thePULSE
By Steph Moore
In 2005, Bjorn Rebney conceived of and developed Bellator Fighting Championships. His goal was to create a nationally and internationally televised mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion where fighters could control their own destiny and success through performance rather than being at the mercy of the antiquated, subjective matchmaking system that had ruled the sport of MMA since its infancy. Rebney’s dream ~ preserving the purity and integrity of the sport ~ was realized when the promotion debuted in 2009. Now in its fourth season, Bellator airs in over 80 million homes on MTV2 and features some of the best fighters the sport has to offer. Season 2 and 3 aired on Fox Sports Net, and Season 4 premiered in March of 2011 on MTV2. 
So ~ how does a mixed martial artist become part of the sport that is taking the fight world by storm? Bellator has a talent team constantly on the lookout for the best fighters, men and women who can continue to take Bellator to incredible limits. Open tryouts (like the one just held in New Jersey) attract talent from near and far; any professional fighter is welcome to come, and if he or she (yes, there is a women’s division of Bellator, with rules almost identical to those of the men’s division) is selected, there’s a chance to be featured in a future local fight for Bellator.
Once a fighter becomes part of the Bellator organization, the training begins. Regardless of whether the fighter is an expert in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a former UFC competitor, a collegiate wrestling star, or even a pro at boxing or striking, the daily training is extremely vigorous. The biggest struggle for most fighters is cutting weight. If a fighter has to weigh in at 170 pounds, for example, he may still be walking around at 185 lbs three or four weeks before a fight. That means he has to drop a lot of weight ~ and fast. The only way to accomplish that is to adhere to a strict and rigorous routine. As with other MMA organizations, and maybe even a bit more so, Bellator is not for the timid, the undisciplined, or the casual competitor.
Although only in its fourth season, the sport has already produced fighters whose names are household words to the Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team and ~ most importantly ~ to the fans. Right now, the biggest stars of Bellator are current Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez, Welterweight Champion Ben Askren, Featherweight Champion Joe Warren, Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard, and Season 4 Tournament Winners Michael Chandler and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.
Ready to experience Bellator Fighting Championships live and up-close? Head to Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT on Saturday, August 20. The show starts at 7:30pm and you’re not going to want to miss a second of the action.
Many thanks to Anthony Mazzuca
Photo: Mike Chandler def. Scott Stapp via TKO – Round 1, 1:57 – September 30th,2010 – L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort Lake Charles, LA
All photos courtesy of www.bellator.com
Comments are closed.