Rick Hawn, Ron Keslar Join Bellator's Season 9 Welterweight Tournament

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Former lightweight title challenger Rick Hawn will participate in Bellator’s Season 9 welterweight tournament, as the judoka meets Herman Terrado at Bellator 100.

Hawn and Ron Keslar stepped up on short notice to join the tournament field after Matt Riddle and Mark Scanlon were forced to pull out due to injury. Keslar will now face Luis Sergio Teotonio da Fonseca Melo Jr. this Friday at the Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix. Bellator 100 airs live on Spike TV and is headlined by a Season 8 welterweight tournament final between Ben Saunders and Douglas Lima.

Following his Olympic judo bid in 2004, Hawn made his MMA debut in 2009, rattling off 11 straight wins before dropping a split decision to Jay Hieron in the Season 4 welterweight tournament finals. Hawn then cut to 155 pounds, winning the Season 6 draw but falling to lightweight champion Michael Chandler this past January. Hawn then returned to welterweight for a clash with fellow judo player and UFC veteran Karo Parisyan, knocking out “The Heat” in the second round of their April collision at Bellator 95.

A three-time Strikeforce veteran, Keslar rides a four-fight winning streak heading into his Bellator debut. The American Kickboxing Academy rep has not competed since May 2012, when he scored a unanimous decision win over Dominic Waiters under the JW Events banner.