ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (July 15, 2015) – A pair of past M-1 Challenge championship contenders, Maro “Mean Machine” Perak and Viktor Nemkov, will battle August 5 in the main event at M-1 Challenge 60 in Orel, Russia with the winner positioning himself for a potential title shot against M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan Puetz..
Perak (23-5-1, 12 KO/TKO, 7 SUB), fighting out of Croatia, is coming off tough, competitive fights against two of the best heavyweights in the world, another past M-1 Challenge title challenger, Denis Smoldarev, and reigning M-1 Challenge champion Marcin Tybura.
This past February at M-1 Challenge 55, Perak lost by submission (arm-lock) to Smoldarev in the opening round. Perak’s only title fight to date was April 4, 2014, in which he was stopped in the third round by Tybura’s punches.
After his aforementioned fights, Perak decided to drop down in weight to fight as a light heavyweight. He was scheduled face Rashad Yusupov last May at M-1 Challenge 57, however, a knee surgery forced Perak out of that fight and he will instead make his M-1 light heavyweight debut versus Nemkov. Perak will be looking for his first win in M-1 Global competition, fighting for the fourth time in an event presented by the highly respected Russian promotional company.
A native of Kazakhstan, now fighting out of Belgorod, Russia, Nemkov (16-8-0, 9 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) hopes the third time is the charm for him. He has lost two M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title fights, March 14, 2014 toPuetz by split decision at M-1 Challenge 46, and back in 2011 to Vinny Magalhaes by third-round submission (choke) at M-1 Challenge 25.
A veteran of 16 M-1 Global fights (9-7-0), Nemkov has been sidelined the past 1 ½ years recovering from a series of injuries.
Nemkov’s return and Perak’s debut as a light heavyweight adds up to an explosive fight for the right to challenge Puetz.
Three other fights have been announced this far for M-1 Challenge 60: Battle in Orel. All fights and fighters are subject to change, additional bouts will soon be announced.
Polish light heavyweight Marcin Zontek (14-8-0, 6 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) takes on Maxim Futin, of Russia, Zulfikar Usmanov (7-4-1, 1 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) faces Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (9-3-0, 4 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) in a battle of Russian lightweights, and French bantamweight Moktar Benkaci (11-6-0) meets Evgeni Lazukov (7-2-0, 1 KO/TKO, 1 SUB), of Russia.
Zontek (14-8-0, 6 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) (pictured to left) plans a spectacular comeback from his 2012 bloody fight with Sergey Korneev for the M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title. Zontek needed more than 2 ½ years to fully recover from his loss but he won his last two fights going into his Aug. 5 fight.
A two-time Combat Sambo champion and European vice-champion, Futin (4-2-0, 4 KO/TKO) is an exciting fighter who often spars with Vyacheslav Vasilevky. Futin is always in great shape and known as an excellent striker.
Usmanov (pictured below left) is an experienced MMA fighter from St. Petersburg. A powerful striker, he has twice been awarded “Fight of the Night” bonuses. Riding a five-fight win streak, Makhno is a promising prospect whose M-1 Challenge debut ended with a sensational knockout victory over Rakhman Makhazhiev (pictured below right).
In his most recent fight, Benkaci (11-7-0, 3 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) gave Nikita Chistyakovall he could handle, albeit in a loss by majority decision. Benkaci (pictured below left), whose previous fights have been at featherweight, was at a disadvantage fighting Chistyakov at lightweight. When M-1 Global launched its bantamweight division last month, dropped down to a much more comfortable weight class for him.
A seven-time European Universal Combat champion, Lazukov (pictured below right) showed his potential early, defeating UFC flyweight contender Ali Begautinov during his relatively young professional career.
M-1 Challenge 60 will be streamed live from Orel 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 Andriod and Apple smart phones and tablets.
Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 60 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable 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.
Information
Twitter & Instagram: @VFinkelchtein @M1Global
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Category Archives: mixed martial arts
WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING SIGNS ADAM WARD AND ANDREAS SPANG
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NEF STARS LOOKING TO GET BACK ON THE WINNING TRACK IN LEWISTON
Lewiston, Maine (July 15, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of a professional bout to the fight card. Tollison Lewis (0-4) has signed to face “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (2-2) at a fight weight of 150-pounds. NEF further announced that Lewis had signed a long term, multi-fight contract with the company.
Following a lengthy amateur career that saw him compete in the cage thirteen times, Tollison Lewis got off to a slow start in his professional career. He has been known throughout his career to take the toughest fights he can find, and Lewis’s four losses have all come at the hands of fighters who currently have winning records, with a combined win-loss tally of 16-6. Last fall, at NEF’s first boxing event, Lewis defeated veteran boxer John Webster (8-7-1) after taking the bout on just a day’s notice. With a brand new NEF contract in tow, a child on the way, and a respite from the sport behind him, Lewis will now look to carry his success from the NEF boxing ring over to the MMA cage. The 150-pound catchweight will be the first step in Lewis’s transition from the lightweight to featherweight division.
“First off I’d like to thank NEF for the opportunity again,” said Lewis. “I’ve been on a long break with my baby girl on the way getting prepared for fatherhood, but I’m back now. I’m super excited for this fight and also making my way down in weight. Shorey is a tough guy and also very genuine person. He’s as dangerous as any man who steps in that cage. I’ll be ready and I know he will be coming hard and dangerous with bad intentions behind everything and when that cage door closes, he’s no friend – it’s all business. Be ready Derek, because I will be. Let’s give these fans a show and test ourselves to the limit.”
The founder and head of the Shatterproof Combat Club, Derek Shorey is looking to bounce back from what he considers the worst loss of his career. Indeed, Jeremy DiChiara (2-0) unleashed an offensive barrage on Shorey at “NEF XVIII” last month that resulted in a first-round stoppage. Like Lewis, Shorey is also an NEF-signed athlete. Also like Lewis, Shorey is looking to give NEF fans a show to remember at “NEF XIX.”
“This is a fight I’ve seen coming and I’ve wanted for a long time,” said Shorey. “Tollison will not back down, and he’s not afraid to get hit. I’m coming off the worst performance of my career, and my family, friends and fans deserve better than that. I’m excited to get in there and mix it up with Lewis and give the NEF fans the best performance of my career.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 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.
MELVIN ‘THE YOUNG ASSASSIN’ GUILLARD SET FOR PROMOTIONAL DEBUT IN THE MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR 141 AGAINST BRANDON ‘COLD ROLL’ GIRTZ
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 15, 2015) – Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard’s (32-14-2 2 NC) first bout under the Bellator MMA banner will come in lightweight action against Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4) on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.
The contest serves as the headlining bout of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for Bellator 141, which start at just $50, go on sale this Friday at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later.
“Since signing Melvin [Guillard] in May, we have been anxious to get him inside the Bellator cage,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “Brandon Girtz has performed well for us and will face his stiffest competition to date when he meets the 50-fight veteran. I’m really looking forward to the event, as well as returning to one of our favorite venues in Pechanga Resort and Casino.”
At only 32 years of age, “The Young Assassin” has amassed 50 professional bouts in a career that dates back to 2002. With 21 victories coming by KO, Guillard has generated a large fan base with his exciting fighting style.
Born in New Orleans, the knockout artist has honed his skills at some of the top MMA gyms in the world including: Jackson’s MMA, Blackzilians, Grudge Training Center and American Top Team, where he currently trains. During his 22-fight stint with Ultimate Fighting Championship, Guillard broke MMA great BJ Penn’s record for most KO’s in the lightweight division with eight, an accolade that he still holds to this day.
An NCAA Division II All-American at Minnesota State University, Girtz has competed for Bellator MMA since 2012, accruing a record of 4-2. It’s safe to say that the Northway Martial Arts-product is a “submission specialist,” with seven of his 11 professional victories coming by way of making his opponent tap out.
“Cold Roll” was officially cleared to return to active competition in May after suffering an ACL injury during training. This return bout will be Girtz’s first appearance in 2015, and will also serve as his first time in a headlining role.
Championship Belt on The Line at CZ 54 “Vengeance”
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FAN FAVORITE INKS MULTI-FIGHT DEAL WITH NEF; WILL COMPETE AT NEF XIX
Lewiston, Maine (July 14, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of a professional light-heavyweight bout to the fight card. Crowsneck Boutin (1-0) will face Mike “The Mustache” Hansen (2-2) at a fight weight of 205-pounds. The promotion further announced that Boutin had signed a long term, multi-fight deal with the company.
Crowsneck Boutin debuted as an amateur fighter with NEF in June 2012. After going 3-0 in 2014, Boutin was voted the “Fighter of the Year” by NEF fans. His successful run continued into 2015 when Boutin downed veteran Ryan Cowette (2-3) in his professional debut. He currently trains out of the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine under coach Jon Pinette.
“A few years ago, after losing my first fight, Matt Peterson gave me Jon Pinette’s (Choi coach) phone number,” recalled Boutin. “I didn’t know it at the time, but that one phone call would become the most important call I’d ever make. Ups and downs, yea? We all come by them. We find the light. I’m blessed with this opportunity to call the NEF cage my home and it’ll be a true privilege to honor those who have loved me unconditionally and have supported me through this, from when I started as a fugitive, to now, as a professional.”
“Hopefully it’s a war and things get bloody,” stated Boutin when asked about his upcoming clash with Hansen on September 12th. “I understand he has a mustache and it’s extremely cool, but I can’t let that distract me from ripping him open.”
Mike Hansen, himself an NEF-signed athlete, won a state championship in wrestling for Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Maine in 2004. Hansen began competing in MMA soon after graduating high school, but then took nearly a decade off from the sport during which time he served in the United States Army as a combat engineer. Returning to the cage earlier this year, Hansen founded Berserkers MMA in Rumford where he trains with other Mountain Valley wrestling alum.
“Crowsneck is a hard worker out of a great school and he’s dedicated,” stated Hansen when reached for comment. “I’m sure he’s going to throw a lot of volume on his feet, kicking and punching, but it’s not like he’s going to take me down. So, it looks like we are going to stand and bang it out. I expect him to come fully prepared for battle—and battle we will.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 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 MMA, JUDO & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (July 13-19, 2015)
| (U.S. only schedule, excluding those listed below in blue and indicated CANADA ONLY. 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, July 13 8:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 13 MMA: Wolf vs.Milinkovic – Featuring Ruben Wolf vs. Sasa Milinkovic from June 6, 2014 in Zadar Croatia. 10:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 13 Kickboxing: Jurkovic vs. Tavares – Featuring Igor Jurkovic vs. Luis Tavares from June 6, 2014 in Zadar Croatia. Tuesday, July 14 7:00 p.m. ET – UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee Weigh-Ins – LIVE coverage of official weigh ins for UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee in San Diego, California. 8:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down 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. 10:00 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. 11:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live #30 Dublin: Philpott vs. Jarya – Featuring Alan Philpott vs. Mohammed Jaraya and Ilisias Bulaid vs. Simon Santana in championship fights from July 11, 2015 in Dublin, Ireland. Wednesday, July 15 3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star State’s top prospects in the cage. 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. 7:70 p.m. ET – UFC Fight Night Mir: vs. Duffee Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage of UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee in San Diego, California. 8:00 p.m. ET – CANADA ONLY – UFC Fight Night Mir: vs. Duffee Prelims – LIVE preliminary fights coverage of UFC Fight Night: Mir vs. Duffee in San Diego, California. 8:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors FC: Fight Night 5 – Featuring John Phillips vs. Chris Fields and Victor Cheng vs. Faycal Hussin from Apr. 12, 2012 in Amman, Jordan. 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, July 16 12:30 a.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game. 1:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 16: Unbelievable – Featuring Dean Amasinger vs. Jamaine Facey from Oct. 23, 2010 9m London. 3:30 a.m. EI – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and others. 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 – SuperKombat World Grand Prix III 2015 – Featuring Catalin Morasanu vs. Colin George and Andrei Stoica vs. Abdarhmane Coulibaly from June 19, 2015 in Constanta, Romania. Friday, July 17 12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan. 2:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others. 4:00 a.m. ET – Best of DEEP – Featuring classic fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gerard Mousasi. 5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA League, Jewels. 12:00 p.m. ET – Bookie Beatdown – Preview of the betting lines and top picks for major UFC events. 6:00 p.m. ET — M-1 Challenge– Pro MMA from Europe and Russia featuring top prospects and international stars. 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 Michael Bisping – Sit-down interview with UFC miuddleweight star Michael Bisping. 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 26: Materia vs. Silva – Featuring Michal Materia vs. Jay Silva and Marcin Rozalski vs. Nick Rossborough from Mar. 22, 2014 in Warsaw, Poland. Saturday, July 18 10:30 a.m. ET – UFC Fight Night Bisping vs. Leites Pre-Show – Pre-fight for UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Leites in Glasgow, Scotland. 11:00 a.m. ET – CANADA ONLY – UFC Fight Night Bisping vs. Leites Prelims – LIVE Preliminary fights coverage of UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs. Leites in Glasgow, Scotland. 6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring Urijah Faber vs. Ivan Menjivar from TKO 24. 7:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest, hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen. 8:30 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 – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and others 3:00 p.m. ET – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scene news coverage from events, and exclusive interviews. 4:00 p.m. ET – Deep: 69 Impact– Featuring Yoshiyuki Nakanisho vs. Ryita Sakurai and Mizuto Hirota vs. Masakazu Imanari from Oct. 26, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan. 8:00 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game. 8:30 p.m. ET – Legend 1: Emelianenko vs. Sapp – Featuring Alexsander Emelianenko vs. Bob Sapp on a hybrid MMA/kickboxing show from May 24, 2014 in Moscow, Russia. 10:00 p.m. ET — Legend 1: Lightweight Tournament – Featuring a one-night, single-elimination lightweight tournament showcasing Dhabar Askerov, Enriko Gogokhiya, Artur Kyshenko and Yury Nessmertny from May 24, 2014 in Moscown, Russia. Sunday, July 19 12:00 a.m. ET – Australian Fighting Championship 9 – Featuring Corey Nelson vs. Callan Potter and Gustavo Falciroli vs. Kaiwhare Kara-France from May 17, 2014 in New South Eales, Austrailia. 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 a.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. ET – 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 Tokyo Grand Slam 2014 – Highlights from the Judo Tokyo Grand Slam – Highlights from the Judo Tokyo Grand Slam from Dec. 5-7, 2-014 in Japan. 11:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live #23: Bulaid vs. Zairov – Featuring Ilias Bulaid vs. Zahid Zahid Zairov for the -67kg world title from Dec. 21, 2014 in Gennep Nijmegen, Netherlands.
INFORMATION:
Twitter & Instagram @fightnet
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| ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK: Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. |
ROGER ‘THE LEPRECHAUN’ CARROLL STEPS UP ON SHORT NOTICE TO FACE ‘IRISH’ BRENNAN WARD AT BELLATOR 140 THIS FRIDAY
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 13, 2015) – Connecticut’s own“Irish” Brennan Ward (10-3) will compete against a new opponent at “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which takes place thisFriday, July 17 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Roger “The Leprechaun” Carroll (16-11) has agreed to face the dangerous welterweight on seven days’ notice, in the place of Gavin Sterritt, who withdrew from the contest and was subsequently cut from the promotional roster.
“Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov” features five world-class 170-pound bouts including world champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and Andrey Koreshkov (17-1), Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6), Michael “Venom” Page (7-0) taking on Rudy Bears (16-13), and knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2) challenging Dennis Olson (14-8).
The main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the announced preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Limited tickets for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which start at just $25, remain on sale now at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com.
Having won Bellator’s Season 9 Middleweight tournament, Ward decided to test himself in the welterweight division, and shined in his 170-pound debut with a first-round rear-naked choke submission victory over Curtis Millender at “Bellator: The British Invasion” this past February.
The Waterford, Conn. native has an affinity for the finish, having ended nine of his ten professional tilts before reaching the judges’ scorecards. With his hometown a mere ten miles away from the venue, “Irish” is sure to have a strong home cage advantage over his short notice opponent.
Carroll rides into Connecticut in the midst of a three-fight winning streak. The Claremont, N.C. resident has spent most of his seven year mixed martial arts career competing at 185-pounds, but will make the move to welterweight for his Bellator MMA debut.
“The Leprechaun” fits the description of a “submission specialist,” with 15 of his 16 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent quit. One half of Carroll Brothers BJJ, Roger also doubles as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor alongside his brother Joseph at Superior Martial Arts Academy in North Carolina.
Main Card (9 P.M. EST)
Bellator Welterweight Title Fight: Douglas Lima (26-5) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (17-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (7-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-13)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (10-3) vs. Roger Carroll (16-11)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (36-13-2) vs. Dennis Olson (14-8)
Preliminary Card (7 P.M. EST)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Blair Tugman (7-5) vs. Kin Moy (6-2)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Ilya Kotau (debut) vs. Nicolas Sergiacomi (1-0)
Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Parker Porter (5-4) vs. Eric Bedard (6-5)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-3) vs. Remo Cardarelli (4-2)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Dean Hancock (1-0) vs. Alex Dunworth (2-1, 1 NC)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Kaline Medeiros (4-4) vs. Sarah Payant (1-0)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Quinn (10-5, 1 NC)
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 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 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.
BELLATOR MMA AND SPIKE TV NAME SEAN GRANDE PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER FOR ITS LIVE FIGHT COVERAGE
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 13, 2015) – Bellator MMA and Spike have named veteran sports announcer and the current voice of the Boston Celtics, Sean Grande, as its new play-by-play announcer. Grande will team up with color analyst Jimmy Smith beginning this Friday, July 17 for “Bellator 140” at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Fans can tune in to hear Grande and Smith call the action for the first time at “Bellator 140,” which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT. The event features five action-packed welterweight fights, headlined by Bellator Welterweight Champion Douglas Lima, who defends his belt against Andrey Koreshkov, plus the return of hometown favorite Brennan Ward.
“Sean Grande is an incredibly talented and well-accomplished sports announcer with a passion for mixed martial arts,” said Scott Coker, President, Bellator MMA. “He has been behind the microphone for many championship events and we look forward to him bringing his enthusiasm and energy to Bellator as our league continues to grow.”
“I’m proud to have called games for some amazing organizations, ABC Sports, CBS, the Celtics, the Red Sox, Westwood One,” said Grande. “But I’ve simply been blown away by the people at Spike TV and Bellator, and the product they want to present. I’m legitimately honored to join both of these teams, and make some great sports television.
“I absolutely love what Scott (Coker) has done for Bellator and l’m thrilled to start calling the fights alongside Jimmy Smith Friday night on Spike. I’m going to have the best seat in the house, watching Douglas Lima and some of the best welterweights in the world. Hard to imagine a better way to kick things off, and it’s all taking place just a short drive from Boston.
“I understand why I’m a story today. But what I’m really excited about, is being able to tell the stories of amazing champions like Patricio Pitbull, Will Brooks, Douglas Lima and Liam McGeary as they rise to the top of the sport.”
More on Grande (@SeanGrandePBP):
Recently completing his 18th season in the NBA and 15th as the voice of the Boston Celtics, Grande’s epic account of the two-month run to the 2008 World Championship cemented his status as one of the nation’s elite play-callers. He’s joined by analyst Cedric Maxwell for all Boston Celtics games. Since shortly after their 2001 pairing, “Grande and Max” have become one of Boston’s most popular and iconic on-air combinations, and the soundtrack of the Celtics “New Big Three Era”.
On May 20, 2013, Grande made his Major League Baseball debut, after being named the alternate play-by-play voice of the World Champion Boston Red Sox. It completed his cycle of broadcasting major pro sports (NBA, NFL, NHL, WNBA and MLS). In January, he returned to his television roots, calling college basketball on CBS Sports Network.
Grande’s reached several milestones over the last few years. Only the legendary Johnny Most and current television voice Mike Gorman have now called more Celtics games. In 2009, he called his 1000th NBA Game, joining Marv Albert and Ian Eagle as the only three to reach that plateau before the age of 40. Grande and Max were honored pre-game at TD Garden for their 1000th game together on February 3, 2012.
Voted by the readers of Boston Sports Media Watch as the best play-by-play announcer in Boston, Sean was recruited back to town in 2001 after serving three years as the television voice of the Minnesota Timberwolves. When he signed in 1998, he was the youngest announcer in the NBA. The versatile Grande’s play-by-play credits also include two seasons as part of ABC Sports College Football broadcast team, joining the likes of Keith Jackson and Brent Musburger.
Grande’s first stint in Boston began at Boston University where he spent seven seasons calling Terrier hockey, football and basketball on both television and radio. On the television side, Grande was the original voice of the Hockey East Game of the Week on Fox Sports Net. His college hockey work for Fox and the NCAA Tournament garnered him three New England Emmy nominations including the 1999 Emmy for best Play-by-Play. He’s served six years as the television voice of the NCAA East Regional. And this past April in Philadelphia, his twelfth year as “Voice of the Frozen Four” on CBS Radio, Grande called his record fifteenth NCAA Championship Game.
His broadcast career included a seven-year stint at WEEI (1991-1998), the final three as Sports Director. His wide-ranging play-by-play career has seen him call NFL Football for Westwood One, WNBA basketball for the Minnesota Lynx (1999-2001) and Connecticut Sun (2006-2007), MFS Pro Tennis, Providence Bruins hockey, Harvard basketball and even Major League Soccer. He served three years as host of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on NHL radio and co-hosted the NCAA Hockey Selection show on ESPN2.
BELLATOR & WEC VETERAN RETURNS TO DEFEND NEF TITLE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (July 10, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of a professional featherweight championship bout to the fight card. Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison (17-9) will defend the NEF MMA Professional Featherweight Title against Vovka “KGB” Clay (3-0). The bout is scheduled for five five-minute rounds at a weight of 145-pounds.
Morrison stunned the NEF universe this past February when he arrived in Lewiston and submitted hometown hero Ray Wood (5-1) in the fifth round to win the championship title. It was as if he had sucked all the air out of the Colisée with a vacuum. Morrison played the role of spoiler that cold, snowy night in Lewiston.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “The entire place just dropped into a dead silence. I don’t think anyone in Maine saw that coming, and I certainly don’t think anyone who’s followed NEF expected a fighter to come in and do that to Ray Wood. Everyone was shocked. It was a surreal moment.”
Morrison is a seasoned veteran with more than a decade’s experience in the sport. He has competed against the best MMA has to offer on the national stage, including a stint in World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Bellator. Morrison trains out of Daddis MMA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“I am very thankful to return to the beautiful state of Maine, for my first title defense,” said Morrison. “It will be a very entertaining fight and another victory for the five time! Five time! Five time! Five time! Five time! Mixed martial arts champion, Anthony Morrison.”
Vovka Clay is undefeated as a professional. He competed as an amateur twice in NEF and won both fights by submission in an impressive fashion. Clay is considered one of the true rising stars of the New England fight scene. A win over an accomplished veteran like Morrison could potentially propel Clay onto the national stage. He is a product of Team Triumph/Boston BJJ of Nashua, New Hampshire.
“Every fighter has a dream of making it to the UFC,” said Clay. “Some choose to go after meaningless titles and pad their records fighting nobodies. I choose to fight the highest level of competition possible. I am thrilled to be fighting Anthony Morrison for the NEF Featherweight title. He is a very durable and crafty veteran. It won’t be easy, but if I fight my fight, I will finish Morrison and I will be the NEF Featherweight Champion.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 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.