Press Release – Uncasville, Conn. (August 20, 2011) — In front of a raucous crowd inside the Mohegan Sun Arena, Pat Curran (fighting out of Crystal Lake, Ill.) delivered a crushing knockout to Marlon Sandro to claim the Bellator Summer Series Featherweight Tournament Championship LIVE on MTV2. This is the second tournament win for Curran, who previously won the Bellator Season 2 Lightweight Tournament. Bellator Heavyweight Champion Cole Konrad was also victorious, earning a victory over Paul Buentello in a non-title super fight.
In the night’s main event, Bellator veteran Pat Curran was up against imposing Brazilian Marlon Sandro. Both fighters were hungry for victory, as the winner would earn a guaranteed title shot for the Bellator Featherweight World Championship. Sandro came out looking to push the pace, and seemed to control Round 1. Round 2 began with both competitors much more aggressive, and late into the round Curran connected with a devastating, highlight-reel roundhouse kick to the head of Sandro that left the Brazilian on his back. Curran finished with hammerfists, and in the process earned a $100,000 payday and a future title shot for the Bellator Featherweight title.
Bellator Heavyweight World Champion Cole Konrad took on long time MMA veteran Paul Buentello in a heavyweight non-title super fight. Konrad, a polished wrestling product out of the University of Minnesota, surprised most by deciding to stay on his feet with the powerful Buentello. With the conflicting styles both competitors featured, both fighters were passive in their attacks. After three rounds of trading stand-up shots, the judges awarded Konrad the unanimous decision victory, keeping his perfect record intact and moving the phenom to 8-0.
Seth “The Kimbo Killer” Petruzelli faced former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez in a catchweight bout that was full of fireworks. No one anticipated this fight lasting very long, and the two giants kept their word. Petruzelli connected on two consecutive wheel kicks to the upper body of Rodriguez, and followed it up with a stiff right hook that dropped the stunned veteran. Petruzelli pounced with hammerfists, ending the fight before it could get to the second round.
The undefeated Rene “Brazilian Bomber” Nazare took on Costa Rican born Juan Barrantes in a lightweight feature fight. Nazare lived up to this name from the opening bell, delivering a consistent barrage of devastating combinations that Barrantes could only take for so long. After two rounds completed, the ringside physician advises referee Keith Peterson to stop the fight as Barrentes’ left eye had been cut and began to close shut. Nazare was awarded the convincing win, and moved his record to a perfect 10-0.
“What an unbelievable night to close out our Summer Series tournament,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Pat has been incredibly impressive during his run with Bellator, and he continued his unbelievable journey of becoming one of the best featherweights in the world tonight. Cole showed tonight why he is a champion, Seth and Ricco put on a terrific show, and Nazare was an absolute beast in the cage tonight. September 10th can’t get here soon enough to kick off our fifth season LIVE on MTV2.”
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.