Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

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

MATT MITRIONE AND SEAN GRANDE NAMED SPIKE’S ANNOUNCING TEAM FOR BELLATOR KICKBOXING: TORINO

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New York, NY, April 7, 2016 – Matt Mitrione, a former NFL defensive lineman and current Bellator MMA heavyweight will join Bellator MMA play-by-play announcer and The Voice of the Boston Celtics, Sean Grande as the broadcast duo for Bellator’s inaugural kickboxing event, “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” on Saturday, April 16 from the historic Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy. The announcement was jointly made today by Bellator President Scott Coker and Jon Slusser, Senior Vice President, Sports and Specials, Spike TV.
Mitrione joined Bellator MMA in early March after a stellar start to his career in the UFC. His 14-bout stint with that promotion began in 2009 on “The Ultimate Fighter,” airing on Spike. His list of formidable opponents included: Kimbo Slice, Gabriel Gonzaga, Ben Rothwell, Derrick Lewis, Brendan Schaub, Roy Nelson, Shawn Jordan, and Travis Browne among others.
Prior to competing in MMA, Mitrione earned a scholarship to play defensive tackle for the Purdue Boilermakers, not far from where he grew up in Springfield, Ill. After college, he played in the NFL for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings until 2005.
Sean Grande has served as Bellator’s play-by-play announcer since July of 2015. Completing his 18th season in the NBA and 15th as the voice of the Boston Celtics, Grande’s epic account of the two-month run to the 2008 World Championship cemented his status as one of the nation’s elite play-callers.  He is joined by analyst Cedric Maxwell for all Boston Celtics games. Since shortly after their 2001 pairing, “Grande and Max” have become one of Boston’s most popular and iconic on-air combinations.
On May 20, 2013, Grande made his Major League Baseball debut, after being named the alternate play-by-play voice of the World Champion Boston Red Sox.  It completed his cycle of broadcasting major pro sports (NBA, NFL, NHL, WNBA and MLS). 
“Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will be televised Friday, April 22 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” on Spike.
Complete “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” Fight Card:
 
Bellator Kickboxing Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (37-12) vs. Alexandru Negrea (8-2)
Bellator Kickboxing 165-Pound Feature Bout: Mustapha Haida (37-3-3) vs. Karim Ghajji (95-12)
Bellator Kickboxing Welterweight Feature Bout: Raymond Daniels (10-3) vs. Francesco Moricca (15-2-1)
Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight Feature Bout: Denise Kielholtz (43-2) vs. Veronica Vernocchi (31-6-1)
Bellator Kickboxing Bantamweight Feature Bout: Kevin Ross (30-9) vs. Matteo Taccini (24-3-1)
 

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘RAMPAGE’ JACKSON TO MAIN EVENT ‘BELLATOR: DYNAMITE 2’ IN ST. LOUIS ON JUNE 24 AGAINST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST SATOSHI ISHII

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 6, 2016) – For the first time since 2014, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (36-11) will return to action for Bellator MMA when he faces Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1) in the main event of “Bellator: Dynamite 2” on June 24, at Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

While “Rampage” has competed at 205-pounds for a vast majority of his nearly 17-year career, this main event contest against Ishii will take place at an agreed upon catchweight of 215 pounds.

Tickets for “Bellator: Dynamite 2,” which start at just $30, go on sale this Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. CT on Ticketmaster.com and the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center, with a special Bellator Nation presale available from 10 a.m. CT to 10 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 7 for fans using the code: “BELLATOR.” Doors for the event open at 5 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

“Bellator: Dynamite 2” airs live and free 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.

Exactly like the groundbreaking inaugural “Dynamite” event this past September in San Jose, both a mixed martial arts cage and kickboxing ring will cover the floor at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, giving fans in attendance the opportunity to see both iterations of combat sports on the same night.

A three-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, “Rampage” signed with the organization in 2013 and is riding a four-fight winning streak. His legendary career has seen him compete against some of the top names in the sport across multiple organizations including PRIDE and the UFC, generating a loyal army of fans along the way. Jackson is the proud owner of many epic highlight reel slams and knockouts that he’s racked up throughout his battles with guys like: Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, Kevin Randleman, Ricardo Arona, Marvin Eastman, and perhaps most-notably his trilogy with fellow Bellator warrior Wanderlei Silva.

When he’s not beating people up in his MMA fights, Jackson’s larger than life personality has earned him multiple film roles, where he’s been able to beat people up on the big screen. Now, the 37-year-old returns to action for the fourth time under the Bellator MMA banner, where he looks to improve upon his unblemished mark within the promotion. With 19 of his fights taking place in Japan, the large contingent of Japanese MMA fans will have a hard time determining who to cheer for when “Rampage” takes on Ishii in June.

Ishii is a 29-year-old powerhouse Judoka who earned Gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing after defeating the best the world had to offer in the +100 kg division. Now fully focused on mixed martial arts, the Japanese star has competed in his home country almost exclusively throughout his 20-fight professional career and will be making his stateside debut on June 24 against “Rampage.” With half of his victories coming before reaching the judges’ scorecards, it’s worth noting that three of Ishii’s defeats have come at the hands of some of greatest the sport has to offer, such as Mirko Cro Cop and Fedor Emelianenko. Most recently, the judoka competed at light heavyweight for Rizin FF, during the promotion’s inaugural card on New Year’s Eve Weekend.

Updated “Bellator: Dynamite 2” Fight Card

Bellator MMA (215 lb.) Main Event: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (36-11) vs. Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1)

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA

Conquer Fighting Championships returns to Richmond, California on April 30, 2016

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April 5, 2016 – Conquer Fighting Championships (CFC) will have their second Mixed Martial Arts event, CFC 2, on April 30, 2016 at the Craneway Pavilion in Point Richmond, California.  The event will feature 12 Professional fights with an undercard of 5 Amateur fights.

PRO

 

  1. Anthony Avila VS Juan Quesada, Catch Weight -150lbs
  2. Buddy Wallace VS James Terry, Welterweight
  3. Josh Paiva VS Ulysses Gomez, Flyweight
  4. Jordan Williams VS Dwight Grant, Welterweight
  5. Mauricio Alonso VS Mike Persons, Welterweight
  6. Amir Lacy VS Myron Smith, Light Heavyweight
  7. Bren O’Neal VS Salvador Becerra, Lightweight
  8. Paradise Vaovasa VS Samuel Alvarez, Featherweight
  9. Jordan Powell VS Mike Morales, Light Heavyweight
  1. JT Donaldson VS Drey Mitchell, Featherweight
  2. Roger Severson VS Agapito Mendoza, Bantamweight
  3. Dustin Moore VS Brian Wilkinson, Flyweight

 

New for CFC2, the event will be available for live streaming via Go Fight Live Entertainment’s services. This is a pay-per-view feature costing $14.99.

 

Conquer President and sole match-maker, Trever Johnson, is also pleased to announce that Harley Davidson has joined the team of prestigious sponsors for the event.  Trever,

“Believes that with these dynamic leaps such as corporate sponsorship and pay-per-view abilities, CFC is steadily, and swiftly, climbing toward becoming one of the top promotions in the sport.”

 

ABOUT:


​Conquer Fighting Championships is a Pro-Am MMA promotion based in the Bay Area of California. President Trever Johnson is also the match-maker and Founder. Launched in November 2015.,

www.conquerfighting.com

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

CHIDI NJOKUANI SET TO CHALLENGE DOUGLAS LIMA IN CO-MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 156’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 5, 2016) – A duo of Bellator MMA’s top welterweights, Chidi “Chidi Bang Bang” Njokuani (14-4) and Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (26-6), will square off in the co-main event of “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” on June 17 inside Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

 

The fight joins a main card that features a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) against Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4), with Galvao’s Bellator MMA bantamweight title on the line.

 

“Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” 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. Additional fights will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for the event start at only $25 and are on sale at the Save Mart Center Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

 

“Chidi Bang Bang” has not lost in his past six fights dating back to March of 2013 and finished last year strong, recording a unanimous decision victory overRicky “The Sniper” Rainey in his Bellator MMA debut at “Bellator 146: Kato vs. Manhoef.” The 27-year-old Las Vegas native is now looking to solidify himself atop Bellator’s always-competitive welterweight division when he takes on “The Phenom” in the co-main event of “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2.”

Douglas Lima will be entering the cage for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner, having already won eight of his 10 bouts with the Viacom-owned organization. The former Bellator MMA welterweight titlist saw his impressive five-fight winning streak come to an end in July of 2015, when current champion Andrey Koreshkov edged out a unanimous decision victory over Lima to win the title. Prior to the defeat, “The Phenom’s” hot streak consisted of five consecutive knockouts, four of which came in the first two rounds. Lima will now begin the climb back up the ladder, with the ultimate goal being to regain the strap by year’s end.

 

Updated “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Card:

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

Bellator MMA Welterweight Co-Main Event: Chidi Njokuani (14-4) vs. Douglas Lima (26-6)

 

Grappling, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rizin FF, wrestling

RIZIN FF ANNOUNCES LEGENDARY MMA PIONEER KIYOSHI TAMURA AS WANDERLEI SILVA TAG TEAM PARTNER FOR APRIL 17 MAIN EVENT IN NAGOYA, JAPAN

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TOKYO – April 4, 2016– RIZIN FF, the combat sports promotion led by former PRIDE FC head Nobuyuki Sakakibara, announced today that legendary Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) pioneer and former professional wrestling standout Kiyoshi Tamura (32-13-3), will join forces with fellow decorated icon Wanderlei Silva(35-12-1, 1 NC) in the special grappling tag team matchup that will headline the highly-anticipated, star-studded extravaganza in Nagoya Japan, on Sunday, April 17.

Tamura and Silva will tussle with another all-time great Kazushi Sakuraba, (26-17-1, 2 NC) and Hideo Tokoro (33-28-2) in the unique, one-of-a-kind bout.

The affair marks the first time since December 31, 2008 that the 5-foot-11, 46-year-old Tamura, recognized for his elite level catch wrestling skills and quick, fluid movements, will see action in combat.

In his last start under MMA rules on the K-1 – Dynamite!! New Year’s Eve mega-card in Saitama, Japan, Tamura earned his third consecutive win, a unanimous decision over Sakuraba.

While competing for the likes of PRIDE, K-1, Rings, DREAM and UWF International, Tamura compiled an extensive resume of conquests, including those over eventual UFC champions Pat Miletich, Maurice Smith and Dave Menne, as well as superstars Renzo Gracie and Jeremy Horn.

Tamura was groomed by famed pro wrestling trainers Billy Robinson,Nobuhiko Takada and Akira Maeda, to eventually become a force in the sport’s middleweight division.  In his final bout before retirement, Tamura notched a victory over fellow hybrid MMA star and professional wrestler Josh Barnett, on November 23, 2005.

Priced from 100,000 yen, tickets for “Top Presents RIZIN Fighting Federation I” are on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketbis.com.

In other action on the star-studded fight card, 13-fight UFC veteran and action fighter Daron Cruickshank (16-8, 1 NC) will collide with submission expertShinji “Torao Supernova” Sasaki (16-8-3) in a lightweight (155 pounds) matchup.

In a women’s open weight bout, decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and women’s MMA heavyweight prospect Gabi Garcia (1-0) will collide with two-time Pankration champion Anna Malyukova (1-0).

Hard-hitting knockout artists Chris “Huggy Bear” Barnett (14-2) and Kirill Sidelnikov (8-4) will go to war in a heavyweight battle.

Recent RIZIN FF Grand Prix tournament semifinalist Teodoras Aukstuolis (8-3) will square off with former K-1 champion Jaideep “Heart” Singh (2-1 MMA; 40-10, 13 KO’s kickboxing) in a 216- pound catchweight fight.

Sambo world champion Vadim Nemkov (5-1) will take on undefeated, aggressive-minded striker and top Nordic prospect “King” Karl Albrektsson (4-0) in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) tilt.

In a 180-pound MMA rules catchweight contest, devastating power puncherHisaki Kato (5-2) will take on fellow finisher Yuta “Andre” Watanabe (19-6-4).

Returning to action for the first time in five years, beloved heavyweight Kazuyuki “Ol’ Ironhead” Fujita (15-10), will face recent RIZIN FF Grand Prix tournament runner-up and dangerous knockout artist Jiri “Denisa” Prochazka (16-3-1).

In flyweight (125 pounds) action, submission ace Allan “Puro Osso” Nascimento (14-3) will lock horns with red-hot champion Yuki Motoya (15-4, 1 NC).

Women’s amateur wrestling champion Kanako Murata (0-0) will make her highly-anticipated, professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) debut against rising starNatalya Denisova (2-1) in a 116-pound catchweight affair.

Follow RIZIN FF:

Website – http://www.rizinff.com/en/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/rizinfightingfederation/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rizin_PR
Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NO APRIL FOOLIN’: BOYINGTON VACATES TITLE, ERICKSON FIGHTS POWELL FOR THE STRAP

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (April 1, 2016) – The earth-shattering announcement came late last night.  New England Fights (NEF) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Professional Lightweight Champion Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (13-8) took to Facebook to notify his fans that he had vacated the title belt.  Some speculated that it could be an April Fools’ joke, but those rumors were later quelled when Boyington himself stated under the thread that his decision had been made for personal and medical reasons, citing recent surgeries and a host of longstanding injuries.

 

“After one of the most inspirational and exhilarating rides of my life, I have talked with my wife, my coaching staff and teammates and have decided it’s now time to let go of one chapter and turn the page for another,” Boyington stated when reached for official comment. “NEF has been there for me since the start and I couldn’t ask for a better group to get me where I want to go. I like the thought of vacating the belt on top and handing it off to one of my teammates, hopefully Josh Harvey (0-0) and I will be excited to watch a couple other lightweight warriors going after the strap. Obviously Jon Lemke has quite a claim to that shot and I see my friend Jesse Erickson in the mix as well. Whatever should happen, I will always cherish every battle I’ve had in the NEF cage. Thank you sincerely to Matt Peterson and Nick DiSalvo.”

 

NEF executives acted quickly and formulated a plan by midnight to fill the title that sits atop the fight promotion’s most hotly contested professional division.  As a new day dawned, that plan had come to fruition.

 

“Bruce was a great champion,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “He was the face of this promotion for two years.  The 155-pound title is our most coveted championship and there is no shortage of worthy challengers.  The decision to fill it as soon as possible was an easy one to make.”

 

Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (6-4) and Devin Powell (5-1) will now meet in a five-round contest at “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” to crown a new champion.  The bout was already signed as a non-title three-rounder to headline the MMA portion of the April 23rd fight card in Lewiston, Maine.  Both athletes quickly agreed to go five rounds with the title on the line. Both athletes have each won their last three fights in a row respectively.

 

“I am honored to be able to fight for the title which I saw Bruce Boyington recently defend against Jon Lemke (5-4) in the best local fight I’ve ever gotten to see,” said Powell.  “I hope Jesse and I can put on a show for the fans that can be talked about for years to come.  I’ve been training too hard and too long to not hop on this opportunity.  I can’t wait to get in that cage April 23rdin front of an always amped up NEF crowd!”

 

Speaking of Lemke, NEF executives placed one condition on the upcoming Erickson-Powell bout – the winner must make his first defense of the lightweight title against Lemke.  Lemke lost a very close split decision in an attempt to claim the title from Boyington earlier this year.  That fight has been called “the greatest fight to ever take place in the NEF MMA cage” by many observers.

 

“Jon Lemke more-than deserves another crack at the strap,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “His bout with Bruce at ‘NEF 21’ was nothing short of epic. I was completely spellbound watching that fight for the full 25-minutes it was contested. It’s a bittersweet time at NEF.  Bruce was a great fighting champion and despite the high stakes every time he stepped into the cage, he was always one of the most active competitors on the NEF roster. Bruce’s warrior spirit and memorable performances in the NEF cage will be dearly missed, but we are fortunate to have so many superb athletes waiting in the wings right behind him to fill that void. There will be no shortage of upcoming action in the NEF lightweight division.”

 

“It was a privilege and honor to fight Bruce for the lightweight title,” stated Lemke when reached for comment. “After the fight, I was pretty confident I did enough to win. Now, after watching the fight numerous times, there is no doubt in my mind that I won that fight. If Bruce doesn’t want to fight me again and vacate his belt, I understand and respect that decision. However, I am hungrier than ever and want what I believe is rightfully mine. It would be an honor to fight the winner of Erickson versus Powell for the title and I very much look forward to it.”

 

The April 23rd bout will be Jesse Erickson’s third attempt to capture the lightweight title.  He had competed against Boyington twice previously unsuccessfully for the championship.

 

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to compete once again for the NEF lightweight title,” stated Erickson. “I was embarrassed postponing my first fight with Devin due to injury, but it seems everything happens for a reason.  To bleed for gold and glory. My Viking ancestors would be proud.  Give me the battle I crave, Devin.  Victory or Valhalla!”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘STITCH’ DURAN SIGNS CONTRACT WITH REEBOK

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April Fools..Stich is not getting a Reebok shoe… He’s the New Undisputed Bellator Hand-Wrapping Champion.

 107_Mo_Lawal

Above: Stitch wraps the hands of “King Mo” Lawal at “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” (Credit: Bellator/Esther Lin)

 

SANTA MONICA (March 31, 2016) – When watching any combat sports event, it’s odd not to see Jacob “Stitch” Duran as the professional cutman on duty. Today, Bellator MMA is pleased to secure his services as its lead cutman for the foreseeable future, after “Stitch” signed a multi-year contract with the Scott Coker-led promotion.

 

Starting with “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” on April 22 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in CT, the most famous cutman in the world will do everything in his power to get Bellator fighters prepped for entering the cage and helping them continue on once the bell rings, giving them “one more round.”

 

Stitch joins a great team of cutmen including Matt Marsden, Dean Lassiter and Paul Quiredos.

 

“Working with my old friend, Scott Coker and Bellator is a true honor,” said Duran. “I can’t wait to get started working for a great organization that respects their employees and truly makes their fighters the top priority!”

 

While working for Bellator, “Stitch” will not be prevented from seeking sponsors to wear and will also continue to work boxing events, with high profile clients the likes of Andre Ward, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

FANS ATTENDING ‘BELLATOR 153: KORESHKOV VS. HENDERSON’ WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET LEGENDARY BELLATOR MMA FIGHTERS ROYCE GRACIE & WANDERLEI SILVA

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (March 30, 2016) – Fans attending “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” onApril 22 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. will be able to meet two of the sport’s most popular athletes:Royce Gracie and Wanderlei Silva.

 

The two legendary Brazilian superstars will be participating in an exclusive meet and greet for ticketholders on the Mohegan Sun Arena concourse beginning at 6 p.m. ET.

 

The highly anticipated event features the debut of Benson “Smooth” Henderson (23-5), as he challenges welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) for his belt. Former featherweight titlist Patricio “Pitbull” Freire(24-3) meets John “Macapa” Teixeira (19-1-2) in the co-main event while other bouts on the card include Connecticut’s own “Irish” Brennan Ward (13-3) and British striking sensation Michael Page (9-0) fightingEvangelista “Cyborg” Santos (20-16) and Jeremie Holloway (7-1) respectively in welterweight attractions.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” start at just $30 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Box Office. The event 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. The broadcast will be immediately followed by the groundbreaking, inaugural “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” event.

 

The name Gracie is synonymous with MMA, and that is largely in part to Royce Gracie, the man who is considered to have invented the sport as we know it today. The winner of the first several UFC events, Gracie would dismantle multiple opponents in a single night, many of whom were much larger than him. For many years there was no answer for the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu technique that he brought into a fight, today, it’s hard to find an MMA fighter who hasn’t trained in the art of jiu-jitsu. This past February, Gracie defeated Ken Shamrock in a record-shattering fight that was witnessed on Spike by over 3.5 million viewers.

 

Having first fought in the sport almost twenty years ago, very few men have a more legendary resume than Wanderlei Silva, who was recently signed to a Bellator MMA contract. “The Axe Murderer” is a Pride and UFC veteran, who brings an intimidating and imposing presence with him every time he steps into the cage. Silva hopes of adding to an already-impressive list of wins that include: Guy Mezger, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Ricardo Arona, Kazuyuki Fujita, Michael Bisping, Cung Le, Brian Stann and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (2x).

 

Complete “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” Fight Card:

Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title Bout: Andrey Koreshkov (18-1) vs. Benson Henderson (23-5)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Co-Main Event: Patricio Freire (24-3) vs. John Teixeira (19-1-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Brennan Ward (13-3) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (20-16)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Feature Bout: Michael Page (9-0) vs. Jeremie Holloway (7-1)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Brent Primus (6-0) vs. Gleristone “Toninho Furia” Santos (27-5)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Honeycutt (6-1) vs. Matt Secor (7-2)

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Djamil Chan (11-2) vs. Richard Patishnock (6-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Sam Watford (1-0) vs. Dean Hancock (2-0)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Foster (8-4) vs. Felipe Lavandoski (5-0)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Bakanowski (3-2) vs. T.J. Hepburn (4-2)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Pete Rogers (2-3) vs. Mike Mangan (0-3)

Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Zichelle (7-4) vs. Joe Cronin (19-16)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Matt Bessette (17-7) vs. Keith Richardson (14-6)

Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Tim Caron (3-0) vs. Justin Sumter (0-0)

Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Blair Tugman (7-6) vs. Jay Perrin (2-1)

mixed martial arts, MMA, NBC, World Series of Fighting

WSOF30: BRANCH VS. STARKS FINALIZED WITH SIX PRELIMINARY BOUTS

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WSOF30: BRANCH VS. STARKS
FINALIZED WITH SIX PRELIMINARY BOUTS

LIVE NBCSN TELECAST OF
FOUR-FIGHT MAIN CARD NOW BEGINS AT
11:30 P.M ET ON SATURDAY, APRIL 2

Matt Church replaces injured Gil Guardado against
Steve Kozola in 160-pound preliminary contest

Rex Harris vs. Clinton Williams in middleweight bout
LAS VEGAS (March 30, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has finalized the lineup for the WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks, world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) doubleheader event, with the addition of a sixth preliminary card bout – a middleweight (185 pounds) matchup between Clinton Williams (7-3, 1 NC) and Rex “T-Rex” Harris (8-2) – at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 2, live on NBCSN at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.

Additionally, a broken nose has forced Gil Guardado to withdraw from his scheduled lightweight (155 pounds) matchup with undefeated Steve Kozola (6-0), who will now face Matt “The Sleeper” Church (3-1) in a 160-pound catchweight affair, and Jeff Roman (1-2-1) will square off with Zach Bunnell (0-0) in a welterweight (170 pounds) preliminary card contest.

The 5-foot-11, 32-year-old Williams is looking to rebound from a narrow, split decision defeat at the hands of Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun at WSOF26 on December 18, 2015.

One fight prior to the loss, Williams submitted Jared Hatch with a shoulder choke in the third round (4:10) of their matchup on November 14, 2015.

The 6-foot, 33-year-old Harris of West Pittston, Pa. is riding a four-fight win streak.  In his last start, Harris, who has earned 7 of his 8 career victories by way of (T)KO or submission, edged out a split decision over Justin Torrey at WSOF24 on October 17, 2015.

Church of Las Vegas will attempt to notch his fourth consecutive win, after threestraight finishes, the last of which came on March 4 when he submitted Pat DeFranco with a leglock in the first round (2:55) of their matchup.

Tickets for WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks are available for purchase online at WSOF.com and AXS.com.

Doors at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will open for the event at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 5 p.m.

In the main event, reigning World Series of Fighting middleweight champion David Branch (17-3), the league’s first-ever, two-division title holder, will put his coveted crown on the line against top contender Clifford Starks (13-2).

In the co-main event, superstar Jon Fitch (27-7-1, 1 NC) will battle recent World Series of Fighting one-night, eight-man tournament runner-up Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-7) with the vacant World Series of Fighting welterweight championship at stake.

Elsewhere on the four-fight, live NBCSN telecast, submission expert Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes (13-7) will square off with Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun(9-4) in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) contest, while World Series of Fighting newcomer and knockout artist Abu “Gladiator” Azaitar (11-1-1) will lock horns with Danny “Dee1” Davis, Jr. (11-10-1) at welterweight.

MAIN CARD (Live on NBCSN)

World Series of Fighting Middleweight Championship Main Event:
David Branch (Champion) vs. Clifford Starks (Challenger)

World Series of Fighting Vacant Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Jon Fitch (Challenger) vs. Joao Zeferino (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight:  Vinny Magalhaes vs. Jake Heun
Welterweight: Abu Azaitar vs. Danny Davis, Jr.

PRELIMINARY CARD (Live on WSOF.com)

Welterweight: Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Matt Frincu
Middleweight: Rex Harris vs. Clinton Williams
Catchweight (160 pounds): Steve Kozola vs. Matt Church
Flyweight: Carlos Garcia vs. Jason Pacheco
Bantamweight: Adam Acquaviva vs. Andres Ponce
Welterweight: Jeff Roman vs. Zach Bunnell
mixed martial arts, MMA, Rizin FF, wrestling

RIZIN FF: WOMEN’S WRESTLING PHENOM KANAKO MURATA MAKES MMA DEBUT AGAINST RISING STAR NATALYA DENISOVA SUNDAY APRIL 17 IN NAGOYA, JAPAN

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Women’s amateur wrestling superstar Kanako Murata (pictured) will make her much-anticipated professional MMA debut against Russian rising star Natalya Denisova at the star-studded RIZIN FF event in Nagoya, Japan on Sunday, April 17.

TOKYO – March 29, 2016– RIZIN FF, the combat sports promotion led by former PRIDE FC head Nobuyuki Sakakibara, announced that famed women’s amateur wrestling champion Kanako Murata (0-0) will make her highly-anticipated, professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) debut against rising star Natalya Denisova (2-1) in a 116-pound catchweight affair at the “Top Presents RIZIN Fighting Federation I” extravaganza at Nippon Gaishi Hall in Nagoya, Japan on Sunday, April 17.

The 5-foot-1, 22-year-old Murata of Ehime, Japan will compete under MMA rules for the first time after amassing a collection of accolades as an amateur wrestler, including three junior Olympic medals.

Murata’s most impressive achievement came in 2011 when she nearly defeated three-time Olympic gold medalist Saori Yoshida during the All-Japan championships.

An MMA student since 2015, Murata has been training under the command of DEEP Featherweight Champion Kazunori Yokota and former DREAM competitor Takeshi Yamazaki, and has been sparring predominantly with male fighters.

Denisova of Cheboksary, Russia will seek her third consecutive win in what will mark her first appearance under the RIZIN FF banner.  In her last start onSeptember 26, she utilized her sharp, aggressive striking arsenal to finish Marina Lvova in the second round (:32) of battle with a barrage of punches.

The 25-year-old Denisova gained worldwide recognition for the first time four years ago after video surfaced of her defeating a male opponent in an MMA bout.

Priced from 100,000 yen, tickets for “Top Presents RIZIN Fighting Federation I” are on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketbis.com.

In the main event, former PRIDE FC middleweight champion and prolific superstar Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva (35-12-1, 1 NC) will team up with a fighter to be announced soon, in a special grappling “tag match,” and battle a duo consisting of fellow legend, Kazushi Sakuraba, (26-17-1, 2 NC) and Hideo Tokoro (33-28-2).

Prolific striker and 13-fight UFC veteran Daron Cruickshank (16-8, 1 NC) will collide with submission expert Shinji “Torao Supernova” Sasaki (16-8-3) in a lightweight (155 pounds) matchup.

Hard-hitting knockout artists Chris “Huggy Bear” Barnett (14-2) and Kirill Sidelnikov (8-4) will go to war in a heavyweight battle.

In women’s open weight action, decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and women’s MMA heavyweight prospect Gabi Garcia (1-0) will collide with two-time Pankration champion Anna Malyukova (1-0).

Recent RIZIN FF Grand Prix tournament semifinalist Teodoras Aukstuolis (8-3) will square off with former K-1 champion Jaideep “Heart” Singh (2-1 MMA; 40-10, 13 KO’s kickboxing) in a 216- pound catchweight fight.

Sambo world champion Vadim Nemkov (5-1) will take on undefeated, aggressive-minded striker and top Nordic prospect “King” Karl Albrektsson (4-0) in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) tilt.

In a 180-pound MMA rules catchweight contest, devastating power puncherHisaki Kato (5-2) will take on fellow finisher Yuta “Andre” Watanabe (19-6-4).

Returning to action for the first time in five years, beloved heavyweight Kazuyuki “Ol’ Ironhead” Fujita (15-10), will face recent RIZIN FF Grand Prix tournament runner-up and dangerous knockout artist Jiri “Denisa” Prochazka (16-3-1).

In flyweight (125 pounds) action, submission ace Allan “Puro Osso” Nascimento (14-3) will lock horns with red-hot champion Yuki Motoya (15-4, 1 NC).

Follow RIZIN FF:

Website – http://www.rizinff.com/en/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/rizinfightingfederation/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/rizin_PR