Feb 23, 2021 | General News, Sports, Uncategorized
FS1, FS2, Westwood One Radio and BEDN to provide wire-to-wire coverage live from Mohegan Sun Arena, March 5th – March 8th.
UNCASVILLE, CT (February 23, 2021) – Coverage for the 2021 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Jeep was announced on Friday, with FS1, FS2, the BIG EAST Digital Network presented by SoFi, available on FloSports, and Westwood One Radio combining to showcase all 10 games. Set for March 5th – March 8th, the BIG EAST will play its conference postseason at Mohegan Sun Arena for the first time after announcing a three-year agreement with the 10,000-seat arena located in southeastern Connecticut back in September.
Action tips off on Friday, March 5th with the First Round. BEDN will stream all three games beginning at 11:00am ET when the No. 8 seed faces the No. 9 seed. Play continues with the 7-10 matchup at 2:00pm, before the 6-11 tilt wraps up Day 1 at 5:00pm.
Friday’s 8-9 winner will face the No. 1 seed in the first quarterfinal game on Saturday, March 6th, with tipoff slated for Noon ET. FS1 will provide coverage of the day’s first quarterfinal before FS2 picks up the remaining three games, beginning at 3:00pm when the No. 4 seed faces the No. 5 seed. The evening session tips off with the No. 2 seed against the winner of the 7-10 matchup at 6:00pm on FS2, before the No. 3 seed wraps up the four-game day against the winner of Friday’s 6-11 showdown. Tipoff for that game is slotted for 9:00pm on FS2.
FS1 will air the final three games of the BIG EAST Tournament, beginning with the Semifinals on March 7th. Saturday’s afternoon quarterfinal winners will meet at 3:00pm ET, before Saturday’s evening winners square off at 6:00pm. Semifinal winners will battle on Monday, March 8th, at 8:00pm to determine the conference champion and recipient of the BIG EAST’s automatic bid into the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Westwood One Radio will broadcast the title game, which is available on terrestrial stations across the country, SiriusXM and westwoodonesports.com. Specific channels will be solidified prior to March 8th.
No fan access is anticipated at the 2021 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament. For more information on the event, click HERE, or follow @BIGEASTwbb on Twitter.
2021 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Jeep
Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, Connecticut
March 5 – First Round
Game 1: 8 seed vs. 9 seed, 11:00am (BEDN on FloSports)
Game 2: 7 seed vs. 10 seed, 2:00pm (BEDN on FloSports)
Game 3: 6 seed vs. 11 seed, 5:00pm (BEDN on FloSports)
March 6 – Quarterfinals
Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. 1 seed, Noon (FS1)
Game 5: 4 seed vs. 5 seed, 3:00pm (FS2)
Game 6: Game 2 winner vs. 2 seed, 6:00pm (FS2)
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. 3 seed, 9:00pm (FS2)
March 7 – Semifinals
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 3:00pm (FS1)
Game 9: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 6:00pm (FS1)
March 8 – Final
Game 10: Game 8 winner vs Game 9 winner, 8:00pm (FS1)
All times Eastern
# # #
Jan 25, 2021 | Entertainment, Food & Beverage, General News, Special Events, Sports
The Chiefs take on the Buccaneers on Sunday, February 7th and Mohegan Sun has guests covered with a special hotel package for prime viewing that includes beer, wings, pizza and more
For football’s biggest night on Sunday, February 7th, 
Mohegan Sun’s Sky Tower and Earth Tower are currently taking reservations for a special hotel package. The “Big Game Package” comes equipped with room service delivery right at 6:30pm ET kick-off (unless otherwise specified) of an 18” Cheese Pizza, 12 Chicken Wings, 6 Pork & Shrimp Dumplings, Potato Chips with Onion Dip & a bucket of Coors Light beers. Additionally, a unique bag of Coors Light swag gifts is included.
This special hotel package is available for February 7th, 2021 and can be booked HERE. There are limited packages available, so booking early is encouraged.
Cancellations are possible at least two days prior, (by 11:59pm) to arrival date to avoid penalty. Guests can also call 1.888.777.7922 or visit mohegansun.com/hotel-spa-and-golf.html for more information.
Mohegan Sun’s Sky Tower and Earth Tower boast 1,563 spacious and elegantly appointed guest rooms and more than 200 suites. Steps away from both hotel towers are various leisurely experiences including fine dining, entertainment and unforgettable gaming.
In addition to the special hotel package, COMIX Roadhouse, located near Casino of the Earth, will be offering smoked wings at a discounted price on Sunday, February 7th along with Bud Light Pints for $3 and a special Magic Show at 4:00pm. Jasper White’s Summer Shack will also have some food and drink specials taking place on February 7th, including Shack Fish Tacos and a pint of beer for $15 (beginning at 6:00pm). Right next door at Sushi Koya, Traditional Maki Rolls will be available for $5.
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN:
Owned by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to two unique casinos, 1,600 deluxe hotel rooms, two world-class spas, a golf course, over 80 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country. More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @mohegansun, view us on YouTube and find us on Snapchat at username MoheganSun.
# # #
Jan 5, 2021 | Boxing, Entertainment, General News, Sports
One of the premier casino and entertainment destinations in the United States made a vital pivot during the pandemic to safely host major sports, primarily inside the award-winning Mohegan Sun Arena
UNCASVILLE, CT (January 5, 2021) – 2020 was a historic
year that resulted in every major entertainment venue across the globe shutting down due to the worst pandemic in a century, accounting for billions in lost live entertainment revenue. Mohegan Sun Arena still found a way to stay open and generate a new revenue stream by reimagining itself as a residency broadcast center. Industry leading safety protocols joined the hard-working entertainment division at Mohegan Sun, led by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment’s (MGE) President of Sports & Entertainment, Tom Cantone – and soon major sporting events (Bellator MMA, SHOWTIME Sports and College Basketball), were planned and executed without fans in attendance. As a result, Mohegan Sun Arena became one of only few venues in the United States open and producing live events. In all, these residencies in 2020 brought in 650+ professional and college athletes competing to audiences stretching in the millions across network TV, pay-per-view, social media platforms and streaming services, the latter of which had huge impacts on increased viewership.
“We wanted to adapt in an impactful way to the unforeseen challenges that Mohegan Sun, especially our award-winning Mohegan Sun Arena, suddenly faced when the pandemic arrived,” said Dave Martinelli, Chief Marketing Officer of Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE). “These high-profile sporting events that we signed on and in which were successfully and collaboratively ran, did just that.”
The first deal was struck by Cantone this past summer when a historic residency with SHOWTIME Sports and Bellator MMA was made, creating the opportunity for a string of nationally televised and much anticipated sporting events to be featured in Mohegan Sun Arena. These live broadcast events with the ViacomCBS owned SHOWTIME Sports and Bellator MMA, which will continue in 2021, featured Premier Boxing events on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View (PPV) as well as action packed Bellator MMA fights most frequently broadcast on the Paramount Network and CBS Sports Network. The success of the ViacomCBS residencies soon led to additional interest from other major sports – including the NCAA. Martinelli netted a deal to host 25+ Division 1 NCAA men’s and women’s college basketball teams over the course of 10 days in late November and early December 2020. The agreement came together through partnerships with The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and Gazelle Group.
“We created positive momentum with the incredible bubble-site residencies Mohegan Sun Arena hosted for SHOWTIME Boxing and Bellator MMA,” said Cantone. “Our efforts to keep our Arena in action proved how important relationships can be and allowed for additional opportunities such as “Bubbleville” to come to fruition. Through all of these events, comprehensive health and safety standards were carried out with tremendous efficiency by everyone involved, including the healthcare professionals with the Mohegan Tribal Health Department and other healthcare teams assisting us. I’m extremely proud of what our Mohegan Sun management, team members and our partners executed in such a challenging year.”
“Bubbleville,” as it was billed and came to be known in national press coverage ahead of and during its run from November 25th – December 5th of 2020, saw multiple big-time teams from the likes of Villanova, Florida, Virginia, USC, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Uconn and Arizona State take the floor for the start of their seasons. Similar to the boxing and MMA events, in-person crowds were not present though various games were played to national audiences through ESPN networks and the online streaming platform, FLOHOOPS. After unfortunate setbacks to start, where some teams were not able to take part in “Bubbleville,” the tournaments moved forward, in large part due to the strict safety measures enacted and vital testing schedules conducted by Hartford Healthcare and Mirimus, who administered 2,800 tests among teams and staff.
“Bubbleville protocols included all teams, staff and other vital personnel like referees and broadcasters to take saliva based tests upon arrival and during their stay in the bubble,” said Dave Martinelli, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment’s CMO. “We hit some setbacks just as the games were set to begin, though focus wasn’t lost, and what followed was 10 days of great College Basketball under a tight system of the type rarely seen before at a casino resort destination.”
Villanova’s championship winning head coach, Jay Wright, also commented to APNews mid-way through “Bubbleville” at Mohegan Sun by saying, “You feel safe, you know you can get a game in here and you know the team you’re playing is going to be safe. I think that’s going to be important throughout this year to find environments like this.”
More than 17,000 hotel room nights were booked at Mohegan Sun’s Sky Tower and Earth Tower during these three major sporting deals. In total, Mohegan Sun gained vast exposure on a variety of media platforms including CBS Sports, ESPN, Paramount Network, Showtime Network, YouTube, the Bellator App, DAZN, TV Spots 5 UK and additional streaming services like FLOHOOPS.
“The exposure we were able to receive as part of these opportunities last year was highly significant,” said Jeff Hamilton, President & General Manager of Mohegan Sun. “Bubbleville hosted a game on Thanksgiving night, live on ESPN, where the Arizona StateSun Devils battled and fell to the #4 Villanova Wildcats. This game had a household Television audience of 591,000, equating to nearly 1 million overall potential viewers. This was just one of many big-time national audiences our venue and brand was a part of in 2020.”
Additional highly rated events, live from Mohegan Sun Arena last year, included Bellator 249 (Cyborg vs. Blencowe on October 15th), Bellator 250 (Mousasi vs. Lima on October 29th) and Bellator 254 (Macfarlane vs. Velasquez on December 10th), among others. And one of the most anticipated boxing events came on September 26, 2020, when in a WBC World Middleweight title fight, Jermall Charlo defeated Sergly Derevyanchenko in a 12 round unanimous decision. Boxing history was also made on this night as the fight card included four other World Championship Title fights live from Mohegan Sun Arena and broadcast to viewers worldwide on Showtime Pay-Per-View (PPV). The pandemic created an opportunity to capture a home audience of more than 12 million viewers during the ViacomCBS broadcasts, with ratings in the double digits.
“During an unprecedented year, we found a way to generate a new revenue stream, create impactful brand exposure, fill hotel rooms and bring back an entertainment workforce,” said Cantone. “No virus could kill the spirit of this incredible team who made the words, “Live from Mohegan Sun Arena,” a monumental achievement in 2020.”
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Now and is also consistently ranked top 15 in the world for “All Size Venues.” The award–winning venue was named “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” in 2016 and is a seven–time Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM) national award–winner for “Arena of the Year,” with the most recent recognition coming in 2019. In 2020, Mohegan Sun Arena remained one of the top venues in the world according to year-end reports by both Pollstar and Venues Now. For more information and updates on Mohegan Sun Arena, call 1.888.226.7711 or visit Mohegan Sun.
ABOUT MOHEGAN GAMING & ENTERTAINMENT
Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE) is a master developer and operator of premier global integrated entertainment resorts, including Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, Inspire in Incheon, South Korea, and Niagara Casinos in Niagara, Canada. MGE is owner, developer, and/or manager of integrated entertainment resorts throughout the United States, including Connecticut, New Jersey, Washington, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Northern Asia, Niagara Falls, Canada, and coming soon pending regulatory approval, Las Vegas, Nevada. MGE is owner and operator of Connecticut Sun, a professional basketball team in the WNBA and New England Black Wolves, a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. For more information on MGE and our properties, visit www.mohegangaming.com.
# # #
Nov 12, 2020 | Breaking News, Entertainment, General News, Sports
Collegiate Event to Feature 40 Teams in 45 Games Over 11 Days
Uncasville, CT – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Gazelle 
Group today announced the complete schedule of matchups for the season-opening event known as “Bubbleville.” Games will be played November 25 – December 5, 2020 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Bubbleville will house several events relocated and reimagined due to COVID-19 and provides a controlled environment with teams and event staff adhering to tribal, government, and NCAA health and safety protocols and testing requirements. At this time, all games are expected to be played without fans in attendance.
The event will feature 45 games in 11 days, showcasing 40 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s teams. The schedule will be headlined by several preseason ranked squads including #2 Baylor, #3 Villanova, #4 Virginia, #18 Arizona State and#20 Oregon for the men and #3 UConn, #5 Louisville and #6 Mississippi State for the women. Select games will be available on ESPN networks. All games airing on ESPN networks will also be available on the ESPN App, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider. All other games will be streamed via FloHoops. The schedule to date is available below, along with broadcast information.
In the coming days, additional games featuring Oregon and Missouri will be added to the schedule on December 2 and 3. Each school will play two games, including one game against each other.
Events taking place in Bubbleville include the Roman Legends Classic presented by Old Trapper, the 2K Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project presented by Continental Tire, the HomeLight Classic, the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament, the Air Force Reserve Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Challenge, the Jimmy V Women’s Classic and several pods and single game contests developed specifically for Bubbleville.
To learn more, visit https://www.hoophall.com/events/bubbleville or follow @hoophall #Bubbleville on Twitter and Instagram.
About Mohegan Sun Arena:
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Now and is also consistently ranked top 15 in the “World for All Size Venues.” The award–winning venue was named “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” in 2016 and is a seven–time Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM) national award–winner for “Arena of the Year,” with the most recent recognition coming in 2019. For more information and updates on Mohegan Sun Arena, call 1.888.226.7711 or visit Mohegan Sun.
About the Gazelle Group:
The Gazelle Group is a sports marketing firm, specializing in event production and management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. Gazelle produces numerous nationally-recognized events, such as the 2K Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project presented by Continental Tire, the Roman Legends Classic Presented by Old Trapper, the Gotham Classic, the Sunshine Slam, the Bluegrass Showcase, the Holiday Face-Off, and the College Basketball Invitational. For more information on the Gazelle Group, please visit gazellegroup.com.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo “Court of Dreams.” Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall #Bubbleville or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
|
9:00 AM
|
Men
|
St. Bonaventure vs. Towson
|
FloHoops
|
|
11:30 AM
|
Men
|
Rhode Island vs. Stephen F. Austin
|
FloHoops
|
|
2:00 PM
|
Men
|
Virginia vs. Maine
|
FloHoops
|
|
4:30 PM
|
Men
|
Florida vs. UMass Lowell
|
FloHoops
|
|
7:00 PM
|
Men
|
2k Empire Classic: Villanova vs. Boston College
|
ESPN
|
|
9:30 PM
|
Men
|
2k Empire Classic: Baylor vs. Arizona State
|
ESPN
|
Thursday, November 26, 2020
|
11:00 AM
|
Men
|
Rhode Island vs. Towson
|
FloHoops
|
|
1:30 PM
|
Men
|
St. Bonaventure vs. Stephen F. Austin
|
FloHoops
|
|
4:00 PM
|
Men
|
Siena vs. Massachusetts
|
FloHoops
|
|
7:00 PM
|
Men
|
2k Empire Classic Consolation
|
ESPN
|
|
9:30 PM
|
Men
|
2k Empire Classic Championship
|
ESPN
|
Friday, November 27, 2020
|
11:30AM
|
Men
|
HomeLight Classic: Virginia vs. Florida
|
ESPN
|
|
2:00 PM
|
Men
|
Towson vs. Stephen F. Austin
|
FloHoops
|
|
4:30 PM
|
Men
|
Massachusetts vs. Delaware
|
FloHoops
|
|
7:00 PM
|
Men
|
Central Connecticut State vs. Maine
|
FloHoops
|
|
9:30 PM
|
Men
|
St. Bonaventure vs. Army
|
FloHoops
|
Saturday, November 28, 2020
|
10:00 AM
|
Women
|
AFR HOF Women’s Challenge: Mississippi State vs. Maine
|
FloHoops
|
|
12:30 PM
|
Women
|
AFR HOF Women’s Challenge: UConn vs. Quinnipiac
|
TBA
|
|
3:00 PM
|
Men
|
Delaware vs. Siena
|
FloHoops
|
|
5:30 PM
|
Men
|
AFR HOF Tip-Off: Rhode Island vs. South Florida
|
ESPN3
|
|
8:00 PM
|
Men
|
AFR HOF Tip-Off: Virginia Tech vs. Temple
|
ESPNEWS
|
Sunday, November 29, 2020
|
9:30 AM
|
Women
|
AFR HOF Women’s Challenge Consolation
|
FloHoops
|
|
12:00 PM
|
Men
|
Massachusetts vs. Iona
|
FloHoops
|
|
3:00 PM
|
Women
|
AFR HOF Women’s Challenge Championship
|
ESPN
|
|
5:30 PM
|
Men
|
AFR HOF Tip-Off: Rhode Island vs. Temple
|
ESPN2
|
|
8:00 PM
|
Men
|
AFR HOF Tip-Off: Virginia Tech vs. South Florida
|
ESPN2
|
Monday, November 30, 2020
|
11:30 AM
|
Men
|
Vermont vs. Buffalo
|
FloHoops
|
|
2:00 PM
|
Men
|
Siena vs. Liberty
|
FloHoops
|
|
9:00 PM
|
Men
|
Boston College vs. St. John’s
|
TBA
|
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
|
11:30 AM
|
Men
|
St. Bonaventure vs. Vermont
|
FloHoops
|
|
2:30 PM
|
Men
|
Roman Legends Classic: USC vs. BYU
|
ESPN2
|
|
5:00 PM
|
Men
|
Roman Legends Classic: UConn vs. Vanderbilt
|
ESPN2
|
|
7:30 PM
|
Men
|
Iona vs. Buffalo
|
FloHoops
|
|
9:30 PM
|
Men
|
Massachusetts vs. South Florida
|
FloHoops
|
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
|
5:30 PM
|
Men
|
Vermont vs. Iona
|
FloHoops
|
|
8:00 PM
|
Men
|
AFR HOF Tip-Off Springfield Bracket: Drexel vs. Quinnipiac
|
FloHoops
|
Thursday, December 3, 2020
|
1:30 PM
|
Men
|
AFR HOF Tip-Off Springfield Bracket: Albany vs. Drexel
|
FloHoops
|
|
7:00 PM
|
Men
|
Roman Legends Classic Championship
|
ESPN
|
|
9:30 PM
|
Men
|
Roman Legends Classic Consolation
|
ESPN2
|
Friday, December 4, 2020
|
4:00 PM
|
Men
|
AFR HOF Tip-Off Springfield Bracket: Albany vs. Quinnipiac
|
FloHoops
|
|
7:00 PM
|
Women
|
Jimmy V Women’s Classic: UConn vs. Louisville
|
ESPN
|
Saturday, December 5, 2020
|
2:00 PM
|
Men
|
UConn vs. North Carolina State
|
TBA
|
Aug 7, 2020 | Boxing, Entertainment, General News, Sports
Leading Combat Sports Entities Select the Flagship Integrated Entertainment Resort in Connecticut from a Short List of Top-Tier Venues for Live Sports Series and Broadcast Residency
Mohegan Sun, one of the world’s leading integrated 
entertainment resort destinations, today announced a historic residency with SHOWTIME Sports and Bellator MMA, who selected Mohegan Sun Arena as its broadcast center for a string of nationally televised and much-anticipated events. As part of this relationship, Mohegan Sun’s world-class arena will host a series of major Premier Boxing Champions events on SHOWTIME® and SHOWTIME PPV® and mixed martial arts (MMA) fights from Bellator MMA – under strict safety protocols and with no fans in attendance – over the coming months. These leading combat sports entities chose Mohegan Sun’s award-winning arena in part due to its health and safety practices, and versatile, broadcast-friendly arena.
As live, in-person entertainment takes a backseat to virtual and televised content amid the current climate, Mohegan Sun has made proactive and strategic improvements to its facilities to successfully operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the brand has made several enhancements to ensure Mohegan Sun Arena is a fully functional, international remote broadcast center until audiences can be safely welcomed back to the property.
“We are extremely pleased and excited to join forces with these major sports brands, SHOWTIME Sports, Premier Boxing Champions and Bellator MMA. Our world-class venue, along with our accommodating resort facilities on-site, allows us to create a safe environment as a broadcast center and adhere to today’s sports protocols. Being chosen as host is truly a compliment to Mohegan Sun’s leadership role in the entertainment industry,” said Tom Cantone, President of Sports & Entertainment for Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment. “This is a result of a strong longtime relationship, and we are eager to bring world-class sports and entertainment back to Mohegan Sun Arena where it belongs.”
Since its phased reopening earlier this summer, Mohegan Sun has also developed a series of best-practice safety protocols to ensure proper social distancing for groups is made possible and convenient for production staff, athletes and executives while on-property. This operational framework allows Mohegan to embrace the complexity of creating a health and safety ‘bubble’ for two different organizations running live broadcast events through the month of December.
“Tom Cantone and his team at Mohegan Sun have been excellent partners and the venue has suited our unique needs to deliver both boxing and MMA,” said Stephen Espinoza, President of SHOWTIME Sports. “In order to safely broadcast these events, we have a wide range of logistics to consider. Mohegan Sun has provided everything we could need in terms of safety, continuity, and convenience. We’re proud to work with them as we deliver our first live sports telecasts since March.”
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® at Mohegan Sun Arena is presented by Premier Boxing Champions and kicked off on Saturday, August 1st, with a matchup of unbeaten prospects, Angelo Leo and Tramaine Williams, battling for the vacant Jr. Featherweight World Championship. The next Premier Boxing Champion events slated for SHOWTIME from Mohegan Sun Arena includes David Benavidez vs. Alexis Angulo on Saturday, August 15th and Erickson Lubin vs. Terrell Gausha on Saturday, September 19th.
Upcoming Bellator MMA events, broadcast on Paramount Network and DAZN, include Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 tonight, Friday, August 7th, Bellator 244 on Friday, August 21st and Bellator 245 on Friday, September 11th broadcast live from the Mohegan Sun Arena.
For additional information on entertainment offerings at Mohegan Sun and live COVID-19 updates, please visit: mohegansun.com/updates.
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN:
Owned by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to two unique casinos, 1,600 deluxe hotel rooms, two world-class spas, a golf course, over 80 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country. More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @mohegansun, view us on YouTube and find us on Snapchat at username MoheganSun.
###
Jul 24, 2020 | Entertainment, General News, Sports
Michael Chandler and Benson Henderson rematch set for Bellator 243 Headliner Friday, August 7th on Paramount Network and Dazn. Plus, Heavyweights Matt Mitrione and Timothy Johnson square off in explosive co-main event
UNCASVILLE, CT (July 24, 2020) – Bellator is pleased to announce multiple upcoming events set to take place at Mohegan Sun Arena, including Bellator 243 on Friday, August 7th, Bellator 244 on Friday, August 21st and Bellator 245 on Friday, September 11th.
Bellator 243 sees former world champions Michael Chandler (20-5) and Benson Henderson (28-8) face off once again inside the Bellator cage nearly four years after their first unforgettable meeting. The highly anticipated lightweight main event rematch airs live Friday, August 7th on Paramount Network and DAZN at 10:00pm EST from Mohegan Sun Arena.
In the card’s co-main event, perennial heavyweight contender Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) will take on the hard-hitting Timothy Johnson (13-6) in an exciting matchup that will likely not go to the judges’ scorecards.
Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 airs live on Paramount Network and DAZN on Friday, August 7th at 10:00pm EST/9:00pm CST. Preliminary action will stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel.
Making his 23rd promotional appearance for Bellator, “Iron” Michael Chandler will have the opportunity to silence his critics and prove that his November 19, 2016 split decision-win over Henderson was no fluke. Following victories in each of his first 12 professional bouts, highlighted by his first Bellator lightweight world title win and a pair of successful title defenses, the High Ridge, Missouri-native quickly made a name for himself in a stacked 155-pound class. The 34-year-old would eventually go on to collect a promotional record three lightweight title reigns that included three successful title defenses. Having won three of his previous five career rematches, including a pair of lightweight world title victories over Patricky Pitbull and Brent Primus, the 2009 NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri will look to add to that total and remind everyone what the former champion is capable of.
Fighting out of Glendale, Arizona, “Smooth” will once again have a shot at revenge with his longtime rival Chandler, following multiple attempts to schedule the fight over the past year. The highly anticipated rematch was originally slated to take place on New Year’s Eve at Rizin.20 in Japan, before Henderson was forced to withdraw due to an injury suffered during training. A few months later, the two former lightweight world champions were set to face off in the main event of Bellator’s return to the Windy City on June 6th, before the global pandemic led to yet another postponement. Now, the MMA Lab-product will look to settle the score and collect his fifth consecutive victory en route to a final push at Bellator’s 155-pound strap. With half of his 28 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the 36-year-old former UFC and WEC lightweight world champion will aim to put all doubts to rest and finish his nemesis in emphatic fashion on August 7th.
After initially being scheduled to face Ronny Markes at Bellator 241 in March prior to the pandemic, Matt Mitrione is now slated to meet Johnson, a competitor who also prefers to keep the fight upright. Prior to his MMA career, the 41-year old Illinois-native was a standout defensive end at Purdue University who subsequently earned his way into the NFL, playing six seasons as a member of the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. He ultimately found his way into MMA where he became the high-level competitor he is today, defeating the likes of the late Kimbo Slice, Derrick Lewis, Roy Nelson and Fedor Emelianenko.
A heavy betting underdog coming into his last matchup with Tyrell Fortune at Bellator 239, Timothy Johnson shocked many when he finished the undefeated competitor five years his junior via highlight reel-knockout in the opening frame. The win was the first for the Xtreme Couture-fighter inside the Bellator cage, who signed with the promotion in 2018 following seven outings in the UFC. With an impressive finishing mark of 10 stoppages in his 13 wins as a professional, Johnson will be looking to deliver another impressive outing when he returns to action next month.
Updated Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 Main Card:
Paramount Network and DAZN
10:00pm EST/9:00pm CST
Lightweight Main Event: Michael Chandler (20-5) vs. Benson Henderson (28-8)
Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) vs. Timothy Johnson (13-6)
*Card subject to change.
Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.
ABOUT BELLATOR:
Bellator is a leading global MMA and kickboxing promotion featuring many of the best athletes in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator events take place in major cities around the world and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, Bellator events can be seen on both Paramount Network and DAZN, the world’s first truly dedicated LIVE sports streaming service, while Bellator MMA Recharged airs on the CBS Sports Network. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live events, fighter development and relations, sponsorship, international licensing, marketing, advertising and public relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Now. Mohegan Sun Arena is consistently ranked among the top three “Arenas in the World for its Size” and top 15 in the “World for All Size Venues.” The award–winning venue is the “#1 Casino Venue in the World,” “#1 Social Media Venue in the World” and a seven–time national award–winner for “Arena of the Year.” For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. Mohegan Sun also has a full safety plan PDF available at mohegansun.com/updates. For information on Mohegan Sun’s entertainment, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711.
BELLATOR CONTACTS
Ryan Grab – (706) 540-3425 – [email protected]
Danny Brener – (818) 577-8215 – [email protected]
C.J. Tuttle – (310) 496-9110 – [email protected]
# # #
