Tag: Bellator FC

Press Release – CHICAGO, Ill. (January 26, 2011) – Bellator Fighting Championships today confirmed Kenny “The Tooth Fairy” Foster as the third confirmed participant in the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament which airs LIVE on MTV2 beginning in March. Foster, who gained his unique nickname for his propensity to knock his opponent’s teeth out, looks to march through eight world-class featherweights for the chance at $100,000 and subsequently a title fight with current Bellator World Featherweight Champion Joe Warren. Foster made his Bellator debut last October at Bellator 33 with a dominant victory over Lester Caslow and brings an impressive 8-2 professional record into the tournament.

Foster is eager to show the world what he is capable of in the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament and sincerely hopes his opponents make the mistake of looking past him.

“If any of my opponents take me lightly, I think that’s great. That’s their own fault. We’re all here for a reason and you don’t just end up in one of these tournaments because you got lucky. You’re there because you are one of the top guys in your division,” said Foster. “Winning this thing would mean the world to me. It would prove that I have achieved an elite status in my profession. It would prove that I’m one of the very best.”

“This is it, man. This is Bellator Fighting Championships,” said Foster. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

As a two-time Georgia State Wrestling Champion in high school and a Division II All-American in college, Foster’s transition to MMA was an easy choice. Like so many before him, Foster was looking for an outlet for his competitive nature after college which ultimately drove him to mixed martial arts. Foster took his first amateur fight with no prior MMA training, convincing the promoter to book him based on his wrestling skills alone. Jumping head first into the sport, Foster didn’t have a single day of formal training through his entire career as an amateur before eventually moving to New York to train with the Bomb Squad as a professional.

“Kenny’s a well rounded fighter who has the skills and tools to do very well in this tournament and potentially shock people,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney.

Foster joins Eric Larkin and Zac George as confirmed participants in the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament.

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.

Press Release – CHICAGO, Ill. (January 25, 2011) —With his last fight coming in October of 2009, saying Zac George is eager to get back into the cage would be an understatement. Already with 20 professional victories under his belt, “The Red Devil” will get his chance to return to his winning ways in March as the explosive finisher has been confirmed to compete in the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament, which airs LIVE on MTV2.

Residing in Oklahoma while training out of Team Quest in Oregon, George (20-3) had the luxury of competing in a variety of combat sports prior to his career in MMA. After getting his start in wrestling at just 4-years-old and eventually becoming an All-State wrestler in high school, George continued to look for new challenges. While attending the University of Oklahoma to obtain his degree in Social Studies, the aggressive Sooner picked up boxing at a local gym. It wasn’t long before “The Red Devil” compiled an amateur boxing record of 15-1, an amateur kickboxing record of 18-1, and a pro kickboxing record of 2-0 with a pair of knockouts to his credit. The transition to MMA was an obvious one for George.

With eight knockouts and seven submissions in his twenty victories as a professional – including fourteen finishes in the very first round – George has clearly established himself as one of the more electrifying featherweights in the division.

“Zac George finishes fights and often finishes them early. Anyone he faces in our Featherweight tournament this March will need to be at the very top of their game to hope to get out with a victory,” said Bellator chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney.

“I’ve wanted to fight for Bellator for a while now,” said George. “It’s an exciting weight class and Bellator has a bunch of really talented fighters with records similar to mine. They’re hungry guys looking for their shot and they all want to go out there to beat some people up and make some money. I’m really excited about it.”

Even with his year long hiatus from the cage, George feels like he is on top of his game. Currently riding a six fight win streak, including an impressive 2nd round submission victory of Bellator veteran Bryan Goldsby in his last fight, George is ready to re-introduce himself to the MMA world, and make noise in the Featherweight Tournament.

“It’s going to mean the world to me “when” I win this tournament,” George said. “There is no “if” in my mind. I wouldn’t enter this thing if I didn’t know that I was going to go out there and stomp on some guys. I’m going to go out there and put on some exciting fights, beat these guys up, and make a living while I’m at it. “

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.

Press Release – CHICAGO, Ill. ( January 24, 2011) -Bellator Fighting Championships officially announced today that it will hold a Featherweight Tournament in the promotion’s highly anticipated fourth season airing LIVE on MTV2. Eight world class 145 lb. fighters will face off for a chance at claiming the Season 4 Featherweight Tournament Championship, a check for $100,000, and more importantly, a shot at the title against current Bellator World Featherweight Champion, World’s #2 ranked Featherweight and self proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet,” Joe Warren.

While announcements regarding all eight participants will follow, collegiate wrestling phenom Eric Larkin has been confirmed for Bellator’s third Featherweight Tournament. No stranger to Bellator fans, Larkin (3-0) enters the competition fresh off of an impressive first round submission victory over the previously undefeated Marcus Andrusia at Bellator 28 (Watch Here: http://bit.ly/hstwoe). The decorated wrestler has wasted no time in his MMA career to date, finishing all three of his fights as a professional in the very first round.

“I’m thrilled to announce Eric Larkin as our first confirmed participant in our upcoming Featherweight Tournament,” said Bellator chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Eric has unlimited potential in this sport, and I’m excited to see how he does in this stacked tournament.”

Fighting out of the Lion’s Den in Scottsdale, Arizona alongside Bellator World Welterweight Champion Ben Askren, Larkin began his professional MMA training in early 2009. Before his journey into the cage, Larkin wrestled his way to a 2003 National Championship at 149 pounds for Arizona State University, earned the prestigious Dan Hodge Trophy, and picked up a 2003 ESPN ESPY Award nomination for best collegiate athlete. After nearly making the 2008 US Olympic squad, Larkin decided a new challenge was needed in his life, and MMA was the perfect opportunity. Now a confirmed participant in the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament, Larkin is ready to establish himself as one of the best in the division.

“I’m definitely looking forward to this upcoming tournament,” Larkin said. “I know there are going to be some really tough guys in there. I’m not taking anyone lightly. I’m going to do my thing and get after it. I like fighting back-to-back so it’s going to be fun.”

The tournament will mark the first time Larkin will fight as a featherweight, as his previous three victories came as a lightweight. While cutting weight can often be a challenge, Larkin sees it as anything but.

“The major benefits I’m going to get from dropping down to 145 are primarily going to be strength and leverage,” said Larkin. “I definitely feel like I’m going to be stronger at 145 than I would be at 155. At lightweight, there are guys cutting down from 180 and 190 to make the weight and I’m not even close to that. I think this cut to featherweight is going to be great for me.”

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.

Press Release – (January 17th, 2011) -Bellator Fighting Championships will welcome back one of its own as three time Bellator competitor Steve “The Wildman” Carl has been confirmed for Bellator’s upcoming Season 4 Welterweight Tournament, airing in March on MTV2. Carl secured his spot in the tournament with an impressive first round submission of Tyler Stinson (Watch Here: Steve Carl vs. Tyler Stinson) at Bellator 26 and is currently the seventh competitor confirmed for the eight man competition, with Dan “The Handler” Hornbuckle, Rick Hawn, Brent Weedman, Jim Wallhead, Chris “The Assassin” Lozano, and Lyman “Cyborg” Good already confirmed.

Carl, 26, a former U.S. Army sergeant who served in the Iraq War, took up MMA about six years ago while stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and has since compiled an impressive professional record of 14-2, including nine decisive submission victories. Now dedicated to MMA full time, Carl has notched nine victories in his last ten outings and firmly believes 2011 will be a breakout year.

“I don’t feel like I’ve ever been able to show my true potential out there in any of my fights, but I think fans can expect to see a more explosive and fired-up Steve Carl than ever before in 2011,” said the powerful welterweight. “What was good enough last year isn’t going to cut it this year.”

Based on Carl’s past, it would be easy for anyone to be content with fighting for a Bellator Championship. In December 2006, Carl was involved in a horrific car crash on an icy Iowa road that shattered his right leg and left doctors questioning whether he would ever walk again without the use of a cane. His career in fighting, they said, was almost certainly over.

“Steve Carl has been on an incredible journey, and I’m very happy to see him compete in this stacked tournament,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Steve has been a tremendous competitor throughout his fights in Bellator, and I expect him to take his game to the next level in this tournament.”

No stranger to Bellator’s unique tournament format, Carl fully understands that he will be facing the toughest test of his fighting career in the Bellator Season 4 Welterweight Tournament, and he welcomes the challenge with open arms.

“I think the level of talent in this upcoming welterweight tournament is phenomenal. It’s really off the charts this year,” said Carl. “I’m planning on fighting from the top to the bottom this year. I think that the further I make it in the tournament, the easier my opponents are going to get. I’m expecting to fight one of the best guys right off the bat, so that’s what I’m getting ready for.”

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.

Press Release – CHICAGO, Ill. (January 14, 2011) – When Jim Wallhead fought Ryan Thomas at Bellator 32, it was win or go home, literally. If “Judo” Jim fell to Thomas, Wallhead vowed to trade in his 6 oz. Gloves for a 9-to-5 in order to provide for his family. However, the dangerous Brit scored an impressive unanimous decision victory and earned his spot in the upcoming Bellator Season 4 Welterweight Tournament, which airs live on MTV2 starting in March.

“Wallhead was a fighter we wanted to be part of Bellator for some time, but because of the volcanic ash in Europe, his arrival in the Bellator cage got delayed for a few months,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “After his fight with Ryan Thomas, it was clear he was worth the wait. I’m excited to see if he can carry the momentum from that victory into the Bellator Season 4 Welterweight Tournament.”

Born and raised in England, Wallhead enters the tournament riding an eight fight win streak – winning 13 of his last 14 fights – and sports an impressive 21-5 record. Even with the string of victories, Wallhead expects fans to see him as an underdog in a tournament stacked with talent and familiar faces, and relishes in the role.

“I guarantee people are looking past me heading into this tournament,” said Wallhead. “I’m prepared to surprise all doubters everywhere. I will one hundred percent give every guy in this tournament a war, so bring it!”

Underestimating Wallhead certainly could prove to be a mistake, especially considering the wealth of experience the Judo black belt brings to the table. All that experience will be needed when Wallhead enters the cage against some of the best competition in the sport.

“I feel pumped getting ready to enter a tournament as stacked as this one,” Wallhead said. “There are some great fighters in the mix and its wide open for everyone to make a name for themselves. It would be a dream come true to be the last man standing out of these eight talented fighters. What an achievement.”

Wallhead is the sixth confirmed participant in Bellator’s upcoming Season 4 eight-man 170 lbs. tournament along with Dan “The Handler” Hornbuckle, Rick Hawn, Brent Weedman, and Chris “The Assassin” Lozano, and Lyman Good.

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.

Press Release – CHICAGO, Ill. (January 12, 2011) – Former Bellator World Welterweight Champion Lyman “Cyborg” Good is not shy about his desire to avenge his only professional loss to current Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren while reclaiming his spot at the top of the Bellator welterweight division. Bellator Fighting Championships confirmed today that he will have that chance in the Bellator Season 4 Welterweight Tournament. The tournament begins in March 2011 and will air live on MTV2.

Lyman Good made his Bellator debut in April 2009, carving his way to Bellator’s inaugural welterweight tournament finals with impressive stoppage victories in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. In Bellator’s first World Welterweight Championship fight, Good dispatched of Omar De la Cruz with brutal ground and pound, notching a first round TKO victory to become the first ever Bellator World Welterweight Champion, which you can watch here: http://bit.ly/foOR9a

“At just 25-years-old, Lyman has the talent, potential and the heart to climb back up the Bellator welterweight ladder and recapture the Title,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “However, he’s going to have to go through one of the most stacked welterweight tournaments in the history of the sport to do it.”

Born in Harlem and currently residing out of Manhattan, the explosive New York native brings an impressive 10-1 professional record to the Bellator Season 4 Welterweight Tournament, with half of his victories coming via TKO or KO. Although now an established mixed martial artist, Good credits his difficult upbringing for making him the fighter he is today. Raised in Spanish Harlem, Good was surrounded by adversity growing up but turned to martial arts for a healthy outlet for his aggression.

Admittedly hungry to get back to his winning ways, Good says that his loss to Askren has served as a catalyst for change.

“I’m going to be unveiling “Lyman 2.0″ this time around,” said Good. “In a sense you’re going to see a newer version of me, but at the same time I will always have what defines me as a fighter.”

Good undoubtedly has his eye on the prize, but says he is also focused on the immediate task at hand.

“Being able to fight [Ben] Askren again was one of the biggest factors behind me entering this tournament. I can’t walk away from an opportunity to avenge a loss to a person that I know deep down – with the proper amount of preparation – I can beat,” said Good. “But right now there are three bodies I’m going to have to get through before I focus on somebody that’s walking around with something that belongs to me.”

Good is the fifth confirmed participant in Bellator’s upcoming Season 4 eight-man 170 lbs. tournament along with Dan “The Handler” Hornbuckle, Rick Hawn, Brent Weedman, and Chris “The Assassin” Lozano.

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.