MMA SUPERSTAR “RUTHLESS” ROBBIE LAWLER TO THROW OUT FIRST PITCH THURSDAY NIGHT AT BUSCH STADIUM

Posted on | June 3, 2009 | No Comments

STRIKEFORCE: Lawler vs. Shields Takes Place This Saturday, June 6,

At Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri;
Airs Live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT

ST. LOUIS (June 3, 2009) – Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) superstar “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler of Granite City, Ill., will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Cardinals-Reds game Thursday night (June 4) at Busch Stadium.

“I am a big baseball fan and I love the Cards,’’ said Lawler.

When he takes the mound, Lawler, a converted southpaw, will throw right-handed.

Lawler will be delivering hard pitches with both hands – and legs – this Saturday night when he faces Jake Shields in the main event of STRIKEFORCE’s eagerly anticipated MMA fight card at the Scottrade Center. Both Lawler (middleweight) and Shields (welterweight) are ranked among the very best in the world in their respective weight classes. They will clash at a catch weight of 182 pounds.

The highly anticipated Lawler-Shields matchup will highlight an 11-fight card in the biggest, most significant MMA event in the history of the Gateway City.

Tickets, starting at $30, are on sale at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com). Doors at the Scottrade Center will open at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m.

A six-bout undercard featuring a top match between Rafael Feijao and Mike Kyle will also include local stars Jesse Finney and Tyron Woodley. It will precede a five-fight telecast on SHOWTIME (10 p.m., ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

In televised fights on SHOWTIME (besides Lawler-Shields): trash-talking, knockout artist Phil “The New York Bad Ass’’ Baroni will face crowd-pleasing, aggressive-minded Joe “ Diesel” Riggs in a welterweight scrap, Andrei “Pitbull’’ Arlovski, a former UFC champion, will take on undefeated, hard-hitting Brett “The Grim’’ Rogers in an Affliction sponsored heavyweight bout, exciting, power-punching Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith will meet talented, Cesar Gracie black belt Nick Diaz and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Kevin Randleman will thrown down with Mike Whitehead in a light heavyweight matchup.

TYRON WOODLEY: Six Questions With Fast-Rising St. Louis MMA Star

Posted on | June 3, 2009 | No Comments

“LAWLER vs. SHIELDS” — June 6, Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri,

Live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT; First Non-Televised Fight: 7 P.M. CT

ST. LOUIS (June 3, 2009) – Fast-rising St. Louis fighter Tryon Woodley joins eight other popular local fighters including Jesse Finney on Saturday night’s six-bout undercard that will precede an incredible five-fight “Lawler vs. Shields” Strikeforce show to be televised on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

World-ranked fighters Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (middleweight) and Jake Shields (welterweight) will square off at a catch weight of 182 pounds in the main event and Andrei “Pitbull’’ Arlovski, Brett “The Grim’’ Rogers and Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith will do battle

In other fights on SHOWTIME’s five-fight telecast, Arlovski, a former UFC champion, will take on the undefeated, hard-hitting Rogers in an Affliction sponsored heavyweight bout, the exciting, power-punching Smith will take on talented, Cesar Gracie black belt Nick Diaz, knockout artist Phil Baroni will meet Joe Riggs in a welterweight scrap and ex-UFC belt-holder and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Kevin Randleman will face Mike Whitehead in a light heavyweight matchup.

Tickets, starting at $30, are on sale at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com). Doors at the Scottrade Center will open at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 6. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Woodley is 2-0 in his young career and takes on Salvoder Woods of Granite City, Ill. He is No. 11 of 13 children and was a two-time All-American at Missouri and the school’s first Big 12 champion.

He answered six quick questions regarding Saturday night’s fight.

QUESTION: What are you thoughts about Saturday and how you’ve prepared for this fight?

WOODLEY: “I’m super excited about Saturday night. I had the opportunity to train in San Jose, Calif., recently with “Crazy” Bob Cook and his great staff. Javier Mendez helped me fix a few things on my technique and I was able to work out with guys like Jon Fitch, Josh Koschek, Mike Swick and Justin Wilcox. Even Jake Sheilds came in one day and worked with me. It helped me quite a bit.”

QUESTION: How important is it for you to put on a good show in front of the hometown fans?

WOODLEY: “My family has always supported me. To be able to come home and fight for such a great organization as Strikeforce is really incredible. I’m usually pretty mellow before my fights but it’s going to be great to be able to go out afterward and celebrate with all my family and friends.”

QUESTION: You were a college teammate of Mike Whitehead’s at Missouri. What is the biggest thing you learned from wrestling in college that helped you with your current fight game?

WOODLEY: “I know my wrestling style translates greatly into MMA. I learned to be patient and to size up my opponent. But the biggest thing I learned is I have to concentrate and worry about myself. I can’t look at the opposition and say, ‘I used to beat this guy in high school or college.’ I have to take care of business for me and not worry about anything else.”

QUESTION: Your website www.tyronwoodley.com is pretty cool. Do you enjoy blogging and marketing yourself?

WOODLEY: “I want to build value in me. Essentially this is a business. When I go out there to fight I have to be thinking in those terms. Who better to know about myself than me? I really don’t want to take on all these tasks, but I want to know what’s going on all the time. My family gets on me sometime and says you have to just concentrate on fighting. I have to have a general knowledge of what’s going on so there are no curveballs thrown my way.”

QUESTION: You even have an active fan club. What’s the strangest thing that has happened with one of your fans?

WOODLEY: “I actually got a call yesterday from a guy in North Carolina who I didn’t know from anyone who got my number and said he was a big fan of mine. He said he thought I had a great future and I sat there and talked to him for like 15 minutes. Most of the big names I remember growing up were really receptive to me when I had questions but some weren’t. They were very standoff-ish and unapproachable and giving quick answers and always in a rush. So I try not to be like that.”

QUESTION: You hail from a pretty tough St. Louis neighborhood. How did coming from such a rough area shape you as a fighter?

WOODLEY: “The cool thing about my neighborhood was there was definitely a lot of help going on. I don’t think my story is any different than anybody else but I really think I had opportunities that others didn’t. I have so many friends that got involved with drugs and some friends that have been killed. When I was considering what they call the ‘Dope Game’ to sell drugs people were like, ‘No, you’re going to college and you’re going to wrestle.’ I can still go back to the ‘hood for my stripes or for ‘ghetto cred’ or whatever you want to call it but I go back for a different reason. Guys I run into say, ‘Hey, when’s your next fight’ or ‘How’s the wrestling going.’ Everyone knows me as the guy who made it, who went to college and got his degree and is now a professional fighter.”

About Strikeforce
Strikeforce 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 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 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.

About Showtime Networks, Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

STRIKEFORCE: “LAWLER vs. SHIELDS” FIGHTER WEIGH-INS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Posted on | June 3, 2009 | No Comments

Friday at 3 p.m. CT at Al Hrabosky’s Ballpark Saloon in St. Louis

WHAT: Fighters for this Saturday’s highly anticipated Strikeforce: “Lawler vs. Shields” mixed martial arts (MMA) event at Scottrade Center will weigh in on Friday at Al Hrabosky’s Ballpark Saloon in St. Louis. The weigh in event is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC and will begin at 3 p.m. CT.

World-ranked fighters Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (middleweight) and Jake Shields (welterweight) will square off at a catch weight of 182 pounds in the main event of Strikeforce: “Lawler vs. Shields,” the biggest, most significant MMA event in the history of St. Louis, on Saturday, June 6 LIVE on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the west coast).

In other SHOWTIME televised action from the Scottrade Center, Nick Diaz takes on Scott Smith in a 180-pound catch weight clash, former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski squares off with unbeaten phenom Brett Rogers in a heavyweight battle, Phil Baroni will face Joe Riggs at 170 pounds and former UFC Heavyweight Champion and two-time NCAA Division I National Wrestling Champion Kevin Randleman will face Mike Whitehead in a light heavyweight matchup.

Saturday’s non-televised undercard is stacked with local St. Louis fighters competing on their biggest stage to date. In one featured undercard battle, undefeated St. Louis MMA star Jesse Finney will put his perfect record on the line against fellow unbeaten prospect Josh Bumgarner.

Doors for the 11-bout Strikeforce: “Lawler vs. Shields” event open at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday, June 6. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

WHEN: Friday, June 5 at 3 p.m. CT

WHERE: Al Hrabosky’s Ballpark Saloon

800 Cerre St.

St. Louis, MO 63102

(314) 241-6969

UFC99 screening @ London’s Sports Cafe

Posted on | June 3, 2009 | No Comments

RAGE IN THE CAGE REPORT (6-3-09)

Posted on | June 3, 2009 | No Comments

RAGE IN THE CAGE TV
This Thursday on Cox cable channel 7 at 11:00pm

RAGE IN THE CAGE
Saturday June 6th 2009
Airport Tavern, 1801 N. Pima Ave, Casa Grande, Tucson
Doors open 6pm / Fightime 7:30pm
Tickets are available at door or call (520) 450-1191 or (520) 836-5633

Visit Rage in the Cage on the web ! www.rageinthecage.com for Fight Card information, Venue Directions, FREE Tickets and to view RAGE IN THE CAGE fights for FREE!

Interested in competing in RAGE IN THE CAGE, please contact John Petrilli at john@rageinthecage.com.

RITC Training Centers
Call now!!! And receive a free week of training either the Tempe or Chandler locations. (480) 782-6800 or ritc@rageinthecage.com
Join now for only $500.00 for one year of unlimited training!

SHOWTIME ONCE AGAIN TO OFFER MMA FANS ONLINE INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE WITH “STRIKEFORCE: ALL ACCESS”

Posted on | June 3, 2009 | 1 Comment

Mixed Martial Arts Event to Stream Simultaneously

With Live SHOWTIME Telecast of STRIKEFORCE: “Lawler vs. Shields”;

Saturday, June 6, From Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

NEW YORK (June 3, 2009)—SHOWTIME® will once again offer Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fans STRIKEFORCE: All Access, the cutting edge online interactive experience, live on Saturday, June 6, for STRIKEFORCE: Lawler vs. Shields from Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

The immersive digital initiative will stream simultaneously with the live SHOWTIME telecast beginning at 10 p.m. ET*.

STRIKEFORCE: All Access debuted on April 11, 2009, when world-class MMA promoter STRIKEFORCE brought Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz to SHOWTIME.

“With our first event on April 11, we set the bar at a new level,” said Ken Hershman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “From the quality of the fights, to the television production and the interactive applications, our first offering of All Access was well received. This network has proven time and time again to be on the cutting edge of sports entertainment. All Access further demonstrates our commitment to leading the television industry in online, mobile, and interactive content distribution.”

STRIKEFORCE: All Access will cost $24.95 per user and is available for review and pre-order beginning Thursday, June 4, by visiting http://strikeforce.sho.com.

With All Access, fans can be the director. Toggle between five live cameras—including SHOWTIME Sports exclusive CageCam®—with full pause and rewind capabilities. Audio tracks will include the SHOWTIME telecast fight call by host and play-by-play man Gus Johnson, and color commentators Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo, and the corresponding audio to the selected camera. SHOWTIME is working with BitGravity, Inc. and Episodic, Inc. to enable this unique multi-camera experience.

CageCam, a small and high quality camera worn by the referee, takes viewers inside the cage during the live fights. It is the closest and most intimate viewing experience ever presented in MMA. CageCam debuted on SHOWTIME February 16, 2008.

Users will also see a live Twitter feed from fans talking about Strikeforce and following SHOSports http://twitter.com/SHOsports . Fans can contribute content alongside SHOWTIME Sports’ behind-the-scenes staff throughout the evening by adding “#strikeforce” to their tweets.

Through a Facebook® Connect application, fans will be able to make predictions, comment on the live fights, discuss outcomes and even talk a little smack directly on the All Access page.

Other features include professional and amateur photography from the spectacle in the arena. Photos from action in the cage, as well as behind-the-scenes, backstage and fan interaction will all be posted. Images will be uploaded during the live event via Flickr, the popular image and video hosting website and online community.

The June 6 fight card features a showdown of top ranked fighters “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler and Jake Shields in the main event. Lawler, a world top-10 middleweight, and Shields, ranked among the top-5 welterweights in the world, will face off at a catch weight of 182 pounds. In a heavyweight showdown sponsored by Affliction, top-10 ranked heavyweight and former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski will face unbeaten sensation Brett “The Grim” Rogers. Fresh off their respective thrilling wins in the premier of Strikeforce on SHOWTIME (April 11), the versatile Nick Diaz and knockout artist Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith will meet in a special 180-pound showdown. Additionally, “The New York Badass” Phil Baroni (13-10) will collide with Joe “Diesel” Riggs (29-10) in a 170-pound contest and Kevin “The Monster” Randleman (17-12) will face Mike “Iron” Whitehead (23-6) in a 205-pound clash.

*Telecast airs live at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME (delayed on the West Coast); STRIKEFORCE: All Access will be webcast live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.

CageCam® is a registered trademark of Showtime Networks Inc.

About Strikeforce
Strikeforce 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 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 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.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

About BitGravity

BitGravity has built the first global content delivery network optimized to deliver affordable video on demand, live broadcasts in standard and high-definition, software applications, Web assets, and interactive applications. BitGravity is based in Burlingame, CA and is privately held, with strategic investment from Allen & Company, Tata Communications and

private investors. www.BitGravity.com

SHOWTIME® AND STRIKEFORCE CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS; ROBBIE LAWLER & JAKE SHIELDS, PHIL BARONI & MIKE AFROMOWITZ

Posted on | June 2, 2009 | No Comments

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

“LAWLER vs. SHIELDS” – This Saturday, June 6,
Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri, Live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT;

First Non-Televised Fight: 6:45 P.M. CT

NEW YORK (June 2, 2009) – “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler, Jake Shields, and Phil “The New York Bad Ass’’ Baroni participated in a national media conference call Tuesday to discuss their important fights on the eagerly awaited “Lawler vs. Shields” card live on SHOWTIME (this Saturday, June 6, 10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

Strikeforce will present the biggest, most significant mixed martial arts event in the history of the Gateway City. World-ranked fighters Lawler (middleweight) and Shields (welterweight) will square off at a catch weight of 182 pounds in the main event.

In other fights on SHOWTIME’s five-fight telecast, the trash-talking, knockout artist Baroni will face crowd-pleasing, aggressive-minded Joe “The Diesel” Riggs in a welterweight scrap, Andrei “Pitbull’’ Arlovski, a former UFC champion, will take on the undefeated, hard-hitting Brett “The Grim’’ Rogers in an Affliction sponsored heavyweight bout, exciting, power-punching Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith will take on talented, Cesar Gracie black belt Nick Diaz and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Kevin Randleman will face Mike Whitehead in a light heavyweight matchup.

Fast-rising St. Louis-based fighters such as Jesse Finney and Tyron Woodley will head up an excellent six-fight undercard that features nine fighters from the St. Louis area. The final fight of the card was announced on the call Tuesday as Mike Kyle takes on Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante.

Doors at the Scottrade Center will open at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Tickets, starting at $30, are on sale at the Scottrade Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Highlights from Tuesday’s conference call (To hear call in its entirety, Playback Info is below):

ROBBIE LAWLER

Is there any problem with you getting down to 182 pounds?

“I’m going to make it. I don’t want to make it but I’m going to make it. This whole time off I was thinking of getting a little leaner and cutting a little more weight than normal so I think I’ll be fine.”

What is your game plan for Saturday night?

“Well, I definitely don’t want him (Shields) on top of me. He’s got a great top game and he looks to finish, looks to mount and looks to improve position so being on the ground is definitely not a good place to be.”

How do you approach selling a fight? Has your approach changed to it over the years?

“I stay pretty reserved still. I’m pretty laid back. I do it but I typically don’t like to get involved in and definitely don’t like doing it. But I do as much I can to help the fight. It’s good for the sport but I’d rather be out there fighting than being on the phone.”

How do you feel about fighting in your hometown?

“It’s not a big deal. I’m looking at it as another fight.”

Are you looking for a first-round knockout Saturday night?

“However I can get a win.”

JAKE SHIELDS:

What about going down to 182 pounds?

“Well it is nice not having to diet all the time so hopefully I’ll go in there feeling stronger. Dieting and sucking water, all of that can take it out of you. There are positives and disadvantages to it. It’s always nice being the bigger guy but it’s also nice to not have to diet or cut water out. So there are two ways of looking at it. I’ll just have to go out there and see how I feel on Saturday.”

What is you game plan Saturday if he keeps you on your feet and you’re not able to get him to the ground?

“Punch him in the face. That always helps. If he takes me down I just have to punch back.”

How do you assess Robbie’s ground game?

“I think Robbie’s a great wrestler. He’s always been surrounded by good college wrestlers. He’s certainly not going to be easy to take down. His ground game is his weakest aspect but I haven’t been able to see it lately because not a lot of guys have been able to get him down.”

Is this the biggest fight of your career?

“Yeah, I’d say it’s the biggest. I’ve fought a lot overseas but as far as media attention goes and Robbie being top 5 or top 10, it’s a huge fight for me.”

Do you feel like an uncrowned champion and would you prefer to fight for a title in your next fight?

“I do feel a little like an uncrowned champion. For me it’s more the fight that matters than the title.

Belts are nice but it’s really just about the fight.”

PHIL BARONI

Opening comment:

“The guy (opponent Joe Riggs) is a no-show for the conference call. He’s got a real big problem. I’ve been telling you since Day 1 you better have someone else lined up because I don’t think he’s going to show up. We’re all busy and we’re all training right now and we don’t want to do this but we’re all big and professional except that (expletive).

“It’s up to him how long the fight is going to last. I want to show everyone in MMA that I’m for real. All roads lead through Joe Riggs. I’m planning on blowing right through this kid.”

How has it been for you making weight?

“It’s been real comfortable. Losing 16 pounds of muscle helped a lot. I feel great. I feel like I’m 19 years old again. I have tons of energy. I feel like I should be on a box of Wheaties and doing cereal commercials.”

“I’m on edge right now. Don’t cross me now because I haven’t had sex in four weeks and I’m on a diet. I’m ready to kill someone. This is going to be a war and I’m in total fight mode. I don’t even know what I’m talking about right now. Next question.”

Closing comments:

“I’m just ready to go. It’s a coming out party for me. I’m a different person out there. Joe Riggs is underestimating me and making a big mistake. The talking is done. It’s time to do it in the ring. I can’t wait to get in there and show the world I’m a legitimate contender and can do this. Better later than never.”

MIKE AFROMOWITZ (Strikeforce):

Is this the biggest show Strikeforce has ever had?

“I would say it’s up there. From top to bottom it’s the best. We have three of the best fighters on the phone right now and I think you would have to say it’s the best fight card we’ve had over the last three years.”

How are ticket sales?

“They’re strong. We came out of the gates really strong. We’ve been moving 100 to 200 a day in the last two weeks. So we’re looking for a big crowd in St. Louis.”

(PLAYBACK INSTRUCTIONS):

U.S. Toll Free: (800) 355-2355; International: (402) 220-2946; Playback Passcode: 14554# (The Playback will be available through this Saturday, June 6).

About Strikeforce
Strikeforce 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 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 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.

About Showtime Networks, Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

TDR’s HS Wrestler of the Month for May- Florida’s Dillon Dennis

Posted on | June 2, 2009 | No Comments

TakeDown Radio’s ninth High School Wrestler of the Month award is comprised by a number of firsts. Dillon Dennis of Northside Christian School in St. Petersburg, FL is the first state high school champion from his school, the first TDR award recipient from a private school, and the first from the state of Florida.

Dillon, a member of the National Honor Society, completed his senior year with the state championship title, a 4.0 grade average, and the Pinelles County Wrestler of the Year Award. He’s currently preparing to enter the University of Tennessee Chattanooga this fall. Dillon, exhibiting the humility so apparent among many successful wrestlers, commented upon being informed of the award “I’m entirely honored, although why would they choose me?”. Given a perfect 39-0 season at 140 lbs. combined with his academic record, anyone else could hardly ask the same question.

Hailing from a strong wrestling family, three of Dillon’s four siblings are also tremendous wrestlers. Growing up, wrestling and competition began on the carpet and in the yard of their family home. Fast forward to the present, brothers Dalton (Sophomore) and Dryden (Freshman) both placed in this years state tournament, and on the same night. The brothers had set this goal for themselves at the beginning of the season. Given Dillon’s state title and today’s TDR award, his star may shine brightest, although all eyes should remain on the Dennis family for future awards.

Dillon serves as both Captain and Chaplain for the Northside Christian School team. Originally, coaches Chris Wilmington, Glenn Goodman, and Dave Butler offered Dillon the Captain position, although Dillon’s clear focus was to serve as Chaplain. Dillon may be understated, although he is clearly an over achiever.

Inherently quiet, and perhaps even shy as a child, Dillon’s sense of adventure is boundless. He communes with the great outdoors with every given opportunity. He presents a recent backpacking and camping trip in the California mountains, without tents, as one of the greatest experiences of his life.

University of Tennessee Chattanooga Head Coach Chris Bono announced the national letter of intent on May 14. Dillon accepted the offer based highly on the time and personal interaction Coach Bono and his staff provided to him during the entire season. While Dillon has not entirely committed himself to a specific course of studies, he’s very interested in sports medicine, and wants to continue working with youth, as he does as team Chaplain. Dilllon’s father, David, is President and CEO of Eckerd Youth Alternatives, a non-profit organization serving at-risk youth. Dillon is obviously surrounded by great family, friends, and coaches, and is really at the dawn of greater things in the future.

The TakeDown Radio High School Wrestler of the Month Award is presented by Resilite, and made possible by Brute adidias,Sunflower Wrestling Supply, W.I.N. Magazine, and intermatwrestle.com. You can look forward to interviews with Dillon on-air, in print, and on the web in the near future.

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