Tag Archives: Tyrell Fortune

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

TWO WORLD TITLE FIGHTS! MCKEE-PITBULL 2, NEMKOV-ANDERSON TOP INCREDIBLY STACKED NEW FIGHT CARD SET FOR APRIL 15

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UNDEFEATED WORLD CHAMPION A.J. MCKEE TO DEFEND BELLATOR MMA 145-POUND WORLD TITLE IN REMATCH AGAINST FORMER NUMBER ONE POUND-FOR-POUND & TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION PATRICIO PITBULL

205-POUND CHAMPION VADIM NEMKOV TO BATTLE TOP-RANKED COREY ANDERSON FOR $1 MILLION PRIZE IN BELLATOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX FINAL

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BELLATOR 277  SET FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 15, AT 10 P.M. ET/7 P.M. PT LIVE ON SHOWTIME INSIDE THE SAP CENTER IN SAN JOSE, CALIF.

TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 16, 2022) – Two outstanding world-championship showdowns. Four of BELLATOR MMA’s best pound-for-pound fighters. One highly anticipated rematch. The promotion’s all-time greatest athlete striving to avenge a highlight-reel loss to the company’s homegrown superstar. A tournament final awarding a seven-figure jackpot to the victor.

BELLATOR’s fourth phenomenal fight card of 2022 promises to be one for the ages.

Fresh off a 117-second destruction of his upcoming opponent and claiming the $1 million bounty at the BELLATOR MMA Featherweight World Grand Prix Finale, unbeaten BELLATOR Featherweight World Titleholder A.J. McKee (18-0) hopes to take the next step toward becoming the sport’s greatest fighter as he battles former top pound-for-pound and two-division champion Patricio Pitbull (32-5) for the second time in less than nine months on Friday, April 15, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT live on SHOWTIME.

In the co-feature of BELLATOR 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., current 205-pound BELLATOR MMA World Champion Vadim Nemkov (15-2) will defend his title for the third time and aims to take home the $1 million prize three days before U.S. Tax Day when he squares off against the surging No. 1-ranked contender Corey Anderson (16-5)in the BELLATOR MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix final.

Tickets for BELLATOR MMA 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2 go on sale this Friday, Feb. 18 at both Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com with a special presale starting the day prior.

Additionally, four preliminary bouts have been announced including a mouthwatering matchup between two highly ranked heavyweights as No. 5-ranked Tim Johnson (15-8) faces surging No. 6-ranked Tyrell Fortune (11-2, 1 NC) in a rematch from BELLATOR 239. Their first fight ended with Johnson securing a win that earned great consideration for the 2020 KO of the Year. The preliminary bouts will stream live three hours earlier at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.

In their historic initial matchup at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., McKee stunned Pitbull by landing a punishing left leg kick to the head at 1:40 of the opening stanza at BELLATOR MMA 263 on July 31, 2021. The champion then continued the onslaught by unleashing a series of brutal unanswered head shots that floored the Brazilian legend.

Moments later as McKee prematurely raised his arms in celebration, Pitbull rose from the depths of defeat only to be greeted by a fighter hell bent on stealing his crown and claiming the $1 million prize. With the 25-time BELLATOR MMA veteran backed up against the fence, MMA’s brightest young brawler locked in a guillotine choke. With Pitbull seeming to lose consciousness, referee Mike Beltran halted matters at 1:57 of the opening frame.

“Hosting the world’s best mixed martial artists in the great city of San Jose is something that has been important to me during my career as a fight promoter and I’m happy to continue that with our card on April 15,” BELLATOR President Scott Coker said. “The rematch between A.J. McKee and Patricio Pitbull for the featherweight title, as well as our Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final featuring Vadim Nemkov against Corey Anderson are two fights that could headline any event on their own, but we are bringing both to SAP Center at San Jose on the same night to show the fans here that we truly value their support throughout the years.”

A native of Long Beach, Calif., BELLATOR’s top-rated pound-for-pound fighter has exceeded the lofty expectations placed on him since his professional debut three days following his 20th birthday. Armed with six knockouts and seven submissions, the Team Bodyshop product, who will turn 27 eight days before his rematch against Pitbull, has shown a knack for securing lightning-fast finishes with 10 coming in the first round. “Mercenary” has earned dominant victories over every fighter who has opposed him, including former World Champions Pitbull, Pat Curran, and Darrion Caldwell, who McKee submitted with a rare-modified neck crank that was later dubbed the “McKee-otine.” The winner of the 2020 Submission of the Year Award for his 71-second annihilation of Caldwell has fought a total of 33 rounds across 18 career contests (1.8 rounds per bout), while logging less than 41 total minutes in the BELLATOR cage since turning pro in August 2012.

One half of the vaunted Pitbull Brothers duo, Patricio has long been considered the crown jewel of BELLATOR MMA, where he currently sits at No. 3 in the BELLATOR MMA men’s pound-for-pound rankings. Holding a remarkable 32-5 record with wins over elite competition, including the likes of former World Champions Pat Curran, Juan Archuleta, and Daniel Straus (twice). In 2019, the 34-year-old Brazilian captured the BELLATOR Lightweight World Championship from Michael Chandler, becoming only the second BELLATOR athlete to hold two titles simultaneously. With 23 finishes in 37 professional fights, Pitbull has shown repeatedly that he possesses the well-rounded skillset required to reign over multiple weight classes.

Currently BELLATOR MMA’s second-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, Nemkov captured the BELLATOR MMA light heavyweight crown by defeating Ryan Bader via second-round TKO at BELLATOR MMA 244 in August 2020.  Riding a nine-fight winning streak dating back to June 2016, the ferocious 29-year-old sports seven first-round knockouts, with two in the initial minute of action. After successfully defending his light heavyweight belt by earning a tough unanimous decision over Phil Davis, the pride of Belgorod, Russia and Fedor Emelianenko protégé scored a fourth-round submission of late replacement Julius Anglickas in the semifinals of the BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix during his last outing on Oct. 16, 2021.

Anderson, of Robbinsville, N.J., has ascended to the top of the BELLATOR 205-pound rankings by vanquishing seven of his past eight opponents, including a third-round stoppage of Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov at BELLATOR MMA 257 on April 16, 2021. Exactly six months later at BELLATOR MMA 268, the Rockford, Ill., native walked into the cage to the spellbinding sounds of The Doors’ “Five to One,” and took the song title literally by knocking out Arizona State University wrestling legend Ryan Bader in 51 seconds in front of Bader’s hometown crowd at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Ariz.  In his first promotional appearance, “Overtime” registered a second-round TKO over Dutch kickboxing legend Melvin Manhoef at BELLATOR MMA 251 in November 2020. Prior to joining BELLATOR, Anderson tallied a 10-5 record with a rival promotion, winning “The Ultimate Fighter 19” tournament in 2014, and boasting impressive wins over Glover Teixeira, Jan Błachowicz and Johnny Walker, among others.

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Additional bouts will be announced soon.

BELLATOR 277: McKEE VS. PITBULL 2 MAIN CARD:

Friday, April 15 – live on SHOWTIME

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT 

Featherweight World Championship: C–A.J. McKee (18-0) vs. No. 1-Patricio Pitbull (15-5)

 Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final: C-Vadim Nemkov (15-2) vs. No. 1-Corey Anderson (16-5)

PRELIMINARY CARD: 

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Heavyweight Bout: No. 5-Tim Johnson (15-8) vs. No. 6-Tyrell Fortune (11-2, 1 NC)

Welterweight Bout: No. 10-Kyle Crutchmer (8-1) vs. Michael Lombardo (12-2, 1 NC)

Welterweight Bout: Shane Keefe (2-0) vs. Tyson Miller (2-0)

140-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Gaston Bolanos (5-3) vs. Cass Bell (5-2)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

Apply for BELLATOR media credentials

RSVP for BELLATOR virtual media availabilities

****

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Sat., Feb. 19 // BELLATOR 274: Gracie vs. Storley // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, Conn.

Fri. Feb. 25 // BELLATOR 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland

Fri. Mar. 12 // BELLATOR 276: Borics vs. Burnell // The Family Arena // St. Louis, Mo.

Fri. Apr. 15 // BELLATOR 277: McKee vs. Pitbull 2/Nemkov vs. Anderson // SAP Center // San Jose, Calif.

Fri. May 6 // BELLATOR PARIS: Bader vs. Kongo 2 // Accor Arena // Paris, FRA

Fri. May 13 // BELLATOR LONDON: Amosov vs. MVP // The OVO Arena Wembley // London

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Five New Preliminary Matchups Added to BELLATOR MMA 271 on Friday, Nov. 12, Live on SHOWTIME

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FIVE FRESH PRELIMINARY MATCHUPS ADDED TO BELLATOR MMA 271: CYBORG VS. KAVANAGH ON FRIDAY, NOV. 12, LIVE ON SHOWTIME® 

TONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA TALENT SET TO THRILL HOMETOWN CROWD AT HARD ROCK LIVE AT SEMINOLE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO IN HOLLYWOOD, FLA., AS BELLATOR™ RETURNS TO THE SUNSHINE STATE FOR FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS

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LOS ANGELES – In addition to the Featherweight World Title main event pitting current 145-pound champion Cris “Cyborg” (24-2, 1 NC) against No. 5-ranked Sinead Kavanagh (7-4), BELLATOR MMA has added several star-studded matchups to the preliminary portion of BELLATOR MMA 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanagh on Friday, Nov. 12, at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. 

SHOWTIME will televise the fantastic five-fight main card live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Additionally, the must-watch preliminary fights will stream live three hours earlier at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. 

Tickets for BELLATOR MMA 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanagh are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

In female flyweight action, Miami’s “Master” Valerie Loureda (3-1) hopes to steal the show yet again, as the 23-year-old star prepares for Knoxville’s Taylor Turner (5-7), while Brazilian sensation Bruna Ellen (5-3) challenges the heavy-handed Desiree “Dirty Dez” Yanez (5-3).  

Fighting out of Key West, Fla., the undefeated knockout artist Roman Faraldo (5-0) returns to the BELLATOR cage to face fellow Floridian and Pensacola-native Robert Turnquest (11-7) in a 170-pound contest. Additionally, Roufusport product Jordan Newman (3-0) hopes to keep his perfect record intact in a middleweight showdown against Palm Beach, Florida’s Shane O’Shea (4-2).  

Lastly, former Penn State wrestler and current American Top Team standout Cody Law (4-0) puts his unblemished professional mark on the line in a featherweight clash with Fort Smith, Arkansas’ Colton Hamm (4-3). 

In the co-main event., top-10 heavyweights will go toe-to-toe as No. 5-ranked Tyrell Fortune (11-1, 1 NC) squares up with No. 8 Linton Vassell (20-8, 1 NC).

Rounding out the five-bout SHOWTIME telecast, the always electric and No. 5-ranked Aaron Pico (8-3) will square off against undefeated No. 8 Justin Gonzales (12-0), while No. 1-ranked Arlene Blencowe (14-8) attempts to cement her place as the next in line for a shot at the 145-pound crown against No. 7 Pam Sorenson (9-3). Kicking off the main card, undefeated No. 7-ranked Boca Raton, Fla., resident Steve Mowry (9-0) will continue his quest toward the top of the heavyweight ranks as he takes on veteran Rakim Cleveland (22-13-1, 1 NC).

Updated BELLATOR MMA 271: CYBORG VS. KAVANAGH MAIN CARD: 

Friday, Nov. 12 – live on SHOWTIME 

10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT  

Featherweight World Title Bout: C-Cris “Cyborg” (24-2, 1 NC) vs. #5-Sinead Kavanagh (7-4) 

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: #5-Tyrell Fortune (11-1, 1 NC) vs. #8-Linton Vassell (20-8, 1 NC) 

Featherweight Bout: #5-Aaron Pico (8-3) vs. No. 8-Justin Gonzales (12-0) 

Featherweight Bout: #1-Arlene Blencowe (14-8)vs. #7-Pam Sorenson (9-3) 

Heavyweight Bout: #7-Steve Mowry (9-0)vs. Rakim Cleveland (22-13-1, 1 NC) 

PRELIMINARY CARD: 

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV 

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT  

Flyweight Bout: Bruna Ellen (5-3) vs. Desiree Yanez (5-3) 

Welterweight Bout: Roman Faraldo (5-0) vs. Robert Turnquest (11-7) 

Featherweight Bout: Cody Law (4-0) vs. Colton Hamm (4-3)  

Flyweight Bout: Valerie Loureda (3-1) vs. Taylor Turner (5-7) 

Middleweight Bout: Jordan Newman (3-0) vs. Shane O’Shea (4-2) 

For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, please visit BELLATOR.com.  

  

** Card subject to change ** 

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events 

Fri. Nov. 5 // BELLATOR 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2 // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland 

Fri. Nov. 12 // BELLATOR 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanagh // Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino // Hollywood, FL 

Fri. Dec. 3 // BELLATOR 272: Pettis vs. Horiguchi // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, Conn. 

****

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Official Fight Night Results, Quotes & Photos for BELLATOR MMA 262: Velasquez vs. Kielholtz

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COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS HERE – (PLEASE CREDIT: BELLATOR MMA / LUCAS NOONAN)
 
POST-FIGHT VIDEO INTERVIEWS HERE  
 
C-Juliana Velasquez (12-0) defeated #3-Denise Kielholtz (6-3) via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
 
Juliana Velasquez: 
“I think I would be clinching a bit more, her striking didn’t surprise me, but I felt that I did enough to retain the title.”
 
“I beat her with my jab, if you look at her face, it’s messed up, if you look at mine, my face is fine. I think people in the audience favor her because she has a kickboxing style and I counter, but I think it was my boxing that was the difference tonight.”
 
“When I come in here, I don’t think of myself as a champion, I think of myself as someone who needs to earn the belt and tonight I felt that I did that.”
 
#5–Tyrell Fortune (11-1, 1 NC) defeated #7-Matt Mitrione (13-9, 1 NC) via submission (strikes) at 1:45 of round one
 
Tyrell Fortune:
“I feel great coming out of the fight. He stepped forward so I went for the shot instead of throwing the punch and I guess I made contact with my head. Besides that I was running through him for the takedown. As you saw, I finished on top, and the fight went from there.
 
“I didn’t feel it (the clash of heads), I can only go off of what he was saying at the time. Like I said, I was just looking to get on top and continue to fight so I didn’t really know what else to do. I thought if there was a contact that the ref would have saw and we would have stopped that’s why I paused for a second on top of him. I didn’t go right to punching. Once the ref said to continue, I was continuing to fight.
 
“I want Tim Johnson. I don’t want a title shot. I’d rather have Tim Johnson first. That’s really the only fight I’ve been training for since that loss. To me, with him taking that loss (against Valentin Moldavsky) and me getting this win, it should line us right up… I’m gonna’ try to knock his a– out just like he did me.”
 
Matheus Mattos (13-2-1) defeated Cee Jay Hamilton (15-9) via TKO (strikes) at 1:33 of round two
 
Matheus Mattos:
“He’s a wrestler. So, he could have done the boring game and taken me down. But he chose to go for the striking. Fortunately, he did it because it was a beautiful knockout. If Bellator could send more strikers to me, then they would be welcomed.”
 
“I feel great, perfectly strong. But I felt my knee go ‘thwack.’ And I stopped moving a lot. I didn’t do much footwork. I knew this was going to be on my hands, because my leg was painful. Hopefully, everything went well. 
 
“My two losses were to two of the best in the world. So, I’ve been fighting at a high level a long time and I’m prepared for everyone. They can see that this fight welcomed me to Bellator, and now they know me. They know Matheus Mattos is a striker and he’s coming for us.
 
“I’m in my prime now so I’m prepared for everyone.”
  
 #2–Arlene Blencowe (14-8) defeated Dayana Silva (9-6) via TKO (punches) at 1:00 of round three
 
Arlene Blencowe:
“I feel great. I want to give a shout out to my kids at home. I’ve been away from home for nine weeks and it’s the longest I’ve ever been without my kids. So, this win is for you.”
 
“I was just trying to gauge my distance. It was starting to be a little bit of a slow fight, so sorry about that fans. I could hear you yelling. But I was determined to keep my pace and not rush into anything. We knew that she swung with power and that the overhand right and the left hook came pretty quick. We’ve been working a lot on kicks, and I’m going to have a lot of bruises tomorrow. And hopefully her calves will be sore too.”
 
#5-Johnny Eblen (9-0) defeated Travis Davis (10-5) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Johnny Eblen:
“My coaches when I came back to the corner told me not to brawl. So, I took their advice and I thought I wrestled smart.”
 
“He was talking s— saying, ‘Hey, let’s brawl in the corner.’ I’m like, ‘Bro, that’s stupid.’ That’s why you’re not where I’m at. Because you don’t fight smart. You’re trying to come out here and brawl. You can do that all you want, but you’re not going to be a world champion like me.”
 
Preliminary Card: 
Said Sowma (7-2) defeated Ronny Markes (19-9) via KO (punches) at 1:09 of round one
Cody Law (4-0) defeated Theodore Macuka (1-1) via TKO (punches) at 1:54 of round one
Diana Avsaragova (4-0) defeated Gabriella Gulfin (2-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Adil Benjilany (6-3, 1 NC) defeated Johnny Soto (4-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Charlie Campbell (4-1) defeated Nicholas Giulietti (2-2) via TKO (punches) at 1:30 of round two
 
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
 
About BELLATOR
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR 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 Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 239: RUTH VS. AMOSOV

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COMPLETE FIGHT NIGHT PHOTOS


Bellator 239: Ruth vs. Amosov Main Card:

Yaroslav Amosov (23-0) defeated Ed Ruth (8-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Myles Jury (18-5) defeated Brandon Girtz (16-9) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Tim Johnson (13-6) defeated Tyrell Fortune (8-1) via KO (punches) at 2:35 of round one

Valentin Moldavsky (9-1) defeated Javy Ayala (11-8) via unanimous decision (30-25, 30-24, 30-24)

 

Preliminary Card:  

Davion Franklin (1-0) defeated J.W. Kiser (5-3) via TKO (punches) at 1:30 of round one

Chris Gonzalez (4-0) defeated Aaron McKenzie (7-2-1) via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

Kevin Croom (21-12) defeated Adil Benjilany (5-3, 1 NC) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Cris Lencioni (6-2) defeated Salim Mukhidinov (7-4) via split decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)

Kyle Crutchmer (6-0) defeated Scott Futrell (11-10) via submission (anaconda choke) at 2:58 of round one

Grant Neal (3-0) defeated Claude Wilcox (1-2) via TKO (punches) at 3:37 of round three

Josh Hill (19-3)defeated Vinicius Zani (11-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Solo Hatley Jr. (8-2) defeated Gaston Bolanos (5-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Denise Kielholtz (5-2) defeated Kristina Williams (3-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:15 of round one

TeeJay Britton (6-2) defeated Gabriel Varga (1-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Keith Lee (6-3) defeated Shawn Bunch (9-5) via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-28, 29-27)

Christian Edwards (3-0) defeated Marco Hutch (3-3) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.
Bellator, DAZN, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network

FULL FIGHT CARD AND BROADCAST DETAILS FOR BELLATOR 239: RUTH VS. AMOSOV THIS FRIDAY, FEB. 21

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MAIN CARD TO AIR ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK & DAZN AT 9 P.M. ET

 

 

LOS ANGELES – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. this Friday, February 21 has been finalized with a stacked four-fight main card airing at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on Paramount Network and DAZN. Additionally, a total of 13 preliminary fights will stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel and DAZN beginning at 6:15 p.m. PT/5:15 p.m. CT. 

 

The main event of Bellator 239 will feature an exciting welterweight clash between two of the division’s best prospects, as three-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion Ed Ruth (8-1) takes on undefeated Ukrainian striker Yaroslav Amosov (22-0). Also on the card, a premiere lightweight matchup between Minnesota’s own Brandon Girtz (16-8) and recent Bellator free agent signing Myles Jury (17-5), as well as two pivotal matchups in the heavyweight division as Tyrell Fortune (8-0) is set to meet UFC-veteran Timothy Johnson (12-6) and top contender Javy Ayala (11-7) goes to battle against a member of Fedor Emelianenko’s team in Russia, Valentin Moldavsky (8-1).

 

Preliminary action for Bellator 239: Ruth vs. Amosov will be highlighted by a number of young undefeated prospects returning to the cage, including Oklahoma’s Kyle Crutchmer (5-0), Christian Edwards (2-0), Chris Gonzalez (3-0), Grant Neal (2-0) and Texas’ Lucas Brennan (2-0), while familiar names in Cris Lencioni (5-2), Gaston Bolanos (5-2) and Shawn Bunch (9-4) are also scheduled to compete on the card.

 

Additionally, the prelims will feature appearances by two Bellator Kickboxing champions in flyweight champ Denise Kielholtz (4-2) and featherweight titleholder Gabriel Varga (1-0) as they both return to the Bellator MMA cage.

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

Bellator 239: Ruth vs. Amosov Main Card:

Paramount Network and DAZN

9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT

 

Welterweight Main Event: Ed Ruth (8-1) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (22-0)

Lightweight Co-Main Event: Brandon Girtz (16-8) vs. Myles Jury (17-5)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Tyrell Fortune (8-0) vs. Tim Johnson (12-6)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Javy Ayala (11-7) vs. Valentin Moldavsky (8-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

Bellator MMA’s YouTube Channel and DAZN

6:15 p.m. ET/5:15 p.m. CT:

 

Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Edwards (2-0) vs. Marco Hutch (3-2)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Shawn Bunch (9-4) vs. Keith Lee (5-3)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Varga (1-0) vs. TeeJay Britton (5-2)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Denise Kielholtz (4-2) vs. Kristina Williams (3-2)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Gaston Bolanos (5-2) vs. Solo Hatley Jr. (7-2)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Josh Hill (18-3) vs. Vinicius Zani (11-5)

Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Grant Neal (2-0) vs. Claude Wilcox (1-1)

175-lb. Contract Weight Bout: Kyle Crutchmer (5-0) vs. Scott Futrell (11-9)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Cris Lencioni (5-2) vs. Salim Mukhidinov (7-3)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Adil Benjilany (5-2, 1 NC) vs. Kevin Croom (20-12)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Lucas Brennan (2-0) vs. Jamese Taylor (0-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Chris Gonzalez (3-0) vs. Aaron McKenzie (7-1-1)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: J.W. Kiser (5-2) vs. Davion Franklin (Pro Debut)

 

*Card subject to change

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

FULL RESULTS & PHOTOS FOR BELLATOR 233: SALTER VS. VAN STEENIS

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Full Fight Night Photos Here

 

Main Card:

John Salter (17-4) defeated Costello van Steenis (12-2) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Andrew Kapel (15-6) defeated “King Mo” Lawal (21-10) via KO (punch) at 1:22 of round one

Arlene Blencowe (13-7) defeated Leslie Smith (11-8-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Tyrell Fortune (8-0) defeated Zu Anyanwu (15-6) via TKO (punches) at 1:56 of round two

 

Preliminary Card:

Aaron McKenzie (7-1-1) defeated Sean Clements (3-2) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:31 of round one

Lucas Brennan (2-0) defeated Jacob Landin (0-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:38 of round one

Tyree Fortune (5-0) defeated Chuck Campbell (2-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Logan Storley (11-0) defeated E.J. Brooks (13-6) via TKO (injury) at 5:00 of round one

Julius Anglickas (8-1) defeated Jordan Young (11-1) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Amanda Bell (7-6) defeated Janay Harding (5-4) via TKO (punches) at 4:44 of round three

Kyle Crutchmer (5-0) defeated Robert Gidron (4-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Romero Cotton (4-0) defeated Jason Perrotta (3-4) via verbal submission (injury) at 2:16 of round one

Christian Edwards (2-0) defeated Cesar Bennett (0-1) via knockout (head kick) at 0:16 of round one

Grant Neal (2-0) defeated Jimmy Lugo (1-1) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-28)

 

Please visit Bellator.com for more information.

 

****
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA

FULL CARD SET FOR BELLATOR’S DEBUT IN BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 AT WEBSTER BANK ARENA

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BELLATOR 225: MITRIONE VS. KHARITONOV 2 AIRS ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK AND DAZN AT 9 P.M. ET/8 P.M. CT

LOS ANGELES – Bellator will hold the first-ever MMA event at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Saturday, August 24 when the always-exciting Matt Mitrione (13-6, 1 NC) once again squares off against Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 2 NC) in a heavyweight headliner.


The remainder of the main card features four other must-see bouts, including two additional heavyweight slugfests, as former Bellator heavyweight champion Vitaly Minakov (21-1) faces Javy Ayala (11-7) in the co-main event, while undefeated heavyweight prospects Tyrell Fortune (6-0) and Rudy Schaffroth (6-0, 1 NC), who both originally hail from Portland, Ore., collide in the main card opener.

 

Rounding out the five-fight card on Paramount Network – the man with the most appearances inside the Bellator Cage in history, David Rickels (21-5, 2 NC), takes on the undefeated Ukrainian Yaroslav Amosov (21-0) in a 175-pound catchweight bout, and former flyweight title contender Alejandra Lara (7-3) meetsTaylor Turner (4-5) at bantamweight, who returns after recently upsetting Heather Hardy at Madison Square Garden earlier this summer.

 

The main card can be seen live on Paramount Network and DAZN at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com, DAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App beginning at 5:45 pm EST/2:45 pm PST.

 

Tickets for Bellator 225: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2 are on sale now, and are available in-person at the Click It or Ticket Box Office at Webster Bank Arena, as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

 

Earlier in the evening, Connecticut’s own “Notorious” Nick Newell (15-2) will lace up the Bellator gloves for the first time in his career and make the short drive from his home in Milford, Conn. to Webster Bank Arena, when he meets Corey Browning (5-2), a man who has already defeated “Baby Slice” and Aaron Chalmers. Also representing the “The Constitution State,” the surging Mike “The Savage” Kimbel (3-1) will be looking to impress the partisan crowd againstChris Disonell (3-3).

 

Preliminary action is highlighted by appearances from top Bellator prospects, including Royce Gracie’s eldest son Khonry Gracie (1-1), Israel’s Aviv Gozali (2-0) and the promotional debut of light heavyweight Grant “The Truth” Neal (1-0). Plus, long-time UFC and TUF veteran Sabah Homasi (12-8) returns to the Bellator Cage for the first time since Bellator 124.

 

Also on the card, unbeaten Austin “The Gentleman” Vanderford (7-0) will make his middleweight debut against Georgia’s Joseph Creer (6-0-1), New Jersey’s Ricky Bandejas (11-3) will return to action for the first time since relocating to American Top Team in Florida, when he competes at bantamweight against Virginia’s Ahmet Kayretli (8-3, 1 NC) and the always-exciting Tim Johnson (12-5) will make his sophomore Bellator appearance against recently signedAzunna Anyanwu (15-5) of Philadelphia in a heavyweight matchup.

 

Complete Bellator 225: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2 Fight Card:

Heavyweight Main Event: Matt Mitrione (13-6, 1 NC) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7, 2 NC)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Vitaly Minakov (21-1) vs. Javy Ayala (11-7)

Bantamweight Feature Bout: Alejandra Lara (7-3) vs. Taylor Turner (4-5)

175-Pound Catchweight Feature Bout: David Rickels (21-5, 2 NC) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (21-0)

Heavyweight Feature Bout: Tyrell Fortune (6-0) vs. Rudy Schaffroth (6-0, 1 NC)

 

Preliminary Card:

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Khonry Gracie (1-1) vs. Oscar Vera (0-1)

165-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Aviv Gozali (2-0) vs. Eduard Muravitskiy (9-8)
Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Grant Neal (1-0) vs. Alpha Toure (Pro Debut)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Sabah Homasi (12-8) vs. Micah Terrill (14-7, 1 NC)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Austin Vanderford (7-0) vs. Joseph Creer (6-0-1)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Tim Johnson (12-5) vs. Azunna Anyanwu (15-5)

Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Ricky Bandejas (11-3) vs. Ahmet Kayretli (8-3, 1 NC)

140-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Kimbel (3-1) vs. Chris Disonell (3-3)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Nick Newell (15-2) vs. Corey Browning (5-2)

165-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Kastriot Xhema (3-3, 1 NC) vs. Connor Dixon (Pro Debut)

175-Pound Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Jon Manley (11-6) vs. Thiago Rela (10-7)

 

*Card subject to change.

 

***
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

TOP PROSPECT ED RUTH JOINS THIS FRIDAY’S ‘BELLATOR 168’ CARD IN FLORENCE FOR HIS SECOND FIGHT IN AS MANY MONTHS

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SANTA MONICA, CALIF (Dec. 6, 2016) – It was announced today that one of MMA’s hottest prospects, Ed Ruth (1-0), will waste no time continuing to build his resume, as he fights Emanuele Palombi (5-2) for his second fight in as many months. The bout takes place this Friday at “Bellator 168: Sakara vs. Beltran,” on Dec. 10 from the Mandela Forum in Florence and will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 4pm ET/PT.

 

At only 26 years old, Ruth is looking to pave the way for the other members of “The New Breed,” a group of highly accomplished wrestlers who have all signed to fight under the Bellator MMA banner including: Joey Davis (1-0), Tyrell Fortune (1-0), Jarod Trice (1-0) as well as Aaron Pico and Romero Cotton – the last of which have yet to make their highly anticipated professional debuts. Before he was a three-time National Champion and four-time All-American wrestler at Penn State University, Ruth attended the world-renown Blair Academy in Susquehanna Township, PA, where he was the top-ranked recruit in the nation for his weight class. Having achieved great success at every stage of competition throughout his life, Ruth aspires to have the Bellator middleweight gold around his waist before long. After making the move across the country to Fresno, Calif., where he now trains at Dethrone Basecamp with other Bellator MMA fighters like Josh Koscheck and Chris Honeycutt, Ruth made his professional MMA debut just last month on Nov. 4, when he finished Dustin Collins-Miles with strikes at 3:19 into the first round.

 

Ruth now faces Rome’s Palombi, a seven-fight veteran with five victories including three KO’s and one submission.  Ruth, who is taking the fight on less than a week’s notice, must quickly learn how to tune out a hometown crowd, who will certainly be heavily in favor of the Italian fighter.

 

The evening is highlighted by a main event featuring Italy’s most renowned mixed martial artist Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC), who will duke it out with Joey “The Mexicutioner” Beltran (17-13, 1 NC) in a light heavyweight main event. Other Bellator MMA competitors will also be in action, including John Salter (12-3), Goiti Yamauchi (31-9) and Philipe Lins(10-1).

 

The Bellator Kickboxing brand will also be on display in Italy with a card that features a female flyweight rematch between Denise Kielholtz (45-3) and Gloria Peritore (11-1-1), but this time, a world title will be on the line. “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” will also include a lightweight clash between Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) and British kickboxing champion Jordan Watson (48-11-2), a middleweight matchup pitting Joe Schilling (19-9) against Victorio Lermano (30-7), a welterweight contest pairing Luca Novello (22-4-2) with Karim Ghajji (96-13-1), and Kevin Ross(31-9) will meet Alessio Arduini (26-14-2) in a lightweight fight. “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” airs Friday, Dec. 16 at 11:15 pm ET, immediately following “Bellator 169: King Mo vs. Ishii.”

 

Complete “Bellator 168: Sakara vs. Beltran” Card:

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alessio Sakara (18-11, 2 NC) vs. Joey Beltran (17-13, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Philipe Lins (10-1) vs. Kleber Raimundo Silva (12-7)

Middleweight Feature Fight: John Salter (12-3) vs. Claudio Annicchiarico (1-4)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Goiti Yamauchi (31-9) vs. Valeriu Mircea (12-3)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Ed Ruth (1-0) vs. Emanuele Palombi (5-2)

 

Complete “Bellator Kickboxing: Florence” Card:

Lightweight Feature Fight: Giorgio Petrosyan (82-2-2, 1 NC) vs. Jordan Watson (48-11-2)

Flyweight World Title: Denise Kielholtz (45-3) vs. Gloria Peritore (11-1-1)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (19-9) vs. Victorio Lermano (30-7)

Welterweight Feature Fight: Luca Novello (22-4-2) vs. Karim Ghajji (96-13-1)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Kevin Ross (31-9) vs. Alessio Arduini (26-14-2)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, PHIL DAVIS TAKES HOME BELLATOR MMA TITLE WITH DOMINATING FIVE-ROUND VICTORY

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Complete Event Photos Here / Full Event Highlights Here

 

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (Nov. 4, 2016) – It’s a wonderful life for Phil Davis (17-3), who dethroned Liam McGeary (11-1) on Friday night at “Bellator 163,” taking home the light heavyweight championship.

As has been the case plenty of times throughout Davis’ illustrious career, his wrestling pedigree was the deciding factor, nullifying the world-class jiu-jitsu of the Renzo Gracie-trained former champion. For nearly 25-minutes, “Mr. Wonderful” maintained top pressure on the New York-native, frustrating McGeary and putting him into desperation mode in the fifth and final round. McGeary fought valiantly to both stop and submit the longtime Alliance MMA-product, but in the end, Davis took home the unanimous decision with scorecards of 50-43, 50-45, 50-44.

McGeary, who suffered the first loss of his young career, was humble in defeat, admitting that while Davis was the better man throughout their main event fight, he will be back to reclaim what he feels is rightfully his.

Returning home to Southern California with a new belt in tow, Davis now sets his sights on his pregnant wife, who is due to give birth to his second son on Monday.

Brennan Ward & Saad Awad Provide 90 Seconds of Pure Violence

In an absolute barnburner, Brennan Ward and Saad Awad went toe-to-toe for the 86 seconds they shared the Bellator MMA cage together, doing their best imitation of Rock Em’ Sock Em’ Robots until “Irish” caught “Assassin” with an uppercut that sent the Palestinian face first into the canvas. With the knockout, Ward moves into sixth place on the all-time list of KO’s under the promotion’s banner, and now sets his sights on a future matchup against the elite at 170-pounds.

Neiman Gracie Tells the MMA World, ‘Gracie Jiu-Jitsu’ is Back

After finding out they would be competing live on SPIKE less than 24 hours before entering the Bellator MMA cage, Neiman Gracie (5-0) made quick work of Rudy Bears (16-15), latching on to an arm bar 4:39 into the opening frame and forcing the tap from “Bad News.” Gracie was able to add to his impressive submission record, which has now been stretched to three victories in three Bellator MMA appearances, including a pair of first-round submissions. The 27-year-old was also able to please Royce Gracie, who was cornering his bout for the evening.

Javy Ayala Spoils Return of Sergei Kharitonov in 16 seconds

In what many people thought would be a triumphant return to the sport of MMA for Sergei Kharitonov (23-6), Javy Ayala (10-5) spoiled that, sending the Russian heavyweight to the canvas in a heap following an overhand right 16 seconds into the matchup. With the victory, “Eye Candy” immediately inserted himself into further big-time match-ups, namedropping both Bobby Lashley and Matt Mitrione during his post-fight interview. In his last two outings, the Northern California-native has finished his foe in the opening round via stoppage.

Preliminary Card Results:

Ed Ruth (1-0) defeated Dustin Collins-Miles (0-1) via TKO (punches) at 3:19 of round one

Tyrell Fortune (1-0) defeated Cody Miskell (0-1) via TKO (punches) at 2:22 of round one

Tim Caron (6-0) defeated Steve Skrzat (8-9) via TKO at 1:22 of round one

Hannah Regina (1-0) defeated Sarah Payant (1-4) via submission (arm bar) at 4:51 of round one

Tim Caron (6-0) defeated Steve Skrzat (8-9) via TKO at 1:22 of round two

Blair Tugman (9-6) defeated Walter Smith-Cotito (4-5, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (29-28)

Christopher Foster (10-4) defeated Thomas English (6-7) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Tyler King (12-4) defeated Josh Diekmann (15-8, 1 NC) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:39 of round two

Carlos Corriea (2-0) defeated Ilya Kotau (1-2) via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)

Vinicius De Jesus (5-1) defeated James Boran (6-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:55 of round 2

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

VOTE FOR PHIL DAVIS 2016 – AMERICA’S WONDERFUL CHOICE

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Oct. 25, 2016) – Hey America! As we near the 2016 Presidential Election, Bellator MMA is headed to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn on Friday, November 4 with one of the most intriguing cards of the year. Headlining the event, Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis is on the campaign trail as he prepares for one of the biggest fights of his career vs current Light Heavyweight Champion, Liam McGeary.

 

In advance of the card’s main event, Bellator’s digital team collaborated with Davis and stand-up comedian, Adam Hunter, to produce a collection of six original digital campaign videos with a clear message that there is a better choice! Complementing the digital shorts, fans can actually vote for Davis at the touch of a button at www.VoteForPhilDavis.com up until fight night on November 4. In the meantime, watch these “wonderful” clips below and see why Davis’ stance outside the cage will make MMA great again!

 

One of the more outspoken athletes in MMA, Davis comes in having won three consecutive contests and seven of his last nine. In addition, the 31-year-old has finished his opponent in half of his 16 career wins, including five submission victories. Davis earned his shot at McGeary and the highly coveted 205-pound belt with a key win over “King Mo” at “Bellator 154: Davis vs. King Mo” earlier this year. A 13-fight veteran of the UFC, Davis will likely not be fazed by the bright lights of the Mohegan Sun Arena, in what is possibly the biggest challenge of his illustrious career. Look for the former NCAA National Champion wrestler to take this contest to the canvas and display his impeccable ground game in front of a packed Connecticut crowd.

 

 

 

 

HEAR HIS PLATFORM

 

  

DEBATES

 

 

EQUAL PAY

 

 

  

GAS
 

FITNESS

  

GUNS

 

 

 

“Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis” Fight Card

Light Heavyweight World Title Fight: Liam McGeary (11-0) vs. Phil Davis (16-3)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: Saad Awad (19-8) vs. Brennan Ward (13-4)

Welterweight Feature Bout: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Derek Anderson (14-2)

Heavyweight Feature Bout: Sergei Kharitonov (23-5) vs. Javy Ayala (9-5)

Featherweight Feature Bout: Marloes Coenen (23-7) vs. Talita Nogueira (6-0)

 

Preliminary Card

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Ed Ruth (Debut) vs. Mark Mangiardi (Debut)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Tyrell Fortune (Debut) vs. Cody Miskell (Debut)

Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Neiman Gracie (4-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-14)

Heavyweight Preliminary Bout: Josh Diekmann (15-7, 1 NC) vs. Tyler King (11-4)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Blair Tugman (8-6) vs. Walter Smith-Cotito (4-4, 1 NC)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Michael Zichelle (8-4) vs. Tim Caron (5-0)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Ilya Kotau (1-1) vs. Carlos Corriea (1-0)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Sarah Payant (1-3) vs. Hannah Regina (Debut)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Keenan Raymond (3-3) vs. Kastroit Xhema (Debut)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: James Boran (6-0) vs. Vinicius De Jesus (4-1)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Thomas English (6-6) vs. Christopher Foster (9-4)