Bellator's March 5 Season 4 Premiere Official

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Bellator Fighting Championships will kick off its fourth season on March 5, as Bellator 35 will emanate from the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in LeMoore, Calif.

The promotion today announced the event, which will air live on MTV2 nationwide. Sherdog.com first reported the show's date and location last week. The event is expected to feature the start of Bellator's upcoming welterweight tournament.

Bellator has also announced that Saturday will become the new day of choice for the promotion's broadcasts, which previously aired on Thursday nights when the organization was partnered with Fox Sports Net prior to signing a new contract with MTV2.

“With our spectacular partnership with MTV2, MMA fans now have a place to watch Bellator live every Saturday night,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney in the official release. “Our fourth season is absolutely loaded with talent, and I can’t wait to get the action started at Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino when we return to California on March 5.”

Bellator's upcoming welterweight tournament will feature a laundry list of budding talent, including Olympic judoka Rick Hawn, Strikeforce veteran Jay Hieron and former Bellator 170-pound champion Lyman Good. The winner will earn a guaranteed title shot at current welterweight kingpin Ben Askren.

The promotion will also feature tournaments at featherweight and lightweight. Additionally, the promotion will break new ground when it puts on its first-ever light heavyweight tournament. Each division's tournament champion will be awarded $100,000 in total pay for their efforts.