Marcus ‘Lelo’ Aurelio to make Bellator debut in Tunica, Mississippi
Bellator Fighting Championships announced today that Welterweight Marcus “Lelo” Aurelio (6-1) has joined the promotion’s ranks. Aurelio will make his debut in the final “Summer Series” event of 2012: Bellator 73; which will take place August 24 at Harrah’s Tunica Hotel and Casino in Tunica, Mississippi. “Lelo” is not to be confused with the Lightweight fighter of the same name who fought in Pride and UFC.
Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney made the announcement: “Marcus is an absolute explosive anomaly in our sport. If you have never seen him fight, you are missing something totally unique and special. Marcus brings a completely unique style and confidence to the cage that I’ve never seen before. It will be great to see how his explosive Capoeira translates in the Bellator cage.”
Aurelio is a practitioner of the Brazilian martial art, Capoeira, he is looking forward to bringing this dazzling art to Bellator: “I’m really excited to have signed with Bellator. I’m happy that they see my potential. I know they have some of the best fighters in the world and I’m ready to prove my worth against top tier competition. This is a huge accomplishment for me and everyone who has helped me get to where I am. I feel that my style of fighting is very dynamic and explosive. I certainly don’t enter the cage to win on points. It’s instinct for me, I’m always looking to finish my opponent. I think it’s exciting for the fans.”
Pat Curran (17-4 MMA, 7-1 BFC) and season-four tournament winner Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (17-1 MMA, 5-1 BFC) will Headline the card in a Featherweight championship title fight. Additionally, Bellator 73 will feature the finals of the “Summer Series” light-heavyweight tournament.
A highly anticipated bantamweight fight between Marcos Galvao (12-5-1 MMA, 3-2 BFC) and Luis Nogueira (14-2 MMA, 4-1 BFC) is scheduled for this card, concluding the season-six bantamweight tournament. The winner will go on to face the current champion Eduardo Dantas.
Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney stated in a press release: “Harrah’s Tunica was a fantastic venue partner for us when we made our first visit last year, and I expect another energized sold-out crowd on August 24. Pat Curran and Patricio ‘Pitbull’ is a world title fight between two of the best featherweights on Earth. Both can finish any fight with relentless strikes or vicious submissions. This will be an epic title fight to remember for years to come.”
Bellator 73 will air the main card on MTV2 and EPIX. The preliminary card will stream live on Spike.com. Watch Aurelio devastate an opponent using his art in about 14 seconds below:
