Bellator Spotlight: Dave Menne
April 17, 2009
Former UFC champion beats Lyme disease, contends for Bellator title
To Dave Menne, the upcoming bout in the first-round of Bellator’s tournament is more than the average fight. This former UFC champion and veteran of 60 professional fights has a unique chance to overcome adversity and return to peak form as a top contender in Bellator Fighting Championships’ Welterweight tournament.
Over the last seven years, Dave has fought in organizations and venues across the globe, including fighting to decisions against top 5 Welterweights Josh Koscheck and Jake Shields. It was later learned that during those fights and the several months of training leading up to them, Dave was also fighting Lyme disease, a serious and sometimes fatal infection known to cause extreme fatigue . Demonstrating a true sign of strength and endurance, Dave overcame the disease and became one of the most prominent fighters in MMA.
Menne first became a Champion in 2001 when he defeated Gil Castillo to become the first-ever UFC Middleweight champion. Now Menne has the opportunity to once again breakdown barriers and claim the first ever Bellator Welterweight title, an honor that would secure the 34 year-old fighter’s place in MMA history.
Menne will face undefeated French standout fighter Norman Paraisy in round one of the single elimination tournament during Bellator III. The winner of Menne/Paraisy will advance on to the semi-final round, joining both Lyman Good and Jorge Ortiz, for a chance at $50,000.
Bellator III will be on Friday April 17th at the Lloyd Noble Center, located on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, Okla. The event will be broadcast nationally on ESPN Deportes in Spanish, as well as on Bellator.com in English.
