Tag Archives: Patricio Pitbull

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘BABY SLICE’ KEVIN FERGUSON JR. SET TO MEET JONATHAN TOMASIAN AT ‘BELLATOR 160’ IN ANAHEIM ON AUGUST 26

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WRESTLING PRODIGY JOEY DAVIS MATCHED WITH KEITH CUTRONE FOR HIS PROFESSIONAL DEBUT

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (August 1, 2016) – The announcement of his Bellator MMA arrival had “Baby Slice” Kevin Ferguson Jr. trending on social media for two-straight days, and today, Bellator Officials have confirmed that his first challenge as a professional mixed martial artist will be Jonathan Tomasian in a welterweight attraction at “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull.”

 

In addition, Ferguson’s teammate at “Body Shop Gym,” Joey Davis will also make his professional debut, when he takes on Keith Cutrone (1-0) at 170-pounds.

 

The stacked event takes place on August 26 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. Tickets start at just $30 and can be purchased now on Ticketmaster and at the Honda Center Box Office. Doors for “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull”open at 4:45 p.m. PT local time and the first preliminary bout – which streams live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App — begins at 5:00 p.m. PT.

 

These two welterweight matchups join a card that features a stellar 155-pound main event between Benson Henderson (23-6) and Patricio “Pitbull” (25-3). Additionally, two standout featherweight fights have also been announced, seeing the young and undefeated A.J. McKee (4-0) meet former KOTC titlist Henry Corrales (12-3) and NCAA National Champion Wrestler Bubba Jenkins (11-2) take on Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (24-6-1).

 

Signed to a developmental deal in April, “Baby Slice” makes his pro debut on the event’s Bellator.com-streamed preliminary card. The son of the late, great “Kimbo Slice,” Ferguson Jr. broke onto the scene very quietly earlier this year in an amateur bout in Western Massachusetts, where he scored a knockout victory just 83 seconds into the first round. MMA reporter Chuck Mindenhall was on-site to cover the story. ‘Baby Slice’ trains at Antonio McKee’s “Body Shop Gym” in Long Beach alongside other “Bellator 160” competitors McKee, Jenkins and Davis.

 

Tomasian makes his professional debut under Bellator’s bright lights in a high profile situation that he hopes to make the most of. The 20-year-old Santa Clara, Calif., native has slightly more cage time than Slice, winning both of his amateur outings, once by knockout and the other by decision. Tomasian is currently training with Manny Rocha at Strive Jiu Jitsu Academy in Lodi Calif., where he has earned a purple belt in the art.

 

Davis is a 21-year-old standout wrestler who competed at Notre Dame College, where he accumulated an incredible undefeated 131-0 record and four consecutive NCAA Division II Championships during his college tenure, becoming the only Division II wrestler to ever win four national titles and go unbeaten in a career. Now, Davis looks to parlay his wrestling success in the mixed martial arts cage on Aug. 26 in the Anaheim, where Davis will have plenty of hometown fans in attendance.

 

Amassing an 8-1 record on the amateur circuit, Cutrone has previously gotten his feet wet professionally, winning his pro debut via stoppage this past March. “The Bone” is a Strikeforce veteran, competing at the promotion’s “Challengers 11” card in 2010. With a strong base in wrestling and jiu-jitsu, Cutrone held a regional title at 185-pounds before permanently moving to welterweight as a professional.

 

“Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” SPIKE-Televised Main Card:

Lightweight No. 1 Contender Main Event: Benson Henderson (23-6) vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (25-3)

Lightweight Feature Bout: Saad Awad (19-7) vs. Derek Anderson (13-2)

Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (4-0) vs. Henry Corrales (12-3)

Featherweight Feature Bout: Bubba Jenkins (11-2) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-6-1)

 

Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Joey Davis (Pro Debut) vs. Keith Cutrone (1-0)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Ferguson Jr. (Pro Debut) vs. Jonathan Tomasian (Pro Debut)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

SAAD AWAD-DEREK ANDERSON SET FOR ‘BELLATOR 160’ MAIN CARD ACTION AT HONDA CENTER IN ANAHEIM

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COMPTON’S JOEY DAVIS AND ‘BABY SLICE’ KEVIN FERGUSON JR. TO ANCHOR BELLATOR.COM-STREAMED PRELIMINARY CARD

 

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (July, 26) – A lightweight bout pitting Saad Awad (19-7) against Derek Anderson (13-2) has been added to the main card of the recently announced “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” event on August 26 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

 

In addition, the highly-anticipated professional debuts of wrestling sensation Joey Davis and “Baby Slice” Kevin Ferguson Jr. are set for must-see preliminary action against opponents to be named later.

 

“Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” takes place on August 26 from Anaheim California’s Honda Center, and will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.

 

Tickets for the event start at just $30 and can be purchased now on Ticketmaster and at the Honda Center Box Office. Doors for the event open at 4:45 p.m. PT local time and the first preliminary bout – which streams live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App — begins at 5:00 p.m. PT. Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

The lightweight encounter joins a card that already features another stellar 155-pound affair in the main event, when Benson Henderson (23-6) goes up against Patricio “Pitbull” (25-3). Additionally, two standout featherweight fights have also been announced, seeing the young and undefeated A.J. McKee (4-0) meet former KOTC titlist Henry Corrales (12-3) and NCAA National Champion Wrestler Bubba Jenkins (11-2) take on Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (24-6-1).

 

An 11-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, Awad is currently in the midst of his second stint with the Scott Coker-led promotion, posting a 7-4 mark since making his promotional debut in 2009. Awad hopes to build off his impressive win over Brazilian standoutEvangelista “Cyborg” at “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo,” where “Assassin” was able to escape Santos’ ferocious ankle lock submission attempt and emerge victorious with a series of pummeling blows. Now the 33-year-old San Bernardino, Calif. native will look to put his unique skillset on full display in front of his friends and family when he enters the cage in Anaheim, Calif.

 

Similar to his opponent, Anderson was able to make a name for himself early in his professional career, exploding out of the gate with victories in 11 of his first 12 bouts. During his Bellator MMA debut in 2013, “Barbaric” earned a win over the savvy veteranPatricky “Pitbull.” Since then, the 26-year-old Anderson has made five more appearances under the promotion’s direction, including a second victory over the elder “Pitbull” brother. Also hailing from the Southern California area, Anderson expects to have a large hometown following of his own in attendance on August 26.

 

Joey Davis is a 21-year-old standout wrestler, who competed at Notre Dame College where he accumulated an incredible undefeated 131-0 record and four consecutive NCAA Division II Championships, becoming the only Division II wrestler to ever win four national titles and go unbeaten in a career. The most recent signing of Bellator’s “New Breed,” a group of top wrestling products that the promotion has signed including Aaron Pico, Ed Ruth, Jarod Trice and Terrell Fortune, will be the first to make his promotional debut. Davis trains at Antonio McKee’s “Body Shop Gym” alongside other “Bellator 160” competitors A.J. McKee, Bubba Jenkins and “Baby Slice.”

 

Signed to a developmental deal in April, Ferguson Jr., also known as “Baby Slice” will anchor the Bellator.com-streamed preliminary card along with Davis, his aforementioned “Body Shop Gym” teammate. In an eerily similar storyline to the hit-movie “Creed,” the son of the late, great “Kimbo Slice,” quietly broke onto the scene earlier this year in an amateur bout that played out in Western Massachusetts, where he scored a knockout victory just 83 seconds into the first round. MMA reporter Chuck Mindenhall was on-site to cover the story.

“Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” SPIKE-Televised Main Card:

Bellator MMA Lightweight No. 1 Contender Main Event: Benson Henderson (23-6) vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (25-3)

Bellator MMA Lightweight Feature Bout: Saad Awad (19-7) vs. Derek Anderson (13-2)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (4-0) vs. Henry Corrales (12-3)

 

Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Joey Davis (Pro Debut) vs. TBD

Bellator MMA Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Ferguson Jr. (Pro Debut) vs. TBD

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

TWO FEATHERWEIGHT THRILLERS ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 160: HENDERSON VS. PITBULL’ AT HONDA CENTER ON AUG. 26

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A.J. MCKEE PUTS UNDEFEATED MARK ON THE LINE AGAINST HENRY CORRALES AND BUBBA JENKINS LOOKS TO EVEN THE SCORE AGAINST GEORGI KARAKHANYAN

 

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (July 25, 2016) – Two high-profile featherweight attractions have been added to the main card of the recently announced “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” event on August 26 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The first pitting the undefeated A.J. McKee (4-0) against Henry Corrales (12-3), and the second newly-announced bout will see Bubba Jenkins(11-2) attempt to avenge a previous loss against Georgi Karakhanyan (24-6-1).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” start at $30 and can be purchased now on Ticketmaster and at Honda Center Box Office. Doors for the event open at 4:45 p.m. PT local time and the first preliminary bout – which streams live on Bellator.com andThe Bellator Mobile App — begins at 5:00 p.m. PT. Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

The main event of the evening features a marquee matchup at 155-pounds, when Benson Henderson (23-6) returns to the division that he reigned supreme over for the many years to face former featherweight champion Patricio “Pitbull” (25-3), who is moving up in weight for the bout. Both men will be vying for a shot at Michael Chandler’s championship belt when they meet on August 26 in Anaheim.

 

At 21 years of age, McKee is undoubtedly one of the of mixed martial arts top young prospects. After beginning his career 7-1 as an amateur, “Mercenary” has made a splash on the professional circuit, recording a perfect 4-0 mark through his first four bouts. McKee has fought under the Bellator MMA banner since day one of his professional career, finishing all of his contests in the opening frame, including three knockouts and a rear-naked choke submission. The Long Beach, Calif. native will bring his flashy skillset just down the 91 Freeway to Honda Center, where he will have the opportunity to put on a show in front of his hometown fans.

 

After beginning his professional career 12-0, Corrales will enter the cage for the second time this year in search of his first win under the direction of Bellator MMA. Since joining the Scott Coker-led promotion, Corrales has fought nothing short of elite talent, challenging current champion Daniel Straus, Emmanuel Sanchez, and Patricio “Pitbull” on short notice. Of his 12 career victories, the 29-year-old featherweight has earned four knockouts and six submissions; including a brutal knockout of Gustavo Limon just 20 seconds into round one. Fighting out of Whittier, Calif., Corrales will share the home floor with his opponent and fellow California native, A.J. McKee, in Anaheim during the main card of “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” on August 26.

 

A longtime veteran of Bellator MMA, Karakhanyan will look to get back on track after dropping two closely-contested decision losses against Jenkins, who he handily defeated nearly two years ago via guillotine submission. Known to many mixed martial arts fans and pundits as “Insane,” the 31-year-old has finished 18 of his 24 wins as a professional, winning titles in multiple regional promotions along the way. A product of Millenia MMA in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., where he trains alongside close friend Saad Awad, the Russian fighter is finally healthy following multiple setbacks to his knee. Karakhanyan now looks to climb the 145-pound ladder, in a stacked division that he once sat atop as the No. 1 contender.
Just a few years ago, Bubba Jenkins was widely regarded as the top MMA prospect in all of the sport, though the title became tainted following the aforementioned loss to Karakhanyan at “Bellator 132.” The former NCAA National Champion wrestler with Arizona State University now has three consecutive wins under his belt, and is looking for redemption. Heading into his 11th fight under the Bellator MMA banner, the 28-year-old “Highlight Kid” looks to put on a stand-out performance in Bellator’s incredibly deep featherweight division.

 

Updated “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” Main Card:

 

Bellator MMA Lightweight No. 1 Contender Main Event: Benson Henderson (23-6) vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (25-3)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (4-0) vs. Henry Corrales (12-3)

Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Bubba Jenkins (11-2) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-6-1)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BENSON HENDERSON-PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ TO VIE FOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE SHOT DURING MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 160: HENDERSON VS. PITBULL’

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TICKETS: SPECIAL BELLATOR NATION PRESALE STARTS TODAY WITH TICKETS GOING ON SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC TOMORROW, FRIDAY, JULY 22

 

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (July 20, 2016) – Patricio “Pitbull” (25-3) is actively seeking revenge for his brother Patricky “Pitbull” after Bellator MMA’s new 155-pound kingpin Michael Chandler brutally finished the elder Freire during the co-main event of last month’s “Bellator: Dynamite 2” event.

 

Patricio will be given the opportunity to avenge his brother’s loss – but in order to reach Chandler, “Pitbull” must first defeat Benson Henderson(23-6) in the main event of “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” on August 26 inside Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and airing LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.

 

The card will be the Scott Coker-led promotions first at the Honda Center, which is home to the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, AFL’s LA KISS, the Wooden Legacy Basketball Tournament, as well as the Big West Basketball Tournament.

 

Tickets starting at $30 for “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” can be purchased on Ticketmaster and Honda Center Box Office starting Friday, July 22 with an exclusive Bellator Nation pre-sale on Thursday, July 21.

 

Following Chandler’s knockout of Patricky, “Iron Mike” scaled the Bellator Cage to celebrate with his hometown faithful of St. Louis, but was immediately met by Patricio, who had been cornering his brother. The two exchanged words and now Bellator’s former featherweight titlist has made the decision to move up to lightweight and begin his path towards gold in two divisions.

 

Click image above to watch the altercation

 

In the way stands Henderson, a former UFC and WEC lightweight champion, who after three fights at welterweight now returns to the division where he reigned supreme for nearly two years. In his Bellator MMA debut, despite a size disparity, “Smooth” fought valiantly against 170-pound championAndrey Koreshkov, dropping a unanimous decision. Now it will be “Pitbull” who’s fighting the larger competitor, and it all comes to a head during the main event of “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” on Aug. 26, LIVE and FREE on SPIKE.

 

Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

“Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” Main Card:

Bellator MMA Lightweight #1 Contender Main Event: Benson Henderson (25-3) vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (25-3)

 

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, 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.

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BENSON HENDERSON-PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ TO VIE FOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE SHOT DURING MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 160’

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NEWLY ANNOUNCED EVENT TAKES PLACE AUGUST 26 AT HONDA CENTER IN ANAHEIM, CALIF.

 

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (July, 16) – Patricio “Pitbull” (25-3) is actively seeking revenge for his brother Patricky “Pitbull” after Bellator MMA’s new 155-pound kingpin Michael Chandler brutally finished the elder Freire during the co-main event of last month’s “Bellator: Dynamite 2”event.

 

Today, Bellator MMA is pleased to announce that Patricio will be given the opportunity to avenge his brother’s loss – but in order to reach Chandler, “Pitbull” must first defeat Benson Henderson (23-6) in the main event of “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” on August 26 inside Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and airing LIVE and FREE on SPIKE.

 

The card will be the Scott Coker-led promotions first at the 18,000 plus Honda Center, which is home to the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, AFL’s LA KISS, the Wooden Legacy Basketball Tournament, as well as the Big West Basketball Tournament.

 

Tickets starting at $30 for “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” can be purchased on Ticketmaster and Honda Center Box Office starting Friday, July 22 with an exclusive Bellator Nation pre-sale on Thursday, July 21.

 

Following Chandler’s knockout of Patricky, “Iron Mike” scaled the Bellator Cage to celebrate with his hometown faithful of St. Louis, but was immediately met by Patricio, who had been cornering his brother. The two exchanged words and now Bellator’s former featherweight titlist has made the decision to move up to lightweight and begin his path towards gold in two divisions.

 

 

In the way stands Henderson, a former UFC and WEC lightweight champion, who after three fights at welterweight now returns to the division where he reigned supreme for nearly two years. In his Bellator MMA debut, despite a size disparity, “Smooth” fought valiantly against 170-pound champion Andrey Koreshkov, dropping a unanimous decision. Now it will be “Pitbull” who’s fighting the larger competitor, and it all comes to a head during the main event of “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull”on Aug. 26, LIVE and FREE on SPIKE.

 

Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

“Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” Main Card:

Bellator MMA Lightweight No. 1 Contender Main Event: Benson Henderson (25-3) vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (25-3)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

A NEW CHAMPION IS CROWNED, ANOTHER RETAINS AT ‘BELLATOR 145: WITH A VENGEANCE’

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More photos from Straus vs. Freire here

 

Patricio Freire (24-2) and Daniel Straus (23-6) went to war at Scottrade Center on Friday night, sending a packed house home happy after 25-minutes of nonstop action. In the end, the judges crowned a new champion.

 

Straus walked away with the unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) and the belt tightly wrapped around his waist. The American Top Team product claimed that he broke his hand during the fight, but with all the punches thrown, it sure didn’t seem so.

More photos from Brooks vs. Held here

 

In the first of not one, but two world title bouts, Will Brooks (17-1) dominated Marcin Held (21-4) on the mat, cruising to a unanimous decision victory (50-45, 49-46, 49-46).

 

After getting taken down in the opening round, Brooks came back and utilized his wrestling to gring out the Polish fighter over the course of the next 20 minutes. With the victory, Brooks has now successfully defended his title for the second time since defeating Chandler to win the title.

 

More photos from Chandler vs. Rickels here

 

Michael Chandler (14-3) truly has Dave Rickels’ (16-4) number. The Missouri native managed to finish “The Caveman” for the second time in as many tries on the main card of “Bellator 145: With a Vengeance.”

 

“I’ve had so many people pour into my life for decades, I am thankful to all of them,” Chandler said. “I just listen to my coaches and luckily tonight I got the finish,” Chandler said. “I want that title so bad I can taste it. Scott Coker, give me the winner of Marcin and Held or else I’ll be forced to keep knocking out every lightweight on the roster until you do.”

 

The end came at 3:05 of round two, which saw “Iron” Mike pummel his foe with punches until the referee stopped the fight.

 

More photos from Lashley vs. Thompson here

 

Revenge is a dish best served cold and Bobby Lashley (14-2) defeated James Thompson (20-15) so quickly, there was no time for the dish to get hot.

 

“The Dominator” did what he does best, shooting in on “The Colossus” and scoring the takedown which he then followed up with offensive shots to the head of his opponent, earning the technical knockout at 54-seconds of round one.

 

There’s not much doubt that Lashley moves inevitably closer to a title shot with the win and remains undefeated under the Bellator MMA banner. When he receives his title shot though, is yet to be seen.

 

More photos from Sanchez vs. Lawrence here

 

The opening fight of the main card at “Bellator 145: With a Vengeance” featured a competitive bout between two young, up-and-coming featherweights. In the end, Emmanuel Sanchez (12-2) took home a split decision over Justin Lawrence (7-3) with scores of (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

 

With the victory, “El Matador” has now notched two consecutives wins via split decision, while the defeat is Lawrence’s first under the Bellator MMA banner and likely sets up sets up a fight that will propel him to the

 

Preliminary Card Results:

Fazlo Mulabitinovic defeats Scott Ettling via submission (armbar) at 1:52 of round one

Kain Royer defeats Clay Mitchell via submission (kneebar) at 3:41 of round one

Rashard Lovelace (2-0) defeats Brandon Lowe (0-1) via TKO (strikes) at 2:07 of round one

Augusto Sakai (9-0) defeats Alex Huddleston (6-2) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Adam Meredith (4-1) defeats Jordan Dowdy (2-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:54 of round one

Kyle Kurtz (5-1) defeats Steven Mann (11-3) via submission (triangle choke) 2:59 of round one

Garrett Gross (7-4) defeats Jeff Crotty (0-1) via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Chel Erwin-Davis (3-1) defeats Adam Cella (6-5) via TKO (Punches) at :35 of round three

Preliminary card photos here

In addition, three other announcements regarding “Bellator 149” were made this evening and those press releases can be found here.

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

HEAVYWEIGHT CONTEST BETWEEN ALEX HUDDLESTON-AUGUSTO SAKAI TOPS ADDITION OF SEVEN PRELIMS TO ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (October 8, 2015) – With the five fight main card for “Bellator 145: Vengeance” set, the completed preliminary portion of the event has now also officially been rolled out by Bellator MMA.

 

The newly announced bouts include heavyweights Alex Huddleston (6-1) and Augusto Sakai (8-0), former TUF welterweight contestant Adam Cella (6-4) who goes up against Chel Erwin-Davis (2-1), Steve Mann (11-2) fighting Hugh Pulley (5-2) in lightweight action, as well as Kain Royer (1-2) versus Clay Mitchell (1-0) in a heavyweight bout and welterweights Kevin Engel (4-0) and Kyle Kurtz (4-1). Rounding out the preliminary contests will be the professional debut of Brandon Lowe, when he faces Rashard Lovelace (1-0) and Adam Meredith (3-1) taking on Jordan Dowdy (2-0).

 

The contests will take place during the preliminary card of “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which streams live on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT.

 

Top billing at the November 6 event features two world title bouts. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) defends his belt against Daniel Straus (23-6) and Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3) with the 155-pound title on the line. “Bellator 145: Vengeance” will also featureMichael Chandler (13-3) against Dave Rickels (16-3) and heavyweights Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) versus James Thompson (20-14).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, are on sale now on Ticketmaster.com and at the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

 

Both Huddleston and Sakai will bring both impressive records and finishes to the table when they face-off in the featured preliminary contest on Nov. 6.

 

Huddleston is the main training partner of Bobby Lashley, who also competes at the event. Also known as “The Shaved Gorilla,” Huddleston most recently stopped Javy Ayala with a nifty first-round, rear-naked choke submission at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov.” The win was the 29-year-old’s fourth finish in six tries. Sakai was also in action this past June, when he put a beating on Daniel Gallemore, so much so, the heavyweight was unable to get off the stool in between rounds. The Brazilian native has ended seven of his eight professional victories without help from the judges’ scorecards.

 

Complete “Bellator 145: Vengeance” Fight Card

Main Card:

Bellator Featherweight World Title Bout: Patricio Freire (24-2) vs. Daniel Straus (23-6)

Bellator Lightweight World Title Bout: Will Brooks (16-1) vs. Marcin Held (21-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Bout: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Justin Lawrence (7-2)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Michael Chandler (13-3) vs. Dave Rickels (16-3)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Bobby Lashley (13-2) vs. James Thompson (20-14)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Alex Huddleston (6-1) vs. Augusto Sakai (8-0)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Bout: Adam Cella (6-4) vs. Chel Erwin-Davis (2-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Bout: Garrett Gross (6-4) vs. Luke Nelson (2-1)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Steve Mann (11-2) vs. Hugh Pulley (5-2)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Bout: Chris Heatherly (9-3) vs. Vince Eazelle (9-2)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Bout: Kevin Engel (4-0) vs. Kyle Kurtz (4-1)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Kain Royer (1-2) vs. Clay Mitchell (1-0)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Bout: Adam Meredith (3-1) vs. Jordan Dowdy (2-0)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Bout: Garrett Mueller (2-0) vs. Scott Ettling (3-0

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Brandon Lowe (debut) vs. Rashard Lovelace (1-0)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

HEAVYWEIGHTS BOBBY LASHLEY AND JAMES THOMPSON TO SETTLE THEIR SCORE AT ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE’ NOVEMBER 6 ON SPIKE

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 25, 2015) – This past June, fans in St. Louis were deprived of a highly anticipated heavyweight rematch between Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) and James “The Colossus” Thompson (20-14, 1 NC), when Thompson was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury.  On Friday, November 6, the two heavyweights will finally square off at “Bellator 145: Vengeance,” at the Scottrade Center in the Gateway City.

 

The contest completes the main card of “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Top billing at the November 6 event features two world title bouts when Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) defends his strap againstDaniel Straus (23-6) and Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3) with the 155-pound belt on the line. “Bellator 145: Vengeance” on Spike will also feature a rematch pitting “Iron” Michael Chandler (13-3) against David “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3, 1 NC).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, are on sale now on Ticketmaster.com and at the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after.

 

Lashley looks to avenge a 2012 split decision loss to Thompson.  The unfinished business between the two giant heavyweights was originally scheduled to be settled at “Bellator 134: The British Invasion” and again at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business,” but an injuries sustained by both men caused the fights to be rescheduled.

 

Thompson, a 6-foot-5 striking specialist, hails from England and has been fighting professionally since 2003. A former rugby player and bodybuilder, “The Colossus” found his true calling in MMA and has been competing around the globe ever since. Fighting some of the best heavyweights in the sport, including Kimbo Slice, Alexander Emelianenko, Don Frye, Alistair Overeem, Mariusz Pudzianowki, Bob Sapp, Dan Severn and Hidehiko Yoshida, among others, Thompson has racked up 11 wins by knockout and another seven by submission.

 

A 6-foot-3, former WWE superstar, Lashley started training in the grappling arts 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 two Armed Forces Wrestling Championships during his tenure in the U.S. Army. In addition to a professional wrestling career with stints in WWE, ECW and TNA, Lashley began his MMA career in 2008, and has built an impressive resume that includes Bellator MMA submission wins over Karl Etherington, Josh Burns and most recently, a technical knockout of Dan Charles.

 

“Bellator 145: Vengeance” Updated Fight Card

 

Bellator Featherweight World Title Bout: Patricio Freire (24-2) vs. Daniel Straus (23-6)

Bellator Lightweight World Title Bout: Will Brooks (16-1) vs. Marcin Held (21-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Bout: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Justin Lawrence (7-2)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Michael Chandler (13-3) vs. David Rickels (16-3, 1 NC)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Bobby Lashley (13-2) vs. James Thompson (20-14, 1 NC)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Vince Eazelle (9-2) vs. Chris Heatherly (9-3, 1 NC)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Bout: Scott Ettling (2-0) vs. Garrett Mueller (2-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Garrett Gross (6-4) vs. Luke Nelson (2-1)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

LIGHTWEIGHT REMATCH PITTING ‘IRON’ MICHAEL CHANDLER AGAINST DAVID ‘THE CAVEMAN’ RICKELS ADDED TO ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 22, 2015) – Bellator MMA continues to stack the deck for its return to Scottrade Center in Saint Louis on November 6, when former lightweight champion “Iron” Michael Chandler (13-3) meets David “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3, 1 NC) in a rematch that takes place during the main card of “Bellator 145: Vengeance,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

In addition, three preliminary contests have also been added to the event, when Vince Eazelle (9-2) faces Chris Heatherly (9-3, 1 NC), Scott Ettling (2-0) meets Garrett Mueller(2-0) and Garrett Gross (6-4) takes on Luke Nelson (2-1). The aforementioned preliminary bouts will stream exclusively on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT.

 

Top billing at the Nov. 6 event features two world title bouts – Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) defends his featherweight strap against Daniel Straus (23-6) and Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3) with the 155-pound belt on the line. “Bellator 145: Vengeance” on Spike will also feature heavyweight contender Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) in action.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 145: Vengeance,” which start at just $30, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time and the first contest takes place shortly after.

 

After dropping fights to the current divisional kingpin, Chandler bounced back with a highlight-reel worthy finish of Derek Campos at the record setting “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business” event in July. “Iron” Mike recently left his longtime home of Alliance MMA in San Diego, Calif., to link up with Power MMA in Arizona. A favorite of Saint Louis, Chandler will have his home state of Missouri strongly in his corner on November 6.

 

Coming off a controversial, yet dominant performance against John Alessio in the main event of “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov,” Rickels looks to wipe the bad taste of a no-contest out of his mouth in a rematch against Chandler. Having already faced his Nov. 6 opponent at “Bellator 97: Chandler vs. Rickels” in 2013, “The Caveman” will have more than just title hopes on his mind. It’s also worth mentioning that this will be the first time Rickels will compete on a “tent-pole” event under Scott Coker, which means there could be a can’t miss walkout at “Bellator 145: Vengeance.”

“Bellator 145: Vengeance” Updated Fight Card

Main Card:

Bellator Featherweight World Title Bout: Patricio Freire (24-2) vs. Daniel Straus (23-6)

Bellator Lightweight World Title Bout: Will Brooks (16-1) vs. Marcin Held (21-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Bout: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Justin Lawrence (7-2)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Michael Chandler (13-3) vs. David Rickels (16-3, 1 NC)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Bobby Lashley (13-2) vs. TBD

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Vince Eazelle (9-2) vs. Chris Heatherly (9-3, 1 NC)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Bout: Scott Ettling (2-0) vs. Garrett Mueller (2-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Garrett Gross (6-4) vs. Luke Nelson (2-1)

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

FORMER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION PAT CURRAN FACES JUSTIN LAWRENCE AT ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 20, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Featherweight Championship will be defended in the main event of“Bellator 145: Vengeance,” but another exciting 145-pound tilt will also emanate from Scottrade Center in Saint Louis on November 6, when former champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (21-7) meets Justin “The American Kid” Lawrence (8-2).

 

The contest will take place during the main card of “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

Top billing at the November 6 event features two world title bouts. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) defends his strap against Daniel Straus (23-6) and Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3) with the 155-pound belt on the line.“Bellator 145: Vengeance” on Spike will also feature Michael Chandler (13-3) and heavyweight Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) competing inside the Bellator MMA cage. Opponents for both fighters will be announced in the coming weeks.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, go on sale TOMORROW at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com and at theFord Box Office at Scottrade Center. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

 

Curran is a multi-time Bellator MMA tournament winner, emerging victorious in lightweight and featherweight iterations of the competition. “Paddy Mike” holds an impressive 11-4 record under the Bellator MMA banner and has been involved in some of the promotion’s most enduring fights, including his last-minute title win against Daniel Straus at “Bellator 112: Curran vs. Straus 2.” The 27-year-old bounced back from a two-fight skid to defeat Emmanuel Sanchez at “Bellator 139: Kongo vs. Volkov” in July.

 

Making his promotional debut during the preliminary card of the record-breaking “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business” event,Lawrence’s finish of Sean Wilson was so impressive, it made its way to the Spike telecast. “The American Kid” is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor who went on to win the Resurrection Fighting Alliance title before signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion in early 2015. The Power MMA product has won four straight tilts and finished the last two within the first five minutes of action.

 

“Bellator 145: Vengeance” Updated Fight Card

 

Bellator Featherweight World Title Bout: Patricio Freire (24-2) vs. Daniel Straus (23-6)

Bellator Lightweight World Title Bout: Will Brooks (16-1) vs. Marcin Held (21-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Bout: Pat Curran (21-7) vs. Justin Lawrence (7-2)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Bout: Michael Chandler (13-3) vs. TBD

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Bout: Bobby Lashley (13-2) vs. TBD