STEROID
11-29-2011, 03:16 AM
As champ Zoila Gurgel heals, Bellator likely to nix future 115-pound tournaments
by Steven Marrocco and Christian Stein on Nov 28, 2011 at 2:35 pm ET
http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/5083/66990175.jpg (http://bodybuilderselite.com/bbelite/redirect-to/?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fimg542.imageshack.us%2Fimg5 42%2F5083%2F66990175.jpg)
It appears as though Bellator women's 115-pound champ Zoila Gurgel won't have to suffer as much when she returns to the cage.
Following this past Saturday's Bellator 59 event, CEO Bjorn Rebney indicated that his promotion is unlikely to groom a challenger to Gurgel's title for next year.
"My expectation is that Zoila will be back, and she'll be in the mix with some of the best ladies in the world that fight under our banner, but I think it will happen at a weight class probably closer to [125 pounds]," Rebney told MMAjunkie.com.
Gurgel won the inaugural Bellator women's 115-pound tournament 13 months ago to become the promotion's first champion in the division. She returned in March as a 125-pounder and won a non-title bout against Karina Hallinan. But prior to a non-title bout against Carina Damm at Bellator 57, she suffered a completely torn ACL that forced her to withdraw from the contest. Her recovery is expected to stretch well into next year.
When contacted today, Gurgel said she all along planned to continue fighting at 125 pounds but didn't want to lose any possible opportunities if Bellator decided to revive the 115-pound division. While Rebney indicated that she couldn't make 115 pounds, Gurgel said that isn't the case.
"I would love to defend my belt again," said the fighter, who went by the name Zoila Frausto until her marriage to fellow fighter Jorge Gurgel. "I never said I don't want to fight at 115 again. I do want at 115, and I want to defend my belt. But the next thing they were talking about was the 125-pound tournament, so of course I want to be a part of that."
When she gains clearance to run by her doctor, Gurgel plans to compete in fitness competitions as a substitute for her time in the cage.
Bellator has yet to announce the weight classes and participants for its sixth season of tournament action, but by all indications, there will be eight-man competitions in the men's bantamweight weight class up to the men's light heavyweight division. Rebney did not mention a specific timetable for a possible women's flyweight tournament.
"Most of the ladies that are fighting for us right now are comfortable fighting at [120 or 125 pounds]," Rebney said. "I think we would just move up and probable reseed everybody and have the ladies go at it again, a lot of the same ladies. Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar and Zoila Fruasto and those ladies are the best in the world. We're very lucky and blessed to have them fighting for this organization."
Bellator has yet to announce the weight classes and participants for its sixth season of tournament action, but by all indications, there will be eight-man competitions in the men's bantamweight weight class up to the men's light heavyweight division. Rebney did not mention a specific timetable for a possible women's flyweight tournament.
"Most of the ladies that are fighting for us right now are comfortable fighting at [120 or 125 pounds]," Rebney said. "I think we would just move up and probable reseed everybody and have the ladies go at it again, a lot of the same ladies. Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar and Zoila Fruasto and those ladies are the best in the world. We're very lucky and blessed to have them fighting for this organization."
by Steven Marrocco and Christian Stein on Nov 28, 2011 at 2:35 pm ET
http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/5083/66990175.jpg (http://bodybuilderselite.com/bbelite/redirect-to/?redirect=http%3A%2F%2Fimg542.imageshack.us%2Fimg5 42%2F5083%2F66990175.jpg)
It appears as though Bellator women's 115-pound champ Zoila Gurgel won't have to suffer as much when she returns to the cage.
Following this past Saturday's Bellator 59 event, CEO Bjorn Rebney indicated that his promotion is unlikely to groom a challenger to Gurgel's title for next year.
"My expectation is that Zoila will be back, and she'll be in the mix with some of the best ladies in the world that fight under our banner, but I think it will happen at a weight class probably closer to [125 pounds]," Rebney told MMAjunkie.com.
Gurgel won the inaugural Bellator women's 115-pound tournament 13 months ago to become the promotion's first champion in the division. She returned in March as a 125-pounder and won a non-title bout against Karina Hallinan. But prior to a non-title bout against Carina Damm at Bellator 57, she suffered a completely torn ACL that forced her to withdraw from the contest. Her recovery is expected to stretch well into next year.
When contacted today, Gurgel said she all along planned to continue fighting at 125 pounds but didn't want to lose any possible opportunities if Bellator decided to revive the 115-pound division. While Rebney indicated that she couldn't make 115 pounds, Gurgel said that isn't the case.
"I would love to defend my belt again," said the fighter, who went by the name Zoila Frausto until her marriage to fellow fighter Jorge Gurgel. "I never said I don't want to fight at 115 again. I do want at 115, and I want to defend my belt. But the next thing they were talking about was the 125-pound tournament, so of course I want to be a part of that."
When she gains clearance to run by her doctor, Gurgel plans to compete in fitness competitions as a substitute for her time in the cage.
Bellator has yet to announce the weight classes and participants for its sixth season of tournament action, but by all indications, there will be eight-man competitions in the men's bantamweight weight class up to the men's light heavyweight division. Rebney did not mention a specific timetable for a possible women's flyweight tournament.
"Most of the ladies that are fighting for us right now are comfortable fighting at [120 or 125 pounds]," Rebney said. "I think we would just move up and probable reseed everybody and have the ladies go at it again, a lot of the same ladies. Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar and Zoila Fruasto and those ladies are the best in the world. We're very lucky and blessed to have them fighting for this organization."
Bellator has yet to announce the weight classes and participants for its sixth season of tournament action, but by all indications, there will be eight-man competitions in the men's bantamweight weight class up to the men's light heavyweight division. Rebney did not mention a specific timetable for a possible women's flyweight tournament.
"Most of the ladies that are fighting for us right now are comfortable fighting at [120 or 125 pounds]," Rebney said. "I think we would just move up and probable reseed everybody and have the ladies go at it again, a lot of the same ladies. Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar and Zoila Fruasto and those ladies are the best in the world. We're very lucky and blessed to have them fighting for this organization."