Tag Archives: Michael Page

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘BELLATOR 158: LONDON’ NOW FEATURES TWO OF THE GAME’S TOP HEAVYWEIGHT SLUGGERS WITH THE ADDITION OF MATT MITRIONE-OLI THOMPSON

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LONDON — (July 1, 2016) – Fresh off his emphatic knockout victory over Carl Seumanutafa at “Bellator: Dynamite 2,” former NFL player Matt Mitrione (10-5) has cleared medical testing and will now face “Britain’s Strongest Man” winner Oli Thompson(17-8) during the main card of “Bellator 158: London,” which will take place on July 16 inside one of the world’s most popular venues, The O2 in London, England.

 

In addition, fans will also have the pleasure of watching the always-entertaining British sensation Paul Daley (38-13-2), as he prepares to put on a show for his hometown fans against Brazilian knockout specialist Douglas Lima (26-6). Michael “Venom” Page (10-0) aims to continue his raging pace and remain unbeaten when he challenges himself against MMA veteran “Cyborg” Santos (21-17), and Linton Vassell (16-5), who returns to action against Francis Carmont (24-11).

 

In the United Kingdom, “Bellator 158: London” will be broadcast on SPIKE UK from 9 – 10 p.m. BST and Channel 5 from 10 p.m. – midnight BST. Meanwhile in America, the card will air live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Tickets start at only £40.00 and are on sale now at TheO2.co.uk or The O2 Box Office.

 

The 37-year-old Mitrione will enter the Bellator cage for the second time under a month, after knocking out Seumanutafa (10-6) in his promotional debut on June 24, in a journey that was brilliantly documented by Chuck Mindenhall.  A native of Indianapolis, “Meathead” joined the Bellator MMA team as one of the highest profile free agent acquisitions ever, carrying with him a talented athletic background that includes stints in the NFL with the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings. Mitrione is a 14-time UFC veteran that is known for ending fights early and violently, with nine of his ten victories coming by way of knockout and six of them ending in the first round.

 

A resident of East Sussex, England, Thompson will be making his Bellator MMA debut after 25 career fights amongst the heavyweight division’s elite. “The Spartan,” who solidified himself as “Britain’s Strongest Man” in 2006, is looking to build off an impressive 2015 campaign, in which he emerged victorious in all five of his bouts, including two first round knockouts. Since making his professional debut in 2009, Thompson has fought under the direction of multiple regional promotions, and the UFC. At 36 years of age, he will undoubtedly make the most important appearance of his career when he takes center stage in front of thousands of hometown fans in the main event of “Bellator: London” on July 16.

 

“Bellator 158: London” Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Douglas Lima (26-6) vs. Paul Daley (38-13-2)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Matt Mitrione (9-5) vs. Oli Thompson (17-8)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Michael Page (10-0) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (21-17)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Linton Vassell (16-5) vs. Francis Carmont (24-11)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: James Gallagher (3-0) vs. Mike Cutting (6-5)

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Michael Shipman (8-1) vs. Lee Chadwick (21-12-1)

Bellator MMA Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Pietro Menga (12-0) vs. Spencer Hewitt (12-10)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Luiz Tosta (9-2) vs. Dean Garnett (7-0)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Radcliffe (8-2) vs. Jack Mason (29-15)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Chase Morton (6-2) vs. Nathaniel Wood (8-3)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Alex Reid (11-9-1) vs. Manuel Garcia (27-19)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: C.J. Meeks (4-1) vs. Danny Mitchell (17-7-1)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

JAMES GALLAGHER-MIKE CUTTING SET TO FACE OFF IN FEATHERWEIGHT MAIN CARD BOUT AT ‘BELLATOR: LONDON’ ON JULY 16

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LONDON — (June 20, 2016) – A featherweight matchup pitting top Irish MMA prospect James Gallagher (3-0) against Mike Cutting (6-5) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 158: London,” which emanates from the world’s most popular entertainment venue, The O2 in London, England, on July 16.

 

The fight adds to a main card that features a welterweight fight between Douglas Lima (26-6) and British superstar Paul Daley (38-13-2). In addition, British Phenom Michael “Venom” Page (10-0) will look to remain unbeaten in a welterweight slugfest when he takes on MMA veteran “Cyborg” Santos (21-17) and a light heavyweight bout pitting Linton Vassell (16-5) against Francis Carmont(24-11) round up the main card of what amounts to a stacked Bellator MMA international event.

 

In the United Kingdom, “Bellator 158: London” will be broadcast on SPIKE UK from 9 – 10 p.m. BST and Channel 5 from 10 p.m. – midnight BST. Meanwhile in America, the card will air live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Tickets start at only £40.00 and are on sale now at TheO2.co.uk or The O2 Box Office. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

July 16 marks the Bellator MMA debut of Gallagher, a 19-year-old featherweight prospect, who recently joined the promotion in April. A native of Northern Ireland, the undefeated Gallagher is a teammate of Conor McGregor and has received consistent praise from many top athletes in his highly acclaimed gym of SBG Ireland. Gallagher has begun his professional career with three consecutive victories, all of which have concluded by way of submission in the opening frame. He will look to build on his budding young career when he challenges “Gip” next month at The O2 in London.

 

A native of Hampshire, England, Cutting will have a unique opportunity to put on a show in front of his fellow countrymen while also making his Bellator MMA debut on July 16. “Gip” began his career under the direction of a local promotion in 2010, emerging victorious with a first round rear-naked choke submission over Mike Taylor. A submission specialist, Cutting has since gone on to collect six professional wins, all of which have come by way of submission and three have ended in the opening frame. The British featherweight has his eyes set on putting an end to his opponent’s unblemished mark when the two square off at this highly anticipated event at The O2 this summer.

 

Updated “Bellator 158: London” Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Bout: Douglas Lima (26-6) vs. Paul Daley (38-13-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Bout: Michael Page (10-0) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (21-17)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Bout: Linton Vassell (16-5) vs. Francis Carmont (24-11)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Bout: James Gallagher (3-0) vs. Mike Cutting (6-5)

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Bout: Mark Godbeer (11-2) vs. James Mulheron (8-1)

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Michael Shipman (8-1) vs. Lee Chadwick (21-12-1)

Bellator MMA Prelim Flyweight Bout: Pietro Menga (12-0) vs. Spencer Hewitt (12-10)

Bellator MMA Prelim Bantamweight Bout: Luiz Tosta (9-2) vs. Dean Garnett (7-0)

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Jason Radcliffe (8-2) vs. Jack Mason (29-15)

Bellator MMA Prelim Featherweight Bout: Chase Morton (6-2) vs. Nathaniel Wood (8-3)

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Alex Reid (11-9-1) vs. Manuel Garcia (27-19)

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: C.J. Meeks (4-1) vs. Danny Mitchell (17-7-1)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

Updates to ‘Bellator 158: London’ Event

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LONDON (June 9, 2016) – Arguably England’s two top welterweights, Paul “Semtex” Daley(38-13-2) and Michael “Venom” Page (10-0) have each been assigned new opponents for the upcoming “Bellator 158: London” event. Former welterweight world champion Douglas Lima (26-6) has agreed to fight Daley after an undisclosed injury forced Josh Koscheck to withdraw from the highly anticipated matchup. In addition, gritty Brazilian veteran Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (21-17) will step in for Fernando Gonzalez to fight undefeated British superstar Page.

 

 

The main card also features a light heavyweight contest between local hotshot Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (16-5) and Francis “Limitless” Carmont (24-11) as well as a heavyweight slugfest pitting Mark Godbeer (11-2) against James Mulheron (8-1) in a British brawl that you do not want to miss.

 

We will have to wait a little longer for the highly anticipated faceoff between Daley and Koscheck. The 33-year-old now directs his attention to “The Phenom” as he looks to add to his five fight winning streak. A native of Nottingham, England, “Semtex” has recorded wins in nine of his last ten fights, with eight of those victories ending in a knockout. A four fight veteran of Bellator MMA, Daley has put his stamp on the welterweight division, posting a 4-0 record with three knockouts, including his most recent first round finish of top contender Andy Uhrich in the main event of “Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich.”

 

After originally being slated for the co-main event of “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” onJune 17, Lima has been given the opportunity to take his talents overseas and challenge Daley in a welterweight thriller. In his first 10 appearances under the Bellator MMA fray, the 28-year-old Brazilian has collected eight wins, seven of which have come by way of knockout. A former champion of Bellator’s stacked 170-pound division; Lima has continuously proven his worth with highlight reel victories over former Bellator MMA veterans the likes of Rick Hawn, Ben Saunders (twice) and Bryan Baker. With past winning streaks of nine, six, and five, Lima’s most recent string of victories consisted of five consecutive knockouts over the span of three years. “The Phenom” will look to begin another streak of success when he challenges “Semtex” Daley on his home turf on July 16.

 

Having made his professional debut in 1997, “Cyborg” Santos is undoubtedly one of the most experienced MMA athletes in the game today. The 38-year-old Brazilian veteran has amounted 21 victories over his illustrious career, highlighted by his 12 knockouts, 10 of which came in the first round. In his Bellator MMA debut, “Cyborg” stunned an electric Connecticut crowd when he delivered a first round win over Brennan Ward via heel hook submission at“Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson.” Before signing a multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA this year, Santos also made four appearances under the Strikeforce banner from 2009 to 2011. “Cyborg” will have to prepare for one of the most feared fighters in the sport of MMA, when he meets the undefeated “MVP” in his home country on July 16.

 

With an unblemished record of 10-0, “MVP” remains one of the brightest young stars in the world of MMA. Page received a new opponent, with the news that “Cyborg” Santos would replace Fernando Gonzalez in one of the evening’s welterweight feature fights. The 29-year-old London native has a knack for finishing his challengers in the early stages of the bout, collecting nine first round victories with only one fight reaching the judges’ scorecards. “Venom” thoroughly impressed in his 2016 debut, when he forced budding star Jeremie Holloway into an Achilles lock submission just 2:15 into the first round in their clash at“Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson.” It will be more of the same for the knockout specialist Page, as he will enter the cage on July 16 with the full intention of adding to his impressive tally of first round finishes.

 

“Bellator 158: London” will be broadcast free on SPIKE UK and Channel 5 in the United Kingdom, while in America the card will air FREE on SPIKE. Exact broadcast details for the event will be revealed in the near future. Tickets are on sale now and start at only £40.00. They are available at TheO2.co.uk or The O2 Box Office.

 

Updated “Bellator 158: London” Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Welterweight Bout: Douglas Lima (26-6) vs. Paul Daley (38-13-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Bout: Michael Page (10-0) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (21-17)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Bout: Linton Vassell (16-5) vs. Francis Carmont (24-11)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Bout: Mark Godbeer (11-2) vs. James Mulheron (8-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Michael Shipman (8-1) vs. Lee Chadwick (21-12-1)

Bellator MMA Prelim Flyweight Bout: Pietro Menga (12-0) vs. Spencer Hewitt (12-10)

Bellator MMA Prelim Bantamweight Bout: Luiz Tosta (9-2) vs. Dean Garnett (7-0)

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Jason Radcliffe (8-2) vs. Jack Mason (29-15)

Bellator MMA Prelim Featherweight Bout: Chase Morton (6-2) vs. Nathaniel Wood (8-3)

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Alex Reid (11-9-1) vs. TBD

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: C.J. Meeks (4-1) vs. Danny Mitchell (17-7-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

CIVIL WAR IN THE UK AS NORTH VERSUS SOUTH IN A HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH BETWEEN MARK GODBEER & JAMES MULHERON AT ‘BELLATOR: LONDON’ AT THE O2 ARENA ON JULY 16!

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MULTIPLE UNDERCARD BOUTS ANNOUNCED & SET TO SHOW OFF SOME OF UK’S TOP UP-AND-COMERS

 

TICKTES ON SALE NOW AT THEO2.CO.UK

LONDON (May 17, 2016) – A heavyweight match-up between Mark ‘The hand of’ Godbeer (11-2) and James Mulheron (8-1) will kick off the televised portion of the highly anticipated “Bellator: London” card when the promotion arrives at the O2 Arena in London on July 16.  The collision course that the two big men are on will divide the British fans in attendance as the three-round attraction sees Northern UK go head to head with Southern UK, with both men looking for the big KO.

 

The newly-announced scrap joins a star-studded event that features Kimbo Slice (6-2) taking on James Thompson (20-16) and Josh Koscheck (17-10) against Paul “Semtex” Daley (38-13-2). Additional matchups include a light heavyweight pairing between Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (16-5) and Francis “Limitless” Carmont (24-11) and British welterweight highlight reel Michael “Venom” Page (9-0) versus Fernando Gonzalez (25-13).

 

Several preliminary matchups have been revealed, including former Big Brother winner Alex Reid (10-9-1-1), who has been scheduled to fight against an opponent to be announced later.

 

After scoring a TKO victory this past Saturday, Godbeer comes into this fight hot on a three-fight winning streak. The exciting heavyweight is known to leave it all on the line, as evidenced by the fact that he has never let a fight go to the judge’s scorecards. For Godbeer it is a welcome second chance with the Bellator promotion. “I personally think Bellator is one of the leading organisations there is today; it’s a great honour to fight for them once again. Last time I fought off of the back of an 18 month lay-off due to a big injury and feel I wasn’t myself, so I’m glad to get another chance to show them the real me.”

 

Both Godbeer and Mulheron are hard-hitting heavyweights with great cardio and athleticism and share a common fight strategy: knock the other guy out. Mulheron won a regional title with the M4TC promotion, and will be competing in Bellator for the first time. “I don’t really go into fights with a game plan,” said Mulheron. “I go in with an open mind. I think every fighter needs to be able to adapt in fights but everyone who watches me knows I come to fight and this fight will be no different.”

 

In the United Kingdom, the event will be broadcast free on SPIKE UK and Channel 5, while in America the card will air FREE on SPIKE. Exact broadcast details for “Bellator 158: London” will be revealed in the near future. Tickets for the event are on sale now and start at only £40.00. They are available at TheO2.co.uk or The O2 Box Office.

 

Updated “Bellator 158: London” Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (6-2) vs. James Thompson (20-16)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Josh Koscheck (17-10) vs. Paul Daley (38-13-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Bout: Michael Page (9-0) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (25-13)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Bout: Linton Vassell (16-5) vs. Francis Carmont (24-11)

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Bout: Mark Godbeer (11-2) vs. James Mulheron (8-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

 

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Michael Shipman (8-1) vs. Chris Widmer (5-1)

Bellator MMA Prelim Flyweight Bout: Pietro Menga (12-0) vs. Spencer Hewitt (12-10)

Bellator MMA Prelim Bantamweight Bout: Luiz Tosta (9-2) vs. Dean Garnett (7-0)

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Jason Radcliffe (8-2) vs. Jack Mason (29-15)

Bellator MMA Prelim Featherweight Bout: Chase Morton (6-2) vs. Nathaniel Wood (8-3)

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Alex Reid (11-9-1) vs. TBD

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: Bola Omoyele (8-4) vs. Lee Chadwick (21-12-1)

Bellator MMA Prelim Middleweight Bout: C.J. Meeks (4-1) vs. Danny Mitchell (17-7-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ANDREY KORESHKOV RETAINS WELTERWEIGHT CROWN IN EMPHATIC FASHION, DEFEATING BENSON HENDERSON BY UNANIMOUS DECISION

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Complete Fight Photos Here

UNCASVILLE, CONN. (April 22, 2016) — While many will be surprised by the news that Andrey Koreshkov (19-1) defeated Benson Henderson (23-6) in the main event of “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson,” the Russian champion made it clear following the bout that he intended to win each and every round inside the cage at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday night, and according to the judges scoring the bout at cage side, he did exactly that (50-45, 50-45, 50-45).

Over the course of 25 minutes, Henderson, a longtime lightweight competitor, had difficulty closing the distance of the larger “Spartan,” and sustaining damage in the process. “Smooth” was unable to secure takedowns and was upset with his performance, making it clear that he hopes for a quick return to the Bellator MMA cage; whether it’s at 170 or 155-pounds.

“Spartan” makes his first successful defense of the title he took from Douglas Lima in this very arena last year, and has his sights set on fighting one of the main contenders that the Scott Coker-led currently promotion has on its welterweight roster. In addition to the victory, Koreshkov also takes home the newly designed Bellator championship belt.

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire’s Showcases Nasty Guillotine in Co-Main Event

 

Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (25-3) went all-in with a beautiful guillotine choke 4:09 into the second round of his co-main event fight, forcing Henry Corrales (12-3) to tap out. Since making his Bellator MMA debut back in April of 2010, “Pitbull” has now collected 13 victories with the promotion, including wins in eight of his last nine bouts. It has been a great week for the “Pitbull” brothers, after older brother Patricky “Pitbull” came out victorious in the main event of “Bellator 152: Freire vs. Souza” last Saturday in Torino, Italy. The loss is only Corrales’ third of his career, two of which have now come via guillotine choke.

“Cyborg” Santos Spoils Ward’s Hometown Reunion With First Round Win

 

In his Bellator MMA debut, Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (21-16) defeated New London’s own Brennan Ward (13-4) with an ankle lock submission just 30 seconds into the opening round. The victory is Santos’ fourth career win in 30 seconds or less and 16th first round finish. The former Strikeforce competitor has now strung together back-to-back wins and has left an impressive first impression for Bellator fans, aside from the ones in attendance at Mohegan Sun Arena. For Ward, the loss puts an end to a promising streak of four consecutive wins, all of which came in his dominant 2015 campaign.

 

Primus Squeaks Past “Toninho Furia” In Catchweight Marathon

 

Brent Primus (7-0) remained undefeated with a split decision victory over “Toninho Furia” (27-6) on Friday taking home scores of (28-29, 29-28, 29-28). The Portland, Oregon native connected on several heavy blows and two pivotal takedowns leading him to his seventh career win. The three-round thriller was just Primus’ second fight that went past the first round and was left to the judges’ discretion.

“MVP” Makes Quick Work Of Holloway In Explosive Opening Bout

 

During the opening contest at “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson,” Michael “Venom” Page (10-0) finished Jeremie Holloway (7-2) with multiple hammerfists and an impressive toe hold submission at 2:15 in the opening round of action. The 28-year-old British phenom, “MVP,” remains undefeated after recording his tenth career win and sixth victory under the Bellator MMA banner. “Venom” now directs his attention to a return home when he meets Fernando Gonzalez on July 16 at “Bellator 158: London.”

Preliminary Card Results:

 

Djamil Chan (12-2) defeated Richard Patishnock (6-4) via knockout (punches) at 3:09 of round one

Chris Honeycutt (7-1) defeated Matt Secor (7-3) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-27 x2)

Mike Zichelle (8-4) defeated Joe Cronin (2-4) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:25 of round one

Matt Bessette (18-7) defeated Keith Richardson (14-7) via TKO (cut) at 3:14 of round two

Chris Foster (9-4) defeated Vovka Clay (3-1) via unanimous decision (29-28 3x)

Sam Watford (2-0) defeated Dean Hancock (2-1) via submission (armbar) at 1:24 of round one

Tim Caron (4-0) defeated Justin Sumter (0-1) via TKO (punches) at 3:38 of round two

Blair Tugman (8-6) defeated Jay Perrin (2-2) via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘MVP’ LOOKING TO SQUASH BEEF WITH FERNANDO GONZALEZ AT THE O2 IN LONDON ON JULY 16

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LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT BETWEEN LINTON ‘THE SWARM’ VASSELL AND FRANCIS ‘LIMITLESS’ CARMONT ALSO OFFICIAL

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 22, 2016) – The recently announced international tentpole event, “Bellator 158: London,” now features two additional mouth-watering matchups during the event’s main card, with today’s addition of Michael “Venom” Page (10-0) versus Fernando Gonzalez (25-13) in a welterweight bout at The O2 in London. “MVP” is fresh off a first-round submission during the main card of “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” tonight and now sets his sights on impressing in his home country.

In addition, the stacked main card now also features a light heavyweight pairing between Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (16-5) and Francis “Limitless” Carmont (24-11). The two new contests join an event that already features Kimbo Slice (6-2) taking on James Thompson (20-16) and Josh Koscheck (17-10) against Paul “Semtex” Daley (38-13-2). Additional contests will be announced shortly.

In the United Kingdom, the event will be broadcast free on SPIKE UK and Channel 5, while in America the card will air FREE on SPIKE. Exact broadcast details for “Bellator 158: London” will be revealed in the near future. Tickets for the event are on sale now and start at only ￡40.00. They are available at TheO2.co.uk or The O2 Box Office.

As was showcased tonight at “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson,” mixed martial arts fans and pundits alike would be hard-pressed to find a striker — or submission specialist — as dynamic as Page. Other than his win against Jeremie Holloway, look no further than his previous outings against Charlie Ontiveros, or his 65-second knockout of Rudy Bears for explosive examples. But, now “Venom” looks to strike against Gonzalez, who is no stranger to being the underdog when he enters the Bellator MMA fray. A proud son of London, England, the 29-year-old Page has only reached the judges’ scorecards once in his nine professional outings. “MVP” will enter the cage at The O2 in London with an unblemished record, hometown support and momentum, all on his side.

Gonzalez, a 32-year-old Menifee, Calif. is looking to build upon his split decision victory over Gilbert Smith at “Bellator 151: Warren vs. Caldwell” and add to his impressive five-fight winning streak. A veteran of the Scott Coker-founded Strikeforce promotion, as well as World Extreme Cagefighting, Gonzalez has been competing professionally since 2003 and was originally slated to fight “MVP” in March, but the fight fell through when the Englishman withdrew due to injury. Now, Gonzalez looks to solidify himself as the No. 1 contender to the crown at 170-pounds and prove that he truly is the stiffest test Page has faced in his 10-fight career.

Vassell is fresh off of a victory over Bellator’s Emanuel Newton in a bout that went the distance at the record-shattering event that was“Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie.” Vassell has now won 11 of his last 13 fights and will be chomping at the bit to get back in the cage in front of his hometown fans. Vassell joins Thompson, Daley and Page on a card that features a strong contingent of British talent as the card continues to grow.

Hailing from Paris, France, the 34-year-old Carmont will enter the cage for the first time in 2016 and fourth under the Bellator MMA umbrella. In his most recent appearance, at the tournament-style “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1,” Carmont replaced an injured Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, who was forced to drop out after suffering a rib injury earlier in the event. After winning his first bout of the evening, “Limitless” surrendered a loss to Phil Davis in the final round of the tournament-style contest. Now, “Limitless” looks to upset the hometown faithful during the main card of “Bellator 158: London.”

Updated “Bellator 158: London” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice 6-2) vs. James Thompson (20-16)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Josh Koscheck (17-10) vs. Paul Daley (38-13-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Bout: Michael Page (10-0) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (25-13)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Bout: Linton Vassell (16-5) vs. Francis Carmont (24-11)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

ANDREY KORESHKOV LOOKS TO SPOIL HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED BELLATOR MMA DEBUT OF BENSON HENDERSON AT ‘BELLATOR 153’ ON SPIKE TOMORROW

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Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

 

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (April 21, 2016) – Following weigh-ins for “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” competitors on Thursday, all fights are set to take place inside the cage at the Mohegan Sun Arena tomorrow on Spike.

Headlined by a welterweight world title bout between Andrey “Spartan” Koreshkov (18-1) and Benson “Smooth” Henderson (23-5), the main card is primed to entertain. The card is loaded with young talent, including 28-year-old welterweight star Michael “Venom” Page (9-0), who will put his unblemished record on the line against Jeremie Holloway (7-1).

In addition, “Bellator 153: Henderson vs. Koreshkov” also features Brennan Ward (13-3) going to battle against “Cyborg” Santos (20-16), Patricio “Pitbull” Friere (24-3) versus Henry Corrales (12-2) and Brent Primus (6-0) meeting “Toninho Furia” (27-5).

“Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” takes place at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and airs live and free on Spike at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. In addition, stay tuned immediately following the event, the debut of “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” takes place at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for the event start at just $30 and remain on sale now at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Box Office.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BELLATOR MMA SET FOR ACTION AT O2 ARENA IN LONDON ON JULY 16 WITH KIMBO SLICE-JAMES THOMPSON, JOSH KOSCHECK-PAUL DALEY IN TOW

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MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE, LINTON ‘THE SWARM’ VASSELL ALSO SET TO COMPETE

 

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 18, 2016) – It was the most-watched fight in the history of mixed martial arts with 7.28 million viewers, and on Sunday night Bellator MMA President Scott Coker joined ESPN’s SportsCenter to officially announce that Kimbo Slice (6-2) and James Thompson (20-16) are going to run it back inside the world famous O2 Arena in London on July 16 during the main event of “Bellator 158: London.” The tentpole event also features another highly anticipated rematch in the co-main event — when a grudge match nearly six years in the making boils over as Josh Koscheck (17-10) takes on Paul “Semtex” Daley (38-13-2).

 

In the United Kingdom, the event will be broadcast free on SPIKE UK and Channel 5, while in America, the card will air free on SPIKE. Exact broadcast details for “Bellator 158: London” will be revealed in the near future.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 158: London,” go on sale this Friday, April 22, with a Bellator Nation presale running thisThursday, April 21. Tickets starting at £40.00 will be available at TheO2.co.uk or The O2 Box Office.

 

In addition, a pair of English natives will also be in action on July 16, when Michael “Venom” Page (9-0) and Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (16-5) face yet-to-be-announced opponents. London’s Page, also known as “MVP,” will be competing during the main card of “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” this Friday, live and free on Spike at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.

 

Fresh off his performance in the main event of “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie,” the record-shattering card that generated 3.5 million viewers, Slice returns to action against the man he previously defeated back in 2008. It’s without question that Slice, a member of American Top Team in his home state of Florida, is one of the most must-see competitors in the sport of mixed martial arts, as it’s become increasingly clear fans can never truly expect what will happen when the brawler enters the Bellator cage.

 

“The Colossus” will likely have a sold-out O2 Arena strongly in his corner, being that he hails from Bristol, England and hasn’t fought on home turf since 2010. Thompson, 37, has been calling for a rematch with Slice since their infamous meeting nearly eight years ago and would like nothing more than to bounce back from a recent string of bad luck with a win against a name the likes of the former YouTube sensation. Thompson’s resume already features wins against Dan Severn, Don Frye and Bobby Lashley, amongst others.

 

In the card’s co-main event, Koscheck will make his promotional debut a little over a year after signing with Bellator MMA. Its pained the Fresno native to be out of action for so long, especially after being forced to withdraw from a headlining spot in his hometown against Matt Secor at “Bellator 148,” a card that “Semtex” went on to main event. It was there that the seeds for a rematch were cemented even further, as Daley trashed “Kos” in front of his partisan fans, pushing the 38-year-old to return.

 

While Daley may have the results as of late to upstage his foe, Koscheck owns a victory over the Brit in their first meeting, which Daley followed with an infamous punch after the bell that changed the trajectory of his career. Now, with nine wins in his last ten fights, Daley returns home to put an end to a moment in his profession that has cast a shadow over most of his success, while Koscheck looks to prove that their first meeting was no fluke.

 

These two momentous matchups are set to take place on July 16 at the legendary 20,000-seat O2 Arena, as Kimbo Slice-James Thompson II and Josh Koscheck-Paul Daley II emanate from the United Kingdom, and there’s no other place to watch the action unfold than FREE on Spike.

 

Updated “Bellator 158: London” Fight Card

 

Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson (6-2) vs. James Thompson (20-16)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Josh Koscheck (17-10) vs. Paul Daley (38-13-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Bout: Michael Page (9-0) vs. TBA

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Bout: Linton Vassell (16-5) vs. TBA

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE EARNS SHUTOUT VICTORY IN BELLATOR’S HISTORIC, FIRST-EVER INTERNATIONAL EVENT

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ALL OF ITALY GOES WILD FOR THEIR HERO ALESSIO SAKARA AFTER KNOCKOUT VICTORY

Credit: Bellator MMA

TORINO, ITALY. (April 15, 2016) – An electric, packed house was on hand Saturday night to bear witness to Bellator MMA’s inaugural international event, “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza,” at Italy’s largest indoor arena, The Pala Alpitour. The venue, which housed several events during the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, provided an incredible atmosphere for the historic card.

In the main event of the evening, Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (16-7) welcomed Kevin Souza (15-5) to Bellator MMA with a unanimous decision loss (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). The matchup between the two Brazillians was well contested, as Souza took the fight on short notice after replacing Derek Camposbecause of injury only a week ago. “Pitbull” spent much of the bout trying to figure out his opponent’s unorthodox style, but in the third and final round, “Pitbull” was able to score a couple solid shots and a takedown to cement his position on the scorecards.

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

Few fighters can inspire a nation the way that Rome’s Alessio Sakara (18-11) had his Italian countrymen rooting for him tonight. The support paid off, as “Legionarius” got the better of Brian Rogers (12-9) in a slugfest for the ages. Crisp, precise, power-punches connected with Rogers putting him on the canvas, forcing the TKO stoppage at 2:29 of round two and making Sakai’s Bellator debut one to remember.

DIVISION ON LOCK? MCKEE’S GOT THE KEY

One of MMA’s hottest prospects, A.J. McKee (4-0) defeated Milan’s Danilo Belluardo (5-2) in front of his home crowd on Friday. Although the audience was raucous in support for Belluardo, they cheered with great appreciation for McKee’s performance and sportsmanship following his victory. During his fight against J.T. Donaldson at “Bellator 147: Thomson vs. Villaseca,” McKee was cut above the eye, the sight of his own blood seemed to cause the 20-year-old to hit the turbo button. Similarly tonight, McKee was on the wrong side of an accidental low blow and after a short resting period, “Mercenary” came out swinging with a torrid pace, ultimately connecting with a left kick to the ribs of Belluardo that sent him falling to the mat. The referee gave him a moment to defend himself but McKee rained down an efficient flurry of ground and pound, earning the TKO at 2:44 of the very first frame. Sending a message to Scott Coker and the very deep Bellator featherweight division that he means business, McKee said in his post-fight interview: “If you ain’t got the belt, I ain’t got my eye on you.”

A STAR IS BORN IN ANASTASIA YANKOVA

Anastasia Yankova (3-0) quickly fought her way into a full mount against Anjela Pink (0-1) and applied a slick armbar submission to hand Pink a loss in her professional debut at 1:35 of the opening round. The young Russian striker has had the Italian fans clamoring to see her in action all week long, and had them on their feet celebrating her first-round victory. Yankova has now finished all of her professional MMA fights via submission and after the bout made it clear that she will be in action sooner, rather than later, “I promise to come back soon and have my second fight in Bellator, Yankova said. “It is really great to be a part of Bellator, I feel really happy.”

HOMETOWN HEROES IMPRESS IN BELLATOR DEBUT

Two Italian competitors who regularly compete with Oktagon, Daniele Scatizzi (7-2) and Daniele Miceli (2-1) kicked things off at “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” with a fast paced featherweight scrap. Scatizzi was able to secure a dominant position on Miceli’s back, sinking his hooks in and raining down unanswered strikes, forcing referee “Big John” McCarthy to call a stop to the action at 3:20 of round one and declaring Rome’s Scatizzi victorious by TKO.

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

THE WAIT IS OVER – ‘PITBULL’ & SOUZA ARE READY FOR ACTION AT ‘BELLATOR 152’ TOMORROW

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Complete Weigh-In Photos Here

 

TORINO, ITALY. (April 15, 2016) – After Friday’s weigh-ins at the Turin Palace Hotel, all of the “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Souza” competitors are set to enter the cage inside of Italy’s largest indoor arena, The Pala Alpitour.  The event airs on SPIKE tomorrow, Saturday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

 

The mixed martial arts portion of Bellator MMA’s first event overseas will also include the promotional debut of Italian fan-favorite Alessio Sakara (17-11), who faces Brian Rogers (12-8) in a light heavyweight matchup and one of MMA’s most promising young prospects, A.J. McKee (3-0), who fights Danilo Belluardo (5-1) at 145-pounds.

 

Also, Anastasia Yankova (2-0) will make her promotional debut against Anjela Pink in MMA flyweight action and Oktagon competitorsDaniele Miceli (2-0) and Daniele Scatizzi (6-2) will round out the MMA card with a featherweight showdown.

 

Main Card: (Live on SPIKE – 10 p.m. ET/PT)

 

Kevin Souza (70.3 kg / 155.2 lbs.) vs. Patricky Freire (70.5 kg / 155.2 lbs.)

Alessio Sakara (92.25 kg / 203.9 lbs.) vs. Brian Rogers (93.05 kg / 205.3 lbs.)

Danilo Belluardo (66.05 kg / 145.4 lbs.) vs. A.J. McKee (65.95 kg / 145.5 lbs.)

Anjela Pink (58.65 kg / 129.3 lbs.) vs. Anastasia Yankova (59.35 kg / 130 lbs.)

Daniele Miceli (76.10 kg / 167.5 lbs.) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (76.2 kg / 168.2 lbs.)