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Tag: Lorenz Larkin

  • Bellator Title Contender Announces Free Agency: ‘Who Wants An Exciting Welterweight?’

    Bellator Title Contender Announces Free Agency: ‘Who Wants An Exciting Welterweight?’

    Former Bellator title contender Lorenz Larkin has announced that he is currently a free agent after fighting out his contract. “The Monsoon” had recently said in interviews that he would be in talks with the PFL about re-signing but his latest statement seems to suggest that he is exploring all options right now.

    The final fight of his contract was listed as a welterweight title eliminator at the Bellator Champions Series event in San Diego this past September. After stopping Levan Chokheli in the first round, it seemed clear that he would go on to challenge the undefeated Ramazan Kuramagomedov who won the title by beating Jason Jackson in June.

    After competing both in Strikeforce and the UFC, Larkin signed with Bellator in 2017 after securing back-to-back wins in the Octagon over Jorge Masvidal and Neil Magny making his switch a fairly substantial acquisition. This showed in his debut as he jumped right into a welterweight title shot where he lost a decision to Douglas Lima.

    If this is the end of Larkin’s run with Bellator, he departs having fought 12 times with the promotion with one additional appearance on a PFL card this past June. The 38-year old posted a video on his Instagram story to talk about the next stage of his career.

    “Hey, so just wanted to keep everybody updated who’s interested, your boy is officially a free agent. Me and my team can officially start talking to other promotions. I’m excited, this is another part of the career that we gotta do so I’m pumped, excited for what the future brings and excited to see who wants an exciting welterweight to come in so let’s see.” 

  • Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Usman Nurmagomedov Decisions Alexandr Shabliy

    Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Usman Nurmagomedov Decisions Alexandr Shabliy

    The fourth Bellator Champions Series event went down on Saturday night, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, and Dublin thus far since acquiring its rival promotion late last year, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) brought the brand back to United States soil for the first time in 2024.

    And headlining inside the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California on September 7 was Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov, who was tasked with defending his belt opposite an Alexandr Shabliy who rode a nine-fight win streak into his first title challenge.

    The reigning kingpin was ultimately successful, comfortably outpointing his fellow countryman in a largely low-volume affair across five rounds.

    Elsewhere on the lineup, Lorenz Larkin and Levan Chokheli duked it out to secure number one contender status at middleweight, with the 38-year-old UFC and Strikeforce veteran getting it done in under two minutes, and former Bellator champ Douglas Lima fell to Aaron Jeffrey in his comeback after 15 months away.

    With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!

    Bellator Champions Series: Nurmagomedov vs. Shabliy Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Lightweight Championship: Usman Nurmagomedov def. Alexandr Shabliy via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
    • Welterweight: Lorenz Larkin def. Levan Chokheli via TKO (punches): R1, 1:53
    • Middleweight: Aaron Jeffrey def. Douglas Lima via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Sumiko Inaba def. Mackenzie Stiller via TKO (ground strikes): R2, 4:25
    • Lightweight: Zhora Ayvazyan def. Yancy Medeiros via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Middleweight: Jordan Newman def. Imamshafi Aliev via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Welterweight: Masayuki Kikuiri def. Herman Terrado via TKO (body kick): R3, 2:54
    • Bantamweight: Bryce Meredith def. Jon Macalolooy via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 3:18
    • Heavyweight: Josh Hokit def. Sean Rose via submission (armbar): R1, 4:48
    • Women’s Strawweight: Ashley Thiner def. Aysia Cortez via TKO (punches): R2, 3:11

    Ashley Thiner Def. Aysia Cortez

    Josh Hokit Def. Sean Rose

    Bryce Meredith Def. Jon Macalolooy

    Masayuki Kikuiri Def. Herman Terrado

    Jordan Newman Def. Imamshafi Aliev

    Zhora Ayvazyan Def. Yancy Medeiros

    Sumiko Inaba Def. Mackenzie Stiller

    Aaron Jeffrey Def. Douglas Lima

    Lorenz Larkin Def. Levan Chokheli

    Usman Nurmagomedov Def. Alexandr Shabliy

  • Lorenz Larkin, UFC & Strikeforce Vet, Earns Title Shot At 38 With Quick Bellator Champions Series Knockout

    Lorenz Larkin, UFC & Strikeforce Vet, Earns Title Shot At 38 With Quick Bellator Champions Series Knockout

    Even at 38 years old, Lorenz Larkin is not slowing down.

    Now, his next fight will present a likely last opportunity to earn gold thanks to his win at Saturday’s Bellator Champions Series event in San Diego.

    Larkin, a former UFC and Strikeforce fighter, faced Levan Chokheli in the co-main event at Pechanga Arena. The Georgian appeared set to present some challenge after catching a kick from Larkin and knocking him down.

    Chokheli, however, allowed the veteran back to his feet, a decision that proved to be a costly mistake when Larkin landed a right hand that wobbled Chokheli moments later.

    That started a flurry, paving the way for the American to score a TKO finish in just under two minutes.

    Lorenz Larkin Stops Levan Chokheli Quickly To Earn Bellator Welterweight Title Shot

    Larkin has now won nine of his last 11 fights and will take on Bellator welterweight champion Ramazan Kuramagomedov at some point to be determined.

    “The Monsoon” challenged for the same belt in his Bellator debut back in 2017 but fell to Douglas Lima. That result came off the back of a two-fight win streak in the UFC, with wins over Jorge Masvidal and Neil Magny concluding his four-year stint on MMA’s biggest stage.

    Chokheli, meanwhile, sees a three-fight winning run snapped. He is now 4-3 under the banner of Bellator, which was acquired by the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in late 2023.