Tag Archives: mma

mixed martial arts, RFA

RFA 28 GETS A NEW CO-HEADLINER  AS GEANE HERRERA HEADS TO THE UFC

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RFA 28 – SANCHEZ vs. POPPIE
MAIN EVENT:
ANDREW SANCHEZ vs. JOHN POPPIE
MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
CO-MAIN EVENT:
MATT MANZANARES vs. KEN PORTER
FLYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7th LIVE ON AXSTV
LIVE at The Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, MO
 
Tickets on Sale through MetroTix.com
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that RFA 28 will feature a new co-main event after Geane “La Pulga” Herrera got called up to compete in the UFC. Replacing the undefeated Herrera will be former RFA flyweight champion Matt Manzanares, who will be making his record-tying seventh appearance for the promotion. He will face St. Louis’ own Ken Porter, who is a rising flyweight MMA prospect and an undefeated professional boxer. The main event of RFA 28 will feature RFA fan favorite Andrew Sanchez and The Ultimate Fighter alum John Poppie vying for the vacant RFA middleweight title. The event takes place Friday, August 7th at The Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, Missouri. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to see Geane Herrera represent what the RFA is all about by extending his undefeated record in the UFC,” stated Soares. “The co-main event of RFA 28 will now feature the return of former RFA flyweight champion Matt Manzanares against fellow boxer-turned-MMA fighter Ken Porter.
Tickets for RFA 28 – Sanchez vs. Poppie are available for purchase NOW through MetroTix.com.
Manzanares (7-5) returns to the RFA for a record-tying seventh appearance for the promotion. In his time as a professional fighter, the former RFA flyweight champion has faced and accepted bouts with the who’s who of his division and will be looking to take full advantage of that experience. The two-time Junior Olympian boxer possesses some of the slickest hands in the sport, but those skills will be tested to the fullest against Porter who is 4-0 as a professional boxer. Manzanares and Porter also bring with them nearly 300 combined amateur boxing matches, which could make this one of the best flyweight striking displays in MMA this year.
“This is the most motivated I’ve been for a fight in a very long time,” Manzanares exclaimed. “I think Ken Porter is a great fighter and has a lot going for him, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I’m looking forward to getting my hand raised and putting my name back at the top of the division.”
Porter (8-2, 1 No Contest) will be the man tasked with welcoming back the hungry former champion and he looks forward to doing it in front of his excited home crowd. The proud St. Louisan is perhaps the only flyweight in MMA that can match Manzanares’ experience in amateur MMA and amateur boxing. He has also lived up to his nickname “The Sensation” since making his professional boxing debut in May 2014. In that time, he has been sensational in combat sports by going 4-0 in professional boxing and 4-0 in professional MMA. Porter is now eager to extend that streak at RFA 28.
“I feel like Manzanares poses a much bigger challenge than Herrera,” stated Porter. “He brings a lot more to the table and has fought much tougher guys. I’ve been working really hard for this fight and look forward to making a big statement in my national television debut for the RFA.”
The main event of RFA 28 will feature two of MMA’s top middleweight prospects, when RFA fan favorite Andrew Sanchez (6-2) returns home to St. Louis to battle Wisconsin native John Poppie (6-1) for the vacant RFA middleweight title. Sanchez was a two-time NAIA national champion, four-time NAIA All-American, and the 2011 NAIA Wrestler of the Year while attending St. Louis area school McKendree University. He will face Poppie (6-1), who was a light-heavyweight cast member on the nineteenth season of the UFC’s hit reality television show The Ultimate Fighter. Now competing at his natural weight class of 185-pounds, Poppie will look to extend his four-fight win streak. Poppie also has a collegiate wrestling background from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
RFA 28 also features the return of Bobby “The Wolfman” Moffett (7-1). The fearsome featherweight will look to follow up his dominant RFA debut in March with another howling triumph in his sophomore appearance for the promotion. He will face one of Missouri’s top featherweight prospects in Nick LoBosco (8-1). LoBosco has never lost in his home state and the collegiate wrestler will be looking to keep that record intact when he fights in front of his home crowd on August 7th.
The main card of RFA 28 will also feature the highly-anticipated RFA debut of Curtis “Razor” Blaydes (4-0). Blaydes was an NJCAA national wrestling champion at Harper College and is widely considered one of the top heavyweight prospects in the sport. He will have a stiff test in his promotional debut as he faces a dangerous RFA vet in Justin “The Grizzly Bear” Frazier (7-2).  Frazier hails from “The Natural State” of Arkansas and has displayed a natural finishing ability, as all seven of his wins have come via stoppage.
In the featherweight division, Jamal Parks (5-1) returns to the RFA Octagon for the second time. The former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler from Oklahoma State University will face promotional newcomer Javon Wright (6-3). Wright has not lost a fight in two years dating back to a hotly-contested split decision verdict he dropped to current RFA bantamweight kingpin Luke Sanders.
In lightweight action, Turkey’s first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Murat “Lord Pitbull” Kazgan (2-0-1) will be making his highly-anticipated RFA debut. Kazgan, who has already fought in Turkey, South Korea, and Russia, is looking to remain unbeaten in his North American debut. He will face two-time Golden Gloves winner Jake “The North County Nightmare” Roberts (4-0). The St. Louis native Roberts, who has recently joined The MMA LAB in Glendale, Arizona, is currently riding an impressive streak. Roberts has submitted all 12 men he has faced in MMA: 8 as an amateur and 4 as a professional.
Additional bouts at RFA 28 will be announced soon. RFA 28 will be the promotion’s second event to take place in the state of Missouri and its first foray into the city of St. Louis. The entire main card of RFA 28 – Sanchez vs. Poppie will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, August 7th.
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
mixed martial arts, New England Fights

FIRST AMATEUR BOUT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX PROMISES FIREWORKS

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Lewiston, Maine (July 2, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the first amateur bout on the fight card.  Fred Lear (3-1) is scheduled to meet Henry Clark (2-1) at a catchweight of 140-pounds.

 

Lear made his amateur debut with NEF in the summer of 2013.  He has accumulated a perfect record of 3-0 in the NEF cage, his only amateur loss coming outside the promotion on a fight card in New Hampshire this past spring.  Two of Lear’s three victories in NEF have come by strikes while in mount position.  He has exhibited one of the most effective ground-and-pound offenses of any amateur currently on the NEF roster.  Lear is a member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.

 

“In preparation for Clark, we will be looking to get 1% better every day,” said Lear of his fight camp at Young’s.  “As per usual, this will be a team effort and I recognize and respect the challenge ahead of us.  Henry is dangerous and versatile.”

 

Lear is correct in his conclusion.  Henry Clark represents the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine, and he has shown a wide array of abilities in his first three bouts both on his feet and on the mat.  In his debut fight at “NEF XV” last fall, Clark was sharp with his striking in the first round against Sheldon Bang (2-2) prior to submitting Bang off his back in the second with a triangle choke. Clark recognizes that Lear is especially deadly in top position, but is confident that he can come away with the win on September 12 in Lewiston.

 

“I’m absolutely crazy about this fight,” exclaimed Clark.  “This is the exact fight I want as a growing martial artist.  Fred is super tough and a nightmare once he gets on top of you.  That said, I feel as though I have the skill and ability to ruin Fred’s night on September 12th.  I’m hungry for this challenge.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event 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.”

mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

WSOF 22 Adds Lightweight Bout To Live NBCSN Telecast

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“WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” Adds Lightweight Main Card Matchup
with Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov

Live NBCSN telecast to feature five bouts, including world championship main event between Rousimar Palhares and Jake Shields

Saturday, Aug. 1 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (July 1, 2015) – World Series of Fighting’s (WSOF.com) blockbuster event on Saturday, Aug. 1 will now feature five contests on the night’s live NBCSN telecast, with the addition of a lightweight (155 pounds) matchup between four-time promotional veteran Jimmy Spicuzza (6-2) and submission ace Islam Mamedov (11-1).

The lightweight contest joins the night’s main event showdown between reigning WSOF World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar Palhares (17-6) and challenger and two-time world champion Jake Shields (31-7), as well as the co-main event between WSOF World Bantamweight (135 pounds) Champion Marlon Moraes(14-4-1) and undefeated challenger Sheymon Moraes (7-0), and a highly-anticipated, light heavyweight (205 pounds) battle between combat sports phenom Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (2-0) and gritty veteran Mike “MAK” Kyle (21-12-1).

A fifth bout will be announced shortly, as Magomed Bibulatov (9-0) has been forced to withdraw from a previously announced, inaugural WSOF world flyweight (125 pounds0 championship matchup with fellow undefeated contender Donavon Frelow (4-0), who will now likely fight on the evening’s WSOF.com-streamed preliminary card against a new opponent.

Spicuzza, of Las Vegas, Nev., is a Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu fighter and four-time WSOF veteran. He debuted for the promotion at WSOF 9 on March 29, 2014, and submittedGil Guardado with a  rear-naked choke in the first round (3:14), before returning at WSOF 10 on June 21, 2014, and scoring a unanimous decision win over Justin Jaynes.

At WSOF 12 on Aug. 9,  2014, he suffered a TKO (punches) loss to Lucas Montoya, but bounced back at WSOF 19 on March 28, where he earned a split decision win overBenny Madrid.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Mamedov is a Dagestani import who now calls Jersey City, N.J. his home. Competing professionally since 2009, Mamedov suffered a loss in his second professional outing, but has since rattled off 10 consecutive victories, including six by submission and two via TKO.

Mamedov made his WSOF debut on April 10, scoring a devastating first round (4:42) TKO on Leon Davis with a barrage of punches.

The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on Aug. 1.
Priced from $29.99, tickets for the event are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Doors at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will open at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m. PT.

Additional bouts for the event will be announced soon.

MAIN CARD
WSOF World Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Rousimar Palhares (Champion) vs. Jake Shields (Challenger)

WSOF World Bantamweight Championship Co-Main Event:
Marlon Moraes (Champion) vs. Sheymon Moraes (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight: Tyrone Spong vs. Mike Kyle
Lightweight: Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown  and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

Plethora of Northeastern Talent Completes “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov” Undercard

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 1, 2015) – Four preliminary bouts featuring prime east coast fighters have been added to complete the full card of “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which takes place July 17 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

 

The additional bouts include a featherweight faceoff between Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) and Ryan Quinn (10-5,1 NC), Billy “Wolverine” Giovanella (8-3), who faces Rodrigo “The Young Lion” Almeida (12-2) at bantamweight, Kaline “The Dark Angel” Medeiros (4-4), who fights Sarah “Soulja” Payant (1-0) in a women’s strawweight scrap, and lightweights Dean “The Hammer” Hancock (1-0) versus Alex Dunworth (2-1,1 NC).

 

Bellator 140 features five world-class welterweight bouts including World Champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and Andrey Koreshkov (17-1), Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6), Michael “Venom” Page (7-0) taking on Rudy Bears(16-13), Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward (10-3) scrapping with Gavin “War Horse” Sterritt (6-1), and knockout artistPaul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2) challenging Dennis Olson (14-8). The event also boasts several additional previously announced preliminary contests featuring more top prospects from the Northeastern United States.

 

The main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the announced preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Tickets for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which start at just $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com.

 

Bellingham, MA’s Billy Giovanella is 4-1 in his last five fights heading into his bantamweight bout. His last four victories include three submissions and a knockout en route to his Uncasville bout. Giovanella’s challenger Remo Cardarelli of Framingham, MA will look to rely on his record-proven submission talent to win. Expect both fighters to relentlessly compete to break from recent losses on their record.

 

Danbury, CT’s Dean Hancock wowed fans with a first round submission victory at Bellator’s “British Invasion” event. Hancock will look to repeat his entertaining performance by defeating challenger Dunworth of Bridgewater, MA, who makes his Bellator debut riding a two-fight winning streak.

 

Another Danbury, CT fighter Ryan Quinn, who trains with American Top Team in Connecticut has found great success in the Bellator cage, emerging perfect in all six of his appearances. He now faces an established veteran of the sport in Philadelphia’s Waylon Lowe, who fights under the Bellator promotion for the first time since 2009, when he scored a win in his promotional debut.

 

Kaline Medeiros of Fall River, MA, has taken three unanimous decision victories in her last four bouts, and scored an impressive knockout just seven seconds into a fight. She takes on Sarah Payant from West Springfield, MA, who makes her Bellator debut following up her first professional bout this past March, where she scored a triangle choke submission victory.

 

Main Card (9 P.M. EST)

 

Bellator Welterweight Title Fight: Douglas Lima (26-5) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (17-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (7-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-13)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (10-3) vs. Gavin Sterritt (6-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (36-13-2) vs. Dennis Olson (14-8)

 

Preliminary Card (7 P.M. EST)

 

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Josh Neer (36-14) vs. Matt Secor (6-2)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Blair Tugman (7-5) vs. Rodrigo Almeida (12-2)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Ilya Kotau (debut) vs. Nicolas Sergiacomi (1-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Parker Porter (5-4) vs. Eric Bedard (6-5)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-3) vs. Remo Cardarelli (4-2)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Dean Hancock (1-0) vs. Alex Dunworth (2-1,1 NC)

Bellator Strawweight Prelim Fight: Kaline Medeiros (4-4) vs. Sarah Payant (1-0)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Quinn (10-5, 1 NC)

 

Amateur MMA, Global Proving Ground, mixed martial arts

Global Proving Ground Update

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Global Proving Ground 21

(PENNSAUKEN, N.J.) Global Proving Ground (GPG) On July 25th, one of the most anticipated fights in the North Eastern USA will take place with a 125lb Championship Belt on the line. Sean “Shorty Rock” Santella will put his 13-5 highly respected record on the line against 9-2 Matt “Razor Sharp” Rizzo for the GPG vacant 125 Pound Championship. GPG 21 will take place live at our GPG Arena the Event Center on rt 73 in Pennsauken NJ, right across the Tacony Palmyra Bridge, 5 minutes from Philly. The Fight will air on Comcast Sportsnet and on the Comcast Network all across the USA. Also highlighted on the Card is local standout pro Sidney Outlaw vs Vryon Phillips and local Daddis Gym Fighter Brylan Vanartsdalen vs Matt DiMarcantonio. For the Full fight card go to LocalMMATickets.com.
Amazing Full Fight Card all PRO

The 5 Round Championship fight will highlight Sean Santella who trains at UFC Veterans Miller Brothers MMA as well as Ricardo Almeida Academy and routinely trains with mega stars like Frankie Edgar. Matt Rizzo trains with amazing coaches at Revolution Academy and these two very talented fighters who have called each other out multiple times will collide Sat July 25th at GPG 21.
As always GPG’s community outreach highlights a charity. Fighting for Autism Awareness is a very important cause to the Global Proving Ground family who’s members have a few children with the autism and know all too well the daily struggles dealing with this issue.

Don’t miss this amazing card of Pro Fights on Saturday July 25th. The GPG Event Center is located at 1444 Route 73 in Pennsauken, New Jersey. Doors open at 6PM and undercard fights will start around 7pm. Tickets are still available atwww.LocalMMATickets.com.
Who We Are:

GPG in its 3rd year is a Professional Mixed Martial Arts fight League that operates around the world. We have our own 50,000 square foot Event Center outside of Philadelphia, PA, on route 73 in Pennsauken NJ, where we produce live PPV TV events. Our Professional Cage fights are broadcast on Comcast Sportsnet around the United States to millions of homes and on other networks. GPG is a grass roots development league that helps fighters build their brand, while building a fan base of loyal fight fans who enjoy the Honor, Respect and True spirit that Global Proving Ground brings back to the combat industry.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

SAN Nutrition Signs on as Title Sponsor of World Series of Fighting

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Oxnard, California – June 24, 2015 – SAN Nutrition, with a strong history of supporting elite athletes and sporting events, announced today that it has teamed up on a promising new venture as title sponsor of Las Vegas-based World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com).

WSOF is an internationally growing company promoting world championship professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) live events for distribution on NBCSN in the U.S. as well as television in over 100 countries internationally. In the same way that SAN is committed to providing customers and athletes with the greatest products, WSOF is dedicated to providing fans and fighters with the ultimate sports entertainment experience.

“We’ve had growing relationships with MMA athletes as individuals, including our sponsorship of MMA Welterweight champion and number one contender Johny Hendricks as well as number one ranked Lightweight phenom Khabib Nurmagomedov,“ says Matt Boldt, SAN’s president, “and we’re truly looking forward to our new endeavors supporting such a world-class organization as WSOF.

We are excited to partner with a first-rate nutrition company like SAN that has taken such a proactive approach to marketing its top-of-the-line products to MMA’s ever-growing audience,” said WSOF President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.

“This is, without a doubt,” continued Sefo, “a great opportunity for WSOF to align itself with another sponsor partner that is committed to excellence in its space, and we are confident that this partnership will help SAN significantly expand its footprint in MMA and reach a greater number of target consumers than ever before.”

MMA popularity is continually growing and WSOF’s coverage on NBCSN, NBC and worldwide is pushing growth even further. SAN has fielded an ever-increasing interest level from fighters with regard to maximizing strength and endurance, so the relationship is the perfect match.

SAN’s name will appear on new floor logo mats, center posts, tale of the tape  television graphics, and the WSOF round card girls will be outfitted with new uniforms bearing the SAN logo.

SAN Nutrition has become the most trusted company in the industry because of the positive results achieved by people who use SAN products. Backed by extensive scientific research, SAN Nutrition continually develops the most powerful and safest supplements available.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
Fight Network, Judo, kickboxing, mixed martial arts

FIGHT NETWORK MMA, JUDO & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (June 22-28, 2015)

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Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, boxing, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.

 

Below find highlights of this week’s programming:

Monday, June 22

7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

7:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

8:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 10 MMA: Rodriguez vs. Batzelas – Featuring Ricco Rodriguez vs, Nestoras Batzelas from Dec. 13, 201`3 from Skopje, Macedonia.

10:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 10 Kickboxing – Featuring Rustemi Kreshnik vs. Dino Belosevic from Dec. 13, 2014 from Skopje, Macvedonia.

Tuesday, June 23

2:30 a.m. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S pro and amateur MMA.

2:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 9 Kickboxing – Featuring Mirko Vorkapic vs. Chris Ngimbi from Nov. 15, 2013 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

7:00 & 7:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

8:00 p.m. 10 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

11:00 p.m. ET – Havoc Fighting Championship 8 – Featuring Austin Ryan vs/ Malcolm Gordon for the Havoc FC flyweight title from Mar. 27, 2015 in Red Deer, Alberta.

Wednesday, June 24

3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star State’s top prospects in the cage.

6:00 p.m. ET – Best of Cage Rage – Featuring classic fights from the UK-based Cage Rage organization with Anderson Silva, Antonio Silva, Victor Belfort, Paul Daley and others.

7:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

7:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

9:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 45 -Featuring KJay Mortimore vs. Eddy Bengtsson and Ben Hajir vs. Michael Jones from Feb. 18, 2012 in London.

11:00 p.m. ET – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.

11:30 p.m. ET – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews.

Thursday, June 25

1:30 a.m. & 1 p.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 13: Feel The Pain – Featuring Ben Smith vs. Darren Towler and Jack Mason vs. Chris Chris Greig from June 20, 2010 in London.

6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fightling Alliance – Pro MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkie, Luis Palomino and others.

7:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Rookies – Aspiring kickboxers climb the ladder of success in the sport as rookies compete for a chance to become professionals and get experience needed to succeed at a higher level.

8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

9:00 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge 53: Battle oin the Celestial Empire – Featuring Marcin Tybura vs. Denis Smoldarev for the M-1 Challenge heavyweight title, plus Sergei Karitonov vs. Kenny Garner fromNov. 25, 2015 in Beijing, China.

11:30 p.m. ET – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.

Friday, June 26

12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvoin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan.

2:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

4:00 a.m. ET – Best of DEEP – Featuring class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA league, Jewels.

12:00 p.m. ET – Bookie Beatdown – Preview of betting lines and top picks for major UFC events.

6:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

6:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

7:00 p.m. ET – UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero Weigh-Ins – LIVE coverage of the official weigh-ins for UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero in Hollywood, Florida.

8 pm. ET – CANADA ONLY — UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero Prelims – LIVE coverage of the preliminary fights for UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero in Hollywood, Florida.

8:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Ken Shamrock – Sit-down interviews with MMA legend and pioneer Ken Shamrock.

8:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

9:00 p.m. ET — KSW 23 – Featuring Mamed Khalidov vs. Melvoin Masnhoef, Sean McCorkie vs. Mariusz Pudzianowski and Kendall Groves vs. Michael Materia from June 8, 2013 in Gdansk, Poland.

Saturday, June 28

1:00 a.m. ET – SuperKombat New Heroes Optaila 2013 – Featuring Ivan Stanic vs. Laurent Attrifi, Andy van Steem vs. Mladen Brestovac and more from Feb. 2, 2013 in Opatija, Croatia.

3:00 a.m. ET – Square Ring – Jeff Monson vs. Roy Nelson in MMA action from Mar. 21, 2009 from Pensacola, Florida.

6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring Georges St. Pierre’s pro debut vs. Ivan Menjivar from UCC 7.

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Rashad Tyson, Quinton Jackson, Jake Shields and Urijah Faber in action..

8:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest, histed by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.

9:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

7:00 p.m. ET – UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero Pre-Show – LIVE post-fight coverage of UFC Fight Night: Machida vs/ Romero in Hollywood, Florida.

8:00 p.m. ET – Battlegrounds MMA: O.N.E. – Featuring a one-night, single-elimination MMA tournament from Tulsa, Oklahoma, showcasing Roan Carneiro, Brock Larson, Cody McKenzie, Trey Houston, Jess Taylor and more from Oct. 3, 3014.

Sunday, June 28

6:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of ADCC – Featuring compilations of the greatest grappling matches ever held, featuring Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Eddie Bravo, Fabricio Werdum, Marcelo Garcia, Ronaldo Souza and Royler Gracie.

11:00 a.m. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters taking on the renowned Thai National Team

3:00 & 11:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live: Mallorca, Spain – Featuring Iman Barlow vs. Iman Ghablou and David Calvo vs., Gil Silva in pro kickboxing action from July 12, 2014in Mallorca, Spain.

5:00 p.m. ET – USA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features and look back at the past.

5:30 p.m. ET – Judo Samson Grand Prix 2015 – Highlights from the Judo Samson Grand Prix fromMar. 27-29 in Turkey.

INFORMATION:

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

’Bout Time: Four Preliminary Scraps Confirmed for Bellator 140 in Uncasville, Connecticut 

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 22, 2015) – Four fresh preliminary bouts will support the welterweight main card showcase of “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov.” Veteran striker Josh “The Dentist” Neer (36-14) faces submission artist Matt Secor (6-2) at welterweight, Blair “The Bull Shark” Tugman (7-5) battles Rodrigo “The Young Lion” Almeida (12-2) at 135 lbs., Ilya Kotau makes his professional debut opposite Nicolas Sergiacom(1-0) at 170 lbs., and Parker Porter (5-4) faces Eric “Lucky Strikes” Bedard (6-5) in the heavyweight division.

 

Bellator 140 features five world-class welterweight bouts including World Champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and Andrey Koreshkov (17-1), Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6), Michael “Venom” Page (7-0) taking on Rudy Bears (16-13), Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward (10-3) scrapping with Gavin “War Horse” Sterritt (6-1), and knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2) challenging Dennis Olson (14-8).

 

The main card airs live and free on July 17th on Spike at 9 P.M. EST while the announced preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 P.M. EST.

 

Tickets for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which start at just $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office orTicketmaster.com.

 

Veteran striker Josh Neer returns to Bellator MMA after going 3-1 in his last four fights. Neer has over 50 fights of experience to his credit and a combined 32 wins by knockout and submission. Neer dropped a unanimous decision loss to Paul Bradley at Bellator 129 and seeks to come back from the loss with a commanding victory over Secor.

Matt Secor challenges Neer riding a two-fight winning streak. Secor is a talented grappler who has earned six wins by submission ahead of Bellator 140. He will need to display his best ground game tactics to submit the established MMA veteran and to impress in his Bellator debut.

 

Blair Tugman will be competing in his home state of Connecticut and will aim to string together his third consecutive Bellator victory. The bantamweight fighter last competed in February’s “British Invasion” event and earned a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Marvin Maldonado. Tugman’s bantamweight competitor, Rodrigo Almeida makes his promotional debut on the heels of seven straight victories. Almeida demonstrated dominating striking power in his most recent fight and earned a 15-second technical knockout win.

 

Ilya Kotau makes his professional debut at 170 lbs. opposite Nicolas Sergiacomi in a showcase of prospective East Coast talent.

 

Hartford’s Parker Porter takes his second heavyweight fight in Bellator MMA and will be looking to redeem himself from a Bellator 98 debut loss. Standing opposite Porter is Eric Bedard, who has finished all six of his professional victories and seeks to continue the streak in his promotional debut.

 

Main Card (9 P.M. EST)

Bellator Welterweight Title Fight: Douglas Lima (26-5) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (17-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (7-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-13)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (10-3) vs. Gavin Sterritt (6-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (36-13-2) vs. Dennis Olson (14-8)

 

Preliminary Card (7 P.M. EST)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Josh Neer (36-14) vs. Matt Secor (6-2)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Blair Tugman (7-5) vs. Rodrigo Almeida (12-2)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Ilya Kotau (debut) vs. Nicolas Sergiacomi (1-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Parker Porter (5-4) vs. Eric Bedard (6-5)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

“UNFINISHED BUSINESS” IS FINISHED, AS KIMBO SLICE STOPS KEN SHAMROCK IN SAINT LOUIS

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PATRICIO FREIRE RETAINS FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE WITH MUST-SEE SECOND ROUND KNOCKOUT OVER DANIEL WEICHEL

CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS FROM BELLATOR 138

PHOTO CREDIT: BELLATOR

 

The long-awaited, highly anticipated matchup between mixed martial arts legend Ken Shamrock (28-16-2) and bare-knuckled brawler Kimbo Slice (5-2) definitely didn’t disappoint. The energy from the packed crowd at Scottrade Center in St. Louis was palpable, as fans from all walks of life had waited since 2008 to see the two enter the cage, with Slice claiming victory by TKO at 2:22 in round one.

 

When the opening bell sounded, the founding father of MMA looked to shoot for the takedown on Slice immediately, maneuvering into a position to secure a win with a rear-naked choke. But as promised, Slice refused to tap.

 

Before the crowd could blink, the two fighters were upright and exchanging blows. Slice was able to land a lethal right hook that stunned Shamrock, sending him immediately to the canvas. Just as Slice moved in to land additional blows on the defenseless Shamrock, referee John McCarthy quickly stepped in and stopped the fight.

 

After the bout, an exuberant Slice acted as if this victory was long overdue.  “I’ve been in this position before,” said Slice. “I trained my ground game very well. Tapping was not an option.”

 

Shamrock, who looked to be in top shape coming into the fight, was full of class in defeat. “When you come into a fight and you get beat you have to show respect,” said Shamrock. “I’m frustrated, I had the submission but I didn’t take my time with it. I lost my position. I tried to scramble, but I wasn’t that fast and I got caught.”

 

In the night’s co-feature and potential comeback “Fight of the Year,” current Bellator Featherweight World Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) retained his title against Daniel “Weasel” Weichel (35-9) with a beautiful left hook knockout 32-seconds into round two.

 

In the first round it looked like Bellator would have a new 145-pound champion, as the German international immediately came forward with pressure, catching the Brazilian with multiple jabs.

 

Just when it looked like referee McCarthy would stop the action, the first round bell sounded just in the nick of time to save Freire from a stunning first-round knockout.

 

After the fight, a seemingly stunned “Pitbull” didn’t seem to lose any confidence. “My opponent was very tough, but I can go to war,” said Freire. “I am very happy to still be the champion. I’m here, if you want my belt you can try to come get it.”

 

“I believe the bell saved me,” Freire continued. “He hit me with a hard punch on my chin but I stayed calm going into the second round because I knew I needed to win the fight. I saw an opening after he punched me and I hit him with my best shot.”

 

A visibly distraught and emotional Weichel knew he let a golden opportunity slip away. “I started the second round slowly,” said Weichel. “I didn’t want him to recover after the first round. I started on the offensive in the second round and unfortunately I got caught.”

 

In heavyweight action, Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2), of Coconut Creek, Fla., made quick work of Dan “The Man” Charles (9-3), dominating the 29-year-old with a great ground and pound, an arsenal that including multiple suplexes. Referee McCarthy stopped the fight at 4:14 in the second round resulting in a TKO for the three-time NAIA amateur wrestling champion and his third straight win under the Bellator banner.

 

Charles, who took the fight on two weeks’ notice after James Thompson dropped out due to injury, was overmatched by the considerably larger Lashley, who kept himself in great position to eventually vie for the heavyweight title.

 

The 38-year-old referenced his esteemed wrestling background as a major factor in claiming victory. “You always go back to your basics in a fight and wrestling is my background,” said Lashley. “I need to keep moving forward, the heavyweight division is wide open. I need to keep my eyes open.”

 

Daniel Straus (23-6), of Coconut Creek, Fla. looked like he has fully rebounded from his title shot loss to Pitbull Freire, convincingly beating Henry Corrales (12-1) of La Mirada, Calif. via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:47 into round two.

 

Straus looked like he came into the fight to make a statement, quickly attacking Corrales with consecutive blows to the head that had the Californian staggering backwards on multiple occasions.

 

“I’m still dominating people,” said Straus.  “This is what I do. Win or lose I come in here to beat up my opponent.”

 

Straus seemed confident that he would have no issues reclaiming his belt. “Whoever wins the featherweight belt tonight,” exclaimed Straus. “I am coming to beat you up.”

 

It was a valiant effort by Corrales, who was making his Bellator debut, but it was obvious that he was a step behind Straus from the opening bell. The loss was just the first in Corrales’ career.

 

In the night’s first main-card contest, lightweight and hometown favorite Michael Chandler (13-3), of High Ridge, Mo., made quick work of Derek “The Stallion” Campos (15-5), needing just 2:17 secondsto score a submission (rear-naked choke) win.

 

Coming off three straight losses, Chandler clearly looked relieved following the fight. “Derek Campos is a tough guy, he hit me in my mouth and bloodied me a bit,” said Chandler. “I was excited to fight this guy. I’m not in this sport to tip toe and find easy fights.”

 

Feeling notably confident, Chandler called out current lightweight champion Will Brooks, who happened to be sitting  cage side. “I want that belt back,” said Chandler. “Will Brooks, that belt has my name on it, wherever you are.”

 

On tonight’s preliminary card shown on Spike.com

 

Hometown fighters were represented in all nine preliminary fights, starting with Miles McDonald (2-1) of Springfield, MO defeated Dan O’Connor (5-5) via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 4:30 in round 3.

 

Hugh Pulley (5-2) of St. Louis, MO defeated Eric Irvin (9-4) of Farmington, MO via Split Decision scored 30-27 (Pulley), 29-28 (Pulley), 29-28 (Irvin)

 

Kyle Kurtz (4-0) of Jackson, MO stayed undefeated with a round 2 Submission victory over Adam Cella (6-4) of St. Louis, MO.

 

Chris Heatherly (9-3) of Cahokia, IL defeated Garrett Gross (6-4) of Coconut Creek, FL via Unanimous Decision scored 29-28 three times.

 

Justin Lawrence (8-2) of Pacific, MO defeated Sean Wilson (34-26) of Omaha, NE via TKO in 4:56 of round 1.

 

Justin Guthrie (18-8) of Colorado Springs, CO defeated Steven Mann (10-2) of St. Louis, MO via Submission (Brabo Choke) at the 1:09 mark in round two.

 

Main Card Results

Kimbo Slice def Ken Shamrock by KO – Round 1, 2:22

Patricio Freire def. Daniel Weichel by KO – Round 2, :32 to retain Bellator MMA Featherweight title

Bobby Lashley def. Dan Charles via TKO – Round 2, 4:14

Daniel Straus def. Henry Corrales by submission (guillotine) – Round 2, 3:47

Michael Chandler def. Derek Campos by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:17

 

Preliminary Card Results

Miles McDonald def. Dan O’Connor by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 4:30

Hugh Pulley def. Eric Irvin by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)

Kyle Kurtz def. Adam Cella by submission (armbar) – Round 2, 4:13

Chris Heatherly def. Garrett Gross by Unanimous Decision (29-28 three times)

Justin Guthrie def. Steven Mann by submission (brabo choke) – Round 2, 1:09

Justin Lawrence def. Sean Wilson via TKO – Round 1, 4:56

 

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.