Patchy Mix Main Events Bellator Champions Series Paris On Nov. 16, ‘Baki’ Co-Headlines

For the second time this year, Patchy Mix will put his Bellator bantamweight title on the line in the French capital. After unifying the titles and securing undisputed status with a submission of Sergio Pettis at Bellator 301 last November, Mix returned for his first defense — and first appearance following the PFL’s acquisition of […]

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For the second time this year, Patchy Mix will put his Bellator bantamweight title on the line in the French capital.

After unifying the titles and securing undisputed status with a submission of Sergio Pettis at Bellator 301 last November, Mix returned for his first defense — and first appearance following the PFL’s acquisition of his organization — this past May.

At the second Bellator Champions Series event, the 30-year-old retained possession of his gold by narrow margins inside Paris’ Accor Arena, falling on the right side of a split decision verdict in a rematch against Magomed Magomedov.

He’ll be looking for a more definitive victory when he returns to France this November, where a first-time matchup with Brazil’s Leandro Higo awaits him at the Adidas Arena.

The Bellator main event was announced in a PFL press release this week, alongside a co-headliner between Oliver Enkamp and the highly regarded and undefeated Baissangour “Baki” Chamsoudinov, who look set to be the main attraction for the home crowd.

Mix vs. Higo Headlines In Paris, ‘Baki’ Makes Bellator Champions Series Debut

When Mix and “Baki” appear in the headline positions on November 16, both will be looking to secure their second Paris triumphs of 2024.

Mix (20-1) faced a tougher than predicted challenge from Magomedov in their rematch, going the distance in a competitive affair almost two years on from his second-round submission of the Russian at Bellator 289 in Connecticut. Nevertheless, “No Love” had his hand raised and remained among the names outside of the UFC who are heralded as being in the world’s elite at 135 pounds.

In Higo (23-6), Mix will face an opponent looking to achieve title glory at the second time of trying. “Alter” previously fell short of the bantamweight gold against Darrion Caldwell back in 2018. Since a loss to Aaron Pico that same year, the Brazilian has won five of six, most recently winning back-to-back outings against Nikita Mikhailov and James Gallagher to secure number one contender status.

Leandro Higo & James Gallagher
Image: PFL MMA

While headliner Mix emerged victorious at a Bellator Champions Series event in Paris this year, co-main event star Chamsoudinov (8-0) extended his undefeated record in controversial fashion under the PFL Europe banner. “Baki” competed in a highly anticipated main event against fellow French standout Cédric Doumbé this past March, but their bout came to an anticlimactic end in round three after the former Glory Kickboxing champion’s calls to remove a splinter from his toe resulted in Marc Goddard waving the contest off.

In the aftermath of that win, “Baki” appeared to take issue with the time it took for the PFL to pay him fully, and reports subsequently suggested a UFC signing was on the cards for the free agent. That ultimately didn’t come to fruition, with the Frenchman instead putting pen to paper on a deal with the PFL instead.

To record a more definitive win on home soil this year in what will be his Bellator Champions Series debut, “Baki” is tasked with getting past Enkamp (11-4). The Swedish 32-year-old competed six times for Bellator following an 0-2 run in the UFC. Among a number of notable highlights is the rare buggy choke he secured at Bellator 281 in London just over two years ago.

Baissangour Chamsoudinov & Cedric Doumbe
Image: PFL MMA

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Ex-UFC star Yoel Romero reveals stunning BKFC move is in the works: ‘We are cooking something’

Yoel Romero reveals stunning BKFC move is in the works we're cooking something UFCFormer multiple-time UFC middleweight championship challenger, Yoel Romero has revealed interesting plans are already in place for him to…

Yoel Romero reveals stunning BKFC move is in the works we're cooking something UFC

Former multiple-time UFC middleweight championship challenger, Yoel Romero has revealed interesting plans are already in place for him to make a spectacular move to the BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) – as soon as a couple of months.

Romero, a current Bellator MMA contender, most recently featured earlier this year at Bellator vs. PFL – turning in a unanimous decision victory over fellow former UFC title challenger, Thiago Santos.

Yoel Romero rules out retirement talk ahead of Bellator 297 I plan to fight until I'm 52
Mandatory Credit: Bellator MMA

Improving to 3-2 over the course of five fights in the promotion, Cuban veteran, Romero has also landed devastating knockout wins over both Alex Polizzi, and fellow veteran striker, Melvin Manhoef.

Challenging for light heavyweight gold back in June of last year, Olympic silver medal winner, Romero dropped a unanimous decision loss to Russian star, Vadim Nemkov.

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Yoel Romero reveals BKFC move is in the works

And weighing up his fighting future amid links to a host of contests and organization, Romero boldly claimed recently that he has the key to beat incumbent light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira – who headlines UFC 303 this weekend.

Romero
Stephen R. Sylvanie – USA TODAY Sports

“A lot of people talk and they think if I would fight against the big champ (Alex) Pereira in the UFC, 205lbs – he has plenty of experience,” Yoel Romero said on the Overdogs podcast. “[He] is a born striker, it would be an honor to fight people with caliber [like him]. He’s a man born of a women, same as me.”

“Everything is possible when you believe, he has two hands, I also have two hands – all can happen,” Yoel Romero continued. “The strategy to beat Alex is doing a well mixed fight. You can’t wrestle and wrestle [continuously], you can’t do striking and striking [continously].”

However, the veteran Pinar del Rio fan-favorite claimed a move to the BKFC was targeted – with a potential debut just months away.

“We are cooking something,” Yoel Romero explained. “You all know that I came from a boxing family and one thing I still have to do in life is fighting in a ring. But this time, only punches. We are cooking something, and something soon. We are not talking about a year – nothing about that. We are talking about months.”

How do you think Yoel Romero would fare in the BKFC?

Yoel Romero claims to have key to beat Alex Pereira in future clash: ‘It would be an honor to fight him’

Yoel Romero has key to beat Alex Pereira in future fight it would be an honorPromotional veteran, Yoel Romero has claimed to have the key to topple incoming UFC 303 headliner, Alex Pereira at…

Yoel Romero has key to beat Alex Pereira in future fight it would be an honor

Promotional veteran, Yoel Romero has claimed to have the key to topple incoming UFC 303 headliner, Alex Pereira at the light heavyweight limit, suggesting a strategy of mixing the martial arts is a surefire way to beat the Brazilian.

Romero, a former multiple-time title challenger at the middleweight limit during his tenure with the Dana White-led organization, has since made the move to Bellator MMA following the end of his UFC contract, fighting five times since.

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Sidelined since a PFL vs. Bellator event back in February, Cuban veteran, Romero landed a unanimous decision win over another former UFC title challenger, Thiago Santos – following an unsuccessful title charge against Vadim Nemkov. 

As for Pereira, the former middleweight champion an incumbent light heavyweight kingpin, headlines UFC 303 next weekend on short-notice in a title fight re-run against Jiri Prochazka.

Poatan UFC

Yoel Romero previews Alex Pereira fight in the future

And faltering just once in the Octagon in the form of a second round knockout loss to Israel Adesanya back in April of last year, Sao Paulo knockout ace, Pereira can be defeated by mixing up a fighting strategy, according to Olympic wrestling medal winner, Romero.

Alex Pereira backed as new face of the company after accepting short notice title fight at UFC 303

“A lot of people talk and they think if I would fight against the big champ (Alex) Pereira in the UFC, 205lbs – he has plenty of experience,” Yoel Romero said on the Overdogs podcast. “[He] is a born striker, it would be an honor to fight people with caliber [like him]. He’s a man born of a women, same as me.”

“Everything is possible when you believe, he has two hands, I also have two hands – all can happen,” Yoel Romero continued. “The strategy to beat Alex is doing a well mixed fight. You can’t wrestle and wrestle [continuously], you can’t do striking and striking [continously].”

Would you have liked to see Yoel Romero and Alex Pereira in their primes?

Ex-Boxing champion Heather Hardy hints at retirement from combat sports after ‘Taking too much brain damage’

Heather Hardy hints at retirement from combat sports I've taken too much brain damageFormer boxing world champion, Heather Hardy has indicated she is likely finished from competing in combat sports, citing the…

Heather Hardy hints at retirement from combat sports I've taken too much brain damage

Former boxing world champion, Heather Hardy has indicated she is likely finished from competing in combat sports, citing the effects on her health as a result of taking “too much brain damage” over the course of her career.

Hardy, 42, a former WBO featherweight world champion in professional boxing, has been sidelined since he one-sided unanimous decision defeat to Puerto Rico favorite, Amanda Serrano back in August of last year, in her unsuccessful pursuit of world titles. 

Heather Hardy Boxing 2
Mandatory Credit: Sarah Stier

An alum of Bellator MMA to boot, Hardy had competed four times under the promotion’s banner, most recently dropping a TKO stoppage defeat against Taylor Turner back in 2019.

And signing with the BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship), Hardy was scheduled to headline BKFC 61 this weekend in a bantamweight clash with flyweight champion, Christine Ferea, however, has withdrawn from the pairing.

Heather Hardy reveals battle with “brain damage” amid combat sports career

Furthermore, on social media this week, Brooklyn native, Hardy revealed she was dealing with the health effects of “taking too much brain damage” – indicating that her lengthy tenure in combat sports was likely over.

Heather Hardy hints at retirement from combat sports I've taken too much brain damage
Mandatory Credit: Esther Lin – MMA Fighting

“My fight for May 11 is off,” Heather Hardy posted on her official Instagram account. “After my fight last summer with Amanda, my vision remained blurred for a few days. I went for an MRI and to get my eyes checked while I was still in TX and it was diagnosed the after-effects of a concussion. 6-8 months I should be fine. So basically I needed a fight, and it never got better.”

“My daughter is in college. Everyone thinks I made millions in my career but I didn’t, I went paycheck to paycheck keeping that kid in the best neighborhood so she could go to the best schools. And I needed to take the fight, so long story short a month into training for Christine and everything got worse with my sight.”

“I was down to 123 pounds because I couldn’t eat, I wasn’t sleeping I was so weak. I hadn’t told anyone how bad it was, not my boyfriend, not my coaches. I thought I could make it through the ten-minute fight, but after a very light sparring session I couldn’t see shit for two days. I didn’t eat or sleep Friday to Monday, and I knew I was too weak to do this shit. After finally seeing a doctor, he said I’ve had too many concussions.”

“When you have a concussion, a piece of your brain dies and you never get it back. Imagine that? In ten years I’ve had too much brain damage. I can’t get any more or else I won’t be able to see. No running, no jogging, no jumping rope, and no getting hit in the head. So I said the thing ya know what that means.”

Heather Hardy
Mandatory Credit: Sam Hodde

Boasting a 24-3(1) professional boxing record, over the course of her career, Hardy had turned in notable victories over the likes of Shelly Vincent, Calista Silgado, and Taynna Cardoso to name a few.

What are your thoughts on Heather Hardy’s decision to likely end her combat sports career?

Cris Cyborg mocks Ronda Rousey after concussion claim during UFC run: ‘Poor girl, still suffering from CTE’

Cris Cyborg mocks Ronda Rousey over concussions in UFC poor girl suffering from CTEForever linked with a heated grudge fight with former bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey – fellow UFC alum, Cris Cyborg…

Cris Cyborg mocks Ronda Rousey over concussions in UFC poor girl suffering from CTE

Forever linked with a heated grudge fight with former bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey – fellow UFC alum, Cris Cyborg has hit out at the Riverside native for shedding light on her history of concussion injuries during her Octagon tenure, as well as making several excuses for her 2015 loss to Holly Holm.

Cyborg, a former Strikeforce, Invicta FC, and UFC featherweight champion, currently holds the undisputed featherweight crown under the Bellator MMA banner, fresh from an October knockout win over common-foe, Cat Zingano.

Cris Cyborg signs new multi fight deal with Bellator MMA
Mandatory Credit: Bellator MMA

As for Rousey, the inaugural UFC bantamweight champion has been forever linked with a return to the Octagon since her pair of consecutive knockout losses to the above-mentioned, Holm, and former two-weight champion, Amanda Nunes.

However, ruling out a return to the sport, Rousey, who also featured under the professional wrestling banner, WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), revealed earlier this week that she has been dealing with a series of concussions during her combat sports career – as well as claiming she was concussed before entering her fight with Holm in Australia

Cris Cyborg hits out at Ronda Rousey

Reacting to forever-nemesis, Rousey’s comments, Cris Cyborg mocked the former’s excuses for her losses, before claiming she was suffering from the neurodegenerative disease, CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). 

Ronda Rousey claims she was destined to lose Holly Holm fight I got touched and my bottom teeth got knocked loose
Mandatory Credit: Pat Scala

“Poor girl, still suffering from CTE,” Cris Cyborg posted on her official X account in response to Ronda Rousey’s claims. “I hope she finally got a good mouth guard.” 

Revealing she fell down stairs ahead of her fight with Holm, which resulted in a concussion, Rousey also claimed her mouth guard for the 2015 title fight was ill-fitting, before shedding light on a brutal weight cut for the bout.

Ronda Rousey not interested in fighting Miesha Tate at UFC 300 plans to have another child
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari – Zuffa LLC

“My first loss – like, my mouthguard was bad,” Ronda Rousey explained during an interview with Valeria Livopetsky. “I literally came into that fight [with Holly Holm] concussed from slipping down some stairs already, you know, after all of these years of concussions. And then I had an absolutely terrible weight cut. Which, you know, that means you have less fluid in your brain to cut to protect it.”

“And I was out on my feet for the entire fight,” Ronda Rousey said. “I was trying to make it look like I wasn’t hurt, but I wasn’t there, cognitively. I couldn’t think as fast, I couldn’t judge distance, and just from that one fight, everybody thought, ‘Oh, she’s just a fraud’. And I know like, I’m the greatest fighter that has ever lived.”

Who would’ve won in a hypothetical fight: Cris Cyborg or Ronda Rousey?