MMA Nation - Bellator Season Six News And Updates

Heavyweight Final Rematch Eric Prindle Vs. Thiago Santos Slated For Bellator 61

2012-01-27T18:46:21Z

Bellator Fighting Championships announced the second show of its upcoming sixth season.

Promotion officials have targeted March 16th at the Horseshoe Riverdome in Bossier City, Louisiana for Bellator 61. The event will be headlined by a rematch of season five's heavyweight tournament finals between Eric Prindle (7-1,1 NC) and Thiago Santos (10-1, 1 NC).

"Louisiana's been an amazing home to Bellator," Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney stated in a press release. "Our last two Louisiana events were spectacular sell-outs, so bringing Bellator to Bossier City was an easy decision to make. This Prindle-Santos fight has war written all over it, and both of these guys have taken this huge fight very personally. March 16 should be a great night."

Prindle and Santos initially met at Bellator 59, however action was cut short when Santos swung a kick directly into Prindle's groin. Ultimately, the American was unable to continue and the fight ended in a ‘no contest.'

The winner of the upcoming rematch will earn $100,000 in bonus money and a guaranteed shot at Bellator heavyweight champion Cole Konrad later this year.

Additionally, Bellator 61 is set to feature the opening round of season six's eight-man middleweight tournament. Maiquel Falcao vs. Norman Paraisy, Brian Rogers vs. Vitor Vianna, Vyacheslav Vasilevsky vs. Victor O'Donnell, and Giva Santana vs. Bruno Santos highlight the quartet of match-ups.

Bellator 61 is expected to air on MTV2 and Spike.com. High definition broadcasts will be available on EPIX.

Bellator 61 fight card:

Heavyweight Finals Rematch: Eric Prindle vs. Thiago Santos
Middleweight Quarterfinals: Maiquel Falcao vs. Norman Paraisy
Middleweight Quarterfinals: Brian Rogers vs. Vitor Vianna
Middleweight Quarterfinals: Vyacheslav Vasilevsky vs. Victor O'Donnell
Middleweight Quarterfinals: Giva Santana vs. Bruno Santos

Bellator Season Six Middleweight Quarterfinals Scheduled

2012-01-24T23:12:27Z

The four quarterfinal match-ups for Bellator Fighting Championships' Season Six middleweight tournament have been set, according to reports from Sherdog.com.

Vitor Vianna vs. Brian Rogers, Giva Santana vs. Bruno Santos, Victor O'Donnell vs. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky, and Maiquel Falcao vs. Norman Paraisy are expected to highlight the opening round.

Bellator officials have yet to confirm the pairings or set a date for the tournament to kick off.

Last season's runner-up, the 32-year-old Vianna (12-2-1) hopes to rebound from a heart-breaking decision loss to Alexander Shlemenko, which snapped a five-fight streak that included tourney wins over Sam Alvey and Bryan Baker. He'll meet fellow Shlemenko victim Rogers (8-3), who looks to get back on track after ripping through seven straight first-round knockout victories before falling to the Russian.

Reverently nicknamed "The Arm Collector," Santana (17-1) storms into the field fresh from defeating Darryl Cobb via armbar in his Bellator debut to notch his 13th victory by the trademark submission. Meanwhile, the unbeaten Santos (12-0) makes his first appearance of the year after blazing through four victories in 2011.

Team Vision product O'Donnell (11-3) returns to action for the first time since suffering a disappointing first-round TKO loss to Rogers in Season Five's quarterfinals. He'll take on former M-1 light heavyweight champion Vasilevsky (15-1), who strides into the tournament on a 14-fight winning streak, having not tasted defeat since 2008.

A UFC veteran and winner of ten of his last 11 contests, Falcao (28-4) makes his Bellator debut after knocking out Douglas del Rio in just 65 seconds in October. Across the cage, 25-year-old Frenchman Paraisy (10-1-1) is unbeaten in six fights since receiving his Bellator pink slip in mid-2009, including a decision win over former WEC champion Paulo Filho.

The winner of Season Six's middleweight tournament receives a $100,000 grand prize and guaranteed title shot against the Bellator middleweight champion.

Bellator Season Six Featherweight Quarterfinals Set For Bellator 60

2012-01-19T19:15:00Z

A quartet of match-ups have been finalized to kick off Bellator's season-six featherweight tournament.

Season-five finalist Marlon Sandro (20-3) takes on former NCAA wrestler Roberto Vargas (12-1), English submission ace Ronnie Mann (24-4-1) fights WEC veteran Wagnney Fabiano (14-3), feared Brazilian Alexandre Bezerra (12-1) faces countryman Genair da Silva (11-4), and season-four finalist Daniel Straus (17-4) clashes with unbeaten Jeremy Spoon (12-0) on the main card of Bellator 60.

Bellator officials confirmed the bookings on Thursday.

A 34-year-old veteran out of Nova Uniao, Sandro recently rebounded from his tourney finals loss to Curran by submitting Rafael Dias early in the first round at Bellator 58. He'll now take on Vargas, a California-native riding high on a six-fight win streak.

Known as "Kid Ninja," the 25-year-old Mann hopes to continue his recent success after ripping through wins in five of his last six fights, capped by a first-round submission of Kenny Foster in October. Across the cage, onetime WEC contender Fabiano returns to action after a 16-month layoff following a loss to Joseph Benavidez.

Grappling specialist Bezerra enters the tournament red-hot after defeating UFC veteran Doug Evans via first-round ankle lock at Bellator 57 to punctuate a run of seven consecutive finishes. Meanwhile, fellow Brazilian da Silva arrives on his own sizzling run, having tasted victory in six of his last seven contests, five of which were finishes.

Lastly, the 27-year-old Straus returns to the Bellator cage for the first time since snapping a twelve-fight win streak with a disappointing loss to Patricio Freire at season-four's featherweight finals. He'll be out for revenge when he faces Spoon, an unbeaten Oklahoman who recently bested Adam Schindler in his Bellator debut.

The winner of season-six's 145-pound tournament receives a $100,000 grand prize and guaranteed title shot against the Bellator featherweight champion.

Bellator 60 takes place Friday, March 9, at The Venue at The Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, and will air live on MTV2. Bellator featherweight champion Joe Warren defends his title against 2011 "Summer Series" tourney winner Pat Curran in the night's main event.

Bellator 60 fight card:

Featherweight championship: Joe Warren vs. Pat Curran
Featherweight quarterfinals: Marlon Sandro vs. Roberto Vargas
Featherweight quarterfinals: Ronnie Mann vs. Wagnney Fabiano
Featherweight quarterfinals: Alexandre Bezerra vs. Genair da Silva
Featherweight quarterfinals: Daniel Straus vs. Jeremy Spoon

Joe Warren To Defend Featherweight Title Against Pat Curran At Bellator 61

2012-01-19T17:23:25Z

Bellator's sixth season is officially on the books.

Featherweight champion Joe Warren will defend his title against 2011 "Summer Series" tourney winner Pat Curran at the main event of Bellator 61 on March 9th at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana, according to reports from the Chicago Tribune.

"We needed to find someplace that fit the mold of what we've done real successfully around the country, which is casino-based, lots of players, lots of people coming out on a Friday night," Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said. "Hammond ended up being a great fit."

Curran (16-4), the younger brother of UFC veteran Jeff Curran, struts into the contest on the wings of a surprising three-fight win streak, capped by second-round knockout of Marlon Sandro at the "Summer Series" finals. A 24-year-old native of Chicago, Curran previously shredded through Bellator's Season Two lightweight tournament en route to a failed title bid against Eddie Alvarez.

"Everything is falling into place right now," Curran said. "My hometown is really close to where I'm fighting and I know I'll have the support of my family and friends. This is something that is meant to be."

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Warren (7-2) hopes to rebound after tumbling out of season five's bantamweight tournament at the hands of an Alexis Vila 64-second knockout. The staggering loss snapped a five-fight win streak that included the "The Baddest Man on the Planet's" run through season two's featherweight tournament and subsequent knockout of Joe Soto claim the 145-pound strap.

Bellator's sixth season is slated to kick off in March and will feature tournaments in the bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions. As with all Bellator shows, Bellator 61 will air live on MTV2.

Bellator 61 fight card:

Top-Ranked Russian Prospect Andrey Koreshkov Signs With Bellator

2012-01-09T20:14:02Z

Undefeated Russian prospect Andrey Koreshkov has inked a long-term contract with Bellator Fighting Championships.

Promotion officials announced the signing on Monday. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

At just 21 years of age, Koreshkov (8-0) has already made waves two years into his professional mixed martial arts career. Ranked as Bloody Elbow's No. 1 welterweight prospect, "Spartan" has ripped through all eight of opponents in decisive fashion, with six finishes ending in the first round.

Koreshkov last competed against "The Ultimate Fighter 11" alum Kyacey Uscola, where he needed just four minutes to blast through the veteran and earn a TKO victory.

"The international market has produced some incredible talent for us, and Andrey is near the very top of that list," said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. "Our Talent Development team, lead by Sam Caplan continues to be at the forefront of international scouting, and we'll continue bringing the best talent from across the world to Bellator."

A debut date for Koreshkov is yet to be determined, though promotion officials expect the youngster to participate in Bellator's upcoming sixth season.

Sandro, Mann And Fabiano Tapped For Bellator Season Six Featherweight Tournament

2011-12-20T20:35:10Z

A trio of veteran fighters have been confirmed as the first entrants for Bellator's season-six featherweight tournament.

Marlon Sandro, Ronnie Mann, and Wagnney Fabiano will be among the eight-man field, according to reports from Sherdog. The winner of the tournament receives a $100,000 grand prize and guaranteed title shot against Bellator 145-pound champion Joe Warren.

Both Sandro and Mann competed in Bellator's 2011 Summer Series featherweight tournament.

Sandro (20-3), a 34-year-old Brazilian out of Nova Uniao, earned consecutive decision wins over Genair da Silva and Nazareno Malegarie before falling to a Pat Curran head kick in the tourney finals. Since then Sandro picked up a first-round submission victory over Rafael Dias at Bellator 58.

Mann (21-4-1), meanwhile, knocked out Adam Schindler before stumbling against Curran in the semifinals. The 25-year-old rebounded from the loss with a first-round submission over Kenny Foster to pave his way into season-six's tournament.

Recent Bellator signee Fabiano (14-3) makes his promotion debut after an extended run in the WEC. The 36-year-old Brazilian has won ten of his last twelve fights, but failed to gain entry into the UFC due to a WEC 52 loss to Joseph Benavidez. Fabiano then tried out for "The Ultimate Fighter 14", but ultimately failed to make the cut.

Bellator's sixth season is slated to kick off in March and will feature additional tournaments in the bantamweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions. The inclusion of a sixth tournament is currently being mulled by promotion officials.

Ed West, Hiroshi Nakamura, Travis Marx Round Out Bellator Season Six Bantamweight Tourney

2011-12-19T21:00:52Z

Bellator Fighting Championships has finalized the eight-man field for its upcoming season-six bantamweight tournament.

Ed West, Hiroshi Nakamura, and Travis Marx have signed on to complete the field, according to reports from Sherdog.

Fellow 135-pound veterans Luis Nogueira, Alexis Vila, Rodrigo Lima, Marcos Galvao and Masakatsu Ueda were previously reported entrants. The winner of the tournament is set to earn a $100,000 grand prize and guaranteed title shot against Bellator bantamweight champion Zach Makovsky.

West (17-6) previously competed in Bellator's season-five 135-pound tournament, where he defeated Luis Alberto Nogueira in the opening round before dropping a narrow split decision to eventual tourney champion Eduardo Dantas in the semifinals. Prior to the run, West worked his way to season three's tournament finals, only to lose to Makovsky via unanimous decision.

Nakamura (14-5-4), meanwhile, is a the 30-year-old Deep veteran with a penchant for tough decision wins. The Japanese standout has tasted victory in five of his last six contests, and holds notable wins over Yoshiro Maeda, Seiji Akao, and Deep champion Masakazu Imanari.

Marx (18-3), a part-time representative of Jackson's MMA, storms into the tournament sporting a three-fight win streak inside regional promotions. Known as "T-Train", the Utah-native has finished each of his last two fights in under two minutes.

Bellator's sixth season is slated to kick off in March and will feature additional tournaments in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions. The inclusion of a sixth tournament is currently being mulled by promotion officials.

Five Fighters Confirmed For Bellator Season Six Bantamweight Tournament

2011-12-15T18:23:19Z

Five fighters have been confirmed for Bellator's quickly filling season-six bantamweight tournament.

Luis Nogueira, Alexis Vila, Rodrigo Lima, Marcos Galvao and Masakatsu Ueda will be among the eight-man field, according to reports from Sherdog. The winner of the tournament is set to receive a $100,000 grand prize and guaranteed title shot against Bellator 135-pound champion Zach Makovsky.

The trio of Nogueira, Galvao, and Vila all participated in season-five's bantamweight tournament.

A 26-year-old prospect out of Brazil, Nogueira (12-2) ultimately fell short in a quarterfinal match-up against Ed West, marking the only loss of his last nine contests.

His 29-year-old countryman, Galvao (10-5-1), made it one step further, earning a split decision over Chase Beebe before dropping a semi-final split decision over Vila.

Vila (11-1), on the other hand, surprised many with his stunning run to finals. The 40-year-old racked up consecutive wins over featherweight champion Joe Warren and Galvao before falling to Eduardo Dantas in the tournament finale.

Newcomers Lima and Ueda will both make their Bellator debut after signing multi-fight contracts with the promotion.

At just 20 years old, Lima (9-0) has firmly established himself as a legitimate prospect with a string of first round finishes inside Brazil's Watch Out Combat Show. The Tata Fight Team representative last fought in August, defeating Jefferson Hall in just 27 seconds via guillotine choke.

Ueda (14-1-2), MMA Nation's No. 10 ranked bantamweight, has competed primarily in Shooto throughout his career, successfully defending a two-year reign as 132-pound champion from 2008 to 2010. The 33-year-old is an accomplished grappler and wrestler, and holds a win over Bellator season-five tournament champion Dantas.