MMA Hot Stuff

EA Sports Online to Stream Strikeforce Bout

EA SPORTS TO OFFER FREE, LIVE ONLINE STREAM OF

RIGGS VS. HIERON FROM STRIKEFORCE:  MIAMI THIS SATURDAY


NEW YORK (January 26, 2009)- For the first time in history, Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) will offer live mixed martial arts (MMA) fight action online with a free of charge stream of the highly anticipated STRIKEFORCE welterweight (170 pounds) matchup between wrestling powerhouses Joe "Diesel" Riggs (32-10) and Jay "The Thoroughbred" Hieron (18-4) from BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida this Saturday, January 30.

The live stream of the STRIKEFORCE:  Miami preliminary bout will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on the official EA SPORTS(tm) MMA website (www.easportsmma.com <http://www.easportsmma.com/> ), the online platform for EA SPORTS forthcoming MMA video game title in which STRIKEFORCE will be featured as a premiere league.  The stream will precede the live SHOWTIME® telecast of the event's main fight card, which begins at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).


Riggs, a 27 year old native of Phoenix, Arizona, will attempt to extend a four fight win streak that began with his second round (2:05) TKO of Luke Stewart in a STRIKEFORCE:  Destruction bout at HP Pavilion in San Jose, California on November 21, 2008.


In his last effort under the STRIKEFORCE banner, Riggs dominated hard-hitting "The New York Badass" Phil Baroni for three consecutive rounds of action before walking away with a unanimous judges' decision victory at St. Louis' Scottrade Center on June 6, 2009.


Hieron, a former nationally ranked NCAA wrestler for Hofstra University, has been victorious in each of his last six starts.  The Long Island, New  York native made his STRIKEFORCE debut in his last effort, earning a unanimous decision win over Jesse "J.T. Money" Taylor at HP Pavilion on August 15, 2009.


A former troubled teen, Hieron has since become an inspiration, winning a world title with the now defunct International Fight League (IFL) and relocating to Las Vegas in order to train with the fight squad headed by MMA legend Randy "The Natural" Couture.


Slated for release later this year, EA SPORTS MMA will feature the most authentic, intense and broad mixed martial arts experience to date - complete with a vast array of top fighters and fighting styles from around the world.  EA SPORTS MMA will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in 2010.


The game will feature a host of STRIKEFORCE fighters, the six-sided STRIKEFORCE cage, the commentary team of Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo, and ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.  Legendary mixed martial arts referee "Big John" McCarthy will preside over the in-ring action and bring his in-depth knowledge of the sport to help deliver a truly authentic MMA experience. [confirm we have signed agreements and marketing rights to mention these people]


EA SPORTS(tm) is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences.  EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football and NCAA Basketball, Fight Night boxing and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, while EA SPORTS Active Personal Trainer for the Wii is the most critically acclaimed product available for interactive fitness.


For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums, fantasy leagues and game communities, please visit www.easports.com<http://www.easports.com/>  to connect, share and compete.


Tickets for STRIKEFORCE:  Miami are on sale at the BankAtlantic Center ticket office and Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000 as well as online atwww.Ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/>   and www.Strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> .


In the live, SHOWTIME televised main event, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Nick Diaz (20-7) of Stockton, California will square off with fellow MMA superstar and DREAM champion Marius "The Whitemare" Zaromskis (13-3) of Siaulial, Lithuania for the STRIKEFORCE World Welterweight Championship.


STRIKEFORCE Women's World Lightweight (145 pounds) Champion Cris Cyborg (8-1) of Curitiba, Brazil will put her title on the line against top ranked Marloes Coenen (17-3) of Deventer, Holland.


Football legend Herschel Walker (0-0) will make his highly-anticipated MMA debut against 26-year-old Greg Nagy (1-1) of Phoenix, Arizona.


Knockout artists "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (16-5) and Melvin "No Mercy" Manhoef (24-6-1) will face off with each other in a middleweight (185 pounds) contest.


Undefeated heavyweight and former WWE champion Bobby Lashley (4-0) will make his STRIKEFORCE debut against Wes Sims (22-12-1).


Doors at BankAtlantic Center will open for the event at 6:30 p.m.  The first non-televised, preliminary bout will begin at 7:30 p.m.


STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the
premium cable television network.  The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the "Fedor vs. Rogers" mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on Saturday, November 7
and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world's number one heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett "The Grim" Rogers.

Announcing MMA Socialites

I’m excited to announce the launch of MMA Socialites in partnership with Lani Carwin, wife of UFC Heavyweight contender Shane Carwin. MMA Socialites was created as a way to bring the fans into the lives of MMA fighters and their families, as well as all others deeply involved in this sport, within a community atmosphere. We’ve taken our passion for the sport and the lifestyle we both live, coupled with the stories we’re told, to share with you, the fans. Regardless of the juncture, whether training for the first MMA fight or defending a title, every fighter has a story to tell and we wanted to share them with you.

Our goal is to tell the stories of the fighters outside the cage, and present the side of them that fans rarely see. We’re confident that by showing the fans who these fighters are outside the cage, the more MMA will gain mainstream acceptance and the more the sport will grow. We won’t focus on breaking news, but rather on interviews, event coverage, as well as community meet-ups at events. We’ll bring you into the lives of the fighters, their families, and get the perspective and stories of those non-fighters that still play a key role in the growth of this sport. 

Lani says “I am thrilled to be involved with MMA Socialites, and the launch of the site is so exciting!  The MMA industry is a passion of mine; not only because my husband, Shane Carwin, is a top-notch talent in the UFC, but because the potential for growth and advancement of the sport is incredible. As my knowledge base has grown through the years of my direct exposure, my excitement for the sport has as well. MMA Socialites was born to expose an entire population, a group that has been completely neglected, to something they are just as interested in as I am.  There are so many women that love the sport and crave more knowledge and insight into our industry.  We are here to bring that - to give them a place to bond, gain insight, and attain a whole different perspective that I have no doubt will be so interesting for them.  Thank you to Rachel for all her hard work - and let the ride begin!”

And what a ride it will be. Please come and join the community -www.mmasocialites.com- to stay in the loop on our efforts, also,  follow us on twitter. If there’s a fighter or fighter’s wife you want us to interview just email and let us know. We want to hear from you, the fans!

Dan Henderson Signs with Strikeforce!

NEW YORK (December 7, 2009)–Four-time mixed martial arts (MMA) world champion and two-time United States Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson will enter a new chapter in his legendary career after signing a multi-fight agreement with world championship MMA promotion STRIKEFORCE.  

 

Henderson, the only fighter in history to simultaneously hold two titles in two different weight classes – the welterweight (183 pounds) and light heavyweight (205 pounds) crowns - with a major MMA promotion – PRIDE Fighting Championships – will enter the STRIKEFORCE cage after earning “Knockout of the Night” honors with his stunning second round (3:20) KO of Michael “The Count” Bisping at UFC 100 in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 11, 2009.

 

“I'm very happy to be a part of STRIKEFORCE and their partnership with CBS and SHOWTIME®,” said the 39-year-old Henderson, who represented The United States in Greco-Roman wrestling in both the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. 

 

“STRIKEFORCE and its growing roster of world class talent will offer me many exciting fights and has the ability to bring many new fans from all around the world to mixed martial arts. I am grateful to (STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO) Scott Coker for the opportunity to help make this happen and for treating me with the utmost respect throughout our negotiations

 

I’d also like to thank Dana (White) and the UFC for the opportunities they provided me and I wish them ongoing success.  I’ll continue to watch their events and I hope they’ll tune in to my fights in STRIKEFORCE.  After all, I’m a true fan of our fantastic sport and would love only to see MMA continue to grow.”

 

“We are excited to welcome Dan Henderson to STRIKEFORCE,” said Coker.  “Dan is one of the world’s premiere fighters who has lived out an extraordinary career.  We are looking forward to having him compete for us.”

 

At both Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State University, Henderson established himself as a force in collegiate wrestling, reaching the NCAA championships in 1993. In 1997, Henderson entered the world of MMA, winning the Brazil Open, a four-man heavyweight tournament.  One year later, he was the victor of the UFC 17 tournament, defeating both Allan Goes and Carlos Newton in the same night on May 15, 1998.

Following a stellar six plus year career with the now-defunct, Japan-based PRIDE Fighting Championships where he conquered a number of all-time greats including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, and Vitor Belfort, Henderson re-entered UFC.  He was selected to serve as coach of Team USA on the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series, which premiered on Spike TV on April 1, 2009. 

 

STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on premium cable television network SHOWTIME.  The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the “Fedor vs. Rogers” mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on

Saturday, November 7 and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world’s number one heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett “The Grim” Rogers.

 

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.

 

TOKYO FIVE TO SPONSOR TUF 9 FINALISTS ANDRE WINNER AND ROSS PEARSON FOR UFC 105

Tokyo Five is going to Manchester to support TUF 9 Finalists Andre Winner and Ross Pearson at UFC 105!!

I will be interviewing both Ross and Andre soon... Check back!

 

UFC & Spike TV Announce Bouts for TUF Finale

UFC® AND SPIKE TV ANNOUNCE TWO EXCITING BOUTS TO BE FEATURED ON “THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER®: HEAVYWEIGHTS” FINALE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5

Undefeated Jon Jones Takes On The Ultimate Fighter^® Alum Matt Hamill And Lightweight Contenders Frankie Edgar And Kurt Pellegrino Do Battle

Las Vegas, NV (USA) October 14, 2009 – The live finale of The Ultimate Fighter^®: Heavyweights on Spike TV will include two bouts showcasing four of the UFC’s rising stars.  Emanating from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 9:00 PM ET, the co-features announced today include a light heavyweight bout between Jon Jones and Matt Hamill and a lightweight matchup pitting Frankie Edgar against Kurt Pellegrino. 

Tickets for The Ultimate Fighter^® 10 Finale are $500, $350 and $250, plus any additional box office or service fees, and go on-sale Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12pm PT.  Please visit any Ticketmaster location, call 800-745-3000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com to purchase tickets.

UFC^® Fight Club^™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to The Ultimate Fighter^® 10 Finale Thursday, Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. PT via the website UFCFIGHTCLUB.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, Oct. 16 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

Despite being one of the youngest fighters in the UFC, the 22 year-old Jones has emerged as one of the fastest rising talents in the sport of mixed martial arts.  The Endicott, NY resident has a perfect 9-0 professional record, with his last three victories coming inside the UFC Octagon^™, the most notable of which was a unanimous decision over Stephan Bonnar at UFC 94 in January. 

Hamill (8-2) gained national attention as a standout performer on season three of The Ultimate Fighter.  The three-time NCAA wrestling champion with a devastating ground game has won his last two bouts in the UFC, including a knockout of Mark Munoz in the first round of their contest at UFC 96 in March.  This light heavyweight bout will also be a battle for bragging rights in upstate New York, as Hamill trains in Utica.   

Coming off an impressive victory over Sean Sherk at UFC 98 in May, Edgar (10-1) now ranks amongst the top 155 lb fighters in the UFC.  To continue his quest for BJ Penn’s lightweight crown, the Toms River, NJ product must defeat fellow New Jersey resident, Kurt Pellegrino.

The pride of Point Pleasant, NJ, Pellegrino (20-4) is coming off the biggest win of his career, a three-round decision victory over Josh Neer at UFC 101 in August.  His third consecutive win in the Octagon put him in the upper echelon of the 155 lb division, and a victory against Edgar would move him ever-closer to a title shot. 

Other bouts, including the finals of “The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights,” will be announced at a later date.  The two finalists will be competing for a six-figure contract with the preeminent mixed martial arts organization in the world, The Ultimate Fighting Championship®. 

Spike TV is available in 98.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com, UK.UFC.com, GERMANY.UFC.com, UFCJapan.jp or UFCEspanol.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

About The Ultimate Fighting Championship®

UFC is the largest live pay-per-view provider in the world and the fastest growing main stream sports organization in history.  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, Avail-TVN Entertainment, BellTV, SaskTel Max™, Shaw Pay-Per-View, and Viewers Choice. International distributors include WOWOW in Japan, Premiere Combate and SporTV in Brazil, with worldwide distribution via the Internet on UFC.com and Yahoo! Sports.  UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada.  UFC programming is distributed in 132 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 415 million homes worldwide.

 

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.

Herschel Walker Signs With Strikeforce

I'm not overly surprised by this announced, given the fixture Herschel Walker has become at MMA events lately. And if you recall at the last Strikeforce event in San Jose when asked he said he'd get in there if people wanted him to. Well, apparently he got the message that some people would like to see this. I've been told that Herschel has been training in Martial Arts for years. And while one can argue he's extremely old for the sport, his athletic ability is not of the average man. I wish him the best of luck and I look forward to seeing his first fight. But mostly I look forward to Dana White's response to this news!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

FOOTBALL LEGEND

 

HERSCHEL WALKER SIGNS WITH STRIKEFORCE MMA

 

NEW YORK (September 21, 2009)--Former NFL and NCAA football superstar Herschel Walker will enter a new chapter in his career as a professional athlete when he makes his debut as a heavyweight in the world's fastest growing sport - mixed martial arts (MMA) - as part of a multi-fight contract he has signed with world championship promotion STRIKEFORCE.

The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl competitor will begin a 12 week training camp next month at San Jose, California's American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), which plays home to a host of the world's greatest fighters, including STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Josh "The Punk" Thomson.  The 6 foot 1 inch, 220 pound former running back, who already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo, will be trained by AKA co-owner and head trainer Bob Cook.

"I've been training for several years.  I would play college football games on Saturday and then compete in martial arts tournaments on Sunday after church I'm now looking forward to opening up another chapter in my life and to competing in MMA," said Walker, who recently was a contestant on the second hit season of Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice reality series on NBC.

"I flew to LA last month to watch Herschel train and was surprised to see his advanced wrestling and striking abilities," said STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO Scott Coker, a martial arts promoter of over 25 years.  "He's got work ahead of him, but he's committed to training at one of the most notable gyms in the sport of MMA so it will be very interesting to watch him progress."

Walker, a 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was also selected to Sports Illustrated's NCAA All-Century Team that year, has never been one to shy away from the road less traveled.

Following his junior year at the University of Georgia where he had set the NCAA freshman rushing record en route to an undefeated season and Sugar Bowl championship victory over Notre Dame, Walker, a born-again Christian, astonished the sports world by withdrawing from school to play professional ball in the newly formed United States Football League (USFL) rather than wait to enter the NFL draft after the graduation of his collegiate class, a rule maintained by the world's largest professional football league at the time.

While the vast majority of football players typically follow an intensive weight room regimen, Walker relied on bodyweight exercise, conditioning, and calisthenics while maintaining very little body fat.

Walker was eventually drafted in 1985 by The Dallas Cowboys and established himself as a premiere running back in the league.  In 1986, he was the driving force behind a historic trade that sent in to The Minnesota Vikings in exchange for five players and six draft picks.

In 12 NFL seasons with four different teams, he became the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways - rushing, receiving, and kickoff returns.  He is one of six players to exceed 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 touchdowns receiving and is the only player in NFL history to register a 90 plus yard reception, a 90 plus yard run, and a 90 plus yard kickoff return, all in one season (1994).

Off the gridiron, Walker has achieved a handful of feats, including a seventh place finish in the 1992 Winter Olympics two-man bobsled competition.  He also nearly made the Olympic sprint relay team.

Now 47 years of age, Walker, a native of Wrightsville, Georgia, will look to conquer a whole new world.  It is a challenge he is extremely optimistic about.

"I will go in there and test myself against any 20 year old," said Walker.  "I know there will be naysayers and I'm fine with that.  I want to prove to people who sit on a couch and don't do anything but criticize other people that, if you're a true athlete or martial artist, you're not old until you can't get up and walk around anymore.  MMA fighters are said to be some of the best athletes in the world, my plan at the age of 47 is to show the world I am still one of the best athletes as well"

STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.  Last week, STRIKEFORCE announced that it would make its live, primetime debut on CBS with its "Fedor vs. Rogers" mega-fight that it will co-promote with M-1 Global on Saturday, November 7.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=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.

UFC 103 Card Confirmed

We're all anxious to see the Rich Franklin vs Vitor Belfort at UFC 103 next Saturday Sept 19th taking place in Dallas Texas at the American Airlines Center. Today, the UFC officially confirmed the rest of the bouts for the card. Not only will the people attending the event see a pretty stacked card of great match ups but those at home can watch the main card as a PPV event as always and see the prelim bouts FREE on Spike!

 

Here's the rest of the 103 bouts!

MIRKO CRO COP vs. JUNIOR DOS SANTOS

MARTIN KAMPMANN vs. PAUL DALEY

JOSH KOSCHECK vs. FRANK TRIGG

TYSON GRIFFIN vs. HERMES FRANCA

EFRAIN ESCUDERO vs. COLE MILLER

DREW MCFEDRIES vs. TOMASZ DRWAL

JIM MILLER vs. STEVE LOPEZ

NIK LENTZ vs. RAFAELLO OLIVEIRA

RICK STORY vs. BRIAN FOSTER

ELIOT MARSHALL vs. JASON BRILZ

VLADIMIR MATYUSHENKO vs. IGOR POKRAJAC

ROBERT EMERSON vs. RAFAEL DOS ANJOS

 

LIVE FROM THE AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER

 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2009

 

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – As the saying goes, everything’s bigger in Texas – including the fight cards. With the superfight between former middleweight champion Rich Franklin and Vitor Belfort already signed, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) is set to put on a record 13 fights for UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort, which is presented by TEQUILA CAZADORES, live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on September 19.

 

Tickets for UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort are still on sale and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, AmericanAirlinesCenter.com, American Airlines Center Box Office and by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Prices do not include service charges.

 

Mirko Cro Cop (fighting out of Zagreb, Croatia) has fought some of the best heavyweights in the world. The seasoned striker with 25 professional wins is coming off a TKO victory against Mostapha Al Turk in June, but the former PRIDE® Grand Prix champion could be facing one of his toughest challenges in recent memory when he takes on the dangerous Brazilian Junior Dos Santos (fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil). With two knockout wins in his first two UFC fights, no one has lasted longer than 80 seconds in the UFC against the 25-year-old. The 6-foot-4, 238-pound fighter will need to bring his sharpest standup game yet against the feared Croatian kickboxer.

 

Coming off the biggest win of his career, welterweight contender Martin Kampmann (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) is fresh from an impressive split decision victory over former World Extreme Cagefighting® welterweight champion Carlos Condit in April. Since dropping down to the 170-pound weight class, the 27-year-old former Danish Thai boxing champion is a perfect 2-0 but will be pitted against the extremely explosive Paul Daley (fighting out of Nottingham, England). An exciting striker that has fought around the globe, Daley owns KO wins over UFC veterans John Alessio and Duane Ludwig and is making his UFC debut.

 

A former national college wrestling champion, Josh Koscheck (fighting out of Fresno, Calif.) has compiled 10 UFC wins in his career. The Waynesburg, Pennsylvania native has wins over Diego Sanchez, Chris Lytle and Dustin Hazelett, but he has never faced someone like returning UFC veteran Frank Trigg (fighting out of Las Vegas, NV.). One half of two memorable fights with then UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, Trigg has the experience, wrestling background and Octagon savvy to give Koscheck the most difficult test of his career. With two UFC victories already on his resume`, Trigg makes his first trip back into the Octagon™ since 2005.

 

At only 25 years old, Tyson Griffin (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) has already compiled six wins in the UFC. The powerful lightweight fighter holds victories over Clay Guida, Gleison Tibau and most recently a unanimous decision win against Rafael Dos Anjos in April. But now the Sacramento, California born mixed martial artist turns his attention to another tough Brazilian in Hermes Franca (fighting out of Miami, Fla.). The decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt holds two submission victories in the UFC and is coming off a unanimous decision win against his former jiu-jitsu instructor Marcus Aurelio at UFC 90.

 

Winner of the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter™, Efrain Escudero (fighting out of Tempe, Ariz.) remains undefeated (12-0) as a professional mixed martial artist and holds a win over Phillipe Nover in the show’s finale. Now the former All-American college wrestler and Mexico-born fighter will face the red-hot Cole Miller (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.). The 25-year-old Augusta, Ga. native is coming off two consecutive submission victories, tapping out Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Jorge Gurgel and TUF 8’s Junie Browning in successive bouts. The 6-foot-1 lightweight has four total wins in the UFC, and he’ll be looking for number five on September 19^th.

 

With all four of his UFC wins coming via KO/TKO, Drew McFedries (fighting out of Bettendorf, Iowa) has the power and the talent to put anyone’s lights out. It took the Ames, Iowa born fighter only 37 seconds to take Xavier Foupa-Pokam out in his last fight at UFC 98 and the talented middleweight will need every bit of his standup skill when he mixes it up with the aggressive Tomasz Drwal (fighting out of San Diego, Calif. / Krakow, Poland). The heavy-handed 27-year-old is coming off of two knockout victories, including a devastating TKO win over Mike Ciesnolevicz in June. Drwal, who has a 16-2 record, will look for his third UFC win in 2009.

 

Jim Miller (fighting out of Whippany, N.J.) has impressed many during his time in the UFC. Winner of three of his four UFC fights, the Sparta, New Jersey native earned a unanimous decision win against the experienced Mac Danzig at UFC 100 in July. Now the lightweight with the 14-2 pro record faces UFC newcomer Steve Lopez (fighting out of South Bend, Ind.). A national qualifier as a college wrestler, the 25-year-old Lopez holds a 12-1 record and makes his UFC debut on September 19.

 

Two fighters that are making their UFC debuts, Nik Lentz (fighting out of Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Rafaello Oliveira (fighting out of Knoxville, Tenn. / Janja, Brazil) are looking to put on a show in their respective premieres. Lentz, an El Paso, Texas native, wrestled at the University of Minnesota, where he is one semester away from graduating in Pre-Med. Lentz puts his 18-3-1 career mark against Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Rafaello Oliveira. Riding a three-fight win streak, the 9-1 Oliveira has three wins by submission and three by TKO.

 

Heading into his second UFC fight, Rick Story (Vancouver, Wash.) is coming off a three-round battle with John Hathaway. The 25-year-old welterweight holds a 7-3 pro record and is looking for his first UFC win when he takes on Sallisaw, Oklahoma’s Brian Foster (fighting out of Granite City, Ill.). With an impressive 14-3 pro record, Foster has eight wins by KO/TKO, four by submission and is making his UFC debut.

 

Making plenty of noise in the ultra-stacked light heavyweight division is Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Eliot Marshall (fighting out of Boulder, Colo.). With back-to-back wins against Jules Bruchez and Vinny Magalhaes, the Franklinville, N.J. native is a perfect 2-0 in the UFC and 7-2 overall. Marshall looks for his third UFC win when he faces Jason Brilz (fighting out of Omaha, Neb.). The Bismarck, North Dakota fighter also has wins in his two UFC fights, including a unanimous decision victory against Tim Boetsch in March.

 

Making his return to the Octagon after six years, Vladimir Matyushenko (fighting out of El Segundo, Calif.) is back and has won nine of his last 10 fights. The 22-4 Belarusian holds seven wins by submission and seven by TKO and is looking to shake up the light heavyweight division when he returns to face Igor Pokrajac (fighting out of Zagreb, Croatia). A protégé of Mirko Cro Cop, Pokrajac is on an eight-fight win streak and brings a 21-5 record into his UFC debut.

 

A veteran of four UFC fights, lightweight Rob Emerson (fighting out of Irvine, Calif.) is remembered for his 12 second TKO victory against the aggressive Manny Gamburyan. Now the 28-year-old from Huntington, California looks for his third UFC win when he takes on Rafael Dos Anjos (fighting out of Rio de Janeiro). The 24-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion last fought Tyson Griffin in a three-round battle that turned many heads. Now Dos Anjos heads into his third UFC match against the experienced Emerson.

 

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, BellTV, SaskTel Max™, Shaw Pay-Per-View, Viewers Choice, and WOWOW in Japan, and Premiere Combate and SporTV in Brazil, 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.

 

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.

 

Undefeated Tyron Woodley Takes On Zach Light At Strikeforce Challengers

NEW YORK (August 31, 2009) - Budding superstar and two-time All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri, Tyron "T-Wood'' Woodley (5-0) of St. Louis, will face his sternest test to date when he meets former Tito Ortiz protégé, Zach "The Lisbon Outlaw'' Light (4-8) of Huntington Beach, Calif., in a welterweight (170 pounds) fight at the STRIKEFORCE  Challengers event in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Friday, Sept. 25.

The three-round, 5-minute mixed martial arts (MMA) encounter at SpiritBank Event Center will be one of the five fights televised live on SHOWTIME.

It will be the second STRIKEFORCE start for Woodley, the 11th of 13 children raised mostly by a single mother. In an impressive debut, he registered a first round (4:20) submission (Brabo choke) of Sal Woods during the non-televised portion of the "Lawler vs. Shields'' event at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri on June 6, 2009.

A popular up-and-comer, the 5-foot-9, 27-year-old Woodley has been victorious by submission in all of his outings since turning pro on February 27, 2009.  His initial two starts lasted a combined 1:57 and he has yet to hear the bell for the second round.

"I'm really excited to be fighting in the Challengers series on SHOWTIME,'' he said. "Any time a major organization like STRIKEFORCE calls, you've got to seize the opportunity. I'm trying to break down doors.''

 

Before turning to MMA, the talented Woodley was Missouri's first conference wrestling champion. He went 48-0 and won a state championship during his senior year at McCluer High in St. Louis.

So, this is a young man accustomed to winning. But he had to overcome a lot, and his teenage years were definitely a struggle after his father left the family behind when "T-Wood'' was 10.

"My mom deserves credit,'' said Woodley, who not only persevered but also reconciled with his Dad.  "I learned a lot. Having that many people in the house with limited resources made me a better person.''

While still relatively unknown outside St. Louis, the highly regarded newcomer remains one to watch. "I continue to work hard on whatever it takes that I can incorporate into my wrestling style that will make me better,'' said Woodley, who credits the birth of his son, Tyron Jr., as a turning point in his life. "I just want to improve. My goal is to look completely different every fight.

"I'm an experienced wrestler, but a baby in MMA. The most important thing is to be able to go out and compete without hesitation. If I do that, I'll win. In MMA, I get into that zone. I'm able to block things out. Hopefully, that will become routine for me. There's a lot more at stake every fight.

"But sometimes it doesn't matter who's the best; it's who wants it the most. Good people lose all the time. To go out there and take by force what's yours is not something you get to do in every sport.''  Light was born and raised in Lisbon, Iowa. On the comeback trail, the 5-foot-8, 35-year-old also possesses a strong wrestling pedigree and has trained with one of the biggest names in the sport.

"I moved to California with nothing but a duffle bag and ended up meeting Tito,'' said Light, who hopes to shine brightly in his first appearance before a paying audience since November 11, 2008. "After getting to know me, he offered me a spot on Team Punishment."

Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE:  Challengers event, priced from $25, are on sale at SpiritBank Event Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and STRIKEFORCE's official website (www.strikeforce.com).

In the main event on September 25, American military hero Tim Kennedy (10-2) of Fayetteville, North Carolina will face unbeaten Zak Cummings (10-0) of Springfield, Missouri in a middleweight (185 pounds) scrap.

In a second SHOWTIME fight, K-1 legend and six-time world kickboxing champion, Ray "Sugarfoot" Sefo (1-0) of Las Vegas takes on Alabama-born Kevin "The Shaman" Jordan (11-7) in a heavyweight match.

SpiritBank Event Center doors will open at 7:15 p.m. CT for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event and the first preliminary bout will begin at 8 p.m.

Amongst the Oklahomans scheduled to appear on the card are Tulsa rivals Travis "The Dark Knight" Calanoc (4-0) and Thomas Longacre (4-0), who will put their unbeaten records on the line against each.

The live SHOWTIME telecast, which will include up to five bouts, will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast). World championship MMA promotion STRIKEFORCE will produce the event at SpiritBank Event Center along with eXtreme Fighting promoter and five-time world kickboxing champion Dale "Apollo" Cook.

STRIKEFORCE Challengers is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. The series is designed to provide today's top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=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.

UFC 100 ON SPIKE TV KNOCKS OUT THE COMPETITION

Draws More Men 18-34 Than The PGA Championship On CBS And MLB On Fox

 

New York, NY, August 18, 2009 -- Spike TV’s telecast of UFC 100 (originally airing on pay-per-view July 11) drew more Men 18-34 (513,000) than anything else on television on Saturday, August 15.  Airing from 10:00pm-12:30am ET/PT, the telecast drew 2 million viewers, a 1.8 rating in Men 18-34, a 1.7 rating (950,000) in Men 18-49, and a 1.5 household rating.

The telecast bested heavy sports competition during the day in the advertiser-coveted demographic of Men 18-34:

 

UFC 100 (Spike TV) – 513,000

PGA Championship (CBS) – 479,000

MLB Baseball (FOX) – 242,000

Strikeforce (Showtime) – 181,000

 

Olympian Daniel Cormier begins MMA career

U.S OLYMPIAN & NATIONAL CHAMPION WRESTLER TO BEGIN HIS PRO MMA CAREER

 

Daniel Cormier, 2x US Olympic Wrestler and 6x U.S Senior National Champion, has just signed on with Zinkin Entertainment & Sports Management, officially beginning his professional career in MMA.  Cormier adds his name to other MMA stars under Zinkin Entertainment such as Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Jon Fitch, Mike Swick, Josh Koscheck, Cain Velasquez, Josh Thomson, Bobby Southworth and Paul Buentelllo.

 

Cormier, resident of  Oklahoma  since his collegiate wrestling career at Oklahoma State University, is known for his extraordinary talent and physically aggressive, explosive style of wrestling.  Zinkin Entertainment is excited to have Cormier as part of their team and have high expectations for their latest MMA fighter.  Daniel will soon begin training at the world-renowned American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose , California under “Crazy” Bob Cook, Javier Mendez and Dave Camarillo. 

 

With a collegiate record of 117-10, Cormier is considered one of the most decorated U.S wrestlers.  Notable achievements include:

 

2x United States Olympian: Freestyle ('08 Beijing, '04 Athens)
6x U.S National Champion

8x U.S National Team Member

2002-2009 Ranked #1 in the U.S

2008 U.S National Champion

2008 U.S Olympic Trials, Champion

2008 U.S Olympic Team Captain

2008 NJCAA Hall of Fame Inductee

2007 World Championships, Bronze Medalist

2007 USA Wrestling Freestyle Wrestler of the Year

2007 Pan Am Games, Bronze Medalist

2006 World Cup, Champion

2005 World Cup, Silver Medalist

2005 Yarygin International Tournament, Champion

*toughest tournament in the world, only 6th American to win

2005 Super Cup, Silver Medalist ( Russia )

2004 Olympic Games, 4th place ( Athens )

2004 Titan games, Champion

2004 Boutiatyr Grand Prix, Champion ( Russia )

2003 Pan Am Games, Champion
2003 World Championships, 5th place

2003 Yarygin International Tournament, Bronze Medalist

2003 Absolute World Championships, Bronze Medalist

2002 Pan Am Games, Champion

2001 NCAA Championships, Silver Medalist
3x NCAA College All-American

2x NJCAA National Champion (‘97,’98)
3x Louisiana State Champion

1995 Cadet World Championships, Bronze Medalist