Tag Archives: Corey Anderson

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

TWO WORLD TITLE FIGHTS! MCKEE-PITBULL 2, NEMKOV-ANDERSON TOP INCREDIBLY STACKED NEW FIGHT CARD SET FOR APRIL 15

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UNDEFEATED WORLD CHAMPION A.J. MCKEE TO DEFEND BELLATOR MMA 145-POUND WORLD TITLE IN REMATCH AGAINST FORMER NUMBER ONE POUND-FOR-POUND & TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION PATRICIO PITBULL

205-POUND CHAMPION VADIM NEMKOV TO BATTLE TOP-RANKED COREY ANDERSON FOR $1 MILLION PRIZE IN BELLATOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX FINAL

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BELLATOR 277  SET FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 15, AT 10 P.M. ET/7 P.M. PT LIVE ON SHOWTIME INSIDE THE SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE, CALIF.

TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 16, 2022) – Two outstanding world-championship showdowns. Four of BELLATOR MMA’s best pound-for-pound fighters. One highly anticipated rematch. The promotion’s all-time greatest athlete striving to avenge a highlight-reel loss to the company’s homegrown superstar. A tournament final awarding a seven-figure jackpot to the victor.

BELLATOR’s fourth phenomenal fight card of 2022 promises to be one for the ages.

Fresh off a 117-second destruction of his upcoming opponent and claiming the $1 million bounty at the BELLATOR MMA Featherweight World Grand Prix Finale, unbeaten BELLATOR Featherweight World Titleholder A.J. McKee (18-0) hopes to take the next step toward becoming the sport’s greatest fighter as he battles former top pound-for-pound and two-division champion Patricio Pitbull (32-5) for the second time in less than nine months on Friday, April 15, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT live on SHOWTIME.

In the co-feature of BELLATOR 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., current 205-pound BELLATOR MMA World Champion Vadim Nemkov (15-2) will defend his title for the third time and aims to take home the $1 million prize three days before U.S. Tax Day when he squares off against the surging No. 1-ranked contender Corey Anderson (16-5)in the BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix final.

Tickets for BELLATOR MMA 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 go on sale this Friday, Feb. 18 at both Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com with a special presale starting the day prior.

Additionally, four preliminary bouts have been announced including a mouthwatering matchup between two highly ranked heavyweights as No. 5-ranked Tim Johnson (15-8) faces surging No. 6-ranked Tyrell Fortune (11-2, 1 NC) in a rematch from BELLATOR 239. Their first fight ended with Johnson securing a win that earned great consideration for the 2020 KO of the Year. The preliminary bouts will stream live three hours earlier at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.

In their historic initial matchup at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., McKee stunned Pitbull by landing a punishing left leg kick to the head at 1:40 of the opening stanza at BELLATOR MMA 263 on July 31, 2021. The champion then continued the onslaught by unleashing a series of brutal unanswered head shots that floored the Brazilian legend.

Moments later as McKee prematurely raised his arms in celebration, Pitbull rose from the depths of defeat only to be greeted by a fighter hell bent on stealing his crown and claiming the $1 million prize. With the 25-time BELLATOR MMA veteran backed up against the fence, MMA’s brightest young brawler locked in a guillotine choke. With Pitbull seeming to lose consciousness, referee Mike Beltran halted matters at 1:57 of the opening frame.

“Hosting the world’s best mixed martial artists in the great city of San Jose is something that has been important to me during my career as a fight promoter and I’m happy to continue that with our card on April 15,” BELLATOR President Scott Coker said. “The rematch between A.J. McKee and Patricio Pitbull for the featherweight title, as well as our Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final featuring Vadim Nemkov against Corey Anderson are two fights that could headline any event on their own, but we are bringing both to SAP Center at San Jose on the same night to show the fans here that we truly value their support throughout the years.”

A native of Long Beach, Calif., BELLATOR’s top-rated pound-for-pound fighter has exceeded the lofty expectations placed on him since his professional debut three days following his 20th birthday. Armed with six knockouts and seven submissions, the Team Bodyshop product, who will turn 27 eight days before his rematch against Pitbull, has shown a knack for securing lightning-fast finishes with 10 coming in the first round. “Mercenary” has earned dominant victories over every fighter who has opposed him, including former World Champions Pitbull, Pat Curran, and Darrion Caldwell, who McKee submitted with a rare-modified neck crank that was later dubbed the “McKee-otine.” The winner of the 2020 Submission of the Year Award for his 71-second annihilation of Caldwell has fought a total of 33 rounds across 18 career contests (1.8 rounds per bout), while logging less than 41 total minutes in the BELLATOR cage since turning pro in August 2012.

One half of the vaunted Pitbull Brothers duo, Patricio has long been considered the crown jewel of BELLATOR MMA, where he currently sits at No. 3 in the BELLATOR MMA men’s pound-for-pound rankings. Holding a remarkable 32-5 record with wins over elite competition, including the likes of former World Champions Pat Curran, Juan Archuleta, and Daniel Straus (twice). In 2019, the 34-year-old Brazilian captured the BELLATOR Lightweight World Championship from Michael Chandler, becoming only the second BELLATOR athlete to hold two titles simultaneously. With 23 finishes in 37 professional fights, Pitbull has shown repeatedly that he possesses the well-rounded skillset required to reign over multiple weight classes.

Currently BELLATOR MMA’s second-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, Nemkov captured the BELLATOR MMA light heavyweight crown by defeating Ryan Bader via second-round TKO at BELLATOR MMA 244 in August 2020.  Riding a nine-fight winning streak dating back to June 2016, the ferocious 29-year-old sports seven first-round knockouts, with two in the initial minute of action. After successfully defending his light heavyweight belt by earning a tough unanimous decision over Phil Davis, the pride of Belgorod, Russia and Fedor Emelianenko protégé scored a fourth-round submission of late replacement Julius Anglickas in the semifinals of the BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix during his last outing on Oct. 16, 2021.

Anderson, of Robbinsville, N.J., has ascended to the top of the BELLATOR 205-pound rankings by vanquishing seven of his past eight opponents, including a third-round stoppage of Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov at BELLATOR MMA 257 on April 16, 2021. Exactly six months later at BELLATOR MMA 268, the Rockford, Ill., native walked into the cage to the spellbinding sounds of The Doors’ “Five to One,” and took the song title literally by knocking out Arizona State University wrestling legend Ryan Bader in 51 seconds in front of Bader’s hometown crowd at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Ariz.  In his first promotional appearance, “Overtime” registered a second-round TKO over Dutch kickboxing legend Melvin Manhoef at BELLATOR MMA 251 in November 2020. Prior to joining BELLATOR, Anderson tallied a 10-5 record with a rival promotion, winning “The Ultimate Fighter 19” tournament in 2014, and boasting impressive wins over Glover Teixeira, Jan Błachowicz and Johnny Walker, among others.

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Additional bouts will be announced soon.

BELLATOR 277: McKEE VS. PITBULL 2 MAIN CARD:

Friday, April 15 – live on SHOWTIME

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT 

Featherweight World Championship: C–A.J. McKee (18-0) vs. No. 1-Patricio Pitbull (15-5)

 Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final: C-Vadim Nemkov (15-2) vs. No. 1-Corey Anderson (16-5)

PRELIMINARY CARD: 

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

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

Heavyweight Bout: No. 5-Tim Johnson (15-8) vs. No. 6-Tyrell Fortune (11-2, 1 NC)

Welterweight Bout: No. 10-Kyle Crutchmer (8-1) vs. Michael Lombardo (12-2, 1 NC)

Welterweight Bout: Shane Keefe (2-0) vs. Tyson Miller (2-0)

140-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Gaston Bolanos (5-3) vs. Cass Bell (5-2)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Apply for BELLATOR media credentials

RSVP for BELLATOR virtual media availabilities

****

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Sat., Feb. 19 // BELLATOR 274: Gracie vs. Storley // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, Conn.

Fri. Feb. 25 // BELLATOR 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland

Fri. Mar. 12 // BELLATOR 276: Borics vs. Burnell // The Family Arena // St. Louis, Mo.

Fri. Apr. 15 // BELLATOR 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2/Nemkov vs. Anderson // SAP Center // San Jose, Calif.

Fri. May 6 // BELLATOR PARIS: Bader vs. Kongo 2 // Accor Arena // Paris, FRA

Fri. May 13 // BELLATOR LONDON: Amosov vs. MVP // The OVO Arena Wembley // London

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Former World Champions Benson Henderson & Brent Primus to Fight During Main Card of BELLATOR 268 on Oct. 16

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LOS ANGELES – The highly anticipated BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Semifinals event has become even more stacked, adding a 155-pound bout between two former world champions when No. 3 ranked lightweight Benson Henderson (28-10) squares up against Brent Primus (10-2). In addition, a featherweight battle pitting Henry Corrales (18-6) against Vladyslav Parubchenko (16-2) is set to kick off the main card action on SHOWTIME live Saturday, October 16 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
 
Both semifinal matchups for the BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix will top the card at the Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury. Light heavyweight World Champion 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) faces No. 2-ranked light heavyweight Corey Anderson (15-5) in the co-main event.
 
Several new preliminary fights have been confirmed as well and are listed below. The preliminary card 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.
 
Former champions collide in the desert, as former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson squares off with former BELLATOR lightweight champion Brent Primus in a 155-pound bout that is sure to produce fireworks. Both men hold black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and have the capability to finish a fight no matter where it goes. Fighting out of Glendale, AZ., “Smooth” Benson Henderson fights on his home turf but has a tough test in a Primus who is eager to return to the top of the mountain at 155-pounds.
 
Hard-hitting Henry Corrales reintroduces himself to the featherweight ranks, taking on submission guru Vladyslav Parubchenko in the opening bout of the main card. With 13 of his 18 professional victories coming by way of finish, “OK” Corrales steps in the cage with another known finisher, as Parubchenko has finished 14 of his 16 victories with stoppages. Both fighters are in the mix within a stacked BELLATOR featherweight division, and with a win, either fighter could find themselves making an immediate impact on the 145-pound rankings.
 
Updated schedule of BELLATOR events
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
Fri. Nov. 5 // BELLATOR 270: Gallagher vs. Mix // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland
 
BELLATOR 268: 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 (23-6)
Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinal Bout: #1-Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC) vs. #2-Corey Anderson (15-5)
Lightweight Bout: #3-Benson Henderson (28-10) vs. Brent Primus (10-2)
Featherweight Bout: Henry Corrales (18-6) vs. Vladyslav Parubchenko (16-2)
 
Preliminary Card:
BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV
7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
 
Light Heavyweight Bout: #5-Julias Anglickas (10-1) vs. #10-Karl Albrektsson (12-3)
Bantamweight Bout: Erik Perez (20-8) vs. Brett Johns (17-3)
Light Heavyweight Bout: Sullivan Cauley (1-0) vs. Deon Clash (1-0)
Lightweight Bout: Nick Browne (11-1) vs. Bobby Lee (12-6)
Middleweight Bout: Javier Torres (11-5, 1 NC) vs. Gregory Milliard (12-6)
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Sumiko Inaba (2-0) vs. Randi Field (2-0)
Lightweight Bout: Lance Gibson Jr. (4-0) vs. Raymond Pina (9-4)
Amateur Strawweight Bout: Maria Henderson (1-0) vs. Collette Santiago (0-1)
 
*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 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 MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Resumes With Semifinals at Footprint Center in Phoenix October 16

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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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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

FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS, QUOTES & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR MMA 257: NEMKOV VS. DAVIS 2

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COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS HERE – (PLEASE CREDIT: BELLATOR MMA / LUCAS NOONAN)

POST-FIGHT VIDEO INTERVIEWS HERE

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – BELLATOR 257: Nemkov vs. Davis 2 saw incumbent 205-pound champion Vadim Nemkov (13-3) retain his championship, he now awaits his future opponent. In the co-main event, #3-ranked Corey Anderson (15-5) advanced to the semi-finals to face #4 ranked pound-for-pound athlete Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC) at a future date in the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix.

BELLATOR MMA returns to action on May 7 with a bantamweight world title fight pitting c-Juan Archuleta (25-2) against #1 ranked Sergio Pettis (20-5) and a Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix opening round pairing between the debuting Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (22-6) and Yoel Romero (13-5) to determine Nemkov’s next title challenger. Bellator 258 airs exclusively on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

“Rumble” had this to say about his upcoming BELLATOR debut on SHOWTIME: “You know how I fight. I come out there and throw bombs. If you get in the way and get hit, that’s just what happens. Romero is a hell of an athlete. We all have watched him fight. For his age, which to me doesn’t play a factor at all, he’s a beast. I’m very excited to fight a man of his caliber. He’s a true challenge to anybody that he faces. I look forward to testing myself against him. He’s definitely an opponent that I respect. Somebody that I know I’ll enjoy fighting and the fans will enjoy it too.

“Right now, I can’t look past Yoel. I really can’t. I don’t look that far ahead. I have goals, but right now I got one of the toughest individuals you can possibly face in my face May 7. I’m looking forward to it and I just need to focus on Yoel. I’m just going to let the dice roll the way they’re going to roll and whoever makes it to the next round, I’ll focus on that later. Right now, I just need to focus on one individual and everybody else is not even on my radar right now. I just got to focus on the man that’s trying to knock my head off.”

BELLATOR MMA 257: Nemkov vs. Davis 2 Main Card:

c-Vadim Nemkov (13-2) defeated #2-Phil Davis (22-5, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

Vadim Nemkov: “My plan was to out-strike him today and defend the wrestling. I’m pretty happy with my performance but I had some mistakes and I’m going to work on them for next time.

“It’s very hard to knock out Phil Davis so I was getting ready for a five round fight and I knew it was going to go the distance. Our conditioning was on point.

“Both fighters [Johnson and Romero] are very unpredictable. They can strike or wrestle. I’m a champion and I’m ready for whoever wins that fight. It doesn’t matter to me who I face. Both fighters are really good on the ground or standup and it’s going to be a good fight for me either way.”

#3-Corey Anderson (15-5) defeated Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (18-6-1) via TKO (punches) at 2:15 of round three

Corey Anderson on facing Ryan Bader: “I love the matchup with Bader. I love the matchup with anybody in this tournament. I love the matchup with any 205-er in the world because I know how good I am. I’m just going to show the rest of the world that. Me and Bader, we have history from training together and like I said, one person knows. He knows. We’re just going to find out in July when we match up. One man has to go out there and make the statement on TV.

“He knows who he’s matched up against. That’s all. I ain’t one of those dudes who’s going to put the film out there on Instagram because that ain’t a good sport. But at the same time, he knows. We know. They know it’s going to be a tough match. He’s gotten better. I’ve gotten better. He knows it’s going to be a war. It’s not like he’s going to go in there and take me down like he does with all these other guys. Because he knows. He knows he ain’t gonna go out there and out-strike me.”

#7-Veta Arteaga (6-4) defeated Desiree Yanez (5-3) via majority decision (28-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Veta Arteaga: “My overall goal is to have another opportunity at the title shot. One fight at a time. I wasn’t overlooking Desiree at all and I’ve just been watching all the females that fight in this division to see who I may be potentially fighting. I’m excited to hopefully climb right back up in the rankings and have another title shot.”

Paul Daley (47-17-2) defeated #8-Sabah Homasi (15-9) via TKO (punches) at 1:44 of round two

Paul Daley on who is next…

“Whoever fancies it. Whoever struggles to get down to 170 and feels like 175 is a good division for them, I’ll fight them. I’ve been in with the best at 170 and now I’m saying here on SHOWTIME and around the world that the 175-pound division is my division. If you want the belt, f*cking come and get it.”

Preliminary Card:

#1-Julia Budd (15-3) defeated Dayana Silva (9-6) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

#5-Julius Anglickas (10-1) defeated Gregory Milliard (12-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

#7-Steve Mowry (9-0) defeated Shaun Asher (13-4-1) via TKO (punches) at :55 of round one

Grachik Bozinyan (11-4) defeated Demarques Jackson (11-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Raymond Daniels (3-1, 1 NC) defeated Peter Stanonik (4-4, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-26)

Lance Gibson Jr. (4-0) defeated Marcus Surin (6-3) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Karl Albrektsson (11-3) defeated Viktor Nemkov (30-8-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

#10-Mads Burnell (15-3) defeated Saul Rogers (14-4) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:08 of round two

#7-Jay-Jay Wilson (8-0) defeated #4-Pedro Carvalho (11-5) via TKO (strikes) at :53 of round two

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Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

BELLATOR MMA 257 VIRTUAL MEDIA AVAILABILITY QUOTES

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“I want to be the first one to finish Phil Davis in his life,” – Nemkov

“He’s coming to make a statement that he is the rightful champion. And I am coming to say, ‘No you not!’” – Davis

“The plan is to go out there and dominate, win in the best fashion and get to him before he gets to me,” – Anderson

“I can fight with anybody in this tournament,” – Yagshimuradov

NEW YORK – April 14, 2021 – Newly-crowned light heavyweight king Vadim Nemkov and No. 2 ranked light heavyweight Phil Davis previewed their BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME main event fight during a virtual media availability Wednesday. In an anticipated rematch three years in the making, Nemkov and Davis will battle for both the light heavyweight strap and to advance to the semifinals of the BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix live on SHOWTIME on Friday, April 17 from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

BELLATOR MMA 257: Nemkov vs. Davis 2 is the third of three straight weeks of BELLATOR MMA action on SHOWTIME and begins live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Completing the stacked main card are three other must-watch bouts, including No. 3 ranked Corey Anderson welcoming the highly-touted Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov to the BELLATOR cage in a Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal matchup, a 175-pound contract weight bout between MMA legend Paul Daley and the always-exciting Sabah Homasi and a women’s flyweight contest matching Veta Arteaga against Desiree Yanez.

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

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

Vadim Nemkov, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Champion

Click HERE to view Nemkov’s full media session

“Yes, I am entering the Grand Prix as a champion but I try to move those things out of my head, so I’m entering the tournament like a regular fighter and I just want to win. For me, it’s much more important to win this tournament right now. Not the belt.

“I want to win this tournament. I want to prove myself to everybody. I’m in my prime age right now. I already have a lot of experience. I’m well prepared for this tournament and because I’m younger, that’s even more of a plus for me.

“I’m very glad that I have three fights this year to defend my title. That’s really good for me to fight a lot and to prove that I am the best. That I am a champion. Not wasting any time. I’m really happy that these other legends in the tournament want my belt and I have a chance to fight with them and prove that I am better.

“I’m ready to fight with Phil Davis for five rounds. I’m prepared for it. But I want to finish it. I don’t want to spend five rounds with Phil Davis and I want to be the first one to finish him in his life.”

Phil Davis, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Competitor

*Click HERE to view Davis’ full media session

“Honestly, it’s sort of cliché but the toughest test in this tournament would be Nemkov. He’s champion for a reason. He’s a tough cat and he’s the guy to beat. I want to get this light heavyweight belt and then after that, clean up the rest of the tournament.

“This fight is going to be crazy. I can promise you that. With Nemkov, you know when you skate by with a win. This time, he’s coming to make a statement that he is the rightful champion. And I am coming to say, ‘No you not!’ It’s definitely going to be a very aggressive and exciting fight.

“I look back at that loss and I never would wish I would lose, but at the same time, I do feel like it adds a little more theatrics to this moment and how sweet it would be to win the belt back from a very close decision in such an amazing light heavyweight tournament.

“All of those matchups [rematches with Nemkov, Johnson, Bader] are freaking awesome. I am definitely motivated to avenge a loss but I am just more motivated about winning this tournament because it has some of the who’s who of the sport and of the light heavyweight division. Whoever wins this, the fans will say, ‘That guy is freaking awesome. You went head-to-head with all the killers in this division.’

“I think it’s a mistake to think that you know a guy or think that you know what he’s going to do. I approach it almost as a brand-new fighter, brand-new fight. It keeps me from falling into the trap of underestimating him or maybe thinking he didn’t improve in certain areas. I have limited knowledge of what you like to do and what I think your plan of attack will be and my job is just to come at you with a blank slate because a lot of times, especially with rematches, they tend to be completely different from the first one.”

Corey Anderson, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix competitor

*Click HERE to view Anderson’s full media session

“The re-focus is back. I spent so much time with my son during the quarantine. Watching him grow and building that relationship and just remembering that every move I make is for my family so I can give them a better life. I need to go out there and be smart about it. Now that I have two with my baby girl, and not only having her as a baby but delivering the baby myself, it just put a whole different aspect on everything.

“The moment I got the release and everything settled from UFC and signed with BELLATOR, I knew I was valued more over here already before even meeting anybody. My manager let people know that we got out of UFC and within an hour, hour-and-a-half, BELLATOR hit us with a huge offer that we couldn’t pass. The people I was with at the time were like, ‘Yo, if you don’t take that money you are stupid.’ So, we took that and that showed me how much they valued me as a fighter. In a matter of 24 hours, a new promotion had offered me my worth in money, actually reached out and talked to me and then they wanted to meet with my face-to-face. That’s something that in my seven years in UFC, I still hadn’t had a face-to-face meeting with Dana White.

“I go into training camp and I look at my training partners like I’m going to look at my opponent. Granted, I’m not going out there to hurt them. I don’t plan on hurting my opponent if I don’t have to in the fight. But the plan is to go out there and dominate and win in the best fashion and get to him before he gets to me. It can be the No. 1 ranked guy or the lowest ranked guy in the world, but the plan is to go out there and fight like Corey Anderson fights. Go out there and be the mixed martial artist that you train to be every day.

“He was the champ somewhere else. He is legitimate enough to be in this tournament with the other seven fighters. With that being said, I’m not going in there and looking past him because he’s not a name we know. I’m not looking in there thinking that I because I was in the UFC and I fought at the top that this guy is not ready. I’m going out there thinking this guy is as dangerous as anybody else. He has two fists. He has two legs, two eyes and two ears. He can hear, see and throw whatever he wants to throw when he sees it.

“BELLATOR’s light heavyweight division has all the numbers. We have all the skills. We have all the names. In 205 over there in UFC, all you really have right now is the champ and Glover. People over here already beat both of those guys. It’s kind of like, it shouldn’t even be a question.”

Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov, BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Competitor

Click HERE to view Yagshimuradov’s full media session

“Sometimes I don’t even know how to describe my own fighting style. It’s some kind of weird style. Usually, I start adapting to my opponent during the fight. If the guy tries to wrestle, I strike with him. If the guy tries to strike, I wrestle with him.

“I don’t like to predict the fights, especially my own fights. It’s easier to predict somebody else’s fight but it’s hard to say what’s going to happen. Everything about what is going to happen is going to be shown Friday night in the cage. The only thing I can tell you about what I’m going to do is I’m going to go out there and fight with the guy.

“I don’t feel any kind of pressure because there are a lot of big names in this tournament. It’s only names. They are still fighters even though they may be more known fighters and more promoted fighters than me. In my career, I’ve fought competition that’s not worse and, in some moments, even better than these guys. I have really good experience so I can fight with any of them.

“I think Yoel Romero would the guy I’d like to fight. It’s not like I really want to fight him or there’s something special about this fight, but I was always a fan of his fight style and the way he acts in the public. I kind of respect this guy so if you ask me who I would like to fight from this tournament, it would be Yoel Romero.”

Paul Daley, BELLATOR Welterweight

*Click HERE to view Daley’s full media session

“In regards to Homasi saying he’s not fazed by my record, I think he has to say that for his confidence. I know already that he’s nervous. He’s already doubting himself. It’s a big change from the interview when we were supposed to fight pre-COVID when he was saying that he was a fan of me and he’s been watching me fight for a while. That just tells me that he’s nervous about the fight and it’s just for his confidence that he’s saying stuff like that. Just to reassure him that he deserves to be in there with me.

“Who knows what’s next. I’m just here to fight Friday night and put on a fantastic performance. Stop the guy. Take him out of there and leave no questions to my ability and just put on a great show.

“I’m just looking forward to fighting regardless of who’s in there with me on Friday night. It just so happens that it’s going to be Sabah. On paper, he should bring it. It should be a standup war but I don’t think it’s going to be as much of a war while standing and I think there’s going to be quite a few takedown attempts.

“Very few people who meet me have the same idea as prior to meeting me. Everybody thinks I’m this psychotic fighting machine but deep down I’m a martial artist. What brought me to martial arts was ninjas. That is what got me into martial arts. It wasn’t the fact that I was some kind of street fighter. I just wanted to be a ninja. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to do the meditation things. Intertwine my fingers and summon a dragon or something like that. Deep down, I’m a martial artist and that’s what keeps me going. It’s the endless search of perfection that drives me. I just want to be the best martial artist I can be. I’ve just recently been awarded my black belt in Brazilian jiujutsu and I’m still here in BELLATOR competing against these guys after so many fights and so many years in the game.”

Sabah Homasi, BELLATOR Welterweight

*Click HERE to view Homasi’s full media session

“After this win, I see myself just climbing the ladder. Getting closer to a title shot.

“It’s more of a mental state with me. Something mentally clicked for me and I’m putting everything together now. I have the skillset. Everything is coming together and it’s perfect timing for me.

“I just have to respect his power. But he has to respect mine too. Other than that, I see myself beating him everywhere. I don’t care how many fights he has. I fought people with more fights than him. I do it every day in the gym and to me this is just a fight.”