· Bellator 41 Shaping Up, Set For Arizona
Yuma, Arizona will play host to the upcoming Bellator 41, the first event in the state for the Chicago, Ill., based organization. MTV2 will air the card live from the Cocopah Resort and Casino.
Featherweight Champion Joe Warren faces Marcus Galvao in one of the headlining tilts, while Bantamweight Champion Zach Makovsky fights Chad Robichaux in the co-main event. Both bouts will be non-title contests. The featherweight semi-final matches will also be featured on the card.
“As an MMA fan, I can’t wait for this event,” Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. “Both super fights and semi-finals should be spectacular fights. And, Cocopah Casino’s outdoor venue is an amazing venue for MMA. We’ve wanted to bring an event to Arizona for some time. Overall, this should be a great live event on MTV2.”
Warren has not competed since September but has won four bouts in a row. In addition to MMA, he is currently training for a spot on the 2012 Olympic wrestling team. Warren's opponent, WEC veteran Marcos Galvao looks to extend his current win streak to four.
Makovsky is undefeated in nearly two years with a six-fight win streak during that time. His competitor, Robichaux is undefeated in 11 fights with all wins coming by way of knockout, technical knockout, or submission—minus his last bout ending in split decision.
Featured in the semi-finals, Daniel Straus faces Kenny Foster. Straus has racked up an incredible 11 fight win streak. He has not lost since a knockout defeat at the hands of Pat Curran more than two years ago. His opponent, Foster, has won eight of nine fights with a 66 percent finishing rate during that stretch.
In the other tournament slot, Wilson Reis faces off with Patricio Freire. Reis is looking to secure his third win in a row and spot in the finals. Freire's lone loss came to Joe Warren and a win would be his second consecutive victory since then.
