All posts by FNU47

Takedown Wrestling Radio, wrestling

Robbie Smith, Spenser Mango, Andy Bisek, Matt Lindland, Shon Lewis, Joe Rau and Steve Fraser on Saturday’s Greco Roman Takedown Radio Special!

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Live from the Brute Studios, Kemin Industries and 04 Water present Takedown Wrestling Radio, taking the pulse of America’s sport.

Join Scott Casber, Tony Hager and Brad Johnson this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (CT) live on iHeart Radio and TakedownRadio.com

USA Wrestling’s Steve Fraser will join us as a special guest host during our first hour to offer insight and support as our US Greco Roman program takes some giant leaps forward.

9:00 a.m. –Robbie Smith – Ranked #1 at 130kg

 

9:15 a.m. – Spenser Mango – Ranked #1 at 59kg

 

9:35 a.m. – Andrew Bisek – Ranked #1 at 75kg

10:00 a.m. – Matt Lindland- USA Greco Head Coach

10:15 a.m. – Shon Lewis- Army Greco Head Coach

 

10:35 a.m. – Joe Rau- Ranked #4 85kg
Enter our Takedown Sportswear Super Sunday Singlet giveaway for a chance to win a singlet every Sunday of the year by following us on Facebook atFacebook.com/TakedownWrestling and on Twitter at @TakedownWrestle @TakedownShop and @IAwrestle.

For contests and conversation use 866-333-5966 or 515-284-5966 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CST. Listen to the show on the radio, iPhone/Android iHeart Radio app,KXNO.com or Takedownradio.com.

Special thanks to our friends at Adidas, Cadillac, Dollamur, All American Wrestling Supply, Defense Soap, Blue 04 Water, Nike, Legends of Gold National Training Center, St. Louis Sports Commission, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club, Sunflower Wrestling, Fast Signs, McCarger Works, Fenemore Brothers Tree Service, Rockstar Satellite DirecTV,  and DanMarWarrior.com.

 

boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Spike TV

Undefeated Chicago Prospect Ramiro Carrillo Signs with Warriors Boxing

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‘El Lobito’ Will Make Warriors Debut on Blockbuster April 24 Event at UIC Pavilion

 

Warriors Boxing’s newest exclusive promotional signee, Mexican-born, Chicago-based super lightweight Ramiro “El Lobito” Carrillo, will make his first appearance under his new promotional banner on the Friday, April 24, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) “Dirrell vs. Jack” event at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

 

Carillo (7-0, 4 KOs) will be part of a jam-packed undercard in support of the Spike TV-broadcast Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell (27-0-1, 22 KOs) vs. Badou Jack “The Ripper” (18-1, 12 KOs) 12-round super middleweight main event.

 

In the night’s first televised bout, Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (28-1, 25 KOs) will face top contender Caleb “Golden” Truax (25-1-2, 15 KOs) in a 12-round middleweight bout.

 

Tickets for the event, which is co-promoted by Warriors Boxing and Mayweather Promotions, are priced at $151, $101, $51, and $31, not including applicable service charges, and are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or UIC Pavilion Box Office at (312) 413-5740. Tickets are also available at www.ticketmaster.com or by visiting the UIC Pavilion Box Office (Thursday or Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.).

 

The televised action on Spike TV begins at 9 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. PT (delayed on the west coast).

 

Before getting off to an undefeated professional career, 24-year-old Carrillo was a heavily decorated amateur, going 215-14. He was a four-time Chicago Golden Gloves Champion and a two-time National Silver Gloves Champion. He won the National Blue and Gold Tournament and was the runner up in the Mexican Olympic Trials.

 

Nicknamed “El Lobito”, meaning little wolf, Carrillo is an aggressive boxer/brawler who loves to go to the body. So much so that a high percentage of his professional knockouts have come from body shots.

 

Carrillo is co-trained by his father Antonio and former world champion David Diaz and managed by Ernesto Pedroza.

 

“I am very proud to be signing with Warriors,” said Carrillo. “All of the pieces are in place for me now. I have a strong team to help me reach my dreams of winning the world championship. All I have to do is train hard and win.”

 

“Ramiro makes an excellent addition to our roster,” said Leon Margules of Warriors Boxing. “He is an outstanding young fighter with a bright future. We will be looking to provide him with every opportunity he deserves in boxing. I love that he has the rare gift of being a debilitating body puncher in an age where so few fighters pay attention to the lost art.”

 

“We are all very excited about this opportunity,” said Ernesto Pedroza. “Ramiro is extremely serious about his career and works very hard. From what I see, competition wise, we feel that signing with Warriors will provide him with the platform to become a world champion soon.”

 

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions, or www.warriorsboxing.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AnthonyDirrell, @BadouJack, @DanielJacobsTKO, @GoldenCalebT, @WarriorsBoxProm, and @SpikeTV. Or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing,www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo and www.Facebook.com/Spike.

 
boxing

GCP Switches it Up in a Big Way!

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Tony Luis to Face Derry Matthews for World Championship this Saturday in England; Ismael Barroso now Fighting Ira Terry on CBS in Hinckley, MN This Friday

 

Lack of time to obtain proper visas has forced the necessity for two of Greg Cohen Promotions’ (GCP) fighters to switch places on short notice for this weekend.

On Saturday, April 18, Cornwall, Ontario’s Tony “Lightning” Luis (19-2, 7 KOs) will now face UK veteran Derry Matthews (37-9-2, 20 KOs) for the Interim WBA Lightweight Championship at the Echo Arena in Matthews’ hometown of Liverpool, England, as the main event of a night of boxing presented by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.

Luis was originally scheduled to face Memphis, Tennessee, veteran Ira Terry (26-13, 16 KOs) in the televised co-feature of the “Championship Boxing on CBS Sports Network” event, presented by Greg Cohen Promotions in association with Adam Wilcock’s Fight Card Promotions and produced by David Schuster’s Winner Take All Productions onFriday, April 17, from the Grand Casino Hinckley in Hinckley, Minnesota.

 

Unbeaten Venezuelan slugger Ismael Barroso (17-0-2, 16 KOs), who was originally scheduled to face Matthews, was unable to obtain the proper visas in time to fight on such short notice in England. He will now take Luis’ place in Hinckley and will take on Terry in an eight-round attraction this Friday.

“It worked out well for everyone,” said Greg Cohen. “Tony Luis was high enough in the ratings and ready to fight, so he’s one of the few fighters in the world who could have stepped into this important fight on such short notice. And fortunately, he is a GCP fighter as well, so we made it happen quickly and he is on his way to the UK as we speak. Tony gets his dream shot at a world championship and the fans in Hinckley, and on CBS Sports Network, will get their first look at one of the most fearsome punchers in boxing, Ismael Barroso. So it seems that everyone wins in this unique situation.”
mixed martial arts, University of MMA

FIGHT NIGHT 9 QUICK RESULTS AND ‘DEAN’S LIST’AWARDS

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Los Angeles, CA – The old adage “bigger is better” proved to be true for the first University of MMA event of 2015, as Fight Night 9 set several new records, all stemming from the show’s 18-match fight card. The event took place on March 8 at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE, producing several candidates for Fight of the Night, Blue Chip Honors, and Submission of the Night.

 

“It’s rare when you have quantity and quality in such perfect synergy, but the fighters and fans gave us exactly that. When it was done, I was still had energy to watch a few more matches,” said University of MMA matchmaker Jay Tan.

 

In the end, the Dean‘s List performance awards for Fight Night 9 are:

 

Fight of the Night (TIE): Jasmine Pouncy (Nubians MMA) vs. Daria Berenato (Systems Training Center) and Ryan Lilley (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Training Center) vs. Jonathan Quiroz (California MMA)

 

Knockout of the Night: Lance Lee (Kings MMA)

 

Submission of the Night: Thom Landeros (All In MMA)

 

Blue Chip Honors: Angel Diaz (Systems Training Center)

 

“We’re proud of all of the award winners.  Without a doubt these men and women earned their acknowledgements by making an impact on the audience, earning glory in the cage, and taking home $100 gift cards courtesy of our sponsors OTM Fight Shop and WSS,” said University of MMA founder Turi Altavilla.

 

In addition to the traditional Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night, and Submission of the Night awards, Blue Chip honors recognizes fighters who show great showmanship, charisma and audience awareness.

 

Pouncy and Lilley both won their respective matches by unanimous decision, but the results betray how closely scored were the rounds in each fight. Pouncy and Berenato traded furious striking combos in a barnburner that exemplified why women’s MMA is so popular. And with twenty amateur MMA matches between them, Lilley and Quiroz displayed masterful fight maturity, strongly pointing towards destined pro debuts.

 

Lance Lee‘s knockout of A.J. Lavarias advances him to the finals of the University of MMA lightweight championship tournament, where he’ll faceJulio Lopez (Ruckus MMA) at Fight Night 10 in May. Thom Landeros‘guillotine choke victory was both swift and technically complete, while Blue Chip Honors winner Angel Diaz exhibited charisma and stage presence that boosted an adept first-round submission win.

 

Additionally, University of MMA featherweight and welterweight champions Tommy Aaron and Roman Todorovich (both of Elite Training Center), respectively, successfully defended their titles with undeniable first-round victories.

 

In his first title defense, Aaron faced Sergio ‘Surge the Kid‘ Perez (Hayastan MMA), who imposed his will early on the champion with a defiant takedown and constant body control for much of the first round. Once the fight got back to the feet, however, Aaron landed a textbook spinning back kick that stunned Perez enough for the champion to swarm in for the TKO finish.

 

Todorovich faced a unique challenge in rematching former University of MMA welterweight champion Jarett Conner (independent), who returned to the U after a year-long hiatus. Himself the reigning welterweight king prior to Todorovich wresting the title from him in 2014, Conner demonstrated his trademark strength and unstoppable takedowns with the same adeptness for which he’s known. With his champion’s conviction, Todorovich secured an armbar early, which he kept through an elevated power bomb by Conner. Todorovich shifted position to full mount, leading to a ground-and-pound finish at 1:11. The match was stopped due to injury, when Conner based to his arms and knees, severely dislocating his elbow.

 

Quick results for University of MMA: Fight Night (March 8, 2015):

 

1)   155 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – ERNESTO LEYVA (CSW) def. VICTOR RIVERA (Nubians MMA) via unanimous decision\

2) 125 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – ANGEL ‘The Kraken’ DIAZ (Systems Training Center) def. SONNY ASHTON (Smash Squad) via submission (rear naked choke), R1, 1:46

3) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – AARON LANDRY (Ring of Fire Martial Arts Academy) def. DANNY LLAMAS (The Guild) via TKO, R1, 0:51

4) 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – ANITA HOEHENLEITER (JFM Boxing/Systems Training Center) def. ASHLEE ‘Smiley’ GRANT (Bowman’s Dojo) via submission (standing guillotine), R1, 1:03

5) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – SERGEY MARTIROSYAN (Docando/Hayastan MMA) def. CRUZ MARTINEZ (10th Planet Van Nuys) via unanimous decision

6) 165 CW lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – YASKIN SOLANO (Paragon BJJ) def. ARSALAN HOMAYUN (10th Planet Burbank) via submission (armbar), R1,0:50

7) 205 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – MICHAEL ‘Lazer’ REYES (10th Planet Van Nuys) def. TRAVIS WILLIAMS (Elite Training Center) via unanimous decision

8) 125 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – KELLY VANHOY (Millennia MMA) def. STEFANI POGUE (Systems Training Center) via unanimous decision

9) 145 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – RYAN ‘The Lion’ LILLEY (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Gym) def. JONATHAN QUIROZ (California MMA) via unanimous decision

10) 135 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – RICHIE MEISTER (BJMUTA) def. MILTON ‘The Diamond’ ARGUELLO (10th Planet Van Nuys) via majority decision

11) 125 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – JASMINE ‘Tapout Queen’ POUNCY (Nubians MMA) def. DARIA ‘The Jersey Devil’ BERENATO (Systems Training Center) via unanimous decision

12) 125 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – THOMAS ‘The Beast’ LANDEROS (All In MMA) def. HUGO ‘Young Gun’ ARANDA (House of Champions) via submission (guillotine), R1, 1:40

13) 135 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – VINCE CACHERO (Systems Training Center) def. MICHAEL ‘Slayer’ DERDERIAN (10th Planet HQ Fight Team) via unanimous decision

14) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – LANCE ‘The Black Ranger’ BUSH (Team Lagarto) def. SCORPIO SKY (The Guild) via split decision

UNIVERSITY OF MMA LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

15) 155 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – JULIO ‘The Wolf’ LOPEZ (Ruckus MMA) def. PIOUS ‘Voodoo’ ENILOLOBO, JR. (BJMUTA/Flying Kick Martial Arts) via TKO, R2, 1:23

UNIVERSITY OF MMA WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

16) 170 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – ROMAN ‘The Gladiator’ TODOROVICH (Elite Training Center) def. JARETT CONNER (Independent) via TKO/doctor’s stoppage, R1, 1:11

UNIVERSITY OF MMA LIGHT WEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT

17) 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min., shins) – LANCE LEE ‘Vanquish’ (Kings MMA) def. A.J. ‘The People’s Champ’ LAVARIAS (Systems Training Center) via KO, R2,1:30

UNIVERSITY OF MMA FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

18) 145 lbs. (3 x 3 min., no shins) – TOMMY ‘The Spaniard AARON (Elite Training Center) def. SERGIO ‘Surge the Kid’ PEREZ (Hayastan MMA) via TKO, R1, 2:09

University of MMA: Fight Night 10 takes place on Sunday, May 31, at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE. Doors open at 4:30pm and first fight takes place at 5:00pm. Tickets are on sale now through www.UofMMA.com

 

*****                  *****                  *****                  *****                  *****

 

CONTACT: Either Turi Altavilla at turi@UofMMA.com and phone (310) 701-8339 or Jay Tan at jaytan@UofMMA.com and phone (213) 618-0332.

 

*****                  *****                  *****                  *****                  *****

 

About the University of MMA (www.UofMMA.com): The University of Mixed Martial Arts (aka “The U”) is a Los Angeles-based fight promotion specializing in exciting, high-octane, upscale amateur MMA events around the Southern California region. Its mandate is to provide a stage for young, aspiring fighters to hone their MMA skills and develop themselves as marketable personalities and respectable ambassadors of the sport. The U was founded in 2010 and has run sixteen shows in Southern California. Each event is sanctioned by the California Amateur MMA Organization (CAMO), which upholds the highest safety standards in the nation for amateur competition. The team behind the U collectively has over 20 years of experience in promoting professional MMA at the highest level of the sport, including international and domestic events broadcast on pay-per-view, cable, and network television. For tomorrow‘s MMA stars and champions …IT STARTS HERE!
About OTM Fight Shops (www.OTMfightshops.com):  On The Mat (OTM) is an American company and brand dedicated to the sport and lifestyle of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), submission grappling (no-gi), and mixed martial arts (MMA). Founded in 1996 by owner Scotty Nelson in Mountain View, CA, OTM has become best known for its website, OnTheMat.com, which provides the largest online library of jiu-jitsu and grappling footage, including video magazines, instructional videos, and tournament compilations. Its online store and eight retail fight shops in California, Nevada, and New Mexico offer the widest selection of fight gear and apparel for fighters from every discipline. Additionally, OTM’s clothing line is among the most recognizable brands in BJJ and MMA, including a custom made jiu-jitsu gi called Lucky Gi. OTM has sponsored dozens of BJJ / MMA household names, such as B.J. Penn, Nick Diaz, Nate Diaz, Jeff Monson, Kenny Florian, and Diego Sanchez.

About WSS (www.shopWSS.com):WSS is a leading Southern California retailer founded in 1984. WSS (formerly Warehouse Shoe Sale) offers a wide variety of footwear, clothing, and accessories from all major brands. WSS carries over 3,000 of the latest styles from such brand names as Nike, Jordan, Vans, Converse, Sketchers, Reebock, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, DC Shoes, Timberland, K-Swiss, and many, many more. With over 25 years in business and 55 stores (Victorville, Bakersfield and Lancaster coming soon), WSS has an unrivaled reputation for having great values and great selection and for bringing customers the latest in the best styles. Participating in over 350 local events per year, WSS is also committed to giving back to the community.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

Bellator MMA continues to strengthen its roster with addition of Brazilian featherweight Gleristone “Toninho Furia” Santos

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 14, 2015) – Bellator MMA officials are proud to announce the addition of exciting Brazilian featherweight prospect Gleristone “Toninho Furia” Santos (27-4), who has signed an exclusive, multi-fight deal.

 

Santos’s debut date and opponent will be announced in the near future.

 

Long considered one of Brazil’s top prospects, the 26-year-old Santos debuted in 2005, when he was just 16 years old and earned victories in his first nine professional bouts. Born in Campina Grande, Paraiba, Santos currently boasts a nine-fight winning streak and is an incredible 16-1 in his past 17 appearances. “

 

Toninho” joins several other talented Brazilian fighters on the Bellator roster including Featherweight World Champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Welterweight World Champion Douglas Lima, Bantamweight World Champion Marcos Galvao, Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas, Patricky “Pitbull” Freire, Rafael Carvalho, Neiman Gracie, Goiti Yamauchi amongst others.

boxing

Boxing’s most avoided world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux heading to UK next month To publically confront Scott Quigg

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CORK, Ireland (April 12, 2015) – Unified super bantamweight world champion Guillermo “The Jackal” Rigondeaux (15-0, 10 KOs), arguably the most avoided reigning world title holder in modern boxing history, will travel to London next month in order to publicly confront his mandatory challenger, Scott Quigg (30-0-2, 22 KOs), the World Boxing Association (WBA) “regular” 122-pound division titlist.

 

A month ago in an unusual move, Rigondeaux’ manager Gary Hyde formally petitioned the WBA to enforce a mandatory title fight between his WBA Super champion and Quigg. Hyde is awaiting the WBA’s decision. Rigondeaux is also the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and The Ring magazine’s super bantamweight champion.

 

A reigning world champion hasn’t been avoided by other world champions and top contenders like Rigondeux has for the past two years since, perhaps, junior middleweight Sergio Martinez, or possibly all the way back to middleweight Mike McCallum.

 

The top three super bantamweights in the world outside of Rigondeaux – International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Council (WBC) champions, Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz, respectively, plus Quigg – have avoided the Cuban great like the plaque. Once Santa Cruz’ promoter at the time, Oscar de la Hoya, announced that a Rigondeaux-Santa Cruz had to happen, Santa Cruz’ powerful adviser, Al Haymon, exercised a contract option and bought him out to avoid a fight with ‘Rigo.’ Frampton’s promoter, Barry McGuigan, has proclaimed his fighter, not Rigondeaux, as the No. 1 super featherweight in the world. McGuigan, though, is interested in Frampton fighting Quigg in a U.K. showdown, rather than a world mega-fight for three of the four major sanctioning world titles. As the “regular” WBA champion, Quigg is Rigondeaux’ mandatory challenger, yet, he apparently wants no part of the two-time Olympic gold medalist because his promoter, Barry Hearn, not only hasn’t pushed the issue, he’s in negotiations with McGuigan for Frampton to fight Quigg.

 

Former world super bantamweight champions Nonito Doniare, after he lost a unification fight to Rigondeaux two years ago, and Abner Mares chose to move up one division to fight as featherweights. And now Donaire reports that his manager was contacted by a Quigg representative to discuss a Donaire-Quigg fight in England.

 

Another two-time Olympic gold medalist, WBO 126-pound champion Vasyl Lomachenko, continually insists that “Rigo” has to move up in weight for a fight to happen despite him having no problems making 126.

 

“Quigg, Santa Cruz and Frampton have showed no desire to challenge Rigondeaux,” Hyde said. “These three fighters are trying to fool the public into believing that fight the No. 1 guy in the world is not important. While they are lining their pockets with ridiculous amounts of cash for fighting below par opponents, Rigondeaux is forced to wait around until some Asian opponent steps up. This is a sport in which we are accustomed to seeing the best fighting the best but, in the super bantamweight division, it’s the best versus the rest.

 

“Rigondeaux will travel to Manchester to fight Quigg, Belfast to fight Frampton, or Las Vegas to fight Santa Cruz. None of these so-called world champions, though, will consider fighting the acknowledged world super bantamweight champion. They’re all much more content to hold onto their belts than beating The Man in their weight class.”

 

Next month, Hyde reports, Rigondeaux will travel to the United Kingdom in a bold attempt to embarrass Quigg into fighting him. “I don’t like traveling overseas unless I have a fight lined up,” Rigondeaux explained, “but I will travel to England in May to publicly call out Scott Quigg. If he turns down the chance to fight our WBA mandatory, he will be remembered for that instead of being known as a great fighter. While I’m in the UK, I will also go to Belfast to checkout Carl Frampton to ask if he wants to prove himself against the best in his division.”

 

Understanding that the top super bantamweight action is currently in Europe, noting a record purse ($2.2 million USD) offered for a Frampton vs. Quigg fight, Rigondeaux is considering a major change in the not too distant future, moving his base from Miami to the UK, if that’s what it takes for him to get in on the action.

 

Hyde also manages former WBO middleweight champion and current International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 1 mandatory contender Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam (31-1, 18 KOs), former WBA Interim cruiserweight champion Youri “El Toro” Kalenga (21-2, 14 KOs) and Georgian super lightweight Levan “The Wolf” Ghvamichava (14-1-1, 11 KOs) , as well as top prospects such as Cuban super bantamweight Marcos Forestal (2-0, 2 KOs), Irish heavyweight Con Sheehan and Bulgarian light heavyweight Blagoy Naydenov.

 

 

Follow Hyde on Twitter at @NoWhere2Hyde and friend him atwww.facebook.com/gary.hyde.50?fref=ts.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

Two new fights featuring St. Louis scrappers added to “Bellator: Unfinished Business” at the Scottrade Center on June 19

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 13, 2015) – On the heels of this morning’s announcement of the Bobby Lashley vs. James Thompson rematch, “Bellator: Unfinished Business” adds a pinch of local flavor with the addition of welterweights Steve Mann (10-1) vs. Justin Guthrie (17-8) and strawweights Dan O’Connor (5-4) vs. Miles McDonald (0-1).  The two fights will are the first announced fights of the preliminary card, which can be viewed on Spike.com starting at 4 p.m. PT.

 

The main card is headlined by a long overdue matchup between street-fighting legend and YouTube sensation Kimbo Slice and “The World’s Most Dangerous Man,” Ken Shamrock, which kicks off Live and Free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: Unfinished Business” start at $30 and go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 27, at Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com and the Scottrade Center Box Office. Online presales begin on Wednesday, March 25.

 

Iowa’s Mann is an intriguing welterweight prospect who has never fought past the opening round in 11 career contests. Eight of his 10 career wins have come by way of submission, including five by rear-naked choke. Mann makes his Bellator MMA debut on this major stage.

 

“The Pain Train” Guthrie, a Colorado Fight Factory product, also fights under the Bellator MMA banner for the first time. Fighting professionally since 2007, Guthrie boasts past clashes with MMA notables Jesse Forbes, Jorge Santiago, Lumumba Sayers, Gilbert Smith and Bobby Voelker. Guthrie has shown a well-rounded approach in previous contest, earning five victories by knockout, six by submission and six by decision, including two 25-minute contests.

 

In strawweight action, both “Johnny Irish” O’Connor and McDonald make their Bellator MMA debuts. Interestingly, St. Louis’ O’Connor owns four of his five career victories by submission but has also been tapped out in three of his four defeats to date. Meanwhile, McDonald suffered an armbar loss in his May 2014 professional debut and now looks to rebound in his return to the cage.

 

 

“Bellator: Unfinished Business” – Friday, June 19, Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Mo.

 

Main Card on Spike (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (4-2) vs. Ken Shamrock (28-15)

Bellator Featherweight Championship: Patricio Pitbull (23-2) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-4)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Bobby Lashley (12-2) vs. James Thompson (20-14)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Michael Chandler (12-3) vs. Derek Campos (15-4)

 

Preliminary Card on Spike.com (7 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator welterweight prelim fight: Steve Mann (10-1) vs. Justin Guthrie (17-8)

Bellator strawweight prelim fight: Dan O’Connor (5-4) vs. Miles McDonald (0-1)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

“Bellator: Unfinished Business” gets a monster rematch with heavyweights James “The Colossus” Thompson vs. Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley

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B138_PR_header2

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 13, 2015) – The most-watched MMA fight of all time was between Kimbo Slice and James Thompson, and on June 19, both men will be competing against different opponents at “Bellator: Unfinished Business” at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo.

 

Former WWE superstar Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley looks to avenge a 2012 split decision loss to James “The Colossus” Thompson (20-14).  The unfinished business between the two giant heavyweights was originally scheduled to be settled at “Bellator: The British Invasion,” but an injury sustained by Lashley caused the fight to be rescheduled to June 19.

 

Thompson, a 6-foot-5 striking specialist, hails from England and has been fighting professionally since 2003. A former rugby player and bodybuilder, Thompson found his true calling in MMA and has been competing around the globe ever since. Fighting some of the best heavyweights in the sport, including Slice, Alexander Emelianenko, Don Frye, Alistair Overeem, Mariusz Pudzianowki, Brett Rogers, Bob Sapp, Dan Severn and Hidehiko Yoshida, among others, “The Colossus” has racked up 11 wins by knockout and seven by submission.

 

A 6-foot-3 wrestling standout, Bobby “The Dominator” Lashley (12-2) started training in the grappling arts at age 12 and would go on to win several titles including three National Championships at Missouri Valley College, an NAIA National Championship, a CISM World Championship Silver Medal and two Armed Forces Wrestling Championships during his time in the U.S. Army. In addition to a professional wrestling career with stints in the WWE, ECW and TNA, Lashley began his MMA career in 2008, and he’s built an impressive career mark that includes Bellator MMA submission wins over Karl Etherington and Josh Burns.

 

“Bellator: Unfinished Business” – Friday, June 19, Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Mo.

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Kimbo Slice (4-2) vs. Ken Shamrock (28-15)

Bellator Featherweight Championship: Patricio Pitbull (23-2) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (24-4)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Bobby Lashley (12-2) vs. James Thompson (20-14)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Michael Chandler (12-3) vs. Derek Campos (15-4)

 

boxing, Showtime Boxing

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. LOOKS TO MAKE A RESOUNDING STATEMENT WHEN HE RETURNS TO THE RING ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18 AT THE STUBHUB CENTER LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

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LOS ANGELES MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS,

TEN GOOSE BOXING GYM, VAN NUYS, CALIF.

 

Click HERE For Photos

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

 

“I am fighting [Andrzej] Fonfara now because I like big opponents. I like the challenge of fighting good, hungry fighters.”

– Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

 

“Julio wants credibility in this sport and that’s why he made the decision to take this fight, even though it’s a dangerous decision.”

– Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.

 

ALL ACCESS: Chavez

http://s.sho.com/1I1ezrs

 

Tickets Still Available!

 

VAN NUYS, Calif.(April 13, 2015) – Former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. held a media workout on Friday in front of a packed house at Ten Goose Boxing Gym in Van Nuys, Calif., as the Mexican superstar prepares to make his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® debut on Saturday, April 18, at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., live on SHOWTIME(10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

 

In the main event of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXINGdoubleheader, Mexican superstar Chavez, Jr. (48-1-1, 32 KOs) meets dangerous brawler Andrzej Fonfara (26-3, 15 KOs) in a 12-round light heavyweight bout.

 

In the 10-round co-feature, top 10 ranked junior welterweight contender Amir Imam (16-0, 14 KOs) will aim to move one step closer to a world title opportunity when he makes his second start of 2015 against fellow power-puncher Walter Castillo (25-2, 18 KOs).

 

Julio Cesar Chavez, arguably the greatest Mexican fighter of all time, made an appearance during his son’s workout to show his support and offer words of encouragement.

 

Here’s what Chavez Jr., Julio Cesar Chavez and Joe Goossen (trainer) had to say Friday at the Los Angeles-area gym:

 

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR., Former World Champion

“I am very focused going into this fight. I have changed a lot mentally this past year.

 

“I am fighting [Andrzej] Fonfara now because I like big opponents. I like the challenge of fighting good, hungry fighters. Just because Fonfara doesn’t have the name recognition of other fighters, it doesn’t make him an easy fighter. He’s tough.

 

“I feel comfortable at light heavyweight. Any time that you can add a couple pounds, you feel better. Although I will be fighting at 175, I feel most comfortable at 168 as a boxer. Since I have had one year off, it was a better choice to fight at this weight so that I could see how my body feels.

 

“Since I have added a few pounds, I have become a more physical and stronger boxer. The light heavyweight division has very big and physical contenders.

 

“Joe [Goossen] is a great trainer. He is a great motivator to his fighters and makes them better. I have worked very hard with him for the 35 days we spent together in Lake Tahoe.

 

“When I was training with Freddie Roach, it was very different. I think Freddie is a great trainer, but Joe also has a lot of experience and we have made a connection together.

 

“I really liked training in Lake Tahoe. The altitude, the ring, everything I needed was there. I felt very comfortable up there and I would like to come back there to train for a fight again.

 

“I promise a great fight, this is a very exciting fight. Fonfara isn’t an easy opponent, but he has never seen an opponent like me.”

 

 

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ SR.

“I am here to support and be with my son. I try to give him good advice. I tell him to train and prepare hard, and fortunately he is doing that well.

 

“I think Joe [Goossen] is doing a great job, we are on the same page. We are all focused on him [Chavez Jr.] getting to the fight well prepared. This fight requires great preparation because he is going into the fight at a weight that’s higher than his normal weight and he is facing a very tough opponent.

 

“He must go in 100 percent to win this fight.

 

“I think there has been a 180 degree turn in his career. I see this as a positive because he can really develop his ability and looks very well prepared.

 

“I would’ve liked to have seen him take a tune up fight instead because of his long layoff; I particularly didn’t want this fight.

 

“Julio [Chavez Jr.] wants credibility in this sport and that’s why he made the decision to take this fight, even though it’s a dangerous decision. He must be very prepared for this fight.”

 

 

JOE GOOSSEN, Chavez Jr.s’ Trainer

“I’ve been asked over the years who the one fighter was that I would like to work and my answer was always Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

 

“I’ve always really admired his style. I had known him as a kid, his father is a legend. It had always seemed like a dream job for me, and out of nowhere I got it.

 

“Lake Tahoe was tremendous for training camp. You are isolated and it’s not an easy thing. When you aren’t training you are sitting in a hotel room. You are deprived the comforts of home, but it really gives you that concentration and dedication factor and I think that will interpret into some positive results.

 

“I matured over my years, once I had a kid and a family and I think the same has happened with Julio. Life becomes clearer when you put away the immaturity. You realize that you have a future and if you really want to access what’s available to you, then you are going to have to work hard and dedicate yourself to it.

 

“Going to Lake Tahoe and really working hard is a sign of maturity and I think that’s what Julio is going through right now. He really showed it by leaving his home and spending an extended period of time up there. To me that is a great indicator that he is mature, dedicated and taking this fight very seriously.

 

“Of course I believe Julio is ready to fight Fonfara. The fight was made before I even came on board, but that’s the challenge that I am presented with. You must figure out a good game plan and figure out what you’re up against.

 

“Just because Julio has been out a year doesn’t mean that it’s going to be a cake walk for Fonfara. We went up to Lake Tahoe with one thing in mind, and that’s winning this fight and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

 

 

# # #

“Chavez Jr. vs. Fonfara”, a 12-round light heavyweight bout co-promoted by Goossen Promotions and Chavez Promotions that takes place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). In the co-main event, Amir Imam faces Walter Castillo in a 10-round jr. welterweight showdown. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

 

Tickets for the event are priced at $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, are available for purchase online at AXS.com.

 

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jcchavezjr1, @andrzej_fonfara, @StubHubCenter and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #ChavezFonfara, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.
Fight Network, kickboxing, martial arts, mixed martial arts, wrestling

FIGHT NETWORK MMA & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Apr. 13-19, 2015)

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Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, boxing, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.

 

Below find highlights of this week’s programming:

Monday, Apr. 13

5:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and more.

6:00 – p.m. ET – USA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features and a look back at the past.

6:30 p.m. ET – Judo Ulaanbaatar Grand Prix 2014 – Highlights from Judo Ulaanbaatar Grand Prix from July 4-6, 2014 in Mongolia.

7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

7:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

8:00 p.m. ET – GFC 4– Featuring Badr Hari vs. Arnold Oborotov on a stacked MMA/kickboxing card from Oct. 16, 2014 in Dubai.

Tuesday, Apr. 14

1:00 a.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Rashad Evans – Sit-down interview with former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans.

1:30 a.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

2:30 am. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S pro and amateur MMA.

7:00 & 7:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

8:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

9:00 p.m. ET – DEEP: DREAM Impact 2014 – Featuring Satotu Kitaoka vs. Yoshiyuki from Dec. 31, 2014 in Saitama, Japan.

Wednesday, Apr. 15

12:00 a.m. ET – BAMMA USA: Badbeat 10 – Featuring Jesse Newell vs. Chris Culley, Jesse Juarez vs.

3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star State’s top prospects in the cage.

6:30 a.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

6:00 p.m. ET – Best of Cage Rage – Featuring classic fights from the UK-based Cage Rage organization with Anderson Silva, Antonio Silva, Victor Belfort, Paul Daley and others.

7:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

7:30 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from O  NE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa and others.

8:30 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 71 – Featuring Jack Hermansson vs. Deyan Topalski from Aug. 23, 2014 in Amman, Jordan.

11:00 p.m. ET – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.

11:30 p.m. ET – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews.

Thursday, Apr. 16

12:30 a.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

1:30 a.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 3: Unstoppable – Featuring Brad Pickett vs. Dino Gambatesa from Mar. 28, 2009 in London.

6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fightling Alliance – Pro MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkie, Luis Palomino and others.

7:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Rookies – Aspiring kickboxers climb the ladder of success in the sport as rookies compete for a chance to become professionals and get experience needed to succeed at a higher level.

8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

9:00 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge 56 – Featuring Tyacheslav Vasilvesky vs. Ramasan Emeev for the M-1 Challenge middle title from Apr. 10, 2015 in Moscow.

Friday, Apr. 17

12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan.

1:30 a.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

2:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

4:00 a.m. ET – Best of DEEP – Featuring class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA league, Jewels.

11:00 a.m. ET – GFC 5: Saki vs. Ciobanu – LIVE professional kickboxing from Dubai featuring Gokhan Saki vs. Sebastian Ciobanu, plus Steve McKinnon vs. Zabit Samedoiv and Jafar Ahmadi vs. Danyo Illunga.

4:00 p.m. ET – UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold Weigin-Ins – LIVE coverage of the official weigh-ins for UFC on FOIX: Machica vs. Rockhold from Newwark, NJ.

6:00 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge – Professional MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international starts.

7:00 p.m. ET — Fight News Now. MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

7:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

8:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Luke Rockhold – Sit-down interview with current UFC star and former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold.

8:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

9:00 p.m. ET — KSW 13 – Featuring Mamed Khalidov vs. Ryuta Sakurai, Mariusz Pudzianowski vs. Yusuke Kawaguchi, plus Jan Blachowicz, Daniel Tabera, Konstan Gluhov and Attila Vegh from May 7, 2010 in Warsaw, Poland.

Saturday, Apr. 18

1:00 a.m. ET – SuperKombat: New Heroes Almere 2014 – Featuring Errol Konning vs. Mohammed El Boulahiati and Kenneth Susanna vs. Yakupa Kaya from Sept. 27, 2014 in Almere, Netherlands.

6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring Brian Gassaway vs. Jose “Pele” Landi-Jones from TKO 32.

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Jake Shields vs. Jeremy Jackson from Gladiator Challenge 6.

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest, hosted by UFC veterans Matt LIndland and Chael Sonnen. This episode features Dennis Hallman, Sean Sherk, Josh Burkman, Chris Leben and Benji Radach in action.

1:30 p.m. ET – UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage of UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold in Newark, NJ.

4:00 p.m. ET — UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage of UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold in Newark, NJ.

4:30 p.m. ET – Enfusion LIVE #27: Souwer vs. Risco – LIVE professional kickboxing from Tenerife, Spain, featuring Andy Souwer vs. Jonay Risco and Mohamed Boubkari vs. Moises Baute for the -95kg world title.

6:30 p.m. ET – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.

7:00 p.m. ET – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews.

7:30 p.m. ET — UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage of UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold in Newark, NJ.

8:00 p.m. ET – GFC 5: Saki vs. Ciobanu – Pro kickboxing from Dubai, featuring Gokhan Saki vs. Sebastian Ciobanu, plus Steve McKinnon vs. Zabit Samedov and Jafar Ahmadi vs. Danyo Ilunga fromApr. 17, 2015 in Dubaia.

11:00 p.m. ET — UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold Post-Fight Press Conference – LIVE coverage of the official post-fight press conference for UFC on FOX: Machida vs. Rockhold in Newark, NJ.

Sunday, Apr. 19

6:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of ADCC – Featuring compilations of the greatest grappling matches ever held, featuring Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Eddie Bravo, Fabricio Werdum, Marcelo Garcia, Ronaldo Souza and Royler Gracie.

11:00 a.m. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters takingon the renowned Thai National team.

6:30 p.m. ET – Judo Tyumen Grand Slam 2014 – Highlights from the Judo Tyumen Grand Slam from July 12-13, 2014 in Russia.

11:00 p.m. ET – King of Kings: World Grand Prix 2014 Gdansk – Featuring Arrtur Kyshenko vs. Radoslaw Paczuski, plus a one-night, single-elimination-93kg tournament from Oct. 17, 2014 in Gdansk, Polan
 

Information:

 

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

 
ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK:  Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.