Brendan Schaub Highlights Key Issue With Bellator MMA/Rizin FF Event

Former UFC heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub recently offered his take on a frustrating problem with the recent Bellator vs. Rizin event. Friday was a great day for the Bellator promotion. They swept the board at the event, going 5-0 against Rizin&#82…

Former UFC heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub recently offered his take on a frustrating problem with the recent Bellator vs. Rizin event. Friday was a great day for the Bellator promotion. They swept the board at the event, going 5-0 against Rizin’s stars. Former Bellator Featherweight Champion AJ McKee in particular was highlighted by Bellator President…

Continue Reading Brendan Schaub Highlights Key Issue With Bellator MMA/Rizin FF Event at MMA News.

MMA News’ Top 10 Finishes Of The Week (12/25–12/31)

Welcome to this week’s edition of MMA News’ Top 10 Finishes of the week! Every week there’s highlight-reel finishes all across the MMA world, and we’ve found some of the absolute best ones to showcase. The final week of 2022 featured the highly-anticip…

Welcome to this week’s edition of MMA News’ Top 10 Finishes of the week! Every week there’s highlight-reel finishes all across the MMA world, and we’ve found some of the absolute best ones to showcase. The final week of 2022 featured the highly-anticipated Bellator MMA vs. RIZIN FF card on New Year’s Eve, but as…

Continue Reading MMA News’ Top 10 Finishes Of The Week (12/25–12/31) at MMA News.

Khabib Nurmagomedov showers praise on Bellator MMA vs. Rizin event: ‘This is unbelievable’

Khabib Nurmagomedov Scott CokerFormer undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov is said to have been left awestruck by last weekend’s Bellator MMA vs. Rizin event in Saitama, Japan – describing the cross-promoted event as “unbelievable” according to Bellator president, Scott Coker. Khabib, a former undisputed lightweight champion under the banner of the UFC, retired from active competition back […]

Khabib Nurmagomedov Scott Coker

Former undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov is said to have been left awestruck by last weekend’s Bellator MMA vs. Rizin event in Saitama, Japan – describing the cross-promoted event as “unbelievable” according to Bellator president, Scott Coker.

Khabib, a former undisputed lightweight champion under the banner of the UFC, retired from active competition back in October 2020 on ‘Fight Island’ in Abu Dhabi, UAE – improving to 29-0 with a second round triangle submission win over then-interim titleholder, Justin Gaethje

In the time since, the Dagestan native has turned his hand successfully to coaching – guiding both Islam Makhachev, and Usman Nurmagomedov to lightweight gold under the UFC and Bellator MMA banners, respectively, as well as heading up Florida-based promotion, Eagle FC. 

Scott Coker details attending Bellator MMA vs. Rizin alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov

Attending Bellator MMA vs. Rizin on New Year’s Eve at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, Khabib, who sat alongside the above-mentioned, Coker, is said to have been left in amazement by the event and pageantry. 

“It’s very interesting, because he (Khabib Nurmagomedov) wasn’t here in the heyday,” Scott Coker told assembled media at the post-fight press conference. “I got to see those fights. A lot ofyou know that [I’ve been] in the martial arts business a long time, I started working for K-1 in 199, so I got to see all the great fights in K-1. I got to see the great fights of PRIDE. And Khabib has never see the production and the fans, and he was freaking out.”

“He was telling me, ‘This is unbelievable,’” Scott Coker said of Khabib Nurmagomedov. “He kept telling me, ‘This is unbelievable. I had no idea that something like this was happening in Japan.’ And I said, ‘This is where it started, Khabib.’ This is where MMA and martial arts combat – it started here, it grew throughout the rest of the world, but there was a time when Japan had the best fighters in the world, the best production in the world, the best promotion in the world, and that’s why the UFC bought it (PRIDE). Just like my company, Strikefroce, I think we had a great roster, great events, so they (the UFC) bought it.” (Transcribed by MMA Fighting)

A.J. McKee hands Roberto Satoshi unanimous decision loss in Bellator clean sweep – Bellator vs. Rizin Highlights

A.J. McKee Bellator RizinFormer Bellator MMA featherweight champion, A.J. McKee made sure of a main card clean sweep for the Scott Coker-led promotion tonight at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, handing Brazilian submission artist and Rizin FF lightweight kingpin, A.J. McKee a unanimous decision loss in the main event of Bellator MMA vs. Rizin. McKee, a former […]

A.J. McKee Bellator Rizin

Former Bellator MMA featherweight champion, A.J. McKee made sure of a main card clean sweep for the Scott Coker-led promotion tonight at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, handing Brazilian submission artist and Rizin FF lightweight kingpin, A.J. McKee a unanimous decision loss in the main event of Bellator MMA vs. Rizin.

McKee, a former featherweight champion under the Bellator banner, initially won the crown as well as a Featherweight World Grand Prix against event co-headliner, Patricio Pitbull back in July of last year, before suffering a title loss in a close decision defeat in an April rematch this year.

Making a lightweight division move back in October, McKee defeated UFC alum, Spike Carlyle over the course of three rounds in a unanimous decision win, setting up tonight’s headliner against Rizin FF lightweight kingpin, Satoshi.

Engaging in countless scramble after scramble with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu player, McKee was forced to defend his back on occasion as the lightweight champion even pulled guard during their main event bout.

Closing out a triumphant main card for Bellator MMA, McKee joined the aforenoted, Pitbull, Kyoji Horiguchi, Juan Archuleta, Gadhzi Rabadanov in landing judging wins for the North American-based organization.

Below, catch the highlights from A.J. McKee’s win against Roberto Satoshi

Patricio Pitbull defeats Kleber Koike in unanimous decision all-Brazilian clash – Bellator vs. Rizin Highlights

Patricio Pitbull BellatorReigning Bellator MMA featherweight kingpin, Patricio Pitbull continues his dominant run in a gold laiden career, tonight defeating Rizin FF lightweight champion, Kleber Koike in a unanimous decision effort in the co-main event of Bellator MMA vs. Rizin in Japan. Pitbull, who now moves to an impressive 35-5 as a professional win his win over […]

Patricio Pitbull Bellator

Reigning Bellator MMA featherweight kingpin, Patricio Pitbull continues his dominant run in a gold laiden career, tonight defeating Rizin FF lightweight champion, Kleber Koike in a unanimous decision effort in the co-main event of Bellator MMA vs. Rizin in Japan.

Pitbull, who now moves to an impressive 35-5 as a professional win his win over Sao Paulo native, Koike, handed the former KSW gold holder a unanimous decision defeat in their non-title bout in Saitama.

The victory comes as Pitbull’s third on the bounce, having previously reclaimed the Bellator featherweight crown in a rematch win over A.J. McKee, before defending successfully against Adam Borics.

Landing the heavier strikes throughout the opening round, Pitbull was, however, landed on the canvas in the closing stages of the frame — with Koike executing a perfectly-timed judo hip toss.

However, it was Pitbull who emerged with the victory, securing a unanimous decision triumph, on a main card containing consecutive judging successes for Bellator so far.

Below, catch the highlights from Patricio Pitbull’s win over Kleber Koike

Watch | Former UFC contender John Dodson scores a first-round KO win in RIZIN debut against Hideo Tokoro

John Dodson Rizin TokoroThe MMA veteran and former top-ranked UFC contender John Dodson made an impressive debut in RIZIN earlier today. The US-born athlete made quick work of the DREAM and RIZIN veteran Hideo Tokoro. Dodson only needed one minute and forty-three seconds of fight time to finish the bout via knockout. John Dodson wins via KO in […]

John Dodson Rizin Tokoro

The MMA veteran and former top-ranked UFC contender John Dodson made an impressive debut in RIZIN earlier today. The US-born athlete made quick work of the DREAM and RIZIN veteran Hideo Tokoro. Dodson only needed one minute and forty-three seconds of fight time to finish the bout via knockout.

John Dodson wins via KO in RIZIN debut

‘The Magician’ John Dodson made his RIZIN debut in the competitive flyweight division at 125 lbs. The 5’3″ fighter humorously listed himself as 6’2″ on the TV broadcast. He is a long-time veteran of MMA collecting a record of 23-13 between the UFC, XMMA, King of the Cage, and several other organizations. Most notably, he has faced fighters such as Merab Dvalishvili, John Lineker, Petr Yan, T.J. Dillashaw, and two bouts against ‘Mighty Mouse’ Demetrious Johnson. Currently, Dodson is on a two-fight win streak having both of his 2022 MMA fights, plus a BKFC bout he won via KO.

Hideo Tokoro is a Japanese-born submission grappling athlete. In his 22-year-long career, he has fought from flyweight to heavyweight. Tokoro was a staple of the DREAM organization where he was known as one of the most exciting fighters on the roster. Over his impressive career, he has put together a record of 35-32 against notable fighters such as Kyoji Horiguchi, Masakazu Imanari, Joachim Hansen, Abel Cullum, Brad Pickett, Ivan Menjivar, and UFC 1 winner Royce Gracie, plus even grappled against Wanderlei Silva.

With this notable win, the Jackson-Wink-trained John Dodson is likely to continue climbing the ranks of MMA around the globe. Yesterday on Instagram he promised fireworks, and today he delivered.“It’s time for the real fun to begin. Tomorrow night is nothing but fireworks.”