Curran stops Warren to become new Featherweight Champion while "Popo," Sandro, Corey and Straus progress to the Bellator Featherweight Semifinals at Bellator 60

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From Bellator FightingChampionships:

CHICAGO, Ill. (March 9, 2012) — PatCurran and Joe Warren promised fireworks in their main event FeatherweightTitle Fight, but it was Curran who stopped the former Champion Warren in one ofthe most entertaining Bellator bouts seen in recent memory. The quarterfinalsof the Bellator Season Six Featherweight Tournament are in the books as well asfour tournament participants punched their tickets to the semifinal round."Popo" Bezerra, Marlon Sandro, Mike Corey, and Daniel Straus allpicked up victories at The Venue at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IndianaLIVE on MTV2 and in HD on EPIX.

"What a night here at The Venue here in Hammond," said BellatorChairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. "With a sellout crowd in Bellator’s backyard,Pat Curran cemented his name as one of the best featherweights on the planetand is our new Bellator Featherweight Champion."

The last time the Bellator Featherweight Championship changed hands, it was JoeWarren stopping Joe Soto at Bellator 27. Pat Curran, the Bellator Summer SeriesFeatherweight Tournament Champion, was looking to capitalize on his secondtournament championship with a victory in the main event at Bellator 60.

The first round opened up at a feverous pace, with both featherweightsexchanging blows. After hurting Warren with an onslaught of punches and knees,Curran pursued "The Baddest Man on the Planet" looking for thefinish. Warren, however, showed why he is the defending Bellator FeatherweightChampion, as he found a way to avoid being finished.

In the second round, it was Warren who controlled the fight with his GrecoRoman wrestling for a majority of the round and seemed to be building somemomentum in his favor. When the third round started, Pat Curran came outenergized. After landing a knee to the chin of Warren, Curran followed up witha barrage of strikes that forced the referee to stop the fight.

With the victory, Pat Curran becomes the new Bellator Featherweight Champion ashe stops Joe Warren with strikes and improves his record to 17-4 while theformer Bellator Champion Warren drops to 7-3 and 5-2 under the Bellator banner.

In the opening round of the featherweight quarterfinals, Bellator veteranDaniel Straus was hoping his second run at a featherweight tournamentchampionship would end with his hand raised in victory. Undefeated Bellatortournament newcomer Jeremy Spoon was looking to keep his perfect record intactwhile spoiling the return of Straus. It was a closely contested fight throughthe first two rounds, with Straus controlling the striking and Spooncontrolling the clinch. In the third round, Spoon appeared to be the moreaggressive fighter, but Straus again landed the more significant strikes. Whenthe judges rendered their decision, it was Daniel Straus that walked away withthe unanimous decision victory.

With the win, Daniel Straus improves his record to 18-4 and advances to thesecond round of the Bellator Season Six Featherweight Tournament. Jeremy Spoonloses for the very first time in his professional MMA career as his recordfalls to 12-1 with an outstanding effort.

When Bellator Featherweight Tournament Fighter Wagnney Fabiano injured himselfin training, Ronnie Mann was left without an opponent. Illinois native MikeCorey saw an opportunity to face one of the best featherweights on the planet,and decided to step in on short notice. The first round saw plenty of action asboth Mann and Corey landed shots that dropped their opponent. Corey was able tofinish the round on top with some ground and pound. In the second round, Coreywas able to secure a takedown and spent the majority of the time in a dominantposition despite submission attempts from Mann. The third round looked similarto the second. Corey was able to get Mann to the canvas and deliver relentlessground and pound until the final bell sounded.

When the scorecards were read, Mike Corey walked away with a well-deservedunanimous decision victory and will move on to the semifinals of the BellatorSeason Six Featherweight Tournament. He improves his record to 12-2 whileRonnie Mann drops to 21-4 as a professional.

Bellator Featherweight Tournament favorite Marlon Sandro was looking to make astatement in his second stint in a Bellator Tournament. Tournament newcomerRoberto Vargas was looking to score the biggest win of his career. The fightstarted off as an exciting back-and-forth affair that saw both fighters landclean shots. However, Sandro was able to overwhelm the less experienced Vargaswith strikes that dropped him. After some ground and pound, Sandro was able toget the hooks in and submit Vargas with a rear naked choke at 3:35 of the firstround.

Marlon Sandro improves his record to 21-3 and 4-1 under the Bellator banner. RobertoVargas loses for just the second time in his professional MMA career.

In the first quarterfinal fight of the Bellator Season Six FeatherweightTournament, Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra came in as a favorite over latereplacement, Kenny Foster. From the opening bell, "Popo" showedexactly why. Utilizing an array of head kicks and leg kicks was able todominate Foster in the first round. In the second round, Foster came out withbetter footwork and appeared have learned from his striking mistakes in the firstround, however Foster attempted a takedown that was stuffed from"Popo." Bezerra was then able to get Foster’s back and slip in a rearnaked choke that forced Foster to tap.

"Popo" improves his record to 13-1 and moves on to the semifinalround of the Bellator Season Six Featherweight Tournament. Foster, who dropshis fourth straight fight, falls to 9-6 in his professional career.

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