Category Archives: mixed martial arts

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale

FNU Combat Sports Show: Weekly Wrap Up

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Tony Penecale, Tom Padgett and Rich Bergeron break down the week that was in combat sports and look forward to upcoming events in this September 22 broadcast. We discuss Liam Smith’s brutal knockout loss to Canelo Alvarez, preview Kovalev vs. Ward, and outline the upcoming weekend’s boxing schedule. We also discuss Don King’s “N-word” slip and a couple examples of fighters being upset with the rigors of fighting professionally. First, we examine why Joe Warren had no sponsors going into his bout last Friday that served as the co-main event of Bellator 161. Then we delve into the Al Iaquinta contract dispute with the UFC that took him off UFC 205 recently. We also look back on UFC Fight Night 94 and preview UFC Fight Night 95.

 

mixed martial arts, MMA, NBC, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING: RETURNS TO EVERETT, WASHINGTON WITH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BLOCKBUSTER EVENT ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, LIVE ON NBCSN

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Blagoy Ivanov makes his third heavyweight title defense

Jared Rosholt faces Caio Alencar in a featured heavyweight scrap

Tickets for WSOF35 go on sale tomorrow 

LAS VEGAS (September 22, 2016) – World Series of Fighting (www.WSOF.com) announced today that it will return to Everett, Wash. with a heavyweight championship blockbuster Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at XFINITY Arena at Everett, on Saturday, Dec. 3, live on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

In the main-event, reigning world champion Blagoy Ivanov (14-1) will put his title on the line for the third time against the victor of the WSOF33 bout between knockout artists and contenders Shawn Jordan (18-7) and Ashley Gooch (10-4) on Friday, Oct. 7.

In addition, former UFC standout Jared Rosholt (14-3) will make his much-anticipated promotional debut against fellow World Series of Fighting newcomer and finisher Caio Alencar (9-1) in a featured heavyweight contest.

Tickets for WSOF35 go on sale tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 23 at 10 a.m. PT at the XFINITY Arena Box Office, charge by phone 866.332.8499, or online atwww.WSOF.com and www.xfinityarenaeverett.com.

“We are looking forward to bringing another action-packed night of world-class MMA action to the city of Everett, on the heels of what was one of our greatest fight cards to date, from top to bottom, and an arena packed with incredibly passionate fight fans,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

The 5-foot-11, 29-year-old Ivanov of Sofia, Bulgaria fended off a valiant and tenacious Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland for five straight, electrifying rounds of battle in the main event of WSOF31 on June 17 to retain the coveted heavyweight title.

Ivanov is a Judo black belt and was a semi-finalist at the 2008 world Sambo championships where he famously defeated all-time MMA great Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko.

The stocky, heavy-handed Ivanov went on to emerge the runner-up in the 2014 Bellator MMA season-long, heavyweight tournament.  During his seven-fight stint with the league that began in 2013, he notched six consecutive victories, all by way of (T)KO or submission.

The 6-foot-2, 30-year-old Rosholt of Sandpoint, Idaho is coming off a solid run with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) where he amassed a record of 6-2, defeating the likes of Walt Harris and seven-foot giant Stefan Struve, along the way.

Rosholt was a 2010 NCAA Division I national wrestling championship runner-up and three-time All-American for Oklahoma State University.

Alencar of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil is a 6-foot-4, 37-year-old import who will make his debut in the U.S. as well as his first start in the World Series of Fighting decagon cage.

After beginning his professional career just five years ago, Alencar ran to six consecutive wins and, to date, has earned all but one of his nine career victories by way of (T)KO.

Additional WSOF35 bouts will be announced soon.

Doors at XFINITY Arena at Everett will open for WSOF35 at 3:30 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 4 p.m.
M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA

M-1 Challenge 71  Viktor Nemkov vs. Attila Vegh

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October 21 in Saint Petersburg, Russia
 

Two-time M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Viktor Nemkov (L) returns Oct. 21 in M-1 Challenge 71 against former Bellator champion Attila Vegh
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (September 21, 2016) – M-1 Global has announced M-1 Challenge 71, featuring world-class light heavyweights Viktor Nemkov and Attila “Pumukli” Vegh in a light heavyweight showdown, will be held Friday, October 21, at Saint Petersburg, Russia.
M-1 Challenge 71 will be streamed live from Russia in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
 
A native of Kazakhstan fighting out of famed Stary Oskol, Russia, Nevkov (23-6-0, M-1: 16-5-0) is a former two-time M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion.  He first captured the coveted belt nearly three years ago, when he defeated Vasily Babich by way of a second-round submission (arm-lock) for the vacant title.
 
Last December, Nevkov became a two-time M-1 Challenge champion, defeating German Stephan Puetz by majority decision in the M-1 Challenge 63 Fight of the Night.  In his first defense this past May at M-1 Challenge 66, Nemkov lost a split decision to reigning champion Rashid Yusupov.
 
Vegh, fighting out of Slovakia, is a former Bellator champion.  In his M-1 Global debut last June at M-1 Challenge 68, Vegh was stopped in the opening round of his title challenge on punches to M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Alexander Volkov.  
 
 Attila Vegh (R) is out to make his mark in M-1 Challenge competition
 
Additional M-1 Challenge 71 fights will soon be announced.
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Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

HISAKI KATO TAKES ON A.J. MATTHEWS IN MIDDLEWEIGHT CLASH AS BELLATOR MMA INVADES MEMPHIS ON OCT. 21

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GOITI YAMAUCHI-RYAN COUTURE SQUARE OFF IN LIGHTWEIGHT MAIN CARD BOUT – RICKY RAINEY VS. GILBERT SMITH CONFIRMED FOR PRELIMINARY CARD

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (September 16, 2016) – A middleweight pairing pitting Hisaki Kato (6-2) against A.J. Matthews (8-5) has been added to the main card of “Bellator 162: Shlemenko vs. Grove” at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., on October 21.

In addition, a lightweight faceoff pitting  Goiti Yamauchi (19-3) against Ryan Couture (10-4) completes the SPIKE-televised main card. The first of what will be a stacked preliminary card is also official, with the news that Ricky “The Sniper” Rainey (11-4) will fight Gilbert “Chocolate Thunder” Smith (12-5). Additional undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets for the event are on sale now at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster or FedExForum Box Office. Main card action kicks off LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while prelims streams live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.

Since signing with Bellator MMA, the calm and subdued Kato has been in nothing but absolute barn burners once the cage door shuts. The exciting fights have even transcended combat sport iterations, when at “Bellator MMA: Dynamite 2” Kato delivered a spinning back fist that stopped Joe Schilling in his tracks, the second finish in as many tries for “The Japanese Musketeer” against “Stitch Em’ Up.” Currently situated in France, the 33-year-old has had one MMA contest thus far in 2016, stopping Yuta Watanabe in April.

When he’s not traveling the world in an effort to learn everything there is to know about the different martial arts disciplines, Matthews is putting his skills to the test under the Bellator MMA umbrella. A veteran of Strikeforce, “The Mercenary” has laced up the gloves seven times previously for the Viacom-owned promotion, stopping his opponent in all but one of his victories. Primarily training at Alliance MMA throughout his career, Matthews has spent much of his time as of late in Thailand, even taking a Muay Thai bout before meeting Ben Reiter at “Bellator 156: Galvao vs. Dantas 2.”

At just 23-years-old, Yamauchi is one of the premiere young talents in the sport of MMA today. Prior to joining Bellator MMA, the Japanese submission specialist amassed an unfathomable 14-1 record with 11 submissions and one knockout. Since merging with the Scott Coker-led promotion, Yamauchi has strung together a promising mark of 5-2 with three rear-naked choke submissions. Of his 19 career wins, 15 have come by way of submission, while no opponent has yet been able to finish the elusive fighter. Yamauchi will now jump up in weight class and join the lightweight division for a clash with one of the most legendary last names in MMA, Couture.

Known to many as the son of former world champion Randy Couture, Ryan has made 14 professional appearances over his career, all of which took place under the bright lights of a national promotion like Strikeforce or Bellator MMA. Residing in Las Vegas, the 34-year-old submission specialist enters the cage having won four of his past five contests, with each of his victories coming by way of rear-naked choke submission. Although there is a noticeable age difference between his opponent, Yamauchi made his professional debut a mere two months after Couture, in October of 2010. Tune in to SPIKE on October 21 to see which Bellator MMA lightweight powerhouse will emerge victorious.

 

Complete “Bellator 162: Shlemenko vs. Grove” Main Card:

Middleweight Main Event: Alexander Shlemenko (53-9) vs. Kendall Grove (23-15)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Bobby Lashley (14-2) vs. Josh Appelt (12-5)

Middleweight Feature Bout: Hisaki Kato (6-2) vs. A.J. Matthews (8-5)

Lightweight Feature Bout: Goiti Yamauchi (19-3) vs. Ryan Couture (10-4)

 

Preliminary Card:

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Ricky Rainey (11-4) vs. Gilbert Smith (12-5)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

CHEICK KONGO TAKES HOME MAJORITY DECISION IN MAIN EVENT OF ‘BELLATOR 161’

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AUSTIN, TEXAS — (September 16, 2016) — It took 15 minutes of heavyweight action during the main event of “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson” to decide a winner between Cheick Kongo (25-10-2) and Tony Johnson (10-3), but in the end, it was “The Darkness” who emerged victorious via majority decision on Friday night.

The action between the two sluggers varied between heavy punches and elite wrestling, but the grappling of Kongo won out, as the 41-year-old got the better part of the action in the final ten minutes and began his newly signed extension with Bellator MMA on a high note.

The heavyweight title picture remains unclear, but if one thing’s certain, it’s that Kongo will have a claim to the strap when the promotion decides to put the title back on the line.

 

Guillotine Choke Fuels Joe Warren to Victory in Co-Main Event

 

Joe Warren (14-5) and Sirwan Kakai (12-5) traded blows for over ten minutes of heart pounding action in the evening’s co-main event, but it was Warren who finished on top after delivering a neck crank submission just 1:04 into the third round. After the win, the self-proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet” is now tied for second all-time in Bellator MMA victories with 12. The former two-division champion Warren has now won seven of his last nine contests and has once again proven why he belongs among the division’s elite. The loss marks the first time over Kakai’s eight-year career that he has been finished by an opponent.

Anastasia Yankova Outlasts Veta Arteaga in Flyweight Marathon

 

In a highly-anticipated women’s flyweight battle,  undefeated Russian Anastasia Yankova (4-0) came out on top against Veta Arteaga (2-1) via split decision. With the win the 25-year-old Yankova continued along her brisk path to stardom with a comeback performance that two out of three cage side judges saw in her favor. Yankova impressed in her first ever fight in the US, recording her fourth career victory and second with the Scott Coker-led promotion. The win is the first to go the distance for Yankova, with each of her initial three coming by way of submission. For Arteaga, the difficult judges’ decision leaves her with the first loss of her professional career.

Compelling Lightweight Opener Ends in Unanimous Decision win for Lubbuck’s Campos

During the opening contest at “Bellator 161: Kongo vs. Johnson,” Texas’ own Derek Campos (17-6) scored a come-from-behind unanimous decision (29-28 x3) win over Dutch knockout artist Djamil Chan (12-3). After absorbing a devastating blow that sent him to the canvas early in the opening round of action, “The Stallion” quickly recovered and responded in a big way in rounds two and three. The 28-year-old Campos scored his second straight win and sixth since joining the Bellator MMA fray. For Chan, the loss ends an impressive run of seven consecutive victories over a dominant four-year stretch.

Preliminary Card Results:

Armando Villareal (1-0) defeated Tommy Burghardt (0-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:08 of round one

Sean Clements (1-0) defeated David Ramirez (0-1) via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27 2x)

Matt Mazurek (4-4) defeated Jose Guerra (0-3) via split decision (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)

Daniel Pineda (22-12) defeated Mark Dickman (11-3) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:07 of round three

Emily Ducote (4-1) defeated Kenya Miranda (2-3) via submission (armbar) at 4:37 of round two

Rey Trujillo (21-15) defeated Deuce King (15-18) via submission (reverse arm triangle) at 1:20 of round one

Garrett Scott (2-0) defeated Waylon Bronstrup (0-1) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:50 of round one

Nick Gonzalez (19-13) defeated Warren Stewart (11-23) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

BELLATOR MMA RETURNS TO WINSTAR WORLD CASINO & RESORT ON DECEMBER 2

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A.J. MCKEE-EMMANUEL SANCHEZ WILL COMPETE DURING MAIN CARD IN FEATHERWEIGHT ACTION

 

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (September 16, 2016) – Bellator MMA will return to WinStar World Casino & Resort in Thackerville, OK., on December 2with a night of must-see mixed martial arts action, and the first confirmed bout on the Spike-televised portion of the card will feature undefeated prospect A.J. McKee (5-0) taking on Emmanuel “El Matador” Sanchez (13-3).

Tickets for “Bellator MMA in Thackerville” start at just $45 and go on sale this coming Monday, September 19 at 10 a.m. CT. You can purchase tickets at the WinStar World Casino & Resort Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

The event airs live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream live on Bellator.com and The Bellator Mobile App.Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

Fighting out of Long Beach, Calif., McKee enters this fight following the quickest finish of his budding career, a 32-second guillotine choke submission at“Bellator 160: Henderson vs. Pitbull.” A 5-fight veteran of Bellator MMA, McKee has a knack for finishing fights early and often, spending a grand total of10:25 inside the cage over the course of his five scraps. Trained by his father, Antonio McKee, the Team Bodyshop product will try to protect his unblemished mark and fufill his goal of becoming the youngest champion in MMA history when he enters the cage on December 9.

“El Matador” will be making his eighth appearance under the Bellator MMA banner, a promotion with which the 26-year-old has had much success to date. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he trains at Roufusport, Sanchez is riding a recent string of success, having won nine of his last 11 contests, including three of the past four. Six of Sanchez’s 13 career victories have come by way of knockout or submission, with five of the finishes ending in the opening frame. Since signing with Bellator MMA, “El Matador” has competed against a who’s who of talent, facing names the likes of Pat Curran, Justin Lawrence, Henry Corrales, and Daniel Weichel.

Updated “Bellator MMA in Thackerville” Main Card:

Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (5-0) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (13-3)

Bellator, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Radio Show: September 15th Broadcast

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This week’s radio show features a recap of the Brook vs. Golovkin bout, the defeat of Phil “CM Punk” Brooks, Stipe Miocic’s Heavyweight Title bout with Alistair Overeem and Tony’s visit with former gues Antonio Tarver at a recent Philadelphia boxing event. Tom, Tony and Rich also look at some news from combat sports and preview upcoming UFC, Bellator and boxing events.

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘THE AMERICAN GANGSTER’ CHAEL SONNEN ENDS RETIREMENT, SIGNS WITH BELLATOR MMA

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 15, 2016) – Bellator MMA is elated to announce the signing of Chael Sonnen (28-14-1), to an exclusive multi-year, multi-fight contract.

 

By signing with the Scott Coker-led promotion, Sonnen effectively ends his retirement from professional mixed martial arts and he will now enter the 205-pound division championed by Liam McGeary, amongst others.

 

“I’m consistently blown away by the product and presentation that Bellator is bringing to the fans,” said Sonnen. “I’m not nearly done competing and I’m coming after everyone, everywhere. I’m not sticking to one weight class either, I fight at ‘Gangster Weight’ and nobody is safe.”

 

Sonnen has spent a vast majority of his 43-fight career with the UFC, a run where he competed against names the likes of Jon Jones, Anderson Silva (2x), Rashad Evans, “Shogun” Rua, Demian Maia, Brian Stann, and current middleweight champion Michael Bisping. In addition to his exploits inside the cage, the West Linn, Ore., native has mastered the art of being in front of the camera, doing major broadcasting work for both ESPN and Fox Sports.

 

“Chael is an incredible athlete that has competed at the very highest levels of the sport,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said, “I know that he is going to continue to do just that here at Bellator. When we were in the process of signing him, Chael was adamant that he wants to compete in three divisions here. He already has unfinished business with Wanderlei Silva, but he also wants to fight guys like Tito Ortiz, Fedor Emelianenko and even Rory MacDonald at middleweight. These are all fights that I’d be very inclined to watch, so hopefully we can put some, if not all of these matchups together starting before the end of the year.”

Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

Combate Americas: Three New Bouts Announced For New York on October 14

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Below: Paulina “Firefox” Granados (pictured) will face off with Jenna Serio in a featured atomweight (105 pounds) contest at Combate Americas: Empire Rising, the U.S. Hispanic league’s debut event in New York, on Friday, Oct. 14, live on beIN Sports en Español as well as UFC FIGHT PASS®.

COMBATE AMERICAS
ANNOUNCES THREE MORE BOUTS
FOR FIRST-EVER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT IN NY,
LIVE ON BEIN SPORTS EN ESPAÑOL
AND UFC FIGHT PASS® ON FRIDAY, OCT. 14

Featherweight co-main event: Erick Sanchez vs. Victor Martinez
Bantamweight: Irwin Rivera vs. Cristobal Chavez
Women’s atomweight: Paulina Granados vs. Jenna Serio

Tickets on sale now

NEW YORK – Sept. 14, 2016 – Combate Americas today announced the addition of three bouts, including a featherweight (145 pounds) co-main event contest between streaking Urijah Faber protégé Erick Sanchez (7-2) and hard-hitting knockout artist Victor Martinez (6-4) to the league’s first world championship fight card in history at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. on Friday, Oct. 14, live on beIN SPORTS En Español and UFC FIGHT PASS®.

The matchup between Sanchez and Martinez will precede the much-anticipated bantamweight (135 pounds) championship showdown between red-hot stars John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (11-2) of Mankato, Minn. and Gustavo Lopez (6-1) of Las Vegas, Nev. via Yakima, Wash.

In another bantamweight contest, Blackzilians team member and rising starIrwin “The Beast” Rivera (5-1) will collide with undefeated submission expert Cristobal “El Mosquito” Chavez (4-0).

In women’s atomweight (105 pounds) action, Paulina “Firefox” Granados(3-2) will take on Jenna Serio (3-1).

Erick Sanchez vs. Victor Martinez

The 5-foot-10, 25-year-old Sanchez of Sacramento, Calif. will look for his third straight victory in La Jaula, and his fourth consecutive win overall, after submitting (rear-naked choke) Mike Segura in just 50 seconds at the third event in the Combate Americas “Road To The Championship” series in Los Angeles, Calif. on April 18.

Prior to the victory, Sanchez, who has won five of his seven professional starts by way of (T)KO or submission, scored a third round (1:22) TKO (punches) on Ousmane Thomas Diagne at Bellator 147 on December 4, 2015.

Also 25 years of age, the 25-year-old Martinez of Pharr, Texas has notched five of his six professional wins by way of (T)KO, with all five of the conquests having come with his hands.

Martinez is looking to rebound from a close, split decision defeat at the hands of Erick Gonzalez at the fourth Combate Americas “Road To The Championship” event on April 25.


Above: Irwin “The Beast” Rivera (pictured) will make his Combate Americas debut against undefeated Cristobal Chavez in a featured bantamweight (135 pounds) bout.

Irwin Rivera vs. Cristobal Chavez

Fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., the home of the Blackzilians fight squad, the 5-foot-6, 27-year-old Rivera, who will make his debut under the promotion of Combate Americas, was raised in New Windsor, N.Y. after being born in Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico.  He jump started his professional career with a split decision victory over Andre Cuff on November 7, 2014, and ran to three consecutive wins thereafter.

In his last outing on March 25, Rivera submitted Jose Ceja in third round (4:45) of battle with a rear-naked choke.

The 5-foot-7, 26-year-old Chavez of El Paso, Texas has yet to be beaten in a combined eight professional and amateur bouts.  Three of his four professional wins have come via (T)KO or submission.

Chavez is coming off a second round (4:14) submission (armlock) of Ronny Perrogon on June 11.

Paulina Granados vs. Jenna Serio

A native of Corpus Christi, Texas where she excelled in power lifting as a high school student, the 5-foot-2, 28-year-old Granados fights out of the famed Alliance MMA team in San Diego, Calif.

Granados made her Combate Americas debut in her last start on May 9, earning a split decision over longtime rival Stephanie Alba, whom Granados had defeated twice previously during their amateur days.

Serio of Brooklyn, N.Y. is a 5-foot-2, 24-year-old upstart who will enter the Combate Americas cage for the first time, riding a two-fight win streak.

In her last effort, Serio handily submitted Sadee Monserrate with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:50) of their matchup on June 3.

A nationally recognized venue for legendary, fight-of-the-year-level boxing events, Turning Stone Resort Casino will now become one of the very first venues in New York to host professional MMA fights.  With a legacy of hosting some of the best events in the country, rivaling many venues in major cities such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City and New York City, Turning Stone has established Upstate New York as a premier destination for live sporting events.  Turning Stone is an award-winning destination resort, offering world-class amenities including four hotels, more than 20 restaurants and dining options, two luxurious spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000 seat arena, five pristine golf courses, several bars, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues.

Tickets for “Combate Americas: Empire Rising” are on sale and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Box Office, by calling 877.833.SHOW, or online at Ticketmaster.com.  Tickets are priced at $75, for cageside, $65, $50 and $35, and may be subject to additional fees.  Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.for the event, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m.

Additional bouts will be announced soon.

UFC FIGHT PASS is a digital subscription service which gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s largest fight library.

UFC FIGHT PASS is available on: personal computers, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Sony TVs with Android TV and Roku devices.
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING: JON FITCH-JAKE SHIELDS WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWDOWN SET FOR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12 IN LOVELAND, COLORADO LIVE ON NBCSN

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Plus:
Josh Copeland vs. Smealinho Rama in heavyweight battle 
Paul Bradley vs. Yushin Okami in welterweight collision

Tickets for WSOF34 on sale Friday, Sept. 16

LAS VEGAS (September 13, 2016) – World Series of Fighting (www.WSOF.com) officially announced today the highly-anticipated welterweight (170 pounds) title fight between reigning world champion Jon Fitch (28-7-1, 1 NC) and number one contender and fellow decorated superstar Jake Shields (31-8-1) for Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo., live on NBCSN at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Priced from $20, tickets for “WSOF34: Fitch vs. Shields” go on sale on Friday, Sept. 16 at the Budweiser Events Center box office, BudweiserEventsCenter.com, or by phone at 1-877-544-TIXX.

“This is a fight between two of the sport’s most seasoned and accomplished competitors, and a matchup that has been building for quite some time, so we are excited to see it finally come to fruition in the decagon cage, and to crown the better man that night, our world welterweight champion,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

In addition to the main event, World Series of Fighting announced a featured heavyweight attraction pitting Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-4) against former champion Smealinho “The Prince” Rama (9-2), as well as the promotional debut of battle-tested Paul Bradley (23-6), who will take on former top 10 world-ranked Yushin “Thunder” Okami (32-10) in a welterweight affair.

Additional matchups for “WSOF34: Fitch vs. Shields” will be announced soon.

Jon Fitch vs. Jake Shields

The 6-foot, 38-year-old Fitch of Las Vegas, Nev. via Fort Wayne, Ind. will put his title on the line for the second time since seizing the vacant belt on October 17, 2015, when he earned a unanimous decision over Yushin Okami.

Fitch, who has faced and defeated some of the best rival welterweight fighters of his era to cement his legacy in the sport, risked his World Series of Fighting title for the first time on April 2, defeating Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Joao Zeferino by way of unanimous decision.

Fighting out of San Francisco, Calif., the 6-foot, 37-year-old Shields will seek his fourth major world championship.  The Cesar Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt held both the Shooto and EliteXC welterweight straps as well as the Strikeforce middleweight crown.

Like Fitch, Shields has provided fight fans with a host of memories, including his unforgettable, upset unanimous decision defeat of future Hall of FamerDan Henderson on April 17, 2010.  Shields also boasts a split decision win over reigning UFC champion Tyron Woodley as well as a split decision victory over UFC superstar Demian Maia.

Josh Copeland vs. Smealinho Rama

The 6-foot-1, 33-year-old Copeland is coming off what was perhaps the grittiest performance of his four-year professional career in his bid for the World Series of Fighting heavyweight title against reigning champion Blagoy Ivanov.  Copeland stood toe-to-toe and held his own against the Sambo champion, but was left on the losing end of a unanimous decision after five competitive rounds of action.

Copeland, who has notched 7 of his 12 professional victories by way of (T)KO or submission, earned his place in the world title fight by taking a unanimous decision from Mike “300” Hayes at WSOF29 on March 12.

The 6-foot-1, 24-year-old Rama of Calgary, Alberta, Canada made history on October 11, 2014, becoming the first-ever World Series of Fighting heavyweight champion by scoring a devastating, 51-second TKO (punches) on Derrick “Caveman” Mehman at WSOF14.

Rama, who also holds a unanimous decision win over Steve Mocco in the World Series of Fighting decagon cage, surrendered the heavyweight title after being submitted (guillotine choke) by Ivanov in the third round (1:17) of their bout on June 5, 2015.

Paul Bradley vs. Yushin Okami

One of World Series of Fighting’s recent, high-profile acquisitions, the 5-foot-9, 33-year-old Bradley of San Diego, Calif. signed with the league after decimating previously unbeaten Chris Honeycutt by way of TKO (punches) in just 40 seconds in the Bellator MMA cage on January 29, 2016.

A former, two-time All-American wrestling star for NCAA Division I University of Iowa, Bradley placed as high as fourth in the national championships before turning to MMA in 2006 where he has since faced off with elite competition in the UFC and Strikeforce.

Similar to his opponent, the 6-foot-2, 35-year-old Okami of Kanagawa, Japan has scrapped with top-level, world ranked competition to earn his place in the decagon cage.

Since the loss to Fitch, Okami, a veteran of the UFC as well as PRIDE, has since reeled off two consecutive victories in his home country – a second round (4:23) TKO (corner stoppage) of Ryuta Sakurai in Tokyo on February 27, and a first round (2:06) submission (rear-naked choke) of Shingo Suzukion July 24.