Tag Archives: dan henderson

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

SECOND EVENT IN MONSTER ENERGY BELLATOR MMA FIGHT SERIES SET FOR BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY’S NASCAR RACE WEEKEND SATURDAY, AUGUST 19

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Also, Appearances by Former Bellator Champ and Monster Energy Athlete Phil Davis and MMA Legend Dan Henderson

LOS ANGELES – Following the successful debut of the Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series at the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race in May, the series returns for its second event on Saturday, August 19 next to Bristol Motor Speedway, located at the Earhart Campground, in Bristol, Tenn.

Prior to the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, the Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series will feature exciting MMA action throughout Saturday afternoon from 4–5:30 p.m. ET. Admission to the event is free to fans.

Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to meet former Bellator light heavyweight champion and Monster Energy athlete Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis, as well as former PRIDE and STRIKEFORCE titleholder Dan “Hendo” Henderson, at the Monster Energy display in the Fan Zone on Friday, August 18 from 3-4 p.m. ET.

“Bellator’s partnership with Monster Energy has opened the door for many new and exciting opportunities,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “The Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series allows us to share our brand of entertainment with an entirely different fan base. Following the success and feedback of the first event in May, we are thrilled to work together with Hans Molenkamp, Aaron Quesada and the entire Monster Energy team again to bring Bellator MMA action to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in Bristol.”

Through Bellator MMA, alongside longstanding partner Monster Energy, mixed martial arts will be included as a pre-race activation exclusively for fans in attendance. The lineup on Saturday will consist of four MMA bouts featuring some of the best regional up-and-coming talent, with the main event prospects in consideration to be signed to a multi-fight Bellator MMA contract.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race takes place Saturday, August 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET.. Tickets to the race are available at NASCAR.com/tickets, BristolMotorSpeedway.com/tickets or by calling Bristol Motor Speedway at 1-866-415-4158.

Situated beside Bristol Motor Speedway, Earhart Campground has become a full-service facility offering spectacular camping opportunities, daily parking and tailgating sites, retail vending, corporate marketing and sponsor-hosted hospitality sites. Race fans looking to make camping reservations can visit EarhartCampground.com for more information.

Updated Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series at Bristol Motor Speedway Fight Card:

Welterweight Main Event: Ben Sergent (7-0, Nashville, Tenn.) vs. Brandon Bell (7-6, Johnson City, Tenn.)

Lightweight Bout: Nick Gehrts (7-2, Knoxville, Tenn.) vs. Ken Beverly (5-2, Hazard, Ky.)

Lightweight Bout: Damir Ferhatbegovic (3-1, Knoxville, Tenn.) vs. Jonathan Pearce (4-3, Johnson City, Tenn.)

Featherweight Amateur Bout: Ahva Mayi (4-1, Nashville, Tenn.) vs. Preston Schick (6-0, Johnson City, Tenn.)

Please visit Bellator.com for details.

*Event schedule subject to change.

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Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

MONSTER ENERGY BELLATOR MMA FIGHT SERIES HITS CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY FOR MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR ALL-STAR RACE WEEKEND ON MAY 20

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ALSO, MMA LEGENDS TITO ORTIZ AND DAN HENDERSON TO MEET WITH FANS FOR AUTOGRAPH SIGNING ON MAY 19

 

LOS ANGELES – The Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series visits Charlotte Motor Speedway during the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race weekend on Saturday, May 20 and will feature several MMA bouts throughout the afternoon prior to the start of the on-track racing action. All bouts are set to take place between 3:30-5 p.m. ET at the Monster Energy display in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Fan Zone.

Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to meet two of the biggest names in the history of the sport onFriday, May 19, when former UFC champion Tito Ortiz and former PRIDE and STRIKEFORCE titleholder Dan Henderson will be available to sign autographs at the Monster Energy display in the Charlotte Motor Speedway Fan Zone between 3-4 p.m. ET.

Through Bellator MMA, along with longstanding partner Monster Energy, mixed martial arts will be included as a pre-race activation exclusively for fans in attendance. The lineup on Saturday will consist of four MMA bouts featuring some of the best regional up-and-coming talent, with the main event prospects in consideration to be signed to a multi-fight Bellator MMA contract.

The Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race takes place Saturday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET, airing live on FS1. Tickets to the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star race are available at ‪NASCAR.com/tickets or by calling Charlotte Motor Speedway at 1-800-455-FANS (3267).

 

Updated Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway Fight Card:

Heavyweight Main Event: Allen Crowder (7-2, Mebane, N.C.) vs. Robert Neal (4-2, Jefferson, Ga.)

Welterweight Bout: Jeremie Holloway (8-2, Charlotte, N.C) vs. Jacob McClintock (8-2, Charleston, S.C.)

Lightweight Bout: Mike Stevens (6-3, Winston-Salem, N.C) vs. Lashawn Alcocks (6-8, Wilmington, N.C.)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Allen Bose (5-0, Jacksonville, N.C.) vs. Chris Crawford (8-5, Durham, N.C)

 

Please visit Bellator.com for details.

 

*Event schedule subject to change.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV, UFC

BELLATOR MMA IS THE NEW FIGHTING HOME OF WANDERLEI ‘THE AXE MURDERER’ SILVA

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Bellator President Scott Coker and Wanderlei Silva (Credit: Bellator/Lucas Noonan)

 

SANTA MONICA (March 2, 2016) –Bellator MMA is pleased to announce that one of the most popular, recognizable and beloved fighters in the sport of mixed martial arts, Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva (35-12-1), has signed an exclusive multi-year, multi-fight contract with the promotion. The 39-year-old publicly fielded offers from companies all around the world, but the former Pride FC Middleweight Champion made the decision to take his explosive style to Bellator MMA.

 

“The Axe Murderer” has fought in some of the most memorable feuds and battles the sport has ever seen. His wars with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Tito Ortiz, Mirko Cro Cop, Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Chuck Liddell, and Michael Bisping are the stuff of legend – but Silva is far from ready to close the book on his illustrious career.

 

In addition to his Pride FC Middleweight World Championship, Silva’s packed trophy case of accolades includes awards for Fight of the Year (2003, 2004, 2007), KO of the Year (2008), and multiple Fight of the Night awards including one for each of his last three fights, just to name a few. He now looks to continue to provide his award-winning, entertaining fights inside the Bellator cage.

 

Silva has several options for his first fight with Bellator. Although he has spent the majority of his career at 185-pounds, one of the things that his fans love most about him has been Wanderlei’s willingness to fight the best of the best – even if it was up two weight classes at heavyweight – as proven by his heavyweight wars against guys like Mark Hunt, Gilbert Yvel, Kazuyuki Fujita and Cro Cop; Or, his battles against light heavyweights like Ortiz, and his most recent opponent, Brian Stann, who he knocked out in the second frame.

 

Silva is the latest in a long line of recent free agent signings made by Scott Coker and Bellator MMA. The former Chute Box competitor joins: Josh Thomson, Phil Davis, Benson Henderson, Sergei Kharitonov and Anastasia Yankova on a roster with champions the likes of: Marcos Galvao, Daniel Straus, Will Brooks, Andrey Koreshkov, Rafael Carvalho, Liam McGeary andVitaly Minakov,

mixed martial arts, UFC

UFC Fight Night: The Swedish Are Coming!

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Photo Credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting
Photo Credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting

In a land once popularized in a Tom Green (remember him?) song – “Lonely Swedish (The Bum Bum Song)” – the Ultimate Fighting Championship brings a Fight Night card that will hopefully bring more attention than a song about a Canadian’s ass.

The first FOX card of the new year, UFC Fight Night: Sweden, brings the national stage of FOX overseas and gives America a glimpse into the UFC’s ongoing overseas expansion. But unlike previous UFC overseas cards, this one is not short on star power. Let’s see if a clear-cut no. 1 contender for Jon Jones’ light heavyweight title will emerge.

Akira Corassani (16-4-1) vs. Sam Sicilia (13-5) (Featherweight – 145 lbs.)

This is a matchup of The Ultimate Fighter alumni, with both guys coming off losses and Corassani coming off back-to-back losses to Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier. Corassani’s also been finished early in both fights, while Sicilia is coming off a submission loss. In a crowded featherweight division, a knockout or submission victory would go a long way toward boosting either of these gentlemen’s stock. I like Sicilia to finish Corassani and possibly give him his walking papers after three straight losses.

Winner: Sicilia by second-round TKO

Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (13-2) vs. Ryan “Darth” Bader (19-4) (Light Heavyweight – 205 lbs.)

Both of these guys are poised for another run at the top of the light heavyweight division. Both of these guys are coming off victories and actually faced each other in college when Davis wrestled for Penn State and Bader wrestled for Arizona State. Davis uses his wrestling to smother opponents and grind out unanimous decision victories, while Bader uses his wrestling when necessary but also has lethal knockout power.

I expect Davis to try and get this fight to the ground early, and if he succeeds I think he can use his reach advantage and athleticism to keep Bader down. Bader must keep this fight standing to have a chance, and I think he will avoid the temptation to avenge his college loss to Davis by engaging in another wrestling match. I like Bader to land more shots and score an upset victory.

Winner: Bader by unanimous decision

Dan “Hendo” Henderson (30-12) vs. Gegard Mousasi (35-5-2) (Middleweight – 185 lbs.)

Henderson returns to middleweight after a mostly ill-fated run at light heavyweight, including being tossed around like a rag doll and submitted by Daniel Cormier in his last fight. Simply put, if Henderson can’t land his patented “H-Bomb” right hand for a knockout, he’s easily susceptible to defeat.

I think the wars of years past are finally catching up to Henderson. He will go down as one of the greatest fighters ever not to hold a UFC title, but he simply can’t keep up with the sport’s elite any more. He will leave himself open when wanting to drop the H-Bomb, and Mousasi will take advantage.

Winner: Mousasi by third-round submission

Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson (16-2) vs. Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (18-4) (Light Heavyweight – 205 lbs.)

The winner of this fight will receive the next shot at light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, and it would represent a rematch for Gustafsson. He took Jones closer to defeat than anyone else has during their epic 2013 matchup. Depending on who ask, some people think the Swede actually won that fight.

Johnson is rapidly ascending the 205-pound ladder after knocking out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and scoring an upset win over Phil Davis to begin his climb. Johnson also has devastating knockout power and if he lands one such shot on Gustafsson, the Swede’s road to redemption is derailed. But I think Gustafsson uses his reach advantage (which is nearly identical to Jones) to keep Johnson at bay and make Johnson go a full five rounds.

Gustafsson’s striking in the 205-pound division is second to none, and I like him to land enough of those to secure a rematch with Jones later this year.

Winner: Gustafsson by unanimous decision

Chris Huntemann writes about mixed martial arts in the state of Maryland. He also contributes his thoughts to our site on the UFC, Bellator, and World Series of Fighting. Check out his blog, or follow him on Twitter: @mmamaryland.