Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

UPDATED OFFICIAL BELLATOR MMA™ FIGHTER RANKINGS

MAJOR SHAKEUP IN RANKINGS FOR MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT, WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND DIVISIONS 

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Click here for additional information detailing fighter eligibility, as well as additional voting criteria.

MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND
1. Patricio Pitbull (32-4)2. Vadim Nemkov (12-2)3. Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2)4. Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC)5. Juan Archuleta (25-2)6. Douglas Lima (32-8)7. AJ McKee (17-0)8. Phil Davis (22-5)9. Corey Anderson (14-5)10. Yaroslav Amosov (25-0) 
WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND
1. Cris Cyborg (23-2, 1 NC)2. Juliana Velasquez (11-0)3. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-1)4. Julia Budd (14-3)5. Arlene Blencowe (13-8)6. Liz Carmouche (15-7) ∆17. Denise Kielholtz (6-2) ∇18. Cat Zingano (12-4) ∆19. Kana Watanabe (10-0-1) ∇110. Leslie Smith (12-8-1)
MEN’S HEAVYWEIGHT
C. Ryan Bader (28-6)1. Timothy Johnson (15-6)2. Cheick Kongo (30-11-2)3. Valentin Moldavsky (10-1)4. Tyrell Fortune (10-1)5. Fedor Emelianenko (39-6)6. Linton Vassell (20-8)7. Steven Mowry (8-0)8. Matt Mitrione (13-8)9. Sergei Kharitonov (32-8)10. Javy Ayala (11-8)
MEN’S LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTC. Vadim Nemkov (12-2)1. Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC)2. Phil Davis (22-5, 1 NC)3. Corey Anderson (14-5)4. Lyoto Machida (26-11)5. Julius Anglickas (9-1)6. Grant Neal (5-0)7. Christian Edwards (4-0)8. Tyree Fortune (5-0)9. Melvin Manhoef (32-15-1)10. Alex Polizzi (7-1)MEN’S MIDDLEWEIGHTC. Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2)1. John Salter (18-4)2. Anatoly Tokov (29-2)3. Austin Vanderford (10-0)4. Fabian Edwards (9-1)5. Costello van Steenis (13-2)6. Johnny Eblen (7-0)7. Charlie Ward (9-4)8. Mike Shipman (14-3)9. Romero Cotton (5-0)10. Ed Ruth (8-3)MEN’S WELTERWEIGHTC. Douglas Lima (32-8)1. Yaroslav Amosov (25-0)2. Michael Page (18-1)3. Jason Jackson (14-4)4. Neiman Gracie (10-2)5. Logan Storley (11-1)6. Derek Anderson (17-3)7. Joey Davis (8-0)8. Sabah Homasi (15-8)9. Oliver Enkamp (10-2)10. Jaleel Willis (14-2)
MEN’S LIGHTWEIGHTC. Patricio Pitbull (32-4)1. Brent Primus (10-1)2. Patricky Pitbull (23-9)3. Goiti Yamauchi (25-5)4. Benson Henderson (28-10)5. Sidney Outlaw (15-4)6. Myles Jury (19-5)7. Adam Piccolotti (12-4)8. Alfie Davis (14-3)9. Dan Moret (15-6) NR10. Aviv Gozali (5-0) 1MEN’S FEATHERWEIGHTC. Patricio Pitbull (32-4)1. AJ McKee (17-0)2. Emmanuel Sanchez (20-5)3. Adam Borics (17-1)4. Pedro Carvalho (11-4)5. Daniel Weichel (40-12)6. Aaron Pico (7-3)7. Jay Jay Wilson (7-0)8. Jeremy Kennedy (16-3, 1 NC)9. Tywan Claxton (6-2)10. Mads Burnell (14-3)MEN’S BANTAMWEIGHTC. Juan Archuleta (25-2)1. Sergio Pettis (20-5)2. Patchy Mix (13-1)3. Magomed Magomedov (18-1) ∆14. Raufeon Stots (15-1) 15. James Gallagher (11-1)6. Leandro Higo (20-5)7. Josh Hill (20-3)8. Jornel Lugo (6-0) ∆29. Cass Bell (5-2) 110. Brian Moore (13-7) NR
WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHTC. Cris Cyborg (23-2, 1 NC)1. Julia Budd (14-3)2. Arlene Blencowe (13-8)3. Cat Zingano (12-4)4. Leslie Smith (12-8-1)5. Sinead Kavanagh (7-4)6. Janay Harding (6-4)7. Amanda Bell (7-7) ∆18. Leah McCourt (4-1) 19. Olga Rubin (6-2)10. Jessy Miele (9-5)WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHTC. Juliana Velasquez (11-0)1. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-1)2. Liz Carmouche (15-7)3. Kana Watanabe (10-0-1) ∆14. Denise Kielholtz (6-2) 15. Alejandra Lara (9-4)6. Kate Jackson (11-5-1)7. Veta Arteaga (5-4)8. Mandy Böhm (7-0)9. Valerie Loureda (3-0)10. Bruna Ellen (5-3)  Logo

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Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 256: BADER VS. MACHIDA 2

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 Complete Fight Night Photos Here
Post-Fight Interviews available on the BELLATOR PR YouTube Channel
 
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – BELLATOR 256: Bader vs. Machida 2 is officially in the books.
 
The BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix rolls on as Bellator MMA returns next Friday, April 16 on SHOWTIME, when Vadim Nemkov defends his light heavyweight world title against former championPhil Davis and Corey Anderson welcomes Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov to the BELLATOR Cage in the event’s co-headliner. The opening round culminates on SHOWTIME on May 7 when Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Yoel Romero square off at BELLATOR MMA 258, a massive event headlined by a bantamweight world title fight featuring Juan Archuleta vs. Sergio Pettis



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BELLATOR MMA 256: Bader vs. Machida 2 Main Card:
#1-Ryan Bader (28-6, 1 NC) defeated #4-Lyoto Machida (26-11) via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-45, 49-45)
Bader “I don’t know who I’d rather face next. I don’t know much about [Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov] but I know Corey [Anderson] really well. I brought him in for training camps for Phil Davis. He’s a good guy so I’m rooting for him. But if I have to fight him, I know he’s tough. I’m in this tournament and I ran through another tournament before. I had fun so that’s why I came down here. It doesn’t matter who’s in my way. I want that belt back and this was the first step right here.
 
“There’s redemption this whole tournament. I got one back on Machida but I’ve lost to Nemkov and I’ve lost to Anthony Johnson, so I would like to meet one of them in the finals. But honestly, to make it to the finals and fight for the belt, I’d be happy with whoever it is.”
 
#2-Liz Carmouche (15-7) defeated Vanessa Porto (22-8) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Carmouche: “As soon as they say I’m clear and I’m good, I’m ready to get right back into fighting camp and go for the belt. If I don’t get a title shot, I’d be disappointed of course. I came in here with the hopes that I would work up the ranks to fight for the title. I just need to know what I need to do. You tell me who I need to beat to get that fight and I’ll do it. I certainly hope that taking somebody who has more fights than I do and beating her tonight would put me in contention for that belt.”
 
#3-Adam Borics (17-1) defeated#8-Jeremy Kennedy (16-3, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Borics: “I don’t care who my next opponent is, but just give me the winner of the [Featherweight World Grand Prix] tournament. I’m definitely next in line. My goal is to get the winner but let’s see what BELLATOR wants. I am really happy I got this opportunity to fight during these crazy times. I feel that I am ready for a title. I have eight or nine fights with BELLATOR so yes, I would like to fight for the title next.”
 
#3-Cat Zingano (12-4) defeated Olivia Parker (4-2) via submission (armbar) at 2:56 of round one
Zingano: “I want to go against the best. I know who’s the best. I know these two girls [Cris Cyborg and Leslie Smith] have a fight coming up in a couple months and I’d love to get a shot at the belt over here in BELLATOR. That would mean a lot to me.”
 
Dan Moret (15-6) defeated #3-Goiti Yamauchi (25-5) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
 
Rising welterweight star Jaron “Boots” Ennis was interviewed on the telecast ahead of his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event debut tomorrow night against former 140-pound world champion Sergey Lipinets.
 
“You’re going to see a lot of speed, power, and me having fun. It’s about making statements and getting knockouts at the end of the night,” said the 23-year-old Ennis, who will be taking on the toughest challenge of his career in Lipinets as he pursues a world title shot. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for me to headline my first SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and it’s the start of me being a pay-per-view star. It’s only up after this. It’s time for me to do my thing tomorrow night.”
 
Preliminary Card: 
Dalton Rosta (5-0) defeated Tony Johnson (9-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Talita Nogueira (8-2) defeated Jessica Borga (3-3) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
#10-Jornel Lugo (6-0) defeated #8-Cass Bell (5-2) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Cody Law (3-0) defeated Nathan Ghareeb (2-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jaylon Bates (2-0) defeated Jeffrey Glossner (2-2) via submission (guillotine) at 1:27 of round two
Nainoa Dung (4-2) defeated Izzy William (4-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Diana Avsaragova (3-0) defeated Tara Graff (1-3) via knockout (punches) at :29 of round one
John Douma (5-2) defeated Will Smith (3-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
 
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR MMA 255: PITBULL VS. SANCHEZ 2

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COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS

BELLATOR MMA 255: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 Main Card:

C-Patricio Pitbull (32-4) defeated #2-Emmanuel Sanchez (20-5) via technical submission (guillotine choke) at 3:35 of round one

#6-Jason Jackson (14-4) defeated #3-Neiman Gracie (10-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

#6-Tyrell Fortune (10-1) defeated Jack May (11-8) via TKO (punches) at 3:16 of round one

Usman Nurmagomedov (12-0) defeated Mike Hamel (7-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

5-Kana Watanabe (10-0-1) defeated #4-Alejandra Lara (9-4) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Preliminary Card:  

#6-Magomed Magomedov (18-1) defeated Cee Jay Hamilton (15-8) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:22 of round two

Mandel Nallo (8-1) defeated Ricardo Seixas (9-3) via knockout (strikes) at 3:23 of round one

Khalid Murtazaliev (15-2) defeated Fabio Aguiar (17-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Chris Gonzalez (6-0) defeated Roger Huerta (24-13-1) via submission (strikes) at 3:01 of round three

Jose Augusto (17-1) defeated Jonathan Wilson (9-3) via submission (head and arm choke) at 4:58 of round one

Roman Faraldo (5-0) defeated Trevor Gudde (2-2) via TKO 1:30 of round one

Jordan Newman (3-0) defeated Branko Busick (2-2) via TKO (strikes) at 2:30 of round two

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THE FINALS OF THE BELLATOR MMA FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX – CHAMPION PATRICIO “PITBULL” VS. #1-RANKED AJ MCKEE

Quotes:

Patricio “Pitbull:” “I am ready to fight AJ McKee right now, please just tell SHOWTIME, I will get in the cage and we can take care of this tomorrow.”

“I want to be the first man to defeat McKee, he has been opening his mouth about me for a very long time, this will be the biggest fight in BELLATOR history.”

AJ McKee: “Patricio Pitbull has been the man. Nothing against him. He’s got great accolades. I already said I’m going to be the champ-champ. For me, it’s the new era. He said my time is over. My time has just begun. We’ll see.

“It’s a fight the fans have wanted for the longest. On top of that, he’s underrated. He’s an outstanding champ. His accolades, his credentials, his record is phenomenal. But at the end of the day, nobody has a win over me. Nobody has a belt with my name on it and nobody is going to get a belt with my name on it.”

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

BELLATOR MMA™ CHAMP CRIS ‘CYBORG’ DEFENDS FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE IN REMATCH AGAINST LESLIE SMITH ON SHOWTIME®

BELLATOR MMA 259 AIRS LIVE ON FRIDAY, MAY 21 FROM MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

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LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA and SHOWTIME Sports today announced BELLATOR MMA 259 on Friday, May 21, will be headlined by a featherweight championship rematch pitting current 145-pound titleholder and the top-ranked women’s pound-for-pound fighter Cris “Cyborg” (23-2, 1 NC) against Northern California’s Leslie Smith (12-8-1). The event airs live exclusively on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and emanates from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

In addition to the main event, two matchups are confirmed, as No. 7 lightweight Adam “The Bomb” Piccolotti (12-4) takes on No. 10 Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (30-11-1, 1 NC), while the undefeated No. 7Christian “Pain” Edwards (4-0) meets Ben “Big Tuna” Parrish (4-1) in a light heavyweight contest. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.

“I believe in five years she’s going to be a better fighter. More training, more working and fighting. More experience. The first fight was very fast, so I think this one is going to be a longer fight. She’s a warrior. She likes to fight and it’s going to be nice to fight somebody like this,” said Cyborg, who appeared on tonight’s BELLATOR 255 broadcast to confirm the event.

“Of course, I want this fight. Everyone’s goal is to get a title in the premiere organization, which this is. This is the best organization for my weight class, and the best possible place I can be. I can guarantee it will be an entertaining fight,” added Smith.

Just the second BELLATOR woman’s featherweight champion in the company’s history, Cris “Cyborg” is coming off the first defense of her BELLATOR title, a victory against Arlene Blencowe, that also marked the first submission win of her illustrious career. An MMA legend at 35-years-old, “Cyborg” will be looking to further her legacy as the greatest woman’s mixed martial artist of all-time when she faces Leslie Smith for the second time on May 21. After winning BELLATOR gold in the 12th title fight of her career, the native of Curitiba, Brazil made history by becoming a world champion in her fourth major promotion, previously holding belts in both the UFC and Strikeforce. With a pro record of 23-2, 1 NC, including 19 wins by finish, the Brazilian-born fighter who now calls Southern California home, holds victories over tough competition, including Julia Budd, Holly Holm, Marloes Coenen and Gina Carano.

Known for an exciting in-your-face striking style, Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith will enter the BELLATOR cage on May 21 for the fifth time in her nearly 11-year MMA career. She gets a second shot at defeating “Cyborg,” following their first meeting at UFC 198 in Brazil on May 14, 2016. Since that bout, Smith has won four out of five fights with victories over Irene Aldana and Sinead Kavanagh among them. A teammate of fellow BELLATOR athlete Keri Taylor Melendez, Smith trains out of El Nino Training Center in San Francisco.

The preliminary card for BELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 will air LIVE in all U.S. markets on the BELLATOR and SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channels, as well as Pluto TV.

As part of the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME, the network is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up at SHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 and beyond, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.  

Updated BELLATOR MMA 259: Cyborg vs. Smith 2 Fight Card:

Featherweight World Title Bout: C-Cris “Cyborg” (23-2, 1 NC) vs. #4-Leslie Smith (12-8-1)

Lightweight Bout: #7-Adam Piccolotti (12-4) vs. #10-Georgi Karakhanyan (30-11-1, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Bout: #7-Christian Edwards (4-0) vs. Ben Parrish (4-1)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit BELLATOR.com for additional information.

SHOWTIME® TO DELIVER A FLURRY OF BELLATOR MMA™ CONTENT ACROSS PLATFORMS IN ADVANCE OF LIVE BELLATOR DEBUT ON APRIL 2

Exclusive Fight Content Includes Past Events, Highlights, And In-Depth Analysis of Featherweight And Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix

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NEW YORK – MARCH 19, 2021 – BELLATOR MMAis launching on SHOWTIME on Friday, April 2 with BELLATOR MMA 255: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 followed by two consecutive Friday nights of live championship MMA fight action. In anticipation of the launch, SHOWTIME will air a collection of BELLATOR specials and fight replays across its distribution platforms to set the stage for the April 2 live event featuring the BELLATOR MMA Featherweight World Grand Prix Semifinal, as well as the beginning of the highly anticipated BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix set to begin on Friday, April 9 and Friday, April 16.

Starting this week, both SHOWTIME subscribers and non-subscribers have access to an exclusive collection of fights that have paved the way for the compelling upcoming matchups in each of these premier mixed martial arts tournaments featuring Patricio “Pitbull”Emmanuel SanchezAJ McKeeVadim NemkovRyan Bader and more.

In addition, SHOWTIME Sports will present a pair of highlight-driven specials hosted by Morning Kombat’s Brian Campbell and Luke Thomas to preview the Pitbull vs. Sanchez featherweight semifinal and the start of the eight-man Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix tournament. Titled ROAD TO BELLATOR MMA, bothspecial programs will consist of highlights, analysis, and fight predictions, as SHOWTIME Sports’ dynamic combat sports duo prepares viewers for the live debut of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME. 

ROAD TO BELLATOR MMA: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 will debut on Monday, March 22 while ROAD TO BELLATOR MMA: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix will premiere one week later on Monday, March 29 on the SHOWTIME Sports and BELLATOR MMA YouTube channels. Both programs also will be available to subscribers on all SHOWTIME On Demand platforms, on SHOWTIME EXTREME, as well as to SHOWTIME distributors for their free-on-demand and online portals. 

On Saturday, March 27, a replay of BELLATOR MMA 253: Caldwell vs. McKee will air on SHOWTIME at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The four-fight card, includingMcKee’s iconic “McKee-otine” finish over former BELLATOR Bantamweight World Champion Darrion Caldwell that propelled the young star into the Featherweight World Grand Prix Final, will also replay onSHOWTIME on Sunday, March 28 at 12 Midnight ET/PT, and again on Thursday, April 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

BELLATOR 253, along with several past events which featured the world-class fighters in the upcoming tournaments, will be scheduled on SHOWTIME EXTREME weeknights at 10 p.m. ET/PT and are now available on SHOWTIME On Demand platforms. Select events will be available for free to non-subscribers via SHOWTIME distributor platforms and on Pluto TV’s SHOWTIME Selects and BELLATOR MMA channels.

As part of the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME, the network is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up at SHO.com/BellatorMMA.

The following fight replays are scheduled for the weeks ahead as fans prepare for the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME:

·       BELLATOR MMA 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho – (Original air date 11/12/2020)

·       BELLATOR MMA 251: Manhoef vs. Anderson – (Original air date 11/05/2020)

·       BELLATOR MMA 245: Davis vs. Machida 2 – (Original air date 09/11/2020)

·       BELLATOR MMA 244: Bader vs. Nemkov – (Original air date 08/21/2020)

·       BELLATOR MMA 222: MacDonald vs. Gracie – (Original air date 06/14/2019)

·       BELLATOR MMA 220: MacDonald vs. Fitch – (Original air date 04/27/2019)

·       BELLATOR MMA 214: Fedor vs. Bader – (Original air date 01/26/2019)

·       BELLATOR MMA 186: Bader vs. Vassell – (Original air date 11/03/2017)

·       Plus, two individual bouts from BELLATOR MMA 209: – (Original air date 11/16/2018)

  • BELLATOR MMA: Davis vs Nemkov
  • BELLATOR MMA: Pitbull vs. Sanchez

For more information visit www.bellator.com or www.SHO.com, follow on Twitter @BellatorMMA and @ShowtimeSports,  on Instagram @BellatorMMA and @ShoSports, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BellatorMMA.

BELLATOR MMA™ LAUNCHES OFFICIAL FIGHTER RANKINGS

MEDIA MEMBERS TO VOTE ON TOP 10 COMPETITORS IN NINE WEIGHT CLASSES, AS WELL AS MEN’S & WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND LISTS

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INITIAL RANKINGS SET TO BE RELEASED IN ADVANCE OF BELLATOR’S APRIL DEBUT ON SHOWTIME®

LOS ANGELES – Bellator MMA™ is pleased to announce the organization will implement an official fighter rankings system for each of its weight classes, in addition to a pound-for-pound list for both the men’s and women’s divisions, in the coming weeks. The official Bellator MMA Fighter Rankings will be determined by a 15-person voting panel, comprised exclusively of members of the MMA media.

“This is the greatest roster in the history of Bellator,” said Bellator MMA President Scott Coker. “As we continue to sign the top free agents in the sport and see the success of young prospects inside the Bellator cage, we felt that the time was right to introduce official fighter rankings. We are always looking at ways to improve our product and this adds a new and exciting aspect to the organization that will have a significant impact on how fans watch Bellator. Every division is competitive, every matchup is important, and we are set for several potential blockbusters as we begin a new year on Showtime.”

Votes will be cast for eligible fighters following each Bellator live event and final results will be made public. To ensure transparency, the tabulation of votes will be overseen solely by a third-party company, Combat Registry.

The initial rankings will be released in the days leading up to Bellator’s return to action and debut on SHOWTIME® Friday, April 2 with Bellator 255: Pitbull vs. Sanchez 2 at 9 p.m. ET.

Information detailing fighter eligibility, as well as additional voting criteria, is listed below:

Divisional Rankings:

  • Top 10 fighter rankings will be voted on in nine Bellator MMA weight classes, in addition to two pound-for-pound lists.
  • Champions of each division will be automatically assigned to the Champions slot atop the rankings.
  • Fighters in seven men’s divisions will be ranked, including:
    • Heavyweight
    • Light Heavyweight
    • Middleweight
    • Welterweight
    • Lightweight
    • Featherweight
    • Bantamweight
  • Fighters in two women’s divisions will be ranked, including:
    • Featherweight
    • Flyweight
  • Two pound-for-pound lists will be voted on, including:
    • Men’s
    • Women’s

 New Fighter Eligibility:

  • A fighter must have competed once inside the Bellator cage on a current term with the company to be eligible.

Inactivity:

  • A fighter is eligible to be ranked for up to 15-months without competing.

Retirement

  • A fighter remains eligible for 60 days after an indication of retirement, with the organization ultimately determining if the fighter remains active and eligible.

Multiple Weight Classes:

  • A fighter is allowed to be actively ranked in two different weight classes and is eligible to be ranked in an additional weight class once they have competed at least once in that division.
  • A fighter must actively compete in each weight class – a period of inactivity longer than 15 months in a given weight class will result in the removal from that specific weight class, but not necessarily from another division or the overall rankings pool.
    • With the exception being that a fighter is actively participating in a World Grand Prix tournament in a different weight class.

Removal/Ineligibility:

  • A fighter serving a non-medical suspension from an overseeing regulatory body and/or the organization for longer than six months will be removed from rankings eligibility. A fighter will remain eligible with a suspension of six months or fewer.

Fighter Rankings Pool:

  • The final list of eligible fighters, and the weight classes in which they are eligible to be ranked, will ultimately be determined by the organization.

Voting Frequency:

  • New Bellator rankings will only be voted on after every event, regardless of frequency.
  • Votes will be due the Monday following a Bellator live event.

First-Place Votes:

  • Each rankings period will reveal how many number one contender votes each fighter received.

Voting Tabulation:

  • Tabulation of votes will be handled exclusively by Combat Registry, a third-party independent of Bellator MMA.

Voting Panel:

  • Bellator fighter rankings will be voted on exclusively by media members within the MMA industry.
  • In no capacity, will Bellator staff, athletes, talent or other organization personnel participate in voting.

The inaugural voting panel will include the following members of the media:

  1. Jeff Cain – MMA Weekly
  2. Brian Campbell – CBS Sports
  3. Rodrigo Del Campo – Claro Sports
  4. Rob DeMello – KHON Hawaii
  5. Jason Floyd – The MMA Report
  6. George Garcia – MMA Junkie
  7. Amy Kaplan – FanSided
  8. Nolan King – MMA Junkie
  9. John Hyon Ko – South China Morning Post
  10. Mark LaMonica – Newsday
  11. Igor Lazarin – TASS Russia
  12. Shakiel Mahjouri – Fightful MMA
  13. Joe McDonagh – Cageside Press
  14. John Morgan – MMA Junkie
  15. Ken Pishna – MMA Weekly

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

OFFICIAL RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 252: PITBULL VS. CARVALHO

COMPLETE EVENT PHOTOS HERE
 
COMPLETE POST-FIGHT VIDEO INTERVIEWS
 
Bellator 252: Pitbull vs. Carvalho Main Card: 
Patricio “Pitbull” (31-4) defeated Pedro Carvalho (11-4) via KO (punch) at 2:10 of round one
Yaroslav Amosov (25-0) defeated Logan Storley (11-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Emmanuel Sanchez (20-4) defeated Daniel Weichel (40-12) via unanimous decision (48-46, 49-46, 49-45)
 
Preliminary Card: 
Aaron Pico (7-3) defeated John de Jesus (13-9) via KO (punch) at 4:12 of round two
Keri Taylor Melendez (5-0) defeated Emilee King (4-4) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:02 of round one
Manny Muro (12-6) defeated Devin Powell (10-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Jornel Lugo (5-0) defeated Schyler Sootho (4-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Lucas Brennan (4-0) defeated Andrew Salas (6-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
Roman Faraldo (4-0) defeated Pat Casey (6-4) via (TKO) punches at 2:30 of round two
Trevor Gudde (2-1) defeated Khonry Gracie (2-2) via TKO (knee) at 3:28 of round three
  
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

OFFICIAL FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 250: MOUSASI VS. LIMA

COMPLETE EVENT PHOTOS
 
Bellator 250: Mousasi vs. Lima Main Card:
Gegard Mousasi (47-7-2) defeated Douglas Lima (32-8) via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
Henry Corrales (18-5) defeated Brandon Girtz (16-10) via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 30-27)
Dalton Rosta (4-0) defeated Ty Gwerder (5-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
 
Preliminary Card:
Jake Hager (3-0, 1 NC) defeated Brandon Calton (2-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Sabah Homasi (14-8) defeated Bobby Voelker (33-14) via knockout (punches) at :20 of round two
Johnny Eblen (7-0) defeated Taylor Johnson (6-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Adam Borics (15-1) defeated Erick Sanchez (9-6) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Cody Law (1-0) defeated Orlando Ortega (0-1) via submission (D’Arce Choke) at 2:41 of round one
 

BELLATOR MMA CHAMPION ILIMA-LEI MACFARLANE DEFENDS FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE AGAINST UNDEFEATED JULIANA VELASQUEZ ON THURSDAY, DEC. 10

LOS ANGELES – On Thursday, December 10, Bellator MMA presents a long-awaited world title bout featuring a clash of undefeated flyweights, as champ Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-0) defends her 125-pound championship belt against Brazil’s Juliana Velasquez (10-0) at Bellator 254. The event airs live on CBS Sports Network from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
 
CBS Sports Network will air Bellator 254: Macfarlane vs. Velasquez LIVE in all U.S. markets, while preliminary matchups will stream on CBSSports.com and Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.
 
Returning to the Bellator cage for the first time since a victory over Kate Jackson in her hometown of Honolulu last December, Macfarlane will look to continue her dominance over Bellator’s elite woman’s flyweight division as she defends her title against Julianna Velasquez on December 10. The inaugural Bellator flyweight champion, Macfarlane enters the contest with a perfect professional record of 11-0, including eight coming by way of stoppage. Adding to her impressive resume, “The Ilimanator” has the most victories amongst women in the Bellator cage (10) and has no plans of slowing down, as she seeks to add to her legacy inside the cage with her fifth successful title defense at Bellator 254.
 
With a professional record of 10-0, Rio de Janeiro’s Juliana Velasquez looks to remain perfect in her first chance at Bellator gold. The black belt judoka will attempt to become the second women’s flyweight champion in Bellator history when she looks to extend her promotional winning streak to six. With prior stoppage wins over Rebecca Ruth and Kristina Williams, Velasquez also defeated former 125-pound title challenger Alejandra Lara en route to her upcoming title shot. Much like Macfarlane, the 34-year-old Team Nogueira-product will be competing for the first time in 2020, nearly a year removed from her Bellator 236 unanimous decision victory over Bruna Ellen.
 
Updated Bellator 254: Macfarlane vs. Velasquez Main Card:
CBS Sports Network | DAZN
 
Flyweight World Title Bout: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-0) vs. Juliana Velasquez (10-0)
 
*Card subject to change.
 
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.