Bellator 258 – Syndication Server

With Anthony Johnson out, Julius Anglickas joins Bellator grand prix to fight Vadim Nemkov

Hours after news broke of Anthony Johnson’s withdrawal, Bellator has tapped a replacement.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The void left by [autotag]Anthony Johnson[/autotag] has been filled.

With “Rumble” out of the Bellator light heavyweight grand prix due to serious illness, rising contender [autotag]Julius Anglickas[/autotag] will step into his place, the promotion announced Saturday on the Bellator 266 broadcast.

For his tournament semifinal, Anglickas (10-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) will challenge champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] on Oct. 16 at Bellator 268 in Phoenix.

Anglickas, 30, rides a nine-fight winning streak into the bout, which includes three Bellator victories over Jordan Young, Alex Polizzi and Gregory Millard. After his win over Millard this past April, Anglickas was named an alternate by the promotion.

In 2019, Anglickas was featured on Dana White’s Contender Series and defeated Karl Reed. However, he was not offered a UFC contract. The 6-foot-3 light heavyweight is a former LFA champion.

As for Nemkov (13-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC), he enters the fight on an eight-fight winning streak that includes a title-clinching knockout victory over Ryan Bader and a unanimous decision title defense against Phil Davis in a grand prix quarterfinal.

With the addition, the Bellator 268 lineup includes:

Champion Vadim Nemkov vs. Julius Anglickas – for Bellator light heavyweight title, grand prix semifinal
Ryan Bader vs. Corey Anderson – grand prix semifinal
Benson Henderson vs. Brent Primus
Henry Corrales vs. Vladyslav Parubchenko
Karl Albrektsson vs. TBA
Brett Johns vs. Erik Perez
Sullivan Cauley vs. Deon Clash
Nick Browne vs. Bobby Lee
Gregory Millard vs. Javier Torres
Randi Field vs. Sumiko Inaba
Lance Gibson Jr. vs. Raymond Pina

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Bellator’s Patchy Mix reveals DMs sent by James Gallagher, wants to ‘highlight-reel’ him

Bellator bantamweight Patchy Mix doesn’t want to let Conor McGregor teammate James Gallagher off the hook.

[autotag]Patchy Mix[/autotag] doesn’t want to let [autotag]James Gallagher[/autotag] off the hook.

Mix (14-1 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) was originally scheduled to face Gallagher at Bellator 258 this past Friday, but Gallagher withdrew due to a shoulder injury. Mix fought ex-UFC bantamweight Albert Morales instead and submitted him in the third round.

Gallagher (11-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) was there to corner teammate Peter Queally in his upset win over Patricky Freire and made sure to make his presence felt. Mix said Gallagher raided his DMs and he revealed what the Irishman told him.

“Just basically saying he’s a higher-status fighter, that I want to be where he is, just talking a lot of bullsh*t about money – just real immature,” Mix told MMA Junkie Radio. “It was like some high school sh*t, to be honest with you. He was just talking about a lot of sh*t that didn’t mean anything, and I was just talking facts.

“We were scheduled to fight. I’m not sure why he pulled out, but he wanted me to wait for the fight. He said, ‘Don’t fight on May 7, wait until June or July.’ And I told him prior to this, ‘I’m not waiting for no fight. I want to fight May 7 and then we’ll fight after that.’ But now that I’ve gotten through May 7, I haven’t heard a word out of him.”

Mix thinks it only makes sense for them to settle the score in a No. 1 contender bout. If not, he’d be happy to directly face newly crowned bantamweight champion Sergio Pettis.

“I think he was ranked (No.) 4 or 5 when we were matched. This is the fight to make,” Mix said. “We were already matched. He pulled out. There’s not a clear reason why he pulled out – he says because of injury. So if he’s not injured, the James Gallagher fight is the fight to be made. Me vs. him – I run right through him, and then I get a shot at Pettis.

“That would be my goal. If not, and Pettis needs to stay active, I’m next in line in the division. I’m ranked No. 2. I think it goes Pettis, Archuleta, then myself. So I’m right there. I’m not that far from the title shot, so I just want the fight that was originally booked because I really want to highlight-reel Gallagher out there.”

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MMA Junkie Radio #3157: Bellator guest Patchy Mix, UFC 262 preview, more (noon ET)

Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here and will be live on SportsCastr at noon ET.

On Episode 3,157, the fellas will welcome in guest [autotag]Patchy Mix[/autotag], fresh off his win at Bellator 258. They’ll also preview Saturday’s UFC 262 and the lightweight title fight between Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler, as well as discuss the latest MMA news.

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Anthony Johnson arrested after Bellator debut win for alleged 2019 use of stolen credit card

Anthony Johnson’s trip to Connecticut for Bellator 258 ended with him being taken into police custody at Mohegan Sun.

[autotag]Anthony Johnson[/autotag]’s trip to Connecticut for Bellator 258 got him into some unexpected trouble with the law.

New Canaan Police online records show that Johnson, 37, was arrested Saturday and faces multiple charges of identity theft. According to a police report, the arrest stemmed from a November 2019 complaint in which an alleged victim claimed “their credit card being used by a third party without permission” after the card was used to purchase a round-trip airline ticket from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Newark, N.J. The name of the passenger on the ticket was Anthony Johnson.

A police investigation determined that Johnson, who lives in Deerfield Beach, Fla., where he trains out of Sanford MMA, “illegally obtained (the) credit card to purchase the airline ticket.” An arrest warrant for Johnson subsequently was obtained. Eighteen months after the complaint, he was taken from Mohegan Sun Arena into police custody on Saturday, one night after knocking out Jose Augusto to advance to the Bellator light heavyweight grand prix semifinals.

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Johnson was released on a $500 bond and received a June 8 court date, according to the police report. New of the arrest was first reported by the Daily Voice.

MMA Junkie reached out to Bellator for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Johnson’s win over Augusto was his first fight in four years since he retired after losing a UFC light heavyweight title fight to then-champion Daniel Cormier in April 2017.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3156: Guests Lorenz Larkin and Neil Magny, plus UFC, Bellator, PFL recaps (noon ET)

Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here and will be live on SportsCastr at noon ET.

On Episode 3,156, the fellas will bring on guests Lorenz Larkin and Neil Magny. Larkin beat former champ Rafael Carvalho this past Friday at Bellator 258. Magny upset Geoff Neal at UFC on ESPN 24 on Saturday. Plus, they’ll look back at those events and the PFL’s third card of the season.

Lorenz Larkin committed to welterweight return: ‘I’m going back down – I don’t give a sh*t’

Lorenz Larkin plans to move back down to welterweight after Bellator 258 win.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag] didn’t fully enjoy himself fighting at 185 pounds.

The welterweight got the job done at middleweight at Bellator 258 this past Friday, but it’s not something he’ll be looking to repeat. Larkin (23-7 MMA, 5-2 BMMA) defeated former middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho by split decision on the preliminary card.

Larkin was happy to get the victory, but he plans to go right back down to 170 pounds.

“I’m going back down – I don’t give a sh*t,” Larkin told reporters at the Bellator 258 post-fight news conference. “I’m going to keep it real. I’m going back down. I mean, he’s 6-(foot)-3. I don’t know what he came in at and I’m 5-(foot)-11 with short reach, and he’s got long reach. We’re the total opposite, so this is it.”

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Although Larkin didn’t fully enjoy the experience of fighting at middleweight in Bellator, he was happy to have accepted the fight. Larkin was originally scheduled to fight Costello van Steenis, but injury took him out of the bout. That gave Carvalho the opportunity to step in on short notice. Larkin thinks many wouldn’t have accepted the bout.

“Being a fighter, and at this point of my career, most guys wouldn’t have taken that fight,” Larkin said. “It’s not like this guy was coming off the couch to take this fight. He was already getting ready for a fight and it fell through in LFA, I believe. So he was already in camp.

“So being a smart fighter that’s really worried bout getting a win and moving on this wouldn’t have been a smart fight to take. I don’t give a sh*t, most guys would pass that guy up, take a no name, get the win, and move forward. But it is what it is. I took the fight, I got the win, and now I get to move forward. So it was fun for me. It was a hard fight, but I pushed through and came up with the win.”

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Patricky Freire disagrees with stoppage over ‘little cut,’ wants rematch with Peter Queally

Patricky Freire wants to run it back with Peter Queally after Bellator 258 bout ended in doctor’s stoppage.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Run it back, says [autotag]Patricky Freire[/autotag].

The former Bellator title challenger wants a rematch with Peter Queally after their bout ended in a doctor’s stoppage, awarding the victory to the Irishman. The two fought in a lightweight clash on the main card of Friday’s Bellator 258 event in Uncasville, Conn. Queally (13-5-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) officially defeated Freire (23-10 MMA, 14-8 BMMA) by TKO one second into the third round.

Freire doesn’t think like the fight should’ve been stopped and thought he was able to continue fighting.

“No, (it shouldn’t have been stopped). The blood on the cut stopped and I can fight,” Freire told reporters at the Bellator 258 post-fight news conference. “I feel good. I felt very prepared for this fight, but just a little cut stopped this fight. I’m OK. I’m not tired. I don’t have a pain. Nothing. It’s OK.”

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It was a competitive bout, but many thought “Pitbull” was up on the scorecards and winning the contest. Freire is confident that he was winning the bout and hopes to have a rematch with Queally.

“For sure I want the rematch with an arena open to the fans,” Freire said. “I want to fight in Ireland in front of the Irish – his house. I’m going to prepare to finish and take this guy out.”

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5 biggest takeaways from UFC, Bellator, PFL: ‘Rumble’ return, Cerrone’s skid, ‘MVP’ hate

Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC on ESPN 24, Bellator 258 and 2021 PFL 3.

What mattered most in a loaded MMA weekend that included UFC on ESPN 24 in Las Vegas; Bellator 258 in Uncasville, Conn.; and 2021 PFL 3 in Atlantic City, N.J.? Here are a few post-fight musings …

Michael Page ‘over the moon’ and ready for title shot after nose-breaking Bellator 258 win

Whatever the haters still might have to say, Michael Page is simply “on a mission” to become Bellator welterweight champion.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Even though [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] was feeling “over the moon” after his nose-breaking finish of Derek Anderson on Friday night at Bellator 258, he’s certain there still will be haters who criticize his strength of schedule.

Not that he cares much.

“(It’s) because of how I do things with ease, I think now (Anderson has) just become a ‘can’ but not because he’s not an amazing fighter, not because he’s not a tough fighter, not because he’s not a great MMA fighter. It’s because of how I make people look when I’m in there,” Page said during his post-fight news conference at Mohegan Sun Arena. “I’ve kind of accepted that, but I’m just on a mission for one person – and that’s Douglas Lima.”

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Page (19-1 MMA, 15-1 BMMA) already fought Lima once in May 2019 as part of the welterweight grand prix and suffered his only defeat – a devastating second-round knockout. Nearly two years later, Page is on a five-fight winning streak and ready for his first title shot.

Lima will defend his belt against Yaroslav Amosav on June 11 at Bellator 260. After that, Page believes it should be his turn.

“It should be. It should be the next fight,” Page said. “Seeing as how we’ve now got this new rankings system and where I’m placed, regardless of anybody’s opinion, that’s where I am. I was No. 1. I’m now No. 2, with No. 1 and the champion fighting. Technically I should go up now. Whoever loses that fight, I’m now the No. 1 ranked fighter, which means I deserve a title fight.”

You can watch Page’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

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Bellator 258 post-event facts: Michael Page is the new Bellator knockout king

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 258, including Michael Page’s takeover of the company KO record.

Bellator saw its first title change of the year happen on Friday in the Bellator 258 headliner.

[autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) claimed the bantamweight title from [autotag]Juan Archuleta [/autotag](25-3 MMA, 7-2 BMMA) in their main event clash, taking a unanimous decision at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

For more on the numbers, check below for 20 post-event facts to come out of Bellator 258.