Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

Amateur MMA, Bellator, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

BELLATOR & WEC VETERAN RETURNS TO DEFEND NEF TITLE

Leave a comment

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (July 10, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of a professional featherweight championship bout to the fight card.  Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison (17-9) will defend the NEF MMA Professional Featherweight Title against Vovka “KGB” Clay (3-0).  The bout is scheduled for five five-minute rounds at a weight of 145-pounds.

 

Morrison stunned the NEF universe this past February when he arrived in Lewiston and submitted hometown hero Ray Wood (5-1) in the fifth round to win the championship title.  It was as if he had sucked all the air out of the Colisée with a vacuum.  Morrison played the role of spoiler that cold, snowy night in Lewiston.

 

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “The entire place just dropped into a dead silence.  I don’t think anyone in Maine saw that coming, and I certainly don’t think anyone who’s followed NEF expected a fighter to come in and do that to Ray Wood.  Everyone was shocked.  It was a surreal moment.”

 

Morrison is a seasoned veteran with more than a decade’s experience in the sport.  He has competed against the best MMA has to offer on the national stage, including a stint in World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Bellator.  Morrison trains out of Daddis MMA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

“I am very thankful to return to the beautiful state of Maine, for my first title defense,” said Morrison.  “It will be a very entertaining fight and another victory for the five time!  Five time!  Five time!  Five time!  Five time!  Mixed martial arts champion, Anthony Morrison.”

 

Vovka Clay is undefeated as a professional.  He competed as an amateur twice in NEF and won both fights by submission in an impressive fashion.  Clay is considered one of the true rising stars of the New England fight scene.  A win over an accomplished veteran like Morrison could potentially propel Clay onto the national stage.  He is a product of Team Triumph/Boston BJJ of Nashua, New Hampshire.

 

“Every fighter has a dream of making it to the UFC,” said Clay.  “Some choose to go after meaningless titles and pad their records fighting nobodies.  I choose to fight the highest level of competition possible.  I am thrilled to be fighting Anthony Morrison for the NEF Featherweight title.  He is a very durable and crafty veteran.  It won’t be easy, but if I fight my fight, I will finish Morrison and I will be the NEF Featherweight Champion.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 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.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

FLYWEIGHT TITLE ELIMINATOR ADDED TO NEF XIX FIGHT CARD

Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (July 9, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of an amateur flyweight bout to the fight card.  “Crispy” Mike Crespo (3-2) is scheduled to face Ryan “Gordo” Burgess(1-0) at a fight weight of 125-pounds.  The bout will be a title eliminator for a future shot at the NEF MMA Amateur Flyweight Championship currently held by Dustin Veinott (4-3).

 

Crespo is a member of MMA Athletix in Bath, Maine where he instructs in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).  He is also a member of Victory Church, located in Bath as well, which is the ministry affiliated with the MMA Athletix gym.  After getting off to a 2-0 start in 2014, Crespo was nominated for the “Rookie of the Year” award.  He dropped two in a row to start 2015, but bounced back with an impressive win over Caleb Costello (2-4) last month at “NEF XVIII.”

 

“I’m excited to be in the cage again,” said Crespo.  “Sadly, there’s nothing I can say about  Ryan Burgess, except that he’s another wrestler.  I know he won’t stand with me, like most of the wrestler and Jiu Jitsu-based fighters I have gone against so far.  If he does stand with me, great – but I doubt he will.  If he chooses to go to the ground with me, even better.  I am prepared and definitely have the mindset.  I wish my opponent the best, but let Dustin (Veinott, 125-pound title holder) know I’m coming for him very soon.”

 

Ryan “Gordo” Burgess, a native of Mexico, Maine, is a 2011 graduate of Mountain Valley High School where he was a three-time state wrestling champion and one of the most winning wrestlers in Mountain Valley’s history under coach Gary Dolloff.  Burgess made his MMA debut last month at “NEF XVIII” in Lewiston.  That night, he defeated the more experienced Justin Witham (0-3) via unanimous decision.

 

“Crespo is an experienced fighter with a different style than most fighters in this division,” said Burgess,  “and I can’t wait to step in the cage and put on a show with another hungry opponent.  I love this sport, and I can’t wait to see what it has to offer me as I journey towards an amateur championship fight.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” 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.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

“WSOF 23: GAETHJE VS. PALOMINO II” WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER HITS PHOENIX, ARIZ. ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 18

Leave a comment

Main Event: Undefeated WSOF World Lightweight Champion
Justin Gaethje rematches heavy hitter Luis Palomino

Co-Main Event: David Branch and Teddy Holder square off to become first WSOF world light heavyweight champion in history

Live on NBCSN
Tickets on sale Saturday, July 11

LAS VEGAS (July 9, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) will return to Phoenix, Ariz., where it delivered one of its most memorable nights of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) action to date earlier this year,  with a world championship doubleheader headlined by a highly-anticipated rematch between undefeated, reigning WSOF World Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje and hard-hitting challenger Luis “Baboon” Palomino at Comerica Theatre on Friday, Sept. 18, live on NBCSN.

In the co-main event, David Branch will attempt to become the promotion’s first two-division champion and first world light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion in history when he squares off with determined, hard-hitting KO artist Teddy Holder in the championship round of the four-man, multi-event tournament that kicked off at Comerica Theatre on March 28 as part of WSOF 19.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” go on sale onSaturday, July 11 at 10 a.m. MT and will be available for purchase at the Comerica Theatre box office and online at Ticketmaster.com.

“We are excited to return to Phoenix where we witnessed one of the most incredible fights in WSOF history earlier this year between Justin Gaethje and Luis Palomino, and to see them do it all over again,” said WSOF President Ray Sefo.

“Likewise,” continued Sefo, “we look forward to crowning the first WSOF light heavyweight champion in history and, based on their recent performances in our cage, David Branch and Teddy Holder should deliver a thrilling end to our historic tournament.”

The ferocious, 26-year-old Gaethje (14-0) of Safford, Ariz. put forth the gutsiest performance of his four-year professional career, thus far, when he faced off with Palomino, a 34-year-old resident of Miami, Fla. known for his devastating KO power, in the main event of WSOF 19.

An electric, seesaw battle that repeatedly brought the crowd on hand to its feet, suddenly ended when Gaethje, after digging down deep, put together a combination of leg kicks and punches that put the tenacious Palomino down in the third round of action and prompted the referee to call off the fight, giving Gaethje the TKO win at the 3:57mark of the third stanza.

Branch and Holder find themselves in championship round action in the WSOF tournament that kicked off in Phoenix on March 28, after both fighters faced unexpected, last-minute adversaries in the semifinal stage.

Originally slated to square off with Ronny Markes, the 33-year-old Branch (16-3), the reigning WSOF world middleweight (185 pounds) champion and a Renzo Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who hails from Brooklyn, N.Y., found himself with a new opponent in Jesse McElligott just 24 hours before fight time on April 10, after a dehydrated Markes was forced to withdraw from the affair.

Branch, who seized the WSOF middleweight strap with a first round (1:41) submission (d’arce choke) of Jesse Taylor on June 21, 2014, handled McElligott relatively easily, submitting him with a shoulder choke in the second round (1:28) of battle to notch his sixth consecutive win.

Holder (9-1) of Bartlett, Tenn. experienced a stroke of luck when, just hours before the 29-year-old was slated to enter the cage for a WSOF 19 preliminary bout, one of the original tournament participants, Matt Hamill, withdrew from his semifinal stage matchup with seasoned star Thiago Silva, and Holder was asked to replace him.

With a fraction of the professional experience of his new opponent, the heavy-handed Holder charged forward, eventually blasting Silva with a storm of punches that crumbled the Brazil native in the first round (2:00) and earned Holder a trip to the tournament’s championship round.

The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” begins at 7:00 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Friday, September 18.

Doors at Comerica Theatre will open for WSOF 23 at 3:00 p.m. MT and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 3:45 p.m.

Additional bouts for the event will be announced soon.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF.com) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown  and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
mixed martial arts, RFA

RFA 28 GETS A NEW CO-HEADLINER  AS GEANE HERRERA HEADS TO THE UFC

Leave a comment

 

RFA 28 – SANCHEZ vs. POPPIE
MAIN EVENT:
ANDREW SANCHEZ vs. JOHN POPPIE
MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
CO-MAIN EVENT:
MATT MANZANARES vs. KEN PORTER
FLYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7th LIVE ON AXSTV
LIVE at The Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, MO
 
Tickets on Sale through MetroTix.com
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that RFA 28 will feature a new co-main event after Geane “La Pulga” Herrera got called up to compete in the UFC. Replacing the undefeated Herrera will be former RFA flyweight champion Matt Manzanares, who will be making his record-tying seventh appearance for the promotion. He will face St. Louis’ own Ken Porter, who is a rising flyweight MMA prospect and an undefeated professional boxer. The main event of RFA 28 will feature RFA fan favorite Andrew Sanchez and The Ultimate Fighter alum John Poppie vying for the vacant RFA middleweight title. The event takes place Friday, August 7th at The Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, Missouri. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to see Geane Herrera represent what the RFA is all about by extending his undefeated record in the UFC,” stated Soares. “The co-main event of RFA 28 will now feature the return of former RFA flyweight champion Matt Manzanares against fellow boxer-turned-MMA fighter Ken Porter.
Tickets for RFA 28 – Sanchez vs. Poppie are available for purchase NOW through MetroTix.com.
Manzanares (7-5) returns to the RFA for a record-tying seventh appearance for the promotion. In his time as a professional fighter, the former RFA flyweight champion has faced and accepted bouts with the who’s who of his division and will be looking to take full advantage of that experience. The two-time Junior Olympian boxer possesses some of the slickest hands in the sport, but those skills will be tested to the fullest against Porter who is 4-0 as a professional boxer. Manzanares and Porter also bring with them nearly 300 combined amateur boxing matches, which could make this one of the best flyweight striking displays in MMA this year.
“This is the most motivated I’ve been for a fight in a very long time,” Manzanares exclaimed. “I think Ken Porter is a great fighter and has a lot going for him, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I’m looking forward to getting my hand raised and putting my name back at the top of the division.”
Porter (8-2, 1 No Contest) will be the man tasked with welcoming back the hungry former champion and he looks forward to doing it in front of his excited home crowd. The proud St. Louisan is perhaps the only flyweight in MMA that can match Manzanares’ experience in amateur MMA and amateur boxing. He has also lived up to his nickname “The Sensation” since making his professional boxing debut in May 2014. In that time, he has been sensational in combat sports by going 4-0 in professional boxing and 4-0 in professional MMA. Porter is now eager to extend that streak at RFA 28.
“I feel like Manzanares poses a much bigger challenge than Herrera,” stated Porter. “He brings a lot more to the table and has fought much tougher guys. I’ve been working really hard for this fight and look forward to making a big statement in my national television debut for the RFA.”
The main event of RFA 28 will feature two of MMA’s top middleweight prospects, when RFA fan favorite Andrew Sanchez (6-2) returns home to St. Louis to battle Wisconsin native John Poppie (6-1) for the vacant RFA middleweight title. Sanchez was a two-time NAIA national champion, four-time NAIA All-American, and the 2011 NAIA Wrestler of the Year while attending St. Louis area school McKendree University. He will face Poppie (6-1), who was a light-heavyweight cast member on the nineteenth season of the UFC’s hit reality television show The Ultimate Fighter. Now competing at his natural weight class of 185-pounds, Poppie will look to extend his four-fight win streak. Poppie also has a collegiate wrestling background from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
RFA 28 also features the return of Bobby “The Wolfman” Moffett (7-1). The fearsome featherweight will look to follow up his dominant RFA debut in March with another howling triumph in his sophomore appearance for the promotion. He will face one of Missouri’s top featherweight prospects in Nick LoBosco (8-1). LoBosco has never lost in his home state and the collegiate wrestler will be looking to keep that record intact when he fights in front of his home crowd on August 7th.
The main card of RFA 28 will also feature the highly-anticipated RFA debut of Curtis “Razor” Blaydes (4-0). Blaydes was an NJCAA national wrestling champion at Harper College and is widely considered one of the top heavyweight prospects in the sport. He will have a stiff test in his promotional debut as he faces a dangerous RFA vet in Justin “The Grizzly Bear” Frazier (7-2).  Frazier hails from “The Natural State” of Arkansas and has displayed a natural finishing ability, as all seven of his wins have come via stoppage.
In the featherweight division, Jamal Parks (5-1) returns to the RFA Octagon for the second time. The former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler from Oklahoma State University will face promotional newcomer Javon Wright (6-3). Wright has not lost a fight in two years dating back to a hotly-contested split decision verdict he dropped to current RFA bantamweight kingpin Luke Sanders.
In lightweight action, Turkey’s first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Murat “Lord Pitbull” Kazgan (2-0-1) will be making his highly-anticipated RFA debut. Kazgan, who has already fought in Turkey, South Korea, and Russia, is looking to remain unbeaten in his North American debut. He will face two-time Golden Gloves winner Jake “The North County Nightmare” Roberts (4-0). The St. Louis native Roberts, who has recently joined The MMA LAB in Glendale, Arizona, is currently riding an impressive streak. Roberts has submitted all 12 men he has faced in MMA: 8 as an amateur and 4 as a professional.
Additional bouts at RFA 28 will be announced soon. RFA 28 will be the promotion’s second event to take place in the state of Missouri and its first foray into the city of St. Louis. The entire main card of RFA 28 – Sanchez vs. Poppie will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, August 7th.
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

A FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION TO BE CROWNED AT NEF XIX

Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (July 7, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced a fight on the card that will determine the first-ever NEF MMA Amateur Featherweight Champion.  Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (5-1) is scheduled to face Dylan Lockard (3-0) at a fight weight of 145-pounds with the winner to be crowned the inaugural amateur featherweight kingpin.

 

Aaron Lacey has been a standout of the NEF amateur roster since debuting with the promotion in the fall of 2013.  He is undefeated in the NEF cage, holding victories over the likes of Dom Cofone (6-5) and Caleb Hall (5-3).  His only loss to date was on a fight card in New Hampshire to Matt Tullos (7-0).  Lacey represents Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.

 

“I’m super excited for this fight,” exclaimed Lacey.  “It’s a tough matchup between two top ten guys.  I have a new secret weapon on my side and her name is Vanessa Sanders.  Vanessa has been transforming my strength and conditioning, so come September 12th,  I’m going to display a side of me that no one has seen before. I’m a different, more dangerous fighter.  Don’t miss this one – I’m bringing that belt home.”

 

Dylan Lockard holds the only victory to date over Lacey’s teammate, and reigning NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Champion, Josh Harvey (4-1).  Lockard burst onto the regional scene last year and, like Lacey, also holds a win over Caleb Hall.  He is a member of Tim Barchard’s Professional Martial Arts Academy (PMA) in Derry, New Hampshire.  Prior to competing in MMA, Lockard wrestled for Timberlane Regional High School in Plaistow, New Hampshire and later the University of New Hampshire (UNH).

 

“I’m excited to come up and fight for the NEF belt against a tough opponent like Aaron Lacey,” said Lockard.  “I haven’t had an easy fight yet, and this one is no different.  We’re going to steal the show on September 12th.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 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.”

Fight Network, Judo, kickboxing, mixed martial arts

FIGHT NETWORK MMA, JUDO & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (July 6-12, 2015)

Leave a comment
 

(U.S. only schedule. For Canadian schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com from your region.)

 

Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, boxing, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.

 

Below find highlights of this week’s programming:

Monday, July 6

6:30 p.m. ET – Judo Samsun Grand Prix 2015 Highlights – Highlights from Judo Samsun Grand Prix from Mar. 27-29 in Turkey.

7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

7:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

8:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 12 MMA: Staring vs. Simonic – Featuring Dion Staring vs. Tomaz Simonic from Apr. 24, 2014 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

10:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 12 Kickboxing: Daley vs. Fabjan – Featuring Paul Daley vs. Miran Fabjan from Apr. 24, 2014 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Tuesday, July 7

1:30 a.m. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S pro and amateur MMA.

5:00 & 5:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

8:30 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

10:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds Today – Video podcast with John Ramdeen and Robin Black breaking down a wide variety of topics in the MMA world, including previews of upcoming events and all the latest rumors and headlines.

11:00 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge 59: Kharitonov vs. Garner – Featuring Sergei Kharitonov vs. Kenny Garner from July 3, 2015 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Wednesday, July 8

3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star State’s top prospects in the cage.

6:00 p.m. ET – Best of Cage Rage – Featuring classic fights from the UK-based Cage Rage organization with Anderson Silva, Antonio Silva, Victor Belfort, Paul Daley and others.

7:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

7:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

8:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors FC: Fight Night 4 -Featuring Andreas Kraniotakes vs. Mike Hayes for the Cage Warriors heavyweight title form Mar. 16, 2012 in Dubai, U.A.E.

11:00 p.m. ET – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.

11:30 p.m. ET – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews.

Thursday, July 9

1:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 15: Showdown – Featuring Ben Smith vs. Amokrane Sabet and John Maguire vs, Henrique Santana from Sept. 18, 2010 in London.

3:30 a.m. EI – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and others.

6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fighting Alliance – Pro MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkie, Luis Palomino and others.

7:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Rookies – Aspiring kickboxers climb the ladder of success in the sport as rookies compete for a chance to become professionals and get experience needed to succeed at a higher level.

8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

9:00 p.m. ET – SuperKombat New Heroes Bucharest 2015 – Featuring Claudiu Badoi vs. Adrian Asoltani and Zsolt Benedek vs. Bogdan Nastase from May 23, 2015 in Bucharest, Romania.

Friday, July 10

12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan.

2:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

4:00 a.m. ET – Best of DEEP – Featuring classic fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gerard Mousasi.

5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA League, Jewels.

12:00 p.m. ET – Bookie Beatdown – Preview of the betting lines and top picks for major UFC events.

6:00 p.m. ET — M-1 Challenge– Pro MMA from Europe and Russia featuring top prospects and international stars.

7:00 p.m. ET – CANADA ONLY – UFC 189: Mendes-McGregor Weigh Ins – LIVE coverage of official weigh ins for UFC: 189 Chad Mendes- Conor McGregor in Las Vegas.

8:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Rory Macdonald – Sit-down interview with rising Canadian UFC welterweight star Rory Macdonald.

8:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

9:00 p.m. ET — KSW 25: Khalidov vs. Sakurai – Featuring Mamde Khalidov vs. Ryuta Sakurai and Aslambek Saidov vs. Daniel Acacio from Dec7, 2013 in Wroclaw, Poland.

Saturday, July 11

5:00 a.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

5:30 a.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring Urijah Faber vs. Ivan Menjivar from TKO 24.

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Urijah Faber vs. Charles Bennett from Gladiator Challenge 46.

8:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest, hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.

9:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

4:30 p.m. ET – Enfusion LIVE #30 Dublin: Philpott vs. Jaraya – LIVE pro kickboxing from Dublin, Ireland, featuring Alan Philpott vs. Mohammed Jaraya and Ilias Bulaid vs. Simon Santana in championship fights.

7:00 p.m. ET –UFC 189: Mendes-McGregor Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage for UFC: 189 Chad Mendes vs. Conor McGregor in Las Vegas.

8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

11:00 p.m. ET — Ring of Combat 50 – Featuring George Sheppard vs, Jeff Lentz, Phillipe Nover vs. Dan Cion, Julio Arce vs. Thomas Vasquez and Chris Piriz vs., Leo Muniz from Jan. 23, 2015 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Sunday, July 12

1:00 a.m. ET – UFC 189: -Mendes- McGregor Pre-Show – LIVE post-fight coverage, highlights and official press conference for UFC: 189 Chad Mendes- Conor McGregor in Las Vegas.

6:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

11:00 a.m. ET – Best of ADCC – Featuring compilations of the greatest grappling matches ever held, featuring Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Eddie Bravo, Fabricio Werdum, Marcelo Garcia, Ronaldo Souza and Royler Gracie.

12:00 a.m. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters taking on the renowned Thai National Team

11:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live #22: Souwer vs., Sheikholeslami – Featuring Andy Souwer vs, Ardalan Sheikholeslami Mohammed Jaraya vs. Mark Vogel Andrew Tate vs. Orhan Karlioglu and Max Baumert vs. Valdet Galshi from Oct. 4, 2014 in Germany.

INFORMATION:

 

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

 
ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK:  Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

FIRST TITLE FIGHT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX

Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (July 3, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the first amateur title bout on the fight card.  Josh Harvey (4-1) will defend the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Championship against Ryan Dibartolomeo (4-3).  The fight will take place at the lightweight limit of 155-pounds.

 

Harvey won the title at “NEF XVIII” last month by defeating Ricky Dexter (3-1) via first-round submission.  He is a perfect 3-0 in the NEF cage since debuting with the promotion in the fall of 2014.  All of Harvey’s victories in Lewiston have been first-round stoppages. He is a member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.

 

“Any time you can get two title-holding, top-ranked fighters, it’s bound to peak interests and get attention,” said Harvey.  “Since that is exactly what this title defense is, I believe we have all the necessary ingredients for the fight-of-the-night.  This will be yet another step in the right direction.  Ryan, get ready to hook on, Bub.”

 

Ryan Dibartolomeo is no stranger to the NEF cage.  He fought for the promotion at “NEF X” in September 2013, defeating Nermin Zilic (0-2) via unanimous decision.  It was the start of a four-fight win streak that Dibartolomeo will look to continue on September 12 in Lewiston.  He recently captured his first amateur MMA championship on a fight card in New Hampshire.  Dibartolomeo represents Team Triumph/Boston BJJ of Nashua, New Hampshire.

 

“Fighting for the NEF belt is a huge step forward in the positive direction in my career,” stated Dibartolomeo.  “It’s always an honor to fight for one of the top regional promotions, and now throwing a chance at the belt in on top of that – I couldn’t be more excited to go out and put on a show for the fans.  Josh Michael Harvey is arguably the best ammy 155 fighter coming out of Maine right now. I’m going to have to be ready in all aspects of the game and look to eliminate as many mistakes as possible.  I am going to show up ready to fight.  I’m looking to bite down on my mouthpiece and press forward until he has had enough of me up in his face and looks for a way out.  There is no room for error, but I am extremely confident in the fact that I have Coach Fain and Coach Olsen standing behind me in my corner.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 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.”

 

mixed martial arts, New England Fights

FIRST AMATEUR BOUT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX PROMISES FIREWORKS

Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (July 2, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the first amateur bout on the fight card.  Fred Lear (3-1) is scheduled to meet Henry Clark (2-1) at a catchweight of 140-pounds.

 

Lear made his amateur debut with NEF in the summer of 2013.  He has accumulated a perfect record of 3-0 in the NEF cage, his only amateur loss coming outside the promotion on a fight card in New Hampshire this past spring.  Two of Lear’s three victories in NEF have come by strikes while in mount position.  He has exhibited one of the most effective ground-and-pound offenses of any amateur currently on the NEF roster.  Lear is a member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.

 

“In preparation for Clark, we will be looking to get 1% better every day,” said Lear of his fight camp at Young’s.  “As per usual, this will be a team effort and I recognize and respect the challenge ahead of us.  Henry is dangerous and versatile.”

 

Lear is correct in his conclusion.  Henry Clark represents the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine, and he has shown a wide array of abilities in his first three bouts both on his feet and on the mat.  In his debut fight at “NEF XV” last fall, Clark was sharp with his striking in the first round against Sheldon Bang (2-2) prior to submitting Bang off his back in the second with a triangle choke. Clark recognizes that Lear is especially deadly in top position, but is confident that he can come away with the win on September 12 in Lewiston.

 

“I’m absolutely crazy about this fight,” exclaimed Clark.  “This is the exact fight I want as a growing martial artist.  Fred is super tough and a nightmare once he gets on top of you.  That said, I feel as though I have the skill and ability to ruin Fred’s night on September 12th.  I’m hungry for this challenge.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 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.”

mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

WSOF 22 Adds Lightweight Bout To Live NBCSN Telecast

Leave a comment

“WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” Adds Lightweight Main Card Matchup
with Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov

Live NBCSN telecast to feature five bouts, including world championship main event between Rousimar Palhares and Jake Shields

Saturday, Aug. 1 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (July 1, 2015) – World Series of Fighting’s (WSOF.com) blockbuster event on Saturday, Aug. 1 will now feature five contests on the night’s live NBCSN telecast, with the addition of a lightweight (155 pounds) matchup between four-time promotional veteran Jimmy Spicuzza (6-2) and submission ace Islam Mamedov (11-1).

The lightweight contest joins the night’s main event showdown between reigning WSOF World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar Palhares (17-6) and challenger and two-time world champion Jake Shields (31-7), as well as the co-main event between WSOF World Bantamweight (135 pounds) Champion Marlon Moraes(14-4-1) and undefeated challenger Sheymon Moraes (7-0), and a highly-anticipated, light heavyweight (205 pounds) battle between combat sports phenom Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (2-0) and gritty veteran Mike “MAK” Kyle (21-12-1).

A fifth bout will be announced shortly, as Magomed Bibulatov (9-0) has been forced to withdraw from a previously announced, inaugural WSOF world flyweight (125 pounds0 championship matchup with fellow undefeated contender Donavon Frelow (4-0), who will now likely fight on the evening’s WSOF.com-streamed preliminary card against a new opponent.

Spicuzza, of Las Vegas, Nev., is a Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu fighter and four-time WSOF veteran. He debuted for the promotion at WSOF 9 on March 29, 2014, and submittedGil Guardado with a  rear-naked choke in the first round (3:14), before returning at WSOF 10 on June 21, 2014, and scoring a unanimous decision win over Justin Jaynes.

At WSOF 12 on Aug. 9,  2014, he suffered a TKO (punches) loss to Lucas Montoya, but bounced back at WSOF 19 on March 28, where he earned a split decision win overBenny Madrid.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Mamedov is a Dagestani import who now calls Jersey City, N.J. his home. Competing professionally since 2009, Mamedov suffered a loss in his second professional outing, but has since rattled off 10 consecutive victories, including six by submission and two via TKO.

Mamedov made his WSOF debut on April 10, scoring a devastating first round (4:42) TKO on Leon Davis with a barrage of punches.

The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on Aug. 1.
Priced from $29.99, tickets for the event are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Doors at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will open at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m. PT.

Additional bouts for the event will be announced soon.

MAIN CARD
WSOF World Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Rousimar Palhares (Champion) vs. Jake Shields (Challenger)

WSOF World Bantamweight Championship Co-Main Event:
Marlon Moraes (Champion) vs. Sheymon Moraes (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight: Tyrone Spong vs. Mike Kyle
Lightweight: Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown  and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

Plethora of Northeastern Talent Completes “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov” Undercard

Leave a comment

 

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 1, 2015) – Four preliminary bouts featuring prime east coast fighters have been added to complete the full card of “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which takes place July 17 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

 

The additional bouts include a featherweight faceoff between Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) and Ryan Quinn (10-5,1 NC), Billy “Wolverine” Giovanella (8-3), who faces Rodrigo “The Young Lion” Almeida (12-2) at bantamweight, Kaline “The Dark Angel” Medeiros (4-4), who fights Sarah “Soulja” Payant (1-0) in a women’s strawweight scrap, and lightweights Dean “The Hammer” Hancock (1-0) versus Alex Dunworth (2-1,1 NC).

 

Bellator 140 features five world-class welterweight bouts including World Champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and Andrey Koreshkov (17-1), Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6), Michael “Venom” Page (7-0) taking on Rudy Bears(16-13), Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward (10-3) scrapping with Gavin “War Horse” Sterritt (6-1), and knockout artistPaul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2) challenging Dennis Olson (14-8). The event also boasts several additional previously announced preliminary contests featuring more top prospects from the Northeastern United States.

 

The main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the announced preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Tickets for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which start at just $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com.

 

Bellingham, MA’s Billy Giovanella is 4-1 in his last five fights heading into his bantamweight bout. His last four victories include three submissions and a knockout en route to his Uncasville bout. Giovanella’s challenger Remo Cardarelli of Framingham, MA will look to rely on his record-proven submission talent to win. Expect both fighters to relentlessly compete to break from recent losses on their record.

 

Danbury, CT’s Dean Hancock wowed fans with a first round submission victory at Bellator’s “British Invasion” event. Hancock will look to repeat his entertaining performance by defeating challenger Dunworth of Bridgewater, MA, who makes his Bellator debut riding a two-fight winning streak.

 

Another Danbury, CT fighter Ryan Quinn, who trains with American Top Team in Connecticut has found great success in the Bellator cage, emerging perfect in all six of his appearances. He now faces an established veteran of the sport in Philadelphia’s Waylon Lowe, who fights under the Bellator promotion for the first time since 2009, when he scored a win in his promotional debut.

 

Kaline Medeiros of Fall River, MA, has taken three unanimous decision victories in her last four bouts, and scored an impressive knockout just seven seconds into a fight. She takes on Sarah Payant from West Springfield, MA, who makes her Bellator debut following up her first professional bout this past March, where she scored a triangle choke submission victory.

 

Main Card (9 P.M. EST)

 

Bellator Welterweight Title Fight: Douglas Lima (26-5) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (17-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (7-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-13)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (10-3) vs. Gavin Sterritt (6-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (36-13-2) vs. Dennis Olson (14-8)

 

Preliminary Card (7 P.M. EST)

 

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Josh Neer (36-14) vs. Matt Secor (6-2)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Blair Tugman (7-5) vs. Rodrigo Almeida (12-2)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Ilya Kotau (debut) vs. Nicolas Sergiacomi (1-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Parker Porter (5-4) vs. Eric Bedard (6-5)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-3) vs. Remo Cardarelli (4-2)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Dean Hancock (1-0) vs. Alex Dunworth (2-1,1 NC)

Bellator Strawweight Prelim Fight: Kaline Medeiros (4-4) vs. Sarah Payant (1-0)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Quinn (10-5, 1 NC)