Category Archives: mixed martial arts

Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Douglas Lima meets Russian knockout artist Andrey Koreshkov on July 17 at Mohegan Sun Arena

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 20, 2015) – Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (26-5), one of the most talented and well-rounded 170-pound fighters on the planet today, puts his title on the line against Russian knockout artist Andrey “Spartan” Koreshkov (17-1) on Friday, July 16, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

 

“Douglas Lima is an incredible champion who is in for one of the toughest fights of his life against Koreshkov,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “When the rest of this card is announced, we’ll have put together one of the greatest showcases of welterweight talent ever assembled on one night.”

 

The two elite combatants headline the newly announced “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov” event, which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT.

 

Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, April 24th at 10 a.m. ET, and are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com. Bellator Nation presale begins this Tuesday.  Join the Bellator Newsletter list or follow us on social media (Twitter / Facebook) to gain access to the presale code and details.

 

Additional information, including ticketing details and the night’s full lineup of world-class MMA action, will be announced shortly.

 

The 27-year-old Lima is a Brazilian-born athlete who now makes his home in Atlanta. Fighting under the Bellator MMA banner since 2011, Lima is an impressive 8-1 in the promotion and an incredible 14-1 in his past 15 overall appearances. Lima earned his way to the Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title with an eight-man tournament victory that included knockout wins over Ben Saunders, Bryan Baker and Michail Tsarev. Lima then claimed the title with an April 2014 knockout win over Rick Hawn. Overall, Lima boasts five consecutive knockout victories and now looks to defend his belt for the first time.

 

Koreshkov is also fresh off an eight-man tournament win, claiming a decision victory over Adam McDonough after previously registering knockouts of Justin Baesman and Nah-Shon Burrell. The 24-year-old Koreshkov is a Russian national medalist in both pankration and hand-to-hand combat and has lost just once in 18 professional MMA appearances.  He owns 10 wins by knockouts and three by submission and also owns a 2012 victory over former Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Lyman Good.

 

Expect fireworks when Lima and Koreshkov collide.

 

Additional contests for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov” will be announced shortly.

MIDDLEWEIGHT FIGHT SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13 HAS A HISTORY

Lewiston, Maine (April 20, 2015) – When Crowsneck Boutin (0-0) makes his professional debut on June 13, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, it will be just days shy of the three-year anniversary of his amateur debut in the very same building.  On that warm, late-spring evening in 2012, a crowd of more than 3,000 had assembled to witness the Maine debut of former UFC World Heavyweight Champion Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia (31-10) at New England Fights’ (NEF) third mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event.  Earlier that night, on the amateur portion card, Boutin was in action against Brent “Frosty” Dillingham (1-1).  Dillingham won via technical knockout (TKO) in the first round.  That was not the end of the action, however, as Boutin and Dillingham exchanged in a heated post-fight confrontation, having to be separated by officials.

 

The bad blood has continued over the course of the past three years, with occasional barbs being hurled by both sides on social media.  Boutin’s opponent on June 13 will be none other than Dillingham’s coach at MMA Athletix, “The Junkyard Dog” Ryan Cowette (2-2).  When he met Dillingham, Boutin was an independent fighter with no formal training in the martial arts.  In the months that followed, Boutin would join the Choi Institute of Portland, Maine and transform himself into a prolific striker. Boutin is clear that the fighter who will step in the cage on June 13 opposite Cowette is not the same undisciplined street fighter who lost to Dillingham three years ago.

 

“As an amateur with zero days in a gym, I debuted against MMA Athletix,” recalled Boutin of his amateur debut.  “Fast forward three years later, three years straight at the Choi Institute. Here is your throat back, thanks for the loan.”

 

Not only is Cowette the head of MMA Athletix, but he is also the founder and pastor of Victory Church in Bath, Maine.  Having suffered a major disappointment when his opponent backed out of their scheduled bout during fight week of “NEF XVII” earlier this month, Cowette is optimistic in regards to the June 13 fight with Boutin.

 

“This should be a great fight for the fans,” said Cowette.  “We both show up to fight and put on a show.  I’m looking to push forward in the 185-pound division.  Crowsneck will be a good test.  I’m thankful for the opportunities NEF gives me.”

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America” will originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on June 13, 2015.  Tickets for “NEF XVIII” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee 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.

Mendon Twin Drive-In to show UFC 186 this Saturday night

MENDON, Mass. (April 20, 2015) – The newly renovated Mendon Twin Drive-In will be a closed circuit site for this Saturday night’s UFC 186 from historic Bell Centre in Montreal. Mendon Twin Drive-In (www.mendondrivein.com) is located at 35 Milford St. in Mendon, MA.

 

Tickets may be purchased at the Mendon Twin Drive-In gate the day of the event only (gates open at 6 p.m. ET), or in advance by going on line at www.aceticket.com. Regular admission is $25.00 per car (maximum of six per vehicle) with a $50.00 VIP ticket per car available that includes priority parking and a weekday drive-in pass. People may watch the UFC 186 action from their car or sit at Pop’s Beer Garden.

 

 

FREE ADMISSION

To the first 100 cars from the Blackstone Valley area (driver’s ID required)

 

 

“I’m excited to show some of the best conditioned and skilled athletes in the world live on one of the biggest screens in New England,” Mendon Twin Drive-In co-owner Dave Andelman said.

 

Preliminary bouts start at 6:30 p.m. ET with the main card fights commencing at10 p.m. ET. World Flyweight Champion Demetrius “Mighty Mouse” Johnson (21-2-1), No. 3 in the UFC pound-for-pound ratings, headlines the main card in a title defense against No. 8 contender Kyoji Horiguchi (15-1-0).

 

Also fighting on the main card is middleweight Michael “The Count” Bisping(26-7-0) vs. CB “The Doberman” Dollaway (16-7-0), light heavyweight Fabio Maldonado (22-7-0) vs. Steve Bosse (10-1-0), John “The Bull” Makdessi(12-3-0) vs. Shane Campbell (11-2-0) at a 160-pound catch-weight, and bantamweight Yves “Tiger” Jabouin (20-9-0) vs. Thomas “Thominhas” Almeida (18-0-0).

Follow on Twitter @Mendondrivein.

 

Behind the scenes and highlights of M-1 Challenge 56


UPCOMING EVENT: M-1 Challenge 57, May 2, 2015 in Orenburg, Russia.

 

Information

www.mixfight.ru

www.wmmaa.org

www.M1Global.tv

 

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews

@VFinkelchtein

@M1Global

 

Facebook:

 

www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244

 

“Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” finalizes action-packed 13-fight lineup with additions of A.J. Jenkins vs. Arlene Blencowe, Shawn Bunch vs. Rolando Perez and John Yoo vs. Albert Morales

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 16, 2015) – A thrilling 13-bout lineup for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” is now complete with the addition of women’s featherweights A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe (5-4), bantamweights Shawn “Bunch the Great” Bunch (3-1) vs.Rolando Perez (7-4) and John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert “The Warrior” Morales (1-0) to the evening’s preliminary card.

 

The three new additions finalize a nine-fight preliminary card scheduled in support of “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” four main card contests.

 

The night’s featured matchups include undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1) and bantamweightsDarrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4).

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

 

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 45 minutes later.

 

Jenkins, of Oceanside, Calif., is one of the most experienced competitors in women’s MMA. Fighting professionally since 2004, Jenkins now makes her Bellator MMA debut. The 33-year-old boasts past tussles with MMA notables Shayna Baszler, Tonya Evinger, Jan Finney, Kelly Kobold and Sarah Schneider, among others.

 

An Australian native, Blencowe is a world-class athlete and former Women’s International Boxing Association World light welterweight champion. After turning her attention to MMA in 2013, Blencowe initially garnered only mixed results as she adjusted to life in the sport. However, she has racked up three-consecutive stoppage wins as of late, and that run earned her a call from Bellator MMA.

 

Bunch is one of MMA’s most elite-level wrestlers as a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and two-time U.S. Olympic Team alternate. He now trains with the famed American Kickboxing Academy banner and has spent his entire professional MMA career under the Bellator MMA banner.

 

Meanwhile, Alliance MMA product Perez is a 10-year veteran of the sport who made his Bellator MMA in November and fought to a rarely-seen split draw. Still, Perez is unbeaten in his past four contests and now looks to get his first win in the promotion.

 

Yoo, of Irvine, Calif., makes his professional debut. He meets Morales, of Carson, Calif., who picked up a submission victory in the Bellator cage in his first professional contest.

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove”Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael Silva (22-4)

 

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: A.J. Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben Reiter (14-0)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

 

Dark Fights (approx. 11 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert Morales (1-0)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Shawn Bunch (3-1) vs. Rolando Perez (7-4)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Steve Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene Blencowe (5-4)

 

RIVAL BANGOR-AREA GYMS VIE FOR FIRST-EVER AMATEUR MMA LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE

NEF_FNVXIII_madeinUSA_FB_final+(1)Lewiston, Maine (April 16, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its eighteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America,” on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.   Earlier today, the promotion announced that the first NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Champion will be crowned that evening when undefeated Ricky Dexter (3-0), representing Marcus Davis’ Team Irish, will take on Josh Harvey (3-1) of cross-town rival Young’s MMA.  The bout will be contested at the lightweight limit of 155-pounds.

 

Dexter and Harvey are regarded as two of the top prospects currently on the NEF MMA roster.   Both athletes are undefeated in the promotion’s cage.  On June 13, they will carry on a rivalry that has raged in NEF between the Young’s MMA and Team Irish gyms for several years.

 

“Both of these young athletes are a testament to their respective gyms, as well as to  how far the sport has come in Maine,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “They both came along after NEF was established in the state, and we have seen both of them grow over the past year.  We in the NEF front office unanimously believe that Josh and Ricky have a bright future ahead of them in MMA and look forward to this highly competitive bout set to be contested in Lewiston on June 13th.”

 

Dexter, currently the top-nine-ranked amateur lightweight in New England, is coming off a first-round submission victory over Zenon Herrera (3-6) last Saturday at “NEF XVII.”  Dexter has taken the promotion’s lightweight division by storm since debuting last November.  He has stopped all three of his opponents in the first round to earn his shot at becoming the first NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Champion.

 

“I’m honored to be fighting for the NEF Lightweight Amateur Title,” stated Dexter. “To me there’s a lot more on the line than just a belt. On June 13th you better believe I’m bringing it.”

 

When fans last saw Josh Harvey in the NEF cage, he had his arm raised in victory after mauling Caleb Hall (5-2) in the amateur opener of “NEF XVI” this past February.  It took Harvey a mere 36-seconds to run through Hall, himself a two-time state wrestling champion for Dirigo High School in Dixfield, Maine.  Many insiders believe this will be one of Harvey’s final amateur fights before turning professional.

 

“Two top fighters from two top schools, this is a match to be excited about,” stated Harvey when reached for comment. “I have all the respect in the world for Ricky, but there is no where this fight goes that I don’t win.”

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America” will originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on June 13, 2015.  Tickets for “NEF XVIII” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee 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.

Three-for-one, Wednesday Matinee

“Bellator MMA: Uncut” returns with a focus on this past week’s “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” card. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the main card competitors before and after they go to war inside the cage. The eight minute video showcases all the hard work and personal sacrifice these individuals put into their craft.

 

Arguably one of the best fights on the “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” card didn’t air on television, but instead took place during the preliminary portion of the event. Joey Beltran shined in his middleweight debut against Brian Rogers in a fight that featured a little bit of everything including a ferocious slugfest, a comeback as well as a showcase of toughness and will all rolled into one.

 

In addition, our post-lims featured Chad George’s finish of Mark Vorgeas with a Von Flue choke, making it only the second time in Bellator history this technique was used to end a fight.

The two fights took place on the Spike.com-streamed preliminary card of “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen,” which aired this past Friday night during a Spike telecast that peaked with over 900K viewers.

EASY TWEETS:

Relive the oohs and aahs from last Fridays #BellatorMMA event with #BellatorUncut https://youtu.be/e26WvI7Eczk

.@Mexicutioner760 looked to be the first fighter to win in 3 different weight classes. In his way: @BRogthePredator! #Bellator136 https://youtu.be/l6L_acDCNd8

Watch hometown scrapper @Savage135’s rare Von Flue choke win from last Friday’s #Bellator136! https://youtu.be/XttOuAopLRA

 

Click on the images below to view the videos

 

 

“Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” adds top bantamweights Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell vs. Rafael “Morcego” Silva to evening’s Spike-televised main card

 

EASY TWEET: #BellatorMMA adds @morcego_mma and @thewolf_mma to the May 15 Event headlined by @BrandBullHalsey & @kendallgrovemma

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 15, 2015) – A four-fight Spike-broadcast main card for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” has received another thrilling contest, as undefeated bantamweight prospect Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0) takes on Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4).

 

The new addition finalizes the four-bout main card for “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove,” which includes undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapperKendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), and welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs.“Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1).

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

 

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 45 minutes later.

 

Two new bouts have also been added to the night’s preliminary card, with middleweights A.J. “The Mercenary” Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben “The Hunter” Reiter (15-0) and lightweights Steve “Thunderbeast” Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1).

 

Additionally, a light heavyweight matchup of Virgil “Rezdog” Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. “Razor” Razak Al-Hassan (12-4) that was initially announced as a main-card matchup will now be featured on the night’s preliminary card, instead.

 

Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

A New Jersey native now fighting out of Arizona, Caldwell was a Division I wrestler at North Carolina State. Caldwell made his MMA debut in 2012 and has kept his record perfect through the first six fights of his career, including Bellator MMA wins over Anthony Dizy, Joe Pingitore and Lance Surma. Previously competing as a featherweight, the 27-year-old Caldwell now moves down to the bantamweight division.

 

He now faces “Morcego” Silva, a battle-tested 30-year-old fighter with championship-level experience in the Bellator MMA cage. With nearly a decade of professional fights to his name, Silva is an incredible 14-1 in his past 15 overall appearances. His only loss during that run was a 25-minute decision against former Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Joe Warren. Seventeen of Silva’s 22 career wins have come by stoppage, including eight knockouts and nine submissions.

 

A former cast member on Bellator MMA’s “Fight Master” series, Matthews fought most recently in November, earning a decision win over Kyle Bolt. He now meets undefeated prospect Reiter, an intriguing individual who left Wall Street to pursue a career in MMA and now fights for the second time under the Bellator MMA banner after spending much of his early career in Peru.

 

Kozola, of San Diego, Calif., fights for the second time under the Bellator MMA banner after debuting with a knockout victory over Jonathan Rivera in January. He now meets Butler, who returns to the promotion after a November Bellator MMA debut that saw him suffer a submission loss to Joao Paulo Faria.

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove”Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael Silva (22-4)

 

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: A.J. Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben Reiter (14-0)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

 

Dark Bouts (approx. 11 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Steve Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1)

No. 6 Light Heavyweight in the World Phil Davis joins Bellator MMA

 

 Phil Davis Signing

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 15, 2015) – Bellator MMA is pleased to announce the signing of the sixth* ranked Light Heavyweight in the world, Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (13-3, 1 NC), to an exclusive, multi-fight deal.

 

“I can’t wait to be fighting in Bellator and wreck shop on everyone,” said Davis. “I am the absolute best and most dominant grappler to ever fight in MMA and I’m excited to get in there and compete at my new home.”

Born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Phil attended college close to home at Penn State University, where he became a four-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler for the Nittany Lions.

 

Davis had his first professional MMA fight in 2008 and accrued nine wins in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, including victories against the likes of Antônio Rogério Nogueira, Lyoto Machida, Alexander Gustafsson, Brian Stann and Glover Teixeira.

A member of Alliance MMA in San Diego, Calif., where he trains alongside Bellator stars like Michael Chandler and Joey Beltran, “Mr. Wonderful” joins the promotions Light Heavyweight division, which is currently upheld by champion Liam McGeary.

 

“Phil is a world class Mixed Martial Artist and we are very happy to be adding him to OUR roster of some of the best Light Heavyweights in the world,” said the promotion’s president, Scott Coker.  “Bellator remains fully committed to building its world-class roster by signing top free agents like Davis, as well as grooming up-and-coming stars. We’ve got some amazing matchups in mind for ‘Mr. Wonderful’ that we will be announcing in the weeks to come.”


Bellator’s Light Heavyweight division is one of the deepest in the promotion, with stars like McGeary, Tito Ortiz, “King Mo” Lawal, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Emanuel Newton and Linton Vassell.

 

*Ranking according to www.sherdog.com

FIGHT NIGHT 9 QUICK RESULTS AND ‘DEAN’S LIST’AWARDS

                                                

 

Los Angeles, CA – The old adage “bigger is better” proved to be true for the first University of MMA event of 2015, as Fight Night 9 set several new records, all stemming from the show’s 18-match fight card. The event took place on March 8 at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE, producing several candidates for Fight of the Night, Blue Chip Honors, and Submission of the Night.

 

“It’s rare when you have quantity and quality in such perfect synergy, but the fighters and fans gave us exactly that. When it was done, I was still had energy to watch a few more matches,” said University of MMA matchmaker Jay Tan.

 

In the end, the Deans List performance awards for Fight Night 9 are:

 

Fight of the Night (TIE): Jasmine Pouncy (Nubians MMA) vs. Daria Berenato (Systems Training Center) and Ryan Lilley (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Training Center) vs. Jonathan Quiroz (California MMA)

 

Knockout of the Night: Lance Lee (Kings MMA)

 

Submission of the Night: Thom Landeros (All In MMA)

 

Blue Chip Honors: Angel Diaz (Systems Training Center)

 

“We’re proud of all of the award winners.  Without a doubt these men and women earned their acknowledgements by making an impact on the audience, earning glory in the cage, and taking home $100 gift cards courtesy of our sponsors OTM Fight Shop and WSS,” said University of MMA founder Turi Altavilla.

 

In addition to the traditional Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night, and Submission of the Night awards, Blue Chip honors recognizes fighters who show great showmanship, charisma and audience awareness.

 

Pouncy and Lilley both won their respective matches by unanimous decision, but the results betray how closely scored were the rounds in each fight. Pouncy and Berenato traded furious striking combos in a barnburner that exemplified why women’s MMA is so popular. And with twenty amateur MMA matches between them, Lilley and Quiroz displayed masterful fight maturity, strongly pointing towards destined pro debuts.

 

Lance Lees knockout of A.J. Lavarias advances him to the finals of the University of MMA lightweight championship tournament, where he’ll faceJulio Lopez (Ruckus MMA) at Fight Night 10 in May. Thom Landerosguillotine choke victory was both swift and technically complete, while Blue Chip Honors winner Angel Diaz exhibited charisma and stage presence that boosted an adept first-round submission win.

 

Additionally, University of MMA featherweight and welterweight champions Tommy Aaron and Roman Todorovich (both of Elite Training Center), respectively, successfully defended their titles with undeniable first-round victories.

 

In his first title defense, Aaron faced Sergio Surge the Kid Perez (Hayastan MMA), who imposed his will early on the champion with a defiant takedown and constant body control for much of the first round. Once the fight got back to the feet, however, Aaron landed a textbook spinning back kick that stunned Perez enough for the champion to swarm in for the TKO finish.

 

Todorovich faced a unique challenge in rematching former University of MMA welterweight champion Jarett Conner (independent), who returned to the U after a year-long hiatus. Himself the reigning welterweight king prior to Todorovich wresting the title from him in 2014, Conner demonstrated his trademark strength and unstoppable takedowns with the same adeptness for which he’s known. With his champion’s conviction, Todorovich secured an armbar early, which he kept through an elevated power bomb by Conner. Todorovich shifted position to full mount, leading to a ground-and-pound finish at 1:11. The match was stopped due to injury, when Conner based to his arms and knees, severely dislocating his elbow.

 

Quick results for University of MMA: Fight Night (March 8, 2015):

 

1)   155 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – ERNESTO LEYVA (CSW) def. VICTOR RIVERA (Nubians MMA) via unanimous decision\

2) 125 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – ANGEL ‘The Kraken’ DIAZ (Systems Training Center) def. SONNY ASHTON (Smash Squad) via submission (rear naked choke), R1, 1:46

3) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – AARON LANDRY (Ring of Fire Martial Arts Academy) def. DANNY LLAMAS (The Guild) via TKO, R1, 0:51

4) 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – ANITA HOEHENLEITER (JFM Boxing/Systems Training Center) def. ASHLEE ‘Smiley’ GRANT (Bowman’s Dojo) via submission (standing guillotine), R1, 1:03

5) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – SERGEY MARTIROSYAN (Docando/Hayastan MMA) def. CRUZ MARTINEZ (10th Planet Van Nuys) via unanimous decision

6) 165 CW lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – YASKIN SOLANO (Paragon BJJ) def. ARSALAN HOMAYUN (10th Planet Burbank) via submission (armbar), R1,0:50

7) 205 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – MICHAEL ‘Lazer’ REYES (10th Planet Van Nuys) def. TRAVIS WILLIAMS (Elite Training Center) via unanimous decision

8) 125 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – KELLY VANHOY (Millennia MMA) def. STEFANI POGUE (Systems Training Center) via unanimous decision

9) 145 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – RYAN ‘The Lion’ LILLEY (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Gym) def. JONATHAN QUIROZ (California MMA) via unanimous decision

10) 135 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – RICHIE MEISTER (BJMUTA) def. MILTON ‘The Diamond’ ARGUELLO (10th Planet Van Nuys) via majority decision

11) 125 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – JASMINE ‘Tapout Queen’ POUNCY (Nubians MMA) def. DARIA ‘The Jersey Devil’ BERENATO (Systems Training Center) via unanimous decision

12) 125 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – THOMAS ‘The Beast’ LANDEROS (All In MMA) def. HUGO ‘Young Gun’ ARANDA (House of Champions) via submission (guillotine), R1, 1:40

13) 135 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – VINCE CACHERO (Systems Training Center) def. MICHAEL ‘Slayer’ DERDERIAN (10th Planet HQ Fight Team) via unanimous decision

14) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – LANCE ‘The Black Ranger’ BUSH (Team Lagarto) def. SCORPIO SKY (The Guild) via split decision

UNIVERSITY OF MMA LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

15) 155 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – JULIO ‘The Wolf’ LOPEZ (Ruckus MMA) def. PIOUS ‘Voodoo’ ENILOLOBO, JR. (BJMUTA/Flying Kick Martial Arts) via TKO, R2, 1:23

UNIVERSITY OF MMA WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

16) 170 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – ROMAN ‘The Gladiator’ TODOROVICH (Elite Training Center) def. JARETT CONNER (Independent) via TKO/doctor’s stoppage, R1, 1:11

UNIVERSITY OF MMA LIGHT WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

17) 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – LANCE LEE ‘Vanquish’ (Kings MMA) def. A.J. ‘The People’s Champ’ LAVARIAS (Systems Training Center) via KO, R2,1:30

UNIVERSITY OF MMA FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

18) 145 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – TOMMY ‘The Spaniard AARON (Elite Training Center) def. SERGIO ‘Surge the Kid’ PEREZ (Hayastan MMA) via TKO, R1, 2:09

University of MMA: Fight Night 10 takes place on Sunday, May 31, at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE. Doors open at 4:30pm and first fight takes place at 5:00pm. Tickets are on sale now through www.UofMMA.com

 

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CONTACT: Either Turi Altavilla at turi@UofMMA.com and phone (310) 701-8339 or Jay Tan at jaytan@UofMMA.com and phone (213) 618-0332.

 

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About the University of MMA (www.UofMMA.com): The University of Mixed Martial Arts (aka “The U”) is a Los Angeles-based fight promotion specializing in exciting, high-octane, upscale amateur MMA events around the Southern California region. Its mandate is to provide a stage for young, aspiring fighters to hone their MMA skills and develop themselves as marketable personalities and respectable ambassadors of the sport. The U was founded in 2010 and has run sixteen shows in Southern California. Each event is sanctioned by the California Amateur MMA Organization (CAMO), which upholds the highest safety standards in the nation for amateur competition. The team behind the U collectively has over 20 years of experience in promoting professional MMA at the highest level of the sport, including international and domestic events broadcast on pay-per-view, cable, and network television. For tomorrow‘s MMA stars and champions …IT STARTS HERE!
About OTM Fight Shops (www.OTMfightshops.com):  On The Mat (OTM) is an American company and brand dedicated to the sport and lifestyle of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), submission grappling (no-gi), and mixed martial arts (MMA). Founded in 1996 by owner Scotty Nelson in Mountain View, CA, OTM has become best known for its website, OnTheMat.com, which provides the largest online library of jiu-jitsu and grappling footage, including video magazines, instructional videos, and tournament compilations. Its online store and eight retail fight shops in California, Nevada, and New Mexico offer the widest selection of fight gear and apparel for fighters from every discipline. Additionally, OTM’s clothing line is among the most recognizable brands in BJJ and MMA, including a custom made jiu-jitsu gi called Lucky Gi. OTM has sponsored dozens of BJJ / MMA household names, such as B.J. Penn, Nick Diaz, Nate Diaz, Jeff Monson, Kenny Florian, and Diego Sanchez.

About WSS (www.shopWSS.com):WSS is a leading Southern California retailer founded in 1984. WSS (formerly Warehouse Shoe Sale) offers a wide variety of footwear, clothing, and accessories from all major brands. WSS carries over 3,000 of the latest styles from such brand names as Nike, Jordan, Vans, Converse, Sketchers, Reebock, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, DC Shoes, Timberland, K-Swiss, and many, many more. With over 25 years in business and 55 stores (Victorville, Bakersfield and Lancaster coming soon), WSS has an unrivaled reputation for having great values and great selection and for bringing customers the latest in the best styles. Participating in over 350 local events per year, WSS is also committed to giving back to the community.