The powerlifting portion of 2010 Special Olympics USA National Games was held in Kimball Hall / UNL Campus - Lincoln, NE.

California USA Wrestling Joins the Fight to Save the UC Davis Wrestling Program
 
Fresno, CA – June 28th, 2010 – California USA Wrestling Inc. announced today that they have joined forces with the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) to help financially support the fight to reinstate the University of California, Davis wrestling program. The California USA Wrestling Board of Directors recently donated $20,000 to the cause.
 
Duane Morgan, state chair for California USA Wrestling, had this to say, “Wrestling programs throughout the state of California have taken a big hit over the past six months. Due to the elimination of the UC Davis wrestling program, the student-athletes are essentially left with very few options to stay within the state and wrestle at the Division 1 level. We chose to partner with the NWCA in an effort to help formulate a plan that not only translates into the reinstatement of the wresting program at UC Davis, but that also serves as a long term solution for the remaining college wrestling programs in California.”
 
In April, UC Davis abruptly announced that they were eliminating the wrestling program, and three other intercollegiate sports programs, effective July 1, 2010. The $20,000 donation made to the NWCA, by the California USA Wrestling Board of Directors, is an effort to help sustain an ongoing attempt to reinstate the UC Davis Wrestling program, and to help maintain existing Division 1 wrestling programs in the state of California.  Should UC Davis drop the wrestling program as announced, there will be no remaining collegiate wrestling programs in the University of California system.
 
UC Davis head wrestling coach, Lennie Zalesky, issued a public statement within hours of the announcement stating that the wrestling program had been eliminated. According to Zalesky, in the fall of 2009, he was informed by personnel at the University, that no matter what may come to be, football and wrestling were safe at UC Davis, yet the wrestling program was cut without any notice to the student body, student-athletes, coaching staff or coach Zalesky. Further, UC students were not allowed to attend the press conference announcing the elimination of the program.
 
According to Chancellor Linda Katehi, dropping athletics teams and losing opportunities for student-athletes is regrettable but necessary. However, neither Chancellor Katehi, any university administrators or Athletic Director Greg Warzecka ever discussed the prospect of eliminating the sports programs with the students, student-athletes or the coaching staff, despite the fact that the sports programs are largely funded from self-imposed student fees.
 
Mike Moyer, the executive director of the NWCA, feels that despite the financial situation California continually finds itself in, solutions may be better found with the active involvement of all parties.  Moyer stated, “To purposely ignore the student body, student-athletes and the coaching staff, and to ignore the student initiative, in which the student body agreed to a self imposed fee for sports programs, are disrespectful and irresponsible.”

 
Moyer also expressed his gratitude to California USA Wrestling, “The NWCA would like to personally thank Duane Morgan and the entire California USA Wrestling Board of Directors for their support. Their financial contribution is a testament to their continuous resolve to protect the interests of the wrestling community inCalifornia.”
 
The UC Davis wrestling program had the second highest fund-raising numbers (behind football) over the last three years (averaging $65,000/year), the highest alumni/donor support, and one of the most profitable per contest gates of any sport at UC Davis. This specific criterion was supposed to be examined when determining which programs to retain. The elimination of the UC Davis sports programs, which includes wrestling, as well as men’s and women’s swimming, currently effects 73 female and 80 male student-athletes.
 
About California USA Wrestling Inc.:
 
California USA Wrestling Inc. (CA-USAW) is a non-profit corporation that promotes amateur wrestling in many forms to Californians of all ages. California Wrestling is an affiliate of USA Wrestling in Colorado Springs, the national governing body for international-style amateur wrestling in the United States. They are the designated representatives for USA Wrestling in the State of California. CA-USAW educates the California public in both collegiate and international wrestling styles. In addition, the organization conducts and sponsors well-planned wrestling activities, including wrestling camps, clinics and tournaments, and other related programs in order to improve the quality of California wrestling at all competitive levels. 

About The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA):
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serve and provide leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate wrestling programs. The membership embraces all people who are interested in amateur wrestling. The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognition achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events and serves as an educational and informational source. Additionally, the NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of athletic competition.

Los Angeles, Calif (USA), June 25, 2010….. HeadBlade® announced today that UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Shane Carwin inked a deal with the Culver City-based men’s grooming company specializing in headcare and head-shaving products worldwide.

Carwin holds an impressive 12-0 record in the UFC, many of which ended by knockout. His most recent KO against Frank Mir in UFC 111 landed him the pay-per-view bout against Brock Lesnar on July 3rd at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, billed as “The Biggest Heavyweight Fight Ever.” While Lesnar still holds the Heavyweight Championship belt, Carwin earned the title of Interim Heavyweight Champion after Lesnar pulled out of UFC due to illness in 2009. Up until this point, Carwin has always stepped into the Octagon with hair on his head.

“I am honored to be working with HeadBlade®. I have recently started shaving my head (mother nature was doing it for me) and I love it,” Carwin said. “Using the HeadBlade® Sport razor gives me a cleaner and faster shave than any other grooming device. For a guy who is raising a family, and being the UFC Interim Champion, time is everything. HeadBlade® is the ultimate razor, and the only one good enough for me.”
Todd Greene, the owner and inventor of HeadBlade®, saw an incredible opportunity to sponsor Carwin. “We’ve been huge fans of MMA (mixed martial-arts) since starting the company in 1999,” Greene said. “Shane is an undeniable force in the UFC, and when we heard he started shaving his head, there was no hesitation. He’s both a powerful fighter, and a genuine class act – the type of guy we had to have on our team.”
HeadBlade® has a long history of partnering with athletes and celebrities that embody the lifestyle of the brand, including NBA star Al Harrington, Olympian Zach Lund, comedian Howie Mandel, and over 40 fighters such as Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and Keith Jardine.
Watch freshly-shaved Carwin brawl with Lesnar on pay-per-view Saturday July 3rd in Las Vegas for UFC 116. Carwin fans can also have exclusive chances to win prizes leading up to the fight through HeadBlade® and Carwin’s communities.
(photo via HeadBlade.com

This past weekend NASA held their USA Nationals. Many of NASA's best lifters made their appearance in outstanding fashion. Below is a summary of their performances, as well as photos from the event.

updated with results 8:22pm Sunday night

To follow are links to the live web cast and online scoreboard of the 2010 USA Powerlifting Men's National Powerlifting Championships. The competition continues today and will run through Sunday at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Today's schedule is as follows: 9:00 AM: 242 pound class; 1:30 PM 275 pound and SHW Class

(Brian Choi (L) Isamu Himura (R))
Press Release

Singapore’s Brian “Polar Bear” Choi clinches rousing victory at Resorts World Sentosa
Crowd favourite Malik clinches Superfight Championship title over Washington to conclude successful Martial Combat 4

SINGAPORE, 17 June 2010 – Martial Combat 4 provided another fantastic night of mixed martial arts action with Singapore-based Brian Choi stealing the show with his closely-contested decision over Japanese American Isamu Himura after a frantic see-saw battle at Resorts World Sentosa.

The two fighters set a frenetic pace as they constantly battled for position throughout the fight. Choi, a wrestling coach at Evolve MMA, landed a series of eye-catching takedowns in the fight, utilizing his wrestling skills to repeatedly pick Himura up and slam him on the ground. Himura responded with a few takedowns of his own as both men exchanged submission attempts.

The audience gave both fighters an enormous ovation at the start of round three as a rapidly tiring Himura attempted to take the fight to the floor. Choi was able to defend the takedown attempt and caught Himura in an arm bar. Choi appeared to have the submission locked in and Himura must have been tempted to tap but showed incredible heart to escape and fight to the finish. The fight was a fantastic exhibition of skills by both men which captivated the Resorts World audience and Choi was deservedly awarded the winning decision.

Said Choi, who was delighted to emerge victorious in front of his home fans: “He was a late replacement and I didn’t know anything about him so I couldn’t prepare. It was a tough fight but I think the takedowns won me the fight. This is a great show and I am proud to be representing Evolve MMA and Singapore.”

Highly rated Filipino fighter Eduard Folayang was tipped for a victory in the opening fight, but faced a stern examination of his MMA credentials against Slovakian Muay Thai specialist Egon Racz. Racz threw a couple of early leg kicks but Folayang, who has a very high level of Wushu, was able to check them comfortably. The Filipino scored with a right hand before landing a huge takedown. Racz showed some intelligent submission defence but was simply overwhelmed by Folayang who landed some ground and pound before sinking in a guillotine choke.

Muhsin Corbbrey, a world renowned MMA fighter, was looking to put on an eye-catching performance against the unbeaten Wu Cheng Jie. Corbrey scored with some heavy leg kicks but Wu was able to catch one and send Corbbrey to the canvass. It proved to be a fatal error as the American is deadly on his back. Corbbrey first attempted an armbar and from there transitioned into the mount. Once Corbbrey had secured a dominant position there was simply nowhere for the Chinese to run from the professional boxer as he received a torrent of vicious elbows that left the referee little option but to step in and award the fight to the American.

Brazilian Arthur Cesar was able to make it two wins out of two tonight for the Evolve MMA team with a submission win over South Korean stand up specialist Yun Seob Kwak. Cesar secured an early take down and pinned his opponent to the floor before finishing the fight with a rear naked choke.

The Superfight Championship Belt showdown was billed as the War in Singapore with Afghanistan-born Malik Mawlayi taking on Cyrus Washington from USA. After a hesitant start, the muay thai-trained Washington took the fight to Mawlayi who threw a wild back kick before taking the American to the floor and quickly moved into side control. Cyrus gave up his back in an attempt to escape and Mawlayi sunk his hooks in and secured the rear naked choke for the victory.

Said a jubilant Mawlayi: “He was so tall, when I saw him stepping into the cage, I thought I’d go to my Plan B, which was to take him down. But he was so strong I couldn’t submit him that fast, but as soon as he made a mistake I caught him – rear naked chokes are my specialty. I felt good fighting in Singapore and I am thankful my fans for cheering for me. I’d like to tell them to keep believing in me and I will certainly be back.”

Tonight’s contests were crowd pleasers with fans cheering on and inspiring the fighters. Held at the Compass Ballroom, Resorts World Sentosa, the Martial Combat series featured 10 world-class mixed martial arts fighters battle over five explosive fights, presented by ESPN STAR Sports and Resorts World Sentosa. Resorts World® Sentosa Martial Combat™ is the only MMA event officially recognized and sanctioned by two of the world’s leading governing bodies in the martial arts scene, the Asian Mixed Martial Arts Federation (AMMAF) and the World Martial Arts Federation of Singapore.

Mixed martial arts fans can expect even more hard-hitting action in Martial Combat 5 and 6 when another ten fighters do battle next month on 14-15 July at the majestic Compass Ballroom, Resorts World Sentosa. Fans can look forward to more fights over the next four months with some of the world’s top professional contenders competing at Resorts World® Sentosa. Kindly visit www.RWmartialcombat.com for more information.

updated with some results

To follow are links to the live web cast and online scoreboard of the 2010 USA Powerlifting Men's National Powerlifting Championships. The competition begins today and will run through Sunday at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Today's schedule is as follows: 9:00 AM (PST): 52 kg - 67.5 kg; 1:30 PM (PST): 75 kg.

Press Release
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Redemption. It’s a word that bantamweight Joseph Benavidez has had etched in his brain since last August. You see, when the 25-year-old first locked horns with Dominick Cruz last summer, the two engaged in three of the most action-packed rounds in World Extreme Cagefighting® history. Unfortunately for Benavidez, he came up just short on that sizzling August night and was handed the first and only loss of his professional career.

On Wednesday, August 18 from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Benavidez gets another crack at Cruz. WEC officials announced today that Benavidez will challenge Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight title in a hotly-anticipated summer showdown. Plus, former featherweight champion Urijah Faber makes his 135-pound debut as he takes on Japanese striking sensation Takeya Mizugaki.

This epic summer event will be held in conjunction with the MAGIC trade show, the men’s fashion industry’s premier convention – held at The Las Vegas Convention Center and The Mandalay Bay Convention Center, August 17-19.

“When Dominick and Joseph fought last August, it was one of those fights that kept you on the edge of your seat,” WEC General Manager Reed Harris said. “Now we get to see the Cruz-Benavidez rematch with even more at stake – the world title. If that wasn’t enough, we’ll get to see Urijah Faber take on Takeya Mizugaki in a fight that has the potential to be one of the best of the summer.”

Tickets for WEC: Cruz vs. Benavidez go on sale Thursday, June 17 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $246, $171, and $96. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to WEC newsletter subscribers on Wednesday, June 16 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the WEC newsletter through wec.tv. Tickets will be available at The Pearl box office, online at ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices do not include service charges.

Cruz vs. Benavidez will be televised nationally live on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. All of the network’s live WEC events are presented in HD and Spanish language SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.

Arguably the most dynamic striker in the 135-pound division, San Diego, Calif.’s Dominick Cruz (15-1) prides himself on his unorthodox standup and aggressive wrestling. After defeating Benavidez last August, the 25-year-old scored a second-round TKO stoppage over previously-unbeaten Brian Bowles in March to secure the bantamweight championship. Undefeated at 5-0 since dropping to 135 pounds three years ago, Cruz expects to put on a similar performance as he did when he clashed with Benavidez last year.

“Let’s keep it real: styles make fights and both of the last two guys he has fought stood right in front of him,” Cruz said. “You can’t stand in front of him, you have to use footwork and move. Joseph can’t match my footwork and I have a reach advantage on him. That doesn’t guarantee me the win, but it allows me to dictate a lot of the fight. I fought him once and not a lot of his game has changed. He has definitely improved, as I have, every single day. But there are a lot of tricks up my sleeve that I will use against Joseph for this fight.”

Training out of the same camp as WEC stars Urijah Faber and Chad Mendes, Sacramento, Calif.’s Joseph Benavidez is coming off two of the most impressive feats in recent memory. Last December, the 25-year-old scored a phenomenal knockout victory over jiu-jitsu ace Rani Yahya. Then, just three months later, Benavidez became the first man to ever submit former bantamweight champion Miguel Angel Torres. Now, with Cruz in his crosshairs, Benavidez plans to avenge his only loss and capture the world title.

“Those are two of the main goals in my career, to win the title and avenge that loss on the same night,” Benavidez said. “He’s a tough fighter, but I’m a different fighter since I fought him last. I think he had a great night and I had a bad night, and it was still really close, so if I fight like I’m capable of I have no doubt I will come out with the victory.”

One of the top lighter weight fighters of all-time, former featherweight champion Urijah Faber has defeated some of the sport’s best names. From Jeff Curran to Jens Pulver to Raphael Assuncao, the 31-year-old served as the 145-pound kingpin for over two years. Now, “The California Kid” has his sights set on winning a championship in the loaded bantamweight division. Up first for the Sacramento, Calif. native is Takeya Mizugaki, one of the division’s most talented athletes.

“I’m excited to take this fight at 135-pounds and test myself against the best bantamweights in the world,” Faber, who owns a record of 23-4, said. “Mizugaki is really tough, but I’m ready to make an impact and work toward becoming a champion again.”

Japanese star Takeya Mizugaki burst onto the scene last year, waging a five-round war with then-champion Miguel Angel Torres. Since that time, the 26-year-old has become one of the most feared bantamweights in the world. Having defeated Rani Yahya in his last fight in January, Mizugaki (13-4-2) is prepared to rudely welcome Faber to the 135-pound weight class.

“I never shy away from tough fights, so I’m excited to fight Urijah,” Mizugaki, who holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering, said. “Urijah’s first fight in this division won’t be an easy one. I plan on beating him on Aug. 18.”

Remaining bouts for WEC: Cruz vs. Benavidez will be announced at a later date. For more information, visit www.wec.tv. Follow WEC at http://twitter.com/WEConVERSUS.

To follow is the link for the USAPL Men's Nationals Online score sheets, as well as the press release for the upcoming event. The USA Powerlifting Men’s National Powerlifting Championships will run from June 18-20 at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

For Immediate Release:

XPTV is growing, and we would like to thank all the Promoters, Sponsors and Powerlifters. We are placing monthly ads in Powerlifting USA Magazine. XPTV is proud to announce that we will be working with Powerlifting USA.