Bellator has a new home in what promises to be a historic new chapter in mixed martial arts. Bellator, which is named for the Latin word for "warrior," is headed to Spike TV on Thursday nights in 2013. The organization's unique tournament format can't be found anywhere else in mixed martial arts. It's "where title shots are earned, not given." The upcoming season of live MMA action kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 17 with two title fights starting at 10 p.m. ET. on Spike TV. Patricio "Pitbull" Freire will face Pat Curran for the featherweight world title, and Rick Hawn will square off against Michael Chandler for the lightweight world title.

Thursday night's action will also feature the beginning of the light heavyweight tournament, and the Bellator debut of Renato "Babalu" Sobral. In Bellator's tournaments, eight fighters compete in a specified weight class to determine a champion. The tournament champion then faces off against the reigning Bellator champion in that weight class. There can be four to five tournaments per season. It's the Toughest Tournament in Sports!