GRUDGE Fight wear Presents: DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP

Posted on | May 28, 2009 | No Comments

Weight-Ins start at 9:00am / Tournament starts 12:00pm
(Same day weight-Ins)

ATTENTION all Competitors!!!
You must compete at least one match in order to qualify for the raffle drawing!!!

The Academy that wins the Overall Tournament Gi & No Gi division will receive a DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP trophy.

The top three Kids schools will receive a 3 piece Samurai sword set.

The top three Adults schools will receive a 3 piece Samurai sword set.

Adults:
Will now will receive a Samurai Sword, DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP T-Shirts, DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP custom medal, DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP Trophy, and a DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP tournament certificate.

Kid & Teens:
Will now will receive a DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP Trophy, DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP T-Shirts, DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP custom medal, and a DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP tournament certificate.

The winner of the raffle drawing for the Kids division will win:
A Samurai sword
An interview on the RITC TV show
One free year membership for all 2009 DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP Tournaments (Regardless of win or loss).

The winner of the raffle drawing for the Teens division will win:
A Samurai sword
An interview on the RITC TV show
One free year membership for all 2009 DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP Tournament. (Regardless of win or loss).

The winners of the raffle drawing for the adult division will win:
A Samurai sword
An interview on the RITC TV show
One free year membership for all 2009 Desert Quest Championship tournaments (Regardless of win or loss).

(Adults)
The Outstanding competitor of tournament will receive a Samurai Sword.

(Adults)
The competitors that hat has the fastest submission will receive a Samurai Sword

(Kids, Teens)
The competitors that hat has the fastest submission will receive a DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP Trophy.

(Kids, Teens)
The Outstanding competitor of tournament will receive DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP Trophy.

Kid’s & Teens GI & No Gi Division 1st, 2nd & 3rd Place winner of each division will be awarded a DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP Trophy

Adult GI & No Gi Division 1st Place winner will receive a Samurai sword, 2nd, and 3rd in each division will receive a DESERT QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP Medal.

No Gi & Gi Absolute division winner will receive a Samurai Sword & $100.00 each, and will be interview for the RITC Television show, one free year membership for all 2009 DERST QUEST CHAMPIONSHIP tournament

Adult Competitors entry fee: $45.00 for one Division or $75.00 for both

Kids and teens Competitors entry fee: $30.00 for one division for both $40.00

Weight Classes: 122-134 / 135-147 / 148-160 / 161-173 / 174-187 / 188-201 / 202-213 / 214 over

Event Directions to the tournament: From I-10 (North or South) -Take US 60 East – Take Ramp toward S. Country Club Dr. (AZ-87) – Go 0.3 mi – Turn left on S. Country Club Dr. – Go 1.4 mi – Turn Right on Broadway Rd. – Go 0.1 mi – Turn Right on Broadway Rd. – Go 0.6 mi – Arrive at 59 E. Broadway Rd. Mesa, on the right. From loop 101 (North or South) – Take ramp onto US-60 East – go 2.9 mi – Take Ramp toward S. Country Club Dr. (AZ-87) – Go 0.3 mi – Turn left on S. Country Club Dr. – Go 1.4 mi – Turn Right on Broadway Rd. – Go 0.1 mi – Turn Right on Broadway Rd. – Go 0.6 mi – Arrive at 59 E. Broadway Rd. Mesa, on the right..
For tournament information: Please contact (602) 819-1216 or E-mail: ritc@rageinthecage.com www.desertquestchampionship.com / www.rageinthecage.com

”

“Tank” Abbott & Jimmy Ambriz challenge Bob “The Beast” Sapp on Fight Engine web site

Posted on | May 28, 2009 | 1 Comment

LAS VEGAS (May 28, 2009) – The revolutionary www.fightengine.com state-of-the-art website has picked-up steam with the registration of the first “name” fighters, David “Tank” Abbott and Jimmy Ambriz, who have challenged combat fighting legend Bob “The Beast” Sapp through the site’s “KO The Pro” section.

Fight Engine is changing the way mixed-martial-arts fighters – professionals, amateurs and even neighborhood tough guys — market themselves and develop strong fan bases.

The “KO the Pro” section is where top-level fighters post action videos as other fighters battle for selection in a “KO the Pro” match-up. The first “KO The Pro” features Sapp, one of the key advisors for www.fightengine.com.

Abbott and Ambriz are legitimate challengers, true fighter’s fighters who have never backed down from a good fight. They’ve been in the cage and ring with fighting monsters. The 6-0, 250-pound “Tank” fought in the UFC for nine years and he’s brawled with the likes of Frank Mir, Pedro Rizzo, Kimo Leopoldo, Vitor Belfort and Dan Savern. WCO and former King of the Cage champion Ambritz, all 6-0 and 315-pounds, has mixed it up with Josh Barnett, Jeff Monson and Ricco Rodriguez. Fans may checkout his trash talking video at www.fightengine.com.

FightEngine.com works with MMA fighters to gain International notoriety. Registered fighters from around the world, whether a veteran or novice, may post his or her video and challenge other registered fighters, allowing each participant to accept or deny challenges, as well as express their semi-uncensored opinions about any posted challenges.

Equally valuable is the opportunity for MMA fighters from around the world, even those under contract and prohibited from participating in Fight Engine’s “super card,” can still use the web site as a marketing tool to get an edge on the opposition and build fans bases. Smack talk is allowed, challenges encouraged, and the Babes of Fight Engine constantly drive traffic to the site.

Even fighters contractually prohibited from fighting in the FightEngine.com event can benefit from posting action videos instead of forcing fans to work their way through and around You Tube. Registered fighters may gauge their popularity through one web site, at one location, through www.FightEngine.com and its fan feedbacks.

Promoters and managers have a brand new way to scout talent and fans become real matchmakers, publicly criticizing video-posted fighters as well as arguing with other fans regarding which fighters they want matched against each other.

A non-discriminatory source providing male and female fighters, as well as ring girls, FightEngine.com also offers opportunities to gain invaluable exposure on its popular website. Promoters and managers have started closely monitoring fightengine.com to scout and discover their next street fighting prospects and future MMA stars.

For a few selected MMA fighters, Fightengine.com offers a unique opportunity to earn a guaranteed five-figure purse, sign a potential six-figure promotional contract, paid travel expenses and, in the not too distant future, hopefully, other life-changing benefits through membership.

Fans can get in on the action simply by registering on the website to become quasi-matchmakers, picking fighters they’d like to watch in matches, in addition to commenting about fights other spectators propose.

A thermometer can be found on the right-hand side of the website, which illuminates on a rising basis, according to the amount of registered fighters and, subsequently, fights will be arranged when the thermometer reaches its full apex.

Registered fighters on the FightEngine.com website are scouted by some of the world’s top MMA promoters in addition to competing for an opportunity to fight on a super card guaranteeing purses of $10,000, $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000.

Go to www.fightengine.com for additional information.

-FE-

SHOWTIME® AND STRIKEFORCE CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS; ANDREI ARLOVSKI, BRETT ROGERS, SCOTT SMITH & MIKE AFROMOWITZ

Posted on | May 28, 2009 | No Comments

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

“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

NEW YORK (May 27, 2009) – Andrei “Pitbull’’ Arlovski, Brett “The Grim’’ Rogers and Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith participated in a national media conference call Wednesday to discuss their important fights on the eagerly awaited Saturday, June 6 “Lawler vs. Shields” card live on SHOWTIME (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 Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (middleweight) and Jake 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, 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.

Fast-rising St. Louis-based fighters such as Jesse Finney and Tyron Woodley will head up an excellent five-fight undercard that features nine fighters from the St. Louis area. 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 7 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 Wednesday’s conference call (Playback Info Below):

OPENING COMMENTS:

Brett Rogers: “Things are great. I’m just getting ready for next week. This is definitely going to be a step up in class. Arlovski has been in the game for quite some time. He has plenty of experience. Those are the type of fighters I’m trying to fight from here on out. For me, now, it’s about building respect. I feel like I don’t have it, so fighting Arlovski is going to be a fun and challenging event on June 6.’’

Scott Smith: “I’ve been real fortunate the past year to be given great opponents to put on exciting fights. This is just one of those fights. Nick is a top pound-for-pound fighter in the world in my eyes. He is the kind of fighters I want. I don’t want to fight a C-class fighter. I’m going to use everything I got beat him.

“This is a very exciting card. I’m glad to be a part of it. This is definitely the best MMA card of the year. This will be my third fight on SHOWTIME. They do a great job of producing the fights. I’m excited to be fighting on SHOWTIME again. I’m ready to go.’’

Andre Arlovski: “I’m very excited about this fight. I’m looking forward to fighting Brett Rogers June 6.”

QUESTIONS:

What kind of fight do you expect this to be with Nick?

Smith: “I plan on keeping this fight standing. I think he is going to try to take me apart. He’s a more technical fighter than I am. He’s going to want to take this fight to the ground. His best chance of winning is getting it to the ground. I’m going to use my sprawl and brawl technique.”

What was your thought process in approaching (accepting) this fight?

Smith: “I wasn’t asking to jump in right away, but I’m definitely healthy enough to jump in and fight. I have a tendency after fights to get out of shape. When I start my training camps, half of the camp is just getting myself back into shape. Although I did get banged up in the Benji (Radach) fight, I stayed in great shape. I started training three days after it. The key to me is cardio, especially fighting a guy like Nick, who has excellent cardio. My cardio is terrific so I’d rather take the fight this close to my previous one even though it was a war. I got cut, I got stitches in my eye and lip, but that’s all healed up. You have a potential to get cut no matter what. I wasn’t going and asking for a fight but I’m glad I accepted it.’’

How do you evaluate Diaz’ striking skills?

Smith: “I think people don’t give him enough credit. He has a lot more power than what it seems. He just does a good job of picking people apart and setting up the power punches. I’m definitely not underestimating his power at all. I’ve definitely had to change up a few things in my technique to train for Nick.’’

What are your thoughts on being offered this big step up in opposition?

Rogers: “I’m at that point in my training where I have a great gym now. We have top coaches. I’m doing everything I need to do to take on top fighters. Once I got the phone call and Arlovski was set in stone, I was excited. I remember watching this guy at a younger age and thinking, ‘man I get to take on someone like that?’ He’s an explosive guy; he likes to move around. It’s definitely going to be a challenge, but nothing I don’t think I can handle. He’s big, slimmer guy. He likes to move, he likes to be quick and move his hands. I’m kind of mellow with the fighting stance, so it’s definitely going to be me taking my time and controlling the fight.’’

Does it hold special significance because of who you’re fighting?

Rogers: “I’m not going to allow myself to get caught up in it. I’m pushing aside everything. Back in the day, I was more a fan. I’ve just been pushing that all out of my head and looking at different fighters as fighters. Arlovski is just one out of a few people I’m aiming at. I’m just going to go out there and just fight. Just do what I do. I love doing it. It’s a fun sport, it’s growing. There’s lots of money in it. I just can’t complain and I can’t wait.’’

How long have you been training full time as a fighter?

Rogers: “Pretty much (since) after the Abongo (Humphrey) fight. That was pretty much my retirement from the working world. Now, I have great coaches — top wrestling coaches, top Muay Thai coaches, boxing, everything. My gym has some of everything.

“We haven’t really had the chance to show off yet, so hopefully Arlovski pushes me to that point where I have to do something and do something different.’’

How long have you been training for this fight — after planning on fighting Alistair Overeem?

Rogers: “I was hoping someone would bring that up. I thought I was fighting him, but I got this one about three weeks ago. It’s cool because, the way I see it, it’s actually going to be a better fight than the one with Overeem would have been. With Overeem, we might have ended up on the ground and did all that up-and-down stuff. With Arlovski, he likes to stand and bang and I like to do that too. This is going to make for a better fight. I was putting in some time for Overeem. Then he wanted to act like a fool. He’s a pro fighter and he wanted to act like a fool. That’s on him. I’m moving onto bigger and better. I’m getting this fight. I’ll knock Arlovski out and hopefully move on to somebody better. I’m trying to get into that top-10 ranking. This isn’t going to be forever so I need to make my move like right now when I’m healthy.’’

How do you feel you did in you last fight with Humphrey and what adjustments are you making going into this fight?

Rogers: “More condition and a little more control. I definitely want to control this fight. Arlovski is a lighter heavyweight. He’s really light on his toes, so I’m definitely working on more control and conditioning.’’

Can you talk about the pressure that was involved with the Abongo fight?

Rogers: “You can pull anyone from the street and tell them you’re going to get ‘x’ amount of money, you’re definitely going to feel that pressure that you’ve got to get out there and do whatever. I went into that fight with that kind of mindset. I knew a small amount of his background and I wasn’t going to give him a small chance of doing anything. That’s when I decided just to clog whatever he wanted to do and just stay up on him.

“I just went in there, clogged his stuff and did what I needed to do. There was too much money riding on it. If I didn’t win that fight, I’d still be working. I feel like I’m still in the same situation with the Arlovski fight. If I move forward, it’s great, but if I don’t I’ve got a problem. He’s just another man. He walks around with vampire teeth; he’s supposed to be a monster. We’ll, I’m a monster too. I like to go in there and just hurt. That’s all I want to do. I don’t want to do anything else. None of that soft tacky stuff … just hurt.’’

How do you grade Arlovski?

Rogers: “I give his standup a high rank because he does like to use his hands. He can move his head really good. He has a nice right, I’ll give him that. But, as far as anything else go, there isn’t anything that would make me nervous. I’m just the type of fighter that likes to control the pace. I’m going to be the heavier fighter. I’m sure he’s going in around 250. I’m always on top of the weight. I just have to stand and bang with him. That’s all I can do, really. If he gets real careless or real crazy I might have to just check him and bang him around the ring a little bit and try to calm him down. I’m not going into this fight to try and be bouncey-bouncey with him.’’

Do you need to change your style for Rogers?

Arlovski: He’s obviously a very good striker so I think this is going to be an interesting fight for the fans. He likes to strike, I like to box.’’

Is there pressure on you to win this fight?

Arlovski: Yeah, there’s pressure because I lost my last fight. I’m just focused right now on my fight against Rogers on June 6. All my trainers are very excited for the fight.’’

Do you fear anything about Rogers?

Arlovski: Of course. This is the heavyweight division. He’s a good fighter and he’s 9-0. He’s not a joke. He’s a good striker. He’s going in about 25 pounds heavier than me. He has a longer reach than me. So, of course, I have to correct my fighting style specifically for him.’’

Do you feel your only way of winning is by a knockout?

Rogers: “I won’t say it’s my only way of winning. First and foremost that’s going to be the first thing I go for. If it comes down to us turning around on the ground, I feel safe with the Jiu-Jitsu game. I know he has a background in that, but he’s just another man. It’s just another day in the gym, except we’re going 100 percent. Hopefully, he’s not sleeping on that.’’

What weaknesses in Rogers’ game do you see?

Arlovski: “If it goes to the ground, I have a chance to do something with my fists. He’s a good fighter so I’m taking him very seriously.’’

Scott, what does a win over Nick Diaz do for you? Does it lead you to Cung Le or a rematch with Robbie Lawler?

Smith: “I would think it’s one of the two. The 185-pound weight class is the most stacked weight class in Strikeforce. But the champion is not fighting and we have to do something about that. I definitely think I am in line for one of the top fights, but I do understand timing is everything. Lawler’s last two fights were against me. I have won two fights since then. I do understand if I have to wait in line and wait my turn.’’

Are you 100 percent physically and mentally after such a grueling bout two months ago?

Smith: “I’m way healthier now than I was going into the Radach fight. I had a pretty tough knee injury and I could not even do Jiu-Jitsu or wrestling practice going in. I think part of the reason why I was so flat-footed was because I was so worried about the take down. I’m doing hardcore Jiu-Jitsu now. The knee is completely fine. This is the best shape I’ve been in for a fight and I’m healthy and ready to go.’’

Do expect Nick to stand mostly or do you think he’ll try to take it to the ground?

Smith: “If he’s smart he’s going to try to get it to the ground. That’s where he has the advantage. But I think he’s going to go out there and bang with me. I’m ready for everything. I just have to worry about what I do best and control the fight and not wait for him. If I wait for him, he’s going to pick me apart.’’

Were you surprised by the result of Nick’s fight with Frank Shamrock?

Smith: “I really did think Shamrock was going to be the bigger, stronger fighter. I remember when we had the press conference that Diaz was saying how Shamrock was too small for him and it kind of threw me for a loop. I think it was combination of Shamrock looking a little beat up and Diaz picked him apart. He fought a good fight. But I was a little surprised with the domination.’’

What are your thoughts on Benji Radach’s appeal?

Smith: “As far as the appeal, I think it’s pretty unfortunate and kind of taking away from what was such a great fight. Win or lose, it was a great fight for both of us. He looked great until he got caught in the end. I think he’s kind of taking away from that. I don’t think anything is going to happen with this appeal. He is just trying to reassure a rematch down the road. That fight was such a great fight; we need a rematch no matter what. That’s kind of unfortunate though.

“With the appeal saying he wasn’t knocked out, and I hit him with an illegal strike to the back of the head. Yes I did, but not intentionally. If a guy is lying on the ground face down and able to get hit in the back of the head then the fight should be stopped. If he’s lying face down not even able to see a blow coming, then the fight needs to be stopped. I dropped him and I knew he was hurt obviously. I went in for the kill and I didn’t know he was knocked out with his face down and I unfortunately accidentally hit him in the back of the head.’’

Are you anticipating a first-round knockout?

Smith: “I’m definitely anticipating a knockout. I’ll be going for it in the first round. (But) whether it is in the first, second, or third, it doesn’t matter to me … as long as the fight doesn’t go the distance.’’

Do you respect the middleweight champion (Cung Le) even though he is not defending his belt?

Smith: “He’s a champion. I know he’s busy and he has things going on. But we’ve got to do something. Maybe get (a fight for) an interim belt. We can’t just sit around and wait forever, especially after this card. There’s going to be some guys deserving of that title. He’s definitely the champion, he’s unbeaten, and hopefully I’ll be the champ someday to test myself against him.’’

What did you learn in your last fight?

Arlovski: “When I fought Fedor (Emelianenko), I didn’t follow my game plan. I just went through the fight. Like all my trainers told me, you have to follow your game plan.’’

A lot of people say you’re only as good as your training partners. Who have you been training with as you get ready for this fight?

Rogers: “I’ve just been training with my same old team. I’ve been good so far so hopefully it takes me to the next level with Arlovski. We’re still working on trying to build a camp to get more pro fighters. I’ve just been more concerned with speed and working with guys with a lot of speed — especially fighting a guy like Arlovski who’s going to want to move around a lot. I guess if you’re going to play it like that, just keep in mind that I’m still undefeated and I still plan on being that way after June 6.’’

Who is it that you have your eye on in the heavyweight division?

Rogers: “I did have my mind set on that belt. I was kind of concentrating on that. So whenever Overeem heals, I’m going to go for that. Pretty much I want to fight anybody people say are better than me. I’ll fight Overeem, I’ll fight Arlovski, I’ll fight Fedor. I’ll fight whoever is up there. I’m going for all the top-10 guys in the heavyweight division.’’

It’s been a long time since (Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion Alistair) Overeem fought for Strikeforce. Are you going to draw a line with him saying you have to fight by this time or else we’re putting another title out there?

Mike Afromowitz: “The thing is, we’re expecting Alistair to return by the end of the summer, or mid-summer, so it’s really not an issue at this point. But we can revisit that if something comes up again or he is unable to defend his title by late August. As of right now, we are planning his return and he’s 100 percent confident that he’ll be back in time. The injury he sustained was unfortunate. It was some kind of infection in his hand. He was in New York a few weeks ago promoting the fight and all of a sudden that happened. It’s unfortunate; we were looking forward to having him return. But we are confident that he will be back by August.’’

What is the status of Arlovski? Is he going to continue to fight for Strikeforce or is this a onetime deal?

Afromowitz: Andrei, we’d love to have him return. We can’t really go into dialogue about it right now. Andrei is a great fighter and we’re looking forward to having him fight on this card and hopefully we’ll see about the future.’’

The Rogers-Overeem fight was for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Title, correct?

Afromowitz: “Correct.’’

What is the likelihood of the winner of the June 6 Arlovski-Rogers facing Overeem?

Afromowitz: “There are a lot moving parts there depending on the winner. It’s definitely a possibility, but there are a lot of moving parts. We’d have to revisit where Andrei is at if he wins. If Brett wins and he’s healthy, it’s definitely a possibility. Right now, we’re focused on this fight and we’ll see what happens. But either fighter skill-wise could easily challenger Alistair for the title.’’

Is Alistair a fight you still want?

Rogers: “Definitely, man. He holds the best, so whenever he’s healthy I’m waiting for it.’’

How did the 180-pound catch weight come about for the Diaz-Smith fight?

Afromowitz: “It’s something both fighters agreed upon. Nick has fought at lower weights before and he’s big for the weights he’s fought at. I’m not really sure as far as he is concerned. He might be gradually moving up in weight. He’s naturally big for 170 or even a 179-pound fighter, which was (the weight for) his last fight. This could be a sign of his decision to fight at 185. As far as the fight right now, to make it happen we had to do it at 180 pounds. Scott obliged and he came off his last fight very healthy. The circumstances allowed it to be at the catch weight of 180 pounds.’’

Was it hard for you to shed those last five pounds?

Smith: “No, especially since I got the fight on such quick notice after my fight (with Radach on April 11 on SHOWTIME). I got the call about two weeks after my fight. I’m usually 205 by then but I was only 195 when I got the call. It’s going to be no problem. My last fight I weighed in at 184, so it’s only a four-pound difference. As far as the catch weight goes, I think it’s great because it leaves doors wide open. Just like Mike said, maybe potentially if Nick wins, he realizes that 185 is the weight class for him because that’s where all the great fighters are. Likewise, if I win, and I feel great at 180, maybe 170 is the weight class for me to go. I think it’s good because it leaves doors open for guys to go up or down.’’

How did the Arlovski-Rogers fight happen? Did Affliction come to you or did you go to them?

Afromowitz: “I’d say it was more of a mutual opportunity. I’ll leave it at that. The opportunity came about and it just worked out for both of us.’’

Do you ever worry that the overall mileage of your career is higher than it should be because you’ve been through so many wars?

Smith: “It’s something I think about a little. But the way I see it, I fight the way I fight because I have fun doing it. I don’t think I would have fun going in there and having a three-round snore fest. I had a terrible fight against Patrick Cote that went the distance.

“After that fight, I promised myself I’d never fight like that again and leave it all out there. If it gets to the point that my body can’t handle it anymore then it’s just time to get out of the game. But I’m not going to sit there and try to change my style of fighting to try to prolong my career.”

What do you feel is your advantage in this fight?

Smith: “My punching power. Definitely.”

Do you feel like this is almost a no-lose situation for you based on your level of opposition?

Rogers: “A no-lose situation? I don’t want to say it’s a no-lose situation because I always feel like I have to win. If it goes the other way around, will it affect it? I don’t know. I haven’t felt that other side and I’m not trying to feel that other side. I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing and just go out there and fight to the best of my ability. Hopefully that means me leaving the fight with the win.’’

If this wasn’t such a high profile fight with Nick, do you think you would have taken this fight or do you think you would have taken more time off?

Smith: “Considering I was in great shape, I would have taken this fight regardless. But, yeah, part of it is that a Diaz fight is such a high-profile fight that I can’t say no. I think I’d still have taken the fight. Any fight in the 185-pound class in Strikeforce is a high-profile fight so I think I’d have taken it regardless.’’

Roy Jones Jr. said he would like to fight for an MMA organization. Can we expect to see Roy Jones Jr. with Strikeforce?

Afromowitz: “No, not right now.”

Where do you see Strikeforce going over the next 12-26 months?

Afromowitz: “The agreement with SHOWTIME, who is a tremendous partner, is a multi-year agreement. SHOWTIME is our TV partner and we’re looking forward to really building our brand on the network. They’re an outstanding partner. We’ve done four shows with them to-date, one in 2007 and one in 2008. Then the multi-year agreement took effect on the April 11 show and this will be our third event of the year. It’s going really well right now and I think we’re moving forward with our efforts to build the brand into a prominent, national MMA brand.’’

What are your biggest challenges in expanding?

Afromowitz: In the past, there has been a lot of competition with other organizations. But the agreement with SHOWTIME has really allowed us to establish ourselves and put us in the forefront of the stage. Also, our acquisition of 42 fighters from ProElite really helped to strengthen our roster. It basically doubled our roster. We were able to bring aboard great fighters like Scott Smith, Brett Rogers and Nick Diaz. We’re very fortunate to be in the position we’re in because we have a major platform like SHOWTIME to showcase these fighters and bring our brand to millions of viewers. SHOWTIME’s platform is our home and we’ve taken the steps necessary to move forward.’’

What is the status of the contact negations with Gina (Carano) and the women’s division in Strikeforce?

Afromowitz: “Well, they’ll have a fight in August. That’s the way things are looking but we won’t know for certain until she actually signs, but we’re hoping to get that done soon.

“I think the talent is out there and the SHOWTIME brand is allowing us to build these stars. You saw from the women’s fight on our last card, that overall it was probably the best fight we put on and we had nine or 10 total fights on the card. The fight between Sarah Kaufman and Miesha Tate (May 15) was a phenomenal fight and I think there are more talented women fighters out there. It’s just a matter of building them on a national platform like SHOWTIME, and we’re fortunate to be in a position to be able to do that.

“Women’s fighting is nothing new to Strikeforce. We started out as a kickboxing event back in 1995. Some of the best fights we ever put on in that kickboxing series were between women. So, while women’s fighting may be relatively new to MMA on a national level, it’s nothing new to Strikeforce. We’re thrilled about being a pioneer of women’s fighting in MMA.’’

In the event that Nick Diaz and Jake Shields are both successful, they’re both training partners and won’t fight each other. What type of conflict does that make for you guys?

Afromowitz: “That’s really a question for them. I’m not sure if they’d fight each other. Our middleweight division is very deep right now and there are a lot of guys lining up for that title shot. It’s something that we could address down the road, but we can’t make the fight if they won’t fight each other. I know it’s an unwritten rule that the students of the Gracies won’t fight each other, so we’ll respect that.’’

Can you update us on the interest of Strikeforce in Kimbo Slice and Bobby Lashley?

Afromowitz: “We’re interested in both those fighters. Hopefully, someday soon, they may fight, but it really depends on the fighters’ interests and if we can work with them. But we’re definitely interested.’’

CLOSING COMMENTS

Arlovski: “Thank you for hearing me and I look forward to a good fight on June 6.”

Rogers: “I want to thank Strikeforce for once again allowing me to go out and prove myself to America. Hopefully I’ll be in an exciting fight as well and I’ll see you June 6.”

Smith: “Thanks to Strikeforce. They’ve been giving me absolutely great fights. Like I said, June 6 will be the biggest MMA card of the year so tune in to SHOWTIME and watch it. I promise to put on an exciting fight.”

(PLAYBACK INSTRUCTIONS):

U.S. Toll Free: (800) 355-2355; International: (402) 220-2946; Playback Passcode: 37710 (The Playback will be available for: 10 days).

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®.

Solving The Crime: An Intro to The Story Behind The Fertitta/Zuffa Assassination of PRIDE

Posted on | May 27, 2009 | 2 Comments

By: Rich Bergeron

PART ONE OF A TWO-PART SERIES

 

[mpinpage]

SOME HISTORY BEHIND ZUFFA’S FOUNDING “FAMILY”

It is important to frame this piece with a bit of Fertitta “Family” history.

 

“The magazine is probably best known outside Japan for its role in the scandal which led to Romanian gymnasts Corina Ungureanu, Lavinia Milosovici and Claudia Presecan being banned from competing or coaching in their home country for five years, as it was the first to publish images from their nude photobook and DVDs, which controversially featured the gymnasts wearing their official leotards.”

 

Considering the 90% owners of the UFC come from a long line of notorious “made men” these Yakuza allegations against Dream Stage Entertainment owners are a bit hypocritical.

 

A hard look must be taken at the Senior Secured Credit Facility which was used to buy PRIDE and allow the principal Zuffa owners to pocket huge dividends. These same loan instruments on a much larger scale were taken out by Station Casinos in amounts of nearly a billion dollars in each instance over the last few years, which obviously resulted in a lot of overhead costs and interest payments combined with a ton of debt that crash landed and exploded due to the ongoing recession. The Fertittas went about a campaign of ruthless and relentless acquisitions and expansion to get themselves in their current Station Casinos situation, and they pinballed the company from Public to Private status to find a way to make the whole thing appear profitable despite the billions in debt they were in officially.

 

Suddenly they have $244 million in the pocket of an old pair of jeans to throw into reorganizing Station Casinos, but they couldn’t revamp PRIDE when that organization showed signs that the going may be difficult? It doesn’t seem plausible when considering the less than $70 million cost of PRIDE compared to the dividends pocketed by Dana White and the Fertittas through that $350 million credit facility that paid for PRIDE. That instrument could have and should have given all of Zuffa’s owners enough money to solve any looming problem with promoting and re-creating the PRIDE brand in their image. That is, IF they ever actually intended to keep PRIDE in operation.

 

Of course, there is not really any dispute as to who murdered PRIDE. The UFC terminated the league without a doubt, and the blood of PRIDE is certainly all over their hands. However, some would call the killing euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide while folks like me consider it more of a gangland slaying made to look like an “accident.” Could the Fertitta Brothers and Dana White be capable of such a thing? Ultimately a judge will have to decide, and we will keep everyone updated as the court continues to weigh the issues and work toward final resolution of this case.

 

Stay tuned for Part Two of this series. We will analyze the PRIDE/Dream Stage Entertainment lawsuit in further detail and take a look at the entire docket to come to our own conclusions on who is ahead in this fight and who needs to gain some ground or give up. Also, look out for another installment in the Xyience series due to new developments in that case.

 

[/mpinpage]

 

ROBERT GUERRERO SHINING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRAINING CAMP

Posted on | May 27, 2009 | No Comments

Photos By Raymond Rodriguez

Press Release For Immediate Release

May 27, 2009 (Los Angeles California) – Former two-time world champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, is looking sharp during training camp in preparation for his ESPN 2 “Friday Night Fights” debut, set to take place June 12, 2009 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. The Glendale Fight Club in Southern California is where Guerrero’s been doing most of his sparring while getting ready for a Johnny Edwards, a bout scheduled for ten rounds.

“Training camp is always rough,” said Guerrero. “It’s the total sacrifice to leave your family for six weeks. I feel great and I’m happy that I’m getting great sparring. Everyday that I’m out here I keep thinking about the sacrifices I’m making and it’s getting me extremely hungry to get back to the ring. Everyone watching will know that I’m one of the best fighters in the world come fight night. I’m coming to make a statement.”

Guerrero was last showcased on ESPN back in 2000 when he took Gold at the Jr. Olympics. The Ghost was voted “Most Outstanding Fighter” of the tournament in which he knocked out three of his four opponents.

Tickets, priced at $100.00, $75.00, $50.00 and $25.00, are on sale now at the HP Pavilion Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER TICKETS NOW

Max Fights June 19th Promo Reel

Posted on | May 27, 2009 | No Comments

CORY “THE ONE” DEVELA TO BATTLE LUKE ROCKHOLD AT STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS IN KENT, WASHINGTON, ON FRIDAY, JUNE 19

Posted on | May 27, 2009 | No Comments

Live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK (May 27, 2009)—Rising stars Cory “The One” Devela (9-2) and Luke Rockhold (4-1) will face off with each other in a middleweight (185 pound) battle at the Strikeforce Challengers mixed martial arts (MMA) event at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington on Friday, June 19.

“I feel like a million bucks,” said the 24-year-old Devela, one of the sport’s most promising young talents who hails from Bonney Lake, Wash., and is a member of the Dennis “Superman” Hallman led Team Victory that has pioneered a hybrid fighting style dubbed “Cowboy Karate.” “I know he’s mostly a submission guy and I’m strong at that so it should be a great fight.”

Devela notched his best victory to date before a home crowd when he scored a TKO over former UFC star Joe “Diesel” Riggs in the first round of their Strikeforce matchup at Tacoma, Washington’s Tacoma Dome on Feb. 28, 2008. After earning a unanimous decision over his next opponent, however, Devela suffered a setback when he was suddenly stopped by Terry Martin with an overhand punch in the third round of their Strikeforce matchup at the world-famous Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, California on Sept. 20, 2008.

The matchup with Rockhold will be Devela’s first since the loss to Martin.

“I just want to show people that my win against Joe Riggs wasn’t a fluke and that I should have beaten Terry Martin and that I’m a power to be reckoned with,” said Devela.

“I was probably getting a little too cocky and not taking my training as hard as I needed to. I was doing well (against Martin) and I just got caught. That fight helped me get my head back in the game and train harder and realize where I want to be.”

Also 24 years of age, Rockhold, a native of Santa Cruz, Calif., and a member of Team AKA, one of the country’s most fearsome fight squads, has proven to be a dangerous force on the mat, submitting each of his four victims to date within one round of battle. In his last effort, a meeting with Buck Meredith on the Strikeforce: “Shamrock vs. Diaz” preliminary card on Saturday, April 11, Rockhold forced Meredith to tap out from a rear naked choke at the 4:07 mark of the opening round.

“I didn’t take too much time off after that fight. I stayed in shape and this is one of the best training camps I’ve had so far,” said Rockhold, who holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. After taking up judo as an adolescent, he went on to excel in high school wrestling competition, capturing first place in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League and eventually reaching the California State Championships.

Towards the end of his high school career, though, Rockhold began to gravitate towards Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the combat art that utilizes choke holds and joint locks to finish opponents.

“I really liked Jiu-Jitsu a lot more because it wasn’t just about putting a guy on his back and pinning him,” explained Rockhold. “It allowed me to finish people using my whole body in every which way.”

Tickets for the Strikeforce Challengers event, priced from $32, are on sale at the ShoWare Center Box Office (253-856-6999 or 877-840-0457), online at ShoWareCenter.com, and at www.strikeforce.com.

ShoWare Center doors will open for the Strikeforce Challengers event at 5:30 p.m. PT on June 19 and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. PT.

The live SHOWTIME® telecast of the event will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on the west coast) and will include up to five bouts.

Middleweight powerhouses “Smokin” Joey Villasenor (26-6) and Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (16-12) will face off in the card’s main event.

Decorated United States Army Ranger Tim Kennedy (9-2) will square off with seasoned veteran Nick “The Goat” Thompson (38-10-1) in another middleweight contest.

Also enlisted for the event, thus far, are lightweight (155 pound) fan-favorite Jorge Gurgel (12-5) and welterweight (170 pound) submission ace Dennis “Superman” Hallman (40-12-2). Their opponents have not yet been confirmed.

Strikeforce’s affair at the Tacoma Dome marked the largest live gate in the history of any boxing, MMA, or kickboxing event in Washington State.

Strikeforce Challengers is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. It provides today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

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.

Yvel wants to put Rizzo to sleep

Posted on | May 27, 2009 | No Comments

Lashley-Sapp headlines June 27 MMA PPV show in Biloxi, MS

BILOXI, Miss. (May 27, 2009) – Dutch knockout artist Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel has relocated to the United States and plans to put his June 27th opponent, 3-time UFC heavyweight title challenger Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo, to sleep in the “Ultimate Chaos” co-feature live on pay-per-view from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley (3-0-0) headlines against K1 and PRIDE combat fighting legend Bob “The Beast” Sapp (10-4-1) on “Ultimate Chaos, presented by Prize Fight Promotions and Fight Force International, in association with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum, Treasure Bay Casino and Budweiser.

“Ultimate Chaos” is being produced and distributed by Gotham MMA and Integrated Sports at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in the United States and Canada on cable and satellite Pay Per View via iNDemand, TVN, DirecTV, Bell TV, Shaw, Star Choice and Viewer’s Choice for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.

Yvel (35-13-1) has stopped 30 of his 35 victims but he has fought only once in the United States, losing this past January to highly-rated heavyweight star Josh Barnett on “Affliction’s – Day of Reckoning.”

“I used to fight in Europe and Japan,” Yvel said. “It was okay, but I’m now living and fighting in a place where fighting is so big, the United States. This is the beginning of a new career for me. I’m a fighter and, in my opinion, takedowns are BS. I don’t want to fight on the ground. I believe there should be one man left standing and the other asleep. If both fighters are still standing, to me, it’s like a draw. I want to win by knockout, not points.

“Pedro used to train in Holland where I’m from and I know a little bit about him. I hope we have a stand-up fight but he’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu and if he’s smart, he’s going to take me to the ground. I hope he fights standing up so I can knock him out.”

Yvel, who won seven straight matches before losing to Barnett, has stopped top fighters such as Valentijn Overseem, Cheick Kongo, Carlos Barreto, Gary Goodridge, Kiyoshi Tamura and Brian Dunn. Gilbert’s career, however, has been surrounded by controversy due to three losses by disqualification.

“Everybody makes mistakes,” Yvel explained. “I don’t live in the past and that was years ago. Every day is new and I’m training to fight to my full potential. I’m a real fighter, the type fans want to see. I’m just being myself. I just want to go in there and hurt somebody. I’m the guy the American public has been waiting for. I bring something new into the cage or ring.”

Always dangerous lightweight Din “Dinyero” Thomas (24-8-0), star of The Ultimate Fighter 4, takes on former King Of The Cage and Gladiator Challenge champion Javier “Showtime” Vasquez (12-2-0), while Canadian lightweight sensation Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (12-1-0) meets 4-time World Muay Thai champion William “The Bull” Sriyapai (12-4-0).

Also fighting on the card are welterweights Brett Cooper (9-4-0) vs. Waachiim “Native Warrior” Spirit Wolf (5-4-0), Affliction vice president Tom Atencio (1-0-0) vs. pro debuting lightweight Randy Hedderick, middleweight James Orso (8-3-0) vs. Colby McMahan (3-1-0), The Ultimate Fighter 3 star Danny Abbadi (3-4-0) vs. veteran middleweight Lance Thomson (4-2-0); welterweight Eric Bradley (2-1-0), 2-time All-America wrestler and 2003 NCAA boxing champion at Penn State, vs. Belfast, Northern Ireland brawler Colin McKee (3-2-0). All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets are priced at $25.00 (limited discount seating), $40.00 (general admission) and $55.00 (premium reserved seating) and sale at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum and all TicketMaster outlets.

For more information go to www.theultimatechaos.com, www.fightforce.org or www.mscoastcoliseum.com. Doors open at 5PM/CT, first fight 6 PM/CT, and the first PPV fight is at 8 PM/CT.

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