Bellator Heavyweight World Champion Cole Konrad Takes on Hard Hitting UFC Veteran Paul Buentello in Super Fight at Bellator 42
Apr 4, 2011
(PRESS RELEASE) -- After an impressive run through Bellator’s
Heavyweight Tournament in Season 3, Bellator Heavyweight World
Champion Cole “The Polar Bear” Konrad will step into the cage for
the first time since his Championship fight when he takes on
veteran knockout artist Paul “The Headhunter” Buentello in a
Heavyweight Super Fight on April 23rd from the Lucky Star Casino in
Concho, Oklahoma LIVE on MTV2.
“Cole had three very dominant performances for us last season on his way to becoming our first Heavyweight World Champion,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “I’m expecting big things from Cole, and Paul will provide a fantastic test for our young champ.”
Before entering MMA, Konrad (7-0) came into mixed martial arts
arena with a reputation as one of the most decorated heavyweight
wrestlers to ever make the transition into the sport. As a wrestler
at the University of Minnesota, he notched two NCAA Division I
Heavyweight Championships in the 285 lb division. Now undefeated
and a Bellator World Champion, “The Polar Bear” is ready for the
tough task that is Paul Buentello.
“I'm not taking Paul Buentello lightly for one moment,” said a modest Konrad. “I feel like this fight with Paul is going to be the toughest fight of my career, and that's exactly how I'm preparing for it. Just because he's a little older doesn't mean he's not dangerous. He has a ton of experience, and that definitely works to his advantage.”
“With a nickname like "The Headhunter", most of my opponents know that I'm looking to stand and bang,” said Buentello. “I'm definitely expecting for Cole Konrad to try to get me to the ground as soon as possible. I have to pull the trigger in this fight. I got into this sport making a name for myself for putting my hands on my opponent’s faces, and I definitely want to get back to my roots in this fight. I plan on standing my ground and putting my hands on Cole.”
Even with his experience, Buentello (29-13) knows he is seen as the underdog in the upcoming fight; a notion he will try and use to his advantage.
“In my mind I see this fight like David versus Goliath. Cole Konrad is a lot bigger than me, and a lot of people are expecting for him to beat me. They're expecting for him to take me down and hold me down, kind of how David was supposed to lose against Goliath. I know what I'm expected to do and I know what I'm capable of doing, so it's up for me to go out there and perform the way I know I can.”
Buentello will get that chance on April 23rd at Bellator 42, LIVE on MTV2.
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.
“Cole had three very dominant performances for us last season on his way to becoming our first Heavyweight World Champion,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “I’m expecting big things from Cole, and Paul will provide a fantastic test for our young champ.”
Advertisement
“I'm not taking Paul Buentello lightly for one moment,” said a modest Konrad. “I feel like this fight with Paul is going to be the toughest fight of my career, and that's exactly how I'm preparing for it. Just because he's a little older doesn't mean he's not dangerous. He has a ton of experience, and that definitely works to his advantage.”
The experience Konrad mentions should work to Buentello’s favor, as
the former King of the Cage Champion has spent time with the UFC
and Strikeforce in his nearly 15 year career, and currently trains
out of the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) alongside UFC
Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez and others. With an impressive
17 knockout victories to his name, it’s no secret the strategy “The
Headhunter” will employ.
“With a nickname like "The Headhunter", most of my opponents know that I'm looking to stand and bang,” said Buentello. “I'm definitely expecting for Cole Konrad to try to get me to the ground as soon as possible. I have to pull the trigger in this fight. I got into this sport making a name for myself for putting my hands on my opponent’s faces, and I definitely want to get back to my roots in this fight. I plan on standing my ground and putting my hands on Cole.”
Even with his experience, Buentello (29-13) knows he is seen as the underdog in the upcoming fight; a notion he will try and use to his advantage.
“In my mind I see this fight like David versus Goliath. Cole Konrad is a lot bigger than me, and a lot of people are expecting for him to beat me. They're expecting for him to take me down and hold me down, kind of how David was supposed to lose against Goliath. I know what I'm expected to do and I know what I'm capable of doing, so it's up for me to go out there and perform the way I know I can.”
Buentello will get that chance on April 23rd at Bellator 42, LIVE on MTV2.
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.
