Tag Archives: Joey Beltran

Bellator, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PHOTOS FROM TODAY’S BELLATOR 176 AND BELLATOR KICKBOXING 5 PRESS CONFERENCE

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EVENT SET TO TAKE PLACE SATURDAY IN TORINO, ITALY

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ADDITIONAL PHOTOS – CREDIT BELLATOR/LUCAS NOONAN

 

TORINO, ITALY – Fighters from both Bellator 176: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2 and Bellator Kickboxing 5 converged on the historic Comune di Torino for the official press conference for the events taking place at the Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy. In addition to the fighters, Bellator President Scott Coker, along with Okatagon President Carlo DiBlasi and Torino Minister of Sport Roberto Finardi, all spoke about Saturday nights anticipated card.

 

Bellator 176: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2 airs this Saturday, April 8 on Spike at 3 p.m. ET and will be immediately followed by Bellator Kickboxing 5, which airs at 5 p.m. ET. Tickets for the event are available now at www.oktagon.it and include access to an Oktagon Kickboxing event in addition to both Bellator events.

 

Bellator 176 is headlined by a middleweight championship fight pitting Rafael Carvalho (13-1) against Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC) and also features  Russia’s Anastasia Yankova (4-0) versus Elina Kallionidou (5-1).

 

Bellator Kickboxing 5 will feature a lightweight bout between “The Doctor” Giorgio Petrosyan (83-2-2, 1NC), who takes on Romanian veteran Amansio Paraschiv (23-5-1) and Bellator Kickboxng Women’s Flyweight World Champion Denise Kielholtz (46-3), who is set to defend her belt for the first time against ISKA and WKU World Champion Martine Michieletto (34-12-5).

 

Updated Bellator 176: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2 Main Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (13-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC)

Women’s Catchweight Fight: Anastasia Yankova (4-0) vs. Elina Kallionidou (5-1)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Djamil Chan (12-3) vs. Valeriu Mircea (13-4)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Samba Coulibaly (11-4) vs. Mihail Nica (5-0)

 

Updated Bellator Kickboxing 5 Main Card:

Lightweight Feature Fight: Giorgio Petrosyan (83-2-2, 1NC) vs. Amansio Paraschiv (23-5-1)

Women’s Flyweight World Title Bout: Denise Kielholtz (46-3) vs. Martine Michieletto (34-12-5)

Catchweight Feature Fight: Nando Calzetta (45-9) vs. John Wayne Parr (95-32)

Welterweight Feature Fight: Mustapha Haida (45-5-2) vs. Enriko Kehl (45-11-1)

Featherweight Feature Fight: Gaston Bolanos (8-1) vs. Luca D’isanto (36-13-4)

 

Bellator, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ALESSIO SAKARA-JOEY BELTRAN SET FOR ‘BELLATOR 168’ MAIN EVENT — TOMORROW, LIVE & FREE AT 4 PM ET/3 PM CT ON SPIKE

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Complete “Bellator 168” Weigh-In Photos / Full “Bellator 168” Weigh-In Video

FLORENCE, ITALY — (December 9, 2016) — Following weigh-ins on Friday morning from Grand Hotel Mediterraneo in the capital city of Tuscany, all 10 competitors fighting during the main card of “Bellator 168: Sakara vs. Beltran” are now ready to compete tomorrow night at 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT, LIVE and FREE on SPIKE.

The mixed martial arts portion of action is headlined by a light heavyweight main event contest featuring Italy’s own Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC), who will take on Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC). In addition, John Salter (12-3) meets Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4) in a middleweight bout, Philipe Lins (10-1) competes against Kleber Raimundo Silva (12-7), Goiti Yamauchi (20-3) returns to lightweight action against Valeriu Mircea (12-3), and Ed Ruth (1-0)looks to remain undefeated in 2016 on short notice against Emanuele Palombi (5-2)

See below for complete weights and photos from today’s weigh-in proceedings.

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Joey Beltran (205.2) vs. Alessio Sakara (203.6)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Kleber Raimundo Silva (205.9) vs. Philipe Lins (205.8)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Claudio Annicchiarico (185.2) vs. John Salter (185.2)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Valeriu Mircea (154.5) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (156)

Catchweight Feature Fight: Ed Ruth (189.2) vs. Emanuele Palombi (187.2)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

TOP PROSPECT ED RUTH JOINS THIS FRIDAY’S ‘BELLATOR 168’ CARD IN FLORENCE FOR HIS SECOND FIGHT IN AS MANY MONTHS

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF (Dec. 6, 2016) – It was announced today that one of MMA’s hottest prospects, Ed Ruth (1-0), will waste no time continuing to build his resume, as he fights Emanuele Palombi (5-2) for his second fight in as many months. The bout takes place this Friday at “Bellator 168: Sakara vs. Beltran,” on Dec. 10 from the Mandela Forum in Florence and will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 4pm ET/PT.

 

At only 26 years old, Ruth is looking to pave the way for the other members of “The New Breed,” a group of highly accomplished wrestlers who have all signed to fight under the Bellator MMA banner including: Joey Davis (1-0), Tyrell Fortune (1-0), Jarod Trice (1-0) as well as Aaron Pico and Romero Cotton – the last of which have yet to make their highly anticipated professional debuts. Before he was a three-time National Champion and four-time All-American wrestler at Penn State University, Ruth attended the world-renown Blair Academy in Susquehanna Township, PA, where he was the top-ranked recruit in the nation for his weight class. Having achieved great success at every stage of competition throughout his life, Ruth aspires to have the Bellator middleweight gold around his waist before long. After making the move across the country to Fresno, Calif., where he now trains at Dethrone Basecamp with other Bellator MMA fighters like Josh Koscheck and Chris Honeycutt, Ruth made his professional MMA debut just last month on Nov. 4, when he finished Dustin Collins-Miles with strikes at 3:19 into the first round.

 

Ruth now faces Rome’s Palombi, a seven-fight veteran with five victories including three KO’s and one submission.  Ruth, who is taking the fight on less than a week’s notice, must quickly learn how to tune out a hometown crowd, who will certainly be heavily in favor of the Italian fighter.

 

The evening is highlighted by a main event featuring Italy’s most renowned mixed martial artist Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC), who will duke it out with Joey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) in a light heavyweight main event. Other Bellator MMA competitors will also be in action, including John Salter (12-3), Goiti Yamauchi (31-9) and Philipe Lins(10-1).

 

The Bellator Kickboxing brand will also be on display in Italy with a card that features a female flyweight rematch between Denise Kielholtz (45-3) and Gloria Peritore (11-1-1), but this time, a world title will be on the line. “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” will also include a lightweight clash between Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) and British kickboxing champion Jordan Watson (48-11-2), a middleweight matchup pitting Joe Schilling (19-9) against Victorio Lermano (30-7), a welterweight contest pairing Luca Novello (22-4-2) with Karim Ghajji (96-13-1), and Kevin Ross(31-9) will meet Alessio Arduini (26-14-2) in a lightweight fight. “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” airs Friday, Dec. 16 at 11:15 pm ET, immediately following “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii.”

 

Complete “Bellator 168: Sakara vs. Beltran” Card:

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) vs. Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Philipe Lins (10-1) vs. Kleber Raimundo Silva (12-7)

Middleweight Feature Fight: John Salter (12-3) vs. Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Goiti Yamauchi (31-9) vs. Valeriu Mircea (12-3)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Ed Ruth (1-0) vs. Emanuele Palombi (5-2)

 

Complete “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” Card:

Lightweight Feature Fight: Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) vs. Jordan Watson (48-11-2)

Flyweight World Title: Denise Kielholtz (45-3) vs. Gloria Peritore (11-1-1)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (19-9) vs. Victorio Lermano (30-7)

Welterweight Feature Fight: Luca Novello (22-4-2) vs. Karim Ghajji (96-13-1)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Kevin Ross (31-9) vs. Alessio Arduini (26-14-2)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

LIGHTWEIGHT CLASH PITTING GOITI YAMAUCHI AGAINST VALERIU MIRCEA ADDED TO “BELLATOR 168: CARVALHO VS. MANHOEF 2” IN FLORENCE

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ALSO: PHILIPE LINS NOW MEETS KLEBER RAIMUNDO SILVA

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (November 30, 2016) – A lightweight bout pitting Goiti Yamauchi (20-3) against Valeriu Mircea (12-3) completes the MMA portion of “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2,” on a night which will feature both Bellator MMA and Bellator Kickboxing brands inside the Mandela Forum in Florence.

In addition, due to an injury suffered by Pietro Cappelli, Philipe Lins (10-1) will now meet Kleber Raimundo Silva (12-7) in light heavyweight action on Dec. 10.

The mixed martial arts portion of action on Dec. 10 is headlined by a middleweight world title fight featuring a rematch between Rafael Carvalho (13-1) and Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC), while Italy’s own Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) will take on Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) at 205-pounds, and John Salter (12-3) meets Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4) in a middleweight bout. “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 4pm ET/PT.

The Bellator Kickboxing card features a female flyweight rematch between Denise Kielholtz (45-3) and Gloria Peritore (11-1-1), but this time, a world title will be on the line. “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” will also feature a lightweight clash between Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) and British kickboxing champion Jordan Watson (48-11-2), a middleweight matchup pitting Joe Schilling (19-9) against Victorio Lermano(30-7), a welterweight contest pairing Luca Novello (22-4-2) with Karim Ghajji (96-13-1), and Kevin Ross(31-9) will meet Alessio Arduini (26-14-2) in a lightweight fight. “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” airs Friday, Dec. 16 at 11:15 pm ET, immediately following “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii.”

An 8-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, Yamauchi enters the cage in search of his 21st career win and seventh under the Scott Coker-led promotion. You would be hard-pressed to find a fighter with more promise than the 23-year-old top prospect, who has already taken down proven veterans the likes of Martin Stapleton, Isao Kobayashi, and most recently Ryan Couture. The former featherweight returned to the lightweight division to face the aforementioned Couture earlier in the year at “Bellator 162: Shlemenko vs. Grove,” a fight in which Yamauchi dominated from the get-go, earning yet another first round submission victory. Yamauchi has finished his opponent in 17 of his 20 career wins, including 14 in the opening round of action. The Japanese-Brazilian submission specialist continues to make great strides in the sport, consistently displaying the flawless Brazilian jiu-jitsu technique that has given opponents many nightmares year after year.

Challenging Yamauchi will be Valeriu Mircea, a Moldova-born competitor that has also seen a great deal of success early on in his MMA career. The 23-year-old knockout artist will be making his Bellator MMA debut following three consecutive victories, including a pair of first round knockouts. Dating back to 2015, Mircea has collected wins in nine of his last 10 bouts and has already tallied six victories over his 2016 campaign. With three of his last four wins coming by way of first round knockout, you can expect an early array of attack in this pairing of two top prospects.

Taking on Lins will now be Raimundo Silva, a 28-year-old striker who will be making both his 2016 and Bellator MMA debut. Dating back to 2011, “Orgulho” has won seven of his last 11 contests, highlighted by his most recent knockout victory over Claudio Rocha, which came just 3:25 into the first round.

 

Complete “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (13-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) vs. Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Philipe Lins (10-1) vs. Kleber Raimundo Silva (12-7)

Middleweight Feature Fight: John Salter (12-3) vs. Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Goiti Yamauchi (31-9) vs. Valeriu Mircea (12-3)

Complete “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” Card:

Lightweight Feature Fight: Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) vs. Jordan Watson (48-11-2)

Flyweight World Title: Denise Kielholtz (45-3) vs. Gloria Peritore (11-1-1)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (19-9) vs. Victorio Lermano (30-7)

Welterweight Feature Fight: Luca Novello (22-4-2) vs. Karim Ghajji (96-13-1)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Kevin Ross (31-9) vs. Alessio Arduini (26-14-2)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ITALY’S OWN PIETRO CAPPELLI LOOKS TO DEFEND HOME TURF IN LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT WITH PHILIPE LINS DURING MMA PORTION OF ‘BELLATOR 168’

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MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT PITTING JOHN SALTER AGAINST  CLAUDIO ANNICCHIARICO ADDED TO MAIN CARD OF BELLATOR MMA’S RETURN TO ITALY

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (November 1, 2016) – A light heavyweight bout pitting Philipe Lins (10-1) against Pietro Cappelli (2-1) and a middleweight fight between John Salter (12-3) and Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4) have been added to “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2,” which will feature both Bellator MMA and Bellator Kickboxing brands emanating from the Mandela Forum in Florence on Dec. 10.

The evening is highlighted by a main event middleweight world title rematch pitting Rafael Carvalho (13-1) against Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC). In addition, Italy’s own Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) and Joey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) will duke it out in a light heavyweight feature fight. “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” will air on SPIKE at 4pm ET/PT.

A native of Florence, Italy, Cappelli has made an immediate splash in MMA, earning consecutive victories following his professional debut in 2015. Cappelli’s first career win came at the expense of Andrzej Kulik, when the 32-year-old delivered a brutal first round knockout. He then parlayed the emphatic victory with another first round finish, displaying his noteworthy ground game with a keylock submission just one minute and one second into the bout. With a noticeable message reading “unscarred” across his stomach, the Italian competitor prepares to dive in head first with a challenging matchup against the veteran Lins in his Bellator MMA debut.

The 31-year-old Lins will enter the cage for the 12th time in his career and fifth since making his Bellator MMA debut in 2014. Hailing from Brazil, Lins began his professional career on a nine-fight winning streak, finishing opponents in seven of the victories. “Monstro” has recorded a trio of significant victories since joining the Scott Coker-led promotion, including two first round finishes and his most recent knockout win over fellow Brazilian competitor Guilherme Viana at “Bellator 159: Caldwell vs. Taimanglo.” Lins hopes to build off of his big win and silence a crowd that will be heavily in favor of his Italian opponent Cappelli.

Fresh off of his first career victory, a first round knockout over Ilyrian Hoxhay, the 32-year-old Annicchiarico looks to continue his success when he enters the cage for the first time under the direction of Bellator MMA. The Italian middleweight will face a difficult first test in Salter, a 15-fight veteran that hasn’t been defeated since 2012. With a pair of submission defeats to Salter’s name, look for Annicchiarico to take the fight to the ground and grind it out there.

The former Strikeforce competitor Salter will make his third appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, after recording victories in his first two bouts with the promotion. He is riding a recent string of success, having won four consecutive contests and seven of his past eight. Over his seven-year career, the 31-year-old Nashville, Tenn., native has collected a dozen professional victories, recording finishes in all. With nine of his 12 career wins coming in the opening round of action, Salter is known to be one of the quickest strikers in the division and most recently finished former middleweight champion Brandon Halsey.

 

Complete “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (13-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) vs. Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Philipe Lins (10-1) vs. Pietro Cappelli (2-1)

Middleweight Feature Fight: John Salter (12-3) vs. Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4)

Bellator, kickboxing, Spike TV

“THE SOUL ASSASSIN” READY TO BRING KILLER INSTINCT BACK TO ITALY IN LIGHTWEIGHT KICKBOXING CLASH WITH ALESSIO ARDUINI DEC. 10 INSIDE THE MANDELA FORUM

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MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN BETWEEN JOE SCHILLING-VICTORIO LERMANO AND WELTERWEIGHT MATCHUP PITTING LUCA NOVELLO AGAINST KARIM GHAJJI ALSO ADDED TO STACKED BELLATOR KICKBOXING CARD

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (October 18, 2016) – Bellator Kickboxing has added a trio of fantastic fights highlighted by a lightweight matchup between Kevin Ross (31-9) and Alessio Arduini (26-14-2). A Middleweight bout pitting Joe Schilling (19-9) against Victorio Lermano (30-7) and a welterweight contest pairing Karim Ghajji (96-13-1) with Luca Novello (22-4-2) have also been added to the action-packed “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” card. The event marks the promotions second visit to Italy this year, as Bellator returns with another thrilling combo-event, featuring both Bellator MMA and Bellator Kickboxing brands on Dec. 10 from the Mandela Forum in Florence.

The MMA portion of the International event is headlined by a Middleweight World Title rematch between current champion Rafael Carvalho (13-1) and Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC). A light heavyweight fight pitting Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) against Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) will also be featured on the “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” main card.

 

Exact broadcast details for “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” and“Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” will be revealed shortly.

 

The “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” card also features a previously announced female flyweight rematch between Denise Kielholtz (45-3) and rival Gloria Peritore (11-1-1) as well as a lightweight bout pitting Italian superstar Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) against Jordan Watson (48-11-2).

At 36 years old, “The Soul Assassin” has strung together one of the most accomplished kickboxing and muay Thai careers in the game, collecting belts in several promotions across multiple divisions. Ross has brought home six career championships, highlighted by the WBC Muay-Thai USA welterweight title, the WBC Muay-Thai International Super-lightweight title and the Lion Fight Super-lightweight title. During his 54-fight career, the Reading, Penn., native has collected notable wins over former champions Malaipet Sasiprapa, Kang En, and more. Ross hopes to add to his unblemished promotional mark, after recording back-to-back victories to begin his tenure with the Bellator Kickboxing brand. Fighting out of Dublin, Calif., Ross returns to Italy for the second time this year, having defeated Matteo Taccini at“Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” in April.

 

The 32-year-old Schilling has demonstrated his versatile skillset at the highest levels of competition by claiming multiple titles over his 10-year career, including two WBC Muay Thai World Championships, two WBC Muay Thai National Championships, and the MTAA Muay Thai Super-Middleweight National Championship. “Stitch ‘Em Up” continues to be one of the most aggressive fighters in the sport, collecting 11 of his 19 career wins via knockout. The multi-dimensional Schilling has also spent time competing in mixed martial arts, where he was awarded the 2014 Knockout of the Year for a ferocious second round blow that turned the lights out on Melvin Manhoef. Now, the 2013 Glory World Middleweight Tournament Champion Schilling returns to the ring in search of his first win under the newly-founded Bellator Kickboxing umbrella.

 

Fighting out of Meaux, France, the 10-time World Kickboxing Champion Ghajji will return to Italy after making his Bellator Kickboxing debut in Torino earlier this year. “Gadjetboy” became the first Bellator Kickboxing World Champion with a split decision victory over Mustapha Haida in the Inaugural Bellator Kickboxing Welterweight World Title fight at “Bellator 152.” Dating back to 2014, Ghajji has collected wins in nine of his previous 11 contests, including an eight-fight winning streak over a two-year stint. With 96 career wins under his belt, including 50 knockouts, the 110-fight kickboxing veteran will look to inch closer to the century mark as he prepares to challenge Italian hot shot Luca Novello.

Complete “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” Card:

Lightweight Feature Fight: Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) vs. Jordan Watson (48-11-2)

Flyweight World Title Fight: Denise Kielholtz (45-3) vs. Gloria Peritore (11-1-1)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Kevin Ross (31-9) vs. Alessio Arduini (26-14-2)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (19-9) vs. Victorio Lermano (30-7)

Welterweight Feature Fight: Karim Ghajji (96-13-1) vs. Luca Novello (22-4-2)

 

Updated “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (13-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) vs. Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC)

Bellator, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH BETWEEN RAFAEL CARVALHO AND MELVIN MANHOEF TO HEADLINE MMA PORTION OF ‘BELLATOR 168’

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ITALIAN KICKBOXING ICON GIORGIO PETROSYAN TAKES ON JORDAN WATSON IN BELLATOR KICKBOXING LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHT

 

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (October 7, 2016) – Bellator MMA is returning to Italy with another action-packed combo event on Dec. 10 from the Mandela Forum in Florence, featuring both Bellator MMA and Bellator Kickboxing brands. The Scott Coker-led promotion today announced the MMA portion’s main event, which will feature Rafael Carvalho (13-1) and Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC) in a rematch for Carvalho’s 185-pound championship. Meanwhile, “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” has added a lightweight matchup between Italian superstar striker Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) and British kickboxing champion Jordan Watson (48-11-2).

 

The mixed martial arts event will also boast Italy’s most popular and beloved mixed martial artist, Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC), who takes on Mexican-American slugger Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) in a light heavyweight matchup.

 

Exact broadcast details for “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” and “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” will be revealed shortly.

 

The Bellator Kickboxing card also features an anticipated female flyweight rematch between Dutch striking ace Denise Kielholtz (45-3) and the woman who defeated her this past June, Gloria Peritore (11-1-1) for the inaugural Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight World Championship. Additionally, other Bellator superstars Raymond Daniels, Kevin Ross and Joe Schilling are also likely to compete on the card against opponents to be named later.

 

If you ask both Carvalho and Manhoef, the two’s first meeting didn’t go as planned for either party. The main event of “Bellator 155” saw both men go toe-to-toe for 25 minutes before the three judges rendered a split decision in favor of the incumbent champion; a verdict that many deemed controversial. Now, nearly seven months after their first meeting, the pair of competitors will meet again.

 

Carvalho’s second-round body kick knockout of Brandon Halsey at “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho” was the third biggest oddsmaker upset in 2015, and was the bout that earned the gold he wears around his waist today. The 30-year-old will be making his fifth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner and will look to extend his current winning streak to 14-bouts.

 

With a resume of knockouts as violent as Manhoef, it’s no surprise the Dutch competitor has earned the nickname of “No Mercy.” Known for his relentless striking style, the former K-1 and Strikeforce competitor finds himself once again in a position to lay claim to the Bellator 185-pound MMA title, and has even further incentive to leave the judges’ out of it.

 

Adoringly referred to by his fans as “The Doctor,” Petrosyan is one man you do not want an appointment with. The top-ranked Armenian-Italian striking ace will be making his debut with the budding Bellator Kickboxing Promotion when he squares off against Watson on 10 Dec. Training alongside his brother Armen, the 30-year-old southpaw put together an incredible 42-fight unbeaten streak, cultivating an extensive trophy case that includes multiple championship belts as well as “Kickboxer of the Year” accolades in both 2011 (BloodyElbow.com) and 2012 (LiverKick.com).

 

When you compete in the lightweight division in the world of kickboxing, aside from striving to earn the title, you’re also looking towards a fight with the No. 1 kickboxer in the world in Petrosyan. An ISKA World Champion and K-1 UK runner up, Watson will get that chance when he meets “The Doctor” at “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence.” It will be interesting to see what game plan the British striker implores when he meets his opponent — but if his nickname of ‘Quadzilla’ is any indication, the 28-year-old will utilize his kicks to keep the vicious striking of Petrosyan at bay. Training extensively around the world, Watson has also spent a good amount of time in the Muay Thai scene, accruing a knack for finishes (21) along the way. Victorious in his lone 2016 fight, Watson hopes to soar into 2017 with a win against arguably the greatest kick boxer in the world under his belt.

Updated “Bellator 168: Carvalho vs. Manhoef 2” Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (13-1) vs. Melvin Manhoef (30-13-1, 2 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) vs. Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC)

 

Updated “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” Card:

Lightweight Feature Fight: Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) vs. Jordan Watson (48-11-2)

Flyweight World Title: Denise Kielholtz (45-3) vs. Gloria Peritore (11-1-1)

Bellator, kickboxing, Spike TV

BELLATOR MMA & KICKBOXING TO HOLD ANOTHER SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL TAG-TEAM EVENT AT THE MANDELA FORUM IN FLORENCE, ITALY ON DEC. 10

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“BELLATOR 167” TO FEATURE ALESSIO SAKARA VS. JOEY BELTRAN

 

“BELLATOR KICKBOXING: FLORENCE” WILL SEE DENISE KIELHOLTZ VS. GLORIA PERITORE FOR INAGURAL FEMALE FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE

 

(Lto R: Denise Kielholtz, Armen Petrosyan, GiorgioPetrosyan, Florence Minister of Sport Andrea Vannucci, Bellator President Scott Coker, Gloria Peritore, Mustapha Haida, Oktagon President Carlo DiBlasi gather at PalazzoVecchio for a press conference to announce Dec. 10 event at Mandela Forum.)

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (September 21, 2016) – Within days of “Bellator Kickboxing: Budapest,” the Scott Coker-led promotion hosted a press conference yesterday at the historic Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy to announce its next international extravaganza. The Viacom-owned fight company is returning to Italy with another combo-event featuring heart-pounding action from the Bellator MMA and Bellator Kickboxing brands, both taking place onDec. 10 from the Mandela Forum in Florence. Both events will air on SPIKE, and exact broadcast details will be revealed at a later date.

 

“Bellator 167” will boast Italy’s most popular and beloved mixed martial artist, Alessio “Legionarius” Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) who takes on Mexican-American slugger Joey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) in a light heavyweight headlining matchup.

 

Meanwhile, “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” features an anticipated female flyweight rematch between Dutch striking ace Denise “Miss Dynamite” Kielholtz (45-3) and the woman who defeated her this past June, Gloria Peritore (11-1-1) for the inaugural Bellator Kickboxing Female Flyweight World Championship. Additionally, Italian superstar striker Giorgio Petrosyan will be making his Bellator Kickboxing debut and other Bellator Kickboxing superstars Raymond Daniels, Kevin Ross and Joe Schilling are also likely to compete on the card against opponents to be named later.

 

“International expansion was a major goal for us in 2016, and I feel that we’ve really nailed it thus far,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “After the incredible success of our first event in Italy this past April where we packed the Pala Alpitour with over 14,000 people, we knew that we wanted to return for a second go-round before the end of the year.  With our great partner Carlo DiBlasi and his team at Oktagon, we are looking forward to another epic event on December 10.”

 

“Our partnership with Bellator is producing incredible results, so as to double the stages in Italy and start a European course that has seen us protagonists in recent days in Budapest,” said Oktagon President Carlo DiBlasi. “I am sure that Florence will respond to the appointment on December 10 and will not be disappointed by the spectacle that the best fighters in the world will bring on Mandela forum ring.”

 

Not to be confused with current pop sensation “Alessia Cara,” Italy’s favorite mixed martial arts superstar Alessio Sakara returns to the Bellator MMA fray fresh off an emphatic finish of Brian Rogers at “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza.” Known for his knack for the spectacular, “Legionarius” will be making his second appearance for the Viacom-owned promotion in his home country, a locale he’s undefeated in throughout his career as a professional, a run that began in 2002. A longtime member of the world-renown “American Top Team,” there’s no doubt that Sakara comes to the cage looking to finish, ending the proceedings before reaching the judges’ scorecards in 14 of his 18 wins; a similar record to his opponent on Dec. 10.

 

Having competed across multiple weight classes from heavyweight down to middleweight, the man fondly referred to as “The Mexicutioner” always comes ready to go toe-to-toe. A six-fight Bellator MMA competitor, Beltran has competed against the elite in multiple promotions and weight divisions, facing names like: “Rampage” Jackson, Kendall Grove, Emanuel Newton, and Stipe Miocic. Now, the 34-year-old San Diego native returns to light heavyweight, looking to add to his impressive total of 14 finishes in 17 wins as a professional. A veteran of Strikeforce, as well as the UFC, it’s surprising Beltran hasn’t previously crossed paths with Sakara, but all that changes when the cage door closes in Florence.

 

The streaking Dutch striker Denise Kielholz had her progress temporarily slowed when she was upset by Peritore at “Bellator: Dynamite 2” this past June. A 27-year-old native of Sicily, Italy, Peritore has won titles such as the ISKA & WTKA Amateur World Kickboxing Champion and IASKA Amateur World K-1 Championship. The first meeting between these two ladies was a tightly contested and technical, with both competitors picking their spots wisely over the course of three rounds. The ante has been upped the second go around though, with the news that a freshly minted Bellator Kickboxing belt will be waiting for the victor.

 

Updated “Bellator 167” Card:

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) vs. Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC)

 

Updated “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” Card:

Female Flyweight World Title: Denise Kielholtz (45-3) vs. Gloria Peritore (11-1-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

RAFAEL CARVALHO STEALS SPLIT DECISION, RETAINING MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE IN ‘BELLATOR 155’ MAIN EVENT

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Complete Event Photos Here

BOISE, IDAHO (May 20, 2016) – Rafael Carvalho (13-1) defended his middleweight belt in controversial fashion at the CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho on Friday night, taking home a split decision win over at the expense of Melvin Manhoef (30-13).

The packed house was less than enthusiastic with the judges’ decision, which amounted to two 48-47 scores for Carvalho, while Manhoef took home one of the same tally.

With the victory, the 29-year old Brazilian is now 4-0 under the Bellator MMA umbrella and continues to ride his remarkable 13-fight winning streak.

BELLATOR KICKBOXING: ST. LOUIS ANNOUNCED

The first fight for “Bellator Kickboxing: St. Louis” has been announced in a rematch of sorts, pitting Joe Schilling against Hisaki Kato. When the two first met at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov,” Kato stunned Schilling with a “Superman punch” knockout that many pundits considered to be the “2015 Knockout of the Year.” That was MMA, and this time the two will fight in a kickboxing match. A world champion kickboxer, “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling  will look for revenge against Kato, a karate striker.

Additional fights, including a main event matchup will be announced shortly.

The second event for the brand new Bellator Kickboxing promotion will take place on June 24, immediately following “Bellator: Dynamite 2” at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, and will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE.

Featherweight Co-Main Event Ends in Unanimous Decision Victory for Pat Curran

It took all three rounds to determine a winner in the evening’s co-main event, but in the end, former two-time Bellator champion Pat Curran (22-7) emerged victorious with a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) win over Georgi Karakhanyan (24-6-1). “Paddy Mike” connected with a great left hook that dropped Karakhanyan to the mat. The Chicago native relied heavily on his ground game in this one, consistently forcing Karakhanyan into uncomfortable positions and ultimately leading to the featherweight’s 12th win under the Bellator MMA fray.

Heavyweight Slugfest Ends in Draw for Dan Charles and Augusto Sakai

The evening’s second heavyweight feature fight was heavily overshadowed by multiple low blows from the foot of Augusto Sakai (9-0-1), leaving Dan Charles (10-3-1) curled over the canvas and gasping for air. In a bout that took every bit of 15 minutes, the judges’ scorecard concluded a majority draw (30-26 Charles, 28-28, 28-28), making it just the ninth in Bellator MMA history. Although the Brazilian Sakai remains undefeated, his nine-fight winning streak came to an end with the bittersweet finish at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho. For Charles, it was the third time in his five-year career that a fight went the distance and the first of his 14 bouts to end in a majority draw.

Alexis Dufresne Shocks MMA World With Submission Victory Over Marloes Coenen

In a highly-anticipated female catchweight bout, Alexis Dufresne (6-2) delivered one of the largest upsets of the year by finishing Dutch superstar Marloes Coenen (23-7) with an armbar submission 4:33 into the first round. Along with Miesha Tate, “Sneaky Zebra” becomes just the second fighter ever to force Coenen to tap out. Not far removed from the birth of her first child, the 25-year-old Dufresne was able to impress in her Bellator MMA debut, despite being a +500 underdog.

Gormley Outlasts Beltran in Heavyweight Opener

During the opening contest at “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef,” Joey Beltran (17-13) and Chase Gormley (13-5) traded blows in what was a heavyweight dogfight that took all three rounds to claim a victor. In the end, it was Gormley that came out on top with the split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) win over “The Mexicutioner.” Gormley, a 32-year-old native of Los Angeles is now 7-0 when his fights go to the judges table. The win is his first with the Bellator MMA promotion and sixth of his last seven bouts.

Preliminary Card Results:

Vince Morales (4-1) defeated Hamilton Ash (3-2) via KO at 2:32 of round three

Joe Hamilton (4-0) defeated Tyler Freeland (3-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:22 of round one

Casey Johnson (5-0) defeated Brendon Raftery (4-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:16 of round two

Marcin Held (22-4) defeated Dave Jansen (20-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 2x)

Jesse Brock (22-8) defeated Olly Bradstreet (39-13) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:57 of round three

Will Noland (16-6) defeated Sean Powers (9-6) via KO (punches) at 3:29 of round one

Scott Thometz (10-5) defeated Josh Tyler (7-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-25)

Veta Arteaga (2-0) defeated Jackie Vandenburgh (0-2) via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 29-28)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

GET READY FOR SOME KICKBOXING WITH SMALL GLOVES!

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MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE BOUT BETWEEN RAFAEL CARVALHO AND MELVIN MANHOEF HEADLINES ‘BELLATOR 155’ TOMORROW NIGHT – LIVE AND FREE ON SPIKE

 

Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

 

BOISE, IDAHO. (May 19, 2016) –The official weigh-ins for “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef”took place this afternoon in front of a packed house at the Knitting Factory here in Boise, ID. All competitors are now ready for action tomorrow at CenturyLink Arena, with the event airing LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

Middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho (12-1) will defend his title against Dutch striking ace Melvin Manhoef (30-12-1) in the main event of a fantastic night of fights that also includes a co-main event between Pat Curran (21-7) and Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1), who square off in a featherweight scrap that has future title-shot implications written all over it. The main card also includes a women’s catchweight showdown between slick Dutch veteran Marloes Coenen (23-6) and Alexis Dufresne (5-2). Dufresne, who returns to action after a recent pregnancy and on short notice, missed the 146-pound weight limit, but the fight will proceed as planned.

 

“Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” will also feature a duo of heavyweight matchups with Joey Beltran (17-12) challenging Chase Gormley (12-5) and Dan Charles (20-3) looking to put an end to Augusto Sakai’s (9-0) unblemished record.

 

An undercard bout between Ricky Steele (5-0) and Eric Cronkhite (2-1) was cancelled when Cronkhite missed weight by nine pounds.

 

Very few tickets for the event remain, and are available at Bellator.com, the CenturyLink Arena Box Office or CenturyLinkArenaBoise.com.

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

 

Bellator MMA Middleweight World Title Fight: Rafael Carvalho (184.3) vs. Melvin Manhoef (185)

 

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main Event: Pat Curran (145.6) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (145.1)

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Dan Charles (242.2) vs. Augusto Sakai (262.5)

 

Bellator MMA Catchweight Feature Bout: Marloes Coenen (145.6) vs. Alexis Dufresne (150.7)

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Joey Beltran (236.8) vs. Chase Gormley (264.5)

 

Preliminary Card: (Bellator.com – 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT)

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Tyler Freeland (137.4) vs. Joe Hamilton (135.4)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Dave Jansen (155.9) vs. Marcin Held (155.9)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Veta Arteaga (127.1) vs. Jackie Vandenburgh (122.7)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Hamilton Ash (145.8) vs. Vince Morales (144.9)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Brendon Raftery (134) vs. Casey Johnson (134.9)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Scott Thometz (155.7) vs. Josh Tyler (155.7)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Sean Powers (182.4) vs. Will Noland (185.6)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Jesse Brock (135.7) vs. Olly Bradstreet (135.7)