Bellator's season-six lightweight tourney includes Weedman, Hawn, Tirloni

The field for Bellator's season-six lightweight tournament is taking shape.

Bellator officials recently announced that Brent Weedman (18-7-1 MMA, 4-2 BFC), Rick Hawn (11-1 MMA, 3-1 BFC) and Ricardo Tirloni (14-1 MMA, 1-0 BFC) have been added to the eight-man field.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported Hawn's drop from welterweight to lightweight and his tourney plans earlier this month.

The tournament kicks off in March and airs on MTV2.

Weedman, who drops from welterweight to lightweight, enters his third Bellator tournament. On the strength of a 10-fight win streak, he advanced to the season-four welterweight-tourney semifinals, where he suffered a decision loss to Jay Hieron. Then he suffered an opening-round tourney loss to Chris Lozano in a season-five tourney. The Kentucky-based fighter has been legitimately stopped just once in his career when – in his sixth pro fight – he suffered a submission loss to Dan Hornbuckle. Weedman avenged the defeat in the opening round of the season-four tourney.

Hawn, a judoka who finished ninth in the 2004 Summer Olympics, moved his MMA record to 11-0 with a split-decision victory Lyman Good earlier this year in Bellator's season-four welterweight-tourney semifinals. However, he fell short of a guaranteed title shot and suffered his first career loss when he dropped a close split decision to notable Hieron in the finals.

Tirloni, meanwhile, recently made his Bellator debut and submitted Steve Gable at Bellator 55 to earn a tourney entry. He's now won 11 straight fights since an early-career loss to Ben Henderson. The Brazilian has earned 12 stoppages (five knockouts and seven submissions) in his 14 career victories.

In addition to the lightweight tournament, Bellator is hosting season-six tourneys in the bantamweight, featherweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions. Each tourney winner gets $100,000 in total pay and a guaranteed title shot.

I see a bright future for Hawn. He was the better fighter against Hieron imo.

the lightweight tourney is looking decent I hope Patriky pitbull will be in the tournament. Im eager to see what other lightweights will be announced.

Patricky 'Pitbull' Freire joins Bellator's season-six lightweight tourney

Patricky "Pitbull" Freire (10-2 MMA, 3-1 BFC), who posted a runner-up finish in Bellator's season-four tournament, has joined the eight-man field for season six.

Bellator officials today announced his participation.

The Brazilian knockout artist recently rebounded from his tourney-finale loss to Michael Chandler with a 50-second TKO of UFC vet Kurt Pellegrino at Bellator 59.

Freire now joins Brent Weedman (18-7-1 MMA, 4-2 BFC), Rick Hawn (11-1 MMA, 3-1 BFC) and Ricardo Tirloni (14-1 MMA, 1-0 BFC) as confirmed participants in the tourney, which kicks off in March on MTV2.

Freire, the brother of Bellator featherweight and recent tourney winner Patricio "Pitbull" Freire, has suffered just two defeats in his career: one to UFC/DREAM vet Willamy Freire, and the one to Chandler, who recently upset Eddie Alvarez to become Bellator's lightweight champion. Freire is now 6-1 over his past seven fights, and five of the victories came via stoppage.

In addition to the lightweight tournament, Bellator is hosting season-six tourneys in the bantamweight, featherweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions. Each tourney winner gets $100,000 in total pay and a guaranteed title shot.

looks like he has just been confirmed

Awesome! I´m getting more and more into Bellator. UFC will soon have to co-promote to prove they have the best fighters

I like how in bellator fighters earn their title shots and are not given.

season 6 is gonna be fantastic

Will Eddie quit again like he did against Chandler? Big question for Crow Foot.

i don't feel like Eddie quit. i think he became surprised which lead to him allowing himself to become overwhelmed. Alvarez and Chandler are still relatively young and Chandler won that fight with his hunger and Eddie just couldn't become the better man that night.

i believe Alvarez will be back and VERY dangerous to whoever is in his way back to the Bellator or any LW world title. i wouldn't be surprised if he made moves with DREAM. again towards their belt. Aoki essentially taught Eddie subs by beating him last time Alvarez was in DREAM.. Eddie grows from losses more than any fighter i've seen in recent years.

Solid tournament. Weedman and Hawn should be very big and have edge.

Heavy-handed Thiago Michel joins Bellator's season-six lightweight tourney

Thiago Michel has joined the eight-man field for Bellator's upcoming season-six lightweight tournament.

MMAjunkie.com today confirmed his participation with sources close to the fighter. An official announcement is expected later today.

Silva (9-2 MMA, 0-0 BFC), who's also held Muay Thai and kickboxing titles, has posted knockouts in all nine of his career MMA wins.

Michel now joins Patricky "Pitbull" Freire (10-2 MMA, 3-1 BFC), Brent Weedman (18-7-1 MMA, 4-2 BFC), Rick Hawn (11-1 MMA, 3-1 BFC) and Ricardo Tirloni (14-1 MMA, 1-0 BFC) as participants in the tourney, which kicks off in March on MTV2.

Michael (also known as Thiago Michel Pereira Silva ) is a native Brazilian who made his MMA debut in November 2006 and went 3-0 before year's end. Competing in his home country, he won six of his first seven fights before a 28-month break from the sport from 2008 to 2010. His lone losses came via submissions to Ivan Iberico to Alessandro Ferreira, who are a combined 24-3.

In addition to the lightweight tournament, Bellator is hosting season-six tourneys in the bantamweight, featherweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions. Each tourney winner gets $100,000 in total pay and a guaranteed title shot.

J.J. Ambrose joins Bellator's season-six lightweight tourney

J.J. Ambrose (17-3 MMA, 0-0 BFC) is the sixth addition to Bellator's season-six lightweight tournament.

Ambrose, who's won seven straight fights, will make his promotional debut in the opening round of the eight-man tourney.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed his participation with sources close to the fighter. An official announcement is expected later this week.

Ambrose now joins Thiago Michel (9-2 MMA, 0-0 BFC), Patricky "Pitbull" Freire (10-2 MMA, 3-1 BFC), Brent Weedman (18-7-1 MMA, 4-2 BFC), Rick Hawn (11-1 MMA, 3-1 BFC) and Ricardo Tirloni (14-1 MMA, 1-0 BFC) as participants in the tourney, which kicks off in March on MTV2.

Ambrose, who turned pro in 2005, is 15-1 (with one no-contest) in his past 17 fights. The lone loss came to UFC fighter Mike Pyle in 2008 at "Affliction: Banned." Ambrose, who suffered a decision loss to Sevak Magakian in the elimination round of "The Ultimate Fighter 12," owns three knockouts and 10 submissions in 17 career victories. The Team Tiger Muay Thai fighter, who's also worked with American Kickboxing Academy and boxed professionally, is currently based out of California.

In addition to the lightweight tournament, Bellator is hosting season-six tourneys in the bantamweight, featherweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions. Each tourney winner gets $100,000 in total pay and a guaranteed title shot.

three words


EDDIE

FUCKING

ALVAREZ

Lloyd Woodard enters the season six Bellator LW tourney. Woodard is 11-1 with the only loss at the hands of the current Bellator champion Michael Chandler by unanimous decision.

Still no word on Alvarez. What are they gonna do with him if he is not in the tourney? Is he gonna fall off now and become just another fighter in the super stacked world of MMA Lightweight?