Summer Series opener – Bellator 71
Press Release – CHICAGO, Ill. (April 16, 2011) — Bellator Fighting Championships will make their 2012 Summer Series debut from The Mountain State when the promotion brings Bellator 71 to The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in Chester, West Virginia on June 22. Bellator 71 will feature the quarterfinals of the Bellator Summer Series Light Heavyweight Tournament, along with a host of preliminary fights.
Tickets for the event are now on sale and can be purchased online at Etix.com or by visiting The Mountaineer Casino Players Club. Tickets are priced from $25-$200. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. EST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 6 p.m. EST, and the preliminary card, featuring some of the area’s top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. EST.
“We’ve been in discussions with the team at Mountaineer Resort for quite some time, looking to bring a major nationally and internationally televised event to this spectacular Casino Resort” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “When the chance came to host the opener of our Summer Series, we jumped at the chance.”
Canadian native Roger “The Hulk” Hollett will get his first taste of tournament action when he locks horns with explosive Slovakian finisher Attila Vegh. A 14-time Hungarian Kempo karate champion, Vegh brings an impressive resume into the tournament and should be a force to be reckoned with.
“I came here to Bellator with one goal, and that’s to be the next Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion,” said Vegh. “Becoming a Bellator champion is my main mission in my career. I want to be recognized as the best light heavyweight in the world, and after that my mission will be complete.”
Former Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Finalist Rich Hale is back for another run and will be looking to top his incredible inverted triangle finish that earned headlines (Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPQF0mP5tOs) when he takes on Beau Tribolet in opening-round action.
After compiling a 2-0 record within the Bellator cage, longtime MMA veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff will get his shot in the Light Heavyweight Tournament in this tournament debut. Wiuff has amassed an incredible 66 wins during his incredible MMA run, and has his sights set on a Bellator Tournament Championship.
Finnish submission ace Marcus Vanttinen is looking to lock up a semifinal appearance when he battles promising Brazilian striker Philipe Lins. Both 205-pound fighters are regarded as two of the top light heavyweight prospects in the world, and will have their talent on display at Bellator 71.
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 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.
About Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort
Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort, located in Chester, WV, is owned and operated by MTR Gaming Group. Mountaineer Casino features slot machines, table games, live poker tables, a thoroughbred racetrack, an upscale hotel with amenities, golf course, fine dining and entertainment, a theater and events center, and a convention center. Visit Mountaineer at www.MoreAtMountaineer.com or call 800-804-0468.