ANTWAIN BRITT TO BATTLE “FEIJAO’’ CAVALCANTE

Posted on | April 27, 2010 | No Comments

SATURDAY, MAY 15, AT SCOTTRADE CENTER
IN ST. LOUIS ON SHOWTIME®

Vitor “Shaolin’’ Ribeiro To Meet Unbeaten Lyle “Fancy Pants’’ Beerbohm

In One of Top Undercard Fights on STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery

NEW YORK (April 27, 2009) – In a clash of explosive light heavyweights (205 pounds), Antwain “The Juggernaut” Britt (11-3) will collide with Rafael “Feijao’’ Cavalcante (8-2) at STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. on Saturday, May 15.

Vitor “Shaolin’’ Ribeiro (20-3) of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil will make his anxiously awaited STRIKEFORCE debut against undefeated Lyle “Fancy Pants’’ Beerbohm (13-0) of Spokane, Wash., in a lightweight (155-pound) matchup on the event’s preliminary card.

The winner between Britt and Feijao will move a step closer to challenging recently crowned STRIKEFORCE 205-pound champion “King Mo’’ Lawal.

It will be the most important fight of his career for the fast-rising Britt, of Virginia Beach, Va., who’s won four of his last five, including a dominant performance in his STRIKEFORCE debut last Dec. 19 when he repeatedly dropped Scott Lightly until the one-sided proceedings were halted by the doctor after the first round.

On May 9, 2009 – Britt’s 31st birthday – he overwhelmed UFC veteran Antonio Mendes with a flurry of blows, winning the fight in just eight seconds, which is hardly enough time to touch gloves.

“I just kept pumping, you can’t attack if you’re backing up,” said the 6-foot-1 Hybrid Academy of Martial Arts-trained fighter who has registered victories in less than two minutes on seven different occasions. “Right cross, right elbow. Boom, dropped him. That was it.”

Britt was a contestant on season eight of The Ultimate Fighter, but a broken hand suffered during a victory in his elimination bout forced his withdrawal from the competition.

Feijao, a devastating striking with a fierce killer instinct, has produced all eight of his wins inside the distance. He trains out of the famed Black House camp with Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

In 2007-‘08, the six-foot-one-inch, 29-year-old Feijao of Sao Paulo, Brazil was viewed as one of the most promising prospects in MMA. He was slated to challenge then-STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight titleholder Renato “Babalu” Sobral last June 6, but Sobral withdrew because of the impending birth of a child.

Due to the circumstances, Feijao was matched against Mike “Mak” Kyle, who manufactured a colossal upset when he defeated Feijao via second-round TKO.

Until the Kyle stunner, Feijao, which means “bean” or “beans” in Portuguese, had steamrolled his opposition. His only other loss came on a disqualification on June 16, 2007.

Feijao rebounded from the shocking setback and regained his winning ways with an impressive second-round TKO (punches) over Aaron Rosa on the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event last Nov. 20. After an unhurried opening round, Feijao turned up the heat in the second, battering Rosa with a series of strikes until the fight was halted at 3:25.

Ribeiro, a 30-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, is among the top lightweights in MMA. He’s won the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship four times, once as a purple belt in 1996 and three times as a black belt in three consecutive years (1999-2001).

Among his 20 victories include 14 stoppages (12 by submission) while topping notables such as Joachim Hansen, Eiji Mitsuoka, and Mitsuhiro “The Endless Fighter” Ishida.

Ribeiro’s losses have come against some of the division’s most talented fighters — Tatsuya Kawajiri, Gesias “GZ” Cavalcante and, in his last start on a decision to then-No. 2 in the world, Shinya Aoki, in the DREAM Grand Prix finals last July 20.

Afterward, Ribeiro underwent successful eye surgery, but he is back to 100 percent and has pronounced himself fit and ready. “I’ve been training and I’m motivated to get back to fighting regularly again,’’ said Ribeiro, who credits his mentor, André Pederneiras, for his success.

Beerbohm is not your prototypical mixed martial artist. A top up-and-coming fighter who is also a feel-good story, he literally started MMA on his way home from prison after he spent a year and one day at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla as a result of felony convictions, all related to his crystal meth addiction.

The same day the 5-foot-10, 31-year-old native of Spokane, Wash., got out of prison, he was at a Jiu-Jitsu gym. He had his first amateur fight eight days after being released.

Despite the many obstacles, Beerbohm went 12-0 in the amateurs and has been flawless since turning pro on April 6, 2007. In his last outing, he registered an 89-second, first-round TKO (elbows) over Josh Martin on Sept. 12, 2009. In a career-best performance, he submitted (bulldog choke) veteran star Duane “Bang” Ludwig in the first round at a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event on June 19, 2009.

Since entering MMA, Beerbohm has found a discipline and determination that was missing in his life. “If I didn’t go to prison, I probably would be dead today,” Beerbohm said. “Because I wouldn’t get cleaned up. I wouldn’t go to rehab. I wouldn’t get off the drugs. I didn’t want to get off the drugs. I traded one addiction for the other. I traded meth for MMA.

“After watching MMA on TV, I knew deep down inside that’s what I was going to do.’’

A top wrestler in high school, Beerbohm is a brawler who can switch between southpaw and orthodox stances. Of his 12 amateur fights and 13 pro bouts, only one has gone the distance. He has recorded more KO’s than submissions, but he still considers himself a grappler.

Beerbohm, whose nickname is derived from the custom-made trunks sewn by his mother, wants to defeat Ribeiro and then challenge for the STRIKEFORCE lightweight title. “That’s my goal,’’ he said. “I want to be the champ. I want a five-round fight. That would be something else.’’

Tickets are on sale for STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery at the Scottrade Center ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

In the May 15 main event, STRIKEFORCE World Heavyweight Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem (32-11) will defend against heavy-handed knockout artist Brett “The Grim” Rogers (10-1). Former world champions Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (15-7) and Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (13-2) will collide in another heavyweight confrontation.

In other previously announced fights, unbeaten Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensation Roger Gracie (2-0) will make his STRIKEFORCE and United States MMA debut against two-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Kevin “The Monster” Randleman (17-14) and middleweight (185 pound) superstar “Jacare” Souza (11-2) will collide with determined, hard-hitting Joey Villasenor (27-6).

Doors at Scottrade Center will open for STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery at 6:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 15. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 7 p.m.

The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Shamrock Promotions is assisting STRIKEFORCE with local marketing for the event.

About STRIKEFORCE

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

South Coast Martial Arts/Boxing and Kickboxing Center MASTERS BOXING SHOW SET FOR JUNE

Posted on | April 26, 2010 | No Comments

MAYWEATHER VS. MOSLEY: WHO R U PICKING? POLL UPDATE

Posted on | April 26, 2010 | No Comments

Countdown To Fight Night – 5 Days To Go!

LOS ANGELES (April 26) – The polls on the internet asking “Who R U Picking?” for Mayweather vs. Mosley are producing very interesting results. With less than a week to go, the buzz has spread across all media platforms breaking the general boxing barriers and into mainstream sports, entertainment, political and many other sites. See what people are saying on who they think will be victorious on May 1 when Floyd “Money” Mayweather and Sugar Shane Mosley meet in the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in a mega-fight which will be produced and distributed live by HBO-Pay-Per-View® beginning at 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST:

Sugar Shane Mosley picked up 3% of East Coast votes and 2% of West Coast votes since we last tallied. The data still points to Mayweather dominating the East Coast voting, while Mosley still has the West Coast fans on his side.

Mayweather Mosley

East Coast 59% 41%

West Coast 46% 54%

A more in depth look at the country’s top cities shows that Floyd Mayweather increased votes in Houston, Dallas and Phoenix while Sugar Shane Mosley gained votes in the seven other cities that have been tracked:

Mayweather Mosley

Los Angeles 44% 56%

New York 54% 46%

DC 67% 33%

Miami 63% 37%

Chicago 58% 42%

Houston 49% 51%

San Francisco 41% 59%

Dallas 49% 51%

Atlanta 66% 34%

Phoenix 51% 49%

In the Male/Female breakdown, Floyd Mayweather gained a percentage point in both categories and now the women have the votes split dead even:

Mayweather Mosley

Male 54% 46%

Female 50% 50%

International polls are favoring Sugar Shane Mosley:

Mayweather Mosley

Canada 42% 58%

Non US 48% 52%

Results have been derived from online polls currently running on:

CNN

USA Today

ESPN

People

Spike

Entertainment Weekly

Univision

Whorupicking.com

# # #

Mayweather vs. Mosley: Who R U Picking? is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions, and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, DeWALT Tools and StubHub. The 12-round welterweight battle is set for Saturday, May 1 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets, priced at $1,250, $1,000, $600, $300 and $150 not including applicable service charges, are on sale now and limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Seven of the MGM MIRAGE properties will host closed circuit viewing of Mayweather vs. Mosley. Tickets for the closed circuit telecasts at all venues are priced at $50, not including applicable service charges and handling fees, go on sale today. All seats will be general admission and will be available at each individual property’s box office outlets and 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, or visit www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to 20 per person.

The finale of HBO®’s all-access reality series “24/7 Mayweather/Mosley” debuts Friday, Apr. 30 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. Episodes one thru three are available on HBO ON DEMAND®. All four episodes will air consecutively on Saturday, May 1 at 9:30 a.m. ET/PT on the main HBO service.

The Mayweather vs. Mosley pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, 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 Mayweather vs. Mosley fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

WELL GO USA ACQUIRES NORTH AMERICAN RIGHTS TO IP MAN MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE FRANCHISE

Posted on | April 26, 2010 | No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RICHARDSON, TX. (April 26, 2010) — Well Go USA announced today that it has acquired North American rights to IP MAN and IP MAN 2. Both films are directed by Wilson Yip and star Donnie Yen with action choreography by Sammo Hung. The films team-up Yip, Yen, and Hung who previously worked together on Kill Zone. Yip and Yen also worked together on Flash Point and Dragon Tiger Gate. Donnie Yen is currently Hong Kong’s biggest action star gaining international recognition as the most diverse martial artist in the world.

IP MAN is a biopic based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun, and the first person to teach Wing Chun openly. He was also teacher and mentor to widely influential and acclaimed martial artist and filmmaker Bruce Lee.

“IP MAN is an amazing story and the film has had such a phenomenal response overseas from critics and audiences alike that I am so proud to be able to bring it to the American audience,” said Well Go President of Home Entertainment, Doris Pfardrescher. “This acquisition is a big move forward for Well Go USA especially as the popularity of Asian cinema continues to grow in North America.”

Released theatrically in Asia in December 2008, IP MAN is considered to be one of the greatest martial arts movies of the past decade. Grossing over $21 million in Asia box office, the critically-acclaimed film has been nominated for numerous awards including an unprecedented 12 Hong Kong Film Award nominations, winning Best Film and Best Action Choreography. IP MAN premiered in North America at the 2009 New York Asian Film Festival and was the opening feature at 2009 Fantasia International Film Festival. IP MAN 2 will have its much-anticipated theatrical release in Asia on April 29, 2010 and its North American premiere at the 2010 New York Asian Film Festival in June.

“No one ever imagined that IP MAN would be such a huge sensation. The box office in Hong Kong has exceeded over HK$25 million and in China over ¥100 million. It also made quite a stir in other parts of South East Asia. We have successfully turned a Wing Chun master into a national hero,” says Raymond Wong, producer of IP MAN and IP MAN 2. “The box office success and public praise of IP MAN did not only create a public longing for the sequel, it also inspired the production team to work together again. For IP MAN 2, we have put in more resources, added stronger cast, developed a more enriching storyline and created action sequences even more stunning than the first production. We hope that IP MAN 2 will be an even bigger hit than the first IP MAN.”

IP MAN is set to release on DVD July 27, 2010.Well Go plans on a releasing IP MAN 2 theatrically in early 2011.

About Well Go USA, Inc.

WELL GO USA, INC. (www.wellgousa.com) specializes in the acquisition and distribution of entertainment programs in the video, television and digital market throughout North American and South East Asia. Since 1993, Well Go has acquired and released hundreds of films and programs across all genres and continues to be a leader in film distribution by offering diversified and unique programs in a variety of formats.

About Mandarin Films Ltd.

MANDARIN FILMS LIMITED was founded in 1991. The company, since the beginning, has focused on the production and distribution of Hong Kong films and to date has produced over 90 films. Its inaugural film, ‘All’s Well Ends Well’, took a record box office of HK$48 million and became a classic of the family situation comedy genre. As Mandarin Group’s productions continue to achieve lucrative box office earnings, the company has also continuously collaborated with distinguished Hong Kong film directors – productions include ‘The Bride With White Hair’ and ‘The Phantom Lover’ with Ronny Yu; ‘The Chinese Feast’, ‘Tristar’ and ‘Seven Swords’ with Tsui Hark; ‘Eighteen Springs’ with Ann Hui; ‘All’s Well Ends Well Too’ with Clifton Ko Chi-Sum and ‘Dry Wood Fierce Fire’ with Wilson Yip. ‘Ip Man’ directed by Wilson Yip, Best Film winner at the 28th Annual Hong Kong Film Awards, and breakout hit of 2009.

John Ruiz Retires From Boxing After 18-year Ring Career

Posted on | April 26, 2010 | No Comments

John “The Quietman” Ruiz Retires

The First and Only Heavyweight World Champion of Latino Heritage Calls it a Career

LAS VEGAS (Apr. 26, 2010) – After a professional career spanning 18 years, highlighted by becoming the first and only Heavyweight World Champion of Latino heritage, two-time world champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz today announced his retirement from the ring.

Ruiz (44-9-1, 30 KOs) defeated three world champions – Evander Holyfield, Hasim Rahman and Tony Tucker – as well as top contenders such as Andrew Golota, Fres Oquendo, Jameel McCline and Kirk Johnson. Six of John’s nine career losses were to world champions.

“I’ve had a great career but it’s time for me to turn the page and start a new chapter of my life,” Ruiz said. “It’s sad that my final fight didn’t work out the way I wanted, but, hey, that’s boxing. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished with two world titles, 12 championship fights, and being the first Latino Heavyweight Champion of the World. I fought anybody who got in the ring with me and never ducked anyone. Now, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family.

“I want to thank all of fans for staying in my corner through a long, up-and-down ride, as well as members of my family and team – my manager and legal advisor, Atty. Tony Cardinale, my brother, Eddie (cornerman), and Keith McGrath (strength-and conditioning coach) who’ve been with me so long. I also want to thank my trainer Miguel Diaz and (assistant) Richie Sandoval for teaching an old dog, new tricks, and my promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, the fairest promoter in boxing.

“I was proud to be the WBA champion twice and have the opportunity to fight 12 times for the WBA championship, the oldest and most respected organization in boxing. I’d particularly like to thank WBA President Gilberto Mendoza.”

Ruiz plans to move from Las Vegas back home to the Boston area this year and open a boxing gym in the inner city. “With my experiences in boxing,” he explained, “I want to go home and open a gym where kids will have a place to go, keeping them off of the streets, so they can learn how to box and build character. Someday, I’d like to see one of them go on to represent the United States in the Olympics. I want them to have the same opportunity to see the world that I had as an amateur. I’ve always tried to be involved in community and charity work in the past and now I’ll have more time to work with kids.

“Maybe, someday I’ll get into training, but right now I just want to spend time with my wife, Maribelle, and my children. I wasn’t around as much as I would have liked for my two oldest children, John and Jocelyn, because I was away training or fighting. Now, I’ll be around for them and my 3-year-old son, Joaquin, as he grows up. I’m going back to my roots in Massachusetts, where a lot of my family and friends live, and look forward to helping young boxers avoid some of the bad things that I experienced in the sport but help them to experience the good times, too. Boxing is brutal but also beautiful. As I look back, I’m happy about my career, and my future is very bright.”

Go on line to www.johnthequietmanruiz.com for more information about John Ruiz.

-JR-

Unbeaten prospect Edwin Rodriguez Moving Up Super Middleweight Ladder

Posted on | April 26, 2010 | No Comments

WORCESTER, Mass. (Apr. 26, 2010) – Hot, unbeaten super middleweight prospect Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez, coming off of his nationally televised destruction of veteran George “The Rooster” Armenta with a lethal left hook to the body at 47 seconds of the opening round, takes another progressive step April 30, when he takes on rugged Kevin Engel in an 8-round bout April 30 on “The Next Generation of Super Middleweights, live from UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

The show will be presented by Rodriguez’ promoter, DiBella Entertainment, along with Warriors Boxing and 8 Count Productions, airing on “SHOBOX: The Next Generation” at 11 PM/ET.

One of the most promising under-25 prospects in the world, the 24-year-old Dominican Republic native Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KOs), fighting out of Worcester (MA), is already rated No. 12 by the NABO and No. 14 by the NABF.

Rodriguez, the 2005 USA Boxing National Championships and 2006 U.S. National Golden Gloves Tournament gold medalist, remains a relatively unassuming boxer despite drawing raves from the media and public for his past few performances.

“I have to stay grounded and keep working hard to become the fighter I want to be – world champion,” Rodriguez said. “Whether I’m fighting on national TV or not, I go in the ring and shoot for my best performance. I’m working just as hard for this fight as I was for my last fight. I need to keep improving each fight. I’m honored to be part of ‘The Next Generation of Super Middleweights,’ but I remain level-headed and work very hard in the gym.”

Engel (17-2) arguably represents Rodriguez’ toughest opponent to date, something that Edwin has faced fight-by-fight on a regular basis in order to improve. The knockout artist from St. Louis fighter, who has stopped 14 of 17 victims, has fought mostly as a light heavyweight, winning the World Boxing Foundation title in 2007.

“I know he is a kick-boxer; an athlete with a good right hand,” Rodriguez noted. “I’ll be working to stay away from his right. Every fight I try and make a statement and this fight I want to prove to everyone that, my last fight was an impressive performance, not a fluke. I’ve been working hard in the gym and will get the job done. I’m ready.”

Rodriguez is managed by Elite Management (Larry Army) and trained by Peter Manfredo, Sr. Go online to www.edwinrodriguezboxing.com for more information about Edwin Rodriguez.

WELSHMAN BROOKS PAIRED WITH PRIZEFIGHTER FAVOURITE HIDE

Posted on | April 26, 2010 | No Comments

HERBIE Hide will begin his quest for Prizefighter glory with a fight with Welshman Wayne Brooks.

Hide, 38, is the favourite to win Prizefighter Cruiserweights II, which will be held on Friday at the York Hall in Bethnal Green, east London.

Former WBO heavyweight world champion Hide is hoping to win Prizefighter and then fight for the WBC cruiserweight title.

However, he needs to triumph at Prizefighter for that dream to become a reality and 23-year-old Brooks is the first of three potential opponents.

Brooks, a former amateur star who twice won the Welsh amateur title, is the youngest of the eight entrants and has won five of nine professional contests.

The winner of that could face former Commonwealth champion Darren Corbett in the semi-finals, as long as he beats Doncaster’s John Anthony in the third quarter-final.

A sell-out crowd is expected at the York Hall and the first fight of the night will be between Mark Krence, a two-time British heavyweight title contender, and inexperienced Zahid Kahut.

The second quarter-final sees two young prospects collide as Londoner Leon Williams meets Jon-Lewis Dickinson, the only undefeated fighter in the competition.

Four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and a final take place in one action-packed night with the overall champion claiming £32,000.

Each fight lasts a maximum of three rounds and a successful night in Prizefighter has catapulted previous winners to British, Commonwealth and European title fights.

Tickets cost £35 and £60 and are available from 01277 359900. All the action will again be screened live on Sky Sports 2 from 9pm.

Prizefighter Cruiserweights II
Friday, April 30
York Hall, Bethnal Green, east London.

Draw

Quarter-finals

1. Mark Krence v Zahid Kahut. 2. Leon Williams v Jon-Lewis Dickinson. 3. John Anthony v Darren Corbett. 4. Wayne Brooks v Herbie Hide.

Semi-finals

1. Winner of QF 1 v winner of QF 2. 2. Winner of QF 3 v Winner of QF 4.

Final.

Winner of SF 1 v winner of SF 2

The eight contenders
Name: John Anthony
Age: 35
Home town: Doncaster
Professional record: Won 7 (5 by KO), Lost 11, Drawn 0. Total 18
Achievement: Only been stopped twice

Name: Wayne Brooks
Age: 23
Home town: Cardiff, Wales
Professional record: Won 5 (2 by KO), Lost 2, Drawn 2. Total 9
Achievement: Fought for Welsh Light-Heavyweight Championship.

Name: Darren Corbett
Age: 37
Home town: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Professional record: Won 28 (16 by KO), Lost 5, Drawn 1. Total 34
Achievement: Former Commonwealth Champion.

Name: Jon-Lewis Dickinson
Age: 23
Home town: Birtley, County Durham
Professional record: Won 5 (0 by KO), Lost 0, Drawn 0. Total 5
Achievement: Undefeated.

Name: Herbie Hide
Age: 38
Home town: Norwich / Hamburg, Germany
Professional record: Won 48 (43 by KO), Lost 4, Drawn 0. Total 52
Achievement: Former WBO Heavyweight Champion.

Name: Zahid Kahut
Age: 36
Home town: Batley, Yorkshire
Professional record: Won 4 (0 by KO), Lost 1, Drawn 0. Total 5
Achievement: Never been stopped.

Name: Mark Krence
Age: 33
Home town: Chesterfield
Professional record: Won 24 (6 by KO), Lost 7, Drawn 0. Total 31
Achievement: Fought for British Heavyweight Championship.

Name: Leon Williams
Age: 26
Home town: Streatham, London
Professional record: Won 4 (2 by KO), Lost 1, Drawn 0. Total 5
Achievement: Never been stopped.

Top 10 Questions for Maximum Fighting #25: Vindication

Posted on | April 25, 2010 | No Comments

Z-Files #52

With the incredible MFC 25 card fast-approaching, it’s time once again for the Z-Files to take an in-depth look at each fight with the usual Top 10 Questions.

This is without a doubt the most-talent laden lineup ever for an MFC fight card and there’s high expectations on the roster coming off the unbelievable action at MFC 24 so hopefully these fighters will take a peek at the last show, get fired up, and deliver in just same style of action that the Maximum Fighting Championship wants for its awesome loyal crowd.

1. Whose fist connects first? There should be plenty of fireworks on this entire card but as many insiders are predicting it’s the David Heath-Solomon Hutcherson showdown that could very well provide the most sparks. Heath and Hutcherson are both brawlers who prefer to settle the issue standing or at least in ground-and-pound fashion. Most likely this one comes down to lands the perfect shot on the button the fastest. Critical point – how does Heath’s body, especially stamina and strength, adapt to the new middleweight class?

2. Can “Forrest” run through the “Samurai”? The head-down, come-forward approach is how Gavin “Forrest (Gump)” Neil gets it done. Forget lateral movement and stepping back. Neil is the kind of guy who comes to fight, putting himself at risk for the greater good which makes him a huge fan favorite. Richie “The Dirty Samurai” Hightower isn’t likely to wait for Neil to make his move. If he comes straight at Neil, it will be interesting to see if Neil finds a different route or sticks with his chin-out, fists up game plan.

3. Is Allen a welterweight rising star? Keto Allen was a physical force when he made his MFC debut. But as a newly re-classed welterweight, Allen should be an absolute beast at 170. Now if Allen can be an imposing presence and match that with the skill he could become a real threat in the MFC ranks. Aaron Berke gets the test to see if Allen is a wrecking ball or not.

4. Who wants the rematch more? Chad Freeman and Mike Froese will go toe-to-toe for a second time – Freeman taking their original clash almost two years ago. Froese enters the MFC as a hugely popular local favorite but it’s a much bigger stage for him this time and how he adapts to that on top of the pressure to perform in front of his fans plus the heat on him for revenge, well, that’s a lot to handle. This should be a very entertaining undercard encounter.

5. What is the “Tank’s” secret? Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti didn’t reveal much about his game plan in a recent interview but he did say he had a “secret” for “The Secret Weapon” Pete Spratt. Does that mean Fioravanti is willing to square-off and go strike-for-strike with Spratt? Fioravanti does have very strong striking skills but Spratt’s hands, and moreso his feet, are deadly. Spratt’s best defense is to keep it standing so it remains to be seen whether Fioravanti’s Italian bravado makes it a stand-up affair or is the secret nothing more than smoke screen for a submission assault.

6. Can the “Vanilla Gorilla” go ape on Gormley? It’s a big step up for Ryan “The Vanilla Gorilla” Fortin has he faces Chase Gormley, who should have a strength advantage over his younger foe. Gormley has a vast edge in experience and is back under the instruction of Antonio McKee which is a huge level above Fortin’s usual training surroundings. But Fortin should have an edge in the stand-up – if he can keep Gormley from closing the distance, he could find his range to land some big bombs.

7. Is “The Hardcore Kid” back? Trainer and MFC lightweight champ Antonio McKee swears his athletic and talented protégé Emanuel “The Hardcore Kid” Newton is back to the form that once made him the MFC light heavyweight champ. It won’t take long to find out if that’s true or not as Newton takes on Dwayne Lewis, who is on a terrific tear and eyeing a title shot of his own. Newton won’t have a choice but be at his best as Lewis is a punisher and isn’t about to hold back. Newton’s best hope is to take Lewis into deep waters and see how he treads as Lewis will be out to end it early with one of his potent punches.

8. Can you bank on “JT Money”? Jesse “JT Money” Taylor is by far the underdog with few insiders giving him much of a chance against skilled Brazilian Thales Leites. But the former reality show standout does have a few believers who figure his wrestling game and aggression could cause huge problems for Leites, who has the obvious edge in the field of submissions. Taylor might be well-advised to keep the fight on the feet and test Leites to see if his improving stand-up game is at title-contender level.

9. Can Jimmo finally bring the heat? Ryan “The Big Deal” Jimmo has all the tools and an affable personality that makes him championship material. Unfortunately, though, Jimmo has failed to capitalize on numerous opportunities to cement himself in the title picture because he hasn’t been a big finisher despite a 12-fight winning streak. Doubt he’ll have the chance to grind out another win against Wilson Gouveia, who at light heavyweight, shouldn’t run out of gas like he did due to the 185-pound weight cut. Gouveia comes out guns blazing so we’ll see if Jimmo has a loaded pistol in his holster.

10. Who will the breakout performer be? At MFC 24, Jesse Juarez propelled himself into the welterweight title picture with an 11-second knockout, and middleweight Tom Watson made a massive statement with a head-kick highlight reel topper. Those two fighters, alongside Yves Edwards, stole the spotlight at the last show, which now leaves the door open at MFC 25 for the next fighter to make the step up.

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