(Video courtesy of ESPN MMA | Viewing may be limited by broadcast rights restrictions)

Following a recent press conference in London, Bellator MMA president Scott Coker previewed the Gegard Mousasi vs. Rafael Lovato Jr. middleweight title fight scheduled for Bellator London on June 22. He also discussed what is next for heavyweight and light heavyweight double-champ Ryan Bader and what could be first for Josh Barnett in his promotional debut.

TRENDING Lyoto Machida will fight Chael Sonnen in Bellator’s return to Madison Square Garden

Coker also talked about why all four first-round matchups for the upcoming featherweight grand prix will take place on the same night, and much more.

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/scott-coker-addresses-josh-barnett-ryan-bader-video

(Video courtesy of 8 News NOW Las Vegas | Viewing may be limited by broadcast rights restrictions)

UFC president Dana White was recently a guest on local Las Vegas show “Game On! Vegas,” where he covered a number of topics across the UFC spectrum.

Although the interview took place before the recent social media blow-up between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, White addressed McGregor and his future with the promotion, the company’s all-in approach to its new media deal with ESPN, the upcoming UFC 236 fight card, and a whole lot more.

TRENDING Khabib’s Manager: ‘Conor McGregor, you don’t need to promote hate’

Tune in Saturday, April 13, for UFC 236 full live results, where Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier battle for the next shot at UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. In the UFC 236 co-main event, Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya fight for the interim middleweight belt and a shot at champion Robert Whittaker.

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/dana-white-video-conor-mcgregor-espn-ufc-236

When it comes to the linage of mixed martial arts, many people point to Bruce Lee and the development of Jeet Kune Do as one of the earliest examples of what would become the sport of MMA.

Along with his philosophies on fighting, Lee also developed film and television projects, one of which has been turned into the upcoming Cinemax series “Warrior,” debuting on Friday, April 5, with the help of Lee’s daughter Shannon, Fast and Furious franchise director Justin Lin, and “Banshee” co-creator Jonathan Tropper.

Speaking to MMAWeekly.com prior to the premier of “Warrior,” Tropper discussed how he became involved in the production, Bruce Lee’s influence on the show’s writing, and what fight fans can expect when it comes to series’ fight scenes.

MMAWeekly.com: Firstly, Jonathan, tell us how you got involved with “Warrior.”

Jonathan Tropper: It just sort of happened organically. I had been a Bruce Lee fan my whole life, and I had just wrapped up on my last show, “Banshee,” and Cinemax told me that they had a meeting with Bruce Lee’s daughter Shannon and Justin Lin, and that Bruce Lee had written this treatment and they were going to try to turn it into a television show.

I was very intrigued. I had heard about this Bruce Lee treatment for years. After I read about it, I got really excited about this time in American history and the potential for the show, and I just dove in.

MMAWeekly.com: With Bruce Lee not only being a martial arts icon but also a pop culture phenomenon, what was it like for you to have his name attached to “Warrior”?

Jonathan Tropper: To me having the Bruce Lee name on the show means that’s there an entire world of Bruce Lee fans out there whose interest we may catch whereas otherwise we may not. At the same time the responsibility of having Bruce Lee’s name on the show means our fight sequences have to be the best on television. Beyond that there has to be a general quality to the show because Bruce Lee is so revered that we can’t just put out something less than great with his name on it.

MMAWeekly.com: After numerous projects used Bruce’s name and image in unauthorized ways, what was it like to work on something with his family, specifically his daughter Shannon, fully on board with the project?

Jonathan Tropper: For me it was more about having her there means I can really do things I’d otherwise I’d have to do permission for, like the ability to steal little bits of choreography from his movies, and give little nods to him, quote some of the lines from his books; all of this stuff I can do with her blessing really gives me the opportunity to sprinkle the Bruce Lee ethos all over this story without having to worry about upsetting the family.

MMAWeekly.com: Can you give us any examples of homages to Bruce we might see in “Warrior”?

Jonathan Tropper: What I tried to do throughout the season to find a few moments to give the Bruce Lee fans moments of recognition. For instance, there’s a major center piece fight in our first episode where our lead character, Ah Sahm, takes out a few fighters and then he sits down on the chest of the first guy he knocked out; which is almost like a frame-for-frame reproduction of Bruce Lee doing it in “Way of the Dragon.” When he gets up from that he gets into a very classic Bruce Lee stance and tweaks his nose, those are moments the Bruce Lee fans will instantly recognize.

MMAWeekly.com: Can you tell us about casting the show, and what made Andrew Koji the right man to play the lead in the series?

Jonathan Tropper: We wanted to cast the show with very unexpected faces. We didn’t want to cast people that had been seen on a bunch of shows. We cast a very wide net. We cast around the world.

The figure of Ah Sahm, the lead character, was going to be really important because a lot of people who went after the show were Bruce Lee imitators, but we made the decision from the beginning we weren’t looking for our lead character to be a Bruce Lee imitator. He didn’t have to look like Bruce Lee. We certainly weren’t going to ask him to move like Bruce Lee, because I think you’re setting yourself up for bad comparisons there, so we wanted somebody who brought his own leading man energy to the role, his own intensity, and we found Koji.

There was something really raw about his take on the character. There was something that felt very unexpected and different. We were really taken by him as an actor. He hadn’t done martial arts in a very long time, and he hadn’t been doing that, he’d just been acting of late, but we saw in him the guy who could whip himself into shape and with some training could do some really good television martial arts, and we were right.

MMAWeekly.com: Did Bruce’s philosophies on fighting manifest in the series’ fight sequences at all?

Jonathan Tropper: First of all, I think Bruce Lee was one of the first mixed martial artists because his whole philosophy was use what works, and strip away restrictions of style and incorporate anything that works. He studied boxing, he studied fencing, he didn’t just study Wing Chung. He incorporated all of that into Jeet Kune Do. The show is kind of a representation of that.

We don’t have any two people fighting the same way. We’ve got bare knuckle brawlers, Wing Chung fighters, and other types of fighters. We give each fighter the fighting style that optimizes their character. Sometimes it’s knife fighting, sometime it’s rugged brawling, sometimes it’s bare knuckle boxing, and sometimes it’s various styles of Kung Fu.

This isn’t one of those shows that beautifies it to the point to where it doesn’t feel like it’s moving in the real world. A lot of our fights do go down to the floor, do go down to grappling and fighting, and that’s the essence of mixed martial arts.

MMAWeekly.com: Thanks for taking time out for us, Jonathan. Is there anything you’d like to say to our readers in closing?

Jonathan Tropper: We’re very excited about the show. We’ve taken tremendous pride not just in the characters and in the writing, but also in the martial arts to make it authentic and make it much more real. It’s not inconsequential martial arts. It’s a character in the show. I wouldn’t call it a martial arts show, but I would say that the show is definitely infused with the martial arts spirit of Bruce Lee. I think for MMA fans out there hungry for a show that shows some real martial arts I think this will really make them happy.

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/jonathan-tropper-discusses-bruce-lees-influence-and-new-cinemax-series-warrior

The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the first organization ever to present MMA in the sport-season format of Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship, on Thursday announced the fight cards and schedule for the first half of the regular season – PFL 1, 2 and 3 at NYCB Live on Long Island, N.Y. PFL 1 will feature Welterweights and Women’s Lightweights, PFL 2 will spotlight Featherweights and Lightweights and PFL 3 will showcase Light Heavyweights and Heavyweights. Tickets are now available for purchase at ticketmaster.com. 

“Starting May 9, Thursday night is MMA night with the PFL on ESPN. Top fighters from around the world across six divisions will compete in a regular season, playoffs and championship with the opportunity to earn a title and one-million dollars.” said Peter Murray, CEO of the PFL. “This season we’re excited for fans to experience the first-ever Women’s Lightweight division, anchored by Kayla Harrison, and real time delivery of fighter data and analytics incorporated into each broadcast on ESPN2, ESPN+ And ESPN Deportes.” 

“In the PFL, there is no undercard, every fight counts. Every fighter on our roster enters the regular season knowing that if they win, and score maximum points, they will enter the postseason with a chance to compete for a PFL Championship and one-million dollars,” said Ray Sefo, President of PFL Fighter Operations. “The journey begins at PFL 1, 2 and 3. These are tone-setting fights and fans will see quality, action-packed matchups featuring the best fighters across six weight divisions from over 14 countries around the world.” 

PFL 1 – May 9, 6pm ET – 11pm ET 

At PFL 1, fans will witness the 2019 debuts of two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison and former Strikeforce and Invicta FC Bantamweight champion Sarah Kaufman in the first-ever Women’s Lightweight division. Harrison will take on Svetlana Khautova, who will make her US debut, and Kaufman squares off against Morgan Frier, who enters the PFL season on a four-fight win streak, all by way of first-round stoppage. 2018 PFL Middleweight Champion Louis Taylor completes his move up to Welterweight and begins his campaign to become the first-ever two division champion in PFL history against newcomer Chris “Action Man” Curtis, who is coming off a spectacular win over UFC Veteran Matt Dwyer. Also, in Welterweight action, a Hawaiian rivalry is brewing, as 2018 PFL breakout star Ray Cooper III takes on fellow Hawaiian and cousin Zane Kamaka.

PFL 2 – May 23, 7pm ET – 12am ET 

Long Island natives Chris Wade (Lightweight) and Andre Harrison (Featherweight) begin their 2019 campaigns in their own backyard at NYCB Live, taking on Nate Andrews and Freddy Assuncao respectively. Andrews has won nine straight fights, seven by submission. Assuncao, twin brother of UFC Bantamweight contender Raphael Assuncao, returns to the cage following a three-year absence. The Brazilian was set to compete in the 2018 season, but an ACL injury prevented that from happening. Lance Palmer (Featherweight) and Natan Schulte (Lightweight) begin their title defenses against two newcomers in Alex Gilpin and Bao Yincang. 26-year-old Gilpin holds an impressive 12-1 career record and Yincang, hailing from China, makes his US debut. One of the top young fighters from Canada, Jeremy “The Bandit” Kennedy, whose 13-1 career record includes a 3-1 run in the UFC, also makes his PFL debut against Alexandre Bezerra. Bezerra produced one of the knockouts of the inaugural season – a flying knee KO that vaulted him into the 2018 playoffs.   

PFL 3 – June 6, 7pm ET – 12am ET 

2018 PFL Heavyweight champion Philipe Lins begins defense of his title at PFL 3 against Satoshi Ishii, an Olympic judo gold medalist with a 20-8-1 career MMA record. 2018 PFL Light Heavyweight runner-up Vinny Magalhaes returns to the PFL cage seeking the title that eluded him last season. Magalhaes won each of his first four fights of the 2018 season by stoppage, all in less than two minutes. He will look to replicate that success against a newcomer with knockout power in Jorge Gonzalez. Gonzalez has won his last six fights by first-round stoppage. Jordan Johnson, who went 4-0 in the UFC, makes his PFL debut and will look to extend his undefeated streak (10-0) against 2018 PFL quarterfinalist Maxim Grishin. 

*Times and matchups subject to change

PFL 1 – May 9, 6pm ET – 11pm ET*

ESPN+ (6pm ET – 9pm ET)

• Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (Brazil) (13-2-1) vs. Bojan Velickovic (Serbia) (16-8-2)
• Lightweight: Larissa Pacheco (Brazil) (11-2) vs. Roberta Samad (Cincinnati, OH) (4-1)
• Welterweight: Gamzat Khiramagomedov (Russia) (7-0) vs. Glaico Franca (Brazil) (19-5)
• Lightweight: Genah Fabian (New Zealand) (1-0) vs. Bobbi Jo Dalziel (Canada) (4-0)
• Welterweight: Sadibou Sy (Sweden) (7-4-1) vs. David Michaud (Phoenix, AZ) (15-4)

ESPN2 (9pm ET – 11pm ET)

• Lightweight: Sarah Kaufman (Canada) (20-4-1) vs. Morgan Frier (Las Vegas, NV) (4-1)
• Welterweight: Ray Cooper III (Hawaii) (17-6) vs. Zane Kamaka (Hawaii) (13-3)
• Welterweight: Magomed Magomedkerimov (Russia) (23-5) vs. John Howard (Boston, MA) (27-14-1)
• Lightweight: Kayla Harrison (Middletown, OH) (3-0) vs. Svetlana Khautova (Russia) (2-0)
• Welterweight: Louis Taylor (Chicago, IL) (18-4-1) vs. Chris Curtis (Cincinnati, OH) (20-5)

PFL 2 – May 23, 7pm ET – 12am ET*

ESPN2 (7pm ET – 9pm ET)

• Featherweight: Steven Siler (Provo, UT) (32-18-1) vs. TBA
• Featherweight: Damon Jackson (Dallas, TX) (16-2-1) vs. Movlid Khaybulaev (Russia) (13-0)
• Featherweight: Alexandre Bezerra (Brazil) (22-6) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (Canada) (13-1)
• Lightweight: Natan Schulte (Brazil) (15-3-1) vs. Bao Yincang (China) (12-6-1) 

ESPN+ (9pm – 12am ET) 

• Lightweight: Rashid Magomedov (Russia) (22-3-1) vs. Loik Radzhabov (Tajikistan) (11-0)
• Lightweight: Islam Mamedov (Russia) (16-2) vs. Ylies Djiroun (France) (16-4)
• Featherweight: Alexandre Almeida (Brazil) (20-9) vs. Luis Rafael Laurentino (Brazil) (33-1)
• Lightweight: Akhmed Aliev (Russia) (17-4) vs. Carlao Silva (Brazil) (11-1)
• Lightweight: Ramsey Nijem (Orem, UT) (10-7) vs. Ronys Torres (Brazil) (37-6)
• Featherweight: Andre Harrison (Long Island, NY) vs. Freddy Assuncao (Atlanta, GA) (10-1)
• Lightweight: Chris Wade (Long Island, NY) (14-5) vs. Nate Andrews (Providence, RI) (15-1) 
• Featherweight: Lance Palmer (Columbus, OH) (17-3) vs. Alex Gilpin (Madison, WI) (12-1) 

PFL 3 – June 6, 7pm ET – 12am ET*

ESPN2 (7pm ET – 9pm ET) 

• Heavyweight: Ben Edwards (Australia) (4-0) vs. Ante Delija (Croatia) (15-3)
• Heavyweight: Jared Rosholt (Sandpoint, ID) (17-6) vs. Denis Goltsov (Russia) (22-5)
• Light Heavyweight: Dan Spohn (Columbus, OH) (18-6) vs. Bozigit Ataev (Russia) (19-3)
• Light Heavyweight: Vinny Magalhaes (Brazil) (18-10-1) vs. Jorge Gonzalez (Mexico) (15-4)

ESPN+ (9pm – 12am ET) 

• Heavyweight: Alex Nicholson (Apopka, FL) (13-7) vs. Francimar Barroso (Brazil) (22-7-1-1)
• Light Heavyweight: Rashid Yusupov (Russia) (10-1) vs. Mikhail Mokhnatkin (Russia) 
  (11-3-2)
• Light Heavyweight: Ronny Markes (Brazil) (18-7) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (New Zealand) (3-0)
• Light Heavyweight: Maxim Grishin (Russia) (28-7-1) vs. Jordan Johnson (Gilbert, AZ) (10-0)
• Heavyweight: Valdrin Istrefi (Switzerland) (13-2) vs. Ali Isaev (Russia) (4-0)
• Light Heavyweight: Smealinho Rama (New York, NY) (11-5-1) vs. Viktor Nemkov (Russia) (26-7)
• Heavyweight: Kelvin Tiller (Topeka, KS) (10-2) vs. Muhammed Dereese (Titusville, FL) 
  (7-0)
• Heavyweight: Philipe Lins (Brazil) (14-3) vs. Satoshi Ishii (Croatia) (20-8-1) 

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/professional-fighters-league-unveils-first-three-events-for-2019

(Courtesy of UFC)

Dan Hardy and John Gooden take a look at the UFC 236 lightweight interim title fight between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier from all angles in this episode of Inside the Octagon.

It has been more than seven years since Holloway and Poirier last fought. Since that time, Holloway has run away with the UFC featherweight division.

Poirier hasn’t been on quite the streak that Holloway has, but returned to lightweight a few years after defeating Holloway, and is currently on a run of 8-1-1, elevating his stock to championship caliber.

Though Holloway still holds the featherweight title, he and Poirier will be fighting for the interim UFC lightweight championship in the UFC 236 main event on Saturday, April 13, in Atlanta. Barring injury or other misfortunes, the winner is then expected to be the next challenger to current UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov when he returns to the Octagon later this year.

TRENDING Ahead of UFC 236, take a look back at Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier’s first fight

Tune in Saturday, April 13, for UFC 236 full live results, where Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier battle for the next shot at UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. In the UFC 236 co-main event, Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya fight for the interim middleweight belt and a shot at champion Robert Whittaker.

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-236-preview-max-holloway-vs-dustin-poirier-inside-the-octagon