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Bellator's return to Chicago on August 19 for Bellator 25 will see a heavyweight clash between Cole Konrad and Rogent Llorent in opening round tournament action, the organization announced today.
Konrad made the move to MMA after a highly successful collegiate wrestling career at the University of Minnesota. He won two national championships, and has now compiled a perfect 4-0 record in MMA.
Llorent is a 9-1-1 heavyweight whose only defeat came in 2007. The Spaniard is a submission specialist, finishing six of his nine wins via submission.
"Cole is on one of the best heavyweight wrestlers in the world, and Rogent's jiu jitsu is at a similar level, so this should be a very intriguing fight," Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney stated in today's release. "Add this fight to a card that already includes the U.S. debut of Damian Grabowski and a highly anticipated women’s tournament fight between Zoila Frausto and Jessica Pene, and you have the makings of a great fight night in Chicago."
The event will air live or via tape delay on Fox Sports Net.
Penick's Analysis: I like this match up. It's a fight likely to wind up on the ground, and with Llorent's submission ability and Konrad's top game, it could be a very interesting clash on the mat. That said, with two fighters primarily known for their ground games facing off, more often than not the fight ends up being contested on the feet.
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