CHICAGO, Ill. (April 16, 2011) — Bellator Fighting Championships will make their 2012 Summer Series debut from The Mountain State when the promotion brings Bellator 71 to The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in Chester, West Virginia on June 22. Bellator 71 will feature the quarterfinals of the Bellator Summer Series Light Heavyweight Tournament, along with a host of preliminary fights.
Tickets for the event are now on sale and can be purchased online at Etix.com or by visiting The Mountaineer Casino Players Club. Tickets are priced from $25-$200. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. EST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 6 p.m. EST, and the preliminary card, featuring some of the area’s top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. EST.
“We’ve been in discussions with the team at Mountaineer Resort for quite some time, looking to bring a major nationally and internationally televised event to this spectacular Casino Resort” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “When the chance came to host the opener of our Summer Series, we jumped at the chance.”
Canadian native Roger “The Hulk” Hollett will get his first taste of tournament action when he locks horns with explosive Slovakian finisher Attila Vegh. A 14-time Hungarian Kempo karate champion, Vegh brings an impressive resume into the tournament and should be a force to be reckoned with.
“I came here to Bellator with one goal, and that’s to be the next Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion,” said Vegh. “Becoming a Bellator champion is my main mission in my career. I want to be recognized as the best light heavyweight in the world, and after that my mission will be complete.”
Former Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament Finalist Rich Hale is back for another run and will be looking to top his incredible inverted triangle finish that earned headlines (Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPQF0mP5tOs) when he takes on Beau Tribolet in opening-round action.
After compiling a 2-0 record within the Bellator cage, longtime MMA veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff will get his shot in the Light Heavyweight Tournament in this tournament debut. Wiuff has amassed an incredible 66 wins during his incredible MMA run, and has his sights set on a Bellator Tournament Championship.
Finnish submission ace Marcus Vanttinen is looking to lock up a semifinal appearance when he battles promising Brazilian striker Philipe Lins. Both 205-pound fighters are regarded as two of the top light heavyweight prospects in the world, and will have their talent on display at Bellator 71.
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator
