LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 24, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships concluded its hugely successful second season with two more thrilling upsets on Thursday as middleweight Alexander Shlemenko scored a stunning TKO and featherweight Joe Warren won a hard-fought split decision to emerge as the Season 2 Tournament Champions in their respective divisions.

The sold-out event at Louisville’s Fourth Street Live downtown entertainment district tied a ribbon on Bellator Season 2 in fitting fashion as fans were once again treated to a full card of electrifying fights that also included shocking upsets at bantamweight and in a Women’s Feature Fight.

But the night undoubtedly belonged to Warren and Shlemenko, whose victories earned them $100,000 in prize money and the chance to fight reigning Bellator World Champions Joe Soto and Hector Lombard, respectively, in world title fights this fall.

Shlemenko, a 26-year-old army combat fighter known for his reliance on spinning back-fists and leg kicks, came out swinging in his typical style from the opening bell. But it was a far-more-conventional right hook to the jaw that eventually finished the heavily favored Bryan “The Beast” Baker roughly mid-way through Round 1.

The devastating punch left Baker (13-2) dazed and slowly crumpled him to the canvas before Shlemenko moved in for the finish with a flurry of punches. Referee Jason Herzog stopped the fight due to unanswered blows at 2:45 into Round 1.

It was just the second time that Baker had suffered a loss as a pro with the other coming at the hands of UFC star Chael Sonnen more than two years ago.

“We had heard that Alexander Shlemenko was one of the best middleweights in Europe and he definitely proved that here tonight,” Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney said afterward. “He beat a very, very talented fighter in Bryan Baker and he’s more than earned the right to face our champion Hector Lombard later this year.”

Shlemenko, for his part, said the win was also a statement on behalf of all pure strikers in MMA today.

“This victory means that strikers soon will be all over MMA and that Bellator Fighting Championships will be owned by the strikers,” he said through his translator.

Warren, meanwhile, took a far-more-circuitous route to his title. The 33-year-old former NCAA all-American and Greco-Roman wrestling world champion, appeared to be all but finished near the end of Round 1 when his opponent, the previously undefeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Patricio Pitbull, dropped him to the canvas with a right cross and then began a vicious ground-and-pound before Warren was saved by the bell.

But Warren rebounded in remarkable fashion during Rounds 2 and 3, digging deep and using his world-class wrestling skills to score points with a series of takedowns that were each followed by relentless ground-and-pound attacks punctuated with sharp elbows and stiff forearms to Pitbull’s head.

The split decision victory was even more impressive given that Warren spent much of the day battling a stomach virus that left him unable to keep food down or maintain his balance.

“I feel tired but I’m very happy now,” he said after the fight. “I fought a great fighter in Pitbull and now I’m the champion. I’m the baddest man on the planet!”

Rebney agreed, saluting Warren’s resilience and his will to win even in spite of his illness.

“He showed up tonight with a sickness that would have put a lot of people in the hospital and beat a world-class fighter and put on the kind of performance that you just can’t script,” he said. “What he did tonight was just epic and very, very impressive.”

Earlier, in the first televised fight of the night, Fresno, Calif.-based striker Zoila “The Warrior Princess” Frausto scored a huge upset with a first round knockout of the world’s top-ranked 125-pound female fighter, England’s Rosi Sexton.

At just two minutes into Round 1, Frausto (7-1) landed a left knee to Sexton’s chin, knocking her unconscious and dropping her to the canvas before finishing her with three straight right hands to the jaw. It was just the second career loss for Sexton in 12 pro MMA fights.

“I saw the opening and I just threw the knee up,” Frausto said afterward, adding that she thinks she now deserves to be ranked No. 1 in the world at 125. “I’ve been shooting for No. 1 since I got into the sport. This is exactly why I got into MMA.”

Also Thursday, in what was billed as an “Eliminator Bout” to determine the latest entrant into Bellator’s forthcoming Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament, two-time Wyoming state high school wrestling champion Nik “Garfield” Mamalis scored his second consecutive Bellator victory to improve his pro MMA record to 10-4 and punch his ticket into the tournament’s eight-man field. The soft-spoken Mamalis used an aggressive attack to neutralize L.A.-based rising star Albert Rios (12-5) via TKO at 4:40 into Round 1.

Afterward, Rebney said that Mamalis had more than earned his place in the Bantamweight Tournament draw.

“That’s what Bellator’s all about,” Rebney said. “it’s about giving a guy like Nik who hasn’t had a chance on the big stage the opportunity to that and then he takes that opportunity by the throat.”

The evening also played host to four non-televised “Local Feature Fights” showcasing top rising stars from Louisville, Cincinnati and Southern Indiana. The results of those fights are as follows:

- Brent Weedman def. John Troyer via armbar submission – Round 1, 4:55
- Daniel Straus def. Chad Hinton via unanimous decision
- Stoney Hale def. Mike Fleniken via rear-naked choke – Round 2, 4:20
- Kurt Kinser def. David Overfield via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:30

Bellator returns to TV in August for its much-anticipated third season, which will feature eight-man tournaments at bantamweight and heavyweight as well as a first-of-its-kind Women’s Tournament showcasing eight female fighters ranked among the top 10 in their respective weight classes.

Each fight will once again be broadcast LIVE in primetime on Fox Sports Net and during special taped highlight shows every Saturday night on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2.

For more information, visit www.Bellator.com follow us on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Bellator.

When an arena clears at the end of a Mixed Martial Arts event it’s often assumed the men (and/or women) whose blood and sweat still stain the canvas have finished fighting as it relates to that particular show. They typically pack up their gear, take care of on-site media obligations, and head to a hotel room to either lick their wounds or get dressed for an after-party where an entirely different sort of tongue-wagging may eventually come into play. Regardless of extra-curricular choices or the evening’s earlier result, those who entertain in the ring exit the venue with the closure of knowing they can move forward in life and onto the next opponent; that the work they’ve done will be rewarded with adulation from supporters, the personal satisfaction brought on by competition, and of course some level of financial gain.

Or so it’s assumed.

On May 15th, 2010 a show promoted by an organization known as the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts took place in Birmingham, England. The card featured a number of recognizable names, including those with Octagon experience on their resume like Seth Petruzelli, Matt Horwich, and War Machine. Petruzelli and the man once known as John Koppenhaver fared better in result than Horwich but all three spent weeks preparing in the gym with the mutual understanding BAMMA 3 would be like any other event.

On June 8th, 2010 all three men are still awaiting payment for the commitment each fulfilled. Apparently, BP isn’t the only dealer of dismay from across the pond with an element of slime involved. Money depended on for training costs, mortgages, general bills, food, family, and any other imaginable want or need remains a promise unkept, and thoughts originally turned towards a future competitor now look at an opponent possibly looming in a ring far different from any used in combat sports – a court of law.

News of the situation first came to light a week ago when Petruzelli and War Machine took to different realms of cyberspace to plead their cases. Said Petruzelli on popular MMA forum The Underground, “This is B.S! We feed our families with this money.” Meanwhile, the Ultimate Fighter Season 6 alumnus went the route of Twitter and addressed the topic in standard form, writing “Sure would be nice if BAMMA decided to FINALLY f*cking PAY US! Or maybe that’s too much to ask? WTF!? Really getting PISSED now! Contract said 72 hours…lol That’s 3 days right? Just wondering because it’s been 3 WEEKS!” He even went as far as to send a message to BAMMA’s account questioning whether or not they were going to pay or if the promotion felt they didn’t deserve their money.

In Horwich’s case, the woman he married a day after an IFL title defense (Kelly) spoke up to elaborate on the situation. “The promoter…had the balls to tell me he didn’t know we needed to be paid so urgently. People think fighters are rich and famous…they are normal people that need their money to eat too. We’re starving over here peoplel!!!!!” She also, understandably angry about things, made it clear she was thankful she and her husband hadn’t purchased a new house as they’d been considering, or else “WE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO (HAVE) PAID THE GOD DAMN RENT!!!!!”

Fast-forward to this past Wednesday when Petruzelli stated he’d received half of his expected winnings with the remainder promised for payment later in the day while management for War Machine and Horwich, by proxy of his wife, claimed neither camp had received a dime of their purses. Hours later BAMMA apparently made good on their word to Petruzelli and War Machine, yet Horwich was left in the cold. As of Saturday, June 12th – nearly a month after the actual event – the same remains true. (UPDATE: Horwich was FINALLY paid today, a month to the day after the card’s completion.)

Unfortunately, circumstances like the above are not as uncommon as fans (and fighters) might hope nor are they limited to small shows. Far too often the men and women who sacrifice their bodies for our entertainment are victims in an industry where expectations often exceed ticket-sales and PPV buys. Quinton Jackson, among others, has spoken in the past about PRIDE shorting him and delaying payment during the promotion’s heyday. DREAM has been associated with with similar activities, most notably with current Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz after he defeated Katsuya Inoue at DREAM 3 in May 2008. The same was essentially true in the case of the mid-card fighters set to square off at Affliction III before Tom Atencio folded up shop ten days out from the event. In reality, considering the rarity of a promoter not being associated on some level with questionable financial practices, it’s really no wonder the UFC is the cream of MMA’s crop.

It’s common knowledge we live in a money-driven society where characters ranging from legitimate to downright shady will attempt to capitalize on a trend in hopes of striking it rich. As such, we have to accept the business of Mixed Martial Arts is no different, and the practice of exploiting others in hopes of turning a profit is anything but a newly invented concept. However, that’s not to say people should stand idle while athletes we respect or are personally invested in as fans pay the price after already sacrificing so much for our mere enjoyment. We need to stop focusing so much on the figures and turn our attention to whether or not a contractual agreement was actually fulfilled. When a promotion, like BAMMA, shafts a fighter you need to let your opinion be known both in written/verbal form as well as when it comes to buying future shows/tickets. Likewise, when fighters are paid on time you need to support those companies for living up to their word. Mixed Martial Artists fight for us. Now it’s our turn to fight for them.

The second UFC Fan Expo is set to take place at the end of this month in conjunction with the upcoming “UFC 114: Rampage vs. Rashad” event. On Thursday the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced it’s third ever expo, and the second of this year for later this summer.

The third UFC Fan Expo is set to take place at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts on Friday, August 27 and Saturday, August 28, 2010. Also taking place that weekend will be UFC 118 which features a UFC lightweight title rematch between current champ Frankie Edgar and recently deposed titleholder B.J. Penn.

“I think everyone knows how much it means to me to bring the UFC to Boston and to give fans this two-day event packed with amazing UFC experiences,” said UFC President Dana White.

This past December, Massachusetts became the 42nd state to sanction the sport of mixed martial arts and will host it’s first major event with UFC 118. The third UFC Fan Expo is expected to attract over 150 leading vendors covering roughly 200,000 gross square feet of space. The packed exhibit floor will feature apparel, electronic gaming, food & beverages, fight gear, fitness equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements, lifestyle products and much more.

Being completely surprised would be an understatement to my reaction upon hearing that not only was the Din Thomas/Ricardo Mayorga fight cancelled, but that the entire Shine Fights card was canned along with it. Apparently the commission was not trust-worthy of Shine’s money, despite the fighters being confident in Shine. Most of the fighters got 25 percent of their money, while others got less than that.

I was not surprised however, that Don King decided to try and stop the card about a week before the event went down. Trying to stop the event when the fight was announced wouldn’t have yielded the type of attention Don King craves for.

If you asked a random person on the street to name a boxing promoter, I bet most people would name Don King, and maybe Oscar De La Hoya due to the Mayweather fight. It’s certainly not because of the fighters he managed, but for the extravagant look and his famous “Only in America” mantra. King fought and killed his way to the top of the boxing world thanks to the blood, and sweat of fighters like Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., Muhammad Ali, and George Foreman left in boxing rings all over the world.

King is long past his prime in the boxing world and only gets attention from the media when he introduces some new fighter, usually a freakishly different fighter. He’ll get the three minute segment on ESPN News during the day as the reporter tried to keep a straight face hearing King trying to sell people on this new find being a legitimate contender.

King’s legendary rivalry with Bob Arum is now a thing of the past as Arum manages fighters like Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto while King was banking on Nikolai Valuev to bring him back to greatness a few years ago. When was the last time that Don King Promotions had a heavily hyped event? What was the last Don King promoted event drew well on PPV? When was the last time Don King worked with HBO? A look at the site from Don King Promotions and you’ll notice some names Shannon Briggs (Now self-managed) Valuev, Felix Trinidad (Retired) and Ricardo Mayorga (Who sued King) on the site.

A Don King Promotions event is like that one restaurant your grandfather still goes to do. You know what I’m talking about. It’s that sort of place with the faded carpeting, the autographed photo of Old Blue Eyes (Sinatra for your kids) and former political powerhouses are near the register. The food is over-priced and the veal is overcooked. Your grandfather still goes there because the people there know him and he always gives the waiter a big tip at the end of the night.

King has famously cheated fighters like Tyson, Ali, Larry Holmes, and Chris Byrd who have successfully sued to get their money back. Tyson 100 million dollar lawsuit alleged that King had withheld millions from Tyson over his career. Most of the suits are settled out of court with the boxers getting a fraction of what they sued for. Tyson once famously summed King up:

(King is) a wretched, slimy, reptilian motherf–. This is supposed to be my ‘black brother’ right? He’s just a bad man, a real bad man. He would kill his own mother for a dollar. He’s ruthless, he’s deplorable, and he doesn’t know how to love anybody.

My question to you, the readers of this site: Would King have tried this if Mayorga was fighting for the UFC or Strikeforce? No, those promotions have the money and attorneys to properly counter any sort of litigation by King. King went after a small, regional promotion that he knew that he could easily bulldoze without much trouble. While Shine is optimistic about returning, I’m guessing it won’t be much longer until we hear that they are closing up shop. Shine was looking at making some sort of impact in the tough area of promoting MMA by at-least breaking even on PPV. In the end, Don King can’t sleep well at night knowing he accomplished two out of three things he is most famous for: Preventing a professional fighter to do what they do best, and take money away from them

Only in America, right?

Press Conference

“Moosin: God of Martial Arts” PPV card stacked from top to bottom

Sylvia-Pudzianowski headlines May 21 at DCU Center in Worcester

WORCESTER, Mass. (May 14, 2010) – The first major mixed-martial-arts show in Massachusetts history, the May 21st “Moosin: God of Martial Arts” pay-per-view event, offers much more than the much-anticipated super heavyweight showdown between 2-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim“Maine-iac” Sylvia and 5-time World’s Strong Man, Mariusz“Dominator” Pudzianowski, at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Fans in attendance, as well as PPV viewers, will watch entertaining fights featuring many of the leading MMA fighters in the world. The main event between Sylvia (25-6-0), a native of Eastbrook, Maine, and Polish sports icon Pudzianowski, promises to climax an evening of explosive action.

“God of Martial Arts” is being presented by Moosin, the South Korea-based promotional company, which has promoted MMA shows in South Korea and the United States. Moosin, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, plans expansion into to China, Poland and Australia.

“God of Martial Arts” is being distributed by Integrated Sports Media at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in North America on cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN and DISH Network, as well as Viewer’s Choice, Bell TV and Shaw PPV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95 (also available in HD). It is also available on www.GoFightLive.TV outside of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Poland.

Korean heavyweight Mu Bae “The Heavy Tank of Busan” Choi (9-4-0) meets veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff (59-14-0) in the co-main event. Choi is a former Greco-Roman wrestling champion, who has fought in Pride and Sengoku, making his U.S. debut. One of the most experienced MMA fighters in the world, Wiuff was a 2-time NJCAA All-American wrestler whose MMA victims include former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez and other UFC fighters such as Keith Jardine, Sean Salmon and Chris Tuchscherer, in addition to former IFL titlist Matt Horwich.

Brazilian middleweight Rafael “Sapo” Natal (11-2-0) takes on The Ultimate Fighter 4 winner Travis “The Serial Killer” Lutter (10-5-0) in a match between Brazilian Jui-Jitsu specialists. Natal, representing Gracie Fusion, started out fighting
in the art of Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian style using a lot of sweeps and kicks. A BJJ black belt, Lutter gained fame by winning TUF4, defeating Patrick Cote in the finale with an arm-bar. The experienced Lutter has fought Anderson Silva,
Rich Franklin and Matt Lindland.

Bahamian lightweight Yves “The Texas Gunslinger” Edwards (37-15-1) squares-off against rising New England star Mike “The Beast” Campbell (7-2-0). An all-around fighter, Edwards, has fought all over the world, including Pride and Bodog, and the Texas resident has registered wins versus the likes of Rich Clementi and Hermes Franco (twice). Providence-native Campbell, who was a potential Olympian in power lifting, outgrew the New England MMA circuit and is ready for the larger stage.

A special attraction features two of the premier female MMA fighters in the U.S., Tara LaRosa (18-1-0) and Roxy Modafferi (13-4-0), at a 130-pound catch-weight, in a rematch of their March 4, 2006 fight that LaRosa won by decision. Modafferi, however, has defeated (submission by triangle choke in 2005) the only woman to ever defeat LaRosa, Jennifer Howe, by TKO (punches) in 2003.

The non-PPV scheduled part of the Moosin show also has worldwide appeal yet features several local favorites on the undercard: Korean light heavyweight Chang Seob Lee (2-4-0) vs. Lukasz “Juras” Jurkowski (5-6-0), Clinton’s Matt Lee (11-8-1) vs. Bridgewater’s Brett Oteri (5-0-0) in a match-up of Massachusetts lightweights, unbeaten Worcester (Mass.) welterweight Ralph Johnson vs. NAAFS champion Forrest “The Meat Clever” Petz (23-7-0 undefeated Rockland (Mass.) heavyweight Paul Barry(3-0-0) vs. Stipe Miocic (1-0-0),Stoughton (Mass.) middleweight Fred “French Foot Fighter” Belleton (6-2-0) vs. Anthony “The Recipe” Lapsley(14-5-0).

Also, fan favorite Eric “Butterbean” Esch (98-18-5, all-fighting) squares-off against former Boston Bruins enforcer and popular WAAF sports personality, Lyndon “LB” Byers, in a charity fundraiser. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $35.75, $55.75, $75.75, $150.75 and $250.75, are on sale at the DCU Center Box Office (50 Foster St., Worcester, MA), all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1.800.745.3000.

Doors open at 7:30 PM/ET, first bout 8:00 PM/ET, first PPV bout 9 PM/ET (6 PM/PT). Go to www.MoosinUSA.com or www.dcucenter.com for additional information. For odds on the fights go to http://betus.com.

Moosin: A global event promoter based out of Seoul, South Korea, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, Moosin is known for bringing fans the finest in mixed martial arts competition. Moosin is revolutionizing
the MMA industry by merging an international roster of talented fighters with recognizable stars from the world or music, sports and popular culture. Moosin pits warrior against warrior, featuring a hybrid of MMA and hard-hitting Moosin-style kickboxing, in hand-to-hand battles of skill, honor and art.

DCU Center: A multi-purpose arena and convention center uniquely designed to accommodate the needs of any size group from 15 to 15,000 DCU Center is owned by the City of Worcester and managed by SMG, the world’s leading private management and developing firm for public assembly facilities. Headquartered on Philadelphia, SMG provides management services to over 200 public assembly facilities internationally and also offers food and beverage operations through SAVOR…Catering by SMG. For more information, please visit www.dcucenter.com.

Integrated Sports Media:North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Ricky Hatton, Christian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Kahn, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr., and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA, as well as World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.

Press Release

Polish Power invades America Pudzianowski all in vs. Sylvia headlining “Moosin: God of Martial Arts” PPV event May 21 at DCU Center in Worcester.

WORCESTER, Mass. (May 12, 2010) – In only his third professional mixed-martial-arts fight, iconic Polish powerhouse Mariusz “Dominator” Pudzianowski makes his U.S. debut against former 2-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim “Maine-iac” Sylvia, headlining the May 21st “Moosin: God of Martial Arts” pay-per-view event, at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Pudzianowski, 5-time World’s Strongest Man, is arguably the most popular Polish sports personality today, even hotter than boxer Tomasz Adamek, Formula One driver Robert Kubica, tennis player Agnieszka Radwanska, swimmer Otylia Jedrzejczak and NBA player Marcin Gortat.

The 6-1, 275-pound chiseled Pudzianowski practices karate, boxing and even finished second last year in Poland’s version of “Dancing With The Stars.” Taking on a super heavyweight such as the 6-8, 300-pound Sylvia (25-6-0), however, rates as an ambitious challenge for the relatively inexperienced Pudzianowski.

Sylvia (25-6-0), a native of Eastbrook, Maine, has defeated many of the top MMA heavyweights and super heavyweights – Andrei Arlovski (2) Brandon Vera, Jeff Monson, Wes Sims, Ricco Rodriguez, Mike Whitehead (2), Ben Rothwell and Jason Lambert. He believes that, if the Polish strongman and his team agreed to fight him this early in Mariusz’ MMA career, they must feel that he is over-the-hill in the cage.

Why fight Sylvia in only his third pro MMA fight? “First of all,” the 33-year-old Mariusz answered, “I’m not getting any younger. On a more serious note, though, I need to know as soon as possible what my strengths and weaknesses are fighting an established named fighter like Sylvia. My latest fight (last Saturday night in Poland) versus (Yusuke) Kawaguchi was worth every penny as a part of my MMA education (Mariusz won a 2-round decision against an opponent who was 11-1 going into the fight). Sylvia is the next logical step on my way to a world championship. I believe in learning by doing things.

“Sylvia brings experience, which I obviously don’t have, and he can punch. He is tall and has a long reach. I would like to use his strengths as his weaknesses, but I don’t want to talk too much about this. No extra tips from me, no way. I am somebody who will never quit. He has to knock me out cold to win. There’s no other way. I will fight a more disciplined fight than my last one, for sure, but I will still be fun to watch. I’m fighting for fans in order to give them good entertainment for their money.

“Fighting on in the United States and on pay-per-view is very significant. The USA is the birthplace of the real MMA, where the whole craziness started and now, in the age of the Internet and satellite TV, everything is global. I have a lot of fans in the U.S., not only Polish fans who always show-up to support their countrymen. It’s a global exposure and this is one of the reasons why I wanted to fight Tim – to gain recognition.”

“God of Martial Arts” is being presented by Moosin, the South Korea-based promotional company, which has promoted MMA shows in South Korea and the United States. Moosin, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, plans expansion into to China, Poland and Australia.

Pudzianowski has the rare combination of power, evident as a 5-time World’s Strongest Man, as well as the footwork and dexterity of a ballroom dancer. “MMA and ballroom dancing are both hard,” Mariusz added. “Both need dedication, depending on what you like, and I got tired training for dancing. But it wasn’t for me in the long run. The whole ‘Dancing With The Stars’ competition was a nice distraction, but, I prefer more manly endeavors.

“I never attempt any competition, dancing included, not thinking that I will win. It’s not in my nature. My fight with Sylvia will not be an exception. Losing to him is not even an option for me. This time the judges will not be needed.”

In the co-main event, Korean heavyweight Mu Bae “The Heavy Tank of Busan” Choi (9-4-0) faces veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff (59-14-0). Brazilian middleweight Rafael “Sapo” Natal (11-2-0) meets The Ultimate Fighter 4 winner Travis “The Serial Killer” Lutter (10-5-0), while Bahamian lightweight Yves “The Texas Gunslinger” Edwards (37-15-1) tangles with rising New England star Mike Campbell(7-2-0).

A special female attraction features two of the premier women MMA fighters in the U.S., Tara LaRosa (18-1-0) and Roxy Modafferi (13-4-0), at a 130-pound catch-weight.

“God of Martial Arts” is being distributed by Integrated Sports Media at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in North America on cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN and DISH Network, as well as Viewer’s Choice, Bell TV and Shaw PPV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95 (also available in HD). It is also available on www.GoFightLive.TV outside of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Poland.

The show has worldwide appeal but also features several local favorites on the undercard: Korean light heavyweight Chang Seob Lee (2-4-0) vs. Lukasz “Juras” Jurkowski (5-6-0), Clinton’s Matt Lee (11-8-1) vs. Bridgewater’s Brett Oteri (5-0-0) in a match-up of Massachusetts lightweights, unbeaten Worcester (Mass.) welterweight Ralph Johnson vs. NAAFS champion Forrest “The Meat Clever” Petz (23-7-0 undefeated Rockland (Mass.) heavyweight Paul Barry(3-0-0) vs. Stipe Miocic (1-0-0),Stoughton (Mass.) middleweight Fred “French Foot Fighter” Belleton (6-2-0) vs. Anthony “The Recipe” Lapsley(14-5-0).

Also, fan favorite Eric “Butterbean” Esch (98-18-5, all-fighting) squares-off against former Boston Bruins enforcer and popular WAAF sports personality, Lyndon “LB” Byers, in a charity fundraiser. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $35.75, $55.75, $75.75, $150.75 and $250.75, are on sale at the DCU Center Box Office (50 Foster St., Worcester, MA), all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1.800.745.3000.

Doors open at 7:30 PM/ET, first bout 8:00 PM/ET, first PPV bout 9 PM/ET (6 PM/PT). Go to www.MoosinUSA.com or www.dcucenter.com for additional information. For odds on the fights go to http://partners.betus.com.

Moosin: A global event promoter based out of Seoul, South Korea, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, Moosin is known for bringing fans the finest in mixed martial arts competition. Moosin is revolutionizing the MMA industry by merging an international roster of talented fighters with recognizable stars from the world or music, sports and popular culture. Moosin pits warrior against warrior, featuring a hybrid of MMA and hard-hitting Moosin-style kickboxing, in hand-to-hand battles of skill, honor and art.

DCU Center: A multi-purpose arena and convention center uniquely designed to accommodate the needs of any size group from 15 to 15,000 DCU Center is owned by the City of Worcester and managed by SMG, the world’s leading private management and developing firm for public assembly facilities. Headquartered on Philadelphia, SMG provides management services to over 200 public assembly facilities internationally and also offers food and beverage operations through SAVOR…Catering by SMG. For more information, please visit www.dcucenter.com.

Integrated Sports Media:North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Ricky Hatton, Christian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Kahn, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr., and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA, as well as World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.

Press Release

CageSport MMA
May 15, 2010
7:00 P.M Emerald Queen Casino

(Tacoma, WA) Brian Halquist Productions brings the Northwest’s favorite combative sports event back to the Emerald Queen Casino for CageSport MMA on Saturday May 15. The doors open at 6pm and the first fight is scheduled for 7pm. This show will feature a talented mix of fighters including many from the Pacific Northwest.

The main event features Tacoma’s own Matt “The Attack” Kovacs (4-3) who will fight Corey Williams (5-2) for the Heavyweight CageSport Championship. Kovacs, who trains with Arlington Kickboxing Academy was featured at Strikeforce: “At the Dome,” back in 2008. His brawling style and persistence in the ring make for exciting action every time Kovacs faces an opponent. He has the ability to escape from tight situations in order to come back and then dominate the fight. Williams comes from a boxing background and takes those skills, including powerful punches, to the cage.

In the co-main event, Tyson “Strait Jacket” Johnson (4-0) will face Patrick Prescott (1-0) in what promises to be a great fight. Back in February of this year, Johnson improved on his already perfect record by securing a guillotine choke at 4:38 in the first round. With his strait jacket clad entrance and performance both in and out of the ring, Johnson is bound to put on a great show. Keep an eye on Johnson after his fight, he may startle the audience by pulling out one of his few remaining teeth.

Also on the card will be crowd favorites, Calvin “Carnage” Horton, Chanti “The Brooklyn Knight” Johnson, and Sterling “Thunda Kat” Ford in three separate fights. These three fighters have all fought at the Emerald Queen Casino and have met with success on numerous occasions. Horton brings excitement to the cage when he fights and keeps the crowd on their feet. Johnson’s aggressive style makes him a crowd favorite; his enthusiastic celebrations also give fans something to talk about. As for Ford, he is able to maintain great composure during his fights, and has great stand up and floor skills. All three fighters will help to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

These fights highlight an explosive MMA event that will be capped off by the Heavyweight Championship fight. The winner will join Lightweight Champion, Lloyd Woodard, as CageSport MMA champions.

The Fight Card

Matt Kovacs (4-3) vs. Corey Williams (5-2)

Calvin Horton (3-0) vs. Carmen Cassella (5-6)

Chanti Johnson (5-2) vs. Brandon Hempleman (2-0)

Sterling Ford (7-4) vs. Chris Ensley (5-7)

Tyson Johnson (4-0) vs. Patrick Prescott (1-0)

Charley Shaw (1-0) vs. Josh Snodgrass (0-2)

Tim Welch (2-0) vs. Jose Rico (1-3)

Jory Erickson (6-1) vs. Dave Courchaine (3-3)

Jared Torgeson (1-1) vs. Tony King (0-1)

Brent Warner (3-2) vs. Jaris Bierer (1-0)

TICKETS

Available at the Emerald Queen Casino box office 1-888-831-7655 and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Or online at www.ticketmaster.com

Ticket Prices: *$100 – $55 – $35

Get up to date information at: www.Halquistproductions.com

For more information or fighter interviews contact event coordinator Kelly Thompson at (509) 607-0497

* Includes VIP Party 5:00-7:00 pm at the Bridge Night Club. For food and drink specials.

Quickie Facts

What: CageSport MMA
Where: Emerald Queen Casino’s I-5 Showroom
When: May 15, 2010
Time: Event starts at 7:00 P.M. Doors open at 6:00 P.M.

Atos Jiu-Jitsu’s Rafael Mendes (left) slaps hands with Alliance’s Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles at the 2009 BJJ World Championship.

Last Saturday I received email from a few of the Mighty 600,000 letting me know about an article by Sherdog’s Jake Rossen called UConn’s College Credit for Jiu-Jitsu. In the article Rossen mentioned his concerns about what may be a dilution of Brazilian jiu-jitsu or making fast-food martial arts. He wrote, “It’s domesticated, convenience store martial arts, and a pacifist’s weapon that could be misappropriated.”

To be clear, he also pointed out some benefits of offering jiu-jitsu in such an environment. In any case, the email I received from FightWorks Podcast listeners expressed concern about some of the assumptions made by Rossen in his piece.

I thought this would make for a decent conversation on the tomorrow’s episode. On Sunday and yesterday I emailed Rossen to see if he would like to come on our humble BJJ internet radio show and discuss the topic a bit, but unfortunately I did not hear back. I am sure he receives a lot of email so it’s possible that ours were lost in the shuffle. In any case the invitation is still open if he is interested.

Press Release

WORCESTER, Mass. (April 27, 2010) – The first 5-time World’s Strongest Man, Polish icon Mariusz “Dominator” Pudzianowski, makes his United States debut May 21 against 2-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim “Maine-iac” Sylvia (25-6-0) in the super heavyweight main event, headlining the first major mixed-martial-arts show in Massachusetts history, “God of Martial Arts” pay-per-view event, at the DCU Center in Worcester.

“God of Martial Arts” is being presented by Moosin, the South Korea-based promotional company, which has promoted MMA shows in South Korea and the United States. Moosin, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, plans expansion into to China, Poland and Australia.

The 6-1,275-pound Pudzianowski (1-0), a national hero in Poland, won his cage debut last December, forcing Marcin Najman to tap-out to punches and kicks in only 43 seconds. In addition to his feats of strength as the World’s Strongest Man, Marius practices karate and finished second in Poland’s version of “Dancing With The Stars.”

During his sensational career, Ellsworth, Maine-native Sylvia (6-8, 280 lbs.) has defeated many of the top MMA heavyweights and super heavyweights – Andrei Arlovski (2) Brandon Vera, Jeff Monson, Wes Sims, Ricco Rodriguez, Mike Whitehead (2), Ben Rothwell and Jason Lambert.

“The owner of Moosin, Mr. Oh, is an affluent Korean businessman who owns a global Yaekwon-Do company in South Korea,” Moosin’s Corey Fischer explained. “This (Moosin) isn’t about money; it’s about prestige. He wants to leave his legacy as the man who brought MMA to the forefront of the world, bringing it back to being a traditional sport. We’re coming to Massachusetts to put on the first major, sanctioned MMA show there because of its reputation for having great fight fans. ‘Butterbean’ (Eric Esch), who works with our promotional company, has fought in Worcester a few times. He loves it there and has developed a lot of good contacts in that market, too. Sylvia’s experience against Pudzianowski’s brute strength makes for a classic contrast of fighting styles. We’re going to feature some other big names, mix in some of the best talent in New England, and produce an awesome pay-per-view show.”

In the co-main event, Korean heavyweight Mu Bae “The Heavy Tank of Busan” Choi (9-4-0) battles veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff (59-14-0). Brazilian middleweight Rafael “Sapo” Natal (11-2-0) takes on Travis “The Serial Killer” Lutter (10-5-0), while Bahamian lightweight Yves “The Texas Gunslinger” Edwards (37-15-1) faces New England’s rising-star Mike Campbell (7-2-0).

A special female attraction has been added featuring two of the premier women MMA fighters in the U.S., Tara LaRosa (18-1-0) and Roxy Modafferi (13-4-0), at a 130-pound catch-weight.

“God of Martial Arts” is being distributed by Integrated Sports Media at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in North America on cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN and DISH Network, as well as Viewer’s Choice, Bell TV and Shaw PPV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95 (also available in HD).

The show has worldwide appeal but also features several local favorites on the undercard: Korean light heavyweight Chang Seob Lee (2-4-0) vs. Lukasz “Juras” Jurkowski (5-6-0), Clinton’s Matt Lee (11-8-1) vs. Bridgewater’s Brett Oteri (5-0-0) in a match-up of Massachusetts lightweights, unbeaten Worcester (Mass.) welterweight Ralph Johnson vs. NAAFS champion Forrest “The Meat Clever” Petz (23-7-0 undefeated Rockland (Mass.) heavyweight Paul Barry(3-0-0) vs. Stipe Miocic (1-0-0),Stoughton (Mass.) middleweight Fred “French Foot Fighter” Belleton (6-2-0) vs. Anthony “The Recipe” Lapsley(14-5-0).

Also, fan favorite Eric “Butterbean” Esch (98-18-5, all-fighting) squares-off against former Boston Bruins enforcer and popular WAAF sports personality, Lyndon “LB” Byers, in a charity fundraiser. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $35.75, $55.75, $75.75, $150.75 and $250.75, are on sale at the DCU Center Box Office (50 Foster St., Worcester, MA), all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1.800.745.3000.

Doors open at 7:30 PM/ET, first bout 8:00 PM/ET, first PPV bout 9 PM/ET (6 PM/PT).

Moosin: A global event promoter based out of Seoul, South Korea, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, Moosin is known for bringing fans the finest in mixed martial arts competition. Moosin is revolutionizing the MMA industry by merging an international roster of talented fighters with
recognizable stars from the world or music, sports and popular culture. Moosin pits warrior against warrior, featuring a hybrid of MMA and hard-hitting Moosin-style kickboxing, in hand-to-hand battles of skill, honor and art.

DCU Center: A multi-purpose arena and convention center uniquely designed to accommodate the needs of any size group from 15 to 15,000 DCU Center is owned by the City of Worcester and managed by SMG, the world’s leading private management and developing firm for public assembly facilities. Headquartered on Philadelphia, SMG provides management services to over 200 public assembly facilities internationally and also offers food and beverage operations through SAVOR…Catering by SMG. For more information, please visit www.dcucenter.com.

Integrated Sports Media:North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Ricky Hatton, Christian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Kahn, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr., and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA, as well as World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.

The next time you're dining out and are tempted to complain about your
food, make sure you do it politely.

You never know when you might be griping at a mixed martial arts
fighter.

If you're in Tulsa, Okla., be very careful. "The Ultimate Fighter 11"
cast member Josh Bryant (10-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) just might be on the other
side of the table staring back at you.