Bellator set for well-Warren-ted return to the Lone Star State
Aug 14, 2015 Comments
(PRESS RELEASE) -- SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Joe Warren’s
(12-4) road to reclaim the Bellator MMA Bantamweight Championship
will begin on Friday, September 25 against L.C. Davis,
(23-6) when the two meet at the promotion’s debut at State Farm
Arena in Hidalgo, Texas.
In addition, Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) will face Kendall Grove (21-15, 1 NC) in an explosive middleweight encounter.
The contests serve as the headlining and co-headlining bouts of
"Bellator 143: Warren vs. Davis," which airs live on Spike at 9
p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com
at 7 p.m. ET.
Tickets for Bellator 143, which start at just $20, go on sale this Friday, August 14 at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office, with a special Bellator Nation presale available on the 12th and 13th for fans using the code: Bellator. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Warren is a two-division champion who also served as a coach during the inaugural season of “Fight Master.” In addition to his win over the current bantamweight champion Marcos Galvao, the Olympic-caliber wrestler has defeated an impressive list of fighters including Georgi Karakhanyan, Patricio Freire, and Eduardo Dantas since taking up the sport of mixed martial arts in 2009.
Davis was one half of arguably the best MMA contest thus far in 2015 when he faced Hideo Tokoro at “Bellator 135: “Warren vs. Galvao 2.” The former World Extreme Cagefighting and Affliction standout has nearly double the amount of fight experience than “The Baddest Man on the Planet” boasts, and has emerged victorious in seven of his last eight professional contests.
It’s safe to assume that whoever emerges the winner on September 25th will have plenty to say about whether their next bout should come with championship gold on the line.
Since entering the Bellator MMA fray in 2013, Beltran has competed against some of the best light heavyweights the promotion has to offer, with matchups against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko, Emanuel “The Hardcore Kid” Newton. After transitioning to middleweight at “Bellator 136: Brooks vs. Jansen” in April, “Mexicutioner” emerged victorious from an enthralling encounter against Brian “The Predator” Rogers with the majority decision.
The San Diego, Calif., native has finished 13 of his 16 victories as a professional and will look to extend his current winning streak when he returns to the Bellator MMA cage.
Competing professionally since 2003, Grove has been involved in some epic matchups, including his most recent effort against Brandon Halsey at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove” in May. At only 32-years-old, “Da Spyder” hopes that a win against another prolific striker like Beltran will serve him well in his pursuit of Bellator MMA gold.
Will the high-towering Hawaiian manage to submit Beltran for only the second time in his mixed martial arts run? If there is anyone capable of such a feat, it’s the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt accredited Grove.
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, 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 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.
In addition, Joey Beltran (16-11, 1 NC) will face Kendall Grove (21-15, 1 NC) in an explosive middleweight encounter.
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Tickets for Bellator 143, which start at just $20, go on sale this Friday, August 14 at Ticketmaster.com and the State Farm Arena box office, with a special Bellator Nation presale available on the 12th and 13th for fans using the code: Bellator. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
“Mixed martial arts has a rich history in the state of Texas and
Bellator looks forward to returning to the Lone Star State for the
first time since 2012 with a stacked card in tow,” Bellator MMA
President Scott Coker said. “Joe Warren
has been itching to get back in action and return to the 135-pound
title chase, while L.C. Davis has
momentum on his side since his ‘Fight of the Year’ caliber matchup
against Hideo Tokoro
in March. I’m truly looking forward to it.”
Warren is a two-division champion who also served as a coach during the inaugural season of “Fight Master.” In addition to his win over the current bantamweight champion Marcos Galvao, the Olympic-caliber wrestler has defeated an impressive list of fighters including Georgi Karakhanyan, Patricio Freire, and Eduardo Dantas since taking up the sport of mixed martial arts in 2009.
Davis was one half of arguably the best MMA contest thus far in 2015 when he faced Hideo Tokoro at “Bellator 135: “Warren vs. Galvao 2.” The former World Extreme Cagefighting and Affliction standout has nearly double the amount of fight experience than “The Baddest Man on the Planet” boasts, and has emerged victorious in seven of his last eight professional contests.
It’s safe to assume that whoever emerges the winner on September 25th will have plenty to say about whether their next bout should come with championship gold on the line.
Since entering the Bellator MMA fray in 2013, Beltran has competed against some of the best light heavyweights the promotion has to offer, with matchups against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko, Emanuel “The Hardcore Kid” Newton. After transitioning to middleweight at “Bellator 136: Brooks vs. Jansen” in April, “Mexicutioner” emerged victorious from an enthralling encounter against Brian “The Predator” Rogers with the majority decision.
The San Diego, Calif., native has finished 13 of his 16 victories as a professional and will look to extend his current winning streak when he returns to the Bellator MMA cage.
Competing professionally since 2003, Grove has been involved in some epic matchups, including his most recent effort against Brandon Halsey at “Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove” in May. At only 32-years-old, “Da Spyder” hopes that a win against another prolific striker like Beltran will serve him well in his pursuit of Bellator MMA gold.
Will the high-towering Hawaiian manage to submit Beltran for only the second time in his mixed martial arts run? If there is anyone capable of such a feat, it’s the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt accredited Grove.
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, 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 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.
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