The twelfth ranked powerlifter in America on the Power Rankings, Tony Bolognone (shw), was unable to get in a squat at yesterday's SPF Iron House Classic in Columbus, Ohio.

NEW YORK (April 22, 2009) –Unbeaten Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensation Roger Gracie (2-0) will make his long-awaited STRIKEFORCE and United States Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) debut when he squares off with two-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Kevin “The Monster” Randleman (17-14) in a featured light heavyweight (205 pound) contest at STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. on Saturday, May 15.

Middleweight (185 pound) superstar and 2008 DREAM Grand Prix tournament runner up “Jacare” Souza (11-2) will collide with hard-hitting sensation Joey Villasenor (27-6) in another featured bout.

The winner of the coveted ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in 2005, the 28-year-old Gracie, a second degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie, Jr., made history by submitting all eight of his opponents during the tournament, a feat that had never previously been achieved.

The 6-foot-4 Gracie’s submission skills have, thus far, proven their worth in MMA competition. In his pro debut on Dec. 2, 2006, he forced Ron “H20” Waterman to tap from an armbar and, on May 18, 2008, he submitted Japan’s Yuki Kondo with a rear naked choke.

A native of Brazil, Gracie resides in West London, England, where he owns and operates The Roger Gracie Academy.

At age 38, Randleman of Columbus, Ohio will attempt to re-enter the win column after two consecutive defeats and reclaim the glory he achieved more than a decade ago when he was crowned UFC heavyweight champion after scoring a knockout over Pete Williams at UFC 23 on November 19, 1999.

A tremendous athlete with explosive power, Randleman captured back-to-back NCAA Division I national wrestling titles in 1992 and 1993 while attending Ohio State University. His stellar collegiate career gained him entry into the school’s Hall Of Fame in 2004.

On Oct. 22, 1996, Randleman made his professional MMA debut in Brazil where he stopped Luiz Carlos Macial in the first round. After amassing a 6-2 record, he entered the octagon for the first time at UFC 19 on March 5, 1999, and pulled off a stunning upset of MMA and kickboxing legend Maurice Smith.

Randleman enjoyed a lengthy career with Japan’s PRIDE Fighting Championships, winning his first three fights with the now-defunct promotion and stopping superstar Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in one round on April 25, 2004.

The 6 foot Souza, a 30-year-old submission wizard from Brazil, made a splash debut with STRIKEFORCE on Dec.19, 2009 when he forced former Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland to tap out from an arm triangle choke in the first round (4:18).

Two years ago, Souza made a brilliant run to the championship round of DREAM’s single-elimination middleweight tournament in Japan. After submitting Ian Murphy on April 29, 2008 with a rear naked choke in the first round (3:38) of their opening tournament round matchup, Souza went on to earn a unanimous decision over American star Jason “Mayhem” Miller on June 15, 2008 and, then, submitted Zelg Galesic with an armbar on Sept. 23, 2008.

The 35-year-old Villasenor, a seasoned striker and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu player who hails from Albuquerque, N.M., and is a member of the fearsome fight team led by Greg Jackson, is riding a four-fight win streak. He produced his last victory, a split decision over Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, in his STRIKEFORCE debut at ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash. on June 19, 2009.

During the first live, primetime telecast of an MMA event on network television (CBS) on May 31, 2008, Villasenor came out of the gates with guns blazing and overwhelmed notorious brawler, Phil “The New York Badass” Baroni, crushing Baroni with a barrage of punches in the first round (1:11).

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

In the main event, STRIKEFORCE World Heavyweight Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem (32-11) will put his title on the line against heavy-handed knockout artist Brett “The Grim” Rogers (10-1).

In another heavyweight confrontation, former world champions Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (15-7) and Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (13-2) will collide.

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

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

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

NEW YORK (April 22, 2010) – Former Rickson Gracie protégé and highly confident middleweight (185 pounds) “King” Kevin Casey (3-1) of Los Angeles will face the toughest test of his Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) career when he faces former Olympic wrestling silver medalist and MMA superstar Matt “The Law” Lindland (21-7) of Oregon City, Ore., in the STRIKEFORCE Challengers main event at Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Ore. on Friday, May 21.

A welterweight (170 pounds) battle between undefeated rising star “Relentless’’ Roger Bowling (7-0) of Columbus, Ohio, who’ll be making his STRIKEFORCE debut, and hard-hitting brawler “Vicious” Bobby Voelker (21-7) of Kansas City, Kan., has been added to the card.

In previously announced matchups, promising, unbeaten welterweight Tyron “T-Wood” Woodley (6-0) of St. Louis will face local favorite Nathan Coy (8-2) of Portland while Kerry Vera (2-0), of San Diego, Calif., and Julianna “The Venezuelan Vixen” Pena (2-0) of Spokane, Wash., will collide in a battle of 135-pound female prospects.

Tickets are on sale at the Rose Garden Box Office, all participating Safeway/TicketsWest outlets, or by calling (877) 789-ROSE (7673). They also can be purchased online at www.ComcastTIX.com and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Casey, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert schooled by famed master Rickson Gracie, won his first start in 13 months with a dominant, first round (1:41) submission (rear-naked choke) of Chad Vance at STRIKEFORCE: Challengers last Nov. 20 in Kansas City.

The multi-talented Casey is also a hip-hop artist as well as a friend and business partner of MTV reality series superstar and Beverly Hills socialite, Spencer Pratt. Casey recently recorded the single, “No Surrender.”

Lindland captured the silver medal in Greco Roman wrestling while representing The United States at the 2000 Summer Olympics. A former All-American wrestler for University of Nebraska and the 1993 NCAA Big Eight conference champion, the 39-year-old will look to return to his winning ways after suffering two consecutive defeats.

The six-foot Lindland lost his last outing on a first- round submission (arm triangle choke) to superstar Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza at STRIKEFORCE: Evolution on Dec. 19, 2009. During a stellar 13-year MMA career, Lindland has fought the best, including the famed Fedor Emelianenko, and has triumphed over a number of all-time greats, among them former UFC champions Pat Miletich and Carlos Newton.

Two years ago, Lindland entered the world of politics, winning the Oregon Republican Party’s nomination for the House of Representatives before being defeated in the general election.
Nothing short of a wrecking machine, Bowling has been rolling since making his MMA debut in June 2007. The five-foot-nine, 28-year-old registered six consecutive first-round victories at the outset of his career before he had to settle for a 0:14, second-round TKO (punches) over Jerrod Appenzeller in his last start last Feb. 10.

The six-foot-one Voelker, who specializes in American Jiu-Jitsu, has won four of his last five fights, including a dramatic, come-from-behind second-round TKO (punches) over Erik Apple at the STRIKEFORCE: Challengers event last Nov. 20 in Kansas City.

A pro since February 2006, Voelker was rocked and dropped early in the opening round. But the momentum began to change by midway through the five-minute session.

Near the conclusion of the round, Voelker had assumed control, dropped Apple with an overhand right early in the second, pounced on his crumpled opponent and brought about a stoppage at the 1:23 mark of the round.

Rose Garden Arena doors will open for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at 5:15 p.m. The first preliminary card bout will begin at 6 p.m. and the first main card bout will begin at 8 p.m.

The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Here is training footage of Laura Phelps-Sweatt (165/181) as she prepared for Saturday's SPF Iron House Classic in Columbus, Ohio.

Phelps-Sweatt is the third ranked lifter in the world on the Powerlifting Watch Power Rankings. She has the third ranked squat, bench press and total of all-time, regardless of weight class.

FRESNO, CALIF. (Mar. 25, 2010) — The fighters who will compete in the STRIKEFORCE Challengers mixed martial arts (MMA) event on Friday, Mar. 26 airing live on SHOWTIME at 11:45 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast) weighed in on Thursday at the World Sports Café in Fresno, Calif.

This evening of fights will be available to a record 54.4 million households as part of the SHOWTIME ALL ACCESS Free Preview Weekend on SHOWTIME, SHOWTIME HD™ and SHOWTIME On Demand. From Thursday, March 25 through Sunday, March 28, viewers across the country have the opportunity to sample the premium network’s award-winning programming via linear service, On Demand and in HD, including two live events from SHOWTIME Sports.

In the main event heavyweight sensation Lavar Johnson (13-3) will square off with undefeated Lolohea Mahe (6-0-1) of Hawaii. Johnson’s effort will mark a miraculous comeback after he was gunned down and nearly killed by Central Valley area gang members on July 4, 2009 while attending a family barbeque near his home in Madera.

Fresno’s Zoila Frausto, an undefeated women’s prospect, will take on another standout fighter in Miesha “Takedown” Tate (8-2) of Olympia, Wash. Frausto, a former soccer player for Fresno City College, has compiled a perfect 5-0 record in professional MMA since her debut on February 13, 2009.

Other featured fights: “Abongo” Humphrey (5-1), Atlanta, Ga., vs. George Bush III (5-1), Columbus, Ohio, at light heavyweight (205 pounds); Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Luke Stewart (6-2), San Francisco, Calif. vs. Andre Galvao (3-1), Brazil, at welterweight (170 pounds); and American Kickboxing Academy bred wrestling stud Justin “The Silverback” Wilcox (8-3), San Jose, Calif., vs. Shamar Bailey (10-1) of Chicago, Ill., at a catch weight of 160 pounds.

Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event are on sale at the Save Mart Center box office and select Save Mart Supermarkets as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Save Mart Center doors will open for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at 6 p.m. PT. The first live, non-televised, preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m. The SHOWTIME telecast begins at 11:45 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

FINAL WEIGHTS:
Lavar “Big” Johnson – 241
Lolohea Mahe – 267

Abongo Humphrey – 203.6
George Bush III – 206

Luke Stewart – 171.2
Andre Galvao – 170.4

Zoila “Warrior Princess” Frausto – 132.4
Miesha “Takedown” Tate – 136

Justin “The Silverback” Wilcox – 160.8
Shamar Bailey – 161

Non-televised fights:
Daniel Cormier – 242
John Devine – 253.2

Paul Ruiz – 134.8
TBA

Trinidad Valdez – 168
Ricky Jackson – 169

Avery Kaleo – 143.2
Chris Buron – 144

QUOTES:

LAVAR JOHNSON
“Training camp was great, it was real good. I’m back 100 percent, nothing has changed.

“I got a lot of people supporting me because I’m fighting at home. I don’t want to let anyone down. This is a huge fight for me.

“I expect us to stand up well. We’re just two big guys swinging for the fences. I’ll be looking for the KO in the first, for sure. I’ll take what he gives me, but I’ll be looking to get in and get out.”

LOLOHEA MAHE:
“It was a very rough camp, but it was good. It was definitely one of the hardest camps I’ve ever had.

“We have been working on our stand up and on a little wrestling. We’re ready for whatever happens in there.

“It was hard getting down from 320 (pounds), but I’ll be good. I’m ready.

“I hope to win, and I hope to fight well. I’m expecting standup, ground game, you name it, I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”

ABONGO HUMPHREY
“Training camp went really well. We’re working really hard on our standups and some new techniques. I’ve been working on a lot of my ground game to make sure I’m more well-rounded.

“I’ve had an 11-month layoff, so I’ve had a lot of time to hone in on my weaknesses. Plus, I’m at a lower weight where I feel more comfortable.

“I think I’ve evolved a little bit more and I’m more relaxed while I’m in the heat of things. I think that has helped me evolve as a fighter.

I know he’s (George Bush III) is a wrestler, so he’ll be good at that. He’s the perfect fight for me to showcase my standup ability. I’m really excited for it.”

GEORGE BUSH III
“I’m happy to be here. I’ve worked my whole career to get to this level. I’m here to see and to prove that this is the level I belong at. My journey is only half complete.

“I’m fighting for my family, especially my aunt Paula. Happy Birthday!”

ZOILA FRAUSTO
“It’s been the best camp I’ve ever had. I couldn’t be happier with it.

“I expect her to stand up for about 30 seconds, but as soon as I hit her she is going to try to take me down. She won’t be able to stand up with me or take my punches.

“It’s always really good to be fighting at home. There will be a lot of supporters, so I can’t wait to get in there and brawl. “

MIESHA TATE:
“I plan on going out there and taking care of business. I’m going to capitalize on any mistake she makes.

“I’d like to end it in TKO, but if the submission is there I’ll take it.

“I’m looking for the quick victory. The fans are going to love this fight. She’s in her hometown, so they’ll all be behind her. I know she’ll bring it and I’m prepared.”

CHICAGO, Ill. (March 24, 2010) — Luke Zachrich, a longtime protégé of MMA legend Dan Severn, is the latest addition to Bellator Fighting Championships’ upcoming Season 2 middleweight tournament roster.

Zachrich, a mainstay on the Midwest regional circuit, boasts an overall professional record of 10-1 with four wins coming via TKO and six coming via submission. All but one of the victories have come during the first round.

A native of Bryan, Ohio, he played varsity football at Bowling Green State University before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2005. At around the same time, he began training with Severn, who has notched 92 career wins in the UFC, WEC, PRIDE and countless other promotions over the past 15 years.

“Luke is a great athlete who has learned MMA from great instructors,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “He’s another strong addition to our 185 tournament.”

Zachrich is the seventh confirmed participant in eight-man middleweight tournament, joining Bryan “The Beast” Baker, Jared Hess, Sean Loeffler, Matt Major, Ryan McGivern and Eric Schambari. The group boasts a combined overall winning percentage of .838 (78-15).

Bellator will also conduct tournaments at 145, 155 and 170 lbs. during its second season, with the winners in each division being declared No. 1 contenders to the current Bellator champions. Each of Bellator’s 24 Season 2 and 3 events will be broadcast on FOX Sports Net, NBC, Telemundo and The Score sports network in Canada.

Though Zachrich made his pro MMA debut in 2006, he gained his first national notoriety in the spring of 2008 on The Ultimate Fighter where was a member of the team coached by Forrest Griffin. Zachrich defeated 5-1-1 Patrick Schultz in Episode 2, but fell to future UFC signee Dan Cramer in Episode 6. Since leaving TUF, Zachrich is a perfect 3-0.

Recently, in mid-2009, Zachrich left his longtime training camp in Cincinnati (Team George Gurgel) to train full-time in Columbus, Ohio, with Joe Heskett, a former four-time All-American wrestler at Iowa State who is now the assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State. Zachrich also continues to hold periodic training sessions with Severn and noted muay thai coach Dorian Price.

“I’ve been lucky enough to train with some of the best in the world and Bellator is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to show the results of that on the world stage,” Zachrich said. “I love the tournament set-up that Bellator has and the middleweight field is really great—there’s not a bad fighter in it. Anyone can beat anyone on any given day. With that said, I wouldn’t be in it if I didn’t think I could win it.”

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Bellator. For tickets, go to Ticketmaster.com.

All fighters who will compete in the STRIKEFORCE Challengers mixed martial arts (MMA) event this Friday, March 26, at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., will weigh in the day before, Thursday, March 25 at World Sports Café. The weigh in is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, free of charge and will start at 5:30 p.m. PT.

In the main event on SHOWTIME®, heavyweight sensation Lavar Johnson (13-3) will square off with undefeated Lolohea Mahe (6-0-1) of Hawaii. Johnson’s effort will mark a miraculous comeback after he was gunned down and nearly killed by Central Valley area gang members on July 4, 2009, while attending a family barbeque near his home in Madera.

Fresno’s Zoila Frausto, an undefeated women’s prospect, will take on another standout in Miesha “Takedown” Tate (8-2) of Olympia, Wash. Frausto, a former soccer player for Fresno City College, has compiled a perfect 5-0 record in professional MMA since her debut on February 13, 2009.

Other featured fights: “Abongo” Humphrey (5-1), Atlanta, Ga., vs. George Bush III (5-1), Columbus, Ohio, at light heavyweight (205 pounds); Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Luke Stewart (6-2), San Francisco, Calif. vs. Andre Galvao (3-1), Brazil, at welterweight (170 pounds); and American Kickboxing Academy bred wrestling stud Justin “The Silverback” Wilcox (8-3), San Jose, Calif., vs. Shamar Bailey (10-1) of Chicago, Ill., at a catch weight of 160 pounds.

Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event are on sale at the Save Mart Center box office and select Save Mart Supermarkets as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Save Mart Center doors will open for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at 6 p.m. PT. The first live, non-televised, preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m. The SHOWTIME telecast begins at 11:45 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

NEW YORK (March 22, 2010) – An impressive winner in his mixed martial arts (MMA) debut, two-time United States Olympic Games wrestling team member and former NCAA Division I national championship runner up Daniel Cormier will attempt to make it two in a row this Friday, March 26, at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., when he faces John Devine in one of the featured, non-televised fights at STRIKEFORCE Challengers.

“I am looking forward again to fighting and getting back into the cage and showing what I can do,’’ said Cormier (1-0), 31, who won his initial MMA and STRIKEFORCE start with a second-round TKO (punches) over Gary Frazier last Sept. 25 in Tulsa, Okla. “This will be a tough fight, but I’ve been working very hard.’’

A heavyweight prospect who trains at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., Cormier placed fourth in the 2004 Olympics in freestyle wrestling. He was named captain of the U.S. squad for the 2008 Olympics, but was unable to compete due to injury.

Devine (5-1), who fights out of Pacifica, Calif., is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt. The Cage Combat Fighting heavyweight champion, Devine has won five-in-a-row, including a third-round TKO (punches) over Buddy Roberts in his last outing on July 18, 2009.

“My opponent has more experience than me, but I figure almost everybody I fight from now on will have more fights than me,’’ Cormier said. “I am confident in my ability but I need fights like this to show me where I’m at. I’m still learning and have a ways to go, but every fight is important.

“Wrestling taught me to be strong physically and mentally and it molds you and makes you take responsibility for your actions. If you don’t train hard, it’s going to be you out there getting embarrassed.”

Tickets for the event, priced from $30, may be purchased at the Save Mart Center box office and select Save Mart Supermarkets, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Save Mart Center doors will open at 6 p.m. PT. The first non-televised, preliminary bout will begin at 6:45 p.m.

In the main event on SHOWTIME®, the amazing Lavar Johnson (13-3) of Madera, Calif., will make his first start since nearly getting shot to death during the last July 4 holiday weekend when he meets Hawaii’s Lolohea Mahe (4-0-1) of Wailua, Maui, in a heavyweight scrap.

Other televised fights: “Abongo” Humphrey (5-1), Atlanta, Ga., vs. George Bush III (5-1), Columbus, Ohio, at light heavyweight (205 pounds); Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Luke Stewart (6-2), San Francisco, Calif. vs. Andre Galvao (3-1), Brazil, at welterweight (170 pounds); Zoila Frausto (5-0), Fresno. vs. Miesha “Takedown” Tate (8-2), Olympia, Wash., in an excellent women’s matchup at 135 pounds; and American Kickboxing Academy bred wrestling stud Justin “The Silverback” Wilcox (8-3), San Jose, Calif., vs. Shamar Bailey (10-1) of Chicago, Ill., at a catch weight of 160 pounds.

The live SHOWTIME telecast of the STRIKEFORCE Challengers main card will begin at 11:45 p.m. ET/ PT (delayed on the west coast).

STRIKEFORCE Challengers, where tomorrow’s champions are born, is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. The series is designed to provide today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the
premium cable television network. The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the “Fedor vs. Rogers” mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on Saturday, Nov. 7, and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world’s No. 1 heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett “The Grim” Rogers.

WEC 47 drew an estimated live gate of $401,000, which is down $140,000 from the promotion’s previous effort, WEC 46.

The numbers come courtesy of Ohio Athletic Commission Executive Director Bernie Profato who relayed the estimated figure to MMAjunkie.com.

WEC 47 took place on March 6 from the Nationwide arena in Columbus, Ohio and featured a headlining bout between Brian Bowles and Dominick Cruz for the WEC’s bantamweight crown.

In comparison, WEC 46 drew an estimated live gate of $550,000 while featuring a main event between Jamie Varner and Benson Henderson for the WEC lightweight title, along with a notable appearance by Urijah Faber in the co-headliner against Rapahael Assuncao.

The attendance for WEC 47 suffered a significant drop from WEC 46, plummeting to 8,345 from 10,027.

WEC 48 is slated for pay-per-view on April 24, featuring a main event between Jose Aldo and Urijah Faber for the promotion’s featherweight title, along with a lightweight championship match-up between Benson Henderson and Donald Cerrone that will act as the co-main.

This month's WEC 47 event at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, drew an official live gate of $401,000.

Ohio Athletic Commission Executive Director Bernie Profato today confirmed the total with MMAjunkie.com.

The March 6 event, which drew an initially estimated attendance of 8,345, had extremely affordable ticket prices that started at just $25 and topped off at a surprisingly low $125 for floor seats.