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MMA in CT

Bellator 225 Resuilts

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 08/28/19

(Editor's Note: information provided by Bellator representatives.)

Sergie Kharitonov (30-7 with two no contests) defeated Matt Mitrione (13-7 with one no contest) by TKO during the main event of Bellator 225 at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport on August 24. He clinched the win with punches at 1:24 in the second round of the heavyweight bout.

The main card opened with Tyrell Fortune (7-0) submitting fellow heavyweight Rudy Schaffroth (6-1 with one no-contest) by rear naked choke at 2:08 of the second round.

Yaroslav Amosov (22-0) submitted David Rickels (21-6 with two no-contests) by D’Arce choke at 4:05 in the second round of a 175-pound catchweight bout.

Alejandra Lara (8-3) defeated Taylor Turner (4-6) by TKO via punches at 3:44 in the first round of a bantamweight bout.

Vitaly Minakov (22-1) knocked out Tim Johnson (12-6) via punches at 1:45 in the first round of a heavyweight bout.

The preliminary card opened with a 175-pound catchweight bout between Jon Manley (12-6) and Thiago Rela (10-8). Manley submitted Rela with a rear naked choke at 4:47 in the third round.

Connor Dixon (1-0) submitted Kastriot Xhema (3-4 with one no-contest) with an armbar at 2:08 in the third round of a 165-pound catchweight bout.

Nick Newell (16-2) submitted fellow lightweight Corey Browning (5-3) by arm triangle choke at 3:15 in the first round.

Chris Disonell (3-3) defeated Mike Kimbel (3-2) by TKO via punches at 4:54 in the first round of a 140-pound catchweight bout.

Ricky Bandejas (12-3) knockout out fellow bantamweight Ahmer Kayretli (8-4 with one no-contest) via punches at 1:21 in the first round.

Austin Vandeford (8-0) defeated Joseph Creer (6-1-1) by TKO at 5:00 in the second round). A ringside doctor ended the middleweight bout due to a cut.

Sabah Homasi (13-8) knocked out fellow welterweight Micah Terrill (1-1) via punches at :17 in the first round.

Aviv Gozali (3-0) submitted Edward Muravitskiy (9-9) with a heel hook at :11 in the first round of a 165-pound catchweight fight.

Khonry Gracie (2-1) submitted fellow welterweight Oscar Vera (0-2) with a armbar at 2:50 in the first round.

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Preview -- AMMO Fight League on July 20

by Brian Woodman Jr. on 07/19/19

A 185-pound bout between Jon Manley and Emmanuel Walo will highlight AMMO Fight League’s next MMA event, ‘The Night of Champions, on July 20 at the Big E in West Springfield. The co-main event will be a 170-pound bout between Leon Davis and Jesus Cintron.

Manley, who is coming off a loss at CES 50, appeared earlier this year at an AMMO event as a grappler after his scheduled MMA bout as cancelled. He defeated Ryan Sanders during his previous MMA bout with the organization.

The main card will also include a 185-pound bout between Pat Casey and Matt Denning as well as two amateur title fights. Angelo Richardson will defend his 170-pound belt against Neil Von Flatern. Nate Russel and Jake Bagley will compete for the 125-pound title vacated by Mitch Rapso after he transitioned from an amateur to a professional fighter.

Other professional bouts on the card as of this writing include;

  • William Smith and Carl Langston (140 pounds).
  • Nate Ghareeb and Bradley Sustad (145 pounds).

Other amateur bouts include;

  • David Durao and Brandon Neiford (125 pounds).
  • Imre Pogacsas and Kenyon Moore (190 pounds).
  • Brandon Lagasse and Colton Larkin (145 pounds).
  • Joel Velez and Nuriduun Abrar (155 pounds).
  • Keanu Navarro and Jonathan Colon (145 pounds).
  • Marco Biasiutti and Cameron Resnisky (170 pounds).

Grappling matches scheduled for that evening include;

  • Gianna Daniele and Ayanna Negron.
  • Rene Rivera and Brandan Cullen.
  • CeCelia Verrilli and Kayla Batres.
  • Matthew Rodriguez and Ronald Roman.

 

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Q&A: Randy Francis of Reality Fighting

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 07/02/19

Amateur Randy Francis's recent ground-and-pound victory over Mike Placentini during a featherweight bout at Reality Fighting's latest event at Mohegan Sun was just part of an evening that included nearly all fast-finishes. Francis secured a TKO win at 2:58 in the first round after two losses earlier this year.

We chatted with Francis about his background and potential future.

Q: To what do you credit with your recent win at Reality Fighting?

A: I credit my friends at Strike Zone MMA, Thornton’s MMA, and my family for all the love and support they have given me.

Q: How did your interest in MMA begin?

A: I've always had an interest in martial arts as a child but didn't get into it until I was 15. I think around 2012 I went to my first MMA event, Reality Fighting, and was intrigued. I had already been training for a couple years and I thought it was really cool and my goal from that point on was to do at least one fight.

Q: Did you start with a particular style or general MMA? What was the progression? How long have you trained with your current gym? What was your first gym? Where else have you trained?

A: I started at a dojo that did a variation of Muay Thai and Krav Maga. I didn't like the place I was at because no one actually earned their belts like you do in an art like Jiu-jitsu. You could only test about once every two months and you only had to have something like 22 class attendances to advance. My skills quickly advanced and I found myself out performing higher belts but was frustrated that I was stuck at a lower belt. This lead me to find a traditional boxing gym in 2013 where there were no belts and it was all about skills. At that gym I had few boxing smokers and I met a couple people that also trained at strike zone and they got me into MMA and Jiu-jitsu in about 2014/2015. In 2015 I would go into to compete in my first MMA fight but I had lost which lit a fire in me and drove me to train hard. Then I won my next fight via TKO in Mohegan Sun which got me addicted and I haven't stopped since.

Q: Are there other fighters that you particular emulate? Are there any that you enjoy watching? 

A: I honestly don’t really have a favorite fighter because I don’t really have time to watch fights. I really only watch the fights of fellow New England fighters at local shows. I do really enjoy watching the lower weight classes (flyweight-lightweight) in the UFC though when I do have a chance to get out.

Q: What are you future goals in combat sports? Are you planning on going professional?

A: I try to make small goals as I progress. I do plan on going pro, but I'm also in no rush either. Right now I just want to focus on continuously improving myself as a fighter.

Q: Do you have a day job?

A: Yes I work full time at Electric Boat as an apprentice designing nuclear submarines for the Navy. 

Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring fighters?

A: Eat clean, wrestle, and do not rush into fights. Study your opponents, keep your weight on point and work on your wrestling. Wrestling is without a doubt the most important fundamental for MMA. If you cannot take your opponents down or defend take downs you will be in big trouble in the cage. 

 

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Lion Fight 56 Amateur Preliminary Results

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 06/24/19

The amateur results for the Lion Fight 56 amateur card on June 8 are as follows;


Rob Ovalle of Boston earned a split decision win over Dominico McIntosh of Washington D.C. in a light heavyweight bout.

Chris Lapriore of Worcester, MA earned a split decision win over Zeal McGraw of Holbrook, MA in a heavyweight bout.

Nahoom Demissie of Washington D.C. earned an unanimous decision win over Flavio Brito of Boston, MA in a light heavyweight bout.

Aaron Ortiz of Worcester, MA earned an unanimous decision win over Elvin Johnson of Boston in a super middleweight bout.

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June 1 Reality Fighting Grappling Results

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 06/08/19

Here are the results for the grappling bouts that opened Reality Fighting's June 1 event at Mohegan Sun. 


Logan Diaz submitted Logan Brady by guillotine choke.

Gustavo Alarcon submitted Nick Enzor by armbar.

Lee McHugh and Vincent Tedesco competed to a draw.

Erica Gauthier submitted Tommi Bonomo by armbar.

Gregory Jarvis and Mike Pogacsas competed to a draw.

Erica Van Bloomberg and Kristen Tevay competed to a draw.

Curtis Ward and Jim Hevner competed to a draw.

Shawn O'Dou and Mike Tabor competed to a draw.

Roberto Valentin submitted Andrew George with a loop choke.

Angel Rodriguez submitted Adam Roy by heel hook.

Mike Montgomery and Ed Abrasely competed to a draw.

Maria Kipreos submitted Danielle Gambardella with an arm bar.

Thiago Bamboo and Nicholas Cortez competed to a draw.

Pete Jeffrey and Thiago Alves competed to a draw.

Jeileen Alvarez and Katlyn Doran competed to a draw.

James Cook submitted Fernando Sabenca with a kimura shoulder lock.

Leon Davis and Pete Hailer competed to a draw.

Kirkor Papasian submitted Kenny Markwat by heel hook.

Kurt Chse Patrick submitted Jeff Emil Haddad by heel hook.

Nate Lamotte and Danilo Cherman competed to a draw.

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Lion Fight 56 on June 8: Two title fights scheduled

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 06/06/19

A world cruiserweight title fight between Massachussetts-based Chip “the Surgeon” Moraza-Pollard (10-0) and Kongjak Po Baoin (160-72-8) will headline Lion Fight 56 – a live Muay Thai event that Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT will host on June 8. 

Moraza-Pollard, a former MMA fighter, is the organization’s current belt holder and defended his title in February against Juan Cervantes (30-9-1) in Los Angeles during a February event. He also knocked out French fighter Remy Vectol during his last visit to Foxwoods.

Po Baoin, who has competed in six weight classes, will make his Lion Fight debut this weekend.

The co-main event will be a North American continental title fight. Defending belt holder Amine “the Lion” Ballafrikh (11-3) will fight Ricardo “the Scorpion” Cruz (42-11-1) for a lightweight belt.

The other fights on the main card include a super featherweight bout between Michael “Iron Boy” Triana (5-1) and Joseph Mueller (6-2), and a super cruiserweight bot between Doug Holland (2-0) and Tafon Nchukwi, who will make his professional debut that evening.

Cody Laskar (2-0) and Chase Walden (3-2) are scheduled to fight in a professional middleweight bout on the preliminary card

Spokespersons for Lion Fight confirmed that Dan Cormier’s professional debut that evening has been cancelled due to a medical issue involving his opponent.

The scheduled amateur preliminary bouts include

  • A super middleweight bout between Elvin Johnson and Aaron Ortiz.
  • A light heavyweight bout between Nahom Demissie and Flavio Brito.
  • A heavyweight bout between Zeal McGraw and Chris Lapriore.
  • A featherweight bout between John Ladisa and Hector Delerio.
  • A welterweight bout between Sienna Milton and April Canavan.
  • A light heavyweight bout between Dominico McIntosh and Rob Ovalle.
  • A flyweight bout between Marija Kelly and Madelyn Grimaldi.

 

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Realiity Fighting Preview: June 1

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 05/30/19

Spokespersons for Reality Fighting confirmed that there will be three title fights on the card during the organization's June 1 event, which Mohegan Sun will host this weekend.


These bouts include; an amateur light heavyweight title fight between Wolfgang Fiasconaro and Yuri Panferov; an amateur featherweight title bout between Zac Richard and Miguel Cuevas; and a professional welterweight title bout between Kemran Lechinov and Billy Goff (both fresh off of Bellator events in February).

Other bouts include;

  • Jose Lugo versus Johnny Campbell.
  • Andy Kurzkonki versus Serhii Boychun.
  • Randy Francis versus Mike Placentini
  • Ashley Barret versus Traci Baldwin.
  • Zachery Watson versus Johnny Santos.
  • Ariana Melendez versus Ariana Cruz.
The event will also include mixed grappling. More details may be found here.

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Preview: CES in Hartford, CT on May 31

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 05/29/19

CES featherweight champion Bruce Boyington (16-11) of Young's MMA in Maine will defend his belt against Waterbury's Dan Dubuque (8-2) during the five-round main event at CES 56 o Friday evening. Dubuque trains at Danilo Cherman Nova Uniao, according to information from CES.

The Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford will host the event, which will include regional favorites Nick Newell (14-2) in his debut fight with CES and Parker Porter (6-5).
Newell, a former Connecticut resident, currently fights out of the Fighting Arts Academy in Springfield, MA and is perhaps best known for his tenure with the now-defunct World Series of Fighting. Newell, who was born with no left upper arm, is also one of three Connecticut fighters to compete on Dana's White's Tuesday Night Contender Series.
Newell will fight Kalvin Hackney (17-5) in a lightweight bout.
Porter, who fights out of Underdog BJJ in Hartford, will compete against Kevin Sears (8-5) of Child's Play MMA in Colorado. Porter is currentlyReality Fighting's heavyweight title holder, according to information from that promotion's website.
Another Waterbury resident, Jessy Miele (7-3), will fight Elizabeth Phillips of Spokane, WA in a featherweight bout. Miele also fights out of Underdog BJJ.
Other Connecticut fighters on the card include; Waterbury's Jesse Kosakowski (3-0), who will fight Ryan Jett (4-4) of North Carolina in a welterweight bout; and New Haven's Marisa Messer-Belenchia (2-0), who fights out of Ultimate MMA and will fight Stephane Hernandez of Idaho in an atomweight bout -- Hernandez will make her professional debut that evening.
John Gotti III (3-0) of Oyster Bay, NY will fight David Espino (3-2) of Massachusetts in a welterweight bout. 
Jornel Lugo of Miami will fight Joshua Oxendine of North Carolina in a bantamweight bout. Both fighters will make their professional debuts that evening.
Hugh McKenna of Syoset, NY will fight Rodolfo Rocha of New York City in a welterweight bout. Both fighters are currently 1-2.
Will Smith (1-0) , who also fights out of FAA, will compete against Ashiek Ajim of Long Island MMA in a bantamweight bout. Ajim will make his professional debut that evening.

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Fight card for CES March 29 show

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 03/27/19

CES (Classic Entertainment Sports) will be putting on its next show on March 29 in Hartford, CT; the first time that an MMA show has been hold in Connecticut off of one of the Indian reservations. The Connecticut Convention Center at 100 Columbus Boulevard will host the event.

Although the sport became legal in Connecticut in 2013, it wasn't until two years ago that the statutes were modified to make insurance less daunting to promoters, according to certain sources.
Sources with CES released a card for the event, which will include a featherweight bout between Trenton, Jersey-based fighter Tim Dooling (7-4) and area favorite Matt Bessette (22-9) -- a UFC veteran who fights out of Stafford Springs. Bessette, who has also competed in Bellator and Reality Fighting, trains out of Underdog BJJ in Hartford.
The main event is a world championship welterweight bout between Renzo Gracie student Jeremiah Wells (6-1) and Vinicius De Jesus (7-2) of Team Link in a middleweight bout.
The other title fight on the card is a bantamweight bout between Tony Gravely (16-5) and Darren Mima (10-7).
Caio Magalhaes (10-6) of Bethel, CT will fight Eric Spicely (10-4). Magalhaes trains of Teixiera MMA.
Manchester's William Knight (4-0), who trains out of Thornoton MMA, will fight Carlton Little (7-6) in a light heavyweight bout.
Dan Dubuque (7-2) of Waterbury will fight Antonio Castillo (10-8) in a featherweight bout.
Two Meriden residents that also train at Underdog will be on the card; Justin Valentin (2-0), will fight Jason Huntley (5-8) in a flyweight bout; and Carlos Rivera (1-4), who will fight Mike Diorio (1-3) in a middleweight bout.
Another fighter that trains at Thornton, Gil Pinheiro (0-2) of Naugatuck, will fight debuting professional Tom Connolly in a lightweight bout.
Female fighters Hilarie Rose (2-1) and Rosa Acevedo (4-3) will compete in a strawweight bout.
The card also includes a middleweight bout between Fabio Cherant (3-0) and Marquis Allen (1-2).

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March 16 AMMO Results

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 03/24/19

(West Springfield- March 16)

The Big E again hosted AMMO Fight League's now-traditional St. Patrick's Day weekend event. A 170-pound bout between Connor Barry and Jesus Cintron capped the event, which ended at :29 in the first round.
Barry landed a straight high front kick early in the fight that brought the fight to the ground. He subsequently started to ground and pound until the referee waved the fight off, securing him a victory by TKO.
Harris Bonfiglio secured a submission victory via kimura over Robbie Leroux during a 135-pound bout that served as the co-main event. Bonfiglio landed a high side kick almost immediately and wound up on top as the fighters went to the ground. During the stand-up that followed, Leroux caught another kick by Bonfiglio and lifted him high before dropping him. But Bonfiglio wound up on top and secured the submission about two minutes into the fight. Leroux appeared to have an injured arm afterward.
Jon Manley's 170-pound bout with Jeremie Holloway was cancelled. He instead grappled with Placido Carl Santos during a match that preceded the two main events. Santos submitted Manley with a rear naked choke at 3:17.
The main card opened with a 115-pound fight between Dan Cormier and Matt Lyall. Cormier submitted Lyall at :50 in the first round with a D'Arce choke.
The second fight was a featherweight bout between William Smith and Bradley Sustad. Although Sustad caught a high kick by Smith and threw him, the referee waved the fight off after some ground action at 1:23 in the first round. A ringside doctor determined that Sustad sustained a broken arm and officials declared Smith the winner by submission.
The evening's other MMA bouts were all amateur fights that marked the undercard. The main preliminary bout was a featherweight championship bout between defending champion Randy Francis and challenger Kenny Champion -- the bout went to an unanimous decision with champion winning the belt.
Both fighters generally exchanged cautious back-and-forth strikes during the first three rounds. But Francis looked battered by the middle of the fourth round as Champion began adding knees to the exchanges. The judges scored it 49-47, 49-46 and 49-45.
The referee briefly stopped the fight during the fifth round after Champion sustained a strike to the groin. The exchanges continued and both fighters were hammering each other in the body as the fight ended.
The undercard opened with a 145-pound bout between Anthony Alvarado and Charra Phon. Although Phon got progressively more aggressive and attempted a few submissions, the fight ended with a split decision in favor of Alvarado.
The next fight was a 125-pound bout between Blaze Robinson versus Jonathan Cocoma (125 pounds). The referee waved the fight off at :10 in the second round with Robinson winning by TKO.
Featherweight Nate Ghareeb generally appeared more dominant during his bout with Aaron Hughes. He brought Hughes down with a kick during the second round and began throwing punches. The referee waved the fight and Ghareeb won by TKO at 1:30.
Welterweight Sage Philippe used lower leg kicks and clinching with knees during he first round of his fight with James Thomas. But Thomas took his back as the round ended. 
During the second round, Thomas caught a kick by Philippe and pushed him backwards before attempting to punch his way into controlling the pace of the fight. But Philippe used lower leg kicks to get Thomas off balance before bringing the fight to the ground. Philippe eventually took Thomas's back and punched him before the referee waved the fight off, winning the fight by TKO.
Women's flyweight Glory Watson grounded-and-pounded her way to a unanimous decision win over Alyssa Marini. Although Marini attempted what appeared to be a leg triangle during the third round, it was not enough.
The evening opened with grappling matches. These included kid's matches such as a match between "Spidey Girl" and Avaleen Crowley that ended in a draw.
The other outcomes were as follows;

Andrew Kimball submitted Andres Esparza at 7:30.
Danielle Hindley submitted Nicole Shattuck at 1:24.
Jeff Haddad and John Stapleton ended in a draw.
Charles Soffen submitted Logan Diaz at 2:59.
Gianna Daniele submitted Ryan Sousa at 3:21.


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AMMO Fight League St. Patrick's Day Event Card

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 03/14/19

The Big E in West Springfield will host AMMO Fight League's next event, the St. Patrick's Day Blood Bath, on March 16 at 1305 Memorial Avenue in West Springfield, MA.

The event will start at 5 PM and will include professional and amateur bouts as well as professional fights.
One of the main bouts, a 170-pound fight between Jon Manley and Jeremie Holloway, was canceled. Promoter Bill Vigil announced on Facebook that AMMO cancelled the bout after Holloway sustained injuries following a head-on car collision and was hospitalized. Manley will instead compete in a grappling match with Placido Carl Santos.

The other professional bouts on the card as of press time are; 

Connor Barry versus Jesus Cintron (170 pounds).
Robbie Leroux versus Harris Bonfiglio (135 pounds).
William Smith versus Bradley Sustad (140 pounds).
Dan Cormier versus Matt Lyall (115 pounds).

The amateur bouts are; 

Randy Francis versus Renny Champion (145 pounds).
Glory Watson versus Alyssa Marini (125 pounds).
Sage Philippe versus James Thomas (170 pounds).
Nate Ghareeb versus Aaron Hughes (145 pounds).
Blaze Robinson versus Jonathan Cocoma (125 pounds).
Anthony Alvarado versus Charra Phon (145 pounds).
Arii Fernandes versus Donovan Torres (145 pounds).
Joel Velez versus Brandson Dean (165 pounds).

The grappling matches include;

Gianna Daniele versus Ryan Sousa
Charles Soffen versus Logan Dias
Jeff Haddad versus John stapleton
Nicole Shattuck versus Danielle Hindley
Andrew Kimball versus Andres Esparza

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Bellator 216 results from Feb. 16 at Mohegan Sun Arena

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 02/20/19

Spokespersons for Bellator and reports from Sherdog.com provided the following information.



Michael 'Venom" Page (14-0) defeated fellow Englishman Paul Daley (40-17-2) by unanimous decision and secured his next slot in the promotion's Grand Pix bracket for the welterweight class. Grand Prix format for that weight class. Page will fight Douglas Lima (30-7) at Bellator 221 on May 1.

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (38-11-2 with one no-contest) defeated Roy Nelson (23-17) in a heavyweight bout by unanimous decision.

Cheick Kongo (30-11-2) defeated Vitaly Minakov (21-1) in a heavyweight bout by unanimous decision.

Yaroslav Amosov (21-0) defeated Erick Silva (20-10 with one no-contest) in a welterweight bout by unanimous decision.

Valerie Loureda (1-0) defeated Colby Fletcher (1-3) in a flyweight bout by TKO with body kicks and punches at 2:55 in the first round.

Demetrius Plaza (1-0) defeated Andrews Rodriguez (1-1) by unanimous decision in a welterweight bout.

Justin "the Fort" Sumter (7-2) submitted Reginaldo Felix (5-3) with a rear naked choke at 3:27 in the second round of a lightweight bout.

Kemran Lachinov (8-2) defeated Kastriot Xhema (2-3 with one no-contest) by technical submission (knee bar) at :58 in the second round of a 165-pound catchweight bout.

Tyrell Fortune (6-0) defeated Ryan Pokryfky (6-6) by TKO (punches) at 2:21 in the first round of a heavyweight bout.

Vinicius De Jesus (7-2) defeated Rudulpho Barcellos (1-1) by TKO (punches) at 3:46 in the first round of a welterweight bout.

Jesse  Kosakowski (3-0) submitted Rodolfo Rocha (1-2) at 3:05 by rear naked choke in the second round of a middleweight bout.

Nekruz Mirkhojaev (4-2) submitted Patrick Casey (4-1) by neck crank at 1:18 in the third round of a lightweight fight.

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Bellator 216 preview

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 02/15/19

Mohegan Sun Arena will host back-to-back Bellator cards this weekend -- Bellator 215 on February 15 and Bellator 216 on February 16.

A preview of Bellator 215 can be found on our blog here.
Bellator 216: MVP versus Daley will feature a star-studded main card and a preliminary card with faces familiar to area MMA fans.
British fighters Michael 'Venom" Page (13-0) and Paul Daley (40-16-2), who is perhaps infamous for his firing from the UFC, will headline the event in a welterweight bout that will determine advancement in Bellator's Grand Prix format for that weight class. 
MMA legend Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (37-11-2 with one no-contest) will fight fellow heavyweight and fan favorite Roy Nelson (23-16) in the evening's co-main event. UFC veteran Cheick Kongo (29-11-2) will fight Vitaly Minakov, who is on a 21-fight winning streak, in a heavyweight bout. Yaroslav Amosov, who is currentlky on a 20-fight winning streak, will fight Erick Silva (20-9 with one no-contest) in a welterweight bout. A flyweight bout between Valerie Loureda, who will make her professional debut, and Colby Fletcher (1-2) will round out the main card.
Connecticut fighters Jesse Kosakowski (2-0) and Kastriot Xhema (2-2 with one no-contest) will appear on the preliminary card. Kosakowski will fight Rodolfo Rocha (1-1) in a middleweight bout. Xhema will fight Kemran Lachinov (7-2) in 165-pound catchweight bout.
The rest of the preliminary card includes;
  • Heavyweight: Tyrell Fortune (5-0) versus Ryan Pokryfky (6-5).
  • Lightweight: Patrick "Gorilla Ninja" Casey (4-0) versus Nekruz Mirkhojaev (3-2).
  • Welterweight: Vinicius De Jesus (6-2) versus Rudulpho Barcellos (1-0).
  • Lightweight: Reginaldo Felix (5-2) versus Justin "the Fort" Sumter (6-2).
  • Weltereight: Demetrius Plaza (professional debut) versus Andrews Rodriguez (1-0)

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Waterbury's Mike Kimbel on Bellator 215 main card; other Connecticut fighters in prelims

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 02/15/19

Mike Kimbel (2-0), who trains out of Waterbury, will fight John Douma (3-1) on February 15 during a bantamweight bout on Bellator' 215's main card.

The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville will host the fights. A heavyweight bout between Matt Mitrione (13-6) and Sergei Kharitonov (29-7 with one no-contest) will headline the event.
Kimbel, who clinched AMMO Fight League's amateur featherweight title in 2017, is a veteran of Premier FC and Reality Fighting that has already fought in two Bellator events -- Bellator 194 and Bellator 207.
A welterweight bout between Logan Storley (9-0) and John Pascu (18-9) will serve as the co-main event. The main card also includes a bantamweight fight between Eduardo Dantas (20-6) and Toby Misech (12-6), and a 175-pound catchweight fight between Austin Vanderford (6-0) and Cody Jones (6-2).
Two Connecticut fighters will appear on the preliminary card as well. Pete Rogers (3-4), who previously appeared in three previous Bellator events, will fight Jason Rine (1-4) in a featherweight bout. Bill Goff (1-0), a veteran of Reality Fighting, will make his second Bellator apperance during a welterweight bout with Ryan Hardy -- the latter will make his professional debut that evening.
The rest of the preliminary card includes;
  • Heavyweight: Steve Mowry (5-0) versus Darion Abbey (professional debut).
  • Featherweight: Amber Leibrock (3-2) versus Amanda Bell (5-5).
  • Middleweight: Pat McCrohan (3-2) versus Jason Markland (professional debut).
  • Atomweight: Tabatha Watkins (3-0) versus Lindsey VanZandt (4-1)
  • Featherweight: Matt Probin (3-0) versus Ali Zebian (1-0)
  • Flyweight: Zarrukh Adashev (1-1) versus Ronie Arana (0-2)

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Reality Fighting coming up

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 01/03/19

The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT will host Reality Fighting's first MMA event of the year. The Jan. 5 event's main bout will be a catchweight fight between Johnny Campbell, who fights as a bantamweight, and flyweight Johnny Lopez. But other highlights include three title fights and an undercard that includes UFC veteran and Hartford-based fighter Matt Bessette in a grappling match.

The title bouts will include; a featherweight fight between Miguel Cuevas and Jordan Riley; a lightweight fight between Eddy George and Matt Bienia, and a flyweight fight between Tim Flores and Edwin Solis.
According to information provided by Reality Fighting, there are nine more bouts on the main card as of this writing. These include; 
  • Andre Belcarris versus Harris Bonfiglio.
  • Ron Arana versus Justin Valentin.
  • Randy Francis versus A.J. Abate.
  • Amus Guyton versus Billy Goff.
  • Jeremy Woolfolk versus Matt Tappero.
  • Ken Rayside versus Nick Giuletti.
  • Nuridini Abrar versus Markus Cintron.
  • Johnny Santos versus David Walsh.
  • kurtis Froling versus Jeff Grant.
Bessette, who fought as a lightweight with Reality Fighting and a featherweight with Bellator, will grapple with Kirkor Papasian earlier that evening, according to information from the promoters.

Other grappling matches scheduled include;

  • Nick Enzor versus Matthew Cocchia.
  • Aaron Harris versus Evan Flores.
  • Joe Leonard versus Chris Palmquist.
  • Curtius Ward versus Imre Pogacsas.
  • Gregory Jarvis versus Jim Hevner.
  • Mike Montgomery versus Andrew Tevay.
  • Andrew George versus Jeff Roberts.
  • Matt Allen versus Frank Latina.
  • Svenja Juffernbruch versus Katlyn Doran.
  • Danielle Gambardella versus Nicole Powers Shattuck.
  • Pete Jeffrey versus Tiago Alves.
  • Casey Lamonte versus Alex Wyzatecki.
  • Brandon Seibold versus Jeff Emil Haddad.
  • Fernando Sabenca versus Pete Hailer.
  • Sebastian Berti versus Kurt-Chase Patrick.
  • Scott Gierlich versus Dana Haigh.
  • Erin Lamonte versus Kristen Gardner. 
  • John Beecher versus Eric Marandino.
  • Diogo Araujo versus Ryan Quinn.
We will post more information shortly. 

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Results for Bellator 207 at Mohegan Sun

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 10/13/18

Bellator spokespersons provided the following results for Bellator 207, which Mohegan Sun in Uncasville hosted on October 12. Nicola Faraone of Far One MMA also contributed to the story.


The Main Card

Ryan Bader (25-5) earned an unanimous decision over Matt Mitrione (13-5) during the main event that evening -- a semi-final mat ch for the organization's Heavyweight Grand Prix.. Two judges scored it 30-25 and one scored it 30-24.

Sergei Kharitonov (29-7 with one no contest) knocked out Roy Nelson (23-16) using knees at 4:59 in the first round of a heavyweight bout.

Lorenz Larkin   (20-7 with one no contest) earned an unanimous decision over Ion Pascu  (18-9) in a bout to determine who would secure an alternate spot in the organization's Welterweight Grand Prix. All three judges scored at 29-28.

Corey Browning (4-2) won by TKO by punches over Baby Slice  at 2:08 in the second round of a lightweight fight.

Mandel Nallo (7-0) used knees to secure a TKO win over Carrington Banks (7-2) at :57 in the second round of a lightweight bout.

The Preliminary Card

Mike Kimbel (2-0) of Waterbury, CT earned a TKO win over Alex Potts (1-1) of Worcester, MA through punching at:06 in the first round of a bantamweight bout. The time of the win is tied with the organizational record.

Janay Harding (4-4) earned a TKO victory over Sinead Kavanagh (5-3) following a doctor's stoppage at the end of the first round a featherweight bout.

Andre Filho (10-1) defeated Javier Torres (10-5 with one no contest) by majority decision in a catchweight fight (both fighters were listed at 170). Two judges scored it 29-28 and won scored it 28-28.

Sarah Click (2-2) of Buzzard's Bay, MA earned an unanimous decision win over Kristi Lopez (2-1-1) in a flyweight bout. All three judges scored it 30-27.

Vinicius de Jesus (6-2) of Stamford, CT earned an unanimous decision win over Tim Caron (9-3) in a middleweight bout. Two judges scored it 29-28 and one scored it 30-27.

Alexandra Ballou (1-0) of Bethlehem, CT defeated Lisa Blaine (2-1) by TKO using elbows at 3:28 in the third round of a flyweight bout.

Pat Casey (4-0) earned an unanimous decision win over Kastriot Xhema (2-2 with one no contest) of Greenwich, CT in a welterweight bout. All three judges scored it 30-26.

Kemran Luchinov (7-2) earned an unanimous decision win over Sean Lally in a catchweight bout (both fighters were listed at 170). Two judges scored it 30-27 and one scored it 29-28.

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Lisa "Insane" Blaine on Bellator, Premier

by Brian Woodman Jr. on 10/09/18

As Lisa "Insane" Blaine (2-2) looks forward to her flyweight fight with Alexandra Ballou (0-0) at Bellator 207 on October 12 at Mohegan Sun, she said that age was not going to get in her way.

"I am 39 and honestly in better shape than many 18-years-olds," she said. "I am about to face a 26-year-old."
Blaine, who trains at Ultimate MMA in North Haven with Marissa and Andrew Callandrelli, said she began training at age 34.
"I am a huge fan of the sport and finally decided to try it for myself," she said. "I just wanted to look back when I was 99 and say 'hey, I did that.'"
Her main goal was to compete in one amateur bout. She did not anticipate going professional, she said, let alone fighting twice with Bellator.
She started off with the Renzo Gracie in West Haven and changed gyms a few times during the last five years, including Speed School in Milford.
"I started with BJJ," she said. "But for some reason striking came more naturally. I love striking."
She described her ground game as her weakest point and added she was improving it.
Although Bellator has not yet signed her on a permanent basis, she said, she added that they approach her and other area fighters when they come to Connecticut to draw a local audience.
She praised Premiere FC owner Kathryn Wesch, who she said has given her the toughest opponents that she has faced in both amateur and professional bouts.
"All four times that I have lost have been in Karyn's cage," she said.
She admitted that of all her opponents, she would like a rematch with Destiny Quinones, whom she described as a friend and former training partner. She added that that her mind was not totally into their catchweight fight during Premier FC 28 in March, which she lost by decision. She noted a large weight drop, sickness and a back injury in training camp as major distractions. 
"I am not taking anything away from her," she said, praising Quinones's execution of her game plan.
Blaine praised Tammy Worrick, whom she out-struck in the second round of their flyweight bout at Premier FC 23, for fighting at an older age. 
She also credited Ana Julaton praised her Boxing ability. She added this was why she focused on keeping their flyweight bout at Bellator 185 last year on the ground, enabling her to win by decision.
"Hannah Goldy, the nicest i have ever met that has punched me in the face," she said regarding her next flyweight opponent at Premier FC 26, "I  have never had my face busted up like that before." 
Blaine, whop conceded that she bruises easily, last that fight by decision.
She currently works third shift as a machine operator when not spending time training or with her girlfriend.
"Honestly, it kind of sucks," she said. "I am tired and age does play into it."
Her long-term goals include starting her own gym and teaching women's self-defense, adding that she obviously can't fight indefinitely.
"You can all you want but you can't fight age," she said. But she urged prospective fighters not to be discouraged.
"No matter what you age you are, whatever it is that you dream, just go for it," she said.

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Q&A: Bellator veteran Dean Hancock

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 09/12/18

We chatted with Danbury’s Dean Hancock (3-2) in May prior to his cancelled Reality Fighting catchweight bout with Anthony Giacchina (2-2) on May 4 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Hancock was coming off a second-round loss by arm triangle choke courtesy of fellow lightweight Marcus Surin (3-1) at Bellator 194. But Hancock, who has fought in five Bellator events as of this writing, expressed optimism regarding the future.

 Q: When did you start pursuing your MMMA career?

 A: I started to really pursue it with the goal of turning pro in 2013.

 Q: Did you start with general MMA training or a particular style? What styles have you trained in?

 A: I did karate as a kid from ages five through 15, wrestled from ages 12 through 18, and did random NAGA and boxing events growing up.

 Q: Where have you trained?

 A: I started karate at Tiger Schullmann’s, then when i decided to pursue MMA I started at ATT CT  (American Top Team Connecticut) and now I train at Glover Teixeira's training center and Champs Boxing Club.

 Q: Will you be fighting on more Bellator cards?

 A: I plan to fight for Bellator as long as they'll have me, I'm not looking past May 4th.

 Q: What are your future goals in the sport?

 A: My goal in the sport is to make a comfortable living doing what I love.

 Q: Do you have a career apart from MMA?

 A: I currently work in a group home for teenage boys that have been removed from their homes.

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Pat Casey -- the Gorilla Ninja speaks

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 07/10/18

Pat "the gorilla ninja" Casey has been pleasing area in MMA fans with his performances as an amateur with Premier FC. But Casey (3-0), a Massachusetts-based fighter who held two amateur belts with the organization, made a statement earlier this year in his professional debut at Bellator 194. He is now on the undercard for Bellator 207 on October 12 at Mohegan Sun Arena, where he will face Kastroit Xhema (2-1) in a welterweight bout. We had a chat with him and hope you enjoy it.

Nutmegmma: Are you contracted to fight in any more bouts for Bellator?

Casey: As of now it was just a one-fight deal with Bellator but we will see what the future holds.

Nutmegmma: Will you still be competing in Premier FC? If so as an amateur or a professional?

Casey: It's possible that I will fight for Premier again I am not under contract with any promotion so as of now I can fight for whoever wants me one their card. Any fight I take now has to be pro once you fight pro you can no longer fight ammy.

Nutmegmma: Do you anticipate fighting again in Reality Fighting or other area organizations?

Casey: Reality is also a possibility I have a lot of potential fights for many promotions on the table myself and my management team will make the best decisions we can for my career.

Nutmegmma: To what do you credit your victory over Tyler Hamilton?

Casey: I credit my victory to a whole lot of relentless hard work, dedication and laser focus. If I'm not training I'm thinking about training. Fighting and getting better as a fighter is on my mind virtually every waking second of my day.

Nutmegmma: Do you have a career apart from MMA?

Casey: Outside of MMA I am a teacher for high school students with autism.

Nutmegmma: Which gym did you start at? Where do you currently train? Are there other gyms that you would like to mention?

Casey: I've trained at Team Link in Ludlow with Marco Alvan, Hector Arvelo and Jason Franklin for the majority of my career. Before Team Link I did some training with Jason Franklin and he was the one who encouraged me to join Team Link.

Nutmegmma: What style did you start with? What do you consider your core form? What do other styles do you train in?

Casey: I came in to MMA with no real background in other forms of fighting. I boxed for fun on occasion but I learned everything together. My style is aggressive but very adaptable I can employ many styles to win fights. You name it I probably train in it.

Nutmegmma: Are there particular fighters that you admire?

Casey: I don't really admire other fighters I admire people who serve others for a living. People like teachers, fire fighter and soldiers. Those are the kinds of people I admire.

Nutmegmma: Do you have any advice for aspiring fighters?

Casey: If you want to be a fighter make sure it's something you love, surround yourself with people with a similar vision as you and understand it's not always fun. There is a high level of sacrifice that comes along with being a serious fighter.

(Editor's note: he secured his most recent win at Premier FC 26).

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Unofficial Results for Premiere FC 26

 by Brian Woodman Jr. on 06/17/18

(Sheraton Hotel, Springfield, MA -- June 16)

William Knight defeated Terrance Jean-Jacques during the man event at Premier FC 26. He opened the second round with lower leg kicks and eventually finished the light heavyweight fight with a furious punching combination and one high side kick -- although Jean-Jacques was still standing, the referee waved the fight off at 2:35 and Knight won by TKO.

First-round finishes marked most of the main card. Marisa Belenchia submitted Grace Nowak with a kimora at 4:58 in a 108-pound catchweight fight. Pat Casey submitted Jesus Cintron with a rear naked choke at :22 in a 185-pound fight. Alex Ortiz used ground-and-pound to secure a TKO of Mike Taylor at :39 in a 155-pound fight.

The main card opened with a flyweight bout between Hannah Goldy and Lisa Blaine. Blaine won by unanimous decision.

The evening's first professional fight, a featherweight bout between Jeremy Reipold and Jason Rine, ended with the latter winning by submitting his opponent with a guillotine choke at 2:35 in the first round.

The evening opened with a 155-pound amateur bout between Harrison Adamo and Jason Showers. Adamo submitted Showers with a rear naked choke at 2:41 in the first round.

Randy Francis grounded and pounded Omaree Alamo during the flyweight amateur title bout that followed, prompting the referee to wave the fight off at 1:15 in the second round. Demetrios Plaza earned an unanimous decision win over Angelo Richardson following their amateur welterweight title bout. Yi Ju earned a TKO win on the ground against Holland Ahern at :27 in the first round during a light heavyweight title bout. Billy Goff defeated Chris Almestica with ground-and-pound striking at 1:48 in the first round of a lightweight amateur title fight.

(Editor's note: We would like to thank JD DePrato for his contributions to this story.

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