The beef between Cris Lencioni and AJ Agazarm started up about five years ago according to Lencioni. It came to an end Friday at Bellator 243. In a frustrating bout that was taken to decision, Lencioni was the victor and attempted to shake Agazarm’s hand after, but AJ was having none of it. Lencioni took us through how he believed the beef started during the post-fight press conference.

“I met him at FCFF [Full Contact Fighting Federation], I was an amateur,” Lencioni started. “I went up to him and said ‘hey man I need a water,'” to which Agazarm responded “‘no I won’t  get you a water, I’m AJ Agazarm.’ That’s just kind of where it started, I guess because I didn’t know who he was, sorry.”

Post-fight at Bellator 243 Agazarm came to the media table, a surprise to the press, and spoke about having the fighter overturned due to one of the judges having a relationship both with Lencioni and himself. Agazarm had called for the outcome to be turned into at the very least a draw, or a win for him.

“No man, that’s a sore loser,” Lencioni laughed. “I was willing to shake his hand after it was all said and done, but I mean he is a cheater in every way. He head butted me, he got a lot of free shots in there and did nothing. I molested, that’s not the best word, I did very naughty things to that man’s face.”

Lencioni admits that fighting at Bellator 243 was about more than his own victory, but a fight for his loved ones as well. As some people in his love struggle with the “C word” that he doesn’t like to use, this win was for all of them.

“Cancer, I don’t like to say it,” Lencioni told the media. “I’ve had a lot of people pass from cancer in my life. My buddy Chad is going through that, he is on day five of Chemo, and I hope, I know he will beat it.”

The post Bellator 243: Cris Lencioni Calls Agazarm “Sore Loser,” Fighting for More Than Himself appeared first on Cageside Press.

Bellator 243 at Mohegan Sun Arena was in an empty stadium, but still, the fights emitted a ton of emotion in the arena. On a night that saw knockouts, upsets, and rivalries take center stage, here are five fighters whose stock rose at Bellator 243.

5. Cris Lencioni

Lencioni finally stood across the cage from his rival AJ Agazarm. In a fight that had a headbutt, a ton of trash talk, and some very interesting post-fight commentary, Lencioni stood tall.

It was a frustrating bout for Lencioni, yet he had the ability to continue to use his gameplan and for the most part dominate the fight in every area. Agazarm called for this fight to be appealed in an interesting post-fight scrum. Instead of engaging in more beef with Agazarm, Lencioni simply said he was a “sore loser” and even tried to shake his hand post-fight.

Now a winner of three straight, Lencioni had his stock rise at 243, partly because of his response to Agazarm in the cage and after.

4. Sabah Homasi

Homasi dominated in a bout many saw being a slug fest. In what turned into a technical bout, Homasi was clever with his level changes and transitions on the ground, steering clear of the speedy Curtis Millender.

The Lebanese fighter said that he was fighting for all of Lebanon, and would be using his teammate Dustin Poirier’s ‘Good Fight Foundation’ to auction off his fight kit for Lebanon. Now a winner of three straight, including a first-round KO of Micah Terrill, Homasi is streaky hot.

What was most impressive was Millender’s claims that Homasi could not handle his speed. Well, Homasi didn’t give him a chance to prove that as the “Sleek Sheik” smothered Millender for three rounds to a dominant decision win. Homasi called for Paul Daley next, or anyone in the top 10, and he is very deserving.

3. Timothy Johnson

Timothy Johnson has been fighting the term ‘journeyman’ for a while now. For those who may not be familiar, a journeyman does enough to stick around but never really accomplishes the major goals of an MMA fighter. Johnson is no journeyman.

Matt Mitrione may be on a skid, but he is a fan favorite and constant title contender in the Bellator ranks. Johnson, since joining Bellator, has fought killers. The names include Vitaly Minakov and Cheick Kongo, two of the best heavyweight contenders on the roster. Johnson got back on track against formerly undefeated Tyrell Fortune, whom he knocked out in the very first round.

Now a winner of two straight, both being stoppages in the first round, Johnson has a legitimate claim at a top-tier title contender including possible rematches against Minakov or Kongo. Johnson spoke before the fight about avoiding the title of journeyman, and with back to back finishes, he has the title of contender in my book.

2. Valerie Loureda

As if Loureda needed more stock, the 22-year-old Miami native is undefeated and has a massive following from fight fans around the world. Loureda had a troubling start to this year after dropping out of her January bout with Tara Graff, and dealing with some issues that her manager Ibrahim Kawa explained.

Not to mention that this fight became personal for Loureda. Graff spoke with Cageside Press at the beginning of fight week and had strong opinions on the Miami fighter’s social media use, “trashy and demoralizing.”

Loureda was noticeably emotional following her finish victory over Tara Graff, and yet again proved (as if it needed proving) that she is much more than an “IG Model.” Loureda’s stock continues to rise as she looks to fight again in 2020.

1. Michael Chandler

No one finishes Benson Henderson the way we saw Henderson finished at Bellator 243. Henderson spoke on media day and claimed that Chandler no longer ‘has the power to finish anyone.’ Well, I think we can all agree he does indeed. Now with two wins over the legend, Chandler continues to add to his impressive legacy.

This was the last fight on Chandler’s deal with Bellator. The former champion has been with the promotion since 2010 and you really can’t mention Bellator without thinking of Michael Chandler.

Chandler has hinted online that the UFC may be next, and if that is the case it’ll be bitter-sweet to see him leave the Bellator cage. A winner of two straight and five of his last six, what better time than now for the 34-year-old to test the UFC waters. It was about as impressive as it gets at Bellator 243 with that knockout.

The post Bellator 243: Whose Stock Rose? appeared first on Cageside Press.

AJ Agazarm had some interesting things to say following his decision loss to rival Cris Lencioni at Bellator 243. Mainly, that a conflict of internet may have been at play with one of the judges scoring his fight.

In an extremely strange situation, Agazarm (3-2) sat down to do media availability post-fight, despite not being scheduled.

“I don’t want to talk to the media, I have to talk to the media,” Agazarm said to explain his unscheduled appearance backstage. A member of Bellator’s PR team corrected that in fact, he did not need to talk to the press. Agazarm continued regardless. “The first thing I noticed is that there was a judge that should not have been there. Douglas Crosby. He’s had relationships with me, he’s had relationships with my opponent. He’s definitely not impartial.”

Crosby’s judging has not been without criticism over the years. A Hollywood stuntman, his work in MMA has been criticized before, though perhaps not in this particular fashion.

Agazarm went on to explain that the fight should be immediately reviewed and the result overturned, changed to a draw. He also indicated that he was not a believer in a controversial headbutt that occurred during the fight. Tape showed that Agazarm appeared to intentionally land a head strike on Lencioni during the bout. However, Agazarm would claim that his opponent “lifted me up” to cause the foul.

“This fight should be immediately pulled and if not turned into a loss for [Lencioni], turned into a draw, and ran back,” Agazarm continued. “What was [Crosby] doing judging that fight?”

When asked to describe the history that he had with Crosby, Agazarm was honest, noting that it wasn’t necessarily negative.

“He’s [Douglas Crosby] helped on a number of matches in jiu jitsu, he even helped me with my contract with Bellator,” Agazarm stated. “By no means whatsoever should he be there, it’s completely uncalled for. Puts me in a bad position, puts my opponent in a bad position. And to me, it’s unethical.”

Agazarm did not elaborate on the relationship Crosby has with Lencioni, other than to add that the judge and one of Lencioni’s coaches also have ties. Asked if he planned to appeal the decision, the Florida native said he wasn’t sure what the process entailed.

Agazarm refused to shake hands with Lencioni post fight and did not shy away from continuing to show dislike for his opponent after the fact. Lencioni was vocal in the cage, heavy with trash talk, just as he was ahead of the fight.

“I’m appalled by his lack of professionalism, his lack of respect for his opponent,” Agazarm said. “He talks about wanting to work with kids, if that’s how you want to be a leader to kids, to act that way— it’s disgusting.”

Watch the full Bellator 243 post-fight press conference with AJ Agazarm above.

The post Bellator 243: AJ Agazarm Cries Foul Over Judge with Conflict of Interest in Lencioni Fight appeared first on Cageside Press.

We’re coming up on a weekend full of fights, as the UFC and Bellator prepare for their respective weekend cards. Not to mention a couple of regional events going down around the globe. But while there are some decent fights to be found all over, it’s Bellator that is hosting some must-watch TV, with a rematch four years in the making between Benson Henderson and Michael Chandler.

That’s just one standout fight, mind you. Here are five reasons why you can’t miss Bellator’s second card back since the pandemic closure — Bellator 243.

5. The Prospects: 

This Friday’s affair is a card three fights longer than Bellator 242 (held on July 24), with much more prospect-heavy ambitions. The prelims are headlined by 14-1 Adam Borics, who is coming off a submission loss to former bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell. That came as part of the Featherweight Grand Prix. Meanwhile, the 21 year old Hawaiian, Nainoa Dung, returns to the cage versus Charlie Campbell.

Mr. Hercules, Dalton Rosta, returns as well, putting his undefeated record on the line. Rosta has finished both of his professional bouts in Bellator by the second round. Grant Neal, an undefeated light heavyweight prospect, is also in action. And possibly the most promising match-up on the card sees Nate Diaz prodigy AJ Agazarm take on Cris Lencioni. Both fighters look to make waves and move from prospect to contender in an open featherweight division. Plus, the fight is something of a grudge match.

The post Bellator 243 Is A Must-Watch Event — Here’s Why appeared first on Cageside Press.

The early action at Bellator 238 isn’t too shabby either. Uber-prospect Aaron Pico looks to get his career back on track against the dangerous Daniel Carey. Carey might not be a household name, but he does hold wins over Gaston Bolanos and Cris Lencioni.

Jiu-jitsu ace AJ Agazarm is back as well, taking on Adel Altamimi, whose story of being rescued by marines from the hands of al-Qaeda terrorists in Iraq went viral last year. Altamimi trains out of Jay Glazer’s Unbreakable gym in Hollywood, and there’s a chance actor Chris Pratt could be on hand to support his pal.

Jay-Jay Wilson is an undefeated young prospect worth keeping an eye on, while Curtis Millender makes his return to the Bellator cage after a stint in the UFC.

The Bellator 238 live stream, with all the preliminary action, kicks off at 7:30PM ET! Watch it live above.

Bellator 238: Budd vs. Cyborg Preliminary Card Results

Featherweight: Aaron Pico def. Daniel Carey by knockout, Round 2, 0:15
Featherweight: AJ Agazarm def. Adel Altamimi by submission (triangle), Round 3, 1:22
Featherweight: Jay-Jay Wilson def. Mario Navarro by submission (arm-bar), Round 2, 2:48
Welterweight: Miguel Jacob def. David Pacheco by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
Lightweight: Anthony Taylor def. Chris Avila by majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
180-Pound Contract Weight: Curtis Millender def. Moses Murrietta by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
160-Pound Contract Weight: Joshua Jones def. Brandon Bender by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)

Post-Lims

Lightweight: Ricardo Seixas vs. Dominic Clark
Featherweight: Tony Bartovich vs. Jarett Conner

The post Bellator 238: Budd vs. Cyborg Preliminary Card Live Stream and Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

A big weekend for Bellator MMA was topped by the return of the featherweight grand prix at Bellator 228 in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday night. The promotion was once again at The Forum, and this time, Patricio Pitbull was putting his 145lb belt on the line against Juan Archuleta. That fight was part of the tournament, which would have the belt on the line every round. The rest of the opening round fights remaining were also set to go down. As was a middleweight scrap between Gegard Mousasi and Lyoto Machida.

Earlier in the night, names like Shawn Bunch and Antonio Mckee were in action. McKee in particular stood out, at 49-years old and sharing the card with son A.J., who was fighting in the grand prix.

Making her debut in MMA entirely, boxing champ Ava Knight was in the spotlight. And another star from another discipline, A.J. Agazarm, returned.

Check below come fight time, 7:30PM ET, for full results and a live stream of the early action.

Bellator 228: Pitbull vs. Archuleta – Live Tonight on DAZN

Bellator 228 Preliminary Card Results:

AJ Agazarm def. Jonathan Quiroz by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Ava Knight def. Shannon Goughary by KO (punch to the body), Round 3, 1:46
Antonio McKee def. William Sriyapai by TKO (punches), Round 2, 1:17
Johnny Cisneros def. Michael Jasper by TKO (ankle injury), Round 2, 2:48
Leandro Higo def. Shawn Bunch by submission (guillotine choke), Round 2, 4:34
Weber Almeida def. Castle Williams by TKO (punches), Round 2, 0:20
James Barnes def. David Duran by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 1:51
Joshua Jones def. Dominic Clark by submission (guillotine choke), Round 1, 2:39

Jay Viola vs. Jonathan Santa Maria
Jason Edwards vs. Adrian Najera
Emilio Williams vs. Ian Butler
Andre Walker vs. Osman Diaz

The post Bellator 228 Preliminary Card Live Stream and Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Bellator MMA continues to sign some interesting talents from the boxing world. The promotion, who inked Heather Hardy to a deal a few years ago, has now signed the “Lady of Boxing” Ava Knight to a deal. Knight, a former WBC and IBF boxing champion, will make her debut at Bellator 228 in September. The Chico Enterprise-Record was first to report news of the signing. Knight is expected to face Shannon Goughary in her promotional debut. But that’s not the only addition to Bellator 228, as BJJ ace A.J. Agazarm will continue his MMA journey.

Azagarm (1-1) will take on Jonathan Quiroz at the event. The submission expert lost a split decision in his debut at Bellator 214, but will enter his third fight off a win against Jacob Landin at Bellator 224. Not surprisingly, a rear-naked choke submission.

Quiroz (3-3) will be making his Bellator MMA debut in the fight.

Knight, meanwhile, will be making her MMA debut period at the event. She sports a boxing record of 18-2-5. Opponent Goughary is 3-3 as a pro, but is coming off a loss at Peak Fighting 2 last month.

Bellator 228 takes place September 28 at The Forum in Inglewood, CA. Patricio Freire defends his featherweight title against Juan Archuleta in the main event. The fight serves as part of the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix.

The post Bellator 228 Adds A.J. Agazarm vs Jonathan Quiroz, Ava Knight vs. Shannon Goughary appeared first on Cageside Press.

Bellator MMA was back in action Thursday, with a no-fuss, no-muss card from its frequent home away from home, the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma. While a women’s featherweight title fight topped the card, the early preliminary action had a lot to offer.

Among the fights to keep an eye on, the return of jiu-jitsu ace AJ Agazarm, who the promotion was taking the slow build approach with. Hot prospect Jordan Young, who they could probably speed up the push for, was looking for another win at light heavyweight. Flyweight up-and-comer Bruna Ellen was back as well, but it was the women’s 145lb division that really stood out: former UFC star and Project Spearhead founder Leslie Smith was making her Bellator debut, against Sinead Kavanagh. And former title challenger Arlene Blencowe was taking on Amanda Bell.

Bellator 224: Budd vs. Rubin – Live Tonight on Paramount & DAZN

The online prelims kick off at 6:45 PM ET — check below for full results. We’ll also have a live stream of the action when available!

Bellator 224: Budd vs. Rubin Preliminary Card Results:

Christian Edwards def. Justin Vargas by TKO, Round 1, 0:54
AJ Agazarm def. Jacob Landin by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 4:21
Will Fleury def. Antonio Jones by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Arlene Blencowe def. Amanda Bell by knockout, Round 1, 0:22
Jordan Young def. Joel Bauman by submission (triangle choke), Round 1, 3:20
Leslie Smith def. Sinead Kavanagh by majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Mike Jackson def. Kiefer Crosbie by DQ (illegal knee), Round 1
Gabriel Varga def. Jamese Taylor by TKO, Round 2, 3:23
Nainoa Dung def. Bradley Robison by unanimous decision (28-27, 28-27, 28-27)
Joseph Holmes def. Kona Oliveira by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 2:41
Bruna Ellen def. Elina Kallionidou by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Lucas Brennan def. Thomas Lopez by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 3:02

The post Bellator 224: Budd vs. Rubin Preliminary Card Live Stream and Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Bellator 214 kicks off 2019 for Bellator MMA, while at the same time, bringing to a close the World Heavyweight Grand Prix. It’s another tentpole event for Scott Coker and co., one that could be the swan song for the legendary ‘Last Emperor’ Fedor Emelianenko. Once the most revered heavyweight in all of MMA, Fedor has managed something of a return to form over his past couple of fights. Now in his forties, the Russian finds himself presented with one last shot at gold. One more chance to earn a major title, and do so by topping a tournament.

What an achievement that would be. Of course, standing in his way is Ryan Bader, the light heavyweight champ who has moved up, looking to become MMA’s latest ‘champ champ.’ Bader is arguably in the best form of his career, and could pose real problems for the great Fedor.

Before that goes down, however, the early prelims stream right here on Cageside Press, as well as on the Bellator app. Keep an eye on standout BJJ specimen AJ Agazarm, as he makes his promotional and MMA debut on the preliminary card.

Check back come fight time for the Bellator 214 live stream, carrying all the preliminary card action! The fights kick off at 6:30PM EST, streaming below!

Bellator 214: Fedor vs. Bader – Live Tonight on Paramount Network & DAZN

Bellator 214 Preliminary Card Results:

Jorge Juarez vs. David Pacheco
Jay Jay Wilson def. Tyler Beneke by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 1:31
Thor Skancke def. Jesse Merritt by submission, Round 1, (Monson/North-South Choke), Round 1, 4:26
Art Rivas def. Sean Johnson by TKO, Round 1, 4:30
Weber Almeida def. Odan Chinchilla by TKO, Round 1, 3:04
Osman Diaz vs. Christopher Reyes
Ryan Lilley def. James Barnes by knockout (head kick), Round 1, 1:03
Craig Plaskett def. Ian Butler by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jesse Roberts def. AJ Agazarm by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Desmond Torres def. Steve Ramirez by submission (arm-triangle choke), Round 1, 4:21

The post Bellator 214: Fedor vs. Bader Preliminary Card Live Stream and Results appeared first on Cageside Press.