North American Fighting Championship Debut Show “Stand Your Ground” – Watch Live on GFL (VIDEO)
Original Video- More videos at TinyPic
Caged Madness this Saturday
NFL LEGEND AND GREEN BAY PACKER HALL OF FAMER GILBERT BROWN JUMPS INTO MMA BUSINESS
NFL LEGEND AND GREEN BAY PACKER HALL OF FAMER GILBERT BROWN JUMPS INTO MMA BUSINESS
Monday, February 1, 2010 (Milwaukee, WI USA) Legendary NFL Nose Tackle and Green Bay Packer Hall of Famer Gilbert Brown has entered into an agreement with Milwaukeeans Duke Roufus and Scott Joffe, principals of United States Fighting Championship (USFC), to become a partner in their company.
Partnering with Brown is the latest move by Roufus and Joffe, who recently morphed their successful Gladiators Fighting organization into the highly anticipated USFC and their statewide promotion, Wisconsin Fighting Championship (WFC), which made it’s debut this past Saturday night at Wisconsin State Fair Park.
Brown, a longtime MMA fan who will fill the roll of New Business Development Director for the USFC, thinks the timing couldn’t be better, saying, “While football will always be VERY special to me, I see how excited people get about MMA. I love watching it any chance I get. I feel this is a great opportunity for me to get involved.”
Roufus, who recently spearheaded the successful statewide effort to get MMA regulated by the state of Wisconsin, knows exactly what having someone like Gilbert Brown on board means to their company, stating “This opens new doors for the USFC and creates greater opportunities. Gilbert’s been coming to our shows for quite a while now, but I never thought we’d be in a business relationship like this. We want to be known as the organization that feeds the best up and coming MMA talent to the UFC and the WEC. I have nothing but respect for what they have accomplished and enjoy a great relationship with everyone at the UFC and WEC. This is a win-win for everyone, especially the fans.”
Brown believes the MMA explosion will only keep growing, predicting “MMA has potential to be bigger than anything out there and I’m very excited.” He continued, “I trust Scott and Duke 200% in what they have planned for the USFC. It’s a great idea that’s going to showcase a whole new crop of talent. We have some great ideas that we’ll be rolling out over the next few weeks and months. I’m excited and MMA fans across the country should be too.”
The group intends to target the “spaces between the places,” concentrating on towns the UFC or WEC wouldn’t normally produce an event in. Joffe says, “We’re happy being the farm league so-to-speak, and who do you see at that level in other sports? The best there ever will be and the best there ever was. That’s the roll the USFC intends to play. Fans worldwide will enjoy the exciting bouts our matchmakers are putting together.”
While a few former NFL players have fought in the cage (most recently Herschel Walker who won in his pro MMA debut at age 47 this past Saturday), Brown is believed to be the first to actually own part of an MMA fighting franchise.
Brown’s involvement will undoubtedly help the base of MMA fighters expand as his contacts with current and former players at all levels include more than a few that have expressed interest in competing in MMA. It’s also a natural fit for the partnership, as Roufus and Joffe own Roufusport/Duke Roufus MMA Academy, home of UFC fighters Ben Rothwell, Alan Belcher, Red Schafer, Pat Barry, Razak Al-Hassan, WEC fighters Anthony Pettis and Eric Koch, and star of Season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter Solomon Hutcherson. In addition, former NFL player and star of Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter Matt Matrione has agreed to train at Roufusport for his next upcoming UFC bout.
• The partnership will also benefit the Gilbert Brown Foundation which makes it possible for disadvantaged youth in cities across the country to participate in a variety of activities they wouldn’t normally get a chance to take part in, while instilling life building skills necessary to make it in today’s world. A portion of profits from each USFC show will directly benefit the foundation.
The group also plans on announcing a new program they are developing along with the foundation that will bring free MMA instruction to inner-city youth in an attempt to provide mentoring, curb youth violence, re-establish respect for the sport of fighting, and possibly discover hidden MMA talent.
• Brown was a vital part of the Packer’s XXXI Super Bowl victory and became a legend in Wisconsin after the team signed him (after being released by the Minnesota Vikings) in 1993. He is known for his signature “Gravedigger” celebratory dance following a thunderous tackle.
• Brown is Head Coach of the expansion La Crosse Spartans of the Indoor Football League.
• Brown has boxed and wrestled on charitable events.
• Former Packer Running Back Herbert “Whisper” Goodman started training MMA a few years ago and has compiled a respectable 12-7 professional record to date. Goodman, sporting a 6-3 record at the time, fought on Roufus and Joffe’s May 17, 2008 Gladiators Fighting “Thunderdome” fight card in Milwaukee, beating former UFC fighter Adrian Serrano (who had a 55-28-4 record entering the bout) by 2nd round KO.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Scott Joffe at (414) 305-3474.
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® CONFIRMS REMAINING BOUTS FOR UFC® on VERSUS
MAIN EVENT
BRANDON “THE TRUTH” VERA vs. JON “BONES” JONES
CO-MAIN EVENT
JUNIOR “CIGANO” DOS SANTOS vs. GABRIEL “NAPAO” GONZAGA
CHEICK KONGO vs. PAUL BUENTELLO
ALESSIO SAKARA vs. JAMES IRVIN
CLAY GUIDA vs. SHANNON GUGERTY
ELLIOT MARSHALL vs. VLADIMIR MATYUSHENKO
DUANE LUDWIG vs. DARREN ELKINS
JOHN HOWARD vs. DANIEL ROBERTS
BRENDAN SCHAUB vs. CHASE GORMLEY
MIKE PIERCE vs. JULIO PAULINO
ERIC SCHAFER vs. JASON BRILZ
SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2010
Live from the 1STBank Center – Tickets on Sale Now
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Two of the most dynamic Ultimate Fighting Championship® light heavyweights clash on Sunday, March 21, when Muay Thai ace Brandon “The Truth” Vera takes on dangerous 22-year-old phenom Jon “Bones” at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colo for UFC® on VERSUS. The fight will air live on VERSUS at 9 p.m. ET marking the debut of the world’s largest mixed martial arts organization on VERSUS and the first time that a live UFC event will air on a national sports cable network.
UFC on VERSUS will feature a card loaded with explosive match-ups such as Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga, Cheick Kongo vs. Paul Buentello, Duane Ludwig vs. Spencer Fisher, Alessio Sakara vs. James Irvin, Clay Guida, vs. Shannon Gugerty, Eliot Marshall vs. Vladimir Matyushenko, John Howard vs. Daniel Roberts, Brendan Schaub vs. Chase Gormley, Mike Pierce vs. Rob Kimmons and Eric Schafer vs. Jason Brilz.
Tickets for UFC on VERSUS are on sale and are available for purchase at www.tickethorse.com and the Pepsi Center Box Office.
Since coming onto the scene in the UFC, Brazilian heavyweight Junior Dos Santos (fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil / 10-1 professional record) has torn through every opponent in his path. Riding a four fight winning streak in the Octagon™, all by way of stoppage (3 KO/TKO, 1 Submission) against the likes of Fabricio Werdum, Stefan Struve, Mirko Cro Cop and Gilbert Yvel, Dos Santos looks to continue his dominance against fellow Brazilian Gabriel Gonzaga. A veteran of the UFC, Gonzaga (fighting out of Ludlow, Mass. / 11-4) has won three of his last four fights, his most recent victory being a first-round knockout of Chris Tuchscherer. Always dangerous on his feet, Gonzaga looks to assert himself as one of the top heavyweights in the division with a win over Dos Santos on March 21st.
Known for his devastating striking ability, UFC veteran Cheick Kongo (fighting out of Paris, France / 24-6-1) is looking to demonstrate these skills against another powerful puncher. The 34-year-old Frenchman has five TKO victories in the UFC and looks to hunt down “The Headhunter.” Paul Buentello (fighting out of San Jose, Calif. / 25-11) made his first appearance in the UFC since 2006 when he took on Stefan Struve at UFC 107. A mixed martial arts veteran with 25 career wins, Buentello looks to once again prove his standup skills against another top striker.
There are few middleweights with as much experience inside the Octagon as Alessio Sakara (fighting out of Miami, Fla. / 18-7, 1 NC). A nine-fight Octagon veteran, the Rome, Italy native looks to build off of his two-fight winning streak as he squares off against another proven striker. James Irvin (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif. / 14-5, 1 NC) returns to the UFC as a winner of two of his past three fights. Known for his impressive athletic ability and punching power, Irvin is eager to make his 185-pound debut at UFC on VERSUS.
Known for his outgoing personality and frenetic pace in his fights, Clay Guida (fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill. / 25-8) is one of the most exciting fighters the lightweight division has to offer. Winner of three of his last five fights, Guida is looking to continue his exciting brand of fighting as he faces off against tough competitor Shannon Gugerty (fighting out of San Diego, Calif. / 12-4). A west coast standout, Gugerty is the owner of two Octagon wins against Dale Hartt and Matt Grice, and he will be trying to collect his third victory in a lightweight showdown with Guida.
Making his mark as a contestant on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter®, Eliot Marshall (fighting out of Boulder, Colo. / 8-2) has taken full advantage of his opportunities as he has gone a perfect 3-0 in his post-TUF fights. Marshall, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, faces his toughest match-up yet as he will face off against experienced veteran Vladimir Matyushenko (fighting out of El Segundo, Calif. / 23-4). Winner of three of his last four bouts, with his most recent win coming at UFC 103 against Igor Pokrajac, the Belarusian hopes to use his experience to put together back-to-back victories as he takes on Marshall on March 21st.
In a career that spans back to UFC 42, Duane Ludwig (fighting out of Denver, Colo. / 27-10) is 2-1 in the UFC with a notable 11-second destruction of Jonathan Goulet in 2006. Ludwig will have his work cut out for him as he takes on UFC newcomer Darren Elkins (fighting out of Portage, Ind. / 10-1). A native of Portage, Ind. Elkins is looking to make his first fight in the UFC memorable with a win over Ludwig.
Storming onto the scene with three straight wins, 26 year-old John Howard (fighting out of Boston, Mass. / 13-4) hopes to continue his rise up the ranks of the welterweight division with a win at UFC on VERSUS. Howard’s opponent is UFC newcomer Daniel Roberts (fighting out of San Francisco, Calif. / 9-0.), who brings his perfect record to the UFC as he looks to make an immediate impact in the welterweight division. Born in Rockford, Ill., Roberts is well versed in wrestling and jiu-jitsu and hopes these skills will help propel him to his first win inside the Octagon.
A finalist on The Ultimate Fighter® Heavyweights, former NFL player Brendan Schaub (fighting out of Denver, Colo. / 5-1) looks to begin his post-TUF path to stardom as he squares off with Chase Gormley at UFC on VERSUS. Gormley (fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif. / 6-1) is also looking for his first career UFC win, and the former college wrestling All-American hopes it will come at the expense of Schaub on Sunday, March 21st.
Since joining the UFC following a successful stint in World Extreme Cagefighting®, Mike Pierce (fighting out of Vancouver, Wash. / 9-3) has continued to face top-notch competition. Winner of two of his last three fights overall, Pierce has defeated Brock Larson and engaged in a hard-fought three round battle with former No. 1 contender Jon Fitch. Pierce has another tough fight ahead of him as he faces Julio Paulino (fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska / 18-2.) A native of Jersey City, NJ, the “Dominican Demon” looks to establish himself in the welterweight division with a win in his UFC debut.
Winner of two of his last three fights, submission specialist Eric Schafer (fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc. / 13-4-2) will be making his seventh UFC appearance, this time against Jason Brilz (fighting out of Omaha, Neb. / 17-2-1), a native of Bismarck, North Dakota, who owns UFC victories over Brad Morris and Tim Boetsch. Both fighters are looking for their third career UFC win and will do whatever it takes to garner it.
Ultimate Fighting Championship® – www.ufc.com
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world. UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s Versus network. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 130 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 430 million homes worldwide, in 20 different languages. Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.
Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.
About VERSUS
VERSUS celebrates real competition across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the IndyCar® Series as well as best-in-class events such as The Tour de France, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Boxing. The network also offers collegiate sports featuring nationally-ranked teams from top conferences such as the Pac-10, Big 12, Mountain West and Ivy League. VERSUS features the best field sports programming on television and is a destination for sports fans, athletes and sportsmen to find exclusive, competitive events and original programs, such as Sports Soup and The Contender that audiences can’t find elsewhere. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
HDNET TO DEBUT NEW ORIGINAL MMA SERIES “FIGHTING WORDS WITH MIKE STRAKA”
| Network to launch this first-of-its-kind MMA series with Dana White as the premiere guest – Friday, March 26 at 8:30 p.m. ET |
| DALLAS (March 9, 2010) HDNet announced today that it will add the new, original series “Fighting Words with Mike Straka,” to its Friday night lineup. The 30-minute one-on-one weekly interview program will feature revealing conversations with the top stars in mixed martial arts. “Fighting Words with Mike Straka” is scheduled to debut on Friday, March 26 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The premiere episode will feature a rare, 30-minute interview with one of the most influential people in Mixed Martial Arts – UFC President Dana White.
In the following weeks, host Mike Straka will present unique insights into the sport’s most interesting personalities including King Mo, Gegard Mousasi, Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, Matt Hughes, Frank Shamrock and Bobby Lashley. “This show has been years in the making – I wanted MMA fans to get an unprecedented view, from the biggest names, of what it takes to be in this business,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “The MMA world produces the most intriguing personalities in professional sports and this program is designed to give Mike a full half- hour to ask the tough questions – the real questions fight fans want to know.” “I am proud to join HDNet as the newest piece of the network’s already impressive MMA lineup,” said Mike Straka. “I am excited about the opportunity to present a side of these amazing athletes that the fans haven’t seen before.” Mike Straka was previously the host of “FOX Fight Game.” He has covered MMA since UFC 30 in February 2001 and is widely recognized as one of the first mainstream journalists to begin reporting on the sport. |
| About HDNet HDNet (www.hd.net) is the independent network with unique and provocative content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition. HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, original programming, including television’s only HD news feature programs “HDNet World Report,” and the Emmy Award winning “Dan Rather Reports,” featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather. Only HDNet goes beyond the headlines to deliver real news that is redefining the way we look at our world. HDNet News is provocative, sometimes controversial and always relevant – telling the important stories of our time in-depth, with attitude and with independence. HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring five regular season games from the Premiere Season of the United Football League. HDNet also features the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, “HDNet Fights” (www.hdnetfights.com). “HDNet Fights” works with leading MMA promoters including DREAM, Sengoku, XFC, M-1, K-1, K-1 Max, MFC, Adrenaline and more. HDNet produces more live Mixed Martial Arts events than any other network and HDNet’s “Inside MMA” is the hottest Mixed Martial Arts program on television, giving MMA fans their weekly fix for everything MMA. HDNet also delivers the world’s largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series. The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and more. HDNet also features revealing lifestyle programming featuring “Art Mann Presents,” “New York Confessions,” “Deadline” and “Get Out!” HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries as part of the InFocus series. “NASA on HDNet” presents all live shuttle launches through 2010. Only HDNet Movies (www.hdnetmovies.com) delivers exclusive Sneak Previews of new movies before they hit theaters. The HDNet Movies Sneak Preview series features top Hollywood stars in critically acclaimed performances including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Vera Farmiga, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, Eric Bana, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Robin Williams, Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger. In addition to being the exclusive home of Sneak Previews, HDNet Movies viewers enjoy the best films from the classics of the 1950s-1970s, to favorite films from the 1980s and 1990s, to recently released theatrical films. HDNet Movies offers subscribers a premium movie viewing experience in true HD, and more original movies shot entirely in HD than any other network. Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Verizon FiOS and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliated companies. The HDNet networks can be followed via Facebook at facebook.com/HDNet1, facebook.com/HDNetFights and facebook.com/HDNetMovies and via Twitter at twitter.com/hdnet, twitter.com/hdnetfights and twitter.com/hdnetmovies. |
KIMBO RETURNS AT UFC 113 ON MAY 8TH
Live from the Bell Centre, Saturday May 8, 2010
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Canada will get their first dose of the Kimbo Slice phenomenon on Saturday, May 8th, when the Ultimate Fighter alumnus looks to make it 2-0 in the Octagon on the UFC 113: Machida vs Shogun 2 card at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Slice (4-1), fresh off his three round unanimous decision victory over Houston Alexander at the TUF10 finale last December, will be in with a familiar foe on May 8th, as he takes on his Ultimate Fighter castmate, Matt Mitrione in a heavyweight bout made official today.
Mitrione (1-0), an NFL veteran, made his proper mixed martial arts debut on the TUF10 finale card and showed impressive poise and power as he knocked out Marcus Jones in the second round, and he hopes to make another statement when he squares off with Kimbo this spring.
Tickets for UFC 113 are on sale now and are priced at $600, $400, $250, $150, $100 and $50. Tickets are available at the Bell Centre box office, by phone at (514) 790-2525 / 1-877-668-8269 or at www.geg.ca.
UFC 113 will be available live on pay-per-view 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).
About The Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship® is the world’s leading professional mixed martial arts organization and offers the premier series of MMA sports events. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve live Pay-Per-View events annually that are distributed residentially through North American cable and satellite providers including iNDEMAND Networks, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN Entertainment, Bell ExpressVU, SaskTel Max™, Shaw Pay-Per-View, Viewers Choice, and WOWOW in Japan, and via the Internet worldwide on Yahoo! Sports, and commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. In addition to its North American distribution, UFC programming is distributed in over 100 countries and territories throughout the world. For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit ufc.com or uk.ufc.com or ufcespanol.com.
Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa™, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC or other respective owners.
Amateur MMA in North Jersey is being well represented by Evolution AMMA – Watch the Show Tonigh Free on GFL
Amateur MMA in North Jersey is being well represented by a new promotion called Evolution AMMA, run by Steve Katz, Jose Suarez and Francisco Arcibal. Their first event was a big success and now they’re holding their second show, this time in Rahway, NJ, at the Union County Performing Arts Center.
The card is chock full of talent. These are the guys who will be the future stars in the big promotions and I am excited to once again be hosting the show from inside the cage.
Make sure to check out the Evolution AMMA website and pick up tickets for the show! Complete card after the jump.
Lee Burrell vs Eric Fleming
Danny Massa vs Mark Agnew
Alex Conover vs Caleb Solano
Generoso Spagnuolo vs Edison Daniel
Pat Sullivan vs Pablo Zambrano
Bobby Ascolillo vs Jose Perez
Rashid Evans vs Gary Smith
Rigoberto Fernandez vs Jonathan Woods
Noel Arcibal vs Ariel Solano
Alex Bruzzese vs Ben Syers
Vincent Sinclair vs Ryan Peterson
Keyner Rodriguez vs TBD
Ozzy Dugulubgov vs TBD
Stewart Dawes vs TBD
Scott Hlubik vs Melvis Figueroa
Tajuddin Abdul-Hakim vs Rustam Chsiev
ROC 37 Did Not Disappoint – 13 Fights; 3 TKO’s & 7 Submissions – Wren, Alessio, and Martinez all take home first round victories
OMAHA, Neb. – “Ring of Fire 37: Warlords” took place Friday night at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. One of the highlights of the night included the return to action of TUF 10 veteran Justin “The Viking” Wren. Wren actually became so dehydrated last night he was rushed to the emergency room where he spent the whole night with IV’s in his arm. Wren said he didn’t even get to sleep until 7am Friday morning, the day of the fight!
“The Viking” was matched up against undefeated heavyweight Josh “Hardcore” Henry, a tall muscular fighter who predicted before the fight he was going to knock Wren out. During the stare down the two fighters got right in each other’s face, actually touching foreheads. There was also some smack talk going on. Visibly heated, the Viking looked riled up and ready for war.
Wren gave Henry no time to set up any sort of punches, much less a knockout, by using his bread and butter Greco to tie Henry up and take him down right away. From there, Wren pounded on the turtled Henry with punches, opening up a cut on the big guy.
After taking considerable damage, somehow Henry was able to make it back to his feet where he should have maybe had the advantage. However, Wren ’s boxing looked much improved, and he rocked Henry’s head back with some nice shots. He then put Henry right back to the canvas and began the ground and pound once again.
This time the ref was forced to save Henry who had clearly had enough. At 2:22 of the first round Wren was awarded the victory. He apologized after the fight if he seemed disrespectful to his opponent before the bout, but said he needed to finish it quickly because of his medical situation the previous evening.
In the co-main event, UFC veteran John Alessio got his third win in a row by out-classing Matt Delanoit with a first round rear-naked choke submission. Alessio would like to be on the next UFC card in Canada, and with a performance like this, his chances to get on that card have greatly increased.
In the main event, Iowa’s Demi Deeds took on Nebraska’s Alonzo Martinez in a lightweight re-match from seven years ago. The two first fought in what was both fighter’s pro debut.
Tonight’s action between Deeds and Martinez was fast and furious from the sound of the bell. Deeds had dropped down from 170lbs. to take this fight, so he did seem to have a size advantage. However, size did not matter in this one, as Martinez was able to get Deeds to the ground early and pound away with big punches and elbows. Deeds turtled up and Martinez sunk in the choke before the end of the first round.
Professional
- Alonzo Martinez def. Demi Deeds by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 1
- John Alessio def. Matt Delanoit by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 1
- Chad Reiner def. Brian Green by unanimous decision
- Justin Wren def. Josh Henry by TKO (strikes) Rd 1
- Sean Wilson def. Luke Cadillo by TKO (strikes) Rd 3
- Peter Grimes def. Donavon Winters by unanimous decision
Amateur
- Vinny Lopez def. Andy Smith by unanimous decision
- Enrique Torres def. Steve Luccino by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 3
- Justin Linn def. Brett Hodgen by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 1
- Roberto Rojas def. Jason Prorok by TKO (strikes) Rd 1
- Joel Frandsen def. Matt Williams by submission (strikes) Rd 2
- Johnny Nunez def. Jeremy Harper by submission (arm bar) Rd 1
- John DeVall def. Justin Seffron by submission (rear-naked choke) Rd 1
Tempers Flare as Fighters Face off at the ROF 37 Weigh in – Watch the Show Live TONIGHT ON GFL!!
Tempers Flared as fighters weighed in at Dave & Busters in Omaha, NE. Fighters were in no mood to be friendly as some competed on the gaming machines at the venue. When it got to the weigh in the air was thick with tension and anticipation. If the atmosphere at the weigh-in is any guage, tonight’s ROF show will be an historic one in the world of MMA. CATCH ALL THE ACTION BY CLICKING HERE. Check out the face off pics:
CRUZ CONTROL
24-YEAR-OLD LOOKS TO EARN
FIRST WORLD TITLE ON SATURDAY
WEC: Bowles vs. Cruz
From Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio; Saturday, March 6
Fight to Air Live on VERSUS at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
Tickets on Sale NOW
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – When bantamweight Dominick Cruz speaks of the sacrifices he’s made to get to Saturday’s world title fight against champion Brian Bowles at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, you can tell that there’s more at stake for him than a shiny gold belt. You quickly see that this isn’t your typical “winning the belt is my dream” underdog story.
For the 24-year-old San Diego resident, Saturday’s world title fight is an opportunity to change his life forever. Should Cruz win his first world championship this weekend, gone will be the days of eating Top Ramen to get by. Gone too will be the days of him sleeping on the floor on a worn-out mattress. If Cruz (14-1) is able to best unbeaten champion Bowles (8-0) on Saturday, he believes the life of hardship he’s lived will be changed for eternity.
“I didn’t grow up with much, so I’ve learned to live my life with the bare minimums,” Cruz said. “I grew up in a trailer and didn’t have a lot of nice things. It was about as rough as it gets. This fight gives me a chance to change that. I’m kinda tired of sleeping on hand-me-down mattresses. I’ve been blessed to come this far and overcome all of that. On Saturday, I want all of the sacrifices to pay off.”
To say that Cruz is motivated for this fight is an understatement. Aside from being considered a heavy underdog to Bowles by many, Cruz is fueled by those who wonder if he can handle Bowles’ arsenal. Given the champion’s recent destruction of former beltholder Miguel Angel Torres – a man who had won 17 straight fights before meeting Bowles – some wonder if Cruz can withstand what lies ahead of him on March 6. Despite the tall task that awaits, “The Dominator” remains unfazed. Unbeaten at 4-0 since dropping to 135-pounds in 2008, Cruz believes his skill set is the best in the division and plans to prove it this weekend.
“I know for a fact that I have power and I know for a fact that I can finish fights,” Cruz, who trains alongside UFC star Brandon Vera and WEC lightweight Ed Ratcliff at Alliance Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., said. “I go into every fight with the mentality to finish my opponent. Brian Bowles is a great opponent. But I’ve prepared myself for everything Brian is going to bring to the table.
“I try to devout my every waking hour into MMA and into this fight, because my goal is to be a world champion,” Cruz, who defeated Joseph Benavidez in August to earn a world title shot, continued. “This is an incredible opportunity for me and I’m ready for everything that comes my way on March 6. I’m ready to stop the fight in the first round. I’m ready to take it five rounds. Wherever it goes, I’m prepared for everything. This is my chance.”
Tickets for WEC: Bowles vs. Cruz are on sale now and priced at $125, $75, $45, and $25. Tickets may be purchased at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, at all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at the FOX Sports Ohio Blue Line store at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing and ticket outlets at Chiller Dublin, Chiller Easton and Chiller North. Tickets are subject to service charges.
WEC: Bowles vs. Cruz will be televised nationally live on VERSUS beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. All of the network’s live WEC events are presented in HD and Spanish language SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.
Follow WEC at http://twitter.com/WEConVERSUS.
About World Extreme Cagefighting®
The WEC brand is recognized as one of the premier mixed martial arts organizations in the United States. WEC, founded in 2001, is the sister organization of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® and today features the most prominent light weight fighters in the world. Owned and operated by WEC Holdings LLC., and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., the WEC produces live and taped events annually that are distributed through the Versus network.WEC programming is also available on Fox Sports en Espanol. In addition to its U.S distribution, WEC programming is shown on The Score network in Canada, Setanta Sports in Australia, Globosat in Brazil, and Cadena Tres in Mexico. For more information and current WEC fight news, visit wec.tv. World Extreme Cagefighting® and WEC® are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by WEC Holdings, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions and are licensed to WEC Productions, LLC.
About VERSUS
VERSUS the fastest growing sports cable network in the country prides itself on super-serving passionate sports fans across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). The network is the cable television home of the National Hockey League (NHL), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR). VERSUS also has partnerships with top sports leagues such as NASCAR, NBA and UFC and airs collegiate sports featuring nationally-ranked teams from top conferences such as the Pac-10, Big 12 and Mountain West. The network is also home to the best outdoor programming on television and airs original programs not available anywhere else, including Sports Soup and Sports Jobs with Junior Seau. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
About Nationwide Arena
For more information about upcoming events at Nationwide Arena, visit www.NationwideArena.com or call (614) 246-2000. Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL), is an SMG-managed facility. Headquartered in Philadelphia, SMG provides facility services to more than 210 venues controlling over 1.5 million entertainment seats worldwide.
ESPN News- Manny Pacquiao overwhelms Joshua Clottey, wins unanimous decision March 14, 2010Manny Pacquiao has won a unanimous decision over Joshua Clottey in their welterweight fight, keeping up his reputation as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter. […]Associated Press
- Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight draws more than 50,000 fans to Cowboys Stadium March 13, 2010The Pacquiao-Clottey fight at Cowboys Stadium gets the third-largest indoor crowd ever for boxing. […]Calvin Watkins
- Marco Huck retains WBO cruiserweight title in Berlin March 13, 2010Marco Huck of Germany has retained his WBO cruiserweight title by knocking out Adam Richards of the United States in the third round. […]Associated Press
- Samuel Peter KOs Nagy Aguilera, eyes heavyweight title shot March 13, 2010Former heavyweight titleholder Samuel Peter moved a step closer to another title opportunity when he savagely knocked out Nagy Aguilera in the second round of a title eliminator on Friday night at the Gaylord Texan hotel. […]Dan Rafael
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- Judge dismisses felony coercion charge in battery case against Roger Mayweather March 9, 2010A court clerk says a judge dismissed a felony coercion charge against boxing trainer Roger Mayweather, who faces trial June 1 on allegations that he beat and choked a female boxer at a Las Vegas apartment he owned. […]Associated Press
- Floyd Mayweather Jr. associate faces charges in Vegas shooting March 9, 2010Police say an associate of boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been arrested on attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon charges in an August shooting outside a Las Vegas skating rink. […]Associated Press
- Britain's Amir Khan to defend WBA light welterweight title against American Paulie Malignaggi March 9, 2010Amir Khan of Britain will defend his WBA light-welterweight title against American challenger Paulie Malignaggi on May 15 at New York's Madison Square Garden. […]Associated Press
- Manny Pacquiao overwhelms Joshua Clottey, wins unanimous decision March 14, 2010
