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Additional Tickets Released For Previously Sold Out Bellator 44


Bellator Fighting Championships today announced additional tickets for Bellator 44 in Atlantic City have been made available to the public after the event had previously sold out. Tickets for the event start at just $45 and can be purchased at Bellator.com or by visiting Ticketmaster.com

"We saw a tremendous response from our fans when we originally put tickets on sale, so we wanted to do everything in our power to make sure everyone who wanted to see this stacked card live, had that chance," said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. "May 14th is going to be a spectacular night for Bellator LIVE on MTV2 and live at Caesars, and I'm looking forward to enjoying the night with as many energized fans as we can accommodate Saturday night in Atlantic City."

Headlining the May 14th show will be a non-title Super Fight featuring reigning Bellator World Middleweight Champion and former Judo Olympian Hector Lombard against dangerous Hawaiian UFC veteran Falaniko Vitale. The night will also see a Lightweight Tournament Championship fight between Brazilian Knockout artist Patricky Pitbull and undefeated NCAA Champion Michael Chandler.

Locally, former TUF competitor and New Jersey native Jeff Lentz will face off against Bellator and Strikeforce veteran Anthony Leone in a lightweight battle. Philadelphia native Sam Oropeza will be making his Bellator debut when he takes on Giedrius Karavackas, who now calls Atlantic City home. Raised in Philadelphia, Oropeza trains with Bellator Lightweight World Champion Eddie Alvarez, and will be looking to impress Bellator brass with an explosive performance.

Tickets are on sale now at Bellator.com or by visiting Ticketmaster.com.

Knockout artist Brett “Fudoshin” Cooper (13-6) will go to war with Bellator season 2 middleweight (185) winner Alexander Shlemenko (38-7) in the second televised fight of the evening on MTV2 when Bellator Fighting Championships (MMA) hits Caesars Atlantic City Hotel and Casino in New Jersey on May 14.

During the recent Bellator 43 live broadcast on May 7, 2011, CEO and founder Bjorn Rebney made an appearance in-between bouts with Jimmy Smith where he made the following comment, “Styles make fights and the style of this fight is head on collision. Neither one of these guys know how to take a step backwards. That should be electricity. Don’t blink in that fight.”

Bellator commentator Jimmy Smith also provided some positive statements regarding this fight when he said, “The people that actually work at Bellator were all looking forward to Shlemenko vs. Cooper because of the fight we all know we are going to see. That is going to be a fan friendly fight.”

Brett’s return to the Bellator cage will be his first appearance of the year since fighting nearly 6 months ago in September where he knocked out Keith “KO Kid” Berry (10-6) in the first ten seconds of round one.

The 23-year-old Cooper, who lives in Long Beach, Calif., has won 9 of his past eleven bouts while scoring knockout victories over former UFC fighter Jason Von Flue (14-12), current UFC veteran Rory Markham (16-6), Patrick Speight (7-3) at Affliction: Day of Reckoning along with Brazilian protégé Sergio Moraes (5-1) in the main event at Jungle Fight 16 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

Brett’s transition to Kings MMA and Reign training facilities has given him the opportunity to fine tune his skills with some of the sports most talented representatives. At Reign, he trains under UFC middleweight contender Mark Munoz (10-2) with fighters such as Krysztof Soszynski (25-11-1), Jason “Mayhem” Miller (24-7), former MFC light heavyweight Emmanuel Newton (14-6-1) and former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion “King” Mo Lawal (7-1) while at Kings MMA he works out with Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) and former UFC light heavyweight champion Renato Sobral (36-9).

Bellator Fighting Championships 44 will take place on May 14, 2011 at Caesars Atlantic City Hotel and Casino in New Jersey and will be televised on MTV2. For more information about Brett Cooper please visit http://www.brettcoopermma.com.

Bellator FC 44 - Weigh-Ins Results


Jamall Johnson (213.5 lbs) vs. Randy Smith (255.5 lbs)
Gemiyale Adkins (186 lbs) vs. Jay Silva (185.5 lbs)
Jeff Lentz (146 lbs) vs. Anthony Leone (146.5 lbs)*
Giedrius Karavackas (169.5 lbs) vs. Sam Oropeza (170.5 lbs)


Alexander Shlemenko (186 lbs) vs. Brett Cooper (185.5 lbs)
Bryan Goldsby (135 lbs) vs. Anthony Morrison (146.5 lbs)**
Patricky Freire (155 lbs) vs. Michael Chandler (156 lbs)
Hector Lombard (185 lbs) vs. Falaniko Vitale (185.5 lbs)


* Made weight after originally coming in a half-pound heavy
** Fight was cancelled due to Morrison being grossly overweight

Chandler Earns Season 4 Lightweight Championship and $100,000





Atlantic City, NJ. (May 14, 2011) - In front of a sold out crowd, Bellator Fighting Championships crowned a new Lightweight Tournament Champion in Michael Chandler. Broadcast LIVE on MTV2 from Caesars in Atlantic City, NJ, Bellator 44 didn't disappoint, as fans and viewers enjoyed another spectacular event. In addition to Chandler's victory over Brazilian Knockout artist Patricky Pitbull and the $100,000 that goes with it, Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard added another knockout win and Alexander Shlemenko earned his way into the Season 5 Middleweight Tournament.

"I was hugely impressed with the performances our fighters put forth in our cage tonight," said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. "The Pitbull-Chandler fight was an epic battle that had the audience out of their seats. Mike Chandler is a very special talent at 155. And, Lombard's one-punch knockout was another Youtube KO for our Middleweight Champion. A great crowd got to see great fights live here at Caesars."

Chandler entered the cage with confidence and an undefeated record, and elected to stand with the dangerous Patricky. It wasn't long; however, before the NCAA wrestling standout forced the fight to the ground. The back and forth action took more of a toll on Patricky, as Chandler looked more energetic as the fight wound down. Despite losing a point for three low blows, Chandler impressed enough to win the decision and a shot against current Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez in what's sure to be a highly anticipated main event.

In a Middleweight Non-Title Super Fight, Hawaiian born and UFC veteran Falaniko Vitale faced off against one of the most feared power-punchers and Bellator Middleweight World Champion Hector Lombard, the World Middleweight Champion. The fight started slow but one heavy punch from the former Cuban Judo Olympian changed that and put Falaniko down for good. In the end, Lombard's pre-fight comment that it would be just "another day at the office" proved true.

In another heavily anticipated fight and Season 5 Middleweigt tournament qualifier, hard-hitting Brett Cooper took on Bellator Season 2 Tournament Champion Alexander Shlemenko. Cooper remained aggressive throughout but caught one too many spinning back fists from the unorthodox Russian striker. Shlemenko punched his ticket to Bellator's next Middleweight tournament with a unanimous decision victory.


Official Main Card Results:

Michael Chandler def. Patricky Pitbull by Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

Hector Lombard def. Falaniko Vitale by KO (0:54, Round 3)

Alexander Shlemenko def. Brett Cooper by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-28, 29-28)

Good fights last night. I would like to Lombard in the UFC.