On Monday, Bellator Fighting Championship announced the latest addition to it’s Season 2 middleweight tournament, which begins this week. Russian fighter Alexander “Strome” Shlemenko will make his promotional debut this Thursday night against American Matt Major in the middleweight quarter finals.
Press Release
The 27-4 Shlemenko—who arrived in the U.S. from his home in Siberia, Russia, on Sunday—will make his Bellator debut this Thursday in a tournament quarterfinal matchup against Matt Major at Bellator 16 in Kansas City, Mo. Tickets for the event are still available at ticketmaster.com.
Shlemenko is the eighth and final entrant into Bellator’s middleweight tournament and the 32nd and final fighter to sign on as a participant in Bellator’s four Season 2 tournaments.
With his superb record, devastating power and well-earned reputation as a finisher (17 of his wins have come via KO or TKO), the 25-year-old Shlemenko enters the middleweight tournament as an early favorite to emerge as the No. 1 contender to reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard.
“Alexander is a dangerous fighter who poses a serious threat to anyone he faces at 185,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “We’ve been working on signing Russia’s top middleweight for some time and I’m glad we’ll finally get to see him fight in our tournament and beyond. Alexander’s style — spinning back fists, flying knees and non-stop strikes — make for great fights.”
Shlemenko first took an interest in MMA in the early 2000s after watching the various UFC VHS tapes that were on sale in his country. He began training in Muay Thai and, when he heard that a Russian MMA promotion was staging an event in his hometown of Omsk early in 2004, he entered and ended up winning. He went on to win each of his first 15 pro fights (including three fights in one night in December 2004) and was soon regarded as one of the top prospects in Russia and all of Europe.
He enters the Bellator middleweight tournament having won 11 of his last 12 bouts, with his only loss in that span coming to former UFC standout and Bulgarian Olympic wrestler Jordan Radev. Shlemenko’s most recent win was a stunning first round KO of one-time UFC headliner Sean Salmon.
“I feel that Bellator is a really great opportunity for me,” Shlemenko said through his interpreter. “I love the tournament format and I think it’s a great chance for me to get exposure here in the U.S. market. My only goal is to be the No. 1 middleweight fighter in the world and Bellator will help me do that. I’ve seen Hector Lombard fight, I’ve studied his style and I know it well. I’d love to fight him and become the champion at his expense.”
Shlemenko’s debut this Thursday (like each of Bellator’s other remaining Season 2 events) will be broadcast LIVE nationwide on FOX Sports Net and during taped weekend highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and mun2.
CHICAGO, Ill. (April 26, 2010) — Bellator Fighting Championships saved one of its most intriguing new fighter signings of 2010 for last, announcing today that one of the top unsigned fighters in Europe, Russian Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko, will premiere in the Season 2 middleweight tournament this week.
The 27-4 Shlemenko—who arrived in the U.S. from his home in Siberia, Russia, on Sunday—will make his Bellator debut this Thursday in a tournament quarterfinal matchup against Matt Major at Bellator 16 in Kansas City, Mo. Tickets for the event are still available at ticketmaster.com.
Shlemenko is the eighth and final entrant into Bellator’s middleweight tournament and the 32nd and final fighter to sign on as a participant in Bellator’s four Season 2 tournaments.
With his superb record, devastating power and well-earned reputation as a finisher (17 of his wins have come via KO or TKO), the 25-year-old Shlemenko enters the middleweight tournament as an early favorite to emerge as the No. 1 contender to reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard.
“Alexander is a dangerous fighter who poses a serious threat to anyone he faces at 185,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “We’ve been working on signing Russia’s top middleweight for some time and I’m glad we’ll finally get to see him fight in our tournament and beyond. Alexander’s style — spinning back fists, flying knees and non-stop strikes — make for great fights.”
Shlemenko first took an interest in MMA in the early 2000s after watching the various UFC VHS tapes that were on sale in his country. He began training in Muay Thai and, when he heard that a Russian MMA promotion was staging an event in his hometown of Omsk early in 2004, he entered and ended up winning. He went on to win each of his first 15 pro fights (including three fights in one night in December 2004) and was soon regarded as one of the top prospects in Russia and all of Europe.
He enters the Bellator middleweight tournament having won 11 of his last 12 bouts, with his only loss in that span coming to former UFC standout and Bulgarian Olympic wrestler Jordan Radev. Shlemenko’s most recent win was a stunning first round KO of one-time UFC headliner Sean Salmon.
(Watch the fight here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsXoGCrp0mo)
“I feel that Bellator is a really great opportunity for me,” Shlemenko said through his interpreter. “I love the tournament format and I think it’s a great chance for me to get exposure here in the U.S. market. My only goal is to be the No. 1 middleweight fighter in the world and Bellator will help me do that. I’ve seen Hector Lombard fight, I’ve studied his style and I know it well. I’d love to fight him and become the champion at his expense.”
Shlemenko’s debut this Thursday (like each of Bellator’s other remaining Season 2 events) will be broadcast LIVE nationwide on FOX Sports Net and during taped weekend highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and mun2.
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Bellator.
The Volcanic ash from a volcano in Iceland, which is plaguing air travel to and from Europe, has prevented one fighter from traveling to the next installment of Bellator Fighting Championship’s tournament card, which is set to take place this Thursday with Bellator XV.
Bellator XV is set to take place this Thrusday on April 22 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. with tournament bouts including Dan Hornbuckle vs Tyler Stinson, Jacob McClintock vs. Ryan Thomas, Steve Carl vs. Brett Cooper, and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire vs. William Romero.
Jim Wallhead (18-5) had been scheduled to meet Jacob McClintock (6-0) in a welterweight tournament quarter final bout but was forced out of the tournament. Wallhead was to travel to America for the fight but can’t fly out of England because all commercial air traffic has been grounded by the volcanic ash.
The bout will go on without Wallhead, replacing him will be Ryan Thomas (18-5) who lost to Ben Askren at Bellator XIV due in a controversial stoppage. Askren was awarded a technical submission victory after sinking in a guillotine choke midway through the fight, causing Thomas to give an audible grunt which prompted the referee to halt the bout prematurely since Thomas never tapped out.
In a press release Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney was pleased to give Thomas a second chance in the tournament.
“While I am very disappointed that Jim won’t be able to make it to the U.S. this week, at least some good comes out of this situation as Ryan will get the opportunity to step back into our welterweight tournament. After the fight last Thursday, I promised Ryan that he would be our first alternate for the tournament and, based on a natural disaster, his opportunity came much sooner than anyone would have guessed. Ryan and Ben Askren were locked in a tough fight last week that was ended, somewhat controversially, by the referee. While I respect that decision, I am pleased that this opportunity has presented itself for Ryan.”
Sources close to the event confirmed the fighters for three preliminary bouts for this Thursday’s card. Former “TUF 7″ fighter Dan Cramver will face Dennis Olsen, while Matt Lee takes on Ryan Quinn, and Brylan Vanartsdalen will step into the cage against Richard de Los Reyes.
Main Card
- Dan Hornbuckle vs. Tyler Stinson (welterweight tourney first round)
- Jacob McClintock vs. Ryan Thomas (welterweight tourney first round)
- Steve Carl vs. Brett Cooper (welterweight tourney first round)
- Patricio “Pitbull” Freire vs. William Romero (featherweight tourney first round)
Preliminary Card
- Dan Cramer vs. Dennis Olsen*
- Matt Lee vs. Ryan Quinn*
- Richard de Los Reyes vs. Brylan Vanartsdalen*
CHICAGO, Ill. (April 19, 2010) — Ryan “The Tank Engine” Thomas, whose controversial loss to former U.S. Olympian Ben Askren generated substantial comment in the MMA world following Bellator 14 in Chicago last week, has been announced as a last-minute replacement for “Judo” Jim Wallhead at Bellator 15 in Connecticut this Thursday.
Wallhead (18-5), who was anticipating making his U.S. debut with Bellator, is unable to travel from his native England due to the volcanic ash cloud that has halted air travel across Europe over the last several days.
Instead, Thomas (12-4) will get the call versus Arizona Combat Sports product Jacob “Tick Tock” McClintock (6-0), who has won each of his first six pro fights via first round stoppage.
The fight is one of four Bellator fights from this Thursday night’s event at The Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., that will be televised LIVE on FOX Sports Net and in special highlight shows this Saturday night on NBC, Telemundo and mun2.
“While I am very disappointed that Jim won’t be able to make it to the U.S. this week, at least some good comes out of this situation as Ryan will get the opportunity to step back into our welterweight tournament,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “After the fight last Thursday, I promised Ryan that he would be our first alternate for the tournament and, based on a natural disaster, his opportunity came much sooner than anyone would have guessed. Ryan and Ben Askren were locked in a tough fight last week that was ended, somewhat controversially, by the referee. While I respect that decision, I am pleased that this opportunity has presented itself for Ryan.”
Thomas, a veteran of the UFC, fell to Askren via technical submission just 2:40 into Round 1 at last Thursday’s event.
Controversy erupted almost immediately after the stoppage, though, as Thomas, his corner and a vocal fan contingent in the theatre’s balcony protested that he gave no indication that he wanted the fight to be stopped.
“It’s a bad call by the referee,” Thomas said afterwards. “It’s just a shame that the fans got cheated and Ben got cheated out of some more cage time. I was fine – it wasn’t like the world was closing in on me. I was totally fine.”
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at Facebook.com/Bellator. For tickets, go to Ticketmaster.com.
Press Release FLORIDA’S BEST SUBMISSION FIGHTERS BATTLE THIS WEEKEND AT GRAPPLERS QUEST EUROPA IN ORLANDO
Mixed Martial Arts Event to Benefit GrapplingAutism.org & AutismRadio.org
ORLANDO – On Friday, April 16th and Saturday, all day, April 17th, Grapplers Quest, “The World’s Largest Grappling Competition” is hosting the 1st Europa Show of Champions Southeast Submission Wrestling, Grappling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Championships at The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Grappling is the ground fighting art of Mixed Martial Arts and combines the throws of Olympic Judo, the takedowns of Wrestling, Leg Locks from Sambo, and other Submissions from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu like arm bars, shoulder locks and chokes. Competitors of all ages and skill levels participate in the event and it is open to all grappling styles to determine the best grapplers in the World. Grapplers Quest has produced events for The Ultimate Fighting Championship, Mr, Olympia and Europa Supershows from Las Vegas to Europe.
A Special 8-Man Superfight Pro Tournament will be hosted Friday, April 16th from 8:00-10:00 PM and Amateur Submission Wrestling, Grappling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Divisions will be held all day Saturday, April 17th from 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM. Tickets are available at the door for the Europa Show of Champions for $15 per day.
Grapplers Quest will be raising funds for GrapplingAutism.org, a fundraising organization benefiting Autism Awareness, Education and Treatment at each competition nationwide and AutismRadio.org, the online Autism Talk Radio Network hosting Hope Saves the Day. $1 from each ticket sold is donated to help support Autism directly.
About Grapplers Quest: Grapplers Quest is the world’s largest submission grappling organization with 300,000+ competitors worldwide since 1999, owned by The Grapplers Company. Events feature various grappling styles with divisions for all ages and skill levels with events in major cities throughout North America and Europe. For more information on upcoming events, go to: GrapplersQuest.com. For event sponsor and exhibiting opportunities, visit: SponsorGrappling.com or call 877-ARMBAR-1.
About Autism: Autism is a complex brain disorder that inhibits a person’s ability to communicate and develop social relationships as well behavioral challenges. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in one in 150 children in the United States. For more information on Autism, visit: GrapplingAutism.org
Here’s a quick break down of some of the recent updates that have come out of the upcoming UFC Undisputed 2010, which will be available on the XBOX 360 and Playstation 3 consoles.
The list for this year’s sponsors of UFC Undisputed 2010 has come out, and there are some surprising new additions. Clinch Gear will be in the game, despite a ban on the clothing line when Dan Henderson signed with Strikeforce.
A list of the game sponsors are below:
UFC
Affliction (New)
American Fighter
And 1
Bad Boy (New)
BSN (New)
Cage Fighter
Clinch Gear
Death Clutch
Dethrone Royalty (New)
Ecko MMA (New)
Fairtex
The Fight! Network (New)
Fighters Only Magazine (New)
FYT
Hayabusa
Headblade (New)
Hitman Fight Gear (New)
Hostility
Lugz (New)
Metabolic Adaptation
MMA Connected (New)
MMA Elite (New)
MMA Warehouse
MMA Fighting (New)
MusclePharm (New)
MicroTech
Nogi
NuVasive
One More Round
OTM Fight Shop
Pain Inc.
Punishment Athletics (New)
Premier Fighter (New)
RVCA
Silver Star (New)
Sinister
SPIKE TV (New)
SPRAWL
Suckerpunch
Take A Nap
TapouT
Throwdown (New)
Toe 2 Toe
Tokyo Five (New)
Venum (New)
Warrior International
Xyience
Yard Barker (New)
Yuke’s
Also, the classic fights mode has been upgraded to “Ultimate Fights” mode this year, and you play as the loser of a fight, and get the chance to change history by winning. You will be selecting from different fights, each one in a different category and you will have to pick up the victory the same way you lost. For PS3 owners, you will have five PS3 exclusive fights to pick from. Here is the list:
UFN 18 – Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann (Ultimate 2009 Category)
UFC 60 – Matt Hughes vs. Royce Gracie (Ultimate Classics Category)
UFC 66 – Keith Jardine vs. Forrest Griffin (Ultimate Classics Category)
UFC 68 – Martin Kampmann vs. Drew McFredries (Ultimate Submissions Category)
Good luck PS3 owners trying to KO Nate Marquardt with Demian Maia.
Gamestop also revealed their full list of bonus fighters that you get when you purchase the game, and all of them come from this past season of The Ultimate Fighter. Marcus Jones, James McSweeney, Brendan Schaub, and season winner Roy Nelson will be unlocked able when you pick up your reserved copy. For PS3 owners, you get three exclusive fighters along with the four TUF fighters, as you can unlock Royce Gracie, Dan Severn, and Jens Pulver.
UFC Undisputed 2010 hits stores on May 25 in the US, May 28 in Australia and Europe.
March 15th, 2010 | Author: iCompete
This article was originally published at iCompete. Copyright: iCompete.
The dates for the 2010 Gracie Invitational have been set. With the expansion on the Excel Arena in Docklands completed in late 2009, the space and facilities available for Europe’s 2nd biggest competition will go into overdrive!
Officially over 2 days, the competition will offer Gi and No Gi divisions and will be over 8 matted areas.
Registration is now open.
Event Schedule:
Competition starts at 9:30 am both days
Day 1:
All White Belt weight divisions
Blue Belt:
Rooster: 57.5kg
Super Feather: 64kg
Feather: 70kg
Medium Heavy: 88.3kg
Heavy: 94.3kg
Super Heavy: 100.5k
Super Super Heavy: over 100.5kg
Day 2:
All Kids Divisions
All Womans Divisions
Mens Blue Belt Light Weight: 76kg and Middle Weight: 82.3kg
White Belt Absolute
Blue Belt Absolute
All Purple Belt Divisions
All Black/Brown Belt Divisions
“Absolute 1000″ – Black/Brown and Purple Absolute Division.
The Absolute 1000 will comprise of the Black/Brown and Purple Belt Absolute Division. With the winner walking away with £1000 prize money. There will only be one fighter per academy permited. Fights will be fought for 6 minutes of constant action.
Seni Show
Limeharbour
Tower Hamlets, London E14, UK MAP
March 13th, 2010 | Author: iCompete
This article was originally published at iCompete. Copyright: iCompete.
Gameness Championship is one of Europe’s oldest and largest competitions in submission wrestling, and this year we are celebrating the ten-year anniversary. That we celebrate with awarding rashguards to all participants at this year’s competition.
You can not change your weight class on the competition day. If you don’t make the weight you can not enter the competition.
If you have ever competed in BJJ tournaments, you have had to make a decision about cutting weight. This week at the FightWorks Podcast Headquarters in San Diego, we received the following email from Europe:
When I started in Brazilian jiu-jitsu I weighed 170, now I weigh 145(with the gi) and look much better. I like to be the weak guy in the gym so I can beat bigger dudes with my technique. Now I started competing and I never know which weight class suits me better.
People normally recommend to cut weight. I know I can cut to 139 but maybe I’ll be too skinny(I’m 5′9″ tall). The other option would be to increase my muscular mass to get to 152. Maybe what I prefer and what is better for me differ. I’m sure many of the listeners have the same problem. What should we do?
So I thought we would ask the Mighty 600,000 what they do! Let us know by voting in the poll and share your thoughts in the comments section!
New York, NY, March 1, 2010 – The 11th season of Spike TV’s most popular original series ever, “The Ultimate Fighter,” for the first time will feature 28 of the best up and coming mixed martial artists in the world competing for 14 spots in “The Ultimate Fighter” house.
The series boasts a new format, which will be introduced to viewers in the show’s premiere episode. The smash hit will also feature two coaches who need no introduction to mixed martial arts fans, UFC legends Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and Tito “The Huntington Beach Bad boy” Ortiz.
The new season premieres Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 10:00 PM ET/PT featuring the following cast members:
RICH ATTONITO
Fighting out of: Deerfield Beach, FL / American Top Team
Record: 7-3
Age: 32
A 2001 graduate of Hofstra University in Long Island, Rich Attonito wrestled several different weight classes as a member of the Pride wrestling team including the 167lb. and 197lb. divisions. Attonito has been training with American Top Team since he moved to Florida in 2006. He is the strength and conditioning coach for UFC veteran Luigi Fioravanti.
SETH BACZYNSKI
Fighting out of: Canyon, AZ / Apex MMA
Record: 11-5
Age: 28
Training partner to TUF alums Santino DeFranco (season 9) and Efrain Escudero (season at Apex MMA in Arizona, Seth Baczynski is a full-time water inspector at Liberty Water.
CHARLES BLANCHARD
Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL / American Top Team
Record: 7-2
Age: 24
A 2-time All State wrester in high school, this single father is a jiu-jitsu brown belt and a published poet.
JOSH BRYANT
Fighting out of: Tulsa, OK / Absolute Combat Alliance
Record: 10-0
Age: 29
A member of the Absolute Combat Alliance camp in Tulsa, OK, Josh Bryant sports a perfect 10-0 professional mixed martial arts record. When not training, Bryant works as a manager for Mazzio’s Italian Eatery in Oklahoma.
CHRIS CAMOZZI
Fighting out of: Denver, CO / Gumm MMA
Record: 11-3
Age: 22
Camozzi is a freestyle fighter from Denver that works as a bouncer in his spare time. Two of his three losses are to TUF alums Jesse Forbes (season 3) and Jesse Taylor (season 7).
BRENT COOPER Fighting out of: Long Beach, CA / Team Oyama
Record: 5-1
Age: 31
Of Sioux Indian descent, Cooper is a pipeliner by day for Shell Oil, and a devastating striker by night, with four of his five wins coming via TKO.
JACEN FLYNN
Fighting out of: Meridian, ID / No camp
Record: 8-2
Age: 31
Jacen Flynn possesses an 8-2 mixed martial arts record that includes wins over Dennis Kang and Dean Lister. Away from the Octagon™, he is a social worker.
JAMES HAMMORTREE
Fighting out of: Ocala, FL / USA Martial Arts
Record: 4-0
Age: 23
Following one season at Weber International, where he starred on the football team as a linebacker and on special teams, Hammortree left the program in order to become a full-time firefighter in Ocala, FL. The former high school wrestler owns a 4-0 professional record with all four of those bouts taking place in 2009.
JOSEPH HENLE
Fighting out of: Thousand Oaks, CA / Big John McCarthy’s MMA
Record: 3-0
Age: 26
Joseph Henle splits time training at Big John McCarthy’s MMA and working as a substitute teacher and wrestling coach in Thousand Oaks, CA. Henle earned his MBA in Financial Planning from California Lutheran University in ’06. He speaks fluent Japanese.
The self-proclaimed baddest man in Minnesota, Charley Lynch owns a 6-0 professional record with zero of his bouts going to decision.
KRIS MCCRAY
Fighting out of: Dumfries, VA / Chute BoxeRecord: 5-0
Age: 28
Son of a military father, Kris McCray was raised in Germany, where he excelled on the soccer pitch and garnered All-Europe honors in high school. In 1999, McCray moved permanently to the United States, where he has served parts of 8 years (6 active, 2 inactive) as a member of the US Army Reserve, while also finding time to earn his Associates Degree in Social Studies from Northern Virginia Community College.
COURT MCGEE
Fighting out of: Orem, UT / Throwdown Elite Fight TeamRecord: 9-1
Age: 24
A Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist out of Orem, UT, Court McGee beat “The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom” runner-up DaMarques Johnson in 2007 by submission
A teammate of TUF (season alum Tom Lawlor at Jungle MMA, Clayton McKinney is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt that supplements his training by working security at a local bar in Orlando.
Kyle Noke, from Mooloolaba, Australia, is the former bodyguard of “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin. Currently training with Jackson’s MMA in New Mexico, Noke defeated TUF (season 6) alum George Sotiropoulos in June 2005 and current castmate Kyacey Uscola this past September.
VICTOR O’DONNELL
Fighting out of: Milford, OH / Vision MMA
Record: 8-1
Age: 27
Hailing from Milford, OH, O’Donnell suffered his first professional loss this past September against cast mate Costantinos Philippou. Before that, he had won eight contests, seven of which by submission.
NORMAN PARAISY
Fighting out of: Coconut Creek, FL / American Top Team
Record: 5-1
Age: 23
Norman Paraisy was born and raised Paris, France. The 5-1 Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist left France in order to pursue MMA in the states and is now a member of the American Top Team.
COSTANTINOS PHILIPPOU
Fighting out of: Merrick, NY / Serra-Longo
Record: 5-1
Age: 30
Costantinos Philippou is a former boxer with 3 professional and over 80 amateur fights on his record. The 30-year-old server from Merrick, NY was born and raised in Greece. He currently trains out of the Serra-Longo camp.
GREG REBELLO
Fighting out of: Buzzards Bay, MA / Sityodtong USA
Record: 9-2
Age: 27
Greg Rebello trains full-time at Sityodtong USA in Massachusetts under the watchful eye of Mark DellaGrotte. Currently in peak physical condition, Rebello at one time weighed in over 300lbs before dedicating himself to fitness at the age of 18.
NICK RING Fighting out of: Calgary, Canada / B.D.P. Martial Arts
Record: 10-0
Age: 30
Nick Ring returned to MMA in May 2009 following a three year stint away from the sport after suffering a devastating knee injury. In that time, Ring boxed professionally to the tune of a 4-1 record with 3 knockouts.
JORDAN SMITH
Fighting out of: Clearfield, UT / Throwdown Elite Fight Team
Record: 10-0
Age: 24
A 7th grade teacher by day, Jordan Smith is a former professional boxer that trains with fellow cast member Court McGee at Throwdown Elite Fight Team.
BEN STARK
Fighting out of: Tamarac, FL / American Top Team
Record: 3-1
Age: 27
Born and raised a practitioner of the Orthodox Jewish religion until the age of 6, Ben Stark began training with American Top Team in Florida as a sophomore in college. When not at the gym, Stark picks up shifts at “The Original Fat Cats,” and also finds time to breed snakes.
LYLE STEFFENS
Fighting out of: Tucson, AZ / Apex MMA
Record: 5-2
Age: 26
Lyle Steffens is a firefighter and an EMT in Tucson, AZ. He trains with fellow cast member Seth Baczynski at Apex MMA.
BRAD TAVARES
Fighting out of: Las Vegas, NV / TapouT
Record: 4-0
Age: 21
At 21, Brad Tavares is the youngest of this season’s cast members. Originally from Hilo, HI, Tavares recently relocated to Las Vegas and trains full-time with TapouT
WARREN THOMPSON
Fighting out of: Marietta, GA / Team Khunpon / Roberto Traven BJJ
Record: 5-0
Age: 23
Warren Thompson, aka “The Kool-Aid Man,” is a muay-thai fighter from Marietta, GA. The volunteer firefighter splits his training in Atlanta between Team Khunpon and Roberto Traven BJJ.
KYACEY USCOLA
Fighting out of: Sacramento, CA / Team Alpha Male
Record: 18-15
Age: 28
Kyacey Uscola joins the cast with 33 professional MMA fights on his record. He trains with Team Alpha Male and Urijah Faber out of Sacramento.
CLEBURN WALKER
Fighting out of: Keller, TX / Team Lutter
Record: 9-3
Age: 26
Born and raised in Texas, Cleburn Walker is a full-time fighter and instructor at Team Lutter. He suffered a recent loss via submission to TUF (season 3) alum Jesse Forbes this past June.
The former US Navy officer currently works full-time as a corrections officer for the Hillsborough County jail in Manchester, NH. Weatherby rotates his training between 2 gyms: Renzo Gracie Academy in Derry, NH, and Mickey Wards Boxing Gym & Xtreme MMA.
JAMIE YAGER Fighting out of: Los Angeles, CA / Kings MMA
Record: 2-1
Age: 25
A standout varsity letterman in baseball and football, Yager was the 2001 Athlete of the Year at South Pasadena High School in California. He picked up training MMA as a hobby, and went straight from training to the professional ranks in February 2008 as part of BET’s Iron Ring, where he defeated his opponent by TKO.
During the six-week taping of “The Ultimate Fighter: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz,” the competitors endured a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, Muay Thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition among the fighters continues after they leave the gym – at the Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors must live together, knowing that any day they might be forced to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon™.
The two finalists will square off in a live finale on Spike TV, where the winner will be declared “The Ultimate Fighter” and net the six-figure contract and a cash prize. UFC President Dana White will once again serve as host of the series.
After each show, Spike.com users will get exclusive extended footage from each episode and an exclusive video leak of the upcoming episode.
Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films and Television, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White of Zuffa, LLC, and Kevin Kay of Spike TV are the show’s executive producers. Brian J. Diamond, senior vice president, sports & specials, Spike TV is co-executive producer and Christopher Martello is executive in charge of production for Spike TV.
Spike TV is available in 98.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.
On Monday, Bellator Fighting Championship announced the latest addition to it’s Season 2 middleweight tournament, which begins this week. Russian fighter Alexander “Strome” Shlemenko will make his promotional debut this Thursday night against American Matt Major in the middleweight quarter finals.
at Apex MMA in Arizona, Seth Baczynski is a full-time water inspector at Liberty Water.