Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

M-1, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

M-1 Arena grand opening and M-1 Challenge 100 to highlight 21st season for M-1 Global

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In January the new M-1 Arena is scheduled to open in Saint Petersburg
SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (December 29, 2017) — The grand opening of the state-of-the-art M-1 Arena in Saint Petersburgh, in addition to the celebration of M-1 Challenge 100 later in 2018, will highlight M-1 Global’s 21st season.
Plans in 2018 also include more events, expansion into new countries and, as the No. 2 MMA organization in the world, to keep giving its fans world-class competition, entertaining match-ups, innovative developments and even a few surprises.
M-1 Global president Vadim Finkelchtein discussed a few of these subjects (see below) prior to the holidays.
Can you tell us about the new M-1 Arena?
VF: “M-1 Arena is an absolutely unique structure seating a maximum of 3000. It is built in the form of the Colosseum, stone and wood, with an incredible dome made of glulam, which gives the place perfect acoustics. Not only can we promote sporting events, but also music concerts. M-1 Arena allows us to have even more events and realize new ideas like, for example, a reality show. M-1 Arena will be multifunctional but martial arts will be the main form of entertainment held there.”
M-1 Challenge was more international last year in terms of showcasing more fighters from different countries like USA, Portugal, UK, Canada, South Korea, China, etc.  Do you plan to expand your fighter base even more this year and, if so, what countries are you targeting for fighters?
VF: “Usually, we hire fighters from countries where our events are being broadcasted. If we have new contracts with the countries from where we don’t have representative fighters, or only have a few of them, we are going to increase their number. The same for countries where we’ve held events because fans desire to see the local athletes fighting in the Rage. We give them an opportunity to see that.”
With the success of female MMA stars around the world do you plan to add a female division in 2018?
VF: “One day we will probably create a female division in M-1 Global. Right now, though, we don’t have enough strong female fighters to do it, yet. As soon as we are ready to make this happen, it will be done, but we don’t want to open a new division just to check the box. We want the best fighters to compete at the highest level.”
M-1 Global is closing in on your 100th M-1 Challenge event.  Do you plan to promote your 100th event in 2018?  If so can you provide any additional information about when, where, special plans, etc.
VF: M-1 Global has already promoted more than 200 events, including 85 M-1 Challenges, which was created in 2008. I think that this event will happen either in Saint-Petersburg or in Moscow, but we still have a lot of time left and a dozen other events before it. We are going to take care of it a bit later.”
M-1 has developed fighters who’ve moved on to the UFC and other organizations.  How do you feel about that trend?  Does it frustrate you that you to spend time building a fighter and then have him move on, or do you look at it as a compliment that M-1 Global develops fighters who can compete in the UFC and any other organization?
VF: “We can consider this situation from different perspectives. I’m not happy to let my best fighters go, of course, but it is what it is, and we are not ready to compete with UFC yet. Sometimes our fighters leave us. From another perspective, we are happy that our fighters who leave keep winning fights and become the top competitors in other promotions. It proves that the level of M-1 Global fighters is equal to the level of UFC fighters. The top athletes who left M-1 Global for UFC are in top positions there and other promotions don’t have such results. Other organization may make their fighters popular but, as soon as they move to UFC, they start losing and get released.
“Our company is probably the second MMA promotion in the world and when some fighters move to the strongest league on the planet, they take a step forward, which I like much better than when they move to weaker promotions than M-1 Global just to make more money.”
Any plans to do anything different this year than in the past, outside of the grand opening of the M-1 arena and possible 100th event?
VF: “The main difference will be that we are going to have our own home, M-1 Arena, which means we will be able to hold even more events. We’d like to have two events each month, 24 events a year. We opened our own TV channel (M1global.tv) and next year, MMA fans from former Soviet Republics will have an opportunity to watch all the fights. Using our iOS and Android App, viewers from all over the world can watch old and new fights right now, and next year we are going to make it even better. We are also going to create our own studio to produce different content, probably a new reality show with fighters from different countries.”
Will you have showcase M-1 Medieval fights this coming year?
VF: “Apparently, we will have some medieval fights in 2018, but the only issue is that we have a lot of fighters under contract, so it is not easy to find a place for M-1 Medieval fights on our cards. We make knight fights in regions where they are popular, like in Ingushetia and Finland in 2017, because fans demonstrated to us that they want to see them. I hope one day we’ll have more resources for them.”

INFORMATION:
Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@Vadim_finkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA KICKS OFF 2018 IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH LFA 30

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MAIN EVENT:
“CURTIOUS”
CURTIS MILLENDER
vs.
“THE PHOENIX”
NICK BARNES
 
WELTERWEIGHT WAR
 
 
CO-MAIN EVENT:
 
MEXICO’S SUBMISSION ACE
FERNANDO PADILLA
vs.
BRAZIL’S BJJ BLACK BELT
TALISON SOARES
 
FEATHERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
 
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12th LIVE on AXS TV
COSTA MESA HALL at the OC FAIRGROUNDS 
COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA
 
Tickets are on sale NOW through CageTix.com/LFA
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced the promotion will kick off 2018 with an action-packed event in southern California.
The main event of LFA 30 will feature the long-awaited clash between southern California kingpins and top LFA welterweights “Curtious” Curtis Millender and Nick “The Phoenix” Barnes. LFA 30 – Millender vs. Barnes takes place Friday, January 12th at the Costa Mesa Hall at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California. The entire main card of LFA 30 – Millender vs. Barnes will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“I’m excited to kick off 2018 by bringing LFA back to southern California”, stated Soares. “Curtis Millender and Nick Barnes are coming off big wins in LFA headlining bouts where they won in enemy territory. Now they get to face each other in the main event of LFA 30 on their home turf in a perfect headliner to start the new year.”
Tickets for LFA 30 – Millender vs. Barnes are available for purchase NOW at CageTix.com/LFA.
Millender (13-3) returns home to the building where he fought and won his first seven fights. The Orange County juggernaut is looking to build off a perfect 2017 where he won three fights, including back-to-back LFA headliners. His most recent win came via highlight reel Head Kick KO in the main event of LFA 24. Millender will meet Barnes (12-2) in a long-awaited showdown between two of southern California’s finest. The welterweight stars started their careers in the southern California regional circuit, moved on to Bellator, and will finally meet in the main event of LFA 30. Barnes, like Millender, is coming off an impressive win in an LFA headliner this past August at LFA 20.
While the main event will feature a rivalry between two of the top welterweights in LFA, the co-main event will feature a rivalry between two of the LFA featherweight division’s most talented jiu-jitsu practitioners.
Fernando Padilla (10-1) put the division on notice in October, when he submitted longtime RFA vet Darrick Minner with a Triangle-Armbar in the first round of their co-main event bout at LFA 25. Padilla, who is a 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, has now won 90% of his fights by first round stoppage. He will now face a man equally dangerous on the ground when he meets Talison Soares (9-2) in the co-main event of LFA 30. Soares is a jiu-jitsu black belt from the famed Checkmat BJJ team who has made a name for himself competing in his native Brazil. Soares has a 100% finishing rate in the nine bouts he has won and will now make his international debut in the co-main event of LFA 30.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT):
 
Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Curtis Millender (13-3) vs. Nick Barnes (12-2)
Co-Main Event | Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Fernando Padilla (10-1) vs. Talison Soares (9-2)
Flyweight Bout (125 lb)
– Maikel Perez (4-1) vs. Charlie Alaniz (11-2)
Middleweight Bout (185 lb)
– Craig Wilkerson (7-3) vs. Jordan Wright (8-0)
Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Christian Aguilera (8-4) vs. Maycon Mendonça (6-3)
Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Vince Cachero (3-0) vs. TBD
In September 2016, Legacy FC and RFA 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 30 will serve as the second LFA event to take place in the state of California after the merger. RFA hosted eight events inside “The Golden State” before the merger. The entire main card of LFA 30 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.
mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

EWER WILL TRY TO MAKE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY AT NEF 32

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Lewiston, Maine (December 28, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Lewiston on Saturday, February 3, 2018 with the fight promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday.” Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional championship bout to the card. CJ Ewer (3-0) will meet Kemran Lachinov (5-2) for the vacant NEF MMA Professional Welterweight Title.

 

 

The bout will put Ewer in a unique position – to hold titles simultaneously in two weight divisions. It is a feat that has been attempted but never accomplished in NEF. Ewer is the reigning professional middleweight titleholder of the organization. He captured that title with a victory over Mike Hansen (5-8) last summer at “NEF 30” in Bangor, Maine. It took Ewer less than two minutes to finish Hansen with an arm triangle choke. The win not only earned Ewer the middleweight title but also a nomination for “2017 Submission of the Year.” Should Ewer emerge victorious over Lachinov on February 3, he will stand atop both the welterweight and middleweight divisions. He represents Young’s MMA of Bangor.

 

 

“My opponent is fierce with a granite jaw and an iron will,” said Ewer. “He’s by far the toughest fighter I’ve faced, and there will be a lot of pressure going into this fight given that it’s a title fight. I always rise to the level of competition and promise you’ll see the best, most prepared CJ you’ve ever seen.”

 

 

Kemran Lachinov is a seven-year veteran of the New England MMA scene. He is also a two-fight veteran of the Bellator cage where he remains undefeated. Lachinov is currently riding a three-fight win streak which began in early 2017. He will look to continue that success into 2018 starting with his bout against Ewer. Lachinov represents Team Link of Ludlow, Massachusetts.

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday,” will see the company make its return to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 3, 2018. Tickets are on-sale now online at www.TheColisee.com.

M-1, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

M-1 Global’s 20th anniversary a smashing success in 2017

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M-1 Global president Vadim Finkelchtein
SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (December 27, 2017) — M-1 Global celebrated its 20thanniversary in style this past year, reestablishing itself as the preeminent mixed-martial-arts organization in Europe and Russia.
M-1 promoted 13 Challenges in 2017, 11 across Russia, as well as one each in China and Finland. Fighters from around the world competed including MMA superstars such as Sergey Kharitonov and Alexander Shlemenko, as well as rising stars Alexey Kunchenko and Artem Frolov.
M-1 Global founder and president Vadim Finkelchtein reviewed the 2017 season, answering a series of questions below:
Overall, how do you evaluate the 2017 M-1 Challenge season in terms of achievements and accomplishments as a promotional company?
VF: “First of all, we increased the number of events. Some were even rated among top 5 monthly sporting events on television, which is really an incredible achievement. We’ve almost finished building our new M-1 Arena and produced our own M-1 Be Strong Protein milkshake.”
You promoted events in different countries this past year like Finland.  Was M-1 embraced by those fans and, if so, why do you think so?
VF: “We held our first event in Finland and it was really successful. M-1 Challenge 82took place in Hartwall Arena, one of the largest venues in Finland, located in the capital of Helsinki. Many fans came to watch our promotion’s debut in that country and it became one of the biggest MMA events in Finland history. Scandinavia is a very interesting region for us. We have many fighters from Finland and next year we are going to hold another event there.
“We also had a big event in Harbin, China, which was a part of cultural program of Economic Forum. Many VIP visitors and thousands of fans gathered to watch the fights and it was a superb event. China is a prospective MMA market and we are going to work further, featuring more fighters from this country, and promote one or two event a year there.
“Next year, we are going to promote even more events in other countries, planning to hold M-1 Challenge shows in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, China, Finland, Germany and the USA.”
What was the M-1 highlight of the year?
VF: “This past year we had a lot of remarkable events and fights, so it’s very difficult to choose just one highlight. If I had to choose, the rematch between Alexander Shlemenko and Brandon Halsey was the highlight of the year. Thousands of people in Saint Petersburg on June 1st came to see the rematch and that liver-kick Alexander delivered made the crowd go crazy. In the first fight, Brandon won in 35 seconds, so Alexander wanted to revenge fast and it took him just 25 seconds. That was unbelievable and unforgettable!”
Compared to past years in what areas did M-1 improve in 2017?
VF: “Each year we have more high-level fighters and that is the main difference. MMA has been developing around the world and the competition is always getting tougher. Only the best fighters receive an opportunity to sign a contract with M-1 Global. We have an opportunity to choose the best fighters, increasing the level of fights, to make it impossible to predict the winners in advance. Furthermore, we increased the number of events and TV coverage with some new TV contracts worldwide.”
This was your 20th year.  When you started 20 years ago did you envision the success M-1 has had in MMA?
VF: “I could not imagine MMA would become so popular. I went through the entire MMA evolution and the past 20 years I’ve been working on the promotion to make it better each year. The path was not easy because many years ago this kind of sport was considered criminal. Many called it fights without rules and I had to work hard to make people think about it as a legitimate sport.”
M-1 added the flyweight division this past year.  Why and was it successful in the eyes of fans?
VF: “Flyweight fighters can produce incredible performances. It was necessary for us to create this division because we knew that there were lot of good flyweight fighters. They wanted to fight in M-1 and we made it happen. We already have the first champion and a several tough contenders. In 2018, the flyweight division will be very interesting.”
M-1 CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS
HEAVYWEIGHT (265 lbs., 120,2 kg)
VACANT
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (205 lbs., 93,0 kg)
VACANT
MIDDLEWEIGHT (185 lbs., 83,9 kg)
 
Artem Frolov (10-0-0 (M-1: 7-0-0), Russia
WELTERWEIGHT (170 lbs., 77,1 kg)
 
Alexey Kunchenko (17-0-0 (M-1: 9-0-0), Russia
LIGHTWEIGHT (155 lbs., 70,3 kg)
 
Damir Ismagulov (14-2-0 (M-1: 9-1-0), Russia by way of Kazakhstan
FEATHERWEIGHT (145 lbs., 65,8 kg)
 
Khamzat Dalgiev (10-1-0 (M-1: 7-1-0), Russia
BANTAMWEIGHT (135 lbs., 61,2 kg)
 
Movsar Evloev (8-0-0 (M-1: 8-0-0), Russia
 
FLYWEIGHT (125 lbs., 56,7 kg)
 
Aleksander Doskalchuk (8-1-0 (M-1: 3-4-1), Ukraine
INFORMATION:
Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@Vadim_finkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights, women's MMA

2017 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RETURNING TO THE CAGE AT NEF 32

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Lewiston, Maine (December 27, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Lewiston onSaturday, February 3, 2018 with the fight promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday.”  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur women’s bantamweight bout to the card.  Jayda “Lil Killah” Bailey(1-0) is scheduled to face Amanda Gallo (0-1) at a fight weight of 135-pounds.

Jayda Bailey made headlines this year when she became the youngest athlete to ever compete in a sanctioned MMA fight in Maine.  A mere eight days after her 18th birthday, the legal minimum age for an MMA participant in the state, Bailey put together a dominant performance in her debut against Danae Dostie (0-1) at “NEF 31.”  It took her just over 90-seconds to pound out a TKO victory.  So impressive was the win that it earned Bailey a nomination for “Rookie of the Year.”  The fans agreed and voted the Hermon, Maine teenager as the recipient of the award.  Bailey is currently a member of Young’s MMA of Bangor.  This summer, upon graduation from high school, she plans to relocate to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she will join Jackson Wink MMA Academy – home to many top UFC stars.

“I can’t wait to step into the cage again and display my abilities,” said Bailey.  “I look to get better every time I fight, and I’m excited to be facing a new challenge.”

That new challenge will come in the form of Amanda Gallo.  Gallo trains with Robson Moura Nations United (RMNU) based in Tampa, Florida.  She made her cage debut in the fall of 2016 against Laine Orabona (2-2) on a fight card in Georgia.  The thrilling contest went the distance and saw Gallo lose a very close split decision on the judges’ scorecards.  She will come to Maine looking for the first win of her young career.

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday,” will see the company make its return to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 3, 2018.  Tickets are on-sale now online atwww.TheColisee.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

DARRION CALDWELL TO DEFEND BELLATOR BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST LEANDRO HIGO ON MARCH 2 AT WINSTAR WORLD CASINO AND RESORT

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TICKETS FOR BELLATOR 195 GO ON SALE THIS FRIDAY AT 10 A.M. CT 

 

LOS ANGELES – The Bellator bantamweight championship will be up for grabs Friday, March 2 when Darrion Caldwell (11-1) makes his first title defense against Leandro Higo (18-3) at Bellator 195 inside WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla., the same venue where “The Wolf” captured the belt earlier this year.

 

“Darrion Caldwell is an exciting young fighter that has worked his way to the top of a very competitive bantamweight division to become a world champion,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “I’m excited to see what he can do in his first title defense against Leandro Higo, who is an incredibly tough competitor with the ability to submit his opponent at any time. The fans are in for a great matchup between these two grapplers.”

 

The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for Bellator 195: Caldwell vs. Higo go on sale this Friday, Dec. 22 at 10 a.m. CT and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino and Resort box office, as well as through Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Caldwell has been on a steady ascension to championship status since signing with Bellator in 2014. Ahead of his championship victory over Eduardo Dantas at Bellator 184, which brought his Bellator record to 8-1, the 30-year-old collected five wins by way of first-round knockout or submission. The run was highlighted by a remarkable stoppage of former multi-division champion Joe Warren. Hailing from Rahway, N.J. and training alongside Bellator standouts Phil Davis and Justin Lawrence at Alliance MMA in San Diego, Calif., “The Wolf” also serves as one of the main sparring partners of former UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz.

 

Higo signed with Bellator in February riding an eight-fight win-streak and earned the Legacy Fighting Alliance 135-pound crown in the process. Fresh off animpressive win against Joe Taimanglo, the 28-year-old Pitbull Brothers product also competed on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4 in 2015. A proud carrier of the Olympic torch ahead of the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil, “Pitbull” will now set his sights on carrying the torch in Bellator’s bantamweight division.

 

Updated Bellator 195: Caldwell vs. Higo Fight Card:

Bantamweight World Title Main Event: Darrion Caldwell (11-1) vs. Leandro Higo (18-3)

 

****

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

MCDONALD & LETOURNEAU IMPRESS IN BELLATOR DEBUTS, CAPPING OFF FINAL EVENT ON SPIKE

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 otos/Bellator%20191%20New%20Castle%20Fight%20Night/Michael%20McDonald%20vs.%20P 

FULL EVENT PHOTOS

 

Complete Bellator 191: McDonald vs. Ligier Fight Card Results:

 

Michael McDonald (18-4) defeated Peter Ligier (8-2-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

 

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8acndyoa13mtgs7/AABOlDgJCtycBa-bPH8L1e8Qa?dl=0

 

McDonald Quote: “I was happy with the performance. He ate some heavy punches. I hit him hard enough to break my right hand again, so he’s very durable and I expected that from him. I’ve seen him get put down and keep coming. He was very impressive, I’m honored to have fought him and he really stepped up to the occasion. I think that I have some pretty high accolades for a bantamweight, but I really have no idea how that stacks up to the other guys in my division. We will let this hand heal up and find out soon.”

 

Valerie Letourneau (9-6) defeated Kate Jackson (9-3-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

 

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xv8mhtcx9eku5p9/AAB94OCwYqOCIUbHyTcU3chUa?dl=0

 

Letourneau Quote: “I never feel like I’m doing enough. That’s the first thing I ask my coach: ‘Was it a good fight?’ I think experience has taught me to be patient in the fight and to fight smart. You always want to put on a show, but sometimes it can cost you the fight. In my last fight, I didn’t do enough because I was too careful. I wanted to bring all that experience together and make the best of it.”

 

 “This was a very important fight for me. I’m 34, my daughter’s a teenager now. I’ve sacrificed a lot of things for my career. But I want this Bellator belt so bad. It was really hard for me to watch Ilima Macfarlane and Emily Ducote fight for it first. I have so much respect for both of them, but I wanted to be the first one to fight for the title. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen but to me that’s the only thing I have on my mind right now. Ilima knows I want to fight her and she had a really good performance in her last fight. When it happens, I think it’s going to be a really good matchup. It’s going to be an exciting fight.”

 

Mohammad Yahya (4-1) defeated Ash Griffiths (4-5) via TKO at 3:26 of round one

 

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/62fh9s38lo1de3x/AAAF5NCgKybT6v1HG9qYJOaHa?dl=0

 

Yahya Quote: “This is what we trained for and we executed exactly as we planned. I was very confident in the opening round. I said that I was going to win in the first round by TKO and I did just that. It’s confidence, but this is also a product of hard work. I was training very hard for this and I executed. I knew that I had the best team in the world and we’re on to the next one now.”

 

Philip De Fries (14-6, 1 NC) def. James Thompson (20-17, 1 NC) via submission (guillotine) at 1:33 of round one

 

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/efcurjmp6k10j2q/AADd556tK8j6Lg-T7Te54Z_ma?dl=0

 

De Fries Quote: “I feel great, the less damage the better. I’m not getting any prettier. Hats off to James, he’s a legend. It’s a shame it was over so quick, it could have been a barn burner. But I’m happy. I want to climb the ladder here in Bellator. If there is an opening in this tournament, I’ll gladly step in. I feel great at the moment. Fighting is 90 percent mental and the first half of my career, I didn’t have the head for it. But now I’m putting everything together, I feel great and I’m performing. I’m ready, I’ll fight anybody.

 

Jeremy Petley (12-8) def. Lewis Monarch (9-3) via split decision (29-28 x2, 27-30)

 

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q1gw2zn80ujf2ps/AABweE-l4KMFb00-hvR7CExDa?dl=0

 

Petley Quote: “I was prepared to do the job and really demonstrate my skills. He put up a tough fight and made me work for it. I was prepared for a war, and that’s what he gave me so I had to dig deep. Lewis was a good opponent but I knew no matter what the situation or adversity, that I have a big heart, I have work ethic, a good skillset and a good corner behind me. I knew that no matter what happened, I would come out with the victory.”

 

“This is a fraction of my potential. I want the big fights, I want the Bellator title. I want to move up, I want to move forward and fight late in the night. I have what it takes, so I’ll take anybody. This was not the most convincing win, but no matter who I face, I can win. I don’t care who it is up against me, I can always find a way. I find a way to win. That’s what I do.”

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BELLATOR 191 WEIGH-IN RESULTS & PHOTOS

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BELLATOR’S FINAL EVENT ON SPIKE TAKES PLACE

TOMORROW NIGHT AT 9/8c

 

 

PRESS CONFERENCE PHOTOS / WEIGH IN PHOTOS

 

NEWCASTLE, England – Only one main event competitor is sure to be smiling after their matchup tomorrow night when Michael McDonald(17-4) makes his Bellator debut against Peter Ligier (8-1-1) in the headlining bout of Bellator 191.

 

Another high-profile free agent signing in Valerie Letourneau (8-6) is also set to make her long-awaited promotional debut, squaring off against Kate Jackson (9-2-1) in the co-main event at Newcastle, England’s Metro Radio Arena.

 

Bellator 191: McDonald vs. Ligier will be broadcast free on SPIKE Friday, Dec. 15 at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT. The event marks the last time Bellator will air on SPIKE before the network rebrands itself as Paramount Network in January.

 

Tickets for the event can be purchased from Ticketmaster.co.uk & event.co.uk

 

Complete Bellator 191: McDonald vs. Ligier Fight Card:

138 Pound Catchweight Main Event: Michael McDonald (137.6 lbs.) vs. Peter Ligier (135.8 lbs.) Photos

Women’s Flyweight Co-Main Event: Valerie Letourneau (125.8 lbs.) vs. Kate Jackson (125.5 lbs.) Photos

Heavyweight Feature Bout: James Thompson (266 lbs.) vs. Phil De Fries (261 lbs.) Photos

Welterweight Feature Bout: Mohammad Yahya (163 lbs.) vs. Ash Griffiths (170.5 lbs.) Photos

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Jeremy Petley (146.4 lbs.) vs. Lewis Monarch (146 lbs.) Photos

mixed martial arts, MMA, Rizin FF

RIZIN FIGHTING FEDERATION WORLD GRAND PRIX 2017

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Joe Ferraro & Frank Trigg named RIZIN FF World Grand Prix 2017
PPV announcers
Dec. 29 & 31 LIVE on PPV from Japan
NEW YORK CITY(December 14, 2017) – Veteran “Showdown” Joe Ferraro and former MMA fighter John Trigg have been named announcers for RIZIN Fighting Federation World Grand Prix twin shows, highlighted by the return of combat sports superstar Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic,  December 29 & 31, airing live on pay-per-view from Saitama City, Japan.
The Dec. 29 and 31 (1 a.m. /10 p.m. PT start) will be live-streamed worldwide (excluding Japan on the FITE.TV platforms for $19.99 or the two-day RIZIN Pack special offer for only $29.99. Fans may simply download the FITE app – free to download from iTunes and Google Play – and then cast the fight to the big screen by using the instant stream-to-TV function. The FITE app works with any Wi-Fi connected television around the world, iOS and Android devices, as well as streaming devices such as Roku, Chromecast and more. Fans may also watch the fights live on the FITE website atwww.fite.tv from any computer.
Integrated Sports Media will distribute via cable and satellite PPV on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31 –5:00 a.m. ET / 2:00 a.m. PT start) extravaganza live in North America via iN Demand, Vubiquity, and DISH in the U.S., as well as on SaskTel and Telus in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $19.95.
Ferraro will handle blow-by-blow responsibilities, while Trigg serves as color commentator. Ferraro has called multiple RIZIN events leading up to the conclusion of its World Grand Prix. Trigg, who is working this RIZIN twin-bill the same month as he made his debut as a UFC referee, was a popular fighter at the highest level of international competition, UFC and PRIDE.
The Dec. 29th winners of the men’s bantamweight quarterfinals will advance to the Dec. 31stwomen’s super-atomweight and kickboxing semifinals and then later in the finals. The Special Added Attraction on that card is a light heavyweight clash between Jiri “Denisa” Prochazka(19-3-0, 16 KO/TKO, 2 SUB), Czech Republic and. Karl Albrelktsson (6-1-0, 2 KO/TKOs, 3 SUB), Sweden.
The finals of the RIZIN World-Grand Prix kickboxing, women’s super-atomweight and men’s bantamweight championships will be preceded by three entertaining matches. Croatian heavyweight “Cro Cop” Filipovic (35-11-0, 27 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) takes on Japanese favorite Tsuyoshi Kosaka (27-19-2, 8 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) in a Special Added Attraction on the Dec. 31stcard. Also, the long-awaited return of Japanese lightweight Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi(18-6-0, 13 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) will be showcased in his throw-down with fellow countryman Yusuke Yachi (18-6-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 SUB). A women’s match between American flyweights Shinju “Juju” Auclair (1-0-0, 1 SUB) and pro-debuting Chelsea LaGrasse is also on tap.
A special one-day kickboxing tournament will be held Dec. 31st between Japan’s Kazuyuki Fujita and Mitsuhisa Sunabe and undefeated knockout artist (20-0, 16 KOs) Tenshine Nasukawa vs. TBA with the winners facing off in the championship round on the card’s championship final.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @FiteTV, @IntegratedPPV
mixed martial arts, MMA, Rizin FF

RIZIN FIGHTING FEDERATION WORLD GRAND PRIX 2017

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RIZIN Fighting Federation
World Grand Prix 2017 action to close 2017 MMA season
 
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic & Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi return New Year’s Eve
Dec. 29 & 31 LIVE on PPV from Japan
NEW YORK CITY (December 11, 2017) —International mixed-martial-arts and kickboxing fans can close out the 2017 season in grand style, viewing double-barreled RIZIN Fighting Federation World Grand Prix action, highlighted by the return of combat sports superstar Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic,December 29 & 31, airing live on pay-per-view from Saitama City, Japan.
The Dec. 29th winners of the men’s bantamweight quarterfinals will advance to the Dec. 31st women’s super-atomweight and kickboxing semifinals and then later in the finals (see below).
The Special Added Attraction on the Dec. 29thcard is a light heavyweight match between Jiri “Denisa” Prochazka (19-3-0, 16 KO/TKO, 2 SUB), Czech Republic vs. Karl Albrelktsson(6-1-0, 2 KO/TKOs, 3 SUB), Sweden.
The Dec. 29 and 31 (1 a.m. /10 p.m. PT start) will be live-streamed worldwide (excluding Japan on the FITE.TV platforms for $19.99 or the two-day RIZIN Pack special offer for only $29.99. Fans may simply download the FITE app – free to download from iTunes and Google Play – and then cast the fight to the big screen by using the instant stream-to-TV function. The FITE app works with any Wi-Fi connected television around the world, iOS and Android devices, as well as streaming devices such as Roku, Chromecast and more. Fans may also watch the fights live on the FITE website at www.fite.tv from any computer.
Integrated Sports Media will distribute via cable and satellite PPV on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31 –5:00 a.m. ET / 2:00 a.m. PT start) extravaganza live in North America via iN Demand, Vubiquity, and DISH in the U.S., as well as on SaskTel and Telus in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $19.95.
“We’re excited to close the year with two entertaining events, RIZIN World Grand Prix 2017, plus the return of international MMA stars Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi,” said Flipps Media Co-founder and CEO, Kosta Jordanov. “These events will cap of our very successful combat sports programming in 2017.”
“We’re happy to bring this New Year’s Eve event from Japan, featuring ‘Cro Cop’ and the RIZIN World Grand Prix finals to American and Canadian combat sports fans,” Integrated Sports Media president Doug Jacobs remarked. “This is a rare opportunity for North American MMA and kickboxing fans to watch some of the best international fighters.”
The finals of the RIZIN World-Grand Prix kickboxing, women’s super-atomweight and men’s bantamweight championships will be preceded by three entertaining matches. Croatian heavyweight “Cro Cop” Filipovic (35-11-0, 27 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) takes on Japanese favoriteTsuyoshi Kosaka (27-19-2, 8 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) in a Special Added Attraction on the Dec. 31stcard. Also, the long-awaited return of Japanese lightweight Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi(18-6-0, 13 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) will be showcased in his throw-down with fellow countrymanYusuke Yachi (18-6-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 SUB). A women’s match between American flyweights Shinju “Juju” Auclair (1-0-0, 1 SUB) and pro-debuting Chelsea LaGrasse is also on tap.
A special one-day kickboxing tournament will be held Dec. 31st between Japan’s Kazuyuki Fujita and Mitsuhisa Sunabe and undefeated knockout artist (20-0, 16 KOs) Tenshine Nasukawa vs. TBA with the winners facing off in the championship round on the card’s championship final.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
 
RIZIN WORLD GRAND PRIX MATCHES
Men’s Bantamweights
Ian “Uncle Creepy” McCall (13-5-0), USA vs. Manel Kape (8-1-0), Angola
Kyoaji Horiiguchi (20-2-0), Japan vs. Gabriel Oliveira (10-0-0), Brazil
Takafumi Otsuka (23-13-0), Japan vs. Khalid Tahna (11-0-0), Germany
Shintaro Ishiwatari (23-6-0), Japan vs. Kevin “The Macine Gun” Petshi (12-3-0), France
Women’s Super-Atomweights
Rena Kubota (5-0-0), Japan vs. Irene “La Nina” Rivera (7-4-0), Spain
Kanna Asakura (9-2-0), Japan vs. Maria Oliveira (10-2-0), Brazil
Kickboxing
Yamato Fujita, Japan vs. Mitsushisa Sunabe, Japan
Tenshin Nasuikawa, Japan vs. TBA
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @FiteTV, @IntegratedPPV