Mixed Martial Arts Bout Set on 17 February on Paramount Channel
The second of four fights making up the first round of the 2018 Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix will take place Friday, February 16 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. It will feature fan-favorite Roy Nelson (23-14) taking on exciting knockout artist Matt Mitrione (12-5). A flyweight feature fight pitting renowned boxing champions Heather Hardy (1-1) against Ana Julaton (2-3) has also been added to the main card of Bellator 194.
The event will air live on Paramount Channel on 17 February, Saturday at 9am (TH) and 10am (MY), with a same day repeat telecast at 9pm (TH) and 10pm (MY).
Heavyweight World Grand Prix First Round Bout
Fighting out of Las Vegas, Roy Nelson made his Bellator debut earlier this year with a hard-fought victory over Javy Ayala following an eight-year, 19-fight run with UFC that saw him earn wins over Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, "Bigfoot" Silva and Cheick Kongo. "With 19 of his 23 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the long-time fan-favorite looks to add a championship to his impressive resume.
Matt Mitrione remains poised to make a run at the Bellator heavyweight title following three knockout wins since signing with Bellator in 2016, including a first-round KO of Fedor Emelianenko at Bellator NYC this past June. The Illinois native and standout defensive end at Purdue University earned All-Big 10 honors in 2000 and subsequently earned his way into the NFL. Mitrione ultimately found his way into MMA where he became a high-level competitor, defeating the likes of the late Kimbo Slice, Derrick Lewis and Gabriel Gonzaga.
Women's Flyweight Feature Bout
Making her third appearance inside the Bellator MMA cage, Heather Hardy hopes to duplicate the game plan that earned her an impressive knockout win over Alice Yauger in her professional debut at Madison Square Garden. Hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y., Hardy built an imposing boxing resume prior to joining forces with Bellator, where she collected a pair of titles in multiple weight classes, including the WBC International Female Super Bantamweight belt and WBC International Female Featherweight belt. "The Heat" protected an unblemished mark of 20-0 through a five-year stint inside the boxing ring.
An accomplished professional boxer herself, Filipino-American Ana Julaton also brings a unique style to the Bellator cage as she prepares for just her sixth career MMA bout. The former WBO and IBA super bantamweight world champion made the transition to mixed martial arts in May 2014, collecting a convincing knockout over Aya-Saeid Saber. Since making her professional MMA debut, "The Hurricane" has competed for multiple world-renown promotions and trains alongside Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix competitor Frank Mir in Las Vegas.
Bellator 194: Nelson vs. Mitrione Fight Card
Heavyweight World Grand Prix First Round Bout: Roy Nelson (23-14) vs. Matt Mitrione (12-5)
Women's Flyweight Feature Bout: Heather Hardy (1-1) vs. Ana Julaton (2-3)
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Patricky "Pitbull" (18-8) vs. Derek Campos (19-6)
Light Heavyweight Feature Bout: Liam McGeary (12-2) vs. Vadim Nemkov (8-2)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Tywan Claxton (1-0) vs. Jose Antonio Perez (0-1)
About Bellator
Bellator is a leading mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 1 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Paramount Network (formerly Spike), the combat sports television leader. Bellator 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 Hollywood, Calif. 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 PARAMOUNT CHANNEL
Paramount Channel is a 24-hour television network featuring the movies of Paramount Pictures, America's oldest motion picture studio and one of the world's leading producers of filmed entertainment. Paramount Channel creates a contemporary and unique environment for audiences to celebrate film, documentaries and behind-the-scenes features. Viewers are given access to Paramount Pictures' vast library of beloved, award-winning films -- from visionary epics to heart-wrenching romances to blockbuster franchises, all created by the best talent and filmmakers in the business. Paramount Channel is part of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA).
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