Tag Archives: Gilbert Smith

mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA RETURNS TO COLORADO WITH  MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT:

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LFA 22 – HEINISCH vs. PEREZ

MAIN EVENT:
UNDEFEATED SUPER PROSPECT
IAN “THE HURRICANE” HEINISCH
vs.
UNDEFEATED SUPER PROSPECT
MARKUS “MALUKO” PEREZ
MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
CO MAIN EVENT:
GILBERT SMITH
vs.
ANDREW KAPEL
GILBERT SMITH’S FINAL FIGHT
WOMEN’S FEATURE BO

UT:
MAYCEE BARBER
vs.
MALLORY MARTIN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th LIVE on AXS TV
1STBANK Center in BROOMFIELD, COLORADO
Tickets are on sale NOW through AltitudeTickets.com
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will crown a new middleweight champion in September when the promotion returns to Colorado.

The main event of LFA 22 will feature the top two middleweight prospects in the sport. Colorado’s own Ian “The Hurricane” Heinisch will face Brazilian dynamo and fellow undefeated prospect Markus “Maluko” Perez for the vacant LFA middleweight title. LFA 22 – Heinisch vs. Perez takes place Friday, September 8th at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“LFA will crown a new middleweight champion at LFA 22 in Colorado,” stated Soares. “Ian Heinisch and Markus Perez are the top two middleweight prospects in the sport. On September 8th, only one will walk away with their perfect record intact with the LFA middleweight title wrapped around their waist.”
Tickets for LFA 22 – Heinisch vs. Perez are available for purchase NOW at AltitudeTickets.com. You can also support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets at CombatTickets.com.
Heinisch (8-0) received plenty of fanfare when he signed with the LFA earlier this year. This was due to the fact that Heinisch is widely regarded as one of the top middleweight prospects in the world. The two-time Colorado state wrestling champion from Ponderosa High School lived up to media and fans’ lofty expectations, and then some, when he made his highly-anticipated LFA debut in the main event of LFA 10. Heinisch quickly dispatched the well-versed Brazilian powerhouse Lucas Rota in less than a round with a rare Ude-Garami (Keylock) from Kesa-Gatame (Scarf Hold). This positioned him at the front of the line for a title shot. The 29-year-old will now get the opportunity to fight for the vacant LFA middleweight title in front of his home crowd at LFA 22.
Perez (8-0) is perhaps the only middleweight prospect in the world that can match the intrigue surrounding Heinisch. This is due in large part to the fact that Perez has been just as dominant in his native Brazil as Heinisch has been stateside. The man known as “Maluko” will be making his highly-anticipated international MMA debut on the heels of back-to-back wins over UFC veterans Ildemar Alcântara and Paulo Thiago. Those wins saw Perez’s stock as a top prospect skyrocket as Alcântara and Thiago have a combined 20 fights in the UFC between the two of them. The 27-year-old is now eager to showcase his talents outside of Brazil for the first time. He will get that opportunity on September 8th when he fights for the vacant LFA middleweight title.
The co-main event of LFA 22 will feature the farewell fight of one of Colorado’s most beloved and accomplished fighters when Gilbert Smith gets his hands wrapped and throws down one last time in front of his adoring home crowd. The proud Coloradan has enjoyed an MMA career that has seen him reach the highest levels of the sport.
The U.S. Army veteran and Colorado Springs resident competed on two seasons of the UFC’s hit reality television series The Ultimate Fighter. Along with being a memorable cast member on TUF 17 and TUF 25, Smith competed for the UFC and Bellator, as well as both RFA and Legacy FC before the two promotions merged to form LFA at the beginning of the year. During his time with RFA, Smith won the welterweight world title.
The man standing across the Octagon from Smith at LFA 22 will be Andrew Kapel (11-6). Kapel is a longtime friend and teammate of  Benjamin Smith, who is the man that Gilbert Smith took the RFA title from two summers ago in the main event of RFA 26. Kapel, like Benjamin Smith, is a student of Greg Nelson at The Academy in Minneapolis, Minnesota and will look to exact a bit of revenge in the same building where Gilbert Smith submitted Benjamin Smith. The budding grudge match in Gilbert’s farewell fight has one more layer. Kapel submitted Smith’s teammate Adam Stroup last month in less than a round.
In the always exciting women’s strawweight division, Maycee Barber (1-0) will return to the LFA Octagon against RFA vet and fellow top prospect Mallory Martin (1-1) at LFA 22. Barber burst on to the MMA scene in June with a dominant professional MMA debut at LFA 14. Barber submitted undefeated prospect Itzel Esquivel via armbar in the first round of a bout that took place in her opponent’s hometown. Now Barber will return to the LFA Octagon in her home state. She will face a fellow Coloradan prospect in Martin who is no stranger to the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield. It was in this same venue where Martin submitted the Gilbert Smith trained Melissa Parker via Rear Naked Choke at RFA 34. Now the table is set for a showdown between the top two strawweights in “The Centennial State” as the 19-year-old Barber faces the 23-year-old Martin on the main card of LFA 22.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Middleweight Title Bout (185 lb)
– Ian Heinisch (8-0) vs. Markus Perez (8-0)
Co-Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Gilbert Smith (12-6) vs. Andrew Kapel (11-6)
Women’s Strawweight Bout (115 lb)
– Maycee Barber (1-0) vs. Mallory Martin (1-1)
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 22 will serve as the third LFA event to take place in the state of Colorado. RFA visited “The Centennial State” eight times before the merger. Further information about LFA 22 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 22 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ALEXANDER ‘STORM’ SHLEMENKO IS BACK IN BUSINESS AFTER TKO VICTORY AT ‘BELLATOR 162’ IN MEMPHIS

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10 Kendall Grove V Alexander Shlemenko_0051

 

FULL FIGHT PHOTOS / VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

 

 

Alexander Shlemenko returns with a patented livershot TKO over Kendall Grove

 

Memphis (Oct. 21, 2016) – The most decorated middleweight in Bellator history, Alexander Shlemenko (54-9, 1NC) returned to the cagetonight in a big way against Kendall Grove (23-16). The first round saw aggressive back and forth action with each fighter getting rocked. Shlemenko successfully utilized powerful spinning backfists and heelkicks to close the distance on the 6’6 Hawaiian. “The Storm” stalked Grove throughout the cage before ultimately connecting with a nasty combo that saw a left hand to the liver, followed by a right hand to the chin, sending his towering opponent to the mat. Shlemenko followed up with a barrage of strikes to “Da Spyda” before “Big John” McCarthy waved the fight off at 1:43 of the second frame.

 

 

 

 

Lashley sinks in a rear-naked choke to end Appelt’s night in round two

 

Bobby Lashley (15-2) continued to live up to his nickname of “The Dominator” as he tossed his opponent, Josh Appelt (12-6) to the mat at will. Throughout the first round, Lashley jockeyed for position as he rained down punches while trying to lock in a submission in front of his friend from his days as a WWE Superstar, Jerry “The King” Lawler, who watched from his cage side seat. Appelt landed a couple strikes to start the second frame before being slammed to the mat and ultimately submitted with a one-armed rear-naked choke at 1:43 of Round 2.

 

 

 

 

Yamauchi finishes Couture with armbar submission just one minute into bout

 

The 23-year-old submission specialist Goiti Yamauchi (20-3) defeated Ryan Couture (10-5) via arm bar submission just 1:01 into the opening round. Making his lightweight debut, Yamauchi becomes the first opponent to submit Couture over his 15-fight career. The win gives the Brazilian-Japanese prospect 20 total over his career, including five since joining the Scott Coker-led promotion back in 2013. The slick arm bar marks the 16th submission victory for Yamauchi, 13 of which have come in the first frame.

 

 

 

 

Kato scores TKO victory over Matthews

 

The first televised fight of the evening featured two highly gifted strikers in A.J. Matthews (8-6), a muay-Thai practitioner and Hisaki Kato(7-2), who holds a black belt in Kyokushin Karate. Both fighters exchanged great combinations throughout the entirety of the first round, with Matthews even wobbling Kato halfway through the frame. but was unable to capitalize, allowing Kato to regain his composure. A break in the action because of an accidental eye poke to Matthews allowed Kato to completely recover, and when the fight continued, Kato utilized his right kick to the body-left hand to the dome combination to send Matthews to the canvas, pouncing with a flurry of punches forcing the referee to call a stop to the action at 4:58 of the first frame.

 

 

Complete Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:

 

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Garcia (7-1) def. Ronnie Lawrence (1-1) via UD

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Ricky Rainey (12-4) def. Gilbert Smith (12-6) via UD

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Julia Budd (9-2) def. Arlene Blencowe (7-6) via MD

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Virgil Zwicker (15-5-1) def. Dan Charles (10-4-1) via TKO at 4:31of Round 2

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Chase Gormley (14-5, 1 NC) def. Bobby Brents (17-6) via SD

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Wade Johnson (11-1) def. Tyler Hill (6-1) via SUB (rear-naked choke) at 3:35 of Round 3

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: James Wallace (2-0) def. Jonathan Burdine (4-5) via SUB (rear-naked choke) at 3:33 of Round 2

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Eryk Anders (5-0) def. Brian White (5-5) via TKO at 0:23 of Round 1

Catchweight (160 lb.) Preliminary Bout: Jaleel Willis (7-0) vs. Omar Johnson (4-1) via UD

Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Grady Hurley (10-1) def. Chad Cook (10-11) at 2:29 of Round1

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Wessell (15-8) vs. Frank Tate (4-2) via UD

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

HISAKI KATO TAKES ON A.J. MATTHEWS IN MIDDLEWEIGHT CLASH AS BELLATOR MMA INVADES MEMPHIS ON OCT. 21

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GOITI YAMAUCHI-RYAN COUTURE SQUARE OFF IN LIGHTWEIGHT MAIN CARD BOUT – RICKY RAINEY VS. GILBERT SMITH CONFIRMED FOR PRELIMINARY CARD

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (September 16, 2016) – A middleweight pairing pitting Hisaki Kato (6-2) against A.J. Matthews (8-5) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 162: Shlemenko vs. Grove” at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on October 21.

In addition, a lightweight faceoff pitting  Goiti Yamauchi (19-3) against Ryan Couture (10-4) completes the SPIKE-televised main card. The first of what will be a stacked preliminary card is also official, with the news that Ricky “The Sniper” Rainey (11-4) will fight Gilbert “Chocolate Thunder” Smith (12-5). Additional undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster or FedExForum Box Office. Main card action kicks off LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while prelims streams live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

Since signing with Bellator MMA, the calm and subdued Kato has been in nothing but absolute barn burners once the cage door shuts. The exciting fights have even transcended combat sport iterations, when at “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 2” Kato delivered a spinning back fist that stopped Joe Schilling in his tracks, the second finish in as many tries for “The Japanese Musketeer” against “Stitch Em’ Up.” Currently situated in France, the 33-year-old has had one MMA contest thus far in 2016, stopping Yuta Watanabe in April.

When he’s not traveling the world in an effort to learn everything there is to know about the different martial arts disciplines, Matthews is putting his skills to the test under the Bellator MMA umbrella. A veteran of Strikeforce, “The Mercenary” has laced up the gloves seven times previously for the Viacom-owned promotion, stopping his opponent in all but one of his victories. Primarily training at Alliance MMA throughout his career, Matthews has spent much of his time as of late in Thailand, even taking a Muay Thai bout before meeting Ben Reiter at “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2.”

At just 23-years-old, Yamauchi is one of the premiere young talents in the sport of MMA today. Prior to joining Bellator MMA, the Japanese submission specialist amassed an unfathomable 14-1 record with 11 submissions and one knockout. Since merging with the Scott Coker-led promotion, Yamauchi has strung together a promising mark of 5-2 with three rear-naked choke submissions. Of his 19 career wins, 15 have come by way of submission, while no opponent has yet been able to finish the elusive fighter. Yamauchi will now jump up in weight class and join the lightweight division for a clash with one of the most legendary last names in MMA, Couture.

Known to many as the son of former world champion Randy Couture, Ryan has made 14 professional appearances over his career, all of which took place under the bright lights of a national promotion like Strikeforce or Bellator MMA. Residing in Las Vegas, the 34-year-old submission specialist enters the cage having won four of his past five contests, with each of his victories coming by way of rear-naked choke submission. Although there is a noticeable age difference between his opponent, Yamauchi made his professional debut a mere two months after Couture, in October of 2010. Tune in to SPIKE on October 21 to see which Bellator MMA lightweight powerhouse will emerge victorious.

 

Complete “Bellator 162: Shlemenko vs. Grove” Main Card:

Middleweight Main Event: Alexander Shlemenko (53-9) vs. Kendall Grove (23-15)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Bobby Lashley (14-2) vs. Josh Appelt (12-5)

Middleweight Feature Bout: Hisaki Kato (6-2) vs. A.J. Matthews (8-5)

Lightweight Feature Bout: Goiti Yamauchi (19-3) vs. Ryan Couture (10-4)

 

Preliminary Card:

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Ricky Rainey (11-4) vs. Gilbert Smith (12-5)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

DARRION CALDWELL SUPLEXES, CHOKES HIS WAY TO MAIN EVENT VICTORY AT ‘BELLATOR 151’ ON SPIKE

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Complete Event Photos Here

 

THACKERVILLE, OK. (March 4, 2016) – It’s safe to say Darrion Caldwell (9-0) asserted himself as a legitimate title contender with his victory over Joe Warren (13-5) in the main event of “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” on Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd at WinStar Resort and Casino.

As many expected, the fight quickly made it to the mat, with “The Wolf” taking down the self-proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet” and initiating a sequence of ground-and-pound offense. After Warren made it back to his feet, the former NC State wrestler suplexed Warren and sunk in a rear-naked choke — that Warren refused to tap to — forcing referee Dan Miragliotta to wave off the bout at 3:23 of round one.

Following the technical submission victory, Caldwell made good use of his time on the microphone with color commentator Jimmy Smith, calling out current bantamweight champion Marcos Galvao, simply saying: “F*ck you [Marcos] Galvao, you’re a p*ssy.” That’s nine straight victories for the former NCAA Champion to begin his mixed martial arts career, three wins since making the transition from featherweight to bantamweight. Meanwhile, Warren has now dropped two out of three and will not get a shot at the winner of Galvao and Eduardo Dantas when they do finally meet.

 

In the co-main event of the evening, Fernando Gonzalez (25-13) extended his winning streak to five at the expense of Gilbert Smith (12-5), taking home a split decision win (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). The takedowns were likely the difference on the judges’ scorecards, but both fighters had their moments over the course of 15 minutes. Gonzalez now moves even closer to a shot at the 170-pound title, or a matchup with Michael Page, who was originally slated to face “The Menifee Maniac” before withdrawing. The future of the division will be much clearer following “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” April 22, when Benson Henderson challenges Andrey Koreshkov for the welterweight belt.

 

Goiti Yamauchi (19-3) came into his fight against Bubba Jenkins (11-2) riding a wave of momentum after three-straight wins, but the Arizona State wrestling standout used his world-class grappling to neutralize the striking and jiu-jitsu prowess of Yamauchi. The 23-year-old Japanese competitor took the back of Jenkins for the duration of round one and nearly secured an arm bar late in the final round, but “The Highlight Kid’s” effective grappling was the difference, earning the unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-27). Jenkins now has won three consecutive fights since his January 2015 loss to Georgi Karakhanyan.

During the opening main card contest at “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell,” Sirwan Kakai (12-4) dropped his first fight under the Bellator MMA banner to Joe Taimanglo (22-6-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). It looked as though “Baby Joe” was going to finish the contest early — sinking in an Anaconda Choke before transitioning to a deep guillotine — but “Zohan” weathered the storm and hung around for the final ten minutes, even creating some bright spots of his own in the third and final round. In the end, the judges’ cage side awarded the Guam-native his third consecutive victory and sent Kakai back to the drawing board.

 

Preliminary Card Results:

Treston Thomison (9-4) defeated Aaron Roberson (5-4) via Submission (Guillotine) R2, 2:20

Jermayne Barnes (1-1) defeated Derek Palmer (0-1) via Submission (Punches) R2, 1:17

Neiman Gracie (4-0) defeated Roger Carroll (16-14) via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

Ricky Turcios (6-0) defeated Steve Garcia (6-1) via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

Justin Patterson (7-1) defeated Chance Rencountre (8-2) via Split Decision (29-28. 28-29. 29-28)

Ray Wood (6-1) defeated Chris Jones (10-4) via TKO (Punches) R1, 3:10

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

WEIGH-IN RESULTS FOR “BELLATOR 151: WARREN VS. CARDWELL’ – AIRING TOMORROW ON SPIKE AT 9 PM ET/8PM CT

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Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

THACKERVILLE, OK (March 3, 2016) – For the third consecutive Friday, Bellator MMA returns to Spike, this time around with “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell.” In the main event, Joe Warren (13-4) looks to live up to his self-proclaimed label as the “Baddest Man on the Planet” against one of Bellator MMA’s brightest young stars in the undefeated Darrion Caldwell (8-0).

 

“Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” airs live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com andThe Bellator Mobile App.

In the co-main event, Gilbert Smith (12-4) will try to put an end to Fernando Gonzalez’s (24-13) four-fight winning streak when the two go toe-to-toe. In addition, Goiti Yamauchi (19-2) comes into the fight riding a wave of momentum after three-straight wins, but Arizona State wrestling standout Bubba Jenkins (10-2) will look put an end to that win streak. In bantamweight action, Sirwan Kakai (12-3) will make his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, and is riding a two-fight winning streak as he prepares for Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” are on sale now and start at just $45. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino and Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, with the first contest taking place 45 minutes later.

 

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

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Joe Warren (135.2) vs. Darrion Caldwell (135.6)

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Gilbert Smith (170.4) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (171)

 

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Goiti Yamauchi (146) vs. Bubba Jenkins (146)

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Bout: Sirwan Kakai (135.6) vs. Joe Taimanglo (135.4)

 

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 6:45 p.m. ET/5:45 p.m. CT)

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Fight: Roger Carroll (169.8) vs. Neiman Gracie (170.6)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Fight: Steve Garcia (135.4) vs. Ricky Turcios (135)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Fight: Justin Patterson (170.2) vs. Chance Rencountre (169.2)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Fight: Chris Jones (152.4) vs. Ray Wood (145.4)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Fight: Derek Palmer (194) vs. Jermayne Barnes (202.4)  

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Fight: Treston Thomison (145.6) vs. Aaron Roberson (146)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘BELLATOR 151: WARREN VS. CALDWELL’ FIGHT CARD UPDATE – THIS FRIDAY ON SPIKE

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 B151_18x24_tunein

Click below for “What to Watch: Warren vs. Caldwell”

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (February 29, 2016) – This Friday, Bellator MMA returns to Spike for the third consecutive Friday with “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell.” The event takes place from the WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, OK, and features a main event between highly touted undefeated bantamweight Darrion Caldwell (8-0) challenging former two-division world champion and the self-proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet” Joe Warren (13-4).

Tickets for “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” are on sale now and start at just $45. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino and Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, with the first contest taking place 45 minutes later.

“Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” airs live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Joe Warren (13-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (8-0)

Warren has just about done it all under the Bellator MMA banner, winning titles at featherweight and bantamweight during his nearly six-year promotional tenure. Now, Warren has his sights set on another run with the 135-pound title, a belt he lost during an intense encounter with Marcos Galvao early in 2015. A 2006 Pan American and World Champion in Greco-Roman competition, the 39-year-old will test himself against a young competitor who excels in the same skillset that Warren has used to his advantage for most of his career, wrestling.

 

With five impressive outings in a little over a year and a half under the Bellator MMA umbrella, it was only a matter of time before “The Wolf” found himself in a position to compete for a world title. The next stop on the road to championship gold goes through Warren, a man who has held Galvao’s belt already. A standout on the wrestling team at NC State University, the 27-year-old Caldwell most recently submitted Shawn Bunch via rear-naked choke in the first frame, adding to his tally of finishes (4). Initially a featherweight, Caldwell looks much more comfortable now at 135-pounds and as he proclaimed during a recent interview, “I foresee myself competing against Joe [Warren] with a No. 1 contender shot on the line, sooner rather than later.”

 

Fernando Gonzalez (24-13) vs. Gilbert Smith (12-4)

Gonzalez took a brief hiatus from MMA to compete in the kickboxing portion of the groundbreaking “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” event in September, losing a tightly contest decision to world-renowned striker Paul “Semtex” Daley. Gonzalez now returns to his comfort zone of MMA, where he has strung together an impressive four-fight winning streak. A veteran of the Scott Coker-founded Strikeforce promotion, as well as World Extreme Cagefighting, Gonzalez has been competing professionally since 2003.

 

Smith will be making his Bellator MMA debut against a fighter who is currently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak. “Midnight Magic” is on a bit of a roll of his own, coming into the promotion riding a two-bout winning streak. A veteran of UFC and most recently RFA, Smith won the regional promotion’s welterweight belt in June, defending the title one time before signing with Bellator.

 

Goiti Yamauchi (19-2) vs. Bubba Jenkins (10-2)

Yamauchi comes into the fight riding a wave of momentum he’s caught after wins against Mike Richman, Martin Stapleton, and Isao Kobayashi. The 23-year-old Japanese fighter has only lost once in six appearances under the Bellator MMA banner and has notched 15 of his 19 wins as a professional by way of submission.

 

It’s hard to ignore Jenkins inside or outside the Bellator MMA cage, being that “The Highlight Kid” also doubles as a podcast host during his free time. The Arizona State alum notched two straight wins to cap off 2015, most recently, an impressive offensive display against a promising prospect in Jordan Parsons.

 

Sirwan Kakai (12-3) vs. Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1)

Taimanglo will be making his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, and is riding a two-fight winning streak. A Guam-native, “The Juggernaut” has stopped his opponent in 21 of his victories and has only lost twice in his last 14 fights. Look for the 31-year-old to make an impression against the bantamweight division’s newest commodity.

 

Kakai is one of Bellator MMA’s latest signings, joining the fray after a two-fight stint in the UFC. “Zohan,” 26, hails from Sweden and owns 10 finishes in his 12 victories as a professional fighter. With a bantamweight title fight one-week prior and another marquee 135-pound pairing in the main event, it will be interesting to see what a win does for Kakai in the grand scheme of things.

 

Complete “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” Fight Card:

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Joe Warren (13-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (8-0)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Gilbert Smith (12-4) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (24-13)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Goiti Yamauchi (19-2) vs. Bubba Jenkins (10-2)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Bout: Sirwan Kakai (12-3) vs. Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Roger Carroll (16-13) vs. Neiman Gracie (3-0)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Garcia (6-0) vs. Ricky Turcios (5-0)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Patterson (6-1) vs. Chance Rencountre (8-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Jones (10-3) vs. Ray Wood (5-1)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Derek Palmer (Debut) vs. Jermayne Barnes (0-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Steven Peterson (13-4) vs. Stephen Banaszak (5-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Treston Thomison (8-4) vs. Aaron Roberson (5-3)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

GILBERT SMITH REPLACES MICHAEL PAGE, FACES FERNANDO GONZALEZ IN ‘BELLATOR 151’ CO-MAIN EVENT

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SIRWAN KAKAI MAKES PROFESSIONAL DEBUT AGAINST JOE TAIMANGLO

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (February 10, 2015) – The main card of “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” onMarch 4 is complete with today’s announcement that Gilbert Smith (12-4) will replace Michael Page and now face Fernando Gonzalez (24-13) in the evening’s co-main event.

 

In addition, Sirwan Kakai (12-3) will make his promotional debut against Joe Taimanglo (21-6) in the fourth and final main card contest. Seven preliminary scraps have also been confirmed and can be found below.

Tickets for “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” are on sale now and start at just $45. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino and Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, with the first contest taking place one hour later.

“Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” airs live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary boutswill stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

 

Smith will be making his Bellator MMA debut against a fighter who is currently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak. “Midnight Magic” is on a bit of a roll of his own, coming into the promotion riding a two-bout winning streak. A veteran of UFC and most recently RFA, Smith won the regional promotion’s welterweight belt in June, defending the title one time before signing with Bellator.

 

Gonzalez took a brief hiatus from MMA to compete in the kickboxing portion of the groundbreaking “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” event in September, losing a tightly contest decision to world-renowned striker Paul “Semtex” Daley. Gonzalez now returns to his comfort zone of MMA, where he has strung together an impressive four-fight winning streak. A veteran of the Scott Coker-founded Strikeforce promotion, as well as World Extreme Cagefighting, Gonzalez has been competing professionally since 2003.

 

Kakai is one of Bellator MMA’s latest signings, joining the fray after a two-fight stint in the UFC. “Zohan,” 26, hails from Sweden and owns 10 finishes in his 12 victories as a professional fighter. With a bantamweight title fight one-week prior and another marquee 135-pound pairing in the main event, it will be interesting to see what a win does for Kakai in the grand scheme of things.

 

Taimanglo will be making his seventh appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella, and is riding a two-fight winning streak. A Guam-native, “The Juggernaut” has stopped his opponent in 21 of his victories and has only lost twice in his last 14 fights. Look for the 31-year-old to make an impression against the bantamweight division’s newest commodity.

 

Updated “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” Fight Card:

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Main Event: Joe Warren (13-4) vs. Darrion Caldwell (8-0)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Gilbert Smith (12-4) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (24-13)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Goiti Yamauchi (19-2) vs. Bubba Jenkins (10-2)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Feature Bout: Sirwan Kakai (12-3) vs. Joe Taimanglo (21-6-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Jones (10-3) vs. Ray Wood (5-1)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Garcia (6-0) vs. Ricky Turcios (5-0)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Patterson (6-1) vs. Chance Rencountre (8-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Treston Thomison (8-4) vs. Aaron Roberson (5-3)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Roger Carroll (16-13) vs. Neiman Gracie (3-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Derek Palmer (Debut) vs. Jermayne Barnes (0-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Shane Peterson (13-4) vs. Stephen Banaszak (5-5)

mixed martial arts, RFA

RFA RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS WITH SMITH vs MARUNDE

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 MAIN EVENT:
GILBERT SMITH vs. BRISTOL MARUNDE
WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
CO-MAIN EVENT:
ZOILA FRAUSTO vs. JOCELYN JONES-LYBARGER
WOMEN’S STRAW WEIGHT WORLD TITLE
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9TH LIVE ON AXS TV
LIVE at the Downtown Las Vegas Event Center, Las Vegas, NV
 
Tickets on Sale Now at Ticketmaster.com 

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) has announced that the promotion will return to the “Fight Capital of the World” with RFA 31 – Smith vs. Marunde in October. This will be the RFA’s first trip to Las Vegas since RFA 4, which was the promotion’s first nationally televised event. The main event of RFA 31 will see RFA welterweight champion Gilbert Smith defend his title for the first time against fellow UFC vet Bristol Marunde. The co-main event of RFA 31 will feature Zoila Frausto and Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger competing for the inaugural RFA women’s strawweight title. RFA 31 – Smith vs. Marunde will take place Friday, October 9th at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

Tickets for RFA 31 – Smith vs. Marunde are available for purchase through Ticketmaster.com. You can also support your favorite fighter buy purchasing your tickets through CageTix.com.
A very limited number of 8 seat VIP table  can be reserved by calling 303-521-0966
Smith (11-4) is excited about headlining a third RFA event in a third RFA title fight this year. In January, Smith’s first title shot was hindered after his opponent egregiously missed weight by 5-pounds. Smith then received an immediate title shot in his next bout due to his original opponent’s brazen weight advantage. He capitalized on this opportunity, when he faced the newly crowned RFA welterweight champion Benjamin Smith in June. Smith captured the title with third round armbar victory in Broomfield, Colorado. Smith is now looking to gain holding status with a successful first title defense in Las Vegas.
“First and foremost, it’s a great honor to defend my RFA title in Las Vegas,” stated Smith. “I look forward to putting on a great fight for the fans in Las Vegas, but like I said after my last fight, this belt is staying around my waist. I have nothing but respect for Bristol Marunde, but I will let him know he’s not on my level. Come October 9th, this belt is coming back to Colorado.”

Marunde (16-9) enters the title fight riding the momentum of a four-fight win streak. The Las Vegas based Xtreme Couture representative is a veteran of the UFC and The Ultimate Fighter, just like Smith, and was quick to call-out Smith via social media earlier this summer, when Smith extended an open invitation to take on all-challengers after winning the title. Marunde is a Las Vegas resident that is excited about showcasing his new and improved skill set at RFA 31.

“It’s nice to be fighting in Las Vegas, but I will be the next RFA welterweight champion regardless of where it’s held,” Marunde explained. “I’m ready for this challenge in Gilbert Smith. I want everyone to see this fight. It will be my best performance to date.”
The co-main event of RFA 31 will feature the return of Zoila Frausto (12-4), who was the first-and-only Bellator women’s champion. Frausto won the Bellator women’s strawweight title by winning MMA’s most significant women’s tournament to date. In the eight-woman tournament, Frausto defeated Jessica Penne, Jessica Aguilar, and Megumi Fujii. Penne has gone on to fight for the UFC women’s strawweight title, Aguilar was widely considered the #1 women’s strawweight in the world for years, and Fujii is a legend in women’s MMA who was 22-0 when she fought Frausto for the title in the tournament finale. Frausto, who has never lost at 115-pounds, is now eager to reclaim her throne atop the women’s strawweight division.
“More than anything, I’m happy to be back,” stated Frausto. “I’m a completely different fighter now. I’m not just athletic, but I’ve added world-class striking and won a Muay Thai world title. I now have size, strength, speed, and skill that the girls at 115-pounds aren’t ready for. It’s exciting to fight for the first RFA women’s title in Las Vegas. The first fight I ever saw was in Las Vegas and I remember seeing it and thinking, this is what I want to do and this where I want to fight.”

Jones-Lybarger (5-1) enters the title fight as the most successful woman in RFA history. The MMA LAB product has won three consecutive fights since signing with the RFA last year. In those three bouts, she has showcased a wide variety of skills. In her debut, she won a Unanimous Decision over the scrappy Rosa Acevedo at RFA 14. Jones-Lybarger then out-grappled the heavy-handed striking stalwart Rebecca Ruth at RFA 19. In her most recent outing, she used her formidable boxing skills to defeat talented jiu-jitsu based fighter Maria Rios at RFA 23. Jones-Lybarger was set to return to action this month at RFA 29 as part of Team USA, but her opponent was forced off the card and Jones-Lybarger quickly shifted her attention towards her biggest challenge to date.

“I honestly feel that my time is now,” Jones-Lybarger explained. “When the fight with Kinberly (Novaes) was called off, I knew my time for an RFA title fight with Zoila was now. This is the win I need to get me to the next chapter in my career and I’m excited about becoming the first RFA women’s champion.”
The entire RFA 31 – Smith vs. Marunde main card, preliminary card, and further information regarding this event will be announced soon. RFA 31 will be the promotion’s second event to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada since its inception in 2011. The entire main card of RFA 31 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, October 9th.
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.

About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).

About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
mixed martial arts, RFA, World Series of Fighting

Fight Network Presents RFA 26 LIVE, WSOF 21  Friday, June 5 Starting at 10 p.m. ET

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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

TORONTO (June 4, 2015 — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents back-to-back world-class championship mixed martial arts broadcasts this Friday, June 5, beginning at 10 p.m. with a live presentation of RFA 26: Smith vs. Smith from 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

 

Immediately following the live broadcast, Fight Network will present WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki in its entirety from Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

 

Fight Network will televise both cards exclusively in Canada, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

Airing live at 10 p.m. ET, RFA 26 will be headlined by a welterweight title bout as RFA welterweight champion Benjamin Smith (14-2) puts his title on the line against No. 1 contender Gilbert Smith(10-4). In the co-main event, Brazilian submission ace Thiago “Monstinho” Alves (8-2) battles Colorado’s own Marcus “Bad Intentions” Edwards (9-3). The main card will also feature a pair of bantamweights bouts, as NCAA Division I wrestler Jarred “Shutout” Mercado (12-2) will lock horns with jiu-jitsu black belt Bruno Frazatto (6-2), while Hawaiian knockout artist Boston “Boom Boom” Salmon (3-0) will clash with collegiate wrestler Danny Mainus (3-3). Also on the main card, former RFA middleweight title challenger Andrew “El Dirte” Sanchez (5-2) squares off with Respect FC and SFFN champion Clinton Williams (5-1) and undefeated heavyweight prospect Brandon Griffin(4-0) battles The MMA Lab destroyer Ashley Gooch (7-4).

 

WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki features a championship doubleheader. In the main event, reigning WSOF featherweight champion Lance Palmer (9-1) will put his title on the line for the first time against Canadian challenger and battle-tested veteran Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (21-5-1), while the co-feature pits WSOF heavyweight champion Smealinho “The Prince” Ram aagainst Bulgarian standout Blagoi Ivanov (11-1). Two featherweight rising stars will put their unblemished records on the line when Hakeem Dawodu (4-0) meets Chuka “The Lion King” Willis(4-0), plus Mark “Sweet Dreams” Drummond (7-2) battles Michael “The Messenger” Hill in an all-Canadian welterweight clash.

 

The live action continues on Saturday, June 6, beginning at 9 a.m. ET with M-1 Challenge 58: Battle in the Mountains 4 from Ingushetia, Russia, featuring Marcelo Brito (13-6) vs. Murad Abdulaev(14-3) for the M-1 welterweight title, plus Lee Morrison (12-5) faces Pavel Vitruk (12-1) in featherweight action, and heavyweights Alexei Kudin (19-8) and Denis Smoldarev (10-1) will throw down. Fight Network’s live broadcast of M-1 Challenge 58 will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

Later, Fight Network will televise the live prelims for UFC Fight Night: Boetsch vs. Henderson exclusively in Canada from 8 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET. The prelims will feature an explosive heavyweight clash between heavy-handed Texan Shawn Jordan (17-6) and New Orleans’ own knockout artist Derrick Lewis (12-3, 1NC), a welterweight matchup pitting 69-fight veteran Brian Ebersole (51-16-1, 1NC) against Dagestani prospect Omari Akhmedov (14-2), a lightweight bout between New Yorker Chris Wade (9-1) and Californian Christos Giagos (11-3), plus Massachusetts native Joe Proctor(10-3) faces Ohio native Justin Edwards (9-4) in a lightweight showcase of Ultimate Fighter veterans.

 

Live pre-fight coverage will lead into the prelims on Saturday evening with Fight Network’s UFC Pre-Show Live at 7 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis.

 

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
mixed martial arts, RFA

INCA KOLA to unveil custom ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPER at RFA 26

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INCA KOLA to unveil custom ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPER
Friday, June 5th at RFA 26
in Broomfield, Colorado
WinThisChopper.com sweepstakes to support
Easter Seals New York’s Veterans Count
 
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) and Inca Kola USA announced today that the debut of an Orange County Choppers (OCC) custom-built motorcycle designed for Inca Kola will debut at RFA 26 – Smith vs. Smith this Friday, June 5th. The chopper will be the awarded to a lucky winner entered in Inca Kola’s sweepstakes WinThisChopper.com. The proceeds from the sweepstakes will benefit Easter Seals New York’s Veterans Count and educational programs.

RFA president Ed Soares shared his thoughts on the promotion.
“RFA is proud to have had such a long relationship with Inca Kola,” stated Soares. “We are honored to host the debut of Orange County Choppers custom-built Inca Kola motorcycle at RFA 26 in Colorado. The WinThisChopper.com sweepstakes is a great way to raise awareness and funds for Easter Seals New York’s Veterans Count and educational programs.”
Orange County Choppers co-founder Paul Teutul, Sr. shared similar sentiments.
“The entire team at Orange County Choppers is honored to be working with Inca Kola to raise awareness and donations for Easter Seals and Veterans Count,” stated Paul Teutul Sr.
Inca Kola has been a longtime sponsor of the RFA dating back to RFA 7 in March 2013, which took place at the same venue that Friday night’s festivities are set to take place. “The Golden Kola” has become a very prominent brand seen at live RFA events and nationwide through the RFA’s television deal with AXS TV. Inca Kola’s COO Randy Berman sees the WinThisChopper.com sweepstakes as a way to parlay Inca Kola and the RFA’s relationship and bring nationwide awareness to a great cause that will culminate this fall when a winner of the Orange County Choppers custom-built Inca Kola motorcycle is announced.
“We are really proud of our partnership with all of the vendors that have participated in this project including Orange County Choppers, Resurrection Fighting Alliance, and AXS TV,” Berman explained. “We are certain that their participation will make this promotion for Easter Seals Veterans Count a huge success.”

RFA 26 – Smith vs. Smith takes place this Friday, June 5th at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The main card will feature six professional fights televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
RFA 26 will be headlined by a welterweight title bout as RFA welterweight champion Benjamin Smith (14-2) puts his title on the line against RFA #1 welterweight contender Gilbert Smith (10-4). The main card will also feature a pair of bantamweight bouts. NCAA Division I wrestler Jarred “Shutout” Mercado (12-2) will lock horns with jiu-jitsu black belt Bruno Frazatto (6-2), while Hawaiian knockout artist Boston “Boom Boom” Salmon (3-0) will clash with collegiate wrestler Danny Mainus (3-3). Also on the main card, former RFA middleweight title challenger Andrew “El Dirte” Sanchez (5-2) squares off with Respect FC and SFFN middleweight champion Clinton Williams (5-1) and undefeated heavyweight prospect Brandon Griffin (4-0) battles The MMA Lab destroyer Ashley Gooch (7-4).
170 CHAMPIONSHIP:
Ben Smith vs Gilbert Smith
155 CO-MAIN EVENT:
Thiago Alves vs Marcus Edwards
135 Feature Bout:
Jarred Mercado vs Bruno Frazzato
265 Feature Bout:
Brandon Griffin vs Ashley Gooch
185 Feature Bout:
Andrew Sanchez vs Clinton Williams
135 Feature Bout:
Boston Salmon vs Danny Mainus
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.