Suspect Arrested In Jordan Parsons Hit-And-Run

Following nearly a weeklong investigation, Delray Beach, Florida police have arrested a suspect in the sad hit-and-run accident that eventually took the life of 25-year-old Bellator featherweight Jordan Parsons early last Sunday (May 1, 2016). In a full statement about the accident posted on their Facebook this evening, the DBPD revealed that 28-year-old Dennis Wright has

The post Suspect Arrested In Jordan Parsons Hit-And-Run appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Following nearly a weeklong investigation, Delray Beach, Florida police have arrested a suspect in the sad hit-and-run accident that eventually took the life of 25-year-old Bellator featherweight Jordan Parsons early last Sunday (May 1, 2016).

In a full statement about the accident posted on their Facebook this evening, the DBPD revealed that 28-year-old Dennis Wright has been apprehended after the investigation determined that he was the one allegedly driving the silver Range Rover that struck Parsons at 12:33 a.m. May 1.

Parsons was given emergency medical attention by the arriving officer to his leg, which was eventually partially amputated in an effort to save his life. Unfortunately, the promising fighter sadly succumbed to the injuries on Wed., May 4. Our hearts went out and will continue to go out to his family and friends in this trying time.

Wright’s license is currently suspended, he has had his license suspended an alarming six times, and he also possesses a long, concerning history with several driving-based offenses such as DUI:

The statement alleged that Wright had been at a local bar with friends that night, and witnesses proclaimed that he was traveling at speeds between 100 and 120 miles per hour when the crash that took Parsons’ life occurred. He apparently did not stop during the accident, and his friends traveling behind him in a Mercedes didn’t either. Wright was driving his other’s Range Rover and tried to have the damage on the vehicle repaired at a local shop but was turned away by the owner, so he rented a storage bay and hid the car there.

Investigators found the vehicle Friday without a driver’s side rearview mirror and matched it with the one they found at the scene. Wright now facing charges including leaving the scene of a crash causing death, driving while license suspended as a habitual offender, and tampering with evidence.

Read the full details of the unfortunate accident here:

Parsons was walking across Federal Highway at Lindell Boulevard. Wright, whose driver license is suspended, was driving his mother’s Range Rover south on Federal. A witness told investigators he thinks Wright was driving between 100 and 120 miles per hour when he hit Parsons, who was in the crosswalk. Parsons was wearing headphones and may have not heard the SUV coming.

Wright never stopped. Neither did his friends driving behind him in their Mercedes, which followed the Range Rover as it continued southbound. Meanwhile, DBPD Officer Derek Chahine, who had been nearby on a traffic stop, used a medical blanket from the trunk of his patrol car to apply pressure to Parson’s catastrophic leg injury until Delray Beach Fire Rescue arrived and transported Parsons to Delray Medical Center. He died May 4 from injuries sustained in the crash.

The following day, an anonymous tipster gave investigators Wright’s name. They quickly discovered that Wright’s mother owns a grey 2013 Range Rover Sport and were able to determine that Wright was driving the vehicle the night of the crash. Wright made an effort to have the damaged Range Rover repaired at a local body shop, but the owner refused to do the work, so Wright rented a bay at a storage facility and hid the SUV. Investigators recovered it on Friday, and it was missing the driver’s side mirror officers recovered at the scene. Wright, who arrived at the police department Saturday afternoon with his attorney, also faces charges of driving while license suspended as a habitual offender and tampering with evidence. His criminal history includes arrests for DUI, disorderly intoxication, marijuana possession and assault on an officer or firefighter, among other charges.

The crash investigation is ongoing. Witnesses told investigators that Wright was at Buddha Sky Bar on East Atlantic Avenue Saturday night with friends.

The post Suspect Arrested In Jordan Parsons Hit-And-Run appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Bellator Fighter Jordan Parsons Passes Away At 25 Years Old

Bellator MMA and the rest of the mixed martial arts community is in mourning following the passing of Jordan Parsons.

The 25-year-old was hit by a vehicle this past weekend in Florida in an alleged hit-and-run. Parsons was slated to compete at Bella…

20140422080158-827q0004

Bellator MMA and the rest of the mixed martial arts community is in mourning following the passing of Jordan Parsons.

The 25-year-old was hit by a vehicle this past weekend in Florida in an alleged hit-and-run. Parsons was slated to compete at Bellator 154 next Saturday night.

Bellator president Scott Coker released a statement on the death of Parsons:

“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of a dear member of the Bellator family, Jordan Parsons. Jordan was an exceptional athlete and a rising star in the sport. But more importantly, he was an exceptional young man. Jordan was hard-working, dedicated, intelligent, and a pleasure to be around. He represented all the reasons we love this sport. It is a terribly tragic loss and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and teammates.”

Parsons was a member of the Blackzilians training team and had been in the hospital since Sunday. His right leg was amputated up to his hip after organs started failing him.

The Delray Beach Police Department continues to investigate the incident, with their focus centered on a Range Rover that left the scene after striking Parsons.

Bellator Adds Another Top-Flight Wrestling Prospect To Roster

maxresdefault

Jarod Trice, a three-time NCAA All-American wrestler, has signed a multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA.

Trice, 27 years old, won a national title at 120kg and two Greco-Roman national titles. He joins a list of fighters that includes Aaron Pico, Ed Ruth and Tyrell Fortune on the Bellator roster.

“Following in the footsteps of guys like Ruth and Fortune to Bellator MMA was a no brainer for me,” Trice said. “Scott Coker is a promoter that treats the fighters with so much respect, and dealing with him and his team through this signing process has been amazing. I’m really looking forward to fighting for Coker, the Bellator promotion, and for every wrestling and MMA fan out there before the end of the year. If you aren’t familiar with my name yet, you will be as soon as I get in that cage.”

Trice competed for Central Michigan University at both 120kg and 98kg, but light heavyweight will be his home for MMA. Along with wrestling training sessions at Iowa State University under former UFC fighter Kevin Jackson and at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Trice has worked out alongside Bellator fighters Bubba Jenkins and Darrion Caldwell in Arizona.

“We’re excited to be adding yet another world-class wrestling talent to our ever-growing roster of fighters here at Bellator,” Coker said. “I’ve always taken great pride in our ability to identify and build stars in this business, and I have great confidence that we’ve found a gem in Jarod Trice.”

maxresdefault

Jarod Trice, a three-time NCAA All-American wrestler, has signed a multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA.

Trice, 27 years old, won a national title at 120kg and two Greco-Roman national titles. He joins a list of fighters that includes Aaron Pico, Ed Ruth and Tyrell Fortune on the Bellator roster.

“Following in the footsteps of guys like Ruth and Fortune to Bellator MMA was a no brainer for me,” Trice said. “Scott Coker is a promoter that treats the fighters with so much respect, and dealing with him and his team through this signing process has been amazing. I’m really looking forward to fighting for Coker, the Bellator promotion, and for every wrestling and MMA fan out there before the end of the year. If you aren’t familiar with my name yet, you will be as soon as I get in that cage.”

Trice competed for Central Michigan University at both 120kg and 98kg, but light heavyweight will be his home for MMA. Along with wrestling training sessions at Iowa State University under former UFC fighter Kevin Jackson and at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Trice has worked out alongside Bellator fighters Bubba Jenkins and Darrion Caldwell in Arizona.

“We’re excited to be adding yet another world-class wrestling talent to our ever-growing roster of fighters here at Bellator,” Coker said. “I’ve always taken great pride in our ability to identify and build stars in this business, and I have great confidence that we’ve found a gem in Jarod Trice.”

Bellator Adds Stitch Duran To Cutman Team

-Photo credit Bellator/Esther Lin

It shocked many when the and legendary cutman Jacob “Stitch” Duran parted ways. But that decision provided Duran with the chance to find a new home.

He did that on Thursday, signing on to be part of the Bellator MMA cutman team.

The promotion confirmed the news in a press release.

Duran’s first event with Bellator will come next month at Bellator 153 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. The card features Benson Henderson’s debut against welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov.

“Working with my old friend, Scott Coker and Bellator is a true honor,” said Duran. “I can’t wait to get started working for a great organization that respects their employees and truly makes their fighters the top priority!”

Duran will be allowed to seek sponsors outside of Bellator, something he was not allowed to do after the UFC signed a deal with Reebok. The veteran also works with boxing greats Andre Ward and Vitaly and Wladimir Klitschko.

-Photo credit Bellator/Esther Lin

It shocked many when the and legendary cutman Jacob “Stitch” Duran parted ways. But that decision provided Duran with the chance to find a new home.

He did that on Thursday, signing on to be part of the Bellator MMA cutman team.

The promotion confirmed the news in a press release.

Duran’s first event with Bellator will come next month at Bellator 153 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. The card features Benson Henderson’s debut against welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov.

“Working with my old friend, Scott Coker and Bellator is a true honor,” said Duran. “I can’t wait to get started working for a great organization that respects their employees and truly makes their fighters the top priority!”

Duran will be allowed to seek sponsors outside of Bellator, something he was not allowed to do after the UFC signed a deal with Reebok. The veteran also works with boxing greats Andre Ward and Vitaly and Wladimir Klitschko.

Emmanuel Sanchez Signs New Fight Contract With Bellator MMA

Emmanuel Sanchez

On the heels of three consecutive wins, Emmanuel Sanchez found himself a hot property in the MMA world.

Bellator MMA took notice, agreeing to a new contract with the fighter recently.

Sanchez (13-2) is just 25 years old but has already competed 15 times as a pro. He trains out of Roufusport in Milwaukee. Following a 2015 loss to former champion Pat Curran, Sanchez has rebounded with decision wins over Henry Corrales, Justin Lawrence and Daniel Pineda.

Below is the complete press release provided by Bellator:

Bellator MMA is proud to announce that it has retained the services of 25-year-old talent Emmanuel Sanchez (13-2), having re-signed the exciting fighter to a multi-year, multi-fight contract extension.

Sanchez boasts a 6-1 record under the Bellator banner, with his only loss coming in the form of a decision at the hands of former featherweight champion Pat Curran (21-7). The exciting product from the famed Roufusport Team earned his contract extension after winning three fights in a row against Henry Corrales (12-2), Justin Lawrence (8-3) and Daniel Pineda (21-12) all in under five months.

“El Matador’s” fight against Pineda kicked off action for the record breaking “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event that was watched by over 3.5 million viewers. You can watch the enthralling action by clicking on the image below.

Sanchez trains under the tutelage of highly regarded coach Duke Roufus alongside former WWE superstar CM Punk and other talented MMA fighters the likes of Ben Askren and Anthony Pettis. Earlier this month, Roufus shed light on a positive story involving an MMA fighter and a motor vehicle, when he announced that Sanchez had used his “Bellator 149” purse to buy a new car for his mother.

Emmanuel Sanchez

On the heels of three consecutive wins, Emmanuel Sanchez found himself a hot property in the MMA world.

Bellator MMA took notice, agreeing to a new contract with the fighter recently.

Sanchez (13-2) is just 25 years old but has already competed 15 times as a pro. He trains out of Roufusport in Milwaukee. Following a 2015 loss to former champion Pat Curran, Sanchez has rebounded with decision wins over Henry Corrales, Justin Lawrence and Daniel Pineda.

Below is the complete press release provided by Bellator:

Bellator MMA is proud to announce that it has retained the services of 25-year-old talent Emmanuel Sanchez (13-2), having re-signed the exciting fighter to a multi-year, multi-fight contract extension.

Sanchez boasts a 6-1 record under the Bellator banner, with his only loss coming in the form of a decision at the hands of former featherweight champion Pat Curran (21-7). The exciting product from the famed Roufusport Team earned his contract extension after winning three fights in a row against Henry Corrales (12-2), Justin Lawrence (8-3) and Daniel Pineda (21-12) all in under five months.

“El Matador’s” fight against Pineda kicked off action for the record breaking “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event that was watched by over 3.5 million viewers. You can watch the enthralling action by clicking on the image below.

Sanchez trains under the tutelage of highly regarded coach Duke Roufus alongside former WWE superstar CM Punk and other talented MMA fighters the likes of Ben Askren and Anthony Pettis. Earlier this month, Roufus shed light on a positive story involving an MMA fighter and a motor vehicle, when he announced that Sanchez had used his “Bellator 149” purse to buy a new car for his mother.

Bellator Also Pleased With New York Ruling On MMA

bellator_love_ny_logo_V4

Add Bellator MMA to the list of those pleased by the news that came out of New York on Tuesday. The New York State Assembly passed through to Governor Andrew Cuomo a bill that would allow professional MMA in the state.

https://twitter.com/BellatorMMA/status/712412808453824513

Bellator sent this out on Tuesday evening:

Today, the State of New York passed legislation that will allow the sport of mixed martial arts to emanate from the “Empire State.”

Bellator MMA President Scott Coker had this to say regarding the landmark announcement:

“The New York Assembly’s vote to legalize MMA is a watershed moment for this incredible sport. As someone who has been promoting combat sports for more than 30 years, this is a very exciting time for mixed martial arts. We at Bellator MMA are very much looking forward to hosting an event in the ‘Crown Jewel of America,’ New York. Two Bellator champions, Liam McGeary and Marcos Galvao call New York home and I know it means a great deal to the both of them, as it does for the entire promotion. We’ve already been in contact with the great people at the Barclays Center and several other incredible venues, and we can’t wait bring our world-class athletes and action-packed shows to an arena in the Empire State soon.”

bellator_love_ny_logo_V4

Add Bellator MMA to the list of those pleased by the news that came out of New York on Tuesday. The New York State Assembly passed through to Governor Andrew Cuomo a bill that would allow professional MMA in the state.

Bellator sent this out on Tuesday evening:

Today, the State of New York passed legislation that will allow the sport of mixed martial arts to emanate from the “Empire State.”

Bellator MMA President Scott Coker had this to say regarding the landmark announcement:

“The New York Assembly’s vote to legalize MMA is a watershed moment for this incredible sport. As someone who has been promoting combat sports for more than 30 years, this is a very exciting time for mixed martial arts. We at Bellator MMA are very much looking forward to hosting an event in the ‘Crown Jewel of America,’ New York. Two Bellator champions, Liam McGeary and Marcos Galvao call New York home and I know it means a great deal to the both of them, as it does for the entire promotion. We’ve already been in contact with the great people at the Barclays Center and several other incredible venues, and we can’t wait bring our world-class athletes and action-packed shows to an arena in the Empire State soon.”