Los Andželas— BELLATOR MMA has announced that its fifth participant for the New Year’s Eve spectacle against RIZIN Fighting Federation opponents will be No. 10-reitinguotas lengvasis, Gadzhi Rabadanov(18-4-2), taking on 27-year-old Japanese standoutKoji Takeda(15-3) in a compelling matchup between two competitors riding high on the strength of consecutive victories.
A first-of-its-kind blockbuster co-promotion, BELLATOR MMA vs. RIZINtakes place inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday, Gruodis 31, and can be seen in the United States on SHOWTIME at 8 p.m. ET/PT on New Year’s Eve.
Rabadanov versus Takeda will join a star-studded five-fightBELLATOR MMA vs. RIZINPagrindinis skyriaus, which is stacked from top to bottom with current and former champions competing in the four-sided ring under RIZIN’s unique rules. Headlining the event will be a dream matchup between RIZIN lightweight championRoberto “Satoshi” de Souza(14-1) against No. 3 BELLATOR pound-for-pound talentAJ “Mercenary” McKee(19-1), with BELLATOR and RIZIN featherweight championsPatricio Pitbull(34-5) irKleber Koike(31-5-1) co-headlining the must-see event.
Former BELLATOR championsJuan “The Spaniard” Archuleta(26-4) irKyoji Horiguchi(30-5) will round out the unparalleled main card, facing off with RIZIN’sSoo Chul Kim(18-6-1) irHiromasa Ougikubo(25-6-2), atitinkamai.
Gadzhi Rabadanov, 29, signed with BELLATOR in 2021 after capturing the Eagle FC lightweight title, and has made an immediate impact on the promotion’s remarkably deep lightweight division. He announced his arrival in thunderous fashion atBELLATOR 263with an emphatic viral knockout of Daniel Carey, which he followed up with back-to-back dominant unanimous decision victories over Jay Jay Wilson and Bobby King in 2022. The product of the renowned Club Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s School in Dagestan and the prestigious American Kickboxing Academy, Rabadanov’s pedigree is world-class. On New Year’s Eve, Rabadanov will look to continue building upon his momentum with an impressive performance against Koji Takeda.
“It is a childhood dream come true to fight in Japan at the legendary Saitama Super Arena,” said Rabadanov. “I’m very excited and I know I have a tough opponent, who always leaves everything in the ring. Expect a masterpiece from me, it will be a memorable fight.”
A former DEEP lightweight champion, Japan’sKoji Takedahas been an active fighter since his 2017 profesionalus debiutas. Takeda boasts a compelling case for inclusion on this historic fight card, winning seven of his last ten and three of his last four outings under the RIZIN and DEEP banners. Takeda is also familiar with BELLATOR foes; he has previously fought Spike Carlyle and submitted Zach Zane by armbar, both of whom fought recently for the Scott Coker-led promotion. Takeda will look to add a third straight win to his resume against the highly-touted Rabadanov in his hometown of Saitama, Japonija, gruodžio 31.
BELLATOR MMA VS. RIZIN MAIN CARD:
Showtime
Šeštadienis, Gruodis 31 — 8 PM ET/PT
Lightweight Non-Title Main Event: AJ McKee(19-1) priešRoberto de Souza(14-1)
Featherweight Non-Title Main Event: Patricio Pitbull(34-5) priešKleber Koike(31-5-1)
TOP FEATHERWEIGHT CONTENDERS CAT ZINGANO AND PAM SORENSON WILL BATTLE ON PRELIMINARY CARD, ALONG WITH PIVOTAL WELTERWEIGHT CLASH BETWEEN DEREK ANDERSON VS. GOITI YAMAUCHI
TOP PROSPECTS ROMERO COTTON, CODY LAW, ROMAN FARALDO ALSO SET FOR ACTION
ANGELIAI -A plethora of fantastic fighters armed with world-title aspirations have joined the stackedBELLATOR MMA 276: Borics vs. Burnellcard on Saturday, Kovas 12. SHOWTIME will televise the mammoth main card live from inside the Family Arena in St. Čarlzas, Mo, į9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Former title challenger and No. 2 reitinguojami-Jonas Salter (18-5), as well as undefeated BELLATOR MMA No. 3-reitinguojamiDžonis Eblenas(10-0), and women’s No. 2 nereikšmingas daiktasCat Zingano(12-4) hope to take the next step toward BELLATOR MMA gold as they join the four co-headline brawlers currently ranked among the upper echelon of their respective divisions.
Featured among the magnificent MMA melees will be three of the top-ten middleweights, five undefeated and one unblemished amateur, four top-two contenders, and ten fighters ranked along with BELLATOR MMA’s elite.
Pagrindiniame renginio vakare, Adam Borics (17-1) irMads Burnell(16-3), two featherweights currently tied at No. 2 in the official BELLATOR MMA rankings, will square off for a future shot at the BELLATOR 145-pound world title. Per bendradarbiavimas funkcionalus bijau, former BELLATOR Light Heavyweight Champion, 13-time BELLATOR veteran, ir Nr. 2-reitinguojamiPhilas Davis (23-6, 1 NC) will open his 2022 campaign against No. 4 Julius Anglickas(10-2), who most recently challenged for the 205-pound title. Be, the main card will spotlight an international lightweight extravaganza as undefeated New Alliance Jiu-Jitsu team memberJay-Jay Wilson (8-0) of Auckland, Naujoji Zelandija, moves up in weight to meet Dagestan, RusijosGadzhi Rabadanov(16-4-2), who is coming off a first-round knockout in his promotional debut atBELLATOR MMA 263 liepą 2021.
Prior to the consequential co-featured contests, a pair of top middleweights will round out the main card as Salter and Eblen square off for a shot at the winner of the upcoming world title bout pitting 185-pound ChampionGegard Mousasiagainst No. 1-reitinguojami Ostinas Vanderfordas į BELLATOR MMA 275later this month in Dublin, Airija.
Armed with an 8-2 BELLATOR record, Salteris, a 15-year pro MMA veteran out of Nashville, Tenn., holds the promotional record for most submissions in BELLATOR MMA middleweight history, and has stopped 17 nuo jo 23 oponentai. Nicknamed “Diamond Hands” due to his love for crypto currency and willingness to hold onto his investments, Eblen is coming off a 71-second annihilation of Collin Huckbody atBELLATOR MMA 272gruodžio 2021. The six-time BELLATOR MMA veteran and American Top-Team product, who recently signed a six-fight BELLATOR contract extension, has secured six opening-round stoppages, including two of his three 2021 oponentai.
In addition to the magnificent main card, a veritable cornucopia of pulsating preliminary punch ups will commence the preeminent night of action, including a Minnesota midwestern melee pitting former UFC title challenger and Winona, Nuo., native Zingano against No.7-ranked lightweightPam Sorenson(9-4) of Blaine, Nuo.
Set to make her third straight BELLATOR MMA appearance with aspirations of challenging BELLATOR MMA Women’s Welterweight World ChampionKrisas Kiborgas, Zingano has had a decorated fighting career. The former NCAA Division III All-American wrestler became the first mother to compete in the UFC and initial woman to capture the company’s “Fight of the Night” award, counting victories over Miesha Tate, Amanda Nunes,, Marion Reneau, and Gabrielle Holloway. Neseniai, “Alpha” was featured in the series “Double Duty” that chronicled the attempts to maintain a balance between the daily responsibilities of parenthood and earning a living as a pro athlete.
A former Invicta FC women’s featherweight champion, Sorenson started kickboxing after the passing of her best friend. After vacating her crown and requesting a release from Invicta in July 2021, the Minneapolis mauler signed a multi-fight deal with BELLATOR MMA in mid-2021. Soon after joining the pioneering company, the 35-year-old recorded a hard-fought split decision over Roberta Samad atBELLATOR MMA 264 į Uncasville, Conn.
Also featured will be a bruising brawl pitting two hard-hitting heavyweights with seven career stoppages apiece as No. 8-reitinguojamiAlex “Eazy” Polizzi (9-1) of Madison, WISC., clashes with Team Pitbull’sJose “Guru” Augusto (7-3, 1 NC). Be, San Diegas, Kalifas. gimtasis, 11-time BELLATOR MMA veteran, ir Nr. 6-reitinguojami“Barbaric” Derek Anderson(17-4, 1 NC) will mix it up with submission specialist, BELLATOR Brazilian bruiser, and Japanese-bornGoiti Yamaguchi (26-5), in a worldwide welterweight war.
Be to, added toBELLATOR MMA 276: Borics vs. Burnellis a memorable middleweight match pitting undefeated, Ar ne. 6-ranked 185-pounder and owner of three consecutive stoppagesRomero medvilnė (5-0) of Hutchinson, Kanzasas, who will bravely battle the horrors of“The Boogeyman”Lance Wright (5-2). Be to, former Division II All-American wrestler and fantastic featherweightCody Law(5-0), fresh off his third opening-round finish, strives to avoid being scared off by“Phantom”Johnny Soto (5-2) iš Escondido, Kalifas.
Continuing the unforgettable night of amazing action, undefeated welterweight and American Top-Team memberRoman Faraldo (6-0) will make his fourth consecutive promotional appearance when he challenges BELLATOR MMA rookieKelvin Rayford (5-3), while local combatantJordan Howard (10-5) of Jefferson City hopes to thrill the Missouri faithful against Athens, Illinois’ ownTrevor Ward(5-5). Two flyweights will test their skills as well, kaiDiana Avsaragova(4-0) of Russia welcomesAshley Deen (5-6) to BELLATOR. Galų gale, a Show-Me State lightweight showdown between BELLATOR beginnerDan Busch (4-1) makes his sixth straight Missouri appearance by confronting St. Louis’Josh Augustine (5-2).
The thrilling preliminary fights will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, „SHOWTIME“ sporto „YouTube“ kanalas ir „Pluto TV“ prasideda nuo6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.
Šeštadienis. Kovas 12 // BELLATOR MMA 276: Borics vs. Burnell //The Family Arena // St. Luisas
Nemokamai. Gegužė 6 // BELLATOR PARIS: Baderis vs. Kongo 2 // Accor Arena // Paryžius, FRA
Nemokamai. Gegužė 13 // BELLATOR LONDON: Amosov vs. MVP // „SSE“ arena, Vemblis // Londonas
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Apie BELLATOR
„BELLATOR MMA“ yra pirmaujanti pasaulinė mišrių kovos menų organizacija, kurioje yra daug geriausių pasaulio kovotojų. Pagal veteranas kova promotoriaus Scott Coker kryptimi, „BELLATOR“ renginiai vyksta didžiuosiuose pasaulio miestuose ir gali būti matomi per televiziją 160 prieinama daugiau nei milijardo žmonių auditorijai. Jungtinėse Amerikos Valstijose, BELLATOR galima pamatyti SHOWTIME. „BELLATOR“ sudaro vadovaujanti komanda, į kurią įeina geriausi televizijos gamybos pramonės profesionalai, gyva įvykis instrumentuotė, kovotojas plėtra / ryšiai, vieta pirkimai, rėmimas kūrimas / kūrimas, Tarptautinis licencijavimo, prekyba, reklaminis, viešinimo ir Komisijos santykių. „BELLATOR“ įsikūrusi Holivude, Kalifas. ir priklauso pramogų gigantui „ViacomCBS“, gyvena pasaulio premjeras pramogų ženklų, kad susisiekti su publikai įtikinamų turinį visoje televiziją, Filmuotos, internete ir mobiliųjų platformų.