Tag Archives: Estevan Payan

NEW MAIN EVENT, CO-MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED FOR ‘CRICKET WIRELESS PRESENTS COMBATE AMERICAS’ MMA EXTRAVAGANZA IN TUCSON, ARIZONA LIVE ON UNIVISION, UDN AND DAZN ON FRIDAY, JUNE 7


NEW BANTAMWEIGHT MAIN EVENT:
JOSE “POCHITO” ALDAY VS. JUAN PABLO “EL MOLO” GONZALEZ
 
LIGHTWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT:
RAFA “GIFTED” GARCIA VS. ESTEVAN “EL TERRIBLE” PAYAN
 
STRAWWEIGHT FEATURED BOUT:
YAZMIN JAUREGUI VS. CODIE WAREHAM
 Tickets on sale now

LOS ANGELES – May 13, 2019 – Combate Americas today announced both a new main event and a co-main event for it’s star-studded return to AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Ariz., presented by Cricket Wireless, on Friday, June 7, live on television in Spanish in the U.S. on both Univision (12 a.m. ET/PT) and UDN (12 a.m. ET/9 p.m.PT), and in English in the U.S. and Canada on DAZN (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).
 
Announced today for the “Cricket Wireless Presents Combate Americas: Tucson Unbreakable” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event was a new bantamweight (135 pounds) main event between former world champion Jose “Pochito” Alday (12-4-1) of Tucson and Juan Pablo “El Molo” Gonzalez (7-2-2) of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
 
Alday was previously scheduled to square off with Irwin “The Beast” Rivera (7-4) in the main event contest, but Rivera has since been forced to withdraw.
 
Also announced today was a lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event featuring the return of undefeated phenom Rafa “Gifted” Garcia (9=0), who will face the most seasoned opponent of his career in Estevan “El Terrible” Payan (17-12, 1 NC).
 
Fighting out of Palm Springs, Calif. via Mexicali, B.C., Mexico, the 24-year-old Garcia, a protégé of MMA superstar Cub Swanson, has been an unstoppable force in La Jaula, the Combate Americas competition cage, since the MMA sports franchise discovered him at an open tryout in 2016.
 
To date, Garcia has earned all but one of his victories by way of (T)KO or submission, including his last conquest, a second round (1:07) submission (rear-naked choke) of Edgar Escarrega at the Combate Americas live event on February 8.


Above: Undefeated finisher Rafa “Gifted” Garcia will return to action in the live televised, Combate Americas lightweight co-main event against Estevan “El Terrible” Payan.

A veteran of over 30 professional bouts, including matchups with a collection of world-ranked rivals, Payan of Tempe, Ariz. will make his debut under the promotion of Combate Americas.
 
Payan will look to notch his second consecutive victory since he defeated Dominic Clark by way of second round (3:17) TKO (punches) on April 21, 2018.
 
In a featured strawweight (115 pounds) bout announced today, Yazmin Jauregui(1-0) will return to action on the heels of her incredible, 13-second knockout (punch) of Daniela Espinosa, and face off with fellow unbeaten upstart Codie Wareham (2-0).

The 21-year-old Jauregui of Tijuana, B.C., Mexico recorded the second fastest finish in Combate Americas history with her stoppage of Espinosa at the ‘Combate Reinas’ event on April 26.
 
Wareham is an aggressive-minded, 24-year-old fighting out of Glendale, Ariz.  She earned her professional debut victory over Carolyn Biskup-Roe via submission (armbar) last November 2, and her second career win by way of first round (2:29) TKO (punches) on Wendy Rodriguez on November 28.
 
In preliminary bout card action, Justin Rascon (2-2) of Tucson will battle Jesus “Bear” Rivas (1-2) of Tucson at flyweight (125 pounds).
 
The previously announced lightweight matchup between Levi Escobar (1-0) of Tucson and Austin Wourms (1-1) of Phoenix has been scrapped due to injury sustained by Escobar.
 
Priced from $15, tickets for “Cricket Wireless Presents Combate Americas: Tucson Unbreakable” are on sale online at CombateAmericas.com/Tucson.    
 
Additional preliminary bouts will be announced soon.
 
Doors at AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol will open for “Cricket Wireless Presents Combate Americas: Tucson Unbreakable” at 6 p.m. local time on June 7, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 7 p.m. 

 
“CRICKET WIRELESS PRESENTS 
COMBATE AMERICAS: TUCSON UNBREAKABLE” FIGHT CARD

 
BANTAMWEIGHT MAIN EVENT
Jose Alday vs. Juan Pablo Gonzalez
 
LIGHTWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT
Rafa Garcia vs. Estevan Payan
 
FEATURED STRAWWEIGHT BOUT:
Yazmin Jauregui vs. Codie Wareham
 
PRELIMINARY BOUT CARD:
Catchweight (190 pounds): Javier Torres vs. Joel Champion
Bantamweight: Eduardo Alvarado Osuna vs. Jose Luis Calvo
Flyweight:  Justin Rascon vs. Jesus Rivas


 
 
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Full Card Set for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship & First Legal, Regulated and Sanctioned Bare Knuckle Event  in the U.S. Since 1889

 
Saturday, June 2 Live Across the U.S. and Canada on 
Pay-Per-View from Cheyenne Ice & Events Center 
in Cheyenne, Wyoming
 
Twelve-Bout Card to Feature Former
UFC Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez vs. Lewis Rumsey 

Lineal Bare Knuckle Heavyweight Champion Bobby Gunn vs. 
Marcelo Tavares & Women’s Showdown between Former 
UFC Fighter Bec Rawlings & Denver’s Alma Garcia

CHEYENNE, WY (May 25, 2018) – The full lineup of matchups are set for the inaugural Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) fight card that will feature 12 bouts Saturday, June 2 live on pay-per-view from Cheyenne Ice & Events Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

 

 

 

The first legal, regulated and sanctioned bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889, “BKFC: The Beginning,” will air throughout the United States and Canada on pay-per-view through MultiVision Media, Inc., on FITE-TV app and fite.tv on all major television and streaming distribution outlets for $29.99 in 4K. The event can be ordered at www.bareknuckle.tv/bkfc1.

 

 

 

The pay-per-view telecast will feature former boxing world champion Antonio Tarver providing color commentary.

 

 

 

Headlining the card is former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez taking on Pennsylvania’s Lewis “The Beast” Rumsey in five rounds of heavyweight action, while Lineal Bare Knuckle Boxing Heavyweight World Champion Bobby Gunn battles Brazil’s Marcelo Tavares in a seven-round attraction.

 

 

 

A five-round women’s showdown between “Rowdy” Bec Rawlings and Alma Garcia will also be featured on the groundbreaking pay-per-view event. A former UFC fighter,  Rawlings recorded two wins in UFC among her seven professional MMA victories. The 29-year-old from Brisbane, Australia enters the ring looking to bring her signature aggressive style into bare knuckle boxing. She will take on Garcia, a professional boxer with seven fights under her belt and fighting out of Denver, Colorado.

 

 

 

Held under the auspices and control of the Wyoming Combative Sports Commission, headed by Chairman Bryan Pedersen, the card features only established professional fighters who have competed in boxing, MMA, kickboxing or Muay Thai.

 

 

 

BKFC heavyweight tournament action will feature Arizona’s Eric “The American Soldier” Prindle battling Missouri’s Sam Shewmaker, Las Vegas-native Maurice “The Gorilla” Jackson against Hawaii’s Dale Sopi and Chicago’s Arnold “Bomaye” Adams competing against California’s DJ “Da Protégé” Linderman in a series of five-round quarter final matchups.

 

 

 

Additional fights on the stacked night of bare knuckle boxing include Virginia’s Reggie Barnett versus Pennsylvania’s Travis Thompson in a five-round 135-pound fight, Texas-native Johnny “Brutal” Bedford in a 137-pound, five-round matchup against Wyoming’s Nick “Garfield” Mamalis and a 155-pound showdown between Phoenix’s Estevan “El Terrible” Payan and Washington’s Omar “Gallo Fino” Avelar scheduled for five rounds.

 

 

 

Rounding out the night of fights are a pair of 145-pound fights as San Diego’s Joey Beltran meets California’s Tony “Kryptonite” Lopez in a five-round bout and Winnipeg’s Desmond Johnson taking on New Mexico-native Austin Ward in a five-round affair,plus Canada’s Brandon Cheverfield against Indiana’s Jorge Gonzales in a five-round 165-pound attraction.

 

 

 

Tickets for the live event are available now exclusively at www.bareknuckle.tv and are priced from $50 to $200.

 

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ABOUT BKFC: THE BEGINNING

“BKFC: The Beginning” will be distributed live on pay-per-view on Saturday, June 2 at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT and will be available to over 100 million households in the United States and Canada via cable and satellite, and carried throughout the world on traditional television, apps, Smart TVs, home computers, laptops, iPhones, iPads and android devices via Chromecast, Apple TV, Sony Playstations, etc.

 

 

 

Please consult your local guide for channel and replays throughout the month. The suggested retail for “BKFC: The Beginning” is $29.99.

 

 

 

“BKFC: The Beginning”, will be produced in state-of-the art 4K and distributed by New York-based MultiVision Media, Inc. The executive producer is Brian Ricco.

 

 

 

For more information visit www.bareknuckle.tv or follow on Twitter at@BKBChampionship, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/bareknucklefc and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bareknucklefc.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING’S ‘GAETHJE VS. PALOMINO II’  NAMED ‘FIGHT OF THE MONTH’ BY USA TODAY’S MMAJUNKIE.COM

World championship rematch bests four other classic battles for coveted award

LAS VEGAS (October 6, 2015) –The second, epic championship battle between undefeated, reigning World Series of Fighting lightweight (155 pounds) kingpin Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje and rival challenger Luis “Baboon” Palomino that took place on Friday, Sept. 18, live on NBCSN from Phoenix, Ariz., has been named winner of the prestigious “Fight of the Month” award by USA Today’s MMAjunkie.com.

The rematch between the two gutsy and determined superstars came six months after the first memorable championship showdown that also won the “Fight of the Month” honor for March.

“We are extremely honored to receive this distinguished award for the second time in six months, and are proud of Justin and Luis for having the courage to put it all on the line again after what was an unforgettable, all-out war in March,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

“NBCSN is excited to have been home to two widely recognized World Series of Fighting championship bouts thus far in 2015, and we look forward to more high-level action in the cage in the upcoming months,” said Gary Quinn, Vice President, Programming, NBC Sports Group.

The second meeting topped four other, critically acclaimed fights – the bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup between John Lineker and Francisco Rivera at UFC 191, the welterweight (170 pounds) bout between Keita Nakamura and Li Jingliang at UFC Fight Night 75, the heavyweight tilt betweenJosh Barnett and Roy Nelson at UFC Fight Night 75 and the women’s bantamweight (135 pounds) contest between Raquel Pennington and Jessica Andrade at UFC 191 – for the award, all by steep margins.

The 26-year-old Gaethje (14-0) of Safford, Ariz. scored a second round (4:30) TKO on the 34-year-old Palomino (23-11) of Miami, Fla. last month with an onslaught of punches, after Gaethje was put on the defensive and momentarily found himself in danger, early on in the main event of WSOF 23.

In their initial meeting on March 28 that also took place in Phoenix, a wild, see-saw battle ended suddenly after Gaethje dug down deep and unloaded a combination of leg kicks and punches, to score a third round (3:57) TKO on Palomino.

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT with a world championship doubleheader from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn.  In the welterweight main event of WSOF 24, Jon Fitch (26-7-1) of Fort Wayne, Ind. will face fellow master technician Yushin Okami (30-9) of Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.

In one of two WSOF 24 world title fights, reigning heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (12-1) of Sofia, Bulgaria will risk his belt for the first time against battle-tested Derrick Mehman (19-6) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa while, in the other,Magomed Bibulatov (19-0) of Grozny, Chechnya, Russia, a former number one ranked European fighter,  will face off with fellow undefeated star Donavon Frelow (4-0) of Las Vegas, Nev. in the first World Series of Fighting flyweight (125 pounds) championship bout in history.

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.

Video: WSOF 23 Pre-Show with Chael Sonnen and Ray Sefo

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CHAEL SONNEN AND RAY SEFO CO-HOST
“WSOF 23: GAETHJE VS. PALOMINO II” PRE-SHOW

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TO THE YOUTUBE VIDEO PLAYER

World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) color commentator Chael Sonnen and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo discuss the highly-anticipated “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” world championship doubleheader event that takes place tonight, Friday, Sept. 18, at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz., live on NBCSN, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

In the main event of the five-bout NBCSN telecast, undefeated, reigning World Series of Fighting Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (14-0) will collide for the second time with hard-hitting rival Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-10), after the two engaged in an all-out war, which has already been touted as a “Fight of the Year” candidate, in the main event of WSOF 19 at Comerica Theatre.

In the co-main event and inaugural World Series of Fighting light heavyweight (205 pounds) championship bout, David Branch (16-3), the promotion’s reigning world middleweight (185 pounds) champion, will attempt to become the first two-division kingpin in World Series of Fighting history, when he faces off with Cinderella story Teddy Holder (9-1), whose nine career wins have all come by way (T)KO or submission.

A preliminary card featuring seven bouts will stream live on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com, beginning 6:45 p.m. ET/3:45 p.m. PT.

WSOF 23: “GAETHJE VS. PALOMINO II”  PRELIMINARY BOUT CARD RECEIVES TWO NEW PROSPECTS IN PLACE OF INJURED ISAAC VALLIE-FLAGG AND KELVIN TILLER

Preliminary fight card streams live on WSOF.com prior to
five-bout telecast on NBCSN on
Friday, Sept. 18 from Comerica Theatre in Phoenix

LAS VEGAS (September 14, 2015) – Two Tucson, Ariz.-based fighting prospects – Kamuela Kirk and Brian Grinnell – have been given the shot of a lifetime after injuries have rendered Isaac Vallie-Flagg and Kelvin Tiller ineligible to compete in their respective  “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” preliminary card bout commitments at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. on Friday, Sept. 18.

Kirk (4-1) will replace Vallie-Flagg, who sustained an elbow injury, in the scheduled lightweight (155 pounds) contest against Estevan Payan (16-8) of Tempe, Ariz., and Grinnell (8-6) will fill in for Tiller in the scheduled middleweight (185 pounds) matchup against undefeated Vagab Vagabov (19-0) of Dagestan, Russia.

The 21-year-old Kirk, who will make his fourth start of 2015, is coming off of a powerful performance on July 19, when he scored a first round (3:17) TKO on Edgar Escarrega with a barrage of knee strikes.

Kirk produced submission victories in each of his first three starts.  His only defeat, thus far, came via split decision in February.

Originally from Shawnee, Okla., the 27-year-old Grinnell (8-6) is an expert on the mat who has claimed 6 of his 8 professional career wins by way of submission.   In his latest effort, a July 24 matchup against Levi Queen, Grinnell forced Queen to tap out in the first round (2:59) of battle.

The WSOF 23 seven-bout preliminary card will stream live on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com.

Priced from just $39.99, tickets for “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” are on sale at the Comerica Theatre box office and online at WSOF.com and Ticketmaster.com.

In the main event, undefeated, reigning World Series of Fighting Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (14-0) will collide for the second time with hard-hitting rival Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-10), after the two engaged in an all-out war, which has already been touted as a “Fight of the Year” candidate, in the main event of WSOF 19 at Comerica Theatre.

In the co-main event and inaugural World Series of Fighting light heavyweight (205 pounds) championship bout, David Branch (16-3), the promotion’s reigning world middleweight (185 pounds) champion, will attempt to become the first two-division kingpin in World Series of Fighting history, when he faces off with Cinderella story Teddy Holder (9-1), whose nine career wins have all come by way (T)KO or submission.

The live, five-fight NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Doors at Comerica Theatre will open at 3 p.m. MT and the first preliminary bout will begin at 3:45 p.m.

MAIN CARD (Live on NBCSN)

World Series of Fighting Lightweight Championship Main Event:
Justin Gaethje (Champion) vs. Luis Palomino (Challenger)

World Series of Fighting Light Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event:
David Branch vs. Teddy Holder

Bantamweight: Timur Valiev vs. Tito Jones
Catchweight (160 pounds): Phoenix Jones vs. Roberto Yong
Lightweight: Brian Foster vs. LaRue Burley

PRELIMINARY CARD (Live on WSOF.com)

Middleweight: Vagab Vagabov vs. Brian Grinnell
Middleweight: Clifford Starks vs. Krasimir Mladenov
Lightweight: Estevan Payan vs. Kamuela Kirk
Welterweight: Matthew Frincu vs. Danny Davis, Jr.
Bantamweight: Andres Ponce vs. David Nuzzo
Bantamweight: Randy Steinke vs. Joey Miolla
Lightweight: Benny Madrid vs. Jeff Fletcher