10: MMA in Cowboys Stadium?

August 19, 2010

- Texas Two-Step? Like UFC, Strikeforce Considered Cowboys Stadium Show

- Is Paul Heyman on the Verge of Entering the MMA World?

- Strikeforce MMA event Friday may bring more shows to Arizona

- UFC gearing up for Brazilian expansion

- Tom Huggins Talks Not Paying Impact FC Fighters

Texas Two-Step? Like UFC, Strikeforce Considered Cowboys Stadium Show

But according to both sources, the San Jose, California-based promotion did previously discuss the possibility of staging an event at the showcase facility. One of the sources said that at one time, Strikeforce specifically discussed the possibility of an Oct. 16 show, which might have aired on CBS and featured many of the company’s biggest names.

The event, which likely would have included former Dallas Cowboys’ star running back Herschel Walker as a local drawing card, would also have served to help launch the upcoming EA Sports MMA video game, which will be released on Oct. 19 and has a heavy Strikeforce presence. (MMAFighting)

Note: Read this MMAPayout Perspective for more info about the big plans Strikeforce had and still has for October. These talks were on going for months and Herschel Walker was a big part along with CBS. Also, the goal would have been to break the MMA North American attendance and gate records and use the event as a break out party for Strikeforce. It would have also served as an entire 2 hour advertisement campaign to promote the EA Sports MMA game which is set to release on October 19.

Is Paul Heyman on the Verge of Entering the MMA World?

After leaving World Wrestling Entertainment in 2006, he got together with a group of investors and former K-1/PRIDE producers in attempt to purchase Strikeforce. That deal never materialized because, as Heyman said on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, he felt Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker wasn’t getting a fair deal. (MMAFighting)

Strikeforce MMA event Friday may bring more shows to Arizona

“Strikeforce wasn’t sure how the market was here,” Sarria said. “But this market just hasn’t been tested with a high level promotion. It will work here with Strikeforce and with the UFC. . . . The ultimate goal with this event is to bring the big Strikeforce events here.”

Said Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, “I think they’re in the works. We’ve identified Phoenix as a viable market.” (AZCentral)

***

Note: During the WEC event last night, they announced that the promotion will be headed to Phoenix, Arizona in December. The event was chosen by the fans during an Amp Energy Drink contest where fans voted for the WEC to come to their hometown. The event is expected to be headlined by the local product and WEC champ Ben Henderson most likely against Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. Another fighter who trains and lives in Arizona is former WEC LW champ Jamie Varner, who fights Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at WEC 51 in September and who will most likely push to fight in his home state.

UFC gearing up for Brazilian expansion

But despite the Brazilians’ success in the UFC, the organization hasn’t hosted a show in their home country in nearly 12 years.

But according to UFC president Dana White, that soon could change.

“We’re spending money in Brazil right now,” White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “We’re spending marketing money, PR money, and we’ve got people down there working for us.” (MMAJunkie)

Tom Huggins Talks Not Paying Impact FC Fighters

“We are using a pool of lawyers from the United States, Australia and Brazil. What bothers me most is that [McManus] isn’t paying because he doesn’t have the money, as do some events here, he is very rich, but mainly because I believe that if the show fails, the damage has to be shared with fighters. We can not accept this nonsense in any way, because if they did, we would be setting precedents for other promoters in bad faith to act the same way worldwide, “concluded Tom. (PortalDoVT – Translated from Portuguese)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

QUICK HITS

WEC 50 ratings result in average audience of 316,000 viewers (MMAJunkie)
UFC Fight Night 22 lineup in flux again; Matt Wiman likely out (MMAJunkie)
After WEC 50, Jorgensen likely for next shot at Cruz; challenger likes his chances (MMAJunkie)
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Goran Reljic targeted for UFC 122 in Germany (MMAJunkie)
Lashley Aims to Debut Standup at Saturday’s Strikeforce (Sherdog)
Tachi Palace Fights Signs Top Flyweight ‘Formiga’ (Sherdog)
No Hard Feelings at Strikeforce Presser (MMAFighting)
Kennedy Learned a Lot From Afghanistan Gunfight (MMAFighting)
Grabowski, Konrad Advance in Bellator Heavyweight Tournament (MMAFighting)
CHARLES OLIVEIRA REPLACES MATT WIMAN AT FIGHT NIGHT (MMAWeekly)
FANS SAY WEC HEADED TO PHOENIX IN DECEMBER (MMAWeekly)
Strikeforce: Houston Pre-Fight Press Conference Quotes & Photos (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

Bellator 25: Hornbuckle vs Blackburn on FSN (08/19/10)
HDNet Fights Vault: DREAM at 8:00 PM ET on HDNet (08/20/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (Jon “Bones” Jones) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (08/20/10)
Inside MMA (Forrest Griffin, Antonio McKee, Mark Pavelich) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/20/10)
HDNet Fights: The Voice vs Tito Ortiz at 10 PM ET on HDNet (08/20/10)
Strikeforce: King Mo vs Rafael Feijao at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/21/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Strikeforce: King Mo vs Rafael Feijao at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/21/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (08/26/10)
HDNet Fights: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 on HDNet (08/27/10)
UFC 118: Edgar vs Penn 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/28/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (09/2/10)
UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Belcher at 9 PM ET on SPIKE TV (09/15/10)
UFC 119 : Minotauro Nogueira vs Frank Mir 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (09/25/10)

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under MMAterial Facts, Strikeforce, UFC | Leave a Comment

MMAterial Facts 08/10/10: Legal Battles Heating Up

August 10, 2010

- Akiyama Charges Manager with Embezzlement

- MMA promoter sues over canceled match

- XCAP Proud to have Ryan Couture on Board

- President: Announcement of Shark Fights 13 broadcast plans coming next week

- Bellator sues UFC, alleges “tortious interference of contract” of Jonathan Brookins

Akiyama Charges Manager with Embezzlement

Proving once again that the sharks in MMA swim mostly outside of the ring, Bloodyelbow.com and GotMMA.com have unearthed that Yoshihiro Akiyama once accused his (obviously former) manager of embezzlement. Writing in his autobiography, “Two Souls,” Akiyama claims the unnamed party stole anywhere from hundreds of thousands to a million, representing nearly all of his career earnings. That’s bleak stuff. (Sherdog)

MMA promoter sues over canceled match

Maximum Fighting Inc. has filed a $500,000 lawsuit against the Edmonton Concert Hall Foundation (ECHF) after alleging it suffered losses when the ECHF unilaterally cancelled an agreement for three Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC) events to be held at the Winspear.

According to a statement of claim filed July 28, MFC and ECHF entered into a written agreement on Dec. 15, 2009, whereby MFC would be entitled to hold an MFC event at the Winspear on April 9. (Edmonton Sun)

XCAP Proud to have Ryan Couture on Board

Strikeforce officials announced last week that Las Vegas resident Ryan Couture, son of MMA legend Randy Couture, has agreed and signed a multi-fight deal all in which XCAP (Xtreme Couture Athletic Pharmaceutials) is proud to have Ryan Couture represent the line and wear its colors. (XCAPNEWS)

President: Announcement of Shark Fights 13 broadcast plans coming next week

“One of the great things is that I’ve got great, great investors who are committed,” said Medley, a former pro fighter who owns a 1999 victory over WEC contender Leonard Garcia. “They’re big fight fans themselves. … So I went to them, and we got separate money for this show. I said I want it (the event costs, including fighters salaries) paid for before the event.

“I’m a fight fan then a promoter. … Are we trying to play with the big boys? Is this event going to leverage our company? The answer is no. The event is separate from our day-to-day profile.” (MMAJunkie)

Bellator sues UFC, alleges “tortious interference of contract” of Jonathan Brookins

The legal battle between the Bellator Fighting Championships and the Ultimate Fighting Championship has taken an unexpected turn.

While Zuffa, LLC – the parent company of the UFC – recently filed suit in Nevada against Bellator due to an alleged theft of “trade secrets and confidential Zuffa documents,” Bellator officials have now fired back with a suit of their own. (MMAJunkie)

***

Targeted by Bellator lawsuit, Mickey Dubberly says company’s claims inaccurate

Mickey Dubberly, the CEO of K.O. Dynasty Sports Management has a simple message for Bellator head Bjorn Rebney: Stop lying.

Dubberly and his client, Jonathan Brookins, are among the defendants targeted alongside Zuffa, LLC in a lawsuit filed today by Bellator that claim tortious interference was at play in Brookins’ recent run on “The Ultimate Fighter 12.” (MMAJunkie)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Eye Injury Puts Alan Belcher in Career Jeopardy : “I had a detached retina, I just lost the vision in my right eye. It just happened all of the sudden, pretty much overnight. I was training in Brazil, messing around there for a few days and had surgery the day after I came home. I think it happened in training but I don’t exactly know when. It’s gonna take a couple of months to heal, to be at its peak, so then I’ll know how much my vision comes back.” (MMAFA.TV)

QUICK HITS

Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante well-prepared by life lessons for Strikeforce title shot(MMAJunkie)
Nick Catone to undergo surgery on re-injured shoulder and back, return date unknown (MMAJunkie)
UFC 118 weigh-ins to air live on Spike TV (MMAJunkie)
Paul Daley meets Jorge Masvidal at Shark Fights 13 (MMAJunkie)
Strikeforce CEO: Fabricio Werdum out until 2011, no opponent set (MMAJunkie)
Silva: Submission Was Payback, Injury Layoff Undetermined (Sherdog)
Commission: Daley Suspended 30 Days for Koscheck Punch (Sherdog)
King Mo Declares Himself Underdog for Title Fight (MMAFighting)
Leonardo Santos vs. Sotaro Yamada Announced for SRC 14 (MMAFighting)
TRENDING INDICATED BIG PPV NUMBERS FOR UFC 117 (MMAWeekly)
STRIKEFORCE WILL HOLD 185 CONTENDERS TOURNEY (MMAWeekly)
Bellator Fires Back, Sues UFC Regarding Jonathan Brookins (Heavy)
UFC 117: Risks Don’t Outweigh Rewards (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

Bellator 24: Lombard vs Goodman on FSN (08/12/10)
HDNet Fights Vault: DREAM at 8:00 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (Chael Sonnen) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
Inside MMA (Ben Henderson, Reed Harris, & Chad Mendes) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
HDNet Fights: KOTC: Imminent Danger at 10 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs Taylor 11 PM ET on Showtime (08/13/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Bellator 24: Lombard vs Goodman on FSN (08/12/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs Taylor 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/13/10)
HDNet Fights: KOTC: Imminent Danger at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
WEC 50: Cruz vs Benavidez at 9 PM ET on Versus (08/18/10)
Bellator 25 on FSN (08/19/10)
Strikeforce: King Mo vs Rafael Feijao at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/21/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (08/26/10)
HDNet Fights: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 on HDNet (08/27/10)
UFC 118: Edgar vs Penn 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/28/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (09/2/10)
UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Belcher at 9 PM ET on SPIKE TV (09/15/10)
UFC 119 : Minotauro Nogueira vs Frank Mir 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (09/25/10)

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under Bellator, MFC, MMAterial Facts, Strikeforce, UFC, legal | 1 Comment

MMAterial Facts 08/04/10: Legal Battles Cloud MMA Landscape

August 4, 2010

- Impact FC Hasn’t Paid Its Fighters; Promoters Blame Each Other

- Zuffa sues MMA Agent Ken Pavia and Bellator for alleged theft of trade secrets

- Roy Jones Jr’s Square Ring, Inc Sues Zuffa, Roy Nelson

- SEC, MMA Manager consent to final judgment

- Can’t Touch This: MC Hammer Starts MMA Firm

Impact FC Hasn’t Paid Its Fighters; Promoters Blame Each Other

We learned of the situation Wednesday from one of the affected fighters who wished to remain anonymous, but have since been able to confirm the story with more than a dozen others, including Karo Parisyan, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, Jesse Taylor and Brian Ebersole, that none of the cards’ participants have received their complete fight purses. (CagePotato)

***

IMPACT FC Promoters Sparring, Not Paying

“[Tom] Huggins has run back to Brazil and is uncontactable, whilst I (who never negotiated, contracted or was a party to any deal) have now been left trying to find funds to pay the men whilst all the false promises of sponsorships (never happened) and late gate sales and walk up all turned out to be lies,” McManus wrote in an email to Cage Potato.

“That statement is categorically untrue,” Huggins wrote in resonse to McManus. “I can provide you with the agreement between Andrew and myself, which clearly demonstrates that my responsibility was to procure fighters and make matches for the event within a given budget. The agreement clearly shows that ALL of the financing for the events, including fighter purses, was the responsibility of McManus.” (MMAWeekly)

Zuffa sues MMA Agent Ken Pavia and Bellator for alleged theft of trade secrets

Zuffa LLC, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting, has filed suit against Ken Pavia, one of the sport’s most prominent fighter agents, alleging Pavia passed along trade secrets and confidential Zuffa documents to rival mixed martial arts promotion Bellator. (Yahoo! Sports)

***

Pavia, Bellator Under Fire

The rationale for Zuffa’s claims comes in the form of an e-mail, attached as an exhibit in the complaint filed in Clark County District Court, sent by Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney to Pavia on July 4: ” … you’ve been great about sending us ‘All’ of the seminal docs from the UFC, so that we can re-do them and implement them for Bellator.”

Pavia is alleged to have shared “promotional agreements, bout agreements, sponsorship forms, extension letters, injury forms, and the like.” (Sports Illustrated)

Roy Jones Jr’s Square Ring, Inc Sues Zuffa, Roy Nelson

Roy Nelson enters the cage later this week in what could possibly be a career changing match-up with heavy hitter Junior Dos Santos, but his showdown with the Brazilian striker is not the only opponent he is staring down these days. Nelson, as well his overseers at Zuffa, are facing off in court with another combat sport participant that goes by Junior – Roy Jones Jr, that is. RJJ and his Square Ring, Inc. (SRI) filed suit in late Spring in Nevada court against both Nelson and Zuffa, alleging that the two parties acted together to deprive SRI of its’ contractual rights. (MMAFA.TV)

***

Roy Nelson Could be Liable for Zuffa’s Expenses and Damages in Connection with Square Ring Lawsuit

According to the allegations in the complaint, under the terms of an agreement between Nelson and SRI, SRI allegedly agreed to promote Nelson in a MMA bout against Jeff Monson scheduled for March 21, 2009 in Pensacola, Florida… SRI alleges that the agreement with Nelson provided in Paragraph 11 that:

“SRI would have certain exclusive first negotiation rights with respect to Nelson’s future bouts and thereafter under certain conditions a right to match any offers Nelson received for such future bouts. Under the terms of the Agreement, Nelson agreed that he would not engage in any “Future Bouts” (as defined in the Agreement) except in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 11 thereof.” (The Fight Lawyer)

***

Zuffa Responds to RJJ Lawsuit, Seek Indemnification Against Big Country

Zuffa seeks to use the warranty and indemnification clauses in their promotional agreements in order to make sure if there are any real and actual losses in the event of an unfavorable decision in the SRI case, it will be the fighter Roy Nelson that will bear the brunt of these costs and damages, not Zuffa. (MMAFA.TV)

SEC, MMA Manager consent to final judgment

Nine months after the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against Jason Genet alleging the Arizona-based MMA manager helped perpetrate a “pump and dump” manipulation of common stock, Genet consented to a final judgment in June that will cost him just over $2.5 million, according papers released by the regulator Monday…

Genet continues to represent MMA clients such as highly regarded heavyweight Shane Carwin and WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson through his Tempe, Ariz.-based firm, Magnetic Marketing Associates (Sports Illustrated)

Can’t Touch This: MC Hammer Starts MMA Firm

Hammer’s Alchemist Management, based in Los Angeles, is a management, promotion, marketing, and brand-building firm for MMA fighters. Hammer is the company’s CEO and has named Lex McMahon as President and Nima Safapour as Vice President of Business Affairs and General Counsel.

“I’ve been a fan of combat sports for years,” said Hammer. “MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world and this is a great opportunity for us to launch a full-service management company. Alchemist Management will leverage its relationships and resources for the benefit of fighters, the sponsors, and the industry at large.” (MMAWeekly)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Patrick English (Bellator Attorney) : “Frankly, it’s a legitimate concern in terms of the way the e-mail is raised. But I think when we talk and I just go through exactly what was said, this will not be an issue at all. I can tell you nothing was said that would be a competitive advantage to Bellator or put UFC at a competitive disadvantage.” (Josh Gross, Sports Illustrated)

QUICK HITS

Spike TV to air UFC 122 via same-day delay from Germany (MMAJunkie)
Daniel Cormier vs. Jason Riley added to “Strikeforce: Houston” prelims (MMAJunkie)
UFC on Versus 2 ratings result in average audience of 1 million viewers (MMAJunkie)
Yoshiyuki Yoshida added to Bellator 31 against unnamed opponent (MMAJunkie)
Meet the cast for “The Ultimate Fighter 12,” field includes 28 lightweights (MMAJunkie)
Schneider, Carmouche Meet in Strikeforce Tourney Reserve Bout (Sherdog)
Maia Takes UFC 118 Slot Against Miranda (Sherdog)
Pudzianowski Draws ‘Butterbean’ at KSW 14 (Sherdog)
Fighters and Health Insurance (Sherdog)
Sonnen: Lance Armstrong Gave Himself Cancer (MMAFighting)
Roger Huerta Caught on Tape in Street Fight (MMAFighting)
UFC Targeting March 2011 Return to Ireland (MMAFighting)
ANDERSON SILVA ISN’T BUYING INTO SONNEN’S HYPE (MMAWeekly)
UFC DEBUTS ULTIMATE INSIDER WEB SHOW (MMAWeekly)
Jessica Pene Partakes in Bellator’s Tournament (Heavy)
Gallery: UFC 117 Open Workouts (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

HDNet Fights Vault: DREAM at 8:00 PM ET on HDNet (08/06/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (Renzo Gracie) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (08/06/10)
Inside MMA (Tito Ortiz, Joe Soto, & Joe Warren) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/06/10)
HDNet Fights: Best of Sengoku, Vol. 2 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (08/06/10)
UFC 117 : Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/7/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

UFC 117 : Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/7/10)
Bellator 24: Lombard vs Goodman on FSN (08/12/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs Taylor 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/13/10)
HDNet Fights: KOTC: Imminent Danger at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
WEC 50: Cruz vs Benavidez at 9 PM ET on Versus (08/18/10)
Bellator 25 on FSN (08/19/10)
Strikeforce: King Mo vs Rafael Feijao at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/21/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (08/26/10)
HDNet Fights: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 on HDNet (08/27/10)
UFC 118: Edgar vs Penn 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/28/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (09/2/10)
UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Belcher at 9 PM ET on SPIKE TV (09/15/10)
UFC 119 : Minotauro Nogueira vs Frank Mir 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (09/25/10)

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under Bellator, MMAterial Facts, UFC, Zuffa, legal | Leave a Comment

MMAterial Facts 07/23/10: THQ Blames Competitor For Poor UFC Undisputed Sales

July 23, 2010

- THQ Blames Poor UFC Sales on Red Dead Redemption

- The Lights Are on and Lesnar’s Home

- World Title Muay Thai Fights to Broadcast on G4 on July 23rd

- Pound for Pound: Another Banner Year for UFC?

- CAMO Launches California State Tournament for Amateurs

THQ Blames Poor UFC Sales on Red Dead Redemption

In an interview with MCV, THQ’s UK marketing director had the following to say: “Our sales were softer than where we would have liked them to be,” Rooke told MCV. “We know our UFC and MMA fans have bought it, but we haven’t delivered the broader sales yet. That’s largely down to Red Dead Redemption. Rockstar have probably taken a fair amount of our market share. They shipped 5m units, taking a lot of consumer dollars.” (PastaPadre)

The Lights Are on and Lesnar’s Home

James ‘Lights Out’ Toney was once known as a hard-nosed, rugged, relentless and merciless world champion boxer, a liquid stylist capable of making opponents miss punches by millimeters and then immediately pay for their inadequacies. (Huffington Post)

World Title Muay Thai Fights to Broadcast on G4 on July 23rd

RISARC PRODUCTIONS and the Champions of Champions Elite fight series are positioned to take Muay Thai to new heights. Starting with the much anticipated premiere of the show on July 23rd at 8pm on G4, a new generation of fight fans are anticipated to join the established base ringside. Champions of Champions Elite look forward to presenting the true sport of Muay Thai to a waiting American audience. The series will introduce some of the most respected and revered fighters ever brought together in a series of championship fights. (PRESS RELEASE)

Pound for Pound: Another Banner Year for UFC?

The haters didn’t miss the opportunity late last year to gleefully point out the UFC’s slumping pay-per-view buy rates.
After setting a high watermark with its gala UFC 100 show last July, America’s largest mixed martial arts promotion limped down the stretch into 2010. Numbers were down, great fights few and far between and with the bankable stars of its early-decade rise to prominence starting to get a little long in the tooth, the critics pounced. (Crave Online)

CAMO Launches California State Tournament for Amateurs

The California Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Organization Inc. on Thursday unveiled plans for a statewide single-elimination tournament that will culminate with a series of state championship bouts on Dec. 4.

Open to all qualified CAMO fighters, the tournament will encompass 37 events over a three-month period and will crown amateur champions across eight weight classes. Open registration begins on Aug. 7 through the CAMO Web site (www.camo-mma.org), and brackets will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. (Sherdog)

VIDEO OF THE DAY

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Coker on putting an MMA show in Russia: “There is possibility of that. I know they have a big event they’d like to throw in Russia. They’d like to feature Fedor. It’s a big political summit [in the fall] and they want to showcase Fedor as the athlete in Russia. There’s ongoing dialogue about that. “Being good partners, if [M-1] wanted to do it, we’d do it.” (Josh Gross, Sports Illustrated)

QUICK HITS

Local fighters are part of Strikeforce card Friday in Everett (Seattle Times)
Strikeforce martial arts combat comes to Comcast Arena tonight (HeraldNet)
MMA superstar Emelianenko hands out awards at Moscow M1 Selection (RT)
UFC continues anti-piracy campaign, subpoenas Justin.tv and Ustream.tv (MMAJunkie)
Gerald Harris steps in for injured Jorge Rivera, faces Alessio Sakara at UFC 118 (MMAJunkie)
Strikeforce’s Roxanne Modafferi “riding the wave” (MMAJunkie)
With no opponent available, Thiago Tavares pulled from UFC fight card (MMAJunkie)
Fighters on Weight for Strikeforce Challengers 9 (Sherdog)
Werdum vs. Anderson: The Paintball Diaries (Sherdog)
Building a Road to the Future for Japanese MMA (MMAFighting)
Strikeforce Set to Meet With Fedor’s Reps (MMAFighting)
VANCOUVER ON UFC’S 2011 RADAR DESPITE CHANGES (MMAWeekly)
ALVES’ BRAIN ANOMALY WAS WITH HIM SINCE BIRTH (MMAWeekly)
Gerald Harris Replaces Rivera, Takes On Sakara At UFC 118 (Heavy)
For Brian Stann, It’s About The Journey (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

HDNet Fights Vault: 2009 World GP Final HL’s at 8:00 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (Frankie Edgar) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
Inside MMA at 9 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World MAX 2010 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Del Rosario vs Mahe at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (07/23/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Strikeforce Challengers: Del Rosario vs Mahe at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime(07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World Max 2010 Final 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/30/10)
UFC on Versus 2 : Jones vs Matyushenko at 10 PM ET on Versus (08/01/10)
UFC 117 : Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/7/10)
Bellator 24: Lombard vs Goodman on FSN (08/12/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs Taylor 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/13/10)
HDNet Fights: KOTC: Imminent Danger at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
WEC 50: Cruz vs Benavidez at 9 PM ET on Versus (08/18/10)
Bellator 25 on FSN (08/19/10)
Strikeforce: King Mo vs Rafael Feijao at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/21/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (08/26/10)
HDNet Fights: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 on HDNet (08/27/10)
UFC 118: Edgar vs Penn 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/28/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (09/2/10)
UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Belcher at 9 PM ET on SPIKE TV (09/15/10)
UFC 119 : Minotauro Nogueira vs Frank Mir 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (09/25/10)

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under MMAterial Facts, UFC, video games | 5 Comments

MMAterial Facts 07/22/10: Dave Herman, Zac Gearge Involved in Contract Disputes

July 22, 2010

- Herman, Bellator Locked in Legal Battle

- Featherweight Zac George earns Shine Fights release after two-month wait

- Athletic commission knocked out by City of North Van

- Bully Beatdown Does Not Violate Violence Code

- XYIENCE and Montreal’s TriStar Martial Arts Center Sign Sponsorship Agreement

Herman, Bellator Locked in Legal Battle

Herman, 25, is suing Bellator Fighting Championships for allegedly breaching a six-fight, 30-month contract he signed into with the promotion on Oct. 28, 2008. Herman is also claiming tortuous interference on the part of Bellator for a handful of fight assignments — including a four-fight contract offer from Strikeforce — he’s tried to secure since January. The promotion is countersuing for alleged breach of contract as well. (Sherdog)

Featherweight Zac George earns Shine Fights release after two-month wait

Signing the contract – a one-year, three-fight deal – was easy. But after that, everything seemed hard.

“It was a total disaster,” George said after MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today reported that several fighters from the canceled “Shine Fights: Worlds Collide” event had not been paid.

“Worlds Collide” was scheduled to take place May 15 at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, N.C., before the North Carolina Boxing Authority pulled the plug on the show hours after it was set to begin… (MMAJunkie)

Athletic commission knocked out by City of North Van

City of North Vancouver councillors put the kibosh on hosting professional boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) fights in the city, after voting to disband the North Vancouver Athletic Commission Monday night.

“I’ve watched enough of it (Ultimate Fighting Championship) channel surfing to know that I find it repugnant … barbaric,” said Coun. Pam Bookham in an interview with The Outlook. (BCLocalNews)

Bully Beatdown Does Not Violate Violence Code

The CBSC received a complaint about this program from an anti-bullying activist who felt that it was inappropriate for the program to promote additional violence as the solution to the societal problem of bullying. MTV Canada argued that the premise of the program is to show “to instil a sense of empathy in the bully by asking him to face someone who might cause him/her fear or anxiety.” MTV also pointed out that the program carried a 14+ classification and viewer advisories. (Broadcaster Magazine)

XYIENCE and Montreal’s TriStar Martial Arts Center Sign Sponsorship Agreement

XYIENCE announces that it has signed a sponsorship agreement with Tristar Gym, a 13,500 sq. ft. mixed martial arts (MMA) training center in Montreal. The agreement means that the facility will retail XYIENCE’s energy drink brand, Xenergy, the official energy of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and XYIENCE supplements, the original fight nutrition brand, to the exclusion of all other brands. The partnership was made official on Thursday, July 15, 2010, and also includes logo placement on the training facility’s mats and banner placement throughout the gym. (PRESS RELEASE)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Spoke to Scott Coker yesterday. He’s receptive to promoting Werdum-Fedor 2 in Russia. And I know Showtime is looking at potential dates. (Josh Gross, Sports Illustrated)

QUICK HITS

UFC targeting ‘four to six’ Fight Nights in UK next year (ESPN UK)
Not So Fast – UFC China Office Yet to Open (BloodyElbow)
Matt Hamill vs. Tito Ortiz added to UFC 121 in October (MMAJunkie)
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Brendan Schaub meet at UFC 121 in California (MMAJunkie)
Massachusetts eliminates double weigh-in policy for mixed martial arts (MMAJunkie)
Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Dan Hornbuckle not happening at Bellator 25 (MMAJunkie)
Strikeforce 135-pound tourney official (MMAJunkie)
Coker: Fedor Could Return in October, November (Sherdog)
Santiago-Misaki Rematch Headlines Sengoku 14 (Sherdog)
Bellator Hits ‘The Big Easy’ on Sept. 9 (Sherdog)
CAMO Launches California State Tournament for Amateurs (Sherdog)
Mike Russow Out Until Next Year With Injury (MMAFighting)
Joe Rogan, Mayhem Miller Rip Gus Johnson (MMAFighting)
ROXANNE MODAFFERI: I’LL FINISH THE FIGHT FOR HER (MMAWeekly)
MIKE KYLE SET FOR COMEBACK IN STRIKEFORCE (MMAWeekly)
Todd Duffee, Jon Madsen Agree To UFC 121 Bout (Heavy)
Phil Davis Replaces Nedkov, Faces Wallace At UFC 117 (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

HDNet Fights Vault: 2009 World GP Final HL’s at 8:00 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (Frankie Edgar) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
Inside MMA at 9 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World MAX 2010 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Del Rosario vs Mahe at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (07/23/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Strikeforce Challengers: Del Rosario vs Mahe at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime(07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World Max 2010 Final 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/30/10)
UFC on Versus 2 : Jones vs Matyushenko at 10 PM ET on Versus (08/01/10)
UFC 117 : Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/7/10)
Bellator 24: Lombard vs Goodman on FSN (08/12/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs Taylor 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/13/10)
HDNet Fights: KOTC: Imminent Danger at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
WEC 50: Cruz vs Benavidez at 9 PM ET on Versus (08/18/10)
Bellator 25 on FSN (08/19/10)
Strikeforce: King Mo vs Rafael Feijao at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/21/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (08/26/10)
HDNet Fights: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 on HDNet (08/27/10)
UFC 118: Edgar vs Penn 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/28/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (09/2/10)
UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Belcher at 9 PM ET on SPIKE TV (09/15/10)
UFC 119 : Minotauro Nogueira vs Frank Mir 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (09/25/10)

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under MMAterial Facts | 2 Comments

MMAterial Facts 07/19/10: FEG (K-1, DREAM) Plans for Global Domination

July 19, 2010

- FEG (K-1, DREAM) Plans for Global Domination

- Fans attracted to ‘forbidden fruit’ of violence (CNN)

- Death in the Cage: The Michael Kirkham Story

- Bout between Toney and Couture could bring boxing-vs.-MMA debate to head

- UFC’s Marshall Zelaznik Talks UFC 120, Global Expansion and More

FEG (K-1, DREAM) Plans for Global Domination

Mike Kogan, Director of FEG USA, on Friday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the lucrative new deal between DREAM’s parent company, Fighting and Entertainment Group, and Shanghai-based investment bank PUJI Capital is an important step in regaining MMA’s foothold in Japan and the rest of the world.

But for DREAM to thrive, Kogan said it’s crucial that the company converts some of its fanbase to “a paying public.” (MMAJunkie)

***

MMAPayout Notes:

1) PUJI CAPITALS Managing Partner’s Michael Chen was present at the press conference. He said that investment company PUJI Holdings (part of PUJI CAPITAL) was established 6 years ago. Their base is in Shanghai and they are expanding to Beijing and Singapore. The PUJI group cover a lot of ground in their projects like for example natural resources stuff (oil, coal, etc). By request from the Chinese government they are also expanding into Australia and Africa. (NOB)

2) Present were officials from Japan, China, and Korea, hoping to form a combat coalition to expand the DREAM and K-1 brand firmly into these countries and beyond, with the exception of the US since they believe the market is saturated and too developed at this time.

3) FEG Korea is currently in discussions to bring in Taekwondo practitioners recommended by the Taekwondo Association to make their K-1 debuts. FEG want’s to have the full support of Korea, China, along with Japan for world class combat sport athletes to take part in K-1 and DREAM.

4) PUJI is currently in negotiations with the following:

Shanghai Media Group (SMG): The number one media management business in China.

Infront Sports & Media: Main office in Switzerland. Top 3 international sports marketing enterprise. They fix televising rights licenses for the FIFA world cup for example. (NOB)

5) About PUJI Wealth Management: Puji is a rapidly growing financial services and investment group, encompassing private equity, wealth management, property investment and mortgage broking services in the Peoples’ Republic of China and holds a portfolio of wealth management assets. Puji’s Property interests include a joint venture with the Constellation Hotel Group to develop and manage mid-tier hotels in China. Puji is also the largest mortgage broking group in Shanghai and a leading mortgage arranger for the Bank of China and ICBC.

Fans attracted to ‘forbidden fruit’ of violence (CNN)

In late June, a mixed martial arts fighter, Michael Kirkham, died two days after getting injured in a competition. His death, which is under investigation by the South Carolina athletic commission, brought attention to the controversial sport once likened to human cockfighting. This was the second death in the sport; another MMA fighter, Sam Vasquez, died in 2007. (CNN)

Death in the Cage: The Michael Kirkham Story

Michael Kirkham lost that amateur fight in Columbia, S.C., on April 24 via a technical knockout, a bout he lamented on Facebook should have resulted in the disqualification of his opponent. Kirkham was given an automatic 30-day medical suspension for the TKO loss, but it doesn’t appear that he followed up with a doctor. (MMAFighting)

Bout between Toney and Couture could bring boxing-vs.-MMA debate to head

The 41-year-old Toney, a former boxing champion in three divisions, has signed on for his first mixed martial arts event Aug. 28 against former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight king Couture, 47. The rhetoric is already heating up. (LA Times)

UFC’s Marshall Zelaznik Talks UFC 120, Global Expansion and More

It’s already been a busy year for Marshall Zelaznik, the UFC U.K. President and Managing Director of International Development, and the fall isn’t looking any easier. In October the UFC returns to England for the first time in nearly a year with UFC 120, and then later this year the UFC will once again turn its focus toward Germany. (MMAFighting)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Mike Kogan (Director of FEG USA): “Just funds alone are not enough,” he said. “That’s one of the biggest reasons why all these MMA organizations that come out in the U.S., [such as] EliteXC, IFL and all these other places – even Bellator, I think Bellator is on their way out pretty soon – they think that you go get venture capital money, and you’re like, ‘OK, I’ve got 100 million dollars, I’m going to get all these people to fight each other and life will be good.’ Obviously, as its shown, that’s not true. (MMAJunkie)

QUICK HITS

UFC 119 gets four more bouts, Guillard vs. Stephens set for main card (MMAJunkie)
UFC 119 in Indianapolis gets Spike TV “UFC Prelims” special, after all (MMAJunkie)
Jake Shields signs with UFC, meets Martin Kampmann at UFC 121 (MMAJunkie)
Damm-Kujala Completes Aug. 13 Strikeforce Women’s Tourney (Sherdog)
Mir-Nogueira Rematch, 2 Other Bouts Official for UFC 119 (Sherdog)
Silva, Kharitonov, Overeem Shortlisted for Fedor (Sherdog)
Weekend Rundown: Starnes, Drysdale, Somdet Victorious (Sherdog)
Cain Velasquez Won’t Trade Trash Talk With Brock Lesnar (MMAFighting)
Somdet, Tsuchiya, Okazaki Retain Titles at The Way of Shooto 4 (MMAFighting)
SANCHEZ VS. GROVE KICKOFF BELLATOR TOURNEY (MMAWeekly)
FRANK SHAMROCK HAS NO REGRETS (MMAWeekly)
Notes: Fading stars a sad sight (Yahoo! Sports)
“UFC Prelims” Special Returns For UFC 119 (Heavy)
Bellator 26 Set For Kansas City On August 26 (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

HDNet Fights Vault: 2009 World GP Final HL’s at 8:00 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (Frankie Edgar) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
Inside MMA at 9 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World MAX 2010 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Del Rosario vs Mahe at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (07/23/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Strikeforce Challengers: Del Rosario vs Mahe at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime(07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World Max 2010 Final 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/30/10)
UFC on Versus 2 : Jones vs Matyushenko at 10 PM ET on Versus (08/01/10)
UFC 117 : Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/7/10)
Bellator 24: Lombard vs Goodman on FSN (08/12/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs Taylor 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/13/10)
HDNet Fights: KOTC: Imminent Danger at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
WEC 50: Cruz vs Benavidez at 9 PM ET on Versus (08/18/10)
Bellator 25 on FSN (08/19/10)
Strikeforce: King Mo vs Rafael Feijao at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/21/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (08/26/10)
HDNet Fights: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 on HDNet (08/27/10)
UFC 118: Edgar vs Penn 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/28/10)
Bellator 26 on FSN (09/2/10)
UFC Fight Night: Maia vs. Belcher at 9 PM ET on SPIKE TV (09/15/10)
UFC 119 : Minotauro Nogueira vs Frank Mir 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (09/25/10)

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under MMAterial Facts | 4 Comments

MMAterial Facts 07/14/10: UFC 116 Numbers, Bellator on AFN

July 14, 2010

- UFC 116 officially draws 12,740 attendees for $4.05 million live gate
- American Forces Network to broadcast Bellator to 1 million military personnel
- Strikeforce to bring MMA special to Toyota Center
- Lance Palmer, Mark Ellis Sign With MMA Agencies
- MusclePharm Set to Launch GNC Athlete Tour

UFC 116 officially draws 12,740 attendees for $4.05 million live gate

July’s “UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin” event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas officially drew 12,740 spectators for a $4,053,990 live gate. … Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer today emailed the official figures to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Of the 12,740 fans in the arena, 9,218 purchased tickets and 3,522 were issued complimentary admission. Additionally, 2,194 tickets went unsold. (MMAJunkie)

***

Note: It appears that this event is trending to break 1 million buys, but fall short of UFC 100 and UFC 114: Rampage vs Evans. If that trending pattern holds, it would make it the third most purchased event in UFC history. (F4WOnline)

American Forces Network to broadcast Bellator to 1 million military personnel

Bellator Fighting Championships will expand its reach to the more than 1 million brave American service men and women, as well as Department of Defense and other US government civilians and their families stationed overseas through a new alliance with the American Forces Network.

Beginning this fall, all military personnel, Department of Defense civilian employees and their families stationed in 175 countries and territories overseas from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe — and aboard 140 U.S. Navy ships at sea — will be able to watch all of Bellator Seasons 2 and 3 in their entirety via satellite broadcast.

The 24 Bellator broadcasts will air for 24 consecutive weeks every Monday night at 9 p.m. “viewer time overseas” with Bellator Season 2 running from Sept. 6th to Nov. 22 and Bellator Season 3 running from Nov. 29th to Feb. 14th.

Rights to air the broadcasts are being provided to the American Forces Network by Bellator free of charge. (PRESS RELEASE)

Strikeforce to bring MMA special to Toyota Center

Mixed martial arts will be on display when the Strikeforce promotion visits the Toyota Center on Aug. 21.

The card, announced in a press conference Tuesday, will be broadcast by Showtime Television and start at 9 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday.

It’s been three years since Houston was last in the mixed martial arts spotlight. Ultimate Fighting Championship, the top promotion in MMA, brought its UFC 69 pay-per-view event to the Toyota Center in April 2007. (The Houston Chronicle)

Lance Palmer, Mark Ellis Sign With MMA Agencies

Up and coming mixed martial arts prospect Lance Palmer has a new agency to call home. The former Ohio State University wrestler has signed on with MMA agency MMA Incorporated today for an exclusive management and marketing deal.

Palmer, who has yet to make his professional debut in the sport, was a four-time All American wrestler as a Buckeye. In 2010, he earned the title of Big Ten Champion and was also a finalist in the NCAA Division 1 National Championship that year. He competed in the 149 pound weight class. (Heavy)

MusclePharm Set to Launch GNC Athlete Tour

MusclePharm® Corporation (OTCBB:MSLP), a fast-growing nutritional supplement company with a proprietary formulation used in eight performance products, announced plans to launch an innovative General Nutrition Centers (GNC) Athlete Tour starting this month.

The athlete tour dates will run from July through December 2010 and will feature some of the biggest names from the NFL, UFC and WEC. The athletes will be signing autographs at each GNC appearance, promoting the MusclePharm brand in the process. (The Financial Post)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

QUICK HITS

Bob Sapp pulled off July 18′s “Impact FC,” threatens legal action (MMAJunkie)
UFC announcer Bruce Buffer cashes in 2010 World Series of Poker (MMAJunkie)
With Strikeforce title on line, Kennedy says “Jacare” is just his next biggest fight (MMAJunkie)
Film Room: How Werdum Submitted Fedor (Sherdog)
Bellator Confirms Lombard-Goodman for Aug. 12 (Sherdog)
UFC 116 Drugs Tests Clean (Sherdog)
King Mo Promises to Show New Skills in First Title Defense (Sherdog)
Rich Clementi Targeted for Bellator 28 (MMAFighting)
For Leben, Most of UFC 116 Victory Is a Blur (MMAFighting)
VARNER WANTS HENDERSON, DENIES COWBOY FIGHT (MMAWeekly)
MELENDEZ ON SHIELDS TO UFC; WILL HE FOLLOW? (MMAWeekly)
Is Cain able to take Lesnar’s title? (Yahoo! Sports)
UK: Impact FC Confirmed to air on Primetime (Fighters Only)
Scott Coker Talks Shields, Bautista, Lashley, Fedor And More (Heavy)
Keith Jardine vs. Trevor Prangley Set For Shark Fights 13 (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

HDNet Fights Vault: Dynamite 2009 at 8:00 PM ET on HDNet (07/16/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (Ken Shamrock) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (07/16/10)
Inside MMA (Matyushenko and Ellengerger) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (07/16/10)
HDNet Fights: DREAM.15 Replay at 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/16/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Strikeforce Challengers: Del Rosario vs Mahe at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime(07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World Max 2010 Final 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
UFC on Versus 2 : Jones vs Matyushenko at 10 PM ET on Versus (08/01/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs Taylor 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/13/10)
HDNet Fights: KOTC: Imminent Danger at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
UFC 117 : Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/18/10)
WEC 50: Cruz vs Benavidez at 9 PM ET on Versus (08/18/10)
Strikeforce: King Mo vs Rafael Feijao at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/26/10)
HDNet Fights: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 on HDNet (08/27/10)
UFC 118: Edgar vs Penn 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/28/10)

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under Bellator, MMAterial Facts, UFC | 3 Comments

MMAterial Facts (07/09/10): Australia, Canada, Germany and China Notes

July 9, 2010

Two-year Vancouver trial MMA period disappoints, fires head of athletic commission
Ultimate fight: to convince Victoria
UFC Hires Leadership to Open China Office
UFC Announces Anti-Piracy Settlements with 500 Businesses and Individuals
Strikeforce’s Upcoming Schedule; UFC 119, 120, 121 Announcements

Two-year Vancouver trial MMA period could end with only one pro event having been held

Ongoing insurance and indemnity issues surrounding professional mixed martial arts in the city of Vancouver could well see the two-year trial of regulated MMA pass with only a single professional event having been held, according to Vision Vancouver city council member Dr Kerry Jang and licensing staffer Tom Hammel. (Vancouver Sun)

***

Vancouver fires head of athletic commission

City council fired the head of the Vancouver Athletic Commission on Thursday after city staff and others complained about his conduct during the recent debate over allowing an Ultimate Fighting Championship event.

Citing a lack of confidence in Mirko Mladenovic, the council appointed Dave Rudberg, a longtime city bureaucrat, to replace him as head of the commission when it reconvenes later this month. (Vancouver Sun)

Ultimate fight: to convince Victoria (Australia)

THE Ultimate Fighting Championship will use Geelong star George Sotiropoulos and the lure of a $15 million tourist injection to convince the Victorian government to allow cage-fighting into Melbourne, after the sport was again rejected by the state.

Having sold out its debut Australian event at the 17,000-capacity Acer Arena in Sydney in February within 90 minutes, the UFC will be returning early next year but wants to infiltrate the Victorian market, with figures suggesting the state harbours the most mixed martial arts fans in the country. (Sydney Morning Herald)

UFC Hires Leadership to Open China Office

The UFC’s global expansion has become a business in and of itself lately, and the next stop for the promotion will be in China.

Just weeks after the UFC opened an office in Canada – with former CFL commissioner Tom Wright leading the charge – the company hired a leader for a new office in China, which should open in the next few weeks. (MMAWeekly) … (MMAPayout Perspective)

UFC Announces Anti-Piracy Settlements with 500 Businesses and Individuals

The organization today announced it has reached “confidential settlements” with more than 500 businesses and individuals as a result of illegal broadcasts and viewing of UFC events…The settlements span over the past two years.

“We are committed to standing toe to toe with anyone trying to illegally broadcast or stream UFC events,” UFC President Dana White stated. “Today’s announcement further drives home the fact that we are fully prepared to pursue any business or individual that steals our programming.” (MMAJunkie) … (MMAPayout Perspective)

Strikeforce’s Upcoming Schedule; UFC 119, 120, 121 Announcements

Strikeforce Houston Card (8/21): “King Mo” Lawal (7-0) vs Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (9-2) [LHW Title] , Tim Kennedy (12-2) vs “Jacare” Souza (12-2) [Vacant MW Title], KJ Noons (9-2) vs Jorge Gurgel (13-6), Bobby Lashley (5-0) vs TBA, POSS: Sergei Kharitonov (16-4) vs Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (14-2) … all announced for the card at the Toyota Center. Erin Toughill (10-2) vs Shana Olsen (4-0) is also now rumored for this event, where the winner would take on “Cyborg” Santos in a future 145 lbs Title bout.

Strikeforce Phoenix (8/13): J. Riggs (32-11) v L. Taylor(6-1), D. Cormier (2-0) v TBA, Women’s 1-Night 135 lbs GP: Maiju Kujala (4-1), Hitomi Akano (15-7), Miesha Tate (9-2), and TBD.

Strikeforce Washington (7/23): Shane Del Rosario (9-0) v Lolohea Mahe (4-1), Sarah Kaufman (11-0) v Roxanne Modafferi (15-5) [135 lbs Title], Mike Kyle (16-7) v Abongo Humphrey (7-1), Corey Devela (9-4) v Bobby Voelker (21-8).

***

UFC 119: A rematch between heavyweights Frank Mir (13-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) headlines September’s UFC 119 event. (MMAJunkie) .. this event is also set to have Ryan Bader vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira as the co-main event, which would be the first time in UFC history to have twins headlining an event.

UFC 120: A middleweight bout between Michael Bisping and Yoshihiro Akiyama will be part of October’s UFC 120 event in London. (MMAJunkie) .. the event is also set to have Dan Hardy vs Carlos Condit as the co-main event, which is scheduled to be televised on Spike TV from London.

UFC 121 : Was originally rumored to be taking place in Germany, is now reported to be on the move by MMAJunkie, likely heading to California. Germany is currently trying to make the UFC reconsider their plans of moving into the country, as was reported back in March when Germany officials banned the UFC from television. The rumored main-event here was Vitor Belfort (19-8) versus the winner of Anderson Silva (26-4)/Chael Sonnen (24-10).

UPDATE: Brock Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez signed for UFC 121 (MMAFighting). Belfort versus either Silva or Sonnen possible as the co-main event.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

DREAM.15 Official Poster (DREAM Website)

QUICK HITS

FC: The Uprising Airing Live on Viewers Choice Canada (The Fight Network)
HDNet to Broadcast ‘HDNet Fights: DREAM 15′ Live (PRESS RELEASE)
SUFFER Signs Robert Drysdale Endorsement Deal (MarketWatch)
Strikeforce’s August schedule headlined by ‘King Mo’ title defense (LA Times)
Sifting through the rubble of the Fedor fallout (Yahoo! Sports)
STRIKEFORCE Looks to Phoenix’s Dodge Theater for AUG. 13 (ULTMMA)
Strikeforce Defy Boycott, Put Card in Arizona (Exile In Fightville)
German UFC lightweight Dennis Siver hoping for MMA acceptance in home country (MMAJunkie)
Voting ends Saturday for 2010 ESPY voting, UFC’s St-Pierre and Edgar nominated (MMAJunkie)
Faber Out of WEC 50, Expected Back in September (Sherdog)
Riggs-Taylor Heads Up Aug. 13 Strikeforce Challengers (Sherdog)
Strikeforce Champion’s Clause an Issue in Fedor Talks (MMAFighting)
Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez Won’t Happen at UFC 119 (MMAFighting)
CAIN VELASQUEZ WAITING ON A CALL FROM THE UFC (MMAWeekly)
SYLVIA VS. BUENTELLO IN AUGUST; PULVER RETURNS (MMAWeekly)
Erin Toughill Likely For August 21st in Houston (MMARising)
Torres vs. Valencia Slated For Co-Main Event Of WEC 51 (Heavy)
UFC 121 In The Works For Oct. 23 in Anaheim (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

HDNet Fights: XFC: The Next Generation at 9 PM ET on HDNet (07/09/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (Frank Shamrock) at 1 AM ET on HDNet (07/10/10)
HDNet Fights: Affliction Day Of Reckoning at 1:30 AM ET on HDNet (07/10/10)
HDNet Fights: DREAM.15 at 3 AM ET on HDNet (07/10/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

HDNet Fights: XFC: The Next Generation at 9 PM ET on HDNet (07/09/10)
HDNet Fights: DREAM.15 at 3 AM ET on HDNet (07/10/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Del Rosario vs Mahe at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime(07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World Max 2010 Final 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
HDNet Fights: K-1 World GP 2010 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (07/23/10)
UFC on Versus 2 : Jones vs Matyushenko at 10 PM ET on Versus (08/01/10)
Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs Taylor 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/13/10)
HDNet Fights: KOTC: Imminent Danger at 9 PM ET on HDNet (08/13/10)
UFC 117 : Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/18/10)
WEC 50: Cruz vs Benavidez at 9 PM ET on Versus (08/18/10)
Strikeforce: King Mo vs Rafael Feijao at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (08/26/10)
HDNet Fights: Sengoku Raiden Championships 14 on HDNet (08/27/10)
UFC 118: Edgar vs Penn 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (08/28/10)

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under MMAterial Facts, politics, regulation | Leave a Comment

MMAterial Facts (05/07/10): UFC 113 PPV Goes Mobile, Shine Fights On

May 7, 2010

Shine Fights Dismisses Threat of Don King Legal Action Against Ricardo Mayorga
UFC to Offer UFC 113 PPV to FLO TV Mobile Devices
M-1 Global, Strikeforce come to terms; Emelianenko vs. Werdum set for June 26
Zuffa Files Suit for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ Domain Name TV census ad
“TUF Canada” targeted for 2011; UFC seeks TV deals in China, India, South Korea

Shine Fights Dismisses Threat of Don King Legal Action Against Ricardo Mayorga

Despite demands from Don King Productions to “cease and desist” promoting Ricardo Mayorga, Shine Fights Promotions CEO Devin Price is assuring fight fans that the May 15th MMA event “WORLDS COLLIDE: MAYORGA VS. THOMAS” will go forward “without a doubt.” Price also added, “Shine Fights has a valid and exclusive promotional contract with Ricardo Mayorga for mixed martial arts. We are pleased to offer both MMA fans and boxing fans a great night of MMA action on Saturday, May 15th.”

“When we announced this fight I said that we think Mayorga’s fans are just that, his fans, and that they will follow him to MMA,” said Price. “Our target is to convert many boxing fans into fans of both sports.” (PRESS RELEASE)

***

Don King Productions issues Cease and Desist

Don King Productions has a valid promotional contract granting the right of exclusive representation of Ricardo Mayorga and has advised Shine Fight Promotions accordingly.

Shine Fight Promotions’ conduct constitutes tortious interference with Don King Productions’ agreement with Ricardo Mayorga, and Don King Productions has requested they immediately cease and desist promoting Ricardo Mayorga at one of their events to avoid the need for legal action in this matter. (Max Boxing)

UFC to Offer UFC 113 PPV to FLO TV Mobile Devices

Purchase UFC Machida vs. Shogun 2 for $44.99. Watch the action live May 8 on your FLO TV Personal Television or FLO TV Auto Entertainment System. Tune in starting at 6:30pm pst. Don’t miss light heavyweight champion Lyoto ‘The Dragon’ Machida and challenger Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua settle the score. (FLO TV)

***

Twitter Updates from UFC and FLO TV:

@UFC : Have you guys seen FLO TV? Live programming on a TV the size of an iPhone. Watch UFC 113 on the go Saturday night! http://www.flo.tv/

@FLOTV : The UFC promo channel airs this week on FLO TV. MMA fans can check out previews for upcoming UFC 113 : Machida vs. Shogun 2. #ufc

M-1 Global, Strikeforce come to terms; Emelianenko vs. Werdum set for June 26

After months of anticipation, the world’s No. 1 heavyweight and pound-for-pound Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (31-1), will make his eagerly awaited return to the cage to face two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and top-ranked superstar Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum (13-4) in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, June 26, live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The Fedor-Werdum match will headline an event which will feature up to five televised fights on SHOWTIME and several non-televised undercard bouts that will be announced in the coming weeks.

A special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity for the event will take place for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers (http://strikeforce.com/insider.html) from 10 a.m. PT Monday, May 10, until 10 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 13. Insiders will receive an e-newsletter with the pre-sale code.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. PT on Friday, May 14, at the HP Pavilion box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) as well as www.strikeforce.com. For more information, please also visit www.M-1GLOBAL.com.

For M-1 GLOBAL’s Fedor, it is a means of gaining revenge three and a half years after the 32-year-old Werdum defeated Fedor’s brother Aleksander Emelianenko, via submission (arm triangle choke) in the first round (3:24) of a bout in Rotterdam, Holland, on Nov. 12, 2006. (PRESS RELEASE)

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MMAPayout Rumored 6/26 Strikeforce – Fedor vs Werdum Event:

Fedor Emelienenko (31-1) vs Fabricio Werdum (13-4)

Cung Le (6-1) vs Scott Smith (17-6)

Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos (9-1) vs TBA

Luke Rockhold (7-1) vs TBA

Zuffa Files Suit for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ Domain Name TV census ad

Dana White has made it no secret over the past several months that the UFC intends to use “The Ultimate Fighter” series and online distribution to fuel the growth of the UFC’s brand around the globe.

“We’re trying to get these television deals in all these countries, major TV deals exposing the fans to it, then you bring a live event to those places,” White said at a recent news conference. “Then the virus spreads and people start training at it, trying to make a living at it, eventually becoming professional athletes. That’s what we’re going to do over the next 10 years.”

The recent acquisition of UltimateFighter.com and the legal efforts to obtain TheUltimateFighter.com appear to be part of the UFC’s plan for international growth.

Anton Resnick, the domain name’s registrant, expressed complete surprise that a suit had been filed when contacted by Sherdog.com.

“I’m not at all aware of the suit,” said Resnick. (Sherdog) … (MMAPayout Perspective)

“TUF Canada” targeted for 2011; UFC seeks TV deals in China, India, South Korea

In fact, White said an international version of “The Ultimate Fighter” may focus on Canadian athletes as soon as 2011, and UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta will soon set out across the globe with the intention of netting TV deals in China, India and South Korea.

“Our model is you go in with television – the right television – and then you bring the live event,” White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “After this fight, Lorenzo is going to get on a plane, and he’s going to be gone for 14 days. He’s going to China, India and South Korea. Those are the three countries we’re focused on next. (MMAJunkie)

QUICK HITS

Alvarez Subs Neer, Curran Decisions Huerta (Sherdog)
Bellator 17 recap: Curran shocks Huerta, meets Imada in lightweight final (MMAJunkie)
Strikeforce champ Cristiane “Cyborg” moved to June 26 “Fedor vs. Werdum” event (MMAJunkie)
Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter 11″ draws 1.7 million viewers for episode No. 6 (MMAJunkie)
Dana White: UFC 113′s Paul Daley vs. Josh Koscheck winner gets title shot (MMAJunkie)
Kevin Randleman good to go for May 15 Strikeforce fight with Roger Gracie (MMAJunkie)
PVT Mag Analyzes Anderson Silva (Sherdog)
Bellator Books Fujii for June 10 Event (Sherdog)
Dana White Discusses His Relationship With Machida, Kimbo Slice’s Future (MMAFighting)
DREAM EP Keiichi Sasahara on Shinya Aoki, the Cage and Future of DREAM (MMAFighting)
BELLATOR ADDS ULYSSES GOMEZ TO 135 LBS TOURNEY (MMAWeekly)
UFC 113 PREFIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE PHOTOS (MMAWeekly)
MMA Moms, Part I: The women behind the fighters (Yahoo! Sports)
UFC 113 Pre-Fight Press Conference Highlights (Heavy)
Win VIP Tickets To Strikeforce With Backstage Fighter Meet And Greet (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

HDNet Fights Vault: Head Kick KO’s at 8 PM ET on HDNet (05/07/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (feat. John McCarthy) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (05/07/10)
InsideMMA (Stephen Bonnar, Jens Pulver, Reed Harris) at 9 PM ET on HDNet(05/07/10)
HDNet Fights: MFC Vindication at 10 PM ET on HDNet (05/07/10)
UFC 113 : Machida vs Shogun 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/08/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

HDNet Fights: MFC Vindication at 10 PM ET on HDNet (05/07/10)
UFC 113 : Machida vs Shogun 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/08/10)
Bellator Fighting Championships XVIII at 7:30 PM ET on FSN(05/13/10)
Strikeforce St. Louis: Overeem vs Rogers at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime(05/15/10)
Bellator Fighting Championships XIX at 7:30 PM ET on FSN(05/20/10)
UFC 114 : Rampage vs Evans at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/29/10)

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under M-1 Global, MMAterial Facts, Strikeforce, TUF, UFC | 2 Comments

MMAterial Facts (04/23/10): WEC Prepares for PPV Debut, Strikeforce Signs Pan-Asian TV Deal

April 23, 2010

Shine International and Tiger Gate to launch Strikeforce on KIX action channel in Asia
When it comes to a UFC/WEC merger, Dana says he knows what he’s doing
Zuffa to learn if fans’ wallets will open for WEC on pay-per-view
GOP picks fight with secretary of state over TV census ad
UFC Defending Newfound Political Influence with Aggressive Federal Lobbying Efforts

Shine International and Tiger Gate to launch Strikeforce on KIX action channel in Asia

Shine International today announced it has sold Pan-Asian rights for STRIKEFORCE®, one of the world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotions, to Tiger Gate Entertainment. The Lionsgate and Saban Capital-owned broadcaster will launch the show via its KIX action channel across Asian territories, including, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and India. The deal also includes Pay Per View rights in HD. With MMA quickly becoming a global phenomenon, Shine International has now sold STRIKEFORCE’s library programming in 14 markets across Europe, Australia, Latin America and Asia.

“It was important for us to find the right partner in Asia to continue to build the STRIKEFORCE franchise, and we’ve found that in Tiger Gate, a like-minded company. We’re excited to see STRIKEFORCE enter another important market as the brand continues to grow globally,” said Chris Grant, President of Shine International.

“STRIKEFORCE is completely on-brand with our programming vision for KIX. The timing of the deal is also fortuitous, as the demand for this specific genre continues to escalate. Given the focus KIX will bring to the world of MMA, we anticipate the STRIKEFORCE brand exploding throughout the Asian territories,” adds Paul Presburger, Head of Business Affairs of Tiger Gate.

The STRIKEFORCE® library of programming includes 30 episodes and 56 hours of fights that have aired on NBC and Showtime, respectively. Internationally distributed content includes upcoming live fights through February 2012 as well as STRIKEFORCE Challengers fights, pitting STRIKEFORCE up-and-comers against each other. After signing a landmark deal to air live events on SHOWTIME earlier this year, STRIKEFORCE earned the premium network its highest MMA rating ever on August 15, 2009 with “Carano vs. Cyborg.” (PRESS RELEASE)

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MMAPayout Notes: KIX is Asia’s brand new premier television destination for Asian action from Tiger Gate Entertainment. KIX offers a high-octane ticket to everything action and boosts viewers’ adrenaline rush with clever action reality shows, exciting martial arts fight events, bone-crunching extreme sports, and explosive action films. To wow the Asian viewers, KIX showcases a plethora of Asia’s hottest entertainment programs, new special-event programming, and original productions.

KIX ACTION ASIA targets a slightly male-skewed audience aged between 18 to 45 years old, people who enjoy non-stop high-energy, and fast-paced, real-life action entertainment. However, the channel’s primary audience is aged 18 to 28.

When it comes to a UFC/WEC merger, Dana says he knows what he’s doing

White isn’t ready to release his blueprint for the company’s future when it comes to merging the two organization’s together, but he wants everyone to know they should relax because he’s got a plan.

“The hardest part of all this is just figuring it out and believe it or not, I have a plan for this whole thing,” White said. “What I’m doing today is based on my idea that all television is going Internet. That’s what I believe and I’ve believed it for a long time.

“One thing I can say is, whether you agree or disagree with the decisions I’ve made, every year we’ve taken this thing to another level. What we’re going to do over the next three years is pretty (expletive) cool.”

White also said that he isn’t against dedicating a season of the UFC reality series “The Ultimate Fighter” to lightweight fighters who would then compete in the WEC. (Las Vegas Sun)

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No WEC, no problem; Dana White says missing logo all part of master plan
Surprisingly, that apparently includes removing the identity of the WEC brand that Zuffa, LLC has worked so hard to build since acquiring the promotion in 2006.

White said it’s a price the company had to pay in order to expand the reach of the promotion for this historic event.

…

But is White at all concerned that the missing logo – and the UFC-esque feel of “Aldo vs. Faber” – will make it difficult to use the landmark event to grow the popularity and brand identification of the WEC?

“No,” White said flatly. “You leave that up to me. I’ll fix that; trust me. I like to think that I know what I’m doing, and we’ll see how this thing goes on Saturday. (MMAJunkie)

Zuffa to learn if fans’ wallets will open for WEC on pay-per-view

Said Faber: “You can definitely see they’re doing a little more here, basically lending some of the star power and people they’ve promoted along the process — Dana White being one of them, Joe Rogan, whose Q rating is probably the highest rated in the sport. It’s nice because it’s an event people need to see and they’re having influential people talk about it.”

How much the maneuver pumps up Saturday’s pay-per-view tally, said White, no one knows, yet anything less than twice the 70,000 to 90,000 reported buys for an April 3 boxing bout between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. would be “terrible.” (Sports Illustrated)

GOP picks fight with secretary of state over TV census ad

Secretary of State Ross Miller is facing questions from political opponents over his appearance alongside UFC fighters in an ad encouraging Nevadans to participate in the U.S. Census.

The ad — which features Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters, an octagon girl, UFC President Dana White, and Miller urging people to send in their census forms — has prompted the Nevada Republican Party to accuse Miller, a Democrat, in an ethics complaint of using taxpayer money to further his political career.

The UFC paid for production of the ad, while the state spent $156,723 to air it statewide between March 10 and April 3, Miller said. (Las Vegas Sun)

UFC Defending Newfound Political Influence with Aggressive Federal Lobbying Efforts

Between 2008 and 2009, UFC dedicated more than half a million dollars to influencing federal lawmakers and government officials, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis indicates.

The flurry of spending comes at a time of peak influence for mixed martial arts, not long ago an athletic backwater. And it reflects a willingness by UFC to aggressively defend its newfound influence.

“By moving into federal lobbying efforts, [UFC] are behaving exactly as one would expect a mainstream sport would behave,” said Marie Hardin, associate professor of the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State University, who compares UFC’s latest move to that of the nation’s most established professional sports organizations, such as the National Football League and Major League Baseball. (Capital Eye Blog)

VIDEO OF THE DAY

MMA Live: 4-22-10: MMA Live recaps a wild weekend for Strikeforce, which included a post-fight brawl in Nashville. King Mo Lawal is back on the program as a Strikeforce champion. Is Jake Shields now UFC-bound? Urijah Faber joins the show to preview his title fight.

QUICK HITS

MacDonald ready to Get It On for shot at Strikeforce (Edmonton Journal)
Former LSU fullback finds MMA success (2 The Advocate)
Matt Hughes Promotes MMA Workout and Complete Fitness System (Press Release)
MMA returns to the Target Center with 10 UFC vets Saturday night (Star Tribune)
Bellator’s season-two debut and replay each earn top ratings for FSN (MMAJunkie)
“WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber” official weigh-in results: All fighters make weight (MMAJunkie)
Dana White says UFC still coming to Oakland, just lukewarm on Hawaii (MMAJunkie)
Randleman vs. Gracie, Villasenor vs. “Jacare” official for May 15 Strikeforce event (MMAJunkie)
Rafael “Feijao” vs Antwain Britt official for May 15 Strikeforce St. Louis Event (MMAPayout)
M-1 on Fedor’s Return: Ball in Strikeforce’s Court (Sherdog)
Hornbuckle, Thomas Advance in Bellator Tourney; More Matchups Announced (Sherdog)
Lesnar, Carwin Sign Off on UFC 116 Bout (MMAFighting)
Cesar Gracie on Aoki, Possible Sanctions (MMAFighting)
SAC TOWN NOW FABER TOWN WITH URIJAH FABER DAY (MMAWeekly)
ALMEIDA VS. HUGHES IN THE WORKS FOR UFC 117 (MMAWeekly)
Nick Diaz talks about the brawl, GSP and triathlons (Yahoo! Sports)
Florian vs. Maynard Signed For UFC 118 (Heavy)
Joe Stevenson vs. Takanori Gomi In The Works For UFC On Versus 2 (Heavy)

TV LISTINGS

HDNet Fights Vault: Shinya Aoki at 8 PM ET on HDNet (04/23/10)
Fighting Words with Mike Straka (feat. Bobby Lashley) at 8:30 PM ET on HDNet (04/23/10)
InsideMMA (BJ Penn, Chael Sonnen, Jens Pulver) at 9 PM ET on HDNet (04/23/10)
HDNet Fights: Sengoku Raiden Championship 12 at 10 PM ET on HDNet (04/23/10)
WEC 48: Aldo vs Faber at 10 PM ET on PPV (04/24/10)

UPCOMING EVENTS

WEC 48: Aldo vs Faber at 10 PM ET on PPV (04/24/10)
Bellator Fighting Championships XVI at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (04/29/10)
Bellator Fighting Championships XVII at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (05/06/10)
HDNet Fights: MFC Vindication at 10 PM ET on HDNet (05/07/10)
UFC 113 : Machida vs Shogun 2 at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/08/10)
Bellator Fighting Championships XVIII at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (05/13/10)
Strikeforce St. Louis: Overeem vs Rogers at 10 PM ET/PT on Showtime (05/15/10)
Bellator Fighting Championships XIX at 7:30 PM ET on FSN (05/20/10)
UFC 114 : Rampage vs Evans at 10 PM ET on PPV (05/29/10)

Huerta, Hinton Cleared for Bellator Season 2 Debut

Written by Jose Mendoza · Filed Under MMAterial Facts, Strikeforce, UFC, WEC | 7 Comments