(PRESS RELEASE) -- SANTA MONICA, Calif. – A light heavyweight bout pitting Francis Carmont (23-10) against Philipe Lins (9-1) will determine an alternate for the 205-pound tournament at“Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” on September 19 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.
Additionally, the previously announced fight card features two Glory kickboxing title fights featuring Zack Mwekassa (13-2, 12 KO) and Saulo Cavalari (31-2, 19 KO) for the vacant Glory Light Heavyweight Championship as well as Gabriel Varga (26-2, 8 KO) defending his featherweight title against challenger Serhiy Adamchuck (29-5, 14 KO). Bellator MMA competitors Paul “Semtex” Daley (37-13-2) and Fernando “The Menifee Maniac” Gonzalez (24-13) will also be competing in Glory action, when they trade-in the MMA gloves for kickboxing gloves.
On the mixed martial arts side, Bellator MMA will also conduct a four-man, one-night light heavyweight tournament to determine the No. 1 contender in the division that includes the promotional debut of Phil Davis (13-3), as well as Emanuel Newton (25-8-1), Linton Vassell (15-4-1) and the return of Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (15-4, 1 NC). The winner of Carmont and Lins will stand-by in the instance that one of the four original competitors is unable to go in the tournament championship.
Be sure to watch “Bellator 141: Guillard vs. Girtz” tonight at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST on Spike to see which light heavyweights will square-off in the opening round of the light heavyweight tournament on September 19, as the bracket will be announced during the telecast.
“Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” airs live and free on Spike at 9/8c. Tickets for the historic event start at just $30 and are on sale now at the SAP Center box office and are also available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com.
Since signing with Bellator MMA in late 2014, Carmont has fought once for the Scott Coker-led promotion, defeating Guilherme Viana via unanimous decision at “Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao.” The Frenchman has finished 16 of his 23 wins as a professional and is a stalwart at the world-renown Tristar Gym in Montreal.
At 30-years-old, Lins has only lost once as a pro. The Nova Uniao-product has submitted both of his opponents in victory under the Bellator MMA banner and has truly earned the nickname of “Monstro.” Having fully recovered from a knee injury, Lins will be competing for the first time in more than a year, and will look to improve to 3-0 with the promotion.
“Bellator MMA: Dynamite 1” – Saturday, September 19 – SAP Center, San Jose, Calif.
Bellator Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Tito Ortiz (18-11) vs. © Liam McGeary (10-0)
Glory Vacant Light Heavyweight Title Fight: Saulo Cavalari (31-2) vs. Zack Mwekassa (13-2)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Competitors (first round pairings TBD): Phil Davis (13-3),
Emanuel Newton (25-8-1), Linton Vassell (15-4-1), Muhammed Lawal (15-4, 1 NC)
Glory Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (37-13-2 MMA/20-3 Kickboxing) vs. Fernando Gonzalez (24-13/1-2 Kickboxing)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Josh Thomson (20-8) vs. Mike Bronzoulis (18-8-1)
Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Alternate Bout: Francis Carmont (23-10) vs. Philipe Lins (9-1)
*Fight card subject to change
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About GLORY:
Founded in 2012, GLORY is owned and operated by GLORY Sports International (GSI), a professional martial arts organization and television content provider that maintains offices in New York, Denver, London, Amsterdam, and Singapore. GLORY programming is seen in over 170 territories. GLORY kickboxing rules are comprised of a mix of several combat disciplines including Karate, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do and traditional Boxing. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @GLORY_WS, and visit us online at gloryworldseries.com.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike's press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
About SAP Center in San Jose
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, SAP Center at San Jose is the premier sports and entertainment venue in Northern California. Each year, SAP Center hosts approximately 175 events featuring professional and amateur athletes, Olympic athletes, Grammy award-winners, international recording artists, and a variety of performers who appeal to children and families alike. SAP Center at San Jose is home to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League as well as the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League. For more information about SAP Center at San Jose and for a list of upcoming events, visit the SAP Center home page at www.sapcenter.com.