CHICAGO, Ill. (March 16, 2010) - Bellator Fighting Championships, the nationally televised mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, today announced a new partnership with Everlast, the world's leading manufacturer, marketer and licensor of fight sports equipment, apparel and footwear.

Everlast will become the exclusive equipment provider for Bellator, including fight gloves, cages and training equipment. Additionally, Everlast will produce a line of co-branded MMA equipment that will be available nationwide through catalog, online and retail.

Everlast will also be a category-exclusive promotional sponsor of all Bellator events and the two companies will both strategically market, promote, publicize and advertise their partnership through a wide variety of channels.

"This is a proud moment for Bellator," said the company's founder and CEO, Bjorn Rebney. "Everlast is one of America's most iconic brands and they have a 100-year history of providing the best-quality equipment for professional and amateur fighters around the world. We are thrilled that our fighters will be using Everlast gear and are also very pleased to have Everlast's support as a category-exclusive sponsor."

Bellator Fighting Championships marks a unique step forward in the evolution of professional MMA. Bellator is a first-of-its-kind, nationally televised, weekly mixed martial arts promotion that allows fighters to control their own destiny, eliminating the subjectivity of matchmaking and utilizing the tournament-based model used by every other professional sport.

"Built on 100 years of experience, no other brand in fight sports is as authentic or has a deeper understanding of a fighter's needs, wants and desires than Everlast," said Adam Geisler, president of Everlast. "Bellator is one of the most innovative and respected brands in the MMA industry and their tournament format reflects their own unique authenticity and understanding of the professional fighter. We are extremely excited and believe this partnership provides a tremendous opportunity to lift both brands to a new level."

Marketing support for the partnership includes retail signage, promotions, a dedicated online and print advertising campaign, and social media activation.

For more information on Everlast or Bellator Fighting Championships, please visit Everlast.com or Bellator.com.

About Bellator Fighting Championships

Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company with offices in Los Angeles and Chicago. Bellator's founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships' executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.

About Everlast

The preeminent brand in boxing since 1910, Everlast is the world's leading manufacturer, marketer and licensor of boxing, MMA and fitness equipment. From heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey and middle weight legend Sugar Ray Robinson to the undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor and UFC champion Randy Couture, Everlast is the brand of choice for generations of world champion professional athletes. Built on a brand heritage of strength, dedication, individuality and authenticity, Everlast is a necessary part of the lives of countless champions. Based in Manhattan, Everlast's products are sold across more that 75 countries and 6 continents. Everlast is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brands Holdings Limited, a global company and manager of worldwide sporting goods and apparel brands. For more information, visit www.everlast.com.