Tag: Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov

Corey Anderson unfazed that he didn’t draw marquee name: ‘All organizations have great fighters’

Corey Anderson may have drawn the least notable name in the Bellator light heavyweight grand prix, but his goal remains the same.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] may have drawn the least notable name in the current Bellator light heavyweight grand prix, but his goal remains the same.

In the opening round of the tournament, Anderson meets [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag] in the co-main event of Bellator 257 on Friday.

Yagshimuradov (18-5-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) is relatively unknown to even hardcore fans and certainly doesn’t have the name value of UFC veterans such as Anthony Johnson or Yoel Romero, who are also in th grand prix. But Anderson (14-5 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), who initially admitted he had to do a Google search of his opponent, knows that Yagshimuradov belongs and is in the tournament for a reason.

“All organizations have great fighters,” Anderson told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “Over at ACA where he was, he was a great fighter there, so now he gets to come showcase his skills here. I don’t think anybody in the world matches up with my skills. That’s just the way you’ve got to be when you step in the cage.

“We train to be the best. We don’t train to be mediocre. We don’t train to get by. You train to dominate everybody. Now, can he compete in the 205 division? Yes. Can he compete with me? I don’t believe so, and Friday I’m going to show you why.”

As he looks to progress in the Bellator grand prix, Anderson will look to mirror some of the success he had in the UFC, where he was a top-ranked light heavyweight contender. During his almost four-year tenure with the promotion, “The Ultimate Fighter 19” winner was able to score big wins over the likes of current UFC light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz and top contender Glover Teixeira.

So after notching a second-round finish of Melvin Manhoef in his Bellator debut, Anderson is looking to do more of the same against Yagshimuradov.

“Keys to victory for me is like it is in every fight,” Anderson said. “I was watching my UFC fights this morning, all the fights I won and dominated, it was always a simple gameplan. Nothing crazy, nothing fancy. Do me, keep the pressure, work the fakes, work the hands, work the kicks, work the takedowns. Use everything. Be a mixed martial artist. Don’t go out there, be a striker. Don’t go out there, be a wrestler. Put everything together, mix it up and that’s how you come away with the ‘W.'”

Bellator 257 takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

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Bellator 257 faceoff video highlights: Paul Daley and Sabah Homasi aren’t friends

Check out the Bellator 257 competitors’ ceremonial faceoffs.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Bellator makes its return Friday as does the promotion’s light heavyweight grand prix.

In the main event, the 205-pound title will be on the line when [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) in a rematch of their three-round fight in November 2018. The fight doubles as a grand prix quarterfinal, which is one of two tournament bouts atop the card.

In the co-main event, former UFC contender [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] (14-5 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) battles promotional newcomer [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag] (18-5-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).

The most heated faceoff occurred, however, between [autotag]Paul Daley[/autotag] (42-17-2 MMA, 8-4 BMMA) and [autotag]Sabah Homasi[/autotag] (15-8 MMA, 4-2 BMMA), who have engaged in a feud that dates back over a year. Though they’ve been booked multiple times against one another, the fight has never come to fruition. The rivalry stems from a past altercation in a hotel lobby that involved Homasi’s teammate Dustin Poirier.

Bellator 257 takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The entire card will be live and free on MMA Junkie.

Following Thursday’s official Bellator 257 weigh-ins, the athletes came face to face for some traditional pre-fight staredowns.

Check out the faceoffs below, including Nemkov vs. Davis 2, Anderson vs. Yagshimuradov, Daley vs. Homasi, Julia Budd vs. Dayana Silva, Raymond Daniels vs. Peter Stanonik 2, and more.

Bellator 257: Make your predictions for Vadim Nemkov vs. Phil Davis

We want your predictions for Bellator 257, featuring champ Vadim Nemkov vs. Phil Davis in a title fight and light heavyweight tourney bout.

We want your predictions for Friday’s Bellator 257 event in Connecticut.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Wednesdday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the Bellator 257 main card staff predictions we release Thursday ahead of the event. Bellator 257 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Make your picks for the fights below.

Bellator light heavyweight grand prix gets shakeup with bouts shifted

Folks will have to wait a little bit longer to see Anthony Johnson and Yoel Romero throw down in the cage.

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The Bellator light heavyweight grand prix received a shakeup Friday – but don’t worry: All four quarterfinal matchups are still on.

Bellator announced Friday that [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag] – originally scheduled for April 9 – has been moved back one week to Bellator 257 on April 16. In addition, the highly anticipated bout between former UFC title challengers [autotag]Anthony Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] also has been postponed – from April 16 to May 7 at Bellator 258.

No reason was given for the change in dates. Both grand prix bouts will serve as the co-main events of Bellator 257 and Bellator 258, which take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

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With the changes, below are the updated lineups for Bellator 256, 257 and 258:

Bellator 256

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

  • Ryan Bader vs. Lyoto Machida
  • Liz Carmouche vs. Vanessa Porto
  • Adam Borics vs. Jeremy Kennedy
  • Olivia Parker vs. Cat Zingano

PRELIMS (Bellator YouTube, MMA Junkie)

  • Tony Johnson vs. Dalton Rosta
  • Jessica Borga vs. Talita Nogueira
  • Cass Bell vs. Jornel Lugo
  • Nathan Ghareeb vs. Cody Law
  • Jaylon Bates vs. Jeffrey Glossner
  • Nainoa Dung vs. Izzy William
  • Diana Avsaragova vs. Tara Graff
  • John Douma vs. Will Smith

Bellator 257

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

  • Vadim Nemkov vs. Phil Davis
  • Corey Anderson vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov
  • Paul Daley vs. Sabah Homasi
  • Veta Arteaga vs. Desiree Yanez

PRELIMS (Bellator YouTube, MMA Junkie)

  • Aiden Lee vs. Aaron Pico
  • Lance Gibson Jr. vs. Marcus Surin
  • Grachik Bozinyan vs. Demarques Jackson
  • John DeJesus vs. Alfred Khashakyan

Belllator 258

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

  • Juan Archuleta vs. Sergio Pettis
  • Anthony Johnson vs. Yoel Romero
  • James Gallagher vs. Patchy Mix

PRELIMS (Bellator YouTube, MMA Junkie)

  • Josh Hill vs. Raufeon Stots
  • Weber Almeida vs. Johnny Soto
  • Johnny Eblen vs. Daniel Madrid
  • Henry Corrales vs. Keith Lee
  • Bryce Logan vs. Alan Omer

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‘King Mo’ Lawal breaks down Bellator’s light heavyweight grand prix quarterfinals

‘King Mo’ Lawal shares his thoughts on the quarterfinal matchups for Bellator’s light heavyweight grand prix.

[autotag]Muhammed Lawal[/autotag] is keeping a close eye to the upcoming Bellator light heavyweight grand prix.

The former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion likes what Bellator has put together for their 205-pound division this spring – an eight-man tournament where the light heavyweight title is being disputed throughout the entirety of the bracket.

Defending titleholder [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] hopes to solidify his status as champion, while [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag], [autotag]Anthony Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag], [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag], [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag], [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] and [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag] will attempt to dethrone the champion and leave the grand prix reining over the division.

Lawal, who’s got plenty of experience in MMA tournaments, having won the Rizin FF heavyweight grand prix in 2015 and competed in the Bellator heavyweight grand prix in 2018, is excited to see this upcoming tournament unfold. And although he feels Nemkov might retain his title through the entirety of tournament, “King Mo” admits the grand prix is as competitive as they come.

Speaking with MMA Junkie Radio, Lawal shared his thoughts the upcoming Bellator light heavyweight grand prix.

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Video: Would Anthony Johnson winning grand prix be Bellator’s best-case scenario?

It will have been four years since Anthony Johnson last fought and yet, he’s still viewed as being as dangerous as they come.

When Bellator returns to action in April, it’s suffice to say the promotion is giving fans what it wants: a light heavyweight grand prix stacked with big names.

The 205-pound tournament will kick off April 9 at Bellator 256 with two quarterfinal matchups: [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag], and [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag]. The other side of the bracket will play out the following week at Bellator 257, with champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] defending his title in a rematch with [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag], and the matchup everyone can hardly wait to see – [autotag]Anthony Johnson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag].

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When assessing the tournament, who do you think emerges as the winner? And what would be the best outcome for Bellator? The “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura weighed in during this week’s episode – and guess what? “Rumble” was a popular choice coming off a four-year layoff.

Check out their discussion in the video above. The full episode can be seen below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XGCNIm5yPM

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After Google search, Corey Anderson knows he has tough test vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov

Corey Anderson may not have drawn the biggest name in the Bellator grand prix, but that doesn’t mean he’s taking him lightly.

[autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] may not have drawn the most recognizable name in the next Bellator tournamennt, but that doesn’t mean he’s taking him lightly.

Anderson (14-5 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) will take on [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag] in the quarterfinals of the light heavyweight grand prix at Bellator 256, which takes place April 9 in Uncasville, Conn. The card airs on Showtime.

The Turkmenistan-born fighter doesn’t have the same notoriety as fellow grand prix competitors Yoel Romero or Anthony Johnson, but he boasts an eight-fight winning streak, with six coming by way of finish.

After doing his research, Anderson said he knows he’s in for a tough outing against Yagshimuradov (18-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).

“I definitely had to do a quick Google,” Anderson told reporters at a media availability following Bellator’s Tuesday news conference. “First of all, I had to make sure my manager spelled his name right because I thought he was butt dialing and sending a bunch of random letters, and when I put it in (Google) it actually came up. I’m like, ‘Wait. This is a person’s name.’ After doing my research, I’m like, ‘I can’t look past this guy because I didn’t know him.’

“This guy actually has a pretty good style, he has a pretty good record and he’s well-known from where he’s from. I did my research. He’s a big name over where he’s from, and just because we didn’t know him, (that) doesn’t mean anything. So I’m not looking past anybody.”

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Since joining the Bellator roster in August, Anderson has already put the division on notice with a second-round finish of Melvin Manhoef at Bellator 251. His accolades – which include wins in the UFC over top contender Glover Teixeira, rising prospect Johnny Walker and light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz – could have resulted in a direct shot at Bellator champion Vadim Nemkov, but Anderson has no problem climbing his way to a title fight.

“You’re always hoping for a title shot,” Anderson said. “That’s what we’re all here for. If you’re not here to be the best, then why are you even here? If you’re here for a check, you should have left a long time ago because that’s when injuries happen. I’m here to be the best – I’m here to get the belt.”

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Bellator announces 8-man light heavyweight grand prix featuring ‘Rumble’ vs. Romero

Anthony Johnson and Yoel Romero will collide right off the bat with high stakes in Bellator’s latest grand prix.

Bellator on Tuesday announced that its next grand prix will be at light heavyweight, and it features a dream matchup right out of the gate.

The tournament is set to get underway April 9 at Bellator 256 with the first two quarterfinal matchups: [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag] and [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] vs. promotional newcomer [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag]. The other two quarterfinal matchups are scheduled for April 16 at Bellator 257, with champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] defending his title against [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Anthony Johnson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag].

All four fights on both events will take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and air on Showtime.

Courtesy of Bellator

Like previous Bellator tournaments, the title will be on the line in each round leading up to the final.

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The fight between Bader (27-6 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) and Machida (26-10 MMA, 2-2 BMMA) is a rematch from 2012, when Bader knocked out Machida at UFC on FOX 4. For heavyweight champion Bader, 37, the grand prix marks the start of his quest to reclaim the 205-pound title he lost to Nemkov last August. Machida, 42, a former UFC light heavyweight champ, is looking to snap a two-fight losing streak.

Anderson (14-5 MMA, 1-0 BMMA), 31, signed with Bellator last year after a lengthy run in the UFC. He made a successful promotional debut last November when he finished Melvin Manhoef in the second round at Bellator 251. Yagshimuradov (18-5-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), 31, fights out of Ukraine and will make his promotional debut riding an eight-fight winning streak after most recently competing in the ACA and ACB promotions.

For his first title defense, Nemkov (12-2 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) draws Davis (22-5 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) in a rematch. Their November 2018 bout ended with Nemkov, 28, winning by split decision. Since then, Davis, 36, has reeled off three consecutive wins to earn a shot at claiming the belt for a second.

Ever since Johnson (22-6 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and Romero (13-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) signed with Bellator late last year, fans have salivated at the possibility of a matchup between the two heavy hitters who have competed for UFC titles. Johnson, 36, is making his return to the cage for the first time since announcing his retirement after a loss to Daniel Cormier in April 2017. Romero, 43, has spent the past eight years competing at middleweight and will look to snap a three-fight losing streak as he moves up a division.

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Bellator signs ACA light heavyweight champion Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov

While it might not make quite the waves of some of the promotion’s other recent signings, Bellator has inked another notable light heavyweight.

While it might not make quite the waves of some of the promotion’s other recent signings, Bellator has inked another notable light heavyweight.

MMA Junkie today learned that Bellator has added Absolute Championship Akhmat light heavyweight champion [autotag]Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov[/autotag] to its 205-pound roster. Promotion officials confirmed the exclusive, multi-fight deal, though terms of the contract were not provided.

A Turkmenistan native, Yagshimuradov (18-5-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) brings an eight-fight winning streak with him to Bellator. Fighting professionally since 2012, Yagshimuradov saw action most recently in December 2019, scoring a five-round decision win over Alexey Butorin for his second consecutive defense of the ACA title.

The 31-year-old is a proven finisher, with 15 of his career wins coming by stoppage, including 11 by knockout. Ten of his wins have come in the first round, including a 74-second knockout of four-time UFC veteran Joachim Christensen in 2017.

Yagshimuradov joins a division currently ruled by Russian champion Vadim Nemkov that recently added such high-profile names as Yoel Romero and Anthony Johnson. Bellator officials did not reveal when he is expected to make his promotional debut.