Strikeforce is back with a vengeance less than a month removed from the embarrassing post-fight brawl on CBS, and with the line-up set for Saturday night’s ”Heavy Artillery” event it shouldn’t be hard to push the sour memory even further back in the public’s collective memory due to the level of talent involved.

The card includes something for everyone from high-level strikers to elite jiujitsu practitioners; from competitive undercard pairings to main card match-ups ripe with potential for edge-of-your-seat entertainment. Those in attendance at St. Louis’ Scottrade Center, as well as tuning in on Showtime, will have a chance to see undefeated Roger Gracie do his best to keep the Brazilian family’s legacy alive against Kevin Randleman, top lightweights Lyle Beerbohm and Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro do battle, and a great stylistic clash between BJJ bad-ass Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and rounded veteran Joey Villasenor, not to mention the quartet of high-level heavyweights on display. With Andrei Arlovski looking to right his career against rising talent Antonio Silva and Alistair Overeem finally defending his Strikeforce Heavyweight Championship against rival bringer-of-the-knockout Brett Rogers fans appear to be in for a true treat.

Before I get into the “pick em” part of this article let me preclude the breakdown of bouts by saying one of the things about Mixed Martial Arts I’ve always loved is its unpredictable nature. I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction with a little insight/opinion included in the deal, but readers would be wise to avoid laying down money on my attempts to glimpse into the future. Beyond that, please don’t hesitate to share your own thoughts on any or all of the scheduled fights in the “Comments” section below, and let’s get this show on the road…

PRELIMINARY CARD

Darryl Cobb vs. Booker DeRousse

For better or worse, Strikeforce events regularly feature inexperienced or regional fighters as a means of filling cards up, and this bout is clearly a byproduct of that strategy (as are the four following it) . As such, I’ll understand if readers skip ahead to the more recognizable names set for action, but I think there’s definitely value to be found in examining fighters who aren’t necessarily known whether because one could be a future star in the sport or simply as a means of showing due respect to professional Mixed Martial Artists.

I know very little about either man other than what their records reveal. Both have four fights under their belt so experience is a push. Conditioning could be an issue in that DeRousse has never been out of the first round while Cobb has seen later frames a few times. He’s also won three straight, while Booker is coming off a submission loss, so momentum is definitely on Cobb’s side. The only thing keeping me from picking him without hesitation is the fact he’s never tapped an opponent out while DeRousse has never lost in any other manner. However, I’ll tack that up to low number of fights each has thus far in their careers, so now that I’ve hesitated a bit I’ll go ahead and still pick Cobb.

Winner – Darryl Cobb via Submission Round 3

Gregory Wilson vs. Matt Ricehouse

Apparently these two will be entering the ring with a combined total of one bout between them (in Ricehouse’s favor). For no other reason than his successful professional debut last January I’ll go with Ricehouse since he won’t have first-fight jitters to deal with, plus he’s already shown the ability to finish even if in reality it was only a single time in his lone previous in-ring appearance.

Winner – Matt Ricehouse via TKO Round 1

Thomas Aaron vs. Eric Steenberg

The outcome of this bout seems pretty obvious. Aaron is coming off back-to-back losses and is 1-2 in his career, while Steenberg is 3-0 with a trio of finishes to back his flawless record up. Basically, if it’s possible for there to be a “major upset” in a match-up where 90% of the audience hasn’t heard of either fighter involved then a win for Aaron would almost certainly be that.

Winner – Eric Steenberg via TKO Round 2

Michael Chandler vs. Sal Woods

After a little examination it appears this bout is also a candidate for a potential, yet essentially anonymous, upset depending on how things play out. Chandler is 2-0 with two TKOs, including a November 2009 win on a “Strikeforce Challengers” card. Woods (3-7), on the other hand, should also be known as the rare “twice-as-many-losses-as-wins-on-a-big-card” Mixed Martial Artist – call it Competitus Omuralia if you will. I can see why most people would go with the favorite, but I think Woods’ experience could definitely play a factor in the eventual outcome and I believe he’s got the skills to win against Chandler. He’s been in the ring with talent like Tyron Woodley and Pat Healy, and though neither were close to being successful performances on his part, it may still give him a mental edge to know he’s stared down superior competition and didn’t blink even regardless of result. All three of his wins have been finishes, and two of his losses are of the split decision variety, so he’s a tough draw no matter what his record looks like on the surface.

Winner – Sal Woods via Submission Round 3

Lee Brousseau vs. Francisco France

The pairing rolls off the tongue, does it not? Say it a few times and you’ll see what I mean. Brousseau has one of the more-entertaining nicknames in MMA (Manimal), while his opponent has one of the more-unnecessary ones (Kiko) in the sport. As they say, one shouldn’t mess with a good thing, and “Francisco France” is as perfect as a peach where given names are concerned.

Moving on to how they’re skilled rather than how they’re billed, France and Brousseau look to be evenly matched with contrasting styles so I think fans in attendance may be in for an unexpected treat on the undercard when these two lock up. France trains with American Top Team, so he comes from a great camp, and is clearly a solid jiujitsu practitioner as evident by submission wins in his first four professional fights (three of which took less than a minute to procure). However, he was knocked out at an event less than a month ago so it will be interesting to see if he’ll experience any lingering effects from the defeat. Brousseau has emerged victor in his last two bouts and has shown the ability to finish opponents with strikes twice in the past. The outcome of this fight will depend on wrestling as a means of controlling where the action takes place, and in that regard I’m going to favor France because of the quality of athletes he works with at ATT.

Winner – Francisco France via Submission Round 1

Justin DeMoney vs. Jesse Finney

This should be a competitive pairing even though, again, neither fighter is more notable in name-value than your standard Ultimate Fighter contestant. DeMoney is 13-2 and seems to prefer a ground assault based on remarkable number of submission-by-strikes he has racked up in his career. According to Sherdog’s always-useful Fight Finder, seven of his eight “submission” wins have come by way of fists/elbows rather than a choke or manipulation of a limb. The other was a slam! Seriously, check – it’s too insane to make up. The 4-0 Finney has his work cut out for him and will need to rely on his wrestling to take DeMoney down, then attempt to cash in on a more-traditional submission of his own rather than risk absorbing any of his opponent’s power. However, I refuse to pick against someone with such freakish accomplishments as DeMoney’s, not to mention the success he’s found in 4X as many fights as Finney, and so with that being said…

Winner – Justin DeMoney via TKO Round 2

Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro vs. Lyle Beerbohm

*nlk%3@n235f9s…Sorry about that, but I just drooled on my keyboard in anticipation of this match and shorted the darn thing out! Now that I’m fully functional again it should go without saying I’m extremely excited about this particular bout even though I recognize there’s a significant chance it won’t make the televised broadcast. Ribeiro has only lost three times in 23 professional fights and none of his defeats are cause for head-hanging (Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and JZ Calvancante). On the flipside, Beerbohm’s record of 13-0 puts him among the top three undefeated male fighters actively competing. He’s finished twelve of the baker’s dozen he’s faced and nearly split the victories down the middle in terms of submission/TKO ratio.

Though Ribeiro’s jiujitsu is unquestionably superior to Beerbohm’s, he’s lost twice in his last three fights and only competed in MMA on two occasions since September 2007. Comparably, Beerbohm has ten bouts under his belt in the same period of time. “Shaolin” is slick enough on the mat to lock in a submission at any time, but I think Beerbohm will be able to use his size advantage to power out of most attempts while unleashing a fair amount of damage on his own. As such, I expect him to win but only by the seat of his “Fancy Pants”.

Winner – Lyle Beerbohm via Decision

MAIN CARD

Antwain Britt vs. Rafael Cavalcante

This bout provides Cavalcante an opportunity to seize a place as one of Strikeforce’s top light heavyweights and possibly earn a fight with a star like Dan Henderson, Gegard Mousasi, or even champ “King” Mo Lawal in the process. I think Britt is slightly overrated in the eyes of many, but his power is undeniable and in that regard he’ll always to be a legitimate threat to the chin and subsequent consciousness of any opponent he faces. All eight of Cavalcante’s wins are by way of TKO, which might make some people think he could fare well against Britt if choosing to stand with “The Juggernaut”, but it’s an unnecessary risk for “Feijao” to take when his jiujitsu is a finely tuned, dangerous weapon. Britt has been submitted two of the three times he’s lost and neither was to a Mixed Martial Artist with Cavalcante’s credentials. If the BFF of fellow Brazilian Anderson Silva focuses on grabbing hold of Britt’s neck or arm, or even controlling things on the ground, he shouldn’t have any problem emerging from the bout a winner.

Winner – Rafael Cavalcante via Submission Round 1

Roger Gracie vs. Kevin Randleman

There’s little question Gracie will be targeting a submission in this bout while Randleman will likely work on stuffing takedowns and landing a few power shots to end things early. “The Monster” is on the last leg of his career with a slew of recent losses and the inability to finish an opponent dating back to his memorable knockout of Mirko Filipovic in 2004. He’s coming off a staph infection meaning fitness could be an issue, so as I said before, I think Randleman will be overly aggressive in hopes of making it a short night. Gracie isn’t nearly as weathered or active as the former NCAA national champion, but his jiujitsu ability obviously can’t be denied due to his heritage, duo of submission wins in two pro MMA fights, and success in high-level grappling tournaments. If Gracie takes Randleman down I think the bout will essentially be over and, frankly, if the opposite happens I still think Gracie has the edge from his back. Minus a one-punch knockout I’m fairly confident Gracie’s “0” won’t go.

Winner – Roger Gracie via Submission Round 1

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Joey Villasenor

I like the match-up of styles involved in this particular contest, as it lends itself to a number of possible outcomes rather than a one-sided affair. Souza is widely acknowledged as a whiz on the mat, but similar to Demian Maia it’s his only real method of attack. On the other hand, Villasenor may be painted as primarily being a striker but in truth has double-digit submission wins on his record while only being tapped out once in 33 professional fights. He’s never faced a grappler as good as “Jacare” – few have until they actually do – but he can definitely hold his own when things hit the canvas. In the end I like Souza’s next-level BJJ to procure him the win, but I won’t blink more than once if Villasenor is able to pull out a victory by stuffing takedowns and planting a few nice shots on his Brazilian opponent’s jaw.

Winner – Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza via Submission Round 2

Andrei Arlovski vs. Antonio Silva

As I said in this week’s ”Grappling with Issues”, I think Arlovski is under an immense amount of pressure to win this bout and I’m not 100% positive he can rise to the occasion. Silva has the power to knock opponents out and the grappling to submit them. “The Pitbull” has both of those attributes as well, but his chin has been successfully tested six of the seven times he’s lost while Silva hasn’t been knocked out in more than three years. However, I think Arlovski’s speed, athleticism, and overall technique will be a little too much for “Bigfoot” to contend with, and I’m going to trust the former UFC heavyweight champ will actually enter the bout more disciplined than he’s acted in the past due to a few changes he’s made in his approach to training. Assuming he’s recognized the crossroads he’s come to in his career there’s no reason he should rush in and stick the button on his jaw out there for Silva to push.

Winner – Andrei Arlovski via Decision

Alistair Overeem vs. Brett Rogers

There’s no doubt in my mind this bout will feature a few incredible displays of jiujitsu and go a full five championship rounds. And, if you believe that, I also have some high-dollar, ocean-front property outside of Kabul you might be interested in purchasing.

Clearly both men are going to want to stand and exchange strikes based on their general approaches to fighting and personal dislike of one another. Both have enough power in their punches (and knees) to end things instantly, while Overeem is a submission threat but won’t be able to shoot on Rogers without taking some damage along the way. I have been a long-time proponent of “The Grim” since getting to watch a few EliteXC fights ringside with him after his promotional debut in 2007, and I respect his talent and showmanship, but I think he tends to rely on the size advantage he usually enters the ring with to bully opponents into slumber rather than using precise technique to do so. Overeem is large enough to avoid being pushed around while also being comfortable in the clinch if things go that route. I think he’s faster than Rogers and a more-complete fighter overall. I expect to see at least a few explosive leg kicks from “The Demolition Man” to weaken Rogers’ stand-up and frustrate him on the outside, then maybe some knees to the midsection when the distance closes and even a takedown attempt to limit the Minnesotan’s attack. Rogers is probably too strong to get caught in a submission as long as he avoids making any basic mistakes, but Fedor Emelianenko made it clear his chin is vulnerable to an extent and I’m certain Overeem will be working to exploit that. Then again, the Dutchman has been flattened a few times himself, so perhaps the safest route to go when picking this fight is flip a coin, then sit back and enjoy the almost-guaranteed knockout unfold.

Winner – Alistair Overeem via TKO Round 2

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.

Cole Konrad, a two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion at the University of Minnesota, looks for his third straight MMA win when he meets Pat Bennettnext month at Bellator 17.

Konrad's camp today confirmed the fight with MMAjunkie.com, though Bellator officials could not immediately be reached for confirmation.

Bellator 17 takes place May 6 at the Citi Performing Arts Center's Wang Theatre in Boston with a non-title headliner between Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez and Josh Neer.

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 15, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships produced yet another stunning “YouTube moment” on Thursday as local fan-favorite Pat Curran added to his family’s MMA legacy with a spectacular KO of Mike Ricci during Bellator 14 at the historic Chicago Theatre.

The fight got the highly anticipated event off to roaring start and the momentum continued throughout the night with three other compelling nationally-televised tournament fights. Also emerging victorious were former NCAA wrestling champion and U.S. Olympian Ben Askren, Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Wilson Reis and “Submission of the Year” title holder Toby Imada.

The Curran-Ricci fight, though, provided the most fireworks of the night.

At 3:01 into the first round, Curran (10-3) socked Ricci with a brutal overhand right, dropping him to the mat and rendering him unconscious. It was the first loss in six pro fights for Ricci, the protégé and longtime training partner of Georges Saint-Pierre.

“I saw the opening, threw a big right hand and it landed and he crumpled,” Curran said during the post-fight press conference. “This is definitely the biggest win I’ve ever had. I’m just proud to be a part of Bellator and to move on in the tournament.”

The KO victory advanced Curran, the cousin and student of MMA pioneer Jeff Curran, into the semifinals of Bellator’s Season 2 lightweight tournament along with Imada and Belaltor 13 winners Roger Huerta and Carey Vanier.

Semifinal pairings will be announced next week.

Later on in the night, Askren made an impressive (and somewhat controversial) Bellator debut, using a high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu anaconda choke to finish former UFC contender Ryan “The Tank Engine” Thomas (10-4) via technical submission at 2:40 into Round 1.

Controversy erupted almost immediately after the stoppage, though, as Thomas, his corner and a vocal fan contingent in the theatre’s balcony protested that he gave no indication that he wanted the fight to be stopped.

“It’s a bad call by the referee,” Thomas said afterwards. “It’s just a shame that the fans got cheated and Ben got cheated out of some more cage time. I was fine – it wasn’t like the world was closing in on me. I was totally fine.”

Askren, for his part, called on Thomas to “accept the result of the fight graciously.”

“When I was in the cage, I didn’t know what happened,” said Askren, who improved his pro record to 4-0 and advanced to the semifinals of Bellator’s Season 2 welterweight tournament. “But after watching it, it sure looked like it was over.”

Thomas said his camp plans to lodge a formal complaint in order to have the result overturned.

In the second fight of the night, Reis, a crafty Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, was able to overcome an aggressive challenge from former New York University wrestling standout Shad Lierley (5-3).

The fight got off to an explosive start during Round 1, with each fighter landing a variety of kicks and blows to the head. It went to the ground during the second and third rounds with Reis’ eventually gaining the upper hand and locking Lierley into a rear naked choke 3:33 into Round 3.

“I knew I was going to fight Shad and I knew that I had to work on my wrestling,” said Reis, who improved his pro record to 10-1. “It was a good fight and I was very happy to win.”

Reis joins Bellator 13 winners Georgi Karakhanyan and Joe Warren in the semifinal round of Bellator’s Season 2 featherweight tournament.

In the final tournament fight of the evening, Imada (25-14) easily handled WEC veteran James Krause (11-3), submitting him via arm bar at 2:44 into Round 1.

The evening also featured four Local Featured Fights. The results of those fights are as follows:

Bout #1: Louis Taylor (6-1) of Chicago def. Ryan Sturdy (12-5-1) of Crystal Lake, Ill. (TKO 1:08)

Bout #7: Felice Herrig (3-2) of Buffalo Grove, Ill., def. Jessica Rakoczy (0-2) of Las Vegas, Nev., (split decision)

Bout #8: Bryan Goldsby (16-6) of Macon, Ga., def. Jeff Curran (32-13-1) of Crystal Lake, Ill., (unanimous decision)

Fans who missed the action during Bellator’s live nationwide broadcast on FOX Sports Net canAKREN watch all the action during special highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and mun2 this weekend. Check your local listings for exact times and dates.

For more information, please visit Bellator.com.

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 14, 2010) — One day before Bellator Fighting Championships’ much-anticipated show at the Chicago Theatre, the historic venue played host to the official weigh-in for the event.

Bellator 14 will be broadcast live in prime time nationwide on Thursday on FOX Sports Net and during special Bellator highlight shows on Saturday night on NBC, Telemundo and mun2.

The card’s Main Event is a matchup between former NCAA wrestling champion and 2008 U.S. Olympian Ben Askren and former UFC standout Ryan “The Tank Engine” Thomas, who used Wednesday night’s weigh-in as an opportunity to set the stage for the fight.

“Ben is a great wrestler, but this isn’t a wrestling match,” Thomas said during the press conference portion of the event. “So we’re gonna find out if he’s a real fighter or if he should just stick to wrestling.”

Without missing a beat, Askren shot back confidently that “the last person who talked about my wrestling got put to sleep.”

The official results of the weigh-in are as follows:

Main Card:

Ben Askren (170.5) versus Ryan Thomas (170.5) – at 170 lbs.

Shad Lierley (144.5) versus Wilson Reis (145.5) – at 145 lbs.

Mike Ricci (155.5) versus Pat Curran (155.5) – at 155 lbs.

James Krause (155.5) versus Toby Imada (155.5) – at 155 lbs.

Local Feature Fight Card:

Jeff Curran (141) versus Bryan Goldsby (141) – at 140 lbs. catchweight

Felice Herrig (117) versus Jessica Rakoczy (121) – at 120 lbs. catchweight

Daniel Straus (154) versus Jonatas Novaes (156) – at 155 lbs.

Louis Taylor (185.5) versus Ryan Sturdy (188.5)* – at 185 lbs.

The Bellator Fighting Championship organization is set to host it’s second event of it’s second season in Chicago. Bellator IV will take place on April 15th at the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, ILL. The event will be shown on FOX Sports Net live on prime time, as well as its regional sports network affiliates.

Three of the four Bellator tournament quarter-final bouts will take place on the Thursday card which is headlined by a Featherweight quarter-final fight between NCAA wrestling champion and 2008 U.S. Olympian Ben Askren and former UFC standout Ryan “The Tank Engine” Thomas.
Quarter-Final bouts involving three of the four Bellator tournament

Main Card

-Ben Askren (170.5) vs. Ryan Thomas (170.5)
-Shad Lierley (144.5) vs. Wilson Reis (145.5)
-Mike Ricci (155.5) vs. Pat Curran (155.5)
-James Krause (155.5) vs. Toby Imada (155.5)

Preliminary Card

-Jeff Curran (141) vs. Bryan Goldsby (141) – at 140 lbs. catchweight
-Felice Herrig (117) vs. Jessica Rakoczy (121) – at 120 lbs. catchweight
-Daniel Straus (154) vs. Jonatas Novaes (156)
-Louis Taylor (185.5) vs. Ryan Sturdy (188.5)*

(*Sturdy has 90 minutes to make weight.)

HT: MMAWeekly.com

The Bellator Fighting Championship organization is set to host it’s second event of it’s second season in Chicago. Bellator IV will take place on April 15th at the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, ILL. The event will be shown on FOX Sports Net live on prime time, as well as its regional sports network affiliates.

Three of the four Bellator tournament quarter-final bouts will take place on the Thursday card which is headlined by a Featherweight quarter-final fight between NCAA wrestling champion and 2008 U.S. Olympian Ben Askren and former UFC standout Ryan “The Tank Engine” Thomas.
Quarter-Final bouts involving three of the four Bellator tournament

Main Card

-Ben Askren (170.5) vs. Ryan Thomas (170.5)
-Shad Lierley (144.5) vs. Wilson Reis (145.5)
-Mike Ricci (155.5) vs. Pat Curran (155.5)
-James Krause (155.5) vs. Toby Imada (155.5)

Preliminary Card

-Jeff Curran (141) vs. Bryan Goldsby (141) – at 140 lbs. catchweight
-Felice Herrig (117) vs. Jessica Rakoczy (121) – at 120 lbs. catchweight
-Daniel Straus (154) vs. Jonatas Novaes (156)
-Louis Taylor (185.5) vs. Ryan Sturdy (188.5)*

(*Sturdy has 90 minutes to make weight.)

HT: MMAWeekly.com

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 12, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships will host a pre-event press conference in conjunction with the official weigh-in for Bellator 14 on Wednesday, April 14th in advance of the promotion’s Thursday evening event at the Chicago Theatre.

The press-conference/weigh-in will begin promptly at 6 p.m. CT at the Chicago Theatre in the Downstairs Theatre,175 North State Street in downtown Chicago. To attend enter the front entrance and go downstairs.

The event will feature photo and media opportunities with all 16 of the event’s competitors including former NCAA wrestling champion and U.S. Olympian Ben Askren, former UFC welterweight star Ryan “The Tank Engine” Thomas, MMA legend and top Chicago MMA trainer Jeff Curran and up-and-coming female fighter Felice Herrig.

For more information, visit Bellator.com.

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