Archive for January, 2008

EliteXC standouts Tank Abbott and Jake Shields will appear on the new episode of Inside MMA on HDNet, this Friday, Feb. 1, at 9:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. PT. Tank, a true MMA icon and Hall of Fame talker, will discuss his upcoming, long-awaited showdown with Kimbo Slice (kimboslice.proelite.com) on Saturday, Feb. 16 in Miami on SHOWTIME, while the talented, personable Shields, a streaking, world-ranked welterweight, will talk about his future plans. The show, which is devoted to strictly Mixed Martial Arts news and events, will air several times. Please go to HD.net (schedules/programs) for replay times.

According to Bodog Fight’s reigning women’s champion, fans in Sin City are about to bear witness to the future of mixed martial arts on Feb. 1.

That’s when the explosive force known as Kaitlin Young is scheduled to make her Bodog Fight debut at the Las Vegas Sport Center. Read the rest of this entry »

HDNet Fights announced today that it has partnered with Maximum Fighting Championship to present a LIVE event from Canada on February 22. It will be the first of three events in 2008 between the two partners. “We’re excited to head to Canada to cover this event,” said Mark Cuban, president and co-founder of HDNet. “Bringing this live MMA action to our fans in Canada is a great way for us to reward all of our viewers north of the border.” Read the rest of this entry »

photos by Tom Casino

On an exciting night that featured solid, non-stop action and entertaining fights, crowd favorite Eddie Alvarez (12-1) of Kensington, Pa., sent the hometown fans home deliriously happy by knocking out Ross Ebanez (18-6-1) of Hilo, Hawaii, in the second round Friday on the 2008 premiere of ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series on SHOWTIME.

In the co-feature presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s Live Fight Division, EliteXC, talented Paul “Semtex” Daley (17-6-2) of England scored a first-round knockout over Sam “The Squeeze’’ Morgan (19-10) of St. Paul, Minn. Read the rest of this entry »

The Ultimate Fighting Championship organization today announced the remaining fights on the main card for the upcoming UFC 81: BREAKING POINT which features former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir taking on former WWE Champion and world-renowned superstar Brock Lesnar. UFC fans will also witness the crowning of a new King of the Heavyweights when two-time champion Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia battles former PRIDE” c hampion Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira for the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship of the world in the main event of UFC 81: BREAKING POINT. Read the rest of this entry »

Photos: TOM CASINO/EliteXC

Philadelphia’s Eddie Alvarez faces Ross “Da Boss’’ Ebanez, of Hilo, Hawaii, in a 165-pound co-featured bout tomorrow/Friday on the 2008 premiere of ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). The other co-feature will match England’s Paul “Semtex” Daley against Sam “The Squeeze’’ Morgan, of St. Paul, Minn., in a 170-pound scrap.

Other televised fights: Bobby McMaster, of Boston, Mass., will try to regain his winning ways against the always-dangerous Bao Quach, of Huntington Beach, Calif., at 150 pounds; “The Hawaiian Rocky Balboa,’’ Kala Kolohe Hose, of Honolulu, faces Fred Belleton, of Stoughton, Mass., at 185 pounds; and Julie Kedzie, of Albuquerque, N.M., by way of Greenwood, Ind., will attempt to win her fourth straight when she battles Tonya Evinger, of Reno, Nev., by way of Oak Grove, Mo., at 140 pounds. Read the rest of this entry »

This just in: The always colorful, entertaining and unpredictable David “Tank” Abbott will be a special guest on the nationally televised Jimmy Kimmel Live show tonight/Thursday at 12:05 a.m. ET/PT on ABC.

Tank (tankabbott.proelite.com), one of the original Mixed Martial Arts bad boys and most ferocious knockout artists in history, will discuss, among other things, his eagerly anticipated, long-awaited grudge fight with Kimbo Slice (kimboslice.proelite.com) set for Saturday, Feb. 16, at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami on SHOWTIME. Other guests Thursday will include reality show star Heidi Montague of the “The Hills.”

Two members of a legendary combat family phenomenon will fight at Cage Rage 25 presented by EliteXC, at Wembley Arena on March the 8th.

“The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock and his son Ryan, are to make their Cage Rage debut at a packed Wembley Arena.

His opponent – Britain’s Robert ‘Buzz’ Berry – is braced for an epic clash of the titans in this World class heavyweight encounter. Read the rest of this entry »

During its initial year, Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s live fight division, EliteXC, made an instant impact in Mixed Martial Arts while gaining a reputation for consistently delivering competitive, thrilling and memorable events that featured the world’s top fighters.

Under the expert direction of the respected Live Events President, Gary Shaw, EliteXC had a banner 2007. Among its numerous noteworthy accomplishments, EliteXC became the first and remains the only MMA organization whose fights are shown on premium television. Read the rest of this entry »

The International Fight League today announced the latest step in its reorganization heading into the 2008 season, naming Mixed Martial Arts legend Sebastian “Bas” Rutten to the newly-created position of Vice President, Fighter Operations. Rutten, who has been with the IFL since its inception as a coach and commentator, will oversee the contact between the IFL, its current athletes and other athletes in the sport, as well as working to create potential future matchups and cards both internally and with other organizations. He will report directly to IFL CEO Jay Larkin. Read the rest of this entry »

Legendary mixed martial arts pioneer Frank Shamrock will serve as guest commentator during Friday’s 2008 premiere of ShoXC: EliteXC Challenger Series on SHOWTIME (Jan. 25 at 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

Shamrock, who is training for his much anticipated EliteXC fight with Cung Le (Saturday, March 29, on SHOWTIME) will take time away from training to join renowned play-by-play announcer Mauro Ranallo and “Fight Professor” Stephen Quadros for the five-fight ShoXC telecast from Trump Taj Mahal Atlantic City Hotel & Casino. Read the rest of this entry »

Mixed martial arts fans in Las Vegas can expect to see something different when Bodog Fight rolls into town on Feb. 1.

Make that two things: Women’s MMA fights and a much-anticipated four-man tournament.

Given Sin City’s undisputed reputation as the fight capital of the world, it is hard to believe these two fan-favorites have been a rare sight on the Strip. Read the rest of this entry »

Fellow New Englanders and rising stars in the UFC® lightweight division, The Ultimate Fighter® alumni Kenny “Ken Flo” Florian and Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon will meet each other where the Ultimate Fighting Championship® all began, and headline the first UFC fight in the state of Colorado in 14 years live on Spike TV Wednesday, April 2 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.

“We are excited to have a fight where the UFC first started, and also that UFC fans will be able to watch it on Spike TV,” said UFC President Dana White. “Lauzon and Florian will be a great comeback fight – these are two young guys who show improvement every time they get in the Octagon. Lauzon fought Jens Pulver as a huge underdog and he knocked him out, and then had a great run on The Ultimate Fighter 5. Kenny Florian got his UFC start in the original The Ultimate Fighter at 185 pounds, and since then dropped to 155 and has shown he is a guy to watch out for in this division. Both of these guys want to be the best young lightweight in the sport, and have the chance to prove it in a fight for the title.” Read the rest of this entry »

Harley-Davidson Motor Company has teamed up with the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) and World Extreme Cagefighting® (WEC™) organizations as a presenting sponsor and exclusive motorcycle sponsor.

“This is the first major worldwide sports sponsorship for Harley-Davidson outside the motorcycle/automotive category,” said Harley-Davidson Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Mark-Hans Richer. “We see our brand embodied in these fighters: young, aggressive, hard working individuals who cut against the grain.” Read the rest of this entry »

MIAMI BEACH– January 21, 2008 – SURFS UP and the waves are not the only thing breaking on Miami Beach. THE LEGEND BEGINS presented by MIAMI FIGHT LEAGUE hits Miami Beach January 23rd, 2008. Miami fight fan favorite Juan Arroyo 35(16) – 5 – 4 headlines the card and takes on Ilido Julio 35(31)-14-1 in the Main Event. This match will surely be a continuation of the slugfest that took place last August when both fighters had the crowd on their feet the whole match. Read the rest of this entry »