LOS ANGELES– Six-time NCAA wrestling champion and former NFL All Pro offensive lineman, Carlton Haselrig (1-0), of Johnstown, Penn., will take on dangerous knockout artist Carlos Moreno (5-2), of Elizabeth, N.J., in a top undercard fight that will precede the first mixed martial arts card shown live in primetime on network television Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center at Newark, N.J.
Tickets for a spectacular, highly anticipated live event, starting at $25, are available at Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (201) 507-8900, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Prudential Center box office (973) 757-6625. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET. The first live fight is at 6:30.
“Couple his fantastic experience in college wrestling with his dedication, power and brute strength and it’s easy to see why many give Carlton a legitimate chance to make the difficult transition from football to MMA,’’ said New Jersey native and EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw, who made the official announcement Wednesday. “But this is a tough fight for him. I’m really looking forward to watching all the fights on May 31. It’s really going to be a historic, significant and memorable night of mixed martial arts.’’
The Haselrig-Moreno preliminary fight is one of five that will be streamed live and for free at ProElite.com. Fans also can watch pre- and post-fight interviews on ProElite.com (see Fighter Pages below).
Following the undercard fights, the history-making, first-ever MMA event broadcast live in primetime will take place when “CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS’’ debuts on the CBS Television Network at 9-p.m.-11 p.m. ET/PT. Electrifying unbeaten sensation Kimbo Slice of Perrine, Fla. will be opposed by England’s James “Colossus’’ Thompson in the CBS main event.
Haselrig is the only six-time NCAA champion Greco-Roman wrestler (he won three titles on both the Division I and Division II levels). In 2005, he was the sole heavyweight wrestler named to the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team that had competed in the Olympics and won either a gold or silver medal.
Despite not having played football collegiately, he was voted to the 1992 Pro Bowl just four seasons after being a 12th-round Pittsburgh Steelers draft choice. Haselrig joined the Steelers in 1989 as a member of the practice squad, saw limited action in 1990 but was a full time starter by 1991. During the 1992 season, he helped pave the way for Barry Foster to run for 12 100-yard games (tying an NFL record at the time).
Haselrig played for the Steelers (1990-1993) and the New York Jets (1995) before off the field issues derailed his career. He joins, among others, Michael Westbrook, Bob Sapp, Marcus Jones and Johnnie Morton as former NFL players who have ventured into the world of mixed martial arts.
Nicknamed “Don’t Blink,’’ the muscular, well-conditioned Haselrig (1-0), of Johnstown, Penn., won his MMA debut with a 4:09, first-round TKO over Shane Ott on April 19, 2008, in Atlantic City.
“This is just the first step in a long series of things that are going to happen,’’ Haselrig said. “Right now, whoever's out there, I'm training hard, and I’m getting ready. I want anybody.’’
Haselrig had a vocal cheering section at his MMA fight, which he credited with helping him get his life back on track. “Thanks to all the fans that came out to support me,’’ he said afterward. “I needed their support to give me another step of courage and confidence.’’
Moreno is a popular, crowd-pleasing, heavy-handed, hard-hitting one punch KO fighter who can take out anybody once he connects.
“Most of the guys I’ve fought, once they feel that one little zap from me, their whole game plan goes out the window,’’ said Moreno, who has fought the majority of his fights in New Jersey since turning pro in 2003. “My background is definitely all striking and I definitely come to bang.
“But I’ve worked a lot on my Jiu-Jitsu and becoming a well-rounded fighter. Haselrig may have been great wrestler and football player, but this is MMA and being one-dimensional just doesn’t get it.’’
Married with two children – he has a 12-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son -- Moreno hails from a fighting family. His father boxed in the amateurs, and an uncle was a Green Beret.
Then Moreno was offered the assignment, he says “my heart almost flew out of my chest. I was so excited for the opportunity. I couldn’t wait to sign for the fight. I appreciate everybody involved for making it happen for me.’’
Moreno is confident he will triumph in what by far will be his biggest and most important fight.
“I pretty much feel Haselrig is making a mistake by fighting me,’’ he said. “I am definitely taking this fight extremely seriously. I know I will be ready. I hope he is because whether we remain standing or it goes to the ground, I will be ready for it. I will be prepared for all aspects and anything he brings.
“My only prediction is that this fight is going to be very exciting. Tell ‘Don’t Blink’ he had better not blink.’’
Besides the featured fight between Kimbo (2-0) and Thompson (10-8), the five-fight CBS broadcast will include: EliteXC middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) of St. Louis, by way of Davenport, Iowa, vs. Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-4) of Sacramento, Calif.; Gina Carano (5-0) of Las Vegas, Nev., vs. Kaitlin Young (4-1) of Circle Pines, Minn., at 140 pounds; Phil Baroni (10-9) of Long Island, N.Y., vs. Joey Villasenor (25-6) of Albuquerque, N.M., at 185 pounds; and a heavyweight fight between Brett Rogers (6-0) of Minneapolis and Jon Murphy (4-2) of Minersville, Pa.
The Lawler-Smith fight is scheduled for five, 5-minute rounds. The others are slated for three, 5-minute sessions with the exception of Carano-Young, which is set for three, 3-minute rounds.
Other bouts streamed live at ProElite.com: Chris “The Story” Liguori (7-7) of Middleton, N.J., vs. Jim Bova (3-0) of Philadelphia at 160 pounds; Nick “The Mad Monkey” Serra (4-2) of East Meadow, N.Y., vs. Matt Makowski (2-0) of Philadelphia at 170 pounds; Justin Robbins (8-3-1) of St. Louis vs. Wilson Reis (3-0) of Philadelphia at 140 pounds; and James “Binky” Jones (6-6) of Baltimore, Md., vs. Calvin Kattar of New Hampshire at 155 pounds.
In preliminary bouts that will not be streamed at ProElite.com, Zach Makovsky (3-1) of Philadelphia meets Brazilian Andre “Gigetto” Soares (5-1) of Pinebrook, N.J., at 135 pounds; and Mike Groves (0-1) of Philadelphia faces Joe Sampieri (0-2) of Manhattan, N.Y., at 155. The seven undercard fights are scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds.
Fighter pages (ProElite.Com): Haselrig (http://carltonhaselrig.proelite.com), Moreno (http://carlosmoreno.proelite.com), Liguori (http://chrisliguori.proelite.com), Bova (http://jimbova.proelite.com), Serra (http://nickserra.proelite.com), Makowski (http://mattmakowski.proelite.com), Robbins (http://justinrobbins.proelite.com), Reis (http://wilsonreis.proelite.com), Jones (http://jamesjones.com), Kattar (http://calvinkattar.proelite.com), Makovsky (http://zachmakovsky.proelite.com), Soares (http://andresoares.proelite.com), Sampieri (http://joesampieri.proelite.com), Groves (http://mikegroves.proelite.com).
Fighter pages (CBS): Slice (http://kimboslice.proelite.com), Thompson (http://jamesthompson.proelite.com), Lawler (http://robbielawler.proelite.com), Smith (http://scottsmith.proelite.com), Carano (http://ginacarano.proelite.com), Young (http://kaitlinrose.proelite.com), Villasenor (http://joeyvillasenor.com), Baroni (http://philbaroni.proelite.com), Rogers (http://brettrogers.proelite.com), Murphy (http://jonmurphy.proelite.com).
About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite, Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment. The company has established a partnership with CBS that brings MMA to a major primetime network for the first time. Through acquisitions of MMA organizations in Asia and Europe, ProElite is a global leader with an exclusive distribution agreement for its program library with IMG Media. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. The company’s social media platform, ProElite.com, continues to add thousands of subscribers each month due to the large number of live streaming MMA events, social networking tools, and original and partner-driven content.
About The Prudential Center
Prudential Center is the first new, state-of-the-art facility built in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area in over 25 years. Located within 2 blocks of Newark Penn Station, it is the home of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, NCAA Division I Seton Hall men’s basketball and the New Jersey Ironmen of the MISL. Prudential Center is managed by AEG, one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Showing posts with label Kimbo Slice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kimbo Slice. Show all posts
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
KIMBO SLICE vs. JAMES "COLOSSUS" THOMPSON
KIMBO SLICE vs. JAMES "COLOSSUS" THOMPSON
Heavyweight sensation Kimbo Slice will headline the first-ever CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS. From the street to EliteXC, Slice's unorthodox ascension through the world of mixed martial arts started with posting his local fights on "YouTube," a move that quickly garnered millions of downloads and made him an instant legend among fans of the sport. Kimbo, aka Kevin Ferguson, who resides in Perrine, Fla., near Miami, will be matched against James "Colossus" Thompson, a British MMA standout whose pre-fighting resume includes work as a "debt collector." Thompson is aptly nicknamed, standing at six-foot-five and weighing more than 250 pounds. He will be the first MMA fighter to possess a height advantage over the six-foot-two-inch Kimbo. This bout is scheduled for three five-minute rounds.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Heavyweight sensation Kimbo Slice will headline the first-ever CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS. From the street to EliteXC, Slice's unorthodox ascension through the world of mixed martial arts started with posting his local fights on "YouTube," a move that quickly garnered millions of downloads and made him an instant legend among fans of the sport. Kimbo, aka Kevin Ferguson, who resides in Perrine, Fla., near Miami, will be matched against James "Colossus" Thompson, a British MMA standout whose pre-fighting resume includes work as a "debt collector." Thompson is aptly nicknamed, standing at six-foot-five and weighing more than 250 pounds. He will be the first MMA fighter to possess a height advantage over the six-foot-two-inch Kimbo. This bout is scheduled for three five-minute rounds.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
No Holds Barred: Warrior Culture, Country Music and MMA, Pay-Per-View Model, IFL, Ryan Schultz, Dan Miller, Roy Nelson
No Holds Barred: Warrior Culture, Country Music and MMA, Pay-Per-View Model, IFL, Ryan Schultz, Dan Miller, Roy Nelson
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-20T20_26_25-07_00
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the beating received this past Friday by former Chris Byrd in his ESPN2 bout with Shaun George. Byrd, a former heavyweight champion, was fighting at light heavyweight, and was stopped in the ninth round after looking drained and getting battered throughout the fight.
We next focus on some important correspondence from a listener who understands the connection between the combat sports, the need for a warrior culture by people who are oppressed and downtrodden, and life in general.
Among the other issues discussed are the appearance of EliteXC fighter Kimbo Slice on the Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS, the flaws in the pay-per-view model for the combat sports, and what the International Fight League needs to do to improve their fortunes.
Next, we speak with the three IFL fighters who were victorious in their championship fights this past Friday, May 16, at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. They are lightweight champion Ryan Schultz, who won a unanimous decision over Deividas Taurosevicius, to retain his belt; Dan Miller, who captured the middleweight belt with a first-round kneebar submission over Ryan McGivern; and Roy Nelson, who retained his heavyweight title with a first-round TKO over Brad Imes.
To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).
Make sure to check out my regular weekly boxing show SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/. On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, we begin by discussing the fragmented title picture in the 140-pound division, which again is hurting whatever credibility boxing has left, and the need for title unification. This past Wednesday, May 14, in New York, Frankie Figueroa (19-2, 13 KOs) successfully defended his regional NABF 140-pound title against Luis Rodriguez (22-2, 13 KOs) with a 12-round unanimous decision. He now wants a shot at a major world title. We spoke with Frankie Figueroa and his trainer, Buddy McGirt, himself a former champion at this weight, right after this fight about it and what lessons can be learned from it. This coming Saturday, May 24, Ricky Hatton (43-1, 31 KOs) fights in his hometown of Manchester, England, against veteran Juan Lazcano (37-4-1, 27 KOs). This fight will be televised live on the Versus network in the United States and on Sky Box Office in the United Kingdom. On a media conference call this past week, we spoke with both Ricky Hatton and Juan Lazcano about this fight and their plans. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/, and listen, learn, and enjoy.
Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ProElite.com (http://www.proelite.com/?utm_source=NHBRadio&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=GeneralPE), an MMA website built by and for the fans and fighters of this great sport. Watch action-packed fights, connect with others, and get exclusive MMA coverage all in one place. It's "All Combat All the Time" at ProElite.com!
IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.
Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).
BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).
FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-20T20_26_25-07_00
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by discussing the beating received this past Friday by former Chris Byrd in his ESPN2 bout with Shaun George. Byrd, a former heavyweight champion, was fighting at light heavyweight, and was stopped in the ninth round after looking drained and getting battered throughout the fight.
We next focus on some important correspondence from a listener who understands the connection between the combat sports, the need for a warrior culture by people who are oppressed and downtrodden, and life in general.
Among the other issues discussed are the appearance of EliteXC fighter Kimbo Slice on the Academy of Country Music Awards on CBS, the flaws in the pay-per-view model for the combat sports, and what the International Fight League needs to do to improve their fortunes.
Next, we speak with the three IFL fighters who were victorious in their championship fights this past Friday, May 16, at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. They are lightweight champion Ryan Schultz, who won a unanimous decision over Deividas Taurosevicius, to retain his belt; Dan Miller, who captured the middleweight belt with a first-round kneebar submission over Ryan McGivern; and Roy Nelson, who retained his heavyweight title with a first-round TKO over Brad Imes.
To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).
Make sure to check out my regular weekly boxing show SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/. On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, we begin by discussing the fragmented title picture in the 140-pound division, which again is hurting whatever credibility boxing has left, and the need for title unification. This past Wednesday, May 14, in New York, Frankie Figueroa (19-2, 13 KOs) successfully defended his regional NABF 140-pound title against Luis Rodriguez (22-2, 13 KOs) with a 12-round unanimous decision. He now wants a shot at a major world title. We spoke with Frankie Figueroa and his trainer, Buddy McGirt, himself a former champion at this weight, right after this fight about it and what lessons can be learned from it. This coming Saturday, May 24, Ricky Hatton (43-1, 31 KOs) fights in his hometown of Manchester, England, against veteran Juan Lazcano (37-4-1, 27 KOs). This fight will be televised live on the Versus network in the United States and on Sky Box Office in the United Kingdom. On a media conference call this past week, we spoke with both Ricky Hatton and Juan Lazcano about this fight and their plans. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/, and listen, learn, and enjoy.
Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
ProElite.com (http://www.proelite.com/?utm_source=NHBRadio&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=GeneralPE), an MMA website built by and for the fans and fighters of this great sport. Watch action-packed fights, connect with others, and get exclusive MMA coverage all in one place. It's "All Combat All the Time" at ProElite.com!
IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.
Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).
BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).
FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
CHECK OUT THE CBS MMA MEDIA DAY TO SEE WHAT ALL THE BUZZ IS ABOUT!
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Monday, May 19, 2008
EliteXC Presents PRIMETIME May 31st FEATURING Kimbo Slice
EliteXC Presents PRIMETIME May 31st FEATURING Kimbo Slice
Also featuring Phil "New York Bad Ass" Baroni, American Gladiator's "Crush"-Gina Carano, and Robbie Lawler.
May 31st @ The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey
Get your tickets now at http://www.ticketmaster.com
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Promising East Coast Fighters Top Stacked EliteXC Undercard May 31 At Newark, NJ
LOS ANGELES– With no less than 11 fighters scheduled to fight, there will be a distinct East Coast flavor to the six announced undercard bouts that will immediately precede the highly anticipated, first-ever mixed martial arts fight card shown live in primetime on network television Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center at Newark, N.J.
Tickets for a spectacular live event, starting at $25, are available at Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (201) 507-8900, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Prudential Center box office (973) 757-6625. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET. The first live fight is at 6:30.
Among the East Coast favorites who will appear in undercard fights presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s live fight division, EliteXC, are Philadelphians Wilson Reis (3-0), Matt Makowski (2-0), Jim Bova (3-0) and Zach Makovsky (3-1), Chris “The Story” Liguori (7-7) of Middleton, N.J., James “Binky” Jones (6-6) of Baltimore, Md., Nick “The Mad Monkey” Serra (4-2) of East Meadow, N.Y., and Andre “Gigetto” Soares (5-1) of Pinebrook, N.J.
Four of the six announced prelim bouts will be streamed live and for free at ProElite.com. Fans also can watch pre- and post-fight interviews on ProElite.com (see Fighter Pages below).
“From top to bottom, this fight card is totally stacked,’’ EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw said. “I’m extremely proud of the fights we will be offering to those in the arena and those watching the undercard live on ProElite.com. All the fighters are matched tough.
“For some, this will be their opportunity to watch young, talented, promising fighters who they may not have had the opportunity to see before. It’s always exciting to witness and follow the emergence of new stars. And there are a lot of talented athletes on this show.’’
Kimbo Slice (2-0), Perrine, Fla., will be opposed by England’s James “Colossus’’ Thompson (10-8) in the main event of “CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS” on the CBS Television Network at 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.
In other televised fights, EliteXC middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) of St. Louis, by way of Davenport, Iowa, will defend against Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-4) of Sacramento, Calif.; Gina Carano (5-0) of Las Vegas, Nev., faces Kaitlin Young (4-1) of Circle Pines, Minn., in a women’s fight at 140 pounds; Phil Baroni (10-9) of Long Island, N.Y., faces Joey Villasenor (25-6) of Albuquerque, N.M. in a 185-pound scrap and Brett Rogers (6-0) of Minneapolis throws down with Jon Murphy (4-2) of Minersville, Pa., in a heavyweight fight.
The Lawler-Smith fight is scheduled for five, 5-minute rounds. The others are slated for three, 5-minute sessions with the exception of Carano-Young, which is set for three, 3-minute rounds (See Fighter Pages below).
The crowd-pleasing Liguori is a one-time middleweight who now competes at 155-160. “I feel awesome at this weight,’’ he said. “I should have been a lightweight my whole career.’’
Liguori, who’s fought some good ones since turning pro in ‘02, will look to regain his winning ways against the promising Bova, who, like Liguori, signed recently with EliteXC.
Bova is a well-rounded fighter and awesome wrestler with excellent technical ability and a seemingly unlimited gas tank. He trains out of the same gym as Murphy in Minersville, Pa.
In his last start, Bova scored a 3:59, first-round submission (rear naked choke) over Mark Getto on Oct. 6, 2007. Bova has won all three of his fights by submission.
The popular Serra, the younger brother of Matt Serra and the second American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under world renowned Renzo Gracie, will be opposed by the up-and-coming Makowski in what will be a top-notch 170-pound scrap.
A submission specialist, all four of Serra’s victories have been via tap out. In his last start, he submitted (armbar) Mike Varner in the second round on June 23, 2007, at Atlantic City.
Serra, whose vast skills and unique style makes for crowd-pleasing scraps, is also known for entertaining cage entrances (he wears a Mad Monkey mask and throw bananas to the crowd). But don’t be fooled by the monkey business. Serra has never been submitted or knocked out, is supremely talented and has a fierce competitive spirit. “I’ll fight anybody,’’ he said.
Makowski, who compiled an outstanding record in Muay Thai, is fundamentally sound, possesses well-rounded skills, terrific cardio and always enters the ring well prepared.
In his most recent outing, the highly regarded Makowski showed a good ground game to go with his striking en route to registering an excellent 4:01, first-round submission (rear naked choke) over Muay Thai specialist Joe Schilling on Jan. 25, 2008, in Atlantic City.
Makowski has yet to be severely challenged in a pro, amateur or Muay Thai fight so it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
The 140-pound Reis, who takes on Justin Robbins, has been totally dominant in his brief career, always appearing to be a class or two above his opponent.
In a fight that got off to a wild start, Reis won his EliteXC debut with a second-round submission (rear naked choke) over Zach Makovsky on Jan. 25, 2008, in Atlantic City.
A fast-rising featherweight who possesses all the right tools, Reis is only 23 but already is a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. The world class grappler made Makovsky, a former Division I wrestler and respectable prospect, look pedestrian in what was expected to be a close fight.
Robbins (8-3-1), of St. Louis, has won three of his last four, including an eye-opening 0:47, first-round submission (arm triangle choke) victory over Jeff Hodges on Jan. 26, 2008.
A submission fighter, Robbins holds notable wins over Matt Jaggers and Tristan Yunker.
No stranger to big cards, Jones is putting it together at the right time. He will be seeking his third consecutive victory when he meets unbeaten Calvin Kattar (3-0).
Jones won his last two starts by impressive first-round submission (kimoura). He needed 1:59 to devalue Al Buck on March 7, 2008. The previous Jan. 25 in Atlantic City, Jones won his EliteXC debut by dominating Mark Getto en route to dispatching him at 1:12.
A victory keeps Jones in the thick of what is one of EliteXC’s deepest divisions.
New Hampshire’s Kattar is an exciting, crowd-pleasing, talented wrestler who likes to ground and pound.
In preliminary bouts that will not be streamed at ProElite.com, Makovsky meets Soares at 135 pounds and Mike Groves (0-1) of Philadelphia and Joe Sampieri (0-2) of Manhattan, N.Y., clash in a battle of capable but winless fighters at 155.
Makovsky, who suffered his first loss, to Reis, in his last start, is a former Division I wrestler from Drexel University. His 72 victories rank 18th on the all-time Drexel win list.
Soares has won four in a row, all via first-round stoppage. A Brazilian who’s always ready to fight and brings an aggressive submission style attack to the cage, Soares scored a 0:19, first-round submission (guillotine choke) over Jason Spearman April 18, 2008, in Atlantic City.
The aggressive-minded Groves, who boasts a strong boxing and wrestling background, lost his debut by second-round TKO undefeated Pat McGreal in October 2007.
Sampieri, a Muay Thai coach at Renzo Gracie’s Jiu-Jitsu academy in New York, is overdue for a win. He is obviously talented on his feet and is definitely overdue to win one.
The seven undercard fights are scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds.
Fighter pages (ProElite.Com): Liguori (http://chrisliguori.proelite.com), Bova (http://jimbova.proelite.com), Serra (http://nickserra.proelite.com), Makowski (http://mattmakowski.proelite.com), Robbins (http://justinrobbins.proelite.com), Reis (http://wilsonreis.proelite.com), Jones (http://jamesjones.com), Kattar (http://calvinkattar.proelite.com), Makovsky (http://zachmakovsky.proelite.com), Soares (http://andresoares.proelite.com), Sampieri (http://joesampieri.proelite.com), Groves (http://mikegroves.proelite.com).
Fighter pages (CBS): Slice (http://kimboslice.proelite.com), Thompson (http://jamesthompson.proelite.com), Lawler (http://robbielawler.proelite.com), Smith (http://scottsmith.proelite.com), Carano (http://ginacarano.proelite.com), Young (http://kaitlinrose.proelite.com), Villasenor (http://joeyvillasenor.com), Baroni (http://philbaroni.proelite.com), Rogers (http://brettrogers.proelite.com), Murphy (http://jonmurphy.proelite.com).
About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite, Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment. The company has established a partnership with CBS that brings MMA to a major primetime network for the first time. Through acquisitions of MMA organizations in Asia and Europe, ProElite is a global leader with an exclusive distribution agreement for its program library with IMG Media. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. The company’s social media platform, ProElite.com, continues to add thousands of subscribers each month due to the large number of live streaming MMA events, social networking tools, and original and partner-driven content.
About The Prudential Center
Prudential Center is the first new, state-of-the-art facility built in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area in over 25 years. Located within 2 blocks of Newark Penn Station, it is the home of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, NCAA Division I Seton Hall men’s basketball and the New Jersey Ironmen of the MISL. Prudential Center is managed by AEG, one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
Tickets for a spectacular live event, starting at $25, are available at Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (201) 507-8900, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Prudential Center box office (973) 757-6625. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ET. The first live fight is at 6:30.
Among the East Coast favorites who will appear in undercard fights presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s live fight division, EliteXC, are Philadelphians Wilson Reis (3-0), Matt Makowski (2-0), Jim Bova (3-0) and Zach Makovsky (3-1), Chris “The Story” Liguori (7-7) of Middleton, N.J., James “Binky” Jones (6-6) of Baltimore, Md., Nick “The Mad Monkey” Serra (4-2) of East Meadow, N.Y., and Andre “Gigetto” Soares (5-1) of Pinebrook, N.J.
Four of the six announced prelim bouts will be streamed live and for free at ProElite.com. Fans also can watch pre- and post-fight interviews on ProElite.com (see Fighter Pages below).
“From top to bottom, this fight card is totally stacked,’’ EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw said. “I’m extremely proud of the fights we will be offering to those in the arena and those watching the undercard live on ProElite.com. All the fighters are matched tough.
“For some, this will be their opportunity to watch young, talented, promising fighters who they may not have had the opportunity to see before. It’s always exciting to witness and follow the emergence of new stars. And there are a lot of talented athletes on this show.’’
Kimbo Slice (2-0), Perrine, Fla., will be opposed by England’s James “Colossus’’ Thompson (10-8) in the main event of “CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS” on the CBS Television Network at 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.
In other televised fights, EliteXC middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) of St. Louis, by way of Davenport, Iowa, will defend against Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-4) of Sacramento, Calif.; Gina Carano (5-0) of Las Vegas, Nev., faces Kaitlin Young (4-1) of Circle Pines, Minn., in a women’s fight at 140 pounds; Phil Baroni (10-9) of Long Island, N.Y., faces Joey Villasenor (25-6) of Albuquerque, N.M. in a 185-pound scrap and Brett Rogers (6-0) of Minneapolis throws down with Jon Murphy (4-2) of Minersville, Pa., in a heavyweight fight.
The Lawler-Smith fight is scheduled for five, 5-minute rounds. The others are slated for three, 5-minute sessions with the exception of Carano-Young, which is set for three, 3-minute rounds (See Fighter Pages below).
The crowd-pleasing Liguori is a one-time middleweight who now competes at 155-160. “I feel awesome at this weight,’’ he said. “I should have been a lightweight my whole career.’’
Liguori, who’s fought some good ones since turning pro in ‘02, will look to regain his winning ways against the promising Bova, who, like Liguori, signed recently with EliteXC.
Bova is a well-rounded fighter and awesome wrestler with excellent technical ability and a seemingly unlimited gas tank. He trains out of the same gym as Murphy in Minersville, Pa.
In his last start, Bova scored a 3:59, first-round submission (rear naked choke) over Mark Getto on Oct. 6, 2007. Bova has won all three of his fights by submission.
The popular Serra, the younger brother of Matt Serra and the second American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under world renowned Renzo Gracie, will be opposed by the up-and-coming Makowski in what will be a top-notch 170-pound scrap.
A submission specialist, all four of Serra’s victories have been via tap out. In his last start, he submitted (armbar) Mike Varner in the second round on June 23, 2007, at Atlantic City.
Serra, whose vast skills and unique style makes for crowd-pleasing scraps, is also known for entertaining cage entrances (he wears a Mad Monkey mask and throw bananas to the crowd). But don’t be fooled by the monkey business. Serra has never been submitted or knocked out, is supremely talented and has a fierce competitive spirit. “I’ll fight anybody,’’ he said.
Makowski, who compiled an outstanding record in Muay Thai, is fundamentally sound, possesses well-rounded skills, terrific cardio and always enters the ring well prepared.
In his most recent outing, the highly regarded Makowski showed a good ground game to go with his striking en route to registering an excellent 4:01, first-round submission (rear naked choke) over Muay Thai specialist Joe Schilling on Jan. 25, 2008, in Atlantic City.
Makowski has yet to be severely challenged in a pro, amateur or Muay Thai fight so it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
The 140-pound Reis, who takes on Justin Robbins, has been totally dominant in his brief career, always appearing to be a class or two above his opponent.
In a fight that got off to a wild start, Reis won his EliteXC debut with a second-round submission (rear naked choke) over Zach Makovsky on Jan. 25, 2008, in Atlantic City.
A fast-rising featherweight who possesses all the right tools, Reis is only 23 but already is a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. The world class grappler made Makovsky, a former Division I wrestler and respectable prospect, look pedestrian in what was expected to be a close fight.
Robbins (8-3-1), of St. Louis, has won three of his last four, including an eye-opening 0:47, first-round submission (arm triangle choke) victory over Jeff Hodges on Jan. 26, 2008.
A submission fighter, Robbins holds notable wins over Matt Jaggers and Tristan Yunker.
No stranger to big cards, Jones is putting it together at the right time. He will be seeking his third consecutive victory when he meets unbeaten Calvin Kattar (3-0).
Jones won his last two starts by impressive first-round submission (kimoura). He needed 1:59 to devalue Al Buck on March 7, 2008. The previous Jan. 25 in Atlantic City, Jones won his EliteXC debut by dominating Mark Getto en route to dispatching him at 1:12.
A victory keeps Jones in the thick of what is one of EliteXC’s deepest divisions.
New Hampshire’s Kattar is an exciting, crowd-pleasing, talented wrestler who likes to ground and pound.
In preliminary bouts that will not be streamed at ProElite.com, Makovsky meets Soares at 135 pounds and Mike Groves (0-1) of Philadelphia and Joe Sampieri (0-2) of Manhattan, N.Y., clash in a battle of capable but winless fighters at 155.
Makovsky, who suffered his first loss, to Reis, in his last start, is a former Division I wrestler from Drexel University. His 72 victories rank 18th on the all-time Drexel win list.
Soares has won four in a row, all via first-round stoppage. A Brazilian who’s always ready to fight and brings an aggressive submission style attack to the cage, Soares scored a 0:19, first-round submission (guillotine choke) over Jason Spearman April 18, 2008, in Atlantic City.
The aggressive-minded Groves, who boasts a strong boxing and wrestling background, lost his debut by second-round TKO undefeated Pat McGreal in October 2007.
Sampieri, a Muay Thai coach at Renzo Gracie’s Jiu-Jitsu academy in New York, is overdue for a win. He is obviously talented on his feet and is definitely overdue to win one.
The seven undercard fights are scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds.
Fighter pages (ProElite.Com): Liguori (http://chrisliguori.proelite.com), Bova (http://jimbova.proelite.com), Serra (http://nickserra.proelite.com), Makowski (http://mattmakowski.proelite.com), Robbins (http://justinrobbins.proelite.com), Reis (http://wilsonreis.proelite.com), Jones (http://jamesjones.com), Kattar (http://calvinkattar.proelite.com), Makovsky (http://zachmakovsky.proelite.com), Soares (http://andresoares.proelite.com), Sampieri (http://joesampieri.proelite.com), Groves (http://mikegroves.proelite.com).
Fighter pages (CBS): Slice (http://kimboslice.proelite.com), Thompson (http://jamesthompson.proelite.com), Lawler (http://robbielawler.proelite.com), Smith (http://scottsmith.proelite.com), Carano (http://ginacarano.proelite.com), Young (http://kaitlinrose.proelite.com), Villasenor (http://joeyvillasenor.com), Baroni (http://philbaroni.proelite.com), Rogers (http://brettrogers.proelite.com), Murphy (http://jonmurphy.proelite.com).
About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite, Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment. The company has established a partnership with CBS that brings MMA to a major primetime network for the first time. Through acquisitions of MMA organizations in Asia and Europe, ProElite is a global leader with an exclusive distribution agreement for its program library with IMG Media. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. The company’s social media platform, ProElite.com, continues to add thousands of subscribers each month due to the large number of live streaming MMA events, social networking tools, and original and partner-driven content.
About The Prudential Center
Prudential Center is the first new, state-of-the-art facility built in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area in over 25 years. Located within 2 blocks of Newark Penn Station, it is the home of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, NCAA Division I Seton Hall men’s basketball and the New Jersey Ironmen of the MISL. Prudential Center is managed by AEG, one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
ProElite.com Introduces MMA Video On Demand; VOD ‘Fight Pass’ Provides Unlimited Access to MMA Events
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ProElite.com, the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) social networking and entertainment Web site, today unveiled its online offering of video-on-demand (VOD). Leveraging their industry-leading library of MMA events, ProElite.com’s VOD features high-quality streaming, top-notch competition, and world-class fight brands.
MMA fans will be able to purchase VOD at ProElite.com on a fight-by-fight and full-event basis starting as low as 99 cents and $4.95, respectively. Fighters include Kimbo Slice, Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Gina Carano, Jake Shields and more going toe-to-toe in events produced by EliteXC, ShoXC, Cage Rage, ICON Sport and Rumble on the Rock. ShoXC’s undercard footage, featuring the up and comers of MMA, will be offered free of charge.
Additionally, ProElite is introducing the “ProElite Fight Pass,” which provides unlimited access to the entire VOD library and any future PPV event streams for an introductory price of $7.95 per month. Fight Pass is regularly priced at $12.95 per month.
“We have hand picked hours upon hours of high-quality MMA content and provided a compelling online product that is accessible to fans on a global scale,” said Douglas Deluca, executive chairman of ProElite, Inc. “With more than 50 hours of combat currently available and 20 hours added monthly, our Fight Pass offering allows MMA fans to gain instant access to all of the MMA action they can handle.”
To learn more about the ProElite Fight Pass go to: http://www.proelite.com/vod/fightpass.
About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite, Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment. The company has established a partnership with CBS that brings MMA to a major primetime network for the first time. Through acquisitions of MMA organizations in Asia and Europe, ProElite is a global leader with an exclusive distribution agreement for its program library with IMG Media. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters (elitexc.com). The company’s social media platform, ProElite.com, continues to add thousands of subscribers each month due to the large number of live streaming MMA events, social networking tools, and original and partner-driven content.
Contacts
PondelWilkinson Inc.
Evan Pondel, 310-279-5980
epondel@pondel.com
Source: ProElite, Inc.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
MMA fans will be able to purchase VOD at ProElite.com on a fight-by-fight and full-event basis starting as low as 99 cents and $4.95, respectively. Fighters include Kimbo Slice, Anderson Silva, BJ Penn, Gina Carano, Jake Shields and more going toe-to-toe in events produced by EliteXC, ShoXC, Cage Rage, ICON Sport and Rumble on the Rock. ShoXC’s undercard footage, featuring the up and comers of MMA, will be offered free of charge.
Additionally, ProElite is introducing the “ProElite Fight Pass,” which provides unlimited access to the entire VOD library and any future PPV event streams for an introductory price of $7.95 per month. Fight Pass is regularly priced at $12.95 per month.
“We have hand picked hours upon hours of high-quality MMA content and provided a compelling online product that is accessible to fans on a global scale,” said Douglas Deluca, executive chairman of ProElite, Inc. “With more than 50 hours of combat currently available and 20 hours added monthly, our Fight Pass offering allows MMA fans to gain instant access to all of the MMA action they can handle.”
To learn more about the ProElite Fight Pass go to: http://www.proelite.com/vod/fightpass.
About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite, Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment. The company has established a partnership with CBS that brings MMA to a major primetime network for the first time. Through acquisitions of MMA organizations in Asia and Europe, ProElite is a global leader with an exclusive distribution agreement for its program library with IMG Media. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters (elitexc.com). The company’s social media platform, ProElite.com, continues to add thousands of subscribers each month due to the large number of live streaming MMA events, social networking tools, and original and partner-driven content.
Contacts
PondelWilkinson Inc.
Evan Pondel, 310-279-5980
epondel@pondel.com
Source: ProElite, Inc.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
Monday, May 12, 2008
"E:60" To Profile EliteXC's Gina Carano Tuesday, May 13, On ESPN
For the second time in a week, an EliteXC fighter will be featured on "E:60."
The most recognizable face in women's mixed martial arts, the incredibly popular and talented Gina "Conviction'' Carano, of Las Vegas, will be profiled on "E:60" next Tuesday, May 13, on ESPN.
The most recognizable face in women's mixed martial arts, the incredibly popular and talented Gina "Conviction'' Carano , of Las Vegas, will be profiled on "E:60" next, Tuesday, May 13, on ESPN.
The multi-subject newsmagazine show starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Tuesday's segment will include comments from Gina’s parents -- her father, Glenn, is a former NFL quarterback -- world-class women fighters Shayna Baszler and Tara LaRosa, the story behind Gina getting involved in MMA and why she stopped going to college – 18 credits short of getting her degree – and the impact of her sudden stardom.
Carano, aka "Crush" on "American Gladiators," will fight dangerous, confident, hard-hitting Hook 'n Shoot champion Kaitlin Young, of Minneapolis, on the first-ever MMA primetime broadcast on network television when "CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS'' premieres with a five-fight card on Saturday, May 31, on the CBS Television Network (9 p.m.-11 p.m. ET/PT).
The highly anticipated event, presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.'s live fight division, EliteXC, will originate from the Prudential Center at Newark, N.J. Doors open for the live event at 5:30 p.m. ET. The first fight is at 6:30. Tickets are on sale.
On Tuesday, May 6, "E:60" re-played a segment on Kimbo Slice that originally ran in December 2007. "E:60" also updated the Kimbo story later in the program with discussion of his last fight and his upcoming one. Kimbo will face England's James "Colossus'' Thompson in the CBS main event on May 31.
Fighter pages: Kimbo (http://kimboslice.proelite.com), Thompson (http://jamesthompson.proelite.com), Carano (http://ginacarano.proelite.com), Young (http://kaitlinyoung.proelite.com), Baszler (http://shaynabaszler.proelite.com).
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
The most recognizable face in women's mixed martial arts, the incredibly popular and talented Gina "Conviction'' Carano, of Las Vegas, will be profiled on "E:60" next Tuesday, May 13, on ESPN.
The most recognizable face in women's mixed martial arts, the incredibly popular and talented Gina "Conviction'' Carano , of Las Vegas, will be profiled on "E:60" next, Tuesday, May 13, on ESPN.
The multi-subject newsmagazine show starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Tuesday's segment will include comments from Gina’s parents -- her father, Glenn, is a former NFL quarterback -- world-class women fighters Shayna Baszler and Tara LaRosa, the story behind Gina getting involved in MMA and why she stopped going to college – 18 credits short of getting her degree – and the impact of her sudden stardom.
Carano, aka "Crush" on "American Gladiators," will fight dangerous, confident, hard-hitting Hook 'n Shoot champion Kaitlin Young, of Minneapolis, on the first-ever MMA primetime broadcast on network television when "CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS'' premieres with a five-fight card on Saturday, May 31, on the CBS Television Network (9 p.m.-11 p.m. ET/PT).
The highly anticipated event, presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.'s live fight division, EliteXC, will originate from the Prudential Center at Newark, N.J. Doors open for the live event at 5:30 p.m. ET. The first fight is at 6:30. Tickets are on sale.
On Tuesday, May 6, "E:60" re-played a segment on Kimbo Slice that originally ran in December 2007. "E:60" also updated the Kimbo story later in the program with discussion of his last fight and his upcoming one. Kimbo will face England's James "Colossus'' Thompson in the CBS main event on May 31.
Fighter pages: Kimbo (http://kimboslice.proelite.com), Thompson (http://jamesthompson.proelite.com), Carano (http://ginacarano.proelite.com), Young (http://kaitlinyoung.proelite.com), Baszler (http://shaynabaszler.proelite.com).
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
No Holds Barred: Bas Rutten, Junior Witter, Timothy Bradley
No Holds Barred: Bas Rutten, Junior Witter, Timothy Bradley
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-07T17_29_32-07_00
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with mixed martial arts legend and former King of Pancrase and UFC heavyweight champion, Bas Rutten (http://www.basrutten.tv/).
Amongst his numerous duties in many areas of MMA, Bas is training Kimbo Slice, AKA Kevin Ferguson, at his gym in Thousand Oaks, Calif., for Kimbo's May 31 fight against James Thompson on the EliteXC card at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This show will be broadcast on CBS, the first live, prime time MMA telecast on a major American broadcast network.
In a lengthy interview, Bas discusses his evaluation of Kimbo as a fighter, where Kimbo stands in only his third professional fight, and what his potential is. He also answers some of the critics of Kimbo. In addition, Bas fills us in on some of his other activities in his increasingly busy schedule.
Plus, we offer a preview of the fight between WBC super lightweight champion Junior Witter (36-1-1, 21 KOs) and top contender Timothy Bradley (21-0, 11 KOs), which takes place this Saturday, May 10, at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, England. This fight will be telecast in the U.S. on Showtime on a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation.
We spoke with both Junior Witter and Timothy Bradley on a media conference call.
To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).
Make sure to check out my regular weekly boxing show SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/. On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, we begin by reviewing the expectedly lopsided decision victory by Oscar De La Hoya Saturday night over Steve Forbes, and explains what it was really all about. Almost 25 years ago, on June 16, 1983, one of boxing's most notorious scandals took place. On that date in Madison Square Garden, Luis Resto originally upset previously-unbeaten Billy Collins by unanimous decision. It was soon discovered, however, that the stuffing had been removed from Resto's gloves. The outcome of the fight was changed to a no contest, but Collins had been severely battered during this fight and suffered from blurred vision because of it. Nine months after it, while intoxicated, Collins died in a car crash. Now new information has been revealed that makes this case even more sickening. At a recent New York new conference, Resto has now not only admitted that he knew about the stuffing being taken out of his gloves, but also that his hand wraps had been soaked in plaster of Paris. This meant that these loaded wraps were landing almost directly on Collins's head. Filmmaker Eric Drath is working on a new documentary about the Collins-Resto tragedy, called "Cornered". At this news conference, we spoke with him about these new revelations and his upcoming film. We also spoke with Randy Gordon, former chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, who took office several years after the Collins-Resto fight, about the significance of this, and his subsequent dealings with Resto. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/, and listen, learn, and enjoy.
Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.
ProElite.com (http://www.proelite.com/?utm_source=NHBRadio&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=GeneralPE), an MMA website built by and for the fans and fighters of this great sport. Watch action-packed fights, connect with others, and get exclusive MMA coverage all in one place. It's "All Combat All the Time" at ProElite.com!
IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.
Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).
BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).
FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Enjoy!
For more live video footage from the "Cornered" the movie premiere Press conference, in New York City go to Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-07T17_29_32-07_00
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with mixed martial arts legend and former King of Pancrase and UFC heavyweight champion, Bas Rutten (http://www.basrutten.tv/).
Amongst his numerous duties in many areas of MMA, Bas is training Kimbo Slice, AKA Kevin Ferguson, at his gym in Thousand Oaks, Calif., for Kimbo's May 31 fight against James Thompson on the EliteXC card at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This show will be broadcast on CBS, the first live, prime time MMA telecast on a major American broadcast network.
In a lengthy interview, Bas discusses his evaluation of Kimbo as a fighter, where Kimbo stands in only his third professional fight, and what his potential is. He also answers some of the critics of Kimbo. In addition, Bas fills us in on some of his other activities in his increasingly busy schedule.
Plus, we offer a preview of the fight between WBC super lightweight champion Junior Witter (36-1-1, 21 KOs) and top contender Timothy Bradley (21-0, 11 KOs), which takes place this Saturday, May 10, at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham, England. This fight will be telecast in the U.S. on Showtime on a special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation.
We spoke with both Junior Witter and Timothy Bradley on a media conference call.
To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).
Make sure to check out my regular weekly boxing show SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/. On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, we begin by reviewing the expectedly lopsided decision victory by Oscar De La Hoya Saturday night over Steve Forbes, and explains what it was really all about. Almost 25 years ago, on June 16, 1983, one of boxing's most notorious scandals took place. On that date in Madison Square Garden, Luis Resto originally upset previously-unbeaten Billy Collins by unanimous decision. It was soon discovered, however, that the stuffing had been removed from Resto's gloves. The outcome of the fight was changed to a no contest, but Collins had been severely battered during this fight and suffered from blurred vision because of it. Nine months after it, while intoxicated, Collins died in a car crash. Now new information has been revealed that makes this case even more sickening. At a recent New York new conference, Resto has now not only admitted that he knew about the stuffing being taken out of his gloves, but also that his hand wraps had been soaked in plaster of Paris. This meant that these loaded wraps were landing almost directly on Collins's head. Filmmaker Eric Drath is working on a new documentary about the Collins-Resto tragedy, called "Cornered". At this news conference, we spoke with him about these new revelations and his upcoming film. We also spoke with Randy Gordon, former chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, who took office several years after the Collins-Resto fight, about the significance of this, and his subsequent dealings with Resto. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/, and listen, learn, and enjoy.
Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.
ProElite.com (http://www.proelite.com/?utm_source=NHBRadio&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=GeneralPE), an MMA website built by and for the fans and fighters of this great sport. Watch action-packed fights, connect with others, and get exclusive MMA coverage all in one place. It's "All Combat All the Time" at ProElite.com!
IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.
Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).
BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).
FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Enjoy!
For more live video footage from the "Cornered" the movie premiere Press conference, in New York City go to Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Monday, May 5, 2008
From Street to Elite to "E:60" again Tuesday, May 6, on ESPN, at 7 p.m; Mixed Martial Arts superstar, Kimbo Slice
The excellent "E:60" feature on EliteXC's incredibly popular, legendary street-fighting YouTube sensation and Mixed Martial Arts superstar, Kimbo Slice, will be repeated this Tuesday, May 6, on ESPN. The multi-subject newsmagazine show starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
(Photos Property of CBS, Tom Casino/Showtime)
Kimbo will headline the first-ever MMA primetime broadcast on network television when "CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS'' premieres with a five-fight card Saturday, May 31, on the CBS Television Network (9 p.m.-11 p.m. ET/PT). The event will originate from the Prudential Center at Newark, N.J.
The "E:60" segment on Kimbo originally aired in December.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
(Photos Property of CBS, Tom Casino/Showtime)
Kimbo will headline the first-ever MMA primetime broadcast on network television when "CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS'' premieres with a five-fight card Saturday, May 31, on the CBS Television Network (9 p.m.-11 p.m. ET/PT). The event will originate from the Prudential Center at Newark, N.J.
The "E:60" segment on Kimbo originally aired in December.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
Saturday, May 3, 2008
No Holds Barred: Gary Shaw, EliteXC, Ryan Schultz, Ryan McGivern, Vazquez-Marquez Trilogy, De La Hoya-Forbes
No Holds Barred: Gary Shaw, EliteXC, Ryan Schultz, Ryan McGivern, Vazquez-Marquez Trilogy, De La Hoya-Forbes
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-02T02_32_36-07_00
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on what is really behind the Oscar De La Hoya-Steve Forbes fight this Saturday, May 3, and why fight fans should not miss the replay of the Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez trilogy on Showtime, also this Saturday, which were the best boxing matches of the past two years. We also discuss the comments by CBS chairman Sumner Redstone that it was not "socially responsible" for CBS to decide to air the May 31 EliteXC mixed martial arts show on that broadcast network.
On our show, we spoke with Gary Shaw, the president of EliteXC's Live Events division, and president and CEO of Gary Shaw Productions, his boxing promotional company.
In a lengthy discussion, we talked about the mixed martial arts and boxing events in which he is involved. We previewed the EliteXC show coming Saturday, May 31, to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, which will be telecast in the U.S. live on CBS beginning at 9 PM EDT, the first major mixed martial arts show on a major American broadcast network in prime time. We discussed the amazing trilogy between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, which he promoted, and the possibility of a fourth fight; the Kimbo Slice phenomenon and why he is in the EliteXC May 31 main event; the rest of the May 31 card including EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith and the return of Gina Carano; the inclusion on the May 31 undercard of Carlton Haselrig, the only six-time NCAA college wrestling champion and a star lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets; his May 17 boxing card featuring unbeaten rising stars James Kirkland, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Alfredo Angulo, in Primm, Nevada, and on HBO; and the June 7 boxing card featuring Vernon Forrest vs. Sergio Mora and the rematch between Carlos Quintana and Paul Williams, from Mohegan Sun and on Showtime.
We also spoke with IFL lightweight champion Ryan Schultz and IFL middleweight champion Ryan McGivern about their upcoming title defenses Friday, May 16, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. In a dangerous fight, Schultz faces submission specialist Deividas Taurosevicius, while McGivern, in his first title defense, fights the tough Dan Miller.
To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).
Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.
IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.
Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).
BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).
FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Enjoy!
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/eg/2008-05-02T02_32_36-07_00
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman begins by commenting on what is really behind the Oscar De La Hoya-Steve Forbes fight this Saturday, May 3, and why fight fans should not miss the replay of the Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez trilogy on Showtime, also this Saturday, which were the best boxing matches of the past two years. We also discuss the comments by CBS chairman Sumner Redstone that it was not "socially responsible" for CBS to decide to air the May 31 EliteXC mixed martial arts show on that broadcast network.
On our show, we spoke with Gary Shaw, the president of EliteXC's Live Events division, and president and CEO of Gary Shaw Productions, his boxing promotional company.
In a lengthy discussion, we talked about the mixed martial arts and boxing events in which he is involved. We previewed the EliteXC show coming Saturday, May 31, to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, which will be telecast in the U.S. live on CBS beginning at 9 PM EDT, the first major mixed martial arts show on a major American broadcast network in prime time. We discussed the amazing trilogy between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, which he promoted, and the possibility of a fourth fight; the Kimbo Slice phenomenon and why he is in the EliteXC May 31 main event; the rest of the May 31 card including EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith and the return of Gina Carano; the inclusion on the May 31 undercard of Carlton Haselrig, the only six-time NCAA college wrestling champion and a star lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets; his May 17 boxing card featuring unbeaten rising stars James Kirkland, Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Alfredo Angulo, in Primm, Nevada, and on HBO; and the June 7 boxing card featuring Vernon Forrest vs. Sergio Mora and the rematch between Carlos Quintana and Paul Williams, from Mohegan Sun and on Showtime.
We also spoke with IFL lightweight champion Ryan Schultz and IFL middleweight champion Ryan McGivern about their upcoming title defenses Friday, May 16, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. In a dangerous fight, Schultz faces submission specialist Deividas Taurosevicius, while McGivern, in his first title defense, fights the tough Dan Miller.
To listen to No Holds Barred, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.
You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).
Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.
The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.
The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).
Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.
No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:
YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.
IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.
Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).
BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.
Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).
FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog
http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast
http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard
http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Enjoy!
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
Thursday, May 1, 2008
KIMBO SLICE: Among The Standouts Featured On First-Ever MMA Card on Primetime Network Television, TICKETS ON SALE FOR ELITEXC FIGHT CARD MAY 31
LOS ANGELES- Fans seeking to participate in what some regard as the most important fight card in mixed martial arts history, presented by Los Angeles-based ProElite Inc.’s live fight division, EliteXC, have the opportunity to reserve their seats now.
(All photos: Property of CBS)
Tickets, starting at $25, for a history-making event Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center at Newark, N.J., are available at Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (201) 507-8900, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Prudential Center website at www.prucenter.com. Doors open at 5 p.m. ET. The first live fight is at 6:30.
“I’m obviously very excited to come back to New Jersey, which is my home and a place where I served as a member of the board of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board,’’ said EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw. “Newark is a great city and the Prudential Center is one of the newest, most modern facilities in the United States.
“No one is better at running an event center than AEG. I’m very pleased to be working with them again. From start to finish, it is going to be a spectacular, memorable night of exciting fights and entertainment for fans in the tri-state area. Top to bottom, everybody’s matched tough.
“Kimbo is really excited about returning to New Jersey to fight on May 31. I know he wants to put on a show and continue his magical trip from the street to Elite.’’
The card will be the first-ever MMA event shown live in primetime on network television. “CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS” will air on the CBS Television Network at 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.
The incredibly popular Kimbo Slice (2-0) of Perrine, Fla., will face England’s James “Colossus’’ Thompson (14-8) in what will be a thrilling main event of an outstanding show.
In other televised fights, EliteXC middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) of St. Louis, by way of Davenport, Iowa, will defend against Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-4) of Sacramento, Calif.; Gina Carano (5-0) of Las Vegas, Nev., faces Kaitlin Young (4-1) of Circle Pines, Minn., in an excellent women’s fight at 140 pounds; Phil Baroni (10-9) of Long Island, N.Y., faces Joey Villasenor (25-6) in a 185-pound scrap and unbeaten Brett Rogers (6-0) of Minneapolis throws down with Jon Murphy (4-2) of Minersville, Pa., in a heavyweight match.
The Lawler-Smith dispute, scheduled for five, 5-minute rounds, figures to be a slugfest. The other fights are slated for three, 5-minute sessions with the exception of Carano-Young, which is set for three, 3-minute rounds (see Fighter Pages below).
Matchups for non-televised, undercard bouts that will be streamed live at ProElite.com will be announced soon. Fans can watch pre- and post-fight interviews only at ProElite.com.
Kimbo Slice and Vernon Forrest
Kimbo, who’s trained by the respected legendary fighter and trainer, the no-nonsense Bas Rutten, has required all of 62 seconds to dispatch of his initial two MMA opponents. Kimbo, aka Kevin Ferguson, has shown ferocious striking skills but has yet to be taken to the ground.
“We’re continuing to work on polishing his striking and we’ve changed his stance, which has made him an even better striker,’’ Rutten said. “He is more explosive now and fit. But for a guy who has had only two MMA fights, Kimbo continues to do everything right.
“He is going to surprise everybody with his ground game, especially those who believe he doesn’t have one. After about 200 street fights, he is putting it all on the line and taking a big risk. James Thompson is going to be a great opponent.’’
Already a major MMA attraction, Kimbo made a name for himself on the Internet where videos of the bald, bearded, menacing-looking former underground bare-knuckle street fighter have been downloaded literally millions of times on YouTube.
Kimbo registered a 43-second, first-round knockout (punches) over Tank Abbott in his last start Feb. 16, 2008, in Miami, Fla. Dangerously explosive and always one punch away from ending a fight, Kimbo won his MMA debut Nov. 10, 2007, stopping Bo Cantrell in 19 seconds.
“I’m looking forward to fighting Thompson in Newark on CBS,’’ said Kimbo, who recently re-signed with EliteXC. “But I love to fight and always look forward to fighting. It really doesn’t matter where or against whom. Everybody knows that.
“To all the MMA fighters who continue to disrespect me, to all those who say I don’t have a ground game, I lack this, I lack that, I say, ‘stop talking and bring it on. I’m ready.
"
Thompson, who trains with Randy Couture at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, could be Kimbo’s toughest test. Since going pro in January 2003, the former Pride and Cage Rage fighter has defeated the likes of Dan Severn, Japanese judo legend Hidehiko Yoshida and Don Frye.
The 29-year-old, six-foot-five Thompson possesses significant advantages in age (three years), height (three inches) and experience. The Brit has fought all over the world.
But the key may be whether a veteran known for heavy hands will come out and look for takedowns and try to use his size to wear down Kimbo from the top position on the ground.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me and I will have a solid game plan for it,’’ said Thompson, who has won four times by submission. “The world will be watching. I’ll be ready.’’
Long regarded as one of the world’s most gifted middleweights, Lawler will be making the first defense of the EliteXC belt he won in dramatic, convincing fashion with a third-round TKO (strikes) over defending champion Murilo “Ninja” Rua on Sept. 15, 2007, in Honolulu.
“I fought a smart and controlled fight and kept my distance, but that is how I fight these days,’’ Lawler said. “I told my corner after the second round that I was going to knock him out.’’
Lawler rocked and mocked Rua several times before dropping him with a left hand. After a series of jackhammer right hands and two more lefts, the referee halted matters at 2:04.
While he performed with poise against Rua, the crowd-pleasing Lawler is known for an aggressive, unbashful, at times swing-for-the-fences style, and for putting as much heart and bad intentions behind his punches and lethal flying knee attacks as anyone could expect.
“Every fight’s big, at the time,’’ said Lawler, who recently re-signed with EliteXC. “You live by the moment, fight for today. May 31 is obviously a big fight for me, and more people will be watching. But once I’m in the cage, they’re (his fights are) all equal.”
Smith is a “freestyle” fighter and knockout artist who comes out throwing bombs with an abandon that’s made him a huge fan favorite. Aptly nicknamed “Hands Of Steel’’ -- he’s a union field foreman in his family’s steel business – he’s won 11 of his fights by KO or TKO.
But one of the most dangerous strikers in the business also owns a strong wrestling background and possesses terrific cardio. Smith’s two other triumphs were by submission.
In his EliteXC debut, Smith rallied after losing the first round to knock out Kyle Noke at 0:07 in the second. Two brutal, picture-perfect right hands did all the damage.
“I didn’t fight the first round like I usually do, but I started to get comfortable and find my range toward the end of it,’’ said Smith, who has won nine times in the first round. “I came out pumped for the second and made up for it. Once I got inside – bam -- I knocked him down.”
Until numbing Noke, Smith was best known for his dramatic comeback victory over Pete Sell in perhaps the most totally unexpected, shocking ending to a MMA fight in history.
“Fans know I come to war, that I’m a fighter,’’ said Smith, who rallied from the brink of defeat to score a second-round knockout over Sell Nov. 11, 2006. “I think they love that I engage and I keep punching until I knock you out. They can read that when they watch me in the cage.’’
Since its inception, EliteXC has consistently included women's fighters on its cards. None is more popular than Carano, the most recognizable female MMA fighter in the world.
Carano, aka “Crush” on American Gladiators, will be making her first start since she got up from a hard early takedown to record a 2:53, first-round submission (rear naked choke) over Tonya Evinger on Sept. 15, 2007, in Honolulu.
“When she got me down, I knew I couldn't freak and had to keep my composure,’’ said Carano, who celebrated her first submission by running around the cage. “After reversing her, I considered standing up. But I've been practicing working on top, so I just went through with it.''
It’s apparent the moment you meet Carano that she’s the epitome of strength; a strong woman: mentally, spiritually and physically. Yes, she is more than a pretty face. And the Muay Thai specialist also is smart enough to know she had better not underestimate Young.
“I don’t take anyone lightly,’’ said Carano, who trains at Xtreme Couture gym and also recently re-signed with EliteXC. “I’ve got a big target on me.’’
Carano, who’s not afraid to hit or get hit, garnered national notoriety in 2007 for her quote: “We're not hitting tennis balls. We're hitting people. Isn't that more exciting?”
The talented Young, a devastating striker with excellent skills and a solid Muay Thai background, is excited about getting the chance to test her skills against Carano.
“I’m totally pumped,’’ Young said. “Gina always comes to fight and doesn’t seem to have an off day. I think on paper we are probably even. One of my greatest advantages is definitely that I have a very aggressive striking style. I think it’s more aggressive than Gina’s.’’
Young won her pro debut with a second-round TKO on Oct. 4, 2007, and then gained instant notoriety the following Nov. 24 by registering three devastating first-round knockouts to win a HOOKnSHOOT eight-woman, single night tournament in Indiana. Total fight time: 1:53.
Baroni is a flamboyant, trash-talking, KO artist who exploded on the scene in 2001.
MMA fans may love or hate him, but they can’t ignore a true showman and personality who always makes for entertaining, memorable, non-stop slugfests. His entrance alone, some say, is worth the price of admission. He is of the best interviews in all of sports.
With his pulverizing punching power and dynamic energy that triggers an edgy persona, Baroni truly believes -- sometimes until his very last breath -- that he’s going to win every time.
Baroni, who’s fought the best, may not always back up his words but he’s tough and courageous and one would be hard-pressed to find a fan seated during one of his fights.
“I am sick and tired of what’s been going on and someone’s going to pay and that someone is Villasenor,’’ said Baroni, who has lost two in a row (both were world title fights). “I am going to knock the s--- out of Villasenor and then go after one of the champions again.’’
Villasenor is a well-conditioned, determined, battle-tested, well-rounded veteran who’s always been willing to fight anybody, anytime, anywhere.
“I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me,’’ said a native of Albuquerque, N.M., and a protégé of MMA guru, Greg Jackson. “You can bet there will be a lot of fireworks in this one.’’
A former King of the Cage champion, Villasenor enters this one with momentum, having won his last two starts, including an exciting 4:45, first-round knockout over Ryan Jensen in a rousing battle that featured numerous exchanges on March 29, 2008, in San Jose, Calif.
“He caught me with some shots but then I really connected with that right hook, said."
Villasenor, who stopped Jensen with a series of combinations followed by the punishing right.
Rogers, a big, scary, intimidating sort, will be making his third consecutive appearance for EliteXC. “I’m extremely happy working for them,’’ he said. “EliteXC is a great organization and nothing compares to how I’ve been treated by them. They definitely take care of their guys.’’
The hard-hitting six-foot-five, 27-year-old Rogers has ended his last four fights in the first round. Only one of the relative newcomer’s fights has made it to the second.
“When I touch you with my fists, you are going down,’’ said Rogers, a member of Team Bison who has only been training two years.
Rogers got involved in MMA to keep him off the streets. “Life for me has never beeneasy,’’ he said. “I’d always lived in bad areas, terrible environments, first where I grew up on the south side of Chicago, and then in Minnesota where I moved to in 1992.
“You had no choice but to learn to pick things up. I’m a patient man but everyone has a breaking point. But I knew it was better to train and fight pro then fight on the streets. If I am going to fight, it had better be for the right reasons and get me paid.’’
Murphy scored a career-best 0:19, second-round knockout over Dave Huckaba in his last outing on Aug. 25, 2007, in Jackson, Miss. He dropped Huckaba with a series of punches, the most damaging of which were four vicious right hands.
The following December the former middle linebacker at Syracuse University underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Murphy was back in the gym by early January ‘08. Before resuming training, however, he had a complete hair makeover.
On New Year’s Day, Murphy, who hadn’t seen the inside of a barbershop since October ‘05, shaved his shoulder-length hair and donated it to Locks Of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children under 18 who suffer from long-term medical hair loss.
“I had known about them for about a year,’’ Murphy said. “It took a while for my hair to grow the required 10 inches it took to donate. I wound up donating about 15 inches.’’
For more information on EliteXC and other MMA-related stories, including bios, video-on-demand, photos, stats, Fantasy Fight Game TM and more, please visit ProElite.com and EliteXC.com.
Fighter pages:
Kimbo (http://kimboslice.proelite.com
Thompson (http://jamesthompson.proelite.com
Lawler (http://robbielawler.proelite.com
Smith (http://scottsmith.proelite.com
Carano (http://ginacarano.proelite.com
Young (http://kaitlinyoung.proelite.com
Villasenor (http://joeyvillasenor.com
Baroni (http://philbaroni.proelite.com
Rogers (http://brettrogers.proelite.com
Murphy (http://jonmurphy.proelite.com
About Pro Elite, Inc.
ProElite, Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment. The company has established a partnership with CBS that brings MMA to a major primetime network for the first time. Through acquisitions of MMA organizations in Asia and Europe, ProElite is a global leader with an exclusive distribution agreement for its program library with IMG Media. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. The company’s social media platform, ProElite.com, continues to add thousands of subscribers each month due to the large number of live streaming MMA events, social networking tools, and original and partner-driven content.
About The Prudential Center
Prudential Center is the first new, state-of-the-art facility built in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area in over 25 years. Located within 2 blocks of Newark Penn Station, it is the home of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, NCAA Division I Seton Hall men’s basketball and the New Jersey Ironmen of the MISL. Prudential Center is managed by AEG, one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world.
(All photos: Property of CBS)
Tickets, starting at $25, for a history-making event Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center at Newark, N.J., are available at Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (201) 507-8900, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Prudential Center website at www.prucenter.com. Doors open at 5 p.m. ET. The first live fight is at 6:30.
“I’m obviously very excited to come back to New Jersey, which is my home and a place where I served as a member of the board of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board,’’ said EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw. “Newark is a great city and the Prudential Center is one of the newest, most modern facilities in the United States.
“No one is better at running an event center than AEG. I’m very pleased to be working with them again. From start to finish, it is going to be a spectacular, memorable night of exciting fights and entertainment for fans in the tri-state area. Top to bottom, everybody’s matched tough.
“Kimbo is really excited about returning to New Jersey to fight on May 31. I know he wants to put on a show and continue his magical trip from the street to Elite.’’
The card will be the first-ever MMA event shown live in primetime on network television. “CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS” will air on the CBS Television Network at 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.
The incredibly popular Kimbo Slice (2-0) of Perrine, Fla., will face England’s James “Colossus’’ Thompson (14-8) in what will be a thrilling main event of an outstanding show.
In other televised fights, EliteXC middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) of St. Louis, by way of Davenport, Iowa, will defend against Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-4) of Sacramento, Calif.; Gina Carano (5-0) of Las Vegas, Nev., faces Kaitlin Young (4-1) of Circle Pines, Minn., in an excellent women’s fight at 140 pounds; Phil Baroni (10-9) of Long Island, N.Y., faces Joey Villasenor (25-6) in a 185-pound scrap and unbeaten Brett Rogers (6-0) of Minneapolis throws down with Jon Murphy (4-2) of Minersville, Pa., in a heavyweight match.
The Lawler-Smith dispute, scheduled for five, 5-minute rounds, figures to be a slugfest. The other fights are slated for three, 5-minute sessions with the exception of Carano-Young, which is set for three, 3-minute rounds (see Fighter Pages below).
Matchups for non-televised, undercard bouts that will be streamed live at ProElite.com will be announced soon. Fans can watch pre- and post-fight interviews only at ProElite.com.
Kimbo Slice and Vernon Forrest
Kimbo, who’s trained by the respected legendary fighter and trainer, the no-nonsense Bas Rutten, has required all of 62 seconds to dispatch of his initial two MMA opponents. Kimbo, aka Kevin Ferguson, has shown ferocious striking skills but has yet to be taken to the ground.
“We’re continuing to work on polishing his striking and we’ve changed his stance, which has made him an even better striker,’’ Rutten said. “He is more explosive now and fit. But for a guy who has had only two MMA fights, Kimbo continues to do everything right.
“He is going to surprise everybody with his ground game, especially those who believe he doesn’t have one. After about 200 street fights, he is putting it all on the line and taking a big risk. James Thompson is going to be a great opponent.’’
Already a major MMA attraction, Kimbo made a name for himself on the Internet where videos of the bald, bearded, menacing-looking former underground bare-knuckle street fighter have been downloaded literally millions of times on YouTube.
Kimbo registered a 43-second, first-round knockout (punches) over Tank Abbott in his last start Feb. 16, 2008, in Miami, Fla. Dangerously explosive and always one punch away from ending a fight, Kimbo won his MMA debut Nov. 10, 2007, stopping Bo Cantrell in 19 seconds.
“I’m looking forward to fighting Thompson in Newark on CBS,’’ said Kimbo, who recently re-signed with EliteXC. “But I love to fight and always look forward to fighting. It really doesn’t matter where or against whom. Everybody knows that.
“To all the MMA fighters who continue to disrespect me, to all those who say I don’t have a ground game, I lack this, I lack that, I say, ‘stop talking and bring it on. I’m ready.
"
Thompson, who trains with Randy Couture at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, could be Kimbo’s toughest test. Since going pro in January 2003, the former Pride and Cage Rage fighter has defeated the likes of Dan Severn, Japanese judo legend Hidehiko Yoshida and Don Frye.
The 29-year-old, six-foot-five Thompson possesses significant advantages in age (three years), height (three inches) and experience. The Brit has fought all over the world.
But the key may be whether a veteran known for heavy hands will come out and look for takedowns and try to use his size to wear down Kimbo from the top position on the ground.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me and I will have a solid game plan for it,’’ said Thompson, who has won four times by submission. “The world will be watching. I’ll be ready.’’
Long regarded as one of the world’s most gifted middleweights, Lawler will be making the first defense of the EliteXC belt he won in dramatic, convincing fashion with a third-round TKO (strikes) over defending champion Murilo “Ninja” Rua on Sept. 15, 2007, in Honolulu.
“I fought a smart and controlled fight and kept my distance, but that is how I fight these days,’’ Lawler said. “I told my corner after the second round that I was going to knock him out.’’
Lawler rocked and mocked Rua several times before dropping him with a left hand. After a series of jackhammer right hands and two more lefts, the referee halted matters at 2:04.
While he performed with poise against Rua, the crowd-pleasing Lawler is known for an aggressive, unbashful, at times swing-for-the-fences style, and for putting as much heart and bad intentions behind his punches and lethal flying knee attacks as anyone could expect.
“Every fight’s big, at the time,’’ said Lawler, who recently re-signed with EliteXC. “You live by the moment, fight for today. May 31 is obviously a big fight for me, and more people will be watching. But once I’m in the cage, they’re (his fights are) all equal.”
Smith is a “freestyle” fighter and knockout artist who comes out throwing bombs with an abandon that’s made him a huge fan favorite. Aptly nicknamed “Hands Of Steel’’ -- he’s a union field foreman in his family’s steel business – he’s won 11 of his fights by KO or TKO.
But one of the most dangerous strikers in the business also owns a strong wrestling background and possesses terrific cardio. Smith’s two other triumphs were by submission.
In his EliteXC debut, Smith rallied after losing the first round to knock out Kyle Noke at 0:07 in the second. Two brutal, picture-perfect right hands did all the damage.
“I didn’t fight the first round like I usually do, but I started to get comfortable and find my range toward the end of it,’’ said Smith, who has won nine times in the first round. “I came out pumped for the second and made up for it. Once I got inside – bam -- I knocked him down.”
Until numbing Noke, Smith was best known for his dramatic comeback victory over Pete Sell in perhaps the most totally unexpected, shocking ending to a MMA fight in history.
“Fans know I come to war, that I’m a fighter,’’ said Smith, who rallied from the brink of defeat to score a second-round knockout over Sell Nov. 11, 2006. “I think they love that I engage and I keep punching until I knock you out. They can read that when they watch me in the cage.’’
Since its inception, EliteXC has consistently included women's fighters on its cards. None is more popular than Carano, the most recognizable female MMA fighter in the world.
Carano, aka “Crush” on American Gladiators, will be making her first start since she got up from a hard early takedown to record a 2:53, first-round submission (rear naked choke) over Tonya Evinger on Sept. 15, 2007, in Honolulu.
“When she got me down, I knew I couldn't freak and had to keep my composure,’’ said Carano, who celebrated her first submission by running around the cage. “After reversing her, I considered standing up. But I've been practicing working on top, so I just went through with it.''
It’s apparent the moment you meet Carano that she’s the epitome of strength; a strong woman: mentally, spiritually and physically. Yes, she is more than a pretty face. And the Muay Thai specialist also is smart enough to know she had better not underestimate Young.
“I don’t take anyone lightly,’’ said Carano, who trains at Xtreme Couture gym and also recently re-signed with EliteXC. “I’ve got a big target on me.’’
Carano, who’s not afraid to hit or get hit, garnered national notoriety in 2007 for her quote: “We're not hitting tennis balls. We're hitting people. Isn't that more exciting?”
The talented Young, a devastating striker with excellent skills and a solid Muay Thai background, is excited about getting the chance to test her skills against Carano.
“I’m totally pumped,’’ Young said. “Gina always comes to fight and doesn’t seem to have an off day. I think on paper we are probably even. One of my greatest advantages is definitely that I have a very aggressive striking style. I think it’s more aggressive than Gina’s.’’
Young won her pro debut with a second-round TKO on Oct. 4, 2007, and then gained instant notoriety the following Nov. 24 by registering three devastating first-round knockouts to win a HOOKnSHOOT eight-woman, single night tournament in Indiana. Total fight time: 1:53.
Baroni is a flamboyant, trash-talking, KO artist who exploded on the scene in 2001.
MMA fans may love or hate him, but they can’t ignore a true showman and personality who always makes for entertaining, memorable, non-stop slugfests. His entrance alone, some say, is worth the price of admission. He is of the best interviews in all of sports.
With his pulverizing punching power and dynamic energy that triggers an edgy persona, Baroni truly believes -- sometimes until his very last breath -- that he’s going to win every time.
Baroni, who’s fought the best, may not always back up his words but he’s tough and courageous and one would be hard-pressed to find a fan seated during one of his fights.
“I am sick and tired of what’s been going on and someone’s going to pay and that someone is Villasenor,’’ said Baroni, who has lost two in a row (both were world title fights). “I am going to knock the s--- out of Villasenor and then go after one of the champions again.’’
Villasenor is a well-conditioned, determined, battle-tested, well-rounded veteran who’s always been willing to fight anybody, anytime, anywhere.
“I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me,’’ said a native of Albuquerque, N.M., and a protégé of MMA guru, Greg Jackson. “You can bet there will be a lot of fireworks in this one.’’
A former King of the Cage champion, Villasenor enters this one with momentum, having won his last two starts, including an exciting 4:45, first-round knockout over Ryan Jensen in a rousing battle that featured numerous exchanges on March 29, 2008, in San Jose, Calif.
“He caught me with some shots but then I really connected with that right hook, said."
Villasenor, who stopped Jensen with a series of combinations followed by the punishing right.
Rogers, a big, scary, intimidating sort, will be making his third consecutive appearance for EliteXC. “I’m extremely happy working for them,’’ he said. “EliteXC is a great organization and nothing compares to how I’ve been treated by them. They definitely take care of their guys.’’
The hard-hitting six-foot-five, 27-year-old Rogers has ended his last four fights in the first round. Only one of the relative newcomer’s fights has made it to the second.
“When I touch you with my fists, you are going down,’’ said Rogers, a member of Team Bison who has only been training two years.
Rogers got involved in MMA to keep him off the streets. “Life for me has never beeneasy,’’ he said. “I’d always lived in bad areas, terrible environments, first where I grew up on the south side of Chicago, and then in Minnesota where I moved to in 1992.
“You had no choice but to learn to pick things up. I’m a patient man but everyone has a breaking point. But I knew it was better to train and fight pro then fight on the streets. If I am going to fight, it had better be for the right reasons and get me paid.’’
Murphy scored a career-best 0:19, second-round knockout over Dave Huckaba in his last outing on Aug. 25, 2007, in Jackson, Miss. He dropped Huckaba with a series of punches, the most damaging of which were four vicious right hands.
The following December the former middle linebacker at Syracuse University underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Murphy was back in the gym by early January ‘08. Before resuming training, however, he had a complete hair makeover.
On New Year’s Day, Murphy, who hadn’t seen the inside of a barbershop since October ‘05, shaved his shoulder-length hair and donated it to Locks Of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children under 18 who suffer from long-term medical hair loss.
“I had known about them for about a year,’’ Murphy said. “It took a while for my hair to grow the required 10 inches it took to donate. I wound up donating about 15 inches.’’
For more information on EliteXC and other MMA-related stories, including bios, video-on-demand, photos, stats, Fantasy Fight Game TM and more, please visit ProElite.com and EliteXC.com.
Fighter pages:
Kimbo (http://kimboslice.proelite.com
Thompson (http://jamesthompson.proelite.com
Lawler (http://robbielawler.proelite.com
Smith (http://scottsmith.proelite.com
Carano (http://ginacarano.proelite.com
Young (http://kaitlinyoung.proelite.com
Villasenor (http://joeyvillasenor.com
Baroni (http://philbaroni.proelite.com
Rogers (http://brettrogers.proelite.com
Murphy (http://jonmurphy.proelite.com
About Pro Elite, Inc.
ProElite, Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment. The company has established a partnership with CBS that brings MMA to a major primetime network for the first time. Through acquisitions of MMA organizations in Asia and Europe, ProElite is a global leader with an exclusive distribution agreement for its program library with IMG Media. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. The company’s social media platform, ProElite.com, continues to add thousands of subscribers each month due to the large number of live streaming MMA events, social networking tools, and original and partner-driven content.
About The Prudential Center
Prudential Center is the first new, state-of-the-art facility built in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area in over 25 years. Located within 2 blocks of Newark Penn Station, it is the home of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, NCAA Division I Seton Hall men’s basketball and the New Jersey Ironmen of the MISL. Prudential Center is managed by AEG, one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world.
Monday, April 21, 2008
EliteXC Heavyweight Sensation, Kimbo Slice, Will Headline an Exciting Night of Mixed Martial Arts
THE FIRST "CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS" TO BE BROADCAST LIVE ON SATURDAY, MAY 31, ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK
Middleweight Champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler will Defend His Title Against Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith
LOS ANGELES— CBS and ProElite, Inc. today announced that the first live prime time mixed martial arts event will be broadcast Saturday, May 31 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be broadcast live from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
"We're excited to introduce broadcast television viewers to America's fastest growing sport with this prime time event," said Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President, CBS Primetime. "EliteXC is putting together a lineup card that showcases the unique personalities, world-class athleticism, and raw power and emotion that characterizes mixed martial arts."
Champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler will put his title on the line against Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith in a middleweight championship bout. EliteXC heavyweight phenom, Kimbo Slice, will also participate in the May 31 event along with other stars from mixed martial arts. Additional matchups will be announced at a later date.
PHOTO COURTESY TOM CASINO SHOWTIME NETWORKS; Vernon Forrest and Kimbo Slice
"I am very happy for the highly trained fighters, who will finally get the kind of exposure they deserve, and, of course, the viewers, who will get the opportunity to learn that MMA is truly a sport that requires an abundance of skills, both mentally and physically," said Gary Shaw, EliteXC Live Events President.
CBS and ProElite, Inc., a Los Angeles-based leading entertainment and media company that produces world class mixed martial arts (MMA) events, announced last month they were teaming up to bring MMA to a major broadcast television network for the first time. CBS will broadcast four MMA events per year, produced by ProElite's live fight division, EliteXC, as two-hour live primetime specials.
Mixed martial arts is a sport evolved from a number of ancient combat disciplines including judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, wrestling and kickboxing. World-class athletes engage in hand-to-hand combat in a ring — both caged and traditional — and must adapt their fighting style to fit their opponent. The wide variety of styles and techniques make every event an unpredictable spectacle.
CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be produced by SHOWTIME Sports. The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.
For additional information visit www.proelite.com
Middleweight Champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler will Defend His Title Against Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith
LOS ANGELES— CBS and ProElite, Inc. today announced that the first live prime time mixed martial arts event will be broadcast Saturday, May 31 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be broadcast live from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
"We're excited to introduce broadcast television viewers to America's fastest growing sport with this prime time event," said Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President, CBS Primetime. "EliteXC is putting together a lineup card that showcases the unique personalities, world-class athleticism, and raw power and emotion that characterizes mixed martial arts."
Champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler will put his title on the line against Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith in a middleweight championship bout. EliteXC heavyweight phenom, Kimbo Slice, will also participate in the May 31 event along with other stars from mixed martial arts. Additional matchups will be announced at a later date.
PHOTO COURTESY TOM CASINO SHOWTIME NETWORKS; Vernon Forrest and Kimbo Slice
"I am very happy for the highly trained fighters, who will finally get the kind of exposure they deserve, and, of course, the viewers, who will get the opportunity to learn that MMA is truly a sport that requires an abundance of skills, both mentally and physically," said Gary Shaw, EliteXC Live Events President.
CBS and ProElite, Inc., a Los Angeles-based leading entertainment and media company that produces world class mixed martial arts (MMA) events, announced last month they were teaming up to bring MMA to a major broadcast television network for the first time. CBS will broadcast four MMA events per year, produced by ProElite's live fight division, EliteXC, as two-hour live primetime specials.
Mixed martial arts is a sport evolved from a number of ancient combat disciplines including judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, wrestling and kickboxing. World-class athletes engage in hand-to-hand combat in a ring — both caged and traditional — and must adapt their fighting style to fit their opponent. The wide variety of styles and techniques make every event an unpredictable spectacle.
CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be produced by SHOWTIME Sports. The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.
For additional information visit www.proelite.com
Monday, April 14, 2008
TARVER CALLS OUT DAWSON AFTER BOTH ARE VICTORIOUS
Photos: TOM CASINO/SHOWTIME
TAMPA, Fla. Antonio Tarver registered a unanimous 12-round decision over defending champion Clinton Woods to capture the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight crown and World Boxing Council (WBC) 175-pound kingpin Chad Dawson remained undefeated with a thrilling, hard-fought 12-round decision over hard-luck Glen Johnson Saturday on SHOWTIME.
Former undisputed light heavy champ Antonio Tarver had his way against defending champion Clinton Woods, winning a lopsided 12-round decision and the IBF 175-pound title.
The world championship doubleheader, billed as “TNT: Title Night in Tampa,” took place at the St. Pete Times Forum and was promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and AT Entertainment in association with Fight Academy. A crowd-pleasing event aired on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).
Tampa’s Tarver (27-4, 19 KOs), a former undisputed light heavy champion and reigning International Boxing Organization (IBO) titleholder, mostly dominated en route to winning by the scores of 119-109, 117-111 and 116-112. There were no knockdowns.
“It’s all about the belts; I’m looking for all the belt-holders,’’ Tarver said. “He was a tough, gritty fighter but I came into this in great shape. I took some and got some (punches) but the best man won tonight. I’m not surprised by anything that went on in there.
“A lot of credit for my performance goes to my trainer, Jimmy Williams, who never let me give up or get down on myself. Jimmy is one of the all-time great teachers and absolutely definitely should be in the Hall of Fame."
Tarver, who called out Dawson at the post-fight press conference – Shaw said a unification world title fight could take place in the fall -- wasn’t impressed with Dawson’s performance in the telecast’s opening bout.
“Chad Dawson would be easy pickings now,’’ Tarver said. “He’s not the fighter now that he was before his fight. He’s a wounded duck.
“Dawson took a lot of hard hits against Johnson, but there is a difference between getting hit by Glen Johnson and getting hit by me.’’
There was an electric atmosphere inside the jam-packed room where the weigh-in took place.
Woods (41-4-1, 24 KOs), of Sheffield, England, could not find his range or rhythm for much of the 36 minutes.
Tarver and Woods Weigh In
“I fought the best light heavyweight in the world tonight,’’ said Woods, who was making the fifth defense of the crown he won in March 2005. “I don’t know if it is my time to retire or not."
Dawson (26-0, 17 KOs), of New Haven, Conn., wanted a tough test and he got it.
In a tremendous slugfest that featured non-stop, two-way action, Chad Dawson remained unbeaten and retained his WBC light heavyweight title with a close, hard-fought unanimous 12-round decision over Glen Johnson Saturday on SHOWTIME.
“Johnson is a warrior and we trained for that,’’ Dawson said after winning the fight of the night by the scores of 116-112 on all the scorecards. “We worked on stepping around and boxing him in training and we did that, too.
“I executed my game plan and landed more punches. Glen is a great fighter. He caught me with some good shots but I did my job and took them."
There were no knockdowns in a non-stop slugfest with constant two-way action, but both boxers were rocked on several occasions.
Johnson (47-12-2, 37 KOs), of Miami, by way of Jamaica, owns wins over Tarver, Woods and Roy Jones Jr., but almost is as well known for coming up on the wrong end of close, unpopular decisions.
Tarver and Woods Weigh In
+vs+Woods+WI.jpg)
Such was the case again Saturday. “The decision was total bull,’’ Johnson said. “Dawson is a good, young fighter with a great future, but I really worked hard for this fight and definitely feel I won it.
Dawson vs Johnson Weigh In
‘I can’t afford to keep losing these kinds of fights at this stage of my career. I wish I knew why these kinds of bad decision keep going against me.
“This loss hurts me more than any other in my career. I would love a rematch.’’
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING’s Steve Albert and Al Bernstein called the action from ringside with Karyn Bryant serving as special correspondent. The executive producer of the SHOWTIME telecast was David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.
Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING fight card will re-air as follows:
DAY CHANNEL
Monday, April 14 at 8 p.m. ET/PT SHO EXTREME
Tuesday, April 15, at 9 p.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME TOO
Wednesday, April 16, 10 p.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME
For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video, photo galleries and complete telecast information, please visit http://www.SHO.com/Sports.
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI is also an owner and manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL®, a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
Kimbo Slice, who headlines the EliteXC mixed martial arts fight card on Saturday, May 31, on CBS, and WBC super welterweight champion Vernon Forrest, who looks to defend his title against Sergio Mora on Saturday, June 7, on SHOWTIME, pose together at Saturday night’s light heavyweight world championship doubleheader in Tampa.
Photos: TOM CASINO/SHOWTIME
The always entertaining Kimbo was interviewed by Al Bernstein during Saturday’s telecast. You can catch the interview during a replay of the thrilling SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, which featured a war between WBC Champ” Bad" Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson as well as a flashy performance by the always entertaining Antonio Tarver against IBF champion Clinton Woods.
Replay schedule:
Tuesday, April 15, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME TOO;
Wednesday, April 16 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
The telecast is also available On Demand starting this Tuesday and ending on Monday, May 12 where available.
TAMPA, Fla. Antonio Tarver registered a unanimous 12-round decision over defending champion Clinton Woods to capture the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight crown and World Boxing Council (WBC) 175-pound kingpin Chad Dawson remained undefeated with a thrilling, hard-fought 12-round decision over hard-luck Glen Johnson Saturday on SHOWTIME.
Former undisputed light heavy champ Antonio Tarver had his way against defending champion Clinton Woods, winning a lopsided 12-round decision and the IBF 175-pound title.
The world championship doubleheader, billed as “TNT: Title Night in Tampa,” took place at the St. Pete Times Forum and was promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and AT Entertainment in association with Fight Academy. A crowd-pleasing event aired on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).
Tampa’s Tarver (27-4, 19 KOs), a former undisputed light heavy champion and reigning International Boxing Organization (IBO) titleholder, mostly dominated en route to winning by the scores of 119-109, 117-111 and 116-112. There were no knockdowns.
“It’s all about the belts; I’m looking for all the belt-holders,’’ Tarver said. “He was a tough, gritty fighter but I came into this in great shape. I took some and got some (punches) but the best man won tonight. I’m not surprised by anything that went on in there.
“A lot of credit for my performance goes to my trainer, Jimmy Williams, who never let me give up or get down on myself. Jimmy is one of the all-time great teachers and absolutely definitely should be in the Hall of Fame."
Tarver, who called out Dawson at the post-fight press conference – Shaw said a unification world title fight could take place in the fall -- wasn’t impressed with Dawson’s performance in the telecast’s opening bout.
“Chad Dawson would be easy pickings now,’’ Tarver said. “He’s not the fighter now that he was before his fight. He’s a wounded duck.
“Dawson took a lot of hard hits against Johnson, but there is a difference between getting hit by Glen Johnson and getting hit by me.’’
There was an electric atmosphere inside the jam-packed room where the weigh-in took place.
Woods (41-4-1, 24 KOs), of Sheffield, England, could not find his range or rhythm for much of the 36 minutes.
Tarver and Woods Weigh In
“I fought the best light heavyweight in the world tonight,’’ said Woods, who was making the fifth defense of the crown he won in March 2005. “I don’t know if it is my time to retire or not."
Dawson (26-0, 17 KOs), of New Haven, Conn., wanted a tough test and he got it.
In a tremendous slugfest that featured non-stop, two-way action, Chad Dawson remained unbeaten and retained his WBC light heavyweight title with a close, hard-fought unanimous 12-round decision over Glen Johnson Saturday on SHOWTIME.
“Johnson is a warrior and we trained for that,’’ Dawson said after winning the fight of the night by the scores of 116-112 on all the scorecards. “We worked on stepping around and boxing him in training and we did that, too.
“I executed my game plan and landed more punches. Glen is a great fighter. He caught me with some good shots but I did my job and took them."
There were no knockdowns in a non-stop slugfest with constant two-way action, but both boxers were rocked on several occasions.
Johnson (47-12-2, 37 KOs), of Miami, by way of Jamaica, owns wins over Tarver, Woods and Roy Jones Jr., but almost is as well known for coming up on the wrong end of close, unpopular decisions.
Tarver and Woods Weigh In
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Such was the case again Saturday. “The decision was total bull,’’ Johnson said. “Dawson is a good, young fighter with a great future, but I really worked hard for this fight and definitely feel I won it.
Dawson vs Johnson Weigh In
‘I can’t afford to keep losing these kinds of fights at this stage of my career. I wish I knew why these kinds of bad decision keep going against me.
“This loss hurts me more than any other in my career. I would love a rematch.’’
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING’s Steve Albert and Al Bernstein called the action from ringside with Karyn Bryant serving as special correspondent. The executive producer of the SHOWTIME telecast was David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.
Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING fight card will re-air as follows:
DAY CHANNEL
Monday, April 14 at 8 p.m. ET/PT SHO EXTREME
Tuesday, April 15, at 9 p.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME TOO
Wednesday, April 16, 10 p.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME
For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video, photo galleries and complete telecast information, please visit http://www.SHO.com/Sports.
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI is also an owner and manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL®, a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
Kimbo Slice, who headlines the EliteXC mixed martial arts fight card on Saturday, May 31, on CBS, and WBC super welterweight champion Vernon Forrest, who looks to defend his title against Sergio Mora on Saturday, June 7, on SHOWTIME, pose together at Saturday night’s light heavyweight world championship doubleheader in Tampa.
Photos: TOM CASINO/SHOWTIME
The always entertaining Kimbo was interviewed by Al Bernstein during Saturday’s telecast. You can catch the interview during a replay of the thrilling SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, which featured a war between WBC Champ” Bad" Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson as well as a flashy performance by the always entertaining Antonio Tarver against IBF champion Clinton Woods.
Replay schedule:
Tuesday, April 15, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME TOO;
Wednesday, April 16 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
The telecast is also available On Demand starting this Tuesday and ending on Monday, May 12 where available.
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