UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin
7-1-2008, Denver, CO
Event date: July 5th, 7pm PT / 10pm ET
Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV

The world is watching as UFC® Light Heavyweight Champion QUINTON “RAMPAGE” JACKSON and perennial fan favorite FORREST GRIFFIN spend 13 weeks as competing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter® reality show. Now, the time comes for these two mixed martial arts masters to go to war. On Saturday, July 5th, Griffin challenges Jackson for the most hotly contested title in the UFC® – the Light Heavyweight Championship. 

Pay-Per-View Card: 
Quinton Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin 
Ricardo Almeida vs. Patrick Cote 
Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau
Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Lytle
Marcus Aurelio vs. Tyson Griffin

Preliminary Bouts: 
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Justin McCully
Jorge Gurgel vs. Cole Miller
Melvin Guillard vs. Dennis Siver
Justin Bucholz vs. Corey Hill

 

No Holds Barred: Thomas Hauser on UFC and MMA

7-1-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-06-30T07_48_41-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with the award-winning boxing writer and author, Thomas Hauser of SecondsOut.com (http://www.secondsout.com), about his views on UFC and mixed martial arts.

In a lengthy discussion, Thomas Hauser explains why he does not like mixed martial arts, why he finds it debasing, why he thinks that society should not be encouraging it, and why he thinks New York State should not legalize and sanction it.

This is a must-hear interview, for both supporters and opponents of UFC and mixed martial arts.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download

 

K1 2008 World Grand Prix - Results

6-29-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Marine Messe in Fukuoka, Japan.

 

Quick results:
1. Superfight: Peter Aerts defeated Jan Nortje by TKO

2. Keijiro Maeda defeated Musashi by decision 

3. Takumi Sato defeated Mitsugu Noda by decision 

4. Ewerton Teixeira defeated Tsutomu Takahagi by KO

5. Tsuyoshi Nakasako defeated Bernard Ackah by decision 

6. Semi-Final Bout: Keijiro Maeda defeated Takumi Sato by decision

7. Semi-Final Bout: Ewerton Teixeira defeated Tsuyoshi Nakasako by decision 

8. Heavyweight Title Fight: Badr Hari defeated Glaube Feitosa by TKO

9.Super-Heavyweight Title Fight: Semmy Schilt (champ) defeated Jerome Le Banner by decision 

10. Final Japan GP: Ewerton Teixeira defeated Keijiro Maeda by decision

 

STRIKEFORCE - Results

6-28-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California

1. Josh Thomson defeated Gilbert Melendez by unanimous decision
2. Billy Evangelista defeated Nam Phan by split decision
3. Bobby Southworth defeated Anthony Ruiz by unanimous decision
4. Miesha Tate defeated Elaina Maxwell by unanimous decision 
5. Jeremiah Metcalf defeated Raymond Daniels by rear choke at :59 of rd 2
6. Chris Cariaso defeated Anthony Figueroa by rear  choke at 4:34 of rd 2
7. Bobby Stack defeated Jose Palacios by unanimous decision
8. Brian Caraway defeated Alvin Cacdac by rear choke at 1:39 of rd 1
9. Alexander Trivino defeated Eric Jacob by armbar at 0:37 of rd 1
10. Jorge Interiano defeated Travis Johnson by TKO from doctor's stoppage at 3:00 of rd 2
11. Cyrillo Padhillo defeated Jesse Jones by unanimous decision

 

UFC Fight Night - July 19th fight card

6-27-2007, Denver, CO

Event date: 7-19-2008

Venue:  The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. 

 

1. Main event - Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin
2. Reese Andy vs. Brandon Vera
3. Hermes Franca vs. Frankie Edgar
4. Anthony Johnson vs. Kevin Burns
5. Rory Markham vs. Brodie Farber
6. Brad Blackburn vs. James Giboo
7. Dale Hartt vs. Shannon Gugherty
8. Cain Velasquez vs. Jake O'Brien
9. Nate Loughran vs. Johnny Rees

 

Bobby Razak and TapOut Films Premiere - Two Icons in MMA History Create Magic Together

6-27-2008

Denver, CO

Bobby Razak and TapOut Films presents "Bloodlines" which depicts the internal struggles of a man conquering his environment. This mixed martial arts short is the brainchild of Executive Producer Bobby Razak and TapOut Films. The sport was born of ancient Roman Gladiators, Pankration and Bruce Lee in an effort to combine the mental game with the physical prowess of masters. For this reason some say that mixed martial artists are the best athletes in the world. "Bloodlines" gives a compelling taste of a true warrior in the making. Public pre-launch party this Sat June 28th at 9pm at Miyagis West Hollywood 90046. 

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) June 27, 2008 -- The latest TapOut commercial, directed by Bobby Razak, debuted on the UFC TUF Finale and created record traffic to the TapOut website as well as a hungry buzz to see more. The premiere of "Bloodlines", a short film expanding on the commercial, kicks off with a pre-launch party this Saturday June 28th at 9pm at Miyagis in West Hollywood and will be posted exclusively on TapOut.com's website on July 1, 2008. 

As mixed martial arts (MMA) goes mainstream the most authentic films and programming will come from veterans in the business. Bobby Razak has spent the last 14 years filming documentary-style accounts of the growth from No Holds Barred competition to a sanctioned sport. TapOut has spent as many years building a respected empire of clothing, fighter sponsorships and reality programming. 

Bobby Razak and TapOut Films presents "Bloodlines" which depicts the internal struggles of a man conquering his environment. A troubled man, Nikko Medina triumphs adversity through developing his physical, mental and spiritual morals. 

On a path to saving his life and family from violence and poverty he discovers a physical outlet in mixed martial arts that shapes his character. He is exposed to the hardship of transforming his mindset while molding his physical skill set. His spirit is tested with each trainer to reach his core being. Can he make it or not? What are his alternatives? As a newcomer to the sport, Medina is forced to face his inner demons when faced with a deadly opponent. His destiny unfolds. 

This mixed martial arts short is the brainchild of Executive Producer Bobby Razak and TapOut Films. The sport was born of ancient Roman Gladiators, Pankration and Bruce Lee in an effort to combine the mental game with the physical prowess of masters. For this reason some say that mixed martial artists are the best athletes in the world. "Bloodlines" gives a compelling taste of a true warrior in the making. 

As MMA continues to 'go global' Razak documents MMA's transition from underground to mainstream popularity as well as the legal, ethical and make-or-break career decisions that will mold the industry. 

As a young boy growing up in Tottenham, London, England, Bobby Razak found himself extremely inspired by the art of film. Movies such as "Spartacus," "Enter the Dragon," and "Casablanca" triggered Bobby's dream to become a filmmaker. Determined not to let his dream go, Razak moved from England to Los Angeles, CA to pursue his career in film. Once in L.A., Bobby began working for various production companies until he was able to raise the money to produce and direct the critically acclaimed documentary, "Rites of Passage." The film explores the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) and enters the minds of the athletes featured providing a one of a kind, thoughtful, and introspective view of the MMA world. "Rites of Passage," was screened at Sundance Film Festival and appeared on In-Demand PPV across the USA. 

Pushing the boundaries, Bobby's next film, "Pit Fight," was shot on 35mm film and contains real bare-knuckle fighting. "Pit Fight" was premiered in the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, was screened at the Berlin Film Festival, and won numerous visual awards from around the world. He then produced "Invincible Warrior" and "Underground NHB". Switching gears, Bobby's next film, "Love, Pain, Eternal," explores the concepts of love, friendship, and self using his own life experiences. The powerfully emotional film will premiere at Festival de Cannes Short Film Corner May 2008. 

In June 2008, Bobby directs a brand new MMA reality show called "Underground Kings Scout" featuring fight footage of MMA's talent, and "Underground Kings MMA" featuring the behind-the-scenes stories of new and legendary fighters. His latest release, the TapOut commercial and short film "Bloodlines" premieres July 2008 and his Pit Fight Redux will be TapOut's second installment in August 2008. Still passionate about his work, Bobby continues to seek out new ideas to capture on film. Often fueled by the experiences in his own life, you never know where Bobby's next film will lead its viewers. 

 

COLORADO MMA - Premier Championship Fighting Results

6-27-2008

Event date: June 21, 2008

Venue: Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont, Colorado

Results:
1. Nick Rosenborough defeated Chris Camozzi by triangle choke in rd 3
2. Gregg Dalton defeated Nick Bushman by unanimous decision 
3. Ryan Axtell defeated Joey Welch by TKO from strikes in rd 1
4. Chino Montoya defeated Joe Trujilo by submission in rd 1
5. Alfredo Corona defeated Alex Whipple by submission in rd 3
6. Lamumba Sayers defeated Ryan McKee by TKO from strikes in rd 2
7. Ann Wyborny defeated Krystal Matacol by TKO from strikes in rd 3
8. Jamie Schiola defeated EJ Howe TKO in 1st rd (unable to continue in 2nd rd)
9. Jamie Addie defeated Cory Ortiz by TKO from strikes in rd 2 
10. Matt Nissen defeated Matt Simms by TKO from strikes in rd 1 
11. Carlos Huerta defeated Joe Salley by choke in rd 1 
12. Willy Baisley defeated Justin Strauser by rear choke in rd 1

 

ELITEXC "SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS" - To be broadcast July 26 on CBS
6-26-2008

Denver, CO

In a Rematch of their Recent Controversial Title Fight on CBS, EliteXC Middleweight Champion Robbie Lawler Will Defend Against Scott Smith, While Jake Shields Squares off Against Nick Thompson For the Vacant EliteXC Welterweight Belt

CBS to Broadcast Four Live Fights (Including Two Title Fights) From 9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT; SHOWTIME to Televise Three Live Fights (Including EliteXC Heavyweight Title Fight) from 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT

LOS ANGELES, June 26 — CBS and EliteXC announced today that the next CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be broadcast live from the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif. on Saturday, July 26 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The four-fight broadcast will be highlighted by the highly anticipated rematch between "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler and Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith for the EliteXC Middleweight Title. 

The night of mixed martial action will begin with three live fights on SHOWTIME (8:00-9:00 PT, ET/PT) including an EliteXC Heavyweight Championship match featuring Antonio "Big Foot" Silva.

"One venue, two networks and seven exciting world class fights adds up to an entertaining and memorable mixed martial arts event in prime time," said Doug DeLuca, Executive Chairman, ProElite, Inc.

In a rematch of their exciting, controversial first fight on May 31 on CBS, Lawler, the EliteXC middleweight champion from St. Louis by way of Davenport, Iowa, will put his title on the line once again against hard-hitting challenger Smith of Elk Grove, Calif. Their last meeting, a fight that many called the fight of the night, ended in controversy when doctors called the fight after Smith caught an unintentional finger in the eye late in the third round. Smith claimed he was ready to continue, but the fight was stopped and declared a no contest. 

In a second world title fight on CBS, two of the sports' most talented welterweights will collide when San Francisco's Jake Shields, who has won nine in a row, gets his long awaited shot at a world title when he squares off against Nick Thompson of Minneapolis, Minn., who has won 12 straight and 20 of his last 21 fights, for the vacant EliteXC 170-pound belt. 

The world title fights are scheduled for five, five-minute rounds. 

Also on CBS, hometown favorite Nick Diaz of Stockton, Calif. will face Thomas "Wildman" Denny of Hesperia, Calif. The talented Diaz, who will be seeking his third victory in three months, needs a win to stay in the hunt for a potential rematch with ElliteXC lightweight champion KJ Noons. Denny, a winner in four of his last five fights, is coming off a first-round disqualification victory over the highly regarded Malaipet on March 21, 2008. 

The remaining primetime match-ups for the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS on July 26 will be announced at a later date. The SHOWTIME match-ups also will be announced in the near future.

CBS Sports play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson, cageside analysts Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo, and reporter Karyn Bryant will return as the "CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS" broadcast team and also have the call for the SHOWTIME telecast.

CBS's inaugural mixed martial arts broadcast on May 31, 2008 dominated its time period in all key young men and young adult demographics. The total viewership increased throughout the night, peaking at 6.51m viewers for the Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson fight. The entire broadcast (9:00-11:51 PM) averaged 4.85m viewers. 

The intense nature of the contests and the theatrical elements of its live events have made mixed martial arts one of the fastest growing spectator sports in the U.S. Over the last several years, the genre has seen tremendous growth in popularity, especially among the coveted 18-34 demographic.

Mixed martial arts is a sport evolved from a number of ancient combat disciplines including judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, wrestling and kickboxing. World-class athletes engage in hand-to-hand combat in a ring — both caged and traditional — and must adapt their fighting style to fit their opponent. The wide variety of styles and techniques make every event an unpredictable spectacle.

CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be produced by SHOWTIME Sports. The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr.

For more information on CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS, visit cbssports.com

 

No Holds Barred: 2008 U.S. Olympic Wrestlers VanDusen, Dantzler, Mango, Hrovat, Miller, Bernard, Mocco, Byers, Wheeler, Cormier, Chun

6-26-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-06-23T17_40_32-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic wrestling team, who will compete this August at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

They were in New York last week for a media tour, which included promoting the Fuel the Dream program (http://fuelthedream.org/) to assist families with travel expenses to China.

At Foley's New York Pub and Restaurant, we spoke with 11 members of the team about their backgrounds, their careers, and what to expect in Beijing.

They are, in the order in which we spoke: Marcie VanDusen (55 kg/121 lbs., women's freestyle), T.C. Dantzler (74 kg/163 lbs., Greco-Roman), Spenser Mango (55 kg/121 lbs., Greco-Roman), Andy Hrovat (84 kg/185 lbs., men's freestyle), Randi Miller (63 kg/137.5 lbs., women's freestyle), Ali Bernard (72 kg/158.5 lbs., women's freestyle), Steve Mocco (120 kg/264.5 lbs., men's freestyle), Dremiel Byers (120 kg/264.5 lbs., Greco-Roman), Adam Wheeler (96 kg/211.5 lbs., Greco-Roman), Daniel Cormier (96 kg/211.5 lbs., men's freestyle), and Clarissa Chun (48 kg/105.5 lbs., women's freestyle).

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

 

UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin

6-23-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Saturday, July 5, 2008
Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV

 

Fight card:
1. Quinton Jackson vs. Forrest Griffin 
2. Ricardo Almeida vs. Patrick Cote
3. Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau
4. Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Lytle
5. Marcus Aurelio vs. Tyson Griffin
6. Jorge Gurgel vs. Cole Miller
7. Melvin Guillard vs. Dennis Siver
8. Justin Bucholz vs. Corey Hill
9. Steve Bruno vs. Chris Wilson
10. Jared Rollins vs. Ben Saunders

 

Ultimate Fighter Finale - Results

6-22-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

 

Results:

1. Kendall Grove defeated Evan Tanner by split decision
2. Amir Sadollah defeaed  C.B. Dollaway by armbar  at 3:02 of rd 1
3. Diego Sanchez defeated Luigi Fioravanti by TKO from strikes at 4:07 of rd 3
4. Spencer Fisher defeated Jeremy Stephens by unanimous decision
5. Matt Riddle def. Dante Rivera by unanimous decision
6. Dustin Hazelett defeated Josh Burkman by armbar at 4:46 of rd 2
7. Drew McFedries defeated Marvin Eastman by TKO from strikes at 1:08 of rd 1
8. Matt Brown defeated Matt Arroyo by TKO from strikes at 3:40 of rd 2
9. Dean Lister defeated Jeremy Horn by guillotine choke at 3:52 of rd 1
10. Rob Kimmons defeated Rob Yundt by guillotine Choke at 3:58  of rd 1

 

Fighter bonus payouts:

1. Submission of the Night ($20,000): Dustin Hazelett
2. Fight of the Night ($20,000/each): Dustin Hazelett and Josh Burkman
3. Knockout of the Night ($20,000): Thiago Alves

 

Ultimate Fighter Finale - Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest

6-21-2008, Denver, CO, PNW

Event date: Today. Saturday, June 21st, 2008
Venue: Palms Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada 
Live on Spike TV - Saturday, June 21st at 9pm ET/PT. Re-air - Saturday 6/21 12am, Sunday 6/22 4pm, Saturday 6/28 7pm

Main Event:
Kendall Grove (186lbs) vs. Evan Tanner (186lbs)

Ultimate Fighter Final Bout:
CB Dollaway (185lbs) vs. Amir Sadollah (185lbs)

Luigi Fioravanti (171lbs) vs. Diego Sanchez (170lbs)
Jeremy Stephens (155lbs) vs. Spencer Fisher (156lbs)
Dante Rivera (185lbs) vs. Matt Riddle (185lbs)

*Preliminary bouts:
Dustin Hazelett (170lbs) vs. Josh Burkman (170lbs)
Drew McFedries (185lbs) vs. Marvin Eastman (186lbs)
Matt Arroyo (170lbs) vs. Matt Brown (170lbs)
Dean Lister (185lbs) vs. Jeremy Horn (186lbs)
Cale Yarbrough (186lbs) vs. Tim Credeur (185lbs)
Rob Yundt (185lbs) vs. Rob Kimmons (185lbs)
*May not be broadcasted

No Holds Barred: Mike Chapman of Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum, Tom Atencio of Affliction

6-21-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-06-20T17_25_02-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins with another commentary on the poor level of striking in the mixed martial arts, especially as compared even to mid-level boxing, and the even worse reporting and analysis by many in the so-called MMA "media" regarding various key issues, in particular reflecting their bias in favor of the current UFC owners.

Mike Chapman, the founder of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa (http://wrestlingmuseum.org), has long been the top wrestling historian in America. Now that museum has been severely damaged by the storms and floods that have been recently ravaging Iowa and much of the Midwest.

We spoke with Mike about what physical damage has been done to the museum, what this means for its future, and what people can do to assist them.

We also spoke with Tom Atencio, vice president of Affliction, about the move by UFC to run a free cable show directly opposite their July 19 pay-per-view. We also discussed the news that their main event, involving top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko and former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia, will be contested for the heavyweight championship of the new World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA), which is an independent sanctioning body.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

UFC Heads to Atlanta for UFC 88

6-19-2008

Denver, CO

CHUCK "THE ICEMAN" LIDDELL vs. "SUGAR" RASHAD EVANS

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Home to some of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts, the UFC® light heavyweight division is without question the most competitive in the sport. On Saturday, September 6th, two of the weight class’ best - legendary former champion Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell and unbeaten rising star "Sugar" Rashad Evans – will finally meet in the Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization's historic first trip to Atlanta for UFC 88: BREAKTHROUGH, live at Philips Arena.

"Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans is a battle between the former champion looking to get a shot at reclaiming his crown and the undefeated contender looking to earn his first title shot," said Dana White, UFC President. "Chuck is a great wrestler and Rashad has shown improved striking skills so there is no way of telling what will happen when two fighters of this caliber collide. This is going to be another incredible fight, and I am so excited to bring UFC 88 Atlanta."

Originally scheduled to face off against each other on June’s UFC 85 card in London, a torn hamstring sidelined Liddell and forced him to withdraw from his bout with Evans. But if anything, the additional wait has steeled the resolve of both men to not only win this fight, but to end it in spectacular fashion for the loyal UFC fans of Georgia. 

UFC 88 marks the organization’s first event in the state since Augusta’s UFC 13 show in May of 1997, and it’s first ever event in Atlanta. To kick off this inaugural event, White stated he will hold a UFC 88 press conference with Liddell and Evans in downtown Atlanta next Tuesday, June 24, and that later that day, the two fighters will attend an autograph session at Lenox Mall from 2 to 4pm ET.

Tickets for UFC 88: BREAKTHROUGH will go on sale Sunday, June 21 at 12 Noon ET and will be priced at $604, $404, $254, $154 and $79. Tickets for UFC 88 will be available at Philip's Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling 404.249.6400.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Wednesday, June 18 at 10am ET via the website www.ufc.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, June 20 starting at 10am ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.ufc.com. 

UFC 88: BREAKTHROUGH is available live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

One of the biggest stars in American sports, Chuck Liddell (21-5) is a fighter who needs no introduction to fight fans. Fresh off a thrilling three round win over Wanderlei Silva last December in a fight which easily lived up to over four years of expectations, the 38-year-old – owner of knockout wins over a Who’s Who of 205-pound stalwarts, including Randy Couture (twice), Tito Ortiz (twice), Renato Sobral (twice), Jeremy Horn, and Kevin Randleman - continues on his quest to regain his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship from Quinton “Rampage” Jackson; but to get there, he has to get by Evans, only the third undefeated fighter Liddell has ever faced.

"I'm excited to be back in training, and I'm excited to have this Rashad fight back on - I’m going to put pressure on him and put him 
down, because, unfortunately everyone has to have their first loss," said Liddell. "It's been a white since I fought on the East coast, so I'm looking forward to going out there and giving this knockout to Atlanta."

Evans (16-0-1) burst on the UFC scene in style in 2005 when he won the heavyweight division of season two of The Ultimate Fighter®, winning four fights en route to the title. Dropping back to his natural weight class at 205 pounds, he has kept the momentum going with five wins and just one controversial draw against former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz in July of 2007. Among his victims are standouts Stephan Bonnar and Jason Lambert, and in his most recent bout at UFC 78 last November, he pounded out a three round decision win over previously unbeaten British star Michael “The Count” Bisping. Now Evans has his sights on taking down a UFC icon on September 6th.

"I'm honored to fight Chuck, it's good to fight someone who has been where you want to be. This is going to be a tough fight though, I know someone is gonna be finished, and I think it'll be Chuck," said Evans. "I'm excited to go to Atlanta, I've heard great things about the city, I've never been there before, but I know there's no better way to experience a place than to have thousands of people all there to see you fight."

The remaining bouts for UFC 88 will be announced in the near future. All bouts live and subject to change. For further information on the UFC visit ufc.com or uk.ufc.com or ufcespanol.com.

 

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER FINALE - Team Rampage vs Team Forrest 

6-18-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: June 21, 2008, 9:00 PM ET/PT 

Venue: The Pearl, Nevada, doors open at The Palms at 2:30pm PT, first bout starts at 3:30pm PT
Live on Spike - Saturday, June 21st at 9pm ET/PT. Re-air - Saturday 6/21 12am, Sunday 6/22 4pm, Saturday 6/28 7pm

The seventh season of The Ultimate Fighter® culminates with a huge 3 hour live broadcast on Spike TV! After the most shocking twist in The Ultimate Fighter® history, see the finals of the middleweight tournament LIVE. Plus, a feature bout between Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove and former middleweight champion Evan Tanner. Also on the card, fights featuring Diego Sanchez and Spencer Fisher. 

Main card:
1. Evan Tanner Vs. Kendall Grove 
2. Diego Sanchez Vs. Luigi Fioravanti 
3. Spencer Fisher Vs. Jeremy Stephens 
4. Josh Burkman Vs. Dustin Hazelett 

Preliminary bouts:
5. Marvin Eastman Vs. Drew McFedries 
6. Jeremy Horn Vs. Dean Lister 
7. Rob Yundt Vs. Rob Kimmons 

 

 

In the USA - watch on Spike TV in standard definition and in high-definition where available.
In Canada - watch on Rogers SportsNet in high-definition where available.

 

No Holds Barred: MMA in New York, Grappling in MMA, EliteXC, Dream, Holm-Sanders, Daniel Cormier and Olympic Wrestling Trials
6-17-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-06-16T08_49_49-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins with a highly-charged commentary on what has been happening with the attempt to legalize mixed martial arts in New York State, how both the mixed martial arts and mainstream media have once again offered distorted accounts of the history and nature of the sport and what has been occurring in this latest episode, and what must be done in New York both to legalize the sport and protect the rights of the fighters and provide them with the same protections already afforded boxers.

Next, we draw some lessons from the June 13 Holly Holm-Mary Jo Sanders fight billed as determining the top pound-for-pound women's boxer, the June 14 EliteXC mixed martial arts show in Hawaii, and the June 15 Dream 4 mixed martial arts card in Yokohama, Japan. Once again, the issue of the pivotal role of grappling in the mixed martial arts is addressed.

This past weekend, the 2008 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials took place in Las Vegas. We address the crazy rules put in place by FILA, the international wrestling federation.

Right after his victory at the Olympic Trials, we spoke by phone with Daniel Cormier, who will represent the U.S. at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. in freestyle wrestling. He is also expected to be part of a group of Olympic wrestlers who will be visiting New York this coming Thursday and Friday to make fan and media appearances.

Mixed martial arts, wrestling, and boxing, all with a no-holds- barred flavor -- now where else can you get all that?

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

Elite XC - Results
6-15-2008 

Denver, CO

From the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Undercard bouts:
1. Dean Lista vs. PJ Deanwas judged three round majority draw 
2. Mike Aina defeated Kaleo Kwan by unanimous decision
3. Mike Oshiro defeated Chris Willems by triangle choke at 2:12 of rd 1
4. Bubba McDaniel defeated Kala Kolohe by rear choke at :41 of rd 1

Showtime Bouts:
5. Rafael Feijao defeated Wayne Cole by TKO from strikes at 2:47 of rd 1
6. Dave Herman defeated Ron Waterman by TKO from strikes at 2:19 of rd 1
7. Murilo “Ninja” Rua defeated Tony Bonello by TKO from strikes at 3:16 of rd 1
8. Nick Diaz defeated Muhsin Corbbrey by TKO from strikes at 3:59 of rd 3

EliteXC Lightweight Title Bout:
9. K.J. Noons defeated Yves Edwards by TKO from strikes at :48 of rd 1.  Noons retains title

DREAM.4 - Results

6-15-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama Japan.

1. Lightweight GP Tournament (Second Round):
Shinya Aoki defeated wins Katsuhiko Nagata by submission (gogo plata) in rd 1

2. Heavyweight Bout: 
Alistair Overeem defeated Lee Tae Hyun by KO in rd 1 

3. Light Heavyweight Bout: 
Ralek Gracie defeated Gadzhiev Alavutdin by armbar in rd 1

4. Featherweight Bout:
Hideo Tokoro defeated Darren Uyenoyama by unanimous decision

5. Middleweight GP Tournament (Second Round):
Gegard Mousasi defeated Yoon Dong Sik by unanimous decision

6. Middleweight GP Tournament (Second Round):
Zelg "Benkei" Galesik defeated Kin Taiei TKO in rd 1

7. Middleweight GP Tournament (Second Round): 
Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza defeated  Jason "Mayhem" Miller by unanimous decision 

8. Middleweight GP Tournament (Second Round):
Melvin Manhoef defeated Kazushi Sakuraba by TKO from strikes in rd 1

 

Elite XC - Return of the King

6-14-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Sat, Jun 14, 2008 03:00 PM

Venue: Neal S Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, HI

 

Challenger Yves Edwards (left) and EliteXC lightweight champion KJ Noons pose after Friday's weigh-in at Fashion 45 in Honolulu. Noons, who weighed the division-limit 160 pounds, defends against Edwards, who weighed 158 1/2, in the main event of "Return Of The King'' Saturday at the Blaisdell Arena on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

The 12-bout fight card is presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.'s live fight division, EliteXC.

Tickets start at $25 and are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com, at the Blaisdell Arena and at all Times supermarkets. Doors open at 2:30. The first live fight is at 3 p.m. The SHOWTIME portion of the card begins at 4 p.m. Hawaiian time.

In the top undercard fight streamed live and for free at ProElite.com, Kala Kolohe will face Bubba McDaniel. 

Fight card:

1. Kepa Medeiros (171.5) vs. Carl Barton (183) 
2. Rafael Feijao (205) vs. Wayne Cole (204) 
3. Dave Herman (243.5) vs. Ron Waterman (263) 
5. Murilo Rua (184) vs. Tony Bonello (185) 
6. Nick Diaz (169.5) vs. Muhsin Corbbrey  (163.5)
7. KJ Noons (160) vs. Yves Edwards (158.5) 
8. Russell Doane (135) vs. Dwayne Haney (133.5) 
9. PJ Dean (160.5) vs. Dean Lista (160.5) 
10.Lolohea Mahe (260) vs. Chris Bernard (232.5) 
11. Kaleo Kwan (160) vs. Mike Aina (160) 
12. Mark Oshiro (140.5) vs. Chris Williams (144.5)
13. Kala Kolohe Hose (186) vs. Bubba McDaniel (184.5) 

 

DREAM.4 - 2008 Middleweight Grand Prix 2nd round

6-14-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Sunday, June 15

Venue: Yokohama Areana, Yokohama Japan

TV: Live on HDNet TV, Sunday, June 15, 4:00 AM 

 

Lightweight Tournament:
1. Shinya Aoki  vs.Katsuhiko Nagata

 

Middleweight Tournament:

2. Alistair Overeem  vs. Tae Hyun Lee

3. Alavutdin Gadzhiyev vs.Ralek Gracie

4. Hideo Tokoro vs. Darren Uyenoyama

5. Gegard Mousasi vs. Dong Sik Yoon

6. Zelg "Benkei" Galesic vs. Taiei Kin

7. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Jason "Mayhem" Miller

8. Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Melvin Manhoef

 

COLORADO MMA - Ring of Fire 3: Results

6-14-2008

Broomfield, CO 

1. Sean Doherty defeated Dominic Blanco by armbar in rd 1
2. Brendan Schaub defeated Jay Lester by TKO from strikes in rd 1
3. Cody Donovan defeated Weston Duschen by armbar in rd 3
4. Brian Wood defeated Miguel Martinez by choke in rd 1 
5. Kenneth Seegrist defeated Ian Berg by choke if rd 1
6. Justin Salas defeated Max Smith by rear choke in rd 1
7. Brandon Thatch defeated Mike Crisman by TKO from strikes in rd 1

8. Cat Albert defeated Karina Taylor by armbar in rd 1

9. Torrance Taylor defeated Luke Caudillo by TKO from strikes in rd 3
10. Noah Thomas defeated Brett Roller by rear choke in rd 2 
11. Mike Nickels defeated Vladimir Vuckovic by rear choke in rd 1

 

RING OF FIRE 32 : "RESPECT"

6-13-2008

Broomfield, Event Center Broomfield, CO

 

Fight Card: 

MAIN EVENT: 205 lbs - Mike Nickels vs. Vladimir Vuckovic
FEATURE BOUT: 145 lbs - Noah Thomas vs. Brett Roller
FEATURE BOUT: 155 lbs - Luke Caudillo vs. Torrance Taylor
FEATURE BOUT: 135 lbs - Cat Albert vs. Karina Taylor
ROF YOUNG GUNS TITLE: 170 lbs - Brandon Thatch vs. Mike Crisman
FEATURE BOUT: 163 lbs  - Max Smith vs. Justin Salas
ROF YOUNG GUNS TITLE: 185 lbs - Kenneth Seegrist vs. Ian Berg
PRELIM BOUT: 145 lbs - Brain Wood vs. Miguel Martinez
PRELIM BOUT: 205 lbs - Cody Donovan vs. Weston Duschen
PRELIM BOUT: 225+ lbs - Brendan Schaub vs. Jay Lester
PRELIM BOUT: 135 lbs - Sean Doherty vs. Dominc Blanco 

 

No Holds Barred: KJ Noons, Yves Edwards, Muhsin Corbbrey, Mary Jo Sanders, Holly Holm, Jay Larkin

6-12-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-06-11T09_52_13-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting again on the growth of the sport of roller derby in the U.S.

This Saturday, June 14, EliteXC has another major televised mixed martial arts show. This one will be shown on Showtime in the U.S. and be held in the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii.

In the main event, EliteXC lightweight champion KJ Noons will defend his title against the veteran Yves Edwards. In the co-feature, the versatile and controversial lightweight Nick Diaz will take on Muhsin Corbbrey, who has also been a pro boxer.

On a media teleconference call this week, we spoke with KJ Noons, Yves Edwards, and Muhsin Corbbrey about their fights.

This Friday, June 13, in a bout being billed as for pound-for-pound supremacy in women's boxing, welterweight champion Holly Holm (21-1-2, 6 KOs) will fight unbeaten middleweight champion Mary Jo Sanders (25-0, 8 KOs) in the ten-round main event for the vacant IFBA world junior middleweight belt. This fight headlines a women's boxing card which will be shown on pay-per-view television in North America and on SecondsOut.TV elsewhere.

We spoke with both champions, Mary Jo Sanders and Holly Holm, on a media teleconference call this week, about what to expect in this fight.

In disappointing but not entirely unexpected news, the International Fight League (IFL) announced this week that they are canceling their planned august 15 show at the Meadowlands. In both a news release and on a media teleconference call, IFL CEO Jay Larkin explained this decision and outlined their business plans.

On that call, we discussed the problem of the absence of a major television deal for IFL with Jay Larkin, and we also play his opening comments from that call.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

ADRENALINE - Fight card

6-11-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: June 14, 2008, main fights will be televised live on HDNet, beginning at 9:30 p.m. (EST).
Venue: Sears Center Arena, Chicago, IL

 

Main card:
Daiju Takase vs. Terry Martin
Jameel Massouh vs. Clay French
Forrest Petz vs. Brian Gassaway
Jeff Cox vs. Bart Palaszewski
Tiawon Howard vs. Rory Markham
Anthony Lapsley vs. Mark Miller
Herc Hayes vs. Kerry Schall
Dave Kleczkowski vs. Hector Urbina
Aaron Rosa vs. Ron Fields

Preliminary bouts:
Louis Taylor vs. Adam Maciejewski
Dom O’Grady vs. Mike Stumpf
Joe Jordan vs. Ryan Williams
Joe Pearson vs. John Hosman

 

No Holds Barred: Mo Lawal, Marcie Van Dusen, T.C. Dantzler, Ginger Snap, Beatrix Slaughter

6-10-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-06-09T07_48_14-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on the recent exposure of what goes on behind the scenes of UFC's "The Ultimate Fighter" show by cast member and fighter Mike Dolce. Here, once again, the true, anti-social nature of that show is laid bare.

Next, we review the entertaining Gotham Girls Roller Derby bout held this past Saturday, June 7, at Hunter College in New York, where the Bronx Gridlock routed the Brooklyn Bombshells, 126-53. Right after the event, we spoke with Bronx Gridlock members Ginger Snap, who is also president of the Gotham Girls Roller Derby, and Beatrix Slaughter, the Gridlock jammer who was named this event's MVP.

This week, from Friday, June 13, through Sunday, June 15, the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in men's and women's freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling take place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The victors in each weight class go on to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China, this August.

We had a chance this past week on a media teleconference call to speak with three of the top-rated wrestlers competing at this event: men's freestyle wrestler Mo Lawal (84 kg/185 lbs.), women's freestyle wrestler Marcie Van Dusen (55 kg/121 lbs.), and Greco-Roman wrestler T.C. Dantzler (74 kg/163 lbs.).

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

SENGOKU 3 - Results

6-8-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan

 

Results:
1. Fabio Silva defeated Kazuo Takahashi by KO in rd 2
2. Rodrigo Damm defeated Jorge Masvidal by TKO in rd 2
3. Marcio Cruz defeated Choi Mu Bae by Triangle choke in rd 1
4. Sanae Kikuta defeated Chris Rice by arm-bar in rd 1
5. Nick Thompson defeated Michael Costa by Kimura in rd 2
6. Kazuo Misaki defeated Logan Clark by decision 
7. Travis Wiuff defeated Kazuyuki Fujita by TKO in rd 1
8. Hidehiko Yoshida defeated Maurice Smith by choke in rd 1

 

UFC 85 - Results

6-7-2008

Denver, CO

 

Live from the O2 Arena in London England

 

Main card: 

1. Thiago Alves defeated Matt Hughes by TKO from strikes at 1:02 of rd 2
2. Michael Bisping defeated Jason Day by TKO from strikes at 3:42 of rd 1
3. Mike Swick defeated Marcus Davis by unanimous decision
4. Thales Leites defeated Nate Marquardt by split decision
5. Fabricio Werdum defeated Brandon Vera by TKO from strikes at 4:40 of rd 1

 

Preliminary bouts:
6. Martin Kampmann defeated Jorge Rivera by choke at 2:34 of rd 1
7. Matt Wiman defeated Thiago Tavares by KO at 1:57 of rd 2
8. Kevin Burns defeated Roan Carneiro by triangle choke at 3:56 of rd 2
9. Luis Cane defeated Jason Lambert by TKO from strikes at 2:07 of rd 1
10. Paul Taylor defeated Jess Liaudin by split decision
11. Antoni Hardonk defeated Eddie Sanchez by TKO from strikes at 4:15 of rd 2

 

SENGOKU 3 - Fight card

6-7-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Sunday June 8th, 2008,doors open at 16:00, fight starts at 17:00
Venue: Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan

Fight Card:
1. Hidehiko Yoshida (Japan / Yoshida Dojo) vs. Maurice Smith (USA / Maurice Smith Kickboxing Center)
2. Kazuo Misaki (Japan / GRABAKA) vs. Logan Clark (USA / Minnesota Martial Arts Academy)
3. Kazuyuki Fujita (Japan / Fujita Office) vs. Travis Wiuff (USA / Elite Performance)
4. Kazuo Takahashi (Japan / Freelance) vs. Fabio Silva (Brazil / Chute Boxe Academy)
5. Sanae Kikuta (Japan / GRABAKA) vs. Chris Rice (UK / Team Trojan)
6. Choi Mu Bae (Korea / Team Tackle) vs. Maricio "Pe De Pano" Cruz (Brazil / Gracie Fusion)
7. Nick Thompson (USA / Freestyle Academy) vs. Michael Costa (Brazil / Chute Boxe Academy)
8. Rodrigo Damm (Brazil / Alliance BJJ) vs. Jorge Masvidal (USA / American Top Team)
9. Duane Ludwig (USA / High Altitude) vs. TBA

 

New Partnership: Trump in Affliction’s Corner 

6-7-2008, Denver, CO
Event date: July 19, 2008
Venue: Honda Center, Anaheim, California

Arlovski added to “Affliction Banned” MMA Show

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK – Affliction, the premier fashion label for men who love hard rock and fast living, pulled out its Trump card today when the company officially announced its partnership with Donald J. Trump at a press conference held in Trump Tower. Trump addressed the press and outlined his involvement with Affliction and their entry into the world of professional mixed-martial-arts (MMA) with its first event named, “Affliction Banned,” scheduled for July 19, 2008 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California in association with Roy Englebrecht Events.

“We are very excited to be partnering with the most recognized and accomplished business mogul in the world,” Affliction vice president Tom Atencio said. “Trump is a true visionary who shares our belief in the future of MMA.”

“I have been a fan of professional sports since childhood, and I am particularly impressed by the athleticism, courage, and strength of these disciplined athletes,” Donald J. Trump remarked. “This particular sport resembles my business style of being fast paced, strategic, and aggressive…remembering to never give up. I am particularly excited to partner with Affliction and become a major player in promotion of MMA; the youngest and fastest growing sport to emerge in the last century.”

“I’ve been a big fan of fighting for years, going back to when Mike Tyson was in his heyday, and ‘The Battle of the Billionaires’ was the biggest wrestling event of all-time,” Trump continued. “July 19th will be an amazing event. MMA is exploding.”

It was also announced today that former UFC® heavyweight champion Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski has officially signed to fight former IFL® heavyweight title-holder “Big” Ben Rothwell. The match has been added to the already star studded July 19th MMA show on pay-per-view.

“I’m excited about participating in this new promotion with all of these great fighters,” Arlovski called in to say. “I’m looking forward to fighting Ben Rothwell.”

“Affliction Banned” will be headlined by the much-anticipated return of Russian heavyweight superstar and former undisputed PRIDE® champion Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (27-1) in association with M-1, against former 2-time UFC® heavyweight title-holder Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia (24-4), fighting out of Iowa by way of his native Maine. 

“Affliction Banned” will be distributed on Pay-Per-View and air live (9 PM/ET, 6 PM/PT) on cable and satellite viewing in the USA and Canada via iN DEMAND, TVN, Shaw Communications, Viewer’s Choice Canada, DirecTV, DISH Network, Bell ExpressVue and Star Choice for a suggested retail price of $39.95. The telecast will be available in both standard and high definition television.

In 2005, Arlovski beat Sylvia (SUB1) for the Interim heavyweight title (champion Frank Mir was injured in a motorcycle accident) and Andrei followed with successful Interim title defenses against Justin Eilers (TKO1) and Paul Buentello (KO1). Arlovski was promoted from interim to undisputed heavyweight champion on December 8, 2005 when Mir wasn’t fully recovered from a motorcycle injury. The Belarus-native Arlovski now
lives in and fights out of Chicago. 

The exciting All-World undercard is stacked with Josh “The Baby Faced Assassin” Barnett (22-5), of Seattle, facing-off stateside for the first time in two years in a grudge match against the only opponent to  ever knock him out, Brazilian strongman Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-7); three-time All-America wrestler Mike Whitehead (20-5), of Salt Lake City, takes on Brazilian sensation Renato “Babalu” Sobral (29-7), of Costa Mesa, California; 2000 Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (20-5), of Oregon City, battles Brazilian favorite Fabio “Negao” Nascimento (8-3). 

Tickets for “Affliction Banned,” ranging between $50.00 and $1,000.00, are on sale at the Honda Center box office and also online at Ticketmaster.com. 

Official Affliction Banned event shirt is on sale now at: www.afflictionclothingstore.com.

 

WORLD PANCRASE CREATE INC. & HYBRIDMEDIA INC - Launch new project, HybridFighter, to international markets

6-6-2008

Denver, CO PNW

 

Tokyo, Japan - This new project has been commenced to invite foreign fighters to Japanese Events and make contractual agreements for our Japanese and Korean fighters to the overseas fighting events. 

As our first project, HybridFighter are very pleased to announce that Maurice Smith (from U.S.) and Mubae Choi (from Korea) will attend SENGOKU 3 as our HybridFighter coming Sunday, June 8th, 2008. 

From now on, HybridFighter would like to introduce the variety of strong, unique, and high quality fighters to the Fighting Event Organizations in many countries and also would like to be one of the roles which help enlarging MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) market in the world together with all our MMA families and friends.

For more information, our new website would be launched and announced shortly. We look forward to share pleasant business with world MMA organizations and MMA fighters. 

 

Contact: Mayumi Yamamoto - hf@hybridmedia.tv 

For more information
Maurice Smith: http://www.pancrase.co.jp/en/fighters/en/smith.html (English) 
Mubae Choi: http://www.pancrase.co.jp/en/fighters/en/choi.html (English)
PANCRASE: http://www.pancrase.co.jp/en/index.html (English) 

 

UFC 85 - BEDLAM 
Event date: June 7, 2008, noon PT / 3pm ET 
Venue: O2 Arena, London England
Live on pay-per-view and Yahoo!Sports at noon PT / 3pm ET
Replay on pay-per-view and Yahoo!Sports at 7pm PT / 10pm ET

Main card: 
1. Matt Hughes vs. Thiago Alves 
2. Michael Bisping vs. Jason Day 
3. Marcus Davis vs. Mike Swick 
4. Nate Marquardt vs. Thales Leites 
5. Fabricio Werdum vs. Brandon Vera 

Preliminary bouts: 
6. Jorge Rivera vs. Martin Kampmann 
7. Matt Wiman vs. Thiago Tavares 
8. Roan Carneiro vs. Kevin Burns 
9. Luiz Cane vs. Jason Lambert 
10 Paul Taylor vs. Jess Liaudin 
11. Antoni Hardonk vs. Eddie Sanchez 

 

No Holds Barred: Tom Atencio on Affliction and Donald Trump, Kid Peligro on Jiu-Jitsu World Championships, Vernon Forrest
6-6-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-06-05T18_46_51-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the changed business climate for mixed martial arts following the ratings success of last Saturday’s EliteXC show on CBS.

In light of this, we covered the news conference Thursday in New York, where it was announced that the Affliction mixed martial arts promotion (http://www.afflictionclothing.com/banned/) and real estate mogul Donald Trump had entered into a partnership, with Trump buying an equity stake in Affliction. The inaugural Affliction show takes place Saturday, July 19, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and will be shown in the U.S. on pay-per-view.

We got a brief comment from Trump about why he chose to invest in Affliction, and spoke with Tom Atencio, vice president of Affliction, about the company's business plans, as well as their intention of creating unified MMA championships by working with the new sanctioning body, WAMMA (http://www.gowamma.com/).

This Saturday night, June 7, WBC super welterweight champion Vernon Forrest (40-2, 29 KOs) will defend his title against Sergio Mora (20-0-1, 5 KOs) from "The Contender" series. This fight takes place at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., and will be shown in the U.S. on Showtime. We spoke with Vernon Forrest Thursday afternoon at a New York news conference about this fight and what to expect in it.

Also this busy weekend, the 2008 World Jiu-Jitsu Championships, better known as the Mundials, take place beginning Thursday, June 5, and running through Sunday, June 8, at the Walter Pyramid on the campus of California State University Long Beach in Long Beach, California. This event is organized by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (http://ibjjf.org/).

To preview the Mundials, we spoke with our colleague Kid Peligro, a senior editor of the ADCC News (http://adcombat.com/) and a correspondent on our show. In a lengthy discussion, Kid offered his picks for the favorites in the weight classes in the men's and women's black belt divisions, as well as the absolutes. We also discussed the critical role of grappling in the mixed martial arts.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

COLORADO MMA - Women's MMA featured at Ring of Fire 32: "Respect"!

6-5-2008

Broomfield, CO

 

ROF promoter Sven BOOGIE Bean is happy to announce the promotion's next installment RING OF FIRE 32: RESPECT !!. 

The 12 bout MMA event will take place on Friday, June13th, 2008 at the Broomfield Event Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

"Some fighters fight for Honor, and some fight for Glory.. but every fighter fights for RESPECT! "

FEATURE BOUT:
RING OF FIRE has long been a proponent of women's mma and that tradition continues with ROF 32. 
Top ranked female fighter, Cat Albert will have her hands full with the Shawn Tompkins trained fighter Karina Taylor. Taylor trains out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas and has all the tools to play spoiler to the local favorite Albert.

ROF fans will be very familiar with the #1 ranked female athlete Cat Albert. Albert grew up competing in every sport she could. Soccer, volleyball, swimming were all disciplines she excelled, setting records along the way. But the turning point for her would be when she joined the wrestling team in high school. Albert was was the lone female wrestler on the Boulder County Fairview High School squad. And just like all other sports, she performed at the highest level. Once out of school, she discovered Jiujitsu and found it to be a great way of staying in shape and complimented her skill set. BJJ led to MMA and the rest, as they say, is history.

Albert's opponent Karina Taylor also found the martial arts as a great way to keep in shape. The Las Vegas fighter bounced from gym to gym, losing nearly 30 pounds along the way. Originally starting with LA Boxing, Taylor migrated from camp to camp training with some of the sport's best trainers. Muay Thai legend Master Toddy, and UFC veteran Tony Fryklund both have honed her striking skills. Taylor has now found a home at the world famous Xtreme Couture and is under the watchful eye of Shawn Tompkins. Tompkins has been a coach for the IFL and is widely regarded as one of the best trainers in the world.

Karina Taylor:
"I am excited to be on the Ring Of Fire! I know it is one of the greatest promotions in the sport. I also know that Cat is a very tough grappler and has a great record. I have more of a stand up background, but my coach has seen Cat fight and I trust in his game plan. I really just want to go out there and have a great fight and show the fans that the women fight just as hard as the guys." 

Cat Albert:
"I have had a great training camp for this fight. I have worked with Oscar Martinez a lot on my muay thai and boxing. I am getting really comfortable on my feet and have no problem with just standing and going toe to toe. I know that if it goes to the ground I'll be just fine, so I won't be afraid to let the fists go. My training has been great, and I have focused on more cardio adding swimming and a lot more running to my program. I will be in shape on the 13th, and I will be ready!" 

WORLD CLASS ARENA
the $45 million Broomfield Event Center is a state-of- the-art 180,000 square foot multi-purpose event center and includes 25 suites, 900 club seats, up to 8,000 total seats, a sit-down restaurant, three themed bars and a separate basketball practice facility. It is the home of the CHL 's Rocky Mountain Rage Professional Hockey Club and the Colorado 14ers Professional Basketball Club of the NBA Development League. 

 

No Holds Barred: Mark Coleman, Joey Villasenor, Brett Rogers, EliteXC Review

6-4-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-06-03T07_07_49-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman reviews the CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights card, which took place Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and was shown live in the U.S. on CBS.

We continue our discussion of the Pygmalion-like story of Kimbo Slice, examining its next chapter, his third-round TKO over James Thompson in the main event on this card.

We discuss the positive and negative aspects of this show, including the belittling of the role of grappling in mixed martial arts.

We conducted several interviews right after the show. We spoke with former UFC heavyweight and Pride Grand Prix champion Mark Coleman, who seconded Phil Baroni and Carlton Haselrig, about those fights, as well as his own return to fighting.

We spoke with middleweight Joey Villasenor, who scored a first-round TKO over Phil Baroni.

We spoke with unbeaten heavyweight Brett Rogers, who scored a first-round TKO over Jon Murphy.

And we got a brief comment from former UFC heavyweight champion and King of Pancrase Bas Rutten, who trains Kimbo Slice.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE -  Founder Kurt Otto Resigns

6-4-2008

Denver, CO

 

According to a May 30th, Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Kurt Otto voluntarily resigned from the Board of Directors of International Fight League, Inc. 

 

Otto was the company's founder and person responsible for the IFL's failed team concept.  

 

IFL stock is currently trading at $0.04 per share.

 

DREAM.4 - Fight Card 

6-3-2008, Denver, CO, PNW

Event date: June 15

Venue: Yokohama Arena in Yokohama Japan

To be broadcast in the USA on HDNet

 

 

Middleweight GP 2nd Round Fights:
Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Melvin Manhoef
Yoon Dong Sik vs. Gegard Mousasi
Ronaldo Jacare vs. Jason Miller
Kin Taiei vs. Zelg Galesic

Lightweight GP 2nd Round Fight:
Shinya Aoki vs. Katsuhiko Nagata

Featherweight Fight:
Hideo Tokoro vs. Darren Uyenoyama

Light-Heavyweight Fight: 
Alavutdin Gadzhiyev vs. Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira

Heavyweight Fight:
Alistair Overeem vs. Tae Hyun Lee

Grappling Match:
Mirko CroCop vs. Ralek Gracie

 

WEC 34 - Fighter Payroll

6-3-3008

Denver, CO

 

WEC 34 Fighter salaries as reported by the California State Athletic Commission.

1. Urijah Faber ($44,000) defeated Jens Pulver ($33,000)
2. Miguel Torres ($28,000) defeated Yoshiro Maeda ($6,000)
3. Mark Munoz ($16,000) defeated Chuck Grigsby ($3,000)
4. Rob McCullough ($32,000) defeated Kenneth Alexander ($3,000)
5. Donald Cerrone ($10,000) defeated Danny Castillo ($3000)
6. Mike Brown ($10,000) defeated Jeff Curran ($10,000)
7. Will Ribeiro ($6,000) defeated Chase Beebe ($7,000)
8. Tim McKenzie ($12,000) defeated Jeremy Lang ($4,000)
9. Alex Serdyukov ($6,000) defeated Luis Sapo ($3,000)
10. Jose Aldo ($6,000) defeated Alexandre Franca Nogueira ($8,000)
11. Dominic Cruz ($6,000) defeated Charlie Valencia ($7,000)

 

Does not include sponsorship payments or bonuses.

 

PANCRASE 2008 Shining Tour - Results

6-2-2008, Denver, CO

 

From the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Results:
1. Yukito defeated Toshihiro Shimizu by choke at 0:31 of rd 1
2. Ranki Kawana defeated Tomoki Murayama by TKO at 2:17 of rd 1
3. Yukio Sakaguchi defeated Masakazu Kuramochi by KO at 2:01 of rd 1
4. Seiya Kawahara defeaed Masaki Yanagisawa by KO at 0:41 of rd 1
5. Rafael Dos Anjos defeated Takaichi Hirayama by armbar at 1:25 of rd 1
6. Shoji Shinsuke defeated Takafumi Ito by TKO at 4:01 of rd 2
7. Izuru Takeuchi defeated Junior by foot-lock at 4:49 of rd 1
8. Keiichiro Yamamiya defeated Hiromitsu Kanehara by unanimous decision

 

WEC - Live Results

6-2-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Arco Arena in Sacramento California. 

Preliminary bouts:
1. Dominick Cruz defeated Charlie Valencia by unanimous decision

2. Jose Aldo defeated Alexandre Franca Nogueira by TKO at 3:22 of rd 2

3. Alex Serdyukov defeated Luis Sapo by TKO at 5:00 of rd 1

4. Tim McKenzie defeated Jeremy Lang by guillotine choke at 0:40 of rd 3

5. Will Ribeiro defeated Chase Beebe by split decision

6. Mike Brown defeated Jeff Curran by unanimous decision

 

Main card:

7. Donald Cerrone defeated Danny Castillo by armbar at 0:30 of rd 1

8. Rob McCullough defeated Kenneth Alexander by split decision

9. Mark Munoz defeated Chuck Grigsby by TKO from strikes at 4:15 of rd 1

10. Miguel Torres defeated Yoshiro Maeda by TKO (eye injury) at the end of rd 3

 

Main event - WEC Featherweight Title Bout:

11. Urijah Faber defeated Jens Pulver by unanimous decision

 

EliteXC’s “Saturday Night Fights” - Results
6-01-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. 

 

Preliminary bouts:

1. Joe Sampieri defeated Mike Groves by TKO at 4:58 of rd 1
2. Zach Makovsky defeated Andre Soares by unanimous decision
3. James Jones defeated Calvin Kattar by rear choke at 4:49 of rd 1
4. Wilson Reis defeated Justin Robbins by rear choke at 4:06 of rd 1
5. Matt Makowski defeated Nick Serra by TKO at 3:57 of rd 2
6. Carlton Haselrig defeated Carlos Moreno by TKO (unable to continue) at end of rd 1
7. Chris Liguori defeated Jim Bova by TKO (due to a cut) at 4:31 of rd 2

Main card:

8. Brett Rogers defeated Jon Murphy by KO at 1:01 of rd 1
9. Joey Villasenor defeated Phil Baroni by TKO at 1:11 of rd 1
10. Gina Carano defeated Kaitlin Young by TKO (doctor stoppage) at end of rd 2
11. Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith judged a No Contest (thumb to the eye) at 3:26 of rd 3

 

Main event:
12. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Furgeson defeated James Thompson by TKO at :38 of rd 3

 

No Holds Barred: More Kimbo Slice, Gina Carano, Gary Shaw, EliteXC Preview 

5-31-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-05-30T06_32_28-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the Pygmalion-like tale of Kimbo Slice and the reasons for his broad appeal and the Kimbo phenomenon.

Kimbo, of course, headlines the CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights card, which takes place this Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will be shown live in the U.S. on CBS. He faces fellow heavyweight mixed martial artist, James Thompson.

We spoke with Kimbo Slice along with other members of the media at the final prefight news conference this Thursday in New York.

We also spoke with another headliner on this card, the charismatic and undefeated Gina Carano, who faces Kaitlin Young in a women's 140-pound fight. And we spoke with EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw about his views on the reported hiring by the rival of EliteXC, UFC, of a Washington, D.C. lobbying firm to keep mixed martial arts out of federal regulatory legislation.

Eddie Goldman will also be a guest on the nationally-syndicated "Joey Reynolds Show" this Friday night/early Saturday morning, May 30/31. The topic will be the May 31 EliteXC show and Kimbo Slice, but expect anything to come up. 
The "Joey Reynolds Show" is a national radio broadcast in New York on WOR 710 AM and on 100 other stations via the WOR Network. The show airs live beginning at midnight EDT and runs to 5 AM EDT. We are presently scheduled to come on right after midnight EDT. You can also listen to the "Joey Reynolds Show" online at http://www.wor710.com/.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

EliteXC’s “Saturday Night Fights” - Fight Card
5-30-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: May 31, 2008

Venue: Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey 
Main fight card is free to viewers on CBS Television at 9 p.m. ET.
The undercard will be streamed live via the internet on Saturday night from 7 to 9 p.m. ET on CBSSports.com

Main Card (CBS Television Network):
1. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson vs. James Thompson
2. Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith
3. Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young
4. Phil Baroni vs. Joey Villasenor
5. Brett Rogers vs. Jon Murphy

Preliminary Card (CBSSports.com):
7. Wilson Reis vs. Justin Robbins
8. Nick Serra vs. Matt Makowski
9. Chris Liguori vs. Jim Bova
10. James “Binky” Jones vs. Calvin Kattar
11. Zach Makovsky vs. Andre Soares
12. Mike Groves vs. Joe Sampieri
13. Carlton Haselrig vs. Carlos Moreno

 

PANCRASE USA - Belt Rank Promotion

5-29-2008

Broomfield, CO

 

Brian, Sonya, Gina, Joe, John, Clark, instructor Billy Hendricks and Chris

 

Long-time martial artist John Dunn was promoted to Blue Belt of MMA effective May 20th, 2008.  Congratulations!

 

WEC - Fight Card

5-28-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: June1, 2008, 9:00 PM ET 
Event Type: Versus - Live Event 
Venue: Arco Arena, Sacramento California

Former UFC® Lightweight Champion, Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver returns to 145 pounds, a weight at which he has never been beaten, as he looks to defend his legacy against the #1-ranked featherweight in the world – WEC™ Champion “The California Kid,” Urijah Faber. A win for Pulver secures his spot in MMA history. A win for Faber takes him one step closer to becoming the greatest featherweight fighter ever. 
in Sacramento, CA.

 

Fight card:

1. Urijah Faber Vs. Jens Pulver 
2. Yoshiro Maeda Vs. Miguel Angel Torres 
3. Chuck Grigsby Vs. Mark Munoz 
4. Kenneth Alexander Vs. Rob McCullough 
5. Donald Cerrone Vs. Danny Castillo 
6. Jeff Curran Vs. Mike Brown 
7. Chase Beebe Vs. Will Ribeiro 
8. Tim McKenzie Vs. Jeremy Lang 
9. Alex Serdyukov Vs. Luis Sapo 
10. Jose Aldo Vs. Alexandre Nogueira 
11. Charlie Valencia Vs. Dominick Cruz 

 

UFC 84 - Fighter Payroll 

5-28-2008

Denver, CO

 

BJ Penn ($250,000) defeated Sean Sherk ($35,000) 

Wanderlei Silva ($150,000) defeated Keith Jardine ($10,000) 

Goran Reljic ($6,000) defeated Wilson Gouveia ($18,000) 

Lyoto Machida ($100,000) defeated Tito Ortiz ($210,000) 

Thiago Silva ($50,000) defeated Antonio Mendes ($4,000) 

Rousimar Palhares ($10,000) defeated Ivan Salaverry ($20,000) 

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou ($80,000) defeated Kazuhiro Nakamura ($20,000) 

Rich Clementi ($40,000) defeated Terry Etim ($10,000) 

Yoshiyuki Yoshida ($12,000) defeated Jon Koppenhaver ($8,000) 

Dong Hyun Kim ($40,000) defeated Jason Tan ($3000) 

Shane Carwin ($12,000) defeated Christian Wellisch ($10,000) 

EliteXC "Return of the King" - Fight Card

5-27-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Saturday, June 14, 2008, main fight card will air on Showtime at 10 pm ET
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, HI 

1. KJ Noons vs. Yves Edwards
2. Nick Diaz vs. Mushin Corbbrey
3. Murilo "Ninja" Rua vs. Tony Bonello
4. Ron "H2O" Waterman vs. Dave Herman
5. Kala Kolohe Hose vs. Geoff Bumstead
6. Wayne Cole vs. Rafael Feijao
7. Dean Lista vs. PJ Dean
8. Mike Aina vs. Kaleo Kwan
9. Chris Bernard vs. Lolohea Mahe 

No Holds Barred: EliteXC Preview, Kimbo Slice, James Thompson, Frank Shamrock, Gus Johnson, Gary Shaw

5-27-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-05-26T21_24_13-07_00 

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman previews the CBS and EliteXC Saturday Night Fights card, which takes place this Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will be shown live in the U.S. on CBS.

On a media conference call, we spoke with the main eventers, heavyweights Kimbo Slice and James Thompson, about their upcoming fight. We also spoke with play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson and EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw.

And, in a lengthy interview, we spoke with mixed martial arts legend Frank Shamrock, who will be an analyst on this CBS telecast, both about this show and his own future fighting plans.

We also comment on the level of striking in the latest UFC show, and the mixed victory in the restoration of the Arizona State University wrestling program, primarily through private contributions.

I was also a guest on the latest edition of Carson's Corner, which can be heard here: http://carsonscorner.podomatic.com. 

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

TAPOUT presents RING OF FIRE 32: RESPECT!! 

5-26-2008

Broomfield, CO

ROF promoter Sven BOOGIE Bean is happy to announce the promotion's next installment RING OF FIRE 32: RESPECT !!. 

The 12 bout MMA event will take place on Friday, June13th, 2008 at the Broomfield Event Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

"Some fighters fight for Honor, and some fight for Glory.. but every fighter fights for RESPECT! "

MAIN EVENT:
In the main event bout of the evening, UFC veteran BIG Mike Nickels returns to the cage for the first time in nearly a year. In July of last year, Nickels fought Stephan Bonner at UFC 73. 
A two time UFC veteran, Mike Nickels is one of the better submission stylists in the sport. He has won gold medals at both the Pan American and Grapplers Quest jiujitsu tournaments. RING OF FIRE fans last saw Nickels at ROF 29 where he knocked out Carpaccio Owens with a vicious right hand a mere .07 seconds in to the match. The knockout showed that BJJ stylist could be just as dangerous on his feet as he is on the ground.

A repeat performance may prove difficult, however, as one of ROF Europe's most feared strikers will cross the Atlantic to face Nickels. Vladimir Vuckovic of Montenegro, is known for his devastating punching power, and explosiveness.

Vuckovic is nick named "The Wolf" and brings an impressive 11-4 record to the table. Even more impressive is that all of his eleven wins have come by way of knockout! Vuckovic gained his striking prowess through boxing, where he racked up a 42-8 record in the amateurs. The Wolf has added BJJ to his game by consistantly travelling to Croatia to train with some of the top coaches in the region.

Vladimir Vuckovic:
"I am excited to show the ROF USA fans what I can do. I have been competing in sports all my life and have been boxing since I was 15. I was also in the military Guard, so I know I have what it take to face an opponent like Nickels. I know he has good ground, but I do too. I have been training wrestling and BJJ since 2003 so I am not concrned if the fight goes to the mat. But what I am the strongest at is punching. I want to meet him in the middle of the cage and go to war. I have a high opinion of him and respect him as a fighter. But I will do my very best to finish him. I will fight with a no surrender attitude and I expect no less from him. The fight will be in his home town, with all of his fans. But when the fight is over they will all know why I am called the Wolf!" 

Mike Nickels:
"I am glad to hear my opponent is confident. I know he says he wants to stand and bang with me, but that is easy to say before the fight. Let's see what happens when we get in the cage. It has been a while since I have fought, but I haven't stopped training. And I have really picked it up for this fight. I am training two and sometimes three times a day. I feel I get a little better every day, and a lot better every fight. I have worked on a whole lot of new tools and I plan on using them June 13th. I will go out there and give everthing I have 100%. I feel like I owe that to my coaches, and my training partners. Since Vladimir is coming from Europe to fight me I feel like I am representing, my school, my state and my country in this fight. I don't plan on letting anyone down. It is going to be a great fight, but one thing is for sure, I plan on winning!" 

FEATURE BOUTS:
The fight card is stacked with talent from the top to bottom and will feature two title matches. UFC veteran Luke LIL HULK Caudilo will lock up with national champion Torrance Taylor in a light weight feature bout. Noah Thomas will return to competition for the first time since appearing on the cast of The Ultimate Fighter season 5. Facing Thomas will be Brett Roller. There is no love lost between the two as their rivalry goes all the way back to their High School wrestling team where Roller was Top Dog. The bad blood for this match runs as deep as it gets. 
Two of the most decorated wrestlers to ever compete in ROF will face each other at a catch weight match. Grapplers Edge fighter and IFL tryout finalist, Max Smith goes head to head with former D-1 wrestler, a two time high school All American Justin Salas. Battlequest Champion Ian Berg will face the fan favorite Kenneth Seegrist for the Middle Weight Young Guns belt.

And in what insiders are calling as potential fight of the night Brandon RUCKUS Thatch will put his undefeated record on the line against the destructive force of Vince O'Donnell. These are two of the top welterweights in the circuit and will be competing for the the division's Young Gun Belt.

RING OF FIRE has long been a proponent of women's mma and that tradition continues with ROF 32. Top ranked female fighter, Cat Albert will have her hands full with the Shawn Tompkins trained fighter Karina Taylor. Taylor trains out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas and has all the tools to play spoiler to the local favorite Albert.

There will be six preliminary matches starting at 6:30, featuring some of the most promising fighters on the ROF roster including Brian Wood, Miguel Martinez, Cody Donovan, Dominic Blanco and Sean Doherty.

 

PANCRASE 2008 Shining Tour - Results

5-26-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Azalea Taisho Hall in Osaka, Japan.

Results:
1. Isao Hirose defeated Panchii Yamauchi by decision
2. Strasser Kichi defeated Yushi Shiori by decision
3. Kenji Shimada defeated Takashi Hasegawa by KO at 1:58 of rd 1
4. Masahiro Toryu defeated Syuji Morikawa by choke at 3:36 of rd 1
5. Soyu Tanabe defeated Kenji Takeshige by KO at 3:44 of rd 1
6. Daisuke Hanazawa13 defeated Takefumi Hanai by decision.

 

UFC 84 "ILL WILL" - Results

5-25-2008, Denver, CO

From the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Preliminary bouts:

1. Shane Carwin defeated Christian Wellisch by KO at 0:44 of rd 1
2. Dong-Hyun Kim defeated Jason Tan via TKO from strikes at 0:25 of rd 3
3. Yoshiyuki Yoshida defeated Jon Koppenhaver by choke at  0:56 of rd 1
4. Rich Clementi defeated Terry Etim by unanimous decision
5. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou defeated Kazuhiro Nakamura via TKO (ref stoppage) at 5:00 of rd 1
6. Rousimar Palhares def. Ivan Salaverry by armbar at 2:36 of rd 1
 

Main card bouts:

7. Thiago Silva defeated Antonio Mendes by submission from strikes at 2:24 of rd 1
8. Lyoto Machida defeated Tito Ortiz by unanimous decision
9. Goran Reljic defeated Wilson Gouveia by TKO from strikes at 3:15 of rd 2
10. Wanderlei Silva defeated Keith Jardine by KO at 0:36 of rd 1

 

Main event:
11. B.J. Penn defeated Sean Sherk via TKO from strikes at 5:00 of rd 3

Wanderlei Silva received the “Knockout of the Night” bonus for dropping Keith Jardine at 0:36 of round 1.
Rousimar Palhares received submission of the night bonus for his armbar win against Ivan Salaverry.
Goran Reljic, and Wilson Gouveia both received the award for fight of the night after Reljic’s win by TKO in rd 2.

 

UFC 84 "ILL WILL" 

5-23-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Saturday, May 24, 2008, 7pm PT / 10pm ET on PPV
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV

Pay-Per-View Bouts:
B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk
Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine

Wilson Gouveia vs. Goran Reljic
Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida
Antonio Mendes vs. Thiago Silva

Preliminary Bouts:
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
Jon Koppenhaver vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Rousimar Palhares vs. Ivan Salaverry
Dong-Hyun Kim vs. Jason Tan
Terry Etim vs. Rich Clementi
Shane Carwin vs. Christian Wellisch 

 

COLORADO MMA - Warriors Collide 3 Results

5-20-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Pueblo Convention Center in Pueblo Colorado.

 

1. Tim Stout defeated Brandon Melendez by TKO in rd 1
2. Gideon Ray defeated Bryant Craven by TKO (cut) in rd 1
3. Donnie Liles defeated Cruz Chacon by armbar in rd 3
4. Nick Bushman defeated Lorenzo Coca by KO in rd
5. Eric Fagyas defeated Gabe Miranda by unanimous decision 
6. Vellore Cabellero defeated Travis Sherman by rear choke in rd 1
7. Turrell Galloway defeated Shawn Daugherty by split decision
8. Chase Hackett defeated Nathan Torrez by unanimous decision
9. Andrew Cohea defeated Mark Gettler by armbar in rd 1
10. TJ Charles defeated Corey Ortiz by choke in rd 1
11. Dominic Montoya defeated Anthony Werner by submission in rd 1

 

DEEP 35th Impact - Results

5-20-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan

Middleweight Tournament Results:
Yuichi Nakanishi defeated Riki Fukuda by unanimous decision 
Riki Fukuda defeated Yuya Shirai by split decision
Yuichi Nakanishi defeated Daijiro Matsui by unanimous decision
Ryuta Sakurai defeated Young Choi by unanimous decision 

Featherweight Title Bout:
Dokonjonosuke Mishima defeated Masakazu Imanari by decision 

Lightweight Title Bout:
Sung Hwan Pang defeated Kazunori Yokota by KO in rd 1

Hidehiko Hasegawa vs, Hiroki Nagaoka was judged a draw
Koichiro Matsumoto defeated Yuki Ito by unanimous decision 

 

SENGOKU "Second Battle" - Results
5-18-2008

Denver, CO, PNW

 

From the Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan

1  Satoru Kitaoka defeated Ian James Schaffa by guillotine choke in rd 1
2.  Mike Pyle defeatede Dan Hornbuckle by triangle choke in rd 1 
3.  Eiji Mitsuoka defeated Kwang Hee Lee by rear choke in rd 1 
4.  Jorge Santiago defeated Yuki Sasaki by armbar in rd 3
5.  Yoshihiro Nakao defeated Jim York by KO from strikes in rd 2
6.  Kevin Randleman defeated Ryo Kawamura by unanimous decision
7.  Roger Gracie defeated Yuki Kondo by rear choke in rd 1 
8. Josh Barnett defeated Jeff Monson by unanimous decision

 

X1 - Results

5-18-2008

Denver, CO, PNW

 

From the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu.

 

1. Egan Inoue defeated Hans Marrer by TKO in rd 1
2. Brandon Wolff defeated Chad Reiner by split decision 
3. Richie Whitson defeated Ray Cooper by KO in rd 1
4. Kolo Koka defeated Michael Brightmon by unanimous decision
5. Dylan Clay defeated Ron Jhun by forfeit in rd 2
6. Mike Pedro defeated Kana Hyatt by armbar in rd 1
7. Brandon Visher defeated Lorenzo Moreno by TKO in rd 2
8. John Visante defeated Sean Sakata by TKO in rd 1

 

IFL - Results
5-17-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

IFL Heavyweight Title Bout: 

Roy Nelson defeated Brad Imes by TKO at 2:55 of rd 1

IFL Lightweight Title Bout: 

Ryan Schultz defeated Deividas Taurosevicius by unanimous decision after 5 rounds

IFL Middleweight Title Bout: 

Dan Miller defeated Ryan McGivern by kneebar  at 3:36 of rd 1

Under card:
Danillo Villefort defeated Mike Massenzio by kneebar at 3:44 of rd 1
Zac George defeated Josh Souder by TKO at 0:47 of rd 1
Matt Horwich defeated Joey Guel by unanimous decision 
John Howard defeated Nick Calandrino by TKO at 2:24 of rd 3
Aaron Stark defeated Lamont Lister by unanimous decision 
John Franchi defeated Frank Latina by rear choke at 2:19 of rd 1

 

IFL - Tonight!

5-16-2008, 

Denver, CO 

Event date: Today, May 16, 7:30 p.m. ET (live broadcast on HDNet starts at 8:30 p.m. ET)

Venue: Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Conn

Title bouts: 
Ryan Schultz (Pictures) (154) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (Pictures) (154) 
Roy Nelson (Pictures) (264.2) vs. Brad Imes (Pictures) (249.2) 
Ryan McGivern (Pictures) (181.2) vs. Dan Miller (Pictures) (180.5) 

Under card bouts:
Mike Massenzio (185.2) vs. Danillo Villefort (184.7) 
Zac George (Pictures) (155.2) vs. Josh Souder (156.2) 
Matt Horwich (Pictures) (185.7) vs. Joey Guel (Pictures) (185.5) 
Nick Calandrino (170) vs. John Howard (170.5) 
Lamont Lister (Pictures) (205.2) vs. Aaron Stark (Pictures) (205.7) 
John Franchi (Pictures) (155) vs. Frank Latina (Pictures) (152) 

 

No Holds Barred: Save Arizona State Wrestling, Jeffrey Siegel of ESPN, EliteXC Fighters Robbie Lawler, Scott Smith, Gina Carano, Kaitlin Young

5-16-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-15T23_57_20-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the outrageous decision by Arizona State University to close down, without any notice, its storied wrestling program. A web site has been set up as part of a campaign to save Arizona State University wrestling (http://www.saveasuwrestling.com/).

Next, we speak with Jeffrey Siegel, senior vice president, specialized sales and marketing, of ESPN. We discuss the importance of the combat sports of boxing, mixed martial arts, and wrestling to the ESPN group of networks.

Preparations for the first "CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights", which air Saturday, May 31, 9-11 PM ET/PT, are continuing. This event will be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and will be first primetime major network broadcast of a mixed martial arts event in America.

On a media conference call this week, we spoke with Gina Carano and Kaitlin Young, who will be facing each other in a women's 140-pound fight. We spoke them, as well as EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw, about this fight and the importance of women competing in mixed martial arts.

On another media conference call, we spoke with EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler and challenger Scott Smith, who have a title fight on this card. 

To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

ULTIMATE FIGHTER 8 - MIR and NOGUERIA named season eight coaches

5-13-2008, 

Denver, CO, PNW

 

The coaches for season eight of Spike TV’s The Ultimate Fighter®, the most successful original series in network history, will feature two of the UFC®’s all-time top heavyweights. Interim UFC® heavyweight champion, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and former UFC® heavyweight champion Frank Mir, will star in the new season featuring light heavyweights (205 lbs) and lightweights (155 lbs) premiering Wednesday, September 17 at 10:00pm ET/PT. Nogueira and Mir will square off in the Octagon™ for a to-be-announced UFC® pay per view event. UFC® President Dana White will once again serve as the show’s host.

The Brazilian native Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-4-1), known as “Minotauro” (a Greek mythological creature), is one of the sport’s most successful heavyweights. Nogueira’s incredible career almost never happened as he was involved in a life-threatening accident at age ten when he was run over by a truck in his native Brazil. Fortunately, he survived and avoided permanent damage, thus his mixed martial arts pursuits were not deterred.

He began his professional career in MMA in the United States in June of 1999 with the World Extreme Fighting organization. However, Noguiera truly made a name for himself in the sport when he joined the RINGS organization in Japan and posted an 8-1-1 record from 1999-2000, losing only to Dan Henderson. 

Nogueira’s leap to MMA stardom came when he joined PRIDE in Japan and, from 2001-2003, proceeded to defeat the biggest names in the division including Bob Sapp, Mark Coleman, Heath Herring, Enson Inoue, Sanae Kikuta, Semmy Schilt, and avenged his earlier loss to Henderson. A tough loss to Fedor Emelianenko in March 2003 stopped his impressive winning streak, but “Minotauro’s” career rebounded with a close decision win over former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez in August 2003. 

The defining match in his career in PRIDE came in November 2003 with a memorable victory over Croatian Mirko Cro Cop via submission to gain the PRIDE heavyweight belt. ‘”Minotauro” would go 8-2 with one no contest in the final three years of his stay in Japan, including avenging a previous defeat to another former UFC heavyweight champ, Josh Barnett, with a decision win in December 2006. 

Nogueira made his UFC debut in July 2007 at UFC 77 with a victory over a familiar nemesis, Herring, whom Nogueira had beaten three times previously in his career. This past February, “Minotauro’ defeated Tim Sylvia in a stirring comeback via submission in the third round to claim the interim UFC heavyweight belt. The 31 year-old Nogueira lives in Brazil but spends time in south Florida training with the renowned MMA organization, America’s Top Team. 

Although he’s only 28, Frank Mir has endured quite a professional and personal rollercoaster ride since his UFC debut in November 2001 at UFC 34. Following a first round loss to Ian Freeman at UFC 38 in July 2002, Mir, a young, highly touted mixed martial arts star from Las Vegas was at a career turning point. Mir regained credibility as an emerging star with an impressive 
victory over UFC great Tank Abbott in February 2003. That victory led Mir on a journey to the ultimate prize in mixed martial arts, the heavyweight title. Mir defeated Tim Sylvia at UFC 48 in June 2004 in an unforgettable arm-breaking submission that UFC fans still discuss to this day. 

In a span of a few months, Mir went from the heights of UFC heavyweight champion to the lows of nearly dying in a grisly motorcycle accident. The severe injuries he suffered in the horrific accident led to him being stripped of his title as he rehabbed his broken leg. 

Mir returned to the Octagon almost two years later in February of 2006, but was stopped by Marcio Cruz in the first round. A subsequent decision win over Dan Christison put Mir in the win column once again, but a loss to rising star Brandon Vera put Mir back on the comeback trail. Now, after two straight victories including a first round submission of Brock Lesner, a former All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota and WWE superstar, Mir is ready for another shot at the title.

The eighth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” goes into production in late May. The entire cast will be announced in early September. 

 

ProElite.com Introduces MMA Video On Demand 

5-13-2008

Denver, CO

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ProElite.com, the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) social networking and entertainment Web site, today unveiled its online offering of video-on-demand (VOD). Leveraging their industry-leading library of MMA events, ProElite.com’s VOD features high-quality streaming, top-notch competition, and world-class fight brands. 

MMA fans will be able to purchase VOD at ProElite.com on a fight-by-fight and full-event basis starting as low as 99 cents and $4.95, respectively. Fighters include Kimbo Slice, Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Gina Carano, Jake Shields and more going toe-to-toe in events produced by EliteXC, ShoXC, Cage Rage, ICON Sport and Rumble on the Rock. ShoXC’s undercard footage, featuring the up and comers of MMA, will be offered free of charge. 

Additionally, ProElite is introducing the “ProElite Fight Pass,” which provides unlimited access to the entire VOD library and any future PPV event streams for an introductory price of $7.95 per month. Fight Pass is regularly priced at $12.95 per month. 

“We have hand picked hours upon hours of high-quality MMA content and provided a compelling online product that is accessible to fans on a global scale,” said Douglas Deluca, executive chairman of ProElite, Inc. “With more than 50 hours of combat currently available and 20 hours added monthly, our Fight Pass offering allows MMA fans to gain instant access to all of the MMA action they can handle.” 

 

COLORADO MMA - Kick Down 50 Results

5-11-2008

Denver, CO

 

Results:

1. Don Lee defeated Geoff Brokx by unanmious decision
2. Logan Petro defeated Richard Large by choke in rd 2 
3. Nick Olson defeated Josh Childress by TKO from strikes in rd 3
4. Matt Vigil defeated Mitchell Alexander by unanimous decision
5. Adam Martinez defeated Mike Suski by TKO from strikes in rd 1 
6. Forrest Clouse defeated Ben Hand by armbar in rd 1
7. Prentice Ingram defeated Joe Caderli by armbar in rd 1 
8. Robert Martinez defeated Cody Combee by TKO from strikes in rd 1 
9. Brian Cristina defeated Brett Shafer TKO in Rd 3 
10. JOhn Sargent defeated Jack Johnson by rear choke in rd 1 
11. Nick Honstein defeated Tom Johnson by submission in rd 1
12. Colby Snyder defeated Daniel Douglass by TKO from strikes in rd 1

 

DREAM.3 - Lightweight Grand Prix, Round 2 Results
5-11-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

Results:
67 kg: Takeshi Yamazaki defeated Shoji by unanimous decision
84 kg: Jason "Mayhem" Miller defeated Katsuyori Shibata by TKO from strikes in rd 1
84 kg: Melvin Manhoef defeated Dae Won Kim by TKO from strikes in rd 1
70 kg: Daisuke Nakamura defeated Bu Kyung Jung by KO in rd 2
76 kg: Nick Diaz defeated Katsuya Inoue by TKO from strikes in rd 1
70 kg: Tatsuya Kawajiri defeated Luis "Buscape" Firmino by unanimous decision
70 kg: Eddie Alvarez defeated Joachim Hansen by unanimous decision
70 kg: Caol Uno defeated Mitsuhiro Ishida by rear choke

 

No Holds Barred: State of MMA, Affliction, IFL

5-11-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-10T09_56_34-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman focuses on several key issues regarding the state of mixed martial arts. Among the many topics discussed are the new Affliction promotion and the numerous challenges they are facing, the troubled pay-per-view model, and the recent announcement of major changes for the International Fight League (IFL).

We also hear comments by IFL CEO Jay Larkin and VP of Fighter Relations Bas Rutten on a media conference call this past week, and discuss with them the need for mixed martial arts promoters to co-promote events.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

IFL - Mohegan Sun Card May 16 
5-10-2008, Denver, CO
Event date May 16, 2008

Venue: Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn


NEW YORK –Mixed martial arts veteran Brad Imes (Sacramento, Calif.) will challenge Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) for the heavyweight championship as part of the nine-bout card as the International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI) returns to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Friday, May 16. Imes replaces Branden Lee Hinkle (Weirton, W. Va.), who was injured in training.

A training injury to Fabricio Camoes of Brazil also necessitated a change in a non-championship lightweight bout. Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.) will battle John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.). Jim Miller (Sparta, N.J.), originally slated to face Camoes, withdrew from the bout following the injury to Camoes.

Imes, known as “The Hillbilly Heartthrob,” trains with Miletich Fighting Systems in Iowa. He has competed in several MMA organizations, and was notably a finalist in the second season of The Ultimate Fighter television series. Imes is 11-4 in his MMA career and will be making his IFL debut. May 16 will also mark the first IFL bouts for Latina (4-1 overall) and Franchi (3-0).

As previously announced, two other IFL Champions will put their respective titles on the line to headline the card, as Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) takes on Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) at middleweight and Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) defends against Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) at lightweight. HDNet will televise all three championship bouts, plus three preliminary matchups.

The preliminary bouts feature athletes from four MMA camps, including Team Quest, Team Bombsquad, World Class Fight Center and Team Prodigy.

Tickets are available via www.ticketmaster.com, the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, and by telephone at 860-886-0070.

IFL Mohegan Sun
Friday, May 16, 2008 (order TBD)

Preliminary Bouts
155 lbs.: Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.) (0-0 IFL, 4-1 overall MMA) vs. John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 3-0)
205 lbs.: Aaron Stark (Portland, Ore.) (Team Quest) (2-2, 5-4) vs. Lamont Lister (Philadelphia) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 5-3)
170 lbs.: John Howard (Boston) (0-0 IFL, 8-3 overall MMA) vs. Nick Calandrino (Emerson, N.J.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 5-0)
155 lbs.: Zac George (Norman, Okla.) (Team Quest) (1-1, 12-2) vs. Josh Souder (Mason, Ohio) (Team Prodigy) (0-0, 10-6)
185 lbs.: Matt Horwich (Portland, Ore.) (Team Quest) (6-4, 21-10-1) vs. Joey Guel (Oregon) (0-0, 12-5)
185 lbs.: Danillo Villefort (Pompano Beach, Fla.) (World Class Fight Center) (0-0, 6-2) vs. Mike Massenzio (Paterson, N.J.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 10-1)

Championship Bouts 
185 lbs.: *Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) (Miletich Fighting Systems) (6-4, 12-5) vs. Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) (AMA Fight Club) (1-0, 7-1)
265 lbs.: *Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) (Lion’s Den) (5-1, 12-2) vs. Brad Imes (Sacramento, Calif.) (Miletich Fighting Systems) (0-0, 11-4)
155 lbs.: *Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) (Team Quest) (6-2, 19-9-1) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) (Renzo Gracie) (3-0, 9-2)

*Current Titleholder

 

IFL - Change 
5-10-2008

Denver, CO
By Greg DeSanctis 

In a conference call Thursday afternoon, IFL CEO Jay Larkin announced, among other things, a design change to the IFL's four-sided fighting surface, from traditional square to hexagonal. The unique six-sided ring, according to Larkin, will provide the athletes with an area that is larger and more similarly configured to surfaces they’ve gotten used to fighting on in the past. 

The Hex, as it will be called, maintains all the logistical benefits offered by the ring, while giving the athletes a more comfortable and familiar environment. Other surfaces which may consist of linked wire fence, translate poorly into the live event and production aspects of a high-profile show. The fence, or cage, does little but obstruct the views of fans, as well as make it bounds more difficult for television cameras to capture the action. The Hex, surrounded by ropes, will allow for a clearer view of the athletes and thus giving the fans and camera crew better visual access. 

Vice President of Fighter Relations Bas Rutten was also on the call and, never short for words, was quick to offer up his opinions. He went on to explain how the wider angles made by the Hex demand strategic changes to a fighter's game plan. 

“It’s more difficult to lock up your opponents in the corner, so you need more strategy,” Rutten said. He even went as far as to speculate that this might be, at least partially, responsible for the PRIDE fighters’ failure to live up to expectations when they began to transition into fighting in a cage rather than a four-sided ring. “It’s the best of both worlds,” he said of the Hex. 

The Hex represents one of many strategic adjustments the IFL has undergone in recent months in pursuit of furthering Larkin’s goal of staging the best possible fights by any means necessary. 

Extending his vision, Larkin spent a large amount of time discussing co-promotion opportunities. Looking forward, he intends wholly on staging fights in conjunction with other organizations. 

“We’re actively exploring joint operations with other fight organizations to get our fighters more experience and show how good the IFL fighters really are,” Larkin stated. 

According to the CEO, co-promotion is the future of the sport and is the only way it can survive. “You’ve got to co-promote, or else your talent pool will wither. Also, by being protective of your fighters you’re diluting the value of that fighter’s championship.” 

Larkin has been vocal about his desire to co-promote for some time, and his vision is beginning to come to fruition with several IFL fighters slated to appear on the Adrenaline card this June. He also mentioned Gary Shaw of Elite XC contacted him with the interest of “borrowing” Jay Hieron for a fight. Though scheduling conflicts prevented that fight from happening, Larkin was happy to entertain the idea of Hieron fighting on an Elite XC card. 

Larkin also addressed rumors that the IFL is on its last leg. 

He made no bones that the IFL is for sale, and he is actively pursuing investors. “I receive phone calls and questions everyday from potential buyers and potential partners,” he revealed. 

Despite the negative connotation, Larkin remains positive about the future of his fight league. He pointed out that the IFL still has valuable assets, and is constantly undergoing evaluation to better the product. Perhaps one of the IFL’s greatest asset is the international distribution, which has been tremendously successful. “We recently added Spain and Italy and some of the Baltic countries. IFL programming is currently seen in over 80 countries. Our International distribution may be the strongest in all of MMA,” he boasted. 

Change continues to be the theme in 2008. And with that change, comes an inherent resistance, but as time passes and visions become clearer, the fact cannot be ignored that change is good. 

 

PANCRASE 2008 "SHINING TOUR" - Lineup

5-9-2008, Denver, CO
Event date: Sunday, May 25th, 2008 

Venue: Azeria Taisho, Osaka, Japan

 

Confirmed Bouts:

The Main Event - Lightweight Bout:
Daisuke "13" Hanazawa (Japan / MMA Dojo Cobra-kai - Freestyle Academy) vs. Takefumi Hanai (Japan / Twist)

Featherweight Bout:
Kenji Takeshige (Japan / Pancrase Inagaki-gumi) vs. Soyu Tanabe (Japan / Renshi Juku)

Middleweight Bout:
Masahiro Toryu (Japan / Pancrase-ism) vs. Shuji Morikawa (Japan / Team Crowd)

Bantamweight Bout:
Koji Hasegawa (Japan / Pancrase Inagaki-gumi) vs. Kenji Shimada (Japan / P's LAB Tokyo)

Welterweight Bout:
Strasser Kiichi (Japan / MMA Dojo Cobra-kai - Freestyle Academy) vs. Yu Shiori (Japan / Wajiu-tsu Keishu-kai TEAM VAMOS)

Neo Blood Tournament Bantamweight Semi-final Bout:
Punchy Yamauchi (Japan / MMA Dojo Cobra-kai) vs. Isamo Hirose (Japan / Strapple) 

 

ADRENALINE - Announces First Fight Card

5-8-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: 6 PM, June 14, 2008

Venue: Sears Centre, Chicago, IL

 

Main Card Bouts:
1. Jeff Monson (23-7) vs. Mike Russow (9-1) 
2. Daiju Takase (7-11) vs. Terry Martin (16-4) 
3. Alberto Crane (8-2) vs. Clay French (14-2) 
4. Tony Fryklund (14-9) vs. Brian Gassaway (25-17-1) 
5. Jeff Cox (9-6) vs. Bart Palaszewski (28-11) 
6. Taiwan Howard (6-1) vs. Rory Markham (14-4) 
7. Jame Gibo (11-2) vs. Mark Miller (9-3) 
8. Herc Hayes (7-5) vs. Kerry Schall (22-9) 
9. Rob Kimmons (15-3) vs. Hector Urbina (11-3) 
10. Aaron Rosa (10-2) vs. Ron Fields (18-24-1) 

Preliminary Bouts:
11. Dom O’Grady (4-0) vs. Mike Stumpf (8-1) 
12. Joe Jordan (40-11) vs. Ryan Williams (6-1) 
13. Christian Reynosa (6-2) vs. Josh Hosman (7-3-1) 

 

No Holds Barred: Bas Rutten, Junior Witter, Timothy Bradley

5-8-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-07T17_29_32-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with mixed martial arts legend and former King of Pancrase and UFC heavyweight champion, Bas Rutten (http://www.basrutten.tv/).

Amongst his numerous duties in many areas of MMA, Bas is training Kimbo Slice, AKA Kevin Ferguson, at his gym in Thousand Oaks, Calif., for Kimbo's May 31 fight against James Thompson on the EliteXC card at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This show will be broadcast on CBS, the first live, prime time MMA telecast on a major American broadcast network.

In a lengthy interview, Bas discusses his evaluation of Kimbo as a fighter, where Kimbo stands in only his third professional fight, and what his potential is. He also answers some of the critics of Kimbo. In addition, Bas fills us in on some of his other activities in his increasingly busy schedule.

Plus, we offer a preview of the fight between WBC super lightweight champion Junior Witter (36-1-1, 21 KOs) and top contender Timothy Bradley (21-0, 11 KOs), which takes place this Saturday, May 10, at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, England. This fight will be telecast in the U.S. on Showtime on a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation.

We spoke with both Junior Witter and Timothy Bradley on a media conference call.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

 

UFC 84 "ILL WILL" - Fight Card

5-5-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Saturday, May 24, 2008
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV

Main Fight Card: 
1. B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk
2. Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine
3. Wilson Gouveia vs. Goran Reljic
4. Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida
5. Antonio Mendes vs. Thiago Silva

Under Card Bouts (may not be televised):
6. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
7. Jon Koppenhaver vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
8. Rousimar Palhares vs. Ivan Salaverry 
9. Dong-Hyun Kim vs. Jason Tan
10. Terry Etim vs. Rich Clementi
11. Shane Carwin vs. Christian Wellisch

 
UFC 85 "Bedlam" - Fight Card

5-5-2008, Denver, CO
Event date: Saturday, June 7, 2008
Venue: O2 Arena in London

Main Fight Card:
1. Matt Hughes vs. Thiago Alves
2. Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben
3. Mike Swick vs. Marcus Davis
4. Rashad Evans vs. James Irvin
5. Brandon Vera vs. Fabricio Werdum

Under Card Bouts (may not be televised):
6. Jorge Rivera vs. Martin Kampmann
7. Nate Marquardt vs. Thales Leites
8. Matt Wiman vs. Thiago Tavares
9. Ryo Chonan vs. Roan Carneiro
10. Jason Lambert vs. Luiz Cane
11. Antoni Hardonk vs. Neil Wain
12. Paul Taylor vs. Jess Liaudin

 

KICK DOWN 50 - Milestone Fight Card, May 10th, Denver CO

5-3-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: May 10, 2008

Venue: Red Lion Hotel, Denver, CO

 

Fight Card: 

1. Light Weight Men’s Modified Muay Thai Title: Don Lee vs Jeff Brokx 
2. MMA: Logan Petro vs. Paul Weyand
3. MMA: Josh Childress vs. Byron Sowell
4. MMA: Mitchell Alexander vs. Matt Vigil
5. Jr Light Weight MMA Title: Lannon Quintana vs. Adam Martinez
6. Middle Weight MMA Title: Ben Hand vs. Forrest Clouse
7. Light Weight MMA Title: Prentice Ingram vs. Joe Kaderli
8. Welter Weight MMA Title: Robert Martinez vs. Jeremy Malaterre
9. MMA: Brian Cristina vs. Brett Shafer
10. MMA: Jack Johnson vs. Zuess Blair
11. PRO Feather Weight MMA Title: Tom Johnson vs. Nick Honstein
12. PRO Light Weight MMA Title: Colby Snyder vs. Daniel Douglass

 

ON INTERNET PAY PER VIEW at www.kickdownmma.com
$8.00………………… for the event
$15.00 …………..for the event and edited DVD
$29.95 ……for the event, DVD, Official Kick Down 50 T-Shirt

Live Pay Per View will begin at 7:45 P.M. M.S.T. 9:45P.M. E.S.T.

To view this event on Demand at a future time please return to kickdownmma.com for details.

 

WARRIORS COLLIDE lll - Pueblo Colorado, May 16th Fight Card

5-3-2008, Denver, CO

Event Date: May 16, 2008

Venue: Pueblo Convention Center, Pueblo, CO

 

Fight Card:
1. Tim Stout vs. Brandon Melendez 
2. Bryant Craven vs. Gideon Ray
3. Cruz Chacon vs. Donnie Liles
4. Brandon Shuey vs. Lorenzo Cocoa
5. Zach Micklewright vs. Eric Fagyas 
6. Travis Sherman vs. Vellore Cabellero 
7. Shawn Daugherty vs. Turrell Galloway 
8. Mark Gettler vs. Andrew Cohea 
9. Chase Hackett vs. Nate Torres 
10. Martin Montoya vs. Cody East
11. Joey Banks vs TBA
12. Corey Ortiz vs. TBA 

 

DREAM 3 - Nate Daiz and "Mayhem" Miller added to lineup in Japan

5-3-2008 Denver, CO, PNW

Event Date:  May 11, 2008

Venue:  Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan 

 

Lightweight Grand Prix Bouts:
1. Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Luis "Buscape" Firmino

2. Caol Uno vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida
3. Joachim Hansen vs. Eddie Alvarez
4. Katsuhiko Nagata vs. Shinya Aoki (if he is medically cleared) 

Other Bouts:
5. Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Katsuyori Shibata
6. Melvin Manhoef vs. Dae Won Kim
7. Nick Diaz vs. Katsuya Inoue
8. Daisuke Nakamura vs. Jung Buk Yung

USA Judo Announces Qualifiers for 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo

5-2-2008
Colorado Springs, Colorado

USA Judo is pleased to announce the top eight athletes in each of 14 Olympic weight divisions who are eligible to compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Judo, June 13-14 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

This year’s event will be held for the first time simultaneously with the Trials for USA Wrestling and is expected to be one of the most exciting sporting events in the United States as athletes fight to win one of as many as 14 weight divisions in judo and 18 Olympic wrestling weight classes in the three Olympic styles (men’s freestyle, men’s Greco-Roman, women’s freestyle).

Members of the media may request credentials by visiting http://www.usajudolasvegas.com/media.php. 

“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase judo to the wrestling community in the U.S. We have had some great success with wrestlers moving into judo and making an impact in our sport,” said USA Judo CEO Jose H. Rodriguez (Colorado Springs, Colo.) “This is indeed a perfect Olympic Trials marriage and it will all happen in Las Vegas! I have had the opportunity to put on events with USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender and his staff in the past, and I know that they put on first-class tournaments. This is a win-win proposition for both judo and wrestling!” 

Athletes were selected based on their rankings on the USA Judo Senior Elite National Roster at the conclusion of the 2008 USA Judo Senior National Championships, April 11-12 in Virginia Beach, Va.

Athletes have until May 16 to accept or decline their invitation to Trials as well as to declare which weight they will compete in if they have qualified in multiple divisions. If an athlete declines his or her spot, the opportunity to compete will be offered to the next highest ranked athlete on the roster.

A complete roster of athletes eligible to compete in the Trials is as follows:

60kg
1. Taraje Williams-Murray (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
2. Nick Kossor (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
3. Aaron Kunihiro (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
4. Josh O’Neil (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
5. Jeff Sato (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
6. Jeff Fujimoto (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
7. Dan Gomez (College Station, Texas / Texas A & M Judo)
8. Miguel Ballesteros (Miami, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)

66kg
1. Taylor Takata (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
2. Kenny Hashimoto (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
3. Jeremy Liggett (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
4. Nate Torra (El Cerrito, Calif. / NYAC / East Bay Judo Institute)
5. Justin Flores (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
6. Josh O’Neil (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
7. Jeff Fong (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
8. Daniel Chow (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tenri)

73kg
1. Ryan Reser (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
2. Michael Eldred (Fruitland, Idaho / Western Idaho Judo Institute)
3. Chuck Jefferson (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
4. Radu Brestyan (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
5. Nick Delpopolo (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
6. Bobby Lee (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
7. RJ Cohen (Buffalo Grove, Ill. / Cohen’s Judo)
8. Bill Shanahan (Rexford, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)

81kg
1. Travis Stevens (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
2. Aaron Cohen (Buffalo Grove, Ill. / NYAC / Cohen’s Judo)
3. Harry St. Leger (Brooklyn, N.Y. / NYAC / Legrosports Starrett)
4. Andrew Hung (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
5. Ross McBaisey (Atlanta, Ga. / Emory Judo)
6. Jose Bencosme (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
7. Davor Vasiljevic (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
8. Danny Satinsky (Buffalo Grove, Ill. / Cohen’s Judo)

90kg
1. Garry St. Leger (Brooklyn, N.Y. / NYAC / Legrosports Starrett)
2. Rick Hawn (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
3. Brian Olson (Colorado Springs, Colo. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
4. Landry Ambouroue (North Richland Hills, Texas / Ruben Martin Judo Training Center)
5. Jacob Larsen (Santa Rosa, Calif. / Redwood Coast Judo)
6. David Ellis (Roselle Park, N.J. / Cranford Judo)
7. Eric Duus (Saratoga, Calif. / Stanford Judo)
8. Atsushi Yoshinaga (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)

100kg
1. Adler Volmar (Coral Springs, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)
2. Christian Aarona (Waimanalo, Hawaii / Makiki Seidokan Judo Club) 
3. Djamaldin Aliev (Denver, Colo. / Denver Judo / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
4. Dariusz Mikolajczak (Brooklyn, N.Y. / NYAC / Legrosports Starrett)
5. Shintaro Higashi (Scarsdale, N.Y. / NYAC Kokushi Budo Institute)
6. Michael Barnes (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
7. Brian Picklo (Mustang, Okla. / USA Stars)
8. Victor Jean-Baptiste (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Mushakan Dojo) 

+100kg
1. Anthony Turner (Miami, Fla. / USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami)
2. Daniel McCormick (Wakefield, Mass. / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
3. Kirk Hoffmann (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
4. Jonathan Leonhardt (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
5. Derek Alef (Santa Barbara, Calif. / Santa Ynez Valley Judo)
6. James “Brewster” Thompson (Las Vegas, Nev. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
7. Conor Driscoll (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
8. Michael Prieditis (Fayetteville, N.C.)

48kg
1. Sayaka Matsumoto (El Cerrito, Calif. / NYAC / East Bay Judo Institute)
2. Natalie Lafon (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
3. Ann Shiraishi (San Francisco, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute)
4. Angela Creutzberger (Ballston, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
5. Katelyn Bouyssou (Hope, R.I. / Mayo Quanchi Judo)
6. Diana Yoshida (Dallas, Texas / Dallas Judo)
7. Lisette Abad (San Jose, Calif. / After-School All-Stars)
8. Kayla Hall (Granite City, Ill. / USA Stars)

52kg
1. Anna Palmer (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
2. Tracy Nagai (Bellevue, Wash. / Budokan Judo)
3. Nicki Schultheis (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
4. Ann Shiraishi (San Francisco, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute)
5. Chrissy Chow (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tokai)
6. Mindy Chow (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tokai)
7. Grace Ohashi (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
8. Tara Clark (Livermore, Calif. / Amador Judo)

57kg
1. Valerie Gotay (Harlingen, Texas / USA Judo National Training Site at Harlingen)
2. Carrie Chandler (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
3. Hannah Martin (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
4. Anna Palmer (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
5. Janine Nakao (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
6. Hana Carmichael (Wellington, Fla. / Budokan Judo)
7. Michelle Hagerty (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
8. Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)

63kg
1. Marti Malloy (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
2. Kayla Harrison (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
3. Janine Nakao (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
4. Paola Genao-Butler (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)
5. Ashlie Martini (Chicago, Ill. / Tohkon / Victorious Judo)
6. Hannah Martin (Glenville, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
7. Kristen Allan (Springfield, Va. / Sport Judo)
8. Christal Ransom (Colorado Springs, Colo. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Olympic Training Center)

70kg
1. Ronda Rousey (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
2. Katie Sell (Harlingen, Texas / USA Judo National Training Site at Harlingen)
3. Tomoyo Yoshinaga (San Jose, Calif. / USA Judo National Training Site at San Jose State University)
4. Jaclyn Feuerschwenger (Linden, N.J. / Cranford Judo)
5. Jennifer Tutass (El Cerrito, Calif. / Cunningham’s Judo)
6. Katie Mocco (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
7. Helen Delpopolo (Westfield, N.J. / Cranford Judo)
8. Natalie Laursen (Livermore, Calif. / Amador Judo)

78kg
1. Katie Mocco (Glenville, N.Y. / NYAC / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
2. Nina Cutro-Kelly (San Antonio, Texas / Universal Judo)
3. Molly O’Rourke (El Cerrito, Calif. / East Bay Judo Institute)
4. Rhonda Morrell-Pruitt (Centerville, Ohio / Shudokan Judo Club)
5. Kayla Harrison (Wakefield, Mass. / NYAC / USA Judo National Team FORCE)
6. Nikki Kubes (Fort Worth, Texas / Fort Worth Judo)
7. Marina Lambert (Chesapeake, Va. / Washington Judo)
8. Lorey Edwards (Lorain, Ohio / Chu To Bu)

+78kg
1. Heidi Moore (Englewood, Colo. / Denver Judo)
2. Melinda Swanson (Honolulu, Hawaii / Hawaii Tokai)
3. Brittni Bradford (Tampa, Fla. / El Mambi Judo)
4. Lorey Edwards (Lorain, Ohio / Chu To Bu)
5. Nanoushka St. Pre (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Legrosports Starrett)
6. Toni Geiger (Dumont, N.J. / Tech Judo)
7. Janelle Snider (Latham, N.Y. / USA Judo National Training Site at the Jason Morris Judo Center)
8. Andi Bongert (Dubuque, Iowa / Sioux City Judo Club)

For more information, contact Nicole Jomantas, USA Judo Director of Communications and Media Relations, at 719.271.9937 (cell) or Nicole.Jomantas@usajudo.us.

 

Holds Barred: Gary Shaw, EliteXC, Ryan Schultz, Ryan McGivern, Vazquez-Marquez Trilogy, De La Hoya-Forbes

5-2-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-02T02_32_36-07_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on what is really behind the Oscar De La Hoya-Steve Forbes fight this Saturday, May 3, and why fight fans should not miss the replay of the Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez trilogy on Showtime, also this Saturday, which were the best boxing matches of the past two years. We also discuss the comments by CBS chairman Sumner Redstone that it was not "socially responsible" for CBS to decide to air the May 31 EliteXC mixed martial arts show on that broadcast network. 
On our show, we spoke with Gary Shaw, the president of EliteXC's Live Events division, and president and CEO of Gary Shaw Productions, his boxing promotional company.

In a lengthy discussion, we talked about the mixed martial arts and boxing events in which he is involved. We previewed the EliteXC show coming Saturday, May 31, to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, which will be telecast in the U.S. live on CBS beginning at 9 PM EDT, the first major mixed martial arts show on a major American broadcast network in prime time. We discussed the amazing trilogy between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, which he promoted, and the possibility of a fourth fight; the Kimbo Slice phenomenon and why he is in the EliteXC May 31 main event; the rest of the May 31 card including EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith and the return of Gina Carano; the inclusion on the May 31 undercard of Carlton Haselrig, the only six-time NCAA college wrestling champion and a star lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets; his May 17 boxing card featuring unbeaten rising stars James Kirkland, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Alfredo Angulo, in Primm, Nevada, and on HBO; and the June 7 boxing card featuring Vernon Forrest vs. Sergio Mora and the rematch between Carlos Quintana and Paul Williams, from Mohegan Sun and on Showtime.

We also spoke with IFL lightweight champion Ryan Schultz and IFL middleweight champion Ryan McGivern about their upcoming title defenses Friday, May 16, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. In a dangerous fight, Schultz faces submission specialist Deividas Taurosevicius, while McGivern, in his first title defense, fights the tough Dan Miller.

To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

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Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

 

WEC announces fight card
5-01-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Sunday, June 1, 2008

Venue: Arco Arena

Las Vegas, Nev. (USA) – A full lineup of the mixed martial arts world’s most exciting and respected athletes will be in action at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California on Sunday, June 1, as World Extreme Cagefighting® (WEC™) is pleased to announce a high-impact undercard for the upcoming WEC: FABER VS. PULVER event. 

The card is headlined by the long-awaited superfight which will determine the undisputed king of the featherweight division, “The California Kid”, WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber, will take on MMA legend Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver. Plus, Miguel Angel Torres defends his bantamweight title against top ranked Yoshiro Maeda. 

Announced today for the VERSUS television main card are exciting matchups between former WEC lightweight champion Rob McCullough and Kenneth Alexander, and former NCAA wrestling champion Mark Munoz and Chuck Grigsby. 

Donald Cerrone takes on Richard Crunkilton, Jeff Curran battles Mike Brown, Chase Beebe returns against Will Ribeiro, and Alexandre Nogueira makes his WEC debut against Jose Aldo.

Tickets for WEC: Faber vs. Pulver, priced at $185, $125, $75 and $35 (not including applicable services or taxes), are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone at 916-649-TIXS, 530-528-TIXS or 209-551-TIXS or by visiting the ARCO Arena Box Office. Tickets also are available online through www.wec.tv or www.ticketmaster.com.

WEC: Faber vs. Pulver will be televised live nationally on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 pm ET/6:00 pm PT. All live WEC events will be presented in Hi-Definition (HD) and SAP where available. 

 

Main Card:
145 lbs: Urijah Faber vs. Jens Pulver
135 lbs: Miguel Angel Torres vs. Yoshiro Maeda
205 lbs: Mark Munoz vs. Chuck Grigsby
155 lbs: Rob McCullough vs. Kenneth Alexander

Preliminary Bouts:
155 lbs: Donald Cerrone vs. Richard Crunkilton
145 lbs: Jeff Curran vs. Mike Brown
135 lbs: Chase Beebe vs. Will Ribeiro
185 lbs: Tim McKenzie vs. Eric Schambari
170 lbs: Alex Serdyukov vs. Luis Sapo
145 lbs: Jose Aldo vs. Alexandre Nogueira
135 lbs: Charlie Valencia vs. Dominick Cruz

 

DREAM.2 Middleweight Grand Prix - Results

4-29-2008, Denver, CO, PNW
Available on HDNet on Saturday, May 3 (10:30pm ET).

 From the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

 

1. Shinya Aoki defeated  Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante by unanimous decision

2. Taiei Kin defeated Minowaman by unanimous decision 
 

3. Yoon Dong Sik defeated Shungo Oyama by unanimous decision

4. Zelg "Benkei" Galesic defeated Magomed Sultanakhmadov by armbar in rd 1

5. Ronaldo Jacare defeated Ian Murphy by rear choke in rd 1  

6. Kiyoshi Tamura defeated  Masakatsu Funaki by TKO from strikes 

7. Gegard Mousasi defeated Denis Kang by triangle choke in rd 1

8. Kazushi Sakuraba defeated Andrews Nakahara by rear choke in rd 1

 

HDNET FIGHTS and FEG - Announce deal to air 2008 Dream Grand Prix 

4-29-2008

Denver, CO, PNW

Six-fight deal makes HDNet THE television destination for Mixed Martial Arts

DALLAS - HDNet Fights announced that it is partnering with FEG USA, Inc. to present the 2008 DREAM Lightweight and Middleweight Grand Prix. This long-anticipated announcement makes HDNet the exclusive destination in North America for passionate MMA fans who can't wait to see these events on television.

"We're thrilled to announce this blockbuster deal with FEG," said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. "MMA fans have been emailing and posting on message boards non-stop, wanting to see the DREAM Grand Prix. Once again, HDNet is THE place to go to catch all of the action. This latest deal continues our commitment to making HDNet the 'Home of MMA' with more MMA events than any other television network."

"We are excited about working with HDNet, which gives us this opportunity to broadcast our DREAM show in North America," said Sadaharu Tanikawa, President of FEG USA, Inc. "We expect a long and a prosperous relationship with HDNet bringing our quality shows to their viewers."

"HDNet Fights Presents: DREAM 1" will debut this Friday, May 2 at 10:30 p.m. ET with a presentation of the DREAM 1 event which originally took place on March 15. 

The upcoming DREAM 2 event is set to take place on April 29and "HDNet Fights Presents: DREAM 2" will air that event this Saturday, May 3 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

"HDNet Fights Presents: DREAM 3" will air LIVE on HDNet on Sunday, May 11 at 3:00 a.m. ET with two encore presentations - one scheduled for Sunday, May 11 at 4:00 p.m. ET and Saturday, May 17 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Additional air dates and times for the upcoming DREAM events, will be announced at a later date.

DREAM 1, the debut of this new mixed martial arts promotion from Japan, featured fights including the long-awaited return of Heavyweight Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic to Japan, Hayato Sakurai fighting as a Welterweight, as well as the opening round of the Lightweight Grand Prix tournament. The first round is highlighted by a match-up of Top 10 fighters Gesias "JZ"Calvancanti vs. Shinya Aoki, plus fights from other top Lightweights Tatsuya Kawajiri, Mitsuhiro Ishida and Joachim Hansen.

Scheduled for DREAM 2, is the first round of the Middleweight Tournament, highlighted by a match-up of Top 10 fighter Denis Kang vs. rising star Gegard Mousasi, plus fights from other top Middleweights including Ronaldo Souza and MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba.
Also scheduled for DREAM 2, Gesias "JZ" Calvancante will square off once again with Shinya Aoki to settle the score after their controversial bout in DREAM 1. The winner claims a spot in the second round of the Lightweight Grand Prix.

 

NO HOLDS BARRED: Mo Lawal, Ron Scott Stevens

4-28-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-04-27T22_25_30-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with freestyle wrestler Mo Lawal and Ron Scott Stevens, the chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.

This past Saturday, April 26, Mo Lawal (http://www.myspace.com/molawal) won his third U.S. Nationals title at 84 kg/185 lbs. With this victory, he advances directly into the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which take place June 13-15 in Las Vegas, Nev. The winners at the Olympic Team Trials will represent the U.S. at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, in August.

We spoke at length with Mo Lawal about his victory at the Nationals and his plans for the future.

Since 1997, the sport of mixed martial arts has been banned in the State of New York. Now there are plans to repeal the regressive legislation outlawing it and place it under the sanctioning of the New York State Athletic Commission.

To get his view on this matter, we spoke with Ron Scott Stevens, the chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

 

PANCRASE - Shining Tour Results

4-28-2008

Denver, CO

 

From Tokyo Japan.

 

Results: 

1. Keiichiro Yamamiya defeated Yuki Kondo by decision

2. Koji Oishi vs. Shoji Maruyama was judged a draw
3. Interim KOP Title Bout: Takuya Wada defeated Jason Palacios by unanimous decision

4. Dzhamal Kurbanov vs. Katsuya Inoue was judged a draw
5. Yuji Hisamatsu defeated Matti Makela by KO at 4:56 of rd 1 
6. Masaya Takita defeated Manabu Inoue by KO at 1:16 of rd 2   
7. Ryuji Ohori defeated Daisuke Watanabe by submission at 4:46 of rd 2  

8. Wataru Takahashi defeated Yukio Sakaguchi be armbar at 4:23 of rd 1

 

Neo Blood Tournament Preliminary Bouts:
9. Steve Magdaleno defeated Il-Gyu Pak by unanimous decision

10. Hirotoshi Saito defeated Hayato Shimizu by unanimous decision 

11. Yasutomo Tanaka defeated Motonobu Tezuka by rear choke at 2:30 of rd 2

12. Takeya Eizumi defeated Ryota Sasaki by TKO at 4:03 of rd 2

13. Toshihiro Shimizu defeated Kiyotaka Shimizu by armbar at 4:32 of rd 1

 

UWC "Invasion" - Results

4-27-2008

Denver, CO, PNW

 

From the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA.

 

Results:

1. Reshad Woods defeated Ron Stallings by KO
2. Mike Corey defeated Dwayne Shelton by TKO
3. Johnny Curtis defeated Josh Feldman by TKO
4. Mike Easton defeated Gerald Lovato by KO
5. Aaron Riley defeated Thiago Minu by unanimous decision
6. Marcus Foran defeated Tenyeh Dixon by armbar
7. Carlo Prater defeated Marcelo Brito by unanimous decision
8. Thomas Schulte defeated Zach Light by armbar
9. Pete Spratt defeated Jason Von Flue by KO

 

K1 - World Grand Prix in Amsterdam Results

4-27-2008

Denver, CP, PNW

From the Amsterdam Arena in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Results: 

1. K-1 Rules Opening Bout:
Robin Van Roosmalen defeated Hammadi El Madhaoui by decision

2. K-1 Rules Opening Bout:
Rico Verhoeven defeated Christiano Delgado by unanimous decision

3. Tournament Reserve Bout: 
Brian Douwes defeated James McSweeny by knockout at 1:10 of rd 1

4. Tournament Bout - Bracket A:
Zabit Samedov defeated Doug Viney by unanimous decision

5. Tournament Bout - Bracket A:
Freddy Kemayo defeated Catalin Morosanu by KO at :35 of rd 1

 

6. Tournament Bout - Bracket B:
Errol Zimmerman defeated Attila Karacs by TKO at 2:10 of rd 1

7. Tournament Bout - Bracket B:
Bjorn Bregy defeated  Jan "The Giant" Nortje by KO at 1:10 of rd 1

8. Super Fight:
Tyrone Sponge defeated Azem Maksutaj by KO at :45 of rd 2

9. Tournament Semi-Final Bout - Bracket A:
Zabit Samedov defeated Brian Douwes by unanimous decision

10. Tournament Semi-Final Bout - Bracket B:
Errol Zimmerman defeated Bjorn Bregy wins by KO at 2:59 of rd 3

11. Super Fight:
Remy Bonjasky defeated Melvin Manhoef by TKO at 2:32 of rd 3

12. Europe GP Tournament Final: Errol Zimmerman defeated Zabit Samedov by decision 

 

HDNet Fights announces partnership with DREAM

4-27-2008

Denver, CO, PNW

The newest partner of HDNet Fights is DREAM, the upstart Japan-based MMA organization founded by the organizers of K-1 and former executives of Pride Fighting Championship. DREAM features some of the best fighters in the world including Mirko Cro Cop and Gesias "JZ" Calvancante.

As part of this exclusive broadcast agreement, HDNet will air DREAM 1 and DREAM 2 on May 2 and May 3 respectively, truly making the first weekend in May a "DREAM Weekend" for MMA fans. Both broadcasts will begin at 10:30 ET.

HDNet and HDNet Fights will also bring the next four DREAM events - DREAM 3 on May 11, DREAM 4 on June 15, DREAM 5 on July 21 and DREAM 6 on September 23 - to American and Canadian audiences. 

 

PANCRASE Mixed Martial Arts Rank Promotions

4-27-2008

Jacksonville, NC 

By James Wright

 

Black Belt Jerry Roeder promotes fighters and tournament competitors to blue belt.  

 

Pancrase North Carolina Affiliate Wright’s Carolina Martial Arts Center honors Anthony Ferro, James Bigford, and Nick Packard as they received their Blue Belts in Pancrase Mixed Martial Arts.  

 

Anthony Ferro has competed in numerous grappling tournaments and has won or placed in all of them.  

 

James Bigford has won both his MMA fights and is well deserving of his belt.  He knocked out his first opponent and submitted the second.  

 

Nick Packard's wrestling ability could easily put him on the national level.  His power and strength overwhelms most of his opponents and his precision of techniques taps them out.   

 

SMACKGIRL - 2008 WORLD ReMix Tournament Semi-Finals Results

4-27-2008, Denver, CO, PNW
From the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

Results: 

TOURNAMENT 2008 Lightweight Semi-final Bout:
Megumi Fujii (Japan / AACC) defeated  Seo Hee Ham (Korea / CMA Korea) by armbar at 3:39 of rd 1

TOURNAMENT 2008 Openweight Semi-final Bout:
Hitomi Akami (Japan / AACC) defeated HIROKO (Japan / B CREW) by armbar at 3:09 of rd 2

TOURNAMENT 2008 Lightweight Semi-final Bout:
Michelli Tavares (Brazil / Nova Uniao) defeated Lisa Ward (U.S.A. / United Fight Team) by decision

TOURNAMENT 2008 Openweight Semi-final Bout:
Ginele Marquez (USA / CSW) defeated Atsuko Emoto (Japan / Freelance) by decision

54 kg & Under Bout:
WINDY Tomomi (Japan / Pancrase-ism) defeated AZUMA (Japan / y-park) by TKO

Middleweight Bout:
Rin Nakai (Japan / Shooto Dojo Shikoku) defeated Kanako Takeshita (Japan / Wjiu-tsu Keishu-kai Tokyo Headquarters) by decision

 

UWC Invasion Official Weigh-In Friday at 4pm
4-26-2008

Denver, CO

The Invasion is on! The official weigh-in for UWC Invasion, the Capital region’s biggest Mixed Martial Arts event ever, is set Friday, April 25th at 4:00 pm with the Official Weigh-In at the Hyatt Fair Lakes Hotel. It is open to media and the public. UWC Invasion hits the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University on Saturday, April 26th. Doors open at 6:00 pm with the first bout at 7:00 pm.

WHAT: Official Weigh-In
WHEN: Friday, April 25 – 4:00 pm 
WHERE: Hyatt Fair Lakes Hotel, 12777 Fair Lakes Circle, Fairfax, VA
WHO: All fighters on Saturday’s card

Fight Card (subject to change, listed in reverse order of appearances)
Main Event - Pete Spratt (19-11, Team Sityodtong) vs. Jason Von Flue (12-8-1) 170 lbs.
Thomas Schulte (16-6, FIT NHB) vs. Zach Light (7-5, Team Rampage) 155 lbs.
Carlo Prater (21-6-1, Thugjitsu) vs. Marcelo Brito (6-2, UDL) 170 lbs.
Marcus Foran (4-2, FIT NHB) vs. Tenyeh Dixon (2-2, Ground Control) 185 lbs.
Aaron Riley (23-10-1, One Spirit) vs. Thiago Minu (8-2, UDL Brazil) 155 lbs.
Gerald Lovato (5-3, FIT NHB) vs. Mike Easton (4-1, Lloyd Irvin Martial Arts) 145 lbs.
Johnny Curtis (1-0, One Spirit) vs. Josh Feldman (Pro Debut, Hybrid Academy) Heavyweight
Mike Corey (5-2, Team Pitbull) vs. Dwayne Shelton (6-3, Team Combat) 155 lbs.
Reshad Woods (3-1, One Spirit) vs. Ron Stallings (3-2, Lloyd Irvin Martial Arts) 185 lbs.

ABOUT UWC INVASION TICKETS
Tickets ($28.50 to $128.50) remain available for purchase at the Patriot Center box office, through all Ticketmaster outlets and at the gate. For more information, visit www.uwcmm.com , www.uwcmma.com/uwc3 (event web site) and www.ultimatevipclub.com. VIP and Ultimate VIP packages ($150 & $250) are available by emailing at info@uwcmma.com.

Media Contact:
Brotman∙Winter∙Fried Communications – 703-534-4600
Brian Bishop ext 210 – brian@bwfcom.com
Mike Schaffer ext 202 – mike@bwfcom.com

 

IFL Announces Remainder of May 16 Mohegan Sun Card
4-26-2008

Denver, CO

Seven mixed martial arts professionals have been added to the nine-bout card as the International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI) returns to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Friday, May 16. HDNet will again have live television coverage of the event.

The added fighters include two – Danillo Villefort (Pompano Beach, Fla.) and Josh Souder (Mason, Ohio) who competed at IFL Draft events last September. Also added is Jim Miller (Sparta, N.J.), who is coming off an impressive victory in his IFL debut at the Izod Center in E. Rutherford, N.J. earlier this month.

Also newly named to the card are Lamont Lister (Philadelphia), Joey Guel (Olympia, Wash.), Fabricio Camoes (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Nick Calandrino (Emerson, N.J.). The bouts involving the added athletes include:

• Lister vs. Aaron Stark (Portland, Ore.), 205 lbs.
• Calandrino vs. John Howard (Boston), 170 lbs.
• Souder vs. Zac George (Norman, Okla.), 155 lbs.
• Guel vs. Matt Horwich (Portland, Ore.), 185 lbs.
• Camoes vs. Miller, 155 lbs.
• Villefort vs. Mike Massenzio (Paterson, N.J.), 185 lbs.

As previously announced, three IFL Champions will put their respective titles on the line to headline the card, as Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) takes on Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) at middleweight, Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) battles Branden Lee Hinkle (Weirton, W. Va.) at heavyweight, and Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) defends against Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) at lightweight.

The preliminary bouts feature athletes from four noted MMA camps, including Team Quest, Team Bombsquad, World Class Fight Center and Team Prodigy.

Tickets are available via www.ticketmaster.com, the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, and by telephone at 860-886-0070.

IFL Mohegan Sun
Friday, May 16, 2008 (order TBD)

Preliminary Bouts
205 lbs.: Aaron Stark (Portland, Ore.) (Team Quest) (2-2 IFL, 5-4 overall MMA) vs. Lamont Lister (Philadelphia) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 5-3)
170 lbs.: John Howard (Boston) (0-0 IFL, 8-3 overall MMA) vs. Nick Calandrino (Emerson, N.J.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 5-0)
155 lbs.: Zac George (Norman, Okla.) (Team Quest) (1-1, 12-2) vs. Josh Souder (Mason, Ohio) (Team Prodigy) (0-0, 10-6)
185 lbs.: Matt Horwich (Portland, Ore.) (Team Quest) (6-4, 21-10-1) vs. Joey Guel (Oregon) (0-0, 12-5)
155 lbs.: Fabricio Camoes (Brazil) (World Class Fight Center) (0-0, 8-4) vs. Jim Miller (Sparta, N.J.) (Team Bombsquad/AMA Fight Club) (1-0, 11-1)
185 lbs.: Danillo Villefort (Pompano Beach, Fla.) (World Class Fight Center) (0-0, 6-2) vs. Mike Massenzio (Paterson, N.J.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 10-1)

Championship Bouts
185 lbs.: *Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) (Miletich Fighting Systems) (6-4, 12-5) vs. Dan Miller (AMA Fight Club) (Sparta, N.J.) (1-0, 7-1)
265 lbs.: *Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) (Lion's Den) (5-1, 12-2) vs. Branden Lee Hinkle (Weirton, W. Va.) (0-0, 13-9)
155 lbs.: *Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) (Team Quest) (6-2, 19-9-1) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) (Renzo Gracie) (3-0, 9-2)

*Current Titleholder

 

CBS-EliteXC "Saturday Night Fights" - Fight Card

4-25-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Saturday, May 31, 2008
Venue: Prudential Center in Newark, NJ

Main Card Bouts:
Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson
Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith
Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young
Phil Baroni vs. Joey Villasenor
Brett Rogers vs. Jon Murphy

Preliminary Bouts:
Chris Liguori vs. TBA

 

6 more bouts to be announced

 

NO HOLDS BARRED: BCX IV Preview, The Legend of Carlton Haselrig, David Mastrogiovanni, Mike Chapman, Bob Meyrowitz, YAMMA 1 and 2

4-19-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-04-18T14_15_52-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman begins by previewing the Battle Cage Xtreme (BCX) IV mixed martial arts show (http://www.battlecagextreme.com/), which takes place Saturday, April 19, at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The show will also be webcast live on StreamingMartialArts.com (http://www.streamingmartialarts.com/).

The main event on this 17-fight card at BCX IV will be a bout for the BCX heavyweight title between Carlton Haselrig and IFL veteran Shane Ott.

Carlton Haselrig is a legend in wrestling. He was the only six-time NCAA champion, winning the heavyweight titles in both Divisions I and II in 1987, 1988, and 1989, while wrestling for the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. He later became a Pro Bowl offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite not having played college football. But substance abuse curtailed his incredible athletic career. Now, at age 42, Carlton Haselrig has another chance, as he will be fighting for a title in his mixed martial arts debut Saturday night.

To preview this card, we spoke with BCX promoter David Mastrogiovanni about it. To learn more about Carlton Haselrig as an athlete, we spoke with Mike Chapman, the executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum (http://wrestlingmuseum.org/), and the top amateur wrestling historian in America.

In addition, we followed up on the debut show last week of YAMMA Pit Fighting by speaking with promoter Bob Meyrowitz. We both reviewed that show's pros and cons, and also heard the preliminary plans for their YAMMA 2 card.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

 

PANCRASE 2008 SHINING TOUR - Fight Card

4-17-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: Sunday, April 27th, 2008
Venue: Differ Ariake, Tokyo, Japan 

1. YUKIO SAKAGUCHI (TEAM SAKAGUCHI DOJO) vs. WATARU TAKAHASHI (Laughter7) 

2. DAISUKE WATANABE (PANCRASE ism) vs.RYUJI OHORI (PANCRASE DEBUT/TRIAL) 

3. MANABU INOUE (FEATHERWEIGHT 3RD RANKED/U.W.F. SNAKE PIT JAPAN) vs. J TARO TAKITA (WAJUTSU KEISHUKAI-TOKYO) 

 

4. YUJI HISAMATSU (WAJUTSU KEISHUKAI TIGER PLACE) vs. MATTI MAKELA (PANCRASE DEBUT/PANCRASE SWEDEN) 

 

5. KATSUYA INOUE (LIGHTWEIGHT 2ND RANKED/WAJUTSU KEISHUKAI RJW) vs.CURBANOV DJAMAL (PANCRASE DEBUT/SK ABSOLUTE-RUSSIA) 

6. BRAYANE RAFIQ (WELTERWEIGHT 1ST RANKED/JUCAO-ACHILLE TEAM) vs. TAKUYA WADA (WELTERWEIGHT 3RD/SK ABSOLUTE) 

 

7. SHOJI (THE FIRST LIGHTWEIGHT K.O.P./KIBA MIRTIAL ARTS CLUB) vs. KOJI OISHI (LIGHTWEIGHT 5th RANKED PANCRASE ism) 

 

8. Main Event: YUKI KONDO (INTERIM MIDDLE WEIGHT K.O.P./PANCRASE ism) vs. KEI YAMAMIYA (LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT 1st RANKED/GRABAKA) 

 

NO HOLDS BARRED: Travis Wiuff, John Perretti, YAMMA Review

4-15-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-04-14T07_17_47-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the debut YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts show, which took place Friday, April 11, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and was shown on pay-per-view. 

This show was well-received by the fans in attendance, who cheered the victors in the two Masters' Superfights, Oleg Taktarov and Pat Smith, and the one-night, eight-man single elimination heavyweight tournament, Travis Wiuff. 

Right after the show concluded, we spoke with Travis Wiuff about his tournament victory and what it meant for his career. We also spoke with the veteran martial artist and former UFC and Extreme Fighting matchmaker, John Perretti, who was a television announced on the show. 

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

 

UFC 83: "Serra vs. St-Pierre 2" - Fight Card

4-14-2008, Denver, CO, PNW
Event date: Saturday, April 19, 2008
Venue: Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada 
 

UFC® comes to Canada for the first time ever on Saturday, April 19th! One year ago, Matt "The Terror" Serra shocked the world by defeating Georges "Rush" St-Pierre for the UFC® Welterweight Championship. Now, after defeating Matt Hughes in December, St-Pierre enters the Octagon™ as the Interim Welterweight Champion to face the man who took his title - this time, in his home province of Quebec. Can Serra beat St-Pierre for a second time? The undisputed king of the 170-pound weight class will be determined at UFC® 83: SERRA VS. ST-PIERRE 2 - Saturday, April 19, live on Pay-Per-View from Montreal, Quebec.

Main Card Bouts: 
1. Matt Serra vs. Georges St. Pierre
2. Travis Lutter vs. Rich Franklin
3. Nate Quarry vs. Kalib Starnes
4. Charles McCarthy vs. Michael Bisping
5. Mac Danzig vs. Mark Bocek
 

Preliminary Bouts:
6. Jason MacDonald vs. Joe Doerksen
7. Jason Day vs. Alan Belcher
8.  Sam Stout vs. Rich Clementi
9.  Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. Jonathan Goulet
10. Cain Velasquez vs. Brad Morris
11.  Ed Herman vs. Demian Maia

FieLDS K-1 WORLD GP 2008 IN YOKOHAMA - Results

4-13-2008, Denver, CO, PNW
Venue : YOKOHAMA ARENA, Kanagawa, JAPAN
Attendance : 10,629 people

1. K-1 Super Heavyweight Title Match: Semmy Schilt defeated Mark Hunt by KO at 3:06 of rd 1
2. Ewerton Teixeira defeated Yusuke Fujimoto by KO at 2:01 if rd 2
3. Musashi defeated Junichi Sawayashiki by KO at 2:16 of rd 2
4. Badr Hari defeated Ray Sefo by KO at 2:43 of rd 1
5. Glaube Feitosa defeated Alex Roberts by KO at 1:58 of rd 2
6. Keijiro Maeda defeated Mighty Mo by decision
7. Mitsugu Noda defeated Petr Vondracek by KO at 2:43 of rd 2
8. Aleksandr Pichkunov defeated Chalid "Die Faust" by decision
9. Hiroyuki Enokida defeated Takashi Tachikawa by KO at :40 of rd 1
10. Tsuyoshi Nakasako defeated Takumi Sato by decision
11. Tsutomu Takahagi defeated Kyoung Suk Kim by KO at :18 of rd 1

 

YAMMA Pit Fighting - Results

4-12-2008, Denver, CO, PNW

 

Atlantic City, April 12, 2008 – On April 11, Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff was crowned the first YAMMA Heavyweight Champion, outlasting seven other competitors in an awe-inspiring tournament in YAMMA Pit Fighting's inaugural pay-per-view event. For the first time in over a decade, MMA returned to its origins by reviving the hugely popular tournament format, in which fighters participated in multiple fights in an attempt to capture the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion. Wiuff’s hard-earned victory included wins over Marcelo Pereira, Alexys Oleynik and Chris Tuscherer. 

The event, held at the Trump Taj Mahal, was comprised of an eight-man tournament and two ‘Masters Superfights,’ in which Pat Smith defeated Eric “Butterbean” Esch and Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov defeated Mark Kerr. The event also featured ring announcer Scott Ferrall and Olympic gold medal winner Jeff Blatnick commentating. YAMMA Pit Fighting is the brainchild of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) founder Bob Meyrowitz. 

The championship match got off to a raucous start in the first round when Wiuff delivered several devastating strikes to Tuscherer, sending him wobbling to the ground. The second round saw Wiuff continue to dominate with a relentless ground-and-pound attack and constantly getting the better of Tuchscherer while trading stand-up strikes. Tuscherer mounted a brief comeback in round three, delivering a flurry of blows to Wiuff in the final seconds, but the rally came too late, and Wiuff was awarded the win by decision.

“Chris is a tough guy, a guy who’s definitely on his way up. I’m glad I fought him now – he’s only going to get better,” said Wiuff. “But I didn’t train for one fight, I trained for three. I always planned to fight three fights, and that’s just what I did.”

"This was an unbelievable night for MMA," said Bob Meyrowitz, Rope Partners. “Between the unveiling of the YAMMA, the return of the tournament format and two phenomenal Masters Superfights, we showed the world tonight that YAMMA Pit Fighting truly is the evolution of MMA."

In the first ‘Masters Superfight,’ Oleg Taktrov used his Sambo prowess to quickly submit Mark Kerr with a kneebar. Crowd favorite Butterbean suffered a staggering loss to Pat Smith in the second ‘Masters Superfight,’ with Smith going toe-to-toe with Butterbean in what was arguably the most technical fight of Smith’s career. When Butterbean slipped and the fight went to the ground, Smith dominated with seemingly endless elbow strikes, until the fight was stopped by the referee.

“It was a tough fight – You’ve got to respect Butterbean. He nicked me a couple of times and I really felt the power behind those punches.” said Smith. “But in the end, I proved that I could stand up with him and win.”

The event witnessed the unveiling of the Yamma, an evolution of the traditional fighting structure designed to keep the fighting more explosive and continuous. The Yamma is a circular pit, shaped almost like a bowl, with a flat bottom that rises up with a three foot lip around the edge. In this ring, if a fighter is pushed backwards towards the fence, he moves up the lip, gaining both a height and leverage advantage over his opponent. From this position, the fighter on the lip can use gravity and leverage to reverse his opponent, and take the fight back into the center without a break in the action.

Complete results for the April 11th fight card are as follows:

Tournament Round 1:
Alexy “Samurai” Oleynik def. Sherman “The Tank” Pendergarst
Chris Tuscherer def. Tony “The King” Sylvester
Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff def. Marcelo “Pato” Pereira
Ricco “Suave” Rodriguez def. George Bush III

Masters Superfight 1:
Oleg Taktarov def. Mark Kerr

Tournament Round 2:
Chris Tuscherer def. Alexy “Samurai” Oleynik
Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff def. Ricco “Suave” Rodriguez

Masters Superfight 2:
Pat Smith def. Butterbean

Tournament Heavyweight Championship:
Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff def. Chris Tuscherer

 

BATTLEQUEST “Tapout” – Results 
4-12-2008
Softball Country Sports Pavilion in Denver, Colorado.

 

On Friday night, April 11th, the BATTLEQUEST promotion held it's eighth event entitled TAPOUT!. The Sports Pavilion was filled to capacity and the twelve MMA bouts did not disappoint the fans. 

BATTLEQUEST is the feeder event for the popular RING OF FIRE series, and is a venue for young athletes who are trying to make name for themselves. The series is known as a way for a up and coming fighter to get noticed. The addition of the TapouT TV show in attendance only raised the stakes as every fighter on the card seemed to let it all hang out.

Some of the best fighters to rise through the ROF ranks were in attendance as well. Duane BANG Ludwig, Alvin KID Robinson, Luke LIL HULK Caudillo, Brad Gumm, Donald COWBOY Cerrone, and Michelle KARATE HOTTY Waterson were all there to support the sport's newest rising stars.

Look for a complete write up soon at both www.ROFMMA.com and www.COLORADOFIGHTEVENTS.com

1. Matt Simms defeated Travis Ramirez by rear choke in rd 1
2. John Doremus defeated Phil Gonzalez by rear choke in rd 2
3. Kevin Lucero defeated Roberto Rodriguez by TKO in rd 1 
4. Cody East defeated Zac Mathews by submission (Kimura) in rd 1
5. Rob Celani defeated Jay Wymer by rear choke in rd 1
6. Angelo Gallegos defeated Tyler Rodgers by submission (Kimura) in rd 1
7. Coy Sasse defeated Rory O'Farrell by triangle choke in rd 1
8. Ralston Baker defeated Ryan McKee by TKO in rd 1
9. Cat Albert defeated Krystal Macatol by armbar in rd 1 
10. BATTLEQUEST Middle Weight Championship: Ian Berg defeated Vadian La Luz by split decision 
11. Co-Main Event: Julie Kedzie defeated Angela Hayes by armbar in rd 1
12. Main Event: John Dodson defeated Vern Baca by TKO in rd 2 

 

YAMMA Pit Fighting - Weigh-in results.  Butterbean tips scales at 416.2 lbs.!

4-11-2008, Denver, CO, PNW
Event date: Friday, April 11, 2008
Venue: Trump Taj Mahal Arena, Atlantic City, NJ
Live on Pay-Per-View

 

8-Man Tournament:

Ricco Rodriguez (264.6) vs. George Bush (231.6)
Marcelo "Pato" Pereira (219.4) vs. Travis Wiuff (242.8)
Sherman Pendergarst (264.6) vs. Alexey Oleynick (220.2) 
Chris Tuscherer (264) vs. Tony Sylvester (262.8)

 

Superfights:
Mark Kerr (266.2) vs. Oleg Taktarov (221.2)
Patrick Smith (240) vs. Eric "Butterbean" Esch (416.2)

Individual Bouts:
Bryan Vetell (266) vs. Antwain Britt (228.2)
Lamont Lister (212.6) vs. Oleg Savitsky (199.4)

Alternate Fighter:
Ron Waterman (264.4) 

 

BATTLEQUEST 8: TAPOUT! - Final Card 
4-10-2008

Denver, CO

On Friday April 11th, Fighters from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and South Dakota converge on the Mile High City for Battlequest 8: TAPOUT!

WOMEN'S SUPERFIGHT ADDED TO AN ALREADY STELLAR CARD!!

WCL fighter Angela "THE BOMB" Hayes takes on EliteXC veteran Julie Kedzie at Battlequest 8: TAPOUT! 

Angela Hayes has been a student of the martial arts since childhood. She is a world class striker , competing at the world level in Sport Karate, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai. She has recently transitioned to MMA. She was nick named the "BOMB" because she has KO power in both kicks and punches. Hayes combines that with world class athleticism to be a major force in combat sports.

Julie Kedzie has competed in martial art competitions for 18 years. She has studied a variety of martial arts including Modern Arnis, Sayoc Kali, Jeet-Kune-Do, Muay Thai and Submission Wrestling. She has won numerous titles, including first place at the Extreme Grappling Open, a World Kickboxing National Title and the Hook-N-Shoot Women's 135 pound World Championship.

BATTLEQUEST 8 FULL BOUT SHEET

 

Main Event 135 lbs: Vern Baca vs. John Dodson (Littleton, CO - Albuquerque, NM)

Co-Main Event 135 lbs: Angela Hayes vs. Julie Kedzie (Colo Springs, CO - Albuquerque, NM)

BATTLEQUEST Middle Weight Championship: Ian Berg vs. Vadian La Luz (Denver, CO - Albuquerque, NM)

130 lbs Feature Bout: Cat Albert vs. Krystal Macatol (Broomfield, CO - Albuquerque, NM)

170 lbs Feature Bout: Ralston Baker vs. Ryan Mckee (Ft. Collins, CO - Denver, CO)

205 lbs Prestige Bout: Rory O'Farrell vs. Coy Sasse (Ft. Collins, CO - Rapid City,SD)

145 lbs Prestige Bout: Tyler Rodgers vs. Angelo Gallegos (Glenwood Springs, CO -  Albuquerque, NM)

170 lbs Prestige Bout: Jay Wymer vs. Rob Celani (Arvada, Co - Aurora, Co)

210 lbs Prelim Bout: Zac Matthews vs. Cody East (Prescott, AZ Albuquerque, NM)

145 lbs Prelim Bout: Kevin Lucero vs. Roberto Rodriguez (Arvada, - Co Ft.Carson, CO)

185 lbs Prelim Bout: Phil Gonzalez vs. John Doramus (Pueblo, CO - Aurora, CO) 

170 lbs Prelim Bout: Matt Simms vs. Travis Ramirez (Broomfield, CO - Glenwood Spgs. CO)


**TAPOUT WILL BE AT BATTLEQUEST** 

You have watched their show on the Versus Network!  You have seen them cageside at the UFC and WEC events!  Now this is your chance to join MASK, PUNKASS and SKYSCRAPE live and in person as their TV show rolls through the Mile High city. 

"Traveling around the country in a tricked out tour bus, the crew is on the hunt to discover a fighter who has what it takes to represent the TapouT label; and before these up and comers fight their way out of the cage, they have to fight their way in with the TapouT crew. The crew bonds with their fighter testing out his personality, and in between the usual TapouT mayhem makes sure their new protégé gets the proper training before the big fight. In each episode, it's all on the line in the dramatic conclusion as each fighter gets one shot to impress the crew and show off his skills in the cage."

Last year TAPOUT filmed at a RING OF FIRE event. The episode was seen by millions of MMA fans across the world, and helped to launch the career of Donald COWBOY Cerrone. 

Come and be a part of the national TV show filming, live, April 11th as they hit the Battlequest 8 event in search of their next big MMA breakout star!

Tickets can be purchased at any KING SOOPERS location or online at www.ticketswest.com. You can also charge by phone at 866-464-2626. Doors will open at 6:30 and the first bout will start promptly at 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: Rows 1-2 $50.00, Rows 3-6 $35.00, Rows 7-14 $25.00, Bleachers $25.00
Visit www.rofmma.com and www.coloradofightevents.com for updates to the fight card, in depth interviews and fighter bios.

 

NO HOLDS BARRED: YAMMA, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Kermit Cintron, Alfonso Gomez, Bob Arum, Emanuel Steward, Miguel Diaz

4-10-2008

Denver, COhttp://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-04-09T20_23_03-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman previews the big combat sports weekend coming up Atlantic City, New Jersey.

On Friday, April 11, at the Trump Taj Mahal, YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts makes its much-anticipated debut. There will be two Masters' Superfights and a one-night, eight-man single elimination heavyweight tournament. This card will be shown live on pay-per-view.

The next night, Saturday, April 12, at Boardwalk Hall, a boxing card is headlined by two welterweight title fights. WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (31-0, 25 KOs) will defend his belt against Alfonso Gomez (18-3-2, 8 KOs), and IBF welterweight champion Kermit Cintron (29-1, 27 KOs) will try to avenge the only defeat of his professional career when he fights Antonio Margarito (35-5, 25 KOs). This card will be shown in the U.S. on HBO and in the U.K. on Sky Sports.

At a New York news conference Wednesday afternoon, we spoke with the four main fighters on this card: Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Kermit Cintron, and Alfonso Gomez. We also got comments from promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank, Cintron's trainer Emanuel Steward, and Cotto's cornerman and cutman, Miguel Diaz.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

 

More SUN News - Former President Sues!

4-9-2008

Denver, CO

DALLAS, TX — The former president of SUN Sports & Entertainment, Inc., who departed on March 7, 2008 after a year at the Mixed Martial Arts promoter of Art of War, has filed a $25 million lawsuit against SUN Sports & Entertainment, Inc., SUN Management Group, Inc., and Titan Securities of Dallas., claiming he was forced out of his job for questioning financial irregularities within the company, deceptive press announcements and what he believed was a huge conflict of interest by Titan executives.

John Buckeye Epstein filed the suit Friday against SUN Sports (pink sheets SSPE), not to be confused with SUN Sports owned by Fox Sports, claiming that CEO CJ Comu and Titan, acting as board members, illegally forced-out Epstein after he became very vocal regarding the financial management of SUN Sports.

"I can't believe the audacity of Mr. Comu; the company had no funds, credit cards are shut off, vendors are calling every day, employees are owed more than forty thousand dollars in back expenses, and the medical bill reimbursements of past fighters like Justin Eilers and Pedro Rizzo were not being paid. All this while Comu takes a limo to the airport ten miles away," Epstein said.

The suit alleges that Titan Securities was improperly involved in a huge conflict of interest, controlling the Board of Directors and the expenditure of funds, all without disclosures to the public, and that Titan conspired with Mr. Comu to cause the breach of Epstein's employment contract with SUN. It also alleges that Mr. Comu, SUN's CEO, never intended to fulfill his financial promises and commitments to Mr. Epstein.

Epstein added, "This is not a disgruntled employee case like most people assume when they hear an unhappy executive leave a company". Under Epstein's sports marketing direction, within a year Art of War was recognized as possibly the number two contender in producing Mixed Martial Arts events. "This is about an employee trying to fight for honest and ethical treatment of shareholders, vendors, fighters and employees who was thrown out of the company for his trouble. The problems at SUN are far-reaching. Just last week Mr. Comu signed for a nine-show tour (a start date of April 19th) with George Greenberg (Fox Sports Net's Executive Vice President, Programming & Production) with virtually nothing in the bank."

Moreover, Epstein goes on to explain the relationship with Titan Securities (FINRA or NASD Broker Dealer). "Brad Brooks' group at Titan was involved in drafting and approving SUN press releases to the public, at the same time having been a huge market maker in SSPE stock, all without disclosure to the public. It is just unbelievable".

A former business partner of Mr. Comu in SUN before Epstein, said, "There are people who invested thousands of dollars in a sports franchise that CJ sold and for over two years has never called them or repaid the amount of funds."

Epstein had been SUN president for a little over a year when the company announced his departure in March 2007, saying he was leaving to "pursue other interests."

 

NO HOLDS BARRED: Jay Hieron, Wagnney Fabiano, Bob Meyrowitz, YAMMA Preview, IFL Review

4-6-2008

Denver, COhttp://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-04-05T14_20_06-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the IFL mixed martial arts card held Friday, April 4, at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and previews the debut show of YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts this coming Friday, April 11, at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Right after their fights, we spoke with two of the IFL champions, 170-pounder Jay Hieron and 145-pounder Wagnney Fabiano, about their successful title defenses Friday night. Hieron, a former Div. I college wrestler at Hofstra, scored a TKO win over Mark Miller with a ground-and-pound attack, winning at just 2:10 of the first round. Fabiano, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and expert, scored a first-round knockout of Shad Lierley in just 37 seconds, landing a beautiful straight left-right hook combination that put him away.

This coming Friday, April 11, the much-anticipated and already controversial debut show of YAMMA Pit Fighting takes place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This will be an all-heavyweight show, with two Masters’ Superfights and a one-night, eight-man tournament. This card will also be shown live on pay-per-view.

To get the latest on this card and clear up some of the mysteries about this show as well as some of the confusion being spread by some so-called media members, we spoke directly this past Thursday afternoon with Bob Meyrowitz, a co-founder of the UFC and now the man in charge of YAMMA Pit Fighting.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

 

IFL - Results 

4-5-2008 Denver, CO

 

From the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ

 

Championship Fights: 
1. Vladimir Matyushenko defeated Jamal Patterson by TKO from strikes at 3:35 of rd 2
2. Wagnney Fabiano defeated Shad Lierley by KO at 0:37 of rd 1
3. Jay Hieron defeated Mark Miller by TKO from strikes at 2:10 of rd 1

Other Bouts:
4. Alex Schoenauer defeated Brendan Barrett by decision
5. Chris Horodecki defeated Nate Lamotte by unanimous decision
6. L.C. Davis defeated Rafael Dias by KO from strikes at 3:56 of rd 3
7. Emyr Bussade defeated Jesse Lennox by kneebar at 1:25 of rd 2
8. Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Carmelo Marrero was a no contest
9. Jim Miller defeated Bart Palaszewski by unanimous decision
10. Brad Blackburn defeated Delson Heleno by KO at 1:50 of rd 3

 

FATAL FEMMES FIGHTING 4 - Results

4-5-2008

Denver, CO

From the Shrine Expo Center in Los Angeles, CA.

1. Roxanne Modafferi defeated Vanessa Porto by TKO from strikes at 0:53 of rd 3
2. Carina Damm defeated Sofie Bagherdai by armbar at 1:52 of rd 2
3. Lana Stefanac defeated Teyvia Reid by armbar at 0:36 of rd 1
4. Takayo Hashi defeated Amanda Buckner by unanimous decision 
5. Alexis Davis defeated Liz Carriero by unanimous decision
6. Sarah Schneider defeated Ashley Sanchez by unanimous decision
7. Sally Krumdiak defeated Jamie Lynn by unanimous decision 
8. Emily Thompson defeated Breanne Vickers by TKO at 0:57 of rd 1
9. Jenn Babcock defeated Tammie Schneider by tapout from strikes at 1:05 of rd 1
10. Michelle Roody defeated Franita Gathings by TKO at 2:54 of rd 1
11. Tamara Parks defeated Lina Koukov by armbar at 2:24 of rd 1
12. Tierra Arnold defeated Veronica Locurto by decision

 

IFL "New Blood Battles" - Tonight in New Jersey
4-4-2008, Denver, CO 

Event date: Friday, April 4, 2008
Venue: IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ
HDNet broadcast at 8:30pm ET

Main Card:
1. Rafael Dias (145.6) vs. LC Davis (145.6)
2. Emyr Bussade (170) vs. Jesse Lennox (170)
3. Carmelo Marrero (205.8) vs. Mike Ciesnolevicz (206)
4. Bart Palaszewski (155.5) vs. Jim Miller (155)
5. Brad Blackburn (171) vs. Delson Heleno (170.8)
6. Vladimir Matyushenko (205.4) vs. Jamal Patterson (205.6) *Championship Bout

Other Bouts:
7. Chris Horodecki (154.6) vs. Nate Lamotte (155.8)
8. Alex Schoenauer (204) vs. Brendan Barrett (205.5)
9. Jay Hieron (170) vs. Mark Miller (170.4) *Championship Bout
10. Wagnney Fabiano (145.4) vs. Shad Lierley (145.8) *Championship Bout

 

ULTIMATE FIGHT NIGHT - Results

4-3-2008

From the Broomfield Events Center in Broomfield, CO 

 

Main Card Bouts:
1. Kenny Florian defeated Joe Lauzon by TKO from strikes at 3:28 of rd 2
2. Gray Maynard defeated Frankie Edgar by unanimous decision
3. Thiago Alves defeated Karo Parisyan by TKO from strikes at 0:34 of rd 2
4. Matt Hamill defeated Tim Boetsch by TKO from strikes at 1:25 of rd 2
5. Nate Diaz defeated Kurt Pellegrino by triangle choke at 3:06 of rd 2
6. James Irvin defeated Houston Alexander by KO at 0:08 of rd 1

 

Preliminary bouts:
7. Josh Neer defeated Din Thomas by unanimous decision
8. Marcus Aurelio defeated Ryan Roberts by armbar at 0:16 of rd 1
9. Manny Gamburyan defeated Jeff Cox by choke at 1:21 of rd 1
10. Clay Guida defeated Samy Schiavo by TKO from strikes at 4:15 of rd 1
11. George Sotiropoulos defeated Roman Mitichyan by TKO from strikes at 2:24 of rd 2
12. Anthony Johnson defeated Tommy Speer by KO at 0:51 of rd 1

 

ULTIMATE FIGHT NIGHT - Tonight in Broomfield, Colorado  

4-2-2008

Broomfield, CO

Doors will open at the Broomfield Event Center 2pm Mountain Time
First fight at 2:45pm MT
On-air at 5pm MT

Main card action will air live tonight on Spike immediately followed by the season premiere of The Ultimate Fighter 7: Team Rampage vs Team Forrest.

 

Main Card:
James Irvin (205) vs Houston Alexander (205)
Gray Maynard (155) vs Frankie Edgar (155.5)
Tim Boetsch (206) vs Matt Hamill (204)
Nate Diaz (156) vs Kurt Pellegrino (155)
Karo Parisyan (171) vs Thiago Alves (171)
Kenny Florian (155.5) vs Joe Lauzon (156)

Preliminary Bouts:
Tommy Speer (170) vs Anthony Johnson (169.5)
Roman Mitichyan (170.5) vs George Sotiropoulos (169.5)
Marcus Aurelio (154.5) vs Ryan Roberts (155.5)
Josh Neer (156) vs Din Thomas (155)
Clay Guida (156) vs Samy Schiavo (155)
Manvel Gamburyan (155.5) vs Jeff Cox (155)

 

STRIKEFORCE: “Shamrock vs. Le” -  Fighter Payouts

4-2-2008

Denver, CO

 

Total payroll as reported by the CSAC was $667,850. 

1. Cung Le ($200,000) defeated Frank Shamrock ($300,000) 
2. Drew Fickett ($10,000) defeated Jae S. Lim ($3,000) 
3. Gilbert Melendez ($50,000) defeated Gabe Lemley ($7,000) 
4. Wayne Cole ($10,000) defeated Mike Kyle ($10,000) 
5. Joey Villasenor ($36,000) defeated Ryan Jensen ($6,000) 
6. Billy Evangelista ($10,000) defeated Marlon Sims ($2,500) 
7. Tiki Ghosn ($8,000) defeated Luke Stewart ($6,000) 
8. Darren Uyenoyama ($4,000) defeated Anthony Figueroa ($2,000) 
9. Jesse Jones ($2,150) defeated Jesse Gillespie ($1,200) 

The following fighters received additional win bonuses: Fickett ($5,000), Cole ($5,000), Villasenor ($18,000), Evangelista ($5,000), Ghosn ($2,000), Uyenoyama ($2,000) and Jones ($500).

 

YAMMA Pit Fighitng - Ricco Rodrigues, Mark Kerr and "The Yamma" Revealed
4-2-2008

Denver, CO

Los Angeles, April 1, 2008 – Today YAMMA Pit Fighting (YPF), a new mixed martial arts (MMA) organization created by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) founder Bob Meyrowitz, announced details on the YPF surface called "The Yamma" and revealed the revised fight card for the organization’s first live pay-per-view event, which will air live from the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on April 11, 2008. MMA veteran and two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion Mark Kerr will fight in the ‘Masters Superfight’ against Oleg Taktarov. In addition, former UFC Heavyweight Champion and recent VH1's Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew participant Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez has been added to the eight-man heavyweight tournament. Tickets for the event can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Trump Taj Mahal Box Office. The live pay-per-view broadcast is available in the United States and Canada through In Demand Networks, TVN Entertainment, Bell ExpressVu, Viewer’s Choice Canada and Dish Network.

The YPF surface, known as “The Yamma,” is an evolution of the traditional fighting structure and is designed to keep the fighting more explosive and continuous. In today’s MMA matches, fighters rush their opponents in the quest for a takedown, and the fight often ends up on the ground and pushed up against the fence. The action often stalls there, and must be stopped and moved back into the center of the ring. The Yamma’s design is specifically aimed at stopping this break in the action. The Yamma is a circular pit, shaped almost like a bowl, with a circular flat bottom that rises up around the edge. In this ring, if a fighter is pushed backwards towards the fence, he moves up the lip, gaining both a height and leverage advantage over his opponent. From this position, the fighter on the lip can use gravity and leverage to reverse his opponent, and take the fight back into the center without a break in the action.

“There has been a lot of speculation about the Yamma; some people thought it would have a moving floor, spikes or even live alligators,” said Bob Meyrowitz, Rope Partners. “But the Yamma isn’t about flashy gimmicks; it’s about the evolution of a sport and how the traditional ring can be altered to accelerate that evolution. At its core, the purpose of the Yamma is to make MMA fighting more exciting for those who matter most - the fans.”

“The Yamma’s design is all about function,” said Scott Nagel, lead designer of the Yamma. “It works because of its sloped up edges and because there are no corners. If you are pushed back, you are pushed up – and what goes up is coming back down, probably in a way that causes the opponent a great deal of pain. It’s going to be much more exciting, much more continuous and have much more action.”

Mark Kerr, a Toledo, OH native, got his start in wrestling, where he was a high school state champion. At Syracuse University, Kerr was the Division I champion at 190 pounds in 1992 - Randy Couture, wrestling for Oklahoma State University, took second place. Kerr soon got into MMA, and had four impressive wins in the UFC, in which he was a two time heavyweight tournament champion. He then began fighting in Pride Fighting Championships in 1998. In 2003, HBO aired a documentary titled "The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Mark Kerr." The program chronicled the no-holds barred aspect of mixed martial arts and Ken Shamrock, Bas Rutten and Mark Coleman also appeared in the film. Kerr won his last fight against Steve Gavin on November 7, 2007. He stands 6 ft 3 in tall and weighs 236 lbs and has a record of 13-06-0.

Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez, a UFC/Pride/King of the Cage veteran, was born in San Jose, California and raised in Staten Island, New York. Rodriguez may be best known for defeating MMA mega-legend Randy Couture in 2002 at UFC 39 to win the UFC heavyweight title. He subsequently lost the title to none other than powerhouse Tim Sylvia. Rodriguez recently appeared on VH1's Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew and made a commitment to sobriety and returning to the MMA scene. Since returning to MMA, he has competed in four fights, winning two by TKO and losing two by decision. Rodriguez stands 6 ft 4 in tall and weighs 250 lbs and has a record of 27-7-0.

For the first time in over a decade, MMA will return to its origins by reviving the hugely popular tournament format, in which fighters will participate in multiple fights on their way to claiming the ultimate victory, the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion. The format will test the endurance and skill of each fighter, as victory in each round is rewarded not with extended rest, but with another fight. Tournament fighting has long been a huge draw for dedicated MMA fans due to the non-stop action provided by fight-after-fight formatting.

The April 11th fight card is as follows:

MASTERS SUPERFIGHTS (Two Five-Minute Rounds)
Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov VS. Mark Kerr
Butterbean VS. Gary "Big Daddy" Goodridge

8 MAN HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT (One Five-Minute Round & Championship is Three Five-Minute Rounds):
Marcelo “Pato” Pereira
Sherman Pendergarst
Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez
Tony Sylvester
Chris Tuscherer
Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff
Alexey Oleynik
George Bush

For more information, visit www.yammapitfighting.com or www.myspace.com/yammapitfighting

NO HOLDS BARRED: Renzo Gracie, Matt Serra, Wagnney Fabiano, Shamrock-Le Review, IFL Preview

3-31-3008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-03-30T20_42_42-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman begins by reviewing the mixed martial arts fight between Cung Le and Frank Shamrock held this past Saturday night, March 29, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. Cung Le won that fight by TKO at the end of the third round after one of his kicks broke Frank Shamrock's right arm. The relation between striking and grappling in mixed martial arts is particularly analyzed.

We next preview the upcoming mixed martial arts show of the International Fight League (IFL), which will be held this coming Friday, April 4, at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, popularly known as the Meadowlands. This card will be televised live on HDNet.

On that card, in camp vs. camp competition, the Renzo Gracie Academy takes on Midwest Combat, and the American Top Team faces the Miletich Fighting Systems camp. There will be three individual IFL championship bouts as well. Vladimir Matyushenko of Midwest Combat defends his light heavyweight title against Jamal Patterson of the Renzo Gracie Academy in a fight which will also be part of the camp competition. Wagnney Fabiano, the 145-pound champion, fights Shad Lierley, and 170-pound champion Jay Hieron fights Mark Miller.

We spoke with Wagnney Fabiano about what to expect from this fight and also his career in general.

We spoke with the master and legend, Renzo Gracie, about this card as well as his own plans and views.

We also spoke with one of Renzo's prize students, UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra, about his title defense April 19 against Georges St-Pierre in Montreal.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

 

STRIKEFORCE - Results

3-30-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the HP Pavilion at San Jose

 

Results:

1. Jesse Jones defeated Jesse Gillespie by TKO at 0:35 of rd 1 
2. Darren Uyenoyama defeated Anthony Figueroa by guillotine choke at 1:27 of rd 1
3. Tiki Goshn defeated Luke Stewart by unanimous decision 
4. Joey Villasenor defeated Ryan Jensen by KO at 4:45 of rd 1
5. Wayne Cole defeated Mike Kyle by armbar at :42 of rd 1
6. Gilbert Melendez defeated Gabe Lemley by TKO from strikes at 2:18 of rd 2
7. Drew Fickett defeated Jae Suk Lim by guillotine choke at 1:14 of rd 1
8. Cung Le def. Frank Shamrock by TKO due to injured arm at 5:00 of rd 3 

 

STRIKEFORCE "Shamrock vs. Cung Le" - Tonight

3-29-2008, Denver, CO, PNW

Event date: 03-29-2008

Venue: HP Pavilion at San Jose, CA. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., preliminary bouts at 5 p.m., main card will commence at 6 p.m.
The live SHOWTIME telecast of “Shamrock vs. Cung Le” will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

By Michael Afromowitz

Shortly after he weighed in a quarter pound too heavy, Strikeforce World Middleweight (185 lb. limit) Champion Frank Shamrock (23-8-1) returned to the scale, which revealed that he had reached the target weight for his highly anticipated title defense tomorrow against undefeated rival Cung Le (21-0). Le, meanwhile, weighed in at 183 lbs. during the official “Shamrock vs. Cung Le” weigh-ins at the HP Pavilion restaurant, The Grill, on Friday afternoon.

Drew “The Master” Fickett (32-5) shed four pounds after initially weighing in at 175 lbs, three lbs. over the contract weight of 172 lbs, for his matchup with Korean champion Jae Suk Lim (9-3), who tipped the skills at 170 lbs.

Main Event Bouts:
Strikeforce World Middleweight (185 lb. limit) Championship Bout: Frank Shamrock (185 lbs.) vs Cung Le (183 lbs.)

Strikeforce World Lightweight (155 lb. limit) Championship Bout: Gilbert Melendez (154 ½ lbs.) vs Gabe Lemley (153 lbs.)

Other Main Card Bouts:
Drew Fickett (175 lbs.) vs Jae Suk Lim (170 lbs).
Mike Kyle (225 lbs.) vs Wayne Cole (209 lbs.)
Joey Villasenor (185 lbs.) vs Ryan Jensen (186 lbs.)

Preliminary Card Bouts:
Marlon Sims (162 ½ lbs.) vs Billy Evangelista (160 ½ lbs.)
Tiki Ghosn (171 lbs.) vs Luke Stewart (171 lbs.)
Darren Uyenoyama (136 lbs.) vs Anthony Figueroa (133 lbs.)
Jesse Jones (173 ½ lbs.) vs Jesse Gillespie (180 lbs.)

 

WEC 33 - Fighter Purses

3-29-1008

Denver, CO

 

As reported by the Nevada State Athletic Commission:

 

1. Brian Stann ($18,000) defeated Doug Marshall ($10,000)
2. Chael Sonnen ($34,000) defeated Bryan Baker ($5,000)
3. Marcus Hicks ($10,000) defeated Ed Ratcliff ($7,000)
4. Steve Cantwell ($8,000) defeated Tim McKenzie ($6,000)
5. Hiromitsu Miura ($8,000) defeated Blas Avena ($6,000)
6. Brock Larson ($24,000) defeated John Alessio ($15,000)
7. Richard Crunkilton ($20,000) defeated Sergio Gomez ($4,000)
8. Alex Serdyukov ($12,000) defeated Ryan Stonitsch ($3,000)
9. Chris Manuel ($3,000) defeated Kenji Osawa ($5,000)
10. Logan Clark ($12,000) defeated Scott Harper ($3,000)
 

Total reported payroll: $213,000

 

NO HOLDS BARRED: Shamrock-Le Preview, African-American Wrestling Legends at NCAA Wrestling Championship

3-29-2008

Denver, CO

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman begins by previewing the mixed martial arts fight between Frank Shamrock and Cung Le. This will be held Saturday night, March 29, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. It will be shown in the U.S. as the main event of a joint EliteXC and Strikeforce telecast on Showtime at 9 PM ET/PT.

We next present the discussion which took place at the tribute organized by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (http://www.wrestlinghalloffame.org/) to the African-American wrestling experience, held March 20, at the 2008 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championship in St. Louis, Missouri.

Speaking are five African-American wrestling legends: Simon Roberts, who in 1957 wrestling at Iowa became the first African-American wrestler to win an NCAA wrestling championship; Bobby Douglas, the first African-American wrestler to represent the U.S. twice in the Olympics (1964 and 1968), the first African-American coach of an NCAA championship team (Arizona State in 1988), and the coach of undefeated four-time NCAA champion Cael Sanderson at Iowa State; Lee Kemp, a three-time NCAA champion at the University of Wisconsin and a three- time freestyle world champion (1978, 1979, and 1982); Lloyd Keaser, a 1973 world champion in freestyle and a two-time All-American at the Naval Academy; and Kenny Monday, the first African-American wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal (1988), a silver medalist in 1992 in freestyle wrestling, a world champion in freestyle wrestling in 1983, an NCAA champion in 1984 wrestling for Oklahoma State, and the Extreme Fighting welterweight championship in 1997.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link below and just press the play button on the player:
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-03-29T05_30_57-07_00

 

NBC To Premiere Strikeforce Series
3-28-2008

Denver, CO

BURBANK -- March 28, 2008 -- In a major step for the fastest-growing sport around the globe, NBC has partnered with world championship promotion company Strikeforce to be the first to premiere a weekly mixed martial arts cage fight series on broadcast television. "Strikeforce on NBC" will premiere the night of April 12 from 2-2:30 a.m. ET on NBC.

The announcement was made by Jerry Petry, Executive Vice President, NBC Universal Television.

"Mixed martial arts has exploded onto the sports scene. Its athletes are tremendous competitors and the sport is one of the fastest growing in the world," said Petry. "As a leader in this arena, Strikeforce will be able to deliver some of the finest and most intense action ever seen on broadcast TV."

"It’s truly an honor to have the opportunity to bring the Strikeforce mixed martial arts product to one of the longest-standing and most well-respected national television platforms," said Strikeforce Chief Executive Officer Scott Coker. "NBC has a history of popular late Saturday TV and in the 80’s NBC’s ‘Saturday Night’s Main Event’ show helped catapult the popularity of professional wrestling. Strikeforce is looking to follow in suit and establish a legacy of its own on the network."

"Strikeforce on NBC" will air immediately following NBC’s hit poker tournament series, "Poker After Dark" (1-2 a.m. ET/check local listings), the core audience of which -- 18-34 year old males -- matches that of mixed martial arts.

Each episode of the hard-hitting series will feature Strikeforce mixed martial arts fights and highlights as well as fighter profiles. Mixed martial arts pits fighters skilled in a wide array of combat disciplines against each other inside a caged-in ring. Popular disciplines include boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and judo, among others. The premiere Strikeforce episode will feature superstar Cung Le vs. Brian Warren, Duane "Bang" Ludwig vs. Tony "The Freak" as well as a profile on Le, recognized as one of the most dynamic competitors in the sport.

Strikeforce launched its mixed martial arts fight series on March 10, 2006 with "Shamrock vs. Gracie," the first sanctioned mixed martial arts event in California state history. The fight card attracted a sellout crowd of 18,265 to San Jose’s HP Pavilion and broke the all-time record for attendance at a mixed martial arts event in North America.

The series is being produced by Kevin Cusick of KC Productions in conjunction with Carr-Hughes Productions.

 

NO HOLDS BARRED: Simon Roberts, Kenny Monday, Carl Adams, and Jason Bryant at NCAA Wrestling Championship

3-28-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-03-27T12_51_13-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman continues playing interviews recorded at the 2008 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championship, which were held March 20-22 in St. Louis, Missouri.

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame (http://www.wrestlinghalloffame.org/), located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, organized an exhibit and held a tribute program March 20 at the NCAA wrestling tournament honoring many of the key men who are historical figures in the African-American wrestling experience. Right after this event, we spoke with some of them.

We spoke with Simon Roberts, who, in 1957, wrestling at 147 pounds for the University of Iowa, became the first African-American wrestler to win an NCAA wrestling championship.

We spoke with Kenny Monday, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1988 and a silver medal in 1992 in freestyle wrestling, won a world championship in freestyle wrestling in 1983, won an NCAA title in 1984 wrestling for Oklahoma State at 150 pounds, and won the Extreme Fighting welterweight championship in 1997.

We spoke with Carl Adams (http://www.carladams.com/), the longtime head wrestling coach at Boston University, who as a wrestler was a four-time national champion, winning two NCAA titles at Iowa State and two national freestyle titles.

In addition, the National Wrestling Media Association (NWMA) (http://www.wrestlingstats.com/NWMA), the national professional organization for journalists who cover the sport of amateur wrestling, held its annual meeting March 22 between the morning and evening sessions of the NCAA wrestling tournament. We spoke with Jason Bryant, vice president of the NWMA, and webmaster and lead writer of the noted wrestling web site InterMat (http://intermatwrestle.com/), about the wrestling media and its tasks. This discussion will be of particular interest not only to those who follow wrestling, but also those interested in understanding media and journalism.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

 

W.E.C. 33 - Results

3-27-2008

Denver, CO, PNW

 

From the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada

 

Results:

1.  Logan Clark defeated Scott Harper by TKO at 4:37 of rd 

2.  Kenji Osawa vs. Chris Manuel was judged a draw

3.  Alex Serdyukov defeated Ryan Stonitsch by triangle choke at 1:35 of rd 1

4.  Rich Crunkilton defeated Sergio Gomez by unanimous decision 
5.  Brock Larson defeated John Alessio by disqualification (illegal knee) at 1:50 of rd 1

6.  Hiromitsu Miura defeated Blas Avena by TKO at 2:35 of rd 1

7.  Steve Cantwell defeated Tim McKenzie by rear choke at 2:13 of rd 1

8.  Marcus Hicks defeated Ed Ratcliff by guillotine choke at 1:42 of rd 1

9.  Chael Sonnen defeated Bryan Baker by unanimous decision

10. Main event: Brian Stann defeated Doug Marshall by TKO from strikes at 1:35 of rd 1

 

PANCRASE 2008 Shining Tour - Results

3-27-2008, Denver, CO

 

From the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

 

Results:
1. Tomoyoshi Iwamiya defeated Asaki Honda by unanimous decision
2. Ichiro Kanai vs. Takenori Sato was judged a draw
3. Michihisa Asano defeated Yukito by decision
4. Shinsuke Shoji defeated Kenji Arai by unanimous decision
5. Takafumi Ito vs. Hacran Dias was judged a draw
6. Gadzhiev Alavutdin defeated Hikaru Sato by TKO at 1:20 of rd 1
7. Izuru Takeuchi defeated Hiromitsu Kanehara by unanimous decision 
8. Marlon Sandro defeated Miki Shida by KO at 4:19 of rd 2

 

KEN SHAMROCK: Official statement regarding brother Frank Shamrock's recent accusations that Ken used steroids his entire life.

3-26-2007

Denver, CO

"During a recent interview with MMA Madness, Frank stated that I have used steroids "my whole life." In making such a reckless and irresponsible statement, Frank has attacked my character. As such, I unfortunately find it necessary to respond to his allegations. I’m not sure what his motives were, but Frank’s allegations are absolutely false. 

During the interview, Frank also comments on the percentage of fighters that are allegedly using steroids, promoters that supposedly don’t care about their fighters unless they win, and the industry’s drug testing policies, or lack thereof. I would like to set the record straight.

Our sport has policies in place to deter steroid use and to weed out the guys that, as my brother says, "…are taking shortcuts to gain fame." I have been subjected to mandatory steroid testing countless times and I have never tested positive for steroids, nor have I ever refused a test. Furthermore, my experience has always been that the promoters and fighters willingly comply with the drug testing mandated by the various Athletic Commissions.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has always administered steroid and drug testing for licensed fighters. Recently, in an effort to further strengthen steroid testing policies, the NSAC implemented short-notice drug testing for MMA fighters. Fighters are now required to test at fixed times during the year, and are also randomly tested. Commissions in other states have similar policies in place. These policies clearly work as fighters occasionally do test positive and the penalties are significant.

For Frank to state that a majority of fighters use steroids and that the promoters do not care, or that they somehow condone the use of steroids, is unbelievably irresponsible. It tarnishes the image of every fighter and promoter in this industry. The comments Frank made about me and about the industry itself are based purely on his personal opinion, not on facts.

Frank should acknowledge that his comments were without merit and irresponsible, and apologize for the disparaging remarks he has made towards the fighters, promoters, and to the various athletic commissions who regulate MMA."

Ken Shamrock 

 

NO HOLDS BARRED: Tom Brands, John Smith, and the 2008 NCAA Wrestling Champions

3-25-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-03-25T04_36_36-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman reviews the 2008 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championship, which were held March 20-22 in St. Louis, Missouri.

We have comments from all ten of the individual champions: Angel Escobedo of Indiana (125), Coleman Scott of Oklahoma State (133), J. Jaggers of Ohio State (141), Brent Metcalf of Iowa (149), Jordan Leen of Cornell (157), Mark Perry of Iowa (165), Keith Gavin of Pittsburgh (174), Mike Pucillo of Ohio State (184), Phil Davis of Penn State (197), and Dustin Fox of Northwestern (285).

We spoke with Tom Brands, head coach of the 2008 national champion Iowa Hawkeyes, and John Smith, head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

We also plan to have more interviews from this event later this week.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

 

STRIKEFORCE -  "Shamrock vs. Cung Le" 

3-24-2008, Denver, CO, PNW

Event date: 03-29-2008

Venue: HP Pavilion at San Jose, CA 

 

After months of circling around each other, world champions and Bay Area rivals, Frank Shamrock (23-8-1) and undefeated Cung Le (21-0), will finally face off in the cage when Shamrock defends his Strikeforce World Middleweight (185-pound limit) Championship against Le in the main event of an eagerly anticipated EliteXC-Strikeforce co-promoted mixed martial arts extravaganza Saturday, March 29, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

 

Fight Card:

1. Frank Shamrock Cung Le 
2. Jake Shields Drew Fickett 
3. Evangelista Santos Joey Villasenor 
4. Nick Diaz Jae Suk Lim 
5. Luke Stewart Tiki Ghosn 

 

ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series - Results

3-22-2008

Denver, CO

 

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. (March 22, 2008) – The rules are abundantly clear: in mixed martial arts, a fighter is not permitted to deliver an elbow in a downward motion (ceiling to floor). Nor is a fighter allowed to strike an opponent behind the back of the head.

Malaipet did both in the closing seconds of the first-round against Thomas “Wildman” Denny Friday in the main event of ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series on SHOWTIME, and was disqualified.

The telecast, which featured five fights, aired at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast) from Chumash Casino Resort at Santa Ynez, Calif.
SHOWTIME announcer Mauro Ranallo called the play-by-play for ShoXC with Stephen Quadros, The Fight Professor, serving as color analyst. The executive producer of ShoXC is David Dinkins, Jr. with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing. Friday’s card will re-air as follows:
DAY CHANNEL 
Monday, March 24, 8 p.m. ET/PT SHO EXTREME
Tuesday, March 25, Midnight ET/PT SHO EXTREME

The telecast also will air on SHOWTIME On Demand from Monday, March 24-Sunday, April 20.

Results: 
1. Thomas Denny defeated Malaipet by disqualification from illegal strikes
2. Conor Heun defeated Marlon Mathias by unanimous decision 
3. Jaime Fletcher defeated Aaron Rosa by unanimous decision 
4. Shane Del Rosario defeated Analu Brash by TKO from strikes at 3:18 of rd 1
5. Mark Oshiro defeated Chris Cariaso by TKO from strikes at 2:38 of rd 1
6. Brandon Tarn defeated Jason Williams by choke at 1:05 of rd 2
7. Devin Howard defeated Mark Kempthorne by choke at 2:53 of rd 1 
8. Lyle Beerbohm defeated Vince Guzman by choke at 3:26 of rd 2
9. Kenny Johnson defeated Michael Penafiel by unanimous decision 
10. Steve Gable defeated Eric Jones by TKO from strike at 2:47 of rd 1

 

BATTLEQUEST 8: TAPOUT!

March 21, 2007
Denver, CO

www.COLORADOFIGHTEVENTS.com presents BATTLEQUEST 8: TAPOUT!

On Friday April 11th, BATTLEQUEST returns to the Denver area with its eighth installment entitled TAPOUT!. 

In the main event Team Jackson fighter John "The Magician" Dodson will take on Vern Baca of Gumm MMA. 

Dodson hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico and has a record of 7-3. The charismatic fighter has been described as having a "Sakuraba Style". Flips, spins, cartwheels and smiles are all part of Dodson's arsenal. His exciting style has earned him a trip to Japan and soon after a spot on a ROF affiliate event. Promoter Sven Bean was impressed and offered a shot at the ROF 135 Belt. Dodson wowed the crowd from bell to bell, but in the end lost a decison to Joe Doherty. Dodson can take risks that thrill the audience, but he also backs it up with determination, athleticism and skill. His camp at Jacksons is a who's who of MMA, and training there gives him the confidence to pull off his acrobatic attacks. He is looking to make a big impact at Battlequest and take the next step in his MMA career, and hopefully get noticed by a national promotion.

As a senior in high school, Vern Baca compiled a perfect 35-0 season. He captured the State Championship that year which led to a wrestling scholarship to the Colorado School Of mines. The agressive wrestler is long time veteran of RING OF FIRE. Originally fighting at 155, and facing some of the strongest lightweights on the roster, Baca always came in as the much smaller opponent. In early 2007 Baca dropped to his more natural walk around weight of 145, and immediately racked up a win against Gerald Lovato of FIT NHB. At Battlequest, Baca will drop to 135 for the first time in his fight career. The cut to 135 isn't a big deal, according to coach and UFC veteran Brad Gumm. Gumm feels this is the perfect weight class, and that the compact powerhouse will finally settle into his MMA groove. 

In the feature bout of the evening Ian "ICE" Berg will face active John Bryant of Wichita, Kansas. The two will compete for the vacant BATTLEQUEST MIDDLE WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP. The under card is filled with some of the area's most talented fighters including the dynamic Brandon Thatch, and Infinite Martial Art's Ralston Baker. Also returning to the cage will be rising female star Cat Albert.

The full card will be released next week.

BATTLEQUEST is known as a breeding ground for new talent and is the feeder show to the popular RING OF FIRE Championship Fighting promotion. The night will feature at least 10 matches and will take place at the Softball Country Sports Pavilion. The Sports Pavilion is a great venue for fight events as it also the home of Poor Boys Professional Boxing series. 

---

**TAPOUT WILL BE AT BATTLEQUEST** 

You have watched their show on the Versus Network! 

You have seen them cageside at the UFC and WEC events! 

Now this is your chance to join MASK, PUNKASS and SKYSCRAPE live and in person as their TV show rolls through the Mile High city. 

"Traveling around the country in a tricked out tour bus, the crew is on the hunt to discover a fighter who has what it takes to represent the TapouT label; and before these up and comers fight their way out of the cage, they have to fight their way in with the TapouT crew. The crew bonds with their fighter testing out his personality, and in between the usual TapouT mayhem makes sure their new protégé gets the proper training before the big fight. In each episode, it's all on the line in the dramatic conclusion as each fighter gets one shot to impress the crew and show off his skills in the cage."

Last year TAPOUT filmed at a RING OF FIRE event. The episode was seen by millions of MMA fans across the world, and helped to launch the career of Donald COWBOY Cerrone. 

Come and be a part of the national TV show filming, live, April 11th as they hit the Battlequest 8 event in search of their next big MMA breakout star!

Tickets can be purchased at any KING SOOPERS location or online at www.ticketswest.com. You can also charge by phone at 866-464-2626. Doors will open at 6:30 and the first bout will start promptly at 7:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices: Rows 1-2 $50.00, Rows 3-6 $35.00, Rows 7-14 $25.00, Bleachers $25.00

Visit www.rofmma.com and www.coloradofightevents.com over the next few weeks for updates to the fight card, in depth interviews and fighter bios.

 

UFC Fight Night  - Broomfield, CO Lineup

3-19-2008, Broomfield, CO

Event date: April 2, 2008
Venue: Broomfield Event Center, CO 
Doors will open at the Broomfield Event Center 2pm Mountain Time, first fight at 2:45pm MT, on-air at 5pm MT

A special SPIKE presentation - LIVE 3 hour show starts at 7pm until 10pm. 
Re-air: Wednesday 4/2 12am, Sunday 4/6 1.30pm, Tuesday 4/6 7pm

Main Fight Card:
1. Kenny Florian Vs. Joe Lauzon 
2. Thiago Alves Vs. Karo Parisyan 
3. Matt Hamill Vs. Tim Boetsch 
5. Kurt Pellegrino Vs. Nate Diaz 
6. James Irvin Vs. Houston Alexander 

 

Preliminary Bouts:
7. Gray Maynard Vs. Frank Edgar 
8. Josh Neer Vs. Din Thomas 
9. Jeff Cox Vs. Manny Gamburyan 
10. Samy Schiavo Vs. Clay Guida 
11. Roman Mitichyan Vs. George Sotiropoulos 
12. Anthony Johnson Vs. Tommy Speer 

 

NO HOLDS BARRED: 2008 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championship Preview with Bob Mayeri

3-18-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-03-17T21_54_13-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with our correspondent, veteran wrestling journalist and photographer Bob Mayeri, about the 2008 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championship (http://www.stlsports.org/wrestling). This event takes place from Thursday, March 20, to Saturday, March 22, at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

We discuss the relative parity which has emerged this season in college wrestling, and both preview the team race and list the favorites in each of the ten weight classes. We also discuss some of the important wrestling-related activities which will be going on between sessions of this tournament.

The finals will be shown live on ESPN and ESPN360.com starting at 8:30 PM EDT/7:30 PM CDT Saturday night, March 22. The quarterfinals will air on ESPNU and ESPN360.com Friday, March 21, starting at 11 AM EDT/10 AM CDT. The semifinals will be syndicated by ESPNU Friday evening starting at 7 PM EDT/6 PM CDT, so check your local listings. ESPNU will also carry the medal rounds live Saturday morning, March 22, starting at 11 AM EDT/10 AM CDT.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

 

DREAM.1 - Light Weight Grand Prix Tournament 1st Round Results

3-16-2008, Denver, CO

Denver, CO

 

From the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

1. Shinya Aoki vs. Gesias Calvancante was a no contest (Illegal strike)
2. Tatsuya Kawajiri defeated Kultar Gill by unanimous decision
3. Eddie Alvarez defeated Andre “Dida” Amade by TKO at 6:47 of rd 1
4. Mirko “Cro Cop” defeated Tatsuya Mizuno by TKO from strikes at 0:56 of rd 1
5. Mitsuhiro Ishida defeated Jung Bu Kyung by unanimous decision
6. Katsuhiko Nagata defeated Artur Oumakhanov by unanimous decision
7. Luiz Buscape Firmino defeatedKazuyuki Miyata by rear choke at 7:37 of rd 1
8. Joachim Hansen defeated Koutetsu Boku by unanimous decision
9. Hayato Mach Sakurai defeated Hidetaka Monma by TKO from strikes at 4:12 of rd 1
10. Ikuhisa Minowa defeated Lee Gwan by kneebar at 1:25 of rd 1

 

2008 PANCRASE World Submission Wrestling Championship  & 

17th Old Timers Tourney - Today in Broomfield, CO

3-15-2008, Broomfield, CO

Venue: Broomfield, H. S., 1 Eagle Way, Broomfield, CO 80020

 

Final Weigh-in and registration:  Saturday, March 15, 2007, 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. also at Broomfield High School - Wilkerson Gym

 

Both Tournaments begin at 9:00 a.m.

 

Spectators Fee: Adults - $6, Kids (5-17) - $5, Kids under 5 free

 

WEC MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE BOUT POSTPONED
3-15-2008

Denver, CO

WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho has chosen to withdraw from his March 26th title defense against Chael Sonnen after voluntarily checking himself into an undisclosed rehabilitation center in Brazil on Thursday morning, March 13, to seek help for a substance abuse problem.

“This is horrible news, but we’re proud of him for stepping up and recognizing his problem,” said Filho’s manager, Ed Soares. “At times like this you realize who your true friends are and who really supports you, and the people around him now are supporting him and are gonna be with him when he comes back. Paulo apologizes to his fans but he thanks them for their support and he promised that the next time they see him, he’ll be back at 100 percent and will be the Paulo Filho everyone expects to see.”

“We fully support Paulo in this difficult time and our thoughts are with him as he goes through recovery,” said Peter Dropick, WEC Vice President. 

In the 29-year old Filho’s last bout, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 12, 2007, the unbeaten champion defended his title for the first time with a second round submission victory over Sonnen. 

The WEC light heavyweight title bout between Doug Marshall and Brian Stann will now be moved into the March 26th main event slot. Any further plans regarding the card will be announced at a later date.

 

DREAM.1 - Light Weight Grand Prix Tournament 1st Round

3-14-2008, Denver, CO

Event Date: March 15, 2008

Venue: Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan

 

Fight card:

1. Minowaman vs. Mr. X 
2. Hayato “Mach” Sakurai vs. Hidetaka Monma 
3. Kotetsu Boku vs. Joachim Hansen 
4. Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Luiz Buscape 
5. Katsuhiko Nagata vs. Artur Umakhanov 
6. Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Jung Bu-Kyung 
7. Mirko Cro Cop vs. Tatsuya Mizuno 
8. Andre Dida vs. Eddie Alvarez 
9. Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Black Mamba 
10.Shin’ya Aoki vs. JZ Calvan 

NO HOLDS BARRED: Mo Lawal, Rory Markham, Pat Miletich, James Moore, Cristy Nickel, Oliva Fonseca, Bruce Silverglade, Mike O'Sullivan, Never Back Down

3-13-2008

Denver, COhttp://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-03-13T07_52_33-07_00

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman begins by reviewing the new mixed martial arts-themed film, "Never Back Down" (http://www.neverbackdownthemovie.com/), which opens in theaters Friday, March 14.

Next, we speak with one of the top freestyle wrestlers in America and the world, Mo Lawal (http://www.myspace.com/molawal). He has just signed with Team Quest (http://www.teamquestmma.com/) and plans to start his professional mixed martial arts career following the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Rory Markham of the IFL will fight Emyr Bussade in a welterweight MMA fight Friday, April 4, on a card at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., popularly known as the Meadowlands. Markham is also a member of the Miletich Fighting Systems camp, led by MMA legend Pat Miletich, which will face the American Top Team in their first IFL action. We spoke with Rory Markham and Pat Miletich on a media teleconference call this week.

The annual tradition of a major boxing show at Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick’s Day weekend continues this year on Saturday, March 15, with a new headliner. Unbeaten junior middleweight James Moore (14-0, 10 KOs) of Queens, NY, via County Wicklow, Ireland, will have the toughest opponent of his pro career when he faces veteran former title challenger J.C. Candelo (27-9-4, 18 KOs). This is also only the second card being run by the new Celtic Gloves Promotions (http://www.celticgloves.com/), which was formed principally to promote Moore. This card will take place at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, and will be webcast live at GoFightLive.com (http://gofightlive.com/).

At a news conference this week, we spoke with James Moore about what to expect this Saturday night. We also spoke with women's junior middleweights Cristy Nickel (7-5, 4 KOs) and Oliva Fonseca (1-1-2), who fight each other on this card. We spoke with Bruce Silverglade, the matchmaker for Celtic Gloves Promotions, who is also the president and owner of the famed Gleason's Gym (http://gleasonsgym.net/). And we spoke with Mike O'Sullivan, co-owner of Celtic Gloves Promotions.

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IFL - Finalizes New Jersey Card 
3-13-2008

Denver, CO

Olympia, Wash., Welterweight to Take on Heleno; Dias, Marrero To Compete for ATT; Lamotte Challenges Horodecki

NEW YORK, March 13, 2008 – “Bad” Brad Blackburn (Olympia, Wash.) is among four athletes who have been added to the card when the International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI) returns to the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., on Friday, April 4. The IFL veteran will take on Delson Heleno (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) in a welterweight clash, one of nine mixed martial arts bouts on the slate.

The IFL has also announced the addition of three other pros to complete the lineup, including featherweight Rafael Dias (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and light heavyweight Carmelo Marrero (Douglasville, Pa.), who will represent American Top Team in its first IFL action, as they take on Miletich Fighting Systems’ L.C. Davis (Kansas City, Mo.) and Mike Ciesnolevicz (Williamstown, Pa.), respectively. Also added to the card is Nate Lamotte, who will take on 20-year-old phenom Chris Horodecki (London, Ontario) in a lightweight bout.

The charismatic Blackburn has three wins in five IFL decisions, including a victory over Hieron last June. His only bout since then was a “no contest” against Travis Cox in Florida last September. Dias won his IFL debut on Feb. 29, submitting Santino DeFranco in the first round. Marrero and Lamotte will be making their first IFL appearances in New Jersey.

As previously announced, IFL titleholders Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko (Belarus), Jay “The Thorobred” Hieron (Freeport, N.Y./Las Vegas) and Wagnney Fabiano (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) will defend their belts on April 4. Matyushenko will battle Jamal Patterson (Jersey City, N.J.) for the light heavyweight crown; Hieron will take on Mark Miller (Chicago) at 170 lbs., and Fabiano will accept the challenge of Shad Lierley (Seattle) at 145 lbs. In a non-title bout, Rory Markham (Chicago) will oppose Emyr Bussade (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) in a matchup of welterweights.

Tickets are available at the IZOD Center Box Office (located at the Meadowlands), www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (201) 507-8900.

IFL East Rutherford, N.J.
Friday, April 4, 2008
(order TBD)

Additional Bout 
155 lbs.: Chris Horodecki (London, Ontario) (7-1 IFL, 11-1 overall MMA) vs. Nate Lamotte (0-0, 6-2)

American Top Team vs. Miletich Fighting Systems
145 lbs.: Rafael Dias (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (1-0, 10-3-1) vs. LC Davis (Kansas City, Mo.) (2-0, 9-1)
170 lbs.: Emyr Bussade (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (0-0, 10-5) vs. Rory Markham (Chicago) (6-2, 12-3)
205 lbs.: Carmelo Marrero (Douglasville, Pa.) (0-0, 7-2) vs. Mike Ciesnolevicz (Williamstown, Pa.) (5-3, 13-3)

Midwest Combat vs. Renzo Gracie Academy
155 lbs.: Bart Palaszewski (Wonderlake, Ill.) (8-3, 29-10) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) (3-0, 9-2)
170 lbs.: Brad Blackburn (Olympia, Wash.) (3-2, 11-9-1) vs. Delson Heleno (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (6-3, 13-4)
*205 lbs.: **Vladimir Matyushenko (Belarus) (5-0, 20-3) vs. Jamal Patterson (Jersey City, N.J.) (4-1, 4-1)

Additional Championship Bouts 
*170 lbs.: **Jay Hieron (Freeport, N.Y.) (6-2, 14-4) vs. Mark Miller (Chicago) (2-1, 8-2)
*145 lbs.: **Wagnney Fabiano (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (5-0, 9-1) vs. Shad Lierley (Seattle) (2-1, 2-1)

*Championship Bout
**Current Titleholder

 

ELITEXC/STRIKEFORCE - Shields vs. Fickett for Welterweight world title

3-12-2008, Denver, CO

Event date: March 29, 2008

Venue: HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif

LOS ANGELES  – Weeks after he was awarded a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, Jake Shields will try to add another belt to his wardrobe when he faces Drew Fickett for the vacant EliteXC world welterweight crown March 29, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

In another outstanding match on a sensational mixed martial arts card headlined by a Strikeforce middleweight title fight between defending champion Frank Shamrock and Cung Le, former Pride Fighting Championship star Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos will throw down with EliteXC standout Joey “Dream Smasher” Villasenor in a middleweight scrap.

Tickets, starting at $30, are on sale at HP Pavilion (408) 287-7070, at Ticketmaster locations (408) 998-TIXS, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), EliteXC’s official website (www.ProElite.com) and Strikeforce’s official website (www.Strikeforceusa.net). Doors will open at 5 p.m. The first live fight is at 6 o’clock PT.

“A fight between popular Bay Area major draws and arch-rivals, the legendary Frank Shamrock and the unbeaten sensation, Cung Le, could sell out San Jose by itself, but this fight card will end up stacked from top to bottom,’’ EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw said.

The stellar eight-bout event will mark the second collaboration between Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s EliteXC, and Strikeforce. The first, which featured Shamrock versus Phil Baroni on June 22, 2007, in San Jose, was a major success.

“The HP Pavilion is a terrific venue that’s always drawn some of the biggest crowds in MMA,’’ Shaw said. “With the addition of a Shields-Fickett EliteXC world title fight and a great fight between Villasenor and Santos, fans in attendance and those watching on SHOWTIME will be treated to an outstanding night of fights.

“Jake’s been waiting to prove he’s the world’s best middleweight and now he gets his chance against a tough, talented veteran like Fickett. The Villasenor-Santos fight will be a war.’’

In addition to the three aforementioned fights, two more bouts will be televised live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). Fans can watch pre- and post-fight interviews at ProElite.com.

Regarding the recently added matches, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said: “The Shields-Fickett and Santos-Villasenor fights are both highly competitive matchups, each bringing together fighters who are amongst the best in their area of expertise.

“In one, you have two heavy-handed punchers, almost guaranteeing there will be a knockout. In the other, you have two exceptional ground technicians who can submit an opponent from virtually any position on the mat. 

“These are the types of fights that make MMA so great and unique and we're looking forward to bringing them to San Jose.’’

The 170-pound title fight between Shields (20-4-1) and Fickett (31-5) will be a fun and terrific technical fight between two modest but supremely confident and talented submission artists in perhaps the toughest tests in their careers.

The winner will become EliteXC’s first world champ at welterweight and third overall. Robbie Lawler (middleweight) and KJ Noons (lightweight) are the other EliteXC belt-holders.

 

PANCRASE 2008 SHINING TOUR - Fight Card

3-11-2008, Denver, CO

Event Date: Wednesday, March 26th, 2008
DOORS OPEN; 18:00 PRO BOUT#1 STARTS; 18:30
Venue: Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan

 

 

Main Event - Challenging for the Next Featherweight Championship bout 3x5 min rounds:
MIKI SHIDA (Featherweight 2nd Ranked/Pancrase P's LAB-Tokyo) vs. MARLON SANDRO (Featherweight 4th Ranked/Nova Uniao) 

 

Semi Main - Middleweight 3x5 min rounds:
IZURU TAKEUCHI (The 7th Middleweight K.O.P./SK Absolute) vs. HIROMITSU KANEHARA (U.K.R.) 

 

Pro Bout #6 - Middleweight 3x5 min rounds:

ALAVUTDIN GADZHIEV (Middleweight 4th Ranked/SK Absolute-Russia) vs. HIKARU SATO (Pancrase ism) 

 

Pro Bout #5 - Lightweight 3x5 min rounds: 
TAKAFUMI ITO (Lightweight 4th Ranked/Pancrase ism) vs. HACRAN DIAS(Pancrase Debut/Nova Uniao) 

 

Pro Bout #4 - Lightweight 3x5 min rounds:
KENJI ARAI (Lightweight 7th Ranked/Pancrase ism) vs. SHINSUKE SHOJI(KRAZY BEE) 

 

Pro Bout #3 - Bantamweight 2x5 min rounds:
MICHIHISA ASANO (Bantamweight 2nd Ranked/KRAZY BEE) vs. YUKITO (U-FILE CAMP.com) 

 

Pro Bout #2 - Middleweight 2x5 min rounds:
ICHIRO KANAI (Pancrase ism) vs. TAKENORI SATO (Pancrase Debut/Laughter7) 

 

Pro Bout #1 - Welterweight 2x5 min rounds:
ASAKI HONDA (Pancrase P's LAB-Yokohama) vs. TOMOYOSHI IWAMIYA (Takada Dojo) 

 

CAGE RAGE 25: Results - Shamrock KOed in round 1
3-9-2008

Denver, CO

 

From the  Wembly Arena in London, England.

1. John Phillips defeated Jake Bostwick by TKO from strikes at 4:10 of rd 1
2. John Hathaway defeated Marvin Arnold by TKO from strikes at 1:32 of rd 1
3. Giorgio Andrews defeated Ryan Shamrock TKO (unable to continue after rd 1)
4. Aisling Daly defeated Aysen Berik by TKO from strikes 1:49 of rd 1
5. Henrique Santana defeated Michael Johnson by unanimous decision
6. Ivan Serati defeated Roman Webber by TKO from strikes at 0:48 of rd 1
7. Mustapha Al Turk defeated Gary Turner by submission from strikes 3:19 of rd 1
8. Tom Watson defeated Pierre Guillet by TKO from strikes at 2:05 of rd 1
9. Rob Broughton defeated Neil Grove by decision
10. Masakazu Imanari defeated Jean Silva by foot lock at 2:30 of rd 1
11. Robert "Buzz" Berry defeated Ken Shamrock by KO at 3:26 of rd 1

NO HOLDS BARRED: Mike Chapman on Frank Gotch Day and When Pro Wrestling Was Real

3-8-2008

Denver, CO

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-03-08T04_42_16-08_00

On this special edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with noted wrestling historian and author Mike Chapman, who is the executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa (http://wrestlingmuseum.org/).

April 3 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the world heavyweight wrestling championship match between Frank Gotch and George Hackenschmidt in Chicago. This match, won by Gotch, took place in an era when professional wrestling was still a real sport.

To commemorate this anniversary, April 3, 2008, is being celebrated as Frank Gotch Day in Gotch's hometown of Humboldt, Iowa, and in Waterloo and at the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum (http://wrestlingmuseum.org/gotchday.htm). The Governor of Iowa, Chet Culver, has also declared April 3, 2008, as Frank Gotch Day statewide.

In an in-depth discussion, we speak with Mike Chapman about the legend of Frank Gotch, how pro wrestling was largely real in Gotch's day and why it changed, what lessons can be learned for wrestling from this, the celebration planned for Frank Gotch Day, the Museum's co-sponsoring the annual WIN Magazine Memorabilia Show at the 2008 NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championship March 20-22 in St. Louis, and more.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

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