Bellator 131 Full Card Finalized From San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center LIVE and FREE on Spike TV Saturday, November 15

Tito vs. Bonnar; Chandler vs. Brooks Meet For Lightweight Title

Newport Beach, Calif. (October 30, 2014) – The full card for Bellator 131 has been finalized for one of the biggest events in Bellator history from San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center on Saturday, November 15^th live and free on Spike TV. The night will feature one of the biggest grudge matches in the sport as MMA icons clash when Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz returns to the Bellator cage to face “The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar in a light heavyweight affair, while Will Brooks and Michael Chandler will battle for the vacant Bellator Lightweight Title.

Tickets are on sale now and are available at the Valley View Casino Center Box Office, axs.com or Bellator.com.  The main card will also feature an explosive middleweight fight between Melvin Manhoef and Joe Schilling, a light heavyweight affair between King Mo and Tom DeBlass, a bantamweight showdown between Mike Richman and Nam Phan; along with a full preliminary card of Southern California’s top talent.

Kicking off the Spike.com portion of the night will be a battle of California natives as AJ Matthews faces Kyle Bolt. A four-time Bellator veteran, Matthews has grabbed four of his six professional wins by knockout and is looking for the finish against Bolt, who has won four of his last five fights all by KO or submission.

Hailing from San Diego, Bubba Pugh will face fellow Californian Andy Murad. Pugh has tallied all of his professional victories by first round finish, but will have to hold off Murad who enters the cage riding a two-fight win streak and has recorded three knockout victories.

Coming off of a 42-second submission victory at Bellator 125, Matt Ramirez will fight Nick Garcia who has won five-consecutive fights and posted six of his seven professional wins by KO or submission, while Ian Butler will look to improve his undefeated professional record in a lightweight battle against Joao Faria.

Both making their professional MMA debuts, Jonathan Santa Maria will face Ron Henderson in a flyweight fight and Alex Higley will look to make his mark in front of his home state against Jordan Bailey who only has one professional loss.

A battle of San Diego’s best will round out the preliminary card as Rolando Perez faces Mark Vorgeas. Known for this strong ground game, Vorgeas has won four victories by submission and is looking for the finish against Perez who has won three-straight fights.

To apply for media credentials for this event, please visit credentials.bellator.com  to apply.

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, and check out Bellator on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

MAIN CARD:
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Tito Ortiz (17-11) vs. Stephan Bonnar (15-8)

Lightweight Title Fight: Michael Chandler (12-2) vs. Will Brooks (14-1)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: King Mo (13-4) vs. Tom DeBlass (9-2)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Melvin Manhoef (29-11 MMA, 37-12 Kickboxing) vs. Joe Schilling (1-3 MMA, 17-7 Kickboxing)
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Mike Richman (17-5) vs. Nan Phan (20-13)

PRELIMINARY CARD:Middleweight Feature Fight: AJ Matthews (6-3) vs. Kyle Bolt (8-3)
Flyweight Feature Fight: Ron Henderson (debut) vs. Jonathan Santa Maria (debut)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Jordan Bailey (2-1) vs. Alex Higley (debut)
Flyweight Feature Fight: Matt Ramirez (1-0) vs. Nick Garcia (1-1)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Andy Murad (8-2) vs. Bubba Pugh (3-1)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Rolando Perez (7-4-1) vs. Mark Vorgeas (5-2)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Ian Butler (1-0) vs. Joao Faria (1-1)

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California. Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

Bellator MMA Fan Fest Comes To San Diego’s Dave & Busters Tuesday, October 21st

Tito Ortiz, Stephan Bonnar, Michael Chandler, King Mo, Royce Gracie, Randy Couture, Ken Shamrock Scheduled To Attend

Special VIP Meet and Greet Scheduled For November 15^th Ticket Holders

Tickets For November 15^th Event Will Be On Sale At Dave & Busters During Fan Fest

Newport Beach, Calif. (October 14, 2014) – In preparation for Bellator’s Season end event from San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center on November 15^th, Bellator is hosting the Bellator Fan Fest on Tuesday, October 21^st from San Diego’s Dave & Busters (2931 Camino Del Rio N, San Diego 92108) from 4 p.m. PST to 7 p.m. PST.

Bellator 131 headliners Tito Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar will be in attendance, along with San Diego’s own Michael Chandler and light heavyweight star King Mo. Fans will also have the opportunity to rub shoulders with MMA legends Royce Gracie, Randy Couture, and Ken Shamrock as well as Bellator President Scott Coker.

Tickets for Bellator 131 are on sale now and can be purchased on Bellator.com, AXS.com, as well as the Valley View Casino Center.

Media is invited to attend beginning at 4 p.m. PST, as interviews will be made available with all attendees. At 5 p.m. PST, fans that have already purchased tickets with proof of purchase to the November 15^th event are invited to take pictures and autographs in a special meet and greet with Bellator fighters and legends. At 5:30 p.m. PST, the meet and greet will be extended to the general public. The event will conclude at 7 p.m. PST.

Bellator 131 Fan Fest:

Who: Tito Ortiz, Stephan Bonnar, Michael Chandler, King Mo, Royce Gracie, Randy Couture, Ken Shamrock, Scott Coker.

Where: Dave & Busters San Diego, 2931 Camino Del Rio N, San Diego 92108

When: Tuesday, October 21^st, 4 p.m. PST – 7 p.m. PST

Times: 4 p.m. PST- Media Interviews

            5 p.m. PST- VIP Meet and Great

            5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. PST – Autograph Signing

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

Don’t Blink: “No Mercy” Melvin Manhoef Meets Joe Schilling From San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center On Saturday, November 15th

Middleweight Clash Joins Ortiz-Bonnar, Chandler-Brooks, Mo-DeBlass

Newport Beach, Calif. (October 3, 2014) – When Melvin Manhoef joined Bellator in July, fans instantly began creating their own dream matchups for the Dutch finisher. Bellator President Scott Coker wasted no time putting Manhoef in a fight fans couldn’t wait to see, pitting “No Mercy” against “The Rhino” Doug Marshall, and Manhoef didn’t disappoint, delivering a violent one punch blow that ended Marshall’s night in under two minutes. With momentum on his side, Manhoef is set to meet his next challenger, #1 Ranked GLORY Kickboxing Middleweight Joe Schilling. Nicknamed “Stich ‘Em Up” for his devastating fight style, Schilling returns to the MMA cage for the first time in since 2008 and is very clear on his expectations for November 15^th.

“My name is Joe Schilling. You might not know it today but you will very soon. I'm one if the best strikers on the planet, and if you want to see people get laid the hell out, just watch me fight on November 15^th.”

Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased on Bellator.com, AXS.com, as well as the Valley View Casino Center.

“I’ve said since the day I began my career in combat sports that styles make fights,” Coker said. “I came to Bellator to create the most compelling fights possible, and Manhoef vs. Schilling has the chance to be fight of the night on November 15th. When you put together guys like Manhoef and Schilling, records sort of go out the window. You know when that cage door shuts, these two guys are going to stand up and engage in what should be an insanely entertaining fight. We’ve just added this fight to a card that already features Tito and Bonnar, Chandler and Brooks, and Mo and DeBlass. November 15^th is going to be a very fun night, and we’ve got more coming.”

In addition to Manhoef and Schilling, the night will also feature one of the biggest grudge matches in the sport as MMA icons clash when Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz returns to the Bellator cage to face “The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar in a light heavyweight affair, while Michael Chandler and Will Brooks will battle for the vacant Bellator Lightweight Title.

With the addition, Bellator 131 now features:

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Tito Ortiz (17-11) vs. Stephan Bonnar (15-8)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Michael Chandler (12-2) vs. Will Brooks (14-1)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: King Mo (13-4) vs. Tom DeBlass (9-2)

Middleweight Feature Fight: Melvin Manhoef (29-11 MMA, 37-12 Kickboxing) vs. Joe Schilling (1-3 MMA, 17-7 Kickboxing)

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

King Mo vs. Tom DeBlass Added To Bellator 131 Fight Card On Saturday, November 15th From San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center

Light Heavyweight Showdown Joins Tito vs. Bonnar, Chandler vs. Brooks

Newport Beach, Calif. (September 22, 2014) –  The fight card for Bellator 131 continues to grow as one of the most controversial figures in MMA returns to the Bellator cage as King Mo will take on Tom DeBlass in a light heavyweight affair live on Spike TV on Saturday, November 15^th from the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased on Bellator.com, AXS.com, as well as the Valley View Casino Center.

The night will also feature one of the biggest grudge matches in the sport as MMA icons clash when Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz returns to the Bellator cage to face “The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar in a light heavyweight affair, while Will Brooks and Michael Chandler will battle for the vacant Bellator Lightweight Title.

Originally scheduled to meet in September, DeBlass withdrew from the fight against Mo after suffering an injury that forced the New Jersey native out of the fight. Mo went on to fight Dustin Jacoby at Bellator 123, and earned an impressive knockout victory over Jacoby. Now finally scheduled to clash, both Mo and DeBlass are ready to finally settle the score. 

“Tom has been talking since we were supposed to fight in September. He’s a good fighter, but my jab is going to erase his teeth and swell up his eyes. My right is going to make him see stars and bright lights. Another fight, another win.”

“Listen, I respect Mo and I think he’s a world class athlete,” DeBlass said. “That being said, I know what I’m capable of, and I not only believe that I will win the fight, but I’m going to finish him. Bellator has treated me incredible, and I’ve been asking for big fights. Let Mo do his talking. His mouth is his best weapon.”

With the addition, Bellator 131 now features:

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Tito Ortiz (17-11) vs. Stephan Bonnar (15-8)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Michael Chandler (12-2) vs. Will Brooks (14-1)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: King Mo (13-4) vs. Tom DeBlass (9-2)

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

King Mo Lawal Signs Long-Term-Extension With Bellator MMA

Light Heavyweight Set To Clash With Dustin Jacoby September 5^th Live On Spike

Newport Beach, Calif. (August 28, 2014) – As King Mo prepares for his September 5^th battle with Dustin Jacoby, the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion has a much clearer outlook on his future, as King Mo has signed a long-term-extension with Bellator that will keep the Mayweather Boxing Club product inside the Bellator cage for years to come.

“This was one of the easiest decisions I could have made,” Mo said. “After everything that went down over the last six or seven months, I didn’t think this was something that would ever happen, but when Coker came on board with Bellator, everything changed. This is where I want to be. I don’t care who I fight, when it is, or where it is. I get paid to fight, and that’s what I’m going to do for Bellator. That’s it.”

A staple with Bellator, Mo has gone 4-3 inside the Bellator cage including victories over Seth Petruzelli, Mikhail Zayats, and Jacob Noe. In his last fight, Mo suffered a razor thin decision loss over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the main event of Bellator 120, and has made it no secret a rematch is something he would be open to. But before Mo can get his hands on Rampage, Mo will battle Dustin Jacoby live on Spike September 5^th. Originally scheduled to fight Tom DeBlass, an injury forced DeBlass out of action. Marcus Sursa was next up for Mo, but Sursa also fell victim to the injury bug. With his next fight finally set, Mo is ready for a new chapter with Bellator that begins September 5^th live on Spike TV.

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

SPIKE TV AND BELLATOR MMA PRESENTS NEW SPECIAL PROGRAMMING TO PROMOTE BELLATOR 123 FEATURING PAT CURRAN AND PATRICIO “PITBULL”

“Birth of A Rivalry: Curran Pitbull I” Premieres Friday, August 29 at 11pm

“Countdown to Curran-Pitbull II” Premieres Monday, September 1 at 11pm

Newport Beach, Calif. (August 15, 2014) – Spike TV and Bellator will present two compelling one-hour specials in promotion of the highly-anticipated Bellator 11 season premiere, Bellator 123, on Friday, September 5 at 8:00pm ET/PT headlined by a Featherweight Championship bout between Pat Curran and  Patricio “Pitbull” and co-feature fights showcasing King Mo, Cheick Kongo, and Bobby Lashley.

“Birth of A Rivalry: Curran Pitbull I” will debut on Spike on Friday, August 29 at 11pm ET/PT. The one-hour special will take fans back to the origin of the epic rivalry between Pat Curran and Patricio “Pitbull”. Viewers will relive every frame of their five-round, back-and-forth epic battle that featured Curran narrowly defending his world featherweight championship belt against the tenacious and relentless Pitbull via a controversial split decision.

“Countdown to Curran-Pitbull II” premieres Monday, September 1 at 11:00pm ET/PT. The one-hour special takes an inside look at one of Bellator’s biggest events this year showcasing the intense rivalry between Featherweight champ Pat Curran and his nemesis Patricio “Pitbull” and previews Cheick Kongo vs. Lavar Johnson, King Mo, and the Bellator MMA debut of Bobby Lashley.

The special delves into the psyche of both Curran and Pitbull as they prepare for their upcoming rematch. Since their memorable first fight, the rivalry has heated up through a war of words – setting up one of the sport’s most anticipated fights.  Will the mounting pressure and trash talk be too much for the reserved Curran or will Pitbull be able to back up his harsh words for his opponent? 

“Birth of A Rivalry: Curran Pitbull I” and “Countdown to Curran-Pitbull II” are jointly produced by Spike TV and Bellator MMA with Scott Fishman, Michael Sarnoski, Scott Coker, and Kevin Kay as Executive Producers.

Broadcast times:

Birth of a Rivalry: Curran/Pitbull 1

Friday, August 29 at 11pm       

Friday, September 5 at 6pm

Countdown to Curran/Pitbull II

Monday, September 1 at 11pm         

Thursday, September 4 at 11pm       

Friday, September 5 at 7pm     

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

Tom DeBlass Removed from Bellator 123 Fight Card Due to Injury; Marcus Sursa Will Face King Mo from Mohegan Sun on September 5th

Newport Beach, Calif. (August 13, 2014) – After suffering from a knee injury during training, Tom DeBlass has been removed from the Bellator 123 fight card and will be replaced by Marcus Sursa. Sursa will face King Mo in a light heavyweight battle from Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena live on Spike TV. A Bellator newcomer, Sursa enters the fight riding a two-fight win streak and has recorded 12 of his 13 professional victories by KO or submission. Looking for the finish, Sursa will put his skills to the test against King Mo on September 5^th.

The full fight card is listed below.

MAIN CARD:Featherweight World Title Fight: Patricio Pitbull (21-2) vs. Pat Curran (20-5)
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: King Mo Lawal (12-4) vs. Marcus Sursa (13-8)
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Josh Burns (8-7) vs. Bobby Lashley (10-2)
Heavyweight Feature Fight:  Lavar Johnson (18-9) vs. Cheick Kongo (21-9-2)

PRELIMINARY CARD:Bantamweight Feature Fight: Marvin Maldonado (1-1) vs. Rico Disciullo (2-0)
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Steve Garcia (4-0) vs. Kin Moy (4-0)
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Mike Wessel (14-7) v s. Josh Diekmann (14-5)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Tamdan McCrory (11-3) vs. Brennan Ward (9-2)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Perry Filkins (8-1) vs. Dan Cramer (10-4)
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Mike Mucitelli (6-1) vs. Mark Griffin (3-3-1)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Phillipe Martins (0-1) vs. Pete Rogers Jr. (1-1)
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Brandon Fleming (3-2) vs. Blair Tugman (5-5)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Lucas Cruz (7-2) vs. Andrew Calandrelli (6-4)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Scott Cleve (14-4) vs. Matt Bessette (13-5)

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

BELLATOR 123 WILL START AT 8:00pm ET/PT ON SPIKE TV ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Special Start Time For Season 11 Premiere

Newport Beach, Calif. (August 11, 2014) – Bellator will kick-off its 11^th season from Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Casino on Friday, September 5^th at a special start time of 8:00pm ET/PT on Spike TV.  Bellator 123 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT) will be headlined by the Featherweight Title fight as reigning Bellator Champion Pat Curran defends his belt against Brazilian striker Patricio Pitbull. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased via TicketMaster.com:Bellator 123: Curran vs. Pitbull      

The following week, Bellator will return to its 9:00-11:00pm ET/PT timeslot.

“MMA fans know that Friday nights are all about great Bellator action on Spike,” noted Scott Coker, President, Bellator. “We have a huge night planned for September 5^th, and wanted to give fans an opportunity to enjoy what should be a very fun night in Connecticut from Mohegan Sun Casino.”  

The night will also showcase Cheick Kongo, King Mo, the Bellator debut of Bobby Lashley and a full preliminary card.

Kicking off the Spike.com portion of the night will be a battle of heavy hands between Connecticut’s own Josh Diekmann and Mike Wesssel. Riding a two-fight win streak, Diekmann has recorded all 14 of his victories by finish, but will put his skills to the test against Wessel, who has recorded eight KO wins, six coming in the first round.

Season 9 Middleweight Tournament winner Brennan Ward is ready to face Tamdan McCrory in front of his home state crowd. The always exciting Ward grabbed his previous four victories with strong finishes and is anxious to step back into the cage and put on an explosive fight for the Mohegan Sun fans and end his fight with McCrory as fast as possible.

Entering the fight on a six-fight win streak, “Filthy” Perry Filkins will battle fan favorite Dan Cramer in a middleweight bout. Having not fought since March of 2013, Cramer is looking to make a statement with his return to the bright lights of Bellator but will have to hold off the powerful punching of Filkins who has won six of his eight victories by knockout.

After a pulling off an exhilarating upset win over Diego Nunes at Mohegan Sun last year, Season 10 Featherweight Semifinalist Matt Bessette returns to the Bellator cage to fight Scott Cleve. Besssette has amassed a 13-5 professional record, but will face a strong opponent in Cleve who has won six of his previous seven fights, five coming by finish.

Looking to make his mark in his Bellator debut, Kin Moy will face Steve Garcia on September 5^th. Both with perfect 4-0 records, Garcia is confident heading into the fight after grabbing a 39-second knockout victory in his last fight at Bellator 121. 

After a three-year hiatus from the cage, Mark Griffin will put his skills to the test against Mike Mucitelli in a light-heavyweight battle, while fellow Connecticut native Andrew Calandrelli will take on Lucas Cruz.

At only 23-years of age, Brandon Fleming will face Blair Tugman in a bantamweight battle, along with Pete Rogers Jr. vs. Phillipe Martins, and Marvin Maldonado vs. Rico Disciullo rounding out the preliminary card. 

The full fight card is listed below.

MAIN CARD: 

Featherweight World Title Fight: Patricio Pitbull (21-2) vs. Pat Curran (20-5)
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: King Mo Lawal (12-4) vs. Tom DeBlass (9-2)
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Josh Burns (8-7) vs. Bobby Lashley (10-2)
Heavyweight Feature Fight:  Lavar Johnson (18-9) vs. Cheick Kongo (21-9-2)

PRELIMINARY CARD: 

Bantamweight Feature Fight: Marvin Maldonado (1-1) vs. Rico Disciullo (2-0)
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Steve Garcia (4-0) vs. Kin Moy (4-0)
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Mike Wessel (14-7) v s. Josh Diekmann (14-5)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Tamdan McCrory (11-3) vs. Brennan Ward (9-2)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Perry Filkins (8-1) vs. Dan Cramer (10-4)
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Mike Mucitelli (6-1) vs. Mark Griffin (3-3-1)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Phillipe Martins (0-1) vs. Pete Rogers Jr. (1-1)
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Brandon Fleming (3-2) vs. Blair Tugman (5-5)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Lucas Cruz (7-2) vs. Andrew Calandrelli (6-4)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Scott Cleve (14-4) vs. Matt Bessette (13-5)

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