Bellator Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Championships
Mar 12, 2009
Bellator Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Championships Premiers at Hard
Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, April 3
Promotion’s Debut Event to Feature Standouts Eddie Alvarez and Jorge Masvidal
(PRESS RELEASE) -- Bellator Fighting Championships, the first mixed
martial arts (MMA) promotion to secure an exclusive agreement with
any member of the ESPN family of networks, announced that its debut
event will be held in Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock
Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida on April 3, 2009. The event
will air during prime time on April 4 on ESPN Deportes.
“We are thrilled to be premiering at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino,” said Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Hard Rock Live has a superb track record of hosting world-class, sold out MMA in their state of the art arena. And as South Florida has some of the most passionate MMA fans in the country, the Hard Rock is the perfect location for our debut. We look forward to showcasing our highly competitive single elimination tournament fights for Florida’s MMA fans and for the world through our alliance with ESPN Deportes.”
Tournament Bouts:
155 lbs. - Eddie Alvarez (16-2) vs. Daniel Morales (5-1)
155 lbs. - Jorge Masvidal (16-3) vs. Diego Garijo (3-1)
145 lbs. - Nick Gonzalez (14-6) vs. Yahir Reyes (12-5)
145 lbs. - Estevan Payan (6-1) vs. Luis Palomino (9-4)
145 lbs. - Joe Soto (4-0) vs. Ben Greer (11-4)
The bout between Alvarez and Morales pits an aggressive and hungry Alvarez against the notoriously tough Daniel Morales. Though Morales has only been to decision once, his bout with Alvarez marks a significant step up in competition for the former Cage of Fire Lightweight Champ.
Taking a similar step up in competition is Diego Garijo, a decorated grappler who is in the best condition of his career. He will face off against Miami’s own Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal is known for his strength and endurance at Lightweight and with Garijo’s stellar conditioning, their bout promises to be a strong contender for fight of the night.
The event will also feature exciting matchups in the Featherweight division, including Nick Gonzalez who will compete against Yahir Reyes. As both are tremendous stand up fighters, this battle will likely be the best match up of striking skills of the division. Estevan Payan and Luis Palomino are set to compete in the Featherweight division as well. With aggressive, “in your face” styles, Payan and Palomino are expected to give tough fights until the end. The Featherweight matchup between Joe Soto and Ben Greer will be an interesting technical battle. Both are dominant wrestlers with solid jiu-jitsu backgrounds; their fight promises to be a true test of who rules on the ground.
“Mixed Martial Arts continues to be a phenomenon in the world of sports as it continues to explode in popularity and has become premium sports entertainment. South Florida is one of the strongest markets in the country for MMA fans and bringing this new concept by Bellator to Hard Rock Live is something we’re really excited about,” said Bernie Dillon, Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Bellator Fighting Championships’ premiere season consists of 12 two-hour events to be broadcast weekly in primetime on Saturday nights. The nationally televised events will feature a combination of tournament and non-tournament special feature bouts. There will be four simultaneous tournaments taking place in season #1 over a three month period: one in each of the Featherweight (145 lb.), Lightweight (155 lb.), Welterweight (170 lb.) and Middleweight (185 lb.) divisions.
Tickets cost $150, $100, $50 & $25*; all seats are reserved and available at the Hard Rock Live Box Office, open Monday – Saturday from noon to 7pm and on Sunday – only open on event days at noon. Tickets also are available at all Ticketmaster outlets online at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Doors open one-hour prior to show start time. *Additional fees may apply.
For more information about Bellator Fighting Championships, visit www.bellator.com. A Spanish version of the website, www.BellatorEspanol.com, will be launching in March 2009.
About Bellator Fighting Championships
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company with offices in Los Angeles and Chicago. Bellator’s founders, Bjorn Rebney and Brad Epstein, are experienced fighting sports and entertainment professionals 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 (including Rob Beiner, winner of 12 Emmy awards for sports programming), fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.
About Hard Rock Live
Hard Rock Live, a spectacular state-of-the-art facility has quickly emerged as the entertainment capital of South Florida. Attracting music, comedy and sports fans, this 5,500-seat indoor arena further expands the ultimate entertainment experience at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. For more information please visit www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com.
About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino provides quality guest experiences where South Floridians can play, stay, dine, and shop. Eighty-seven tables offer Blackjack, Baccarat, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, and Let it Ride on a nearly three-acre casino floor. Play one of the more than 2,300 Vegas-style slots including the Native-American casino linked Multi-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Separate high-limit rooms for table games and slots, in addition to a non-smoking room are available for guests to enjoy. Loyal Player’s Club members experience an exclusive VIP Plum Lounge and celebrity show kitchen. Convene in The Poker Room at Seminole Paradise for Texas Hold‘em, limit Texas Hold ’em, Seven Card Stud and two dollar and four dollar limit Omaha Hi Lo games. The AAA, Four Diamond rated resort showcases 500 luxurious guest rooms, 16 restaurants and lounges, 40,000-square-feet of meeting room space, a European-style spa, auto salon, 23 retail shops, 11 nightclubs, Paradise Live, and Hard Rock Live. Located on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) in Hollywood, Florida. Take I-95, exit Stirling Rd. and travel west to 1 Seminole Way. For more information, call (954) 327-ROCK, 1 800-937-0010 or visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com.
Promotion’s Debut Event to Feature Standouts Eddie Alvarez and Jorge Masvidal
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“We are thrilled to be premiering at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino,” said Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Hard Rock Live has a superb track record of hosting world-class, sold out MMA in their state of the art arena. And as South Florida has some of the most passionate MMA fans in the country, the Hard Rock is the perfect location for our debut. We look forward to showcasing our highly competitive single elimination tournament fights for Florida’s MMA fans and for the world through our alliance with ESPN Deportes.”
The event will feature tournament bouts in the Featherweight (145
lbs.), Lightweight (155 lbs.) and Middleweight (185 lbs.)
divisions, showcasing two of the world’s best Lightweights (Eddie
Alvarez and Jorge Masvidal) as well as featured non-tournament
bouts and a top women’s fight highlighting Miami’s own Jessica
Aguilar, an American Top Team fighter who has established a 5-2
record.
Tournament Bouts:
155 lbs. - Eddie Alvarez (16-2) vs. Daniel Morales (5-1)
155 lbs. - Jorge Masvidal (16-3) vs. Diego Garijo (3-1)
145 lbs. - Nick Gonzalez (14-6) vs. Yahir Reyes (12-5)
145 lbs. - Estevan Payan (6-1) vs. Luis Palomino (9-4)
145 lbs. - Joe Soto (4-0) vs. Ben Greer (11-4)
The bout between Alvarez and Morales pits an aggressive and hungry Alvarez against the notoriously tough Daniel Morales. Though Morales has only been to decision once, his bout with Alvarez marks a significant step up in competition for the former Cage of Fire Lightweight Champ.
Taking a similar step up in competition is Diego Garijo, a decorated grappler who is in the best condition of his career. He will face off against Miami’s own Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal is known for his strength and endurance at Lightweight and with Garijo’s stellar conditioning, their bout promises to be a strong contender for fight of the night.
The event will also feature exciting matchups in the Featherweight division, including Nick Gonzalez who will compete against Yahir Reyes. As both are tremendous stand up fighters, this battle will likely be the best match up of striking skills of the division. Estevan Payan and Luis Palomino are set to compete in the Featherweight division as well. With aggressive, “in your face” styles, Payan and Palomino are expected to give tough fights until the end. The Featherweight matchup between Joe Soto and Ben Greer will be an interesting technical battle. Both are dominant wrestlers with solid jiu-jitsu backgrounds; their fight promises to be a true test of who rules on the ground.
“Mixed Martial Arts continues to be a phenomenon in the world of sports as it continues to explode in popularity and has become premium sports entertainment. South Florida is one of the strongest markets in the country for MMA fans and bringing this new concept by Bellator to Hard Rock Live is something we’re really excited about,” said Bernie Dillon, Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Bellator Fighting Championships’ premiere season consists of 12 two-hour events to be broadcast weekly in primetime on Saturday nights. The nationally televised events will feature a combination of tournament and non-tournament special feature bouts. There will be four simultaneous tournaments taking place in season #1 over a three month period: one in each of the Featherweight (145 lb.), Lightweight (155 lb.), Welterweight (170 lb.) and Middleweight (185 lb.) divisions.
Tickets cost $150, $100, $50 & $25*; all seats are reserved and available at the Hard Rock Live Box Office, open Monday – Saturday from noon to 7pm and on Sunday – only open on event days at noon. Tickets also are available at all Ticketmaster outlets online at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Doors open one-hour prior to show start time. *Additional fees may apply.
For more information about Bellator Fighting Championships, visit www.bellator.com. A Spanish version of the website, www.BellatorEspanol.com, will be launching in March 2009.
About Bellator Fighting Championships
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company with offices in Los Angeles and Chicago. Bellator’s founders, Bjorn Rebney and Brad Epstein, are experienced fighting sports and entertainment professionals 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 (including Rob Beiner, winner of 12 Emmy awards for sports programming), fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.
About Hard Rock Live
Hard Rock Live, a spectacular state-of-the-art facility has quickly emerged as the entertainment capital of South Florida. Attracting music, comedy and sports fans, this 5,500-seat indoor arena further expands the ultimate entertainment experience at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. For more information please visit www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com.
About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino provides quality guest experiences where South Floridians can play, stay, dine, and shop. Eighty-seven tables offer Blackjack, Baccarat, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, and Let it Ride on a nearly three-acre casino floor. Play one of the more than 2,300 Vegas-style slots including the Native-American casino linked Multi-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Separate high-limit rooms for table games and slots, in addition to a non-smoking room are available for guests to enjoy. Loyal Player’s Club members experience an exclusive VIP Plum Lounge and celebrity show kitchen. Convene in The Poker Room at Seminole Paradise for Texas Hold‘em, limit Texas Hold ’em, Seven Card Stud and two dollar and four dollar limit Omaha Hi Lo games. The AAA, Four Diamond rated resort showcases 500 luxurious guest rooms, 16 restaurants and lounges, 40,000-square-feet of meeting room space, a European-style spa, auto salon, 23 retail shops, 11 nightclubs, Paradise Live, and Hard Rock Live. Located on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) in Hollywood, Florida. Take I-95, exit Stirling Rd. and travel west to 1 Seminole Way. For more information, call (954) 327-ROCK, 1 800-937-0010 or visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com.
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