Tag: TA block

Stots-Sabatello, Magomedov-Mix bantamweight semifinals set for Bellator 289 in December

We’ve got a date and location for the next step in Bellator’s bantamweight grand prix.

We’ve got a date and location for the next step in Bellator’s bantamweight grand prix.

Interim titleholder [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) will take on [autotag]Danny Sabatello[/autotag] (13-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) in one of two semifinals at Bellator 289 in December. On the other half of the bracket, [autotag]Magomed Magomedov[/autotag] (19-2 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) is matched up against sometimes-training partner [autotag]Patchy Mix[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 5-1 BMMA).

Bellator 289 will take place Dec. 9 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card will air on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie. Bellator officials announced the event Monday following an initial report from “The MMA Hour.”

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Stots won the interim 135-pound title with a third-round head-kick knockout of Juan Archuleta at Bellator 279 in Honolulu in April. It was Stots’ 10th straight win and came in the tournament quarterfinals.

He’ll take on Sabatello, with whom he’s developed a fairly solid rivalry. Sabatello and his brash, trash-talking persona burst onto the scene this year with a play-in win over Jornel Lugo at Bellator 278. At Bellator 282 in June, he outworked Leandro Higo to reach his semifinal fight with Stots.

Magomedov lost to Stots in August 2021. But he bounced babck in June with a fourth-round submission of Enrique Barzola at Bellator 282 to get to the semifinals against Mix. Mix beat Kyoji Horiguchi with a unanimous decision in his semifinal fight at Bellator 279 in April. It was his third straight win.

The four semifinalists are working for an eventual title unification bout with champ Sergio Pettis, who currently is on the shelf.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 289.

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Bellator 288 to host two title fights: Nemkov vs. Anderson, ‘Pitbull’ vs. Nurmagomedov

Bellator is brining two big-time title fights to the “Windy City” this fall.

The “Windy City” has two big-time championship fights coming its way this fall.

On Monday, it was revealed Bellator 288 will be headlined by [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] defending his light heavyweight title against [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] and co-headlined by [autotag]Patricky Freire[/autotag] putting his lightweight title on the line against [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag]. Bellator officials announced the bouts Monday following an initial report from “The MMA Hour.”

Bellator 288 takes place Nov. 18 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, with a main card that airs on Showtime following prelims streamed on MMA Junkie.

Nemkov (15-2 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) and Anderson (16-5 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) faced each other in the light heavyweight grand prix final this past April at Bellator 277. The result of the bout was a no contest after an accidental clash of heads caused a cut to Nemkov, which prompted a stop to the fight. Now, the pair are set to run it back once again for the title with the $1 million grand prize and tournament title at stake.

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Nemkov, 30, entered the Bellator 277 bout against Anderson on a nine-fight win streak that stretches back to 2016.

After defeating Ryan Bader to claim the light heavyweight title at Bellator 244, Nemkov defeated Phil Davis and Julius Anglickas, retaining his title while reaching the finals of the grand prix.

Anderson, 32, reached the finals on the heels of a three-fight win streak. He racked up two TKO finishes over Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov and Ryan Bader, leading to his showdown against Nemkov that resulted in a no contest.

Freire, 36, will have to deal with undefeated Nurmagomedov for his first title defense. Freire (24-10 MMA, 15-8 BMMA) won the vacant lightweight title last November when he knocked out Peter Queally in the second right at Bellator 270.

Nurmagomedov, 24, is the younger cousin and pupil to UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov. Usman is 15-0 as a professional fighter, including 4-0 in Bellator with a decision win over Mike Hamel and finishes against Manny Muro, Patrik Pietila, and most recently Chris Gonzalez this past July.

The current Bellator 288 lineup includes:

  • Champ Vadim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson – for light heavyweight title; grand prix final
  • Champ Patricky Freire vs. Usman Nurmagomedov – for lightweight title
  • Khasan Askhabov vs. Otto Rodrigues

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Former UFC champion Vitor Belfort set to box Hasim Rahman Jr.

Vitor Belfort’s boxing career continues on, as he’s scheduled to box Hasim Rahman Jr. in Sheffield, England.

[autotag]Vitor Belfort[/autotag] isn’t done yet.

A former UFC light heavyweight champion, Belfort (1-0) will continue his excursion into the world of boxing when he battles [autotag]Hasim Rahman Jr.[/autotag] (12-1) at DAZN X Series 002, the promotion announced during its debut event Friday that featured YouTuber KSI.

The Belfort vs. Rahman event is scheduled for Oct. 15 in Sheffield, England, and will serve as one half of a double main event. The second main event will be announced at a later date. KSI’s promotion Misfits Boxing will promote the event.

Belfort, 45, made his professional boxing debut in September when he knocked out 58-year-old former boxing champion Evander Holyfield in 104 seconds. After the bout was not allowed to happen in California due to safety concerns, it was scrutinized by some due to the age of the competitors. instead moved to Florida.

The bout marked the first professional combat sports competition for Belfort since his final UFC bout against Lyoto Machida in May 2018.

After the Holyfield match, Belfort was scheduled to compete in a hybrid rules match against Chad Dawson for Triad Combat. However, the event was canceled and the bout was not rescheduled.

Rahman Jr, 31, was expected to box Jake Paul at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 6. However, after Most Valuable Promotions perceived Rahman Jr. would not live up to his weight obligations, the card was canceled. The two parties disagreed on the decision to cancel. Rahman Jr. said the promotion jumped the gun.

In an attempt to prove that point, Rahman Jr. held his own unofficial weigh-in, and still came in one pound over the heaviest weight limit compromise Paul offered.

Entering his bout vs. Belfort, Rahman Jr. will look to bounce back from his first professional loss, a TKO defeat to James McKenzie Morrison in April. The combined record of his opponents prior (at the time of his matches against them) was 56-116.

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Twitter reacts to Demetrious Johnson’s title-winning knee KO of Adriano Moraes at ONE on Prime Video 1

Check out the reaction to Demetrious Johnson’s knockout of Adriano Moraes at ONE on Prime Video 1.

One of the best to ever do it has won gold again.

In the main event of [autotag]ONE on Prime Video 1[/autotag], [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag] claimed the ONE Championship flyweight title by knocking out Adriano Moraes in the fourth round of their rematch.

Johnson was finished by a knee to the head in their first meeting, but this time around it would be “Mighty Mouse” who finished the fight with a right hand that dropped Moraes, followed by a flush knee to the face.

Check out below to see the reaction on social media to the incredible finish.

ONE on Prime Video 1: Moraes vs. Johnson 2 live results

Follow along with live results of ONE on Prime Video 1, featuring a title rematch between Adriano Moraes and Demetrious Johnson.

MMA Junkie has you covered for live and official results of ONE on Prime Video 1.

ONE Championship starts a new broadcast partnership with its first event on Amazon Prime Video. ONE on Prime Video 1: Moraes vs. Johnson 2 features four muay Thai bouts, and five MMA fights, including a title rematch.

In the main event, Adriano Moraes (20-3) meets Demetrious Johnson (23-4-1) in a rematch for the flyweight title. Moraes became the first fighter to knock out Johnson in their first meeting at ONE on TNT 1 in 2021.

The event takes place at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore and the main card airs on Amazon Prime Video at 10 p.m. ET following prelims on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET.

The results of the MMA bouts from ONE on Prime Video 1 include:

MAIN CARD (Prime Video, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Adriano Moraes vs. Demetrious Johnson – for flyweight title
  • Marcus Almeida vs. Kirill Grishenko
  • Amir Aliakbari vs. Mauro Cerilli

PRELIMINARY CARD (Prime Video, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Itsuki Hirata vs. Heqin Lin
  • Zebaztian Kadestam vs. Iuri Lapicus

Continue reading below for more details about each MMA fight.

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Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez verbally agreed to for UFC 279 in Las Vegas

Kevin Holland will look to snap the win streak of Daniel Rodriguez at September’s UFC pay-per-view.

UFC is finalizing an exciting welterweight matchup to its September pay-per-view event.

[autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] and [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag] are expected to square off Sept. 10 at a UFC 279 in Las Vegas. Contracts have still not been inked, but both fighters have verbally agreed to the bout – and the UFC has made an official announcement.

Multiple people with knowledge of the targeted booking confirmed the matchup to MMA Junkie after Holland announced it on Instagram.

The bout is expected to take place at a weight of 180 pounds, MMA Junkie has learned. Both fighters have fluctuated between welterweight and middleweight in the past.

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Holland (23-7 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will look to continue his winning ways at welterweight. Since he dropped down from middleweight at the beginning of 2022, Holland has finished Alex Oliveira and Tim Means. Both earned him “Performance of the Night” bonuses.

Rodriguez (16-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is riding a three-fight win streak after a hot 2021 campaign. During the calendar year, Rodriguez defeated Mike Perry, Preston Parsons, and former interim lightweight title challenger Kevin Lee.

With the addition, the UFC 279 lineup includes:

  • Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz
  • Tony Ferguson vs. Li Jingliang
  • Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez
  • Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Jailton Almeida
  • Norma Dumont vs. Danyelle Wolf
  • Irene Aldana vs. Macy Chiasson
  • Jamie Pickett vs. Denis Tiuliulin
  • Heili Alateng vs. Chad Anheliger
  • Melissa Martinez vs. Elise Reed
  • Ion Cutelaba vs. Johnny Walker
  • Chris Barnett vs. Jake Collier
  • Hakeem Dawodu vs. Julian Erosa
  • Yohan Lainesse vs. Darian Weeks

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Anthony Smith: Luke Rockhold would’ve been a ‘f*cking superstar’ if he always showed ‘raw’ emotion

Anthony Smith admits he and Luke Rockhold don’t like each other, but he certainly respects the former UFC champ after what he saw last week.

[autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] loved what he saw out of [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] in his post-fight speech at UFC 278.

Rockhold (16-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) lost an entertaining bout to Paulo Costa this past Saturday in Salt Lake City and decided to retire after the hard-fought battle. An emotional Rockhold was brought to tears – a contrast from his brash attitude during fight week in which he trash-talked Costa and took aim at the UFC over fighter pay.

“I’ve been through so much the last few years,” Rockhold said. “I f*cking … thank you, fighting. Thank you, UFC. Thank you, Joe (Rogan). I f*cking can’t do this sh*t anymore. I gave it my all. I just didn’t … I’m f*cking old.”

Smith, who’s had issues with Rockhold in the past, wonders where this version of the former champion was all along, a version he thinks would have resonated with fans.

“It was raw. It was so raw,” Smith told Michael Bisping on the “Believe You Me” podcast. “Where was this f*cking guy 10 years ago? He’d be a f*cking superstar. I can get behind that guy. That guy who’s like, ‘I’m f*cking old,’ I’m with you. I can get behind that guy.”

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Rockhold was visibly exhausted throughout his back-and-forth war with Costa. It was his first fight in more than three years, and he took some heavy damage from the Brazilian powerhouse. However, Rockhold was able to go the distance for the first time in a loss, and Smith lauds him for the heart he showed.

“I see Luke Rockhold quitting, I’m watching him look for the door,” Smith said. “He’s looking for a way out and then decided not to take it, and that happened more than twice. It happened more than three times where he decided I don’t f*cking want to be here anymore and on his way to quitting, turned around before he got there and battled his way back into it. Personally, Luke and I don’t like each other.

“But I can respect being exhausted, being in a really hard fight with a really heavy hitter, with a guy who’s walking you down, and you’re so f*cking tired you can’t even breathe, and you got your nose splashed all the way across your face, you can barely stand up but still mustering the ability to battle back and stay in there and kind of give the fans a treat they didn’t deserve, because you should have been finished a long time ago.”

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