Last fall, Bellator season four welterweight tournament winner Jay ‘The Thoroughbred’ Hieron (22-5) fought current champ Ben ‘Funky’ Askren in the main event of Bellator 56, battling for five exciting rounds only to lose via controversial split decision.
With many, including Hieron, calling for an immediate rematch the Bellator Fighting Championships promotion has stuck to it’s guns by not booking the fight and has offered ‘The Thoroughbred’ a spot in the Season Six Welterweight Tourny this coming March.
Hieron tells MMAWeekly.com that he turned down the spot, feeling that since he defeated Askren on October 29, 2011 “why would I go back and do the tournament again to claim what’s mine already?”
“I still believe I won that fight,” he said. “Of course, the decision didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to, but I feel I performed great. I think right now I’m the Bellator champion. He knows it, I know it, and everyone who watched the fight knows it.”
“Bellator goes by the tournament format, and I’m not doing the tournament again,” he said. “I feel I won the tournament and I feel I’m the Bellator champion and won the title; why would I go back and do the tournament again to claim what’s mine already?
“I like Bellator as an organization. I like how you earn your shot there, but I earned my shot and won it… ”
“Everything happens for a reason. I just try to stay positive and know there’s a plan for me and keep moving forward. I’m in the gym, training and keeping my body healthy. Once they call, I’ll be ready to go. It’s going to be a big year. I’m going to get back in there and show people what I can do.”