Late replacements Ron Sparks (right) and Vince Lucero have added nearly as much excitement to the Bellator 43 card as they have weight in their near super heavyweight match-up. (Photo courtesy of Bellator)
Oklahoma will be treated to a night of Bellator MMA action for a third time with a stacked fight card that features heavy hitters and Jiu-Jitsu aces as well as the Season 4 Welterweight Tournament final between former IFL Welterweight Champion and Strikeforce and UFC veteran ”The Thoroughbred” Jay Hieron (18-4) and the undefeated Judo Olympian Rick Hawn (11-0). Bellator 43 will take place at the First Council Casino and Hotel in Newkirk and will feature three solid supporting bouts in the middleweight, heavyweight, and bantamweight divisions. The co-main event features UFC and Strikeforce veteran “Diesel” Joe Riggs (33-13) and Season 2 Tournament finalist “The Beast” Bryan Baker (11-2) with the winner likely gaining a spot in the Season 5 Middleweight Tournament. Also on the card, former WEC Bantamweight Champion and Jiu-Jitsu wizard “The Rage” Chase Beebe (16-5) will face off with returning Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament semi-finalist Jose Vega (8-4). A heavyweight tilt was scheduled between “Goliath” Neil Grove (10-3) and Bellator newcomer Zach Jensen (10-6), but due to an injury Grove was pulled from the bout and Bellator announced on May 5 that “The Monster” Ron Sparks (3-0) would return to the cage against Vince Lucero (20-18) as a late replacement for the bout. Continue reading »
