Bellator MMA Returns to St. Louis With a ‘Vengeance’ on Nov. 6

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (August 14, 2015) – Bellator MMA’s Featherweight Championship will be defended in a trilogy contest between incumbent titlist Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (24-2) and former champion Daniel Straus (23-6, 1 NC) when the two square off in the main event of “Bellator 145: Vengeance” at Scottrade Center in Saint Louis on November 6.

In a fight also worthy of main event billing, Will “Ill Will” Brooks (16-1) will look to defend his 155-pound belt when he meets submission specialist Marcin Held (21-3). Fans who tune-in to “Bellator 145: Vengeance” on Spike will also be treated to lightweight Michael Chandler (13-3) and heavyweight Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (13-2) competing inside the Bellator MMA cage. Opponents for both fighters will be announced in the coming weeks.

The contests will take up four spots during the main card of “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which airs live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 6 p.m. CT.

Tickets for “Bellator 145: ‘Vengeance,” which start at just $30, go on sale next Friday, August 21 at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com and at the Ford Box Office at Scottrade Center, with a special Bellator Nation presale available on the 19th and 20th for fans using the code: FIGHT. Doors for the event open at 5:00 p.m. CT local time, and the first contest takes place one hour after.

“Following the success of ‘Unfinished Business’ in June, it was a no-brainer for us to make our return to the Scottrade Center and St. Louis before the year’s end. Once again, I look forward to working alongside Jesse Finney and his standout promotion Shamrock FC on putting together another must-see event,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “In addition to not one, but two world-class title fights, Michael Chandler and Bobby Lashley also being featured at ‘Vengeance’ brings a sense of hometown pride back to the outstanding fans of Missouri.”

Freire is a multi-time Bellator Featherweight Tournament winner who has only tasted defeat twice in his illustrious 26-fight career. Best known as “Pitbull,” the tenacious striker has finished 18 of his 24 wins and was most recently on the positive end of a devastating knockout of Daniel Weichel at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business.” A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, “Pitbull” owns victories over his “Bellator 145: Vengeance” opponent in their prior two battles.

After recovering from a devastating knee injury following his last meeting with Freire, Daniel Straus bounced back with a spectacular submission stoppage of Henry Corrales at “Bellator 138: Unfinished Business.” A member of American Top Team in Florida, the 31-year-old wants to reclaim the belt that he still considers to be his, which was made clear during his post-fight interview with Bellator MMA color commentator Jimmy Smith where he said: “Whoever holds the featherweight belt, I am coming to beat you up.”

A training partner of Straus at ATT, Brooks has been yearning to return to action since his unanimous decision victory over Dave Jansen at “Bellator 136: Brooks vs. Jansen.” The 28-year-old will be making his 10th appearance inside the Bellator MMA cage and competing in a bout where the lightweight title is on the line for the fourth consecutive time. The Chicago native currently sits at No. 6 on Sherdog.com’s official lightweight rankings.

At only 23-years-old, Held will officially cash-in the title shot earned from his Bellator Season 10 Lightweight Tournament Final victory at “Bellator 126: Shlemenko vs. Halsey.” A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Held has earned titles at prominent grappling tournaments the likes of: ADCC, FILA and IBJJF. In his most recent Bellator MMA appearance, the Polish fighter finished Alexander Sarnavskiy via kneebar, pushing his career total of wins by way of submission to 12.