Middleweight Tournament Finals Delayed With Brett Cooper Out Due to Back Injury

Newport Beach, Calif. (May 5, 2014) – The Bellator Middleweight Tournament Finals will be on hold as Brett Cooper has been forced off of the Bellator 119 card from Casino Rama as the California native is dealing with a back injury. Cooper was scheduled to face the undefeated Brandon Halsey for a guaranteed title shot against reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Alexander Shlemenko.  

“After my fight with Kendall [Grove], my back just hasn’t been where I need it to be to have a proper training camp for one of the biggest fights of my career,” Cooper said. “It’s a setback, but with some time off, I should be ready to go by late July. I never like missing time, but I know this is the right move. I’ll be back stronger, and I’m looking forward to winning another tournament and getting another shot against Shlemenko.”

Also, Shamhalaev vs. Guerreiro will also be removed from the card after passport issues forced the featherweight fight to be postponed. Two of the most explosive featherweights in the sport, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney is confident fans will still get to see the matchup shortly.

“Unfortunately issues arose in the passport process for Guerreiro, and because the fight is in Ontario, we weren’t confident these issues with be resolved by May 9^th,” Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “However, we should have news shortly on when this fight will be rescheduled, as these are two guys I’ve wanted back in our cage, and it should make for a great fight.”

With the changes, the current Bellator 119 card can be found below. Bellator 119 takes place on Friday, May 9^th from Ontario’s Casino Rama.

MAIN CARD:
 

Bellator Featherweight Tournament Final: Daniel Weichel (33-8) vs. Desmond Green (11-2) 
Featherweight Feature Fight: Chris Horodecki (20-4-1) vs. Marlon Sandro (24-5-1)

Welterweight Feature Fight: Marius Zaromskis (19-8) vs. Vaughn Anderson (16-2-1)

Heavyweight Feature Fight: Raphael Butler (8-0) vs. Nick Rossborough (23-18)

PRELIMINARY CARD:
Catchweight Feature Fight (160 lbs): Eric Wisely (22-8) vs. John Alessio (34-17)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Brian Rogers (10-6) vs. Adrian Miles (14-5)
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Stuart Austin (7-0) vs. Craig Hudson (4-3)
Lightweight Feature Fight: Jason Meisel (4-3) vs. Remy Bussieres (3-0)

Catchweight Feature Fight (130 lbs.): Chris Kelades (6-0) vs. Malcolm Gordon (4-0)

Lightweight Feature Fight: Behrang Yousefi (5-4) vs. Chad Freeman (8-5)

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 Brings Stacked Event to California’s Pechanga Resort & Casino March 7th as Featherweight and Middleweight Tournament Semifinals Conclude

Newport Beach, CA. (February 19, 2013) – After an incredibly successful Southern California debut on January 17^th, Bellator MMA will bring a stacked night of fights to Temecula’s  Pechanga Resort and Casino on March 7th live on Spike TV. The night will showcase the Featherweight and Middleweight Tournament Semifinals as The Toughest Tournament in Sports continues, as well as a collection of Southern California’s best talent.

Tickets for the event start at just $40, 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 8pm daily. The event has an early start time as the first fight enters the cage at 5:00 p.m. with the LIVE worldwide television broadcast starting at 7 p.m. PST on Spike TV, as well as in Spanish language on mun2. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com starting at 5 p.m. MST.

“Our sold out premiere event in Southern California last month showed that this market is a great one for Bellator LIVE on Spike,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney.  “To bring our second California event to the crown jewel of Southern California casinos, Pechanga is absolutely icing on the cake and to have such a loaded card just makes this that much better.”

The night will kick off with a Middleweight Tournament Semifinal as Southern California’s own Doug “The Rhino” Marshall returns to his roots as he looks to keep his knockout streak alive when he battles Sultan Aliev live on Spike. Known for pushing a frenetic pace and keeping his opponents on their heels, Marshall has his sights set on punching his ticket to the finals.

“Winning the tournament will validate me – again – and put me where I need to be, back at the top of the food chain, with a target on my back,” Marshall said. “Ain't no more hunting – the game's going to come to me. It's going to be huge.”

After collecting a hard fought win over tournament and fan favorite Brian Rogers in the Bellator Middleweight Quarterfinals, Dan Cramer is set to face the heavy handed Brett “Fudoshin” Cooper, who has collected 11 knockouts in his 18 professional wins. Finally getting his chance to shine inside a Bellator Tournament, Cramer will look to keep the momentum going with a win on March 7th.

Featherweights collide as Mike “The Marine” Richman and Alexandre “PoPo” Bezerra are set to meet in a clash of two of the most explosive featherweights in the division. With a combined 29-2 record between the two, both veterans are looking to use their wealth of experience for a chance at the $100,000 Tournament prize.

Widely considered one of the best featherweights in the world, Marlon Sandro is ready to continue his quest towards a title shot as he takes on Russian submission artist Magomedrasul “Frodo” Khasbulaev live on Spike TV.

“I am so fortunate to have the chance to fight in the toughest tournament in the world,” Sandro said. “This is my opportunity to show the world what I can do and I am ready to finish at the top.”

The full card for Bellator’s March 7^th event from Southern California’s Pechanga Resort & Casino can be found below:

MAIN CARD:

Middleweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Sultan Aliev vs. Doug "Rhino" Marshall

Middleweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Dan Cramer vs. Brett Cooper

Featherweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra vs. Mike Richman

Featherweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Frodo Khasbulaev vs. Marlon Sandro

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Rocky Ramierz vs. Brandon Halsey

Featherweight Feature Fight: Shad Smith vs. Aaron Miller  

Heavyweight Feature Fight: Maurice Jackson vs. Manny Lara

Middleweight Feature Fight: Willie Parks vs. Keith Berry

Welterweight Feature Fight: Sabah Homasi vs. Ricky Legere

Featherweight Feature Fight: Eric Uresk vs. Cleber Luciano

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

Bellator Returns To The University of South Florida March 28th With Two Tournament Finals Plus the Return of World’s #1 Ranked & Florida’s Own Jessica Aguilar Live on Spike TV

Newport Beach, CA. (February 15, 2013) – Bellator MMA will once again head to the Sunshine State as the promotion will host two Bellator Tournament Finals from The University of South Florida’s Sun Dome in Tampa on March 28th LIVE on Spike TV. The night will see two $100,000 Tournament Finals fights as the Featherweight and Lightweight Tournaments will be decided, as well as the return of fan favorite, World’s #1 ranked 115 pounder and South Florida native Jessica “Jag” Aguilar.

Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, by visiting the Sun Dome Box Office and at all Ticketmaster outlets including Wal-Mart. Ticket prices range from $30 - $120.

For Aguilar, the 14-4 submission ace brings an impressive resume into the Sun Dome with victories over Megumi Fujii, Carla Esparza and Lisa Ellis. With a five fight win streak in place, the veteran Aguilar is looking to keep the momentum going with a victory on March 28^th.

“Bellator is my home and I can’t wait to get back into the cage in front of all my friends, family and fans and continue to show the world I’m the best female fighter on the planet,” Aguilar said.

With an explosive Featherweight Quarterfinal round in the books, four of the best featherweights in the world in Popo Bezerra, Mike Richman, Marlon Sandro and Frodo Khasbulaev are gunning for a coveted spot in the finals, and will meet March 28^th from Tampa’s Sun Dome.

The Season 8 Lightweight field is also down to the final four as David Rickels, Jason Fischer, Saad Awad and Will Brooks all earned their respective places in the semifinal round, and on March 28^th  a tournament champion will be crowned.

“We had an outstanding night of fights in our first visit to The Sun Dome, and expect nothing less March 28^th live on Spike,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “With two Tournament Final fights, as well as the return of Jessica Aguilar, our Florida faithful are in for a huge night of fights.”

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

Curran vs. Strauss Featherweight World Title Fight Headlines Bellator MMA Debut at Revel Thursday, April 4th

Northeast favorites, Lyman Good, Tom DeBlass Featured

Newport Beach, CA. (February 6, 2013) – After nearly five years in the making, Bellator MMA made its long awaited debut on Spike TV in January as  Bellator Featherweight Champion Pat Curran opened the night with a dominant win over star Brazilian striker Patricio Pitbull, reaching over 1.2 million viewers in the process. On April 4^th, Bellator will close out its eighth season from Ovation Hall at Revel in Atlantic City, NJ as Curran once again puts his Bellator Featherweight Title on the line against relentless Daniel Straus live on Spike TV. The night will also feature the return of Tiger Schulmann products Lyman Good and Munah Holland, as well as the Bellator debut of New Jersey fan favorite Tom DeBlass.

Tickets go on sale Friday, February 8th at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and by calling 800-745-3000. The Main Card will broadcast LIVE starting at 10 p.m. EST on Spike, as well as in Spanish language on mun2. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com, with doors to event opening at 6:30pm EST.

Widely regarded as one of the top two  featherweights in the world, Curran brings a dominating 18-4 record into his latest title defense, including victories over Marlon Sandro, Roger Huerta, Mike Ricci, and Straus himself, as Curran collected a knock out win over Straus early in both of their careers. Even with the victory over Straus in his back pocket, Curran is well aware both fighters have grown tremendously over the last four years.

“This may end up being the most challenging fight I’ve faced up this point,” Curran said. “Daniel is going to make for a very tough challenge, but I know what I’m capable of. I feel like I’m always growing as a fighter, and the sky is really the limit for me. I’ve got the belt, and I’m not letting anyone take it away from me.”

Currently riding a five fight win streak into his April 4^th showdown, Straus brings a suffocating fight style into the cage that always presents a unique challenge to his opponents. While that fact won’t change at Revel Resort & Casino, Straus is cognizant of the magnitude this title fight brings.

"Fighting for the Bellator Featherweight Title against Pat just signifies how my career has come full circle,” Straus said. “It was my loss to Pat that motivated me to become a better fighter. Now I get to see how much better I've actually gotten. Getting a chance to show my skills on Spike TV is a huge opportunity for me.  The stage keeps getting bigger and the viewers and eyes are growing.  I welcome the challenge to perform well in front of millions against one of the world's best featherweights.  I feel I have a lot to provide in this fight and I intend on doing so."

“We’re incredibly excited to be able to bring Bellator MMA to a world class venue like Revel,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “This fight card is going to be a great way to close out our first season on Spike TV and I couldn’t think of a better place to host it than a classic fight town like Atlantic City.”

The night will also feature the return of New York native and former Bellator Welterweight World Champion as Lyman Good battles Renzo Gracie product and fellow New Yorker Dante Rivera. Both have strong followings in the Tri-State area and should have a strong show of support inside Revel.    

Currently ranked as the world’s top ranked 125 pound female fighter, Jessica “Evil” Eye returns to the Bellator cage when she takes on Tiger Schulmann’s own Munah Holland on April 4^th live on Spike TV. Eye is coming off the biggest win of her young career with a dominating performance over Zoila Gurgel and is looking to keep the momentum with another victory.

“As a woman in this sport you’re given very little, so that’s why when I fight we always need to deliver,” Eye said. “I think Munah is a great fighter and have always admired her striking ability, but I won’t let my admiration stand in front of my determination. This is my golden year, and this fight is just the beginning.”

The preliminary card will be highlighted with a middleweight showdown between New Jersey star Tom DeBlass and New York native Carlos Brooks as the two look to collect their first Bellator victory. After announcing his retirement in 2012, DeBlass has returned to the cage and will make his highly anticipated return April 4^th inside Revel.

“I'm very excited to be fighting for Bellator right in my backyard,” DeBlass said. “All of my friends, family, students, and many fans will get to see me live. I'm coming back and making a statement, you can count on that.”

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

Middleweight World Title Fight Plus $100,000 Featherweight Tournament Complete Bellator MMA’s February 7th Gwinnett Center Event in Georgia

                                           

Newport Beach, CA. (January 28, 2013) – The Toughest Tournament in Sports continues as Bellator MMA has set a loaded Featherweight Tournament field  from Atlanta’s Gwinnet Center February 7^th live on Spike TV. The night will be headlined by a Bellator Middleweight World Title fight as Russian knockout artist Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko and dominating Brazilian Maiquel “Big Rig” Falcao battle for the Bellator Middleweight Championship.

After successfully winning his second Bellator Middleweight Tournament, Shlemenko has his sights set on one thing: The Bellator Middleweight World Championship. Currently riding a nine fight win streak and holding an incredible 46-7 record, Shlemenko knows his February 7th fight will be the biggest of his career.

“Big Rig” enters the fight after three dominating tournament victories inside the Bellator cage. After competing in organizations across the world, Falcao knows he has found a home in Bellator and is hoping to etch his name into the Bellator history books on February 7th from The Arena at Gwinnett Center.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting The Arena at Gwinnett Center Box Office, with tickets starting at just $40 dollars. The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 10 p.m. EST on Spike, as well as in Spanish language on mun2. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com starting at 8 p.m. EST.

Widely regarded as one of the best featherweights in the world, Marlon Sandro is primed for an extended tournament run as he takes on Russian finisher Akop Stepanyan in opening round action. After two tournament finals appearances, Sandro is ready for the next step and capture his first Bellator Tournament crown.

“There is nothing in this world I want more than the Bellator Featherweight Title, and this is my road,” Sandro said. “I love Bellator with all my heart and I know my opportunity is now.”

Armed with two of the quickest hands in MMA, Mike “The Marine” Richman will take on Bellator newcomer Mitch Jackson in a quarterfinal affair live on Spike. With 26 finishes between the two, it’s an opening round fight primed for fireworks.

“It feels great to be back in the tournament, and to showcase my skills on Spike TV for Bellator,” Richman said. “I'm going to out class Mitch Jackson and show him he isn’t at my level. He's going to sleep, and then I plan on finishing the rest of the field and getting my title shot and that $100,000 prize.”

Two of the most exciting featherweights in the Bellator ranks go to battle when “Popo” Bezerra meets Genair da Silva in an explosive quarterfinal fight. Already 14-2 at just 25 years old, Bezerra is looking to elevate his game to the next level and embark on a long tournament run.

The Bellator Featherweight Tournament will be rounded out with a classic Brazil vs. Russia clash as Bellator newcomer and submission ace Fabricio Guerrerio clashes with Magomedrasul “Frodo” Khasbulaev. After two quick finishes inside the Bellator cage, “Frodo” is gearing up for his first taste of The Toughest Tournament in Sports.

“After my last two fights, my time is now, and February 7^th will be the start of my championship run,” Khasbulaev said. 

“With a Middleweight World Title fight and the start of our $100,000 stacked Featherweight Tournament, February 7^th from the Gwinnet Center is going to be a huge night live on Spike TV,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. 

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

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 107 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom.  In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes.  Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula.  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.

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.

About mun2

mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34.  From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform.  Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.   

Farran Teams up with Future Legend Clothing!

 

Abilene, TX (September 3, 2012) – Welterweight sensation Brandon “For Real” Farran, one of America’s fastest rising mixed martial artists, and Future Legend Clothing Company have reached an endorsement agreement.

 

A devastating striker with world-class hand speed, Farran took out his last three opponents in a combined 2 minutes and 41 seconds. On September 14, the popularAbilene native challenges Bellator veteran Derrick Krantz in Houston, TX. The Farran-Krantz bout will be televised on AXS TV and is expected to take place in front of a packed house at the Arena Theater.

 

Launched in 2012 after being sold the previous three years on theundergroundclown.com, Future Legend’s team of world class fighters includes WBA welterweight boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi, former UFC star Phil Baroni, Kurt Pellegrino, Phillipe Nover, Marcos Galvao, Marlon Sandro and Ben Saunders. They’ve also sponsored MLB pitcher Ernesto Frieri, NFL defensive backs Richard Sherman and Alterraun Verner and WR Damian Williams amongst others.

 

“We want to help all good young fighters that want to be future legends and we’re more than just a clothing company,” said Brant Wilson, CEO of Future Legend Clothing. Brandon is an electric fighter and I think he’ll be doing big things for a long time in the MMA industry.”

 

To purchase tickets to Farran’s fight, go to cagetix.com, select Legacy Fighting Championships 14 from the first dropdown box, Brandon Farran from the second and the ticket type of your choice.