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Press Release

In a move that an overwhelming majority in the mixed martial arts world believed would never happen, Canadian welterweight sensation Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford has signed a new multi-fight contract with the Maximum Fighting Championship.

A former two-time challenger for the MFC’s 170-pound title, Ford and the MFC bitterly parted ways in early 2009 and the acrimonious split resulted in a rift that most insiders considered impossible to repair. But out of nowhere, there has been a mending of fences and Ford (12-2) is back in the MFC looking to rejuvenate a career that had dramatically stalled in his year-long absence from the organization.

“It’s unfortunate and a shame what happened the first time around, but I think everyone has grown since then,” offered MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich. “This time around I hope that Ryan reaches the goals he set for himself — the goals he started with in the MFC right from the beginning.

“I hope that he lives up to his abilities that we all know he has. He’s going to be fighting top-notch talent so we will certainly see what he truly has.”

Now fighting out of the ZUMA training centre in Victoria, British Columbia, Ford is expected to make his return to the ring at MFC 26 on Friday, September 10. An official announcement on the host city and lineup for that card is forthcoming.

“I think this is very exciting for the fans,” said Adam Zugec, Ford’s trainer at ZUMA. “There’s been a lot of drama … just like a reality show, and I think the fans really love that.

“I’m expecting great things from Ryan. He’s made to be on TV, his persona is perfect for the MFC’s shows on HDNet, and Mark and the MFC is so good at marketing its fighters on television.

“I always knew that eventually both parties would be back working together. Both sides needed some time to clear their heads and start a new plan. As everyone started to mature they’ve become more willing to work with each other and that’s good for both sides.”

Ford made his MFC and professional mixed martial arts debut back in August 2007, instantly becoming a fan favorite as he rattled off six straight wins including three inside the opening round. His biggest victory in that initial phase of his career came via a second-round submission of veteran Pete Spratt — an outcome that while marred by strikes coming after the bell to end Round 1 also drew Ford favorable comparisons to Georges St. Pierre at the same time of their respective careers.

Following his sixth win, Ford earned a shot at the vacant MFC welterweight title, and although he dominated much of the fight with his takedowns, the Edmonton, Alberta, native was caught in an armbar and forced to tap out to veteran Pat Healy midway through the third round. Two victories followed for Ford which garnered him a rematch with Healy but the reigning champ held onto his belt with a tight five-round, split-decision outcome in his favor.

Unable to agree on the terms of a new contract, Ford and the MFC parted ways soon after the Healy rematch. But at long last, Ford has returned to where his blossoming career began.

“I think the best thing to happen to Ryan was to go to a smaller organization, get some experience and work on some things, and now return to the big show,” added Pavelich, who expects to quickly have a list of opponents lined up to face Ford.

“Ryan is eager to fight anybody,” noted Zugec. “Everybody knows that Ryan is a fighter at heart and he wants to test his talents against the best fighters at 170.”

Press Release

Edmonton, Alberta (Canada): The Fight Club (TFC), one of the fastest-growing fight promotions in Canada, had secured a main event of TFC World Welterweight Champion Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford defending his belt against the man considered to be the number one 170 lb. fighter in Hawaii, UFC veteran Brandon Wolff. The fight was to take place at TFC’s next event, “TFC 11: DESTINY” on Saturday, July 17th, live at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.

Unfortunately, Wolff sustained injuries in defense of his X-1 welterweight title this past weekend, and had to pull out of his bout with Ford. Stepping in to contest the title will be two-time WEC veteran Carlo Prater.

Tickets are available through http://www.thefightclub.ca/, or (780) 991-5670.

“DESTINY” will be shown on pay-per-view across Canada on Shaw, Shaw Direct, Bell TV, and Viewers Choice, offering virtually all Canadians the opportunity to purchase and watch the show live. The event will also be broadcasted at many commercial establishments, bars, pubs, lounges, and casinos across Canada. In addition, through a distribution agreement with Ringside Boxing & MMA, the event will be televised to a potential worldwide audience of over 150 million viewers (on a delayed basis). News on a press conference will be announced soon.

Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford (12-2) is viewed by many to be the next great Canadian welterweight after UFC 170-pound kingpin Georges St-Pierre. A native of Edmonton, “The Real Deal” won the TFC welterweight title on December 5th of last year when he knocked out California native John Walsh (10-5) in just thirteen seconds at “TFC 9: TOTAL CHOAS.” Ford holds victories over UFC vets Pete Spratt, CJ Fernandes, and Tommy Speer, who he defeated via first round submission at the most recent TFC event, “TFC 10: HIGH OCTANE” on March 19th. Ford is currently riding a four-fight win streak. In regards to the change in opponent, Ford is unfazed. “It doesn’t change my approach to the fight. I’m ready for anyone. I’m a fighter, and that’s what I do. Carlo is a good fighter, he’s a tough guy, so I think it’s going to be a test for me, and hopefully I come out on top.” And that’s exactly what he plans to do. “You never know. I can say something, but as soon as that bell rings, it all changes. I’m looking to win, and that’s my prediction.”

Carlo Prater (24-7-1) is a well-respected veteran who has faced and defeated many top MMA fighters in the sport today. A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Prater is a very dangerous combatant who has a lot of tools to finish any opponent. In 2008 he challenged WEC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit for the belt. The result was a loss, but afterwards, Prater dropped to the 155-pound class and won the Palace Fighting Championships lightweight belt. Now, he’ll step back into the familiar territory of the welterweight ranks and face Ryan Ford for the TFC 170-lb. strap. During his eight-year career, Prater has faced well-known competitors such as Drew Fickett, Derrick Noble, Condit, Brock Larson, and Antonio McKee, and holds victories over Melvin Guillard, Spencer “The King” Fisher, Condit (they have defeated each other once), and Pat Healy.

In addition to Prater, TFC has added several other fights to “DESTINY,” including:

- Mitch Clarke (6-0) vs. Curtis “The Demon” Demarce (8-7) – for the TFC Canadian Lightweight Title – A five-fight win streak has earned “The Demon” a title shot against the undefeated Mitch Clarke. Clarke, who is moving down from welterweight, will make his debut at 155 lbs.

- Ryan “The Kid” McGillivray (9-4-1) vs. Andrew Buckland (11-6-1) – 170 lbs. – Edmonton’s Ryan McGillivray makes his return to the TFC cage in a much-anticipated rematch with Calgary’s Andrew Buckland. The two fought to a draw April 23, 2010 in a three-round war that saw a 2nd round point deduction for an illegal blow by Buckland cost him a victory.

- Rio Wells (3-0) vs. Jason Zorthian (3-3) 170 lbs. – Ex-CFL football star Rio Wells puts his undefeated MMA record on the line against a very tough Jason Zorthian.

- Jorge Ravanal, Jr. (2-1) vs. Dave Hale (0-0) – 160 lbs

- Chuck Pelc (2-1) vs. Joel Powell (2-2) – 170 lbs.

The Fight Club is also pleased to announce the addition of Ron “The Yacman” Yacovetti, who will now handle play-by-play commentary cageside for “TFC 11: DESTINY.” “The Yacman,” who is the face of the MMA social networking website FightLaunch.com, has done fight commentary for several other organizations, including the Korean MMA promotion Spirit MC (Spirit Martial Challenge), and the Florida-based Art of Fighting promotion. In addition, Ron co-hosts a weekly Web TV series entitled “The Yac & J Show,” a comedic news magazine style show.

Look for the additional fights to be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.thefightclub.ca/

Press Release

Featured title fight between top Canadian & Hawaiian 170-pounders to headline “TFC 11: Destiny”

Edmonton, Alberta (Canada): The Fight Club (TFC), one of the fastest-growing fight promotion in Canada, has secured a world class main event for its next event, “TFC 11: FORD vs WOLFF.” On Saturday, July 17th, live at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, TFC World Welterweight Champion Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford will defend his title against the man considered to be the number one 170 lb. fighter in Hawaii, UFC veteran Brandon Wolff. Tickets are available through http://www.thefightclub.ca/, or (780) 991-5670.

TFC 11 will be shown on pay-per-view across Canada on Shaw, Shaw Direct, Bell TV, and Viewers Choice, offering virtually all Canadians the opportunity to purchase and watch the show live. The event will also be broadcasted at many commercial establishments, bars, pubs, lounges, and casinos across Canada. In addition, through a distribution agreement with Ringside Boxing & MMA, the event will be televised to a potential worldwide audience of over 150 million viewers (on a delayed basis). News on a press conference will be announced soon.

Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford (12-2) is viewed by many to be the next great Canadian welterweight after UFC 170-pound kingpin Georges St-Pierre. A native of Edmonton, “The Real Deal” won the TFC welterweight title on December 5th of last year when he knocked out California native John Walsh (10-5) in just thirteen seconds at “TFC 9: TOTAL CHOAS.” Ford holds victories over UFC vets Pete Spratt, CJ Fernandes, and Tommy Speer, who he defeated via first round submission at the most recent TFC event, “TFC 10: HIGH OCTANE” on March 19th. Ford is currently riding a four-fight win streak.

At “DESTINY,” Brandon Wolff (7-4) will be looking to lift the TFC welterweight strap from Ford. Wolff, who holds the X-1 welterweight title, stands five feet, ten inches tall, and trains with Team MMAD in Hawaii. The former Navy SEAL is a veteran of the UFC, the WEC, Rumble on the Rock, EliteXC, and K-1, and has faced top-flight competition such as Riki Fukuda, Chad Reiner, Ben Saunders, and Yoshiyuki Yoshida. After going 3-2 in an up-and-down early career, Wolff came out victorious in four straight fights, which included a unanimous decision victory over Chad Klingensmith at “EliteXC: Uprising.” In May of 2008, Wolff faced the UFC veteran Reiner for the X-1 welterweight title. After five grueling rounds, Wolff was awarded the unanimous decision victory and the championship. Now, he will look to add TFC hardware to his collection.

The Fight Club is also pleased to announce the addition of Ron “The Yacman” Yacovetti, who will now handle play-by-play commentary cageside for “TFC 11: FORD vs WOLFF.” “The Yacman,” who is the face of the MMA social networking website Fightlaunch.com, has done fight commentary for several other organizations, including the Korean MMA promotion Spirit MC (Spirit Martial Challenge), and the California-based Art of Fighting promotion. In addition, Ron co-hosts a weekly Web TV series entitled “The Yac & J Show,” a comedic news magazine style show.

Look for the additional fights to be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.thefightclub.ca/.

Press Release

Featured title fight between top Canadian & Hawaiian 170-pounders to headline “TFC 11: Destiny” event

Edmonton, Alberta (Canada): The Fight Club (TFC), one of the fastest-growing fight promotions in Canada, has secured a world class main event for its next event, “TFC 11: DESTINY.” On Saturday, July 17th, live at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, TFC World Welterweight Champion Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford will defend his title against the man considered to be the number one 170 lb. fighter in Hawaii, UFC veteran Brandon Wolff. Tickets are available through http://www.thefightclub.ca/, or (780) 991-5670.

“DESTINY” will be shown on pay-per-view across Canada on Shaw, Shaw Direct, Bell TV, and Viewers Choice, offering virtually all Canadians the opportunity to purchase and watch the show live. The event will also be broadcasted at many commercial establishments, bars, pubs, lounges, and casinos across Canada. In addition, through a distribution agreement with Ringside Boxing & MMA, the event will be televised to a potential worldwide audience of over 150 million viewers (on a delayed basis). News on a press conference will be announced soon.

Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford (12-2) is viewed by many to be the next great Canadian welterweight after UFC 170-pound kingpin Georges St-Pierre. A native of Edmonton, “The Real Deal” won the TFC welterweight title on December 5th of last year when he knocked out California native John Walsh (10-5) in just thirteen seconds at “TFC 9: TOTAL CHOAS.” Ford holds victories over UFC vets Pete Spratt, CJ Fernandes, and Tommy Speer, who he defeated via first round submission at the most recent TFC event, “TFC 10: HIGH OCTANE” on March 19th. Ford is currently riding a four-fight win streak.

At “DESTINY,” Brandon Wolff (7-4) will be looking to lift the TFC welterweight strap from Ford. Wolff, who holds the X-1 welterweight title, stands five feet, ten inches tall, and trains with Team MMAD in Hawaii. The former Navy SEAL is a veteran of the UFC, the WEC, Rumble on the Rock, EliteXC, and K-1, and has faced top-flight competition such as Riki Fukuda, Chad Reiner, Ben Saunders, and Yoshiyuki Yoshida. After going 3-2 in an up-and-down early career, Wolff came out victorious in four straight fights, which included a unanimous decision victory over Chad Klingensmith at “EliteXC: Uprising.” In May of 2008, Wolff faced the UFC veteran Reiner for the X-1 welterweight title. After five grueling rounds, Wolff was awarded the unanimous decision victory and the championship. Now, he will look to add TFC hardware to his collection.

The Fight Club is also pleased to announce the addition of Ron “The Yacman” Yacovetti, who will now handle play-by-play commentary cageside for “TFC 11: DESTINY.” “The Yacman,” who is the face of the MMA social networking website FightLaunch.com, has done fight commentary for several other organizations, including the Korean MMA promotion Spirit MC (Spirit Martial Challenge), and the Florida-based Art of Fighting promotion. In addition, Ron co-hosts a weekly Web TV series entitled “The Yac & J Show,” a comedic news magazine style show.

Look for the additional fights to be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.thefightclub.ca/.

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.”

Though the proverbial spotlight may be firmly planted on Montreal for UFC 113, Maximum Fighting Championship made sure Canadian MMA fans outside of Quebec also had a chance to get their live-show fix this weekend courtesy of last night’s ”MFC 25 – Vindication”. The Edmonton event featured a slew of fighters hailing from America’s northerly neighbor as well as a handful of names once associated with the infamous Octagon.

Chase Gormley, who started his career out with six wins before dropping a pair of fights in the UFC, got back on the winning track by outpointing Ryan Fortin on all three judges’ scorecards. The victory was his second by unanimous decision in the promotion.

Not so lucky in result was TUF 6 alumnus Richie Hightower who emerged a loser after falling victim to a first-round submission at the limbs of Gavin Neil. The Rear-Naked Choke brought Neil’s record to 8-1 and was his fourth win in a row.

However, not all was lost for fighters with Ultimate Fighter experience, as Season Four’s Pete Spratt avoided the judges’ scorecards by finishing fellow Octagon veteran Luigi Fioravanti with less than a minute remaining in their bout. The accomplishment marked Spratt’s eleventh career TKO, while American Top Team’s Fioravanti is now 3-2 since parting ways with the UFC slightly more than a year ago.

To the surprise of some, especially those not flying a flag with a maple leaf on it, Ryan Jimmo lived up to his nickname and proved he is indeed a “Big Deal” by welcoming Brazilian Wilson Gouveia to MFC with a unanimous decision defeat. Gouveia, who showed up three pounds heavy to the weigh-in, has fallen in his last three fights and is now 12-8 as a professional. Comparably, the win improved Jimmo’s record to 13-1 and continued an impressive streak dating back to the Canadian’s only loss – his debut in February 2007!

The evening’s main event involved perhaps the largest contrast in personalities if not styles, as soft-spoken, technical jiujitsu practitioner Thales Leites tested his skills against colorful, physical wrestler Jesse “J.T. Money” Taylor and needed less than two-and-a-half minutes to pass the exam with a Triangle Armbar. It was the third loss for Taylor in his last four fights and his fifth by submission out of six total career defeats. On the other end of the spectrum, the hold brought about the one-time UFC Middleweight Championship contender’s third victory in a row since being released by the organization after a split-decision snoozer to Alessio Sakara at UFC 101.

Here is a complete rundown of results:

Jevon Marshall def. Garret Nybakken via Submission Round 3
Keto Allen def. Aaron Berke via TKO Round 1
Chad Freeman def. Mike Froese via Submission Round 1
Chase Gormley def. Ryan Fortin via Unanimous Decision
Gavin Neil def. Richie Hightower via Submission Round 1
Pete Spratt def. Luigi Fioravanti via TKO Round 3
Emanuel Newton def. Dwayne Lewis via Unanimous Decision
Ryan Jimmo def. Wilson Gouveia via Unanimous Decision
Thales Leites def. Jesse Taylor via Submission Round 1

Press Release

Thales Leites made quick work of Jesse Taylor, and Ryan Jimmo made a huge statement with a convincing victory at the Maximum Fighting Championship’s MFC 25: Vindication.

In front of more than 4,000 fans at the Northlands Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, and live on HDNet, Leites (17-3) submitted Taylor with an impressive triangle choke at the 2:27 mark of the first round. Taylor (14-6) initially forced Leites to the mat with a double-leg takedown, but the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, product scored big a strike from the bottom that opened a deep gash on Taylor’s eyebrow. That was the beginning of the end as Leites smoothly transitioned into the submission manoeuvre and forced the tapout.

It was a second straight win in the Maximum Fighting Championship for Leites and moved him to the top of the contender list for the MFC middleweight title.

In the night’s co-main event, Jimmo (13-1) surely shocked a number of mixed martial arts pundits as he dominated Wilson Gouveia (12-8) en route to a clear-cut unanimous decision. Jimmo showed his patented counter-striking in Round 1 and then thoroughly applied the heat on Gouveia in Round 2. Jimmo surprisingly took Gouveia down but instead of being caught up in the Brazilian’s jiu-jitsu skills, Jimmo unleashed a ferocious ground-and-pound assault. At one point, Jimmo had Gouveia stacked up in a neutral corner and rained down countless strikes that nearly forced referee John Braak to step in and stop bout. At the end of the round, a battered and bruised Gouveia needed help returning to his corner.

Jimmo continued to showcase a much more confident attack in Round 3, and despite getting caught with a punch from Gouveia in the early moments, he cruised to the win. A pair of judges gave Jimmo a 10-8 score in Round 2 and he finished with counts of 30-27, 30-26, 30-26 in his favor. Jimmo, who now fights out of Edmonton, Alberta, was given a huge ovation by the home-town crowd for the best performance of his career – a result which has tabbed him as the front-runner for a shot at the MFC light heavyweight title.

Meanwhile, former MFC light heavyweight champ Emanuel Newton showed that cleaning up his act outside the ring had a profound effect on his in-ring performance. Newton (13-6), who hails from Norwalk, California, utilized outstanding takedowns and control to take a unanimous decision from crowd favorite Dwayne Lewis (11-5). Newton, whose corner was anchored by MFC lightweight champ Antonio McKee, put a stop to his own three-fight losing skid while snapping Lewis’s own seven-fight win streak. The result was a bitter pill to swallow for Lewis who had more than 400 fans in the audience from his home town of Fort McMurray, Alberta.

In an entertaining welterweight encounter, veteran Pete Spratt (21-17) picked up the Knockout of the Night by stopping Luigi Fioravanti (17-7) at 4:02 of Round 3. Spratt took control in Round 2 doing most of his damage with brutal kicks to the body. In the third, Spratt dropped Fioravanti with a stiff jab and then pounced with a barrage that brought upon the stoppage. It was the second straight win in the Maximum Fighting Championship for the native of San Antonio, Texas, who captured the MFC’s 2009 Knockout of the Year in his last appearance at MFC 22 back in October.

Gavin Neil (8-1) picked up the Submission of the Night by coaxing a tapout from Richie Hightower (8-4) at 2:52 of Round 1. Hightower was done in by a wicked left hook from Neil and the Victoria, British Columbia, native moved quickly into a fight-ending rear-naked choke.
　
Other results:

Chase Gormley (7-2) def. Ryan Fortin (4-3) – Unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Chad Freeman (4-3) def. Mike Froese (3-3) – 3:48 Round 1, tapout via armbar

Keto Allen (4-0) def. Aaron Berke (4-2) – 2:58 Round 1, TKO

Jevon Marshall (1-0) def. Garret Nybakken (1-1) – 2:00 Round 3, tapout via rear-naked choke

Join us tonight as The MMA News brings you the live, Quick Updates for Maximum Fighting Championships latest event “MFC 25: Vindication” from the Northlands Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

MFC 25: Vindication will take place on Friday, May 7 at the Northlands Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, and will air live on HDNet Fights throughout North America.

The preliminary action will begin at approx. 8:15 p.m. EST (5:15 p.m. PST) with the main broadcast card beginning at 10 p.m. EST.

Former UFC middleweight challenger Thales Leites will be facing former “TUF” fighter Jesse Taylor in the main event which will determine the top contender for the MFC middleweight title. Jimmo and Lewis, who are from Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alberta, respectively, are two of the MFC’s most-popular fighters and both are in separate bouts which will go a long way to setting the stage for the next MFC light heavyweight title bout.

The MMA News will be keeping the spoilers off-of the main page. To see the live quick results for MFC 25: Vindication click

The full card for MFC 25 is as follows:

Main Card:

- Thales Leites def. Jesse Taylor via submission (triangle choke) – R1,2:27
- Ryan Jimmo def. Wilson Gouveia via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
- Emanuel Newton def. Dwayne Lewis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Pete Spratt def. Luigi Fioravanti via TKO (strikes) – R3, 4:02
- Gavin Neil def. Richie Hightower via submission (rnc) – R1, 2:52
- Chase Gormley def. Ryan Fortin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary card:

- Chad Freeman def. Mike Froese via submission (arm bar) – R1, 3:48
- Keto Allen def. Aaron Berke via TKO (punches) – R1, 2:15
- Jevon Marshall def. Garret Nybakken via submission (rear naked choke) – R3, 2:00

Press Release

With the incredible MFC 25 card fast-approaching, it’s time once again for the Z-Files to take an in-depth look at each fight with the usual Top 10 Questions.

This is without a doubt the most-talent laden lineup ever for an MFC fight card and there’s high expectations on the roster coming off the unbelievable action at MFC 24 so hopefully these fighters will take a peek at the last show, get fired up, and deliver in just same style of action that the Maximum Fighting Championship wants for its awesome loyal crowd.

1. Whose fist connects first? There should be plenty of fireworks on this entire card but as many insiders are predicting it’s the David Heath-Solomon Hutcherson showdown that could very well provide the most sparks. Heath and Hutcherson are both brawlers who prefer to settle the issue standing or at least in ground-and-pound fashion. Most likely this one comes down to lands the perfect shot on the button the fastest. Critical point – how does Heath’s body, especially stamina and strength, adapt to the new middleweight class?

2. Can “Forrest” run through the “Samurai”? The head-down, come-forward approach is how Gavin “Forrest (Gump)” Neil gets it done. Forget lateral movement and stepping back. Neil is the kind of guy who comes to fight, putting himself at risk for the greater good which makes him a huge fan favorite. Richie “The Dirty Samurai” Hightower isn’t likely to wait for Neil to make his move. If he comes straight at Neil, it will be interesting to see if Neil finds a different route or sticks with his chin-out, fists up game plan.

3. Is Allen a welterweight rising star? Keto Allen was a physical force when he made his MFC debut. But as a newly re-classed welterweight, Allen should be an absolute beast at 170. Now if Allen can be an imposing presence and match that with the skill he could become a real threat in the MFC ranks. Aaron Berke gets the test to see if Allen is a wrecking ball or not.

4. Who wants the rematch more? Chad Freeman and Mike Froese will go toe-to-toe for a second time – Freeman taking their original clash almost two years ago. Froese enters the MFC as a hugely popular local favorite but it’s a much bigger stage for him this time and how he adapts to that on top of the pressure to perform in front of his fans plus the heat on him for revenge, well, that’s a lot to handle. This should be a very entertaining undercard encounter.

5. What is the “Tank’s” secret? Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti didn’t reveal much about his game plan in a recent interview but he did say he had a “secret” for “The Secret Weapon” Pete Spratt. Does that mean Fioravanti is willing to square-off and go strike-for-strike with Spratt? Fioravanti does have very strong striking skills but Spratt’s hands, and moreso his feet, are deadly. Spratt’s best defense is to keep it standing so it remains to be seen whether Fioravanti’s Italian bravado makes it a stand-up affair or is the secret nothing more than smoke screen for a submission assault.

6. Can the “Vanilla Gorilla” go ape on Gormley? It’s a big step up for Ryan “The Vanilla Gorilla” Fortin has he faces Chase Gormley, who should have a strength advantage over his younger foe. Gormley has a vast edge in experience and is back under the instruction of Antonio McKee which is a huge level above Fortin’s usual training surroundings. But Fortin should have an edge in the stand-up – if he can keep Gormley from closing the distance, he could find his range to land some big bombs.

7. Is “The Hardcore Kid” back? Trainer and MFC lightweight champ Antonio McKee swears his athletic and talented protégé Emanuel “The Hardcore Kid” Newton is back to the form that once made him the MFC light heavyweight champ. It won’t take long to find out if that’s true or not as Newton takes on Dwayne Lewis, who is on a terrific tear and eyeing a title shot of his own. Newton won’t have a choice but be at his best as Lewis is a punisher and isn’t about to hold back. Newton’s best hope is to take Lewis into deep
waters and see how he treads as Lewis will be out to end it early with one of his potent punches.

8. Can you bank on “JT Money”? Jesse “JT Money” Taylor is by far the underdog with few insiders giving him much of a chance against skilled Brazilian Thales Leites. But the former reality show standout does have a few believers who figure his wrestling game and aggression could cause huge problems for Leites, who has the obvious edge in the field of submissions. Taylor might be well-advised to keep the fight on the feet and test Leites to see if his improving stand-up game is at title-contender level.

9. Can Jimmo finally bring the heat? Ryan “The Big Deal” Jimmo has all the tools and an affable personality that makes him championship material. Unfortunately, though, Jimmo has failed to capitalize on numerous
opportunities to cement himself in the title picture because he hasn’t been a big finisher despite a 12-fight winning streak. Doubt he’ll have the chance to grind out another win against Wilson Gouveia, who at light heavyweight, shouldn’t run out of gas like he did due to the 185-pound weight cut. Gouveia comes out guns blazing so we’ll see if Jimmo has a loaded pistol in his holster.

10. Who will the breakout performer be? At MFC 24, Jesse Juarez propelled himself into the welterweight title picture with an 11-second knockout, and middleweight Tom Watson made a massive statement with a head-kick highlight reel topper. Those two fighters, alongside Yves Edwards, stole the spotlight at the last show, which now leaves the door open at MFC 25 for the next fighter to make the step up.

Press Release

Fresh off signing a two-fight deal with the Maximum Fighting Championship, Jesse “JT Money” Taylor has garnered a spot in the main event for MFC 25: Vindication.

Taylor (14-5) will meet Thales Leites (16-3) in the headliner bout of the MFC’s upcoming show on Friday, May 7 at the Northlands Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, and seen live throughout North America on HDNet Fights.

“This is a main-event matchup that could easily become a Fight of the Year candidate,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich. “I love Jesse Taylor’s aggressive nature and he is coming here with bad intentions on his mind. And Thales Leites has a new-found desire to showcase his raw power and talent.

“Neither one of these guys is going to sit back and let the fight come to him – they are going to step up and bring it. There is a title shot at stake here and both of these guys are coveting the MFC championship belt.”

Leites used solid takedown defense and took advantage of what opportunities were in front of him on his way to a unanimous decision victory over Dean Lister at MFC 23 back in December. That win ended a two-fight losing skid for the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, native who holds career victories over such notables as Nate Marquardt, Drew McFedries, Pete Sell, and Jose Landis-Jons.

Taylor, who fights out of Murietta, California, has an impressive list of wins to his credit as well holding verdicts over Jason Day, Chris Camozzi, and Jesse Forbes. “JT Money” is a former reality show cast member and holds a decorated career in amateur wrestling including a Division I NCAA tournament appearance and honored twice as a junior college All-American.

The Leites-Taylor encounter tops a star-studded lineup for MFC 25: Vindication which includes:

Ryan Jimmo vs. Wilson Gouveia, light heavyweight

Dwayne Lewis vs. Emanuel Newton, light heavyweight

David Heath vs. Solomon Hutcherson, middleweight

Luigi Fioravanti vs. Pete Spratt, welterweight

Tickets for MFC 25: Vindication are on sale now via the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024 or through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.ca and charge-by-phone (780) 451-8000.