Tag Archives: AJ McKee

NO. 10-RANKED BELLATOR LIGHTWEIGHT GADZHI RABADANOV WILL REPRESENT THE PROMOTION AT THE HISTORICAL BELLATOR MMA VS. סיבה EVENT AGAINST JAPAN’S KOJI TAKEDA ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

לאס אנדזשעלעס— BELLATOR MMA has announced that its fifth participant for the New Year’s Eve spectacle against RIZIN Fighting Federation opponents will be No. 10-ranked lightweightגאַדזשי ראַבאַדאַנאָוו(18-4-2), taking on 27-year-old Japanese standoutKoji Takeda(15-3) in a compelling matchup between two competitors riding high on the strength of consecutive victories.

A first-of-its-kind blockbuster co-promotionBELLATOR MMA vs. סיבה takes place inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday, דעצעמבער 31, and can be seen in the United States on SHOWTIME at 8 פּ.ם. ET/PT on New Year’s Eve.

Rabadanov versus Takeda will join a star-studded five-fightBELLATOR MMA vs. סיבההויפּט קאָרט, which is stacked from top to bottom with current and former champions competing in the four-sided ring under RIZIN’s unique rules. Headlining the event will be a dream matchup between RIZIN lightweight championRoberto “Satoshi” de Souza(14-1) against No. 3 BELLATOR pound-for-pound talentAJ “Mercenary” McKee(19-1), with BELLATOR and RIZIN featherweight championsפּאַטריסיאָ פּיטבולל(34-5) אוןKleber Koike(31-5-1) co-headlining the must-see event.

Former BELLATOR championsJuan “The Spaniard” Archuleta(26-4) אוןKyoji Horiguchi(30-5) will round out the unparalleled main card, facing off with RIZIN’sSoo Chul Kim(18-6-1) אוןHiromasa Ougikubo(25-6-2), ריספּעקטיוולי.

גאַדזשי ראַבאַדאַנאָוו, 29, signed with BELLATOR in 2021 after capturing the Eagle FC lightweight title, and has made an immediate impact on the promotion’s remarkably deep lightweight division. He announced his arrival in thunderous fashion atBELLATOR 263with an emphatic viral knockout of Daniel Carey, which he followed up with back-to-back dominant unanimous decision victories over Jay Jay Wilson and Bobby King in 2022. The product of the renowned Club Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s School in Dagestan and the prestigious American Kickboxing Academy, Rabadanov’s pedigree is world-class. On New Year’s Eve, Rabadanov will look to continue building upon his momentum with an impressive performance against Koji Takeda.

“It is a childhood dream come true to fight in Japan at the legendary Saitama Super Arena,” said Rabadanov. “I’m very excited and I know I have a tough opponent, who always leaves everything in the ring. Expect a masterpiece from me, it will be a memorable fight.”

A former DEEP lightweight champion, Japan’sKoji Takedahas been an active fighter since his 2017 פאַכמאַן דעבוט. Takeda boasts a compelling case for inclusion on this historic fight card, winning seven of his last ten and three of his last four outings under the RIZIN and DEEP banners. Takeda is also familiar with BELLATOR foes; he has previously fought Spike Carlyle and submitted Zach Zane by armbar, both of whom fought recently for the Scott Coker-led promotion. Takeda will look to add a third straight win to his resume against the highly-touted Rabadanov in his hometown of Saitama, דזשאַפּאַן, אויף דעצעמבער 31.

BELLATOR MMA VS. RIZIN MAIN CARD:

שאָוטיים

שבת, דעצעמבער 31 — 8 PM ET/PT

Lightweight Non-Title Main EventAJ McKee(19-1) vs.Roberto de Souza(14-1)

Featherweight Non-Title Main Eventפּאַטריסיאָ פּיטבולל(34-5) vs.Kleber Koike(31-5-1)

Bantamweight Feature BoutJuan Archuleta(26-4) vs.Soo Chul Kim(18-6-1)

Flyweight Feature BoutKyoji Horiguchi(30-5) vs.Hiromasa Ougikubo(25-6-2)

Lightweight Feature Boutגאַדזשי ראַבאַדאַנאָוו(18-4-2) vs.Koji Takeda(15-3)

For more information on this and other upcomingBELLATOR MMA געשעענישן, באַזוכןBellator.com.

Updated schedule of BELLATOR eventsclick links for updated fight cards


פּאָטער. נאוועמבער. 18 // בעללאַטאָר 288: נעמקאָוו ווס. Anderson 2 / פּיטבולל ווס. נורמאַגאָמעדאָוו // Wintrust Arena // Chicago, Il.


פּאָטער. דעצעמבער. 9 // בעללאַטאָר 289: Stots vs. Sabatello // מאָהעגאַן Sun אַרענאַ // ונקאַסוויללע, קאַן.

Sat. דעצעמבער. 31 // BELLATOR MMA vs. סיבה // Saitama Super Arena // Tokyo, דזשאַפּאַן


פּאָטער. פעברואר. 24 //בעללאַטאָר: DUBLIN // 3אַרענאַ // דובלין, ירעלאַנד

BELLATOR MMA 263: PITBULL VS. MCKEE VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

FULL PRESS CONFERENCE VIDEO HERE

LOS ANGELES – June 17, 2021 – BELLATOR MMA’s Featherweight and Lightweight World Champion פּאַטריסיאָ פּיטבולל (32-4) and undefeated top-ranked challenger AJ McKee (17-0) previewed their must-watch Featherweight World Grand Prix Final and 145-pound title fight during a virtual press conference Wednesday. Both fighters’ head coaches, Eric Albarracin of Team Pitbull Brothers, און Antonio McKee of Team Bodyshop, also chimed in with a look at the final preparations both fight camps are taking as we approach the massive event.

בעללאַטאָר 263: פּיטבולל ווס. מאַקי will emanate from the Forum in Inglewood, קאַליף., and will air live on SHOWTIME at 10 פּ.ם. עט / 7 פּ.ם. פּט. Tickets for the event go on sale tomorrow, פרייַטיק, יוני 18 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com.

Here is what the fighters and their coaches had to say Wednesday:

פּאַטריסיאָ פּיטבולל, BELLATOR Featherweight World Champion & BELLATOR Lightweight World Champion

“I’m a little bit older and faster than the rest of my division and I’m going to use this in my favor. (22:47)

“Of all the opponents I’ve faced, AJ is the most dangerous, and I know that. מיט אַז זייַענדיק האט, I know that I’m going to win this fight and prove his father wrong. (26:18)

“At the beginning of his career, he faced very low-level guys. He has a few wins over tough opponents, but he’s never fought anyone like me. He claims that he is ready for me, but he isn’t, and he’ll learn that very quickly in front of his home crowd.” (38:48)

AJ McKee, צי ניט. 1 Ranked BELLATOR Featherweight & Featherweight World Grand Prix Finalist

“It’s been a great journey and this is something I’ve dreamed of my entire career. Like I said, I’ve been calling Pitbull’s name since I first stepped into that cage and he’s ignored me, pretending like he doesn’t know who I am. אין די סוף פון די טאָג, there is nowhere else for him to run and he has to look me in my eyes. I’m looking forward to it. Everyone says I haven’t been tested and I agree. אָבער, when you do see me get tested, a whole different animal will come out. (23:22)

“After I beat Pitbull and become the face of BELLATOR, we can run it back for that second belt too. Becoming champ-champ is something that I said I was always going to do, and that I will do. I went through the trials and tribulations of not wanting to fight, to then having my passion for this come back and me seeing all my goals be within reach. It’s going to be fun, especially after the long break due to my knee surgery. I can’t wait to get in there again. The Mercenary does one thing: he signs the contract and then takes the person out. (24:22)

“I’ve been preparing for this fight for six years because Pitbull has been at the top for so long. אַמאָל ווידער, I have a foot longer reach on him, so he has to come to me. He says he is training with gold medal wrestlers, but I will do the same thing to him that I did to Pat Curran and Darrion Caldwell. I’m comfortable off my back. Just because he’s Brazilian, that doesn’t mean anything in terms of Jiu jitsu. I have that evolved Jiu jitsu and that’s what I get people with when they don’t see it coming.” (31:45)

סקאַט קאָקער, BELLATOR President

“We’re excited to be back in California and we are excited to be back in the Forum, a place where we have had so many great fights. It’s going to be an amazing event. My staff is excited and the fighters are excited. When you think about live sports, it needs fans. We got a taste of it last week at the Mohegan Sun, which has been an amazing partner for us, but it’s time to travel and get back to what BELLATOR does best. That is putting on great fights touring from city-to-city, starting with this amazing fight on July 31. (4:10)

“This is the fight that everyone wanted to see. We have so many amazing athletes in this division that we went through the lottery system for matchups, which provided us with amazing fights. But at the beginning, I was wishing that the final would be McKee versus Pitbull. When we signed McKee, he had zero fights to his name. איצט, look at where he is today. Back then, Pitbull was our champion and obviously still is today, so this fight is the “OG” vs. the new guard and we’ll have to see what happens.” (5:13)

Eric Albarracin, Team Pitbull Brothers Head Coach

“Patricio’s had a bullseye on his back since he became the champ in 2014, when he beat Pat Curran and this run has gone exactly as we planned. We were the matchmakers, we sent Darrion Caldwell to the other side of the bracket to take out some of the young bucks and he did. דעמאָלט, AJ took him out and here we are. I think this is the perfect matchup for the finals. We have a young, up-and-coming, undefeated fighter and the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet, פּאַטריסיאָ פּיטבולל. This is going to be the greatest fight in BELLATOR history. (7:20)

“Even at 17-0, AJ is still very young in the game. He’s very unpredictable. אָבער, at the end of the day it’s Pitbull who is the pound-for-pound best on the planet, it’s Pitbull who is the double champ, it’s Pitbull who has the best coaches in the game and they don’t know how to prepare for that.” (8:18)

Antonio McKee, Team Bodyshop Head Coach

“I lived a different life, one where it wasn’t all good. I was dealing with a lot of stuff that a lot of African American men deal with. No mother and no father, growing up in the streets of Los Angeles. It was what it was, but I made the right decisions and never got caught for anything that I did that could have put me away for the rest of my life and found my drive and motivation through my son. The things that AJ would say as a kid, like ‘Daddy if you die, can I die with you?’ I didn’t care about living and I didn’t have a problem with killing either. And then one day AJ says ‘Dad, whatever you do and wherever you go, I want to come with you.’ I was ready to clock out, but then I realized that I needed to be here for him. He had nothing but me, so that gave me the drive and the strength to find a better way out.

“I made it this far, did my thing as a wrestler and was the best in the world. I did what I was doing, but I didn’t have the right mindset, so I had to check my mental and learn how to be a respectable human being. Once I did that, things started to shift for me and now here we are. I did things to keep AJ in private school, not to buy cars, מוזיק, and jewelry. I did it all to pay for his school tuition.” (14:36)

Featherweight World Champion Patricio Pitbull Meets AJ McKee in the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix Finals on Saturday, יולי 31 — לעבן אויף שאָוטיים

בעללאַטאָר 263 TAKES PLACE AT THE FORUM IN LOS ANGELES ON SATURDAY, יולי 31 – לעבן אויף שאָוטיים®

TICKETS FOR THIS MASSIVE EVENT GO ON SALE TOMORROW ATBELLATOR.COM

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לאס אנדזשעלעס — And then there were two…

What began with 16 featherweight athletes vying for a one-million-dollar grand prize and the BELLATOR Featherweight World Championship has been narrowed to the greatest BELLATOR athlete in the history of the promotionפּאַטריסיאָ פּיטבולל (32-4) and the company’s best-ever homegrown fighter in No. 1 ראַנגקטAJ McKee (17-0).

The culmination of the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix takes place Saturday, יולי 31 בייַ די פאָרום אין ינגלעוואָאָד, קאַליף., and marks the company’s first domestic event hosted away from “The Fightsphere” since February 2020.

בעללאַטאָר 263: פּיטבולל ווס. מאַקיairs live on SHOWTIME at 10 פּ.ם. עט / 7 פּ.ם. PT and tickets for the event go on sale this Friday, יוני 18 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com with a pre-sale taking place on Thursday.

“This is without a doubt going to be the biggest BELLATOR fight of all time,” said BELLATOR President Scott Coker. “AJ McKee has been calling for a shot at Pitbull’s title since his very first professional victory inside our cage six years ago. Now he’s finally getting the opportunity to realize his dream of becoming a world champion against the winningest fighter in BELLATOR history. For Pitbull a win over McKee in this tournament final would be a statement piece to add to his long list of accolades and legacy as the best 145-pounder on the planet.”

One half of the vaunted Pitbull Brothers duo, Patricio has long been considered the crown jewel of BELLATOR MMA, where he sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings. Holding a remarkable record of 32-4 with wins over elite competition including the likes ofפּאַט קורראַןJuan Archuletaדניאל וועיטשעל (x2) and most recently a second triumph over Emmanuel Sanchez, the 33-year-old stands alone as the featherweight king. אַדדיטיאָנאַללי, he was able to capture the Lightweight World Championship in a 2019 contest opposite Michael Chandler, becoming only the second BELLATOR athlete to hold two titles simultaneously. מיט 23 finishes in 36 פאַכמאַן פיגהץ, Pitbull has shown time and time again that he possesses the well-rounded skillset required to reign over multiple weight classes.

With a perfect record of 17-0, AJ McKee has exceeded the lofty expectations placed on him since his professional debut at the ripe age of 20-years-old. With an even six knockouts and six submissions, the now-26-year-old McKee has shown a knack for securing finishes—and fast—with nine coming in the first round. “Mercenary” has earned dominant victories over every man who has opposed him including former champions Pat Curran, געאָרגי קאַראַכאַניאַן, and Darrion Caldwell, who McKee submitted most-recently with a rare, modified neck crank that was later dubbed the “McKee-otine.” Finally, the Long Beach native will face the man he has called for since signing with BELLATOR, as he takes on Patricio Pitbull in the much-anticipated Featherweight World Grand Prix Final.

The preliminary portion of the event streams live at 7 פּ.ם. עט / 4 פּ.ם. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, as well as Pluto TV and features former featherweight title challenger and No. 2 ראַנגקטעממאַנועל סאַנטשעז(20-5) versus Denmark’s No. 8 ראַנגקטMads Burnell(15-3), a bantamweight tilt between No. 3 ראַנגקטMagomed “Tiger” Magomedov(18-1) און ניט קיין. 4 RaufeonSupaStots(16-1) and a lightweight affair pitting undefeatedUsman Nurmagomedov (12-0) קעגןManny Muro(12-6).

בעללאַטאָר 263: פּיטבולל ווס. מאַקיהויפּט קאַרד:

שבת, יולי 31 – Live on שאָוטיים

10 פּ.ם. עט / 7 פּ.ם. פּט

Featherweight World Title Main EventC-פּאַטריסיאָ פּיטבולל(32-4) ווס. #1-AJ McKee (17-0)

פּרעלימינאַרי קאַרד:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV

7 פּ.ם. עט / 4 פּ.ם. פּט

פעאַטהערוועיגהט באָוט: #2-עממאַנועל סאַנטשעז(20-5) ווס. #8-Mads Burnell (15-3)

באַנטאַמוועיגהט באָוט: #3-Magomed Magomedov(18-1) ווס. #4-Raufeon Stots(16-1)

לייטווייט באָוט: Usman Nurmagomedov (12-0) vs.Manny Muro(12-6)

*Card subject to change.

ביטע באַזוכןBellator.com פֿאַר נאך אינפֿאָרמאַציע.

FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR MMA 255: PITBULL VS. SANCHEZ 2

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COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS

BELLATOR MMA 255: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2הויפּט קאַרד:

C-פּאַטריסיאָ פּיטבולל (32-4) defeated #2-עממאַנועל סאַנטשעז(20-5) via technical submission (גויללאָטינע שטיקער) בייַ 3:35 פון קייַלעכיק איינער

#6-Jason Jackson(14-4) דיפיטיד #3-נימאַן גרייסי(10-2) דורך יונאַנאַמאַס באַשלוס (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

#6-Tyrell Fortune(10-1) דיפיטידJack May (11-8) דורך טקאָ (פּאַנטשיז) בייַ 3:16 פון קייַלעכיק איינער

Usman Nurmagomedov(12-0) דיפיטידMike Hamel(7-5) דורך יונאַנאַמאַס באַשלוס (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

5-Kana Watanabe(10-0-1) דיפיטיד #4-Alejandra Lara(9-4) דורך שפּאַלטן באַשלוס (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

פּרעלימינאַרי קאַרד:  

#6-Magomed Magomedov (18-1) דיפיטידCee Jay Hamilton (15-8) דורך סאַבמישאַן (דערציען-נאַקעט שטיקער) בייַ 1:22 פון קייַלעכיק צוויי

Mandel Nallo (8-1) דיפיטידRicardo Seixas (9-3) דורך נאַקאַוט (סטרייקס) בייַ 3:23 פון קייַלעכיק איינער

Khalid Murtazaliev (15-2) דיפיטידFabio Aguiar (17-2) דורך יונאַנאַמאַס באַשלוס (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Chris Gonzalez (6-0) דיפיטידRoger Huerta (24-13-1) דורך סאַבמישאַן (סטרייקס) בייַ 3:01 פון קייַלעכיק דרייַ

Jose Augusto (17-1) דיפיטידיונתן ווילסאָן (9-3) דורך סאַבמישאַן (head and arm choke) בייַ 4:58 פון קייַלעכיק איינער

Roman Faraldo (5-0) דיפיטידTrevor Gudde (2-2) דורך טקאָ 1:30 פון קייַלעכיק איינער

Jordan Newman (3-0) דיפיטידBranko Busick (2-2) דורך טקאָ (סטרייקס) בייַ 2:30 פון קייַלעכיק צוויי

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THE FINALS OF THE BELLATOR MMA FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX – CHAMPION PATRICIO “PITBULL” VS. #1-RANKED AJ MCKEE

Quotes:

Patricio “Pitbull:"“I am ready to fight AJ McKee right now, please just tell SHOWTIME, I will get in the cage and we can take care of this tomorrow.”

“I want to be the first man to defeat McKee, he has been opening his mouth about me for a very long time, this will be the biggest fight in BELLATOR history.”

AJ McKee“Patricio Pitbull has been the man. Nothing against him. He’s got great accolades. I already said I’m going to be the champ-champ. פֿאַר מיר, it’s the new era. He said my time is over. My time has just begun. We’ll see.

“It’s a fight the fans have wanted for the longest. אויף שפּיץ פון אַז, he’s underrated. He’s an outstanding champ. His accolades, his credentials, his record is phenomenal. But at the end of the day, nobody has a win over me. Nobody has a belt with my name on it and nobody is going to get a belt with my name on it.”

ביטע באַזוכןBellator.com פֿאַר נאך אינפֿאָרמאַציע.

SHOWTIME® TO DELIVER A FLURRY OF BELLATOR MMA™ CONTENT ACROSS PLATFORMS IN ADVANCE OF LIVE BELLATOR DEBUT ON APRIL 2

Exclusive Fight Content Includes Past Events, היגהליגהץ, And In-Depth Analysis of Featherweight And Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix

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NEW YORK – MARCH 19, 2021 – BELLATOR MMAis launching on SHOWTIME on Friday, April 2 withBELLATOR MMA 255: פּיטבולל ווס. סאַנטשעז 2 followed by two consecutive Friday nights of live championship MMA fight action. In anticipation of the launch, SHOWTIME will air a collection of BELLATOR specials and fight replays across its distribution platforms to set the stage for the April 2 live event featuring theBELLATOR MMA Featherweight World Grand Prix Semifinal, as well as the beginning of the highly anticipatedBELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix set to begin on Friday, April 9 and Friday, אַפּריל 16.

Starting this week, both SHOWTIME subscribers and non-subscribers have access to an exclusive collection of fights that have paved the way for the compelling upcoming matchups in each of these premier mixed martial arts tournaments featuringPatricio “Pitbull”עממאַנועל סאַנטשעזAJ McKeeוואַדים נעמקאָוורייאַן באַדער און מער.

דערצו, SHOWTIME Sports will present a pair of highlight-driven specials hosted byMorning Kombat’sBrian Campbell and Luke Thomas to preview the Pitbull vs. Sanchez featherweight semifinal and the start of the eight-man Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix tournament. TitledROAD TO BELLATOR MMAbothspecial programs will consist of highlights, analysis, and fight predictions, as SHOWTIME Sports’ dynamic combat sports duo prepares viewers for the live debut of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME.

ROAD TO BELLATOR MMA: פּיטבולל ווס. סאַנטשעז 2 will debut on Monday, March 22 whileROAD TO BELLATOR MMA: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prixwill premiere one week later on Monday, מאַרץ 29 אויף דישאָוטיים ספורט אוןBELLATOR MMA YouTube channels.Both programs also will beavailable to subscribers on all SHOWTIME On Demand platforms, on SHOWTIME EXTREME, as well as to SHOWTIME distributors for their free-on-demand and online portals.

אויף שבת, מאַרץ 27, a replay ofBELLATOR MMA 253: Caldwell vs. מאַקי will air on SHOWTIME at 8 פּ.ם. עט / פּט. The four-fight card, includingMcKee’s iconic “McKee-otine” finish over former BELLATOR Bantamweight World Championדאַרריאָן קאָלדוועל that propelled the young star into the Featherweight World Grand Prix Final, will also replay onSHOWTIME on Sunday, מאַרץ 28 בייַ 12 Midnight ET/PT, and again on Thursday, אַפּריל 1 בייַ 9 פּ.ם. עט / פּט.

בעללאַטאָר 253, along with several past events which featured the world-class fighters in the upcoming tournaments, will be scheduled on SHOWTIME EXTREME weeknights at 10 פּ.ם. ET/PT and are now available on SHOWTIME On Demand platforms. Select events will be available for free to non-subscribers via SHOWTIME distributor platforms and on Pluto TV’s SHOWTIME Selects and BELLATOR MMA channels.

As part of the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME, the network is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up atSHO.com/BellatorMMA.

The following fight replays are scheduled for the weeks ahead as fans prepare for the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME:

·       BELLATOR MMA 252: פּיטבולל ווס. קאַרוואַלהאָ- (Original air date 11/12/2020)

·BELLATOR MMA 251: מאַנהאָעף ווס. Anderson- (Original air date 11/05/2020)

·BELLATOR MMA 245: דייוויס ווס. Machida 2- (Original air date 09/11/2020)

·BELLATOR MMA 244: Bader vs. נעמקאָוו- (Original air date 08/21/2020)

·BELLATOR MMA 222: MacDonald vs. Gracie- (Original air date 06/14/2019)

·BELLATOR MMA 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch- (Original air date 04/27/2019)

·BELLATOR MMA 214: פעדער ווס. Bader- (Original air date 01/26/2019)

·BELLATOR MMA 186: Bader vs. וואַססעלל- (Original air date 11/03/2017)

·מער, two individual bouts from BELLATOR MMA 209: - (Original air date 11/16/2018)

  • BELLATOR MMA: Davis vs Nemkov
  • BELLATOR MMA: פּיטבולל ווס. סאַנטשעז

פֿאַר מער אינפֿאָרמאַציע וויזיטwww.bellator.com אָדערwww.SHO.com, follow on Twitter @BellatorMMA and @ShowtimeSportson Instagram @BellatorMMA and @ShoSports, אָדער ווערן אַ פאָכער אויף Facebook בייwww.Facebook.com/BellatorMMA.

באַאַמטער רעזולטאַטן & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 252: PITBULL VS. CARVALHO

COMPLETE EVENT PHOTOS HERE

COMPLETE POST-FIGHT VIDEO INTERVIEWS

בעללאַטאָר 252: פּיטבולל ווס. קאַרוואַלהאָ הויפּט קאַרד:
Patricio “Pitbull” (31-4) דיפיטיד Pedro Carvalho (11-4) דורך קאָ (זעץ) בייַ 2:10 פון קייַלעכיק איינער
Yaroslav Amosov (25-0) דיפיטיד Logan Storley (11-1) דורך שפּאַלטן באַשלוס (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
עממאַנועל סאַנטשעז (20-4) דיפיטיד דניאל וועיטשעל (40-12) דורך יונאַנאַמאַס באַשלוס (48-46, 49-46, 49-45)

פּרעלימינאַרי קאַרד:
אהרן פּיקאָ (7-3) דיפיטיד John de Jesus (13-9) דורך קאָ (זעץ) בייַ 4:12 פון קייַלעכיק צוויי
Keri Taylor Melendez (5-0) דיפיטיד Emilee King (4-4) דורך סאַבמישאַן (דערציען-נאַקעט שטיקער) בייַ 3:02 פון קייַלעכיק איינער
Manny Muro (12-6) דיפיטיד Devin פּאַואַל (10-5) דורך יונאַנאַמאַס באַשלוס (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Jornel Lugo (5-0) דיפיטיד Schyler Sootho (4-1) דורך יונאַנאַמאַס באַשלוס (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Lucas Brennan (4-0) דיפיטיד Andrew Salas (6-5) דורך יונאַנאַמאַס באַשלוס (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
Roman Faraldo (4-0) דיפיטיד Pat Casey (6-4) דורך (וואס) punches at 2:30 פון קייַלעכיק צוויי
Trevor Gudde (2-1) דיפיטיד Khonry Gracie (2-2) דורך טקאָ (קני) בייַ 3:28 פון קייַלעכיק דרייַ

ביטע באַזוכן Bellator.com פֿאַר נאך אינפֿאָרמאַציע.

BELLATOR MMA FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX RESUMES LIVE ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK BEGINNING NOV. 12

CHAMP PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ DEFENDS HIS TITLE IN QUARTERFINAL MATCHUP AGAINST PEDRO CARVALHO, WHILE DANIEL WEICHEL FACES EMMANUEL SANCHEZ

מער, DARRION CALDWELL MEETS UNDEFEATED AJ MCKEE IN SEMIFINALS ON NOV. 19



לאס אנדזשעלעס The Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix resumes Thursday, נאוועמבער. 12 with two quarterfinal matchups set to take place, as champ Patricio “Pitbull” (30-14) defends his title against Pedro Carvalho (11-3), ווייַלע דניאל וועיטשעל (40-11) און עממאַנועל סאַנטשעז (19-4) square off in a battle of former title contenders. אַדדיטיאָנאַללי, the first semifinal bout is set for Thursday, נאוועמבער. 19, when former titleholder דאַרריאָן קאָלדוועל (15-3) squares off with undefeated AJ McKee (16-0) for a spot in the tournament finals. All the action airs LIVE on קבס ספורט נעטוואָרק בייַ 7 פּ.ם. עט / 4 פּ.ם. PT from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, קאַן.

אין די הויפּט געשעעניש פון בעללאַטאָר 252 אויף נאוועמבער. 12, fans will see a featherweight world title bout with two-division Bellator champion Patricio “Pitbull” defending his 145-pound crown against SBG Ireland’s Carvalho. In addition to the five-round championship headliner, a second Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix quarterfinal will go down, as two former title challengers in Weichel and Sanchez meet again following a razor-thin split decision-victory for Weichel in 2016. The winners of these two bouts can expect to see each other in the next semifinal matchup.

די בעללאַטאָר 253 headliner on Nov. 19 sees former bantamweight world champion Caldwell go toe-to-toe with rising prospect McKee on the other side of the bracket in the first semifinal. The winner earns a guaranteed spot in the finals and a shot at the Bellator world title and a chance to take home one million dollars.

All three Featherweight World Grand Prix bouts were initially slated to take place at the postponed בעללאַטאָר 241 און בעללאַטאָר 244 events prior to the COVID-19 pandemic effectively putting the yearlong tournament on hiatus.

קבס ספורט נעטוואָרק וועט לופט בעללאַטאָר 252: פּיטבולל ווס. קאַרוואַלהאָ און בעללאַטאָר 253: Caldwell vs. מאַקי LIVE in all U.S. markets at 7 פּ.ם. עט / 4 פּ.ם. פּט, while preliminary matchups will stream on CBSSports.com and Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.

Hailing from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, two-time featherweight champ Patricio “Pitbull” will enter the Bellator cage for a promotional record 23rd time on Nov. 12. With impressive wins to his credit over Michael Chandler, דניאל סטראַוס (קס 3), דניאל וועיטשעל (x2) און פּאַט קורראַן, the 33-year old continues on in the Featherweight World Grand Prix not far removed from his lightweight championship victory in May of last year. Having earned a finish in 21 פון זיין 30 ווינס ווי אַ פאַכמאַן, the simultaneous two-division champion most recently bested current bantamweight champion Juan Archuleta on the scorecards in an exciting opening round World Grand Prix matchup and fans can certainly expect more fireworks when he finally sets his sights on Carvalho.

Portuguese submission specialist Pedro Carvalho will be entering the Bellator cage for just the fifth time in his eight-year professional career, looking for his seventh consecutive victory and his first world title victory. With victories in nine of his last 11 קאַנטעס, including against Derek Campos, דניאל Crawfordand a face crank-submission over Sam Sicilia in the opening round, the 25-year-old SBG Ireland-product is on the cusp of greatness – and winning the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix would be the perfect way to solidify it.

מיט איבער 50 professional fights to his name, Germany’s Daniel Weichel is ready to make his 2020 debut in a highly anticipated World Grand Prix quarterfinal bout with Sanchez, a fighter Weichel got the better of four years ago at בעללאַטאָר 159. Following his Bellator debut in 2014, “Drake” has enjoyed an impressive promotional mark of 9-3, including pivotal victories over Sanchez, פּאַט קורראַן, געאָרגי קאַראַכאַניאַן און Saul Rogers.

On the heels of yet another masterful performance that ended in a submission victory over Tywan Claxton in the opening round of the World Grand Prix, “El Matador” is ready for another title run as he prepares for the 50-fight veteran and the man who beat him once before, דניאל וועיטשעל. Since joining forces with Bellator in 2014, the Milwaukee, Wisc.-resident has collected 11 victories over a 14-fight stint, including key wins over the likes of Claxton, דניאל סטראַוס, Marcos Galvao and Georgi Karakhanyan (2רענטגענ).

Having needed just one round to put away his last opponent via submission in the quarterfinals of the World Grand Prix, Darrion Caldwell is on a mission to regain Bellator gold. “The Wolf,” a former North Carolina State University NCAA National Champion wrestler, has looked unstoppable since moving up to the featherweight division, having defeated Adam Borics, ווי געזונט ווי הענרי קאָרראַלעס in the opening round of the tournament. איצט, the former bantamweight champ sits only two victories away from holding a title in his second division – a feat very few athletes can claim.

Touted by עספּן as the best fighter in MMA under the age of 25, AJ McKee looks to back up the lofty expectations often held by the public for second generations-athletes. Undefeated in his career, “The Mercenary” has made himself known to the world through his flashy persona and trash talk, אָבער רובֿ ימפּאָרטאַנטלי, his work inside the Bellator cage. With every one of his pro bouts taking place with Bellator, the Long Beach-native can achieve what he set out to do beginning at בעללאַטאָר 146 אין 2015 and become world champion with just two more wins.

Also announced for בעללאַטאָר 252…is a third main card bout featuring the always-exciting אהרן פּיקאָ (6-3) of Jackson-Wink MMA Academy in Albuquerque, נ.מ., who returns for his second appearance inside Bellator’s “FightSphere, having previously defeated Solo Hatley Jr. in impressive fashion at בעללאַטאָר 242. He will take on Pittsburgh’s John de Jesus (13-8), who was most recently victorious at בעללאַטאָר 244 against Vladyslav Parubchenko, in what promises to an explosive featherweight contest.

For further information, ביטע באַזוכן Bellator.com.

דערהייַנטיקט בעללאַטאָר 252: פּיטבולל ווס. קאַרוואַלהאָ Fight Card:
קבס ספורט נעטוואָרק | DAZN
7 פּ.ם. און

Featherweight World Title Bout/FWGP Quarterfinal: Patricio “Pitbull” פריר (30-4) ווס. Pedro Carvalho (11-3)
Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal: דניאל וועיטשעל (40-11) ווס. עממאַנועל סאַנטשעז (19-4)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: אהרן פּיקאָ (6-3) ווס. John de Jesus (13-8)


דערהייַנטיקט בעללאַטאָר 253: Caldwell vs. מאַקי Fight Card:
קבס ספורט נעטוואָרק | DAZN
7 פּ.ם. און

Featherweight World Grand Prix Semifinal: דאַרריאָן קאָלדוועל (15-3) ווס. AJ McKee (16-0)


*Card subject to change.

UNDEFEATED ILIMA-LEI MACFARLANE RETURNS HOME TO HAWAII ON DEC. 21 FOR FLYWEIGHT TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST KATE JACKSON EXCLUSIVELY ON DAZN

מער, BELLATOR’S FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX CONTINUES AS UNDEFEATED A.J. MCKEE MEETS DEREK CAMPOS IN FIRST QUARTERFINAL MATCHUP

Tickets on sale next Friday, אקטאבער. 11



לאס אנדזשעלעס – For the second time in as many years, Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii will host the homecoming of ילימאַ-ליי מאַקפאַרלאַנע (10-0), as she puts her undefeated record and Bellator women’s flyweight title on the line against No. 1 קאַנטענדער Kate Jackson (11-3-1) in the main event on Saturday, דעצעמבער. 21, streamed exclusively on the DAZN app.



דערצו, Bellator Hawaii will feature the first quarterfinal matchup of Bellator’s Featherweight World Grand Prix, when the man with the longest winning streak in promotional history, אַ.דזש. מאַקי (15-0), takes on the always-exciting דערעק פיעלדס (20-9) in the evening’s co-headliner.



בעללאַטאָר: Macfarlane vs. Jackson – one of the star-powered, year-end highlights of fight season on DAZN – will stream live exclusively on DAZN בייַ 10 פּ.ם. עט / 7 פּ.ם. פּט, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com, DAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets go on sale next Friday, אקטאבער. 11 and can be purchased through Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com or the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena box office. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.



Born and raised in Honolulu, current Bellator women’s flyweight champ Macfarlane made her pro debut in 2015 with a KO victory that went viral and has not looked back since, remaining undefeated in her career. With impressive victories over Valerie Letourneau און וועטאַ Arteaga, Macfarlane was the focal point of Bellator’s debut in Hawaii last year. A proud graduate of Honolulu’s Punahou High School in 2009, Macfarlane later attended San Diego State University, where she would go on to earn her Master’s degree in liberal arts and science with a focus on indigenous issues – a subject she remains passionate about, launching “The Ilimanator Scholarship” for indigenous girls last year. Now Ilima-Lei turns her focus to Kate Jackson, who will be looking to play the role of spoiler when she enters the Bellator cage on December 21.



A winner of seven of her last eight fights, Kate Jackson has earned her way to a title shot against the division’s inaugural champion. A competitor on the 23rd season of די לעצט פייטער, Jackson hails from Lostwithiel, קאָרנוואָל, ענגלאַנד, and most recently defeated Lena Ovchynnikova אין לאָנדאָן. Jackson made her Bellator debut in 2017 with a first round-victory over of Colleen Schneider and would later go on to dominate Anastasia Yankova at historic בעללאַטאָר 200 in front of her hometown crowd. Facing the biggest test of her career, Jackson looks to reign atop the flyweight division when she leaves Hawaii.



With an undefeated professional record of 15-0, including six knockouts and eight first round finishes, there doesn’t seem to be much more for the talent-oozing 24-year-old to prove to the MMA community before his name is routinely mentioned among the division’s elite. Fighting out of Long Beach, קאַליף., “Mercenary” is fresh off of a jaw-dropping performance that saw him finish געאָרגי קאַראַכאַניאַן in only eight seconds just moments after watching his father, Antonio McKee, collect a knockout victory in what was the first ever father-son duo to compete on the same card in the US. With all 15 of his career wins coming under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion, the Team BodyShop product has made it clear that he has his sights on Patricio “Pitbull” and his 145-pound belt, as he continues to build a strong argument as the new face of Bellator. Constantly looking for new records to break, McKee may have found the perfect match in Campos, as the two brawlers have combined for a remarkable 22 finishes over 36 קאַריערע וויקטאָריעס.



Fighting out of Lubbock, טעקסאַס, Campos will be competing in the first of the four quarterfinal matchups in Bellator’s Featherweight World Grand Prix, following a decisive victory over former featherweight world champion דניאל סטראַוס בייַ בעללאַטאָר 226 this past September. The 31-year-old knockout artist is ready to build on his impressive professional record of 20-9, when he takes on undefeated superstar McKee on December 21. Always ready to trade blows, the heavy-handed veteran has spent much of his time competing in Bellator’s lightweight and welterweight divisions over the past six years of his career. איצט, “The Stallion” hopes to continue his impressive surge in the 145-pound class, as he prepares to go toe-to-toe with one of the most dangerous featherweights in the world. With a shot at one million dollars on the line, Campos will rely on his fearless fighting style and sound wrestling background if he wants to advance in what many have pinned as one of the most anticipated matchups in the second round.



Bellator Hawaii: Macfarlane vs. זשעקסאן הויפּט קאַרד:

Flyweight World Title Bout: ילימאַ-ליי מאַקפאַרלאַנע (10-0) ווס. Kate Jackson (11-3-1)

Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal Bout: אַ.דזש. מאַקי (15-0) ווס. דערעק פיעלדס (20-9)



*Card subject to change.



פֿאַר מער אינפֿאָרמאַציע, ביטע באַזוכן Bellator.com.