Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the TroopsMain Card:
Josh Barnett (35-8) vs. Ronny Markes (19-7) was cancelled by the Hawaii State Boxing Commission deeming Barnett unable to compete tonight due to severe illness
Toby Misech (12-7) defeated Erik Perez (19-7) via KO (punches) at 0:54 of round one
JOSH BARNETT AND RONNY MARKES HEADLINE BELLATOR & THE USO PRESENT: SALUTE THE TROOPS ON FRIDAY, DEC. 20
BELLATOR 236 ON SATURDAY, DEC. 21 SEES ILIMA-LEI MACFARLANE DEFEND HER WORLD TITLE AGAINST KATE JACKSON
LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii this Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21 is official with a stacked doubleheader featuring something for every mixed martial arts fan.
Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the Troops will air on Paramount Network on Friday, December 20 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT. The entire event will also stream on DAZN, while preliminary bouts will stream on Bellator.com, DAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
Bellator 236: Macfarlane vs. Jackson – one of the star-powered, year-end highlights of fight season on DAZN – will stream Saturday, December 21 live exclusively on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com, DAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
The main event of Friday’s card on Paramount Network will see a heavyweight headliner, featuring the Bellator debuts of former world champion Josh Barnett (35-8) and Ronny Markes (19-7). Rounding out the stacked main card will see another Bellator debut, as Erik Perez (19-6) enters the cage to meet Hawaii’s own Toby Misech (11-7), former flyweight No. 1 contenders Alejandra Lara (8-3) and Veta Arteaga (5-3) return to action and Bellator Welterweight World Grand Prix participant Tywan Claxton (5-1) takes on the undefeated prospect out of Maili, Hawaii, Braydon Akeo (3-0). Also, undefeated teammate of A.J. McKee Joey Davis (6-0) returns to the Bellator cage when he faces the “Big Island’s” 29-fight MMA veteran, Chris Cisneros (19-10).
The prelims for Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the Troops will feature an appearance from undefeated Bay Area-fighter fighter Cass Bell (4-0), as well as undefeated Hawaiian prospect Ty Gwerder (4-0).
A mere 24-hours later, Bellator 236 will take place exclusively on DAZN and will be headlined by a flyweight world title bout between Honolulu’s Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (10-0) and England’s Kate Jackson (11-3-1). The co-main event is a quarterfinal matchup of the Bellator Featherweight World Grand Prix with A.J. McKee (15-0)taking on Derek Campos (20-9.).
In addition, recently signed Bellator welterweight Jason Jackson (10-4) of Hollywood, Fla. returns to the Bellator cage on short notice to take on Kiichi Kunimoto of Osaka, Japan. Juliana Velasquez (9-0) looks to remain undefeated with Bellator when she meets Bruna Ellen (10-6) at flyweight, while local Hawaiian standouts Cheyden Leialoha(7-1) and Nainoa Dung (3-0) go to battle against Raufeon Stots (12-1) and Zach Zane (13-9), respectively, to complete the main card.
Bellator and the USO Present: Salute the TroopsMain Card:
Paramount Network & DAZN
10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT/5 p.m. HST
Heavyweight Main Event:Josh Barnett (35-8) vs. Ronny Markes (19-7)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Toby Misech (11-7) vs. Erik Perez (19-6)
Flyweight Main Card Bout: Alejandra Lara (8-3) vs. Veta Artega (5-3)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Tywan Claxton (5-1) vs. Braydon Akeo (3-0)
Welterweight Main Card Bout: Joey Davis (6-0) vs. Chris Cisneros (19-10)
Preliminary Card:
DAZN, Bellator.com & the Bellator Mobile App
8:45 p.m. ET/7:45 p.m. CT/3:45 p.m. HST
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Cass Bell (4-0) vs. Pierre Daguzan (5-3, 1 NC)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Ty Gwerder (4-0) vs. Joseph Creer (6-1-1)
LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s doubleheader return to Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 has been completed with two stacked five-fight main cards and exciting preliminary matchups.
The main event of Friday’s card on Paramount Network, and simulcast on DAZN, will feature a heavyweight headliner, where former Bellator Grand Prix Semifinalist Matt Mitrione (13-6) faces Russian knockout artist Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC). Rounding out the stacked main card will see undefeated Logan Storley (9-0) meet SBG Dublin’sIon Pascu (18-9) at welterweight, former Bellator bantamweight champ Eduardo Dantas (20-6) return from injury to meet Hawaii’s Toby Misech (12-6) at 135-pounds, and the electric Mike Kimbel (2-0) making his main card debut against Rhode Island’s John Douma (3-1). The opener of Bellator 215 will be the promotional debut of Austin Vanderford (6-0), who looks to remain undefeated against Cody Jones (6-2), a winner of four consecutive fights.
The prelims for Bellator 215: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov will be highlighted by a women’s featherweight contest featuring Amber Leibrock(3-2) against Amanda Bell (5-5), as well as top heavyweight prospect Steve Mowry (5-0) taking on Darion Abbey (Pro Debut).
A mere 24-hours later, Bellator 216 will take place exclusively on DAZN and will be headlined by one of the most intense grudge matches in MMA history. On Saturday, Feb. 16,undefeated Michael “Venom” Page (13-0) will enter the Bellator cage against 58-fight professional Paul “Semtex” Daley (40-16-2) in a first-round fight of Bellator’s Welterweight World Grand Prix. The co-main event is a rematch between two heavyweights who undoubtedly will go down in the sport’s history books, when Mirko Cro Cop (37-11-2, 1 NC) makes his Bellator debut against Roy “Big Country” Nelson (23-16).
In addition, a No. 1 contender’s bout to determine who will face newly crowned heavyweight kingpin Ryan Bader will pit Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) against undefeated, longtime former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov (21-0). An intriguing welterweight encounter between Yaroslav Amosov (20-0) and the always-excitingErick Silva (20-9, 1 NC) is also official, as is the professional debut of multi-time taekwondo champion Valerie Loureda, when she meets Oklahoma’s Colby Fletcher (1-2) in the main card opener.
As if that wasn’t enough top-flight action, Tyrell Fortune (5-0), one of Bellator’s top homegrown prospects returns to the Bellator cage against Ryan Pokryfky (6-5) in the featured preliminary bout of Bellator 216: MVP vs. Daley.
Bellator: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov will be broadcast Friday, February 15 on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and will stream LIVE on DAZN. Bellator: MVP vs. Daley will stream exclusively on DAZN on Saturday, February 16 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Preliminary action for both events will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the Bellator Mobile App.
Tickets for both events are available now and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com. Fans can save when they purchase tickets to both events through the “Back-to-Back Pack!” Please visit Ticketmaster.com for more details.
Complete Bellator 215: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov Main Card:
Heavyweight Main Event Bout:Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 1 NC)
Welterweight Co-Main Event: Logan Storley (9-0) vs. Ion Pascu (18-9)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Eduardo Dantas (20-6) vs. Toby Misech (12-6)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Mike Kimbel (2-0) vs. John Douma (3-1)
175-Pound Catchweight Main Card Bout: Austin Vanderford (6-0) vs. Cody Jones (6-2)
Preliminary Card:
Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Mowry (5-0) vs. Darion Abbey (Pro Debut)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Amber Leibrock (3-2) vs. Amanda Bell (5-5)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Pat McCrohan (3-2) vs. Jason Markland (Debut)
Atomweight Preliminary Bout: Tabatha Watkins (3-0) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (4-1)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Pete Rogers (3-4) vs. Jason Rine (1-4)
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Matt Probin (3-0) vs. Ali Zebian (1-0)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Zarrukh Adashev (1-1) vs. Ronie Arana (0-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Billy Goff (1-0) vs. Ryan Hardy (Pro Debut)
Complete Bellator 216: MVP vs. Daley Main Card:
Welterweight World Grand Prix Matchup:Michael Page (13-0) vs. Paul Daley (40-16-2)
Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Mirko Cro Cop (37-11-2, 1 NC) vs. Roy Nelson (23-16)
Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Cheick Kongo (29-10-2) vs. Vitaly Minakov (21-0)
Welterweight Main Card Bout: Yaroslav Amosov (20-0) vs. Erick Silva (20-9, 1 NC)
Flyweight Main Card Bout: Valerie Loureda (Pro Debut) vs. Colby Fletcher (1-2)
Preliminary Card:
Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Tyrell Fortune (5-0) vs. Ryan Pokryfky (6-5)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Patrick Casey (4-0) vs. Nekruz Mirkhojaev (3-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Vinicius De Jesus (6-2) vs. Rodolpho Barcellos (1-0)
