Tag Archives: David Branch

mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING CONTINUES FIGHTER SIGNING SPREE WITH ACQUISITION OF LIGHTWEIGHT STAR RAMSEY NIJEM

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LAS VEGAS (August 29, 2016) – World Series of Fighting (www.WSOF.com) announced today that it has bolstered its roster of world-class athletes yet again with the signing of lightweight (155 pounds) star and former The Ultimate Fighter competition reality television series runner-up Ramsey Nijem (9-6), to an exclusive, multi-fight promotional agreement with the world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) league.
 

Fighting out of Orem, Utah, the 5-foot-11, 28-year-old Nijem, a member of superstar Gilbert Melendez’s Skrap Pack fight team, will make his debut under the World Series of Fighting banner on a date to be announced soon.

 

“We have been aggressively pursuing some of the best available fight talent on the market and as a phenomenal and established competitor, Ramsey Nijem should make an exciting addition to our stacked, 155-pound division,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.
 

Nijem defeated three straight adversaries – two by way of submission and one via TKO – to finish as runner-up on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Lesnar vs. Team dos Santos in 2011, while competing at welterweight (170 pounds) as a member of UFC superstar Junior Dos Santos’ seven-man fight team that opposed a squad captained by WWE icon and former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.
 

Nijem began his successful run on the reality television show with a second round (3:31) submission (rear-naked choke) of Charlie Rader, and followed up the victory with a quick, 56-second submission (rear-naked choke) of Clay Harvison and a second round (1:49) TKO (punches) of Chris Cope, respectively, to reach the show’s final round of competition where he was stopped with an onslaught of punches by Tony Ferguson in the first round (3:54) of battle.
 

During his 10-fight stint with the UFC, Nijem earned both a “Performance of the Night” honor for his first round (4:20) TKO (punches) conquest of Beneil Dariush on April 11, 2014, as well a “Fight of the Night” award for his gritty effort in a second round (1:53) TKO (punches) defeat at the hands of Carlos Diego Ferreira on August 30, 2014.
 

A lifelong athlete, Nijem was a three-sport (wrestling, cross country and soccer) competitor in high school before going on to wrestle for NCAA Division I Utah Valley University.
 

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN on Saturday, Oct. 7, with an unprecedented, three-hour telecast and world championship doubleheader, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m., from Kansas City Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
 

In the main event of WSOF33: Gaethje vs. Dugulubgov, reigning, undefeated world lightweight champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (16-0) of Safford, Ariz. will risk his title against number one contender Ozzy Dugulubgov (8-2) of Ridgewood, N.J.
 

In the light heavyweight (205 pounds) co-main event, reigning world champion David Branch (16-3) of New York, N.Y. will defend his title against fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and battle-tested veteran Vinny Magalhaes (14-7) of Las Vegas, Nev. via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

mixed martial arts, MMA, NBC, World Series of Fighting

WSOF30: BRANCH VS. STARKS FINALIZED WITH SIX PRELIMINARY BOUTS

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WSOF30: BRANCH VS. STARKS
FINALIZED WITH SIX PRELIMINARY BOUTS

LIVE NBCSN TELECAST OF
FOUR-FIGHT MAIN CARD NOW BEGINS AT
11:30 P.M ET ON SATURDAY, APRIL 2

Matt Church replaces injured Gil Guardado against
Steve Kozola in 160-pound preliminary contest

Rex Harris vs. Clinton Williams in middleweight bout
LAS VEGAS (March 30, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has finalized the lineup for the WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks, world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) doubleheader event, with the addition of a sixth preliminary card bout – a middleweight (185 pounds) matchup between Clinton Williams (7-3, 1 NC) and Rex “T-Rex” Harris (8-2) – at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 2, live on NBCSN at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT.

Additionally, a broken nose has forced Gil Guardado to withdraw from his scheduled lightweight (155 pounds) matchup with undefeated Steve Kozola (6-0), who will now face Matt “The Sleeper” Church (3-1) in a 160-pound catchweight affair, and Jeff Roman (1-2-1) will square off with Zach Bunnell (0-0) in a welterweight (170 pounds) preliminary card contest.

The 5-foot-11, 32-year-old Williams is looking to rebound from a narrow, split decision defeat at the hands of Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun at WSOF26 on December 18, 2015.

One fight prior to the loss, Williams submitted Jared Hatch with a shoulder choke in the third round (4:10) of their matchup on November 14, 2015.

The 6-foot, 33-year-old Harris of West Pittston, Pa. is riding a four-fight win streak.  In his last start, Harris, who has earned 7 of his 8 career victories by way of (T)KO or submission, edged out a split decision over Justin Torrey at WSOF24 on October 17, 2015.

Church of Las Vegas will attempt to notch his fourth consecutive win, after threestraight finishes, the last of which came on March 4 when he submitted Pat DeFranco with a leglock in the first round (2:55) of their matchup.

Tickets for WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks are available for purchase online at WSOF.com and AXS.com.

Doors at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will open for the event at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 5 p.m.

In the main event, reigning World Series of Fighting middleweight champion David Branch (17-3), the league’s first-ever, two-division title holder, will put his coveted crown on the line against top contender Clifford Starks (13-2).

In the co-main event, superstar Jon Fitch (27-7-1, 1 NC) will battle recent World Series of Fighting one-night, eight-man tournament runner-up Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-7) with the vacant World Series of Fighting welterweight championship at stake.

Elsewhere on the four-fight, live NBCSN telecast, submission expert Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes (13-7) will square off with Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun(9-4) in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) contest, while World Series of Fighting newcomer and knockout artist Abu “Gladiator” Azaitar (11-1-1) will lock horns with Danny “Dee1” Davis, Jr. (11-10-1) at welterweight.

MAIN CARD (Live on NBCSN)

World Series of Fighting Middleweight Championship Main Event:
David Branch (Champion) vs. Clifford Starks (Challenger)

World Series of Fighting Vacant Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Jon Fitch (Challenger) vs. Joao Zeferino (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight:  Vinny Magalhaes vs. Jake Heun
Welterweight: Abu Azaitar vs. Danny Davis, Jr.

PRELIMINARY CARD (Live on WSOF.com)

Welterweight: Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Matt Frincu
Middleweight: Rex Harris vs. Clinton Williams
Catchweight (160 pounds): Steve Kozola vs. Matt Church
Flyweight: Carlos Garcia vs. Jason Pacheco
Bantamweight: Adam Acquaviva vs. Andres Ponce
Welterweight: Jeff Roman vs. Zach Bunnell
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WSOF30: BRANCH VS. STARKS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER LINEUP RECEIVES FIVE PRELIMINARY BOUTS

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PRELIMINARY FIGHT CARD TO STREAM LIVE ON
WSOF.COM PRIOR TO FOUR-FIGHT, LIVE NBCSN TELECAST

LAS VEGAS (March 21, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today the addition of five preliminary card bouts to its highly-anticipated WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) doubleheader event at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 2, live on NBCSN at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

Topping the undercard bill that will stream live, in its entirety on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, will be a welterweight (170 pounds) collision between Abubakar Nurmagomedov (11-1-1) and Matt “The Thunder From Down Under” Frincu (7-1).

The adopted brother and training partner of superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov, the 26-year-old Abubakar, who hails from Dagestan, Russia is riding a three-fight win streak, while Frincu of Tempe, Ariz. via Queensland, Australia will put a five-fight win streak on the line.

Nurmagomedov boasts an impressive 82 percent finish rate, while Frincu has earned six of his seven professional wins to date by way of (T)KO or submission.

In lightweight (155 pounds) preliminary card action, undefeated knockout artist Steve “Thunderbeast” Kozola (6-0) will make his World Series of Fighting debut against fellow fast-rising star Gil Guardado (5-1).

On fire since his professional debut victory in July 2013, Kozola of San Diego, Calif. via Chicago, Ill. comes to World Series of Fighting after producing back-to-back, devastating KO victories – each with a furious onslaught of punches – under the promotion of Bellator.

On January 16, 2015, Kozola scored a second round (1:25) KO on Jonathan Rivera at Bellator 132 and, on March 15, 2015, he scored a first round (2:22) KO on Ian Butler at Bellator 137.

Guardado of Las Vegas will look to notch his third consecutive win after two dominant performances inside the World Series of Fighting decagon cage.

The 30-year-old Xtreme Couture prodigy submitted Pete Martin with a guillotine choke in the first round (3:31) of action at WSOF22 on August 1, 2015, and closed out the year with a unanimous decision victory over Giga Chikadze at WSOF26 on December 18.

In a flyweight (125 pounds) scrap, Carlos Garcia (1-1) of San Bernardino, Calif. will make his professional debut against Jason Pacheco (1-0) of Las Vegas.

Adam Aquaviva (4-2) of Las Vegas will face off with Andres Ponce (3-2) of Tempe in a bantamweight tilt and, in the opening preliminary card matchup, Jeff Roman (1-2-1) of Las Vegas will square off with Nick Salantri (0-1) at welterweight.

A sixth, middleweight (185 pounds) preliminary fight featuring Clinton Williams(7-3) of Las Vegas will be announced soon.

Priced from $20, tickets for WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks, are available for purchase online at WSOF.com and AXS.com.

Doors at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will open for the event at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 5 p.m.

In the main event, reigning World Series of Fighting middleweight champion David Branch (17-3), the league’s first-ever, two-division title holder, will put his coveted crown on the line against top contender Clifford Starks (13-2).

In the co-main event, superstar Jon Fitch (27-7-1, 1 NC) will battle recent World Series of Fighting one-night, eight-man tournament runner-up Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-7) with the vacant World Series of Fighting welterweight championship at stake.

Elsewhere on the four-fight, live NBCSN telecast, submission expert Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes (13-7) will square off with Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun(9-4) in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) contest, while World Series of Fighting newcomer and knockout artist Abu “Gladiator” Azaitar (11-1-1) will lock horns with Danny “Dee1” Davis, Jr. (11-10-1) at welterweight.
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING RETURNS TO SIN CITY WITH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER ON SATURDAY, APRIL 2, LIVE ON NBCSN

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

World Middleweight Championship Main Event:
David Branch (Champion) vs.  Clifford Starks (Challenger)

World Welterweight Championship Co-Main Event:
Jon Fitch (Challenger) vs. Joao Zeferino (Challenger)

Plus:

Vinny Magalhaes vs. Jake Heun
Abu Azaitar vs. Danny Davis Jr.

LAS VEGAS (March 14, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it will make its much-anticipated return to Las Vegas with a star-studded, world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) doubleheader event at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday, April 2, live on NBCSN (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT), headlined by a middleweight (185 pounds) title bout between reigning kingpin David Branch (17-3) and Clifford Starks (13-2).

Priced from $29, tickets for WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks, are available for purchase online at WSOF.com and AXS.com.

In the co-main event, superstar Jon Fitch (27-7-1, 1 NC) will collide with recent World Series of Fighting one-night, eight-man tournament runner-up Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-7) with the vacant World Series of Fighting welterweight (170 pounds) championship at stake.

In other action on the four-fight, live NBCSN telecast, submission expert Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes (13-7) will square off with Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun(9-4) in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) contest, while World Series of Fighting newcomer and knockout artist Abu “Gladiator” Azaitar (11-1-1) will throw down with Danny “Dee1” Davis, Jr. (11-10-1) at welterweight.

The complete WSOF30 preliminary bout card will be announced soon.

David Branch vs. Clifford Starks

The 6-foot-1, 34-year-old Branch of Brooklyn, N.Y. made history in his last start at WSOF23 on September 18, 2015 when he notched a first round (2:21) submission (rear-naked choke) victory over Teddy Holder to become the first World Series of Fighting light heavyweight champion in history as well as the first-ever two-division champion in promotional history.

A protégé of MMA and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Renzo Gracie, Branch will seek his eighth consecutive win.

Also 34 years of age, the 5-foot-10 Starks of Tempe, Ariz. earned a shot at Branch’s middleweight title after three consecutive victories in the World Series of Fighting decagon cage.  In his last effort at WSOF23, Starks handed Krasimir Mladenov the first defeat of the Bulgarian wrestling standout’s career by way of unanimous decision.

Starks is riding a five-fight win streak that began with two consecutive wins under the promotion of Bellator.

Jon Fitch vs. Joao Zeferino

A former world top 10 ranked competitor who has faced and defeated a collection of rival icons over the course of his 14-year professional career, the 6-foot, 38-year-old Fitch of Fort Wayne, Ind. earned a unanimous decision in his last appearance, over fellow accomplished superstar Yushin Okami at WSOF24 on October 17, 2015.

Originally from Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, the 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Zeferino who fights out of Middletown, N.Y. has notched 15 of his 20 career wins by way of submission.  Zeferino demonstrated superior physical and mental toughness in his last appearance in the cage, going to battle three times in one night in the one-night, eight-man lightweight (155 pounds) tournament at WSOF25 on November 20, 2015.

After defeating both Brian Foster and Jorge Patino by way of heel hook submission in the first round of action in the quarterfinal and semifinal stages of the tournament, respectively, Zeferino again faced off with Foster, who had advanced to the championship stage as a “lucky loser,” but suffered a second round (4:51) KO (punches) at the hands of Foster in a barnburner affair.

Vinny Magalhaes vs. Jake Heun

Magalhaes of Las Vegas via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will make his second start under the promotion of World Series of Fighting after pulling off a stunning, first round (1:08) submission (kneebar) of wrestling stylist Matt “The Hammer” Hamill at WSOF24.

A 6-foot-3, 31-year-old world grappling champion, Magalhaes has claimed 11 of his 13 career MMA wins by way of submission and is looking for his fourth consecutive victory.

Heun of Coconut Creek, Fla. is seeking his third straight win after edging out a split decision over Clinton Williams at WSOF26 on December 18, 2015.

A member of South Florida-based American Top Team, the 6-foot-2, 28-year old Heun has claimed 6 of his 9 professional wins by way of (T)KO or submission.

Abu Azaitar vs. Danny Davis, Jr.

The number one ranked middleweight (185 pounds) in Germany and the number five ranked middleweight in Poland, the 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Azaitar of Cologne, Germany will enter the World Series of Fighting decagon cage for the first time at 170 pounds, after tearing through the ranks of competitors in Europe over the last seven years.

To date, the heavy-handed Azaitar has notched 7 of his 11 career wins by way of (T)KO.  His lone defeat came in 2012, and he has since remained unbeaten in his last 8 starts.

Davis, Jr. of Las Vegas will look to rebound from two consecutive losses – a split decision defeat at the hands of Matthew Frincu at WSOF23, and a unanimous decision loss to Abubakar Nurmagomedov at WSOF26.

Prior to the matchup with Frincu, the 6-foot-2, 33-year-old Davis, Jr. had run to five straight wins, three of which were World Series of Fighting contests.
mixed martial arts, MMA, NBC, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING AND TALK2LEGENDS PARTNER TO PROVIDE AN UNRIVALED FAN-ATHLETE INTERACTION EXPERIENCE

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Chael Sonnen, Bas Rutten, Ray Sefo, Jon Fitch, Jake Shields and nearly 20 other MMA icons will be available for mobile video chats during WSOF27 on Saturday, Jan. 23, live on NBCSN

LAS VEGAS (January 21, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) and Talk2Legends (Talk2Legends.com) today announced an unprecedented partnership that will allow fans to chat live on their iPhone devices with some of their favorite Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes and other celebrity talent, using the latter company’s new mobile app.

The partnership will commence on Saturday, Jan. 23 when over two dozen figures from the World Series of Fighting universe will be available for video chat sessions with fans during the WSOF27: Firmino vs. Fodor event that will air live on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT from the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

Available for download in the App Store, the Talk2Legends app also allows fans to share completed chat sessions with friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

“The partnership between World Series of Fighting and Talk2Legends will enable a fan experience that is unmatched in sports, for a reasonable cost,” said Talk2Legends CEO Ryan Hermansky.

“On January 23, continued Hernansky, “fans will be able to simultaneously watch WSOF27 and get opinions from legends, such as Bas Rutten and Chael Sonnen, and world champions like David Branch and Marlon Moraes.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Talk2Legends and be able to give fans the opportunity to get to know their favorite fighters on a very personal, one-on-one basis,” said World Series of Fighting President, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.

Using the Talk2Legends app, fans can purchase credits for video chat sessions, review the list of MMA celebrities that will be available for a five-minute, one-on-one video chat session on January 23, and book sessions based on the talent’s availability that is provided on screen.

The athletes and other celebrity participants have the option of donating revenue they earn in exchange for their participation, to a charity or non-profit foundation of their choice.

The following talent will be available for video chat sessions during WSOF27:

On-air and other talent

Chael Sonnen – Color commentator and retired MMA superstar
Bas Rutten – Color commentator and legendary MMA champion
Ray Sefo – World Series of Fighting President and six-time world champion
Jacob “Stitch” Duran – World Series of Fighting cutman and
Andrea Lowell – Playboy Radio hostess and World Series of Fighting round card girl
Joey Varner – World Series of Fighting roving reporter
Jazz Securo – World Series of Fighting ring announcer
Emily Miller – World Series of Fighting round card girl

World Series of Fighting athletes

David Branch – Reigning light heavyweight and middleweight champion
Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje – Reigning, undefeated lightweight champion
Lance Palmer – Reigning featherweight champion
Marlon Moraes – Reigning bantamweight champion
Jon Fitch – Welterweight superstar
Jake Shields – Welterweight superstar
Jason High – Lightweight superstar
Phoenix Jones – Lightweight rising star
Robbie “Problems” Peralta – Featherweight knockout artist
“Notorious” Nick Newell – Retired lightweight phenom
Mike “Mak” Kyle – Former light heavyweight championship challenger
Joseph Barajas – WSOF28 main event competitor
Patrick Walsh – Light heavyweight prospect
Clifford Starks – Middleweight star
Colton Smith – Lightweight standout and The Ultimate Fighter winner
Mike Corey – Featherweight star
Steve Kozola – Undefeated lightweight star

The Talk2Legends app is expected to be available for Android devices in February.

ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a worldwide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com and follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries.  WSOF and World Series of Fighting are registered trademarks of MMAWC, LLC.

 

mixed martial arts, MMA, UFC

Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Eddie Alvarez, MMA Bouts and Three Other Combat Tournaments Headline MMA World Expo, Saturday, Dec. 12 in New York City

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MMA superstars to meet and greet guests at annual extravaganza, also hosting bouts in Muay Thai, catch wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,
as well as vendors and seminars

NEW YORK, December 9 — The sixth annual MMA World Expo, the East Coast’s premiere Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) gathering presented by City World Ford, will return to New York’s Jacob Javits Center, North Pavilion, on Saturday, December 12. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) superstars Jon “Bones” Jones, Anderson “The Spider” Silva and Eddie Alvarez will be on hand for the event, which promises to be larger than ever, with four, live combat sports tournaments, including amateur MMA bouts in the cage, seminars and vendors.

Also on hand at the Expo will be World Series of Fighting two-division world champion David Branch, as well as World Series of Fighting executives Carlos Silva (CEO) and Ray Sefo (President), who will take part in a question and answer session with the media and fans, and reveal news about the league’s plans for 2016.

Branch, the reigning World Series of Fighting middleweight (185 pounds) and light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion, will host a special, one-hour seminar for Expo patrons.

“The MMA World Expo is a phenomenal opportunity to service a population of highly passionate MMA fans who do not yet have the opportunity to spectate professional bouts in the state of New York,” said Paul Paone, founder and director of the MMA World Expo.

“This year’s event will feature an unprecedented number of combat sports tournaments to satisfy any fight fan, including amateur MMA, catch wrestling, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.”

The one-day, “Super Saturday” event will take place from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. ET, and will be capped off by live amateur MMA bouts in the cage, presented by the New York Fight Exchange. The fight card will begin at 6 p.m.

In addition to the MMA fights, there will be live competition in four combat disciplines that are a core part of MMA. Beginning at 10 a.m., submission-only grappling tournaments, both gi and no-gi, hosted by The Good Fight, will take place.

Beginning at 4 p.m., the North American Catch Wrestling Association will host catch wrestling matches, including a match between reigning, two-time East Coast King of Catch Wrestling, Thomas Velasquez, and rival, West Coast King of Catch Wrestling, Travis Newaza, for the 2015 North American Heavyweight King of Catch championship.

Throughout the event, “Training-with-the-Masters” seminars will be available to attendees. Instructors include Ajarn Phil Nurse (Muay Thai), UFC Hall of FamerDan “The Beast” Severn, Silva, Alvarez and Newaza.

The MMA World Expo will continue to play its role in the fight for professional MMA legalization by conducting its sixth annual legalization panel discussion, distributing petitions, and putting on display all of the athletes, coaches, fans and vendors who contribute to the sport. The two-hour legalization seminar will be hosted by combat sports journalist Jim Genia, and special guests will include Severn and other notable MMA figures.

For more information about the event visit http://www.mmaworldexpo.com, “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @mmaworldexpo, or call 212-956-4720.

About MMA World Expo:

The MMA World Expo was begun in 2009 and has held all events in the Jacob Javits Center in New York.

Past MMA World Expo signers have included Matt Hughes, Frankie Edgar, Randy Couture, Jon Jones, Carlos Condit, Fabricio Werdum, Matt Serra, Jim and Dan Miller, Jamie Varner, Nate Diaz, Wanderlei Silva, among others.

Training-with-the-Masters series instructors have included: Dan Severn, Renzo Gracie, Marcelo Garcia, Phil Nurse, Howard Davis Jr., Coban Lookchaomaesaitong, Lee Kemp, Jimmy Pedro among others.

Past vendors have included Toyota, Xyience, Headrush, Muscle Pharm, Combat Sports, Everlast, Vitamin Shoppe, Zebra Mats, Met-Rx, Monster Rings and Cages, US Marines, Dymatize, World Series of Fighting, Spartan Race, M-I Entertainment, among others.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

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

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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.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

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

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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.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

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

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WATCH, SHARE AND EMBED

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

CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO BE RE-DIRECTED
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.
mixed martial arts, NBC, World Series of Fighting

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

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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