|
|||||
|
All posts by FNU47
Long Island favorite Tommy “Rab chais” Rainone looking for big win this Saturday night in boardwalk debut
   |
|
Rainone to take on Maurice Chalmers this Saturday at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City
Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna battles Kendal Mena in main event
|
|
Rau Tam Sim Tso
Atlantic NROOG, NJ (Lub peb hlis ntuj 15, 2016)–Qhov no Saturday hmo ntuj ntawm The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, Long Island based welterweight Tommy Rainone makes his debut on the boardwalk when he battles Maurice Chalmers in a eight round bout in a featured undercard bout of a 11-bout card promoted by Rising Promotions and Vincent M.Ponte’s Gulfstream Promotions.
Nyob rau hauv lub ntsiab kev tshwm sim, Thomas LaManna yuav siv sij hawm nyob rau hauv Kendal Mena in a eight round welterweight bout.
Rainone has a record of 24-7-1 with with five knockouts has long been a fan favorite in the Empire state, and the fight with Chalmers will fulfill a venue that has been on the 36 year-old’s bucket list.
“I have fought in Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium, The Legendary Blue Horizon and Las Vegas. I have been wanting to fight in Atlantic City for a long time and Saturday it finally happens,” said Rainone.
What makes Rainone’s career even more fascinating is that he works a full-time job overnight working for Hilton Hotels in the accounting the department.
That makes for long days, working until the early morning, getting just a few hours of sleep and then going to the gym before his overnight shift.
“I have not had a day off in seven weeks, but I will be ready to go nyob rau hnub Saturday hmo ntuj. I have had pretty good training and sparring. Now I am just maintaining my weight “
In Chalmers, he is facing a veteran who has a record of 14-12-1 nrog yim knockouts. Chalmers has knocked off three undefeated fighters, but Rainone is confident that his skills and preparation will be enough to get his hand raised.
“I have seen him once in person. He defeated an undefeated guy and he was very aggressive that night. I have seen other fight’s where he sits back and is a counter puncher. I prepare for anything.”
Since turning professional in 2006, Rainone has been an instant fan favorite, and he feels he owes a lot of support to the many supporters who have stuck by him through his whole career.
“Without a fan base, you don’t get fights. I will have 100 or so fans down in Atlantic City. I owe everything to them.”
Rainone believes his popularity is due large in part to him being just an “everyday guy” and his fans can relate to him.
“I always put on a good fight, but I am relate able. After the fights, I hang out with everybody. I am humble and I show the fans how much I appreciate him.”
Nyob rau hauv nws cov nag sib ntau sib tw, Rainone took one of the step up fights that could have set him up for a major opportunity when he took on former junior middleweight champion Ishe Smith.
Rainone came up just short in that fight, but Rainone wanted to test himself against the former world champion.
“That fight was a tall order. Ishe is the bigger man and a former world champion. I am not a junior middleweight. I tried very hard and I knew if I had won that fought, I would have been ranked in the top-ten.”
Rainone is only planning to fight another couple of years and he still has the goals of every fighter, but he is taking his career fight by fight.
“The goal is one fight at a time. I am excited to fight in Atlantic City. I want to fight at Barclays Center and again in Madison Square Square Garden as well fighting for a title back in Atlantic City.”
“I have done this the hard way throughout my career. I do not know who has done it the way I have. I have done this on my own without any alliance or any promoter and I am very proud what I have accomplished and I still have more to do.”
Daim pib rau lub March 19th fight card are $50 GA, $75 Stage (very few remaining)& $125 VIP (SOLD OUT) (Booths ntawm 5 available for $500—SOLD OUT) and are available at RisingBoxingPromotions.com or 609-487-4444.
The Claridge Hotel is located at 123 S. Indiana Ave.. Atlantic City NJ
Facebook.com/risingstarboxing~~V
Instagram: risingpromo      
  Rising Promotions twb tsim nrog lub hom phiaj ntawm qhov ib tug tsev tuav lub npe nrog tus tseem ceeb lub hom phiaj ntawm Rising Promotions muaj peev xwm ua hauj lwm ib array ntawm txawv tej yam tshwj xeeb hauv cov kev ua si thiab kev lom zem kev lag luam, Cov CEO thiab koom tes ntawm Rising Promotions xav tias cov sij hawm rau cov kev loj hlob tsis muaj kev txom. Peb xav muab lub sij hawm rau thiab los kev raws li zoo raws li kev pib xyaum ua boxers uas lwm promoters yuav tsis nkag muab lub sij hawm los. Cov txheej xwm uas Rising lub hom phiaj yuav los saib xyuas yuav muab ntau npaum li cas yuav tsum tau pheej yig, tsev neeg-phooj ywg ua si lom ze.
|
WBC FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION GARY RUSSELL JR. DEFENDS AGAINST IRELAND’S PATRICK HYLAND IN MAIN EVENT OF SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® DOUBLEHEADER ON SATURDAY, PLAUB HLI 16 FROM FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO IN MASHANTUCKET, I
IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Jose Pedraza Takes On Liverpool’s Stephen Smith In Co-Feature
Nyob Ntawm Showtime® Ntawm 11 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. PT
Daim pib rau muag khoom Tam sim no!
MASHANTUCKET, I (Lub peb hlis ntuj 15, 2016) – Gary Russell Jr. will return to the ring to defend his WBC Featherweight World Title against Irish contender Patrick Hyland rau Saturday, Plaub Hlis Ntuj 16, nyob rau SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. THIAB/8 p.m. PT) los ntawm Foxwoods Resort Twv txiaj yuam pov nyob rau hauv Mashantucket, I.
Nyob rau hauv lub Showtime CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature, undefeated IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Jose Pedraza will defend against mandatory challenger Stephen Smith.
Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 Kos) will be making the first defense of his featherweight world title that he earned after stopping defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez in the fourth-round last March. He was set to defend last November, but was forced to withdraw due to a training injury. If he can get by the extremely motivated Hyland (31-1, 15 Kos), Russell Jr. is in line for big fights with fellow champions and top contenders such as Leo Santa Cruz, Lee Selby, Hlob Abner mares thiab Carl Frampton.
“I’m excited about being back in the ring,” said Russell. “It’s been a year because of an injury, but I’m feeling great and more ready than ever. I’ll be prepared for anything. I’m looking forward to meeting Mr. Hyland on the 16th and I’m ready to prove I’m the best featherweight in the world.”
“This is a fantastic opportunity to fight for the WBC title, one of the belts that I’ve always wanted to hold,” said Hyland. “It means the world to me to be fighting for this title against a real champion like Gary Russell Jr. I think he’s a great fighter who does everything well so I have to be at my best on fight night. But I know I can beat him and take that belt home to Ireland. I’m just a lad from Jobstown in Tallaght who works hard and loves the fight game. I’ve been trained all my life by my father, may God rest him, and to win a world title will make all of his hard work and effort worthwhile.”
Pedraza (21-0, 12 Kos) won his 130-pound world title last June when he dominated Andrey Klimovto capture the vacant belt, and he successfully defended it last October in an exciting battle againstEdner Cherry. Both bouts aired on SHOWTIME. Now he faces the mandatory challenger in Smith(23-1, 13 Kos), uas tau yeej 11 straight bouts and may present the toughest challenge of Pedraza’s burgeoning career.
“I am in excellent condition, had an extraordinary training camp and am anxious to demonstrate my skills in the ring on April 16,” Hais Pedraza. “I am truly looking forward to entertaining the fans in attendance and remaining undefeated as I defense my crown against Smith. I am determined to become the next big star out of Puerto Rico.”
“I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity, but the timing couldn’t be better,” said Smith. “I’m excited to get the opportunity to win the world title live on Sky Sports in the UK and on SHOWTIME in America. Pedraza is a quality fighter but I know I will do whatever is needed to become world champion on April 16 and I can’t wait.”
Daim pib rau lub nyob kev tshwm sim, uas yog nce los ntawm DiBella Lom ze, yog luv nqi ntawm $150, $90 thiab $45 tsis xws li siv cov kev pab nqi thiab them se thiab yog rau cov muag khoom tam sim no. Daim pib muaj nyob rau ntawmwww.ticketmaster.com thiab www.foxwoods.com los yog mus saib tau lub Foxwoods’ Box Office. Yuav kom them los ntawm lub xov tooj hu Ticketmaster ntawm (800) 745-3000. The Pedraza vs. Smith bout is promoted in association with Gary Shaw Productions, Universal Promotions and Matchroom Boxing.
“This SHOWTIME doubleheader is a can’t-miss event,” hais tias Lou DiBella, Presidentof DiBella Entertainment. “In Russell-Hyland, you have one of the most gifted fighters in all of boxing defending his title against a hungry and tough-as-nails Irishman in the biggest fight of his career. Pedraza is looking to make a statement against Smith, Britain’s number one contender, and to follow in the footsteps of past Puerto Rican superstars.”
A speedy and supremely talented boxer, Russell Jr., was impressive in his fourth-round stoppage of the battle-tested Gonzalez last March. Lub 2008 U.S. Olympian had scored important victories overVyacheslav Gusev, Juan Ruiz, thiab Miguel Tamayo before losing a majority decision to Vasyl Lomachenko for the WBO 126-pound title in June 2014. Lub southpaw, ntawm Capitol Heights, Md., was able to return to his winning ways with a unanimous decision over Christopher Martin that December prior to his coronation against Gonzalez, whom he dropped three times en route to capturing the title.
Leading into his last fight on Oct. 10, nyob rau hauv Lowell, Loj., Ireland tus Hyland was dealing with heavy emotions following the death of his beloved father and longtime trainer, and the birth of his first son. The 32-year-old remained steadfast, fighting in memory of his father to stop David Martinez nyob rau hauv lub yim puag ncig. It was his fourth consecutive victory since suffering his lone defeat, a close and competitive loss to the unbeaten Javier Fortuna for the interim WBA World Featherweight Title in December 2012. Tam sim no, presented with another world title opportunity, Hyland seeks to honor his father’s legacy by bringing the championship back home.
The switch-hitting former Puerto Rican Olympian Pedraza backed up his “Lub Sniper” moniker against Klimov as he picked apart the Russian with superior speed and accuracy on his way to a world title. Pedraza earned a shot at the title in his previous bout with a career-best win over former world title challenger Michael Farenas. The 26-year-old will have title unification on his mind if he can conquer his mandatory opponent on Plaub Hlis Ntuj 16.
Part of a fighting family, Smith’s brothers Callum, Liam and Paul all fight professionally at a high level and he hopes to join Liam as a fellow world champion on Plaub Hlis Ntuj 16. The 30-year-old has fought professionally since 2008 and his only blemish came against featherweight world champion Lee Selby in 2011. Smith earned his title shot with a sixth-round stoppage of Devis Boschiero nyob rau hauv lub Cuaj Hli Ntuj 2015 thiab yuav tsum ua nws U.S. debut at Foxwoods.
Yog xav paub ntxiv, mus ntsib www.SHO.com/Sports, raws li nyob rau hauv TwitterSHOSports, MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports,thiab www.Facebook.com/
PAUL WILLIAMS RETURNS TO BOXING AS A TRAINER
FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TO TRAIN PROSPECT JUSTIN DELOACH
IN FOURTH FIGHT ADDED TO Friday, MARCH 25,
SHOBOX: TUS TSHIAB TIAM TELECAST
“I’m scared all over again, like this is my first fight.” – Paul Williams
Super Welterweight DeLoach Takes on Undefeated Local Favorite Dillon Cook;
Promising Meets Aaron Herrera in Main Event;
Nyob rau SHOWTIME® Ntawm 10:30 p.m. THIAB/PT
TSHIAB YORK (Lub peb hlis ntuj 15, 2016) – Former two-time world champion Paul Williams, who’s pro career came to a sudden and tragic end when he was paralyzed from the waist down after a motorcycle accident in May 2012, is back in boxing as a trainer.
The popular Williams will work the corner of once-beaten Justin DeLoach (13-1, 7 Kos) when DeLoach faces undefeated super welterweight and local favorite Dillon Cook (16-0, 6 Kos) in the opening eight-round bout of what is now a ShoBox: Tshiab Tiam quadrupleheader rau Friday, Lub peb hlis ntuj 25, nyob rauSHOWTIME (10:30 p.m. THIAB/PT, ncua nyob rau hauv lub sab hnub poob ntug dej hiav txwv) los ntawm Twm Khiav Twv txiaj yuam pov nyob rau hauv Miami, Okla.
DeLoach is the first boxer to be trained by Williams, the former 154-pound southpaw who has been confined to a wheelchair since the accident.
“I guess I was being selfish at first,” Williams said. “I didn’t want to deal with the fight game. I wanted to be the one fighting. But that changed.”
Williams was reluctant to train fighters for a long time. Nws yogGeorge Peterson, who managed and trained Williams from the time the boxer was a skinny kid with little amateur experience until his career ended, that helped persuade “The Punisher” to return to the ring. Williams trains his pupil at a private gym in his hometown of Aiken, S.C.
“You know me, I really didn’t want to do this,’’ Williams said. “But finally after three or four years of George practically begging me to try and do it, this opportunity came along and I decided to give it a shot.
“Everything is about timing. I started thinking about it, George kept asking me and messing with me about it, one thing led to another, and I finally said I’d take a stab at it.
Williams, who is enjoying his new job description, admits there are some pre-fight jitters.
“I’m scared all over again, like this is my first fight. Tam sim no, I have to think about everything that Mr. Pete was thinking about when I was fighting. I have to try and teach Justin what I knew how to do.
“George and I accomplished a lot. He made me a world champion; before that, no one knew who he or I was. We were just a couple of guys from Aiken, S.C. We gave fans fights to remember.
“I was the fighter the press labeled as ‘Most feared in boxing.’ But that’s over for me now. I’m jumping into a whole new thing. It’s been an adjustment but I’m glad I’m doing it.’’
In his role as a trainer, Williams’ mindset has changed drastically from his fighting days. “Look, I always feel good,'' Nws hais tias. “What’s happened has happened. Nws yog dab tsi nws yog. This is my first time stepping back into the world. Kuv hlub boxing.
“What I don’t want to see is a fighter getting hurt. This is a hard sport. I know when I was in there I was always going for broke. But I want Justin, all fighters actually, to come out of the ring the same way they came in. Yeej los yog poob, I don’t want to see anybody get hurt.’’
On DeLoach, Williams hais tias, “He’s a good fighter and now he’s in the spotlight. I want to do my best in the training world to get him at his peak. I hope he does his best. I’d love to one-up George with Justin.’’
Becoming the best takes strenuous work on a daily basis, and Williams was no stranger to putting in the hours.
“I never took a shortcut,'' Nws hais tias. “You take shortcuts, you know what’ll happen. I took the long road home when I was fighting and fans, neeg tua hluav taws, everybody knew what to expect when I stepped in the ring.
“Justin isn’t like this, but one thing I know is that fighters think they’re slick. Zoo, you can’t pull anything over me. Kuv twb tau muaj, seen it all.’’
Thiab, raws li ib txwm, he’ll have George Peterson by his side.
“I’m just helping Paul,’’ said Peterson, who will serve as Williams’ assistant trainer. “So far, he’s doing great.”
It will be the ShoBox thiab 2016 debuts — and toughest fight to date — for both DeLoach and Cook.
DeLoach was a top amateur, competing in the USA Boxing National Championships in 2012. He won a National Silver Golden Gloves title when he was 13.
The 22-year-old DeLoach, of Augusta, Ga., has won three in a row since suffering his lone loss to Cesar Villa rau FEB. 6, 2015. That was before he started training with Williams.
“This has been a total blessing, and I say that every day,” DeLoach said. “Thank God. He’s the one who brought the two of us together, that’s the main thing. Paul loves it, just to be back. I think he was scared at first, his reputation was at stake and so was mine.
“But he’s been so helpful – just in the mental side of things. I was already a good boxer but he’s taken me to another level mentally. He’s been pushing me, criticizing me, giving me instructions and picking my brain.”
DeLoach and Williams grew up just 30 minutes down the road from each other.
“Me and Paul, we’ve known each other our whole lives,’’ DeLoach said. “I’m from Augusta, Ga., and he was right across in Aiken. We knew each other when I was coming up as an amateur. He came to my last pro fight that was in San Antonio. When I saw him, I got so excited. We started to talk and I said something like, 'Hav, Paul, wouldn’t it be cool if we got together?'
“Once I came home, we started working together and he’s been training me since. I think we’re going on about three months now. It’s an unbelievable feeling to be able to work with one of my favorite fighters.”
Nyob rau hauv nws cov nag mus ua si, DeLoach won a shutout four-round decision overSantos Benavides kawg Dec. 12. DeLoach, a pro since March 2013, fought six times that year and four times each in 2014 thiab 2015.
“I’m really looking forward to fighting for the first time for him,” DeLoach said. “I’ve gone crazy waiting for my break and an opportunity like this to fight on SHOWTIME. I know it’s not easy fighting in your opponent’s backyard, but with Paul, George Peterson and me and my skills, we are confident it will be a good fight.’’
Ua noj, 25, is from Seneca, Hli, which is located about 20 minutes from Buffalo Run Casino where he has fought six times. A top amateur, he won six Golden Gloves titles, a Junior Golden Gloves National title, a Heartland title and four regional Silver Gloves titles. He is popular at Buffalo Run and will be making his premium network television debut against easily his most dangerous assignment as a pro. Cook’s brother, Jesse, a welterweight with a record of 15-1-1, will box on the non-televised portion of the event.
Dillon Cook turned pro in August 2012, fought twice that year, seven times in 2013, four times in 2014 and three times last year. Five of his last seven took place at Buffalo Run, including two out of three in 2015. He’s coming off a lopsided eight-round decision overRahman Yusubov kawg Nov. 14.
“I couldn’t be more excited about making my ShoBox debut, right at home, at the Buffalo Run Casino,” Cook said. “This is a huge opportunity for me, and I plan on putting on a spectacular showing, for all my fans there that night and everyone watching on TV.”
Nyob rau hauv lub ShoBox ntsiab kev tshwm sim, unbeaten super lightweight knockout artist and emerging rising star, Regis "Rougarou" PROGRAMS (16-0, 13 Kos), Houston by way of New Orleans, will meet experienced Aaron "Lub Jewel" Herrera (29-4-1, 18 Kos), of Valladolid, Mexico, in a 10-round match.
Four undefeated fighters will clash in the two other eight-rounders on the telecast: Hard-los tsoo Ivan "The Beast" Baranchyk (9-0, 8 Kos), ntawm Brooklyn, N.Y., ntsej muag Nicholas “King Beamen” Givhan(16-0-1, 10 Kos), ntawm Kalamazoo, Mich., in a super lightweight scrap and Ukrainian Ivan "Lub Volk" Golub (10-0, 8 Kos, 5-0 nyob rau hauv lub ntiaj teb no Series ntawm Boxing), ntawm Brooklyn, N.Y., raws li Marlon Aguas (9-0, 6 Kos), ntawm Quito, Ecuador, nyob rau hauv ib tug welterweight match.
Tickets for the event promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Tony Holden Productions are priced at $45, $55 thiab $75 thiab muaj nyob rau yuav khoom ntawm buffalorun.com thiab nyob stubwire.com.
Barry Tompkins yuav hu rau ShoBox txiav txim los ntawm ringside nrogSteve Farhood thiab yav tas los lub ntiaj teb champion Raul Marquez pab raws li cov kws muaj txuj tshuaj ntsuam. Lub executive tsim kom yog Gordon Hall nrogRich Gaughan ua thiab Rick Phillips directing.
# # #
Hais txog ShoBox: Tshiab Tiam
Txij thaum nws inception nyob rau hauv Lub Xya hli ntuj 2001, lub critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: Tshiab Tiam tau featured hluas txuj ci sib phim nyuaj. Lub ShoBox philosophy yog televise exciting, neeg coob coob-pleasing thiab sib tw ntais thaum npaj ib qhov tseeb hauv av rau kam zeem muag txiav txim sib ntaus rau ib lub ntiaj teb title. Ib co ntawm cov loj hlob daim ntawv teev cov 65 neeg tua hluav taws uas tau tshwm sim rauShoBox thiab advanced rau garner ntiaj teb no lub npe muaj xws li: Lwm Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams thiab ntau yam ntxiv.
BELLATOR KICKBOXING’S WEIGHT CLASSES & RULE SET REVEALED
Raug Monica, XWS LI. (Lub peb hlis ntuj 15, 2016) – Bellator Kickboxing is set to make its world premiere in just over a month on Friday, Plaub Hlis Ntuj 16 nrog "Bellator kickboxing: Torino.” The event will be broadcast in America on Plaub Hlis Ntuj 22 ntawm 11:00 p.m. THIAB/PT, immediately following the"Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson " event on SPIKE. Today the promotion is pleased to announce its official weight classes and rule set.
The Pala Alpitour, which has been the home to several amazing events including the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, will host the inaugural "Bellator kickboxing: Torino " card. The groundbreaking evening of fights will be headlined by one of the most accomplished knockout artists in combat sports, Melvin Manhoef (49-12), uas yuav siv sij hawm nyob rau hauv Alexandru Negrea (8-2). The co-main event features Mustapha Haida (37-3-3) kev noj nyob Karim Ghajji (95-12) for the 165-pound ISKA title. Kickboxing sensations Raymond Daniels (10-3), Denise Kielholtz (43-2) thiab Kevin Ross (30-9) will round out the card of the initial event against yet to be announced opponents.
Traditionally, kickboxing has never had a set amount of weight classes, with the number differing by promotion. In Bellator Kickboxing, the weight classes will be identical to those utilized in mixed martial arts, starting with heavyweight and ending with flyweight. Generally, there is a one-pound allowance for non-title fights, although that allowance may vary depending on the regulatory body sanctioning the event.
– Heavyweight: 265 phaus
– Lub teeb Heavyweight: 205 phaus
– Middleweight: 185 phaus
– Welterweight: 170 phaus
– Sib: 155 phaus
– Featherweight: 145 phaus
– Bantamweight: 135 phaus
– Flyweight: 125 phaus
Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, below is an overview of Bellator Kickboxing’s rule set, which will make for the most explosive kickboxing action on the planet.
– The competitors will attack and defend using punches (including spinning backfists), kicks and knee strikes.
– Each non-title fight is scheduled for three, three-minute rounds with the potential for an extra sudden victory round if the bout is scored a draw. Title fights will be scheduled for five, three-minute rounds.
– Prohibited techniques include: elbow strikes, throws, takedowns, and submission attempts or striking a downed fighter. Fighters may only clinch if they immediately attack with a knee strike.
– Three judges will score Bellator Kickboxing using the “10-Point-Must” system applying a prioritized criterion that values knockdowns, impact on the opponent and clean scoring strikes.
Updated “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” Fight Card:
Bellator Kickboxing Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (49-12) vs. Alexandru Negrea (8-2)
Bellator Kickboxing 165-Pound Feature Bout: Mustapha Haida (37-3-3) vs. Karim Ghajji (95-12)
Bellator Kickboxing Welterweight Feature Bout: Raymond Daniels (10-3) vs. TBA
Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight Feature Bout: Denise Kielholtz (43-2) vs. TBA
Bellator Kickboxing Bantamweight Feature Bout: Kevin Ross (30-9) vs. TBA
Hais txog Bellator MMA:
Bellator MMA yog ib tug uas Mixed Martial Arts lub koom haum featuring ntau ntawm qhov zoo tshaj plaws neeg tua hluav taws nyob rau hauv lub ntiaj teb no. Nyob rau hauv cov kev coj ntawm qub tub rog sib ntaus pab txhawb Scott Coker, Bellator yog muaj rau ze li ntawm 500 lab tsev thoob ntiaj teb nyob rau hauv dhau 140 lub teb chaws. Nyob rau hauv lub tebchaws United States, Bellator yuav pom nyob rau hauv ntsia hlau loj, lub MMA TV thawj coj. Bellator MMA yog dub ntawm ib tug thawj pab neeg uas muaj xws li kev lag luam sab saum toj cov tub txawg nyob rau hauv TV lawm, nyob kev tshwm sim orchestration, fighter txoj kev loj hlob / kev sib raug zoo, venue ceev, sponsorship creation / kev loj hlob, thoob ntiaj teb daim ntawv tso cai, marketing, advertising, tshaj tawm thiab commission kev sib raug zoo. Bellator yog raws li nyob rau hauv Santa Monica, California thiab uas los ntawm kev lom zem loj heev Viacom, lub tsev mus rau lub ntiaj teb premier lom zem hom uas txuas nrog audiences los ntawm yuam cov ntsiab lus nyob rau hauv TV, tsab ntawv tsa suab duab, hauv internet thiab mobile platforms.
Hais txog ntsia hlau loj:
Ntsia hlau loj yog muaj nyob rau hauv 98.7 lab tsev thiab yog ib tug faib ntawm Viacom Media tes hauj lwm. Ib tug unit ntawm Viacom (Nasdaq: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media tes hauj lwm yog ib tug ntawm lub ntiaj teb uas creators ntawm programming thiab cov ntsiab lus nyob rau tag nrho tawm platforms. Ntsia hlau loj lub Internet chaw nyob yog www.spike.com thiab mus txog-rau-tus-feeb thiab archival xovxwm ntaub ntawv thiab duab, mus saib cov ntsia hlau loj tus xovxwm site ntawm http://www.spike.com/press. Raws li peb ntawm Twitter spiketvpr rau qhov tseeb nyob rau hauv tawg xov xwm tshiab, qab-lub-scenes cov ntaub ntawv thiab cov duab.
AWE–A Wealth of Entertainment continues to bring knockout fights to Boxing fans
|
KO Artist Jonathan Guzman to Face Daniel ‘Bad Boy’ Rosas for IBF #2 Position at Super Bantamweight on April 29
|
Promoter Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing proudly announces the IBF has agreed to sanction a super bantamweight voluntary elimination fight between their #7 contender Jonathan Guzman and #14, Daniel Rosas for the #2 position in their ratings.
Under the IBF rules criteria, two of the top five available contenders can compete in a voluntary elimination fight for the second-highest spot in the ratings. Guzman (20-0, 20 Kos) from Santo Domingo, Dominican koom pheej, and Rosas (20-2-1, 12 Kos) from Mexico City, are Sampson Boxing promotional stablemates. The bout is scheduled for Saturday, Plaub Hlis Ntuj 29, 2016, nyob rau hauv Atlantic City, New Jersey.
“I am excited about the opportunity for both my fighters,” Hais Sampson Lewkowicz. “My congratulations to both of them. May the best man win and take over the #2 spot with a great organization like the IBF.”
All the necessary contract have already been signed, in compliance with the IBF rules.
|
|
Hais txog Sampson Boxing
|
|
Tom qab ib tug zoo heev khiav raws li ib tug matchmaker thiab adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz hloov mus rau lub promotional sab ntawm kev boxing nyob rau hauv Lub ib hlis ntuj 2008.
Sampson Boxing tau zus mus rau hauv ib qho ntawm lub ntiaj teb no lub feem ntau prestigious promotional tuam txab, sawv cev rau ntau ntawm lub ntiaj teb no tus zoo tshaj plaws tua hluav taws thiab feem ntau cia siab hluas contenders.
Sampson Boxing muaj promotional cov neeg koom tes thoob plaws North thiab South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Teb chaws Europe thiab Central America thiab Sampson Boxing xwm txheej muaj tau tawm hauv TV rau xws premiere tes hauj lwm raws li HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. thiab ob peb thoob ntiaj teb tes hauj lwm. |
MATT MITRIONE CHOOSES BELLATOR MMA, SIGNING AN EXCLUSIVE, MULTI-FIGHT CONTRACT WITH THE PROMOTION
Raug Monica (Lub peb hlis ntuj 14, 2016) – Last week, top mixed martial art’s free agent Matt Mitrione (9-5) joined Ariel Helwani’s “MMA Hour” show and revealed that he had been fielding offers from multiple promotions, including a great bid he had received from Bellator MMA. In a very rare move, Helwani had Mitrione rejoin his popular talk show for a second straight week to announce that the paperwork has been finalized, making Mitrione the newest member of Bellator MMA’s heavyweight division.
“There comes a time in every athlete’s life, where the scenarios change and the landscape has eroded from what made you fall in love with it initially,” said Mitrione. “It has become that time for me. After a mutually beneficial free agency period, I’ve decided to move my career to Bellator. I’ve enjoyed almost every second of my career and unlike most that switch organizations due to being cut or no longer being able to perform at the sports highest levels, I am bringing a body and skillset that are only getting better and I cannot wait to test my abilities against the best Bellator has to offer.”
Lovingly referred to as “Meathead,” Mitrione is one of the few fighters to have started his professional career with the UFC without previously competing on the regional circuit. His 14-bout stint with that promotion began in 2009, where he faced formidable opponents the likes of: Kimbo Hlais, Gabriel Gonzaga, Ben Rothwell, Derrick Lewis, Brendan Schaub, Roy Nelson, Shawn Jordan and Travis Brown amongst others.
Ua ntej yuav sib tw nyob rau hauv MMA, Mitrione earned a scholarship to play defensive tackle for the Purdue Boilermakers football team, not far from where he grew up in Springfield, Mob. Tom qab kawm ntawv qib siab, he played in the NFL for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings until 2005.
At the conclusion of his professional football career, the Shotokan Karate Black Belt focused all of his attention on the sport of MMA. Mitrione spent time training with Duke Roufus and the highly-respected Roufusport team before landing with the famed Blackzilians camp in Boca Raton, Fla, where he trains today.
The extremely popular and well-spoken Mitrione has allowed the judges to determine the result of his fight only twice, tiv thaiv Joey Beltran thiab Cheick Kongo, both of whom currently fight for Bellator MMA. His entertaining fighting style has earned him recognition with “Performance of the Night” (ob zaug) thiab “Sib ntaus ntawm cov Hmo ntuj” accolades.
Prior to his last fight with his former promotion, Mitrione was forced to participate in a media session barefoot, as his shoes didn’t adhere to the strict company uniform policy. He will have no such problems at Bellator, where he is free to secure his own sponsors and keep his feet warm with the footwear of his choosing.
Bellator has been bolstering their heavyweight division as of late, and Mitrione becomes the second heavyweight free agent the promotion has signed in as many months, raws li Sergei Kharitonov joined the fray in February. The division is currently championed by Vitaly Minakov, and includes other top names like Slice, Bobby Lashley, Cheick Kongo, Vinicius “Spartan,” Tony Johnson, Justin Wren, Dan Charles thiab Augusto Sakai.
Non-Televised Undercard Fights For Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera March 26 + In-Arena Entertainment
ROC NATION SPORTS ANNOUNCES NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD FIGHTS
FOR ANDRE WARD VS. Sullivan BARRERA
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN ON HNUB SATURDAY, MARCH 26
AT Oracle ARENA hauv Oakland, CALIFORNIA
WARD VS. BARRERA AND JOSEPH DIAZ JR. VS. JAYSON VELEZ TELEVISED
LIVE ON HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® BEGINNING AT 9:45 p.m. THIAB/PT
SWAY CALLOWAY & DJ FRANZEN TO PROVIDE
IN-ARENA ENTERTAINMENT BETWEEN BOUTS
TSHIAB YORK, NY (Lub peb hlis ntuj 14, 2016) – A slate of six non-televised undercard bouts will serve as support when Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Lwm Ward (28-0, 15 Kos) faces undefeated and number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 Kos) in a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator at Oracle Arena in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, California on March 26. Opening the HBO® telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight NABF Featherweight title fight.
In addition to the exciting televised lineup, some of boxing’s hottest rising stars will be featured on the non-televised undercard including Roc Nation Sports standouts Maurice Hooker, Daniel Franco, Rudy Puga Jr. thiab Junior Younan nrog rau 2008 Olympic Super Heavyweight Silver Medalist Zhang Zhilei and local favorite Aaron Coley who will all see action on March 26.
Roc Nation Sports will bring names from the entertainment world to the event as well, including notable event emcee, SiriusXM/Shade 45 morning show host of Sway in the Morning, Executive Producer and talent for VH1 & MTV and Oakland-native Yoj Calloway, uas yuav pab raws li cov kev tshwm sim lub party, thiab ntaus tswv DJ Franzen, neeg nyob DJ ntawm Las Vegas 'Kub 97.5 and Drais Nightclub. Sway and Franzen will entertain together throughout the night to keep fans entertained between bouts at Oracle Arena.
Daim pib luv nqi thaum $300, $150, $100, $50 thiab $25, tsis xws li siv cov kev pab nqi thiab se yog muaj nyob rau ntawm tag nrho cov Ticketmaster qhov chaw, nyob hauv internet ntawm Ticketmaster.com (bit.ly/WardBarreraTix) thiab them los ntawm lub xov tooj ntawm (800) 745-3000.
Rau Lub peb hlis ntuj 26, NABO Junior Welterweight Champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (19-0-2, 14 Kos) risks his unbeaten record against Wilfrido “La Roca” Buelvas (17-5, 11 Kos) of Barranquilla, Colombia in a ten-round junior welterweight bout. Hooker, rated number seven by the WBO, is coming off of a career-best win on October 17, 2015 against his toughest opponent to date in Ghislain Maduma (17-2, 11 Kos) ntawm Madison Square Garden. Hooker successfully defended his NABO title with the 10-round decision win over Maduma on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux in a fight that was featured on the event’s “freeview” in the United States and streamed online around the world. Buelvas, a former WBA Fedebol champion, has won two of his last three bouts by knockout and fought Humberto Soto for the WBC Silver International Super Lightweight title in 2014, going the 12-round distance before losing a decision to the former World Champion.
Born and raised in Oak Cliff, Texas, a rough suburb of Dallas, Hooker found a boxing home at Maple Avenue Boxing Gym by way of an outreach program for at-risk youths. His natural talent was soon noticed resulting in him competing as an amateur, during which time he participated in over 100 fights, compiling a record of 97 yeej thiab tsuas 7 losses, nrog 67 victories coming by way of knockout. Hooker turned professional on April 29, 2011, taking on the vastly more experienced Tyrone Chatman (7-1, 5 KO lub) at the Orpheum Theater in St. Louis. After four rounds, the judges saw the fight 40-36, 37-39 thiab 38-38, making the fight a split draw. Undeterred, in his next fight on June 24, 2014, Hooker scored his first professional win, knocking out Wilbert Mitchell in the first round at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas. Eleven wins (eight by knockout) later, he took on undefeated Abel Ramos (8-0, 4 KO lub) rau Lub ib hlis ntuj 17, 2014 in a bout that was featured on ShoBox from the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. After eight close, hard-fought rounds, the judges saw the fight a draw. Hooker followed the draw with a six-round unanimous decision win over Adrian Rodriguez Garza (8-2, 6 KO lub) rau Plaub Hlis Ntuj 26 at Fitzgerald’s Casino and Hotel in Tunica, Mississippi. Four consecutive knockout victories would follow before he took on fellow undefeated prospect Eduardo Galindo (10-0-1, 7 KO lub) Lub rau hli ntuj 26, 2015 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas for the vacant NABO Junior Welterweight Championship. “Mighty Mo” did not disappoint his legion of hometown fans who saw him capture the title with a sixth round technical knockout victory.
Hailing from Rancho Cucamonga, California thiab sib ntaus sib tua tawm ntawm tus boxing hotbed ntawm Oxnard, undefeated Daniel "twitch" Franco (12-0-3, 7 KO lub) meets Mexican veteran German “Panteonero” Meraz(52-37-1, 30 Kos) in an eight-round featherweight bout on Lub peb hlis ntuj 26. Featured for the second time on a Ward undercard, the sharp-boxing Franco will look to improve on his undefeated record against an opponent with literally six times his pro boxing experience. Meraz is only 29 years old but has already logged an amazing 90 professional bouts and has won four of his last six fights by knockout. He has fought current World Champion Juan Carlos Payano, Three-Time U.S. Olympian Rau’shee Warren and highly-touted prospect Gervonta Davis, going the distance with all three.
Franco began boxing at the age of eight, amassing ib tug pib xyaum ua cov ntaub ntawv ntawm 67-15, winning lub Oxnard NPAWG Championship nyob rau hauv 2006 thiab lub California State Nyiaj hnab looj tes Championship nyob rau hauv 2007 raws txoj kev. Thaum lub sij hawm Franco tus kev taw qhia nyob rau hauv Lub Kaum Ob Hlis 18, 2010, nws yeej Emanuel Machorro ntawm Club 401 nyob rau hauv Ontario, California ntawm ib tug thib peb puag ncig kev knockout. Txawm tias raug cuv npe kawm raws li ib tug tag nrho-lub sij hawm menyuam kawm ntawv nyob Chaffey College nyob rau hauv Rancho Cucamonga, Franco heev thaum ntxov nyob rau hauv nws cov hauj lwm, compiling ib undefeated cov ntaub ntawv uas muaj ob lub thim nyob rau hauv venues thoob plaws California los ntawm qhov kawg ntawm 2013. Ib tug ntawm cov neeg thim tuaj tiv thaiv Alejandro Ochoa ntawm Ntsiag to Cannon nyob rau hauv Montebello, California rau lub Cuaj Hli Ntuj 20, 2013, but in a rematch three months later, Franco outmatched Ochoa xeem ib tug rau-round unanimous kev txiav txim siab yeej ntawm Westin Bonaventure Hotel nyob rau hauv Los Angeles. Nyob rau lub rau hli ntuj 20, 2015, during Ward’s return to the ring at Oracle Arena, Franco saw action in an eight-round junior lightweight bout against Jonathan Alcantara and won by unanimous decision. A hand injury suffered in that bout kept Franco out of action until Kaum Ob Hlis Ntuj 21when he scored a decision victory over Hector Garcia in Tijuana, Mexico.
A promising unbeaten prospect from Salinas, California, Rudy “The Revelation” Puja. Jr. (7-0, 6 Kos)looks to extend his undefeated streak against Carlos “Kalimba” Lozano (7-5, 4 Kos) of Ensenada, Mexico in a six-round middleweight bout. Puga turned in a career-best performance in his last match-up on February 12 in knocking out Alejandro Osuna (4-2, 2 KO lub) in two rounds at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, California. Tam sim no, just a little over a month later, “The Revelation” will step into the ring against a tough opponent in Lozanao, a southpaw who has never been stopped and already has a ten-round decision victory under his belt.
Having compiled an exceptional amateur record of 99-8, Puga made his professional debut on September 2, 2011, scoring a fourth round technical knockout victory over Raul Talamontes at the Sports Complex in his hometown. Back in the ring less than two months later, Puga Jr. raised his record to 2-0 with a first round technical knockout of Jose Jesus Hurtado at the Sherwood Inn in Salinas. Nyob rau hauv Lub rau hli ntuj 2012, he sent Thomas Turner to the mat four times in scoring a second round technical knockout win at the Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. After a little more than a year away from the ring, he rededicated himself to the “sweet science” with a vengeance and on February 17, 2014, Puga Jr. made his comeback stopping Charon Spain in the third round with an overpowering body shot at the Salinas Storm House in his native Salinas. Promotional issues kept Puga Jr. out of the ring for the next year and injuries led to a slow 2015, but Puga Jr. scored a a fourth round technical knockout win over of Katrell Straus on Plaub Hlis Ntuj 24 and a six-round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Rojas on Kaum Ib Hlis Ntuj 21, both fights taking place at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, California.
Brooklyn’s 20-year-old, undefeated Junior “The Young God” Younan (7-0, 6 KO lub) rov qab los rau lub nplhaib nyob rau hauv Lub peb hlis ntuj 26 after a nine-month layoff to take on Cristian Solorzano (4-7, 3 Kos) ntawm Sonora, Mexico in a four-round super middleweight fight. Younan has battled multiple nagging injuries since scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Mike Sawyer on the Miguel Cotto vs. Daniel Geale undercard on June 6, 2015 ntawm Barclays Center nyob rau hauv Brooklyn, New York. Tam sim no 100 percent healthy, Younan looks to make Solozano his third straight knockout victim. Solorzano, a naturally bigger fighter, has campaigned in the light heavyweight division and is coming off of a knockout win.
Younan, trained by his father Sherif, a former professional boxer himself, began fighting competitively at age eight and only two years later was called a “boxing prodigy” by the New York Times. He compiled an amateur record of 90-5, racking up an impressive series of titles along the way including nine Junior Olympic championships, nine Junior Metro championships, eight New York State Silver Gloves championships and five Regional Silver Gloves championships. Nyob rau hauv 2011, he was crowned National Junior Golden Gloves champion and was U.S.A. Boxing’s number one rated junior boxer in his weight class. Less than a month after his 18th hnub yug, Younan made his professional debut on November 9, 2013, at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, New York, stopping Kenneth Schmitz in the first round. Younan would go on to knockout his next three opponents before going the distance for the first time against Azamat Umarzoda on July 2, 2014 ntawm Foxwoods Resort Twv txiaj yuam pov nyob rau hauv Mashantucket, Connecticut. He followed that fight with a first round knockout of Marlon Farr on Lub yim hli ntuj 13 the BB King Blues Club and Grill in New York on Lub yim hli ntuj 13.
Chinese heavyweight Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei (7-0, 4 Kos) joins the undercard on Lub peb hlis ntuj 26 in a four-round bout against an opponent yet to be determined. The Silver Medalist from the 2008 Beijing Olympics continues to infuse excitement into the heavyweight division and is coming off of a first round technicalknockout win over David Koswara on February 20 at the Lanzhou Sports Arena in Lanzhou, Tuam Tshoj.
Born on May 2, 1983 in Henan, Zhang began his amateur career in 2003, participating in the World Championships. A breakthrough came in 2007 at the World Championships where Zhang defeated the trio of Nurpais Torobekov, Rustam Rygebayev and Daniel Beahan en route to the semifinals where he lost to Ukrainian Vyacheslav Glazkov. By capturing a bronze medal and finishing the competition in third place, he qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The Chinese powerhouse nearly reached the zenith of amateur success in the summer of 2008, entering the super heavyweight finals at the Summer Olympics in Beijing against Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle. It was not to be as Zhang suffered his first defeat of that Olympiad, losing to Cammarelle, but proudly adding to the host country’s medal total with a Silver. Nyob rau hauv 2009, Zhang captured a gold medal at the China National Games, an event of equal prestige to the Olympics in China. 2013 saw yet another gold medal winning performance in the China National Games, setting the stage for “Big Bang” to embark on a professional career while basing himself in the United States. Nyob rau lub yim hli ntuj 8, 2014, Zhang made his professional debut by scoring a first-round knockout win over Curtis Lee Tate in Fallon, Nevada in a fight that was televised live on ESPN2. Rau Lub peb hlis ntuj 14, 2015, Zhang beat Eric George via a four-round unanimous decision at the Armory in Jersey City, New Jersey. He followed that with another four-round unanimous decision win, this time over Glenn Thomas on the highly anticipated Cotto-Geale undercard at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Lub rau hli ntuj 6. Next came a sixth round technical knockout win over Dennis Benson at The Playground in Atlantic City on Lub yim hli ntuj 15. To end the year, Zhang was featured on the undercard of the Kaum Ib Hlis Ntuj 21 Cotto vs. Canelo mega-fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, where scored a four-round unanimous decision victory over Juan Goode.
Local Hayward, California nyiam Aaron Coley (12-1-1, 6 KO lub) faces a very stern test in a six-round junior middleweight bout against Ua raws li Ryskeldiev (11-3-2, 7 Kos) of West Hollywood, California, a Kyrgyzstan native who is undefeated in his last seven fights.
Rau Lub peb hlis ntuj 26, Coley will look follow his most recent victory, a unanimous decision over Jeremy Ramos onLub ib hlis ntuj 23 at the Marriott on Broadway in Oakland, with another win in front of his hometown fans. Prior to his January win he scored two unanimous decision triumphs, including his June 20, 2015 performance against Yusmani Abreu (who Ryskeldiev defeated by technical knockout in September) on the undercard of Ward’s last fight. Considered a promising prospect in boxing circles, Coley’s lone loss came via decision to one of boxing’s hottest prospects in Ievgen Khytrov in a bout that was televised live on Showtime’s ShoBox on April 10, 2015 from The Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn, New York.
Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round fight which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, yuav siv sij hawm qhov chaw rau hnub Saturday, Lub peb hlis ntuj 26, 2016 ntawm Oracle Arena nyob rau hauv Oakland, California and is sponsored byCorona Extra, Ticketmaster, Neeg mus ncig teb chaws Management Solutions (CTMS), Zoo siab, Lifting, Zappos, BodyArmor, SAN Khoom noj khoom haus, Shoe Palace and The Waterfront Hotel. Qhov kev tshwm sim yuav tsum televised nyob rau HBO ntiaj teb Championship Boxing pib ntawm 9:45 p.m. THIAB/PT. Qhib lub qhov HBO telecast yuav ua Yauxej Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Vélez nyob rau hauv ib tug 10-round sib ntaus rau lub NABF Featherweight title los ntawm Golden tub Promotions nyob rau hauv lub koom haum nrog Miguel Cotto Promotions.
Yog xav paub ntxiv, thov mus saib www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com,www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, ua raws li peb ntawm Twitter thiab Instagram @rocnation, @main_events, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions thiab @HBOBoxing thiab ua ib cov kiv cua hauv Facebook ntawm www.facebook.com/RocNation,www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing thiabwww.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.
Ua raws li cov kev sib tham nyob rau hauv Twitter los ntawm kev siv #WardBarrera.
WMMAA President Vadim Finkelchtein Leading sport into future
 Monte Carlo, Monaco (Lub peb hlis ntuj 14, 2016)- World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA) Thawj Tswj Hwm Vadim Finkelchtein, who founded the sanctioning organization in 2012, continues to lead WMMAA and the sport into a very bright future.
 In four short years, WMMAA has alreadydeveloped into the strongest sanctioning body in the MMA world, hosting some of the sport’s most prestigious championships, as well as creating a highly respected culture in throughout sports worldwide.Finkelchtein answered some pertinent questions below about WMMAA, its past and future, in addition to addressing the growth of mixed martial arts:
Can you tell us about you and your experience in Martial Arts?
VF: “I practiced judo when I was a kid. Back then there was no MMA whatsoever.” How did you first enter the world of MMA?
VF: “Nyob rau hauv 1995, I was offered an opportunity to sponsor an MMA event. That’s when I learned about and fell in love with no holds barred, or free-fight, as it was called then. Nyob rau hauv 1997, I organized my own event in Russia. The rest is history.” When did you first hear of MMA and what was your first impression? Did What is your function and main activities within WMMAA? How would you assess WMMAA’s progress during its three year existence?
VF: “WMMAA is still in its infancy. Yog, we lack experience and financing, and MMA is a new kind of sport in many regions. But I have to say that we’re growing and the last World Championship in Czech Republic proved it. Over 40 national teams flew to Prague with over 200 ncaws pob. The level of competition evolved so much. The organizational level was also high and we are thankful to our Czech MMA Federation for its great work. This World Championship proved there is demand for MMA around the world.” What are the main goals of WMMAA and what are the main obstacles facing Were there any countries that stood out or surprised you?
VF: “China surprised me a lot. They joined WMMAA recently but since then they’ve shown solid results. Tsis tas li ntawd, I enjoyed the performance of Latin American teams. It was their debut but one Colombian kid (Andrey Roa Ruiz Dumar) won a bronze medal and that was great. Ib zaug dua, Russia won the majority of the medals due to amateur MMA there developing with extremely rapid strides ever since early 2012. Fedor Emelianenko is the main locomotive and driving force in Russia. The selection process there is just unbelievable. You can’t imagine how many steps one needs to make in order to become the champion of the Russian Federation. The City Championship, Oblast Championship, regional and national championship. Each of these events consists of at least three fights, which means that a Russian champion will probably have had at least won 15 fights under his belt by the time of the European or World Championships. Only truly the best get to the top. Imagine this: around 7,000 athletes participated in the aforementioned events in 2015.”
What are the 2016 mid-term goals for WMMAA? Can you describe what 2015 was like for WMMAA? What words of wisdom would you like to share with the members of WMMAA family?
VF: “I’d ask all WMMAA members to adhere to the agreements and decisions we reached collectively. It pertains to the set of rules, judging process, equipment, unified rules, and youth sports development.”
WMMAA keeps expanding, Txawm li cas los, there are still multiple countries that are not yet WMMAA members. Why should any local Federation apply for WMMAA membership?
VF: “WMMAA is the strongest MMA organization there is. We plan to continuously hold regional and world championships and keep developing and evolving. Ncaws pob’ ethical upbringing is also our target. We believe this sport can give so much to the world in various ways and we put a lot of effort into its development. We’ll gladly accept strong and worthy partners into our ranks.”
Ntaub ntawv
|