Two days before Bellator 69 will come to L'Auberge Du Lac they hosted the "Peaceful Warrior" program at Progressive Evolution martial arts gym in Lake Charles. In attendance was Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, local fighter and world karate champion Josh Quayhagen, and heavyweight fighter Ron Sparks.
Bellator was very excited and grateful for the local media coverage for the event. They stressed to me that "They are not too big for anyone." Any exposure that will help their brand and mma to grow is very appreciated. If only other, smaller promotions could have such an appreciative attitude towards local media.
Bjorn was also buzzing to kick off the program. He took a few minutes to tell me about the TV deal on Spike which he was thrilled about. After that he explained that this program was part of a larger effort to do community outreach work across the country, and they were still looking for the right fit.
The program started with a meet and greet segment. I took this time to talk to Bellator heavyweight Ron Sparks. He said that training for his fight Friday had gone really well, and that he loved coming to fight in the South. Hailing from Kentucky, he said that the people in Louisiana were just super nice and fun to compete in front of. Of Bellator he had nothing but positive things to say. While the UFC were not yet ready to offer him a contract, Bellator wasted no time signing him straight away.
After the meet and greet, a film detailing how dangerous bullying was in America was shown. It featured young kids who had committed suicide as a result of bullying...some as young as 11!
At the conclusion of the video Josh had his students put on an anti-bullying demo. The kids in attendance enjoyed it immensely as the students took turns throwing the bully (Josh) around. This was followed by the door prize giveaway that ended the show. As one audience member said, "It was really fun."
How admirable of Bellator to raise awareness of such a devastating social evil as bullying. After watching the sport, it is clear that Bellator is not only good for the sport of MMA, but they are good for all of us.
