By FCF Staff

Bellator Fighting Championships has announced the line-up for the opening round of the promotion’s upcoming, Season Five, middleweight tournament. The action will get underway September 17^th, at The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, in Hollywood, Florida.

The quarterfinal match-ups include Judo black belt and Season Two finalist Bryan Baker versus Season One finalist Jared Hess, Alexander Shlemenko will take on fellow noted striker Zelg Galesic (pictured), BJJ champion Vitor Vianna will face veteran Sam Alvey, and Strikeforce vet Brian Rogers will fight former Ring of Combat competitor Victor O’ Donnell.

“Our 185 pound division is filled with an awe-inspiring group of fighters who have great talent,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney was quoted saying in the official press release. “Baker’s story of battling back from leukemia is inspiring and Hess’s come back after a devastating knee injury is an incredible story.  Vianna is one of the most talked about prospects in the middleweight division, Shlemenko’s one of the divisions most explosive strikers and Alvey showed tremendous heart at Bellator 45. Rogers and O’Donell should be an incredibly exciting fight, then you add Zelg, one of Europe’s top Middleweight strikers to the list and this should be a hugely entertaining tournament.”

Here is the opening round line-up for Bellator’s Season Five Middleweight Tournament. The September 17^th event will be broadcast live on MTV 2.

Bryan Baker vs. Jared Hess

Alexander Shlemenko vs. Zelg Galesic

Vitor Vianna vs. Sam Alvey

Brian Rogers vs. Victor O’Donnell