Zuffa’s recent acquisition of Strikeforce obviously begged the question, what happens to all of its (Strikeforce) fighters, especially the title holders? Initially, it was nebulous as to how this migration would take place. There were concerns surrounding guys like Nick Diaz and Dan Henderson, both of whom had previously departed ways with UFC and are current owners of Strikeforce championship belts. Also, how does this affect the Strikeforce heavyweight tournament that’s currently in progress? What about the promotion’s contractual commitment to Showtime? What about Fedor Emelianenko, whose stock as the baddest MMA fighter in history recently declined following two consecutive losses?

Most of these questions haven’t gone fully answered. However, the notorious yet popular Nick Diaz is slated for his UFC return when he challenges George St. Pierre for the welterweight supremacy later in the year. Perhaps the assumption here is that we just won’t know until things actually start to unfold.

With pun intended, this brings up the heavy topic. Current Strikeforce heavyweight king and 2010 K-1 Grand Prix winner, Alistair Overeem is without a doubt the most attractive force that UFC haven’t yet signed. But first, he needs to emerge as a victor of this tournament in progress. And come June 18th, the champ known as ‘Demolition Man’ is taking on his biggest match of his heavyweight career when he faces Fabricio Werdum in Dallas Mavericks’ home court of American Airlines Center.

Overeem, who hails from the Netherlands, is an enigma of sorts among MMA fans. Once a formidable light heavyweight sometimes fighting at above 200 pounds, Overeem was considered a talented yet vulnerable (especially to the chin) competitor during his stint at the now defunct Pride. Between 2003 and 2007, the Dutch held notable wins against Vitor Belfort (twice) and Sergei Kharitonov, but was more remembered for eight losses down the four year stretch. Granted, those L’s were all suffered against elite opposition including Chuck Lidell, Shogun Rua (twice), Kharitonov, and Werdum. Since the stoppage loss to Kharitonov in 2007, Overeem has gone 9-0-1. All but one victory came within the first round. In the process, he picked up the inaugural Strikeforce heavyweight belt, and also kept himself active in K-1’s kickboxing competition.

Last year saw Overeem cap off the most significant win of his heavyweight MMA career, when he met the dangerous Brett Rogers in St. Louis, MO. Fans were split as to who would come out on top. Consensus was that Overeem’s previous competition as a heavyweight was weak and given Rogers’ size and whatever success he had in losing efforts to Fedor, would’ve provided some edge for the American. But when the bell rang, it was simply a mismatch. Rogers was immediately taken down before ‘Ubereem’ unleashed his relentless ground-and-pound attack to force a first round stoppage. It was a form of redemption for the champ, who swiftly silenced his critics. More success followed, and arguably in its biggest form, when he reached the finals of K-1 Grand Prix and defeated the kickboxing legend, Peter Aerts in the first round.

In light of Fedor Emlianenko and Brock Lesnar’s recent falls, the heavyweight division is screaming for its new savior. Perhaps that could also be decided when UFC’s Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos lock horns, but if you’re looking for a champion with flash, charisma, and finesse, Overeem just might be that guy. Over the years, this monster appears to have not only honed his craft and sharpened his arsenal, but also overcame the vulnerabilities that have failed him in the past. Whether it’s a ring or cage winning the K-1 championship certainly helped solidify his claim as the most dangerous striker in the game.

Akin to what boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao has done, Overeem is simply a better and stronger fighter after permanently moving up in weight. In recent competition, the now big man, deems almost invincible to defeat. With a very respectable ground/submission game and probably the most versatile striking arsenal in the division, Overeem, at age 31, could be the answer to what UFC’s been chasing since its inception of different weight classes.

It’s always fun to root for the underdog and it surely was exciting to see Werdum pull the upset of the century when he was able to lock his triangle to submit the great Fedor Emelianenko. However, given Werdum’s style or otherwise, vulnerability against bigger men, his chances of becoming a full force, is limited if not plausible. An Overeem win, might just do better for the sport.

This Saturday night, we have one of the more attractive heavyweight fights of the year. Ironically, it may be the last significant heavyweight fight we may see outside of UFC. Hype or hope, size or substance, it’s only a matter of time before we see Overeem against the very best. And if this guy is as good as his fans and supporters make him out to be, it’s going to be both size and substance that will allow him to win.

DARK HORSES

The co-feature in Dallas will showcase the other side of the heavyweight bracket between the controversial Josh Barnett and hard-hitting Brett Rogers. For most fans and experts, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that these two will most likely not end up in the finals. However, I actually think that Barnett is the livest of the live dogs and should defeat both Rogers and Kharitonov to advance to the finals. To start off, I think his experience, versatility, and tricky ground attack will prove to be too much for Rogers. As for Kharitonov, I think he has a puncher’s chance, but that’s just about it. Barnett has shown to have a good chin and his only losses in the last decade, came at the hands of Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera and CroCop. Also, according to ESPN and other sources, Barnett has passed the preliminary drug test and is eligible to fight this weekend.

‘Strikeforce: Dallas’ will also present the return of lightweight K.J. Noons going up against Jorge Masvidal. Former heavyweight freestyle and collegiate wrestling standout Daniel Cormier will be in action, taking on the toughest task of his MMA career against seasoned veteran Jeff Monson. Also on the card, is Alistair’s older brother, Valentijn Overeem, who will face Chad Griggs in a three round scheduled heavyweight affair.

Fight Night Entertainment presents Round XV – Armed Forces July 9 at the Meydenbauer Convention Center in beautiful Bellevue, Washington. The event is a mixture of MMA fights and live music that will have the MMA fans in the Northwest rocking and rolling with the action in the cage and on the stage. The festivities start with the fighter weigh-ins at SKY Ultra Lounge on July 8 at 7pm local time followed by the fights a day later on July 9 at 10:30pm ET. Doing live commentary cage-side will be former UFC Lightweight Champion, and Washington native, Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver.

In the main event, UFC, TUF alum and Strikeforce vet Len “The Liger” Bentley (9-4) fighting out of Victory Athletics battles UFC veteran Rob Yundt (8-4) who last competed with the Alaska Fighting Championships. The main event is a pay-per-view worthy matchup that showcases two of the best middleweight fighters in the North Pacific region. Bentley will have the hometown crowd at his back and will send the fans home happy if he can dispatch Yundt. Yundt, who is coming down from Alaska, has already picked up one victory in 2011 and looks to make Bentley number two in as many fights. Both fighters have a full arsenal in their tool box but look for this fight to be a slugfest with fireworks going off from the opening bell.

In the co-main event, Chanti Johnson (7-2) from White Buffalo Warriors fights Tyson Nam (8-4) of Team Quest in a fight that would headline most cards. Johnson is on a 3-fight win streak, all wins coming via stoppage, and will look to push the pace and use his cardio to gain the advantage over Nam. Nam is coming off of a tough decision and has his back against the wall and will be ready to pour it on Johnson if he sees an opening. This fight could be the springboard for either man to jump to the national level and both athletes will be looking to win in decisive fashion.

Along with the MMA fights, there will also be a live music performance by Seattle Group, Island Trybe. Make sure to get to the convention center early and stay late to see both attractions. After the show wraps up there will also be a post-fight party at The Parlor in Bellevue.

Don’t miss this exciting card that includes UFC vets and a live performance by the band Island Trybe! Watch the future world champions of MMA compete today on this stacked card as Fight Night Entertainment presents Round XV – Armed Forces on July 9, streaming live on pay-per-view exclusively at GFL.tv! For Ticket info go to: http://www.fightnightentertainment.com/

– GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1000 live events with over 5000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 3.3 million public viewers over the years with more than 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL is now available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices.

– Friday, June 17, 2011 8:30pm ET featuring Ring of Combat XXXVI at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, NJ. Will feature the return of Peter ‘Drago’ Sell and two Bantamweight Title Fights. Drago fought for ROC in the debut show at the Tropicana defeating Landon Showalter. He has since made a name for himself in the UFC and The Ultimate Fighter. He has been involved in some of the most memorable fights in that organization and now he is making his comeback in the promotion where it all began. One thing is for sure this will be a fight that ROC fans will be talking about for your years as he squares off against former Ultimate Fighter Kris McCray. Kris has also made a name for himself as a Season 11 TUF Finalist. This card also includes 2 ROC Bantamweight title fights. After Nick Pace became the 1st ROC Bantamweight Champion and moved on to the UFC, this weight class has become very competitive in ROC. Dustin Pague earned this title in February defeating Steve Deangelis. Now Dustin takes on a rising ROC star in Claudio Ledesma. Claudio has back to back wins for ROC since joining the promotion and now is taking a step up in competition against the reigning champ. Whoever wins the title will not have a long rest because Sean Santella, the current ROC Featherweight Champion goes for his 2nd ROC title stepping up to Bantamweight. Sean brings a 7-2-1 record into the match where he faces Florida native Tito Jones. This contest will be for the Northeastern ROC Bantamweight Championship and will put the winner in contention for the ROC Bantweight Title. Other featured fighters on the card are wrestling standout, Jared Platt making his debut, Ed Gordon making his pro debut and WCL fan favorite Munah Holland. Al Iaquinta from Team Serra Longo who is undefeated in his pro and amateur career will be making his long awaited return to the cage after suffering some injuries. Now healthy and strong he comes back against world renowned fighter Mikhail Malyutin from Russia. Mikhail comes off a recent upset win against UFC veteran Chris Liguori.

– Friday, June 17, 2011 9:30pm ET featuring Quest for Glory FC at the Croatian Cultural Center in Vancouver, Canada. The card will feature 15 action packed bouts with 3 MMA titles and 1 Muay Thai title on the line, as featured below. The amateur MMA show will be head-lined by one of the city’s most anticipated re-matches; Oliver Vajda (4-0 Carlson Gracie Jiu Jitsu) will defend his title against former opponent Ronald Diaz. Diaz has accepted the match after the wrist injury to Walter Barrios. The previous match between Vajda and Diaz in 2010 was a grueling affair that left many fans on the edge of their seats with a close split decision. The rematch promises to a thrilling and heavy hitting contest. Another excellent match is scheduled between Shawn Pallan (Dragon’s Den Elite 2-0 in MMA and 3-1 Muay Thai) versus Chris Anderson (Vancouver Island 3-0 ) for the welterweight title. The third MMA title contest of the evening will be in the 155 lbs. lightweight division. It will feature Coast BJJ’s undefeated Ryan Christopher (BC’s P4P #10) vs Brandon Shorter. It promises to be a very exciting contest. Joe Halfar (Posner’s Pankration 5-1) and Josh Wright 3-1 (Dragon’s Den Elite) will square off for the 160lbs. Muay Thai title bout. This is the fourth title bout planned for the evening and is expected to be an exciting and thrilling match. An interesting non-title match has former Western Canadian Muay Thai champion and two time former BC Muay Thai Victor “The Dragon” Wang (8-1 Muay Thai, 2-1 MMA) squaring off against undefeated Jake Lindell (4-0 Spokane CanUSA Fight Team) in a Canada versus USA MMA bout.

– Friday, June 17, 2011 10:00pm ET featuring Hard Knocks Fighting Championship at the Century Casino in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The action packed 15-bout card is a combo event with both professional and amateur MMA fighters stepping in to the cage to do battle. In the main event, Josh Griffin makes his professional debut against undefeated Sam Osman (1-0-1) in a tough middleweight battle. Both fighters have extensive experience at the amateur level and are using it as a springboard to elevate their careers by turning professional. Griffin might have to calm his butterflies in the early going as not only is this his professional debut, but he is also in the main event. Osman’s last fight was an overwhelming success as he won via TKO in Round 1 at School of Hard Knocks 9 back in November. Griffin fights out of PMA Karate while Osman trains out of Scott Schilling MMA. Their different approaches to the fight game will make for an interesting matchup and have the sparks flying from the opening bell. In the co-main event Charmaine “Not So Sweet” Tweet (0-0) battles Rhonda Rousey (1-0) in a bout at the 150 lb weight limit. Although sporting tons of amateur experience, the kickboxing Tweet will be fighting in the co-main event spot on her MMA debut as a professional. That is a lot to ask of anybody, but Tweet will be up to the challenge. For the Californian, Rousey, she is coming off of a spectacular submission victory (armbar) in her debut that took only 25 seconds. Rousey will look to take the kickboxing Tweet down to the ground quickly and look to catch a submission. This could be the classic matchup of a striker versus grappler with both women looking to get the fight in their comfort zone and then executing a series of strikes or submission attempts in hopes of making it a quick night at the expense of their opponent. Along with 6 pro bouts, HKFC is also a proving ground for amateur fighters ready to earn their stripes. The 9-bout amateur series will separate the contenders from the pretenders and build to the future for HKFC and Canadian MMA.

– Friday, June 17, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Howard Davis Jr.’s Fight Time Promotions presents Fight Time 5 – Total Destruction at the War Memorial Auditorium in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This Event will be a Delayed Video on Demand viewing at GFL available on June 22. The event features 12 fights with a main event rematch that the fans demanded. Headlining the card are bantamweights Caleb Archer (5-1) and Aaron Cerda (2-2) who will fight each other for the second time this year. Archer won a unanimous decision in February at Fight Time 3 – It’s War! and will be looking to do the same on June 17. Cerda comes into the rematch trying to prove he should have gotten the nod in the first go around. Both Archer and Cerda will leave everything in the cage as they try to make a decisive statement and end this fight before it goes to the judges’ scorecards. This evenly matched main event is sure to be a barnburner! In other action, Bruce Bellochi (2-0) fights Matthew Sposato (3-0) in a heavyweight contest. The steel hinges and pipes will need to be reinforced for this matchup as there will be close to 600 lb of energy and aggression coexisting in the cage from the start of the bell to the end of the match. Don’t blink for this fight as neither undefeated fighter has ever gone to the second round. Also competing on the card will be rising prospects Mike Bruno (8-4) from American Top Team, Vagner Rocha (5-1) from Team Popovitch, Sam “The Rebel” Jones (3-0) representing the Tallahassee Combat Center, and Marcio Armeli (3-0) from Punch Fitness MMA.

– Saturday, June 18, 2011 6:00pm ET featuring Ultimate Cage Fighting presents Caged Hope IV at the Wayside West in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This is a special night of action as UCF has teamed up with Relay for Life to raise awareness and fight against cancer. Featured fights of the night include Brett Smith (1-1) versus Pat Reck (4-5). Smith won his last fight and his only loss was because of an injury suffered in the fight resulting in a stoppage by the referee. Smith is very new to MMA as both of his previous fights have been in 2011 and this will be his third in a little over six months. It shows that Smith is a quick learner and a resilient athlete to be this active in such a demanding sport. Smith will look to make it 2 in a row against his opponent Reck. For Reck, all 4 or his wins have come via KO or submission. Reck’s wild style always creates for interesting and exciting matches as only 2 of his 9 total fights have ever made it out of the first round. Expect fireworks from these two gladiators. Another bout that is sure to gain attention is a matchup of debuting fighters Shane Henney and Alex Bonwick. Both men come into the cage with an air of mystery surrounding them and the fight will probably come down to whoever can improvise on the spot the best.

– Saturday, June 18, 2011 7:00pm ET featuring Absolute Action MMA 15 at the Midwest Sports Complex in Florence, Kentucky. This is a super-card with 19 bouts scheduled for the night. Both professional and amateur MMA will be on display as the Bluegrass State’s leading MMA organization presents another stacked event. In the main event, heavyweights Joshua “Tank” Franklin (5-10-1) and Aaron Webb (6-2) will battle for the AAMMA Amateur Heavyweight Championship. It is a rematch from AAMMA 13 where Webb won by rear naked choke in Round 1. Franklin is looking to avenge that loss and there’s no better time to do that than on June 18, with the heavyweight title on the line. All 6 of Webb’s victories have come via submission or KO, so Franklin will have his hands full once again. But the “Tank” is ready to break through a wall if he has to. Franklin can quiet all of his critics with a win here over Webb and climb to the top of the Absolute Action MMA Mountain all in one night. For Webb, it is an opportunity to cement himself as “The Man” in the heavyweight division. In other pro action, veteran Mojo Horne (5-2) faces Amaechi Oselukwue (2-1) in a middleweight battle. Oselukwue is coming off of a big win at Bellator 38 and looks to continue his hot streak against Horne. For Mojo, he is looking to turn heads himself and show that he is ready for the national scene. A win over Oselukwue will do that. In other action, Bill Underwood (1-1) fights Justin Higdon (2-0) in another middleweight barnburner. Underwood picked up his first professional win at AAMMA 13 in under 30 seconds with a guillotine choke. The undefeated Higdon is a punching machine on the ground, winning both of his fights due to tapout from strikes. Both men are comfortable fighting on the ground, but one is a grappler while the other prefers ground and pound. Tune in to find out who will set the pace and push the action in this evenly matched contest.

– Saturday, June 18, 2011 10:00pm ET featuring AFC 6: Conviction to be held at the Bear Mountain Arena, Colwood, BC, Canada. In the main event of the evening, AFC middleweight champion Kalib Starnes (10-6-1) will face-off for the 185 lb belt against UFC and Strikeforce veteran John Salter (6-2). Along with the title defense AFC 6: Conviction will feature the return of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu phenom Robert Drysdale, the 2007 ADCC Open Weight Champion and three time world Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Champion. Robert is the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coach of many of the world’s top MMA athletes including Forrest Griffin and Frank Mir. He will face a stiff test against 3X Pan American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gold medalist, former UFC vet and Ultimate Fighter cast member Mike Nickels (9-4). Derek Medler (5-0) puts his undefeated record on the line against Jaret Evens (7-3) in this highly anticipated match up. This event will also feature a heavyweight tilt between 2 former CFL players and BC Lion draft picks. Victoria’s own Justin Shaw (2-0) drafted 18th overall in 2007 against Vancouver’s Paul Cheng (4-1 pro boxer) drafted 6th overall in 2002. Plus Andrew Buckland (13-8) vs. Chase Deganhardt (7-2), and local standouts Corey Gower (3-0), Ryan Janes (2-1), Karel Bergen (3-0), Nathan Swayze (1-1), Chris Jones (3-1), and Tristan Connelly (1-2).

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1000 live events with over 5,000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL combat sports genres currently include Boxing, MMA and Professional Wrestling. GFL offers expanded programming to include: Daily News & Radio Shows with feature interviews and industry updates along with great Fight Photos, Fighter Videos and a robust Calendar of Upcoming Fight Events.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Tonight at 9pm EST marks the Debut of GFL.TV Radio on the GFL iRadio and ATG Radio Network! This show is designed to focus on the BIG 3 of Combat Sports & Entertainment. Tonight we debut in a big way!

First to join the team will be “The Ghanaian Gladiator” Ossie Duran(25-8-2) to discuss his upcoming fight against Latif Mundy(10-2) in the Main Event of Wednesday Night Brawl. Ossie will be looking to stay in the win column after back to back wins against Jamaal Davis and Matt Vanda. If you can’t catch this card live on June 22nd in Newark, NJ you

can view it ON Demand on GFL.TV on June 24th!

**Side note: ATG iRadio Network family Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna will be having his 3rd pro fight in the Co-Nain Event**

You can order the card by clicking the link below: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Boxing/Wednesday_Night_Brawl/1071

Our second guest joining the show will be Elijah Harshbarger(6-2). He will be facing UFC Veteran Pete “Drago” Sell(8-5) in the Co-Main Event of the Ring of Combat XXXVI card on June 17th LIVE on GFL.TV. Coming off of a big win against George Sullivan, Elijah will be looking for the biggest win of his career against Pete Sell. We will be talking to Elijah about his career and his upcoming fight this Friday.

You can click the link below to order ROC XXXVI: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/MMA/Ring_of_Combat_XXXVI/1025

Finally joining the team will be former Ring of Honor owner Cary Silkin. We will be discussing everything ROH with Mr. Silkin especially the “Best in the World 2011” iPPV on June 26th LIVE on GFL.TV.

To order “Best in the World 2011” iPPV click the link below: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Fight/Wrestling/ROH__Best_in_the_World_2011/1052

This show will not disappoint Combat Sports & Entertainment fans! Also listeners are welcomed to call with question by dialing 347-934-0137!

You can listen live by going to the following: http://www.gfl.tv/Events/Newscast/MMA/GFL_Radio/1097 or www.ATGRadio.com

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.gfl.tv or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

– Friday, June 10, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Cage Fury Fighting Championships – Beach Brawl at the Resorts Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, NJ. Headlining the event will be Renzo Gracie prospect, John Cholish taking on a battle-tested veteran in Mikhail Malyutin for the CFFC lightweight title. Cholish, who currently holds two other titles, is currently riding a six fight win streak which includes a submission victory over Ultimate Fighter veteran Marc Stevens in Strikeforce last year. Malyutin also holds a title and is coming off of two impressive wins over UFC and Pride veterans, Chris Liguori and Luiz Azeredo respectively. The co-main event will feature Bellator and Strikeforce veteran Igor Gracie taking on Quinton McCottrell in a welterweight showdown. From the famed Gracie family, Igor comes into this bout with a record of 3-2, but has two submission victories in a row. His last victory came on the undercard of Strikeforce’s Fedor vs. Silva where he submitted John Salgado with an arm triangle choke. McCottrell, a veteran of ten MMA contests has won all but one of his fights by KO or submission. Set to return to the cage are CFFC veterans Nah-Shon Burrell, Kyle Cerminara, Stephen Perez, Trevor Suter, and Ariel Sepulveda

– Friday, June 10, 2011 11:00pm ET featuring Ultimate Reno Combat 25 presents Undisputed at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. The 13-fight attraction is headlined by a bantamweight title fight in the women’s division. In the main event, Tay Stratford (8-1) of Reno Academy of Combat battles Autumn Richardson (3-2) from Team Quest. Stratford has torn through Nevada’s fight scene and it’s fitting that with so much on the line, a tough, game competitor like Richardson, who comes from one of the greatest camps in the world, steps into the cage to fight for the belt in this evenly matched championship bout. Stratford, who also holds a championship with the Las Vegas-based Tuff-N-Uff fight promotion, has had finishes in 6 of her 8 wins and looks to add another title to her collection. Richardson also has experience in championship fights, but came up a little short in her last bout. Nothing can erase that loss faster than a victory against Stratford with an Ultimate Reno Combat title belt at stake. Both women will look to push the pace and impose their will in what should be a fun, exciting fight for the fans. The co-main event features Sasha Montgomery (3-0) versus Brandon Morris (3-2) in a welterweight contest. The undefeated Montgomery has fought all three times for Ultimate Reno Combat so his familiarity with the organization will be key when he steps into the cage and looks to utilize his Gracie-learned submission game to get Morris to tapout. Morris is coming off of a two-fight win streak of his own and is the more battle tested of the two competitors and will look to rough up Montgomery and use his cage experience to take Montgomery into deep water and eventually overwhelm him and finish the fight.

– Saturday, June 11, 2011 7:30pm ET featuring Gruesome MMA presents Gruesome MMA 4 at Belfry High School in Pikeville, Kentucky. This 17-bout mega card features a main event with UFC veteran and former WEC World Lightweight Champion, Jamie Varner (17-6-1). Varner faces contender Jeremy Carper (3-3) in a headline bout that is sure to gain national attention. Once regarded as one of the best 155 lb fighters in the world, Varner is coming off of a first round victory at XFO 39 in May and looks to keep his momentum moving forward. For Varner, he only has one thing in mind and that’s getting back to the UFC. Standing in his way is Jeremy Carper. For Carper, this fight could be a career changing event if he is able to pull off the huge upset. Carper’s 3 wins have all been stoppages, either submission or TKO so he has the skill set to pull off the surprise victory. For Carper he is going to have to throw everything, including the kitchen sink, at the former world champion and maybe, just maybe, shock the world. No matter how this fight ends, one thing is for certain; get your popcorn and your drinks before the fight starts, because this will be a barnburner! In the co-main event, Cornelius Godfrey (1-0) takes on the debuting Kevin Miles (0-0). Both fighters have extensive amateur records, Godfrey (12-2) and Miles (4-1) so don’t let the records fool you. This professional bout will be hotly contested and anything can and probably will happen. Godfrey is coming off of a first round submission win in his first pro fight and, as an amateur fighter, held championships with two organizations. Miles, known for his slick submissions, steps up his game and will go hold for hold with Godfrey on the mat. Expect a grappling clinic from these two. The undercard is highlighted by a title fight in the heavyweight amateur division as undefeated Matt Baccus (7-0) fights Josh Walker (4-2). Baccus, already a champion in another organization, looks to add to his collection of belts with a win over Walker. Walker is coming off of a first round victory at Gruesome MMA 3 and will look to pick up where he left off. Both heavyweights are agile big men and this is sure to be one of the fights of the night.

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1000 live events with over 5,000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL combat sports genres currently include Boxing, MMA and Professional Wrestling. GFL offers expanded programming to include: Daily News & Radio Shows with feature interviews and industry updates along with great Fight Photos, Fighter Videos and a robust Calendar of Upcoming Fight Events.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.GFL.tv or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

Whether it’s MMA or boxing, injuries happen and happen often. As was the case a month or so ago, both Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard were forced pull out of their anticipated rubber match for UFC 130. Considering the absence of both participants, there was no last minute replacement that could’ve truly saved the promotion. The fight, simply put, was dead and the show had to settle for Jackson vs. Hamil as the main event.

However, that’s not always the case when only one guy drops out of a fight. If match-makers do their jobs appropriately with given resources and their availability, interesting things may play out.

Dating back to the first scrap between a young Georges St. Pierre vs. BJ Penn back in UFC 58, cirumstances were already interesting. St. Pierre had lost to then champion Matt Hughes in UFC 50 and Penn, who was making his return to the UFC had already scored a stoppage win over Hughes in UFC 46. The two were signed to fight for the number one contender spot.

St. Pierre went on to narrowly outpoint ‘the Prodigy’ to earn a title shot, but suffered an injury which delayed his crack at the title. Penn received a shot instead and faced Hughes for the title on UFC 63. Penn lost and GSP later came back to defeat Hughes via stoppage. The three would later go on to fighter each other once more. In the end, we saw a round-robin between three all-time greats and legends. It wasn’t so bad after all.

When Cain Velasquez humbled Brock Lesnar to lift the heavyweight title at UFC 121, experts and fan acknowledged that we finally have a big complete package sort of a heavyweight champion.

Junior Dos Santos on the other hand, was just another guy waiting in line, who many perceived as the ‘other’ top contender at the time. It was a no-brainer for the two to meet, and it was only a matter of time.

But of course, Velasquez suffered an injury while training, which postponed this much-talked showdown until further notice. No worries though… because fighters move on, and carry on fighting new fights. Re-enter Brock Lesnar, we thought we had a suitable replacement. The solution was simple; sit on opposite sides of the coaching gig for the Ultimate Fighter 13 and then later fight each other.

As the promotion of Lesnar vs. Santos began, pundits begun to analyze the potential outcome, it was a choice of sheer strength or pure knockout power. Which would you prefer; an overzealous and explosive series of double-leg takedowns or a cool yet disciplined style which includes a set of tight defense and vicious striking? This was a perfect interim fight, if there ever was one.

And then it came…another buzz-kill. Lesnar dropped out of the contest due to another case of diverticulitis, a disease that not only stalled his career for nearly a year, but one which in its course throughout threatened his life.

Stepping in as the new replacement to complete this heavyweight title eliminator equation, Shane Carwin was given a chance for his own redemption. After nearly decapitating the monstrous then heavyweight king, Lesnar, the former Division-II wrestling champion from Colardo ran out of gas in the second round and succumbed to a powerful arm triangle choke in his first title bid. Carwin was plagued by a multitude of issues concerning legal matters and also injuries that prohibited his return to the cage. They say inactivity is a killer in all sports but in MMA, if the timing is right, it could very well turn out to be a wonderful fortune.

Also, given the styles, we just might have a more aesthetically pleasing fight between two vicious strikers as opposed to a possible clinch-fest. Carwin, despite his extensive wrestling pedigree, is anything but gun-shy, shown in his explosiveness and relentlessness against the likes of Frank Mir, Gabriel Gonzaga and even during his losing efforts against Lesnar.

Dos Santos, who is unbeaten in the UFC, is a proven puncher himself, demonstrated in his frightening knockouts and stoppage wins against a respectable tally which included Crocop, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Gilbert Yvel, and Fabricio Werdum. The last we saw of JDS was against the charismatic Roy Nelson, in a bout which he easily won with superior striking and unbendable takedown defense.

So fans, experts, message boarders and casual spectators and bar-goers, don’t blink. Come Saturday night in Vancouver, we have a shoot-out. And perhaps, it’s a beginning of another possible round-robin.

UNDERCARD

ESPN’s on-studio analyst and former lightweight contender Kenny Florian makes his debut at 145 pounds against Diego Nunes in attempt to earn his title shot in the recently added featherweight division. Florian, whose last bout was a disappointing decision loss to current top contender Gray Maynard, will hope to bounce back with a win and look forward to a possible showdown against the pound-for-pound great, Jose Aldo.

In a battle of great Brazilian jujitsu and American wrestling, middleweights Demian Maia is set to fight former Division-I champion Mark Munoz. Maia, a BJJ specialist will probably approach his usual technical ground game method, while Munoz will hope to utilize his strong takedown defense and much improved striking for his tricky opponent.

Also on the card, American Dave Herman will be up against Norway’s Jon Olav Einmo. Lightweights in action are Donald Cerrone and Vagner Rocha. Spike TV will televise the non-PPV portion of the undercard, including Sam Stout vs. Yves Edwards and Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Chris Weidman. Fans can also catch the preliminary card on Facebook.

RANDOM NOTES FROM AC

This past weekend saw the super middleweight title tilt between Carl Froch and Glen Johnson at the Boardwalk Hall Ball Room in Atlantic City, NJ. While this marked the return of Glen Johnson to Atlantic City since downing Hugo Pineda back in January of 2008, this was also the return of yours truly since the November of 2008. This was only my second fight coverage since (first was in my hometown of Fairfax, VA back in November of last year) ‘08, and it was great to see the old gang and also witness some new blood. Move aside Marc Abrams and young Yano. The real Mr. AC is back!

Speaking of the fight itself, I thought the 42 year-old Johnson fought the best fight he could, but Froch was just too fast, too busy, too tough, and just better. Still, the King of Miami is one of the toughest fighters I’ve ever seen and his ability to create excitement in the ring has gone well underappreciated. Much respect to the future hall of famer. As for Froch, I think he’s earned the respect of many since his gutty effort against Mikkel Kessler in Denmark. The Cobra is now slated to enter the final championship of the super middleweight tournament against Andre Ward. Stylistically, I think his ability to backpedal and throw long, rangy combinations will pose some serious issues for Ward. The way Ward dips below the waist line can create some openings for Froch’s oddly angled uppercuts and I would not be surprised at all if the Brit comes out victorious.

PARIS HAS NO LOVE FOR ROGER

During the weekend, the French Open was also underway. Needless to say, it was great to see my man Roger Federer end the crazy streak of Novak Djokovic to reach another grand slam final. Initially, I had hoped for Djokovic to win, considering his chances (based on their last four outings) of denying Rafael Nadal of his sixth title in Paris. While it was sad to see the aging Federer lose to Nadal again (0-3 this year, 0-4 in French Open, and 8-17 total), I’ve come to accept the possibility of Nadal one day reaching or surpassing the greatness that of Roger Federer. The level of game these guys are playing today are just unbelievable. Also throw Djokovic and Andy Murray in the mix; this truly is a remarkable era of tennis. Wimbledon ought to bring something special later this month and July.

MIAMI-DALLAS THOUGHTS

When Wade, LeBron, and Bosh edged out Dirk and Co. in game 3, I thought the Heat might have sealed the deal. Or at least it gave me that impression going into remainder of the series.. But serious nerves started to kick in after the loss on Tuesday. I, for one, am worried that the momentum swing is not only in favor of Dallas, but LeBron James may just be finished for this series. Scoring just 8 points in game 4 (while averaging 20+ throughout the playoffs), it was akin to seeing Mike Jones trying to finish out the fight vs. Jesus Soto Karass after punching himself out in the second round. Granted, that was boxing and this is basketball, but James looks like the guy who shot his load in the Chicago series. Hopefully I’m wrong, and it’s still plausible that Miami closes out the series before game 7…I gotta’ hand it to Dirk Nowitzki though. He’s as tough as they come and if anyone deserves the championship from Dallas, it’s the German-based PF who’s been with the franchise since he first started in the league, not Jason Kidd. But I can’t lie, I’m a big supporter of LeBron and D-Wade, and even with all this flopping and complaining, I’m still on the wagon. Viva Miami!

– Friday, June 3, 2011 7:30pm ET featuring Professional Boxing Fight Night Round 3 at the Harrah’s, Chester, PA. It will be an All Philly Battle as popular Victor Vasquez battles Gustavo Dailey in a six round Lightweight bout that is a rematch of a bout that took place on January 15th, 2010.In their first bout, Vasquez scored a fifth round stoppage over Dailey, the question that will be asked, will it be a repeat or revenge. Vasquez of Philadelphia has built up one of the biggest fan bases in Philadelphia due to his exciting style which always has him in the fight of the night whenever he steps into the ring. Vasquez has a record of 12-5-1 with six knockouts and has been in some memorable fights in his young career. In his last bout, Vasquez waged a terrific back and forth war with Osnel Charles before dropping a six round majority decision as part as ROUND 1 at Harrah’s in Chester. He holds victories over undefeated Thomas McCuiston (1-0); Tyric Robinson (9-4-1) as well as an exciting six round split decision over Bryne Green (5-3) on October 8th in Philadelphia. Dailey of Philadelphia has a record of 4-11 with one knockout. Despite the pedestrian record, Dailey has fought and beat some top competition. Dailey’s crowning moment to date was a six round split decision over Tyrell Samuel (12-2). Samuel took the rematch and a third fight by decisions. Dailey has been in the ring with Eddie Hyland (10-1); Brandon Bennett (3-0); two fights with Anthony Flores. Dailey is coming off a fourth round stoppage defeat to Tyrone Luckey (2-0) on February 26th in Atlantic City. Ferrante of Northeast Philadelphia won his first nine bouts which included wins over Anthony Pietrantonio (6-1) and he won the WBF United States title with an eight round majority decision over Billy Bailey.

– Saturday, June 4, 2011 7:00pm ET featuring Absolute Action MMA 14, at the Rupp Arena-Heritage Hall, Lexington, KY. In the main event, Ewa Johnson (3-1) battles Sarah Cook (2-2) for the women’s 145 lb amateur AAMMA title. Johnson makes her return to the cage after a year-long layoff and looks to pick up right where she left by scoring another victory, this time for the championship. Cook is looking to regroup and regain her momentum after suffering a tough loss in her last fight. Both women have their backs against the wall with something to prove with the winner being crowned champion. In the co-main event, veteran James Ballinger will be making his professional debut after amassing a 11-8 record on the amateur circuit. He battles Zachery Sanders (1-1) in a matchup of rising stars in the Bluegrass State. In other action, Ryan Debelak (3-1) takes on Troy Blevins, Jr. (5-3). Debelak is a formidable striker with all of his wins coming by strikes and will look to connect with his patented heavy hands again. Blevins, Jr. already holds a win over Debelak and will look to use his mental edge and cage experience to once again come out on top. Light heavyweights Brandon Stewart (6-1) and Kelly Pennigton (3-0) also square off. The undefeated Pennington hasn’t had a fight go into the second round and all 6 of Stewart’s victories have also come in Round 1. Don’t blink when these two bulls lock horns because it could be a quick and decisive victory for one of them.

– Saturday, June 4, 2011 7:00pm ET featuring American MMA Fight League presents MMA FIGHT NIGHT, at the Newtown Athletic Club in Newtown, Pennsylvania. An 11-bout card features a mixture of rising prospects and polished veterans including Strikeforce and M-1 Global veteran Kevin “K-Rod” Roddy (11-13-1) taking on Aguileno Brandao (9-6) in one of the top attractions of the night. Roddy looks to return to his winning ways, but in order to do that he will have to defeat the grappling wizard Brandao who has submission victories in 8 of his 9 wins. Roddy and Brandao have contrasting styles making for a very combustible fight. In other action, Fight Factory alum, Steve McCabe (4-10) battles Doug “The Killer” Miller (1-2). McCabe fights out of the same gym as Bellator Lightweight Champion, Eddie Alvarez, and looks to bring the same explosiveness to “The Killer”. Miller trains out of the AMA Fight Club which is also home to a pair of other Millers, Jim and Dan of the UFC.

– Saturday, June 4, 2011 9:00pm ET featuring Tapia vs. Pastrana, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Albuquerque, NM. Former five-time world champion, Johnny “Mi Vida Loca” Tapia takes on former Flyweight world champion Mauricio Pastrana. Tapia, who has been one of boxing’s most talked about fighters for the past twenty years (for a myriad reasons) is winding down and wants to thrill his hometown fans in New Mexico one more time before he calls it a day. Tapia has an astonishing record of 58-5-2 with thirty knockouts and captured the WBO Super Flyweight title with an eleventh round knockout over Henry Martinez in 1994. He defended that title ten times before adding the IBF Super Flyweight title when he took a twelve round unanimous decision over cross-town rival Danny Romero in one of the mist anticipated grudge matches of the 1990’s. After two more defenses, he claimed the WBA Bantamweight title with twelve round majority decision over Nana Konadu. Tapia then went on to win the WBO Bantamweight belt with a twelve round unanimous decision over Jorge Julio. Tapia won his final belt by scoring a twelve round majority decision to win the IBF Featherweight title over Manuel Medina. He has won his last three bouts which include fourth round stoppage over Jorge Alonso this past September 24th Pastrana has a record of 35-15-2 with twenty three big knockouts. On January 18th, 1997, Pastrana won the IBF Light Flyweight title with a split decision over former U.S. Olympic star Michael Carbajal. Hector Munoz (18-4-1, 11 KO’s) takes on Jorge Reyes (21-29-3, 17 KO’s) in a Welterweight bout. Undefeated Welterweight, Vincent Mirabal (8-0, 1 KO) battles Eric Bradford (0-6) in a Welterweight bout Josh Torres (5-1-1, 3 KO’s) takes on Janks Trotter (4-0-1, 4 KO’s) in a Welterweight bout.

– Saturday, June 4, 2011 10:30pm ET featuring Rumble in the Cage presents RITC 43 at the Taber Ice Arena in Taber, Alberta, Canada. The jam-packed card features a bevy of top fighters from around Canada. Headlining the event is a lightweight battle between Jordan Knippelberg (5-1) and Spencer Rohovie (9-6). Knippelberg is riding a 4-fight winning streak and looks to make it 5 in a row as he fights the veteran Rohovie who has more than twice the cage experience. The crafty Rohovie needs a win after dropping his most recent bout and with all 15 of his fights never making it out of the first round, don’t blink as Rohovie look’s to use his reckless and wild fighting style to defeat Knippelberg any way he can. In other lightweight action, CJ Bagg (3-1) takes on Peter Neufeld (3-3). Both men are still new to the sport and looking to use the other as a stepping stone in this match. Bagg and Neufeld are coming into this fight both sporting winning streaks and look to continue that momentum at the other’s expense. Also slated for action are Brandt Dewsberry (4-1-1), Jared “J-Rod” Kilkenny (8-7), Brendan “Hacksaw” Blacquier (1-0), Sean “Mercenary” Merkl (1-3), Mike Neufeld (3-2) and Ian Odland (0-1).

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1000 live events with over 5,000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL combat sports genres currently include Boxing, MMA and Professional Wrestling. GFL offers expanded programming to include: Daily News & Radio Shows with feature interviews and industry updates along with great Fight Photos, Fighter Videos and a robust Calendar of Upcoming Fight Events.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.facebook.com/gofightlive or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

Quinton “Rampage” Jackson scored a three round unanimous decision over Matt Hamil in a Light Heavyweight bout in the main event of UFC 130 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The fight was mostly fought standing up with Hamil getting in some in small shots early. Jackson came on began to stun Hamil with punches for the better part of 2 and one half rounds.

Jackson won by scores of 30-27 on all cards

Fank Mir defeated Roy “Big Country” Nelson via three round unanimous decision in a battle of big Heavyweights.

There was not much action as both big men tired by midway through the second round. Mir took down Nelson a few times and was efficient with elbows on the ground and won by scores of 30-27; 30-27; and 30-26.

Travis Browne scored a highlight reel second round stoppage over Stefan Struve in a Heavyweight bout.

Browne jumped up and landed a perfect Superman Punch right on the jaw

Rick Story won a three round unanimous decision over Thiago Silva in a Welterweight bout.

Story won by scores of 29-28 on all cards.

Brian Stann pounded his way to a second round stoppage over Jorge Santiago in a Middleweight clash.

Stann dropped Santiago with an overhand right that was followed up by a handful of punches and referee Herb Dean stopped the bout at 4:29 of round two.

When rivals Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard met for the first time on April 2nd, 2008, they gave a pretty damn good reason as to why their rematch bout on New Year’s Day was deemed as a walk-out bout more so than an anticipated championship fight. In an ironic twist, aforementioned perception altered in a drastic manner following the cancellation of their rubber-match previously slated for this weekend’s PPV.

Defying the stereotype of wrestlers producing boring grapple-fests when pitted against one another, Edgar and Maynard exceeded all expectations creating drama from start to finish of their five round championship affair which resulted in a draw.

Not to anyone’s surprise, the announcement of cancellation (due to injuries on both fighters) was a huge buzz-kill to fans waiting to see these guys lock horns once more. But no worries, credit to four entertaining combatants, two of which whom were former world champions; we still have a darn good show on tap.

Headlining the event this Saturday night at Las Vegas, NV’s MGM Grand, charismatic former light heavyweight champion and part time Hollywood star, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson (31-8) re-enters the Octagon, taking on former cast of the Ultimate Fighter, Matt Hamil (10-2) in a three round light heavyweight tussle. Jackson, who’s coming off a controversial split decision win over Lyoto Machida back in November, is in dire need of an impressive victory against Hamil, who’s aiming to capitalize on his reclaimed momentum after denying long time veteran and former light heavyweight king Tito Ortiz in last fight.

Both fighters will walk down the aisle with deep amateur wrestling background, but when the bell rings, expect fistic fireworks as both guys have more than what it takes to knock each other out. Jackson holds notable wins over Chuck Lidell (2x), Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson and Ricardo Arona. The Memphis native also carries devastating fire power in both hands that once catapulted his stature as one of the best fighters in the game. Hamil, who’s no slouch when it comes to striking, has shown capability of hurting top opposition, demonstrated against the likes of Keith Jardine, Tito Ortiz, and Michael Bisping. In addition, Hamil’s tremendous heart and determination make up for his shortcomings in terms of talent and experience compared to his foe.

However, despite Jackson’s gradual decline, the talent and experience factors play in, which should be sufficient to take the ‘W’. Jackson wins via unanimous decision.

In a bout which could be a headliner on its own, former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir (14-5) and former IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson (15-5) will duke it out in pursuant of a future title shot. Mir, whose knee derailed the come-backing Crocop, should have his mind set on regaining his championship belt. Having said that, the Las Vegas native needs to be very alert against the superficially out of shape Nelson, whose overhand right could just about end the night of any other top heavyweight on a given shot. The two BJJ specialists have met once before, but on the grappling met, which was won by Nelson on points. Nelson, who’s looking to bounce back after a gutsy yet losing effort against top contender Junior Dos Santos, needs to bring his ‘A’ game against the experienced Mir in hopes for his quest at a title shot.

This probably is the most difficult fight of the night to predict, but it’s Mir who appears to on the downside while Nelson, despite his physique just may be the fresher of the two. Mir’s vulnerability in taking punches clearly showed in his crushing defeat at the hands of Shane Carwin and Nelson should initiatives early to time his punches and land so with success. Expect a big knockout from Big Country.

The comeback of former welterweight title challenger, Thiago Alves (18-7) of American Top Team, continues against Rick Story, who recently downed NCAA wrestling legend Johny Hendricks in his last outing. Alvarez, after consecutive failed attempts (including one title shot) against elite welterweights Georges St. Pierre and Jon Fitch, rebounded well in easily outpointing the dangerous John Howard in UFC 124.

Story, who boasts a record of 15-3, is as well rounded as it gets with his collegiate wrestling pedigree and his much improved standup game. Alves, a versatile guy in his own right, brings size, and superior striking with his vicious Muay Thai kicks and underrated takedown defense.

The logical favorite here is Alves, given his world class wins over Chris Lytle, Marcus Davis, Josh Koschek and Matt Hughes to overwhelm Story with powerful leg kicks and punches.

Other televised bouts include Stefan Struve of Netherlands taking on Travis Browne in a heavyweight title and rising middleweight Brian Stann will look to continue his streak against Brazil’s Jorge Santiago. Spike TV will televise preliminary matchups which will showcase Miguel Torres and Kendall Grove in separate bouts.

Northern California, May 23, 2011 – Mixed Martial Arts Champion, Nick Diaz will continue pursuing his Mixed Martial Arts career instead of professional boxing as it has been deemed that it be in Nick’s best interest to focus on his primary combat sport and profession.

Team Diaz had contemplated transitioning over to the boxing world in a legitimate attempt to pursue a high-level boxing career. These discussions began in 2009 with long-time boxing promoter, Don Chargin and proceeded up until recent times.

Never before in the history of both sports had a pound-for-pound MMA combatant in his prime had the desire or been contractually free to attempt to transition over to boxing.

The landscape of Mixed-Martial Arts moves at a rapid pace and while Diaz’s chance to make history, becoming the first true cross-over MMA star to enter the boxing ring, an opportunity arose for Nick to make a different sort of history in his primary field of fighting.

Don Chargin states, “Nick is a good kid and a very exciting fighter. Right now he has an opportunity of a lifetime as it pertains to his MMA career. While I don’t doubt that Nick and his team were serious about taking the big step into boxing, it only makes sense for him to finish what he started and see how far he can go in MMA before he does anything in boxing. It’s all about timing… we began these discussions over two years ago and nobody would have imagined the type of demand that there currently is for Nick as a mixed martial artist.”

Cesar Gracie (Nick’s manager) states, “There are some people that have said we were just posturing to go into professional boxing and they don’t understand that this thing is something we had been working on since 2009. It wasn’t just out of nowhere but at this point in time, there’s a certain chance that comes along once in a very long while and it only makes sense to stick to MMA as of right now. Nick’s been working really hard to get to this point in his MMA career and it wouldn’t make sense for us to make that transition into boxing right now. If this were a couple months ago or if certain fights had played out differently, we’d definitely be ready to go into boxing, but that’s not how it played out. Don Chargin is a great boxing promoter and he understood our dilemma completely and I thank him for that.”

While the intrigue for the proposed Nick Diaz-Jeff Lacy bout had drawn a massive amount of media interest in its rumored status, this type of cross-over match-up will have to take place at a later date.

Diaz’s MMA career will undoubtedly have some major changes within a short while as he’s ready to transition into the next phase of his fighting career.

Don Chargin continued, “I’ve had a long promotional career filled with numerous big events dating back the 1960s. Taking Nick Diaz into boxing would have undoubtedly been a big one but this is Nick’s career and his legacy as a MMA fighter needs to be solidified now. I wish him all the luck going forward and know that Zuffa will have itself one very exciting fighter for many years to come.”

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Atlantic City, NJ – There is no rest for the weary and Cage Fury Fighting Championships will return to the Resorts Hotel and Casino on Friday, June 10th, 2011 for CFFC 9: Beach Brawl. Headlining the event will be Renzo Gracie prospect, John Cholish taking on a battle-tested veteran in Mikhail Malyutin for the CFFC lightweight title. Cholish, who currently holds two other titles, is currently riding a six fight win streak which includes a submission victory over Ultimate Fighter veteran Marc Stevens in Strikeforce last year. Malyutin also holds a title and is coming off of two impressive wins over UFC and Pride veterans, Chris Liguori and Luiz Azeredo respectively.

The co-main event will feature Bellator and Strikeforce veteran Igor Gracie taking on Quinton McCottrell in a welterweight showdown. From the famed Gracie family, Igor comes into this bout with a record of 3-2, but has two submission victories in a row. His last victory came on the undercard of Strikeforce’s Fedor vs. Silva where he submitted John Salgado with an arm triangle choke. McCottrell, a veteran of ten MMA contests has won all but one of his fights by KO or submission. Also, set to return to the cage are CFFC veterans Nah-Shon Burrell, Kyle Cerminara, Stephen Perez, Trevor Suter, and Ariel Sepulveda.

Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased through any of Taskmaster outlets including www.ticketmaster.com or watch it live on iPPV at www.gfl.tv.

– Cage Fury Fighting Championships is a pioneer in bringing prominent and elite MMA talent to the east coast since 2006. Not only did CFFC bring feared street fighter Kimbo Slice’s first foray into MMA in 2007 with an exhibition match against former boxing heavyweight champion, Ray Mercer, the organization has also help launch the careers of several MMA stars.

– GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1000 live events with over 5000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 3.3 million public viewers over the years with more than 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL is now available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.facebook.com/gofightlive or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

– Friday, May 20, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Cage Fury Fighting Championships – CFFC: 8 ‘Seek and Destroy’ at the Resorts Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Main Event will feature veteran welterweight Doug ‘Flash’ Gordon taking on rising star Joey ‘Boom Boom’ Rivera. With a record of 11-9, Gordon has fought almost all the top welterweights in the east coast including UFC and Bellator veterans. In his last fight Gordon knocked out previously undefeated Jesus Martinez in just 50 seconds of their first round bout to capture another title. This bout not only showed that Gordon still has something left, but showed he can still be a force in CFFC’s welterweight title picture. In the Co-Main Event, current lightweight champion, Marques Daniels will take on Jay Coleman in his long awaited return to action. Daniels (6-4) is riding a two fight win streak and only one of his six wins has come via decision. When Daniels fights, he fights to finish. Coleman (6-4) is returning to cage after a four year layoff. With a new attitude and a new school under the tutelage of Ricardo Almeida protege Tom Beblass, Coleman with victories over UFC veterans, Coleman has the experience and the skills to get back on top.

– Friday, May 20, 2011 7:30pm ET featuring Jawbreaker Fight II from the Longbranch Nite Club in Raleigh NC. MMA and Boxing Event! Main Event Pro Boxer Donnell “The Real Touch of Sleep” Holmes, Pro Boxer Co Main event John “Bang Bang” Butler and Pro Boxer Antoine “The Future” Alston and MMA Pro Main Event Keith “Bad Newz” Bell. Ameture MMA Blake “The Ultimate” Risk, Patrick Muegge, Josh Clark, Mark Pellon, Mike Smith and Richard Waithe!

– Saturday, May 21, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Reality Fighting, New England’s longest running MMA promotion, brings an action packed MMA show back to Mohegan Sun Casino’s Arena. The card features three professional superfights in the women, lightweight, and welterweight divisions, along with an impressive undercard. In the Women’s Superfight, Marianna Kheyfets of Danbury, CT., will take on Kaline Medeiros of Fall River, MA. Marianna trains out of American Top Team, is 2-0 and holds a submission victory over Kim Couture. Kaline, trains with Gillett’s MMA and will be making her pro debut after a stellar amateur career. The Lightweight Superfight pits two fighters who are undefeated in Reality Fighting against one another. Joe Proctor who is trained by UFC fighter Joe Lauzon will go toe to toe with Underdog BJJ fighter Oz Pariser. Ryan Quinn takes on Joe McGann in a Welterweight Superfight. The American Top Team trained Quinn is coming off a dominant win at a recent Bellator fight held at Mohegan Sun. McGann trains with USMMA in Massachusetts, he had an impressive win at the December Reality Fighting.The undercard is stacked with exciting fights featuring Reality Fighting favorites like Emil Haddad, Mark McLaughlin, and Jay Ward.

– Sunday, May 22, 2011 10:00pm ET featuring Tape Delayed May 21st 6pm Kings Boxing Promotions event “Fight For Hope” at the Sovereign Center, Reading, PA. The heavy-handed Collins, who has a record of 12-5-2 (8 KO), will face Allentown, PA’s Jorge Delgado (4-9, 2 KO) in a six-round bout with cross town bragging rights at stake. Collins’ matchup was elevated to main event status after local heavyweight star Travis Kauffman withdrew from the card with a shoulder injury. The rest of the pro card will be comprised of local Pennsylvania talent such as heavyweight William Miranda (2-3) of Allentown, the pro debuts of Williamsport heavyweight Randy Easton and Reading welterweight Cesar Gonzales, welterweight Grayson Blake (1-0, 1 KO) of State College, PA, and lightweight Travis ‘The Animal’ Thompson (4-7-1, 3 KO) of Pottstown, PA. The card also features the best local amateur talent, including Quincy Staples of Reading against Abram Santos of Allentown in a rubber match to settle a 1-1 tie. Xavier Melendez of Reading will face Exeter Township’s Kenny Williams, Fabian Valentin of Reading versus Elmer Madenia from Lebanon, and 6’6″, 280 pound Super Heavyweight Giant Joe Campano versus Darnell Hayes from Lebanon. Female fighters, Tassalea ‘The Princess’ Lopez of Reading will face Janel Grim of Lebanon.

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1000 live events with over 5,000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL combat sports genres currently include Boxing, MMA and Professional Wrestling. GFL offers expanded programming to include: Daily News & Radio Shows with feature interviews and industry updates along with great Fight Photos, Fighter Videos and a robust Calendar of Upcoming Fight Events.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.facebook.com/gofightlive or http://twitter.com/gofightlivetv or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

May 6, 2011 – The hottest fighter in the mixed martial arts landscape right now is Stocktons own, Nick Diaz. He is currently riding an 11-fight win streak and has been mentioned as a potential super-fight candidate to face-off against UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre at the end of 2011.

Due to the structuring of Diaz’s contract with MMA outfit, Strikeforce, he is in a unique position where he can contractually pursue a professional boxing career in addition to his mixed-martial arts title reign.

While rumors of opponents such as former champions Fernando Vargas and Roy Jones Jr. have been floated around, neither mans team have yet solidified a contract with the young champion.

A few moments ago, former IBF super-middleweight champion & devastating knockout artist, Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy, officially signed on the dotted line to square off against Diaz in the Fall of 2011.

Lacy possesses the type of dangerous punching power in both hands that can end the double digit win streak of the rugged Northern California champion.

Don Chargin states, “This is a very dangerous fight for both men. Not only is this fight dangerous but stylistically it is very intriguing. I expected more resistance from fight fans and media in regards to this match-up but its amazing as to the hundreds of calls and e-mails I’ve received from fans on both sides wanting to see this match-up take place. I’ve received more than a few inquiries from some other very high-profile boxers that want to step up and fight Nick. Its been a real whirlwind.”

Chargin continues, “I’ve been around boxing for quite some time and I’ve seen a lot of great, tough fighters in my six decades within the sport. I believe that if Nick had been one of those kids who had picked up boxing from a youth, he’d undoubtedly be a world-champion today. Sometime within the next 2 weeks I’ll be personally making the trek to Cesar Gracies gym to setup a private, closed door sparring session between Nick and a few nameless top-level contenders I have in mind.”

Can Jeff Lacy refocus his career to regain the once promising glory that lingered at his fingertips just a few short years back?

Can Nick Diaz’s granite chin withstand the devastating punching power of arguably the hardest punching 168-pound fighter on the planet?

These questions will definitely be answered before the end of 2011 as the fight titled, “Breaking History” is fairly self-explanatory.

– Thursday, May 5, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Punchin at the Paradise 11 – Cinco De Mayo at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx, NY. On Thursday night, May 5th, Edgar Santana, who once was considered one of the top Jr. welterweight prospects in the world makes his long awaited return to the ring after a three year absence when he takes on Robert Jones in an eight round main event. Santana built his reputation on the strength of a 21-2 record with wins over Francisco Campos (20-5-1); Mecaher Major (12-2) and Dairo Esales (30-6) before being shocked by Harrison Cuello. Before his hiatus, Santana won three straight against good competition which included a majority decision over world ranked Josesito Lopez. Jones has a record of 8-8-1 with three knockouts and has fought top competition. He has some solid wins such as a decision over undefeated Alfred Hall (2-0-2) and his last bout when he stopped Pete Cantu (16-6-1). Also on the card will be some of the best prospects in the New York area. Five undefeated prospects will headline the undercard such as: Super Featherweight Emanuel Gonzalez (7-0, 6 KO’s); Light Heavyweight Jason Escalera (10-0, 9 KO’s); Super Featherweight Danny Valle (4-0, 3 KO’s); Welterweight Issouf Kinda (9-0, 4 KO’s) as well as Cruiserweight Stivins Bujac (3-0, 2 KO’s) will see action against opponents to be named. Rounding out the card will be once-beaten Hajro Sujak (6-1, 2 KO’s)

– Saturday, May 7, 2011 7:00pm ET featuring Absolute Action MMA XIII at the Midwest Sports Complex in Florence, KY. This is a super-sized card featuring 23 bouts scheduled for the night. Fans will get to see both professional and amateur MMA from Kentucky’s leading MMA promotion. The event is headlined by 3 title fights in a tri-main event. Jessamyn “The Gun” Duke (2-1) battles Crystal Bentley (0-0) for the women’s 145 lb amateur title. In the men’s 145 lb division, James Ballinger (10-8) tangles with Jeremy Philpot (20-20) for the belt while in the final tri-main event Jerry “Shane” McClain (6-2) fights Shaun “Sugar” Asher (5-2) for the 185 lb championship. There are also several pro fights showcased on this packed card highlighted by The Ultimate Fighter cast member and undefeated fighter Tom Hayden (5-0) VS Harry Johnson (5-5). Christopher Bennett (3-2) battles Anthony Jones (3-3) and Marcus Finch (2-2) challenges Jamey Scruggs (2-0) in other scheduled pro bouts.

– Saturday, May 7, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Fight Force International presents Blood and Sand IX at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in beautiful Biloxi, Mississippi. The 18-fight mega-event is headlined by some of the region’s top prospects. In the main event, Strikeforce vet and Mississippi-bred fighter, Wesley Little (3-5) battles Alabama’s Walt Harris (1-1) a chiseled juggernaut of a man, in a heavyweight throwdown. Little is looking to return to the national scene while Harris hopes to leapfrog the veteran Little and show why he is the top, young, heavyweight talent in the South. In the co-main event, Drew Wallace (4-1) combats Corey Holder (6-11) in another barnburner. Wallace is known for grinding out decisions while Holder has only had 2 of his 17 contests go the distance. Holder will be looking to execute his high risk/high reward fighting style on the more conservative Wallace. In other action Harris “The Sandman” Stephenson (1-0) challenges Brandon Sheffield (0-1) in a fight where both men are just beginning their MMA careers. With only one fight each, both Stephenson and Sheffield hope to impress the crowd with their performance on May 7 and create a grass roots name for themselves with the MMA community in Mississippi and the greater Gulf Coast area.

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 950 live events with over 5,000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL combat sports genres currently include Boxing, MMA and Professional Wrestling with plans to add more fight categories in 2011. GFL offers expanded programming to include: Daily News & Radio Shows with feature interviews and industry updates along with great Fight Photos, Fighter Videos and a robust Calendar of Upcoming Fight Events.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.facebook.com/gofightlive or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

Ontario, Canada presented its first ever UFC event with a remarkable turnout of 55,000 fans in attendance as native hero and UFC welterweight champion, Georges St-Pierre (22-2) successfully defended his crown via unanimous verdict in the main event against the highly regarded Jake Shields (26-5) over five contested rounds.

In a bout that was presumed to be a wrestling match between two upper echelon grapplers, the crowd witnessed a tactical boxing and sometimes kicking contest, mostly controlled and dominated by St-Pierre.

The opening round saw the champion execute superior timing of overhand rights, jabs, spinning back kicks, and a superman punch that actually found its mark.

St-Pierre, known for his relentless wrestling prowess, was able to secure two brief takedowns, but did not sustain any further to take the fight to the ground. Shields, more renown of his grappling repertoire than striking, made several single leg attempts, but to no avail.

After sweeping the first two, St-Pierre appeared to be distraught by an eye injury that seemed to be caused by a flickering Shields jab. Between rounds, St-Pierre informed his corner that he could not see out of his left eye. This turned out favorably for Shields, who gained confidence to increase his aggression in the fourth, connecting with solid straight punches to the face. However, the champion responded with a vicious head kick that hurt and dropped the challenger for a brief moment. The final round was competitive as Shields continued to raise his tempo, while St-Pierre kept his distance to time his clobbering overhand rights.

While there was a bit of a jeer from the crowd for what resulted in a safety first if not uninspiring performance by GSP, there was no doubt as to who came out victorious after 25 minutes of Octagon fighting. Official scores were 50-45, 48-47(twice). St-Pierre did not respond with a decisive answer when asked about a potential move to the middleweight division. As for Shields, this marks the first loss in nearly six years for the former Strikeforce Middleweight champion.

ALDO DEFEATS HOMINICK IN A CLASSIC

The Toronto held event also featured UFC’s inaugural featherweight title bout between Jose Aldo and Mark Hominick. Aldo (19-1), making his anticipated debut in the UFC, began the first round furiously landing vicious leg kicks and hard punches. Hominick (20-9) refused to wilt, as he switched tactics in rounds two and three, to seemingly outbox and outsmart Aldo in spurts.

In round four, a nasty elbow landed by the champion Aldo, caused a grotesque swelling on the forehead of Hominick, who was then further punished by relentless ground and pound attack. The cageside physician observed the swelling, but did allow Hominick to continue. In a true display of toughness and iron will, Hominick came out furiously in the fifth and final stanza to immediately take down the tiring champion and unleashed a series of unanswered punches from the top. Unable to fully break Aldo’s guard, Hominick tried his best to land as many as he could, but the Brazilian was able to hang tight and hear the final bell.

Judges’ scores were unanimous in favor of Aldo by a way of 50-43, 48-46, and 49-46. It wasn’t the most eye opening performance given Aldo’s reputation as one the top 3, 4 pound for pound fighters in the sport. However, the champion still demonstrated indomitable will and toughness in the fifth round to pull out the W.

MACHIDA DISMANTLES CAPTAIN AMERICA INTO RETIREMENT

Heading into tonight’s event, it was announced that Randy Couture (19-11) would fight his final fight in the Octagon. After what we saw tonight, he made a wise decision. In a heavily one-sided affair, Lyoto Machida (17-2) got back on the winning track, suddenly ending the fight and the career of UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, with a perfectly executed jumping front kick that landed on the jaw of the former Greco Roman wrestler.

The kick dropped and nearly rendered Couture unconscious as the referee immediately called a halt to the bout at 1:06 of the first round. Couture shortly announced his retirement and received a standing ovation from the crowd. With a win, Machida puts himself back in the light heavyweight contention, after suffering back-to-back losses to Maurcio Rua and Quinton Jackson.

In other bouts, Russian light heavyweight and long time cage veteran Vladimir Matyushenko (26-5), destroyed American former wrestler Jason Brilz (18-4-1) in the first round. A hard one-two punch combo dropped Brilz to the canvas which was then followed by a string of hammer fists which prompted the referee to stop the contest. Former WEC lightweight champion Benson Henderson won an exciting three round battle against Mark Bocek. Henderson dominated in striking and survived an anaconda choke and other submission attempts to receive the unanimous nod.

– Friday, April 29, 2011 9:00pm ET featuring Crowbar MMA – Spring Brawl 2011 at the Scheels Arena in Fargo, ND. Along with a great night of fights featuring a 10-fight card, Crowbar MMA has added another attraction for the evening’s festivities. The award winning band Firehouse will be playing directly after the event for the in-house audience. The main event features a heavyweight throw down between UFC veterans James “The Hammer” McSweeney (4-6) VS. Francisco “Kiko” France (6-1). Both McSweeney and France are looking to launch powerful bombs in each other’s direction so this night will be full of fireworks. In the co-main event Tat “Mean Bean” Romero (16-3) fights Bellator vet Chris Page (2-4) in what is sure to be a barnburner as these two fighters always compete in overdrive. The card also has a pair of women’s fights with world-ranking implications. #3 Shana “Rock Solid” Olsen (3-1) battles Elaina “Beef” Maxwell (4-4) in one fight while #9 Barb “Little Warrior” Honchak (3-1) squares off against Nina Ansaroff (1-1).

– Friday, April 29, 2011 6:00pm ET featuring Semi Finals – 3FC/Sportfight X Tournament at The Grand Hotel & Convention Center, Pigeon Forge, TN. The tournament features some outstanding fights and fighters from Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Alabama. In the 155 Grand Prix Semi Finals, we have Itai Tirado fighting out of Nemesis MMA and Scott Holtzman fighting out of Shield Systems. Both fighters are undefeated and highly touted prospects in the division. Also fighting is two of the South East’s very best in Team Bushido’s super striker Tyler Wilson and number one ranked and undefeated stud Jesse Grissom out of Team Truth! This bout will also be for the ISKA Tennessee State Title! Billy Mullins fighting out of Fit Factory will look to avenge an early loss from James Foy, of Team ROC. Both guys are ranked in the ATO.COM’s top ten list and have come along tremendously since locking horns early in their careers. Look for a WAR in this one! On the other side of the bracket we have Alex Anderson from Nemesis MMA looking to continue his winning streak by taking out former number one ranked Chris Hall, fighting out of IMA. Hall is coming off an upset loss and has promised the best performance of his career! Fighting for the 125 3FC title will be the two hottest prospects in the South East. D’Angelo Bynum out of Cook’s Impact will face Cody Chessor out of Team Bushido.

– Saturday, April 30, 2011 3:45pm ET featuring ECWA 15th Anniversary Super 8 at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, NJ. WWE Hall of Fame Diva, Sunny, hosts the event which consist of TWA and ECWA wrestlers. Many of wrestling’s biggest stars gained their first fame at the Super 8 including Fallen Angel, Christopher Daniels (1999 finalist, 2000 & 2004 champion), Low-Ki aka Kaval & Senshi (2001 Champion), AJ Styles (2002 Finalist), Matt Hardy (1999 Semi-Finalist), Jeff Hardy (1999 Quarter-Finalist), America Dragon, Bryan Danielson aka Daniel Bryan (2001 Finalist), Jerry Lynn (2007 Champion), Davey Richards (2006 Champion) and many more. And this year’s field of 8 competitors is arguably the best yet: Tommaso Ciampa; Sami Callihan; Adam Cole; SHOCKWAVE the Robot; Rich Swann; Bobby Shields; Shiima Xion; Austin Aries.

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 950 live events with over 5,000 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL combat sports genres currently include Boxing, MMA and Professional Wrestling with plans to add more fight categories in 2011. GFL offers expanded programming to include: Daily News & Radio Shows with feature interviews and industry updates along with great Fight Photos, Fighter Videos and a robust Calendar of Upcoming Fight Events.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.facebook.com/gofightlive or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

During the last five years, fans of boxing and mixed martial arts have battled over which sport reigns supreme. Most fight fans strongly support one side and dislike the other. Think of it as a far more physical comparison to Yankees-Red Sox, Giants-Cowboys or Celtics-Lakers.

Many would wonder why MMA fans disdain boxing and vice versa. Are the sports really that similar that they have to compete with one another? Is one threatening the other? Are the combatants responsible for fueling the fans by claiming that they could wipe the floor with any fighter competing in the opposite sport because they are just that good? These questions may never have a simple yes or no answer.

For the first time, this writer attended a mixed martial arts card with the intentions of doing more than observing the card for personal enjoyment; and yes that does mean I am a fan of both sports.

Regardless of what meritless claims are floating around internet message boards, Twitter pages or Facebook statuses, the two sports have a number of similarities and differences that were immediately evident upon entering the Mennen Arena in Morristown, NJ.

According to event organizers, the opening bell was scheduled for 7:30 pm however there was no action inside the octagon until 8:33. Boxing cards also rarely begin at the scheduled start time. A fight featuring local favorite Scott Fairlamb also fell out on 24 hours notice when his opponent failed to show up at the weigh in. Fairlamb, who is 0-1 in MMA and compiled a 5-0-1 record in the squared circle acknowledged that he’s dealt with last minute letdowns in both sports.

“Every time I ever fought, I was supposed to fight (a different opponent than the one I ended up facing,” said Fairlamb, who last boxed professionally in 2007.

One major difference was that MMA pundits came to soak in all of the action and not just cheer on one fighter. The crowd was about the same size from the first fight all the way until the main event, where in boxing, most spectators either come to watch a specific fighter or don’t arrive until most of the undercard bouts were completed. MMA supporters are definitely more into the sport as a whole, while most boxing fans follow fighters they know or those of their ethnic background.

Furthermore, items from various items were for sale at independent booths near the octagon. From t-shirts sporting fighters’ names to sweatshirts with company logos, there were many choices. Information about a local MMA academy and a magazine were also on display; neither of which I recall seeing at a boxing card.

From a fan demographic standpoint, the two are far apart. Boxing, one of the world’s oldest sports, brings in fans of all races, sizes and color. Most of the spectators at last night’s card were Caucasian, even though fighters of Brazilian and African American descent competed.

Contrary to popular belief about MMA producing non-stop, not all of the fights were entertaining. In fact, like in boxing, one of the heavyweight bouts was slow paced, hard to follow and filled with lapses in action until a one punch knockout occurred; sound familiar?

Additionally, when the two fighters were on the ground and neither was attempting to advance their position, the referee didn’t stand them up. Inside the squared circle, a clinch is typically broken up within a few seconds.

In the first bout of the evening, karate specialist Yusaf Yolda was led to the ring by approximately ten people, many of whom appeared to have no business walking down towards the octagon. Were they looking for their thirty seconds of fame? Perhaps so. Boxers also have large entourages that accompany them from the dressing room into the battleground.

I saw a fighter from Brazil that lost a close decision to a fan favorite claim he was a victimized by the judges, fans get on their feet when a stoppage appeared imminent and “title fights” where the winner received a belt created by the event organizers.

An exciting main event was ruled a no contest after one of the combatants was deemed unable to continue by a ringside official. Although the injured fighter, fan favorite Andy Main, wanted to fight on, the doctor’s surprising decision ruined what had the makings of the evening’s best fight; Fans even demanded a refund while shouting expletives towards the ring.

Overall, it’s safe to say that prior to the disappointment with the main event, fans had a great time throughout the evening, showed all of the fighters respect and didn’t challenge other spectators to a fistic duel. In this respect, boxing fans should follow the example of MMA fanatics and let the action take place between the two fighters.

After observing eight fights from the makeshift media section, a penalty box used for high school hockey games, it’s safe to say that the two sports have a number of parallels and variations. Many fans seem to enjoy bashing the opposite sport for the sake of argument, when in reality, there should be mutual respect.

In both the octagon and squared circle, fighters can suffer a serious injury at any given moment, train hard to cut weight and make major sacrifices in effort to better their careers. Regardless if the boxing vs MMA debate continues for years to come or is finally put to rest, fans should respect fighters in both sports for what the punishment they put their bodies through to make a living.

– Friday, April 22, 2011 9:00pm ET featuring Combat USA Fighting Championship – “State Finals” at the Oneida Casino, Green Bay, Wisconsin. The card features a four fight co-main event featuring the finale of the four-man tournaments to crown champions in multiple weight divisions. Combatants bring a wealth of experience into the fights. Josh “Manic Maker” Kasee (7-5) challenges veteran Nick Agallar (24-6) for the 145lb championship, while Sherron Leggett (7-1) battles James “The Unbreakable Heavy Hitter” Warfield (19-7) for the 155lb title. In the 170lb finals, undefeated Tim Hallock (3-0) competes against Lenny Nelson (5-1) while the 185lb title will match Gerald “The Machine” Meerschaert (11-3) against Herbert “Whisper” Goodman (10-7). Eleven Total Fights.

– Friday, April 2, 2011 11:00pm ET featuring Ultimate Reno Combat 24 – “Throw Down” at The Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, Nevada. The 12-fight event is headlined by FOUR title fights. In the main event Oscar Ramirez (5-0) faces Shaun Nance (3-1) for the Flyweight Championship. The undefeated Ramirez is a veteran of Ultimate Reno Combat and an extremely quick starter who has only had one fight advance out of the first round and that ended in the second. Ramirez looks to keep his title and streak alive against the Oregon import Shaun Nance. Nance is on a three-fight winning streak stopping his last two opponents by TKO and is looking to make Ramirez number three. The co-main event features Brandon Frunk (8-2) battling Marcus Ocegueda (3-4), for the Bantamweight Championship.

– Saturday, April 23, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring “Knock Out Night One” at the Williamson County Pavilion in Marion, Illinois. UFC veteran Hermes Franca (21-10) battles top prospect and M1 Global phenom Josh Thorpe (11-3). Franca has faced a “who’s who” in the lightweight division including holding wins over Nate Diaz and Spencer Fisher and losing a narrow decision to current UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar. Hot on a winning streak, Franca is looking to make Thorpe his next victim either by KO or submission as he has already done with 19 of his 21 wins. Thorpe will look to use his wrestling to nullify Franca’s game plan and cage-savvy by controlling where the fight goes. The co-main event pits another UFC veteran Matt Veach (12-3) against contender Eric Wisely (14-5) in a lightweight battle featuring two of the game’s most intense workers.

– Saturday, April 23, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Saturday Sheika vs. Wilson – “USBA Cruiserweight Title” at the Palladium Ballroom at Caesars Atlantic City. Sheika, 34, scored a fourth-round knockout over Wilson on Mar. 26, 2010, in Hamilton Township, NJ. Wilson, unknown at the time, started fast, won the first round, but played to the crowd, stood and danced between rounds in his corner, then slowly ran out of gas and ideas. The fight turned late in the second round when Sheika found his range and Wilson’s body. By the fourth, it was over. After that, Skeika (30-10, 21 K0s) knocked out Jim Strohl, of Las Vegas, NV, again in Hamilton Township, then lost a 10-round decision to world-rated Romanian light-heavyweight Adrian Diaconu, in Montreal, Canada.

– Saturday, April 23, 2011 9:00pm ET featuring Trilogy Championship Fighting – “Rumble At The Ranch” at the Camelback Ranch-Glendale in Phoenix, Arizona. UFC veteran Edwin “Babyface” Dewees (35-12) squares off against tough challenger “Pick Em Up” Chuck Huus (6-2) in the night’s main event. Dewees has had a storied career and been in epic battles with some of the legends of the sport including Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Rich Franklin. One of the grizzled veterans of Arizona MMA, Dewees looks to show why he still deserves to be considered one of the sport’s best. Huus is looking for a popular fighter to make his name off of and elevate his career and get to places Dewees has already been. Both men are looking to use the other as a stepping stone which suggests this fight is going to be a high-octane, fast-paced match from start to finish. The co-main event features IFL and BodogFight contender Ray “Bam Bam” Steinbeiss (12-7) against upstart Ryan Kelly (3-1). Steinbeiss.

– Saturday, April 23, 2011 9:00pm ET will be Video on Demand on Sunday April 24 by Noon ET, featuring Rocktagon – Elite Series 5 at the Midway Mall in Elyria, Ohio. American Hardcore MMA’s Garret ‘The Sickness’ Sahene will face Rocktagon MMA’s Marcus Washington. Sahene and Washington have endured many hard fought wars in the cage, but both must put their titles on the line on April 23. Who will emerge as the Rocktagon MMA Amateur Lightweight Champion Fans will find out next Saturday night! World Class MMA’s top prospect, Garret ‘The Sickness’ Sahene, is an American Hardcore MMA veteran and the organizations current lightweight champion. Sahene (7-2) is highly regarded as one of Ohio’s premiere mixed martial arts competitors. He recently claimed the American Hardcore MMA title in a hard fought decision win over Personal Training Tactics fighter Khama Worthy. Sahene is determined to prove that he is the organizations true amateur lightweight champion and plans to keep the belt where it belongs, in his possession. Standing in his way is Samuel L. Felton Jr. Athletic Club fighter Marcus Washington (5-0-1), a hard charging, explosive knockout artist that has quickly become a Rocktagon MMA fan favorite.

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 950 live events with over 5,000 combat sports videos in 190 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL combat sports genres currently include Boxing, MMA and Professional Wrestling with plans to add more fight categories in 2011. GFL offers expanded programming to include: Daily News & Radio Shows with feature interviews and industry updates along with great Fight Photos, Fighter Videos and a robust Calendar of Upcoming Fight Events.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

Join us at: www.facebook.com/gofightlive or for press inquiries contact press@gfl.tv

Northern California, April 19, 2011 – It’s the type of quest for greatness that has the masses in a frenzy.

Strikeforce welterweight champion, Nick Diaz is making an open challenge to the boxing world as he pursues the impossible attempting to become a recognized world champion in two dominant fighting sports.

Currently riding a 10-fight win streak, Diaz is ready to make the cross-over into boxing as he feels as though there aren’t enough significant challenges for him within the MMA world left to conquer.

Regardless of being a controversial figure with his outspoken personality and vicious fighting demeanor, knowledgeable MMA pundits have tabbed Nick Diaz as having by far the best pure boxing ability that the MMA world has to offer.

The current champions and former champions that have verbally considered obliging Diaz in a boxing match have ranged from former super middleweight champion Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy to former two-time junior middleweight champion Fernando Vargas.

Lou Dibella, the promoter of current undisputed middleweight champion, Sergio Martinez has showed significant interest in making a Martinez-Diaz super-fight a possibility.

Trainer and manager of Nick Diaz, Cesar Gracie states, “Nick Diaz will be boxing in 2011 and we want the biggest names the boxing world has to offer. Nick is more than ready for the challenge and it’s the type of fight that will really garner some huge interest amongst the public. For the boxing guys who say that Nick has no shot against any of their guys… I say don’t be surprised when Nick pulls off the impossible.”

The possibilities seem endless as this is a historically significant challenge being made by a fearless fighter in his absolute prime.

This will undoubtedly be the only moment in the history of both sports in which a legitimate pound-for-pound MMA champion has the contractual ability to transition into professional boxing without hindrance from their MMA contract.

The only question left is… Who will step up and accept Nick Diaz’s challenge to lace up the boxing gloves against one of MMA’s best?

Boxing promoter of Nick Diaz, Don Chargin will be actively pursuing a fight for Diaz for a super-fight that will take place in the Fall of 2011.

Chargin went on to say. “It’s the type of match-up that will undoubtedly shake-up both the MMA and boxing world for years to come when Nick Diaz steps into the ring. Nick is the first MMA fighter that I’ve seen throw punches like a boxer. That’s what got my attention when I decided to sign him. Diaz can make the cross-over to boxing.”

GFL Combat Sports Network is proud to announce its latest expansion in the emerging amateur MMA fight category by signing a video distribution agreement with the rising popular Rocktagon MMA. Rocktagon MMA will start by airing its first VOD event in the “Amateur Elite Series 5” on www.gfl.tv on April 24, 2011. The series will begin its journey in Elyria, Ohio and begin moving the series to California, Texas and points beyond.

Keith Evans, VP of Operations at GFL, says, “We at GFL are excited about Rocktagon. We believe Rocktagon has their finger on the pulse of “Raw and Uninhibited” MMA. They approach the amateur game in a music underground way with big emphasis on fighters putting their future and their hearts on the line. These fight cards are not Tenderfoot Try Outs…They’re fully fledged Rock-On Battles. Another thing that really works for them is the way they promote events more like a Warped Rock Concert versus a regional High School wrestling tournament. Fans at the amateur level don’t generally see poor competitions; they mostly see poor fight presentations. There are number of amazing amateur fighters springing up and it’s promoters like Rocktagon that is helping to elevate the amateur MMA platform to another level.”

“Amateur Elite Series 5” will feature one of the most highly anticipated lightweight title unification matches in amateur MMA history. Reigning lightweight champions Garret “The Sickness” Sahene and Marcus Washington will go head to head in the Rocktagon arena to determine who will reign as the “Rocktagon Unified Lightweight Champion.”

First event will take place on Saturday, April 23, 2011 at Midway Mall in Elyria, Ohio and not available on live iPPV, however available on April 24, 2011 on GFL VOD. To experience the Rocktagon excitement in person on at Midway Mall in Elyria, Ohio, go to www.rocktagonmma.com. Doors open at 5:00 pm ET. Fights begin at 7:00 pm ET. Tickets range from $25.00 to $35.00 at the door. Save $5.00 now by purchasing your tickets in advance! Limited VIP Tables are also available. Call 440.731.1321 for more information.

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 850 live events with over 5,000 combat sports videos in 190 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL combat sports genres currently include Boxing, MMA and Professional Wrestling with plans to add more fight categories in 2011. GFL has expanded its programming to include: Daily News & Radio Shows with feature interviews and industry updates along with great Fight Photos, Fighter Videos and a robust Calendar of Upcoming Fight Events.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

– Saturday, April 16, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Showdown Fights – Shootout at the UCCU Center, Orem, Utah. The main event has former UFC and WEC fighter Tim “The Wrecking Machine” McKenzie (12-8) and Jordan “Mata Ele” Smith (15-1) will face off in welterweight action. Only one of McKenzie’s twenty professional fights has reached the judges, and he’ll be looking to rebound from a losing effort to former Ultimate Fighter star Seth Baczynski in December. Smith scored a rear-naked choke submission over Mario Sartori in his last bout and has only suffered one defeat thus far in his career. The co-main event of the evening will see Team Alpha Male product and UFC veteran Justin Buchholz taking on hometown favorite Steven “Razor” Sharp. Buchholz looks to return to his winning ways in the Showdown Fights: Shootout, while Sharp will be looking to improve on his win over Brad McRae at “Showdown Fights: New Blood.” 11 Total Fights.

– Saturday, April 16, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Cage Fury Fighting Championship 7 – No Mercy at The Resorts Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, NJ. The promotion is back with an 11 bout card featuring a sensational main event headlined by former UFC and IFL vet Andre Gusmao (6-2) VS undefeated upstart Tim Williams (5-0). Both Gusmao and Williams are known for their aggressive style with only one fight between them ever having gone to a decision; and that lone decision was a fight Gusmao had with reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones, back at UFC 87. Gusmao and Williams will be true to form on April 16 and give the fans a fight loaded with fireworks. The co-main event features two seasoned lightweights as Lester Caslow (6-4), fresh off a stint with Bellator looks to test Eddie Fyvie (8-4).

– Saturday, April 16, 2011 9:00pm ET featuring Ring of Fire – Backlash at the 1St Bank Center, Denver, Colorado. Headlining the event will be a clash of two of the top Welterweight prospects on the professional circuit. ROF Young Gun Champion, Brandon “Rukus” Thatch will be defending his belt against challenger Chris “The Hammer” Holland. There is no more dynamic exciting fighter in the welterweight division then Brandon “Ruckus” Thatch. He is a lifelong martial artist whose father and grandfather were both professional fighters. After a short stint in Kickboxing Thatch set his sights on MMA, and has never looked back. A neck injury de-railed the young star, and after a 20 month absence he returned at ROF 39, where he finished Las Vegas fighter Danny DEE-1 Davis in a non title bout. Thatch now looks forward to returning to the ROF cage and defending his YOUNG GUN Title belt against Chris Holland. Thatch won’t have to look very far for motivation as Holland has beaten two of Thatch’s training partners in the ROF cage. 8 Scheduled fights.

– Saturday, April 16, 2011 8:00pm ET featuring Saturday Night of KO Fights: 3 Future World Champions at the Greensboro Coliseum, North Carolina. Undefeated popular Light Heavyweight Scott “Cujo” Sigmon takes on Tiwon Taylor in a ten round bout for the UNBC America’s Light Heavyweight title. Sigmon of Bedford, Virginia has a record of 15-2 with seven knockouts and has a great fan base in the Virginia area. Sigmon is riding a seven bout winning streak and has defeated the likes of Abdul Gillard (2-0); Frankie Filipone (2-0); Toris Brewer (14-2); Julius Kennedy (7-1) and his last fight he scored a 4th round stoppage over John Michael Terry. Taylor is a veteran who has been in with the “who’s-who” of the Light Heavyweight divisions.

GFL now offers full access to over 5,000 fights for the low monthly price of $9.99 at www.GFL.tv

***GFL is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 850 live events with over 5,000 combat sports videos in 190 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 1.8 million public viewers last year with now over 150 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL combat sports genres currently include Boxing, MMA and Professional Wrestling with plans to add more fight categories in 2011. GFL has expanded its programming to include: Daily News & Radio Shows with feature interviews and industry updates along with great Fight Photos, Fighter Videos and a robust Calendar of Upcoming Fight Events.

If Combat Sports is your game…Go Fight-Every Night with GFL Combat Sports Network

NEW YORK (March 21, 2011) – Josh Thornburg (6-2), of Stockton, Calif., a member of the Cesar Gracie Fight Team who’s coached and cornered by STRIKEFORCE World Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz, will replace an injured Conor Heun and face James Terry (9-2), of Livermore, Calif., in a televised 165 pound catch weight fight of a STRIKEFORCE Challengers Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) card presented by Rockstar Energy Drink at Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif., on Friday, April 1, live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Heun, of Los Angeles, tore ligaments in a knee during training and had to withdraw.

The up-and-coming, ultra-tough Thornburg had won two in a row and six of seven until losing his last start to local favorite and more-experienced Roger Bowling in a non-televised fight of STRIKEFORCE: Feijao vs. Hendo last March 5 in Columbus, Ohio.

Thornburg dropped a unanimous decision to Bowling, who had much to prove after being defeated by Bobby Voelker in his previous start, but the 6-foot, 26-year-old was competitive, rallied to have a good second round and nearly locked up a guillotine in the closing seconds.

“There’s no such thing as a moral victory and I was very disappointed I couldn’t get it done (against Bowling),’’ Thornburg said. “Going in, I was super confident. But I appreciate that I’m getting a chance to come right back and fight in my hometown on SHOWTIME.’’

Tickets, starting at $20, are on sale for STRIKEFORCE’s first fight in Stockton at the Stockton Arena ticket office, online at www.StocktonTickets.com, by phone at (209) 373-1700 or (866) 373-7088 and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

The first non-televised, undercard fight will begin at 5:30 p.m. PT. Doors will open at 4:45 p.m.

In the main event, former NCAA wrestling stud Justin “The Silverback’’ Wilcox (10-3), of San Jose, Calif., will face Rodrigo Damm (9-4) of Brazil in a lightweight bout. Other fights on SHOWTIME: 2008 Judo Olympic Games Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii (4-1), of Japan, makes his STRIKEFORCE debut against kickboxing specialist Scott Lighty (6-1), of San Luis Obispo, Calif., in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) bout, David “Tarzan” Douglas (6-2), of Antioch, Calif., will take on Caros “The Future” Fodor (7-2), of Kirkland, Wash., at 155 pounds, and Tarzan’s unidentical twin, Damian (3-1), of Antioch, will meet Wayne Phillips (5-3), of San Jose.

About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.STRIKEFORCE.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose. In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network. The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

Rocktagon MMA is back in action at the North Olmsted Soccer Sportsplex in North Olmsted, OH on March 26th 2011. Headlining the show is a bantamweight rematch featuring submission specialist Dante Pennachio vs the ultra-intense Rob Miller. Both fighters are known for their explosiveness in the cage and are sure to entertain with their action packed styles. Rocktagon is also featuring their first ever female co-main event between Marcia May and Trisha Barr which also happens to be a rematch. Both of these fights were so exciting that Rocktagon had to run them back and give the fans the fistic fury they have come to expect from the nation’s fastest growing promotion.

The Breakdown:

Main Event 135 lb Title:

Dante Pennachio holds a very impressive record of 4-1 with his only loss coming to Miller. Dante has won all of fights by submission and is known as a fight finisher. He will be looking to make a statement in this fight by taking Miller out early.

Vs.

Rob Miller (8-2) has fought in an unbelievable 7 championship bouts. Rob brings a high paced, boxing and wrestling style to the cage and is well known for his relentless style. This will be Rob’s first fight in the Rocktagon arena.

Co-Main Event:

Marcia May (4-3) has fought some of Ohio’s best including Jessica Eye and Ronda Gale. Marcia brings a crippling submission game, with all of her wins coming by way of tapout. Marcia’s experience and savvy ground techniques should make her the fighter to beat in 2011.

Vs.

Trisha Barr (3-4) is a ground shark in her own right, finishing all three opponents by submission. Trisha is a dominant force and is looking to redeem her loss to May in a big way. This could be the best female fight of the new year.

Make sure you reserve your seat now as it is about to go down, as two of the area’s best 135 pound fighters lock horns in the nation’s fastest growing promotion.

*Card and Schedule Subject to Change
“Cage Stars Amateur Elite Series 4” is brought to you by Lone Tree Tavern. Don’t miss this exciting night of fights! Join Rocktagon MMA on Saturday, March 26th at North Olmsted Soccer Sportsplex in North Olmsted, OH. Doors open at 5:00 pm ET. Fights begin at 7:00 pm ET. Tickets range from $20.00 to $40.00 at the door. Call 440-934-4662 for more information.

About Rocktagon MMA:

Ohio based Rocktagon MMA is a premier mixed martial arts and entrainment group dedicated to hosting quality events and taking highly skilled MMA fighters from obscurity to the National level. At Rocktagon MMA we treat each fighter like an individual business. We focus on the fighter, their skills, and their image, as we help them build a strong presence in the mixed martial arts arena.

NEW YORK (March 11, 2011) – Fights between lightweights (155 pounds) James Terry (9-2), of Livermore, Calif., and Conor “Hurricane” Heun (8-4), of Los Angeles, and welterweights (170 pounds) Damian Douglas (3-1), of Antioch, Calif., and Wayne Phillips (5-3), of San Jose, Calif., have been added to the televised portion of a STRIKEFORCE Challengers Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card presented by Rockstar Energy Drink at Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif., on Friday, April 1, live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

In the main event, former NCAA wrestling stud Justin “The Silverback’’ Wilcox (10-3), of San Jose, will face Rodrigo Damm (9-4) of Brazil in a lightweight bout. Other fights on SHOWTIME: 2008 Judo Olympic Games Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii (4-1), of Japan, makes his STRIKEFORCE debut against kickboxing specialist Scott Lighty (6-1), of San Luis Obispo, Calif., in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) bout, and David “Tarzan” Douglas (6-2), of Antioch, the unidentical twin of Damian, will take on Caros “The Future” Fodor (7-2), of Kirkland, Wash., at 155 pounds.

Tickets, starting at $20, are on sale for STRIKEFORCE’s first fight in Stockton at the Stockton Arena ticket office, online at www.StocktonTickets.com, by phone at (209) 373-1700 or (866) 373-7088 and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com). The first non-televised, undercard fight will begin at 5:30 p.m. PT. Doors will open at 4:45 p.m.

Terry, a winner of two in a row and four of five, is coming off a 3:26, first-round TKO (punches) over Lucas Gamaza last Jan. 29 in San Jose. An explosive 170-pounder with heavy hands, excellent stamina and athleticism, the 5-foot-10, 30-year-old Terry is a product of Cung Le’s Universal Strength Headquarters in San Jose. He is 4-1 for STRIKEFORCE.

Terry, who was born in Kodiak, Alaska, started wrestling at the age of five. He was a high school state champion in Alaska and Arizona. At Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz., he was a two-time NJCAA All American. Terry transferred to Arizona State for his junior year, but he sustained an injury that ended his collegiate career.

In June 2006, Terry moved to San Jose and joined Le’s outfit. He went 5-0 at the outset of an MMA career that began in August ‘06.

“I’m looking forward to a good, hard fight against Conor, who has solid experience against top guys,’’ Terry said. “This is a big step up, but these are the kinds of fights I want. I appreciate the opportunity I am getting. I’ll be ready.’’

Heun is winless in two fiercely contested, bloody, highly entertaining STRIKEFORCE fights, but the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt and former IFL and EliteXC fighter could just as easily be 2-0.

Last June 16 in Los Angeles on SHOWTIME, the aggressive-minded 5-foot-10, 30-year-old wound up on the wrong end of a split decision against former world champion KJ Noons in a thrilling affair. On a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event on June 16, 2009, in Kent, Wash., Heun dropped a close, unanimous decision to Jorge Gurgel in a grueling, non-stop-action encounter that left both combatants bloodied and battered.

“I want to win this fight badly,’’ said Heun, a superb athlete who was ahead on one scorecard against Noons (29-28), but behind on the other two (30-27). “I was very disappointed when only one judge got it right (against Noons). I love to put on great fights. But this is one I want badly.’’

Before turning to MMA, Heun was a Division III National Qualifier wrestler at the University of Ithaca where he majored in English. After graduating, Heun did not enter MMA immediately. Instead, he went into the corporate world and even owned his own clothing apparel line. He would later leave Colorado and move to California where he began work as a dental assistant.

Damian Douglas, who competes in a full weight class higher than “Tarzan,’’ will be making his STRIKEFORCE debut and first start anywhere since registering a 0:46, first-round submission (rear-naked choke) over Joe Schilling on Sept. 26, 2008. Damian turned pro in August 2007, nearly two-and-one-half years after his brother did.

Phillips has won both his STRIKEFORCE fights. In his last start, he scored a split decision over Fernando Bettega on Dec. 4, 2010, in St. Louis. Phillips produced a 4:27, first-round submission over Erik Lawson in his debut for the promotion on Feb. 26, 2010.

A winner of five in a row, Wilcox will be making his third consecutive start on Challengers and will be headlining for a second straight time. On Nov. 19, 2010, in Jackson, Miss., he took a unanimous decision over highly touted Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro in the main event on SHOWTIME.

Wilcox, a 5-foot-6, 32-year-old former bodybuilder, was born in Cincinnati, lives in Fresno and fights out of AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) in San Jose. He wrestled for Edinboro University of Pennsylvania where he befriended Josh Koscheck, who turned on his college wrestling buddy to MMA and eventually brought him to AKA.

“STRIKEFORCE has a great lightweight division,’’ Wilcox said. “There are a lot of potentially great matchups out there for me. I just take it one fight at a time, but no question I want to fight the biggest names and fight for the title.’’

Damm has previously fought for the STRIKEFORCE belt. He replaced the injured Josh Thomson on short notice to challenge STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez on April 11, 2009, in San Jose, on SHOWTIME. The Sengoku star lost to Melendez and has split his two fights since.

Perhaps Damm’s most significant victory came when he scored a second-round TKO over American Top Team’s Jorge Masvidal on June 8, 2008, in Japan. The triumph capped off an eight-fight win streak for Damm, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist who has produced submissions in five of his career wins.

David Douglas, a member of Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, is a 5-foot-11, 28-year-old non-stop action fighter who has won six out of his last seven fights, the last two very impressively. This will be his second consecutive fight on SHOWTIME.

In his last outing this past Feb. 18, Tarzan made like a “Ghostbuster,’’ making local fan favorite Nick “The Ghost’’ Gonzalez disappear via rear-naked choke after just 1:05 of the first round during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers show at Cedar Park, Texas.

“I wanted to showcase my Jiu-Jitsu skills,’’ said the well-conditioned, offensive-minded Douglas after outclassing the more experienced Gonzalez. “I’ll fight anybody. I feel most comfortable at 155 pounds. No one can beat me when I’m healthy and fighting regularly.’’

Two outings ago, Tarzan scored a second-round TKO (punches) over Dominic Clark in a non-televised match of a Challengers event on Oct. 22, 2010, in Fresno.

Tarzan’s most memorable win came against Mongkhon Wiwasuk, aka Malaipet, a Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai champ in Thailand and a dangerous striker, on Sept. 26, 2008, at Santa Ynez, Calif. He rallied to triumph by third-round TKO in a brawl that featured numerous changes in momentum, exceeded all expectations and, for sheer excitement, was as good as it gets.

Fodor, a talented 5-foot-9, 27-year-old, has won two in a row, both on STRIKEFORCE Challengers, and seven of eight. In his last fight, he submitted (brabo choke) Derek “Pretzel’’ Getzel on Nov. 19, 2010, in Jackson. The previous July 23, Fodor won the only decision of his five-year career when he unanimously outpointed Thomas Diagne.

A well-rounded fighter known for his mental toughness and ability to finish, Fodor wrestled in high school but entered the Marines six days after graduation. While he was in boot camp, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 occurred and he was sent to Kuwait for the Iraq invasion.

After an extensive, successful amateur career in which he was the Genesis Fights MMA and Muay Thai champion and Revolution submission champion, Fodor turned pro. Outside the cage, Fodor, who once had his sights set on becoming a homicide detective, is a trainer at a health club and works with mentally challenged kids while remaining active in the reserves.

Ishii will be making his United States debut. He won all four of his fights in 2010 after getting outpointed in his pro debut by fellow Judoka gold medalist Hidehiko Yoshida on Dec. 31, 2009. In his last fight, Ishii won a unanimous decision over Jerome Le Banner on Dec. 31, 2010. The 5-foot-11, 24-year-old Ishii also won a silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games. He is a two-time All-Japan Judo Champion.

Lighty, a 6-foot-2, 32-year-old from San Luis Obispo, Calif., is competing for the first time since a second-round KO (punch) over Shawn Frye on Aug. 14, 2010. This will be Lighty’s third start for STRIKEFORCE and his first in a televised fight. He registered a 2:05, first-round TKO over Mike Cook on Aug. 15, 2009, but lost to Antwain Britt the following Dec. 19.

About STRIKEFORCE
STRIKEFORCE (www.STRIKEFORCE.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose. In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network. The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.