Bellator MMA returns to Southern California on Aug. 28 with the promotional debut of Melvin Guillard
Jul 16, 2015 Comments
(PRESS RELEASE) -- SANTA MONICA, California – Melvin
Guillard’s (32-14-2 2 NC) first bout under the Bellator MMA
banner will come in lightweight action against Brandon
Girtz (11-4) on Friday, Aug. 28 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in
Temecula, Calif.
The contest serves as the headlining bout of "Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz," which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for Bellator 141, which start at just $50, go on sale this
Friday at Pechanga.com and the Pechanga Resort & Casino box office.
Doors for the event open at 4 p.m. PT local time, and the first
contest takes place one hour later.
“Since signing Melvin [Guillard] in May, we have been anxious to get him inside the Bellator cage,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “Brandon Girtz has performed well for us and will face his stiffest competition to date when he meets the 50-fight veteran. I’m really looking forward to the event, as well as returning to one of our favorite venues in Pechanga Resort and Casino.”
Born in New Orleans, the knockout artist has honed his skills at some of the top MMA gyms in the world including: Jackson’s MMA, Blackzilians, Grudge Training Center and American Top Team, where he currently trains. During his 22-fight stint with Ultimate Fighting Championship, Guillard broke MMA great BJ Penn’s record for most KO’s in the lightweight division with eight, an accolade that he still holds to this day.
An NCAA Division II All-American at Minnesota State University, Girtz has competed for Bellator MMA since 2012, accruing a record of 4-2. It’s safe to say that the Northway Martial Arts-product is a “submission specialist,” with seven of his 11 professional victories coming by way of making his opponent tap out.
“Cold Roll” was officially cleared to return to active competition in May after suffering an ACL injury during training. This return bout will be Girtz’s first appearance in 2015, and will also serve as his first time in a headlining role.
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike's press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
The contest serves as the headlining bout of "Bellator MMA: Guillard vs. Girtz," which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET. Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
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“Since signing Melvin [Guillard] in May, we have been anxious to get him inside the Bellator cage,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “Brandon Girtz has performed well for us and will face his stiffest competition to date when he meets the 50-fight veteran. I’m really looking forward to the event, as well as returning to one of our favorite venues in Pechanga Resort and Casino.”
At only 32 years of age, “The Young Assassin” has amassed 50
professional bouts in a career that dates back to 2002. With 21
victories coming by KO, Guillard has generated a large fan base
with his exciting fighting style.
Born in New Orleans, the knockout artist has honed his skills at some of the top MMA gyms in the world including: Jackson’s MMA, Blackzilians, Grudge Training Center and American Top Team, where he currently trains. During his 22-fight stint with Ultimate Fighting Championship, Guillard broke MMA great BJ Penn’s record for most KO’s in the lightweight division with eight, an accolade that he still holds to this day.
An NCAA Division II All-American at Minnesota State University, Girtz has competed for Bellator MMA since 2012, accruing a record of 4-2. It’s safe to say that the Northway Martial Arts-product is a “submission specialist,” with seven of his 11 professional victories coming by way of making his opponent tap out.
“Cold Roll” was officially cleared to return to active competition in May after suffering an ACL injury during training. This return bout will be Girtz’s first appearance in 2015, and will also serve as his first time in a headlining role.
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike's press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
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