Tito Ortiz Suffers Fractured Neck: Bellator Moves Entire Show to Live & Free on Spike TV

Newport Beach, CA. (October 25, 2013) – After months of training preparing for his November 2^nd showdown with Rampage Jackson, Tito Ortiz has suffered a fractured neck injury forcing  the cancellation of the main event for Bellator’s November 2^nd fight card.

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney and Spike President Kevin Kay have jointly decided to provide the November 2^nd fight card to MMA fans on Spike TV, airing LIVE and FREE around the country. The biggest card in Bellator history will air at 9:00pm EST LIVE on SPIKE TV and features an unprecedented three title fights featuring the promotion’s biggest stars.

The night will now be headlined by the long-awaited rematch between Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler and former Bellator Champion Eddie Alvarez, along with an Interim Light Heavyweight Title fight between King Mo and Emanuel Newton, as well as a Bellator Featherweight Title fight between Pat Curran and Daniel Straus.

“I’ve said it since the day we announced the fight that Rampage vs. Tito was a fight I had wanted to see for years, and it’s unfortunately something I’m going to have to continue to wait to see,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “After sitting down with our team and partners, the decision was obvious: Give the greatest MMA fans on earth this amazing show live and free on Spike. Our fans have been incredible to us and I’m thrilled to be able to give them this great card on the greatest network in MMA, Spike! Chandler vs. Alvarez II, Mo vs. Newton II and Curran vs. Strauss II are all unbelievable fights.  This is going to be a great, great night.”

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA           

Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 135 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom.  In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes.  Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula.  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 Newport Beach, California.

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