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Tag Archives: Fedor Emelianenko
Vadim Finkelchtein: “The Emelianenko-Maldonado situation is getting ridiculous”
MONTE CARLO, Monaco(July 28, 2016)- World MMA Association (WMMAA) Vadim Finkelchtein has gone public to explain the recent WMMAA decision regarding Team Maldonado’s appeal, which resulted in the change of the official Fedor Emelianenko–Fabio Maldonado fight result to a draw, in addition to terminating its Head of Judges, Radmir Gabdullin.
WMMAA president Vadim Finkelchtein
Vadim, talk us through the appeal process. Why did you accept it in the first place since Russian MMA Union rejected Maldonado manager’s appeal?
VF: “Everyone could see what was going on in the media and MMA community after the bout. Being the founder of both the Russian MMA Union and World MMA Association, I received tons of messages and calls from people demanding an explanation about how it was possible for Russian MMA Union employees to officiate their own boss’ fight. I read hundreds of negative comments disparaging the Russian MMA Union and WMMAA. Some even went so far to say it was about Russian Mafia doing business there, all Russian judges are bought, etc. I tried to stay away from this debacle, since the fight occurred in another promotion, but when Maldonado’s manager sent an appeal to the WMMAA, asking to reassess the fight outcome, we couldn’t say no. WMMAA’s reputation was on the line as well as that of the Russian MMA scene, too.”
What did the process of choosing the reassessment commission look like and why was head judge Radmir Gabdullin suspended?
VF: “Basically, I had to make Radmir, as the WMMAA’s head judge, responsible for the whole process. However, since he was one of the reasons the appeal surfaced in the first place, the most logical decision was to suspend him temporarily and appoint WMMAA’s Secretary General (Alexander Engelhardt) to handle it.”
Click these links to read WMMAA press releases about this subject: http://wmmaa.org/
In his recent interview, Radmir Gabdullin belittled the significance of WMMAA’s verdict, stating it was all unofficial and that he had never received any appeal.
VF: “There’s nothing to comment about here. It’s a pure lie. I don’t understand what he was trying to accomplish by saying something like this. If necessary, I can show the manager’s e-mail with Russian MMA Union employees, Kamil Gadzhiev and WMMAA employees as recipients. Saying he’s never received an appeal is absurd and a silly excuse.”
At the same time he insulted the professionals that reassessed the fight by calling them incompetent.
VF: “When I read it my first reaction was vast disappointment. How could he, as the official head judge, state something like this towards his colleagues who he knows really well? He used to officiate multiple events with them. Their experience is ten or maybe even hundred times greater than Radmir’s. Marco Broersen has been officiating major European events, including KSW, M-1 Global and many others, for 15 years. He’d been working in this field when Radmir was still in school. It’s a shame for him to say something like that. It’s degrading for both Radmir and the Russian MMA Union.”
Can you explain why 24-year-old Radmir had been chosen to become the head judge in both WMMAA and Russian MMA Union having no experience or appropriate education whatsoever?
VF: “You know, it all started back in 2010-2011, when I decided to start developing amateur MMA in order to provide thousands of young athletes with career opportunities. For that to happen the MMA Union in Russia was necessary, as well as official recognition of Mixed Martial Arts as a sport. It was hard. I had no experience working in a Federation; plenty of paper work. We lacked a qualified staff when we started to look for people. I offered Fedor Emelianenko to be the Union president with me heading the WMMAA. Gabdullin’s name was mentioned by Fedor. He said there was this young and promising guy, let’s see what he can do. I agreed completely, although I realized he had neither experience nor knowledge.”
What was your reaction to Kamil Gadzhiev’s comments claiming in each interview that a draw was the best outcome, but after the result was changed by Sherdog following the WMMAA’s verdict, he changed his mind and promised to call and mail Sherdog to protest its action?
VF: “I had a phone chat with Kamil. He made it clear that he trusts the WMMAA and Russian MMA Union, while repeating his personal opinion that the draw would be the most righteous decision. I don’t know why his words were not consequently supported by his deeds.”
Russian MMA Union has a lot of officials. Yet, no one would comment on the situation, including Fedor himself. Why is that?
VF: “I can’t answer this question. Most important for me is justice and reputation and that holds for Russian MMA and WMMAA, too. I couldn’t choose sides, which is the reason why an international commission of judges was created. No one tried to take the other man’s victory, as some have claimed in comments. As the WMMAA president, I feel ashamed the situation went that far. The vast majority of the leading MMA sites supported the WMMAA’s verdict; Sherdog changed the outcome. Another example is the Match TV poll result, in which 56-percent of Russian voters said Fedor didn’t win the fight. ‘Big’ John McCarthy said it. Sergey Kharitonov,Alexey Oleinik and many others have said the same. People who have been cheering for Fedor for years realized that. And now we have one person stating the opposite, saying our decision is unofficial, that experienced judges have become incompetent in no time, and he’d never received an appeal. That’s a sad situation and we need to handle it appropriately. The world awaits sound and reasoned decisions but gets excuses and lies instead. Our reputation is on the line because of that.”
Schedule of Major 2016 MMA Events
Aug.3-8 – Asian MMA Championship in Hwasun, South Korea
Sept. 14-16 – European MMA Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia
Oct. 7-9 – Inaugural Pan-American Championships in Santiago, Chile
Nov. 18-20 – World MMM Championship in Macau, China
Information
Twitter: @theWMMAA
Instagram: @worldmmaa
WMMAA appeal review results in draw for June 17th Emelianenko vs. Maldonado fight
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MONTE CARLO, Monaco(July 15, 2016)- The World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) has issued an announcement regarding an appeal recently filed by Stefano Sartori, manager of Brazilian fighter Fabio Maldonado, to reassess the result of his June 17th fight with Fedor Emelianenko, which headlined Fight Nights Global 50 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
 WMMAA General Secretary & Senior Vice President Alexander Engelhardt (pictured to left) has declared that Emelianenko vs. Maldonado, which was originally ruled a majority decision victory in favor of Emeliananko, officially be changed to a draw.Team Malondado’s appeal to the WMMAA was filed claiming a conflict of interest because all of the judges are employed by the Russian MMA Union, of which Emelianenko serves as president, as well as for the initial appeal to the Russian MMA Union, a sanctioned WMMAA member, being unjustly rejected by the head jury.
Engelhardt was appointed by WMMAA present Vadim Finkelchetein to handle the appeal procedure. A committee was formed comprised of Engelhardt, Hector Molina (Mexico), Chairman of the Rules, Regulations and Referee Committee; Ino Alberga (The Netherlands), Member of the Rules, Regulations and Referee Committee; Poalo Biotti (Italy), Chairman Ethics and Disciplinary Committee; Zaya Zaya (Australia), Member Professional Referee Committee.
In addition, independent judge Marco Broersen (The Netherlands), Chairman of Professional Referee Committee and Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, was responsible for selecting an independent judges’ panel to reassess the original result. The three-judges were Youri Lamoureux (Canada), Lukasz Bosacki(Poland) and Alexey Zemskov (Russia).
Each of the three aforementioned judges scored the first round in favor of Emelianenko, 10-8, and the second and third rounds for Maldonado, 10-9 each, resulting in a 28-28 draw.
The appeal procedure was divided into two parts for review in terms of whether the procedural mistakes related to the fight were made and that an independent international judges’ panel had to review the fight.
The WMMAA came to the conclusion that the appeal was legitimate and it was accepted due to the fact one of the fighters, Emelianenko, as President of the Russian MMA Union, and Head of Judges, Radmir Gabdullin, had a working relationship that could potentially affect the judgmental decisions. The WMMAA made it clear that it wasn’t saying the aforementioned relationship led to a different outcome of the result, just that it was an unfortunate choice.
Additionally, the WMMAA ruled that initially refusing the appeal was a mistake based on WMMAA amateur rules as Emelianenko vs. Maldonado was conducted under WMMAA rules.
The appeal decision that resulted in the result being changed to “Unanimous Draw” was accepted by the WMMAA, which informed Fight Nights, the promoter of Emelianko vs. Maldonado, Emelianenko, Sartori and the Russian MMA Union of its decision, and that it official had closed the appeal.
Schedule of Major 2016 MMA Events
Aug.3-8 – Asian MMA Championship in Hwasun, South Korea
Sept. 14-16 – European MMA Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia
Oct. 7-9 – Inaugural Pan-American Championships in Santiago, Chile
Nov. 18-20 – World MMM Championship in Macau, China
Information
Twitter: @theWMMAA
Instagram: @worldmmaa
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Team Maldonado files WMMAA appeal to reassess result of June 17th Emelianenko vs. Maldonado fight in Russia
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MONTE CARLO, Monaco (July 4, 2016) — The World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) has received an appeal from Stefano Sartori, manager of Brazilian fighter Fabio Maldonado, to reassess the result of his June 17thfight with Fedor Emelianenko, which headlined Fight Nights Global 50 in Saint Petersburgh, Russia.
Emelianenko was awarded a win by majority decision, which Team Malondado has appealed, claiming a conflict of interest because all of the judges are employed by the Russian MMA Union, of which Emelianenko serves as president.
Team Maldonado believes Maldonando should have won the decision, or the fight declared a draw at the very least, in their opinion, as the Brazilian clearly won the first round, 10-8, Emelianenko came back to take the second round, 10-9, and the third round was a toss-up.
Because Russian MMA Union vice president Radmir Gabdullin was the head judge for the aforementioned bout, Team Maldonando feels that a fair judgement regarding its appeal can be rendered only by independent, international judges reviewing the fight.
Team Maldonando has appealed the decision on grounds that there was an obvious conflict of interest in terms of the Russian MMA Union judges and their close association with Fedor, as well as the quality of decisions they rendered. Rather than appeal the decision to the Russian MMA Union, which they claimed would place Russian judges under intense pressure, Team Maldonando made the appeal directly to the WMMAA because the Russian MMA Union is a sanctioned member of the worldwide sanctioning body WMMAA.
WMMAA president Vadim Finkelchtein has announced the following sequence of actions:
Schedule of Major 2016 MMA Events
Aug.3-8 – Asian MMA Championship in Hwasun, South Korea
Sept. 14-16 – European MMA Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia
Oct. 7-9 – Inaugural Pan-American Championships in Santiago, Chile
Nov. 18-20 – World MMM Championship in Macau, China
Information
Twitter: @theWMMAA
Instagram: @worldmmaa
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Three World Champions Capture top honors in 2015 Russian MMA Super Cup
 Living legend and WMMAA Honorary President Fedor Emelianenko served as color commentator for the broadcast of the recent 2015 Russian MMA Super Cup
CHELYABINSK, Russia (December 16, 2015) — Fresh off of their winning performances at last month’s 2015 World MMA Championships in Prague, a trio of individual winners from championship Team Russia also captured top honors at the recent 2015 Russian Super Cup, sanctioned by the World Mix Martial Arts Association (WMMAA), in Chelyabinsk, Russia
Bantamweight Bakhachali Bakhachaliev, middleweight Gamzat Khiramagomedov and light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev were the three World champions who were also victorious at the 2015 Russian MMA Super Cup.
Internationally renowned “Big” John McCarthy served as referee.
Below find a breakdown of official results from each weight class with video links to corresponding matches:
2015 Russian MMA Super Cup
Bantamweights Championship (-61.2 kg, 135 lbs.)
Bakhachali Bakhachaliev WDEC3 Armen Gulyan
Featherweight Championship (-65.8 kg, 145 lbs.)
Nabi Ashurlaev WDEC3 Mansur Vitaev
Lightweight Championship (-70.3 kg, 154 lbs.)
Artur Zainukov WDEC3 Kamil Magomedov
Welterweight Championship (-77.1 kg, 170 lbs.)
Alibeg Rasulov WDEC3 Ramazan Kuramagomedov
Middleweight Championship (-84 kg, 185 lbs.)
Gamzat Khiramagomedov WDEC3 Ramazan Gamzatov
Light Heavyweight Championship (-93 kg, 205 lbs.)
Magomed Ankalaev WTKO1 Nadyr Bulkadarov
Heavyweight Championship (+205 lbs.)
Amirkhan Isagadzhiev WTKO1 Georgy Sakaev
Information
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COMPLETE ‘BELLATOR MMA: DYNAMITE 1’ RESULTS & PHOTOS
SAN JOSE, Calif. (September 19, 2015) – Liam McGeary retained his Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight title in front of a sellout crowd at The SAP Center in San Jose at “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1.”
Tito Ortiz was taking the fight to the Englishman, utilizing his world-renowned ground game to nullify the reach of McGeary, but in the end, it was the slick jiu-jitsu of the 32-year-old that signaled the end of the night for “The People’s Champion.”
After the fight, McGeary had plenty to say about submitting Ortiz for the first time in his career.
“The victory was amazing,” said McGeary. “Tito has never been submitted before, so that was definitely an achievement for me. This is my house. You can’t come into my house and try to take things away from me. I got this belt with hard work and anyone that comes in here will have a fight on their hands. That goes for anyone who steps in to fight me.”
Phil Davis had a night to remember, earning his second finish of the evening to officially become the No. 1 contender at 205-pounds.
“Mr. Wonderful” caught Francis Carmont with a perfectly placed hook to the chin that sent the French Canadian to the canvas, which saw Davis promptly follow up and throw unanswered punches that forced the referee’s hand and resulted in the stoppage.
“I don’t know what just happened,” said Davis. “I just want to thank God. I had the best training camp. I have the best coaches, teammates and people around me. You know what, I’d want to fight Liam McGeary. He’s young, fresh and he’s long.”
The victory for Davis also meant that the Alliance MMA product received a brand-new belt to commemorate his tournament victory.
In the main event on the Glory kickboxing portion of the card, Saulo Cavalaribested Zack Mwekassa via majority decision on Saturday night at “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1.”
Cavalari managed to bounce back from a point deduction to get the judges’ nod, and now owns two victories over Mwekassa in two meetings. The Brazilian now returns home with a fancy piece of hardware, the Glory light heavyweight championship of the world in tow.
Not only was “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” a homecoming for Scott Coker, but it also was a successful one for Josh Thomson, (21-8, 1 NC) who finished Mike Bronzoulis (18-9-1) in the second round with an arm-triangle choke.
“It feels amazing, thank you Scott Coker for making this happen,” Thomson said. “Tonight was different for me, I had the jitters like I don’t normally have. I wanted to perform for you guys. This may be the last time you see me in this arena.”
With the win, Thomson will take a perfect Bellator MMA record into his next bout and further solidifies his roll as one of the top lightweights on the planet.
Two of Bellator MMA’s top welterweights traded in the eight-ounce gloves and put on Glory kickboxing gloves and went to war inside the ring instead of the cage. In the end though, Paul Daley took home the unanimous decision victory over Fernando Gonzalez, receiving the nod from all three judges at ringside.
With the win, Daley continues to add wins to his resume, improving his kickboxing record to 21-3, while his mixed martial arts is 37-13-2. “The Menifee Maniac” doesn’t lose much in defeat and will likely request a rematch inside the ring at a later date.
If you ask “Semtex” though, everything went as planned and he would not be against taking a kickboxing bout again, “This was the exact fight I expected. I knew he was tough and I knew he was a good boxer,” Daley said. “I am just happy that I was able to go out there and throw shots. I wanted to throw some punches, combinations and not get too wild. I think I did just that. I’m open to kickboxing again as often as Bellator gives me the opportunity to.”
In the first Glory kickboxing fight on the main card of “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1,” Keri Anne Taylor-Melendez defeated Hadley Griffith via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26).
The wife of former Strikeforce Champion Gilbert Melendez, Keri didn’t allow Griffith to get off much in the way of offense, keeping the pressure on the debuting kickboxer and giving the large contingent of Melendez fans a great deal to cheer about.
After the fight Keri made it clear that while she hopes to eventually transition to mixed martial arts, another kickboxing bout is not out of the question, “I’m happy I got the victory. I felt a little ring rust, but I’m happy,” Melendez said. “I’m not against kickboxing, it’s my first love and I’m down to do it again.”
On the opposite side of the one-night, four-man tournament, Phil Davis (14-3, 1 NC) utilized a kimura to force the tap out from his opponent and former Bellator MMA 205-pound champion Emanuel Newton (25-9-1).
Davis, who was making his Bellator debut, immediately took Newton to the ground, using his superior wrestling ability to his advantage. The former NCAA D1 National Champion wrestler out of Penn State moves on to the co-main event of the evening against Carmont who beat Anthony Ruiz earlier on in the evening.
The inaugural Dynamite lived up its name with an explosive start. In the opening bout of “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1’s” four-night light heavyweight tournament, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (16-4, 1 NC) advanced past Linton Vassell (15-5) in a tightly contested bout that featured exciting punching exchanges and two huge slams that brought the sellout crowd inside The SAP Center to their feet. With the win, the American Top Team-product was supposed to move on to the second round of the tournament bracket, but a rib injury derailed those plans.
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.
M-1 Global President Vadim Finkelchtein: “Fedor fighting again will be a great gift to MMA fans”
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M-1 Global President Vadim Finkelchtein talks about Fedor’s possible match-ups and expectations from his long-awaited return to MMA |
Were you surprised when you heard about Fedor returning to professional fighting?
VF: “Well, yes, I was surprised. I lost hope for his comeback after one or two years of negotiations. I just couldn’t do it. One time he asked me not to talk about this anymore. But about a week ago he told me that he might make a comeback. I couldn’t believe what I heard. I was happy to hear that, but the real decision he made only a couple of days ago.”
Will Fedor continue his work in Russian MMA Union?
VF: “Yes, I’m sure that fighting wouldn’t become a distraction from his post of President of MMA Federation.”
What did Fedor Emelianenko tell you about his possible match-ups and opponents?
VF: “There’s no definite information yet. The only thing he told me is that he needed to prepare well enough to become as dangerous as he used be. Mentally, he is ready to fight; his attitude about fighting is great. I think he has good chance to show the best version of himself. What do you think about his next fight? When will we see it?VF: “I can’t tell you exactly right now. I would like him to make his first fight in Russia, of course, but this is all up to him, after all. But it would be great if first he makes it for his Russian fans. They would be happy.”
Will you make the third M-1 Global event with Fedor as the headliner? VF: “I’d like that, of course. It would be awesome to make a show in “Olimpiyskiy” like we did when he was leaving. That show gathered 22,000 spectators and was a great present for all his fans. And then he would go abroad. This is of course is only my desire for now. I will work on it. Maybe we will make it happen.”
Who do you see as his next opponent? VF: “I think any M-1 heavyweight would accept this fight. Actually, he can face any TOP heavyweight from all over the World.”
How long will Fedor be able to fight in your opinion?
VF: “I think for a couple of years, easily.”
Information
Twitter & Instagram: @VFinkelchtein @M1Global
Facebook:
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2015 Asian WMMAA Championships To be held May 22-25 in Tajikistan
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LIAM MCGEARY BECOMES MMA’S FIRST-EVER BRITISH WORLD CHAMPION AT “BELLATOR: THE BRITISH INVASION”
Englishman Liam McGeary (10-0) kept his professional record unblemished, capping off a successful “British Invasion” and claiming the Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight title with a five-round decision win over former champion Emanuel Newton (25-8-1).
The contest served as the headlining bout of Friday’s “Bellator MMA: British Invasion” event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
McGeary attacked from the start, as he used his lanky frame and incredible grappling to move from submission attempt to submission attempt in entertaining fashion. From triangle choke to kimura to armbar, McGeary was constantly on the move, but Newton showed capable defense and pulled free from each hold.
Despite the obvious danger on the ground, Newton continued to take the fight to the floor in the second round, working from his opponent’s extremely active guard. Once again, McGeary’s submission attempts were relentless, but Newton pulled free from each hold.
The remainder of the fight played out in similar fashion, with Newton able to take the fight to the floor with ease but forced to defend constant grappling attacks from McGeary. Both fighters could make arguments for the win, with Newton enjoying extended stretches in the dominant position. However, McGeary’s constant offense set the tone for the action. In the end, judges sided with McGeary, awarding him the win with scores of 48-46, 48-47 and 48-47.
McGeary remains perfect through the first 10 fights of his career.
Meanwhile, Newton sees a seven-fight winning streak come to an end.
“It was a close fight,” Newton said. “I was on the ground. I didn’t stop hitting and moving with triangle hits. That guy is so slippery and tough.”
In the night’s co-feature, light heavyweight contender Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (15-4) moved up to the heavyweight division and earned an impressive decision win over Cheick Kongo (22-10-2).
Facing a massive size differential, Lawal turned to his wrestling base rather than try and trade with the bigger man. The plan worked, as Lawal controlled the action in the clinch and racked up points with takedowns. While the crowd tried to entice Lawal to take a more risky approach, “King Mo” remained disciplined in his approach and cruised to what looked like a clear-cut decision win, though he had to settle for a split result, 30-27, 28-29 and 29-28.
“I don’t agree with the split decision at all,” Lawal said after the fight. “I won all three rounds. He knows he lost that fight. I got the victory and that’s all that matters. Wrestling works and it showed in this fight.
“I have a great coaching staff at American Top Team. I could’ve gone another two rounds. At the end of the third round, I knew he was gassed, so I just walked him off. I hope to get the chance to fight for a title next.”
In welterweight action, Brazilian veteran Andre “Chatuba” Santos (37-10) proved himself a game opponent against Paul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2), but the British slugger ultimately cruised to a decision win.
In typical Daley fashion, he fired heavy punches on the feet, looking for the knockout. However, Santos proved resilient, answering with strikes of his own while also looking to work from the clinch. The action went back and forth for the opening two rounds before Daley took over in the third.
An early Daley knockdown set the tone for the final frame, and Daley worked hard for the finish. Santos, however, simply wouldn’t quit, and despite being dominated in the final round, he did survive until the final bell, where Daley was awarded a decision win.
“It feels good to be back in MMA; I was a little rusty,” Daley, who had been focusing on his kickboxing career, admitted after the win. “This guy was so tough. I caught him with heavy, wild shots, and normally I would’ve taken my opponent out in the second or third round, but he didn’t quit; he has a ton of heart. It was a great fight.”
Fighting for the first time since a failed bid for the Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight World Title, Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (15-4) scored a second-round TKO over Rameau “The African Assassin” Sokoudjou (16-13).
Vassell controlled the action from the start, taking Sokoudjou to the floor and scoring with ground-and-pound blows while hunting out opportunities to end the fight with a submission. That opening would come in the second round.
Again working hard to take the fight to the floor, Vassell refused to give Sokoudjou any room to work, scoring top position and utilizing superior grappling skills. Sokoudjou was unable to get back to his feet, and Vassell eventually unleashed a flurry of strikes that earned the stoppage at the 3:18 mark of the second.
“I wanted to finish him in the first round,” Vassell said after the win. “He held my arms and stopped me from taking him down.
“It feels great representing my country and to come here and fight in front of all the American fans is a great honor.”
In the night’s first main-card contest, welterweight Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward (10-3) made quick work of “Courteous” Curtis Millender (7-1), needing just 64 seconds to score a submission win.
The two went toe-to-toe on the feet to open, and it appeared Millender was getting the best of the initial exchanges. But after coming up short on a takedown, Ward scored a crisp two-punch combination that sent his opponent to the floor. Ward took advantage of the opening, hopping on his opponent’s back and sinking in a rear-naked choke, ending the fight at the 1:37 mark of the first round.
“You know me, man,” Ward said after the quick win. “I come straight at guys like always.”
In bouts shown on Spike TV, around the world on Spike.com, hometown fighters did not disappoint here at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT as Blair Tugman (North Haven), Matt Bessette(Hartford) and Dean Hancock (Danbury) all won their bouts in impressive fashion.
Tugman (7-5) started off the night with a dominating performance over Marvin Maldonado (2-4) of Latham, N.Y, scored 30-26, 30-27 twice, all in favor of Tugman.
“Felt great to get another win in Bellator against a tough opponent in Marvin,” said Tugman. “I was excited to fight in front of my home crowd. I have a great coach (Andrew Calandrelli) and training partners at Ultimate MMA Training Center in North Haven, CT. And was confident that if I implemented my game plan I would come out with the victory. I’m upset I didn’t finish Marvin but he’s a tough guy to finish. I hope my dominant performance shows Bellator I am ready for bigger fights.
Bessette (14-6), who was able to break free of Josh Laberge’s (9-5) attack by striking him with power punches and stuns to the jaw. “Everything went right tonight, I won,” said an ecstatic Bessette.” I was able to throw my power shots and did to him what he does to other people.
“I got the win, which is the most important thing. Josh [Laberge] gave me an awesome fight and I couldn’t be happier.”
In a swing bout, Hancock looked poised in his professional debut against Mike Mangan (0-3), despite early jitters. “It felt great coming out of the cage, the first few seconds were like a blur to me,” said Hancock. “Once I got my bearings I was able to go to work and do what I do best. It was a huge moment for me.
“I feel like I belong in Bellator, it was great to get my first professional win. I need to just keep moving forward.”
Also on tonight’s preliminary card
New York transplant Neiman Gracie did what Gracie’s do best: win via rear naked choke at 2:36 of round 1 over Massachusetts’s Bobby Flynn (4-3). With the win, Gracie keeps his unbeaten streak intact at 3-0.
Also from New York, Binghamton’s Tamdan McCrory (13-3) scored an armbar victory over Jason Butcher (8-2) at 1:06 of the first frame.
Emergency! Raphael Butler is now 9-1-1 after scoring a guillotine choke victory over Josh Diekmann (15-6) at 1:04 of round 1.
Main Card Results
Liam McGeary def Emanuel Newton by unanimous decision (48-46, 48-47, 48-47) to win Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight title
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal def. Cheick Kongo by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Paul Daley def. Andre Santos by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Linton Vassell def. Rameau Sokoudjou by TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:18
Brennan Ward def. Curtis Millender by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:37
Preliminary Card Results
Dean Hancock def. Mike Mangan by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:33
Matt Bessette def. Josh LaBerge by TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 2, 5:00
Raphael Butler def. Josh Diekmann by submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:04
Tamdan McCrory def. Jason Butcher by submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:06
Neiman Gracie def. Bobby Flynn by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:36
Blair Tugman def. Marvin Maldonado by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
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 TV:
Spike TV 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 TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.
ONE IF BY LAND. TWO IF BY SEA. THREE AMAZING BRITS FIGHTING ON SPIKE TV
THE BRITISH ARE COMING
OFFICIAL WEIGH IN RESULTS, QUOTES AND PHOTOS FROM
BELLATOR’S “BRITISH INVASION”
Light Heavyweight Champion Emanuel Newton vs. Liam McGeary
Photo Credit: Bellator MMA/ Eric Coleman / CLICK HERE FOR FULL PHOTO GALLERY
The official weigh-ins concluded this afternoon for Bellator’s highly anticipated “British Invasion” show which will serve as the first tentpole event of the year and takes place tomorrow, Feb. 27.. The night of fights airs LIVE and FREE on Spike TV at 9/8c from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, and features three of the UK’s top MMA fighters competing on American soil, as well as a super fight between “King Mo” Lawal and Cheick Kongo.
Champ Emanuel Newton (204.5 lbs.) vs. Liam McGeary (204 lbs.)
Cheick Kongo (239 lbs.) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (217 lbs.)
Paul Daley (171 lbs.) vs. Andre Santos (171 lbs.)
Linton Vassell (205 lbs.) vs. Rameau Sokoudjou (205 lbs.)
Brennan Ward (171 lbs.) vs. Curtis Millender (170 lbs.)
Matt Bessette (145 3/4 lbs.) vs. Josh Laberge (145 lbs.)
Raphael Butler (260 lbs.) vs. Josh Diekmann (238 1/4 lbs.)
Jason Butcher (186 lbs.) vs. Tamdan McCrory (185.5 lbs.)
Bobby Flynn (170.5 lbs.) vs. Neiman Gracie (171 lbs.)
Marvin Maldonado (136 lbs.) vs. Blair Tugman (136 lbs.)
Michael Mangan (155 1/4 lbs.) vs. Dean Hancock (155.5 lbs.)
Newton: “I am going to finish [Liam McGeary] tomorrow. Whether it be by choke, KO, TKO or submission, I am going to finish him.
“I am connected to my inner-being. All I ever request of myself is victory. I don’t request a nice car or a big house, all I request is victory and it will be given to me.”
Liam McGeary: “I am going to become the first Englishmen to win a major title in America tomorrow. I put the work in. I have sacrificed too much to come up short. I have a great team behind me.”
Chieck Kongo: “Two big guys are getting in that cage tomorrow, and at the end I will be the winner.
“I trained like crazy for this fight. I finished training camp without injury and I came to get what I deserve.
“If he gives me the opportunity to knock him out, I surely will do it. But if not, we will go the full rounds and I will claim victory.”
King Mo: “I am going to have my hand raised tomorrow. I am not sure how exactly it’s going to happen, but I will make sure of it.
“I train hard and smart. I have seen everything there is to see in this game. My camp was great.
“Whatever he gives me, I’m going to take.”
Daley: “Andres Santos is in a lot of trouble. He is going to get knocked spark out. He says he’s Brazilian and a lot of these guys are getting laid out on the floor; he’s going to be another one of them.”
Andres Santos: “I am very confident in my ability tomorrow. I know I will come out with the victory. I have prepared very long and hard for this fight and I will come out the victor.”
Vassell: “I’m going to finish him [Sokoudjou] either on the ground, pound or by submission. He only has a couple minutes in him and that’s when I will be looking for the knockout. If not, then I will take him down and save up for the TKO or submission.”
Sokoudjou: “I’m going to beat him to the ground, that’s the game plan. Whether it is on our feet or on the ground, I am going to beat him.
“I trained very hard during training camp, it was very tough. I am healthy and ready to go.”
Brennan Ward: “Im going to go out there and punch [Millender] him on his head. I’m Brennan Ward and I’m going to do when I do. When I’m on my game, no one can stop me.
“It means a lot to be fighting in front of my hometown friends and family. I’m going to put on a show.”
Millender: “I’m going to take him down and beat him at his own game. My striking is my biggest strength.
“He’s not going to expect me to be the wrestler that I am. He’s going to be in a lot of trouble.
“I am absolutely looking for the knockout, it doesn’t matter how I get it.”
Cheick Kongo vs. King Mo
Paul Daley vs. Andre Santos
Linton Vassell vs. Sokoudjou
Main Card (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Champ Emanuel Newton (25-7) vs. Liam McGeary (9-0)
Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Cheick Kongo (22-9-2) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (14-4)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (35-13) vs. Andre Santos (37-9)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Linton Vassell (14-4) vs. Rameau Sokoudjou (16-12)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (9-3) vs. Curtis Millender (7-0)
Preliminary Card (6:45 p.m. ET)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Matt Bessette (13-6) vs. Josh Laberge (9-4)
Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Josh Diekmann (15-5) vs. Raphael Butler (8-1-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Tamdan McCrory (12-3) vs. Jason Butcher (8-1)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Neiman Gracie (2-0) vs. Bobby Flynn (4-2)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Marvin Maldonado (2-2) vs. Blair Tugman (6-5)
Dark Bout (approx. 11 p.m. ET)
Bellator Featherweight Dark Bout: Michael Mangan (2-0) vs. Dean Hancock (pro debut)
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 TV:
Spike TV 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 TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.
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