Bellator Featherweight Tourney to Feature Reis

---

The pool of featherweight competitors participating in Bellator Fighting Championships’ upcoming 145-pound tournament continues to grow, as the promotion on Friday announced that Brazilian Wilson Reis would join the field.

Reis is now the sixth official participant in the tournament, which will also feature the talents of Kenny Foster, Zac George, Eric Larkin, Georgi Karakhanyan and Daniel Straus. Announcements confirming the participation of Nazareno Malegarie and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire are expected to come soon.

A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Reis has won four of his last five, with his only loss in that span coming to his aforementioned countryman Freire in the semifinals of Bellator's second-season featherweight tournament. Reis also competed in the promotion's first 145-pound bracket, falling to eventual champion Joe Soto, again in the semifinals.

“I came up short in the first two tournaments and this is my chance to make things right,” said Reis in the official release. “I absolutely believe that I can win it, and that's why I decided to get involved this time around. I'm going to give it all I have, take it one fight at a time, and in every fight, do my best.”

After beginning his career a perfect 5-0, the Brazilian became EliteXC’s first and only bantamweight champion when he defeated Abel Cullum in 2008. Most recently, Reis got his hand raised in October, outpointing WEC veteran Deividas Taurosevicius in a split decision at Bellator 33.

“I'm wiser in this sport right now than I've ever been before,” said Reis. “I've been training for four years now, so I'm really starting to understand every aspect of the game. The wrestling, the jiu-jitsu, the kickboxing and blending them all together. I'm better than I've ever been right now.”