Category Archives: MMA

Emeev advances to M-1 Global Grand Prix Middleweight Championship

Kunchenko captures
M-1 Challenge welterweight title
 
M-1 Challenge 65 Official Results

– Photo Gallery Below –
 
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (April 10, 2016) – M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev won last night at M-1 Challenge 65 to advance to the M-1 Global Grand Prix Middleweight Championship, while undefeated challenger Alexey Kunchenkodefeated defending champion Murad “Hunter” Abdulaev to become the new M-1 Challenge welterweight titlist, at CSC Sibur Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia.
 
Ramazan (14-3-0, M-1: 810), the 2015 M-1 Global Fighter of the Year, used a choke hold on his Brazilian opponent, Maiquel “Big Rig” Facao (35-9-0, M-1: 0-1-0), in their M-1 Grand Prix middleweight semifinals match.  The main event ended at the 2:50 mark of the opening round as Ramazan advances to face three-time Bellator champion Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (51-9-0, M-1: 2-0-0) in the upcoming M-1 Grand Prix Middleweight Championship showdown.
Emeev finishes off Falcao
 
In the co-feature, undefeated Russian Alexey Kunchenko (13-0-0, M-1: 5-0-0) wrested the M-1 Challenge welterweight title from his fellow countryman, defending champion Murad “Hunter” Abdulaev (14-1-0, M-1: 5-1-0), whose corner stopped the bout in the fourth round.
 
New champ Kunchenko strikes
 
Former M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Max Divnich (12-1-0, M-1: 6-1-0) put himself back into title contention with an impressive second-round stoppage on punches of M-1 Global-debuting American opponent Robert “TQ” Turnquest (5-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0).
 
Russian middleweight prospect Artem Frolov (6-0-0, M-1: 2-0-0) kept his unbeaten pro record intact, submitting Kristijan “Klitschko” Perak (8-3-1, M-1: 0-2-1) in the first round by way of an arm-bar.
 
Rounding out the main card, Russian welterweight Sergei Romanov (8-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0) stopped Brazilian Sergio “Sergingo” de Fatima (12-3-1, M-1: 0-1-0) in the first round of a battle featuring a pair making their M-1 Global debut.
 
On the preliminary card, Russian light heavyweight Murad Kamilov (6-5-0, M-1: 1-1-0) was victorious when the corner of Brazilian veteran Charles “Gracie” Andrade (28-28-0, M-1: 1-3-0) corner stopped the match in the second round, Russian welterweight Danila Prikaza(3-0-1, M-1: 2-0-0) remained unbeaten with a first-round stoppage of Azerbaijan foe Manaf Damirli (1-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Ukrainian lightweight Alexander “Iron Capture” Butenko(40-11-0, M-1: 7-1-0) won his 40th pro fight with a three-round decision over GermanSascha Sharma (8-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russian lightweight Damir Ismagulov (5-2-0, M-1: 3-1-0) forced an opening-round submission of Ukrainian Vyacheslav Ten (12-8-2, M-1: 0-2-0) via a rear naked choke, and in a St. Petersburg MMA SuperCup match, RussianSalman Magomedov (3-0-0, M-1: 0-1-0) choked out Georgian pro-debuting Zurab Jojua (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0) with an arm triangle in the second round.
Complete results:
 
MAIN CARD
M-1 GLOBAL GRAND PRIX MIDDLEWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – SEMIFINALS
Ramazan Emeev (14-3-0, M-1: 8-1-0), Russia
WSUB 1 (Choke – 2:50)
Maiquel Falcaio (35-6-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Brazil
M-1 CHALLENGE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Alexey Kunchenko (13-0-0, M-1: 5-0-0), Russia
WTKO4 (Corner Stoppage – 3:12)
Murad “Hunter” Abdulaev (13-2-0, M-1: 4-2-0), Russia
 (Kunchenko won M-1 Challenge welterweight title)
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Maxim Divnich (12-1-0, M-1: 6-1-0), Russia
WKO/TKO2 (Punches – 4:40)
Robert “Turnquest (5-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), USA
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Artem Frolov (6-0-0, (M-1: 3-0-0), Russia
WSUB1 (Armbar – 4:54
Kristijan Perak (8-3-1, M-1: 0-2-1), Croatia
WELTERWEIGHTS
Sergei Romanov (8-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
WKO/TKO1 (Punches – 3:44)
Sergio de Fatima (12-2-1, M-1), Brazil
PRELIMINARY CARD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Murad Kamilov (6-5-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Russia
WSUB2 (Corner Stoppage – 3:35)
Charles Andrade (28-28-0, M-1: 1-3-0), Brazil
Danila Prikaza (3-0-1, M-1: 2-0-0), Russia
WTKO1 (Punches – 4:33)
Manaf Damirli (1-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Azerbaijan
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Alexander Butenko (40-11-0, M-1: 7-1-0), Ukraine
WDEC3
Sascha Sharma (8-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Germany
Damir Ismagulov (5-2-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia
WSUB1 (Rear Naked Choke – 2:30)
Vyacheslav Ten (12-8-2, M-1: 0-2-0), Ukraine
Salman Magomedov (3-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
(Arm Triangle Choke – 3:10)
Zurab Jojua (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Georgia
 
Emeev dominated



Kunchenko & Abdulaev
Divnich kicks Turnquest
Frolov & Perak
Romanov vs. de Fatima

Prikaza rocks Damirli

Butenko & Sharma
Ismagulov & Ten
 

Magomedov & Jojua

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ADAM PICCOLOTTI-JORDAN PARSONS ADDED TO MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 154: DAVIS VS. KING MO’

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (April, 8) –Bellator MMA recently announced its next tentpole event; “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo,” and with that comes a plethora of action-packed fights. The newest addition to an already electric main card is a lightweight bout pitting Adam Piccolotti (7-0) against Jordan “Pretty Boy” Parsons (11-2) at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on May 14 LIVE on SPIKE.

The matchup joins a main card that features a light heavyweight main event between “King Mo” (19-4, 1 NC) and Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (15-3, 1 NC) to determine the No. 1 contender for Liam McGeary’s title. In the co-main event, San Jose’s own Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC) will meet longtime Bellator MMA lightweight standout “Iron” Michael Chandler (14-3), who’s fresh off a new long-term contract extension with the Scott Coker-led promotion.

In addition, the card’s preliminary card has been completed; with the announcement of 10 fights, which will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. The undercard is headlined by a “Veterans Operation Wellness” bout, pitting Maurice Slade of the U.S. Army Reserve against Jorge Acosta of the California Army Nat’l Guard.

“Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo” takes place on May 14, and airs live on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and start at just $30 on Bellator.com, as well as the SAP Center Box Office and Ticketmaster.

A native of Northern California, Piccolotti has been on a mission early in his young career, earning victories in all seven of his professional bouts, including three wins since joining the Bellator MMA team. The 27-year-old submission specialist made his promotional debut against Andrew Ramm at “Bellator 133: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko,” with a unanimous decision win and then added to his impressive resume by finishing his 2015 campaign on a high note, defeating Mario Soto at “Bellator 147: Thomson vs. Villaseca.”

Jordan Parsons will be challenging Piccolotti, having won four of his last five fights and two of his first three under the Bellator MMA banner. The 25-year-old was sidelined for over a year after suffering a torn meniscus during a knockout victory over Tim Bazer in his Bellator debut at “Bellator 117.” The Michigan native returned to action at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove” in May of 2015, taking down fellow prospect Julio Cesar Neves Jr., who entered the fight with an undefeated record of 30-0. “Pretty Boy” will look to duplicate that success when he enters the cage against Adam Piccolotti at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on May 14.

Updated “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 Lightweight Co-Main Event: Michael Chandler (14-3) vs. Josh Thomson (22-8, 1 NC)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Adam Piccolotti (7-0) vs. Jordan Parsons (11-2)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA (160 lb.) “VOW” Preliminary Bout: Maurice Slade (US Army Reserve) vs. Jorge Acosta (California Army Nat’l Guard)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Brandon Hester (3-0) vs. Nick Pica (5-0)

RAZZLE DAZZLE AND DUSTIN VEINOTT PREPARE TO CAGE THE CAPE ON MAY 14

Hyannis, Massachusetts (April 8, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will bring Cape Cod its first sanctioned mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event this spring.  The event, entitled “NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” will take place on May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center (HYCC) in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Both professional and amateur MMA bouts will be presented that evening.  Earlier today, NEF announced the first amateur bout on the fight card.  Ryan “Razzle Dazzle” Kane (4-3) will meet Dustin Veinott (4-4) in a three-round amateur flyweight bout at a fight weight of 125-pounds.

 

At age eighteen, Ryan Kane burst onto the New England MMA scene in early 2014.  And while eighteen may seem like an early start, Kane had already established himself in combat sports at a younger age.  In 2011, and then again in 2012, Kane medaled in the World Pankration Championships in Greece.  The Plymouth, Massachusetts-native trains with Team Juniko and Sityodtong.  Kane will be looking to rebound from a first-round loss in his last MMA bout earlier this year.

 

“I train with the best to become the best,” said Kane when reached for comment.  “I will outclass Dustin anywhere this fight goes.  If he’s judging me from my last fight, he’s in for a very long night.  I promise you I’m hungrier than ever and I’m ready to eat.”

 

Dustin Veinott began his amateur MMA career at 0-3.  Refusing to give up, Veinott came roaring back, winning his next four in a row.  In June 2015, he captured the NEF MMA Amateur Flyweight Title, losing it later that year to Ryan Burgess (2-0) in a very close split decision on the judges’ scorecards.  Veinott trains at Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) in Lewiston, Maine.  The bout on May 14 will be Veinott’s first outside of his home state of Maine.

 

“Losing the title has made me more determined than I have ever been – especially after the way I lost the belt,” said Veinott of the split-decision loss to Burgess.  “I’m eager to step up in competition and get into the cage with someone who trains at the level that he trains.  Razzle Dazzle is very well-rounded, but I don’t think anyone has seen me at my full potential.  I truly hope he doesn’t underestimate me.  I have trained very hard for this fight and I am ready to showcase the things I have been working on.  I will show up prepared and ready for a war!”

 

“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 Challenge 65:  OFFICIAL WEIGHTS

April 9 in St. Petersburg, Russia
WATCH FOR FREE ON M1.GLOBAL.TV
 
MAIN CARD
MAIN EVENT – M-1 GLOBAL GRAND PRIX MIDDLEWEIGHT TOURNAMENT – SEMIFINALS – 5 X 5
Ramazan Emeev (13-3-0, M-1: 7-1-0), Russia 185 lbs. (84 kg)
Maiquel “Big Rig” Falcao (35-8-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Brazil 184 ½ lbs. (83.7 kg)
CO-FEATURE – M-1 CHALLENGE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 5 X 5
Murad “Hunter” Abdulaev (13-1-0, M-1: 4-1-0), Champion, Russia 170 lbs. (77.15 kg)
Alexey Kunchenko (12-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0), Challenger, Russia 169 lbs. (76.9 kg)
LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
Maxim Divnich (11-1-0, M-1: 5-1-0), Russia 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)
Robert “TQ” Turnquest (5-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), USA 159 lbs. (72.25 kg)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
Kristijan “Klitschko” Perak (8-2-1, M-1: 0-1-1), Croatia 184 ½ lbs. (83.8 kg)
Artem Frolov (5-0-0 (M-1: 2-0-0), Russia 185 lbs. (84.0 kg)
 WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
Sergio “Serginho” de Fatima (12-2-1, M-1), Brazil 169 ½ lbs. (77.1 kg)
Sergei Romanov (7-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 169 ½ lbs. (77.1 kg)
PRELIMINARY CARD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
Charles “Gracie” Andrade (28-27-0, M-1: 1-2-0), Brazil 202 lbs. (91.95 kg)
Murad Kamilov (5-5-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia 200 ½ lbs. (91.1 kg)
Danila Prikaza (2-0-1, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia 169 ½ lbs. (77.05 kg)
Manaf Damirli (1-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Azerbaijan 169 lbs. (76.85 kg)
LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
 

Alexander “Iron Capture” Butenko (39-11-0, M-1: 6-1-0), Ukraine 154 lbs. (70.1 kg)
Sascha Sharma (8-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Germany 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)
 Vyacheslav Ten (12-7-2, M-1: 0-1-0), Ukraine 154 lbs. (70.1 kg)
Damir Ismagulov (4-2-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Russia 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)
Salman Magomedov (2-0-0), Russia 139 lbs. (63.1 kg)
Zurab Jojua (pro debut), Georgia 137 lbs. (62.3 kg)
 
WHAT:             M-1 Challenge 65
 
WHEN:             Saturday, April 8, 2016 (6 p.m. in Moscow, 10 a.m. in New York City)
WHERE:           CSC Sibur Arena, St. Petersburg, Russia
PROMOTER:    M-1 Global
M-1 Challenge 65 will be streamed for free, live from Moscow 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 Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
 
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MATT MITRIONE AND SEAN GRANDE NAMED SPIKE’S ANNOUNCING TEAM FOR BELLATOR KICKBOXING: TORINO

 
New York, NY, April 7, 2016 – Matt Mitrione, a former NFL defensive lineman and current Bellator MMA heavyweight will join Bellator MMA play-by-play announcer and The Voice of the Boston Celtics, Sean Grande as the broadcast duo for Bellator’s inaugural kickboxing event, “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” on Saturday, April 16 from the historic Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy. The announcement was jointly made today by Bellator President Scott Coker and Jon Slusser, Senior Vice President, Sports and Specials, Spike TV.
Mitrione joined Bellator MMA in early March after a stellar start to his career in the UFC. His 14-bout stint with that promotion began in 2009 on “The Ultimate Fighter,” airing on Spike. His list of formidable opponents included: Kimbo Slice, Gabriel Gonzaga, Ben Rothwell, Derrick Lewis, Brendan Schaub, Roy Nelson, Shawn Jordan, and Travis Browne among others.
Prior to competing in MMA, Mitrione earned a scholarship to play defensive tackle for the Purdue Boilermakers, not far from where he grew up in Springfield, Ill. After college, he played in the NFL for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings until 2005.
Sean Grande has served as Bellator’s play-by-play announcer since July of 2015. Completing his 18th season in the NBA and 15th as the voice of the Boston Celtics, Grande’s epic account of the two-month run to the 2008 World Championship cemented his status as one of the nation’s elite play-callers.  He is joined by analyst Cedric Maxwell for all Boston Celtics games. Since shortly after their 2001 pairing, “Grande and Max” have become one of Boston’s most popular and iconic on-air combinations.
On May 20, 2013, Grande made his Major League Baseball debut, after being named the alternate play-by-play voice of the World Champion Boston Red Sox.  It completed his cycle of broadcasting major pro sports (NBA, NFL, NHL, WNBA and MLS). 
Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will be televised Friday, April 22 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” on Spike.
Complete “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” Fight Card:
 
Bellator Kickboxing Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (37-12) vs. Alexandru Negrea (8-2)
Bellator Kickboxing 165-Pound Feature Bout: Mustapha Haida (37-3-3) vs. Karim Ghajji (95-12)
Bellator Kickboxing Welterweight Feature Bout: Raymond Daniels (10-3) vs. Francesco Moricca (15-2-1)
Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight Feature Bout: Denise Kielholtz (43-2) vs. Veronica Vernocchi (31-6-1)
Bellator Kickboxing Bantamweight Feature Bout: Kevin Ross (30-9) vs. Matteo Taccini (24-3-1)
 

 

‘RAMPAGE’ JACKSON TO MAIN EVENT ‘BELLATOR: DYNAMITE 2’ IN ST. LOUIS ON JUNE 24 AGAINST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST SATOSHI ISHII

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 6, 2016) – For the first time since 2014, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (36-11) will return to action for Bellator MMA when he faces Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1) in the main event of “Bellator: Dynamite 2” on June 24, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

While “Rampage” has competed at 205-pounds for a vast majority of his nearly 17-year career, this main event contest against Ishii will take place at an agreed upon catchweight of 215 pounds.

Tickets for “Bellator: Dynamite 2,” which start at just $30, go on sale this Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. CT on Ticketmaster.com and the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center, with a special Bellator Nation presale available from 10 a.m. CT to 10 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 7 for fans using the code: “BELLATOR.” Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

Bellator: Dynamite 2” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

Exactly like the groundbreaking inaugural “Dynamite” event this past September in San Jose, both a mixed martial arts cage and kickboxing ring will cover the floor at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, giving fans in attendance the opportunity to see both iterations of combat sports on the same night.

A three-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, “Rampage” signed with the organization in 2013 and is riding a four-fight winning streak. His legendary career has seen him compete against some of the top names in the sport across multiple organizations including PRIDE and the UFC, generating a loyal army of fans along the way. Jackson is the proud owner of many epic highlight reel slams and knockouts that he’s racked up throughout his battles with guys like: Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, Kevin Randleman, Ricardo Arona, Marvin Eastman, and perhaps most-notably his trilogy with fellow Bellator warrior Wanderlei Silva.

When he’s not beating people up in his MMA fights, Jackson’s larger than life personality has earned him multiple film roles, where he’s been able to beat people up on the big screen. Now, the 37-year-old returns to action for the fourth time under the Bellator MMA banner, where he looks to improve upon his unblemished mark within the promotion. With 19 of his fights taking place in Japan, the large contingent of Japanese MMA fans will have a hard time determining who to cheer for when “Rampage” takes on Ishii in June.

Ishii is a 29-year-old powerhouse Judoka who earned Gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing after defeating the best the world had to offer in the +100 kg division. Now fully focused on mixed martial arts, the Japanese star has competed in his home country almost exclusively throughout his 20-fight professional career and will be making his stateside debut on June 24 against “Rampage.” With half of his victories coming before reaching the judges’ scorecards, it’s worth noting that three of Ishii’s defeats have come at the hands of some of greatest the sport has to offer, such as Mirko Cro Cop and Fedor Emelianenko. Most recently, the judoka competed at light heavyweight for Rizin FF, during the promotion’s inaugural card on New Year’s Eve Weekend.

Updated “Bellator: Dynamite 2” Fight Card

Bellator MMA (215 lb.) Main Event: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (36-11) vs. Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1)

Conquer Fighting Championships returns to Richmond, California on April 30, 2016

 

April 5, 2016 – Conquer Fighting Championships (CFC) will have their second Mixed Martial Arts event, CFC 2, on April 30, 2016 at the Craneway Pavilion in Point Richmond, California.  The event will feature 12 Professional fights with an undercard of 5 Amateur fights.

PRO

 

  1. Anthony Avila VS Juan Quesada, Catch Weight -150lbs
  2. Buddy Wallace VS James Terry, Welterweight
  3. Josh Paiva VS Ulysses Gomez, Flyweight
  4. Jordan Williams VS Dwight Grant, Welterweight
  5. Mauricio Alonso VS Mike Persons, Welterweight
  6. Amir Lacy VS Myron Smith, Light Heavyweight
  7. Bren O’Neal VS Salvador Becerra, Lightweight
  8. Paradise Vaovasa VS Samuel Alvarez, Featherweight
  9. Jordan Powell VS Mike Morales, Light Heavyweight
  1. JT Donaldson VS Drey Mitchell, Featherweight
  2. Roger Severson VS Agapito Mendoza, Bantamweight
  3. Dustin Moore VS Brian Wilkinson, Flyweight

 

New for CFC2, the event will be available for live streaming via Go Fight Live Entertainment’s services. This is a pay-per-view feature costing $14.99.

 

Conquer President and sole match-maker, Trever Johnson, is also pleased to announce that Harley Davidson has joined the team of prestigious sponsors for the event.  Trever,

“Believes that with these dynamic leaps such as corporate sponsorship and pay-per-view abilities, CFC is steadily, and swiftly, climbing toward becoming one of the top promotions in the sport.”

 

ABOUT:


​Conquer Fighting Championships is a Pro-Am MMA promotion based in the Bay Area of California. President Trever Johnson is also the match-maker and Founder. Launched in November 2015.,

www.conquerfighting.com

CHIDI NJOKUANI SET TO CHALLENGE DOUGLAS LIMA IN CO-MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 156’

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 5, 2016) – A duo of Bellator MMA’s top welterweights, Chidi “Chidi Bang Bang” Njokuani (14-4) and Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (26-6), will square off in the co-main event of “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” on June 17 inside Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

 

The fight joins a main card that features a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) against Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4), with Galvao’s Bellator MMA bantamweight title on the line.

 

“Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. Additional fights will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for the event start at only $25 and are on sale at the Save Mart Center Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

 

“Chidi Bang Bang” has not lost in his past six fights dating back to March of 2013 and finished last year strong, recording a unanimous decision victory overRicky “The Sniper” Rainey in his Bellator MMA debut at “Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef.” The 27-year-old Las Vegas native is now looking to solidify himself atop Bellator’s always-competitive welterweight division when he takes on “The Phenom” in the co-main event of “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2.”

Douglas Lima will be entering the cage for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner, having already won eight of his 10 bouts with the Viacom-owned organization. The former Bellator MMA welterweight titlist saw his impressive five-fight winning streak come to an end in July of 2015, when current champion Andrey Koreshkov edged out a unanimous decision victory over Lima to win the title. Prior to the defeat, “The Phenom’s” hot streak consisted of five consecutive knockouts, four of which came in the first two rounds. Lima will now begin the climb back up the ladder, with the ultimate goal being to regain the strap by year’s end.

 

Updated “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Title Main Event: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Chidi Njokuani (14-4) vs. Douglas Lima (26-6)

 

RIZIN FF ANNOUNCES LEGENDARY MMA PIONEER KIYOSHI TAMURA AS WANDERLEI SILVA TAG TEAM PARTNER FOR APRIL 17 MAIN EVENT IN NAGOYA, JAPAN

TOKYO – April 4, 2016– RIZIN FF, the combat sports promotion led by former PRIDE FC head Nobuyuki Sakakibara, announced today that legendary Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) pioneer and former professional wrestling standout Kiyoshi Tamura (32-13-3), will join forces with fellow decorated icon Wanderlei Silva(35-12-1, 1 NC) in the special grappling tag team matchup that will headline the highly-anticipated, star-studded extravaganza in Nagoya Japan, on Sunday, April 17.

Tamura and Silva will tussle with another all-time great Kazushi Sakuraba, (26-17-1, 2 NC) and Hideo Tokoro (33-28-2) in the unique, one-of-a-kind bout.

The affair marks the first time since December 31, 2008 that the 5-foot-11, 46-year-old Tamura, recognized for his elite level catch wrestling skills and quick, fluid movements, will see action in combat.

In his last start under MMA rules on the K-1 – Dynamite!! New Year’s Eve mega-card in Saitama, Japan, Tamura earned his third consecutive win, a unanimous decision over Sakuraba.

While competing for the likes of PRIDE, K-1, Rings, DREAM and UWF International, Tamura compiled an extensive resume of conquests, including those over eventual UFC champions Pat Miletich, Maurice Smith and Dave Menne, as well as superstars Renzo Gracie and Jeremy Horn.

Tamura was groomed by famed pro wrestling trainers Billy Robinson,Nobuhiko Takada and Akira Maeda, to eventually become a force in the sport’s middleweight division.  In his final bout before retirement, Tamura notched a victory over fellow hybrid MMA star and professional wrestler Josh Barnett, on November 23, 2005.

Priced from 100,000 yen, tickets for “Top Presents RIZIN Fighting Federation I” are on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketbis.com.

In other action on the star-studded fight card, 13-fight UFC veteran and action fighter Daron Cruickshank (16-8, 1 NC) will collide with submission expertShinji “Torao Supernova” Sasaki (16-8-3) in a lightweight (155 pounds) matchup.

In a women’s open weight bout, decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and women’s MMA heavyweight prospect Gabi Garcia (1-0) will collide with two-time Pankration champion Anna Malyukova (1-0).

Hard-hitting knockout artists Chris “Huggy Bear” Barnett (14-2) and Kirill Sidelnikov (8-4) will go to war in a heavyweight battle.

Recent RIZIN FF Grand Prix tournament semifinalist Teodoras Aukstuolis (8-3) will square off with former K-1 champion Jaideep “Heart” Singh (2-1 MMA; 40-10, 13 KO’s kickboxing) in a 216- pound catchweight fight.

Sambo world champion Vadim Nemkov (5-1) will take on undefeated, aggressive-minded striker and top Nordic prospect “King” Karl Albrektsson (4-0) in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) tilt.

In a 180-pound MMA rules catchweight contest, devastating power puncherHisaki Kato (5-2) will take on fellow finisher Yuta “Andre” Watanabe (19-6-4).

Returning to action for the first time in five years, beloved heavyweight Kazuyuki “Ol’ Ironhead” Fujita (15-10), will face recent RIZIN FF Grand Prix tournament runner-up and dangerous knockout artist Jiri “Denisa” Prochazka (16-3-1).

In flyweight (125 pounds) action, submission ace Allan “Puro Osso” Nascimento (14-3) will lock horns with red-hot champion Yuki Motoya (15-4, 1 NC).

Women’s amateur wrestling champion Kanako Murata (0-0) will make her highly-anticipated, professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) debut against rising starNatalya Denisova (2-1) in a 116-pound catchweight affair.

Follow RIZIN FF:

Website – http://www.rizinff.com/en/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/rizinfightingfederation/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rizin_PR

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING ANNOUNCES INTENT TO ACQUIRE MMA WORLD EXPO, PLANS FOR MMA BOUTS AT ANNUAL MANHATTAN EXTRAVAGANZA IN DECEMBER

LAS VEGAS (April 1, 2016) – Following last week’s historic passage of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legislation by the New York State Assembly, World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) today re-enforced its commitment to bringing its prestigious brand of league competition to the Empire State with an announcement that it has signed a letter of intent to acquire the New York City-based MMA World Expo, and that, pending New York State Athletic Commission approval, it plans to stage a series of bouts at the seventh annual affair at Manhattan’s Jacob Javits Center in December.

“This is a very exciting and momentous time for our great sport, so we could not be more thrilled to take significant steps towards becoming owners of the MMA World Expo, which has been consistently delivering an incredible fan experience for the last six years and which will make for a great home for live World Series of Fighting action at a landmark location in Manhattan,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.

The announcement comes three months after World Series of Fighting opened the doors to a satellite office in midtown Manhattan.

Two weeks ago, the company announced the appointment of Michael Mersch to the dual role of Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel.  While serving as Assistant General Counsel for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Mersch was one of the key figures involved in the effort to legalize MMA in New York State.

Since launching in 2009, The MMA World Expo has hosted dozens of MMA celebrity guests, including Randy “The Natural” Couture, Anderson Silva,Matt Hughes, Fabricio Werdum and Matt Serra.

The annual convention is also the site of an array of martial arts seminars instructed by legendary trainers, as well as competitions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and catch wrestling, and brings together industry pioneers, vendors, athletes, trainers and fans.

World Series of Fighting will announce additional details about its MMA World Expo acquisition plans, including its intent to promote live bouts at the event this year.

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN on Saturday, April 2 at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT with WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks that will be headlined by a middleweight (185 pounds) championship showdown between defending kingpin David Branch (17-3) and top contender Clifford Starks (13-2).

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries.  WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.