WINNER TO BE CROWNED NEW BELLATOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

لاس اینجلس – Bellator has announced plans to host a year-long grand prix heavyweight tournament in 2018 featuring eight of the roster’s biggest stars with the winner becoming the new Bellator world heavyweight champion. The Bellator MMA World Grand Prix 2018 Heavyweight Tournament will air on the soon-to-launch Paramount Network.

 

The star-studded list of participants includes newly signed کوئنٹن "غصہ" جیکسن (37-12), رائے نیلسن (23-14), Chael Sonnen (30-15-1),فرینک میر (18-11), “King Mo” (21-6, 1 این سی), سے fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 این سی), میٹ Mitrione (12-5) and Bellator light heavyweight champion ریان بدر (24-5).

 

Spanning multiple events and locations throughout 2018, the three-round tournament allows for matchups never before thought possible and will ultimately crown a new Bellator heavyweight champion. پہلے, Bellator President Scott Coker orchestrated the most recent successful heavyweight tournament in mixed martial arts with the STRIKEFORCE Heavyweight Grand Prix that spanned from 2011-12.

 

Matchups, dates and locations for the single-elimination grand prix will be determined shortly, as will tournament alternates who will be available to fill in due to any unforeseen circumstances.

 

A five-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, “Rampage’s” legendary career has seen him compete against some of the top names in the sport, generating a loyal army of fans along the way. The former PRIDE and UFC champion is the proud owner of many epic highlight reel slams and knockouts that he has racked up throughout his epic battles with the likes of Chuck Liddell, Dan Henderson, “King Mo,” Kevin Randleman and, perhaps most-notably, his trilogy with fellow Bellator athlete Wanderlei سلوا.

 

لاس ویگاس کی وجہ سے لڑنے, Roy Nelson made his Bellator debut earlier this year with a hard-fought victory over Javy Ayala میں following an eight-year, 19-fight run with UFC that saw him earn wins over Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, “Bigfoot” Silva and Cheick Kongo. “Big Country” also memorably defeated the late Kimbo سلائس and later went on to win season 10 کے الٹی فائٹر. سے 19 کی اس کی 22 کیریئر کے ناک آؤٹ یا جمع کرانے کی راہ کی طرف سے آنے والے جیت, the long-time fan-favorite looks to add a championship to his impressive resume.

 

Chael Sonnen spent a majority of his 44-fight career with the UFC and WEC, a run that saw him defeat former middleweight champion Michael Bisping, and compete against the likes of Jon Jones, اینڈرسن سلوا (دو بار), Rashad Evans, “Shogun” Rua, Demian Maia and Brian Stann. In addition to his in-ring action, the West Linn, Ore. native has mastered the art of being in front of the camera, having done broadcast work for both ESPN and Fox Sports. Following a three-year hiatus from active MMA competition, Sonnen returned to the cage against ٹیٹو Ortiz کی میں لڑائی 170 in January and then went on to defeat Wanderlei Silva in the main event of لڑائی: NYC.

 

فرینک میر مندرجہ ذیل اس سال کے اوائل لڑائی میں شمولیت اختیار کی 15 years under in the UFC where he became a two-time world champion, جمع 16 victories and defeated the who’s who of heavyweight contenders, بروک Lesnar سمیت, "میں Bigfoot" سلوا, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Roy Nelson. لاس ویگاس کی وجہ سے لڑنے, اپنے سابق فروغ کے ساتھ مقابلہ کرتے ہوئے میر متعدد ریکارڈ قائم, سب سے زیادہ لڑائی کی طرف سے روشنی ڈالی (27), فتوحات (16), اور گذارشات (8) ہیویویٹ تاریخ میں. سے 14 کی اس کی 18 کیریئر کے ناک آؤٹ یا جمع کرانے کی راہ کی طرف سے آنے والے جیت, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt will now try his hand in Bellator’s heavyweight division.

 

“King Mo” will again fight at heavyweight and look to build off his success within the division following recent wins against Satoshi Ishii and Cheick Kongo. A winner in nine out of his last 11 لڑائی, the 36-year-old will look to claim heavyweight gold in 2018 and add to his championship collection that already includes a STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title. The “Moneyweight” fighter owns additional wins over لنٹن Vassell, Gegard Mousasi, Roger Gracie and has split a pair of bouts with “Rampage” Jackson with their series tied at one win each.

 

ایک سابق فخر چیمپئن, "آخری شہنشاہ" کھیل دیکھا ہے سب سے زیادہ احترام اور معزز ہیویویٹ جنگجوؤں میں سے ایک ہے. پتھر چہرے اور پرسکون, Emelianenko ایم ایم اے کی تاریخ میں سب سے زیادہ متاثر کن ناقابل شکست لکیروں میں سے ایک دعوی, کے درمیان ایک مککیبازی کھونے نہیں 2001 اور 2009. ایم ایم اے اور سامبو میں ایک کثیر بار عالمی چیمپئن, fedor کی حال ہی میں ایک مختصر وقفے کے بعد کھیل کے لئے واپس آ, accumulating two decisive wins since his return to action and competing against Matt Mitrione in an instant classic at لڑائی: NYC.

 

Matt Mitrione remains poised to make an impact in the Bellator heavyweight division following three knockout wins since signing with Bellator in 2016, including a first-round KO of Fedor Emelianenko at لڑائی NYC this June. The Illinois native and standout defensive end at Purdue University earned All-Big Ten honors in 2000 and subsequently earned his way into the NFL where he played six seasons as a member of the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings. Mitrione ultimately found his way into MMA where he became a high-level competitor, defeating the likes of the late Kimbo Slice, Derrick Lewis and Gabriel Gonzaga.

 

Bader will make his third appearance for Bellator and first since defending his light heavyweight championship at لڑائی 186. Fighting out of Tempe, ایریزونا., Bader began his professional career on an impressive run, steamrolling the competition en route to a 12-fight winning streak and winning one of the most competitive seasons of الٹی فائٹر in franchise history on Spike in 2008. “Darth” continued his path of dominance by collecting 15 over some of the 105-pound division’s top talent, including victories over former world champions Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Rashad Evans, as well as two wins over فل ڈیوس. Currently riding a four-fight winning streak with victories in nine of his past ten bouts, the former two-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler from Arizona State University will look to become a current two-division champion in Bellator MMA.

 

Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix Participants:

Bellator World Light Heavyweight Champion ریان بدر (24-5)

سے fedor Emelianenko (36-5, 1 این سی)

کوئنٹن "غصہ" جیکسن (37-12)

“King Mo” Lawal کی (21-6, 1 این سی)

فرینک میر (18-11)

میٹ Mitrione (12-5)

رائے نیلسن (23-14)

Chael Sonnen (30-15-1)

 

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