Recent Bellator title challenger Jay Hieron (22-5) is headed to Legacy Fighting Championships.
LFC promoter Mick Maynard today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the fighter – who's also competed with the UFC, Strikeforce, WEC and IFL – has verbally agreed to a three-fight deal with the promotion.
The 35-year-old Hieron is expected to make his promotional debut at Legacy Fighting Championships 12, which airs live on HDNet on July 13.
Legacy Fighting Championships 12, which is also expected to feature Robert Drysdale vs. Isaac "Ike" Villanueva, takes place at Houston's Arena Theater. Hieron's opponent will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Hieron leaves Bellator following an October title loss to champion Ben Askren, which came via close split decision. The defeat snapped Hieron's 10-fight win streak, which included his victorious run through Bellator's eight-man season-four welterweight tournament, as well as a pair of victories under the Strikeforce banner.
After the fight, Hieron told MMAjunkie.com Radio he thought the win was his.
"I think I'm the champ, man," Hieron said. "I think I did enough to win. I think I won the first round, the third round, and the fifth. I closed the show, the championship round, hands down."
Hieron's Bellator tourney run included victories over ex-KOTC champ Anthony Lapsley, Bellator regular Brent Weedman, and Olympian Rick Hawn.
I think the tournament format is gonna be a big reason why top fighters/stars dont go to Bellator and why guys will leave.
Jay is one of them, yes he is bitter he lost and is probably pissed he didnt get the win or a rematch. He didnt want to run it back in another tournament.
I think Eddie is the same way, top 10 LW, loses to Chandler, beats top 5 Aoki and now he will have to do another tournament to get a shot. I think he will be ok with it if he gets 100k a fight or more to do the tournament. Make 300k in three months but I dont know if Bjorn would give him that deal and pay him that much each tournament fight.
But why not stay in Bellator and get another shot? Or even why not try and go back to SF? They could use him to fight Nate/Tyron winner.
But I guess he figures win a few fights in LFC and then maybe the UFC will offer him a deal.
I thought he was robbed against Asken.But there was a fight in the tournament that he lost and got the win.