Semifinalists at 205 Cleared for Bellator 42

Richard Hale already made the highlight reel. Now, he returns to the cage for a more substantial prize: a seat in the Bellator Fighting Championships Season 4 light heavyweight tournament final.

Hale (Pictured; file photo) checked in at 205.2 pounds for his semifinal showdown with D.J. Linderman (205) at Bellator 42 on Saturday at the Lucky Star Casino in Concho, Okla. The two other semifinalists -- the unbeaten Tim Carpenter (205) and French import Christian M’Pumbu (201.4) -- also met their contracted weight requirements without incident at Friday’s official weigh-in.

Hale last appeared at Bellator 38 in March, when he submitted Nik Fekete with a spectacular inverted triangle choke at Harrah’s Tunica Hotel and Casino in Tunica, Miss. The 25-year-old Koncrete Gym representative will carry a three-fight winning streak into the match.

Having spent much of his career inside Arizona promotion Rage in the Cage, Hale has secured 14 of his 16 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. In 20 professional outings, he has been finished only once.

The once-beaten Linderman has rattled off four consecutive wins. The former heavyweight made his promotional debut at Bellator 38 in March, as he stopped Raphael Davis on third-round punches to advance in the 205-pound draw. Victories against American Top Team’s Mario Rinaldi, International Fight League alum Devin Cole and Strikeforce veteran Mike Hayes anchor Linderman’s resume.

Bellator 42 -- which airs at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on MTV2 -- also features a 145-pound duel pairing 2009 Sengoku Raiden Championship featherweight grand prix quarterfinalist Ronnie Mann (145.6) with Josh Arocho (147.4) and a bantamweight tilt pitting Jerod Spoon (135.8) against surging Brazilian prospect Luiz Alberto Nogueira (133.2).

Bellator Fighting Championships 42
Saturday, April 23
Lucky Star Casino,
Concho, Okla.

BFC Light Heavyweight Tournament Semifinals
Richard Hale (205.2) vs. D.J. Linderman (205)
Tim Carpenter (205) vs. Christian M’Pumbu (201.4)

Ronnie Mann (145.6) vs. Josh Arocho (147.4)*
Jerod Spoon (135.8) vs. Luiz Alberto Nogueira (133.2)
Chris Bell (190.6)* vs. Jared Hess (185.6)
Owen Evinger (144.2) vs. Brandon Shelton (145.8)
Shane Howell (134.2) vs. Mark Oshiro (135.6)
Tracy Willis (226.5) vs. Mark Holata (260.5)

* Fighters who did not make weight have two hours to shed the excess poundage.