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Rafael Lovato Jr. unsure about fighting future after successful return, will consider ‘enticing’ opportunities

BAD MMA News — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 03:39:03 +0000

After a successful return to fighting following a three-year absence, former Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Lovato Jr. is unsure if he will continue his MMA career. Due to cavernoma, a brain condition involving abnormally formed blood vessels, Lovato Jr. (11-0) was forced to put his career in the cage on hold soon after defeating Gegard Mousasi to claim gold at Bellator 223. Over 42 months later, Lovato Jr. returned to action, defeating Taiga Iwasaki in the first round with an arm lock submission at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2022 in Tokyo.

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Rafael Lovato Jr. unsure about fighting future after successful return, will consider ‘enticing’ opportunities – MMA Junkie

Rafael Lovato Jr. victorious in MMA return after three-year inactivity due to brain condition

BAD MMA News — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 19:15:17 +0000

Rafael Lovato Jr. is back from retirement. The former Bellator middleweight champion made a successful return to MMA Wednesday after putting his career on hold three and a half years ago due to cavernoma, a brain condition. Lovato (11-0) submitted Taiga Iwasaki (8-1) with a kimura in the first round of their 195-pound contest.

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Rafael Lovato Jr. victorious in MMA return after three-year inactivity due to brain condition – MMA Junkie

Video: Relive Bellator 205 on MMA Junkie

BAD MMA News — Wed, 20 May 2020 00:02:54 +0000

You can watch a live replay of Bellator 205 right here on MMA Junkie, beginning at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT). Bellator 205, which took place Sept. 21, 2018 at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho, featured A.J

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Video: Relive Bellator 205 on MMA Junkie – MMA Junkie

Video: Relive Bellator 205 on MMA Junkie (6 p.m. ET)

BAD MMA News — Tue, 19 May 2020 19:20:53 +0000

You can watch a live replay of Bellator 205 right here on MMA Junkie, beginning at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT)

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Video: Relive Bellator 205 on MMA Junkie (6 p.m. ET) – MMA Junkie

Gegard Mousasi shifts focus from Rafael Lovato Jr. to ‘worthy opponent’ Douglas Lima

BAD MMA News — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 17:28:54 +0000

NEW YORK – Gegard Mousasi admits that he would rather have tried to regain his belt from the man who took it from him. Former Bellator middleweight champion Mousasi (46-7-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) lost the title to Rafael Lovato Jr. in June 2019 via majority decision for his first loss in four years. Mousasi was eager to run things back, vowing to knock out Lovato in a rematch , but ongoing medical issues have forced Lovato to relinquish the belt and putting the possibility of avenging the loss at least on hold. Mousasi (46-7-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) bounced back with a win over former UFC light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida, and he will now face welterweight champ Douglas Lima for the vacant 185-pound title in May at Bellator 242. Lima (32-7 MMA, 14-3 BMMA) is a formidable opponent but not what Mousasi wanted.

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Gegard Mousasi shifts focus from Rafael Lovato Jr. to ‘worthy opponent’ Douglas Lima – MMA Junkie

Gegard Mousasi sends positive message to rival, former Bellator champ Rafael Lovato Jr.

BAD MMA News — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 17:28:13 +0000

Gegard Mousasi says he never had any real animosity toward Rafael Lovato Jr. now that a rematch with his fellow former Bellator champ is off the table. Lovato (10-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) took the middleweight belt from Mousasi (46-7-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) at Bellator 223 in June, and there’s been a push for a second fight since, with Mousasi throwing out some hefty personal attacks to try to make it happen. The rematch was supposed to happen in January, but concerns about Lovato’s health lingered.

Gegard Mousasi sends positive message to rival, former Bellator champ Rafael Lovato Jr. – MMA Junkie

Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Lovato Jr. relinquishes title in wake of brain condition

BAD MMA News — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 17:09:51 +0000

Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Lovato Jr. has decided to vacate his title. Lovato (10-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA), recently was diagnosed with a brain condition involving “abnormally formed blood vessels,” typically in the brain or spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic . Bellator announced the news Monday. Lovato won the title this past June with a win over UFC veteran and former Strikeforce light heavyweight champ Gegard Mousasi at Bellator 223 in London. “My journey with my team and family to become the Bellator middleweight world champion was incredible and something I will cherish forever,” Lovato stated.

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Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Lovato Jr. relinquishes title in wake of brain condition – MMA Junkie

Bellator issues statement on champion Rafael Lovato Jr.’s brain condition

BAD MMA News — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 22:59:43 +0000

Bellator has issued a statement regarding Rafael Lovato Jr . On a recent episode of “JRE MMA Show,” the promotion’s middleweight champ Lovato (10-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) revealed his fighting career is in question due to a recently-discovered brain condition. “I could sense something was going on,” Lovato said. “The radiologist, with really no candor or an easy or soft way of saying it, was like, ‘Dude, have you seen your brain before? There’s some stuff in here you need to see.’ He pulls me into the room and shows me on the screen, pointing out what looked like little balls

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Bellator issues statement on champion Rafael Lovato Jr.’s brain condition – MMA Junkie

Bellator issues statement regarding champion Rafael Lovato Jr.

BAD MMA News — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 17:22:28 +0000

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Bellator issues statement regarding champion Rafael Lovato Jr. – MMA Junkie

Bellator champ Rafael Lovato Jr. reveals he’s ‘indefinitely on the sidelines’ with brain condition

BAD MMA News — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 01:56:59 +0000

Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Lovato Jr. is in a battle for his fighting career in the form of a brain condition that could cause him to give up his title and retire. It’s been a trying past 14 months for Lovato Jr. (10-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA), but the struggles have led to some major revelations about his health. He’s been diagnosed with cavernoma, a condition involving “abnormally formed blood vessels,” typically in the brain or spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic . For the entirety of Lovato’s MMA career, he said he fought in locations where the sanctioning body did not require brain scans