Tag: Daniel Carey

Bellator 277 salaries: A.J. McKee, Patricio Freire lead the pack of guaranteed purses

At Bellator 277, A.J. McKee, Patricio Freire, Vadim Nemkov, and Corey Anderson are set to lead disclosed fighter payouts.

SAN JOSE, Calif – Bellator 277 takes place Friday at SAP Center where three fighters are scheduled to take home six-figure paydays regardless of outcome.

At the 14-fight event, MMA Junkie acquired a list of disclosed salaries from California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster.

In the main event, champion [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] and former champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] square off in a title rematch. Both fighters had a disclosed payday of $250,000 flat. The co-main event is a grand prix final. Light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov (on an $80,000 to show/$80,000 to win basis) and Corey Anderson ($250,000 flat) will collide with the winner making an additional $1 million.

The total payout or show money is $1.378 million. Check out the full list of payouts below. The story will be updated with exact disclosed payouts at the conclusion of the event.

Gadzhi Rabadanov scores nasty KO at Bellator 263; coach Khabib Nurmagomedov loads fallen fighter on stretcher

Khabib Nurmagomedov coached his fighter Gadzhi Rabadanov to a violent KO win – and then loaded the fallen opposition onto a backboard.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] showed the ultimate sign of respect to a fallen fighter following a scary knockout at Bellator 263.

During the Bellator 263 prelims Saturday at The Forum, promotional debutant [autotag]Gadzhi Rabadanov[/autotag] (16-4-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) scored a violent finish of opponent [autotag]Daniel Carey[/autotag] (7-5 MMA, 3-4 BMMA) at 3:57 of Round 1.

Bellator 263 took place Saturday at The Forum. The main card aired on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

The knockout was shocking and the follow-up shots were devastating. When referee Frank Trigg finally jumped in, Carey was in all sorts of trouble. As CSAC and Bellator officials scrambled to signal for a backboard and stretcher, Carey remained unconscious on the ground.

As the medical equipment was brought into the cage, Rabadanov’s head coach and former UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov walked over to the floored opposition and assisted medical professionals as they applied the neck-brace and loaded Carey onto the backboard.

After Carey was lifted from the ground, Nurmagomedov and Carey’s cornerman shared an embrace of respect in the cage, which was captured on video by MMA Junkie.

Bellator 263 live results include:

  • Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Daniel Carey via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:57
  • Khasan Magomedsharipov def. Jonathan Quiroz via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 4:21
  • Joshua Jones def. Johnny Cisneros via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 4:15
  • Georgi Karakhanyan def. Kiefer Crosbie via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 4:25
  • Brian Moore def. Jordan Winski via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

Bellator 263 salaries: Patricio Freire, A.J. McKee to pocket $1.4 million combined

The California State Athletic Commission released a full list of disclosed Bellator 263 fighter payouts to MMA Junkie ahead of the event.

LOS ANGELES – The Bellator 263 main event loser will take home a six-figure payday with the winner earning seven figures.

Bellator featherweight champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] is set to make $250,000 in disclosed show money while [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] will pocket $150,000 in disclosed show pay. The winner will be awarded an additional $1,000,000 – the prize that comes with winning the promotion’s 145-pound grand prix.

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

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Following the conclusion of Friday’s official weigh-ins at the host hotel, MMA Junkie acquired a list of disclosed payouts from the California State Athletic Commission. It is important to note the amounts do not include discretionary bonuses, viewership points or additional earnings.

The full list of Bellator 263 disclosed payouts (show/win) include:

MAIN CARD (10 p.m. E.T., Showtime)

  • Patricio Freire: ($250,000/$1,000,000) vs. A.J. McKee ($150,000/$1,000,000)
  • [autotag]Mads Burnell[/autotag] ($26,000/$26,000) vs. [autotag]Emmanuel Sanchez[/autotag] ($61,000/$61,000)
  • [autotag]Manny Muro[/autotag] ($26,000/$0) vs. [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] ($30,000/$30,000)
  • [autotag]Islam Mamedov[/autotag] ($10,000/$10,000) vs. [autotag]Brent Primus[/autotag] ($50,000/$0)
  • [autotag]Chris Gonzalez[/autotag] ($31,000/$31,000) vs. [autotag]Goiti Yamauchi[/autotag] ($32,000/$32,000)

PRELIMS (7 p.m. E.T., MMA Junkie)

  • [autotag]Ilara Joanne[/autotag] ($13,000/$13,000) vs. [autotag]Vanessa Porto[/autotag] ($15,000/$15,000)
  • [autotag]Daniel Carey[/autotag] ($10,000/$10,000) vs. [autotag]Gadzhi Rabadanov[/autotag] ($25,000/$25,000)
  • [autotag]Khasan Magomedsharipov[/autotag] ($25,000/$0) vs. [autotag]Jonathan Quiroz[/autotag] ($10,000/$10,000)
  • [autotag]Johnny Cisneros[/autotag] ($4,000/$4,000) vs. [autotag]Joshua Jones[/autotag] ($4,000/$4,000)
  • [autotag]Kiefer Crosbie[/autotag] ($50,000/$0) vs. [autotag]Georgi Karakhanyan[/autotag] ($70,000/$0)
  • [autotag]Brian Moore[/autotag] ($25,000/$25,000) vs. [autotag]Jordan Winski[/autotag] ($10,000/$10,000)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXNByfW9aZw

 

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:

Bellator 263 adds three fights including Brent Primus vs. Islam Mamedov, loses ranked bantamweight bout

Three fights have been added to the undercard of the Patricio Freire vs. A.J. McKee event July 31 in Los Angeles.

With less than two weeks before what some are calling the biggest fight in Bellator history, the promotion continues to add the finishing touches to its next event.

Bellator 263 takes place July 31 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

On Monday, promotion officials announced the addition of a main card fight between former Bellator lightweight champion [autotag]Brent Primus[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA) and Russian standout [autotag]Islam Mamedov[/autotag] (19-1-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA). The fight was first reported by TASS.

Additionally, a women’s flyweight bout between [autotag]Ilara Joanne[/autotag] (9-5 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) and Vanessa Porto (22-9 MMA, 0-1 BMMA), as well as a 150-pound contract-weight fight between [autotag]Daniel Carey[/autotag] (7-4 MMA, 3-3 BMMA) and [autotag]Gadzhi Rabadanov[/autotag] (15-4-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) has been added to the prelims.

A bantamweight bout between contenders [autotag]Magomed Magmedov[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) has been removed from the card, MMA Junkie confirmed with a Bellator official. No reason for the cancellation was given.

Primus, 36, has not competed since February 2020. He rides a two-fight winning streak into the bout with back-to-back first-round submissions over Tim Wilde and Chris Bungard. In 11 pro fights, Primus’ lone loss came via unanimous decision when he lost the title to Michael Chandler in December 2018.

Mamedov, 31, makes his promotional debut riding a 19-fight unbeaten streak. Regarded by some as one of the best lightweights in the world, Mamedov nine times for WSOF/PFL where he compiled an 8-0-1 record including wins over Natan Schulte and Thiago Tavares among others.

With the additions, the Bellator 263 lineup 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

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

  • Chris Gonzalez vs. Goiti Yamauchi
  • Ilara Joanne vs. Vanessa Porto
  • Daniel Carey vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov
  • Kiefer Crosbie vs. Georgi Karakanyan
  • Brian Moore vs. Jared Scoggins
  • Johnny Cisneros vs. Joshua Jones

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Bold statements: The 6 standout Bellator performances of 2020 so far

MMA Junkie’s Simon Head picks out six big statements made by Bellator fighters during the promotion’s curtailed 2020 event schedule.

With big-name signings, an ongoing $1 million tournament and growing excitement around the future of the promotion, 2020 looked set to be a big year for Bellator MMA. But the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic placed the sporting world – including Bellator – on an enforced hiatus as social distancing and quarantine measures were introduced in nations across the world.

It meant that Bellator’s event schedule hit the brakes after just three shows in 2020. But in those three events, we witnessed six fighters deliver contrasting, yet decisive, statements as they looked to further their respective careers inside the Bellator cage.

We take a look back at six big statements made inside the Bellator cage so far in 2020…

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Cris Cyborg ascends the throne

Bellator 238, Jan. 25, The Forum, Inglewood

Reports of [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag]’s demise following her UFC title defeat to Amanda Nunes were grossly exaggerated, and the Brazilian women’s MMA icon emphatically proved that fact on her Bellator debut as she overpowered long-reigning champion Julia Budd to capture the promotion’s women’s featherweight title at Bellator 238.

Cyborg (22-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) put the pedal to the metal from the first round and kept her foot flat on the floor as she pushed a relentless pace on the Canadian before eventually breaking down the champion in the championship rounds for a fourth-round TKO finish.

The victory put Cyborg’s name into the history books as the first fighter to win titles in four major MMA organizations, having captured titles in Strikeforce, Invicta FC, UFC, and now Bellator.

Now, with the Brazilian back on top, but with a much deeper pool of 145-pound contenders to defend against, the challenges should come thick and fast once Bellator restarts its event schedule.

Next up: Bellator’s “super prospect” bounces back with big KO

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5 burning questions heading into Bellator 238

MMA Junkie’s Simon Head looks ahead to Bellator 238 as the action returns to The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., will play host to the first big Bellator card of 2020 when the organization’s biggest signing in years gets set to make her eagerly anticipated debut.

Cris Cyborg’s title challenge against defending champion Julia Budd forms the headline act on a packed card of fights, with strong support provided by a fascinating clash in the Bellator featherweight grand prix. Throw a host of interesting matchups into the mix, including the return of Aaron Pico, and it all adds up to a solid card of fights on the West Coast.

Here are five burning questions ahead of fight night on Saturday:

Can “The Jewel” turn back the challenge of Cyborg?

Former UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta featherweight champion [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] has won almost everything there is to win in the sport of MMA. Now she gets the opportunity to add another belt to her growing trophy cabinet when she takes on Bellator’s 145-pound women’s champion, [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag].

Cyborg (21-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) lost her UFC featherweight title in spectacular fashion to Amanda Nunes, and her quest to get back to the top of the promotion ended somewhat acrimoniously. The Brazilian eventually left the UFC as a free agent. Scott Coker and Bellator wasted no time in snapping up Cyborg’s services, and the promoter who helped guide the Brazilian to the top of women’s MMA during their time with Strikeforce has offered her a shot at championship gold in her first fight for the promotion.

But to label this fight as simply a coronation exercise would be to disrespect the current champion. Budd (13-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) hasn’t lost since she was armbarred in only hour fourth professional fight by a young Ronda Rousey back in Strikeforce nine years ago. Since then, “The Jewel” has gone from strength to strength as she has risen the ranks to become Bellator’s reigning 145-pound queen. She won the title with a TKO finish, and two of her three title defenses to date have also ended in stoppages. A similar finish over Cyborg would cement her status as Bellator’s most dominant female fighter.

Cyborg is heading into the fight with a point to prove and a chip on her shoulder. She wants to show the world her loss to Nunes was a rare aberration, and will be looking to serve up the sort of dominant display we’ve seen from her countless times over the years.

But against Budd, she faces a prodigious athlete who is likely to be every bit as strong as she is. Budd is a live underdog against Cyborg, but then again,  so was Nunes at UFC 232 …

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‘Prospect Killer’ Daniel Carey baffled by Aaron Pico booking at Bellator 238

Considering Aaron Pico’s tough run of recent form, Daniel Carey can’t quite understand why they’d match Pico up with him.

LOS ANGELES – Hot on the heels of his last win, [autotag]Daniel Carey[/autotag] will return to action against another hot prospect. But this one might be the most highly-touted of them all.

Carey (7-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) faces [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] this Saturday at Bellator 238 and, considering his opponent’s tough run of recent form, he admitted he can’t quite understand why they’d match Pico (4-3 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) up with him.

Pico, a fighter that has been dubbed as a future champion, suffered back-to-back stoppage losses to Henry Corrales and Adam Borics, while Carey’s most recent outing saw him hand Peruvian prospect Gaston Bolanos only the second loss of his MMA career. Now Carey wonders how Pico will be able to deal with another defeat, as he plans on knocking him out on Saturday.

“Yeah I think they thrusted him in there a little too quick,” Carey told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “Threw him against some pretty tough opponents and then they made him pay for it and then why on earth they would give him me after two KO losses in a row? I have no idea because I’m going to KO him a third time and I don’t know how his brain is going to handle that. It’s going to be rough for him.”

With the story of the fight centered on Pico’s potential comeback story, Carey knows he’s being underestimated in this fight, but he has no problem playing spoiler once again.

“I think they’re overlooking me a little bit,” Carey said. “You keep throwing prospects at me, I keep knocking them down. You think I’d get a little bit more love, but I get it. It’s fine. I think I’m going to make my next t-shirt, it’s going to say ‘Prospect Killer’ all over it, especially after I KO this kid.”

Although he says he hasn’t had the credit he deserves for his displays, Carey says a decisive victory over Pico could change all that and potentially propel him towards the division’s big names.

“I wouldn’t mind being an alternate to that million-dollar tournament, or possibly fighting for a title,” Carey said. “I wouldn’t mind either one of those. They keep throwing these prospects, their next big up and coming guy, and I keep knocking them down, so why don’t you throw me the champ or the best guy in the tournament or whatnot?”

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Bellator 238 free fight: Relive Aaron Pico’s explosive finish of Leandro Higo

As Aaron Pico attempts to turn things back around, here’s a clip the will remind you just what he can do.

[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] looks to get back on track in his backyard on Jan. 25, when he meets [autotag]Daniel Carey[/autotag] in a featherweight bout.

The Southern California native has run into a couple speed bumps on the fast track to success. But he’s still just 23 years old, still has tremendous potential, and, having moved to Jackson Wink MMA, clearly still has the right attitude.

In case you forgot just what Pico (4-3 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) can do, Bellator has made one of his most impressive performances available for free online. In just his fifth pro fight, Pico put on a show for the fans at Bellator 206 in San Jose, Calif. Pico showed off his skills against a respected veteran in Leandro Higo, using elbows and punches to finish the job with a first-round TKO.

Bellator 238 takes place Saturday, Jan. 25 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

As the days count down to Pico’s return to the cage against Carey (7-3 MMA, 3-2 BMMA), check out Pico’s fight with Higo in the video linked above.

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