Bellator meet-and-greet
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 02/25/15
As Feb. 27 approaches and Mohegan Sun prepares for Bellator: British Invasion, the organization is offering a treat of sorts for Connecticut MMA fans. Four legends of the sport will appear at Dave & Buster's at 100 Buckland Hills Drive during an event that is open and free to the public.
Fedor Emelianko, Royce Gracie, Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock will appear at the event to sign autographs. Bellator announced that attendants will also get a chance to win prizes, including tickets, and get their pictures taken with Bellator's ring girls.
Although former UFC light heavyweight Ortiz is perhaps the most recognizable name to casual MMA fans, purists will probably gush at the chance to meet Fedor. Bellator President Scott Coker founded the now-dissolved organization Strikeforce, which was Fedor's former employer.
Ortiz is currently signed with Bellator and drew huge viewership to the organization when he fought Stephen Bonnar at Bellator 131. The two men put on a stagey, pro-wrestling confrontation at Mohegan Sun last year to hype the fight.
Gracie and Shamrock were old rivals from the early barn-storming days of the UFC and meeting them in the same room should be interesting. One of Gracie's students, Jim Hughes, operates Gracie Jiu Jitsu in West Hartford and Gracie himself used to periodically came to the Hartford Police Department to train police officers. A branch of Shamrock's Lion's Den training camp operated in Middletown but is currently closed.
