CHICAGO, Ill. (April 12, 2010) — MMA legend and prominent local MMA instructor Jeff Curran, two of his students and an up-and-coming young female fighter from the Chicago suburbs are among seven fighters from Illinois slated to participate in Bellator Fighting Championships’ Thursday night event at the historic Chicago Theatre.

The 32-year-old Curran has been fighting professionally for more than 12 years and has competed for virtually every major MMA promotion including the UFC, Strikeforce, the WEC, PRIDE and the IFL. He is also widely considered to be the Chicago-area’s top mixed martial arts instructor and has trained hundreds of aspiring young MMA fighters over the past decade at his Curran Martial Arts Academy in suburban Crystal Lake.

Among them are two up-and-coming pro fighters who will compete along with him at the Chicago event: 12-4-1 Ryan Sturdy of Crystal Lake and Jeff’s own cousin, 9-3 Pat Curran of suburban Cary.

“It’s going to be an interesting night because I have my own fight and I’ll also be there to support Ryan and my cousin Pat,” Jeff Curran said. “It’s gonna be a great night all around — especially since I get to fight here in my hometown for a really big, up-and-coming promotion like Bellator. I know I’m sure going to do my part to put on an exciting show for all the Chicago fans who’ll be there.”

In addition, the Chicago Theatre event will feature Bellator’s first female fight of 2010, pitting six-time world champion lightweight boxing champion and budding MMA star Jessica Rakoczy against Buffalo Grove, Ill., native Felice Herrig, one of the world’s most-talked about up-and-coming female MMA stars.

“It’s not very often that I get to fight in front of my hometown fans,” Herrig said. “I have a pretty big fan base here in Chicago and I really feed off the energy of the crowd so it should be a great night. On top of that, the Chicago Theatre is an awesome venue and Bellator is a great promotion.”

The complete Local Feature Fight Card is as follows:

- Main Event: Chicago’s own MMA legend Jeff Curran (32-12-1) versus Bryan Goldsby (15-6), a Macon, Ga., product discovered by Bellator officials during a recent open tryout in South Florida;

- MMA up-and-comer and hometown favorite Felice Herrig (2-2) of Buffalo Grove, Ill., versus six-time world champion lightweight boxing champion and budding MMA star Jessica Rakoczy (0-1) of Las Vegas;

- Chicago-based Strikeforce veteran Louis “Battery” Taylor (5-1) versus Curran Martial Arts Academy product and former college football standout Ryan Sturdy (12-4-1) of Crystal Lake, Ill.;

- Cincinnati product Daniel Straus* (10-2) versus Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist and Strikeforce veteran Jonatas Novaes* (5-3).

The event will also feature four nationally televised first round bouts in Bellator’s eight-man single-elimination lightweight, featherweight and welterweight tournaments.

Each of these tournament bouts will be broadcast live on FOX Sports Net nationwide and will be featured during weekly Saturday-night Bellator highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo. They are:

- Main Event: Former two-time NCAA wrestling champion and U.S. Olympian Ben Askren (3-0) of Milwaukee versus former UFC contender Ryan “The Tank Engine” Thomas (10-3) of Lee’s Summitt, Mo..

- Former NYU wrestling star Shad Lierley (5-2) of Seattle, Wash., versus Brazilian takedown artist and former EliteXC Featherweight Champion Wilson Reis (9-1).

- Georges Saint-Pierre training partner Mike Ricci (5-0) of Montreal versus Pat Curran (9-3) of Cary, Ill., the cousin of MMA legend Jeff Curran; and

- A battle of undefeated fighters with Brazilian submission artist Patricio Pitbull (12-0) versus the highly touted Canadian fighter William Romero (5-0).

Tickets for the Chicago Theatre event are available at ticketmaster.com.

For more information, please visit Bellator.com.

* – Pending final commission approval

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (April 8, 2010) — Roger Huerta moved a step closer to a shot at the Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight tournament title Thursday night with a convincing victory over the previously undefeated Chad Hinton in front of an adoring crowd at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

The action-packed fight was the high point of Bellator 13, which marked Bellator’s Season 2 debut and its first live, nationwide broadcast on FOX Sports Net. The near-capacity crowd included Academy Award nominated actor Mickey Rourke and Super Bowl winner and NFL superstar Jeremy Shockey, who both came to cheer on Huerta in his first appearance under the Bellator banner.

In the night’s other tournament bouts, Joe Warren and Carey Vanier advanced into the semifinals of the featherweight and lightweight divisions and Georgi Karakhanyan advanced to the semifinals at featherweight with a highlight reel knockout of Bao Qauch.

But the night’s most talked-about fight will most certainly be the stirring match-up between the heavily-favored Huerta and Hinton, a 38-year-old Cincinnati native who refused to go down easy.

Hinton started strong and held his own during Round 1, but the momentum shifted early in Round 2 when Huerta took Hinton to the ground and began rotating between ground-and-pound and a series of crushing hammer fists. Hinton was able to escape the round, but lasted only 56 seconds into Round 3 when he was locked into a Huerta knee-bar.

“Chad Hinton was no joke,” said Huerta, who improved his record to 21-3-1. “And that’s part of why I love Bellator. Just because a guy like Chad hasn’t been publicized and hasn’t been on TV before doesn’t mean he’s not a great fighter. It was an honor to be out there with him and an honor to fight for Bellator. I’m happy to be back.”

Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney, who announced Huerta’s signing last month, called his return to the cage “great to watch.”

“Roger Huerta is back and he’s going to pose a big threat to all the other fighters at 155,” Rebney said. “He showed us a full arsenal of everything that he has to offer tonight and it was very impressive.”

In the night’s other highly anticipated fight, Warren, the former world champion Greco-Roman wrestler and NCAA all-American improved his record to 3-1 with a unanimous decision over 17-3 Eric Marriott in the quarterfinals of Bellator’s eight-man featherweight tournament.

Warren took the fight to the ground just 20 seconds into the first round and kept it there for all three rounds, switching between half mount and full mount and wearing Marriott down with a series of blows to the head.

The fight wasn’t without its scary moments for Warren, however. Roughly four minutes into Round 1, he was able to narrowly escape a Marriott armbar. The crafty Marriott then immediately shifted into a triangle choke, but Warren was able to hold on until the end of the round.

“I give Eric Marriott a lot of credit – that was a tight, tight triangle,” Warren said. “It was great technique and the bell definitely saved me. But I got out and I won and I’m excited to move on to the next round.”

In the first televised tournament fight of the night—a quarterfinal matchup in Bellator’s eight-man featherweight tournament—Karakhanyan (13-1-1), a former pro soccer star, dominated MMA veteran Quach from start to finish, connecting with a variety of high leg kicks before finishing him via TKO with a brutal knee to the head 4:05 into Round 1.

“My corner was telling me to circle around and take my time and I capitalized and knocked him out,” Karakhanyan said. “As soon as we clinched, I started throwing my knees and I connected and finished the fight. I’m excited to move on.”

In the night’s fourth and final televised tournament bout, Vanier (8-2) made an impressive case that he is a fighter to watch in the lightweight tournament, finishing former Army Ranger and Purple Heart honoree Joe Duarte (5-2) via TKO at 4:14 in Round 3.

“It was a really good fight for me,” said Vanier, a former all-American wrestler at Minnesota’s Augsburg College said. “It went exactly the way my camp and me thought it would go … We stuck to our game plan and it turned out well.”

All four tournament fights will re-air this Saturday night during special late-night highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo.

Thursday night’s event also included four Local Feature Fights between up-and-coming fighters from South Florida. The results are as follows:

Bout #1: Chris Manuel (7-3-2) def. Ralph Acosta (5-5) via guillotine choke (4:35)

Bout #2: Mikey Gomez (10-8) def. Moyses Gabin (4-3) via unanimous decision

Bout #7: Edson Diniz (10-3) def. John Kelly (4-1) via knee bar (4:36)

Bout #8: Vagner Rocha (4-0) def. Francisco Soares (3-2-1) via TKO (7:07)

For more information, please visit Bellator.com follow us on Twitter @BellatorMMA and on Facebook at Facebook.com/BellatorMMA

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (April 7, 2010) — One day before the much-anticipated debut of Bellator Fighting Championships’ second season, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino played host today to the official weigh-in for Bellator 13 on Wednesday evening.

Bellator 13 will be broadcast live nationwide on Thursday on FOX Sports Net and during special Bellator highlight shows on Saturday night on NBC and Telemundo.

The card’s Main Event is a matchup between MMA superstar Roger Huerta and undefeated Cincinnati native Chad Hinton.

The results of the weigh-in are as follows:

Main Card:

Roger Huerta (155.25) vs. Chad Hinton (155.25)

Joe Warren (144.5) vs. Eric Marriott (144.75)

Bao Quach (145.25) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (145)

Carey Vanier (154.5) vs. Joe Duarte (156)

Local Feature Fight Card:

Ralph Acosta (139.75) vs. Chris Manuel (135.5)

Moyses Gabin (184) vs. Mikey Gomez (187)*
(*Gabin has agreed to fight at a catchweight of 187 lbs.)

John Kelly (170.25) vs. Edson Diniz (172.25)

Vagner Rocha (168.5) vs. Francisco Soares (171.25)

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (April 5, 2010) — A Miami-Dade County firefighter is among eight local Florida-based MMA rising stars who will get their chance on the big stage this Thursday during Bellator Fighting Championships’ Season 2 kick-off show at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

John Kelly, a 31-year-old married father of three from North Miami, is undefeated in four fights since making his pro debut last February and attributes much of his success to his training as a firefighter.

“Fighting fires and fighting in a cage are actually very, very similar experiences,” Kelly said. “When you’re in a dark room and you can’t see anything and its 300 or 400 degrees, every sense that you have is telling you to get out of there. It’s the same thing in the cage. There’s times when it would make a lot of sense just to give up and tap out, but all the training that you go through and dedicate yourself to tells you to keep going.”

The unique work schedule that firefighters keep (Kelly works one 24-hour shift and then has two days off) also allow him to maintain a full-time training regimen while supporting his family.

“I’m very lucky because fighting is my passion and I don’t think I could fight and be competitive and still support my family if I wasn’t a firefighter,” he said. “So now I’m just trying to keep winning and see where it takes me. Bellator is a dream come true for me—to be fighting for a great organization like this is just surreal.”

Kelly will put his perfect record on the line versus Port St. Lucie’s Michael Byrnes, Jr.*, (1-2-1) during the Local Main Event of Thursday night’s show.

The event will also feature four nationally televised First Round bouts in Bellator’s eight-man single-elimination lightweight and featherweight tournaments.

Other local feature fights include:

- American Top Team product Chris Manuel (6-3-2) of Coconut Creek, Fla., versus former University of Iowa all-American wrestler Ralph Acosta (5-4) of Orlando, Fla.;

- Local graphic designer and MMA rising star Moyses Gabin (4-2) of Hollywood, Fla., versus veteran karate expert and local martial arts instructor Jeff Savoy (0-1) of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; and

- Francisco Soares (3-1) of Miami, Fla., versus Vagner Rocha (3-0) of Pembroke Pines,, Fla., in a battle between two Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists.

The evening’s nationally televised tournament fights include:

- MMA superstar and former Sports Illustrated cover subject Roger Huerta (20-3-1) vs. undefeated Cincinnati brawler Chad Hinton in the First Round of Bellator’s lightweight tournament;

- Former pro soccer star Georgi Karakhanyan (12-1-1) vs. MMA veteran Bao Quach (17-9-1) in a First Round matchup in the eight-man featherweight tournament;

- Former World Champion Greco-Roman wrestler Joe Warren (2-1) vs. Midwestern veteran Eric Marriott (17-2) in another featherweight tournament First Round matchup;

- Scandinavian strong man Janne Tulirinta (12-3) vs. former all-American college wrestler Carey Vanier in the first round of the Lightweight tournament.

Each of the tournament bouts will be broadcast live on FOX Sports Net nationwide and will be featured during weekly Saturday-night Bellator highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo.

Bellator will bring four of Bellator’s nationally televised events — including its Season 2 and 3 premieres — to the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla., during 2010.

Under the terms of this landmark agreement — which was completed in conjunction with the Seminole Hard Rock’s event promotion partner, Redline Media Group — Hard Rock Live will host the following Bellator events:

- Bellator 13 (Season 2 premiere), April 8, 2010;
- Bellator 22, June 10, 2010;
- Bellator 25 (Season 3 premiere), Aug. 12, 2010; and
- Bellator 36 (Season 3 finale), Oct. 28, 2010.

Bellator Fighting Championships’ nationally televised events feature a combination of tournament and non-tournament bouts. There will be four simultaneous tournaments taking place in each season in the featherweight (145 lbs.), lightweight (155 lbs.), welterweight (170 lbs.) and middleweight (185 lbs.) divisions. Winners of this year’s tournaments will be declared No. 1 contenders to Bellator’s current roster of champions.

 Tickets to the Bellator Fighting Championships events at the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.

For more information, please visit Bellator.com.

* – Pending final commission approval

About Bellator Fighting Championships:Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company with offices in Los Angeles and 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.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino:
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino provides quality guest experiences where South Floridians can play, stay, dine, and shop. Eighty-seven tables offer Blackjack, Baccarat, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, and Let it Ride on a nearly three-acre casino floor. Play one of the more than 2,300 Vegas-style slots including the Native-American casino linked Multi-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Separate high-limit rooms for table games and slots, in addition to a non-smoking room are available for guests to enjoy. Loyal Player’s Club members experience an exclusive VIP Plum Lounge and celebrity show kitchen. Convene in The Poker Room at Seminole Paradise for Texas Hold‘em, limit Texas Hold ’em, Seven Card Stud and two dollar and four dollar limit Omaha Hi Lo games. The AAA, Four Diamond rated resort showcases 500 luxurious guest rooms, 16 restaurants and lounges, 40,000-square-feet of meeting room space, a European-style spa, auto salon, 23 retail shops, 11 nightclubs, Paradise Live, and Hard Rock Live. Located on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) in Hollywood, Florida. Take I-95, exit Stirling Rd. and travel west to 1 Seminole Way. For more information, call (954) 327-ROCK, 1 800-937-0010 or visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com.

UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner says accounts of UFC 115's demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Amid reports the UFC's first trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has been moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, due to legal issues with the Vancouver City Council, Ratner told MMAjunkie.com the promotion will make a final decision regarding the June 12 event within 24 hours.

"We're certainly working hand in hand with the mayor's office and the city council, and hopefully we have what they want," Ratner said. "The fight is still going forward as we speak."

An upcoming event in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada has apparently been canceled due to “insurance and other issues.”

The event was supposed to take place on June 12th at GM Place, but is now potentially being moved to Cincinnati.

Vancouver councillor Kerry Jang said while the city has not yet confirmed the cancellation of the show, he assumes it is going to Cincinnati.

“This would not be a problem if province would have just done what Quebec does, indemnify the city. They’ve not done that yet, they pass it back to us, and if people want UFC in Vancouver they better go talk to the province about what Quebec does.”

The City approved an exemption to the Criminal Cod

In December, Vancouver city councillors voted 6-3 to approve a two-year trial period for MMA, opening the door for a UFC show that could generate millions for the local economy.

“I guess it’s the insurance companies who had some discomfort, not council …. and really their discomfort comes from the lack of legal framework that exists in other provinces and states that we don’t have. So the city would be taking 100 per cent of the risk.”

HT: Canadian Press

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's first trip to Vancouver may have to wait a little longer.

The Canadian Press today issued a report citing a UFC source who said the Canadian city will no longer host UFC 115 on June 12 and that Cincinnati is now under consideration as a replacement site.

Messages MMAjunkie.com left with the UFC and Ohio Athletic Commission were not immediately returned.

CHICAGO, Ill. (March 24, 2010) — Luke Zachrich, a longtime protégé of MMA legend Dan Severn, is the latest addition to Bellator Fighting Championships’ upcoming Season 2 middleweight tournament roster.

Zachrich, a mainstay on the Midwest regional circuit, boasts an overall professional record of 10-1 with four wins coming via TKO and six coming via submission. All but one of the victories have come during the first round.

A native of Bryan, Ohio, he played varsity football at Bowling Green State University before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2005. At around the same time, he began training with Severn, who has notched 92 career wins in the UFC, WEC, PRIDE and countless other promotions over the past 15 years.

“Luke is a great athlete who has learned MMA from great instructors,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “He’s another strong addition to our 185 tournament.”

Zachrich is the seventh confirmed participant in eight-man middleweight tournament, joining Bryan “The Beast” Baker, Jared Hess, Sean Loeffler, Matt Major, Ryan McGivern and Eric Schambari. The group boasts a combined overall winning percentage of .838 (78-15).

Bellator will also conduct tournaments at 145, 155 and 170 lbs. during its second season, with the winners in each division being declared No. 1 contenders to the current Bellator champions. Each of Bellator’s 24 Season 2 and 3 events will be broadcast on FOX Sports Net, NBC, Telemundo and The Score sports network in Canada.

Though Zachrich made his pro MMA debut in 2006, he gained his first national notoriety in the spring of 2008 on The Ultimate Fighter where was a member of the team coached by Forrest Griffin. Zachrich defeated 5-1-1 Patrick Schultz in Episode 2, but fell to future UFC signee Dan Cramer in Episode 6. Since leaving TUF, Zachrich is a perfect 3-0.

Recently, in mid-2009, Zachrich left his longtime training camp in Cincinnati (Team George Gurgel) to train full-time in Columbus, Ohio, with Joe Heskett, a former four-time All-American wrestler at Iowa State who is now the assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State. Zachrich also continues to hold periodic training sessions with Severn and noted muay thai coach Dorian Price.

“I’ve been lucky enough to train with some of the best in the world and Bellator is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to show the results of that on the world stage,” Zachrich said. “I love the tournament set-up that Bellator has and the middleweight field is really great—there’s not a bad fighter in it. Anyone can beat anyone on any given day. With that said, I wouldn’t be in it if I didn’t think I could win it.”

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Bellator. For tickets, go to Ticketmaster.com.

by Eric Campion

This past weekend I attended the Bluegrass Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Open Submission Only event in Louisville, KY run by Louisville Martial Arts Academy (a Pedro Sauer Affiliate). This event was organized, well run, and a lot of fun. I preregistered online and, unlike many other local Midwestern tournaments, they had all my info at hand and ready to go. I signed my credit card receipt, stepped on the scale and was ready to compete. Ring assignments were well posted and there was ample notice as to when your division was going to begin.

The competition was held at a large basketball facility leaving ample room for six rings and seating for spectators. Referees did a good job keeping everyone safe and informed. As this was a submission only tournament, scoring was not an issue. There were no time limits and they did a good job of utilizing other rings to keep divisions moving if a fight was going particularly long.

The only downside to the tournament was that it had a relatively low turnout. This was likely due to the fact that they had to change dates and facilities due to insurance issues and that this was the first time they were doing this particular tournament. The staff did an excellent job of combining divisions when necessary and making sure that everyone had a chance to compete. Medals were given to all 1st-3rd place competitors and were very nice.

I think this tournament will continue to grow and I look forward to making the drive to Louisville to compete again next year.

- Caleb

CHICAGO, Ill. (March 4, 2010) – An undefeated fighter from Cincinnati and a police officer from Scandinavia are the latest additions to Bellator Fighting Championships’ upcoming Season 2 lightweight tournament.

The two fighters — Janne Tulirinta (12-3) and Chad Hinton (6-0) — join Ferrid Kheder, Mike Ricci and Carey Vanier in the nationally televised tournament, which begins April 8th. The last three 155 lbs. fighters will be announced later this month.

Bellator will also conduct tournaments at 145, 170 and 185 lbs. during its second season, which will be televised on FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo. Winners of each tournament will earn the rank of No. 1 contender and a chance to face off in a title bout against Bellator’s Season 1 champions.

“Janne and Chad come from very different backgrounds but they have one thing in common: They both have the tools to impact our lightweight division,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Again, our team has assembled a group of fighters with different skill sets, different backgrounds and a wide range of fighting experiences both here in the U.S. and overseas. I can’t wait to watch them face off next month.”

Hinton, an Ohio native and father of a 7-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter, has been involved in fighting sports since his youth but took his first pro MMA fight just over two years ago at the age of 36. He drew widespread attention last April with his second round KO of two-time UFC veteran Jeff Cox at Cincinnati’s U.S. Bank Arena. His most recent fight was a first round KO of 28-year-old Justin Moore in October.

“My age is just a number to me,” Hinton said. “I’m in better shape at 38 than I was at 19 and I’m a lot smarter too. Bellator is the chance of a lifetime and being a little older helps me realize that. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of.”

“I’m really impressed with everything Bellator’s doing, how they’re creating their own brand and doing something really unique rather than just following the crowd. I also like that everyone in the tournament, including myself, is on their way up. That’s something you just don’t find with every big promotion.”

Tulirinta, meanwhile, has risen to international prominence over the past two years through his participation in the M-1 Challenge. The 30-year-old native of Finland has compiled a record of 6-1 in the promotion with all but one of his wins coming via TKO or submission.

His talent was on display during one of his most recent fights—at an M-1 event in Kansas City this past June—when he took just 11 seconds to drop welterweight Anthony Ford and finish him with strikes on the ground.

“Bellator is a really good next step for my career,” said Tulirinta, a father of a 6-month old daughter who moonlights as a police officer. “MMA is a really big thing in the USA and I’m excited to put on a good show for the American fans. The guys that are in the tournament are really, really tough, but I think I’ll manage pretty well.”

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

About Bellator Fighting Championships

Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company with offices in Los Angeles and 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.