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Four Grappling Superfights featured at UFC Fan Expo

July 2nd, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE: Las Vegas, NV â€“ Rumina Sato. Fredson Paixao. Joe Stevenson.Vinicius Magalhaes. Jeff Glover. Ulysses Gomez. Bill Cooper. To those in the grappling world, the names represent the best of the best. To have them in the same hall together at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center is electrifying enough. To see them competing against each other in four Superfights that cap off the largest Submission Grappling tournament in history is something that could only be held at the UFCÂ® Fan Expoâ„¢ on Friday, July 10th and Saturday, July 11th, just hours before the lights go down for the biggest event in mixed martial arts history, UFC 100.

In the headline Superfight on Friday, July 10th, mixed martial arts pioneer Rumina â€œMoon Wolfâ€ Sato faces Ulysses â€œUselessâ€ Gomez. Also in action on Friday, July 10th, against an opponent to be determined, will be The Ultimate Fighter 8â€™s Vinicius Magalhaes. On Saturday, July 11th, the action continues with a match pitting four-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and WEC contender Fredson Paixao against 22-time Grapplers Quest champ Jeff â€œPipelayerâ€ Glover, and an intriguing showdown between UFC lightweight contender Joe â€œDaddyâ€ Stevenson and Bill â€œThe Grillâ€ Cooper. The Superfight doubleheaders on both days begin at 2pm.

â€œFor fans of the ground game, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the worldâ€™s premier grapplers in one place competing against each other,â€ said UFC President Dana White.

Tickets for the first-ever UFC Fan Expo – which leads up to the historic UFC 100 event that takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday, July 11th – are limited, but are still on sale and can be bought exclusively at www.ufcfanexpo.com. V.I.P. Passes sold out quickly, but fans can still buy tickets to the Expo, and Customers that purchase in advance will receive $10 off the two-day pass.

About The Competitors:

Perhaps Japanâ€™s most influential mixed martial artist ever, Rumina â€œMoon Wolfâ€ Sato has inspired countless fighters to not only take up the sport, but to take it to new levels. A pro since 1994, Sato has fought the worldâ€™s best, including John Lewis, Yves Edwards, Caol Uno, Takanori Gomi, Javier Vazquez, Alexandre Nogueira, Joachim Hansen, and Gilbert Melendez. And when it comes to his grappling prowess, suffice to say that the Shooto legend and master of the flying armbar can do it all on the mat, making this rare United States appearance a must see for fight fans.

A native of Los Angeles who now makes his home in Las Vegas, Ulysses â€œUselessâ€ Gomez has been training in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 2001, and this purple belt has learned his lessons well, winning championships in Grapplers Quest, Desert Quest, IGJJF, NAGA, and the Mt. Sac Submission Open. Gomez was also the first American to win a Gold medal in the FILA Pankration World Championships. Currently 3-1 in MMA, this member of Marc Laimonâ€™s Cobra Kai team is eager to perform on the big stage against the world-renowned Rumina Sato.

If you wanted to list Fredson Paixaoâ€™s accomplishments in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you would probably need at least this entire page. Suffice to say that the 30-year old from Parintins â€“ a four-time world champion â€“ is one of the best grapplers of this era. Now competing in MMA for the WEC, Paixao â€“ who is only the second person in the world to go from purple to black belt in just four years â€“ will get back to his roots by grappling competitively during the UFC Fan Expo.

With 22 Grapplers Quest titles to his name, Californiaâ€™s Jeff Glover has taken the jiu-jitsu world by storm. Add in accolades as a 2008 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship-Silver Medalist, 2008 PacSun Hawaii Absolute/No-Gi/Gi Champion, 2007 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship-Gold Medalist, and itâ€™s clear why seeing Gloverâ€™s name on the marquee means some high-level jiu-jitsu. Rated to have the number one rated guard in the United States by Gracie Magazine, Glover will put all his skills to the test against world champion Fredson Paixao.

Winner of 35 MMA fights, including a recent victory over Nate Diaz, UFC lightweight contender Joe Stevenson is one of the top fighters in the world, but what some may not know is that heâ€™s also a skilled grappler. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under BJJ superstar Robert Drysdale, Stevenson has ended four MMA fights with his devastating guillotine choke, and he will be looking to test it against Bill Cooper on July 11th.

22-year old jiu-jitsu phenom Bill â€œThe Grillâ€ Cooper earned his black belt from Ricardo Miller at the age of 20, and heâ€™s done his teacher proud to the tune of 24 Grapplers Quest titles from around the country. Now teaching in Thousand Oaks, California, Cooper will face one of the toughest tests of his young career in Joe Stevenson this July.

Rio De Janeiroâ€™s Vinicius â€œPezaoâ€ Magalhaes first came to the attention of UFC fans in 2008, when he finished three opponents in the first round en route to a spot in the finals of The Ultimate Fighterâ€™s eighth season. But to those in the jiu-jitsu community, Magalhaesâ€™ reputation was already rock solid. Winner of eight medals at the BJJ World Championships (four Gold, one Silver and three Bronze), this black belt under Vinicius Aieta and Royler Gracie will show UFC fans even more dimensions of his game when he steps on the mat on July 10th.

Please note that all rings of the UFC Fan Expo tournament will be stopped during these Superfights, and that while fans will get to see all the tournament and Superfight action, seating will be limited and handled on a first come, first served basis.

For more UFC Fan Expo information and to purchase tickets, visit UFCfanexpo.com. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Ed Gallo, Event Director at 1-203-840-5546 or email egallo@ufcfanexpo.com.

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UFCÂ® ENTERS THE HOME OF MARTIAL ARTS WITH NMTV DEAL

June 30th, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE: Las Vegas, NV (USA) â€“ As one of the birthplaces of martial arts, China is rightfully considered to be hallowed ground for the warriors of the Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipÂ®. Today, UFCÂ® is pleased to announce a television deal with Inner Mongolia Television that will mark the first time in history UFC will be seen on TV in China, continuing the global expansion of the premier brand in mixed martial arts.

â€œObviously China is a huge market and the Chinese understand the martial arts probably better than anyone else in the world. Itâ€™s a no brainer that UFC programming will be appreciated in China, and will become a big hit for the NMTV network,â€ said Dana White, UFC President.

Inner Mongolia Television, known as NMTV, is a network broadcast station available in 60 million households, with the potential to reach 240 million viewers throughout all the provinces of China. Starting this month, NMTV will air up to 16 hours of UFC programming per month, including the trademark shows The Ultimate FighterÂ®, UFCÂ® Unleashedâ„¢ and UFCÂ® All Accessâ„¢, with an option to air recent UFC pay-per-view event telecasts.

With this deal, NMTV will air between one to four hours of UFC programming each week on Saturday and Sundays between 1:30 â€“ 5:30pm local time, broadcast in languages specific to each province.

UFC television programming can be seen in over 100 countries and territories worldwide in 17 different languages. UFC is the largest pay-per-view content provider in the world and is the fastest growing sports organization in history.

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com, UK.UFC.com, GERMANY.UFC.com, UFCJapan.jp or UFCEspanol.com.

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Spike TV Announces TUF 9 Finale Ratings

June 25th, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE: NEW YORK, NY, June 23, 2009 â€“ This past Saturday, June 20, the UFC was once again the undisputed champion in sports on television among young men. The live finale of the ninth season of â€œThe Ultimate Fighter,â€ airing Saturday June 20 (9:00pm-12:00am), drew more men in the advertiser-coveted demographic of Men 18-34 (663,000) than MLB baseball on FOX (184,000) and coverage of U.S. Open golf on NBC (384,000) which ran earlier that day.

The live UFC fight card, which peaked at 2.8 million viewers for the main event featuring Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida, was the most watched-program in all of television in Men 18-34 and Men 18-49.

Also, bucking the trend of most reality series, â€œThe Ultimate Fighterâ€ finale ratings for season nine were the highest since season six and the full season of 13 episodes were the highest in Men 18-34 since season five, illustrating the growing popularity in the sport of mixed martial arts and the UFC brand on Spike.

Overall, the â€œThe Ultimate Fighter: US vs. Team UKâ€ delivered a 1.5 household rating, a 2.1 in Men 18-49 (1.2 million), a 2.3 in M18-34 (663,000), a 2.8 in M25-34 (468,000) and 2.2 million total viewers.

Many had hyped Guida vs. Sanchez as a possible â€œFight of the Yearâ€ candidate, and the two warriors more than lived up to the hype in a three round war that left the sold out crowd at The Palms Casino Resort clamoring for more, as Sanchez won via split decision in a fifteen minute instant UFCÂ® classic. The fight drew an impressive 3.1 rating in Men 18-34 and 3.3 in Men 25-34.

The card also featured the welterweight and lightweight finals from â€œThe Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom,â€ and colonial rule reigned supreme, as British competitors took home the title in both divisions. Team UKâ€™s James Wilks submitted Team USâ€™s DaMarques Johnson in the first round to take home the welterweight crown, and Team UKâ€™s Ross Pearson defeated teammate Andre Winner to become the lightweight division champion.

â€œThe Joe Rogan Comedy Special,â€ featuring the renowned UFCÂ® on Spike announcer, leading out of the live finale at midnight, also drew strong ratings with 1.1 million viewers tuning in and a robust 1.2 rating in Men 18-34. The program ranked #1 on cable among Men 18-34 and 18-49.

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UFC Announces Fighters for First-Ever UFC Fan Expo

June 25th, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE: Las Vegas, NV â€“ The history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship is filled with stories of legendary fights and athletes who built a sport behind skill, heart, and determination. On July 10th and 11th, just before the lights go down and the first bell rings for July 11thâ€™s historic UFC 100 event, fans will have the opportunity to meet and greet the fighters who made mixed martial arts what it is today, as well as the ones carrying the flag for the next generation, all under one roof at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center during the UFCÂ® Fan Expoâ„¢.

Tickets for this fight fanâ€™s dream event, which features an unprecedented lineup of UFCÂ®, World Extreme CagefightingÂ® (WECÂ®) and former PRIDEÂ® fighters, are limited, but are still on sale and can be bought exclusively at www.ufcfanexpo.com V.I.P. Passes for this event are already SOLD OUT, but Customers that purchase Expo tickets in advance will receive $10 off the two-day pass.

Already confirmed to be in attendance during the UFCÂ® Fan Expoâ„¢ are UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto â€œThe Dragonâ€ Machida, UFC Hall of Famers Royce Gracie and Randy â€œThe Naturalâ€ Couture, and former world champions Chuck â€œThe Icemanâ€ Liddell, â€œSugaâ€ Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin, and Quinton â€œRampageâ€ Jackson. UFC contenders Kenny Florian, Steve Cantwell, Shane Carwin, Marcus â€œThe Irish Hand Grenadeâ€ Davis, Tyson Griffin, Clay Guida, Dustin Hazelett, Keith â€œThe Dean of Meanâ€ Jardine, Anthony â€œRumbleâ€ Johnson, Martin â€œThe Hitmanâ€ Kampmann, Josh Koscheck, Joe Lauzon, Junie Browning, Nate Marquardt, Gray Maynard, Karo Parisyan, Diego â€œNightmareâ€ Sanchez, Sean Sherk and Mike Swick will also be meeting fans, along with The Ultimate Fighter winners Nate Diaz and Efrain Escudero.

Fans of the PRIDE Fighting Championships will have the chance to re-live the excitement of Japanâ€™s classic organization as well, with MMA icons Renzo Gracie and Gary Goodridge being joined by â€œThe Texas Crazy Horseâ€, Heath Herring, and Brazilian superstars Wanderlei â€œThe Axe Murdererâ€ Silva and Mauricio â€œShogunâ€ Rua.

And if thatâ€™s not enough MMA star power, the premier fighters of the WEC will be on hand to sign autographs, with current champions Miguel Torres, Mike Brown, and Jamie Varner sharing the convention center floor with Urijah Faber, Jens Pulver, Brian Bowles, Joseph Benavidez, Donald Cerrone, Leonard Garcia, Ben Henderson, and Alex Karalexis.

Among the UFC Fan Expoâ€™s two-day roster of activities will be the aforementioned meet and greets with legendary UFC, WEC, and PRIDE fighters, MMA demonstrations, fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions, and other exciting opportunities and entertainment. All the UFC Fan Expo activities will be planned in conjunction with UFC 100, including the free-to-the-public weigh-in event on Friday, July 10th.

Expected to attract over 100 companies and brands, UFC Fan Expo will span more than 200,000 gross square feet of space exhibiting apparel, electronic gaming, food & beverages, fight gear and fitness equipment, MMA training and development, nutritional supplements, lifestyle products, and much more.

Currently seen on television in over 120 countries and territories in 17 different languages, UFC is the worldâ€™s largest pay-per-view content provider, and is the fastest-growing sports franchise in history. UFC programs are often the highest-rated television sports shows among the coveted male 18-34 and 18-42 demographic. UFC Fan Expo and UFC 100 are expected to attract tens of thousands of sports fans from throughout North America and abroad.

For more UFC Fan Expo information and to purchase tickets, visit UFCfanexpo.com. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Ed Gallo, Event Director at 1-203-840-5546 or email egallo@ufcfanexpo.com

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Josh â€œThe Babyfaced Assassinâ€ Barnett: All-American Superhero

June 20th, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE: SEAL BEACH, California (June 3, 2009)â€” With his chiseled jaw and Mr. Incredible looks, Josh â€œThe Babyfaced Assassinâ€ Barnett could be the leading man in a Hollywood film or a character straight out of the anime that he loves so much. He has a superhero frameâ€”at 6â€™3â€, 250 pounds, one can almost picture the â€œBabyfaced Assassinâ€ wrapped in a cape, standing atop a tall building, scanning the city below for any evil doers. He is a well-spoken, charismatic figure whose persona is as compelling as his impressive fight record.

Joshâ€™s showmanship has won him many exuberant fans, making him a kind of cult icon to his admirers. But itâ€™s his down-to-earth behavior that has gained him a reliable supply of die-hard followers. A self-proclaimed nerd, the heavyweight is a big fan of video games, comic books, anime, and muscle cars, much like his fan base, who easily relate to him and his favorite pastimes. He often speaks frankly and has been known in the past to get on message boards and debate with fans and other fighters.

Barnettâ€™s easy smile and conversation make him a favorite of interviewers, and his trademark humor and bravado make him an always entertaining performer for audiences to watch. And Josh pulls no punches in front of a microphone, either. He is always armed with a number of jokes and a large dose of playful sarcasm to keep things from becoming predictable.

But Barnett is not all imageâ€”heâ€™s also full of substance. Ranked number two on Sherdogâ€™s top ten heavyweights of the world list, Barnett is a force to be reckoned with. The youngest UFCÂ® Heavyweight Champion of all-time, he is one of the most respected heavyweights in MMA and a celebrated wrestling star in Japan. In Japan, Barnett is idolized and considered the ultimate American warrior. And although he has a deep fondness for Japanese culture, he always represents his home country with great pride.

On August 1st, Barnett will be on home turf, playing a starring role at Affliction M-1 Globalâ€™s Trilogy opposite his costar and opponent, the reigning WAMMA Heavyweight Champion, Fedor Emelianenko. The two personas couldnâ€™t be any more different. Difference in personality aside, these two powerful heavyweights will surely bring an explosive performance to their bout at Honda Center in Anaheim.

And Barnett is ready to face the number one ranked mixed martial artist in the world. He has been studying the fighting of his opponent for years, as he does all potential opponents. The former UFCÂ® Heavyweight Champion and current King of Pancrase is a highly tactical, sound fighter whose world-class submission wrestling skills are notorious. Although his grappling base comes from catch-wrestling, he has an evolved fighting style that combines a well-rounded standup and ground game. Barnett also has size, strength, and conditioning on his side. Heâ€™ll be utilizing all of his assets to win the recognition of all in MMA, and to score the role of a lifetimeâ€”the baddest man on the planet.

Tickets for Affliction M-1 â€œTrilogy,â€ ranging between $50.00 and $600.00, go on sale June 8 at Honda Center Box Office (1.714.704.2500) and also online at Ticketmaster.com and all Ticket Master outlets (1.714.740.2000).

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Matt Serra to be at Wizard World Philadelphia June 19-21

June 20th, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE: Former UFC welterweight champ Matt Serra will be in attendance at Wizard World Philadelphia, a comics and pop culture convention set for June 19-21 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. He will meet fans, sign autographs and give a sneak peek at his Round 5 figurine, which is scheduled for release in late July/early August.

Matt will be on site at Wizard World on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. TNA Wrestling will also have a presence, with stars Tracy Brooks, Demolition, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and Jerry “The King” Lawler among the notables. Other special guests in attendance during the three-day event include actor Edward James Olmos, actress Kristanna Loken (Terminator 3), Lou Ferrigno (The Hulk) and dozens of comic book artists and writers. See the Wizard World website for a complete list of guests.

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Goulet Out, Grant in to Face Kim at UFC 100

June 19th, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE: Las Vegas NV (USA) — A dislocated shoulder, suffered in training, has forced welterweight standout Jonathan Goulet to withdraw from his bout against Dong Hyun Kim on the preliminary card of UFCÂ® 100 on July 11th. But Canada will still be represented in the bout, as Nova Scotiaâ€™s TJ Grant will step in to face Kim at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

UFC 100 is sold out and will be available live and only on Pay-Per-View on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewerâ€™s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

A purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Grant made quite an impression in his UFC debut in April, as he pounded out an impressive three round split decision win over seasoned competitor Ryo Chonan. Now 14-2 as a pro, the 25-year old Grant is eager to move further up the welterweight ranks by scoring a victory over the talented Kim.

Dong Hyun Kim is a hero back home in his native South Korea, and the unbeaten (11-0-1, 1 NC) â€œStun Gunâ€ is rapidly building a United States fanbase as well after wins over Jason Tan and Matt Brown. A fourth degree black belt in judo, Kim hopes to keep the â€œ0â€ at the end of his record on July 11th.

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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UFC Confirms Remaining Bouts for UFC 100

June 19th, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE:

JON FITCH vs. PAULO THIAGO

YOSHIHIRO AKIYAMA vs. ALAN BELCHER

MARK COLEMAN vs. STEPHAN BONNAR

MAC DANZIG vs. JIM MILLER

JON JONES vs. JAKE Oâ€™BRIEN

CB DOLLAWAY vs. TOM LAWLOR

MATT GRICE vs. SHANNON GUGERTY

SATURDAY, JULY 11 – LIVE FROM MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CENTER

Las Vegas, NV (USA) â€“ Title contenders, a former UFCÂ® champion and a handful of rising stars â€“ and thatâ€™s just on the undercard. With the undisputed heavyweight title on the line, one of the UFCâ€™s greatest welterweights ever facing his greatest challenge ever and a mixed martial arts legend facing the United Kingdomâ€™s biggest star, the UFC has already secured three main-event-caliber matches for UFC 100. The fight card has the exciting names â€“ now itâ€™s time to watch the exciting fights.

The Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipÂ® today confirmed the remaining fights for the historic UFCÂ® 100 event on Saturday, July 11th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. With an already stacked fight card, including two championship fights, the UFC has added Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher, Mark Coleman vs. Stephan Bonnar, Mac Danzig vs. Jim Miller, Jon Jones vs. Jake Oâ€™Brien, CB Dollaway vs. Tom Lawlor and Matt Grice vs. Shannon Gugerty.

UFC 100 is sold out and will be available live and only on Pay-Per-View on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewerâ€™s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

With an outstanding 9-1 record in the UFC (22-3, 1 NC overall) and coming off an impressive win against Akihiro Gono in his last fight, Jon Fitch (fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) is one of the toughest fighters the welterweight division has to offer. With wins over Thiago Alves, Diego Sanchez, Brock Larson and Luigi Fioravanti, the Ft. Wayne, Indiana native has dominated the competition and looks to one day hold that UFC welterweight strap. Standing in his way is the undefeated Paulo Thiago (fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil). The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt improved his professional mixed martial arts record to 11-0 when he defeated Josh Koscheck by TKO in the first round of their February match. He gets another true test when he faces Koscheckâ€™s teammate at UFC 100.

A middleweight superstar who made his name overseas, Yoshihiro Akiyama (fighting out of Osaka, Japan) is a decorated judo black belt with dangerous knockout power and a 12-1, 2 NC mixed martial arts record. Heâ€™ll make his long-awaited UFC debut against MMA veteran Alan Belcher (fighting out of Biloxi, Mississippi). A Jonesboro, Arkansas native, â€œThe Talentâ€ is riding a two-fight win streak with a submission victory against Denis Kang in his last fight at UFC 93.

A UFC Hall of Famer, former UFC heavyweight champion and 1988 NCAA national wrestling champion for Ohio State, Mark Coleman (fighting out of Columbus, Ohio) has the credentials and the talent to make a great fight every time out. With seven career UFC wins, the 44-year-old looks to stir things up in the light heavyweight division, and if thereâ€™s another fighter that knows how to put on a great show itâ€™s Stephan Bonnar (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.). A fighter that will be remembered forever for his epic battle with Forrest Griffin in the original The Ultimate FighterÂ® finale, The Munster, Indiana born fighter has notable wins over Keith Jardine, Eric Schafer and James Irvin.

Season six winner of The Ultimate Fighter, Mac Danzig (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) has two submission victories as a UFC fighter and the Cleveland, Ohio native will have his greatest test to date when he faces Sparta, New Jersey native Jim Miller (fighting out of Whippany, N.J.). The Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt has two UFC wins, including a submission victory over David Baron in his lightweight debut.

If one wanted to watch a rising star in the UFCâ€™s light heavyweight division, look no further than Rochester, New York born Jon Jones (fighting out of Endicott, N.Y.). The undefeated 21-year-old earned an exciting unanimous decision victory against UFC veteran Stephan Bonnar in his last fight, winning his second UFC match and keeping his professional record perfect at 8-0. Now Jones turns his attention to former heavyweight Jake Oâ€™Brien (fighting out of Indianapolis, Ind.). The former Purdue wrestler and three-time high school state champion earned a split decision victory against Christian Wellisch in his last fight.

Currently on a two-fight win streak, former The Ultimate Fighter Season 7 finalist CB Dollaway (fighting out of Tempe, Ariz.) has finished his last two fights within one round. Now the Mt. Gilead, Ohio native and former NCAA All-American wrestler from Arizona State University faces Fall River, Massachusetts product Tom Lawlor (fighting out of Orlando, Fla.). The 26-year-old with the 5-1, 1 NC record earned a unanimous decision victory against Kyle Kingsbury in his UFC debut.

A former wrestler from Oklahoma University, Matt Grice (fighting out of Harrah, Okla.) holds a 10-2 professional MMA record and an impressive split decision victory over Jason Black. Grice will have to be on his game when

he faces the well-rounded Shannon Gugerty (fighting out of San Diego, Calif.). The 27-year-old brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu also has a background in Muay Thai and already holds a UFC win over Dale Hartt.

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

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UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira is Official

June 16th, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE: Las Vegas, NV (USA) â€“ The Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipÂ® (UFCÂ®) is headed to Portland for the first time ever and itâ€™s bringing a couple of true heavyweight heroes. Mixed martial arts legends and former UFC champions Randy â€œThe Naturalâ€ Couture and Antonio Rodrigo â€œMinotauroâ€ Nogueira will face off for the first time in their storied careers at UFC 102: COUTURE vs. NOGUEIRA, live from Portland, Oregonâ€™s Rose Garden on Saturday, August 29, 2009.

â€œWeâ€™re extremely excited to be heading to Portland,â€ UFC President Dana White said. â€œWhen you get two mixed martial arts legends that are all heart and have wanted to fight each other for years, plus the fact that Randy has roots in Oregon, that tells me that not only will the crowd be electric but itâ€™s also a night where the fighters will be looking to cement their legacies.â€

Tickets for UFC 102 will go on sale Saturday, June 20 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $600, $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50. Tickets can be purchased at the Rose Quarter Box Office (M-F 10 a.m.-5 p.m.), all participating Safeway/ TicketsWest outlets, by calling 877.789.ROSE (7673), or at ComcastTIX.com. For more information please visit RoseQuarter.com. Prices do not include service charges.

UFCÂ® Fight Clubâ„¢ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, June 18 starting at 10 a.m. PT via UFC.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Friday, June 19 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

A UFC Hall-of-Famer and five-time UFC champion, Randy â€œThe Naturalâ€ Couture (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) has a mixed martial arts resume that truly stands out from the rest. The Everett, Washington native has registered a series of wins over big names that include Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Tim Sylvia, Pedro Rizzo, Vitor Belfort and Gabriel Gonzaga. On August 29th, Couture returns to Oregon after coaching wrestling at Oregon State University, and the 45-year-old former three-time UFC heavyweight champion and two-time UFC light heavyweight champion will be looking to give his legion of fans yet another reason to cheer when he takes on Nogueira.

â€œNogueira is the type of fighter that is dangerous everywhere,â€ Couture said. â€œHeâ€™s difficult to knock out and heâ€™s a world class jiu-jitsu player. I will have to train very diligently and very specifically for him. Also, the fact that Iâ€™m fighting in Oregon makes me want to put on a great show and win for these fans.â€

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo black belt and the only man to hold the PRIDE and UFC heavyweight championship belts, â€œMinotauroâ€ Nogueira (fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has the experience and the world-class talent to take out anyone who opposes him in the Octagon. With UFC wins over Heath Herring and Tim Sylvia in his first two UFC bouts, the revered Nogueira quickly made his presence felt in the ultra-competitive heavyweight division. Now the 6-foot-3, 240-pound former interim UFC heavyweight champion looks to get the gold back around his waist.

â€œIâ€™m honored to face such a great fighter as Randy Couture,â€ Nogueira said. â€œI wanted to fight him for some time now and I know to become a legend you have to beat a legend.â€

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Tim Kennedy Returns to MMA on June 19th

June 13th, 2009 by admin

PRESS RELEASE: NEW YORK (June 11, 2009) â€” Youâ€™ve heard of Army Tough? Well, meet Tim Kennedy, a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter-turned-college graduate-turned-Green Beret-turned-MMA fighter who is about to embark on another mission â€“ winning a championship.

â€œThatâ€™s the goal,â€™â€™ he said. â€œI want one of those shiny MMA belts.â€™â€™

A fighter fans will want to watch closely, Kennedy is the second of three children who grew up in San Luis Obispo, Calif. He attended Eagle Academy, a private high school in nearby Atascadero, where he participated in numerous club sports and, for fun, took a class in Jiu-Jitsu and kick-boxing.

After high school, Kennedy attended Columbia College in Missouri where he majored in criminal justice. He graduated in 2002.

During his final years in college, Kennedy, a â€œtough guy but not a troublemakerâ€™â€™ turned his attention to MMA. But after winning five of six starts between 2001-03, including a victory over highly regarded Jason â€œMayhemâ€™â€™ Miller, Kennedy left behind a promising career to fight a much different kind of fight. Kennedy enlisted in the Army.

At the time he was ranked in the top 10 at middleweight. â€œThe events of 9/11 had a huge impact on me,â€™â€™ said Kennedy, who joined the Army in 2003 — after graduating college. He went to Iraq, became an Army Ranger and went on to become one of the most elite soldiers in the world when he moved to the Special Forces.

â€œI believed someone should do something to benefit our country,â€™â€™ he said. â€œIt wasnâ€™t like I was living the best life anyway so I thought â€˜letâ€™s do something constructive and challenge myself.â€™ â€™â€™

Kennedy had one goal when he enlisted. â€œI wanted to become a Special Forces Green Beret,â€™â€™ he said. â€œMy combat deployment included trips to Iraq, Afghanistan and other places I canâ€™t talk about. The army was very tough. Iâ€™m not bragging or trying to be cool but I got a Bronze Star for action in combat (a sign of meritorious service) in Afghanistan and Iraq, but I canâ€™t say much about it or exactly why.

â€œI did some things, volunteered for some assignments, that only a few in the population would ever even consider, much less finish. I went the places no one wanted to go.

â€œI can say that very, very few did what I did; maybe about 0.1 percent of the entire military. I knew personally almost all of them. Itâ€™s a very small community. When one dies, we all die.â€™â€™

In 2006-07, Kennedy was allowed to do double-duty. A staff sergeant who trained future Special Forces soldiers at Fort Bragg, his military home since he enlisted, Kennedy got permission to continue to pursue an MMA career. He went 5-1 during that span, losing only to Miller on points in a rematch.

Now, however, Kennedy (9-2) is preparing to go at MMA on a full-time basis. On Friday, June 19, he will make his first start in more than two and half years when he faces Nick â€œThe Goatâ€™â€™ Thompson in what could be the toughest MMA fight of his career in one of the featured attractions on Strikeforce Challengers at the ShoWare Center at Kent, Wash., live on SHOWTIMEÂ® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). The first non-televised, preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. PT.

â€œI only have a certain amount of years to pursue my athletic endeavors and I feel I have what it takes to make it in MMA,â€™â€™ said the 29-year-old Kennedy who has fought just 11 times since losing his pro debut to Scott â€œHands Of Steelâ€™â€™ Smith on Aug. 31, 2001.

â€œBecause of my military commitments, I couldnâ€™t fight full-time. But it is time to take a break and move into another era of life. The military is trying to come up with a way for me stay in the Army and fight full-time. But thereâ€™s always a strong chance Iâ€™ll go back. I miss doing my job.â€™â€™

Kennedy, who recently concluded his latest tour of duty overseas, says there are discussions taking place in Washington, D.C., that would permit him to fight MMA and remain in the military.

â€œIâ€™d be the first pro fighter to represent or by employed by any armed forces as an MMA fighter,â€™â€™ he said. â€œWeâ€™ll have to see how that goes, but I would sure love to still be able to fight MMA and stay in uniform representing the armed forces.â€™â€™

As one might imagine, Kennedy is an aggressive, determined, durable, well-conditioned fighter. Kennedyâ€™s most recent fights were in the defunct International Fighting League (IFL).

His IFL debut came against Dante Rivera. â€œI won (by submission) in the second round,â€™â€™ he said, â€œbut Iâ€™d only had 48 hours notice and was just a week out of Ranger school, which was one of the most physically damaging camps one could imagine. Some werenâ€™t even able to walk when it was over.

â€œSo winning that IFL fight was a great thing.â€

After his last outing, a two-minute, first-round knockout over Elias Rivera on Dec. 29, 2007, Kennedy volunteered to go to Afghanistan. â€œThey asked me to do a mission. I qualified for it, so I went,â€™â€™ he said.

Kennedy has scars on his upper shoulders and back from shell casings that he says literally melted while the Afghanies were shooting at him. â€œThe last time I was really scared came in October 2008 while I was in Afghanistan,â€™â€™ he said. â€œI lost 30 pounds in two weeks.â€™â€™

The 5-foot-11 Kennedy, who is married with two daughters, knows it is unrealistic to try and compare life in the surreal conditions that is a war zone to a fight in a cage.

â€œNeither job is easy, obviously. But for totally different reasons,â€™â€™ said Kennedy, who has trained with, among others, Chuck Liddell. â€œWeâ€™ll see how it goes the next two years in MMA. This isnâ€™t something Iâ€™m going to rush into. Iâ€™ve fought heavyweight, light heavyweight and now middleweight. If I get knocked down, Iâ€™ll get right up. But I am super excited and plan to commit myself totally to MMA and see where it takes me.

â€œI feel a true sense of accomplishment for everything I did in the service, becoming a Green Beret, graduating from Special Forces. Iâ€™m proud of what I did. But my focus now is on MMA.â€™â€™

Some would regard Kennedy as a war hero, but when asked if he considered himself one, Kennedy paused a few seconds before saying, â€œI donâ€™t consider myself a hero; in fact, I donâ€™t know what that is. But I think everyone can be one and that there are heroes in every walk of life.

â€œIâ€™m asked to do a lot of public speaking, but Iâ€™ve been shying away from that recently, mostly because I know there is a lot more for me to do. Iâ€™ve had as many opportunities as any and came out well. There are some things that happened to me in combat and in life that Iâ€™m not real proud of, but itâ€™s how you respond that really matters.

â€œIf there are some who feel Iâ€™m a role model, then thatâ€™s something Iâ€™ll take very seriously. I know I have been an influence on some, but I usually tell them all the same thing, â€˜Every day you are faced with decisions to make when no one is looking. You need to weigh the options and avoid the little mistakes.â€™

â€œI do not want to embarrass or let anybody down, in or out of the cage, especially my family and friends. I have very strong morals. Iâ€™m a born-again believer and I take responsibility in the way I live.

â€œObviously, discipline is a major factor and now that I am going full-time in MMA, I need to execute it like I did in the military. I really want to see how far I can go with this. There may be some setbacks and I may not win them all, but the end result will be that I am setting myself up for success.â€™â€™

Kennedyâ€™s opponent on Friday, June 19, fights for justice on a daily basis. Thompson, who is making his Strikeforce debut, is a lawyer. He took his bar exam two days after a fight in July 2008 and got word he had passed approximately three months later.

A talented fighter with a ton of experience, Thompson has fought the likes of Jake Shields, Paul â€œSemtexâ€™â€™ Daley, Eddie Alvarez and Karo Parisyan. Thompson has won two straight, including a victory over â€œSemtexâ€™â€™ in his last start on Feb. 20, 2009.

In the June main event, â€œSmokinâ€ Joe Villasenor of Albuquerque, N.M., faces Evangelista â€œCyborgâ€ of Rondonopolis Mato Grosso, Brazil, in a clash of top-notch middleweights.

Other bouts on SHOWTIME: Cory â€œThe Oneâ€ Devela of Bonney Lake, Wash., faces Luke Rockhold of Santa Cruz, Calif. (middleweights), Sarah Kaufman of Victoria, Canada, takes on Shayna “The Queen Of Spades” Baszler of Sioux Falls, S.D., in a 135-pound womenâ€™s fight and Jorge Gurgel of Cincinnati, Ohio, will collide with Conor “Hurricane” Heun of Boulder, Colo., in a 155-pound scrap.

ShoWare Center doors will open for the Strikeforce Challengers event at 5:30 p.m. PT on June 19.

In non-televised fights: Lyle â€œFancy Pantsâ€™â€™ Beerbohm of Yelm, Wash., meets Duane â€œBangâ€ Ludwig of Denver, Colo. (lightweights), Dennis â€œSupermanâ€™â€™ Hallman of Yelm, Wash., faces Cedric â€œSpider Manâ€™â€™ Marks (welterweights), Brian Caraway of Seattle throws down with Alex Zuniga, Landon Showalter takes on Travis â€œThe Praying Mantisâ€™â€™ Doerge (middleweights), Len Bentley of Irvine, Wash., confronts Marques Daniels and Steve Hadsel collides with Taylor Roberts.

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.

Strikeforceâ€™s MMA fight card at the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 28, 2008, produced the largest live gate in the history of any boxing, MMA, or kickboxing event in Washington State.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and Strikeforce mixed martial arts telecasts, along with access to the SHOWTIME Sports FacebookÂ® and TwitterÂ® pages, please go to http://Sports.Sho.com.

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