Spike TV lineup for "Bellator: Pitbull vs. Straus" Finalized With Addition of Virgil Zwicker vs. Houston Alexander, Fernando Gonzales vs. Marius Zaromskis

Virgil Zwicker / Bellator MMA	Houston Alexander / Bellator MMA
Fernando Gonzalez / Bellator MMA	Marius Zaromskis / Bellator MMA

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (December 9, 2014) - The Spike TV-televised main card for Bellator MMA's first event of 2015, "Bellator: Pitbull vs. Straus," is now complete with the addition of a rematch between light heavyweight sluggers Virgil "Rezdog" Zwicker (12-4-1) and Houston "The Assassin" Alexander (16-10-1), as well as a welterweight showdown between Fernando "The Menifee Maniac" Gonzalez (22-13) and Marius "The Whitemare" Zaromskis (20-8).

Bellator MMA President Scott Coker announced the new contests on Tuesday's edition of MMAjunkie Radio.

The two new contests join the previously announced headliner of Bellator MMA Featherweight World Champion Patricio Pitbull vs. former champion Daniel Straus, and co-main event between Bubba Jenkins and Georgi Karakhanyan on the Spike TV-broadcast portion of "Bellator: Pitbull vs. Straus," which takes place Jan. 16 at Pechanga Casino Resort in Temecula, Calif.

Tickets for "Bellator: Pitbull vs. Straus," which start at just $50, are currently on sale at the Pechanga Casino Resort box office or Pechanga.com.

"Our first event of 2015 should be absolutely incredible," Coker said. "We already had two fantastic fights on the lineup, including a world title fight, and now we've added a rematch between Virgil Zwicker and Houston Alexander that features some real intrigue after the incidents from their first meeting, as well as Fernando Gonzalez looking to beat his third-straight high-profile veteran in Marius Zaromskis, who is still one of the most devastating and creative strikers in the sport."

Zwicker and Alexander first met this past October, battling toe-to-toe for 15 grueling minutes. While Alexander's devastating ground-and-pound attack saw him earn both the first and third rounds on the judges' cards, the veteran also landed a pair of clearly illegal headbutts during the course of the fight and was docked a point for the infractions, leading to a majority draw result. Now the two will clash again and look for a clear resolution.

With Zwicker earning nine of his 12 victories with strikes and Alexander boasting 11 knockouts in his 16 career wins, the second meeting between the two veterans could look very different than the first.

An 11-year MMA veteran, the 31-year-old Gonzalez has fought extensively in his native California, including past appearances for Strikeforce, World Extreme Cagefighting and King of the Cage. Gonzalez has made an immediate impact on Bellator MMA's welterweight division since coming to the promotion earlier this year, earning victories over noted veterans Karo Parisyan and Karl Amoussou. Gonzalez now looks to put another well-known name on his list of victims.

Zaromskis is a Lithuanian fighter who began his martial arts career by training in Kyokushin karate and muay Thai kickboxing and launched his MMA career in 2000. With notable career wins over the likes of Kazushi Sakuraba, Jason High, Hayato "Mach" Sakurai and Nordine Taleb, Zaromskis is a former DREAM welterweight champion who once challenged for the Strikeforce welterweight title, as well. True to his striking roots, Zaromskis has earned 13 of his 20 career wins by knockout.

Additional bouts and details for "Bellator: Pitbull vs. Straus " will be announced shortly.

"Bellator Pitbull vs. Straus": Friday, Jan. 16, Pechanga Casino Resort, Temecula, Calif..

Bellator Featherweight Title Fight: Champ Patricio Pitbull (22-2) vs. Daniel Straus (23-5)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Bubba Jenkins (8-1) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (23-4-1)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Virgil Zwicker (12-4-1) vs. Houston Alexander (16-10-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Fernando Gonzalez (22-13) vs. Marius Zaromskis (20-8) 

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 Santa Monica, California and owned by 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.

 

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With James Thompson Injured, Virgil Zwicker Now Set To Face Houston Alexander at Bellator 129 Friday, October 17 From Iowa’s Mid-America Center

Newport Beach, Calif. (October 12, 2014) – An injury to James Thompson has forced the English native to withdraw from his fight against Houston Alexander on Friday, October 17^th at Bellator 129. Thompson was scheduled to face Houston Alexander from Iowa’s Mid-America Center, and will be replaced by Strikeforce veteran Virgil Zwicker, who enters the fight with an impressive 12-4 record including wins over Mike Hayes, Ovince St. Preux and Nick Moghaddam.

The event will broadcast live at 9 p.m. EST/ 8 p.m. CST on Spike TV. The preliminary card will be streamed live and free on Spike.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST/ 5:30 p.m. CST. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, Bellator.com or by visiting the Mid-American Center Box Office.

With the change, the full fight card for Bellator 129 can be found below:

MAIN CARD: 

Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Bradley (21-6) vs. Josh Neer (34-13-1)
Catchweight Feature Fight (215 lbs.): Houston Alexander (16-10) vs. Virgil Zwicker (12-4) 
Welterweight Feature Fight: Andre Santos (36-9) vs. James Terry (14-7)
Middleweight Feature Fight:  Joe Vedepo (16-8) vs. Davin Clark (5-1-2)

PRELIMINARY CARD: 

Bantamweight Feature Fight: Chris Lane (14-11) vs. John DeVall (8-5)
Catchweight Feature Fight (150 lbs.): Eric Howser (4-2) vs. Tim Bazer (14-16)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Michael McBride (6-1) vs. TBD
Catchweight Feature Fight (150 lbs.): Martin Trey Brown (7-2) vs. Bryan Corley (2-1)
Catchweight Feature Fight (152 lbs.): Holly Lawson (0-0) vs. Jozette Cotton (4-0)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Brian Green (30-19) vs. Anthony Smith (18-11)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Marcos Marquez (5-3) vs. Victor Moreno (32-20)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Mike Estus (6-2) vs. Ryan Shell (6-1)

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

Bellator 129 Comes To Iowa’s Mid-America Center On Friday, October 17th As Josh Neer vs. Paul Bradley Headline

Newport Beach, Calif. (September 24, 2014) – Bellator MMA will return to The Hawkeye State on Friday, October 17^th from The Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs as Iowa natives Josh Neer and Paul Bradley square off in a welterweight affair that will be featured as the main event of the evening live on Spike TV. The night will also feature the return of the “The Colossus” as James Thompson battles veteran Houston Alexander in a heavyweight bout.

The event will broadcast live at 9 p.m. EST/ 8 p.m. CST on Spike TV. The preliminary card will be streamed live and free on Spike.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST/ 5:30 p.m. CST. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, Bellator.com or by visiting the Mid-American Center Box Office.

A native of Tama, Iowa, Bradley became a two-time All-American at the University of Iowa in wrestling before transitioning to MMA, where he has amassed an impressive 21-6 record that includes 14 finishes. Neer enters the fight riding a three-fight win streak that have all ended via finish and is looking to make his mark on the big stage of Bellator. Originally signed to Bellator in 2010, Neer was submitted by Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 17 and has since collected a 9-3 record, including victories over Duane Ludwig, Jesse Juarez and Blas Avena.

The night will also feature a welterweight fight between long time Strikeforce veteran James Terry as he battles Bellator newcomer Andre “Chatuba” Santos. The Brazilian submission ace brings twenty seven finish victories into his October 17^th fight against Terry and will look to keep his five-fight winning streak alive.

The Spike TV card will be rounded out by Cedar Rapids native Joe Vedepo taking on AKA’s own Davin Clark as he makes his Bellator debut. With back-to-back wins over Ben Crowder and Cortez Coleman, Vedepo is looking to keep his momentum going in front of his home state crowd.

The Bellator 129 preliminary card will feature a collection of some of the best talent from around the Midwest, including Chris Lane taking on John DeVall, Brian Green fighting Anthony Smith, as well as Marcos Marquez battling Victor Moreno.

The night will also see the first female fight of the Scott Coker era of Bellator, as Omaha native Jozette Cotton will face Holly Lawson, who is making her MMA debut. Known for a successful boxing career, Lawson is looking to start her professional MMA career with a huge win inside the Bellator cage on October 17^th.

The full card for Bellator 129 can be found below:

MAIN CARD: 

Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Bradley (21-6) vs. Josh Neer (34-13-1)
Heavyweight Feature Fight: James Thompson (20-14) vs. Houston Alexander (16-10)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Andre Santos (36-9) vs. James Terry (14-7)
Middleweight Feature Fight:  Joe Vedepo (16-8) vs. Davin Clark (5-1-2)

PRELIMINARY CARD: 

Bantamweight Feature Fight: Chris Lane (14-11) vs. John DeVall (8-5)
Catchweight Feature Fight (150 lbs.): Eric Howser (4-2) vs. Tim Bazer (14-16)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Michael McBride (6-1) vs. TBD
Catchweight Feature Fight (150 lbs.): Martin Trey Brown (7-2) vs. Bryan Corley (2-1)
Catchweight Feature Fight (152 lbs.): Holly Lawson (0-0) vs. Jozette Cotton (4-0)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Brian Green (30-19) vs. Anthony Smith (18-11)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Marcos Marquez (5-3) vs. Victor Moreno (32-20)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Mike Estus (6-2) vs. Ryan Shell (6-1)

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

Nunes vs. Pitbull Featured In Main Event September 13th From Pechanga Resort

Newport Beach, CA. (August 18^th, 2013) – A hand injury has forced former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M’Pumbu off of the September 13^thfight card. Originally scheduled to face long-time veteran Vladimir Matyushenko, “The Janitor” will now meet Houston Alexander live on Spike TV. The night will be headlined by a Featherweight Tournament Opening Round fight between Patricio Pitbull and Diego “The Gun” Nunes.

The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 6 p.m. PST and feature three hours of action on Spike TV, as well as in Spanish language on mun2. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com with an early start time at 4 p.m. PST. Tickets for the event start at just $50, and can be purchased by visiting Pechanga.com, Bellator.com, or by calling the Pechanga Box Office at 877-711-2946 or visiting between noon and 8 p.m. daily.

Always looking for a finish, Alexander will have his hands full with “The Janitor” live on Spike TV September 13^th. Both Matyushenko and Alexander hold impressive victories in their respective careers, including wins over Antonio Nogueira, Tim Boetsch and Keith Jardine. For Alexander, the opportunity to fight inside the Bellator cage was one he couldn’t pass up.

“It’s an honor to be able to fight for an organization like Bellator,” Alexander said. “I always want to take big fights, and Matyushenko is a guy that’s been around this sport since the beginning, and it will be a huge test. I just want to go out there and smash, do what I do best.”

The full fight card for Bellator 99 from Pechanga’s Resort and Casino has been finalized and after a near death experience only eight months ago, Blagoi Ivanov will make a remarkable return to the Bellator cage. Ivanov spent nearly three months in a coma after being involved in an altercation that resulted in a critical injury that severely threatened his life. While nearly losing his battle, Ivanov’s dream has always been to return to the cage and his dream will become reality on September 13th when he faces California’s Manny Lara in a heavyweight battle.

Brazilian prodigy Goiti Yamauchi is bringing his talents to the United States for the first time and will make his Bellator debut against Musa Toliver. At only 20-years old, he holds an impressive 14-1 professional record. Yamauchi is known for his submission tactics and has won 12 of his victories by submission, 10 coming in the first round.

The full fight card is listed below.

MAIN CARDBellator Featherweight Tournament Opening Round: Patricio Pitbull (17-2) vs. Diego Nunes (18-4)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Vladimir ‘The Janitor’ Matyushenko (26-7) vs. Houston Alexander (15-9)

Bellator Featherweight Tournament Opening Round: Shahbulat Shamhalaev (12-2) vs. Akop Stepanyan (13-5)

Bellator Featherweight Tournament Opening Round: Joe Taimanglo (18-4) vs. Andrew Fisher (12-4)

Bellator Featherweight Tournament Opening Round: Desmond Green (8-1) vs. Fabricio Guerreiro (17-1)

PRELIMINARY CARD

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Savio Kosic (4-1) vs. Hector Ramirez (9-5)

Bantamweight Feature Fight: Derek Loffer (4-1) vs. Mario Navarro (4-3)

Welterweight Feature Fight: Andy Murad (6-0) vs. Gavin Sterritt (4-1)

Featherweight Feature Fight: Musa Toliver (9-8) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (14-1)

Heavyweight Feature Fight: Manny Lara (4-3) vs. Blagoi Ivanov (7-0)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Nick Moghaddam (6-6) vs. Virgil Zwicker (10-3)

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/BellatorMMA