Usman Nurmagomedov, Patchy Mix title fights set as full 2024 Bellator Champions Series schedule announced

Bellator has announced its full 2024 schedule of Champions Series events, including Usman Nurmagomedov and Patchy Mix’s next title fights.

Two of Bellator’s most exciting champions have their next fights set as the promotion announced its full 2024 schedule of Champions Series, beginning in March.

Bellator Champions Series: Paris will take place on May 17 at Accor Arena in Paris, France, the promotion announced in a press release. The event will feature two title fights, with lightweight champion [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and bantamweight champion [autotag]Patchy Mix[/autotag] looking to defend their titles.

In the main event, Nurmagomedov (17-0) will look to record his second title defense as he takes on Alexander Shabliy. Nurmagomedov won the title at Bellator 288 by defeating Paticky Freire by unanimous decision. His first title defense against Brent Primus was later overturned to a no contest. Shabliy (23-3), has not tasted defeat since 2016, winning nine consecutive fights.

In the co-feature, Mix (19-1) will put his 135-pound title on the line for the first time when he meets Magomed Magomedov. Mix unified the title in a second-round submission victory over Sergio Pettis in November at Bellator 301. Magomedov (20-3) gets a crack at gold following a first-round submission win over Danny Sabatelly in July.

The promotion also announced its full 2024 schedule of Champions Series events:

  • Friday, March 22 – Bellator Champions Series: Belfast at SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Friday, May 17 – Bellator Champions Series: Paris at Accor Arena in Paris, France
  • Saturday, June 22 – Bellator Champions Series: Dublin at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland
  • Saturday, September 7 – Bellator Champions Series: San Diego at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, Calif.
  • Saturday, September 14 – Bellator Champions Series: London at OVO Wembley in London, England
  • Saturday, October 12 – Bellator Champions Series: Chicago at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Ill.
  • Saturday, November 16 – Bellator Champions Series: Paris at ADIDAS Arena in Paris, France
  • Tuesday, December 31 – Bellator Champions Series – TBD

A U.S. distribution partner for the events will be announced soon, according to the press release.

The current BCS: Paris lineup includes:

  • Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Alexander Shabliy – for lightweight title
  • Patchy Mix vs. Magomed Magomedov – for bantamweight title
  • Gregory Babene vs. Costello van Steenis
  • Louis Sutherland vs. Slim Trabelsi
  • Mansour Barnaoui vs. Yusuke Yachi

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Bellator champ Usman Nurmagomedov says he didn’t cheat, substance ‘entered my body through medications’

Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov says he didn’t intentionally cheat and made a simple mistake before he fought Brent Primus.

Bellator lightweight champion [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] says he didn’t intentionally cheat and made a simple mistake before his fight with Brent Primus.

On Saturday, Nurmagomedov’s unanimous decision win was overturned to a no contest by the California State Athletic Commission, which suspended Nurmagomedov for six months and fined him $50,000 after he tested positive for an undisclosed banned substance stemming from an Oct. 6 drug test days before Bellator 300.

According to a settlement agreement signed by CSAC executive officer Andy Foster and Nurmagomedov, the champ “provided evidence that the prohibited substance was prescribed to him by a physician and maintains that the prohibited substance was prescribed for therapeutic use.”

In his first public comment on the situation, Nurmagomedov reiterated that claim Saturday night on Instagram.

“The results of my test revealed a prohibited substance that entered my body through medications, prescribed to me by a doctor,” Nurmagomedov wrote. “A few months before my fight, I was undergoing treatment, but unfortunately I did not notify the athletic commission in advance.”

Nurmagomedov requested a TUE after the fact but was denied by the commission.

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It’s unclear how the no contest will affect Nurmagomedov’s status as Bellator lightweight champion or the promotion’s grand prix, given the fight with Primus was a semifinal. The fact that Bellator’s future beyond next week’s Bellator 301 event in Chicago is unclear complicates matters even further as it’s possible the promotion is acquired by or merges with PFL, which has long been talked about.

You can read Nurmagomoedov’s full statement below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzhvkL2KsMQ/

I would like to give a comment regarding latest news on my suspension. The results of my test revealed a prohibited substance that entered my body through medications, prescribed to me by a doctor. A few months before my fight, I was undergoing treatment, but unfortunately I did not notify the athletic commission in advance. I would like to note that the California state athletic commission conducted its own full investigation, where I provided all the necessary documents, doctor notes and medical certificates, thanks to which the period of my disqualification was reduced to 6 months, instead of longer suspensions accepted in such cases.

CSAC suspends Bellator champ Usman Nurmagomedov for failed drug test; win over Brent Primus overturned

Usman Nurmagomedov no longer has a win over Brent Primus, and is facing fines and a suspension for a failed pre-fight drug test.

Bellator lightweight champion [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] is facing multiple repercussions for a failed drug test prior to his Bellator 300 fight against Brent Primus.

The California State Athletic Commission has suspended Nurmagomedov (17-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) for a failed drug test administered on Oct. 6, which indicated the presence of an undisclosed prohibited substance, according to an official document obtained by MMA Junkie. The agreement was signed by CSAC executive officer Andy Foster and Nurmagomedov.

Nurmagomedov said the substance was from a medication prescribed by a physician. However, he failed to request a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) prior to the positive drug test. Nurmagomedov requested a TUE after the fact but was denied by the commission.

“Respondent provided evidence that the prohibited substance was prescribed to him by a physician and maintains that the prohibited substance was prescribed for therapeutic use,” the commission document states.

Usman’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz of Dominance MMA, did not respond to MMA Junkie’s request for comment, although he did provide one to ESPN and said the substance was “nothing enhancing” and “not an anabolic steroid.”

The substance was not revealed due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA) and California’s Confidentiality of Medica Information Act.

As a result of the failed test, Nurmagomedov faces a number of repercussions from the CSAC. His unanimous decision win over Brent Primus in the Bellator 300 main event, a semifinal in the promotion’s grand prix, has been overturned to a no contest. In addition, Nurmagomedov has been suspended for six months as of Nov. 6. He also has been fined $50,000.

Nurmagomedov has also agreed to enroll in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) testing program at his own expense for 12 months. He is required to submit no fewer than three full World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) drug screenings.

If Nurmagomedov tests positive for a prohibited substance in California or any other jurisdiction recognized by the Association of Boxing Commissions, he will face a four-year suspension.

Bellator did not immediately respond to MMA Junkie’s request for comment. However, promotion executive Mike Kogan came to Nurmagomedov’s defense on Instagram.

“It was not doping,” Kogan wrote. “No one is stripping him of any titles. Rematch with (Brent Primus) is the only thing that makes sense.”

Setting up a rematch between Nurmagomedov and Primus could be tricky considering they met in a tournament bout and the fact that Bellator’s future remains uncertain beyond next week’s Bellator 301 event in Chicago. It’s possible the promotion is acquired by or merges with PFL, which has long been talked about.

UPDATE: Hours after the news broke, Nurmagomedov issued a statement on his Instagram account.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzhvkL2KsMQ/

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Video: What does the future hold for Bellator MMA?

Could one of the biggest MMA promotions on the globe be in its final days? Our “Spinning Back Clique” discusses.

Immediately after celebrating a big milestone event, questions about Bellator MMA’s future were posed to its president [autotag]Scott Coker[/autotag].

Bellator 300 was a big show for the California-based promotion that featured three title fights. The promotion aimed for four at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, but one apart in the days before the event. Regardless, champions [autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag], [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag], and [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] entered and exited with their respective titles, but what comes next for them and everyone else on the Bellator roster is uncertain.

At the post-event news conference, Coker was asked to speak about the rumors of an upcoming sale or merger of the promotion. There have even been talks that all operations may cease. Coker wouldn’t comment much about the situation, considering everything that will happen going forward with the promotion lies in the hands of its parent company Viacom.

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Based on what answers Coker did or did not provide about Bellator’s future at the news conference, what can we expect going forward? Will there be other events after Bellator 301? Is that event guaranteed to take place? Is Viacom going to shut it all down?

Our “Spinning Back Clique” of Farah Hannoun, Mike Bohn, and Brian “Goze” Garcia discuss along with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s full “Spinning Back Clique” episode below on YouTube or in podcast form.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 300.

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Oct. 10: Usman Nurmagomedov climbing

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, which saw key moves at lightweight and women’s pound-for-pound.

In the main event of Bellator 300, [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] proved he’s among the best lightweights on the planet.

After five rounds of a shut out showing against Brent Primus, Nurmagomedov retained the Bellator lightweight crown in a one-sided affair. Entering the event at No. 11 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Nurmagomedov’s performance sees him rise to the No. 7 spot.

Women’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] was in action in the co-main event, where she soundly defeated Cat Zingano. While Cyborg can get no higher than first place, the rest of the women’s P4P rankings saw a shuffle in placement.

In the main event of UFC Fight Night 229, [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] knocked out No. 6 Grant Dawson in quick fashion, causing him to tumble a few spots down to No. 8.

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

Video: Could Bellator champ Usman Nurmagomedov be world’s No. 1 lightweight?

Another dominant performance at Bellator 300 has Usman Nurmagomedov squarely in the conversation as MMA’s best lightweight.

[autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] stayed unbeaten and defended his lightweight title with a dominant performance against former champ Brent Primus to close out Bellator 300.

It looked effortless, at times, as Nurmagomedov claimed a clean-sweep unanimous decision victory with three scores of 50-45 from the judges. Champs from other promotions always are being compared to titleholders in the UFC.

How would Nurmagomedov fare in the UFC? Could he be the world’s best fighter at 155 pounds? Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Mike Bohn, Farah Hannoun, and Brian “Goze” Garcia answer that with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s full “Spinning Back Clique” episode below on YouTube or in podcast form.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 300.

Bellator 300 gains: What all 32 fighters weighed on fight night

Find out how much weight all 32 fighters at Bellator 300 gained from the Friday morning official weigh-ins to Saturday night fights.

In California, fighters have their weights checked on the day of competition – not just when they have to hit their marks on the scale.

In 2017, the California State Athletic Commission put a plan in place to try to cut back on excessive weight cutting. Within those rules was a cap on how much a fighter could gain from the official weigh-ins to the fight.

If a fighter gained more than 10 percent back before the bout, the commission then could make a recommendation that he or she move to a higher weight class. If a fighter gained more than 15 percent, the commission had plans in place to potentially cancel fights.

At Bellator 300, which took place this past Saturday in San Diego, 14 of the 32 fighters on the card gained more than 10 percent of their weight back. Three of those 14 exceeded the 15 percent threshold. MMA Junkie obtained a list of fight-night weights Monday from the CSAC.

Check out the weight gains and percentages for all 32 fighters on the card at Pechanga Arena.

Usman Nurmagomedov not resting on his laurels after another flawless win at Bellator 300

Usman Nurmagomedov continued to live up to the reputation of his family name Saturday in San Diego.

SAN DIEGO – [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] continued to live up to the reputation of his family name Saturday in San Diego.

Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) defended the lightweight title in the Bellator 300 headliner against former champ Brent Primus (12-4 MMA, 10-4 BMMA). Their fight also was a semifinal in Bellator’s ongoing lightweight grand prix and moved Nurmagomedov into the $1 million final.

Nurmagomedov no doubt will be favored to beat whoever winds up in the final against him. Former champ Patricky Freire, whom Nurmagomedov beat to win the belt, meets Alexandr Shabliy on the other half of the bracket next month. But he said even a $1 million win would be just a step on the path.

“I have a lot more things to accomplish, even if I win this grand prix tournament,” Nurmagomedov said at his post-fight news conference. “It’s not going to be the end for me – it’s just the beginning.”

Nurmagomedov said he doesn’t care whom he meets in the final, either.

“It doesn’t matter. I didn’t choose (the bracket). These guys have a fight. Let them fight. Who will win? We’re going to be waiting on the top in the final. We’ll see.”

Check out Nurmagomedov’s full post-fight interview in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 300.

5 biggest takeaways from UFC Fight Night 229/Bellator 300: Future demise? Green’s upset? Which storyline stole the night?

Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 229 and Bellator 300 double header.

What mattered most at Saturday’s doubleheader of UFC Fight Night 229 in Las Vegas and Bellator 300 in San Diego? Here are a few post-fight musings …

Bellator 300 post-event facts: Cris Cyborg upgrades already legendary resume

Check out all the facts and figures from Bellator 300, which saw Usman Nurmagomedov, Cris Cyborg and Liz Carmouche exit as champs.

The landmark Bellator 300 event took place Saturday at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, and all three champions who entered the event left with the belts around their waists.

[autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (18-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) retained his lightweight belt in the main event and advanced to the grand prix final, [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag]’s (27-2 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) continued her dominant legacy to retain women’s featherweight gold in the co-headliner, and women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag]’s (20-7 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) scored a stoppage in the main card opener.

For more on the numbers to come out of the event, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from Bellator 300.