LOS ANGELES — BELLATOR MMA returns to Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. on Friday, August 12 for what promises to be a thrilling night of world-class mixed martial arts action when No. 5-ranked welterweight contender Neiman Gracie (11-3 MMA, 9-3 BMMA) takes on the man with the most submission finishes in company history, Goiti Yamauchi (27-5 MMA, 13-4 BMMA), in a five-round, 170-pound main event matchup.

Also on the main card, heavyweight contenders in former interim champion Valentin Moldavsky (11-2 MMA, 6-1 BMMA) and the undefeated No. 5-ranked Steve Mowry (10-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) will meet in a thunderous clash with the potential to shape championship aspirations.

Former flyweight champion and No. 4-ranked contender Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-2 MMA, 10-2 BMMA) will look to return to the win column against Brazil’s Bruna Ellen (6-3 MMA, 4-3 BMMA) on the televised portion of BELLATOR 284.

BELLATOR 284: Gracie vs. Yamauchi airs live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event start with a special presale beginning this Thursday, June 16. The general on sale begins Friday, June 17 and can be purchased at Sanford Pentagon Box Office & Ticketmaster.

A featherweight bout pitting Brazil’s Weber “The Silverback” Almeida (6-1) against France’s Ilias “The Blade” Bulaid (3-0) is the first fight confirmed for the preliminary portion of the event, which will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

After establishing himself as the renowned Gracie family’s foremost talent in mixed martial arts today, Neiman Gracie, 33, has become a staple of the BELLATOR welterweight division over the past several years. His stellar 11-3 record is replete with exciting finishes, including a dazzling fourth-round submission of the decorated Ed Ruth and a 2021 TKO of Mark Lemminger. Against Yamauchi, Gracie will seek to solidify his status as a title contender in an effort to avenge his razor-thin, split decision loss to now-interim titleholder Storley in February.

Opposite of Gracie come August 12 will be Japanese-Brazilian standout Goiti Yamauchi, 29, who will compete in his second straight welterweight bout after a storied career in BELLATOR’s lightweight division. Like Gracie, Yamauchi has wowed fight fans with his dynamic grappling arsenal. He boasts a whopping 21 submission victories in his 27 professional wins, including a first-round armbar of Levan Chokheli in his most recent outing inside the BELLATOR cage. Yamauchi is keen to add to his submission record, especially against a fighter with Gracie’s own submission prowess.

Valentin Moldavsky, 30, has already held BELLATOR interim gold, and he will aim to begin his road back to the title on August 12 in Sioux Falls. The protege of the legendary Fedor Emelianenko fell short to champion Ryan Bader in his most recent performance, but his road to that fight included impressive victories over veterans in Tim Johnson, Roy Nelson, and the surging Linton Vassell. For Moldavsky, this co-main event tilt with Mowry acts as a chance to cement his status as the division’s top contender and set up a rematch with Bader to finally capture the undisputed title.

Steve Mowry, 29, may stand a towering 6’8” tall, but his aspirations in BELLATOR’s heavyweight division may be even higher. The undefeated Sanford MMA product holds a blistering 100% finish rate as a professional, posting four knockouts alongside his six submissions. Mowry’s dominant ascent through the division has culminated in his biggest fight to date against Moldavsky. With a win, Mowry’s hopes of wearing BELLATOR championship gold would take a massive step forward.

Like Moldavsky, Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, 32, is a former champion working her way back into title contention. Hawaii’s Macfarlane holds records in BELLATOR for the most fights, wins, title fights, and title victories in the BELLATOR flyweight division; her four title defenses and one-time twelve-fight winning streak both rank second in their respective records rankings. This decorated BELLATOR veteran will look to return to her winning ways on August 12 against Bruna Ellen, seeking to snap a two-fight skid as she begins her path to a second title reign.

Bruna Ellen, 25, is among the youngest women in the BELLATOR flyweight division. Like Macfarlane, she suffered a defeat to now-former champion Juliana Vasquez, but her BELLATOR career has been buoyed by wins over Elina Kallionidou, Desiree Yanez, and Veta Arteaga. In what promises to be the biggest opportunity of her professional career to date, Ellen will try to shock the world with a defeat of one of BELLATOR’s most storied female competitors come August 12.

# # #

BELLATOR 284: GRACIE VS. YAMAUCHI MAIN CARD:

SHOWTIME

Friday, August 12 — 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

Welterweight Main Event: #5-Neiman Gracie (11-3) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (27-5)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: #1-Valentin Moldavsky (11-2) vs. #5-Steve Mowry (10-0)

Flyweight Feature Bout: #4-Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (11-2) vs. Bruna Ellen (6-3)

BELLATOR 284: GRACIE VS. YAMAUCHI PRELIMINARY CARD:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Featherweight Bout: Weber Almeida (6-1) vs. Ilias Bulaid (3-0)

For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, visit BELLATOR.com.

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Fri. June 24 // BELLATOR 282: Mousasi vs. Eblen // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, CT

Fri. July 22 // BELLATOR 283: Pitbull vs. Outlaw // Emerald Queen Casino // Tacoma, WA

Fri. Aug. 12 // BELLATOR 284: Gracie vs. Yamauchi // Sanford Pentagon // Sioux Falls, SD

Fri. Sep. 23 // BELLATOR 285: Henderson vs. Queally // 3Arena // Dublin

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR 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 Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Paramount, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount, owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

The post BELLATOR MMA RETURNS TO SANFORD PENTAGON IN SIOUX FALLS ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 12 WITH FIVE-ROUND WELTERWEIGHT MAIN EVENT FEATURING NO. 5 RANKED NEIMAN GRACIE MEETING FELLOW SUBMISSION SPECIALIST GOITI YAMAUCHI appeared first on WE SPEAK MEDIA.

LOS ANGELES — BELLATOR MMA will make its first visit to Washington state on Friday, July 22 with a world title fight in tow, as reigning lightweight champion Patricky “Pitbull” (24-10 MMA, 17-9 BMMA) defends his crown against No. 1-ranked contender Sidney “Da Gun” Outlaw (16-4 MMA, 3-1 BMMA). BELLATOR 283: Pitbull vs. Outlawwill be held at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash. and will air live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

In the co-main event, former welterweight champion and No. 3-ranked Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (32-10 MMA, 14-6 BMMA) will take on the surging No. 4-ranked contender Jason “The Ass-Kicking Machine” Jackson (15-4 MMA, 6-1 BMMA). Also on the card, undefeated No. 4-ranked lightweight Usman Nurmagomedov (14-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) will put his unbeaten record on the line against Team Alpha Male’s Chris “CG” Gonzalez (7-1 MMA, 6-1 BMMA). 

Tickets for the event go on sale this Saturday, June 18 at 2 p.m. PT and are available at Bellator.com and Ticketmaster. A special pre-sale will take place the same day from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. PT

An incredible lightweight matchup has been announced for the preliminary card, featuring American Kickboxing Academy’s Adam Piccolotti (13-4 MMA, 9-4 BMMA) welcoming former Rizin Fighting Federation 155-pound Grand Prix tournament champion Tofiq Musayev (18-4, 0-0 BMMA) to the BELLATOR cage for the first time. Also joining the prelims is a can’t-miss prospect clash between unbeaten top-ten ranked middleweights #7-Romero “Bad News” Cotton (6-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) and Dalton “Hercules” Rosta (6-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA).

The preliminary card will stream live on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, and Pluto TV beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. 

One of the biggest stars in BELLATOR MMA, lightweight kingpin Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire has thrilled fight fans for over a decade inside the BELLATOR arena with his thunderous power and all-action fighting style. The Brazilian knockout artist, 36, has shared the BELLATOR cage with the likes of Benson Henderson, Roger Huerta, Michael Chandler, and Eddie Alvarez, capturing the lightweight title with a second-round stoppage of fan-favorite Peter Queally in November 2021. On July 22, ‘Pitbull’ will look to defend his title and turn back a hungry challenger in Sidney Outlaw. 

Sidney Outlaw, 30, rose to prominence on the regional scene by dominating an impressive slate of opponents and scoring a bevy of highlight-reel submission victories and the Pennsylvania native hasn’t missed a beat since joining the BELLATOR roster. Outlaw’s path to his first title fight was bookended by a win over Huerta and a third-round rear-naked choke stoppage against Myles Jury last June. Against “Pitbull,” Outlaw hopes to dethrone a decorated pillar of the organization and add the prestigious BELLATOR lightweight championship belt to his mantle. 

Former welterweight champion Douglas Lima, 34, has spent over a decade solidifying his place among BELLATOR MMA’s most accomplished and notable fighters. Now the No. 3-ranked welterweight contender, Lima lost his title to champion Yaroslav Amosov and dropped a contentious split-decision to Michael ‘Venom’ Page in his last outing. On July 22, Lima will look to reverse his fortunes and turn back upstart contender Jason Jackson in Tacoma, Washington. 

Jason Jackson, 31, is on an absolute tear in the BELLATOR welterweight division. Since dropping his promotional debut to highly-decorated wrestler Ed Ruth in 2019, Jackson has rattled off five straight wins over impressive competition including former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, Neiman Gracie, and Paul Daley. The Sanford MMA product will look to emerge as a bona fide title contender with a win over Lima at BELLATOR 283.

Usman Nurmagomedov, 24, comes from a family of MMA royalty. The cousin of MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, he has been perfect throughout his professional MMA career to date, including three straight wins in the BELLATOR cage. A dominating grappler whose striking has evolved markedly over his last several fights, Nurmagomedov has cemented his status as a top-5 combatant in the stacked BELLATOR lightweight division. He will look to extend his unbeaten streak to 15 straight with a win at BELLATOR 283. 

Seeking to add the first blemish to Nurmagomedov’s perfect record will be Team Alpha Male’s Chris Gonzalez, 30. A member of the U.S. 2016 Greco-Roman World Team and a former NJCAA All–American wrestler, Gonzalez has added a potent striking arsenal to his world-class wrestling background to become a true threat in the lightweight division. Coming off of a 2022 ‘Knockout of the Year’ contender via first-round head kick TKO against Saad Awad, Gonzalez will look to continue his momentum against Usman Nurmagomedov.

Adam Piccolotti, 33, has been on a tear since 2018. An impressive 4-2 over the past four years, the Half Moon Bay, California, native’s only losses during that span have been close split-decision defeats at the hands of #3-ranked Benson Henderson and #1-ranked Sidney Outlaw, who headlines BELLATOR 283. The Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt has scored six submissions as a professional alongside three knockout victories, and he will look to leverage his well-rounded skill set into a second consecutive victory on July 22 as he looks to spoil the promotional debut of Tofiq Musayev. 

Tofiq Musayev, 32, will enter the BELLATOR cage for the first time on July 22 as one of the most highly-touted lightweights on the international scene. The Azerbaijani native put his country on the sport’s radar with his dominant run in RIZIN Fighting Federation, which culminated in a unanimous decision tournament championship victory over Patricky Pitbull in 2019. Musayev is a bona fide knockout artist, with 14 of his 18 wins having come by stoppage due to strikes. Musayev will look to immediately make his presence known in the BELLATOR cage in Tacoma, especially on the undercard of a former vanquished foe in ‘Pitbull.’

Romero Cotton, 32, can point to an equally impeccable resume as he enters this battle of undefeated prospects against Rosta. A three-time NCAA DII national champion wrestler at the University of Nebraska at Kearny, Cotton’s wrestling pedigree remains one of the most impressive in all of MMA. Cotton’s 83% stoppage rate as an MMA fighter reflects his efforts to add potent submission grappling and fight-ending striking power to his game, as well. Since signing with BELLATOR in 2017, Cotton has scored two rear-naked choke submissions and three knockouts. He will look to continue his winning — and finishing — ways against Rosta at BELLATOR 283. 

Dalton Rosta, 26, is as physically imposing as his apt nickname “Hercules” suggests. The Mat Factory product hailing from New Castle, PA, has been flawless throughout both his amateur and professional MMA careers to date. Joining the BELLATOR roster in 2019 as one of the top amateurs in the country, Rosta coasted to three straight knockout victories before reaching the judges’ scorecards for the first time in October of 2020. A powerful wrestler with capable striking, Rosta has continued to dominate opponents with a relentless pressure on the feet and the canvas. 

Additional bouts will be announced shortly.

# # #

BELLATOR 283: PITBULL VS. OUTLAW MAIN CARD:

SHOWTIME

Friday, July 22 — 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Lightweight Championship Fight: C–Patricky ‘Pitbull’ Freire (24-10) vs. #1-Sidney Outlaw (16-4)

Welterweight Co-Main Event: #3-Douglas Lima (32-10) vs. #4-Jason Jackson (15-4)

Lightweight Bout: #4-Usman Nurmagomedov (14-0) vs. Chris Gonzalez (7-1)

BELLATOR 283: PITBULL VS. OUTLAW PRELIMINARY CARD:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV

7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT

Lightweight Bout: Adam Piccolotti (13-4) vs. Tofiq Musayev (18-4)

Middleweight Bout: #7-Romero Cotton (6-0) vs. #8-Dalton Rosta (6-0)

Lightweight Bout: #10-Gadzhi Rabadanov (17-4-2) vs. Bobby King (12-4)

For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, visit BELLATOR.com. 

Updated schedule of BELLATOR events

Fri. June 24 // BELLATOR 282: Mousasi vs. Eblen // Mohegan Sun Arena // Uncasville, CT

Fri. July 22 // BELLATOR 283: Pitbull vs. Outlaw // Emerald Queen Casino // Tacoma, WA

Fri. Sep. 23 // BELLATOR Dublin: Henderson vs. Queally // 3Arena // Dublin

About BELLATOR

BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR 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 Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Paramount, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About SHOWTIME

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount, owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

The post BELLATOR MAKES FIRST FORAY INTO STATE OF WASHINGTON, BRINGING EXCITING NIGHT OF ACTION HEADLINED BY LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ DEFENDING TITLE AGAINST NO. 1 RANKED SIDNEY OUTLAW appeared first on WE SPEAK MEDIA.

By the time Valdez and Quigg embraced after the 12th-round bell, the poncho-clad fans at StubHub Center’s outdoor ring rose to cheer an exceptional display of boxing perseverance through both rain and pain.

And Valdez headed for the hospital with his championship belt still firmly in his possession.

Valdez (24-0, 19 KOs) retained his WBO featherweight title while fighting under a canopy in this famed outdoor boxing venue south of downtown Los Angeles. With raindrops streaming through the spotlights onto the soaked crowd, the surreal setting added an extra layer of uniqueness to a remarkable, taxing bout for both men.

“Of course he’s got to get better, but I thought he did great considering he fought with a broken jaw,” said Manny Robles, Valdez’s trainer. “You have no idea how hard this kid works and how much he wants to please his fans and live up to his Mexican heritage.”

Two judges scored the bout 117-111 for Valdez, and the third had it 118-110. The Associated Press scored it 116-112 for Valdez, who rose to the challenges of the unusual conditions and an oversized opponent.

The two-time Mexican Olympian got a punishing test from Quigg (34-2-2), who missed weight for the bout and appeared to benefit from that extra strength. Promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that Quigg had a right foot injury during his training camp, likely affecting his ability to make the 126-pound limit.

“Both guys showed unbelievable heart,” Hearn said. “It was a brilliant fight. Both guys aren’t human.”

Valdez landed 237 punches to Quigg’s 143. Valdez also led in power shots, 175-129.

Valdez was taken to a hospital in nearby Torrance afterward. Quigg displayed heavy damage around his eyes in addition to his broken nose.

But “Oscar was laughing” on the way to the ambulance, Robles said. “He’s a Mexican warrior. He’s the epitome of an Aztec warrior.”

Rain fell throughout the night across the Los Angeles area, but several hundred hearty fans stuck it out with help from cheap rain gear and beer. They were treated to another night of memorable fights at the outdoor ring that has hosted countless landmark bouts, albeit in California’s usually pleasant evening weather.

Blood began to drip from Valdez’s mouth in the sixth round, likely related to the broken jaw. Robles didn’t take Valdez’s mouthpiece out of his mouth between rounds, trying to keep his jaw somewhat together.

“I don’t know how to describe it, but his teeth are separated,” Robles said. “Part of his jaw is (caved) in.”

Quigg hurt Valdez in the 10th, and the Englishman landed a low blow on Valdez in the 11th. After Valdez shook off the pain, he rushed back from the stoppage with a heavy flurry that nearly floored Quigg.

Along with the miserable weather, the proceedings were dampened by Quigg’s inability to make weight. Quigg came in at 128.8 pounds on Friday, a hefty 2.8 pounds over the limit.

Quigg was fined 20 percent of his $100,000 purse by the California commission, and he is likely to be required to make an additional payment to Valdez. Quigg had won three straight fights since his move to featherweight, but the Manchester-area native acknowledged he had badly botched his weight cut for his first fight in North America.

The former WBA super bantamweight champion also lost his chance to fight for a major title in his second weight class. Hearn laughed at online theories suggesting Quigg had missed weight on purpose to have extra strength.

“The only reason we took this fight was to try to win a world title,” Hearn said. “It was a disaster for him to be too heavy.”

The post Oscar Valdez wins decision in brutal bout with Scott Quigg appeared first on WE SPEAK MEDIA.