Category Archives: mixed martial arts

Amateur MMA, Fight Network, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, wrestling

Fight Network weekly MMA & kickboxing programming (Mar. 16-22)

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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, Mar. 16

 

2:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 39 – Featuring Tom DeBlass, Pete Sell, Uriah Hall and Eddie Gordon from Feb. 10, 2012 in Atlantic City, NJ.

 

5:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and more.

 

6:00 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.

 

6:30 p.m. ET – Judo Samsun Grand Prix 2014 – Highlights from the Judo Samsun Grand Prix from Mar. 28-30, 2014 in Turkey.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down 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.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live Vol. 12: Eindhoven – Featuring Robbie Hageman vs. David Calvo for the Enfusion 70kg world title from Jan. 25, 2014 in Eindhoven, Holland.

Tuesday, Mar. 17

 

1:00 a.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Elias Theodorou – Sit-down interview with “The Ultimate Fighter Nations” winner Elias Theodorou.

 

1:30 a.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

 

2:30 am. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S pro and amateur MMA.

 

7:00 & 7:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

 

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.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Legend 1: Lightweight Tournament – Featuring a one-night, single-elimination tournament showcasing Dhabar Askerov, Enriko Gogokhiya, Artur Kyshemko and Yury Bessmertny from May, 2013 in Moscow.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – Australia Fighting Championship 10 – Featuring Bernardo Magalhaes vs. Kierran Joblin and Talgat Ilyasnov vs. Amin Yaqubu from Aug. 16, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia.


Wednesday, Mar. 18

 

1:30 a.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

 

3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star’s top prospects in the cage.

 

4:00 a.m. ET – Rocktagon MMA – Pro and amateur MMA from Ohio featuring the next generation of stars.

 

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. 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 – Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from ONE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa, and more.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 68 – Featuring Danny Roberts vs. Jimmy Wallheas and Mauro Chimento vs. Matt Inman in MMA action from May 3, 2014 in Liverpool, UK..

 

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, Mar. 19

 

1:30 a.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 37: Smith vs. Harman – Featuring Ben Smith vs. Chris Harman from Nov. 30, 2013 in London.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fightling 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.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – DEEP: 69 Impact – Featuring Yoshiyuki Nakanishi vs. Ryuta Sakurai and Mizuto Hirota vs. Masakazu Imanari from Oct 26, 2014 in Tokyo..

Friday, Mar. 20

 

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 class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

 

5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA league, Jewels.

 

6 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge – Professional 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 – KSW 8 – Featuring Alexey Oleinik, Karol Bedorf, Mamed Khalidov and Moise Rimbon from Nov. 10, 2007 Warsaw, Poland.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – Hard Knocks Fighting 42: LIVE MMA featuring Ryan Dickson vs. Jason Fischer, Todd Stoute vs. Anton Tokarchuk and Christ Franck vs. Joel Powell from Calgary, Canada.

Saturday, Mar. 21

 

1:00 a.m. ET – SuperKombat: New Heroes Italy 2013 – Pro kickboxing featuring the world’s top prospects and established stars.

 

4:00 a.m. ET — Toe 2 Toe with Demian Maia – Sit-down interview with Brazilian UFC welterweight sensation and BJJ World Champion Demian Maia.

 

6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring David Loiseau vs. Steve Vigneault from UCC 2.

 

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Rashad Evans from TKO 15.

 

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest. Hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.

 

4:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 40 – Featuring Eddie Gordon vs. Ryan Contaldi and Marvin Eastman vs. Dmitry Zabolotny from Apr. 237, 2013 in Atlantic City, NJ.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

6:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. LaFlare Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage for UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. LaFlare in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

 

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 – Hard Knocks Fighting 42 – Featuring Ryan Dickson vs. Jason Fischer, Christ Franck vs. Joel Powell and Anton Tokarchuk vs. Todd Stoute from Mar. 20, 2015 in Calgary, Canada.

 

11:00 p.m. ET — Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from ONE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa, and more.

Sunday, Mar. 22

 

12:00 a.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 3: Jurkovic vs. Catinas – Featuring Igor Jurkovic vs. Raul Catinas in a kickboxing bout and Ante Delija vs. Michail Lamprakis in MMA action from Apr. 19, 2013 in Split, Croatia.

 

6:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

 

10:00 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.

 

11:00 a.m. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters takingon the renowned Thai National team.

 

7:00 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.

 

7:30 p.m. ET – Judo Baku Grand Slam 2014 – Highlights of Judo Baku Grand Slam from May 9-11 in Azerbaijan.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – King of Kings: World Grand Prix 2014 Gdansk – Featuring Pavel Zhuravlev vs. Kryspin Kalski and a one-night, single-elimination 70-kg tournament from Nov. 28, 2014 in Gdansk, Poland.

 

Information:

 

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

 
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.
mixed martial arts, UFC, women's MMA

UFC 185: It’s Showtime!

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Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports

Despite the turmoil experienced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship so far this year, from the failed drug tests of stars like Jon Jones, Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz, to the reshuffling of UFC 184 because of an injury to middleweight champion Chris Weidman, the company has delivered in the Octagon so far this year. Despite Weidman’s injury, UFC 184 was still a smashing success thanks to another dominant performance by women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.

Now UFC 185 is here, with another stacked card that should entertain once again. This card is anchored by TWO title fights, taking fans back to a time when the UFC would routinely offer stacked fight cards before rapid expansion under their deal with FOX apparently created an oversaturated product.

Here’s who I think emerges victorious on this talent-filled card.

Chris “Kamikaze” Cariaso (17-6) vs. Henry “The Messenger” Cejudo (7-0) (Flyweight – 125 lbs.)

Cariaso is coming off a submission loss to flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson last summer. But to be fair, everyone is losing to Johnson these days, and he’s close to cleaning out the flyweight division. Cejudo has yet to experience defeat and enjoyed a unanimous decision victory in his UFC debut late last year.

Cariaso has been a UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) veteran for the last five years and rode a 3-fight win streak prior to his loss to Johnson. Cejudo is a young pup trying to make a name for himself in the UFC, but Cariaso will use his veteran savvy to catch the overeager fighter for a finish.

Winner: Cariaso by second-round TKO

Roy “Big Country” Nelson (21-10) vs. Alistair “The Reem” Overeem (38-14-1) (Heavyweight – 225 lbs.)

I’ll admit up front that I’m not a big Roy Nelson fan. He’s a talented fighter who delivers exciting fights and is an entertaining personality. But ever since he debuted in the UFC and won season 10 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” he feasted on lower-ranked heavyweights like Stefan Struve, Brendan Schaub and Matt Mitrione. But when matched up with elite heavyweights like Fabricio Werdum, Junior Dos Santos and Daniel Cormier (before he dropped to light heavyweight), Nelson was routinely outclassed and battered.

Overeem has also failed to live up to the hype that came with his jump to the UFC. After he demolished Brock Lesnar in 2011, a title shot was in the works against then-champion Junior Dos Santos. But the fight never materialized due to injuries and Overeem suffered back-to-back knockout losses to Antonio Silva and Travis Browne.

Overeem has alternated wins and losses since then but is coming off a first-round knockout of Struve. Nelson was knocked out in his last fight against Mark Hunt, which despite Nelson’s usually iron chin, does not come as a shock, given Hunt’s incredible punching power.
Overeem may not have Hunt’s power, but I think he will batter Nelson for a rather lopsided decision victory. At this stage in his career, Nelson is a gatekeeper. But “The Reem” doesn’t need to prove himself against a brawler like Nelson.

Winner: Overeem by unanimous decision

Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks (16-3) vs. Matt “The Immortal” Brown (21-12) (Welterweight – 170 lbs.)

Speaking of brawling and battering, this fight has all the makings of a Fight of the Year candidate. Hendricks dropped the welterweight title to Robbie Lawler last year and should he win this fight, a rematch with Lawler is all but assured – assuming Lawler gets past Rory McDonald later this year.

Brown also lost to Lawler in his last fight and was also on the receiving end of a brutal beating. Hendricks and Brown tend to just slug it out and ask questions later, which should result in an entertaining fight for the fans. Hendricks seems to have renewed his commitment to MMA following his loss to Lawler and he seems driven to get his belt back. Brown is as game as they come, but Hendricks will prove to be too much.

Winner: Hendricks by second-round TKO

Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza (11-2) vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (8-0) (Women’s Strawweight Title – 115 lbs.)

Esparza made her UFC debut with a bang by winning the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter” to feature all female fighters, and in the process become the UFC’s first women’s strawweight champion. She effectively derailed the Rose Namajunas hype train to win the belt, when some were dubbing Namajunas the next Ronda Rousey in the strawweight division.

Jedrzejczyk derailed a favorite in her own right, defeating highly regarded Claudia Gadelha last year by a close decision when many thought Gadelha would be Esparza’s first title defense. Jedrzejczyk is a grinder who thrives in an ugly fight in close quarters. Esparza used her wrestling to neutralize Namajunas’ quick-striking offense, so getting into an ugly fight with Jedrzejczyk shouldn’t faze Esparza one bit. Esparza will take Jedrzejczyk down early and often and ride her wrestling to a decision victory.

Winner: Esparza by unanimous decision

Anthony “Showtime” Pettis (18-2) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (23-7) (Lightweight Title – 155 lbs.)

Pettis has been absolutely dominant as of late, not only winning the lightweight title from Benson Henderson in quick and exciting fashion with a first-round armbar but routinely displaying his amazing athleticism and using it to quickly shoot himself up the best pound-for-pound fighter list.

But Dos Anjos is not to be taken lightly. He too finished Henderson in the first round and earned his title shot by absolutely dismantling Nate Diaz late last year. Dos Anjos is tough and will know that Pettis is looking for a quick finish. He won’t get it, but Pettis’ freakish athleticism will make its presence felt eventually and overcome Dos Anjos and solidify Pettis’ case as one of the best lightweight fighters of all time.

Winner: Pettis by second-round submission

Chris Huntemann writes about mixed martial arts in the state of Maryland. He also shares his thoughts on the UFC, Bellator, and World Series of Fighting. Check out his blog, or follow him on Twitter: @mmamaryland.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

FLYWEIGHT AMATEUR BOUT ADDED TO LEWISTON FIGHT CARD

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Lewiston, Maine (March 13, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on April 11, 2015 with its seventeenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event.  Earlier today, the company announced the addition of an amateur flyweight bout to the fight card.  “Sleepy” Norman Fox (3-1) is scheduled to do battle with “Downtown” Dave Brown(1-2) at a fight weight of 125-pounds.

 

Fox is a product of Ryan Cowette’s MMA Athletix gym in Bath, Maine.  He is also a devoted member of Cowette’s Victory Church. Fox made his debut with NEF MMA in August of 2013, dropping Dustin Veinott (3-3) in the first round of a bout in Biddeford, Maine.  He would go on to finish his next opponent, Mike Brown (2-3), not once but twice in the months that followed.  In the summer of 2014, Fox would suffer his first loss in the cage to Kris Moutinho (3-2) on a fight card in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  He will look to get back on the winning track on April 11 when he meets Dave Brown in Lewiston.

 

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,” said Fox quoting Philippians 4:13, King James Version.

 

“Downtown” Dave Brown will also look to get back in the win column against Fox.  Brown lost by submission to Dustin Veinott last month at “NEF XVI.”  His previous appearance for the fight promotion saw Brown defeat Doug Bailey (0-1) at “NEF XV” last fall.  Brown is a native of North Andover, Massachusetts.  An accomplished wrestler, Brown competed for Plymouth State University where he was a four-time All-New England winner and is currently a member of the Plymouth Fight Club.

 

“I love fighting in front of the NEF fans,” said Brown.  “It’s such a rush stepping out into that packed arena.  As for my opponent, I’ve watched him fight and I have a lot of respect for his abilities.  But on April 11, I’m going to come in and take him down… take himdowntown!”

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVII,” is scheduled to take place onApril 11, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) will defend the NEF MMA Lightweight Title against number-one contender Jamie Harrison (5-1).  In addition, Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) meets Dennis Olson (12-7) in a welterweight contest.  Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.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.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

TOP BANTAMWEIGHT PROSPECTS TO MEET AT NEF XVII

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Lewiston, Maine (March 12, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on April 11, 2015 with its seventeenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event.  Earlier today, the company announced the addition of a professional bantamweight bout to the fight card.  Elias “Dangerous Mouse” Leland (2-0) will take on Jay Perrin (1-0) at a fight weight of 135-pounds.

 

A favorite of Maine fight fans, Eli Leland trains out of Jay Jack and Amanda Buckner’s Academy of MMA in Portland, Maine.  He made his professional debut in the NEF MMA cage last fall, defeating Brandon Bushaw (1-1) via submission in the third round.  He would follow up that victory with another submission win just a few weeks later, making short work of Jimmy Alexander (1-7) in Lewiston, Maine.  After taking the first quarter of 2015 off from competition, Leland looks forward to getting back in the NEF MMA cage.

 

“I’m pleased to be fighting for NEF for my third pro fight,” said Leland.  “I train every aspect of the fight and make a lot of tough sacrifices to stay focused and ready. With that being said, I will be ready for my next opponent and look forward to meeting him in the cage.”

 

Perrin is a product of John Fain’s Boston BJJ/Team Triumph.  As an amateur, Perrin put together an impressive 5-1 record.  He was the number-one ranked amateur bantamweight in the Northeast less than a year ago.  Perrin’s sole previous NEF MMA appearance was a winning effort against Nick Spencer (5-4) in February 2013.  The fight was part of an amazing six-fight win streak that Perrin has rode into the professional ranks.  He will look to add another notch in his win column on April 11 when he meets Leland.

 

“I’m really excited to be getting back in the cage,” said Perrin.  “Eli is a game opponent.  I know he’s going to come prepared  and ready to go.  But I’ve only become a more dangerous animal with my time off, he is just an obstacle in my path.  I’m coming to punish everyone that stands across from me.”

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVII,” is scheduled to take place onApril 11, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) will defend the NEF MMA Lightweight Title against number-one contender Jamie Harrison (5-1).  In addition, Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) meets Dennis Olson (12-7) in a welterweight contest.  Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.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.

Fight Network, mixed martial arts, One Championship, UFC

Fight Network Presents ONE Championship 25, Enfusion 25 & UFC 185 Pre-Show LIVE this Weekend

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TORONTO | NEW YORK (March 12, 2015) – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the return of ONE Championship live this Friday, March 13 at 8 a.m. ET, as ONE Championship: Age of Champions emanates from Stadium Putra in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

Airing live exclusively in Canada, the main event features a ONE FC flyweight championship clash pitting incumbent champion Adriano Moraes against Japanese stalwart Asuku “Riku Shibuya” Mikami.

 

In other featured bouts, Malaysian superstars Peter Davis and Ann Osman take on Rajinder Singh Meena and Walaa Abbas, respectively. Plus Thanh Vu moves down to flyweight to take on Malaysia’s Gianni Subba, Ev Ting battles Cary Bullos and Chan Rothana faces Ramon Gonzalez.

 

The live action continues on Saturday, March 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET, as Enfusion Live 25 invades Turnhout, Belgium for an exciting professional kickboxing card, featuring Hicham El Gaoui vs.Karapet Karapetyan for the -80 kg world title, plus Nordin Ben Moh vs. William Diender, Harut Grigorian vs. Marco Pique and Robbie Hageman vs. Engin Kutuk..

 

Fight Network’s live Enfusion broadcast at 4:30 p.m. ET will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and in Turkey on D-Smart.

 

Then at 7 p.m. ET, Fight Network will present its UFC 185 Pre-Show Live at7 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis ahead of UFC 185: Pettis vs. Dos Anjos on pay-per-view. Immediately following the main card, Fight Network will also televise the live post-fight press conference from Dallas, Texas.

 

In addition to all the live pre and post-fight coverage, Fight Network is the destination for UFC library content, specials and series, including UFC Unleashed, UFC Now and UFC Ultimate Insider. All airings are listed at tv.fightnetwork.com.

 

Post-fight coverage continues on Monday’s edition of 5 Rounds on Fight Network, which debuts at 7 p.m. ET and features a comprehensive breakdown of Saturday’s event.

 

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV, women's MMA

Bellator MMA continues to grow women’s featherweight roster with Roberta “Crusher” Paim, Alexis “Sneaky Zebra” Dufresne and Iony Razafiarison

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 12, 2015) – Bellator MMA remains committed to developing the top women’s featherweight division in mixed martial arts, and the latest additions to the company’s roster include Roberta “Crusher” Paim (4-0), Alexis “Sneaky Zebra” Dufresne (5-2) and Iony Razafiarison (2-0).

 

Debut dates and opponents will be announced for all three fighters in the near future.

Paim, Dufresne and Razafiarison join Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe (5-4), Julia “The Jewell” Budd (7-2),Marloes “Rumina” Coenen (22-6), Holly “Lil Bear” Lawson (0-1) and Talita “Treta” Nogueira (6-0) on the Bellator MMA women’s featherweight roster.

“We’re proud to be bringing these three talented athletes to our women’s featherweight division,” said Bellator President Scott Coker.  “I see several potential matchups that would make for some great fights.  We will continue to build and support the premiere women’s featherweight division in MMA.”

A native of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, the 5-foot-6 Paim is undefeated through the first four contests of her professional career. While comfortable in the submission game, the powerful Paim has used a strong striking game to end fights, as well. Fighting exclusively in her native country thus far, Paim has yet to find a single opponent capable of lasting past the opening round, as she has taken home first-round finishes in each of her appearances to date.

The 24-year-old Dufresne is a Team Quest fighter and five-time International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation world champion. Dufresne turned her attention to mixed martial arts in 2012 and rattled off five consecutive wins to start her career – all five results coming in the opening round and averaging just under 77 seconds in length. More recently, Dufresne dropped a pair of hard-fought decisions while making a run at 135 pounds but now returns to her more natural weight class of 145 pounds for her Bellator MMA debut.

Razafiarison is a French export who has notched victories in her first two professional contests. The 30-year-old Razafiarison, a grappling specialist who has trained in camps all over the world, fought most recently in January, when she earned a decision win over Sandra Ameziane. In her professional debut, Razafiarison scored a first-round submission.

 

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 TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike TV:

Spike TV 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 TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’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, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” lineup complete with 13 fights; new contests include Tony Johnson vs. Alexander Volkov, Fabricio Guerreiro vs. John Teixeira

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 11, 2015) – The star-studded 13-bout lineup for “Bellator MMA: Brooks vs. Jansen” is now complete with the addition of a main-card heavyweight slugfest of Alexander “Drago” Volkov(24-4) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2) and six new preliminary matchups, including featherweights Fabricio Guerreiro (20-3) vs. John “Macapa” Teixeira (17-1-2).

Additional new preliminary contests added to the lineup include a 150-pound catchweight contest of Cleber Luciano (10-5) vs. Aaron “Blood Spiller” Miller (14-9) bantamweights Chad “Savage” George (15-8) vs.Mark Vorgeas (5-2-1), middleweights Ben Jones (4-4) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1-1), welterweights John “Johnny Merc” Mercurio (6-7) vs. Greg Parker (4-1) and featherweights Marcos “Murder Marx” Bonilla (1-1) vs. A.J. McKee (0-0).

A previously announced preliminary contest of bantamweights Jared Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1) has been removed from the card.

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” takes place on Friday, April 10, at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks vs. top contender Dave Jansen, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET), while preliminary bouts stream live on Spike.com (7 p.m. ET).

Tickets for “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen,” which start at just $38, are already on sale at Bellator.com andBren.UCI.edu.

Johnson, of North Platte, Neb., is an American Kickboxing Academy product who returns to the Bellator MMA cage for the first time since a 2011 victory over Derrick Lewis. Including a pair of appearances fighting overseas in Maylasia and the Philippines, Johnson is currently 4-1 in his past five contests, most recently needing just 81 seconds to score a TKO win over Robert Neal. Johnson also owns a win over former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia.

Meanwhile, 26-year-old Russian slugger Volkov, a Moscow native, has earned 17 of his 24 career victories through strikes. An incredible 15-1 in his past 16 appearances, Volkov’s only loss in that span came in a 25-minute matchup with current Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Vitaly Minakov. Aiming for another shot at that belt, Volkov appears primed for a breakout performance.

At just 24 years old, Guerreiro, of Santana, Amapa, Brazil, already boasts 20 career victories, 17 of which have come by way of stoppage. With Bellator MMA wins over Shahbulat Shamhalaev and Desmond Green already under his belt, Guerreiro makes his fourth Bellator MMA appearance.

Meanwhile, Teixeira is a 28-year-old who hails from just 12 miles away from his opponent, growing up in Macapa, Amapa, Brazil. With just one loss in a 20-fight career that dates back to 2007, Teixeira was victorious in his Bellator MMA debut and now looks to defeat a cross-state rival on an international stage.

Brazilian-born Luciano now lives in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he serves as a jiu-jitsu instructor in his own academy. A Royler Gracie black belt since he was 19 years old, Luciano has started to focus more on MMA in recent years and is an impressive 10-2 in his past 12 appearances, with seven submission wins in that span. He’ll face Miller, of Hacienda Heights, Calif., who returns to action following 16 months on the sidelines after a submission loss to Michael Guymon. Prior to the result, Miller had boasted a five-fight winning streak.

George, of Los Angeles, Calif., is nearing 10 years in the sport but now makes his Bellator MMA debut. While George has never been knocked out in 23 professional contests, he has been tapped out in six of his eight career losses. He now faces Vorgeas, of Laguna Hills, Calif., who owns four of his five career victories by tapout.

Bondole is originally from Portland, Maine, but now makes his home in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he trains with Kings MMA. Bondole seeks revenge after suffering his first career loss in his Bellator MMA debut. He now meets Jones, of Riverside, Calif., who fights for the first time under the Bellator MMA banner. Jones has never fought to a judges’ decision in his eight career contests to date.

Mercurio, of Huntington Beach, Calif., seeks his first victory under the Bellator MMA banner. He meets crosstown rival Parker, who has yet to fight to a judges’ decision in his first five appearances.

Bonilla, of Los Angeles, Calif., recently picked up his first official career win and now meets McKee, of Lakewood, Calif., who makes his professional debut.

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” – Friday, April 10, Bren Events Center, Irvine, Calif.

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Lightweight Title Fight: Champ Will Brooks (15-1) vs. Dave Jansen (20-2)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-3) vs. Rafael Carvalho (10-1)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alexander Volkov (24-4) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2)

Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: John Mercurio (6-7) vs. Greg Parker (4-1)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Joey Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian Rogers (11-7)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Saad Awad (17-6) vs. Rob Sinclair (12-2)

Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Fabricio Guerreiro (20-3) vs. John Teixeira (17-1-2)

Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Marcos Bonilla (1-1) vs. A.J. McKee (0-0)

 

Dark Bouts (Following Spike TV broadcast)

 

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Ben Jones (4-4) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1-1)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Chad George (15-8) vs. Mark Vorgeas (5-2-1)

Bellator Catchweight (150 pounds) Prelim Fight: Cleber Luciano (10-5) vs. Aaron Miller (14-9)

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 TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike TV:

Spike TV 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 TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’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, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

Injury delays Eduardo Dantas vs. Mike Richman at “Bellator MMA: Warren vs. Galvao”

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L.C. Davis vs. Hideo Tokoro promoted to Spike TV-televised co-main event

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 10, 2015) – A Mike Richman injury has delayed a highly anticipated bantamweight matchup with former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo Dantas at this month’s “Bellator MMA: Warren vs. Galvao” event. However, Bellator MMA officials have promoted a previously announced gem from the preliminary card, as a 135-pound contest between L.C. Davis
(22-6) vs. Hideo Tokoro (32-27) will now take center stage as the co-main event on the evening’s Spike TV-televised main card.

 

Dantas (16-4) vs. Richman (18-5) will be rescheduled at a later date.

“Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao” takes place on Friday, March 27, at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Joe Warren vs. top contender Marcos Galvao, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET).

A seven-bout preliminary card streams live on Spike.com (6:30 p.m. ET).

Tickets for “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which include VIP Seating for just $75, are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

Davis, of Kansas City, Mo., is a nine-year veteran of the sport who is currently 6-1 in his past seven appearances, including a pair of wins under the Bellator MMA banner. He faces 14-year Japanese veteran Tokoro, a longtime mainstay in his native country who now makes his Bellator MMA debut.

“Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao” – Friday, March 27, WinStar World Casino, Thackerville, Okla.

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Bantamweight Title Fight: Champ Joe Warren (12-3) vs. Marcos Galvao (16-6-1)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: L.C. Davis (22-6) vs. Hideo Tokoro (32-27)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Francis Carmont (22-10) vs. Guilherme Viana (6-1)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Ryan Couture (9-3) vs. Dakota Cochrane (18-7)

Preliminary Card (6:30 p.m. ET)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Sean Holden (2-1) vs. Tim Roman (2-1)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Neal Ewing (5-0) vs. Logan Nail (1-0)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Emmanuel Sanchez (9-1) vs. Alejandro Villalobos (17-3)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Stephen Banaszak (3-4) vs. Brad Mitchell (4-1)

Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Klayton Mai (6-1) vs. Xavier Siller (5-3)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: J.P. Cole (2-2) vs. Geo Pacurariu (8-4)

Swing Bout

 

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Rashad Coulter (4-1) vs. Jeremiah O’Neal (13-24)

 

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 TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike TV:

Spike TV 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 TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’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.

 

Amateur MMA, Fight Network, kickboxing, mixed martial arts

FIGHT NETWORK MMA & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Mar. 9-17, 2015)

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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.
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, Mar. 9

 

2:00 p.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.

 

5:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and more.

 

6:00 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.

 

6:30 p.m. ET – Judo Paris Grand Slam 2014 – Highlights from the Judo Paris Grand Slam from Feb 21-23, 2014 in Belgium.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live 21: – Featuring kickboxing from Oct. 4, 2014 in Merseburg, Germany, featuring Mohammed Jaraya vs. Mark Vogel, Andrew Tate vs. Orhan Karalioglu and Max Baumert vs. Valdet Galshi.

 

Tuesday, Mar. 120

 

1:00 a.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Renzo Gracie – Sit-down interview with MMA and BJJ legend Renzo Gracie.

 

1:30 a.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

 

2:30 am. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S pro and amateur MMA.

 

7:00 & 7:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Legend 1: Emelianenko vs. Sapp – Featuring Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Bob Sapp on a hybrid MMA/kickboxing card from May 24, 2014 in Moscow, Russia.

 

10:30 p.m. ET – Powerplay Promotions 24: Parr vs. Smith – Muay Thai action featuring John Wayne Parr vs. Toby Smith from June 21, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia.

 

Wednesday, Mar. 11

 

3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star’s top prospects in the cage.

 

4:00 a.m. ET – Rocktagon MMA – Pro and amateur MMA from Ohio featuring the next generation of stars.

 

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. MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from ONE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa, and more.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship FC: Fight Night 11 – Featuring Phil Harris vs. Kurban Gadzhiev and Jack Mason vs. Patrick Vallee from Apr. 18, 2014 in Amnan, 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, Mar. 12

 

1:30 a.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 36: Kinslow vs. Chapman – Featuring Carl Kinslow vs. Nick Chapman from Oct. 5, 2013 in London.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fightling 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.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – DEEP: 68 Impact – Featuring Yuki Motoya vs. Tatsumitsu Wada, Michihiro Omigawa vs. Peter Cepeda and Kazunori Yokota vs., Yusuke Kagiyama from Aug. 23, 2014 in Tokyo.

 

Friday, Mar. 13

 

12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan.

 

1:00 a.m. ET – Fight News Now. MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

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 class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

 

5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA league, Jewels.

 

5:00 p.m. ET – UFC 185 Weigh-In – LIVE coverage of the official weigh-ins for UFC 185: Pettis-Dos Anjost in Dallas.

 

6 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge – Professional 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.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Elias Theodorou – Sit-down interview with the “Ultiame Fighters Nations” winner Elias Theodorou.

 

8:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m-by-12m arena with three levels.

 

9:00 p.m. ET — KSW 9 – Featuring Jan Blachowicz, Mamed Khalidov, Jordan Radev and AlexeyOleinik from May 9, 2008 in Warsaw, Poland.

 

Saturday, Mar. 14

 

12:00 a.m. ET — Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

1:00 a.m. ET – SuperKombat: World Grand Prix IV – Featuring Bogdan Stoicavs. Amir Zeyada, plus heavyweight tournament action featuring Tomas Vanneste, Dorin Robert, Jergish Yegoian and Ibrahim Aarab from Giurgiu, Romania.

 

6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring David Loiseau vs. Steve Vigneault from UCC 2.

 

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Charlie West from Gladiator Challenge 1.

 

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest. Hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.

 

2:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion LIVE 25: El Gaoui vs. Salhi – LIVE professional kickboxing from Tournhout, Belgium, featuring Hicham El Gaoui vs. Morad Salhi for the -80kg world title.

 

4:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 39 – Featuring Tom DeBlass, Pete Sell, Uriah Hall and Eddie Gordon in action from Feb. 10, 2013 in Atlantic City, NJ.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – UFC 185 Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage for UFC 185: Pettis vs. Dos Anjos in Dallas.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

9:00 p.m. ET — Enfusion LIVE 25: El Gaoui vs. Salhi – Professional kickboxing featuring Hicham El Gaoui vs. Morad Salhi for the -80kg world title, from Mar. 14, 2015, Tournhout, Belgium,.

 

Sunday, Mar. 15

 

1:00 a.m. ET – UFC 185 Post Show – LIVE post-fight coverage of UFC 185: Pettis vs. Dos Anjos in Dallas, including highlights and the love post-fight press conference.

 

6:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

 

10:00 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.

 

11:00 a.m. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters takingon the renowned Thai National team.

 

7:00 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.

 

7:30 p.m. ET – Judo Samsun Grand Prix 2014 – Highlights Judo Samsun Grand Prix from Mar. 28-30, 2014 in Turkey.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – King of Kings: World Grand Prix Plock 2014 – Featuring Eike Schwarz vs. Marcin Shreder and Ummi Erdogan vs. Marta Chojnoska from Mov. 28, 2014 in Plock, Poland.

 

Information:

 

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

 
mixed martial arts, UFC, women's MMA

Ronda Rousey- The Cleaner

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Photo Credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting

Given that it’s tax season, it’s a good time to remember that are there three guarantees in life: death, taxes and Ronda Rousey once again showing why she is the best female fighter on the planet with a first-round demolition of her opponent.

Rousey’s performance at UFC 184 last month was her finest to date. She submitted Cat Zingano, widely regarded as Rousey’s biggest challenge, in 14 seconds. While Rousey was aided by an absolutely horrible strategy by Zingano, her virtuoso performance led to another discussion of who has what it takes to dethrone Rousey. It also led to a ridiculous conversation of whether or not Rousey could compete against and defeat male fighters in the UFC’s bantamweight division. The less time spent on that absurd notion that accomplishes nothing but trying to discredit the great fighter Rousey is, the better.

Of course, the first name that always comes up is Cris “Cyborg” Justino, the Invicta FC featherweight champion. She is expected to drop to 135 pounds for a fight with Invicta this summer before moving on to a fight with Rousey. However, Cyborg attempted a drop to bantamweight last year and abandoned those plans. So I wouldn’t hold my breath on the long-awaited grudge match between Rousey and Cyborg happening anytime soon.

Rousey recently expressed a desire to fight Bethe Correia, who battered two of Rousey’s “Four Horsewomen” teammates and has been calling Rousey out ever since. Jessica Eye has also staked her claim to a title shot, but neither of these women pose a real threat to Rousey. During UFC 184’s postfight coverage, Daniel Cormier floated the idea of his colleague Miesha Tate getting a third crack at Rousey.

Besides the fact I think trilogies should be reserved only when each fighter has a victory over the other, I see no reason why third time would be a charm for Tate. While she is the only woman to go further than the first round with Rousey, Tate has plateaued as a fighter while Rousey has gotten better. If the two were to fight a third time, I see no reason to believe the result would be any different.

So where does this leave Rousey? In my opinion, she has cleaned out the UFC women’s bantamweight division. There is no one who poses a credible threat to her. If Zingano adjusted her strategy and received another shot at Rousey, she might have a chance of winning. Beyond that, if Rousey decided to go out on top and build on her burgeoning film career, I don’t think anyone would hold it against her.

Rousey is currently on a run akin to Anderson Silva’s run atop the UFC’s middleweight division. He dominated everyone in his path and except for his first fight with Chael Sonnen, made it look easy. Rousey’s hardest fight to date was against Liz Carmouche, when she had Rousey in a rear naked choke in the first round of their fight in 2013 before Rousey was able to escape and secure another armbar victory.

Silva’s reign atop the middleweight division came to an end when the previously unknown Chris Weidman came along and showed no fear and took the fight to Silva. Maybe that’s what needs to happen with Rousey. She needs to find an opponent who will get right in her face, give her no quarter and take the fight to her. Zingano attempted that at UFC 184, but her overzealousness ended up costing her dearly.

Until Rousey finds her own Chris Weidman, we can add another superlative to the many that are already attached to the women’s bantamweight champion: cleaner. Rousey is fresh out of worthy challengers to her crown, a task she accomplished by cleaning out her division.

Chris Huntemann writes about mixed martial arts in the state of Maryland. He also shares his thoughts on the UFC, Bellator, and World Series of Fighting. Check out his blog, or follow him on Twitter: @mmamaryland.