TORONTO (June 3, 2015) – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, today announced an exclusive multi-year programming agreement with Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts organization World Series of Fighting(WSOF.com) to broadcast live events and the existing archive in Canada, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
The deal kicks off this weekend with a short tape delay broadcast of WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki from Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Airing June 6 at Midnight ET, the event is headlined by WSOF featherweight champion Lance Palmer defending against Canada’s own Chris Horodecki, while WSOF heavyweight champion Smealinho Rama, another Canadian, defends the coveted title against Bulgarian powerhouse Blagoi Ivanov.
WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki will repeat on Saturday, June 6 at 4 p.m. ET and Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. ET.
WSOF is led by president Ray Sefo, a six-time world kickboxing champion and two-time Hall of Famer. The promotion has staged 20 events to date, featuring internationally renowned superstars such as Andrei Arlovski, Anthony Johnson, David Branch, Rousimar Palhares, Jake Shields, Yushin Okami and Jon Fitch. .
WSOF has also spawned the careers of the next generation of MMA superstars, including reigning bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes, featherweight champion Palmer, undefeated lightweight champion Justin Gaethjeand undefeated light heavyweight Tyrone Spong.
The first event scheduled to air live on Fight Network is the blockbuster WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields world championship card on Aug. 1, 2015 in Las Vegas, headlined by a showcase of elite grapplers as WSOF welterweight champion Palhares defends against former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger Shields.
Also featured at WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields is a bantamweight title bout pitting the champion Moraes against undefeated Brazilian Sheymon Moraes, and a light heavyweight special attraction featuring Spong in the toughest test of his MMA career against heavy-handed veteran Mike Kyle, who makes his third appearance in the WSOF cage.
“WSOF has rapidly become one of the top promotions in North America and we’re thrilled to bring these world-class live events to our viewers,” said Chad Midgley, VP of Content at Fight Network. “Shows feature a great assortment of established names and highly touted prospects, providing a perfect balance of nostalgia for longtime fans while exposing viewers to fresh talent. With regularly scheduled events in Canada, homegrown stars can now be seen nationally across the country.”
“We are thrilled to partner with such a dynamic and robust television platform like Fight Network, and bring our live event programming to the highly passionate combat sports fan base in Canada where we have made a concerted effort to establish WSOF’s footprint,” said WSOF president, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer, Ray Sefo.
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.
