LAS VEGAS - Chuck Liddell has put together his coaching squad for the upcoming 11th season of "The Ultimate Fighter."

MMAjunkie.com today confirmed at the "TUF 11" media day that his coaches include longtime trainer John Hackleman, former Olympic gold medalist boxer Howard Davis Jr., jiu-jitsu ace Scott Epstein, and Strikeforce champ Jake Shields.

"TUF 11" production began over the weekend, and the season debut is set for March 31 on Spike TV.

AMERICAN VICTORY - The Remarkable and Inspirational Autobiography of Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo
AMERICAN VICTORY - Wrestling, Dreams, and a Journey Toward Home
 
December 2, 2009, Phoenix AZ – In a new book from the Penguin Group (USA), AMERICAN VICTORY, readers embark on an inspirational journey, as Olympic Gold Medalist Henry Cejudo personally guides them through the depths of his memories, sharing intimate details of a story that inspired a nation, the story of his life.
Although new heroes will be crowned each year during the Olympic Games, Americans will not soon forget the awe-inspiring story which unfolded before an international audience at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; a true story of hope and perseverance that prompted the masses to dream.   
AMERICAN VICTORY: Wrestling, Dreams, and a Journey Toward Home by Henry Cejudo and Bill Plaschke (Celebra Hardcover Original; January 5, 2010; $24.95), is the powerful and inspiring memoir of a young and determined American-born son of undocumented Mexican immigrants who, against all odds and expectations, achieved his dream of becoming an Olympic champion. Henry Cejudo not only successfully achieved his dreams; he did it in grand style -- by making Olympic history. 
Born in Los Angeles into a world of instability and poverty, Henry learned at an early age that at times one must fight to live, literally. Raised by a single mother with his six siblings, Henry’s life was far from easy, and never normal. Extreme poverty and living conditions that would have adversely affected most people, only succeeded in building Henry’s character and integrity. The determination, unbridled passion, and stubborn resolve of a life spent fighting both on and off the mat culminated in Henry’s invitation to compete under the Stars and Stripes.  
Through it all, Henry’s family offered their unwavering support, as he grappled to find himself and fight for his dream, something Henry will always be thankful for, “Thank goodness. I did belong to somebody. Good or bad, I belonged to my family. We had no permanent home, but somehow... there beat a permanent heart,” he confides.
At the Beijing Olympics, Henry Cejudo made history by becoming the youngest American to ever win a gold medal in freestyle wrestling. In addition, as the only American wrestler to bring home the gold during the 2008 Games, Cejudo is solely responsible for keeping U.S.A Wrestling’s four decade gold medal win streak alive. 
Today, Henry offers guidance and inspiration to inner-city and at-risk youth across the country, sharing his story, fostering hope, and helping shape the lives of thousands of young athletes.
AMERICAN VICTORY is a success story depicting a family’s struggle to survive, a young man’s indomitable spirit, and the American Dream.  AMERICAN VICTORY will be available in bookstores nationwide on January 5th, 2010. Pre-order’s available now on Amazon.com. For more information on Henry Cejudo, please visit www.HenryCejudo.com.
   About the Authors:
Henry Cejudo is a freestyle wrestler who won a gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At twenty-one years old, he was the youngest American ever to have won an Olympic wrestling gold medal. Henry was born in Los Angeles. He currently lives in Phoenix Arizona, and Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Bill Plaschke has been named the Associated Press Sports Columnist of the year four times. He has been a sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times since 1996 and is a regular panelist on ESPN’S “Around the Horn.” He has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and his work has been featured frequently in The Best American Sports Writing.
 

AMES, Iowa – Former Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Champion Kevin Jackson has been named Iowa State’s head wrestling coach. Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard will introduce Jackson – often referred to as one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in United States history – at an 11 a.m. news conference Friday in the Jacobson Athletic Building (Hunziker Auditorium).
Jackson captured gold medals at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain and at the World Championships in both 1991 (Varna, Bulgaria) and 1995 (Atlanta). He is one of just five wrestlers in U.S. history with three career world-level titles.  Jackson is a member of the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame, the United States National Wrestling Hall of Fame (as a distinguished member) and the Iowa State University Athletics Hall of Fame (2007 inductee).
“We are very excited to welcome Kevin back to the Cyclone family,” Pollard said. “He was captain of the last Cyclone national championship team and is a member of our Athletics Department’s Hall of Fame. His competitive intensity, combined with his technical skills as a coach, will make an immediate impact on our wrestling program. For the last decade, Kevin has coached and trained the best United States wrestlers. He has excelled at the highest levels of international wrestling as both an athlete and coach.”
 
Jackson’s return to Iowa State brings back fond memories for him.
“Winning a national team championship at ISU remains a career highlight and I’m grateful for the opportunity to come back to Ames and lead such a distinguished program,” Jackson said. “There is no ceiling to what we can accomplish on and off the mat at Iowa State and I couldn’t be more excited to get started. I’m pleased to inherit such an outstanding team and we’ll begin immediately to focus on hard work and technique with the goal of competing for the NCAA title. We’ll build a wrestling environment at Iowa State in which our student-athletes will flourish in and our fans will respond.”
 
Currently head coach of the Sunkist youth development program, Jackson served eight years (2001-08) as the National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling. He was the first full-time freestyle wrestling coach for the organization and took two United States’ teams to the Olympics. Two of his athletes – Cael Sanderson (2004) and Henry Cejudo (2008) – won gold medals. His 2001 freestyle team won the World Cup, the 2003 team placed second and the 2006 squad finished third at that meet.
 
Prior to his appointment as the nation’s head freestyle coach, Jackson was freestyle resident coach at the Olympic Training Center and head coach for the U.S. Army team at Fort Carson (1998-2001). During that tenure, he personally trained 2000 Olympic champion Brandon Slay.
 
As a college wrestler, he attended Louisiana State and earned All-America honors three times before the school dropped the sport. He transferred to Iowa State for his senior year and captained the Cyclones’ last NCAA championship team (1987), earning another All-America award with a NCAA runner-up finish and registering a 30-3-1 record.
After college, Jackson won two Pan American Games titles and was a member of World Championship teams for the United States in both 1993 and 1995. He won three U.S. National Titles and placed second five times. Jackson also became the first American to win the prestigious Takhti Cup (1998) in Tehran, Iran.
 
During his post-collegiate competitive career, Jackson also assisted with the Cyclone Wrestling Club (1989-92) and volunteered with the Arizona State (1997) program.
Jackson’s success earned him a number of major awards, including the 1995 John Smith Award as National Freestyle Wrestler of the Year, 1992 Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year and 1991 USA Wrestling and USOC Wrestler of the Year.
 
He earned a bachelor of sports science degree from the U.S. Sports Academy / University of Americas in 2005.
The native of Lansing, Mich., won two state high school championships for Eastern High School before becoming a Junior National Greco-Roman champion.
Jackson and his wife, Robin (a native of Emmetsburg, Iowa), have five children: Cole, Bailee, Trinity, Brynn and Kira.
 

April 30th “Golden Night at Guastavino’s” Gala Fundraiser to support organization that provides 3,500 New York City students with wrestling opportunities
 
NEW YORK – On April 30, Beat the Streets Wrestling Program will host its annual gala fundraiser "Golden Night at Guastavino's" in New York City to help continue the organization’s work in providing approximately 3,500 boys and girls wrestling opportunities and safe havens for them to practice. 
 
In addition, New York City wrestling coaches will be named High School Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year and Middle School Coach of the Year at the Gala.
 
Gathering to show their support for Beat the Streets are wrestling legends:
* Bruce Baumgartner, four-time Olympic wrestling medalist, National Wrestling Hall of Fame and U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member and Director of Athletics at Edinboro University
* Henry Cejudo, 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist
* Brandon Slay, 2000 Olympic Gold medalist, USA Wrestling Assistant National Freestyle Coach
* John Smith, 2x Olympic and 4x World Championship gold-medal winner, head coach at Oklahoma State University; National Wrestling Hall of Fame member 
 
“Beat the Streets is proud to bring together the wrestling community, not just in New York City but the world, to help encourage and support New York City girls and boys’ efforts to participate in the sport of wrestling,” said Brian Giffin, President and Executive Director of Beat the Streets. “Because of Beat the Streets, thousands of children are instilled with important values such as perseverance, discipline and self reliance, which they will carry with them throughout their lives. We would like to thank Bruce Baumgartner, Henry Cejudo, Brandon Slay and John Smith for showing their support for Beat the Streets’ work.” 
 
Baumgartner, who is a past president of USA Wrestling, has supported this program since its inception.
 
"The success of Beat the Streets Wrestling Program in New York City is a true testament to the organization, which has dedicated itself to not only teaching children about the sport of wrestling, but also shaping young minds and preparing them for whatever challenges may come their way, whether it be on the mat or in the class room,” said Bruce Baumgartner. 
 
The Beat the Streets Wrestling Program is a not-for-profit organization that creates opportunities for boys and girls from New York City schools to participate in after-school wrestling programs in safe and nurturing environments. Beat the Streets provides free coaching, gear and equipment; free access to afterschool training centers in all five boroughs; all-expenses paid trips to the most prestigious training camps in the country; and safe havens for students from the poorest urban neighborhoods seeking to improve their fitness and stay on the right path.
 
Approximately 3,500 boys and girls from New York City schools currently participate in the organization’s afterschool programs. Beat the Streets’ work has effectively helped the sport of wrestling grow in New York City. In 2005, New York City's Public School Athletic League had 23 teams only in high schools and fewer than 300 kids enrolled. Now New York City has wrestling teams in 58 high schools and 54 middle schools with 3,500 enrollees. 
 
About Beat the Streets Gala Fundraiser
 
Thursday, April 30 at 6:30pm
Guastavino’s
409 E 59th Street
New York, NY 10022
Tickets: $150
Tickets required for all guests
 
Tickets are available at www.beat-the-streets.org or by contacting Brian Giffin at (646) 922-0811 and gala@beat-the-streets.org.