Tag: Press Release

Bellator 93 To Host $100,000 Lightweight Final Between Marcin Held And Dave Jansen

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (February 20. 2013) – All eyes will be on Bellator March 21st as the Lightweight and Welterweight Tournaments are decided as submission ace and Polish phenom Marcin Held takes on Dave Jansen in the long awaited $100,000 Lightweight Tournament Final, while the final two Season 8 Welterweight participants square […]

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (February 20. 2013) – All eyes will be on Bellator March 21st as the Lightweight and Welterweight Tournaments are decided as submission ace and Polish phenom Marcin Held takes on Dave Jansen in the long awaited $100,000 Lightweight Tournament Final, while the final two Season 8 Welterweight participants square off for their guaranteed title shot, live on Spike TV.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at TheColisee.com, the Androscoggin Bank Colisee Box Office or by phone by dialing 207-783-2009. Tickets range from $40-$125. The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 10 p.m. EST on Spike, as well as in Spanish language on mun2. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com starting at 7:30 p.m. EST.

Only 20 and holding an impressive 15-2 record, polish phenom Marcin Held stormed through the opening rounds of the lightweight tournament, collecting explosive victories over Murad Machaev and longtime MMA veteran Rich Clementi. Known across the MMA landscape as one of the top submission artists in the sport, Held is a victory away from capturing his first Bellator Tournament crown and a guaranteed title shot.

For Jansen, the charismatic lightweight enters the Bellator Finals riding a five fight win streak and is fully prepared for the test that awaits him on March 21st, in what undoubtedly be the biggest fight of his career.

“I’ve had a lot of time to work on my game plan and really focus on this fight on March 21st,” Jansen said. “Marcin has the total package when it comes to submissions, so I know what I need to focus on to win this fight, and get a shot at the Bellator title.”

The night will also feature a collection of heavyweights, as Brett “Da Grim” Rogers returns to the Bellator cage to take on Eric Prindle. After suffering a broken arm in his fight with eventual Bellator Heavyweight Champion Alexander Volkov, Rogers is ready for a shot at redemption on March 21st.

“I am looking forward to getting back in the Bellator cage and a chance to fight on Spike TV,” Rogers said. “In my last fight I broke my forearm but I am fully recovered, training at American Top Team and this time the only thing breaking will be my opponent. Now that I am at ATT I am a new and smarter fighter.”

Longtime veteran Travis Wiuff also returns, this time at heavyweight to battle Colorado native Ryan Martinez. Previously fighting at heavyweight, Wiuff is now at his more natural weight, and looking to continue his illustrious career that has seen him compile an astonishing 68-16 record.

The preliminaries will be headlined by Maine native and fan favorite Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis taking on Waachiim Spiritwolf in a welterweight affair. Davis has found a home in Bellator, and looking to put on a show against Spiritwolf in his promotional debut.

“Having the chance to fight for a promotion like Bellator in front of my friends, family and fans is a dream come true,” Davis said. “It’s great to find a new home and fight for one of the biggest promotions in the world.”

The full card for Bellator MMA from Lewiston, Maine can be found below:

MAIN CARD:
Lightweight Tournament Finals Fight: Dave Jansen vs. Marcin Held
Welterweight Tournament Finals Fight: TBD vs. TBD
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Ryan Martinez vs. Travis Wiuff
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Brett Rogers vs. Eric Prindle

PRELIMINARY CARD:
Welterweight Feature Fight: Waachiim Spiritwolf vs. Marcus Davis
Featherweight Feature Fight: Vince Murdock vs. John Raio
Welterweight Feature Fight: Ryan Sanders vs. Michael Page
Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Brent Dillingham vs. Mike Mucitelli
Middleweight Feature Fight: Luc Bondole vs. Joe Pacheco
Middleweight Feature Fight: Jason Butcher vs. Jack Hermansson
Middleweight Feature Fight: Dave Vitkay vs. Jesse Peterson
Lightweight Feature Fight: Jesse Erickson vs. Jon Lemke

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 107 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About mun2

mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.

ONE FC: Kings & Champions To Host Bantamweight Grand Prix Semifinals

Press Release – 20 February 2013 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) announced today that the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix semi-final fights will be featured at ONE FC: KINGS & CHAMPIONS. The event will take place live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 5 April 2013. Former Lightweight World Champion from the United […]

Press Release – 20 February 2013 – Singapore: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC) announced today that the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix semi-final fights will be featured at ONE FC: KINGS & CHAMPIONS. The event will take place live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 5 April 2013. Former Lightweight World Champion from the United States, Jens Pulver, will take on Japan’s Masakatsu Ueda and Kevin Belingon of the Philippines will face Vietnamese-Australian Thanh Vu.

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “ONE FC: KINGS & CHAMPIONS is the biggest event in ONE FC history and will feature four of the world’s best Bantamweights fighting for a shot at the Bantamweight World Championship title. It is a must-see for MMA fans because when these four champions enter the ONE FC cage, nothing will matter more to them than making it into the finals of the Grand Prix. Get ready for explosive MMA action that will leave you on the edge of your seats!”

Jens Pulver is a former Lightweight World Champion whose career has seen him compete for the top promotions in the history of MMA, the UFC, PRIDE and ONE FC. Pulver loves to represent the USA and he has every intention of capping his incredible career by winning the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix. A true pioneer in the sport of MMA, Pulver brings a wealth of cage fighting experience as he faces Japanese veteran Masakatsu Ueda.

Masakatsu Ueda is the former undisputed Shooto Featherweight Champion, a title he successfully defended three times. He has an outstanding 16-2-2 record and is a widely regarded as one of the best Bantamweight fighters in the world. Ueda has studied BJJ extensively under legendary Japanese coach Yuki Nakai, who has also trained DREAM superstar Shinya Aoki. After making his debut in 2005, he has defeated the current Bellator Bantamweight Champion Eduardo Dantas while defending the Shooto Championship Belt. With his impressive track record, Ueda will definitely be one of the favorites to win the ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix.

What Kevin Belingon may lack in size, he makes up for with his lightning speed and well-honed striking skills. The current URCC Flyweight Champion is considered one of the most dangerous strikers in the Asian Bantamweight division. He sets a fearsome pace and can either shoot for takedowns to rough opponents up with ground-and-pound or keep it standing and pick them apart with his pinpoint precision striking. Belingon was incredibly enthusiastic about representing Pinoy warriors in the inaugural ONE FC Bantamweight Grand Prix because, as he puts it, there is no better feeling than fighting for Filipino pride.

Thanh Vu is a Vietnamese-Australian Bantamweight who is already rated as one of the best prospects in his weight class in Australia, where he currently competes. Vu is a decorated grappler who has placed in the Grappler’s Realm Australia and Events BJJ tournaments. Vietnam has a strong culture of martial arts but has produced few famous fighters and Vu is looking forward to representing the country in competitive action on the largest stage in Asian MMA. He made quick work of his opponent in the Final Elimination Bout in February and will look to do the same again in April.

ONE FC: KINGS & CHAMPIONS is headlined by the ONE FC Lightweight World Championship bout between reigning champion Kotetsu “No Face” Boku and number one contender Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki.

Tickets for ONE FC: KINGS & CHAMPIONS are now on sale at SISTIC (www.SISTIC.com.sg). Tickets categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cage-side experience for VIPs at S$348 followed by Arena – S$148, Terrace – S$68 and Balcony – S$38. Several ticket categories are almost sold out. Get your tickets now. All applicable service charges apply.

For more updates on ONE Fighting Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow on Twitter @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.

About ONE Fighting Championship™
Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting Championship™ hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 28 countries in Asia.

‘UFC Tonight’ Quote: “I Want To Have A Legacy,” Ronda Rousey

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – On this week’s UFC TONIGHT, we have an exclusive interview with Ronda Rousey and preview the stacked UFC 157 Pay-Per-View card. Kenny Florian and Chael Sonnen offer candid thoughts on Dana White’s new, tougher stance on TRT in the UFC and more. Quote of the Week: UFC TONIGHT […]

Ronda Rousey holding her UFC women's bantamweight title – image via Facebook.com/UFC

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – On this week’s UFC TONIGHT, we have an exclusive interview with Ronda Rousey and preview the stacked UFC 157 Pay-Per-View card. Kenny Florian and Chael Sonnen offer candid thoughts on Dana White’s new, tougher stance on TRT in the UFC and more.

Quote of the Week: UFC TONIGHT Guest Ronda Rousey on if there’s another girl better than her: “No. I don’t think any girls do anything better than me, and that’s why I’m deservedly the champion.”

Rousey on if preparing for a judo match or MMA fight is mentally tougher: “Some judo tournaments are not that mentally pressing, but I’d say the Olympics are much harder than a UFC title fight. If you lose a title fight you can come back a few months later. It’s not like if you are training your whole life and in one second you could lose by not paying attention and never have that chance again. That’s real pressure. This is a really huge deal, but it’s not as irreparable as losing the Olympics.”

Rousey on if she’s planning on winning by arm bar in this fight: “I’m interested in winning as quickly and efficiently as possible. If that’s through striking and that’s the first opportunity, then I’m going to go there, but if I see the first opportunity on the ground then I’m going to go there. It’s not like I walk in planning an arm bar because I want to have a legacy.”

Rousey on Carmouche being the first openly gay fighter in the UFC: “I think it takes a lot of courage. In MMA, we have a reputation for being homophobic, where I really don’t think that’s so. If you ever come to the weigh-ins and see some of the things the guys wear, and the fans are going nuts. You know they’re not homophobic. The fans love it. It takes a lot of strength to do and she has my utmost respect for that.”

Rousey on if she saw Tito Ortiz and Cyborg’s press conference: “I didn’t watch the press conference, but I heard that Tito spoke eloquently and Cyborg was very fashionable.”

UFC TONIGHT’s Chael Sonnen on Ronda Rousey vs. Liz Carmouche: “Ronda Rousey reminds me of an old-school baseball player where she comes out to the mound and points to where she wants to put the ball and that’s what she does with the armbar. She doesn’t hide her strategy. She doesn’t lock cameras out of her training sessions. She says come and look at it, I’m going for the armbar, I’m going to get it, and seven straight times she has.”

UFC TONIGHT’s Kenny Florian on Carmouche not being intimidated by Rousey: “Liz Carmouche is not intimidated by this whole event at all. She is not intimidated by Ronda Rousey. She’s going out there to win. Really she has nothing to lose. That’s a dangerous girl.”

Rousey’s predictions for Rousey vs. Carmouche: “I’m going to win, but I don’t know how. I don’t have a game plan. We just have some ideas for the first exchanges.”

Sonnen’s predictions for Rousey vs. Carmouche: “I’d like to say to Liz, I’m impressed she’s even getting in there. She’s 7-2, she’s outstanding. Ronda needs to take this seriously, but in the end the title stays intact.”

Florian’s predictions for Rousey vs. Carmouche: “Rousey.”

Florian on if Henderson’s injury could be a problem in the fight versus Machida: “I think that Dan’s style may hurt him, especially as he’s coming off a knee injury and it can be really difficult considering mobility. If you want to beat Machida, you better be mobile. However, if you get caught by that right hand by Dan Henderson, I don’t care if you’re a heavyweight, you’re getting knocked out.”

Sonnen on Henderson’s mental strengths vs. Machida: “The one thing about the injuries and ‘ring rust’ is that really affects a guy mentally, more than physically. A guy like Dan Henderson doesn’t care that his knee hurts. He was getting ready to fight Jon Jones on one leg. It’s just not going to hold him back. I would like to make one relevant point: Dan Henderson is the underdog according to Vegas. He has never lost a fight when he is the underdog. He’s only stubbed his toe when he’s the favorite. This is a spot he likes to be in.”

Rousey’s predictions for Henderson vs. Machida: “Henderson, I think he’s going to throw Machida off.”

Sonnen’s predictions for Henderson vs. Machida: “Henderson, in a very awkward fight that I would never miss.”

Florian’s predictions for Henderson vs. Machida: “Machida.”

Sonnen on Faber vs. Menjivar: “Menjivar is like a fine wine. This guy gets better with time. He’s better today and beating guys more decisively and impressively than he did three and four years ago. And this is actually a rematch. Menjivar threw an illegal kick to a downed opponent and was disqualified. So these guys know each other, they’re prepared for each other, they’ve done this dance before.”

Florian on Faber: “What worries me about Urijah on the other hand is that he hasn’t improved like Menjivar has. Urijah is so athletically gifted. This guy has trained with such great guys. But I always expected Urijah to evolve a little bit more than what we’ve seen from him. Of course, he’s still one of the best in the world. But just based on his athleticism and what we’ve seen, I always expect to see a little bit more.”

Rousey’s predictions for Faber vs. Menjivar: Faber, he’s a sweetheart and I like him.

Sonnen and Florian both predict a Faber victory.

UFC TONIGHT Insider Ariel Helwani on Tyron Woodley’s next fight: “After knocking out Jay Hieron at UFC 156, Tyron Woodley said he had a feeling a spot would open up for him at UFC 158. Two spots opened up yesterday. Unfortunately he didn’t get in, but he signed a new four-fight deal with UFC late last night, and he told me he wants Jake Shields next in April or May. Jake is moving down to 170. I spoke to Jake’s manager, and he said they’re interested in the fight, but Jake really wants to fight Josh Koscheck. If Koscheck beats Robbie Lawler this weekend at UFC 157 he thinks that fight makes much more sense for Jake. We’ll have to wait and see.”

Helwani on Frankie Edgar’s next fight: “Frankie Edgar is hoping to get back in the mix after the loss to Jose Aldo. His manager told me he wants to fight either Cub Swanson after a big win in London, or Dennis Siver. Now, he wants to fight Cub in a five-round fight on FX or FUEL TV. If that can’t happen, he’d fight either one of them at UFC 160 on Memorial Day Weekend. That’s shaping up to be a very big card.”

Sonnen on UFC President Dana White’s new stance on TRT: “First off, I admire Dana on many levels. But for me, this is his crowning moment, both as a leader, but also with his integrity. You are never going to find a chief executive of any corporation, be it sport, business or otherwise that shines a light on his own organization and says, ‘We have a problem.’ Guys, we’re not talking about testosterone use, we’re talking about testosterone abuse. The testing has already started. I can tell you firsthand, I have already been tested since this announcement.”

Florian on news of a new fight for UFC 160: “This is just announced, Donald Cerrone will fight K.J. Noons on UFC 160 Saturday, May 25.”

UFC TONIGHT
UFC TONIGHT is the official weekly news and information show of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The show is co-hosted by veteran UFC fighter and multiple title contender Kenny Florian and UFC light heavyweight contender Chael Sonnen. Leeann Tweeden contributes, while three-time World MMA Awards Journalist of the Year Ariel Helwani adds insider news.

Follow FUEL TV and the talent on Twitter at: @FUELTV; @UFCTonight; @kennyflorian; @sonnench @arielhelwani; @LeeannTweeden;

For a complete listing of FUEL TV shows, go to: http://www.fuel.tv/schedule. For more information, go to www.fuel.tv, www.fuel.tv/ufc and on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/fueltv

To get FUEL TV on your television, go to www.fuel.tv/getfueltv, or call 877-4 FUEL-TV.

Bellator 90: Shamhalaev vs. Martinez Weigh-ins Today In West Valley, Utah

Press Release – West Valley, Utah. (February 19, 2013) —The weigh-in and pre-fight press conference for Bellator MMA will take place Wednesday at 5:00 P.M. MST inside The Embassy Suites, located at 3524 South Market Street, West Valley, Utah 84119. Bellator MMA will take place at Utah’s Maverik Center on Thursday, February 21st with the […]

Press Release – West Valley, Utah. (February 19, 2013) —The weigh-in and pre-fight press conference for Bellator MMA will take place Wednesday at 5:00 P.M. MST inside The Embassy Suites, located at 3524 South Market Street, West Valley, Utah 84119. Bellator MMA will take place at Utah’s Maverik Center on Thursday, February 21st with the first fight taking place at 6 p.m. MST and streaming LIVE on Spike.com. The televised portion of the night will begin at 8 p.m. MST and will air LIVE on Spike TV.

All participants from Thursday night’s event will be on hand, including Utah’s own Rad Martinez, as well as Shahbulat Shamhalaev, King Mo, Emanuel Newton, Bryan Baker, and Douglas Lima.

The event will be emceed by Bellator cage announcer Michael C. Williams and Bellator color commentator Jimmy Smith.

As always the weigh-in is open to both the public and media.

The full fight card is listed below:

MAIN CARD:
Bellator Featherweight Tournament Championship Fight: Shahbulat Shamhalaev (11-1) vs. Rad Martinez (14-2)
Light Heavyweight Semifinal Fight: King Mo (9-1) vs. Emanuel Newton (19-7)
Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinal: Mikhail Zayats (20-6) vs. Jacob Noe (11-1)
Welterweight Tournament Semifinal: Douglas Lima (23-5) vs. Bryan Baker (18-4)

PRELIMINARY CARD:
Welterweight Tournament Semifinal: Ben Saunders (15-5) vs. Raul Amaya (11-1)
Middleweight Feature Fight: Lionel Lanham (4-1) vs. Joe Rodriguez (1-0)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Terry Davinney (10-5) vs. Trevor Carlson (17-2)
Welterweight Feature Fight: David Allred (11-4) vs. Sean Powers (6-3)
Welterweight Feature Fight: Jesse Juarez (18-8) vs. Jordan Smith (17-4)
Featherweight Feature Fight: Josh Tyler (4-1) vs. Shanon Slack (5-1)
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Chase Beebe (22-8) vs. Travis Marx (19-4)

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 107 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About mun2

mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.

Bellator Presents Stacked Card On March 7th With Featherweight & Middleweight Semi-Finals

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (February 19, 2013) – After an incredibly successful Southern California debut on January 17th, Bellator MMA will bring a stacked night of fights to Temecula’s Pechanga Resort and Casino on March 7th live on Spike TV. The night will showcase the Featherweight and Middleweight Tournament Semifinals as The Toughest […]

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (February 19, 2013) – After an incredibly successful Southern California debut on January 17th, Bellator MMA will bring a stacked night of fights to Temecula’s Pechanga Resort and Casino on March 7th live on Spike TV. The night will showcase the Featherweight and Middleweight Tournament Semifinals as The Toughest Tournament in Sports continues, as well as a collection of Southern California’s best talent.

Tickets for the event start at just $40, and can be purchased by visiting Pechanga.com, Bellator.com, or by calling the Pechanga Box Office at 877-711-2946 or visiting between noon and 8pm daily. The event has an early start time as the first fight enters the cage at 5:00 p.m. with the LIVE worldwide television broadcast starting at 7 p.m. PST on Spike TV, as well as in Spanish language on mun2. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com starting at 5 p.m. MST.

“Our sold out premiere event in Southern California last month showed that this market is a great one for Bellator LIVE on Spike,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “To bring our second California event to the crown jewel of Southern California casinos, Pechanga is absolutely icing on the cake and to have such a loaded card just makes this that much better.”

The night will kick off with a Middleweight Tournament Semifinal as Southern California’s own Doug “The Rhino” Marshall returns to his roots as he looks to keep his knockout streak alive when he battles Sultan Aliev live on Spike. Known for pushing a frenetic pace and keeping his opponents on their heels, Marshall has his sights set on punching his ticket to the finals.

“Winning the tournament will validate me – again – and put me where I need to be, back at the top of the food chain, with a target on my back,” Marshall said. “Ain’t no more hunting – the game’s going to come to me. It’s going to be huge.”

After collecting a hard fought win over tournament and fan favorite Brian Rogers in the Bellator Middleweight Quarterfinals, Dan Cramer is set to face the heavy handed Brett “Fudoshin” Cooper, who has collected 11 knockouts in his 18 professional wins. Finally getting his chance to shine inside a Bellator Tournament, Cramer will look to keep the momentum going with a win on March 7th.

Featherweights collide as Mike “The Marine” Richman and Alexandre “PoPo” Bezerra are set to meet in a clash of two of the most explosive featherweights in the division. With a combined 29-2 record between the two, both veterans are looking to use their wealth of experience for a chance at the $100,000 Tournament prize.

Widely considered one of the best featherweights in the world, Marlon Sandro is ready to continue his quest towards a title shot as he takes on Russian submission artist Magomedrasul “Frodo” Khasbulaev live on Spike TV.

“I am so fortunate to have the chance to fight in the toughest tournament in the world,” Sandro said. “This is my opportunity to show the world what I can do and I am ready to finish at the top.”

The full card for Bellator’s March 7th event from Southern California’s Pechanga Resort & Casino can be found below:

MAIN CARD:

Middleweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Sultan Aliev vs. Doug “Rhino” Marshall

Middleweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Dan Cramer vs. Brett Cooper

Featherweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Alexandre “Popo” Bezerra vs. Mike Richman

Featherweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Frodo Khasbulaev vs. Marlon Sandro

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Rocky Ramierz vs. Brandon Halsey

Featherweight Feature Fight: Shad Smith vs. Aaron Miller

Heavyweight Feature Fight: Maurice Jackson vs. Manny Lara

Middleweight Feature Fight: Willie Parks vs. Keith Berry

Welterweight Feature Fight: Sabah Homasi vs. Ricky Legere

Featherweight Feature Fight: Eric Uresk vs. Cleber Luciano

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 107 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About mun2

mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.

Christian M’Pumbu Set To Defend Title Against AttilaVegh On Feb. 28 At Bellator 91

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (February 18, 2013) – As reigning Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M’Pumbu prepares to defend his title against dominating Slovakian finisher Attila Vegh on February 28th, nine additional fights have been set as Bellator MMA travels to Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Santa Ana Star Center live on Spike TV. […]

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (February 18, 2013) – As reigning Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Champion Christian M’Pumbu prepares to defend his title against dominating Slovakian finisher Attila Vegh on February 28th, nine additional fights have been set as Bellator MMA travels to Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Santa Ana Star Center live on Spike TV.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and range from $25-$90. Tickets can be purchased at ComcastTix.com, Bellator.com or by visiting The Santa Ana Star Center box office. The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. MST on Spike, as well as in Spanish language on mun2. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com starting at 6 p.m. MST.

The night will feature the Semifinals of Bellator MMA’s Lightweight Tournament as “The Caveman” David Rickels looks to keep the momentum going with a win over tournament newcomer Jason Fischer, who replaces an injured Tiger Sarnavskiy. With a combined 18-2 record between the two, both veterans are looking to punch their ticket to the Finals and capture their $100,000 Tournament prize.

The other side of the bracket will feature Chicago’s Will Brooks, who brings his spotless 9-0 record to the Bellator cage as he meets Saad Awad, who collected a huge quarterfinal victory with a vicious first round knockout earlier this season. For Brooks, the chance to continue through The Toughest Tournament in Sports and lock up his title shot is the only thing on the 26 year olds mind.

“This is what I’ve been working so hard for my entire career, and I just have to continue on this path and make my mark on the division and Bellator,” Brooks said. “Saad is a tough guy, but with my wrestling base and skills, I know what I have to do to get the win and just continue onto the Finals.”

Longtime Bellator veteran and Arizona native Ed “Wild” West is back and gunning for victory as he takes on Santa Fe’s own Josh Montoya in a bantamweight affair. A fan favorite wherever he fights, West is counting down the days until his Bellator return on February 28th.

“I just want to get back in that cage and remind everyone again what “Wild” West is all about,” West said. “I always like to put on a show, and nothing is going to change on February 28th.”

The night will also feature a collection of preliminary card action full of New Mexcio’s best talent, held in conjunction with Orthrus Promotions. 18-time world boxing champion Holly Holm will make her long awaited Bellator debut as the Albuquerque native will battle Katie Merrill at 135 pounds. Known across combat sports as one of the greatest female boxers of all time, Holm is looking to make a statement in her Bellator debut.

The full card for Bellator MMA from Albuquerque’s Santa Ana Star Center can be found below:

MAIN CARD:
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Christian M’Pumbu vs. Attila Vegh
Lightweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Jason Fischer vs. David Rickels
Lightweight Tournament Semifinal Fight: Saad Awad vs. Will Brooks
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Ed West vs. Josh Montoya

PRELIMINARY CARD:
Women’s Feature Fight: Holly Holm vs. Katie Merrill
Lightweight Feature Fight: Blas Avena vs. Lenny Lovato
Middleweight Feature Fight: BrennanWard vs. Vadiano La Luz
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Russell Wilson vs. Felipe Chavez
Heavyweight Feature Fight: Josh Appelt vs. Josh Lanier
Bantamweight Feature Fight: Adrian Cruz vs. Nick Gonzalez

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 107 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About mun2

mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.