By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief Bellator Fighting Championships continues to confirm the field for their season four welterweight tournament this week, as the organization on Friday announced that 23 fight veteran Brent Weedman will take part in the tournament.
Weedman is a five year veteran of the sport, and holds an impressive career record of 17-5-1. He's appeared three times for Bellator during seasons two and three, winning all three fights to extend his current winning streak to nine fights. All nine of those victories were by stoppage, and in fact all 17 of Weedman's career wins have seen him finish his opponent.
"Brent has put on some incredible performances for us over the last two seasons, he?s earned the right to be added to the Season 4 Welterweight Tournament," said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. "Brent has the raw talent and potential to do big things in the tournament, which will be one of our most competitive to-date."
"I'm always looking to finish the fight,? said Weedman. ?That's something I feel very strongly about. I'm a finisher. I've always had that mentality in any sport I've ever played. I play to win decisively."
Despite that mentality, Weedman will come into the tournament as an underdog and a lesser known name in the field, but Weedman said that won't affect him at all during the season.
"It's an absolute fact that people are sleeping on me going into this tournament,? said Weedman. ?This tournament is filled with big names in the welterweight division, and a couple other guys. I happen to be one of those other guys. But that doesn't affect my end of the deal. I'm still bringing it. Whether or not they know it?s coming or not is up to them."
Season four for Bellator begins this March on MTV2, and is expected to feature tournaments in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and light heavyweight divisions.
Penick's Analysis: Weedman's a good addition to the field. He's picked up impressive first round stoppage wins each time he's stepped into Bellator's cage, and he completely earned an opportunity to go through this field. He's a hard man to stop as well, as his five career losses feature three of the four decisions he's gone to, the other being a draw in his debut fight, a triangle choke loss and a stoppage due to a cut. But he hasn't been beaten in three years, and could absolutely do some damage in this tournament.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Bellator/article_8087.shtml
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