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Tag Archives: mma
BELLATOR ROLLS OUT SERIES OF “FOUNDATIONS” DIGITAL PIECES FEATURING MELVIN MANHOEF, ALEXANDER SHLEMENKO, PAT CURRAN & DANIEL WEICHEL
WATCH: MUST SEE TV RETURNS TO THURSDAY
Fans have been clamoring about the new “Foundations” video series that Bellator MMA has rolled out, offering an inside look at the lives of the four men who will top the fight card of “Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” tomorrow night.
Featuring a thrilling middleweight matchup between two of the most dangerous strikers in all of mixed martial arts with former Bellator MMA champ Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (50-9) facing fellow knockout artist Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef (29-12-1), “Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” takes place Feb. 13 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. and airs LIVE and FREE on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET.
In a sure-to-be-amazing co-main event, former featherweight champion Pat Curran (20-6) looks to start the journey to reclaim his belt against tournament winner and submission specialist Daniel Weichel (34-8)
Tickets for the event, which start at just $28, are currently available at Ticketmaster.com,SaveMartCenter.com and the Save Mart Center Box Office.
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Bellator MMA: Foundations with Melvin Manhoef
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Bellator MMA: Foundations with Alexander Shlemenko
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Bellator MMA: Foundations with Pat Curran
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Bellator MMA: Foundations with Daniel Weichel
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Main Card on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (29-12-1) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (50-9)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-6) vs. Daniel Weichel (34-8)
Bellator Women’s Featherweight Feature Fight: Julia Budd (6-2) vs. Gabrielle Holloway (4-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (5-0) vs. Clayton MacFarlane (4-0)
Preliminary card on Spike.com (8 p.m. ET)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Art Arciniega (14-4) vs. Emilio Chavez (7-5)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Blake Watkins (4-0) vs. George Zuniga (3-0)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Paul Ruiz (5-2) vs. Nicolas Sperling (3-2)
Preliminary card on Spike.com (Following Manhoef vs. Shlemenko)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Nick Bustamante (2-0) vs. Luis Jauregui (2-1)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: John Paul Elias (2-0) vs. Cody Sons (0-1)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Contrestano (4-0) vs. Ryan Tobar (3-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Ray Cervera (8-2) vs. Adam Piccolotti (4-0)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Mason Fowler (1-0) vs. Marko Damiani (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 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.
BOYINGTON AND HARRISON ON APRIL 11: POWER IS LEGEND
Lewiston, Maine (February 10, 2015) – The night was June 16, 2012. Over 3,000 fans had filled the Androscoggin Bank Colisee for New England Fights’ (NEF) “NEF III” mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event. In the main event of the evening was former two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion of the World Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia (31-10). Sylvia was competing for the first time ever in his home state of Maine. Media outlets, both local and national, descended on Lewiston that night for the big event. National cable station HDNet (now “AXS TV”) sent a full film crew and producer to cover the pro portion of the fight card for their weekly program Inside MMA.
Sylvia’s 12-second knockout of Randy Smith (13-15-1), however, was not the story that night. The real story coming out of the event was the emergence of not one, but two, new stars before a national audience. Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7), already holding the first-ever knockout in Maine MMA history, added to his legend with a Taekwondo spinning-hook kick that left his opponent unconscious and earned Boyington the quickest knockout in NEF at the time at 10-seconds. Moments later, Jamie Harrison (5-1) finished his opponent with an unorthodox ground-and-pound technique dubbed “The Lobster Punch” by Inside MMA co-host Bas Rutten (28-4-1). Both finishes were caught on camera by AXS TV, and both were seen by fight fans the world over on television and the internet. The road to April 11, 2015, “NEF XVII,” and a showdown between Boyington and Harrison, had been paved.
In the months and years to come, Boyington would become the face of NEF MMA. Leaving a trail of broken opponents in his wake, Boyington would go on to capture the vacant NEF MMA Lightweight Championship in September 2014 by defeating Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (3-4). Weeks later, Boyington and Erickson would rematch with Boyington once again emerging victorious. Harrison had, himself, cut through Tollison Lewis (0-3) with reckless abandon just moments earlier, leading many to speculate that the time for the Boyington-Harrison showdown had finally arrived. In the hours that followed, both sides had agreed to the fight and the stage was set for April 11, 2015 in Lewiston at “NEF XVII.” Both athletes squared off in the cage last Saturday at “NEF XVI” to officially announce the bout which will be a five-rounder for Boyington’s Lightweight Championship.
“I’m feeling on top of the world,” said Boyington when reached for comment. “The break has served its purpose and although I feel I have strengths such as a well-rounded MMA game, more professional fights, more experience with top level opponents and comfort in this arena – I know that it’s all irrelevant because the high that I’m on right now right now and the eagerness to get in the cage and have fun , along with a strict conviction with myself NOT to lose and to entertain the crowd makes me more confident than ever to get the job done. I respect Jamie very much. He is tough and presents challenges and I’ve had my sights on him for a long time, studying him and knowing we would cross paths eventually. Lucky for me, I’m a hell of a wrestler. I see what’s coming. Fans, this fight is unlike anything else you will ever see. Make sure you’re in attendance to witness what I’m about to do. I have no problem proving the critics wrong. Just be there and don’t blink. This is a big stage fight, I’ll prove it.”
“I am extremely excited to get back in the NEF cage for this huge opportunity,” remarked Harrison. “Bruce is on a hot streak and so am I. The title belt around my waist has been a long time coming and it will be bittersweet to do it in front of all my family, friends, and fans. This fight will have a lot of fireworks and you will not want to look away for a second.”
“These are the two alpha males of the NEF roster,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “When they walk in a room, everyone knows it. But we all know that there can only be one alpha male in the pride. On April 11 in Lewiston, we’ll determine which is the true alpha male when these two lions collide.”
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 at www.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 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.”
NEF XVI RECAP: KING RETAINS; WOOD DETHRONED; YOUNG’S MMA GOES 8-1
Lewiston, Maine (February 9, 2015) –New England Fights’ (NEF) latest mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event “NEF XVI,” took place Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. With temperatures dropping to below zero, and the threat of a snowstorm looming over the area, more than 2,500 fight fans braved the elements to pack the state’s most venerable fight venue. The crowd was treated to a total of 24 action-packed fights, including four professional bouts, two of which were for NEF MMA title belts.
The main event of the evening saw Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison (17-9) unseat Ray “All Business” Wood (5-1) to become the new NEF MMA Featherweight Champion. The loss spoiled what was expected to be a triumphant return home for Wood. The native of Bucksport, Maine had moved to South Carolina in 2014 to pursue his goal of competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Morrison was considered Wood’s toughest challenge to date, having himself competed on the national stage in Bellator and World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC). Still, Wood was recognized as the favorite going into the bout Saturday night. Morrison was dominant for most of the fight, out-wrestling Wood before submitting him with a guillotine choke in the fifth round to capture the belt.
The loss was also the sole blemish on what was otherwise a perfect night for Young’s MMA. The Bangor, Maine-based team had won their previous eight bouts over the course of the evening, an amazing feat considering that the Young’s corners were often running back and forth from the cage to the locker room to prepare their fighters for bouts that were mere moments apart from each other. Of particular note, the opening fight of the card featured Josh Harvey (3-1) of Young’s tearing through top-ten-ranked amateur featherweight Caleb Hall (5-2) with a technical knockout (TKO) victory a mere 36-seconds into the first round. Later, Young’s newest team member, Carl Langston (4-7), got his first win ever on Maine soil with a decision over Sheldon Bang (1-2) in a rematch of a bout Langston had lost at “NEF XIII” last year.
Marcus Davis’s Team Irish went 2-0 on the night with Ricky Dexter(2-0) picking up the second win of his amateur career and Rick Matthews (1-1) getting his first victory. 44-year old Matthews won a decision over Emmett Huber (0-1) while Dexter scored a big knockout on Cory Trial (0-1) in the second-round, sending Trial to a nearby hospital in the process.
Highlight-reel knockouts were par for the course at “NEF XVI.” Among them, UFC, Bellator and Strikeforce veteran Nah-Shon “The Rock-n-Rolla” Burrell (11-5) had already bloodied Ryan Hodge(6-10) before knocking him out in the first round of their professional middleweight contest. The most-talked-about knockout of the evening, however, went to Caleb Farrington (2-0) of Team New England United (NEU) who dropped Brandon “The Enigma” Russell (0-1) with a single right hand just 8-seconds into the first round. The knockout broke the all-time record of 11-seconds previously set by Buck “Knuckles” Pineau (7-4) in April 2012.
More history was made at “NEF XVI” when a father and not one, but two of his sons competed on the same MMA card. Following losses by his sons, Sheldon and Steve Bang (3-3), Dr. Steve Bang(1-0), a member of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ), entered the NEF MMA cage to a loud ovation from the crowd. The bariatric surgeon wasted little time in going to work on his opponent, Matthew Hanning (0-1), taking him down and pounding out a victory via referee-stoppage.
NFL and UFC The Ultimate Fighter veteran Tyler King (8-2) successfully defended the NEF MMA Heavyweight Title in the co-main event of the night, defeating Terry “The Polar Bear” Blackburn (5-3). King stormed into the arena with a determined fire in his eyes. Mid-way through the first round, King took Blackburn down to the mat and worked a Kimura submission, forcing Blackburn to tap-out. During his post-fight victory interview in the cage, King called out a slew of heavyweights and light-heavyweights including local names like Eric Bedard (6-5), as well as national stars such as Bellator’s Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (14-4).
Two bouts were announced for NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVII,” scheduled for April 11, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. NEF MMA Lightweight Champion Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington(10-7) faced-off in the cage with Jamie Harrison (5-1) for an interview. Boyington will defend his title at “NEF XVII” against number-one-contender Harrison in the main event. Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) and Bellator veteran Dennis Olson (12-7) were also brought into the cage for an interview. The two exciting welterweights will square off at “NEF XVII” in a bout many local observers feel could end up being a contender for “Fight of the Year” in the region.
The full results of “NEF XVI” in Lewiston, Maine:
PROFESSIONAL
145*TITLE Anthony Morrison def. Ray Wood (c) via guillotine, round 5 (Morrison wins title)
265*TITLE Tyler King (c) def. Terry Blackburn via Kimura, round 1 (King retains)
185 Nah-Shon Burrell def. Ryan Hodge via TKO, round 1
265 Mike Hansen def. Artie Mullen via TKO, round 1
AMATEUR
CATCH Aaron Lacey def. Nick Spencer via tap to rear-naked choke, round 3
CATCH Dustin Veinott def. Dave Brown via tap to armbar, round 1
145 Mike Peitersen def. Henry Clark via KO, round 3
180 Caleb Farrington def. Brandon Russell via KO, round 1
155 Ricky Dexter def. Cory Trial via KO, round 2
155 Dr. Steve Bang def. Matthew Hanning via TKO, round 1
- HWT Gravin Guillen def. Mladen Holman via unanimous decision
CATCH Fred Lear def. Bryant Orick via TKO, round 2
185 Frank Dellasala def. Heath Hanson via TKO, round 1
155 Jason Lachance def. Steve Bang via unanimous decision
265 Billy Leahy def. Brandon Lessard via unanimous decision
185 Nick Shea def. Jacob Cameron via TKO, round 1
CATCH Rob Kiah def. Clifford Redman via tap to rear-naked choke, round 1
135 Johnny Crafts def. Mike Crespo via tap to rear-naked choke, round 1
CATCH Jimmy Jackson def. Kris Welch via bulldog submission, round 2
205 Chris Perry def. Ruben Redman via unanimous decision
265 Ryan Glover def. Michael Freeman via TKO, round 1
140 Carl Langston def. Sheldon Bang via unanimous decision
155 Rick Matthews def. Emmett Huber via split decision
145 Josh Harvey def. Caleb Hall via TKO, round 1
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.
M-1 Challenge middleweight title fight Vasilevsky-Emeev rematch To headline M-1 Challenge 56 April 10 in Moscow, Russia
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NEF ANNOUNCES MMA RESULTS FROM LEWISTON, MAINE
Lewiston, Maine (February 8, 2015) –New England Fights’ (NEF) latest mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event “NEF XVI,” took place Saturday night at the Ramada Conference Center in Lewiston, Maine. A crowd of more than 2,500 was on-hand to witness the promotion’s first event of 2015.
In the main event of the evening, Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison (17-9) shocked the crowd by defeating hometown heroRay “All Business” Wood (5-1) to capture the NEF MMA Featherweight Title. In the co-main event, Tyler King (8-2) defeated Terry “The Polar Bear” Blackburn (5-3) via submission to retain the NEF Heavyweight Title.
In addition, NEF announced two fights for its next event, “NEF XVII,” scheduled for April 11, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. On that night, NEF MMA Lightweight Champion Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) will defend his title against the challenge of Jamie Harrison (5-1) in the main event. Also on the card that evening will be Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) in a professional welterweight contest against Dennis Olson (12-7).
The full results of “NEF XVI” in Lewiston, Maine:
PROFESSIONAL
145*TITLE Anthony Morrison def. Ray Wood (c) via guillotine, round 5 (Morrison wins title)
265*TITLE Tyler King (c) def. Terry Blackburn via Kimura, round 1 (King retains)
185 Nah-Shon Burrell def. Ryan Hodge via TKO, round 1
265 Mike Hansen def. Artie Mullen via TKO, round 1
AMATEUR
CATCH Aaron Lacey def. Nick Spencer via tap to rear-naked choke, round 3
CATCH Dustin Veinott def. Dave Brown via tap to armbar, round 1
145 Mike Peitersen def. Henry Clark via KO, round 3
180 Caleb Farrington def. Brandon Russell via KO, round 1
155 Ricky Dexter def. Cory Trial via KO, round 2
155 Dr. Steve Bang def. Matthew Hanning via TKO, round 1
- HWT Gravin Guillen def. Mladen Holman via unanimous decision
CATCH Fred Lear def. Bryant Orick via TKO, round 2
185 Frank Dellasala def. Heath Hanson via TKO, round 1
155 Jason Lachance def. Steve Bang via unanimous decision
265 Billy Leahy def. Brandon Lessard via unanimous decision
185 Nick Shea def. Jacob Cameron via TKO, round 1
CATCH Rob Kiah def. Clifford Redman via tap to rear-naked choke, round 1
135 Johnny Crafts def. Mike Crespo via tap to rear-naked choke, round 1
CATCH Jimmy Jackson def. Kris Welch via bulldog submission, round 2
205 Chris Perry def. Ruben Redman via unanimous decision
265 Ryan Glover def. Michael Freeman via TKO, round 1
140 Carl Langston def. Sheldon Bang via unanimous decision
155 Rick Matthews def. Emmett Huber via split decision
145 Josh Harvey def. Caleb Hall via TKO, round 1
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.
Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks meets Dave Jansen on April 10 at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif.
Easy Tweet: “Title Defense Time! @illwillbrooks86 v @
@RafaelCarvalh74 is set for April 10 @brencenter in Irvine, CA “
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| Bellator MMA: Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen Coming to SPIKE! |
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 4, 2015) – Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion “Ill” Will Brooks (15-1) returns to action on April 10, when he faces top contender Dave “The Fugitive” Jansen (20-2) at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif on April 10.
The two men compete in the headlining bout of the newly announced “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” event, which also features a middleweight affair between Brazilian knockout machine Rafael Carvalho (10-1) and another man known for his sensational striking in Joe Schilling (2-3)
Both bouts take place on the evening’s main card, which airs live and free on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.
Tickets for “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” go on sale next Friday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. PT and are available online at www.ucirvinetickets.com (under the Bren Events Center tab) and through the UC Irvine Ticket Office.
“I’m really looking forward to this one,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “Brooks and Schilling were two huge components to our successful show last November, and I wanted to get them another fight as quickly as possible.” With Will Brooks, you’ve got a phenomenal athlete with a tremendous personality. He is someone who brings it each and every time he gets in the cage. Joe Schilling is one of those incredible strikers who just has danger written all over him. I think our team has really done a great job in finding both of these guys extremely tough opponents in Jansen and Carvalho respectively, and I’m happy that I’ll have one of the best seats in the house..
Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
The 28-year-old Brooks looks to make the first defense of the undisputed Bellator MMA Lightweight World Title he earned in November with a thrilling, fourth-round finish of former champ Michael Chandler. Prior to the win, Brooks boasted Bellator MMA’s Interim Lightweight World Title, which he also earned with a victory over Chandler. Overall, Brooks – an American Top Team athlete – is on a seven-fight winning streak and has lost just once in his 16-fight career.
Across the cage from him, the 35-year-old Jansen also brings a seven-fight winning streak to the cage. An eight-year veteran of the sport, Jansen earned his shot at the belt with a 2012 tournament victory after registering wins over Marcin Held, Ricardo Tirloni and Magomed Saadulaev. He was scheduled to fight for the title in 2013, but an injury forced him to withdraw from the contest. Once healthy, rather than sit around and wait for a rescheduled title shot, Jansen chose to remain active, scoring an October 2014 win over Rick Hawn.
Carvalho is a 28-year-old Brazilian who made an immediate impact in his promotional debut, scoring a first-round TKO win over nine-time Bellator MMA veteran Brian Rogers. Carvalho is quickly establishing himself as one of the most devastating strikers in the world today, notching nine of his 10 career wins by knockout, including five that came in the first round. Carvalho lost his professional debut in 2011 but has since earned 10 straight victories.
The 31-year-old Schilling has been fighting professionally since 2006, starting his combat sports career in kickboxing, where he earned both U.S. national and world titles in Muay Thai. While he’s since turned his focus to MMA, Schilling continues to compete in striking events, as well, working his way to GLORY’s Last Man Standing tournament this past June, competing three times in a single evening. Schilling made his Bellator MMA debut in November, scoring a “Knockout of the Year” candidate with his stoppage of noted striker Melvin Manhoef.
“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” – Friday, April 10, Bren Events Center, Irvine, Calif.
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)
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.
Access the application for each fight by clicking on the proper banner
RAONI BARCELOS vs. JAMAL PARKS BJJ BLACK BELT MEETS ALL AMERICAN WRESTLER IN FEATURE BOUT AT RFA 23
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RFA 23 – MURPHY vs. WARE
MAIN EVENT:
JOE MURPHY vs. TERRION WARE
LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
CO-MAIN EVENT:
GABRIEL CHECCO vs. JOE HENLE
MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
FEATURE FIGHT:
RAONI BARCELOS vs. JAMAL PARKS
FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6th LIVE ON AXSTV
Live at The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California
Tickets on Sale through CageTix.com/RFA
In MMA, like most sports, there is an old adage that was made popular by actor Will Smith that states, “If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.” That is one of the principles that Oklahoma native and blue chip MMA prospect Jamal Parks lives by. Parks put those words of wisdom into full effect this past week. Just five days removed from his fifth career MMA victory in five contests, Parks eagerly accepted the next challenge presented to him in his already spectacular athletic career. That challenge came when undefeated RFA star Sam Toomer was forced off of next week’s RFA 23 card in Costa Mesa, California with an injury sustained late in his training camp. Toomer was set to face Raoni Barcelos, who is one of the most highly-touted featherweight prospects in MMA. Barcelos is the son of 7th degree jiu-jitsu black-and-red belt Laerte Barcelos and has been groomed for greatness in combat sports since the age of two. That left many wondering who would be able to step up and challenge the Brazilian wunderkind adequately on such short notice. The answer to that question comes in the form of Parks, who is used to competing against elite athletes in wrestling and looks to continue the long legacy of Oklahoma State wrestlers who have blossomed into MMA stars. That list includes Randy Couture, Johny Hendricks, Daniel Cormier, Mark Muñoz, Jake Rosholt, Jared Rosholt, Shane Roller, Mo Lawal, as well as RFA vets Steve Mocco and Tyler Shinn. “This is a great opportunity and I’m ready to light it up,” stated an excited Parks, who is now set to travel to southern California this week to participate on the biggest stage of his promising MMA career. Parks was a three-time high school state wrestling champion in Oklahoma, while attending Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He then wrestled alongside Jared Rosholt and Shinn at Oklahoma State and became an NCAA Division I All-American his senior season. The proud Oklahoma State Cowboy then turned his attention to MMA after graduating and has seen his hand raised five times in five contests. However, this Friday will see him compete on national television (AXS TV) and international television (The Fight Network) for the first time. He will also be facing the toughest test of his career in Barcelos. You see, Barcelos is not your typical jiu-jitsu black belt. He is also an accomplished wrestler having once been a member of the Brazilian National Wrestling Team. Barcelos, who received his jiu-jitsu black belt at age 20, also won a Brazilian national title in freestyle wrestling the same year. Barcelos is also the main training partner to UFC featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo. That pedigree is enough to scare away many potential opponents even with a full training camp to prepare. However, Parks fresh off his fifth win and newly signed multi-fight deal with RFA, feels he is more than ready for the challenge and is eager to participate in the most high-stakes MMA bout of his career.Parks and Barcelos meet in a featherweight bout on the main card of RFA 23 – Murphy vs. Ware onFriday, February 6th. The event takes place at The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. The main card will be televised nationwide on AXS TV and internationally on The Fight Network at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
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.
Tickets for RFA 23 Murphy vs. Ware are available at CageTix.com/RFA, prices range from $55.00 to $105.00.
Special 14-person All-You-Can Drink VIP SUITES can be reserved by calling 310-951-0867.
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 up to 10 fights annually around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 40 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.
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#9 Ranked Gabrielle Holloway replaces injured Talita Nogueira to face Julia Budd at “Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko”
Easy Tweet: “Due to a Talita Nogueira injury @juliabudd now faces #9 ranked @GabbyGabanator on @SpikeTV as part of #BellatorMMA: Manhoef vs Shlemenko”
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (February 3, 2015) – Injury has forced Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Talita Nogueira (6-0) to withdraw from next week’s “Bellator MMA: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko.” However, 24-year-old Zamora Boxing product Gabrielle “Gabanator” Holloway (4-1) has agreed to step in on short notice and will now face Julia Budd (6-2).
A Virginia native, Holloway fought most recently in January, picking up a decision win over Lacie Jackson. She now steps up on less than two weeks’ notice with the hopes of making an impact on the national stage.
Nogueira is expected to make her official Bellator MMA debut later this year.
“Bellator MMA: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” takes place next Friday, Feb. 13, at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. The evening’s four-fight main card airs on Spike TV.
Bellator 133: Friday, Feb. 13, Save Mart Center, Fresno, Calif.
Main Card on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (29-12-1) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (50-9)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-6) vs. Daniel Weichel (34-8)
Bellator Women’s Featherweight Feature Fight: Julia Budd (6-2) vs. Gabrielle Holloway (4-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (5-0) vs. Clayton MacFarlane (4-0)
Preliminary card on Spike.com (8 p.m. ET)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Art Arciniega (14-4) vs. Emilio Chavez (7-5)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Blake Watkins (4-0) vs. George Zuniga (3-0)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Paul Ruiz (5-2) vs. Nicolas Sperling (3-2)
Preliminary card on Spike.com (Following Manhoef vs. Shlemenko)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Nick Bustamante (2-0) vs. Luis Jauregui (2-1)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: John Paul Elias (2-0) vs. Cody Sons (0-1)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Contrestano (4-0) vs. Ryan Tobar (3-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Ray Cervera (8-2) vs. Adam Piccolotti (4-0)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Mason Fowler (1-0) vs. TBD
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.
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MAINE’S NEWEST FIGHT TEAM MAKING NOISE IN THE MMA CAGE
Lewiston, Maine (February 3, 2015) –New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, presents its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event this Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card, titled “NEF XVI,” will feature two members of Maine’s newest fight team, Ruthless MMA & Boxing, in amateur bouts.
Ruthless MMA & Boxing was founded in 2014 by veteran fighter Josh Parker (4-8). Parker has a long history in the NEF MMA cage, having competed seven times for the fight promotion between February 2012 and November 2013. More recently, Parker has remained out of the MMA cage to focus on his career as a professional boxer, as well as building his gym.
Parker opened the gym in Benton, Maine as a way of giving back to the fight community. He sees Ruthless MMA & Boxing as a means to introduce young athletes from the area to the burgeoning world of combat sports and provide them with opportunities to compete. That includes his own sons.
“I’ve been thinking about starting my own gym for a while now,” said Parker. “My first fight was almost ten years ago when my son was three. Now he’s 13 and ready to start his own fight career, and I just had another son. I knew it was time to build my boys a place where they can train whenever they want to. This is a fight family.”
Parker introduced his first protégé, Alex Johnson (1-1), in the fall of 2014. Johnson is coming off a win over Rick Matthews (0-1) in a brutal, back-and-forth slugfest at “NEF XV” this past November. The bout was considered by many to be the “Fight of the Night” of that card.
Corey Trial (0-0), another of Parker’s prospects, hopes to continue the success brought to Ruthless MMA & Boxing by his teammate Alex Johnson. Trial makes his NEF MMA debut this Saturday night in Lewiston when he meets Ricky Dexter (1-0) of Team Irish in a lightweight contest.
“I’ve always dreamed of being able to punch someone in the face and not go to jail for it,” Trial stated. “Now that I have that opportunity, you better believe someone’s getting hurt.”
“Our style is simple, we like to stand and bang,” Parker elaborated. “When we spar, we like to see who can hit the hardest. Mike Tyson said it best ‘everybody’s got a plan- until they get hit.’ We want to give the fans exciting fights. We’re looking for knockouts.
“The guys at Ruthless come from all walks of life- whether it was street fighting or cage fighting they all came with experience throwing fists. They each approached me after hearing I was building a gym. Our values are simple- when you come in you leave your ego at the door. When you’re a part of the Ruthless team, you’re expected to carry yourself as a professional- sportsmanship and respect are a must.”
Bryant Orick (3-5) is another Ruthless team member scheduled to make his NEF MMA debut this Saturday night. It will not, however, be his first time in the cage. Orick, a native of Ohio now living in Clinton, Maine, has competed in the sport for five years. He is a veteran of eight bouts, fighting in the Buckeye State, Kansas and Indiana, to name a few states. Orick hopes to find a home and success in NEF alongside his Ruthless MMA & Boxing teammates. At “NEF XVI” this weekend, Orick will have his work cut out for him with undefeated Fred Lear (2-0) of Young’s MMA.
“I’m coming out to make a name for myself at NEF,” said Orick. “I am well-rounded and going to put on a show. I train hard every day, have a great coach and teammates. Nothing will surprise me in my upcoming bout.”
” Being a coach has taught me to slow it down and bring it back to the basics,” Parker stated. “Fighting really is pretty simple, knock the other guy out and you win. I demand 100% from my fighters, and I give them 100% back. Fighting is not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle.”
Ruthless MMA & Boxing is located in Benton, Maine. You can learn more about the team at their Facebook page “Ruthless MMA & Boxing.”
NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVI,” takes place this Saturday, February 7, 2015, with an all-star lineup of fights scheduled. Ray “All Business” Wood (5-0) returns that night to defend the NEF MMA Featherweight Title against Bellator and WEC veteran Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison (16-9). NFL and UFC The Ultimate Fighter veteran Tyler King (7-2) puts the NEF MMA Heavyweight Title on the line against Terry “The Polar Bear” Blackburn (5-2). In the feature bout of the evening, UFC, Bellator and Strikeforce veteran Nah-Shon Burrell (10-5) makes his NEF MMA debut against Ryan Hodge (6-9). Tickets start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 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.