GoFightLive.tv will stream Tachi Palace Fights on July 9

Posted on | June 30, 2010 | No Comments

Lemoore, Calif. – GoFightLive.tv returns to the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino on Friday, July 9 for Tachi Palace Fights “Stars and Strikes”.

GoFightLive.tv will stream Tachi Palace Fights live at 6 p.m. PST. Click on the poster above to order the event.

Cost of the stream is just $9.99.

“Go Fight Live is pleased to be offering another great mixed martial arts event from Tachi Place fights,” said David Klarman from GFL. “Tachi Place has over the years turned Lemoore California into a true ‘hotbed’ for MMA and we look forward to showing our global audience on Go Fight Live the exciting action Tachi Place Fights brings each time out.”

In the main event, “Razor” Rob McCullough returns to his roots at the Palace in a catch weight bout with fast-rising star Isaac DeJesus of Fresno, Calif. DeJesus (9-1). DeJesus is the Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight champ and makes the jump up in weight to take on Huntington Beach, Calif.’s McCullough (17-6) at 160 pounds.

The co-main event is a bout that features UFC veteran War Machine (11-3) of San Diego, Calif. against Las Vegas, Nev. welterweight John Alessio (28-13).

“We had a very successful show the last time GoFightLive.tv came out to work with us in February and we thought this was a great card to have another live stream,” said Tachi Palace Hotel and Entertainment Coordinator Jeremy Lucahu. “This is one of the best fight cards that we’ve seen here in the Central Valley in years and GoFightLive.tv allows us to show the world what type of events we put on here.”

The 9-bout card is also packed with three title fights, as welterweight champ David Mitchell (10-0) of Santa Rosa, Calif. defends his belt against Lemoore, Calif.’s Poppies Martinez (18-6) and bantamweight title holder Cole Escovedo (16-4) of Fresno, Calif. defends against Oakdale, Calif.’s Michael McDonald (9-1). Also, Rancho Cucamonga Calif.’s Gabe Ruediger (16-5) and Albuquerque, N.M.’s Lenny Lavato (8-0) battle for the Tachi Palace Fights vacant lightweight strap.

Also, UFC veteran David Kaplan (2-3) of Las Vegas, Nev. takes on Oakland, Calif.’s Dominique Robinson (4-4) in a lightweight tilt; Olympic Silver Medalist Stephen Abas (1-0) of Fresno, Calif. makes his return to the Palace in a bantamweight bout with Lemoore, Calif.’s Joey DeLaCruz (1-0); Las Vegas, Nev. lightweight David Bollea (2-0), who is the nephew of wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan, takes on Visalia, Calif.’s Cody Gibson (3-0); and Coalinga, Calif. bantamweight Francisco Loredo (4-5) fights Soledad, Calif.’s Drew Bittner (3-0).

Tickets can be purchased at www.tachipalace.com or charge by phone at 1-800-225-2277. Tickets may also be purchased at the Tachi Palace Gift Shop and start at a low price of just $30 for general admission seating.

MMA SUPERSTAR AND FEDOR CONQUEROR FABRICIO WERDUM TO APPEAR ON MMA LIVE ON ESPN2 TOMORROW/THURSDAY

Posted on | June 30, 2010 | 1 Comment

WHO: MMA Superstar Fabricio Werdum

WHAT: Interview on MMA LIVE tomorrow/Thursday on ESPN2

Fabricio Werdum will discuss his stunning upset victory over MMA legend Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko that shocked the world this past Saturday night at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif, live on SHOWTIME®. The historic first round (1:09) submission (triangle armbar) was the only legitimate loss of Fedor’s storied career during which the Russian has triumphed over nearly every major rival force in heavyweight division and reigned as the No. 1 pound for pound fighter on the planet.

The 32-year-old Werdum, a two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and top-ranked heavyweight, added Fedor to his already impressive resume that includes wins over reigning STRIKEFORCE World Heavyweight Champion, Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem, as well as fellow superstars Antonio “Big Foot” Silva, Gabriel Gonzaga and Brandon “The Truth” Vera.

Werdum is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and member of Brazil’s vaunted Chute Boxe fight squad. He was born in Brazil, but now fights out of Marina del Rey, Calif.

WHERE: ESPN2

WHEN: Thursday, July 1 at 1 a.m. ET / 10 p.m. PT

BOXING’S BIGGEST NIGHT IS IN LAS VEGAS ON JULY 31 WITH HUGE MARQUEZ VS. DIAZ II PAY-PER-VIEW TELEVISED UNDERCARD

Posted on | June 30, 2010 | No Comments

DANIEL JACOBS VS. DMITRY PIROG

ROBERT GUERRERO VS. JOEL CASAMAYOR

JORGE LINARES VS. ROCKY JUAREZ

LOS ANGELES, June 30 – It’s no surprise that the rematch of the 2009 Fight of the Year between Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez and Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz has made boxing fans around the world circle July 31 on their calendars. Now, Golden Boy Promotions is upping the ante, making the event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev. the card of the year as the big guns of the boxing world will roll into Las Vegas to fight on one of boxing’s biggest televised cards. The bouts scheduled for Saturday, July 31 will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

They are six fighters with combined records that add up to 153 wins, 12 losses, 3 draws and 108 knockouts who have won nine world titles between them. Among them is an Olympic Gold Medalist and an Olympic Silver Medalist and on July 31, they all fight on the same pay-per-view telecast.

In a 12-round bout immediately before the main event, New York phenom Daniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs looks to capture his first world championship when he takes on unbeaten Russian Dmitry Pirog for the vacant WBO Middleweight crown. Former Three-time World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and future Hall of Famer/former Four-time World Champion Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor will square off in a 10-round junior welterweight bout that will put the winner in line for a huge fight in either the lightweight or junior welterweight divisions. Opening the pay-per-view telecast, former Two-time World Champion Jorge “El Niño De Oro” Linares will face perennial contender and 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist Rocky Juarez in a 10-round lightweight bout that is a must-win, crossroads fight for each boxer.

“When we were putting together this event, we knew Marquez vs. Diaz II was a sure-fire Fight of the Year candidate,” said Oscar de la Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions. “Then we said, why not go one step further and pack this card with three more fights that have the potential to do what Marquez and Diaz did in 2009? This is without question the most stacked pay-per-view card we have ever put on and the fans will love every minute of it.”

“With Marquez and Diaz, we knew we had the Fight of the Year again; now we have the Night of the Year,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “In addition to the main event, we have a world title fight between Jacobs and Pirog, and two bouts with significant title implications in Guerrero-Casamayor and Linares-Juarez. If you’re a boxing fan, this is one night you can’t miss.”

Long seen as the future of the sport, the time for Brooklyn’s Daniel Jacobs (20-0, 17 KOs) is now, and on July 31, he will challenge for his first world title. The current NABF and NABO Middleweight Champion who has defeated George Walton, Ishe Smith, Jose Berrio and Juan Astorga in successive bouts, the 23-year-old Jacobs is well-prepared for prime time and his possible ascent to the next level this summer.

A decorated boxer with a number of pro titles to his name, Temryuk, Russia’s Dmitry Pirog (16-0, 13 KOs) will make his United States debut against Jacobs, and he is ready to make an impression in the fight capital of the world. After big decision wins over Kuvanych Toygonbayev and Kofi Jantuah, Pirog halted Eric Mitchell and Sergei Melis in his last two bouts, adding to his impressive 81 percent knockout rate. The Jacobs-Pirog bout is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Arthur Pelullo’s Banner Promotions and German Titov Promotions.

Three-time World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (26-1-1, 18 KOs) is one of the fight game’s most popular fighters, not only for his knockout abilities and talent in the ring, but also for his devotion to his wife, Casey, during her battle with cancer. Now back on active boxing duty after an April TKO win over Roberto Arrieta, the 27-year-old is on track to regain a world title, but he must first get past veteran Joel Casamayor.

Seen by most observers as the premier Cuban fighter of this era, former Olympic Gold Medalist Joel Casamayor (37-4-1, 22 KOs) still has more goals to attain before he hangs up his gloves, and that means winning a fifth world championship in a third weight class. One of the craftiest and toughest boxers in the world, the 38-year-old “El Cepillo” has won six of his last seven bouts (with his lone loss coming against Juan Manuel Marquez) and has his sights set on adding a win over Guerrero to his resume.

A former Two-division World Champion with four title fight victories to his name, Jorge “El Niño De Oro” Linares (28-1, 18 KOs) is the latest “Golden Boy” to make his mark in the fight game. A precise puncher with an exciting style, the 24-year-old from Barinas, Venezuela is fresh off of a win over Francisco Lorenzo in March and expects nothing less than an all out battle from Rocky Juarez when they meet in a 10-round lightweight bout this July.

2000 Olympic Silver medalist Rocky Juarez (28-6-1, 20 KOs) has consistently thrilled fight fans in the nine years since his pro debut. Now the only thing the Houston native has left to achieve is winning a world title. More determined than ever to put championship gold around his waist, Juarez aims to make a statement on July 31 when he battles Linares in what is expected to be an all-action fight from start to finish.

Marquez vs. Diaz II “Fight of the Year: The Rematch” is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Tecate and AT&T. The 12-round rematch of the “2009 Fight of the Year” is scheduled for Saturday, July 31 and will be for Marquez’s Ring Magazine, WBA and WBO Lightweight World titles. The championship fight will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev. and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for Marquez vs. Diaz II are priced at $350, $250, $150, $100 and $50 and are on sale now. Tickets are available for purchase at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The Marquez vs. Diaz II pay-per-view telecast, which begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95 and will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Marquez vs. Diaz II fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

Marquez and Diaz will appear larger-than-life on the big screen presented by NCM Fathom. Marquez vs. Diaz II “Fight of the Year: The Rematch” will be broadcast in high definition LIVE to more than 270 movie theaters nationwide at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 PT. Tickets to see this fight on the big screen are available at theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.

For more information on these events, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.whorupicking.com, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing.

FRANK SHAMROCK’S FAREWELL TO MIXED MARTIAL ARTS: A LOOK BACK

Posted on | June 30, 2010 | No Comments

FIGHT NEWS UNLIMITED WISHES FRANK SHAMROCK A HAPPY RETIREMENT:

Check Out Our FIRST PRINT INTERVIEW WITH FRANK:

FRANK SHAMROCK READY TO PRESS THE ACTION AGAINST RENZO GRACIE

By: Rich Bergeron

If Frank Shamrock had a theme song, it would probably be George Thorogood’s “Get a Haircut.” The old classic rock tune is an anthem for those who choose unconventional paths in life and still somehow succeed, though in Shamrock’s case his decision to get into the fight game was following a family tradition.

Instead of big brother Bob, Frank had big brother Ken.

Frank found his initial motivation when his father told him to clean his act up. “I was hanging out, not doing much, and I wanted to drop out of college and move back and live with my Dad, and he told me to get a job,” explained Shamrock. “He suggest that I do the wrestling thing that my brother was doing. That’s how I started.”

The move would turn out to be life changing, and it would lead him into stardom when he became the first middleweight champion in the UFC. He went on to even greater accomplishments from there, and he perfected his game to the point where he is now in the midst of an undefeated streak that dates back to 1997.

Chuck Norris, Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee are all role models for Frank. “Chuck Norris because I just liked the way he was honest, forthright, stoic, and had incredible strength,” said Shamrock. “With Muhammad Ali what impressed me was his skill and the way he openly spoke about things and how he spoke up about important things. Bruce Lee I just admired his martial arts ability and body and movements. He had the whole package as a martial artist.”

Shamrock is cruising toward a bout with Renzo Gracie that will put a huge spotlight on two of the most famous MMA fighting families at the inaugural event of EliteXC on SHOWTIME February 10th. Though the media has been hinting that this match-up is going to settle some kind of “family feud,” the two fighters have shown nothing but respect for each other leading up to their showdown.

“I have no animosity toward him,” said Shamrock. “I’ve known him about ten years, and every time we’ve met I’ve had pleasant interactions and conversations with him. The fight’s just a big deal, and it goes back to the beginning of the sport. Shamrock and Gracie are two of the oldest and biggest names in the history of the sport. We’re the first two families, and it’s really more about American MMA vs. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. That’s what it really comes down to. Us Americans are very insistent on being the best.”

Though Shamrock has no real personal beef with Renzo Gracie, he’s not bashful about predicting the kind of beating he’ll dish out against the BJJ expert. “His strength’s the ground, and I’ve been working almost exclusively on punching and kicking,” siad Shamrock. “I’ve been working on what I call anti jiu jitsu, and I think I have the physical strength and speed and agility to basically run circles around him, and that’s what I plan on doing while punching him in the head.”

Being given a chance at the big spotlight again at this stage of his career as the main event in such a huge milestone for MMA doesn’t add any extra pressure for him. “No, there’s always pressure on me,” he said. “I’m always competing at something, challenging myself at something. For me it’s just another celebration.”

Shamrock is lucky enough to have martial artists all around him. “I’ve never known another way,” he said. “For me it’s just my way of life, this is what I do every day all day long. My son does martial arts, my brother does martial arts. Everyone I know does martial arts.”

He’s enjoyed having the opportunity to be part of such an important event for the sport that will mark the first time MMA appears on a premium cable station. “It’s tremendous for me, especially being an old guy now,” he said about the chance to display his talents on Showtime. “I did some pretty amazing things when nobody was watching, so to me, what got me back into the sport now is how it’s gone mainstream, to cable. My goal is to show as many people as possible mixed martial arts and the mixed martial arts lifestyle.”

Fight News Unlimited interviewed Cung Le as our first MMA fighter back in the beginning of our little outfit, and he mentioned that Frank Shamrock was on his short list of guys he’d like to fight. Asked if a Cung Le fight might be somewhere down the line, Shamrock responded, “I sure hope so, I’d like an easy night. Cung was my sparring partner for about two and a half years, and I sparred him in his sport, and he never came close to hurting me, so I imagine if he plays in my sport I’m gonna have an easy night.”

He came in contact with the Pro Elite organization about a year or so ago through his numerous business dealings. “Oddly enough, for the past three or four years I’ve been an entrepreneur, and I’ve been doing work with venture capitalists, raising money, funding companies,” he said. “I saw Pro Elite come on the scene, and I saw they did a reverse merger, and I followed their progress. When they announced the Showtime contract I was right there ready to jump aboard.”

Though he doesn’t claim any particular style as his favorite, he does like certain techniques more than others. “I’m a big fan of the leg locks,” he said. “My style has been geared more toward the weaknesses in the industry. In the beginning it was any type of submission, and now it’s all about good, clean striking.”

Being involved in so many different projects outside the sport, he considers it extremely important to clear his head and get into fight mode before a match. “I just work on setting my mind right,” he said. “I run a number of businesses, and I’m a pretty busy guy. I just get my mind focused, what I call laser focused, and once I get that down, I’m ready.”

He points to raising his 18-year-old son as his greatest accomplishment outside the sport. His son is also training in martial arts, although Shamrock doesn’t know if his boy will follow in his footsteps. “If he chooses to be involved, he will have more knowledge and tools than anyone else in this world,” he said. “I just hope he goes to college first.”

Shamrock indicates the same reasons for being passionate about both competing in fights and training fighters. He notes the “camaraderie and the community” wrapped up in MMA. “It takes ten guys to make one champion,” he said. “As far as training, it’s mostly the family. There’s something very bonding about putting yourself out there, trying really hard, and having people believe in you and support you. To me that’s really gratifying.”

He also has a unique take on what ails the sport as it tries to explode onto the mainstream marketplace. “I’d say it’s just a lack of education, not only in the technical side of fighting and the strategic side, but also in the management side,” he said. “And, it’s more the business management. There’s too many uneducated promoters and uneducated fighters, and a bad promoter only exists because fighters aren’t educated. If they were educated more, bad promoters wouldn’t exist.”

Knowing he can’t fight forever, Shamrock’s plan is to ease his way out of the sport over the course of the next five years. “By then I will be retired from fighting,” he said. “I will have 50 martial arts schools with my franchise Shamrock Martial Arts Academy, and I will own a major entertainment company. And I’ll function as a corporate executive, entertainment producer and martial arts instructor.”

Asked what he would change if he could go back and alter one bad career move, he pointed to a moment when he took on way too much responsibility in one night. “I would have done more cardio training when I fought Jeremy Horn, and I would have not commentated that show,” he said. “I’m still the only fighter in history to fight in the first fight of the night and then run back and put on a suit and then commentate the rest of the show.”

Shamrock has two favorite fighters he considers himself a fan of. He said he likes watching Fedor Emelianenko and also counts himself as “a huge Randy Couture fan.” He’s thrilled that Couture is coming out of retirement. “I’m happy for him ’cause he’s gonna make good money, and he deserves it,” said Shamrock.

Shamrock is also happy to be riding the wave of MMA as it reaches new heights, and he’s in a great position to be able to assess how far the discipline has come since the inception of it all when he first came on the scene in the UFC. He just hopes the wave doesn’t crest too soon. “It’s great. The sport’s been around a long time. It’s just always been a diamond in the rough waiting to get in front of the masses, and now we’re there,” he explained. “I just hope the sport and the athletes live up to the hype.”

Given a chance to add his own two cents, Shamrock gracefully gave homage to the fans of the sport, regardless of their allegiance. “I appreciate everyone supporting me over the years, and everyone sticking by me whether they liked or disliked me,” he said. “My fans have always been supportive, and they always voiced their opinions, and I appreciate that. I’m just looking forward to getting the sport way back to the top and getting the sport popular again.”

Rich Bergeron
Editor/Writer/Webmaster
www.unlimitedfightnews.com
www.fightnewsunlimited.com

Magee: I want to fight the Prizefighter winner

Posted on | June 30, 2010 | No Comments

Champions lie in wait for tomorrow’s super middleweight champ

Northern Irish European super-middleweight champion Brian Magee has offered the ultimate incentive to tomorrow night’s Prizefighter Super Middleweight fighters – lift the trophy and get a shot at my title.

The Prizefighter Super Middleweights take over York Hall in Bethnal Green live on Sky Sports on Wednesday evening and on top of the £32,000 for the winner, the possibility of a title fight with 35 year-old Magee is on the cards.

“Brian will be watching tomorrow night’s action with great interest,” said manager Pat Magee. “He’s a big fan of Prizefighter and there is huge potential for him to take on the winner in his first European title defence.”

Along with Magee’s offer, a fight with Commonwealth super middleweight champion George Groves could also happen after his manager Adam Booth told the Steve Bunce Boxing Hour that the 22 year-old Londoner would be interested in fighting tomorrow’s champion.

Olympic gold medallist James DeGale will be an interested spectator at ringside tomorrow night and the man he defeated to claim the WBA International super middleweight title Sam Horton kicks-off the night against Patrick Mendy, the 19 year-old who becomes the youngest boxer in Prizefighter history.

Daniel Cadman and Eddie McIntosh battle in the second quarter-final to face the winner of that opener, while unbeaten Welsh fighter Jeff Evans takes on Sheffield’s comeback man Peter Fedorenko.

The winner of that fight will face either Sheffield-based Northampton fighter Paul David and Carl Drake, the Plymouth man who takes the place of Tony Salam, who has been forced to withdraw through personal reasons.

“I’m absolutely buzzing at getting a chance for Prizefighter,” said Drake at the weigh-in at the Crowne Plaza London Hotel in Shoreditch. “I know Paul is a top fighter and well-fancied for this but I am going to give it everything and I’m so up for it.”

Tickets for Prizefighter Super Middleweights are available on the door from 7.30pm and are priced £35 (unreserved) and £60 (ringside) with VIP tickets now sold out.

QUARTER-FINALS (with weights):

Patrick Mendy (12st 1lb 9oz) v Sam Horton (12st 1lb 12oz)
Daniel Cadman (12st 1lb 10oz) v Eddie McIntosh (12st 1lb 13oz)
Jeff Evans (12st 1lb 6oz) v Peter Fedorenko (11st 13lb 10oz)
Carl Drake (12st 0lb 10oz) v Paul David (12st 2lb)

Reserves:

Eder Kurti (11st 13lb 9oz) and Anthony Fitzgerald (12st 1lb 13oz)

IBF 122 lb. CHAMP STEVE MOLITOR INJURED; UK BOUT WITH JASON BOOTH POSTPONED

Posted on | June 30, 2010 | No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 23rd Title Defense Pushed Back to September 11th, in Sunderland

TORONTO, ON – (Tuesday, June 29, 2010) Orion Sports Management announced today that IBF Super Bantamweight champion Steve Molitor has sustained a leg injury in training, and will have to push back his fight against the UK’s Jason Booth until September 11th.

“It’s unfortunate, but Steve has suffered a stress factor, and can’t properly train for Jason Booth. So it’s not a situation where we want to move this fight back,” said Allan Tremblay, President of Orion Sports Management

“It just needs to be done.”

ABOUT: Orion Sports Management is an Ontario based promotional company known for staging first class boxing events. Run by former Canadian Airline executive Allan Tremblay, Orion is the force behind Ontario ’s biggest match ups, from their launch event at The Air Canada Centre (“The Night Of The Hurricane”) to a series of televised events in the Niagara region featuring “Baby Joe” Mesi, Razor Ruddock, Egerton Marcus , Chad Brisson, and Steve Molitor.

Time for McKee to defend; Super-skilled wrestler can’t be shelved any longer

Posted on | June 30, 2010 | No Comments

Seven years and four months.

Flip the pages on a calendar – it will take a while – but it has been that long since Antonio McKee suffered a loss.

The reigning MFC lightweight champion is a consummate pro and an intellectual fighter, but also a title-holder currently wearing an undefendable belt. The one opportunity McKee had to put his championship on the line came at MFC 22 but his foe, Carlo Prater, came in overweight and the five-round bout was changed to a three-rounder. McKee still scooted away with a clear-cut decision but it was not what he nor MFC wanted out of the night.

So what lies ahead for the organization’s first 155-pound champ? Honestly speaking, there would appear to be only one showdown in the works for McKee. Because of his spectacular skills as a wrestler (which go hand-in-hand with a phenomenal cardio gas tank) McKee is incredibly difficult to match up.

Selection of his opponent is critical and McKee is not an easy target. In the fight for the title, the only time McKee was ever in the slightest amount of trouble came when Derrick Noble was able to land strikes from the outside, in particular a cracking blow near the end of Round 1. But in tight it was McKee’s world and a dominating conclusion ensued.

Match McKee against a striker and he’s going to put his wrestling to use, pretty well exclusively to grind out a verdict as evidenced by 18 of his 22 wins coming by way of decision. That rationale leads one to assume that a clash between McKee and fellow veteran Yves Edwards wouldn’t be a good mix. Edwards, who is coming off a first-round mowdown of Noble at MFC 24, might get one chance to flatten McKee with a strike before he’s scooped up, dropped on his back, and smothered. McKee isn’t going to risk getting clipped on the chin and will neutralize Edwards to the point a dreary, dull decision.

So as McKee pointed out while sitting ringside at MFC 25, about the only way to force him into an exciting fight is to put him against a slick submission fighter.

McKee won’t want to mess around on the mat, fearing he could get caught in a trap which would make him more inclined to keep the fight on the feet. McKee does have a couple of TKO victories to his credit and is definitely the kind of guy who pushed into a sticky situation would come out swinging. In an interesting turn, a more aggressive showing in the ring by McKee may well spark a fight-first-wrestle-second mentality in the combatants he trains, specifically former MFC light heavyweight champion Emanuel Newton.

If anyone currently in the MFC stable has a shot against McKee, it would seem to be newly signed Brazilian Luciano Azevedo. Not yet a brand-name product, Azevedo has the jiu-jitsu repertoire – 12 of 16 wins via submission including five tapouts under the pressure of his triangle choke – that would take away most of McKee’s rival ground game, forcing both fighters to settle the issue throwing punches, kicks, and knees. The fight could very well wind up on the ground but it’s unlikely that a dull stalemate would result since McKee doesn’t own the mat in this fight – it’s Azevedo’s world down there too.

A tilt with Azevedo is a likely occurrence though the MFC is looking at a few other options including a talent search to the Far East in exploration of mining more lightweight talent. Whatever way the matchup bounces, it’s long overdue that McKee defend his belt.

Boxing greats to attend Johnson-Jeffries Centennial fights

Posted on | June 30, 2010 | No Comments

Olympians, boxing champions, TV personalities will celebrate boxing history at Grand Sierra Resort during Fourth of July weekend

RENO, NEV. (June 29, 2010) — Olympians, boxing champions, TV personalities and fans are set to pack the Grand Theatre of Reno’s Grand Sierra Resort Saturday, July 3 for a night of high-powered, live boxing to commemorate the “Fight of the Century.”

The fights — featuring Super Middleweight Joey Gilbert, undefeated Brandon “Flawless” Gonzales and former Jr. flyweight champion Ulises Solís, among others — are part of a three-day, Fourth of July weekend celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the fight that pitted Jack Johnson, the nation’s first African-American World Champion, against Jim Jeffries, a man known as “The Great White Hope.”

The racially charged 1910 Johnson-Jeffries bout is widely recognized as one of the most important sporting events of all time.

The boxing notables scheduled to attend the fights, which will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Net, or other events during the three-day weekend, including a Johnson-Jeffries Centennial gala and Al Bernstein Boxing Party are:

· Andre Ward – Current WBA super middleweight champion, 2004 Olympic gold medalist.

· Emanuel Steward – Hall of Fame boxing trainer and HBO boxing commentator/analyst.

· Al Bernstein – Current commentator for Showtime boxing, celebrating his 30th year in boxing media.

· Bruce Trampler – Hall of Fame matchmaker. Matchmaker for Top Rank Boxing.

· Raul Marquez – Former Jr. middleweight world champion.

· Jesse Brinkley – No. 2 super middleweight title contender.

Organizers are hopeful that former lightweight world champion Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini will also attend the weekend’s events.

“We’re honored to have some of boxing’s great fighters and experts come to celebrate the legacy of the Johnson-Jeffries bout,” said Terry Lane, CEO of Let’s Get It On Promotions. “It’s appropriate that some of boxing’s great names come to Reno to commemorate the bout that changed the sport they love.”

Doors will open at 4 p.m. for the fights on Saturday, July 3 with the first bout at 5 p.m. in the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino’s Grand Theatre. Tickets are $75, $55 and $35. Tickets for a King’s Row Booth for four are $1,000 which includes an exciting spot to get close to the action with light appetizers and one bottle of alcohol included. To purchase tickets or for more information, please call 1.800.648.3568 or visit www.grandsierraresort.com.

For more information on the Johnson-Jeffries Centennial events at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, and the history of the Johnson-Jeffries fight, visit www.johnsonjeffries2010.com.

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