(Photo via Scott Clark/Sherdog.com)

Impact Fighting Championship held it’s first event in Brisbane, Australia Saturday night featuring many notable mixed martial arts names such as Josh Barnett, Karo Parisyan, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, and Carlos Newton.

Sherdog.com was on scene and provided updates on the bout as well as the full results.

Picking up an easy victory was top ten ranked heavyweight Josh Barnett, who improved to 26-5 with a first round TKO victory over Geronimo dos Santos in their main event bout.

Barnett got a takedown to full mount within 10 seconds of the opening bell, and it looked like the bout wouldn’t even see 30 seconds. Though “Mondragon” made it back to his feet, Barnett finished another takedown, again straight into full mount, and exploited the Belem native’s nascent ground skills by posturing up and pounding away.

Dos Santos turned away from Barnett, who hammered right hands into the Brazilian’s earhole. After a salvo of clean rights, referee “Big” John McCarthy stopped in to halt the bout at 2:35 of the first frame. Dos Santos complained to McCarthy that the bout was stopped too early. As Dos Santos reached his feet in protest, the hulking Brazilian was rubber-legged, zig-zagging across the cage.

“The referee stopped the bout; that’s the only reason I quit,” said Barnett after the bout. “If he thought it was going to get any better for him, he’s wrong.”

Don’t get too excited for “The Baby Faced Assassin” just yet, the loss marked the third loss in four fights for dos Santos who was fighting for the first time out of his native Brazil.

Parisyan faced a tougher opponent in Aussie Ben Mortimer. Their bout was the first fight of the evening after “The Heat” requested the change from the main card so he could get his fight over with quickly so family back home could stop worrying about him.

For the better part of two rounds, Parisyan’s oft-praised judo dominated proceedings, as he notched four throws that landed him firmly in side control. Parisyan looked to have victory secured twice in the first round, as he spun for far-side armbars from side mount, but Mortimer escaped both, and even landed some sharp right hands on Parisyan’s face.

In Parisyan’s fourth trip to side control in the second round, Parisyan threatened with a kimura that forced a scramble. In said scramble, Parisyan rode Moritimer from the side and locked up a Caol Uno-style rear-naked choke. After securing the choke, Parisyan then sunk his hooks and coaxed the tap at 4:18 of the second round.

“I need more time. My body looks like a third-grader body. But I’m trying to get back,” said Parisyan in self-critique.

The full ‘Impact FC: The Uprising’ results are as follows:

Heavyweight bout: Josh Barnett def. Geronimo dos Santos via TKO (punches) – R1, 2:35
Light-Heavyweight bout: Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou def. Joaquim Ferreira via TKO (punches) – R1, 1:20
Welterweight bout: Karo Parisyan def. Ben Mortimer via submission (rear-naked choke) – R2, 2:35
Heavyweight bout: Jeff Monson def. Ubiratan Lima Marinho via unanimous decision
Catchweight (160 pounds): Tom Waters def. Jacob Mahony via TKO (punches) – R2, 1:38
Heavyweight bout: Fabio Fernandes def. Api Hemara via submission (rear-naked choke) – R1, 3:58
Lightweight bout: Thiago “Minu” Meller def. Jai Bradney via submission (guillotine) – R1, 1:32
Welterweight bout: Brian Ebersole def. Carlos Newton via unanimous decision

It would appear that Maximum Fighting Championship president Mark Pavelich is behind on some fees owed to the River Cree Resort & Casino located near the city of Edmonton, Canada according to TheGarv.com.

Pavelich has reportedly been suspended by the Association of Boxing Commissions for “non-payment of fees owing to the commission” which will be lifted once he pays up.

The Garv.com was tipped off today that a member of Canada’s athletic commission filed a request to to the head of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) to officially suspend Mark Pavelich, president and promoter of Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC) for “non-payment of fees owing to the commission”.

6/17/10: It looks like the fees owed by Pavelich and MFC stem back to an event in February, and more than one attempt was made to arrange payment with no response from MFC. From what I understand, the suspension is officially in place, but will be lifted if Pavelich settles up. He’s expected to do so in the next few days.

The MMA News has interviewed the MFC president in the past, and is known for some of his colorful comments on the UG forums. Hopefully this won’t effect some of his promotions upcoming events such as the HeatXC show next month and the next MFC show in the fall, which he’s looking to hold in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada for anyone living in that area. That event should showcase an MFC middleweight title bout featuring BJJ specialist Thales Leites.

Press Release

Brazilian lightweight only man to beat World Champion Jose Aldo

The Maximum Fighting Championship has added a fighter with impressive credentials to its talent roster in the lightweight ranks.

Brazilian star Luciano Azevedo (16-8) boasts a strong resume and the native of Rio de Janeiro is expected to make his organization – and North American – debut at MFC 26. Details on the show and its lineup will be announced shortly. Azevedo has signed an exclusive four fight deal with The Maximum
Fighting Championship.

The 26-year-old, who has won six of his last eight encounters, holds the distinction of being the only fighter to best world-renown featherweight Jose Aldo, capturing a submission victory via rear-naked choke when the two met in 2005 in Brazil. One of Azevedo’s other career highlights is a decision win over veteran Din Thomas – a verdict that came just four months after his victory over Aldo.

“I’m very excited to have Luciano in our organization and I’m expecting big things from him. I believe he can deliver in a big way,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich. “Obviously he has a great resume particularly with his win over Aldo – the only man in the world that has that distinction. Luciano has all the tools to be a champion so I’m hopeful he will live up to the expectations.”

Azevedo has yet to fight in North America, predominantly fighting in his native Brazil but also making five trips to England, two to Japan, and a single matchup in France. The five-foot-eight jiu-jitsu practitioner and wrestler has won 12 of his fights by submission – five each by triangle choke and armbar along with two via rear-naked choke.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White was asked recently about the chances of boxer James Toney who will be making his mixed-martial-arts debut against UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture later this summer.

“I think James Toney is going to lose too,” was White’s response who was also referencing boxer’s Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao’s chances of winning a fight in mma.

Rephrasing his answer, White diplomatically answered the question noting that this was going to be an mma fight and not a boxing match between Toney and Couture.

“To be honest, who knows if he’s going to lose?” White said. “I say it all the time about all different kinds of fights. You never know until they fight, but if you look at the things and you weigh it out. He has a puncher’s chance of course. Can he clip Couture and knock him out? Of course of he could, but all signs point to Randy Couture should win the fight.”

“Why would I put him in with a wrestler? Why not? ” White said. “Why would I put Randy Couture in with a boxer? This isn’t boxing. It’s mixed martial arts. Couture’s a wrestler. Couture’s going to try to implement his game, and Toney’s going to try to implement his, and we’ll see who wins.”

HT: MMAFighting.com

The UFC will is holding a press conference on Tuesday at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada this coming Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET (10 p.m. PT). Speaking will be UFC Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC President Dana White.

The UFC has long coveted Ontario as one of the last bastions to be conquered in the drive to bring their brand of MMA to North American fans. With highly successful shows in Montreal, ranking in top five for gate and attendance records, as well as the upcoming UFC 115 event in Vancouver next month, which sold out in record time, an event in Toronto could break all previous marks held by other UFC events.

Currently mixed-martial-arts is illegal in Ontario and the UFC has been lobbying hard to have the Criminal Code changed to legalize the sport. UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre was a recent spokesman for the promotion in helping to lobby the Provincial Government to change the law.

In a recent article from Sportsnet.ca, sources informed them that the UFC has tentatively booked the Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jay’s baseball team, for an event on March 26th.

Numerous sources have informed me that the organization has reserved Saturday March 26th, 2011 as their first foray into the province of Ontario. This will also mark the UFC’s first event to be held inside a stadium.

The Rogers Centre, with it’s retractable roof, can seat over 46,000 fans for baseball and football, but when floor seats are added, the number dramatically increases to over 65,000. The current record for paid attendance is 68,237, set by Wrestlemania X8, on March 17th, 2002.

Adding more speculation is a recent message from the Canadian based Maximum Fighting Championship president Mark Pavelich, who stated on his Twitter page that his organization is looking to book an event in early 2011.

The Maximum Fighting Championship Canada’s leading Mixed Martial Arts Organization would like to announce a tentative date in Ontario in Late February 2011. It’s not sanctioned yet but we will just let everyone know we will be there when it is.

Tuesday could be a very exciting day for mixed-martial-arts fans in Canada.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Legalize MMA Part 3 (Toronto)
HT: EkkoMMA.com

After this past Fridays “MFC 25: Vindication” event, The MMA News had a chance to speak to the Maximum Fighting Championship president Mark Pavelich about the show.

Fridays show at the Northlands Expo Centre in Edmonton, the promotions new larger venue, featured a main event bout between Thales Leites vs. Jesse Taylor. Leites earned an early submission victory in the first round and will most likely fight for the vacant middleweight title in his next MFC appearance.

The Canadian city of Edmonton is a busy town, relying heavily on the oil industry. That kind of business can draw many types of entertainment from professional hockey, Canadian football, and other events, including competition from a boxing event on the same night as MFC 25.

“I think the event overall was successful,” Pavelich noted. “We still had more people at the venue than any other show in the city probably, including my shows from the past, so I was happy about that.

“The level of the show, you can see it’s just escalating and escalating. At the same time I can still see holes on our end that other people probably wouldn’t see. That’s something I’m going to fix come Monday morning, I’m gonna fix some holes and some other things, that’s part of this business.”

There were many exciting fights on the MFC 25 card including former UFC middleweight title challenger Thales Leites, but the MFC president was most impressed by Texan Pete Spratt’s performance against Luigi Fioravanti. Spratt earned a TKO victory in the final minute of the third round.

“I was really excited about Pete Spratt, I thought he was unbelievable. Like unbelievable, just the level of where he is at right now. I was really impressed with Ryan Jimmo tonight, I thought he was just something else. To do what he did to Wilson Gouveia, no one has done that to him ever.

When it came to the Brazilian, Pavelich threw praise his way, ranking Leites top ten among the worlds middleweights.

“You look at Thales Leites, he made it look so easy against Jesse Taylor, he just manhandled him like he was nothing. It was so easy. This once again just solidifies Thales Leites as one of the top ten 185 pounder in the world.

“Lots of other people, like that big show in Las Vegas that DW runs. He he wants you to believe he has certain talent, this and that, at the same time I have Antonio McKee at 155 pounds. He’d mop the floor with about 90% of the 155 pound division in that organization. You look at certain fighters that I have now and they can compete with anybody in any place at any time, they really can.”

Pavelich recognizes that the popularity of mixed-martial-arts is growing with many other promotions putting on good shows, but he feels that the MFC is right near the top and is prepared to keep it there.

“That’s one thing that people have to realize. There are more brands of MMA out there and were one of the top brands of MMA in North America and we still have so far to go. We’ve come a long way and we have just as far to go. I’m prepared for that, and on Monday morning I’m going to start working out and jogging to get in better shape. I need to be in better shape physically and mentally to bring my level up higher. There’s so much more left to do and it’s right after the show.”

The World Extreme Cagefighting promotion is planning on having their first Canadian event with WEC 49 on June 20th and the city of Edmonton will play host to that event. This places the event directly at the MFC’s front door but is also a recognition of how popular MMA is in the Alberta capital.

“They (WEC) won’t outdraw what we drew tonight, I’ll bet on it. DW is going to have to come here himself, he’ll have to (parade) down Jasper avenue. I’m going to have to tell him what to do. The card is no where near the level of my card was tonight, not even close. My level of fighters were like three levels of what he’s bringing to this town. I think that people in my city realize that, they’re smart, smart fans.

“I have the highest ticket prices in town. Higher than the Oilers, higher than the Eskimos, higher than everybody and they (the fans) support it because they realize the level of fighters they’re getting to see in the Maximum Fighting Championship.

“They (WEC) have a sense of arrogance, if that organization wasn’t owned by the bigger organization in Las Vegas we’d crush them, crush them. They have three or four fighters with some names and I believe my version of MMA is far superior than there’s. If they weren’t owned by their older brother they wouldn’t be (on the same level).

“It’s just fact.”

Pavelich has shown a strong work ethic and it’s one that runs in his family as everyone has become involved with the MFC promotion.

“That’s why DW had to step in when they went on PPV because the other people running the show just don’t have that…that moxy. Everyone knows that I have moxy, no one can outwork me in mma (promoting). I shouldn’t say just me, but my entire family. My wife, my son, and my daughter, who is now involved in the business.”

From the outside to many, the MFC may look like a success but it’s president knows that there is still a lot of work to be done to make it to that point.

“We have such a long way to go and we’ve been in business for ten years. People think that we’ve arrived but we haven’t.

“This is the first show we haven’t sold out in three years. The venue is double the size than the last one and we sold an extra 1400 tickets compared to the last venue (The River Cree Resort and Casino) and that’s fantastic.

“We have a long way to go and I know that, I’m ready to do it.”

Legends of Fighting Championship presents LFC: 39 “Victory Lane”

Indianapolis, Indiana (USA):  Legends of Fighting Championship, one of the best and most respected fight promotions in the Midwest, will present its most anticipated show ever when it brings “Victory Lane” to the 8 Seconds Saloon on Friday, May 28^th.

In the main event, longtime Legends of Fighting Bantamweight Champion and ShoXC Elite veteran Orville “Pooh Bear” Smith (14-1) will put his title on the line against former PCF, UFL, Evolution, and Legends of Fighting Bantamweight Champion Zach “The Shadow” Jenkins (28-7), who is seeking retribution for being stripped of the LFC tile. Featured in the co-main event, former Legends of Fighting Lightweight Champion Tristan “Too Much For You” Yunker (13-9, notable first round submission over Clay Guida) will make his long awaited return to the LFC when he battles the pride of New Salisbury, IN, Ron “The Savage” Carter (3-3)in a bout that will certainly have future title implications.

Kyle Gibbons

Also showcased will be undefeated Super Heavyweight giant Sean “Big Sexy” McCorkle (8-0) as he takes on tough, experienced Johnathan “Big John” Ivey (60-61) in an epic bout for the ages. In addition, local favorite and Indiana Police officer Kyle “Franchise” Gibbons (14-3) looks to lay down the law in the Light Heavyweight division against rising newcomer Alexander “Good Night Sleep Tight” Thomas (1-1). Other pro fighters on this card are: Carson Beebe (younger brother of former WEC Champion Chase Beebe), George O’Dell, Chris Clark, Carson Gainey, Rhyan Glezman, Mark Neville, Greg LaJoye and the long-awaited pro MMA debut of Daniel “Pure Breed” Pitzulo.

“ Victory Lane” will be shown live on GoFightLive.com.

Tickets:

Tickets are priced at $20,$30,$35, $40, $45, and $75, and they are available through Ticketmaster as well as www.legendsoffighting.com.

Submission Info:

Submitted by: Dustin Howell

Submitted on: May 5th, 2010

A day after the organization officially announced UFC 115 for Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the June event has already sold out.

In a post on his official Twitter account, Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White stated tickets for the June 12 sold out in 30 minutes.

UFC Fight Club members caused the sellout before tickets even went on sale to the general public and a day before a designated pre-sale for UFC.com newsletter subscribers.

Hoping to raise fund to support U.S. troops while continuing the company's international expansion, Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White said the UFC is planning to hold an event in Afghanistan, possibly within "two to three months."

White today shared the plans with a group of reporters, including Yahoo! Sports Kevin Iole, while in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for Saturday's UFC 112 event.

White said the Afghanistan event will happen regardless of whether a live U.S. broadcast is possible.

Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White hasn't tempered his plans for world domination, and as the organization's international expansion continues, the UFC boss expects the Internet to play a significant role.

Over the weekend, White said the UFC could soon offer country-specific versions of its reality series, "The Ultimate Fighter," and even full event series in new markets.

But American and other fans need not worry; White expects to make the offerings available to a worldwide audience with the World Wide Web serving as a sort of global television channel for all things UFC.