Bellator MMA sent Fightful.com the following, announcing broadcast duties for their Bellator NYC show. The company have acquired Mike Goldberg, Mauro Ranallo, Brendan Schaub and Josh Thomson to add to the program.
With the recently announced additions of veteran commentators Mauro Ranallo and Mike Goldberg to the current Bellator broadcast team, fight night roles have been determined for the biggest evening in the promotion?s history when Bellator NYC: Sonnen vs. Silva and Bellator 180: Davis vs. Bader air live on Saturday, June 24 from Madison Square Garden in New York.
Bellator?s stacked pay-per-view event, Bellator NYC: Sonnen vs. Silva, will see play-by-play analyst Mauro Ranallo join longtime Bellator color commentator Jimmy Smith for the first time live at 10 p.m. ET/7p.m. PT, while Mike Goldberg will anchor the desk for the historic broadcast.
Earlier that evening, Goldberg is set to call the play-by-play action alongside Smith, with Ranallo set to host Bellator 180: Davis vs. Bader from the desk live on SPIKE at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. Goldberg and Smith will also call the additional preliminary match-ups on Bellator.com at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.
Jenn Brown will host SPIKE?s live pre-show during preliminary action, where she will be joined by popular MMA personalityBrendan Schaub and Bellator lightweight Josh Thomson, who will offer unique insight and analysis leading into the historic event. Schaub and Thomson will later join Ranallo at the desk during Bellator 180. The voice of Bellator, Michael C. Williams, will take his familiar position inside the cage as the evening?s ring announcer.
Headlined by the long-awaited bout between two of the biggest names in mixed martial arts history, Chael Sonnen (29-15-1) andWanderlei Silva (35-12-1, 1 NC), Bellator NYC: Sonnen vs. Silva airs live on pay-per-view beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Emanating from Madison Square in New York City, the mecca of combat sports, this blockbuster event includes a heavyweight bout between MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko and hard-hitting Matt Mitrione, along with two championship bouts, including Douglas Lima (28-6) defending his 170-pound strap against Lorenz Larkin(18-5, 1 NC) and current lightweight champion Michael Chandler (16-3) putting his world title on the line against the undefeated Brent Primus (7-0).
Prior to the pay-per-view, SPIKE will air Bellator 180: Davis vs. Bader LIVE and FREE on both coasts beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The event is headlined by a light heavyweight title bout between current champ Phil Davis (17-3, 1 NC) and top contender Ryan Bader (22-5). Additionally, Bellator 180 prelims will air exclusively on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.