Bellator Signs Linderman, Tesanovic
Brian Knapp Aug 25, 2010
Bellator Fighting Championships on Monday acquired the services of
Sportfight heavyweight champion D.J.
Linderman. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Linderman has rattled off three consecutive victories since his unanimous decision defeat to International Fight League veteran Devin Cole. The 26-year-old California-based heavyweight last appeared at Sportfight 28 in July, when he notched a unanimous decision in a five-round struggle with Daniel Stewart. Linderman owns a 2009 victory over American Top Team rep and EliteXC veteran Mario Rinaldi.
Though he signed after the completion of Bellator’s Season 3
heavyweight tournament roster, Linderman could step in should
complications arise with any of the remaining competitors. Two-time
NCAA national wrestling champion Cole Konrad,
undefeated Polish import Damian
Grabowski and UFC veteran Neil Grove
have already advanced to the tournament semi-finals.
“Linderman is a great addition to our heavyweight talent-pool,” Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney said in a release. “He is a powerful heavyweight that has a tremendous amount of potential. We’re happy to have him onboard and look forward to seeing what he does in our steadily growing heavyweight division.”
In addition, Bellator has signed surging Serbian middleweight Dragan Tesanovic. Unbeaten as a professional, the 24-year-old has finished five of his first seven foes by knockout or technical knockout. Tesanovic defeated M-1 Challenge veteran Gregor Herb by unanimous decision under the World Free Fight Challenge banner on July 31.
“Tesanovic has tremendous potential to become a dominant middleweight,” Rebney said. “His diverse training regime and quickly progressing skill set the table for him to make substantial impact in our 185-pound division.”
Linderman has rattled off three consecutive victories since his unanimous decision defeat to International Fight League veteran Devin Cole. The 26-year-old California-based heavyweight last appeared at Sportfight 28 in July, when he notched a unanimous decision in a five-round struggle with Daniel Stewart. Linderman owns a 2009 victory over American Top Team rep and EliteXC veteran Mario Rinaldi.
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“Linderman is a great addition to our heavyweight talent-pool,” Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney said in a release. “He is a powerful heavyweight that has a tremendous amount of potential. We’re happy to have him onboard and look forward to seeing what he does in our steadily growing heavyweight division.”
In addition, Bellator has signed surging Serbian middleweight Dragan Tesanovic. Unbeaten as a professional, the 24-year-old has finished five of his first seven foes by knockout or technical knockout. Tesanovic defeated M-1 Challenge veteran Gregor Herb by unanimous decision under the World Free Fight Challenge banner on July 31.
“Tesanovic has tremendous potential to become a dominant middleweight,” Rebney said. “His diverse training regime and quickly progressing skill set the table for him to make substantial impact in our 185-pound division.”
