SPIKE TV TO RE-BROADCAST BELLATOR 131 ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 AT 9:00 ET/PT

Spike TV will re-broadcast the record-setting Bellator 131 event on Friday, November 21 at 9:00pm ET/PT where fans who missed last Saturday's thrilling fight card could check out firsthand Joe Schilling's scintillating knockout, Will Brooks' impressive TKO, and Tito Ortiz's hard-fought win over his arch nemesis, Stephan Bonnar. Bellator 131 was the most watched fight card in franchise history, and the Ortiz-Bonnar fight was the most watched MMA fight this year on cable.

The Ortiz-Bonnar fight delivered 2 million viewers, peaking with 2.2 million viewers (including +3 dvr ratings).

Bellator 131 also delivered the highest gate and attendance (8,243) in franchise history.

All of the athletes who scored victories at #Bellator131 will be watching the re-broadcast and live tweeting and interacting with fans from their personal accounts. You can follow all of their individual accounts (below), as well as the official @Bellatormma account, and use the #bellator131 hashtag.

Tito Ortiz (@TitoOrtiz)

Will Brooks (@illwillbrooks86)

Mike Richman (@MikeUSMCRichman)

Joe Schilling (@JoeSchilling3)

King Mo (@KingMoFH)

AJ Matthews (@AJ_MMA)

Bellator Hosts Live Weigh-Ins Friday, November 14 from San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center

San Diego, Calif. (November 13, 2014) – The weigh-in for #Bellator131 will take place Friday, November 14 at 5 p.m. PST from San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center (3500 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110). #Bellator131 will take place from the Valley View Casino Center on Saturday, November 15^th with first fight taking place at 3:45 p.m. PST and streaming live on Spike.com. The main card will begin at 6 p.m. PST (9 p.m. EST) live on Spike TV.

All participants from Saturday night’s event will be on hand, as well as Bellator President Scott Coker.

The event will be emceed by Bellator cage announcer Michael C. Williams and Bellator color commentator Jimmy Smith.

As always the weigh-in is open to both the public and media.

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)

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)

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: King Mo (13-4) vs. Joe Vedepo (17-8)

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

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

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 131: Tito vs. Bonnar To Air On Viacom’s 5* In The United Kingdom

Newport Beach, Calif. (November 6, 2014) – The highly-anticipated “Bellator 131: Tito vs. Bonnar” fight card will air in the U.K. on Sunday, November 16 at 9pm on Viacom’s 5*. This marks the first time a Bellator event will air on the popular British broadcast network.

“We are very pleased to have one of the UK’s most popular free-to-air networks airing one of the biggest fights of the year,” Bellator President Scott Coker said. “With Tito Ortiz, Stephan Bonnar, Michael Chandler, Will Brooks, King Mo and Melvin Manhoef all featured on this card, our friends in the UK are in for an unforgettable, action-packed night. We look forward to making Bellator an MMA fixture for our fans in the UK.”

“Bellator 131: Tito vs. Bonnar”  will feature one of the biggest grudge matches in the sport as MMA icons Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz and “The American Psycho” Stephan Bonnar battle at light heavyweight, while San Diego’s own Michael Chandler faces Will Brooks for the Bellator Lightweight Title.  The event takes place at the San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center and will broadcast LIVE in the U.S. on Saturday, November 15 at 9:00pm.

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

With Tom DeBlass Injured, Joe Vedepo Steps In To Face King Mo At Bellator 131 Live On Spike TV Saturday, November 15

Newport Beach, Calif. (November 3, 2014) – After an injury knocked Tom DeBlass out of his first scheduled fight with King Mo on September 5, DeBlass was eager to finally get his chance against the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion on November 15 from San Diego’s Valley View Casino Center. That chance will once again have to wait as a major cut suffered in training has forced DeBlass out of action. With the change, San Diego’s own and Alliance MMA’s Joe Vedepo will now take on King Mo live on Spike TV.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are available at the Valley View Casino Center Box Office, axs.com or Bellator.com.

Vedepo enters the fight riding a three fight win streak including a knockout victory over Davin Clark at Bellator 129 in October. While Vedepo currently holds a 4-2 record inside the Bellator cage, those victories have come at middleweight, and Vedepo is well aware of the challenges of fighting up a weight class. Concern aside, Vedepo now has his sights set on earning the biggest victory of his career on November 15.

“This is just an absolutely blessing,” Vedepo said. “When I got the phone call to fight on November 15, I didn’t even need to hear who the opponent was, I was all in. Mo’s tough as hell, he’s one of the best wrestlers in the sport, but I haven’t stopped training in months and I know this is a chance of a lifetime. I always thrive on coming into the fight as an underdog, and while I have all the respect in the world for a guy like King Mo, underestimating what I bring to the cage would be a huge mistake.”

With the change, the full fight card for Bellator 131 can be found below:

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. Joe Vedepo (17-8)

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. Nam 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)

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

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        

Bellator Results from Iowa’s US Cellular Center

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (October 18, 2013) – The final results are in for the Bellator MMA event live from Iowa’s US Cellular Center. The night was headlined by the Bellator Welterweight Tournament Semifinals with Ron Keslar finishing War Machine in the first round and Rick Hawn defeating Brent Weedman to advance to the Bellator Welterweight Tournament Final. Keslar will face Hawn on November 22^nd from Sands Casino Event Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Bellator Welterweight Tournament Semifinal: Rick Hawn defeats Brent Weedman via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Bellator Welterweight Tournament Semifinal: Ron Keslar defeats War Machine via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:31

Middleweight Feature Fight: Kendall Grove defeats Joe Vedepo by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

Heavyweight Feature Fight: Peter Graham defeats Eric Prindle by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)

Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Bradley defeats Karl Amoussou by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Paul Sass defeats Rod Montoya via Submission (toe hold) – Round 1, 2:01

Catchweight Feature Fight (150lbs): Rob Emerson defeats Jared Downing via Submission (heel hook) – Round1, 1:44

Catchweight Feature Fight (160lbs): Brandon Girtz defeats Mike Estus via Verbal Submission (armbar) - Round 1, 4:25

Catchweight Feature Fight (161lbs): Cliff Wright Jr. defeats Derek Loffer via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 4:28

Featherweight Feature Fight: Andre Tieva defeats Christopher Lane via TKO (punches) - Round 1, 2:14

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          

Bellator Weigh-In Results from Iowa’s US Cellular Center

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (October 17, 2013) –  The Bellator MMA weigh-ins have been completed from the US Cellular Center in preparation for Bellator MMA’sOctober 18th event, which will showcase the Bellator Welterweight Tournament Semifinals and full card of local talent.

Bellator MMA will take place from the US Cellular Center on Friday, October 18th with the first fight taking place at 6:00 p.m. CST and streaming LIVE on Spike.com. The televised portion of the night will begin at 8:00 p.m. CST and will air LIVE on Spike TV.

MAIN CARD: 

Bellator Welterweight Tournament Semifinal: Brent Weedman (170.7) vs. Rick Hawn (170.4) 
Bellator Welterweight Tournament Semifinal: Ron Keslar (170.7) vs. War Machine (170.5) 
Middleweight Feature Fight: Kendall Grove (185.7) vs. Joe Vedepo (185.2)
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Eric Prindle (265.6) vs. Peter Graham (246.6)

PRELIMINARY CARD:Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Bradley (171) vs. Karl Amoussou (170.6)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Rod Montoya (155.8) vs. Paul Sass (155.1)
Catchweight Feature Fight (150lbs): Rob Emerson (145.6) vs. Jared Downing (148.3)
Catchweight Feature Fight (160lbs): Brandon Girtz (160) vs. Mike Estus (157.6)
Catchweight Feature Fight (161lbs): Derek Loffer (160.4) vs. Cliff Wright Jr. (154)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Andrew Tieva (144.6) vs. Chris Lane (146)

 

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