CHAMPIONS OF TOMORROW RESULTS
Posted on | January 26, 2008 | No Comments
RESULTS FROM FOXWOODS
(Mashantucket, CT)
January 25, 2008 – “Champions of Tomorrow”
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Jason Estrada (11-1, 2 KOs), Providence, RI WDEC10 (99-91, 99-91, 98-92) Charles Shufford (20-8, 9 KOs), Las Vegas, NV
CRUISERWEIGHTS
Aaron Williams (16-0-1, 11 KOs), Las Vegas, NV WDEC8 (80-72, 80-72, 79-73) Manu Ntoh (17-14-1, 10 KOs), Atlanta, GA via Cameroon
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Joey McCreedy (6-1, 4 KOs), Lowell, MA WDEC6 (59-55, 59-55, 57-57) Chris Traietti (7-1, 4 KOs), Quincy, MA
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Angel Camacho, Jr. (9-0, 4 KOs) WDEC4 (40-36, 40-36, 40-36) Terrence Jones (10-11, 6 KOs), Oklahoma City, OK
Manuel Antonio Lopes (4-0-1, 1 KO), Brockton, MA DRAW4 (38-37, 37-38, 38-38) John Michael Terry (2-7-3, 1 KO), Portsmouth, VA
Brian Macy (1-0, 1 KO), Ledyard, CT WTKO2 (1:34) Pete Guthy (1-2-1, 1 KO), Myrtle Beach, SC
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Eric Pinaretta (2-1, 2 KOS), New Bedford, MA WTKO3 (3:00) Bobo Starnino (8-3, 1 KO), Providence, RI
FEMALE WELTERWEIGHTS
Addy Irizarry (4-1, 2 KOs), Hartford, CT WDEC4(40-36, 40-36, 40-36) Tonya Gallegos (4-7, 2 KOs), Denver, CO
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Matt Remillard (12-0, 7 KOs), Manchester, CT WDEC10 (98-92, 98-93, 96-94) Manuel Perez (11-4, 2 KOs), Denver, CO
(Remillard wins WBC Youth featherweight title)
Promoter: Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc
Matchmaker: Ted Panagiotis
Xyience Temporarily Taps Out
Posted on | January 25, 2008 | 3 Comments
XYIENCE FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY
By: Rich Bergeron
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Over a month before it became official, Fight News Unlimited reported that bankruptcy was imminent for Xyience. Our article entitled THE ENRON OF MMA exposed some of the reasons why the company is in such dire straits, but the Las Vegas Review Journal dug a little deeper this week and examined the actual voluntary bankruptcy filing Xyience went forward with last Friday.
The official filing comes after an involuntary bankruptcy petition was filed on behalf of several investors tied into a lawsuit against the current Xyience regime. The petition, filed January 3rd, calls into question the Fertitta Enterprises loan and would essentially block any attempted foreclosure by the current controlling interests, and place all the assets under the court’s discretion until the fight over the company is finally decided. Zyen, LLC, the company designed by Fertitta Enterprises to handle the $12,000,000 loan given to Xyience last year, filed a NOTICE OF STRICT FORECLOSURE late last year that allowed for only a 90 day window for investors to mount a fight for the company.
The LVRJ Xyience Bankruptcy article, now being circulated across the on-line MMA news landscape, dropped some major bombshells. Yet, there were some major inconsistencies that went to press in the piece, and the overall tone was extremely favorable to the current regime that is attempting to lock out hundreds of the company’s initial investors.
One of the most outrageous misrepresentations of the facts reported include the following passage in the article:
“Sattar said the bankruptcy became necessary when the company was unable to raise $7.5 million more from shareholders.”
This quote, coming from the lips of the company’s newly-crowned president Omer Sattar, is a blatant misrepresentation of the actual situation that gave rise to the bankruptcy. Before Fertitta Enterprises provided loan capital to Xyience, a letter went out by email to a large group of shareholders telling them that if the deal was not ratified the company would go bankrupt. Once the deal was approved by less than half the shareholders, much of the Fertitta investment went right back into a hefty three-year sponsorship extension with the UFC and also helped to pay off past due sponsorship fees of approximately $6.5 million. According to the Las Vegas Review Journal the Fertittas put almost $18 million in total capital into Xyience, and a hefty chunk of that money came out of one pocket only to go right back into another, since the Fertittas are 90% owners of the UFC. Essentially, Xyience would have had double what they needed to stay in operation if they opted not to be a UFC sponsor this year to the tune of $15 million. Even with the extension in place the latest UFC sponsor (Harley Davidson) bumped Xyience from the center of the mat, and now it appears the company paid an absolutely ridiculous price to have their name on a couple cornerpads of the octagon.
The Las Vegas Review Journal is either guilty of extreme bias or sloppy reporting. Don’t expect any follow up stories to question any move the Fertittas make. First of all, the Las Vegas Review Journal is partnered with The Las Vegas Sun, which is owned by the Greenspun Family. The Fertittas’ Station Casinos partnered with the Greenspun Family on some notable casino developments. Aliante Station and Green Valley Ranch are both joint operations put together by these two major Vegas movers and shakers.
The Las Vegas Review Journal appears to be providing aid and comfort to their business partners in their latest struggle to save face on Xyience. The LVRJ even quoted Sattar’s claims of death threats issued to Xyience officials without even contacting either of the men who reportedly made those threats in order to get a response. Ric Klingenberg was accused of making the threats along with his brother David Bergstrom. The dispute arose over a payment owed to Klingenberg’s elderly mother, and both brothers were reportedly given the run around while trying to secure a check for $20,000. Reached by phone recently, Klingenberg categorically denied the description of the events Sattar presented in the voluntary bankruptcy filings.
“I went to that office, that part’s true, but we didn’t storm in there,” said Klingenberg. “And we didn’t threaten anybody’s lives. We did go in and close the door, because, isn’t that what you do when you have a meeting?” Klingenberg said Xyience CFO Michael Levy promised him his mother would get paid when the Fertitta Enterprises loan came through. He also said he left Levy a phone message telling him when he would be there to collect the check. Levy reportedly told Klingenberg his mother “was going to have a Merry Christmas” in late December.
“Voices were raised, and everyone was talking at once,” said Klingenberg. “We were told to go find Adam Frank, because he was the only one who could authorize a check.” He was later told he’d need to get an attorney in order to collect the funds.
Klingenberg also claims that Sattar lied as far as the bankruptcy. “They didn’t file bankruptcy, we did,” he said. Klingenberg’s family trust is the main plaintiff in the investor suit under which the involuntary bankruptcy petition was filed. He explained that the company’s hand was forced by their initial filing.
In the aftermath of the bankruptcy announcement, it now appears the bad press and the legal battles mounting have forced the company to now explore the possibility of selling the whole operation. A follow up article in the LVRJ reports that financing has been approved to help position the company for a sale even while the legal battles for control of Xyience rage on.
The Fertittas have not provided any published comment on their tactics regarding Xyience, leaving President Omer Sattar to provide the company’s perspective to the public. Sattar is part of a group that came in to run Xyience from a company called Global Cash Access. Questions surrounding insider trading charges and a late filing of GCA’s third-quarter report for 2007 followed the departure of the GCA contingent that is now operating Xyience. GCA’s stock plummeted in November of 2007 and has yet to completely recover. Station Casinos was one of GCA’s largest accounts, so it appears that the partnership between former GCA employees and Fertitta Enterprises stems from that initial connection.
Although the UFC continues to operate as the top dog in the Mixed Martial Arts industry, this latest debacle with Xyience and some other recent developments point to a rocky future for the pioneers of the sport. While other leagues are constantly looking for ways to co-promote major events, the UFC continues to refuse to even acknowledge that any other league competes with them. Their lawsuit against Randy Couture is also looming as a large distraction. On top of that, Tito Ortiz is planning to leave the organization after his next fight according to mmapayout.com. While Ortiz has never been one to hold his tongue about his frustrations with Dana White, he has also never been as popular as he is now with MMA fans. As the boyfriend of Pornstar Jenna Jameson and a contestant on the celebrity edition of the Apprentice, Ortiz is at the height of his fame right now. Wherever he goes from here, that league is sure to benefit from his star status while other UFC fighters will take note and might decide to follow his lead when their own contracts run out.
The UFC seems to be having enough growing pains without their principal owners getting heavily involved in a company with such a horrible reputation. Much of the mainstream MMA press reporting on this story of Xyience going bankrupt have just now started asking questions about what’s really going on. The question on everyone’s mind seems to be: “Why would the Fertittas want to buy into their own sponsor?” We’re talking about a huge , profit-driven company here. Fertitta Enterprises is not the kind of outfit you’d expect to touch Xyience with a ten-foot pole. Yet, here they are up to their necks in debt and tied in to the point where they seem to be more willing to cut their losses than actually rebuild the brand. So, what’s the motive. Well, you simply have to go back in time a bit to find the answer. We put together an in-depth report over a month ago that outlined how this day would come.
The truth is, the Fertittas never intended to restore the dignity of the company and save the day for the shareholders who built Xyience. If that was their plan, they’d be front and center in the press talking about it. Instead, they’re hiding behind straws put in place to act as the fall guys. If they really wanted to clean the slate and keep the company in full operation, they would have tried to secure more financing a long time ago. They would have put the company first. Instead, they immediately signed a contract extension with the UFC as soon as they put their money in. The whole thing just stinks.
This whole bankruptcy fiasco has nothing to do with not having the money to prevent it. If they don’t have it, they can certainly get it. The real reason they decided to file bankruptcy is so they can lock out an estimated 380 shareholders who built and sustained this brand even while fraud and corruption were tearing the company apart from within. Just when these folks were told their payday was on the horizon and there could be an IPO as early as this month, these investors are now forced to reclaim their interest in the company through litigation that could last years. Some of them have lost their life savings.
I have run into a lot of MMA fans who read my stories and other stories about Xyience’s issues and ask, “Who cares?” They wonder why it’s a story at all and who’s the victim. The Enron, Tyco, and Worldcom scandals have tempered the American public to such an extent that we seem to expect this kind of back room underhandedness and duplicity. In one case I found a thread where one fan actually praised the Fertittas for the way they rigged their own loan by investing in Xyience.
Yet, there is so much about this story that people should care about. Let’s just go back in time again to when Xyience was at the height of its popularity. All kinds of fighters were raking in big sponsorships. GNC agreed to take on a wide array of Xyience products. The Xyience commercials were a viral video hit because of the sexy models drinking Xenergy in them. Hundreds of investors had the feeling that they could depend on this thing becoming really big. Xyience was a big ticket sponsor at a time when fighters were getting paid chump change compared to boxers. Most fighters are still reliant on sponsors, and they will be until the sport gets sanctioned in more states and becomes more of a mainstream draw. In the wake of this huge scandal that now enters Chapter 11 (pun intended), it’s clear there’s no other sponsor that’s going to equal what Xyience was doing in the beginning. Harley Davidson is not out sponsoring all kinds of fighters. You won’t find the Lumber Liquidators logo on any fighter’s shorts.
The bottom line is a lot of people got screwed so the Fertittas and Dana White could get themselves a fat dividend check. They laid waste to PRIDE first, and now they’re focused on Xyience. Every step of the way they’ve lied to the public about what they were going to do. They said they were going to keep PRIDE going only to let it completely dissolve with no hope for ressurection. Investors in Xyience were told that the Fertitta deal was the only option and they had to do the deal or watch the company go bankrupt. They did the deal, and the company is still going bankrupt. The Xyience mouthpieces working on behalf of the Fertittas said they were going to reorganize Xyience and keep the brand going only to now come out and announce plans to sell it. It’s sad that some people out there are willing to chalk all that up as good business sense.
In the end UFC fighters continue to get paid a fraction of what they should for the risks they take. Some great organizations rose and fell because of greed. Honest investors were shafted because the rich wanted to get richer. And we wonder why the economy is in shambles. Look around. People constantly get away with this kind of shady behavior simply because so many of us shrug our shoulders and say, “Who cares?”
As for who’s the victim here, it’s anybody and everybody who thinks there’s nothing wrong with this picture. It’s all the folks who choose to look the other way because great fights are still getting made. It’s all the legions of brainwashed sheep who refuse to open their minds to the possibility that they’re being lied to. It’s all the screwed investors and all the fighters being used while their bosses are raking in all the big money. If this kind of behavior is allowed to go on unchecked, everyone loses.
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Tags: Adam Frank > anybody > attorney > bankruptcy > bankruptcy filing > bankruptcy petition > Bill Bullard > bombshells > conspiracy > controlling interests > corruption > criminal > Dana White > death > description > dire straits > dispute > door > everyone > Family > Fertitta > Fertitta Enterprises > fight news > filing > financing > fraud > inconsistencies > initial investors > involuntary bankruptcy > involuntary bankruptcy petition > Journal > Las Vegas > Las Vegas Review Journal > league > loan > loan capital > lvrj > misrepresentation > misrepresentations > Mixed Martial Arts > MMA News > mother > news > news unlimited > omer > Omer Sattar > operation > phone > possibility > report > Review > scandal > Storm > time > UFC > Ultimate Fighting Championship > vegas review journal > voluntary bankruptcy > Xyience > Zyen
MONTH OF KINGS CHICAGO BOXING UPDATE
Posted on | January 25, 2008 | No Comments
Thursday night, EL Jimador’s Restaurant, 1600 N. Mannheim Road in Stone Park, just west of Chicago, will host the “open to the public” weigh-in at 7pm for THE MONTH OF THE KINGS, an outstanding evening of world class professional boxing set for Friday, January 25th at Cicero Stadium, presented by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions, HOME OF THE BEST IN CHICAGO BOXING.
Tickets for THE MONTH OF THE KINGS are available in advance by calling the 8 Count Productions offices at 312-226-5800. Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie, just minutes from the Eisenhower and Stevenson Expressways. Doors for this event will open at 5:30pm with the first bell at 6:30pm.
Along with Chicago’s 8 Count Productions and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, THE MONTH OF THE KINGS is presented by TCF Bank, Tecate Beer and AeroMexico, Mexico’s premier airline travel headquarters. The SOLO BOXEO TECATE broadcast will be viewed in 42 US markets and 70 foreign countries.
Headlining THE MONTH OF THE KINGS is an outstanding flyweight bout between former junior flyweight world champion Hugo “EL INCREDIBLE” Cazares, 25-4-1 (19KO’s) of Los Mochis, Mexico and Columbian veteran Kermin Guardia, 37-7 (21KO’s) both of whom will be making their Chicago debuts.
The full card of boxing is follows:
Hugo Cazares vs. Kermin Guardia, twelve rounds, flyweights
Carlos Ivan Velasquez vs. Ever Perez, six rounds, super featherweights
Barbaro Zepeda vs. Jose Navarrete, six rounds, featherweights
Juan Carlos Velasquez vs. Noe Inzunza, four rounds, featherweights
Ivan Popoca vs. Richard Baldo, four rounds, welterweights
Michael Faragon vs. Heriberto Ponce, four rounds, junior welterweights
Daniel Jacobs vs. Francisco Martinez, four rounds, junior middleweights
Gadiel Andaluz vs. Marsay Buggs, four rounds, super featherweights
The Master of Ceremonies for THE MONTH OF THE KINGS will be Lupe Contreras, the internationally recognized voice of Latino boxing.
8 Count Productions was started by Dominic Pesoli in 1997 and has consistently presented the highest quality professional boxing events in Chicagoland. In 2003, Pesoli along with former featherweight contender Mike Garcia opened JABB Boxing Gym, a 6,000 square foot venue dedicated to the finest Chicagoland boxers of all talent levels.
To view the seating chart and poster for this event or for more information on 8 Count Productions and JABB Boxing Gym, please visit www.8countproductions.com and www.jabbboxinggym.com
Additional information can also be obtained by visiting the Golden Boy Promotions website at www.goldenboypromotions.com
CREATING CONTENDERS SINCE 1997
EUROPEAN BOXING NEWS
Posted on | January 25, 2008 | No Comments
Former WBC supermiddle champ Markus Beyer returns to action March 14 in Munich. Beyer is now promoted by Arena. Co-headlining with Beyer is Cuban heavy Odlanier Solis. Arena thus stage two events inside three days as they are in Halle / Saale March 11 with a show headlined by heavyweight Steffen Kretschmann and cruiser Herbie Hide.
On or not? Universum have announced a show for March 8 in Krefeld headlined by WIBF feather queen Ina Menzer, GBU and WIBF jr bantam titleholder Alesia Graf, heavyweight Vladimir Virchis and cruiser Rudolf Kraj. In the case of Virchis and Kraj the Universum press release says they are both featured in WBC eliminators but neither have opponents. Virchis was supposed to fight Cuban Juan Carlos Gomez but he fell out with Arena and is now in the US. However, in an article in German paper Bild Zeitung one get the impression Arena and Gomez might be talking. The article also gives a rundown on Gomez´s many escapades outside of the ropes. One problem for Gomez in Germany is child support – according to Bild he´s taken no responsibility this far and may face court. In the ring Juan Carlos remains one of the best heavyweights around.
WBA Champion Danny Green Preparing For Big Fights
Posted on | January 25, 2008 | No Comments
A month after his impressive effort over Stipe Drews, Australia’s WBA light heavyweight champion Danny Green has slowed down for the first time in his seven year professional career to enjoy his profound success both in and outside the ring.
“Danny is absolutely over the moon with his WBA light heavy weight world title win and his life in general at present,” said Justin Manolikos, Green’s manager and partner in the promotional firm Green Machine.
“Just after the bout, his second child, a son named Archie, was bought into the world so it was an amazing end to 2007 for The Green Machine! He is currently having six weeks off to enjoy his recent achievements and set his goals for 2008.”
Not content to rest on his laurels, the 34 year old slugger has set his sights on immediately leveraging the WBA belt into a clash with the light heavyweight division’s longest serving world champion, but must also defend the WBA belt in the near future against a very dangerous mandatory challenger.
“We are currently looking at various options as to Danny’s next move,” said Manolikos. “The WBA have ordered his mandatory against Hugo Garay of Argentina to be undertaken by 16 April. However, we have been approached about doing a unification bout with WBO champion Zsolt Erdei also, which is a huge opportunity for Danny. This next bout is likely to again be in his home town of Perth, Western Australia.”
Green, 25-3 (22), has been drawing sizable audiences Down Under since early in his pro career, culminating in the 2006 super middleweight pairing with his nemesis Anthony Mundine in front of over 30,000 people in Sydney, but a rematch at a higher weight with “The Man” or a long anticipated showdown with Green’s only serious domestic competition at light heavyweight could result in the highest grossing Aussie fight card of all time.
“As well as the Erdei and Garay fights, there are potentially two large domestic matchups waiting to happen,” said Manolikos. “These are with twice WBC title contender Paul Briggs and of course, WBA super middle weight title holder Anthony Mundine. Either one of these would bring huge domestic support and overseas interest. So, as you can see, there are many attractive and lucrative match ups for Danny for 2008.”
For Danny Green, the Drews victory provides opportunity to go forward with a clean slate. “I’d like to say thanks to all those that have continued to support me, particularly after my losses to Beyer and Mundine at super middle,” said Green. “The atmosphere during the bout with Drews was electric. Many people, including some so called experts, told me to retire and to them, I also say ‘thank you’ for driving me to become a two time, two weight division world champion!”
Press Release composed by Curtis McCormick for www.dannygreen.com.au
SHOXC FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS FINAL QUOTES AND PHOTOS
Posted on | January 25, 2008 | No Comments
IMG_3546: Eddie Alvarez (left) and Ross Ebanez square off after the weigh-in.
IMG_3553: Paul “Semtex” Daley (left) and Sammy Morgan pose.
IMG_3560: Bobby McMaster (left) and Bao Quach face off after weighing in.
IMG_3568: Julie Kedzie (left) and Tonya Evinger square off.
IMG_3578: Kala Kolohe Hose (left) and Fred Belleton pose.
Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008,
Trump Taj Mahal Atlantic City Hotel & Casino
Philadelphia’s Eddie Alvarez faces Ross “Da Boss’’ Ebanez, of Hilo, Hawaii, in a 165-pound co-featured bout tomorrow/Friday on the 2008 premiere of ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
The other co-feature will match England’s Paul “Semtex” Daley against Sam “The Squeeze’’ Morgan, of St. Paul, Minn., in a 170-pound scrap.
Other televised fights: Bobby McMaster, of Boston, Mass., will try to regain his winning ways against the always-dangerous Bao Quach, of Huntington Beach, Calif., at 150 pounds; “The Hawaiian Rocky Balboa,’’ Kala Kolohe Hose, of Honolulu, faces Fred Belleton, of Stoughton, Mass., at 185 pounds; and Julie Kedzie, of Albuquerque, N.M., by way of Greenwood, Ind., will attempt to win her fourth straight when she battles Tonya Evinger, of Reno, Nev., by way of Oak Grove, Mo., at 140 pounds.
Scheduled non-televised undercard bouts include: Zach Makovsky (3-0), of Philadelphia, vs. Wilson Reis (2-0), of Philadelphia at 140 pounds; James “Binky’’ Jones (4-5), of Baltimore, Md., vs. Mark Getto (1-3-1), of Philadelphia, at 160 pounds; Sergio Vinagre (2-1), of New Jersey, vs. Brett Linebarger (2-1), of New Jersey, at 185 pounds; Joe Shilling (pro debut), of Los Angeles, vs. Matt Makowski (1-0), of Philadelphia, at 170; and Drew Puzon (1-1), of New Jersey, vs. Charlie Brennemen (4-0), of Philadelphia, at 170 pounds.
The fights at Trump Taj Mahal Atlantic City Hotel & Casino are scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds with the exception of Kedzie-Evinger, which is slated for three, 3-minute rounds.
Tickets, starting at $40, are available at the Trump Taj Mahal box office and online at www.ticketmaster.com. The live card begins at 9 p.m.; doors open at 8.
EDDIE ALVAREZ
“This is going to be a great fight. Style-wise, I look at Ebanez and he reminds me of me. With two fighters who like to come forward and give their all, the fans are in for a treat.
“I expect – and want – him to bring out the very best in me so I can show the world what Eddie Alvarez is really all about. Fighting in my backyard and on SHOWTIME is a great opportunity.
“I’ve been around long enough to know how to handle any pre-fight jitters, but I am truly excited for this one. Fighting an aggressive southpaw is perfect. This is an exceptional main event.’’
ROSS EBANEZ
“I’ve prepared myself to hear a lot of boos when I come into the cage and get introduced, but, hopefully, I can silence them and eventually have them on my side and rooting for me at the finish. But Eddie is a good, solid, aggressive fighter who deserves the attention he is getting.
“For me, career-wise, this is quite an accomplishment. To fight a guy like Eddie, in his backyard, in the main event on SHOWTIME, is extremely exciting and satisfying.
“This is a tremendous fight for the fans. I’m ready to go, and I know he feels the same way. I have fought all kinds, though, so I doubt he is going to present me with any situations that I have never seen before. I am very confident.’’
PAUL “SEMTEX’’ DALEY
“The fans know me in Europe, but not so much here, so I am thrilled to be fighting again in the United States. The exposure all of us get from fighting on SHOWTIME is invaluable.
“Morgan has fought a lot of tough opponents, but he hasn’t had many tough fights. That’s what is going to happen again. I am going to outclass him and do what I do best: knock him out and put on a great show for the fans. Morgan is going to feel like he got ran over by a truck.
“I really want to thank EliteXC and SHOWTIME for putting me on this card.’’
SAMMY “THE SQUEEZE’’ MORGAN
“Some people may think Daley is something special, but I don’t. I’m going to knock him out and send him home to England to his ‘mummy’ so they can have their tea and crumpets together.
“I really am confident that I am not only going to win this fight, but that I am going to win convincingly and shock a whole lot of people along the way.
“I fear nothing. I’ve been hit in the face and taken to the ground before. If he thinks this is going to be an easy fight, he is in for a major surprise. I am not a joke, or someone who can be taken lightly. This is the fight that is going to get me right to where I need to be in this division.’’
BOBBY MCMASTER
“It took me a few weeks to put that last fight behind me, but I have. Still, it’s hard to believe it ended the way it did. But that’s what happens when you get overanxious.
“I am fighting a real tough guy with a lot of talent and experience. I have a lot of respect for Bao. But I do not worry about what any of my opponents can do. They have to worry about me.
“Fighting on SHOWTIME is like making it to the major leagues. You can’t cut corners at this level. This is going to be a great fight. But I am going to do my thing and win it.’’
BAO QUACH
“I really don’t like to talk a lot but I am very excited about this opportunity I am getting. I have trained very hard and am in really good condition. This is a good opponent. He can wrestle and ground and pound. But so can I.
“In some ways, I think we are alike. But I feel very strong and confident and I am ready for a war. I always expect a tough fight. This could be the fight of the night.’’
JULIE KEDZIE
“After my fight with Gina (Carano), she became a superstar and I am very happy for her and I appreciate her giving me the chance to fight her. But even though I got my butt whipped, I didn’t feel like I lost. I came away from that fight feeling good about myself and my ability to compete.
“Because of that fight, I got recruited to fight for Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, and it has been a blessing. I haven’t lost since and I feel like I have improved my skills in all areas. I am happier than ever. I am busting my butt in the gym, but it is paying off.
“I am looking forward to fighting Tonya. She is tough as nails. But this is my chance to show I can fight an opponent with a different style. It’s an honor for me to fight again for EliteXC on SHOWTIME.’’
TONYA EVINGER
“I fought like crap against Gina. About halfway through, I just went stupid. I think I got distracted by her (good looks).
“I am ready for a rematch right now, but I have to win this fight first. Then, maybe I can fight Gina again and beat her and get my career back on top.
“Julie is a good fighter, but this fight, like all my fights, is about me, and me sticking to my game plan. If I can do that, I’m confident I will win.’’
KALA KOLOHE HOSE
“Every fight is important to me and you can’t beat the exposure you get when you fight on SHOWTIME, so I am ready. My opponent is a really tall fighter with a lot of good experience, but I have fought experienced, tall guys before.
“All people want to talk about is me fighting Robbie Lawler and all the postponements. But I am not even thinking about Lawler now.
“My only focus is on winning Friday. To underestimate or look past anybody would be a big mistake for any fighter.’’
FRED BELLETON
“This is a great opportunity for me to make a good name for myself against a quality opponent. I am more excited than nervous. It is quite an achievement for me to make it all the way to a SHOWTIME card, but the next step is for me to win the fight.’’
“I have worked very hard and I still have a lot to prove. But this is my golden chance to break through. I am treating this like the biggest fight of my career.’’
About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite Inc. [PELE.PK] delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment via the Internet. ProElite embraces MMA with the highest levels of honor, integrity, discipline and self-esteem all the while remaining inclusive for fighters, fans and schools. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. ProElite’s interactive business, ProElite.com, capitalizes on the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts by building a community of MMA enthusiasts. In addition to streaming the most exciting live fights to the web, ProElite expands the fan base of the sport by providing a comprehensive set of online social networking tools for fans, fighters and organizations. ProElite.com – Empowering the Fight Community TM
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI is also an owner and manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL®, a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.
TANK ABBOTT TO APPEAR ON JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE TONIGHT
Posted on | January 24, 2008 | No Comments
This just in: The always colorful, entertaining and unpredictable David “Tank” Abbott will be a special guest on the nationally televised Jimmy Kimmel Live show tonight/Thursday at 12:05 a.m. ET/PT on ABC.
Tank (tankabbott.proelite.com), one of the original Mixed Martial Arts bad boys and most ferocious knockout artists in history, will discuss, among other things, his eagerly anticipated, long-awaited grudge fight with Kimbo Slice (kimboslice.proelite.com) set for Saturday, Feb. 16, at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami on SHOWTIME.
Other guests Thursday will include reality show star Heidi Montague of the “The Hills.”
“WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS MAN” FIGHTS AT CAGE RAGE 25
Posted on | January 24, 2008 | No Comments
Shamrock Signs EliteXC Multi Fight Deal
Saturday, March 8, At Wembley Arena In London, England two members of a legendary combat family phenomenon will fight at Cage Rage 25 presented by EliteXC, at Wembley Arena on March the 8th.
“The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock and his son Ryan, are to make their Cage Rage debut at a packed Wembley Arena.
His opponent – Britain’s Robert ‘Buzz’ Berry – is braced for an epic clash of the titans in this World class heavyweight encounter.
Ticket sales for the historic event have already gone through the roof. Seats can be secured at www.cagerage.tv or via the Wembley Box Office 0870 060 0870.
The World-class bill includes a Featherweight World title clash between Jean Silva and Masakazu Imanari plus Britain’s hotshot hopeful Gary Turner versus Mustapha Alturk.
And there’s an historic female fight – the first in Cage Rage history – between Londoner Aysen Berik and Dublin’s fair fighter, Aisling Dailey.
But the talk of the town resounds to the sensational Hall-of-famer signing a multi-fight deal.
Ken Shamrock, is one of the true MMA legends and biggest pay-per-view draws in any sport, and his son, Ryan, will make a massive impact at Wembley.
“We’re thrilled to have signed Ken and Ryan Shamrock,’’ said EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw, who made the announcement Monday. “Ken is one of the most recognizable and popular figures in MMA. He has fought the biggest and some of the most important fights in MMA history.
“Ken is responsible for putting MMA on the worldwide map and making it what it is today. I have the utmost respect for all the Shamrocks. Believe me, I have signed fighters with EliteXC and many more in boxing, but I can truly say I’m as excited about this signing as I have ever been.
“I’m realIy looking forward to seeing the Shamrocks in action.’’
Shaw isn’t wasting time putting Ken (kenshamrock.proelite.com), who has defeated the likes of Bas Rutten, Maurice Smith, Dan “The Beast” Severn and Kimo in his illustrious career, and Ryan (ryanshamrock.proelite.com) to work.
Father and son will compete on the same card when they fight on “EliteXC Presents: Cage Rage 25’’ on Saturday, March 8, at Wembley Arena in London, England.
“I’m totally committed to returning to the cage injury free and anxious about fighting in England for the first time,’’ the older Shamrock said. “It is very exciting for both Ryan and I. We will be making MMA history by being the first father and son to ever fight on the same card.
“This is a great opportunity we are getting with EliteXC. Give me a fight or two and I will be ready to fight anybody.’’
Ryan (1-0), a promising 5-foot-9-inch, 19-year-old, fights at 135 pounds. In his April 2007 debut, he beat a 31-year-old veteran by submission (rear naked choke) at 1:38 into the first round.
The younger Shamrock has always loved sports and played football and wrestled at East Lake High School in Chula Vista, Calif.
“After high school, I enrolled at a culinary school in San Diego,’’ Ryan said. “But I guess fighting is in my genes because on a train ride with my dad last year to Moline, Ill., for an MMA event, I asked him if he I could put college on hold and go into fighting. My dad never pushed me to get into fighting; it was just something I wanted to do.
“He said he would help me in any way he could, but to make sure I got an education in school. I promised him I would, and here we are.
“I think I am more excited than nervous about fighting on the same card with my dad. If anything, it gives me more incentive. I get the chance to show that there is another Shamrock out there who can compete as well as he can.’’
About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite Inc. [PELE.PK] delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment via the Internet. ProElite embraces MMA with the highest levels of honor, integrity, discipline and self-esteem all the while remaining inclusive for fighters, fans and schools. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. ProElite’s interactive business, ProElite.com, capitalizes on the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts by building a community of mixed martial arts enthusiasts. In addition to streaming the most exciting live fights to the web, ProElite expands the fan base of the sport by providing a comprehensive set of online social networking tools for fans, fighters and organizations. ProElite.com – Empowering the Fight Community TM
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