Welterweight World Title Fight Pits Askren vs. Lima
At Bellator 64 from Caesars Windsor on April 6th
*Bellator 64 pre-fight press conference to take place at 11 a.m. ET on Wed., Feb. 15 at Caesars Windsor, featuring Bjorn Rebney, Ben Askren, Douglas Lima and Ontario’s Chris Horodecki
(More info below)
CHICAGO, Ill. (February 8, 2012) — After a dominating run through the Season 5 Welterweight Tournament, Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (@PhenomLima) is ready for the greatest test of his career when he battles reigning, undefeated Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren (@BenAskren) for a shot at the world title. The two will clash LIVE at Caesars Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada on Friday, April 6. Tickets for this event go on sale at Noon ET on Saturday, February 18 and are available via CaesarsWindsor.com or by visiting Ticketmaster.ca. Tickets are priced from $30-$125 Canadian.
The event will broadcast starting at 8 p.m. ET on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open to The Colosseum at 6 p.m. ET, with the first fight entering the cage at 7 p.m. ET. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. CT.
After a split-decision victory over former UFC veteran and Season 4 Welterweight Tournament winner Jay Hieron, the undefeated Askren is well aware of what it takes to hold onto the welterweight strap. Already known as the best wrestler in Mixed Martial Arts, Askren, a former U.S. Olympian, has continued his stand up training with the legendary Duke Roufus and is well on his way to becoming one of the best welterweights in the sport.
“After my fight with Jay, I went back to work the following Monday to continue my training,” Askren said. “I made no secret I wasn’t happy with my performance in that fight, and now having spent over six months training at Roufusport, I’m really confident in my striking. Douglas is a great fighter, but I don’t think he’ll be able to handle what I bring to the table.”
Lima enters the fight looking to push his win streak into double digits as the Brazilian-born knockout artist is seeking to dethrone Askren as Bellator Welterweight Champion. The thought of becoming Champion has been the driving force for Lima since he signed with Bellator, and with the title just one win away, Lima has taken his focus and determination to the next level.
“There is no question Ben is a great fighter, and I’ve been focusing a lot of time on my wrestling,” Lima said. “This is the biggest fight of my career, and I’m preparing for it. It’s all I think about. Every day from the time I wake up, until the time my head hits the pillow, I’m thinking about April 6th and winning the title.”
Bellator 64 will also host the semifinals of the promotions Season 6 Featherweight Tournament. Marlon Sandro (@351marlon), Ronnie Mann (@RonnieMannMMA), Alexandre “Popo” Bezerra (@alexandre_popo) and Daniel Straus (@DanielStraus) headline one of the deepest tournaments in Bellator history and only add to a stacked night of fights.
In addition, the night will feature Ontario native and knockout artist Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (@chrishorodecki) taking on a soon to be named opponent. Still just 24, Horodecki (18-3-1) has the resume of a veteran mixed martial artist, including an impressive 12-fight win streak to begin his professional career.
“The support we have received in Canada has been nothing short of spectacular, so when we had the chance to bring Bellator to Windsor, it was an easy decision, “said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Ben Askren vs. Douglas Lima will showcase two of the best and brightest starts in the world at 170 lbs. The fans watching inside Caesars and the viewers catching the fights on MTV 2 and theScore are in for a great night.”
“In the tradition of Caesars entertainment, we are thrilled to bring another exciting fighting championship event to the Colosseum with Bellator 64,” Kevin Laforet, President and CEO of Caesars Windsor said. “We are proud to partner with Bellator Fighting Championships whose great reputation brings fans the best MMA fighters to the cage.”
Ticket purchases can be made through caesarswindsor.com or at the Box Office located in the main casino building on the second floor, open Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 8 pm. On concert days, the Box Office is open noon until midnight. Guests must be 19 years of age or older to attend concerts and to enter the casino and all other outlets. Prices listed do not include applicable taxes and fees.
*The Bellator 64 pre-fight press conference will take place at 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at Caesars Windsor. There will be a Q&A session, followed by one-on-ones as well as photo and video opportunities with Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney, Bellator Welterweight champion Ben Askren, Welterweight title challenger Douglas Lima and London, Ontario native Chris Horodecki.
What: The Bellator 64 Pre-fight press conference
Who: Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney, Bellator Welterweight champion Ben Askren, No. 1 contender Douglas Lima, London, Ontario native Chris Horodecki and Caesars Windsor President and CEO Kevin Laforet
When: Wednesday, February 15 at 11 a.m. ET (Media check-in will begin at 10:30 a.m. ET)
Where: The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor, 377 Riverside Dr. E., Windsor ON, N9A 7H7
How: All media that wish to attend, please RSVP to Joe Fernandez at joe@bellator.com
Caesars-Windsor contact:
Jhoan Baluyot-Lucier
Communications & PR Manager, Caesars Windsor
519.985.2896, 1.800.991.7777 ext. 22896
baluyotlucier@caesarswindsor.com
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
