Tag: Daniel Weichel

Bellator 288 fight card announced: 13 bouts official for Chicago

Thirteen bouts including two title fights are set for Bellator’s return to Chicago.

Bellator’s long-awaited return to Chicago this fall now has 13 official fights on the docket.

Bellator 288 is set for Nov. 18 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago with the main card airing on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie. The card is headlined by two title fights including the light heavyweight grand prix final rematch between champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) and challenger [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 3-0 BMMA).

Their first meeting at Bellator 277 in April ended in a “no contest” after an unintentional clash of heads on the ground caused a fight-ending laceration on Nemkov’s face.

In the co-main event, lightweight champion [autotag]Patricky Freire[/autotag] (24-10 MMA, 15-8 BMMA) will attempt to defend the title for the first time against undefeated challenger [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (15-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA).

Rounding out the main card is [autotag]Akhmed Magomedov[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Daniel Weichel[/autotag] (42-13 MMA, 11-5 BMMA) at featherweight, [autotag]Tyrell Fortune[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 12-2 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (13-6-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) at heavyweight and [autotag]Levan Chokheli[/autotag] (10-2 MMA, 1-2 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Roman Faraldo[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA).

With the addition, the Bellator 288 lineup includes:

  • Champion Vadnim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson – grand prix final for light heavyweight title
  • Champion Patricky Freire vs. Usman Nurmagomedov – for lightweight title
  • Akhmed Magomedov vs. Daniel Weichel
  • Tyrell Fortune vs. Daniel James
  • Levan Chokheli vs. Roman Faraldo
  • Khasan Askhabov vs. Otto Rodrigues
  • Lucas Brennan vs. Nick Talavera
  • Imamshafi Aliev vs. Sean Fallon
  • Archie Colgan vs. Jesse Hannam
  • Jaylon Bates vs. Jornel Lugo
  • Jordan Newman vs. Jayden Taulker
  • Isaiah Hokit vs. Matias Nader
  • Vlad Gouvea vs. Kory Moegenburg

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Bellator 281: Best photos from London

Check out these photos from Bellator 281 which took place at SSE Arena in London.

Check out these photos from Bellator 281 which took place at SEE Arena in London. (Photos courtesy of Bellator MMA)

Bellator 281 pre-event facts: MVP interim title win could come with marquee record

Bellator makes its return to England on Friday with Bellator 281, which takes place at OVO Arena Wembley in London with a main card that airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie. With reigning Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov unavailable to …

Bellator makes its return to England on Friday with Bellator 281, which takes place at OVO Arena Wembley in London with a main card that airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

With reigning Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov unavailable to compete due to to the war in his native Ukraine, an interim welterweight champion will be crowned in the main event. English striking sensation [autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] (20-1 MMA, 20-1 BMMA) will attempt to claim gold on his home soil when he takes on former collegiate wresting standout [autotag]Logan Storley[/autotag] (13-1 MMA, 8-1 BMMA).

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about Bellator 281.

Bellator 270 results: Pedro Carvalho outlasts Daniel Weichel to win hard-fought decision

Pedro Carvalho had to dig deep to get back in the win column at Bellator 270.

[autotag]Pedro Carvalho[/autotag] sure had to dig deep to get back in the win column.

The former Bellator title challenger earned a unanimous decision against veteran [autotag]Daniel Weichel[/autotag] in their featherweight contest that took place on the main card of Bellator 270. Carvalho (11-5 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) defeated Weichel (41-12 MMA, 10-4 BMMA) 29-28 across all three judges’ scorecards.

Bellator 270 went down on Friday at the 3Arena in Dublin. The main card streamed on Showtime following prelims on YouTube.

It was a fun fight where both fighters tested each other.

In the first round, Weichel got the best of Carvalho. He was able to press the action, pin and control Carvalho against the cage. He also got a takedown and eventually secured the back mount. Carvalho escaped and eventually got to his feet, but he was dropped by a right hand shortly after. Carvalho did a good job at surviving and even reversed the position to end the round on top.

In Round 2, things looked to be rough for Carvalho. He was dropped once again and controlled on the ground for a good amount of the round. However, halfway through the round, Carvalho wobbled Weichel and had him in survival mode. Carvalho pressured Weichel and kept connecting flush until the bell.

Carvalho, the SBG Ireland product, kept the momentum going in the third. He pressured Weichel and connected often. Weichel seemed hurt but also fatigued from the high pace. Carvalho definitely got the better of the exchanges. Weichel hung in there and looked to grapple but was unable to get meaningful offense going.

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With the victory in hand, Carvalho snapped a two-fight losing streak. The Portuguese fighter was coming off defeats to then-champion Patricio Pitbull and prospect Jay Jay Wilson.

Meanwhile, Weichel is now 2-2 in his past four outings. “Drake” had a split decision win over Keoni Diggs in his previous performance back in June at Bellator 261.

Official Bellator 270 results include:

  • Peter Queally vs. Patricky Freire – for vacant lightweight title
  • James Gallagher vs. Patchy Mix
  • Pedro Carvalho def. Daniel Weichel via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Ilias Bulaid def. Georges Sasu via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
  • Ciaran Clarke def. Jordan Barton via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 4:11
  • Daniele Scatizzi def. Brian Hooi via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Lee Chadwick def. Arunas Andriuskevicus via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Gokhan Saricam def. Charlie Milner via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:15
  • Nicolo Solli def. Bobby Pallett via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Danni Neilan def. Audrey Kerouche via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 3:58
  • Yusuf Nazokatov def. Stephen Costello via submission (heel hook) – Round 2, 2:24

Bellator 261 faceoff video highlights: Co-main event staring contest nearly doesn’t end

Check out the ceremonial weigh-in faceoffs ahead of Bellator 261 at Mohegan Sun.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Bellator makes its return Friday, and the promotion is implementing an interim heavyweight title.

Bellator 261 takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena with the main card airing on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie. Atop the bill are top heavyweight contenders [autotag]Tim Johnson[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) and [autotag]Valentin Moldavsky[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA). They will compete for the interim strap in the absence of undisputed champion Ryan Bader, who is partaking in the promotion’s light heavyweight grand prix.

The co-main event features a women’s flyweight fight. Former UFC title challenger [autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) faces [autotag]Kana Watanabe[/autotag] (10-0-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA).

Following Thursday’s official Bellator 261 weigh-ins, the athletes came face to face for some traditional pre-fight staredowns.

Check out the faceoffs below, including Johnson vs. Moldavsky, Carmouche vs. Watanabe, [autotag]Keoni Diggs[/autotag] vs. [autotag] Daniel Weichel[/autotag], [autotag]Myles Jury[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Sidney Outlaw[/autotag], and [autotag]Simon Biyong[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Christian Edwards[/autotag].

Bellator 261 pre-event facts: The first interim title fight in heavyweight history

Check out all the facts and figures about Bellator 261, which takes place Friday with a Timothy Johnson vs. Valentin Moldavsky main event.

Bellator returns on Friday with Bellator 261 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., with a main card that airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

A historic fight is featured in the main event. With heavyweight champion Ryan Bader tied up with the promotion’s light heavyweight grand prix, the company will implement an interim title for the first time at heavyweight.

[autotag]Timothy Johnson[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) and [autotag]Valentin Moldavsky[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) will clash for that belt, with the winner set up to unify with Bader when he becomes available.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 10 pre-event facts about Bellator 261.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (May 17-23)

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 May 17-23.

Bellator 261 adds Daniel Weichel vs. Keoni Diggs to lineup

Two of Bellator’s top lightweight contenders will square off this June.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Two of Bellator’s top lightweight contenders will square off this June.

At Bellator 261, former Bellator featherweight title challenger [autotag]Daniel Weichel[/autotag] will square off with surging Hawaiian up-and-comer [autotag]Keoni Diggs[/autotag]. The event takes place Saturday, June 25 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

Bellator officials confirmed the matchup Tuesday after an initial report by Fansided.

Weichel (40-12 MMA, 9-4 BMMA) looks to rebound from a November unanimous decision loss to Emmanuel Sanchez in the Bellator featherweight grand prix semifinal. The defeat was Weichel’s third in four fights. His lone loss in the stretch was a unanimous decision over Saul Rogers in the opening round of the tournament.

Diggs (9-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), meanwhile, has not competed since September. He was scheduled to fight Mandel Nallo at Bellator 255 in April but withdrew for unknown reasons. In his nine professional fights, Diggs has accumulated seven finishes, with six submissions and one TKO.

Bellator 261 is currently headlined by an interim heavyweight title fight between former UFC fighter Tim Johnson (15-6 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) and Fedor Emelianenko underling Valentin Moldavsky (10-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA).

With the addition, the Bellator 261 lineup includes:

  • Tim Johnson vs. Valentin Moldavsky – for the interim heavyweight title
  • Keoni Diggs vs. Daniel Weichel
  • Kyra Batara vs. Lena Ovchynnikova
  • Isaiah Hokit vs. Aaron Hughes
  • Myles Jury vs. Sidney Outlaw

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Bellator 252 results: Emmanuel Sanchez outpoints Daniel Weichel, advances in grand prix

With his win, Emmanuel Sanchez earned both a semifinal spot and featherweight title shot.

[autotag]Emmanuel Sanchez[/autotag] has earned a spot in the Bellator featherweight grand prix semifinals and a title shot to go with it.

Sanchez outpointed [autotag]Daniel Weichel[/autotag] in a terrific scrap during the main card opener of Bellator 252 on Thursday night, earning scores of 48-46, 49-46, 49-45 for a unanimous decision at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

The opening round set the tone. Sanchez (20-4 MMA, 12-3 BMMA) was active from the jump, keeping Weichel (40-12 MMA, 9-4 BMMA) guessing with a wide variety of strikes, from shots to the head and body to spinning kicks. Weichel, while throwing with less volume, landed the hardest shots of the round, connecting on counters whenever Sanchez got a little sloppy, including a crisp right hand which rocked Sanchez backwards.

The second round was all Sanchez as he pushed a frenetic pace, always moving forward and landing from all angles. A mix of elbows and brutal body shots dropped Weichel to the mat. Sanchez did his best to finish the fight on the ground, but Weichel’s toughness saved the day as he rode out the storm and finally got back to his feet.

Things slowed a bit in the third as Weichel had taken a beating and Sanchez expended a lot of energy in the previous round. Sanchez’s repeated leg kicks, with an occasional head kick to keep things honest, were the most significant exchanges of the round.

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In the fourth, Weichel landed a solid right hand and grabbed Sanchez from behind, but wasn’t quite able to get him to the mat. Sanchez escaped and resumed his volume striking, opening a cut over Weichel’s right eye.

The final round was a mere matter of maintenance for Sanchez, who was well ahead on the cards, and he fought a disciplined round and never gave Weichel an opening to steal the fight.

The bout was a quarterfinal round matchup in the tournament, which paused for an eight-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. He is also slotted to face the winner of the evening’s main event, a title fight between champion Patricio Freire and challenger Pedro Carvalho, in the semifinals.

“I’m just loving what I do and doing what I love,” Sanchez said. “Life is good.”

The win was the third in a row and seventh in the last eight fights for Sanchez, who defeated Tywan Claxton in the opening round in September 2019. It also avenged a split decision loss to Weichel at Bellator 159 more than four years ago.

Weichel, who defeated Saul Rogers in the opening round, has dropped three of his past four bouts.

The featherweight tournament quarterfinal bout was part of the Bellator 252 main card at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. It aired on CBS Sports Network/DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 252 results:

  • Emmanuel Sanchez def. Daniel Weichel via unanimous decision (48-46, 49-46, 49-45) — featherweight grand prix quarterfinal
  • Aaron Pico def. John DeJesus via knockout (punch) — Round 2, 4:14
  • Keri Melendez def. Emilee King via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 1, 3:03
  • Manny Muro def. Devin Powell via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Jornel Lugo def. Schyler Sootho via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Lucas Brennan def. Andrew Salas via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
  • Roman Faraldo def. Pat Casey via knockout (flying knee) – Round 2, 2:30
  • Trevor Gudde def. Khonry Gracie via TKO (knee, strikes) – Round 3, 3:28

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Bellator 252 predictions: Will Pedro Carvalho dethrone Patricio Freire?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator 252 main card, featuring Patricio “Pitbull” Freire vs. Pedro Carvalho.

Freire
vs.
Carvalho		 Sanchez
vs.
Weichel		 Amosov
vs.
Storley
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2020: 138-84		 freire2020
Freire
(65%)		 sanchez2020
Sanchez
(73%)		 amasov2020
Amosov
(73%)
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2020: 151-71		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 amasov2020
Amosov
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2020: 148-74		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 amasov2020
Amosov
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2020: 148-74		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 amasov2020
Amosov
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2020: 146-76		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 amasov2020
Amosov
Simon Head
@simonhead
2020: 144-78
trophy copy 2019 Champion*		 freire2020
Freire		 weichel2020
Weichel		 amasov2020
Amosov
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2020: 143-79
trophy copy 2014 Champion		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 amasov2020
Amosov
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2020: 143-79		 freire2020
Freire		 weichel2020
Weichel		 amasov2020
Amosov
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2020: 141-81		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 storley2020
Storley
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2020: 141-81
trophy copy 2017 Champion		 freire2020
Freire		 weichel2020
Weichel		 amasov2020
Amosov
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2020: 138-84
trophy copy 2018 Champion		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 amasov2020
Amosov
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2020: 138-84		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 amasov2020
Amosov
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2020: 137-85		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 amasov2020
Amosov
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2020: 134-88		 freire2020
Freire		 sanchez2020
Sanchez		 amasov2020
Amosov
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2020: 85-137		 carvalho2020
Carvalho		 weichel2020
Weichel		 storley2020
Storley

Bellator is back in Connecticut this week with the long-awaited continuation of its featherweight tournament.

Bellator 252 takes place Thursday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on CBS Sports Network and streams on DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, lightweight and featherweight champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (30-4 MMA, 18-4 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Pedro Carvalho[/autotag] (11-3 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in the quarterfinals of the featherweight tournament with Freire’s 145-pound title on the line. Freire is a heavy favorite, and all but one of our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts are picking him to win.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Emmanuel Sanchez[/autotag] (19-4 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) meets [autotag]Daniel Weichel[/autotag] (40-11 MMA, 9-3 BMMA) in another tournament quarterfinal fight. The favored Sanchez is the pick of 10 of our 14 staff members.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Yaroslav Amosov[/autotag] (24-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) fights [autotag]Logan Storley[/autotag] (11-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) in a matchup of unbeaten welterweights. Amosov has a big 12-2 leadd in the picks.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Freire (65 percent), Sanchez (73 percent) and Amosov (73 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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