Valerie Loureda is coming off yet another big victory, a buzzer beater knockout of Bellator 243 opponent Tara Graff. Loureda was all smiles post-fight, but it wasn’t the easiest of roads to victory. A car crash on the night before her flight to Connecticut made for an unplanned detour — but for Loureda adversity is nothing new.

“I arrived in Connecticut Sunday to quarantine, the car accident happened on Saturday night,” Loureda told Cageside Press. “I finished my training at American Top Team, on the way back home on the highway this huge tow truck was speeding and he tried to pass me, merging,” Loureda continued. “He hit the back of my car and I spun into the railing, nearly went over it, it was just scary. I’m strong but my emotions were messed up before this for reasons I don’t want to discuss. I didn’t know if I could overcome all of it and transfer it to the fight but I took out all that aggression on Tara.”

Although she is happy to be getting a new car this week, Loureda admits that this may have been the hardest emotional rollercoaster leading into a fight for a multitude of reasons. She even called her manager, Abraham Kawa, and debated pulling out of the fight a week prior to the event.

“I had a huge problem happen that I can’t speak about yet. I called my manager and said ‘I think I need to pull out,'” Loureda recalled. “Two hours after this Bellator had posted my fight officially, and I didn’t know what to do. Before I made any crazy decisions I spoke with my manager’s sister and she spoke sense into me,” Loureda continued. “She told me don’t let anyone take away your dream from you, so I took control of my life and used those emotions to face the adversity.”

Loureda had not competed since Bellator 222, her second professional fight. It wasn’t just a car accident the day before leaving, or a major incident that almost caused her to pull out of Bellator 243: the whole year was filled with adversity for the 22 year old. Including in January, when she pulled out of her fight with Tara Graff due to an MCL injury. Loureda said it was hard to deal with Graff’s subsequent harassment.

“Since January, when I tore my MCL I was going to fight with that too, because I make stupid decisions, but I obviously couldn’t,” Loureda laughed. “My parents were going through a huge divorce. My mind was not there for that fight, I was only 21 years old— why rush myself into that? I wasn’t healthy physically or mentally,” Loureda continued. “Everyday since I backed out of that fight that stupid girl has harassed me on Twitter or Instagram.”

The last year plus had been tough on the Miami native. While most 22 year olds are living decently care free, relishing the party life before the real world comes calling, Loureda is a professional fighter. As most often forget, professional fighters have personal lives as well, and just like the rest of us things can go downhill at points. Loureda is proud of herself for overcoming so much, and she should be.

“This past year showed me so much about myself, how strong my mind is, my work ethic,” Loureda told Cageside Press. “Apart from everything I went through an eating disorder from cutting weight. I just went through so much, it would have been so easy to quit, at my age to just throw in the towel,” Loureda continued. “I found a way to get up from all of it, stay true to myself, and this performance showed me everything. I know I’m only 3-0 and Tara isn’t [Ilima-Lei Macfarlane], but I was born to be a champion.”

Graff had made numerous comments leading up to fight week that Loureda was ‘demoralizing to the sport’ and even making comments that the 22 year old is ‘trashy’. Loureda saw everything, but acted as though she had no idea. Instead Loureda remained calm and waited for the moment that mattered most, fight night.

“Oh my god, the thing is I’m crazy,” Loureda laughed. “I’m an emotional person and I’m an emotional fighter. If I responded to her I was going to let it get to me in the cage, my manager told me to focus on fighting. I promise you every single day I pictured the moment I got to destroy her face.”

Loureda’s post-fight victory dance went viral; after finishing her opponent, the undefeated fighter let the world watch her perform. When asked if the dance was planned or an explosion of emotion, Loureda’s answer was simple: it was for all of the haters. The haters don’t bother her, the support is what Loureda sees.

“The post fight dance was to piss off everyone on Twitter, and that UFC girl Macy [Chiasson],” Loureda exclaimed. “Who is anyone to tell me what I can or can’t post while being a fighter? I have gained more female followers than I have ever seen before. Females matter to me, young girls and mothers are DM’ing me saying I’m an inspiration for them,” Loureda continued. “That is what I live for, what drives me, female image. This is who I am, this isn’t an act. The support I have from women, I cried yesterday seeing the support I have. I won’t stop until I’m the biggest face in MMA.”

Loureda has a message for those who look up to her:

“Stay true to yourself. There are no stereotypes. You don’t have to look a certain way to be in an industry,” Loureda stated. “I’m in a male dominated industry, be yourself. Don’t let any man or anybody try to control your life. I’ve always stayed true to myself and my goals. I was bullied in school, laughed at with my gallon of water and tuna sandwich while cutting weight, so please stay true to yourself and your goals. Keep pushing never stop.”

Loureda calls this fight a turning point for her career, and the most rewarding of her career. Her knockout power is prevalent, and even proved her coaches wrong. It has reaffirmed the belief she’s had, ever since she was little, that fighting is what she was born to do.

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Dalton Rosta dominated his way to a third professional stoppage victory at Bellator 243. “Hercules” won via doctor stoppage, as we never saw a second round due to a cut on opponent Mark Gardener. Post-fight, Rosta took little time to call out his next opponent, Dillon Danis. At least, he’s hoping that’s his next bout.

“I’ve talked to my manager about it, I want that fight,” Rosta told Cageside Press this week. “A lot of people don’t like the guy, he calls out Youtube stars, UFC champions, anybody not in his promotion,” Rosta continued. “Danis does it for attention, that’s obvious. Stop with the games, you have world class jiu-jitsu, put that to the test up against me and see how it works out.”

Rosta has the same management team as Danis, Paradigm Management. So Rosta is very confident that although Danis has been quiet on the call out thus far, that it will definitely be brought to his attention. Rosta wants to show the world who Dillon Danis is.

“It’ll get to his coach’s desk, I can promise you that,” Rosta told Cageside Press. “I’ll continue to push for it. He either will say yes or no, but if he says no I’ll expose that, it’ll be known. I really just want to expose him for who he is, I wanna be the guy that gets people like Danis out of this sport.”

Dillon Danis is currently 2-0 and while listed as a welterweight, he has yet to fight at the 170lb limit. As Rosta points out, he has only fought at catchweight in his two stoppage wins. Danis is best known for his friendship with UFC megastar Conor McGregor. Danis is a training partner, and even jiu-jitsu coach of McGregor at SBG Ireland.

“He does have world class jiu-jitsu, but he’d have absolutely nowhere near the following he has without McGregor,” Rosta stated. “He tries to ride the same wave that worked for McGregor, same personality, and it just doesn’t work for him. He looks uncomfortable when he speaks, he isn’t as witty as Conor, put pressure on him and he doesn’t know what to say,” Rosta continued. “He isn’t calm in sh*t talking like Conor, he can’t get stuff of the top of his head, so he just looks stupid riding Conor’s coattails. I’d love to put an end to it.”

While it is clear Rosta is looking to share the cage with Danis, who has over one million followers on Twitter, Rosta isn’t holding his breath. Danis hasn’t competed since Bellator 222 last June.

“He isn’t worth the wait,” Rosta told Cageside Press. “I want to fight again in September or at the latest October. I have a career, I won’t let him slow my career down, if he wants to slow his down that’s his decision.”

When asked if at 24 this is exactly where Dalton Rosta thought he’d be, it was both a yes and a no. Rosta has only competed with Bellator professionally, and loves the company. Although Rosta has made it clear that he would love to fight more often, and discusses what could be the case when his contract with Bellator is up.

“Honestly when Bellator called and signed me not only to my debut but a five fight deal, I got real emotional,” Rosta admits. “I knew eventually I’d get signed, I didn’t expect it to happen so soon while I was still an amateur. To be honest I expected to be farther along in Bellator at this point,” Rosta told Cageside Press. “I was expecting them to fight me more often, they have given me long layoffs. I’ve been asking for fights immediately after each of my fights.”

The contract signed by Rosta was a 20 month, 5 fight deal. That essentially means his contract is up with whatever comes first, competing in five fights for the promotion or 20 months with the promotion. Rosta is unsure how the COVID-19 pandemic plays into the contract with the layoff that occurred.

“I’m not sure how it works, it was a 20 month, five fight deal, but I think with COVID that will be changed or extended,” Rosta explained. “If I get five fights, I’ll be 5-0 with 5 knockouts. Wherever I go I want to be paid and treated right, fight me more often. Bellator has the capability to do that, Bellator is a great promotion, I’d love to stay but we will talk about it in negotiations. There are other options out there, if they want me they will make it known.”

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Sabah Homasi was victorious at Bellator 243, his third win in a row. Fighting fellow former UFC vet in Curtis Millender, Homasi dominated in a technical bout. While during media day Homasi stated he wanted to ‘bring his head home on a spike’, he may have impressed even more with a three round genius game plan against the speedy Millender.

“I felt confident, I f*cking dominated every round,” Homasi said of the decision. “This is mixed martial arts, not kickboxing. If you are expecting someone to come in and stand and strike with you, you’re in the wrong f*cking sport,” Homasi continued. “If you don’t utilize all your tools then what the f*ck you fighting MMA for?”

Homasi had some intense fight IQ in his corner on Friday night at Bellator 243. His head coach, and head coach of American Top Team, Mike Brown. He also had good friend and training partner Dustin Poirier belting out what to watch for and what transitions were needed to steer clear of submission attempts.

“Super helpful, we put the reps in over and over again to the point where I was doing it in my sleep,” Homasi told media outlets including Cageside Press. “But that’s what you gotta do, do it over and over again until your doing it in your f*cking sleep.”

Sabah Homasi is of Lebanese background, and with the recent tragedy that occurred in the country, Homasi is going to donate to Poirier’s “Good Fight Foundation” to help in any way he can.

“This was for all the people in Lebanon,” Homasi stated. “My family is safe, I’m sorry for all the people whose loved ones are effected by it. Dustin Poirier has the Good Fight Foundation, so I’ll auction of my fight kit and take those donations to send over to Lebanon,” Homasi graciously stated. “It’s the best I can do right now, just to give back to the community.”

As for who is next for Homasi, who is now on a three fight win streak, it’s the man he has been scheduled to fight twice now, “Semtex.” Paul Daley. That’s Homasi’s pick.

“I want Paul Daley, bring that ninja turtle over here as soon as his border opens up,” Homasi told the media. “I want him, I want anyone in the top 10 to climb up this ladder.”

The post Bellator 243: Sabah Homasi Donating Fight Kit for Lebanon Tragedy, Wants “Ninja Turtle Paul Daley” Next appeared first on Cageside Press.

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.”

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Grant Neal had some huge moments in his Bellator 243 performance, his third victory in the Bellator cage. Neal faced off with Hamza Salim (5-3) who had just won 3 straight himself before taking a beating at the hands of Neal on Friday night.

“He’s [Salim] a tough guy,” Neal stated. “I can’t be disappointed, I left it all out there. Kudos to him, he is a tough opponent,” Neal continued. “I’m no where near my peak or pinnacle so I’m super excited.”

One of the judges gave Neal a 30-24 in the decision victory. A 30-24 simply means that every round for Neal was not only won, but in such a dominant fashion that he was awarded a 10-8 round. While becoming more prevalent, 10-8 rounds are still somewhat rare, so to get three in one fight, that is beyond rare.

“It’s definitely rare, it’s actually a complement to my opponent,” Neal told the media. “30-24 sounds like a finish to me but he stayed in there and was tough, he wanted to be there in the cage.”

At only four fights in, three in the Bellator cage, it is clear that Neal is looked upon as a promising prospect for the division and promotion. Undefeated through four, Neal thanks his college football coach for helping bring the attitude to the fight game.

“I’m always focused on the fight in front of me,” Neal told the media. “My college football coach always told us to win the last game in our national championship run, I brought that to the fight game. In my progression I’m always looking to finish the next one. Every fight is the biggest of my career. If I keep that attitude I’m going to get to where I want to be.”

Grant Neal is looking to get right back in the cage now, as he has had enough time off.

“I feel for everybody in the world that doesn’t have the opportunity to work, the coronavirus has uprooted a lot of peoples’ lives. It would be absolutely selfish of me to have an opportunity to continue to work and not do it.”

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Adam Borics went to a decision with opponent Mike Hamel at Bellator 243, but he still got the job done. Hamel had missed weigh by nearly four pounds, and this fight was originally called off by Bellator’s Rich Chou, before being booked again at contract weight with financial penalties for Hamel. Post-fight, Borics was asked about nerves in the decision.

“A little bit,” Borics admitted. After all, when isn’t it nerve-wracking, going to the judges?

“I felt like I lost the first round, and then fought better in second and third round. So I was like, split decision, why?” Borics questioned. “But it is okay.”

Borics had won 14 straight before losing his first career loss to former bantamweight champion Darrion Caldwell back at Bellator 238. Now a member of Bellator since 2017, going 5-1 with the promotion, Borics wasn’t to pleased with his performance against Hamel.

“I was a little bit disappointed,” Borics told the media. “But he was heavy man, he missed weight. I asked him what is your weight now, he said 175, I was only at 165. I am real thankful for him to take the fight on short notice. I’m disappointed in my performance because I know I am much better than this.”

Hamel missed weight by just under four pounds as previously mentioned, but it would not stop Borics from taking the fight.

“I don’t care, I just want to fight,” Broics told the media. ” I told my manager doesn’t matter what they are saying just say yes.”

A loss coming at the hands of former champion Darrion Caldwell is not by any means a bad loss, but Borics is still bothered by it. It was his first professional loss, and although glad to be back in the win column, he wants that one back.

“It was the worst memory of my life,” Borics spoke on his loss. “Everything happened so fast. I lost focus on that fight.”

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“I felt great tonight. I felt like I beat him three rounds,” the lightweight stated following the bout, speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press. Jury took home a unanimous decision against the always gritty Georgi Karakhanyan. “Being in Bellator, I fought the number one contender, Benson [Henderson], close fight, could have gone my way. I beat a top ten guy in Brandon Girtz my next fight. Now I beat someone tough, top ten, top fifteen, too in here [tonight, against Georgi Karakhanyan].”

Jury now hopes to stick around the promotion’s 155lb weight class. And stick around in the promotion period. “I have one more fight left in Bellator on my contract, so hopefully Bellator and my manager can work something out, because I feel like I fit perfecting in the 155lb division.”

When it comes to who is next, Jury would love a shot at gold, having put together two straight wins now. “My ideal opponent? Would be Pitbull. He’s the champ. Who else is left in the division? You have [Michael] Chandler and Benson tonight,” he pointed out. “We’ll see if Chandler stays, I hear he’s a free agent after this. Maybe a number one contender’s fight? Then again, I beat a top ten guy, beat a veteran of a sport, I’ve already fought the number one contender [Henderson] in a very close fight with him. What more does Bellator want?”

When it came time for the scores to be read, Jury admitted that he was “praying to God.”

“I know I worked hard for it, I know won every second of the victory. You don’t even know with the judges, man,” he observed. Because, when it comes down to it, in this sport, “they don’t even have any qualifications, man. They don’t even have ex-MMA fighters, judges [don’t] need to have courses on jiu-jitsu, wrestling, cage work. It’s just some dude who knows the athletic commission and judged boxing fights.”

Watch the full Bellator 243 post-fight press conference with Myles Jury above.

The post Bellator 243: Myles Jury Open to Number One Contender’s Bout, Criticizes MMA Judges’ Lack of Qualifications appeared first on Cageside Press.

Dalton Rosta has only seen three professional fights, but the man they call “Hercules” has made a statement in every one of them. After victory over Mark Gardener at Bellator 243, via doctor stoppage due to a cut, Rosta wanted more as he felt a more devastating finish coming his way.

“I wanted that stoppage in the first round, that’s always my goal,” Rosta told the media present, including Cageside Press. “I set a bar for myself, I don’t just go in there and win, I want to go in there and get the finish. I felt like I was doing that, but I felt a really good devastating finish was coming near, on the feet or on the ground. When I saw that blood I was hoping it wouldn’t get stopped, not how I wanted it to end.”

Rosta now stands at 3-0 inside the Bellator cage with three finishes (two in the first round). And he feels it’s time he gets to call the shots on who he wants next. The name that entered his mind was Dillon Danis (2-0). With a million twitter followers, no doubt thanks to being Conor McGregor’s training partner and friend, Danis has been known at times to be a bit of a troll. Essentially Danis has called out every and any fighter he can no matter the promotion or even sport. Rosta feels Danis should join him in the cage for a real fight.

“I called out Dillon Danis,” Rosta said Friday. “He’s been fighting at catchweight, 175, 180, he’s never even made it down to 170. He’s calling out a lot of guys he can’t even fight, UFC champs, boxers, he’s a troll on social media. I’m 3-0 and he’s 2-0, we are both in the same organization one weight class apart if you’d even say that, because he’ been taking catchweights.”

“I would love that fight. I would love to show everybody that he’s not as good as he said he is, and stop that hype train,” Rosta finished.

Watch the full Bellator 243 post-fight press conference with Dalton Rosta above.

The post Dalton Rosta Calls Out Dillon Danis After Bellator 243 Finish: “He’s a Troll” appeared first on Cageside Press.

The former three-time lightweight champion and face of the promotion knocked out Benson Henderson in the first round of their main event fight at Bellator 243 on Friday. It was the final fight on Chandler’s current contract, and an impressive way to enter free agency. Especially given former UFC lightweight champ Henderson had only been finished on the feet once before.

For Chandler, it’s a reminder that despite the loss of his title to Patricio Pitbull last year, he remains a threat to anyone in the 155lb division. Inside or outside of Bellator MMA. Whether or not he jumps ship remains to be seen: a fun third fight with Eddie Alvarez awaits in ONE Championship, but what else the Singapore-based promotion could offer remains to be seen. Chandler would make an interesting addition to the UFC’s lightweight division, meanwhile, but with its depth, he’d be further from a title shot there than anywhere else — and at 34, his window is quickly closing.

Of course, the best option for Chandler might be the re-sign with Bellator, and the ball seems to be in their court.

Elsewhere on the Bellator 243 card, Tim Johnson made it two first-round finishes in a row, and suddenly looks like a new fighter. That’s bad news for the rest of Bellator’s heavyweight division.

Full results from the event and a gallery of highlights can be found below!

Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 Results

Main Card:

Michael Chandler def. Benson Henderson by knockout (punches), Round 1, 2:09
Timothy Johnson def. Matt Mitrione by TKO (punches), Round 1, 3:14
Myles Jury def. Georgi Karakhanyan by split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28)
Sabah Homasi def. Curtis Millender by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary Card:

Adam Borics def. Mike Hamel by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Cris Lencioni def. AJ Agazarm by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28)
Valerie Loureda def. Tara Graff by TKO (punches), Round 2, 5:00
Grant Neal def. Hamza Salim by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-24)
Charlie Campbell def. Nainoa Dung by TKO (leg kicks), Round 2, 1:42
Dalton Rosta def. Mark Gardner by TKO (doctor’s stoppage – cut), Round 1, 5:00

The post Bellator 243: Chandler vs. Henderson 2 Photo Highlights appeared first on Cageside Press.

Tim Johnson has fought the label of Journeyman, a title given to fighters that do enough to stick around but never really accomplish the ultimate goal of hitting the top of their sport. With his second 1st round TKO in a row, against Matt Mitrione at Bellator 243, Johnson (14-6) has now safely distanced himself from the term.

Instead, it’s time to look forward. And upwards in the heavyweight division.

“I’ve had multiple opportunities throughout my career and I’ve messed them all up,” Johnson told the media following Friday’s event. “I had the title up til’ this fight today, the title of a journeyman, for good reason. I didn’t want to go through my career as that. I’m making a push.”

Of those past opportunities, a fight against former title challenger Cheick Kongo was one Johnson jumped on in Bellator. He admitted to forcing the takedown in that fight, which led to his demise. But he’s learned from the experience and would love to have that one back.

“That [Kongo] is a name that is in front of me that I need to get through” Johnson stated. “I’m just hoping for a fight here, I feel good. Maybe I get a fight here in September against someone who is in line and puts me in title contention.”

Another name that Johnson would love to have back is Vitaly Minakov. Johnson took a fight with the ex-champ on less than a days notice and was defeated at Bellator 225 in the first round. Johnson not only wants to show he is better than that performance, but also idolizes his former opponent.

“Minakov would be great,” Johnson stated. “Maybe I’m a fan boy, I put him up on a pedestal where some people put Fedor [Emelianenko]. I’ve followed Minakov for years, he’s the best heavyweight in the world, at least in the top three.”

Watch the full Bellator 243 post-fight press conference with Tim Johnson above.

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