Bellator is trimming over a dozen fighters from its roster, a representative for the promotion confirmed to MMA Fighting on Tuesday. 13 fighters to be exact, some coming as more of a surprise than others. Welterweight Fernando Gonzalez defeated the likes of Brennan Ward and current UFC fighter Curtis Millender but was still amongst those cut. […]
Bellator is trimming over a dozen fighters from its roster, a representative for the promotion confirmed to MMA Fighting on Tuesday.
13 fighters to be exact, some coming as more of a surprise than others. Welterweight Fernando Gonzalez defeated the likes of Brennan Ward and current UFC fighter Curtis Millender but was still amongst those cut.
Bellator staple Georgi Karakhanyan was also among the 13 fighters cut by Bellator, despite two blistering and quick knockouts over Bubba Jenkins.
Francisco France went 1-2 in the promotion, losing two of those in a row. Others given their walking papers were Alexis Dufresne, Francis Carmont, who was most recently defeated by Linton Vassell, Ben Reiter, former notable UFC and Ultimate Fighter alum Kendall Grove, Strikeforce and UFC veteran Kevin Casey, L.C Davis, Mike Rhodes, Philipe Lins, Steve Garcia, as well as Steve Kozola.
Of the 13 cut, their combined records were 39-31-1; many were already free agents while others were terminated mid-contract.
How do you feel about Bellator’s most recent round of cuts?
Bellator has rolled out a free fight to hype up their next event (Aug. 25). Bellator 182 takes place inside the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. Georgi Karakhanyan will take on Daniel Pineda on the card. He will look to rebound from a majority decision loss to Emmanuel Sanchez back in January. The official […]
Bellator has rolled out a free fight to hype up their next event (Aug. 25). Bellator 182 takes place inside the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. Georgi Karakhanyan will take on Daniel Pineda on the card. He will look to rebound from a majority decision loss to Emmanuel Sanchez back in January. The official […]
Georgi Karakhanyan isn’t done competing by a long shot. Karakhanyan is set to take on Daniel Pineda this Friday night (Aug. 25) at Bellator 182. The two will do battle inside the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. Karakhanyan is coming off a majority decision loss to Emmanuel Sanchez and will look to rebound. During a […]
Georgi Karakhanyan isn’t done competing by a long shot. Karakhanyan is set to take on Daniel Pineda this Friday night (Aug. 25) at Bellator 182. The two will do battle inside the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. Karakhanyan is coming off a majority decision loss to Emmanuel Sanchez and will look to rebound. During a […]
Georgi Karakhanyan is going to make his 10th appearance inside the Bellator cage tonight (Jan. 21). The former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) featherweight champion will go toe-to-toe with Emmanuel Sanchez. “El Matador” is no stranger to the Bellator cage himself as he will be fighting under the promotion for the eighth time.
Tonight will mark “Insane’s” 34th professional fight. The 31-year-old told MMAWeekly.com that the experience has benefited him greatly:
“I went through a lot different phases where I was trying to figure out what works for me and what doesn’t work for me. At a certain point in your career you figure out what you’re good at and what you’re not good at, and what you need to work on.”
Karakhanyan is well aware of the dangers Sanchez presents. He said he knows what he has to do to secure the victory.
“He comes from a good camp, he comes to fight, and I think it’s going to be an exciting show for all the fans. To get the win, I’ve got to be Georgi. I’ve got to be aggressive and control the fight right away.”
In his 26 professional wins, Karakhanyan has finished his opponents 20 times. Meanwhile, Sanchez has put away six of his foes in his 13 wins. “Insane” isn’t counting on their bout to go the distance.
“The main thing is listening to my corner. Sometimes I tend to not listen and get too crazy, but I like to take chances. I think he and I like to bang, so we’re going to see who goes down first.”
Bellator 170 will be held inside The Forum in Inglewood, California. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET on Spike. A grudge match between former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title holder Tito Ortiz and former middleweight contender Chael Sonnen will headline the card.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g64_gBaRMBA
Georgi Karakhanyan is going to make his 10th appearance inside the Bellator cage tonight (Jan. 21). The former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) featherweight champion will go toe-to-toe with Emmanuel Sanchez. “El Matador” is no stranger to the Bellator cage himself as he will be fighting under the promotion for the eighth time.
Tonight will mark “Insane’s” 34th professional fight. The 31-year-old told MMAWeekly.com that the experience has benefited him greatly:
“I went through a lot different phases where I was trying to figure out what works for me and what doesn’t work for me. At a certain point in your career you figure out what you’re good at and what you’re not good at, and what you need to work on.”
Karakhanyan is well aware of the dangers Sanchez presents. He said he knows what he has to do to secure the victory.
“He comes from a good camp, he comes to fight, and I think it’s going to be an exciting show for all the fans. To get the win, I’ve got to be Georgi. I’ve got to be aggressive and control the fight right away.”
In his 26 professional wins, Karakhanyan has finished his opponents 20 times. Meanwhile, Sanchez has put away six of his foes in his 13 wins. “Insane” isn’t counting on their bout to go the distance.
“The main thing is listening to my corner. Sometimes I tend to not listen and get too crazy, but I like to take chances. I think he and I like to bang, so we’re going to see who goes down first.”
Bellator 170 will be held inside The Forum in Inglewood, California. The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET on Spike. A grudge match between former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title holder Tito Ortiz and former middleweight contender Chael Sonnen will headline the card.
Bellator has added a featherweight contest to the January marquee event from Los Angeles, as Georgi Karakhanyan takes on Emmanuel Sanchez.
Karakhanyan is coming off a pair of wins over Bubba Jenkins and Kirill Medvedovsky, while Sanchez owns victories in nine of his last 11 fights overall.
Below is a complete press release and the updated fight card:
A featherweight showdown pitting Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) against Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” on January 21, 2017 inside The Forum in Los Angeles, Calif.
Tickets for this monumental event start at $36 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Karakhanyan delivered one of the most spectacular performances of his 10-year career at “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull,” when he knocked out Bubba Jenkins just 53 seconds into the contest. Karakhanyan then followed that victory up with another early stoppage, ending Kirill Medvedovsky’s evening via TKO just 3:40 into the first frame at “Bellator 164: Koreshkov vs. Lima 2.” With 20 of his 26 career wins coming by way of stoppage, “Insane” looks to add to that total and finish “El Matador,” something nobody has been able to accomplish.
“El Matador” will be making his eighth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, a promotion with which the 26-year-old has had much success to date. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he trains at the famed Roufusport gym, Sanchez is riding a recent string of success, having won nine of his last 11 contests, including three of the past four. Six of Sanchez’s 13 career victories have come by way of knockout or submission, with five of the finishes ending in the opening frame. Sanchez was supposed to compete against A.J. McKee at “Bellator 167: Caldwell vs. Taimanglo 2,” but was forced out of the bout after suffering multiple muscle strains during training. Since signing with Bellator MMA, “El Matador” has competed against a who’s who of talent, facing names the likes of: Pat Curran, Justin Lawrence, Henry Corrales, and Daniel Weichel.
The fight joins a main card that is headlined by a legendary clash between veterans Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) and Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). In addition, Ralek Gracie (3-0) against Hisaki Kato (7-2) will also be featured on the main card, as will what promises to be an absolute slugfest, when Paul Daley (38-14-2) meets Brennan Ward (14-4). The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App.
Updated “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Main Event: Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) vs. Chael Sonnen (28-14-1)
Welterweight Co-Main Event: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Brennan Ward (14-4)
Middleweight Main Card Bout: Ralek Gracie (3-0) vs. Hisaki Kato (7-2)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3)
Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (3-0) vs. Jalin Turner (2-2)
Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Gonzalez (2-0) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (2-0)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jacob Rosales (4-2) vs. Ian Butler (3-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Johnny Cisneros (9-5) vs. Curtis Millender (9-3)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (4-4) vs. Tommy Aaron (2-1)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Rob Gooch (4-3) vs. James Barnes (6-2)
Bellator has added a featherweight contest to the January marquee event from Los Angeles, as Georgi Karakhanyan takes on Emmanuel Sanchez.
Karakhanyan is coming off a pair of wins over Bubba Jenkins and Kirill Medvedovsky, while Sanchez owns victories in nine of his last 11 fights overall.
Below is a complete press release and the updated fight card:
A featherweight showdown pitting Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) against Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” on January 21, 2017 inside The Forum in Los Angeles, Calif.
Tickets for this monumental event start at $36 and are on sale now at Bellator.com, as well as Ticketmaster.com. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Karakhanyan delivered one of the most spectacular performances of his 10-year career at “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull,” when he knocked out Bubba Jenkins just 53 seconds into the contest. Karakhanyan then followed that victory up with another early stoppage, ending Kirill Medvedovsky’s evening via TKO just 3:40 into the first frame at “Bellator 164: Koreshkov vs. Lima 2.” With 20 of his 26 career wins coming by way of stoppage, “Insane” looks to add to that total and finish “El Matador,” something nobody has been able to accomplish.
“El Matador” will be making his eighth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, a promotion with which the 26-year-old has had much success to date. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he trains at the famed Roufusport gym, Sanchez is riding a recent string of success, having won nine of his last 11 contests, including three of the past four. Six of Sanchez’s 13 career victories have come by way of knockout or submission, with five of the finishes ending in the opening frame. Sanchez was supposed to compete against A.J. McKee at “Bellator 167: Caldwell vs. Taimanglo 2,” but was forced out of the bout after suffering multiple muscle strains during training. Since signing with Bellator MMA, “El Matador” has competed against a who’s who of talent, facing names the likes of: Pat Curran, Justin Lawrence, Henry Corrales, and Daniel Weichel.
The fight joins a main card that is headlined by a legendary clash between veterans Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) and Chael Sonnen (28-14-1). In addition, Ralek Gracie (3-0) against Hisaki Kato (7-2) will also be featured on the main card, as will what promises to be an absolute slugfest, when Paul Daley (38-14-2) meets Brennan Ward (14-4). The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App.
Updated “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Main Event: Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) vs. Chael Sonnen (28-14-1)
Welterweight Co-Main Event: Paul Daley (38-14-2) vs. Brennan Ward (14-4)
Middleweight Main Card Bout: Ralek Gracie (3-0) vs. Hisaki Kato (7-2)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Georgi Karakhanyan (26-6-1) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3)
Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (3-0) vs. Jalin Turner (2-2)
Catchweight Preliminary Bout: Christian Gonzalez (2-0) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (2-0)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jacob Rosales (4-2) vs. Ian Butler (3-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Johnny Cisneros (9-5) vs. Curtis Millender (9-3)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (4-4) vs. Tommy Aaron (2-1)
Bantamweight Preliminary Bout: Rob Gooch (4-3) vs. James Barnes (6-2)
Injuries have forced Bellator officials to make changes to next Friday’s Bellator 160 event.
Featherweights Bubba Jenkins and Georgi Karakhanyan have been put back on the Spike TV main card after being moved to the prelims earlier this month.
Also, A.J. McKee gets a new opponent in Cody Walker after an injury knocked Henry Corrales out.
Below are complete details and the current fight card:
Just nine days before the highly anticipated “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” event on August 26 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., injuries sustained by main card fighters Henry Corrales and Lena Ovchynnikova have shaken things up a bit. Undefeated featherweight A.J. McKee (4-0) will now face Cody Walker (7-2), while Bubba Jenkins (11-2) and Georgi Karakhanyan (24-6-1) find themselves in a featherweight feature fight during the SPIKE-televised main card.
The fights join a main card that spotlights a super fight at 155-pounds between Benson Henderson (23-6) and Patricio “Pitbull” (25-3), as the two will duke it out for a shot at Michael Chandler’s championship belt. In addition, an explosive lightweight contest pitting Saad Awad (19-7) against Derek Anderson (13-2) will serve as the evening’s co-main event.
In preliminary action, welterweights Kevin “Baby Slice” Ferguson Jr. and Joey Davis will make their professional debuts, while Chinzo Machida (3-2) will compete for the first time under the Bellator MMA banner.
Tickets for the event start at $30 and can be purchased now on Ticketmaster and at Honda Center Box Office. Doors open at 4:45 p.m. PT local time and the first preliminary bout – which streams live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App — begins at 5:00 p.m. PT.
After beginning his career 7-1 as an amateur, the 21-year-old “Mercenary” has made a splash on the professional circuit, recording a perfect 4-0 mark through his first four bouts. McKee has fought under the Bellator MMA banner ever since he made his professional debut in 2015, finishing all of his contests in the opening frame, including three knockouts and a rear-naked choke submission. McKee’s most recent victory came at the expense of Italian Danilo Belluardo during the mixed martial arts portion of Bellator MMA’s first-ever event overseas, “Bellator 152: Freire vs. Souza.” The Long Beach, Calif. native will now take his flashy personality to the Honda Center, where he will have the chance to put his unique skill set on full display in front of his hometown fans.
Agreeing to take a professional mixed martial arts contest on short notice is no easy task, doing so against an undefeated fighter the caliber of McKee is even more daunting. But that’s exactly the scenario Walker finds himself in now ahead of next Friday’s event. A two-time competitor for Bellator, “The Crow” will look to move above .500 within the promotion when he enters the cage at Honda Center. The 28-year-old Texan has ended all seven of his professional victories via TKO or KO, including four in the first round.
A longtime veteran of Bellator MMA, Karakhanyan will look to get back on track after dropping two closely contested decision losses against Jenkins, who he handily defeated nearly two years ago via guillotine submission. Known to many mixed martial arts fans as “Insane,” the 31-year-old has finished 18 of his 24 wins as a professional, earning himself multiple titles in regional promotions along the way. Following multiple setbacks to his knee, the Russian fighter is finally healthy and now looks to climb the 145-pound ladder in a competitive division that he once sat atop as the No. 1 contender.
Just a few years ago, Bubba Jenkins was widely regarded as the top MMA prospect in all of the sport, though the title became tainted following the aforementioned loss to Karakhanyan at “Bellator 132.” The former NCAA National Champion wrestler with Arizona State University now has three consecutive wins under his belt, and is looking for redemption. Heading into his 11th fight under the Scot Coker-led promotion, the 28-year-old “Highlight Kid” looks to put on a standout performance in Bellator’s incredibly deep featherweight division. Tune in August 26 to see if the Corona, Calif., native can return the favor and finish Karakhanyan in front of his local supporters.
Complete “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” SPIKE-Televised Main Card:
Lightweight No. 1 Contender Main Event: Benson Henderson (23-6) vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (25-3)
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Saad Awad (19-7) vs. Derek Anderson (13-2)
Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (4-0) vs. Cody Walker (7-2)
Featherweight Feature Bout: Bubba Jenkins (11-2) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-6-1)
Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chinzo Machida (3-2) vs. Mario Navarro (4-4)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Joey Davis (Pro Debut) vs. Keith Cutrone (1-0)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Ferguson Jr. (Pro Debut) vs. Jon Tomasian (Pro Debut)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (2-0) vs. Alex Trinidad (1-0)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Ramirez (4-1) vs. Ron Henderson (4-2)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Kyle Estrada (3-2) vs. David Duran (3-4)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (4-3) vs. Jacob Rosales (3-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Jonny Cisneros (9-4) vs. Andy Murad (12-2)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jake Roberts (6-0) vs. Stephen Martinez (11-4)
Injuries have forced Bellator officials to make changes to next Friday’s Bellator 160 event.
Featherweights Bubba Jenkins and Georgi Karakhanyan have been put back on the Spike TV main card after being moved to the prelims earlier this month.
Also, A.J. McKee gets a new opponent in Cody Walker after an injury knocked Henry Corrales out.
Below are complete details and the current fight card:
Just nine days before the highly anticipated “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” event on August 26 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., injuries sustained by main card fighters Henry Corrales and Lena Ovchynnikova have shaken things up a bit. Undefeated featherweight A.J. McKee (4-0) will now face Cody Walker (7-2), while Bubba Jenkins (11-2) and Georgi Karakhanyan (24-6-1) find themselves in a featherweight feature fight during the SPIKE-televised main card.
The fights join a main card that spotlights a super fight at 155-pounds between Benson Henderson (23-6) and Patricio “Pitbull” (25-3), as the two will duke it out for a shot at Michael Chandler’s championship belt. In addition, an explosive lightweight contest pitting Saad Awad (19-7) against Derek Anderson (13-2) will serve as the evening’s co-main event.
In preliminary action, welterweights Kevin “Baby Slice” Ferguson Jr. and Joey Davis will make their professional debuts, while Chinzo Machida (3-2) will compete for the first time under the Bellator MMA banner.
Tickets for the event start at $30 and can be purchased now on Ticketmaster and at Honda Center Box Office. Doors open at 4:45 p.m. PT local time and the first preliminary bout – which streams live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App — begins at 5:00 p.m. PT.
After beginning his career 7-1 as an amateur, the 21-year-old “Mercenary” has made a splash on the professional circuit, recording a perfect 4-0 mark through his first four bouts. McKee has fought under the Bellator MMA banner ever since he made his professional debut in 2015, finishing all of his contests in the opening frame, including three knockouts and a rear-naked choke submission. McKee’s most recent victory came at the expense of Italian Danilo Belluardo during the mixed martial arts portion of Bellator MMA’s first-ever event overseas, “Bellator 152: Freire vs. Souza.” The Long Beach, Calif. native will now take his flashy personality to the Honda Center, where he will have the chance to put his unique skill set on full display in front of his hometown fans.
Agreeing to take a professional mixed martial arts contest on short notice is no easy task, doing so against an undefeated fighter the caliber of McKee is even more daunting. But that’s exactly the scenario Walker finds himself in now ahead of next Friday’s event. A two-time competitor for Bellator, “The Crow” will look to move above .500 within the promotion when he enters the cage at Honda Center. The 28-year-old Texan has ended all seven of his professional victories via TKO or KO, including four in the first round.
A longtime veteran of Bellator MMA, Karakhanyan will look to get back on track after dropping two closely contested decision losses against Jenkins, who he handily defeated nearly two years ago via guillotine submission. Known to many mixed martial arts fans as “Insane,” the 31-year-old has finished 18 of his 24 wins as a professional, earning himself multiple titles in regional promotions along the way. Following multiple setbacks to his knee, the Russian fighter is finally healthy and now looks to climb the 145-pound ladder in a competitive division that he once sat atop as the No. 1 contender.
Just a few years ago, Bubba Jenkins was widely regarded as the top MMA prospect in all of the sport, though the title became tainted following the aforementioned loss to Karakhanyan at “Bellator 132.” The former NCAA National Champion wrestler with Arizona State University now has three consecutive wins under his belt, and is looking for redemption. Heading into his 11th fight under the Scot Coker-led promotion, the 28-year-old “Highlight Kid” looks to put on a standout performance in Bellator’s incredibly deep featherweight division. Tune in August 26 to see if the Corona, Calif., native can return the favor and finish Karakhanyan in front of his local supporters.
Complete “Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull” SPIKE-Televised Main Card:
Lightweight No. 1 Contender Main Event: Benson Henderson (23-6) vs. Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (25-3)
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Saad Awad (19-7) vs. Derek Anderson (13-2)
Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (4-0) vs. Cody Walker (7-2)
Featherweight Feature Bout: Bubba Jenkins (11-2) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-6-1)
Bellator.com-Streamed Preliminary Card:
Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Chinzo Machida (3-2) vs. Mario Navarro (4-4)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Joey Davis (Pro Debut) vs. Keith Cutrone (1-0)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Kevin Ferguson Jr. (Pro Debut) vs. Jon Tomasian (Pro Debut)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Gabriel Green (2-0) vs. Alex Trinidad (1-0)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Steve Ramirez (4-1) vs. Ron Henderson (4-2)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Kyle Estrada (3-2) vs. David Duran (3-4)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Segura (4-3) vs. Jacob Rosales (3-2)
Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Jonny Cisneros (9-4) vs. Andy Murad (12-2)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Jake Roberts (6-0) vs. Stephen Martinez (11-4)
