Event will be broadcast to virtually every home in the U.S. via NBC, FOX Sports Net, Telemundo and mun2

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 20, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships, the fist-of-its-kind tournament-style mixed martial arts promotion will bring its world-class, nationally-televised brand of MMA to the Lone Star State next month.


The event—which will be broadcast LIVE and in prime time across the country on FOX Sports Net and during special weekend highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and mun2—takes place on Thursday, May 20th at the Verizon Theatre (formerly the Nokia Theatre) in Grand Prairie, Texas.


Tickets go on sale this Friday, April 23rd at 1 p.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or on the Web at http://www.ticketmaster.com/.


The event includes a special Bellator Super Fight between reigning Bellator Featherweight Champion Joe Soto and former UFC contender Diego “The Octopus” Saraiva.


“Bellator is thrilled at the opportunity to bring our innovative, nationally televised tournament-style mixed martial arts events to the many millions of passionate MMA fans in Texas,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Joe Soto has established himself as one of the top featherweights in the world and this fight versus Diego should be a war. Additionally, we have two Bellator semifinal tournament bouts in the welterweight division and five other world class fights on this card. It should be a great night.”


Bellator, which became the first MMA promotion in history to be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks during its highly successful first season, announced late last year that it had formed a groundbreaking new TV distribution alliance for its second season that reaches virtually every home in the U.S. Bellator Season 2 began on Thursday, April 8th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Bellator Season 3 begins August 12th. Both seasons run for 12 consecutive weeks.


Bellator has also formed strategic venue alliances with Madison Square Garden, the Cordish Company and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, among others, during 2010. In addition, the company has secured promotional alliances with UB.net and the 100-year-old athletic equipment and apparel company Everlast.



For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator.