Brits Rob Silnclair & Martin Stapleton Included in Belllator Season 9 Tournament

Brits Rob Silnclair & Martin Stapleton Included in Belllator Season 9 Tournament

The Toughest Tournament In Sports continues as Portland’s Rose Garden Arena plays hosts to Bellator MMA on Friday, September 27^th. The night will showcase the opening round of the Bellator Lightweight Tournament, as well as stacked preliminary card.

No stranger to the MMA game, Marcus Davis will use his veteran talent as he faces Russian submission artist Tiger Sarnavskiy. Davis is well aware of the opportunity at stake for his future, but will have to hold off Sarnavskiy, who holds an impressive 24-1 professional record.

After spending only 74 seconds in the cage with two first round knockouts last season, but falling to David Rickels in the Season 8 Tournament Final, Saad Awad is ready for redemption. Awad will face UK striker Martin Stapleton, who enters the fight riding an eight fight win streak and brings an impressive 12-1 record to the cage.   

“Bellator always brings top tier athletes from around the world and I'm excited that I get to be a part of this upcoming tournament again,” Awad said. “I’ve added a few things to my arsenal and I can't wait to showcase them and put on a great show.”

Fan favorite Will Brooks will also return to the big stage and battle MMA veteran John Alessio. After suffering just the first loss of his professional career in the Season 8 Lightweight Tournament Semifinal to Saad Awad, Brooks is ready to get back under the bright lights.

“I just want to get back in the winner circle,” Brooks said. “I have some unfinished business from last season and I am going to keep it simple, to the point and devastating for every fight. I need and want the belt and I am going to take it from whoever has it, but I am hoping it will be Michael Chandler.”

Making his Bellator debut, England’s own Rob Sinclair will battle long time veteran Rich Clementi on September 27th. With 27 submission wins in his professional career, Clementi will look to his experience in the cage to take down Sinclair, and put it all on the line for a last tournament run.  

“I am so excited to have the chance to compete again,” Clementi said. “For those who have been following me, I made an official retirement a few months ago and was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. The last few years of competing, I’ve been running on four flat tires, but after being under treatment for the last three months and my body is responding well. Fighting is who I am and the thought of not being able to do that was devastating. I am so excited to get back in the cage and show people what I am made of.”

Bellator MMA Main Card:

Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Marcus Davis (22-9) vs. Tiger Sarnavskiy (23-1)

Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Will Brooks (10-1) vs. John Alessio (34-16)

Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Saad Awad (14-5) vs. Martin Stapelton (12-1)

Bellator Lightweight Tournament Opening Round: Rob Sinclair (12-2) vs. Rich Clementi (45-22-1)

Rob Sinclair, Paul Sass and Martin Stapleton sign for Bellator

Bellator sign up three British lightweights

by Jack Broadey @J3cK_b

Bellator has today released some very exciting news for UK fans. The promotion already boasts Brit fighters Paul Daley, Ronnie Mann and Michael Page in its ranks. Today it swells those numbers to 6. That's right they have signed 3 new British fighters to long term promotional contacts.

Rob Sinclair the current BAMMA lightweight champion. Paul Sass the ex UFC fighter with two submission of the night awards and Martin Stapleton the Ultimate Fighter contestant will all fight in the lightweight division. This news will hopefully help to get Bellator on our TV screens as with 6 British fighters now in the promotion there is a demand to see the live show. A TV deal is needed to help progress the promotion here in the UK and these latest signing will certainly help that.

Sinclair was the Lightweight champion in British promotion BAMMA and it's of great credit to them that they have released Sinclair from his contract with one fight left on it so he can go and fulfil his dream. They have both served each other well and part on good terms. Sinclair was the first ever Lightweight champion and went on to defend his belt 3 times.

Sass was released from his UFC contract in February after losing to Danny Castillo at UFC on fuel 7. He is an exciting Jiu Jitsu fighter who has beaten top competition and holds 2 submission of the night awards to his name.

Martin Stapleton was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter-UK v USA.  Stapleton had a break from MMA shortly after the series due to his commitment with The Royal Marines. In December of 2012 Stapleton entered a Cage Contenders Lightweight tournament. He won all 3 fights on the same night to be crowded winner of the Lightweight competition.