Tag: Bellator 263

Bellator 263 video: Emmanuel Sanchez, Mads Burnell face off before co-headliner

Check out the first faceoff of Bellator 263 fight week between co-headliners Emmanuel Sanchez and Mads Burnell.

LOS ANGELES – Bellator featherweights [autotag]Emmanuel Sanchez[/autotag] and [autotag]Mads Burnell[/autotag] got their first look at each other during fight week.

Sanchez (20-5 MMA, 12-4 BMMA) and Burnell (15-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) will co-headline Bellator 263 on Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. It’s a meaningful fight for the division as the 145-pound grand prix comes to a close in the main event between champion Patricio Freire and A.J. McKee.

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After Thursday’s Bellator 263 press conference, Sanchez and Burnell faced off. You can watch it in the video above.

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Bellator 263 video: Patrico ‘Pitbull,’ A.J. McKee restrained during tense press conference moment

The intensity just ramped up ahead of the most anticipated fight in Bellator history.

LOS ANGELES – Bellator featherweight champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] and [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] got their first look at each other during Bellator 263 fight week, and everything was fine … until it wasn’t.

For the majority of Thursday’s 26-minute press conference held at the host hotel, everything was kosher. But the mention of family lit a fuse.

“Remember you said you’re gonna beat my ass in front of my father?” McKee said. “I’m gonna beat your ass in front of your wife and kids. How about that? You wanna talk disrespect. We can be disrespectful. Now the disrespect is out.”

Moments later, Freire popped up from his chair and knocked his microphone onto the table. Bellator president Scott Coker turned to restrain McKee before two other Bellator staff members stepped to hold back both men. Freire kicked a chair toward McKee. Expletives were hurled at each other as Freire walked off the stage.

You can watch the near-scuffle in the video above.

Freire (32-4 MMA, 20-4 BMMA) and undefeated McKee (17-0 MMA, 17-0 BMMA) will headline Bellator 263 on Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. Their title fight is the culmination of the 16-man featherweight grand prix, which will also pay $1 million to the winner.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3179: Bellator and UFC previews, plus Dave Feldman and Graham Boylan

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

Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,179, the fellas will bring on guests Dave Feldman and Graham Boylan. BKFC president Feldman will talk about this past Friday’s BKFC 19. Boylan will discuss Cage Warriors 126, which takes place in San Diego. Plus, the guys will preview Saturday’s Bellator 263 and UFC on ESPN 28 cards.

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.

Bellator 263 fighters weigh in on Simone Biles’ mental health – and they’re on both ends of the spectrum

When Simone Biles, arguably the best gymnast in history, pulled out of some Olympic events, it reignited a worldwide conversation.

When Simone Biles, arguably the best gymnast in history, pulled out of some Olympic events earlier this week, it reignited a worldwide conversation.

The 24-year-old Biles was supposed to lead the U.S. to what was expected to be a third straight team gold medal, but she pulled out of the team portion of the Games, citing mental health reasons. The U.S. finished with a silver medal.

She also pulled out of the women’s all-around competition – where she also was going after a third straight gold medal.

For now, she’s still scheduled to compete in individual events she qualified for. But the keyboard warriors and armchair quarterbacks have been weighing in for days about her decision to remove herself from portions of the Games.

One camp is lauding Biles for having the self-awareness to pull out, knowing she wasn’t in the right head space. But the other camp has been critical of her decision, saying essentially that at her level, there should be excuse.

Other athletes away from gymnastics have weighed in, too, including some of the fighters at Bellator 263, which takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

Not surprisingly, there are fighters at Bellator 263 on both ends of the spectrum. Some are Team Biles, all the way. And others?

Well, when the term “man up” is used about the greatest women’s gymnast of all time, who is a sexual assault victim of convicted former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar, it seems pretty clear what side others fall on.

Check out the video above to hear from former lightweight champion Brent Primus, Kiefer Crosbie, Brian Moore and Georgi Karakhanyan.

Bellator 263 media day faceoffs video: Things get testy in one fight

Check out the four fights that were featured to faceoff at Bellator 263 media day in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES – Bellator 263 media day took place Wednesday at the host hotel, and MMA Junkie was on the scene for the festivities. After fielding questions from reporters, the fighters came together for faceoffs.

Featured on the dais were [autotag]Manny Muro[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag], [autotag]Islam Mamedov[/autotag] vs. former lightweight champion [autotag]Brent Primus[/autotag], [autotag]Chris Gonzalez[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag], and [autotag]Kiefer Crosbie[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag].

You can watch watch the highlights of those faceoffs in the video above.

Bellator 263 takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims streamed on MMA Junkie.

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Spinning Back Clique: What’s next for Paige VanZant? T.J. Dillashaw? And what’s at stake with Patricio Freire vs. A.J. McKee?

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique” where the panel discusses the hottest topics in the world of MMA.

Check out the latest edition of “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a quick spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week, our panel discusses the futures of T.J. Dillashaw and Paige VanZant, while also looking back to an incredible UFC on ESPN 27 event, as well as previewing a busy weekend that includes UFC on ESPN 28 and Bellator 263.

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel this week of Mike Bohn, Nolan King and “Gorgeous” George Garica discusses these topics and more, along with host John Morgan.

  • This past weekend, [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] returned from a two-year suspension and picked up a win over top contender Cory Sandhagen at UFC on ESPN 27. Dillashaw has made it clear he wants his belt back and wants the winner of the upcoming Aljamain Steling vs. Petr Yan rematch, but that’s not for another three months, so he may need to take another fight to stay busy. Is there a fight to make for Dillashaw in the meantime, or has he done enough to get a title shot?
  • UFC on ESPN 27 featured a number of other fantastic performances on that card, which was really exciting from start to finish. Who was the standout performer for you? Anyone make a statement that will stick with you?
  • Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship held an event this past weekend, as well, and Rachael Ostovich picked up a decision win over [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag], who is now 0-2 in the promotion. VanZant was still smiling as she gave Instagram the old Stockton salute, but where does she go from here? Does she stick with BKFC, or is a return to MMA in order? What’s the move?
  • In one of the biggest fights in Bellator history, [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] and [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] headline this weekend’s Bellator 263 event for both the promotion’s featherweight title and a grand prix belt. A lot is on the line here, but who’s facing the most pressure in this moment – and does either fighter have a clear edge in the matchup?
  • Looking ahead to this weekend, [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] and [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] headline UFC on ESPN 28. Both fighters bring four-fight win streaks into this matchup and are looking to prove they belong among the division’s elite. Who’s got more on the line in this contest – and are there any other fights on this card we should be watching for this weekend?

Hope you enjoy this week’s show. Watch the full episode of “Spinning Back Clique” above.

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Patricio Freire: A.J. McKee, father will pay for all the sh-t they’ve been saying

Patricio Freire is not happy with some of things both Antonio McKee and his son, A.J. McKee, have said ahead of Bellator 263.

[autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] is not happy with some of things both Antonio McKee and his son, [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag], have said.

Dual-champion Freire (32-4 MMA, 20-4 BMMA) puts his featherweight title on the line against McKee (17-0 MMA, 17-0 BMMA) in the grand prix final, which headlines Bellator 263 on Saturday.

Arguably one of the most important fights in Bellator history, two of the promotion’s top talents have been jawing back-and-forth, which has built up the already highly anticipated matchup even more. Both McKee and his father Antonio claimed that Freire hasn’t evolved over the years, and “Pitbull” is ready to make them eat their words.

“Pay close attention on July 31,” Freire told MMA Junkie in his native Portuguese. “A.J. McKee will pay for all the sh-t he and his father have been saying for years.”

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Freire thinks he’s fought the much tougher competition, not just in the grand prix, but throughout his career. Unbeaten McKee has looked near flawless in the cage, but Freire says “Mercenary” is yet to fight someone in their prime, and he plans on making their clash a rude awakening for him.

“Most of his opponents stepped into the cage with him already expecting to lose,” Freire said. “And the biggest names he beat were already in decline, some quite different than from their career apex. I am at my apex, and there are many more things I plan to conquer in this sport. I’m walking into this fight with the intention of beating him up and walking away with a victory.”

He continued, “My focus is on my legacy. I’m not thinking about money now. I’m thinking about winning the fight. After the fight, I can think about the money.”

Bellator 263 takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (July 19-25)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from July 19-25:

Khasan Magomedsharipov (Zabit’s brother) gets new opponent for Bellator 263 undercard

Undefeated as a professional, Khasan Magomedsharipov will look to keep his winning streak alive July 31.

[autotag]Khasan Magomedsharipov[/autotag] still has the same date for his Bellator debut, but with a different opponent.

Originally expected to fight [autotag]Nekruz Mirkhojaev[/autotag] at Bellator 263, Magomedsharipov (5-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) now meets [autotag]Jonathan Quieroz[/autotag] (3-4 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) in a featherweight fight on the July 31 undercard.

A promotion official recently informed MMA Junkie of the change. TASS was first to report the news Monday. The reason for Mirkhojaev’s withdrawal was not given.

Magomedsharipov, brother of UFC featherweight contender Zabit, signed with the promotion in February. He enters Bellator as an undefeated professional. In five pro fights, Magomedsharipov, 20, has earned four finishes, including three submissions and a knockout.

En route to Bellator, Magomedsharipov competed for Fight Nights Global and Gorilla Fighting Championship, among other promotions. He most recently competed at AMC Fight Nights Global 99 and beat Mikhail Tarkhanov by first-round TKO.

Meanwhile, Quieroz, 34, has not competed since a September 2019 unanimous decision loss to AJ Agazarm at Bellator 228.

Bellator 263 takes place Friday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

With the change, the Bellator 263 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Champion Patricio Freire vs. A.J. McKee – for the featherweight title
  • Emmanuel Sanchez vs. Mads Burnell
  • Manny Muro vs. Usman Nurmagomedov
  • Islam Mamedov vs. Brent Primus
  • Chris Gonzalez vs. Goiti Yamauchi

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Ilara Joanne vs. Vanessa Porto
  • Daniel Carey vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov
  • Kiefer Crosbie vs. Georgi Karakanyan
  • Brian Moore vs. Jordan Winski
  • Khasan Magomedsharipov vs. Jonathan Quiroz
  • Johnny Cisneros vs. Joshua Jones

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After COVID-19 protocols force Jared Scoggins off Bellator 263, Brian Moore faces Jordan Winski

Bellator 263 has been hit with a change due to COVID-19.

COVID-19 protocols have resulted in the removal of one fighter from Saturday’s Bellator card in Los Angeles.

Former CFFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Jared Scoggins[/autotag] was scheduled to make his promotional debut against [autotag]Brian Moore[/autotag] at Bellator 263. However, due to a positive test, Scoggins (10-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) has been replaced by promotional newcomer [autotag]Jordan Winski[/autotag].

Two people with knowledge of the change informed MMA Junkie of the withdrawal and new matchup, but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Moore (13-7 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) rides a two-fight winning streak into Bellator 263. His most recent victory came in October 2020 when he knocked out Simon D’Anna with a right hook at Bellator 247.

Winski (11-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) signs with Bellator after back-to-back wins over Flavio Carvalho and UFC alum Terrion Ware. Although he hasn’t competed since May 2019, Winski has won seven of his most recent eight outings.

Bellator 263 takes place Saturday at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

MAIN CARD (Showtime, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Champion Patricio Freire vs. A.J. McKee – for the featherweight title
  • Emmanuel Sanchez vs. Mads Burnell
  • Manny Muro vs. Usman Nurmagomedov
  • Islam Mamedov vs. Brent Primus
  • Chris Gonzalez vs. Goiti Yamauchi

PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Ilara Joanne vs. Vanessa Porto
  • Daniel Carey vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov
  • Kiefer Crosbie vs. Georgi Karakanyan
  • Brian Moore vs. Jordan Winski
  • Khasan Magomedsharipov vs. TBA
  • Johnny Cisneros vs. Joshua Jones

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