Tag: Denise Kielholtz

2024 PFL 1 lineup gets makeover after two withdrawals, one fight scrapped, one fight added

The 2024 PFL 1 lineup looks quite different after a host of changes.

The 2024 PFL 1 lineup looks quite different today than it did yesterday.

On Tuesday, the promotion announced that [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] and [autotag]Denise Kielholtz[/autotag] have withdrawn from their regular season matchups. Reasons for their removals were not given.

2024 PFL 1 (ESPN2, ESPN+) takes place April 4 at Boeing Center in San Antonio.

In place of Cappelozza, former WSOF champion and UFC veteran [autotag]Blagoy Ivanov[/autotag] will step in to meet Sergey Bilostenniy in the heavyweight division. Bellator veteran [autotag]llara Joanne[/autotag] is replacing Kielholtz and will fight former UFC title challenger Taila Santos in a women’s flyweight bout.

In addition to the two withdrawals, PFL also announced that [autotag]Kaytlin Neal[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Vega Arteaga[/autotag] is off the card, while a new matchup of [autotag]Ty Johnson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Bryce Meredith[/autotag] has been added.

With the changes, here is the 2024 PFL 1 lineup:

MAIN CARD (ESPN 2, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Ante Delija vs. Valentin Moldavsky
  • Denis Goltsov vs. Linton Vassell
  • Liz Carmouche vs. Juliana Velasquez
  • Tyrell Fortune vs. Daniel James

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Dakota Ditcheva vs. Lisa Mauldin
  • Blagoy Ivanov vs. Sergey Bilostennyi
  • Taila Santos vs. Ilara Joanne
  • Steve Mowry vs. Oleg Popov
  • Kana Watanabe vs. Shanna Young
  • Chelsea Hackett vs. Jena Bishop
  • Lucas Brennan vs. Dimitre Ivy
  • Tyson Johnson vs. Bryce Meredith

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Bellator 301 winner Denise Kielholtz reflects on how MMA put her in ‘dark place’, then pulled her out

Bellator brought Denise Kielholtz over from kickboxing into MMA full-force, so she considers the promotion part of her identity.

CHICAGO – [autotag]Denise Kielholtz[/autotag] already was a successful kickboxer when she took home gold for Bellator Kickboxing in 2016.

Now seven years later as a crossover combat sports athlete, Kielholz (8-5 MMA, 8-4 BMMA) reflected on her transition into mixed martial arts, thanks to a promotion which soon may no longer exist.

“Exactly this weekend, six years ago, I fought my very first Bellator MMA fight,” Kielholtz told MMA Junkie and other reporters after her Bellator 301 win Friday at Wintrust Arena. “I was already the Bellator Kickboxing champ. Six years ago, I fought my first MMA fight and I won. Now, I’m six years further. I’m fighting on this card in Chicago and I feel like everything tonight is history. For me, it’s just a pleasure to be in it and be on this card. I’m thankful for everything Bellator has done for me. Now I don’t think about anything further than Bellator because Bellator is really in my heart.”

Kielholtz, 34, had a fairly seamless transition into MMA as she won six of her first eight bouts en route to a title challenge vs. Juliana Velasquez in July 2021. The bout served as the Bellator 262 headliner. Kielholtz lost via controversial split decision.

Many viewers and even Bellator CEO Scott Coker disagreed with the decision. Kielholtz struggled with the loss – and the two defeats that followed.

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Looking back, Kielholtz admits the first three-fight losing skid of her career put her in a “dark place.” Kielholtz did a deep-dive into self-exploration in order to enter the win column again – and come out a better person.

“MMA is so tough,” Kielholtz said. “I respect everyone who’s been on this stage and fighting there also. I’ve been on a rollercoaster. It’s been really good things. I fought for the title. Then, after that, I was in a really dark place because I lost a couple of fights. Then, I came back. I fall and then I came back. That lesson that MMA has taught me is making me a better person for the future in my whole life.

“I’m forever thankful for MMA that it brought to me this experience. I really fell really hard and I was in a really dark place. I came out and today with my second win, also with my new coach. I’m just looking very brightful [sic] for the future.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 301.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (April 10-16)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported 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 April 10-16

Bellator 289 post-event facts: Underdogs shine on final card of 2022

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 289, which took place Friday and saw a number of significant betting upsets.

Bellator put on its 17th and final event of the year on Friday with Bellator 289, which took place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

Two champions defended their titles at the top of the card. In the main event, [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] (19-1 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) edged [autotag]Danny Sabatello[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) by split decision in their grudge match to defend interim bantamweight gold and advance to the finals of the promotion’s grand prix.

The co-headliner saw [autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag] (18-7 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) earn a second consecutive win over [autotag]Juliana Velasquez[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 7-2 BMMA), this time without controversy as she scored a second-round submission to defend women’s flyweight gold.

For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from Bellator 289.

Bellator 289: Best photos from Connecticut

Check out these photos from the fights at Bellator 289 in Uncasville, Conn.

Check out these photos from the fights at Bellator 289, headlined by an interim bantamweight title and grand prix semifinal bout between Raufeon Stots and Danny Sabatello. (Photos courtesy of Lucas Noonan, Bellator MMA)

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Nov. 21-27)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported 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 Nov. 21-27.

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)

Denise Kielholtz: Juliana Velasquez has herself to blame for title loss against Liz Carmouche

Denise Kielholtz thinks Juliana Velasquez needs to hold herself accountable for losing her title.

LONDON – [autotag]Denise Kielholtz[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Juliana Velasquez[/autotag] needs to hold herself accountable for losing her title.

Velasquez (12-1 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) lost her flyweight title to Liz Carmouche at Bellator 278 when she was stopped in the fourth round of their main event bout in Honolulu in April.

Carmouche was able to get Velasquez down and move to the crucifix position and unloaded short punches to her head. Velasquez found herself stuck, and as a result, referee Mike Beltran jumped in and stopped the fight – a decision Velasquez and her team immediately protested. But Kielholtz thinks the referee made the right call and Velasquez just has to accept it.

“I think the referee is so experienced, and in that moment he feels like that,” Kielholtz told MMA Junkie on Wednesday at Bellator 281 media day. “And if I have to be honest, as a champion, you have to fight like a champion, act like a champion, and she showed that night that she is not a champion – and that’s why her belt is gone. The referee, he sees to protect us in the cage and at that moment he feels like that. So I think the referee did a good job, and after that you can’t complain and say it’s the referee’s fault – but the only fault that you lost is yourself.”

Kielholtz (6-3 MMA, 6-2 BMMA) is coming off a controversial split decision loss to Velasquez. Although she thinks she won the fight, she put the blame on herself and vows to get back into the title picture after she meets Kana Watanabe (10-1-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) on Friday on the Bellator 281 main card at OVO Arena Wembley in London.

“It’s also the thing I saw for myself,” Kielholtz said. “The only thing I can blame is myself. (I have to) go back to work and come back stronger. So (I) wish her all the best, and for sure we will meet.”

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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.

Juliana Velasquez doesn’t see need for Denise Kielholtz rematch, eyes two potential options for next fight

Juliana Velasquez wants a rematch – but just not one against Denise Kielholtz.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – When the main event’s official decision was read inside the cage at Bellator 262, it wasn’t the first time [autotag]Juliana Velasquez[/autotag] was booed in her career.

Unfazed by the opinions of those in the seats, Velasquez (12-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) is confident the judges got it right when she won a split decision over kickboxer-turned-MMA-fighter [autotag]Denise Kielholtz[/autotag].

“In the first round, she was coming strong,” Velasquez told MMA Junkie at a post-fight news conference. “She was able to get close and to hit me but I was circling away. Many of those shots were missing. I saw that it was a close round, but as the fight went on, I was able to find my groove a little bit more. I was able to stop her in her tracks.

“I think that I was being much more effective starting from the third round. I was very confident when they were going to announce the decision. I think three rounds of that were mine.”

After the fight, Kielholtz (6-3 MMA, 6-2 BMMA) expressed her disappointment in the decision and called for a rematch. The champion doesn’t see the need for a second meeting, however – or at least not a one against Kielholtz.

“If I was going to rematch someone I think deserved it, it would be Ilima-Lei (Macfarlane),” Velasquez told MMA Junkie. “She had many title defenses. After this fight, I’ll just move forward. … I think that the fight that makes sense the most will be fighting Ilima-Lei again or Liz Carmouche. Those are the fight that I would like to (be next).”

Recovering from knee surgery, Macfarlane (11-1 MMA, 10-1 BMMA) has not competed since she lost the title to Velasquez via unanimous decision in December. As for Carmouche (16-7 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), she is undefeated in the promotion and most recently defeated Kana Watanabe via 35-second TKO.

Bellator 262 took place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena. The airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

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