Jay Hieron signs on for Bellator welterweight tournament
For months it was speculated that welterweight (170lb) mixed martial artist
Jay Hieron would sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championships after his contract with Strikeforce ended. But on Tuesday 16 November, he
announced he’d signed on with Bellator Fighting Championships to take part in their season four welterweight tournament.
"It's just a great fit for me," said Hieron in a statement. "At this point in my career, I want to stay as active as possible, and the tournament format allows me to do that. It's a great organization, and
it's just the perfect fit."
Hieron is currently ranked 15th in the
USA Today/SB Nation welterweight rankings, and it was well-known he was unhappy with Strikeforce for giving him un-televised fights, despite being one of their highest ranked fighters and getting skipped over for a title shot at their champion, Nick
Diaz.
Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney had good things to say about Hieron, who will join other standouts in the eight-man tournament like Dan Hornbuckle, Rick Hawn and Jim Wallhead, fighting for a shot with the current
Bellator 170lb champion, Ben Askren.
"Jay Hieron is a fantastic signing for us at 170 pounds," said Rebney in a statement. "Jay is a world-class fighter with serious talent. I can't wait to see him back on national television competing against
other top fighters, where he belongs. He is a spectacular addition to our upcoming season four welterweight tournament."
At 19-4 and undefeated in his last seven fights, Hieron will likely enter the tournament as a favourite. The tournaments usually last around 12 weeks and the winner have fought three times by the end of it,
a considerably more intense schedule than that of most fighters.
This signing may also go some way towards dispelling rumours that Bellator is on the brink of collapse. Two other promotions Hieron has recently fought for, the IFL and Affliction, both folded.
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