Robbie Lawler ‘not too worried’ about Melvin Manhoef’s stand up (Video)
Written By: Jesse Holland (MMAmania.com)
MMA SUPERSTAR CUNG LE RETURNS TO CAGE DEC. 19 AGAINST HARD-HITTING SCOTT “HANDS OF STEEL” SMITH; STRIKEFORCE NEWCOMERS MATT “THE LAW” LINDLAND, “JACARE” SOUZA, “KING MO” LAWAL TO DEBUT, “RUTHLESS” ROBBIE LAWLER ALSO ON SHOWTIME® CARD
Tickets For STRIKEFORCE: Evolution On Sale Friday, Nov. 13;
Special Presale Opportunity For “STRIKEFORCE Insiders” Begins Tuesday, Nov. 10
NEW YORK (Nov. 9, 2009) – The stakes will be high when STRIKEFORCE closes out a spectacular 2009 with the return of one of the most prolific and exciting fighters in Mixed Martial Arts – unbeaten former STRIKEFORCE world middleweight champion Cung Le, who will face Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith in the main event of a star-studded lineup at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, Dec. 19, on SHOWTIME®.
Joining Le (6-0) and Smith (16-6) will be three other outstanding and widely recognized 185-pound stalwarts, “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-5), Matt “The Law” Lindland (21-6) and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (10-2) as well as light heavyweight star (205 pounds) Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (5-0). Lindland will face Souza in what represents both fighters’ STRIKEFORCE debuts. Opponents for Lawler and “King Mo,” whose start will also be his first with STRIKEFORCE, will be announced soon.
A special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity will take place for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) beginning at 10:00 AM, PT Tuesday, Nov. 10, and ending at 10 PM, PT on Thursday, Nov. 12. “STRIKEFORCE Insiders” will receive a special e-newsletter today with the pre-sale code.
Tickets, priced from $30, go on sale to the general public at 10:00 AM, PT on Friday, Nov. 13 at the HP Pavilion ticket office as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ).
A cross-over star who also has made a name for himself in Hollywood, the popular Le has never lost a fight in his decorated career as a professional. He’s perfect in MMA, kickboxing (22-0) and Sanshou (17-0).
Le, who recently relinquished his STRIKEFORCE belt to concentrate on a movie career – his latest flick, Pandorum, was released recently and another movie, Tekken, is due out soon – will be making his first start since dismantling the renowned Frank Shamrock on March 29, 2008, at HP Pavilion.
In an impressive performance, Le kicked the daylights out of Shamrock, breaking Shamrock’s arm in the process of winning by third-round TKO. Shamrock could not come out for the fourth round.
The 5-foot-10, 37-year-old Le was born in Saigon <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saigon> , South Vietnam <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Vietnam> , and moved to San Jose when he was 10. In 1994, he had his first amateur fight and turned pro in 1998. His main concentrations were in Sanshou and kickboxing until 2005. His MMA debut came in March 2006. Smith, of Sacramento, Calif., has won two of three and registered 13 knockouts in his 16 victories.
A game, exciting Muay Thai specialist and one of the most dangerous strikers in the business, Smith is a KO artist who comes out throwing bombs with an abandon.
A fighter who detests fights that go that distance, Smith has fought the likes of Nick Diaz and Lawler twice but will forever be remembered most for his dramatic, comeback, highlight-reel victory over Pete “Drago” Sell in one of the most unexpected, shocking endings to a fight in MMA
Souza, a 2008 Dream Middleweight Grand Prix runner-up, is a submission wizard who signed with STRIKEFORCE earlier this year. “Jacare,” which is Portuguese for the species of alligator that inhabit Manaus, the town in Brazil where he was born, took up Jiu Jitsu at the age of 17.
The talented, six-foot-tall, 29-year-old Souza held MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture to a draw in a grappling contest in 2006 and, shortly thereafter, began training at Xtreme Couture. He has long since returned to training in his homeland.
Souza established his position as a top tier 185-pounder after placing second in the 2008 Dream single elimination tournament in Japan. Souza, who won a decision over “Mayhem” Miller earlier in the Dream Grand Prix, is coming off a no-contest with “Mayhem” in his most recent start on May 26, 2009. Souza had won eight in a row before losing to world-class, top-five middleweight, Gegard Mousasi, in his outing before last in the finals of the Dream tourney on Sept. 23, 2008.
Lindland is the 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist who holds wins against Pat Miletich <http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Pat-Miletich-188> , former UFC welterweight champion Carlos Newton <http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Carlos-Newton-7> and Jeremy Horn <http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Jeremy-Horn-202> . The comebacking Lindland is one of only two men to submit Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Travis Lutter <http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Travis-Lutter-4586> .
Lawler, who fights out of Granite City, Ill., is known for utterly destroying opponents with an aggressive, unbashful, swing-for-the-fences, almost, at times, reckless style of fighting. A southpaw who has never turned down a fight, Lawler possesses enormous punching power, usually aimed at an opponent’s head.
A fan favorite who matches the strength behind his punches with unexpected flying knee kicks, the 5-foot-11, 27-year-old has long been regarded as one of the world’s top middleweights. Since October 2006, EliteXC’s last middleweight <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middleweight> belt-holder and former two-time ICON Sport <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICON_Sport> middleweight titlist is 5-1 with one no-contest.
The charismatic, outspoken “King Mo” will be making his United States debut after fighting five times in Japan where the 5-foot-11, 28-year-old of Temecula, Calif., by way of Mufiesboro, Tenn., became an instant fan favorite and is extremely popular.
A former three-time U.S. Senior National and NCAA wrestling champion, “King Mo” turned pro on Sept. 28, 2008.
“King Mo,” whose public feud with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has been well-documented, has won four of his five pro fights by knockout (punches), three in the first round. In his last outing, a member of “Team Thirsty” and “Team GDP” required all of 25 seconds to dispatch of Mark Kerr.
Doors at HP Pavilion will open at 5 p.m. PT for the STRIKEFORCE: “Evolution” event presented by Rockstar Energy Drink and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6:00 PM, PT.
The live SHOWTIME telecast, which will include as many as five bouts, will begin at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).
About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.
MMA SUPERSTAR CUNG LE RETURNS TO CAGE DEC. 19 AGAINST HARD-HITTING SCOTT “HANDS OF STEEL’’ SMITH; STRIKEFORCE NEWCOMERS “JACARE’’ SOUZA, “KING MO’’ LAWAL TO DEBUT, “RUTHLESS’’ ROBBIE LAWLER ALSO ON SHOWTIME® CARD
Tickets For STRIKEFORCE: Evolution On Sale Friday, Nov. 13;
Special Presale Opportunity For “STRIKEFORCE Insiders” Begins Tuesday, Nov. 10
CHICAGO (Nov. 7, 2009) — The stakes will be high when STRIKEFORCE closes out a spectacular 2009 with the return of one of the most prolific and exciting fighters in Mixed Martial Arts – unbeaten former STRIKEFORCE world middleweight champion Cung Le, who will headline a star-studded lineup at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, Dec. 19, on SHOWTIME®.
Joining the legendary Le (6-0) will be five other outstanding and widely recognized 185-pound stalwarts, Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith (16-6), “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-5), Matt “The Law” Lindland (21-6) and highly regarded STRIKEFORCE newcomers Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (10-2) and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (5-0), who will be making their respective highly anticipated debuts for the organization. Souza will face Lindland. Opponents for Lawler and “King Mo’’ will be announced soon.
A special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity will take place for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers (www.strikeforce.com) beginning at 10:00 AM, PT Tuesday, Nov. 10, and ending at 10 PM, PT on Thursday, Nov. 12. ”STRIKEFORCE Insiders” will receive a special e-newsletter today with the pre-sale code.
Tickets, priced from $30, go on sale to the general public at 10:00 AM, PT on Friday, Nov. 13 at the HP Pavilion ticket office as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com).
A cross-over star who also has made a name for himself in Hollywood, the popular Le has never lost a fight in his decorated career as a professional. He‘s perfect in MMA, kickboxing (22-0) and Sanshou (17-0).
Le, who recently relinquished his STRIKEFORCE belt to concentrate on a movie career – his latest flick, Pandorum, was released recently and another movie, Tekken, is due out soon — will be making his first start since dismantling the renowned Frank Shamrock on March 29, 2008, at HP Pavilion.
In an impressive performance, Le kicked the daylights out of Shamrock, breaking Shamrock’s arm in the process of winning by third-round TKO. Shamrock could not come out for the fourth round.
The 5-foot-10, 37-year-old Le was born in Saigon, South Vietnam, and moved to San Jose when he was 10. In 1994, he had his first amateur fight and turned pro in 1998. His main concentrations were in Sanshou and kickboxing until 2005. His MMA debut came in March 2006. Smith, of Sacramento, Calif., has won two of three and registered 13 knockouts in his 16 victories.
A game, exciting Muay Thai specialist and one of the most dangerous strikers in the business, Smith is a KO artist who comes out throwing bombs with an abandon.
A fighter who detests fights that go that distance, Smith has fought the likes of Nick Diaz and Lawler twice but will forever be remembered most for his dramatic, comeback, highlight-reel victory over Pete “Drago’’ Sell in one of the most unexpected, shocking endings to a fight in MMA
Souza, a 2008 Dream Middleweight Grand Prix runner-up, is a submission wizard who signed with STRIKEFORCE earlier this year. “Jacare,” which is Portuguese for the species of alligator that inhabit Manaus, the town in Brazil where he was born, took up Jiu Jitsu at the age of 17.
The talented, six-foot-tall, 29-year-old Souza held MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture to a draw in a grappling contest in 2006 and, shortly thereafter, began training at Xtreme Couture. He has long since returned to training in his homeland.
Souza established his position as a top tier 185-pounder after placing second in the 2008 Dream single elimination tournament in Japan. Souza, who won a decision over “Mayhem’’ Miller earlier in the Dream Grand Prix, is coming off a no-contest with “Mayhem’’ in his most recent start on May 26, 2009. Souza had won eight in a row before losing to world-class, top-five middleweight, Gegard Mousasi, in his outing before last in the finals of the Dream tourney on Sept. 23, 2008.
Lindland is the 2000 Olympic Games silver medalist who holds wins against Pat Miletich, former UFC welterweight champion Carlos Newton and Jeremy Horn. The comebacking Lindland is one of only two men to submit Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Travis Lutter.
Lawler, who fights out of Granite City, Ill., is known for utterly destroying opponents with an aggressive, unbashful, swing-for-the-fences, almost, at times, reckless style of fighting. A southpaw who has never turned down a fight, Lawler possesses enormous punching power, usually aimed at an opponent’s head.
A fan favorite who matches the strength behind his punches with unexpected flying knee kicks, the 5-foot-11, 27-year-old has long been regarded as one of the world’s top middleweights. Since October 2006, EliteXC’s last middleweight belt-holder and former two-time ICON Sport middleweight titlist is 5-1 with one no-contest.
The charismatic, outspoken “King Mo’’ will be making his United States debut after fighting five times in Japan where the 5-foot-11, 28-year-old of Temecula, Calif., by way of Mufiesboro, Tenn., became an instant fan favorite and is extremely popular.
A former three-time U.S. Senior National and NCAA wrestling champion, “King Mo’’ turned pro on Sept. 28, 2008.
“King Mo,’’ whose public feud with Quinton “Rampage’’ Jackson has been well-documented, has won four of his five pro fights by knockout (punches), three in the first round. In his last outing, a member of “Team Thirsty” and “Team GDP” required all of 25 seconds to dispatch of Mark Kerr.
Doors at HP Pavilion will open at 5 p.m. PT for the STRIKEFORCE: “Evolution” event presented by Rockstar Energy Drink and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6:00 PM, PT.
The live SHOWTIME telecast, which will include as many as five bouts, will begin at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).
About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.
SHIELDS CHOKES OUT LAWLER FOR 12TH CONSECUTIVE VICTORY; UNBEATEN ROGERS KO’s FORMER UFC CHAMP ARLOVSKI IN 22 SECONDS; NICK DIAZ, JOE RIGGS, MIKE WHITEHEAD ALSO WIN
BIGGEST WOMEN’S FIGHT IN MMA HISTORY:
GINA CARANO Vs. CRIS “CYBORG”
SET FOR AUG. 15 AT HP PAVILION IN SAN JOSE
ON SHOWTIME; ALSO ON CARD,
THOMSON-MELENDEZ II FOR STRIKEFORCE TITLE, OVEREEM TO DEFEND
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Saturday, June 6, 2009, LIVE on SHOWTIME
From Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri
ST. LOUIS (June 7, 2009) – Jake Shields, a world-ranked welterweight, submitted (guillotine choke) world-rated middleweight, “Ruthless’’ Robbie Lawler, in the STRIKEFORCE main event Saturday on SHOWTIME® before 8,867 who turned out at the Scottrade Center for the most significant mixed martial arts event in the history of the Gateway City.
Shields’ 12th consecutive victory in a match fought at a catch weight of 182 pounds capped a wild and entertaining evening of MMA highlighted by undefeated Brett “The Grim’’ Rogers’ shocking 22-second knockout over former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei “Pitbull’’ Arlovski and another impressive performance by talented, world-class Nick Diaz, who submitted (rear naked choke) hard-trying Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith at 1:41 of the of the third round.
In other results on SHOWTIME, southpaw Joe “The Diesel” Riggs registered a unanimous decision over Phil Baroni in a welterweight scrap and “Iron’’ Mike Whitehead scored the biggest victory of his career with a unanimous decision over comebacking former UFC standout and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Kevin Randleman in a light heavyweight bout.
The event, presented by SHOWTIME and STRIKEFORCE, aired live simultaneously on SHOWTIME and on the Web (Strikeforce: All Access) at http://strikeforce.sho.com. The SHOWTIME telecast aired at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast); the Strikeforce: All Access webcast went at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and is available through Tuesday, June 9, at the site.
It was announced during the SHOWTIME telecast that the biggest fight in the history of women’s MMA, the long-awaited, eagerly anticipated match between superstars Gina Carano and Cris “Cyborg’’ would take place on Saturday, Aug. 15, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on SHOWTIME.
Also on Aug. 15, Josh Thomson will defend his Strikeforce lightweight title against former belt-holder and interim champ Gilbert Melendez and STRIKEFORCE heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem will defend against an opponent to be announced.
San Francisco’s Shields (23-4-1), the grappler moving up in weight, forced the slugger, Lawler (16-5, 1 NC), of nearby Granite City, Ill., to tap out at 2:02 of the opening round from a guillotine choke. The defeat ended a six-fight unbeaten streak (5-0, 1 NC) for Lawler.
“This was a great fight and I thank Robbie for the opportunity,’’ said Shields, who, along with Diaz, is a Cesar Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. “He is a great fighter but this was just my night.’’
Rogers’ victory, while perhaps not totally unexpected, figures to have the fans talking for a long time. After missing with his first punch, a right hook, Rogers (10-0), of St. Paul, Minn., landed a flush left hook, a right and another left hook that sent Arlovski (15-7), of Chicago, crumbling to the canvas. The referee stepped in and halted the proceedings immediately.
“I’ve always said that I can hurt people with my power and I proved it again tonight,’’ Rogers said. “Hopefully, this fight will get me into the top 10. Once, I touch you it is over. I will fight anybody.’’
Diaz (20-7), of Stockton, Calif., mostly dominated Smith (17-6, 1 NC) of Elk Grove, Calif. Diaz, who was coming off an easy victory over Frank Shamrock in April, seemed to do as he pleased for the most part. He out-punched the puncher, hurting Smith on numerous occasions. Known for miraculous comebacks, Smith had no answer on this night, going down twice, the last time from body shots.
“I’m not sure who I’ll fight next or if it is at 160, 170 or 180,’’ said Diaz after the fight was stopped at 3:38 of the third. “But I am happy with this fight.’’
Riggs (30-10), of Phoenix, Ariz., won by the scores of 30-27 on the three judges’ scorecards. After managing to bottle up Baroni and take the first two rounds, Riggs, despite two broken hands, dominated the third. “I want to fight Jake Shields,’’ Riggs said afterward.
Baroni (13-11) of Las Vegas by way of Long Island, NY, had a three fight winning streak end.
In the telecast’s opening bout, Whitehead (24-7), of Las Vegas, outpointed Randleman (17-13) of Las Vegas by the scores of 29-28 three times. It was the second straight victory for Whitehead, who is 15-1 in his last 16 fights. Randleman was fighting for first time since May 2008 and only the second time since October 2006.
Saturday’s exciting fights will re-air as follows:
DAY CHANNEL
Wednesday, June 10, at 10 p.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME 2®
It will be available On Demand beginning Tuesday, April 14.
Versatile play-by-play broadcast veteran Gus Johnson called the action on SHOWTIME with MMA expert Mauro Ranallo and MMA superstar Frank Shamrock serving as expert analysts.
Saturday’s non-televised results: Pat Benson, St. Louis, submitted (triangle choke) Dave Cochran, St. Louis, at 2:18 of the first round (155 pounds); Lucas Lopes, Columbia, Mo., won by disqualification (illegal knee strike) over Scott Ventimiglia, Wood River, Ill., at 3:26 of the first round (185 pounds); Tyron Woodley, St. Louis, submitted (choke) Salvador Woods, Granite City, Ill., at 4:20 of the first round (170 pounds); Booker DeRousse, St. Genevieve, Mo., TKO 1 (strikes, 4:20) over James Woods, St. Peters, Mo. (205 pounds); Mike Kyle, San Jose, Calif., TKO 2 (strikes, 4:05) over Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante, Brazil (205 pounds); and Jesse Finney, St. Louis, submitted (keylock) Josh Bumgarner, Waterloo, Iowa, at 1:55 of the first round (175 pounds).
Mixed martial arts returns to SHOWTIME on Friday, June 19, when “Smokin” Joey Villasenor and Evangelista “Cyborg” clash in a middleweight showdown in the main event on Strikeforce Challengers (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash.
In other televised bouts, Cory “The One” Devela faces Luke Rockhold (middleweights), Lyle Beerbohm meets Duane “Bang” Ludwig (lightweights), Nick “The Goat’’ Thompson throws down with Tim Kennedy (middleweights), Sarah Kaufman takes on Shayna Bazsler in a 135-pound women’s fight and Jorge Gurgel will collide with Conor Heun in a 155-pound scrap.
Tickets for the Strikeforce Challengers event, priced from $32, are on sale at the ShoWare Center Box Office (253-856-6999 or 877-840-0457), online at ShoWareCenter.com, and at www.strikeforce.com.
ShoWare Center doors will open for the Strikeforce Challengers event at 5:30 p.m. PT on June 19 and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. PT.
For information on Showtime Sports Programming, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and EliteXC mixed martial arts telecasts, please go to www.SHO.com/sports.
About Strikeforce
Strikeforce is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, Strikeforce has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of Strikeforce, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.
About Showtime Networks, Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
STRIKEFORCE OPEN WORKOUT AT FINNEY’S GYM A BIG HIT WITH ST. LOUIS MEDIA AND FANS
STRIKEFORCE: Lawler vs. Shields Takes Place Saturday, June 6,
At Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri; Airs Live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT
ST. LOUIS (June 3, 2009) – Undefeated heavyweight monster Brett “The Grim” Rogers (9-0) and welterweight (170 pound) powerhouse Joe “Diesel” Riggs (29-10) joined local stars Jesse Finney (3-0) and Pat Benson (2-5-2) for an open workout at Finney’s MMA/St. Louis Workout where they entertained a host of local media and fans on Wednesday, June 3, three days before their respective bouts on the star-studded Strikeforce: “Lawler vs. Shields” mixed martial arts (MMA) mega-card at Scottrade Center.
Four-time world champion and MMA legend Frank Shamrock was also on hand to field questions from the press during the special pre-fight event.
All four fighters participating in the open workout demonstrated their wide array of combat skills while punching and kicking boxing mitts and Muay Thai pads and while grappling with training partners on the gym’s mats.
Here is what the fighters said:
Brett Rogers:
“Back home, I’ve got family that is dependent on me and fans that are pulling for me. I’ve also got to represent Ambition MMA so I just got to go out there and do work. I’m not in this game for fun.”
On Andrei Arlovski, his opponent Saturday: “I used to watch him when I was in school, but I have to push that to the side and say, ‘You know what, I’m not a fan of Arlovski anymore. I can fight this guy. His chin is definitely getting weak. He kind of exposes himself. He likes to lead first and then come with the punch.
Joe Riggs:
“This is going to be a great fight for me. I’ve said it before – I’m in the best shape of my life.”
“This is a fight that everyone around me has wanted for me for a long time. It never happened because we were always fighting for different promotions or in different weigh classes. Now, we are both fighting for Strikeforce, so it’s on.”
Jesse Finney:
“I come from a boxing and kickboxing background so, for the last three to four months, I’ve been doing straight wrestling and grappling to work on my weaknesses. A part of me almost wants to be put on my back so I can show what I’ve got as far as jiu-jitsu and wrestling.”
“My opponent is 7-0 and supposed to be very athletic. I wanted to step things up in my hometown. This is probably going to be the biggest fight of my pro career.”
“I feel better than I have ever felt in years. My body is really healthy and I was supposed to fight on April 17, but we pushed the show back because Strikeforce announced that it was coming to town. So, I’ve been really training since the first of the year.”
“People don’t realize how big I am. I’m almost 6 foot 1 and walk around at around 200 pounds and I cut to 175.”
“I feel like Strikeforce has a second home in St. Louis. The fans are getting their money’s worth 10 times over. What we have going on here with all these fighters – when do you really get all guys of this caliber on a fight card? This is the first time these guys have come to St. Louis and once they make their mark on Saturday, I think Strikeforce will be here to stay.”
“Of the undercard fights, I think that every one of those fights could go the distance because they are good matchups.”
Frank Shamrock:
“We had a lot of educated, hardcore MMA fans out there today. One dude busted out a 20 year old magazine with me in it so that was pretty cool to see.”
“It’s definitely an “A” level card – blow out material. Everyone I’ve talked to is super-excited for it.”
The highly anticipated Lawler-Shields matchup will highlight an 11-fight card in the biggest, most significant MMA event in the history of the Gateway City.
Tickets, starting at $30, are on sale at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com). Doors at the Scottrade Center will open at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m.
A six-bout undercard featuring a top match between Rafael Feijao and Mike Kyle will also include a number of local stars including Finney and Tyron Woodley. It will precede a five-fight telecast on SHOWTIME (10 p.m., ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
In televised fights on SHOWTIME, top ranked middleweight (185 pounds) “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler will square off with top rated welterweight (170 pounds) Jake Shields in a 182 pound catch weight main event. Trash-talking, knockout artist Phil “The New York Bad Ass’’ Baroni will face crowd-pleasing, aggressive-minded Joe “ Diesel” Riggs in a welterweight scrap, exciting, power-punching Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith will meet talented, Cesar Gracie black belt Nick Diaz and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Kevin Randleman will thrown down with Mike Whitehead in a light heavyweight matchup. Rogers will face Arlovski in an Affliction sponsored bout.
MMA SUPERSTAR “RUTHLESS” ROBBIE LAWLER TO THROW OUT FIRST PITCH THURSDAY NIGHT AT BUSCH STADIUM
STRIKEFORCE: Lawler vs. Shields Takes Place This Saturday, June 6,
At Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri;
Airs Live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT
ST. LOUIS (June 3, 2009) – Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) superstar “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler of Granite City, Ill., will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Cardinals-Reds game Thursday night (June 4) at Busch Stadium.
“I am a big baseball fan and I love the Cards,’’ said Lawler.
When he takes the mound, Lawler, a converted southpaw, will throw right-handed.
Lawler will be delivering hard pitches with both hands – and legs – this Saturday night when he faces Jake Shields in the main event of STRIKEFORCE’s eagerly anticipated MMA fight card at the Scottrade Center. Both Lawler (middleweight) and Shields (welterweight) are ranked among the very best in the world in their respective weight classes. They will clash at a catch weight of 182 pounds.
The highly anticipated Lawler-Shields matchup will highlight an 11-fight card in the biggest, most significant MMA event in the history of the Gateway City.
Tickets, starting at $30, are on sale at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com). Doors at the Scottrade Center will open at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m.
A six-bout undercard featuring a top match between Rafael Feijao and Mike Kyle will also include local stars Jesse Finney and Tyron Woodley. It will precede a five-fight telecast on SHOWTIME (10 p.m., ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
In televised fights on SHOWTIME (besides Lawler-Shields): trash-talking, knockout artist Phil “The New York Bad Ass’’ Baroni will face crowd-pleasing, aggressive-minded Joe “ Diesel” Riggs in a welterweight scrap, Andrei “Pitbull’’ Arlovski, a former UFC champion, will take on undefeated, hard-hitting Brett “The Grim’’ Rogers in an Affliction sponsored heavyweight bout, exciting, power-punching Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith will meet talented, Cesar Gracie black belt Nick Diaz and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Kevin Randleman will thrown down with Mike Whitehead in a light heavyweight matchup.
SHOWTIME® AND STRIKEFORCE CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS; ROBBIE LAWLER & JAKE SHIELDS, PHIL BARONI & MIKE AFROMOWITZ
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
“LAWLER vs. SHIELDS” – This Saturday, June 6,
Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri, Live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT;
First Non-Televised Fight: 6:45 P.M. CT
NEW YORK (June 2, 2009) – “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler, Jake Shields, and Phil “The New York Bad Ass’’ Baroni participated in a national media conference call Tuesday to discuss their important fights on the eagerly awaited “Lawler vs. Shields” card live on SHOWTIME (this Saturday, June 6, 10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
Strikeforce will present the biggest, most significant mixed martial arts event in the history of the Gateway City. World-ranked fighters Lawler (middleweight) and Shields (welterweight) will square off at a catch weight of 182 pounds in the main event.
In other fights on SHOWTIME’s five-fight telecast, the trash-talking, knockout artist Baroni will face crowd-pleasing, aggressive-minded Joe “The Diesel” Riggs in a welterweight scrap, Andrei “Pitbull’’ Arlovski, a former UFC champion, will take on the undefeated, hard-hitting Brett “The Grim’’ Rogers in an Affliction sponsored heavyweight bout, exciting, power-punching Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith will take on talented, Cesar Gracie black belt Nick Diaz and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Kevin Randleman will face Mike Whitehead in a light heavyweight matchup.
Fast-rising St. Louis-based fighters such as Jesse Finney and Tyron Woodley will head up an excellent six-fight undercard that features nine fighters from the St. Louis area. The final fight of the card was announced on the call Tuesday as Mike Kyle takes on Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante.
Doors at the Scottrade Center will open at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m.
Tickets, starting at $30, are on sale at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).
Highlights from Tuesday’s conference call (To hear call in its entirety, Playback Info is below):
ROBBIE LAWLER
Is there any problem with you getting down to 182 pounds?
“I’m going to make it. I don’t want to make it but I’m going to make it. This whole time off I was thinking of getting a little leaner and cutting a little more weight than normal so I think I’ll be fine.”
What is your game plan for Saturday night?
“Well, I definitely don’t want him (Shields) on top of me. He’s got a great top game and he looks to finish, looks to mount and looks to improve position so being on the ground is definitely not a good place to be.”
How do you approach selling a fight? Has your approach changed to it over the years?
“I stay pretty reserved still. I’m pretty laid back. I do it but I typically don’t like to get involved in and definitely don’t like doing it. But I do as much I can to help the fight. It’s good for the sport but I’d rather be out there fighting than being on the phone.”
How do you feel about fighting in your hometown?
“It’s not a big deal. I’m looking at it as another fight.”
Are you looking for a first-round knockout Saturday night?
“However I can get a win.”
JAKE SHIELDS:
What about going down to 182 pounds?
“Well it is nice not having to diet all the time so hopefully I’ll go in there feeling stronger. Dieting and sucking water, all of that can take it out of you. There are positives and disadvantages to it. It’s always nice being the bigger guy but it’s also nice to not have to diet or cut water out. So there are two ways of looking at it. I’ll just have to go out there and see how I feel on Saturday.”
What is you game plan Saturday if he keeps you on your feet and you’re not able to get him to the ground?
“Punch him in the face. That always helps. If he takes me down I just have to punch back.”
How do you assess Robbie’s ground game?
“I think Robbie’s a great wrestler. He’s always been surrounded by good college wrestlers. He’s certainly not going to be easy to take down. His ground game is his weakest aspect but I haven’t been able to see it lately because not a lot of guys have been able to get him down.”
Is this the biggest fight of your career?
“Yeah, I’d say it’s the biggest. I’ve fought a lot overseas but as far as media attention goes and Robbie being top 5 or top 10, it’s a huge fight for me.”
Do you feel like an uncrowned champion and would you prefer to fight for a title in your next fight?
“I do feel a little like an uncrowned champion. For me it’s more the fight that matters than the title.
Belts are nice but it’s really just about the fight.”
PHIL BARONI
Opening comment:
“The guy (opponent Joe Riggs) is a no-show for the conference call. He’s got a real big problem. I’ve been telling you since Day 1 you better have someone else lined up because I don’t think he’s going to show up. We’re all busy and we’re all training right now and we don’t want to do this but we’re all big and professional except that (expletive).
“It’s up to him how long the fight is going to last. I want to show everyone in MMA that I’m for real. All roads lead through Joe Riggs. I’m planning on blowing right through this kid.”
How has it been for you making weight?
“It’s been real comfortable. Losing 16 pounds of muscle helped a lot. I feel great. I feel like I’m 19 years old again. I have tons of energy. I feel like I should be on a box of Wheaties and doing cereal commercials.”
“I’m on edge right now. Don’t cross me now because I haven’t had sex in four weeks and I’m on a diet. I’m ready to kill someone. This is going to be a war and I’m in total fight mode. I don’t even know what I’m talking about right now. Next question.”
Closing comments:
“I’m just ready to go. It’s a coming out party for me. I’m a different person out there. Joe Riggs is underestimating me and making a big mistake. The talking is done. It’s time to do it in the ring. I can’t wait to get in there and show the world I’m a legitimate contender and can do this. Better later than never.”
MIKE AFROMOWITZ (Strikeforce):
Is this the biggest show Strikeforce has ever had?
“I would say it’s up there. From top to bottom it’s the best. We have three of the best fighters on the phone right now and I think you would have to say it’s the best fight card we’ve had over the last three years.”
How are ticket sales?
“They’re strong. We came out of the gates really strong. We’ve been moving 100 to 200 a day in the last two weeks. So we’re looking for a big crowd in St. Louis.”
(PLAYBACK INSTRUCTIONS):
U.S. Toll Free: (800) 355-2355; International: (402) 220-2946; Playback Passcode: 14554# (The Playback will be available through this Saturday, June 6).
About Strikeforce
Strikeforce is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, Strikeforce has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of Strikeforce, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.
About Showtime Networks, Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
DISTINCT LOCAL FLAVOR TO BIGGEST MMA FIGHT CARD IN HISTORY OF ST. LOUIS SATURDAY AT SCOTTRADE CENTER
Finney, Woodley, Woods, Benson, Cochran, Ventimiglia, DeRousse,
Lopes and Wade Will Appear On Excellent Lawler-Shields Undercard
NEW YORK (June 1, 2009) – Ten area fighters, including “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler of Granite City, Ill., who will face San Francisco’s Jake Shields in the highly anticipated main event, are scheduled to compete on Strikeforce’s sensational mixed martial arts event this Saturday, June 6, at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
The biggest MMA event in the history of the Gateway City also will include nine other Midwest fighters. They will be featured during a five-bout, non-televised undercard that will precede a five-fight telecast on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
Doors at the Scottrade Center will open for Strikeforce: “Lawler vs. Shields” at 6:30 p.m. CT this Saturday. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets, priced from $30, are on sale at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).
Four of the 10 fighters on the undercard hail from St. Louis – Jesse Finney, Tyron Woodley, Pat Benson and Dave Cochran. There is also a fighter from Columbia (Lucas Lopes), one from St. Genevieve (Booker DeRousse), one from St. Peters (James Wade), one from Granite City (Salvoder Woods) and one from Edwardsville, Ill., by way of Wood River, Ill. (Scott Ventimiglia).
The undefeated Finney (3-0) will be opposed by fellow unbeaten Josh Bumgarner (7-0) at 175 pounds, Woodley will meet Woods at 170 pounds, Gateway City competitors Benson and Cochran will collide at 155 pounds, Ventimigilia faces Lopes at 185 pounds and DeRousse takes on Wade at 205 pounds.
Finney, a graduate of Affton High in St. Louis, has been victorious in all his fights in the first round, including a 20-second knockout over John Price in his last start on Aug. 22, 2008.
The owner and head instructor of his own gym, Finney’s MMA in St. Louis, the six-foot, 34-year-old won his other two starts by submission – one in 1:20, the other in 2:45.
Before turning to MMA, Finney went unbeaten as a kickboxer (23-0) and is 8-2 as a pro boxer. Finney also is the head coach of the St. Louis Enforcers of Chuck Norris’s World Combat League.
Bumgarner, of Waterloo, Iowa, is a highly skilled kickboxer with strong Jiu-Jitsu skills. He is making his 2009 debut after winning his last start on Oct. 25, 2008.
Woodley, the 11th of 13 children raised by his mother, was born, raised and lives in St. Louis. Making a go of it on the tough streets wasn’t easy and he underwent his fair share of growing pains. Due in large part to wrestling, however, and, now, MMA, Woodley has turned his life around dramatically.
“My mother raised all of us, and she never complained. She did everything. My goal has always been to buy her a house, and that is still my goal,’’ Woodley said.
The hard-nosed Woods, a stand out from Granite City, Ill, registered a 0:44, first-round submission over Ryan Scheeper on April 11, 2009, during Battle @ The Bend III in Illinois.
Benson, an instructor at Finney’s gym, has been into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for 15 years and holds a black belt in the martial art. He is known for putting relentless pressure on opponents.
Cochran, who’s making his 2009 debut, has won two of his last three starts. A lethal striker, he is unaccustomed to putting in a full night’s work, having gone the distance in only four of his 34 fights. Ten of his 16 victories have come by submission.
Ventimiglia has won three straight and six of seven. The submission master has forced 11 of his 12 victims to tap out. The world-class Lopes has been triumphant in three of his last four.
DeRousse will try to put into play his vicious slams and powerful ground and pound offensive in an effort to regain his winning ways in what will be his 2009 debut. Wade has won two straight and three of four.
In other fights on SHOWTIME’s five-fight telecast, Arlovski, a former UFC champion, will take on the undefeated, hard-hitting Rogers in an Affliction sponsored heavyweight bout, exciting, power-punching Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith will take on talented, Cesar Gracie black belt Nick Diaz, knockout artist Phil “The New York Bad Ass’’ Baroni will meet Joe “Diesel’’ Riggs in a welterweight scrap and ex-UFC belt-holder and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Kevin “The Monster” Randleman will face “Iron’’ Mike Whitehead in a light heavyweight matchup.
The fights are scheduled for three-3-minute rounds, with the exception of Arlovski-Rogers, which is slated for five, 5-minute rounds.
About Strikeforce
Strikeforce is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, Strikeforce has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of Strikeforce, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.
About Showtime Networks, Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
Robbie Lawler Speaks
There are a lot of adjectives that appropriately describe Robbie Lawler as a fighter. Cunning, brutal, callous, and ruthless are just a few.
UFC President Dana White chose the latter and donned him “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler back in 2002 when he was just a twenty-year-old kid fighting in the UFC purely on heart and sheer determination.
Since departing the UFC in 2004, Lawler has gone 8 – 1 including notable victories over Frank Trigg, Murilo Rua and Scott Smith, while accumulating two belts along the way: The ICON Sport middleweight championship and the EliteXC middleweight championship.
Lawler’s competitive nature and fighting spirit continue to be driving forces in his career to this day.
The difference between then and now is that his skills as a mixed martial artist have evolved and he is a dangerous, well-rounded fighter who continues to be a handful for anyone who dares to step inside the cage against him.
Enter another former EliteXC champion in Jake Shields, who will be Lawler’s next test at the appropriately titled Strikeforce: ‘Lawler vs. Shields’ event that will be held in St. Louis, Missouri on June 6.
Robbie took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss his teammate Matt Hughes, his long layoff, Jake Shields and why he’s not thrilled about having to fight him at a catchweight.
Read the entire interview at: www.mmamania.com
SHOWTIME® AND STRIKEFORCE PRESS CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS; ANDREI ARLOVSKI VS. BRETT ROGERS ADDED TO JUNE 6 CARD
ROBBIE LAWLER, JAKE SHIELDS, PHIL BARONI, JOE RIGGS, KEVIN RANDLEMAN, MIKE WHITEHEAD Tuesday, May 19, 2009 Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO. "LAWLER Vs. SHIELDS" -- June 6 Live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT ST LOUIS (May 19, 2009) - Showtime Networks Inc. and world championship mixed martial arts (MMA) event promotion Strikeforce hosted a press conference Tuesday to discuss their highly anticipated June 6 "Lawler vs. Shields" fight card live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Scottrade Center. Highlights from the press conference at Scottrade included an announcement by world-famous emcee Jimmy Lennon, Jr. that former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski (15-6) will make his Strikeforce debut and square off with undefeated prospect Brett "The Grim" Rogers (9-0) in an Affliction sponsored fight during the live televised portion of the fight card. Knockout artist "The New York Badass" Phil Baroni (13-10) lashed out verbally about his welterweight showdown with powerhouse Joe "Diesel" Riggs (29-10) and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and two-time NCAA Division I National Wrestling Champion Kevin "The Monster" Randleman (17-12) was highly animated about returning to action for the first time in over a year to face "Iron" Mike Whitehead (23-6) in a light heavyweight matchup on the star-studded card. "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (16-4) and Jake Shields (22-4-1), who will square off with each other in the main event at a catch weight of 182 pounds, were all business during the affair. In addition, St. Louis Blues NHL hockey star and avid MMA practitioner, Cam Janssen, made a guest appearance and addressed the media and fans in attendance as did unbeaten local MMA star Jesse Finney, who will see action on the non-televised portion of the June 6 card. What the fighters had to say: PHIL BARONI "Really, there's not much to say. Joe's 25 years old and he'll have his day. On June 6, I'm knocking him the (expletive) out. I'm going to (expletive) him up bad. I'm going to bust him up the whole (expletive) fight. It's up to him how long he wants to last. Whether he wants to last one round or he wants to last three - I'm going to (expletive) him up." "Never mind being in shape. I'm not thanking anybody for being here. Any promotion that has me, it's lucky for them. No one's kissing anyone's asses. I'm just ready to fight and beat the (expletive) out of him." "He looks like he's been overtraining. I'd say he's about maybe 155 (pounds). You don't look like that big at 170 right now. Something's wrong with him." "I asked my agent - I said 'hey get me a southpaw to fight.' My agent's pretty stupid. He said 'What's that? He didn't know what a southpaw was. So, I said "It's a (expletive) left-handed fighter. I'm real good at fighting lefties. Lefties are made to order for me. They eat straight right hands and I've got a pretty (expletive) big one. I'm going to put it right on his kisser." "It's do or die for me and I ain't (expletive) ready to die. I got a lot of fighting left in me. Joe's young. I'm a man now and I think he's a boy. Someday I'll probably commentate for Joe when he's fighting for a world title. This is my time. I'm going to take care of my business and that starts with Joe and everyone else at 170 pounds with Strikeforce." JOE RIGGS "Phil is one of those guys who people have written off a couple of times in his career and he's always come back strong. He's a high risk fight and a tough guy. I have a lot of respect for him. On June 6, it's going to be a great fight, but there's no way I'm losing that fight. I guarantee it." "Both of us kind of have the same style - wrestling and boxing - and we're heavy handed. So, there's no real advantage anywhere. You just have to prepare for the fight. It's whoever's trained harder and I don't think anybody else has trained harder than me for this fight." "This is the absolute best shape I've ever been in in my life. I've spent many, many days in the gym training in the gym for this fight. I think about it every day and every night. KEVIN RANDLEMAN "On June 6, there's absolutely no reason for me to lose - and there's no excuses - win or lose, there's no excuses. Period. I'm 100 percent healthy and I'm an animal again. So understand. The Monster's back." MIKE WHITEHEAD "Kevin talks a lot of trash. We've heard in Vegas, on the radio, him talking this and that. The guy was invited with his wife to my house for Christmas dinner this year so it's kind of funny that he's talking about me. But if that's what you guys need, it's cool. Just let him do the talking and I'll do the walking." "We're both wrestlers, we've both got power in our hands. Look for fireworks. I'm ready for the fireworks too, so let's do it." ROBBIE LAWLER "I really don't have much to say, but I think it's going to be a good atmosphere here. St. Louis is a great sports town and I'd like to put on a good show." "I train for everything and work on every skill so I'll be ready. Jake's a real good grappling opponent, but for every fight I'm working on all aspects so it's not that big of a deal." "I wouldn't really compare myself to (Mike Tyson). I just like to go out there and finish people so that's what I try to do." JAKE SHIELDS "This is my first fight for Strikeforce. I'm excited to be a part of the main event. This is a phenomenal card. I can't wait to get out there and mix it up. Robbie always brings it and I'm coming to bring it so it's on." "I feel great. It's a move up in weight, but I'm not really too concerned about it. Robbie's strong and big, but I'm not that small. I always cut weight to 170 so I actually get to eat and lift weights. I'm not going to be huge for the weight, but I don't feel that small either so I don't think it's going to be much of an issue." "I don't have an exact strategy but, at some point, it would be better to go to the ground for me, but I'm not afraid to stand and bang either." Also featured during the live telecast on June 6 will be a 180 pound catch weight matchup between superstars Nick Diaz (19-7) and Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith (16-5). Both fighters are coming off of outstanding victories on April 11. Diaz stopped four-time world champion Frank Shamrock in the second round of the main event and Smith scored a third round knockout on Benji "The Razor" Radach. Tickets for Strikeforce: "Lawler vs. Shields" are on sale at the Scottrade Center box office as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and Strikeforce's official website (www.strikeforce.com). Doors at the Scottrade Center will open for Strikeforce: "Lawler vs. Shields" at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 6. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 7 p.m.
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- 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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- Manny Pacquiao overwhelms Joshua Clottey, wins unanimous decision March 14, 2010
