Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

SHOWTIME SPORTS® RELEASES FIRST INSTALLMENT OF NEW DIGITAL TALK SHOW BELOW THE BELT

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Debut of BELOW THE BELT with Brendan Schaub features Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® analyst Paulie Malignaggi and Former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar

 

Available NOW On YouTube And Facebook

 

 

WHAT: SHOWTIME Sports released the debut installment of the first-of-its-kind sports talk show BELOW THE BELT,hosted by Brendan Schaub, available now on the Below the Belt YouTube Channel and the Below the Belt Facebook Page. The premiere of the twice-monthly, 30-minute program features a preview of Saturday’s Heavyweight World Championship between Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz with SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING analyst Paulie Malignaggi, as well as an interview with America’s only heavyweight world champion himself, Deontay Wilder. Schaub also interviews former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar ahead of his co-main event bout with Brian Ortega at UFC 222 on Saturday night.

 

BELOW THE BELT explores the latest news in combat sports and pop culture, with Schaub delivering candid thoughts in his unique and unfiltered style. The multi-platform program, which also includes a weekly podcast and a composite program that airs once per month on SHOWTIME EXTREME, features interviews with the biggest names in combat sports and entertainment, road trips, fight camp visits, sketches, animation and pop-culture spoofs. The next installment of BELOW THE BELT launches March 14, followed by new shows on March 28, April 11, April 18, May 2 and May 16.

 

Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

Amanda Serrano Set For MMA Debut, Castaneda vs. ‘Lufo’ II

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Five-division world boxing champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano will make her highly anticipated MMA rules debut  n the co-main event of “Combate Estrellas I,” the first Combate Americas live television event of the year, in Los Angeles, Calif. on Friday, April 13.  Photo: Scott Hirano/Combate Americas, LLC.

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES “COMBATE ESTRELLAS I:”
FIRST LIVE, STAR-STUDDED MMA EVENT OF 2018
HITS THE SHRINE EXPO HALL IN LOS ANGELES ON APRIL 13

John “Sexi Mexi” Castaneda faces off with Marc “Lufo” Gomez in
a much-anticipated, bantamweight main event rematch

 

 

 

 

Five-division world boxing champion Amanda Serrano to make her MMA debut against Erendira Ordoñez in the flyweight co-main event

Tickets for “Combate Estrellas I” on sale next Friday

NEW YORK – February 28, 2018 – Combate Americas today announced“Combate Estrellas I,” the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise’s first live television event of 2018, and the first event of a two-part series featuring a collection of Combate Americas’ top estrellas, or “stars,” that will take place at Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, Calif. on Friday, April 13.

Priced from $40, tickets for “Combate Estrellas I” go on sale on both AXS.com and Ticketon.com on Friday, March 9.

Headlining the 10-bout card will be a much-anticipated, bantamweight (135 pounds) rematch between John “Sexi Mexi” Castaneda (16-3) and Marc “Lufo” Gomez (21-11).

The second meeting between Castaneda of Mankato, Minn. and Gomez of Barcelona, Spain comes after the two collided in the semifinal stage of the inaugural “COPA COMBATE,” one-night, eight-man, $100,000 grand prize tournament that saw Castaneda advance to the championship stage of the historic event in Cancun, Mexico on November 11, 2017 after being awarded a unanimous decision over Gomez.

In the co-main event, five-division world boxing champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (0-0) of Brooklyn, N.Y. will make her long-awaited MMA rules debut against Erendira “Aketzaly” Ordoñez (2-1) of Mexico City, Mexico in a flyweight (125 pounds) contest.

“As the creative force behind MMA, which is in its 25th year of existence, I am poised for Combate Americas to take our great sport into the next era with our estrellas from the U.S., Mexico, Spain and around Latin America,” said Campbell McLaren, CEO of Combate Americas.

Leading off the three-bout live televised main card, the programming information for which will be announced soon, will be a featherweight (145 pounds) matchup between hard-hitting knockout artist Jose “Froggy” Estrada (4-1) of Oxnard, Calif. and an opponent to be determined.

The complete preliminary bout card for “Combate Estrellas I” will be announced soon.
mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

THOMPSON RETURNS FOR ONE LAST FIGHT AGAINST UNDEFEATED ARNOLD

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Portland, Maine (February 26, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Aura in Portland onApril 14, 2018 with the fight promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 33: Riptide.”  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur catchweight bout to the card.  David Thompson (1-2) will face Kam Arnold (2-0) at a fight weight of 140-pounds.

 

David Thompson will be appearing in what he says will be his last fight at “NEF 33.”  A member of the Shatterproof Combat Club, Thompson has appeared three times in the NEF cage since his debut in the fall of 2015.  He scored a first-round technical knockout victory over Richmond Pierce Wiegman (1-1) in his second amateur bout.  The fight with Arnold will be Thompson’s first since a loss to Caleb Costello (3-4) in early 2016.

 

“I’m thankful to get back in there,” stated Thompson. “Kam is an exciting fighter, and I will be ready to leave everything in the cage, one last time.”

 

Undefeated Kam Arnold has emerged as one of the most-promising new prospects on the NEF roster over the last several months. He started his amateur career with a fast finish of Glenn Kasabian (1-3) last June, and followed up that performance with a first-round technical knockout of Kyle Kenney (0-1) earlier this month at “NEF 32.”  A native of Casco, Maine, Arnold is a product of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) in Lewiston.  A win over Thompson would position Arnold closer to a shot at the coveted bantamweight championship.

 

“I’m pretty stoked to get back in the cage against an NEF veteran like David Thompson,” said Arnold. “This should be a fun fight not only for me, but for the fans too. When all is said and done, I will be 3-0. 2018 is going to be my year. The 135-pound strap will be mine before the end of the year – mark my words! Until that day, I will continue to put in work at the gym and take it one fight at a time. David, I hope you’re ready for a war.”

 

“Kam Arnold has a unique focus and vision for his career,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “He understands his potential to make an impact in the sport. David Thompson didn’t hesitate to accept this bout – he’s excited to have the opportunity to face a rising talent in his final fight. Both guys have promised to bring it – and when that happens, we all win.”

 

NEF returns to Portland, Maine, at Aura on Saturday, April 14, 2018. Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.  For more information on the event, please visit www.NewEnglandFights.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

Bellator 200: GEGARD MOUSASI CHALLENGES RAFAEL CARVALHO FOR MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AND BRITAIN’S MICHAEL ‘VENOM’ PAGE RETURNS AGAINST DAVID ‘CAVEMAN’ RICKELS

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LONDON TO HOST HISTORIC BELLATOR 200 ON MAY 25

 

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TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator is pleased to announce its anticipated return to London for Bellator 200 on Friday, May 25. The landmark event will emanate from The SSE Arena, Wembley and will air on Paramount Network.

 

The first two fights, of what promises to be one of the most exciting event in company history, features middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho (15-1) defending his crown against Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2) and the return of London’s own Michael “Venom” Page (12-0), who takes on David “The Caveman” Rickels (19-4, 2 NC). Additional main card bouts will be announced shortly.

 

Tickets for the event will be available to the general public on Friday, March 2 at The SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office (0844 815 0815), Ticketmaster.com, ssearena.co.uk and axs.com. A special SSE pre-sale will take place Wednesday, February 28, while all other pre-sales, including Bellator Nation, will begin Thursday, March 1.

 

“Bellator continues to place a huge emphasis on its expansion into markets around the globe and creating a strong presence in the U.K. is a very important part of that,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “Our fans are going to be excited about the card we put together for this monumental event, as Bellator 200 will be one of our greatest to date.”

 

Quietly flying under the radar as Bellator’s current longest-reigning champion, Rafael Carvalho receives his toughest challenge to date when he meets Mousasi in London. A product of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Carvalho joined the Bellator roster in 2014, garnering the attention of fans who tuned into Bellator 125 by emphatically finishing Brian Rogers in the first round. The run hasn’t stopped there, as the 31-year-old has gone onto defeat Joe Schilling, Alessio Sakara, Melvin Manhoef (2x) and Brandon Halsey, tying the record for most title defenses in the division’s history in the process.

 

Gegard Mousasi impressed in his promotional debut over former Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko, a win that pushed his current unbeaten streak to six fights. “The Dreamcatcher,” who currently trains out of The Netherlands, holds one of the most impressive resumes in all of the sport, at one time winning the STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title, as well as the DREAM light heavyweight and middleweight titles. With victories against some of the sport’s best, including Chris Weidman, Vitor Belfort, Uriah Hall, Dan Henderson, “Jacare” Souza, Mark Hunt and Ovince Saint-Preux, the Judo black belt will now set his sights on Bellator gold when he enters the cage on May 25.

 

There are few fighters who in such a short span of time have provided the type of highlight-reel entertainment that Michael Page has. Now, “MVP” returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since 2016, a year that saw Page go viral for his perfectly-timed flying knee finish against 40-fight-veteran “Cyborg” Santos and the well-orchestrated celebration that included the toss of a Pokéball. 2017 saw Page successfully enter the realm of boxing, where he won his debut via TKO. At Bellator 200, the London native will make his ninth appearance for Bellator, going unbeaten and finishing his opponent in the opening frame on five occasions.

 

David Rickels has competed under the Bellator banner more times than anyone in promotional history with 19 and will extend the record when he returns to 170-pounds for the first time since the Bellator Season Six Welterweight Tournament in 2012. The fighting pride of Derby, Kansas is coming off a unanimous decision victory against Adam Piccolotti this past December, improving his current winning streak to two. Never one to shy away from a scrap, this matchup should produce fireworks when “The Caveman’s” style clashes with the unorthodox swagger of “MVP.”

 

Updated Bellator 200 Fight Card:

Middleweight World Title Bout: Rafael Carvalho (15-1) vs. Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2)

Welterweight Main Card Bout: Michael Page (12-0) vs. David Rickels (19-4, 2 NC)

 

****

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

M-1 CHALLENGE 88 RESULTS & PICTURES 

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Damir Ismagulov & Movsar Evloev retain M-1 Challenge titles
 

Damir Ismagulov celebrates his successful title defense against Raul Tutarauli
MOSCOW (February 23, 2018) – M-1 Challenge champions Damir Ismagulovand Movsar Evloev both successfully defended their titles last night at M-1 Challenge 88 at Olympic Stadium on Moscow.
Ismagulov (15-2-0), fighting out of Russia, retained his M-1 Challenge lightweight title, taking a hard-fought five-round unanimous decision over his Georgian challenger, Raul Tutarauli (18-4-0) in the main event.
In the co-featured event, Evloev (9-0-0) kept his perfect pro record intact by way of a third-round submission of Sergey Morozov (10-4-0), of Kazakhstan, locking in a rear naked choke.
Natives of 10 different countries fought in this true international MMA event.
Former M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan “T-800” Puetz (15-4-0) was upset by late replacement and M-1 Global pro-debuting Khadis Ibragimov (3-0-0), of Russia, who employed a bulldog choke to knock off his heavily favored opponent in the third round in a fight contested at a catchweight.
Russian bantamweight Bair Shtepin (6-2-0) stopped Brazilian veteran Heliton Dos Santos Davella (15-7-1) midway through the first round, while middleweight Valery “The Russian Hammer” Mysnikov (12-1-2) registered a ground-and-pound, opening round technical knockout.
On the preliminary card, Kyrgyzstan featherweight Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu(10-2-1) took a three-round unanimous decision from former M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Maxim Divnich (13-5-0), Alexander Osterov (4-0-0) decisioned Sergey Klyuev (5-1-0) in a bantamweight battle of previously undefeated Russian prospects, and Brazilian lightweight Rebenilton “Rubinho” Pereira (19-5-0) had his hand raised in victory after three rounds versus Rinat “Riko” Sayakbaev (7-2-0), of Kyrgyzstan.
Undefeated Bulgarian Petur Petrov (4-0-0) used his knees and punches to score a first-round stoppage of Ukrainian Vadim Shabadash (6-3-0), Russian middleweight Ruslan Shamilov forced Frenchman Reda “Boom Boom” Oudgou (2-3-0) into submission (rear naked choke) in the second round, Talekh “The Azerbaijan Terminator” Nadzhafadze (7-2-1) won a three-round unanimous decision over Vitaliy Slipenko (9-2-0), of Russia, and Russian heavyweight Maksim Yakobyuk (3-0-0) used a ground-and-pound attack to defeat Frank “Tatoo” Kortz (4-5-0), of Germany..
Complete results and pictures below:
MAIN CARD
MAIN EVENT – M-1 CHALLENGE LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Damir Ismagulov (15-2-0, M-1: 9-1-0), Russia
WDEC5
Raul Tutarauli (18-4-0-1, M-1: 6-2-0), Georgia
(Ismagulov retained M-1 Challenge lightweight title)
CO-FEATURE – M-1 CHALLENGE BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Movsar Evloev (9-0-0, M-1: 9-0-0), Russia
WSUB3 (rear naked choke – 3:41)
Sergey Morozov (10-4-0, M-1: 5-3-0), Kazakhstan
(Evloev retained M-1 Challenge bantamweight title)
CATCHWEIGHT
Khadis Ibragimov (3-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia
WSUB3 (bulldog choke – 2:12)
Stephan Puetz (15-4-0, M-1: 6-2-0), Germany
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Valery Myasnikov (11-1-2, M-1: 2-1-1), Russia
WTKO1 (ground & pound – 4:41)
Joseph Henle (10-3-1, M-1: 0-1-0), USA
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Bair Shtepin (6-2-0, M-1: 3-2-0), Russia
WTKO1 (punches – 2:16)
Heliton Dos Santos Davella (15-7-1, M-1: 0-2-1), Brazil
PRELIMINARY CARD
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Maksim Yakobyuk (3-0-0, M-1: 2-0-0)
WTKO2 (ground & pound – 4:05)
Frank Kortz (4-5-0, M-1: 0-2-0), Germany
CATCHWEIGHT
Vadim Shabadash (7-2-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Ukraine
WTKO1 (kneed & punches – 0:46)
Petur Petrov (3-1-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Bulgaria
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Ruslan Shamilov (4-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0), Russia
WSUB2 (rear naked choke – 3:12)
Reda Oudgou (2-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), France
Talekh Nadzhafadze (7-2-1, M-1: 3-1-1), Azerbaijan
WDEC3
Vitaliy Slipenko (9-2-0, M-1: 1-2-0), Russia
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Rebenilton Pereira (19-5-0, M-1: 3-2-0), Brazil
WDEC3
Rinat Sayakbaev (7-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Kyrgyzstan
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu (10-2-1, M-1: 2-0-1), Kyrgyzstan
WDEC3
Maxim Divnich (13-5-0, M-1: 7-5-0), Russia
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Alexander Osterov (4-0-0, M-1: 3-0-0), Russia
WDEC3
Sergey Klyuev (5-1-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia
 

Damir Ismagulov (R) strikes Raul Tutarauli

Movsar Evloev finished off Sergey Morozov


Bair Shtepin (R) was too much for Helton Dos Santos Davella

Valery Myasnikov blasted out Joseph Henle

INFORMATION:

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@Vadim_finkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
 
UPCOMING EVENTS:
 
March 10 – M-1 Challenge 89 in Saint Petersburg, Russia
March 30 – M-1 Challenge 90 in Saint Petersburg, Russia
boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

SHOWTIME SPORTS® LAUNCHES NEW DIGITAL TALK SHOW BELOW THE BELT

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Exploring The Intersection Of Combat Sports And Pop Culture Through The Eyes Of Former Fighter, Comedian And Red Carpet Host Brendan Schaub

 

Premieres On YouTube And Facebook On Wednesday, February 28

 

Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME

 

 

 

 

NEW YORK – February 22, 2018 – SHOWTIME Sports continues to expand its position at the intersection of combat sports and culture with a first-of-its-kind, sports talk show, BELOW THE BELT hosted by Brendan Schaub. The twice-monthly, 30-minute show debuts on Wednesday, February 28 on SHOWTIME Sports digital platforms, days before American heavyweight Deontay Wilder defends his WBC title against Luis Ortiz. The announcement was made today by Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

 

 

 

 

BELOW THE BELT premieres each new show on the Below the Belt YouTube Channel and the Below the Belt Facebook Page. The program explores the latest news in combat sports and pop culture, with Schaub delivering candid thoughts in his unique and unfiltered style. BELOW THE BELT features interviews with the biggest names in combat sports and entertainment, road trips, fight camp visits, sketches, animation and pop-culture spoofs. The initial guest list of combat sports athletes and entertainers scheduled to appear on BELOW THE BELT includes Stone Cold Steve Austin, Paulie Malignaggi and Joe Rogan.

 

 

 

 

 

“Brendan brings an edge that resonates with today’s fight fans,” said Espinoza. “He has a fresh voice that is equal parts knowledgeable, funny and opinionated. BELOW THE BELT will complement SHOWTIME Sports programming to a broad audience on our digital platforms.”

 

This multi-platform program is unique in that it includes a weekly podcast and a composite program that airs once per month on SHOWTIME EXTREME. Following the digital debut on February 28, new shows launch on March 14, March 28, April 11, April 18, May 2 and May 16. The BELOW THE BELT podcast premieres on March 6, and the composite program premieres on March 29 on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

 

Schaub is a multi-platform entertainer, best known for his career in the UFC and as a personality in podcasting and comedy. Following his successful fighting career, where he was the runner-up of Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights,” Schaub has served as an expert analyst for both ESPN and Spike TV. Schaub currently co-hosts the popular podcast “The Fighter and The Kid” averaging over nine million downloads per month. His “Big Brown Breakdown” podcast, averaging over four million downloads per month, transitions under the BELOW THE BELTfranchise. Parlaying his hosting talent from podcasts to television, Schaub was named a correspondent on “After Party” for the E! Network, and co-hosted this year’s Golden Globes and Grammy Awards after-shows. Schaub is set to reprise his role in the upcoming Academy Awards after-show. Additionally, Schaub performs sold-out live comedy shows across North America, Australia, London and Dublin, including regular solo stand-up sets at the world-famous Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv and The Laugh Factory.

 

BELOW THE BELT is produced by SHOWTIME Sports with Embassy Row.

 

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon, Google, Xbox One and Samsung. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, DirecTV Now, Sony PlayStation™ Vue and Amazon Channels. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

MONSTER ENERGY BELLATOR MMA FIGHT SERIES OPENS 2018 AT MONSTER ENERGY SUPERCROSS IN ATLANTA

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ALSO, APPEARANCES BY FAN-FAVORITE AND MONSTER ENERGY ATHLETE ROY ‘BIG COUNTRY’ NELSON AND MMA LEGEND DAN HENDERSON

 

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LOS ANGELES — The Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series returns for its first event of 2018 in Atlanta when Monster Energy Supercross, an FIM World Championship, visits Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, March 3. The series kicks off its second season with fights set to take place just hours before Round 9 of the premier indoor off-road motorcycle racing championship.

 

 

 

 

Prior to the start of the race on Saturday, March 3, the Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series will feature mixed martial arts action throughout the afternoon beginning at 4 p.m. ET at the Pit Party inside the Georgia World Congress Center, located next to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Monster Energy Pit Party Passes are $20 each and are available through Ticketmaster. A valid event ticket is also required along with the Pit Pass for entry. Fans can also recycle an empty can of Monster Energy at the entrance to the Pits for free entry into the Pit Party.

 

 

 

 

Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to meet Bellator heavyweight and Monster Energy athlete Roy “Big Country” Nelson, as well as former PRIDE and STRIKEFORCE titleholder Dan “Hendo” Henderson, on Saturday, March 3 at the Pit Party at 2 p.m. ET. Pit Party access is required.

 

 

 

 

“Following the success of the Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series last year, we knew that we wanted to continue hosting these unique shows in 2018,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “We had the opportunity to put on exciting fights at Monster Energy NASCAR Cup races last season, and now, we look forward to entertaining fans at Monster Energy Supercross events as well. The entire team at Monster Energy has been instrumental in making Bellator MMA a great part of the fan experience and helping to build crossover interest between MMA and motorsports.”

 

 

 

 

Through Bellator MMA, alongside longstanding partner Monster Energy, mixed martial arts will be included as a pre-race activation exclusively for fans in attendance. The lineup on Saturday will consist of four MMA bouts featuring some of the best regional up-and-coming talent, with the main event prospects in consideration to be signed to a multi-fight Bellator MMA contract.

 

 

 

 

Monster Energy Supercross at Mercedes-Benz Stadium takes place Saturday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the Pit Party beginning at 12 p.m. ET. Tickets to the race and Pit Party are available at Tickemaster.com or by visiting www.SupercrossLive.com/tickets.

 

 

 

 

Updated Monster Energy Bellator MMA Fight Series Atlanta Fight Card:

 

 

 

Featherweight Main Event: Lawson McClure (12-7, Atlanta, Ga.) vs. Josh Blyden (6-2, Savannah, Ga.)

 

 

 

Middleweight Bout: Devorius Tubbs (4-1, 1 NC, Atlanta, Ga.) vs. Joseph Creer (4-0-1, Columbus, Ga.)

 

 

 

Bantamweight Bout: Zac Cooper (4-4, Athens, Ga.) vs. Devante Sewell (4-2, Atlanta, Ga.)

 

 

 

Featherweight Bout: Mike Galitello (1-1, Atlanta, Ga.) vs. John Vaughan (Pro Debut, McDonough, Ga.)

 

Please visit Bellator.com for details.

 

*Event schedule subject to change.

LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA alum shine at UFC Fight Night 126 in Austin, Texas

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9 former fighters compete, 7 win, and 
$150,000 in bonus money earned
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) and the two promotions that merged to create it, RFA and Legacy FC, were well-represented and shined on the biggest stage when the UFC traveled to the state capital of Texas on Sunday night.

Nine former fighters competed, which included five former champions. This included former titleholders from LFA, RFA, and Legacy FC. The nine fighters included Derrick Lewis, Curtis Millender, Steven Peterson, Sage Northcutt, Diego Ferreira, Geoff Neal, Brian Camozzi, Roberto Sanchez, and Alex Morono. That group made up 37.5% of the entire card. Seven of the nine fighters were victorious, but that is because one of the fights pitted two of these fighters against each other. The other loss, resulted in a $50,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus and also received widespread praise.
“I was excited to watch so many of the talented fighters from LFA, RFA, and Legacy do so well at UFC: Austinon Sunday night,” stated LFA CEO Ed Soares. “The goal of LFA is to develop top prospects, so when they get to the UFC, they will continue to impress under the bright lights of the UFC for years to come.”

In the co-main event, former Legacy FC heavyweight champion Derrick Lewis, who also fought for RFA, did what “The Black Beast” does best. The no-nonsense Texan unleashed his unforgiving power-punching in the third round to pick up the TKO, his tenth UFC win, while also picking up his fourth UFC bonus. This time it was a $50,000 UFC “Performance of the Night” bonus.
Millender made his UFC debut on the main card just one month after winning the main event of LFA 30. The win at LFA 30 was Millender’s third straight win in an LFA headliner and his second straight via Head Kick KO. The win earned him a UFC contract and a debut fight against a former UFC title challenger in Thiago Alves. This time around, he used a knee to score the walk-off KO. The impressive debut also earned Millender the other $50,000 UFC “Performance of the Night” bonus.
The main card also saw Northcutt, a former Legacy FC star, earn his fifth win inside the UFC Octagon, while former Legacy FC bantamweight champion and LFA standout Peterson earned a $50,000 UFC “Fight of the Night” bonus for his wildly entertaining UFC debut, which took place in the featherweight division. Peterson’s UFC debut also earned him widespread praise from fans and fellow fighters alike. Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman was quick to tweet: “Peterson is my new favorite fighter!!”
Ferreira, a former Legacy FC lightweight champion, showed no signs of ring rust as he picked up a quick TKO win in less than two minutes into the final fight of the preliminary card. The win came after Ferreira made a come back to the sport after a two-year layoff. In the bout before Ferreira’s successful return, it was a battle of LFA / Legacy FC star Geoff Neal and former RFA welterweight champion Brian Camozzi. Neal made a big statement in his UFC debut and picked up the win via Rear Naked Choke.
Sanchez also picked up his first UFC win. The inaugural LFA flyweight champion earned a submission win via Rear Naked Choke less than two-minutes into the bout. Morono got things moving in the right direction for our LFA/RFA/Legacy FC alum, when the former Legacy FC welterweight champion submitted longtime UFC vet Josh Burkman via Guillotine Choke early in Round 1.
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form LFA. This new powerhouse promotion would serve as the premier developmental organization in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 150 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.

LFA returns on Friday, March 2nd with LFA 34 – Watley vs. Jenkins. The main event will feature the return of LFA lightweight champion Robert “Contact” Watley when he defends his title against LFA #1 lightweight contender Brandon “The Human Highlight Reel” Jenkins. The event will take place at the Minnetonka Ballroom inside the new Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, Minnesota.
LFA 34 will be the fifth LFA event to take place in the state of Minnesota. RFA and Legacy FC hosted a combined nine events in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” before the merger. Six of those events took place under the RFA banner inside the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. The entire main card of LFA 34 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
Bellator, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show: Is UFC Using Boxing as a Lifeline; CM Punk vs. Floyd?; Event Recaps and Previews

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This week, Tom, Tony and Rich start our weekly broadcast with a discussion on the latest news on Floyd Mayweather Jr. teasing the idea of fighting in the cage. Even though Rich has been talking about this match-up on our show for weeks now, a recent article described the idea of CM Punk facing Mayweather as a rumor started by the
“Money Team.” Either Mayweather’s listening to our show or great minds think alike. We also touch on the subject of why the UFC may need to diversify with the addition of boxing cards and special events. We also recap last week’s boxing action and a spectacular UFC 221 card headlined by Yoel Romero’s TKO of Luke Rockhold. We then look forward to Roy Nelson’s fight with Matt Mitrione, set to go down later tonight on the Paramount Network. Finally, we preview UFC Fight Night 126, with a main event of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone facing Yancy Medeiros.

Listen to the show below:

 

LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA BRINGS BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE FIGHT  TO THE COACHELLA VALLEY WITH LFA 36 – SIMON vs. ZANI

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MAIN EVENT:
LFA BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION
 RICKY SIMON
vs.
LFA #1 BANTAMWEIGHT CONTENDER
VINICIUS ZANI
BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE FIGHT
CO-MAIN EVENT:
“PRETTY BOY”
JAMALL EMMERS
vs.
BJJ BLACK BELT
TALISON SOARES
FEATHERWEIGHT WAR
FRIDAY, MARCH 23rd LIVE on AXS TV
LIVE at the MORONGO OUTDOOR PAVILION
in CABAZON, CALIFORNIA
 
Tickets are on sale NOW through Ticketmaster.com
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the LFA will return to California in March with a bantamweight world title fight and a high-stakes featherweight war.
The main event of LFA 36 will feature the return of LFA bantamweight champion Ricky Simon when he defends his title against LFA #1 bantamweight contender Vinicius “Don” Zani. LFA 36 – Simon vs. Zani takes place Friday, March 23rd at the Morongo Outdoor Pavilion at the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa in Cabazon, California. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“I’m excited to bring an LFA title fight to Coachella Valley at LFA 36”, stated Soares. “This will be our third show in my home state of California. Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa is a beautiful 4-diamond establishment and we look forward to featuring our bantamweight world title fight at the world-class Morongo Outdoor Pavillion on March 23rd.”
Tickets for LFA 36 – Simon vs. Zani are available for purchase NOW at Ticketmaster.com.
Simon (11-1) returns tot he LFA Octagon after winning the vacant LFA bantamweight title in December in the main event of LFA 29. The fight served as the LFA’s final fight of 2017 and left fight fans and MMA pundits anxiously awaiting the next move of the wildly popular Pacific Northwesterner. Simon took home LFA gold by shutting down eight-time UFC vet Chico Camus with a bloody and dominant 5-round decision win. The title win stamped a career-year for the 25-year-old, which also saw him pick up a win a fight in front of UFC President Dana White on Week 5 of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. Simon is now eager to defend his title instead of basking in the glow of 2017. He also wants to up the ante by taking on the clear cut #1 contender Vincius Zani.
Zani (11-4) will challenge the champion in one of the most anticipated title fights of 2018. Zani has been perfect since competing for the promotion. This started before the merger of RFA and Legacy FC, when he showcased his world-class Muay Thai skills in the co-main event of RFA 38. The Brazilian known as “Don Zani” defeated Joe Murphy that night with UFC President Dana White sitting cageside. Zani unleashed a barrage of leg kicks and other violent techniques that excited the crowd, while putting the division on notice. He would win his next two fights in LFA after the merger and has shown no signs of taking his foot off the pedal. In his last appearance in October, Zani defeated former RFA title challenger Joey Miolla via Unanimous Decision in the co-main event of LFA 24.
The co-main event of LFA 36 will feature the return of Jamall “Pretty Boy” Emmers (12-3). The powerful 28-year-old is one of the only people to have fought for LFA, RFA, and Legacy FC. He became the third fighter to complete this rare hat trick of promotional appearances when he co-headlined LFA 5 last year. That night, Emmers lived up to the hype surrounding him after the praise he received from UFC President Dana White on Episode 7 of Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight just a few months earlier. Emmers traveled to the high-altitude of Colorado and defeated the highly-touted Cory Sandhagen, who is now making waves in the UFC. Emmers hopes to shine once again and perhaps punch his own ticket to the UFC with a breakthrough performance at LFA 36.
Emmers will face Talison Soares (10-2), who is coming off a breakthrough performance of his own last month in the co-main event of LFA 30. The 29-year-old Brazilian prospect, who is a decorated BJJ black belt from the prestigious Checkmat academy, made his international debut against fellow top prospect and BJJ ace Fernando Padilla that night. He took full advantage of the opportunity and wowed the crowd by thoroughly out-grappling his heavily favored Mexican opponent. Soares now looks to keep the momentum moving in the right direction by defeating Emmers, who has won three straight fights since impressing the UFC boss at RFA 38. Soares knows a second straight impressive showing will catapult him to the top of what many consider LFA’s deepest division.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Bantamweight Title Bout (135 lb)
– Ricky Simon (11-1) vs. Vinicius Zani (11-4)
Co-Main Event | Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Jamall Emmers (12-3) vs. Talison Soares (10-2)
Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Tommy Aaron (5-3) vs. Troy Guerrero (5-1)
Light-Heavyweight Bout (205 lb)
– Herdem Alacabek (3-0) vs. Jonathan Noriega (3-0)
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 150 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 36 will be the third LFA event to take place in the state of California. RFA hosted eight events inside “The Golden State” before the merger. The entire main card of LFA 36 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.