Tag: Bellator NYC

Rory MacDonald Reveals Lofty Bellator Goals

Former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory “Red King” MacDonald made his Bellator debut this past Friday (May 19, 2017), successfully submitting British knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley in the main event of Bellator 179 from London, England. After signing with the promotion last year, MacDonald said that he was interested in competing in multiple weight […]

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Former UFC welterweight title challenger Rory “Red King” MacDonald made his Bellator debut this past Friday (May 19, 2017), successfully submitting British knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley in the main event of Bellator 179 from London, England.

After signing with the promotion last year, MacDonald said that he was interested in competing in multiple weight classes. With his first promotional victory now under his belt, the “Red King” revealed some of his lofty goals, which involve becoming a two-weight world champion in addition to fighting some of the sport’s most iconic names:

“I want to be a champion, a two-division champion if I can,” MacDonald said to press members backstage (transcription courtesy of champions.co). “Outside of that, I want the big fights. If I can fight the legendary fighters that are around and in Bellator then sign me up. I think they will be fan friendly fights. A young up and coming champions fighting legends—I think that sells. Fedor, Wanderlei, those are big guys and I think fans would want to see that.”

Fedor Emelianenko, a man many consider to be the very best heavyweight of all-time, will make his Bellator debut against Matt Mitrione at June 24’s Bellator: NYC pay-per-view (PPV) at Madison Square Garden. Wanderlei Silva, on the other hand, will also make his promotional debut on June 24, as he’s set to headline the event in a grudge match against Chael Sonnen.

It’d be hard to imagine MacDonald, a natural welterweight, moving up two or three weight classes to meet fighters like Silva or Emelianenko, but the Canadian claims that he’ll continue ‘bugging’ Bellator for these types of fights:

“The train is ready to keep rolling,” MacDonald said. “I’ve got some momentum now and I’m ready to take fights all the time. Bellator are very clear because I’m on them all the time, [I want] future fights, here, here, and here. Whether it’s weight classes up and whenever possible you know. I’m always bugging them and they know what’s up.”

Despite these aspirations, MacDonald is next expected to challenger for 170-pound goal, as he awaits the winner of June 24’s title fight between champion Douglas Lima and newly signed Lorenz Larkin.

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Bellator 180: Chael Sonnen Pens Poem for Wanderlei Silva

Chael Sonnen loves to try and get inside the head of his opponent. For Wanderlei Silva, the games started years ago and continued through their coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil. However, Sonnen and Silva didn’t get a chance to end their feud at that time. They will this coming June at Bellator NYC […]

Chael Sonnen loves to try and get inside the head of his opponent. For Wanderlei Silva, the games started years ago and continued through their coaching stint on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil. However, Sonnen and Silva didn’t get a chance to end their feud at that time. They will this coming June at Bellator NYC […]

Wand: UFC Is Afraid Of Bellator Pay-Per-View

On June 24, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Bellator MMA will make its return to pay-per-view, with the event being headlined by a long awaited grudge match between veterans Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva, who will make his promotional debut at the event. Silva hasn’t competed since scoring a thrilling stoppage

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On June 24, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Bellator MMA will make its return to pay-per-view, with the event being headlined by a long awaited grudge match between veterans Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva, who will make his promotional debut at the event.

Silva hasn’t competed since scoring a thrilling stoppage victory over Brian Stann in 2013. The Brazilian legend will now make his return to mainstream MMA and he appears to have his sights set on rematches with three fellow veterans of the sport:

“I would like a rematch against Vitor Belfort, Quinton Jackson, and Dan Henderson,” Silva told FOX Sports. “There’s a lot of classic guys that would make a cool fight against me. That’s because there’s too many fights going on these days, but no classics where everyone stops to watch them. A cool rivalry, with good marketing. There’s been some good fights, obviously, but classics? With big name guys? It just doesn’t happen anymore. They’re all retiring, quitting. We need to bring back those guys so that through those classic fights, we can promote new names and make them become legends and fighting classic fights in the future like us.”

A rematch with Jackson is a possibility, but rematches against Belfort and Henderson are quite unlikely. Either way, “The Axe Murderer” is excited with the progress Bellator has been making.

In fact, he said the UFC is ‘afraid’ of the pay-per-view that Bellator is putting on:

“Bellator is growing a lot. They have a much bigger number of shows now. They’re really starting to build their champions, so kudos to them. The company growing non-stop, no doubt about it. Nowadays, Bellator is the number two company, but on June 24, everyone’s saying it’ll be number one. That’s the day we’ll beat the UFC, who cancelled their event and changed it to a different day out of respect for us. They’re afraid of this show we’re putting on, that will be huge, no doubt about it.”

Do you agree with Silva’s comments?

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Scott Coker on Bellator NYC: ‘This is The Best Pay-Per-View Card of 2017’

Scott Coker has high hopes for the Bellator NYC card. The event is set to take place inside Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 24. The pay-per-view (PPV) portion will be dubbed “Bellator NYC,” while the prelims on Spike is being called “Bellator 180.” Coker, who is Bellator’s CEO,” recently spoke with […]

Scott Coker has high hopes for the Bellator NYC card. The event is set to take place inside Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 24. The pay-per-view (PPV) portion will be dubbed “Bellator NYC,” while the prelims on Spike is being called “Bellator 180.” Coker, who is Bellator’s CEO,” recently spoke with […]

Chael Sonnen: ‘I Couldn’t Possibly Care Less’ About Fighting in MSG

To Chael Sonnen, the location of a fight doesn’t matter as long as he’s the one swinging the hammer. On June 24, Sonnen will headline a Bellator pay-per-view (PPV) with Wanderlei Silva. The two will do battle inside the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City. While many can only dream of competing as […]

To Chael Sonnen, the location of a fight doesn’t matter as long as he’s the one swinging the hammer. On June 24, Sonnen will headline a Bellator pay-per-view (PPV) with Wanderlei Silva. The two will do battle inside the famous Madison Square Garden in New York City. While many can only dream of competing as […]

Chael Sonnen Plans To Finish Wanderlei Silva ‘Inside The First Round’

Veteran mixed martial artists Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva will finally settle their long lasting rivalry in the main event of Bellator NYC, which will air live on pay-per-view (PPV) on June 24, 2017 from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The two were supposed to face-off for the first time today at the

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Veteran mixed martial artists Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva will finally settle their long lasting rivalry in the main event of Bellator NYC, which will air live on pay-per-view (PPV) on June 24, 2017 from Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The two were supposed to face-off for the first time today at the Bellator NYC pre-fight press conference, but Silva wasn’t present, as he elected to stay home in Brazil and train:

“Because I’m training to beat somebody on June 24,” Silva said, adding that Bellator gave him the OK. “I’m focused on training back to 100 percent.”

“The Axe Murderer” hasn’t competed since a 2013 knockout of Brian Stann, while Sonnen is coming off of a disappointing submission loss to Tito Ortiz in his Bellator debut this past January.

Despite Silva not being present at the press conference, Sonnen, to little surprise, took the chance to blast his Brazilian rival, saying that he’ll finish Silva ‘inside the first round’:

“First off, I made Tito Ortiz scream ‘tap’ in less than 60 seconds, and while I suspect you’re going to be tougher than him, I still get you out of there inside the first round,” Sonnen said. “Before I get accused of hogging the mic, Wanderlei, every time you talk, all I hear is ‘garble, garble, garble.’ And I want to remind you when you address me in public, you will do it proper – it’s ‘Garble, garble, garble, Mr. Sonnen.’”

“Thank you,” he said. “It’s respectful. Say it with me, Wanderlei. ‘Mr. Sonnen.’ Please. Respectfully, please. Try it one time.”

Silva only had one response to Sonnen’s outlandish remarks:

“Suck my balls,” Silva replied to laughs from the audience.

Given the history of bad blood between between Sonnen and Silva, it was expected that the two would go back-and-forth in the lead up to the bout.

Who are you expecting to come out on top when the two finally meet on June 24?

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