Aug 12, 2015 | Entertainment, General News, Sports
UNCASVILLE, CT (August 12, 2015) — Bellator MMA’s Bantamweight Championship will be on
the line in a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) and former champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) against one another at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, on Friday, October 23rd.
Tickets are $195.00, $95.00, $70.00, $45.00 and $25.00 and are on sale Friday, August 21st through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call any Ticketmaster Charge by Phone number; 1.800.745.3000 or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets may also be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Box Office on Saturday, August 22nd, subject to availability.
A special Bellator Nation presale will also be available on Ticketmaster on August 19th and 20th for fans, using the code: FIGHT. Doors for the event open at 6:00pm ET local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.
The bout between the former teammates will serve as the main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas,” which airs live on Spike at 9:00pm ET/8:00pm CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7:00pm ET. Additional fights will be announced shortly.
“I was thoroughly impressed with Galvao’s kneebar at Bellator 135 to capture the belt,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “Seeing how much that title win meant to him, by taking it back home to Brazil and visiting his mother’s grave, is really what mixed martial arts is all about to me. But Dantas showcased his desire to reach the top too by his performance against Mike Richman. I have no idea who is going to come out of Connecticut with the win, but I do know that those in attendance at Mohegan Sun Arena and those tuning in on Spike will be treated to a top-flight world title bout.”
“Loro,” who has fought for world-renowned promotions the likes of World Extreme Cagefighting and Shooto since 2003, will be competing for the 11th time under the Bellator MMA banner. The 34-year-old is presently in the midst of a four-fight winning streak and has emerged victorious in seven of his last eight scraps. In his last outing, Galvao finished Joe Warren “Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao” via submission to win his first-ever championship.
Meanwhile, Dantas will be looking to duplicate the success he had against Galvao in their first meeting, which resulted in a second-round knockout at Bellator 89. The 26-year-old Nova Uniao product bounced back from his unanimous decision loss against Warren to dispel of Mike Richman in the same manner at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove.” The Bellator Season 5 Bantamweight Tournament winner is looking to call himself a two-time bantamweight champion come October 23.
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena Of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Also in 2013, Mohegan Sun won “Casino of The Year” in 2 categories at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Mohegan Sun Arena was also ranked among the top 10 Arena venues in the nation for 2014, regardless of size. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
Apr 22, 2015 | Entertainment, General News, Sports
Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Douglas “ThePhenom” Lima (26-5), one of the most talented and well-rounded 170-pound fighters on the planet today, puts his title on the line against Russian knockout artist Andrey “Spartan” Koreshkov (17-1) on Friday, July 16th, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
Tickets are $195.00, $95.00, $70.00, $45.00 and $25.00 and go on sale Friday, April 24th through Ticketmaster at 10:00am. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office starting Saturday, April 25th, subject to availability.
Bellator Nation presale begins Tuesday, April 21st. Join the Bellator Newsletter list or follow them on social media (Twitter / Facebook) to gain access to the presale code and details.
“Douglas Lima is an incredible champion who is in for one of the toughest fights of his life against Koreshkov,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “When the rest of this card is announced, we’ll have put together one of the greatest showcases of welterweight talent ever assembled on one night.”
The two elite combatants headline the newly announced “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov” event, which airs live and free on Spike at 9:00pm.
Additional information, including ticketing details and the night’s full lineup of world-class MMA action, will be announced shortly.
The 27-year-old Lima is a Brazilian-born athlete who now makes his home in Atlanta. Fighting under the Bellator MMA banner since 2011, Lima is an impressive 8-1 in the promotion and an incredible 14-1 in his past 15 overall appearances. Lima earned his way to the Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title with an eight-man tournament victory that included knockout wins over Ben Saunders, Bryan Baker and Michail Tsarev. Lima then claimed the title with an April 2014 knockout win over Rick Hawn. Overall, Lima boasts five consecutive knockout victories and now looks to defend his belt for the first time.
Koreshkov is also fresh off an eight-man tournament win, claiming a decision victory over Adam McDonough after previously registering knockouts of Justin Baesman and Nah-Shon Burrell. The 24-year-old Koreshkov is a Russian national medalist in both pankration and hand-to-hand combat and has lost just once in 18 professional MMA appearances. He owns 10 wins by knockouts and three by submission and also owns a 2012 victory over former Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Lyman Good.
Expect fireworks when Lima and Koreshkov collide.
Additional contests for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov” will be announced shortly.
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 400 million homes worldwide in over 120 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena Of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Also in 2013, Mohegan Sun won “Casino of The Year” in 2 categories at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Mohegan Sun Arena was also ranked among the top 10 Arena venues in the world for 2014, regardless of size. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
Apr 8, 2015 | Entertainment, General News, Sports
Red-hot junior middleweight Tony Harrison moves into main event; Puts undefeated record on the line against Mexico’s Pablo Munguia;
Tevin Farmer to open the triple-header against Gabriel Tolmajyan at Mohegan Sun Arena on April 17th
UNCASVILLE, CT (April 8, 2015) – The previously announced ESPN Friday Night Fights card has shaken up a bit. The card, being promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc. and New Legend Boxing, at the beautiful Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT, was originally slated to be headlined by Sergiy Derevyanchenko (4-0, 3KO’s) taking on Elvin Ayala (27-6-1, 12KO’s). With Ayala facing a legal situation, promoter Lou DiBella has elected to replace the feature bout, moving Derevyanchenko over to his April 10th ShoBox card, and sliding in red-hot undefeated junior middleweight Tony Harrison (20-0, 17KO’s) into the main event slot. Harrison is set to square off against Mexico’s Pablo Munguia (20-6, 11KO’s) in the 10-round feature bout of the evening.
Tickets are $100.00, $70.00 and $30.00 and are currently on sale through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge By Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office, subject to availability. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first bout scheduled for 7:30pm ET.
The eagerly anticipated co-feature remains intact, with WBA #10-rated super featherweight Ryan Kielczweski (22-0, 6KO’s) putting his undefeated record on the line against Connecticut’s own Danny Aquino (16-2, 10KO’s) in an eight-round featherweight matchup and battle for New England bragging rights.
Opening up the triple-header is junior lightweight contender Tevin Farmer (18-4-1, 4KO’s) taking on Gabriel Tolmajyan (14-4-2, 3KO’s) in an eight-round 130lb. matchup.
Live coverage will begin at 10:00pm ET on ESPN2 and will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One via an affiliated video provider. In addition ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates will carry the fights live on broadband Spanish-language ESPN Deportes+.
“I want to thank Al Haymon and Lou DiBella for giving me this fight and I also want to thank ESPN for giving me another opportunity to display my talent to the world. Come April 17th, you are going to see another great performance by Tony Harrison. I am coming to put on a heck of a show and display my full arsenal. I know my opponent is tough and he has been in there with some pretty good guys, but I am coming in there in top shape. This is going to be an exciting fight for as long as it lasts, so get there early, get your popcorn ready and don’t blink,” stated Harrison.
The 24-year-old Harrison, a former protégé of the late great Emanuel Steward, is as good as any up-and-coming prospect in the game right now, and is expected to begin moving into title contention this year. The bout on April 17th will be his second straight headlining bout on the ESPN network in just over a month. On March 6th, Harrison destroyed longtime fringe contender Antwone Smith, dropping Smith twice in the first round before getting the official stoppage in the second. Munguia is expected to be a stern test for Harrison, arguably his toughest to date. Munguia is 3-2 in his last five bouts, but those five opponents have had a combined record of 92-5-2. In his most recent bout in February of this year, Munguia dropped a razor-thin split decision to highly regarded former Cuban silver medalist Yudel Johnson. Munguia knows that a win on April 17th, on national TV, will propel him into the type of fights that he is looking for.
“I want to thank DiBella Entertainment and ESPN for this great opportunity to get my career back on track and moving in the direction I want it,” said Munguia. “I have 20 wins and on April 17th, I will secure my 21st victory, the most important of my career. I believe April 17th will be the beginning of a great run for me and my career.”
It is hard to think of another fighter in recent memory that has had as drastic a career turnaround as Tevin Farmer has had. Three years ago, Farmer’s record stood at 7-4-1 and he was considered nothing more than a tough Philly fighter who was a good opponent to match against up-and-coming prospects. Fast-forward three years and 11 impressive wins later and Farmer has not only emerged as one of the prospects he was once put in against, but as a legitimate contender. In his most recent outing in January, his first fight since signing with DBE, Farmer easily defeated once-beaten Victor Chernous (15-1-1), winning a dominant eight-round unanimous decision. Farmer, in whom promoter Lou DiBella sees style comparisons to Pernell Whitaker, comes from a boxing family and has family ties to Hall-of-Famer Joe Gans, who was called the greatest lightweight boxer of all time by boxing historian and Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer.
Farmer is looking to build his own legacy and knows he has the talent and ability to compete against the best the 130lb. division has to offer, but he must first get by the hungry and determined Tolmajyan.
“April 17th is a very big fight for me, the biggest of my career. Every fight out from here on is the biggest fight of my life,” said Farmer. “Every time I step into the ring, I’m looking to make a statement. I have worked so hard to get to this point; I can’t let anyone take this away from me. I want to thank my manager Mark Cipparone and my trainers Raul Rivas and Rashiem Jefferson for believing in me and Lou DiBella and ESPN for giving me this opportunity. Come April 17th, I am going to be at my absolute best. April 17th is going to be the beginning of something special.”
Like Farmer, Tolmajyan’s record is deceiving. Tolmajyan has never been stopped in his career, and three of his four career losses have come against undefeated opponents, including fellow Farmer conqueror, and #1 contender, Jose Pedraza. Tolmajyan holds victories over three previously undefeated foes, including an eight-round decision win over world-rated contender and former featherweight world-title challenger Daulis Prescott.
Additional bouts on the card will be announced soon.
Mohegan Sun Arena is now ranked consistently among the top venues in the world according to Billboard Magazine, Pollstar and Venues Today. It has won “Casino of The Year” at the Country Music Awards in 2008 & 2010 and in 2013, was voted “Arena Of The Year” at the G2E Global Gaming Conference in Las Vegas. Also in 2013, Mohegan Sun won “Casino of The Year” in 2 categories at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Mohegan Sun Arena was also ranked among the top 10 Arena venues in the world for 2014, regardless of size. For more information on concerts and other great events, visit Mohegan Sun. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
Jan 28, 2015 | General News, Special Events, Sports
Tickets on sale now through Ticketmaster and the Mohegan Sun Box Office
UNCASVILLE, CT (January 28, 2015) — The popular boxing elimination tournament, Boxcino 2015, will make its season debut, Friday, February 13, 2015, featuring four quarterfinal bouts in the junior middleweight division at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. The entire Boxicino 2015 series will be televised live on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.
Promoted by Banner Promotions and Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports (CES), tickets to the February 13th edition of Boxcino 2015, priced at $120.00, $60.00, $35.00 and $28.00, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased via ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1.800.745.3000, all Ticketmaster outlets or in person at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.
The four quarterfinal fights in the Jr. Middleweight division are as follows:
1. Cleotis Pendarvis (17-4-2, 6 KO’s) will fight Ricardo Pinnell (10-1-1, 6 KO’s)
2. Stanyslav Skorokhod (8-0, 6 KO’s) will fight Michael Moore (13-0, 6 KO’s)
3. Brandon Adams (15-1, 10 KO’s) will take on Alex Perez (18-1, 10 KO’s)
4. Vito Gasparyan (14-3-5, 8 KO’s) will square off with Simeon Hardy (13-0, 10 KO’s).
The winner of bout 1 will fight the winner of bout 2 while the winners of bouts 3 and 4 will fight on April 3rd in the semifinals.
The Boxcino 2014 tournament spawned breakout stars Willie Monroe and Petr Petrov. Both are now world-rated #3 along with future stars Brandon Adams & Fernando Carcamo.
The Boxcino 2015 season debut will feature four quarterfinal bouts with the winners moving on to semifinals which will take place on April 3rd & April 10th.
“We are excited to be coming to Mohegan Sun to kick off Boxcino 2015,” said Banner Promotions CEO Artie Pelullo. “I have been friends with Tom Cantone for over 15 years and I look forward to working with him and his staff on this great event. Last year’s tournament was very successful and we look forward to having the first round of junior middleweights at Mohegan Sun. There have been many classic fights at Mohegan Sun and on February 13th we plan on adding to the great tradition.”
“We are excited and honored to collaborate with Artie Pelullo and Banner Promotions,” said Jimmy Burchfield, President of CES Boxing. “Artie is a dear friend of mine and one of the true gentlemen in the sport of boxing. Few promoters work harder or go to such great lengths to nurture and develop talent from all over the world. In an era where the entertainment dollar is stretched thin and fighters are ducking challenges left and right, Artie remains old school, building his foundation through hard-fought, competitive fights that give the ticket-buyer tremendous value for every dollar they spend. What he has done in such tumultuous times for our sport is remarkable and it’s an incredible thrill to be working alongside him on what will be an epic event February 13th. You will see the best of both worlds — boxing’s marquee talent along with the rising stars of the Northeast. No one knows this market better than Banner Promotions and CES Boxing. This will be a must-see event.”
“We love any time we have a boxing event here as they always account for tremendous energy and buzz in the Casino,” said Tom Cantone, Senior Vice President of Sports & Entertainment for MTGA.
Local prospects slated to appear on the undercard include:
David Bauza, Hartford, CT: light-heavyweight (6-0, 3 KOs);
“Prince” Ray Oliveira, New Bedford, MA: light-middleweight (2-0, 1 KO), son of former jr. welterweight contender “Sucra” Ray Oliveira
Khiary Gray-Pitts, Worcester, MA: middleweight (3-0, 1 KO)
Nick DeLomba, Providence, RI: welterweight (6-0, 0 KOs)
Below are the contacts for Media credentials for the Boxcino 2015 tournament at Mohegan Sun Arena:
Marc Abrams at marc@banner-promotions and 856 287 7611 or
Michael Parente at [email protected] and 401 263 4990
Visit www.banner-promotions.com for more information.
Mohegan Sun Arena is ranked 3rd in the U.S. and 5th in the world by Billboard Magazine and was the 2008 and 2010 recipient of a Country Music Award for “Casino of The Year.” Venues Today also ranked Mohegan Sun Arena #3 in the Nation and #3 in the World for top stops in 2013 and also ranked the Arena in the top six of “Top Stops of The Decade” in 2012. For more information on concerts and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
Jan 23, 2015 | Entertainment, General News, Special Events, Sports
“King Mo” Lawal vs. Cheick Kongo replaces Bobby Lashley vs. James Thompson and Andre Santos steps in for Douglas Lima to battle Paul Daley at “Bellator: The British Invasion”
UNCASVILLE, CT (January 23, 2015) — Injury has forced the delay of a heavily anticipated matchup between Bobby Lashley (12-2) and James Thompson (20-14) but Bellator MMA officials have announced a blockbuster fight to replace it in Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (14-4) vs. Cheick Kongo (22-9-2). Also Andre Santos (37-9) has stepped in for the injured welterweight champion Douglas Lima (26-5), and will now face the always-dangerous Paul Daley (35-13).
The new contest is scheduled for the televised portion of “Bellator: British Invasion,” which takes place on Friday, February 27th, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. The night’s main card airs live on Spike TV, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.
Tickets for “Bellator: British Invasion,” which start at just $25.00, are already on sale at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Additional bouts are expected to be announced shortly.
“We’re disappointed we had to delay these fights between Bobby Lashley and James Thompson, and Douglas Lima and Paul Daley, but I have no doubt that these matchups will be fantastic once they eventually come to fruition,” Bellator MMA CEO Scott Coker said. “Fortunately, we’re able to replace the bouts with equally entertaining contests for our fans.”
“King Mo” Lawal fights for the 10th time for Bellator MMA and has established himself as one of the most recognizable superstars in the sport. A standout wrestler who normally competes at light heavyweight, the former NCAA Division I All-American and Pan American gold medallist has earned 11 of his 14 career MMA wins by knockout, including recent striking stoppages of Joe Vedepo and Dustin Jacoby. The former Bellator MMA tournament winner and Strikeforce light heavyweight world champion now moves up to heavyweight for the first time since 2009 to challenge himself against Kongo.
Kongo, a 6-foot-4 Frenchman, is a former professional kickboxer who boasts black belts in both Karate and Kendo. A multiple-time world champion in kickboxing, Kongo now focuses solely on MMA and has built a 4-1 record under the Bellator MMA banner. Training at Wolfslair MMA Academy in London, Kongo most recently flashed his well-rounded game by scoring a first-round submission over fellow striker Lavar Johnson in a September matchup. Kongo’s lone Bellator loss came in a five-round contest for the Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Championship, in which he went five full rounds with Vitaly Minakov but came up short in a decision result.
Paul Daley is a highly feared and respected veteran with dynamite in both fists, which earned him the nickname “Semtex.” The 31-year-old from Nottingham, England has won an impressive 74% of his 35 victories by way of knockout. Having fought for Scott Coker under the Strikeforce banner, rejoining him at Bellator was a no brainer. Daley took to the Internet to share his feelings on the injury to Lima, stating: “Nervous, Scared??…..I understand, preparing to fight me…. I would be. It’s ok…. guess you get to have a few more photo shoots with the belt…. My focus has shifted, same date, new opponent…. British Invasion at Bellator 134.”
The new opponent his focus has shifted to is Andre “Chatuba” Santos. A veteran of the sport in his own right, the Rio De Janeiro fighter has two more wins than Daley in four less fights. Santos defeated James Terry at Bellator 129, in what was his first fight on American soil. He now has his sights set on Daley, with hopes to win his seventh straight fight.
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
More information on media credential requests are located here: http://credentials.bzapr.com/credentials/MVS/
Mohegan Sun Arena is ranked 3rd in the U.S. and 5th in the world by Billboard Magazine and was the 2008 and 2010 recipient of a Country Music Award for “Casino of The Year.” Venues Today also ranked Mohegan Sun Arena #3 in the Nation and #3 in the World for top stops in 2013 and also ranked the Arena in the top six of “Top Stops of The Decade” in 2012. For more information on concerts and other great events at Mohegan Sun, visit mohegansun.com. For information on this week’s schedule, call the Entertainment and Special Events hotline at 1.888.226.7711, ext. 27163.
the line in a rematch pitting Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) and former champion Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4) against one another at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT, on Friday, October 23rd.
