Tag: Fedor Emelianenko

Video: Bellator 290 pre-fight press conference live stream

Check out a live video stream of the Bellator 290 pre-fight news conference in Los Angeles with headliners Ryan Bader and Fedor Emelianenko.

The Bellator 290 pre-fight press news conference takes place Wednesday, and you can watch a live stream of the event right here starting at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT).

Attending the event at the host hotel in Los Angeles will be heavyweight champion [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] and [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag], who will rematch each other in what will serve as the headliner and Emelianenko’s retirement fight, as well as middleweight champion [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] and [autotag]Anatoly Tokov[/autotag], who square off in the co-main event. Bellator president Scott Coker also is expected to be on hand.

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Bellator 290 takes place Saturday at The Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., with a three-fight main card that airs on CBS following prelims streamed on MMA Junkie.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 290.

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Bellator 290 breakdown: Does Fedor Emelianenko have enough left to go out on top in Ryan Bader rematch?

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the main event of Bellator 290, a heavyweight title rematch between Ryan Bader and Fedor Emelianenko.

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for Bellator 290.

Bellator 290 takes place Saturday at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main card airs on CBS following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Bellator 290 pre-event facts: Fedor Emelianenko can make history in final fight

Check out the numbers behind Bellator 290, where Fedor Emelianenko has a chance to set records in his retirement fight.

Bellator kicks off its 2023 schedule on Saturday with a landmark event in company history. Bellator 290, which takes place at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., marks the company’s main card network debut on CBS, which follows prelims streamed on MMA Junkie.

A championship doubleheader is set to headline the card. In the main event, [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] (30-7 MMA, 8-2 BMMA) will put his heavyweight title fight against MMA legend [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] (40-6 MMA, 4-2 BMMA), who is set to retire from MMA competition. The pair previously met at Bellator 214 in January 2019, with Bader scoring a 35-second TKO victory.

The co-headliner of the card, meanwhile, will see middleweight champion [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) attempt to make his first title defense when he welcomes challenger [autotag]Anatoly Tokov[/autotag] (31-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA), who has lost just once over the past 11 years.

For more on the numbers behind the event, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for Bellator 290.

Spinning Back Clique: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 official, Conor McGregor makes multiple headlines, more

This week’s live stream of “Spinning Back Clique” reacts to Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 and Burns vs. Masvidal at UFC 287, Conor McGregor potentially coaching “TUF” again and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura and Farah Hannoun will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

  • UFC 287: Gilbert Burns vs. [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag]: With the matchup of former welterweight title challengers booked for the co-main event on April 8, what does this fight means and what are the stakes? Is it a “must-win situation” for Masvidal, as UFC analyst Daniel Cormier stated?
  • UFC 287: [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] 2: The middleweight title rematch is set for the headliner on April 8, and it’s a big one. With Pereira holding a 3-0 record between kickboxing and MMA, how much pressure is Adesanya facing in the next bout, and what would a loss mean for his career?
  • [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] makes headlines for multiple reasons: The former two-division UFC champ was caught up in another controversy with a woman accusing him of an alleged attack in Ibiza this past summer; McGregor was also hit from behind by a vehicle while riding his bicycle in Ireland; and finally, McGregor revealed he’s been offered a coaching spot on “The Ultimate Fighter 31.”
  • [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] says farewell at Bellator 290: The main event of the first Bellator card this year will see former PRIDE champ Emelianenko challenge Ryan Bader for the heavyweight title in his retirement bout. Can he make a fairytale end to his career come true?
  • [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] ends retirement and is released by UFC: The former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion was granted his release from the company and is surveying a number of options from PFL to Bellator to ONE Championship, and perhaps even a boxing match.

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Monday LIVE on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel. You can watch this week’s episode in the video above.

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Bellator 290 main card set for CBS debut; Lorenz Larkin and more added to prelims

Fourteen fights are on tap for Bellator 290 at The Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., with Fedor Emelianenko vs. Ryan Bader atop the card.

Bellator MMA kicks off its 2023 schedule in a big way with its first fights ever to air on CBS.

Bellator 290 takes place Feb. 4 at The Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The main airs on CBS after prelims on MMA Junkie.

The three-fight main card features three fights already announced, including two title bouts. In the main event, Bellator heavyweight champion [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] (30-7 MMA, 8-2 BMMA) defends his title against all-time great [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] (40-6 MMA, 4-2 BMMA). The bout is pegged as Emelianenko’s final.

The co-main event features middleweight champion [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] (12-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) as he battles Emelianenko’s training partner [autotag]Anatoly Tokov[/autotag] (31-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA). A welterweight bout between all-time Bellator finishers [autotag]Sabah Homasi[/autotag] (17-10 MMA, 6-4 BMMA) and [autotag]Brennan Ward[/autotag] (16-6 MMA, 12-6 BMMA) will be the inaugural Bellator bout on CBS.

New preliminary card additions announced by the promotion Friday included a rematch between [autotag]Mukhamed Berkhamov[/autotag] (14-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag] (24-7 MMA, 6-2 BMMA), a heavyweight bout between [autotag]Ali Isaev[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Steve Mowry[/autotag] (10-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA), and former bantamweight champion [autotag]Darrion Caldwell[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 12-6 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Nikita Mikhailov[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 2-1 BMMA)

The Isaev vs. Mowry bout was first reported by Severe MMA.

The full Bellator 290 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, CBS)

  • Champion Ryan Bader vs. Fedor Emelianenko – for heavyweight title
  • Champion Johnny Eblen vs. Anatoly Tokov – for middleweight title
  • Sabah Homasi vs. Brennan Ward

PRELIMINARY CARD (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, CBS)

  • Neiman Gracie vs. Michael Lombardo
  • Mukhamed Berkhamov vs. Lorenz Larkin
  • Henry Corrales vs. Akhmed Magomedov
  • Chris Gonzalez vs. Max Rohskopf
  • Karl Albrektsson vs. Grant Neal
  • Diana Avsaragova vs. Alejandra Lara
  • Darrion Caldwell vs. Nikita Mikhailov
  • Jaylon Bates vs. Jornel Lugo
  • Isaiah Hokit vs. Peter Ishiguro
  • Ethan Hughes vs. Yusuf Karakaya

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Brandon Vera wished he fought Andrei Arlovski and Fedor Emelianenko in his prime before retirement

Brandon Vera has fought plenty of legends in MMA, but there are two fights he would have loved before he retired.

[autotag]Brandon Vera[/autotag] has fought plenty of legends in MMA, but there are two fights he would have loved before he retired.

Vera (16-10-1) hung up his gloves after he was stopped in the first round by Amir Aliakbari at ONE Championship 164 earlier this month in the Philippines.

From Fabricio Werdum to Jon Jones to Frank Mir, the 45-year-old Filipino-American has fought a who’s-who in MMA. But if he had a wishlist, [autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag]’s names would be on it.

“There’s two fighters that I wish I would have shared and sweat with and go to work with,” Vera told MMA Junkie Radio. “One would have been Andrei Arlovski, and then the other one would have been Fedor in his prime. Those two would have been on my list.”

Vera departed the sport with three straight losses for the only time in his career. The former ONE heavyweight champion and WEC heavyweight grand prix winner said fighting has taken a serious toll on his body, which prompted his decision to retire.

“For me, it was time,” Vera said. “I went 0-3. Amir got that finish. I broke my damn hand again. I’m tired of having injuries. I’m tired of having broken bones. I’m tired of that part of the sacrifice for this sport. I’m willing to do all the other sacrifices, but not being able to use my body the way I want – I think I’m over that hump now.”

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Nov. 14-20)

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. 14-20.

Fedor Emelianenko gets retirement fight wish, rematches Ryan Bader for title at Bellator 290

In his final fight, Fedor Emelianenko will get his long-desired rematch.

In his final fight, [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] will get his long-desired rematch.

Emelianenko (40-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is set to rematch heavyweight champion [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] (30-7 MMA, 8-2 BMMA) in the Bellator 290 main event on Feb. 4 at Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., promotion officials verified to MMA Junkie following an initial report from CBSSports.com.

The event is scheduled to air on CBS, a first for the Bellator brand.

“We have been working tirelessly on growing this brand into the global powerhouse it is today and a primetime slot on CBS has always been one of our key objectives,” said Bellator president Scott Coker in a press release. “With a healthy roster full of many of the world’s very best fighters, along with elite up-and-coming prospects and legends of the game, I’m very excited to showcase this event on the most watched network in America.”

Heavyweight champion Bader needed just 35 seconds to knock Emelianenko out when they first fought in the grand prix final in January 2019. However, the legendary former PRIDE champion has since rebounded with back-to-back first-round knockouts of Quinton Jackson and Timothy Johnson.

Beating Emelianenko helped Bader reach dual-champion status. Although Bader would go onto lose his light heavyweight title to Vadim Nemkov at Bellator 244, he managed to defend his heavyweight title twice against Valentin Moldavsky and Cheick Kongo.

Now Emelianenko will attempt to close his legendary career with gold around his waist while avenging an important career loss.

The latest Bellator 290 lineup includes:

  • Ryan Bader vs. Fedor Emelianenko – for heavyweight title
  • Vadim Nemkov/Corey Anderson winner vs. Yoel Romero – for light heavyweight title

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Scott Coker: Fedor Emelianenko wants to ‘fight right away,’ still eyes Ryan Bader rematch for retirement fight

According to Scott Coker, Fedor Emelianenko is dead set on trying to avenge his loss to Ryan Bader before he retires.

LONG BEACH, Calif. – [autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag] is eager to rematch Bellator heavyweight champion [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag].

Since losing to Bader in the heavyweight grand prix final in January 2019, Emelianenko (40-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has scored back-to-back first-round knockouts of Quinton Jackson and Timothy Johnson.

The legendary heavyweight is looking to fight one more time before calling it a career and absolutely wants to run things back with Bader (30-7 MMA, 8-2 BMMA). Bellator president Scott Coker said he was trying to set up Emelianenko’s retirement fight at home, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine put a halt to those plans.

“We were talking about this earlier, and we had a fight set in July of this year in Red Square to have Fedor fight in his final fight,” Coker told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “You talk about the greatest fighter of all time, the greatest heavyweight of all time, and when we planned this event that was supposed to be the event where he retires, he finally comes home, because Fedor went all over the world and conquered everybody.

“Comes home, has a grand parade, lots of pageantry, lots of just great production, great show, and he retires in front of his hometown. But obviously with the invasion of Ukraine, that didn’t work out. So, that fight went out, and we’re still debating when we’re gonna fight him, but he wants to fight right away.”

Bader shut down an Emelianenko rematch, seeing nothing to gain after needing just 35 seconds to put the former PRIDE heavyweight champion away. He expressed interest in rematching Linton Vassell, who’s on a four-fight winning streak, but Coker said Emelianenko is dead set on avenging his loss to Bader.

“He wants to fight Ryan Bader. That’s what it comes down to,” Coker said. “He wants a revenge fight, and he wants to have the title shot. So, we haven’t really gotten too much into that, but that’s what his requests have been in the last three or four texts that I received, so let’s see how that goes.”

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5 UFC superfights Dana White should’ve made but didn’t

Dana White says Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar is “the only fight that I ever failed to make,” but that’s not exactly true.

One thing fans of mixed martial arts often rave about compared to boxing is that, in MMA, “the best fight the best.” While that’s mostly true, it’s not always the case.

Every now and then we clamor for a fight that doesn’t get made for one reason or another. In the history of the UFC, it’s happened a handful of times, although UFC president Dana White insists it’s happened only once since he took over the promotion in 2001.

“Well, if you think about it, I’ve made every fight that was ever possible to make in MMA, including Mayweather and McGregor,” White said Wednesday during a fan Q&A hosted by Laura Sanko. “The only fight that I ever failed to make was Fedor vs. Brock. Every other fight that we ever thought about or the fans wanted to see or whatever it was, I’ve made.”

That’s not entirely true.

Below are five UFC superfights White should’ve made but didn’t.

(Note: This list excludes fights that were booked but didn’t happen because of circumstances outside of the UFC’s control.)