Tag Archives: France
BELLATOR MMA ADDS COMBAT SPORTS LEGEND MELVIN MANHOEF, OLIVER ENKAMP AND TERRY BRAZIER TO HISTORIC PARIS EVENT ON OCT. 10
BELLATOR MMA AND CBS SPORTS NETWORK TEAM UP ON NEW TELEVISION PARTNERSHIP
LOS ANGELES – Bellator MMA, a leading mixed martial arts promotion owned by ViacomCBS, and CBS Sports Network have announced an exciting new partnership that will see the organization’s live events featured on the 24-hour home of CBS Sports beginning this fall.
CBS Sports Network will televise Bellator events, both domestic and international, LIVE in all U.S. markets, while preliminary matchups will stream on CBSSports.com and Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel. Additional details will be announced at a later date.
To kick off the new partnership, CBS Sports Network will air Bellator events live from Europe, including Bellator 247 on Thursday, Oct. 1 (4 p.m. ET) in Milan, Italy, as well as the monumentalBellator Paris event on Saturday, Oct. 10 (11:30 a.m. ET) in France. Bellator 247 is headlined by a welterweight battle between veteran Paul Daley (42-17-2) and Derek Anderson (16-3, 1 NC), while Bellator Paris sees “MVP” Michael Page (17-1) take on Ross Houston (8-0, 1 NC) at welterweight and Cheick Kongo (30-10-2, 1 NC) face Tim Johnson (14-6) in a heavyweight bout.
The first primetime event live from the U.S. takes place Thursday, Oct. 15 (9 p.m. ET) with a massive card anchored by the first world title defense of current champion Cris “Cyborg” (22-2, 1 NC), who takes on Australia’s Arlene Blencowe (13-7), at Bellator 249 from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
“We’re excited to have CBS Sports Network serve as the new home of live Bellator MMA events. It’s a great opportunity to showcase some of the best events and biggest names in the sport,” said CBS Sports Executive Vice President of Programming Dan Weinberg. “Adding Bellator MMA to the CBS Sports portfolio will allow for greater promotion, engagement and exposure across all our platforms and assets including CBS Sports Network, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports HQ as well as our various social accounts.”
“I am thrilled that Bellator live events will be coming to CBS Sports Network beginning on Oct. 1, as well as the unique opportunities the partnership creates across all CBS Sports platforms,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “CBS Sports is synonymous with iconic sports broadcasting and it is incredible to now have Bellator MMA included in that family. I would like to thank Paramount Network, formerly Spike TV, for the years of support that helped build Bellator into the organization that it is today, and this news marks yet another exciting relationship between two ViacomCBS properties. I look forward to bringing the biggest fights, featuring the top athletes in the world, live to CBS Sports Network and introducing Bellator to an entirely new audience this fall.”
CBS Sports Network, the 24-hour home of CBS Sports, is available through all major cable, satellite and telco distributors as well as via OTT streaming service providers YouTube TV, fuboTV, DirecTV and Hulu.
Bellator will continue to produce all of its own live events, led by Executive Producer Scott Fishman.
The second Bellator woman’s featherweight champion in the company’s history, Cris “Cyborg” is coming off of a dominant performance over Julia Budd in January to win the 145-pound world title. Already an MMA legend at 35-years-old, “Cyborg” will be looking to further her legacy as the greatest woman’s mixed martial artist of all-time when she meets Arlene Blencowe on Oct. 15. After winning the Bellator belt in her 12th career title fight, “Cyborg” made history by becoming a world champion in her fourth major promotion, previously holding belts in both the UFC and Strikeforce. With a professional record of 22-2, 1 NC, including 18 wins by way of finish, the Brazilian-born fighter holds victories over tough competition such as Budd, Holly Holm, Felicia Spencer and Gina Carano.
With wins in six of her last seven fights, including five knockouts, “Angerfist” has put herself in position to challenge for the women’s featherweight title. Coming off a unanimous decision victory over Leslie Smith, the former two-time boxing world champion will look to keep her momentum rolling and claim her first MMA title. Tied for the most knockouts in Bellator woman’s featherweight history, the fighter out of New South Wales, Australia aims to claim sole possession of that record, as she takes on her toughest challenge to date in Cris “Cyborg.”
A longtime MMA veteran, Paul Daley has competed professionally since 2003, amassing over 60 career fights. Throughout his tenure, “Semtex” has been one half of some of the most memorable bouts in MMA history, including a knockout of the year over Brennan Ward in 2017. Most recently, the Nottingham, England native notched consecutive wins over Erick Silva and Saad Awad, running his record in Bellator MMA to 8-4. Fighting out of San Diego, Calif., the 30-year-old Derek Anderson will be making his 11th appearance for Bellator MMA in search of his third consecutive victory. With 11 of his 16 career wins coming by way of finish, “The Barbaric” hopes to earn his eighth promotional victory and first of his 2020 campaign.
Currently riding a three-fight win streak, Michael “Venom” Page, better known to fans as “MVP,” returns with the intention of spoiling the debut of European welterweight prospect, Ross Houston. Holding a career record of 17-1, with 14 wins coming by way of stoppage, the pride of London Shootfighters looks to remind people why he is one of the most exciting strikers in all of MMA. After signing with Bellator in February, Scotland’s Houston will make his promotional debut against one of Bellator’s biggest stars in Page. “The Hitman” plans on keeping his 8-0, 1 NC undefeated record intact and improve on the three submission victories already to his name by using his known Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills.
Holding an impressive MMA record of 30-10-2, 1 NC, France’s Cheick Kongo returns to action following a title fight against heavyweight champion Ryan Bader last September. The former kickboxer remains unbeaten since 2015 and will enter the Bellator cage on home soil for a rematch against a familiar opponent in heavyweight contender in Tim Johnson. Coming off a dominant TKO victory over veteran Matt Mitrione at Bellator 243 in August, Johnson is set to compete for the third time in 2020 seeking revenge in a rematch from 2018 against Kongo. Now training out of Las Vegas, Johnson has quickly earned his place near the top of the Bellator heavyweight division with his recent wins, including a viral knockout over top prospect Tyrell Fortune in February.
*Fight cards subject to change.
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
BELLATOR TO HOLD FIRST MAJOR MMA EVENT IN FRANCE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 AT ACCOR ARENA IN PARIS
LOS ANGELES – France has approved the practice of mixed martial arts and has placed the sport under the supervision of the French Boxing Federation (FFB). With these recent government approvals, Bellator is pleased to announce that it will become the first promotion to hold a major MMA event in France with a monumental show on Saturday, October 10, 2020 at Accor Arena in Paris. Bellator Paris will feature 13 MMA bouts and three boxing matchups.
Among the athletes competing at Bellator Paris, 10 French fighters will appear on the card, including the renowned Cheick Kongo (30-10-2, 1 NC), who will face off against Tim Johnson (14-6) in a heavyweight clash. Additionally, an exciting welterweight bout between Michael “Venom” Page (17-1), better known to fans as “MVP,” and the debuting undefeated Ross Houston (8-0,1 NC) is also booked for the event.
A limited number of fans will be allowed in attendance for this historic event. Tickets will be available beginning at 10 a.m. CEST on Tuesday, September 15 at accorarena.com and bellator.fr.
Following the governmental decree, the French Boxing Federation is responsible for the implementation of MMA in France. “If I made the choice to initiate a delegation procedure for MMA, it was for its recognition; it is to liberate, supervise and develop its practice,” indicates the Minister of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu. This is a turning point in the history of French sport, as MMA is a discipline that is enjoying growing success, proven by these events capable of bringing together thousands of people and attracting millions of spectators.
“This is a monumental moment in the history of the sport, as well as our organization, and I am honored that Bellator will promote the very first MMA event in France by a major promotion,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “Many people have worked tirelessly to bring this to fruition, and it would not have been possible without the support of the Minister of Sports, Roxana Maracineanu, as well as the French Kickboxing Federation sanctioning body. I would also like to thank Accor Arena, who have been an incredible venue partner, and I cannot wait for the French fans to be in attendance and join us live for what will be an unforgettable night of action in Paris on Oct 10.”
Holding an impressive MMA record of 30-10-2, 1 NC, France’s Cheick Kongo returns to action following a title fight against heavyweight champion Ryan Bader last September. The former kickboxer remains unbeaten since 2015 and will enter the Bellator cage on home soil for a rematch against a familiar opponent in heavyweight contender, Tim Johnson. With the most fights (15) and wins (12) in Bellator heavyweight history, as well as victories over Vitaly Minakov, Mirko Cro Cop, Antoni Hardonk and Matt Mitrione, the Parisian is planning for a successful homecoming on Oct. 10.
On the heels of a dominant TKO victory over veteran Matt Mitrione at Bellator 243 in August, Tim Johnson is set to compete for the third time in 2020 seeking revenge in a rematch from 2018 against Cheick Kongo. Now training out of Las Vegas, Johnson has quickly earned his place near the top of the Bellator heavyweight division with his recent wins, including a viral knockout over top prospect Tyrell Fortune in February. Boasting a career record of 14-6, with 11 coming by way of finish, the Minnesota-born military veteran looks to carry his momentum into a fight that has future world title implications.
Currently riding a three-fight win streak, Michael “Venom” Page, better known to fans as “MVP,” returns with the intention of spoiling the debut of European welterweight prospect, Ross Houston. Holding a career record of 17-1, with 14 wins coming by way of stoppage, the pride of London Shootfighters looks to remind people why he is one of the most exciting strikers in all of MMA. In addition to his MMA accolades, Page is a 10-time kickboxing world champion and also undefeated as a professional boxer.
After signing with Bellator in February, Scotland’s Ross Houston will make his promotional debut against one of Bellator’s biggest stars in Michael Page. “The Hitman” plans on keeping his 8-0, 1 NC undefeated record intact and moving one step closer to Bellator gold in the toughest test of his career to date. With three submission victories to his name, Houston’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills make him a viable threat if the fight goes to the ground against one of Bellator’s most feared strikers.
Follow Bellator France on Instagram @BellatorFrance and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorFrance/.
Please visit www.Bellator.fr and Bellator.com for additional information.
Updated Bellator Paris Card:
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Cheick Kongo (30-10-2, 1 NC) vs. Tim Johnson (14-6)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (17-1) vs. Ross Houston (8-0, 1 NC)
*Card subject to change.
****
Ringstar Sports to live stream Ringstar France fight card on Saturday!
|
|
Rising Super Welterweight Prospect Money Powell IV Returns to the Ring Friday, June 2 against Hungary’s Sandor Jozsa
|
From Le Dome – Palais Des Sports de Paris in Event Headlined By the Pro Debut of 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Tony Yoka
PARIS (May 17, 2017) – Exciting unbeaten prospect Money Powell IV (1-0, 1 KO) will make his second professional start on Friday, June 2 when he takes on Hungary’s Sandor Jozsa (5-3-1, 2 KOs) in a four-round super welterweight attraction from Le Dome – Palais Des Sports de Paris.
The June 2 event is headlined by French Olympian and 2016 super heavyweight gold medalist Tony Yoka making his professional debut against unbeaten Travis Clark(12-0, 8 KOs) live in France on Canal Plus at 7:30 p.m. CET.
“Stepping into the ring in Paris is going to be a special experience and I can’t wait to show the French fans what I’m all about,” said Powell IV. “I want to be able to connect with as many people as possible and this is a great opportunity in just my second fight. I’m going to keep training hard like I do every day and give the fans something to remember on June 2.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar France and sponsored by Unkut Paris, start at 25 € and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 0825 038 039, or visiting www.ticketmaster.fr and www.FranceBillet.com.
“I am very happy to take ‘Money’ Global! All of France will get a chance to see the future of Boxing. Money Powell is an American, born in Germany and now fighting in Paris, France in only his second professional outing. This goes to show you that ‘Money’ truly knows no borders,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports. “This young man has so many great attributes inside and outside of the ring and we’re excited to introduce him to as many new fans as possible. This is going to be a great experience for Money as he continues to sharpen his skills in the pro ranks.”
Powell made his pro debut on April 9 in Los Angeles in spectacular fashion as he used his height and reach advantage to dominate Todd Templeton and score two knockdowns before the referee halted the fight at 2:55 of the first round.
Born in Germany, where his former boxer father was stationed in the military, Powell dedicated himself to boxing for good when his family moved back to the U.S. in 2011. The 19-year-old has quickly made a name for himself since then, winning the 2016 Youth Welterweight National Championship to earn the top ranking in the 152-pound division by USA Boxing. Fighting out of Fort Mitchell, on the state line of Alabama and Georgia, Powell will continue his pro campaign on June 2.
The 26-year-old Jozsa turned pro last October and won his first three contests, including two victories by way of stoppage. Representing Hungary, Jozsa has been busy in 2017, fighting five times already including one draw and victories over Levente Siktar and most recently Laszlo Vadasz.
For more information visit www.ringstar.com or follow in Twitter @Ringstar, @laboxesurcanal, @TonyYoka and @Swanson_Comm.
|
2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Tony Yoka Makes Pro Debut Against Unbeaten Travis Clark on Friday, June 2
|
From Le Dome – Palais Des Sports de Paris & Live on Canal Plus at 7:30 p.m. CET
Tickets on Sale Now!
PARIS (May 12, 2017) – French Olympian and 2016 super heavyweight gold medalist Tony Yoka will make his highly-anticipated pro debut on Friday, June 2 as he faces unbeaten Travis Clark (12-0, 8 KOs) from Le Dome – Palais Des Sports de Paris and live in France on Canal Plus at 7:30 p.m. CET.
“I can’t wait to step into the ring for the first time as a professional in front of all my fans in Paris,” said Yoka. “This is a dream come true, but it’s also just the first step. I’ve been improving every day in the gym with Virgil Hunter and I can’t wait to show everybody what I’ve got. I know that my team is going to put me into the positions that I want, so it’s up to me to deliver in the ring. It all starts on June 2 and you don’t want to miss it.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar France and sponsored by Unkut Paris, start at 25 € and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 0825 038 039, or visiting www.ticketmaster.fr and www.FranceBillet.com.
“This is truly a momentous occasion to have the 2016 Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist making his pro debut in front of his hometown fans,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports. “Tony Yoka’s outstanding performance in Rio was just the start of what I know will be a spectacular career. Tony is training with the renowned Virgil Hunter and along with his swagger and personality outside of the ring, he is putting all the pieces in place with an eye towards becoming a huge star in this sport. I’m excited to help Tony reach his full potential and elevate the French boxing scene to the next level.”
“This is a great opportunity for Tony to start his pro career in style and for the French boxing fans to get a look at the next superstar in this country,” said Jerome Abiteboul, President and CEO of Unkut and CEO of Ringstar France. “Tony has all of the elements of a superstar in the making. Combined with the training of Virgil Hunter and the guidance of Richard Schaefer, there is no doubt that he is going to reach his full potential in this sport.”
One of the most exciting stars to emerge from the Rio games, Yoka followed up his 2012 Olympic appearance by beating fighters from Croatia, Jordan and the U.S. Virgin Islands before defeating Great Britain’s Joe Joyce in the gold medal showdown. Now trained by Virgil Hunter, Yoka will look to follow in the footsteps of Anthony Joshua, who went from Olympic super heavyweight gold to heavyweight world champion.
Born in Paris, France, Yoka began boxing at six-years-old and was trained by his father Victor, a former professional boxer in the Congo. The 24-year-old made a splash by winning the French Junior National Championship in 2008 and 2009 before claiming a silver medal at the 2010 Youth World Championships. He continued his rise to prominence by winning French National Championships in 2012 and 2014 while also defeating current heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker at the 2010 Youth Olympic games.
Born in Morristown, Ohio, Clark is unbeaten since beginning his pro career in 2009 with a second round stoppage of Andrew Snow. Now fighting and training in West Virginia, Clark won the state’s heavyweight title by stopping William Shahan. He won three times in 2016 before making his 2017 debut in March with a third round TKO over Branden Lee Hinkle.
For more information visit www.ringstar.com or follow in Twitter @Ringstar, @laboxesurcanal, @TonyYoka and @Swanson_Comm.
|
GLORY 22 videos unlocked for FREE!
|
||||||||||||||
|
BELLATOR MMA CONTINUES GROWTH WITH NEW TERRITORIES
|
BELLATOR NOW REACHES OVER 400 MILLION HOMES IN OVER 120 COUNTRIES.
Los Angeles, CA (February 25, 2015) — Multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI) today announces that Electus International has secured new deals for Bellator MMA™ with broadcasters in Australia (Network Ten), France (RTL9), Italy (Discovery), Spain (15 TV), Portugal (SIC) and Croatia (Fight Channel), exemplifying the widespread growth the emerging mixed martial arts (MMA) league has shown since appointing veteran fight promoter Scott Coker as Bellator president in June 2014. Electus International has also renewed deals with broadcasters in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong (Celestial Tiger Entertainment), Israel (Ananey) and Poland (NC+). Bellator continues its partnerships in Latin America (Fox Sports), Brazil (Esporte), Russia (R2), the Middle East (OSN) and New Zealand (Sky Networks).
Bellator MMA can now be seen in over 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries, further growing the promotion globally.
“Bellator has made record-breaking strides, establishing itself as an elite MMA promotion with an expansive global audience and we’re thrilled to bring it to viewers and fans worldwide” said John Pollak, President of Electus International.
In November 2014, Bellator 131, the first major event under Coker, smashed rating records during its broadcast for Spike TV. The main event between Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar delivered 2.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched MMA fight on cable in 2014. Bellator 131 was also the highest-rated Bellator event in league history.
The next big Bellator event, “Bellator 134: The British Invasion,” takes place on Friday February 27th at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, featuring the UK’s best fighters including Paul Daley and Liam McGeary. The special event will include a superfight between “King Mo” and Cheick Kongo.
Bellator is owned by American global media company, Viacom, and is available in almost 100 million homes on Spike TV in North America. Additional exclusive Bellator content, Bellator preview shows, fighter profiles, and high-octane fight highlights run on Spike TV and Bellator.com.
Bellator features many of the best and exciting fighters in the world, including Tito Ortiz, Will Brooks, Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Michael Chandler, Joe Warren, Bobby Lashley, Douglas Lima, Emanuel Newton, Kimbo Slice, Brandon Halsey, Liam McGeary, Michael Page and Eduardo Dantas among others.
About Electus
Electus is the first integrated multimedia entertainment studio to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world, including: broadcast, cable, digital, OTT and various emerging technologies. The company connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be true partners in campaigns and content creation. Electus International, the global distribution arm of Electus, is responsible for all international sales and distribution for Electus’ programming and its studio partners as well as programs and formats from other well-known 3rd party providers. Electus is an operating business of IAC [NASDAQ: IACI]. For more information on Electus, visit www.electus.com.
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 over 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 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.