KJ NOONS WANTS TO BECOME FIRST FIGHTER TO HOLD MMA AND BOXING BELTS SIMULTANOUSLY
Posted on | July 25, 2007 | 1 Comment
KJ NOONS WANTS TO BECOME FIRST FIGHTER
TO HOLD MMA AND BOXING BELTS SIMULTANOUSLY
He Faces Stiff MMA Test Against Edson Berto In Main Event;
Premiere Telecast of ShoXC Airs Live This Friday on SHOWTIME
LOS ANGELES (July 25, 2007) – After suffering a shocking defeat to “Krazy Horse’’ Charles Bennett in the first-ever Mixed Martial Arts fight shown on premium television (SHOWTIME), KJ Noons, of San Diego, Calif., was determined to return to action as quickly as possible.
When Noons came back, four months later, however, it was not in a cage or a hexagon. It was in a ring – a boxing ring.
Talk about a true fighter.
A May Thai specialist, Noons is a highly regarded up-and-comer in MMA with a 3-1 record. He has won numerous awards during his career, including nominations as Pride Fighting Championships Best Striker and is a former ISKA and Art of War champion.
But Noons also is a promising prizefighter with a record of 7-1 with five knockouts.
“I just alternate back and forth between boxing and MMA when I train,” he said. “It’s definitely tough. You have to work out twice as hard and twice as much. But this is what I want to do. I want to stay in both and be busy in both for as long as I can, and it is way too early to give up on either.
“My ultimate goal is to win championship belts in MMA and boxing.’’
This Friday, July 27, Noons will make network history again when he faces streaking Edson “Little Tiger’’ Berto of Winter Haven, Fla., in the first-ever edition of ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series on SHOWTIME (live at 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
The Noons-Berto fight is scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds.
In the co-feature of an exciting two-hour telecast that will feature up to five bouts at Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif., Aaron Wetherspoon of Irvine, Calif., will face local favorite Jeremiah Metcalf of Santa Ynez in a King of the Cage/Gladiator Challenge welterweight championship unification match (five, 5-minute rounds).
“I think this new ShoXC series is just great,” Noons said. “It is just like ShoBox except instead of young boxers it will focus on young talent in MMA. It gives guys like me a chance to showcase their skills on national television and get a little time to spend in the limelight.’’
Like its boxing predecessor, ShoBox, the mission of the ShoXC series is to pit young fighters against quality opposition in tough, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches.
For sure, Noons has been matched extremely tough in his return to the MMA cage in the 155-pound fight.
The always well-conditioned Berto has won 11 consecutive ultimate fighting competition fights. He won 10 in a row in Real Fighting Combat (RFC), including a title victory at 155 pounds in 2006.
In his last start, the older brother of undefeated welterweight boxer Andre Berto scored a shocking 47-second, first-round submission victory over Victor “Joe Boxer’’ Valenzuela on the undercard of “Shamrock Vs. Baroni” on June 22, 2007, in San Jose, Calif. on SHOWTIME® PPV.
Berto, who came in on a few days’ notice as a late replacement for the incarcerated Bennett, submitted Valenzuela with a perfectly executed heel hook.
“Berto has a great all-around game and is on a roll,” Noons said. “This will not be any easy fight by any means. It is a perfect ShoXC fight between two young guys. I know I will have to be at my best to beat him.’’
Noons’ fight with “Krazy Horse” on Feb. 10, 2007, on SHOWTIME ended in devastating and sudden fashion. During one of many exchanges early in the fight, a “Krazy Horse” right hook landed squarely on Noons’ chin. Noons went down and “Krazy Horse’’ pounced on him, prompting the referee to stop the bout.
“I was really disappointed and discouraged for a while, but mostly I was just mad at myself,” Noons said. “I don’t make excuses. ‘Krazy’ definitely caught me with a good shot.
“But I was too hesitant in there. Then, I made an even bigger mistake. I got caught up with the crowd, who I could tell were anxious for more action. So I tried to make something happen. Instead, I got caught.
“Every fighter loses, but it is what they do after a loss that counts. A loss like I had definitely challenges a fighter’s character. Do they get back up on their feet and get on the right track? Do they use it as a learning experience, or do they mope around?
“The good thing about MMA as opposed to boxing is that one loss doesn’t destroy you. In MMA, you can be a .500 fighter and still be a threat.’’
Noons’ last pro boxing start came on June 1, 2007, at Chumash. He registered a lopsided six-round decision, winning all the rounds on all the scorecards.
“I was really happy to get that fight out of the way,’’ said Noons, who will become the first fighter to participate in both a boxing and MMA match at Chumash. “Usually before a fight I am calm, but I was a little jittery before that one. But I concentrated on keeping my hands held high so I wouldn’t get caught and after a few rounds I was fine.’’
ShoXC will air regularly on Saturday nights — following the Friday premiere — and will feature fighters from all over the world. In the debut episode, matches will take place in a 20’ x 22’ foot hexagon cage. MMA fights on other ShoXC telecasts may take place in a cage or a ring.
In other fights on the ShoXC debut card on Friday, Jefferson “Tank’’ Silva (3-1) faces Aaron Rosa (8-0) in a 170-pound match (three, 5-minute rounds); Chris David (8-5-1) meets Scott Jorgenson (3-1) in a 135-pound bout (three, 5-minute rounds) and Muhsin Corbbrey (4-2) opposes Lee Gibson (10-2) in a 155-round contest (three, 5-minute rounds).
Up to six additional fights on Friday will be streamed live on the Internet (www.ProElite.com) immediately following the telecast.
About Pro Elite, Inc.
ProElite Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment 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. 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
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® TOO™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE® and TMC XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND™ and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. 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. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME® PPV.
GUERRERO TO HOST INTERACTIVE BLOG AT YARDBARKER.COM
Posted on | July 25, 2007 | No Comments
Bay Area CA, July 24, 2007
Two-Time IBF world champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero joins #1 NBA draft pick Greg Oden, NFL wide receiver Mark Clayton and a growing list of professional athletes that have partnered with the popular new sports blog site, Yardbarker.com. Yardbarker is a new kind of sports site where fans get to interact with professional athletes on a one on one basis.
“The Ghost” plans on updating his blog, with video and comments every week leading up to his highly anticipated showdown with #1 contender Rocky Juarez. The fight is set to take place, September 15th as the co-feature to Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Jorge Barrios on the card labeled “Fireworks,” promoted by Goldenboy Promotions.
Guerrero, a southpaw, is 20-2-1 with 13KOs. At the young age of 24, the Ghost is the current two-time IBF featherweight world Champion. He is widely regarded as one of the best young fighters in the world today.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have a boxer of Guerrero’s caliber utilizing Yardbarker to interact with his fans and give them an inside look of what goes into the training for a championship fight,” Yardbaker Co-Founder Jack Kloster said. “The direct interaction and access that fans will experience through his blog and video posts is unprecedented for a championship fighter preparing for a premier bout.”
Log on to YardBarker.com and get to know “The Ghost” Guerrero on a more personal level while getting an inside look into the life of a world champion.
About Yardbaker Inc.
Yardbarker is a sports web site that allows fans, not editors, to post, rate and discuss the best sports content available daily on the web. Yardbarker’s sports bloggers are blazing the trail for a new kind of sports journalism: witty, interactive, multimedia, refreshingly biased, and generally able to talk about sports in the language that sports fans find most engaging.
GUERRERO PLANS ON MAKING JUAREZ DISAPPEAR: “I DONT SEE IT GOING THE DISTANCE” By Greg Leon @ BoxingTalk.com
GL: Tell us about it, big fight coming up on the 15th. “Huge fight, Huge fight. I’ve been wanting to fight Rocky since day one. Since I became a professional, and now I have the chance to fight him. Even though I’m the world champ, and defending it, its a great fight. Its going to be huge. Thats what boxing needs.” read more..
FRIDAY PRO-ELITE/ELITEXC EVENT TICKETS AVAILABLE
Posted on | July 25, 2007 | 2 Comments
SEATS AVAILABLE FOR SPECTACULAR
PROELITE/ELITEXC CAGE FIGHT CARD
FRIDAY AT CHUMASH RESORT CASINO
Tickets in all price ranges are on sale for Friday’s terrific 10-bout Mixed Martial Arts cage fight card at Chumash Resort Casino at Santa Ynez, Calif. They are priced at $55, $80, $105, $130 and $155.
For ticket information and sales, please visit www.chumashcasino.com or call the box office at 1-800-585-3737. Friday’s event starts at 8 p.m. PT. Doors open at 7 o’clock.
The main event will feature Edson Berto (11-3-1) of Orlando, Fla., against KJ Noons (3-1) of San Diego (155-pound match). In the co-feature, Aaron Wetherspoon of (5-2) of Irvine, Calif., will meet hometown champion Jeremiah Metcalf (5-2) of Santa Ynez in a King of the Cage/Gladiator Challenge welterweight championship unification match. .
In other fights, Jefferson “Tanque’’ Silva (3-1) faces Aaron Rosa (8-0) in a 170-pound match; Chris David (8-5-1) meets Scott Jorgenson (3-1) in a 135-pound bout; and Muhsin Corbbrey (4-2) opposes Lee Gibson in a 155-round contest.
The fights are scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds.
Time permitting, the aforementioned five fights will be part of the premiere of SHOWTIME’s exciting, new prospect-oriented MMA show, ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series. The two-hour telecast will start at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
Up to six additional fights on Friday will be streamed live on the Internet (www.ProElite.com) immediately following the SHOWTIME telecast.
To view the Internet matchups, please see bout sheet, which is attached.
About Pro Elite, Inc.
ProElite Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment 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. 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
KEN HERSHMAN, DOUG DELUCA AND GARY SHAW CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES
Posted on | July 25, 2007 | No Comments
CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES
KEN HERSHMAN, DOUG DELUCA AND GARY SHAW
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The individuals most responsible for bringing Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to national premium television – Senior Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports Programming Ken Hershman, ProElite CEO Doug DeLuca and EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw – were featured in a national media conference call to discuss the debut of SHOWTIME’s exciting, new prospect-oriented MMA show, ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series.
ShoXC will premiere Friday at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) from Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif. The two-hour telecast will feature up to five fights.
The main event in the cage will pit Edson Berto of Orlando, Fla., against K.J. Noons of San Diego, Calif. (155-pound match).
In the co-feature, Aaron Wetherspoon of Irvine, Calif., will meet hometown champion Jeremiah Metcalf of Santa Ynez in a King of the Cage/Gladiator Challenge welterweight championship unification match.
Tickets are priced at $55, $80, $105, $130 and $155. For ticket information and sales, please visit www.chumashcasino.com, or call the box office at 1-800-585-3737. The live event will start at 8 p.m. P.T. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Hershman: We are very excited about the launch of this new franchise. We think this is going to follow closely in the footsteps of our ShoBox franchise in boxing, which has launched the careers of 10-plus world champions who are currently reigning, or have reigned in recent past. We think that this is a great new platform for EliteXC, and for MMA generally, so that fans can begin to follow their fighters from the beginning of their careers through the time they finally make it to the big game on EliteXC and SHOWTIME, and then on to Pay-Per-View from there. So, we couldn’t be happier. We think it’s a great product. I think Gary Shaw and Doug DeLuca put together a fantastic opening card. You are going to see a lot of what we are talking about with ShoXC and with up-and-comers on this first show Friday night.
DeLuca: It is great to have a partner like SHOWTIME who sees the vision. Ken Hershman has seen the vision from the beginning of this. It is nice to know that we are all committed together to grow the sport, to really take MMA to the next level, and create something great here that gives an outlet for young fighters and young talent coming up the ranks. As far as ShoXC is concerned, it is one of the things that I think I am most excited about here at ProElite. We are building a world-class global MMA organization. The next six months to a year of this sport will really define where it is going in the future, and ShoXC really speaks to that future. The future in any sport is with the young athletes and the young talent coming up. ShoXC is designed to give a platform for young athletes and young talent to really showcase what they can do. It gives them a way to build their character and build their persona to the viewing audience and to the world out there. We are going to see some great things out of ShoXC. We are going to see some great athletes emerge from it.
Shaw: For those what didn’t know, I was the creator of ShoBox, along with SHOWTIME, and to Ken’s credit, when I came up with the idea of ShoXC, I called Ken Hershman. The negotiation took about 30 seconds. I am really excited that you are going to get to see some young guys that you have not seen on television. As Ken said, ShoBox has groomed at least 10 world champions, and I don’t know how many are currently ranked and ready to fight for world titles. Eighteen ShoBox alums have gone on to be world champions. More than 10 are current world champions.
Question: Gary, can you comment about rumors of the different outlets reporting of EliteXC’s interest in some of the smaller promotions and possibly buying out and acquiring some of those smaller promotions?
Shaw: You are not going to like my answer, but we are a public company. At this point in time, I cannot comment on that question. You understand the SEC laws, I’m sure.
Question: Gary and Ken, when ProElite and ShoXC first started, was ShoXC on your radar, or something that developed and you thought of along the way?
Shaw: ShoXC was always on my radar. It was the question of time. I believe after we showed what we can do in February, what we showed Ken and SHOWTIME, what we could do on June 22, I knew that we could deliver the product. At that time, I needed to wait until we had enough fighters that I believe would show ShoXC worthy. That is what I wanted to get.
Hershman: Originally we had talked about launching ShoXC in December. You know, MMA, the franchise for MMA and EliteXC has been so positive for SHOWTIME and for EliteXC. We actually talked to Gary Shaw about accelerating that process, launching ShoXC earlier in July, which is why we are starting where we are now. So, we think this is just such a strong product and such a strong concept, and so necessary in this market place that we actually moved off the launch date.
Question: Gary, is the Edson Berto-K.J. Noons main event the kind of fight you are planning to do?
Shaw: Yeah, I am real excited. I think both Noons and Berto are going to be future stars. Those that Noons know he walked into quite a bunch from Crazy Horse, and Berto is the brother of Andre Berto. I believe in both fighters, and it is going to be very interesting. The winner and the loser may be in for another big fight in September.
Question: Gary and Ken, what do you feel are some of the biggest changes in approach between your work with promoting boxing and these MMA shows? What commonalities do you see between the sports and what things have you been doing the same?
Shaw: The commonality is the athletes. They are all fighters with huge hearts who want to go make it to the big time and want to wear a real championship belt. MMA appears to have a much more rabid audience and a younger audience. Change is the way we entertain with DJ’s and dancers, and not just a one ring card girl walking around with one, two, three, four sets. A promotion is a promotion. You put all you can into it to make the best experience you can on television and an arena experience. That is the commonality. The difference for me is understanding what I don’t know in the MMA world. I am an expert in boxing. I am not an expert in the MMA world, but I have surrounded myself with experts here in our office.
Hershman: For us (SHOWTIME) with a long 20-plus-year history televising boxing, we came in the MMA world thinking, you know, we have a lot to learn. It is a ring sport, a combat sport, but, on so many levels, it is very different in terms of how you cover the fights, the ring versus the cage aspect of it, the techniques, the whole organizational situation versus world sanctioning bodies. It is a very different world, and we don’t pretend to be an expert in it yet either. We came out very strong in February, but we also recognize from our February show and from a couple of shows in June that we have a long way to go. We look forward to growing and improving. That is why ShoXC is so intriguing for us because it gives us more shots at this, more attempts to put fighters on and our commentating team together. We think that this is going to get better and better as we go along.
Shaw: I want to interject because Ken Hershman just said something. Doug DeLuca, Ken, myself and David Dinkins are on conference calls continually in order to keep trying to improve the telecast and the in-home experience. None of us are taking this thing for granted, thinking that we have the perfect recipe. We are continually trying to get better and better, just like they follow the puck in hockey, or they give you the first down yardage in the NFL. We are also trying to be innovative, getting new camera shots, getting great lighting grids. So, you know, we have not stopped trying to learn and deliver a better product. That is a credit to all of us here at ProElite and EliteXC, and to SHOWTIME.
Hershman: That is a good point. As much as we think that we have 20-plus years of experience in boxing, MMA has taught us a lot in a very short time. Some of that we are applying back to our boxing franchise. We think this is a win-win for us from a production technique standpoint from an audience standpoint. We are already seeing more crossover in our audience demographics than we had anticipated at the beginning of this. Hopefully, we grow both franchises. That is the concept and the reason we got into this.
Question: Ken, how do you all gauge the success and what criteria do you use? Looking back, how would you rate your progress so far?
Hershman: From our standpoint, we are a subscription television network. While ratings give us some indication of performance, they are not really the be all, end all. What SHOWTIME looks at is giving our subscribers enough options that every month they plunge down that subscription fee and feel good about it. We feel expanding into MMA is just adding to our array of tremendous programming, from our movies, original series, boxing, now MMA. We think that is a lot there. Not to denigrate our competitors in the MMA space, but you can wisely spend a fraction of 40 dollars a month on Pay-Per-View, buy SHOWTIME and get your MMA fix now with EliteXC and ShoXC becoming more regularly scheduled. You are going to have a lot of that content there for you, and there are other deals that will bring even more content that we will do when we can.
Question: Ken, do you expect to bring in new subscribers?
Hershman: We think MMA will help subscriptions. We look at who is coming — the new subscribers coming to SHOWTIME versus the existing subscriber base and the demographics and the new subscribers coming on tend to be younger. So, MMA is a good fit for that in terms of the obvious demographic match.
Question: Gary, are you going after some of the bigger name fighters?
Shaw: EliteXC in California is open to all fighters. We have been speaking to some, what you would call name fighters. I am also a huge believer in building new talent and new stars, and I believe they are out there. But, we are always open to speak to those that we believe can bring something both to the EliteXC and to SHOWTIME.
Question: Gary and Ken, you mentioned the next six months to a year being extremely important for MMA. What are you looking to accomplish with EliteXC?
Shaw: I am looking for Doug DeLuca not to fire me, and for Ken Hershman not to yell at me. But, on a serious note, we are going forward with bringing you great product, building new stars and just bringing the fans great great fights I can guarantee this; EliteXC is here to stay. We are not going anywhere. We have a contract with SHOWTIME. We have a great partner in SHOWTIME. We have great things happening here as a company. There will be some great announcements in the next couple of months. We are going to just continue to bring you great product and product that you can be proud of, build the MMA franchise, and, as Doug has always said from the day I met him, hope to make MMA an Olympic sport.
Hershman: From SHOWTIME’s perspective, the strides they have ProElite and EliteXC have taken in six months time is beyond remarkable, and six months from now, you will see even a different EliteXC. Those guys are phenomenal business people and operators, and you are seeing a time warp in terms of their ability to get something this huge up and running at this level of sophistication. You are going to look at even more amazing things as we go forward. These guys are clearly the No. 2, and they have a long way to go before world No. 1, but we will get there because you can see what resources and what expertise they have brought to the game already.
Question: Gary, how do you feel about the rash of steroid positive tests among MMA fighters? Do you feel that harms the sport?
Shaw: It can hurt the sport, but it is going to hurt the individual athletes more. They will get it. They will understand that they are getting drug tested and the suspensions that go from anywhere from six months to a year, or it is going to happen one of these times with a repeat offender. It is going to be a career-ending move. We will then let everybody know that steroids cannot have a place in the sport of MMA. So, I think it is unfortunate right now that these tests are coming back positive, but I believe as time goes by, it will decrease to where it almost disappears. As you know, in boxing, it is on a very, very rare occasion that anybody has taken steroids, and when they have, the penalties have been severe.
Question: Gary, are there any plans in the future of combining more titles? Is there any word on Sokiju, is he coming to ShoXC?
Shaw: We thought we had Sokiju signed and he pulled a 180 on us. So, at this time, he is off the table with EliteXC. Unfortunately, I would have loved to have the athlete. We always want to do open championships. We have said from the beginning of the formation of this company that we wanted to present true champions, those that will fight one another. Those that don’t do that are only club champions. We are opening it up.
Question: Gary, how excited are you to have Gina Carano?
Shaw: Gina’s future is bright. She signed a multi-year contract with us. I know her personally and her family as well. She is a good person inside and out, pretty person inside and out, and she can really fight. We said from the beginning we were going to make her the face of MMA, and SHOWTIME, to Ken Hershman’s credit, took a leap of faith in both myself and in Gina and decided at the last minute to put her on in February. It was done in the press conference upstairs when Gina was doing a photo shoot with other athletes, and I said to Ken, ‘Come on, let’s try it.’ He met her and he green-lighted it there. Really, it is a combination. Without Ken Hershman green lighting a woman’s card, which was a huge leap of faith, trust me, nobody would know Gina Carano today. She would be somebody from Reno and lives in Las Vegas. She is a very, very important asset to EliteXC.
Question: Gary, will winners advance this weekend?
Shaw: No, not necessarily. ShoXC is not a tournament or ladder system in that they automatically go forward to somewhere else. What it is the opportunity to be seen on television. The exciting fighters we will bring back. We will bring back both on ShoXC if we really feel that they are a step up. Then you will see them on our EliteXC shows, and then hopefully eventually on pay per view. We want to bring you the best talent, and this is the best place to find the new, young best talent.
Question: Gary, what kind of feedback do you listen to?
Shaw: When I am there, I don’t even hear the crowd. I am focused not only on what is happening inside, but on the next fight that is coming in, all of the logistics of what is going on. So, I don’t get to enjoy my own show. I enjoy it when I am working with my guys making it, and I enjoy it when I watch it a week later and I am relaxed. But, in that arena or in that forum, I am just working. I am proud of what we have brought you so far. I thank you for your support.
Question: Ken, SHOWTIME had learned some lessons from MMA that were being applied to boxing telecasts. Can you talk about any of those specific things that you have picked up?
Hershman: I think with the advances in camera technology and lighting technology that you need to bring to MMA, actually, has helped in some very technical aspects. Beyond that, we are also reexamining the way we promote boxing, the way we talk about these fighters, because what we have seen it work in MMA. The way we have seen it work, we think we can translate into our boxing franchise. With boxing, we need to broaden that fan base. The better the crowd is, the better the television. I think what EliteXC has done in the arena experience is something that is translating to boxing and needs a carryover.
Question: Gary, is there any talk of possibly introducing a lightweight title?
Shaw: We are going to start and tinker with the 155-pound weight class. I want to broaden the sport. When I came into the sport, I was surprised that there were not lighter weights. There was no one at 130 pounds or 135 or 140 being shown on television. We should bring you the best fights with the best fighters. If there are two great fighters at 125 pounds that can fight like hell, I am going to bring them to the television, and you are going to get to meet them and then we will have that weight class. But, right now, we are very, very strong at 155 pounds, we are strong at 185. We are not looking basically just to have fighters at that weight. I am very concerned in the MMA world about this weight cutting and the dehydration and not getting rehydrated fast enough. The head injuries come basically when the fighter is not rehydrated and there is not enough water in the head and the brain area. So, the weight cutting is a big concern of mine. If we have to fit weight classes between 155 to 185 pounds, and that means we have to add two or three weight classes, we will do that. The only single thing that is important to me in my legacy is the health safety and welfare of fighter.
Question: Gary, is there any interest in bringing Frank Drake into the fold at 185 pounds?
Shaw: Yes, there’s been interest in Frank Drake, absolutely.
Question: Gary, can you tell us the difference in philosophy in match making?
Shaw: My philosophy in boxing is the same as MMA. If you signed with Gary Shaw, you have to be willing to fight. I believe that the fans get screwed. They are the ones that get screwed by not getting real fights, and I have pledged that when you have signed a document with me, you are going to fight. I have pledged to SHOWTIME that I would give them fights where fighters fight. And that’s ShoBox, ShoXC and EliteXC. A fighter does not learn anything from having a one- or two-round fight. An undefeated record is not the main thing in MMA, unlike in boxing where losses are sometimes devastating. But in boxing, where you have fighters really fight real fights and they lose, guys that go in and fight every single time, then they come back and television buys them again.
Question: Gary, what mixed martial arts promotions can we expect to see and can you talk about today for us?
Shaw: You can expect on this Friday for us to be working with King of the Cage and Gladiator Challenge. You can expect on September 15, that we’ll work with Icon and Rumble. You can absolutely expect that. If that’s your question of working, and then you can expect us to work with a lot of other brands. That is what we are here for. We are here to grow the sport.
Question: Gary, is five or six the amount of fights we can expect to see on televised shows?
Shaw: Yes. We have a two-hour window, so in that two-hour window, we believe that we can bring you five or six fights. There will be times that the fights go long. Obviously, you know, injury or things that are unexpected, but basically we want to bring you five fights on every show.
Question: Gary and Ken, do you have any concern about an oversaturation of MMA on television regarding Bodog, UFC, the IFL, and whether this product could be hurt from that.
Shaw: There is no oversaturation of great fights, really good cards and great shows. So, if you take away the pay per view, I do not know how many shows or great fights are on the horizon. When there were two cable channels, nobody talked about cable, and now look how many there are. It broadens the sport. It gives more fighters the opportunity to be seen. It gives more fighters the opportunity to be employed by different organizations. It is good for the sport, personally.
Hershman: The level of athlete and production quality on our shows is going to separate us frankly from everybody. We do it better than everyone else, and we are going to continue to improve. That is going to be our differentiator. Gary is right, the more people that can get out and work and hone their craft, the better it is for EliteXC and SHOWTIME.
Shaw: The other thing is, there is no one out there with the production quality that we’re bringing that is not pay per view. It just does not exist. I have nothing against Bodog, the IFL or anyone else, but it sure is not the production quality that we are bringing along with SHOWTIME.
Question: Gary and Ken, is there a target date set for pay per view?
Shaw: We will do the next pay per view when we have a quality show that demands to be on pay per view. Making fans pay every single month to watch your fight is unfair, it’s ripping them off. my philosophy or the philosophy of our company to make everybody pay for every show.
Hershman: From SHOWTIME’s advantage point, when we went into this we were very clear and specific, this was not a pay-per-view strategy for us. This is a premium television platform. That is where we want to make our mark. That is where we expect the commitment to be, and it has been. You are going to see it again on Sept. 15, in November, and then going into 2008 and beyond. Between ShoXC and EliteXC, there will be a ton of MMA on SHOWTIME at a very high level.
Question: Gary, can we get details on what happened in the Sokiju negotiations?
Shaw: We thought we had Sokiju. We gave him a very good offer. We flew him at the last moment to our June 22 pay-per-view fight in San Jose. He was there as our guest. He ate very well. We filled him with beverages and then supposedly when he went back, someone threw an astronomical offer for him that I was not willing to match.
Question: Gary, you had mentioned before watching out for the fighter’s welfare and possibly a 160-pound weight class. At what point are you going to have too many weight classes?
Shaw: I agree with you. I did not mean to say that every five pounds will be a weight class. I know this from boxing. I know that when you go from 154 to 160, it is major. There are guys that are at 160 that can get down to 154. They can’t break the 157. I want to take into consideration the different weight classes and close the gap between like 155 and 185, and maybe we need a 160, 170 and a 185. I want to speak to Jeremy, the other people that are around me, the experts, and then do what is right for the fighter. Sometimes, you need to save the fighter from himself. I would rather be criticized for having one weight class too many than have someone in the hospital. I will not do anything that will make a farce out of MMA or something.
Question: Gary, will you be testing?
Shaw: I do not believe in testing your own athlete. So far, those commissions, California, New Jersey, Nevada, have very, very strict plans. They all use steroid and other drug and urine tests. We just have to keep telling our athletes that there’s a zero tolerance, and we probably know when someone is taking a steroid, I can almost tell. It hurts them and it hurts the sport. I do not want to say anything definite at this point because I may be holding a press conference 30 days from now saying that we are using an independent agency and whoever comes and signs with us will automatically have to take a steroid test. If you don’t do those tests at random and don’t do them at the right time, they use blockers. It is tough. It is an ongoing problem, and we are looking at some very serious problems. Boxing steroids cases are dealt with harshly, and I believe that will happen with MMA as well.
MATT YANOFSKY’S UPDATED P4P LIST
Posted on | July 23, 2007 | 1 Comment
Pound for Pound List {As Of 7/23/07}
By Matt Yanofsky
1. Floyd Mayweather {Junior Middleweight}
Floyd Mayweather’s once again becomes the clear number one pound for pound fighter after defeating the legendary Oscar De La Hoya. All of the Mayweather critics must give him respect for not only taking the fight at too high of a weight, but also using Oscar’s gloves and winning in Vegas where De La Hoya is a favorite. I was surprised to see it be a split decision as I felt Floyd clearly won the contest. De La Hoya has stated there will be no rematch. If Floyd elects to fight again, it would most likely come against Miguel Cotto or Ricky Hatton in what would be another mega fight.
2. Manny Pacquiao {Junior Lightweight}
Although he got off to a slow start and needed 8 rounds to dispose the tall awkward and undefeated Jorge Solis, Pacman got the job done. He also had an excellent 2006 where he twice knocked out Erik Morales and battered former champion Oscar Larios. Pacquaio is now scheduled for a rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera October 6th on pay per view. This is good news as promotional differences were settled between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions. If Pacquaio is victorious as expected, this can lead to another rematch with a Golden Boy fighter, Juan Manuel Marquez.
3. Rafael Marquez {Super Bantamweight}
Marquez successfully moved up from Bantamweight to stop WBC and Ring Magazine Champion Israel Vazquez in a thriller. Marquez’ used his incredible punching power to break down Vazquez. Vazquez retired on his stool after the 7th round claiming he couldn’t breathe due to a nose injury. Marquez also showed the heart of a champion when he recovering from a third round knockdown to ultimately come back to stop the fight. Lucky for us boxing fans, we will get to see a rematch August 4th in what will probably be another candidate for fight of the year.
4. Bernard Hopkins {Light Heavyweight}
After retaining his Light Heavyweight World Title by defeating Winky Wright in a 12 round snooze fest, Hopkins showed that he is still a top pound for pound fighter. Hopkins said he wants to fight Joe Calzaghe in Yankee Stadium. Hopkins will have to wait until after Calzaghe fights Mikkel Kessler in November. If Calzaghe is not victorious, Hopkins will most likely attempt to face Kessler.
5. Juan Manuel Marquez {Junior Lightweight}
Just like his brother Rafael, Juan Manuel successfully moved up in weight to win the WBC championship. Marquez out pointed the legendary Macro Antonio Barrera. Ironically, one year ago Marquez was thought of as being in no man’s land after taking $30,000 in losing to Chris John instead of a potential rematch with Pacquaio, which at the time Marquez priced himself out of. Marquez will be fighting the always entertaining Jorge Barrios on a September 16th pay per view card.
6. Ricky Hatton {Junior Welterweight}
Hatton retained his Junior Welterweight World Title when he surprisingly dominated legendary warrior Jose Luis Castillo en route to a 4th round KO. Hatton floored Castillo for the first time in his career with a picture perfect body shot ala Roy Jones/Virgil Hill. Hatton now has many options for his next fight which potentially include Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, and Paulie Malignaggi.
7. Joe Calzaghe {Super Middleweight}
Calzaghe had a controversial stoppage win over Manfredo but regardless of the controversy, Calzaghe was dominating as expected and it would have not lasted much longer than it did. Joe had a tougher time than expected in his prior fight. Calzaghe recovered from the first cut of his career against Sakio Bika to earn a unanimous decision. Calzaghe is successful, and he will have some options. To the delight of the entire boxing world, Calzaghe appears to be heading over to Denmark to face undefeated WBA/WBC Champion Mikkel Kessler in November in what may be the biggest fight in Super Middleweight History.
8. Jermain Taylor {Middleweight}
Taylor earned an extremely lackluster and what some felt controversial decision over sprinter/Junior Middleweight Cory Spinks. This was the third straight Junior Middleweight titlist {Kassim Ouma and Winky Wright} that he had faced. Taylor is now set to challenge undefeated #1 Middleweight contender Kelly Pavlik September 29th on HBO. Taylor has announced this will be his last fight at 160 lbs. If Taylor wins, he is also a candidate to face the winner of Joe Calzaghe vs Mikkel Kessler. If Pavlik wins, Taylor has a rematch clause but the rematch must take place above 160 lbs.
9. Winky Wright {Middleweight}
Wright fell just short against legend Bernard Hopkins for the Light Heavyweight world title. I scored the fight a draw {as did Harold Lederman of HBO} but the three judges came up with the ludicrous scores of 116-112 and 117-111 twice for Hopkins. Wright said he will move back down to 160 but he may be out of luck as Middleweight stars Edison Miranda, Jermain Taylor, and Kelly Pavlik will all be at 168 in the near future. If Winky is not willing to move up to 168 or attempt to make 154 where he was at his best, Wright may be with out a fight!
10. Marco Antonio Barrera {Super Featherweight}
Barrera dropped a decision to the great Juan Manuel Marquez in a fight some saw as a robbery. I disagree that the fight was a robbery but I do belive Barrera is still a top 10 lb for lb fighter and can rebound as he has in the past from his prior losses. Barerra being the true warrior that he is will be taking on Manny Pacquaio and attempting to avenge his 2003 knockout loss to the Pilipino bomber who was virtually unknown at the time.
Honorable Mention: Chris John, Ivan Calderon, Joel Casamayor, Wladimir Klitschko, Shane Mosley, Juan Diaz, Mikkel Kessler, Jean Marc Mormeck, Miguel Cotto, Joan Guzman
JULY 20th PHILADELPHIA BOXING RESULTS
Posted on | July 22, 2007 | 4 Comments
Philadelphia Boxing Results – July 20, 2007
Mtagwa defeats Valtierra for NABF Crown
By Tony Penecale (at Ringside)
With the NABF Featherweight title up for grabs, Philadelphia’s Rogers Mtagwa and Mexico’s Aldo Valtierra went toe-to-toe in a classic South Philadelphia slugfest, with Mtagwa capturing a split decision victory before the partisan crowd at the sold out New Alhambra arena.
Mtagwa, 123, a native of Tanzania, entered the bout still seething from a split decision loss to Martin Honorio last November, and promised to take out his aggression on the durable Valtierra, 126, who had never been stopped as a pro.
The action started immediately as Mtagwa rushed from his corner, firing hard but wild shots, while Valtierra stood his ground and landed effective counter punches. The tempo picked up in the 2nd as Valtierra landed the faster combos. A fierce exchange at the end saw a Mtagwa right, slightly after the bell, buckle Valtierra, leaving him stumbling into the arms of referee Gary Rosato, who correctly ruled the punch an accidental foul.
The momentum shifted several times over the next few rounds, with each fighters taking turns attacking and landing solid combinations. Mtagwa looked visibly weary in the 5th round, before getting his second wind and regaining momentum in the 6th.
At the midway point, the bout was even and up for grabs and that is where Mtagwa grabbed it, landing good right hands and uppercuts in the 7th round and forcing Valtierra back on his heels. The tough Mexican warrior never retreated and kept firing punches at the onrushing Mtagwa, but did not have the power to discourage him.
With a full head of steam, Mtagwa charged like a runaway locomotive over the final three rounds, and both boxers freely exchanged punches, with the only breaks coming when both boxers had loose tape on their gloves. The 12th and final round punctuated a dramatic contest, with both boxers exchanging recklessly, while the crowd, visibly excited by the action, encouraged the hometown fighter, chanting his name repeatedly, as both boxers slugged until the final bell.
Mtagwa was announced the victor with two of the judges scored the bout 116-112 while the other judge inexplicably had Valtierra winning 115-113. This reporter scored the final six rounds for Mtagwa, giving him the score of 117-111.
Mtagwa improves his record to 24-11-2 (17) while Valtierra falls to 24-9,
Mtagwa, ranked 5th by the IBF going into the bout adds the NABF title to his resume and is looking to gain a title shot later this year or early next year. Minnesota prospect Jason Litzau has been discussed as a possible future opponent, in a bout that would surely bring fireworks as both combatants are aggressive powerpunchers who often neglect defense.
In the highly anticipated co-feature, Philadelphia’s Mike Jones put his unblemished record on the line against spoiler Doel Carrasquillo, fresh off of a TKO win over “The Contender’s” Aaron Torres.
Jones, 146, showed no fear of his more experienced opponent, boxing well in the 1st round behind a stiff left jab which repeatedly backed Carrasquillo up. Jones opened up his attack in the 2nd, landing hard hooks throughout. Carrasquillo tried to counter with overhand punches but could not match the speed or workrate of the younger and taller Jones.
Shortly before the end of the 2nd, Jones exploded with a series of short hooks to the head that had Carrasquillo wobbled at the bell with a badly broken nose. Carrasquillo’s corner immediately stopped the bout on the advice of the ringside physician.
Jones ups his record to 9-0 (9) while Carrasquillo sees his record fall to 10-5-1 (8).
In other bouts:
Ricardo Medina, 134, Mexico, scored his 2nd straight upset against a Philadelphia opponent this year, as he outworked and outpointed local boxer, Kevin Carmody, 137 over six rounds.
Medina, an aggressive body puncher, pressed the action from the opening bell. Carmody boxed well early, keeping the bout in the center of the ring and landing with good hooks and body shots. Medina started to find success near the end of the 2nd and by the 3rd, Carmody was boxing off of the rope, where Medina took full advantage, working in close and dictating the pace.
Carmody was visibly tired going into the 4th, letting Medina bang away at his body, while offering infrequent and ineffective counters. The final two stanzas saw more of the same and it was Medina walking away with the victory by the scores of 59-56 and 58-56 (twice).
Medina now stands at 30-32-5 (17) while Carmody falls to 10-8-2 (1).
All wasn’t well for boxers named Medina though, as North Philadelphia’s Jose Medina was on the losing end of a split decision to Indianapolis’s Mustapha Johnson.
Medina, 155, threw hard but infrequent hooks, reminiscent of a smaller version of heavyweight David Tua, while the taller Johnson was content to box patiently out of the danger zone.
After a slow 1st round, Johnson had a good round in the 2nd, landing a number of straight punches. Medina was able to find the range and unload his Tua-esque offense in the 3rd round as Johnson slowed. The 4th and final round featured some entertaining exchanges, leaving the decision in the judge’s hands.
Johnson won on two of the three cards, by the scores of 40-36 and 39-37, while Medina was credited on the other card by the score of 40-36. This reporter had the bout even 38-38, giving Medina the 1st and 3rd stanzas and favoring Johnson in the 2nd and 4th stanzas.
Johnson sees his record improve to 4-2 (2) while Medina sees his fall to 14-9 (10).
Philadelphia prospect Teon Kennedy dismantled Brooklyn’s Elia Castillo, dishing out a beating before scoring a knockout in the 4th round.
Kennedy, 126, unveiled his offense early, forcing Castillo, 126, Brooklyn, into a defensive posture. Kennedy landed heavy punches in the 1st, including several hard body shots that kept Castillo pinned on the ropes.
Things did not improve in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, as Kennedy, not fearing Castillo’s offense, kept the pressure and continued his assault with hooks to the head and ribcage, which caused Castillo to grimace on several occasions.
The bout mercifully ended in the 4th, when another Kennedy assault dropped Castillo in his corner, where he was counted out by referee Gary Rosato.
Kennedy, another young (21) Philadelphia prospect now resides at 4-0 (3) while Castillo, who drew a very tough assignment in his pro debut, is now 0-1.
In an entertaining scrap to open the evening, Philadelpia’s Joe Christy fought to a disputed draw with Lancaster’s Doug Ebenshade.
The action started quickly with Christy, in front of his South Philly crowd, attacking with a series of right hands, while Ebenshade took his turn landing his own offense. Christy kept the pressure going in the 2nd round, landing a series of good body shots as Ebenshade appeared to be tiring. The assault continued in the 3 rd where a textbook uppercut put Ebenshade on the canvas, which was incorrectly ruled a push by referee Wayne Hedgpeth.
Christy was either inspired by his success or frustrated by the missed call as he became overly wild in the 4th and 5th rounds, which let Ebenshade score with good counter punches. Christy took control back in the 6th round, landing good punches, and cutting Ebenshade underneath the eye.
One scorecard favored Christy by the score of 58-56 but was outvoted by the other two cards which sported an identical 57-57 tally, rendering the bout a majority draw. This reporter favored Christy by the score of 59-56.
Christy won’t have long to seethe over this bout as he is scheduled to return to South Philly in August to battle Clarence “Sonny Bono” Taylor in their rubber match. Both boxers own a decision win in their previous encounters.
The final bout of the evening, winless cruiserweights Andrew Gizzi and Robert Evans, both from Philadelphia, were hoping to gain their 1st professional victory.
Evans, 189, took the advantage early, landing several right-hand bombs over the low left of Gizzi, 193, cutting him badly over the left eye. Evans was still in control in the 2nd when he seemed to hurt his shoulder, but he still continued in the bout, which saw Gizzi’s cut rapidly getting worse.
With Evans seemingly in control and Gizzi a bloody mess in the 3rd round, the bout was suddenly over. Evans launched another right hand and fell to the canvas screaming. The bout with quickly halted, with Gizzi gaining his initial victory in an anticlimactic way.
Gizzi is now 1-2 (1) while Evans still has the winless monkey on his back and is 0-3.
Boxing returns to the New Alhambra on August 10 with the NABF middleweight title up for grabs when Bronco McKart faces Enrique Ornelas. Also appearing will be Simon O’Donnell, David Lopez, Victor Vasquez, John Poore, Felix Arroyo, and Kaseem Wilson.
Two weeks later, another action-packed card comes to the New Alhambra featuring a tantalizing main event between Philadelphia’s Derek Ennis and New Jersey’s experienced Dennis Sharp. Also on the card will be the long-awaited rematch between Andre “The Heat” Hemphill and Simon “One Punch” Carr, along with the Philadelphia debut of “The Contender’s” Jonathan Reid.
GUERRERO TO BATTLE JUAREZ
Posted on | July 22, 2007 | No Comments
TWO-TIME IBF WORLD CHAMPION
ROBERT “THE GHOST” GUERRERO
ROBERTGUERRERO.COM
Las Vegas, NV July 21, 2007
Two-Time IBF world champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero is set to battle Olympic silver medalist and current #1 contender Rocky Juarez September 15th 2007 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as the Co-feature to Juan Manual Marquez vs Jorge Barrios, televised live to millions tuning in on HBO PPV. The card labeled “Fireworks” was announced today by Oscar De La Hoya and Goldenboy promotions, solidifying the scheduled 12 round title defense that is bestowed upon “The Ghost”. Guerrero, who traveled overseas and recaptured his world title when he stopped Spend Abazi in Denmark last February, mentioned, “I want to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ, my team along with HBO and Goldenboy promotions, for putting this fight together. September 15th is a great day for Mexican fighters to showcase their skills, and I’m going to bring my “A” game come fight night. I believe this is my time to show the world what a true champion I am and give the fans what they deserve.” Tickets ranged from $50-$300 are on sale now and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.
THE UFC’S SHERK AND FRANCA DEAL WITH STEROID TURMOIL
Posted on | July 21, 2007 | 4 Comments
UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion, Sean Sherk, and his most recent opponent, Hermes Franca, both test Positive for Steroids, Both Facing Suspension and Fine
[mpinpage]
In shocking news, the UFC Light-Heavyweight Champ, Sean Sherk has tested positive for steroid use. In leading up to his title-defense on July 7th at UFC 73 against Hermes Franca, Spike TV had been airing an episode of UFC Unleashed in which Sean Sherk’s training regimen was shown. Fighters and athletes across the world were amazed and flabbergasted by what appeared to be a man with a mission whose training methods and intensity made some people think that Sherk was maybe a cyborg or some type of machine. What we saw on TV was that Sherk had a very well-rounded training program that also included some rather unorthodox exercises. But the overall picture that we got of Sherk was that he was the “all-American athlete;” a health-concious positive role-model and inspiration for fighters everywhere. He reminds me of a superhero with they way he is built and his attitude, personality, and athletic ability. So needless to say, it made it even more shocking to hear the allegation of steroid use come into play.
Sherk’s MMA record is 32-2-1. He’s only lost two fights in his whole career and he’s the current Lightweight Champion of the UFC. His most recent fight was against Hermes Franca at UFC 73 on July 7th, who ironically has also tested postive for steroid use. Because Sherk is the champion, the news of his testing has garnered more attention and kind of overshadowed Franca’s positive test results. But the fact remains, both of these athletes have tested positive for steroids. There have been other fighters recently who’ve also tested positive for steroid use such as Stephan Bonnar and even the legend Royce Gracie. What is going on with all of this steroid use? It’s just crazy. It really takes away from the athlete’s credibility when they do this. They lose alot of respect from friends and fans. I don’t understand it but I hope that it is just some isolated cases and does not become a real epidemic within the sport of MMA. Athletes I know are always looking for that extra edge, that one thing to set them apart and make them better than their opponent, but definitely steroids are not the answer; they are not the way to go.
Here’s what was posted on the UFC website concerning Sean Sherk:
“July 19 – Today, the California
State Athletic Commission released information stating that UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk tested positive for the banned substance Nandrolone Metabolite and that lightweight contender Hermes Franca tested positive for Drostanolone, also a banned substance, in drug tests following their five-round fight on July 7th at UFC 73 in Sacramento, California.
Both of these substances are anabolic agents, and both fighters face a possible fine and suspension by the CSAC.
“Our policy on fighters using steroids, illegal drugs or any banned substance remains the same – you cannot use them,” said UFC President Dana White. “It’s not only unhealthy and unsafe, it is against the law. The UFC fully supports the commission’s efforts and we will continue to take measures that keep this sport clean and keep the athletes safe.”
Sherk retained his title in that fight against Hermes and what a great fight it was. From what I’ve heard, Sherk is denying the allegations of the steroid use and is appealling the results, while Hermes Franca admitted to and has conceded to his testing positive. As of now, to my knowledge, what repercussions will result from this has not been made known. Suspensions for steroid use could be up to a year or even longer. That would devastate the Lightweight Division and most-likely Sherk would be have to give up his Title. It would be a real shame if Sherk is stripped of his Lightweight Title. He really is one of the greatest Lightweight fighters in the world and he works so hard. I hope the tests do turn out to be false for him but it doesn’t look good right now. I wish both of the fighters the best of luck. They are both great fighters and athletes and hope to see them both back in the Octagon soon, clean and healthy.
Tags: athletic ability > bonnar > bratcher > career > Champ > champion > Cyborg > fight > fighters > fine > health concious > heavyweight > heavyweight champ > Heremes > Hermes > Hermes Franca > inspiration > intensity > july 7th > LIGHT > light heavyweight champion > lightweight > lightweight champion > machine > man with a mission > MMA > nbsp > personality > Picture > positive role model > Royce Gracie > Sean Sherk > shocking news > Spike TV > steroid use > Suspension > test > type > ufc 73 > UNLEASHED
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