Bellator Season 2 Could Feature Korean Fighters

Nightmare of Battle is reporting that Bellator FC CEO Bjorn Rebney spoke with Korean website MFight regarding Bellator's interest in Korea for their second season. Most notably, Rebney mentioned four specific Korean fighters than Bellator is looking at:

Bellator FC CEO Bjorn Rebney tells Korean site MFight about Bellator’s interest in Korea for their second season which will start in September or October. They want to invite more than one Korean fighter for the second season and are currently searching.

Fighters mentioned are SENGOKU veteran & Former DEEP Lightweight champion Bang Seung Hwan, SENGOKU Featherweight GP participant Jong Man Kim, DREAM Middleweight GP participant Dae Won Kim, and Neo Fight 12 tournament winner Doo Won Seo.

While Jong Man Kim and Doo Won Seo aren't exactly top notch prospects in terms of skill, Bang Seung Hwan and Dae Won Kim are definitely two interesting prospects that Bellator has their sights on. Bang Seung Hwan is currently 14-6 with two recent losses to Takanori Gomi and Jorge Masvidal within Sengoku. While he isn't known for having an impressive ground skill set, he does possess knockout power along with a solid chin. He's only been finishes once in 20 fights.

Dae Won Kim's claim to fame comes from his upset victory over BJJ phenom Marcelo Garcia at K-1 HERO's back in October of 2007. His last loss came at the hands of heavy-handed striker Melvin Manhoef at DREAM 3. He has a judo background coupled with some proven knockout power. He could be a challenging opponent for anyone within the promotion.

The more interesting discussion here revolves around what Bellator is trying to do in terms of exposure. They've have already reportedly had decent ratings in Mexico, and there have been moves made to provide English commentary for a U.S. broadcast as well. With the news that Bellator is actively seeking Korean fighters, it begs the question as to whether Bellator is quickly taking aim at a potential Asian television deal.

Furthermore, the UFC has already began laying the groundwork in Korea by acquiring Yoshihiro Akiyama and Dong Hyun Kim. Both fighters draw people within Korea to watch UFC events, so it can only be natural that another promotion try to swoop in and build off that foundation. This could end up being a superb business move in terms of getting more coverage for Bellator in such a short amount of time.

Adding the Korean market also adds another viable pool of fighters to the mix. Not only would they be acquiring some of the better talent in Korea to fill their tournament schedules, but they would also be adding talent to the roster that would appeal to their secondary markets. It's truly a win-win situation for Bellator if they can swing a deal in getting some of these talented fighters.