Tag: Press Release

CHICAGO, Ill. (July 19, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships’ much-anticipated Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament will kick off on Thursday, Aug. 12th with an intriguing opening-round fight between heavy-handed UFC veteran Eddie Sanchez and massive British knockout artist Neil “Goliath” Grove at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

Sanchez and Grove join a stacked Bellator 24 card that also features:

– A special non-title “Super Fight” between reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard (26-2-1) and former NFL standoutHerbert “Whisper” Goodman (15-8);

-An opening-round fight in Bellator’s Women’s World Championship Tournament featuring the world’s No. 1 pound-for-pound female fighter,Megumi Fujii, and veteran submission grappler Angela Magana, the world’s No. 8-ranked female fighter at 115 lbs.;

– Another opening-round Women’s Tournament fight between the world’s No. 6-ranked 125-pounder, Lynn “Lights Out” Alvarez, andJessica Aguilar, the world’s No.7-ranked 115-pounder.

Tickets for the event — which will also be broadcast LIVE nationwide on FOX Sports Net — are on sale now at ticketmaster.com.

The Sanchez-Grove fight is one of four opening-round fights in the Heavyweight Tournament that will take place during Bellator’s first four Season 3 events in South Florida, Chicago, Kansas City and San Antonio. Also competing in the tournament are undefeated European finisher Damian “The Polish Pitbull” Grabowski, Seattle-area knockout artist Mike “300” Hayes, Spanish submission ace Rogent Lloret, Georgia-based ground-and-pound specialistScott Barrett and two yet-to-be named fighters.

Sanchez (12-3) has finished eight of his fights via KO or TKO. The San Diego native is now in the midst of a four-fight win streak that includes a devastating 10-second KO of Jay White during Bellator 7 in 2009 and a miraculous come-from-behind TKO victory over Marcus Sursa at Bellator 20 in San Antonio on May 27th.

Grove (8-2-1) has notched all eight of his wins via KO or TKO. The South African-born former semipro rugby player earned widespread recognition with a highlight-reel 10-second KO of former EliteXC, Pride and Sengoku headliner James Thompson and followed that up with an impressive TKO of UFC veteran James McSweeney.

“Both Eddie and Neil are known for their finishes so this should be an exciting fight,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “In addition, fans watching Bellator 24 at the Hard Rock and on our national TV broadcasts will also get a chance to see some outstanding fights featuring stars like Hector Lombard and Megumi Fujii. It’s going to be a great night in South Florida on August 12th.”

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. (July 16, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships put yet another piece in place for its much-anticipated Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament today with the addition of one of the top free-agent heavyweight fighters in Europe, Spanish submission specialist Rogent Lloret.

The Gracie Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and M1 Global veteran has not lost a fight in more than three years and enters the Heavyweight Tournament with a 9-1-1 overall pro record. He is known for his smothering ground game — submitting six of his nine victims, including four by arm triangle choke — but also displayed his striking prowess when he KO’d Serbian MMA veteran Miodrag Petković with a devastating high head kick this past April.

Lloret is the sixth confirmed participant in the tournament along with undefeated European finisher Damian “The Polish Pitbull” Grabowski, power-punching British behemoth Neil Grove, heavy-handed UFC veteran Eddie Sanchez, Seattle-area knockout artist Mike “300” Hayes and Georgia-based ground-and-pound specialist Scott Barrett.

The tournament begins Aug. 12th on FOX Sports Net.

“Ever since we decided that we would hold a Heavyweight Tournament, we were hoping to sign Rogent Lloret,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “He was one of the top heavyweight free agents in Europe for a reason: he is devastating on the ground and has a very underrated standup attack as well. He’ll be a tough draw for whomever he faces in our Heavyweight Tournament.”

Rogent was born and raised near Barcelona, Spain, and lives there today.

He made his MMA debut in 2006 but first drew widespread attention in late 2008 with a dazzling first-round armbar submission of top Polish heavyweight Michal Kita at an M1 Challenge event in Finland.

“Signing with Bellator means a big step forward in my career as a fighter since it provides me the opportunity to face other great fighters in an event with major media repercussions worldwide,” Lloret said. “My goal is to advance as many rounds as possible and offer exciting fights to solidify my reputation as a fighter and Bellator’s as an MMA event.”

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. (July 16, 2010) – Eddie “The Manic Hispanic” Sanchez, the heavy-handed UFC veteran known for his electrifying, swing-for-the-fences style, was officially added today to Bellator’s upcoming eight-man Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament.

The 27-year-old Southern California native enters the tournament with an overall pro record of 12-3 including eight wins via KO or TKO. He is now in the midst of a four-fight win streak that includes his devastating 10-second KO of Jay White during Bellator 7 in 2009 and the miraculous come-from-behind TKO victory over colorful brawler Marcus Sursa at Bellator 20 in San Antonio on May 27th.

Sanchez appeared headed for a shocking defeat after Sursa dropped him to the canvas with a massive right hand to the jaw early in the fight’s second round.

Clinging to Sursa on the canvas – absorbing punishment seemingly seconds from defeat – Sanchez somehow regained his composure, took the dominant position on the ground and wore Sursa down with relentless ground-and-pound as the round came to a close.

Seemingly rejuvenated, Sanchez came out with a vengeance in the third and final round, knocking Sursa to the mat early before finishing him with a flurry of blows to the head.

“In that fight, Eddie demonstrated that he has great heart and drive,” Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “With that kind of attitude and his solid MMA game, Eddie’s a dangerous and exciting addition to our Heavyweight Tournament.”

Sanchez is the fifth confirmed participant in the tournament along with undefeated European finisher Damian “The Polish Pitbull” Grabowski, power-punching British behemoth Neil Grove, Seattle-area knockout artist Mike “300″ Hayes and Georgia-based ground-and-pound specialist Scott Barrett. The tournament begins Aug. 12 on FOX Sports Net.

A native of the San Diego area, Sanchez once seemed headed for a career in professional baseball. He was a standout catcher at San Marcos High School and later played the same position at nearby Palomar College.

His dreams of making it to the big leagues, though, were cut short in 2002 after a near-fatal car crash that put him in the intensive care unit for more than three weeks. The car he was riding in slammed into the center divider along California’s Interstate 5. Sanchez was knocked unconscious, ejected from the vehicle through the windshield and thrown more than 70 feet through the air flipping head over heels. He was taken by helicopter to a local hospital.

“They were talking about amputating my right foot because it was de-gloved like a banana,” he recalled. “All of my toes were dislocated and they told me that there was a 70 percent chance of amputation. Luckily I ended up fighting my way through 12 weeks of rehab so they could save it.”

Looking for a new outlet for his athletic talents, he took a friend’s suggestion and began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He quickly expanded his training to include wrestling and boxing and began his pro MMA career just a few months later by finishing each of his first six fights, including a second-round KO of BJJ and judo black belt Mario Neto at UFC 63 in Anaheim, just 80 miles north of his hometown.

“I’m in a better place right now – mentally and physically – than I have been in years, Sanchez said. “I feel like I’m in the best shape of my fighting career, and more than anything, my head is right. I belong here in this tournament with the rest of the top heavyweight talent Bellator has put together. I’m going to the Finale and I’m going to win this tournament.”

Bellator Fighting Championships put yet another piece in place for its much-anticipated Season 3 Heavyweight Tournament today with the addition of one of the top free-agent heavyweight fighters in Europe, Spanish submission specialist Rogent Lloret.

The Gracie Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and M1 Global veteran has not lost a fight in more than three years and enters the Heavyweight Tournament with a 9-1-1 overall pro record. He is known for his smothering ground game – submitting six of his nine victims, including four by arm triangle choke – but also displayed his striking prowess when he KO’d Serbian MMA veteran Miodrag Petkovi? with a devastating high head kick this past April.

Lloret is the sixth confirmed participant in the tournament along with undefeated European finisher Damian “The Polish Pitbull” Grabowski, power-punching British behemoth Neil Grove, heavy-handed UFC veteran Eddie Sanchez, Seattle-area knockout artist Mike “300″ Hayes and Georgia-based ground-and-pound specialist Scott Barrett.

The tournament begins Aug. 12th on FOX Sports Net.

“Ever since we decided that we would hold a Heavyweight Tournament, we were hoping to sign Rogent Lloret,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “He was one of the top heavyweight free agents in Europe for a reason: he is devastating on the ground and has a very underrated standup attack as well. He’ll be a tough draw for whomever he faces in our Heavyweight Tournament.”

Rogent was born and raised near Barcelona, Spain, and lives there today.

He made his MMA debut in 2006 but first drew widespread attention in late 2008 with a dazzling first-round armbar submission of top Polish heavyweight Michal Kita at an M1 Challenge event in Finland.

“Signing with Bellator means a big step forward in my career as a fighter since it provides me the opportunity to face other great fighters in an event with major media repercussions worldwide,” Lloret said. “My goal is to advance as many rounds as possible and offer exciting fights to solidify my reputation as a fighter and Bellator’s as an MMA event.”

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (July 15, 2010) – Bellator’s much anticipated Women’s World Championship Tournament will kick off on Thursday, Aug. 12th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., with two opening-round fights featuring four of the planet’s top-ranked female fighters.

In the first televised fight of the evening, the No. 1 pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, Megumi Fujii, will look to improve upon her flawless 20-0 pro MMA record against fast-rising submission grappler Angela Magana, the world’s No. 8-ranked female fighter at 115 lbs.

Magana has hopes of making history against the Japanese phenom while Fujii is looking to make an example out of the New-Mexico based fighter on her way to the semifinals.

Then, in another nationally-televised opening round fight, the world’s No. 6-ranked 125-pounder, Lynn “Lights Out” Alvarez, will square off against the world’s No. 7-ranked 115-pounder Jessica Aguilar, who calls South Florida home. Both fighters are currently riding impressive winning streaks and have reputations for ending fights early.

The event – which will be broadcast LIVE nationwide on FOX Sports Net and during weekend highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2 – also marks the beginning of Bellator’s Season 3 Men’s Heavyweight Tournament and features a special non-title Main Event bout between reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard and former NFL standout Herbert “Whisper” Goodman.

The two fighters in the event’s Heavyweight Tournament fight will be announced in the coming days.

“I can think of no better place than the Hard Rock to kick off the action for our third season and our Women’s World Championship Tournament,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “The four female fighters on the card for this event are each among the top 10 in the world and I know that they are going to put on a great show for the great MMA fans in South Florida .”

In addition to the four nationally-televised fights, the event will also play host to five “Local Feature Fights” showcasing some of the best up-and coming talent in South Florida . More details on those fights will be announced soon.

Tickets for the event are on sale NOW at ticketmaster.com and at the Hard Rock Live box office.

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow us on Twitter @BellatorMMA or become a fan on Facebook at Facebook.com/Bellator.