Tag Archives: David Rickels

Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

FULL FIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 210: NJOKUANI vs. SALTER

December 4, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Full Event Photos Here

Bellator 210: Njokuani vs. Salter Main Card Results:

John Salter (16-4) defeated Chidi Njokuani (18-6, 1 NC) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:32 of round one

David Rickels (20-5) defeated Guilherme Bomba (10-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Kristina Williams (3-1) defeated Bruna Ellen (4-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Juan Archuleta (21-1) defeated Jeremy Spoon (20-5) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-26)

Preliminary Card Results:

Costello Van Steenis (11-1) defeated Chris Honeycutt (11-3, 1 NC) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Jordan Young (10-0) defeated Anthony Ruiz (34-23) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:48 of round one

Goiti Yamauchi (23-4) defeated Daniel Weichel (39-11) via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)

Joe Schilling (3-5) defeated Will Morris (4-1) via TKO (corner stoppage) at 5:00 of round one

Shawn Bunch (8-3) defeated Joe Warren (15-8) via verbal submission (punches) at 1:42 of round one

Mike Shipman (12-1) defeated Scott Futrell (8-5) via submission (anaconda choke) at 2:58 of round one

Noad Lahat (13-4) defeated Brian Moore (11-7) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)

Rudy Schaffroth (6-0, 1 NC) defeated Vernon Lewis (6-4) via KO (punch) at 2:51 of round one

Adil Benjilany (5-1) defeated Daniel Carey (5-3) via TKO (punches) at :43 of round two

Hracho Darpinyan (17-8-2) and Gerald Harris (25-7-1) fight to a majority draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

MIRKO CRO COP OUT OF BELLATOR 200 DUE TO INJRY

May 23, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

RAFAEL CARVALHO DEFENDS MIDDLEWIGHT TITLE AGAINST GEGARD MOUSASI IN NEW HEADLINER, WHILE ‘MVP’ TAKES ON DAVID RICKELS IN CO-MAIN

LOS ANGELES – Due to injury, Mirko Cro Cop can no longer compete in his highly anticipated Bellator debut atBellator 200 against Roy Nelson. As a result, the Bellator 200 main event now sees reigning middleweight champRafael Carvalho (15-1) defend his title against top contender Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2) in a five-round affair, while the co-main event features undefeated British striker Michael “Venom” Page (12-0), better known as “MVP,” againstDavid Rickels (19-4, 2 NC) at welterweight. Bellator 200 takes place Friday, May 25 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London and will air on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

The main card also includes former titleholder Phil Davis (18-4) taking on Linton Vassell (18-6) in a light heavyweight matchup and reality star turned MMA fighter Aaron Chalmers (3-0) making his promotional debut against fellow BritAsh Griffiths (4-5). The remainder of the main card will be announced later this week.

Prior to the main card on Paramount Network, Bellator 200 will also feature plenty of exciting preliminary matchups showcasing many of the U.K.’s top young talent. The undefeated Anastasia Yankova (5-0) returns against the always-tough Kate Jackson (9-3-1), while a trio of former BAMMA champions are in action when former middleweight champion Mike Shipman (11-1) fights Carl Noon (7-2), former BAMMA featherweight kingpin Daniel Crawford (10-1) challenges Pedro Carvalho (6-3) and former BAMMA lightweight titlist Ryan Scope (11-1) faces Martyn Harris(4-4). Fans will see Bellator veteran Anatoly Tokov (25-3) clash with Vladimir Filipovic (10-2), SBG Ireland-productCharlie Ward (4-3) in action against Louis King (1-1) and Mousasi-trained prospect Costello van Steenis (9-1) meeting Kevin Fryer (6-2).

Tickets for the event are on sale now at The SSE Arena, Wembley box office (0844 815 0815), Ticketmaster.com,ssearena.co.uk and axs.com. Bellator 200 will be broadcast on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT.

*Card subject to change.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

AARON CHALMERS, STAR OF MTV’S ‘GEORDIE SHORE,’ SET TO MAKE PROMOTIONAL DEBUT AT BELLATOR 200 IN LONDON

March 15, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

WILL TAKE ON ASH GRIFFITHS IN MAIN CARD BOUT ON MAY 25 AT THE SSE ARENA, WEMBLEY

LOS ANGELES – Bellator is proud to announce that reality star turned MMA fighter Aaron Chalmers (3-0) will make his promotional debut on the main card of historic Bellator 200 against Ash Griffiths (4-5) at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London on Friday, May 25.

Fighting out of Newcastle, England, Chalmers steps inside the Bellator cage following three first-round stoppage victories under the direction of BAMMA. Chalmers is a well-known cast member of MTV’s British reality television series “Geordie Shore,” having appeared for 10 seasons beginning in 2014, as well as MTV’s “Ex on the Beach.” He would go on to make his MMA debut in 2017, winning his first bout via submission in the first round. “The Joker” has since defeated two other opponents in under a minute and now looks to take the next step in his professional career.

Griffiths turned pro in 2013, fighting regionally in England, prior to making his debut with Bellator last year during the main card of Bellator 191 in Newcastle. Hailing from Willington, England, the nine-fight veteran provides a tough test for the newcomer. Fans can expect fireworks, when these two compete for bragging rights in front of their U.K. crowd.

The catchweight contest joins a stacked card that already includes a Bellator middleweight title matchup pitting current champ Rafael Carvalho (15-1) against Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2), a rematch betweenheavyweight fan-favorites Mirko Cro Cop (36-11-2, 1 NC) and Roy Nelson (23-15), while former titleholder Phil Davis (18-4) takes on Linton Vassell (18-6) in a light heavyweight matchup and undefeated British striker Michael “Venom” Page (12-0) meets David “The Caveman” Rickels (19-4, 2 NC) at welterweight.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at The SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office (0844 815 0815), Ticketmaster.com, ssearena.co.uk and axs.com. Bellator 200 will be broadcast on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. The main card is now complete, additional preliminary contests will be announced in coming weeks.

Complete Bellator 200 Main Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (15-1) vs. Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Mirko Cro Cop (36-11-2, 1 NC) vs. Roy Nelson (23-15)

Light Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Phil Davis (18-4) vs. Linton Vassell (18-6)

Welterweight Main Card Bout: Michael Page (12-0) vs. David Rickels (19-4, 2 NC)

163-Pound Catchweight Main Card Bout: Aaron Chalmers (3-0) vs. Ash Griffiths (4-5)

*Card subject to change

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH FEATURING MIRKO CRO COP AND ROY NELSON SLATED FOR BELLATOR 200 IN LONDON ON MAY 25

March 6, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

LOS ANGELES – An exciting battle between heavyweight fan-favorites Mirko Cro Cop (36-11-2, 1 NC) and Roy Nelson (23-15) has been added to historic Bellator 200 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London on Friday, May 25.

The two renowned fighters join a stacked card that already includes a Bellator middleweight title matchup pitting current champ Rafael Carvalho (15-1) against Gegard Mousasi(43-6-2), while former titleholder Phil Davis (18-4) takes on Linton Vassell (18-6) in a light heavyweight matchup and undefeated British striker Michael “Venom” Page (12-0) meets David “The Caveman” Rickels (19-4, 2 NC) at welterweight.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at The SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office (0844 815 0815), Ticketmaster.com, ssearena.co.uk and axs.com. Bellator 200 will be broadcast on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional contests will be announced in coming weeks.

The man synonymous with head kick knockouts, Mirko Cro Cop makes his way to Bellator in the midst of an eight-fight win streak that includes TKO victories over “King Mo” Lawal, Gabriel Gonzaga and Satoshi Ishii. The proud Croatian famously won the PRIDE 2006 Openweight Grand Prix championship, as well as the RIZIN World Grand Prix 2016 title and K-1 World Grand Prix 2012 Final in kickboxing. One of the most feared strikers in MMA history, Cro Cop owns additional career wins over Wanderlei Silva, Josh Barnett (x3), Pat Barry, Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman.

Fighting out of Las Vegas, Roy Nelson made his Bellator debut at Bellator 183 in September with a hard-fought victory over Javy Ayala following an eight-year, 19-fight run with UFC that saw him earn wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, “Bigfoot” Silva, Cheick Kongo and Mirko Cro Cop. “Big Country” also memorably defeated the late Kimbo Sliceand later went on to win season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter. Having recently fought Matt Mitrione in the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix, Nelson is looking for a big win over one of the sport’s true legends.

Updated Bellator 200 Fight Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (15-1) vs. Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Mirko Cro Cop (36-11-2, 1 NC) vs. Roy Nelson (23-15)

Light Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Phil Davis (18-4) vs. Linton Vassell (18-6)

Welterweight Main Card Bout: Michael Page (12-0) vs. David Rickels (19-4, 2 NC)

*Card subject to change

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

Bellator 200: GEGARD MOUSASI CHALLENGES RAFAEL CARVALHO FOR MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AND BRITAIN’S MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE RETURNS AGAINST DAVID ‘CAVEMAN’ RICKELS

February 27, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

LONDON TO HOST HISTORIC BELLATOR 200 ON MAY 25

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TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY

LOS ANGELES – Bellator is pleased to announce its anticipated return to London for Bellator 200 on Friday, May 25. The landmark event will emanate from The SSE Arena, Wembley and will air on Paramount Network.

The first two fights, of what promises to be one of the most exciting event in company history, features middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho (15-1) defending his crown against Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2) and the return of London’s own Michael “Venom” Page (12-0), who takes on David “The Caveman” Rickels (19-4, 2 NC). Additional main card bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets for the event will be available to the general public on Friday, March 2 at The SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office (0844 815 0815), Ticketmaster.com, ssearena.co.uk and axs.com. A special SSE pre-sale will take place Wednesday, February 28, while all other pre-sales, including Bellator Nation, will begin Thursday, March 1.

“Bellator continues to place a huge emphasis on its expansion into markets around the globe and creating a strong presence in the U.K. is a very important part of that,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “Our fans are going to be excited about the card we put together for this monumental event, as Bellator 200 will be one of our greatest to date.”

Quietly flying under the radar as Bellator’s current longest-reigning champion, Rafael Carvalho receives his toughest challenge to date when he meets Mousasi in London. A product of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Carvalho joined the Bellator roster in 2014, garnering the attention of fans who tuned into Bellator 125 by emphatically finishing Brian Rogers in the first round. The run hasn’t stopped there, as the 31-year-old has gone onto defeat Joe Schilling, Alessio Sakara, Melvin Manhoef (2x) and Brandon Halsey, tying the record for most title defenses in the division’s history in the process.

Gegard Mousasi impressed in his promotional debut over former Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko, a win that pushed his current unbeaten streak to six fights. “The Dreamcatcher,” who currently trains out of The Netherlands, holds one of the most impressive resumes in all of the sport, at one time winning the STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title, as well as the DREAM light heavyweight and middleweight titles. With victories against some of the sport’s best, including Chris Weidman, Vitor Belfort, Uriah Hall, Dan Henderson, “Jacare” Souza, Mark Hunt and Ovince Saint-Preux, the Judo black belt will now set his sights on Bellator gold when he enters the cage on May 25.

There are few fighters who in such a short span of time have provided the type of highlight-reel entertainment that Michael Page has. Now, “MVP” returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since 2016, a year that saw Page go viral for his perfectly-timed flying knee finish against 40-fight-veteran “Cyborg” Santos and the well-orchestrated celebration that included the toss of a Pokéball. 2017 saw Page successfully enter the realm of boxing, where he won his debut via TKO. At Bellator 200, the London native will make his ninth appearance for Bellator, going unbeaten and finishing his opponent in the opening frame on five occasions.

David Rickels has competed under the Bellator banner more times than anyone in promotional history with 19 and will extend the record when he returns to 170-pounds for the first time since the Bellator Season Six Welterweight Tournament in 2012. The fighting pride of Derby, Kansas is coming off a unanimous decision victory against Adam Piccolotti this past December, improving his current winning streak to two. Never one to shy away from a scrap, this matchup should produce fireworks when “The Caveman’s” style clashes with the unorthodox swagger of “MVP.”

Updated Bellator 200 Fight Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (15-1) vs. Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2)

Welterweight Main Card Bout: Michael Page (12-0) vs. David Rickels (19-4, 2 NC)

****

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

AND STILL! JULIA BUDD RETAINS WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE WITH A SPLIT DECISION VICTORY AT BELLATOR 189

December 3, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

Complete Bellator 189: Budd vs. Blencowe 2 Main Card Results:

Julia Budd (11-2) defeated Arlene Blencowe (10-7) via split decision (46-49, 48-47, 49-46)

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/sch58s8ehmtwnjr/AAAx69mIvHYsMWb1iukNObqea?dl=0

Rafael Lovato Jr. (7-0) defeated Chris Honeycutt (10-2, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tcr1yg7q1e190fc/AAA7RYTKz1PLenoBmmjKaluTa?dl=0

Chidi Njokuani (18-5, 1 NC) defeated Hisaki Kato (8-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xbk2nyzieavcgcm/AADm9fwL3c9TniJiK-gb-u4oa?dl=0

David Rickels (19-4, 2 NC) defeated Adam Piccolotti (9-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jz0hx1wjmz82s11/AAB-PokM2z8vn211Lmv9WojZa?dl=0

Preliminary Card Results:

Sam Sicilia (16-8) defeated Marcos Galvao (18-9-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Gaston Bolanos (2-1) defeated Rick Gutierrez (0-2) via knockout at 1:13 of round one

Mandel Nallo (6-0) defeated Alec Williams (6-2) via TKO at 0:18 of round one

Juliana Velasquez (6-0) defeated Na Liang (6-2) via submission (arm bar) at 0:32 of round two

Cris Williams (3-0) defeated Thomas Lopez (1-3) via submission (triangle) at 1:39 of round one

Stephanie Geltmacher (2-0) defeated Ky Bennett (0-1) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-27)

Brian Grinnell (9-7) defeated Kemmyelle Haley (7-6) via submission at 0:39 of round one

Brandon Phillips (7-3) defeated Jordan Howard (10-4) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Andrew Parker (7-2) defeated Frank Patterson (4-5) via submission (triangle) at 3:03 of round one

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BELLATOR MMA RETURNS TO KANSAS WITH LIGHTWEIGHT CLASH FEATURING DAVID ‘THE CAVEMAN’ RICKELS AND AARON DERROW INSIDE KANSAS STAR ARENA ON JANUARY 27

November 30, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

PAIR OF UNDEFEATED PROSPECTS CHRIS HARRIS AND JORDAN YOUNG ALSO SLATED FOR MAIN CARD ACTION

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (November 28, 2016) – A lightweight bout pitting Kansas’ most popular MMA fighter David Rickels (17-4, 2 NC) against Aaron Derrow (14-8) and a middleweight bout featuring undefeated phenom Chris Harris (7-0) versus Jordan Young (5-0) are the first two fights announced for “Bellator 171” which will take place inside Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas, on January 27.

“Bellator 171,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, is expected to have a main event announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for the event starting at just $24, go on sale Saturday, Dec. 3 with an exclusive two-day Bellator Nation pre-sale beginning November 30, and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or KansasStarEventCenter.com. The event takes place one week after the extremely anticipated “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” in Inglewood, Calif.

“The King of Kansas” will once again compete on the Spike-televised main card of Bellator MMA’s return to Kansas Star Arena. A 17-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, Rickels will return to action for the first time since competing against Melvin Guillard this past summer. “The Caveman” has strung together an impressive career, totaling 11 wins over his seven years with the promotion, including four of his five career knockouts. A native of Derby, Kansas, Rickles recently delivered a brutal first round knockout in his co-main clash with Bobby Cooper at “Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Spartan.” The 27-year-old Rickels now prepares for Aaron Derrow, who enters the bout undefeated since joining Bellator MMA in 2014.

A native of Blue Springs, Missouri, Derrow has made an immediate impact on the promotion, collecting victories in each of his first two fights under the Bellator MMA umbrella. Following his hot start, “Daddy Long Legs” will now be tasked with one of the lightweight divisions most proven veterans in David Rickels. Of his 14 career wins, Derrow has finished his opponent in 12 of them, including 10 of the submission variety. The 29-year-old Derrow has scored two knockouts, each of which came in the first twenty seconds of action. Derrow will have his hands full with Rickels and the raucous hometown crowd that follows him when the two enter the cage on January 27.

With an unblemished mark of 7-0, Harris enters the cage riding an impressive string of success to begin his professional career. Fighting out of Wichita, Kansas, Harris will have the luxury of competing in front of his home crowd as he prepares to make his third appearance under the Bellator MMA banner. Harris has a knack for finishing his opponents early and often, recording six wins by way of knockout or submission, including four in the first round. The 26-year-old knockout artist will look to build off of a commendable 2016 campaign that saw him emerge victorious in each of his three contests, including a pair of wins with the Scott Coker-led promotion.

Also boasting an undefeated record through five career bouts, the 22-year-old Young will make his promotional debut against the equally impressive Harris. Of his five career wins, four have come by way of submission, with each of the four finishes occurring in the opening round of action. Prior to making his professional debut in 2014, the submission specialist had similar success on the amateur circuit, where he collected four submission victories over a five-fight span. Fighting out of Urbandale, Iowa, the 6’4’’ Young will also hold a significant height advantage over the 5’11’’ Harris as he prepares to challenge one of the most aggressive opponents of his career.

Updated “Bellator 171” Main Card:

Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (17-4, 2 NC) vs. Aaron Derrow (14-8)

Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (7-0) vs. Jordan Young (5-0)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

CHEICK KONGO INCHES PAST VINICIUS SPARTAN IN ‘BELLATOR 150’ MAIN EVENT ON SPIKE

February 28, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

COMPLETE BELLATOR 150 PHOTOS HERE

MULVANE, Kan. (February 26, 2015) – A week removed from the most watched Bellator MMA event in company history, the Scott Coker-led promotion returned to action on SPIKE with “Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz,” an event that delivered five spectacular main card fights.

In the evening’s main event, Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) intelligently managed the distance between he and Vinicius Spartan (8-4), kicking and jabbing his way to a split decision victory (30-27, 28-29, 29-28).

Spartan did have his moments during the heavyweight encounter, securing takedowns in rounds two and three, followed by a knockdown late. But in the end, Kongo received the benefit of the doubt from the Kansas-appointed judges. The Frenchman has now won two straight, and improved to 6-2 overall under the Bellator MMA banner.

It only took David Rickels (17-4) three minutes and 49 seconds to finish Bobby Cooper (12-6) in front of a sellout crowd at Kansas Star Arena on Friday. Both men had their moments during the action, but after a knee to the body dropped Cooper to his knees, “The Caveman” pummelled his foe with hammerfists until referee John McCarthy called a stop to the action.

Kendall Grove (23-15) stopped Francisco France (13-4-1) with a vicious punch 35 seconds into the second round, winning by knockout. The victory was an emotional one for “Da Spyder,” who recently lost his brother and made it clear his performance was dedicated to his late sibling. Grove has now won three of his last four tilts, all via finish.

Chuka Willis (7-2) handed Gaston Reyno (5-1) the first defeat of his mixed martial arts career on Friday, winning via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27). The scrap went back-and-forth over the course of 15 minutes, with multiple submission attempts and knockdowns by both men. But in the end – much to the delight of the partisan crowd – Willis earned the nod.

Former Shamrock FC Flyweight Champion Rebecca Ruth (6-1) defeated Lena Ovchynnikova (10-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) in the opening main card fight at “Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz.” For “Ruthless” the win is the first of her career via the judges’ scorecards and extended her current winning streak to four straight.

Preliminary Card Results:

Kyle Noblitt (2-0) defeated David Hammons (1-2) via TKO (punches)

Rome Lindsay (5-5) defeated Marcio Navarro (14-12) via TKO (punches) 2:30, R1

Chris Harris (5-0) defeated Julian Marquez (2-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Andre Fialho (6-0) defeated Manny Meraz (7-2) via knockout (punches) :29, R1

Gregory Babene (17-11) defeated Brandon Farran (12-11) via submission (rear-naked choke) 3:37, R1

Thai Clark (6-0) defeated Deron Carlis (4-2) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ILLNESS REMOVES MARCOS GALVAO FROM CARD, CHEICK KONGO VERSUS VINICIUS QUEIROZ PROMOTED TO MAIN EVENT SLOT

February 26, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

MULVANE, Kan. (February 25, 2015) – Over the course of fight week, Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) has been battling an illness. After consulting physicians, Bellator officials have decided to to pull him from his Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title defense against former champion Eduardo Dantas (17-4).

After making weight inside Kansas Star Arena at 10 a.m. CT, Dantas was paid his show money. The fight will be rescheduled in the near future.

As a result, Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) against Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will now serve as the headliner and David Rickels (16-4) versus Bobby Cooper (12-5) is the new co-main event. Rounding out the SPIKE-televised card will be a middleweight attraction pitting Kendall Grove (22-15) against Kiko France (13-3-1), the Bellator MMA debut of Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), when she fights Rebecca Ruth (5-1) and Gaston Reyno (5-0) – fresh off his new exclusive multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA – will fight against Chuka Willis (6-2).

“Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz,” airs live 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.

Complete “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Co-Main Event: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco France (13-3-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Gaston Reyno (5-0) vs. Chuka Willis (6-2)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3) vs. Rebecca Ruth (5-1)

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: David Hammons (1-1) vs. Kyle Noblitt (1-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Brandon Farran (12-10) vs. Gregory Babene (16-11)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Manny Meraz (7-1) vs. Andre Fialho (5-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (4-0) vs. Julian Marquez (2-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Marcio Navarro (14-11) vs. Henry Lindsay (4-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Thai Clark (5-0) vs. Deron Carlis (4-1)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘BELLATOR 150: GALVAO VS. DANTAS 2’ THIS FRIDAY – UPDATED FIGHT CARD INFORMATION

February 23, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Click above for “What to Watch: Gavao vs. Dantas”

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 22, 2015) – This Friday, Bellator MMA brings a world championship matchup between two highly skilled mixed martial arts practitioners when bantamweight champion Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) defends his strap against former champion and former friend and training partner, Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) at “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2.

The event emanates from the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas this Friday, February 26, and airs live 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. Tickets for “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, as well as the Kansas Star Arena box office.

In addition to the title fight, a heavyweight co-main event of Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) against Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will anchor the number two spot. Also on the card, Kendall Grove (22-15) takes on Francisco “Kiko” France (13-3-1), hometown favorite David Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) will return to action against Bobby Cooper (12-5), plus the Bellator MMA debut of newly signed women’s flyweight Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), who takes on Rebecca Ruth (5-1).

“Loro,” who has fought for world-renowned promotions the likes of World Extreme Cagefighting and Shooto since 2003, will be competing for the 11^th 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 at “Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao” via submission to win his first-ever championship and fulfil a promise he made to his mother before her unfortunate passing.

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.” Last May, the 27-year-old Nova Uniao product dispelled of Mike Richman via unanimous decision at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament winner is looking to become a two-time bantamweight champion come October 23.

Kongo will be making his eighth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, looking to add to his impressive promotional mark of 5-2. The Parisian native has fought a who’s who in the mixed martial arts landscape, with notable wins against Mirko Cro Cop, Pat Barry, Matt Mitrione, and Alexander Volkov already on his record. In his last outing – which just so happened to be inside the Kansas Star Arena — Kongo impressively defeated Volkov via unanimous decision.

After nearly two years out of action, Queiroz returned to the Bellator MMA cage against Ewerton Teixeira at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov,” defeating his fellow Brazilian opponent via second round arm-triangle choke. “Spartan” hopes to plant the seeds for a busy 2016 with the matchup against Kongo, where a win can undoubtedly place him in the midst of the heavyweight title picture.

Grove capped off 2015 with an emphatic knockout of Joey Beltran at “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” in September. The winner of“The Ultimate Fighter: 3,” has fought professionally since 2003 for promotions all around the world, notably ProElite and UFC. This will be “Da Spyder’s” sixth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner as he hopes to climb back towards a 185-pound title shot – he competed for the gold last year against Brandon Halsey.

A veteran of Strikeforce, “Kiko” France has strung together a five-fight winning streak as of late, most recently handing the formerly undefeated Ben Reiter the first loss of his young career at “Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef.” It’s safe to classify the 33-year-old Arizona native as a “submission specialist,” with 12 of his 13 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent tap.

A Bellator MMA event in Mulvane, Kansas just wouldn’t be the same without “The Caveman,” who will return to action for the first time since competing against Michael Chandler this past November. Rickels always comes ready to put on a show, whether it’s on his way to the cage, or when he’s taking on a who’s who of Bellator MMA lightweight talent. The 27-year-old will be making his 16^thappearance under the promotional banner.

The last time Bobby Cooper fought inside the Kansas Star Arena, he took home a closely contested split decision victory over“Bellator 147” co-headliner Pablo Villaseca. Now, “Super Duper” will look to move to 3-0 under the Bellator MMA banner when he faces Rickels in hostile territory. It’s worth noting that the Missouri native has only lost twice in his last eight MMA appearances.

Hailing from Ukraine, Ovchynnikova will enter the fray fresh off a new exclusive, multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA. “Hunter” has previously fought the likes of Joanne Calderwood and at only 28-years-old has already competed professionally since 2006. Now, Ovchynnikova looks to solidify herself as a top contender in the budding women’s flyweight division on February 26 against a tough foe in Ruth.

“Becky” Ruth was undefeated in 2015, winning all three of her matchups by technical knockout under the Shamrock Fighting Championships banner. The lone loss on the Missouri native’s record came against Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger, via controversial split decision.

Complete “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title Main Event: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)