Tag: Raufeon Stots

Bellator 277/279 faceoffs: McKee-‘Pitbull’ 2, Nemkov-Anderson, Cyborg-Blencowe 2, more

Four upcoming Bellator title fights had faceoffs at Monday’s press conference in Los Angeles.

April is a massive month for Bellator, with three events on the docket and five championship fights scheduled.

The festivities kick off Friday, with Bellator 277 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The event is headlined by a featherweight championship rematch between [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] (18-0 MMA, 18-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (32-5 MMA, 20-5 BMMA). The co-headliner for the Showtime-televised card will see the conclusion of the light heavyweight grand prix when [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (30-8-1 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) clashes with [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) to determine the divisional and tournament champion.

The organization will then head to Hawaii for back-to-back events on April 22 and April 23. The latter of those events, Bellator 279, also featured a championship doubleheader. [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (25-2 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Arlene Blencowe[/autotag] (15-8 MMA, 8-4 BMMA) run it back for women’s featherweight gold in the main event, while [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] (25-3 MMA, 7-2 BMMA) and [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) for the interim bantamweight title in the opening round of the 135-pound grand prix.

Those four matchups in particular were part of Monday’s Bellator press conference in Los Angeles, and after taking questions from the media, they participated in faceoffs.

Check out the staredowns below.

Juan Archuleta replaces injured Anthony Pettis in grand prix, will fight Raufeon Stots for interim title at Bellator 279

The Bellator bantamweight grand prix will have to go on without champion Sergio Pettis.

The Bellator bantamweight grand prix will have to kick off without the champion as an injury has forced [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] out of his opening bout against teammate [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag].

Now on April 23 at Bellator 279, former champ [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] (25-3) will step in to face Stots (17-1) for the interim title at Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu.

A person with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the change but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. CBS Sports was first to report the news.

Archuleta already was tabbed to compete in the eight-man bantamweight tournament but was yet to have an opponent announced. The former champ, who captured the vacant 135-pound title by defeating Patchy Mix at Bellator 246, last competed when he was dethroned by Pettis (22-5) at Bellator 258 in May.

Unbeaten as a Bellator fighter, Stots will head into his first title fight riding a nine-fight winning streak. The 33-year-old is coming off back-to-back wins over Josh Hill and most recently Magomed Magomedov at Bellator 264.

Pettis, the younger brother of former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, would’ve been looking to kick off the grand prix with his second title defense after defeating Kyoji Horiguchi last December with the Knockout of the Year.

With the change, the lineup of Bellator 279 currently includes:

  • Juan Archuleta vs. Raufeon Stots – for interim bantamweight title
  • Champ Cris Cyborg vs. Arlene Blencowe – for featherweight title
  • Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Patchy Mix
  • Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Justine Kish
  • Yancy Medeiros vs. Emmanuel Sanchez
  • Justin Gonzales vs. Kai Kamaka III

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Bellator returns to Hawaii for back-to-back events featuring Cyborg, bantamweight grand prix, more

Bellator is heading back to Hawaii for two events on back-to-back nights, featuring Cris Cyborg and start of the bantamweight grand prix.

Bellator is going back to Hawaii in a big way.

The promotion returns to the islands for a pair of events on back-to-back nights at Neal S. Blaisdell Center for Bellator 278 on April 22 and Bellator 279 on April 23. The events will feature multiple title fights as [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (25-2) is set to face [autotag]Arlene Blencowe[/autotag] (15-8) in a featherweight championship rematch and [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5) takes on [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] (17-1) as a part of the $1 million bantamweight grand prix. MMA Junkie confirmed the news following an initial report from KHON2.

Bellator was last in Hawaii in Dec. 2019, when the promotion ran Bellator 235 and Bellator 236 on back-to-back nights.

Although no fights have been announced for Bellator 278, the Bellator 279 card is stacking up with a strong lineup. In addition to the title fights, [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] (29-4) will face [autotag]Patchy Mix[/autotag] (15-1) in a first-round bantamweight grand prix match and Hawaii’s own [autotag]Ilima-Lei Macfarlane[/autotag] (11-1) returns to action to meet [autotag]Justine Kish[/autotag] (7-5).

Following preliminary bouts, the main card for Bellator 278 is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET and the main card for Bellator 279 starts at 4:30 p.m. ET. Both events will air live on Showtime.

The lineup of Bellator 279 currently includes:

  • Champ Sergio Pettis vs. Raufeon Stots – for bantamweight title
  • Champ Cris Cyborg vs. Arlene Blencowe – for featherweight title
  • Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Patchy Mix
  • Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Justine Kish

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22 fights on our MMA wishlist for 2022: Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 3, Jon Jones, Jorge Masvidal

What are some of your dream matchups for 2022? Here are 22 fights MMA Junkie hopes to see happen in 2022.

Amidst a tumultuous global pandemic there were many grim realities humans had to endure in 2021. One thing was consistently good, however, and that’s combat sports.

Although just five fights of 21 fights from the 2021 MMA wishlist came to fruition, the sport was extremely hot and gave fans many memorable moments. The world leader of MMA – the UFC – had a particularly great year, and that momentum doesn’t seem to be slowing heading into 2022.

It’s not just UFC fights that are taking attention, either. There’s also plenty happening in Bellator, PFL, Eagle FC and many other promotions.

MMA is in a great spot, and with much excitement we present MMA Junkie’s wishlist of 22 fights we’d like to see in 2022.

Bellator announces eight-man bantamweight grand prix for 2022

The fifth Bellator grand prix of the Scott Coker era is official.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – For months, Bellator president Scott Coker has been peppered with questions about when the promotion’s next grand prix will get underway and which weight class it will be. Those questions were answered Friday.

During the Bellator 272 broadcast, the promotion announced the next tournament will take place in the bantamweight division and feature eight of the promotion’s top fighters at 135 pounds.

The field will consist of champion [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag], who meet in tonight’s Bellator 271 headliner, along with former bantamweight champ [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag], popular Irish fighter [autotag]James Gallagher[/autotag], Pitbull Brothers protege [autotag]Leandro Higo[/autotag], former ACB champion [autotag]Magomed Magomedov[/autotag], and rising contender [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag].

The eight tournament fighters are the most recent title fight competitors, as well as the top six contenders from the official Bellator rankings as of Friday.

No matchups or dates were revealed, but a Bellator official told MMA Junkie the promotion is targeting the first quarter of 2022 to begin the tournament.

Since Coker took over as Bellator president in 2014, the promotion has held four grand prixs, making bantamweight the fifth. The Bellator welterweight grand prix was launched first in 2018, followed by heavyweight in 2018, featherweight in 2019, and light heavyweight in 2020, which has reached the final between champion Vadim Nemkov and Corey Anderson.

Like other grand prixs, the winner of the bantamweight tournament will earn $1 million in addition to the Bellator title.

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Raufeon Stots doesn’t have a plan yet if he has to fight champion teammate Sergio Pettis

Raufeon Stots took one step closer to a Bellator title shot with a big upset win Friday.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] took one step closer to a Bellator title shot with a big upset win Friday.

Stots (17-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) stayed perfect in the promotion with a unanimous decision over Magomed Magomedov (18-2 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) at Bellator 264 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. He impressed Bellator president Scott Coker with the win, and Coker said there may be good reason to have a bantamweight tournament in 2022.

That would be just fine with Stots, who called for just such a thing after his win. And one of the key reasons a tournament makes sense to him is, the division’s new champion is Sergio Pettis – his longtime teammate, key training partner and friend at Roufusport in Milwaukee.

In fact, Stots said if Bellator decided to fast-track a title shot for him – meaning he’d jump past former champ Juan Archuleta and Patchy Mix in the rankings – he’s not sure how it would play out back home.

“Me and Sergio have been out of sight, out of mind (about fighting each other),” Stots said at the Bellator 264 post-fight news conference. “Until it happens, we’re going to be boys no matter what. But we haven’t even talked about it. Me and my coaches haven’t talked about it. We’ve been focused on this (Magomedov) matchup. I’d love to train at Roufusport (if we get booked). I’m sure Sergio would love to train at Roufusport. … I don’t know what we’re going to do, but we’ll figure it out.”

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And while such a quick title shot for Stots might not seem likely, he thinks his win over Magomedov may have elevated him past Archuleta and Mix, meaning a title shot could be justified, at least in his mind, if Bellator wanted to do it.

“I definitely feel like this was the No. 1 contender fight,” Stots said. “I feel like I have a claim now to say I’m the best in the world. This guy beat Petr Yan, who I still regard as the champion of the UFC. (Yan) went 1-1 with this guy, and I kind of dismantled Magomed. So I feel like I’m the best in the world. No matter what promotion or no matter where, I’m the best bantamweight in the world.”

One way to lend credence to that claim would be a bantamweight tournament, particularly if Stots was on the opposite end of the bracket as Pettis – meaning the only way they could meet would be in the $1 million final for Pettis’ belt.

Depending on if it was an 8-man or 16-man tournament, Stots would either have to beat two or three other fighters before the final, where a win could prove his point. And ahead of a matchup with Pettis, he’d get to still keep training with him.

“I’m really hoping for a bantamweight tournament,” Stots said. “It’s up to Belaltor – what Bellator wants to do. But I feel like we have a lot of firepower in the bantamweight division, so I would love a tournament.

“On the plus side, I’d get to train with Sergio a little longer and I’d get to get better. The crazy thing about this is, me and Sergio have been training (together) so long, and we complement each other. I learn so much from Sergio, and Sergio would say the same – he learns so much (from me). I don’t want to stop learning from Sergio to have to fight him because I want to be the best martial artist I can. I understand if that’s what they want to do, but I would love a bantamweight tournament.”

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Scott Coker leaning toward bantamweight grand prix after Raufeon Stots’ Bellator 264 win

Raufeon Stots’ upset of Magomed Magomedov at Bellator 264 on Friday may have clinched the promotion’s next grand prix.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag]’ upset of Magomed Magomedov at Bellator 264 on Friday may have clinched the promotion’s next grand prix.

Stots (17-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) stayed unbeaten under the Bellator banner with a unanimous decision over Magomedov (18-2 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) in a key bantamweight bout on the main card. After champion Sergio Pettis, Bellator’s official rankings have Juan Archuleta and Patchy Mix in the top two spots.

Magomedov was No. 3 heading into Bellator 264 with Stots right behind him at No. 4. Stots almost certainly will move up a spot when the new rankings come out next week. But what might be even more important to him is his performance seemed to strike a nerve with Bellator president Scott Coker.

After Stots’ win, he contemplated the chances he could get an eventual title shot with Pettis – one of his teammates at Roufusport in Milwaukee. And absent that, he suggested a bantamweight tournament – which Coker might be on board with.

“Stots – wow. I mean, wow,” Coker told MMA Junkie after Bellator 264 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. “That kid is amazing. He fought a tough, tough, tough Magomedov and I think he clearly won.

“I know sooner or later, people are going to start talking about or whispering about the 135-pound tournament. I think it’s more and more likely that we’re going to head in that direction. We’ve got some great 135s, and maybe next year that will be the division (we do a tournament with). But when you see performances like that from Stots, I was really, really impressed.”

The 32-year-old Stots at times outwrestled Magomedov, known for his grappling, en route to the decision win – including a pair of 30-27 scores. It was his third straigght decision win, but over his most accomplished opponent yet in Bellator.

Pettis won the title in May with a unanimous decision over Archuleta. After 14 fights in the UFC, Pettis moved to Bellator and won the belt in his third fight in the promotion.

Bellator just wrapped up a featherweight tournament and the semifinals of its ongoing light heavyweight grand prix are set for October.

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Bellator 264 post-event facts: Andrey Koreshkov sets new welterweight wins record

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 264, which took place Friday in Uncasville, Conn.

Bellator 264 took place this past Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

[autotag]Gegard Mousasi[/autotag] (48-7-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) defended his Bellator middleweight title in the main event when he picked up a third-round TKO of [autotag]John Salter[/autotag] (18-5 MMA, 8-2 BMMA).

For more on the numbers, check below for 22 pre-event facts to come out of Bellator 264.

Bellator 264 results: Raufeon Stots outworks Magomed Magomedov, wants bantamweight tournament or title shot

Raufeon Stots picked up the biggest win of his career and put himself into the bantamweight title picture.

[autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] picked up the biggest win of his career and put himself into the bantamweight title picture – a picture in which his teammate, Sergio Pettis, is in the center of the frame as champion.

Stots (17-1 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) outworked [autotag]Magomed Magomedov[/autotag] (18-2 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) – and nearly finished him – for a unanimous decision on the Bellator 264 main card on Showtime. Stots picked up a unanimous decision with a 30-27 score and a pair of 29-28s.

After the win, Stots said if he has to fight Pettis for the title, he will – but he offered up a different suggestion: a $1 million bantamweight tournament with him and the champ on opposite sides of the bracket.

“What I would love is, what do you all think about a bantamweight million-dollar tournament?” Stots said. “If I’ve got to fight Sergio – Sergio, you know I love you. But if not, let’s do a tournament.”

Stots put Magomedov on his back foot early with a high kick, then went back to the center of the cage. Magomedov tried to level change for a takedown, but Stots was on top of it and fired a right hand not long after. With 1:40 left in the round, Magomedov worked for a single-leg takedown and pushed Stots to the fence, but Stots defended it for a full minute before he broke away. And with 20 seconds left, Stots landed a takedown and took Magomedov’s back to close the frame.

Magomedov again looked for a takedown in the second and with Stots against the cage, he landed a spinning elbow. Stots fired a punch right back and stayed on his feet the first 90 seconds. But Magomedov finally got him to the canvas – only to have Stots reverse position on him. Back on the feet, Stots pressed Magomedov to the fence and they jockeyed for position until they broke back to the center of the cage midway through the round. Magomedov shot again with 80 seconds left in the round, but Stots stuffed it – and seconds later, he stuffed another takedown attempt. Stots blocked a spinning backfist attempt with 20 seconds left and shot for his own late takedown just before the horn.

In the third round, Stots took big-time advantage when the fight hit the canvas. He took Magomedov’s back and wrapped up a body triangle. He worked for a rear-naked choke, but Magomedov defended by holding Stots’ left arm to keep him from locking the choke on. With two minutes left, Magomedov worked out of the choke and got on top. He got to side control with 70 seconds left, and when Stots tried to work back to his feet, Magomedov worked for a guillotine choke. He took Stots’ back with 25 seconds left, but couldn’t find a finish.

The bantamweight bout was part of the Bellator 264 main card at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. It aired on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

Up-to-the-minute Bellator 264 results include:

  • Raufeon Stots def. Magomed Magomedov via unanimous decision decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Davion Franklin def. Everett Cummings via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:21
  • Khadzhi Bestaev def. Ty Gwerder via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Pam Sorenson def. Roberta Samad via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Jeffrey Glossner def. Sebastian Ruiz via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Jon McNeil def. Orlando Mendoza via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 3:57

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Raufeon Stots discusses training for Magomed Magomedov fight with ‘intelligent’ Cory Sandhagen

Raufeon Stots sought help from a top UFC contender ahead of Bellator 264.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] sought help from a top UFC contender ahead of Bellator 264.

Stots (16-1 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) trained with [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] in preparation of his title eliminator against [autotag]Magomed Magomedov[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) on Friday and is happy to have reaped the benefits of training with an elite-level bantamweight.

“Cory Sandhagen is a cool dude,” Stots told MMA Junkie. “I called him out like years ago, I think before I was in the UFC, he was in the UFC making big splashes, and he needed an opponent. I called him out and then I’d seen him in an elevator, and then I was like, ‘Hey, man, I called you out a couple of weeks ago. I’m just trying to get in. Whoever I could fight.’ He hit me up on social media and was like, ‘Would you be interested in some cross training?’ And I was like, ‘F*ck yeah.’

“I’ve never done much cross training. I went down there, I had an amazing time, I had a blast. I feel like his mindset is really good, he’s really intelligent about approaching fights, and his training is like a lot similar to mine, so I was really excited. To be there, I learned some things that are beneficial to me in my game, things that I can use and apply right away.”

Bellator 264 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.

Check out the full interview with Stots in the video above.

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