Bellator 37 Pre-Fight Breakdown: Season 4 Featherweight Tournament

 Posted by at 1:53 PM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Mar 192011
 

Eric Larkin (top) is a newcomer to professional MMA, but at just 3-0, he has already proven himself to be a versatile fighter with finishing power. Will it be enough to take out the much more experienced Kenny Foster? (Photo courtesy of Dave Mandel and Sherdog)

Tomorrow night Bellator Fighting Championship kicks off yet another promising display of top MMA prospects for its fourth season with Bellator 37. Tearing the roof off the Lucky Star Casino in Concho, Oklahoma two hours earlier than normal at 7pm ET due to the UFC’s own offering tomorrow night during the same time block, Bellator brings fans a Season 4 Featherweight Tournament stacked with some of the world’s best talent at 145lbs. just aching to get their hands on reigning champion Joe Warren (6-1). Starting off the night is Daniel Straus (14-2), a competitor who hasn’t lost a fight since April 2009 when he succumbed to the fists of No. 1 lightweight contender Pat Curran (12-3), looking to spoil the Bellator debut of “Naza” Nazareno Malegarie (19-0) who himself aims to maintain his perfect record and take out the veteran Straus. “The Tooth Fairy” Kenny Foster (8-2) looks to follow up his successful September 2010 Bellator debut and punch his ticket into the semi-finals of the tournament at the expense of undefeated newcomer Eric Larkin (3-0). Two-time semi-finalist and fan beloved former Elite XC Bantamweight Champion Wilson Reis (11-2), known for his tough as nails fighting style, has a score to settle with fellow tournament competitor “Pitbull” Patricio Freire (6-1) but he first will have to get past the experienced IFL veteran Zac George (20-3), a viable threat to Reis’ hopes for redemption. In the main event of the evening, Bellator veteran and Russian import “Insane” Georgi Karakhanyan (15-2) takes on the relentless Minotauro Jiu-Jitsu black belt Patricio Freire. Karakhanyan looks to derail the dangerous submission expert and take one step closer to Warren, but Freire has the same goals as his adversary, which certainly will make for an impressive battle. Continue reading »

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Hector Lombard to Defend CFC Title Against Joe Doerksen Before Returning to Bellator’s Cage

 Posted by at 6:58 AM  Bellator, MMA News  No Responses »
Mar 102011
 

Hector Lombard (left) will defend the CFC Middleweight Championship title, which he has held since 2007, against Joe Doerksen to stay active while he awaits his Bellator 44 bout in May. (File photo)

Bellator Fighting Championship’s first and still reigning middleweight king “Shango” Hector Lombard (25-2) is returning to his adoptive home of Australia and stepping into the cage sooner than expected. Before he faces UFC, Strikeforce, and SUPERBRAWL veteran “Niko” Falaniko Vitale (27-8) at Bellator 44 in May, Lombard will defend his Cage Fighting Championships title against UFC veteran and world class submission expert “El Dirte” Joe Doerksen (44-14) on March 25 under the CFC banner. The bout will mark the seventh time that Lombard has defended his CFC middleweight title belt. Continue reading »

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Bellator Signs UFC Veteran “Killa B” Ben Saunders

 Posted by at 7:31 PM  Bellator, Features, MMA News  1 Response »
Feb 032011
 

UFC veteran and American Top Team fighter Ben Saunders (right) is the newest addition to Bellator's already stacked welterweight division. (Photo courtesy of Jon Kopaloff and Getty Images)

This afternoon, Chicago-based MMA promotion Bellator Fighting Championship (BFC or Bellator) announced that it signed seven-time UFC veteran and The Ultimate Fighter 6 alum “Killa B” Ben Saunders (9-3-2) to its already shark infested welterweight roster. Saunders will not take part in the upcoming Bellator Welterweight Tournament, but he will make his debut with the promotion sometime during Season 4, which begins March 4. Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said of the acquisition, “Ben Saunders is an exciting, powerful welterweight with explosive knockout power.  Ben’s dangerous and always shows up to fight.  I’m excited to see his first fight under the Bellator banner…” Continue reading »

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It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Boxing…

 Posted by at 3:43 PM  Features, MMA News  No Responses »
Jan 042011
 

UFC 118 in August was predominantly centralized around its "MMA vs. Boxing" co-main event between UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture (red/black shorts) and superstar boxer "Lights Out" James Toney (camouflage trunks). Couture demolished Toney and put an end to his night about halfway through the first round. (Photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC.)

This past month rounding out the 2010 MMA calendar and transitioning into the New Year has been thrilling. UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck II was for all intents and purposes an exciting affair. “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (21-2) put on another picture perfect fight against perennial contender “Kos” Josh Koscheck (15-5) and “Pitbull” Thiago Alves (18-7) showed he could stay relevant at welterweight by testing the iron chin of “Doomsday” John Howard (14-6), Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu 2 was quite literally a knockout, WEC 53: Henderson vs. Pettis was an explosive send-off for the exciting organization, and the main event at UFC 125: Resolution featured lightweight champ “The Answer” Frankie Edgar (13-1-1) and his challenger, NCAA Div. I wrestler “The Bully” Gray Maynard (10-0-1), partaking in a five round war dominated by stand-up that rather surprisingly resulted in a Draw. However a disturbing realization has come to light. It is likely that given the growth of MMA, especially the UFC, this beloved sport one day will begin to emulate the stale monotony of professional boxing. As the UFC and MMA continue to grow into the meganaut of combat sports, mainstream growth’s effect on the sport, its entertainment value, and its fighters will only become progressively more apparent. Continue reading »

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Bellator to Hold Inaugural Light Heavyweight Tournament in Season Four

 Posted by at 5:58 PM  MMA News  2 Responses »
Dec 202010
 

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney announced today that, for the first time in its history, the promotion will feature a Light Heavyweight Tournament as part of its fourth season. (File photo)

Bellator Fighting Championship (BFC) announced today that for the first time in its two-year and three-season history, the promotion will be hosting a Light Heavyweight Tournament in addition to those for its other weight classes. The eight-man 205lbs. Tournament kicks off in March as part of the fourth season.

The bracket style tournament will pit four pairs of men against one another, with the winners of those matches advancing to the semi-finals then the top two men facing each other in the finals. The winner of the Light Heavyweight Tournament will be crowned the very first Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion and be awarded $100,000 for his efforts. Continue reading »

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