June against Josh Harvey (4-1). Dexter would lose the bout by first-round submission. At “NEF XIX” on September 12, Dexter will have a chance to avenge that loss when he meets Havey’s Young’s MMA teammate CJ Ewer in a bout that will be a title eliminator for the NEF MMA Amateur Welterweight Championship.
“He’s a really good wrestler, a big guy,” Dexter said of Ewer. “He looks like he’s pretty skilled. He comes from a respected school in Young’s. We all know what he’s gonna do, and we all know what I have to do.”
You can listen to the entire NEF Podcast interview atwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Podcasts/
For more information on the Team Irish Fitness Academy, please visit their website www.TeamIrishMMA.com. You can also follow “207 Athletes” on Facebook to learn more about Ricky Dexter’s training program.
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” takes place onSaturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.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.
GLOBAL PROVING GROUND ANNOUNCES 22ND LIVE MMA EVENT STACKED WITH PHILADELPHIA AREA’S FINEST FIGHTING TALENT ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24
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WSOF 23 PRELIMINARY FIGHT CARD COMPLETE WITH SEVEN BOUTS HIGHLIGHTED BY ISAAC VALLIE-FLAGG, CLIFFORD STARKS AND LEGION OF LOCAL PHOENIX AREA TALENT
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FIGHT NETWORK MMA, JUDO & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Aug. 17-23, 2015)
(U.S. only schedule., excluding listings in blue. For full Canadian schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com from your region.)
Fight 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, Aug. 17
6:30 p.m. ET – Judo Havana Grand Prix 2014 Highlights – Highlights from the Judo Havana Grand Prix from Jun 3, 6-8, 2014 in Cuba.
7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Fight Network’s John Ramadeen and Robin Black invite special guests to breakdown the weekend of MMA action.
7:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
Tuesday, Aug. 18
1:30 a.m. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S. professional and amateur MMA events.
6:00 a.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Phil Davis – In-depth sit-down interview with UFC light heavyweight star Phil Davis.
6:30 a.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arenda with three-level obstacle structures.
4:00 p.m. & 10 p.m. ET — – 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.
5:00 & 5:30 ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based pro MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.
8:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Fight Network’s John Ramadeen and Robin Black invice special guests to breakdown the weekend of MMA action.
8:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
9:00 p.m. ET — Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and others.
11:00 p.m. ET – Hard Knocks Fighting 41 – Featuring Rodney Wallace vs. Tyuta Sakurai and Keita Nakamura vs. Yoshiyuki Katahira from Feb. 28, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan.
Wednesday, Aug. 19
4:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star State’s top prospects in the cage.
8:00 a.m. ET – Hard Knocks Fighting 41– Featuring Rodney Wallace vs. Misha Cirkunov from Jan. 30, 2015 in Calgary, Canada.
6:00 p.m. ET – Best of Cage Rage – Featuring classic fights from the UK-based Cage Rage organization with Anderson Silva, Antonio Silva, Victor Belfort, Paul Daley and others.
7:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and feature.
7:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
8:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 49 – Featuring Bruno Carvalho vs. Cathal Oedred and Rosi Sexton vs. Sheila Gaff from Oct. 27, 2012 in Cardiff, Wales.
11:00 p.m. ET – 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. ET – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews.
Thursday, Aug. 20
1:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 21: Stand Your Ground – Featuring Oli Thompson vs. Mark Potter from June 25, 2011 in London.
6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fighting Alliance – Pro MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkie, Luis Palomino and others.
7:00 p.m. ET – 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.
8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.
8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
9:00 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge 32 – Featuring Kenny Garner vs. Magomed Malikov, Mario Miranda vs. Artur Guseimov and Maxim Grishin vs. Joachim Christensen from May 16, 2012 in Moscow.
Friday, Aug. 21
12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan.
6:00 P.M. ET – M-1 Challenge – Pro MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.
7:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.
7:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
8:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Sam Stoud – In-depth sit-down
interview with Canadian UFC lightweight contender Phil Davis.
8:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.
9:00 p.m. ET – KSW 31: Materia vs. Drwal – Featuring Michal Materia vs. Tomasz Drwal, Mariusz Pudzianowski vs. Rolles Gracie and Goran Reljic vs. Attila Vegh from May 23, 2015 in Gdansk, Poland.
10:00 p.m. ET — UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Oliveira Prelims (CANADA ONLY) – LIVE preliminary fights from Saskatoon, Canada, featuring Sam Stout vs. Frankie Perez and Yves Jabouin vs. Felipe Arantes.
Saturday, Aug. 22
1:00 a.m. ET – Instinct MMA 4: Thatch vs. Grandmont – Featuring Brandon Thatch vs. Martin Grandmont and Thierry Quenneville vs. Luke Caudillo from June 29, 2012 in Montreal.
6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring Ivan Menjivar vs. Jeff Curran from UCC 10 and Damacio Page vs. Thierry Quenneville from TKO 25.
7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Jake Shields vs. Robert Ferguson from Gladiator Challenge 7.
8:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest. Hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.
9:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.
3:00 p.m. ET – DEEP: 72 – Featuring Yuki Okano vs. Yuki Motoya vs. Jong Heon Chae from May 16, 2015 in Tokyo.
6:00 p.m. ET – UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Oliveira Weigh-Ins – LIVE coverage of official weigh-ins for UFC Fight Night: Halloway vs. Oliveira from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
9:00 p.m. ET – King of Kings: World Grand Prix Riga 20915 – Featuring a one-night, single-elimination light heavyweight tournament May 22, 2015 in Riga, Latvia.
11:00 p.m. ET – Inside Evolucao Thai – An inside look at the demise of the Brazilian Chute Academy and formation of Evolucao Thai in Canada.
Sunday, Aug. 23
12:00 a.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and others.
1:00 a.m. ET – Ring of Combat 49 – Featuring Andre Harrison vs. Jeff Lentz and Julio Arce vs. Jake Grigson from Sept. 19, 2014 in Atlantic City, NJ.
6:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.
11:00 a.m. ET – Best of ADCC – Featuring 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. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters taking on the renowned Thai National Team.
5:00 p.m. – USA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features, and a look back at the past.
5:30 p.m. ET – Judo Baku Grand Slam 2015 Highlights – Highlights from the Judo Baku Grand Slam from May 8-10, 2015 in Azerbaijan.
6:00 p.m. ET — UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Oliveira Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage and analysis for UFC Fight Night: Halloway vs. Oliveira from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
6:00 p.m. ET – RFA 29: USA vs. Brazil (CANADA ONLY) – LIVE MMA action from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, featuring teams coached by Robbie Lawler and Lyoto Machida, with Ricky Musgrave vs. Raoni Barcelos in the main event for the RFA featherweight title.
11:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live #28: Cingel vs. El Boustati – Featuring Miko Cingel vs. Ibrahim Boustati for the -85kg world title from Zilina, Slovakia.
INFORMATION:
Twitter & Instagram @fightnet
BELLATOR MMA CONTINUES TO BOLSTER ROSTER WITH THE ADDITION OF ISAO KOBAYASHI & THIAGO JAMBO GONCALVES
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 17, 2015) – Bellator MMA officials are proud to announce the signings of Isao Kobayashi (18-2-4) and Thiago Jambo Goncalves (18-4, 1 NC) to multi-year, multi-fight contracts.
Kobayashi and Goncalves join a roster that has recently added names the likes of: Josh Thomson, Josh Koscheck, Melvin Guillard, Lorenzo Hood, Phil Davis, and Ed Ruth – amongst others.
At 26-years-old, Kobayashi holds the distinction of being a former “King of Pancrase,” earning the Japanese promotion’s lightweight title before making the transition to featherweight. A member of Sakaguchi Dojo Ichizoku, “Isao” is currently riding a two-fight winning streak, most recently defeating Will Chope at a Pancrase event on August 9.
Goncalves is a pupil of Bellator MMA Featherweight Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and his brother Patricky Freire at Pitbull Brothers Academy in Brazil. The 34-year-old welterweight has competed professionally since 2004 and has accrued seven victories along the way. A winner of eight out of his last 10 tilts, “Jambo” joins a division that recently crowned a new champion in Andrey “Spartan” Koreshkov.
Debut dates and opponents will be announced for the two fighters in the near future.
CROWSNECK BOUTIN: “IT’S ALWAYS FUN TO KNOCK PEOPLE OUT”
Lewiston, Maine (August 17, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Featured on the professional portion of the card will be a light-heavyweight matchup between Crowsneck Boutin (1-0) and Mike “The Mustache” Hansen (2-2). Both men are competing under NEF developmental deals.
Recently, Boutin was NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson’s guest on the NEF Podcast. Boutin discussed, among other topics, growing up in Lubec, Maine, the upcoming bout with Hansen, and his recent signing to a multi-fight NEF development deal. Boutin and Peterson touched on their first meeting some three-and-a-half years ago, shortly before Boutin made his amateur debut at “NEF III.”
“I was hanging out with a few buddies who got tickets to your (NEF) first event, so I went to that and it was the greatest thing,” recalled Boutin. “I remember talking with people and then contacting you. I really wasn’t doing anything at that time. I was feeling kind of lost. I was kind of clinging to the feeling of want. I just wanted to do something. Plus, I liked to fight and scrap. I always watched the sport. I guess it just all came together at that time.”
With no formal training, Boutin would lose his first bout. Shortly thereafter, Peterson put Boutin in contact with coach Jon Pinette of the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine. It is there that Boutin found his footing in the martial arts while, at the same time, forging strong friendships and relationships with teammates.
“It’s a pretty awesome atmosphere,” said Boutin of the Choi Institute. “I’ve never stayed in one place very long my whole life, except for this place. I don’t see myself leaving. It’s a great atmosphere over here. I called Jon. I remember being really nervous to call Jon, I was thinking about this earlier, but he was really inviting… Everyone here has been really inviting, really supporting. There’s a really good mix of people here. We have young to old. We have everything in between. It’s a very accepting place to be. It’s a great place to train. Everyone gets along inside and outside the gym.”
Boutin made the decision to turn professional earlier this year after having competed in a total of 13 amateur fights. He would defeat MMA Athletix head coach Ryan Cowette (2-3) in his debut. In doing so, Boutin gained a measure of revenge as it had been Cowette’s protégé Brent Dillingham (1-1) who had handed Boutin his first loss in Boutin’s amateur debut at “NEF III.” Boutin says that there really was no animosity between himself and Cowette, but the post-fight exchange between Boutin and Dillingham at “NEF III” in 2012 is still in the back of his mind. He admits that he would love a rematch with Dillingham in the near future.
“As far as Brent Dillingham goes, he’s somebody I’d really like to fight soon at 205 if he can get in shape and meet me there,” Boutin declared. “I’d love to have that fight sometime soon.”
Boutin will have his work cut out for him with Hansen on September 12 in Lewiston. Hansen is an accomplished wrestler, having won a state championship for Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Maine in 2004. Boutin, however, is confident in his own abilities both standing and on the mat.
“I feel ready for wherever the fight goes,” said Boutin. “If it stays on the feet, eventually over three rounds, I’m gonna try to knock him out. It’s always fun to knock people out. If it goes to the ground, I’ll prevail there.”
You can listen to the entire NEF Podcast interview atwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Podcasts/
For more information on the Choi Institute, please visit their websitewww.choishindo.com.
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” takes place onSaturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.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.
TWO WORLD TITLE FIGHTS HEADLINE ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE,’ WHEN PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE MEETS DANIEL STRAUS FOR THE FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP & WILL BROOKS FACES MARCIN HELD FOR LIGHTWEIGHT GOLD
HOMETOWN FAVORITES MICHAEL ‘IRON’ CHANDLER & BOBBY ‘THE DOMINATOR’ LASHLEY WILL ALSO BE IN ACTION AT SCOTTRADE CENTER IN ST. LOUIS ONNOVEMBER 6
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 14, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Featherweight Championship will be defended in a trilogy contest between incumbent titlist Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) and former champion Daniel Straus (23-6, 1 NC) when the two square off in the main event of “Bellator 145: Vengeance” at Scottrade Center in Saint Louis on November 6.
In a fight also worthy of main event billing, Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) will look to defend his 155-pound belt when he meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3). Fans who tune-in to “Bellator 145: Vengeance” on Spike will also be treated to lightweight Michael Chandler (13-3) and heavyweight Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) competing inside the Bellator MMA cage. Opponents for both fighters will be announced in the coming weeks.
The contests will take up four spots during the main card of “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 6 p.m. CT.
Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, go on sale next Friday, August 21 at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com and at the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center, with a special Bellator Nation presale available on the 19th and 20th for fans using the code: FIGHT. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.
“Following the success of ‘Unfinished Business’ in June, it was a no-brainer for us to make our return to the Scottrade Center and St. Louis before the year’s end. Once again, I look forward to working alongside Jesse Finney and his standout promotion Shamrock FC on putting together another must-see event,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “In addition to not one, but two world-class title fights, Michael Chandler and Bobby Lashley also being featured at ‘Vengeance’ brings a sense of hometown pride back to the outstanding fans of Missouri.”
Freire is a multi-time Bellator Featherweight Tournament winner who has only tasted defeat twice in his illustrious 26-fight career. Best known as “Pitbull,” the tenacious striker has finished 18 of his 24 wins and was most recently on the positive end of a devastating knockout of Daniel Weichel at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business.” A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, “Pitbull” owns victories over his “Bellator 145: Vengeance” opponent in their prior two battles.
After recovering from a devastating knee injury following his last meeting with Freire, Daniel Straus bounced back with a spectacular submission stoppage of Henry Corrales at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business.” A member of American Top Team in Florida, the 31-year-old wants to reclaim the belt that he still considers to be his, which was made clear during his post-fight interview with Bellator MMA color commentator Jimmy Smith where he said: “Whoever holds the featherweight belt, I am coming to beat you up.”
A training partner of Straus at ATT, Brooks has been yearning to return to action since his unanimous decision victory over Dave Jansen at “Bellator 136: Brooks vs. Jansen.” The 28-year-old will be making his 10th appearance inside the Bellator MMA cage and competing in a bout where the lightweight title is on the line for the fourth consecutive time. The Chicago native currently sits at No. 6 on Sherdog.com’s official lightweight rankings.
At only 23-years-old, Held will officially cash-in the title shot earned from his Bellator Season 10 Lightweight Tournament Final victory at “Bellator 126: Shlemenko vs. Halsey.” A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Held has earned titles at prominent grappling tournaments the likes of: ADCC, FILA and IBJJF. In his most recent Bellator MMA appearance, the Polish fighter finished Alexander Sarnavskiy via kneebar, pushing his career total of wins by way of submission to 12.
About Bellator MMA:
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is 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.
About Scottrade Center:
Scottrade Center is a contemporary, 12-story glass and concrete structure located in the heart of downtown St. Louis. The home of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Scottrade Center also features a full range of arena programming, including concerts, ice shows, family shows and other sporting events.