SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 3, 2015) – Undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) looks to defend his belt for the first time when he takes on towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14).

The contest serves as the headlining bout of “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike TV, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are already on sale at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour later. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

“We’re really looking forward to bringing another exciting world championship fight to a great sell-out crowd at Pechanga Resort & Casino this May,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “Our middleweight champion Brandon Halsey has been extremely impressive through his first 8 fights, and I’m looking forward to watching him defend his belt for the first time against Kendall Grove.”

Halsey, from Huntington Beach, Calif., is a former Division I wrestler at Cal-State Bakersfield who turned his attention to mixed martial arts in 2012 and has kept his professional record unblemished through the first eight matchups of his career. At just 28 years old, Halsey already owns six victories under the Bellator MMA banner, including a four-man tournament victory to earn a shot at the belt and a stunning, 35-second stoppage of then-champ Alexander Shlemenko to claim the Bellator MMA World Middleweight Championship.

Three of Halsey’s past four wins have come by way of first-round stoppage.

Meanwhile, the 32-year-old Grove has been fighting professionally for nearly 12 years. The Hawaiian-born Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is a former winner of “The Ultimate Fighter,” who has earned 15 of his 21 career victories by stoppage, include 10 wins by submission.

The 6-foot-6 Grove signed with Bellator MMA in 2013 and earned his shot at the belt with an October submission win over former Bellator MMA World Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M’Pumbu.

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” – Friday, May 15, Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, Calif.

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)

About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike TV:
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

LAS VEGAS (March 3, 2015) – 50-year old WBC #17 heavyweight contender, “Bronco” Billy Wright (46-4, 37 KOs), is less than two weeks away from his upcoming 10-round main event bout with Gilberto Matheus Domingos (22-2, 20 KOs). The bout takes place at the We Ko Pa Casino in Fort McDowell, Arizona on the RJJ Boxing Promotions card March 13, 2015. Bronco Billy Wright gives his thoughts on training camp and defending his WBC LATIN AMERICAN and FECARBOX titles.

Bronco Billy on training camp preparations….
“Training camp has been tough this time around. I’ve been working really hard to get in the best shape of my life. My trainer Rafael Garcia Jr. has me doing some out of the box training methods that has been real beneficial to my boxing style. We are finishing up our last days of sparring this week. I’ll be ready to bring it next Friday.

Bronco Billy gives his thoughts on his bout with Domingos….
“I know Domingos is going to be looking for the knockout as am I, so we’ll see who lands the first bomb. Like in all my fights, I’ll be looking to end the fight early. If I need to go some extra rounds, I’m ok with that, as I’m in good boxing shape. He’s going to taste some my power, that’s for sure.

Bronco Billy comments on defending his WBC titles….
“Defending my WBC LATIN AMERICAN and FECARBOX titles is a pretty big deal for me. It’s my leverage to compete at the top level as I try to crack the top ten in the WBC. Right now I’m at #17, but I plan to move up with each fight this year.

Bronco Billy discusses being a 50-year old heavyweight contender….
“At this age I feel stronger then I was when I was younger. It’s that old man strength I guess you can call it. I’m smarter, wiser and more discipline at this stage in my career. I have a goal to become the heavyweight champion of the world and motivation is greater than ever. A lot of these top contenders are shying away from fighting me. I just want to earn my opportunity and fight the best.

# # #

Tickets priced $20 general admission, $35 and $50, are on sale now and can be purchased by calling Bronco Billy Wright at (702) 524-3331.

The We Ko Pa Casino is located at 10424 North Fort McDowell Road, Fort McDowell, AZ 85264. Doors open at 6:00 P.M. first fight is at 7:00 P.M.

Oxnard, CA:
On March 14 Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov will face Steve “USS” Cunningham for the #1 position in the IBF and the USBA Heavyweight Title as the co-feature on the Kovalev-Pascal HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast. Although Cunningham is a formidable opponent, the 30-year old from Lugansk, Ukraine faced much bigger adversity outside of the ring over the last year.

Glazkov and Adamek
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

Early in 2014, Czar won the biggest fight of his career when he defeated veteran Tomasz “Goral” Adamek in a 12-round unanimous decision to secure the IBF North American Heavyweight Title. Shortly thereafter, along with his wife and daughter, he immigrated to the United States from war-torn Ukraine. They had difficulty crossing over the border into Russia, but were finally able to make it to sunny Florida to start their new lives as American residents.

Back home in Ukraine, things continued to be tumultuous for Glazkov’s family. Before his Aug. 9 fight with Derric Rossy, Czar had not heard from his parents for over two weeks. This was especially difficult for Glazkov whose father, Valerii Glazkov, usually attends all of his fights. Despite worrying about his family in Ukraine and an ailing hand, which still had not healed from his battle with Adamek, Glazkov managed to defeat Rossy via a 10-round majority decision.

After the fight, Glazkov received word that his parents were safe. His father made the trip to the United States for Czar’s next fight in Atlantic City on the Kovalev-Hopkins undercard. The elder Glazkov watched from ringside as his son stopped Darnell Wilson in the seventh round.

Unfortunately, not everyone in Glazkov’s family survived the unrest in Ukraine. Recently, on a media conference call, Czar talked about his grandmother: “I lost my grandmother; she was killed in the street during one of the bombings. Of course it was always distracting to talk with my family back there.” But he added, “Right now I am concentrated 100% and I am here, I am training, I am ready.”

Glazkov and Wilson
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

For the Rossy and Wilson fights, Glazkov worked with world-renowned trainer, John David Jackson, the same trainer that works with Main Events’ stable mate and WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. When Glazkov found out his fight against Steve Cunningham for the mandatory position in the IBF and the USBA Heavyweight Championship would be on the same card as Kovalev vs. Pascal, he thought about what would be best for his preparation. He said, “John David Jackson was so busy with Sergey [Kovalev]. I decided I needed to go with a new trainer. Instead of going with somebody completely new, I chose someone from the past that I used to work with. We are clicking together good.” Glazkov was referring to his former trainer, Victor Petrochenko.

To work with Petrochenko, Glazkov had to travel to Oxnard, CA from Sunny Isles, FL, where he lives with his family. Despite once again training thousands of miles away from his wife and daughter, Glazkov is focused on Cunningham. “Cunningham is a very experienced fighter. He is a very good fighter. That is why I have to prepare 100% for the fight. Good fight. Good opponent. Will be a good night.”

Glazkov Stares Down Derric Rossy
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

The winner of this fight will face the winner of the WBA, WBO and IBF Unified Heavyweight Championship fight between Wladimir Klitschko and Bryant Jennings. Both Glazkov and Cunningham worked as Klitschko’s sparring partners. Czar does not want to predict who will win the Klitschko-Jennings fight, but said, “I am facing Steve Cunningham. I can’t predict what is going to happen, but I would love to go and face Klitschko. I got good experience sparring with Klitschko. If I am going to fight him next, that experience will give me insight to fighting him.”

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

NEW YORK (March 3, 2015) – SHOWTIME Sports will offer boxing fans a chance to relive one of boxing’s most intense and brutal rivalries as it rolls out content in celebration of the classic showdowns between Mexican legends Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez.

Tonight, on the eighth anniversary of their epic first battle, SHOWTIME EXTREME (10 p.m. ET/PT) will present Vazquez-Marquez I, a unanimous selection of 2007 Fight of the Year. Then on Wednesday, Vazquez-Marquez II, an old-school slugfest that produced a Round of the Year Winner, will air at 11 p.m. ET/PT. The third installment, the 2008 Fight of The Year, will air on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

Plus, Vazquez-Marquez I-IV will air in a “Roadblock” this Saturday on SHOWTIME EXTREME beginning at Noon ET/PT.

In honor of the rivalry, SHOWTIME Sports will also release classic photos, quick-hitting highlights, stats as well as full rounds. The third round from Vazquez-Marquez I and the third round from Vazquez-Marquez II (2007 Round of the Year) will be available on YouTube, Facebook and the SHOWTIME Sports website. Additionally, The Boxing Blog will release three posts from SHOWTIME boxing analyst and historian Steve Farhood as he looks back on the first three epic meetings between the 122-pound warriors.

All four Vazquez-Marquez fights will be available on SHOWTIME ANYTIME and SHOWTIME ON DEMAND beginning Monday, March 9. Below is the full schedule of action on SHOWTIME EXTREME:

TODAY/Tuesday, March 3

· SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: Vazquez vs. Marquez I, 10 p.m. ET/PT

Wednesday, March 4

· SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: Vazquez vs. Marquez II, 11 p.m. ET/PT

Thursday, March 5

· SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: Vazquez vs. Marquez III, 10 p.m. ET/PT

Saturday, March 7

· SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: Vazquez vs. Marquez I, Noon ET/PT

· SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: Vazquez vs. Marquez II, 1 p.m. ET/PT

· SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: Vazquez vs. Marquez III, 2 p.m. ET/PT

· SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: Vazquez vs. Marquez IV, 3 p.m. ET/PT

Described by Farhood as “an explosion of artistic brutality,” their first meeting had all the action and drama of a Hollywood blockbuster and left fans –and the fighters– clamoring for a rematch. Vazquez and Marquez delivered yet again in their second meeting just five months later in yet another old-school, bloody slugfest that produced a Round of the Year winner –the third– and a result that demanded a rubber match.

Vazquez-Marquez III, contested just 363 days from their first meeting, was a celebration of boxing at its finest, the only match in the rivalry to go the distance and the 2008 Fight of the Year. The two would meet for the fourth and final time again in 2010.

# # #

About Showtime Networks Inc.:

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

THE FIGHT GAME WITH JIM LAMPLEY returns for its season premiere TUESDAY, MARCH 17 (11:00-11:30 pm. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Hosted by the four-time Sports Emmy® winner, who has been the host of HBO Boxing since joining the network in 1988, the show is a provocative, engaging and informative experience that delves into intriguing storylines, newsmakers and issues that are top-of-mind in boxing.

Other HBO playdates: March 19 (4:15 p.m., 3:50 a.m.), 21 (9:45 a.m.), 25 (1:30 p.m.), 29 (noon), 30 (10:30 a.m., 11:15 p.m.) and 31 (9:30 p.m.), and April 3 (7:30 p.m.) 6 (5:05 a.m.) and 7 (11:45 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: March 20 (11:45 p.m., 8:30 p.m.), 26 (7:30 p.m.), 28 (9:00 a.m.) and 31 (12:35 a.m.), and April 2 (1:00 a.m.), 4 (2:10 p.m.) and 6 (12:50 p.m.)

HBO On Demand® availability begins March 18. The show will also be available on HBO GO®.

On this edition of THE FIGHT GAME, commentators Max Kellerman and Michelle Beadle join Lampley for a look at the biggest news stories and personalities in the sport.

Immediately following the program, fight fans can log on to hbo.com for exclusive overtime segments hosted by Lampley.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com. former multi-time Middleweight champion Felix Sturm will battle Fedor Chudinov on May 9 for a vacant Super Middleweight title.

“I promised to make only big fights from now on. Chudinov is seen as a highly talented and skilled boxer with a lot of punching power,” Sturm said. “But I will take this belt to Germany.”

“We always wanted to make a fight in Frankfurt, but we could never ever imagine that it would be such a big thing,” said Roland Bebak, Sturm’s manager. “Frankfurt is a city of boxing and we’re really enjoying the great interest from the fans.”

Singapore – With the exponential growth of mixed martial arts (MMA) in Asia, a landmark announcement was made today by UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, displaying their continued commitment to the region.

The UFC has agreed to a significant new partnership with a leading digital sports platform in China, PPTV. The deal will allow Chinese UFC fans to access all UFC® events live and in local language in China for the first time, this localized content will be used to support UFC® promotions in the social media and digital marketing environment. The UFC® has grown its audience engagement across social media channels to the same levels as English Premier League football teams in the region*. The growing number of MMA and UFC® fans in China will have unprecedented access to all of the passion, excitement and top quality athletes that are the trademark of all UFC® events.

Ken Berger, EVP and General Manager UFC Asia, said: “This landmark deal displays the rapid growth and demand for premium MMA content in China. There is a real upward trend of MMA taking hold in the region with increased engagement amongst fans and more and more athletes dedicating their lives to becoming the best they can be. The UFC® recognizes that it really is only a matter of time before we start seeing champions emerge from China.” Ken continued, “PPTV have always been a valued supporter of the UFC, we couldn’t be happier to grow our partnership with them this year.”

PPTV Sports General Manger Li Dong says, “We hope PPTV will become the best partner of UFC; PPTV is going to be the home of UFC in China.”

China is emerging as a significant breeding ground for talented MMA athletes who are increasingly taking their place on the world’s MMA stage. With 14 Chinese fighters within the UFC® and an actively engaged fan base established in the country, the partnership will build upon the increasing demand for UFC® content in this market, strengthening the substantial growth seen within Asia over the last twelve months.

NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information about UFC, its events and programming, please visit www.ufc.com.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the UFC® is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in 129 countries and territories to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS™, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content.

The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT® (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, UFC branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

LAS VEGAS (March 2, 2015) – San Antonio’s 6’1 undefeated featherweight sensation, Mario Barrios (7-0, 3 KOs), will make his Las Vegas debut on the undercard of Guerrero vs. Thurman this Saturday March 7, 2105, at the MGM Grand Hotel. Barrios will face Justin Lopez (5-2, 3 KOs) in what will be his first 6-round bout.

Already known for his fast hands, Barrios is getting better with each fight. Against Lopez, he will look to continue his quest to remain undefeated with an incredible performance.

“When you’re a kid growing up in this sport, you always think about what it would be like to fight in the boxing capitol of the world, Las Vegas,” said Barrios. “Now that time has come and I’m ready to get busy. I don’t know much about my opponent expect that he has some power. None the less, I’m looking to impress those in attendance with a great performance.”

Advised by Al Haymon, Barrios knows he is in a wonderful position to take his career to the next level.

“This will be my first 6-round bout, something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” Barrios continued. “With all the dates that Al Haymon has coming up…I’m looking to be his number one prospect. What Haymon Boxing is doing for the sport is amazing. I’m ready to shine on March 7th.”

HOUSTON, TX (March 2, 2015) – WBA Champion, Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara, responds to WBO Champion Demetrius Andrade’s claims that he’s not interested in a unification fight with him.

“I’ll fight him anytime! My resume speaks for itself. I’m willing to fight Cotto or GGG next…you think I’m worried about this little spoiled brat? Look at my resume of great fighters I’ve fought, Williams, Molina, Vanes, Trout, Canelo, Angulo and now Smith. In 24 fights, who has he fought?”

Lara went on to say about Andrade latest drama about pulling out if his last scheduled fight…

“I’m the best in the division. If I put my name to a contract I show up and fight, unlike him when he pulled out of the biggest fight of his career against Charlo. Not to mention, he turned down a fight with me on ESPN2 years ago when I was willing to whoop to put a beating on him for $15.000. And don’t forget, I already whooped that ass for free in the amateurs!!! His nickname serves him right…He’s Poo Poo!”

Las Vegas – On Memorial Day Weekend, two world title fights headline UFC® 187 as undisputed light heavyweight king Jon “Bones” Jones meets No. 1 contender Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in the five-round main event. Plus, middleweight champion Chris Weidman puts his belt on the line when he faces former light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort Saturday, May 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The pound-for-pound king, Jon Jones (21-1, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) continues to smash records and make history as he goes for an unprecedented ninth successful UFC light heavyweight title defense. Undefeated in his last 12 bouts, Jones is currently tied for second place with Georges St-Pierre for the longest active winning streak, just behind former middleweight champion Anderson Silva with 17. Jones is on a path to become arguably the greatest fighter of all-time, having defeated both former legends and rising stars, with his most recent victory coming after a five-round war against U.S. Olympian Daniel Cormier at UFC 182. Looking to further etch his name in the record books, Jones gladly welcomes the challenge of facing the hardest-hitting opponent of his career at UFC 187.

Since making his UFC return in 2014, (No. 1) Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (19-4, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla.) has gone 3-0, collecting two first-round finishes over former title challenger Alexander Gustafsson (TKO at 2:15 of round 1 at UFC Fight Night® in Stockholm) and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (KO at 0:44 seconds of round 1 at UFC on FOX in San Jose), while also delivering a masterful performance against seventh-ranked Phil Davis at UFC 172. A nine-fight win streak, coupled with dominant wins over top tier talent, has earned Johnson a chance to challenge the pound-for-pound king for the light heavyweight world title.

In what will be an electric co-main event, middleweight champion Chris Weidman (12-0, fighting out of Baldwin, N.Y.) will put his spotless record on the line when he faces the fourth-ranked Belfort, who has been anxiously awaiting his shot at the belt. After doing the seemingly impossible by beating former champion Anderson Silva twice, Weidman went on to defend his title in spectacular fashion against former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 175. The five-round battle earned the pair a Fight of the Year nomination and cemented Weidman’s place in the pound-for-pound rankings (No. 4). With victories over many of the sport’s elite, the New Yorker looks to add another notable name to his resume when he takes on one of his most ferocious opponents to date.

Determined to hold titles in two weight classes, former 205-pound champ (No. 4) Vitor Belfort (24-10, fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla. by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has been destroying his competition as of late, and at 37 years old, has never looked better. In his most recent outings, “The Phenom” defeated both Dan Henderson and Luke Rockhold in the first round following his incredible second-round TKO victory over Michael Bisping in January 2013. Weidman and Belfort have been slated to meet on three separate occasions, and the two will finally go to war on May 23.

Other bouts for UFC 187 include:
· Undefeated lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov returns from a lengthy layoff (22-0, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) to face No. 3 Donald Cerrone (27-6, 1NC, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.), a winner of seven straight.

· In a battle of heavyweights, third-ranked Travis Browne (17-2-1, fighting out of Glendale, Calif.) collides with (No. 7) Andre Arlovski (23-10, 1 NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.).

· Ninth-ranked welterweight Dong Hyun “Stun Gun” Kim (19-3-1, 1 NC, fighting out of Busan, South Korea) meets Josh Burkman (28-11, fighting out of Draper, Utah).

· Former title challengers Joseph Benavidez (21-4, fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) and John Moraga (16-3, fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) hit the stage in a flyweight scrap.

· Plus, the flyweight division’s No. 1 contender and TUF season 14 winner John Dodson (17-6, fighting out of Albuquerque, N.M.) makes his return against (No. 9) Zach Makovsky (19-5, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.).

· In their UFC debuts, newcomers Leo Kuntz (17-1-1, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) and Islam Makhachev (11-0, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) square off in a 155-pound bout.

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

Tickets for UFC® 187: JONES vs. JOHNSON go on sale Friday, March 6 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $350, $225 and $125 (prices do not include applicable service charges and handling fees). Tickets are available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000. Beginning at noon, tickets also will be available for purchase in person at any MGM Resorts International box office. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC Fight Club® members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets Wednesday, March 4 at 10 a.m. PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, March 5 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Get your VIP package today! The UFC VIP Experience packages together your tickets with behind-the-scenes access to the official weigh-ins, backstage tours, meet and greet and autograph signings with top UFC stars, Q&A sessions, and photo opportunities, access to an in-arena VIP party room, a chance to hold the championship belt inside the Octagon® and more!

UFC®187: JONES vs. JOHNSON will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $49.99 US/CAN for Standard Definition and $59.99 US/CAN for High -Definition.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
UFC® is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in 129 countries and territories to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT® (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, UFC branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

About the MGM Grand Garden Arena

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson as well as Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez; and concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Billy Joel, U2, Lady Gaga, Sting, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to the annual Academy of Country Music Awards, annual Billboard Music Awards, annual iHeartRadio Music Festival and the Frozen Fury NHL pre-season game which features the Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche.

Providence, RI (March 2, 2015)–After WBO number-one ranked Jr. Middleweight, Jermell Charlo decided to not fight fight WBO Jr. Middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, Andrade’s father/trainer Paul has turned his attention to a fight with WBA belt holder Erislandy Lara.

“We signed a contract to fight Charlo a month ago,” said Paul Andrade. “He opted to fight a guy that we beat already in Vanes Martiroysan. I don’t even think Charlo will beat him. I can see Vanes out bullying him and win a decision about eight rounds to four.”

“That’s in the past and now we have to look towards the future.”

That future hopefully includes Lara.

“The real fight for us is with Lara. Fighting Charlo would not have done much for us anyway. That would have been like a man fighting a boy.”

“We are calling Lara out but he has had no response. He doesn’t have a dance partner, so the time is right for both of us.”

Andrade believes turn about is fair play for the Cuban as he talked his way into a fight with Canelo Alvarez last year and now it’s time for him to be on the receiving end of somebody ready, willing and able to fight him.

“Lara thought he was cute by calling out Canelo by going to his press conference. He and trying to embarrass him and goad Canelo into a fight. Lara is now in that position. We would go to one of your press conferences and embarrass you but you don’t even have a fight on the table, so there is no press conference for you.”

“Why don’t you step up like Canelo and be a man and accept our challenge like Canelo did for you.”

“I guess it’s not so cute for him anymore. And if you do step to the plate, you can bring your running shoes because you are a better runner then boxer.”

Said Arthur Pelullo of Banner Promotions, co-promoter of Andrade, “This is a fight that Demetrius wants. Last year he wanted wanted a fight with Canelo. Canelo had and has other plans now so why not fight the man who some people believe beat him in Lara.”

“We feel Demetrius is the best jr. middleweight in the world and the way to prove that is to fight the best. Erislandy Lara has proven to be at the top of the division. This is the type of fight that will show the boxing world that Demetrius is a star.”, said co-promoter, Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing.

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LAS VEGAS (March 2, 2015) – A world-class doubleheader, featuring featherweight world champion Jhonny Gonzalez (57-8, 48 KOs) defending his 126-pound title against exciting young star Gary Russell Jr. (25-1, 14 KOs)in the main event on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, will take place at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, on Saturday, March 28, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

In the co-feature, undefeated rising star Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (25-0, 11 KOs) faces a tough test when he takes on the experienced former U.S. Olympian Vanes Martirosyan (35-1-1, 21 KOs) in an important super welterweight showdown.

Tickets for the live event are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50, and $25, plus applicable fees are on sale today, Monday, March 2, at 12 p.m. PT. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or by clicking HERE. Tickets are also available online at www.ticketmaster.com.

“I’m very excited to be coming back to the United States. Every time I have fought on American soil, it has been career-changing for me,” said Gonzalez. “In 2012, [Daniel] Ponce De Leon stopped me in Las Vegas and made me reconsider my whole strategy. I came back to the U.S. in 2013 and I stopped an undefeated champion, Abner Mares. Now I’m back and once again I’m facing a tough opponent. Russell is not an easy test, but I’m confident I’m going to surprise everybody once more. Nobody thought I had a chance in 2013 and I stripped Mares of his title. Food for thought.”

“I’m blessed to be back on this stage, fighting once again for a world title,” said Russell Jr. “I came up short at my first opportunity for the title and that has me more motivated than ever to get the job done on March 28. I will finally hold up my very own belt.”

“I love fighting on SHOWTIME and I’m excited to put on a show for the fans in Las Vegas,” said Charlo. “I have a tough opponent, people think I might not be ready, but on March 28, they’re going to know that I’m taking over the sport.”

“This is a great opportunity for me and I’m just thankful to get the chance to showcase my talents,” said Martirosyan. “Charlo is a tough kid, but I’ve been around this sport longer and I’m going to show him some things he’s never seen before. The fans better get ready for an awesome show.”

“This edition of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is guaranteed to be action-packed,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment, promoter of the event. “The main event presents the classic boxer versus puncher matchup, with the slick, talented former Olympian Russell looking for redemption and the title against reigning, three-time world champion brawler Gonzalez. The co-feature between Charlo and Martirosyan is a highly competitive clash of styles. A big fight is in the future for the winner of this bout.”

“March 28 should be a tremendous night of fights to kick off a stacked run of boxing on SHOWTIME and CBS,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Both bouts on the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast have world title implications. The main events matches the one-punch knockout power of world champion Jhonny Gonzalez versus the speed of Gary Russell, who is one of the most skilled boxers in any division. And with Jermell Charlo vs. Vanes Martirosyan, we have a matchup of two top 154-pounder contenders, each on the verge of a world title opportunity.”

“Boxing continues to be a major draw for Las Vegas,” said Billy Conn, Vice President of Entertainment and Special Events for The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort. “The Pearl is one of the most intimate venues where you can catch those world class athletes in action.”

One of the best Mexican fighters of this era, Mexico City’s Gonzalez has held world championships at 118 and 126 pounds, defeating the likes of Hall-of-Famer Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson and former world champions Fernando Montiel, Irene Pacheco, and Hozumi Hasegawa, along the way. The 33-year-old Gonzalez’ last loss came in 2012 to Daniel Ponce De Leon, but he has won his last five fights, including a shocking 2013 first-round knockout over defending beltholder Abner Mares resurrecting his career. He has defended the title twice in Mexico and now he returns to the U.S. in a very tough defense on March 28.

A supremely talented boxer, Capitol Heights, Maryland’s Russell Jr. is looking to strike world championship gold in his second shot at a belt. The 2008 U.S. Olympian looks to wipe out the memory of his first opportunity, when he fell by 12-round majority decision to Vasyl Lomachenko. He was able to return to his winning ways in December 2014, when he dominated Christopher Martin on his way to a unanimous decision. Now Russell Jr. has his eyes set on Gonzalez’ featherweight crown.

Younger-by-one-minute than his identical twin Jermall, Charlo is also a highly ranked young fighter looking to get one step closer to a world title shot. A tall fighter for his division, Charlo stepped up in class in 2014 and delivered three wide unanimous decision victories over Gabriel Rosado, Charlie Ota and Mario Lozano. On March 28, he takes on another tough challenge when he meets the experienced Martirosyan.

Born in Armenia, but fighting out of Glendale, Calif., Martirosyan represented the U.S. at the 2004 Olympics and has put together a stellar pro career since. He won his first 32 fights before fighting current world champion Erislandy Lara to a draw in 2012. He suffered a narrow defeat by split decision in his first world title shot against Demetrius Andrade but has rebounded with nice wins over Mario Lozano and Willie Nelson.

The event takes place at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). In the co-main event, Jermell Charlo takes on Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jhonnygbox, @mrgaryrusselljr, @TwinCharlo, @LouDiBella and @PearlAtPalms, follow the conversation using #GonzalezRussell, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

Today, Bellator MMA was compelled to go to court to stop Quinton “Rampage” Jackson from fighting in an April 25th bout promoted by Bellator’s competitor, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Jackson, who has completed only three fights of his exclusive six-fight contract with Bellator, is barred by contract from fighting for any promoter other than Bellator. Our lawsuit for an injunction and related relief – filed in the Chancery Division of the Superior Court in Burlington County, New Jersey – will compel Jackson to honor his contractual agreement. We look forward to having one of our MMA stars fighting for Bellator again.

New York, NY (3/2/15) – Fresh off his victory this past Thursday in Boston, Mass., Ireland’s once-beaten middleweight title contender Spike O’Sullivan (19-1, 12KO’s) has been added to the eagerly anticipated “McMayhem in Midtown” card, held on Saturday, March 14, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. The event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment, Murphy’s Boxing, Ring of Fire Promotions and FDNY Bravest Boxing will feature both professional and amateur bouts, and is headlined by former world-title challenger Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland (29-1, 13KO’s) taking on Manuel de los Reyes Herrera (21-15-1, 15KO’s). The co-feature bout of the evening sees the long-awaited return of popular light heavyweight contender-turned-New York firefighter Will “Power” Rosinsky (17-2, 9KO’s) as he squares off against Paul Gonsalves (7-5, 3KO’s). The amateur portion of the card will mark the third meeting between the FDNY Bravest Boxing team and Garda Siochana Boxing team of the Irish National Police Force, who will be making the trip over from Ireland with the 2015 Transatlantic championship at stake.

Tickets for “McMayhem in Midtown” are priced at $100, $65 and $35, and can be purchased by calling the DiBella Entertainment office at (212) 947-2577. Tickets may also be purchased by visiting www.murphysboxing.com. Doors open at 7:00 PM, with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 PM.

O’Sullivan, hailing from Cork, Ireland, is promoted by Ken Casey’s Murphys Boxing. Casey, the lead singer for platinum-selling American Celtic band, The Dropkick Murphys, began working with the popular Irishman following his loss to the undefeated WBO #1-ranked middleweight Billy Joe Saunders. In November of last year, O’Sullivan scored arguably his best victory to date, a devastating first-round TKO over perennial contender Anthony Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald had previously gone the distance with both former interim WBA middleweight champion Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam and current WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee.

With a cult-like following along the entire Eastern seaboard, Casey has used the band’s popularity to build O’Sullivan’s fan base here in the U.S. and a raucous crowd is expected to be on hand for his New York City debut.

“I love new adventures and St. Paddy’s weekend in New York is going to be electric,” said O’Sullivan. “On March 14, I intend to entertain the fans and show them what I can do in the ring. I will aim to send them home wanting to come see me fight again and feeling that they got great value for their ticket money.”

“Spike is an awesome guy and a great exciting fighter to watch. I am excited for the New York fans who will get their first chance to see Spike in action,” said Casey.

In anticipation of his New York debut, O’Sullivan will make his way to the empire state a couple of weeks early, and spend time meeting with fans at the Dropkick Murphys at Irving Plaza in Manhattan on March 8th, 9th and 10th. Tickets for the card will also be available for purchase at these shows.

An opponent for O’Sullivan will be named shortly.

LINCOLN, R.I. (March 2nd, 2015) — Rick Hawn can’t help but smile.

A 14-time vet of the Bellator Fighting Championships, Hawn (19-4, 11 KOs) didn’t make his professional mixed martial arts debut until the age of 32, a late start by anyone’s standards, but has since turned what was once a hobby into a full-time occupation.

No longer working the cash register at Home Depot trying to juggle real life with MMA, the 38-year-old Dracut, Mass., native is now looking to make one last run to the top of his profession when he stars in the main event of “CES MMA XXVIII” Friday, March 13th, 2015 at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, R.I.

“I’ve accomplished more than I ever expected to,” Hawn said, “and more than most people expected me to.”

In just six years, Hawn has fought on 14 Bellator shows, earned two title shots and locked horns with elite fighters in his weight class countless times on national television. On March 13th, he returns to the national spotlight as the headliner on AXS TV, debuting with CES MMA, one of the fastest-rising promotions in mixed martial arts, in a three-round lightweight bout against Derek Loffer (9-2, 6 KOs) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

“Obviously, it’s nice to be on TV, but I don’t need it,” Hawn said. “I’m in the later stage of my career. Just being able to fight for the top organizations is what I care about, to be able to support myself and not have a full-time job like I used to.

“Whether I get exposure or not is not the main thing. I’m happy to have the opportunity.”

Hawn compiled a 10-4 record with Bellator until the promotion released him in November, a remarkable success rate considering the quality of opponents he faced through the years, including longtime Bellator vet Brent Weedman, Ron Keslar and “The Phenom” Douglas Lima of Brazil. His career soared to new heights four and a half years ago when he finally made enough money to support himself through fighting, allowing him to train more frequently.

“When you’re working 40 hours a week and you have to train before or after – or both – it catches up to you,” Hawn said. “When you’re young, it’s not a big deal. You hammer through that stuff. When you get older, it’s a lot to ask of your mind and body.”

The 27-year-old Loffer is also no stranger to the big stage. He fought under Bellator’s promotional guidance twice, most recently in March of 2014 when he beat Bobby Reardanz by unanimous decision, and has won four consecutive bouts since losing his Bellator debut in 2013.

Strangely enough, Loffer and Hawn appeared on that same aforementioned Bellator show in 2013, held in Loffer’s backyard in Cedar Rapids. Hawn beat Weedman in the main event while Loffer lost to Cliff Wright via armbar submission.

“It’s kind of ironic that Rick and I are meeting now outside of Bellator,” Loffer said. “I remember watching him that night and thinking, ‘I want to fight that guy!’ These are the kind of fights I want.”

Loffer will finally get his wish March 13th, but not after a long ordeal with Bellator in which he asked the promotion to grant him his release in September to explore other opportunities.

“Since then, a lot of doors have opened,” Loffer said. “It’s nice to essentially be able to do what you want with your career. That’s what ultimately led me to this fight.

“This promotion is solid. Being from Iowa and fighting in Rhode Island, you might not know much about them, but I was surprised when I looked into their background and their history. It was an opportunity I had to jump on. I’m a huge fan of CES MMA in terms of how they communicate and treat fighters.

“There are so many great fighters on this card who are solid. I’ll be watching like a fan, too, right before I fight. This is an organization that will only continue to get bigger and better and I’m excited to be a part of that history.”

Loffer admits he’s “been in talks” with other promotions about what his future holds and most of them agree if he beats Hawn, the sky’s the limit. Such pressure would derail most fighters, but Loffer has been down the road before.

With an 89 percent finish rate on his resume (six knockouts and two submissions in his nine professional victories) he’s confident he can successfully trade blows with a skilled striker such as Hawn.

“All together, I believe I’m the better striker,” Loffer said. “For the most part, he makes a good effort to keep it standing up. I’m just looking at it as another fight. I’m confident. I feel 100 percent ready. I’ve put in the work, I’ve got a good game plan. I don’t have too many worries.”

Neither does Hawn, who hasn’t burdened himself with the pressure of trying to impress the right people in order to leapfrog to a bigger stage. He’s adopted an “if it happens, it happens” mentality, already satisfied with how far he’s made it regardless of the outcome of his fight against Loffer.

“I like to look at everything one fight at a time and not get ahead of myself,” Hawn said. “Ultimately, yeah, it’d be great to be picked up by the [Ultimate Fighting Championships], but I’m not a young kid anymore. Maybe that’s not a realistic expectation. If I was 20-something, they’d have a bigger on me. I understand where I’m at with my ability, my age.

“This is a very unforgiving sport,” he continued. “It’s hard to last and be consistent at the top level. It’s just part of the process. You have to keep plugging away and try to get better everyday.”

Tickets for “CES MMA XXVIII” are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 and available for purchase online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The main card of “CES MMA XXVIII” also features fan-favorite Luis Felix (12-8, 4 KOs) of Providence, R.I., who makes his third AXS TV appearance in the co-feature against Rich Patishnock (6-2, 1 KO) of East Stroudsburg, Pa.; and the television debut of bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath (8-2, 4 KOs) of Woonsocket, R.I. (Boca Raton, Fla.), who’ll face New York native and Bombsquad vet Brian Kelleher (11-7, 5 KOs).

Providence cruiserweight Greg Rebello (17-6, 9 KOs) returns in a three-round bout against seasoned vet Mike Mucitelli (7-1, 1 KO) of Syracuse while Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Todd Chattelle (12-11, 9 KOs) returns to the CES MMA cage for a record 12th time looking to snap a two-fight losing streak when he faces the dangerous Roger Carroll (15-11), who has submitted 14 of his 15 victims.

Also on the televised card, Hollis, N.H., bantamweight Joey Gomez (5-0, 5 KOs) puts his unbeaten record on the line against poised veteran Kin Moy (6-1, 2 KOs) of Cambridge, Mass., the only fighter to beat fellow bantamweight Soukhamthath in the past four years.

The star-studded undercard features the return of rising stars Kyle Bochniak (4-0, 1 KO) and Lewis Corapi (6-1, 3 KOs). Bochniak, a Boston native, faces featherweight Dominic Warr (4-5, 1 KO) of Allston, Mass., while the Medford, Mass., vet Corapi battles Jay Bakanowski (2-1, 1 KO) of Northborough, Mass. Flyweight Chad Kelly (3-1, 1 KO) faces newcomer Jesse Gutierrez of Norwood, Mass.; Warwick, R.I., welterweight Tommy Venticinque (1-2) returns against Toby Oden (1-1) of Milford, Mass.; and Boston featherweight James Grant Murrin (2-0, 2 KOs) battles Brockton, Mass., vet Lionel Young (6-14). Female bantamweights Sarah Payant of West Springfield, Mass., and Janice Meyer of Cortland, N.Y., each make their professional debuts against one another in a three-round bout.

For more information on “CES MMA XXVIII” visit www.cesmma.com, follow @CESMMA on Twitter and Instagram and “like” the official CES MMA Facebook fan page.

\Middleweight contender David Lemieux has been sued by promoter GYM (Groupe Yvon Michel) according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Michel, who says he still has a contract with middleweight contender David Lemieux, is suing the fighter and others associated with him in the Superior Court of Quebec for $1.35 million, claiming Lemieux broke their agreement.

Michel also is suing Lemieux representative Camille Estephan and his Eye of the Tiger Management; Golden Boy Promotions, which announced it signed Lemieux to a promotional agreement in January; and HBO, which televised Lemieux’s last fight in December and which Michel claims is complicit in Lemieux’s breaking his contract.

Michel’s Groupe Yvon Michel “claims that it has suffered damages of $1,350,000 as a result of tortuous conduct and bad faith actions by the defendants.”

According to the suit, “GYM has always acted in Lemieux’s best interest, and oversaw his development at every level, turning him into a top contender in the middleweight division, and a financially viable professional boxer and gate attraction.”

The lawsuit alleges that after Estephan made a deal with Michel to modify their agreement, he orchestrated Lemieux’s move to Golden Boy and cut Michel out. The lawsuit further claims that HBO was complicit with Estephan to remove Michel as Lemieux’s promoter.

“Our lawyers have reviewed and analyzed their claims, and we feel very confident that it has no basis, and chances of success [and] their pursuit of extracting money from us are, at best, extremely slim and factually none,” he said.

Estephan said Michel is claiming they have a verbal agreement that does not exist.

“They are based on allegations from GYM that they have a verbal agreement extending the contract and are simply seeking damages,” Estephan said. “I can tell you that in no way, shape or form David nor I have ever agreed to anything verbally with GYM or anyone associated with them.

“We do not have any concerns that their suit would slow down David’s ascension and career. Hence we are looking forward and working diligently with GBP on making the fight for the IBF title between David and Hassan N’Dam.”

Oxnard, CA:
As Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin (17-0, 9 KOs) prepares to face Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (23-2-2, 10 KOs) for the NABF Light Heavyweight Title on March 14 in the opening bout of the Kovalev-Pascal HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast he cannot help to reflect on his career thus far.

The common misconception is that Lepikhin earned the nickname, “The Professor” while attending university in his hometown of Gelendzhik, Russia. Although he does have two degrees, one in sports (similar to a US degree in athletic training) and one in management, he was coined “The Professor” when he made his professional debut back in 2005 at the age of 19. He explained, “When I had my pro debut in Russia, the promoter of the show thought I was so smart in the ring he said I was a professor of boxing. From that point on I was known professionally as ‘The Professor.'”

Berridge & Lepikhin
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

The undefeated Lepikhin has had a stellar career so far. He has an impressive 53% (9 of 17) knockout-to win ratio with the majority of his fights taking place in his home country of Russia. He made his US debut back in August of 2014 with an impressive fifth round stoppage of Robert Berridge of New Zealand to secure the PABA and WBO Oriental Light Heavyweight Titles. Shortly after the fight Lepikhin and his promoter, German Titov of German Titov Promotions, signed a co-promotional agreement with Main Events.

Lepikhin & Junior
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

In November, he returned to the US to face Brazilian Jackson Junior. Lepikhin appeared to struggle against Junior but still managed to secure the ten-round unanimous decision victory. He explained, “In my last fight I arrived to Pennsylvania and got very sick. I went into the ring sick.”

For this upcoming fight Lepikhin and his camp traveled from Russia to Oxnard, CA on February 21 to finish out the remainder of his training camp in the United States. “I came to Oxnard so I could adjust to the time difference and to get in a little sparring before heading to Canada,” said Vasily.

Igor, Vasily and Andrey Lepikhin
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

For Lepikhin, boxing is a family affair. He is trained by his father, Andrey Lepikhin, the same trainer that also trains fellow Main Events’ stable mate, middleweight Dmitry Mikhaylenko. His brother, Igor Lepikhin, will also work his corner for him on March 14 when he faces Chilemba in Canada. Vasily said, “I love training with my father. I love every single minute of it. It is great for me because I get to work with my family.”

Early in 2015 Lepikhin, Main Events and German Titov Promotions were approached about joining forces with Interbox to co-promote Lepikhin and add a fight between Vasily and Isaac Chilemba to the HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast. Lepikhin said, “I am very excited about fighting on HBO and this new opportunity with Interbox. I am looking forward to showcasing my skills on this large international scale.”

The fight with Chilemba, who is currently ranked #2 in the IBF, will be a ten-round fight for the NABF Light Heavyweight Title. When asked about the fight with Chilemba, Lepikhin said, “I think Chilemba is a very good, experienced fighter. It is going to be a very good bout.” His father/trainer added, “We travelled a long road to get to this point. We are very, very happy to finally be here. We are ready.”

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

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Julian Rodriguez scored a 1st round stoppage over Raul Tovar Jr. in a scheduled 8-round Welterweight bout at The Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida.

Rodriguez dropped Tovar with a hard left hook. The 2nd knockdown came from a body shot. Rodriguez ended thing when he dropped Tovar for third time from a combination and the bout was stopped at 1:59.

Rodriguez, 141 1/2 lbs of Hasbrough, NJ is now 9-0 with 8 knockouts. Tovar, 144 3.4 lbs if Mission, TX is now 14-9-1.

Clarence Booth scored a 1st round stoppage over Osenohan Vazquez in a scheduled six-round Welterweight bout.

Booth floored Vazquez with a crushing left uppercut. Vazquez was able to get to his feet but he endured a vicious flurry and referee Frank Santore stopped the bout at 2:28 of round one.

Booth, 142 1/2 lbs of St. Petersburg, FL is now 10-1 with 6 knockouts. Vazquez, 142 1/4 lbs is now 8-3-1.

Nelsan Machado won a 6-round unanimous decision over Ernesto Garza in a Featherweight bout.

Machado, 125 3/4 lbs won by scores of 59-54 and 58-55 twice and is now 9-0. Garza, 126 lbs is now 5-1.

Jackie Nava retained the WBA/WBC Super Bantamweight titles with a 6th round stoppage over Mayra Gomez at the Centro De Convenciones in Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico.

Nava landed a huge flurry on the ropes and the fight was stopped at 1:22 of round six.

Nava, 122 lbs is 32-4-3 with 14 knockouts. Gomez is now 16-4.

Luis Nery remained undefeated by scoring a 4th round stoppage over Jether Olivo in a scheduled 10-round Bantamweight bout.

Nery dropped Oliva twice in round two from hard left hands. the fight was stopped after four rounds.

Nery, 117 lbs of Tijuana, Mexico is now 16-0 with 11 knockouts. Olivo, 117 lbs of General Santos City, PHL is now 22-3-2.

Angel Rodriguez won a 6-round unanimous decision over Orestes Pereya in a Super Bantamweight bout.

Rodriguez won by scores of 60-54 , 59-55 and 58-56 and is now 11-1. Pereya is now 13-3.

San Diego, CA – February 28, 2014- Carl Frampton made the first defense of the IBF Super Bantamweight title with a 5th round stoppage over American mandatory challenger Chris Avalos in front of a sold out crowd of nearly 10,000 at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The championship bout was televised on AWE-A Wealth of Entertatinment.

After a clinch in round two, Frampton drilled Avalos with a left hook while Avalos thought there was a time out. That shot split Avlaos’ lip. Frampton continued to land hard one-two combinations. Frampton showed some battle scars as he started to develop a a mouse around the right eye.

In round five, Frampton rocked and buckled Avalos all over the ring until a hard right hurt Avalos and referee Howard Foster saved a noticeably hurt Avalos at 1:33 of round five.

Frampton, 121.9 lbs of Belfast is now 20-0 with 14 knockouts. Avalos, 122 lbs of Lancaster, CA. is now 26-3.

“It;s unbelievable. This place is my home. I knock out people when I fight here,” said Frampton.

Said Frampton’s promoter, former world champion and Hall of Famer, Barry McGuigan, “I said this before, this is the best Super Bantamweight in the world. People think its (Guillermo) Rigondeaux, but Carl is. He is a sensational fighter and over the next couple of years, we will prove that.”

Next up for Frampton could be a mega-showdown with WBA Super Bantamweight champion Scott Quigg in what would be a major domestic showdown with world wide implications.

“I want it, It’s a huge fight.”, said Frampton.

Said Quigg, who was sitting ringside, “It was a good performance. Avalos was game. I want the fight. The British people want the fight.”

McGuigan finished by saying, “I am sure Scott would come here. He has to remember who is the real champ and who packs arenas. We will compromise on some issues.”

Dillian Whyte scored a 4th round stoppage over Beka Lobjanidze in a scheduled 10-round Heavyweight bout.

Whyte landed a hard left to the side of the head that sent Lobjanidze to the canvas and he was unable to beat the referee’s count at 1:10 of round four.

Whyte, 247 lbs of London is now 14-0 with 11 knockouts. Lobjanidze, 228 lbs of the Georgia Republic is now 10-1.

Viktor Plotnykov scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Denton Vassell to capture the IBF Intercontinental Welterweight title.

In round ten, Plotnykov landed a big right that sent Vassell to the canvas. In round twelve, Vassell started to bleed from his nose and inside his mouth. Later in the round, Plotnykov landed another hard right that sent a hurt Vassell to the ropes and was ruled a second knockdown.

Plotnykov, 146.4 lbs of Ukraine won by scores of 118-108 twice and 115-111 and is now 32-2. Vassell, 147 lbs of Manchester, England is now 21-3.

Anthony Cacace won a 8-round decision over Santiago Bustos in a Super Featherweight bout.

In round three, Cacace landed a left and right that was followed by a shove by Cacace that sent Bustos to the canvas but it was a ruled a knockdown.

Cacace, 132.4 lbs of Belfast won by a 80-71 tally and is now 11-0. Bustos, 130.2 lbs of Spain is now 7-5.1

The show kicked off with a battle of unbeaten Featherweights that saw Conrad Cummings get a 6-round decision over Roberto Palenzuela by the score of 60-54.

Cummings is now 6-0. Palenzuela is now 3-0-1.

Boxing fans can enjoy this amazing card on AWE available on AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD, Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD, CenturyLink Prism TV channel 470 and 1470 and numerous regional cable providers across the nation. Please check www.awetv.com for boxing updates.

About AWE LIVE BOXING

AWE LIVE Boxing features live world title championship and elimination bouts showcasing today’s most exciting fighters. Since the inception of AWE’s live boxing events in 2011, AWE has earned multiple Boxing Writers Association of America nominations for “Fight of the Year” and has featured over thirty world class boxing events. In 2013, AWE showcased all live bouts featuring heavyweight David Price. AWE aired live the stunning upsets of Tony Thompson over David Price, along with Adonis Stevenson and Tony Bellew cards, who fought each other for the light Heavyweight championship; 2008 Olympic Gold Medal winner James DeGale. AWE brought boxing fans two of the most controversial bouts which saw Ricky Burns keep his Lightweight title against Ray Beltran. AWE fans have witnessed the explosive power of undefeated heavyweight Tyson Fury multiple times on the network, including Fury’s victory over Kevin Johnson. In 2014, AWE televised the crowning of lightweight champion Terence Crawford with his win over Burns as well as the exciting rematches between Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez as well as Tony Bellew defeating Nathan Cleverly.

About AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment

A Wealth of Entertainment (“AWE”) features a wide range of lifestyles and entertainment programming from exotic travel and outrageous homes to live world championship boxing. AWE is featured on over a hundred cable providers, including AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD, Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD and CenturyLink Prism TV channel 470 and 1470. For more information, please visit www.awetv.com.

Las Vegas, Nev. – Coming off a historic season that saw the crowning of the UFC’s first-ever women’s strawweight champion, the next installment of The Ultimate Fighter® looks to raise the stakes once again. For the first time in the show’s 10-year history, a gym versus gym format will be introduced pitting fighters from the famed American Top Team against those from Blackzilians, all while living together under one roof in South Florida.

It will be a monumental season, as $500,000, the first-ever The Ultimate Fighter Team Trophy and most importantly, ultimate bragging rights, are all up for grabs. The decisions and strategy determined by each team have never impacted the show as much as they will this season.

This season of The Ultimate Fighter®: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians premieres with a two-hour episode Wednesday, April 22, at 10 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and will continue with 11 more one-hour shows Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET. This is the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter to air on FOX Sports 1. The series is the network’s highest rated and most watched original program since the network’s inception in August 2013.

There’s no shortage of bad blood between these two camps. In 2001, the famed American Top Team gym was founded in Coconut Creek, Fla. by Dan Lambert. The gym has since been home to numerous champions and top contenders including current UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler, former title challengers Thiago Alves and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, former WEC® featherweight champ Mike Brown, Hector Lombard, Tyron Woodley and Dustin Poirier. However, in 2011 several members defected to start their own camp, the Blackzilians. Partnering with successful businessman Glenn Robinson, the fighters started their own training facility only 20 minutes away in Boca Raton, Fla., beginning one of the deepest rivalries in all of MMA. The Blackzilians camp is now home to former UFC light heavyweight champions Rashad Evans and Vitor Belfort, as well as top contenders Anthony Johnson, Eddie Alvarez, Michael Johnson and Matt Mitrione.

This season features eight rising welterweights from each team who will be selected by their respective gym owner to live in a South Florida house alongside their competition. The fighters will continue to train at their home gym with their own coaches and sparring partners. However, fights will no longer be held at a neutral site and now move to the teams’ respective gyms, always leaving one fighter to compete in enemy territory. Adding to the anticipation ahead of each bout, opponents won’t be known until the weigh-in. The culmination of the season will see two fighters meet at The Ultimate Fighter Finale in summer 2015, where the winning gym will be crowned.

This season’s cast includes:

AMERICAN TOP TEAM BLACKZILIANS
Marcelo Alfaya (16-7, 1NC) Porto Alegre, Brazil Valdir Araujo (14-5), Gama, Federal District, Brazil
Steve Carl (21-4), Belle Plain, Iowa Carrington Banks (3-0), Peoria, Ill.
Nathan Coy (14-5), Vallejo, Calif. Luiz Buscape (16-5), Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil
Michael Graves (4-0), Toledo, Ohio Jason Jackson (4-2), Kingston, Jamaica
Hayder Hassan (6-1), Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Vicente Luque (7-4-1), Westwood, N.J.
Sabah Homasi (8-4), New Brunswick, N.J. Andrews Nakahara (4-2-2), Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Uros Jurisic (5-0), Ljubljana, Slovenia Felipe Portela (8-2), Brasilia, Brazil
Steve Montgomery (8-2), Florence, S.C. Kamarudeen Usman (5-1) Auchi, Nigeria

Many of today’s most recognizable names in the UFC have emerged from The Ultimate Fighter® series, which also produced champions such as Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, TJ Dillashaw, Carla Esparza and Matt Serra, as well as season winners Michael Bisping, Ryan Bader and John Dodson.

For more show information, bios, videos and photos, visit ultimatefighter.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @UltimateFighter or on Facebook.com/TUF.

About UFC®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, UFC® is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in 129 countries and territories to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT® (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, UFC branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

About FOX Sports 1
FOX Sports 1 is America’s new national multi-sport channel that launched on August 17, 2013 in approximately 90 million homes and boasts nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming annually. The channel has several pillar sports: UFC, college basketball and football, MLB, NASCAR, NFL (ancillary programs), international soccer, and Golden Boy boxing, and adds USGA events, including the U.S. Open, and FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015, as well as the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022. FOX SPORTS LIVE is FOX Sports 1’s flagship 24/7 news, opinion and highlights program, providing around the clock coverage through regularly scheduled programs, hourly updates and an information rich ticker. Original programs include: THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER; NASCAR RACE HUB; AMERICA’S PREGAME; MLB WHIPAROUND; and the groundbreaking BEING: documentary franchise. FOX Sports GO, a new authenticated mobile sports experience for iPhone, iPad, Android devices and the web, serves as the channel’s digital extension. The app offers more than 1,100 live games and events from cross FOX Sports, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2 and FOX Sports’ 22 regional sports networks, as well as scores, highlights, news, stats and analysis. For more information visit www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 28) – Two Mexican clashes are expected to produce plenty of action today, Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Oasis Arena in Cancun, as FOX Deportes airs a pair of hard-hitting matchups featuring two of Mexico City’s best, Ivan “Macanon” Cano and Edgar “Andres” Jimenez.

In the main event, Cano battles Zacatecas’ Jhon Carlo “Sireno” Aparicio in a 10-round lightweight clash, and in the co-featured bout, Jimenez takes on Veracruz’ Humberto “Chato” Morales in a 10-round fight for the FECARBOX Bantamweight Title.

Fresh from back-to-back 12-round draws against Javier Prieto in WBC Silver Lightweight Title bouts, Ivan “Macanon” Cano (22-6-2, 15 KOs) will seek a return to the win column in his first fight of 2015 this Saturday. A former WBC Youth champion, Cano is unbeaten in six of his last eight bouts and with a victory over Aparicio, he will kick off his campaign for a shot at the 135-pound title.

Winner of four of his last six bouts, hard-hitting Jhon Carlo “Sireno” Aparicio (27-8, 21 KOs) has similar title aspirations and while he has already held the WBC Mundo Hispano and WBC FECOMBOX belts, he wants a world title. A win over Cano on Feb. 28 will set him in the right direction.

A 22-year-old bantamweight banger, Edgar “Andres” Jimenez (19-11-1, 14 KOs) has become popular with fans for his aggressive style in the ring. The current WBC FECARBOX Champion has been showing some of his best form as of late, with wins in four of his last five bouts, including three knockouts.

One of boxing’s most compelling comeback stories, Humberto “Chato” Morales (12-11-3, 8 KOs, 1 NC) had an 8-11-2 record as 2013 closed, but in 2014 he roared back ending with a record of 4-0-1 with 1 NC in six bouts. Coming off an eight-round win over Cesar Gandara last November, Morales is hoping for another spectacular year in 2015 beginning with Saturday’s bout against Jimenez.

Cano vs. Aparicio, is a 10-round lightweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Cancun Boxing de Pepe Gomez. The FOX Deportes broadcast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.quequi.com.mx and www.FOXDeportes.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @PeriodicoQuequi and @FOXDeportes and visit on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/periodicoquequi and www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes and visit us on Instagram and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing.

Englishman Liam McGeary (10-0) kept his professional record unblemished, capping off a successful “British Invasion” and claiming the Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight title with a five-round decision win over former champion Emanuel Newton (25-8-1).

The contest served as the headlining bout of Friday’s “Bellator MMA: British Invasion” event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

McGeary attacked from the start, as he used his lanky frame and incredible grappling to move from submission attempt to submission attempt in entertaining fashion. From triangle choke to kimura to armbar, McGeary was constantly on the move, but Newton showed capable defense and pulled free from each hold.

Despite the obvious danger on the ground, Newton continued to take the fight to the floor in the second round, working from his opponent’s extremely active guard. Once again, McGeary’s submission attempts were relentless, but Newton pulled free from each hold.

The remainder of the fight played out in similar fashion, with Newton able to take the fight to the floor with ease but forced to defend constant grappling attacks from McGeary. Both fighters could make arguments for the win, with Newton enjoying extended stretches in the dominant position. However, McGeary’s constant offense set the tone for the action. In the end, judges sided with McGeary, awarding him the win with scores of 48-46, 48-47 and 48-47.

McGeary remains perfect through the first 10 fights of his career.

Meanwhile, Newton sees a seven-fight winning streak come to an end.

“It was a close fight,” Newton said. “I was on the ground. I didn’t stop hitting and moving with triangle hits. That guy is so slippery and tough.”

In the night’s co-feature, light heavyweight contender Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (15-4) moved up to the heavyweight division and earned an impressive decision win over Cheick Kongo (22-10-2).

Facing a massive size differential, Lawal turned to his wrestling base rather than try and trade with the bigger man. The plan worked, as Lawal controlled the action in the clinch and racked up points with takedowns. While the crowd tried to entice Lawal to take a more risky approach, “King Mo” remained disciplined in his approach and cruised to what looked like a clear-cut decision win, though he had to settle for a split result, 30-27, 28-29 and 29-28.

“I don’t agree with the split decision at all,” Lawal said after the fight. “I won all three rounds. He knows he lost that fight. I got the victory and that’s all that matters. Wrestling works and it showed in this fight.

“I have a great coaching staff at American Top Team. I could’ve gone another two rounds. At the end of the third round, I knew he was gassed, so I just walked him off. I hope to get the chance to fight for a title next.”

In welterweight action, Brazilian veteran Andre “Chatuba” Santos (37-10) proved himself a game opponent against Paul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2), but the British slugger ultimately cruised to a decision win.

In typical Daley fashion, he fired heavy punches on the feet, looking for the knockout. However, Santos proved resilient, answering with strikes of his own while also looking to work from the clinch. The action went back and forth for the opening two rounds before Daley took over in the third.

An early Daley knockdown set the tone for the final frame, and Daley worked hard for the finish. Santos, however, simply wouldn’t quit, and despite being dominated in the final round, he did survive until the final bell, where Daley was awarded a decision win.

“It feels good to be back in MMA; I was a little rusty,” Daley, who had been focusing on his kickboxing career, admitted after the win. “This guy was so tough. I caught him with heavy, wild shots, and normally I would’ve taken my opponent out in the second or third round, but he didn’t quit; he has a ton of heart. It was a great fight.”

Fighting for the first time since a failed bid for the Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight World Title, Linton “The Swarm” Vassell (15-4) scored a second-round TKO over Rameau “The African Assassin” Sokoudjou (16-13).

Vassell controlled the action from the start, taking Sokoudjou to the floor and scoring with ground-and-pound blows while hunting out opportunities to end the fight with a submission. That opening would come in the second round.

Again working hard to take the fight to the floor, Vassell refused to give Sokoudjou any room to work, scoring top position and utilizing superior grappling skills. Sokoudjou was unable to get back to his feet, and Vassell eventually unleashed a flurry of strikes that earned the stoppage at the 3:18 mark of the second.

“I wanted to finish him in the first round,” Vassell said after the win. “He held my arms and stopped me from taking him down.

“It feels great representing my country and to come here and fight in front of all the American fans is a great honor.”

In the night’s first main-card contest, welterweight Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward (10-3) made quick work of “Courteous” Curtis Millender (7-1), needing just 64 seconds to score a submission win.

The two went toe-to-toe on the feet to open, and it appeared Millender was getting the best of the initial exchanges. But after coming up short on a takedown, Ward scored a crisp two-punch combination that sent his opponent to the floor. Ward took advantage of the opening, hopping on his opponent’s back and sinking in a rear-naked choke, ending the fight at the 1:37 mark of the first round.

“You know me, man,” Ward said after the quick win. “I come straight at guys like always.”

In bouts shown on Spike TV, around the world on Spike.com, hometown fighters did not disappoint here at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT as Blair Tugman (North Haven), Matt Bessette (Hartford) and Dean Hancock (Danbury) all won their bouts in impressive fashion.

Tugman (7-5) started off the night with a dominating performance over Marvin Maldonado (2-4) of Latham, N.Y, scored 30-26, 30-27 twice, all in favor of Tugman.

“Felt great to get another win in Bellator against a tough opponent in Marvin,” said Tugman. “I was excited to fight in front of my home crowd. I have a great coach (Andrew Calandrelli) and training partners at Ultimate MMA Training Center in North Haven, CT. And was confident that if I implemented my game plan I would come out with the victory. I’m upset I didn’t finish Marvin but he’s a tough guy to finish. I hope my dominant performance shows Bellator I am ready for bigger fights.

Bessette (14-6), who was able to break free of Josh Laberge’s (9-5) attack by striking him with power punches and stuns to the jaw. “Everything went right tonight, I won,” said an ecstatic Bessette.” I was able to throw my power shots and did to him what he does to other people.

“I got the win, which is the most important thing. Josh [Laberge] gave me an awesome fight and I couldn’t be happier.”

In a swing bout, Hancock looked poised in his professional debut against Mike Mangan (0-3), despite early jitters. “It felt great coming out of the cage, the first few seconds were like a blur to me,” said Hancock. “Once I got my bearings I was able to go to work and do what I do best. It was a huge moment for me.

“I feel like I belong in Bellator, it was great to get my first professional win. I need to just keep moving forward.”

Also on tonight’s preliminary card

New York transplant Neiman Gracie did what Gracie’s do best: win via rear naked choke at 2:36 of round 1 over Massachusetts’s Bobby Flynn (4-3). With the win, Gracie keeps his unbeaten streak intact at 3-0.

Also from New York, Binghamton’s Tamdan McCrory (13-3) scored an armbar victory over Jason Butcher (8-2) at 1:06 of the first frame.

Emergency! Raphael Butler is now 9-1-1 after scoring a guillotine choke victory over Josh Diekmann (15-6) at 1:04 of round 1.

Main Card Results
Liam McGeary def Emanuel Newton by unanimous decision (48-46, 48-47, 48-47) to win Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight title
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal def. Cheick Kongo by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
Paul Daley def. Andre Santos by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Linton Vassell def. Rameau Sokoudjou by TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:18
Brennan Ward def. Curtis Millender by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:37

Preliminary Card Results
Dean Hancock def. Mike Mangan by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:33
Matt Bessette def. Josh LaBerge by TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 2, 5:00
Raphael Butler def. Josh Diekmann by submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:04
Tamdan McCrory def. Jason Butcher by submission (armbar) – Round 1, 1:06
Neiman Gracie def. Bobby Flynn by submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:36
Blair Tugman def. Marvin Maldonado by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)

About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike TV:
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

It was a fight filled with good back and forth action that saw Cano get the best of the exchanges and buckle Abreu several times. Cano was cut around the right eye in round eight

Diego De La Hoya won an 8-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Manuel Roman in a Super Bantamweight bout.

De La Hoya landed some crisp shots that caused Roman to begin to bleed from his nose as early as round six.

De La Hoya, 121 1/2 lbs of Mexicali, MX won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 9-0. Roman, 122 lbs of Parmount, CA is now 17-4-3.

Heavyweight Taishan scored a 4-round unanimous decision over Roy McCrary.

Taishan, 282 lbs of Beijing, CHN won by scores of 40-34 twice and 39-35 and is now 3-0. McCrary 269 lbs of Memphis, TN is now 3-3.

Heavyweight veteran Tony “Tiger” Thompson kept his word by beating former Cuban amateur standout Odlanier Solis for the second time in their rematch Friday night in Antalya (Turkey). One year after winning a close split decision against “La Sombra” the 43-year-old two time world title challenger outworked Solis with his jab and forced the 2004 Olympic gold medalist to quit in the ninth round.

Promoter Ahmet Oner who also worked in Solis corner was bitterly disappointed with the Cuban’s performance. “I have wasted a lot of time, nerves and money on Solis. He has all the talent in the world but he just blew it”, says Oner. “I cannot believe how bad he looked today. He is a shame for Cuban boxing. The guy is done. And I’m done with him. He’s still under contract with me but today he made the step from contender to journey man. I will throw him to the wolves and feed every young and hungry prospect with him who is ready to pay some money.”
While he was furious at Solis, Oner congratulated Thompson to his win. “Tony looked good and got the job done”, adds Oner. “I have options on him and I am sure that I will be able to land some more big fights for him. He will jump up in the ratings. There are some guys up there constantly looking for trouble. I think Tony still is a serious thread to numerous contenders. I don’t know what Manuel Charr has lined up but he keeps on calling out everybody. That might be an interesting option. We’ll see what’s next.”
Thompson himself was obviously very happy with his performance. “I knew I could do, I knew I would do it, I told everybody – and I delivered”, states the “Tiger”. “I thank Ahmet for the opportunity and I thank my team and the people who believed in me for their support. I’m looking forward to whatever comes along. I’m still here. And I’m still ready for greatness.”

In the co-feature promising Turkish prospect Avni Yildirim scored an impressive third round TKO against George Beroshvili from Georgia to claim the vacant WBC Youth Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Championship. “Avni could be the next big thing, he reminds me of a young Gennady Golovkin”, says Oner. “Of course, he still has a long way to go but the way he took care of business against a good and experienced opponent in his third pro fight was more than impressive. I am looking forward to seeing more from him.”

In the third title fight of the night Aziz Karaoglu defended his WBC Mediterranean cruiserweight title against Maurizio Lovaglio from Italy. After ten action packed and hard fought rounds in which both guys recovered from knockdowns, Karaoglu got the unanimous decision win (97-91, 95-93, 95-92).

Cletus Seldin scored a 5th round stoppage over Johnny Garica in a scheduled 10-round Jr. Welterweight bout at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, NY.

It was a competitive fight early until Seldin landed a hard right that buckled Garcia. Garcia was buckled several times in the round. Seldin rocked Garcia repeatedly in round five and continued to pour on the punishment against a game Garcia. Garcia did well to stay on his feet but took many flush power shots until the bout was stopped at 2:29 of round five.

Seldin, 139.2 lbs of Huntington, NY is now 16-0 with 13 knockouts. Garcia, 139.4 lbs is 19-3-1.

Raymond Serrano scored a 10-round majority decision over Jeremy Bryan in a Welterweight bout.

At the end of round two, Bryan landed a right to the jaw that sent Serrano to the canvas. Serrano evened up the knockdown count by landing a lopping right that he followed up with a left that sent Bryan sprawling to the deck.

In round six, the two clashed heads that caused a cut on the left side of Serrano’s forehead.

Serrano, 145 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 97-91 96-92 and 94-94 and is now 21-2. Bryan, 145 lbs of South Carolina is now 17-6.

Daniel Gonzalez won a 6-round unanimous decision over Ken Alvarez in a battle of undefeated Jr. Welterweights.

In round three, Gonzalez was cut over the right eye.

In round four, Gonzalez sent Alvarez to the canvas from a left hook. Gonzalez scored a 2nd knockdown in the final seconds of round six when he landed a right to the side of the face that was followed by a left hook.

Gonzalez, 140.4 lbs of Woodhaven, New York won by scores of 59-53 and 58-54 twice and is now 8-0-1. Alvarez, 140 1/2 lbs is now 6-1-2.

Ronda Rousey 135 – Cat Zingano 134.5
(Women’s bantamweight title)
Holly Holm 135.5 – Raquel Pennington 135.5
Josh Koscheck 170.5 – Jake Ellenberger 171
Alan Jouban 170.5 – Richard Walsh 171
Tony Ferguson 156 – Gleison Tibau 155
Mark Munoz 187.25 Roan Carneiro 184.5
Kid Yamamoto 136 – Roman Salazar 135
Dhiego Lima 170 – Tim Means 170
Derrick Lewis 263 – Ruan Potts 253
James Krause 155 – Valmir Lozaro 155.5
Masio Fullen 145 – Alexander Torres 145.5