New York City, New York (July 5, 2010) – Continuing its quest to seek out the world’s next mixed martial arts superstars, M-1 Global’s highly anticipated M-1 Selection 2010 – Americas Semi-Final world tournament bouts are set with the live event taking place August 7, 2010 at Bally’s Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

“M-1 Global is committed to finding the next generation of MMA superstars and the Selection tournament plays a pivotal role as the proving ground for these young fighters,” says Evgeni Kogan, Director of Operations of the mixed martial arts powerhouse, M-1Global. “The semi-finals represent the mid-point and its win – and earn a spot in the finals – or go home. The caliber of competition gets markedly tougher from here on.”

The semi-final round bouts feature rising American stars; all expecting to demonstrate spectacular athleticism as they create fireworks within the ring.

Tournament fighters include:

Josh Bacallao and GeorgeSheppard Lightweight Division

Pat Audinwood and Dennis Bermudez Lightweight Division

Robert Rodriguez and Daniel Viscaya Light Heavyweight Division

Tom Gallicchio and Aaron Meisner Welterweight Division

Reggie Pena and Colin Schrader Welterweight Division

Shane Primm and Mike Geurin Middleweight Division

Tyson Jeffries and Plinio Cruz Middleweight Division

Byron Byrd and Mike Foster Light Heavyweight Division

Medi Hassan and Pat Bennett Heavyweight Division

Andrei Kapylov and Kenny Garner Heavyweight Division

· Additional bouts to be announced

The M-1 Selection 2010 – Americas Final round match-ups will be determined at the conclusion of the August 7th event in preparation for the September 18th showcase of the 2010 M-1 Selection Championships.

The “M-1 Selection” is the world’s premiere MMA competition where the next generation of superstars are given the opportunity to showcase their skills on the world stage with fighters being eliminated after only one loss; victory will advance the winning fighters throughout the tournament and earn them a trip to the championship event where they will compete for the coveted “M-1 Selection” title.

The “M-1 Selection” tournament is broken down into global regions: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Americas with each region hosting three rounds and a final of the ““M-1 Selection” tournament. The winning fighter in each weight class will gain the opportunity to fight on the larger international stage.

The tournament features some of the best up-and-coming fighters from each region as they begin the journey towards a tournament victory.

Pat Bennett - Photo courtesy of M-1 Global and Zack Lynch

Eight of the twelve total bouts scheduled for last evening’s M-1 Selection Americas in Atlantic City, New Jersey ended via knockout, while only one bout made it to the judges scorecards.

Team Bomb Squad trained heavyweight prospect Pat Bennett made a successful return from a recent hard fought unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Brock Lesnar training partner Cole Konrad under the Bellator banner with a brutal first round knockout of Ryan Smiley that came just 37 seconds into the contest. Bennett, who went 3-0 as an amateur, improved his professional record to 2-1 with both wins coming via knockout with the victory.

Also in action was The Ultimate Fighter veteran Shane Primm, who notched a consecutive guillotine choke submission victory last evening with an impressive second round stoppage of a game but outclassed Wesley Welch.

A full list of results from the event are below:

Tom Gallicchio def. Regino Pena via Split Decision

Pat Bennett def. Ryan Smiley via KO – Round 1, 0:37

Shane Primm def. Wesley Welch via submission (guillotine) – Round 2, 0:37

Josh Bacallao vs. Josh Key ruled a no contest

Kenny Garner def. Matt Hopkins via KO – Round 1, 1:56

Anderi Kapylou def. Edmund Carpenter via guillotine – Round 1, 1:04

Tyson Jeffries def. Mike Johnson via TKO – Round 3, 1:59

Aaron Meisner def. Vagner Fernandez via TKO – Round 1, 0:25

Byron Byrd def. Mike Shekenberg via KO – Round 1, 0:10

Mehdi Hassan def. Robert Leonard via KO – Round 1, 3:14

Daniel Vizcaya def. Ariel Sepulvida via TKO – Round 1, 4:40

Robert Rodriguez def. Antoine Mitchell via TKO – Round 3, 4:29

New York City, New York (June 7, 2010) – Fans attending the “M-1 Global Selection” 2nd round event on June 26th in Atlantic City won’t miss the highly anticipated Fedor vs. Werdum bout. Based on fan feedback, M-1 Global will be airing “The Last Emperor’s” contest through close circuit telecast during the live event.

“We are about delivering the fan experience and we felt it was imperative to enable our audience the opportunity to witness Fedor take on Werdum as it unfolds,” says M-1 Global co-founder Vadim Finkelchtein. “Fedor is the world’s greatest pound-for-pound fighter and MMA fans made it clear that they wanted to see this bout; we had to make it happen.”

The second round of “The M-1 Selection, Americas,” featuring American rising-stars expecting to throw heavy leather, will be held Saturday June 26 at Bally’s Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

This “M1 Selection Americas” match-ups will be announced shortly with bouts showcasing elimination fights in the lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight categories with the winners advancing to the Americas third single-knockout round.

The “M-1 Selection” is the world’s premiere MMA competition where the next generation of superstars are given the opportunity to showcase their skills on the world stage with fighters being eliminated after only one loss; two victories earns them a trip to the championship event where they will compete for the coveted “M-1 Selection” title.

The “M-1 Selection” tournament is broken down into four global regions: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Americas with each region hosting three rounds and a final of the ““M-1 Selection” tournament. The winning fighter in each weight class will join their team to represent his region in the 2010 M-1 Challenge.

The tournament features some of the best up-and-coming fighters from each region as they begin the journey towards a tournament victory. An Americas light heavyweight and heavyweight round is also scheduled for 2010.

How to see the fights:
M-1 Global Selection tournament events will take place live on June 26, August 7 and September 18 at the coveted Bally’s Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Tickets are priced at $55.00-$125.00 and are available to purchase through Ticketmaster at 1-800-736-1420 and www.TicketMaster.com.

Doors open at 7:00 pm, first fight at 7:30 PM/ET.

Go to www.M-1Global.com for additional information.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Waaaaay back at UFC 30 in Atlantic City. He’s got hair………weird.

As a remember, the debut edition of M-1 Global's "M-1 Selection
Americas" tournament takes place tonight in Atlantic City, N.J.

HDNet's Mike Straka and MMAjunkie.com's John Morgan will take to the
broadcast booth to call the action from the first-ever mixed martial
arts card at Bally's Atlantic City.

Straka and Morgan replace veteran broadcasters Jimmy Smith and Sean
Wheelock who recently departed for a similar gig at Bellator Fighting
Championships.

John Doyle

AMSTERDAM, Holland (March 24, 2010) – “M-1 Selection” is changing the sport of professional Mixed Martial Arts by giving new and upcoming fighters an opportunity to gain global recognition by competing in M-1 events held all over the world.

The opening round of “The M-1 Selection: Americas”, featuring 11 entertaining fights, will be held Saturday, April 3 at Bally’s Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

It kicks-off the American edition of a global MMA tournament, unrivaled in size and scope, showcasing 160 of the most promising fighters from all around the world competing in five weight classes.

The “M1 Selection Americas” match-ups include the following fights:

Tournament Fights

Lightweights

Pat “Awesomely Awesome” Audinwood (8-0-1), Cortland, NY vs. Robert Connor (7-2-0), Martinsburg, WV

Dennis Bremidez (2-0-0), Harrisburgh, PA. vs. Don Carlo-Clauss (6-3-0), Rochester, NY

George “Lights Out” Sheppard (6-2-0), Newport News, VA vs. Mervin Rodriguez (3-4-0), Amsterdam, NJ

Welterweights

Vagner “Curio” Fernandes (0-1-0), Newark, NJ vs. Tom Moreau (1-0-0), Derry, NH

Brian DeMuro (2-6-0), Blackwood, NJ vs. Mike Winters (1-0-0), Webster, NY

Josh Smidt (5-8-0), Sioux Falls, SD vs. Colin Schrader (2-0-0), Cortland, NY

Middleweights

Todd “The Hulk” Chatelle (4-3-0), Pawtucket, RI vs. Mike Geurin (6-1-0), Dallas, PA

Plinio Cruz (2-2-0), Newark, NJ vs. John “The Iron Bull” Doyle (8-11-0), Allentown, PA

Three non-tournament super fights are also on tap:

The super fights feature a lightweight match between undefeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist: Renato Migliaccio (6-0-0), fighting out of Greenwich (CT) by way of Brazil, against New York’s John Salgado (3-2-1).

Philadelphia’s highly-regarded flyweight Sedico Honorio (5-1-0) takes on Nebraska veteran Josh Rave (18-6-0), while Kuwait featherweight Rami “Arabian Nightmare” Ibrahim, now based in Philadelphia, makes his long-awaited pro debut against New York City’s Lennox Chance at a 130-pound catchweight featuring two of the top kickboxers in the country. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

About M-1 Selection:

The “M-1 Selection” is a knockout competition. Fighters are eliminated after only one loss while two victories earn fighters a trip to the championship to earn a shot at a coveted “M-1 Selection” title.

The “M-1 Selection” tournament is broken down into four global regions: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Americas. Each of the four regions will host three rounds and a final of the ““M-1 Selection” tournament. The winning fighter in each weight class will join the team to represent his region in the 2010 M-1 Challenge.

The “M-1 Selection Americas” event will showcase elimination fights in the lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight categories. Winners advance to the Americas second knockout round.

The tournament will feature some of the best up-and-coming fighters from each region as they begin the journey towards a tournament victory.

An Americas light heavyweight and heavyweight round is also scheduled for this spring and will take place to determine the semi-finalists for the region.

How to see the fights:

Free broadcast coverage of the entire 2010 M-1 Selection tournament will be available live to viewers worldwide on www.Sherdog.com.

Tickets, priced at $55.00-$95.00, are available to purchase through www.TicketMaster.com

Doors open at 6.30 pm, first fight at 7:00 PM/ET.

Go to www.M-1Global.com for additional information.

While M-1 Global is perhaps best known as the management team of top
heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, the company also has an extensive history
in the fight promotion business as well.

And though the company's "M-1 Challenge" events are regularly featured
on HDNet, the company also conducts a worldwide tournament designed to
find top prospects all over the globe.

That tournament, the "M-1 Selection," touches down in the U.S. on April 3
at Bally's Atlantic City in New Jersey, and HDNet's Mike Straka and
MMAjunkie.com's John Morgan will take to the broadcast booth to call the
action.

From gold rush to gold-less.
This year, the color of choice was certainly silver.
Once known as the cradle of high school wrestling, the
perennially powerful programs of The Express-Times area
failed to produce a state champion for the first time in a
long, long time.
Lehigh Valley area schools left the Giant Center in
Hershey, Pa., without a first-place finisher for the first
time since 1966. And our area schools from New Jersey again
left Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City without an individual
titlist.
Though no local state champions were crowned in 2010, there
are plenty of quality wrestlers that headline our annual
All-Area team.
Six state runners-up -- four from Pennsylvania and two from
New Jersey -- are the linchpins of our first team.
Liberty senior Anthony Marino at 119 and Nazareth junior
Zach Horan at 125 pounds are Keystone State silver medalists
in Class AAA, while the Bethlehem Catholic tag-team of Randy
Cruz at 112 and Kyle Dehaut at 152 pounds placed second in
Class AA.
Horan, who finished second-best in the state for a third
consecutive year, is The Express-Times Wrestler of the Year.
He finished the season with a 38-2 record and will enter his
senior season with a 120-12 career mark.
Senior Bobby Stevely of Delaware Valley at 125 and junior
Jack Delia of North Hunterdon at 285 pounds took home silver
medals in the Garden State.
The rest of our first team is a combination of experienced
seniors and promising underclassmen.
Marinos Liberty teammate, junior Anthony Cabrera, is
the 103-pounder. Horans Nazareth teammate, junior Ryan
Krecker at 145 pounds, also earned first-team honors.
Easton sophomore Mitch Minotti and Pen Argyl freshman Mikey
Racciato are 130-pounders on The Express-Times All-Area
team.

Our first team includes all 14 weight classes and two
wild-cards.)

Junior Joey Rizzolino of Easton is at 135 pounds, with Red
Rovers teammate Mark Hartenstine, a senior, the 140-pounder.
Northamptons Austin Sommer came on strong late in the
season and earned the spot at 152 pounds. Dehaut, though he
competed in the postseason at 152, fits in nicely on our
team as a 160-pounder -- a weight he wrestled 10 matches at
during the season.
Pius X senior Luke DeLuise pinned his way to the 171-pound
position. Junior Ian Gimbar of Saucon Valley is at 189 and
Warren Hills senior Kyle ODonnell is the 215-pounder.
Marino, Horan, Rizzolino and Krecker all were named to our
first team last season.
Veteran Easton coach Steve Powell, the second-winningest
coach in District 11 history behind Ray Nunamaker of
Nazareth, is The Express-Times Coach of the Year.
Powells Red Rovers finished the season 17-8 and they
placed fourth at the PIAA Team Championships. Easton upset
two teams it lost to during the Lehigh Valley Conference
season -- Nazareth and Parkland -- en route to the district
title.
Michael Blouse can be reached at 800-360-3601 or
mblouse@express-times.com. Talk about sports in the region
at lehighvalleylive.com/forums.

KANSAS CITY (March 8, 2010) – Tyler Stinson, a 24-year-old native of Winfield, Kan., was the unanimous winner of an open tryout sponsored by Bellator Fighting Championships on Saturday, earning him a chance to fight in Bellator’s upcoming nationally-televised event at the Kansas City Power & Light District on April 29th.

Stinson was one of 72 fighters from as far away as New York, California, Texas and Arizona to travel to Lenexa, Kan., for the tryout, which was judged by Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney and a panel of other top Bellator talent executives. Participants included former veterans of the WEC, IFL and other top promotions.

“The talent level that we saw at this tryout was very solid,” Rebney said. “To have fighters come in on busses, trains and planes from around the country is very humbling. These guys just want a shot and I only wish that we could give that opportunity to every one of them. Our decision was a difficult one, but Tyler separated himself with great grappling and a well-rounded MMA arsenal. I’m looking forward to seeing him fight on April 29th.”

Stinson, though just 24, boasts a professional record of 16-5 in a wide variety of regional promotions across the Midwest and in Florida. Notably, he is one of only two fighters to notch a victory against 17-2 Eric Marriott, a competitor in Bellator’s upcoming eight-man featherweight tournament. Stinson will enter the April 29th Bellator event on a three-fight win-streak with all three wins coming via first round stoppages (armbar, triangle choke and TKO-punches).

“This whole experience was just awesome,” Stinson told reporters after the event. “To hear my name called at the end of the day was just unbelievable. I’m really almost speechless right now. Bellator is just such a great organization and I’m excited for the chance to fight in front of my family and friends in Kansas City.”

The second-place finisher at the event was 27-year-old Leonardo Pecanha, a native of Brazil now fighting out of Omaha, Neb. Pecanha, who boasts a pro record of 11-6, is now being considered by Bellator for an open slot at one of its May events.

The April 29th event is one of four that Bellator will be staging at the highly popular Kansas City Power & Light District. The Power & Light District encompasses multiple square blocks in the heart of Kansas City’s downtown area and features an exciting blend of restaurants, nightlife, and shopping, welcoming in excess of 6 million visitors annually.

Tickets are on sale now at Tickemaster.com, at the Midland Theater box office downtown, and in select Power & Light District venues. Check out www.powerandlightdistrict.com for more information on ticket availability.

Additional Bellator fights will be held at the Kansas City Power & Light District on:

- June 24, 2010 – Bellator XXIV

- August 26, 2010 – Bellator XXVII

- October 14, 2010 – Bellator XXXIV

These and all other Bellator fights during its second and third seasons will be broadcast live on FOX Sports Net and during special Bellator highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo.

For more information, visit www.bellator.com.

About Bellator Fighting Championships

Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company with offices in Los Angeles and Chicago. Bellator’s founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.

About The Cordish Company

The Cordish Company (www.cordish.com), now in its fourth generation of family ownership, is a multi-billion dollar conglomerate including one of the leading gaming, entertainment and real estate development companies in the United States. The Company has diverse development expertise with divisions focused on Entertainment & Mixed-Use, Gaming & Lodging, Sports Anchored Districts, Shopping & Lifestyle Retail, Office and Residential. The Cordish Company also owns and manages a diverse group of operating businesses, ranging from gaming, restaurants/clubs to live music promotion and film/media distribution. The company values itself on the quality of its operations, its long-term relationships, and high level of integrity in all of its endeavors.

The Cordish Company is the largest and most successful developer of entertainment districts and concepts in the United States. In particular, the company has unparalleled experience in creating and revitalizing high-profile destinations in urban core locations. Many of the Cordish Company’s projects involve public/private partnerships and are of unique significance to the cities in which they are located. Prime examples are the company’s prominent role in the redevelopment of Baltimore’s world-famous Inner Harbor; Atlantic City, NJ; Hollywood, FL; Charleston, SC; Houston, TX; Louisville, KY; Tampa, FL, Kansas City, MO; and Towson, MD.

The Cordish Company has received the highest possible national awards in its various areas of expertise. In real estate, the Cordish Company has received an unprecedented seven Urban Land Institute Awards of Excellence.

About the Kansas City Power & Light District

The Kansas City Power & Light District (www.power&lightdistrict.com) is a vibrant, new eight-block neighborhood in the heart of downtown Kansas City that is redefining the City from its skyline to its sidewalks. The District links together the renovated Bartle Hall Convention Center, the new Sprint Center, offices, hotels, entertainment, cultural destinations and residential developments. The $850 million mixed-use District anchors $5 billion of complimentary development efforts in downtown Kansas City. The combination of entertainment, retail, nightlife and residential with the District’s imaginative and innovative design, has revitalized and rejuvenated downtown Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY (March 8, 2010) – Tyler Stinson, a 24-year-old native of Winfield, Kan., was the unanimous winner of an open tryout sponsored by Bellator Fighting Championships on Saturday, earning him a chance to fight in Bellator’s upcoming nationally-televised event at the Kansas City Power & Light District on April 29th.

Stinson was one of 72 fighters from as far away as New York, California, Texas and Arizona to travel to Lenexa, Kan., for the tryout, which was judged by Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney and a panel of other top Bellator talent executives. Participants included former veterans of the WEC, IFL and other top promotions.

“The talent level that we saw at this tryout was very solid,” Rebney said. “To have fighters come in on busses, trains and planes from around the country is very humbling. These guys just want a shot and I only wish that we could give that opportunity to every one of them. Our decision was a difficult one, but Tyler separated himself with great grappling and a well-rounded MMA arsenal. I’m looking forward to seeing him fight on April 29th.”

Stinson, though just 24, boasts a professional record of 16-5 in a wide variety of regional promotions across the Midwest and in Florida. Notably, he is one of only two fighters to notch a victory against 17-2 Eric Marriott, a competitor in Bellator’s upcoming eight-man featherweight tournament. Stinson will enter the April 29th Bellator event on a three-fight win-streak with all three wins coming via first round stoppages (armbar, triangle choke and TKO-punches).

“This whole experience was just awesome,” Stinson told reporters after the event. “To hear my name called at the end of the day was just unbelievable. I’m really almost speechless right now. Bellator is just such a great organization and I’m excited for the chance to fight in front of my family and friends in Kansas City.”

The second-place finisher at the event was 27-year-old Leonardo Pecanha, a native of Brazil now fighting out of Omaha, Neb. Pecanha, who boasts a pro record of 11-6, is now being considered by Bellator for an open slot at one of its May events.

The April 29th event is one of four that Bellator will be staging at the highly popular Kansas City Power & Light District. The Power & Light District encompasses multiple square blocks in the heart of Kansas City’s downtown area and features an exciting blend of restaurants, nightlife, and shopping, welcoming in excess of 6 million visitors annually.

Tickets are on sale now at Tickemaster.com, at the Midland Theater box office downtown, and in select Power & Light District venues. Check out www.powerandlightdistrict.com for more information on ticket availability.

Additional Bellator fights will be held at the Kansas City Power & Light District on:

- June 24, 2010 – Bellator XXIV

- August 26, 2010 – Bellator XXVII

- October 14, 2010 – Bellator XXXIV

These and all other Bellator fights during its second and third seasons will be broadcast live on FOX Sports Net and during special Bellator highlight shows on NBC and Telemundo.

For more information, visit www.bellator.com.

About Bellator Fighting Championships

Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company with offices in Los Angeles and Chicago. Bellator’s founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.

About The Cordish Company

The Cordish Company (www.cordish.com), now in its fourth generation of family ownership, is a multi-billion dollar conglomerate including one of the leading gaming, entertainment and real estate development companies in the United States. The Company has diverse development expertise with divisions focused on Entertainment & Mixed-Use, Gaming & Lodging, Sports Anchored Districts, Shopping & Lifestyle Retail, Office and Residential. The Cordish Company also owns and manages a diverse group of operating businesses, ranging from gaming, restaurants/clubs to live music promotion and film/media distribution. The company values itself on the quality of its operations, its long-term relationships, and high level of integrity in all of its endeavors.

The Cordish Company is the largest and most successful developer of entertainment districts and concepts in the United States. In particular, the company has unparalleled experience in creating and revitalizing high-profile destinations in urban core locations. Many of the Cordish Company’s projects involve public/private partnerships and are of unique significance to the cities in which they are located. Prime examples are the company’s prominent role in the redevelopment of Baltimore’s world-famous Inner Harbor; Atlantic City, NJ; Hollywood, FL; Charleston, SC; Houston, TX; Louisville, KY; Tampa, FL, Kansas City, MO; and Towson, MD.

The Cordish Company has received the highest possible national awards in its various areas of expertise. In real estate, the Cordish Company has received an unprecedented seven Urban Land Institute Awards of Excellence.

About the Kansas City Power & Light District

The Kansas City Power & Light District (www.power&lightdistrict.com) is a vibrant, new eight-block neighborhood in the heart of downtown Kansas City that is redefining the City from its skyline to its sidewalks. The District links together the renovated Bartle Hall Convention Center, the new Sprint Center, offices, hotels, entertainment, cultural destinations and residential developments. The $850 million mixed-use District anchors $5 billion of complimentary development efforts in downtown Kansas City. The combination of entertainment, retail, nightlife and residential with the District’s imaginative and innovative design, has revitalized and rejuvenated downtown Kansas City.