Video of the Day - Curran v. Ricci

Here is Pat Curran fighting Mike Ricci at Bellator 14, which took place on 4/15/10 at the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Curran (20-6) will fight Daniel Weichel (34-8) at Bellator 133 in the co-main event.

Video of the Day - Curran v. Warren HL

Here is the ending of the Pat Curran title victory over Joe Warren which took place at Bellator 60 on 3/9/12 at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana.

Bellator Season 6 Preview

Bellator Season 6 will kick off on March 9th at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. The star studded show will feature a featherweight title fight between Pat Curran and Joe Warren, with the featherweight tournament kicking off.

Tournaments will be held in the 185, 170, 155, 145 and 135 pound men's divisions this season. Each division will also hold title fights for previous tournament winners, except in the 155 pound division, which saw Michael Chandler defeat Eddie Alvarez in an epic battle at Bellator 58.

The rematch of the season 5 HW title fight between Eric Prindle (7-1) and Thiago Santos (10-1) will happen at BFC 61. At BFC 59, Santos kicked Prindle in the groin at 1:24 of the first round, and Prindle was unable to continue. The fight was ruled a no contest. The winner will fight season 3 champ Cole Konrad.

Middleweight (185)

The middleweight division will find defending champion Hector Lombard (31-2-1) fighting season five champ Alexander Shlemenko (44-7) in a rematch of their Bellator 34 match-up. Lombard, a judo blackbelt, and powerful striker, is on a 24 fight win streak. Shlemenko is a dynamic kickboxer who won the Bellator season 2 and 5 tournaments.

(Pic from Lombard v. Shlemenko I)

Season 6 MW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 61 on March 16:

Brian Rogers (8-3) v Vitor Vianna (12-2-1)
Giva Santana (17-1) v Bruno Santos (12-0)
Victor O'Donnell (11-3) v Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (15-1)
Maiquel Falcão (28-4 1NC) v Norman Paraisy (10-1-1)

Welterweight (170)

The welterweight division will see champion Ben Askren (9-0) fighting season 5 tournament champ Douglas Lima (20-4) at Bellator 64. Askren, an NCAA champion and Olympic level wrestler, narrowly defeated Jay Hieron at Bellator 56 to defend his title which he captured with a win over Lyman Good. Lima won season 5's tournament with a decision over Steve Karl before brutally KO'ing Chris Lozano and UFC veteran Ben Saunders.

(Askren v. Ryan Thomas)

Season 6 WW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 63 on March 30th:

Karl Amoussou (13-4-2) v Chris Lozano (9-2)
Raul Amaya (9-0) v Ben Saunders (12-4-2)
Brian Foster (18-5) v David Rickels (8-0)
Bryan Baker (16-3) v Carlos Alexandre Pereira (33-9-1)

Lightweight (155)

Michael Chandler (9-0), defeated Eddie Alvarez via fourth round rear naked choke at Bellator 58, will likely get a non-title fight during the Season 6. Chandler won the Season 4 lightweight tournament, defeating Marcin Held, Lloyd Woodard and Patricky Freire. Chandler was an All-American at Missouri before making his transition to MMA.

(Michael Chandler v. Eddie Alvarez pictured)

Season 6 LW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 62 on March 23rd:

Patricky Freire (10-2) v Lloyd Woodard (11-1)
Rick Hawn (11-1) v Ricardo Tirloni (14-1)
J.J. Ambrose (17-3) v Brent Weedman (18-7-1)
Rene Nazare (10-1) v Thiago Michel (9-2)

Featherweight (145)

The featherweight division will see two title fights this season barring injury due to Joe Warren (7-2) attempting a run at the Season 5 bantamweight tournament. Warren, the season 2 champion, will fight Pat Curran (16-4) at Bellator 60. Curran won the summer series 145 pound championship, where he defeated Marlon Sandro, Ronnie Mann and Luis Palomino.

(Joe Warren v. Pat Curran Bellator promo pic)

The winner of the Joe Warren (7-2) and Pat Curran (16-4) will then fight Patricio 'Pitbull' Freire (17-1), who won the season 4 featherweight championship. Friere, a BJJ blackbelt and powerful Muay Thai striker, won season 4 by defeating Georgi Karakhanyan, Wilson Reis and Daniel Straus.

The Season 6 FW Quarter-Finals begin at BFC 60 on March 9th:

Marlon Sandro (20-3) v Roberto Vargas (12-1)
Alexandre Bezerra (12-1) v Genair da Silva (11-4)
Wagnney Fabiano (14-3) v Ronnie Mann (20-4-1)
Jeremy Spoon (12-0) v Daniel Straus (17-4)

Bantamweight (135)

Season 3 champion Zach Makovsky (14-2) will fight Season 5 champion Eduardo Dantas (13-2) for the bantamweight title. Makovsky has fought in two non-title fights since his season 3 championship, defeating Chad Robichaux via TKO and Ryan Roberts via submission. Dantas captured the season 5 title by defeating Wilson Reis, Ed West and Alexis Vila.

(Makovsky v. Robichaux pictured)

Quarter-Finals Participants, likely to begin at BFC 64:

Marcos Galvao (10-5-1)
Hiroshi Nakamura (14-5-4)
Masakatsu Ueda (14-1-2)
Alexis Vila (11-1)
Luis Nogueira (12-2)
Rodrigo Lima (9-0)
Ed West (17-6)
Travis Marx (18-3)

Pat Curran Takes 145 Tourney Title

Pat Curran landed a nasty head kick KO of Marlon Sandro at Bellator 48 to win the featherweight tournament title this past Saturday.

After a round which saw Marlon Sandro winning the stand-up portion of the action, Curran found victory in the second. Curran threw a couple jabs then fired a right head kick that knocked Sandro out cold.

With the win, Curran will likely face the winner of Patricio Freire and Joe Warren. The bout could be postponed with Warren competing in the 135 pound tournament and Freire nursing a hand injury.

Other winners at Bellator 48 included Seth Petruzelli knocking out Ricco Rodriguez, halting his 12 fight win streak. Petruzelli went back to his karate roots, throwing a couple spinning kicks before throwing a big right hand.


Undefeated Cole Konrad (8-0) won with a unanimous decision over Paul Buentello, utilizing his improved stand-up skills. Undefeated Rene Nazare (10-0) continued his win streak with a brutal second round TKO of lightweight Juan Barrantes.

Bellator Finals Forecast

Last night, the Bellator Season 2 tourneys continued to unfold as the 170 pound division claimed its two finalists, Dan Hornbuckle and Ben Askren. In a non-title featured bout, featherweight champ Joe Soto (9-0, 4-0 BFC) continued his reign of terror as he destroyed UFC veteran Diego Saraiva in the first round.

Sengoku veteran Dan Hornbuckle (21-2, 2-0 BFC) defeated former Marine Steve Carl via a modified kimura. He will fight 2X NCAA champ Ben Askren (5-0, 2-0 BFC) for the 170 pound title, who defeated UFC veteran Ryan Thomas via unanimous decision. Expect Hornbuckle to try to keep this fight standing to take advantage of Askren's lackluster striking.

(Dan Hornbuckle KO of Gono Pictured)

In other tournament action, featherweight Joe Warren will square off against Patricio "Pitbull" Freire . Warren (4-1, 2-0 BFC) punched his ticket to the finals with two lackluster decision victories over Georgi Karakhanyan and Eric Marriot. Pitbull (14-0, 2-0 BFC), won his first fight via heel hook over William Romero before a unanimous decision over Wilson Reis. Expect Warren to look for the takedown early and often, with Pitbull trying to lock in a choke or score a KO.

(Pitbul Friere Pictured)

The lightweight tournament has featured the biggest upset of the tournament, with Pat Curran (11-3, 2-0 BFC) finding his way to the finals. Pat recently upset tournament favorite Roger Huerta via unanimous decision, and KO'd GSP training partner Mike Ricci in his first fight.

Curran will face last year's runner-up Toby Imada (25-12, 4-1 BFC) in the finals. Toby has utilized his superior grappling in his first two bouts, scoring armbar victories over Carey Vanier and James Krause. Expect Curran to try to utilize his kickboxing while Imada looks to lock in yet another memorable submission.

(Toby Imada Pictured)

Match-ups:

145: Pitbull Freire v. Joe Warren - TBD
155: Pat Curran v. Toby Imada - BFC 21
170: Dan Hornbuckle v. Ben Askren - BFC 22
185: Alexander Shlemenko v. Bryan Baker - TBD

Bellator Forecast

Last weeks Bellator - Chicago fight card was loaded with action. This week Bellator travels to Kansas City and features middleweight tournament fights.

Crystal Lake's Pat Curran set the night on fire in Chicago with a one punch right hand KO over previously undefeated Mike Ricci. Pat had advanced to fight UFC veteran and former contender Roger Huerta at Bellator 17 on May 6th.

(Curran KO's Ricci)

Submission specialist Toby Imada scored slick second round arm bar to defeat James Krause and move up the lightweight tournament ladder. He will face Carey Vanier (8-2, 1-0 BFC) who defeated Joe Duarte via TKO in the third round of his opening round fight.

Olympic wrestling phenom Ben Askren won in a slightly controversial manner over UFC veteran Ryan Thomas. Askren looked to lock in a modified guillotine, and as Thomas rolled it appeared Askren's hands loosened. The ref explained after the fight that he ask Thomas to give him a sign, and Thomas did not. A loud group of Thomas fans boo'd the decision, and continued to heckle that ref through the night.

(Chicago Theatre)


Ryan Thomas has been tabbed as an alternate, and will face undefeated Jacob McClintock at Thursday's Bellator 15. Thomas is replacing Jim Wallhead, who is grounded in the UK due to the volcanic ash from Iceland. Askren's oppenent has yet to be announcerd.

Sengoku's rising star Dan Hornbuckle (19-2) will also fight on Bellator 15 in the welterweight tournament, fighting Tyler Stinson (16-5). Hornbuckle is riding a four fight win streak, with back to back Sengoku KO's of UFC veterans Nick Thompson and Akhiro Gono.

(Dan Hornbuckle pictured)

BELLATOR 15 MAIN CARD

Dan Hornbuckle v Tyler Stinson (WW 1st rnd)
Jacob McClintock v Ryan Thomas (WW 1st rnd)
Steve Carl v Brett Cooper (WW 1st rnd)
Patricio Freire v William Romero (FW 1st rnd)

UNDERCARD

Dan Cramer vs. Dennis Olsen
Matt Lee vs. Ryan Quinn

(Cage placed over the band pit and front of stage)

Bellator 155 Pound Tourney

Bellator Fighting Championships has been slowly leaking the participants to their 145, 155, 170 and 185 pound 8 man tournaments. The latest addition to the 155 pound tournament is the biggest name in the field so far, former UFC star Roger Huerta.

Roger Huerta's star rose after defeating Leonard Garcia in the UFC in a very entertaining, back and forth battle. Huerta's biggest victory date was his insane, action packed come from behind effort against Clay Guida. Despite being down 2 rounds on the scorecards, he was able to stun Guida before getting his back and locking in a rear naked choke.

Huerta would then be in a series of contract disputes, some acting roles in movies like Tekken and suffer two heartbreaking decisions to Gray Maynard and Kenny Florian. Huerta's goal will be to win the 155 pound Bellator tournament to guarantee a shot against last years winner, Eddie Alvarez.

It has been announced that Toby Imada is fighting Ferrid Kheder in the first round.

Here is a look at the pairings:

Toby Imada (23-13) Bellator runner-up, Sub over Jorge Masvidal
Ferrid Kheder (16-5) 2000 Olympic judoka, W over Drew Fickett

Janne Tulirinta (12-3) Finnish fighter, 5 wins in M-1
Cary Vanier (7-2) Team Jackson fighter, 6 fight W streak

Mike Ricci (5-0) GSP training partner, 3 TKO's
Pat Curran (9-3) Tapout Show Vet, W's over Tony Hervey & Robbie Oliver

Chad Hinton (6-0) Ohio based fighter, KO over Jeff Cox
Roger Huerta (20-3) UFC vet, W's over Matt Wiman & Clay Guida

(Roger Huerta pictured)