Bellator News - Page 3

A light heavyweight matchup between a former champion and a contender on the rise is now official for next month’s Bellator 194 event. MMAjunkie today learned from Bellator officials that Liam McGeary (12-2 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) will indeed take on Vadim Nemkov (8-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) at the event, which takes place Feb. 16 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

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Paul Daley has added himself to the rumor mill with a Facebook announcement that he has been granted release from his Bellator contract.

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The lineup for UFC on FOX 27 is set. A featherweight bout between Octagon newcomers Austin Arnett and Cory Sandhagen was officially added on Monday, bringing the amount of fights on Saturday’s show in Charlotte, N.C., to 11.

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Two of the heavyweight division’s all-time greats will finally meet. On Monday, officials announced that the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix opening round matchup between Fedor Emelianenko and Frank Mir will take place at Bellator 196 on April 28 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. The event will air live on the Paramount Network.

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Bellator will be going with big names over a highly anticipated title fight as the final bout of its big show in Los Angeles next week. Chael Sonnen vs. Quinton Jackson will act as the headliner of Bellator 192 on Jan. 20 in Inglewood, Calif., MMA Fighting confirmed with the promotion Friday. Bellator president Scott Coker told The Sporting News earlier Friday that Sonnen vs. “Rampage” will be the main event. Previously, it was expected that a welterweight title fight between champion Douglas Lima and Rory MacDonald would be at the top of the bill.

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Bellator has once again booked a rematch between Patrick Freire and Derek Campos. The promotion announced on Friday that the lightweight talents will battle in the co-main event of Bellator 194 in Uncasville on Feb. 16.

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Veteran heavyweight James Thompson has failed a test for the steroid drostanolone, administered by the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation director Mike Mazzulli at Bellator 191 in Newcastle, England, on December 15. Thompson, 39, lost to Philip De Fries at the event, via submission in Round 1. Thompson, 39, faces a one-year suspension and $2,000 fine. In order to be licensed to fight again after the suspension, which is retroactive to the event date, he will have to test clean. Thompson has the right to appeal.

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With the Bellator heavyweight division set to crown a new champion next year, one of its brightest prospects will aim to stay on the winning path in February. Undefeated wrestling specialist Tyrell Fortune (3-0) is set to face Joe “2 Gunz” Hernandez (4-2) at Bellator 193 on Jan. 26 at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif., officials confirmed with MMA Fighting on Thursday.

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Top prospect Aaron Pico will look to capitalize on his first win when he returns at Bellator 192. On Thursday, officials confirmed that the 21-year-old featherweight’s third professional bout has been booked against nine-year veteran Shane Kruchten.

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“The Wolf” will begin his reign in 2018. Bellator bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell is slated to make the first defense of his newly captured 135-pound title against Leandro Higo on March 2 at Bellator 195, promotion officials announced Tuesday.

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Khonry Gracie has an opponent for his professional MMA debut, and it’s a fellow debutant. Gracie, the son of UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie, had already been booked for Bellator 192 and now has an opponent in Devon Brock for the Jan. 20 event at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., set to air on Spike following prelims on MMAjunkie.

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The Bellator heavyweight tournament quarterfinal between Roy Nelson and Matt Mitrione will headline the company’s Feb. 16 card in Uncasville, Conn., the promotion officially announced on Tuesday.

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Rory MacDonald announced he wanted a spot in Bellator’s heavyweight tournament shortly after the bracket was officially unveiled, and “The Red King” believes that Scott Coker is open to having him act as an alternate should one of the eight competitors have to withdraw from the contest.

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Fresh off of a 67-second TKO win, Saad Awad is ready to keep rolling in 2018. The “Assassin” has been booked to fight J.J. Ambrose in the lightweight co-main event of Bellator 193 on Jan. 26 at the Penchaga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif.

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Budding featherweight contender Henry Corrales will look to extend a two-fight win streak when he takes on former World Series of Fighting champion Georgi Karakhanyan at Bellator 192 on Jan. 20 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

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The bracket is set for the Bellator MMA World Grand Prix 2018. The four opening-round matchups for the eight-man tournament to crown a new heavyweight champion were announced tonight on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”

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It looks like NASCAR & Bellator’s partnership is leaving some with a bad taste in their mouth following a recent event.

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Bellator lightweight champion Brent Primus is also surprised that he’s not fighting Michael Chandler next. Primus took the 155-pound belt away from Chandler in June, but most fans expected Bellator to book a rematch after an anticlimactic finish at Madison Square Garden, when the former champion suffered an injury in the opening round. Chandler will return to action on Jan. 20 against Goiti Yamauchi, and Primus didn’t see that coming — especially since he claims that the promotion called him with a date and location for the rematch: Bellator 193 in Temecula, Calif., on Jan. 26.

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Michael Chandler is set to return to action, however, his next fight won’t be for the Bellator lightweight title. Chandler will meet Goiti Yamauchi at Bellator 192 on January 20, MMA Fighting has learned.

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