FIVE FRESH PRELIMINARY MATCHUPS ADDED TOBELLATOR MMA 271: CYBORG VS. KAVANAGHאויף פרייטאג, נאוועמבער. 12, לעבן אויף שאָווטימע®
TONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA TALENT SET TO THRILL HOMETOWN CROWD AT HARD ROCK LIVE AT SEMINOLE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO IN HOLLYWOOD, FLA., AS BELLATOR™ RETURNS TO THE SUNSHINE STATE FOR FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS
LOS ANGELES –In addition to the Featherweight World Title main event pitting current 145-pound championCris “Cyborg” (24-2, 1 נק) against No. 5-rankedSinead Kavanagh(7-4), BELLATOR MMA has added several star-studded matchups to the preliminary portion ofBELLATOR MMA 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanaghאויף פרייטאג, נאוועמבער. 12, at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, פלאַ.
SHOWTIME will televise the fantastic five-fight main card live at 10 פּ.ם. עט / 7 פּ.ם. PT.אַדדיטיאָנאַללי, the must-watch preliminary fights will stream live three hours earlier at7 פּ.ם. עט / 4 פּ.ם. פּטon the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.
Tickets for BELLATOR MMA 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanagh are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. נאָך באָוץ וועט זיין מודיע באַלד.
In female flyweight action, Miami’s“Master”Valerie Loureda (3-1) hopes to steal the show yet again, as the 23-year-old star prepares for Knoxville’sTaylor Turner (5-7), while Brazilian sensationBruna Ellen (5-3) challenges the heavy-handedDesiree “Dirty Dez” Yanez (5-3).
Fighting out of Key West, פלאַ., the undefeated knockout artistRoman Faraldo (5-0) returns to the BELLATOR cage to face fellow Floridian and Pensacola-nativeRobert Turnquest (11-7) in a 170-pound contest. Additionally, Roufusport productJordan Newman (3-0) hopes to keep his perfect record intact in a middleweight showdown against Palm Beach, Florida’sShane O’Shea (4-2).
Lastly, former Penn State wrestler and current American Top Team standoutCody Law (4-0) puts his unblemished professional mark on the line in a featherweight clash with Fort Smith, Arkansas’Colton Hamm (4-3).
In the co-main event., top-10 heavyweights will go toe-to-toe as No. 5-ראַנגקטTyrell Fortune (11-1, 1 נק) squares up with No. 8 לינטאָן וואַססעלל (20-8, 1 נק).
Rounding out the five-bout SHOWTIME telecast, the always electric and No. 5-ראַנגקטאהרן פּיקאָ (8-3) will square off against undefeated No. 8 Justin Gonzales (12-0), while No. 1-ראַנגקטאַרלין בלענקאָווע (14-8) attempts to cement her place as the next in line for a shot at the 145-pound crown against No. 7 Pam Sorenson(9-3). Kicking off the main card, ונדעפעאַטעד ניין. 7-ranked Boca Raton, פלאַ., resident SteveMowry (9-0) will continue his quest toward the top of the heavyweight ranks as he takes on veteranRakim Cleveland (22-13-1, 1 נק).
דערהייַנטיקטBELLATOR MMA 271: CYBORG VS. KAVANAGH MAIN CARD:
פרייַטיק, נאוועמבער. 12 – live onשאָוטיים
10 פּ.ם. עט / 7 פּ.ם. PT
Featherweight World Title Bout: C-Cris “Cyborg” (24-2, 1 נק) ווס. #5-Sinead Kavanagh(7-4)
CRIS CYBORG SET TO DEFEND WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST LESLIE SMITH IN A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED REMATCH
לאס אנדזשעלעס– BELLATOR MMA has confirmed the full fight card forBELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2דעםפרייַטיק, מייַ 21 ביי מאָהעגאַן זון אַרענאַ. The event caps off an exciting month of action for BELLATOR, and airs LIVE on SHOWTIME at9 פּ.ם. עט / 6 פּ.ם. פּט.
With plans to continue her dominance over the women’s featherweight division, Cris Cyborg(23-2, 1 נק) will put her world championship on the line against No. 4 ראַנגקט פעאַטהערוועיגהטLeslie Smith(12-8-1) in a rematch to crown the world’s top 145-pound female athlete.
די BELLATOR MMA 259 main card on SHOWTIME is loaded from top to bottom, including former bantamweight championDarion Caldwell(15-4)rematchingצי ניט. 6 ranked bantamweightלעאַנדראָ היגאָ (20-5) in a 135-pound contest, a top-five middleweight clash between the undefeated No. 3 ראַנגקט Austin Vanderford(10-0) און ניט קיין. 4 ראַנגקט Fabian Edwards(9-1), and a welterweight matchup that will see the streakingJaleel Willis(14-2) face off against former LFA championMaycon Mendonca(11-4), who’ll be making his promotional debut. Capping off the main card action will be the undefeated Jackson Wink-product and No. 9 ranked light heavyweightChristian Edwards(4-0) challenging Mississippi’sBen Parrish(4-1).
As part of the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME, the network is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up atSHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 און ווייַטער פון, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 פּ.ם. עט / 6 פּ.ם. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.
The nine-fight preliminary card has no shortage of action-packed bouts, featuring a top-10 light heavyweight matchup between No. 7 ראַנגקטGrant Neal(5-0)און ניט קיין. 8 ראַנגקטTyree Fortune(5-0) and the return of Israeli lightweight superstarAviv Gozali (5-0), as he looks to add to his five first round finishes and record breaking 11-second submission win. מער, the charismatic No. 8 ranked women’s flyweightValerie Loureda (3-0), the always-excitingאיר אַוואַד(23-13, 1 נק), און ניט קיין. 6 ranked Australian featherweightJanay Harding (6-4), who takes on No. 7 ranked Irish sensationLeah McCourt(4-1). לעסאָף, צי ניט. 9 ranked lightweightAlfie Davis (14-3) makes his sixth promotional appearance against BELLATOR newcomerAlexander Shabliy (19-3).
All prelims will stream live at5:30 פּ.ם. ET/2:30 פּ.ם. פּטon the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Full bout listings are below:
BELLATOR MMA 259AIRS LIVE ON FRIDAY, קען 21 FROM MOHEGAN SUN ARENA
לאס אנדזשעלעס– BELLATOR MMA and SHOWTIME Sports today announcedBELLATOR MMA 259 אויף פרייטאג, מייַ 21, will be headlined by a featherweight championship rematch pitting current 145-pound titleholder and the top-ranked women’s pound-for-pound fighterCris “Cyborg”(23-2, 1 נק) against Northern California’sLeslie Smith (12-8-1). The event airs live exclusively on SHOWTIMEבייַ 9 פּ.ם. עט / 6 פּ.ם. פּטand emanates from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, קאַן.
In addition to the main event, two matchups are confirmed, as No. 7 לייטווייטAdam “The Bomb” Piccolotti(12-4) takes on No. 10 Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (30-11-1, 1 נק), while the undefeated No. 7Christian “Pain” Edwards (4-0) מיץBen “Big Tuna” Parrish(4-1) in a light heavyweight contest. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.
“I believe in five years she’s going to be a better fighter. More training, more working and fighting. More experience. The first fight was very fast, so I think this one is going to be a longer fight. She’s a warrior. She likes to fight and it’s going to be nice to fight somebody like this,"said Cyborg, who appeared on tonight’sBELLATOR 255broadcast to confirm the event.
“Of course, I want this fight. Everyone’s goal is to get a title in the premiere organization, which this is. This is the best organization for my weight class, and the best possible place I can be. I can guarantee it will be an entertaining fight,” added Smith.
Just the second BELLATOR woman’s featherweight champion in the company’s history, Cris “Cyborg” is coming off the first defense of her BELLATOR title, a victory againstאַרלין בלענקאָווע, that also marked the first submission win of her illustrious career. An MMA legend at 35-years-old, “Cyborg” will be looking to further her legacy as the greatest woman’s mixed martial artist of all-time when she faces Leslie Smith for the second time on May 21. After winning BELLATOR gold in the 12th title fight of her career, the native of Curitiba, Brazil made history by becoming a world champion in her fourth major promotion, previously holding belts in both the UFC and Strikeforce. With a pro record of 23-2, 1 NC, אַרייַנגערעכנט 19 wins by finish, the Brazilian-born fighter who now calls Southern California home, holds victories over tough competition, אַרייַנגערעכנטדזשוליאַ באַד, כאַלי האָלם, Marloes Coenen and Gina Carano.
Known for an exciting in-your-face striking style, Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith will enter the BELLATOR cage on May 21 for the fifth time in her nearly 11-year MMA career. She gets a second shot at defeating “Cyborg,” following their first meeting at UFC 198 in Brazil on May 14, 2016. זינט אַז באַוט, Smith has won four out of five fights with victories over Irene Aldana andSinead Kavanaghamong them. A teammate of fellow BELLATOR athleteKeri Taylor Melendez, Smith trains out of El Nino Training Center in San Francisco.
די פּרילימאַנערי קאָרט פֿאַרBELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. סמיט2 וועט לופטLIVE in all U.S. markets on the BELLATOR and SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channels, as well as Pluto TV.
As part of the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME, the network is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up atSHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 און ווייַטער פון, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 פּ.ם. עט / 6 פּ.ם. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.
‘Baddest Ladies on the Planet’ are Friends and Training Partners
The two baddest ladies on the planet will be side-by-side Saturday night when UFC Superstar Champion Cris Cyborg walks 2x US Olympic gold medal winner and current WBC/WBA/IBF Middleweight Champion Claressa Shields into the ring for T-Rex’s fight versus 168-lb champion Femke Hermans Saturday night live on HBO from Stub Hub Center in Carson, אַזאַ ווי.
Cyborg will be taking time out from preparation for her December 29 PPV battle with Amanda Nunes to join Shields and be ringside for the final HBO boxing telecast this Saturday. Shields and Cyborg have a great mutual respect and have trained together in the gym.
“I’m excited to have Cris walk me out and carry my WBC championship belt on Saturday,” said WBC/WBA/IBF Champ Claressa Shields. “She’ll be supporting me on December 8 and I’ll be rooting big for her against Amanda Nunes on December 29. We are the two baddest ladies on the planet.”
“Both Claressa and Cyborg are leaders in their respective combat sports,” said Shields’ promoter, Dmitriy Salita. “Women’s empowerment will be on display on Saturday night on the historic final night of HBO Boxing.”
“In addition to being a celebration of forty-five years of HBO Boxing, Saturday night is a celebration of a new era of women’s boxing and women’s sports,” said Mark Taffet, manager of Claressa Shields and a twenty-five year former HBO Boxing executive. “Claressa Shields and Cris Cyborg are the backbone of the new era, and I’m thrilled Cris will be walking Claressa to the boxing ring on this historic night.”