Leah McCourt – Page 3 – Syndication Server

Bellator 293 predictions: What are our two down-the-middle picks in Cali?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator 293 main card, featuring Marcelo Golm vs. Daniel James and Leah McCourt vs. Cat Zingano.

	Golm vs. James	McCourt vs. Zingano	Jeffery vs. Salter	Colgan vs. Montalvo	Cauley vs. Trainer
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 35-24	James (52%)	Zingano (72%)	Jeffery (65%)	Colgan (77%)	Cauley (72%)
Matt Erickson @MattE 37-22	James	Zingano	Salter	Colgan	Cauley
Nolan King @mma_kings 37-22/em>	Golm	Zingano	Jeffery	Colgan	Cauley
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 37-22	James	Zingano	Salter	Colgan	Cauley
Simon Samano @SJSamano 35-24	James	Zingano	Salter	Colgan	Cauley
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 34-25	Golm	Zingano	Jeffery	Colgan	Cauley
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 34-25	Golm	McCourt	Jeffery	Colgan	Cauley
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 33-26 2018, 2022 Champion	Golm	Zingano	Jeffery	Colgan	Cauley
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 33-26	James	Zingano	Jeffery	Colgan	Cauley
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 32-27 2014 Champion	Golm	Zingano	Salter	Colgan	Cauley
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 32-27	Golm	Zingano	Jeffery	Colgan	Cauley
Brian Garcia @thegoze 31-28 2017 Champion	James	Zingano	Salter	Colgan	Cauley

Bellator is back in Southern California this week with a heavyweight tilt at the top of the lineup.

Bellator 293 takes place Friday at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

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

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In the main event, [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (14-6-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) at heavyweight. Golm is a -150 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on James is +120. Our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are divided and have Golm with the slimmest possible lead at 6-5 in the picks.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) meets former UFC title challenger [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) in a women’s featherweight bout that could determine the next title challenger. Zingano is the biggest favorite on the main card at -450, but she doesn’t have a shutout. One of our pickers is taking McCourt in an upset.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Aaron Jeffery[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) takes on former middleweight title challenger [autotag]John Salter[/autotag] (18-6 MMA, 8-3 BMMA). Jeffery is a -420 favorite, but he has just a narrow 6-5 lead in the picks from our staff members.

Our first of two unanimous picks is [autotag]Archie Colgan[/autotag] (6-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), who nearly is a 3-1 favorite in his lightweight bout against [autotag]Justin Montalvo[/autotag] (5-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA). Their fight was elevated to the main card Friday.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Sullivan Cauley[/autotag] (5-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) is our second unanimous pick in his light heavyweight bout against [autotag]Luke Trainer[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 3-1 BMMA). Cauley is a 2-1 favorite at the betting window.

In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, James (52 percent), Zingano (72 percent), Jeffery (65 percent), Colgan (77 percent) and Cauley (72 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 293.

Bellator 293 weigh-in results: One main card bout canceled but all others on weight

Check out the results from the official Bellator 293 fighter weigh-ins in Temecula, Calif.

Official weigh-ins for Bellator 293 took place Thursday at the Bellator host hotel.

The nearby Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif., hosts Friday’s event, which has a main card on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

All fighters who actually made it to the scale Thursday made weight.

Among those who weighed in were [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (14-6-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), who meet in the heavyweight main event, and [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) and [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), who fight in the women’s featherweight contenders bout co-feature.

A welterweight fight between [autotag]Rustam Khabilov[/autotag] (24-4 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Jaleel Willis[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 4-2 BMMA) was canceled minutes before weigh-ins. Willis’ manager Matt Weibel, of First Round Management, tweeted the cancellation was due to an issue on Khabilov’s side.

As a result of the cancellation, [autotag]Archie Colgan[/autotag] (6-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) vs. [autotag]Justin Montalvo[/autotag] (5-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) has been elevated to the main card.

The full Bellator 293 weigh-in results include:

MAIN CARD (Showtime, 10 p.m. ET)

Marcelo Golm (257.6) vs. Daniel James (265.4)
Leah McCourt (145.4) vs. Cat Zingano (145.2)
Aaron Jeffery (185.2) vs. John Salter (185.8)
Sullivan Cauley (205.8) vs. Luke Trainer (205.2)
Archie Colgan (155.4) vs. Justin Montalvo (154.4)

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

Mandel Nallo (154.8) vs. Adam Piccolotti (156)
Jeff Creighton (169.8) vs. Joey Davis (169.2)
Lucas Brennan (145.4) vs. Josh San Diego (146)
Lance Gibson Jr. (156) vs. Vladimir Tokov (155.2)
Sara Collins (145.8) vs. Pam Sorenson (145.2)
Rakim Cleveland (240.4) vs. Christian Edwards (237.8)
Nick Browne (155.6) vs. Mike Hamel (155.6)
Ashley Cummins (119.2) vs. Randi Field (120) – 120-pound contract weight
Brandon Carrillo (135.4) vs. Bryce Meredith (135.6)
Maria Henderson (115.4) vs. Mackenzie Stiller (115.4)

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 293.

Leah McCourt sees ‘massive implications’ in Bellator 293 bout vs. Cat Zingano

Leah McCourt expects a Bellator women’s featherweight title shot if victorious over Cat Zingano.

[autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] believes there’s a lot on the line in her next fight.

The Bellator women’s featherweight contender thinks she can get a shot at champion Cris Cyborg if victorious in her return. McCourt (7-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) takes on former UFC title challenger Cat Zingano in the co-main event of Bellator 293.

The event takes place Friday at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

McCourt sees a big career opportunity ahead.

“Whoever wins is going to get a title shot, so it has massive implications,” McCourt told MMA Junkie and other reporters during Wednesday’s media day. “There’s a massive opportunity that can come from that. I think it makes it more intriguing. I always give 110 percent in fight camp, and I never take these opportunities for granted. I give everything I can, and it’s just time to go perform.”

This is arguably McCourt’s biggest career moment thus far. Although it’s a high-stakes situation, McCourt is keeping cool and doesn’t feel threatened by the moment.

“I just feel like every fight that I’ve had, there’s a lot on the line and opportunities after, so I can keep winning and keep getting these big fights,” McCourt said. “I’m used to it now. I’ve always had these kinds of big events and platforms to fight on. It’s been quite good to have that experience. I think fighting someone like Cat, it’s good we’ve been through this a lot of times – all the media and pressure. I’m used to this fight week.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 293.

Photos: Leah McCourt through the years

Check out these photos highlighting Leah McCourt’s career through the years.

Check out these photos highlighting [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag]’s career through the years.

Bellator 293 pre-event facts: Prelim fighter can make history with sixth straight first-round KO

No fighter in Bellator history has ever started their tenure with the promotion by earning six straight first-round knockouts.

For the first time since October 2019, Bellator will travel to Temecula, Calif., on Friday with Bellator 293, which takes place at Pechanga Casino Resort with a main card that airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

A matchup of surging heavyweight contenders will be featured in the main event. [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (14-6-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) will put their unbeaten promotional records on the line as they meet in a five-round contest that will elevate the winner into the title conversation.

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 293.

Bellator 293 fight card finalized with additions of Sullivan Cauley, Joey Davis, more

Check out the full lineup for Bellator 293, a 16-fight card filled with various undefeated prospects.

The full fight card for Bellator 293 is locked, pending any unforeseen withdrawals.

As previously announced, the card is headlined by heavyweight contenders [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (14-6-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA), and also features a co-main event between [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) and [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 3-4 BMMA). The event airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

On Tuesday, the promotion announced its full 16-fight card for March 31 at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. New additions include undefeated top prospects [autotag]Sullivan Cauley[/autotag] (5-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA), [autotag]Joey Davis[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA), [autotag]Lance Gibson Jr.[/autotag] (7-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA), and [autotag]Lucas Brennan[/autotag] (7-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA).

Additionally, Bellator has signed three-time NCAA Division I All-American [autotag]Bryce Meredith[/autotag] (3-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) to a multifight deal. He will debut against [autotag]Brandon Carrillo[/autotag] (1-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).

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Below is the full Bellator 293 lineup:

MAIN CARD (Showtime, 10 p.m. ET)

Marcelo Golm vs. Daniel James
Leah McCourt vs. Cat Zingano
Aaron Jeffrey vs. John Salter
Rustam Khabilov vs. Jaleel Willis

PRELIMINARY CARD (7 p.m. ET)

Sullivan Cauley vs. Luke Trainer
Archie Colgan vs. Justin Montalvo
Jeff Creighton vs. Joey Davis
Lucas Brennan vs. Josh San Diego
Lance Gibson Jr. vs. Vladimir Tokov
Sara Collins vs. Pam Sorenson
Rakim Cleveland vs. Christian Edwards
Nick Browne vs. Mike Hamel
Ashley Cummins vs. Randi Field
Brandon Carrillo vs. Bryce Meredith
Maria Henderson vs. MacKenzie Stiller
Khonry Gracie vs. David Pacheco

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 293.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 23-29)

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 Jan. 23-29.

Marcelo Golm vs. Daniel James, Cat Zingano vs. Leah McCourt headline Bellator 293 on March 31

Bellator continues to fill out its schedule for the first quarter of the year with a newly-announced Bellator 293 card.

Bellator continues to fill out its schedule for the first quarter of the year with a newly announced event.

The promotion Monday announced Bellator 293 for March 31 at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

In the headliner, [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) will meet [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (14-6-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) in a heavyweight clash that will see the winner try to take the next step toward a title shot.

There will be similar stakes in the co-headliner with women’s featherweight contenders [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) set for a showdown that could vault the winner into a title bout against champion Cris Cyborg.

Those fights were among the seven additions to the Bellator 293 lineup, which now includes:

MAIN CARD (Showtime, 10 p.m. ET)

Marcelo Golm vs. Daniel James
Leah McCourt vs. Cat Zingano
Aaron Jeffery vs. John Salter
Rustam Khabilov vs. Jaleel Willis

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

Archie Colgan vs. Justin Montalvo
Nick Browne vs. Mike Hamel
Mandel Nallo vs. Jay Jay Wilson

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Bellator Leah McCourt likes Cat Zingano and Cris Cyborg matchups but isn’t sure what’s next

Bellator contender Leah McCourt isn’t sure what’s next for her, but she expects a big matchup.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] isn’t sure what’s next for her, but she expects a big matchup.

McCourt (7-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA), who’s currently ranked No. 10 in Bellator’s featherweight rankings, is coming off a unanimous decision win over Dayana Silva last September at Bellator 285.

Ideally McCourt would like to face either featherweight champion [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (26-2 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) or [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), who are currently linked to fight each other.

“I’m pushing for a title fight in the next year or two,” McCourt told MMA Junkie on the World MMA Awards red carpet. “I think Cat would be a great fight, as well, for me. I think the most exciting fights are obviously Cat and Cyborg for me, so I’ll just wait to see what happens.”

Cyborg, who’s ventured into boxing, fought out her Bellator deal but thinks she’ll likely be staying with the promotion. She expects to defend her title against Zingano, but McCourt says her next fight will likely be determined once Cyborg pens down her next move.

“There’s been talks of a big fight coming to the January, February, March time, so I’m excited to hear what I can get confirmed and excited to fight again,” McCourt said.

She continued, “I’m not on Dublin. They said I’m going to be on the L.A. card (Bellator 290), and I don’t know if it’s going to be pushed to March, so I’m just waiting to see what’s happening with our division, what Cyborg’s doing, what Cat’s doing, and see what fight we can get in the works.”

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USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Sept. 27: Leah McCourt climbs at women’s featherweight

Check out our MMA rankings update after some key contests at Bellator 285.

The calendar for major MMA events was quite thin this past week, creating minimal movement in the Sept. 27 edition of the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.

Bellator 285 took center stage in Dublin, Ireland, bringing a main event matchup between former UFC lightweight champion and two-division Bellator title challenger Benson Henderson and Ireland’s own Peter Queally.

A women’s featherweight matchup between [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] and Dayana Silva took place on the main card. McCourt picked up a unanimous decision win, improving to 5-1 over the past 36 months. Entering the week at No. 13, she moves up to the No. 10 spot, behind the woman who recently defeated her, Sinead Kavanagh.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings below.