Press Release
CHICAGO, Ill. (January 06, 2011) – Bellator Fighting Championships today confirmed former U.S. Judoka Olympian and fast-rising MMA star Rick Hawn as a participant in Bellator’s upcoming Welterweight Tournament airing on MTV2 starting in March. The explosive Hawn burst onto the Bellator scene with an impressive first round knockout of LeVon Maynard at Bellator 33 which was set up with a spectacular Judo throw. Hawn will look to keep that momentum going when enters the Bellator Season 4 Welterweight Tournament for a shot at current 170 lbs. Bellator Champion Ben Askren.
Managed by American Judoka legend and former coach Jimmy Pedro, Hawn has amassed a collection of almost two dozen medals in major U.S. and international events, including a 9th place finish in the 2004 Olympic games. Hawn has since made a seamless transition from the mat to the cage, compiling a perfect 9-0 professional MMA record with 7 KOs to his credit.
According to Hawn, Bellator’s unique tournament format will not be that far of a departure from his Olympic roots, stating, “I’m definitely used to the tournament format due to my background in Judo,” said Hawn. “I’ve been competing in Judo competitions for many years with a very similar structure, so I’m definitely used to it, and I’m looking forward to doing it again.”
“Rick was incredibly impressive in his first fight with Bellator, and is a perfect fit for our Welterweight Tournament,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “This tournament is shaping up to be one of our most competitive and talent-rich yet and I can’t wait to see who will be facing Ben Askren for our World Championship after all is said and done.”
A former Olympian himself in freestyle wrestling, Askren captured the Welterweight crown with a unanimous decision victory over then champion Lyman “Cyborg” Good in Season 3.
Entering a tournament stacked with talent, Hawn understands that he must take things one fight at a time, but admits a chance to fight a fellow Olympian is one he looks forward to.
“I’m looking forward to possibly getting the chance to fight Ben [Askren] for the championship,” Hawn said. “He’s an Olympian, an incredible athlete, and the next time we see him I’m sure he’s going to have improved tremendously. I think a fight between us would be a great clash of styles and I don’t think two true Olympians have ever fought in the history of MMA.”
Before Hawn gets that chance, he is going to have to get through one of the toughest tournaments in Bellator history.
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator.
About Bellator Fighting Championships
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator’s founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.
About MTV2
MTV2 is a man’s best friend, available in nearly 80 million homes and with the highest concentration of males 12-24 and 12-34 on TV today. A vibrant mix of music, lifestyle and action sports programming, MTV2 has reflected the habits and behavior of young people since its launch in 1996. MTV2 is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom, one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.