Tag Archives: Melvin Manhoef

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Light Heavyweight Bout Featuring Yoel Romero Against Melvin Manhoef Added to BELLATOR’s Return to Paris on May 6

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PARIS, FRANCE – Two iconic mixed martial artists with an undeniable track record of thrilling performances will square up as Yoel Romero (13-6) takes on Melvin Manhoef (32-15-1, 2 NC) in the co-main event of BELLATOR MMA’s return to Paris’ Accor Arena on Friday, May 6. BELLATOR PARIS: Bader vs. Kongo 2 will be televised live in America on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. CEST/4 p.m. ET.
 
With mixed martial arts becoming legalized in France in 2020, BELLATOR became the first promotion to hold a major MMA event with BELLATOR 248 in October of that year. The success of that historic card propelled BELLATOR to make a return to “The City of Lights” in 2022 in a big way with a main event featuring undisputed BELLATOR MMA Heavyweight Champion, Ryan Bader (29-7, 1 NC) defending his crown in enemy territory against hometown favorite and No. 2-ranked heavyweight Cheick Kongo (31-11-2, 1 NC).
 
In addition to the main and co-main event, a lightweight tilt pitting the last man to defeat media darling Paddy Pimblett, Søren Bak (15-1) against England’s Saul Rogers (15-4) is also official. Bak has only tasted defeat once in his 16 professional fights and held both the featherweight and lightweight titles in Cage Warriors before joining the BELLATOR roster. Fighting out of Denmark, “The True Viking” is riding a seven-fight win streak into battle against the SBG Manchester product, Rogers. Known as “The Hangman,” Rogers also has amassed 15 victories on his resume including wins over Artem Lobov, Ryan Hall and Georgi Karakhanyan.
 
The preliminary card is guaranteed to feature a showcase of French talent and has begun to take shape with the return of Yves Landu (16-9), who takes on Liverpool’s Gavin Hughes (10-2) in a lightweight affair. Preliminary card action will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 6:30 p.m. CEST/12:30 p.m. ET.
Tickets for the fight are on sale now at accorarena.com and bellator.fr. Follow Bellator France on Instagram @BellatorFrance and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorFrance/
 
Fighting out of Miami, Florida, Romero will be making his second BELLATOR appearance on May 6 in Paris. Following a seven-year stint under the direction of the UFC, the American Top Team-product became one of the most sought-after free agents prior to signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion in 2020. With 11 of his 13 career victories coming by way of knockout, including four of the first-round variety, “Soldier of God” possesses the type of knockout power that can force any opponent into submission. A three-time World Cup Freestyle Wrestling Champion, five-time Pan-American Freestyle Wrestling Champion, and 2000 Olympics Freestyle Wrestling Silver Medalist, the Cuban-born Romero has continuously showcased his elite talents at the highest level of competition. The only missing trophy to a near-flawless legacy is a BELLATOR world title.
 
Making his tenth appearance for BELLATOR MMA, Dutch superstar Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef has put together an impressive resume throughout his illustrious career in multiple combat sports disciplines that has seen him finish 29 of his 32 MMA victims via knockout, including 26 in the first round and eight in the opening minute of action. A native of Amsterdam, Netherlands, the ageless wonder and No. 10-ranked BELLATOR light heavyweight will now look to add to a trio of impressive knockouts that he’s collected since joining the promotion back in 2014.
 
BELLATOR PARIS: BADER VS. KONGO 2 MAIN CARD:
SHOWTIME (U.S.) / RMC SPORT (FRANCE) / BBC Three & BBC iPlayer (U.K.) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)
Friday, May 6, 10 p.m. CEST/9 p.m. GMT/4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT
 
Heavyweight World Title Main Event: #C-Ryan Bader (29-7, 1 NC) vs. #2-Cheick Kongo (31-11-2, 1 NC)
Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Yoel Romero (13-6) vs. #10-Melvin Manhoef (32-15-1, 2 NC)
Lightweight Bout: Søren Bak (15-1) vs. Saul Rogers (15-4)
Lightweight Bout: Yves Landu (16-9) vs. Gavin Hughes (10-2)
 
*Card subject to change.
 
Please visit www.Bellator.fr and Bellator.com for additional information.
 
Updated schedule of BELLATOR events
Sat., Feb. 19 / / BELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, Conn.
Fri. Feb. 25 // BELLATOR MMA 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford // 3Arena // Dublin, IRE
Sat. March 12 // BELLATOR MMA 276: Borics vs. Burnell // The Family Arena // St. Louis
Fri. May 6 // BELLATOR PARIS: Bader vs. Kongo 2 // Accor Arena // Paris, FRA
Fri. May 13 // BELLATOR LONDON: Amosov vs. MVP // The SSE Arena, Wembley // London
Bellator, CBS Sports Network, mixed martial arts, MMA

COREY ANDERSON MAKES BELLATOR MMA DEBUT AGAINST COMBAT SPORTS LEGEND MELVIN MANHOEF IN BELLATOR 251 HEADLINER

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MASSIVE EVENT AIRS LIVE ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK THURSDAY, NOV. 5

LOS ANGELES – Bellator MMA is back in primetime on Thursday, Nov. 5 with a card headlined by an exciting battle featuring one of the promotion’s newest free agent acquisitions in Corey Anderson (13-5), who will make his highly anticipated Bellator debut against Dutch combat sports legend Melvin Manhoef (32-14-1, 2 NC) in the stacked light heavyweight division. The action emanates from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., where Bellator has held all its domestic shows since the promotion’s return to live events.
 
CBS Sports Network will air Bellator 251: Manhoef vs. Anderson LIVE in all U.S. markets, while preliminary matchups will stream on CBSSports.com and Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.
 
Legendary Dutch fighter Melvin Manhoef is one of the most feared and violent striking specialists in all of combat sports. With 29 of his 32 career victories coming by way of knockout, “No Mercy” boasts one of the highest knockout percentage rates of any MMA fighter with at least 15 victories. Manhoef has collected victories over iconic names in the sport, including Mark Hunt and Kazushi Sakuraba, throughout an illustrious career dating back to 1995, when he earned the first of many knockout victories at only 18 years of old. After stacking together two consecutive victories, including a TKO over Yannick Bahati in his last outing, Manhoef looks to spoil the much-hyped Bellator debut of Anderson in the main event of Bellator 251.
 
Rockford, Illinois’ Corey Anderson joined Bellator’s light heavyweight division this past August after opting to depart the UFC. The winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 19 was ranked fourth in the UFC’s 205-pound division at the time of his departure, having defeated top opponents, including current champion Jan Blachowicz, Johnny Walker, Ilir Latifi and Glover Teixeira. Prior to honing his MMA under world-renowned BJJ ace Ricardo Almeida, the 31-year-old became a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler and earned his degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. “Overtime” will look to ascend to the top of a crowded Bellator light heavyweight class that includes champion Vadim Nemkov, Phil Davis, Ryan Bader, Lyoto Machida, newcomer Christian Edwards and former LFA champ Alex Polizzi.
 
For further information, please visit www.Bellator.com.
 
Updated Bellator 251: Manhoef vs. Anderson Fight Card:
CBS Sports Network

Light Heavyweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (32-14-1, 2 NC) vs. Corey Anderson (13-5)
 
 
*Card subject to change.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR MMA ADDS COMBAT SPORTS LEGEND MELVIN MANHOEF, OLIVER ENKAMP AND TERRY BRAZIER TO HISTORIC PARIS EVENT ON OCT. 10

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Limited tickets on sale now!
 
LOS ANGELES – Two exciting marquee bouts have joined Bellator Paris on Saturday, October 10 from Accor Arena in Paris, with the addition of a light heavyweight contest featuring combat sports legend Melvin Manhoef (32-14-1, 2 NC) facing Cameroon’s Simon Biyong (7-1) and a welterweight matchup pitting Sweden’s Oliver Enkamp (9-2) against France’s Emmanuel Dawa (9-3).
 
A limited number of fans will be allowed in attendance for this historic event. Tickets are currently available at accorarena.com and bellator.fr.
 
Additionally, several French fighters are now scheduled to compete at this landmark event on October 10 and represent their country at Bellator Paris, including the recently signed Yves Landu (15-8),who goes to battle with England’s Terry Brazier (11-3) at lightweight and Davy Gallon (18-7-2), who meets Dutch competitor Brian Hooi (16-7, 1 NC) in a 158-pound contract weight bout. Additionally, Aubervilliers’ undefeated Fabacary Diatta (6-0) faces England’s Dominique Wooding (6-3) at featherweight, Paris’ Jean N’Doye (8-1) looks to hand Ireland’s Ciaran Clarke (2-0) the first loss of his career in a 145-pound contest, and knockout artist William Gomis (6-2) takes on SBG Ireland’s Dylan Logan (4-4) at featherweight. Also on the card, Creteil’s decorated fighterMaguy Berchel (10-4-1) meets French combat sports veteran Lucie Bertaud (2-2) in a women’s flyweight contest.
 
Just announced last week, the main event of Bellator Paris features renowned Frenchman Cheick Kongo (30-10-2, 1 NC), who will face off against Tim Johnson (14-6) in a heavyweight clash, while an exciting welterweight showcasing Michael “Venom” Page (17-1), better known to fans as “MVP,” who returns with the intention of spoiling the Bellator debut of undefeated former Cage Warriors champion, Ross Houston (8-0, 1 NC).
 
Making his ninth appearance for Bellator MMA, the Dutch superstar has put together an impressive resume over a 25-year career that has seen him finish 29 of his 32 victims via knockout, including 26 in the first round and eight in the opening minute of action. A native of Amsterdam, Netherlands, the 44-year-old will now look to add to a trio of impressive knockouts that he’s collected since joining the promotion back in 2014, a run that includes a highlight-reel first round knockout over Hisaki Kato at Bellator 146. Fighting out of Genova, Italy, the 29-year-old knockout artist Simon Biyong will be searching for his fifth consecutive victory and first under with Bellator MMA on October 10. With six of his seven career wins coming by way of knockout, including three in the first round of action, the Yaoundé, Cameroon-native hopes to make quick work of his veteran opponent once again when he makes his promotional debut inside Accor Arena.
 
Following a seven-fight winning streak to begin his professional career, Oliver Enkamp earned a pair of bouts with the UFC, before collecting consecutive victories at Bellator 223 and Bellator 240 to begin his highly anticipated Bellator MMA tenure. Now, the 29-year-old Stockholm, Sweden-native will look to collect his 10th career win and add to an already impressive resume that includes eight career finishes and has earned him the nickname “The Future.” Hailing from Paris, France, the 35-year-old Emmanuel Dawa will be making his promotional debut on his home turf inside the Accor Arena on October 10. The Snake Team-product enters the contest having won eight of his last 10 bouts, including a pair of first round knockouts in an unblemished 2019 campaign. With six of his nine career victories coming by way of knockout, including four of the first-round variety, Dawa hopes to add to that total and make the most of his Paris homecoming.
 
Follow Bellator France on Instagram @BellatorFrance and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorFrance/.
 
Please visit www.Bellator.fr and Bellator.com for additional information.
 
 
Updated Bellator Paris Card:
 
Heavyweight Feature Bout: Cheick Kongo (30-10-2, 1 NC) vs. Tim Johnson (14-6)
Welterweight Feature Bout: Michael Page (17-1) vs. Ross Houston (8-0, 1 NC)
Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Melvin Manhoef (32-14-1, 2 NC) vs. Simon Biyong (7-1)
Welterweight Feature Bout: Oliver Enkamp (9-2) vs. Emmanuel Dawa (9-3)
Lightweight Bout: Terry Brazier (11-3) vs. Yves Landu (15-8)
158-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Davy Gallon (18-7-2) vs. Brian Hooi (16-7, 1 NC)
Featherweight Bout: Dominique Wooding (6-3) vs. Fabacary Diatta (6-0)
Featherweight Bout: Jean N’Doye (8-1) vs. Ciaran Clarke (2-0)
Featherweight Bout: Dylan Logan (4-4) vs. William Gomis (6-2)
Flyweight Bout: Maguy Berchel (10-4-1) vs.Lucie Bertaud (2-2)
 
 
*Card subject to change.
 
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Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

KNOCKOUT ARTISTS MELVIN MANHOEF AND CHIDI NJOKUANI COLLIDE IN EXPLOSIVE BELLATOR 210 MAIN EVENT AT WINSTAR WORLD RESORT AND CASINO ON NOV. 30  

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Tickets on sale Friday

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator heads back to WinStar World Casino and Resort on Friday, November 30 with a battle of heavy-handed middleweights, as combat sports-veteran Melvin Manhoef (30-14-1, 2 NC) takes on the dynamic Chidi Njokuani (18-5, 1 NC) in the main event of Bellator 210.

 

 

 

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, September 21 and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino and Resort box office, as well as through Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com.

 

 

 

Bellator 210: Manhoef vs. Njokuani will be broadcast on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will stream LIVE on DAZN, while preliminary bouts will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

 

 

 

A former world title challenger, Manhoef returns to the Bellator cage looking to stake his claim in a suddenly crowded middleweight division. The famed Dutch kickboxer and mixed martial artist is known for his highlight-reel KO’s throughout his impressive combat sports career that spans two and a half decades, including successful runs in DREAM, Cage Rage and Bellator. With career wins over Mark Hunt, Kazushi Sakuraba, “Cyborg” Santos, and most recently for Bellator, Hisaki Kato, “No Mercy” has plans for adding another name to his lengthy resume.

 

 

 

Njokuani made his Bellator debut in the welterweight division with a decisive victory over Ricky Rainey in 2015. Since then, “Chidi Bang Bang” has notched impressive wins over Melvin Guillard and Andre Fialho. The Las Vegas fighter later announced himself to the 185-pound weight class in emphatic fashion with a victory over Hisaki Kato at Bellator 189. With 10 knockouts to his credit, the always-dangerous Njokuani looks to add another “W” to his record in November.

 

 

 

Updated Bellator 210: Manhoef vs. Njokuani Fight Card:

Middleweight Main Event Bout: Melvin Manhoef (30-14-1, 2 NC) vs. Chidi Njokuani (18-5, 1 NC)

 

 

 

*Card subject to change

 

 

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

Bellator, kickboxing, Paramount Network

BELLATOR TO SIGN WFL’S ‘FINAL 8’ HEAVYWEIGHT GRAND PRIX AND MMA LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS

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ALSO, BELLATOR KICKBOXING’S JORINA BAARS TO COMPETE AGAINST ANISSA HADDAOUI IN SUPERFIGHT AT SEPT. 22 WFL EVENT

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator announced today the organization will reward the winner of World Fighting League’s upcoming “Final 8” Grand Prix, as well as the MMA Lightweight Tournament Finale, with a Bellator contract. The events take place over two days on Saturday, Sept. 22 through Sunday, Sept. 23 from Topsportcentrum in Almere, Netherlands and are set to air on Spike Netherlands.

 

 

 

Owned by famed Dutch kickboxer Melvin Manhoef, the Netherlands-based promotion is currently home to many of the best Dutch kickboxers and mixed martial artists. Following an impressive combat sports career that spans two and a half decades, including successful runs in DREAM, Cage Rage and Bellator, Manhoef began promoting fights under his WFL banner in 2015. Most recently, Manhoef defeated Remy Bonjasky in the final bout of his kickboxing career at WFL 16.

 

 

 

Similar to renowned K-1 events, the kickboxing tournament on Sept. 22 commences with eight competitors who will need to claim victory three times in one evening to become champion. The “Final 8” Grand Prix kicks off with several explosive first-round heavyweight matchups, including Murat Aygun vs. Fabio Kwasi, Sam Tevette vs. Clyde Brunswijk, Andrei Stoica vs. “Boy Boy” Martin and Fred Sikking vs. Nordine Mahieddine. Sikking vs. Nordine replaces the previously announced contest between Ibrahim El Bouni and Levi Rigters.

 

 

 

In the MMA Lightweight Tournament Finale on Sept. 23, Pieter Buist (13-4) meets Soli Abdeselam Mohamed (4-3), better known to fans as “Sully Bull,” in a battle to determine the victor at 155 pounds. Buist, nicknamed “The Archangel,” is currently riding a four-fight win streak, including two WFL victories, while Bull has also won his previous two bouts inside the WFL cage.

 

 

 

In addition to the “Super 8” Grand Prix on Sept. 22, the card will also feature Bellator Kickboxing’s Jorina Baars (44-0-3) in a highly anticipated superfight with two-time WFL World Champion Anissa Haddaoui (42-3-1). Fighting out of Den Helder, Netherlands, the 29-year-old Baars remains one of the most dangerous kickboxers and Muay Thai fighters on the planet, famously defeating Cris Cyborg in 2014. Having earned gold in both professional kickboxing and Muay Thai, the Dutch-born Haddaoui looks to make a name for herself against a fellow veteran in Baars. Fans can expect fireworks between these two exciting and elite fighters.

 

 

 

For more information, please visit WorldFightingLeague.com and WFLTickets.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PETROSYAN, KIELHOLTZ, HAIDA, & BOLANOS EMERGE VICTORIOUS FROM BELLATOR KICKBOXING 5 IN TORINO

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For Immediate Release:

April 8, 2017

Giorgio Petrosyan (84-2-2, 1 NC) defeated Amansio Paraschiv (23-5-1) via Unanimous Decision (30-26, 29-27, 30-26)

Giorgio Petrosyan Quote: “I’ve spent a lot of time studying this opponent and I felt like I knew his fighting style well so I was able to put together a solid game plan and execute it successfully,” Petrosyan said. “Now I’m looking forward to getting some rest, and we will let Scott Coker and Carlo DiBlasi decide what is next for me.”

Petrosyan vs. Paraschiv Photos

Denise Kielholtz (46-3) defeated Martine Michieletto (18-11-3) via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

Denise Kielholtz Quote: “It was a good night for me with the win, but it was tough fight. She’s a taller southpaw fighter and she really brought it. All rounds were for me and that’s the most important thing for me. It’s great to retain this belt, this is my biggest prize in the sport and I’m honored to be the world champion for Bellator,” Kielholtz said. “Really, for me, Bellator is the biggest kickboxing organization in the world, they are really for the fighters, so I am very happy to be representing this company. The next time you see me out there might be in the Bellator cage fighting MMA. We’re working very hard on all aspects of my training and so hopefully before the end of summer you will see me fighting MMA.”

Kielholtz vs. Michieletto Photos

John Wayne Parr (96-32) def. Nando Calzetta (45-10) via Head Kick at 2:59 of Round 2

John Wayne Parr Quote: “He was tough, he came to fight. He wanted to mix and trade but I was more than happy to do that with the hands. I thought I was a little bit sharper, but he had a crack – he had a good go and hopefully it was entertaining for the crowd,” John Wayne Parr said. “Before this fight I really wanted to do something impressive and get an impressive finish so to score a head kick knockout is like a slam dunk. I feel like Michael Jordan right now. I’ve been watching Bellator and I just want to be a star here and hopefully tonight is gonna put that notch in my belt and help me fulfill that dream.”

Parr vs. Calzetta Photos

Mustapha Haida (46-5-2) defeated Enriko Kehl (45-12-1) via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Mustapha Haida Quote: I’m very happy for with the victory. I think I broke my hand or my wrist in the second round so I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to finish the fight, but I dug down deep and was able to get through the match,” Haida said. “Fighting for Bellator Kickboxing here in Italy has been a great experience for me and I hope to continue to fight here.”

Haida vs. Kehl Photos

Gaston Bolanos defeated Luca D’Isanto via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Gaston Bolanos Quote: “I came into someone’s home town tonight, and the guy had a lot more experience in kickboxing than I do, so I’m quite happy with the win. It’s a different rhythm out there. I’m used to Muay-Thai, which I’ve been practicing my whole life. I’ve done a few fights without elbows even though it’s still Muay-Thai so it’s a bit different from what I just did tonight. I just came from an MMA fight so I had to switch up my whole camp but this is what I want to do and this is the opportunity that Bellator has provided for me, so I’m going to take it and stay as busy as possible,” Bolanos said. “I want to thank Bellator, Scott Coker, my coach Kirian Fitzgibbons and my team at CSA Gym for helping me and giving me all the opportunities that I’ve been given in my career. I’m hoping to get another MMA fight in here soon and develop a rhythm there. I want to become the biggest star in both sports and I know that I’ve got the opportunity and the talent to do just that.”

Bolanos vs. D’Isanto Photos

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

RAFAEL CARVALHO STOPS MELVIN MANHOEF IN MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH

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TORINO, ITALY —

Rafael Carvalho (14-1) defeated Melvin Manhoef (30-14) via Head Kick at 3:15 of Round 4

Quote from Rafael Carvalho: “The last fight didn’t go as I expected or like the public expected,” Carvalho said. “This fight I knew that there needed to be an undisputed winner with a finish and I’m very glad that I was the one who came away with the victory. I’m going to continue to defend my middleweight title here at Bellator, but I’m also interested in a super fight in our light heavyweight division or maybe a bout in Bellator Kickboxing. That would be fun for me.”

Carvalho vs. Manhoef Fight Photos Here

Anastasia Yankova (5-0) defeated Elina Kallionidou (5-2) via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Quote from Anastasia Yankova: “I feel okay after this fight. My face looks much better right now than it did after my last fight,” Yankova said “It wasn’t perfect but I’m improving every day and I’ll continue to train hard with Mike [Swick] at AKA Thailand. I am working to get my weight down to 125 lbs. where I want to soon be Bellator’s champion.”

Yankova vs. Kallionidou Fight Photos Here

Valeriu Mircea (14-4) defeated Djamil Chan (12-4) via Majority Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)

Quote from Valeriu Mircea: “I’m very proud of my performance out there. It was part of my game plan to remain calm and patient throughout the fight and I am happy to have gotten the positive result,” Mircea said. “I am coming off of a frustrating knee injury that left me with only a month and a half to prepare. Victory is sweet and I am happy that my sacrifices have provided a good result.”

Mircea vs. Chan Fight Photos Here

Mihail Nica (6-0) defeated Samba Coulibaly (11-4) via Anaconda Choke at 0:36 of Round 1

Quote from Mihail Nica: “I am feeling very positive and happy that my hard work has paid off,” Nica said. “I look forward to getting back in the gym tomorrow to better my skills. I want to continue my undefeated career here at Bellator, maybe soon in America. I think it would be great to fight there because of the level of popularity out there. I want to be a hero for the Italian fans to cheer for and grow the passion for MMA in this country.”

Nica vs. Coulibaly Fight Photos Here

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)