Bellator FCBellator MMA (Bellator) is the 2nd largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion in the USA and the largest tournament-based MMA organization in the world. Headquartered in Newport Beach, California, the company was formed in 2008 by Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. Bellator’s events are primarily structured around tournaments. The tournament winner is declared the number one contender in their respective weight class, and is awarded a check for $100,000 and a shot at the reigning Bellator champion. Bellator uses the motto “The Toughest Tournament In Sports” Bellator FC now airs on Spike TV Thursday nights!
Going to be a huge card for a Bellator show, best one I have seen without a title fight. Wonder if the actual fights will live up to the names on the card. Heh, they said 'Bellator 61' so many times in the article they accidentally put it at the bottom instead of 66.
Following this past weekend's opening round, the season-six lightweight tournament now continues with a semifinal round at next month's Bellator 66 event in Ohio.
The final-four matchups include Rick Hawn (12-1 MMA, 4-1 BFC) vs. Lloyd Woodard (12-1 MMA, 2-1 BFC) and Thiago Michel (10-2 MMA, 1-0 BFC) vs. Brent Weedman (19-7-1 MMA, 5-2 BFC).
The two winners meet later this season to determine a tourney champion and the next lightweight title challenger.
Bellator 66 takes place April 20 at the I-X Center in Cleveland. The event's main card airs on MTV2 (and in high-definition on EPIX) while preliminary-card fights stream on Spike.com. Eddie Alvarez meets Shinya Aoki in the headliner.
The welterweight-tournament fights, as well as the semifinal round of the season-six middleweight tourney, all are part of the main card.
Hawn, a 2004 Olympic judoka, competed in the season-four welterweight tournament and posted a runner-up finish to Jay Hieron after suffering his first career loss (via split decision). For season six, Hawn decided to drop a weight class and topped Ricardo Tirloni with a first-round knockout this past weekend at Bellator 62.
He takes on Woodard, a season-four lightweight-tourney semifinalist who lost to eventual tourney winner and new champ Michael Chandler. Woodard, who's perhaps better known by his "Cupcake" nickname, was the talk of the weekend after he battered and then submitted tourney favorite Patricky "Pitbull" Freire in his season-six opening-round bout.
In the other bracket, Michel looks to build on his opening-round split-decision win over Rene Nazare at Bellator 62. It marked the first decision win for the Brazilian and Bellator newcomer, whose first nine victories came via knockout.
He takes on Weedman, whose first two Bellator tournaments took place at welterweight and ended with defeats to Hieron and Chris Lozano. With his drop to lightweight, Weedman submitted J.J. Ambrose with a Von Flue choke in his opening-round matchup this past weekend.
What the hell. Eddie was faking the uppercut, then Aoki throws an overhand right and gives it to him for free. I see what you want to do, so I'll put my face exactly where you need it...
MAIN CARD RESULTS
Eddie Alvarez def. Shinya Aoki via TKO (strikes) - Round 1, 2:14
Andreas Spang def. Brian Rogers via knockout (punches) - Round 2, 3:34 - middleweight tourney semifinal
Maiquel Falcao def. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-29) - middleweight tourney semifinal
Rick Hawn def. Lloyd Woodard via KO (punch) - Round 2, 0:10 - lightweight tourney semifinal
Brent Weedman def. Thiago Michel via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) - lightweight tourney semifinal
PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS
Jessica Eye def. Anita Rodriguez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
John Hawk def. Marcus Vanttinen via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Attila Vegh def. Dan Spohn via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Frank Carabello def. Donny Walker via knockout (flying knee) - Round 4, 2:25
Julian Lane def. Joe Heiland via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 2:49
Bellator FC 66: Eddie Alvarez-Shinya Aoki rematch set for April
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