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Tag Archives: California
‘IRISH’ BRENNAN WARD TO DEFEND HIS HOMETURF AGAINST DENNIS ‘THE MENACE’ OLSON AT BELLATOR 144
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 8, 2015) – “Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) will compete for the third time in 2015 when he meets Dennis “The Menace” Olson (14-9) in a welterweight contest at “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which emanates from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on October 23.
The bout will take place during the main card of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which will be televised live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.
The main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” features an exciting rematch for the bantamweight title fight between champion Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) and his former training partner Eduardo Dantas(17-4). In the co-feature, Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-0) will look to regain the vacant Bellator MMA Middleweight Title when he takes on Rafael Carvalho (11-1).
Tickets for “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $25, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 6:00 p.m. ET local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after.
Ward is fresh off an ESPN Top-10 first-round knockout of Roger Carroll at “Bellator 140: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” his second consecutive victory. “Irish” has competed in his home state of Connecticut on three-straight occasions, but the crowd may be torn as he faces Olson, who also calls the New England area his home.
Olson fought valiantly against Paul Daley this past July, but ultimately was defeated in his third appearance under the Bellator MMA banner. “The Menace” has finished 10 of his 14 wins as a professional and will also be competing for the third time in 2015.
Bellator 144: “Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Updated Card
Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT)
Bellator Bantamweight Championship Fight: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)
Bellator Middleweight Championship Fight: Brandon Halsey (9-0) vs. Rafael Carvalho (11-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (11-3) vs. Dennis Olson (14-9)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (8-0) vs. TBA
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 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 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.
BRANDON HALSEY LOOKS TO REGAIN MIDDLEWEIGHT GOLD WHEN HE FACES RAFAEL CARVALHO AT BELLATOR 144
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 1, 2015) – Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-0) will compete for the second time in 2015 when he meets Rafael Carvalho (11-1) for the Bellator MMA middleweight title in the co-main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on October 23.
The contest will serve as the co-main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.
The main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” features a bantamweight title fight between Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) and Eduardo Dantas, (17-4). In addition, “Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) will be in action, as will Michael “Venom” Page(8-0). The pair of welterweight’s opponents, as well as additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $25, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 6:00 p.m. ET local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after.
Undefeated to open his professional mixed martial arts career, Halsey looks to take back the middleweight title that he never lost. “Bull” was stripped of the title after a training camp injury hindered his ability to make weight prior to “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove,” a fight that the 28-year-old went on to win in emphatic fashion. It’s worth noting that Halsey recently re-signed with Bellator MMA to an exclusive, multi-fight contract.
Carvalho entered his Bellator debut with Joe “Stitch Em’ Up” Schilling at “Bellator 136: Brooks vs. Jansen” as the underdog, but after a tightly contested bout, earned a split decision victory. The 29-year-old Rio de Janeiro resident has not tasted defeat since the opening contest of his 12-fight career and has only seen two of his wins go as far as the judges’ scorecards.
Bellator 144: “Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Updated Card
Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT)
Bellator Bantamweight Championship Fight: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)
Bellator Middleweight Championship Fight: Brandon Halsey (9-0) vs. Rafael Carvalho (11-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (8-0) vs. TBA
Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (11-3) vs. TBA
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 1, 2015) – Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-0) will compete for the second time in 2015 when he meets Rafael Carvalho (11-1) for the Bellator MMA middleweight title in the co-main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on October 23.
The contest will serve as the co-main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.
The main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” features a bantamweight title fight between Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) and Eduardo Dantas, (17-4). In addition, “Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) will be in action, as will Michael “Venom” Page(8-0). The pair of welterweight’s opponents, as well as additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $25, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 6:00 p.m. ET local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after.
Undefeated to open his professional mixed martial arts career, Halsey looks to take back the middleweight title that he never lost. “Bull” was stripped of the title after a training camp injury hindered his ability to make weight prior to “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove,” a fight that the 28-year-old went on to win in emphatic fashion. It’s worth noting that Halsey recently re-signed with Bellator MMA to an exclusive, multi-fight contract.
Carvalho entered his Bellator debut with Joe “Stitch Em’ Up” Schilling at “Bellator 136: Brooks vs. Jansen” as the underdog, but after a tightly contested bout, earned a split decision victory. The 29-year-old Rio de Janeiro resident has not tasted defeat since the opening contest of his 12-fight career and has only seen two of his wins go as far as the judges’ scorecards.
Bellator 144: “Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Updated Card
Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT)
Bellator Bantamweight Championship Fight: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)
Bellator Middleweight Championship Fight: Brandon Halsey (9-0) vs. Rafael Carvalho (11-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (8-0) vs. TBA
Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (11-3) vs. TBA
BRANDON GIRTZ UPSETS MELVIN GUILLARD IN MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 141: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ ON SPIKE
PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE PUTS BEEF WITH SAAD AWAD TO REST, WINNING UNANIMOUS DECISION
Find additional photos and scorecards here / Video highlights below
TEMECULA, Calif. (August 28, 2015) – In what is undoubtedly the biggest win of his mixed martial arts career, Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (13-4) defeated Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-15-2) at “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” via split decision (29-27, 28-29, 29-27).
The beautiful Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif., housed the Spike-televised event, that will surely be remembered for multiple back-and-forth battles that culminated in Girtz out-pointing and out-slamming Guillard, a veteran on over 50 documented professional bouts.
It was the wrestling pedigree of the Minnesota native that made the difference, as Guillard was unable to get off his back for a good portion of the first and second frames. After being told in his corner that he was clearly down two rounds, Guillard began to open up, but his effort proved to be too little, too late.
“Pitbull” Ends Feud With Awad, Taking Unanimous Decision
Lightweight champion Will Brooks beware – there is a dangerous “Pitbull” that is barking for your belt.
Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (14-6) dominated Saad Awad (18-7) for a hard fought unanimous decision victory, with scores of (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
The bad blood generated by a Twitter war and viral video between the two co-main eventers set the stage for an action packed 155-pound battle. An evenly fought first round saw both competitors trading various leg kicks which culminated in an action packed second stanza that saw “Pitbull” take down Awad to score valuable points with the judges.
Despite a partisan crowd for the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native, “Pitbull” landed powerful body blows to dominate the third round and secure the shutout win. Following the bout, the Brazilian made it clear he wants a title shot at Brooks.
After 5-Year Hiatus, Wren Outpoints Burns
Justin Wren (11-2) returned to the sport of mixed martial arts following a five-year absence, defeating six-fight Bellator MMA veteran Josh “The Hammer” Burns (8-9) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26).
“The Big Pygmy” didn’t seem to miss a beat despite his time spent in the Congo, landing solid knees to the head of Burns that would have finished many heavyweights. Wren made it clear that he is here in Bellator MMA to stay and he has more to fight for than he ever has in his nine-year career.
For more on Wren’s humanitarian efforts, refer to CNN’s piece on the “The Big Pygmy here.
Coenen Armbars Blencowe
After a last minute knee injury to Lorenzo Hood forced the cancellation of his bout against Raphael Butler, the women’s featherweight match between Marloes “Rumina” Coenen (23-6) andArlene “Angerfist” Blencowe (6-5) was promoted to the televised portion of the card.
A large portion of the opening round was spent on the mat, with both women jockeying for a dominant position. Following a minute intermission, Coenen did what she has now done 17 times in her career, finished her foe via submission. The ending came at 3:23 of round two, with Coenen ending the bout with a deep armbar.
Coenen has now won two-straight fights since dropping a contest to “Cyborg” Justino in 2013.
Preliminary Card:
In the final post-lim of August 28’s festivities, Johnny Cisneros (9-4) defeated Gabriel Miglioli (9-8) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
Luc Bondole (5-1-2) handed Ray Sloan (8-1) the first loss of his career, earning the unanimous decision with (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) scorecards from the California State Athletic Commission appointed judges.
Adrienna Jenkins (19-6) stopped Lissette Neri (6-3) with a technical knockout after Neri failed to intelligently defend herself at 2:38 of round one.
“Curtious” Curtis Millender (8-2) brought a two-fight losing streak to a halt with a (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) unanimous win over Steven Ciaccio (4-4).
The most explosive finish of “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” on Friday came via A.J. Mckee,(2-0) who stopped James Barnes (4-1) via vicious knockout at 1:42 of the opening frame.
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (2-0) impressed in her Bellator MMA debut, edging out Maria Rios (2-3) via split decision (29-28) (28-29) (29-28). The Hawaiian showcased her ability to take the fight to her opponent on the feet, as well as fending off multiple submission attempts from Rios on the mat.
After 15 tightly contested minutes, Brent Primus (6-0) remained undefeated, squeaking out a split decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-28) win over Derek “The Barbaric” Anderson (12-2).
In the opening bout of “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz,” A.J. “The Mercenary” Matthews (8-3) defeated Emiliano Sordi (13-5) after the Argentinian failed to answer the bell following round one.
Bellator 141 Main Card Video Highlights:
Complete Highlights Package: https://www.hightail.com/download/bXBaR0lTd0lRR2R1a3NUQw
Guillard vs. Girtz
Guillard goes down early in Round 1
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f4m3x
Girtz gets the split decision
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f4the
Girtz says he was an “idiot” to turn around during Guillard comeback
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f4ulp
“Pitbull” vs. Awad
Slo-motion recap of the best moments
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f49yh
“Pitbull” gets the win
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f4ahw
Wren vs. Burns
Replay and review of Wren’s flurish — plus a point
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f3f2f
Wren gets the victory decision
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f3luh
Coenen vs. Blencowe
Coenen finishes the fight with the submission move
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f2mb9
Slo-motion replay
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f2nyd
Coenen happy in post-fight interview
https://www.whipclip.com/video/f2qlx
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 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 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.
MELVIN ‘THE YOUNG ASSASSIN’ GUILLARD & THE ENTIRE ‘BELLATOR 141’ CARD HIT THEIR REQUIRED MARKS PRIOR TO TOMORROW NIGHT’S EVENT ON SPIKE
TEMECULA, Calif. (August 27, 2015) – All of the competitors involved in tomorrow night’s “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” event took to the scales this afternoon from the Cabaret Theater inside the beautiful Pechanga Resort and Casino, and successfully hit their required marks.
The preliminary card for “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” will stream on Spike.com at 7:45 p.m. ET, which is followed by the main card on Spike airing live and free at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will make his promotional debut against 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). After nearly five years away from action, Justin Wren (10-2) will face Josh Burns (8-8) in heavyweight action and opening the main card, Lorenzo Hood (9-2) will make his Bellator MMA debut against Raphael Butler (9-1-1).
Lightweight Bout: Melvin Guillard (155.4) vs. Brandon Girtz (155.8)
Lightweight Bout: Patricky Pitbull (156) vs. Saad Awad (155.8)
Heavyweight Bout: Justin Wren (246) vs. Josh Burns (262.8)
Heavyweight Bout: Raphael Butler (260.2) vs. Lorenzo Hood (256.2)
Middleweight Bout: AJ Matthews (184.8) vs. Emiliano Sordi (185.6)
Lightweight Bout: Brent Primus (155.4) vs. Derek Anderson (155.8)
Featherweight Bout: Marloes Coenen (145.6) vs. Arlene Blencowe (145.8)
Strawweight Bout: Ilima Macfarlane (125.2) vs. Maria Rios (125.4)
Featherweight Bout: A.J. McKee (145.8) vs. James Barnes (145)
Welterweight Bout: Curtis Millender (170.6) vs. Steven Ciaccio (170.4)
Featherweight Bout: Adrienna Jenkins (144.4) vs. Lissette Neri (143.2)
Light Heavyweight Bout: Ray Sloan (202) vs. Luc Bondole (203.4)
Welterweight Bout: Johnny Cisneros (170.8) vs. Gabriel Miglioli (170.2)
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 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 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:
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.
MARCOS GALVAO MEETS EDUARDO DANTAS IN REMATCH FOR BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE AT BELLATOR 144 ON OCTOBER 23
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 12, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Bantamweight Championship will be on the line in a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) and former champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) against one another at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on October 23.
The bout between the former teammates will serve as the main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional fights will be announced shortly.
Tickets for “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which start at just $25, go on sale next Friday, August 21 at Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, with a special Bellator Nation presale available on the 19th and 20th for fans using the code: FIGHT. Doors for the event open at 6:00 p.m. ET local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.
“I was thoroughly impressed with Galvao’s kneebar at Bellator 135 to capture the belt,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “Seeing how much that title win meant to him, by taking it back home to Brazil and visiting his mother’s grave, is really what mixed martial arts is all about to me. But Dantas showcased his desire to reach the top too by his performance against Mike Richman. I have no idea who is going to come out of Connecticut with the win, but I do know that those in attendance at Mohegan Sun Arena and those tuning in on Spike will be treated to a top-flight world title bout.”
“Loro,” who has fought for world-renowned promotions the likes of World Extreme Cagefighting and Shooto since 2003, will be competing for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner. The 34-year-old is presently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak and has emerged victorious in seven of his last eight scraps. In his last outing, Galvao finished Joe Warren “Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao” via submission to win his first-ever championship.
Meanwhile, Dantas will be looking to duplicate the success he had against Galvao in their first meeting, which resulted in a second-round knockout at Bellator 89. The 26-year-old Nova Uniao product bounced back from his unanimous decision loss against Warren to dispel of Mike Richman in the same manner at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament winner is looking to call himself a two-time bantamweight champion come October 23.
PRELIMINARY PORTION OF ‘BELLATOR MMA: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ FINALIZED WITH THE ADDITION OF FIVE PRELIMINARY BOUTS
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)
FOUR PRELIMINARY BOUTS ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 141: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’
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.
LORENZO HOOD SET FOR PROMOTIONAL DEBUT AGAINST RAPHAEL BUTLER DURING MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 AT PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO
Easy Tweet: Heavyweights with KOs for days! @RealThaSilencer takes on @hood_zo at #Bellator141
August 28, at @PechangaCasino and only on @spike
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 22, 2015) – The highly anticipated promotional debut of Lorenzo “The Samoan Silverback” Hood (9-2) will come on the main card of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz” against Raphael “The Silencer” Butler (9-1-1) on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.
The contest will serve as the opening main card bout of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, with preliminary bouts streaming on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, are 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, 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 Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6).
One of the most sought-after heavyweight prospects in MMA, the 6-foot-3 Hood has been competing professionally since 2009 and has never allowed a fight to go past the first round. Of his nine career victories, each and every one has come by knockout. Hood has fought throughout the U.S. while competing on the regional circuit, earning himself the distinction of being one of the top heavyweight prospects in the sport.
“The Silencer” started his combat sports career as a professional boxer, where he racked up 28 knockouts in his 35 total victories, and still trains with high caliber strikers including Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder. Butler now makes his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, his first since finishing Josh Diekmann at “Bellator MMA: British Invasion” this past February. Much like Hood, the Minnesota native has never allowed a match-up to reach the judges’ scorecards, accruing six knockouts and three submissions along the way.
With all the hype surrounding the debut of Hood, Butler will look to play the role of spoiler when he enters the Bellator MMA cage for second time in 2015.
LIGHTWEIGHT TILT PITTING SAAD AWAD AGAINST PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE TO SERVE AS CO-MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 AT PECHANGA RESORT & CASINO
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 16, 2015) – Additional lightweight action will anchor the top of “Bellator: Guillard vs. Girtz” on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif., with the addition of Saad Awad (18-6) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6).
The contest serves as the co-headlining bout of “Bellator: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.
Tickets for the event, which start at just $50, go on sale this Friday at 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. Additional bouts will be announced shortly
In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will make his highly anticipated Bellator MMA debut against Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
The lone man to defeat Bellator Lightweight Champion Will Brooks, Awad has amassed a 6-3 record since first lacing up the gloves for the promotion in 2009. With 14 of his 18 professional victories coming by way of finish, “Assassin” has generated a large Southern California fan base with his exciting fighting style.
Fighting out of Millenia MMA in Rancho Cucamonga, CA., Awad continues to work his way back towards a trilogy bout against “Ill Will” Brooks. The 32-year-old impressively defeated Rob Sinclair at Bellator 136 before suffering a leg injury that has since kept him out of action.
Awad now faces the elder brother of Bellator Featherweight Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Patricky, who has competed for Bellator MMA since 2011, amassing six victories along the way. It’s rare that “Pitbull’s” scraps reach the judges’ scorecards, with 10 of his 13 wins coming by way of finish.
Much like his Bellator 141 opponent, Freire has also been inactive as of late due to injury. As his social media exploits indicate, “Pitbull” has also set his sights on the lightweight belt and his matchup with Awad is the first step towards achieving his goal.