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Check out these photos from Tyrell Fortune vs. Marcelo Golm at 2024 PFL 4 in Uncasville, Conn.
Check out these photos from [autotag]Tyrell Fortune[/autotag]’s win over Marcelo Golm at 2024 PFL 4 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. (Photos by Cooper Neill, PFL MMA)
The PFL’s return next month, and debut at Bellator’s former East Coast home base, has seen a pair of changes at heavyweight.
The PFL’s return next month, and debut at Bellator’s former East Coast home base, has seen a pair of changes at heavyweight.
[autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (15-7-1) is out of his fight against [autotag]Tyrell Fortune[/autotag] (13-2) on the main card. Fortune now will take on [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] (10-5). And [autotag]Marcelo Nunes[/autotag] (11-2) is out of his bout against [autotag]Oleg Popov[/autotag] (17-1). Popov now will take on replacement [autotag]Davion Franklin[/autotag] (6-2).
A Bellator official informed MMA Junkie of the new matchups Monday. The start of the PFL’s second half of the regular season takes place June 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. (ESPN/ESPN+), and features heavyweights and women’s flyweights who will attempt to qualify for the four-person postseason.
Fortune was supposed to fight Golm this past November at UFC 301 in Chicago, but Fortune became sick on fight day after the event started and the bout was scrapped. Fortune also was supposed to fight James to open the regular season, but had to withdraw. Consequently, he has no points in the standings, which are led by Valentin Moldavsky with 6 points. Golm lost his opening bout of the regular season.
Popov has 5 points after a second-round stoppage in his first fight of the season. Franklin will be fighting for the first time in the regular season.
With the changes, the PFL Week 4 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 9 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5:30 p.m. ET)
Check out which veterans of the UFC are competing in combat sports across the globe this weekend.
This week, the UFC returns to its home base in Las Vegas after a big pay-per-view in New York.
UFC Fight Night 232 features a middleweight matchup between [autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag].
Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.
Check out which veterans of the global MMA leader are competing Nov. 17-19.
Scroll below to see how the UFC veterans fared last week, and see the names and details of this weekend’s competitors.
Upcoming event information from Tapology.
Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 293, which featured a number of upsets, including a loss by a 16-1 favorite.
Bellator closed its March schedule Saturday with Bellator 293, which took place at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif.
The main event saw the late career success of [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (15-6-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) continue. He added to his case as a potential heavyweight contender to watch when he beat [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] (10-4 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) by third-round knockout.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from Bellator 293.
Check out the best photos from Daniel James’ third-round knockout win over Marcelo Golm at Belllator 293.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag]’ third-round knockout win over [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] at Bellator 293 at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. (Photos by Lucas Noonan, Bellator)
Check out the disclosed pay for all 30 fighters on Bellator 293, according to the California State Athletic Commission.
Thirty fighters competed Friday at Bellator 293 with [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] and [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] leading all disclosed payouts.
California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) executive director Andy Foster released a full list of fighter payouts Friday to MMA Junkie. The amounts reflect the disclosed payouts only and do not include any off-contract bonuses, sponsor payments, or discretionary bonuses.
The main event and co-main event winners were the only two fighters to pocket six-figure disclosed paydays as a result of their performances Friday. Former UFC bantamweight title challenger Zingano (14-4 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) earned $100,000 flat for her unanimous decision win over [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 6-2 BMMA) in the co-main event. Then, main event winner James (15-6-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) earned to $50,000 show and a $50,000 win bonus for his victory over [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag] (10-3 MMA, 1-3 BMMA).
Scroll below to see what the 30 fighters on Bellator 293 were paid – disclosed amounts only.
After a rough first two rounds, Daniel James came out swinging in the third. After he knocked out Marcelo Golm, he was talking title shot.
TEMECULA, Calif. – [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] had enough.
After spending most of two rounds on his back, James decided to let his hands go. He came out firing in the third round of his Bellator 293 headliner against [autotag]Marcelo Golm[/autotag], stunned him right off the bat, then flattened him moments later with a three-punch combo that included two vicious uppercuts.
That was all she wrote 26 seconds into the third round at Pechanga Resort Casino.
Check out the finishing sequence below:
.@djames1981 with the finish at #Bellator293 pic.twitter.com/vQS3URdQqG
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) April 1, 2023
With the win, James (15-6-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) made a statement after moving to 2-0 since his return to Bellator late this past year. He also made a callout of heavyweight champion Ryan Bader, who was sitting cageside. Golm (10-4 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) had a four-fight winning streak, all finishes, snapped for his first loss in nearly four years.
Daniel James with the callout of heavyweight champ Ryan Bader, who is here for it. 👀 #Bellator293 pic.twitter.com/I4ram9NFcH
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 1, 2023
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 293.
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.)
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030791 tag=420038910]
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.
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)
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 7 p.m. ET)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 293.
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.
