Tag Archives: Arlene Blencowe

Bellator, mixed martial arts

PRELIMINARY PORTION OF ‘BELLATOR MMA: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ FINALIZED WITH THE ADDITION OF FIVE PRELIMINARY BOUTS

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 3, 2015) – August 28th’s “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” is now complete with the addition of four new bouts which will take place during the preliminary card at the beautiful Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

In a critical lightweight matchup, Brent Primus (5-0) will put his undefeated record on the line against the dangerous Derek “The Barbaric” Anderson (12-1, 1 NC). Also on the card, middleweights AJ “The Mercenary” Matthews (7-3) versus Emiliano “He-Man” Sordi (13-4), as well as light heavyweights Ray Sloan (8-0), who goes to battle with Luc Bondole (4-1), and the young featherweight A.J. McKee (1-0) returns to face James Barnes (4-0). Finally, a third women’s bout has also been added, with the inclusion of Ilima Macfalane (1-0) against Maria Rios (2-2) in flyweight action.

The newly announced contests will stream on Spike.com at 7:45 p.m. ET during the preliminary portion of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which is followed by the main card, which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

Limited tickets for the event, which start at just $50, remain on sale now at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time.

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action that pits Saad Awad (18-6) against Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6). Opening the main card, Lorenzo Hood (9-2) will make his Bellator MMA debut against Raphael Butler (9-1-1).

 

San Diego’s Anderson will look to parlay his impressive technical knockout of Danny Navarro at Bellator 132 when he steps into the Bellator MMA cage for the second time in 2015. A product of Team Xplode MMA, the man fans describe as “The Barbaric” will be seeking his 12th finish in 14 tries.

 

Since joining the Bellator MMA fray in 2013, Primus has been on a tear, ripping through all three opponents with first-round finishes. Now, the 30-year-old Portland, Ore., native will face the stiffest test of his young career when he goes up against Anderson. Will he manage to keep his undefeated, first-round finish streak alive?

 

Known by most mixed martial arts fans as one of top up-and-coming 185-pound fighters on the Bellator MMA roster, Matthews emphatically solidified his contender role in the division with his show-stopping knockout of Kyle Bolt at Bellator 131 this past November. Known as “The Mercenary,” the Blackline MMA product and Strikeforce veteran will look to continue his rise to the top of the middleweight heap when he returns to action on Aug. 28.

 

Standing opposite of Matthews will be Sordi, who burst on the Bellator MMA scene with a 58-second submission of former UFC fighter Bubba McDaniel. The 24-year-old Argentinian has not tasted defeat since 2012 and has earned all 13 of his professional victories before reaching the judges’ scorecards.

 

Undefeated in eight fights, Sloan has entered Bellator MMA impressively, winning his first two tilts. The Oceanside, Calif., native trains out of Excel Jiu-Jitsu and has utilized the discipline to defeat seven out of eight opponents via submission.

 

Bondole is a highly regarded prospect, fighting out of Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, Calif., whos last outing resulted in a draw against Chris Hererra. Now, he will look to secure a win over Sloan on his own terms, and not let the judges have a say.

 

The son of respected MMA fighter Antonio McKee, “The Mercenary” will look to continue to pave his own way through the sport.  A.J. shined in his first outing, securing a first round rear-naked choke over Marcos Bonilla. He now faces a fellow Angelino in Barnes, who has been tearing up the Gladiator Challenge circuit, going 4-0 with two KO’s and two submissions, all taking place in the first round.

 

Best known for her viral performance in her professional MMA debut, Macfarlane will now make her first appearance for Bellator MMA when she faces Maria Rios.

“Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” – Friday, August 28, Pechanga Resort & Casino

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Melvin Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) vs. Brandon Girtz (11-4)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Patricky Pitbull (13-6) vs. Saad Awad (18-6)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Justin Wren (10-2) vs. Josh Burns (8-8)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Raphael Butler (9-1-1) vs. Lorenzo Hood (9-2)

Bellator Women’s Flyweight Prelim: Ilima Macfarlane (1-0) vs. Maria Rios (2-2)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim: A.J. McKee (1-0) vs. James Barnes (4-0)

Bellator Womens Featherweight Prelim: Adrienna Jenkins (18-6) vs. Lissette Neri (6-2)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim: Ray Sloan (8-0) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim: Johnny Cisneros (8-4) vs. Gabriel Miglioli (9-7)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim: Curtis Millender (7-2) vs. Steven Ciaccio (4-3)

Bellator Womens Featherweight Prelim: Marloes Coenen (22-6) vs. Arlene Blencowe (6-4)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim: Brent Primus (5-0) vs. Derek Anderson (12-1, 1 NC)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim: AJ Matthews (7-3) vs. Emiliano Sordi (13-4)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

FOUR PRELIMINARY BOUTS ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 141: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 22, 2015) – The preliminary portion of the “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” card is beginning to take shape with the addition of four fresh bouts which will stream live on Spike.com from the beautiful Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

At the forefront of the newly signed fights is a pair of women’s featherweight scraps with Marloes “Rumina” Coenen (22-6) vs. Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe(6-4) and Adrienna “AJ” Jenkins (18-6) vs. Lissette Neri (6-2), as well as welterweight action with Curtis Millender (7-2) facing Steven “Stryker” Ciacco(4-3) and Johnny “The Tattooed Terror” Cisneros (8-4) battling Gabriel “Biel” Miglioli (9-7).

The contests will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET during the preliminary card of “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which is followed by the main card, airing live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, are on sale now at Bellator.com, Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later.

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action when Saad Awad (18-6) takes on Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6). Opening the main card, Lorenzo Hood (9-2) will make his Bellator MMA debut against Raphael Butler (9-1-1).

 

Coenen will be returning to the Bellator MMA cage on the heels of third round rear-naked choke finish of Annalisa Bucci at Bellator 130. “Rumina” has been competing professionally since the year 2000 in promotions the likes of Strikeforce, Smackgirl, and Invicta Fighting Championships, winning a title under Bellator President Scott Coker in the process. The Dutch competitor wants nothing more than to eventually add a Bellator belt to her mantel in the near future.

 

Standing in the way will be former World Boxing Federation titlist Arlene Blencowe, who is also riding high after an impressive stoppage of “AJ” Jenkins at Bellator 137. Popularly known as “Angerfist,” the 32-year-old Australian has not suffered defeat since 2013 and has avoided the judges’ scorecards in four of her six professional victories. This tilt has 145-pound title implications written all over it.

 

In the second women’s featherweight matchup on the card, the aforementioned “A.J.” Jenkins will attempt to get back in the win column when she faces a surging Lissette Neri, who has started off her 2015 with an undefeated record.

 

After prominent roles on the main card of both Bellator 134 and Bellator 137, Millender will look to get back to his winning ways when he faces Jackson on August 28. “Curtious” hails from San Bernardino, Calif., and has an unquestionable amount of talent and size at his disposal and will play the role of spoiler when his “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz” opponent makes his debut.

 

With the nickname “Stryker,” it goes without saying that Steven Ciaccio has an affinity for helping his opponents find the canvas. The Irvine, Calif., native has slept his foe in three out of four wins and will be taking a significant step up in competition when he makes his Bellator MMA debut on Aug. 28.

 

The fourth preliminary bout will take place in the welterweight division, when Johnny Cisneros meets Gabriel Miglioli. “The Tattooed Terror” will be competing for the third time under the Bellator MMA umbrella and will likely have plenty of hometown support from his fellow citizens in Laguna Nigel, Calif. Hailing from Brazil, Miglioli has competed against the likes of Al Iaquinta and Rafael dos Anjos. “Biel” will be fighting for the second time in 2015.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

Brandon Halsey Defeats Kendall Grove Via Technical Knockout   Vacates Bellator Middleweight Title Due To Missing Weight

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All photos by: Bellator MMA/Eric Coleman

TEMECULA, Calif. (May 15, 2015) – While Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-0) can no longer say he’s Bellator MMA’s Middleweight World Champion, he’s still managed to show his talent with a one-sided destruction of proven veteran Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-15).

 

The contest served as the feature main event of Friday’s “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” card at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

 

Halsey nearly finished the fight in the early going, moving to an arm-triangle choke that would have finished a lesser opponent, but Grove somehow battled through the effort. Still, it was a one-sided round for the former champ.

 

Grove was able to avoid such a precarious position in the second, but he was still forced to be on the defensive throughout most of the frame. With a high-paced wrestling attack, Halsey simply pushed his way to the floor and enjoyed top position for almost the entirety of the round.

 

The pattern continued as the fight wore on, with Halsey simply overpowering his opponent and constantly earning himself the dominant position. Grove briefly threatened with an armbar in the fourth frame, but Halsey simply yanked his limb free and pounded away with punches shortly after until he earned the TKO win at the 2:25 mark of the frame.

 

The undefeated Halsey, who was stripped of the Bellator MMA Middleweight World Title for failing to make weight, will look to again earn the belt in his next appearance.

 

“I was my own worst enemy. It was how I performed. He didn’t throw anything at me that I wasn’t ready for. I was just trying to tough through the injury. I had to tough it out and come out with the victory,” Halsey said.

 

“Obviously, you want to be as dominant as possible. I just felt like I couldn’t explode through my combinations or explode through the fight and finish how I wanted to. But like I said, you’ve got to deal with adversity, and I did it the best I could,” Halsey continued.

 

“I learned my lesson. I thank Bellator. I apologize to the commission. It’s unprofessional not to make weight. No excuses, but anybody knows that it’s hard to cut weight with an injury. The belt’s just a decoration, so I’m still the champ in my eyes. No one has taken the belt from me.”

 

In the night’s co-main event, former Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4), of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took a step toward another shot at the title with a hard-fought decision victory over the hard-hitting Mike “The Marine” Richman, of Rose Mount, Minn.

 

While Richman showed excellent takedown defense throughout the 15-minute affair, Dantas’ work rate helped him earn the favor of the judges. Constantly pressing and looking to bring the fight to the floor, Dantas was able to just edge out Richman on the cards, 29-28 according to all three officials.

 

“I went out there and fought the way I trained to fight,” Dantas said after the win. “I knew Mike Richman was going to come with everything, but I wanted to win this fight and get back to the title. The only fight that makes sense next is for the title.

 

In a welterweight contest, Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (24-13), of Menifee, Calif., scored a thrilling, come-from-behind victory over “Curtious” Curtis Millender (7-2), of San Bernardino, Calif.

 

With Millender enjoying a six-inch height advantage, the smaller Gonzalez struggled to score points in the first two rounds. But when the fight hit the floor in the third, Gonzalez latched onto a guillotine choke and earned a tap from his opponent at the 1:14 of the final round.

 

“I’m 4-0 right now,” Gonzalez said after the win. “That’s one step closer to the title, and I’m excited to get in there and mix it up with whoever is next.”

 

With the result, Gonzalez now boasts four-straight Bellator MMA victories and put himself in line for a potential shot at the promotion’s Welterweight Title.

 

In the night’s first main-card matchup, undefeated prospect Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (7-0), of Rahway, N.J., used a superior wrestling game to outwork more experienced opponent Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-5), of Lajes, Brazil, en route a unanimous-decision victory.

 

With Caldwell scoring takedowns throughout the matchup, Silva looked for submissions when available, but he simply couldn’t find the necessary hold to work past his opponent’s defense. Instead, Caldwell kept his pressure high, and judges awarded him the fight, 29-28 on all three cards.

 

After the victory, Caldwell made it clear he’s clearing his way to a shot at the Bellator MMA World Title.

 

“I don’t think there are any fighters out there as explosive as me at 135 pounds, or as fast,” Caldwell said. “Eventually, I’ll be able to prove that.”

 

In the night’s final preliminary bout, Guam’s Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1) scored a third-round knockout of Mexico’s Antonio Duarte (18-6).

 

Additionally, featherweight prospect Jordan Parsons (11-1), of San Diego, Calif., earned a third-round decision win over the previously undefeated Brazilian Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-1).

 

In a light heavyweight contest, Virgil Zwicker (14-4-1), of Temecula, Calif., earned a first-round knockout win over Razak Al-Hassan (12-5), of Milwaukee, Wisc.

 

And in the night’s first fight, Ricky “The Sniper” Rainey (11-3), of Gastonia, N.C., earned a second-round knockout win over Jessie Juarez (22-10), of Torrance, Calif.

 

Brandon Halsey (9-0) def. Kendall Grove (21-15)

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Eduardo Dantas (17-4) def. Mike Richman (18-6 )

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Fernando Gonzalez (24-14) def. Curtis Millender (7-2)

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Darrion Caldwell (7-0) def. Rafael Silva (22-5)

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About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA 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.

 

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN RESULTS, PHOTOS AND INFORMATION FROM “BELLATOR: HALSEY VS. GROVE”

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TEMECULA, Calif. (May 14, 2015) – All twenty-six athletes competing at tomorrow’s “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” event were happy to rehydrate after stepping on the scales at today’s official weigh-in, which took place at the Cabaret Theatre inside the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif.

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT, features a main event between Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) and well-respected veteran Kendall “Da Spyda” Grove (21-14). The incumbent champion failed to hit the required mark of 185-pounds. As a result, Grove is the only fighter who can leave the event as the champion, if Halsey does manage to win, he will be forced to vacate the belt.

In the co-main event, a bantamweight battle will go on as planned between former 135-pound champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas(16-4) and a streaking Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), despite Richman missing weight.

In a critical welterweight battle between two hometown fighters, Cinderella Man Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) looks to continue his hot streak against a young Curtis “Curtious” Millender (7-1).

In the opening televised bout of the evening, one of MMA’s most promising prospects Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0), looks to keep his record unblemished against a tough Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4), who has only suffered one defeat in his last 15 bouts

CLICK HERE FOR ALL WEIGH-IN PHOTOS

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (188.1 lbs.) vs. Kendall Grove (184.9 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (135.2 lbs.) vs. Mike Richman (139.8 lbs.)

 

Bellator Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (170.9 lbs.) vs. Curtis Millender (170.8 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (135.7 lbs.) vs. Rafael Silva (135.7 lbs.)

 

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Fight: Benji Radach (186 lbs.) vs. Ben Reiter (186 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: Joe Taimanglo (136.2 lbs.) vs. Antonio Duarte (135.1 lbs.)

 

Bellator Featherweight Fight: Jordan Parsons (145.5 lbs.) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (146 lbs.)

 

Bellator Light Heavyweight Fight: Virgil Zwicker (206.7 lbs.) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (205.6 lbs.)

 

Bellator Welterweight Fight: Jesse Juarez (171 lbs.) vs. Ricky Rainey (170.7 lbs.)

 

Bellator Featherweight Fight: A.J. Jenkins (146 lbs.) vs. Arlene Blencowe (145.8 lbs.)

 

Bellator Lightweight Fight: Steve Kozola (155.8 lbs.) vs. Ian Butler (155.2 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: Shawn Bunch (135.4 lbs.) vs. Rolando Perez (135.3 lbs.)

 

Bellator Bantamweight Fight: John Yoo (135.4 lbs.) vs. Albert Morales (134.4 lbs.)

 

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA 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, Spike TV

Veteran knockout artist Benji “The Razor” Radach returns to the cage to face Ben Reiter at “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove”

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EASY TWEET: Hard-hitting MMA vet @benjyradach returns to face undefeated former @PennWrestling star @BenReiterMMA May 15 #Bellator

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 7, 2015) – One of MMA’s hardest-hitting pioneers will return to action for the first time since 2010, as Benji “The Razor” Radach(21-6) has agreed to replace an injured A.J. Matthews (7-3) in a middleweight preliminary fight against Ben “The Hunter” Reiter (15-0-1).

 

The new addition again finalizes a full nine-bout preliminary card scheduled in support of four main-card contests at “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove.”

 

The night’s featured matchups include undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1) and bantamweights Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4).

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

 

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 45 minutes later.

 

Fighting professionally since 2001, Radach fought for many of MMA’s biggest promotions, including Strikeforce, EliteXC, the International Fight League and the UFC. Seventeen of Radach’s 21 career wins have come by knockout, and he makes no secret of his intentions when he enters the cage. Boasting past clashed with MMA notables such as Brian Foster, Gerald Harris, Matt Horwich, Chris Leben, Gustavo Machado, Murilo “Ninja” Rua and Scott Smith, among others, Radach put his fighting career on hold in 2010, as he addressed a variety of nagging injuries. Now fully recovered, Radach looks to make a successful return to action.

 

Radach now meets a top undefeated prospect and former UPenn wrestling star Reiter, who fights for the second time under the Bellator MMA banner after spending much of his early career in Peru.

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” – Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael Silva (22-4)

 

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Benji Radach (21-6) vs. Ben Reiter (14-0)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

 

Dark Bouts (approx. 11 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert Morales (1-0)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Shawn Bunch (3-1) vs. Rolando Perez (7-4)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Steve Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene Blencowe (5-4)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

“Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” finalizes action-packed 13-fight lineup with additions of A.J. Jenkins vs. Arlene Blencowe, Shawn Bunch vs. Rolando Perez and John Yoo vs. Albert Morales

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 16, 2015) – A thrilling 13-bout lineup for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” is now complete with the addition of women’s featherweights A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe (5-4), bantamweights Shawn “Bunch the Great” Bunch (3-1) vs.Rolando Perez (7-4) and John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert “The Warrior” Morales (1-0) to the evening’s preliminary card.

 

The three new additions finalize a nine-fight preliminary card scheduled in support of “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” four main card contests.

 

The night’s featured matchups include undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1) and bantamweightsDarrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4).

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

 

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 45 minutes later.

 

Jenkins, of Oceanside, Calif., is one of the most experienced competitors in women’s MMA. Fighting professionally since 2004, Jenkins now makes her Bellator MMA debut. The 33-year-old boasts past tussles with MMA notables Shayna Baszler, Tonya Evinger, Jan Finney, Kelly Kobold and Sarah Schneider, among others.

 

An Australian native, Blencowe is a world-class athlete and former Women’s International Boxing Association World light welterweight champion. After turning her attention to MMA in 2013, Blencowe initially garnered only mixed results as she adjusted to life in the sport. However, she has racked up three-consecutive stoppage wins as of late, and that run earned her a call from Bellator MMA.

 

Bunch is one of MMA’s most elite-level wrestlers as a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and two-time U.S. Olympic Team alternate. He now trains with the famed American Kickboxing Academy banner and has spent his entire professional MMA career under the Bellator MMA banner.

 

Meanwhile, Alliance MMA product Perez is a 10-year veteran of the sport who made his Bellator MMA in November and fought to a rarely-seen split draw. Still, Perez is unbeaten in his past four contests and now looks to get his first win in the promotion.

 

Yoo, of Irvine, Calif., makes his professional debut. He meets Morales, of Carson, Calif., who picked up a submission victory in the Bellator cage in his first professional contest.

 

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” – Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)

Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael Silva (22-4)

 

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: A.J. Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben Reiter (14-0)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

 

Dark Fights (approx. 11 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert Morales (1-0)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Shawn Bunch (3-1) vs. Rolando Perez (7-4)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Steve Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene Blencowe (5-4)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV, women's MMA

Bellator MMA continues to grow women’s featherweight roster with Roberta “Crusher” Paim, Alexis “Sneaky Zebra” Dufresne and Iony Razafiarison

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 12, 2015) – Bellator MMA remains committed to developing the top women’s featherweight division in mixed martial arts, and the latest additions to the company’s roster include Roberta “Crusher” Paim (4-0), Alexis “Sneaky Zebra” Dufresne (5-2) and Iony Razafiarison (2-0).

 

Debut dates and opponents will be announced for all three fighters in the near future.

Paim, Dufresne and Razafiarison join Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe (5-4), Julia “The Jewell” Budd (7-2),Marloes “Rumina” Coenen (22-6), Holly “Lil Bear” Lawson (0-1) and Talita “Treta” Nogueira (6-0) on the Bellator MMA women’s featherweight roster.

“We’re proud to be bringing these three talented athletes to our women’s featherweight division,” said Bellator President Scott Coker.  “I see several potential matchups that would make for some great fights.  We will continue to build and support the premiere women’s featherweight division in MMA.”

A native of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, the 5-foot-6 Paim is undefeated through the first four contests of her professional career. While comfortable in the submission game, the powerful Paim has used a strong striking game to end fights, as well. Fighting exclusively in her native country thus far, Paim has yet to find a single opponent capable of lasting past the opening round, as she has taken home first-round finishes in each of her appearances to date.

The 24-year-old Dufresne is a Team Quest fighter and five-time International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation world champion. Dufresne turned her attention to mixed martial arts in 2012 and rattled off five consecutive wins to start her career – all five results coming in the opening round and averaging just under 77 seconds in length. More recently, Dufresne dropped a pair of hard-fought decisions while making a run at 135 pounds but now returns to her more natural weight class of 145 pounds for her Bellator MMA debut.

Razafiarison is a French export who has notched victories in her first two professional contests. The 30-year-old Razafiarison, a grappling specialist who has trained in camps all over the world, fought most recently in January, when she earned a decision win over Sandra Ameziane. In her professional debut, Razafiarison scored a first-round submission.

 

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA 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.

 

About Spike TV:

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