Press Release – Newkirk, OK. (April 8, 2011) – Prior to his Bellator Season 4 Welterweight quarterfinal fight with submission finisher Anthony Lapsley at Bellator 35 on March 5th, it had been more than a year since Jay “The Thoroughbred” Hieron had stood across the cage from an opponent. Needless to say, Hieron relished the opportunity, dispatching of Lapsley with a first round technical submission victory – Hieron’s 20th professional and eight consecutive win. Undefeated for more than three years running, Hieron was dominant from start to finish in his Bellator debut.
“I got what I wanted out of that fight. I was aggressive and I wanted to get him out of there, and that’s exactly how I wanted to feel,” said Hieron. “It felt excellent to get back in that cage and perform. It felt great, it was an unbelievable feeling.”
Hieron now looks to continue his run in a semifinal fight with fast-rising Brent Weedman at tomorrow night’s Bellator 40 event airing LIVE on MTV2 and taking place at the First Council Casino in Newkirk, Okla.
“Brent Weedman is a tough guy, and I want to be fighting tough guys. He comes forward and he’s aggressive, and that gives me the opportunity for openings,” said Hieron. “I’m ready for Brent Weedman on Saturday night; it’s going to be fun.”
Unlike Hieron, Weedman was a considerable underdog in his quarterfinal fight with the always formidable Dan “The Handler” Hornbuckle. Undaunted, Weedman remained aggressive throughout the three round battle, eventually earning a hard-fought unanimous decision victory. The victory gave Weedman his10th consecutive win and most importantly a place in the semifinals. Weedman says his ability to surprise people wasn’t wasted on Hornbuckle.
“I feel like people are looking past me more in this fight with Jay Hieron than ever before, and I’m loving every second of it. I enjoy ruining people’s plans,” said Weedman. “It’s all do or die for me. Every fight I’m in, it’s 100% or nothing, and that’s exactly how it’s going to be in this fight with Jay Hieron.”
“This should be an incredible fight; both Jay and Brent are riding long win streaks, which makes this a very interesting and entertaining battle,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney.
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.
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.