Bellator Fighting Championships will kick off it’s fifth season middleweight tournament on Sept. 17 with Bellator 50 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
In addition to the four tournament quarterfinal bouts on the main card which will air LIVE on MTV2, Bellator 50 will feature eight local feature fights on the preliminary card showcasing some of South Florida’s top talent.
Bellator 50’s local feature fight line-up is as follows:
Rad Martinez will face former Marine Sergeant Brian Van Hoven at middleweight. Luis “Baboon” Palomino will face Orlando’s Edson “Little Tiger” Berto at featherweight. Bellator tryouts winner and BJJ black belt Ailton Barbosa will take on Strikeforce veteran Ryan Keenan at welterweight.
Undefeated Cristiano “Soldier” Souza will face fireman and Miami native John Kelly at welterweight. American Top Team’s Marcos da Matta takes on Shah Babonis at featherweight. MMA Masters product Valdir Araujo will face Ryan Hodge of Gainesville in a middleweight grudge match.
Dietter Navarro takes on grappling specialist Marcelo Goncalves at lightweight. American Top Team’s J.P. Reese, a former University of Missouri wrestler, takes on R.J. Goodridge at lightweight.
Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney commented on the local feature fights line-up:
“I’ve said it before that Florida produces some of the best talent in the World, and that talent will certainly be on display September 17th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.”
For the full Bellator 50 fight card as it currently stands refer to ProMMAnow.com’s Upcoming Events page.