LOS ANGELES –The BELLATOR MMA Middleweight World Championship will be up for grabs on Friday, Ogos 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena when current 185-pound titlistGegard Mousasi (47-7-2) defends his belt against No. 1-kedudukan John Salter (18-4).
The main card of BELLATOR 263: Mousasi vs. Salterairs live on SHOWTIME at9 petang. ET / 6 petang. PT, while the preliminary portion of the event will stream live at6 petang. ET/3 p.m. PTon the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Additional contests for the event will be announced shortly.
Tickets for the event go on sale next Thursday, Julai 1 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com with a pre-sale taking place on Wednesday, Jun 30.
Fighting out of Leiden, South Holland, Belanda, Mousasi has cemented legendary status within the sport, having won titles with multiple promotions across a 56-fight career. Baru-baru ini, Mousasi defeated former BELLATOR Welterweight Champion Douglas Lima, clearing his path to a shot at a second middleweight title run. With victories in his storied career against Lyoto Machida, Rory MacDonald, Chris Weidman, Vitor Belfort, Jacare Souza, Dan Henderson and Mark Hunt, the Dutch MMA legend now faces a stiff challenge from John Salter.
North Carolina’s Salter enters his title shot on August 13 riding a three-fight winning streak with victories over Chidi Njokuani, Andrew Kapel and Mousasi’s teammate Costello van Steenis. The 36-year-old boasts a suffocating grappling and wrestling repertoire, ending six of his eight BELLATOR victories via submission. The bout will be Salter’s tenth with the promotion and his first opportunity to capture BELLATOR gold.
BELLATOR MMA 263: Mousasi vs. SalterKad Utama: Jumaat, Ogos 13 – Live on Showtime 9 petang. ET / 6 petang. PT Middleweight World Title Main Event: C-Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2) vs. #1-John Salter (18-4)
WATCH TODAY’S BELLATOR: MOSCOW ANNOUNCEMENT HERE PHOTOS FROM TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT HERE – PHOTO CREDIT: WILL FOX LOS ANGELES – It is with great pride that BELLATOR MMA announces that on Saturday, Oktober. 23, the promotion will hold its first-ever event in Moscow, Rusia, at the VTB Arena and that the historic card will be headlined by the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all-time, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (39-6, 1 NC).
Emelianenko’s opponent, along with additional matchups, and SHOWTIME telecast details will be announced in the coming weeks.
“I have had the pleasure of working alongside Fedor for 12 years and nine of his fights during his time with BELLATOR and STRIKEFORCE,” said BELLATOR President Scott Coker. “It’s an honor to bring him home to compete in front of his fans who have followed his entire career. In addition to Fedor, we will showcase BELLATOR’s deep roster of Russian talent and put together a historic card for our first trip to Russia on Oct. 23."
Tickets for Fedor’s highly anticipated return home are on sale now and can be purchased atKassir.ru.
Widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenkoreturns to the BELLATOR cage for the first time since his dominant first-round TKO victory overQuinton "mengamuk" Jackson dalam 2019. With an illustrious career that has seen him earn 30 stoppages in his 39 victories over legendary opposition, the former PRIDE FC Heavyweight World Champion will be fighting in his home country of Russia for the first time in five years. A four-time combat sambo world champion, “The Last Emperor” put together an insane eight-year unbeaten streak on his way to becoming an international MMA icon. Emelianenko has established Team Fedor, which features several top Russian fighters including BELLATOR’s Light Heavyweight World Champion Vadim Nemkov and Valentin Moldavsky, who is fighting for the interim heavyweight title tonight. Already proving to be a formidable head coach, with his last three victories coming by way of first-round finish, Fedor is looking to add another exciting chapter to his storied fighting career on October 23.
BELLATOR returns to action later this evening as Team Fedor’sValentin Moldavsky (10-1) vies for the Interim Heavyweight Championship against No. 1 kedudukan Tim Johnson (15-6) di BELLATOR 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky. Tonight’s event will air live on SHOWTIME at 9 petang. ET / 6 petang. PT in America and live on OKKO Sport in Russia.
Dikemaskini BELLATOR: Moscow Card:
Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (39-6, 1 NC) vs. TBA
COMPLETE WEIGH-IN PHOTOS Uncasville, Conn. - BELLATOR 261: Johnson vs. Moldavskywill be broadcast tomorrow, Jumaat, Jun 25 on SHOWTIME at 9 petang. ET / 6 petang. PT, while preliminary bouts will stream on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel beginning at 6:30 petang. DAN / 3:30 petang. PT.
BELLATOR MMA 261: Johnson vs. MoldavskyKad Utama: Jumaat, Jun 25 – Live on Showtime 9 petang. ET / 6 petang. PT Interim Heavyweight World Title Main Event: #1-Timothy Johnson (260) vs. #3-Valentin Moldavsky(234) Flyweight Co-Main Event: #2-Liz Carmouche (125.5) vs. #3-Kana Watanabe(125.25) Bulu Bout: #6-Daniel Weichel (145.5) vs. Keoni Diggs (146) Ringan Bout: #4-Myles Jury (156) vs. #6-Sidney Outlaw (156) Light Heavyweight Bout:Christian Edwards (206) vs. Simon Biyong(204.5)
Kad Awal: BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV 6:30 petang. DAN / 3:30 petang. PT
Ringan Bout:Soren Bak(156) vs. Bobby Lee (155.25) Ringan Bout:Isaiah Hokit(155.75) vs. Corey Samuels(156) Bantamweight Bout: Jaylon Bates(136) vs. Cody Matthews(135) Middleweight Bout:Taylor Johnson(185.25) vs. Lance Wright(184.75) Bulu Bout:John Macapa (144.75) vs. John de Jesus(145.5)
About BELLATOR BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Di bawah arahan veteran perjuangan penganjur Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. Di Amerika Syarikat, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, teknik mengarang musik acara langsung, pembangunan pejuang / hubungan, perolehan tempat, penciptaan penajaan / pembangunan, pelesenan antarabangsa, pemasaran, pengiklanan, publisiti dan komisen hubungan. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, rumah untuk jenama hiburan utama di dunia yang menghubungkan dengan penonton melalui kandungan yang menarik di televisyen, gambar bergerak, platform dalam talian dan mudah alih.
Mengenai Showtime Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ dan Flix®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI memasarkan dan mengedarkan sukan dan acara hiburan untuk pameran kepada pelanggan secara bayaran untuk ditonton melalui Showtime PPV®. Untuk maklumat lanjut, pergi ke www.SHO.com.
LOS ANGELES – Adakah Tidak. 1 ranked heavyweightTimothy Johnson dan Tiada. 3 ranked heavyweightValentin Moldavskypreviewed their monumental inaugural interim heavyweight title fight atBELLATOR 261 on SHOWTIME during a virtual media day Wednesday. Johnson vs. Moldavsky caps off an amazing main card this Friday, Jun 25 hidup pada Showtime di 9 petang. ET / 6 petang. PT.
Yang BELLATOR 261 main card also features a top-five women’s flyweight bout in the co-main event slot as the No. 2 kedudukan Liz Carmouchetakes on the undefeated No. 3 kedudukan Kana Watanabe. Juga, lightweights square off as No. 4 kedudukan Myles Juryclashes with the No. 6 kedudukan Sidney Outlawin a contest holding major title implicationsand former title challenger No. 6 bulu kedudukan Daniel Weichel battles the undefeatedKeoni Diggsin a 145-pound bout.Top prospectChristian Edwardsopens the action on SHOWTIME in a light heavyweight banger againstSimon Biyong.
Di sini ialah apa yang pejuang telah mengatakan Rabu:
Tim Johnson BELLATOR Heavyweight *Klik DI SINIto view Johnson’s full media session
“I’m counting this as a title, I’ll let everyone else put interim in front of it. Moldavsky is a championship level fighter and so am I, so in my eyes this fight is to become the best heavyweight in the division.”
“It was easy to focus on his gameplan because it is the exact same thing I do. We both are strong wrestlers and have heavy ground and pound. I guess we are going to have see who does it better on Friday.”
“My resurgence in my career comes from me not doubting myself. I lost a few in a row and it was an easy excuse to quit and doubt myself, but I didn’t, and I was able to rip off three in a row and put myself in a position to win a title.”
Valentin Moldavsky BELLATOR Heavyweight *Klik DI SINIto view Moldavsky’s full media session “Yes, there are some similarities between me and Tim. My style is a little different, walaupun, I like to take people down and finish them there.”
“Now that this is a title fight, I understand that there is more on the line, but this is just another fight for me. I plan to do what I always do and that is fight my fight and come out with a victory.”
“It is an honor to train with Fedor and represent his team.”
“His wrestling is not better than mine, and my sambo is going to be more impactful than his wrestling.’ Liz Carmouche BELLATOR Women’s Flyweight
*Klik DI SINIto view Carmouche’s full media session
“I plan to get a dominant finish and earn a title shot. I don’t think either of us want this to go to a decision. Weather it be me knocking her out, cutting her open or ground and pound, I plan to finish this fight in a dominating fashion.”
“It is really exciting to fight in front of the fans and feel that energy again. Walking in and walking out is where you feel it, but when I step foot in the cage it is just me and my opponent.”
“This has nothing to do with Kana and her record. I have to put on a dominant performance and show why I deserve to be the champion in this division. When I got to Bellator, I wanted to climb all the way up the rankings, and that is what I have done and plan on continuing to do.”
“Without giving too much away I see a lot of possibilities here. I see a lot of disabilities in her game that I can capitalize on that will enhance my game. This will allow me to put on a great performance and finish her.”
Kana Watanabe BELLATOR Women’s Flyweight *Klik DI SINIto view Watanabe’s full media session “I am very flattered by the comparison to Rhonda, but my judo and my ground and pound is very advanced and much different than Rhonda’s.”
“If I have a positive showing Friday, then I believe I deserve a shot at the title.”
“Liz is one of the biggest names I have ever fought, but this does not change my mindset or make me feel pressure. I am honored to fight Liz and can’t wait to step foot in the cage with her.”
“I am honored to be the co-main event on Friday. That all means nothing, walaupun, if I don’t put on a show and an impressive performance. I plan to do that.’ Myles Jury BELLATOR Lightweight
“I try to focus on the things I can control, but a win Friday along with how I have been fighting should put me in the conversation for a title shot.”
“I credit my toughness for this two-fight win streak. I continue to show up and work hard. When I was on that three-fight losing streak, I did not allow for myself to get down. After Friday I will be on a three-fight win streak and in a great spot for a shot at the title, and I credit my toughness and resilience for that.”
Sidney Outlaw BELLATOR Lightweight “I have improved in every way possible. Jury is just another guy who breathes air, so I have nothing to worry about.”
“Fighting guys like Michael Chandler have helped me, but at the end of the day it is me vs. saya. I am confident, and that has translated to every other aspect of my life. I am prepared for this fight and am going to put on a show.”
“I think Keoni is a tough fighter, but I am looking forward to giving him his first loss. I am extremely excited for this fight and giving him his first loss is going to be a challenge for me, and I look forward to It.”
"Secara jujur, I don’t want to look ahead of this fight. It was easy to do that in the Grand Prix, and I did not like it. Keoni is a tough opponent, and my focus has been on him. I had a great camp and look forward to showing that Friday night.” Keoni Diggs BELLATOR Featherweight
“I’m stoked for the challenge. This is my toughest fight to date, and it’s against the toughest opponent. I am looking forward to making a statement and solidifying myself in this division.”
“My game plan never changes. I am going to take what he gives me and beat him. I believe I am better than him everywhere, I am not really looking forward to wins and losses, but I just want to put on a great performance and show what I am capable of.”
“Just because he has more fights doesn’t mean he has mystical powers. I train with some very tough people, and I am a veteran myself. I have a lot of confidence in myself and don’t see him doing anything that will shock me when we step in the cage.”
Christian Edwards BELLATOR Light Heavyweight *Klik DI SINIto view Edward’s full media session
“Simon is very tough, and it is definitely the toughest opponent of my career. I know my skill set, walaupun, and I know what I can do, and I expect to show that Friday.”
“I know Simon is very powerful and athletic. It is his first fight in the United States, so I expect him to come out flying. I plan to weather the storm and then take him into deep waters where I can finish the fight.” Simon Biyong BELLATOR Light Heavyweight *Klik DI SINIto view Biyong full media session
“It is a dream to fight in the United States and making my debut here is a huge opportunity. I was originally on the prelims and now I am on the main card, what more could I ask for?"
“I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for Edwards, but it doesn’t matter because at the end of the day it is a fight. It is short notice for me, and it is short notices for him. I will be ready and can’t wait to show my skills.”
“I am here to put myself in a position to get a ranked opponent, and Christian Edwards is in my way. I think he looked good in his last fight, but I am not his last opponent. I hope he is ready because I am.”
**** About BELLATOR BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Di bawah arahan veteran perjuangan penganjur Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. Di Amerika Syarikat, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, teknik mengarang musik acara langsung, pembangunan pejuang / hubungan, perolehan tempat, penciptaan penajaan / pembangunan, pelesenan antarabangsa, pemasaran, pengiklanan, publisiti dan komisen hubungan. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, rumah untuk jenama hiburan utama di dunia yang menghubungkan dengan penonton melalui kandungan yang menarik di televisyen, gambar bergerak, platform dalam talian dan mudah alih.
Mengenai Showtime Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., memiliki dan mengendalikan rangkaian televisyen premium Showtime®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ dan Flix®, dan juga menawarkan Showtime ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND dan FLIX ON DEMAND®, dan rangkaian pengesahan perkhidmatan Showtime ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, mengendalikan perkhidmatan strim yang berdiri sendiri Showtime®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, Televisyen Pintar LG, Oculus Go, Tahun®, TV Pintar Samsung, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers atShowtime.com. SNI memasarkan dan mengedarkan sukan dan acara hiburan untuk pameran kepada pelanggan secara bayaran untuk ditonton melalui Showtime PPV®. Untuk maklumat lanjut, pergi ke www.SHO.com.
#6 UFC Strawweight Mackenzie Dern signs with Paradigm Sports
Irvine, SEPERTI (Jun 22, 2021) – Paradigm Sports is proud to announce its full-service representation of mixed martial arts (MMA) star Mackenzie Dern.
Dern is the current #6 ranked UFC Strawweight, and has been steadily climbing the rankings with a 4-fight win streak. Dern boasts an impressive professional record of 11-1, her most recent win being a first round submission over Nina Nunes in April.
On signing with Paradigm Sports, Dern said: “I’m excited for the next phase of my career and working with Paradigm. I really feel that, sebagai satu pasukan, we will reach my full potential as a fighter inside and outside of the cage!"
Paradigm Sports Senior Vice President, Tim Simpson, dinyatakan: “We are thrilled to welcome Mackenzie into the Paradigm Sports family. She is a phenomenal athlete and one with championship potential. On behalf of our whole team, it is an honor to partner with her and her family, and we look forward to helping her build upon the successful career she has already begun.”
Paradigm Sports is a full-service management agency that has set itself apart as a multi-platform sports business and media company that handles the careers of a global roster of elite combat sports athletes, including Conor McGregor, Israel Adesanya, Michael Page and Cris Cyborg.
LOS ANGELES – June 17, 2021– BELLATOR MMA’s Featherweight and Lightweight World ChampionPatricio Pitbull (32-4) and undefeated top-ranked challengerAJ McKee (17-0) previewed their must-watch Featherweight World Grand Prix Final and 145-pound title fight during a virtual press conference Wednesday. Both fighters’ head coaches, Eric Albarracinof Team Pitbull Brothers, dan Antonio McKeeof Team Bodyshop, also chimed in with a look at the final preparations both fight camps are taking as we approach the massive event.
BELLATOR 263: Pitbull vs. McKee will emanate from the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and will air live on SHOWTIME at 10 petang. ET / 7 petang. PT. Tickets for the event go on sale tomorrow, Jumaat, Jun 18 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com.
Here is what the fighters and their coaches had to say Wednesday:
Patricio Pitbull, BELLATOR Featherweight World Champion & BELLATOR Lightweight World Champion
“I’m a little bit older and faster than the rest of my division and I’m going to use this in my favor. (22:47)
“Of all the opponents I’ve faced, AJ is the most dangerous, and I know that. Dengan itu yang berkata, I know that I’m going to win this fight and prove his father wrong. (26:18)
“At the beginning of his career, he faced very low-level guys. He has a few wins over tough opponents, but he’s never fought anyone like me. He claims that he is ready for me, but he isn’t, and he’ll learn that very quickly in front of his home crowd.” (38:48) AJ McKee, Adakah Tidak. 1 Ranked BELLATOR Featherweight & Featherweight World Grand Prix Finalist
“It’s been a great journey and this is something I’ve dreamed of my entire career. Seperti yang saya katakan, I’ve been calling Pitbull’s name since I first stepped into that cage and he’s ignored me, pretending like he doesn’t know who I am. Pada akhir hari, there is nowhere else for him to run and he has to look me in my eyes. I’m looking forward to it. Everyone says I haven’t been tested and I agree. Tetapi, when you do see me get tested, a whole different animal will come out. (23:22)
“After I beat Pitbull and become the face of BELLATOR, we can run it back for that second belt too. Becoming champ-champ is something that I said I was always going to do, and that I will do. I went through the trials and tribulations of not wanting to fight, to then having my passion for this come back and me seeing all my goals be within reach. It’s going to be fun, especially after the long break due to my knee surgery. I can’t wait to get in there again. The Mercenary does one thing: he signs the contract and then takes the person out. (24:22)
“I’ve been preparing for this fight for six years because Pitbull has been at the top for so long. Sekali lagi, I have a foot longer reach on him, so he has to come to me. He says he is training with gold medal wrestlers, but I will do the same thing to him that I did to Pat Curran and Darrion Caldwell. I’m comfortable off my back. Just because he’s Brazilian, that doesn’t mean anything in terms of Jiu jitsu. I have that evolved Jiu jitsu and that’s what I get people with when they don’t see it coming.” (31:45)
Scott Coker, BELLATOR President “We’re excited to be back in California and we are excited to be back in the Forum, a place where we have had so many great fights. It’s going to be an amazing event. My staff is excited and the fighters are excited. When you think about live sports, it needs fans. We got a taste of it last week at the Mohegan Sun, which has been an amazing partner for us, but it’s time to travel and get back to what BELLATOR does best. That is putting on great fights touring from city-to-city, starting with this amazing fight on July 31. (4:10)
“This is the fight that everyone wanted to see. We have so many amazing athletes in this division that we went through the lottery system for matchups, which provided us with amazing fights. But at the beginning, I was wishing that the final would be McKee versus Pitbull. When we signed McKee, he had zero fights to his name. Sekarang, look at where he is today. Back then, Pitbull was our champion and obviously still is today, so this fight is the “OG” vs. the new guard and we’ll have to see what happens.” (5:13)
“Patricio’s had a bullseye on his back since he became the champ in 2014, when he beat Pat Curran and this run has gone exactly as we planned. We were the matchmakers, we sent Darrion Caldwell to the other side of the bracket to take out some of the young bucks and he did. Kemudian, AJ took him out and here we are. I think this is the perfect matchup for the finals. We have a young, up-and-coming, undefeated fighter and the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet, Patricio Pitbull. This is going to be the greatest fight in BELLATOR history. (7:20)
“Even at 17-0, AJ is still very young in the game. He’s very unpredictable. Tetapi, at the end of the day it’s Pitbull who is the pound-for-pound best on the planet, it’s Pitbull who is the double champ, it’s Pitbull who has the best coaches in the game and they don’t know how to prepare for that.” (8:18)
“I lived a different life, one where it wasn’t all good. I was dealing with a lot of stuff that a lot of African American men deal with. No mother and no father, growing up in the streets of Los Angeles. It was what it was, but I made the right decisions and never got caught for anything that I did that could have put me away for the rest of my life and found my drive and motivation through my son. The things that AJ would say as a kid, like ‘Daddy if you die, can I die with you?’ I didn’t care about living and I didn’t have a problem with killing either. And then one day AJ says ‘Dad, whatever you do and wherever you go, I want to come with you.’ I was ready to clock out, but then I realized that I needed to be here for him. He had nothing but me, so that gave me the drive and the strength to find a better way out.
“I made it this far, did my thing as a wrestler and was the best in the world. I did what I was doing, but I didn’t have the right mindset, so I had to check my mental and learn how to be a respectable human being. Once I did that, things started to shift for me and now here we are. I did things to keep AJ in private school, not to buy cars, muzik, and jewelry. I did it all to pay for his school tuition.” (14:36)
VISALIA – Live mixed martial arts action is back this Saturday at Valley Strong Ballpark home of the Visalia Rawhide.
559 Fights is the first amateur MMA promotion in the State to do a live event with a crowd since the pandemic started.
Doors open for the 17-bout event at 6pm and fights start at 7. Sekiranya utama, Oceano strawweight Gabby Lopez (5-0) fights Rocklin’s Valerie Thurs (3-4) untuk 559 Fights title.
Sekiranya bersama utama yang, Visalia 145-pounder Mark Hernandez (2-2-1) battles Bakersfield’s Sal Bruno (2-2-2) for the interim Featherweight crown.
“We are definitely glad to be back. And back with such an amazing fight card," 559 Fights President Jeremy Luchau said. “It’s been a long time and we are excited to see some of the veterans back and a great mix of new local talent.”
The fight card also features a grappling tournament featuring many of the Valley’s top talent, both on the mat and in the cage, including Bellator veteran Nick Bustamante, Tachi Palace Fights vet Christian Avalos, and Visalia black belt Marc De La Cruz.
“Really excited to see some pretty good grappling,” Luchau said. “There are a ton of great grappling events in the state and beyond and the Valley always has some great athletes. We are blessed to be able to put some great matches together.”
BELLATOR 263TAKES PLACE AT THE FORUM IN LOS ANGELES ON SATURDAY, Julai 31 – LIVE ON Showtime®
TICKETS FOR THIS MASSIVE EVENT GO ON SALE TOMORROW ATBELLATOR.COM
LOS ANGELES— And then there were two…
What began with 16 featherweight athletes vying for a one-million-dollar grand prize and the BELLATOR Featherweight World Championship has been narrowed to the greatest BELLATOR athlete in the history of the promotionPatricio Pitbull (32-4) and the company’s best-ever homegrown fighter in No. 1 kedudukanAJ McKee (17-0).
The culmination of the BELLATOR Featherweight World Grand Prix takes place Saturday, Julai 31 di Forum di Inglewood, Calif., and marks the company’s first domestic event hosted away from “The Fightsphere” since February 2020.
BELLATOR 263: Pitbull vs. McKeeairs live on SHOWTIME at 10 petang. ET / 7 petang. PT and tickets for the event go on sale this Friday, Jun 18 at BELLATOR.com and Ticketmaster.com with a pre-sale taking place on Thursday.
“This is without a doubt going to be the biggest BELLATOR fight of all time,” said BELLATOR President Scott Coker. “AJ McKee has been calling for a shot at Pitbull’s title since his very first professional victory inside our cage six years ago. Now he’s finally getting the opportunity to realize his dream of becoming a world champion against the winningest fighter in BELLATOR history. For Pitbull a win over McKee in this tournament final would be a statement piece to add to his long list of accolades and legacy as the best 145-pounder on the planet.”
One half of the vaunted Pitbull Brothers duo, Patricio has long been considered the crown jewel of BELLATOR MMA, where he sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings. Holding a remarkable record of 32-4 with wins over elite competition including the likes ofPat Curran, Juan Archuleta, Daniel Weichel (x2) and most recently a second triumph over Emmanuel Sanchez, the 33-year-old stands alone as the featherweight king. Selain itu, he was able to capture the Lightweight World Championship in a 2019 contest opposite Michael Chandler, becoming only the second BELLATOR athlete to hold two titles simultaneously. Dengan 23 finishes in 36 pergaduhan profesional, Pitbull has shown time and time again that he possesses the well-rounded skillset required to reign over multiple weight classes.
With a perfect record of 17-0, AJ McKee has exceeded the lofty expectations placed on him since his professional debut at the ripe age of 20-years-old. With an even six knockouts and six submissions, the now-26-year-old McKee has shown a knack for securing finishes—and fast—with nine coming in the first round. “Mercenary” has earned dominant victories over every man who has opposed him including former champions Pat Curran, Georgi Karakhanyan, and Darrion Caldwell, who McKee submitted most-recently with a rare, modified neck crank that was later dubbed the “McKee-otine.” Finally, the Long Beach native will face the man he has called for since signing with BELLATOR, as he takes on Patricio Pitbull in the much-anticipated Featherweight World Grand Prix Final.
The preliminary portion of the event streams live at 7 petang. ET / 4 petang. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, as well as Pluto TV and features former featherweight title challenger and No. 2 kedudukanEmmanuel Sanchez(20-5) versus Denmark’s No. 8 kedudukanMads Burnell(15-3), a bantamweight tilt between No. 3 kedudukanMagomed “Tiger” Magomedov(18-1) dan Tiada. 4 Raufeon “Supa” Stots(16-1) and a lightweight affair pitting undefeatedUsman Nurmagomedov (12-0) terhadapManny Muro(12-6).
#1-Yaroslav Amosov(26-0) defeated c-Douglas Lima (32-9) melalui keputusan sebulat suara (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
Yaroslav Amosov after winning the title: “I am happy because this is my life. It’s been a long time in training. It’s the result I wanted and I am happy. Now I must recover. Tetapi, tidak mengapa, I have my undefeated record.”
#3-Jason Jackson(15-4) dikalahkan #6-Paul Daley (43-18-2) melalui keputusan sebulat suara (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jason Jackson following his unanimous decision win: “It’s not easy to come out here and do what me and Paul Daley just did. We came out here, we fought our ass off.
“I needed to prove to myself that I could go in there and fight the champ. This guy went five rounds with Douglas Lima. Jadi, I knew if I take this opportunity to fight him and go and fight the way I trained, then I could beat Douglas Lima and win the championship.”
#6-Harun Pico (8-3) dikalahkan Aiden Lee (9-5) melalui penyerahan (anaconda choke) di 1:33 pusingan tiga
Aaron Pico speaks post victory: “He’s a warrior, pertama sekali. My team and I put in a lot of work, but I feel like I could’ve done a little bit better. Thank God I have no injuries, I can fight next month if I needed to. And I just want to say thank you to all of the fans.”
“I’ll fight anybody in the top ten honestly. Saya akan melawan sesiapa. I feel like I’m ready. I’m sorry I didn’t get the knockout tonight but I’m happy with the submission.”
Mark Lemminger(12-3) dikalahkan Demarques Jackson(11-6) melalui TKO (tumbukan) di 3:30 pusingan dua
Mark Lemminger on his win:
“He’s strong. He was slowing down [as the fight went on], but he still felt pretty strong. I was able to control my position. I didn’t make the same mistake I made last time I was here and I put him belly down and I got the stoppage.” Kad Awal: Kyle Crutchmer (7-1) dikalahkan Levan Chokheli (9-1, 1 NC) melalui keputusan sebulat suara (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Justin Gonzales(12-0) dikalahkan #9-Tywan Claxton (6-3) melalui keputusan berpecah (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Bobby King (10-3) dikalahkan Nick Newell (16-4) melalui keputusan berpecah (30-27, 28-29, 30-27) Lucas Brennan (5-0) dikalahkan Matthew Skibicki(4-4) melalui penyerahan (anaconda choke) di 1:54 satu pusingan Marina Mokhnatkina (5-2) dikalahkan #8-Amanda Bell(7-8) melalui keputusan sebulat suara (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Alex Polizzi(8-1) dikalahkan Gustavo Trujillo(3-2) melalui penyerahan (straight armbar) di 4:22 satu pusingan
UNTUK SIARAN SEGERA: Milford, New Hampshire (Jun 9, 2021) - New England Melawan (NEF) returns with its next event, "NEF 44: Back in Black,” on August 21, 2021 at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, New Hampshire. The show will feature both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and kickboxing fights. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur title fight to the card.Nathanial Grimard(3-0) akan mengambilBrandon “BAMF” Maillet-Fevens(3-1) for the vacant NEF Amateur Featherweight Championship.
Grimard and Maillet-Fevens were originally scheduled to meet at “NEF 43” last year until the event was indefinitely postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grimard has not let the global pandemic slow down his fight aspirations. With New England states closed for MMA events, Grimard ventured south to Florida last February and again just last week, picking up back-to-back wins to open his amateur career at a perfect 3-0. The Exeter, New Hampshire native represents Nostos MMA of Somersworth, New Hampshire where he trains under UFC and Bellator veteran, and former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion, Devin Powell.
“I’m very excited for this opportunity to fight for title,” said Grimard. “I have been improving every fight, and I believe I have the skills and hard work to win the belt. I can’t wait to show my improvements in the NEF cage. I expect to see the best version of Brandon, and I think we will put on a great fight for August 21st.”
“Nate is exactly what you’d want in a fighter,” said Grimard teammate and Nostos co-proprietor Carol Linn Powell. “He does BJJ, striking, gusti, drills, kekuatan dan penyaman, spars smart, even puts the Gi on. He has been working so hard for this sport and never stopped when the world did. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of a title shot and I can’t wait to see him win that belt.”
Brandon Maillet-Fevens is one of the great comeback stories of NEF history. After losing his amateur debut at “NEF 36” in November 2018, Maillet-Fevens went on a three-fight win-streak, finishing all three of his opponents in those fights. In his most recent outing pre-pandemic, Maillet-Fevens defeated Tyler Knights (0-1) via second-round submission at “NEF 41” in November 2019. Maillet-Fevens represents Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) based in Lewiston, ME.
“It’s been a long year and half, but we never stopped working, never stopped perfecting our skills, because we knew this day was coming,” declared Maillet-Fevens. “I think this is a very exciting matchup. You’ve got two proven finishers that are hungry to take that next step in our careers. I know we’re both ready to go in there, put on a great show, and leave it all in the cage. I’m grateful and excited for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to a great fight!"
“Brandon is one of those guys who shows up every day, works hard, never complains, and even when he’s not fighting he’s in the gym getting better and helping his teammates,” noted CMBJJ coach Jesse Erickson. “He’s a role model for my up-and-comers. I’m very much looking forward to this contest!"
Tickets for “NEF 44: Back in Black” are on sale now atwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets/. The MMA and kickboxing event will take place at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, New Hampshire on Saturday, Ogos 21, 2021, with a bell-time of 7 pm.
Mengenai Melawan New England
Melawan New England ("NEF") adalah acara promosi syarikat perjuangan. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. Pasukan eksekutif NEF ini mempunyai pengalaman yang luas dalam pengurusan sukan tempur, pengeluaran acara, hubungan media, pemasaran, undang-undang dan pengiklanan.
