Tag Archives: Brian Foster

mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING ANNOUNCES COMPLETE, SIX-FIGHT MAIN CARD FOR UNPRECEDENTED, THREE-HOUR LIVE NBCSN TELECAST OF WSOF33: GAETHJE VS. DUGULUBGOV

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Star-studded, world championship doubleheader
airs live from Kansas City, Mo. on Friday, Oct. 7

Tickets on sale Friday, Sept. 2

 

LAS VEGAS (August 30, 2016) – World Series of Fighting (www.WSOF.com) today announced the completion of a stacked, six-fight main card for the unprecedented, three-hour, live NBCSN (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT) telecast of the WSOF33: Gaethje vs. Dugulubgov world championship doubleheader extravaganza at Kansas City Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. onFriday, Oct. 7.

Priced from $20, tickets for WSOF33: Gaethje vs. Dugulubgov go on sale onFriday, Sept 2 at the Kansas City Municipal Auditorium box office as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Joining the previously announced lightweight (155 pounds) championship main event between reigning, undefeated kingpin Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (16-0) and number one contender Ozzy Dugulubgov (8-2); the light heavyweight (205 pounds) championship co-main event between defending champion David Branch (16-3) and challenger Vinny Magalhaes (14-7); and the lightweight tilt between WSOF25 eight-man tournament winner Brian Foster (25-9) and Luiz “Buscape” Firmino (19-6), are three other, star-studded bouts, led by a featured lightweight contest between Jason ‘The Kansas City Bandit” High (19-5) and Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-8).

“This is, without a doubt, the most stacked fight card from top to bottom that we have put together, thanks in large part to NBCSN, which has given us a three-hour window for the first time since we launched on the network four years ago, to showcase our best fighters in action,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.
                              
In other action on the six-bout telecast, John “Doomsday” Howard (24-12) will collide with Abubakar Nurmagomedov (12-1-1) in a welterweight (170 pounds) matchup.

Kicking off the main card will be a heavyweight showdown between two World Series of Fighting newcomers and knockout artists – Shawn “The Savage” Jordan (18-7) and Ashley “Gio” Gooch (10-4).

The WSOF33 preliminary bout card will be announced soon.

Jason High vs. Joao Zeferino

Entering the World Series of Fighting decagon cage for the third time, the 5-foot-9, 34-year-old High of Kansas City, Mo. has been nothing short of spectacular in his first two starts.

In his promotional debut at WSOF25 on November 20, 2015, the UFC and Strikeforce veteran and 2009 DREAM Grand Prix tournament runner-up scored a highlight reel KO on Estevan Payan with a head kick-punches combination in the second round (:47) of their matchup.

High followed up the victory with an inspiring comeback against fellow starMike Ricci.  After taking punishment for the majority of each of the first two rounds, High went on the offensive and scored a devastating TKO on Ricci with an onslaught of punches in the second round (4:08) of their WSOF31 meeting on June 17.

The 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Zeferino of Middletown, N.Y. via Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil has earned a remarkable 15 of 20 career wins by way of submission.

The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt finished as runner-up in the first-ever World Series of Fighting one-night, eight-man tournament on November 20, 2015, suffering a second round (4:51) KO (punches) loss in the event’s championship round at the hands of Brian Foster, whom Zeferino had handily defeated earlier that night in the first stage of the tournament, by way of first round (1:46) submission (heel hook).

Following the win over Foster, Zeferino notched another first round (1:24) heel hook submission, this time on Jorge “Macaco” Patino, in the semifinal stage of the tournament.  The result marked Zeferino’s seventh consecutive victory.

John Howard vs. Abubakar Nurmagomedov

The 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard of Boston, Mass. is coming off a successful World Series of Fighting debut on June 17 when he earned a unanimous decision over Michael Arrant.

A 14-fight veteran of the UFC, Howard triumphed over the likes of Dennis “Superman” Hallman, Uriah Hall and Siyar Bahadurzada over the course of two different stints with the promotion, and earned “Knockout of the Night” honors for his first round (2:01) KO (punches) of Daniel Roberts at the ‘UFC Live’ event on March 21, 2010, as well as a “Fight of the Night” award following his split decision win over Chris Wilson at UFC 94 on January 31, 2009.

Nurmagomedov of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia is a 6-foot, 26-year-old protégé of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, the father and trainer of UFC superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov, and a 2014 Combat Sambo World Championships bronze medalist.

When he faces Howard, Nurmagomedov will look for his fourth consecutive win in the World Series of Fighting decagon cage, and his fifth straight win overall, following his crushing, second round (3:05) TKO (punches) ofMatthew Frincu at WSOF30 on April 2.

To date, 10 of Nurmagomedov’s 12 career wins have come by way of either (T)KO or submission.

Shawn Jordan vs. Ashley Gooch

The stocky, 6-foot, 31-year-old Jordan of Baton Rouge, La. will make his much-anticipated debut for World Series of Fighting following a 10-fight stretch with the UFC, during which the heavy-handed fighter posted a strong, 6-4 overall record, with all of his wins coming by way of (T)KO.

A veteran of Strikeforce and Bellator action as well, Jordan is an accomplished athlete who earned a football scholarship to Louisiana State University (LSU) where he was a member of both the 2003 and 2007 national championship teams.

Gooch of Glendale, Ariz. earned his shot with World Series of Fighting as a result of his recent surge that has seen the 6-foot-3, 41-year-old emerge victorious in each of his last eight bouts, with all eight of the wins having come by way of (T)KO or submission.

Gooch’s success of late has earned him the number one ranking in the heavyweight division in the New England region, as well as the number two ranking in the state of Arizona, according to Tapology.com.

mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING RELEASES FALL/WINTER 2016 “SUPER SCHEDULE” ON NBC AND NBCSN

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FOUR NEW LIVE EVENT DATES BEGIN WITH UNPRECEDENTED, THREE-HOUR NBCSN TELECAST
OF WSOF33 FROM KANSAS CITY, KAN. ON OCTOBER 7

EPIC YEAR CONCLUDES WITH WSOF36 MEGA-EVENT ON NBC
FROM MADISON SQUARE GARDEN ON DECEMBER 31

LAS VEGAS (August 23, 2016) – Following its highest-viewed live event of the year on July 30, World Series of Fighting (www.WSOF.com) announced today that it has pegged new dates to its four remaining 2016 events, beginning with an unprecedented, three-hour, live NBCSN telecast (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT) of WSOF33: Gaethje vs. Dugulubov from Kansas City, Kan. on Friday, Oct. 7, and concluding with the recently announced WSOF36 mega-event at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday, Dec. 31, live on NBC.

WSOF34 and WSOF35, both of which will air live on NBCSN, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 12 at Budweiser Event Center from Loveland, Colo. outside of Denver, and on Saturday, Dec. 3 at XFINITY Arena in Everett, Wash.  The main event and co-main event for each of these two fight cards will also be revealed soon.

“We are excited to head into the fall season of our busiest year to date, with a full schedule of live television events that will see us bring the World Series of Fighting brand of MMA action to new, major media markets; produce a three-hour, live show for the first time ever; and return to broadcast television on NBC from Madison Square Garden’s Theater venue on New Year’s Eve,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.

World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo stated, “We have in store for MMA fans, some phenomenal, world championship bouts as well as other star-studded matchups, and I think these last four events of 2016 will firmly put an exclamation point on what has been a banner year for the league.”

In addition, the world championship fight series will air a two-hour replay of WSOF32:  Moraes vs. Hill II on Saturday, Sept. 24.  The WSOF32 world championship doubleheader event that took place at XFINITY Arena in Everett, Wash. garnered over 250,000 live viewers on NBCSN on July 30, and an immediate replay of the show drew an additional 107,000 viewers.

WSOF33 will take place at Kansas City Memorial Auditorium and will be headlined by a world lightweight (155 pounds) championship showdown between undefeated, reigning kingpin Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (16-0) of Safford, Ariz. and hard-hitting, number one contender Ozzy Dugulubgov (8-2) of Ridgewood, N.J.

In the co-main event of WSOF33, Blackzilians star Luiz “Buscape” Firmino(19-6) of Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil will put a six-fight win streak on the line against former world championship challenger and the first-ever World Series of Fighting eight-man tournament winner, Brian Foster (25-9) of Sallisaw, Okla.

Additional WSOF33 bouts will be announced soon.

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

THREE NEW MATCHUPS COMPLETE WSOF29: GAETHJE VS. FOSTER MAIN CARD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 12

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NEW, LIVE NBCSN START TIME OF 10 P.M. ET
FROM GREELEY, COLORADO

LAS VEGAS (February 3, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today the addition of three main card matchups, including a heavyweight co-main event contest between Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland(11-3) and Mike “300” Hayes (19-10-2), to its highly anticipated WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster world lightweight (155 pounds) championship event at the Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley, Colo. on Saturday, March 12, live on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

In other action on the four-bout live telecast that will be headlined by the lightweight championship showdown between reigning, undefeated kingpin Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (15-0) and number one contender Brian Foster (25-9), middleweight (185 pounds) standouts Cory “The One” Devela (15-6) and Louis “Handgunz” Taylor (11-3) will collide in their respective World Series of Fighting debuts.

Kicking off the live, four-fight telecast will be a welterweight (170 pounds) scrap pitting Josh Cavan (11-6) against Kris Hocum (7-4).

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster, are on sale at WSOF.com and the University of Northern Colorado’s online ticketing platform.

Josh Copeland vs. Mike Hayes

The 6-foot-1 Copeland of Denver, Colo. is a former number one ranked heavyweight in his home state, and a four-time title holder since turning professional in 2010.

The 33-year-old, former Youth Ministry student at Dallas Baptist College, has earned 8 of his 11 career victories as a professional by way of (T)KO or submission, with 5 of those wins coming in less than 2 minutes.

A teammate of Gaethje’s at Grudge Training Center, Copeland will look to rebound from a second round (2:50) submission (kimura) defeat at the hands ofVitaly Minakov on December 11, a result that snapped a two-fight win streak for Copeland.

During his professional career spanning eight-plus years, the 6-foot-4, 35-year-old Hayes of Redmond, Wash. has faced off with elite level competition, including former world champion Andrei Arlovski and superstar Ruslan Magomedov, both of whom he fought to a decision.

On November 2, 2013, Hayes notched his most impressive victory to date, scoring a devastating, third round (3:11) KO on decorated MMA, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and wrestling champion Jeff “The Snowman” Monson with a head kick.

In his last start on June 4, 2015, Hayes produced another impressive result, fighting former South African national wrestling champion and four-time MMA titlistTrevor Prangley, to a draw.

Cory Devela vs. Louis Taylor

The 6-foot-2, 31-year-old Devela of Bonney Lake, Wash., will enter the decagon cage in the midst of a four-fight win streak that includes a unanimous decision victory over superstar Nick “The Promise” Ring on June 26, 2015.

A longtime protégé of MMA superstar and submission expert Dennis “Superman” Hallman, Devela, who has notched 11 of his 16 career wins by way of (T)KO or submission, burst into the national spotlight at a Strikeforce promoted event in Tacoma, Wash. on February 23, 2008, scoring a first round (1:22) TKO on heralded superstar Joe “Diesel” Riggs with a thunderous slam that rendered Riggs unable to continue fighting.

Devela’s recent ascendance that has him knocking on the door of becoming a world championship contender again, comes after he took an extended, three-year hiatus from competition to care for a sick loved one between 2010 and 2013.

Also looking to earn his fifth consecutive win, the 5-foot-11, 36-year-old Taylor of Chicago, Ill. is the number one ranked middleweight in his home state, according to the latest Tapology.com ratings.

A prolific striker who has finished 10 of his 11 opponents to date by way of (T)KO or submission, Taylor’s last four victories all came inside of the first round of battle.

Prior to becoming a mixed martial artist, Taylor was a wrestling standout for the NCAA Division I program at Eastern Illinois University where he benefited from training with fellow, former team member turned assistant coach Matt Hughes, who went on to become a two-time UFC champion and Hall of Fame member.

Josh Cavan vs. Kris Hocum

Fighting out of Denver, Cavan is a 5-foot-10, 32-year-old, lifelong athlete who competed at the minor league level of professional hockey before turning his attention to MMA.  A winner of 9 of his 11 professional career fights by way of (T)KO or submission, Cavan will look to bounce back from a second round (1:28) TKO (punches) defeat at the hands of Joe Eichelberger on November 6.

The 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Hocum of Fort Collins, Colo. made his professional debut on October 27, 2012 as a participant in a one-night, eight-man tournament, defeating multiple opponents to emerge the victor of the grueling affair.   He will look to regain momentum after back-to-back losses in his last two appearances.

The WSOF29 preliminary bout card will be announced soon.
Las Vegas, mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WSOF29: GAETHJE VS. FOSTER MOVES TO BANK OF COLORADO ARENA ON SATURDAY, MARCH 12, LIVE ON NBCSN

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

LAS VEGAS (January 23, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that the location for the live NBCSN televised (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT), WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster lightweight (155 pounds) championship event scheduled for Saturday, March 12, has been moved to the Bank of Colorado Arena on the campus of the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster, are on sale at WSOF.com and the University of Northern Colorado’s online ticketing platform.

In the highly-anticipated main event, reigning, undefeated lightweight champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (15-0) of Safford, Ariz. will put his title on the line against number one contender and recent eight-man tournament winner Brian Foster (25-9) of Sallisaw, Okla.

An alumnus of the University of Northern Colorado, Gaethje became the first competitive wrestler to earn All-American honors for the school after it became a Division I athletic program.  He placed seventh in the NCAA national wrestling tournament in his junior year.

Additional WSOF29 bouts will be announced soon.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING

“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 visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries.  WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.

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, MMA, NBC, World Series of Fighting

WSOF29: GAETHJE VS. FOSTER IS ON!   WORLD LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT SET FOR MARCH 12 IN LOVELAND, COLORADO LIVE ON NBCSN

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Number one lightweight contender Brian Foster (far) will challenge reigning, undefeated World Series of Fighting champion Justin Gaethje for the title on Saturday, March 12, live on NBCSN from the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo.

TICKETS GO ON SALE TOMORROW

LAS VEGAS (January 11, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that the highly-anticipated showdown between reigning, undefeated lightweight (155 pounds) champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje and number one contender Brian Foster will take place at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo. on Saturday, March 12, live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 9 a.m. MT at WSOF.com and ComcastTix.com.

“This is a fight between two phenomenal athletes who are at the top of their games right now and whose fighting spirits are bound to make it an all-out war in the cage that will see the better man that night walk away as world champion,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

One of the most dominant competitors on the World Series of Fighting roster whose fearless, go-for-broke style has captured the hearts of fans worldwide, the 27-year-old Gaethje (14-0) of Safford, Ariz. is coming off the third defense of his coveted title in which he scored an explosive, second round (4:30) TKO (punches) of rival Luis “Baboon” Palomino in a rematch between the two prolific stars, on September 18.

Six months prior, Gaethje and Palomino engaged in an epic, see-saw slugfest that saw Gaethje emerge victorious by way of TKO (leg kicks and punches) in the third round (3:57) that has since been nominated for “Fight of the Year” at the eighth annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards ceremony that takes place on February 5.

To date, Gaethje has claimed a total of eight wins in the World Series of Fighting decagon cage, with seven of those wins having come by way of (T)KO.  He was crowned the league’s inaugural lightweight kingpin after finishing Richard Patishnock by way of first round (1:09) TKO (punches and elbows) at WSOF8 on January 18, 2014.

Foster (25-8) of Sallisaw, Okla. earned his title shot on November 20 when the 31-year-old, decorated veteran staged a heroic effort, fighting three times in one night to win World Series of Fighting’s first-ever, one-night tournament featuring the top eight athletes in the league’s stacked lightweight division.

After suffering a first round (1:46) submission (heel hook) defeat to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Joao Zeferino, Foster experienced a stroke of luck, advancing to the tournament’s semifinal stage of competition in place of an injured competitor, and capitalized on the opportunity by defeating Palomino via second round (4:19) TKO (punches) and Zeferino via second round (4:51) KO (punches) in a championship stage rematch, to claim first prize and a shot at Gaethje’s title.

A 10-year veteran of the sport, Foster has produced notable victories over Brock Larson, Forrest Petz and world top 10 ranked welterweight (170 pounds) superstar Matt Brown, whom Foster conquered by way of second round (2:11) submission (guillotine choke) on November 20, 2010.

Additional WSOF29 bouts will be announced soon.
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

COMPLETE LINEUP SET FOR “WSOF 25: 8-MAN LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT” AT COMERICA THEATRE IN PHOENIX, ARIZ. ON FRIDAY, NOV. 20, LIVE ON NBCSN

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Twelve bout card kicks off live on WSOF.com at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, followed by live NBCSN telecast at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT

Live stream includes one-night tournament’s quarterfinal stage bouts

LAS VEGAS (November 16, 2015) –The complete fight card and bout order for World Series of Fighting’s highly-anticipated “WSOF 25: 8-Man Lightweight Tournament” extravaganza at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. is set for Friday, November 20.

Headlined by the first one-night, eight-man tournament in World Series of Fighting history, the event will kick off with a preliminary bout card that will stream live, worldwide on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The live stream will be comprised of eight bouts, including all four quarterfinal stage matchups in the lightweight (155 pounds) tournament that will crown its winner, who will have fought three times in one night, the new number one contender in the coveted weight division.

The four-fight, live NBCSN telecast will begin at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT with the two semifinal stage tournament bouts, and conclude with the tournament’s championship round showdown.

The non-tournament, lightweight co-main event contest between Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High (18-5) of Kansas City, Mo. and rival star Estevan Payan (16-8) of Tempe, Ariz. will take place between the conclusion of the second semifinal stage tournament bout and the championship round fight.

In one tournament bracket, Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-11) of Miami, Fla., coming off another “Fight of the Month” performance at WSOF 23 in September, will square off with rising star Rich Patishnock (6-2) of East Stroudsberg, Pa., while Brian Foster (23-7) of Sallisaw, Okla., fresh off a thunderous, first round (:32) KO of previously unbeaten LaRue Burley at WSOF 23, will collide with streaking submission wizard Joao Zeferino (18-6) of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

In the opposite bracket, wrestling and submission ace Brian “The Bandit” Cobb(20-8) of Bakersfield, Calif. will battle Firas Zahabi-trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt  Mike “The Martian” Ricci (10-4) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, whileIslam Mamedov (12-1) of Jersey City, N.J. via Derbent, Dagestan, Russia will put his phenomenal, 11-fight winning streak on the line against five-time, one-night tournament winner and Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Jorge “Macaco” Patino (38-15-2, 1 NC) of Houston, Texas via Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The winner of the quarterfinal stage bout between Palomino and Patishnock will meet the winner of the fight between Foster and Zeferino in the semifinal stage of the single-elimination affair, and the winner of the matchup between Cobb and Ricci will face the winner of the bout between Mamedov and Patino in the semifinal stage of the tournament.

Leading off the preliminary bout card will be the first of two tournament reserve bouts –Benny Madrid (8-3) of Phoenix vs. Ramil Mustapayev (3-1) of Albuquerque, N.M. via Ossetia, Russia, which will be followed by the second tournament reserve fight – LaRue Burley (6-1) of Phoenix vs. Joe Condon (12-8) of Victorville, Calif.

The preliminary bout card will conclude with a 165-pound catchweight tilt betweenJimmy Scully (3-3) of Phoenix and Roberto Yong (2-3) of Glendale, Ariz. and a bantamweight (135 pounds) battle between Joseph Barajas (11-1) of Vista, Calif. and Erik Villalobos (3-0) of Glendale.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 25: 8-Man Lightweight Tournament” are on sale at the Comerica Theatre box office as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Doors at Comerica Theatre open at 5 p.m. MT and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. MT.

MAIN CARD

Lightweight Tournament Championship Bout:
Semifinal Bout Winner # 1 vs. Semifinal Bout Winner # 2

Lightweight Co-Main Event:
Jason High vs. Estevan Payan

Lightweight Tournament Semifinal Stage Bout # 2:
Quarterfinal Bout Winner # 3 vs. Quarterfinal Bout Winner # 4

Lightweight Tournament Semifinal Stage Bout # 1:
Quarterfinal Bout Winner # 1 vs. Quarterfinal Bout Winner # 2

PRELIMINARY CARD

Bantamweight Bout: Joseph Barajas vs. Erik Villalobos

Catchweight (165 pounds) Bout: Jimmy Scully vs. Roberto Yong

Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal Stage Bout # 4:
Luis Palomino vs. Rich Patishnock

Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal Stage Bout # 3:
Brian Foster vs. Joao Zeferino

Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal Stage Bout # 2:
Brian Cobb vs. Mike Ricci

Lightweight Tournament Quarterfinal Stage Bout # 1:
Islam Mamedov vs. Jorge Patino

Lightweight Tournament Reserve Bout # 2:
LaRue Burley vs. Joe Condon

Lightweight Tournament Reserve Bout # 1:
Benny Madrid vs. Ramil Mustapayev

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 visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries. WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING ANNOUNCES RULES FOR EIGHT-MAN TOURNAMENT ON FRIDAY, NOV. 20, LIVE ON NBCSN FROM COMERICA THEATRE IN PHOENIX, ARIZ.

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Fourth judge to be added in event of any draws 

LAS VEGAS (October 29, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today, a comprehensive set of rules for its historic, one-night, eight-man lightweight (155 pounds) tournament on Friday, Nov. 20, live on NBCSN at11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT from Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz.

“We are looking forward to a competitive night of tournament action after months of evaluating how we could make this the most exciting event possible and, at the same time, ensure the safety of our athletes and give each of them the best opportunity to prevail in the cage,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

A former, six-time world kickboxing champion and two-time Hall of Famer, Sefo is a decorated veteran of over 50, one-night tournaments.

Designed to maximize the performance of its athletes and ensure that a decisive winner emerges in each bout, the “WSOF 25: 8-Man Lightweight Tournament” rules include scoring by a fourth cageside judge in the event that the original three judges in place score any bout a draw.

Additionally, elbow strikes will be permitted in the championship bout of the tournament when the standard, Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts take effect, but not in the quarterfinal or semifinal stages of the single-elimination affair.

Each of the four quarterfinal stage tournament bouts as well as both semifinal stage bouts will consist of two, five-minute rounds.  The championship bout will be comprised of three, five-minute rounds.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 25: 8-Man Lightweight Tournament” are on sale at the Comerica Theatre box office as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

In one bracket of the eight-man tournament affair, Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-11) of Miami, Fla. will square off with Rich Patishnock (6-2) of East Stroudsberg, Pa., while Brian Foster (23-7) of Sallisaw, Okla. will collide with Joao Zeferino(18-6) of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

In the opposite bracket, Brian “The Bandit” Cobb (20-8) of Bakersfield, Calif. will battle Mike “The Martian” Ricci (10-4) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, whileIslam Mamedov (12-1) of Jersey City, N.J. via Derbent, Dagestan, Russia will face Jorge “Macaco” Patino (38-15-2, 1 NC) of Houston, Texas via Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The winner of the fight between Palomino and Patishnock will meet the winner of the fight between Foster and Zeferino in the semifinal stage of the tournament, while the winner of the bout between Cobb and Ricci will square off with the winner of the bout between Mamedov and Patino in the semifinal stage of the event.

The two semifinal stage winners will face one another in the championship round.

In the lightweight co-main event, Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High (18-5) of Kansas City, Mo. will duke it out with Estevan “El Terrible” Payan (16-8, 1 NC) of Tempe, Ariz.

In one of two tournament reserve bouts, LaRue “The Cannibal” Burley (6-1) of Mesa, Ariz. will go to war with Joe Condon (12-8) of Victorville, Calif.

In the second reserve contest, Benny “El Hijo” Madrid (11-3) of Phoenix will face Ramil Mustapayev (3-1) of Ossetia, Russia.

Should any of the tournament’s quarterfinal stage fight winners be unable to re-enter the cage for his semifinal stage commitment due to an injury sustained en route to victory, the loser of the bout will advance to the following tournament round in place of the hurt fighter.

If neither the winner nor loser are healthy enough to re-enter the cage, however, one of the reserve fight winners will serve as a replacement in the tournament field.

Doors at Comerica Theatre will open at 5 p.m. MT, and the first bout will begin at 6 p.m.

Additional bouts will be announced soon.
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING ADDS TWO RESERVE BOUTS TO ONE-NIGHT TOURNAMENT ON FRIDAY, NOV. 20, LIVE ON NBCSN FROM COMERICA THEATRE IN PHOENIX, ARIZ.

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WSOF 25 receives new NBCSN start time of 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT

LAS VEGAS (October 27, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) has confirmed the addition of two alternate bouts – LaRue “The Cannibal” Burley vs. Joe Condon and Benny “El Hijo” Madrid vs. Ramil Mustapayev – for its highly-anticipated, one-night, eight-man lightweight (155 pounds) tournament on Friday, Nov. 20, live on NBCSN at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT from Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz.

Should any of the tournament’s quarterfinal stage fight winners be unable to re-enter the cage for his semifinal stage commitment due to an injury sustained en route to victory, the loser of the bout will advance to the following tournament round in place of the hurt fighter.

If neither the winner nor loser are healthy enough to re-enter the cage, however, one of the reserve fight winners will serve as a replacement in the tournament field.

“Our tournament lineup is officially complete with the addition of these matchups, and we are looking forward to having the four talented fighters selected for these two important fights, compete on this historic card and be prepared to enter the single-elimination contest if necessary,” said World Series of Fighting PresidentRay Sefo.

The 31-year-old Burley (6-1) of Gilbert, Ariz. is looking to return to form after suffering his first career blemish, a first round (:32) KO (punch) at the hands of accomplished veteran and one of the eight tournament contestants, Brian Foster, at WSOF 23 on September 18.

Prior to the defeat, Burley had emerged one of MMA’s hottest prospects, recording victories in his first six professional fights, including a third round (3:40) TKO (punches) of fellow rising star Bubba Jenkins, after an unbeaten career as an amateur.  Four of Burley’s six career wins have come by way of (T)KO or submission.

Condon (12-8) of Victorville, Calif. is also looking to return to the win column in what will be his third start for World Series of Fighting, following a unanimous decision defeat to Nick Newell at WSOF 20 on April 10.

In his promotional debut on January 17, the 29-year-old Condon submitted Jonathan Nunez with a guillotine choke in the third round (4:22) of battle at WSOF 17.

The 35-year-old Madrid (8-3) of Phoenix is coming off a splendid, first round (1:26) submission (rear-naked choke) victory over Jeff Fletcher at WSOF 23.  The win snapped a three-fight skid that came after Madrid had reeled off wins in his first seven professional career fights, a streak that spanned four years between 2009 and 2013.

Mustapayev (3-1) of Albuquerque, N.M. via Moscow, Russia will make his World Series of Fighting debut and will risk a perfect, 3-0 run that he is in the midst of this year.

A member of Greg Jackson’s and Mike Winklejohn’s famed fight team, Mustapayev is fresh off a stunning, first round (3:10) TKO (punches) of Jarel Askew in a matchup that took place on August 29.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 25: Eight-Man Lightweight Tournament” are on sale at the Comerica Theatre box office as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

In one bracket of the eight-man tournament affair, Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-11) of Miami, Fla. will square off with Rich Patishnock (6-2) of East Stroudsberg, Pa., while Brian Foster (23-7) of Sallisaw, Okla. will collide with Joao Zeferino(18-6) of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

In the opposite bracket, Brian “The Bandit” Cobb (20-8) of Bakersfield, Calif. will battle Mike “The Martian” Ricci (10-4) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, whileIslam Mamedov (12-1) of Jersey City, N.J. via Derbent, Dagestan, Russia will face Jorge “Macaco” Patino (38-15-2, 1 NC) of Houston, Texas via Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The winner of the fight between Palomino and Patishnock will meet the winner of the fight between Foster and Zeferino in the semifinal stage of the tournament, while the winner of the bout between Cobb and Ricci will square off with the winner of the bout between Mamedov and Patino in the semifinal stage of the event.

The two semifinal stage winners will face one another in the championship round.

In the lightweight co-main event, Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High (18-5) of Kansas City, Mo. will duke it out with Estevan “El Terrible” Payan (16-8, 1 NC) of Tempe, Ariz.

Doors at Comerica Theatre will open at 6 p.m. MT, and the first bout will begin at 7 p.m.

Additional bouts 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.
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING ANNOUNCES BRACKETS, FIRST-STAGE MATCHUPS FOR ONE-NIGHT, EIGHT-MAN LIGHTWEIGHT TOURNAMENT AT COMERICA THEATRE IN PHOENIX, ARIZ. ON FRIDAY, NOV. 20, LIVE ON NBCSN

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Plus: Jason High faces Estevan Payan in WSOF 25 co-main event

Tickets on sale now

LAS VEGAS (October 17, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced tonight during its live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 24: Fitch vs. Okami,” the quarterfinal stage matchups and brackets for its historic, one-night, eight-man tournament that will crown its winner the new number one contender in the promotion’s coveted lightweight (155 pound) division, at “WSOF 25: Eight-Man Lightweight Tournament,” on Friday, Nov. 20, live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz.

Additionally, a lightweight co-main event pitting Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High against fellow battle-tested star and World Series of Fighting newcomer Estevan “El Terrible” Payan was announced for WSOF 25.

“We are excited about the star-studded lineup and incredible matchups we have assembled for the first World Series of Fighting one-night tournament in history,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.  “Combined with an outstanding co-main event between Jason High and Estevan Payan, this is a must-see event for any fight fan.”

In one tournament bracket, Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-11) of Miami, Fla., coming off another “Fight of the Month” performance at WSOF 23 in September, will square off with rising star Rich Patishnock (6-2) of East Stroudsberg, Pa., while Brian Foster (23-7) of Sallisaw, Okla., fresh off a thunderous, first round (:32) KO of previously unbeaten LaRue Burley at WSOF 23, will collide with streaking submission wizard Joao Zeferino (18-6) of Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

In the opposite bracket, wrestling and submission ace Brian “The Bandit” Cobb(20-8) of Bakersfield, Calif. will battle Firas Zahabi-trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt  Mike “The Martian” Ricci (10-4) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, while Islam Mamedov (12-1) of Jersey City, N.J. via Derbent, Dagestan, Russia will put his phenomenal, 11-fight winning streak on the line against five-time, one-night tournament winner and Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Jorge “Macaco” Patino (38-15-2, 1 NC) of Houston, Texas via Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The winner of the quarterfinal stage bout between Palomino and Patishnock will meet the winner of the fight between Foster and Zeferino in the semifinal stage of the single-elimination affair, and the winner of the matchup between Cobb and Ricci will face the winner of the bout between Mamedov and Patino in the semifinal stage of the tournament.

The two semifinal stage victors will face off against each other for the tournament championship and the right to challenge reigning, undefeated World Series of Fighting lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

High (18-5) of Kansas City, Mo. will look to establish his presence in the World Series of Fighting lightweight division after defeating top-level competition elsewhere in the U.S. as well as in Japan, where the 34-year-old made his initial mark in the sport by collecting wins in the now defunct DREAM and K-1 promotions, and followed up his stellar performances overseas with a perfect, 3-0 run in the Strikeforce cage.

Another former Strikeforce standout, the 33-year-old Payan (16-8, 1 NC) of Tempe, Ariz. has also scrapped with notable adversaries, and has imposed his will with dangerous punching power.  Payan is looking for his second straight victory after scoring a third round (2:45) KO on Roberto Young with a barrage of punches on June 6.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 25: Eight-Man Lightweight Tournament” are on sale at the Comerica Theatre box office as well as online at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

World Series of Fighting will announce additional details concerning the format and rules of the tournament 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.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

WSOF 24: Fitch vs. Okami  LIVE  Sat., Oct. 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fight Network

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TORONTO (Oct. 16, 2015) — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents a live broadcast of WSOF 24: Fitch vs. Okamifrom Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn., this Saturday, October 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Fight Network’s World Series of Fighting broadcast will air live nationwide in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The domestic U.S. broadcast airs on NBC Sports Network.
In the star-studded welterweight main event, Jon Fitch battles Yushin “Tunder” Okami in a clash of experienced superstars.
“We are excited to return to Foxwoods Resort Casino and the state of Connecticut, where we showcased our brand of world championship MMA action in front of a highly passionate audience earlier this year,” said WSOF president Ray Sefo.
“Beginning with Jon Fitch and Yushin Okami, two of the best 170-pound athletes in our entire sport,” continued Sefo, “we are assembling another card loaded with some of the top superstars and emerging stars in MMA, and we look forward to giving fans another memorable night of fights.”
In the co-main event, WSOF heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov will put his coveted title on the line for the first time when he squares off with seasoned contender Derek “Caveman” Mehmen.
In other action on the live Fight Network telecast, superstars Vinny Magalhaes and Matt “The Hammer” Hamill will make their respective WSOF debuts against each other in a light heavyweight contest.
Also returning to the cage will be local favorite “Notorious” Nick Newell, who will take on Tom Marcellino in lightweight action.
The promotion will also crown its first flyweight champion in history as surging stars Magomed “Gladiator” Bibulatov and Donavon Frelow throw down for the crown.
All the action kicks off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fight Network in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.