24 April 2015 – Manila, Philippines: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Championship™ (ONE), returned to the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila in exciting fashion with another world-class mixed martial arts event. Fans were treated to an electrifying night of fights at ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS. The main event was ruled a No Contest after an accidental eye poke deemed Luis Santos unable to continue in his bid for the ONE Welterweight World Championship against defending champion Ben Askren.

Visit the official ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS photo gallery by clicking: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ogw4tb66e3467d5/AABAVUM5CDb9aMVF3VZN7O0Da?dl=0

The ONE Welterweight World Championship bout between reigning champion Ben “Funky” Askren and title challenger Luis Santos ended in a No Contest ruling after Santos was accidentally poked in the eye during an exchange. After a careful review of the exchange verified the eye poke, referee Olivier Coste gave Santos five minutes to recover. However, after five minutes, Santos’ vision was still impaired, ending the fight before it really began.

Filipino-American Mark “Mugen” Striegl showed the world that he is definitely more than just hype by dominating the very tough Casey Suire. Striegl’s world-class wrestling immediately shone through, as he took Suire down with a side headlock in the opening moments. The Filipino then moved to take Suire’s back and from there it was just a matter of time before Striegl was able to sink in a Rear Naked Choke, forcing Suire to tap out.

Anatpong Bunrad scored an upset victory over Team Lakay’s Geje Eustaquio in a close fight in front of Eustaquio’s home crowd in Manila. Eustaquio played the role of aggressor for most of the bout, while Bunrad opted to lay back and counter. Eustaquio, known for his well-rounded striking game, dictated the pace with his boxing and Wushu. Both fighters had their moments in close exchanges but Bunrad scored on a pair of takedowns, including one in the final round that sealed the deal. In the end, Bunrad just narrowly eclipsed Eustaquio by Split Decision, earning two of the three judges’ favor.

The charismatic Eugene Toquero brought the crowd to its feet with an exciting grappling performance against Brianata Rosadhi. Toquero dominated the entire fight for as long as it lasted, defeating Rosadhi by scintillating ground and pound in the first round. Within seconds, Toquero took down Rosadhi and worked on a pair of Rear Naked Choke attempts. When that was no longer available, Toquero took top position and began punishing Rosadhi with sharp elbows. Referee Joey Lepiten then stepped in to stop the bout.

After an impressive showcase of strikes, Edward Kelly finished off fellow Filipino Jimmy Yabo with a Rear Naked Choke in the very first round. Kelly started off quick with high velocity kicks, a staple of Wushu Sanshou as Yabo tried his best to defend from the onslaught. In the clinch, Kelly worked his way to take Yabo’s back and sunk in the choke with a minute left to go in the round. Still on his feet, Yabo signalled to the referee that he had enough by tapping the mat.

Amir Khan improved his record with a thorough victory over Bashir Ahmad in a tremendous display of grit from both warriors. Both men came out striking in the first round, with Ahmad landing some solid right hands while Khan worked his opponent’s body with vicious knees. After their war of attrition continued in the second, a cut opened up on Ahmad’s eyebrow. With his vision obscured, the referee had no choice but to stop the fight and award Khan the victory.

ONE Championship newcomer, flyweight Liu Xiao Yang, ended matters early against opponent Nicholas Lee, winning by stoppage just minutes into the first round. Liu looped a wide but powerful right hook to Lee’s temple that dropped and knocked him out as referee Olivier Coste stepped in to call a halt to the contest.

Wang Ya Wei and Sunoto kicked off an exciting night of fights at ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS in a featherweight bout. Wang easily handled Sunoto, defeating the Indonesian striking specialist by ground and pound in the third round after a timid start from both fighters.

Official results for ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS
ONE Welterweight World Championship bout: Ben Askren vs Luis Santos (No Contest)
Bantamweight bout: Mark Striegl defeats Casey Suire by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:48 of Round 1
Catchweight bout (57.1kg): Anatpong Bunrad defeats Geje Eustaquio by Split Decision
Flyweight bout: Eugene Toquero defeats Brianata Rosadhi by TKO (Strikes) at 3:41 of Round 1
Featherweight bout: Edward Kelly defeats Jimmy Yabo by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:05 of Round 1
Catchweight bout (68kg): Amir Khan defeats Bashir Ahmad by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 3:20 of Round 2
Flyweight bout: Liu Xiao Yang defeats Nicholas Lee by Knockout at 1:59 of Round 1
Featherweight bout: Wang Ya Wei defeats Sunoto by TKO (Strikes) at 1:21 of Round 3

In case you missed the action log on to www.onefc.com/livestream for the full replay of the fights at only US $9.99.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA

About ONE Championship™
With a 90%+ market share in Asia, ONE Championship™ is Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

23 April 2015 – Manila, Philippines: ONE Championship™ (ONE) announced that the mixed martial artists competing at ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS have completed the weigh-ins and are ready for the event, which takes place tomorrow evening at the state-of-the-art Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. Bashir Ahmad has stepped in on short-notice to replace Shannon Wiratchai, and will face Amir Khan in a catchweight bout. The bout between Geje Eustaquio and Anatpong Bunrad will now be a catchweight bout.

Visit the official ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS weigh-in photo gallery by clicking:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7pof14b9qwz30a2/SFZmzHv8q8.

Tickets for ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS are on sale at www.smtickets.com. Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience at PHP5380. Tickets priced at PHP3180, PHP1280, PHP640 and PHP220 are also available. Prices include ticketing fee.

ONE Welterweight World Champion, Ben Askren, stated, “Luis Santos is not going to take the ONE Welterweight World Championship from me. I’m going to walk across the cage, take him down and beat him up, and there’s nothing he can do to stop me.”

World title challenger, Luis Santos, stated, “I am ready to walk away with the ONE Welterweight World Championship. I am confident in my abilities no matter where the fight goes. If Ben Askren takes me down, I will submit him. If we fight on the feet, I will knock him out. Either way, I am walking away with the ONE Welterweight World Championship.”

MAIN EVENT
ONE Welterweight World Championship bout: Ben Askren (77 kg/ 170 lbs) VS Luis Santos (77 kg/ 170 lbs)

MAIN CARD
Bantamweight bout: Mark Striegl (61 kg/ 135 lbs) VS Casey Suire (61.1 kg/ 135 lbs)
Catchweight bout: Geje Eustaquio (57.1 kg/ 125 lbs) VS Anatpong Bunrad (56.6 kg/ 122 lbs)
Flyweight bout: Eugene Toquero (56.7 kg/ 125 lbs) VS Brianata Rosadhi (55.4 kg/ 125 lbs)
Featherweight bout: Edward Kelly (65.8 kg/ 145 lbs) VS Jimmy Yabo (65.7 kg/ 145 lbs)
Catchweight bout: Amir Khan (67.8 kg/ 149 lbs) VS Bashir Ahmad (68 kg/ 150 lbs)
Flyweight bout: Nicholas Lee (56.7 kg/ 125 lbs) VS Liu Xiao Yang (56.7 kg/ 125 lbs)
Featherweight bout: Wang Ya Wei (65.8 kg/ 145 lbs) VS Sunoto (65 kg/ 143 lbs)

Fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.com/livestream. The event will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA

About ONE Championship
With a 90%+ market share in Asia, ONE Championship™ is Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

Las Vegas, Nevada – The Ultimate Fighter® Latin America is officially back and has been filming its new series in Las Vegas, since March 17th. After reaching an average of 7 million viewers per episode in Mexico and millions more viewers around Latin America during season one, The Ultimate Fighter® Latin America is set to premiere starting the week of August 26th on UFCFIGHTPASS.com, PM Channel 5 in Mexico, UFC® Network and free-to-air networks in Latin America. For 2015, UFC® has recruited talent from all over the region and divided them into two teams: Team Gastelum and Team Escudero. Both teams will represent a combination of Latin American countries including: Argentina, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Spain.

Kelvin Gastelum (The Ultimate Fighter® winner of season 17) and Efrain Escudero (winner of season Eight of the reality series and first Mexican to win a contract with the UFC), will be official coaches of the second Spanish speaking series of the reality show. In this ninth international edition of the most challenging sports tournament on television, Gastelum will lead a team of four lightweight (155lbs) and four welterweight (170lbs) fighters against Escudero’s squad of eight similarly divided fighters from Latin American countries.

The list of competitors includes fighters hailing from Argentina, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay and Spain. The competitors are listed in alphabetical order (Name, Professional MMA record, Age, Hometown):

LIGHTWEIGHT

WELTERWEIGHT

César Arzamendia (6-1), 23, Alto Parana, Paraguay
Enrique Barzola (10-2), 25, Lima, Peru

Horacio Gutiérrez (3-1), 24, Guadalajara, Mexico
Oliver Meza (3-0), 28, Panama City, Panama
Jonathan Ortega (7-2-1), 31, Temuco, Chile
Marco Polo Reyes (19-7), 30, Mexicali, Mexico
Daniel Salas (15-5), DF, Mexico
Christihian Soto (5-4), 31, Managua, Nicaragua

Héctor Aldana (5-0), 26, San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico
Wilmer Fernández (7-1), 33, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Alvaro Herrera (8-3), 29, Guadalajara, Mexico
Enrique Marín (8-2), 28, Sevilla, Spain
Kevin Medinilla (5-0), 23, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Erick Montaño (9-5), 29, DF, Mexico
Marco Olano (6-1), 21, Lima, Peru
Vernon Ramos (3-0), 22, La Fontana, Panama

Fans from the following countries will be able to catch the season on their respective free-to-air networks: Bolivia: Red Uno, Mexico: Channel 5, Nicaragua: Viva Nicaragua, Honduras: Teleprogreso, Panama: NexTV, Paraguay: Telefuturo, Chile: Via X, Peru: America TV and Venezuela: Meridiano TV. The season will premiere on these networks the week of August 26, though dates and weekly episodes will vary per country. Viewers should check their local listings for further information.

More networks will be confirmed prior to the series premiere and subscribers to the UFC Network in Latin America will also get the chance to catch replays and watch exclusive content.

The season finale will be featured during Mexico’s second live event later this year. The card will host the final lightweight and welterweight bouts of the series, crowning the winners of The Ultimate Fighter® Latin America season 2. Further event and ticket details will be released later this summer ahead of the scheduled on-sale at the end of August.

In addition to Kelvin Gastelum and Efrain Escudero, The Ultimate Fighter® has launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters and produced champions such as Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Matt Serra and current bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw as well as season winners including Michael Bisping, Ryan Bader and Nate Diaz. Mexican American Tony Ferguson captured the season 13 lightweight title, while Diego Sanchez, also of Mexican descent, was the first-ever winner of the franchise. Sanchez defeated Kenny Florian, a fighter of Peruvian descent, at The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale in 2005. In 2014, Mexican featherweight fighter, Yair Rodriguez, and bantamweight competitor, Alejando Perez, were crowned season winners of the first Spanish speaking series of The Ultimate Fighter® Latin America.

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.

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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 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.

TORONTO | NEW YORK (April 22, 2015) — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a blockbuster card from ONE Championship live this Friday, April 24 at 7:30 a.m. ET, as ONE Championship 26: Valor of Champions emanates from SM MOA Arena in Manila, Philippines, headlined by polarizing welterweight champion Ben Askren facing one of his toughest tests to date against 71-fight veteran Luis “Sapo” Santos.

Airing live exclusively in Canada, ONE Championship: Valor of Champions will also feature a co-main event bantamweight clash between Filipino standout Mark Striegl and undefeated American Casey Suire, plus Filipino flyweight prospect Eugene Toquero meets Indonesia’s Brianata Rosadhi. Rounding out the card, Canadian heavyweight powerhouse Paul Cheng battles Ukrainian Igor Subora, Thai flyweight Anatpong Bunrad throws down with Filipino sensation Geje Eustaquio, plus Jimmy Yabo tangles with Edward Kelly in a clash of Filipino featherweight contenders.

The full fight card for ONE Championship: Valor of Champions includes:

-Ben Askren (14-0) vs. Luis Santos (61-9-1) – ONE welterweight title
-Mark Striegl (13-1) vs. Casey Suire (5-0)
-Eugene Toquero (5-1) vs. Brianata Rosadhi (1-1)
-Paul Cheng (5-1) vs. Igor Subora (5-2)
-Anatpong Bunrad (4-1) vs. Geje Eustaquio (6-3)
-Jimmy Yabo (4-0) vs. Edward Kelly (5-2)
-Shannon Wiratchai (3-1) vs. Amir Khan (2-1)
-Tsu Notto (2-0) vs. Ya Wei Wang (1-1)

The live action continues on Saturday, April 25 at 3 p.m. ET, as Enfusion Live 28 invades the Ice Hockey Stadium in Zilina, Slovakia, featuring Slovakia’s Tomas Senkyr against Morocco’s Ibrahim El Boustati for the -85kg world title, plus Slovakia’s Vladimir Moravcik meets Frenchman Yohan Lidon in a five-round Muay Thai affair. The card also features a one-night, single-elimination -70kg tournament showcasing Milan Pales vs. Brahim Benameur and Tigran Movsisyan vs. Mohammed Jaraya in opening round matchups.

Fight Network’s live Enfusion broadcast at 3 p.m. ET will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and in Turkey on D-Smart.

On Saturday, April 25, Fight Network will present its UFC 186 Pre-Show Live at7 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis ahead of UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi on pay-per-view. Immediately following the main card, Fight Network presents the UFC 186 Post-Show Live, which will include the live post-fight press conference from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

In addition to all the live pre and post-fight coverage, Fight Network is the destination for UFC library content, specials and series, including UFC Unleashed, UFC Now and UFC Ultimate Insider. All airings are listed at tv.fightnetwork.com.

Post-fight coverage continues on Monday’s edition of 5 Rounds on Fight Network, which debuts at 7 p.m. ET and features a comprehensive breakdown of Saturday’s event.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 21, 2015) – French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5) will stand toe-to-toe in the Bellator MMA cage on June 26.

The two sluggers clash in the five-round main event of “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which takes place at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.

The heavyweight slugfest joins previously announced matchups of lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs. John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17) and former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) on the event’s featured portion.

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets for “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which start at just $17 and include cageside seats for just $97, are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.

Kongo, a 6-foot-4 Frenchman, is a striking ace who boasts black belts in both Karate and Kendo. A multiple-time world champion in kickboxing, Kongo now focuses solely on MMA and has built a 4-2 record under the Bellator MMA banner. One of the most imposing figures in all of MMA, Kongo boasts 12 career knockout victories, including the sport’s 2011 “Knockout of the Year.”

The 26-year-old Volkov is an eight-time Bellator MMA veteran who rose to the promotion’s highest rank in 2012 as the Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion. Though he would eventually cede the belt to current title holder Vitaly Minakov, Volkov bounced right back with three-consecutive stoppage wins. In his 24 career victories, Volkov has scored 17 by knockout.

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” – Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)

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, 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:
Spike 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’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

About Kansas Star Arena
The Kansas Star Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility, is located just off Exit 33 on the Kansas Turnpike and is adjacent to the Kansas Star Casino. The 42,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Kansas Star Arena is south-central Kansas’ home for big-name national acts such as Journey, Pat Benatar, Championship Rodeo, mixed martial arts events and more. The Arena accommodates up to 6,500 guests for headliner events. In 2014, Midwest Gaming and Travel awarded the Kansas Star more than 25 honors in its annual Reader’s Choice Awards, including “Best Concert Venue” in the state of Kansas. For more information, visit kansasstarcasino.com. Connect with Kansas Star Arena at facebook.com/kansasstararena and www.kansasstarcasino.com/entertain/arena. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Boyd Gaming and Kansas Star Casino press releases are available at boydgaming.mediaroom.com.

Las Vegas ? UFC® has retained Paul Clement, former United States Solicitor General, to spearhead the organization’s appeals process after Judge Kimba Wood of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed a lawsuit challenging the legality of New York’s ban on professional mixed martial arts (MMA) matches and exhibitions.

The judge’s dismissal of the UFC’s case against the State of New York in March was based on a technicality, and the decision confirms the state is misapplying the law. UFC was advised by the judge to “consider filing new vagueness claims.” Wood also stated the New York Attorney General’s “recent statements that the Ban prohibits sanctioned MMA” were made “despite [the law’s] plain language to the contrary.” UFC also believes that Judge Wood erred in failing to recognize the serious First Amendment problems with the New York law.

“We retained Paul Clement, one of the nation’s most highly respected appellate lawyers, to aggressively appeal the lower court’s technical dismissal of this matter,” UFC Chief Legal Officer Kirk Hendrick said. “Clement shares our view that New York’s law is unconstitutional and dangerous, and we will get the decision overturned.”

The State of New York passed legislation in 1997 banning professional MMA events, citing concerns for the lack of safety regulations. Since that time, the UFC has been on the forefront of athlete safety and implemented some of the most effective and strictest safety regulations in sports, resulting in 49 states and numerous countries legalizing MMA. Because New York’s law is vague, misapplied, and both overbroad and underinclusive, unsanctioned amateur MMA events—wholly unregulated and lacking necessary safety standards—have been allowed to take place.

“I am delighted to be representing the UFC in this important challenge to New York’s outdated and unconstitutional law,” Clement stated. “Even New York officials are confused about the scope of this hopelessly unclear law, and by targeting professional MMA matches and exhibitions, the law raises First Amendment problems of the first order,” he added.

Clement is a partner at Bancroft PLLC and represents a diverse range of clients in both federal and state appellate courts. He represented the National Basketball Association during labor negotiations in 2011 and the National Football League during a potential lockout season. Throughout his legal career, Clement has argued more than 75 cases in front of the United States Supreme Court and is regularly regarded as one of the most influential lawyers in the country. Confirmed by the United States Senate, Clement served as Solicitor General from June 2005 to Jun 2008. He also serves as a Distinguished Lecturer in Law at the Georgetown University Law Center and a Senior Fellow of the Law Center’s Supreme Court Institute.

The plaintiffs are also being represented in this action by Barry Friedman, the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Professor of Law at New York University School of Law, and Jamie A. Levitt of Morrison & Foerster LLP in New York.

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About UFC®

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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 20, 2015) – Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (26-5), one of the most talented and well-rounded 170-pound fighters on the planet today, puts his title on the line against Russian knockout artist Andrey “Spartan” Koreshkov (17-1) on Friday, July 16, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

“Douglas Lima is an incredible champion who is in for one of the toughest fights of his life against Koreshkov,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “When the rest of this card is announced, we’ll have put together one of the greatest showcases of welterweight talent ever assembled on one night.”

The two elite combatants headline the newly announced “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov” event, which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT.

Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, April 24th at 10 a.m. ET, and are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com. Bellator Nation presale begins this Tuesday. Join the Bellator Newsletter list or follow us on social media (Twitter / Facebook) to gain access to the presale code and details.

Additional information, including ticketing details and the night’s full lineup of world-class MMA action, will be announced shortly.

The 27-year-old Lima is a Brazilian-born athlete who now makes his home in Atlanta. Fighting under the Bellator MMA banner since 2011, Lima is an impressive 8-1 in the promotion and an incredible 14-1 in his past 15 overall appearances. Lima earned his way to the Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title with an eight-man tournament victory that included knockout wins over Ben Saunders, Bryan Baker and Michail Tsarev. Lima then claimed the title with an April 2014 knockout win over Rick Hawn. Overall, Lima boasts five consecutive knockout victories and now looks to defend his belt for the first time.

Koreshkov is also fresh off an eight-man tournament win, claiming a decision victory over Adam McDonough after previously registering knockouts of Justin Baesman and Nah-Shon Burrell. The 24-year-old Koreshkov is a Russian national medalist in both pankration and hand-to-hand combat and has lost just once in 18 professional MMA appearances. He owns 10 wins by knockouts and three by submission and also owns a 2012 victory over former Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Lyman Good.

Expect fireworks when Lima and Koreshkov collide.

Additional contests for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov” will be announced shortly.

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, 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:
Spike 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’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 17, 2015) – Bellator MMA is pleased to announce the signing of featherweight, Justin “The American Kid” Lawrence (7-2), to an exclusive, multi-fight deal.

Born and raised in Missouri, Justin has been engrossed in combat sports from a young age, training in kickboxing as early as six-years-old. Lawrence ultimately parlayed this into over 150 wins on the amateur kickboxing circuit and also earned the distinction of being a two-time St. Louis’ Golden Gloves boxing tournament champion.

Lawrence made his professional MMA debut in 2010 for Strikeforce and also went on to win under the Ultimate Fighting Championship banner, a spectacular 19-second head kick knockout of John Cofer.

Most recently, the 24-year-old has impressed in Resurrection Fighting Alliance, winning three consecutive bouts, including an April 10th first-round technical knockout victory over Sam Toomer that earned him the promotion’s 145-pound title.

A member of Alliance MMA in San Diego, Calif., where he trains alongside Bellator stars like Phil Davis and Michael Chandler, “The American Kid” joins the promotion’s featherweight division, which is currently upheld by champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.

“Its been a big week for Bellator, with Gleristone Santos, Phil Davis and now Justin Lawrence joining the ranks,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “We remain committed to not just signing proven stars, but also recruiting top prospects from regional promotions, evidenced by our recent signing of RFA featherweight champion and top young up and coming fighter Justin Lawrence. I said it before and I will continue to say it, we will build them from ground up and hit it from the top down.

Bellator’s featherweight division is packed with stars like Champion Patricio “Pitbull,” Georgi Karakhanyan, Daniel Straus, Pat Curran, Goiti Yamauchi and Julio Cesar Neves.

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, 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:
Spike 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’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Apr. 16, 2015) – Another exciting match has been announced for the May 2nd M-1 Challenge 57: Battle in the Heart of the Continent, in Orenburg, Russia as veteran heavyweight Maro “Mean Machine” Perak drops down one weight class to fight Russian light heavyweight Rashid Yusupov.

The historic M-1 Challenge 57: Battle in the Heart of the Continent will be headlined by a special five-round, heavyweight Super Fight between unbeaten M-1 Challenge heavyweight titlist Marcin “Tybur” Tybura (12-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 SUB; M-1: 6-0-0) and M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan “T-800” Puetz (12-1-0, 5 KO/TKO, 4 SUB; M-1: 3-0-0).

Undefeated M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Maxim Divnich (11-0-0 (6 KO/TKO, 1 SUB; M-1: 5-0-0) makes his first title defense against the former BAMMA champion, Mansour “Tarzan” Barnaoui (11-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 7 SUB; M-1: 1-1-0).

M-1 Challenge 57 will be streamed live in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Andriod and Apple smart phones and tablets.

Perak (23-5-1, 12 KO/TKO, 8 SUB; M-1: 0-3-0), fighting out of Croatia, has fought his entire pro career as a heavyweight, however, the 6′ 1″ was at a physical disadvantage in his last two fights against M-1 Selection heavyweight titlist Denis Smoldarev (6′ 5″/267 lbs.) and Tybura (6′ 3″/248 lbs.).

Considered one of the best heavyweights in Europe, Perak gave Smoldarev and Tybura all they could handle, losing this past February to the former by way of an opening-round submission by arm-lock at M-1 Challenge 55, extending the latter to the final round before being stopped by punches a year ago at M-1 Challenge 47. Perak’s most notable career victories have been against Bob Sapp and Travis Wiuff.

Rashid Yusopov (L) is an International Master of Sports

Yusupov (4-0-1, 1 KO/TKO, 2 SUB; M-1: 1-1-0) was an outstanding amateur mixed-martial-arts fighter, capturing top honors in 2013 at the World, Europe and Russian champion. The highlight of his amateur career was becoming the first World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) light heavyweight champion in 2013.

The 22-year-old Russian also holds the title of International Master of Sports in MMA. At M-1 Challenge 45 (Feb. 29, 2014), Yusupov won a unanimous decision over Charles Andrade.

All fights and fighters are subject to change. Additional fights to soon be announced.

Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 57 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

INFORMATION

www.mixfight.ru

www.wmmaa.org

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1Global
@VFinkelchtein
@M1GlobalNews

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/M1GlobalNews
ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premier entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With its office in St Petersburg, Russia, the M-1 brand has staged more than 160 events worldwide, including M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the U.S. network, Showtime. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global Champions among the greatest fighters in the sport.

ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription.
Your world of action. Anytime!

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a live broadcast of Global Fighting Championship 3 from Dubai, United Arab Emirates this Friday, April 17 at 11 a.m. ET, headlined by an explosive kickboxing showdown pitting Dutch-Turkish legend Gokhan Saki against Romanian veteran Sebastian Ciobanu.

Fight Network’s live broadcast will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

In addition to the Saki vs. Ciobanu clash, Global Fighting Championship 3 will feature a one-night, single-elimination heavyweight tournament. In opening round semifinal pairings, Scottish star Steve McKinnon battles Georgian standout Zabit Samedov, while Iran’s Jafar Ahmadi meets Congolese-German sensation Danyo Ilunga. The two winners will collide for the top prize later that evening.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 16, 2015) – A thrilling 13-bout lineup for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” is now complete with the addition of women’s featherweights A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe (5-4), bantamweights Shawn “Bunch the Great” Bunch (3-1) vs. Rolando Perez (7-4) and John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert “The Warrior” Morales (1-0) to the evening’s preliminary card.

The three new additions finalize a nine-fight preliminary card scheduled in support of “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” four main card contests.

The night’s featured matchups include undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1) and bantamweights Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4).

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently 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 45 minutes later.

Jenkins, of Oceanside, Calif., is one of the most experienced competitors in women’s MMA. Fighting professionally since 2004, Jenkins now makes her Bellator MMA debut. The 33-year-old boasts past tussles with MMA notables Shayna Baszler, Tonya Evinger, Jan Finney, Kelly Kobold and Sarah Schneider, among others.

An Australian native, Blencowe is a world-class athlete and former Women’s International Boxing Association World light welterweight champion. After turning her attention to MMA in 2013, Blencowe initially garnered only mixed results as she adjusted to life in the sport. However, she has racked up three-consecutive stoppage wins as of late, and that run earned her a call from Bellator MMA.

Bunch is one of MMA’s most elite-level wrestlers as a two-time NCAA Division I All-American and two-time U.S. Olympic Team alternate. He now trains with the famed American Kickboxing Academy banner and has spent his entire professional MMA career under the Bellator MMA banner.

Meanwhile, Alliance MMA product Perez is a 10-year veteran of the sport who made his Bellator MMA in November and fought to a rarely-seen split draw. Still, Perez is unbeaten in his past four contests and now looks to get his first win in the promotion.

Yoo, of Irvine, Calif., makes his professional debut. He meets Morales, of Carson, Calif., who picked up a submission victory in the Bellator cage in his first professional contest.

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

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)
Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)
Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)
Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael Silva (22-4)

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: A.J. Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben Reiter (14-0)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

Dark Fights (approx. 11 p.m. ET)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: John Yoo (0-0) vs. Albert Morales (1-0)
Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Shawn Bunch (3-1) vs. Rolando Perez (7-4)
Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Steve Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1)
Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: A.J. Jenkins (17-5) vs. Arlene Blencowe (5-4)

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, 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:
Spike 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’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 15, 2015) – A four-fight Spike-broadcast main card for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” has received another thrilling contest, as undefeated bantamweight prospect Darrion “The Wolf” Caldwell (6-0) takes on Rafael “Morcego” Silva (22-4).

The new addition finalizes the four-bout main card for “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove,” which includes undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), and welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1).

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

Tickets for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove,” which start at just $50, are currently 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 45 minutes later.

Two new bouts have also been added to the night’s preliminary card, with middleweights A.J. “The Mercenary” Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben “The Hunter” Reiter (15-0) and lightweights Steve “Thunderbeast” Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1).

Additionally, a light heavyweight matchup of Virgil “Rezdog” Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. “Razor” Razak Al-Hassan (12-4) that was initially announced as a main-card matchup will now be featured on the night’s preliminary card, instead.

Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

A New Jersey native now fighting out of Arizona, Caldwell was a Division I wrestler at North Carolina State. Caldwell made his MMA debut in 2012 and has kept his record perfect through the first six fights of his career, including Bellator MMA wins over Anthony Dizy, Joe Pingitore and Lance Surma. Previously competing as a featherweight, the 27-year-old Caldwell now moves down to the bantamweight division.

He now faces “Morcego” Silva, a battle-tested 30-year-old fighter with championship-level experience in the Bellator MMA cage. With nearly a decade of professional fights to his name, Silva is an incredible 14-1 in his past 15 overall appearances. His only loss during that run was a 25-minute decision against former Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Joe Warren. Seventeen of Silva’s 22 career wins have come by stoppage, including eight knockouts and nine submissions.

A former cast member on Bellator MMA’s “Fight Master” series, Matthews fought most recently in November, earning a decision win over Kyle Bolt. He now meets undefeated prospect Reiter, an intriguing individual who left Wall Street to pursue a career in MMA and now fights for the second time under the Bellator MMA banner after spending much of his early career in Peru.

Kozola, of San Diego, Calif., fights for the second time under the Bellator MMA banner after debuting with a knockout victory over Jonathan Rivera in January. He now meets Butler, who returns to the promotion after a November Bellator MMA debut that saw him suffer a submission loss to Joao Paulo Faria.

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

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)
Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)
Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)
Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Darrion Caldwell (6-0) vs. Rafael Silva (22-4)

Preliminary Card (7:45 p.m. ET)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: A.J. Matthews (7-3) vs. Ben Reiter (14-0)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)

Dark Bouts (approx. 11 p.m. ET)

Bellator Lightweight Dark Prelim: Steve Kozola (5-0) vs. Ian Butler (1-1)

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:
Spike 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’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 15, 2015) – Bellator MMA is pleased to announce the signing of the sixth* ranked Light Heavyweight in the world, Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis (13-3, 1 NC), to an exclusive, multi-fight deal.

“I can’t wait to be fighting in Bellator and wreck shop on everyone,” said Davis. “I am the absolute best and most dominant grappler to ever fight in MMA and I’m excited to get in there and compete at my new home.”

Born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Phil attended college close to home at Penn State University, where he became a four-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler for the Nittany Lions.

Davis had his first professional MMA fight in 2008 and accrued nine wins in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, including victories against the likes of Antônio Rogério Nogueira, Lyoto Machida, Alexander Gustafsson, Brian Stann and Glover Teixeira.

A member of Alliance MMA in San Diego, Calif., where he trains alongside Bellator stars like Michael Chandler and Joey Beltran, “Mr. Wonderful” joins the promotions Light Heavyweight division, which is currently upheld by champion Liam McGeary.

“Phil is a world class Mixed Martial Artist and we are very happy to be adding him to OUR roster of some of the best Light Heavyweights in the world,” said the promotion’s president, Scott Coker. “Bellator remains fully committed to building its world-class roster by signing top free agents like Davis, as well as grooming up-and-coming stars. We’ve got some amazing matchups in mind for ‘Mr. Wonderful’ that we will be announcing in the weeks to come.”

Bellator’s Light Heavyweight division is one of the deepest in the promotion, with stars like McGeary, Tito Ortiz, “King Mo” Lawal, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Emanuel Newton and Linton Vassell.

*Ranking according to www.sherdog.com

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:
Spike 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’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 14, 2015) – Bellator MMA officials are proud to announce the addition of exciting Brazilian featherweight prospect Gleristone “Toninho Furia” Santos (27-4), who has signed an exclusive, multi-fight deal.

Santos’s debut date and opponent will be announced in the near future.

Long considered one of Brazil’s top prospects, the 26-year-old Santos debuted in 2005, when he was just 16 years old and earned victories in his first nine professional bouts. Born in Campina Grande, Paraiba, Santos currently boasts a nine-fight winning streak and is an incredible 16-1 in his past 17 appearances. “

Toninho” joins several other talented Brazilian fighters on the Bellator roster including Featherweight World Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Welterweight World Champion Douglas Lima, Bantamweight World Champion Marcos Galvao, Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas, Patricky “Pitbull” Freire, Rafael Carvalho, Neiman Gracie, Goiti Yamauchi amongst others.

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:
Spike 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’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 13, 2015) – The most-watched MMA fight of all time was between Kimbo Slice and James Thompson, and on June 19, both men will be competing against different opponents at “Bellator: Unfinished Business” at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

Former WWE superstar Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley looks to avenge a 2012 split decision loss to James “The Colossus” Thompson (20-14). The unfinished business between the two giant heavyweights was originally scheduled to be settled at “Bellator: The British Invasion,” but an injury sustained by Lashley caused the fight to be rescheduled to June 19.

Thompson, a 6-foot-5 striking specialist, hails from England and has been fighting professionally since 2003. A former rugby player and bodybuilder, Thompson found his true calling in MMA and has been competing around the globe ever since. Fighting some of the best heavyweights in the sport, including Slice, Alexander Emelianenko, Don Frye, Alistair Overeem, Mariusz Pudzianowki, Brett Rogers, Bob Sapp, Dan Severn and Hidehiko Yoshida, among others, “The Colossus” has racked up 11 wins by knockout and seven by submission.

A 6-foot-3 wrestling standout, Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (12-2) started training in the grappling arts at age 12 and would go on to win several titles including three National Championships at Missouri Valley College, an NAIA National Championship, a CISM World Championship Silver Medal and two Armed Forces Wrestling Championships during his time in the U.S. Army. In addition to a professional wrestling career with stints in the WWE, ECW and TNA, Lashley began his MMA career in 2008, and he’s built an impressive career mark that includes Bellator MMA submission wins over Karl Etherington and Josh Burns.

“Bellator: Unfinished Business” – Friday, June 19, Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Mo.

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (4-2) vs. Ken Shamrock (28-15)
Bellator Featherweight Championship: Patricio Pitbull (23-2) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-4)
Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Bobby Lashley (12-2) vs. James Thompson (20-14)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Michael Chandler (12-3) vs. Derek Campos (15-4)

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:
Spike 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’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

About Scottrade Center:
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary this season, Scottrade Center is a contemporary, 12-story glass and concrete structure located in the heart of downtown St. Louis. The home of the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, Scottrade Center also features a full range of arena programming, including concerts, ice shows, family shows and other sporting events. Scottrade Center is consistently ranked by Pollstar Magazine as one of the top grossing arenas in the country.

IRVINE, Calif. (April 10, 2015) – An energetic Southern Californian crowd was on hand tonight at the Bren Event Center enjoying a spectacular night of fights at Bellator 136.

With celebrities and MMA legends the likes of Tommy Lasorda, Charlie Hough, Jermaine Dye, Tito Ortiz, Ken Shamrock, Don Frye and Frank Shamrock cageside, the Scott Coker-led promotion emphatically returned to the arena for the first time since its debut on Spike at Bellator 85.

In addition to a lightweight title fight in the main event, 12 other exciting contests helped continue the trend of exciting cards on Spike TV thus far in 2015.

It took the full five rounds, but Will Brooks (16-1) made the first defense of his Bellator Lightweight strap, defeating Dave Jansen (20-3) via unanimous decision [49-46, 49-46, 49-46]. After a clear cut opening frame that saw “The Fugitive” surprise “Ill Will” with his explosive kicking and punching, Brooks slowly turned the tide in his favor, slowing the pace and using his world renown grappling to remain the 155-pound kingpin.

“Dave Jansen is exactly what people consider him to be,” said Brooks. “He’s got that warrior spirit and he’s really intelligent. He fought hard, I just fought harder. I’m still young in this sport, and there were definitely a lot of things that I wanted to do in the fight that he neutralized. I’m looking to stay busy and get back to putting on exciting fights for the fans.”

After 15 minutes of co-main event action, Rafael Carvalho improved to 11-1, earning a split decision win [28-29, 30-27, 29-28] against Joe Schilling (2-4). The young Brazilian slowed the fight down throughout, nullifying the striking of “Stitch Em’ Up.” One judge did see the fight in favor of the world champion kickboxer, but it wasn’t enough as Schilling drops to .500 inside the Bellator cage.

In a battle of submission specialists, Marcin Held (21-3) finished Tiger Sarnavskiy (30-3) via verbal submission caused by a knee bar at 1:11 of round three. With the win, Held has now won 12 of his 21 professional fights via submission.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/gMfGxLS3LD-8iHI7JEB8v2mGCBdxcxvx9lhKOoKnwcYi22DkMqXBTGWfKH7KfPTKAy5XBG4b_I_CUOD4c3h0c47dYX31GC5Jgd2GpO5Q__oscynC3wWETRxPZn3ZeWmuGCxpklI
The first televised scrap of the evening featured heavyweights Tony Johnson (8-2) and Alexander Volkov (6-1). After three grueling rounds, “The Hulk” remained undefeated in the Bellator cage. Johnson was awarded a [29-28, 28-29, 29-28] split decision. Overall it was the wrestling of Johnson that earned him the victory. Now, Johnson returns home to his two daughters and fiancée, where he doubles as a self-proclaimed “Mr. Mom.”

Joey Beltran (16-11) bounced back from a lackluster opening round to take rounds two and three, ultimately defeating Brian Rogers (11-8) via majority decision [28-28, 29-28, 29-27]. “The Mexicutioner” impressed in his Bellator MMA middleweight debut, while “The Predator” has dropped four of five scraps.
Saad Awad (18-6) handed Rob Sinclair (12-3) the third loss of his career, earning a unanimous decision [30-27, 30-27, 30-37]. With the win, Awad moves even closer to a trilogy fight with lightweight champion Will Brooks.

In the opening bout of the evening, John Teixeira (18-1-2) defeated Fabricio Guerreiro (20-4) via split decision [29-28, 28-29, 29-28]. Guerreiro has now dropped two of his last three bouts, while “Macapa” has won three straight.

AJ McKee (1-0) made a successful professional debut on Friday night, finishing Marcos Bonilla (1-2) with a deep rear-naked choke at 2:08 round one. The contingent that remained after the main card was heavily in favor of the Long Beach, Calif., native.

Chad George (16-8) finished Mark Vorgeas (5-3-1) with a head and arm choke at 3:37 of the first round. There was no tap or verbal submission, as George had to inform the referee that his opponent had gone unconscious. The Los Angeles native now has nine submission wins in his young career.

Laguna Hills, Calif., Justin Governale (4-2) submitted hometown boy Jay Bogan (6-5) via rear-naked choke at 2:09 of round two. It was an exciting end to a fight that was nearly finished by Governale with strikes.

Steve Ramirez (1-1) finished Jon Santa Maria (3-1) with a toehold at 3:29 of round one.

Cleber Luciano (11-5) finished Aaron Miller (14-10) with an arm bar at 4:36 of round two.

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.

MOSCOW (April 11, 2015) – Former M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramasan Emeev (12-3-0) recaptured the coveted title from defending champion Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (26-3-0) in last night’s M-1 Challenge 56 main event in Moscow, Russia.

Emeev used a perfectly executed rear-naked choke to defeat Vasilevsky by submission at the 1:47 mark of the first round.

Vasilevsky had taken title belt from Emeev this past September 7 in St. Petersburg at M-1 Challenge 51: Fightspirit with a fourth-round stoppage from punches in the first showdown between the two Russian fighters. A Vasilevsky-Emeev rematch was a natural from the moment their first fight ended and now there is a potential trilogy match.

The 27-year-old Emeev, who lives and trains in Makhachkala, Russia, originally won the vacant M-1 Challenge middleweight title April 9, 2012, recording a knockout (strikes) of Mario Miranda (14-4-0) in the third round at M-1 Challenge 38. Emeev successfully defended his title five months later with a five-round decision over Miranda in a rematch and he hadn’t fought since losing to Vasilevsky.

The 26-year-old Vasilevsky had his 10 fight win streaks snapped by Emeev. He had won 16 of his last 17 fights and was making his first M-1 Challenge middleweight title defense against Emeev. The loss also was Vyacheslav’s first in nine M-1 Global-promoted shows, including four M-1 Challenge events.

M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger (29-4-0) knocked out Aliyar “Tiger” Sarkerov (12-5-0), who was a late replacement Tural Ragimov (9-2-0) with a punch in the second round of their non-title fight.

Croatian light heavyweight Kristian “Klitschko” Perak (8-1-1) and former M-1 Challenge champion Valery “The Russian Hammer” Myasnikov (8-1-1) battled to a three-round draw.

Croatian heavyweight Ante “Walking Trouble” Delija (13-2-0) won a hard fought three-round decision over Latvian veteran Konstantin “Lacplesis” Gluhov (28-16-0).

Spanish lightweight Javier Fuentes (6-0-0) kept his perfect record intact, winning a second-round technical submission of Nikolay “Cat” Kaushansky (6-2-0), of Russia, by way of a triangle choke.

In preliminary fight action, Russian lightweight Ali Abdulkhalikov (3-0-0) needed only 34-seconds to knockout Spain’s Joel Alvarez Gonzalez (4-1-0) with a spinning heel kick in a battle of previously unbeaten fighters, Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (9-3-0) stopped fellow Russian lightweight Rakhman Makhazhiev (3-2-0) with a punch in the third round, Abukar Yandiev (3-0-0) locked in a rear naked choke hold to submit fellow Russian middleweight Gevorg Charchyan (1-1-0) midway through the opening round. Russian featherweight Zalimek Omarov (4-1-1) punched out countryman Artiom Lobanov (2-2-0) in the second round, and Polish welterweight Michal Wiencek (5-2-0) defeated Russian opponent Rustam Gadzhiev (4-3-0) by way of a third-round submission resulting from a rear naked choke.

Complete results and picture gallery below:

MAIN CARD

MAIN EVENT – MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Ramasan Emeev (12-3-0), Russia WSUB1 (Rear-Naked Choke – 1:48) Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (26-3-0), Russia
(Emeev won M-1 Challenge middleweight title)

CO-FEATURE – FEATHERWEIGHTS
Ivan Buchinger (29-4-0), Slovakia WTKO2 (Punch – 1:54) Aliyar Sarkerov (12-5-0), Russia

HEAVYWEIGHTS
Ante Deliha (13-2-0), Croatia WDEC3 Konstantin Gluhov (28-16-0), Latvia

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Valery Myashikov (8-1-1), Russia Draw3 Kristijan Perak (8-1-2), Croatia

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Javier Fuentas (6-0-0), Spain WSUB2 (Triangle Choke – 1:33) Niko Kaushansky (6-2-0), Russia

PRELIMINARY CARD

M-1 MEDIEVAL WELTERWEIGHT KNIGHT FIGHT
Evgeniy Bedenko (6-1-0), Russia Ivan Vasiliev (11-2-0), Russia

MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Abukar Yandiev (3-0-0), Russia WSUB1 (Rear Naked Choke – 2:30) Gevorg Charchyan (1-1-0), Russia
Gadzhi Gadzhiev (5-2-0), Russia WSUB2 (Armbar – 2:11) Yuri Yurchenko (1-2-0), Russia

WELTERWEIGHTS
Michal Wiencek, Poland (5-2-0) WSUB3 (Rear Naked Choke – 4:30) Rustam Gadzhiev (4-3-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Ali Andulkhalikov (3-0-0), Russia WKO1 (Spinning Heel Kick – 0:34) Joel Alvarez Gonzalez (4-0-0), Spain
Alexey Makhno (9-3-0), Russia WKO/TKO3 (Punch – 0:39) Rakhman Malhazhiev (3-2-0), Russia
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Zalimbek Omarov (4-1-1), Russia WKO/TKO2 (Punch – 2:51) Artiom Lobanov (2-2-0), Russia

10 April 2015 – Singapore: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has added five additional bouts to ONE: WARRIOR’S QUEST, the blockbuster event set to take place on 22 May at the state-of-the-art Singapore Indoor Stadium. After notching one of the best knockouts of 2014 in his ONE Championship debut, Timofey Nastyukhin will now drop down to featherweight to take on top contender Rob Lisita. Streaking featherweights Ev Ting and Marat Gafurov are also set to clash in a showdown of featherweight contenders. Lightweight Eddie Ng will return to action to take on Brazil’s Rafael Nunes. Singapore’s Benedict Ang will make his debut against Pakistan’s Waqar Umar while Angela Lee faces Aya Saber in a women’s strawweight bout.

Tickets for ONE: WARRIOR’S QUEST are on sale now at http://www.sportshub.com.sg/. Ticket categories begin with the full VIP experience at S$1,488. Tickets priced at $158, $58 and $38 are also available. Early bird promotions are available until 17 April. Prices exclude ticketing fee.

CEO of ONE Championship™, Victor Cui, stated, “ONE Championship returns to Singapore on 22 May with a blockbuster main event. In the main event, the two best lightweights in the world will clash when ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya Aoki put his title on the line against the number one contender, Koji Ando. Four of the best featherweights are in action as Ev Ting meets Marat Gafurov and Rob Lisita and Timofey Nastyukhin go head-to-head. The featherweight division is stacked with world-class athletes and these contenders have an opportunity to make their case for a ONE Featherweight World Championship title shot! Get ready for a night of jaw-dropping, world-class mixed martial arts action as ONE Championship goes live around the world.”

Ev Ting is a featherweight of Malaysian descent currently based in New Zealand. Ting has won all three of his bouts since making his ONE Championship debut. He has demonstrated his striking and grappling prowess, finishing Yohan Mulia Legowo, Edward Kelly and Cary Bullos all in impressive fashion. Ting is set to make his case for the ONE Featherweight World Championship belt currently held by Jadambaa Narantungalag, but he would first need to overcome Marat Gafurov.

Marat Gafurov hails from Novokuznetsk in Russia. He is currently undefeated in ten professional mixed martial arts bouts. He made a statement in his ONE Championship debut, convincingly defeating perennial contender Rob Lisita with a kick and rear-naked choke sequence. The victory propelled Gafurov to the top of the list of contenders, and he now has an opportunity to solidify his status by adding another victory to his win column.

Rob Lisita is an Australian mixed martial artist and one of the top strikers in the ONE Championship featherweight division. Lisita has built up a solid fan following thanks to the impressive striking displays throughout his career, including knockout wins over Yusuke Kawanago and Rodolfo Marques. Lisita has faced the best of the best in his class, and will now welcome Nastyukhin into the ultra-talented featherweight division.

Timofey Nastyukhin announced his arrival on the global stage with a devastating knockout of Eduard Folayang at ONE: WARRIOR’S WAY last December. After a series of ferocious striking exchanges, Nastyukhin landed a perfectly timed flying knee on Folayang, effectively ending the bout in just one round. The knockout is considered by most as one of the best knockouts of 2014. He now returns to action against a fellow striker. Nastyukhin will move down to his preferred featherweight division to take on Australian knockout artist Rob Lisita.

Eddie Ng is a Hong Kong lightweight who has dazzled in his multiple appearances in the ONE Championship cage. Ng has won four of his five bouts in ONE and returns to action after a one-year layoff determined to continue his ascent. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt, Ng has never gone to a decision in his professional mixed martial arts career thanks to his exciting style.

Rafael Nunes is one of the top lightweights to emerge from Brazil in recent history. He has steamrolled through the competition in Brazil, with all but one of his 10 wins coming by stoppage. Nunes is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and is equally adept in finishing his opponents by strikes or by submission.

Benedict Ang is one of the top prospects to emerge from Singapore. Ang is undefeated in amateur mixed martial arts competition. At just 19 years old, Ang will become one of the youngest mixed martial artists to step into the ONE Championship cage. Ang trains at Evolve MMA alongside top stars such as ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren and ONE Lightweight World Champion Shinya Aoki. Possessing dynamic striking skills and solid grappling, he will get the opportunity to test himself against the best in the world as he makes his promotional debut.

Waqar Umar is a Pakistani mixed martial arts standout. Umar impressed in local competition and has received the opportunity to compete at Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. A student of Pakistani MMA pioneer Bashir Ahmad, Umar is an aggressive brawler and also combines his striking skills with diverse submission skills. He will be looking to notch his first win inside the ONE cage when he locks horns with Singapore’s Benedict Ang.

Angela Lee is currently living in Hawaii and is of Singapore and Korean descent. The eldest child of two Taekwondo instructor parents, Angela grew up practicing various forms of martial arts, and quickly built an impressive resume. Her list of accolades includes being state wrestling champion and World Athlima Pangration Federation champion. She is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt, and an amateur strawweight champion in mixed martial arts. Lee now makes her much-awaited professional debut as she takes Aya Saber.

Aya Saber is an Egyptian kickboxing champion who has transitioned into mixed martial arts. After falling short in her last first two ONE Championship bouts, Saber will look for a victory against one of the most promising young prospects in Angela Lee. A distinguished striker, Saber now gets a shot at redemption as she makes her return to the ONE cage.

For more updates on ONE Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow Twitter and Instagram @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA

About ONE Championship™
With a 90%+ market share in Asia, ONE Championship is Asia’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization. Headquartered in Singapore, the world’s most exciting mixed martial arts organization hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions, all signed to exclusive contracts, on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Championship™ has partnered with FOX and STAR Sports for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans 70+ countries across the world.

LAS VEGAS (April 9, 2015) – A case of dehydration has rendered Ronny Markes ineligible to compete in the WSOF 20 light heavyweight main event against fellow superstar David Branch tomorrow, Friday, April 10.

Jesse McElligott (5-1), originally slated for action on the WSOF 20 preliminary card, will step up to face Branch (15-3) in the main event. The 24-year-old McElligott of West Roxbury, Mass., is looking for his third straight win.

“Ronny’s condition is an unfortunate situation, but we are glad that his health has improved since the episode he experienced earlier today,” said WSOF President Ray Sefo.

“WSOF is committed to the safety of its athletes,” continued Sefo, “and, therefore, there is no way that we could allow Ronny to go on and compete despite the turnaround in his condition.”

WSOF will compensate McElligott’s original opponent, Steve Skrzat, will his full fight purse.

The live NBCSN telecast of WSOF 20 will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. MMA legend Renzo Gracie will call the action alongside veteran WSOF play-by-play announcer Todd Harris.

In the lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event, rising star Nick Newell (11-1) of Springfield, Mass. will face off with battle-tested Joe Condon (12-7) of Victorville, Calif.

Making their respective WSOF debuts, undefeated Ben Fodor (5-0-1), also known as costumed crime fighter “Phoenix Jones” of Seattle, Wash., and fellow rising star and Iraq war veteran Emmanuel Walo (7-2-1) of Jersey City, N.J. will throw down in a 175 pounds catch weight contest.

In other live NBCSN televised main card action at WSOF 20, aggressive finishers Ozzy Dugulubgov (6-2) of Hackensack, N.J. and Lucas Montoya (8-3) of Layton, Utah will square off at lightweight, and up-and-coming talents Steve Mocco (4-1) of Coconut Creek, Fla. and Juliano Coutinho (6-1) of West Yarmouth, Mass. will battle at heavyweight.

Tickets for the WSOF 20, priced from $39.99, are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

Doors at the Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino open at 5:00 p.m. ET, and the first of four preliminary bouts begins at 6:00 p.m.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

About Foxwoods ® Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino is one of the premier entertainment destinations in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to quick-service, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, and exclusive retailers. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 9, 2015) – A talent-laden preliminary card for May’s “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove” event is starting to take shape with the addition of welterweights Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky “The Sniper” Rainey (10-3), bantamweights Joe “The Juggernaut” Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio “Tigre” Duarte (18-5) and featherweight Jordan “Pretty Boy” Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar “Morceguinho” Neves Jr. (30-0).

The new additions complement the four-bout main card for “Bellator MMA: Halsey vs. Grove,” which includes undefeated Bellator MMA World Middleweight Champion Brandon “Bull” Halsey (8-0) against towering Hawaiian scrapper Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (21-14), former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike “The Marine” Richman (18-5), light heavyweights Virgil “Rezdog” Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. “Razor” Razak Al-Hassan (12-4) and welterweights Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (23-13) vs. “Curtious” Curtis Millander (7-1).

“Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” takes place on Friday, May 15, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The night’s main card airs live on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time), while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

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

Doors for “Bellator: Halsey vs. Grove” open at 3:30 p.m. PT local time, and the first contest takes place 30 minutes later. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

Juarez, of Torrance, Calif., is a seven-time Bellator MMA veteran whose days with the company date back to the promotion’s second show. The 33-year-old has been fighting professionally since 2006 but is currently enjoying one of the best runs of his career at 5-1 in his past six appearances, a run that includes Bellator MMA wins over Ron Keslar, Joe Williams and Jordan Smith.

Rainey, of Gastonia, N.C., fights for the fourth time under the Bellator MMA banner. All three of Rainey’s Bellator MMA fights have ended in the first round, as he’s bracketed TKO wins over Johnny Cisneros and Andy Murad around a loss to top contender Michael “Venom” Page. Seven of Rainey’s 10 career wins have come by finish, including six by knockout.

A five-time Bellator MMA veteran, Taimanglo has quickly established himself as one of Guam’s top fighting exports. A scrappy 30-year-old, Taimanglo never fails to entertain. He fought most recently in September, scoring a decision win over Michael Parker.

Fighting professionally since 2006, Duarte hails from Tijuana, Mexico. He makes his Bellator MMA debut on the strength of back-to-back submission wins over Marco Beristain and Ed West. Fifteen of Duarte’s 18 career wins come by way of stoppage, including 11 by tapout.

The 24-year-old Parsons, of Fargo, N.D., is a member of California’s famed Alliance MMA. Fighting professionally, Parsons has established himself as one of the top prospects in the world after winning 10 of his first 11 professional fights, including three by knockout and two by submission. Parsons made his Bellator MMA debut in April 2014, scoring a knockout win over Tim Bazer just four seconds into the second round.

Brazil’s Neves Jr. has compiled an incredible career mark of 30-0 despite being just 20 years old. Competing professionally since 2011, when he was just 17 years old, Neves Jr. already owns a pair of Bellator MMA victories by TKO, as he downed Poppies Martinez in the first round of a September 2014 matchup and finished Josh Arocho in the second round of an April 2014 contest.

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

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Middleweight Title Fight: Champ Brandon Halsey (8-0) vs. Kendall Grove (21-14)
Bellator Featured Bantamweight Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)
Bellator Featured Light Heavyweight Fight: Virgil Zwicker (13-4-1) vs. Razak Al-Hassan (12-4)
Bellator Featured Welterweight Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (23-13) vs. Curtis Millender (7-1)

Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Jesse Juarez (22-9) vs. Ricky Rainey (10-3)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Joe Taimanglo (20-6-1) vs. Antonio Duarte (18-5)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Jordan Parsons (10-1) vs. Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (30-0)

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.

IRVINE. Calif. – April 9, 2015 – 25 of the 26 fighters competing on Friday’s “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” took to the scales and successfully hit their targeted weights Thursday afternoon at the Radisson Hotel in Newport Beach, Calif. The stacked MMA card emanates from the Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif., tomorrow, airing LIVE and FREE on Spike at 9 p.m. ET.

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” is headlined by a fight between Bellator Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks (15-1) and Dave Jansen (20-2). “Ill Will” has won six consecutive bouts, while “The Fugitive” has rallied off seven straight victories of his own.

The event also features the return of multi-combat sports star Joe Schilling (2-3), who faces Brazilian standout Rafael Carvalho (10-1) in a middleweight co-main event.

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” – Friday, April 10, Bren Events Center, Irvine, Calif.

Joe Schilling (185.6) vs. Rafael Carvalho (185.8)

Joe Schilling (185.6) vs. Rafael Carvalho (185.8)

Marcin Held (155.8) vs. Alexander Tiger Sarnavskiy (155)

Marcin Held (155.8) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (155)

Alexander Volkov (243) vs. Tony Johnson (264)

Alexander Volkov (243) vs. Tony Johnson (264)

Fabricio Guerreiro (145.8) vs. John Teixeira (145.2)

Fabricio Guerreiro (145.8) vs. John Teixeira (145.2)

Joey Beltran (184) vs. Brian Rogers (186)

Joey Beltran (184) vs. Brian Rogers (186)

Saad Awad (155.4) vs. Rob Sinclair (155.2)

Saad Awad (155.4) vs. Rob Sinclair (155.2)

A.J. McKee (144) vs. Marcos Bonilla (147)

A.J. McKee (144) vs. Marcos Bonilla (146

Jonathan Santa Maria (125) vs. Steve Ramirez (126)

Jonathan Santa Maria (125) vs. Steve Ramirez (126)

Chris Herrera (186) vs. Luc Bondole (185.6)

Chris Herrera (186) vs. Luc Bondole (185.6)

Chad George (136) vs. Mark Vorgeas (135.6)

Chad George (136) vs. Mark Vorgeas (135.6)

Jay Bogan (147.4) vs. Justin Governale (146)

Jay Bogan (146.6) vs. Justin Governale (146)

Aaron Miller (150) vs. Cleber Luciano (150)

Aaron Miller (150) vs. Cleber Luciano (150)

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:
Spike 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’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 8, 2015) Bellator MMA has announced plans for a summer return to the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kan., on June 26 for an event currently titled “Bellator 139.”

The first two fights confirmed to take place on the “Bellator 139” main card have been announced with Kansas’ own David “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) taking on Pride Fighting Championships veteran John Alessio (35-17) in lightweight action and former featherweight champ Pat Curran (20-7) faces Goiti Yamauchi (18-2).

Additional fights, including a main event, will be announced shortly.

The event will broadcast live at 9 p.m. EST/ 8 p.m. CST Live and Free on Spike. The preliminary card will be streamed on Spike.com beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST/ 6:30 p.m. CST Tickets starting at $20 go on sale this Saturday, April 11 at 10 a.m. CT, and can be purchased online at KansasStarEventCenter.com or Ticketmaster.com.

A fan-favorite in the Kansas area, Rickels will be making his 14th appearance for the Scott Coker-led promotion since 2011. “The Caveman,” a 26-year-old who competed for the 155-pound title against Michael Chandler at Bellator 97, was most recently in action against Davi Ramos at Bellator 130, winning via unanimous decision.

Alessio, 35, has not been in action since May of 2014, when he earned a unanimous decision win against Eric Wisely at Bellator 119. The 53-fight veteran has competed professionally since 1998 against the likes of Pat Miletich, Diego Sanchez and Paul Daley.

A former Bellator MMA 145 pound champion, Curran will return to action for the first time since his split decision loss to Daniel Weichel at Bellator 133. “Paddy Mike” has been involved in some of the most entertaining scraps in promotional history and will look to continue that trend against Yamauchi.

At only 22-years-old, Yamauchi is already making waves in Bellator’s featherweight division. The Japanese competitor holds victories over Mike Richman and Martin Stapleton and has earned 15 of his 18 professional wins before reaching the judges’ scorecards. The upcoming bout with Curran will serve as his toughest test to date under the Bellator banner.

THIS WEEK: Bellator Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks looks to defend his title for the first time against former lightweight tournament winner Dave Jansen. Also on the card, World Champion kickboxer Joe Schilling returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since he produced a Knockout of the Year candidate over Melvin Manhoef last November. Schilling faces a tough Rafael Carvalho at “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen,” which airs Live and Free on Spike this Friday, April 10, at 9/8c from the Bren Events Center at UC Irvine.

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.

About Kansas Star Arena
The Kansas Star Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility, is located just off Exit 33 on the Kansas Turnpike and is adjacent to the Kansas Star Casino. The 42,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Kansas Star Arena is south-central Kansas’ home for big-name national acts such as Journey, Pat Benatar, Championship Rodeo, mixed martial arts events and more. The Arena accommodates up to 6,500 guests for headliner events. In 2014, Midwest Gaming and Travel awarded the Kansas Star more than 25 honors in its annual Reader’s Choice Awards, including “Best Concert Venue” in the state of Kansas. For more information, visit kansasstarcasino.com. Connect with Kansas Star Arena at facebook.com/kansasstararena and www.kansasstarcasino.com/entertain/arena. Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming is a leading diversified owner and operator of 22 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and New Jersey. Boyd Gaming and Kansas Star Casino press releases are available at boydgaming.mediaroom.com.

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, today announced extensive live programming for UFC Fight Night™: Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop 2 this Saturday, April 11 from Krakow Arena in Krakow, Poland.

Fight Network will televise the live main card exclusively in Canada from 3 to 5 p.m. ET.

In the main event, Brazilian behemoth Gabriel Gonzaga (16-9) battles returning Croatian legend Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (30-11-2) in a highly anticipated heavyweight rematch of their initial meeting in April 2007, which Gonzaga won via stunning head kick knockout.

In other featured main card bouts, Polish light heavyweight sensation Jan Blachowicz (18-3) faces his toughest career test opposite British knockout artist Jimi Manuwa (14-1), Polish welterweight hopeful Pawel Pawlak (10-1) battles Canadian “TUF: Nations” finalist Sheldon Westcott (8-2-1) and Scottish women’s strawweight standout Joanne Calderwood (9-0) puts her perfect pro record on the line against undefeated debuting Ukrainian Maryna Moroz (5-0).

Live pre-fight coverage will lead into the prelims on Saturday afternoon with Fight Network’s UFC Pre-Show Live at 2 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis.

In addition to all the live pre and post-fight coverage, Fight Network is the destination for UFC library content, specials and series, including UFC Unleashed, UFC Now and UFC Ultimate Insider. All airings are listed at tv.fightnetwork.com.

Post-fight coverage airs on Monday’s edition of 5 Rounds on Fight Network, which debuts at 7 p.m. ET and features a comprehensive breakdown of Saturday’s event.

The four-bout main card will re-air on Saturday night at 9 p.m. ET and Sunday night at Midnight ET.

The full card for UFC Fight Night™: Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop 2 includes:

Main Card (Live on Fight Network, 3 p.m. ET):
-Gabriel Gonzaga (16-9) vs. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (30-11-2)
-Jan Blachowicz (18-3) vs. Jimi Manuwa (14-1)
-Pawel Pawlak (10-1) vs. Sheldon Westcott (8-2-1)
-Joanne Calderwood (9-0) vs. Maryna Moroz (5-0)

Preliminary Card (Live on UFC Fight Pass, 11:45 a.m. ET):
-Seth Baczynski (19-12) vs. Leon Edwards (8-2)
-Garreth McLellan (12-2) vs. Bartosz Fabinski (11-2)
-Sergio Moraes (8-2) vs. Mickael Lebout (13-3-2)
-Daniel Omielanczuk (16-4-1) vs. Anthony Hamilton (13-4)
-Izabela Badurek (5-2) vs. Aleksandra Albu (1-0)
-Marcin Bandel (13-3) vs. Stevie Ray (16-5)
-Taylor Lapilus (8-1) vs. Rocky Lee (3-0)
-Damian Stasiak (8-2) vs. Yaotzin Meza (20-9)

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

Las Vegas – UFC® returns to the Bayou State with a light heavyweight showdown between Lafayette’s Daniel Cormier and fifth-ranked Ryan Bader on Saturday, June 6 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. This marks the first UFC event in New Orleans since 2011.

Born and raised in the heart of Cajun Country, third-ranked UFC light heavyweight Cormier (15-1, fighting out of San Jose, Calif.), comes home to face rising contender Bader in hopes of getting another shot at the 205-pound world title. The former two-time U.S. Olympian makes his return to the Octagon® after challenging UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at UFC 182 in January. Fueled by another chance at the world title, “DC” looks to put on an impressive performance against Bader to cement his place at the top of the division’s contenders.

Since winning The Ultimate Fighter® Season eight, Bader (20-4, fighting out of Tempe, Ariz.) has made a steady climb through the 205-pound rankings by besting top-ranked opponents Phil Davis, Ovince Saint Preux, former UFC light heavyweight champion Rampage Jackson and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. After rattling off four consecutive wins, the former two-time Division I All-American wrestler at Arizona State University has earned a shot against one of the UFC’s elite in Cormier. With a win over DC, a title shot for Bader will undoubtedly soon follow.

In addition to Cormier’s homecoming, UFC FIGHT NIGHT® showcases Louisiana’s best as former LSU fullback and member of the 2007 NCAA Division I National Football Championship team Shawn Jordan (17-6, fighting out of Baton Rouge, La.) meets New Orleans-born Derrick Lewis (12-3, 1NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas), whose resume includes 11 knockout victories. Plus, after making an impressive UFC lightweight debut against Diego Ferreira at UFC FIGHT NIGHT: MENDES vs. LAMAS, surging lightweight contender Dustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier (17-4, fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) makes a quick return to the Octagon to fight in his home state of Louisiana.

Additional bouts include:

· Knockout artist and No. 9 heavyweight Ben Rothwell (34-9, fighting out of Kenosha, Wis.) will meet (No. 13) Matt Mitrione (9-3, fighting out of Indianapolis, Ind.), the owner of three consecutive first-round knockout wins.

· 13th-ranked middleweight Tim Boetsch (18-8, fighting out of Sunbury, PA by way of Lincolnville, Maine) goes head-to-head with former STRIKEFORCE and PRIDE champion Dan Henderson (30-13, fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) in a 185-pound showdown.

· MMA veteran Brian Ebersole (51-16-1, 1NC, fighting out of Phuket, Thailand) takes on heavy-hitting Omari Akhmedov (14-2, fighting out of Makhachkala, Russia), an owner of 10 first-round finishes.

· The Ultimate Fighter®: Brazil contestant Daniel Sarafian (10-5, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) meets Ricardo Abreu (5-1, fighting out of Las Vegas) at 185 pounds.

· The Ultimate Fighter Season 15 standout Joe Proctor (10-3, fighting out of Bridgewater, Mass.) meets TUF® Season 13 cast member Justin Edwards (9-4, fighting out of Bellefontaine, Ohio) in a lightweight bout.

· Former bantamweight title challenger Joe Soto (15-3, fighting out of Porterville, Calif.) makes his second UFC appearance against Anthony Birchak (11-2, fighting out of Tucson, Ariz.).

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

Previous UFC events held in the state of Louisiana: UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: SHIELDS vs. ELLENBERGER (9/17/2011, New Orleans), UFC 37: High Impact (05/10/2002, Bossier City), UFC 27: Ultimate Bad Boyz (09/22/2000, New Orleans), UFC 24: First Defense (03/10/2000, Lake Charles), UFC 22: Only One Can Be Champion (09/24/1999, Lake Charles), UFC 18: The Road to the Heavyweight Title (01/8/1999, New Orleans), and UFC 16: Battle in the Bayou (3/13/1998, New Orleans).

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: CORMIER vs. BADER go on sale Friday, April at 10 a.m. CT and are priced at $175, $125, $90, $75 and $50 (plus applicable service charges). Tickets are available for purchase at all Ticketmaster outlets including the Smoothie King Center box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com or via Phonecharge at (800) 745-3000. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: CORMIER vs. BADER will air live on FOX Sports 1 at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on Saturday, June 6, with the prelims kicking off on FOX Sports 2 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

About UFC®

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 – UFC® today announced a partnership with the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) in a move to champion the growth of safe, clean mixed martial arts (MMA) at the amateur level. UFC® will work closely with the IMMAF and provide vital financial and administrative backing, while also leveraging the vast global platform the UFC has built for communication and education initiatives.

Formed in 2012, the IMMAF has undertaken a number of important initiatives including athlete safety, regulatory work and grass roots development of the sport as well as being the global governing body of amateur MMA with 40 national federation members.

Lou Lauria, UFC Vice President for Federation Relationships and Corporate Social Responsibility said: “UFC® believes in the ability of amateur sport to affect positive change in society and is committed to contributing to those efforts globally. If you are an amateur MMA athlete, you should become engaged with the IMMAF on the national and community level and contribute to the positive developments being made in the sport.”

IMMAF Chief Executive Officer Densign White also believes the partnership will help elevate amateur MMA at all levels of the sport, saying: “IMMAF’s renewed and strengthened partnership with UFC is game-changing for MMA as a whole. Not only do we have the continued support of a key originator of contemporary mixed martial arts, but also of the world’s biggest player in the sport; based on its confidence that IMMAF can and is making a difference.

“IMMAF’s main work is to develop safety standards for all participants, particularly at recreational and amateur levels. The forward thinking approach of UFC in supporting IMMAF, which evolved from the MMA community for the MMA community, will surely help the sport to develop. Longer term it will enable the sport to prosper and grow to a point where its participants can enjoy the same levels of protection, education, respect and benefits as those practicing other sports. UFC partnership will help IMMAF substantially on many levels, from commercial to technical to media, and in turn this will benefit amateur MMA’s practitioners globally.”

Additionally, UFC® will again play host to the IMMAF World Championships as part of International Fight Week, which in 2014 saw 110 male and female athletes represent 22 countries in over 100 fights. The tournament, which runs from July 6 through 11, will culminate at the UFC Fan Expo at the Sands Expo & Convention Center, July 10-11, 2015 in Las Vegas and will be broadcast live on UFC FIGHT PASS. The IMMAF World Championships of MMA is the first international competition for amateur MMA to be organized by a non-profit, democratic governing body in accordance with Olympic values.

Tickets to the UFC Fan Expo are available at www.ufcfanexpo.com with two-day passes beginning at $60 online and $65 onsite. One-day passes begin at $35 online and $45 onsite.

For additional information please visit UFC.com, and follow UFC on Twitter @ufc.

For more information regarding the IMMAF, please visit www.immaf.org and follow on Twitter @IMMAFed

###

About UFC®
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 IMMAF
The International Mixed Martial Arts Federation is the international democratic body for the sport of amateur MMA, representing MMA worldwide and working with all stakeholders – athletes, coaches, referees, governments, athletic commissions, sports confederations, international organizations, professional promoters and more. Founded from within the amateur MMA community for the amateur MMA community, the purpose of the IMMAF is to protect and further the development and recognition of the sport of MMA on all amateur levels, enabling international competition through the organization of non-profit, democratic national federations. www.immaf.org

TORONTO | NEW YORK (April 7, 2015) — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a pair of exciting mixed martial arts events this Friday, April 10, beginning at 2:15 p.m. ET with M-1 Challenge 56 from Olympic Stadium in Moscow, Russia, followed by a one-hour tape delay broadcast of RFA 25: Lawrence vs. Toomer from Sioux Falls, South Dakota at 11 p.m. ET.

In the M-1 Challenge 56 main event, a much anticipated rematch pits M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Vyacheslav Vasilevsky against challenger Ramazan Emeev, plus M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger faces Aliyar Sarkerov.

Fight Network’s live broadcast of M-1 Challenge 56 will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. (Note: RFA 25 will not be available on Fight Network’s U.S. feed)

In their first fight last September, Vasilevsky captured the belt from Emeev by way of fourth-round stoppage from punches, while Buchinger captured the vacant title with a fourth-round stoppage of Tural Ragimov in the “Fight of the Night” this past October. Buchinger hasn’t lost a fight in nearly 3 ½ years, winning seven in a row and 10 of his last 11.

The fight card for M-1 Challenge 56 includes:

-Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (26-2) vs. Ramazan Emeev (11-3) – M-1 middleweight title
-Ivan Buchinger (28-4) vs. Aliyar Sarkerov (13-4) – M-1 featherweight title
-Konstantin Gluhov (28-15) vs. Ante Delija (12-2)
-Valery Myasnikov (8-1) vs. Kristijan Perak (8-1)
-Javier Fuentes (2-1) vs. Nikolay Kaushansky (6-1)
-Rakhman Makhazhiev (2-1) vs. Alexey Makhno (8-3)

Airing at 11 p.m. ET following Fight Network’s weekly Canadian premiere of IMPACT Wrestling, RFA 25: Lawrence vs. Toomer will feature a main event between RFA featherweight champion Justin “The American Kidd” Lawrence and No. 1 contender “Super” Sam Toomer, who will be looking to keep his undefeated record intact. In the co-main event, Gabriel “Zangief” Checco meets fellow Brazilian Francisco “Kiko” France for the middleweight title.

The fight card for RFA 25: Lawrence vs. Toomer includes:

-Justin Lawrence (6-2) vs. Sam Toomer (9-0) – RFA featherweight title
-Gabriel Checco (8-1) vs. Francisco France (11-3-1) – RFA middleweight title
-TJ Hepburn (4-0) vs. LaRue Barley (5-0)
-Khalil Rountree (2-0) vs. Cameron Olson (2-0)
-Jordon Larson (5-1) vs. Jarrod ‘LHeureux (7-1)
-Josh Rave (21-11) vs. Geane Herrera (6-0)

On Saturday, April 11, catch the UFC Fight Night: Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop 2 main card live on Fight Network in Canada at 3 p.m. ET. Live pre-fight coverage will lead into the main card on Saturday afternoon with Fight Network’s UFC Pre-Show Live at 2 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

LAS VEGAS (April 6, 2015) – World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has withdrawn Melvin Guillard from his scheduled, live NBCSN televised lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event matchup with Ozzy Dugulubgov, and replaced Guillard with streaking finisher Lucas Montoya, who was originally slated for preliminary card action at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. on Friday, April 10.

Guillard was pulled from the WSOF 20 card after failing to deliver his required medical exam results by the April 6 deadline.

The lightweight matchup between Nick Newell (11-1) of Springfield, Mass. and Joe Condon (12-7) of Victorville, Calif. has been designated the new WSOF 20 co-main event. Montoya’s original opponent, Abdula Dadaev, will no longer compete on the card, but will receive his fight purse.

“We are disappointed that we are in a position where we have to pull Melvin from this event but, given the fact that he did not turn in his required medical exam results by this morning’s deadline, we were left with no other choice but to do so,” said WSOF President Ray Sefo.

“Melvin and his camp were reminded more than once about the hard deadline,” continued Sefo, “yet they failed to deliver what was necessary in order for him to compete.”

Montoya (8-3) of Layton, Utah will enter the cage on a four-fight win streak, with three of the four victories having come by way of TKO or submission. His opponent, Dugulubgov (6-2) of Hackensack, N.J., is looking for his second straight win after delivering a thunderous KO (punch) on Keon Caldwell at WSOF 13 on Sept. 13, 2014.

The live NBCSN telecast of WSOF 20: Branch vs. Markes will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

In the main event, superstars David Branch (15-3) of New York, N.Y. and Ronny Markes (15-3) of Natal, Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil will collide in a contest that represents the second matchup in the WSOF multi-event tournament that will crown its winner the inaugural WSOF world light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion.

Making their respective WSOF debuts, undefeated Ben Fodor (5-0-1), also known as costumed crime fighter “Phoenix Jones” of Seattle, Wash., and fellow rising star and Iraq war veteran Emmanuel Walo (7-2-1) of Jersey City, N.J. will throw down in a welterweight (170 pounds) contest.

Steve Mocco (4-1) of Coconut Creek, Fla. will battle Juliano Coutinho (6-1) of West Yarmouth, Mass. in a heavyweight tilt and the first bout on the live NBCSN telecast.

A six bout preliminary card will precede the live televised main card.

Tickets for the WSOF 20: Branch vs. Markes, priced from $39.99, are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

Doors at the Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino open at 5:00 p.m. ET, and the first preliminary bout begins at 6:00 p.m.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

About Foxwoods ® Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino is one of the premier entertainment destinations in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to quick-service, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, and exclusive retailers. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

LAS VEGAS (April 6, 2015) – Legendary Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) superstar and trainer Renzo Gracie will serve as a special guest color commentator alongside veteran play-by-play announcer Todd Harris, for the live NBCSN telecast of the star-studded WSOF 20: Branch vs. Markes event at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. on Friday, April 10.

“It is an honor to be able to have an all-time great and member of MMA’s First Family like Renzo Gracie join the WSOF team and call our fights from cageside,” said WSOF President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo. “The keen, technical insight that Renzo has the ability to provide should be a real treat for fans tuning into the NBCSN telecast, which is loaded with some of the world’s top martial arts fighting talent.”

Gracie, a sixth degree black belt under his uncle, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu pioneer Carlos Gracie, Jr., has faced and defeated a host of rival, decorated icons from MMA’s early years, including Russian Sambo master Oleg Taktarov, kickboxing sensation Maurice Smith, Hall of Famer Pat Miletich and Carlos Newton.

As a trainer, Gracie has excelled similarly, and is responsible for advancing the careers of Georges St-Pierre, Chris Weidman, Matt Serra, Frankie Edgar and a number of other active and retired MMA world champions and superstars.

Along with Harris and fellow MMA legend and WSOF color commentator Bas Rutten, Gracie hosted WSOF Unstoppable: Road To The Championship, a 90-minute special program that premiered on NBC last December, and looked back at the most exciting highlights and complete rounds that took place in the WSOF decagon cage in 2013 and 2014.

The five-bout NBCSN telecast of WSOF 20 will be headlined by a showdown between superstars David Branch (15-3) of New York, N.Y. and Ronny Markes (15-3) of Natal, Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil that represents the second matchup in the WSOF multi-event tournament that will crown its winner the inaugural WSOF world light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion.

In the lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event, Melvin “The Young” Assassin Guillard (32-14-2, 2 NC) of New Orleans, La. will collide with fellow hard-hitting, KO artist Ozzy Dugulubgov (6-2) of Hackensack, N.J.

Making their respective WSOF debuts, undefeated Ben Fodor (5-0-1), also known as costumed crime fighter “Phoenix Jones” of Seattle, Wash., and fellow rising star and Iraq war veteran Emmanuel Walo (7-2-1) of Jersey City, N.J. will collide in a welterweight (170 pounds) contest.

Steve Mocco (4-1) of Coconut Creek, Fla. will battle Juliano Coutinho (6-1) of West Yarmouth, Mass. in a heavyweight tilt.

Leading off the live NBCSN telecast that will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT, is a lightweight matchup between Nick Newell (11-1) of Springfield, Mass. and Joe Condon (12-7) of Victorville, Calif.

A seven bout preliminary card will precede the live televised main card.

Tickets for the WSOF 20: Branch vs. Markes, priced from $39.99, are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

Doors at the Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino open at 5:00 p.m. ET, and the first preliminary bout begins at 6:00 p.m.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

About Foxwoods ® Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino is one of the premier entertainment destinations in the Northeast. As the largest resort casino in North America, Foxwoods offers a vast array of gaming in six casinos; AAA Four-Diamond hotels, restaurants from gourmet to quick-service, world-renowned spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, and exclusive retailers. Perfect for both recreation and business, Foxwoods provides modern and versatile convention and meeting space to infuse new life into any meeting or event. Foxwoods Resort Casino is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. For a comprehensive look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

Tacoma, Washington (April 6th 2015) – Brian Halquist Productions and CageSport MMA are proud to welcome back Super Fight League, Asia’s largest MMA organization for their fourth show stateside. Super Fight League 40 America will go live from the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington on Saturday, April 25th at 7:00PM.

Headlining this explosive night of fights will be talented Tacoma native Drew “The Eternal Fire” Brokenshire (10-3) versus the always dangerous Jason Gray (4-1) in a 3-round main event. Brokenshire will be looking to get back on track after suffering two consecutive losses, most recently in February of 2015 against Yakima native and Super Fight League America Featherweight and Lightweight champion, Julian Erosa. It’s a similar scenario for his opponent, as Enumclaw, Washington’s Jason Gray will also be looking to bounce back from a defeat in December of 2014 at Super Fight League America 2.

In the semi-main event of the evening, undefeated Hector Lopez (4-0) of Yakima, Washington looks to keep his perfect record alive against crafty veteran Gurdarshan Mangat (6-1) of British Columbia, Canada. Mangat has proven himself all over the world, with his fights taking place as far away as New Delhi, India. Lopez on the other hand, has competed exclusively at the EQC during his young career, and will be looking to continue his climb up the Bantamweight ladder with a win over a tough and savvy opponent.

The card will be rounded out with seven undercard fights.

Tickets for Super Fight League 40 are on sale now through the Emerald Queen Casino box office as well as all Ticketmaster locations and start at only $35. Fans are encouraged to reserve their seats early, as this event will sell out. Super Fight League America 40 is brought to you by Brian Halquist Productions and CageSport MMA. For more information, please visit www.halquistproductions.com as well as the CageSport MMA Facebook page.