“Steve Carl is a tremendous athlete, and I have a great deal of respect for him. He is the champion in an extremely tough welterweight division. I’m blessed to be in a position to challenge him for his title, so now I need to go out there and do my best and show the world that I deserve that belt more than he does.”
“I am working hard every day in camp with Team Nogueira. My team has been very good for me, both in supporting me through a transitional period and helping me prepare for one of my biggest fights to date. I get to work out in the gym with several legends in the sport, and they are pushing me every day to become the best fighter I can be.”
“I am confident in my skills and abilities here at any weight, but I feel great at 170 pounds. I don’t want to underestimate my opponent, but I think that I’m capable of becoming welterweight world champion at the World Series of Fighting, or any other organization for that matter.”
“I don’t have much to say about the past at this point. I am focusing all of my energy on this fresh start with World Series of Fighting and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue fighting elite fighters on an internationally televised and well respected organization.”
“I was approached by several organizations and had many offers on the table, but I felt that World Series of Fighting was the best option for me at the moment. Their welterweight division is very deep with top talent like Steve Carl, Jon Fitch, Josh Burkman, Tyler Stinson, Gerald Harris, and I am anxious to test myself against all of them.”
YUSHIN OKAMI QUOTES
Favorite meal: “Yakiniku”
Jushin “Thunder” Liger
The Okami family dogs
Follow Yushin on Instagram
“My manager told me I had been released from the UFC on the wire. I don’t remember my reaction much. I guess I was surprised at first, but I always prepare the worst when I lose, so I recovered my composure with time. Thankfully I received offers from many promotions as soon as my release was announced. I received offers from Japan, Asian promotion, and also promotions from Europe.”
“When World Series of Fighting presented an offer for me, I was very happy. WSOF is a new promotion, so history is going to be made here and now, and I plan on being a part of it. I think that the great opportunity to make history and the exposure with NBC made the difference for me. I think that the center of the MMA is North America.”
“My nickname actually comes from a Japanese pro wrestler named Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger. He is a great fighter, and our names rhymed so it stuck.”
“World Series of Fighting has several powerful middleweight fighters, and I know that this would be a better challenge for me. Svetlozar Savov has high physical ability and I feel his movement of one-on-one is very powerful. He is a young, energetic fighter with an aggressive fighting style. But my skills are more evolved, and I will put pressure on him at all times an attack him with a wider range of skill. I’m sure this will bring me a victory.”
“My main focus and only goal is to become the World Series of Fighting champion, and I’m going to start on that March 29 with Savov. Don’t miss it!”
# # #
“World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares,” which features a welterweight title fight between champ Steve Carl and challenger Rousimar Palhares, as well as Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse for the inaugural World Series of Fighting bantamweight title, takes place March 29 at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Tickets for World Series of Fighting 9, which start at just $39, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets can also be purchased at The Joint box office or by phone at (800) 745-3000. The night’s featured fights air live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time) following preliminary bouts that stream on World Series of Fighting’s official website, WSOF.com.
NBCSN-TELEVISED MAIN CARD
Champion Steve Carl vs. Rousimar Palhares – for welterweight title
Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse – for inaugural bantamweight title
Yushin Okami vs. Svetlozar Savov
Josh Burkman vs. Tyler Stinson
Ozzy Dugulubgov vs. Johnny Nunez
WSOF.COM-STREAMED PRELIMINARY CARD
Shane Kruchten vs. Mike Corey
Chris Gruetzemacher vs. John Gunderson
Sean Cantor vs. Bryson Hansen
Phil Dace vs. Danny Davis
Brenson Hansen vs. Boostayre Nefarios
Jimmy Jones vs. Rudy Morales
Gil Guardado vs. Jimmy Spicuzza
About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier profesional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
About NBC Sports Network
NBC Sports Network, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 80 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2013, the Premier League and Formula One. In addition, NBC Sports Network features college football, college basketball, college hockey, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Action Sports Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, The Crossover, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk and The Dan Patrick Show. NBC Sports Network is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
About Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is Las Vegas’ off-strip playground, just minutes and less than three miles from McCarran International Airport. The premier destination entertainment resort is owned by Brookfield Real Estate Finance Fund II and managed by WG-Harmon, LLC, a subsidiary of Warner Gaming, LLC. Built in 1995, the property completed a $750 million expansion in 2010. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The property is known for its innovative nightlife and music scene where acts such as The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, Incubus, Foo Fighters, Carlos Santana, Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses have all performed. Features of the property include an 11-story Casino Tower with 640 guest rooms, 17-story Paradise Tower with 490 rooms and suites and the all-suite HRH Tower with 359 suites, eight spa villas and seven penthouse suites; 72,000 square feet of casino space featuring Peacock High-Limit gaming and Asian gaming amenities; 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space; more than $4 million in rare music memorabilia; Body English Nightclub; Reliquary Water Sanctuary, Spa & Salon; 4.5 acres of tropical pool paradise housing world-famous pool parties REHAB Sunday and RELAX Monday; live music/entertainment venues The Joint and Vinyl; Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co.; restaurants Culinary Dropout, Nobu, The Ainsworth, 35 Steaks + Martinis, Pink Taco, Mr. Lucky’s Café and ?Fú; a state-of-the-art fitness center and trendsetting retailers John Varvatos, Affliction, Love Jones, Rocks The Jewelers and Rock Paper Photo. For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit hardrockhotel.com. Follow Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and updates.
