Tag Archives: Resurrection Fighting Alliance

RFA RETURNS TO COLORADO WITH RFA 34: VELICKOVIC vs SMITH

photo credits: sherdog.com
MAIN EVENT:
BOJAN “SERBIAN STEEL” VELICKOVIC
vs. BENJAMIN SMITH
WELTERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
FRIDAY, JANUARY 15TH, 2016 LIVE ON AXS TV
LIVE from the 1STBANK Center, Broomfield, CO
 
Tickets on Sale Now at ALTITUDETICKETS.com
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will return to Colorado with RFA 34 – Velickovic vs. Smith in January to kick off the new year. The main event will feature a welterweight title fight between two of the division’s most accomplished fighters as Bojan “Serbian Steel” Velickovic battles former RFA welterweight champion Benjamin Smith for the vacant title. RFA 34 – Velickovic vs. Smith will take place Friday, January 15th inside the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“RFA has a busy 2016 schedule and I’m excited about starting it back in Colorado,” stated Soares. “Bojan Velickovic and Benjamin Smith will headline RFA 34 for the vacant welterweight title. They are two of the most accomplished 170-pound fighters in RFA history and it’s a great way to kick off the new year.”
Tickets for RFA 34 – Velickovic vs. Smith are available for purchase NOW through AltitudeTickets.com or you can support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets through CageTix.com. Tickets to RFA 34 start at just $30. VIP tables are available by calling 303-521-0966.
Velickovic (12-3) earned his title shot after going a perfect 3-0 in 2015. In March, the Serbian destroyer earned a quick first round TKO victory over the seasoned MMA vet Chris Hugh at RFA 24. Velickovic then participated as a member of Team RFA at the historic RFA vs. LEGACY event in May. His bout was the first match of the promotion vs. promotion competition and Velickovic picked up the pivotal lead-off win against Charles Byrd. He then closed out the year with a victory over decorated Armenian-Ukrainian wrestler Vardan Sholinian at RFA 31. Velickovic’s win over Sholinian in Las Vegas was accomplished with only 5 days’ notice. Now the surging “Serbian Steel” looks to start the new year exactly how 2015 went down — with his hand getting raised.
“When I found out that I would be getting an RFA title shot, I was vey happy,” stated Velickovic. “I feel that I deserve this opportunity and it didn’t matter who I would be facing. I will fight anyone who’s put in front of me. I am also excited to be fighting in Colorado. I moved here 3 months ago and it already feels like home. This will be the first time in 5 years that I get to fight in the place I live. Ben Smith and I fought on the same card twice for RFA and he’s a really tough dude. He comes to fight and I look forward to our title fight onJanuary 15th.”
Smith (15-3) also ended the year on a high note with a unanimous decision victory over the previously undefeated Craig Eckelberg at RFA 32 last month. The win came on the heels of two consecutive RFA title fights that Smith had for the RFA in 2015. Now the second-ever RFA welterweight champion will look to reclaim his RFA crown in what he sees as his last ride towards UFC glory. That ride continues in the main event of RFA 34 against a man he shared cards with at both RFA 20 and RFA 24.
“This is the last hurrah for ole Ben Smith,” Smith explained. “I’d been feeling that way before my last fight, but I also wanted to put an exclamation point on my career by reclaiming my RFA title and earning my shot in the UFC. I got the win at RFA 32, but I felt like I could do more, which is what I will show in this next fight. Colorado has always treated me well and I enjoy competing there. Bojan is a good fighter, he’s a marketable guy, and a very worthy opponent. When I was offered this fight, there was no way I could say no. I love to compete and I’m looking forward to this title fight with Bojan.”
The full RFA 34 fight card and further information regarding this event will be announced soon. RFA 34 will be the promotion’s seventh event to take place in the state of Colorado. The entire main card of RFA 34 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, January 15th, 2016.
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).

About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognizedFriday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC everyFriday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.

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

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.

INCA KOLA to unveil custom ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPER at RFA 26

 

 

INCA KOLA to unveil custom ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPER
Friday, June 5th at RFA 26
in Broomfield, Colorado
WinThisChopper.com sweepstakes to support
Easter Seals New York’s Veterans Count
 
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) and Inca Kola USA announced today that the debut of an Orange County Choppers (OCC) custom-built motorcycle designed for Inca Kola will debut at RFA 26 – Smith vs. Smith this Friday, June 5th. The chopper will be the awarded to a lucky winner entered in Inca Kola’s sweepstakes WinThisChopper.com. The proceeds from the sweepstakes will benefit Easter Seals New York’s Veterans Count and educational programs.

RFA president Ed Soares shared his thoughts on the promotion.
“RFA is proud to have had such a long relationship with Inca Kola,” stated Soares. “We are honored to host the debut of Orange County Choppers custom-built Inca Kola motorcycle at RFA 26 in Colorado. The WinThisChopper.com sweepstakes is a great way to raise awareness and funds for Easter Seals New York’s Veterans Count and educational programs.”
Orange County Choppers co-founder Paul Teutul, Sr. shared similar sentiments.
“The entire team at Orange County Choppers is honored to be working with Inca Kola to raise awareness and donations for Easter Seals and Veterans Count,” stated Paul Teutul Sr.
Inca Kola has been a longtime sponsor of the RFA dating back to RFA 7 in March 2013, which took place at the same venue that Friday night’s festivities are set to take place. “The Golden Kola” has become a very prominent brand seen at live RFA events and nationwide through the RFA’s television deal with AXS TV. Inca Kola’s COO Randy Berman sees the WinThisChopper.com sweepstakes as a way to parlay Inca Kola and the RFA’s relationship and bring nationwide awareness to a great cause that will culminate this fall when a winner of the Orange County Choppers custom-built Inca Kola motorcycle is announced.
“We are really proud of our partnership with all of the vendors that have participated in this project including Orange County Choppers, Resurrection Fighting Alliance, and AXS TV,” Berman explained. “We are certain that their participation will make this promotion for Easter Seals Veterans Count a huge success.”

RFA 26 – Smith vs. Smith takes place this Friday, June 5th at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The main card will feature six professional fights televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
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 RFA #1 welterweight contender Gilbert Smith (10-4). The main card will also feature a pair of bantamweight bouts. 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 middleweight champion Clinton Williams (5-1) and undefeated heavyweight prospect Brandon Griffin (4-0) battles The MMA Lab destroyer Ashley Gooch (7-4).
170 CHAMPIONSHIP:
Ben Smith vs Gilbert Smith
155 CO-MAIN EVENT:
Thiago Alves vs Marcus Edwards
135 Feature Bout:
Jarred Mercado vs Bruno Frazzato
265 Feature Bout:
Brandon Griffin vs Ashley Gooch
185 Feature Bout:
Andrew Sanchez vs Clinton Williams
135 Feature Bout:
Boston Salmon vs Danny Mainus
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.

RFA 26 GETS NEW CO-MAIN EVENT, FULL TELEVISED CARD RELEASED

 

 

RFA 26 IN COLORADO
FRIDAY JUNE 5TH LIVE ON AXS TV
MAIN EVENT:
Ben Smith vs Gilbert Smith
WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
CO MAIN EVENT:
Thiago Alves vs Marcus Edwards
LIGHTWEIGHT SHOWDOWN


LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) will feature a new co-main event as the promotion heads back to Colorado next month. RFA 26 – Smith vs. Smith now has a co-headliner pitting two lightweights looking to make a big statement in the Mile High City as Colorado’s own Marcus “Bad Intentions” Edwards battles Brazilian submission ace Thiago “Monstrinho” Alves. The event takes place Friday, June 5th at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
Tickets for RFA 26 – Smith vs. Smith are available for purchase NOW through AltitudeTickets.com. Tickets start at $25.00. A limited number of catered 8-seat cageside VIP tables are available by calling 303-521-0966.
Alves (8-2) is a 28-year-old native of São Paulo, Brazil who holds the rank of black belt in jiu-jitsu. Alves is replacing former RFA title challenger Zach Juusola, who was forced to withdraw from the bout due to injury. The Team Link representative has secured six of his eight career victories via submission since making his professional MMA debut in 2011. Two of those submission wins have come this year and he will look to stay perfect in 2015 as he makes his national television debut at RFA 26.
“I don’t know a lot about Marcus Edwards personally, but this will be a great opportunity for the both of us to show off our skills on national television. I look forward to going to his hometown and doing my job at RFA 26.”
Edwards (9-3) will be celebrating a double-homecoming at RFA 26. The 26-year-old Factory X Muay Thai standout will be returning to fight in his home state of Colorado for the first time since 2013, while also returning to AXS TV, where he fought three times in 2014.
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 RFA #1 welterweight contender Gilbert Smith (10-4). The main card will also feature a pair of bantamweight bouts. 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 middleweight champion Clinton Williams (5-1) and undefeated heavyweight prospect Brandon Griffin (4-0) battles The MMA Lab destroyer Ashley Gooch (7-4).
170 CHAMPIONSHIP:
Ben Smith vs Gilbert Smith
155 CO-MAIN EVENT:
Thigo Alves vs Marcus Edwards
135 Feature Bout:
Jarred Mercado vs Brun Frazzato
265 Feature Bout:
Brandon Griffin vs Ashley Gooch
185 Feature Bout:
Andrew Sanchez vs Clinton Williams
135 Feature Bout:
Boston Salmon vs Danny Mainus
Additional bouts on the RFA 26 undercard will be announced soon. RFA 26 will be the promotion’s sixth event to take place in the state of Colorado. It will be the second time the RFA has visited “The Centennial State” in 2015. The entire main card of RFA 26 – Smith vs. Smith will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, June 5th.
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast moreLIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.