Tag Archives: Liam McGeary
FULL FIGHT CARD ANNOUNCED FOR SATURDAY’S BELLATOR 220: MACDONALD VS. FITCH INSIDE THE SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE – EXCLUSIVELY ON DAZN
Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko Official Results & Photos
Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2) defeated Alexander Shlemenko (56-10, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iaobj6dqfk4jq1y/AADPZmjhtmreJ-7mNCkqEKvua?dl=0
Neiman Gracie (7-0) defeated Zak Bucia (18-9) via submission (neck crank) at 2:27 of round two
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kvl101uwhi2zi3p/AABH7yRjFJHzNnRgDcEeGI23a?dl=0
Kristina Williams (1-0) defeated Heather Hardy (1-1) via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at 2:00 of round two
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/09r32tj0p0lfrlh/AAA2wiI3m1-pTHGaePuJeR5Ta?dl=0
Ryan Quinn (14-7) defeated Marcus Surin (4-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uzsfhmp09sbgh7r/AADZyyNKyuqDKiWfZW1F1MkAa?dl=0
Lisa Blaine (2-0) defeated Ana Julaton (2-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/meae709iunpv7rt/AAAvcWOCHh0R5N0K9UT8o-Jna?dl=0
Preliminary Card Results:
John Lopez (6-4) defeated Billy Giovanella (9-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-26)
Kevin Carrier (1-0) defeated Jose Antonio Perez (0-1) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Vovka Clay (4-2) defeated Frank Sforza (6-1) via submission (guillotine) at 1:17 of round two
Don Shainis (4-1) defeated Matthew Denning (5-7) via TKO (strikes) at 4:50 of round one
Jordan Young (7-0) defeated Alec Hooben (5-4) via submission (triangle choke) at 2:44 of round one
Costello van Steenis (9-1) defeated Steve Skrzat (8-10) via submission (strikes) at 2:52 of round one
Joaquin Buckley (8-1) defeated Vinicius de Jesus (5-2) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Pete Rogers (3-4) defeated Timothy Wheeler (1-5) via submission (guillotine) at :37 of round one
Dean Hancock (3-1) defeated John Beneduce (2-2) via TKO (strikes) at 3:38 of round one
GEGARD MOUSASI TO DEBUT AT BELLATOR 185 AGAINST ALEXANDER SHLEMENKO ON OCTOBER 20
‘KING MO’ MEETS LIAM MCGEARY IN LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA
LOS ANGELES – On the heels of his recent Bellator signing, Gegard Mousasi (42-6-2) will make his promotional debut against former champ Alexander Shlemenko (56-9, 1 NC) on Friday, October 20 at Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko, an event that takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
In addition, the co-main event of Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko will feature a light heavyweight contest pitting “King Mo” Lawal (21-6, 1 NC) against former titleholder Liam McGeary (12-2). Additional main and preliminary card bouts will be announcing in the coming weeks.
The event 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 this massive event start at $30, with an exclusive Bellator Nation Presale offer on Wednesday, July 19 at 10 a.m. ET through Thursday, July at 10 p.m. ET. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 21 at 10 a.m. ET and are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.
Long-considered to be one of the elite two-division threats in MMA, Mousasi is set for his Bellator debut and is currently riding a five-fight win streak that includes recent knockout victories over two former world champions in Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort. Prior to his UFC tenure, Mousasi captured the STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title, as well as the DREAM light heavyweight and middleweight titles in Japan. “The Dreamcatcher,” who currently trains out of The Netherlands, has earned victories over some of the sports’ biggest names, including Dan Henderson, “Jacare” Souza, Mark Hunt, Ovince Saint-Preux, Melvin Manhoef, Hector Lombard and “Babalu” Sobral.
Shlemenko, a former middleweight champion, has competed under the Viacom-owned promotion’s umbrella since Bellator 16 in 2010. Known for his vicious finishing ability, “Storm” ruled with an iron fist over Bellator’s 185-pound division, defending his belt on three occasions. One of the most dominant champions in Bellator history and currently riding a five-fight win streak, which includes a TKO victory over Kendall Grove at Bellator 162, Shlemenko has his sights set on earning a shot at once again becoming world champion.
It was only a matter of time before “King Mo” Lawal and Liam McGeary squared off inside the Bellator cage. On the heels of a unanimous decision victory over “Rampage” Jackson at Bellator 175, the king of Bellator’s “money-weight” division returns to meet Britain’s McGeary. Never one to shy away from a fight, the former STRIKEFORCE champion, has stepped inside the Bellator cage on 14 separate occasions and was also victorious during RIZIN’s first open-weight tournament in 2015.
Widely regarded as one of the top light heavyweights in the world, McGeary will enter his bout with Lawal looking to once again stake his claim on the division he once sat atop of. A member of Team Renzo Gracie in New York, McGeary brings his renowned jiu-jitsu skills to the table against an opponent who has yet to be submitted in 27-fights as a professional. Of the 34-year-old’s 12 wins, 11 have come before reaching the judges’ scorecards, a feat McGeary hopes to continue in the co-main event of Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko.
Updated Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko Fight Card:
Middleweight Main Event: Gegard Mousasi (42-6-2) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (56-9, 1 NC)
Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (21-6, 1 NC) vs. Liam McGeary (12-2)
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About Bellator:
Bellator is a leading mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 1 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on SPIKE, the combat sports television leader. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
OFFICIAL BELLATOR 179: DALEY VS. MACDONALD WEIGH-IN RESULTS & PHOTOS
EVENT TAKES PLACE TOMORROW AT THE SSE ARENA, WEMBLEY IN LONDON — AIRS AT 9 PM ET/8 PM CT ON SPIKE
Official Bellator 179: Daley vs. MacDonaldMain Card Weights:
Welterweight Main Event: Rory MacDonald (170.1) vs. Paul Daley (170.8)
Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Linton Vassell (205) vs. Liam McGeary (205.5)
Heavyweight Feature Bout: Augusto Sakai (263.75) vs. Cheick Kongo (244)
Catchweight Feature Bout: D.J. Griffin (164) vs. Kevin “Baby Slice” Ferguson Jr. (165)
Welterweight Feature Bout: Dan Vinni (169.4) vs. Alex Lohore (170)
Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jay Dods (154.75) vs. Alfie Davis (155)
Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Dan Konecke (227.5) vs. Stav Economou (260.75)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Jamie Powell (125.2) vs. Amir Albazi (125.5)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Umer Kayani (168.75) vs. Nathan Jones (169)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Fabian Edwards (184.5) vs. Rafal Cejrowski (185)
Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Jeremy Petley (148.75) vs. Chase Morton (149.75)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Marcin Prostko (185.25) vs. Mike Shipman (185.75)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout:Salih Kulucan (135.5) vs. Diego Barbosa (136)
HEAVYWEIGHT FEATURE FIGHT PITTING CHEICK KONGO AGAINST AUGUSTO SAKAI ADDED TO BELLATOR 179: DALEY VS. MACDONALD AT THE SSE ARENA, WEMBLEY ON MAY 19
BELLATOR 179 PRELIMINARY MATCHUPS SET
LOS ANGELES — A newly announced heavyweight bout featuring Cheick Kongo (26-10-2) against Augusto Sakai (9-0-1) has been added to the already-electric Bellator 179: Daley vs. MacDonald event, which emanates from The SSE Arena, Wembley on May 19.
Kongo, the French-born heavyweight, is currently riding a four-fight win streak that includes wins over Oli Thompson and Alexander Volkov, while the 25-year-old Sakai looks to stay unbeaten and make a name for himself in the division.
Additionally, preliminary matchups featuring some of the U.K.’s best up-and-coming talent have been finalized for the event.
Bellator 179: Daley vs. MacDonald will be broadcast on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event are on sale now at The SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office (0844 815 0815), ssearena.co.uk and axs.com.
Updated Bellator 179: Daley vs. MacDonald Main Card:
Welterweight Main Event: Paul Daley (39-14-2) vs. Rory MacDonald (18-4)
Welterweight Feature Bout: Michael Page (12-0) vs. Derek Anderson (14-3)
Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Liam McGeary (12-1) vs. Linton Vassell (17-5)
Heavyweight Feature Bout: Cheick Kongo (26-10-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (9-0-1)
Preliminary Card:
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jay Dods (6-0) vs. Alfie Davis (6-1)
Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Rob Beech (4-1) vs. Stav Economou (17-5)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Jamie Powell (6-1) vs. Amir Albazi (8-0)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Umer Kayani (4-3) vs. Nathan Jones (10-5)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Dan Vinni (14-14) vs. Alex Lohore (10-1)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Liam Etebar (6-1) vs. Rafal Cejra Cejrowski (2-0)
Catchweight Preliminary Bout (150 lbs.): Jeremy Petley (10-8) vs. Chase Morton (6-3)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Marcin Prostko (4-5) vs. Mike Shipman (9-1)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Salih Kulucan (4-5) vs. Diego Barbosa (3-0)
FNU Combat Sports Show: UFC, Bellator and Boxing Recaps/Previews; Dana The Drama Queen; Muhammad Ali Jr. Detained at Florida Airport; Transgender Wrestler Wins Women’s Wrestling Title in Texas
Tom, Rich and Tony recap the major combat sports events from last week, including a major heavyweight showdown between Deontay Wilder and Gerald Washington, a successful title defense by Liam McGeary last Friday at a Dublin, Ireland Bellator show, and a superb comeback by Jarrett Hurd over Tony Harrison. We also look forward to the inaugural women’s featherweight title bout in Bellator tomorrow night and a star-studded UFC 209 fight card including two of the most anticipated co-main events in recent UFC history. Stephen Thompson gets his rematch with UFC Welterweight Champ Tyron Woodley in the main event while Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson fight for a shot to face Conor McGregor for the lightweight title in the co-main event. We also discuss GSP’s comeback fight against Michael Bisping, a transgender female on her way to becoming a male winning a Texas women’s wrestling title, and Muhammad Ali’s son being detained at a Florida airport in early February. Check out our first Full FNU Combat Sports Show hosted on YouTube:
BELLATOR 173 OFFICIAL RESULTS & PHOTOS
Liam McGeary (12-1) defeated Brett McDermott (7-5) via TKO at 1:06 of round two
James Gallagher (6-0) defeated Kirill Medvedovsky (7-4) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:53 of round one
Iony Razafiarison (2-1) defeated Sinead Kavanagh (4-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)
Alex Lohore (11-1) defeated Colin Fletcher (13-8) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:42 of round two
Shay Walsh (15-4) defeated James McErleane (6-4) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
‘BELLATOR 173’ HEADS TO THE SSE ARENA IN BELFAST ON FEBRUARY 24 AS LIAM MCGEARY TAKES ON CHRIS FIELDS
SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (January 10, 2017) – A light heavyweight bout pitting former 205-pound world champion Liam McGeary (11-1) against Chris Fields (11-7-1) will serve as the main event of “Bellator 173: McGeary vs. Fields,” which will take place inside The SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Friday, February 24.
“Bellator 173: McGeary vs. Fields” airs on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event start at just £35 and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.ie, SSEArenaBelfast.com, or the SSE Arena box office.
Hailing from Andover, England, the 34-year-old McGeary will make the short trek up to Northern Ireland’s capital for the first time in his career, where he will once again compete in a main event. The former Bellator MMA light heavyweight champion will enter the cage for the 10th time under the Scott Coker-led promotion, where he has posted an 8-1 record with seven finishes. Following an 11-fight winning streak to begin his professional career, McGeary finally experienced the sour taste of defeat, when Phil Davis wrestled the title away from him at ‘Bellator 163.’ McGeary has consistently proven to be one of the most dangerous strikers and submission artists in the 205-pound division, finishing his victim in 10 of 11 career wins, including eight in the opening frame. Much like the “RMS Titanic,” which was built in Belfast, McGeary hopes to sink Fields when the two take center stage inside The SSE Arena on February 24.
A native of Dublin, Ireland, Fields will also have a short trek to Belfast when he enters the cage on February 24. “The Housewives’ Choice” will be making his Bellator MMA debut, following nine years under the direction of local promotions, including three appearances under European powerhouse BAMMA. After competing at middleweight in 2015, the 33-year-old Fields returned to the light heavyweight division, recording a first round submission victory over Dan Konecke at “BAMMA 24.” Fields has tallied finishes in each of his 11 career wins, making him one of the most menacing opponents for anyone standing in his way. Now the SBG Ireland product will look to make a splash in his first fight with Bellator MMA, as he prepares for the former division kingpin.
Hailing from nearby Straban, Ireland, the 20-year-old Gallagher is one of the brightest stars in all “The Emerald Island.” At age 15, “The Strabanimal” moved away from home to join Coach John Kavanagh at Straight Blast Gym (SBG), where he now trains alongside the best fighters in the country including Connor McGregor. Having made his Bellator debut in London this past July in London, Gallagher followed up in December with a submission victory over Anthony Taylor in front of a raucous home crowd at the 3Arena in Dublin. Gallagher’s opponent will be announced in the near future.
Updated “Bellator 173: McGeary vs. Fields” Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Main Event: Liam McGeary (11-1) vs. Chris Fields (11-7-1)
Featherweight Feature: James Gallagher (5-0) vs. TBD
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, PHIL DAVIS TAKES HOME BELLATOR MMA TITLE WITH DOMINATING FIVE-ROUND VICTORY
Complete Event Photos Here / Full Event Highlights Here
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (Nov. 4, 2016) – It’s a wonderful life for Phil Davis (17-3), who dethroned Liam McGeary (11-1) on Friday night at “Bellator 163,” taking home the light heavyweight championship.
As has been the case plenty of times throughout Davis’ illustrious career, his wrestling pedigree was the deciding factor, nullifying the world-class jiu-jitsu of the Renzo Gracie-trained former champion. For nearly 25-minutes, “Mr. Wonderful” maintained top pressure on the New York-native, frustrating McGeary and putting him into desperation mode in the fifth and final round. McGeary fought valiantly to both stop and submit the longtime Alliance MMA-product, but in the end, Davis took home the unanimous decision with scorecards of 50-43, 50-45, 50-44.
McGeary, who suffered the first loss of his young career, was humble in defeat, admitting that while Davis was the better man throughout their main event fight, he will be back to reclaim what he feels is rightfully his.
Returning home to Southern California with a new belt in tow, Davis now sets his sights on his pregnant wife, who is due to give birth to his second son on Monday.
Brennan Ward & Saad Awad Provide 90 Seconds of Pure Violence
In an absolute barnburner, Brennan Ward and Saad Awad went toe-to-toe for the 86 seconds they shared the Bellator MMA cage together, doing their best imitation of Rock Em’ Sock Em’ Robots until “Irish” caught “Assassin” with an uppercut that sent the Palestinian face first into the canvas. With the knockout, Ward moves into sixth place on the all-time list of KO’s under the promotion’s banner, and now sets his sights on a future matchup against the elite at 170-pounds.
Neiman Gracie Tells the MMA World, ‘Gracie Jiu-Jitsu’ is Back
After finding out they would be competing live on SPIKE less than 24 hours before entering the Bellator MMA cage, Neiman Gracie (5-0) made quick work of Rudy Bears (16-15), latching on to an arm bar 4:39 into the opening frame and forcing the tap from “Bad News.” Gracie was able to add to his impressive submission record, which has now been stretched to three victories in three Bellator MMA appearances, including a pair of first-round submissions. The 27-year-old was also able to please Royce Gracie, who was cornering his bout for the evening.
Javy Ayala Spoils Return of Sergei Kharitonov in 16 seconds
In what many people thought would be a triumphant return to the sport of MMA for Sergei Kharitonov (23-6), Javy Ayala (10-5) spoiled that, sending the Russian heavyweight to the canvas in a heap following an overhand right 16 seconds into the matchup. With the victory, “Eye Candy” immediately inserted himself into further big-time match-ups, namedropping both Bobby Lashley and Matt Mitrione during his post-fight interview. In his last two outings, the Northern California-native has finished his foe in the opening round via stoppage.
Preliminary Card Results:
Ed Ruth (1-0) defeated Dustin Collins-Miles (0-1) via TKO (punches) at 3:19 of round one
Tyrell Fortune (1-0) defeated Cody Miskell (0-1) via TKO (punches) at 2:22 of round one
Tim Caron (6-0) defeated Steve Skrzat (8-9) via TKO at 1:22 of round one
Hannah Regina (1-0) defeated Sarah Payant (1-4) via submission (arm bar) at 4:51 of round one
Tim Caron (6-0) defeated Steve Skrzat (8-9) via TKO at 1:22 of round two
Blair Tugman (9-6) defeated Walter Smith-Cotito (4-5, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (29-28)
Christopher Foster (10-4) defeated Thomas English (6-7) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Tyler King (12-4) defeated Josh Diekmann (15-8, 1 NC) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:39 of round two
Carlos Corriea (2-0) defeated Ilya Kotau (1-2) via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
Vinicius De Jesus (5-1) defeated James Boran (6-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:55 of round 2