Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament Updates

[keithlewis]

Season 4 Lightweight Tournament Official, “Razor” Rob McCullough as First Participant

Following confirmations of talent filled Welterweight, Featherweight and Light Heavyweight Tournaments for the promotion's highly anticipated fourth season, Bellator Fighting Championships has officially announced that the promotion will hold a Lightweight Tournament this March, LIVE on MTV2. Eight world class 155 lb. fighters will face off for a chance at claiming the Season 4 Lightweight Tournament Championship, a check for $100,000, and a shot at Bellator World Lightweight Champion and top ranked lightweight Eddie Alvarez.

While announcements regarding all eight participants will follow, former WEC Lightweight Champion “Razor” Rob McCullough has been confirmed for the upcoming tournament. The Huntington Beach-based knockout artist enters the Bellator cage with momentum on his side, going undefeated in 2010 and moving his record to an impressive 19-6. Training out of Huntington Beach Ultimate Training, the hard hitting McCullough holds impressive victories over the likes of Nam Phan, Kit Cope, Rich Crunkilton, Marcus Hicks and most recently Corey Hill.

“We’re excited to add a championship quality fighter like Rob McCullough to this tournament,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Rob’s fights are always entertaining, and I expect nothing less this season.”

“You're definitely going to see a new and improved version of "Razor" Rob in Bellator,” said McCullough. “I have a family now so I'm not out running around like I was before. I'm more conditioned and focused than ever. I've completely rededicated myself to this sport. This is my career. I'm supporting a little boy and a wife now. It's become bigger than just me.”

The running around McCullough is referring to dates back to his days of partying when he got caught up in the limelight of being a champion, a mistake McCullough vows never to make again. With a new wife and child in the fold, “Razor” Rob has a new lease on life, and is absolutely determined to ascend back to the top of the MMA world.

“I've been training for the last six months straight, twice a day, every day,” McCullough said. “I've been adding new elements to my game, tweaking things and working on old techniques. I've got nothing but positive people surrounding me and I'm ready to get back to the top.”

[keithlewis]

Bellator Fighting Championships today confirmed the addition of undefeated Bellator veteran Michael Chandler to its upcoming Season 4 Lightweight Tournament, airing LIVE on MTV2 starting March 5th. With a pair of impressive wins under the Bellator banner in 2010, Chandler's opponents have never made past the second round, as the Missouri native is a perfect 5-0 in his professional career with all of his victories coming by way of (T)KO or submission. Watch Chandler knock out Scott Stapp here: http://bit.ly/hoeLyR

"Mike was very impressive at Bellator 31 and 32, finishing both opponents in the first round. He's got extreme strength and power for a Lightweight and I'm excited to see how far he can go in this tournament LIVE on MTV2," said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney.

Training alongside UFC lightweight title challenger Gray Maynard and Bellator welterweight Jay Hieron at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, the former Division I All American is ready to break the mold of many wrestlers who have transitioned to MMA.

"I never want to be known as the typical "lay and pray" wrestler," said Chandler. "I want to break away from the traditional wrestling mold that a lot of guys have. People say that all wrestlers just want to take their opponents down and lay on them for three rounds, but I want to go out there and finish them. I don't want to just go out there and win, I want to go out there and dominate."

Undefeated at 5-0, Chandler has been completely dominant up to this point in his career, and will look to continue his impressive run when the Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament kicks off in March. Not only is a huge $100,000 payday on the line for the fast-rising 24-year-old lightweight, but the chance to face current Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez has been Chandler's goal since the day he signed with Bellator.

"I've had my eyes set on capturing that Bellator World Lightweight Championship since the moment I signed with Bellator," Chandler said. "It's not to take away from anybody or that I just think I'm going to smash all of these guys on my way to [Eddie] Alvarez, it's just that I'm really excited about the journey I'm about to go through. I'm excited about the next three months of training, and I'm excited about being able to go out there and dominate fight after fight. This is the opportunity of a lifetime in a young fighter's career."

Chandler joins Carey Vanier and "Razor" Rob McCullough as the other confirmed participants in the Lightweight Tournament scheduled to air LIVE on MTV2.

[keithlewis]

Bellator Fighting Championships continues to add to its impressive lightweight roster, recently confirming the addition of undefeated submission finisher Lloyd "Cupcake" Woodard to the upcoming Season 4 Tournament, which airs LIVE on MTV2 starting in March. The fast-rising Montana native will not only have a chance to compete for a $100,000 payday, but a title shot against current Bellator World Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez is also on the line.

Following a promising wrestling career in high school, "Cupcake" began to frequent a local boxing gym before ultimately settling on what he considers to be his destiny, mixed martial arts. Making his way to the professional circuit with thirteen victories as an amateur, Woodard has put together an unblemished record of 10-0 with 8 finishes to his credit, including six in the first round.

"I'm ready to go out there and do what I love to do, which is fight hard and fight the best guys that are out there," said Woodard. "I'm a really big fan of Eddie Alvarez and I would love to fight him. That would be a real step up. It would be like fighting my idol, so I plan on winning this tournament so I can fight him."

With his sights admittedly set on Alvarez and his Bellator World Championship belt, Woodward knows he can't look too far ahead, as the lightweight tournament is loaded with talent eager to cash in on the $100,000 prize.

"It doesn't matter who I fight in the first round of this tournament," Woodard said. "I'm pretty sure they're going to be a really tough fighter, so that's what I'm preparing for. I just can't wait to get in that cage and show people what I can do. Every time I fight, more and more people are able to see me in exciting fights. The more I fight, the more people will see me, and the longer I'll be able to compete in this sport."

Woodard joins "Razor" Rob McCullough, Carey Vanier, and Michael Chandler as confirmed participants in the upcoming Lightweight Tournament scheduled to air LIVE on MTV2.

[keithlewis]

Bellator Fighting Championships have reunited “The Pitbull Brothers,” as the promotion has confirmed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Patricky “Pitbull” Freire as a participant in the upcoming Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament, which will air LIVE on MTV2 starting in March. His brother Patricio “Pitbull” Freire has already been confirmed for the highly anticipated Bellator Season 4 Featherweight Tournament, which will also be held this season on MTV2.

Residing in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, Patricky currently trains out of Team Nogueira alongside his brother and many of the best fighters in the sport, including UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Strikeforce title-holders Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, and the Nogueira brothers, Antonio Rodrigo and Antonio Rogerio.

A 7-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu State Champion, 2-time Regional Brazilian State Champion, as well as a Kickboxing and Boxing State Champion, Patricky brings an impressive 7-1 record to Bellator, but never having fought outside of Brazil, Freire is thrilled to bring his game State side.

“I’m very anxious to show fans in the United States what I’m capable of,” said Freire. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to fight at a really high level, and now I will with Bellator. I have always trained and fought very hard, and now it’s time to test myself in deeper waters.”

“We’ve had our eye on Patricky for quite some time now, and it’s great to have both “Pitbull Brothers” fighting under the Bellator banner,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney.

With a stacked lightweight tournament lineup, Freire knows getting his shot at current Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez won’t be easy. But before he gets to Alvarez, Freire has his sights set on his first tournament opponent and a $100,000 payday.

Admittedly anxious to enter the Bellator cage for the first time, the talented 25-year-old Brazilian knockout artist makes no secret as to how this tournament can change his life, stating, “There were several times I thought about giving up on my fight career. It’s very hard to make money fighting in Brazil, but now I can see if you keep looking for your dream, you can make it happen.”

Freire joins Ferrid Kheder, Rob McCullough, Carey Vanier, Michael Chandler, and Lloyd Woodard as confirmed fighters for the Bellator Season 4 Lightweight Tournament, all of which will compete LIVE on MTV2 for the chance at $100,000 and a shot at the belt.