World’s #1 MMA Prospect Bubba Jenkins signs with Bellator

Newport Beach, CA. (May 31, 2013) – At 3-0, former NCAA wrestling champion Bubba Jenkins is ready to begin the next chapter in his career as the #1 world ranked prospect has signed a long-term promotional agreement with Bellator. Jenkins is scheduled to make his Bellator debut this summer and will be given a number of fights before entering The Toughest Tournament in Sports.

“Bubba Jenkins is MMA’s top young prospect and we have the optimal developmental program to maximize that talent,” Bellator CEO & Chairman Bjorn Rebney said. “Our mission is to sign and develop the world’s best fighters.  Bubba’s development will be strategic and disciplined, taking all appropriate preliminary steps prior to his facing the rigors of the toughest tournament in sports.”

Jenkins, 23, wrestled at Penn State for three years before transferring to Arizona State University, where he won the NCAA National Championship at 157 pounds in 2011. In 2007, Jenkins met Mizzou wrestling standout and current Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, claiming victory with a dominate 15-3 score. With those past experiences behind him, Jenkins is ready for what’s next.

“After sitting down with Bjorn, I really felt comfortable with the opportunity laid out for me, and this is where I want to be,” Jenkins said. “Bellator is doing a lot of great things right now and I want to be a part of it. I’m not here to step on any toes, I’m here to develop as an elite fighter, get my shot in the tournament and eventually compete for a world championship.”

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 107 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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