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Bellator Signs War Machine Following Win over Roger Huerta

| December 12, 2011 | Reply

Every so often the hurdles that we have to jump over in life can seem insurmountable. It’s also a rarity that a mixed martial artist’s life can appear to be far more dramatic than their exploits inside the cage. So in regards to “War Machine”, (who had his name legally changed from his original moniker of Jon Koppenhaver), he has had quite the rocky ride since making his first appearance on season 6 of “The Ultimate Fighter“.

“War Machine” immediately made his presence known on TUF, and quickly made a reputation for himself as a competitor that shows up to fight every time. He also displayed a slightly excessive personality while dealing with all of the lunacy that resides beneath the roof of “The Ultimate Fighter” house. This type of behavioral display is never a bad idea, in that we all know of fighters that made short lived careers off of being the “crazy” guy in front of the camera on the series.

“War Machine” went on to compete in the UFC another two times, going 1-1 in his efforts. In 2008 ‘War Machine’ was released from the UFC, but upon his dismissal he kept competing on the regional circuit to remain relevant. Unfortunately, after putting together a successful string of bouts, he was convicted of felony assault and served a year in jail as part of his sentence. It’s odd in that sometimes when it seems that things can’t get any worse, they suddenly start to get more positive, and in an effort to better his situation upon being released from incarceration, “War Machine” has re-invented himself, and appears to be back in the major spotlight within the MMA community.

In an announcement on Wednesday it was confirmed that former Koppenhaver has signed a new multi-fight deal with Bellator as the latest addition to their welterweight ranks. “War Machine’s” impressive finish of former UFC poster-boy Roger Huerta at last month’s UWF 1 event was his first contest since being released from jail in July. It was apparently a good enough showing to impress the Bellator brass, and a wonderful example as to how a horrific scenario can be reversed through hard work and undying perseverance.

Following the Bellator announcement ‘War Machine’ was stated as saying:

“As I rotted in that jail cell for a year, I dreamed and dreamed of another shot, a clean slate,”….”Beating Roger Huerta was a huge first step back but signing with Bellator is definitely icing on the cake! So pumped! Not everyone gets a second chance and I know I’m lucky. I promise to capitalize on this opportunity guys, just wait and see!“

Check out more from James Begley at jbstaredownmma.com


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Tags: Bellator, Bellator News, Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, News, Roger Huerta, War Machine

Category: Bellator, MMA, News

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