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M-1 Selection tournament Invades America Apr. 3 at Bally’s Atlantic City AMSTERDAM, Holland (March 19, 2010) – After traveling to three continents and holding 50 fights, the 2010 season of the "M-1 Selection” invades the United States with the opening round of “The M1 Selection Americas” on Saturday, April 3 at Bally's Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The opening round kicks-off the American edition of a global mixed-martial tournament unrivaled in size and scope, featuring 160 of the most promising fighters from all around the world competing in five weight classes. The “M-1 Selection” is a knockout competition. Fighters are eliminated after only one loss and two victories earn fighters a trip to the championship to earn a shot at a coveted “M-1 Selection” title.
The “M-1 Selection” tournament is broken down into four global
regions: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Americas. Each of
the four regions will host three rounds The “M-1 Selection Americas” event will showcase elimination fights in the lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight categories. Winners advance to the Americas second knockout round.
The tournament will feature some of the best up-and-coming fighters from each region as they begin the journey towards a tournament victory. The complete fight card will be released at the start of next week. An Americas light heavyweight and heavyweight round is also scheduled for this spring and will take place to determine the semi-finalists for the region. Free broadcast coverage of the entire 2010 M-1 Selection tournament will be available live to viewers worldwide on www.Sherdog.com. Tickets, priced at $55.00-$95.00, are available to purchase through www.TicketMaster.com
Doors open at 6.30 pm, first fight at 7:00 PM/ET. Go to www.M-1Global.com for additional information.
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THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® CONFIRMS REMAINING BOUTS FOR UFC® on VERSUS
MAIN EVENT BRANDON “THE TRUTH” VERA vs. JON “BONES” JONES CO-MAIN EVENT JUNIOR “CIGANO” DOS SANTOS vs. GABRIEL “NAPAO” GONZAGA
CHEICK KONGO vs. PAUL BUENTELLO ALESSIO SAKARA vs. JAMES IRVIN CLAY GUIDA vs. SHANNON GUGERTY ELLIOT MARSHALL vs. VLADIMIR MATYUSHENKO DUANE LUDWIG vs. DARREN ELKINS JOHN HOWARD vs. DANIEL ROBERTS BRENDAN SCHAUB vs. CHASE GORMLEY MIKE PIERCE vs. JULIO PAULINO ERIC SCHAFER vs. JASON BRILZ
SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2010
Live from the 1STBank Center – Tickets on Sale Now Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Two of the most dynamic Ultimate Fighting Championship® light heavyweights clash on Sunday, March 21, when Muay Thai ace Brandon “The Truth” Vera takes on dangerous 22-year-old phenom Jon “Bones” at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colo for UFC® on VERSUS. The fight will air live on VERSUS at 9 p.m. ET marking the debut of the world’s largest mixed martial arts organization on VERSUS and the first time that a live UFC event will air on a national sports cable network. UFC on VERSUS will feature a card loaded with explosive match-ups such as Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga, Cheick Kongo vs. Paul Buentello, Duane Ludwig vs. Spencer Fisher, Alessio Sakara vs. James Irvin, Clay Guida, vs. Shannon Gugerty, Eliot Marshall vs. Vladimir Matyushenko, John Howard vs. Daniel Roberts, Brendan Schaub vs. Chase Gormley, Mike Pierce vs. Rob Kimmons and Eric Schafer vs. Jason Brilz. Tickets for UFC on VERSUS are on sale and are available for purchase at www.tickethorse.com and the Pepsi Center Box Office. Since coming onto the scene in the UFC, Brazilian heavyweight Junior Dos Santos (fighting out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil / 10-1 professional record) has torn through every opponent in his path. Riding a four fight winning streak in the Octagon™, all by way of stoppage (3 KO/TKO, 1 Submission) against the likes of Fabricio Werdum, Stefan Struve, Mirko Cro Cop and Gilbert Yvel, Dos Santos looks to continue his dominance against fellow Brazilian Gabriel Gonzaga. A veteran of the UFC, Gonzaga (fighting out of Ludlow, Mass. / 11-4) has won three of his last four fights, his most recent victory being a first-round knockout of Chris Tuchscherer. Always dangerous on his feet, Gonzaga looks to assert himself as one of the top heavyweights in the division with a win over Dos Santos on March 21st. Known for his devastating striking ability, UFC veteran Cheick Kongo (fighting out of Paris, France / 24-6-1) is looking to demonstrate these skills against another powerful puncher. The 34-year-old Frenchman has five TKO victories in the UFC and looks to hunt down “The Headhunter.” Paul Buentello (fighting out of San Jose, Calif. / 25-11) made his first appearance in the UFC since 2006 when he took on Stefan Struve at UFC 107. A mixed martial arts veteran with 25 career wins, Buentello looks to once again prove his standup skills against another top striker. There are few middleweights with as much experience inside the Octagon as Alessio Sakara (fighting out of Miami, Fla. / 18-7, 1 NC). A nine-fight Octagon veteran, the Rome, Italy native looks to build off of his two-fight winning streak as he squares off against another proven striker. James Irvin (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif. / 14-5, 1 NC) returns to the UFC as a winner of two of his past three fights. Known for his impressive athletic ability and punching power, Irvin is eager to make his 185-pound debut at UFC on VERSUS. Known for his outgoing personality and frenetic pace in his fights, Clay Guida (fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill. / 25-8) is one of the most exciting fighters the lightweight division has to offer. Winner of three of his last five fights, Guida is looking to continue his exciting brand of fighting as he faces off against tough competitor Shannon Gugerty (fighting out of San Diego, Calif. / 12-4). A west coast standout, Gugerty is the owner of two Octagon wins against Dale Hartt and Matt Grice, and he will be trying to collect his third victory in a lightweight showdown with Guida. Making his mark as a contestant on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter®, Eliot Marshall (fighting out of Boulder, Colo. / 8-2) has taken full advantage of his opportunities as he has gone a perfect 3-0 in his post-TUF fights. Marshall, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, faces his toughest match-up yet as he will face off against experienced veteran Vladimir Matyushenko (fighting out of El Segundo, Calif. / 23-4). Winner of three of his last four bouts, with his most recent win coming at UFC 103 against Igor Pokrajac, the Belarusian hopes to use his experience to put together back-to-back victories as he takes on Marshall on March 21st. In a career that spans back to UFC 42, Duane Ludwig (fighting out of Denver, Colo. / 27-10) is 2-1 in the UFC with a notable 11-second destruction of Jonathan Goulet in 2006. Ludwig will have his work cut out for him as he takes on UFC newcomer Darren Elkins (fighting out of Portage, Ind. / 10-1). A native of Portage, Ind. Elkins is looking to make his first fight in the UFC memorable with a win over Ludwig. Storming onto the scene with three straight wins, 26 year-old John Howard (fighting out of Boston, Mass. / 13-4) hopes to continue his rise up the ranks of the welterweight division with a win at UFC on VERSUS. Howard’s opponent is UFC newcomer Daniel Roberts (fighting out of San Francisco, Calif. / 9-0.), who brings his perfect record to the UFC as he looks to make an immediate impact in the welterweight division. Born in Rockford, Ill., Roberts is well versed in wrestling and jiu-jitsu and hopes these skills will help propel him to his first win inside the Octagon. A finalist on The Ultimate Fighter® Heavyweights, former NFL player Brendan Schaub (fighting out of Denver, Colo. / 5-1) looks to begin his post-TUF path to stardom as he squares off with Chase Gormley at UFC on VERSUS. Gormley (fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif. / 6-1) is also looking for his first career UFC win, and the former college wrestling All-American hopes it will come at the expense of Schaub on Sunday, March 21st. Since joining the UFC following a successful stint in World Extreme Cagefighting®, Mike Pierce (fighting out of Vancouver, Wash. / 9-3) has continued to face top-notch competition. Winner of two of his last three fights overall, Pierce has defeated Brock Larson and engaged in a hard-fought three round battle with former No. 1 contender Jon Fitch. Pierce has another tough fight ahead of him as he faces Julio Paulino (fighting out of Anchorage, Alaska / 18-2.) A native of Jersey City, NJ, the “Dominican Demon” looks to establish himself in the welterweight division with a win in his UFC debut. Winner of two of his last three fights, submission specialist Eric Schafer (fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisc. / 13-4-2) will be making his seventh UFC appearance, this time against Jason Brilz (fighting out of Omaha, Neb. / 17-2-1), a native of Bismarck, North Dakota, who owns UFC victories over Brad Morris and Tim Boetsch. Both fighters are looking for their third career UFC win and will do whatever it takes to garner it.
Ultimate Fighting Championship® -
www.ufc.com About VERSUS VERSUS celebrates real competition across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the national cable home of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the IndyCar® Series as well as best-in-class events such as The Tour de France, the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Boxing. The network also offers collegiate sports featuring nationally-ranked teams from top conferences such as the Pac-10, Big 12, Mountain West and Ivy League. VERSUS features the best field sports programming on television and is a destination for sports fans, athletes and sportsmen to find exclusive, competitive events and original programs, such as Sports Soup and The Contender that audiences can't find elsewhere. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
### Press Contacts: United States United Kingdom: Jennifer Wenk, Anthony Evans Director UFC Public Relations Senior Communications Manager, UFC UK Division 702.221.4790 (office) 00 44 (0) 7792802652 (mobile/cell) 702.635.0995 (cell) aevans@ufc.com
Katie Bradshaw, VERSUS Public Relations 917-934-1997 (office)
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M-1 GLOBAL NEWS
Today the first M-1 selection event in Asia took place in Seoul, Korea. Below is a quick recap on the fights. Please make sure to tune to our next free live stream from Holland on March 27!
The fight starts in a slow pace, then Song lands a big punch and takes the fight to the ground. Song takes side control. After just 3 minutes in the first round both fighters look exhausted. Lee reverses and takes mount but looks too tired to start a GnP offensive. The bell rings for the first round and Song JinMin gives up. Winner by TKO Lee MinGu
Whang has a little reach advantage over Lee. They are both feeling eachother out, Whang connects with several punches while Lee is defending. In the second round Whang immediately takes the middle of the ring and starts dominating again. Whang punching and kneeing in various combinations while Lee is still not doing much in return. At the end of the round Whang starts a furious offensive but Lee is saved by the bell. Winner by U.D. Wang KyoPyung
Lee starts with a good takedown but gets stood up again, gets the takedown again and after a lot of reversals Choi gets sidemount and attempts a armbar but Lee escapes. No one is really dominating on the ground and the bell for the first round sounds. The second round starts with some combinations back and forth, Choi goes for the takedown and gets sidemount. He gets reversed and Lee end up in the guard where he escapes from a kimura attempt. Now Choi fights for mount and gets it, he starts pounding and the referee stops the fight. Winner by TKO Choi DooHo
Bae starts with a body kick but gets taken down by Kwon. Kwon looking good here but they are moved to the centre of the ring. There Kwon finishes what he started and wins in the first round by TKO. Winner by TKO Kwon BaeYong
Moon gets the takedown straight away and end up in sidemount. He attempts an armtriange but doesn't get it but he manages to get on Kim's back. Moon is dominating the fight and gets mount again and makes an armbar attempt. Kim escapes, Moon gives an illegal upkick and the end of the round. In the second round Moon dominates again and attempts an omaplata and gets it! Winner by SUB Moon JunHee
Lee starts by throwing a big overhand right which connects, so he follows up with some combinations. Ryu end on his back and attempts a heelhook but Lee gets away. Lee now makes a beautiful hip throw but after a lack of action the fighters are stood up again. Ryu is trying to get the takedown but isn't getting it. In the second round both fighters come out swinging and after a clinch they end up on the ground where Lee takes sidemount. Lee starts pounding and while Ryu is trying to reverse him is getting a lot of hits. Lee gets full mount, and the ref comes between. Winner by TKO Lee YongJae
Jun starts of with a nice jab, he looks very confident about his striking skills . Ki attempts a takedown but Jun ends on top. Jun is in sidemount now and starts pounding. He has a good balance and keeps hitting Ki on his body and head. Jun ends up in Ki's guard but keeps pounding end the fight is stopped. Winner by TKO Jun JiSun
The fight starts of in a slow pace, both fighters are looking for that one punch KO. But then Kim takes Lee down. Kim ends up in half guard and starts punching. They get back up again and Kim gets a big takedown, takes mountposistion and starts pounding. Lee is saved by the bell for round one. Lee is the better striker standing so Kim wants the clinch and gets it. He takes Lee down but they are stood up again by the referee since there is to less action. In the third round Lee knows that he will need a K.O. and looks for it, but Kim takes him down ends controls the fight until the end of the round. Winner by U.D. Kim Hee Seung
Cancelled
Choi is going straight for a sidechoke but Koak is defending well. Choi in half guard. Choi gets out and takes full side control, Koak taps to the choke. Winner by SUB Choi JeeHyun
The fight starts as a big brawl, and Seo has the better of it. He starts with heavy kicks and punches and showing of. Both are swinging and Kim lands on the ground.Kim wants him to stand up where they immediately start punching again. Then Seo throws a big knee to the body of Kim which drops him. Seo jumps on top, starts pounding and the ref comes between. Winner by TKO Seo One Ho
Kim starts by landing some strong punches while Jang is looking for the clinch. Kim uses his bodyweight during the clinch to put Jang in the corner. They are released and a big brawl starts. Punches back and forth and Jang connects with a big left hook. Kim goes down and the referee comes between. Winner by TKO Jang Young June
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THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING
CHAMPIONSHIP® RETURNS
TO MONTREAL FOR UFC®
113:
LYOTO “THE DRAGON” MACHIDA vs. MAURICIO
“SHOGUN” RUA
UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Live from the Bell Centre, Saturday May 8, 2010 – Tickets on sale
Saturday, Feb 20 at 10 a.m. ET Las
Vegas, NV (USA) – It was so good, the UFC® decided to do it
again.
At UFC 104 last
October, UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida and
challenger Mauricio “Shogun” Rua engaged in a five round war that divided
the mixed martial arts world when the unanimous decision verdict was
rendered in Machida’s favor. On Saturday, May 8, these two warriors will
have a chance to do it again and erase any doubt as to who is the best
205-pound fighter in the world, and both are vowing to take matters out of
the judges’ hands, and into their own when The Ultimate Fighting
Championship® heads back to Montreal for UFC 113: Machida vs.
Shogun 2, live from the Bell Centre and only on Pay-Per-View. “The first fight
between Machida and Shogun was very controversial, I think fans are very
excited to see them fight again and find out who the best light
heavyweight in the world is,” said UFC President Dana White. Tickets for UFC 113
will go on sale Saturday, February 20 at 10am ET and will be priced at
$600, $400, $250, $150, $100 and $50. Tickets are available at the Bell
Centre box office, by phone at (514) 790-2525 / 1-877-668-8269 or at
www.geg.ca.
UFC® Fight
Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to
this event Thursday, February 18 at 10 a.m. ET via the website
ufc.com. A special Internet ticket
pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, February
19 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for
the UFC newsletter through ufc.com. UFC 113 will be
available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN,
Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a
suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or
high-definition broadcasts (where available). With eight fights and
eight wins in the UFC, Lyoto
“The Dragon” Machida (fighting out of Belem, Brazil, 16-0 professional
record) is cementing his place as one of the most dangerous men in the
Octagon™ in any weight class. The 31-year-old Machida Karate black belt
turned many heads with his wins over Thiago Silva, Tito Ortiz and Rameau
Sokoudjou, but it was his second round knockout over then champion Rashad
Evans at UFC 98 last May, that put him at the top of the 205-pound class.
But on May 8th, he expects to be pushed to the limit once again
as he turns his attention back to the man that gave him his greatest
challenge yet. With TKO victories over Mark Coleman and Chuck Liddell, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil, 18-4) re-established himself as one of the premier light heavyweights on the planet. The devastating 28-year-old striker came the closest to putting a blemish on Machida’s undefeated record last October and the former PRIDE® star, who holds wins over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Ricardo Arona, Kevin Randleman and Alistair Overeem, now looks to capture the very same title he came so close to winning in 2009.
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We
are excited to inform you that from 2010 ISKA will be running TOURNAMENTS
in Queensland. The
ISKA QLD will cater for all styles and all ages.
Instructors will have
the opportunity to run their own tournament under ISKA banner and your
tournament will be rated. The benefit of the ISKA tournaments is your
students will be rated in all regional, state, and inter-state tournament
they participate in and qualify for the World Cup Events. We are hosting 2
tournaments on the Gold Coast, 1 at Harvey Bay, and 1 at Caboolture this
year. Anyone else interested in hosting their own ISKA tournament please
let us know at the earliest to book in. Contact us on 07 55274911 or
0447332211 We are looking forward
to hosting GALA DINNER night to recognize competitors, Instructors and
Sponsors. We are already putting together a plan for having a STATE OF
ORGIN (QLD vs NSW vs Vic) competition which will also include $1000 cash
money for the Winning Team.
We are organizing
the first ISKA tournament on the Gold Coast on 28th Sunday
March 2010. Venue of the tournament will be at All Saints Anglican School
Basket Ball Stadium. Address Highfield Dr Merrimac QLD 4226.
There are 9 Events
your students are welcome to participate in. This is a 3 star tournament
and entry forms will be available from next week. Discounts for early bird
registrations.
We need Instructors
for Judging & Referring. On the 27th March there will be a
Judging & Referring Accreditation course under ISKA. This is a good
opportunity for your Senior Kyu grades and Black Belts to get their
qualifications. More information will be posted.
Kind
Regards Bill
Wakefield
Combined Martial Arts Academy
Tel - 07 55274911
Fax - 07 55274811 Email/Web - b.wakefield@c-m-a.com.au www.c-m-a.com.au
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UFC 109:
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – In 1998, two of the
United States’ greatest amateur wrestlers - Randy “The Natural” Couture
and Mark “The Hammer” Coleman - were scheduled to meet in a relatively new
proving ground called the Ultimate Fighting Championship. That mixed
martial arts bout at UFC 17 never happened due to injury, but on Saturday,
February 6th, nearly 12 years and six UFC championships later, Couture and
Coleman finally square off at UFC 109: Relentless, presented by Bud Light
and live on pay-per-view from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas,
Nev., for a colossal meeting of Hall of Famers over a decade in the
making.
Plus, red-hot welterweight contender Josh
Koscheck gets a chance to avenge his lone knockout loss against Brazil’s
Paulo Thiago in the co-main event, along with pivotal showdowns featuring
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Brandon Vera, Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen
and Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg.
“Couture vs. Coleman is one of those dream
matchups that fans have always talked about,” said UFC President Dana
White. “And when you consider that these are two of the greatest wrestlers
turned mixed martial artists ever, and it’s the first time that two guys
who have already earned their way into the UFC Hall of Fame are fighting
each other, this is not only an intriguing matchup, but a historic one.
Tickets for UFC 109 are priced at $600,
$400, $300, $200, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges,
and go on sale Saturday, Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. PT at all Las Vegas
Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo
Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by
phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
Tickets also are available for purchase at UFC.com,
www.mandalaybay.com or
www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/>
.
UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the
opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, Dec. 10 at 10 a.m.
PT via www.UFC.com <http://www.ufc.com/>
. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter
subscribers Friday, Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users
must register for the UFC newsletter through
www.UFC.com <http://www.ufc.com/> .
UFC 109 will be available live on
pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw
Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of
$44.95 ($49.95/Canada) for standard definition or high-definition
broadcasts (where available).
A five-time UFC champion who has reached
the top of the mountain in both the heavyweight and light heavyweight
divisions, the ageless Randy Couture <http://www.ufc.com/randycouture>
(fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) is coming off a unanimous decision
victory over light heavyweight contender Brandon Vera at UFC 105 in
November, and with 14 career UFC wins over the likes of Chuck Liddell,
Tito Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Pedro Rizzo and Tim Sylvia, “The Natural” is
used to facing the best of the best. On February 6th, he will finally get
his opportunity to take on “The Hammer”.
“Mark Coleman is another classic matchup
for me,” said Couture. “Like (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira, this is a fight
that was supposed to happen a long time ago and is finally now a reality.
Mark has a tremendous wrestling pedigree, and his collegiate and freestyle
background has taken him a long way in MMA. I look forward to testing my
skills and fighting spirit against another UFC Hall of Fame fighter.”
The Godfather of Ground and Pound, Mark
Coleman <http://www.ufc.com/markcoleman>
(fighting out of Columbus, Ohio) used that strategy to earn the first UFC
heavyweight championship and a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame. A former NCAA
Division I national champion wrestler at Ohio State now fighting at light
heavyweight, “The Hammer” returned to the Octagon in 2009 after a
successful career in Japan with a memorable battle against Mauricio Rua
and a victory over Stephan Bonnar, and on February 6th, he will begin his
quest for a title at 205 pounds as he takes on fellow legend Randy
Couture.
“This is by far the biggest fight of my
career,” Coleman said. “I have nothing but respect both inside and outside
of the Octagon for Randy Couture. He is one of the greatest in the history
of MMA. It’s an honor to accept this challenge to fight him and a win here
would be one of the top highlights of my career. I expect to win, and will
prepare for a war. I will do all I can to make this an exciting fight for
the fans.”
A fighter willing to fight anyone at
anytime, Josh Koscheck <http://www.ufc.com/joshkoscheck>
(fighting out of Fresno, Calif.) is coming off one of the biggest wins of
his career, as he made a statement to the welterweight division by
submitting rising star Anthony Johnson at UFC 106. But the 32-year-old
former NCAA Division I national champion wrestler is not about to rest on
his laurels; instead he will look for a dose of redemption against Paulo
Thiago as he continues on his road to a world title shot.
“I am training super hard right now,”
Koscheck said. “This is a big fight for me because I lost the first time.
I fought him last February and I’m fighting him again this February but
this time I am going to be the one knocking him out. I promise you this
fight will not go out of the first round.”
A decorated grappler with knockout power,
28-year-old Paulo Thiago <http://www.ufc.com/PauloThiago>
(fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) made his name on the international
scene with his first round TKO of Koscheck in February 2009, and after a
memorable battle with Jon Fitch and a victory over Jacob Volkmann last
year, Thiago looks to kick off his 2010 campaign in style by repeating his
spectacular win over “Kos”.
“Josh Koscheck is a great fighter who I had
a lot of respect for before our first fight and who I still respect
today,” said Thiago. “But I am still as hungry as I was the first time we
fought, and I will do everything I can to repeat my victory on February
6th.”
A former PRIDE star that kicked the door
open in his UFC debut, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira <http://www.ufc.com/AntonioRogerioNogueira>
(fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) needed less than two minutes to
knock out dangerous contender Luiz Cane at UFC 106 in November. The
twin-brother of former PRIDE and UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo
Nogueira, the 33-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and former Pan-Am
Games boxing medalist is deadly wherever the fight goes, a fact he plans
on introducing to Brandon Vera at UFC 109.
Like Nogueira, Brandon Vera <http://www.ufc.com/brandonvera>
(fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) is a feared striker and ground fighter
who enjoys nothing better than a good ol’ fashioned war in the Octagon.
Winner of three UFC bouts since moving to the 205-pound weight class, and
fresh from a hard-fought three round scrap with Randy Couture, “The Truth”
is more focused and determined than ever to destroy any opposition in his
path, beginning with Rogerio Nogueira.
One of the leading contenders for a shot at
the middleweight title, Nate Marquardt <http://www.ufc.com/natemarquardt>
(fighting out of Denver, Colo.) has left little doubt that he is ready for
a rematch with Anderson Silva after decisive knockouts of Martin Kampmann,
Wilson Gouveia, and Demian Maia. But there is still one more obstacle in
the former King of Pancrase’s way, and on February 6th, he gets the chance
to remove fellow contender Chael Sonnen from his path.
A former U.S. Olympic alternate and
two-time NCAA national champion, Chael Sonnen <http://www.ufc.com/chaelsonnen>
(fighting out of West Linn, Ore.) has used his strong wrestling pedigree
to secure 25 wins in his mixed martial arts career, and with wins over
Yushin Okami, Dan Miller, and previously unbeaten WEC champion Paulo Filho,
the time has come for Sonnen to make his case for a shot at the 185-pound
crown.
Former welterweight champion Matt Serra <http://www.ufc.com/mattserra>
(fighting out of East Meadow, N.Y.) emerged as one of the UFC’s true
superstars with his stirring first round knockout of Georges St-Pierre in
2007. But Serra - the first American to earn a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black
belt under the legendary Renzo Gracie - was no overnight sensation, having
already faced the likes of BJ Penn, Din Thomas, Chris Lytle and Yves
Edwards over the course of his career. On February 6th, fresh from an
exciting Fight of The Night with Matt Hughes last May, Serra returns to
the Octagon.
World-class wrestler and perennial
contender Frank Trigg <http://www.ufc.com/franktrigg>
(fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) is a veteran of six UFC fights,
including two classic battles with then champion Matt Hughes and two
finishing wins against Renato Verissimo and Dennis Hallman. This February,
the 37-year-old – who has won four of his last five bouts - looks to begin
another UFC winning streak.
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.
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A CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER HIGHLIGHTS
THE RETURN OF UFC®
TO NEW JERSEY
UFC WORLD WELTERWEIGHT TITLE
GEORGES ST-PIERRE vs.
DAN HARDY
UFC WORLD INTERIM HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FRANK MIR vs. SHANE CARWIN
SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 2010
Live from the Prudential Center, Newark,
N.J. – Tickets on Sale Saturday, Jan.9 at 10 a.m. ET
Las Vegas, NV (USA)
– Two world titles will be on the line for the first time in 2010 when the
Ultimate Fighting Championship® returns to the Prudential
Center in Newark, New Jersey for UFC 111: ST-PIERRE vs HARDY,
Saturday, March 27th, live on Pay-Per-View and presented by
TapouT. In featured bouts, one of the best fighters in the game today, UFC®
welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, looks to extend his reign and his
six fight winning streak against British bomber Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy,
and former heavyweight champion Frank Mir looks to become only the second
man in UFC history to win the championship three times when he takes on
number one contender Shane Carwin for the interim UFC heavyweight title. “UFC 111 will see our
first two title fights of 2010, and they’re both incredible matchups,”
said UFC President Dana White. “Georges St-Pierre is pound for pound one
of the very best fighters in the world and has been dominant as
welterweight champion, but Dan Hardy has the punching power and the
confidence to score an upset on March 27th. And I can’t say enough about a
fight that has undefeated powerhouse wrestler Shane Carwin taking on
former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir for the interim belt. This fight
pits Carwin’s one punch KO power versus Mir’s fight-ending submission
game. Both of these matches are ‘can’t miss’ fights in terms of action.” Tickets for UFC 111
are priced at $600, $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50, not including
applicable service charges, and go on sale Saturday, January 9 at 10 a.m.
ET at all Ticketmaster locations. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8)
per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster
at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at
UFC.com,
www.prucenter.com or
ticketmaster.com. UFC® Fight
Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to
this event Thursday, Jan. 7 at 10 a.m. ET via
UFC.com. A special Internet ticket
pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, Jan. 8 at
10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC
newsletter through UFC.com. UFC 111 will be
available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN,
BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested
retail price of $44.95 ($49.95/Canada) for standard definition or
high-definition broadcasts (where available). UFC welterweight
champion Georges
St-Pierre (fighting out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 19-2
professional record) has been unstoppable since regaining the title in
2008. The 28-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt holds two career wins
a piece over the legendary Matt Hughes and current UFC lightweight
champion and former welterweight champion BJ Penn. The 170-pound champ
defended his crown most recently against feared striker Thiago Alves at
UFC 100 last July, and now St-Pierre makes his fourth title defense
against one of the fiercest threats to his crown in UK superstar Dan
Hardy. “Dan Hardy is a very
worthy contender and I’m preparing for a war,” said St-Pierre. “He is
hungry for the title and that makes him very dangerous, but I’m just as
hungry to keep the belt and I am going to train and fight like I am the
challenger on March 27th.” Dan
“The Outlaw” Hardy (fighting out of Nottingham, England, 23-6 1
NC) is unbeaten in the UFC and fresh off wins over Marcus Davis and
Mike Swick. A black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a purple belt in Brazilian
jiu-jitsu, the brash 27-year-old is looking to extend his seven-fight win
streak as he becomes the first British fighter to contend for a UFC title.
With 11 wins by KO/TKO and three by submission, the UK fighter with the
4-0 mark in the UFC always looks for the finish.
“I think I am
underestimated by the fans a little,” Hardy said. “But GSP is smart enough
to realize that I could knock him out with either hand. He will come fully
prepared and I expect to face the very best GSP in March - and wouldn’t
want it any other way. When I came into the UFC in October 2008, I didn’t
expect to be the first Briton to fight for a UFC world title, but I am
proud to make a little bit of history. But the real prize is becoming the
first British UFC champion and that’s what is going to happen.” Winner of four of his
last five fights, former two-time heavyweight champion
Frank Mir (fighting out
of Las Vegas, Nev., 13-4) has put on the necessary muscle and weight
to face the biggest challengers in the heavyweight division, and he is
refocused on earning back the world title. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black
belt with immensely improved striking, the 30-year-old knocked down feared
striker Cheick Kongo at UFC 107 and then proceeded to submit the French
contender with a guillotine choke, putting him firmly back in the title
picture. “Shane Carwin is an
extremely dangerous opponent and being matched up against him is an honor,”
Mir said. “It’ll be a great challenge to face him and get to match wits
against his coaches. Greg Jackson is like the ‘Yoda’ of mixed martial arts
and I will need a strong gameplan heading into this fight.” Originally scheduled
to face UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, No. 1 contender
Shane Carwin (fighting out of
Denver, Colo., 11-0) has been on a tear ever since he stepped foot
into the Octagon™. A former national wrestling champion with dynamite in
his fists, Carwin has made quick work of all three of his UFC opponents,
finishing Christian Wellisch, Neil Wain and Gabriel Gonzaga within 91
seconds each. Now he takes the next step in his career against Frank Mir. “It’s an honor to not
only fight for the interim UFC heavyweight title, but to do so against a
respected former champion like Frank Mir,” said Carwin. “This is going to
be a fight to remember for the fans, and I plan on making it one of my
most memorable performances as well. Beating Frank is going to be a test,
but I’m confident that it’s a test I will pass with flying colors.” 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.
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REQUEST STRIKEFORCE EVENTS TO BE SHOWN IN
AUSTRALIA
If you would like
Strikeforce events, including Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers, to be
shown in Australia, please let your Foxtel or Austar provider know by
emailing them at either
ask@austar.com.au or enquiries@foxtel.com.au
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FEDOR SIGNS
World’s No. 1 MMA Heavyweight To Fight
In STRIKEFORCE / M-1 Global Co-Promoted
Events
First Fight To Air This Fall, Live on
SHOWTIME®
NEW YORK
(August 3, 2009)–-After a week of intense negotiations and speculation,
the hottest topic of discussion in the professional fight world has come
to a head as the world’s number one heavyweight and most sought after
mixed martial arts (MMA) champion Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko
has signed a historic, multi-fight agreement that will see him headline
mega-events co-promoted by world championship promotions STRIKEFORCE
and M-1 Global. Emelianenko, known
globally as Fedor, will make his premium television debut this Fall when
his first fight under the new agreement airs live on SHOWTIME®. Up
until now, Emelianenko’s live fights have aired exclusively on
pay-per-view in the United States.
“I am looking forward
to going back to work and fighting at the highest level," said the
33-year-old Emelianenko. During his nine year professional fight career,
which included a four and a half year stay with the world’s former top MMA
promotion, the now defunct PRIDE Fighting Championship, the Russian native
has faced and defeated all comers.
In his last effort,
the 6-foot, 235-pound Emelianenko decimated the number two ranked
heavyweight at the time Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski with a single
punch in the first round (3:14) of the main event of Affliction: “Day of
Reckoning” at Anaheim, California’s Honda Center on January 24. “STRIKEFORCE is a top
fight promotion that houses some of the greatest fighters in the world,”
continued Emelianenko. “I am prepared to fight any of them.” “We are extremely
excited to have the opportunity to work with M-1 Global and Fedor,” said
STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO Scott Coker, a martial arts fight
promoter of over 25 years. “Fedor has been the reigning king of MMA’s
heavyweight division for quite some time now so being able to work with
M-1 and Fedor will substantially increase the level of competition amongst
the athletes in this weight class.” “With the addition of
Fedor and STRIKEFORCE’s new relationship with M-1 Global, SHOWTIME is now
the home of the best pound-for-pound male and female fighters in the
world,” said Ken Hershman, Senior VP and General Manager of SHOWTIME
Sports®. “The Aug. 15 Carano-Cyborg matchup on SHOWTIME will clearly
determine the best female mixed martial artist on the planet. Then, come
this Fall, our subscribers again will witness history when the universally
recognized best male fighter—Fedor Emelianenko—joins the already long list
of world-class athletes on the STRIKEFORCE roster, and for the first time
ever plies his skills live on SHOWTIME.” Hershman continued:
“We are better positioned now than ever before to deliver on our promise
to televise the top fighters in mixed martial arts today.” “I am very happy and
excited about the upcoming collaboration with Strikeforce,” said Vadim
Finkelchtein, President of M-1 Global. “We are very pleased that we
found a reliable partner and I feel that Strikeforce and M-1 can support
each other on many things. This will create big opportunities for both
parties to test their fighters against worthy opponents.” Though his official
professional record is 30-1, Emelianenko is considered undefeated. The
only blemish on his record is a December 22, 2000 fight that was stopped
after 17 seconds and declared a TKO in favor of his opponent, Tsuyoshi
Kohsaka, due to a cut Emelianenko sustained in the opening seconds of
the matchup in Osaka, Japan. Amongst those on
Emelianenko’s list of impressive conquests are former PRIDE Heavyweight
Champions Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mark “The Hammer” Coleman,
and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic as well as former UFC
Heavyweight Champions Kevin “The Monster” Randleman and
Tim Sylvia, whom Emelianenko submitted with a rear naked choke only 36
seconds into their main event showdown at Affliction: “Banned” on July
19, 2008. Despite his extensive
experience, Emelianenko’s debut under the new STRIKEFORCE-M-1 venture
will, interestingly enough, mark his first start in a cage. To date, all
of his bouts have taken place in a ring. After co-promoting two events live on SHOWTIME in 2007 and 2008, STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.
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