Bellator Champ Joe Warren photo credit Bellator
CHICAGO, Ill. (June 7, 2011) — Bellator Fighting Championships announced today it will be traveling north of the border for the promotion’s first international event, debuting in Rama, Ontario, on July 23rd at the Casino Rama. Bellator 47, which will air LIVE on MTV2, will be brought to Canada by Orion Sports Management in conjunction with Casino Rama.
“MMA is the hottest sport in Ontario right now and we’re thrilled to be able to partner with this world leader to bring Ontario fans their first taste of Bellator action,” said Jeff Craik, Vice President of Marketing, Casino Rama. “This is going to be one of the hottest tickets of the summer and fans can bet on seeing exactly this caliber of MMA event from Casino Rama several times a year.”
The event will feature Bellator Featherweight World Champion and self-proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet” Joe Warren in a Bellator World Title fight against Season 4 Featherweight Tournament winner Patricio Pitbull, who punched his ticket into the Championship fight with a unanimous decision victory over Daniel Straus at Bellator 45.
“Our fans have been asking us to come to Canada since our first season,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Casino Rama is an unbelievable venue and should make for a magical night of fights at Bellator 47.”
The night will also host the semifinals of the Bellator Featherweight Summer Series Tournament, with the winners moving onto the finals at Bellator 48 in August. The eight-man competition is shaping up to be one of Bellator’s deepest tournaments to date, with Sengoku veteran and Bellator 42 winner Ronnie Mann, Brazilian knockout artist Marlon Sandro, Argentine submission finisher Nazareno Malegarie and Bellator Season 2 Lightweight Tournament Winner Pat Curran all scheduled to participate.
Casino Rama opened in 1996 and is Ontario’s only First Nations commercial casino, offering a complete entertainment experience with more than 2,500 slot machines, more than 110 table games, 10 unique restaurants and a world-class 5,000-seat Entertainment Centre.
Orion Sports Management is an Ontario based promotional company known for staging world class sports events across Canada and is headed by Allan Tremblay.
“Orion Sports is both proud and privileged to partner with Casino Rama to bring Bellator Fighting Championships to Canada,” stated Orion President Allan Tremblay.
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator
