SANTA MONICA (2月 6, 2015) - Bellator MMAはの署名を発表することを誇りに思って Chris “The Crippler” Leben (22-11) 排他的な複数年に, マルチ戦い契約. The former World Extreme Cagefighting Middleweight World Champion has fought professionally since 2002, and holds the record for most fights in the UFC at 185-pounds (22).

 

Since taking a break from the sport in 2014, Leben has resided in San Diego, カリフ. and served as a coach at Victory MMA & フィットネス. Known for his tendency to put on an exciting show each and every time he enters the cage, Leben was a member of the inaugural cast of “The Ultimate Fighter” alongside fellow Bellator MMA competitors Stephan Bonnar と ジョシュ·コスチェック. The 35-year-old has fought elite talent throughout his mixed martial arts tenure, against names the likes of: ヴァンダレイ・シウバ, アンデウソン·シウバ, ブライアン・スタン, マイケル·ビスピン, パトリック・コート, マーク·ムニョス, and Bellator MMA’s own アレッシオ・サカラ.

 

“If I were to draw up the prototypical Bellator MMA competitor, there would be parts of Chris [生活] in there,「Bellator MMA社長スコット·コーカーは述べて. “The guy has never had a boring fight and as I’ve said from day one, we’re going to continue to grow from the ground up and buy from the top down. I know that Chris still has a lot of fight left in him and I’m excited to see him fight We are hoping to see his Bellator debut this Spring.”

 

“Focusing on just coaching at Victory MMA has been amazing, but recently, I started to get the itch to compete again,” Leben said. “So I extended an olive branch to the people at Bellator and here I am. 私は偉大な形でね, I love the possible matchups this roster has to offer and I’m ready to show the world why they call me ‘The Crippler.’”

 

Leben joins a budding roster of Bellator MMA talent, with recent signings that include: ベンソン·ヘンダーソン, アナスタシアヤンコバ, リナ・オービニーコバ, と セルゲイ·ハリトーノフ.

 

It has yet to be determined what weight class Leben will compete at, but when asked what division he hopes to settle in, Leben made it clear: “I’ll go wherever the big fights are.”