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Tag Archives: mma
NEF HIRES LONGTIME BELLATOR EXECUTIVE AS DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Lewiston, Maine (March 30, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, today announced the hiring of former Bellator executive Sam Caplan as the company’s new Director of National Business Development. Caplan has signed a contract to work exclusively with the promotion in the New England states through his consulting company Combat Sports Media (CSM). The new position within the organization was created specifically for Caplan.
“Adding a third executive to this mix was essential,” said NEF promoter Nick DiSalvo who co-owns the fight promotion with matchmaker Matt Peterson. “As we’ve grown and the TV deals have been offered and we get more and more calls from big name fighters looking to fight for us, it’s become a lot for the two of us to handle along with the regular day-to-day operation of this business. Sam has been at the national level for a long time. He’s probably one of the top-five most experienced people in this country working at the highest stage of MMA event promotion. He is a major asset to our company. We are extremely fortunate to have him with us.”
Caplan was the Vice President of Talent Relations for Bellator from 2009 until 2014. Prior to that time, he had worked for Fedor Amelianenko’s M-1 Global promotion, Titan Fighting Championships, and also worked in television for CBS and Showtime developing the first broadcasts of EliteXC and Strikeforce. In 2013, he was named one of the “Top 20 Most Influential People in MMA” by USA Today and one of the “Power 20 in MMA” by Fight Magazine. He currently hosts The MMA Insiders Podcast along with Jason Floyd.
“Combat Sports Media is excited about adding New England Fights to its client roster,” said Caplan. “I have seen NEF’s operations from the inside out and am thoroughly impressed. Creating a regional fight promotion that can sustain itself is no small fete in today’s MMA landscape. In a short time, Matt and Nick have done an amazing job growing NEF to a point where it consistently puts 3,000-plus fans in the seats for its events. I also believe that NEF hasn’t even yet scratched the surface with regard to its growth and CSM looks forward to playing a role in the promotion’s evolution.”
This will not be the first time Caplan has worked with NEF. Caplan worked on a co-promotion NEF undertook with Bellator in March 2013.
“Working with Sam is always a pleasure,” stated Peterson. “I’ve known Sam for several years now, since he created 5OuncesofPain.com. There is no one more respected at the national level in MMA. Sam’s presence is going to be a game changer for both the promotion and the athletes that compete for NEF.”
NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVII,” is scheduled to take place onApril 11, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) will defend the NEF MMA Lightweight Title against number-one contender Jamie Harrison (5-1). In addition, Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) meets Dennis Olson (12-7) in a welterweight contest. Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.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.”
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.
About Combat Sports Media
Owned and operated by former Bellator MMA V.P. of Talent Relations and current Matrix Fights Promoter, Sam Caplan, CSM is an outsource business-to-business solution for companies in the combat sports industry. Founded in 2008, CSM provides an array of services on a contract basis such as business development, negotiations, venue procurement, television contracts, public relations, television research production, website design and management, Internet video streaming, and matchmaking consulting. Its past and present client list includes M-1 Global, CBS,SHOWTIME, the Titan Fighting Championship, Matrix Fights, Locked in the Cage, the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts, ChokeOutPoker.net, NameDrop.com, and FightMetric.com.
FIGHT NETWORK MMA & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Mar. 23-29, 2015)
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Bellator MMA signs wrestling star Bobby Lashley to a long-term contract extension
Easy tweet: @BellatorMMA signs a long-term contract extension with wrestling superstar@FightBobby! #BellatorMMA
Photo Credit Bellator MMA / Eric Coleman
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 20, 2015) – Bellator MMA announced today that superstar heavyweight Bobby Lashley (12-2) has signed a long-term contract extension with the promotion. Lashley is a perfect 2-0 under the Bellator banner, and 10 of his 12 victories have come by way of stoppage.
The 6’3 wrestling standout started training in the sport at age 12, and would go on to win several titles including three National Championships at Missouri Valley College, an NAIA National Championship, a CISM World Championship Silver Medal and a two-time Armed Forces Wrestling Championship when he served in the United States Army.
With his amazing wrestling pedigree, “The Dominator” signed a developmental contract with the WWE in 2004 and made his professional debut for the organization in 2005. Lashley would go on to fight for ECW and TNA as well, but wanted to prove himself in the world of MMA.
In 2008, Lashley began training in MMA full time with the American Top Team (ATT) gym in Coconut Creek Florida. He would later open his own ATT gym in Denver, CO, and trains between the two facilities with several respected athletes including Josh Barnett, Antonio “Big Foot Silva”, and Todd Duffee.
“I’ve had two fights with Bellator, and I’m happy to be calling the promotion my home,” said Lashley. “Scott Coker and the company have really reignited my desire to fight and I’m looking forward to a huge year with some dominant wins.”
NEXT WEEK: Watch “The Baddest Man on the Planet” Joe Warren defend his bantamweight title against Marcos Galvao next Friday, March 27 at 9/8c Live and Free, only on Spike. For more information visit www.bellator.com.
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 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 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.
Fight Network weekly MMA & kickboxing programming (Mar. 16-22)
| 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, Mar. 16
2:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 39 – Featuring Tom DeBlass, Pete Sell, Uriah Hall and Eddie Gordon from Feb. 10, 2012 in Atlantic City, NJ.
5:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and more.
6:00 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 a look back at the past.
6:30 p.m. ET – Judo Samsun Grand Prix 2014 – Highlights from the Judo Samsun Grand Prix from Mar. 28-30, 2014 in Turkey.
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 – Enfusion Live Vol. 12: Eindhoven – Featuring Robbie Hageman vs. David Calvo for the Enfusion 70kg world title from Jan. 25, 2014 in Eindhoven, Holland.
Tuesday, Mar. 17
1:00 a.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Elias Theodorou – Sit-down interview with “The Ultimate Fighter Nations” winner Elias Theodorou.
1:30 a.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.
2:30 am. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S pro and amateur MMA.
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. 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.
9:00 p.m. ET – Legend 1: Lightweight Tournament – Featuring a one-night, single-elimination tournament showcasing Dhabar Askerov, Enriko Gogokhiya, Artur Kyshemko and Yury Bessmertny from May, 2013 in Moscow.
11:00 p.m. ET – Australia Fighting Championship 10 – Featuring Bernardo Magalhaes vs. Kierran Joblin and Talgat Ilyasnov vs. Amin Yaqubu from Aug. 16, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia.
1:30 a.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.
3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star’s top prospects in the cage.
4:00 a.m. ET – Rocktagon MMA – Pro and amateur MMA from Ohio featuring the next generation of stars.
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. 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.
8:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from ONE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa, and more.
9:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 68 – Featuring Danny Roberts vs. Jimmy Wallheas and Mauro Chimento vs. Matt Inman in MMA action from May 3, 2014 in Liverpool, UK..
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, Mar. 19
1:30 a.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 37: Smith vs. Harman – Featuring Ben Smith vs. Chris Harman from Nov. 30, 2013 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.
11:00 p.m. ET – DEEP: 69 Impact – Featuring Yoshiyuki Nakanishi vs. Ryuta Sakurai and Mizuto Hirota vs. Masakazu Imanari from Oct 26, 2014 in Tokyo..
Friday, Mar. 20
12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin 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.
6 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge – Professional MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.
7:00 p.m. ET — Fight News Now. 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.
8:00 p.m. ET – KSW 8 – Featuring Alexey Oleinik, Karol Bedorf, Mamed Khalidov and Moise Rimbon from Nov. 10, 2007 Warsaw, Poland.
11:00 p.m. ET – Hard Knocks Fighting 42: LIVE MMA featuring Ryan Dickson vs. Jason Fischer, Todd Stoute vs. Anton Tokarchuk and Christ Franck vs. Joel Powell from Calgary, Canada.
Saturday, Mar. 21
1:00 a.m. ET – SuperKombat: New Heroes Italy 2013 – Pro kickboxing featuring the world’s top prospects and established stars.
4:00 a.m. ET — Toe 2 Toe with Demian Maia – Sit-down interview with Brazilian UFC welterweight sensation and BJJ World Champion Demian Maia.
6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring David Loiseau vs. Steve Vigneault from UCC 2.
7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Rashad Evans from TKO 15.
10:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest. Hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.
4:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 40 – Featuring Eddie Gordon vs. Ryan Contaldi and Marvin Eastman vs. Dmitry Zabolotny from Apr. 237, 2013 in Atlantic City, NJ.
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: Maia vs. LaFlare Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage for UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. LaFlare in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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 – Hard Knocks Fighting 42 – Featuring Ryan Dickson vs. Jason Fischer, Christ Franck vs. Joel Powell and Anton Tokarchuk vs. Todd Stoute from Mar. 20, 2015 in Calgary, Canada.
11:00 p.m. ET — Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from ONE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa, and more.
Sunday, Mar. 22
12:00 a.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 3: Jurkovic vs. Catinas – Featuring Igor Jurkovic vs. Raul Catinas in a kickboxing bout and Ante Delija vs. Michail Lamprakis in MMA action from Apr. 19, 2013 in Split, Croatia.
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 takingon the renowned Thai National team.
7:00 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 a look back at the past.
7:30 p.m. ET – Judo Baku Grand Slam 2014 – Highlights of Judo Baku Grand Slam from May 9-11 in Azerbaijan.
11:00 p.m. ET – King of Kings: World Grand Prix 2014 Gdansk – Featuring Pavel Zhuravlev vs. Kryspin Kalski and a one-night, single-elimination 70-kg tournament from Nov. 28, 2014 in Gdansk, Poland.
Information:
Twitter & Instagram @fightnet
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| ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK: Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. |
ANDRE BERTO STOPS JOSESITO LOPEZ IN DEBUT PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON SPIKE TV SHOW IN FRONT OF A BOISTEROUS CROWD AT CITIZENS BUSINESS BANK ARENA IN ONTARIO, CALIF.
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“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” lineup complete with 13 fights; new contests include Tony Johnson vs. Alexander Volkov, Fabricio Guerreiro vs. John Teixeira
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 11, 2015) – The star-studded 13-bout lineup for “Bellator MMA: Brooks vs. Jansen” is now complete with the addition of a main-card heavyweight slugfest of Alexander “Drago” Volkov(24-4) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2) and six new preliminary matchups, including featherweights Fabricio Guerreiro (20-3) vs. John “Macapa” Teixeira (17-1-2).
Additional new preliminary contests added to the lineup include a 150-pound catchweight contest of Cleber Luciano (10-5) vs. Aaron “Blood Spiller” Miller (14-9) bantamweights Chad “Savage” George (15-8) vs.Mark Vorgeas (5-2-1), middleweights Ben Jones (4-4) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1-1), welterweights John “Johnny Merc” Mercurio (6-7) vs. Greg Parker (4-1) and featherweights Marcos “Murder Marx” Bonilla (1-1) vs. A.J. McKee (0-0).
A previously announced preliminary contest of bantamweights Jared Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1) has been removed from the card.
“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” takes place on Friday, April 10, at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks vs. top contender Dave Jansen, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET), while preliminary bouts stream live on Spike.com (7 p.m. ET).
Tickets for “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen,” which start at just $38, are already on sale at Bellator.com andBren.UCI.edu.
Johnson, of North Platte, Neb., is an American Kickboxing Academy product who returns to the Bellator MMA cage for the first time since a 2011 victory over Derrick Lewis. Including a pair of appearances fighting overseas in Maylasia and the Philippines, Johnson is currently 4-1 in his past five contests, most recently needing just 81 seconds to score a TKO win over Robert Neal. Johnson also owns a win over former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia.
Meanwhile, 26-year-old Russian slugger Volkov, a Moscow native, has earned 17 of his 24 career victories through strikes. An incredible 15-1 in his past 16 appearances, Volkov’s only loss in that span came in a 25-minute matchup with current Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Vitaly Minakov. Aiming for another shot at that belt, Volkov appears primed for a breakout performance.
At just 24 years old, Guerreiro, of Santana, Amapa, Brazil, already boasts 20 career victories, 17 of which have come by way of stoppage. With Bellator MMA wins over Shahbulat Shamhalaev and Desmond Green already under his belt, Guerreiro makes his fourth Bellator MMA appearance.
Meanwhile, Teixeira is a 28-year-old who hails from just 12 miles away from his opponent, growing up in Macapa, Amapa, Brazil. With just one loss in a 20-fight career that dates back to 2007, Teixeira was victorious in his Bellator MMA debut and now looks to defeat a cross-state rival on an international stage.
Brazilian-born Luciano now lives in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he serves as a jiu-jitsu instructor in his own academy. A Royler Gracie black belt since he was 19 years old, Luciano has started to focus more on MMA in recent years and is an impressive 10-2 in his past 12 appearances, with seven submission wins in that span. He’ll face Miller, of Hacienda Heights, Calif., who returns to action following 16 months on the sidelines after a submission loss to Michael Guymon. Prior to the result, Miller had boasted a five-fight winning streak.
George, of Los Angeles, Calif., is nearing 10 years in the sport but now makes his Bellator MMA debut. While George has never been knocked out in 23 professional contests, he has been tapped out in six of his eight career losses. He now faces Vorgeas, of Laguna Hills, Calif., who owns four of his five career victories by tapout.
Bondole is originally from Portland, Maine, but now makes his home in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he trains with Kings MMA. Bondole seeks revenge after suffering his first career loss in his Bellator MMA debut. He now meets Jones, of Riverside, Calif., who fights for the first time under the Bellator MMA banner. Jones has never fought to a judges’ decision in his eight career contests to date.
Mercurio, of Huntington Beach, Calif., seeks his first victory under the Bellator MMA banner. He meets crosstown rival Parker, who has yet to fight to a judges’ decision in his first five appearances.
Bonilla, of Los Angeles, Calif., recently picked up his first official career win and now meets McKee, of Lakewood, Calif., who makes his professional debut.
“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” – Friday, April 10, Bren Events Center, Irvine, Calif.
Main Card (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Lightweight Title Fight: Champ Will Brooks (15-1) vs. Dave Jansen (20-2)
Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-3) vs. Rafael Carvalho (10-1)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2)
Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alexander Volkov (24-4) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2)
Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: John Mercurio (6-7) vs. Greg Parker (4-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Joey Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian Rogers (11-7)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Saad Awad (17-6) vs. Rob Sinclair (12-2)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Fabricio Guerreiro (20-3) vs. John Teixeira (17-1-2)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Marcos Bonilla (1-1) vs. A.J. McKee (0-0)
Dark Bouts (Following Spike TV broadcast)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Ben Jones (4-4) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Chad George (15-8) vs. Mark Vorgeas (5-2-1)
Bellator Catchweight (150 pounds) Prelim Fight: Cleber Luciano (10-5) vs. Aaron Miller (14-9)
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 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 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.
Injury delays Eduardo Dantas vs. Mike Richman at “Bellator MMA: Warren vs. Galvao”
L.C. Davis vs. Hideo Tokoro promoted to Spike TV-televised co-main event
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 10, 2015) – A Mike Richman injury has delayed a highly anticipated bantamweight matchup with former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo Dantas at this month’s “Bellator MMA: Warren vs. Galvao” event. However, Bellator MMA officials have promoted a previously announced gem from the preliminary card, as a 135-pound contest between L.C. Davis
(22-6) vs. Hideo Tokoro (32-27) will now take center stage as the co-main event on the evening’s Spike TV-televised main card.
Dantas (16-4) vs. Richman (18-5) will be rescheduled at a later date.
“Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao” takes place on Friday, March 27, at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Joe Warren vs. top contender Marcos Galvao, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET).
A seven-bout preliminary card streams live on Spike.com (6:30 p.m. ET).
Tickets for “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which include VIP Seating for just $75, are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
Davis, of Kansas City, Mo., is a nine-year veteran of the sport who is currently 6-1 in his past seven appearances, including a pair of wins under the Bellator MMA banner. He faces 14-year Japanese veteran Tokoro, a longtime mainstay in his native country who now makes his Bellator MMA debut.
“Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao” – Friday, March 27, WinStar World Casino, Thackerville, Okla.
Main Card (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Bantamweight Title Fight: Champ Joe Warren (12-3) vs. Marcos Galvao (16-6-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: L.C. Davis (22-6) vs. Hideo Tokoro (32-27)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Francis Carmont (22-10) vs. Guilherme Viana (6-1)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Ryan Couture (9-3) vs. Dakota Cochrane (18-7)
Preliminary Card (6:30 p.m. ET)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Sean Holden (2-1) vs. Tim Roman (2-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Neal Ewing (5-0) vs. Logan Nail (1-0)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Emmanuel Sanchez (9-1) vs. Alejandro Villalobos (17-3)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Stephen Banaszak (3-4) vs. Brad Mitchell (4-1)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Klayton Mai (6-1) vs. Xavier Siller (5-3)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: J.P. Cole (2-2) vs. Geo Pacurariu (8-4)
Swing Bout
Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Rashad Coulter (4-1) vs. Jeremiah O’Neal (13-24)
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 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 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.
FIGHT NETWORK MMA & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Mar. 9-17, 2015)
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“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” adds five new contests, including Marcin Held vs. “Tiger” Sarnavskiy, Joey Beltran vs. Brian Rogers and more
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 5, 2015) – The action-packed lineup for “Bellator MMA: Brooks vs. Jansen” continues to fill, and the latest round of additions includes a key lightweight matchup between two international contenders with a combined 50 career victories, as well as four intriguing preliminary contests.
The new matchups include a main-card lightweight contest of Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2), as well as preliminary bouts of bantamweights Jared “The Jackhammer” Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1), middleweights Joey “Mexicutioner” Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian “The Professional Predator” Rogers (11-7), lightweights Saad “Assassin” Awad (17-6) vs. Rob “C4” Sinclair (12-2) and flyweights Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1).
“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” takes place on Friday, April 10, at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks vs. top contender Dave Jansen, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET), while preliminary bouts stream live on Spike.com (7 p.m. ET).
Tickets for “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen,” which start at just $38, are already on sale atBellator.com and Bren.UCI.edu
The 23-year-old Held, a native of Tychy, Poland, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who boasts one of the most dangerous submission games in the world. A former no-gi grappling world champion, Held has been competing in mixed martial arts professionally since 2008 and has earned 11 of his 20 career wins by tapout. With just one loss in his past 11 appearances, Held owns Bellator MMA wins over Patricky Pitbull, Nate Jolly, Derek Anderson, Rodrigo Cavalheiro, Ryan Healy, Rich Clementi, Murad Machaev, Derrick Kennington and Phillipe Nover.
The 26-year-old Sarnavskiy, from Omsk, Russia, has an equally impressive record and has earned the rank of Master of Sport in hand-to-hand combat. A seven-time Bellator MMA veteran, Sarnavskiy is currently enjoying a five-fight winning streak and is 10-1 in his past 11 appearances. In his 30 career victories, 25 have come by stoppage, including 18 submissions and seven knockouts.
Papazian, of West Hills, Calif., is a seven-year veteran of the sport who has been training in martial arts since he was just 6 years old. A former King of the Cage flyweight champion, Papazian is 3-1 in his past four outings. He faces Shippen, of Lake Forest, Calif. A Reign Training Center product, Shippen is 11-1 in his past 12 appearances and has earned 13 of his 14 career wins by stoppage, including five knockouts and eight submissions.
The hard-hitting Beltran, of San Diego, Calif., Beltran is a three-time Bellator MMA veteran and former light heavyweight who now makes his first appearance in the middleweight divisions. A slugger by trade, 11 of Beltran’s 15 career wins have come by way of knockout. He now meets fellow knockout artist Rogers, of Denver, Colo. With nine Bellator MMA appearances to his name, Rogers also prefers to stand and bang and has earned nine of his 11 career wins with strikes.
Awad, of San Bernadino, Calif., is a Millennia MMA product who owns five wins under the Bellator MMA banner, four of which have come by stoppage. Fourteen of his 17 career wins have come by stoppage, including seven knockouts and seven submissions. He faces Sinclair, of Manchester, England, who is 8-1 in his past nine appearances. Ten of Sinclair’s 12 career wins have come by way of finish, including nine knockouts, and he now makes his Bellator MMA debut.
Santa Maria, of Whittier, Calif., is a Reign Training Center fighter who made his professional debut in March 2014 and has already picked up three victories, including a November win under the Bellator MMA banner. He now faces Ramirez, of Corona, Calif., who suffered a split-decision loss in his professional debut and now hopes to earn his first official career victory.
Additional contests, including one more main-card matchup, will be announced shortly
“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” – Friday, April 10, Bren Events Center, Irvine, Calif.
Main Card (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Lightweight Title Fight: Champ Will Brooks (15-1) vs. Dave Jansen (20-2)
Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Rafael Carvalho (10-1) vs. Joe Schilling (2-3)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2)
Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Jared Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Joey Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian Rogers (11-7)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Saad Awad (17-6) vs. Rob Sinclair (12-2)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1)
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 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 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.