Category Archives: World Series of Fighting

mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING SIGNS ADAM WARD AND ANDREAS SPANG

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LAS VEGAS (July 15, 2015) –World championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has expanded its roster again with the signing of two new athletes – red-hot featherweight (145 pounds) Adam Ward and battle-tested,  light heavyweight (205 pounds) finisher Andreas “Sweet Swede” Spang– to exclusive, multi-fight agreements.

“We are thrilled to welcome Adam and Andreas – two aggressive and exciting competitors whose respective careers are on the upswing – to the rapidly expanding WSOF roster of world-class talent,” said WSOF President Ray Sefo.

Ward’s and Spang’s WSOF debuts will be announced soon.

The 29-year-old Ward (15-6) of Chicago, Ill. is a versatile and prolific competitor who is in the midst of a six-fight winning streak dating back to Sept. 27, 2013 when the Gilbert Grappling team member made quick work of Pedro Velasco, submitting Velasco with a rear-naked choke in just 46 seconds.

In his last start, Ward earned a unanimous decision over Strikeforce veteran Rey “The Warrior” Trujillo.

Spang (9-3) is a 36-year-old native of Sweden who resides in Las Vegas and trains under “One Kick” Nick Blomgren.  A former amateur boxer who amassed a career record of 15-5, Spang also dabbled in professional kickboxing where he went 1-0 for the once great Japanese kickboxing promotion, K-1.

To date, Spang’s best conquest is perhaps his second round (3:34) KO (punch) of Brian “The Professional  Predator” Rogers on April 20, 2012.  When he enters the WSOF cage for the first time, Spang will be looking to notch his second straight win after earning a unanimous decision over J.A. Dudley on Dec. 5, 2014.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

“WSOF 23: GAETHJE VS. PALOMINO II” WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER HITS PHOENIX, ARIZ. ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 18

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Main Event: Undefeated WSOF World Lightweight Champion
Justin Gaethje rematches heavy hitter Luis Palomino

Co-Main Event: David Branch and Teddy Holder square off to become first WSOF world light heavyweight champion in history

Live on NBCSN
Tickets on sale Saturday, July 11

LAS VEGAS (July 9, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) will return to Phoenix, Ariz., where it delivered one of its most memorable nights of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) action to date earlier this year,  with a world championship doubleheader headlined by a highly-anticipated rematch between undefeated, reigning WSOF World Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje and hard-hitting challenger Luis “Baboon” Palomino at Comerica Theatre on Friday, Sept. 18, live on NBCSN.

In the co-main event, David Branch will attempt to become the promotion’s first two-division champion and first world light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion in history when he squares off with determined, hard-hitting KO artist Teddy Holder in the championship round of the four-man, multi-event tournament that kicked off at Comerica Theatre on March 28 as part of WSOF 19.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” go on sale onSaturday, July 11 at 10 a.m. MT and will be available for purchase at the Comerica Theatre box office and online at Ticketmaster.com.

“We are excited to return to Phoenix where we witnessed one of the most incredible fights in WSOF history earlier this year between Justin Gaethje and Luis Palomino, and to see them do it all over again,” said WSOF President Ray Sefo.

“Likewise,” continued Sefo, “we look forward to crowning the first WSOF light heavyweight champion in history and, based on their recent performances in our cage, David Branch and Teddy Holder should deliver a thrilling end to our historic tournament.”

The ferocious, 26-year-old Gaethje (14-0) of Safford, Ariz. put forth the gutsiest performance of his four-year professional career, thus far, when he faced off with Palomino, a 34-year-old resident of Miami, Fla. known for his devastating KO power, in the main event of WSOF 19.

An electric, seesaw battle that repeatedly brought the crowd on hand to its feet, suddenly ended when Gaethje, after digging down deep, put together a combination of leg kicks and punches that put the tenacious Palomino down in the third round of action and prompted the referee to call off the fight, giving Gaethje the TKO win at the 3:57mark of the third stanza.

Branch and Holder find themselves in championship round action in the WSOF tournament that kicked off in Phoenix on March 28, after both fighters faced unexpected, last-minute adversaries in the semifinal stage.

Originally slated to square off with Ronny Markes, the 33-year-old Branch (16-3), the reigning WSOF world middleweight (185 pounds) champion and a Renzo Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who hails from Brooklyn, N.Y., found himself with a new opponent in Jesse McElligott just 24 hours before fight time on April 10, after a dehydrated Markes was forced to withdraw from the affair.

Branch, who seized the WSOF middleweight strap with a first round (1:41) submission (d’arce choke) of Jesse Taylor on June 21, 2014, handled McElligott relatively easily, submitting him with a shoulder choke in the second round (1:28) of battle to notch his sixth consecutive win.

Holder (9-1) of Bartlett, Tenn. experienced a stroke of luck when, just hours before the 29-year-old was slated to enter the cage for a WSOF 19 preliminary bout, one of the original tournament participants, Matt Hamill, withdrew from his semifinal stage matchup with seasoned star Thiago Silva, and Holder was asked to replace him.

With a fraction of the professional experience of his new opponent, the heavy-handed Holder charged forward, eventually blasting Silva with a storm of punches that crumbled the Brazil native in the first round (2:00) and earned Holder a trip to the tournament’s championship round.

The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” begins at 7:00 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Friday, September 18.

Doors at Comerica Theatre will open for WSOF 23 at 3:00 p.m. MT and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 3:45 p.m.

Additional bouts for the event will be announced soon.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF.com) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown  and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

WSOF 22 Adds Lightweight Bout To Live NBCSN Telecast

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“WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” Adds Lightweight Main Card Matchup
with Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov

Live NBCSN telecast to feature five bouts, including world championship main event between Rousimar Palhares and Jake Shields

Saturday, Aug. 1 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (July 1, 2015) – World Series of Fighting’s (WSOF.com) blockbuster event on Saturday, Aug. 1 will now feature five contests on the night’s live NBCSN telecast, with the addition of a lightweight (155 pounds) matchup between four-time promotional veteran Jimmy Spicuzza (6-2) and submission ace Islam Mamedov (11-1).

The lightweight contest joins the night’s main event showdown between reigning WSOF World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar Palhares (17-6) and challenger and two-time world champion Jake Shields (31-7), as well as the co-main event between WSOF World Bantamweight (135 pounds) Champion Marlon Moraes(14-4-1) and undefeated challenger Sheymon Moraes (7-0), and a highly-anticipated, light heavyweight (205 pounds) battle between combat sports phenom Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (2-0) and gritty veteran Mike “MAK” Kyle (21-12-1).

A fifth bout will be announced shortly, as Magomed Bibulatov (9-0) has been forced to withdraw from a previously announced, inaugural WSOF world flyweight (125 pounds0 championship matchup with fellow undefeated contender Donavon Frelow (4-0), who will now likely fight on the evening’s WSOF.com-streamed preliminary card against a new opponent.

Spicuzza, of Las Vegas, Nev., is a Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu fighter and four-time WSOF veteran. He debuted for the promotion at WSOF 9 on March 29, 2014, and submittedGil Guardado with a  rear-naked choke in the first round (3:14), before returning at WSOF 10 on June 21, 2014, and scoring a unanimous decision win over Justin Jaynes.

At WSOF 12 on Aug. 9,  2014, he suffered a TKO (punches) loss to Lucas Montoya, but bounced back at WSOF 19 on March 28, where he earned a split decision win overBenny Madrid.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Mamedov is a Dagestani import who now calls Jersey City, N.J. his home. Competing professionally since 2009, Mamedov suffered a loss in his second professional outing, but has since rattled off 10 consecutive victories, including six by submission and two via TKO.

Mamedov made his WSOF debut on April 10, scoring a devastating first round (4:42) TKO on Leon Davis with a barrage of punches.

The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on Aug. 1.
Priced from $29.99, tickets for the event are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Doors at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will open at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m. PT.

Additional bouts for the event will be announced soon.

MAIN CARD
WSOF World Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Rousimar Palhares (Champion) vs. Jake Shields (Challenger)

WSOF World Bantamweight Championship Co-Main Event:
Marlon Moraes (Champion) vs. Sheymon Moraes (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight: Tyrone Spong vs. Mike Kyle
Lightweight: Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2015, NASCAR. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown  and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk, The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING RE-SIGNS REIGNING CHAMPIONS DAVID BRANCH, JUSTIN GAETHJE AND MARLON MORAES TO NEW MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENTS

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LAS VEGAS (June 29, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has re-signed three of its decorated, reigning world champions – middleweight (185 pounds) kingpin David Branch, undefeated lightweight (155 pounds) champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje and bantamweight (135 pounds) titleholder Marlon Moraes – to new, exclusive, multi-year agreements.

“We are thrilled to have these three incredible champions on board with WSOF for the long haul again,” said WSOF President Ray Sefo.  “Justin and Marlon are both homegrown superstars that we have been building since we opened the doors at WSOF, while David, who came to us as an established star, has grown into an even more dynamic and dominant mixed martial artist since joining the WSOF roster.

“All three fighters, continued Sefo, “are a testimony to our product and the world-class brand we have been building, and we look forward to ushering WSOF into its next phase of growth with them on board.”

The 33-year-old Branch (16-3) of Brooklyn, N.Y. is in the midst of a spectacular, six-fight win streak that he has put together with wins over the likes of Dustin Jacoby,Paulo Filho, Jesse Taylor and Yushin Okami.

A student of MMA legend Renzo Gracie, Branch, who has finished over 60 percent of his opponents during his 8 year professional career, notched his latest win,  a second round (1:28) technical submission (shoulder choke) win over Jesse McElligott, onApril 10 at WSOF 20.

Gaethje (14-0), a 26-year-old phenom who hails from Safford, Ariz., is coming off aMarch 28 conquest of seasoned battler Luis Palomino that served as the main event at WSOF 19.

Before a hometown crowd, Gaethje, who has earned 11 of his 14 career wins by way of (T)KO, engaged in an all-out slugfest, for nearly three full rounds before finally scoring a TKO victory with an onslaught of leg kicks and punches that downed Palomino at the 3:57 mark of the third stanza.

Moraes (14-4-1) of Howell, N.J. via Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will put his 9-fight win streak on the line, in his second WSOF title defense, when the 27-year-old faces undefeated star Sheymon Moraes at the star-studded “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” event, live on NBCSN from Planet Hollywood Resort Casino on Sat., Aug. 1.

Branch, Gaethje and Moraes will all be featured on “WSOF Unstoppable: The Road Ahead” on NBC on Saturday, July 11, beginning at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.  The special, two-hour program, co-hosted by retired MMA icon Bas Rutten, NBCSN veteran announcer Todd Harris and Gracie,  will include interviews with all three WSOF world champions as well as their respective, recent championship bouts.

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
World Series of Fighting (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visitWSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter (@MMAWorldSeries) and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo (@SugarRaySefo).
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

SAN Nutrition Signs on as Title Sponsor of World Series of Fighting

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Oxnard, California – June 24, 2015 – SAN Nutrition, with a strong history of supporting elite athletes and sporting events, announced today that it has teamed up on a promising new venture as title sponsor of Las Vegas-based World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com).

WSOF is an internationally growing company promoting world championship professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) live events for distribution on NBCSN in the U.S. as well as television in over 100 countries internationally. In the same way that SAN is committed to providing customers and athletes with the greatest products, WSOF is dedicated to providing fans and fighters with the ultimate sports entertainment experience.

“We’ve had growing relationships with MMA athletes as individuals, including our sponsorship of MMA Welterweight champion and number one contender Johny Hendricks as well as number one ranked Lightweight phenom Khabib Nurmagomedov,“ says Matt Boldt, SAN’s president, “and we’re truly looking forward to our new endeavors supporting such a world-class organization as WSOF.

We are excited to partner with a first-rate nutrition company like SAN that has taken such a proactive approach to marketing its top-of-the-line products to MMA’s ever-growing audience,” said WSOF President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.

“This is, without a doubt,” continued Sefo, “a great opportunity for WSOF to align itself with another sponsor partner that is committed to excellence in its space, and we are confident that this partnership will help SAN significantly expand its footprint in MMA and reach a greater number of target consumers than ever before.”

MMA popularity is continually growing and WSOF’s coverage on NBCSN, NBC and worldwide is pushing growth even further. SAN has fielded an ever-increasing interest level from fighters with regard to maximizing strength and endurance, so the relationship is the perfect match.

SAN’s name will appear on new floor logo mats, center posts, tale of the tape  television graphics, and the WSOF round card girls will be outfitted with new uniforms bearing the SAN logo.

SAN Nutrition has become the most trusted company in the industry because of the positive results achieved by people who use SAN products. Backed by extensive scientific research, SAN Nutrition continually develops the most powerful and safest supplements available.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

World Series of Fighting  Signs Red Hot Rising Stars LaRue Burley and Louis Taylor To Exclusive Contracts

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LAS VEGAS (June 23, 2015) – World championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has inked two fast-rising stars – undefeated lightweight (155 pounds) LaRue “The Cannibal” Burley (6-0) and red-hot, middleweight (185 pounds) finisher Louis “Handgunz” Taylor (11-3) – to exclusive, multi-fight agreements.

Both fighters’ WSOF debut dates and opponents will be announced in the near future.

“As we continue our incredible growth at WSOF, we also continue to seek out the best athletes in MMA for our ever-growing roster,” WSOF President Ray Sefo said.  “LaRue and Louis are two of the sport’s top prospects, and will no doubt make an immediate impact in the WSOF decagon cage.”

Burley, fighting out of Arizona’s Power MMA Team, has been competing professionally since 2012. The 31-year-old has rattled off six consecutive victories to start his professional career, including two by submission – both via guillotine choke – and two by KO.

While competing almost exclusively in Arizona, Burley has notched victories under numerous regional banners, earning brief national exposure with a 2013 victory overBubba Jenkins, but he now will be thrust into the national spotlight under the promotion of WSOF.

Taylor comes to WSOF on the strength of a four-fight winning steak that has seen the 36-year-old earn all four victories by first-round stoppage. A Chicago native who still fights out of the Windy City’s Chicago Fight Team, Taylor has been competing professionally since 2007.

In 14 career contests, Taylor has fought to a judges’ decision just once, using a strong mix of striking skills and grappling prowess to consistently seek out a finish.

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
World Series of Fighting (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visitWSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter (@MMAWorldSeries) and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo (@SugarRaySefo).
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

WSOF ‘UNSTOPPABLE’  RETURNS TO NBC ON SATURDAY, JULY 11

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LAS VEGAS (June 17, 2014) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) will return to NBC with an all-new installment of its action-packed ‘Unstoppable’ program showcasing the best, recent world championship action from the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion, on Saturday, July 11, beginning at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

MMA legends Bas Rutten and Renzo Gracie, and veteran NBCSN announcer Todd Harris will host the two-hour program, “WSOF Unstoppable: The Road Ahead,” and be joined in studio by guests and reigning WSOF world champions David Branch(middleweight – 185 pounds) and Marlon Moraes (bantamweight – 135 pounds), whose most recent, respective bouts in the WSOF decagon cage will be on display.

Additionally, the show will feature an in-depth look at undefeated, reigning WSOF World  Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje, and ferocious action from reigning WSOF World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares, reigning WSOF World Featherweight (145 pounds) Champion Lance Palmer and newly crowned WSOF World Heavyweight Champion Blagoy Ivanov.

“We are excited to deliver another hard-hitting compilation of the most memorable, recent bouts featuring WSOF’s collection of dynamic world champions and other superstars,” said WSOF President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo. “NBC has been an incredible partner and highly instrumental in building the WSOF brand over the course of the last two and a half years, and the ‘Unstoppable’ series is a testimony to their commitment to our company and the sport of MMA.”

Along with Branch and Moraes, the hosts will preview the highly-anticipated, WSOF world championship showdown between defending kingpin Palhares and challenger and two-time world champion Jake Shields, whose latest conquests in the WSOF cage will be on display for NBC viewers during “WSOF Unstoppable: The Road Ahead.”

Palhares and Shields will face off in the main event of WSOF 22, live on NBCSN from Las Vegas.

Since launching in Nov. 2012, WSOF has catapulted to the forefront of the MMA world with its star-studded, world championship live event series on NBCSN as well as additional programming on NBC.

The promotion has successfully expanded its footprint to over 100 different countries with its fight programming as part of a multi-year agreement with IMG, the world’s leader in sports content distribution.

About World Series of Fighting (WSOF)
World Series of Fighting (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visitWSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter (@MMAWorldSeries) and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo (@SugarRaySefo).
mixed martial arts, RFA, World Series of Fighting

Fight Network Presents RFA 26 LIVE, WSOF 21  Friday, June 5 Starting at 10 p.m. ET

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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

TORONTO (June 4, 2015 — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents back-to-back world-class championship mixed martial arts broadcasts this Friday, June 5, beginning at 10 p.m. with a live presentation of RFA 26: Smith vs. Smith from 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

 

Immediately following the live broadcast, Fight Network will present WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki in its entirety from Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

 

Fight Network will televise both cards exclusively in Canada, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

Airing live at 10 p.m. ET, RFA 26 will be headlined by a welterweight title bout as RFA welterweight champion Benjamin Smith (14-2) puts his title on the line against No. 1 contender Gilbert Smith(10-4). In the co-main event, Brazilian submission ace Thiago “Monstinho” Alves (8-2) battles Colorado’s own Marcus “Bad Intentions” Edwards (9-3). The main card will also feature a pair of bantamweights bouts, as NCAA Division I wrestler Jarred “Shutout” Mercado (12-2) will lock horns with jiu-jitsu black belt Bruno Frazatto (6-2), while Hawaiian knockout artist Boston “Boom Boom” Salmon (3-0) will clash with collegiate wrestler Danny Mainus (3-3). Also on the main card, former RFA middleweight title challenger Andrew “El Dirte” Sanchez (5-2) squares off with Respect FC and SFFN champion Clinton Williams (5-1) and undefeated heavyweight prospect Brandon Griffin(4-0) battles The MMA Lab destroyer Ashley Gooch (7-4).

 

WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki features a championship doubleheader. In the main event, reigning WSOF featherweight champion Lance Palmer (9-1) will put his title on the line for the first time against Canadian challenger and battle-tested veteran Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (21-5-1), while the co-feature pits WSOF heavyweight champion Smealinho “The Prince” Ram aagainst Bulgarian standout Blagoi Ivanov (11-1). Two featherweight rising stars will put their unblemished records on the line when Hakeem Dawodu (4-0) meets Chuka “The Lion King” Willis(4-0), plus Mark “Sweet Dreams” Drummond (7-2) battles Michael “The Messenger” Hill in an all-Canadian welterweight clash.

 

The live action continues on Saturday, June 6, beginning at 9 a.m. ET with M-1 Challenge 58: Battle in the Mountains 4 from Ingushetia, Russia, featuring Marcelo Brito (13-6) vs. Murad Abdulaev(14-3) for the M-1 welterweight title, plus Lee Morrison (12-5) faces Pavel Vitruk (12-1) in featherweight action, and heavyweights Alexei Kudin (19-8) and Denis Smoldarev (10-1) will throw down. Fight Network’s live broadcast of M-1 Challenge 58 will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

Later, Fight Network will televise the live prelims for UFC Fight Night: Boetsch vs. Henderson exclusively in Canada from 8 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET. The prelims will feature an explosive heavyweight clash between heavy-handed Texan Shawn Jordan (17-6) and New Orleans’ own knockout artist Derrick Lewis (12-3, 1NC), a welterweight matchup pitting 69-fight veteran Brian Ebersole (51-16-1, 1NC) against Dagestani prospect Omari Akhmedov (14-2), a lightweight bout between New Yorker Chris Wade (9-1) and Californian Christos Giagos (11-3), plus Massachusetts native Joe Proctor(10-3) faces Ohio native Justin Edwards (9-4) in a lightweight showcase of Ultimate Fighter veterans.

 

Live pre-fight coverage will lead into the prelims on Saturday evening with Fight Network’s UFC Pre-Show Live at 7 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis.

 

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
Fight Network, mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

Fight Network Signs Exclusive Multi-Year Programming Deal with World Series of Fighting 

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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

TORONTO (June 3, 2015) – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, today announced an exclusive multi-year programming agreement with Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts organization World Series of Fighting(WSOF.com) to broadcast live events and the existing archive in Canada, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

The deal kicks off this weekend with a short tape delay broadcast of WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki from Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Airing June 6 at Midnight ET, the event is headlined by WSOF featherweight champion Lance Palmer defending against Canada’s own Chris Horodecki, while WSOF heavyweight champion Smealinho Rama, another Canadian, defends the coveted title against Bulgarian powerhouse Blagoi Ivanov.

 

WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki will repeat on Saturday, June 6 at 4 p.m. ET and Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. ET.

 

WSOF is led by president Ray Sefo, a six-time world kickboxing champion and two-time Hall of Famer. The promotion has staged 20 events to date, featuring internationally renowned superstars such as Andrei Arlovski, Anthony Johnson, David Branch, Rousimar Palhares, Jake Shields, Yushin Okami and Jon Fitch. .

 

WSOF has also spawned the careers of the next generation of MMA superstars, including reigning bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes, featherweight champion Palmer, undefeated lightweight champion Justin Gaethjeand undefeated light heavyweight Tyrone Spong.

 

The first event scheduled to air live on Fight Network is the blockbuster WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields world championship card on Aug. 1, 2015 in Las Vegas, headlined by a showcase of elite grapplers as WSOF welterweight champion Palhares defends against former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger Shields.

 

Also featured at WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields is a bantamweight title bout pitting the champion Moraes against undefeated Brazilian Sheymon Moraes, and a light heavyweight special attraction featuring Spong in the toughest test of his MMA career against heavy-handed veteran Mike Kyle, who makes his third appearance in the WSOF cage.

 

“WSOF has rapidly become one of the top promotions in North America and we’re thrilled to bring these world-class live events to our viewers,” said Chad Midgley, VP of Content at Fight Network. “Shows feature a great assortment of established names and highly touted prospects, providing a perfect balance of nostalgia for longtime fans while exposing viewers to fresh talent. With regularly scheduled events in Canada, homegrown stars can now be seen nationally across the country.”

 

“We are thrilled to partner with such a dynamic and robust television platform like Fight Network, and bring our live event programming to the highly passionate combat sports fan base in Canada where we have made a concerted effort to establish WSOF’s footprint,” said WSOF president, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer, Ray Sefo.

 

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