13 March 2015 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Championship™ (ONE), kicked off 2015 with a spectacular show at the Stadium Putra in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Fans were treated to another night of world-class mixed martial arts action with ONE: AGE OF CHAMPIONS. In the main event, Adriano Moraes defeated a tenacious Riku Shibuya by Unanimous Decision to retain the ONE Flyweight World Championship belt.

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

ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes and challenger Riku Shibuya entertained the crowd with a showcase of striking and grappling exchanges in the main event. In the first round, Shibuya came out looking to take the fight to Moraes as the Brazilian worked to get Shibuya to the ground. On the mat, Moraes controlled the action by advancing position multiple times to Shibuya’s back although Shibuya exhibited exceptional defense. In the second, Shibuya did a better job of keeping the fight on the feet as he continued to stalk Moraes across the cage. Rounds three to five saw much of the same action with Shibuya continuing to press as Moraes dominated the ground game. In the end, Moraes’ various takedowns and submission attempts earned him a hard-fought decision.

In a highly anticipated lightweight bout, Malaysia’s Peter Davis went to work against Rajinder Singh Meena of India, notching a vicious stoppage win in just under three minutes of the first round. Davis attacked Meena from the beginning of the fight, dragging his opponent to the ground and gaining full mount. Davis then punished Meena with a non-stop attack from top position, forcing the referee to call a halt to the contest.

Ann Osman made quick work of Walaa Abbas, submitting her Egyptian opponent just minutes into their women’s flyweight bout. Abbas came out striking furiously and landed some good shots against Osman, but once Osman pressed Abbas against the cage she quickly worked on a takedown, securing a Rear Naked Choke in the process. With Osman digging the hooks in deep, Abbas had no choice but to tap out.

In an intense striking battle, the Philippines’ Cary Bullos and Ev Ting put on a great show for fans in attendance. In the first round, Bullos tagged Ting with various sharp counters as the Malaysian looked to initiate the exchanges. In the second round, Ting turned up the pressure, catching Bullos against the cage with underhooks. After impressively sweeping Bullos to the ground, Ting latched on a Guillotine Choke that forced Bullos to tap out.

Malaysia’s Gianni Subba got the packed Stadium Putra audience to their feet with a showstopping knockout victory over Thanh Vu seconds into the first round of their flyweight bout. Subba caught Vu with a stiff left hook and followed it up with a powerful kick that landed clean, prompting the referee to step in and stop the bout just twenty seconds into the contest.

Kirstie Gannaway dug deep against a game opponent in Team Lakay’s April Osenio to gut out a submission victory in two rounds. In the first round, Gannaway made her grappling advantage clear with a few near submissions, but Osenio defended well. Osenio then landed a couple of good kicks as the two got back to their feet. In the second round, Osenio tried her best to keep the fight standing with a few solid strikes but once the fight hit the mat again, Gannaway was able to secure the Rear Naked Choke.

Chan Rothana overcame two spinning back kick attempts from Filipino Ramon Gonzales to take a TKO victory late in the first round. After starting off on the feet, the two fighters found themselves on the mat when Gonzales missed wildly with a kick. Rothana was then able to sneak into full mount, raining down a series of punches to end the contest.

Agilan Thani kicked off ONE: AGE OF CHAMPIONS with a spectacular first round TKO over his Indonesian opponent Reant Fabriza Rainir. After a quick scramble, Thani found himself in mount and took advantage of the situation. Thani made quick work of Reant, finishing his opponent by ground and pound just slightly over a minute into the fight.

Official results for ONE: AGE OF CHAMPIONS
ONE Flyweight World Championship bout: Adriano Moraes defeats Riku Shibuya by Unanimous Decision
Lightweight bout: Peter Davis defeats Rajinder Singh Meena by TKO (Strikes) at 2:41 minutes of round 1
Women’s Flyweight bout: Ann Osman defeats Walaa Abbas by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:23 minutes of round 1
Featherweight bout: Ev Ting defeats Cary Bullos by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:05 minutes of round 2
Flyweight bout: Gianni Subba defeats Thanh Vu by Knockout at 0:20 minutes of round 1
Women’s Atomweight bout: Kirstie Gannaway defeats April Osenio by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:50 minutes of round 2
Bantamweight bout: Chan Rothana defeats Ramon Gonzales by TKO (Strikes) at 4:48 minutes of round 1
Catchweight bout (82kg): Agilan Thani defeats Reant Fabriza Rainir by TKO (Strikes) at 1:21 minutes of round 1

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.

Las Vegas, Nev. – The UFC® today confirmed a new partnership with Monster Energy®, to be the official energy drink of the UFC. This new exclusive deal – which excludes Brazil – continues UFC’s approach of partnering with industry-leading companies that share the same values and vision to further maximize and expand branding opportunities worldwide.

“The UFC® is excited to partner with a category leader like Monster Energy and introduce them to our fans who embody the same enthusiasm and passion synonymous with their brand,” UFC Executive Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships Michael Mossholder said. “This new multi-year deal will bring new and exciting experiential opportunities and unique in-market retail promotions.”

“We are excited to partner with the world’s leading mixed martial arts organization as the official energy drink of UFC as we expand our commitment into the MMA category,” said Sam Pontrelli, Monster Energy Senior Vice President of Marketing. “Through this partnership we will build a stronger brand position and expand our reach globally, thereby gaining exposure to a new audience while supporting the sport’s premiere athletes. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”

Monster Energy will also be sponsoring select athletes including UFC women’s bantamweight champion “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey, as well as UFC® lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis and former UFC welterweight champion and current No.1 welterweight contender Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks, both of whom are competing at UFC® 185 in Dallas this coming Saturday.

Additional UFC athletes will be announced at a later date.

As part of this partnership, the Monster Energy logo has center placement on the canvas, as first witnessed at UFC® 184: Rousey vs. Zingano in Los Angeles. Monster Energy will also be promoted on various UFC® entities inside and outside the Octagon® and together with UFC they will execute distinctive retail promotions and contest opportunities such as:

· “Belt the Champ”: a promotion to give one lucky fan the opportunity to attend a title fight and step inside the Octagon to present the championship belt.

· The “Monster Experience”: an opportunity for fans to gain unparalleled access during a UFC fight week, including access to open workouts, the weigh-in, press conferences, and the chance to sit with UFC President Dana White at the live event.

For more information on UFC or current fight news, visit ufc.com. For more information on Monster Energy visit monsterenergy.com.

###

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

About Monster
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer and distributor of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.

(On his departure from Bellator): “I think I got a little complacent with Bellator. Fourteen fights. I was there for four years so, unfortunately, things happen. This is the fight game. I got picked up by Titan right afterward and now have an opportunity to fight for CES. Being a local company, it’s very excited. In a way, it’s kind of like a new beginning, kind of refreshing my career.”

(On whether or not he was surprised to get cut): “In some ways. I wasn’t really expecting to get cut. I had the most fights in the company, I had the most wins, or I was tied for first at least, so in the back of my mind, though, having lost two in a row, and with the direction they’re going now, I don’t really fit that profile they’re looking for. It was kind of expected.”

(On his motivation for stepping back into the cage): “When I first got into it, I was only getting into it to kind of satisfy my own thoughts on, ‘Could I do it or not?’ It was something I wanted to do since I was little. My judo career was over so I said, ‘I’ll try it. I’ll see how I do.’ Part of the reason I got into it, too, was because I could make money doing something I trained my whole life, which I didn’t make money at, so I think the biggest motivation was it’s a good-paying job for the most part. It’s my full-time job now, so I think that is the main reason why anyone works, especially in a job like this. It pays the bills, but it’s also like playing, too, and I get rewarded for it, so it’s a lot of fun.”

(On his experience as a Judo Olympian helping him in professional MMA): “I’ve had some high-pressure situations with the judo and the same with Bellator. A couple of title fights, main events on big stages, so it definitely helped. Headlining a fight again is something I’m kind of used to now. The more you do it, the more you get used to it.”

_____

DEREK LOFFER

(On his mindset heading into a nationally-televised main event): “My mindset is the same as it’s been since I first heard about the fight. I’m ready to go. I’m super excited about the fight. Stylistically, it brings a good matchup. Good fights, good fans, great main event. I feel positive. I feel confident. I’m really happy about it. Good mood, good vibes going on. Everything is feeling good. It’s on the upswing.”

(On whether or not he considers himself the hungrier fighter): “I do think I’m the hungrier fighter. You can’t ever try to take money from another person. I don’t think anyone likes money being taken from them. I do expect it to be a dogfight. A war. At the very least, I expected to punched in the face, but I’ll tell you what, I’m the hungrier fighter. I’ve been hungry since I first started. I would say I’m old, but I guess a lot of people look at him as the old one. I’ve got a lot left to do. I’ve got a lot of things I need to pay for, so my son’s counting on me and my family’s counting on me. I’m definitely the hungrier fighter looking to go out there and lay my road down.”

(On what’s at stake tomorrow night): “I do feel like I’ve got a lot on the line, whether it be this fight or the fights I’ve had in the past. I’ve always got a lot to lose. Me, personally, being a competitor my whole life, I don’t like to lose. Even if there’s no money on the table and we’re playing rock, paper, scissors, I don’t like to lose. It’s that simple. I feel like this fight brings a style that is right up my alley and I know I’m better at that style. Losing’s just not an option to me. I’ve got a lot of things I’ve got to do with this fight and the turnout and a lot of things I need to accomplish and prove. Losing’s just not an option.”

______

LUIS FELIX

(On getting used to the idea of fighting on national television): “I know it’s there. I don’t necessarily put more pressure on myself or anything. I just love this spotlight. I love to fight on the big stage. The fact it is on national TV, nobody wants to be embarrassed and lose in front of their fans, never mind the entire nation.”

(On whether or not he’s noticed a difference in how people have approached him since his network TV debut): “Absolutely. It’s definitely changed a whole lot. People randomly hitting me up, even friends that live in different parts of the country that are now able to watch my fights live and I get to be in contact with them over the weekend now after they see my fights and talk to them about it, so the exposure has definitely picked up tremendously. It’s great that we get to reach such a wide audience.”

(On adjusting to a last-minute change of opponent): “For me, personally, I’m really not much of a game-plan person. I don’t sit spending an entire training game-planning for a specific style. You definitely are aware of what the person is better at and you go over things that may tend to that person, but I still go about my same training routine. I may add a couple things here and there for that specific person, but with this opponent change I’m still going to go out there and put in my game plan, which is mix it up, use my boxing, use my wrestling and keep him surprised. Just implement my will in the fight.”

_____

REGGIE MERRIWEATHER

(On nerves being a factor fighting on national television): “A little bit. But once the bell rings and someone gets hit the nerves go away pretty easily.”

(On why he took the fight on short notice): “I just really wanted a fight, you know? I just wanted to do things I did back when I was an amateur. When I was an amateur I would take like 10 to 20 fights in a year. I just want to stay busy. Every fight is a learning experience either about me or myself, what I need to work, what I need to improve. They’re all learning experiences.”

(On how he got started in MMA): “I got into it from a boxing gym, actually. I was actually just going to box but there were no boxers and there were a whole bunch of MMA guys so I figured I’d try it out. The first day, I got beat up. I wanted to give it another try. I had my first fight and went on from there.”

(On his thoughts on his opponent and his approach to the fight): Pretty good, well-rounded fighter. Good standup, good wrestling. A little bit of everything. I take it to people. Some people say I just do what I can to win. Take it to them.”

_____

ANDRE SOUKHAMTHATH

(On preparing for his television debut): “I honestly feel like this has been the best I’ve ever felt right now, today, and in camp. I got to work with some new tools. At the Blackzilians camp, they’ve got ice baths and some Jacuzzis, so I made sure I took advantage of that and used them everyday, which kept my body healthy. No aches, no pains. I got to push it hard everyday.”

(On blocking out the distractions when he returns to Rhode Island from Florida to fight at home): “It’s always like that. I have so many friends here at home that want to see me and I wanted to see them, too, but this time I feel like I’m getting closer and closer to the next level that I need to start looking at these trips as a business. Come, fight and leave, rather than fighting and saying, ‘Hey guys, I’m coming home!’ They come support me anyway. They all come to my fights. They understand. I hope they understand. Even my family, they say, ‘Why is your stay so short?’ I’ve got to go back home and handle business. I like it like that. It feels good now.”

(On his success validating his move to Florida): “I definitely feel like it was the right move. I’m still the same fighter I was when I started since Day 1. I still have the same passion. I still have the heart. The only difference is the tools in the box are different. All my training partners, they’re all high level. I’m not a big fish in a small pond anymore. I’m a small fish in a very big ocean and that can be good and bad, but I’m learning how to swim and I feel I’m becoming one of the big dogs there, too. Slowly, but surely, my time will come.”

LINCOLN, R.I. (March 12th, 2015) – Listed below are the final weights for all of the participants from “CES MMA XXVIII,” scheduled for Friday, March 13th, 2015, live from Twin River Casino on AXS TV.

Doors open at 6 p.m. EST. The first preliminary bout begins at 7 and the televised main card begins at 9.

RICK HAWN
Dracut, Mass.
19-4, 11 KOs
160

DEREK LOFFER
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
9-2, 7 KOs
164 ½

LUIS FELIX
Cranston, R.I.
12-8, 4 KOs
156 ½

REGGIE MERRIWEATHER
Cincinnati, Ohio
6-5, 3 KOs
160

ANDRE SOUKHAMTHATH
Woonsocket, R.I. (Boca Raton, Fla.)
8-2, 4 KOs
135

BRIAN KELLEHER
Selden, N.Y.
11-7, 5 KOs
138

TODD CHATTELLE
Pawtucket, R.I.
12-11, 9 KOs
186

ROGER CARROLL
Claremont, N.C.
15-11, 14 submissions
184 ½

TYLER KING
Norwood, Mass.
8-2, 3 KOs
223

MIKE MUCITELLI
Syracuse, N.Y.
7-1, 1 KO
223

JOEY GOMEZ
Hollis, N.H.
5-0, 5 KOs
136

KIN MOY
Cambridge, Mass.
6-1, 2 KOs
136

KYLE BOCHNIAK
Boston, Mass.
4-0, 1 KO
145

DOMINIC WARR
Alston, Mass.
5-4, 1 KO
144

LEWIS CORAPI
Medford, Mass.
6-1, 3 KOs
155

JAY BAKANOWSKI
Northborough, Mass.
2-1, 1 KO
156

JAMES GRANT MURRIN
Boston, Mass.
2-2, 2 KOs
145

LIONEL YOUNG
Brockton, Mass.
6-14, 6 submissions
145

SARAH PAYANT
West Springfield, Mass.
Pro debut
132

JANICE MEYER
Cortland, N.Y.
Pro debut
133

JESSE GUTIERREZ
Norwood, Mass.
Pro debut
126

CHAD KELLY
Winchendon, Mass.
3-1, 1 KO
126

– CES –

LAS VEGAS (March 12, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) has signed costumed crime fighter and undefeated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star Phoenix Jones aka Ben “Flattop” Fodor, who was the subject of a recent, in-depth feature story on ESPN SportsCenter, to a multi-fight contract.

The 26-year-old Fodor (5-0-1), who has gained widespread attention for his exploits as a superhero-like protector of the Seattle, Wash. streets where he resides, will make his debut for the world championship MMA promotion against an opponent to be determined at WSOF 20: Branch vs. Markes at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. on Friday, April 10, live on NBCSN.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ben Fodor, who has not only been making waves as an unbeaten professional in our great sport, but who has also shown himself to be an incredibly courageous and selfless human being by risking his safety in the streets of Seattle to help and inspire others,” said WSOF President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.

Fodor, the brother of fellow MMA standout Caros Fodor, made national headlines as Phoenix Jones for the first time in 2011 after thwarting a number of street crimes, including burglary and assault, while clad from head to toe in a black and gold body suit.

That year, Fodor also launched the now-defunct Rain City Superhero Movement, a self-described crime fighting brigade consisting of over a dozen costumed activists dedicated to curbing crime in Seattle.

In the cage, Fodor, a protégé of retired MMA star and famed trainer Matt Hume, has become a ferocious force to be reckoned with, going unbeaten in his first 6 professional starts after amassing a stellar 15-2 amateur career record.

In his last effort on Feb. 21, Fodor submitted Jason Novelli with a rear-naked choke in the third round (3:06) of their matchup in Tacoma, Wash.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF 20: Branch vs. Markes at Foxwoods Resort Casino are on sale at Ticketmaster.com. The event will be headlined by the second matchup – David Branch (15-3) vs. Ronny Markes (15-3) – in the multi-event tournament that will crown its winner the inaugural WSOF world light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion.

The live NBCSN telecast of WSOF 20 begins at 9:00 p.m. EST/6:00 p.m. PST on Friday, April 10.

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 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.

TORONTO | NEW YORK (March 12, 2015) – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents the return of ONE Championship live this Friday, March 13 at 8 a.m. ET, as ONE Championship: Age of Champions emanates from Stadium Putra in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Airing live exclusively in Canada, the main event features a ONE FC flyweight championship clash pitting incumbent champion Adriano Moraes against Japanese stalwart Asuku “Riku Shibuya” Mikami.

In other featured bouts, Malaysian superstars Peter Davis and Ann Osman take on Rajinder Singh Meena and Walaa Abbas, respectively. Plus Thanh Vu moves down to flyweight to take on Malaysia’s Gianni Subba, Ev Ting battles Cary Bullos and Chan Rothana faces Ramon Gonzalez.

The live action continues on Saturday, March 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET, as Enfusion Live 25 invades Turnhout, Belgium for an exciting professional kickboxing card, featuring Hicham El Gaoui vs. Karapet Karapetyan for the -80 kg world title, plus Nordin Ben Moh vs. William Diender, Harut Grigorian vs. Marco Pique and Robbie Hageman vs. Engin Kutuk..

Fight Network’s live Enfusion broadcast at 4:30 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.

Then at 7 p.m. ET, Fight Network will present its UFC 185 Pre-Show Live at7 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis ahead of UFC 185: Pettis vs. Dos Anjos on pay-per-view. Immediately following the main card, Fight Network will also televise the live post-fight press conference from Dallas, Texas.

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 and follow on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 12, 2015) – Bellator MMA remains committed to developing the top women’s featherweight division in mixed martial arts, and the latest additions to the company’s roster include Roberta “Crusher” Paim (4-0), Alexis “Sneaky Zebra” Dufresne (5-2) and Iony Razafiarison (2-0).

Debut dates and opponents will be announced for all three fighters in the near future.

Paim, Dufresne and Razafiarison join Arlene “Angerfist” Blencowe (5-4), Julia “The Jewell” Budd (7-2), Marloes “Rumina” Coenen (22-6), Holly “Lil Bear” Lawson (0-1) and Talita “Treta” Nogueira (6-0) on the Bellator MMA women’s featherweight roster.

“We’re proud to be bringing these three talented athletes to our women’s featherweight division,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “I see several potential matchups that would make for some great fights. We will continue to build and support the premiere women’s featherweight division in MMA.”

A native of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, the 5-foot-6 Paim is undefeated through the first four contests of her professional career. While comfortable in the submission game, the powerful Paim has used a strong striking game to end fights, as well. Fighting exclusively in her native country thus far, Paim has yet to find a single opponent capable of lasting past the opening round, as she has taken home first-round finishes in each of her appearances to date.

The 24-year-old Dufresne is a Team Quest fighter and five-time International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation world champion. Dufresne turned her attention to mixed martial arts in 2012 and rattled off five consecutive wins to start her career – all five results coming in the opening round and averaging just under 77 seconds in length. More recently, Dufresne dropped a pair of hard-fought decisions while making a run at 135 pounds but now returns to her more natural weight class of 145 pounds for her Bellator MMA debut.

Razafiarison is a French export who has notched victories in her first two professional contests. The 30-year-old Razafiarison, a grappling specialist who has trained in camps all over the world, fought most recently in January, when she earned a decision win over Sandra Ameziane. In her professional debut, Razafiarison scored a first-round submission.

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.

12 March 2015 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: ONE Championship™ (ONE) announced today that all mixed martial artists competing have made weight and are ready for ONE: AGE OF CHAMPIONS. The event takes place on Friday evening, 13 March at Stadium Putra in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The card is headlined by Adriano Moraes who puts his ONE Flyweight World Championship on the line when he takes on Japan’s Riku Shibuya.
Visit the official ONE: AGE OF CHAMPIONS weigh-in photo gallery by clicking:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7pof14b9qwz30a2/SFZmzHv8q8.

ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano Moraes stated, “I’m ready to defend the honour of this world championship! I carry the championship with pride and I do not plan on giving it up! Riku Shibuya is not going to take the championship from me I can assure everybody that!”

ONE Flyweight World Championship challenger Riku Shibuya stated, “I am here in ONE Championship to be the champion. I plan on beating Moraes and bringing the title back to Japan, where it belongs.”

Tickets for ONE: AGE OF CHAMPIONS, presented by Tune Talk, are on sale now at www.AirAsiaRedTix.com. Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience at RM388 followed by VIP RM278, Gold RM168, Silver RM108 and Bronze RM58. Prices include ticketing fee.

MAIN EVENT
ONE Flyweight World Championship bout: Adriano Moraes (56.7kg/125lbs) VS Riku Shibuya (56.7kg/125lbs)

MAIN CARD
Lightweight bout: Peter Davis (70.3kg/154.5lbs) VS Rajinder Singh Meena (70.1kg/154 lbs)
Women’s Flyweight bout: Ann Osman (55.7kg/122.5lbs) VS Walaa Abbas (56.6kg/124.5lbs)
Featherweight bout: Cary Bullos (65.5kg/144lbs) VS Ev Ting (65.7kg/144.5lbs)
Flyweight bout: Thanh Vu (56.6kg/124.5lbs) VS Gianni Subba (56.7kg/125lbs)
Women’s Atomweight bout: Kirstie Gannaway (48kg/105.5lbs) VS April Osenio (48kg/105.5lbs)
Bantamweight bout: Ramon Gonzales (60.6kg/133lbs) VS Chan Rothana (61.05kg/134lbs)
Catchweight bout (82kg): Reant Fabriza Rainir (77.6kg/171lbs) VS Agilan Thani (81.5kg/179lbs)

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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 11, 2015) – The star-studded 13-bout lineup for “Bellator MMA: Brooks vs. Jansen” is now complete with the addition of a main-card heavyweight slugfest of Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-4) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2) and six new preliminary matchups, including featherweights Fabricio Guerreiro (20-3) vs. John “Macapa” Teixeira (17-1-2).

Additional new preliminary contests added to the lineup include a 150-pound catchweight contest of Cleber Luciano (10-5) vs. Aaron “Blood Spiller” Miller (14-9) bantamweights Chad “Savage” George (15-8) vs. Mark Vorgeas (5-2-1), middleweights Ben Jones (4-4) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1-1), welterweights John “Johnny Merc” Mercurio (6-7) vs. Greg Parker (4-1) and featherweights Marcos “Murder Marx” Bonilla (1-1) vs. A.J. McKee (0-0).

A previously announced preliminary contest of bantamweights Jared Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1) has been removed from the card.

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” takes place on Friday, April 10, at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks vs. top contender Dave Jansen, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET), while preliminary bouts stream live on Spike.com (7 p.m. ET).

Tickets for “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen,” which start at just $38, are already on sale at Bellator.com and Bren.UCI.edu.

Johnson, of North Platte, Neb., is an American Kickboxing Academy product who returns to the Bellator MMA cage for the first time since a 2011 victory over Derrick Lewis. Including a pair of appearances fighting overseas in Maylasia and the Philippines, Johnson is currently 4-1 in his past five contests, most recently needing just 81 seconds to score a TKO win over Robert Neal. Johnson also owns a win over former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia.

Meanwhile, 26-year-old Russian slugger Volkov, a Moscow native, has earned 17 of his 24 career victories through strikes. An incredible 15-1 in his past 16 appearances, Volkov’s only loss in that span came in a 25-minute matchup with current Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Vitaly Minakov. Aiming for another shot at that belt, Volkov appears primed for a breakout performance.

At just 24 years old, Guerreiro, of Santana, Amapa, Brazil, already boasts 20 career victories, 17 of which have come by way of stoppage. With Bellator MMA wins over Shahbulat Shamhalaev and Desmond Green already under his belt, Guerreiro makes his fourth Bellator MMA appearance.

Meanwhile, Teixeira is a 28-year-old who hails from just 12 miles away from his opponent, growing up in Macapa, Amapa, Brazil. With just one loss in a 20-fight career that dates back to 2007, Teixeira was victorious in his Bellator MMA debut and now looks to defeat a cross-state rival on an international stage.

Brazilian-born Luciano now lives in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he serves as a jiu-jitsu instructor in his own academy. A Royler Gracie black belt since he was 19 years old, Luciano has started to focus more on MMA in recent years and is an impressive 10-2 in his past 12 appearances, with seven submission wins in that span. He’ll face Miller, of Hacienda Heights, Calif., who returns to action following 16 months on the sidelines after a submission loss to Michael Guymon. Prior to the result, Miller had boasted a five-fight winning streak.

George, of Los Angeles, Calif., is nearing 10 years in the sport but now makes his Bellator MMA debut. While George has never been knocked out in 23 professional contests, he has been tapped out in six of his eight career losses. He now faces Vorgeas, of Laguna Hills, Calif., who owns four of his five career victories by tapout.

Bondole is originally from Portland, Maine, but now makes his home in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he trains with Kings MMA. Bondole seeks revenge after suffering his first career loss in his Bellator MMA debut. He now meets Jones, of Riverside, Calif., who fights for the first time under the Bellator MMA banner. Jones has never fought to a judges’ decision in his eight career contests to date.

Mercurio, of Huntington Beach, Calif., seeks his first victory under the Bellator MMA banner. He meets crosstown rival Parker, who has yet to fight to a judges’ decision in his first five appearances.

Bonilla, of Los Angeles, Calif., recently picked up his first official career win and now meets McKee, of Lakewood, Calif., who makes his professional debut.

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

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Lightweight Title Fight: Champ Will Brooks (15-1) vs. Dave Jansen (20-2)
Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-3) vs. Rafael Carvalho (10-1)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2)
Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Alexander Volkov (24-4) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2)

Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: John Mercurio (6-7) vs. Greg Parker (4-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Joey Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian Rogers (11-7)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Saad Awad (17-6) vs. Rob Sinclair (12-2)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Fabricio Guerreiro (20-3) vs. John Teixeira (17-1-2)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Marcos Bonilla (1-1) vs. A.J. McKee (0-0)

Dark Bouts (Following Spike TV broadcast)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Ben Jones (4-4) vs. Luc Bondole (4-1-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Chad George (15-8) vs. Mark Vorgeas (5-2-1)
Bellator Catchweight (150 pounds) Prelim Fight: Cleber Luciano (10-5) vs. Aaron Miller (14-9)

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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 10, 2015) – A Mike Richman injury has delayed a highly anticipated bantamweight matchup with former Bellator MMA World Champion Eduardo Dantas at this month’s “Bellator MMA: Warren vs. Galvao” event. However, Bellator MMA officials have promoted a previously announced gem from the preliminary card, as a 135-pound contest between L.C. Davis
(22-6) vs. Hideo Tokoro (32-27) will now take center stage as the co-main event on the evening’s Spike TV-televised main card.

Dantas (16-4) vs. Richman (18-5) will be rescheduled at a later date.

“Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao” takes place on Friday, March 27, at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Joe Warren vs. top contender Marcos Galvao, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET).

A seven-bout preliminary card streams live on Spike.com (6:30 p.m. ET).

Tickets for “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which include VIP Seating for just $75, are currently on sale at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

Davis, of Kansas City, Mo., is a nine-year veteran of the sport who is currently 6-1 in his past seven appearances, including a pair of wins under the Bellator MMA banner. He faces 14-year Japanese veteran Tokoro, a longtime mainstay in his native country who now makes his Bellator MMA debut.

“Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao” – Friday, March 27, WinStar World Casino, Thackerville, Okla.

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Bantamweight Title Fight: Champ Joe Warren (12-3) vs. Marcos Galvao (16-6-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: L.C. Davis (22-6) vs. Hideo Tokoro (32-27)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Francis Carmont (22-10) vs. Guilherme Viana (6-1)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Ryan Couture (9-3) vs. Dakota Cochrane (18-7)

Preliminary Card (6:30 p.m. ET)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Sean Holden (2-1) vs. Tim Roman (2-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Neal Ewing (5-0) vs. Logan Nail (1-0)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Emmanuel Sanchez (9-1) vs. Alejandro Villalobos (17-3)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Stephen Banaszak (3-4) vs. Brad Mitchell (4-1)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Klayton Mai (6-1) vs. Xavier Siller (5-3)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: J.P. Cole (2-2) vs. Geo Pacurariu (8-4)

Swing Bout

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Rashad Coulter (4-1) vs. Jeremiah O’Neal (13-24)

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.

Singapore – The UFC® announced that its upcoming live event debut in Manila on Saturday, May 16 at the Mall of Asia Arena will be headlined by two former champions, as the featherweight division’s No. 1 contender Frankie Edgar comes head to head with Urijah Faber, who makes a long awaited return to 145 lbs. in a five-round battle sure to thrill the Filipino fans.

Riding a three-fight win streak, former UFC lightweight champion Edgar (17-4-1, fighting out of Toms River, New Jersey, USA) has proved his undeniable skills against Cub Swanson, BJ Penn, and Charles Oliveira. With his sights now set on another title shot opportunity, Edgar will be looking for a memorable finish at this highly anticipated event. Making a return to the weight class of his greatest triumphs in the WEC, Faber (37-7-0, fighting out of Sacramento, California, USA) has won six of his last seven fights and has never lost a non-title fight. His experience in the cage has seen him go the five round championship distance five times against Dominick Cruz, Jose Aldo, Mike Brown and twice against Renan Barao.

The co-main event brings a middleweight bust-up between No. 8 ranked Gregard Mousasi (35-5-2, fighting out of Leiden, The Netherlands) and New York banger Costa Philippou (13-4-0, fighting out of Long Island, New York, USA). Mousasi holds 20 wins by KO and has defeated many seasoned fighters including Hector Lombard, Ovince St. Preux, Mark Munoz, ‘Babalu’ Sobral, and Ilir latifi. Mousasi will be looking to build on his last win over legend Dan Henderson as he meets former pro boxer Philippou, who has been victorious in six of his last eight bouts. Plus up and coming Brit Luke “The Bigslow” Barnatt (8-2-0, fighting out of Cambridge, England) takes on “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Mark Munoz (13-5, fighting out of Lake Forest, California, USA). Munoz comes to Manila to live out the dream of being able to fight in front of his fellow Filipinos for the first time in his long and distinguished career.

In addition, the Manila card will also feature a diverse mix of UFC fighters from the Philippines and China bringing fans a truly international event.

Other confirmed bouts for UFC FIGHT NIGHT® MANILA: EDGAR vs. FABER include:
· In a welterweight bout South Korea’s “The Ace” Hyun Gyu Lim (13-4-1, fighting out of Seoul, South Korea) takes on hot prospect Neil Magny (14-4-0, fighting out of Denver, Colorado, USA) who is on a fierce five fight winning streak.

· The Philippines own Roldan Sangcha-an (4-1, fighting out of Baguio City, Philippines) will have the Mall of Asia Arena behind him when he takes on skilled Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner Jon Delos Reyes (7-4, fighting out of Tamuning, Guam) in a flyweight tilt.

· The Ultimate Fighter China winner Zhang ‘The Warrior’ Lipeng (9-8-1, fighting out Beijing, China) takes on ‘Rajan’ Kajan Johnson (19-12-1, fighting out of Montreal, Canada) in a lightweight clash

· Korea’s ‘Supernatural’ Tae Hyun Bang (17-8, fighting out of Seoul, Korea) takes on rising prospect Jon ‘The Super Saiyan’ Tuck (8-2, fighting out of Hagatna, Guam) in a lightweight fight that highlights two emerging MMA markets in Asia.

· In another welterweight bout, Li ‘The Leech’ Jingliang (9-3, fighting out of Beijing, China) takes on The Ultimate Fighter: Edgar vs. Penn veteran Roger ‘Viva’ Zapata (4-1, fighting out of New York, New York).

· Another Ultimate Fighter China steps back in the Octagon when Yao Zhikui (1-2, fighting out of Beijing, China) meets dynamic Nolan Ticman (4-2, fighting out of Huntington Beach, Calif.) in the debut of both fighters at 125 pounds.

· Former The Ultimate Fighter finalist Phillipe Nover (6-3-1, fighting out of Brooklyn, New York, USA) returns to the UFC against “The Korean Bulldozer” Nam Yui Chul in a featherweight bout.

· Another Philippines national Mark Eddiva (6-1-0, fighting out of Baguio City, Philippines) squares off against Alex “The Spartan” White (10-2-0, fighting out of Farmington, Missouri, USA) in a featherweight match-up.

· Undefeated Singaporean Royston Wee (4-0-0, fighting out of Singapore) meets The Ultimate Fighter China winner Ning Guangyou (5-2-1, fighting out of Beijing, China) in a bantamweight bout

Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT® MANILA: EDGAR VS. FABER go on sale Friday, Mar 13 at 10 a.m. Manila time and are priced at PHp13,250 (VIP), PHp10,600 (Patron), PHp7,950 (Lower Box A), PHp5,830 (Lower Box B), PHp3,710 (Upper Box), and PHp1,590 (General Admission) plus applicable service charges. Tickets are available in Mall of Asia Arena Box Office, SM Tickets outlets in all SM Cinema branches nationwide, select The SM Store branches, and online thru www.smtickets.com. For more information, call the Customer Care hotline at +63 (02) 470 2222.

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

###

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

Press Contacts:
Feryal Hemamda, UFC

+65 6635 1674

fhemamda@ufc.com

About Mall of Asia Arena
SM Lifestyle Entertainment, Incorporated or SMLEI is the lifestyle and entertainment solutions company of SM Prime Holdings Inc. that offers the best in movies, events and leisure. Mall of Asia Arena, one of the brands tucked under SMLEI, also known as the architectural “eyecon,” is the venue for international sports and entertainment events. Patterned after popular stadiums abroad, the Mall of Asia Arena is the only center in the Philippines that has a floor dedicated to the Corporate Suites. Concert House to Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, Monster Jam, J.Lo, Aerosmith, and the like, as well as sports center to the NBA, IPTL, and One FC, the Mall of Asia Arena is not only a local stadium for international acts but is also a tourist destination.

LAS VEGAS (March 9, 2015) – The complete 12-bout lineup for the highly-anticipated World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. on Saturday, March 28 is complete with the addition of 7 new, live NBCSports.com-streamed preliminary bouts, including two lightweight (155 pounds) contests – Lucas Montoya (8-3) vs. Raymond Pina (4-1), and Benny “El Hijo” Madrid (7-2) vs. Jimmy Spicuzza (5-2).

The remaining additions include a 180-pound catchweight matchup between Joe Gigliotti (3-0) and Brendan “Tiny Shorts” Tierney (11-6), a bantamweight (135 pounds) scrap between Randy Steinke (15-8) and Juan Archuleta (5-0), a middleweight (185 pounds) tilt between Dan Huber (3-2) and Israel Aquino (0-0), a welterweight (170 pounds) contest between Matthew Frincu (5-1) and Eric Regan (15-24) and a bantamweight collision between Joe Madrid (4-2) and Erik Villalobos (1-0).

WSOF 19: Gaethje vs. Palomino will be headlined by a world lightweight championship showdown between undefeated, reigning kingpin Justin Gaethje (13-0) of Safford, Ariz. and aggressive-minded, hard-hitting challenger Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-9) of Miami, Fla.

In co-main event action, the WSOF multi-event, four-man light heavyweight (205 pounds) tournament will kick off with a rematch between superstar Thiago Silva (16-3) of Sao Paulo, Brazil and inspirational fighter Matt “The Hammer” Hamill (11-5) of Loveland, Ohio.

The evening’s four-fight main card airs live on NBCSN, beginning at 9 p.m. ET (7 p.m. MT local time), with preliminary bouts streaming live on NBCSports.com, beginning at 7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. MT local time).

Lucas Montoya, of Layton, Utah, carries a four-fight winning streak into the contest and is 7-1 in his past eight overall contests. The 28-year-old made his WSOF debut in August, scoring a first-round stoppage of Jimmy Spicuzza. He now meets Raymond Pina, of Tucson, Ariz., who looks to rebound from the lone professional loss of his career.

Benny Madrid, of Phoenix, Ariz., opened his career with seven straight wins, including four wins by knockout and two by submission. He now looks to rebound from the first two losses of his professional run. He now meets Jimmy Spicuzza, of Las Vegas, a three-time WSOF veteran.

Joe Gigliotta, of Cleveland, Ohio, is an undefeated prospect, who has earned his first three wins by stoppage, including two submissions and one knockout. He now faces Brendan Tierney, of Tempe, Ariz., a Power MMA fighter who has yet to fight to a decision in 17 career outings.

Randy Steinke, of Glendale, Ariz., is an MMA Lab fighter who makes his WSOF debut on the strength of a six-fight winning streak. He now faces undefeated prospect Juan Archuleta, of Venice Beach, Calif., who has earned three of his first five wins by knockout.

Dan Huber, of Mesa, Ariz., makes his WSOF debut against Israel Aquino, of Reno, Nev., who fights for a professional for the first time.

Matthew Frincu, an Australian native now living in Arizona, brings a three-fight winning streak to the cage and has never fought to a judges’ decision in six professional contests. He faces Eric Regan, of Phoenix, Ariz., who makes his WSOF debut.

Joe Madrid, of Tucson, Ariz., fights for the first time under the WSOF banner against fellow promotional newcomer Erik Villalobos, of Glendale, Ariz.

MAIN CARD
Champ Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino for lightweight title
Matt Hamill vs. Thiago Silva – light heavyweight tourney opening round
Jake Heun vs. Teddy Holder – light heavyweight tourney reserve bout
Timur Valiev vs. Ed West

PRELIMINARY CARD
Krasimir Mladenov vs. Clifford Starks
Lucas Montoya vs. Raymond Pina
Benny Madrid vs. Jimmy Spicuzza
Joe Gigliotti vs. Brendan Tierney
Randy Steinke vs. Juan Archuleta
Dan Huber vs. Israel Aquino
Matthew Frincu vs. Eric Regan
Joe Madrid vs. Erik Villalobos

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 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.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (Mar. 6, 2015) – M-1 Global has announced a rematch between M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan “Buki” Buchinger and challenger Tural Ragimov in the M-1 Challenge 56 co-feature Friday, April 10 in Moscow, Russia.

Another much anticipated rematch will headline M-1 Challenge 56 as M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (26-2-0, 10 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) defends his coveted title belt against dangerous challenger Ramasan Emeev (11-3-0, 2 KO/TKO, 5 SUB). In their first fight last September, Vasilevsky captured title belt from Emeev, by way of a fourth-round stoppage from punches, at M-1 Challenge 51: Fightspirit in St. Petersburg.

M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Ivan Buchinger
Last October 17 at M-1 Challenge 52: Battle of Narts, Buchinger (28-4-0, 7 KO/TKO, 16 SUB) captured the vacant M-1 Challenge featherweight title, stopping Ragimov (9-2-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) on punches in the fourth round of the event’s Fight of the Night.

Fighting out of his native Slovakia, Buchinger hasn’t lost a fight in nearly 3 ½ years, winning seven in a row and 10 of his last 11. The 29-year-old, who represents Team MMA Spirit, is undefeated in three M-1 Challenge events.

How tough is Ragimov? He suffered damages to both hands – fractured finger on his left, torn ligaments to the right – during his fight with Buchinger. Ragimov has a 2-1-0 record in M-1 Challenge competition.

Vasilevsky vs Emeev 2, M-1 Challenge 56, 10/04/15 teaser
Vasilevsky vs Emeev 2, M-1 Challenge 56

M-1 Challenge 56 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.

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

Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 55 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
www.M-1Global.com

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1Global
@VFinkelchtein
@M1GlobalNews

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244
ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in the realm of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St Petersburg, Amsterdam and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. 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 Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, 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’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport. M-1 Global’s greatest asset is renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

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 Resurrection Fighting Alliance this Friday, March 6 at 10 p.m. ET, as RFA 24: Smith vs. Romero emanates from Mystic Lake Casino & Hotel in Prior Lake, Minnesota.

The entire main card will be televised live at 10 p.m. ET nationwide in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

In the main event, a new RFA welterweight champion will be established when Benjamin Smith returns to the RFA cage fresh off a dominant performance in November to face newcomer Tat “Mean Bean” Romero, who has not lost a fight in three years. Meanwhile, the co-feature pits Minnesota buzzsaw Melvin Blumer against UFC and RFA vet Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran in a bantamweight bout.

“I am thrilled to announce that RFA is bringing another title fight to Minnesota,” stated RFA president Ed Soares. “Benjamin Smith vs. Tat Romero is an exciting headliner that will determine our next welterweight champion.”

Smith (13-2) returns to the RFA octagon after winning impressively in the co-main event of RFA 20 in November. His triumph came on the heels of a busy training camp in October that was interrupted for 9 days, while he and his wife were in the hospital for the birth of their son Wylde. Smith was able to draw inspiration from the newest member of his family and pull out the victory in his opponent’s hometown. He now looks to capture RFA gold in his own backyard.

Romero (24-5) enters the title fight on a 6-fight tear and has not tasted defeat in three years. Over the past decade, Romero has gained a loyal fan base for his vicious style of fighting, that has seen him earn multiple regional titles and 21 stoppages in 24 career victories. Romero sees his shot at RFA gold as the opportunity he has been working toward his entire career.

The co-main event of RFA 24 will see the RFA debut of Melvin Blumer (11-2). Blumer is one half of the storied “Bash Brothers” who have a made a name for themselves in the talented Midwest MMA scene, after the identical twins made a successful pro MMA debut on the same card 5 years ago. The other half of the “Bash Brothers” will also be in action at RFA 24. Marvin Blumer (11-4) returns after being nominated for “RFA – 2014 Fight of the Year” for his successful promotional debut in October.

The “Bash Brothers” will both face stiff competition in their respective bantamweight bouts at RFA 24, as they are both tasked with facing men who have challenged for the RFA bantamweight title.

Melvin will welcome back UFC and RFA vet Jeff Curran, who is returning to competition after retiring in the summer of 2013 after an unsuccessful bid at the RFA bantamweight title at RFA 9. Curran is a jiu-jitsu black belt and the lone man in MMA to have competed for all 6 promotions now owned by Zuffa: UFC, PRIDE, WFA, IFL, WEC, and Strikeforce.

In the featured fight of RFA 24, Marvin will fight Jarred “Shutout” Mercado (12-2) who looks to rebound from an unsuccessful title bid at RFA 20 in November. Mercado wrestled at the NCAA Division I program at Northwestern University and has made a name for himself as one of the most effective wrestlers in MMA’s bantamweight division. Mercado is a member of Elevation Fight Team in Denver, Colorado, where he trains alongside RFA alum turned UFC star Brandon “Rukus” Thatch.

The main card of RFA 24 will also include a high-stakes featherweight showdown between RFA fan favorites Dan “Hitman” Moret (7-1) and Daniel “Agent Orange” Swain (12-4-1). In the bantamweight division, undefeated Bellator vet Andre “The Diva” Tieva (8-0) faces RFA vet Matt Brown (9-4). The first bout on the main card will see the return of RFA vet Bojan “Veli” Velickovic (9-3). The Serbian submission specialist will meet North Dakota native Chris “Hitman” Hugh (17-9).

The entire main card of RFA 24: Smith vs. Romero will be televised live on Fight Network starting at 10 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6.

RFA 24 will be the promotion’s second event to take place in the state of Minnesota. It will be the first time the RFA has visited “The Land of 10,000 Lakes” in 2015.

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. (March 5, 2015) – The action-packed lineup for “Bellator MMA: Brooks vs. Jansen” continues to fill, and the latest round of additions includes a key lightweight matchup between two international contenders with a combined 50 career victories, as well as four intriguing preliminary contests.

The new matchups include a main-card lightweight contest of Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2), as well as preliminary bouts of bantamweights Jared “The Jackhammer” Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1), middleweights Joey “Mexicutioner” Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian “The Professional Predator” Rogers (11-7), lightweights Saad “Assassin” Awad (17-6) vs. Rob “C4” Sinclair (12-2) and flyweights Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1).

“Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen” takes place on Friday, April 10, at Bren Events Center in Irvine, Calif. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Lightweight World Champion Will Brooks vs. top contender Dave Jansen, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET), while preliminary bouts stream live on Spike.com (7 p.m. ET).

Tickets for “Bellator: Brooks vs. Jansen,” which start at just $38, are already on sale at Bellator.com and Bren.UCI.edu

The 23-year-old Held, a native of Tychy, Poland, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who boasts one of the most dangerous submission games in the world. A former no-gi grappling world champion, Held has been competing in mixed martial arts professionally since 2008 and has earned 11 of his 20 career wins by tapout. With just one loss in his past 11 appearances, Held owns Bellator MMA wins over Patricky Pitbull, Nate Jolly, Derek Anderson, Rodrigo Cavalheiro, Ryan Healy, Rich Clementi, Murad Machaev, Derrick Kennington and Phillipe Nover.

The 26-year-old Sarnavskiy, from Omsk, Russia, has an equally impressive record and has earned the rank of Master of Sport in hand-to-hand combat. A seven-time Bellator MMA veteran, Sarnavskiy is currently enjoying a five-fight winning streak and is 10-1 in his past 11 appearances. In his 30 career victories, 25 have come by stoppage, including 18 submissions and seven knockouts.

Papazian, of West Hills, Calif., is a seven-year veteran of the sport who has been training in martial arts since he was just 6 years old. A former King of the Cage flyweight champion, Papazian is 3-1 in his past four outings. He faces Shippen, of Lake Forest, Calif. A Reign Training Center product, Shippen is 11-1 in his past 12 appearances and has earned 13 of his 14 career wins by stoppage, including five knockouts and eight submissions.

The hard-hitting Beltran, of San Diego, Calif., Beltran is a three-time Bellator MMA veteran and former light heavyweight who now makes his first appearance in the middleweight divisions. A slugger by trade, 11 of Beltran’s 15 career wins have come by way of knockout. He now meets fellow knockout artist Rogers, of Denver, Colo. With nine Bellator MMA appearances to his name, Rogers also prefers to stand and bang and has earned nine of his 11 career wins with strikes.

Awad, of San Bernadino, Calif., is a Millennia MMA product who owns five wins under the Bellator MMA banner, four of which have come by stoppage. Fourteen of his 17 career wins have come by stoppage, including seven knockouts and seven submissions. He faces Sinclair, of Manchester, England, who is 8-1 in his past nine appearances. Ten of Sinclair’s 12 career wins have come by way of finish, including nine knockouts, and he now makes his Bellator MMA debut.

Santa Maria, of Whittier, Calif., is a Reign Training Center fighter who made his professional debut in March 2014 and has already picked up three victories, including a November win under the Bellator MMA banner. He now faces Ramirez, of Corona, Calif., who suffered a split-decision loss in his professional debut and now hopes to earn his first official career victory.

Additional contests, including one more main-card matchup, will be announced shortly

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

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Lightweight Title Fight: Champ Will Brooks (15-1) vs. Dave Jansen (20-2)
Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Rafael Carvalho (10-1) vs. Joe Schilling (2-3)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Marcin Held (20-3) vs. Alexander “Tiger” Sarnavskiy (30-2)

Preliminary Card (7 p.m. ET)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Jared Papazian (18-11) vs. Raja Shippen (14-9-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Joey Beltran (15-11) vs. Brian Rogers (11-7)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Saad Awad (17-6) vs. Rob Sinclair (12-2)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Santa Maria (3-0) vs. Steve Ramirez (0-1)

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 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.

6 March 2015 – Manila: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has announced two additional bouts for ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS. In the co-main event, Filipino superstar Mark Striegl will make his promotional debut when he takes on the undefeated Casey Suire. Accomplished kickboxer Eugene Toquero also returns to action when he faces Indonesia’s Brianata Rosadhi. ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS will be headlined by a ONE Welterweight World Championship bout between incumbent champion Ben Askren and the number one contender, Luis Santos.

Tickets for ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS are available now at www.smtickets.com. Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VVIPs at PHP5380. Tickets priced at PHP3180, PHP1280, PHP640 and PHP220 are also available. Early bird promotions for Gold, Silver and Bronze categories are available until 20 April. Prices include ticketing fee.

CEO OF ONE Championship, Victor Cui, stated, “ONE: VALOR OF CHAMPIONS is set to be the biggest sporting event to be held in the Philippines this year. Mark Striegl is a Filipino MMA superstar who has proven that he has what it takes to compete with the best in the world. He now tests himself against the best in the world in ONE Championship’s stacked Bantamweight division, beginning with the undefeated Casey Suire. Both mixed martial artists are known for their exciting styles. Get set for a night of adrenaline pumping mixed martial arts action as ONE Championship goes live around the world on 24 April!”

Mark Striegl is a Filipino mixed martial arts superstar who has found success in every promotion he has competed in. Striegl has a proven grappling pedigree, and has won eleven of his bouts by submission. Striegl will be making his ONE debut in the bantamweight division after exploding onto the MMA scene with twelve straight wins in the featherweight division.

Casey Suire is an undefeated mixed martial artist currently training in Indonesia. He has finished all of his opponents, with the majority of them being submission victories. Suire currently trains with fellow undefeated mixed martial artist Fransino Tirta. Suire has knocked down all challenges put in front of him thus far, but faces his toughest test yet as he takes on the popular Filipino star, Striegl, in his hometown.

Eugene Toquero is an accomplished kickboxer who has impressed since making his debut in ONE Championship in 2013. Toquero’s charisma and energy has charmed mixed martial arts fans in Asia and his performances have been impressive as well. He notched his most notable victory the last time he stepped into the ONE Championship cage when he defeated rising prospect Gianni Subba convincingly.

Brianata Rosadhi is a Wushu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who will be making his return to ONE Championship. He has won multiple regional titles in Wushu Hailing from East Java, Rosadhi is one of the top mixed martial artists emerging from Indonesia and will look to notch his first win in ONE Championship when he takes on Toquero.

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
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.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (March 5, 2015) – The 12-bout lineup for Bellator MMA’s return to WinStar World Casino is now complete with the addition of an eight-fight preliminary lineup.

The new matchups include bantamweights L.C. Davis (22-6) vs. Hideo Tokoro (32-27), featherweights Emmanuel “El Matador” Sanchez (9-1) vs. Alejandro Villalobos (17-3), welterweights Sean Holden (2-1) vs. Tim Roman (2-1), middleweights Neal Ewing (5-0) vs. Logan Nail (1-0), heavyweights Rashad Coulter (4-1) vs. Jeremiah O’Neal (13-24), featherweights Stephen “The Fear” Banaszak (3-4) vs. Brad Mitchell (4-1), flyweights Klayton Mai (6-1) vs. Xavier “Young Guns” Siller (5-3) and bantamweights J.P. Cole (2-2) vs. Geo Pacurariu (8-4).

The new bouts make up the Spike.com-streamed preliminary card (6:30 p.m. ET) of “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which takes place on Friday, March 27, at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. The night’s televised main card, featuring Bellator MMA Bantamweight World Champion Joe Warren vs. top contender Marcos Galvao, airs live on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET).

Tickets for “Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao,” which include VIP Seating for just $75, are already on sale at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.

Davis, of Kansas City, Mo., is a nine-year veteran of the sport who is currently 6-1 in his past seven appearances, including a pair of wins under the Bellator MMA banner. He now meets 14-year Japanese veteran Tokoro, a longtime mainstay in his native country who now makes his Bellator MMA debut.

Sanchez, a 24-year-old Roufusport fighter from Milwaukee, Wisc., made his Bellator MMA debut in October 2013 and scored a first-round submission win over Stephen Banaszak. He currently boasts a five-fight winning streak that includes four first-round stoppages. He now meets Costa Rican fighter Villalobos, who is 11-1 in his past 12 fights and has earned 16 of his 17 career wins by stoppage, including nine knockouts and seven submissions.

Coulter, of Dallas, Texas, has earned all four of his career victories by way of knockout, though his lone career loss came by way of submission. That could prove a key factor when he meets O’Neal, of Palestine, Texas, who owns 11 of his 13 career victories by tapout.

Holden, of Dallas, Texas, earned victory in his first two career outings but now looks to rebound from a February 2014 submission loss. He now faces Roman, of Greenville, Texas, who has taken an exact opposite career path, losing his professional debut but since bouncing back with back-to-back victories.

The undefeated Ewing, of Dallas, Texas, has earned all five of his career wins by way of stoppage, including three submissions and two knockouts. He now faces Nail, of Sherman, Texas, who earned a TKO win in his February 2014 debut and now looks to build on that result.

Banaszak, of Bells, Texas, is a three-time Bellator MMA veteran who has yet to go to a judges’ decision in seven professional contests. He now faces Mitchell, of Dallas, Texas, who makes his Bellator MMA debut on the strength of a two-fight winning streak.

Mai, of Dallas, Texas, is a grappling ace who’s earned five of his first six career wins by submission and who has yet to fight to a judges’ decision. His opponent, Siller, of Abilene, Texas, has been equally active in his career, also ending every fight – win or lose – before the final bell.

Cole, of Frisco, Texas, and Romanian import Pacurariu, who now lives and trains in Dallas, Texas, each make their Bellator MMA debut.

“Bellator: Warren vs. Galvao” – Friday, March 27, WinStar World Casino, Thackerville, Okla.

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Bantamweight Title Fight: Champ Joe Warren (12-3) vs. Marcos Galvao (16-6-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Eduardo Dantas (16-4) vs. Mike Richman (18-5)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Francis Carmont (22-10) vs. Guilherme Viana (6-1)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dakota Cochrane (18-7) vs. Ryan Couture (9-3)

Preliminary Card (6:30 p.m. ET)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Rashad Coulter (4-1) vs. Jeremiah O’Neal (13-24),
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Sean Holden (2-1) vs. Tim Roman (2-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Neal Ewing (5-0) vs. Logan Nail (1-0)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Emmanuel Sanchez (9-1) vs. Alejandro Villalobos (17-3)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Stephen Banaszak (3-4) vs. Brad Mitchell (4-1)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: L.C. Davis (22-6) vs. Hideo Tokoro (32-27)
Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Klayton Mai (6-1) vs. Xavier Siller (5-3)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: J.P. Cole (2-2) vs. Geo Pacurariu (8-4)

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 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.

Melbourne, Australia – The UFC® today applauded the State of Victoria Labor Government for executing a ministerial directive designed to increase safety within the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) by allowing the sport to be conducted in a much safer fenced-in enclosure. The directive was announced this morning at a press conference held by The Honourable John Eren, Minister for Sport, Tourism and Major Events. “This is a major milestone for mixed martial arts in Victoria, which will allow the sport to flourish while at the same time better protecting its competing athletes,” said Tom Wright, UFC Executive Vice-President and General Manager, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Prior to the passing of today’s ministerial directive, MMA competitions in the State of Victoria were required to be conducted in boxing rings which were never designed for MMA competitions. The UFC uses a unique, octagon-shaped enclosure which prevents fighters from falling out of the structure or becoming entangled in the ropes as could occur with a boxing ring. “The Octagon® is purpose-built for MMA competition and was designed and developed to optimize safety and to create a level playing field. The UFC thanks the Labor Party for spearheading this initiative and focusing on the safety of the competitors,” added Wright.

With this new ministerial directive in place, the UFC confirmed that it will bring a global pay per view event, UFC 193, to Melbourne on Sunday, November 15, 2015 locally, to be broadcast live in North America on Saturday, November 14.

Since 2010, the UFC has hosted six live events in Australia with each experiencing tremendous success. Collectively, the six events have seen more than 75,000 fans in attendance and millions worldwide watching on Pay-Per-View and broadcast television. The three host cities to date – Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane – have had a cumulative gross gate of more than $12 million and millions more in economic impact. The UFC will host its seventh Australian event, UFC® FIGHT NIGHTTM: MIOCIC vs. HUNT, at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on May 10.

For more information or current fight news, visit ufc.com.

Quotes from some of Australia’s top mixed martial artists

No.5 ranked UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt (10-9-1, fighting out of Sydney)
“Just like a jockey needs a horse or a tennis player needs a racquet or a V8 driver needs a car – mixed martial artists, UFC fighters need the Octagon®. It’s our tool for competition – to make competition fair and safe. I’m excited that the UFC can now come to Melbourne and trust me, I want to be there competing to make sporting history.”

Robert Whittaker (13-4, fighting out of Sydney)
“This progress in Melbourne is an amazing opportunity for the Australian MMA community. The UFC is already bringing more events to Australia and this new destination opens up more opportunities for aspiring mixed martial artists. As a MMA fighter myself, it would be an honour and privilege to compete in Melbourne and make history!”

Vik Grujic (7-5, fighting out of Melbourne)
“MMA in Melbourne will no longer fall behind the rest of the world because of ignorance.”

Kyle Noke (fighting out of Albuquerque, USA via Dubbo, Australia)
“We now finally get the chance to fight in front of a home crowd in the sporting capital of Australia. This is a dream come true for me and the rest of the UFC competitors representing Australia around the world.”

Daniel Kelly (9-0 fighting out of Melbourne)
“It’s only fitting to have the fastest growing sport in the world in the sporting capital of Australia. Personally it would be a dream to compete in the UFC in my hometown.”

Brendan O’Reilly (5-1-1, fighting out of Brisbane)
“This is a momentous occasion for the sport of MMA in Victoria, Australia and the growth of the UFC worldwide. Melbourne has some of the most passionate sports fans in the world, and I can’t wait to fight in the UFC Octagon® in front of a live Victorian audience.”

Soa Palelei (22-4, fighting out of Perth)
“Being able to fight in the UFC is a dream come true. Being able to compete in Australia is the icing on the cake. I’m extremely proud to be Australian and being able to do what I love for my country is truly gratifying. With Melbourne now able to host the UFC, I can see MMA growing immensely and I cannot wait till Perth also gets on board.”

Richie Vaculik (10-4, fighting out Sydney)
“So good to hear that finally the Victorian government has come to its senses and allowed MMA to be performed in its safest environment: the Octagon®. I can’t wait to be a part of a spectacular UFC event in Melbourne.”

Alex Chambers (4-2, fighting out of Sydney)
“Fantastic news that the ban will no longer remain in Victoria for MMA bouts inside a fenced-in enclosure. There was a big misconception about what was actually banned, which I feel has hindered MMA in Australia although the sport was always legal. A really great day for all MMA athletes and fans, not just in Victoria but all of Australia”

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 to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. In Australia, the UFC has broadcast agreements with FOXTEL and MAIN EVENT, which includes live events broadcasts, The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming. 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 au.ufc.com and follow UFC on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/UFC, on Twitter @UFC_AUSNZ and Instagram @UFC.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NOTES TO EDITORS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the MGM Grand Garden Arena

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This season’s cast includes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also on tonight’s preliminary card

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 February 2015 – Singapore: Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has announced that the next three events in China will take place in Xian, Guangzhou and Shenyang. ONE: DYNASTY OF CHAMPIONS will be held in these cities on 2 May, 30 May and 12 June respectively. The events are part of a ten-city tour across mainland China in partnership with IMC Live.

CEO OF ONE Championship, Victor Cui, stated, “ONE Championship continues its upward trajectory towards becoming the number one sports organization in the world with a series of groundbreaking events in China. ONE Championship continues to be a trailblazer by bringing world-class mixed martial arts action across mainland China while breaking both live and television viewership records. Fans all over the world can prepare to be thrilled with adrenaline pumping action featuring the best mixed martial artists from around the world.”

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.

About IMC Live Group China
IMC Live Group China ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? IMC Live Group China??2007???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????Cranberries, Suede, Avril Lavigne ?Elton John ????

The official weigh-ins concluded this afternoon for Bellator’s highly anticipated “British Invasion” show which will serve as the first tentpole event of the year and takes place tomorrow, Feb. 27.. The night of fights airs LIVE and FREE on Spike TV at 9/8c from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, and features three of the UK’s top MMA fighters competing on American soil, as well as a super fight between “King Mo” Lawal and Cheick Kongo.

Champ Emanuel Newton (204.5 lbs.) vs. Liam McGeary (204 lbs.)
Cheick Kongo (239 lbs.) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (217 lbs.)
Paul Daley (171 lbs.) vs. Andre Santos (171 lbs.)
Linton Vassell (205 lbs.) vs. Rameau Sokoudjou (205 lbs.)
Brennan Ward (171 lbs.) vs. Curtis Millender (170 lbs.)
Matt Bessette (145 3/4 lbs.) vs. Josh Laberge (145 lbs.)
Raphael Butler (260 lbs.) vs. Josh Diekmann (238 1/4 lbs.)
Jason Butcher (186 lbs.) vs. Tamdan McCrory (185.5 lbs.)
Bobby Flynn (170.5 lbs.) vs. Neiman Gracie (171 lbs.)
Marvin Maldonado (136 lbs.) vs. Blair Tugman (136 lbs.)
Michael Mangan (155 1/4 lbs.) vs. Dean Hancock (155.5 lbs.)

Newton: “I am going to finish [Liam McGeary] tomorrow. Whether it be by choke, KO, TKO or submission, I am going to finish him.

“I am connected to my inner-being. All I ever request of myself is victory. I don’t request a nice car or a big house, all I request is victory and it will be given to me.”

Liam McGeary: “I am going to become the first Englishmen to win a major title in America tomorrow. I put the work in. I have sacrificed too much to come up short. I have a great team behind me.”

Chieck Kongo: “Two big guys are getting in that cage tomorrow, and at the end I will be the winner.

“I trained like crazy for this fight. I finished training camp without injury and I came to get what I deserve.

“If he gives me the opportunity to knock him out, I surely will do it. But if not, we will go the full rounds and I will claim victory.”

King Mo: “I am going to have my hand raised tomorrow. I am not sure how exactly it’s going to happen, but I will make sure of it.

“I train hard and smart. I have seen everything there is to see in this game. My camp was great.

“Whatever he gives me, I’m going to take.”

Daley: “Andres Santos is in a lot of trouble. He is going to get knocked spark out. He says he’s Brazilian and a lot of these guys are getting laid out on the floor; he’s going to be another one of them.”

Andres Santos: “I am very confident in my ability tomorrow. I know I will come out with the victory. I have prepared very long and hard for this fight and I will come out the victor.”

Vassell: “I’m going to finish him [Sokoudjou] either on the ground, pound or by submission. He only has a couple minutes in him and that’s when I will be looking for the knockout. If not, then I will take him down and save up for the TKO or submission.”

Sokoudjou: “I’m going to beat him to the ground, that’s the game plan. Whether it is on our feet or on the ground, I am going to beat him.
“I trained very hard during training camp, it was very tough. I am healthy and ready to go.”

Brennan Ward: “Im going to go out there and punch [Millender] him on his head. I’m Brennan Ward and I’m going to do when I do. When I’m on my game, no one can stop me.

“It means a lot to be fighting in front of my hometown friends and family. I’m going to put on a show.”

Millender: “I’m going to take him down and beat him at his own game. My striking is my biggest strength.

“He’s not going to expect me to be the wrestler that I am. He’s going to be in a lot of trouble.

“I am absolutely looking for the knockout, it doesn’t matter how I get it.”

Cheick Kongo vs. King Mo

Paul Daley vs. Andre Santos

Linton Vassell vs. Sokoudjou

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Champ Emanuel Newton (25-7) vs. Liam McGeary (9-0)
Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Cheick Kongo (22-9-2) vs. “King Mo” Lawal (14-4)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (35-13) vs. Andre Santos (37-9)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Linton Vassell (14-4) vs. Rameau Sokoudjou (16-12)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (9-3) vs. Curtis Millender (7-0)

Preliminary Card (6:45 p.m. ET)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Matt Bessette (13-6) vs. Josh Laberge (9-4)
Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Josh Diekmann (15-5) vs. Raphael Butler (8-1-1)
Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Tamdan McCrory (12-3) vs. Jason Butcher (8-1)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Neiman Gracie (2-0) vs. Bobby Flynn (4-2)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Marvin Maldonado (2-2) vs. Blair Tugman (6-5)

Dark Bout (approx. 11 p.m. ET)
Bellator Featherweight Dark Bout: Michael Mangan (2-0) vs. Dean Hancock (pro debut)

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.

As Bellator prepares for their first 2015 tentpole event with Friday’s “The British Invasion,” the Bellator digital team is using a strong original content plan with fighter profiles promote the powerful fight card.

Bellator brought back the popular “#5Rounds” question and answer piece for Paul Daley and King Mo while producing “Foundations,” a series highlighting a signature moment for Liam McGeary, Emanuel Newton and Chieck Kongo.

Bellator’s signature digital feature, “#InFocus,” is a short form, original digital series that features a Bellator fighter as they prepare to step into the cage. The latest #InFocus feature takes a look at all four main event participants, Emanuel Newton, and Chieck Kongo, with “King Mo” and Liam McGeary coming out later today and tomorrow respectively.

“Because of this strong British Invasion tentpole card, we had the opportunity to dive in and create strong original content surrounding some of our many amazing personalities,” said Eric Burak, Bellator’s Vice President, Digital. ” These original pieces live across all of Bellator’s digital platforms to provide fans with an in-depth look into these athletes, while driving home TV tune-in for Friday’s event.”

#INFOCUS SERIES

Bellator MMA: In Focus with Emanuel Newton
EMANUEL NEWTON

CHEICK KONGO

#5ROUNDS SERIES

PAUL DALEY

KING MO

#FOUNDATIONS SERIES

EMANUEL NEWTON

LIAM MCGEARY

CHEICK KONGO

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.