To describe the career of Brett Rogers as a roller coaster
ride could be considered a massive understatement. The former heavyweight title
contender was at the top of the MMA food chain not long ago, but for a career
that has seen the highest of highs, the lowest of lows soon followed. Only 31,
heavy-handed heavyweight Brett “Da Grim” Rogers is looking for a fresh start
and a new challenge with Bellator Fighting Championships.
“I am incredibly thankful to Bjorn Rebney and Bellator for
giving me and my family this opportunity,” said Rogers. “I feel that I am still
one of the top heavyweights in the sport and now I have the opportunity to
prove it with Bellator. I love the tournament format as it will give me the
chance to regain my top position, of course with a lot hard work.”
After beginning his career with a spotless 9-0 record that
included eight knockout victories, Rogers, who will make his Bellator debut on
Friday, June 22nd from The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in
Chester, West Virginia at Bellator 71, made his mark in the MMA world by
dismantling former world champion Andrei Arlovski in convincing fashion. The
win earned Rogers a fight with “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko, and all
eyes were on Rogers. After a first round that saw Rogers batter and bloody
Emelianenko, the Russian legend stunned Rogers with a massive right hand that
put an abrupt halt to the contest.
Rogers then began a downward spiral with losses to
Alistair Overeem and Josh Barnett that quickly humbled the once undefeated
heavyweight. Rogers also faced issues outside of the cage, including an arrest
stemming from a domestic dispute. With his legal troubles behind him and the
chance to compete in a future Bellator Heavyweight Tournament, Rogers is ready
to see what the future holds.
“Over the past year I have been challenged in my personal
life, but all is now good in the Rogers family,” Rogers said. “Everyone makes
mistakes in life but it’s how you recover that really counts. I spend every day
with my wife and kids and enjoy every minute of it. Fighting is my job and I
love it, but I also love my family and that’s why I made things right before
returning to the cage. All I can say is get ready for a new and improved Brett
Rogers.”
“I was in Chicago the night Brett Rogers came within just
a few punches of dethroning The Last Emperor on a worldwide stage and I watched
early in his career when he was a KO machine,” Bellator CEO & Chairman Bjorn
Rebney said. “Brett’s management’s been talking to us for months about Brett.
And, after talking to Brett at length, I think this could be the type of fresh
start he needs to put his fighting career and other parts of his life back to
where he hoped they would be.”
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/Bellator
About Bellator Fighting Championships
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts
promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator, Latin for Warrior, is
partnered with entertainment industry leaders Viacom and Fremantle
Entertainment, and is the world’s leading tournament-based mixed martial arts
organization. Bellator’s Founder, Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney is an
experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep
commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes.
Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry
professionals in the areas of live event production, television production,
fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development,
international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission
relations.
About MTV2
Available in approximately 80 million homes MTV2 is man’s
best friend. Since its launch in 1996, the network has reflected the subversive
interests and behaviors of young men with a compelling and diverse programming
line-up inspired by ordinary guys who do extraordinary things. MTV2 is part of
Viacom Media Networks, one of the world’s leading creators of programming and
content across all media platforms. For more information, go to
www.mtvpress.com or follow us on Twitter @MTVPress.
About EPIX
EPIX, a joint venture between Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and
VIA.B), its Paramount Pictures unit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) and
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), is a next-generation premium entertainment channel,
video-on-demand and online service launched on October 30, 2009. With access to
more than 15,000 motion pictures spanning the vast libraries of its partners
and other studios, EPIX provides a powerful entertainment experience with more
feature films on demand and online and more HD movies than any other service.
It is the only premium service providing its entire monthly line-up of new
Hollywood titles, classic feature films, original series, music and comedy
specials through the linear channel, video-on-demand and online at EpixHD.com,
the leading online destination for movies.
EPIX has made the commitment to deliver the industry’s
most expansive online collection of movies, making more than 3,000 titles
available on EpixHD.com. The service is available to over 30 million homes
nationwide through distribution partners including Charter Communications, Cox
Communications, DISH Network, Mediacom Communications, NCTC, Suddenlink
Communications and Verizon FiOS.
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