Category Archives: MMA

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, Kia Nui as the broadcast duo for Bellator’s inaugural kickboxing event, "Bellator Kickboxing: Torino"I runga i Rāhoroi, 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 te peresideni, Sports me Motuhake, Koi 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 Poro, 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, Mate. I muri i te kāreti, 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, Pūkete epic a Grande o te rua-marama rere ki te 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 a Max" kua tetahi o tino rongonui, me te rongonui i runga i-rangi ngā a Boston.
I te Mei 20, 2013, Hanga Grande tona tuatahi Meiha League Baseball, 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, Kirimana ki a MLS).
"Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will be televised Rāmere, April 22 i 11:00 p.m. AND/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 Whā 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) i roto i te hui matua o "Bellator: Dynamite 2” i runga i Pipiri 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 pauna.

Tīkiti mō "Bellator: Dynamite 2,” e tīmata i tika $30, haere i runga i te hoko i tenei Rāmere, April 8 i 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 ki 10 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 7 mō ngā pā te whakamahi i te waehere: “BELLATOR.” Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT wā rohe, a ka tango te whakataetae tuatahi tuu kotahi haora i muri i.

"Bellator: Dynamite 2” Tags ora me te utu i runga i te Koi i 9 p.m. AND/8 p.m. CT, ia ka awa pāngia tuatahi ora i runga i Bellator.com a Te 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. Na, 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. Ki te 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 wehenga. 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. Te nuinga tata, the judoka competed at light heavyweight for Rizin FF, during the promotion’s inaugural card on New Year’s Eve Weekend.

Whakahoutia "Bellator: Dynamite 2” Fight Card

Bellator MMA (215 lb.) Takahanga Main: 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 - Ikuna Fighting Toa (CFC) will have their second Mixed Martial Arts event, CFC 2, i runga i April 30, 2016 i te Craneway ti'ahapa i roto i Point Richmond, California. The event will feature 12 Professional fights with an undercard of 5 Amateur whawhai.

PRO

 

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

 

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. Ko atoa te peresideni Trever Johnson te ōrite-kaihanga me te kaiwhakatū. Whakarewatia i roto i te Noema 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) a Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (26-6), will square off in the co-main event of "Bellator 156: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2 " i runga i Pipiri 17 roto Tiaki Mart Center i Fresno, Calif.

 

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

 

"Bellator 156: Galvao vs.. Dantas 2 " te pahiatia e ora i runga i te Koi i 9 p.m. AND/8 p.m. CT, ia ka awa pāngia tuatahi ora i runga i Bellator.com a Te Bellator Mobile App. Kia ka kauwhautia atu whawhai tata.

 

tīmata tīkiti mo te takahanga i anake $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 wā i raro i te kara Bellator MMA, 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. I mua ki te mate, “The Phenom’shot 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.

 

Whakahoutia "Bellator 156: Galvao vs.. Dantas Card 2 ":

Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Title Main Event: Marcos Galvão (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- Re'zin FF, te whakatairanga hākinakina whawhai arahina e matenga TEOTEORAA FC mua 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, i runga i Rātapu, April 17.

Tamura and Silva will tussle with another all-time great Kazushi Sakuraba, (26-17-1, 2 NC) a 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 a Dave Menne, as well as superstars Renzo Gracie a Jeremy Horn.

Tamura was groomed by famed pro wrestling trainers Billy Robinson,Nobuhiko Takada a 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, i runga i Noema 23, 2005.

Utu i 100,000 iene, 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 te" Sasaki (16-8-3) in a lightweight (155 pauna) matchup.

In a women’s open weight bout, whakapaipai toa ao Palāsilá Jiu-Jitsu me MMA amanaki taumahamaha o te wahine GaBi Garcia (1-0) ka tutuku ki e rua-te wā toa Pankration Anna Malyukova (1-0).

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

Tata ricin whakataetae semifinalist FF Grand Prix Theodore Tāroaroa (8-3) ka tapawha atu ki mua toa K-1 Jaideep "Heart" wiki (2-1 MMA; 40-10, 13 Kickboxing o KO) i roto i te 216- whawhai pauna catchweight.

toa Sambo ao Vadim Nemkov (5-1) Ka tangohia i te tūturu, patu kaitaua-whakaaro, me te runga amanaki Nordic "King" Karl Albrektsson (4-0) i roto i te taumahamaha marama (205 pauna) honga.

I roto i te whakataetae ture 180-pauna MMA catchweight, puncher mana kinoHisaki Kato (5-2) ka tango i runga i hoa faaoti Yuta "Ētahi" Watanabe (19-6-4).

Hoki ki te mahi mo te wa tuatahi i roto i te rima tau, taumahamaha aroha Kazuyuki "Ol 'Ironhead" Fujita (15-10), ka fehangahangai tata RIZIN FF Grand Prix whakataetae runner-ake, me te toi knockout kino George "Denise" Prochazka (16-3-1).

i roto i te mā (125 pauna) mahi, hai tukunga Allan "Grim" Birth (14-3) Ka maukati haona ki toa whero-wera 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.

A pee i Re'zin FF:

Paetukutuku – 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, Ao Series o te whawhai (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,"Ka mea a World Series o te whawhai Tumu 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, whai wāhi Randy “The Natural” Couture, Anderson Silva,Matt Hughes, Fabricio Werdum a 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, kaitäkaro, 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.

Ora World Series o te mahi whawhai hoki ki te NBCSN i runga i Rāhoroi, April 2 i 11:30 p.m. AND/8:30 p.m. PT with WSOF30: Manga vs. Starks that will be headlined by a middleweight (185 pauna) championship showdown between defending kingpin Rawiri Manga (17-3) me te nguha runga Clifford Starks (13-2).

Mō te Ao Series o te whawhai (WSOF)
“Ao Series o te whawhai” (WSOF) Ko te ao pirimia ngaio Toi Martial Mixed (MMA) whawhai whakatairanga whakatapua ki tuku i te pai whawhai mahi-Kikī mō pā whawhai i te whakaputa i te pai ka taea ōrite-ups i waenganui i whawhai whiriwhiri i huri noa i te ao. Mō ētahi atu kōrero haere ki WSOF.com me te whai “Ao Series o te whawhai” on Twitter MMAWorldSeries. WSOF ko Ao Series o te Fighting e rēhitatia tohu o MMAWC, LLC.

NO APRIL FOOLIN’: BOYINGTON VACATES TITLE, ERICKSON FIGHTS POWELL FOR THE STRAP

Kia tukuna tonutia atu: Lewiston, Maine (April 1, 2016) – The earth-shattering announcement came late last night. New Ingarangi whawhai (Nef) Arts hōia Mixed (MMA) Professional Lightweight Champion Bruce “Boy ātaahua” Boyington (13-8) took to Facebook to notify his fans that he had vacated the title belt. Some speculated that it could be an April Fools’ kata, but those rumors were later quelled when Boyington himself stated under the thread that his decision had been made for personal and medical reasons, citing recent surgeries and a host of longstanding injuries.

 

“After one of the most inspirational and exhilarating rides of my life, I have talked with my wife, my coaching staff and teammates and have decided it’s now time to let go of one chapter and turn the page for another,” Boyington stated when reached for official comment. “NEF has been there for me since the start and I couldn’t ask for a better group to get me where I want to go. I like the thought of vacating the belt on top and handing it off to one of my teammates, hopefully Josh Harvey (0-0) and I will be excited to watch a couple other lightweight warriors going after the strap. Obviously Jon Lemke has quite a claim to that shot and I see my friend Jesse Erickson in the mix as well. Whatever should happen, I will always cherish every battle I’ve had in the NEF cage. Thank you sincerely to Matt Peterson and Nick DiSalvo.”

 

NEF executives acted quickly and formulated a plan by ko waenganui po to fill the title that sits atop the fight promotion’s most hotly contested professional division. As a new day dawned, that plan had come to fruition.

 

Bruce was a great champion,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “He was the face of this promotion for two years. The 155-pound title is our most coveted championship and there is no shortage of worthy challengers. The decision to fill it as soon as possible was an easy one to make.

 

Hehe “Ko te Viking” Erickson (6-4) a Devin Powell (5-1) will now meet in a five-round contest at “Nef 22: ARATAI ROADS KATOA HERE” to crown a new champion. The bout was already signed as a non-title three-rounder to headline the MMA portion of the April 23rd fight card in Lewiston, Maine. Both athletes quickly agreed to go five rounds with the title on the line. Both athletes have each won their last three fights in a row respectively.

 

I am honored to be able to fight for the title which I saw Bruce Boyington recently defend against Jon Lemke (5-4) in the best local fight I’ve ever gotten to see,” said Powell. “I hope Jesse and I can put on a show for the fans that can be talked about for years to come. I’ve been training too hard and too long to not hop on this opportunity. I can’t wait to get in that cage April 23rdin front of an always amped up NEF crowd!”

 

Speaking of Lemke, NEF executives placed one condition on the upcoming Erickson-Powell bout – the winner must make his first defense of the lightweight title against Lemke. Lemke lost a very close split decision in an attempt to claim the title from Boyington earlier this year. That fight has been calledthe greatest fight to ever take place in the NEF MMA cageby many observers.

 

Jon Lemke more-than deserves another crack at the strap,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “His bout with Bruce at ‘NEF 21was nothing short of epic. I was completely spellbound watching that fight for the full 25-minutes it was contested. It’s a bittersweet time at NEF. Bruce was a great fighting champion and despite the high stakes every time he stepped into the cage, he was always one of the most active competitors on the NEF roster. Bruce’s warrior spirit and memorable performances in the NEF cage will be dearly missed, but we are fortunate to have so many superb athletes waiting in the wings right behind him to fill that void. There will be no shortage of upcoming action in the NEF lightweight division.

 

“It was a privilege and honor to fight Bruce for the lightweight title,” stated Lemke when reached for comment. “After the fight, I was pretty confident I did enough to win. Na, after watching the fight numerous times, there is no doubt in my mind that I won that fight. If Bruce doesn’t want to fight me again and vacate his belt, I understand and respect that decision. Heoi, I am hungrier than ever and want what I believe is rightfully mine. It would be an honor to fight the winner of Erickson versus Powell for the title and I very much look forward to it.”

 

Te April 23rd bout will be Jesse Erickson’s third attempt to capture the lightweight title. He had competed against Boyington twice previously unsuccessfully for the championship.

 

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to compete once again for the NEF lightweight title,” stated Erickson. “I was embarrassed postponing my first fight with Devin due to injury, but it seems everything happens for a reason. To bleed for gold and glory. My Viking ancestors would be proud. Give me the battle I crave, Devin. Victory or Valhalla!”

 

hui i muri mai New England whawhai ', "NEF 22: ARATAI ROADS KATOA HERE,"E wahi Rāhoroi, April 23, 2016 i te Androscoggin Bank Colisée i Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 a kei runga i te hoko i teie nei i www.TheColisee.com ranei na roto i te te karanga i te tari pouaka Colisée i 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. I tua atu, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, te whai ia ratou i runga i Twitternefights, me te uru atu ki te rōpū Facebook whaimana "New Ingarangi whawhai."

‘STITCH’ DURAN SIGNS CONTRACT WITH REEBOK

April Fools..Stich is not getting a Reebok shoeHe’s the New Undisputed Bellator Hand-Wrapping Champion.

107_Mo_Lawal

Runga ake: Stitch wraps the hands of “King Mo” Lawal at “Bellator MMA: Mua 1 " (Credit: Bellator/Esther Lin)

Santa MONICA (March 31, 2016) – When watching any combat sports event, it’s odd not to see Jacob “Stitch” Duran as the professional cutman on duty. I teie mahana,, Bellator MMA is pleased to secure his services as its lead cutman for the foreseeable future, after “Stitch” signed a multi-year contract with the Scott Coker-led promotion.

 

Starting with "Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson " i runga i April 22 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in CT, the most famous cutman in the world will do everything in his power to get Bellator fighters prepped for entering the cage and helping them continue on once the bell rings, giving them “one more round.”

 

Tuitui joins a great team of cutmen including Matt Marsden, Dean Lassiter a Paul Quiredos.

 

“Working with my old friend, Scott Coker and Bellator is a true honor,” said Duran. “I can’t wait to get started working for a great organization that respects their employees and truly makes their fighters the top priority!"

 

While working for Bellator, “Stitch” will not be prevented from seeking sponsors to wear and will also continue to work boxing events, with high profile clients the likes of Andre Ward, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO MONUMENTAL FIGHT CARD IN LEWISTON

Lewiston, Maine (March 31, 2016) - New Ingarangi whawhai (Nef), Tau-kotahi whakatairanga whawhai rohe Amerika o, ka mau tona hui muri, “Nef 22: ARATAI ROADS KATOA HERE” i runga i Rāhoroi, April 23, 2016 i te Androscoggin Bank Colisée i Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. I mua i teie mahana, NEF announced the full fight card for the event. The fight card is scheduled to feature three professional boxing matches, six professional MMA bouts, and twelve exciting amateur MMA contests.

 

On the professional boxing side of the card, Northeast Junior Welterweight Champion, and the pride of West Forks, Maine, Brandon “Ko te Cannon” Berry(11-1, 7 Koó) returns to the ring for a six-rounder with Detroit, Michigan’s James Lester (10-9, 4 Koó). Berry, one of the most popular boxers to ever come out of Maine, will look for his fourth consecutive victory since returning from a shoulder injury last year.

 

That will prove easier said than done with Lester standing in the opposite corner. Lester is a product of the world-famous Kronk Gym in Detroit where world champions like Thomas “Hitman” Hearns (61-5-1, 48 Koó), Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 Koó), Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 Koó) and Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53 Koó) have trained under the late Emmanuel Steward. Lester was ranked number-two nationally as an amateur. He presents a dangerous threat to Berry, one that could very well play the role of “kaipahua” ki “Ko te Cannon” and his legion of fans.

 

After a bloody war of a professional boxing debut at “NEF 21” whakamutunga marama, NEF MMA regular Crowsneck Boutin (0-0-1) will once again step into the boxing ring, this time facing Brandon Montella (3-0, 2 Koó). Montella, now a resident of Massachusetts, grew up in Maine and served in the United States Marine Corps.

 

Headlining the professional MMA portion of the fight card will be Hehe “Ko te Viking” Erickson (6-4) a Devin Powell (5-1) in a lightweight contest. Both fighters are currently on a three-fight win streak.

 

“I try to focus on what is right in front of me,” said Erickson during a recent interview on The MMA Report Podcast. “I never looked past my opponents but I like to think what the reward is going to be when I beat this guy.

 

Neither athlete can afford to overlook the other, but a win for either could very well mean a call from one of the national promotions. Erickson has been there before with Bellator. Powell is an all-around talent with some slick finishes to his credit.

 

This is the type of MMA fight we absolutely love,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “You have two guys who match up so well. They’ve both been racking up the wins. They’ve faced some of the same opponents. They’re both solid on the mat and on their feet. I expect this to be yet another crazy, wild NEF MMA main event!”

 

Crazy” a “wilddo not even begin to describe the grudge that has developed between Josh “Hook OnHarvey (0-0) a Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (2-1). The bitter rivals will meet at a fight weight of 150-pounds at “NEF 22” in an MMA bout. The bout will be Harvey’s professional debut after a stellar 5-1 amateur career that saw him capture the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Title, as well as the northeast regions number-one ranking. The well-publicized personal issues between Harvey and Denning will be settled in the cage on April 23rd.

 

The professional portion of the MMA card will also feature the pro debut of Harvey’s Young’s MMA teammate Arona “He whakangungu” Lacey (0-0) as he takes on veteran “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (3-5) i roto i te a'ee mā. Lacey vacated the NEF MMA Amateur Featherweight Title in order to turn professional.

 

That title will not stay vacant very long as Karepe Hall (6-3) a Erik Nelson (2-2) face off to determine a new champion at the top of the amateur MMA card. Hall is coming off a first-round submission win at “NEF XX” hinga whakamutunga, while Nelson recently picked up a unanimous decision victory at “NEF 21.”

 

The amateur MMA card will also feature a women’s fight between Angela Young(0-1) a “Hollywood” Hana Sparrell (1-0). Young and Sparrell made their respective debuts last year at “NEF XIX.”

 

The full “NEF 22” kāri whawhai (kaupapa ki te huri i me te whakaaetanga o te aro Hākinakina Mana o Maine):

 

 

NGAIO BOXING

175 Crowsneck Boutin 0-0-1 (Choi) vs Brandon Montella 3-0 (The Way)

140 Brandon Berry 11-1 (Te Hau-ā-uru Forks) vs James Lester 10-9 (Kronk)

140 Josh Parker 0-2-1 (Nanakia) vs Evincii Dixon 7-13-1 (Lancaster)

NGAIO MMA

 

205 Mike Hansen 3-3 (Berserkers) vs Hehe Baughman 0-1 (Link)

170 Jarod Lawton 4-2 (Lawton/NEU) vs Aaron Aschendorf 2-2 (ABCC)

155 Devin Powell 5-1 (Nostos) vs Jesse Erickson 6-4 (CMBJJ)

150 Josh Harvey 0-0 (Young’s) vs Matt Denning 2-1 (CMBJJ)

155 Zenon Herrera 0-3 (Independent) vs Tollison Lewis 0-5 (CMBJJ)

145 Arona Lacey 0-0 (Young’s) vs Derek Shorey 3-5 (Shatterproof)

 

AMATEUR MMA

 

145 *TITLE Karepe Hall 6-3 (Choi) vs Erik Nelson 2-2 (CMBJJ)

265 Dave Smith 2-1 (Berserkers) vs Nick Gulliver 2-0 (Class Tuatahi)

265 Matt Glover 1-0 (Berserkers) vs Ras Hylton 1-0 (Class Tuatahi)

265 Joe Krech 0-1 (Berserkers) vs Bryce Bamford 1-0 (Class Tuatahi)

185 Anthony Spires 0-1 (Independent) vs Mike Williams 1-1 (CMBJJ)

170 John Hansen 0-0 (Berserkers) vs Alex Payson 1-0 (Class Tuatahi)

155 Ken Dunn 0-3 (Te. ME Budo Arts) vs Frank Johanson 0-1 (CMBJJ)

150 Cory Trial 1-2 (Nanakia) vs Jeremy Tyler 4-3 (Team Irish)

145 Johnny Crafts 4-0 (NEW) vs Taylor Costantino 2-1 (Team Irish PTC)

145 Glenn Kasabian 0-0 (Choi) vs Matt Marshall 2-5 (MMA Athletix)

140 Angela Young 0-1 (Young’s) vs Hana Sparrell 1-0 (Class Tuatahi)

125 Jake Denham 1-0 (Lawton BJJ) vs Ryan Daley 0-2 (Team Irish)

 

 

hui i muri mai New England whawhai ', "NEF 22: ARATAI ROADS KATOA HERE,"E wahi Rāhoroi, April 23, 2016 i te Androscoggin Bank Colisée i Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 a kei runga i te hoko i teie nei i www.TheColisee.com ranei na roto i te te karanga i te tari pouaka Colisée i 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. I tua atu, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, te whai ia ratou i runga i Twitternefights, me te uru atu ki te rōpū Facebook whaimana "New Ingarangi whawhai."

FANS ATTENDING ‘BELLATOR 153: KORESHKOV VS. HENDERSON’ WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET LEGENDARY BELLATOR MMA FIGHTERS ROYCE GRACIE & WANDERLEI SILVA

Santa MONICA, Calif. (March 30, 2016) – Fans attending "Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson " i runga iApril 22 i Mohegan Sun Arena i Uncasville, Conn. will be able to meet two of the sport’s most popular athletes:Royce Gracie a Wanderlei Silva.

The two legendary Brazilian superstars will be participating in an exclusive meet and greet for ticketholders on the Mohegan Sun Arena concourse beginning at 6 p.m. AND.

 

The highly anticipated event features the debut of Benson "Whakaene" Henderson (23-5), rite wero ia toa Welterweight Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) mo tona whitiki. titlist mā mua Patricio "Pitbull" Freire(24-3) tutaki John "Macapa" Teixeira (19-1-2) in the co-main event while other bouts on the card include Connecticut’s own "Irish" Brennan Ward (13-3) and British striking sensation Michael Whārangi (9-0) whawhaiEvangelista "Cyborg" Santos (20-16) a Jérémie Holloway (7-1) respectively in welterweight attractions.

 

Tīkiti mō "Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson " tīmata i te tika $30 a kei runga i te hoko i Bellator.com inaianei, Ticketmaster.com me te Tari Mohegan Sun Pouaka. Tags ora me te noa i runga i te Koi i te hui 8 p.m. AND/7 p.m. CT, ia ka awa pāngia tuatahi ora i runga i Bellator.com a Te Bellator Mobile App. Ka te haapurororaa e whai tonu i te repo, tuatahi "Bellator kickboxing: torino " takahanga.

 

Ko te ingoa Gracie he longo ki MMA, and that is largely in part to Royce Gracie, te tangata whakaaro nei ki te i whakaaro te hākinakina ta tatou i ite i te reira i teie mahana. The winner of the first several UFC events, Gracie e wetewete i hoariri maha i roto i te po kotahi, he tokomaha o nei i nui ake i ia. For many years there was no answer for the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu technique that he brought into a fight, i tenei ra, te uaua ki te kitea te toa MMA kahore nei i whakangungua i roto i te toi o te Jiu-Jitsu. This past February, Gracie defeated Ken Shamrock in a record-shattering fight that was witnessed on Spike by over 3.5 miriona ngä kaimätakitaki.

 

Having first fought in the sport almost twenty years ago, very few men have a more legendary resume than Wanderlei Silva, who was recently signed to a Bellator MMA contract. “The Axe Murderer” is a Pride and UFC veteran, who brings an intimidating and imposing presence with him every time he steps into the cage. Silva hopes of adding to an already-impressive list of wins that include: Guy Mezger, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Ricardo Arona, Kazuyuki Fujita, Michael Bisping, Cung Le, Brian Stann and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (2x).

 

Oti "Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson "Kāri Fight:

Bellator MMA Welterweight World Taitara a'ee: Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) vs. Benson Henderson (23-5)

Bellator MMA mā whitu Co-Main Takahanga: Patricio Freire (24-3) vs. John Teixeira (19-1-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Āhuahira a'ee: Brennan Ward (13-3) vs. Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos (20-16)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Āhuahira a'ee: Michael Whārangi (9-0) vs. Jérémie Holloway (7-1)

Bellator MMA Āhuahira Kōmāmā a'ee: Brent primus (6-0) vs. Gleristone "Toninho Furia" Santos (27-5)

 

Kāri hukihuki:

Bellator MMA Welterweight tuatahi a'ee: Chris Honeycutt (6-1) vs. Matt Secor (7-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight tuatahi a'ee: Djamil Chan (11-2) vs. Richard Patishnock (6-3)

Bellator MMA Kōmāmā tuatahi a'ee: Sam Watford (1-0) vs. Dean Hancock (2-0)

Bellator MMA mā whitu kë ngä a'ee: Chris Foster (8-4) vs. Felipe Lavandoski (5-0)

Bellator MMA Kōmāmā tuatahi a'ee: Jason Bakanowski (3-2) vs. T.J. Hepburn (4-2)

Bellator MMA mā whitu kë ngä a'ee: Pete Rogers (2-3) vs. Mike Mangan (0-3)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight tuatahi a'ee: Mike Zichelle (7-4) vs. Joe Cronin (19-16)

Bellator MMA mā whitu kë ngä a'ee: Matt Bessette (17-7) vs. Keith Richardson (14-6)

Bellator MMA whitu kë ngä a'ee: Tim Caron (3-0) vs. Justin Sumter (0-0)

Bellator MMA whā tuatahi a'ee: Blair Tugman (7-6) vs. Jay Perrin (2-1)