BELLATOR MMA Confirms Full Fight Card for BELLATOR 261 - Live on SHOWTIME This Friday, June 25 at 9 P.M. ET

LOS ANGELES – BELLATOR MMA has confirmed the full fight card for BELLATOR MMA 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky this Friday, June 25 at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The event airs LIVE on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by No. 1 ranked heavyweight Timothy Johnson (15-6) versus the streaking No. 3 ranked Valentin Moldavsky (10-1) to determine the first interim champion in the promotion’s history.

 

An additional four fights compliment the BELLATOR 261 main card on SHOWTIME, including a top-five women’s flyweight bout pitting the savvy No. 2 ranked Liz Carmouche (15-7) against the undefeated No. 3 ranked Kana Watanabe (10-0-1) in the co-main event. Also, submission specialists square off as former title challenger No. 6 ranked featherweight Daniel Weichel (40-12) battles the undefeated Keoni Diggs (9-0), and a top-ten lightweight contest between No. 4 ranked Myles Jury (19-5) and No. 6 ranked Sidney Outlaw (15-4). Top light heavyweight prospect Christian Edwards (4-0) now meets Simon Biyong (7-1) to round out the main card after both of their originally scheduled opponents withdrew from their respective matchups.

 

Set for six fights, the preliminary card is highlighted by a 145-pound scrap between John Macapa (23-5-2) and John de Jesus (13-9), the highly anticipated return of undefeated Jaylon Bates (2-0) squaring off with Cody Matthews (1-1) in a bantamweight battle, and former Cage Warriors lightweight champion Soren Bak (14-1) clashing with grappling specialist Bobby Lee (12-5) in a lightweight contest.

 

Additionally, female strawweight Lena Ovchynnikova (12-6, 1 NC) takes on Kyra Batara (8-4), Taylor Johnson (6-2) takes on Lance Wright (5-1) in a middleweight matchup and Team Bodyshop prospect Isaiah Hokit makes his professional debut at lightweight against Corey Samuels (2-2).

 

BELLATOR 261 prelims will stream live at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.

As part of the launch of BELLATOR MMA on SHOWTIME, the network is offering viewers who are new to the SHOWTIME streaming service a 30-day free trial, followed by a discounted monthly subscription fee of $4.99/month for the next six months. Viewers can sign up at SHO.com/BellatorMMA. Subscribers will be delivered two premier BELLATOR MMA events per month throughout 2021 and beyond, with all events scheduled to air live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT anywhere the SHOWTIME service is available.

 

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BELLATOR MMA 261: Johnson vs. Moldavsky Main Card:

Friday, June 25 – Live on SHOWTIME

9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT 

 

Interim Heavyweight World Title Main Event: #1-Timothy Johnson (15-6) vs. #3-Valentin Moldavsky (10-1)

Flyweight Co-Main Event: #2-Liz Carmouche (15-7) vs. #3-Kana Watanabe (10-0-1)

Featherweight Bout: #6-Daniel Weichel (40-12) vs. Keoni Diggs (9-0)

Lightweight Bout: #4-Myles Jury (19-5) vs. #6-Sidney Outlaw (15-4)

Light Heavyweight Bout: Christian Edwards (4-0) vs. Simon Biyong (7-1)

 

Preliminary Card:

BELLATOR MMA YouTube Channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel | Pluto TV

6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT

 

Strawweight Bout: Lena Ovchynnikova (12-6, 1 NC) vs. Kyra Batara (8-4)

Lightweight Bout: Soren Bak (14-1) vs. Bobby Lee (12-5)

Lightweight Bout: Isaiah Hokit (Pro Debut) vs. Corey Samuels (2-2)

Bantamweight Bout: Jaylon Bates (2-0) vs. Cody Matthews (1-1)

Middleweight Bout: Taylor Johnson (6-2) vs. Lance Wright (5-1)

Featherweight Bout: John Macapa (23-5-2) vs. John de Jesus (13-9)

  

For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, visit BELLATOR.com. 

  

About BELLATOR MMA:  
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. 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 ViacomCBS, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms. 

 

About SHOWTIME 

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME^®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ and FLIX^®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND^®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL^™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND^®, and the network's authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME^®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME^®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS, and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Amazon, Apple^®, Google, LG Smart TVs, Oculus Go, Roku^®, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox One and PlayStation^®4. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, AT&T TV Now, FuboTV, Hulu, The Roku Channel, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Viewers can also watch on computers at Showtime.com. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV^®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.