Bellator 113 hits Kansas with Vegh-Newton II, lightweight tourney quarterfinals

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Bellator's March schedule continues to fill out, as they announced on Thursday a return to the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas, for Bellator 113 on March 21.

Headlining the event will be a Light Heavyweight Title unification bout between Champ Attila Vegh and Interim Champ Emanuel Newton. The two fought once before, with Vegh picking up a split decision victory in 2012. He went on to capture the title in February of last year, but hasn't fought since.

Newton then went on to win the season eight light heavyweight tournament, knocking out "King Mo" Lawal in the semifinals before earning his shot at the title. Of course, he then had to defeat Lawal a second time when they booked an Interim Title bout over this matchup in November.

"I'm ready for redemption," Newton said in a release announcing the fight. "I really wasn't ready at the time in my career to be a champion. It wasn't something physically, mentally, and spiritually I was prepared for. I'm a totally different fighter now, and this is my time. I'm training hard, continuing to grow, and this is it. Now is the time. I've got a new contract with Bellator, Bjorn and I are happy, I'm going to be here for a long time and I couldn't be happier. This is my home, and I'm going to be Champion."

"I'm ready to get back into the cage, and defend my belt," Vegh added. "Even though I won my last fight with Emanuel, I wasn't happy with my performance in my last fight against Emanuel Newton. I was ready but things just didn't go the way I planned. We are both different fighters since then, and it's going to be a great fight."

In addition to that title bout, the opening round in the Bellator season ten lightweight tournament is set. The feature opening round bout pits one-time tourney winner David Rickels against Patricky "Pitbull" Freire; the other opening round fights pit Terry Etim against Derek Anderson, Marcin Held against Rodrigo Cavalheiro, and Derek Campos against Brandon Girtz.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Bellator/article_19946.shtml

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