Tag: Bellator 239

Video: Watch Friday’s Bellator 239 ceremonial weigh-ins live on MMA Junkie at 1 p.m. ET

Check out a live video stream of the Bellator 239 ceremonial weigh-ins.

THACKERVILLE, Okla. – Bellator 239 ceremonial fighter weigh-ins take place Friday, and you can catch a live video stream of the proceedings here on MMAjunkie at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT).

The weigh-ins take place at MIST inside WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, Okla. Bellator 239 takes place Friday at WinStar World Casino & Resort. The main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

In addition to the video stream above, you can check out the early and official Bellator 239 weigh-in results from earlier in the day.

Bellator 239: Brandon Girtz says he specifically asked for ‘great matchup’ Myles Jury

According to Brandon Girtz, his Bellator 239 opponent Myles Jury is a matchup he specifically requested.

THACKERVILLE, Okla. – Ask and you shall receive.

Friday night, [autotag]Brandon Girtz[/autotag] will fight Myles Jury in the co-main event of Bellator 239. According to Girtz (16-8 MMA, 8-6 BMMA), Jury (18-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) is an opponent he specifically requested.

“It was a name I asked for,” Girtz told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I thought it was a great matchup. He’s got a big name. I feel like it’s one of those fights. When I go out there and demonstrate what I can do, it can really skyrocket me up there and show who Brandon Girtz is.

“Like I said, he’s a good name. He’s been around. He’s been in the top 10 before. He’s been around the block. A win like that and what I’m looking for, a devastating win, puts my name up there, really quick.”

Friday will be the first time Girtz steps into the cage since March 29, 2019 – almost 11 months ago. The featherweight competitor was booked to fight in September, but pulled out due to a minor injury. This, just two days before his flight to Ireland.

“It’s been too long – too frickin’ long,” Girtz said. “Everything is great now. It was a small injury. It was more the timing of the injury. It was two frickin’ days before I was flying out to my fight in Ireland. It was nothing that big, but it was just something I couldn’t perform with two days after.”

[lawrence-related id=491015,491069,491005]

Consistency will be key for Girtz going forward. Fighting once a year just isn’t cutting it. Now that he values rest and recovery, Girtz expects fight fans will be seeing a lot more of him in 2020.

“That’s the biggest goal of this year: to fight multiple times,” Girtz said. “I’m not trying to fight once a year or do it every once in a while. This is my life. A couple setbacks and a couple injuries haven’t allowed me to get on a roll. I’ve been stepping in once a year for the last couple of years now. I haven’t (just) focused on training and stepping in there all the time. I’m focused on recovery and things like that.

“This year is going to be a big one. It’s going to be a healthy one.”

Bellator 239 takes place Friday at WinStar World Casino Resort in Thackerville, Okla. The main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Check out MMA Junkie’s full Bellator 239 pre-fight interview with Brandon Girtz in the video above.

[vertical-gallery id=394901]

[vertical-gallery id=391998]

Ed Ruth: Champ Douglas Lima fighting for second Bellator belt is good for welterweights

Ed Ruth supports Douglas Lima’s decision to fight for the Bellator middleweight title, even if it holds up the line at welterweight.

THACKERVILLE, Okla. – The Bellator welterweight title picture is on hold for the time being. However, one of the top contenders in the division isn’t worried about the situation.

[autotag]Ed Ruth[/autotag], who meets Yaroslav Amosov in Friday’s Bellator 239 headliner, approves of current 170-pound champ [autotag]Douglas Lima[/autotag] moving up to fight for vacant middleweight gold against Gegard Mousasi in May.

The result of that contest could create many different scenarios depending on who wins, but Ruth (8-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) chooses to look at the positive.

“It doesn’t aggravate me at all,” Ruth told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “Everybody is on a personal journey. You’re going to see the belt, you’re going to get your chance and opportunity to fight for it when you do. I think it’s awesome he’s moving up. He’s going up to this next weight class to fight Mousasi, the (former) champ at the next weight class. If he wins, that’s good.

“If he has to come back and defend his title and you beat him, you feel like you can go two weight classes. So it’s more options for us. If he loses then whatever, it gives somebody else the chance to get the belt and go up there. It still shows 170 can compete with 185 and everybody wants to be two-division belt champions.”

[lawrence-related id=489698,489101]

Regardless of what Lima (32-7 MMA, 14-3 BMMA) is doing, Ruth said he intends to put himself in the title conversation going forward. Handing the undefeated Amosov (22-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) his first loss would be a good way to make that happen.

Ruth said he relishes the chance to put the first blemish on Amosov’s record in the Bellator 239 headliner, which takes place at WinStar World Casino and Resort and airs on Paramount following prelims on MMA Junkie.

“I feel like it’s appropriate,” Ruth said. “I was like, ‘If anything, they better give me somebody who is 22-0.’ I want to show people that there’s a monster coming. There’s going to be way more guys just like him. I want to see him now and I want to see more later.

“For me I just go out there and keep it smart. Keep my hands high, move around, tag the guy when I can and look for my takedowns.”

[vertical-gallery id=422099]

Bellator 239: Despite win drought, Myles Jury continues to ‘feel like I’m a champion’

On Friday night, Myles Jury has the chance to get back in the win column at Bellator 239 vs. Brandon Girtz.

THACKERVILLE, Okla. – [autotag]Myles Jury[/autotag] has been around the block.

A former UFC fighter, Jury (18-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) made the jump to Bellator in mid-2019. In his promotional debut, Jury lost a unanimous decision to former UFC champion Benson Henderson. On Friday night, he’ll have the chance to get back in the win column at Bellator 239, when he takes on Brandon Girtz.

Even though Jury hasn’t won since December 2017, the Michigan-based fighter doesn’t feel down on his in-cage abilities. According to Jury, his daily grind is a championship feat within itself.

“I raise my hand every day after training,” Jury told MMA Junkie. “I feel like I’m a champion, no matter what. The outcome of the fight is going to be what it is. I’m going to go out there, leave it all out there, and I’m a winner regardless.”

Jury recognizes the veteran status Girtz (16-8 MMA, 8-6 BMMA) holds entering Bellator 239. While Fury is new to Bellator, he’s piled up a tremendous amount of experience himself. Come fight night, Fury doesn’t think Girtz presents anything he hasn’t previously seen.

“Overall, he’s a wrestler that likes to throw bombs,” Jury said. “That’s what I’ve seen out of him. … Looking back, I’ve fought a lot of wrestlers who like to throw bombs at me. Coming up, that’s how a lot of people try to fight me. I come in well-prepared. I come in sharp (and) long. I have an array of tools. I can kick, I can punch, elbows, knees. I’ve got great takedowns and am a black belt in jiu-jitsu. It’s, ‘What am I going to do?’ He has to worry about what I’m going to do.”

[lawrence-related id=491015,491069,491005]

Not interested in speculation, Jury avoided predicting where a victory over Girtz would land him in the divisional standings. Win or lose, it’s not his decision to pick and choose who he fights next.

“We’ll see how amped I am after the fight and stuff like that, but we’ll leave that up to the Bellator management,” Jury said. “I’m not going to sit here and be like, ‘I need this. I need that.’ I’m focused on this guy and I’m focused on going out there and having a great performance. That’s it.”

Bellator 239 takes place Friday at WinStar World Casino Resort in Thackerville, Okla. The main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Check out MMA Junkie’s full Bellator 239 pre-fight interview with Myles Jury in the video above.

[vertical-gallery id=447573]

[vertical-gallery id=391998]

Bellator 239’s Tyrell Fortune: ‘I am the best heavyweight in the world at this time’

“This weight class isn’t deep around the world.”

THACKERVILLE, Okla. – [autotag]Tyrell Fortune[/autotag] is beaming with confidence going into Bellator 239.

Fortune (8-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA), an undefeated heavyweight prospect, believes his skills have already reached the top tier of his weight class after a little more than three years as a professional. His level of competition thus far makes that belief impossible to verify, but Friday he takes on an established veteran in Timothy Johnson.

Johnson (12-6 MMA, 0-2 BMMA) has shared the cage with some of the best heavyweights in the world, and although he’s almost exclusively lost his biggest matches, Fortune said it’s the best measuring stick he’s been presented with so far to show where he stands.

“He is the biggest name I’ve fought to date so I think that is a big motivation for me just to grow my brand, grow my name and let guys know, ‘OK, this is someone you want to watch,'” Fortune told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I am ready to start taking everybody out. I truly believe that I am the best heavyweight in the world at this time, right now.”

Fortune’s bold statements will result in additional pressure and expectation for his performances. Not only must he succeed, but he must be impressive in the process.

That’s fine with Fortune, though, because he has ever greater expectations for himself.

“Tim holds more of a wrestling, grappling threat that he uses more for his strategy,” Fortune said. “Which, I think for a guy like me, that doesn’t really work out too well. I obviously went way father than he did in wrestling, so my skills is more polished than him by far. I just think he’s going to have a hard time implementing his game plan if his game plan is grappling or wrestling.”

[lawrence-related id=491015,491069,490787]

So long as he’s with Bellator, Fortune’s best avenue to backing up his words will be to claim the organization’s heavyweight championship. He said he’s quickly trending toward that direction, and sees only a few more fights standing between him and the belt.

“I think very soon,” Fortune said. “I think within three fights I can be at a title shot. This weight class isn’t deep around the world. So with my skills and my ability I think another finish, another nice finish over Tim Johnson, should definitely put my name up there in the top five.”

[vertical-gallery id=461284]

Bellator 239: Denise Kielholtz predicts she’ll beat two more contenders, then Ilima-Lei Macfarlane

With a victory Friday, flyweight Denise Kielholtz thinks she’ll be within arm’s reach of Bellator gold.

THACKERVILLE, Okla. – With a victory Friday, flyweight [autotag]Denise Kielholtz[/autotag] thinks she’ll be within an arm’s reach of Bellator gold.

A kickboxing star turned MMA fighter, Kielholtz (4-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) looks to extend her win streak to four when she takes on Kristina Williams at Bellator 239.

“Camp went really, really good,” Kielholtz told MMA Junkie. “I feel very excited to get back in there. I think every training camp is good, but every training camp is different. I learned more to explore (how to be) an MMA fighter.”

According to Kielholtz, Williams (3-2 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) poses some threats – but not unconquerable ones. Kielholtz complimented the Oklahoman’s toughness and grit, which she expects will be on display at Bellator 239.

“I think I’m going to see the best version of Kristina Williams,” Kielholtz said. “She’s a really good fighter with good kicks. She has a tough heart. I think she’s the perfect opponent for me. I think we have a plan. With how we train, she’s the perfect opponent to work this plan against. I have all the respect for her and I’m really excited to fight her because she’s a good opponent.”

In Kielholtz’s mind, there’s no question she’ll walk away from Bellator 239 victorious. While the Dutch fighter doesn’t expect to get an immediate title shot, Kielholtz thinks one more victory post-Bellator 239 should do the trick.

“I think I’m really close,” Kielholtz said. “Of course, I’m going to win this fight. I hope to get, after this fight, another challenge who’s a ground fighter. After those two wins, I’m 1,000 percent ready for the title shot.”

[lawrence-related id=491005,490797,490787]

If she picks up two more victories and the Bellator flyweight title doesn’t change hands in the meantime, Kielholtz expects to square off with [autotag]Ilima-Lei Macfarlane[/autotag]. Despite the Hawaiian champion’s career dominance, Kielholtz says she’s seen weaknesses in Macfarlane’s game.

“I’ve seen a lot of her fights and I think she’s a really good fighter,” Kielholtz said. “She’s really tough on the ground, but I also see some things where I think, ‘Hey, I can take her (here). This is her weakest point.’ I saw some holes in her fight game. I hope to fight her one day and get the win from (exposing) those holes.

“I think if she has a really good challenge from a fighter (like) I am, I think she gets a better fight. She’s a good champion and I hope to get two wins to fight her one day.”

Bellator 239 takes place Friday at WinStar World Casino Resort. The main card airs on Paramount and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

[vertical-gallery id=391998]

Bellator 239: Denise Kielholtz full pre-fight interview

Bellator 239: Denise Kielholtz full pre-fight interview

Bellator 239: Denise Kielholtz full pre-fight interview