Tag Archives: Bellator

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Phil Davis vs. Yoel Romero set to headline BELLATOR 266 on Sat., Sept. 18

August 15, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

**FORMER BELLATOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION PHIL DAVIS CHALLENGES OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST YOEL ROMERO IN MAIN EVENT OF *BELLATOR MMA 266* INSIDE THE SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE ON SATURDAY, SEPT. 18**

***Special Night of Combat Sports on SHOWTIME begins with World Title Unification Boxing Event Live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT Immediately Followed by BELLATOR 266***

LOS ANGELES – A pair of elite mixed martial artists will meet in the main event of BELLATOR MMA 266 on Saturday, Sept. 18 inside the SAP Center at San Jose when former 205-pound champion and No. 3 ranked Phil Davis (22-6) welcomes MMA superstar Yoel Romero (13-5) to the promotion.

In addition, a women’s flyweight contest between former title challenger #5-Alejandra Lara (9-4) and DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1) that was originally slated for next week’s BELLATOR MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov event in South Dakota has been re-booked for Sept. 18.

A pair of preliminary bouts have also been announced for BELLATOR’s return to San Jose, highlighted by the Bay Area’s own No. 10 ranked lightweight Adam Piccolotti (12-4) welcoming the hard-hitting Englishman Saul Rogers (14-4) back to the division after competing at featherweight his past four outings. Also, undefeated light heavyweight Grant Neal (6-0) returns to action against former LFA light heavyweight champion Alex Polizzi (7-1).

BELLATOR 266 will be the second half of a special combat sports doubleheader on SHOWTIME. The night will begin with SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT featuring a super bantamweight world championship unification bout between Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton Jr. The two unbeaten 122-pound titlists will meet in Las Vegas immediately before the live BELLATOR 266 telecast begins in San Jose.

The preliminary portion of the docket will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.

An exclusive online presale for this event takes place starting Wednesday, August 18 with tickets going on sale to the general public Thursday, August 19 at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

Hailing from Harrisburg, Penn., “Mr. Wonderful” will step into the BELLATOR cage for the 14^thtime in his career, searching for his 10^th promotional victory. The former BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Champion is looking to make another run at the 205-pound strap, following victories in three of his past four bouts, including a pair of knockouts over Liam McGeary and Karl Albrektsson. A four-time NCAA Division-I All-American wrestler at Penn State University, Davis has proven time and time again that there are few fighters that can hold their own once he gets them to the ground.

Fighting out of Miami, Romero will be making his highly anticipated BELLATOR debut on Sept. 18. Following a seven-year stint under the direction of the UFC, the American Top Team-product became one of the most sought-after free agents prior to signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion in December 2020. With 11 of his 13 career victories coming by way of knockout, including four of the first-round variety, “Soldier of God” possesses the type of knockout power that can force any opponent into early retirement. A three-time World Cup Freestyle Wrestling Champion, five-time Pan-American Freestyle Wrestling Champion, and 2000 Olympics Freestyle Wrestling Silver Medalist, the Cuban-born Romero has continuously showcased his elite talents at the highest level of competition. The only missing trophy to a near-flawless legacy is a BELLATOR world title.

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Fri. Aug. 13 // BELLATOR 264: Mousasi vs. Salter // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, CT

Fri. Aug. 20 // BELLATOR 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov //Sanford Pentagon // Sioux Falls, SD

Sat. Sept. 18 // BELLATOR 266: Davis vs. Romero //SAP Center // San Jose, CA

Fri. Oct. 1 // BELLATOR 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 //The SSE Arena, Wembley // London, England

Sat. Oct. 16 // BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals // Footprint Center // Phoenix, AZ

Sat. Oct. 23 // BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson // VTB Arena // Moscow, Russia

****

BELLATOR MMA 266: Davis vs. Romero Main Card:

SHOWTIME

Light Heavyweight Main Event: #3-Phil Davis (22-6) vs. Yoel Romero (13-5)

Flyweight Bout: #5-Alejandra Lara (9-4) and DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1)

Preliminary Card:

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

Lightweight Bout: #10–Adam Piccolotti (12-4) vs. Saul Rogers (14-4)

Light Heavyweight Bout: #7-Grant Neal (6-0) vs. Alex Polizzi (7-1)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. 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 Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Roku®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers at Showtime.com. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia, Showtime

FEDOR EMELIANENKO SET TO MEET TIM JOHNSON AT MOSCOW’S VTB ARENA ON OCT. 23 IN MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR MOSCOW: FEDOR VS. JOHNSON

August 6, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Description automatically generated with medium confidence — **LOS ANGELES** – BELLATOR MMA announced this morning that the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all-time, **Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko** (39-6, 1 NC) will take on number two ranked heavyweight **Tim Johnson (**15-7) in the main event of *BELLATOR Moscow: Fedor vs. Johnson* on Saturday, Oct. 23 at the VTB Arena.

Tickets for the highly anticipated event are on sale now and can be purchased at Kassir.ru. Additional matchups and SHOWTIME telecast details will be revealed soon.

Widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, **Fedor Emelianenko** returns to the BELLATOR cage for the first time since his dominant first-round TKO victory over **Quinton “Rampage” Jackson** in 2019. With an illustrious career that has seen him earn 30 stoppages in his 39 victories over legendary opposition, the former PRIDE FC Heavyweight World Champion will be fighting in his home country of Russia for the first time in five years. A four-time combat sambo world champion, “The Last Emperor” put together an insane eight-year unbeaten streak on his way to becoming an international MMA icon. Emelianenko has established Team Fedor, which features several top Russian fighters including BELLATOR’s Light Heavyweight World Champion Vadim Nemkov and BELLATOR’s Interim Heavyweight Champion Valentin Moldavsky. With his last three victories coming by way of first-round finish, Fedor is looking to add another exciting chapter to his storied fighting career on October 23.

2020 was a huge year for Johnson, as the UFC vet notched three wins in as many fights with impressive first-round finishes over **Matt Mitrione** and **Tyrell Fortune** and a decision victory over **Cheick Kongo** during the historic, first-ever major MMA event in France. The Xtreme Couture-product showed that he’s got the skill and stamina for championship rounds as he went the full five with Team Fedor’s **Valentin Modlavsky** (11-1) this past June. Proudly hailing from North Dakota, Johnson is a current member of the United States National Guard who won two national championships while wrestling at Minnesota State University.

**Updated *BELLATOR Moscow: Fedor vs. Johnson* Card:**

*Heavyweight Main Event:* **Fedor Emelianenko** (39-6, 1 NC) vs. #2-**Tim Johnson** (15-7)

****

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Resumes With Semifinals at Footprint Center in Phoenix October 16

August 6, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

Light Heavyweight World Champion Vadim Nemkov Set To Defend Title Against ‘Rumble’ Johnson, While Ryan Bader Goes Toe-To-Toe With Corey Anderson Live on SHOWTIME^®at 10 P.M. ET/7 P.M. PT

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Description automatically generated with medium confidence

LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA’s massive second half of 2021 keeps rolling on Saturday, October 16, when both of the high-profile semifinal matchups for the Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix take place at the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. Light heavyweight kingpin Vadim Nemkov (14-2) defends his world championship against No. 4 ranked Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (23-6), while current BELLATOR Heavyweight World Champion Ryan Bader (28-6) facesNo. 2-ranked light heavyweight Corey Anderson (15-5) in the co-main event.

BELLATOR MMA: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals will be televised live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The preliminary fights will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Additional bouts and ticket information will be announced at a later date.

Team Fedor’s Vadim Nemkov looks to remain BELLATOR 205-pound champion on September 25, further cementing his status as the best light heavyweight fighter on the planet. In his last outing, Nemkov went five hard rounds with former champion Phil Davis, earning a unanimous decision victory en route to punching his ticket to the semifinals. Should Nemkov defend his belt again and move on to the grand prix final, between Davis—a wrestler by trade—and the power-punching “Rumble,” Nemkov will have showcased his full repertoire as a mixed martial artist in the tournament. Nemkov has been perfect in BELLATOR to this point, winning all six of his contests including three knockouts and a submission.

“Rumble” Johnsonmade his BELLATOR MMA debut in the opening round of the grand prix, engaging in a back-and-forth affair with Jose Augusto before notching another signature “Rumble” knockout in the second round. With the victory, the 37-year-old made it clear his time away from the sport has not slowed him down, and with wins over the likes of Glover Teixeira, Alexander Gustafsson, Phil Davis and current BELLATOR heavyweight champion Ryan Bader, “Rumble” remains one of the most imposing forces in the entire sport.

A winner in eight of his last ten bouts, Arizona State University’s “Darth” Bader will have a home game as he looks to keep the ball rolling when he steps into the BELLATOR cage for the ninth time, on the road to re-capturing the 205-pound belt he once held. Bader—despite his participation in the Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix—remains the BELLATOR Heavyweight Champion, a title he plans on unifying with the interim-champ Valentin Moldavksy following the conclusion of the 205-pound tournament. Bader’s storied career has earned him the moniker of a legend slayer, with wins over all-time greats like Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Rashad Evans, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Corey Anderson has made an excellent impression since his arrival in BELLATOR, reeling off two dominant victories over the likes of veteran Melvin Manhoef and former ACA Champion Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, both ending via TKO. The Rockton, Ill. product came to the promotion boasting an already impressive resumé, previously triumphing over Johnny Walker, Glover Teixeira and Jan Błachowicz amongst others. Anderson’s fight with Bader, his third under the BELLATOR banner, will be his first with the promotion while fans are in attendance.

BELLATOR MMA fans who are new subscribers to the SHOWTIME streaming service can sign up now for a limited time offer which includes 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 at SHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 and beyond, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.

BELLATOR MMA: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals Main Card:

SHOWTIME

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Light Heavyweight World Title Main Event: C-Vadim Nemkov (14-2) vs. #4-Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (25-0)

Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinal Bout: #1-Ryan Bader (28-6) vs. #2-Corey Anderson (15-5)

Preliminary Card:

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

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global 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 events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. 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 Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME^®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ and FLIX^®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV^®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR ANNOUNCES BLOCKBUSTER EVENT FOR THEIR RETURN TO LONDON FRIDAY, OCT. 1

August 6, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY

LONDON, UK – Today, BELLATOR MMA announced it will be returning to The SSE Arena, Wembley in London on Friday, October 1, with BELLATOR London, a card headlined by a must-see rematch between No. 1 ranked Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (32-9) and No. 2 ranked Michael “Venom” Page (19-1).

Fans in attendance at The SSE Arena, Wembley and those tuning in from around the world can expect an explosive night of elite MMA action in the capital, with two of the world’s best welterweights going toe-to-toe in a high-stakes match-up. Lima and Page will be putting everything on the line in pursuit of a win, with the fighter who emerges victorious booking themselves a fast-track ticket to a title shot against newly crowned welterweight champion, Yaroslav Amosov.

For the first time since February 2020, BELLATOR MMA fans in Europe will be able to fill the arena for the event that features a showcase of top international and homegrown athletes.

Tickets for BELLATOR London: Lima vs. MVP 2 go on sale on Friday, July 30, with a special pre-sale Thursday, July 29 and can be purchased online from axs.com/uk and BELLATOR.com.

The BELLATOR London main card action will kick off at 9 p.m. BST/4 p.m. ET, while the preliminary card begins at 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET. BELLATOR fans can watch the event live on SHOWTIME (US), BBC iPlayer (UK), as well as both Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media Sport (Ireland).

Lima and Page first met inside the BELLATOR Cage in May 2019 at BELLATOR 221 in the semifinals of BELLATOR’s Welterweight World Grand Prix. After an even first round, Lima sent Page to the canvas with a sweeping leg kick, which he then followed up with a spectacular punch and ground and pound strikes to finish the fight.

Lima will be looking to cause an upset for the hometown faithful and stop Page for a second time, denying the Londoner his chance for gold, and earning himself an immediate shot at recapturing the welterweight title which he lost to Yaroslav Amosov via unanimous decision in June of this year.

“MVP has put together an impressive string of wins together, but when he gets back in the cage with me, the end result is going to be the same as the first time,” said Lima. “Right now, I’m on a mission to put the BELLATOR belt back around my waist. Anyone standing in my way will be dismantled.”

Widely regarded as the poster boy of MMA in the UK, Londoner Michael “Venom” Page, or ‘MVP’ as he is known to his fans, will step into the BELLATOR cage fresh off the back of his spectacular first round TKO victory over Derek “The Barbaric” Anderson this past May. Currently riding a five-fight win streak full of highlight real knockouts, the only defeat on Page’s MMA record to date came at the hands of Lima, a loss that he is hungry to avenge.

“The comeback is always bigger than the setback. It was always gonna happen, it’s written in the stars,” said Page. “The one and only MVP is back, and I will have my redemption in front of my hometown the only way I know how – in venomous style.”

The current fight card is available below with additional bouts to be announced in the coming weeks.

BELLATOR London: Lima vs. MVP 2 MainCard:

SHOWTIME (US) / BBC iPlayer (UK) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)

Friday, October 1 – 9 p.m. BST/4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT

Welterweight Main Event: #1-Douglas Lima (32-9) vs. #2-Michael Page (19-1)

Featherweight Bout: Robert Whiteford (16-4))vs. Andrew Fisher (18-8-1

Lightweight Bout: Yves Landu (16-8) vs. Tim Wilde (13-4)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Luke Trainer (4-0) vs. Yannick Bahati (9-5)

Preliminary Card:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV (US)

BBC iPlayer (UK) | Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)

5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT

Welterweight Bout: Lewis Long (18-6) vs. Uros Jurisic (11-1)

Lightweight Bout: Kane Mousah (13-3) vs. Davy Gallon (18-7-2)

Flyweight Bout: Lucie Bertaud (3-2) vs. Elina Kallionidou (7-4)

Lightweight Bout: Charlie Leary (17-11-1) vs. Gavin Hughes (10-2)

Featherweight Bout: Fabacary Diatta (7-0)vs. Nathan Rose (7-3)

Bantamweight Bout: Khurshed Kakhorov (7-0) vs. Mike Ekundayo (8-1)

*Card subject to change

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Cheick Kongo Set to Rumble With Sergei Kharitonov in Heavyweight Main Event of BELLATOR MMA 265 on Aug. 20 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD

July 21, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Description automatically generated — **LOS ANGELES –** Today, BELLATOR officials confirmed a must-see main event pitting hard-hitting heavyweights **Cheick Kongo** (30-11-2) and **Sergei Kharitonov** (32-8) against one another tops *BELLATOR MMA 265* on Friday, August 20 from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. and airs live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The card has also confirmed top featherweights No. 3 **Adam Borics** (17-1) and No. 4 **Jay-Jay Wilson** (8-0) will meet for the right to face the winner of the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix Final between **Patricio “Pitbull”** (32-4) and **AJ McKee** (17-0), which takes place on Saturday, July 31.

Tickets for the event go on sale this Thursday at 10 a.m. CT and are available at Sanford Pentagon Box Office & Ticketmaster.

The preliminary portion of *BELLATOR MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov* currentlyfeatures a flyweight bout pitting No.5-ranked **Alejandra Lara** (9-4) against **DeAnna Bennett** (10-7-1) and willbegin at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT and stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Additional preliminary bouts will be announced in the near future.

Holding an impressive MMA record of 30-11-2, 1 NC, No. 3-ranked Cheick Kongo returns to action for the first time since headlining the first-ever major MMA event in his native France last October. The former kickboxer remains a force to be reckoned with and holds records for the most fights (16) and wins (12) in BELLATOR heavyweight history. With high-profile victories over **Vitaly Minakov**, Mirko Cro Cop, Antoni Hardonk, and Matt Mitrione, the Parisian is keen to pad his current promotional records, set new ones, and earn his shot at BELLATOR gold.

The man nicknamed “The Paratrooper,” Kharitonov is the owner of an equally notable MMA resume, with the Russian scoring vicious wins against some of the sport’s marquee names, such as Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Pedro Rizzo, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Matt Mitrione, and Alistair Overeem. Now, fresh off two championship victories on the regional circuit, Kharitonov returns to the BELLATOR cage with the intention of climbing the heavyweight rankings and asserting himself as a BELLATOR title contender.

28-year-old Hungarian Adam “The Kid” Borics has won 17 of 18 fights to begin his professional career, bouncing back from his only loss with three straight victories. Training out of South Florida’s Sanford MMA gym, Borics has firmly established himself as a true threat to anyone in the 145-pound division, where he is currently ranked third.

Undefeated in his first eight fights as a professional, New Zealand’s Wilson has won in style, accumulating six finishes in those eight wins. Following a split decision win against Tywan Claxton, Wilson scored a violent knockout of Sergio DeBari, then followed that victory up with an equally vicious spinning backfist stoppage over SBG’s Pedro Carvalho in April. The Kiwi fighter will be looking to secure a high-stakes victory over Borics with a world title shot awaiting the winner.

# # #

*BELLATOR MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov* Main Card:
**SHOWTIME**
Friday, August 20 – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

*Heavyweight Main Event: #3-***Cheick Kongo** (30-11-2) vs. **Sergei Kharitonov** (32-8)
*Featherweight No. 1 Contender’s Bout: #3-***Adam Borics** (17-1) vs. #4-**Jay-Jay Wilson** (8-0)

**Preliminary Card:**
**BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV**
6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT

*Flyweight Bout: #5-***Alejandra Lara** (9-4) vs. **DeAnna Bennett** (10-7-1)

For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, visit BELLATOR.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Official Fight Night Results, Quotes & Photos for BELLATOR MMA 262: Velasquez vs. Kielholtz

July 21, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

A group of people in a wrestling ring

Description automatically generated with low confidence — **COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS HERE – (PLEASE CREDIT: BELLATOR MMA / LUCAS NOONAN)**

**POST-FIGHT VIDEO INTERVIEWS HERE**

C-**Juliana Velasquez** (12-0) defeated #3-**Denise Kielholtz** (6-3) via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)

***Juliana Velasquez:***
“I think I would be clinching a bit more, her striking didn’t surprise me, but I felt that I did enough to retain the title.”

“I beat her with my jab, if you look at her face, it’s messed up, if you look at mine, my face is fine. I think people in the audience favor her because she has a kickboxing style and I counter, but I think it was my boxing that was the difference tonight.”

“When I come in here, I don’t think of myself as a champion, I think of myself as someone who needs to earn the belt and tonight I felt that I did that.”

#5–**Tyrell Fortune** (11-1, 1 NC) defeated #7-**Matt Mitrione** (13-9, 1 NC) via submission (strikes) at 1:45 of round one

***Tyrell Fortune:***
“I feel great coming out of the fight. He stepped forward so I went for the shot instead of throwing the punch and I guess I made contact with my head. Besides that I was running through him for the takedown. As you saw, I finished on top, and the fight went from there.

“I didn’t feel it (the clash of heads), I can only go off of what he was saying at the time. Like I said, I was just looking to get on top and continue to fight so I didn’t really know what else to do. I thought if there was a contact that the ref would have saw and we would have stopped that’s why I paused for a second on top of him. I didn’t go right to punching. Once the ref said to continue, I was continuing to fight.

“I want Tim Johnson. I don’t want a title shot. I’d rather have Tim Johnson first. That’s really the only fight I’ve been training for since that loss. To me, with him taking that loss (against Valentin Moldavsky) and me getting this win, it should line us right up… I’m gonna’ try to knock his a– out just like he did me.”

**Matheus Mattos** (13-2-1) defeated **Cee Jay Hamilton** (15-9) via TKO (strikes) at 1:33 of round two

***Matheus Mattos:***
“He’s a wrestler. So, he could have done the boring game and taken me down. But he chose to go for the striking. Fortunately, he did it because it was a beautiful knockout. If Bellator could send more strikers to me, then they would be welcomed.”

“I feel great, perfectly strong. But I felt my knee go ‘thwack.’ And I stopped moving a lot. I didn’t do much footwork. I knew this was going to be on my hands, because my leg was painful. Hopefully, everything went well.

“My two losses were to two of the best in the world. So, I’ve been fighting at a high level a long time and I’m prepared for everyone. They can see that this fight welcomed me to Bellator, and now they know me. They know Matheus Mattos is a striker and he’s coming for us.

“I’m in my prime now so I’m prepared for everyone.”

#2–**Arlene Blencowe** (14-8) defeated **Dayana Silva** (9-6) via TKO (punches) at 1:00 of round three

***Arlene Blencowe:***
“I feel great. I want to give a shout out to my kids at home. I’ve been away from home for nine weeks and it’s the longest I’ve ever been without my kids. So, this win is for you.”

“I was just trying to gauge my distance. It was starting to be a little bit of a slow fight, so sorry about that fans. I could hear you yelling. But I was determined to keep my pace and not rush into anything. We knew that she swung with power and that the overhand right and the left hook came pretty quick. We’ve been working a lot on kicks, and I’m going to have a lot of bruises tomorrow. And hopefully her calves will be sore too.”

#5-**Johnny Eblen** (9-0) defeated **Travis Davis** (10-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

***Johnny Eblen:***
“My coaches when I came back to the corner told me not to brawl. So, I took their advice and I thought I wrestled smart.”

“He was talking s— saying, ‘Hey, let’s brawl in the corner.’ I’m like, ‘Bro, that’s stupid.’ That’s why you’re not where I’m at. Because you don’t fight smart. You’re trying to come out here and brawl. You can do that all you want, but you’re not going to be a world champion like me.”

**Preliminary Card:**
**Said Sowma** (7-2) defeated **Ronny Markes** (19-9) via KO (punches) at 1:09 of round one
**Cody Law** (4-0) defeated **Theodore Macuka** (1-1) via TKO (punches) at 1:54 of round one
**Diana Avsaragova** (4-0) defeated **Gabriella Gulfin** (2-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
**Adil Benjilany** (6-3, 1 NC) defeated **Johnny Soto** (4-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
**Charlie Campbell** (4-1) defeated **Nicholas Giulietti** (2-2) via TKO (punches) at 1:30 of round two

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

**About BELLATOR**
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global 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 events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. 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 Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, 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, Showtime

Danny Brener Named Vice President of Communications & Public Relations for BELLATOR

July 2, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR President Scott Coker announced today that Danny Brener has been named Vice President of Communications and Public Relations. Brener, who has been a member of the promotion’s PR team since 2014, will oversee all communications and media relations for BELLATOR effective immediately.

“I first worked with Danny [Brener] in 2008 when he was a young and hungry publicist at BZA working as an account representative for the STRIKEFORCE brand,” BELLATOR President Scott Coker said. “Danny has consistently delivered results for us through the years with his hard work and dedication. This promotion is a testament to both of those things and makes sense as BELLATOR continues to grow and expand.”

During his time as Director of Communications for BELLATOR, Brener has helped promote some of the biggest spectacles in the sport of MMA, with massive events garnering press around the globe. In addition to his work on BELLATOR, Brener also maintained a leading role at BZA PR, where he worked on other key accounts including the NHL, NFL, and The Famous Group.

“I’ve been extremely fortunate to work in the combat sports industry for nearly 17 years, and I’m grateful to Scott Coker for entrusting me with the opportunity to continue my journey in this field,” said Brener. “BELLATOR is home to many of the world’s very best athletes and I’m honored to be able to help share their incredible stories around the world.”

Beginning his MMA PR career printing credentials for UFC in 2004, Brener would go on to work with additional boxing and MMA companies including Goossen Tutor Promotions, Elite XC, and ultimately alongside Coker at STRIKEFORCE.

A second-generation publicist, Brener learned the craft of communications from his father Steve, the longtime PR executive for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He resides in the suburbs of Los Angeles with his wife Lauren and their two dogs, Gronk and Jules.

Brener will work with Senior Public Relations Manager C.J. Tuttle, as well as BZA PR, as they continue in their roles with BELLATOR. Brener can be reached at his new email: Danny.Brener@bellator.com.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.