Tag Archives: Colorado

amateur boxing, boxing, USA Boxing

Finale of 2018 Youth Continental Championships is Golden for Team USA

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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO (May 31, 2018) – The final night of the 2018 Youth Continental Championships saw the American delegation collect seven gold medals and three silvers, making their final medal count 11 golds, three silvers and one bronze at the week-long tournament that took place at the Hotel Elegante in Colorado Springs, Colo.

 

 

 

Two highlights of the championships included light heavyweight Alexis Espino (Las Vegas, Nev.) and heavyweight David Stevens (Reading, Pa.) winning their second international title of 2018 by first-round knockouts. Espino took the gold over Puerto Rico’s Jancarmelo Nieves, while Stevens collected the title with his knockout against Andrews Salgado of Chile.

 

 

 

 

The final two females to box, bantamweight Heaven Garcia (El Monte, Calif.) and lightweight Isamary Aquino (San Antonio, Texas), defeated Emilia Dermott of Canada and Jennifer Yazmin Carrillo of Mexico, respectfully, to add two gold medals to the four the women’s team won on Thursday.

 

 

 

 

The final three gold medals were picked up by lightweight Harley Mederos (New York, N.Y.), light welterweight Otha Jones III (Toledo, Ohio) and super heavyweight Drake Banks (Homosassa, Fla.). The trio defeated their opponents by unanimous decisions to give Team USA the top team of the tournament.

 

 

 

 

This week’s tournament brought 14 different countries to Olympic City USA looking to qualify to the Youth Olympic Games and Youth World Championships, both taking place later this year. Team USA was led by Junior and Youth National Team Head Coach Augie Sanchez (Las Vegas, Nev.), with Timothy Back (Cincinnati, Ohio), Nora Lopez (Richmond, Texas), Eliza Olson (Redwood City, Calif.) and Chadrick Wigle (Colorado Springs, Colo.) served as assistant coaches throughout the week.

 

 

 

 

Click here for complete results. https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Boxing/Youth-Continental-Championships

 

 

 

 

 

INFORMATION:

www.usaboxing.org

Twitter: @USABoxing

Instagram: @USABoxing

Facebook: /USABoxing

 

LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA HEADS TO VAIL, COLORADO TO CROWN INTERIM MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION AT LFA 39

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MAIN EVENT:
 
“THE HURRICANE”
IAN HEINISCH
vs.
“ZANGIEF”
GABRIEL CHECCO
 
INTERIM MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
 
CO-MAIN EVENT:
 
“THE BEVERLY HILLS NINJA”
JORDAN WRIGHT
vs.
“THE HYBRID”
HAYWARD CHARLES
 
MIDDLEWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
 
FRIDAY, MAY 4th LIVE on AXS TV
DOBSON ARENA in VAIL, COLORADO
Tickets are on sale NOW through TicketsWest.com
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will crown an interim middleweight champion when it makes its first trip to Vail, Colorado in May at LFA 39. LFA middleweight champion Anthony Hernandez is currently taking time off to heal injuries, while also welcoming the birth of his fourth child. He is expected to face the winner of the LFA 39 main event later this year.

The main event of LFA 39 will crown an interim middleweight champion when Colorado native Ian “The Hurricane” Heinisch faces BJJ black belt Gabriel “Zangief” Checco for the interim strap.  LFA 39 – Heinisch vs. Checco takes place Friday, May 4th at Dobson Arena in Vail, Colorado. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to bring LFA to beautiful Vail, Colorado,” stated Soares. “Our middleweight champion Anthony Hernandez is taking some time off to heal injuries, so we will crown an interim champion that will face Hernandez in a title unification bout later this year. Ian Heinisch and Gabriel Checco are the top two contenders for the title and they both have title fight experience. This will make a fantastic main event at LFA 39.”
Tickets for LFA 39 – Heinisch vs. Checco are available for purchase NOW at TicketsWest.com.
Heinisch (9-1) is widely considered one of the top middleweight prospects in the world. The two-time Colorado state wrestling champion from Ponderosa High School impressed many in his LFA debut last year, which served as the main event of LFA 10. “The Hurricane” overwhelmed his veteran Brazilian opponent Lucas Rota in less than a round and finished him with a rare Ude-Garami (Keylock) from Kesa-Gatame (Scarf Hold). The flashy submission win earned him a shot at the LFA middleweight title in September at LFA 22. Things did not go as he planned that night, but the 29-year-old quickly rebounded with a highlight reel one-punch knockout in January. Heinisch was able to showcase his underrated striking and big right hand that put away Daniel Madrid in the co-main event of LFA 31. The win earned him a second chance at LFA gold in front of his home crowd at LFA 39.
Checco (10-2) is a Brazilian powerhouse and dangerous BJJ black belt known as “Zangief”. This is due to his signature mohawk and jaw-dropping finishing ability much like the popular Street Fighter video game character of the same name. All ten of Checco’s wins have come via KO, TKO, or submission. That includes three highlight reel finishes under the RFA banner. The first was a blistering 74-second knockout of Joseph Henle in the co-main event of RFA 23 in southern California. The second was a beautiful Triangle-Armbar submission of Mike Jasper at RFA 31, which took place in downtown Las Vegas. The third was a comeback win via Heel Hook against Heinisch’s close friend and training partner Adam Stroup in the co-main event of RFA 43. Checco also brings the experience of two RFA title fights. He will need that when he faces an extra-motivated Heinisch for LFA gold at LFA 39.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Interim Middleweight Title Bout (185 lb)
– Ian Heinisch (9-1) vs. Gabriel Checco (10-2)
Co-Main Event | Middleweight Bout (185 lb)
– Jordan Wright (9-0) vs. Hayward Charles (15-10)
Flyweight Bout (125 lb)
– Brandon Royval (6-3) vs. Jerome Rivera (7-1)
Women’s Strawweight Bout (115 lb)
– Maycee Barber (3-0) vs. Audrey Perkins (1-0)
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 150 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 39 will serve as the fourth LFA event to take place in the state of Colorado. RFA visited “The Centennial State” eight times before the merger. Further information about LFA 39 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 39 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
amateur boxing, boxing

Vito Mielnicki, Jr wins United States Junior National Championship in Salt Lake City, Utah

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Nutley, NJ (December 11, 2017)–This past week in Salt Lake City, Utah, Vito Mielnicki, Jr. captured the United States Junior National championship in the 145-pound division.
Mielnicki of Roseland, New Jersey moved up an unprecedented 10 weight classes where he competed at 106-pounds at the 2017 tournament, and defeated the number-two seed, Adam Calixto of Tampa, Florida in the semifinals.  In the finals, Mielnicki defeated top seeded Obed Bartee-El of Huntsville, Alabama.
With the title, Mielnicki gained a spot in the 2018 United States Junior National Team,  Where he will be heading to train with teammates on February 4th at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado to get ready for international competition.

Mielnicki is trained by Ahmad Elliot and Willie Moses, as well as strength and conditioning coach Fred Caruso.
Mielnicki is the son of the GH3 Promotions CEO Vito Mielnicki.
mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA RETURNS TO COLORADO WITH  MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT:

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LFA 22 – HEINISCH vs. PEREZ

MAIN EVENT:
UNDEFEATED SUPER PROSPECT
IAN “THE HURRICANE” HEINISCH
vs.
UNDEFEATED SUPER PROSPECT
MARKUS “MALUKO” PEREZ
MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
CO MAIN EVENT:
GILBERT SMITH
vs.
ANDREW KAPEL
GILBERT SMITH’S FINAL FIGHT
WOMEN’S FEATURE BO

UT:
MAYCEE BARBER
vs.
MALLORY MARTIN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th LIVE on AXS TV
1STBANK Center in BROOMFIELD, COLORADO
Tickets are on sale NOW through AltitudeTickets.com
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will crown a new middleweight champion in September when the promotion returns to Colorado.

The main event of LFA 22 will feature the top two middleweight prospects in the sport. Colorado’s own Ian “The Hurricane” Heinisch will face Brazilian dynamo and fellow undefeated prospect Markus “Maluko” Perez for the vacant LFA middleweight title. LFA 22 – Heinisch vs. Perez takes place Friday, September 8th at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“LFA will crown a new middleweight champion at LFA 22 in Colorado,” stated Soares. “Ian Heinisch and Markus Perez are the top two middleweight prospects in the sport. On September 8th, only one will walk away with their perfect record intact with the LFA middleweight title wrapped around their waist.”
Tickets for LFA 22 – Heinisch vs. Perez are available for purchase NOW at AltitudeTickets.com. You can also support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets at CombatTickets.com.
Heinisch (8-0) received plenty of fanfare when he signed with the LFA earlier this year. This was due to the fact that Heinisch is widely regarded as one of the top middleweight prospects in the world. The two-time Colorado state wrestling champion from Ponderosa High School lived up to media and fans’ lofty expectations, and then some, when he made his highly-anticipated LFA debut in the main event of LFA 10. Heinisch quickly dispatched the well-versed Brazilian powerhouse Lucas Rota in less than a round with a rare Ude-Garami (Keylock) from Kesa-Gatame (Scarf Hold). This positioned him at the front of the line for a title shot. The 29-year-old will now get the opportunity to fight for the vacant LFA middleweight title in front of his home crowd at LFA 22.
Perez (8-0) is perhaps the only middleweight prospect in the world that can match the intrigue surrounding Heinisch. This is due in large part to the fact that Perez has been just as dominant in his native Brazil as Heinisch has been stateside. The man known as “Maluko” will be making his highly-anticipated international MMA debut on the heels of back-to-back wins over UFC veterans Ildemar Alcântara and Paulo Thiago. Those wins saw Perez’s stock as a top prospect skyrocket as Alcântara and Thiago have a combined 20 fights in the UFC between the two of them. The 27-year-old is now eager to showcase his talents outside of Brazil for the first time. He will get that opportunity on September 8th when he fights for the vacant LFA middleweight title.
The co-main event of LFA 22 will feature the farewell fight of one of Colorado’s most beloved and accomplished fighters when Gilbert Smith gets his hands wrapped and throws down one last time in front of his adoring home crowd. The proud Coloradan has enjoyed an MMA career that has seen him reach the highest levels of the sport.
The U.S. Army veteran and Colorado Springs resident competed on two seasons of the UFC’s hit reality television series The Ultimate Fighter. Along with being a memorable cast member on TUF 17 and TUF 25, Smith competed for the UFC and Bellator, as well as both RFA and Legacy FC before the two promotions merged to form LFA at the beginning of the year. During his time with RFA, Smith won the welterweight world title.
The man standing across the Octagon from Smith at LFA 22 will be Andrew Kapel (11-6). Kapel is a longtime friend and teammate of  Benjamin Smith, who is the man that Gilbert Smith took the RFA title from two summers ago in the main event of RFA 26. Kapel, like Benjamin Smith, is a student of Greg Nelson at The Academy in Minneapolis, Minnesota and will look to exact a bit of revenge in the same building where Gilbert Smith submitted Benjamin Smith. The budding grudge match in Gilbert’s farewell fight has one more layer. Kapel submitted Smith’s teammate Adam Stroup last month in less than a round.
In the always exciting women’s strawweight division, Maycee Barber (1-0) will return to the LFA Octagon against RFA vet and fellow top prospect Mallory Martin (1-1) at LFA 22. Barber burst on to the MMA scene in June with a dominant professional MMA debut at LFA 14. Barber submitted undefeated prospect Itzel Esquivel via armbar in the first round of a bout that took place in her opponent’s hometown. Now Barber will return to the LFA Octagon in her home state. She will face a fellow Coloradan prospect in Martin who is no stranger to the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield. It was in this same venue where Martin submitted the Gilbert Smith trained Melissa Parker via Rear Naked Choke at RFA 34. Now the table is set for a showdown between the top two strawweights in “The Centennial State” as the 19-year-old Barber faces the 23-year-old Martin on the main card of LFA 22.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Middleweight Title Bout (185 lb)
– Ian Heinisch (8-0) vs. Markus Perez (8-0)
Co-Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Gilbert Smith (12-6) vs. Andrew Kapel (11-6)
Women’s Strawweight Bout (115 lb)
– Maycee Barber (1-0) vs. Mallory Martin (1-1)
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 22 will serve as the third LFA event to take place in the state of Colorado. RFA visited “The Centennial State” eight times before the merger. Further information about LFA 22 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 22 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
mixed martial arts, MMA, WMMAA

History in the making Team USA to compete for first time in 2017 WMMAA Pan-American Championships & World MMA Championships

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (April 25, 2017) – For Team USA to effectively prepare to compete in the 2017 WMMAA Pan-American Championships and World MMA Championships for the first time, WMMAA USA has announced its partnership with promoter RMN (Rocky Mountain Nationals Events) to host the USA National Open Tournament, June 17-18, in Denver, Colorado.
Earning a position on USA Team is an extremely demanding process. Many athletes dedicate their entire lives to the task, putting their minds and bodies through an extraordinary amount of training for an opportunity to compete and represent their country. The best moments in WMMAA Championships history, regardless of the team, are built on intense preparation and training schedules. Many athletes dedicate years of their lives for that one moment like no other, the moment of glory, the moment they raise their hand in triumph, representing their country.
RMN Events hosted its first MMA event six-years ago, partnering with Matt Lindland, Steve Fraser and Randy Couture.  “That will always be a special event to remember,” said Ed Gutierrez, CEO of RMN Events. “This time around it will be very meaningful for each of the fighters that win their weight class to represent the United States at the Pan-American Championships, being held in Monterrey, Mexico, on September 20, 2017.”
2017 will mark the first year a USA team will participate in the WMMAA Pan-American Championships and World MMA Championships.
It takes a truly spectacular person to even make it to the WMMAA World Championship, let alone win, and that’s why there is so much WMMAA USA pride. These men and women will represent their country in the world’s most intense MMA competitions, dedicating everything they’ve got to bringing home gold among, against athletes from more than 60 countries. And throughout the WMMAA’s history, there have been some awe-inspiring members, athletes who have not only displayed tremendous physical strength, but also an immense amount of perseverance and dedication.
To celebrate the tremendous step forward for all MMA athletes, as well as their accomplishments at the WMMAA Championships, Team USA has partnered with REDCorner Media and FITE TV to watch the building of Team USA, along with its glorious moments. From true team wins to individual successes, special moments remind us how important the WMMAA Championships can truly be, which will help get Americans pumped for what’s coming this July to Monterrey, Mexico, at the WMMAA Pan-American Division Championships.
Registration is free to all fighters who must be considered amateurs. They may register for the event at www.rmnevents.com/mma. All competitors need to register with the Colorado State Boxing Commission at: www.dora.colorado.gov/professions
For more information: press.panam@wmmaa.org
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, UFC, wrestling

USA Wrestling And UFC® Renew Partnership

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Colorado Springs – USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States, and UFC® have jointly announced that they have renewed their partnership to promote interest in wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA), while working together on a variety of projects to support each organization’s activities.

“USA Wrestling is pleased to renew its partnership with UFC, coming off a successful first year working together. Our sports are closely entwined, and there are many ways we can help support each other. We look forward to finding creative and effective ways to add even more value to this strong relationship,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director.

“We are extremely excited to renew our partnership with USA Wrestling and continue to build on the success we’ve experienced over the last year,” UFC Vice President of Federation Relationships and Corporate Social Responsibility Lou Lauria said. UFC has a long and rich history supporting the development of amateur athletes and our relationship with USAWrestling dates back to the very beginning of UFC.”

This is the second straight year the organizations have agreed to work together and to find new ways to build and expand their cooperative efforts.

Wrestling and MMA share a close connection which positively impacts both sports. Wrestling is a core skill set needed for success in MMA and is considered a foundational discipline within the sport. Numerous wrestlers have gone on to achieve major success in MMA, offering an additional opportunity for their athletic and professional careers after their wrestling days are completed.

Numerous athletes who have competed with USA Wrestling have gone on to become successful UFC athletes, including: Olympic champion Henry Cejudo, Olympic silver medalists Sara McMann and Matt Lindland, two-time Olympian Dan Henderson, two-time Olympian and six-time U.S. Open national champion Daniel Cormier, two-time NCAA champion Johny Hendricks, NCAA All-Americans Chris Weidman and Cain Velasquez, women’s college All-American Carla Esparza and many others.

Working together, USA Wrestling and UFC will continue to support and promote the development of wrestling. By leveraging UFC’s industry leading expertise and resources, USA Wrestling and its activities will be featured across several areas such as UFC’s broadcasts, social and digital media.

USA Wrestling will provide its 250,000 member community with exclusive opportunities to experience UFC through a range of platforms including: UFC events, UFC Fight Club®, UFC GYM® locations, UFC FIGHT PASS®, UFC Rewards and International Fight Week. USA Wrestling will also use its many media platforms to share information and opportunities about UFC to its members.

USA Wrestling is one of a select few national governing bodies within the Olympic community to be an official partner with UFC.

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.