Congratulations
to Jarrod Card of Jacksonville, NC. Jarrod was recently promoted
to the rank of Purple Belt of Pancrase Mixed Martial Arts on June 30,
2009.
Jarrod
is the current XFC light weight champion with a professional record of
9-3-1. He is also an avid submission grappler and has won or placed in numerous grappling/jiu-jitsu
competitions.
Jarrod
trains at Wright’s Martial Arts, a Pancrase USA affiliated training
center located at 210 Henderson Drive, Jacksonville, NC 28546.
For
additional information contact Jim Wright at 910-545-7083.
Venue: National Olympic Sports
Center, Bejing, China
Since 2005, the Art of War Fighting Championship® has strived to establish itself as China's premier mixed martial arts organization. Featuring China's best martial arts athletes, the Art of War® is recognized by fans and industry experts as the pioneer and leader of China's mixed martial arts revolution. The Art of War Fighting Championship® 13 - "Rising Force" returns to the National Olympic Sports Center on July 18, 2009 with 12 action-packed mixed martial arts fights for your entertainment pleasure.
Preliminary Bouts:
84 kg - Xu Chao (China) versus Yoann Gouaida (France)
90 kg - Luo Qiang (China) versus Dorjderem Munkhayasgalan (Mongolia)
78 kg - Kim Dong Hyung (Korea) versus Lubomir Guedjev (Bulgaria)
66 kg - Ning Guang You (China) versus Kang Kyung Ho (Korea)
72 kg - Bernueng Sakhomsin (Thailand) versus Jadambaa Narantungalag (Mongolia)
Main Card:
72 kg - Yu Woo Sung (Korea) versus Egon Racz (Slovakia)
72 kg - Wu Hao Tian (China) versus Shukhrat Minavarov (Uzbekistan)
96+ kg - Katsuhisa Fujii (Japan) versus Rodney Glunder (Holland)
72 kg - Dai Shuang Hai (China) versus Marcin Pionke (Poland)
96+ kg - Rolles Gracie (Brazil) versus Yim Joon Soo (Korea)
78 kg - Wang Sai (China) versus Claes Beverlov (Sweden)
Tickets: http://www.piao.com.cn or call 400-810-3721
Information: http://www.mmachina.com or call 010-5129-5028
The Art of War Fighting Championship® can be seen on Inner Mongolia Satellite TV (NMTV) from within China every SUNDAY afternoon from 12:40 pm - 1:30 pm.
No Holds
Barred: Eddie Alvarez, Bellator Lightweight Champion
7-02-2009
Denver, CO
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with one of the most exciting and versatile fighters in mixed martial arts, and the new Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight champion, Eddie Alvarez (http://www.alvarezfight.com/).
We had a chance Wednesday afternoon to conduct a lengthy telephone interview with Eddie Alvarez about his life, his career, and his family. We discussed the importance of his family to him, how and why he got involved with mixed martial arts, and how his upbringing in Philadelphia has affected his fighting career. We discussed his victory in the eight-man tournament to capture the Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight title, winning all his fights with submissions, over Toby Imada, Eric Reynolds, and Greg Loughran. We analyzed his style, which effectively combines boxing, wrestling, jiu- jitsu, and muay Thai. We discussed his fights last year in the Dream organization in Japan against Joachim Hansen, Tatsuya Kawajiri, and Shinya Aoki. And we talked about his plans to fight in the future for the Bellator Fighting Championships after taking a very well-deserved rest.
No Holds Barred: Matthew Kaplowitz of Fight Nerd Radio
7-01-2009
Denver, CO
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our correspondent Matthew Kaplowitz of Fight Nerd Radio (http://thefightnerd.podomatic.com/), a new mixed martial arts podcast.
With just its third episode in production, Matthew Kaplowitz is creating a formula for his show which combines interviews, fight reports and discussion, analysis of the broader scene in mixed martial arts, and, of course, steady doses of nerdy humor.
We had a chance to sit down to talk with him both for his show, which you will hear on Fight Nerd Radio, and our show.
On No Holds Barred, we focused the most on the rise of the Bellator Fighting Championships, which just completed their first season of 12 shows. Matthew covered two of their cards live, and gave his impression of how these shows came off in person, as well as discussing what Bellator needs to do to parlay the success of their first season into making their promotion even stronger than it is now.
Carson's Corner is back and bringing the breaking heat.
We've learned who the next opponent for Nick Diaz will be, and we've got the full details for you. Tune in to find out who, what, when, where and why!
In addition, we have news on Bobby Lashley, Floyd Mayweather, Lee Murray and much more. This week's listener email segment is either disturbing or amusing, depending upon your perspective. Perhaps you'll find yourself both disturbed and amused. Tune into to the show for what may possibly be the most entertaining, disturbing, informative and amusing twenty minutes of your life.
BILOXI, Miss. (June 27, 2009) – Popular Bobby Lashley took super heavyweight Bob “The Beast Sapp to the mat right off the opening bell and used his improved ground-and-pound game to win by first-round submission in the main event on the “Ultimate Chaos” pay-per-view event, presented by Prize Fight Promotions and Fight Force International, last night at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi.
“Going up against Bob,” Lashley said after the fight, “you always expect the big bulls. I had to take him down, cover and pound. The first thing is to win: ground-and-pound to wear the big man down. He has a big punch. I used my ground-and-pound and got out of there.”
“I got a good shot in the eye and was unable to see,” Sapp explained the ending. “He got me in the eye. No excuses, He got me down today and controlled it. Give it up to Bobby Lashley.”
In a devastating display of power striking, Dutch heavyweight Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel (36-13-3) registered his 31st knockout with five lethal rights on a fallen Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-9-0) at 2:10 of the first round in the co-feature. “I want to move up to (fight) the champions because I want a belt,” Yvel explained his next move. “I’m learning the ground game. What I did tonight was be patient, relax, and kick-off.”
Veteran Javier “Showtime” Vazquez (13-2-0) took pro debuting Mark Kergosian (0-1-0), who was a late replacement for Din “Dinyero” Thomas, to school with a first-round submission by Guillotine choke only 59-seconds into the opening frame. “I want to thank Mark or I wouldn’t have had a chance to fight tonight,” featherweight Vazquez remarked. “I was looking forward to fighting Din. It’s unfortunate. I’m back! This is my weight class. Very few guys can touch me at 145. That was just a tip of the iceberg.”
Hot 21-year-old lightweight prospect Chris “The Polish” Horodecki (13-1-0) won by submission for the first time, using a rear naked choke to force William “The Bull” Sryyapai (12-5-0) into a tap-out in round one.
Waachim “Native Warrior” Spirit Wolf (6-4-0) unleashed a barrage of punches to stop a dazed Brett Cooper (9-5-0) at 1:04 of the opening round of their welterweight fight. “I head Brett Cooper signed to fight in 30 days,” Spirit Wolf noted. “It was all over the news. I said, if he didn’t take me serious, he’d be in trouble and that’s what happened. He never should have looked past me. I’ve been fighting tough guys since I started. I’ve always told my management to get me the best fighters. I’ll fight anybody. I’ve gone through wars and it’s made me a more powerful, spiritual fighter.”
Affliction vice president Tom Atencio (2-0-0), 42, turned back the clock and ruined local favorite Randy Hedderick’s (0-0-1) pro debut in a spirited lightweight match. Atencio won the second-round TKO when Hedderick, 17 years Atencio’s junior, was unable to continue (broken nose) in the third. “Randy’s a tough kid and I thank him for the fight,” Atencio said. “Screw Dana White for what he said about you. Anybody who steps in the ring deserves a lot of respect. Win, lose or draw, at least you had the balls. He rocked me a couple of times and decked me.”
Mississippi lightweight Brandon Harder (2-0-0) used an arm triangle to submit John Harris (0-2-0) in round two.
James Orso (9-3-0) defeated Danny “The Assassin” Abbadi by decision for the second time in their welterweight rematch.
Northern Ireland welterweight Colin “The Gift” McKee (6-3-0) won by way of a series of strikes in the first round against tapping-out Lance Thompson (5-3-0).
FULL RESULTS:
SUPER HEAVYWEIGHTS 1.Bobby Lashley (4-0-0), Parker, CO WSUB1 (3:17 – Strikes) Bob Sapp (10-5-1), Seattle, WA
HEAVYWEIGHTS 2.Gilbert Yvel (36-13-3), Las Vegas, NV WKO1 (2:10 - Punches) Pedro Rizzo (16-9-0), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3. Rocky Overstreet (1-0-0), Auburn, AL WSUB1 (2:08 – Arm Bar) Greg Maher (0-1-0), Gulfport, MS
WELTERWEIGHTS 4. Waachim Spirit Wolf (6-4-0), Las Vegas, NV WTKO1 (Punches) Brett Cooper (9-5-0), Los Angeles, CA
5. Colin McKee (4-2-0), Belfast, Northern Ireland WSUB1 (4:16 — Strikes) Lance Thompson (5-3-0), Slidell, LA
6. James Orso (9-3-0), McIntosh, AL DEC3 (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) Danny Abbadi (4-5-0), Orlando, FL
FEATHERWEIGHTS 7. Javier Vazquez (13-2-0), Pomona, CA WSUB1 (0:59 — Guillotine) Mark Kergosian (0-1-0), Gulfport, MS
LIGHTWEIGHTS
8. Chris Horodecki (13-1-0), London, Canada WSUB1 (4:02 – Rear Naked Choke) William Sriyapai (12-5-0), Rancho Cucamonga, CA
9. Tom Atencio (2-0-0), Laguna Beach, CA WTKO2 (5:00) Randy Hedderick (0-1-0), Biloxi, MS
10. Brandon Harder (2-0-0), Horn Lake, MS WSUB2 (4:31 – Arm Triangle) John Harris (0-2-0), Biloxi, MA
11. Drew Wallace (1-0-0), McComb, AL WTKO2 (4:02 – Punches) Eric Graham (3-1-0) Petal, MS
"Ultimate Chaos" MMA PPV show Saturday night in Biloxi Bobby Lashley-Bob
"The Beast" Sapp monster match-up headlines show BILOXI, Miss. - "Ultimate Chaos," the star-studded mixed martial arts Pay-Per-View
event, presented by Prize Fight Promotions and Fight Force International,
explodes Saturday night live from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in
Biloxi, Mississippi.
The much-anticipated main event features two of the most popular and entertaining combat fighters in the world, former WWE superstar Bobby
Lashley (3-0-0) and K1 and PRIDE living legend Bob "The Beast" Sapp (10-4-1), in a battle of super heavyweights.
"Ultimate Chaos" is being produced and distributed by Gotham MMA and
Integrated Sports at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in the United States and Canada on
cable and satellite Pay Per View via iNDemand, TVN, DirecTV, Bell TV, Shaw,
Star Choice and Viewer's Choice for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.
The show will also air internationally to viewers outside of North America
on www.gofightlive.tv.
Veteran blow-by-blow announcer Col. Bob Sheridan and colorful mixed-martial-arts heavyweight Seth "The Silverback" Petruzelli lead the PPV
broadcast team that also includes color analyst Bray Deavours and ringside
reporter Dave Ferguson. Dutch knockout specialist Gilbert "The Hurricane" Yvel (35-13-1) takes on
3-time UFC heavyweight title challenger Pedro "The Rock" Rizzo (16-8-0) in
an intriguing co-main event match-up of fighters who put opponents to sleep.
The Ultimate Fighter 4 star Din "Dinyero" Thomas (24-8-0) faces former King
Of The Cage and Gladiator Challenge lightweight champion Javier "Showtime"
Vasquez (12-2-0), while highly-regarded Canadian lightweight prospect Chris
"The Polish Hammer" Horodecki (12-1-0) meets 4-time World Muay Thai title-holder William "The Bull" Sriyapai (12-4-0).
Also fighting on the card is welterweight Brett Cooper (9-4-0) vs. Waachiim
"Native Warrior" Spirit Wolf (5-4-0); Affliction vice president Tom Atencio
(1-0-0) vs. Treasure Bay Casino card dealer, lightweight Randy
Hedderick, making his pro debut; Northern Ireland brawler Colin McKee (3-2-0) vs.
veteran welterweight Lance Thomson (4-2-0) vs. veteran James Orso (8-3-0)
vs. The Ultimate Fighter 3 star Danny Abbadi (3-4-0); welterweight Eric
Bradley (2-1-0), 2-time All-America wrestler and 2003 NCAA boxing champion
at Penn State, vs. unbeaten prospect Kelly Leo (5-0-0). All fights and
fighters are subject to change.
Main Card:
1. Bobby Lashley (255.4) vs. Bob Sapp (322.2)
2. Pedro Rizzo (243.6) vs. Gilbert Yvel (237)
3. Din Thomas (146.6) vs. Javier Vazquez (144.8)
4. Chris Horodecki (155) vs. William Sriyapai (154.8)
5. Brett Cooper (169.2) vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf (168.4)
6. Tom Atencio (160.4) vs. Randy Hedderick (159)
Preliminary Bouts:
7. Danny Abbadi (174.6) vs. James Orso (173.2)
8. Eric Bradley (170.4) vs. Kelly Leo (168.4)
9. Colin McKee (174.2) vs. Lance Thompson (172)
10. Eric Graham (159) vs. Drew Wallace (159)
11. Greg Maher (265.2) vs. Rocky Overstreet (253.
Tickets are priced at $25.00 (limited discount seating), $40.00 (general
admission) and $55.00 (premium reserved seating) and sale at the Mississippi
Gulf Coast Coliseum and all TicketMaster outlets. For more information go to www.theultimatechaos.com or
www.mscoastcoliseum.com. Doors open at 5PM/CT, first fight 6 PM/CT, and the
first PPV fight is at 8 PM/CT.
KING OF CHAMPIONS
“NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” - Lineup
6-26-2009, Denver, CO
Event
date: Saturday, June 27, 2009
Venue: Live from the Crowne Plaza Event Center in Denver, Colorado, Doors open at 5:30 PM – Fights begin at 7 PM
Fight
Card:
1.
Nick Honstein VS Danny Martinez - 135 Pro Title
2. Alicia Gumm VS Lacey Shuckman - 115 Pro
3. Santana Martinez VS Jason Trevino - 155 Pro
4. Spencer Hooker VS Eric Smith - 205 Pro
5. Corey Grant VS. Joe Kelso - 145 Pro
6. TBD VS. Jay Jackson - 170 Am
7. Chris Holland VS. Chris Saucedo - 170 Am Title
8. Chris Mcquarters VS Brock Christanson - 170 Am
9. Joe Salley VS. Mike Ruthford - 135 AM Title
10. Nick Albert VS Ian Chavez - 155 Am
11. Eric Fuller VS Julian Gonzales - 135 Am
12. Mike Palo VS TBD - 145 Am
13. Jimmy Soiland VS Bobby Cassad - 135 Am
14. Tambora Gerl VS James Valmont - 170 Am
No Holds
Barred: Joe Soto, Bellator Featherweight Champion
6-26-2009
Denver, CO
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with mixed martial arts fighter Joe Soto, who became the featherweight (145- pound) champion of the Bellator Fighting Championships by winning an eight-man tournament.
Although he is undefeated as a fighter, the 22-year-old Joe Soto was not the favorite heading into this tournament. That distinction went to the better-known Wilson Reis, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, who was also undefeated and had gained notoriety by winning the EliteXC bantamweight title in 2008.
When Joe Soto and Wilson Reis met in the featherweight semifinals on May 8, 2009, however, it was Soto who emerged victorious, winning a three-round unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 30-27. Soto then went on to dominate and defeat Yahir Reyes with a rear naked choke in the second round of their championship fight on June 5, 2009, and become the first Bellator featherweight champion.
We spoke with Joe Soto about his emergence as a new, young, rising star in mixed martial arts. We discussed his background as a wrestler at Iowa Central Community College, his transition from wrestling to mixed martial arts, his training and skills in both boxing and jiu- jitsu, his crucial victory over Wilson Reis, his plans for the future, and much more.
KING OF CHAMPIONS PROUDLY PRESENTS
“NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS”
6-24-2009, Denver, CO
Event
date: Saturday, June 27, 2009
Venue: Live from the Crowne Plaza Event Center in Denver, Colorado, Doors open at 5:30 PM – Fights begin at 7 PM
Also available on internet pay per view at “www.gofightlive.tv”
Denver, CO (USA) – King of Champions, the top MMA promotion in Colorado, today announced the complete card for its exciting mixed martial arts (MMA) event, “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS.” This event features fighters from some of the top fight camps in the Western United States, including Xtreme Couture, Team Quest, and the TapouT Training Center. Headlining the card is WEC fighter Danny Martinez (12-3) taking on local rising star Nick Honstein (5-1) for the King of Champions Bantamweight Championship, and in the co-main event, Alicia Gumm, the wife of UFC veteran Brad Gumm, will battle with Lacey Shuckman in a bout contested at 115 lbs. MMA luminaries scheduled to appear at the event include former UFC Heavyweight Champion/Pride star/current StrikeForce fighter Kevin “The Monster” Randleman, current TUF combatant Santino Defranco, KOC middleweight champion Jesse Taylor, and Team Quest/TUF trainer Heath Sims, as well as others. With 13 fights scheduled, MMA fans are not going to want to miss the action! On Saturday, June 27th, King of Champions brings its “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” to Denver’s beautiful Crowne Plaza Event Center, located near Denver International Airport. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.kocmma.com/. A map to the Event Center is also available on the website. A promotional video for “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rox_JBhMO7I
WEC fighter Danny Martinez is a tough veteran known for finishing his fights. His only career losses have come against tough up-and-comer Adrian Wooley, UFC/WEC/Affliction veteran Mark Hominick, and current WEC shooting star (and Urijah Faber protégé) Joseph Benavidez. He has brought a decisive end to 9 of his 12 opponents, and his losses have come only by decision. He wants to prove that he belongs in the big leagues, but standing in his way is tough local product Nick Honstein, who is determined to topple the challenge provided by Martinez, and show that he is the one that should be climbing the mountain. This is an important fight for both athletes, and will be hotly-contested.
King of Champions prides itself on bringing in some of the best fighters in the United States, and from some of the best camps out there. Three Team Quest fighters are scheduled to appear, as well as a combatant from both the Xtreme Couture and TapouT Training Center fight teams. In short, KOC is determined not to recycle the same local fighters show after show, but is committed to developing the local talent through challenging them. This makes for exciting fights, great experience, and incredible shows for the fans.
“NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” will feature several championship bouts, including the aforementioned Martinez-Honstein bout for the bantamweight belt. Also showcased at the event will be title fights for the amateur welterweight and bantamweight titles, as well as ten other exciting bouts. In non-title fights, submission specialists will collide as Spencer Hooker (5-1, five subs) will battle undefeated prospect Eric Smith (2-0, two subs) in an anticipated battle, and Colorado veteran Joe Kelso tackles Team Quest’s Corey Grant. With 13 total MMA fights on the card, King of Champions’ “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” is sure to please every kind of fight fan!
To purchase tickets, please go online to http://www.kocmma.com/
No Holds
Barred: Kathy Brothers and Women in Combat Sports
6-23-2009
Denver, CO
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman focuses on the role of women in the combat sports, and in particular grappling and mixed martial arts.
Kathy Brothers (http://www.kathybrothers.net/) was the first American woman to earn a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She has also been a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and a two-time Pan American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion, as well as a World Free-Fighting champion and a World Pancration Council champion. She currently is a martial arts instructor in the Dallas, Texas, area.
After an absence of about eight years, Kathy Brothers will be returning to competition this coming Saturday, June 27, at the Grapplers Quest
(http://grapplers.com/) All-Star Pro tournament in Morristown, New Jersey. She also will be competing in a Grapplers Quest tournament the weekend of July 10-11 at the UFC Fan Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In a lengthy interview, we spoke with Kathy Brothers about her return to competition. We discussed how and why she decided to begin training in the martial arts, her rich experience in grappling, her desire to fight at a high level in mixed martial arts, how she has overcome the opposition of some to women competing and training in combat sports, and much more.
Also, as bonus coverage, we play an excerpt from a media conference call with mixed martial arts stars Gina Carano and Cris "Cyborg" Santos, who fight each other August 15 in the main event of a Strikeforce card in San Jose, Calif., which will be telecast live in the U.S. on Showtime.
1.
Diego Sanchez: $90,000 (includes $45,000 win bonus) defeated Clay Guida: $23,000
2. James Wilks: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) defeated DaMarques Johnson: $8,000
3. Chris Lytle: $36,000 ($18,000 win bonus) defeated Kevin Burns: $9,000
4. Ross Pearson: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) defeated Andre Winner: $8,000
5. Joe Stevenson: $70,000 ($35,000 win bonus) defeated Nate Diaz: $20,000
Preliminary
Bouts:
6. Melvin Guillard: $24,000 ($12,000 win bonus) defeated Gleison Tibau: $17,000
7. Brad Blackburn: $18,000 ($9,000 win bonus) defeated Edgar Garcia: $5,000
8. Tomasz Drwal: $15,600 ($7,000 win bonus) defeated Mike Ciesnolevicz:
$6,400
9. Nick Ospiczak: $16,000 ($8000 win bonus) defeated Frank Lester: $8,000
10. Jason Dent: $16,000 ($8,000 win bonus) defeated Cameron Dollar: $8,000
Lashley-Sapp
Headline Saturday's 'Ultimate Chaos'
6-23-2009
Denver,
CO
BILOXI, Miss. (June 22, 2009) – Long before the bright lights come on for Saturday night’s “Ultimate Chaos” pay-per-view card, live from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi, 21-year-old Austin Lyons will make his MMA mixed martial arts pro debut against John Harris.
Harris, fighting out of Memphis, is a former high school football player at Dyersburg, Tennessee, who will be 90-pounds lighter in the cage than his playing weight on the gridiron. The 250-pound defensive end will fight Saturday night as a welterweight.
The spotlight, however, will be shining on former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley (3-0-0) and K1 and PRIDE combat fighting legend Bob “The Beast” Sapp (10-4-1), who will bull-rush each other in their highly anticipated super heavyweight main event headlining “Ultimate Chaos, presented by Prize Fight Promotions and Fight Force International, in association with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum, and Treasure Bay Casino.
“Ultimate Chaos” is being produced and distributed by Gotham MMA and Integrated Sports at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in the United States and Canada on cable and satellite Pay Per View via iNDemand, TVN,DirecTV, Bell TV, Shaw, Star Choice and Viewer’s Choice for a suggested retail price of only $29.95. The show will also air internationally to viewers outside of North America on www.gofightlive.tv.
Veteran blow-by-blow announcer Col. Bob Sheridan and colorful mixed-martial-arts heavyweight Seth “The Silverback” Petruzelli lead the PPV broadcast team that also includes color analyst Bray Deavoursand ringside reporter Dave Ferguson.
Meanwhile, Lyons will be proudly fighting in front of his parents, girl friend and some friends. He couldn’t be happier being in one the opening acts for the star-studded PPV card.
“I’ve been thinking about it lately,” he said, “and I’m going to be star-struck with all of the big names on the card. I’m going to feel like I’m walking on the red carpet. I’m looking forward to meeting all of them and, hopefully, making valuable contacts for my MMA career.
“I started MMA training five years ago, competitively fighting about 2 ½ years ago, and had an 11-2 amateur record. When college football didn’t work out for me, I remember going to an MMA show and seeing heavyweights fight up close. I’m only 5-9, 5-10 and I knew I couldn’t fight those guys. I weighed about 240-pounds at that time. I’ve been working out and eating right ever since then and now I weigh about 160. I’m a free-style fighter, good on my feet and the ground. I can’t wait for Saturday night.”
In the co-feature, 3-time UFC heavyweight title challenger Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-8-0) meets Dutch knockout artist Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel (35-13-1) in an intriguing match-up. Former King Of The Cage and Gladiator Challenge lightweight champion Javier “Showtime” Vasquez (12-2-0) takes on The Ultimate Fighter 4 star Din “Dinyero” Thomas (24-8-0), while 4-time World Muay Thai title-holder William“The Bull” Sriyapai (12-4-0) faces highly-regarded Canadian lightweight prospect Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (12-1-0)
Also fighting on the card is Waachiim “NativeWarrior” Spirit Wolf (5-4-0) vs. welterweight Brett Cooper (9-4-0); middleweight Colby McMahan (3-1-0) vs. James Orso (8-3-0); Affliction vice president Tom Atencio (1-0-0) vs. pro debuting lightweight Randy Hedderick; veteran middleweight Lance Thomson (4-2-0) vs. The Ultimate Fighter 3 star Danny Abbadi (3-4-0); Belfast, Northern Ireland brawler Colin McKee (3-2-0) vs. welterweight Eric Bradley (2-1-0), 2-time All-America wrestler and 2003 NCAA boxing champion at Penn State. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets are priced at $25.00 (limited discount seating), $40.00 (general admission) and $55.00 (premium reserved seating) and sale at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum and all TicketMaster outlets.
From
The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas
Main Bouts:
1. Diego Sanchez defeated Clay Guida by split decision
2.James Wilks defeated DaMarques Johnson by rear choke at 4:54 of rd 1
3. Chris Lytle defeated Kevin Burns by unanimous decision
4. Ross Pearson defeated Andre Winner by unanimous decision
5. Joe Stevenson defeated Nate Diaz by unanimous decision
Preliminary Bouts:
6. Melvin Guillard defeated Gleison Tibau by split decision
7. Brad Blackburn defeated Edgar Garcia by split decision
8. Tomasz Drwal defeated Mike Ciesnoleviscz by TKO from strikes at
4:48 of rd 1
9. Nick Osipczak defeated Frank Lester by rear choke at 3:40 of rd 1
10. Jason Dent defeated Cameron Dollar by anaconda choke at 4:46 of rd
1
THE
ULTIMATE FIGHTER 9 Finale
- Tonight on Spike TV
6-20-2009,
Denver, CO
Event
date: June 20, 9pm ET/PT
Venue:
The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas
3:00 pm PT: Doors Open,
3:55 pm PT: First Bout, 6:00 pm PT: Main Card
Main
Card Bouts:
1.
Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez (Main Event)
2. Ross Pearson vs. Andre Winner (TUF 9 Lightweight Finale)
3. DaMarques Johnson vs. Finalist (TUF 9 Welterweight Finale)
4. Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson
5. Kevin Burns vs. Chris Lytle
Preliminary
Bouts:
6.
Melvin Guillard vs. Gleison Tibau
7. Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Tomasz Drwal
8. Brad Blackburn vs. Edgar Garcia
STRIKEFORCE
"Challengers"
- Results
6-20-2009
Denver,
CO
VILLASENOR DECISIONS CYBORG IN MAIN EVENT;
GURGEL AND HEUN PROVIDE CROWD-PLEASING FIREWORKS;
KENNEDY AND KAUFMAN EACH SCORE VICTORIES
KENT, Wash. (June 20, 2009) – “Smokin” Joe Villasenor showed no signs of rust after a year away from the cage as he recorded a close split decision over Evangelista “Cyborg” in the main event of the sophomore edition of Strikeforce Challengers Friday night on SHOWTIME® before an enthusiastic crowd at the ShoWare Center.
In a gritty and tactical battle all the way to the end, Villasenor proved victorious winning on two of the three judges scorecards, 29-28, 28-29, 29-28. “I haven't fought in over a year and that’s a great fight to come back to," Villasenor said after the fight. "A three-round war. I was really surprised by (Cyborg’s) countering. It turned into a great fight.”
SHOWTIME will replay Friday’s telecast on Thursday, June 24, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME 2. It will be available ON DEMAND beginning Monday, June 22.
Asked by SHOWTIME expert analyst, “The Fight Professor” Stephen Quadros, who he was looking to fight next in the stacked Strikeforce middleweight division, Albuquerque, N.M., resident Villasenor (27-6) said, “(Current middleweight champion) Cung Le is sitting back and watching everyone getting better but I think he’s shaking in his boots after watching this.”
Like Villasenor, Tim Kennedy has also been away from the game while serving his country as a Special Forces Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was hard to tell he hadn’t fought in more than 18 months and only five times in the last six years, but he proudly proclaimed he was back Friday, as he submitted Nick “The Goat” Thompson by strikes at 2:37 of Round 2.
Fighting in his 50th MMA fight, Minneapolis, Minn., resident Thompson (38-11-1) was visibly upset afterward and thought Kennedy had hit him illegally behind the head. “You’ve seen my fights. I’m the fairest fighter there is,” Kennedy said. “I was hitting from the side of his head and if I hit him in the back of the head I’m truly sorry. I love to bang and knock people out and I get a lot of crap back home for not winning by submission.”
In what was easily the most entertaining and exciting fight of the night, at a catch weight special attraction at 160 pounds, Jorge Gurgel (13-5) of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Conor “Hurricane” Heun (8-3) of Hollywood, Calif., proved to be two stars to watch. From the second the first bell rang both fighters engaged in a battle full of blood and sweat. In the end, with the crowd on their feet, the final decision was announced in favor of Gurgel on all three scorecards with scores of 29-28, 30-27, 30-27.
Bloodied and battered, both fighters “put on a fight for the ages at 160 pounds,” according to SHOWTIME commentator Mauro Ranallo. “I’ve never seen a chin like that on anyone besides myself,” Gurgel said. “This was my first fight for Strikeforce and it was everything I’ve ever wanted.”
Said Heun: “I may go home a couple of bucks shorter and with some scrapes but that was the most fun I’ve ever had. I live for those last 15 minutes.” While it may be a loss on his record, Heun proved he is not one to back down and will be a fighter to watch in the Strikeforce cage.
In an intriguing matchup of two friends, Sarah Kaufman of Victoria, British Columbia, ran her record to a perfect 10-0 with a unanimous decision over Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler of Sioux Falls, S.D., 29-28, 30-27, 30-27.
Kaufman and Baszler took part in five-minute rounds, the first in the history for female MMA for Strikeforce. “She’s a great opponent and it was a great fight. I just kept gaining confidence and getting more comfortable as the fight went on,” said Kaufman, also a victor by decision in her last fight against Meisha Tate.
Luke Rockhold of Santa Cruz, Calif. improved to 5-1 as he came out firing in dominating the only Washington state resident on the televised card, Cory “The One” Devela (9-3) of Bonney Lake, Wash. Rockhold stepped in with his left foot and let a right hand fly from the opening seconds, stunning Devela who fell to the ground as Rockhold proceeded to pound away. The fight ended several seconds later as Rockhold recorded his third consecutive win by first-round rear-naked choke as Devela tapped out at 0:30, and Rockhold winning by submission.
In a stacked Strikeforce middleweight division, Rockhold said after the fight that, “I’m ready for anyone. I showed tonight what I can do.”
Ranallo called the action from cageside with Quadros and Pat Miletich serving as expert analysts. The executive producer was David Dinkins, Jr., with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
The non-televised fights presented some crowd-pleasing results. Dennis “Superman” Hallman (41-12-2, Yelm, Wash.) needed just 27 seconds to beat Justin Davis (11-8, Olympia, Wash.) by submission in the final non-televised fight. Brian Caraway (11-3) needed a unanimous decision to defeat Alex Zuniga (2-2, Everett, Wash.) by the scores of 30-27, 30-27, 30-27.
Lyle Beerbohm (10-0, Spokane, Wash.) beat Duane Ludwig (18-9, Denver, Colo.) by submission in
the first round at 4:27. Landon Showalter (8-12-1, Arlington, Wash.) won a unanimous decision over George Stork (4-3, Kennewick, Wash.), 30-27, 30-27, 30-27. Len Bentley (4-2, Olympia, Wash.) won a unanimous decision over Marques Daniels (1-3, Tacoma, Wash.) by scores of 29-28, 30-27, 29-28. Steve Hadsel (2-0, Spanaway, Wash.) needed only 17 seconds to knock out Taylor Roberts (1-2, Seattle, Wash.) to open the card.
RED LION HOTEL I-70 and Quebec Denver, Colorado Saturday June 20, 2009
On Saturday June 20, 2009 two warriors will meet in the main event in the cage at Kick Down 67 "Blast". Ian Stonehouse the former Kick Down champion, ISKA champion, multiple MMA promotion champion will meet Jeremy Malaterre the former #1 contender in the promotion. This fight will be contested in the lightweight division. Stonehouse whose last appearance in the Kick Down resulted in an appearance on MTV "True Life" which showcased the skills of MMA fighters.
Malaterre, the always exciting well rounded fighter will represent Gumm MMA where they have enjoyed one of the top winning percentages of any team in the promotions history. Sebastian Puente will return to the show to face Daniel Douglas in the professional middleweight division.
Josh Kissel will fight for the interim Flyweight MMA title held by Allen Sosa who was recently involved in a tragic boating accident in Wyoming. He will face Phil Salazar.
Raquel Pennington will put her undefeated record on the line against another unbeaten fighter in Kyane Hampton from Riverton, Wyoming when they meet for the
women's bantamweight MMA title.
In one of the most anticipated bouts on the card Wes Trissel (2-0) will put his undefeated mark on the line against Brandon Goshorn (2-0) in a # 1 contender bout in the welterweight division. The winner will get their shot at the current champ later this year.
Fighters from Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, California looking to "blast" their way to the top.
Fight
Card:
1.
Ian Stonehouse vs. Jeremy Malaterre
2. ebastian Puente vs. Daniel Douglas
3. Brandon Goshorn vs. Wes Trissell
4. Kick Down Flyweight MMA Title: Phil Salazar vs. Josh Kissell
5. Kick Down Women's Bantamweight MMA Title: Raquel Pennington vs. Kyane Hampton
Intermission
6. Randall Schuckman vs. Byron Sowell
7. Jose Marin vs. Phil Gonzales
8. Cameron Thurgood vs. Willy Baisley
9. Justin Hueske vs. Jimmy Park
10. Josh Cole vs. Tyrone Wright
FOR TICKETS CALL 720-422-5154 or 303-692-4865,
www.kickdownmma.com
2nd Row $35.00, 3rd and 4th Row Reserved $30.00, General Admission $25.00
LIVE ON INTERNET PAY PER VIEW $9.99
American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians Statement: Postpone Klitschko-Chagaev Fight "Due to Medical Safety Issues"
6-19-2009
Denver, CO
It may seem incredible that they even have to do this, but the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians (AAPRP) (http://aaprp.org/) issued a statement Thursday, June 18, calling for the June 20 heavyweight title boxing match between Wladimir Klitschko and Ruslan Chagaev to be postponed "due to medical safety issues".
The reason is clear and simple, as the May 30 WBA title fight between Ruslan Chagaev and Nikolai Valuev was cancelled because Chagaev had tested positive for the hepatitis B antigen. That fight was scheduled to take place in Helsinki, Finland, and most places around the world which host major boxing events do not permit fighters with this dangerous and infectious disease to compete.
The Klitschko-Chagaev fight, however, is scheduled to take place in Gelsenkirchen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany, and the authorities in charge of this fight have far less comprehensive medical requirements for fighters than those in North America, the UK, and much of the rest of the world do.
The AAPRP statement refutes what they say has been some of the misinformation widely circulated in the media about the dangers of hepatitis B, and what is being proposed for the safety measures for this fight.
While this fight is being held in Germany, boxing is an international sport, and the fight will be telecast in the US on ESPN Classic. It is also for a series of heavyweight belts, including that of the American- based The Ring magazine, whose parent company, Sports and Entertainment Publications, LLC, is a subsidiary of Golden Boy Enterprises, whose president is the famed boxer and now promoter, Oscar De La Hoya. So there is much interest in this fight in America, and especially in an organization like AAPRP.
We also discussed this issue at length on my podcast, No Holds Barred, with Dr. Joseph Estwanik, who serves on the AAPRP Board of Directors. You can play or download that edition of No Holds Barred at http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/entry/2009-06-16T14_28_53-07_00. You can also download that edition of No Holds Barred at http://www.mediafire.com/?dtanmmchmyg.
The AAPRP web site is at http://aaprp.org. Here is the full text of their statement:
As it has been reported that Mr. Ruslan Chagaev has tested positive for the Hepatitis B Virus, the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians (the “AAPRP”) is recommending that the proposed contest between Mr. Ruslan Chagaev and Mr. Vladimir Klitschko be postponed due to medical safety issues. The AAPRP also recommends that this fight not take place and suggests that Mr. Chagaev not be permitted to fight (anyone) until, and unless, he can demonstrate a "negative hepatitis status.
In several recent media accounts, it has been stated that Mr. Chagaev has a “low hepatitis B viral load” and therefore poses “no risk” of transmitting this dangerous virus. The AAPRP disagrees with this assertion. Although the risk of transmission of the Hepatitis B Virus may be minimal, the risk is not zero. Additionally, given the fact that Hepatitis B is a very virulent virus and easily transmitted, it is even more important to be prudent in order to not only protect Mr. Chagaev’s opponent, but also the referee, judges, sanctioning body officials, cornermen, ringside physicians and ringside observers who may be at risk of contracting this dangerous virus. As boxing is obviously considered a “blood sport”, it is very common for blood to splatter on the individuals immediately adjacent at ringside. The conjunctiva (eye) route of transfer for this virus is well documented....so any person seated at ringside, who is not immunized, may be at risk.
Furthermore, statistics suggest that if Mr. Chagaev were to share needles with another individual, the transmission rate of Hepatitis B could be as high as 30%. If blood from a cut on Mr. Chagaev were to come into direct contact with a cut on another fighter, the transmission rate could be as high as 10%. Should blood squirt from Mr. Chagaev and hit another individual in the eye (i.e. Judge, referee, cornerman or media) the transmission rate could be as high as 5%. Therefore, the risk is obviously greater than zero and could put others at ringside (beside his opponent) at risk for acquiring this virus.
Unless everyone at ringside (Judges, referees, ringside physicians, commission members, sanctioning body officials, trainers, cornermen, media reporters, ring girls, television technicians, spectators and of course the fighters opponent) has documented immunity to Hepatitis B (a three shot hepatitis immunity vaccination series given over a 6 month period with a subsequent documented blood test confirming immunity), protection against exposure to this dangerous virus cannot be guaranteed. Finally, if bleeding does occur, the individuals responsible for cleaning the ring as well as those handling the gloves must also be immune to minimize the risk as well.
The American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians considers safety our number one priority and will work with local and international commissions to insure that all precautions are taken to protect all individuals involved in professional boxing.
For more information, please contact the AAPRP.
Carson's
Corner: Mark "The Smashing Machine" Kerr and Allan
Weickert!
6-18-2009
Denver, CO
Two guests are featured on this edition of Carson's Corner: Mark Kerr and Allan Weickert.
First up is MMA legend Mark Kerr. You've seen him wrestle collegiately. You've seen him dominate in Abu Dhabi. You've seen him tear through the virtually everyone put in front of him in both PrideFC and the UFC. Now, in his most challenging role to date, The Smashing Machine enters Carson's Pit to test his mettle against the irrepressible Bob Carson. How will he handle the verbal onslaught from the undisputed master? Tune in and find out!
Next on the docket is a short interview with Allan Weickert. Allan is fresh off of a dominating performance against UFC veteran Sean Salmon. Tune in to hear Allan talk about the fight, the pre-fight smack talk and much more.
In addition, you'll get the Carson Chatter that you've grown to love and our award-winning news and rumors segment. All told, you'll be pleased as punch that you listened.
Bellator to Crown Two World Champions at Season Finale June 19th at Hard Rock
6-18-2009
Denver, CO
Lightweights Alvarez vs. Imada and Middleweights Lombard vs. Hess Compete for World Championship Titles
Hollywood, Fla. – Bellator Fighting Championships returns to the Seminole Hard Rock Live to conclude the inaugural tournament season on June 19 in Hollywood, Fla. The 12-week world championship mixed martial arts tournament will cap off its first nationally televised season with a stacked fight card in the same arena where the tournament first launched April 3rd. Headlining the event will be the Bellator Lightweight and Middleweight championship fights. The Lightweight world title fight pits top ranked Lightweight Eddie Alvarez against submission-of-the-year sensation Toby Imada, with the winner taking home a total of $175,000 and the Bellator Lightweight world title. In the other headlining fight, former Cuban Olympian Judo ace Hector “Shango” Lombard will face off against the Oklahoman All-American wrestler Jared Hess for the 185 lb. belt and $175,000 in tournament earnings. Both world title matchups will be preceded by an action packed series of feature fights showcasing world-class MMA athletes Jorge Masvidal, Troy Gerhart, Luis Palomino and Eric Reynolds. The broadcast event will be featured exclusively in primetime on ESPN Deportes on Saturday, June 20th, with the English language event available Wendsday, June 25th at
Bellator.com.
“Our first season has proven that magical things can happen when fighters are allowed to control their own destiny,” said Bellator Fighting Championships CEO Bjorn Rebney. “As a fan of this spectacular sport it’s been my great pleasure to sit cageside week after week and watch these amazing moments happen over and over again.”
Philadelphia Fight Factory standout Eddie Alvarez returns to the city where it all began for him in Bellator to face off against dangerous submission ace Toby Imada for the Bellator Lightweight title. Coming off of his stunning “submission of the year” at Bellator V, Toby Imada will look to beat Alvarez and claim a long deserved world title. As he prepares to compete for the first ever Bellator Lightweight World Championship, Alvarez has stated that he expects his June 19th performance to be the best of his highly distinguished fight career. The winning fighter will have the title belt bestowed upon him immediately following the bout and will defend his world title belt against the winner of Bellator’s season no. 2 challenger series where the promotion’s no. 1 Lightweight contender will be determined.
In the other world title fights, Cuban Judoka Hector Lombard looks to capture his first ever MMA world title when he faces former collegiate wrestling star Jared Hess, who defeated Middleweight hopefuls Yosmany Cabezas and Daniel Tabera to earn this shot at the Middleweight belt. With their combined records of 28-2, the duo is guaranteed to thrill the Florida crowd with their differing styles. Hess brings world-class wrestling skills to the Bellator cage with a well-rounded MMA arsenal and tremendous stamina, while Lombard will look to continue his dominant performances with his very heavy-handed punishing style. The winner of Bellator’s Middleweight crown will receive a total of $175,000, the world championship belt and the right to defend their title against the winner of Bellator’s season no. 2 Middleweight champion.
Bellator XII will also host a series of special feature bouts spanning across several weight classes and fight genres. Included in the evening’s matchups will be the unofficial Lightweight runner-up matchup between Florida natives and former tournament competitors Jorge Masvidal and Eric Reynolds. Also featured at Bellator XII will be the women’s special feature bout between Rosie Sexton and Valarie Coolbaugh as well as a matchup highlighting Featherweight Luis Palomino who will look to unleash his heavy handed attack on newly minted Bellator competitor Troy Gerhart. With a total of eight high octane fights scheduled for the evening, the highly anticipated season finale should be one of the most memorable MMA events of 2009.
Tickets are available now and can be purchased at the Seminole Hard Rock Live Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets. Ticketmaster customers may log on to www.ticketmaster.com, call Ticketmaster's national toll free number 1.800.745.3000, or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. The fight card to date includes:
Lightweight World Championship Final Bout:
155 lbs. – Eddie Alvarez (17-2) vs. Toby Imada (22-12)
Middleweight World Championship Final Bout:
185 lbs. – Hector Lombard (20-2) vs. Jared Hess (8-0-1)
Non-Tournament Bouts:
155 lbs. – Jorge Masvidal (17-4) vs. Eric Reynolds (10-2)
145 lbs. – Sami Aziz (4-0-1) vs. Brad Pickett (16-4)
170 lbs. – Josh Martin (6-2-1) vs. Sergio Morais (3-0)
120 lbs. – Valerie Coolbaugh (1-1) vs. Rosie Sexton (9-1)
155 lbs. – Troy Gerhart (5-0) vs. Luis Palomino (10-5)
140 lbs. – Jennifer Kloptsoff (Pro Debut) vs. Stephanie Guimaraes (0-1)
For more information about Bellator Fighting Championships, visit www.bellator.com. For the Spanish language version of the website, visit Espanol.Bellator.com. Please contact your local cable provider to learn more about viewing Bellator Fighting Championships on ESPN
Deportes.
Event
date: Friday, June 19, 2009 – 8:00 PM, Prelims at 6:00 PM (All times Pacific)
Venue:
ShoWare Center, Kent, WA
Main Card
Bouts:
1. “Smokin” Joey Villasenor (26-6) vs. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (16-12) – 3X5 – 185Lbs
2. Nick “The Goat” Thompson (38-10-1) vs. Tim Kennedy (9-2)
3. Jorge Gurgel (12-5) vs. Conor “Hurricane” Heun (8-2)
4. Sarah Kaufman (8-0) vs. Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler (9-5)
5. Cory “The One” Devela (9-2) vs. Luke Rockhold (4-1)
Preliminary Bouts
6. Dennis “Superman” Hallman (40-12-2) vs. Cedric “Spider Marks” Marks (26-18)
7. Brian Caraway (10-3) vs. Alex Zuniga (2-1)
8. Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm vs. Duane “Bang” Ludwig (18-8)
9. Landon “The Show” Showalter (7-12-1) vs. Travis “The Praying Mantis” Doerge (4-8)
10. Len Bentley (3-2) vs. Marques Daniels (1-2)
11. Steve Hadsel (1-0) vs. Taylor Roberts (1-1)
THE
ULTIMATE FIGHTER 9
- Finale
6-17-2009,
Denver, CO
Event
date: June 20
Venue:
The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas
Main
Card Bouts:
1.
Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez (Main Event)
2. Ross Pearson vs. Andre Winner (TUF 9 Lightweight Finale)
3. DaMarques Johnson vs. Finalist (TUF 9 Welterweight Finale)
4. Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson
5. Kevin Burns vs. Chris Lytle
Preliminary
Bouts:
6.
Melvin Guillard vs. Gleison Tibau
7. Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Tomasz Drwal
8. Brad Blackburn vs. Edgar Garcia
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on some recent issues in mixed martial arts. We applaud the wise contract negotiations by Mirko Cro Cop with the UFC and Dream, and condemn the absurd fight between former top heavyweight boxer Ray Mercer and former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, won by Mercer with a one-punch knockout.
This past Saturday, June 13, the ADCC East Coast Trials were held at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, New Jersey. The winners of the five weight classes contested all earned berths in the 2009 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship (http://www.adcombat.net/adnet/Wrestling/), which will be held September 26-27 in Barcelona, Spain.
Right after his match, we had a chance to speak with Chris Weidman (http://www.chrisweidman.com/) of Serra Jiu-Jitsu, who defeated James Brasco (Pablo Popovitch) by anaconda choke in the middleweight finals. We spoke about this match, what it means for his career, his wrestling background, and his plans in both grappling and mixed martial arts.
At this event was the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, grappling, and mixed martial arts legend Renzo Gracie (http://renzogracie.com/). As always, Renzo had some very poignant comments about the importance of what we had just witnessed.
We also spoke with our old colleague Luca Atalla of Gracie Magazine (http://www.graciemag.com/). Luca has covered all the ADCC world championships, so his comments about these East Coast Trials were particularly insightful.
