Category Archives: MMA

amateur mixed martial arts, Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, WMMAA

World MMA Association 2016 Asian Championship RESCHEDULED Aug. 17-21 in South Korea

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MONTE CARLO, Monaco (May 8, 2016)- The  World MMA Association (WMMAA) has announced that, due to venue availability issues, its second annual Asian Championship has been rescheduled from May 27-30 to August 17-21 at the same site, the Hwasoon Culture and Sports Center. in the Republic of South Korea.
The Asian MMA Championship will feature the top amateur MMA fighters in six different weight classes.
“We had to postpone our annual Asian Championships but this way we’ll have even more time to prepare for the biggest amateur MMA event of the year on the Asian continent,” WMMAA president Vadim Finkelchtein said.  “The location and venue remain the same, which is great news because the site our South Korean Federation was able to find really suits our championship very well.”
An international judges’ seminar will be held Aug. 17-20, to certify and accredit judges.  Only accredit judges will be allowed to work during the Asian MMA Championships.  Preliminary and semifinal matches will be Aug. 19, followed by the championship final matches.
The official weigh-ins and competition draws will be conducted Aug. 27,
The Asia Division Congress: Battle of the Nomads of the WMMAA Pro Asian Division will be held Aug. 20.
Individual team competition will be held in accordance with the “Official Rules of Mixed Martial Arts Competition, subject to WMMAA approval. Including revisions, additions and clarifications of certain clauses.  Matches will held in accordance with the Olympic system with two third-places in each of the six weight divisions.
Team scoring is awarded by the maximum amount of points scored by individual team members on the following basis:  1st – 10, 2nd – 8, 3rd – 6, 4th – 5, 5th – 4, 6th – 3, 7th – 2, 8th – 1.
All individual first-place winners will be awarded special championship belts and medals, second and third-place finishers will receive a medal and certificate. Teams finishing among the top three in the final standings will be awarded cups and certificates.
In addition to the host, South Korea, other eligible countries to compete in the Asian MMA Championship include Afghanistan, China, Chinese Taipei, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Singapore, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
 
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Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF CAGES THE CAPE ON MAY 14 WITH THRILLING FIGHT CARD

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Hyannis, Massachusetts  (May 6, 2016) – It will be no day at the beach, but they might just leave some blood on the sand.  New England Fights (NEF) plans to storm Cape Cod on Saturday, May 14, 2016 with the first-ever mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event to be held on the popular tourist destination.  The northeast’s top regional fight promotion will pack up its cage in one week and make the 200-mile trek south from NEF’s base of operations in Lewiston, Maine to the Hyannis Youth & Community Center (HYCC).

 

The attention the event has received has been staggering.  “The Cape Cod community has welcomed us with open arms,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “The HYCC is a great venue with an awesome staff.  Patti Lloyd at the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has been a huge help in making this event happen as well.  And we have some fantastic new sponsors on the Cape like Bodystrong Fitness who have helped us spread the word.”

 

Indeed, the word has spread and ticket sales have been so strong, and demand so overwhelming, that the promotion had to order more chairs and tickets when cageside inventory sold out last week.  “The fans were asking us to add some more cageside seats, so we happily accommodated them,” noted DiSalvo.

 

And fight fans in attendance will be treated to a night filled with wild cage action.  The card is stacked with world class wrestlers and martial artists from Maine, Cape Cod and Massachusetts’ South Shore.  Hyannis-based Team Juniko will be prominently featured in no less than six of the evening’s bouts.

 

Brendan “Lock Down” Battles (0-0) of Juniko is scheduled to make his professional MMA debut in the heavyweight main event, locking horns with Mike “The Mustache” Hansen (4-3).  Battles was a three-time All American wrestler out of nearby Nauset Regional High School where he won two state championships and three New England championships.  He was 2-0 as an amateur MMA fighter.  Hansen has a wrestling pedigree of his own, having captured a state title for Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Maine.  Hansen is a ten-year-plus veteran of the MMA cage.

 

The co-main event of the evening will feature a rematch from “NEF 15” in November 2014.  “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (3-6) will look to avenge a loss to Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (2-2).  Shorey’s supporters have claimed for the past year-and-a-half that Denning’s submission victory was a fluke and that Denning would not be able to defeat Shorey a second time should the pair ever meet again.  Those claims will be put to the test in Hyannis in this lightweight rematch.

 

“It was a short notice fight that NEF asked for, and I know Derek wanted a rematch,” said Denning.  “After I beat him again, I’ll prove it wasn’t a fluke. I wanted this fight so I could get some new fans in Massachusetts and show my skills. I have had two losses in a row to great guys and want to get back in the win column.”

 

“I thought I could beat him the first time, and he caught me with an armbar,” Shorey admitted.  “This time I will leave that cage the victor.”

 

“It’s one of those fights we always get asked whether there will be a rematch,” stated NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “This will finally prove, once and for all, whether Matt Denning got lucky coming up with that armbar that night.  Whatever you do, don’t blink!  These two guys are finishers.  Whatever the outcome, it’s not going to the judges.  Someone’s getting knocked out or submitted in this one.”

 

In another pro fight, longtime NEF mainstay Crowsneck Boutin (1-2) will take on another promotion regular in the form of Ruben Redman (0-0).  The bout will be Redman’s professional debut after six amateur fights with NEF in Maine.  Boutin is a prolific striker based out of the Choi Institute in Portland.  The fight will take place at the middleweight limit of 185-pounds.

 

The amateur headliner will see Dustin Veinott (4-4) in a flyweight showdown with Ryan “Razzle Dazzle” Kane (4-3).  Veinott is the former NEF MMA Amateur Flyweight Champion.  He dropped the title in a very close split decision loss to Ryan Burgess (2-0) last November.  Kane, from Plymouth, Massachusetts, is a member of Team Juniko and an accomplished competitor in the ancient Greek martial art of Pankration.

 

A women’s fight will be prominently featured on the amateur card.  Angela Young (1-1) is scheduled to face Kylie O’Hearn (0-0).  Young is coming off a big win just two weeks ago against Hannah Sparrell (1-1) at “NEF 22” in Lewiston.  O’Hearn, another product of Plymouth, Massachusetts and Team Juniko, will be making her amateur MMA debut.  The fight will take place at the bantamweight limit of 135-pounds.

 

Young’s teammate Victor Irwin (1-0) will make the five-hour road trip along with her from Bangor, Maine to compete in Hyannis.  Irwin will square off with newcomer Tracey Schryba (0-0) in the amateur light-heavyweight division.

 

Brewster’s Ed Forlenza (0-0) makes his amateur debut against Frank Johanson (0-1) in a 160-pound catchweight bout.  Forlenza is a 2004 graduate of Nauset Regional High School where he was a standout on the wrestling team.  Johanson’s opponent pulled out of their bout on fight day two weeks ago at “NEF 22.”   Not one to let a good fight camp go to waste, Johanson agreed to take the fight with Forlenza in Hyannis.

 

In another 160-pound catchweight bout, Steve Bang (3-4) takes on Fabian Miranda (2-0).  Bang is a member of the famous father-sons fighting family of Auburn, Maine.  Miranda represents Team Juniko and will look to add to his undefeated record in the fight with Bang.

 

Rounding out the fight card is a 190-pound catchweight bout featuring Anthony Spires (0-1) and Thomas Lee Davis (1-0).  Spires, an independent fighter from Maine, hopes to rebound from a loss in his debut last fall at “NEF XX.”  Davis is a member of Team Juniko.

 

“NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” takes place Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Tickets for “NEF 23” are $40 for general admission and $60 for cageside. They are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets

 

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.”

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA

M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan Buchinger to defend title June 4 vs. Undefeated challenger Magomed Idrisov 

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M-1 Challenge 67, June 4 in Baku, Azerbaijan
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (May 5, 2016) – M-1 Global has announced that M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger will defend his title against undefeated challenger Magomed Idrisov, headlining M-1 Challenge 67, June 4 at Baku, Azerbaijan.
Also announced is a fight between undefeated Kazakh welterweight prospect Shavkat Rakjmonov and Brazilian veteran Carlos Alexandre “Indio” Pereira.
M-1 Challenge 67 will be streamed live from Azerbaijan in high definition onwww.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
 
 
Buchinger (30-4-0, M-1: 5-0-0), fighting out of his native Slovakia, captured the vacant M-1 Challenge featherweight title 1-½ years ago at M-1 Challenge 52, stopping Tural Ragimov (see picture below) in the fourth round on punches.  His lone title defense last October was a decision win over current M-1 Challenge lightweight championMansour Barnaoui at M-1 Challenge 62.  Undefeated in his last nine fights, dating back four years, Buchinger is 5-0 in M-1 Global competition.
 
Fighting out of Russia, Idrisov (6-0-0, M-1: 3-0-0) is the European Wu-Sanda champion.  He has three wins in M-1 Global fights, including a pair of notable decisions over Max Coga last May at M-1 Challenge 57, and in his last fight this past December against Sergej Grecicho (see picture below) at M-1 Challenge 61.
 
Rakhmonov vs. Pereira is a classic clash between young and old, Combat Sambo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialists.
 
The 21-year-old Rakhmonov (5-0-0, M-1: 3-0-0) was a decorated MMA amateur who has won two Submission of the Night honors in only three M-1 Global events againstMichal Wienek last July at M-1 Challenge 59, and versus Adam Tsurpov (pictured below) October 17, 2014 in Rakhmonov’s professional debut.
 

 

Pereira, 37, won Submission of the Night in his only M-1 Global fight to date, last September against Ruslan Zhemuklkov (see picture below) at M-1 Challenge 61. 
 
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Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

Two Main Card Fights Complete ‘Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo’ on May 14

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SAAD AWAD-‘CYBORG’ SANTOS & ADAM PICCOLOTTI-RAY WOOD ARE OFFICIAL

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (May 5, 2016) – A welterweight matchup pitting “Cyborg” Santos (21-16) against Bellator MMA veteran Saad Awad (18-7) and a lightweight meeting featuring Adam Piccolotti (7-0) versus Ray Wood (6-1) have been added to the main card of “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo,” which airs LIVE and FREE on SPIKE and takes place on May 14 at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

These matchups join an electric main event between light heavyweight phenoms “King Mo” (19-4, 1 NC) and Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (15-3, 1 NC). In addition, a heavyweight bout between Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) and Josh Appelt (12-5) will serve as the evening’s co-main event and undefeated Andre Fialho (6-0) will face Rick Reger (7-1) in a welterweight feature fight.

The contests make up the televised portion of “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo,” which airs LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT while the preliminary card will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. Tickets start at just $30 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster, and the SAP Center Box Office.

After beginning his career with five consecutive victories, the 32-year-old Saad Awad has continued to put together an impressive resume, including significant wins over the likes of Joe Duarte, Sergio Rios, and most recently Rob Sinclair. A 10-time veteran of Bellator MMA, “Assassin” has three first-round knockout wins, two of which came in the first 45 seconds of the bout. In 2013, the California native handed Will Brooks the only loss of his career thus far, stopping hiim with a punch only 43-seconds into the fight.

“Cyborg” Santos has begun his 2016 campaign with a bang, recording victories in each of his first two bouts, including a crowd-silencing win over hometown favorite Brennan Ward in his Bellator MMA debut at “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson.” Of his 21 career wins, the 38-year-old welterweight has recorded 12 knockouts, 10 of which came in the opening frame of the bout. The heavy-handed Brazilian originally made four appearances under the Strikeforce banner from 2009 to 2011, before signing a multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA in March of 2016. “Cyborg” will look to add to his current winning streak when he challenges Saad Awad, who will be moving up in weight class to 170-pounds.

The 27-year-old Piccolotti has been flawless early in his young career, earning victories in all seven of his professional bouts, including three wins since joining the Bellator MMA team. A native of Northern California, he made his promotional debut against Andrew Ramm at “Bellator 133: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko,” with a unanimous decision win and then added to his admirable resume by finishing his 2015 campaign with a victory over Mario Soto at“Bellator 147: Thomson vs. Villaseca.” Making his 2016 debut, the submission specialist will have little time to prepare for his new opponent Ray Wood as the two look to square off on May 14 at the SAP Center.

Ray “All Business” Wood made a splash in his Bellator MMA debut, when he finished Chris Jones with a spinning-back fist that resulted in a first round knockout at “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell.” The 26-year-old Maine native has begun his professional career with a flashy 6-1 record, including four knockout victories and two first-round finishes. After beginning his career under the direction of regional promotions, Wood now has his eyes set on establishing himself among the top of Bellator’s always-competitive featherweight division. Watch the fight below.

Complete “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Main Event: Phil Davis (15-3, 1 NC) vs. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (19-4, 1 NC)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) vs. Josh Appelt (12-5)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Adam Piccolotti (7-0) vs. Ray Wood (6-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Saad Awad (18-7) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (21-16)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Andre Fialho (6-0) vs. Rick Reger (7-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA (160 lb.) “VOW” Prelim Bout: Joshua Hardwick (Debut) vs. Jorge Acosta (1-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Prelim Bout: Victor Jones (0-1) vs. Anthony Taylor (0-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Prelim Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (3-0) vs. Martin Sano (4-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Prelim Bout: Josh Paiva (7-1) vs. Steven Gruber (5-1)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Prelim Bout: Sam Spengler (8-5) vs. Doyle Childs (2-1)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Prelim Bout: Josh San Diego (6-1) vs. Jeremiah Labiano (9-4)

Bellator MMA (130 lb.) Catchweight Prelim Bout: Alvin Cacdac (16-12) vs. Darren Uyenoyama (10-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Prelim Bout: Thomas Diagne (5-5-1) vs. Mark Dickman (10-2)

Bellator MMA Strawweight Prelim Bout: Stephanie Frausto (5-5) vs. Jamielene Nievara (3-1)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Prelim Bout: Andres Alcantar (3-0) vs. Nick Pica (5-0)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Prelim Bout: James Chapman (Debut) vs. Sean Tucker (Debut)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

STARS FROM ALL WALKS OF MMA SET TO MEET FANS DURING BELLATOR MMA ‘FAN FEST’ AT SAN JOSE’S DAVE & BUSTER’S ONFRIDAY, MAY 13

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Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Champ Liam McGeary Joins “Stitch” Duran as Well as MMA Legends Royce Gracie, Randy Couture, Cung Le, Mark Coleman at the Bellator MMA Fan Fest Prior to Saturday’s “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo” Event at SAP Center

 

Event is exclusively for Bellator Nation members – Join Bellator Nation now

 

 

WHAT:                   Bellator Fan Fest at Dave & Buster’s

Fans of all ages are invited to Dave and Buster’s in Milpitas, CA to meet and get autographs from some of the top names in all of mixed martial arts. Fans will also have the opportunity to win tickets and great prizes, as well as snap a photograph with the Bellator ring girls.

Fan Fest is exclusively for Bellator Nation Members only, becoming an official Bellator Nation Member is simple and FREE. Click here to register and RSVP to Fan Fest. If you are already a member of Bellator Nation you will receive an email invitation to RSVP.

 

WHERE:                 Dave & Buster’s

940 Great Mall Dr.

Milpitas, CA 95035

 

WHEN:                   Friday, May 13 at 8 p.m. PT

 

WHO:                     The first British World Champion in the history of MMA will always be Liam McGeary. At 6’6 the towering fighter has achieved notoriety around the world with his impressive skillset, which has seen him end fights with impressive knockout power as well as jiu-jitsu prowess. Currently undefeated at 11-0, the future is bright for the Bellator MMA Champion. Most recently, McGeary defeated Tito Ortiz in the main event of the groundbreaking “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1.”

 

The name Gracie is synonymous with MMA, and that is largely in part to Royce Gracie, the man who is considered to have invented the sport as we know it today.  The winner of the first several UFC events, Gracie would dismantle multiple opponents in a single night, many of which were much larger than him.  For many years there was no answer for the Gracie Jiu Jitsu technique that he brought into a fight.  Today, it’s hard to find an MMA fighter who hasn’t trained in the art of jiu jitsu. Most recently, Gracie defeated Ken Shamrock in the main event of the record-breaking “Bellator 149.”

One of the most recognizable MMA fighters of all time, Hall of Famer Randy Couture transitioned nicely into the entertainment world after his fighting career, starring in several television shows and movies, most notably the Expendables franchise and Dancing with the Stars. Inside the cage, Couture was a fearless underdog, often defeating men with great size advantages.  “The Natural” was a multi-time heavyweight and multi-time light heavyweight champion in the UFC.

                             

                                When watching any combat sports event, it’s odd not to see Jacob “Stitch” Duran as the professional cutman on duty. Recently, Bellator MMA was pleased to exclusively secure his services as cutman for the foreseeable future, after “Stitch” signed a multi-year contract with the Scott Coker-led promotion. “Stitch” is seen everywhere combat sports events take place, and played a vital role in the recent smash blockbuster, “Creed.”

 

If there is one legend in attendance who knows a thing or two about kickboxing and MMA, it’s Cung Le. Born in Vietnam, Le fought 17 times around the globe and never lost before making the leap from kickboxing to MMA, where he won the Strikeforce middleweight championship. From there, the San Jose, Calif. – based fighter would continue to expand his recognition past the world of combat sports, starring in multiple feature films. Le remained competitive into his 40’s, finishing Rich Franklin in what was unanimously considered the 2012 knockout of the year.

 

A legend in the heavyweight division, Mark Coleman was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the promotion’s first Heavyweight Champion, and the Pride Fighting Championships 2000 Open Weight Grand Prix champion. The accolades don’t stop there; Coleman represented the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics and won gold medals at the Pan American Championships in freestyle wrestling in 1990, 91 and 92.

FIGHT INFO:          “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo” takes place on May 14, and airs LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT and features a light heavyweight main event of Phil Davis versus King Mo.

Tickets start at just $30 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster, and the SAP Center Box Office.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF MMA DEBUT ON CAPE COD

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Hyannis, Massachusetts  (May 3, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF) America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE” on Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Earlier today, NEF announced the main event of the fight card. Brendan “Lock Down” Battles (0-0) has signed to face Mike “The Mustache” Hansen (4-3) in a professional bout at a fight weight of 265-pounds.

 

Brendan Battles is a native of Eastham, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. There, he was a three-time All American wrestler for Nauset Regional High School. During his high school career, Battles captured a total of two state championships and three New England championships with an amazing 161 wins to his credit prior to graduating in 2012. A multi-sport athlete, he later played defensive end and tackle for the University of Connecticut. Battles made his NEF debut earlier this year at “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS” when he efficiently dispatched of Mike Hansen’s Berserkers teammate, Dave Smith (2-2) in the first round via TKO ref stoppage. Battles trains out of Gracie Fitness and is a member of Team Juniko based out of Hyannis.

 

“I look forward to Mike coming down to my backyard for my first professional fight,” said Battles. “I know he is a tough fighter, but I look forward to showcasing the skills I have acquired thus far as I continue my journey to become a well-rounded MMA fighter.”

 

Mike Hansen is the founding member of Berserkers MMA based out of Rumford, Maine.  He won a Maine state championship in wrestling as a heavyweight in 2004.  Hansen made his MMA debut shortly after graduating from high school, only to step away from the sport for a decade in order to serve his country as a combat engineer in the United States Army.  He returned to the MMA cage in 2015 as a member of the NEF roster. Hansen has become known for taking tough fights against opponents that he is generally undersized next to. Less than two weeks ago, he defeated former top-tanked amateur light heavyweight Jesse “The Barbarian” Baughman (0-2) via first round submission at “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE.”  Always up for a challenge, Hansen requested the opportunity to face Battles in his highly anticipated professional debut.

 

“I like this fight because I get to fight in Massachusetts again,” stated Hansen. “I made my pro debut at Club Lido at the ‘Wonderland’ Blue Line stop just over a decade ago. I rode the ‘T’ from Fenway to Wonderland on August 6th, 2005 to make my debut against Eric Brown who I beat by rear naked choke at 1:27 in the first round. Jumping up two weight classes sucks, but I’ve competed at this weight many times. Battles is a very accomplished athlete with a stacked resume. With only three minutes of cage time, I think it’s time Battles was in the cage with someone ready to fight. I will gladly welcome Battles to the professional ranks and see how he stacks up. I’m going to stand right in front of him and make him beat me up and, if he can, he’s a good fighter. If he can’t, it is because I didn’t want him to. On May 14th, we will have a fight my friend!”

 

“NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” takes place Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Tickets for “NEF 23” are $40 for general admission and $60 for cageside. They are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets

 

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 New England’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, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV, wrestling

BELLATOR MMA SIGNS THREE-TIME ALL-AMERICAN JAROD TRICE TO EXCLUSIVE MIXED MARTIAL ARTS CONTRACT

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Photo Credit: Bellator MMA / Jarod Trice

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 2, 2016) – Bellator MMA is proud to announce the signing of three-time All American wrestling prospect Jarod Trice to an exclusive, multi-fight contract. The story was broken by Flo Combat and Flo Wrestling, who have chronicled a great deal of his wrestling career.

 

“We’re excited to be adding yet another world-class wrestling talent to our ever-growing roster of fighters here at Bellator,” said President Scott Coker. “I’ve always taken great pride in our ability to identify and build stars in this business, and I have great confidence that we’ve found a gem in Jarod Trice.”

 

In addition to his three All-American accolades, the 27-year-old Trice has an impressive trophy case that includes a National Title at 120 kg and two Greco Roman National Titles, with one at 120 kg and another at 98 kg. The above photo features Trice after winning the Outstanding Wrestler Award alongside 2012 Olympic Coach J.J. Johnson (left) and U.S. National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland (right).

 

“Following in the footsteps of guys like [Ed] Ruth and [Tyrell] Fortune to Bellator MMA was a no brainer for me,” said Trice. “Scott Coker is a promoter that treats the fighters with so much respect, and dealing with him and his team through this signing process has been amazing. I’m really looking forward to fighting for Coker, the Bellator promotion, and for every wrestling and MMA fan out there before the end of the year. If you aren’t familiar with my name yet, you will be as soon as I get in that cage.”

 

Trice competed at Central Michigan University, where he achieved great success at both 120 kg (264.5 lbs.) and 98kg (216 lbs.) after an impressive 50 lb. weight-loss transformation. The standout wrestler will look to compete in Bellator MMA’s impressive light heavyweight division, and hopes to make his professional debut before the end of the year. The jury is out on whether he will keep his nickname, “Doughboy.”

 

Having trained literally all over the world, including stints at Iowa State University under Kevin Jackson and the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado before heading to Arizona, where he trains with other Bellator MMA stars with incredible wrestling pedigree’s like Darrion Caldwell and Bubba Jenkins. Trice credits Bellator MMA bantamweight Shawn Bunch with giving him the idea to pursue MMA.

 

Trice is the latest prospect from the world of wrestling to join Bellator MMA’s incredible recruiting class of prospects including:Aaron Pico, Ed Ruth and Tyrell Fortune.

 

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA

Korobkov vs. Nagibin added t0 M-1 Challenge 66 Nemkov defending title vs. Yusupov, Puetz returning vs. Seledtsov

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ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (May 2, 2016) – An intriguing fight between a pair of Russian featherweights, Mikhail Korobkov and Timur Nagibin, has been added to the M-1 Challenge 66 event, May 27 in Orenburg City, Russia.
In the main event, M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Viktor Nemkov (23-5-0, M-1: 14-4-0) will defend his against challenger Rashid Yusupov (6-2-0, M-1: 3-1-0). FormerM-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan “T-800” Puetz (13-2-0, M-1: 4-1-0), fighting out of Munich, Germany, also returns to face M-1 Global-debuting Andrey Seledtsov 5-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), who is a former Spetsnev solider.
M-1 Challenge 66 will be streamed live from Moscow in high definition onwww.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
Korobkov (9-0-1, M-1: 0-0-1) is coming off of a hard-fought draw with Rodrigo Magalhaes(see above picture) last December at M-1 Challenge 63, in which he had his 9-fight win streak snapped that started with his pro debut.
Nagibin has reeled-off seven consecutive wins since he lost his pro debut.  At M-1 Challenge 64 this past February, he won a decision over Andrey Lezhnev.  Nagibin is known for his powerful kicks (see picture below) and back-fists.
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mixed martial arts, MMA, RFA

RFA IS GOING TO CHICAGOLAND WITH  RFA 39 – BARCELOS vs. MOFFETT

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MAIN EVENT:
 RAONI BARCELOS
vs.
BOBBY “THE WOLFMAN” MOFFETT
 FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
FRIDAY, JUNE 17th LIVE on AXS TV
LIVE at THE HAMMOND CIVIC CENTER
 in HAMMOND, INDIANA
 
Tickets on Sale Now at CAGETIX.com

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the RFA will be making its first trip to Chicagoland in June with a championship headliner. The main event of RFA 39 features the first title defense of RFA featherweight champion Raoni Barcelos. He will put his title on the line against top prospect and local favorite Bobby “The Wolfman” Moffett. RFA 39 – Barcelos vs. Moffett takes place Friday, June 17th at the Hammond Civic Center in Hammond, Indiana. The main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“I’m excited about bringing a world title fight to Hammond” stated Soares. “Our Featherweight champion Raoni Barcelos will defend his title for the first time against number one contender Bobby Moffett. These are two of the top featherweight prospects in the world and it’s the perfect way to show fight fans in the Chicago area what the RFA is all about.”
Tickets for RFA 39 – Barcelos vs. Moffett are now available for purchase. You can support your favorite fighter buy purchasing your tickets through CAGETIX.com
Barcelos (9-1) will defend his RFA featherweight title for the first time after enjoying a dominant 2015, which many MMA pundits saw coming several years ago. Barcelos was pegged for greatness in MMA before ever stepping foot inside a steel cage. The son of Jiu-Jitsu coral (red-and-black) belt Laerte Barcelos, he began learning “The Gentle Art” at age two. Then, unlike many Jiu-Jitsu black belts, Barcelos found success in Freestyle Wrestling where he competed as a member of the Brazilian National Wrestling Team. However, his rare blend of high-level grappling disciplines isn’t what makes him special among top MMA prospects. It is the fact he possesses ample striking power that can also get the job done. This is evident in the fact that more than half of his victories have come via KO or TKO, which includes the first round KO of previously undefeated NCAA Division I All-American wrestler Jamal Parks at RFA 23. Barcelos is now looking to do the same to another top prospect as he prepares for his first RFA title defense.
“I am very happy to defend my RFA world title at RFA 39,” stated Barcelos. “RFA shows the best new MMA talent in the world and it is now televised live here in Brazil. My friends, family, and teammates now have the opportunity to watch me fight live on Esporte Interativo. It’s a dream come true and an honor to be a champion of a great event like the RFA. This belt is coming back home to Brazil with me in June.”
Moffett (8-1) is coming into this fight with a lot of momentum. He is riding a four-fight win streak, which includes a victory over longtime RFA vet Dan Moret at RFA 24. Moffett was born and raised 10 miles from the venue just across the state border in Homewood, Illinois. The task of defending home turf and capturing the RFA featherweight title has only increased the hunger of this exciting young prospect. This is a hunger “The Wolfman” will need as he faces the most dangerous opponent in his career. To quote the classic 2010 film that shares his nickname, “I didn’t know you hunted monsters? Sometimes monsters hunt you.” Moffett is now eager to channel his inner lycanthrope at RFA 39.
“I am just very grateful that the biggest fight of my career will be at home in front of my family and friends,” Moffett explained. “I feel that everything I’ve been working for has now come to fruition. Barcelos is a tough. He’s a very good fighter and the champion. I’m honored that he wants to fight me. I’m looking forward to taking the next step in my career by winning the RFA title on June 17th.”
The full fight card for RFA 39 – Barcelos vs. Moffett will be announced soon. This will be the RFA’s first event to take place in “The Hoosier State” of Indiana and it will be the fifteenth state that the RFA has visited. The entire main card of RFA 39 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT this Friday, June 17th.
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 live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 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.
mixed martial arts, MMA

Art of War Fighting Championship 17 Update – Ashleigh Grimshaw replaces Injured Junior Assuncao in Main Event

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BEIJING, CHINA – A welterweight matchup between UFC and Bellator veteran Waylon Lowe and British Mixed Martial Artist Ashleigh Grimshaw will headline Art of War 17 this Saturday night in Beijing China. Grimshaw is late replacements for UFC vet Junior Assuncao who suffered a training injury and had to pull out of his fight with Lowe on short notice last week.

Said Lowe, a three time NCAA wrestling champion who is currently 16-6 as a professional fighter, “It’s unfortunate that Junior had to drop out of the fight but I’m glad the promoters found another high caliber opponent for me to face. Ashleigh Grimshaw and I will put on a great show for all the Chinese MMA fans on April 30th Art of War 17.”

CEO and Chinese MMA pioneer Andy Pi had this to say about this weekend’s event and his company’s return as the dominant player in Chinese MMA, “We are very excited about this next event as it continues Art of War’s reemergence as the biggest force in Chinese Combat Sports.“

Mr. Pi, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Brown Belt and noted entrepreneur in Beijing, says his visionary fighting league is the future of MMA in China. “Art of War Fighting Championships was the first Mixed Martial Arts event in Mainland China and is still the most prestigious. With every event our company will continue to develop the market for MMA in China.”

Today China is the biggest untapped market for MMA and Mr. Pi says he knows why and, more importantly, how Art of War FC can capitalize.

“MMA is the most exciting sport in the world, but the way it’s promoted in the US often doesn’t connect with more traditionally minded Chinese sports fans. By combining the energy and excitement MMA with the ancient culture of honor and respect typical of traditional Asian Martial Arts AOW will bring the 21st century’s fastest growing sport to the world’s largest market of sports fan in a new and more powerful way…”

For tickets and fight card information, please visit: http://www.artofwarfc.com/

About Art of War Fighting Championship:

Established in 2004, the Art of War Fighting Championship is Mainland China’s premier mixed martial arts promotion. The Art of War Fighting Championship is broadcasted via satellite nationwide to network coverage of 300 million viewers. Featuring some of China’s best-mixed martial artists, including national champions and former Olympians, the Art of War Fighting Championship is the standard bearer for the future of China’s exploding mixed martial arts industry.

For Press Inquires Contact Al Yu- alyu@artofwarfc.com