I've been trying to follow Bellator, and I don't understand 1 major thing. So Bellator goes from season to season(I think we are at 3 now) crowning a champion in each weight class in tournament format. The major thing I don't get is, when(if?) do the original champions have to defend their titles? It would be much more exciting to watch these events knowing a title was on the line, instead of just "superfights"(where a champion fights but the title is not being defended), or just continuing to crown new champions in different weight classes, while the original champions get to rest on their laurels.

If anyone has been following this promotion and understands it better than I, please help me out and point me to(or explain to me) the events where a title will be(or has been) defended. Thanks.

I haven't watched much Bellator to be honest: As far as I understand it the person who wins the Tournament gets the Title shot against the Champion.

Joe Soto (S1 champ) will defend his featherweight title against Joe Warren (s2 winner) at Bellator 27.

The rest will be at later events.

All the champions of Season 1 will defend their belts in title fights against the winners of Season 2. The winners of season 3 will face the winners of these title fights.

Bellator is an awesome promotion. I have yet to see a boring event. The commentating is really good, experienced guys from M-1 broadcasts and with a lot of MMA knowledge. The fighters are of good levels and most fights really exiting.
They also have a womens tournament going that will be awesome to follow now in season 3.

I really recommend you start following bellator! Imo its of same class or higher sometimes, as Strikeforce.

I agree Dent. Plus IMO the rounded cage is the best ring type for MMA, as little a difference as that may make. And thanks Lyoto, thats exactly the info I was looking for: When do the champs defend? I'm surprised it took 27 events for the first title defense!

Thanks guys

I agree with everything except the commentators. The color guy, whoever he is (Jimmy Smith?), will not say anything bad about a decision no matter how god-awful it is (Imada Season 2 final). Because of his apparent fear of saying anything bad at all about any fight for fear of losing a single viewer and then his job, it doesn't matter how boring a fight is, he will talk about how great it was and what a dominant performance it was. It's almost WWE in the way he hypes up the victor of a fight no matter how ridiculous it was because it's his job to sell the next round in the tourney.

IMHO...of course, but to quote fight club, if I could fight anyone in the world, who would I fight? I'd fight that guy. What a sellout.

lol yeah I agree that Jimmy Smith isnt top knotch in his opinions but thats why they have the other guy some balance. It all depends on what you compare him with. Mike Goldberg isnt much better imo...

Middleweight Championship bout: Hector Lombard vs. Alexander Shlemenko

October 28, 2010
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida

Pat Curren would be fighting Eddie Alvarez but Curren had a injury. So Roger Huerta stepped in, should be a great fight.