Bellator Season 6: Middleweights at a glance

Bellator 61 on March 16 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.

It also marks the beginning of Bellator's Season 6 middleweight tournament. The fights will air live on MTV 2 from the Riverdome in Boisser City, La. Here's a glance at the eight fighters in the tournament. 

MAIQUEL FALCAO

Record: 28-4
Bellator history: None
Next fight: Bellator 61, March 16 vs. Norman Paraisy
Career note: 23 of his 28 wins have come by knockout or technical knockout.

VICTOR O’DONNELL

Record: 11-3
Bellator history: 0-1, lost to Brian Rogers in Season 5 tournament
Next fight: Bellator 61, March 16 vs. Vyacheslav Vasilevsky
Career note: O’Donnell has nine wins by submissio and defeated UFC veteran Rafael Natal in a Ring of Combat (N.J.) bout in 2009.

NORMAN PARAISY

Record: 10-1-1 (1 NC)
Bellator history: 0-1, lost to Dave Menne in Season 4 welterweight quarterfinals.
Next fight: Bellator 61, March 16 vs. Maiquel Falcao
Career note: Seven of his wins came by KO/TKO or submission.

BRIAN ROGERS

Record: 8-3
Bellator history: 1-1, lost to Alexander Shlemenko in Season 5 semifinals.
Next fight: Bellator 61, March 16 vs. Vitor Vianna
Career note: All eight of Rogers’ wins have come via first-round stoppage (seven by KO/TKO). Two of his three losses went the distance.

GIVA SANTANA

Record: 17-1
Bellator history: 1-0, beat Darryl Cobb at Bellator 53.
Next fight: Bellator 61, March 16 vs. Bruno Santos
Career note: His nickname is “The Arm Collector.” Why? Well, how about 15 wins by submission. including 13 via armbar?

BRUNO SANTOS

Record: 12-0
Bellator history: None.
Next fight: Bellator 61, March 16 vs. Giva Santana
Career note: His last nine bouts have gone the distance, including three five-rounders and two two-rounders.

VYACHESLAV VASILEVSKY

Record: 15-1
Bellator history: None.
Next fight: Bellator 61, March 16 vs. Victor O’Donnell
Career note: A former M-1 Global fighter, Vasilevsky has five wins by submission, five by KO/TKO and five by decision.

VITOR VIANNA

Record: 12-2
Bellator history: 2-1, lost in Season 5 final to Alexander Shlemenko
Next fight: Bellator 61, March 16 vs. Brian Rogers
Career note: The most notable name on his fight list is Thiago Silva, who beat Vianna by first-round TKO because of an arm injury.