Category Archives: mixed martial arts

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

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.

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

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.

 

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


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. ETRing 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. ETFighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and more.

 

6:00 p.m. ETUSA Wrestling WeeklyHost 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. ETJudo 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. ETEnfusion 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. ETHip 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. ETXtreme 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. ETLegend 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. ETPowerplay 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. ETTexas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star’s top prospects in the cage.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

9:00 p.m. ETCage 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. ETMMA 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. ETTakeDown 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. ETUltimate Challenge MMA 36: Kinslow vs. Chapman – Featuring Carl Kinslow vs. Nick Chapman from Oct. 5, 2013 in London.

 

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

 

11:00 p.m. ETDEEP: 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. ETIt’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan.

 

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

 

2:00 a.m. ETPancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

 

4:00 a.m. ETBest of DEEP – Featuring class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

 

5:00 a.m. ETBest 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. ETM-1 Challenge – Professional MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.

 

7:00 p.m. ETFight News Now. MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Saturday, Mar. 14

 

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

 

1:00 a.m. ETSuperKombat: 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. ETBest of TKO – Featuring David Loiseau vs. Steve Vigneault from UCC 2.

 

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

 

10:00 a.m. ETBest 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. ETRing 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. ETEnfusion 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. ETUFC 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. ETPancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

 

10:00 a.m. ETBest 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. ETElite 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. ETUSA Wrestling WeeklyHost 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. ETJudo Samsun Grand Prix 2014 – Highlights Judo Samsun Grand Prix from Mar. 28-30, 2014 in Turkey.

 

11:00 p.m. ETKing 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

 

Ronda Rousey- The Cleaner


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.

M-1 Challenge featherweight title fight Buchinger vs. Ragimov rematch M-1 Challenge 56 Co-Feature

Presents

M-1 CHALLENGE 56

Vyacheslav Vasilevsky vs. Ramasan Emeev II

M-1 Challenge Middleweight Championship  

Ivan Buchinger vs. Tural Ragimov II

M-1 Challenge Featherweight Championship

Friday, April 10, 2015  *  Moscow, Russia

WATCH LIVE ON M1GLOBAL.TV

Vasilevsky-Emeev rematch headlines April 10 event in Moscow, Russia

(L) Ivan Buchinger and Tural Ragimoiv went toe-to-toe last October in their exciting

M-1 Challenge featherweight title fight

 

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Mar. 6, 2015) – M-1 Global has announced a rematch between M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger and challenger Tural Ragimov in the M-1 Challenge 56 co-feature Friday, April 10 in Moscow, Russia.

 

Another much anticipated rematch will headline M-1 Challenge 56 as M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (26-2-0, 10 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) defends his coveted title belt against dangerous challenger Ramasan Emeev (11-3-0, 2 KO/TKO, 5 SUB). In their first fight last September, Vasilevsky captured title belt from Emeev, by way of a fourth-round stoppage from punches, at M-1 Challenge 51: Fightspirit in St. Petersburg.

 

M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan Buchinger

Last October 17 at M-1 Challenge 52: Battle of Narts, Buchinger (28-4-0, 7 KO/TKO, 16 SUB) captured the vacant M-1 Challenge featherweight title, stopping Ragimov (9-2-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) on punches in the fourth round of the event’s Fight of the Night.

 

Fighting out of his native Slovakia, Buchinger hasn’t lost a fight in nearly 3 ½ years, winning seven in a row and 10 of his last 11.   The 29-year-old, who represents Team MMA Spirit, is undefeated in three M-1 Challenge events.

 

How tough is Ragimov? He suffered damages to both hands – fractured finger on his left, torn ligaments to the right – during his fight with Buchinger. Ragimov has a 2-1-0 record in M-1 Challenge competition.

 

Vasilevsky vs Emeev 2, M-1 Challenge 56, 10/04/15 teaser
Vasilevsky vs Emeev 2, M-1 Challenge 56

 

M-1 Challenge 56 will be streamed live in high definition on www.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.

 

All fights and fighters are subject to change. Additional fights to be announced

 

Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 55 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

www.mixfight.ruwww.wmmaa.org

www.M1Global.tv

www.M-1Global.com

 

Twitter & Instagram:

 

@M1Global

@VFinkelchtein

@M1GlobalNews

 

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

ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St Petersburg, Amsterdam and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport. M-1 Global’s greatest asset is renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

 

ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you byM-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” adds five new contests, including    Marcin Held vs. “Tiger” Sarnavskiy, Joey Beltran vs. Brian Rogers and more

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 5, 2015) – The action-packed lineup for “Bellator MMA: Brooks vs. Jansen” continues to fill, and the latest round of additions includes a key lightweight matchup between two international contenders with a combined 50 career victories, as well as four intriguing preliminary contests.

The new matchups include a main-card lightweight contest of Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2), as well as preliminary bouts of bantamweights Jared “The Jackhammer” Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1), middleweights Joey “Mexicutioner” Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian “The Professional Predator” Rogers (11-7), lightweights Saad “Assassin” Awad (17-6) vs. Rob “C4” Sinclair (12-2) and flyweights Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1).

“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 atBellator.com and Bren.UCI.edu

The 23-year-old Held, a native of Tychy, Poland, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who boasts one of the most dangerous submission games in the world.  A former no-gi grappling world champion, Held has been competing in mixed martial arts professionally since 2008 and has earned 11 of his 20 career wins by tapout. With just one loss in his past 11 appearances, Held owns Bellator MMA wins over Patricky Pitbull, Nate Jolly, Derek Anderson, Rodrigo Cavalheiro, Ryan Healy, Rich Clementi, Murad Machaev, Derrick Kennington and Phillipe Nover.

The 26-year-old Sarnavskiy, from Omsk, Russia, has an equally impressive record and has earned the rank of Master of Sport in hand-to-hand combat. A seven-time Bellator MMA veteran, Sarnavskiy is currently enjoying a five-fight winning streak and is 10-1 in his past 11 appearances. In his 30 career victories, 25 have come by stoppage, including 18 submissions and seven knockouts.

Papazian, of West Hills, Calif., is a seven-year veteran of the sport who has been training in martial arts since he was just 6 years old. A former King of the Cage flyweight champion, Papazian is 3-1 in his past four outings. He faces Shippen, of Lake Forest, Calif. A Reign Training Center product, Shippen is 11-1 in his past 12 appearances and has earned 13 of his 14 career wins by stoppage, including five knockouts and eight submissions.

The hard-hitting Beltran, of San Diego, Calif., Beltran is a three-time Bellator MMA veteran and former light heavyweight who now makes his first appearance in the middleweight divisions. A slugger by trade, 11 of Beltran’s 15 career wins have come by way of knockout. He now meets fellow knockout artist Rogers, of Denver, Colo. With nine Bellator MMA appearances to his name, Rogers also prefers to stand and bang and has earned nine of his 11 career wins with strikes.

Awad, of San Bernadino, Calif., is a Millennia MMA product who owns five wins under the Bellator MMA banner, four of which have come by stoppage. Fourteen of his 17 career wins have come by stoppage, including seven knockouts and seven submissions. He faces Sinclair, of Manchester, England, who is 8-1 in his past nine appearances. Ten of Sinclair’s 12 career wins have come by way of finish, including nine knockouts, and he now makes his Bellator MMA debut.

Santa Maria, of Whittier, Calif., is a Reign Training Center fighter who made his professional debut in March 2014 and has already picked up three victories, including a November win under the Bellator MMA banner. He now faces Ramirez, of Corona, Calif., who suffered a split-decision loss in his professional debut and now hopes to earn his first official career victory.

Additional contests, including one more main-card matchup, will be announced shortly

“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: Rafael Carvalho (10-1) vs. Joe Schilling (2-3)

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

Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Jared Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1)

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: Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1)

 

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.

MAINE’S FIRST COUPLE OF THE NEF MMA CAGE

Randi Beth Knowles and Bruce Boyington

Lewiston, Maine (March 5, 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.  The fight card will feature Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) defending the NEF MMA Lightweight Title against number-one contender Jamie Harrison (5-1) in the main event.  In addition, Boyington’s wife, Randi Beth Knowles (0-0), will make her amateur MMA debut against Alex Walker (0-0) in the female 115-pound strawweight division.  It will be the first time a couple has competed together on an NEF fight card.

 

Knowles is currently training under her husband at Boyington’s Taekwondo Academy and Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.  A regular at bodybuilding and fitness competitions across the region, Knowles is no stranger to performing before large audiences.  She has been cage-side for many of Boyington’s past bouts, and she welcomes the challenge that will come when she finds herself on the other side of the cage wall on April 11.

 

“After watching so many of Bruce’s fights, I couldn’t be more excited to get a taste of what it’s like on the inside of the cage,” exclaimed Knowles.  “I’ve always liked being tested with the toughest challenges possible.  I thank NEF for bringing women’s MMA to Maine as well as big thank you to Portland Nutrition Corner, Abbott Insulation Plus, Lewis Used Car Sales, Jes & Toby for all their support.”

 

Knowles’ opponent, Alex Walker, is not to be taken lightly.  Walker trains out of the Kaze Dojo in Lancaster, New Hampshire.  Coming in from out-of-town for the fight, Walker relishes in playing the role of underdog and hopes to also play the role of spoiler on April 11.

 

“I come from a town of 2,500 people,” said Walker.  “Nobody expects me to do well. Nobody ever expects our team to be able to hang with bigger gyms. I like it when people underestimate us, it motivates 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 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.

“Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao” gets eight new matchups, including  L.C. Davis vs. Hideo Tokoro, Emmanuel Sanchez vs. Alejandro Villalobos

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 5, 2015) – The 12-bout lineup for Bellator MMA’s return to WinStar World Casino is now complete with the addition of an eight-fight preliminary lineup.

The new matchups include bantamweights L.C. Davis (22-6) vs. Hideo Tokoro (32-27), featherweights Emmanuel “El Matador” Sanchez (9-1) vs. Alejandro Villalobos (17-3), welterweights Sean Holden (2-1) vs. Tim Roman (2-1), middleweights Neal Ewing (5-0) vs. Logan Nail (1-0), heavyweights Rashad Coulter (4-1) vs. Jeremiah O’Neal (13-24), featherweightsStephen “The Fear” Banaszak (3-4) vs. Brad Mitchell (4-1), flyweights Klayton Mai (6-1) vs.Xavier “Young Guns” Siller (5-3) and bantamweights J.P. Cole (2-2) vs. Geo Pacurariu (8-4).

The new bouts make up the Spike.com-streamed preliminary card (6:30 p.m. ET) of “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which 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).

Tickets for “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which include VIP Seating for just $75, are already 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 now meets 14-year Japanese veteran Tokoro, a longtime mainstay in his native country who now makes his Bellator MMA debut.

Sanchez, a 24-year-old Roufusport fighter from Milwaukee, Wisc., made his Bellator MMA debut in October 2013 and scored a first-round submission win over Stephen Banaszak. He currently boasts a five-fight winning streak that includes four first-round stoppages. He now meets Costa Rican fighter Villalobos, who is 11-1 in his past 12 fights and has earned 16 of his 17 career wins by stoppage, including nine knockouts and seven submissions.

Coulter, of Dallas, Texas, has earned all four of his career victories by way of knockout, though his lone career loss came by way of submission. That could prove a key factor when he meets O’Neal, of Palestine, Texas, who owns 11 of his 13 career victories by tapout.

Holden, of Dallas, Texas, earned victory in his first two career outings but now looks to rebound from a February 2014 submission loss. He now faces Roman, of Greenville, Texas, who has taken an exact opposite career path, losing his professional debut but since bouncing back with back-to-back victories.

The undefeated Ewing, of Dallas, Texas, has earned all five of his career wins by way of stoppage, including three submissions and two knockouts. He now faces Nail, of Sherman, Texas, who earned a TKO win in his February 2014 debut and now looks to build on that result.

Banaszak, of Bells, Texas, is a three-time Bellator MMA veteran who has yet to go to a judges’ decision in seven professional contests. He now faces Mitchell, of Dallas, Texas, who makes his Bellator MMA debut on the strength of a two-fight winning streak.

Mai, of Dallas, Texas, is a grappling ace who’s earned five of his first six career wins by submission and who has yet to fight to a judges’ decision. His opponent, Siller, of Abilene, Texas, has been equally active in his career, also ending every fight – win or lose – before the final bell.

Cole, of Frisco, Texas, and Romanian import Pacurariu, who now lives and trains in Dallas, Texas, each make their 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 Feature Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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.

BOJAN VELICKOVIC FIGHTING FOR PERSONAL GLORY AND NATIONAL PRIDE

 

  

Personal Glory & National Pride:
Bojan Velickovic’s Journey

RFA 24 IN MINNESOTA

FRIDAY MARCH 6TH LIVE ON AXS TV

 

BY K. David Bena 
@kdavidbena


 

When Denver, a city known for cold biting weather, breaks a record for snowfall, maybe it’s best to stay indoors – and rising welterweight Bojan Velickovic can attest, “The gym (Elevation Fight Team) was closed. There was no training that afternoon. It’s crazy. Two feet of snow fell and one of the coaches couldn’t make it (to the gym), so the owner decided to close. The roads are awful. I almost got into two car accidents this morning!”

So being trapped indoors, Bojan “Veli” Velickovic (9-3) did some homework for his upcoming welterweight bout with Chris “The Hitman” Hugh (16-9). The two meet at RFA 24 on Friday, March 6th at the Mystic Lake Casino & Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The bout will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV. “I’m home now trying to do things for the fight and to watch my opponent, my own fights, to do at least something since I can’t train,” Velickovic explained.

With “The Hitman” Hugh touting a 5-fight win streak, Velickovic knows how dangerous his opponent is, “The most important thing I have to do is to put my own pace and see how he’s going to react to my striking and wrestling.”

Velickovic realizes that winning a fight is not just about studying an opponent, but about studying one’s self, “Hugh has 25 fights, but only two fights on YouTube so I can’t study him that much, but I can also see my previous fights and see what I did bad – and not do those types of mistakes again.”

Training with the esteemed Elevation Fight Team, Velickovic loved the Denver-based fighters and gym, “I trained a lot with UFC fighters Brandon Thatch and Neil Magny for their UFC fights, so I think my striking game and wrestling became better and, as always, I like to fight with the aspects of MMA as a whole and I think that’s what I’ll try to do for this fight (with Hugh).”

At the age of 12, Velickovic started training in Judo for several years and transitioned into kickboxing at the age of 18, “I had like 7 amateur fights and 7 professional. I think my record was total 14-2 or 15-2 – and from kickboxing, I switched to MMA. I see myself now as a mixed martial artist. I like to be good in all aspects. I’m not skipping wrestling class to go to jiu-jitsu. I’m just trying to become better everyday in every aspect of MMA and that’s my goal.”

And Velickovic hasn’t looked back since, “I got to the United States through the reality show, “Road to the Ring of Fire”. Basically, one of the coaches (for the upcoming reality show) was a pro MMA fighter and told me ‘There’s a good reality show coming up. You have good striking, a Judo background, maybe it’s a good opportunity for you.’ So I registered for the reality show and they invited me. I won 4 fights in the show and won the show – and I won my next 3 fights as well.”

Applying for a professional visa, Velickovic has lived in the states since 2013, where he was recruited by American Top Team (ATT) in Coconut Creek, Florida, “ATT helped apply for my visa and I have a contract with them for 5 years.”

Asked if there was any tension, because of splitting his time between two perennial powerhouse gyms (Elevation Fight Team and ATT), Velickovic clarified, “No. I’m with American Top Team – a lot of guys at ATT train in different gyms for a couple of weeks before their fight then come back to ATT for a couple of weeks of sparring and additional training camps, but they always have ‘American Top Team’ on their banners.”

He also sheds light on the politics and influx on fighters that migrate to ATT, “There are a couple of guys that are there full-time, but fighters are always visiting Florida and ATT. A lot of them come back and forth from (places like) California, Texas and stay a couple of weeks, work on sparring, and then they go back home and compete for American Top Team and their hometown gyms.”

Quick to reassure there was no bad blood or misunderstandings with ATT, Velickovic states, “I told them that I was invited to Elevation Fight Team to help Brandon Thatch and Neil Magny get ready for their fights and then I decided to stay here for my whole camp for RFA 24. It’s a high altitude, good gym, good environment, and the guys from the gym accept me really good- and I feel I’m home and that’s the most important thing. But if I decide to move to Colorado, I will still wear ‘American Top Team’ on my shorts for the next couple of years, since I’m still under contract.”

Being a fighter often requires a nomadic existence, leaving behind family and friends to further your skills. Fighting out of Novi Sad, Serbia, Velickovic speaks of his hometown and country fondly regardless of the close proximity of warring countries, “Novi Sad is very beautiful place and when the Yugoslav Wars occurred, Novi Sad was far from the border where the war and fire-fight was and somehow managed to stay out of the conflict. Now Serbia has been peaceful in the last 15-20 years.”

He adds, “I left and came here to become better at MMA, because the training environment in the U.S. and the skills of the fighters are much more advanced than back home. I thought if I came here to train with the best, I can become with one of the best. That’s the main reason why I moved out to U.S.”

To read complete article click HERE

About RFA:
RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents up to 10 fights annually around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 40 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights:
AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.

RFA RETURNS TO THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE WITH TWO TITLE FIGHTS

 

RFA 25 – LAWRENCE vs. TOOMER

MAIN EVENT: 

JUSTIN LAWRENCE vs. SAM TOOMER

FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE

CO-MAIN EVENT: 

GABRIEL CHECCO vs. FRANCISCO FRANCE

MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE

 
 
FRIDAY, April 10th LIVE ON AXSTV
Live at the Sanford Pentagon,Sioux Falls, SD.
Tickets on Sale through  Ticketmaster.com

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will be returning to the state of South Dakota in April with a stacked card. RFA 25 – Lawrence vs. Toomer will feature a main event between two RFA fan favorites. RFA featherweight champion Justin “The American Kidd” Lawrence returns to the building that he won his title last summer. His first title defense will be against #1 contender “Super” Sam Toomer, who will be looking to keep his undefeated record intact. In the co-main event, Gabriel “Zangief” Checco meets fellow Brazil native and RFA vet Francisco “Kiko” France for the middleweight title. The event takes place Friday, April 10th at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

“I’m excited to announce that the RFA is returning to South Dakota with two title fights at RFA 25,” stated Soares. “Justin Lawrence is the first person to win a sanctioned MMA world title in the state of South Dakota. He will defend it for the first time against undefeated Sam Toomer in the main event. In the co-headliner, Gabriel Checco and Francisco France will fight for the vacant RFA middleweight title.”

Tickets for RFA 25 – Lawrence vs. Toomer are available for purchase NOW through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 605.312.7900. Ticket prices start at $25, reserved seating is available for $30-$40, and cageside seating is $125.

Lawrence (6-2) returns to the site of the biggest win of his career. Last August at RFA 17, the 24-year-old striking stalwart captured the vacant RFA featherweight title by besting Mark Dickman via Unanimous Decision in what was South Dakota’s very first sanctioned MMA world title fight. The win was Lawrence’s second straight victory since joining the RFA. Before that he had gained worldwide notoriety as a star on the fifteenth season of the UFC’s hit reality show The Ultimate Fighter, where he was the first overall pick. On the show, Lawrence recorded highlight reel KO’s of RFA alum and current UFC star James Krause as well as PRIDE vet and eventual UFC fighter Cristiano Marcello. Lawrence, a former two-time Golden Gloves champion and decorated kickboxer, only had a 3-0 record in MMA at the time, but reached the quarter-finals before earning “Fight of the Night” and “KO of the Night” bonuses for his vicious KO of John Cofer in his UFC debut. Lawrence, who fights out of Alliance MMA in Chula Vista, California, is eager to once again showcase his vaunted striking skills in his first RFA featherweight title defense.

“Once I heard I would be defending my belt in South Dakota, I thought this is awesome,” Lawrence explained. “The Sanford Pentagon is one of the best venues I have ever fought in. I felt comfortable, the locker room was great, and the crowd was fantastic. Sam Toomer is a great athlete with a good right hand. I’ll have to use my kicks, footwork, and out-finesse him. He’s proven to be a worthy challenger, but I look forward to giving him his first loss.”

Toomer (9-0) will be the man challenging Lawrence for RFA gold. Unlike most top mixed martial artists, like Lawrence, who come from grappling or striking backgrounds, Toomer was a lifelong football player. However, the 27-year-old college football defensive back has made a successful transition to MMA by utilizing his natural athleticism, discipline, and unbreakable work ethic to compile an impressive 9-0 record since making his pro debut three years ago. Two of those wins have come in the past eight months after Toomer signed with the RFA. Toomer won his RFA debut at RFA 15 in June with a dominant performance. The one-sided fight saw his opponent Daniel Aguiar get disqualified in the third round after refusing to stand and fight Toomer. The DQ win over Aguiar via timidity put Toomer’s name on the RFA featherweight map as a legitimate title contender. In December, Toomer solidified his case for a title shot with a valiant comeback win over Lyoto Machida protégé Altair Alencar at RFA 21. Toomer, who fights out of The Arena MMA in San Diego, California, is now gearing up for the biggest undertaking of his athletic career in April, as he challenges the highly-touted RFA champion Lawrence for his title.

“It feels great getting to fight for an RFA world title,” stated Toomer. “My first couple of experiences with the RFA have been great, but this is my first time as the main event and I look forward to winning the title. Justin Lawrence is an excellent opponent and the champion for a reason. I’m looking forward to having an exciting fight with him at RFA 25 in South Dakota.

The co-main event of RFA 25 will also feature a title fight between two accomplished RFA vets, who happen to both hail from Brazil. Gabriel “Zangief” Checco (8-1) made his international debut in October in the main event of RFA 19. After coming up short in his first bid for the RFA middleweight title that night to Jake Collier, who was immediately signed by the UFC, Checco rebounded in a big way earlier this month at RFA 23. He made a huge statement with a blistering first round knockout of the highly-touted The Ultimate Fighter 11 cast member Joseph Henle. Checco will now face his fellow countryman and fellow jiu-jitsu black belt Francisco “Kiko” France (11-3-1) for the title. France enters the fight with a ton of momentum after steamrolling his first two opponents in the RFA. Last August, in the RFA’s first trip to South Dakota, France submitted local standout Isaac Appel with a first round Kimura. He followed up that success with another first round finish at RFA 21 in December. He made his case for a title shot that night by dispatching Bellator vet Mikey Gomez with a first round Arm-Triangle Choke.

RFA 25 will mark the return of two more RFA vets in the flyweight division. Abel “The Silent Assassin” Cullum (20-6) will be dropping down to 125-pounds for the first time in his storied MMA career to face Sioux Falls native Josh “The Rage” Rave (24-11). Cullum made a storybook comeback this past fall after a three year hiatus from the sport. In his RFA debut at RFA 18, Cullum submitted UFC vet Ulysses Gomez in 89 seconds. Four weeks later at RFA 19, he submitted top prospect Carl Deaton III in the second round. Cullum now drops down to the flyweight division to face Rave, who is the most accomplished flyweight MMA fighter in South Dakota history. Rave will also be riding momentum heading into this fight. He has won three of his last four bouts since making his RFA debut at RFA 2.

 

In the lightweight division, RFA 25 will feature the return of T.J. “The Carnivore” Hepburn (4-0), who is a longtime RFA fan favorite. He is also the 2012 NCAA Division II wrestling national champion at 157 lbs. Hepburn will face a fellow undefeated lightweight prospect in LaRue “The Cannibal” Burley (5-0), who will be making his highly-anticipated RFA debut. Burley is widely known as the man who gave blue chip MMA prospect Bubba Jenkins his first loss in MMA.

 

Jenkins coincidentally fought on the same RFA 3 card as Hepburn and is the 2011 NCAA Division I wrestling national champion at 157 lbs.

The main card will be rounded out with a middleweight bout pitting Anderson Silva protégé Khalil “War Horse” Rountree (2-0) against Roufusport prospect Cameron Olsen (2-0) and a flyweight bout that will see top-ranked flyweight prospect Geane Herrera (7-0) battle a surging Ben Nguyen (13-5). Nguyen is currently riding a seven-fight win streak and will be returning home to Sioux Falls after making a name for himself in Australia.

The preliminary card is also loaded. Local fan favorites and RFA vets Jordon Larson (5-1), Devin Clark (3-0), and Devin Turner (2-2) are returning to fight on the RFA’s highly-anticipated return trip to their hometown of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Larson defeated Donavon Winters in his RFA debut at RFA 17 in August in a highly entertaining welterweight bout. He will face Jarrod L’Heureux (7-1) in an eagerly anticipated rematch. All seven of L’Heureux’s wins have come via submission with his lone loss coming against Larson.

Clark, Larson’s teammate at Next Edge Academy in Sioux Falls, also won decisively at RFA 17. The light-heavyweight powerhouse won via TKO over 2012 NFL draft pick Aaron Brown. Clark will face Omaha based fighter Jaquis Williams (4-2). Meanwhile, Turner will look to pick up his first RFA win against RFA vet and highly-touted MMA prospect Matt Lopez (4-0) in a 140-pound catchweight bout.

The entire main card of RFA 25 – Lawrence vs. Toomer will be televised live on AXS TV starting at10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, April 10th. RFA 25 will be the promotion’s second event in the state of South Dakota after hosting the first sanctioned MMA event in “The Mount Rushmore State” last August. More fights on the RFA 25 fight card will be announced in the coming weeks.

Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at@RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.

 
About RFA:
RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents up to 10 fights annually around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 40 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights:
AXS TV Fights presents more LIVE mixed martial arts and kickboxing events than any other television network with 40+ LIVE world-class fight cards each year. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich call all the action as champions, challengers, and top prospects take center stage every Friday night at 10pE/7pP. AXS TV Fights can be found online, on Facebook and on Twitter. AXS TV is widely distributed in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite and telco providers. The network is also carried in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.