The competition is getting to be something fierce in the Bellator featherweight division, as former Greco-Roman World Champion wrestler Joe Warren became the latest major signing for the upstart promotion.
Warren Latest Bellator Signing
Warren is the fifth announced fighter and probably the most recognizable name in the field. A former Michigan University wrestling standout, Warren continued his wrestling career on the international level in the Greco-Roman style, winning the 2006 FILA World Championship, which established him as the favorite for gold in the 2008 Olympics. Warren’s path to gold was interrupted by a positive test for THC, found commonly in marijuana, and received a two-year ban from competition.
Officially making the transition to MMA in 2008, Warren (2-1) joined Team Quest to train alongside fellow Greco-Roman wrestler and MMA star Dan Henderson. Warren didn’t take long making a name for himself, knocking off former WEC champ Chase Beebe in his first professional fight and following that with a stunning upset of Japanese MMA star Kid Yamamota in his second bout. Warren’s run at Dream 11 would come to an end in the semifinals against eventual Dream champion Bibiano Fernandes.
“We are very excited about this signing and being the MMA organization that brought Joe back to the states,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Joe has the ability, drive, confidence and personality to become a star in our sport. His first two wins would make a good career for most fighters and as his stand-up continues developing, the sky is the limit for Joe Warren.”
Warren enters a stacked featherweight division that includes Patricio Friere (12-0), Georgi Karakhaynan (12-1-1), William Romero (5-0) and Bao Quach (17-9-1). The winner is guaranteed a shot at current Bellator champion Joe Soto (8-0).
“I competed for the USA for 10 years and I bleed red, white and blue,” Warren said. “So I’m ready to come back to this country, make my U.S. debut and fight in front of the American MMA fans. I love everything that Bellator is doing and I’m just honored to be a part of their organization.”
Season 2 for the Bellator Fighting Championships kicks off April 8th at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, FL. Tournaments will be featured in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight division. All Bellator fights will be aired live on Fox Sports Net each week, with replay highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo on Saturday nights.
Bellator today announced the signing of cage veteran Bao Quach (17-9-1) who will be added to the upcoming Season 2 featherweight tourney. Quach has reeled of 11 victories in his last 12 fights after a rocky start to his career. Quach has fought on some of the biggest names on the biggest stages, including Strikeforce, WEC, EliteXC and Shooto.
Quach Latest Bellator Signing
Quach is the lastest fighter to join Bellator’s upcoming eight-man 145 lbs. tournament. Bellator has previously announced the signing of Georgi Karakhanyan (12-1-1), undefeated William Romero (5-0) and undefeated Jiu-Jitsu black belt Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (12-0). Rumors are still circling that highly regarded Eric Marriott (17-2) will also be on tap for the tournament.
“During the last three years, Bao has established himself as a fighter with devastating world-class striking abilities. The level of his striking and kickboxing is at the highest level in MMA,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “With Bao, Georgi, Pitbull and Will, 145 should be a spectacular tournament.”
Quach’s career got off to an uneven start with some impressive performances against top-tier fighters and some disappointing losses. In some respects, Quach was unprepared for the training commitment required for elite fighting and his pure skill didn’t carry through each time.
Some of Quach’s career highlight include victories over Cole Escovedo and Chris David, a close majority decision loss to Jeff Curran, and a stoppage loss to Wagnney Fabiano. But the turning point in his career was a draw decision against the heralded Hatsu Hioki, considered by most industry insiders as one of the Top 5 featherweights in the world.
“Nobody thought I had a chance in that fight and, even though it was a draw, I know that I beat him,” Quach said. “At that point, I said to myself, “I don’t want to do this half-way anymore.” I realized that I really had the potential to do something in this sport. So I really changed my lifestyle and just dedicated myself to my career and nothing else.”
Since that point, Quach has been on fire. A victory in the Bellator tournament guarantees him a shot at Joe Soto, the current Bellator featherweight championship, not to mention the biggest payday for a featherweight in the sport of MMA.
Quach said he was drawn to Bellator for a variety of factors, not the least of which is what he called “some unfinished business” with fellow ’featherweight tournament competitor Karakhanyan. The two were recently slated to square off before a broken hand left Quach sidelined.
Bellator keeps snagging some of the best independent fighters in the marketplace, today announcing the signing of undefeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Patricio Freire (12-0). Freire holds a black belt level grade, the highest degree a fighter can earn in Jiu-Jitsu. While relatively unknown in the USA, Freire is considered one of the world’s best Jiu-Jitsu fighters in the world.
Picture Courtesy of Sherdog.com
Freire is another in the long-line of great fighters produced at Brazil’s famed Chute Boxe Academy. As he prepares for his first fight outside of Brazil, Freire looks to follow in the footstep of other Chute products such as Wanderlei Silva, Shogun Rua and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. With 10 finishes in his 12 professional fights, Freire brings a style to Bellator that is fitting to the tournament format.
“In Bellator Season 1, Joe Soto came from nowhere to win our featherweight tournament and a six-figure check in just 90 days” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “I believe Patricio Pitbull has the chance to do the same thing in Season 2. While he may be undiscovered by most U.S. fans, I can tell you that he is the real deal. I encourage you to go to YouTube and check him out for yourself.”
Freire will compete in the featherweight and compete against previously announced signing of highly regarded prospects William Romero and Georgi Karakhaynan. The winner gets a crack at current champion Joe Soto and will earn one the highest payouts for a featherweight in the world in 2010.
“I have been waiting for the opportunity to make my international debut for a long time,” Pitbull, who speaks Portuguese, said through a translator. “Bellator has some outstanding featherweight fighters – particularly Joe Soto – and I am excited to have my chance to show America and the world what I can do in the cage.”
American fight fans will get their chance beginning April 8th, as Bellator kicks of Season 2. All fights for Season 2 will be aired live on Thursday nights on Fox Sports Network. Univision will air a Spanish-language replay and NBC will air a highlight package on Saturday nights.
Bellator made the second of its anticipated four fighter signing announcements today, bringing in undefeated Canadian fighter William Romero to join its featherweight tournament in April. Romero sports a 5-0 record and is coming off a highlight reel 17 second knockout victory over Guillaume Lamarche.
Bellator Inks Canadian MMA Star
Romero becomes the second fighter signed that will seek to gain a tournament victory for an automatic shot at current titleholder, undefeated Joe Soto (8-0). Bellator announced just two days ago the signing of former MISL soccer player and budding MMA star Georgi Karakhanyan (12-1-1). Rumors are also swirling that the remaining announcements for the featherweight division may include highly regarded fighters Eric Marriott (17-2) and Patricio Freire (12-0).
Romero was born in Canada but spent a large chunk of his childhood living in Ecuador, where his family traces its ancestry. At 17, he enlisted as an infantry soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces, became a paratrooper and served overseas in Bosnia. He was introduced to MMA by famed Canadian trainer Randy Grant. Once Romero left the military at the age of 25, he started fighting full time.
Romero said he’s relishing the opportunity to compete on an international stage. “I watched Season 1 of Bellator and I was very, very impressed,” Romero said. “The level of competition is just awesome. Now I’m hoping to make my mark and to show the world what people in Canada already know.”
“MMA fans north of the border know the name William Romero and now fans in the U.S. are going to have the chance to know it too,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “We are excited to welcome him to our organization.”
Rebney has reason to be excited given how Romero dispatched his last opponent seen here on YouTube:
And those Canadian fans will be able to see Romero make his run at the title thanks to Bellator recent broadcasting deal. Bellator’s 24 fights during Seasons 2 and 3 will be distributed live in primetime on Thursday nights on FOX Sports Net and its regional sports network affiliates. The top moments from each week’s live events will then be condensed into an action-packed 30-minute highlight show, broadcast every Saturday night, late night, on NBC. A one-hour highlight show will air in Spanish on Telemundo every Saturday night from midnight to 1 a.m.
Bellator Fighting Championships began filling its tournament brackets for the featherweight division with the signing of Georgi Karakhanyan. The announcement comes after four major signing in the welterweight division and rumors that top-rated Eric Marriott and Patricio Freire will join the featherweight division tournament.
Karakhanyan, a 24 year old Russian-born fighter, sports a 12-1-1 record since he began his MMA career in 2006. His only loss came by split decision to Chris David, and since rattled off seven straight wins against some top-quality competition. Karakhanyan brings forward a specialization in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that has helped him finish of 8 of his 12 victories by submission.
“With 12 wins and just one loss under his belt, Georgi is a proven winner” said Bjorn Rebney, founder and CEO of Bellator Fighting Championships. “He brings an explosive style to the cage that makes for great fights. We are excited to welcome Georgi to Bellator.” And Rebney should be excited given the highlight reel knockouts like the one featured below on YouTube.
Awaiting Karakhanyan after a victorious run in the Bellator Season 2 tournament is current undefeated champion Joe Soto (8-0) who rose from anonymity during the first season, knocking off former Elite XC champion Wilson Reis en route to the championship.
Bellator continues to roll with some very exciting signings that are priming it for an exciting follow-up season. Their focus on upcoming fighters is bringing a breathe of fresh air to the stale offerings being served up recently by other organizations.
The Bellator Fighting Championship today announced the signing of former Olympian and 2-time NCAA Champion Ben Askren to compete in its upcoming 2nd season. Askren, sporting a 3-0 MMA record, is a 2008 Olympian and 2-time winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy, NCAA wrestling’’s version of the Heisman Trophy. He comes to Bellator as the most decorated United States wrestler ever to enter the MMA cage.
Considered to be the top MMA prospect not aligned with a major MMA promotion, the signing of Askren is a major coup for the upstart Bellator on the heels of its announcement of a national broadcast deal just a few weeks ago. Speculation on what major MMA promotion would sign Askren had been in the air for weeks. MMAJunkie.com incorrectly reported an imminent contractual signing in October with Strikeforce.
With respect to Askren’s decision to sign with Bellator, it signals a wake-up call to organizations such as Strikeforce and UFC to develop the next wave of fighters. Given just 3 professional fights, Bellator’s tournament approach provides a platform for the budding MMA superstar to hone his skills and grow as a fighter as he moves through the tournament.
In contrast, organizations such as Strikeforce and UFC would have rushed Askren to the cage and paired him with its top talent immediately to monetize the marketing value of his name. Recently, UFC cut 3-time NCAA champ Jake Rosholt after losing his second fight despite many observers believing that Rosholt is on track for future stardom.
“I am very happy to welcome Ben to Bellator,” said Bjorn Rebney, founder and CEO of Bellator Fighting Championships. “Ben’s an exciting fighter with unlimited potential and an unparalleled list of Olympic and collegiate accomplishments. We believe he can become a true force in this sport. As an MMA fan, I can’t wait for Ben’s first fight in our tournament on FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo this April.”
Bellator, which sports a tournament style approach, pits 8 mixed martial arts fighters in a standard tourney bracket in a winner-takes-all approach. Unlike other promotions, Bellator does not create handpicked matchups for its fighters competing for the championship belt. In the upcoming season 2, the winner of the tournament receives an automatic shot at the current titleholder in the weight class.
Askren, on his decision to sign with Bellator shared, “I like that my fights are going to broadcast nationally, I like the tournament-style format and I love the opportunity to be a part of something exciting and new. I plan on winning Bellator. My goal, as it always has been, is to be the best in the world.”
With his signing, Askren will enter the welterweight (170 lbs.) tournament division. If he is able to pull of three victories, he will earn the right to fight current Bellator champion, undefeated Lyman Good (10-0).
Bellator’s will be featured live in primetime on Thursday nights on FOX Sports Net and its regional sports network affiliates beginning April 8, 2010. A weekly 30-minute highlights show of each week’s events will be aired every late nights on Saturdays on NBC. Telemundo will carry a taped-delay Spanish-translated replay every Saturday night at midnight.
