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Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts
Top 5 Tips On Choosing Martial Arts Training Camp
Whether you are a beginner or a pro, choosing a martial arts training camp is a tough decision. I’d like to share with you the top 5 tips on choosing the right camp from 8 martial arts experts that will help you simplify the daunting selection process. Read on!
- Class size
Similar to any other kind of training, if you happen to be a beginner in MMA, it’s best to stick to a smaller-sized class. Regardless of your level, the smaller the class, the more 1-on-1 attention and supervision your trainer is able to give you. Ideally, a training class only consists of 3-4 trainees per coach. You should steer clear of any class that has more than 10 students for each trainer.
As MMA is considered one of the most ‘brutal’ combat sports out there, your trainer will need to closely supervise your techniques and provide you with more guidance to minimize the likelihood of injuries during your practice. With a large-sized class, it’s unlikely that they would be able to give the attention you need.
- Equipment
According to Aaron of Fight Quality, the most important equipment in an MMA gym is properly padded mats on the floor. This way, you are likely to minimize injuries when you get knocked down during a fight. Most MMA establishments should have a cage; however, some may have a ring instead.
MMA gyms should also have high quality pads to hold. Good gyms will have a nice selection of pads, from boxing mitts, to Thai style kick pads to strike shields. These will be used by either one of the gym’s instructors or students in partner exercises.
When practicing striking, another important thing to look out for are heavy bags. Bags come in all shapes and sizes, and most gyms will have a selection of several types. These are great for perfecting techniques on your own.
To recap, a good MMA training camp should also have the following:
- Rings or cages
- Punching or spar bags
- Boxing equipment
- Full weights equipment
- Fitness & cardio machines
Quality training camps and gyms may also offer ‘spare’ gear available to use or rent. This may be an alternative if you are only going to be using it only a couple of times. Even though these gears are probably cleaned after every use, it’s always best to buy your own in order to ensure the best quality and hygiene.
- Price
Prices for MMA training camps vary greatly depending on the level of trainers, location, facilities & equipment, and so forth. However, it doesn’t always mean that a cheaper training camp has less qualified trainers than more expensive one. For example, to give you a better idea on the price range, a budget option of Super Pro’s 1 month MMA & Muay Thai training in Thailand is priced as low as US$ 344 (includes 30 days/29 nights acommodation) whereas a more luxury option such as Evolve MMA retreat in Singapore would cost you US$ 2490 (also includes 30 days/29 nigths acommodation). Despite on different price ranges, there are positive reviews for both types of camps, and their visitors have shared that they significantly developed their skills after their training, which illustrates that lower-priced training camp doesn’t necessarily equal to low quality of training.
- Training program
In order to evaluate the price range, you might want to compare the training program that is offered. Typically, you will undergo at least 3 training sessions in different martial arts training disciplines. Some training courses offer additional classes such as yoga, meditation, or cross training sessions. Whether you are a beginner, an intermediate, or a pro, it’s advisable to always carefully weigh out the fee of the training camp against what is being offered. Take your time and feel free to ask around and make comparisons in determining whether the price tag is ‘worth it’ to invest in.
- Location
If you are more serious about your training and looking to hone your skills in MMA, location may not be a huge variable that you need to take into account in making your selection. You can instead focus on evaluating which options would best assist you in becoming the great MMA champion you are striving to become. Sean of Muay Thai Guy also shared his insights in terms of location: “The people and the coaches make the place doesn’t matter if you are training in a remote place or in a busy city it all comes down to the people and how they treat you as an individual, but if the camp is near a beach, that’s always a plus!”
If you are curious and want to learn more on choosing an MMA training camp, check out the full version of ‘The Definite Guide On Choosing the right MMA training camp’ created by BookMartialArts.com in collaboration with 8 top experts in MMA and related disciplines!
BELLATOR MMA SIGNS FOUR-TIME NCAA DIVISION II WRESTLING CHAMP JOEY DAVIS
Newest Bellator MMA acquisition Joey Davis
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 15, 2016) – Bellator MMA is thrilled to announce the signing of NCAA Division II wrestling star Joey Davis, to an exclusive multi-year, multi-fight contract. The signing was first reported by FloWrestling.com’s Jeremy Botter.
Davis joins a string of recent signings by Bellator president Scott Coker including standout wrestlers the likes of three-time All-American Jarod Trice and Olympic contender Tyrell Fortune. The 21-year-old standout wrestler competed at Notre Dame College, where he accumulated an incredible undefeated 131-0 record and four consecutive NCAA Division II Championships during his college tenure, becoming the only Division II wrestler to ever win four national titles and go unbeaten in a career. Davis will look to compete in Bellator MMA’s stacked welterweight division and will make his professional debut before the end of this year.
“With God you can achieve anything, and I’m gonna do it with high fashion,” Davis said. “Joining Bellator is my latest achievement to date. I don’t remember what it’s like to lose, and I’m not planning on finding out any time soon.”
(L to R) Joey Davis, Antonio McKee and A.J. McKee
Named 2016 “Man of the Year” by Wrestling USA Magazine, the Compton, Calif., native began his stretch of domination as early as the ninth grade, when he attended Sante Fe High School. Davis was crowned the California State champion at 152-pounds in his junior year and followed that impressive campaign with a second State Title at 160-pounds in his senior year.
Davis will train at Antonio McKee’s Body Shop Gym in Long Beach, Calif. alongside childhood best friend and Bellator featherweight wrecking machine AJ McKee. Davis joins a budding roster of Bellator MMA talent, with recent signings that include: Matt Mitrione, Benson Henderson, Jarrod Trice, Sergei Kharitonov, and recent re-signings the likes of Darrion Caldwell and Michael Chandler.
Weight Training for Fighters
In the past fighters would stay far away from weight training, thinking it would make them slow, but research has proven otherwise, mainly because there are different kinds of strength. Any fighter, from all styles, is looking to develop speed strength and explosive strength.
The highly regarded sports bio-chemist Vladimir Zatsiorsky, was a well-recognized strength coach/consultant for the Olympic teams that were competing for the Soviet Union many years ago. He said the ability for any athlete to produce the most maximal force in minimal time is known as explosive strength. He says that a strong body does not necessarily mean strong explosive strength.
It is clear that developing one type of strength like max strength will not guarantee development of another type of strength like explosive strength or speed strength. Speed strength is defined as the ability to execute any unloaded movement against a small resistance very quickly.
A good example would be punching a heavy punch-bag which would be considered a small external resistance. The few ounces of weight that your gloves weigh would be insufficient to qualify as minimal resistance. But, all fighters should note that excessive max strength training may eventually impair strength speed, reducing the technical speed of a good boxer.
Strength endurance is different as it is defined as maintaining the muscular function/integrity of the muscles for longer periods. No matter what style a fighter uses, strength endurance is vitally important for any competitive combat fighter. Having a whole lot of power and speed with no stamina is not going to get a fighter very far.
Combat sporting events require the athlete to be multifaceted and well-rounded when it comes to strength preparation. Developing max strength at the expense of other strengths is not going to help the athlete. A fighter needs a completely unique blend of these strengths.
It does not mean that fighters should never do max training to improve their strength, a fighter needs to understand a bit of muscle physiology to be able to appreciate how important max training could be for a fighter. Muscle fibers are always grouped into different motor units.
These motor units each contain one nerve and hundreds of separate muscle fibers. The nerve delivers the signal for a muscle to fire, slow or fast twitch, depending on how many reps, the weight used and the muscle(s) isolated. The muscle fibers are then contracted when the signal is delivered.
Training specifically for power development, a fighter needs to target only the fast twitch muscle-fibers. But unfortunately, not all of the motor units will be activated at once. Any and all low intensity exercise will not activate the important fast twitch fibers.
If the exercise that a fighter performs does not stimulate any fast-twitch motor units, then the muscle fibers inside that motor unit will not be able to adapt to the training. If the motor unit isn’t being recruited, no response will happen. But when the athlete lifts heavy loads they’ll be activating fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Strength coaches across the world recognize the importance of maximal strength training because it is the best way to improve both intramuscular and intermuscular coordination, required for any fighter.
Despite what you might have heard about heavy weight training, it’s a common myth that all heavy weight training will only result in unnecessary bulk, which will then reduce the range of motion and the speed development. This is totally false, any fighter considering strength training will improve his/her competitiveness in the ring.
The well-known Russian coach Yuri Verkhoshansky, said in one of his manuals that when any effective methodology is used for planning a weight training routine, the resistance used will promote an increase in speed of a movement but will also improve muscle coordination, motor-reaction plus the quickness and the frequency of the movements.
He continues by explaining that the primary function of a muscle is not to increase size when strength training, but rather to increase the contractibility for effective nervous stimulation. He explains that strength training correctly will increase the ability of your muscle to relax while developing local muscular endurance and it will increase the maximal anaerobic capacity of that muscle group.
About The Author:
Paul Becker is a natural (steroid free for life) bodybuilder and fitness consultant. Visit his website at http://www.bodybuilding-store.com
Help us Pack the Mack!
It’s that time again! Our entirely FREE show is on Saturday, June 25th at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV. Tickets can be printed at UNLVTickets.com or picked up from any MMA gym or promotional partner in Las Vegas.
Doors open at 5:30pm with the first fight starting at 6:00pm. Seating is open and first come, first served so get there early! All ages welcome.
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MIKE ARRANT REPLACES INJURED THIAGO MELLER AGAINST JOHN HOWARD AT WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND LIVE ON NBCSN FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. ON FRIDAY, JUNE 17
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MIKE HANSEN: FACING FEAR HEADFIRST
Lewiston, Maine (June 15, 2016) – Fighting anyone, anywhere, anytime and under any circumstances has become Mike Hansen’s calling card with New England Fights.
No surprise, then, that the 30-year-old father of three from Rumford, ME will gladly entertain the idea of a mixed martial arts contest … against an opponent about whom he admittedly knows precious little … on the eve of Father’s Day.
Hansen (4-4) will take on Robert Laroski in a heavyweight clash at “NEF 24: Promised Land” on Saturday, June 18 at Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.
There is no fear of the unknown in a man who has carved out his reputation confronting substantially bigger foes since his days as a state champion wrestler at Mountain Valley High School. During his relatively short time in NEF, Hansen has fought as a middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.
“When I took the fight (at NEF 23 in Massachusetts) against Brendan Battles, people were saying, ‘You’re crazy! He’s going to bust your head!’ I understand why the weight classes exist, and I respect that it’s about safety and all that, but I’ve always felt that a fighter should be ready to fight anybody, no matter what,” Hansen said. “In high school, I would drink two gallons of water and put lead in my uniform just so I could get to the minimum weight for the unlimited class.”
That’s the attitude of a fighter whose skill and talent level far exceed his current record as a professional.
Hansen’s docket includes a stoppage win over former NEF “Fighter of the Year” Crowsneck Boutin. His record also includes TKO losses to Battles and Cody Anderson and a choke-out at the hands of Zach Elkins.
When he reflects upon his unique life story, Hansen, who fought twice for the World Fighting League as a 20-year-old college student, marvels that he ever got back into the cage at all.
“I started the winter of 2004-05. I started training because I had gone from 187 to 242 pounds in a few months. I was seeing stretch marks,” Hansen recalled. “I was pretty upset with myself for allowing that to happen. I started doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu two nights a week to get in shape. Then I went home for the summer and ended up with my first fight in August. My friends got me the fight without my coaches knowing about it. They told me it was a good thing I won, or they would have kicked my butt.”
Hansen kept a promise to his father to quit the sport after a knockout loss to Alexander Chianurashvili in 2006. He was studying at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, with intentions to enter the medical field.
He was stabbed and attacked with a baseball bat by three men in a case of mistaken identity not long thereafter. “I walked out of the hospital the next day, and all three of them were still in there from the beating I gave them in self-defense,” Hansen said proudly.
That dogged determination served Hansen well in the United States Army, where he studied in the elite Combatives program.
“They ask you ‘Who wins the fight?’ and the answer is, ‘Whoever’s buddy gets there first to help him clean up.’ That’s what Combatives taught me: How to survive that extra 30 to 60 seconds,” Hansen said. “Work ethic is what it taught me. It helped me grow and do things I might have questioned mentally whether or not I could do. Not many people find that extra little motivation. The Army taught me how to find it and utilize it.”
A few years later, Hansen found that inner fire again. Even as he returned to coaching wrestlers in his hometown, his own physical fitness suffered as work and fatherhood took precedence.
Hansen vividly describes sitting in a bean bag chair, eating snack food, watching TV at 2:11 a.m. when his phone rang. He assumed it was a friend in trouble.
“It was (NEF co-owner) Matt Peterson. Our families grew up maybe 200 yards apart. My high school wrestling coach had called him, unbeknownst to me, to tell him he needed to get me back in the cage,” Hansen said.
Three weeks later and 20 pounds lighter, Hansen dispatched super heavyweight fixture Artie Mullen at “NEF 16: New Blood Rising,” and the comeback was on.
In the 15 months that have followed, Hansen has been instrumental in launching Berserkers MMA and building his reputation as both a fighter and an instructor.
Life is blossoming at home, also. Hansen is the father of two girls, ages 5 and 2, and a boy of four months. His older daughter, Kaydn, often accompanies Dad to the gym at Greater Rumford Community Center. He returns the favor by chaperoning field trips for her kindergarten class.
“She and her friends will be on the playground practicing boxing stances and stuff,” Hansen said. “Her teacher says it’s adorable. Hopefully she is learning to take care of herself so I don’t have to.”
Kaydn’s parents are making plans to take her to her first live NEF show after she turns 6. For now, she is content to watch her Dad’s fights on YouTube.
“If we’re watching TV together,” Hansen said, “we have a thing where I get two shows and then she gets two shows. If I put in a fight tape, she’ll say, ‘Daddy, I know this doesn’t count as one of your shows, because this is your work.’”
The opening bell on June 18 is set for 7 p.m. Tickets for “NEF 24: Promised Land” start at $25 and are available at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.
For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
FIGHT WITH DENNING IS THE CROSSROADS FOR BUSHAW
Lewiston, Maine (June 14, 2016) – Like so many headline-grabbing heavy hitters with New England Fights, Maine native Brandon Bushaw (1-2) had nothing left to prove in his combat sports career.
Bushaw parlayed his undefeated state championship season as a Westbrook High School senior in 1999 into a college wrestling career at Michigan State University, where he was a teammate of UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans (19-5-1).
“I was with my high school girlfriend (Cynthia), now my wife, so I knew we would always have ties to Maine,” Bushaw said. “Other than being on wrestling scholarship, I thought I was done fighting.”
The couple settled in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and opened Island Bar and Grill, which they have owned and operated for a dozen years.
It is a good, comfortable life. Extended family visited and found the area so alluring that they stayed permanently.
Those competitive juices never completely evaporated, however.
“I had teammates who turned to mixed martial arts,” Bushaw said. “I watched them, and as I approached 30, it became a bucket list thing. Now here I am, 17 fights later.”
Bushaw, 35, explained the journey in a phone interview as he prepared for his fourth professional bout, a featherweight clash with Auburn’s Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (3-2) at “NEF 24: Promised Land” on Saturday, June 18 at Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.
The fight is Bushaw’s first on his original home turf since a 2014 loss to Elias Leland at the 135-pound limit. He ascends to 145 pounds, where he admitted he is more comfortable (“at my advanced age,” Bushaw quipped) for the confrontation with Denning.
“It’s weird, because I thought I was done competing up that way when I graduated from high school, but when I go home after all these years, all the old friends that I haven’t seen for years turn out to watch me fight,” Bushaw said. “I’ve fought all over, but any time I fight in Myrtle Beach or in Maine, it’s more special.”
Some athletes return to their competitive arena because they miss the allure of the cheering crowd.
That’s true of Bushaw, to a degree, although even the spectator interest he drew with the Blue Blazes and Spartans pales by comparison to what greets him surrounding the NEF hexagon.
“It’s nothing like high school or even college wrestling,” Bushaw said. “You show up and there’s two, three, four thousand people watching. It’s so different. You don’t get multiple chances to fight in a week or even a single weekend. It lasts a few minutes and then it’s the highest of the highs or the lowest of the lows.”
The physical toll and the necessary complement of skills also exceed what Bushaw knew in his youth.
He made that discovery about a minute into his initial amateur bout.
“MMA is more dynamic than wrestling. I remember my first fight, the guy picked me up and threw me down and I landed on my head,” Bushaw said. “I remember thinking, ‘This was probably not such a good idea,’ but I found a way to get the win.”
“You can be better than a guy in four different categories, but if he’s better in just one, he’s capable of beating you,” he continued. “You think things are going your way and then it’s the biggest letdown in the world.”
There’s a camaraderie in that unpredictable realm that only veterans of the cage can fully understand. Bushaw, who has trained with the likes of childhood friend Jamie Harrison and Amos Collins, noted that he has become cordial with almost all his prior opponents.
Denning (3-2) is one of the few with whom Bushaw (1-2) became “friends” on social media before their fight.
“It’s kind of strange, but all those things go out the window,” Bushaw said. “He’s fought my buddy Dom Cofone. He’s a local boy. I know it’s going to be a tough challenge for me.”
In many respects it is a crossroads bout for Bushaw, who admitted that he has considered retirement from the sport.
“Probably my last five fights I’ve gone in saying, ‘One more fight and I’m done,’ and then I keep going. I don’t shy away from anybody,” he said. “My last fight was against a kid who was 23 and he’d been in Thailand for two years or some (stuff). That was one time when I might have said, ‘What am I doing?’
“For me it’s family, then business, then fighting. For a lot of these younger guys, fighting is first, and that makes it a challenge.”
The opening bell on June 18 is set for 7 p.m. Tickets for “NEF 24: Promised Land” start at $25 and are available at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.
For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
COMBAT SPORTS GIVE BEZANSON DIRECTION AFTER FAMILY TRAGEDY
Lewiston, Maine (June 13, 2016) – Combat sports gave Mike Bezanson (1-0) direction. They also helped him cultivate the relationship with his father that he always coveted but could never seem to grasp.
Now, on the eve of Father’s Day, less than a week past the four-year anniversary of his dad’s untimely death, Bezanson is poised to take another step in the career that was their shared dream.
Bezanson, 21, of Lancaster, N.H., returns to the New England Fights hexagon to take on Shawn Bang (1-1) of Auburn, Maine, in a welterweight bout at “NEF 24: Promised Land.” Their amateur bout is one of the many attractions on theSaturday, June 18 card at Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston.
“I think this fight is going to be good for me, because I’ll be able to show my skills against an opponent with more in-cage experience than I have,” Bezanson said. “Also, the fact that June 18 is the day before Father’s Day makes this a sentimental and emotional fight for me.”
The encore comes almost a year to the day after Bezanson stopped Jeff Dustin (0-1) by technical knockout via strikes in his mixed martial arts debut on June 13, 2015. Bang has split his first two verdicts in the NEF cage.
Bezanson’s showboating, stick-and-move style drew mixed reviews from the large crowd that witnessed his rookie effort. Some booed the relative lack of action, perhaps suspecting that Bezanson was toying with an overmatched opponent.
It was all part of his plan to relish the moment and take advantage of the opportunity.
“Truthfully we had a game plan to get experience,” Bezanson said. “If I have any thoughts of going pro, I need to get as much experience as I can. If you go in there and knock a guy out in 10 seconds, don’t get me wrong, you got a knockout and that’s great, but you’re not learning what it takes to get comfortable on the other side of that 10 seconds. You don’t know how much energy you’re going to need.”
Bezanson never lacked energy, or personality, from childhood. He describes himself as a young man who never got into any serious trouble, and never experimented with drugs or other disorderly conduct, but one who freely challenged authority.
He gravitated to the boxing ring as a freshman in high school. It gave him direction. It also provided a foundation for the on-again, off-again relationship with his father, Jamie.
“Before I took up boxing, my dad wasn’t really involved much in my life. He would come and go, you know, for personal reasons,” Bezanson said. “When I started boxing, we got really close. Boxing and racing were his things. He would tell anybody and everybody that I was boxing and how proud he was, and that meant a lot to me.”
Jamie Bezanson never had the chance to watch his son develop as a fighter. On June 15, 2012, during annual “Bike Week” in Laconia, his motorcycle crossed the center line and struck another vehicle.
The elder Bezanson succumbed to his injuries. He was 37.
“I lost it for a while. I stopped boxing. Mentally, I was just in a very emotional place,” Bezanson said. “Then right next to my house, Kaze Dojo opened up. I said, ‘That’s something I could do.’”
Bezanson began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Greg Williams. He proved himself a natural talent, winning the gold medal in his debut at the Vermont Open.
Then came the natural progression to MMA, where his stand-up skills proved too difficult for Dustin to defend. Bezanson commanded the cage with the poise and surgical precision of a veteran.
“I’m a pretty confident guy all around. I really wasn’t that nervous. I figure why be scared if you’re prepared and you’ve put in all that training?” he said. “Ninety percent of fights are lost before you even get into the cage. If you let the emotions get to you, you’re not going to perform to the best of your ability.”
Bezanson suffered a catastrophic knee injury in training shortly thereafter. He has spent most of the past year recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL and meniscus.
Once he returned to the gym, Bezanson spent much of his time focused on his evolving ground game. It should be tested royally by Bang, a former high school wrestler from a renowned regional fighting family.
“Striking is definitely one of my strengths. I’m a lanky dude, and I try to use that to my full advantage,” Bezanson said. “But I’ve worked really hard on my ground game in training. I didn’t really get a chance to show it in my first fight, but I know I will this time.”
Bezanson sees his second foray into the cage as the true beginning of what he hopes will be a prolific career.
In addition to the many fans who will make the four-hour round trip from the North Country to watch him, Bezanson knows he will have one special set of eyes in his corner.
“Boxing taught me a lot of discipline. MMA is the same thing. People can use it however they want, but that’s what it does for me,” he said. “It’s something I like to do and something that I know makes my father proud all at the same time.”
The opening bell on June 18 is set for 7 p.m. The current docket includes five pro boxing fights, three pro MMA bouts and eight amateur MMA skirmishes. Tickets for “NEF 24: Promised Land” start at $25 and are available atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.
For more information on the events and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
DENISE KIELHOLTZ-GLORIA PERITORE SET TO FACE OFF IN FLYWEIGHT CONTEST AT ‘BELLATOR: DYNAMITE 2’
KICKBOXING VETERAN KEVIN ROSS RETURNS TO ACTION FOR BELLATOR KICKBOXING AGAINST JUSTIN HOUGHTON
SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (June 10, 2016) – The SPIKE-televised main card of “Bellator: Dynamite 2” on June 24 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis is now complete, with the addition of a women’s flyweight kickboxing bout pitting Denise Kielholtz (44-2) against Gloria Peritore(10-1-1) and a featherweight feature fight between Kevin Ross (31-9) and Justin Houghton(7-2).
The fights join a main event that features a heavyweight clash between “Rampage” Jackson(36-11) and Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1), while a lightweight title fight pitting Michael Chandler(14-3) against Patricky “Pitbull” (16-7) will serve as the evening’s co-main event. In addition, former NFL player Matt Mitrione (9-5) and Carl “Badwater” Seumanutafa (10-6) will trade blows in their heavyweight showdown, while a flyweight contest between undefeated Ilima Macfarlane (3-0) and Rebecca Ruth (6-1) wraps up a mouthwatering main card.
The event airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App. Doors for “Bellator: Dynamite 2”open at 5:00 pm CT, with the first streamed fight taking place at 5:30 pm CT.
Tickets for the event start at just $30 and are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center.
Hailing from Amsterdam, Dutch flyweight Kieholtz will be making her second appearance under the direction of Bellator Kickboxing after earning a win in her promotional debut at the inaugural Bellator Kickboxing event in Torino, Italy earlier this year. With over 40 career fights (one MMA bout) under her belt, the 27-year-old Kielholtz will be searching for her 45th professional victory when she prepares to take on Gloria Peritore on June 24 in St. Louis. Kielholtz now directs her attention to “Bellator: Dynamite 2,” where both a mixed martial arts cage and kickboxing ring will be featured just like the groundbreaking inaugural “Dynamite” event last year. If you think you can handle “5 Rounds” with her, click here.
The 27-year-old Peritore has a total of 12 professional fights over her two-year career, earning victories in all of them, including a third round knockout of Li Mingrui in her Bellator Kickboxing debut earlier this year. A native of Sicily, Italy, Peritore had the unique opportunity to fight in front of her hometown fans when Bellator invaded Torino, Italy in April of 2016. As an amateur fighter, she posted a 9-3 record and won titles such as the ISKA & WTKA Amateur World Kickboxing Champion and IASKA Amateur World K-1 Champion.
At 35 years old, Ross has put together an impressive kickboxing and muay Thai career, highlighted by accruing some of the most highly sought-after championships in the game. During his 53-fight career, he has collected the WBC Muay-Thai USA welterweight title, the WBC Muay-Thai International Super-lightweight title and the Lion Fight Super Lightweight Championship. Known also as “The Soul Assassin,” Ross is working on a transition into the sport of MMA and most recently made his promotional debut at the inaugural “Bellator 152”Kickboxing event in Torino, Italy where he defeated Matteo Taccini via unanimous decision.
Houghton, who hails from Michigan, has competed previously for Bellator, but on the mixed martial arts side of things. “J-Ho” most recently laced up the kickboxing gloves against Alfredo Corona, at a regional event in Denver, defeating his opponent via lopsided unanimous decision. Now, the Grudge Training Center standout sets his sights on Ross, arguably one of the most successful kickboxers in American history.
Complete “Bellator: Dynamite 2” Fight Card:
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Main Event: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (36-11) vs. Satoshi Ishii (14-5-1)
Bellator MMA Lightweight World Title Bout: Michael Chandler (14-3) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (16-7)
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Feature Bout: Matt Mitrione (9-5) vs. Carl Seumanutafa (10-6)
Bellator Kickboxing Featherweight Feature Bout: Kevin Ross (31-9) vs. Justin Houghton (7-2)
Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight Feature Bout: Denise Kielholtz (44-2) vs. Gloria Peritore (10-1-1)
Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (3-0) vs. Rebecca Ruth (6-1)
Preliminary Card:
Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Justin Lawrence (8-3) vs. Isao Kobayashi (18-3)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Guilherme “Bomba” Vasconcelos (7-3) vs. Jordan Dowdy (3-1)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Engel (5-0) vs. Chel Erwin-Davis (3-1)
Bellator MMA Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Jordan Howard (9-3) vs Justin Robbins (14-17-1)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Joaquin Buckley (5-0) vs Chris Heatherly (9-3-1)
Bellator MMA 130-pound Preliminary Bout: Michelle Royer (1-0) vs Katy Collins (3-1)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Brad Jones (5-4) vs Tyler Claussen (2-0)
Bellator MMA Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Christeson (1-0) vs Jarrod Thomas (0-0)
Bellator MMA Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Lee Burns (2-0) vs. Byron Stevens (0-0)
Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Steven Mann (11-4) vs. Mike Estus (7-4)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Rashard Lovelace (3-0) vs. Garret Mueller (2-1)
Bellator MMA Strawweight Preliminary Bout: Nikki Smith (1-0) vs. Ashley Cummins (3-3)
Bellator Kickboxing Preliminary Bout: Elmir Kulosman (3-0) vs. Darryl Cobb (2-1)
Bellator Kickboxing Preliminary Bout: Tara Walker (4-3-1) vs. Mimi Kutzin (3-2)