The Event: Bellator 35, currently scheduled for March 5, 2011 at the Tachi Palace Casino & Resort in Lemoore, CA. The main card will be broadcast live on the MTV2 network starting at 9 PM ET/PT.

Why You Should Care: This is a major turning point for Bellator FC. This is the first official show of their new partnership with the MTV2 network, and there’s a lot riding on this deal. Bellator’s future as an upstart promotion very well could be at stake if they can’t find a home with the MTV2 audience, and it’s certainly going to be very interesting to see how this first event sets the stage for things to come.

What to Look Forward to in the Main Event: This is the opening round of Bellator’s Welterweight Tournament, so there’s really no “main event” to speak of, there’s just the tournament fights. Still, one of the main matches everyone is looking forward to is Dan Hornbuckle vs. Brent Weedman. Both men have a ton of experience, so this should be an awesome fight between two talented veterans.

What to Look Forward to in the Co-Main Event: Another interesting match-up fans should be paying attention to is Jay Hieron vs. Anthony Lapsley. Hieron is a former Strikeforce, Affliction, IFL, UFC, and WEC veteran, with a great 19-4 record. Hieron has won his last seven fights, and many are predicting that he could make a very deep run in Bellator’s tournament, with some already picking him to win the tournament outright.

Why You Should Watch This Card: It’s a great jumping-on point for those that may not be familiar to Bellator, since Bellator will be trying to both appeal to and convert an entirely new audience. Also, several of the welterweight fights look very entertaining on paper, and Bellator has an excellent habit of continually producing dramatic finishes and blistering action.

Why You Shouldn’t Watch This Card: I rarely take this stance, but I’m not opposed to taking it when the situation calls for it. So here it is: I’m not going to advocate not watching this show. There are reasons, sure. There are reasons not to watch any MMA show no matter how important it is perceived to be. But I just think that this is a very, very important show for Bellator, and I think we owe it to them and ourselves as MMA fans to support this promotion and help it grow.

Closing Thoughts: I have to admit, I haven’t followed Bellator nearly as much as I think I should. Hopefully that can change with this show. With a steady timeslot and live weekly events, I can see myself really getting into Bellator if the quality is as good as the underground makes it out to be. I’m looking forward to watching this show, and who knows? If it turns out to be as good as some people say it is, Bellator could be another strong candidate for replacing the WEC as my “dark horse favorite”.

And what about you, fans and friends? What’s your take on Bellator 35?

The welterweight Judoka went on to face the likes of standouts Anthony Johnson, Josh Koscheck, and War Machine, though with mixed results. Going 2-3 with the UFC, Yoshida will bring a respectable résumé, which includes career highlight wins over Akira Kikuchi and UFC 170-pound contender Dan Hardy.

While Yoshida’s opponent has yet to be determined, it has been rumored that the former UFC competitor was an early candidate for Bellator welterweight finalist, Dan Hornbuckle, though it has recently been reported that the Sengoku veteran will in fact face another former UFC fighter, in Brad Blackburn.

While Yoshida brings name quality into Bellator’s welterweight division, who do you think he should be squared up against? A super-fight with Bellator champion Lyman Good? Or should he wait on the sidelines for the Hornbuckle-Blackburn bout to play out?

They faced each other in the quarterfinals at Bellator 14 on April 15. Ben Askren won a technical-submission victory when the referee stopped the fight even though Thomas never tapped out.

As soon as the fight was over Ryan protested but to no avail. Yet in what seemed like fate, British fighter Jim Wallhead (17-5) was forced to withdraw from the tournament when volcanic ash prevented him from traveling to the states to the following week for Bellator 15. Thomas told the “Official Voice of Fighters.com”, MMA Gospel Radio, that Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney made him the first alternate immediately following the fight with Askren. When Wallhead had to drop out, Bjorn went to bat with the athletic commission in order to get Thomas approved for the fight against Jacob McClintock (6-1). Thomas did exactly what he told MMA Gospel Radio he would do as he won by TKO to move into the semifinals.

Both Askren and Thomas have said they really wanted to fight one another again. Bjorn Rebney, the man fast becoming mixed martial arts most beloved CEO, put the fight together and we will now get to see who is the better fighter.

Also scheduled for Bellator 19 is the other semifinal fight between Steven Carl (13-1) and Dan Hornbuckle (16-2).

Carl had a very hard fought split-decision victory over Brett Cooper (8-5) to make his way into the semifinals.

Hornbuckle made his way into the semifinals by way of a triangle choke victory over “The Evolution” Tyler Stinson (17-6).

Stay tuned to Fighters.com and MMA Gospel Radio for information on the Bellator tournament and for interviews with more Bellator fighters.

MMA Gospel Radio airs every Wednesday from 8-10 PM EST/ 5-7 PM PST. Just go to www.blogtalkradio.com/mmagospel in order to join in the live chat, listen live and become a part of the show.

The addition of Baker is a good one for the tournament. He is a former high school wrestler who is now a black belt in judo and trains at Team Wildman in Denver, Colorado. He has wins against UFC veteran “Outburst” Rory Singer (12-9) and former IFL Grand Prix winner “Suave” Matt Horwich (24-13-1).

Baker says his singular goal is to advance through Bellator’s Season 2 tournament to earn the chance to take on reigning World Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard.“I put so much effort into my training that it gives me 100 percent confidence that I’m going to win every time,” Baker said. “Lombard has the belt and I’m coming for his belt. I’d say that he better stay on top of his training or else he’s in for a big surprise.”

This is just one of many additions Bellator has made in their off season. Former Olympian and highly touted prospect Ben Askren (3-0) signed an exclusive long term agreement and will participate in the welterweight tournament. Hardcore MMA fan favorite Dan Hornbuckle (14-2) also looking to make a splash in the welterweight tournament. Other fighters include “The Taz” Bao Quach (16-9-1), William Romero (4-0), Jim Wallhead (17-5) and Mike Ricci (1-0) to name a few.

Bellator is doing what many fans have been wanting to see for a long time. They are taking all the highly touted prospects along with a few well established fighters and giving them a  way to fight one another. I see Bellator as an organization that is becoming the proving grounds for these prospects. They will have to step in the cage, face each other and then look to fight men like Bellator FC middleweight champion Hector Lombard (22-2-1) and lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (17-2).

I have no idea what Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney has planned for the future or where he sees his organization in comparison to the UFC but I feel they could become the perfect feeder organization for Dana White, Joe Silva and the UFC. The only question remaining is if the fans will actually support them and get out to am event.

Last season the events seemed to be lacking fans from what I could tell. I wonder if the periodic signings slowly trickling out is a planned event in order to keep them in the news and to bring in more fans? If so it is a brilliant move. I have seen more people talk about this company in the last 6 months then I did during their first season. If this is any indication the fans will come out to support all the hard work they have put in to the new season and tournaments.

I have my doubts but with four events in Kansas City I hope for the best. The Midwest is a hot bed for MMA with hardcore fans that follow even the most obscure fight organization. My question to you is, will you be attending a Bellator event?

It was Silva’s second first-round stoppage in two tries at Sengoku; and, there are whispers Silva and eighth-ranked “Babyface Assassin” Josh Barnett (20-5) are on a collision course.

Welterweight “Handler” Dan Hornbuckle (15-2) has hit Japanese shores like a typhoon, first knocking out Akikhiro Gono (30-14-7) at Ninth Battle in Tokyo August 2 and following-up Tuesday with a TKO of former BodogFight champ “Goat” Nick Thompson (38-12-1).  The end came at 1:30 of round two due to a Hornbuckle barrage of punches that split open Thompson.

In the main event, Kiwi kickboxer “Notorious” Antz Nansen (1-0) ruined Olympic judo silver medalist Hiroshi Izumi’s (0-1) MMA debut TKOing Izumi at 2:56 of round one.

Lightweight Kazunori Yokota (9-2-2) knocked out “Lion” Ryan Schultz (20-12-1) at 2:31 of round one.

Former UFC and WEC middleweight “El Dirte” Joe Doerksen (43-12) TKO’d Takenori Sato (2-6-2) at 4:27 of round two.

Lightweight king of Pancrase “Makishi” Maximo Blanco (4-0) TKO’d Tetsuya Yamada (1-2) at 1:12 of round two.

Chute Boxe middleweight Fabio Silva (9-4) TKO’d Ryo Kawamura (9-4-2) at 2:28 of round one when Kawamura’s corner threw in the towel.

Makoto Takimoto (4-5) won a unanimous decision over Jae Sun Lee (2-4).

Doerksen tapped “Blade” Gregory Babene (5-4) at CFC 2 in Winnipeg 22 May.

Sato fought to a draw for the middleweight King of Pancrase title versus Izuru Takeuchi (25-10-5) at Pancrase in Tokyo 8 August.

Doerksen TKO’d Takeuchi at Sixth Battle in Tokyo last November.

Former BodogFight welterweight champion “Goat” Nick Thompson (38-11-1) and “Handler” Dan Hornbuckle (14-2) will also return to Sengoku to figh each other.

Thompson, fighting at 185-pounds, gave up on punches to The Pit’s Tim Kennedy (11-2) at Strikeforce in Seattle 19 June.

Hornbuckle devastatingly KO’d Akihiro Gono (30-14-7) with a head kick at Ninth Battle in Tokyo 2 August.

Masanori Kanehara (5-2) stole the Featherweight Grand Prix Championship in a controversial final that featured Kanehara despite losing his semi-final fight by unanimous decision to Hatsu Hioki (16-3-2) versus Michihiro Omigawa (4-8) who was given a hometown free pass into the finals after majority draw on the cards versus Marlon Sandro (13-1) in the semi-finals.

Strikeforce middleweight champ “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (23-9-2) strangled judoka Kazuhiro Nakamura‘s (13-10) hopes of challenging Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago (21-7) in a guillotine at 3:03 of round one, leaving Kaz’ out on the mat. Denied a title challenge himself by Sengoku after pleading guilty to interfering with the duties of a public official following a March traffic stop, Misaki said nothing after playing spoiler, refusing the microphone in the ring.

Former UFC welterweight Akihiro Gono (30-15-7) returned to Japan after a 1-2 stint in the big show, but his opponent “The Handler” Dan Hornbuckle (16-2) made it a bitter homecoming with a head kick that left Gono unconcious for several minutes. Gono was carried out of the ring by stretcher and suffered a concussion and neck injury.

Heavyweight Samboist Blagoi Ivanov (1-0) won his MMA debut over Kazuyuki Fujita (13-8), scoring a draw on the cards but taking the split decision victory in Sengoku’s must decision system.

Lightweight Eiji Mitsuoka (15-6-2) tapped Clay French (15-6) in a guillotine choke at 1:51 of round one.

“Kiss” Yoshihiro Nakao (9-2) won a unanimous decision over Korean heavyweight Mu Bae Choi (2-2).

In the Featherweight Grand Prix reserve bout, “Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung (2-0) tapped “Jagger Bomb” Matt Jaggers (12-6) in a triangle choke at 1:25 of round two.

Kitaoka weighed 69.9 kg while Hirota tipped the scales at 70 kg.

The card also features the semi-finals and finals of Sengoku’s featherweight grand prix and all competing fighters also made weight.

Michihiro Omigawa (3-7) weighed 64.9 kg and his undefeated opponent Marlon Sandro (13-0) weighed 64.7 kg. Hatsu Hioki (15-3-2) and his opponent Masanori Kanehara (4-1-) both weighed 65 kg. In the tournament’s reserve fight, “Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung (1-0) weighed 64.8 kg and his opponent “Jagger Bomb” Matt Jaggers (12-5) weighed 64.6 kg.

In a face-off of middleweight title contenders, “Grabaka Hitman” Kazuo Misaki (22-9-2) and Kazuhiro Nakamura (13-9) both weighed 83 kg.

In the anticipated MMA debut of Samboist Blagoi Ivanov (0-0) versus Kazuyuki Fujita (13-7), the rookie weighed 110 kg and the vet outdid him at 112.5 kg.

Welterweight Akihiro Gono (30-14-7) weighed 76 kg and his opponent “The Handler” Dan Hornbuckle (15-2) weighed 75.3 kg.

Lightweight Eiji Mitsuoka (14-6-2) weighed 70 kg while his opponent Clay French (15-5) weighed 69.9 kg.

“Kiss” Yoshihiro Nakao (8-2) weighed 103 kg and his fellow heavyweight opponent Mu Bae Choi (2-1) weighed 109.4 kg.

Heavyweight “Monster” Kevin Randleman (17-12) also pulled out a UD over Pancrase star Ryo Kawamura (8-3-2).  The decision was considered controversial.

Monson and Randleman are scheduled to fight on a 24 June card in Charlotte.

Highly-touted Roger Gracie (2-0) remained undefeated after tapping MMA vet Yuki Kondo (48-22-6) in a rear naked choke at 2:40 of round one.

“Kiss” Yoshihiro Nakao (7-1) called out “Ironhead” Kazuyuki Fujita (15-6) after knocking out Kiwi “Big” Jim York (9-2) 46-seconds into round two.

American Top Team welterweight Jorge Santiago (17-7) fought off near-submissions before finding his own submission of Grabaka’s Yuki Sasaki (21-14-1) in a third-round armbar at 2:10.

Lighweight Eiji Mitsuoka (13-5-2) took only 4:15 to sink a rear naked choke submission in on “Crazy” Kwang Hee Lee (5-1).

Xtreme Couture welterweight “Quicksand” Mike Pyle (16-5-1) locked in a triangle choke to tap “Handler” Dan Hornbuckle (15-2) at 4:52 of round one.

Welterweight Pancrase vet Satoru Kitaoka (20-8-9) submitted Aussie Ian James Schaffa (7-5-1) in a guillotine choke in just 50 seconds to begin the night.

No opponent has been named.

Also added to the line-up is a match-up between welterweights “Quicksand” Mike Pyle (15-5-1) and “The Handler” Dan Hornbuckle (15-1).

Heavyweights Roger Gracie (1-0) and “The Monster” Kevin Randleman (16-12) remain on the card without opponents.

At an 18 April press conference, WVR PR representative Takahiro Kokuho said, “At first we had one Japanese and one non-Japanese fighter ready to go [with Gracie]; but, because of injuries we are still in the process of deciding the opponent.  Roger’s side has been asking us to decide the opponent soon and for sure I would like to meet that request.”

Randleman recently cancelled a puroresu match in Inoki Genome Federation with an ankle injury, but Kokuho promised, “It has no relation to his MMA bout. We should be able to announce his card sometime next week.”

Gouwenberg, perhaps only notable after giving “Minotoro”Antonio Rogerio Noguiera (13-3) a spirited round-and-a-half before being TKO’d, was thoroughly dominated as “The Crow” pecked at him with sharp elbows.

Louiseau, who had won just one of his last five, took the cards by scores of 30-25 and 30-26 twice, fairing far better than fellow former UFC fighters on the undercard.

Light heavyweight Rob MacDonald (5-3) dropped a unanimous decision to Team Oyama’s “Sick Dog” Hector Ramirez (7-3-1); and, welterweight Gideon Ray (14-8-1) also failed to convince the judges in a UD “L” to “The Thrill” Nabil Khatib.

Light heavyweight Brent Beauparlant (7-5) won a unanimous decision over Amir Rahnavardi (9-9) before his fellow Quebecois.

“The Handler” Dan Hornbuckle (15-1) submitted middleweight Andrew Buckland (5-1) in an armbar at 3:34 of round one.

Featherweight Bill Boland (4-0) remained undefeated with a TKO of “Hasa” Michal Hamrsmid of Bohemia.

“The Sargeant” Jameel Massouh (16-3) scored a UD over “The Cowboy” Myles Merola (9-5) at featherweight.

Brazilian middleweight Rodrigo Ruas (4-5-1) submitted countrymen “Ossoduro” Marcus Vinicios (4-5) in an arm triangle choke 52-seconds into round three.

Former welterweight PRIDE fighter “Nino” Antonio Schembri (5-4) got back in the black with an armbar submission “The Bighouse” Daniel Grandmaison at 2:37 of round one.