Press Release – Newkirk, Okla. (May 7, 2011) – In front of a packed house, Bellator Fighting Championships returned to the First Council Casino in Newkirk, Oklahoma for Bellator 43, which aired LIVE on MTV2, as Jay Hieron defeated Rick Hawn to become the winner of Season 4’s Welterweight Tournament and $100,000. Hieron earns a title shot against reigning Bellator Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren.
“This was an incredible night of fights filled with some amazing finishes,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “The Hieron-Hawn fight was a battle and Brian Baker provided a knockout and a moving, emotional moment that our audience will remember forever. And, Chase returned to form in dramatic fashion”
Hawn, a 2004 Judo Olympian, aimed to fight standing up against Jay “The Thoroughbred” Hieron, which proved to be the wrong decision. Hieron dictated the pace at the start, while Hawn forced the action at the end. The fight was as close as it gets, evidenced by Hieron winning by way of a split decision.
In a Middleweight Special Feature Fight, inspirational Bellator veteran Bryan “The Beast” Baker impressed against tough UFC and Strikeforce veteran Joe Riggs. Both fighters started by feeling each other out, but Baker quickly found his rhythm, connecting with a devastating left hook in Round 2, which gave way to a TKO stoppage.
One knockout lead to another as Baker got down on one knee inside the Bellator cage to propose to his girlfriend after the fight. The Beast leaves Newkirk with a tournament championship and a new fiancé, while MTV2 viewers and excited fans at the First Council Casino saw the first-ever post-fight engagement.
Former WEC Champion Chase Beebe outclassed Bellator Season 3 Bantamweight Semifinalist Jose Vega and earned a spot in next season’s Bellator Bantamweight Tournament with the victory. Early on, Beebe was looking to take the fight to the ground, but Vega clearly wanted to stand with the Chicago native. After several guillotine attempts by Beebe, he finally locked one in and forced Vega to tap in the first minutes of Round 1.
In a heavyweight feature attraction, Ron “The Monster” Sparks went toe-to-toe against the experienced Vince Lucero. Early in the first round, Sparks connected with a kick and punch that dropped Lucero. Sparks then dominated, proving he has a dangerous ground-game and earning the victory by means of submission.
Official Main Card Results:
Jay Hieron def. Rick Hawn by Split Decision (29-28. 28-29, 29-28)
Bryan Baker def. Joe Riggs by TKO (Referee Stoppage Due to Strikes, Round 2)
Chase Beebe def. Jose Vega by Submission (Guillotine 4:06, Round 1)
Ron Sparks def. Vince Lucero by Submission (Keylock 2:18, Round 1)
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.