Freire-Straus to start Bellator season

          • Brett OkamotoNov 15, 2014, 06:15 PM ET
            Close
              Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
            Follow on X

          SAN DIEGO -- Bellator MMA announced its first three scheduled events of 2015 during a news conference Saturday. All three will air on Spike TV.

          The promotion will host its first card of the year Jan. 16 at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California. A featherweight title fight between champion Patricio Freire (22-2) and Daniel Straus (23-5) will headline.

          A Feb. 27 event will take place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, featuring a welterweight title fight with champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and Paul Daley (35-13-2) and a light heavyweight title contest between belt-holder Emanuel Newton (25-7-1) and Liam McGeary (9-0).

          On March 27, the Bellator cage will be at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma, with a bantamweight title bout between champion Joe Warren (12-3) and Marcos Galvao (16-6-1).

          President Scott Coker, who took over the position in June, has committed to moving away from Bellator's traditional weekly card, tournament-based format. The company is expected to promote 16 events in 2015.