Bellator Confirms Season 4 WW Tournament, Dan Hornbuckle First Fighter

Bellator Fighting Championships officially announced today that it will hold a Season 4 Welterweight Tournament in the promotion’s highly anticipated fourth season airing on MTV2. Eight top 170 lb. fighters will face off for a chance at claiming the Season 4 Welterweight Tournament Championship, a check for $100,000, and a shot at Bellator Welterweight World Champion Ben Askren for the title later this year.

While announcements regarding confirmed participants for the Bellator Welterweight Tournament are forthcoming, Bellator veteran and Season 2 welterweight tournament finalist Dan “The Handler” Hornbuckle is confirmed for the upcoming competition. After suffering a defeat at the hands of current champion Askren by way of unanimous decision in the Season 2 finals, Hornbuckle is eager for another shot at the belt.

“The fact that Ben Askren is going to be there waiting for me after I win this tournament keeps me motivated,” said Hornbuckle. “It keeps me waking up every morning hungry. There's never a loss that is taken easily, so I definitely want to get back in there, win this tournament, and avenge that loss.”

Even with his sights ultimately set on Askren and the Bellator crown, Hornbuckle knows he can’t look too far ahead.

“My sights are definitely still set on obtaining that Bellator gold, but the way that this tournament is shaping up, I can't look past my next fight for a second,” Hornbuckle said. “This is going to be the toughest welterweight tournament that you will ever see in MMA.”

Known for his highlight reel head kicks and flashy submissions, Hornbuckle has finished 20 of his 22 victories by knockout or submission. In 2010, Hornbuckle compiled consecutive tap out victories over the likes of Tyler Stinson and Steve Carl before picking up a hard-fought unanimous decision win over dangerous UFC veteran “Bad” Brad Blackburn.

“While our first two welterweight tournaments have been great, based on the lineup, this tournament is stacked from #1 through 8 and should be our strongest to date,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Dan’s a significant talent and I know how motivated he is to earn his way to a rematch with Ben, it’s great to have him back in”




This should be a good WW tourney and i can't wait for the new season of Bellator to get started,you obviously have Hornbuckle,then I thought I remember hearing that Heiron had been signed up for this also,but who else will complete the 8?

There's Brad Blackburn,who lost to Hornbuckle last season,but was also the last man to beat Hieron,I think Judo Jim Wallhead might have earned a spot with his last Bellator win over Ryan Thomas,Steve Carl beat Tyler Stinson to earn a spot I think,Chris Lazano beat Yoshida,so that should get him a spot and Brent Weedman won a qualifier last year against Jacob McClintlock.

So I've got

Hornbuckle
Hieron
Blackburn
Wallhead
Lazano
Carl
Weedman

maybe Yoshida or Thomas will get another chance,but i think they should get the other WW that Strikeforce just released,Joe Riggs to finish up the line up.

(shit scratch that thought and give the last spot to Baroni)

No one except Hornbuckle has been announced yet I think,so this is just me speculating who will make the line up.

I love Hornbuckle's style so much - despite the fact I thought he had killed Gono

Bellator put on so many great fights, I just hope they survive. Between the Zuffa lawsuit and moving to MTV2 for their TV deal things haven't been looking great for them.

Yeah I have my concerns for them,but I hope like hell everything works out fine for them as I've loved my Bellator Thursday nights and I'm really looking forward to the new season.

I think they have pulled of the tournament style perfectly and they have also managed to produce some great fights.

I also hope they can agree a new contract with Jimmy Smith for the commentary team as I think he does a good job of calling the fights.

yeah bellator need to survive. i get there coverage sometimes on a dodgy channel but the commentary is all in spanish or something.

Undefeated 9-0,Judo black belt and former Olympian Rick Hawn is the second confirmed fighter in the WW tournament

Brent Weedman is the 3rd fighter to be officially announced

Bellator have signed Joe Riggs,but they've signed him up as a MW,so he's not going to be part of the WW tournament.

Still that's a good,well needed signing for Bellators MW division,hopefully he'll be part of the MW tournament.

Bellator really need to go out and find some more good MW's and LW's though,as Lombard and Alverez have no one close to their levels,in Bellator to test them.

There loyalty to bellator is great but I really hope they both start fighting outside soon,to find themselves a descent challenge.


http://mmajunkie.com/news/22033/bellator-signs-veteran-middleweight-joe-riggs.mma

Lyman Good is in...

http://mmajunkie.com/news/22069/former-champ-lyman-good-joins-bellators-season-four-welterweight-tourney.mma

Team Rough House's Judo Jim Wallhead is the 6th fighter signed up for the WW tournament.

Surely Heiron will be next,just one spot after Hieron to complete the line up

Hieron and Steve Carl it is...

http://mmajunkie.com/news/22114/hieron-and-carl-complete-bellators-welterweight-tourney-meet-on-march-5.mma

Hieron
Carl
"Judo" Jim Wallhead
Dan Hornbuckle
Rick Hawn
Brent Weedman
Chris Lozano
Lyman Good


I was pretty close with my guess at the line up for this tournament

This is a good line up and should make for a really good tournament,just can't wait to find out the 1st rd match ups and for the new season to actually get under way now.

The draw...

Jay Hieron (19-4) vs. Steve Carl (11-2)

Rick Hawn (9-0) vs. Jim Wallhead (20-5)

Lyman Good (10-1) vs. Chris Lozano (6-0)

Dan Hornbuckle (22-3) vs. Brent Weedman (17-5-1)

I think that's a good draw,Is that each side of the draw aswell,does the winner of heiron and carl fight take on the winner of Hawn and wallhead?

I think if that's the way it's set out,then I think Bellator are expecting a Hornbuckle - Hieron final,because IMO they have both been given the easiest first rd match ups,and can only meet in the final,but as we know in these things,it very rarely pans out as we expect.

Two black belt Judo guys,facing each other in our English boy,Judo Jim Wallhead vs ex US Olympic team member,Rick Hawn,this could be the fight of the first rd.


Former champ Lyman Good vs Lozano,should be a good fight.
Lozano looked great in battering Yoshida in his last fight,so I'm looking forward to seeing him in action again.

Weedman and hornbuckle have already fought each other a few years ago,where hornbuckle won by 2nd rd submission.
Hornbuckle I think is still in a class above weedman though,so I can't see the result being much different from the first fight to be honest,though Weedman is on a 9 fight win streak.


Steve Carl got easily beaten and submitted by Hornbuckle in last years semi's and since submissions are supposed to be carls main strength and he's going up against the hugely more experienced Heiron,who just happens to have never been subbed in his career,I don't think carl will be pulling off the upset in this one.

bellator have the best WW division outside the UFC now

think Hawn-Askren would be really interesting but Im rooting for Hornbuckle, and then Jimmy