FROM CLASSROOM TO CAGE, CLOVIS TEACHER-TURNED-MMA STAR BEN HOLSCHER RETURNS TO STRIKEFORCE ACTION MARCH 26 AT SAVE MART CENTER IN FRESNO, CALIF.

Posted on | March 9, 2010 | No Comments

NEW YORK (March 9, 2010) – A full-time ninth-grade health teacher and wrestling coach at Clovis High In Clovis, Calif., Ben “The Teacher” Holscher (5-0) continues to make the grade in mixed martial arts (MMA) where the 5-foot-11 lightweight (155 pounds) has passed his initial four tests with flying colors and will attempt to remain unbeaten when he steps up in class to face Alex Trevino (4-1) of San Jose, Calif., at the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at Save Mart Center in Fresno, California on Friday, March 26.

Juggling two professions is not easy, but Holscher continues to welcome the opportunity.

“It’s a challenge, but I was a college athlete and I grew up on a farm so time management was ingrained in me a long time ago,” said the 28-year-old Holscher, who pupiled Johnny Goh en route to registering a unanimous three-round decision at the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at Save Mart Center on Nov. 26, 2009.

“If I wanted to make my schedule easier, I could just take a few things off my plate, but I don’t want to do that right now.”

Holscher, who’ll be appearing in the top non-televised undercard fight of the evening, will be making his third start for STRIKEFORCE and his third at Save Mart Center. He was victorious in his debut for the San Jose-based organization with a 2:47, first-round submission (rear-naked choke) of Cody Canterbury on May 15, 2009, at Save Mart Center.

Tickets for the event, priced from $30, are on sale at the Save Mart Center box office and select Save Mart Supermarkets, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Save Mart Center doors will open for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at 6 p.m. PT. The first live, non-televised, preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Competing in front of so many fans, family, faculty and students inspires the popular Holscher.

“It definitely motivates you because there are a lot of people that are going to come out,’’ said Holscher, who turned pro on Nov. 8, 2008. “There are a lot of people looking at me, especially my students. I don’t want to let them down. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to use my career as a mixed martial artist to give back to the students who are in my life.’’

A former NCAA wresting standout at Chadron State College in Nebraska where he also was a three-time Academic All-American, Holscher is in his sixth year of coaching at the high school level.

Prior to joining the Clovis staff, Holscher, who was named Most Dedicated Wrestler in all four of his collegiate years, was a volunteer assistant coach at Chadron State and Fresno State University.

An enthusiastic, tireless worker, he’s also been very involved with coaching at the club/youth level with experience at the Competitive Edge Wrestling Academy, the Bulldog/Sunkist Kids Wresting Academy, and as an assistant at Clark Intermediate in addition to his year-round involvement with the high school team.

In the March 26 main event, The Miracle Man, hard-hitting Lavar Johnson (13-3), a 6-foot-4 inch, 250-pound resident of nearby Madera, Calif., will face off against highly touted prospect, undefeated Lolohea Mahe (4-0-1) of Wailua, Maui .

In other STRIKEFORCE Challengers fights on SHOWTIME® (11:45 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast): “Abongo” Humphrey (5-1), Atlanta, Georgia vs. George Bush III (5-1), Columbus, Ohio, at 205 pounds; Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Luke Stewart (6-2), San Francisco, Calif., vs. Brazil’s Andre Galvao (3-1) at 170 pounds; in a women’s match, undefeated Zoila Frausto (2-0) of Fresno, takes on talented Miesha “Takedown” Tate (7-2), Olympia, Wash., at 135 pounds; and American Kickboxing Academy wrestling stud Justin “The Silverback” Wilcox (8-3), San Jose, Calif., battles Shamar Bailey (10-1), Chicago, Ill., at a catchweight of 160 pounds.

STRIKEFORCE Challengers – where champions are born — is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. The series is designed to provide today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network, SHOWTIME. The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the “Fedor vs. Rogers” mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world’s No. 1 heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett “The Grim” Rogers.