Askren vs. Thompson Superfight Headlines Bellator 40

(PRESS RELEASE) -- After an action-packed night of fights at Bellator 39, former wrestling Olympian and current Bellator Welterweight World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren will take on former UFC and Strikeforce veteran Nick “The Goat” Thompson in a non-title superfight this Saturday, April 9th at the First Council Casino in Newkirk, Okla. at Bellator 40, which airs LIVE on MTV2.

“Ben hasn’t been in the cage since winning the Bellator title, and I can’t wait to see him back in action this Saturday LIVE on MTV2,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Nick comes in with a ton of experience, so this should be a great fight.”

While “Funky’s” title isn’t on the line, Askren (7-0) isn’t going to treat this matchup any different than his title fight last season against former Bellator Champion Lyman Good. With the experience “The Goat” brings to the cage, Askren knows not to take the veteran lightly.

“I come to fight every single time,” said Askren. “Whether you're good or you're bad, I still want to smash you, and it's going to be the same thing when I fight Nick Thompson. It doesn't matter what his record is, I'm going to be looking to kick his ass no matter what.”

Along with the Askren-Thompson superfight, Bellator 40 will see a Welterweight semifinal fight between Jay "The Thoroughbred" Hieron and fast-rising Brent Weedman for a coveted spot in the Bellator Welterweight Finals. In a Season 4 Lightweight semifinal fight, undefeated All-American Michael Chandler will step into the cage with Lloyd "Cupcake" Woodard as both unbeaten fighters will be looking to keep their spotless record intact.

The full fight card for Bellator 40 can be located below:

MAIN CARD:

Welterweight Super Fight: Champ Ben Askren (7-0) vs. Nick Thompson (38-12-1)

Welterweight Semifinal Fight: Brent Weedman (19-5-1) vs. Jay Hieron (20-4)

Lightweight Semifinal Fight: Lloyd Woodard (11-0) vs. Michael Chandler (6-0)

UNDERCARD:

Local Feature Fight: Nate James (11-6-1) vs. Tyler Stinson (19-7)

Local Feature Fight: Josh Burns (5-3) vs. Eric Prindle (6-1)

Local Feature Fight: David Rickles (4-0) vs. Dylan Smith (7-1)

Local Feature Fight: Cody Carrillo (6-4) vs. Michael Osborn (2-3)

Local Feature Fight: Mike Winters (4-0) vs. Ryan Quinn (4-2)

Tickets for Bellator 40 are on sale now at the First Council Casino Box Office and Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log onto ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge by Phone number 1.800.745.3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet.

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

About Bellator Fighting Championships

Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator’s founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.

About MTV2

MTV2 is a man's best friend, available in nearly 80 million homes and with the highest concentration of males 12-24 and 12-34 on TV today. A vibrant mix of music, lifestyle and action sports programming, MTV2 has reflected the habits and behavior of young people since its launch in 1996. MTV2 is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom, one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator