Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament Updates

[keithlewis]

Bellator Fighting Championships officially announced today that it will hold a Featherweight Tournament in the promotion’s highly anticipated fourth season airing LIVE on MTV2. Eight world class 145 lb. fighters will face off for a chance at claiming the Season 4 Featherweight Tournament Championship, a check for $100,000, and more importantly, a shot at the title against current Bellator World Featherweight Champion, World’s #2 ranked Featherweight and self proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet,” Joe Warren.

While announcements regarding all eight participants will follow, collegiate wrestling phenom Eric Larkin has been confirmed for Bellator's third Featherweight Tournament. No stranger to Bellator fans, Larkin (3-0) enters the competition fresh off of an impressive first round submission victory over the previously undefeated Marcus Andrusia at Bellator 28 (Watch Here: http://bit.ly/hstwoe). The decorated wrestler has wasted no time in his MMA career to date, finishing all three of his fights as a professional in the very first round.

“I’m thrilled to announce Eric Larkin as our first confirmed participant in our upcoming Featherweight Tournament,” said Bellator chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Eric has unlimited potential in this sport, and I’m excited to see how he does in this stacked tournament.”

Fighting out of the Lion’s Den in Scottsdale, Arizona alongside Bellator World Welterweight Champion Ben Askren, Larkin began his professional MMA training in early 2009. Before his journey into the cage, Larkin wrestled his way to a 2003 National Championship at 149 pounds for Arizona State University, earned the prestigious Dan Hodge Trophy, and picked up a 2003 ESPN ESPY Award nomination for best collegiate athlete. After nearly making the 2008 US Olympic squad, Larkin decided a new challenge was needed in his life, and MMA was the perfect opportunity. Now a confirmed participant in the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament, Larkin is ready to establish himself as one of the best in the division.

“I'm definitely looking forward to this upcoming tournament,” Larkin said. “I know there are going to be some really tough guys in there. I'm not taking anyone lightly. I'm going to do my thing and get after it. I like fighting back-to-back so it's going to be fun.”

The tournament will mark the first time Larkin will fight as a featherweight, as his previous three victories came as a lightweight. While cutting weight can often be a challenge, Larkin sees it as anything but.

“The major benefits I'm going to get from dropping down to 145 are primarily going to be strength and leverage,” said Larkin. “I definitely feel like I'm going to be stronger at 145 than I would be at 155. At lightweight, there are guys cutting down from 180 and 190 to make the weight and I'm not even close to that. I think this cut to featherweight is going to be great for me.”

[keithlewis]

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Most of the men competing this Spring in Bellator Fighting Championships’ Season 4 featherweight tournament are likely focused on winning a title or taking home a six-figure check but for at least one of the participants it will be personal – Georgi Karakhanyan. Named to the field today by Bellator, Karakhanyan had won nine consecutive fights, including a devastating knee-based knockout of Bao Quach at Bellator 13, before running into current champ Joe Warren at Bellator 18 and dropping a hard-fought decision. Apparently the defeat has provided all the fire the 25-year needs regardless of the prestige or payday involved in eventually earning a shot at Warren.

“I hate losing. Losing to Warren was a horrible feeling,” explained Karakhanyan. “To be able to come back from that and beat three guys on my way to getting revenge against him would be an amazing feeling. That’s my main goal right now.”

However, just because he has the 145-pound champ on his mind doesn’t mean the Armenian-by-way-of-Russia is looking beyond whoever he ultimately draws in the tournament.

“I need to take this tournament one fight at a time. I’m trying not to focus on Warren right now. Whoever they put in front of me, that’s who I’m going to focus in on,” said Karakhanyan. “I never underestimate anyone. There are going to be some really dangerous fighters in this tournament so I’m just going to take things one fight at a time, focus on that person, and then go from there.”

Karakhanyan joins Eric Larkin, Kenny Foster, and Zac George as the four members currently announced to the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournamen, set to air live this March on MTV2.

[keithlewis]

Following an impressive decision victory over Chad Hinton at Bellator 23, Daniel Straus brings a long string of victories to the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament this March, LIVE on MTV2. Straus is the fifth confirmed participant in the tournament, joining Eric Larkin, Kenny Foster, Georgi Karakhanyan, and Zac George.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Straus (14-3) enters the tournament on an impressive 10-fight win-streak, including victories over WEC veterans Karen Darabedyan and Joe Pearson, and UFC veteran Gideon Ray. Even more impressive is the amount of fights Straus has taken on in such a short time, as the former lightweight has competed in 17 fights over the past two years. With 11 fights alone in 2009, Straus knows the unique Bellator tournament format will be a perfect fit.

“I like to fight at least once a month so this tournament format is perfect for me,” said Straus. “If I'm not banged up or hurt, I like to keep training and turn around and get my next fight in. I like to stay as active as possible. I never like to slow down.”

“Daniel was very impressive at Bellator 23 as a Lightweight and he’s riding a great 10 fight win streak including some very solid wins, I’m excited to see what he can do at 145,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney.

While it's no secret that Straus is entering the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament with his sights set on a $100,000 pay day and a guaranteed shot at current Bellator World Featherweight Champion Joe Warren, the dynamic featherweight knows he can’t overlook what’s in front of him.

“My focus isn't on Joe Warren right now. My focus is on the first person I fight and putting a beating on him, and then it will be the second guy I fight and putting a beating on him. My biggest test isn't going to be Joe Warren, but getting to Joe Warren.”

[keithlewis]

After suffering the first loss of his professional career in the Bellator Season 2 Featherweight Tournament Finals against World's #2 ranked Featherweight and Bellator World Champion Joe Warren following a string of thirteen professional victories, Patricio "Pitbull" Freire is ready to step back into the cage on his quest to earn a rematch with Warren later this year. Beginning in March, Freire will join already confirmed participants Wilson Reis, Daniel Straus, Georgi "Insane" Karakhanyan, Zac George, Kenny Foster, and Eric Larkin in the Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament, airing LIVE on MTV2.

"Patricio Pitbull is a great fighter. He was seconds away from beating one of the top two Featherweights on earth and that loss was his only defeat as a professional. I know that his sole focus is winning this tournament and earning the opportunity to avenge his loss to our Champion Joe Warren. He's going to be fun to watch fight this season," said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney."

Residing and training out of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, MMA played a key role in Freire's childhood, as the dynamic featherweight began his formal training at just 14-years-old alongside his brother Patricky "Pitbull" Freire - together the pair are commonly known in the MMA world as "The Pitbull Brothers."

After becoming a 2-time International Kickboxing Champion, a Brazilian Cup Jiu-Jitsu Champion, and a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, "Pitbull" made his way into the cage. Currently training daily with the likes of fellow world class Brazilians Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Anderson Silva, and Junior dos Santos, Freire is constantly surrounded by many of the best in the sport and plans to use that experience to his benefit in the upcoming Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament.

"I have no interest besides fighting as a professional," said Freire. "It's the only thing I really want to do. Every day in my life I am looking to overcome myself and evolve into a better fighter. I never believe that I am good enough. It's all about improvement, every single day."

Prior to his split decision defeat at the hands of current Bellator World Featherweight Champion Joe Warren, Patricio began his professional career with a spotless 13-0 record, including notable wins over Bellator veterans William Romero (Watch Here: http://bit.ly/iawNSu) and Wilson Reis. Now with a second chance at achieving his dream to become the Bellator World Featherweight Champion, Freire completely understands the significance of what is at stake.

"The time to show what I am all about is coming," said Freire. "To win this tournament would mean a dream coming true. I can honestly say that I am more confident for this season than I was last year. Last year I got close, this year it's mine!"

[keithlewis]

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Malega ... ield-29843


Hours after confirming Patricio “Pitbull” Freire as the seventh participant in its fourth-season featherweight tournament, Bellator Fighting Championships has finalized the field, officially adding the unbeaten Nazareno Malegarie.

Vying with Freire and Malegarie for $100,000 and a shot at Bellator 145-pound champion Joe Warren will be Kenny Foster, Zac George, Eric Larkin, Georgi Karakhanyan, Wilson Reis and Daniel Straus. No matchups have been announced for the tournament’s opening round, nor has a start date for Season 4, which is set to air live on MTV2.

A 24-year-old black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Malegarie holds a perfect professional ledger of 19-0, including 12 submissions and five knockouts. “Naza” is an Argentinian national but resides in Florianopolis, Brazil, where he trains at UFC lightweight Thiago Tavares’ Ataque Duplo. Malegarie’s first fight for Bellator will also be his stateside debut, as he has competed almost exclusively in Brazil since debuting in 2007.

“I’m just very excited to finally have the chance to show fans in the United States what I’m capable of,” Malegarie said in a release. “Signing with Bellator was very important for me, and I’m ready to prove myself.”

The featherweight tournament is the second to be completed for Bellator’s fourth season, which is expected to host eight-man brackets at 145, 155, 170 and 205 pounds. The field at 170 consists of includes former champion Lyman Good, Season 2 runner-up Dan Hornbuckle, Steve Carl, Rick Hawn, Jay Hieron, Chris Lozano, Jim Wallhead and Brent Weedman. Sherdog.com learned last week that the welterweight tournament will launch at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif., on March 5.