Tag: Bellator FC

CHICAGO, Ill. (September 20, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships today announced that undefeated heavyweight Ron “The Monster” Sparks will make his Bellator debut in his hometown of Louisville when he takes on undefeated ground-and-pound specialist and fellow Louisville product Greg Maynard at Bellator 30, taking place at Fourth Street Live! on September 23.

“We’re thrilled to give the Louisville faithful a heavyweight match of this caliber,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Both fighters are beloved in Louisville, and will give the fans at Fourth Street Live! a great show.”

Both heavyweights enter the fight sporting perfect professional records, Sparks is 5-0 and Maynard is 2-0 in their respective fighting careers. The massive 6′5” 265 lb Sparks has notched 4 of his professional victories by knockout, while his Maynard has won both of his outings from submissions due to strikes. The pair of hard-hitting heavyweights has finished a combined 6 of their 7 fights, which makes the odds of this heavyweight showdown making it to the judges very unlikely.

“This fight should end with a knockout,” said a confident Sparks. “Although I wouldn’t mind it going to the ground either. Everyone sees me as a huge stand up fighter, but I have taken my ground game to a whole new level, and I want people to see that.”

The biggest struggle “The Monster” has faced hasn’t been in the ring, but finding someone who is willing to take him on. After having his previous two fights cancelled or postponed, Sparks is truly thankful to be given this opportunity in his hometown.

“I’m just excited to get back into the ring,” said Sparks. “Bellator is a huge promotion, and to make my debut in front of all my friends and family just makes it even more special. The fans know I always provide a great show, and this won’t be any different.”

Tickets for the event – which will also be broadcast LIVE nationwide on FOX Sports Net along with action-packed highlight shows that will air on NBC Saturday nights – are on sale now at ticketmaster.com

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.

CHICAGO, Ill. (September 17, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships has officially signed undefeated up-and-comer Michael Chandler to its growing list of impressive lightweight fighters. Chandler enters the promotion with a fresh 3-0 professional record including a rear-naked-choke victory over Sal Woods at last May’s Strikeforce event.

“Michael Chandler is a great signing for us at 155,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “He has unlimited potential in the sport, I’m excited to see him progress as a fighter under the Bellator banner.”

The 24-year-old Missouri native possesses an impressive wrestling pedigree, leading his junior and senior varsity wrestling teams as the captain both years. After high school Chandler wrestled under Bellator Season 2 Welterweight Tournament Champion Ben Askren and Strikeforce veteran Tyron Woodley at the University of Missouri, where he was also the captain the varsity wrestling team his junior and senior year. Chandler says he has been planning for this from the beginning.

“I started training MMA right out of college. I took my first training camp with the soon-to-be Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren. My first training camp was with Ben in Canada about three or four weeks after Nationals during my senior year,” said Chandler. “I always knew I was going to fight, even two years before I started training seriously.”

After a brief stint training at the American Kickboxing Academy, Chandler moved to Las Vegas where he currently trains with Randy Couture’s highly acclaimed gym Xtreme Couture.

Chandler believes it’s his ability to take it to the next level that separates him from other lightweights in the sport.

“I can push the pace harder than anybody at 155,” said Chandler. “My strength is my ability to keep up a hard pace and my ability to break people. I think it will be hard for anyone to keep up with me. I’ve been competing my entire life and now I’m focused on becoming the next Bellator Champion at 155.”

Chandler makes his Bellator debut on September 30 at Bellator 31 at the L’Auberge du Lac Resort in Lake Charles, LA.

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.