Press Release – CHICAGO, Ill. (June 2, 2012) — Bellator Fighting Championships will once again head to the Sunshine State as the promotion will host Bellator 72 from The University of South Florida’s Sun Dome in Tampa on July 20 LIVE on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. The night will feature the Season 6 Welterweight Tournament Finals as the explosive Karl “Psycho” Amoussou takes on Bryan “The Beast” Baker, plus it’s the semifinals of the Summer Series Light Heavyweight Tournament and the highly anticipated trilogy fight between Waachiim Spirtwolf and Marius Zaromskis.
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 Amoussou, the French natural born finisher has produced fireworks throughout his impressive tournament run, collecting a devastating submission victory over Chris Lozano and a split-decision win against David Rickels in a spectacular fight in the tournament semifinals. Only one win away from a guaranteed title shot, “Psycho” knows what’s on the line July 20.
“This is the biggest fight of my career,” said Amoussou. “I’m going to win this tournament, and then I’m going to win the belt. I’m coming for Ben Askren.”
Long time Bellator veteran Bryan Baker is no stranger to tournament finals, as the former middleweight contender has three tournaments under his belt, including a Middleweight Finals appearance in 2010. With decision victories over veterans Carlos Pereira and Ben “Killa B” Saunders in the Season 6 Welterweight Tournament, Baker is ready to collect his first Bellator Tournament Title.
“I’m 100 percent focused on this fight and nothing else,” said Baker. “I want to make this a professional fight and just put on the best show possible for the fans. I know Karl is going to come out aggressive like always, and I don’t have much doubt this fight is going to end with a stoppage. I want this Tournament Championship more than anything, and I’m going to get it.”
Known across the MMA world as one of the most dynamic fighters in the game, Marius Zaromskis will once again lock horns with knockout artist and fan favorite Waachiim Spiritwolf. The two met at Bellator 68 as Zaromskis walked away with a controversial TKO victory after it was determined by ringside physicians that a cut above the right eye of Spiritwolf was too severe to continue. A 2010 matchup between the two welterweights was also marred in controversy, as their fight was stopped six seconds in due to an inadvertent eye poke to Spiritwolf. Now the score will finally be settled at Bellator 72 from The University of South Florida on July 20.
More fight information will be announced shortly….
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 Fighting Championships
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator, Latin for Warrior, is partnered with entertainment industry leaders Viacom and Fremantle Entertainment, and is the world’s leading tournament-based mixed martial arts organization. Bellator’s Founder, Chairman & 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 Global Spectrum
Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com) manages the USF Sun Dome, as well as more than 100 other public assembly facilities around the world. Nearly 20-million people attended more than 11,000 events in Global Spectrum venues last year. Based in Philadelphia, PA, Global Spectrum is part of Comcast-Spectacor, one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies. Comcast-Spectacor also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, Paciolan, the leading provider of venue establishment ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions, Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company, and Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks.
About MTV2
Available in approximately 80 million homes MTV2 is man’s best friend. Since its launch in 1996, the network has reflected the subversive interests and behaviors of young men with a compelling and diverse programming line-up inspired by ordinary guys who do extraordinary things. MTV2 is part of Viacom Media Networks, one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. For more information, go to www.mtvpress.com or follow us on Twitter @MTVPress.
About EPIX
EPIX, a joint venture between Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), is a next-generation premium entertainment channel, video-on-demand and online service launched on October 30, 2009. With access to more than 15,000 motion pictures spanning the vast libraries of its partners and other studios, EPIX provides a powerful entertainment experience with more feature films on demand and online and more HD movies than any other service. It is the only premium service providing its entire monthly line-up of new Hollywood titles, classic feature films, original series, music and comedy specials through the linear channel, video-on-demand and online at EpixHD.com, the leading online destination for movies.
EPIX has made the commitment to deliver the industry’s most expansive online collection of movies, making more than 3,000 titles available on EpixHD.com. The service is available to over 30 million homes nationwide through distribution partners including Charter Communications, Cox Communications, DISH Network, Mediacom Communications, NCTC, Suddenlink Communications and Verizon FiOS.