Bellator Season 6: Lightweights at a glance
Rene Nazare, right, is a contestant in Bellator's season six lightweight tournament. Credit: Bellator
Bellator 62 on March 23 includes the Season 5 heavyweight tournament final between Eric Prindle and Thiago Santos, a rematch of a fight that ended in a no contest because of a groin kick and was postponed last week when Prindle had flu-like symptoms.
It also marks the beginning of Bellator's Season 6 lightweight tournament. The fights will air live on MTV 2 at 8 p.m. ET from the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas. Here's a glance at the eight fighters in the tournament.
J.J. AMBROSE
Record: 17-3
Bellator history: None.
Next fight: Bellator 62, March 23 vs. Brent Weedman
Career note: Ambrose enters his first Bellator tournament on a seven-fight win stream. Nine of his 10 career submissions came in the first round.
RICK HAWN
Record: 11-1
Bellator history: 3-1, lost in Season 4 welterweight final
Next fight: Bellator 62, March 23 vs. Ricardo Tirloni
Career note: The former U.S. Olympic judoka drops down from welterweight to compete at 155 pounds in Bellator Season 6. Hawn has notable wins over Lyman Good and Shonie Carter.
THIAGO MICHEL PEREIRA SILVA
Record: 9-2
Bellator history: None.
Next fight: Bellator 62, March 23 vs. Rene Nazare
Career note: Six of Silva's nine KO/TKOs have come in the first round.
RENE NAZARE
Record: 10-1
Bellator history: 3-1
Next fight: Bellator 62, March 23 vs. Thiago Michel Pereira Silva
Career note: A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, the upstate New Yorker (by way of Brazil) gets his first taste of the Bellator tournament format.
PATRICKY PITBULL
Record: 10-2
Bellator history: 3-1, lost in Season 5 final to Mike Chandler
Next fight: Bellator 62, March 23 vs. Lloyd Woodard
Career note: A top lightweight with some impressive Bellator highlights, Pitbull is coming off a first-round TKO of UFC veteran Kurt Pellegrino.
RICARDO TIRLONI
Record: 14-1
Bellator history: 1-0
Next fight: Bellator 62, March 23 vs. Rick Hawn
Career note: His one loss came against current UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson at an MFC event in 2008. Seven of his wins were by submission, five by KO/TKO.
BRENT WEEDMAN
Record: 18-7
Bellator history: 4-2
Next fight: Bellator 62, March 23 vs. J.J. Ambrose
Career note: Weedman lost in the Season 4 welterweight semifinals and drops down to 155 pounds for his third Bellator tournament.
LLOYD WOODARD
Record: 11-1
Bellator history: 1-1
Next fight: Bellator 62, March 23 vs. Patricky Pitbull
Career note: Five of his six submissions occurred in the first round.
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