Bellator Fighting Championships lands multi-fight deal with British MMA star Jim Wallhead

Fresh on the heels of their acquisition of Dan Hornbuckle, Bellator Fighting Championships announced today that another welterweight star, Jim Wallhead (18-5), will join their growing roster and debut in Spring 2010.

"Judo Jim" has won six straight fights and nine of his last 11. He was last seen in "Knuckle Up MMA" where he outpointed Che Mills to a decisive unanimous decision on Nov. 1 at the Celtic Manor in Wales.

Wallhead is expected to compete in Bellator’s upcoming eight-man welterweight tournament, scheduled to begin on April 8, 2010. In addition to 170-pounds, Bellator will also conduct tournaments at 145, 155, and 185-pounds with the tournament winners immediately garnering a number-one contender status in their respective divisions.

From Bellator Founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney:

Star-divide

"Adding Jim to our welterweight division is magic for Bellator. As one of Europe’s top welterweights, Jim will no doubt use our April tournament on Fox Sports Net to introduce U.S. MMA fans to what European fans already know. Jim is the real deal. As a fan, I can’t wait to see Wallhead, Askren, McClintok and Hornbuckle face off."

Great pickup for Bellator. I think who ever wins this 170 tournament should be considered a top 10 fighter. They have gotten alot of great fighters at 170.

Ninja\Rua/Fan wrote:

Great pickup for Bellator. I think who ever wins this 170 tournament should be considered a top 10 fighter. They have gotten alot of great fighters at 170.

Bellator WW division has the most potential brewing in all of MMA right now. I'm really geeked that the coverage will be more accessible this go around.

Bellator would have to hold events with actual fights before they'll peak my interest again...

Starting to think this is more of a feeder promotion. I am not sold on all this "season" busness. Also, Eddie and Hector seem to have moved their focus to Strikeforce and Dream, while a few months ago they were all about staying with Bellator.

Like Sengoku, they are sort of left out in the lurch with Strikeforce/M1/Dream solidifying their position opposite the UFC. Can't see them getting much bigger in today's environment. How can they honestly expect to feild legit challenges for their fighters with Strikeforce/Dream gobbling everyone up and not having had an event since like a month before UFC 100.

Bellator is getting all the good WW prospects. Which is fine but i kind of wish these guys were in UFC or Strikeforce because it seems Bellator never puts on any cards.

They have cards every three days for four months out of the year then nothing. Very strange. Anyway these guys couldn't be exclusive or they'd get no one. All the best Bellator fighters will end up in Strikeforce anyway.

I have yet to see a Bellator event.

But I expect them to make themselves much more accessible going fwd. remember SF had a pretty long history b4 getting their TV deal(and showtime had already dabbled), while Bellator was televised from their infancy, and ESPN was new to the game as well. I don't think they nor ESPN were ready to go full bore. But we will see how that plays out in the future.

I think the tourney is a great idea for a fledgeling org(much better then the team oriented IFL), and I really hope they are willing to co-promote/lend-borrow fighters, although that is obviously complicated by the TV deals.

Considering both Alvarez and Lombard, their two major fighters, have both fought in other promotions since their last fights in Bellator, I think it is safe to say they're willing to share, for now. I suspect that has more to do though with letting fighters complete contracts that already existed during a long lay off period though than a full endorsment of full non-exclusivity. Months ago it seemed from appearances that Bellator wanted to hold on to their fighters. I certainly hope not, as that would make Bellator super boring and give it a short life span. I don't know if their is any room left for Bellator at the top of the MMA game. Like I said, I see them dropping down to a feeder promotional role where latino fighters are groomed for the bigger shows. More than that, I see them folding before long. I know they won't be able to pay fighters what Strikeforce and the UFC can. Being on fox sports and a fringe espn station in a developing, non english market isn't enough to save them either. The IFL was also on fox sports.

Bellator either fails or becomes static as a lower level feeder promotion, who produces tournament winners for the UFC and Strikeforce to sign.

That role could be a niche for them. A yearly Bellator tournament for up and coming fighters that stretches a few months. They could sustain as a feeder by being only an annual event.