Tag Archives: Will Brooks

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

JOSH THOMSON STOPS PABLO VILLASECA IN ‘BELLATOR 147’ HEADLINER

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COMPLETE MAIN CARD PHOTO SELECTION HERE

 

SAN JOSE, CA. (December 4, 2015) – Josh Thomson’s (22-8, 1 NC) a mixed martial arts legend in San Jose and his “Bellator 147” effort against a young and promising prospect by the name of Pablo Villaseca (10-2) will only add to his career’s story.

A packed Event Center on the San Jose State University’s campus witnessed the “The Punk” utilize a plethora of skills en route to a finish of the Chilean fighter. Referee Jason Herzog officially called a stop to the action at 3:59 of the second frame, sending those in attendance into an uproar and pushing Thomson’s mark under the Bellator MMA banner to 2-0.

After the fight, Thomson made it clear that while a matchup against incumbent Bellator lightweight kingpin Will Brooks is enticing, he’s about the fans and the vast majority of fans he’s heard from want him to fight “Iron” Michael Chandler.

“Will Brooks is a great fighter man, and he has the belt,” Thomson said. “But, regardless of the gold around his waist, the fans want me to fight Michael Chandler and I fight for the fans.”

Bellator President Scott Coker has said he foresees Thomson returning to action in early 2016, and without fights scheduled for Chandler or Brooks as of print, another marquee lightweight contest could come to fruition sooner, rather than later. Watch the finish here.

Weichel Tops Karakhanyan, Hoping to Face Daniel Straus For the Title

 

In the featherweight co-feature bout of the evening, Georgi Karakhanyan (24-5-1) and Daniel Weichel (36-9) unleashed hard jabs and numerous round houses throughout a three-round thriller. The difference was Weichel’s ability to use his pinpoint accuracy to pepper away at his jab, putting an end to Karakhanyan’s night. In the end, “The Weasel” escaped with a split decision victory with scores of (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), and likely moved closer to another shot at the 145-pound champion. Watch the official decision here.

Anderson Outduels Freire Once Again, Inside the Bellator MMA Cage

 

A lightweight rematch between Patricky Freire (14-7) and Derek Anderson (13-2, 1 NC) came to a head tonight, with both men trading body blows and kicks for the 15 minute duration of their violent bout. In the end, “Barbaric” took home a split decision victory with judges’ scores of (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). The upset marks his second career win over Freire, after previously making his Bellator debut in a unanimous decision victory over Freire at “Bellator 98.”Take a look at some highlights here.

Piccolotti Wins Bloody Battle at the Expense of Soto

 

In a tightly contested battle between grappling experts Adam Piccolotti (7-0) and Mario Soto, (6-2) “The Bomb” remained undefeated after a second round rear-naked choke submission. Piccolotti sliced up Soto, opening up a significant cut over the right eye of the 29-year-old birthday boy. With blood squirting everywhere, “Dr. Mario” was forced to tap out at 3:25 of round two. Both Northern California fighters brought in a large contingent of hometown fans, but it was the Bay-area guy, Piccolotti, emerging victorious in the end, a product of landing 86% of his strikes thrown. Peep the gash on Soto’s head here.

Rogers Powers Past Zwicker in ‘Bellator 147’ Opener

 

During the opening contest on SPIKE, Brian Rogers (12-8) put an end to a two-fight skid in his debut at light heavyweight, opening fire with vicious ground-and-pound technique, mixed in with relentless hammer fists, which led to Virgil Zwicker (14-5-1) tapping out by arm-triangle submission at 4:38 of round two. “Rezdog” fought valiantly during his time inside the Bellator MMA cage, even withstanding a low blow earlier in the contest; but in the end, it was “B-Rog The Predator’s” night. Watch the video highlights here.

Preliminary Card Results & Photos:

A.J. McKee (3-0) defeated JT Donaldson (1-1) via knockout (knee) at 4:14 of round two WATCH FINISH HERE

Brandon Hester (3-0) defeated Idris Wasi (1-3) via unanimous decision (30-24, 30-25, 30-27)

Gabriel Carrasco (7-0) defeated Khomkrit Niimi (6-8) via technical knockout (elbows) at 3:19 of round one

Nick Barnes (10-1) defeated James Terry (16-8) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:48 of round one

Erick Sanchez (6-2) defeated Thomas Diagne (5-5-1) via technical knockout (punches) at 1:22 of round three

Jeremiah Labiano (9-3) defeated Alvin Cacdac (16-12) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Bronson Mohika (1-1) defeated Jose Perez (1-1) defeated via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Adin Duenas (3-1) defeated Anthony Taylor (0-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:43 of round one

Anthony Do (2-0) defeated Dustin Moore (0-1) via technical knockout at 2:05 of round one

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

BRANDON GIRTZ UPSETS MELVIN GUILLARD IN MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 141: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ ON SPIKE

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PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE PUTS BEEF WITH SAAD AWAD TO REST, WINNING UNANIMOUS DECISION

 

Find additional photos and scorecards here / Video highlights below

 

TEMECULA, Calif. (August 28, 2015) – In what is undoubtedly the biggest win of his mixed martial arts career, Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (13-4) defeated Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-15-2) at “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” via split decision (29-27, 28-29, 29-27).

 

The beautiful Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Calif., housed the Spike-televised event, that will surely be remembered for multiple back-and-forth battles that culminated in Girtz out-pointing and out-slamming Guillard, a veteran on over 50 documented professional bouts.

 

It was the wrestling pedigree of the Minnesota native that made the difference, as Guillard was unable to get off his back for a good portion of the first and second frames. After being told in his corner that he was clearly down two rounds, Guillard began to open up, but his effort proved to be too little, too late.

Description: Macintosh HD:Users:tuttlec:Desktop:6-Paricky-Friere-vs-Saad-Awad_0150.jpg

“Pitbull” Ends Feud With Awad, Taking Unanimous Decision

 

Lightweight champion Will Brooks beware – there is a dangerous “Pitbull” that is barking for your belt.

 

Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (14-6) dominated Saad Awad (18-7) for a hard fought unanimous decision victory, with scores of (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

 

The bad blood generated by a Twitter war and viral video between the two co-main eventers set the stage for an action packed 155-pound battle. An evenly fought first round saw both competitors trading various leg kicks which culminated in an action packed second stanza that saw “Pitbull” take down Awad to score valuable points with the judges.

 

Despite a partisan crowd for the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., native, “Pitbull” landed powerful body blows to dominate the third round and secure the shutout win. Following the bout, the Brazilian made it clear he wants a title shot at Brooks.

After 5-Year Hiatus, Wren Outpoints Burns

 

Justin Wren (11-2) returned to the sport of mixed martial arts following a five-year absence, defeating six-fight Bellator MMA veteran Josh “The Hammer” Burns (8-9) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26).

 

“The Big Pygmy” didn’t seem to miss a beat despite his time spent in the Congo, landing solid knees to the head of Burns that would have finished many heavyweights. Wren made it clear that he is here in Bellator MMA to stay and he has more to fight for than he ever has in his nine-year career.

 

For more on Wren’s humanitarian efforts, refer to CNN’s piece on the “The Big Pygmy here.

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Coenen Armbars Blencowe

 

After a last minute knee injury to Lorenzo Hood forced the cancellation of his bout against Raphael Butler, the women’s featherweight match between Marloes “Rumina” Coenen (23-6) andArlene “Angerfist” Blencowe (6-5) was promoted to the televised portion of the card.

 

A large portion of the opening round was spent on the mat, with both women jockeying for a dominant position. Following a minute intermission, Coenen did what she has now done 17 times in her career, finished her foe via submission. The ending came at 3:23 of round two, with Coenen ending the bout with a deep armbar.

 

Coenen has now won two-straight fights since dropping a contest to “Cyborg” Justino in 2013.

 

Preliminary Card:

In the final post-lim of August 28’s festivities, Johnny Cisneros (9-4) defeated Gabriel Miglioli (9-8) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).

Luc Bondole (5-1-2) handed Ray Sloan (8-1) the first loss of his career, earning the unanimous decision with (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) scorecards from the California State Athletic Commission appointed judges.

Adrienna Jenkins (19-6) stopped Lissette Neri (6-3) with a technical knockout after Neri failed to intelligently defend herself at 2:38 of round one.

“Curtious” Curtis Millender (8-2) brought a two-fight losing streak to a halt with a (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) unanimous win over Steven Ciaccio (4-4).

 

The most explosive finish of “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” on Friday came via A.J. Mckee,(2-0) who stopped James Barnes (4-1) via vicious knockout at 1:42 of the opening frame.

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (2-0) impressed in her Bellator MMA debut, edging out Maria Rios (2-3) via split decision (29-28) (28-29) (29-28). The Hawaiian showcased her ability to take the fight to her opponent on the feet, as well as fending off multiple submission attempts from Rios on the mat.

 

After 15 tightly contested minutes, Brent Primus (6-0) remained undefeated, squeaking out a split decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-28) win over Derek “The Barbaric” Anderson (12-2).

 

In the opening bout of “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz,” A.J. “The Mercenary” Matthews (8-3) defeated Emiliano Sordi (13-5) after the Argentinian failed to answer the bell following round one.

 

Bellator 141 Main Card Video Highlights:

Complete Highlights Package: https://www.hightail.com/download/bXBaR0lTd0lRR2R1a3NUQw

Guillard vs. Girtz

Guillard goes down early in Round 1

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f4m3x

 

Girtz gets the split decision

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f4the

Girtz says he was an “idiot” to turn around during Guillard comeback

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f4ulp

 

 

“Pitbull” vs. Awad

 

Slo-motion recap of the best moments

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f49yh

 

“Pitbull” gets the win

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f4ahw

 

Wren vs. Burns

 

Replay and review of Wren’s flurish — plus a point

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f3f2f

 

 

Wren gets the victory decision

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f3luh

 

 

Coenen vs. Blencowe 

 

Coenen finishes the fight with the submission move

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f2mb9

Slo-motion replay

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f2nyd

 

 

Coenen happy in post-fight interview

https://www.whipclip.com/video/f2qlx

 

 

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.

 

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

MELVIN ‘THE YOUNG ASSASSIN’ GUILLARD & THE ENTIRE ‘BELLATOR 141’ CARD HIT THEIR REQUIRED MARKS PRIOR TO TOMORROW NIGHT’S EVENT ON SPIKE

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TEMECULA, Calif. (August 27, 2015) – All of the competitors involved in tomorrow night’s “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” event took to the scales this afternoon from the Cabaret Theater inside the beautiful Pechanga Resort and Casino, and successfully hit their required marks.

 

The preliminary card for “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” will stream on Spike.com at 7:45 p.m. ET, which is followed by the main card on Spike airing live and free at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

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In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will make his promotional debut against Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action that pits Saad Awad (18-6) against Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6). After nearly five years away from action, Justin Wren (10-2) will face Josh Burns (8-8) in heavyweight action and opening the main card, Lorenzo Hood (9-2) will make his Bellator MMA debut against Raphael Butler (9-1-1).

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Lightweight Bout: Melvin Guillard (155.4) vs. Brandon Girtz (155.8)

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Lightweight Bout: Patricky Pitbull (156) vs. Saad Awad (155.8)

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Heavyweight Bout: Justin Wren (246) vs. Josh Burns (262.8)

 

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Heavyweight Bout: Raphael Butler (260.2) vs. Lorenzo Hood (256.2)

 

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Middleweight Bout: AJ Matthews (184.8) vs. Emiliano Sordi (185.6)

 

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Lightweight Bout: Brent Primus (155.4) vs. Derek Anderson (155.8)

 

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Featherweight Bout: Marloes Coenen (145.6) vs. Arlene Blencowe (145.8)

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Strawweight Bout: Ilima Macfarlane (125.2) vs. Maria Rios (125.4)

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Featherweight Bout: A.J. McKee (145.8) vs. James Barnes (145)

 

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Welterweight Bout: Curtis Millender (170.6) vs. Steven Ciaccio (170.4)

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Featherweight Bout: Adrienna Jenkins (144.4) vs. Lissette Neri (143.2)

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Light Heavyweight Bout: Ray Sloan (202) vs. Luc Bondole (203.4)

 

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Welterweight Bout: Johnny Cisneros (170.8) vs. Gabriel Miglioli (170.2)

 

About Bellator MMA:

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

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

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

TWO WORLD TITLE FIGHTS HEADLINE ‘BELLATOR 145: VENGEANCE,’ WHEN PATRICIO ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE MEETS DANIEL STRAUS FOR THE FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP & WILL BROOKS FACES MARCIN HELD FOR LIGHTWEIGHT GOLD

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HOMETOWN FAVORITES MICHAEL ‘IRON’ CHANDLER & BOBBY ‘THE DOMINATOR’ LASHLEY WILL ALSO BE IN ACTION AT SCOTTRADE CENTER IN ST. LOUIS ONNOVEMBER 6

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 14, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Featherweight Championship will be defended in a trilogy contest between incumbent titlist Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) and former champion Daniel Straus (23-6, 1 NC) when the two square off in the main event of “Bellator 145: Vengeance” at Scottrade Center in Saint Louis on November 6.

 

In a fight also worthy of main event billing, Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) will look to defend his 155-pound belt when he meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3). Fans who tune-in to “Bellator 145: Vengeance” on Spike will also be treated to lightweight 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.

 

The contests will take up four spots 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 6 p.m. CT.

 

Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, go on sale next Friday, August 21 at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com and at the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center, with a special Bellator Nation presale available on the 19th and 20th for fans using the code: FIGHT. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

 

“Following the success of ‘Unfinished Business’ in June, it was a no-brainer for us to make our return to the Scottrade Center and St. Louis before the year’s end. Once again, I look forward to working alongside Jesse Finney and his standout promotion Shamrock FC on putting together another must-see event,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “In addition to not one, but two world-class title fights, Michael Chandler and Bobby Lashley also being featured at ‘Vengeance’ brings a sense of hometown pride back to the outstanding fans of Missouri.”

 

Freire is a multi-time Bellator Featherweight Tournament winner who has only tasted defeat twice in his illustrious 26-fight career. Best known as “Pitbull,” the tenacious striker has finished 18 of his 24 wins and was most recently on the positive end of a devastating knockout of Daniel Weichel at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business.” A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, “Pitbull” owns victories over his “Bellator 145: Vengeance” opponent in their prior two battles.

 

After recovering from a devastating knee injury following his last meeting with Freire, Daniel Straus bounced back with a spectacular submission stoppage of Henry Corrales at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business.” A member of American Top Team in Florida, the 31-year-old wants to reclaim the belt that he still considers to be his, which was made clear during his post-fight interview with Bellator MMA color commentator Jimmy Smith where he said: “Whoever holds the featherweight belt, I am coming to beat you up.”

 

A training partner of Straus at ATT, Brooks has been yearning to return to action since his unanimous decision victory over Dave Jansen at “Bellator 136: Brooks vs. Jansen.” The 28-year-old will be making his 10th appearance inside the Bellator MMA cage and competing in a bout where the lightweight title is on the line for the fourth consecutive time. The Chicago native currently sits at No. 6 on Sherdog.com’s official lightweight rankings.

 

At only 23-years-old, Held will officially cash-in the title shot earned from his Bellator Season 10 Lightweight Tournament Final victory at “Bellator 126: Shlemenko vs. Halsey.” A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Held has earned titles at prominent grappling tournaments the likes of: ADCC, FILA and IBJJF. In his most recent Bellator MMA appearance, the Polish fighter finished Alexander Sarnavskiy via kneebar, pushing his career total of wins by way of submission to 12.

 

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.

 

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

 

About Scottrade Center:

Scottrade Center is a contemporary, 12-story glass and concrete structure located in the heart of downtown St. Louis. The home of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Scottrade Center also features a full range of arena programming, including concerts, ice shows, family shows and other sporting events.

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts

PRELIMINARY PORTION OF ‘BELLATOR MMA: GUILLARD VS. GIRTZ’ FINALIZED WITH THE ADDITION OF FIVE PRELIMINARY BOUTS

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 3, 2015) – August 28th’s “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” is now complete with the addition of four new bouts which will take place during the preliminary card at the beautiful Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

In a critical lightweight matchup, Brent Primus (5-0) will put his undefeated record on the line against the dangerous Derek “The Barbaric” Anderson (12-1, 1 NC). Also on the card, middleweights AJ “The Mercenary” Matthews (7-3) versus Emiliano “He-Man” Sordi (13-4), as well as light heavyweights Ray Sloan (8-0), who goes to battle with Luc Bondole (4-1), and the young featherweight A.J. McKee (1-0) returns to face James Barnes (4-0). Finally, a third women’s bout has also been added, with the inclusion of Ilima Macfalane (1-0) against Maria Rios (2-2) in flyweight action.

The newly announced contests will stream on Spike.com at 7:45 p.m. ET during the preliminary portion of “Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz,” which is followed by the main card, which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

 

Limited tickets for the event, which start at just $50, remain on sale now at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office. Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time.

 

In the evening’s main event, Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) will face Brandon “Cold Roll” Girtz (11-4). The co-headliner will feature lightweight action that pits Saad Awad (18-6) against Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (13-6). Opening the main card, Lorenzo Hood (9-2) will make his Bellator MMA debut against Raphael Butler (9-1-1).

 

San Diego’s Anderson will look to parlay his impressive technical knockout of Danny Navarro at Bellator 132 when he steps into the Bellator MMA cage for the second time in 2015. A product of Team Xplode MMA, the man fans describe as “The Barbaric” will be seeking his 12th finish in 14 tries.

 

Since joining the Bellator MMA fray in 2013, Primus has been on a tear, ripping through all three opponents with first-round finishes. Now, the 30-year-old Portland, Ore., native will face the stiffest test of his young career when he goes up against Anderson. Will he manage to keep his undefeated, first-round finish streak alive?

 

Known by most mixed martial arts fans as one of top up-and-coming 185-pound fighters on the Bellator MMA roster, Matthews emphatically solidified his contender role in the division with his show-stopping knockout of Kyle Bolt at Bellator 131 this past November. Known as “The Mercenary,” the Blackline MMA product and Strikeforce veteran will look to continue his rise to the top of the middleweight heap when he returns to action on Aug. 28.

 

Standing opposite of Matthews will be Sordi, who burst on the Bellator MMA scene with a 58-second submission of former UFC fighter Bubba McDaniel. The 24-year-old Argentinian has not tasted defeat since 2012 and has earned all 13 of his professional victories before reaching the judges’ scorecards.

 

Undefeated in eight fights, Sloan has entered Bellator MMA impressively, winning his first two tilts. The Oceanside, Calif., native trains out of Excel Jiu-Jitsu and has utilized the discipline to defeat seven out of eight opponents via submission.

 

Bondole is a highly regarded prospect, fighting out of Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, Calif., whos last outing resulted in a draw against Chris Hererra. Now, he will look to secure a win over Sloan on his own terms, and not let the judges have a say.

 

The son of respected MMA fighter Antonio McKee, “The Mercenary” will look to continue to pave his own way through the sport.  A.J. shined in his first outing, securing a first round rear-naked choke over Marcos Bonilla. He now faces a fellow Angelino in Barnes, who has been tearing up the Gladiator Challenge circuit, going 4-0 with two KO’s and two submissions, all taking place in the first round.

 

Best known for her viral performance in her professional MMA debut, Macfarlane will now make her first appearance for Bellator MMA when she faces Maria Rios.

“Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” – Friday, August 28, Pechanga Resort & Casino

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Melvin Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) vs. Brandon Girtz (11-4)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Patricky Pitbull (13-6) vs. Saad Awad (18-6)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Justin Wren (10-2) vs. Josh Burns (8-8)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Raphael Butler (9-1-1) vs. Lorenzo Hood (9-2)

Bellator Women’s Flyweight Prelim: Ilima Macfarlane (1-0) vs. Maria Rios (2-2)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim: A.J. McKee (1-0) vs. James Barnes (4-0)

Bellator Womens Featherweight Prelim: Adrienna Jenkins (18-6) vs. Lissette Neri (6-2)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim: Ray Sloan (8-0) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim: Johnny Cisneros (8-4) vs. Gabriel Miglioli (9-7)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim: Curtis Millender (7-2) vs. Steven Ciaccio (4-3)

Bellator Womens Featherweight Prelim: Marloes Coenen (22-6) vs. Arlene Blencowe (6-4)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim: Brent Primus (5-0) vs. Derek Anderson (12-1, 1 NC)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim: AJ Matthews (7-3) vs. Emiliano Sordi (13-4)