Category Archives: MMA

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BELLATOR MMA HISTORY, THE WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE WILL BE ON THE LINE, WHEN MARLOES COENEN & JULIA BUDD SQUARE OFF INSIDE WINSTAR WORLD CASINO & RESORT ON MARCH 3

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF (January 9, 2017) – Two of the best women’s featherweights in the world, Marloes Coenen (23-7) and Julia Budd (9-2), will meet on March 3 to determine the undisputed 145-pound champion inside WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, OK.

“Bellator 174: Coenen vs. Budd” will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, January 13 and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino & Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Additional contests will be announced in coming weeks.

Coenen strung together a remarkable start to her professional career, recording victories in each of her first eight bouts and 13 of her first 14. The Dutch submission specialist has since continued along her impressive path, tallying 23 career wins, including 20 finishes. Now, the 35-year-old will look to build off of a pair of victories under the Bellator MMA banner and bring home the first ever Bellator MMA Women’s Featherweight World Title, adding to a mantel that already includes a Strikeforce Bantamweight Title. With 30 career fights under her belt, the most glaring advantage for “Rumina” will be her experience, as her opponent comes in having made only 11 professional appearances inside the cage.

Budd enters the contest on March 3 riding a seven-fight winning streak and has recorded victories in each of her first three fights under the direction of Bellator MMA. The former Strikeforce competitior has surrendered just two losses over her seven-year career, one at the hands of former Strikeforce Champion Ronda Rousey and one to the current UFC bantamweight world champion, Amanda Nunes. The 33-year-old Canadian has not suffered a defeat since 2011, making her one of the most prolific athletes in Bellator MMA’s 145-pound division. “The Jewel” will be in search of her first career world title, while looking to prevent the former Strikeforce world champion from collecting her second.

 

Updated “Bellator 174: Coenen vs. Budd” Main Card:

Women’s Featherweight World Title Bout: Marloes Coenen (23-7) vs. Julia Budd (9-2)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘BELLATOR 173’ HEADS TO THE SSE ARENA IN BELFAST ON FEBRUARY 24 AS LIAM MCGEARY TAKES ON CHRIS FIELDS

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (January 10, 2017) – A light heavyweight bout pitting former 205-pound world champion Liam McGeary (11-1) against Chris Fields (11-7-1) will serve as the main event of “Bellator 173: McGeary vs. Fields,” which will take place inside The SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Friday, February 24.

 

“Bellator 173: McGeary vs. Fields” airs on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event start at just £35 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.ie, SSEArenaBelfast.com, or the SSE Arena box office.

 

Hailing from Andover, England, the 34-year-old McGeary will make the short trek up to Northern Ireland’s capital for the first time in his career, where he will once again compete in a main event. The former Bellator MMA light heavyweight champion will enter the cage for the 10th time under the Scott Coker-led promotion, where he has posted an 8-1 record with seven finishes. Following an 11-fight winning streak to begin his professional career, McGeary finally experienced the sour taste of defeat, when Phil Davis wrestled the title away from him at ‘Bellator 163.’ McGeary has consistently proven to be one of the most dangerous strikers and submission artists in the 205-pound division, finishing his victim in 10 of 11 career wins, including eight in the opening frame. Much like the “RMS Titanic,” which was built in Belfast, McGeary hopes to sink Fields when the two take center stage inside The SSE Arena on February 24.

 

A native of Dublin, Ireland, Fields will also have a short trek to Belfast when he enters the cage on February 24. “The Housewives’ Choice” will be making his Bellator MMA debut, following nine years under the direction of local promotions, including three appearances under European powerhouse BAMMA. After competing at middleweight in 2015, the 33-year-old Fields returned to the light heavyweight division, recording a first round submission victory over Dan Konecke at “BAMMA 24.” Fields has tallied finishes in each of his 11 career wins, making him one of the most menacing opponents for anyone standing in his way. Now the SBG Ireland product will look to make a splash in his first fight with Bellator MMA, as he prepares for the former division kingpin.

 

Hailing from nearby Straban, Ireland, the 20-year-old Gallagher is one of the brightest stars in all “The Emerald Island.” At age 15, “The Strabanimal” moved away from home to join Coach John Kavanagh at Straight Blast Gym (SBG), where he now trains alongside the best fighters in the country including Connor McGregor. Having made his Bellator debut in London this past July in London, Gallagher followed up in December with a submission victory over Anthony Taylor in front of a raucous home crowd at the 3Arena in Dublin. Gallagher’s opponent will be announced in the near future.

 

Updated “Bellator 173: McGeary vs. Fields” Main Card:

Light Heavyweight Main Event:  Liam McGeary (11-1) vs. Chris Fields (11-7-1)

Featherweight Feature: James Gallagher (5-0) vs. TBD

 

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

Injured Shavkat Rakhmonov pulls out of Welterweight title fight vs. Alexey Kunchenko

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M-1 Challenge 75, March 3 in Moscow, Russia
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (January 9, 2017) – A serious knee injury requiring surgery has forced undefeated Kazakhstan challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov (7-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0) to withdraw from his first title fight, March 3 against unbeaten M-1 Challenge welterweight champion Alexey Kunchenko (15-0-0, M-1: 7-0-0), of Russia, at M-1 Challenge 75 in Moscow.
“I wanted this fight badly and put a lot of effort into preparation for it,” a dejected Rakhmonov explained.  “Unfortunately, I tore ligaments in my knee and, based on my medical exam, I will need surgery soon.   I apologize to all the MMA fans who were anticipating this fight.  I’ll do my best to return stronger than ever.”
Welterweight prospect Sergey “Streetfighter” Romanov (10-1-0, M-1: 3-0-0) takes on Russian veteran Magomed “The White Wolf” Sultanakhmedov (18-5-0, M-1: 10-1-0) on the M-1 Challenge 75 card.
M-1 Challenge 75 will be streamed 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 the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
INFORMATION:

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
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M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
 
M-1 Challenge 74 – Feb. 18, 2017 – St. Petersburg, Russia
M-1 Challenge 75 – March 3, 2017 – Moscow, Russia
Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

THE TRASH TALK STARTS FAST AND FURIOUS BETWEEN DENNING AND DEXTER

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (January 6, 2017) –New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on February 11, 2017 with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 27: RESURGENCE.”  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional catchweight fight to the card.  Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (3-5) is scheduled to face Ricky Dexter (0-0) at a weight of 160-pounds.

 

Denning is fresh off an appearance for World Series of Fighting (WSOF) at Madison Square Garden in New York City this past New Year’s Eve.  All of Denning’s previous professional bouts had been for NEF.  The Lewiston resident is looking to break a string of three losses after submitting Derek Shorey (4-8) last spring at “NEF 23” in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Denning is a member of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

 

“I’m coming back to NEF to make a statement,” said Denning emphatically.  “I’m coming off of a couple of losses in a row and I’m coming to get that win. They think I’m all Jiu Jitsu and can’t take a punch. You want to brawl with me?  Let’s stand toe-to-toe. You’re going to try and lay on me like you did in your amateur career? I’m going to welcome Dexter to the pros in a mean way. It’s a new level here and I’m going to come out on top!’

 

Ricky Dexter will vacate the NEF Amateur Welterweight Title to turn professional and face Denning on February 11.  Dexter won that championship last February with a first-round technical knockout of Caleb Farrington (3-1).  As an amateur, Dexter put together a very impressive record of 5-2 with all five of his wins coming by finish.  Dexter represents Team Irish in Brewer, Maine.

 

“Once Matt Denning feels my power and the inability to take me down, he’s going to be looking for a way out like he always does, except I’m not looking for the sub,” said Dexter.  “February 11th, I’m going to show the NEF fans that Matt Denning is in the fight game for the wrong reasons. I’m coming from the ‘ammo league,’ but I’ve been training with killers my whole career. I’m going to show everyone I belong here.”

 

NEF’s next event, “NEF 27: RESURGENCE” takes place on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 7 p.m.  Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.

 

For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

 

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

HAPPY NEW YEAR! FNU Combat Sports Show Kicks off 2017

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Tom, Tony and Rich break down the biggest year-ending fights of 2016 and look forward to what should be a phenomenal 2017. We discuss Ronda Rousey, Floyd Mayweather, Andre Ward and other fighters in the news. We recap UFC 207 and look ahead to some Friday night fights on January 13th.

 

mixed martial arts, MMA, WMMAA

WMMAA Celebrated Banner 2016

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World MMA Championships team champion Russia on left, host team China on right
MONTE CARLO, Monaco (January 5, 2017)- In only its fifth year of existence, the World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) celebrated a banner year in 2016, as membership expansion approached 50 countries around the world.
The WMMAA sanctioned countries in five divisions – Pan-Am, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania – include Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.
The highlight of the 2016 WMMAA season was the World MMA Championships, in which powerhouse, Team Russia completely dominated, as it also did in the European Championships, sweeping all seven weight classes in Studio City, Macau, China.
Nearly 100 fighters competed, representing 23 countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Spain, Australia, Belgian, China, Colombia, France, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Tajikistan, Germany, Hungary, Macao, Nepal, India, South Korea, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei and Italy.
Russian middleweight Gamzat Hiramagomedov and light heavyweight Magomed Ankalayev were repeat world champions.
Asian team champion Kazakhstan won two Silver and four Bronze medals in team scoring, followed in order by Ukraine with two Silver and two Bronze, Czech Republic captured one Silver and two Bronze, Chinas one Silver and two Bronze, Kyrgyzstan two Bronze, and one Bronze each for France, India, Spain and Moldova.
Below find results from each World MMA Championships weight classes:
BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION: -61.2 kg (135 lbs.)
1. Omar Nurmagomedov (Russia)
2. Artur Mykytenko (Czech Republic)
3. Mirat Bekishev (Kazakhstan)
3. Chun Bo Yuan (China)
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION: -65.8 kg (145 lbs.)
1. Kurban Taigibov (Russia)
2. Elnur Valiev (Ukraine)
3. Uulu Mustafa Rakhmatilla (Kyrgyzstan)
3. Roman Molodij (France)
LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION: -70.3 kg (154 lbs.)
1. Murad Ramazanov (Russia)
2. Sheng Liu (China)
3. Altynbek Bakhtygeldinov (Kazakhstan)
3. Leos Brichta (Czech Republic)
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION: -77.1 kg (170 lbs.)
1. Alibeg Rasulov (Russia)
2. Goyta Dazaev (Kazakhstan)
3. Syed Abdul Nazzeur Ibrahim (India)
3. Uula Tologon Rakhmanberdi (Kyrgyzstan)
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION: -84 kg (185 lbs.)
1. Gamzat Khiramagomedov (Russia)
2. Idris GHezalov (Ukraine)
3. Murad Abdurahmanov (Kazakhstan)
3. Rong Fan (China)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION: -93 kg (205 lbs.)
1. Magomed Ankalayev (Russia)
2. Robert Lau (Germany)
3. Erkinbek Inzhel (Kazakhstan)
3. Darwing Rodriguez (Spain)
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION: +93 kg (+205 lbs.)
1. Amirhan Isagadjiev (Russia)
2. Alimanov Suleimanov (Kazakhstan)
3. Viktor Pavlichek (Czech Republic)
3. Nicolae Scorohod (Moldova)
 
Go here to watch all the World MMA Championships final fights:
In other major WMMAA news from 2016, it was announced that the 2017 European Championships will be held September in Germany, 2017 Asian Championships will be October in Kazakhstan, exact dates and cities to be determined.
Also, Viktor Frolov was elected president of the European Division at the last Congress, held last November.
INFORMATION:
Twitter:  @theWMMAA
Instagram: @worldmmaa
M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

Sergey Romanov preparing to ruin Magomed Sultanakhmedov’s comeback party

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M-1 Challenge 75, March 3 in Moscow, Russia
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (January 5, 2017) – Hot welterweight prospect Sergey “Streetfighter” Romanov is training hard to ruin the comeback of Russian veteran Magomed “The White Wolf” Sultanakhmedov in an interesting match-up March 3 at M-1 Challenge 75 in Russia.

The M-1 Challenge 75 main event, featuring a battle of undefeated welterweights between defending champion Alexey Kunchenko (15-0-0, M-1: 7-0-0), of Russia, takes on Kazakhstan challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov (7-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0),was previously announced.
M-1 Challenge 75 will be streamed 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 the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
Due to a series of injuries, Sulktanakhmedov (18-5-0, M-1: 10-1-0) has been inactive for the past five years, since he knocked out Tyson Jeffries in the second round of their 2011 fight at M-1 Challenge 24.
A former M-1 Selection champion, Sultanakhmedov is dropping down one weight class from middleweight to fight Romanov.  During his MMA career, feared striker Sultanakhmedov has knocked out the likes of Dmitri Samoilov, Victor Nemkov, Pavel Kusch and Pliinio Cruz, among the more notables.
His tremendous flair and style makes him a fan favorite, especially his “one-shoot, one-kill” attack.  The 32-year-old has fought outside of his native Russia, in the United States and Japan, and during his fighting hiatus he served as referee.
Although he isn’t looking past Sultanakhmedov, fellow Russian fighter Romanov hopes that an impressive victory over Sultankhmedov will position him for his first M-1 Challenge title shot against the Kunchenkp-Rakhmonov winner.
Romanov has had impressive victories in M-1 Challenge competition, including a decision over against Brazilian foe Carlos Pereira last October at M-1 Challenge 71, as well as a first-round stoppage via punches of Andreas Birgels this past June at M-1 Challenge 68.
“I’ve been working on my strength,” Romanov said from his training camp, “because the champion in my weight class, Alexey Kunchenko, is physically strong.  I need to catch up.  Not that I’m looking forward to a title fight, but I always have grandiose plans, so, we’ll see how that goes.  Right now, I’m focused on Sultanakhmedov, and I think my fight with him would be no harder than a possible fight with Kunchenko.
“I started training camp with two workouts a day, but I felt sick and decided to cutback to only one workout a day until I soon return to full mode.  I’ve been training at home (St. Petersburg) but will soon go to Ryazan to wrestling training camp. Then, I will go back to St. Petersburg to prepare at camp, and go to Borovaya for boxing.  My opponent is left-handed, so I need appropriate sparring partners, but the guys in my camp are a great help.
“I know my opponent well having watched his fights as a youngster when he was champion.  Now, we need to reevaluate him. He was a good fighter who trains at ‘Gorets’ where there is, in principle, guys there who are top level.  It’s difficult to say what form he has now because he hasn’t fought in so long.  Now, he is at the peak age for a fighter, 32, so we’ll see.  I don’t think I’ll be favored in this fight, but I will go forward despite being the underdog.”
 
Romanov (R) is a solid all-around MMA fighter
INFORMATION:

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
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M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
 
M-1 Challenge 74 – Feb. 18, 2017 – St. Petersburg, Russia
M-1 Challenge 75 – March 3, 2017 – Moscow, Russia
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

HEAVYWEIGHT BRAWL PITTING CHEICK KONGO AGAINST OLI THOMPSON ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 172’ ON FEB. 18

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BATTLE OF UNDEFEATED ADAM PICCOLOTTI AND BRENT PRIMUS ALSO ADDED TO MAIN CARD

SANTA MONICA, CALIF — (January 4, 2017) – Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) will challenge Oli Thompson (17-9) during the main card of “Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione” on February 18, 2017 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. In addition, undefeated lightweights Adam Piccolotti (9-0) and Brent Primus(7-0) are also set to face off during the Spike-televised card.

In the main event of “Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione,” Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) will compete on American Soil for the first since 2011, when he meets Matt Mitrione (11-5). The event will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event start at only $30 and are available at SAP Center Box Office, Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. Additional fights will be announced in coming weeks.

Since joining the Bellator MMA fray in 2013, Kongo has strung together an impressive run that has seen him emerge victorious in seven of nine contests, including three consecutive victories. With 37 career fights under his belt, the Frenchman has tallied 25 professional wins, including 12 by way of knockout. The knockout artist hopes to build off his victory over Tony Johnson at “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson,” when he welcomes British sensation Oli Thompson back into the Bellator cage.

Hailing from East Sussex, England, Thompson enters the matchup in search of his first career win under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion. Dating back to 2015, “The Spartan” collected wins in five of his last six bouts, including a pair of brutal first round knockouts. Of his 17 career wins, the 36-year-old powerhouse has finished 13 of them, including seven knockouts. A former title-holder of Britain’s Strongest Man competition, Thompson will now look to add to that total when he and Kongo faceoff at SAP Center in San Jose.

Fighting out of Half Moon Bay, Calif., the undefeated Piccolotti is set to return to San Jose, where he has dominated competition over the past few years. Since signing with Bellator MMA, the 28-year-old lightweight has won all five of his bouts, including four consecutive victories in the “Capital of Silicon Valley.” Piccolotti dazzled in his most recent win over Brandon Girtz, ending the veteran’s three-fight winning streak while once again displaying his lethal combination of flawless jiu-jitsu and striking. Piccolotti has finished his opponent in six of nine career wins and three of his past four, making him one of the most dangerous weapons in the 155-pound division.

Primus also carries with him an undefeated target on his chest, as the battle to remain an unbeaten lightweights goes through SAP Center in 2017. Similar to Piccolotti, Primus saw immediate success in the world of mixed martial arts, recording first round finishes in each of his first five fights to begin his professional career. The five-time Bellator MMA veteran hopes to keep the ball rolling, as a win over the fan-favorite Piccolotti would certainly open a lot of doors. Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the 31-years-old Primus hopes to build off of a 2016 campaign that was highlighted by a key win over Brazilian veteran “Toninho Furia.”

Updated “Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione” Main Card:

Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (36-4, 1 NC) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5)

Heavyweight Feature Bout: Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) vs. Oli Thompson (17-9)

Lightweight Feature Bout: Adam Piccolotti (9-0) vs. Brent Primus (7-0)

Preliminary Bouts:

Welterweight Prelim Bout: James Terry (18-9) vs. David Douglas (9-6)

Lightweight Prelim Bout: Nikko Jackson (1-1) vs. Cesar Gonzalez (0-1)

Featherweight Prelim Bout: Juan Cardenas (1-0) vs. Luis Vargas (0-1)

Welterweight Prelim Bout: Danasabe Mohammed (5-1) vs. Carlos Rocha (9-4)

Flyweight Prelim Bout: Anthony Do (4-1) vs. Bobby Escalante (4-5)

Flyweight Prelim Bout: Matt Ramirez (1-2) vs. Jeremy Murphy (3-3)

Lightweight Prelim Bout: J.J. Okanovich (3-1) vs. Paradise Vaovasa (5-1)

Featherweight Prelim Bout: Justin Tenedora (Debut) vs. Roque Reyes (0-3)

About Bellator:

Bellator is a leading Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the combat sports television leader.  Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘BELLATOR 170: ORTIZ VS. SONNEN’ OFFICIAL CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES FROM TITO ORTIZ, CHAEL SONNEN, BRENNAN WARD, PAUL DALEY AND SCOTT COKER

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. — (January 3, 2017) – Before the cage door closes at the Forum in Los Angeles, the main and co-main event fighters from “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” participated in a media conference call. If you weren’t on the line, you can listen to it here, or read a couple of the quotes below.

 

In the main event of the evening, Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) takes on Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). In addition, Ralek Gracie (3-0) and Hisaki Kato (7-2) will meet in a middleweight feature fight, while Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) and Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3) battle. Lastly, a fantastic welterweight co-main event pitting Paul Daley (38-14-2) against Brennan Ward (14-4) is also set for the Spike-televised main card.

 

Limited tickets for the mega-event start at $36 and are on sale at Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com. The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. The “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” undercard, streams live on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 6:50 p.m. ET / 3:50 p.m. PT.

 

Q: For Paul Daley…We had a chance to talk before you were schedule to fight Derek Anderson at ‘Bellator 163.’ He made the weight, but the fight didn’t happen. So, what’s going to change this time? Are you going to do anything different in your preparation and what do you expect from Brennan Ward?

Paul Daley: Things didn’t go according to plan at the last event that I was scheduled to compete in. I made the weight, but it was what happened after that was the problem. Those problems have been ironed out and we should have everything back on track and I’m ready to compete in what is going to be the most exciting fight on the card.

Q: For Brennan Ward…Both of you have definitely delivered exciting knockouts in recent performances, so I want to know what your expectation of the fight is and if you think it will be a quick showcase.

Brennan Ward: They don’t just line two guys up like Paul and I for no reason — on a card like this, that is probably the biggest card of the year and one of the biggest Bellator cards of all-time == They’re putting our matchup on there for a reason. They know fireworks are going to go off and they know this fight isn’t going the distance. Paul and I end fights, it’s what we do. Like he said, we’re going to put on the most exciting fight of the night for sure.

Q: I know that clip of you and Tito wrestling in college has been going around, so what do you expect from Tito this time around compared to the Tito you saw back then?

Chael Sonnen: Look, Tito’s a great fighter. He was a hell of a wrestler…I caught him in one position in that match, I’m not hanging my hat on that. I’m pumped to be in there and compete against a Hall of Famer like Tito. I’m going to do everything I can to beat him, but I don’t dismiss how good this guy is.

Q: It’s been a while since we saw you in there with Liam McGeary in that title fight. So, from then to now, what’s changed and what are you going to show us?

Tito Ortiz: I’ve been at work now for three years. I came from the UFC and Bellator gave me a chance to reinvigorate my career and I want to leave on my own terms. I want to leave respectfully. Scott Coker has done an amazing job with the company already and I sat back, thinking about what would be my last fight. All of a sudden, I’m watching Bellator on Spike TV and Chael Sonnen comes screaming out, calling me a coward and saying that he wants to fight me and I swear there has never been a bigger smile on my face. I was already getting ready to fight in November. I wasn’t sure who my opponent was going to be, but I was getting in shape. I’ve been training now for almost four months and this is probably one of the longest camps I’ve had and it’s time to showcase my skills. Chael says he’s fighting because he’s jealous and that’s the wrong way to come into a fight. I’m going in to get redemption and to me Chael is my enemy. This is no game, this is nothing fun, this is what I do for a living. I train and I go out to try and hurt my opponent. I know what I need to do. I need to defend the takedown, I need to watch out for the punches, I need to watch out for the guillotine. I know all of the moves that Chael has done and my job is to go in and destroy him. On January 21, two days before my birthday, I want to get the ‘Fight of the Night.’ I hope Chael’s in great shape because when I’m on top of him, he’s going to shit himself. I’m going to throw my elbows through his face and like I said, this is no joke. This is serious to me because my family’s watching, my kids are watching, and all of my fans are watching. I’ve given so much for this and I’ve sacrificed everything. I sacrificed my Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my New Year’s for this.

Q: Of all the guys you’ve verbally dueled with in your career, how would you size up where Tito stands? How does he compare to other guys that you’ve gone back and forth with verbally?

Chael Sonnen: Man, it’s painful. It was painful just listening to him read through that list of notes. He just rattled off all of his bullets right there in one answer and I think he asked to go to the bathroom during it, which was a little weird. I don’t care, I never thought about Tito Ortiz. I didn’t come to this organization to fight Tito Ortiz. I’ve been chasing Wanderlei Silva around, but Wanderlei is busy until the summer. They called me and asked if I’d fight Tito on January 21 and I didn’t have anything else going on, so I said yes.

Q: Beyond this fight, what are your goals in Bellator?

Chael Sonnen: I want to compete at Bellator. I want to be a champion, get to the top, and compete with all the guys. I want to find a weight class. I’d like to do it at 205-pounds, but I think there’s an opportunity at 185 and now we have some big signings at heavyweight and catchweight too. I just think there’s a lot of opportunity over here. I can tell you as far as training, working hard and being prepared, that’s what I do. I do it every day. I will bring my skills to the fight and if they’re enough I’ll win; If they’re not, I won’t. That’s just the way that this sport is played and I’m just looking forward to competing with these guys.

Q: Coming back to compete in California, with your history with that athletic commission, you’ve already taken an out-of-competition test. How do you look at that process? Were you surprised by the test? Was there an understanding that it was going to be a part of the deal to get you back in California?

Chael Sonnen: I was surprised by it. That’s why the test works. I was not ready to be tested and I didn’t know that I was going to be tested and I haven’t thought about it a whole lot. You have to understand that when you’re a guy with my background that’s just coming off of a suspension, that’s the way it goes. You’re going to have more tests than other guys and that’s just fair.

Q: Finally, can you just size up the marketplace since you left UFC and since they’ve been purchased?

Chael Sonnen: Look, I’m brand new. I only know a few guys at Bellator. I know three people, that’s how new I am. I’ve been to two Bellator shows; one at Mohegan Sun Arena and one in San Jose. Both events were sold out! When I was in San Jose, I was sitting there and down the ramp comes the greatest heavyweight of all time, Fedor Emelianenko. Coker signed him and didn’t even say anything to anybody. The place was packed and the ratings were going higher. I wanted to come to Bellator when I saw Ken Shamrock walk the ramp and I thought this is awesome. Connecticut and then California, both sides of the country and both sold out. The household name that Bellator has become is amazing. I used to have to explain to people what UFC and what MMA was. When I tell people I’m with Bellator, they know exactly what it is. When Tito and I met in that college wrestling match, there was 80 people there tops, nobody cared. It was a big sacrifice just to show off in front of 80 people. To show off in front of a sold out arena, a record-breaking show, is fun. We get Paul Daley and Brennan Ward to entertain us before we have to go out and take care of business.

Q: Tito, do you have any comment to Chael’s comments earlier about you reading from a script and all?

Tito Ortiz: This guy knows that he bit off a little more than he can chew. I’ve been through 20 years of competition, won world titles, and stepped into that cage over and over again. The proof is in the pudding. I’m sitting here listening to the tone that Chael has and it sounds like he’s drowning and on January 21, he’s going to be drowning in his own blood.

Chael Sonnen: I told you he was out of bullets! I warned you ahead of time!

Q: Chael, congratulations on Celebrity Apprentice last night…great to see you on the debut there. How difficult is it for you to balance the Celebrity Apprentice, ESPN, your podcast, and training all together?

Chael Sonnen: I hate days off. I hate it more than anything. When I look at my calendar before I go to bed, I hate seeing gaps in there. So as far as training goes, I’m in the gym three hours a day. It’s an hour in the morning, maybe even less, two hours in the afternoon, I’m out the door in three in a half hours tops. So, that leaves me with another 20 hours in the day and I like to fill it. I don’t like to sleep a lot and that’s just the way it goes. I like to stay busy, but nothing interferes with preparation for the competition. I haven’t missed a practice, a run, a workout, a sparring session; I go every day. I go to practice every day no matter what, twice a day. There are parts when I’ll pick up the intensity and work a little harder and then there are parts when I’ll take a break to get a drink of water, but it doesn’t change for me. I’m ready to go, that’s it.

Q: Chael, I know you said that you had a little more of a looser camp, where you’ve trained with a lot of different fighters, especially due to all of the traveling. How has it been, having access to some elite fighters in other parts of the country?

Chael Sonnen: I love working out in other parts of the country and I love going to different gyms. And that’s something new to me, because I didn’t used to travel. I was just locked at home in Portland, Oregon, but we had a hotbed out there, with guys like Randy Couture and Evan Tanner, I could name drop for you and it would really impress. We had a really great system out there, but it dried up and some of those guys retired. Some of them moved away and some of the gyms closed down, so all of these new traveling has been great. I’ve got a lot of rounds in and worked out with Georges St-Pierre and a bunch of hammers out there that you’ve never heard of yet, but you will. I’m getting good work in and I’m learning from these guys. The one thing that I try to do, and I copied Randy Couture on this, is always train with the kids. He would be in high school workout rooms doing some wrestling practice and it was very hard for the next generation to ever get ahead of him because he always trained with that younger generation. So, I spend a lot of time with those kids and I have my own practices on top of that. I’m not positive that I can take Tito down, I’m not positive that I can out-box him; everything has to get better. I have to get stronger, faster, better with more technique and better strategy and it all takes time.

 

Complete “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” Main Card:

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) vs. Chael Sonnen (28-14-1)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Brennan Ward (14-4)

Middleweight Main Card Bout: Ralek Gracie (3-0) vs. Hisaki Kato (7-2)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Derek Campos (17-6) vs. Derek Anderson (14-2, 1 NC)

 

Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chinzo Machida (4-2) vs. Jamar Ocampo (2-0)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Jack May (8-3) vs. Dave Cryer (11-2)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Henry Corrales (12-3) vs. Cody Bollinger (19-6)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Casey (9-5-1, 2 NC) vs. Keith Berry (15-13)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Guilherme “Bomba” Vasconcelos (8-3) vs. John Mercurio (8-7)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (3-0) vs. Jalin Turner (2-2)

Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Gonzalez (2-0) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (2-0)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jacob Rosales (4-2) vs. Ian Butler (3-2)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Johnny Cisneros (9-5) vs. Curtis Millender (9-3)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (4-4) vs. Tommy Aaron (2-1)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Rob Gooch (4-3) vs. James Barnes (6-2)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Rebecca Ruth (6-2) vs. Colleen Schneider (10-7)

 

Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES MAIN EVENT FOR MMA LEAGUE’S HISTORIC MEXICO DEBUT: STEVE SWANSON VS. GUSTAVO LOPEZ

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LIVE FROM EL PLAZA CONDESA IN MEXICO CITY ON
AZTECA AMERICA AND UFC FIGHT PASS®
ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 19

Atomweight Co-Main Event:
Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc vs. Lisbeth Lopez Silva

Plus:
Lightweight:  Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas vs. Marco Antonio “La Rocka” Elipidio
Bantamweight: Jose Ceja vs. Joey Ruquet

NEW YORK – January 3, 2017 – Combate Americas today announced four spectacular Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bouts, including a bantamweight (135) main event between rising stars Steve Swanson (14-2) and Gustavo Lopez (6-2) – for the league’s much-anticipated, historic debut in Mexico on Thursday, Jan. 19, live on Azteca America (10 p.m. ET/PT) and UFC FIGHT PASS® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

The event, which will take place at El Plaza Condesa in Mexico City, will also air via tape delay in Mexico the following night, Friday, Jan. 20 at 11 p.m. CT., on TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AZTECA; Latibex: XTZA), one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world.

In the atomweight (105 pounds) co-main event, former world championship challenger Nicdali “The Night Queen” Rivera-Calanoc (9-9) will make her long-awaited return to La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, and face red-hot Lisbeth Lopez Silva (3-3).

“We are excited to be assembling a phenomenal fight card, and to have the opportunity to be at the forefront of MMA’s growth in Mexico with our unique and fast-growing sports franchise,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

In other main card action, two hard-hitting, Mexico City rivals, Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas (9-5) and Marco Antonio “La Rocka” Elpidio (4-1-1) will collide at lightweight (155 pounds).

Fellow upstarts Jose “The Ghost” Ceja (4-3) and Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet (3-1) will square off at bantamweight.

Additional bouts for the Combate Americas event will be announced soon.

The 5-foot-5, 36-year-old younger brother of UFC star Cub Swanson, Steve of Indio, Calif. is a 36-year-old prolific knockout artist whose family originally hails from Chihuahua, Mexico.

Swanson is a winner of his last four fights, all by way of (T)KO.  He is coming off an explosive, 38-second stoppage of Christian Rios on October 22.

Fighting out MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture’s Xtreme Couture camp in Las Vegas, Nev. Lopez is a 5-foot-5, 27-year-old finisher originally from Yakima, Wash.

Lopez emerged unbeaten, with a record of 3-0, during the Combate Americas “Road To The Championship” fight series that spanned from September 2015 to May 2016.  He has notched five of his six professional career victories via (T)KO or submission.

Rivera-Calanoc is a 5-foot-3, 31-year-old resident of Las Vegas, Nev. and native of Tulsa, Okla., as well as a battle-tested veteran of the sport who has faced a handful of top rivals in the women’s field, including Jessica Penne.

Rivera-Calanoc, whose ancestral roots are in Chihuahua, took a split decision in her last start on March 12, from Ronni Nanney.

Lopez Silva of Mexico City is aiming for her fourth straight win on the heels of a unanimous decision over Marcel Yineris Nieto on December 2 in Panama City, Panama.

A former welterweight (170 pounds), Vargas of Mexico City is a 5-foot-8, 31-year-old powerhouse who will put a three-fight win streak on the line.

To date, the Mexican Pride team member has claimed all of his wins by way of (T)KO or submission.

Elpidio, whose nickname translates to “The Rock,” is also a former welterweight standout who will look to secure his third consecutive win.

In his last effort on March 19, Elpidio, a member of the Renzo Gracie affiliate team in Mexico City, scored a second round (3:16) TKO on Francisco Vargas with an onslaught of punches.

The 5-foot-7, 31-year-old Ceja of Port Arthur, Texas will make his second start under the promotion of Combate Americas.

In his debut for the league on October 14, Ceja avenged a previous loss in dynamic fashion, scoring a first round (4:22) knockout on Irwin “The Beast” Rivera in the first live televised, professional MMA event since UFC 7 in September 1995.

Ruquet of Las Vegas, Nev. via Venice, Fla. is a 5-foot-8, 24-year-old upstart and seasoned striker who will make his second appearance in La Jaula after submitting Luke Faultersack with an anaconda choke in the second round (4:28) of action on April 25.

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