Tag: Bellator FC

CHICAGO, Ill. (August 17, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships today announced that Bellator Season 2 welterweight semi-finalist Steve Carl (10-2-0) will take on fellow Iowa-native, hard-hitting UFC veteran Rory Markham (16-6-0) at Bellator 26 taking place at the Kansas City Power & Light District on Aug. 26th.

Carl is coming off of a loss to Season 2 runner-up Dan Hornbuckle at Bellator 19 last May. Prior to the defeat Carl held an impressive seven fight win-streak. Carl’s budding mixed martial arts career is just four years old, but he already has notched 10 impressive wins with six victories coming by way of submission. The Iraq War veteran now faces one of the toughest fights in his young career when he faces off with the always exciting Rory Markham.

Markham, a product of the Miletich Martial Arts camp out of Bettendorf, Iowa, has yet to see a judge’s decision in his 22 fight career. With sixteen total wins in his six-year plus career, eleven have come via KO or TKO. The 28-year-old fighter showed a combative spirit at a young age, getting involved in traditional Karate and eventually competing in tournaments where he became affiliated with legendary trainer Pat Miletich. With an established willingness to stand and trade, there is no question that Markhamwill bring-it in his Bellator 26 match-up with Carl.

However, Carl is no stranger to a challenge. Just yesterday he received his honorable discharge papers from the U.S. Army, ending an eight-year service commitment that included a tour of Iraq. Carl became interested in MMA while stationed in Fort Hood, Texas.

“As an MMA fan, I’m really looking forward to this fight,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Markham is one of the toughest guys in the sport and Carl showed huge tenacity in his fight with Brett Cooper—this should be a great fight.”

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. (August 17, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships today announced that Bellator Season 2 featherweight semi-finalist Georgi Karakhanyan (13-2-1) will take on UFC Veteran and submission specialist Alvin Robinson (10-5) at Bellator 28 in New Orleans on Sept. 9th. Karakhanyan is coming off of a loss to current Season 2 Featherweight Tournament Champion Joe Warren at Bellator 18 last May. Prior to that defeat, Karakhanyan was on a nine fight win streak that dated back to May of 2008, including a first-round highlight reel KO of Bao Quach at Bellator 13.

California-native Alvin Robinson will make his Bellator debut at the Bellator 28 event. Robinson is a dangerous submission fighter holding a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the legendary Royce Gracie. Robinson brings an impressive 10-5 professional record to his Bellator debut, with nine of those wins coming via submission. In his last outing, Robinson secured a second round rear-naked choke victory over Brandon Girtz. The 28 year-old-fighter currently fights out of Denver, Colorado for the Gracie Grudge Fight Team.

“Stylistically, Georgi and Alvin match-up really well. Both have world-class submission skills so there’s great potential for an explosive, entertaining fight for the fans,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “This fight is a great addition to what is already a great night of fights to the Mahalia Jackson Theater in New Orleans on Sept. 9th.

Born in Moscow, Russia, to Armenian parents, Karakhanyan was introduced to martial arts at the age of six by his father, a karate black-belt. Soon, though, he fell in love with soccer and went on to play at the amateur and professional levels in Russia, Spain and the U.S. While playing for the San Diego Sockers of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), Karakhanyan also began studying Jiu-Jitsu as part of his conditioning regimen. When the team folded, he decided to take up fighting full-time.

When asked about his loss to Warren, Karakhanyan is understandably animated.

“I don’t like to lose, period,” said Karakhanyan. “Coming off of a loss, I’m hungry; I’m training harder than I ever have before. Alvin is a great fighter, he’s a black belt, but I won’t be afraid to take him down.”

Robinson, who actually trains with Joe Warren, says that he is preparing for it all.

“I’m excited to be back in the big leagues and I’m not taking this for granted. Georgi is a very well-rounded fighter so I’m getting ready for anything. If it goes to the ground I’m going to be ready with my jiu-jitsu, or if he wants to stand and bang, I’m ready,” said Robinson.

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. (August 12, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships officially announced today that Russian heavyweight Alexey Oleinik is the latest and final addition to the Bellator Season 3 World Heavyweight Tournament. The Judo black belt is not only one of the most respected fighters in Russia, but also one of the most dangerous heavyweight submission specialists in the sport. Oleinik brings a phenomenal 27-5-1 record to the tournament with 23 of those 27 victories coming via submission.

“Alexey Oleinik is a great final addition to this stacked heavyweight tournament,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “He’s one of the most threatening and versatile heavyweights in the sport with extremely dangerous submission skills, which makes him a legitimate threat to anyone he faces in the heavyweight division.”

The 33 year old was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine but currently fights out of Moscow. He trains out of Red Devil Sports Club and is a Master of Sports in Sambo. Oleinik is known and feared for the rare Ezekiel Choke finish which he has used successfully on six of his previous opponents.

Oleinik met fellow heavyweight tournament participant Rogent Lloret last August where the two fought to a draw, setting up a potentially interesting rematch opportunity in Bellator Season 3. Oleinik holds impressive victories over the likes of Jessie Gibbs and Thiago “Big Monster” Santos.

Oleinik is the eight confirmed participant in the forthcoming Season 3 Heavyweight World Tournament along with undefeated European sensation Damian “The Polish Pitbull” Grabowski, Seattle-area knockout artist Mike “300″ Hayes, Georgia-based ground and pound specialist Scott Barrett, British-based power-puncher Neil Grove, Spanish submission ace Rogent Lloret, two-time NCAA wrestling champion Cole Konrad, and heavy handed Alexey UFC veteran Eddie Sanchez

The Bellator Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament kicks off on Aug. 12th and can be viewed LIVE on Fox Sports Net.

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.