Coker announces launch of Bellator Kickboxing
Today at a press event held in conjunction with weigh-ins for Bellator 194, President Scott Coker announced that the promotion will also now hold kickboxing events.
Today at a press event held in conjunction with weigh-ins for Bellator 194, President Scott Coker announced that the promotion will also now hold kickboxing events:
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HOUSTON — Bellator MMA is re-entering the kickboxing game, and this time it is taking matters into its own hands. Bellator president Scott Coker announced Thursday the launch of Bellator Kickboxing, a kickboxing entity that will work hand-in-hand with Spike TV and Viacom, essentially filling the role GLORY once held at the network.
Bellator Kickboxing debuts April 16 in Torino, Italy with a co-promoted Oktagon Kickboxing show that sees MMA and kickboxing veteran Melvin Manhoef take on Alexandru Negrea in the main event. Mustapha Haida challenges Karim Ghajii in a five-round 75kg (165 pounds) title fight in the co-headlining bout.
Veteran kickboxers Raymond Daniels, Kevin Ross, and Denise Kielholtz are also expected to compete on the card, which airs on Spike TV following the conclusion of Bellator 152.
Coker said he jumped at the opportunity to start his own promotion once the relationship between Spike TV and GLORY disbanded in 2015.
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