Tag Archives: Yoel Romero

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

COMPLETE BELLATOR 280: BADER VS. KONGO FIGHT CARD CONFIRMED FOR THIS FRIDAY NIGHT

Leave a comment

RYAN BADER DEFENDS HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST NO. 2 RANKED CHEICK KONGO IN MAIN EVENT REMATCH IN PARIS

MELVIN MANHOEF’S FAREWELL BOUT DELAYED AFTER THE DUTCHMAN WITHDRAWS DUE TO INJURY, YOEL ROMERO NOW MEETS NO. 7 RANKED LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT ALEX POLIZZI IN CO-MAIN EVENT

Text Description automatically generated

PARIS – A massive night of championship-level MMA guaranteed to bring fireworks is set for this Friday, May 6 from the Accor Arena in Paris and airs live at a special time of 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME.

Anchoring the card will be a heated rematch between BELLATOR Heavyweight World Champion Ryan Bader (29-7, 1 NC) against French combat sports legend and No. 2-ranked heavyweight Cheick Kongo (31-11-2, 1 NC). Both Bader and Kongo will be looking for closure when they run it back inside the BELLATOR cage, following a controversial no-contest stemming from a disputed eye-poke during their first meeting in 2019.

In an equally action-packed co-feature event, Yoel Romero (13-6) who was originally slated to take on Melvin Manhoef at 205-pounds, has agreed to meet No. 7 ranked-Alex Polizzi (10-1) on less than a week’s notice. Polizzi has won three consecutive contests en route to his opportunity in Paris against one of the sport’s most popular athletes.

Newly announced, No.6-ranked middleweight Lorenz Larkin (23-7, 1 NC) will now face Kyle Stewart (15-5) during the Bellator 280 main card. France’s Davy Gallon (20-7-2) will go to battle in front of his fellow countrymen and women when he faces Switzerland’s Benjamin Brander (13-8) at lightweight. Opening the Bellator 280 televised card, English middleweight Mike Shipman (14-3) will clash with proud Parisian Gregory Babene (21-11, 1 NC).

Nine titillating preliminary matchups have been announced, including a smash between former featherweight title challenger Pedro Carvalho (12-5) and newly signed Polish standout Piotr Niedzielski (16-4), plus a 160-pound contract weight clash between “The True Viking” Søren Bak (15-1) and England’s Charlie Leary (17-12-1).

The preliminary bouts will stream live three and a half hours earlier at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.

Limited tickets for the fight remain on sale at accorarena.com and bellator.fr. Follow Bellator France on Instagram @BellatorFrance and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorFrance/

A picture containing text, person, crowd Description automatically generated

BELLATOR 280: BADER VS. KONGO 2 MAIN CARD:

SHOWTIME (U.S.) / RMC SPORT (FRANCE) / BBC Three & BBC iPlayer (U.K.) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)

Friday, May 6, 10 p.m. CEST/9 p.m. GMT/4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT

Heavyweight World Title Main Event: C-Ryan Bader (29-7, 1 NC) vs. #2-Cheick Kongo (31-11-2, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Yoel Romero (13-6) vs. #7-Alex Polizzi (10-1) 

Lightweight Bout: Davy Gallon (20-7-2) vs. Benjamin Brander (13-8)

Middleweight Bout: #6-Lorenz Larkin (23-7, 1 NC) vs. Kyle Stewart (15-5)

Middleweight Bout: Mike Shipman (14-3) vs. Gregory Babene (21-11, 1 NC)

BELLATOR 280: BADER VS. KONGO 2 PRELIMINARY CARD:

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

6:30 p.m. CEST/12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT

Featherweight Bout: Pedro Carvalho (12-5) vs. Piotr Niedzielski (16-4)

Welterweight Bout: Lewis Long (19-6) vs. Thibault Gouti (14-5)

Featherweight Bout: Fabacary Diatta (8-0) vs. Jordan Barton (6-2-1)

160-lb Contract Weight Bout Søren Bak (15-1) vs. Charlie Leary (17-12-1) 

Lightweight Bout: Yves Landu (16-9) vs. Gavin Hughes (10-2)

Welterweight Bout: Nicolò Solli (3-1, 1 NC) vs. Levy Carriel (3-0)

Flyweight Bout: Lucie Bertaud (3-3) vs. Katarzyna Sadura (5-4)

Middleweight Bout: Youcef Ouabbas (2-0) vs. Matthieu Duclos (2-1)

Welterweight Bout: Victor Verchere (5-1) vs. Bourama Camara (4-1)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Fri. May 6 // BELLATOR 280: Bader vs. Kongo 2 // Accor Arena // Paris, FRA

Fri. May 13 // BELLATOR 281: MVP vs. Storley // The OVO Arena Wembley // London

Fri. June 24 // BELLATOR 282: Mousasi vs. Eblen // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, CT

Fri. Sep. 23 // BELLATOR DUBLIN // 3Arena // Dublin

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts 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 by 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 Paramount, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount, owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Light Heavyweight Bout Featuring Yoel Romero Against Melvin Manhoef Added to BELLATOR’s Return to Paris on May 6

Leave a comment
A group of men posing for a picture Description automatically generated with medium confidence
PARIS, FRANCE – Two iconic mixed martial artists with an undeniable track record of thrilling performances will square up as Yoel Romero (13-6) takes on Melvin Manhoef (32-15-1, 2 NC) in the co-main event of BELLATOR MMA’s return to Paris’ Accor Arena on Friday, May 6. BELLATOR PARIS: Bader vs. Kongo 2 will be televised live in America on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. CEST/4 p.m. ET.
 
With mixed martial arts becoming legalized in France in 2020, BELLATOR became the first promotion to hold a major MMA event with BELLATOR 248 in October of that year. The success of that historic card propelled BELLATOR to make a return to “The City of Lights” in 2022 in a big way with a main event featuring undisputed BELLATOR MMA Heavyweight Champion, Ryan Bader (29-7, 1 NC) defending his crown in enemy territory against hometown favorite and No. 2-ranked heavyweight Cheick Kongo (31-11-2, 1 NC).
 
In addition to the main and co-main event, a lightweight tilt pitting the last man to defeat media darling Paddy Pimblett, Søren Bak (15-1) against England’s Saul Rogers (15-4) is also official. Bak has only tasted defeat once in his 16 professional fights and held both the featherweight and lightweight titles in Cage Warriors before joining the BELLATOR roster. Fighting out of Denmark, “The True Viking” is riding a seven-fight win streak into battle against the SBG Manchester product, Rogers. Known as “The Hangman,” Rogers also has amassed 15 victories on his resume including wins over Artem Lobov, Ryan Hall and Georgi Karakhanyan.
 
The preliminary card is guaranteed to feature a showcase of French talent and has begun to take shape with the return of Yves Landu (16-9), who takes on Liverpool’s Gavin Hughes (10-2) in a lightweight affair. Preliminary card action will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 6:30 p.m. CEST/12:30 p.m. ET.
Tickets for the fight are on sale now at accorarena.com and bellator.fr. Follow Bellator France on Instagram @BellatorFrance and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorFrance/
 
Fighting out of Miami, Florida, Romero will be making his second BELLATOR appearance on May 6 in Paris. Following a seven-year stint under the direction of the UFC, the American Top Team-product became one of the most sought-after free agents prior to signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion in 2020. With 11 of his 13 career victories coming by way of knockout, including four of the first-round variety, “Soldier of God” possesses the type of knockout power that can force any opponent into submission. A three-time World Cup Freestyle Wrestling Champion, five-time Pan-American Freestyle Wrestling Champion, and 2000 Olympics Freestyle Wrestling Silver Medalist, the Cuban-born Romero has continuously showcased his elite talents at the highest level of competition. The only missing trophy to a near-flawless legacy is a BELLATOR world title.
 
Making his tenth appearance for BELLATOR MMA, Dutch superstar Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef has put together an impressive resume throughout his illustrious career in multiple combat sports disciplines that has seen him finish 29 of his 32 MMA victims via knockout, including 26 in the first round and eight in the opening minute of action. A native of Amsterdam, Netherlands, the ageless wonder and No. 10-ranked BELLATOR light heavyweight will now look to add to a trio of impressive knockouts that he’s collected since joining the promotion back in 2014.
 
BELLATOR PARIS: BADER VS. KONGO 2 MAIN CARD:
SHOWTIME (U.S.) / RMC SPORT (FRANCE) / BBC Three & BBC iPlayer (U.K.) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)
Friday, May 6, 10 p.m. CEST/9 p.m. GMT/4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT
 
Heavyweight World Title Main Event: #C-Ryan Bader (29-7, 1 NC) vs. #2-Cheick Kongo (31-11-2, 1 NC)
Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Yoel Romero (13-6) vs. #10-Melvin Manhoef (32-15-1, 2 NC)
Lightweight Bout: Søren Bak (15-1) vs. Saul Rogers (15-4)
Lightweight Bout: Yves Landu (16-9) vs. Gavin Hughes (10-2)
 
*Card subject to change.
 
Please visit www.Bellator.fr and Bellator.com for additional information.
 
Updated schedule of BELLATOR events
Sat., Feb. 19 / / BELLATOR MMA 274: Gracie vs. Storley // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, Conn.
Fri. Feb. 25 // BELLATOR MMA 275: Mousasi vs. Vanderford // 3Arena // Dublin, IRE
Sat. March 12 // BELLATOR MMA 276: Borics vs. Burnell // The Family Arena // St. Louis
Fri. May 6 // BELLATOR PARIS: Bader vs. Kongo 2 // Accor Arena // Paris, FRA
Fri. May 13 // BELLATOR LONDON: Amosov vs. MVP // The SSE Arena, Wembley // London
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

UPDATED BOUT LISTING AND BROADCAST DETAILS FOR BELLATOR 266: DAVIS VS. ROMERO NEXT SATURDAY

Leave a comment
LOS ANGELES – A pair of elite mixed martial artists meet in the main event of BELLATOR MMA 266 next Saturday, Sept. 18 inside the SAP Center at San Jose when former 205-pound champion and No. 3 ranked Phil Davis (22-6) welcomes MMA superstar Yoel Romero (13-5) to the BELLATOR promotion. The main card of BELLATOR MMA 266: Davis vs. Romero airs live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT.
 
In addition, the evening features a welterweight co-main event pitting No. 4 ranked Neiman Gracie (10-2) against Mark Lemminger (12-3) and a women’s flyweight contest between former title challenger #5-Alejandra Lara (9-4) and DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1).
 
Two additional main card fights have been added with a lightweight fight featuring Georgi Karakhanyan (31-11-1, 1 NC) versus Saul Rogers (14-4) and a light heavyweight tilt between No. 10 ranked Christian Edwards (4-0) against Ben Parrish (4-1) kicking off the action.
 
Nine action-packed preliminary fights will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT. Complete bout listing available below.
 
Tickets for the event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
 
Updated schedule of BELLATOR events
Sat. Sept. 18 // BELLATOR 266: Davis vs. Romero //SAP Center // San Jose, CA
Fri. Oct. 1 // BELLATOR 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 //The SSE Arena, Wembley // London, England
Sat. Oct. 16 // BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals // Footprint Center // Phoenix, AZ
Sat. Oct. 23 // BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson // VTB Arena // Moscow, Russia
Fri. Nov. 5 // BELLATOR 270: Gallagher vs. Mix // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland
 
****
 
BELLATOR MMA 266: Davis vs. Romero Main Card:
Saturday, September 18 – live on SHOWTIME
10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
 
Light Heavyweight Main Event: #3-Phil Davis (22-6) vs. Yoel Romero (13-5)
Welterweight Bout: #4-Neiman Gracie (10-2) vs. Mark Lemminger (12-3)
Flyweight Bout: #5-Alejandra Lara (9-4) vs. DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1)
Lightweight Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (31-11-1, 1 NC) vs. Saul Rogers (14-4)
Light Heavyweight Bout: #10-Christian Edwards (4-0) vs. Ben Parrish (4-1)

Preliminary Card:
BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV
7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT

Light Heavyweight Bout: #7-Grant Neal (6-0) vs. Alex Polizzi (8-1)
Middleweight Bout: Khalid Murtazaliev (15-2) vs. Anthony Adams (8-2)
175-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Abraham Vaesau (5-3, 1 NC) vs. Albert Gonzales (2-2)
Bantamweight Bout: Socrates Hernandez (Pro Debut) vs. Pedro Juarez (Pro Debut)
Bantamweight Bout: Bobby Seronio III (Pro Debut) vs. Erin Hunter (Pro Debut)
Welterweight Bout: Rhalan Gracie (0-2) vs. Shane Keefe (1-0)
160-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Eddie Abasolo (Pro Debut) vs. Art Hernandez (4-5, 1 NC)
Flyweight Bout: Edwin De Los Santos (Pro Debut) vs. Jon Adams (0-1-1)
130-Pound Contract Weight Bout: Jesse Delgado (Pro Debut) vs. Joshua Dillon (1-1)
 
*Card subject to change.
 
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
 
****
 
About BELLATOR
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts 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.
 
About SHOWTIME
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Roku®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers at Showtime.com. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com. 
 
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Phil Davis vs. Yoel Romero set to headline BELLATOR 266 on Sat., Sept. 18

Leave a comment
FORMER BELLATOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION PHIL DAVIS CHALLENGES OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST YOEL ROMERO IN MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR MMA 266 INSIDE THE SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE ON SATURDAY, SEPT. 18
 
Special Night of Combat Sports on SHOWTIME begins with World Title Unification Boxing Event Live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT Immediately Followed by BELLATOR 266

LOS ANGELES – A pair of elite mixed martial artists will meet in the main event of BELLATOR MMA 266 on Saturday, Sept. 18 inside the SAP Center at San Jose when former 205-pound champion and No. 3 ranked Phil Davis (22-6) welcomes MMA superstar Yoel Romero (13-5) to the promotion.

In addition, a women’s flyweight contest between former title challenger #5-Alejandra Lara (9-4) and DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1) that was originally slated for next week’s BELLATOR MMA 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov event in South Dakota has been re-booked for Sept. 18.

A pair of preliminary bouts have also been announced for BELLATOR’s return to San Jose, highlighted by the Bay Area’s own No. 10 ranked lightweight Adam Piccolotti (12-4) welcoming the hard-hitting Englishman Saul Rogers (14-4) back to the division after competing at featherweight his past four outings. Also, undefeated light heavyweight Grant Neal (6-0) returns to action against former LFA light heavyweight champion Alex Polizzi (7-1).

BELLATOR 266 will be the second half of a special combat sports doubleheader on SHOWTIME. The night will begin with SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT featuring a super bantamweight world championship unification bout between Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton Jr. The two unbeaten 122-pound titlists will meet in Las Vegas immediately before the live BELLATOR 266 telecast begins in San Jose.

The preliminary portion of the docket will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV. Additional bouts will be announced at a later date.

An exclusive online presale for this event takes place starting Wednesday, August 18 with tickets going on sale to the general public Thursday, August 19 at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

Hailing from Harrisburg, Penn., “Mr. Wonderful” will step into the BELLATOR cage for the 14th time in his career, searching for his 10th promotional victory. The former BELLATOR Light Heavyweight World Champion is looking to make another run at the 205-pound strap, following victories in three of his past four bouts, including a pair of knockouts over Liam McGeary and Karl Albrektsson. A four-time NCAA Division-I All-American wrestler at Penn State University, Davis has proven time and time again that there are few fighters that can hold their own once he gets them to the ground.

Fighting out of Miami, Romero will be making his highly anticipated BELLATOR debut on Sept. 18. Following a seven-year stint under the direction of the UFC, the American Top Team-product became one of the most sought-after free agents prior to signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion in December 2020. With 11 of his 13 career victories coming by way of knockout, including four of the first-round variety, “Soldier of God” possesses the type of knockout power that can force any opponent into early retirement. A three-time World Cup Freestyle Wrestling Champion, five-time Pan-American Freestyle Wrestling Champion, and 2000 Olympics Freestyle Wrestling Silver Medalist, the Cuban-born Romero has continuously showcased his elite talents at the highest level of competition. The only missing trophy to a near-flawless legacy is a BELLATOR world title.

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Fri. Aug. 13 // BELLATOR 264: Mousasi vs. Salter // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, CT

Fri. Aug. 20 // BELLATOR 265: Kongo vs. Kharitonov //Sanford Pentagon // Sioux Falls, SD

Sat. Sept. 18 // BELLATOR 266: Davis vs. Romero //SAP Center // San Jose, CA

Fri. Oct. 1 // BELLATOR 267: Lima vs. MVP 2 //The SSE Arena, Wembley // London, England

Sat. Oct. 16 // BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals // Footprint Center // Phoenix, AZ

Sat. Oct. 23 // BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson // VTB Arena // Moscow, Russia

****

BELLATOR MMA 266: Davis vs. Romero Main Card:

SHOWTIME

Light Heavyweight Main Event: #3-Phil Davis (22-6) vs. Yoel Romero (13-5)

Flyweight Bout: #5-Alejandra Lara (9-4) and DeAnna Bennett (10-7-1)

Preliminary Card: 

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

Lightweight Bout: #10–Adam Piccolotti (12-4) vs. Saul Rogers (14-4)

Light Heavyweight Bout: #7-Grant Neal (6-0) vs. Alex Polizzi (7-1)

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

****

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts 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.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Roku®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers at Showtime.com. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com. 

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show: Death in the Cage; UFC 225 Recap and Huge Boxing Weekend Results

Leave a comment

Tom, Tony and Rich discuss the week in combat sports, recap a stacked UFC 225 card (and CM Punk’s failure to launch his MMA career), and go over the results of a wild weekend for boxing. We begin by highlighting two high profile mentions of death in the UFC Octagon. Dana White and Tyron Woodley are both in the news this week for raising the topic. Listen to the full broadcast below:

 

 

Bellator, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show: Is UFC Using Boxing as a Lifeline; CM Punk vs. Floyd?; Event Recaps and Previews

Leave a comment

This week, Tom, Tony and Rich start our weekly broadcast with a discussion on the latest news on Floyd Mayweather Jr. teasing the idea of fighting in the cage. Even though Rich has been talking about this match-up on our show for weeks now, a recent article described the idea of CM Punk facing Mayweather as a rumor started by the
“Money Team.” Either Mayweather’s listening to our show or great minds think alike. We also touch on the subject of why the UFC may need to diversify with the addition of boxing cards and special events. We also recap last week’s boxing action and a spectacular UFC 221 card headlined by Yoel Romero’s TKO of Luke Rockhold. We then look forward to Roy Nelson’s fight with Matt Mitrione, set to go down later tonight on the Paramount Network. Finally, we preview UFC Fight Night 126, with a main event of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone facing Yancy Medeiros.

Listen to the show below:

 

Bellator, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show: July 13, 2017

Leave a comment

Mayweather and McGregor lead off tonight’s show as Tony and Rich tease Psychic Tom about not wanting to watch the August 26th “superfight.” We also recap the TUF 25 Finale and UFC 213 cards. We preview the Bellator and UFC cards coming up this weekend and all the incredible boxing action from the UK to New York.

Fight Network, mixed martial arts, MMA, UFC

Fight Network Delivers Extensive UFC Fight Week Coverage, Including THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE PRELIMS Live Across Canada

Leave a comment
FFor Immediate Release – July 6, 2017

TORONTO – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, will deliver extensive live UFC fight week coverage for THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE: JOHNSON vs. GAETHJE and UFC 213: NUNES vs. SHEVCHENKO 2 from Las Vegas, including live WEIGH-INS, PREFIGHT and POSTFIGHT shows and a live broadcast of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE PRELIMS across Canada on Friday, July 7 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

The coverage begins on Thursday, July 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET with the live ceremonial WEIGH-INS for THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE: JOHNSON vs. GAETHJE, as headliners Michael “The Menace” Johnsonand Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje tip the scales ahead of their pivotal lightweight showdown in the main event.

On Friday, July 7 at 5:00 p.m. ET, Fight Network presents the live ceremonial WEIGH-INS for UFC 213: NUNES vs. SHEVCHENKO 2, as Amanda Nunes, Valentina Shevchenko, Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker all weigh in ahead of their five-round championship clashes on pay-per-view.

Immediately following the live weigh-ins, Fight Network will broadcast THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE PREFIGHT SHOW at 6:00 p.m. ET followed by the live PRELIMS at 7:00 p.m. ET.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE PREFIGHT SHOW will feature former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and retired contender Kenny Florian serving as desk analysts with host Karyn Bryant and reporter Megan Olivi conducting on-site interviews.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE PRELIMS will feature an intriguing women’s strawweight encounter between Angela “Overkill” Hill (6-3) and Ashley “SpiderMonkey” Yoder (5-2), a welterweight matchup between TUF contestants James Krause (23-8) and Tom “Da Tank” Gallicchio (19-10), a light heavyweight pairing between battle-tested veterans Ed “Short Fuse” Herman (24-12, 1NC) and CB “The Doberman” Dollaway (16-9), plus a women’s bantamweight matchup pitting Jessica “Evil” Eye against undefeated newcomer Aspen Ladd (5-0).

At the conclusion of Friday’s main card on TSN5, the live broadcast of THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE POSTFIGHT SHOW airs at approximately 12:00 a.m. ET, featuring highlights, analysis and post-fight interviews.

On Saturday, July 8 at 7:00 p.m. ET, UFC middleweight champion Michael Biping will join the desk for theUFC 213 PREFIGHT SHOW, featuring final predictions and analysis from Las Vegas.

At the conclusion of Saturday’s pay-per-view, the live UFC 213 POSTFIGHT SHOW airs at approximately 1 a.m. ET, recapping all the exciting action.

Additional UFC fight week content on Fight Network includes Countdown to UFC 213, a behind-the-scenes look at the men and women involved in Saturday’s championship bouts, a three-hour special on UFC Hall of Fame inductee Kazushi Sakuraba entitled SAKURABA: GRACIE HUNTER, plus post-fight press conference highlights airing on Sunday, July 9.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, wrestling

FNU Combat Sports Show: Fighter Uprising in the UFC Continues; GSP vs Bisping Cancelled; Canelo vs. GGG takes spotlight From Floyd vs. Conor

Leave a comment

This week Tom, Tony and Rich discuss how boxing is winning the combat sports battle for market share. We recap Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. and preview UFC 211. We also talk about the planned superfight between Canelo and Triple G, Gennady Golovkin. We break in with the news of GSP vs. Bisping getting cancelled and go on to explore multiple UFC fighter complaints from Tom Lawlor to Luke Rockhold to Anderson Silva. We will be moving the show to rantsports.com next week so stay tuned on the transition details.

 

We also touch on our interview from last year with “THE” James Krause, who just won his first fight in The Ultimate Fighter house on the current season of the reality TV tournament. This interview is from just prior to the UFC sale to WME/IMG and company, and it’s very eye opening:

 

boxing, FNU Combat Sports Show, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show: Joshua vs. Klitschko Recap, Anderson Silva Threatens UFC Retirement

Leave a comment

The FNU Combat Sports show concentrates heavily on boxing this week with the big heavyweight bout between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko to review and discuss first. Then we move on to preview Cinco De Mayo weekend in The Sweet Science, which is headlined by a Saturday night fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Junior. Additionally, we discuss some additions to UFC 213, Anderson Silva’s retirement threat, the creation of a women’s featherweight division in the UFC for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, and the viral video featuring the demolition of a Tai Chi “Master” by an MMA fighter. Listen to the broadcast below.