Tag Archives: Kendall Grove

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

DEREK CAMPOS-BRANDON GIRTZ MEET FOR TRILOGY REMATCH DURING MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR 181TOMORROW NIGHT

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Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

THACKERVILLE, OKLA. — The official weigh-ins for Bellator 181: Campos vs. Girtz 3 took place this evening at the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, OKLA. The competitors are now ready for action tomorrow, with the event airing LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

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

Catchweight Main Event: Derek Campos (155.4) vs. Brandon Girtz (157.7)

 

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Kendall Grove (185.7) vs. John Salter (185)

 

Women’s Flyweight Feature Bout: Emily Ducote (124.4) vs. Jessica Middleton (125.9)

 

Bantamweight Feature Bout: Joe Warren (135.9) vs. Steve Garcia (134.5)

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

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Will Florentino (170.9) vs. Jonathan Gary (169.1)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Aaron Rodriguez (184.8) vs. Romero Cotton (185.1)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Kemmyelle Haley (170.1) vs. Logan Storley (170.3)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Andre Fialho (169.9) vs. A.J. Matthews (169.9)

Women’s Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Brittney Elkin (146) vs. Amanda Bell (144.2)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: E.J. Brooks (170.9) vs. Guilherme Bomba (169.2)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Rhodes (185.2) vs. Rafael Lovato Jr. (185.6)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Treston Thomison (145.9) vs. Justin Lawrence (145.6)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Valentin Moldavsky (234.8) vs. Carl Seumanutafa (263.6)

Women’s Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Katy Collins (124.2) vs. Bruna Vargas (125)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Jordan Howard (135) vs. Johnny Marigo (135.1)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Guillermo Gomez (169.4) vs. Fernando Trevino (170.5)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

JULIA BUDD WINS INAUGURAL WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE AT BELLATOR 174 — MARLOES COENEN CALLS IT A CAREER

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Julia Budd (10-2) defeated Marloes Coenen (23-8) via TKO (punches) at 2:42 of round four

 

Quotes: “I have dreamt about this moment forever. When I was 21 and first started kickboxing, I dreamt about being a champion and I didn’t make it, I lost.” Budd said. “So, this is my dream come true. The moment I signed with Bellator, I saw all the champions up there on the banners and I said to myself that i want to be up there with them some day. Now it feels like everything has come together.”

“Theres only one message that I want to give out to all the fighters out there and that’s please listen to your body. I’m very proud of all the women in MMA and I’m very grateful for Bellator,” Coenen said. “This company picked me up when I was in a dark place and Scott Coker has given me so many opportunities throughout my career. Bellator MMA will always be my home.”

Fernando Gonzalez (26-14) defeated Brandon Girtz (14-6) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 30-26)

 

Quote:  “Everything I thought was going to happen tonight, happened. Every time he was going to go for a take down, I wanted to make him pay for it.” Gonzalez said. “I had to keep him busy and make him scramble. My plan was to box with him and then keep him away with the leg kicks. I wanted to make him work and get him tired and it proved to be effective in the third round. My next fight, I want Andrey Koreshkov. He is one of the best and Bellator’s former champion. I think I will win that fight, which will put me right in line with Douglas Lima next.”

Justin Wren (13-2) defeated Roman Pizzolato (8-9) via submission (arm triangle) at 2:35 of round one

 

Quote: “I’m so grateful for Bellator and Spike to be able to come out here, do what I love and perform. But, for me, it’s about so much more than the competition, it’s all about knocking some dude out, so that we can knock out the water crisis with my team out there in the Congo,” Wren said. “They are so incredible. I just train them and put the tools in their hands. They are much better fighters than I ever could be in this cage, so I want to be as good as I can, so that I can give them a voice.” 

Rafael Lovato Jr. (5-0) defeated Charles Hackman (4-5) via TKO at 0:13 of round one

 

Quote: “I was completely prepared for this fight and had an incredible camp,” Lovato Jr. said. “I’m just so happy and thankful to be with Bellator now. I’m so excited about my future, so let’s ride this wave.

Preliminary Card Results/Photos:

Justin Patterson (9-1) defeated Jason Witt (7-4) via TKO at 0:13 of round three

Gabrielle Holloway (6-5) defeated Alexis Dufresne (6-3) via TKO at 2:53 of round two

Emily Ducote (5-2) defeated Katy Collins (6-2) via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:53 of round one

Emmanuel Rivera (6-0) defeated Treston Thomison (10-5) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27 2x)

Cody Pfister (13-6-1) defeated Jonathan Gary (12-8-2) via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:04 of round one

 

Quote: “Jonathan Gary is a class act, a great guy, and I’m glad that I had the chance to compete against him tonight. My retirement caught a lot of people by surprise,” Pfister said. “I’m going to take time off to focus on other aspirations, but who knows, maybe I’ll be back. Bellator is a class company and I’m honored that my last fight will be with them. Scott Coker and Bellator know how to take care of the fighters and I really like what they’ve done with the company.”

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

WELTERWEIGHT CLASH PITTING ANDREY KORESHKOV AGAINST FERNANDO GONZALEZ SET FOR CO-MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR 174 AT WINSTAR WORLD CASINO & RESORT ON MARCH 3

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CHRIS HONEYCUTT-KENDALL GROVE SET FOR 2017 DEBUTS IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN

HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. (February 3, 2017) – A welterweight fight pitting Andrey Koreshkov (19-2) against Fernando Gonzalez (25-14) and a middleweight bout featuring Chris Honeycutt (9-1, 1 NC) against Kendall Grove (23-16, 1 NC) have been added to the main card of Bellator 174: Corenen vs. Budd on March 3 at WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, OK.

The bouts will join a card that is headlined by the first-ever Bellator MMA Women’s Featherweight World Title fight pitting Marloes Coenen (23-7) against Julia Budd (9-2). One additional main card contest will be announced shortly.

Bellator 174: Coenen vs. Budd will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino & Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

Hailing from Omsk, Russia, the 26-year-old Koreshkov will enter the cage for the 22nd time in his professional career and 13th under the Bellator MMA banner. “Spartan” began his career with 13 consecutive victories, including his first five wins under the direction of the Scott Coker-led promotion. Koreshkov continued to see success as his name began to grow in the mixed martial arts world, collecting six wins over his last seven fights, including a welterweight world title victory over current champion Douglas Lima and a successful title defense over Benson Henderson. With 10 of his 19 career wins coming by way of knockout, the Russian phenom possesses the type of power that can put an emphatic end to any opponent’s night when he is in the cage.

A 39-fight veteran of mixed martial arts, Gonzalez will be making his seventh appearance under the direction of Bellator MMA. Since joining the promotion in 2014, “The Menifee Maniac” has tallied five victories, including a brutal knockout of Karo Parisyan just 1:43 into the bout. In his most recent contest, Gonzalez nearly edged the undefeated Michael Page, becoming just the second opponent to take him the distance in a controversial split decision. With 16 of his 25 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the 33-year-old Gonzalez continues to be one of the most feared strikers in Bellator MMA’s stacked welterweight division.

The 28-year-old Honeycutt will make his 2017 debut, following an impressive 2016 campaign that saw him emerge victorious in each of his three bouts. A native of Fresno, Calif. “The Cutt” had a blazing start to his professional career, earning victories in each of his first six contests, including four knockouts and three first-round finishes. Honeycutt continued to see success under the Bellator MMA umbrella, collecting five wins over a three year stretch. Fireworks are all but guaranteed in this slugfest, as the equally fearless Grove hopes to give the Thackerville fan base exactly what they came for.

Hailing from Maui, Hawaii, Grove will be making his make his eighth appearance for Bellator MMA, as the veteran continues to climb the ranks in a competitive middleweight class. “Da Spyder” has finished 17 of his 23 career victims, including seven of his last eight, making him must-see television every time he competes on SPIKE. The 34-year-old striker also holds a significant height advantage over his opponent, standing at 6’6′ compared to Honeycutt’s 5’10′ frame. With each of his last six bouts ending in a stoppage, we can be sure to see more of the same aggressive style when he and Honeycutt go toe-to-toe inside WinStar World Casino & Resort on March 3.

Updated Bellator 174: Coenen vs. Budd Main Card:

Women’s Featherweight World Title Bout: Marloes Coenen (23-7) vs. Julia Budd (9-2)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Andrey Koreshkov (19-2) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (25-14)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (9-1, 1 NC) vs. Kendall Grove (23-16, 1 NC)

Preliminary Card:

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Cody Pfister (12-6) vs. Jonathan Gary (12-7)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Witt (7-3) vs. Justin Patterson (8-1)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Emmanuel Rivera (5-0) vs. Treston Thomison (10-4)

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

PROFESSIONAL DEBUT OF ‘BABY SLICE’ SET TO ANCHOR PRELIMINARY PORTION OF ‘BELLATOR 162’ IN MEMPHIS ON OCT. 21

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CHASE GORMLEY, JULIA BUDD, DAN CHARLES, & VIRGIL ZWICKER ALSO BACK IN ACTION

 

COMPLETE ‘BELLATOR 162’ CARD BELOW

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (September 26, 2016) – The preliminary portion of “Bellator 162: Shlemenko vs. Grove” at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on Oct. 21 is official and amongst the 12 new additions, there is plenty of action to be consumed during the Bellator.com-streamed card.

Notably, the professional mixed martial arts debut of “Baby Slice” will finally take place, when the 24-year-old returns from injury to meet Rick Bing, who also will be lacing up the gloves for the first time as a pro. In addition, Steve Garcia (6-1) will face Ronnie Lawrence (1-0), Julia Budd (8-2) also returns from injury to face Arlene Blencowe (7-5), heavyweights Chase Gormley (13-5) and Bobby Brents (17-5) collide, and 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide National Champion Eryk Anders (4-0) takes on Brian White (5-4).

The completed preliminary portion joins a stacked main card highlighted by a middleweight main event pitting former middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko (53-9) against Kendall Grove (23-15). In addition, former WWE competitor Bobby Lashley (14-2) and Josh Appelt (12-5) prepare to square off in a heavyweight co-main event, while a middleweight tilt between Hisaki Kato (6-2) and A.J. Matthews (8-5) is also set for the SPIKE-televised main card. Lastly, Goiti Yamauchi (19-3) and Ryan Couture (10-4) will face-off in a lightweight feature fight.

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.

See below for the complete listing of “Bellator 162: Shlemenko vs. Grove” tilts, which amounts to 16 action packed bouts.

 

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)

 

Complete Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Baby Slice (Debut) vs. Rick Bing (Debut)

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

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Garcia (6-1) vs. Ronnie Lawrence (1-0)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Chase Gormley (13-5, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Brents (17-5)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Julia Budd (8-2) vs. Arlene Blencowe (7-5)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Dan Charles (10-3-1) vs. Virgil Zwicker (14-5-1)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Tyler Hill (6-0) vs. Wade Johnson (10-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jonathan Burdine (4-4) vs. James Wallace (1-0)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Eryk Anders (4-0) vs. Brian White (5-4)

Catchweight (160 lb.) Preliminary Bout: Jaleel Willis (6-0) vs. Omar Johnson (4-0)

Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Chad Cook (10-10) vs. Grady Hurley (9-1)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Wessell (14-8) vs. Frank Tate (4-1)

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

BELLATOR MMA FORECASTS ‘STORM’ AT MEMPHIS’ FEDEXFORUM ON OCT. 21, WHEN ALEXANDER SHLEMENKO RETURNS TO FACE KENDALL GROVE

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BOBBY LASHLEY LOOKS TO SOLIDIFY HIMSELF AS TOP BELLATOR HEAVYWEIGHT AGAINST JOSH APPELT

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (August 29, 2016) – On Oct. 21, Bellator MMA will come to FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., when the Scott Coker-led promotion presents a card headlined by the return of former middleweight champion Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (53-9), who meets Kendall Grove(23-15) in middleweight action.

In addition, during the card’s co-main event, the always-exciting former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley (14-2) meets Josh Appelt (12-5) in heavyweight action.

Tickets for the event go on sale September 2 at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster or FedExForum Box Office. Bellator Nation (www.bellator.com/bellatornation) will have special access to a pre-sale offering from Aug. 31-Sept. 1. Main card action kicks off LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and additional main card and undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

A former Bellator MMA Middleweight Champion, the “Storm” has kept busy, racking up a pair of wins already in 2016, and adding to his seemingly endless resume of victories since turning pro in 2004. A natural born finisher, Shlemenko’s success in MMA has also translated to coaching, as he’s played a pivotal role in the ascension of current Bellator MMA welterweight kingpin Andrey Koreshkov.

Also of note, due to Shlemenko’s recent suspension, Bellator officials have enlisted the services of The Mohegan Department of Athletic Regulation to administer drug tests before and after Shlemenko’s fight against Grove. The former middleweight champion is presently licensed with the Mohegan commission.

Fixated on getting another shot a Bellator’s middleweight title, Grove has strung together two emphatic stoppage wins since losing his bid to attain gold at“Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The winner of “The Ultimate Fighter: 3” on SPIKE, the Maui, Hawaii, native has also been competing professionally for longer than a decade, racking up victories and a plethora of finishes along the way. An experienced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and Muay Thai practitioner, Shlemenko will need to be on his A-game when the two square off in the card’s main event on Oct. 21.

Lashley is a must-see mixed martial artist, as well as professional wrestler, and will make his first appearance inside the Bellator cage in 2016 during the co-main event at FedExForum. “The Dominator” will be looking to run his current winning streak to eight fights, and five-straight finishes. With the heavyweight belt recently vacated, there’s an argument that can be made that the Aurora, Colo., native is the big man to beat in Bellator MMA’s heavyweight weight class.

Appelt was set to make his fifth appearance under the direction of Bellator MMA against Sergei Kharitonov at “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo,” but after the 35-year-old Russian withdrew due to illness, Appelt was forced to wait. Now, “The Juggernaut” is once again set to return, and again, the 33-year-old California native will have his hands full. With ten stoppages in 12 victories, Appelt will look to use his striking ability to nullify the strong wrestling pedigree of Lashley.

Updated “Bellator MMA: 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)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

CHEICK KONGO INCHES PAST VINICIUS SPARTAN IN ‘BELLATOR 150’ MAIN EVENT ON SPIKE

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COMPLETE BELLATOR 150 PHOTOS HERE

MULVANE, Kan. (February 26, 2015) – A week removed from the most watched Bellator MMA event in company history, the Scott Coker-led promotion returned to action on SPIKE with “Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz,” an event that delivered five spectacular main card fights.

 

In the evening’s main event, Cheick Kongo (24-10-2) intelligently managed the distance between he and Vinicius Spartan (8-4), kicking and jabbing his way to a split decision victory (30-27, 28-29, 29-28).

 

Spartan did have his moments during the heavyweight encounter, securing takedowns in rounds two and three, followed by a knockdown late. But in the end, Kongo received the benefit of the doubt from the Kansas-appointed judges. The Frenchman has now won two straight, and improved to 6-2 overall under the Bellator MMA banner.

It only took David Rickels (17-4) three minutes and 49 seconds to finish Bobby Cooper (12-6) in front of a sellout crowd at Kansas Star Arena on Friday. Both men had their moments during the action, but after a knee to the body dropped Cooper to his knees, “The Caveman” pummelled his foe with hammerfists until referee John McCarthy called a stop to the action.

Kendall Grove (23-15) stopped Francisco France (13-4-1) with a vicious punch 35 seconds into the second round, winning by knockout. The victory was an emotional one for “Da Spyder,” who recently lost his brother and made it clear his performance was dedicated to his late sibling. Grove has now won three of his last four tilts, all via finish.

Chuka Willis (7-2) handed Gaston Reyno (5-1) the first defeat of his mixed martial arts career on Friday, winning via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27). The scrap went back-and-forth over the course of 15 minutes, with multiple submission attempts and knockdowns by both men. But in the end – much to the delight of the partisan crowd – Willis earned the nod.

Former Shamrock FC Flyweight Champion Rebecca Ruth (6-1) defeated Lena Ovchynnikova (10-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) in the opening main card fight at “Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz.” For “Ruthless” the win is the first of her career via the judges’ scorecards and extended her current winning streak to four straight.

 

Preliminary Card Results:

 

Kyle Noblitt (2-0) defeated David Hammons (1-2) via TKO (punches)

Rome Lindsay (5-5) defeated Marcio Navarro (14-12) via TKO (punches) 2:30, R1

Chris Harris (5-0) defeated Julian Marquez (2-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Andre Fialho (6-0) defeated Manny Meraz (7-2) via knockout (punches) :29, R1

Gregory Babene (17-11) defeated Brandon Farran (12-11) via submission (rear-naked choke) 3:37, R1

Thai Clark (6-0) defeated Deron Carlis (4-2) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ILLNESS REMOVES MARCOS GALVAO FROM CARD, CHEICK KONGO VERSUS VINICIUS QUEIROZ PROMOTED TO MAIN EVENT SLOT

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MULVANE, Kan. (February 25, 2015) – Over the course of fight week, Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) has been battling an illness. After consulting physicians, Bellator officials have decided to to pull him from his Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title defense against former champion Eduardo Dantas (17-4).

 

After making weight inside Kansas Star Arena at 10 a.m. CT, Dantas was paid his show money. The fight will be rescheduled in the near future.

 

As a result, Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) against Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will now serve as the headliner and David Rickels (16-4) versus Bobby Cooper (12-5) is the new co-main event. Rounding out the SPIKE-televised card will be a middleweight attraction pitting Kendall Grove (22-15) against Kiko France (13-3-1), the Bellator MMA debut of Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), when she fights Rebecca Ruth (5-1) and Gaston Reyno (5-0) – fresh off his new exclusive multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA – will fight against Chuka Willis (6-2).

 

“Bellator 150: Kongo vs. Queiroz,” airs live 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.

 

Complete “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Co-Main Event: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco France (13-3-1)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Gaston Reyno (5-0) vs. Chuka Willis (6-2)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3) vs. Rebecca Ruth (5-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: David Hammons (1-1) vs. Kyle Noblitt (1-0) 

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Brandon Farran (12-10) vs. Gregory Babene (16-11)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Manny Meraz (7-1) vs. Andre Fialho (5-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (4-0) vs. Julian Marquez (2-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Marcio Navarro (14-11) vs. Henry Lindsay (4-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Thai Clark (5-0) vs. Deron Carlis (4-1)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘BELLATOR 150: GALVAO VS. DANTAS 2’ THIS FRIDAY – UPDATED FIGHT CARD INFORMATION

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Click above for “What to Watch: Gavao vs. Dantas”

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 22, 2015) –  This Friday, Bellator MMA brings a world championship matchup between two highly skilled mixed martial arts practitioners when bantamweight champion Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) defends his strap against former champion and former friend and training partner, Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) at “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2.

 

The event emanates from the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas this Friday, February 26, and airs live 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. Tickets for “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $27, are on sale now at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com, as well as the Kansas Star Arena box office.

 

In addition to the title fight, a heavyweight co-main event of Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) against Vinicius Queiroz (8-3) will anchor the number two spot.  Also on the card, Kendall Grove (22-15) takes on Francisco “Kiko” France (13-3-1), hometown favorite David Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) will return to action against Bobby Cooper (12-5), plus the Bellator MMA debut of newly signed women’s flyweight Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3), who takes on Rebecca Ruth (5-1).

 

“Loro,” who has fought for world-renowned promotions the likes of World Extreme Cagefighting and Shooto since 2003, will be competing for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner. The 34-year-old is presently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak and has emerged victorious in seven of his last eight scraps. In his last outing, Galvao finished Joe Warren at “Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao” via submission to win his first-ever championship and fulfil a promise he made to his mother before her unfortunate passing.

 

Meanwhile, Dantas will be looking to duplicate the success he had against Galvao in their first meeting, which resulted in a second-round knockout at “Bellator 89.” Last May, the 27-year-old Nova Uniao product dispelled of Mike Richman via unanimous decision at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament winner is looking to become a two-time bantamweight champion come October 23.

 

Kongo will be making his eighth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, looking to add to his impressive promotional mark of 5-2. The Parisian native has fought a who’s who in the mixed martial arts landscape, with notable wins against Mirko Cro Cop, Pat Barry, Matt Mitrione, and Alexander Volkov already on his record. In his last outing – which just so happened to be inside the Kansas Star Arena — Kongo impressively defeated Volkov via unanimous decision.

 

After nearly two years out of action, Queiroz returned to the Bellator MMA cage against Ewerton Teixeira at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov,” defeating his fellow Brazilian opponent via second round arm-triangle choke. “Spartan” hopes to plant the seeds for a busy 2016 with the matchup against Kongo, where a win can undoubtedly place him in the midst of the heavyweight title picture.

 

Grove capped off 2015 with an emphatic knockout of Joey Beltran at “Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis,” in September. The winner of“The Ultimate Fighter: 3,” has fought professionally since 2003 for promotions all around the world, notably ProElite and UFC. This will be “Da Spyder’s” sixth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner as he hopes to climb back towards a 185-pound title shot – he competed for the gold last year against Brandon Halsey.

 

A veteran of Strikeforce, “Kiko” France has strung together a five-fight winning streak as of late, most recently handing the formerly undefeated Ben Reiter the first loss of his young career at “Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef.” It’s safe to classify the 33-year-old Arizona native as a “submission specialist,” with 12 of his 13 wins as a professional coming by way of making his opponent tap.

 

A Bellator MMA event in Mulvane, Kansas just wouldn’t be the same without “The Caveman,” who will return to action for the first time since competing against Michael Chandler this past November. Rickels always comes ready to put on a show, whether it’s on his way to the cage, or when he’s taking on a who’s who of Bellator MMA lightweight talent. The 27-year-old will be making his 16thappearance under the promotional banner.

 

The last time Bobby Cooper fought inside the Kansas Star Arena, he took home a closely contested split decision victory over“Bellator 147” co-headliner Pablo Villaseca. Now, “Super Duper” will look to move to 3-0 under the Bellator MMA banner when he faces Rickels in hostile territory. It’s worth noting that the Missouri native has only lost twice in his last eight MMA appearances.

 

Hailing from Ukraine, Ovchynnikova will enter the fray fresh off a new exclusive, multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA. “Hunter” has previously fought the likes of Joanne Calderwood and at only 28-years-old has already competed professionally since 2006. Now, Ovchynnikova looks to solidify herself as a top contender in the budding women’s flyweight division on February 26 against a tough foe in Ruth.

 

“Becky” Ruth was undefeated in 2015, winning all three of her matchups by technical knockout under the Shamrock Fighting Championships banner. The lone loss on the Missouri native’s record came against Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger, via controversial split decision.

 

 

Complete “Bellator 150: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Fight Card:

 

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Title Main Event: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Cheick Kongo (23-10-2) vs. Vinicius Queiroz (8-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Dave Rickels (16-4, 1 NC) vs. Bobby Cooper (12-5)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Kendall Grove (22-15) vs. Francisco France (13-3-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (10-3) vs. Rebecca Ruth (5-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: David Hammons (1-1) vs. Kyle Noblitt (1-0) 

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Brandon Farran (12-10) vs. Gregory Babene (16-11)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Manny Meraz (7-1) vs. Andre Fialho (5-0)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Gaston Reyno (5-0) vs. Chuka Willis (6-2)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Feature Bout: Chris Harris (4-0) vs. Julian Marquez (2-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Marcio Navarro (14-11) vs. Henry Lindsay (4-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Thai Clark (5-0) vs. Deron Carlis (4-1)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Jason Witt (7-2) vs. Jonathan Gary (11-6)