HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BELLATOR FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP SUPERFIGHT BETWEEN JULIA BUDD AND CRIS ‘CYBORG’ IS OFFICIAL
MATCHUP SET FOR JANUARY 25 AT THE FORUM IN LOS ANGELES
TICKETS ON SALE NEXT FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4
LOS ANGELES – Bellator is set to deliver one of the most anticipated bouts in the history of women’s MMA on Saturday, January 25 at the “Fabulous” Forum in Inglewood, Calif. when reigning champ Julia Budd (13-2) defends her world featherweight title against Cris “Cyborg” (21-2, 1 NC) in the main event.
Tickets for Bellator: Budd vs. Cyborg go on sale to the general public Friday, Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at the Forum box office, as well as Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com. A special presale is scheduled to take place Wednesday, Oct. 2 through Thursday, Oct. 3 using code “BELLATOR” upon purchase.
Bellator: Budd vs. Cyborg will stream live exclusively on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com, DAZN and globally on the Bellator Mobile App. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Fighting out of Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, Budd will enter the Bellator cage in January for the fourth time since claiming the inaugural Bellator women’s featherweight world title in 2017. Currently riding a winning streak of 11 bouts, including seven straight fights since joining forces with Bellator in 2015, “The Jewel” has her eyes set on a fourth consecutive world title defense when she finally has the opportunity to challenge “Cyborg.” Since knocking off Dutch legend Marloes Coenen for the 145-pound strap at Bellator 174, the Gibson MMA-product has since collected victories over top contenders Olga Rubin, Arlene Blencowe and Talita Nogueira. With seven of her 13 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, the former kickboxing standout will look to derail the Bellator debut of “Cyborg.”
On the heels of signing the largest contract in women’s MMA history, Cris “Cyborg” will enter the Bellator cage for the first time on January 25, with the opportunity to lay claim to Bellator gold. Just like her upcoming opponent, “Cyborg” too was an inaugural champion, winning the inaugural Strikeforce Featherweight Championship in 2009 after defeating Gina Carano. The 34-year-old Curitiba, Brazil-native’s Bellator tenure follows a three-year run in UFC, multiple world title and a 20-fight unbeaten streak that includes notable victories against Holly Holm, Tonya Evinger, Marloes Coenen and Leslie Smith.
Updated Bellator: Budd vs. Cyborg Fight Card:
Featherweight World Title Bout: Julia Budd (13-2) vs. Cris “Cyborg” (21-2, 1 NC)
*Card subject to change
Please visit Bellator.com for more information.
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About Bellator:
Bellator is a leading global mixed martial arts and kickboxing promotion featuring many of the best athletes 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 both Paramount Network and DAZN, the world’s first truly dedicated LIVE sports streaming service. 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 Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About DAZN:
DAZN is the largest global sports streaming platform in the world. Since launching in 2016, DAZN has expanded across four continents with the app currently available for download in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan and Brazil. In the U.S., DAZN has made its mark as an attractive alternative to pay-per-view within the combat sports industry. The platform features big fights from Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, GGG Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super Series and Combate Americas, all for one affordable price, on any device – including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN also features live MLB action each day of the season with its new daily show, ChangeUp. The much-anticipated daily program The Pat McAfee Show launched in September.
About the Forum:
The award-winning “Fabulous” Forum, located
in Inglewood, CA, is the largest indoor performance venue in the country
designed with a focus on music and entertainment, in addition to select
sporting events. The interior of the bowl features flexible seating that ranges
from 17,500 seats to 7,000 seats, enabling the venue to attract a wide variety
of premier events. Fans at the Forum enjoy approximately 8,000 square feet
of event level hospitality offerings, including merchandise, along with food
and beverage options from some of SoCal’s most celebrated brands. A tinted
glass wall separates this concession area from the arena, ensuring fans do not
miss a moment of the performance. A 40,000 square foot outdoor terrace
surrounds the perimeter of the building and offers food and beverage options,
as well as comfortable furnishings, to further elevate guests’ enjoyment. The
Forum delivers a one-of-a-kind experience for all thanks to its superior
acoustics, intimate ambiance and state-of-the-art facilities. Designed with
entertainers and performers in mind, the venue includes nine, star-caliber
dressing rooms that provide unparalleled comfort. The Forum is part
of The Madison Square Garden Company’s portfolio of iconic venues, which also
includes: New York’s Madison Square Garden, the Hulu Theater at MSG, Radio City
Music Hall, the Chicago Theatre, the Boch Center Wang Theatre, and the Beacon
Theatre. For more information, please visit www.fabulousforum.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Bellator:
Ryan Grab – (706) 540-3425 – Ryan.Grab@bellator.com
Danny Brener – (818) 577-8215 – DannyB@bzapr.com
C.J. Tuttle – (310) 496-9110 – Christopher.Tuttle@bellator.com
Scoop Marketing for the Forum:
Maxie Solters – (818) 761-6100 – msolters@solters.com