New York, NY, June 28, 2010 – Spike TV will telecast live coverage of the weigh-ins for the highly-anticipated “UFC 116 Lesnar-Carwin” fight card on Friday, July 2 at 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT. The main event features a showdown between the top two heavyweight mixed martial artists in the world, UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and interim heavyweight titlist Shane Carwin.

Spike TV also announces it will telecast the light heavyweight clash between “The Ultimate Fighter 2” alum Seth Petruzelli (14-5) and Ricardo Romero (10-1) on Saturday, July 3 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The Petruzelli fight will join the already-announced Brendan Schaub-Chris Tuchscherer fight as part of the Spike TV live Prelims.

Fighting out of Orlando, Florida, the veteran Petruzelli scored his first big victory against mixed martial great Dan Severn in January 2004, winning a three-round decision. A year later he joined the cast of “The Ultimate Fighter 2” but lost to Brad Imes in the show’s semifinals. Petruzelli gained worldwide attention in October 2008 when he defeated Kimbo Slice with a first round TKO, and riding a four fight winning streak, he returns to the Octagon to take on Ricardo Romero, making his UFC debut.

Fighting out of New Brunswick, NJ, Romero is 10-1 in his mixed martial arts career, including winning his last five straight. A highly-regarded college wrestler for Rutgers University, Romero also scored a notable victory over “The Ultimate Fighter 10” alum James McSweeney in April 2009. The Petruzelli-Romero fight will replace the Grove-Reljic fight, which will no longer air live on Spike.

Other bouts on the card might air on Spike TV, to be determined by the length of the fights.
Spike TV is available in 98.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV 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 www.spike.com/press.

BOSTON, Mass. (May 6, 2010) – Pat Curran, the 22-year-old descendant of MMA royalty pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in recent memory Thursday night with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over former UFC standout and Bellator Lightweight Tournament favorite Roger Huerta at Bellator 17 in Boston.

Curran’s stunning victory, which quickly set the MMA world abuzz, served to highlight Bellator’s first-of-its-kind tournament-style format, which has also given rise to several other decided underdogs since its inception last year.

“It was a tremendous night for Pat and a tremendous testament to our tournament format,” Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney said afterward. “This was proof of our concept and exactly what I hoped this organization could provide to fighters. I wanted great fighters to have the opportunity to fight other great fighters where nothing but their performance would dictate their future … an organization where it made no difference if a fighter was world-famous or simply had world class ability. Pat Curran took huge advantage of this opportunity tonight and deserves everything he’s receiving.”

The first nationally-televised MMA event in Boston history also witnessed a spectacular “Super Fight” victory by reigning Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez while reigning “Submission of the Year” title holder Toby Imada punched his ticket to this year’s finals.

But the night undoubtedly belonged to Curran who improved his pro record to 11-3 and took a huge step out of the shadow of his cousin and longtime trainer, MMA legend Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran.

Curran and Huerta traded blows for 15 minutes in a stirring tactical standup fight that brought a raucous crowd at the 85-year-old Wang Theatre to its feet. As the decision was announced, Huerta hung his head in disbelief, saying afterward that “it was just one of those nights.”

“I take my hat off to Pat Curran,” said Huerta, who fell to 21-4. “I started out pretty flat and he capitalized. Ultimately, it’s my fault for leaving it up to the judges. It’s really tough for me to swallow, but now I just need to regroup and look to the future.”

Curran, for his part, credited his coaching and thanked Rebney for the opportunity to fight in the tournament and make a name for himself.

“It was an honor to fight Roger,” an emotional and visibly exhausted Curran told Bellator ring announcer Jimmy Smith immediately after the fight. “I just tried to keep my hands clean and went for the straight right … I was trying to counter and land my shots. I’m looking forward to getting back to the gym as soon as possible and getting to work on my ground game and preparing for Toby Imada.”

While Imada’s victory was somewhat lost in the excitement of the Curran upset, the 25-13 MMA veteran native earned his way to the lightweight tournament finals in impressive fashion as well, absorbing a flurry of first round strikes from former all-American college wrestler Carey Vanier (8-3) before eventually regaining control and finishing him via armbar at 3:33 in Round 2.

“He’s a tough dude and a great wrestler, but his arm was out and when I saw it, I grabbed it and held on,” Imada said after the fight. “It’s what I came here for … I’m looking forward to performing better in the finals this time around.”

Not to be outdone, Alvarez was equally impressive in his fight against UFC veteran Josh Neer, using a powerful standing rear naked choke to put Neer to sleep at 2:08 into Round 2. The win improved Alvarez’s impeccable overall record to 20-2 and added to the growing argument that he is the world’s top 155-pound fighter.

Afterward, Rebney made no secret of his opinion.

“I’m not much for pronouncements,” he said, “but in the lightweight division of MMA, you’ll be awfully hard-pressed to find someone who would be able to beat Eddie Alvarez.”

Alvarez, though, demurred, saying simply that he was “happy to be on the East Coast and happy to be a part of the first big MMA fight in Boston.”

“I think I executed well tonight,” he said.

In the night’s final televised fight, former two-time NCAA wrestling champion and Brock Lesnar training partner Cole Konrad outlasted New York native Pat Bennet (1-1), earning a unanimous decision victory to improve to a perfect 3-0 in his nascent MMA career.

“I learned a lot about myself and a lot about the fight game in general tonight,” Konrad said during the post-fight press conference. “There’s definitely a lot of areas I’m going to focus on developing, but a win is a win and I’m just happy to be a part of Bellator.”

Fans who missed Thursday night’s action can watch all the best moments this weekend during special highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2. Check your local listings for exact dates and times.

Bellator returns to action next week from the Monroe Civic Center in Monroe, La., with two semifinal fights in the Season 2 Featherweight Tournament: former pro soccer player Georgi Karakhanyan versus fomer NCAA all-American wrestler Joe Warren and a match-up of two Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, Wilson Reis and Patricio Pitbull. The evening also features another Bellator “Super Fight,” with reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard taking on Paulo Filho.

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

Press Release

BOSTON, Mass. (May 3, 2010) — Two-time NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion Cole Konrad will make his Bellator Fighting Championships debut this Thursday at Bellator 17 in Boston, the organization officially announced today.

The 26-year-old Konrad, a protégé and training partner of reigning UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, will be looking to improve his record to 3-0 since making his pro debut in January. Both of his wins have come via first round stoppages.

On Thursday, he’ll square off against Marcellus, N.Y., native Pat Bennett (1-0) in a “Heavyweight Feature Fight” at 265 lbs. The fight will be televised LIVE on FOX Sports Net and during Bellator highlight shows this weekend on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2.
Tickets for the show, which will be held at Boston’s historic Wang Theatre, are available at www.citicenter.com.

Konrad, who grew up in Neenah, Wis., won the NCAA wrestling championships at 285 lbs. while competing at the University of Minnesota in 2006 and 2007 and won a gold medal at the 2005 Pan-American Games. He has been training with Lesnar, a fellow University of Minnesota alumnus, for the past year.

“Brock Lesnar’s dominance in the UFC has shown the impact that an elite, world-class heavyweight wrestler can have in MMA,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Like the rest of the MMA world, we’re expecting big things from Cole and are excited to see him in his first nationally televised fight under the Bellator banner this Thursday in Boston on FOX Sports Net.”

Joining Konrad on the Bellator 17 card are three other highly anticipated bouts including a “Super Fight” between reigning Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez and UFC veteran Josh “The Dentist” Neer, a Bellator Season 2 lightweight tournament semifinal matchup between UFC veteran and MMA fan favorite Roger Huerta and budding star Pat Curran, and another lightweight tournament semifinal fight between “Submission of the Year” title-holder Toby Imada and former all-American college wrestler Carey Vanier.

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.

Press Release

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 30, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships, the fist-of-its-kind tournament-style mixed martial arts promotion, will make its second 2010 stop in the Lone Star State next month when it comes to the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio.

The event-which will be broadcast LIVE and in prime time across the country on FOX Sports Net and during special weekend highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and mun2-takes place on Thursday, May 27th at the historic theatre, which is located at 224 E. Houston Street in the heart of downtown San Antonio.

Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets and at www.ticketmaster.com.

The fight card for the event includes two semifinal round matchups in Bellator’s ongoing middleweight tournament: Siberian striker Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (28-4) versus former all-American college wrestler and Bellator Season 1 middleweight tournament runner-up Jared Hess (11-1-1) along with former competitive power-lifter Eric Schambari (12-1) versus Southern California powerhouse Bryan “The Beast” Baker (12-1) in a rematch of their December 2007 fight in the WEC (which Baker won by split decision).

In addition, the evening will feature a special “Heavyweight Feature Fight” between 11-3 former UFC star Eddie Sanchez and EliteXC veteran Ralph Kelly as well as four “Local Feature Fights” between some of the top rising MMA stars from Texas .

“Bellator is thrilled at the opportunity to bring our brand mixed martial arts events and our television partners at Fox Sports Net, NBC, Telemundo and Mun2 to the thousands of passionate MMA fans in the San Antonio area,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Our two Main Event fights feature four of the most exciting middleweights out there right now including a man, Alexander Shlemenko, who I believe is one of the top fighters to come out of Russia in many years. It should be a great night of fights.”

Bellator, which became the first MMA promotion in history to be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks during its highly successful first season, announced late last year that it had formed a groundbreaking new TV distribution alliance for its second season that reaches virtually every home in the U.S. Bellator Season 2 began on Thursday, April 8th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Bellator Season 3 begins August 12th. Both seasons run for 12 consecutive weeks.

Bellator is also hosting an event at the Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie , Texas , (just outside of Dallas ) one week before the San Antonio event on Thursday, May 20th.

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

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 30, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships, the fist-of-its-kind tournament-style mixed martial arts promotion, will make its second 2010 stop in the Lone Star State next month when it comes to the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio.

The event—which will be broadcast LIVE and in prime time across the country on FOX Sports Net and during special weekend highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and mun2—takes place on Thursday, May 27th at the historic theatre, which is located at 224 E. Houston Street in the heart of downtown San Antonio.

Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets and at www.ticketmaster.com.

The fight card for the event includes two semifinal round matchups in Bellator’s ongoing middleweight tournament: Siberian striker Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (28-4) versus former all-American college wrestler and Bellator Season 1 middleweight tournament runner-up Jared Hess (11-1-1) along with former competitive power-lifter Eric Schambari (12-1) versus Southern California powerhouse Bryan “The Beast” Baker (12-1) in a rematch of their December 2007 fight in the WEC (which Baker won by split decision).

In addition, the evening will feature a special “Heavyweight Feature Fight” between 11-3 former UFC star Eddie Sanchez and EliteXC veteran Ralph Kelly as well as four “Local Feature Fights” between some of the top rising MMA stars from Texas.

“Bellator is thrilled at the opportunity to bring our brand mixed martial arts events and our television partners at Fox Sports Net, NBC, Telemundo and Mun2 to the thousands of passionate MMA fans in the San Antonio area,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Our two Main Event fights feature four of the most exciting middleweights out there right now including a man, Alexander Shlemenko, who I believe is one of the top fighters to come out of Russia in many years. It should be a great night of fights.”

Bellator, which became the first MMA promotion in history to be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks during its highly successful first season, announced late last year that it had formed a groundbreaking new TV distribution alliance for its second season that reaches virtually every home in the U.S. Bellator Season 2 began on Thursday, April 8th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Bellator Season 3 begins August 12th. Both seasons run for 12 consecutive weeks.

Bellator is also hosting an event at the Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas, (just outside of Dallas) one week before the San Antonio event on Thursday, May 20th.

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (April 29, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships put the spotlight on its middleweight division tournament during Bellator 16 Thursday night with four dominant quarterfinal performances that saw, Las Vegas powerhouse Eric Schambari, judo black belt Bryan “The Beast” Baker, all-American college wrestler Jared Hess and Siberian striker Alexander Shlemenko advance to the tournament’s semifinals.

The action-packed event played to a boisterous sellout crowd on a warm and windswept spring night at the Kansas City Power & Light District, an open-air entertainment venue in the heart of Kansas City’s resurgent downtown.

Afterwards, Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney revealed that Schambari will face Baker in a rematch of a split decision victory for Baker and Hess will take on Shlemenko during the tournament’s semifinal round on May 27th.

“We had another great night, in a magical, electrifying venue here in Kansas City,” Rebney said. “The four fighters who advanced will now face each other to determine who earns their way to the Final round of our Middleweight tournament and who ultimately earns the right to face our champion, Hector Lombard, for the middleweight title.”

One of the nights dominant performances belonged to Baker, the former WEC standout, who took opponent Sean Loeffler (18-5) to the ground early on in Round 1, neutralized him with a series of body shots, forced him to give up his back and then finished him with an impressive ground-and-pound just 2:43 into the fight. It was Baker’s seventh consecutive first round stoppage victory.

Afterward, the Victorville, Calif., native said he’s gunning for a rematch with Schambari, who Baker defeated via a controversial split decision during a WEC fight in December 2007.

“I want to see what he’s learned,” Baker (12-1) said of Schambari. “I’ve beat him once and I’m gonna beat him again.”

In his fight, Schambari, a former competitive powerlifter and childhood Jr. Olympic level swimmer, used his tremendous strength to submit former TUF contestant Luke Zachrich (10-2) via arm triangle just 3:34 into Round 1, improving his pro record to 12-1.

“I was driving my shoulder and my bicep into his carotid artery,” Schambari told Bellator color commentator Jimmy Smith after the fight. “I could hear that he was starting to choke so I just squeezed as hard as I could. Now I’m looking forward to facing Bryan again. It’s my chance to set right what once went wrong.”

In the nights most unorthodox fight, Shlemenko, who signed with Bellator last week and arrived stateside on Sunday, used a powerful spinning back-fist to open a cut on the bridge of Matt Major’s nose early on in Round 1 and never turned back, putting on a striking clinic and dominating a three-round standup fight that ended with a clear-cut unanimous decision victory.

Afterward, Shlemenko, who improved his pro record to a remarkable 28-4, said he is already looking forward to his semifinal round matchup with Hess.

“I’m going to prepare to knock the guy out,” he said through his translator.

Hess, a former standout wrestler at the University of Central Oklahoma used a crafty guillotine choke against the cage to submit former University of Iowa wrestler and IFL champ Ryan McGivern (13-7) at 1:54 into Round 2. It was Hess’s second straight win since his loss to reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard in the Bellator Season 1 finals last June.

“I knew [McGivern] was a wrestler too, so I knew it was going to go to the ground,” Hess (11-1-1) said afterward as his parents looked on from cage-side seats. “The guillotine just felt right. I cinched it up and waited for him to tap.”

The evening marked the conclusion of Bellator’s Season 2 quarterfinal round. Only four fighters now remain in each of Bellator’s eight-man tournaments at featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight.

The semifinal round begins in the lightweight division next Thursday at Boston’s historic Wang Theatre where UFC veteran and MMA fan favorite Roger Huerta takes on emerging star Pat Curran and “Submission of the Year” title holder Toby Imada faces former all-American college wrestler Carey Vanier. The night will be punctuated with a Super Fight between Bellator World Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez and tough UFC veteran Josh “the Dentist” Neer. Tickets are available at citicenter.com.

Fans who missed Thursday night’s action can watch all the best moments this weekend during special highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2. Check your local listings for exact dates and times.

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

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 7, 2010) — Joe Duarte, a former U.S. Army Ranger and up-and-coming MMA star has been added to Bellator Fighting Championships’ Season 2 lightweight tournament in place of Janne Tulirinta, who was forced to withdraw because of visa issues.

Duarte (5-1) will face Carey Vanier (7-2), a former all-American college wrestler and student of noted MMA trainer Greg Jackson, in Round One of the lightweight tournament this Thursday night at Bellator 13 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

“We are disappointed that Janne Tulirinta won’t be able to participate in our tournament but are very fortunate that we were able to secure a very high-caliber fighter like Joe Duarte to step up so quickly,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Joe’s known for his standup game so his bout against Carey Vanier, a very talented wrestler, will be an interesting one. Joe was our first alternate at 155, and his opportunity came and he was ready. More importantly than any of that, Joe is an American hero who regularly put his life on the line while serving as an Army Ranger in Iraq. I am proud to welcome him to our organization.”

Duarte, 26, was born and raised on the small South Pacific island of Guam, where he excelled in football, soccer and wrestling. At the age of 16, though, he discovered MMA and decided, “This is what I want to do with the rest of my life.”

“I knew I had all the athletic ability in the world,” he said. “I just needed the right coaching.”

Accordingly, he moved to Texas at the age of 19 and began training alongside some of the southwest’s top pros. Soon after arriving, though, he was inspired to join the Army.

He enlisted and left for Fort Benning, Ga., where he eventually went through, basic, airborne and ranger training before being deployed to Iraq in 2003. After serving for more than three years, he completed his commitment to the Army in 2006 and was awarded the Purple Heart for being wounded in action (He was hit in the neck with shrapnel from a roadside bomb.)

Shortly after returning to the states, he settled in San Diego and took his first professional MMA fight, losing just one time in six career bouts. He has quickly gained a reputation throughout Southern California for his vicious striking and overall fearless approach.

“Having been in Iraq, it makes fighting seem a lot less intimidating,” he said. “I mean, the worst thing that can happen to you in the cage is that you lose. There’s a lot more on the line when you’re in the Army. I look at MMA as my sanctuary.”

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

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.

Dave Crowell has coached dozens of top-shelf wrestlers
during his 25-year career as a head coach, at Easton Area
High School and Wilson Area High School before his current
position at Nazareth Area High School.
So when he said that Blue Eagles junior Zach Horan is
most technically advanced wrestler I have ever
coached, that represents enormous praise.
I can say (that) without any reservation,
Crowell said. He can go with a wide variety of
takedowns, hes good at counterattacking; upper body
moves, lower body moves -- hes just very good
technically. Zach has advanced to be similar to a college
wrestler now.
Horan, who wrapped up a 38-2 season with his third
consecutive runner-up finish at the PIAA Class AAA
championships, has been named The Express-Times Wrestler of
the Year.
Horan boasts a 120-12 career mark to go with those three
PIAA silver medals. He has never lost to a District 11
opponent, a fact he takes justifiable pride in. But he
wont be satisfied until he stands atop that medal
stand in Hershey.
I was very disappointed, Horan said. The
goal was to win, though I thought I wrestled pretty well
throughout the tournament. But Im frustrated, I want
to win -- I have never liked getting second.
Of course, as Horan noted, you have to consider who he is
finishing second to. In 2008, it was unbeaten Mark Rappo of
Council Rock South at 103 pounds. In 2009, it was unbeaten
Nico Megaludis of Franklin Regional at 112. This year, it
was -- you guessed it -- unbeaten Mitchell Port of
Bellefonte at 125.
Combined, that trio went 141-0 in the years Horan met them.
In those weight classes, second in Pennsylvania may have
meant second in the nation.
I havent had gimme matches in the
finals, Horan said. In the last three finals,
Ive wrestled the No. 1, No. 1 and No. 2 guys in the
finals.
Hes never been the favorite, Crowell
said. This year, Zach had lost to (Christiansburg,
Va.s) Devon Carter at the Beast of the East, and Port
had handled Carter.
Its hard to believe Horan wont be the PIAA
favorite next season in whatever weight class he lands in.
In addition to his high school accomplishments, he won a
freestyle national championship as a freshman and was a
runner-up last year.
My favorite is the freestyle; that might be what I
am best at, Horan said.
Whatever he needs improvement on, Horans work ethic
is impossible to overestimate.
Zach might be the most committed wrestler I have ever
coached, said Crowell of the Nazareth native. He
is fully committed in the offseason. Hes competed all
around the country since he was very young. Hes such
an experienced kid; hes been in big-time matches
against big-time kids, he just handles and deals with
them.
Horans favorite matches of the season came against
St. Marks (Del.)s Sean Boylan, who he defeated
2-1 at the Beast of the East virtually on Boylans home
turf in Newark, Del., and 3-2 at the Bethlehem Holiday
Wrestling Classic.
Looking back it was the matches against Boylan I
liked the most, Horan said. He beat me all the
time when we were younger and now I am beating him.
Crowell pointed to another match at the Beast of the East
as his fondest memory of Horan this season.
Zach was beating a kid from Central Dauphin (Kevin
Gooding, in a third-round match) and he was taking (Gooding)
down and the kid caught Zach in a cement-job kind of thing
and really had Zach good, Crowell said. And Zach
fought that off and came back to win (13-10). In that
situation, where youre favored and bad things happen,
that can rattle you and make you lose your composure. You
dont want bad things to happen to you as a wrestler,
but when they do and you deal with them, it matures you
somewhat.
Speaking of maturing, Horan said that the thing he liked
most about wrestling as a younger boy (he started at the age
of five) was the sports solitary, individual nature.
Now, he revels in the idea of a team.
Most of my friends are on the wrestling team, and I
like helping guys on the team and making them better,
Horan said. Seeing the other guys win, seeing all that
hard work pay off, that makes me happy.
Crowell has noticed.
Zach didnt wrestle for our junior high; he was
a club wrestler and the first time he was on a real team was
in ninth grade, Crowell said. Hes
developed into a really good team person. Hed wrestle
heavyweight if we needed him to for the team. Thats
very important to me; I think its good for kids to be
part of something bigger than themselves.
Horan and Crowell agree on what he needs to improve on to
become the only bigger accomplishment left -- a
state champion.
I would like to see him open up more on his feet and
start to throw the kitchen sink at people, Crowell
said. I mean, hes a great wrestler now but to
reach the next notch higher, he needs to keep going, every
minute, and never back off.
I agree with that, Horan said. In the
postseason, when I knew I facing a tough kid, Id slow
it down a little, get a lot more conservative.
I know I need to keep going hard no matter who I am
wrestling. Sometimes in the postseason Id get a lead
and sit on it (such as in the PIAA semifinals, when he led
South Westerns Cameron Throckmorton 9-0 and wound up
surviving in a hair-raising 9-7 decision). I wont keep
going. I cant do that.
Crowell said theres a side of the intense, driven
Horan that fans dont often see.
He seems like a quiet and composed guy, but this year
he has developed a real sense of very dry, very
straightforward humor, a very good sense of humor. I
appreciate that.
Horan, who can laugh at himself in a way some wrestlers
cant, said wrestling has been very good to him.
Its great to wrestle; it gives you a lot
opportunities, he said. It helps with everything
in life. And if you can succeed at wrestling, youll be
in good shape because theres nothing youll ever
do thats really harder.
Brad Wilson can be reached at 800-360-3601 or
bwilson@express-times.com. Talk about sports in the region
at lehighvalleylive.com/forums.

CHICAGO, Ill. (February 18, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships put yet another piece in place for its upcoming Season 2 featherweight tournament today with the signing of 5-2 Shad Lierley, a former International Fight League (IFL) standout and elite-level college wrestler.

The 29-year-old Lierley—who was a top college wrestler while earning his bachelor’s degree in economics and political science at New York University—is perhaps best-known for his legendary 2007 fight against one-time IFL poster boy Chris Horodecki. Despite his wrestling background (and the fact that he was fighting at 155 lbs.), Lierley stood toe-to-toe with Horodecki for three full rounds, delivering one of the most dramatic and action-packed fights in the IFL’s short history.

“Shad Lierley has been part of some great fights. If you ever want to see an awesome highlight reel watch his fight with Chris Horodecki, which Shad took at 155 even though he’s a legit 145 fighter,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “He is another solid addition to our featherweight tournament.”

Leirley is the seventh featherweight to be announced as a participant in the eight-man tournament along with Georgi Karakhanyan, Joe Warren, Patricio Pitbull, Bao Quach, William Romero and Wilson Reis. Bellator will also conduct tournaments at 155, 170 and 185 lbs. 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 and Telemundo.

Lierley was born in Utah but moved at a young age to Alaska with his parents and eight siblings. He was a four-time state wrestling finalist and was named as Alaska’s Wrestler of the Year during his senior year, earning him an invitation to continue his career at NYU. There, he became one of the best wrestlers in the school’s history and held the No. 1 national ranking during his sophomore year.

After graduating, Lierley considered a wide variety of career paths, but found himself being drawn toward professional fighting. In 2006, a wrestling buddy encouraged him to try out for the IFL and he earned a spot in that organization.

“When I started college, I never planned to get involved in MMA, but it’s what I fell into and I couldn’t be happier,” he said. “There are a lot of well-educated people who have a lot of options in front of them and they choose fighting. It’s a great sport and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

As a professional, Lierley is a perfect 5-0 when fighting at 145, with his only two losses (against Horodecki and eventual IFL Featherweight Champion Wagnney Fabiano) coming at 155. His most recent win came during Bellator IX last May in Monroe, La.

“I found out then that Bellator is just an awesome organization,” Lierley said. “They’re doing some great things in MMA and the talent they’ve been recruiting is just phenomenal. There’s going to be a lot of fireworks come springtime and I think I’m going to be a part of that. I wouldn’t have signed if I didn’t think I could win this tournament.”

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