Tag Archives: Paramount Network

Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR 206: MOUSASI vs. MACDONALD RESULTS & PHOTOS

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Complete Fight Night Photos

  

Bellator 206: Mousasi vs. MacDonald Main Card Results:

Gegard Mousasi (44-6-2) defeated Rory MacDonald (20-5) via TKO (punches) at 3:23 of round two

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (38-13) defeated Wanderlei Silva (35-14) via TKO (punches) at 4:32 of round two

Douglas Lima (30-7) defeated Andrey Koreshkov (21-3) via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:04 of round five

Aaron Pico (4-1) defeated Leandro Higo (18-5) via KO (punches) at 3:19 of round one

Keri Taylor-Melendez (3-0) defeated Dakota Zimmerman (0-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Gaston Bolanos (4-1) defeated Ysidro Gutierrez (4-3) via knockout (punches) at 1:37 of round two

 

Preliminary Card Results:

Adam Piccolotti (11-2) defeated James Terry (20-10) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Jeremiah Labiano (12-6) defeated Justin Smitley (10-8-1) via TKO (punches) at 3:28 of round one

Arlene Blencowe (11-7) defeated Amber Leibrock (3-2) via TKO (slam, punches) at 1:23 of round three

Josh San Diego (8-4) defeated Joe Neal (6-4) via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)

Chuck Campbell (1-0) defeated Joseph Ramirez (1-2) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Anthony Figueroa Jr. (1-0) defeated Samuel Romero (0-2) via unanimous decision (29-27, 28-26, 29-26)

Cass Bell (2-0) defeated Ty Costa (3-4) via verbal submission (armbar) 3:06 of round two

Isaiah Gonzalez (2-0) vs. Khai Wu (2-1)

Jacob Ycaro (1-0) vs. Ignacio Ortiz (1-0)

Laird Anderson (0-0) vs. Ahmed Abdelaziz (0-0)

 

Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA

BELLATOR 206: MOUSASI vs. MACDONALD WEIGH-IN RESULTS & PHOTOS

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EVENT AIRS EXCLUSIVELY ON DAZN TOMORROW AT 9 P.M. ET / 6 P.M. PT

 

 

WEIGH-IN PHOTOS | WEIGH-IN VIDEO HERE

  

Complete Bellator 206 Weigh-in Results:

Middleweight World Title Main Event: Gegard Mousasi (184.4) vs. Rory MacDonald (184.9)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (254.4) vs. Wanderlei Silva (226.9)

Welterweight World Grand Prix First Round Bout: Douglas Lima (170) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (169.3)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Aaron Pico (145.7) vs. Leandro Higo (145.1)

Women’s Strawweight Main Card Bout: Keri Taylor-Melendez (116) vs. Dakota Zimmerman (115.6)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Gaston Bolanos (145.2) vs. Ysidro Gutierrez (145.3)

 

Preliminary Card:

160-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Adam Piccolotti (159.1) vs. James Terry (160)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Jeremiah Labiano (144.9) vs. Justin Smitley (144.2)

Women’s Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Amber Leibrock (145.4) vs. Arlene Blencowe (145.3)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Josh San Diego (139.2) vs. Joe Neal (139.9)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Cass Bell (136) vs. Ty Costa (136)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Isaiah Gonzalez (135.8) vs. Khai Wu (136)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Jacob Ycaro (145.3) vs. Ignacio Ortiz (144.9)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Laird Anderson (145.8) vs. Ahmed Abdelaziz (147.3)*

Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Chuck Campbell (205.6) vs. Joseph Ramirez (202.4)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Anthony Figueroa Jr. (156) vs. Samuel Romero (156)

 

*Missed weight

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

OFFICIAL BELLATOR 205: MCKEE VS. MACAPA RESULTS & PHOTOS

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Bellator 205 Main Card Results:

 

 A.J. McKee (12-0) def. John Macapa (21-4-2) via KO (punch) at 1:09 of round one

 

Photos Here

 

Rafael Lovato Jr. (9-0) def. John Salter (15-4) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:27 of round three

 

Photos Here

 

Veta Arteaga (5-2) def. Denise Kielholtz (2-2) via submission (guillotine choke) at 4:24 of round two

 

Photos Here

Patricky Pitbull (20-8) def. Roger Huerta (24-11-1, 1 NC) via KO (punches) at 0:43 of round two

 

Photos Here

 

Preliminary Card Results:

Adam Borics (8-0) def. Josenaldo Silva (25-7) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:46 of round three

Steve Mowry (5-0) def. Ben Moa (4-1) via submission (Americana) at 2:40 of round one

Jarod Trice (4-0) def. Sean Powers (9-7) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Emilio Trevino (3-0) def. Sua Tuani (2-1) via TKO (punches) at 1:55 of round two

Vince Morales (8-2) def. Justin Hugo (3-5) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-26, 29-27)

Johnny Nunez (7-1) def. Josh Wick (9-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Andrew Cruz (4-3) def. Nathan Stolen (8-4) via submission (arm bar) at 3:41 of round one

Kyle Frost (3-0) def. David Rangel (0-2) via technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:29 of round one

Bryce Edminister (2-1) def. Leon Taylor (0-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:34 of round two

Stephen Stirewalt (2-0) def. Joe Aguirre (2-1) via submission at 2:13 round one

 

 

****

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

KNOCKOUT ARTISTS MELVIN MANHOEF AND CHIDI NJOKUANI COLLIDE IN EXPLOSIVE BELLATOR 210 MAIN EVENT AT WINSTAR WORLD RESORT AND CASINO ON NOV. 30  

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Tickets on sale Friday

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator heads back to WinStar World Casino and Resort on Friday, November 30 with a battle of heavy-handed middleweights, as combat sports-veteran Melvin Manhoef (30-14-1, 2 NC) takes on the dynamic Chidi Njokuani (18-5, 1 NC) in the main event of Bellator 210.

 

 

 

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, September 21 and can be purchased at the WinStar World Casino and Resort box office, as well as through Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com.

 

 

 

Bellator 210: Manhoef vs. Njokuani will be broadcast on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will stream LIVE on DAZN, while preliminary bouts will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

 

 

 

A former world title challenger, Manhoef returns to the Bellator cage looking to stake his claim in a suddenly crowded middleweight division. The famed Dutch kickboxer and mixed martial artist is known for his highlight-reel KO’s throughout his impressive combat sports career that spans two and a half decades, including successful runs in DREAM, Cage Rage and Bellator. With career wins over Mark Hunt, Kazushi Sakuraba, “Cyborg” Santos, and most recently for Bellator, Hisaki Kato, “No Mercy” has plans for adding another name to his lengthy resume.

 

 

 

Njokuani made his Bellator debut in the welterweight division with a decisive victory over Ricky Rainey in 2015. Since then, “Chidi Bang Bang” has notched impressive wins over Melvin Guillard and Andre Fialho. The Las Vegas fighter later announced himself to the 185-pound weight class in emphatic fashion with a victory over Hisaki Kato at Bellator 189. With 10 knockouts to his credit, the always-dangerous Njokuani looks to add another “W” to his record in November.

 

 

 

Updated Bellator 210: Manhoef vs. Njokuani Fight Card:

Middleweight Main Event Bout: Melvin Manhoef (30-14-1, 2 NC) vs. Chidi Njokuani (18-5, 1 NC)

 

 

 

*Card subject to change

 

 

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT BETWEEN PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ AND EMMANUEL SANCHEZ HEADLINES BELLATOR’S RETURN TO MENORA MIVTACHIM ARENA IN TEL AVIV, ISRAEL ON NOV. 15

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ALSO, ISRAELI HAIM GOZALI REMATCHES RYAN COUTURE AND FORMER LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP PHIL DAVIS FACES VADIM NEMKOV

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator returns to Tel Aviv, Israel for the third-consecutive year on Thursday, Nov. 15 with a featherweight world title clash pitting Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (27-4) against Emmanuel Sanchez (17-3) set to anchor Bellator 209 inside Menora Mivtachim Arena. In addition, Haim Gozali (8-5) looks to get revenge against Ryan Couture (11-6) in co-main event welterweight action, while Phil Davis (19-4, 1 NC) will take on Vadim Nemkov (9-2) at light heavyweight. Additionally, a women’s featherweight contest between undefeated Israeli Olga Rubin (4-0) and veteran Cindy Dandois (12-3) will be featured on the card.

 

 

 

Tickets are on sale now and are available at Eventim.co, as well as Bellator.com. The event will air Friday, Nov. 16 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Paramount Network and can also be streamed on DAZN.

 

 

 

Bellator has partnered with Ananey Communications, an Israeli television conglomerate boasting 14 channels, including the EGO and EGO TOTAL channels, which have broadcast Bellator in Israel since 2012.

 

 

 

Hailing from Natal, Brazil, two-time featherweight champ Patricio “Pitbull” will enter the Bellator cage for a promotional record 20th time on Nov. 15. With 15 wins under the Bellator umbrella, “Pitbull” will be making his second title defense since reclaiming the world title at Bellator 178 against Daniel Straus last year. Most recently, “Pitbull” defeated Daniel Weichel, edging out his opponent via split decision at Bellator 203 in Rome. Having earned a finish in 20 of his 27 wins as a professional, the reigning champion has become synonymous with excitement and fans can certainly expect more fireworks when he enters the cage onNov. 15.

 

 

 

Sanchez has officially emerged from prospect to title contender when he challenges for the featherweight title in Tel Aviv. Unlike his opponent, Sanchez will find himself in unfamiliar territory on Nov. 15, as the 28-year-old Milwaukee, Wis.-fighter will make his first professional appearance outside of the United States. “El Matador” will be seeking his 10th promotional win and his fifth consecutive victory, a streak that began in January of last year. With his last defeat coming over two years ago and with recent victories over former Bellator champions Daniel Straus and Marcos Galvao, as well as Sam Sicilia, there may not be another athlete on Bellator’s roster more deserving of a title fight than the Roufusport Academy-product.

 

 

 

A member of Team Renzo Gracie, Gozali returns to the Bellator cage for the fifth time in his 20-year career. The Israeli fighter will once again fight Ryan Couture on Nov. 15, following a three-round thriller at Bellator 180 last summer. Fighting out of Bat Yam, Israel, “Batman” favors events on home turf, notching two opening round submission wins in each of his las two bouts inside Menora Mivtachim Arena. Now, with seven of his eight career victories coming by way of submission, the former Israeli army soldier hopes to keep his rematch with Couture out of the judges’ hands.

 

 

 

Couture looks to duplicate the success he had in his first matchup with Gozali, when he picked up a unanimous decision win inside Madison Square Garden last June. A veteran of UFC and STRIKEFORCE, Couture has appeared six times in the Bellator cage and will make the jump back up to welterweight in hopes of collecting the 12th win of his career. A member of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, the Seattle native will look to play the role of spoiler to Gozali when the two rematch in Tel Aviv.

 

 

 

Hailing from Harrisburg, Penn. Davis has earned impressive victories over elite competition during his illustrious 10-year career, including wins over the likes of Lyoto Machida, “King Mo” Lawal, Liam McGeary and most recently Linton Vassellat Bellator 200 earlier this year. Fighting out of San Diego, Calif. the former four-time NCAA Division-1 All-American wrestler out of Penn State University holds a near flawless mark of 6-1 in Bellator. “Mr. Wonderful” trains alongside current Bellator bantamweight champ Darrion Caldwell, Dominick Cruz and A.J. Matthews amongst others at Alliance MMA.

 

 

 

Fighting out of Stary Oskol, Russia, 26-year-old knockout artist Vadim Nemkov will make his third appearance with Bellator when he meets Davis. A protege of Bellator heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Nemkov will be looking to build on his pair of knockout wins, which includes a win over former light heavyweight champion Liam McGeary at Bellator 194. With eight of his nine career victories coming by way of first round stoppage, the former Sambo world champion does not waste much time inside the cage. His ability for finishing fights will be tested when he meets Davis, an athlete who has yet to be finished in his career.

 

 

 

Israeli women’s featherweight Olga Rubin steps back inside the Bellator cage for the third time to put her undefeated streak on the line in her home country. With her previous promotional victories at Bellator 164 and Bellator 188 coming via TKO, “Big Bad” has developed a reputation as one of the more dangerous prospects in the division. She is now set to take on UFC and Invicta FC veteran Cindy Dandois, who owns career wins over Marloes Coenen, Jorina Baars and Megan Anderson. Training out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, “Battlecat” is currently riding a four-fight win streak, which includes a victorious appearance in RIZIN.

 

 

 

Updated Bellator 209: ‘Pitbull’ vs. Sanchez Fight Card:

Featherweight World Title Bout: Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (27-4) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (17-3)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Haim Gozali (8-5) vs. Ryan Couture (11-6)

Light Heavyweight Feature Event: Phil Davis (19-4, 1 NC) vs. Vadim Nemkov (9-2)

Women’s Featherweight Bout: Olga Rubin (4-0) vs. Cindy Dandois (12-3)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

BELLATOR 204: CALDWELL vs. LAHAT FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS

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Complete Photos // Credit: Bellator/Lucas Noonan

 

Complete Bellator 204 Main Card:

 

 

Featherweight Main Event: Darrion Caldwell (13-1) def. Noad Lahat (12-4) via TKO (punches) at 2:46 of round two

*Caldwell’s bantamweight title was not on the line

 

 

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Logan Storley (9-0) def. A.J. Matthews (9-8) via TKO (punches) at 3:56 of round two

 

 

Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Ricky Bandejas (11-1) def. James Gallagher (7-1) via KO (strikes) at 2:49 of round one

 

 

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Tywan Claxton (3-0) def. Cris Lencioni (3-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

 

 

 

Preliminary Card:

 

 

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Omar Morales (7-0) def. Troy Nawrocki (3-1) via KO (strikes) at 0:58 of round one

 

 

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Demarques Jackson (9-2) def. Bryce Logan (9-3) via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)

 

 

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Jason Jackson (8-3) def. Jordon Larson (9-5) via TKO (punches) at 3:52 of round one

 

 

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: David Michaud (13-4) def. Corey Davis (3-1) via KO (punches) at 1:42 of round one

 

 

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Romero Cotton (3-0) def. Willie Whitehead (2-3) via TKO (strikes) at 4:12 of round one

 

 

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Tyler Ray (3-1) def. Seth Bass (4-3) via KO (strikes) at 3:30 of round 1

 

 

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Keith Phathaem (1-1) vs. Micah Peatrowsky (2-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

 

 

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Lloyd McKinney (8-5) def. Robiel Tesfaldet (2-2) via submission (arm triangle choke) at 4:17 of round three

 

 

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Jeff Nielsen (2-0) def. Wyatt Meyer (1-1) via TKO (punches) at 2:53 of round one

Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

FEDOR EMELIANENKO MEETS CHAEL SONNEN IN SEMIFINALS OF BELLATOR HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX AT NYCB LIVE, HOME OF THE NASSAU VETERANS MEMORIAL COLISEUM ON LONG ISLAND SATURDAY, OCT. 13

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TICKETS FOR BELLATOR 208: FEDOR VS. SONNEN ON SALE THIS FRIDAY, JULY 27

 

 

LOS ANGELES – The greatest heavyweight of all time Fedor Emelianenko (37-5, 1 NC) will battle the trash-talking Chael Sonnen (31-15-1) in the second semifinal of Bellator’s Heavyweight World Grand Prix. The highly anticipated matchup will emanate from NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., a mere 24 hours after Matt Mitrione takes on Ryan Bader on the opposite side of the bracket.

 

 

 

Tickets for Bellator 208: Fedor vs. Sonnen are available 24-hours early through a special Bellator Nation pre-sale running exclusively on Thursday, July 26. Tickets will go on sale to the general public Friday, July 27 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at the NYCB LIVE box office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Please note that tickets are not available at the box office on the first day of public on sale.

 

 

 

The event will be broadcast LIVE on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 13 and will stream LIVE on DAZN, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

 

 

 

Fighting out of Stary Oskol, Belgorod Oblast, Russia, Fedor will enter the Bellator MMA cage for the second time this year, and third time overall, when he takes on Sonnen in the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix semifinals on Saturday, Oct. 13. The sambo fighter looks to build off of his impressive knockout victory over Frank Mir (18-12) at Bellator 198, which came just 48 seconds into the bout. A former PRIDE FC Heavyweight Champion and PRIDE 2004 Heavyweight World Grand Prix Champion, “The Last Emperor” now has his eyes set on the Bellator MMA Heavyweight belt; a title that he is merely two wins away from. With 28 of his 37 career victories ending in a finish, Emelianenko will undoubtedly pursue yet another highlight-reel knockout when he squares off with “The American Gangster” for a place in the World Grand Prix final.

 

 

 

Hailing from West Linn, Ore., Sonnen is fresh off his first-round victory over “Rampage” Jackson at Bellator 192 in the opening round of the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix earlier this year. With other notable wins over the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping and “Shogun” Rua already under his belt, Sonnen now hopes to add the legendary Fedor to his brilliant resume of renowned victories. After jumping up in weight class to compete in the biggest tournament in the promotion’s history, the former University of Oregon wrestler doesn’t seem to have lost a step. Sonnen will look to join the select few who have ever been able to dethrone Emelianenko when he enters the cage on Oct. 13 at NYCB LIVE.

 

Updated Bellator 208: Fedor vs. Sonnen Fight Card:

 

 

Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinal Bout: Fedor Emelianenko (37-5, 1 NC) vs. Chael Sonnen (31-15-1)

 

*Card subject to change.

 

****

Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

BELLATOR & DAZN SIGN NINE-FIGURE, MULTI-YEAR DISTRIBUTION DEAL

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LIVE SPORTS STREAMING PLATFORM TO DELIVER SEVEN EXCLUSIVE STAR-STUDDED BELLATOR MMA EVENTS PER YEAR

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CHAMPION VS. CHAMPION – GEGARD MOUSASI-RORY MACDONALD MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT, PLUS ‘RAMPAGE’ JACKSON-WANDERLEI SILVA IV HIGHLIGHT FIRST EVENT ON SEPT. 29 FROM SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator, a leading global combat sports franchise owned by Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands, and DAZN, the world’s largest dedicated live sports streaming service and part of Perform Group, today announced a multi-year landmark distribution agreement.

 

 

 

The nine-figure deal will feature seven exclusive stacked fight cards per year on DAZN and another 15 that are simulcast across Paramount Network and DAZN. All fights will stream in any country where DAZN is available. As part of the platform’s global expansion, DAZN will launch in the U.S. and Italy in 2018, with the service already live in Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Japan.

 

 

 

“The exciting new partnership with DAZN is a game-changer for Bellator,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “The investment will enable us to continue expanding our roster with free agents that make sense, so we can put on PPV-worthy fight cards that fans want to see. Plus, on DAZN’s worldwide platform, our fights will be seen live for the first time to new audiences around the globe.”

 

 

 

“It’s simple; fans want to see great fighters in competitive fights so we’ve handed the keys to Scott Coker and his venerable team to go out and recruit even more top-level talent to further stack Bellator fight cards and build on their success,” said DAZN CEO James Rushton.  “With the combination of this investment and our recent announcement to bring more than 30 nights of boxing to the platform annually, DAZN will be a must-have for fight fans in the U.S.”

 

 

 

“The DAZN partnership speaks to the incredible growth of Bellator into a global sports powerhouse and high-valued franchise in the Viacom portfolio,” said Kevin Kay, President, Paramount Network, TV Land and CMT.

 

 

 

The deal begins with an epic event on Saturday, Sept. 29 from SAP Center at San Jose. The card features a highly anticipated middleweight title fight pitting Gegard Mousasi (44-6-2) against Rory MacDonald (20-4), who is moving up a weight class for a title shot against the 185-pound champ, along with the fourth fight in the legendary rivalry between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (37-13) and Wanderlei Silva(35-13).

 

 

 

Also included on Sept. 29, will be the opening fight of Bellator’s first-ever Welterweight World Grand Prix, which will feature eight of the best welterweight fighters on the planet. The Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix will be a major component of the first year of the multi-year agreement between Bellator and DAZN.

 

 

 

An exclusive online presale for this event takes place tomorrow, June 27 through Thursday, June 28, with tickets going on sale to the general public on Friday, June 29 at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets start at just $30 and will be available at the ThreatMetrix Ticket Office at SAP Center at San Jose, as well as Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.

 

 

 

The event will air live on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.  DAZN, which now streams 15,000 live events and 100 million hours of sports content globally each year, will be available in the U.S. this September with exact pricing and dates being announced this summer.

 

 

 

Mousasi vs. MacDonald:

 

 

 

Gegard Mousasi impressed in his promotional debut over former Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko, a win that earned him a shot at Rafael Carvalho, where 185-pound gold was on the line. Now, after a decisive victory against Carvalho at Bellator 200, Mousasi will defend his crown against Rory MacDonald, entering the bout with his current unbeaten streak at seven fights. “The Dreamcatcher,” who trains out of The Netherlands, holds one of the most impressive resumes in all of the sport, at one time winning the STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title, as well as the DREAM light heavyweight and middleweight titles.

 

 

 

Over the last several years, “The Red King” Rory MacDonald has become the most popular Canadian mixed martial artist due to his classic stand-up wars and wins over some of MMA’s best in Paul Daley, Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley, B.J. Penn and Demian Maia. Bellator’s welterweight champion joined the Viacom-owned promotion in 2016 and went on to defeat Douglas Lima for the welterweight title at Bellator 192. Now, the Tristar Gym-trained fighter sets his sights on winning gold in not one, but two separate weight classes.

 

 

 

“Rampage” vs. Silva:

 

 

A six-fight veteran of Bellator, “Rampage” Jackson’s legendary career has seen him compete against some of the top names in the sport, generating a loyal army of fans along the way. The former PRIDE and UFC champion is the proud owner of many epic highlight reel slams and knockouts that he has racked up throughout his epic battles with the likes of Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, “King Mo,” Kevin Randleman and, perhaps most-notably, his trilogy with fellow Bellator athlete Wanderlei Silva, who he now meets at heavyweight on Sept. 29.

 

 

Wanderlei Silva’s wars with “Rampage,” Tito Ortiz, Mirko Cro Cop, Vitor Belfort, Dan Henderson, Kazushi Sakuraba, Chuck Liddell and Michael Bisping remain some of the more memorable bouts in MMA history. “The Axe Murderer” is far from ready to close the book on his illustrious career, returning to action against a man he has already competed against three times before. In addition to the PRIDE middleweight title, Silva’s trophy case includes awards for “Fight of the Year” (2003, 2004, 2007), KO of the Year (2008) and multiple “Fight of the Night” awards. Most recently, the Brazilian native made his Bellator debut against Chael Sonnen in the main event of Bellator: NYC.

 

 

Updated Bellator Fight Card:

 

Middleweight World Title Bout: Gegard Mousasi (44-6-2) vs. Rory MacDonald (20-4)

 

Heavyweight Feature Bout: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (37-13) vs. Wanderlei Silva (35-13)

 

Welterweight World Grand Prix First Round Bout

 

 

*Card subject to change.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

BELLATOR TO DEBUT IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA ON FRIDAY, AUG. 17 AT SANFORD PENTAGON

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BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION DARRION CALDWELL RETURNS TO 145-POUNDS AGAINST NOAD LAHAT IN BELLATOR 204 HEADLINER

 

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SOUTH DAKOTA’S OWN LOGAN STORLEY SET FOR CO-MAIN EVENT AGAINST A.J. MATTHEWS

LOS ANGELES – Bellator will hold its first-ever event in Sioux Falls, S.D. on Friday, Aug. 17 at Sanford Pentagon. Bellator 204 will be headlined by the promotion’s bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell (12-1) testing himself against Noad Lahat (12-3) in a non-title featherweight matchup.

 

 

 

A welterweight bout will serve as the co-main event of the card, when South Dakota-native Logan Storley (8-0) takes on the always-dangerous A.J. Matthews (9-7).

 

 

 

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, June 28 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets start at just $28 and will be available at the Sanford Pentagon box office, as well as Ticketmaster.

 

 

 

The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in coming weeks.

 

 

 

“I’m excited to bring Bellator to Sioux Falls this summer with a great venue partner in the Sanford Pentagon,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “I always look forward to visiting a new market and having a crowd experience a live Bellator event for the first time. This is a great card with a lot of intriguing matchups that I know fans will enjoy. With this being such a strong wrestling community, I’m also excited to feature several former collegiate wrestlers on Aug. 17, including Darrion Caldwell and South Dakota’s Logan Storley.”

 

 

 

Caldwell, a 30-year-old Rahway, New Jersey native and the current Bellator bantamweight champion, will step up a weight class to take on Lahat in an exciting featherweight non-title affair on Aug. 17. Fighting out of San Diego, Calif., “The Wolf” has emerged as one of the most well-rounded fighters in the 135-pound class, collecting nine victories since signing with Bellator in 2013. The 2009 NCAA D1 National Champion wrestler from NC State boasts a resume that includes five first-round finishes, a 25-minute war against Eduardo Dantas for the world title and a textbook guillotine choke submission victory over Leandro Higo in his first career title defense earlier this year. Caldwell will look for his 13th professional and fourth consecutive win when he enters the cage as a 145-pounder for the first time since 2014.

 

 

 

A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu currently training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Lahat made his professional debut in 2008 where he began an impressive streak of seven consecutive victories. The 34-year-old hails from Alfei Menashe, Samaria, Israel, Lahat and served as a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces before transitioning to his MMA career. Lahat holds a 3-1 record in Bellator with his most recent win coming against Jeremiah Labiano this past November and now welcomes the Bellator bantamweight champion to his weight class when he enters the cage on Aug. 17.

 

 

 

Hailing from Webster, S.D., the 25-year-old Storley will fight in front of his hometown fans at Bellator 204 when he makes his fourth appearance for Bellator. The 4x NCAA All-American wrestler from the University of Minnesota has quickly climbed the ranks as one of the most dangerous welterweights in mixed martial arts, earning eight-straight victories to begin his career, including six knockouts and five first-round finishes. A win over the equally-dangerous Matthews on Aug. 17would only further cement his name amongst the division’s best, as Storley hopes to protect his unblemished mark of 8-0.

 

 

 

Fighting out of Carlsbad, Calif., Matthews will be making his 11th appearance under the Bellator MMA umbrella; a seven-year stretch that has earned the promotional veteran five victories, including a pair of first-round knockouts and a highlight reel-soccer kick finish over Charlie Rader. The 30-year-old certainly knows how to put on a show, with nine of his 16 career fights ending in a knockout, including six in the first round. “Mercenary” will look to build on his recent win over Kendall Grove at Bellator 193, as he enters the cage against hometown favorite Storley in the co-main event.

 

 

 

Updated Bellator 204: Caldwell vs. Lahat Fight Card:

 

 

Featherweight Main Event: Darrion Caldwell (12-1) vs. Noad Lahat (12-3)

 

 

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Logan Storley (8-0) vs. A.J. Matthews (9-7)

 

 

 

*Card subject to change.

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

MIRKO CRO COP OUT OF BELLATOR 200 DUE TO INJRY

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RAFAEL CARVALHO DEFENDS MIDDLEWIGHT TITLE AGAINST GEGARD MOUSASI IN NEW HEADLINER, WHILE ‘MVP’ TAKES ON DAVID RICKELS IN CO-MAIN

 

LOS ANGELES – Due to injury, Mirko Cro Cop can no longer compete in his highly anticipated Bellator debut atBellator 200 against Roy Nelson. As a result, the Bellator 200 main event now sees reigning middleweight champRafael Carvalho (15-1) defend his title against top contender Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2) in a five-round affair, while the co-main event features undefeated British striker Michael “Venom” Page (12-0), better known as “MVP,” againstDavid Rickels (19-4, 2 NC) at welterweight. Bellator 200 takes place Friday, May 25 at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London and will air on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

 

 

The main card also includes former titleholder Phil Davis (18-4) taking on Linton Vassell (18-6) in a light heavyweight matchup and reality star turned MMA fighter Aaron Chalmers (3-0) making his promotional debut against fellow BritAsh Griffiths (4-5). The remainder of the main card will be announced later this week.

 

 

 

Prior to the main card on Paramount Network, Bellator 200 will also feature plenty of exciting preliminary matchups showcasing many of the U.K.’s top young talent. The undefeated Anastasia Yankova (5-0) returns against the always-tough Kate Jackson (9-3-1), while a trio of former BAMMA champions are in action when former middleweight champion Mike Shipman (11-1) fights Carl Noon (7-2), former BAMMA featherweight kingpin Daniel Crawford (10-1) challenges Pedro Carvalho (6-3) and former BAMMA lightweight titlist Ryan Scope (11-1) faces Martyn Harris(4-4). Fans will see Bellator veteran Anatoly Tokov (25-3) clash with Vladimir Filipovic (10-2), SBG Ireland-productCharlie Ward (4-3) in action against Louis King (1-1) and Mousasi-trained prospect Costello van Steenis (9-1) meeting Kevin Fryer (6-2).

 

 

 

Tickets for the event are on sale now at The SSE Arena, Wembley box office (0844 815 0815), Ticketmaster.com,ssearena.co.uk and axs.com. Bellator 200 will be broadcast on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT.

 

 

 

*Card subject to change.