Hawaii’s Mark Oshiro added to Bellator’s Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament

CHICAGO, Ill. (May 5, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships looked ahead to its third season today with the announcement that EliteXC veteran Mark Oshiro will join Bellator’s Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament.

Oshiro, who is regarded as one of Hawaii’s top MMA prospects, comes to Bellator with a 12-2 overall record including a perfect 3-0 mark in EliteXC. He is known for a powerful and well-rounded attack that has seen him finish five fights via TKO and six via submission. His only two losses have come by decision.

Oshiro is the second conformed competitor in the Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament along with 9-2-1 Midwest mainstay Danny Tims, who earned the first spot in the tournament by virtue of his win over Brian Davidson at Bellator 16 in Kansas City last week. Bellator Season 3 kicks off on Aug. 12th and will once again be televised on FOX Sports Net, NBC, Telemundo and mun2.

“Mark Oshiro is a great fighter for our upcoming 135 lbs. tournament,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “He is a very talented striker who also has a great ground game. I look forward to seeing him fight in our tournament beginning in August.”


The 26-year-old Oshiro (he turns 27 later this month) was born and raised in Hawaii and took up MMA about six years ago at the recommendation of his cousin. When not training, he works as a civilian contractor for the federal government working as an electrician on submarines in the Pearl Harbor ship yard.

In the cage, he says he brings a “well-rounded approach” that includes wrestling, jiu-jitsu and boxing.

“I’m the kind of guy who wants to finish the fight as fast as possible,” he said. “I’m not the kind of guy who’s gonna try to grind it out for three rounds.”

He said he hopes his inclusion in Bellator’s third season will help bring recognition to the high level of MMA talent on the Hawaiian islands.

“There’s a lot of great fighters here – especially a lot of great stand-up fighters,” he said. “We just don’t have the same exposure as the mainland fighters. I see Bellator as a great new organization that’s really starting to get a lot of great fighters and a lot of attention. I look forward to growing together with them.”

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