Hawn wins Season 6 Lightweight Tournament, Heavyweight Champ Konrad successful in first defense

Nogueira advances to Season6 Bantamweight finals, Local favorite Clementi victorious 

New Orleans, La. (May 25, 2012) — Bellator Fighting Championships returned to “The Crescent City” Friday night for the close of Bellator’s action packed sixth season. Bellator Heavyweight Champion Cole Konrad made the first successful title defense of his career while Rick Hawn won the Bellator Season 6 Lightweight Tournament with a dynamic performance. Also, Luis Nogueira will move on to the finals of the Bellator Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament and Rich Clementi picked up an impressive victory at Bellator 70 from Harrah’s in New Orleans, Louisiana LIVE on MTV2 and in HD on EPIX.

“The performance Rick Hawn and Brent Weedman delivered was a fantastic way to close our sixth season,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Cole Konrad once again proved why he is one of the best heavyweights in the world, while Luis Nogueira advanced in dominating fashion. Harrah’s New Orleans provided us with a great venue, and our Summer Series is shaping up to be one for the ages.”

Heading into their fight in “The Big Easy,” Bellator Season 6 Lightweight Tournament finalists Rick Hawn and 

Brent Weedman dominated their competition through the first two rounds of the tournament.  With an opportunity to face Bellator World Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler within reach, both men were eager to prove their status as the #1 contender. Throughout a fight engaged primarily on the feet, both fighters were able to land solid shots in front of an electric New Orleans crowd. However, it was the polished striking and the world-class takedowns of Hawn (14-1) that ultimately led him to victory. For three rounds, Hawn appeared to land the harder shots while Weedman (21-8-1) tried his best to deliver strikes of his own. However, it was not enough as all three judges awarded Rick Hawn a unanimous decision victory as he becomes the Bellator Season 6 Lightweight Tournament Champion             

“Chandler, I know you’re watching at home, I’m coming for you,” said Hawn.    

In his first title defense since defeating Neil Grove at Bellator 32, undefeated Bellator World Heavyweight Champion and two-time NCAA Wrestling Champion Cole Konrad looked to send a message to all the heavyweights on the Bellator roster, and he did just that against challenger Eric Prindle. Almost immediately, Prindle (7-2) came out throwing with ill intentions, however Konrad (9-0) secured a signature takedown and began working for a kimura. Prindle tried to fend off the Champion’s submission attempt, but was unable to gain a better position. Konrad twisted with increasing intensity until the “The American Soldier” was forced to submit 1:00 into the fight.              

“I think I have a pretty solid base with my wrestling,” said Konrad. “I’ve got to keep improving on my standup, my submission, and my wrestling, too.”

In the second Bellator Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament semifinal fight, four-fight Bellator veteran Luis Nogueira and Hiroshi Nakamura squared off with the winner meeting Marcos Galvao for the tournament championship. Throughout the bout, the reach advantage for Nogueira (14-2) was evident. While the first round was close, the second and third is where Nogueira found his rhythm. In the second, the Japanese star Nakamura (15-6-4) found himself on the receiving end of crisp striking and a big full body slam. In the third round, Nogueira came out just as aggressive as he was in the second. After an exchange on the feet, Nogueira was able to land a right hand that floored “Iron.” After a series of follow up punches, referee Jason Herzog stepped in to stop the fight at 1:58 of the third round.          

“Since the start of the fight, I knew he was feeling my punches,” said Nogueira. “I was looking for the right moment to finish the fight.”  

In the first fight of the evening, 56-fight MMA veteran and local fan favorite Rich Clementi looked to earn his first win under the Bellator umbrella when he met promotional newcomer, Derek Campos. Clementi (43-21-1) showed patience in the opening moments of action, letting Campos (9-3) dictate the pace of the fight. However, after a quick scramble to get back to his feet, Campos found himself in a guillotine choke that “No Love” did not abandon. With no way out, Campos was forced to tap at 4:18 of the first round.       

“As a competitor, the valleys are what makes me strong,” said Clementi. “I’m at my peak right now, I’m coming back, and ‘No Love’ is back.”   

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

*Bellator 70 Weigh-In Results*

Heavyweight Title Fight official for Harrah’s New Orleans

New Orleans, La. – The Bellator 70 weigh-ins have been completed from New Orleans, Louisiana in preparation for Bellator’s Friday night event at Harrah’s New Orleans, which features the Bellator Heavyweight Title Fight between Champion Cole Konrad and Eric Prindle. Also, a highly-anticipated Bellator Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal fight will take place as Luis Nogueira will square off against Hiroshi Nakamura while Rich Clementi will meet Derek Campos in a lightweight contest. Additionally, the Bellator Season 6 Lightweight Tournament will be decided as Rick Hawn takes on Brent Weedman. Both men showed the other vast amounts of respect ahead of their fight on Friday night.

“I’m looking forward to fireworks,” said Weedman. “This is the toughest opponent I’ve had in my career. We’re going to put on a show for the fans in New Orleans.”

The usually quiet Hawn echoed his opponent and responded: “It’s going to be a great fight. He’s an extremely tough opponent and I’m looking forward to putting on a show tomorrow night.”

Bellator 70 will be broadcast LIVE on Friday, May 25 at 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. The undercard will begin at 7:00 pm ET/ 6:00 pm CT and will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com.

The full results for Bellator 70 are below:

MAIN CARD:

Heavyweight World Title Fight: Cole Konrad (265.2lbs) vs. Eric Prindle (265lbs)

Lightweight Tournament Final Fight: Rick Hawn (156lbs) vs. Brent Weedman (156lbs)

Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal Fight:  Luis Nogueira (135.8lbs) vs. Hiroshi Nakamura (135.8lbs)

Catchweight Feature Fight (157 lbs): Rich Clementi (157.2lbs) vs. Derek Campos (154.8lbs)*

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Catchweight Feature Fight (173 lbs):  Josh Shockley (170.8lbs) vs. Keith Schneider (173.6lbs)*

Welterweight Feature Fight:  Charlie Rader (171lbs) vs. A.J. Matthews (170.8lbs)  

Catchweight Feature Fight (156 lbs): Kyle Bradley (156.8lbs) vs. John Harris (155.8lbs)*

Bantamweight Feature Fight: Blake Dufour (136lbs) vs. Derek Arcement (136lbs)

Catchweight Feature Fight (189 lbs): Jeremiah Riggs (185.2lbs) vs. Kelvin Tiller (190.8lbs)*

*Each fighter that missed weight will forfeit a portion of his purse.

For more information, visit Bellator.com; follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/Bellator.

BELLATOR: Season 6 Finale includes Prindle vs. Konrad for Heavyweight World Title & Hawn vs. Weedman for Lightweight Tourney Championship from Harrah’s New Orleans

Chicago, Ill. (May 15, 2012) — The Big Easy will be the host for Bellator 70 as heavyweights Cole Konrad and Eric Prindle face off for the Bellator World Championship and headline a loaded fight card presented by Harrah’s New Orleans from the New Orleans Convention Center on Friday, May 25. The night will also feature the Finals of Bellator’s Lightweight Tournament, a Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal fight and a host of preliminary action featuring some of Louisiana’s best talent, including New Orleans’ own Rich Clementi.

Tickets for Bellator 70 are now on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the New Orleans Convention Center Box Office. Tickets are priced from $30-$125. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 7 p.m. CST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CST, with the first fight scheduled for 6 p.m. CST. The preliminary card, featuring the area’s top talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com starting at 6 p.m. CST. The official weigh-ins for Bellator 70 will be held at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 24 at Masquerade inside Harrah’s Casino.

After a dominating run through the Season 6 Lightweight Tournament that included a vicious knockout over Ricardo Tirloni at Bellator 62 (Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fTUfZIMTp0), Rick Hawn is looking to secure his guaranteed title shot with a victory over Brent Weedman. For Weedman, the longtime Bellator veteran is eager for his title shot, and knows it’s just a victory away.

“Winning this tournament is important to me because it will really cement who I am as a fighter,” Weedman said.  “With each round, the tougher guys are going to advance, and they will be able to get that exposure on TV again and again. The fans at home will be following their stories and following their fights. Whoever wins this tournament is going to be solidified.”

Known as one of the better bantamweight prospects in MMA, Luis Nogueira is set to take on the incredibly skilled “Iron” Nakamura in the Season 6 Bantamweight Semifinals. Both secured dominating victories in their quarterfinal fights, and will look to keep the momentum going into the finals at Bellator 70.

The night will also feature Louisiana native Rich “No Love” Clementi returning to the Bellator cage after nearly two years against Derek Campos. A long time veteran of the sport, Clementi holds notable victories over Melvin Guillard, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Sam Stout, and is primed for a homecoming victory.

New Orleans native Charlie “Superstar” Rader will look to get back to his winning ways when he squares off against fellow welterweight A.J. Matthews in front of family and friends. The 30-year-old Rader has won both of his previous fights in Bellator, as “Superstar” delivered two TKO finishes to Josh Rafferty and Christian Fulgium.    

An intriguing catchweight contest will take place as once-beaten prospect Josh Shockley faces local fighter Keith Schneider. Shockley is currently riding a three-fight winning streak that includes a Bellator 60 victory over Shamar Bailey.

The New Orleans Convention Center will play host to a middleweight bout as Cologne, Germany’s Jonas Billstein takes on well-traveled MMA veteran Mike Seal. Billstein, who enjoyed a nine-fight winning streak to begin his career, is looking to make a statement when he enters the Bellator cage against New Orleans’ Seal.

MMA veteran Kyle Bradley of nearby Denham Springs, Louisiana will step back in the cage when he meets John Harris in a lightweight fight. Bradley, who has scored a finish in 15 of his 16 wins, will try to secure his first win this year at Bellator 70.

Also, local bantamweights Blake Dufour and Derek Arcement will meet as the two young, hungry fighters looking to take their careers to the next level. Both men will be making their Bellator debuts when they meet in front of an electric New Orleans crowd.

Rounding out the card, Mississippi’s own Jeremiah Riggs will meet fellow middleweight Kelvin Tiller in a 185-pound matchup. Tiller, who has posted three consecutive wins, will look to keep his momentum going against Riggs.     

MAIN CARD:

Heavyweight Title Fight: Cole Konrad (8-0) vs. Eric Prindle (7-1)

Lightweight Tournament Final Fight: Rick Hawn (13-1) vs. Brent Weedman (20-7-1)

Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal Fight:  Luis Nogueira (13-2) vs. Hiroshi Nakamura (15-5-4)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Rich Clementi (42-21-1) vs. Derek Campos (9-2)

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Catchweight Feature Fight:  Josh Shockley (9-1) vs. Keith Schneider (6-6)

Welterweight Feature Fight:  Charlie Rader (16-5) vs. A.J. Matthews (5-1)  

Middleweight Feature Fight: Jonas Billstein (9-2) vs. Mike Seal (13-14-1)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Kyle Bradley (16-9) vs. John Harris (4-4)

Bantamweight Feature Fight: Blake Dufour (2-1) vs. Derek Arcement (1-2)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Jeremiah Riggs (7-6) vs. Kelvin Tiller (3-0)

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

Bellator Heavyweight World Title, 185-pound Tourney Final and Local Favorite Clemente Headline Bellator 70 at the New Orleans Convention Center on May 25

Harrah’s New Orleans presents the Bellator Season 6 finale on Friday, May 25



CHICAGO, Ill. (April 11, 2012) — The final chapter of Bellator Fighting Championships’ memorable sixth season, which is presented by Harrah’s New Orleans, will take place at the New Orleans Convention Center on May 25. Bellator 70 will feature the long-awaited Bellator Heavyweight World Title fight between explosive knockout artist Eric Prindle and reigning Bellator Heavyweight Champion Cole Konrad. Plus, it’s the Finals of Bellator’s best Middleweight Tournament to date as four fighters remain in this Season 6 race for the title with only one walking away with the $100,000 prize.

Tickets for Bellator 70 are now on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting New Orleans Convention Center Box Office. Tickets are priced from $30-$125. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 7 p.m. CST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CST, with the first fight scheduled for 6 p.m. CST. The preliminary card, featuring the area’s top talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 6 p.m. CST. The official weigh-ins for Bellator 70 will be held at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 24 at Masquerade inside Harrah’s Casino.

The road to Konrad-Prindle has been a bumpy one, as injuries and weight issues have delayed the highly-anticipated matchup. With both fighters healthy and ready to fight, Prindle, the longtime Army Boxing Champion, is ready to battle the two-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion in Konrad.

“I’m really excited to get back into the cage,” Konrad said. “This fight has been a long time coming. Eric is a really good standup fighter, and I have a lot of respect for him. I know what he can do standing up, so I’m not going to deviate from anything that has made me successful in the past.”

“I’m just ready to get into the cage and end this,” Prindle said. “I want to become a champion, and this is my time to do that.”

The night will also feature Louisiana native Rich “No Love” Clementi returning to the Bellator cage after nearly two years. A long time veteran of the sport, Clementi holds notable victories over Melvin Guillard, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Sam Stout, and will be looking for another dominating win at Bellator 70. The remaining fight card, which will be announced shortly, will consist of a bevy of local talent featured in the preliminary fights, streaming LIVE and FREE on http://www.spike.com/.

“The state of Louisiana has been a tremendous host, so bringing Bellator back to New Orleans to close out what has already been an incredible season was an easy decision,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “We’re excited to be working with the New Orleans Convention Center and to be hosting a great night of fights for these passionate and loyal Bellator fans.”

For more information, visit http://www.bellator.com/, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator