Tag Archives: Daniel Pineda

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR RETAINS THE SERVICES OF EXCITING FEATHERWEIGHT EMMANUEL SANCHEZ WITH CONTRACT EXTENSION

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Above: Emmanuel Sanchez lands a shot on Daniel Pineda at “Bellator 149” on Feb. 19, 2016

 

SANTA MONICA (March 29, 2016) – Bellator MMA is proud to announce that it has retained the services of 25-year-old talent Emmanuel Sanchez (13-2), having re-signed the exciting fighter to a multi-year, multi-fight contract extension.

 

Sanchez boasts a 6-1 record under the Bellator banner, with his only loss coming in the form of a decision at the hands of former featherweight champion Pat Curran (21-7). The exciting product from the famed Roufusport Team earned his contract extension after winning three fights in a row against Henry Corrales (12-2), Justin Lawrence (8-3) and Daniel Pineda (21-12) all in under five months.

 

“El Matador’s” fight against Pineda kicked off action for the record breaking “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event that was watched by over 3.5 million viewers. You can watch the enthralling action by clicking on the image below.

 

VIDEO: Click above to re-watch the epic battle from Bellator 149

 

Sanchez trains under the tutelage of highly regarded coach Duke Roufus alongside former WWE superstar CM Punk and other talented MMA fighters the likes of Ben Askren and Anthony Pettis. Earlier this month, Roufus shed light on a positive story involving an MMA fighter and a motor vehicle, when he announced that Sanchez had used his “Bellator 149” purse to buy a new car for his mother.

 

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BELLATOR MMA BRINGS FANS CLOSER TO THEIR FAVORITE FIGHTERS WITH NEW VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY

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LINK TO VIEW VIRTUAL REALITY FOOTAGE BELOW

Above: Frank Shamrock experiencing Virtual Reality (VR) via headset (photo credit: Bellator MMA/Lucas Noonan)

 

SANTA MONICA (March 9, 2016) – Bellator MMA is always looking for new and exciting ways to bring the most forward-thinking technology to its ever-increasing fan-base, providing them with unrivaled access to the world-class promotion and its superstars. During the record-shattering “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event this past February, Bellator launched a virtual reality initiative, giving fans a new immersive behind-the-scenes experience, from inside and Kimbo Slice’s locker room before their fights to walking down the ramp with the fighters in front of thousands of fans at the Toyota Center in Houston.

 

“We’re continuously looking for new ways to leverage technology to bring our fans into the cage so to speak,” said Bellator COO Jason Jordan. “We want to make them feel more connected to the sport of MMA, to the fighters themselves and to the underlying storylines that fuel the emotion and passion of the sport.  In this sense, we are very excited about the potential that Virtual Reality holds, and this was unequivocally proven in Houston where we captured some groundbreaking and incredibly immersive footage that I’m sure both hardcore and casual fans alike will enjoy.  Not only did we break ratings records that night, but we also raised the creative bar with our VR coverage in terms of literally engulfing fans in the energy and excitement that makes MMA like no other sport.”

 

To shoot the VR footage, Bellator used three separate six-camera rigs using GoPro cameras including one that was fully spherical, attached to a stabilized, mobile monopod. This camera was used for capturing fighters as they left their locker rooms and entered the arena. Two rigs were tethered to a monitoring command center, which allowed producers to monitor the cameras from each rig.  Bellator also used Kolor’s Autopano software to stitch together the footage from the GoPro rigs and Adobe Premiere and After Effects to edit and apply graphics to the final stitch.

 

CHECK IT OUT: To re-live some of the action from “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie,” fans can check out the Bellator VR Experience by clicking here. It is recommended to use a smartphone or tablet for best results, or better yet a VR headset.

 

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.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ROYCE GRACIE, KIMBO SLICE EMERGE VICTORIOUS IN DOUBLE MAIN EVENT AT ‘BELLATOR 149’

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Complete Set of Photos Here

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 19) – It’s a pairing that is synonymous with the sport of mixed martial arts — Ken Shamrock versus Royce Gracie — and on Friday night at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas during “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie,” it was Gracie who went home with a second victory over Shamrock in the third fight of their classic rivalry.

 

After landing a knee to the body of Shamrock, Gracie pounced, raining down hammerfists to the temple of “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” that forced the referee to call a stoppage to the action at 2:22 of the opening frame. Will this victory lead to more fights for Gracie inside the Bellator MMA cage? Stay tuned.

Kimbo Slice (6-2) emerged victorious after an all-out brawl with his old nemesis Dada 5000, sending the South Florida resident facefirst into the mat at 1:32 of round three. The win ends a longstanding beef between the two men that began in the streets of Perrine, and wound up being settled inside the Bellator MMA cage.

Derek Campos (16-6) upset Melvin Guillard (32-16-2) with vicious strikes only 32 seconds into the second round.  With the win, “The Stallion” bounced back from two consecutive defeats against Michael Chandler and Brandon Girtz.

A light heavyweight rematch between Emanuel Newton and Linton Vassell featured multiple low blows, which ultimately cost “The Hardcore Kid” the bout on the scorecards, with judges’ giving scores of (30-26, 29-27, 29-27). With the victory, “The Swarm” snapped a one-fight skid and moves one-step closer to the top at 205-pounds.

Emmanuel Sanchez (13-2) grinded out another split decision at “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie,” defeating Daniel Pineda (21-12) with scores of (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). With the victory, “El Matador” has now won three consecutive bouts at featherweight and continues his pursuit of trying to become the “Oscar De La Hoya” of mixed martial arts.

Preliminary Results:

Isaac Villanueva (9-7) defeated Richard Knepp (3-3) via TKO (punches) at :42 Mahon (5-4) defeated Davis Sylvester (5-4) via TKO at 4:22 of R2

Adrian Yanez (4-1) defeated Ryan Hollins (10-8) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Jason Langellier (3-0) defeated Anthony Ivy (1-1) via submission (anaconda choke) at 2:09 or R1

Justin Wren (12-2) defeated Juan Torres (4-5) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Mike Trinh (3-3) defeated Angel Zamora via submission (armbar) at 3:49 of R

C.J. Hancock (1-0) defeated Ruben Esparza (1-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:26 of R3

Manny Lozoya (1-0) defeated Jacob Norsworthy (1-6) via submission (guillotine) at 2:33 of R1

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

MMA LEGENDS KEN SHAMROCK & ROYCE GRACIE SET FOR ‘BELLATOR 149’ SHOWDOWN TOMORROW

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Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

 

HOUSTON, TEXAS (February 18, 2016) – After weigh-ins on Thursday inside the Toyota Center, the main card competitors of “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” are set to enter the cage and fight tomorrow night LIVE and FREE on Spike.

 

The big night features a double main event that pits Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) against Royce Gracie (14-2-3) for a third time and Kimbo Slice (5-2) fights the man who has been calling him out since their friendship ended years ago, Dhafir Harris, better known as “Dada 5000.” Also fin action is former light heavyweight champion Emanuel Newton (25-9-1) and Linton Vassell (15-5, 1 NC), who will look to top their epic 2014 slugfest. In catchweight action,Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) looks to build on his impressive young career, when he takes on Daniel Pineda (21-11). And, Melvin Guillard (35-15-2) returns to the cage to take on Derek Campos (15-6), as the two lightweights go to battle.

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” takes place at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX, and airs live on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 6 p.m. CT. Full weigh-in results can be found below.

Main Card: (Live on SPIKE – 9 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. CT)

 

Bellator Openweight Main Event: Ken Shamrock (201.2) vs. Royce Gracie (190.8)

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (232) vs. “Dada 5000” (265)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Melvin Guillard (156) vs. Derek Campos (155)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Emanuel Newton (205) vs. Linton Vassell (205.4)

Bellator Catchweight Feature Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (149.2) vs. Daniel Pineda (148.2)

 

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 6 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. CT)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Justin Wren (247) vs. Juan Torres (259.8)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Davis Sylvester (144.2) vs. Jeremy Mahon (144.4)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Ruben Esparsa (184.2) vs. C.J. Hancock (185.6)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Adrian Yanez (134.6) vs. Ryan Hollis (134.8)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Isaac Villanueva (185.8) vs. Richard Knepp (184.8)

Bellator Catchweight Feature Fight: Mike Trinh (128.8) vs. Angel Zamora (129.4)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Jason Langellier (158.4) vs. Anthony Ivy (154)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Manny Lozoya (142) vs. Jacob Norsworthy (141.8)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PHOTOS AND VIDEO FROM “BELLATOR 149: SHAMROCK VS. GRACIE” PRESS CONFERENCE

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CLICK HERE FOR FULL SELECTION OF PHOTOS

(CREDIT: BELLATOR MMA / LUCAS NOONAN)

 

CLICK ABOVE FOR FULL PRESS CONFERENCE VIDEO

 

HOUSTON – (Feb. 17, 2016) – The four combatants of the “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” double-main event joined Bellator MMA President Scott Coker on stage for the official press conference on Wedneday afternoon, with Ken Shamrock (28-16-2), Royce Gracie (14-2-3), Kimbo Slice (5-2) and “Dada 5000” each contributing to the highly entertaining press conference with great soundbites, that you can find in the video above.

 

The highly anticipated event takes place this Friday at the Toyota Center in Houston and airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.comand The Bellator Mobile App .

 

Also fighting at “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” will be former light heavyweight champion Emanuel Newton (25-9-1) and Linton Vassell (15-5, 1 NC), who will look to recreate their epic 2014 barnburner. In featherweight action, Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) will attempt to continue his torrid pace when he meets Daniel Pineda (21-11) and a pair of lightweight assassins go to battle, when Melvin Guillard (35-15-2) returns to meet Derek Campos (15-6).

 

Tickets for this mixed martial arts extravaganza start at just $50 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as HoustonToyotaCenter.com, the Toyota Center Box Office and Houston area Randall’s locations.

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Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PHOTOS FROM “BELLATOR 149: SHAMROCK VS. GRACIE” OPEN WORKOUTS

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CLICK HERE FOR FULL SELECTION OF PHOTOS

(CREDIT: BELLATOR MMA / LUCAS NOONAN)

 

The four combatants from the “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” double-main event took part in an open workout this afternoon at the beautiful, state-of-the-art  O Athletik gym in Houston prior to their fights on Friday night.

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The event features Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) in action against Royce Gracie (14-2-3) for a third time and Kimbo Slice (5-2) fights the man who has been calling him out since their friendship ended years ago, Dhafir Harris, better known as “Dada 5000.”

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Also fighting at “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” will be former light heavyweight champion Emanuel Newton (25-9-1) and Linton Vassell (15-5, 1 NC), who will look to recreate their epic 2014 barnburner. In featherweight action, Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) will attempt to continue his torrid pace when he meets Daniel Pineda (21-11) and a pair of lightweight assassins go to battle, when Melvin Guillard (35-15-2) returns to meet Derek Campos (15-6).

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Tickets for this mixed martial arts extravaganza start at just $50 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as HoustonToyotaCenter.com, the Toyota Center Box Office and Houston area Randall’s locations.

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“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

 

 

 

 

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

MELVIN GUILLARD NOW FACES DEREK CAMPOS AT ‘BELLATOR 149: SHAMROCK VS. GRACIE’

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JUSTIN ‘THE BIG PYGMY’ WREN RETURNS TO ACTION IN EVENT’S FEATURED PRELIMINARY BOUT

 

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (February 2, 2015) –An injury to Mike Bronzoulis has shifted things during the SPIKE-televised main card of “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” on Feb. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Now, the lightweight contest will pit Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) against Derek Campos (15-6).

 

In addition, Justin “The Big Pygmy Viking” Wren (11-2) returns to action in what will be his second appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, when he meets Juan Torres (4-4) in heavyweight fisticuffs.

 

The fights join a card that already features a double main event — Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) meets Royce Gracie (14-2-3) for a third time and Kimbo Slice (5-2) will fight the man who has been calling him out since their friendship ended years ago, Dhafir Harris, better known as “Dada 5000” (2-0). In featherweight action, Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) will look to continue his torrid pace when he meets Daniel Pineda (21-11) and former light heavyweight titlist Emanuel Newton (25-9) battles Linton Vassell (15-5).

 

Tickets for this mixed martial arts extravaganza start at just $50 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as HoustonToyotaCenter.com, the Toyota Center Box Office and Houston area Randall’s locations.

 

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

 

Guillard suffered a horrific broken hand during his Bellator MMA debut against Brandon Girtz earlier this year. “The Young Assassin” has made it clear that he intends on eventually fighting for the 155-pound title, and his road to the gold begins on Feb. 19 against a tough Texas native with plenty to prove. Of Guillard’s 32 wins as a professional, 23 victories have come before reaching the judges’ scorecards.

 

Known as “The Stallion” to those familiar with his mixed martial arts career, Campos will come into his meeting with Guillard riding a two-fight skid. During his eight-fight tenure with Bellator MMA, the 27-year-old Texan has faced a plethora of top lightweight talent, going up against names the likes of: Michael Chandler, Patricky Freire, Brandon Girtz (2x), and Estevan Payan.

 

You would be hard-pressed to find a better story in all of MMA than the one that Wren can tell. The two-time National High School Wrestling Champion generated massive amounts of media attention on the road to his promotional debut at “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz,” where he defeated Josh Burns. His story begins several years earlier, in 2010, when Wren confronted an opponent tougher than any he could face in combat sports: addiction.

 

With an opportunity to continue fighting on the table, Wren left the sport and began his recovery process. A chance meeting with a friend led Wren on a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he came across and developed a deep connection with the Mbuti Pygmies, many of whom were enslaved, living on only the scraps the slave masters would pay them with. Wren found his calling there and wanted to do everything in his power to help the Pygmies. With multiple visits to the Congo, including a stint that lasted a year, Wren started a foundation called “Fight for the Forgotten.” Through his efforts, Wren and his staff of 17 have systematically bought the land of the slave owners, and have thus far legally given 2,740 acres of rainforest to the Pygmies, effectively freeing them from slavery.

 

Partnering with other groups like Shalom University and joining forces with Water4.org, Wren and his charity are responsible for drilling 26 water wells to help provide both the Pygmies and the former slave masters with clean water, and have plans to drill hundreds more. In addition, the team has begun a sustainable farming project to benefit and provide food to both the Pygmies and non-Pygmies of the community.

 

Take a look below at the complete 19-fight “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” card and be sure to tune into SPIKE on February 19 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT for an event that has something for every fight fan.

 

Completed “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Openweight Main Event: Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) vs. Royce Gracie (14-2-3)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (5-2) vs. “Dada 5000” (2-0)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Emanuel Newton (25-5) vs. Linton Vassell (15-5)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) vs. Derek Campos (15-6)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-11)

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Wren (11-2) vs. Juan Torres (4-4)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Davis Sylvester (5-3) vs. Jeremy Mahon (5-4)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Charlie Ontiveros (6-4) vs. James Christopherson (2-2)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Ruben Esparsa (1-0) vs. C.J. Hancock (Debut)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Adrian Yanez (3-1) vs. Daniel Santos (3-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Isaac Villanueva (9-7) vs. Richard Knepp (3-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Trinh (2-3) vs. Angel Zamora (2-2)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Langellier (2-0) vs. Anthony Ivy (1-0)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Manny Lozoya (Debut) vs. Jacob Norsworthy (1-5)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Amateur Bout: Leomana Martinez (2-0) vs. Casey Jones (2-0)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Amateur Bout: Chris Solis (2-0) vs. Alex Macedo (2-0)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Amateur Bout: Jonathan Davis (2-0) vs. Shawn Solis (1-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Amateur Bout: Hunter Scott-Gregg (1-0) vs. Ricardo Deluque (1-0)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT REMATCH PITTING FORMER CHAMPION EMANUEL NEWTON AGAINST LINTON VASSELL COMPLETES MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 149: SHAMROCK VS. GRACIE’

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (January 5, 2016) –The SPIKE-televised main card of “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” on Feb. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas is now complete, with the addition of a light heavyweight rematch featuring former Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Champion Emanuel Newton (25-9-1) meeting Linton Vassell (15-5, 1 NC).

 

The fight joins a card that already features a double main event — Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) meets Royce Gracie (14-2-3) for a third time and Kimbo Slice (5-2) will fight the man who has been calling him out since their friendship ended years ago, Dhafir Harris, better known as “Dada 5000.” In featherweight action, Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) will look to continue his torrid pace when he meets Daniel Pineda (21-11) and a pair of lightweight assassins go to battle, when Melvin Guillard (35-15-2) returns to meet Mike Bronzoulis (18-9-1). Preliminary contests will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for this mixed martial arts extravaganza start at just $30 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as HoustonToyotaCenter.com, the Toyota Center Box Office and Houston area Randall’s locations.

 

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

 

Both Newton and Vassell were participants in the four-man, light-heavyweight No. 1 contender tournament at “Bellator MMA: Dynamite.” Now, the pair of 205-pounders will look to re-establish themselves atop one of the deepest and most competitive divisions in Bellator MMA.

 

A former champion, Newton will be making his 12th appearance for the Scott Coker-led promotion and hopes to duplicate the success he experienced at the expense of Vassell during “Bellator 130: Newton vs. Vassell” back in 2014. Better known as “The Hardcore Kid,” the 31-year-old has been half of some of the most memorable contests in Bellator MMA history, namely, his spinning-backfist finish of “King Mo” and his back-and-forth war with current Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Champion Liam McGeary.

 

Undoubtedly one of the goals for Vassell in 2016 is finding his way onto the recently announced Bellator MMA debut in London later this year. For this to come to fruition, “The Swarm” surely needs to redeem himself from the fifth-round, rear-naked choke submission defeat he suffered at the hands of his“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” opponent. February 19 will mark the seventh time Vassell has competed under the Bellator MMA banner and “The Swarm” will be looking to add to his impressive finishing mark of 13 stoppages in 15 victories.

 

 “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” Updated Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Openweight Main Event: Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) vs. Royce Gracie (14-2-3)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (5-2) vs. Dada 5000 (2-0)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Emanuel Newton (25-9-1) vs. Linton Vassell (15-5, 1 NC)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-11)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) vs. Mike Bronzoulis (18-9-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

‘THE YOUNG ASSASSIN’ VS. ‘THE GREEK ASSASSIN’   MELVIN GUILLARD TAKES ON HOUSTON’S MIKE BRONZOULIS AT ‘BELLATOR 149: SHAMROCK VS. GRACIE’

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (December 16, 2015) – A lightweight contest pitting Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) against Houston’s Mike Bronzoulis (18-9-1) has been added to the SPIKE-televised main card of “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” on Feb. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Bellator MMA President Scott Coker announced the new addition on his Twitter account last night.

 

The fight joins a card that already features a double main event — Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) meets Royce Gracie (14-2-3) for a third time and Kimbo Slice (5-2) will fight the man who has been calling him out since their friendship ended years ago, Dhafir Harris, better known as “Dada 5000.” In featherweight action, Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) will look to continue his torrid pace when he meets Daniel Pineda (21-11). Preliminary contests will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for this mixed martial arts extravaganza start at just $30 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as HoustonToyotaCenter.com, the Toyota Center Box Office and Houston area Randall’s locations.

 

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

 

Guillard suffered a horrific broken hand during his Bellator MMA debut against Brandon Girtz earlier this year. “The Young Assassin” has made it clear that he intends on eventually fighting for the 155-pound title, and his road to the gold begins on Feb. 19 against a tough Houston, Texas native. Of Guillard’s 32 wins as a professional, 23 victories have come before reaching the judges’ scorecards.

 

Bronzoulis returned to the Bellator MMA fray against a debuting Josh Thomson at “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” this past September. “The Greek Assassin” has not shied away from tough opponents throughout his career, having competed against guys like Thomson, Joe Riggs, Gerald Harris and Jorge Patino during his 28-fight career. The Houston native hopes to have plenty of hometown support when he takes on Guillard inside the Bellator MMA cage on Feb. 19.

 

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” Updated Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Openweight Main Event: Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) vs. Royce Gracie (14-2-3)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (5-2) vs. Dada 5000 (2-0)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-11)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Melvin Guillard (32-15-2) vs. Mike Bronzoulis (18-9-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

EMMANUEL SANCHEZ-DANIEL PINEDA ADDED TO MAIN CARD OF ‘BELLATOR 149’

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (November 25) – A featherweight contest pitting Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) against Daniel Pineda (21-11) has been added to the SPIKE-televised main card of “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” onFeb. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

 

The fight joins a card that already features a double main event — MMA legends Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie meet for a third time and Kimbo Slice will fight the man who has been calling him out since their friendship ended years ago, Dhafir Harris, better known as “Dada 5000.”

 

Tickets for this mixed martial arts extravaganza start at just $30 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as HoustonToyotaCenter.com, Toyota Center Box Office, and Houston area Randall’s locations.

 

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” airs live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Spike.com.

 

Sanchez has bounced back from a tough decision loss against former Bellator MMA Featherweight Champion Pat Curran with two wins against young, top-flight 145-pound talent, distancing himself from the title of prospect and solidifying himself as a contender. “El Matador” now boasts a 4-1 record under the Bellator MMA umbrella and will be fighting for the fifth time in a span of 329 days.

 

Standing opposite of the Roufusport fighter will be Pineda, a 30-year-old that already has amassed a 32-fight professional career. A veteran of Legacy Fighting Championship, “The Pit” has never seen a victory reach the judges’ scorecards, finishing 15 pairings via submission, the other six by knockout. This will be Pineda’s first appearance for Bellator MMA since 2010 at “Bellator 19.”

“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” Updated Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Openweight Main Event: Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) vs. Royce Gracie (14-2-3)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (5-2) vs. Dada 5000 (2-0)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) vs. Daniel Pineda (21-11)