Tag: Press Release

Fuel TV Viewer Numbers Booming In 2012 On Strength Of UFC Content

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – FUEL TV crushed 2012. For the year, the network finished as the number-one ad-supported cable network in year-to-year percentage growth among households, total viewers and men 18-49 during total day and prime time, according to figures released by Nielsen Media Research. In 2012, prime time viewership increased +164% […]

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – FUEL TV crushed 2012. For the year, the network finished as the number-one ad-supported cable network in year-to-year percentage growth among households, total viewers and men 18-49 during total day and prime time, according to figures released by Nielsen Media Research. In 2012, prime time viewership increased +164% compared to 2011, while the network’s total day viewership grew +122% vs. 2011. Compared to the equivalent time period in 2011, FUEL TV’s viewership increased for an unprecedented 53 consecutive weeks and 12 straight months.

“2012 has been an incredible year for FUEL TV and we are excited to see the extraordinary viewership growth month after month,” says George Greenberg, Executive Vice President and General Manager, FUEL TV. “Driven by the power of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® and its passionate and loyal fan base, we have seen unbelievable increases in all demos throughout the year. We know the trend will continue in 2013. The UFC product is without a doubt the major league of MMA and you cannot find this quality of fights anywhere else.”

With the start of the larger seven-year rights deal between the FOX Sports Media Group and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC®), FUEL TV kicked off 2012 with a 24-hour marathon of UFC® programing on January 1 and the viewership increases were immediate. Throughout the year, the network became the de facto home of the sport, hosting more UFC® programming than any network has ever offered.

In 2012, FUEL TV telecast 31 live UFC® Weigh-in and Postfight shows, nine live Prelims, and six live UFC ON FUEL TV Fights. In addition, the network showed a mix of additional UFC® news, highlight and lifestyle programming. The UFC® content supercharged FUEL TV’s viewership and complemented the network’s mix of motocross, boxing and adrenaline-fueled sports and entertainment programming.

The year ended on a particularly strong note, with December ending as the network’s third most-watched month of prime time and fourth most-watched month ever. A UFC® Holiday Knockout marathon on December 25 delivered the sixth most-watched day in network history.

Additional Audience Highlights:
· Boosted by UFC ON FUEL TV 2, Saturday, April 14 was the most-watched day in network history;
· The network recorded its most-watched prime time and most-watched program ever on Wednesday, February 15 with the live broadcast of UFC ON FUEL TV 1;
· The highest quarter-hour viewership peak occurred on Saturday, August 4, during the final quarter-hour of the live Prelims for UFC ON FOX 4;
· In the fourth quarter of 2012, FUEL TV’s Total Viewers were up +138% and M18-49 up +167% versus the fourth quarter of 2011;
· Prime time for the fourth quarter of 2012 finished up +150% on Total Viewers and +117% among M18-49 compared to the same quarter in 2011;
· December 2012 was up +163% in Total Viewers and +100% in M18-49 vs. December 2011;
· Prime finished up +186% on Total Viewers and +133% among M18-49 compared to December 2011.

Extensive UFC® coverage continues in January with FUEL TV telecasting the live Weigh-in, Prelims and Postfight shows for UFC ON FX 7: BELFORT VS. BISPING on Saturday, January 19; and the Weigh-ins and Postfight shows for UFC ON FOX 6 on Saturday, January 26.

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, on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/fueltv, and on Twitter at: @fueltv, #UFConFUELTV

FUEL TV
FUEL TV is the only cable and satellite television network that features the exciting world of adrenaline and thrill-seeking sports as well as high energy entertainment programming. This includes UFC®, surfing, motocross, BMX and more. With more hours of UFC® coverage than any other network, FUEL TV is the ultimate destination for live fights, weigh-ins, prelims, pre- and postfight coverage, results and more. This new generation of sports provides a rich landscape of some of the most vibrant and action-packed television entertainment in the world. See why adrenaline sports fans call FUEL TV the channel they never turn off. FUEL TV, part of FOX Sports Media Group, was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in more than 36 million U.S. homes and can be accessed by broadband, mobile devices and other digital platforms such as iTunes®. FUEL TV programming is available in more than 50 countries around the world with 24/7 channels operating in Australia and Europe. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4 FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.

FOX Sports Media Group
FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) is the umbrella entity representing News Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FSMG includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FSMG includes FOX Sports, the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; Fox’s 20 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; SPEED and SPEED2; FOX Soccer, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Soccer 2Go; FUEL TV; FOX Deportes and FOX College Sports. In addition, FSMG also encompasses FOX Sports Interactive Media, which includes FOXSports.com on MSN, Whatifsports.com Scout.com and Yardbarker.com. Also included in the Group are Fox’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network, BTN 2Go and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network and FOX Sports Skybox restaurants.

Bellator Light Heavyweight Champ Christian M’Pumbu To Defend Title On Feb. 28th Versus Atilla Vegh

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (January 7, 2013) – The title fights continue for Bellator MMA as the promotion announced today Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion Christian M’Pumbu will put his World title on the line against knockout artist Attila Vegh on February 28th from New Mexico’s Santa Ana Star Center. Tickets for the […]

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (January 7, 2013) – The title fights continue for Bellator MMA as the promotion announced today Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion Christian M’Pumbu will put his World title on the line against knockout artist Attila Vegh on February 28th from New Mexico’s Santa Ana Star Center.

Tickets for the event are on sale January 11th 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.

M’Pumbu defends the title that he won in the inaugural Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament by storming through the competition, delivering three highlight reel knockouts along the way to capturing the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Title. With previous victories over Richard Hale, Marcus Vanttinen and Stefan Struve, M’Pumbu is primed for another explosive finish on February 28th.

“I am extremely excited about this opportunity to defend my Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship,” M’Pumbu said. “I look forward to getting back in the cage and putting on a show for all of the amazing Bellator fans throughout the world. On February 28th, I will have my hand raised and remain Bellator Light Heavyweight World Champion.”

For Vegh, the Slovakian finisher is currently riding an eight fight win streak, including his Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Finals knockout victory over longtime MMA veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff. For the man they call “Pumukli”, winning the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Title would be nothing short of a dream come true.

“This fight is all I am focused on,” Vegh said. “I’ve never worked harder for something in my life, and on February 28th, I will hold that belt and become the new Bellator World Champion.”

“Both Christian and Attila made incredible runs through their respective tournaments, and I expect nothing but fireworks on February 28th,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “New Mexico’s own Orthrus Promotions is going to provide Bellator with tremendous support and we’re very excited to begin our partnership.”

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/Bellator

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, 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 Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of 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.
About Orthrus Promotions

Orthrus Promotions is a professional entertainment company, bringing the very best in entertainment value. Orthrus currently operates and hosts concerts in several states, but proudly calls New Mexico their home. Originally a music entertainment company, Orthrus has now expanded into the fight scene, partnering with Bellator, to bring great MMA events to the people of New Mexico.

Season Seven Featherweight Finalists Rad Martinez And Shahbulat Shamhalaev To Meet At Bellator 90

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (January 4, 2013) – After nearly four months in the making, the Bellator MMA Featherweight Tournament Finals will be concluded from Salt Lake City’s Maverik Center on February 21st as Utah’s own Rad Martinez will battle Russian striker Shahbulat Shamhalaev for a guaranteed World Title Shot and a $100,000 […]

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (January 4, 2013) – After nearly four months in the making, the Bellator MMA Featherweight Tournament Finals will be concluded from Salt Lake City’s Maverik Center on February 21st as Utah’s own Rad Martinez will battle Russian striker Shahbulat Shamhalaev for a guaranteed World Title Shot and a $100,000 Bellator Tournament prize live on Spike TV. Tickets for the event start as low as $40 and can be purchased by visiting Ticketmaster.com, Bellator.com, and the Maverik 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.

For Martinez, the West Jordan native makes his Utah homecoming riding an impressive five fight win streak, including Bellator Tournament victories over top featherweights Nazareno Malegarie and Wagnney Fabiano. Already tasked with preparing for the biggest fight of his career, Martinez knows what’s at stake with his hometown crowd behind him.

“To have the opportunity to fight in Salt Lake City for the Bellator Featherweight Tournament Championship is just a dream come true,” Martinez said. “Utah has a great base of MMA fans, but we’ve never had a big MMA promotion come to Salt Lake City, so it’s a great honor to be headlining Utah’s first large scale MMA event.”

Shamhalaev re-enters the Bellator cage after collecting two devastating knockouts and has his sights set on a guaranteed title shot with a victory of Martinez. Armed with an arsenal of explosive jabs and strikes, Martinez is aware of the challenges that await him on February 21st.

“Shamhalaev is incredibly quick and versatile, and brings a lot of things to the table, so I know I have my work cut out for me,” Martinez said. “Fans know that any time I step into the cage you can expect a war, and nothing will change for this fight.”

The night is also scheduled to host Bellator’s Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinals. The tournament begins January 17th live on Spike, and is headlined by “King Mo” Lawal, “Babalu” Sobral and Seth “Silverback” Petruzelli.

“A fight between Rad and Shahbulat would be special anywhere you put it,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “But to have the opportunity to make this fight happen in Salt Lake City with the ties Rad has to Utah is an incredible opportunity we couldn’t pass up. It’s been a long time coming, but February 21st is shaping up to be a huge night of fights.”

“We are proud to host such a prestigious event like BellatorMMA that will showcase our venue, Utah’s own Rad Martinez and, most importantly, our patrons to Spike TV’s impressive viewership”, stated Maverik Center’s Director of Marketing Steve Kun. “This is an event that must be seen in person as one truly receives great value in the number of fights on the card. We expect a huge turn out with Rad competing for the Bellator Featherweight Tournament Championship.”

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, 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 Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of 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.

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/Bellator

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 360 To Debut On Spike TV Tonight At 10pm EST

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (January 2, 2013) – MMA is coming home to Spike TV, as the MMA industry leader will debut Bellator 360, a Spike original series highlighting the biggest fights in Bellator history, while previewing upcoming Bellator World Title Fights. The first hour long installment will feature Bellator Lightweight World Champion […]

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (January 2, 2013) – MMA is coming home to Spike TV, as the MMA industry leader will debut Bellator 360, a Spike original series highlighting the biggest fights in Bellator history, while previewing upcoming Bellator World Title Fights. The first hour long installment will feature Bellator Lightweight World Champion Michael Chandler, as the undefeated star will relive his epic submission victory in the fight of the year against Eddie Alvarez, while also previewing his January 17th World Title defense against former Judo Olympian Rick Hawn from Southern California’s Bren Center.

Bellator 360 debuts Thursday, January 3rd at 10pm EST on Spike TV, and will be followed by another brand new installment of Bellator 360, featuring Bellator’s stacked collection of middleweights including an inside look at Russian striker Alexander Shlemenko and explosive Brazilian Maiquel Falcao, as they prepare for their Bellator Middleweight World Title fight on February 7th. Thursday, January 10th will also feature two brand new back to back episodes of Bellator 360, as Ben Askren will look back on his undefeated run through the Bellator ranks, while Bellator Featherweight World Champion Pat Curran will preview his upcoming World Title defense against Patricio Pitbull.

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/Bellator

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, 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 Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of 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.

Invicta FC 4 Streams Live Via Pay-Per-View This Saturday

Press Release – KANSAS CITY, Kan.(Jan. 1, 2013) – Invicta Fighting Championships has partnered with leading live streaming platform Ustream to deliver the much-anticipated Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt women’s world championship Mixed ! Martial Arts (MMA) event live, in its entirety, on InvictaFC.com from Memorial Hall in Kansas City on Saturday, Jan. 5. […]

Press Release – KANSAS CITY, Kan.(Jan. 1, 2013) – Invicta Fighting Championships has partnered with leading live streaming platform Ustream to deliver the much-anticipated Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt women’s world championship Mixed ! Martial Arts (MMA) event live, in its entirety, on InvictaFC.com from Memorial Hall in Kansas City on Saturday, Jan. 5.

The live stream is available for purchase on InvictaFC.com for a credit card charge of $7.95.

In addition, Invicta FC announced today that MMA legend Bas Rutten, superstar “King Mo” Lawal and women’s sensation Julie Kedzie will call the action cageside for the star-studded, 13-bout fight card.

“We are excited about partnering with Ustream, a company well-known for delivering exceptional quality streams of live sporting and entertainment events, and are looking forward to showcasing another stacked fight card full of superstars and up-and-coming women’s professional MMA talent to a worldwide audience,” said Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp.

Since retiring, Rutten, a former UFC heavyweight champion, has established himself as one of MMA’s leading play-by-play announcers and analysts. Lawal and Kedzie return to the Invicta FC broadcast booth for the fourth consecutive time.

Tickets for Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt, priced from $25, are on sale at Memorial Hall box office (913-549-4853), online at Ticketmaster.com and InvictaFC.com and by phone at 800-745-3000.

In the main event and first-ever Invicta FC strawweight (115 pounds) world championship bout, “Rowdy” Bec Hyatt (4-1) of Brisbane, Australia will collide with surging star Carla Esparza (8-2) of Redondo Beach, Calif.

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) co-main event, crowd-pleasing submission ace Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler (15-7) of Sioux Falls, S.D. will battle fellow top-ranked star Alexis Davis (12-5) of Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada.

Power puncher Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (4-2-1) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. will square off with submission specialist Raquel “Rocky” Pennington (3-2-1) of Colorado Springs, Colo. at bantamweight.

Hard-hitting KO artist Amanda “Lioness of the Ring” Nunes (7-2) of Salvador Bahia, Brazil will take on submission specialist Sarah “The Monster” D’Alelio (6-3) of San Jose, Calif. at bantamweight.

JEWELS star Hiroko Yamanaka (12-2) of Kisarazu, Japan will battle Invicta FC 3 winner Ediane Gomes (8-2) of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in a featherweight (145 pounds) contest.

Unbeaten Matt Lindland-protégé and European Muay Thai Champion Livia von Plettenberg (1-0) of Vienna, Austria will meet undefeated ! Joanne Calderwood (4-0) of Glasgow, Scotland at strawweight.

After scoring her second consecutive, five-second KO on July 8, Veronica Rothenhausler (0-0) of Reno, Nev. will make her much-anticipated professional debut on the Invicta FC 4 preliminary card against fellow heavy-handed featherweight competitor Katalina Malungahu (2-1) of Las Vegas, Nev.

The seven-bout preliminary card will be capped off with an atomweight (105 pounds) matchup between Stephanie Frausto (4-4) of Cincinnati, Ohio and Cassie Rodish (3-3) of Des Moines, Iowa.

Unbeaten Tamikka Brents (1-0) of Springfield, Illin. will take on Amanda Bell (0-0) of Medford, Ore. at featherweight.

Jodie Esquibel(2-0) of Albuquerque, N.M. and Liz McCarthy (1-0) of Tigard, Ore. will square off at atomweight.

Emily Kagan(2-0) of Albuquerque, N.M. will put her undefeated record on the line against Rose Namajunas (0-0) of Milwaukee, Wis. In a strawweight matchup.

Paige Van Zant(2-0) of Sparks, Nev. will face off with Tecia Torres (1-0) of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. at strawweight.

Laura MarcusseSanko (0-0) of Kansas City will make her professional debut in the cage in a strawweight (105 pounds) matchup with Cassie Robb (0-0) Casper, Wyo

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta Fighting Championships (www.invictafc.com) is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Kna! pp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.

Bellator Season Eight Light Heavyweight Tournament Matchups Announced

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (December 31, 2012) – As Bellator MMA prepares for its highly anticipated January 17th debut on Spike TV, the promotion announced today The Toughest Tournament In Sports will feature a bracketed real sport tournament format throughout every weight class, allowing fighters and fans alike the chance to follow fighters […]

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (December 31, 2012) – As Bellator MMA prepares for its highly anticipated January 17th debut on Spike TV, the promotion announced today The Toughest Tournament In Sports will feature a bracketed real sport tournament format throughout every weight class, allowing fighters and fans alike the chance to follow fighters progress throughout the twelve week tournament.

“At Bellator, there’s never been a matchmaker sitting behind a desk in a shiny suit deciding who fights who for the title,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “The origin of Bellator was to provide a seamless connection between real sports competition and mixed martial arts, and I believe we have taken that to the next level with a true tournament bracket format.”

Emanating from California’s Bren Center in Irvine on January 17th, Bellator Featherweight World Champion Pat Curran defends his title against explosive knockout artist Patricio Pitbull, while Bellator Lightweight World Champion Michael Chandler battles former Olympian Rick Hawn in their highly anticipated Bellator Championship showdown. Tickets for the event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and can be purchased at the Bren Center Box Office.

The night will also host the start of the Light Heavyweight Tournament, featuring the Bellator debut of decorated MMA veteran Renato “Babalu” Sobral, who will battle Russian submission ace Mikhail Zayats.

The always colorful Seth Petruzelli returns to Bellator after a year away from the cage as “The Silverback” is looking to lock up his spot in the Bellator Tournament Semifinals with a victory over Tennessee’s own Jacob Noe. Holding an impressive 10-1 record in his young MMA career, Noe collected an explosive TKO victory at Bellator 73 and will face the biggest test of his career when he battles Petruzelli on January 17th.

“There is a burning rage inside me ready to explode up out of me, and all over my opponent,” Petruzelli said. “Jacob will be covered in my rage. If you’re sitting in the front row be careful, because no one is safe from my rage.”

California’s own “Hardcore Kid” Emanuel Newton will get another shot at tournament glory when he takes on Bulgaria’s Atanas Djambazov. After falling to eventual Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Champion Attila Vegh in a close split decision, Newton is eager to get back inside the Bellator cage.

“Southern California has always been home to me, so to be fighting in Irvine under the Bellator banner is a huge honor for me,” Newton said. “I love this organization, and to have another chance in the tournament is all I could ask for. I feel like I was robbed in my last fight, so this tournament is all about redemption for me. This is an incredibly tough division, and I’m ready for the challenge that starts January 17th on Spike.”

The tournament will be rounded out by MMA superstar “King Mo” Lawal, who battles the dangerous Przemyslaw Mysiala on January 24th from WinStar World Casino.

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/Bellator

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, 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 Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of 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.