Tag Archives: David Branch

mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

CHAEL SONNEN JOINS WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING AS COLOR COMMENTATOR FOR LIVE NBCSN TELECASTS

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Decorated MMA superstar to call the world championship action
at WSOF 23: “Gaethje vs. Palomino II” in Phoenix, Ariz. on Friday, Sept. 18

LAS VEGAS (September 1, 2015) –Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) superstar Chael Sonnen has signed on with World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) as a color commentator for multiple events, and will call his first action with veteran play-by-play announcer Todd Harris, at the highly-anticipated “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” world championship doubleheader mega-event, live on NBCSN from Phoenix, Ariz. on Friday, Sept. 18 at 10 p.m. ET.

“I am stoked to join the powerhouse team at World Series of Fighting, and call their fights that feature some of the best mixed martial artists on the planet,” said Sonnen “World Series of Fighting has done an outstanding job of building their organization into a top-tier franchise in a very short span of time, and I am just proud to be a part of such a fast-growing company.

“We are thrilled to have Chael Sonnen, one of the most colorful individuals in professional sports, join our production,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.  “We are confident Chael will enhance the fan viewing experience both for our growing national audience on NBCSN and across the globe by providing the insights he learned competing at the highest level of the sport.”

The 38-year-old Sonnen is a former three-time UFC world championship challenger, NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and two-time PAC-10 runner-up for the University of Oregon and 2000 Greco-Roman World University championships silver medalist.

As an analyst, Sonnen has covered the sport of MMA for ESPN and FOX Sports 1.

The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Friday, Sept. 18 from Comerica Theatre.  In the main event, undefeated reigning World Series of Fighting Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (14-0) will put his coveted title on the line for the second time against hard-hitting challenger Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-10), six months after the two engaged in an all-out slugfest that is widely regarded as a “Fight of the Year” candidate.

In the co-main event, David Branch (16-3) will attempt to become the promotion’s first two-division champion and first World Series of Fighting light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion in history when he squares off with determined, hard-hitting KO artist Teddy Holder (9-1) in the championship round of the four-man, multi-event tournament that kicked off at Comerica Theatre on March 28.

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, NBC, World Series of Fighting

WSOF 23 PRELIMINARY FIGHT CARD COMPLETE WITH SEVEN BOUTS HIGHLIGHTED BY ISAAC VALLIE-FLAGG, CLIFFORD STARKS AND LEGION OF LOCAL PHOENIX AREA TALENT

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Preliminary fight card streams live on WSOF.com prior to
five-bout telecast on NBCSN on Friday, September 18

LAS VEGAS (August 18, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today a stacked, seven-bout preliminary card for its “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” world championship doubleheader mega-event at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. on Friday, September 18.

The preliminary fight card, which will stream live on WSOF.com prior to the five-bout, live NBCSN telecast of the event’s main card, is highlighted by the promotional debut of battle-tested road warrior Isaac Vallie-Flagg, the quick return of streaking Clifford “Big Cat” Starks, the U.S. debut of undefeated finisher Vagab Vagbov and a total of nine of the Phoenix area’s top professional prospects.

“This is a phenomenal assembly of up-and-coming talent from Phoenix as well as established veterans and rising stars from elsewhere around the U.S. and other parts of the globe,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

“When we brought World Series of Fighting to the city of Phoenix for the first time earlier this year,” continued Sefo, “we discovered a considerable pool of talent.  We are excited to be able to put some of this talent back in action and to deploy several new faces that we feel have earned a shot to compete in the big leagues.”

Topping the preliminary bout card is a middleweight (185 pounds) matchup between Vagabov (19-0) of Dagestan, Russia and submission specialist Kelvin “The Mama’s Boy” Tiller (7-1) of Topeka, Kan.

Just six weeks after he shocked the world by pulling off an upset victory over Mike “MAK” Kyle in a matchup that he accepted on less than one week’s notice, Starks (12-2) of Tempe, Ariz. will re-enter the World Series of Fighting decagon cage and hunt for his fifth consecutive win when he faces another steep test in undefeated, former Bulgarian national wrestling champion Krasimir “The Wrestler” Mladenov (12-0), who is fighting out of Las Vegas.

Vallie-Flagg (15-7-1) of Santa Fe, N.M., a member of the famed Jackson-Winklejohn fight squad will make his debut under the World Series of Fighting banner in a lightweight (155 pounds) tilt against power puncher Estevan “El Terrible” Payan of Tempe.

Matthew “The Thunder From Down Under” Frincu (6-1) of Tempe via Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia will make his second start for World Series of Fighting, after scoring a devastating, second round (:14) KO on Eric Regan with a headkick at WSOF 19 on March 28.

Frincu, whose six career victories have all come by way of (T)KO or submission, will battle streaking Danny Davis, Jr. (11-8-1) of Las Vegas at welterweight (170 pounds).  Davis Jr. is a winner of his last five straight fights, including three World Series of Fighting matchups.

In one of two bantamweight (135 pounds) preliminary card bouts, Tempe-based rivalsAndres Ponce (1-0) and David Nuzzo (7-1) will go to war while, in the other, Randy Steinke (15-9-1) of Phoenix will face off with Joey “The Beast” Miolla (4-1) of Mesa, Ariz.

Leading off the preliminary fight card will be a lightweight scrap between Benny “El Hijo” Madrid (7-3) of Phoenix and Jeff Fletcher (11-10, 1 NC) of Ahwatukee, Ariz.

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 of WSOF 23, 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 storyTeddy Holder (9-1), whose nine career wins have all come by way (T)KO or submission.

The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 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

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

Middleweight: Vagab Vagabov vs. Kelvin Tiller
Middleweight: Clifford Starks vs. Krasimir Mladenov
Lightweight: Estevan Payan vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg
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

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)

“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) 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.

ABOUT NBCSN

NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — NASCAR, Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, and America’s Cup. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk,The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

 “WSOF 23: GAETHJE VS. PALOMINO II” ADDS TWO MORE BOUTS TO LIVE NBCSN TELEVISED MAIN CARD FROM PHOENIX, ARIZONA ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

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Bantamweight: Timur Valiev vs. Tito Jones  
Lightweight: Brian Foster vs. Larue Burley  

LAS VEGAS (August 12, 2015) – World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) has finalized the live NBCSN televised portion of its highly anticipated, “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” world championship doubleheader at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. on Friday, Sept. 18, with the addition of two new bouts – a bantamweight (135 pounds) battle between ferocious rising star Timur “Lucky” Valiev and seasoned puncher Tito Jones, and a lightweight (155 pounds) tilt between dangerous finisher Brian Foster and undefeated LaRue Burley.

“We are looking forward to another incredible night of action, now that the main card for WSOF 23 is complete with five bouts featuring an exciting mix of championship fights and matchups filled with accomplished veterans and some of the world’s best prospects,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

Fighting out of the famed Jackson-Winklejohn camp in Albuquerque, N.M., the 25-year-old Valiev (9-1) of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia has been on fire in the cage, winning 9 straight fights since his second professional start in July 2011.

Valiev’s run includes three victories in the World Series of Fighting decagon cage.  In his last effort at WSOF 19 on March 28, Valiev decimated Ed West, scoring a first round (1:39) TKO on West with an impressive combination of elbow strikes and punches.

Jones (11-7), a native of Panama City, Fla., now fighting out of Phoenix, is a two-time regional Golden Gloves boxing champion and former protégé of boxing trainer Roy Jones, Sr.  The 34-year-old has never been knocked out over the course of a 9-year professional career that has spanned 18 bouts.

Foster (22-7) of Sallisaw, Okla. is a 31-year-old, battle-tested grappling expert who has notched 20 of his 22 career victories by way of (T)KO or submission, and who has defeated a collection of name rivals, including the current number 6-ranked welterweight in the world, Matt Brown, whom Foster forced to tap out from a guillotine choke in the second round (2:11) of their matchup on Nov. 20, 2010.

Foster will look to rebound from a defeat at the hands of superstar Jake Shields on Jan. 17 when the two faced off in the main event of WSOF 17 in Las Vegas.  The result halted a 4-fight win streak that Foster had ignited on July 27, 2013, when he scored a stunning second round (:43) KO on James Wood with a spinning back kick.

Also 31 years of age, Burley (6-0) of Phoenix, has yet to be beaten over the course of six professional starts and two amateur bouts, a run that includes six wins by either (T)KO or submission.

Burley has earned six victories during a professional run that began with a unanimous decision win over Kelly Osser on Sept. 15, 2012, and also includes a third round (3:40) TKO (punches) over 2011 NCAA Division I National Wrestling Champion and fellow rising star Bubba Jenkins.

In the main event of WSOF 23, 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).

The first matchup between Gaethje and Palomino, which headlined WSOF 19, was a barnburner affair that Gaethje won via third round (3:57) TKO (leg kicks and punches), and that has already been touted as a “Fight of the Year” candidate.

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 storyTeddy Holder (9-1), whose nine career wins have all come by way (T)KO or submission.

In a featured, 160-pound catchweight fight, rising star and costumed crime fighterPhoenix Jones (5-1-1) will look to return to the win column after suffering the first professional loss of his career during his World Series of Fighting debut in April, when he takes on professional boxer turned MMA upstart Roberto Yong (2-2).

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.

The live NBCSN telecast begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 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.  A complete preliminary bout card will be announced soon.
mixed martial arts, NBC, World Series of Fighting

COSTUMED CRUSADER PHOENIX JONES SUITS UP TO FACE ROBERTO YONG AT “WSOF 23: GAETHJE VS. PALOMINO II”  

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Live on NBCSN from Phoenix, Arizona
on Friday, September 18

LAS VEGAS (August 11, 2015) – World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) rising star and costumed crime fighter Phoenix Jones (5-1-1) will return to the decagon cage to take on Roberto Yong (2-2) in a 160-pound catchweight contest on the live, NBCSN-televised main card of “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. on Friday, Sept. 18.

Headlined by a previously announced and much-anticipated rematch between undefeated, reigning World Series of Fighting World Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (14-0) and hard-hitting rival Luis “Baboon” Palomino (23-10), the star-studded event features a second title fight, the inaugural World Series of Fighting world light heavyweight (205 pounds) championship bout between David Branch (16-3) and Teddy Holder (11-7).

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.

The 27-year-old Jones of Seattle, Wash. has received national media attention for his heroic deeds as a volunteer crime fighter who patrols his local streets, clad in a full-body suit and mask, in an effort to assist others in distress and curb every day street crimes.

Jones made his World Series of Fighting debut on April 10, coming up short in a unanimous decision against Emmanuel Walo in a 175-pound catchweight contest.  The upcoming bout will be contested at a weight closer to Jones’ natural fighting weight of 155 pounds.

Yong, of Glendale, Ariz. is a former professional boxer focused on establishing a career in MMA.  The 31-year-old opened his professional MMA career with back-to-back KO victories.

Yong has since stumbled against longtime veteran Estevan Payan and prospect Joel Champion but, like Jones, will look to return to the win column by dropping below the welterweight (170 pounds) limit.

The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” begins at 7:00 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Friday, September 18.

Doors at Comerica Theatre will open for “WSOF 23” at 3:00 p.m. MT and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 3:45 p.m.

Additional bouts for the event will be announced soon.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF.com) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

LIVE NBCSN TELECAST OF “WSOF 22: PALHARES VS. SHIELDS” POSTS BEST WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING VIEWERSHIP IN OVER ONE YEAR

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LAS VEGAS (August 10, 2015) –The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” averaged 254,000 viewers during the two-hour live telecast that began at 10:40 p.m. ET/7:40 p.m. PT – ranking as the best World Series of Fighting show on NBCSN in more than a year (6/21/14). In addition, the viewership is up 9% from NBCSN’s 2014 WSOF average of slightly over 233,000.

“We are thrilled with the outstanding, recent performance of our programming on NBCSN,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.  “World Series of Fighting has been putting on some incredible fights in our decagon cage, and NBCSN has been a great partner, offering its audience a healthy dose of both live events and replays of recent, past events, all of which undoubtedly helps the continued growth of our brand and our great sport through consistent and prominent exposure to a national audience.

“WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” was headlined by a long-awaited showdown between World Series of Fighting World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares and challenger and two-time world champion Jake Shields

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN with “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” on Friday, September 18 at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT from Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz.  In the highly-anticipated main event, undefeated, reigning world lightweight (155 pounds) champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje will put his title on the line for the second time against hard-hitting Luis “Baboon” Palomino.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) 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.

ABOUT NBCSN
NBCSN, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 85 million homes, the Emmy Award-winning network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL) – including two games of the Stanley Cup Final — NASCAR, Premier League, Formula One, IndyCar, Tour de France, and America’s Cup. In addition, NBCSN features college football, college basketball, college hockey, cycling, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Ironman, the Dew Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk,The Dan Patrick Show, and NASCAR America. NBCSN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
mixed martial arts, NBC, World Series of Fighting

ALL 20 FIGHTERS MAKE WEIGHT FOR “WSOF 22: PALHARES VS. SHIELDS” TOMORROW, SATURDAY, AUGUST 1 IN LAS VEGAS

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NEW LIVE NBCSN TELECAST START TIME:
10:30 PM ET/7:30 PM PT

LIVE PRELIMINARY CARD BEGINS ON WSOF.COM AT
8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT

Las Vegas, Nev. (July 31, 2015) – All 20 fighters, reigning World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar Palhares (17-6) and challenger and two-time world champion Jake Shields (31-7), made weight one day before the highly-anticipated “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) mega-event at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., live on NBCSN, beginning at a new start time of 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

Palhares weighed in at 169.8 pounds and Shields clocked in at the weight limit of 170 pounds. 

WSOF World Bantamweight (135 pounds) Champion Marlon Moraes (14-4-1) tipped the scales at 135 pounds and his opponent, undefeated challenger Sheymon Moraes (7-0) registered a weight of 134.2 pounds.

The live, five-bout preliminary card stream will begin at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on an embeddable video player on www.WSOF.com.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Doors at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will open at 4:00 p.m. PT.  The first preliminary bout will begin at 5:00 p.m.

COMPLETE “WSOF 22: PALHARES VS. SHIELDS” WEIGH-IN RESULTS:

Main Card:

Main Event: World Welterweight (170 pounds) Championship Bout

Rousimar Palhares (17-6) (169.8 lbs.) vs. Jake Shields (31-7) (170lbs)
Minas Gerais, Brazil                                    San Francisco, Calif.

Co-Main Event:  World Bantamweight (135 pounds) Championship Bout

Marlon Moraes (14-4-1) (135 lbs.) vs.   Sheymon Moraes (7-0) (134.2 lbs.)
Toms Rier, N.J.                                      Rio de Janeiro, Brazil            .

Light Heavyweight (205 pounds) Bout

Mike Kyle (21-12-1) (206 lbs.)   vs.    Clifford Starks (11-2) (204.8 lbs.)
San Jose, Calif.                                  Tempe, Ariz.

Welterweight (170 pounds) Bout

Abubakar Nurmagomedov (9-1) (171 lbs.) vs.    Jorge Moreno (4-0) (168.8 lbs.)
Dagestan, Russia                                                Moses Lake, Wash.

Lightweight (155 pounds) Bout

Jimmy Spicuzza (6-2) (155.4 lbs.) vs.    Islam Mamedov (11-1) (155.4 lbs.)
Las Vegas, Nev.                                      Jersey City, N.J.

Preliminary Card:

Light Heavyweight (205 pounds) Bout

Jake Heun (7-4) (205.6 lbs.) vs. Davin Clark (5-2-2) (206 lbs.)
Coconut Creek, Fla.                   San Jose, Calif.

Flyweight (125 pounds) Bout

Donavon Frelow (4-0) (125 lbs.) vs. Carlos Garcia (0-0) (124.8 lbs.)
Las Vegas, Nev.                                 Las Vegas, Nev.

Catchweight (140 pounds) Bout

Jimmy Jones (4-3) (139.4 lbs.) vs. Marco Simmons (0-0) (140.6 lbs.)
Las Vegas, Nev.                              Las Vegas, Nev.

Light Heavyweight (205 pounds) Bout

Cory Hendricks (2-0) (204.4 lbs.) vs.  Julio Hinojosa (3-1) (206 lbs.)
Las Vegas, Nev.                                   El Paso, Texas

Lightweight (155 pounds) Bout

Gil Guardado (3-1) (154 lbs.)  vs.  Pete Martin (5-3) (155.6 lbs.)
Las Vegas, Nev.                             Las Vegas, Nev.
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

Thiago Silva Out, Clifford Starks In Against Mike Kyle at “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” Saturday, August 1, Live on NBCSN from Las Vegas

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LAS VEGAS (July 28, 2015) – World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that, due to a previous suspension in the state of Nevada, Thiago Silva has been declared ineligible to compete at “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” on Saturday, Aug. 1, and will be replaced by Clifford Starks, who will face off with Silva’s scheduled opponent Mike “MAK” Kyle in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) contest, live on NBCSN from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Due to the previous suspension, Silva must attend a future Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing.  The next hearing takes place in Aug.

“We hope that Thiago will take the steps necessary to be in compliance with the state athletic commission so that he can make a quick return to action,” said WSOF President Ray Sefo.  “In the meantime, we appreciate Clifford Starks’ willingness to take the fight against Mike Kyle on just a few days’ notice, and look forward to having him compete for us again after putting on a great show in the WSOF cage in March.”

The 34-year-old Starks (11-2) of Tempe, Ariz. is coming off a second round (4:11) submission (arm-triangle choke) of Jake Heun at WSOF 19.  The victory was Starks’ third straight and second consecutive finish.

The live, five-bout NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

In the highly-anticipated main event, reigning WSOF World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar Palhares (17-6) will square off with top-ranked challenger and two-time world champion Jake Shields (31-7).

WSOF World Bantamweight (135 pounds) Champion Marlon Moraes (14-4-1) will put his title on the line in the co-main event against undefeated challenger Sheymon Moraes (7-0).

In other live NBCSN televised WSOF 22 action, fast-rising star Abubakar Nurmagomedov (9-1) will square off with undefeated finisher Jorge Moreno (4-0) at welterweight, and four-time WSOF veteran Jimmy Spicuzza (6-2) will meet submission ace Islam Mamedov (11-1) at lightweight (155 pounds).

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Doors at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will open on Saturday at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m. PT.

MAIN CARD

WSOF World Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Rousimar Palhares (Champion) vs. Jake Shields (Challenger)

WSOF World Bantamweight Championship Co-Main Event:
Marlon Moraes (Champion) vs. Sheymon Moraes (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight: Mike Kyle vs. Clifford Starks
Welterweight: Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Jorge Moreno
Lightweight: Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov

PRELIMINARY CARD

Light Heavyweight: Jake Heun vs. Davin Clark
Flyweight: Donavon Frelow vs. Carlos Garcia
Catchweight (140 pounds): Jimmy Jones vs. Marco Simmons
Light Heavyweight: Cory Hendricks vs. Julio Hinojosa
Lightweight: Gil Guardado vs. Pete Martin
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

“WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” Adds Five-Bout Preliminary Card Featuring Jake Heun vs. Davin Clark

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Preliminary bouts stream live on WSOF.com
prior to two world title fights on NBCSN

LAS VEGAS (July 23, 2015) – World Series of Fighting’s blockbuster “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event will feature five preliminary contests that will stream live on WSOF.com prior to the live NBCSN telecast of the much-anticipated world championship doubleheader on Saturday, August 1.

Featuring a pair of highly anticipated world title fights with reigning WSOF World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar Palhares (17-6) vs. top-ranked challenger and two-time world champion Jake Shields (31-7) as well as WSOF World Bantamweight (135 pounds) Champion Marlon Moraes (14-4-1) vs. undefeated challenger Sheymon Moraes (7-0), the mega-card will take place at The AXIS inside Las Vegas’ Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

The new preliminary contests include light heavyweights (205 pounds) Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun (7-4) vs. Davin “Relentless” Clark (5-2-2), flyweights (125 pounds) Donavon Frelow (4-0) vs. Carlos Garcia (0-0), a 140-pound catchweight contest with Jimmy “Rabbit” Jones (4-3) vs. Marco Simmons (0-0), light heavyweights Cory Hendricks (2-0) vs. Julio Hinojosa (3-1) and lightweights (155 pounds) Gil Guardado (3-1) vs. Pete Martin (5-3)

Fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla., the 27-year-old Heun is a two-time veteran of WSOF action who is sporting an overall record of 1-1 in the promotion.  Four of his seven career victories have come by way of (T)KO and one by way of submission.  He is looking to rebound from a second round (4:11) submission (arm-triangle choke) defeat at the hands of Clifford Starks.

Heun faces Clark, a 33-year-old American Kickboxing Academy product from San Jose, Calif., who has been competing professionally since 2007. While he suffered an October loss to fellow veteran Joe Vedepo, Clark’s previous two appearances saw him earn a pair of first-round finishes.

Las Vegas’ Frelow was originally expected to compete on the evening’s main card for the inaugural World Series of Fighting flyweight title. However, fellow undefeated contender Magomed Bibulatov suffered an injury in training and was forced to withdraw from the contest. Frelow elected to stay busy rather than wait on a title fight and now meets fellow Las Vegas resident Garcia, an Xtreme Couture fighter making his professional debut.

Additional preliminary bouts see some of Las Vegas’ top prospects enter the WSOF cage, as Xtreme Couture’s Jones meets Wand Fight Team’s Simmons, and Xtreme Couture’s Guardado faces Wand Fight Teams’ Martin.

Meanwhile, Syndicate MMA’s Hendricks welcomes Hinojosa, of El Paso, Texas, to the World Series of Fighting decagon.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Doors at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will open at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m. PT.

The live NBCSN telecast of the main card begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

MAIN CARD

WSOF World Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Rousimar Palhares (Champion) vs. Jake Shields (Challenger)

WSOF World Bantamweight Championship Co-Main Event:
Marlon Moraes (Champion) vs. Sheymon Moraes (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight: Thiago Silva vs. Mike Kyle
Welterweight: Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Jorge Moreno
Lightweight: Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov

PRELIMINARY CARD

Light Heavyweight: Jake Heun vs. Davin Clark
Flyweight: Donavon Frelow vs. Carlos Garcia
Catchweight (140 pounds): Jimmy Jones vs. Marco Simmons
Light Heavyweight: Cory Hendricks vs. Julio Hinojosa
Lightweight: Gil Guardado vs. Pete Martin
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

ABUBAKAR NURMAGOMEDOV TO FACE UNDEFEATED JORGE MORENO ON LIVE NBCSN TELECAST OF  “WSOF 22: PALHARES VS. SHIELDS” FROM LAS VEGAS ON SATURDAY, AUG. 1

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LAS VEGAS (July 16, 2015) – Abubakar Nurmagomedov will square off with undefeated finisher Jorge Moreno in a featured welterweight (170 pounds) matchup at the highly-anticipated World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) world championship doubleheader event at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, Aug. 1, live on NBCSN.

The younger brother of undefeated superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov and one of the top welterweight prospects in the world, the 23-year-old Abubakar (9-1) of Makhachkala, Russia is quickly distinguishing himself as a force in the sport, notching all of his victories to date by way of (T)KO or submission.

Abubakar, who trains under his father, Abdulmanap, at Khabib’s gym FightSpirit Team, is coming off of a first round TKO (punches) win over Vladimir Gunzu on Feb. 22.  His lone defeat came due to a cut he sustained in a matchup with Magomed Mustafaev on Sept. 1, 2014, prompting the ringside physician to halt the bout.

At just 19 years old, Moreno (4-0) of Moses Lake, Wash. is already knee deep in his professional career, with 3 of his 4 wins having come by way of TKO or submission.  As an amateur, he amassed an overall record of 8-2,  collecting three titles along the way.

Moreno’s start will mark his WSOF debut as well as his first professional bout at 170 pounds, after competing as a middleweight (185 pounds).  In his last start on April 17 in Snoqualmie, Wash., he scored a first round TKO (doctor stoppage due to knee injury) on Ian Williams.

The five-bout, live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on Aug. 1.

In the main event, a long-awaited showdown will finally come to fruition when WSOF World Welterweight (170 pounds) Champion Rousimar Palhares (17-6) of Minas Gerais, Brazil puts his title on the line against two-time world champion and fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Jake Shields (31-7) of San Francisco, Calif.

In the co-main event, WSOF World Bantamweight (135 pounds) Champion Marlon Moraes (14-4-1) of Toms River, N.J. via Nova Friburgo, Brazil will defend his strap against undefeated challenger Sheymon Moraes (7-0).

Superstar Thiago Silva (16-4, 2 NC) of Oakland Park, Fla. via Sao Paulo, Brazil will face dangerous veteran Mike “MAK” Kyle (21-12-1) of San Jose, Calif. in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) contest.

A lightweight (155 pounds) matchup between Jimmy Spicuzza (6-2) and submission ace Islam Mamedov (11-1) will lead off the live NBCSN telecast.

A complete preliminary bout card will be announced soon.

Priced from $29.99, tickets for “WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields” are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and WSOF.com.

Doors at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will open at 4 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m. PT.

MAIN CARD
WSOF World Welterweight Championship Main Event:
Rousimar Palhares (Champion) vs. Jake Shields (Challenger)

WSOF World Bantamweight Championship Co-Main Event:
Marlon Moraes (Champion) vs. Sheymon Moraes (Challenger)

Light Heavyweight: Thiago Silva vs. Mike Kyle

Welterweight: Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Jorge Moreno

Lightweight: Jimmy Spicuzza vs. Islam Mamedov
mixed martial arts, World Series of Fighting

“WSOF 23: GAETHJE VS. PALOMINO II” WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER HITS PHOENIX, ARIZ. ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 18

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Main Event: Undefeated WSOF World Lightweight Champion
Justin Gaethje rematches heavy hitter Luis Palomino

Co-Main Event: David Branch and Teddy Holder square off to become first WSOF world light heavyweight champion in history

Live on NBCSN
Tickets on sale Saturday, July 11

LAS VEGAS (July 9, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) will return to Phoenix, Ariz., where it delivered one of its most memorable nights of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) action to date earlier this year,  with a world championship doubleheader headlined by a highly-anticipated rematch between undefeated, reigning WSOF World Lightweight (155 pounds) Champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje and hard-hitting challenger Luis “Baboon” Palomino at Comerica Theatre on Friday, Sept. 18, live on NBCSN.

In the co-main event, David Branch will attempt to become the promotion’s first two-division champion and first world light heavyweight (205 pounds) champion in history when he squares off with determined, hard-hitting KO artist Teddy Holder in the championship round of the four-man, multi-event tournament that kicked off at Comerica Theatre on March 28 as part of WSOF 19.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” go on sale onSaturday, July 11 at 10 a.m. MT and will be available for purchase at the Comerica Theatre box office and online at Ticketmaster.com.

“We are excited to return to Phoenix where we witnessed one of the most incredible fights in WSOF history earlier this year between Justin Gaethje and Luis Palomino, and to see them do it all over again,” said WSOF President Ray Sefo.

“Likewise,” continued Sefo, “we look forward to crowning the first WSOF light heavyweight champion in history and, based on their recent performances in our cage, David Branch and Teddy Holder should deliver a thrilling end to our historic tournament.”

The ferocious, 26-year-old Gaethje (14-0) of Safford, Ariz. put forth the gutsiest performance of his four-year professional career, thus far, when he faced off with Palomino, a 34-year-old resident of Miami, Fla. known for his devastating KO power, in the main event of WSOF 19.

An electric, seesaw battle that repeatedly brought the crowd on hand to its feet, suddenly ended when Gaethje, after digging down deep, put together a combination of leg kicks and punches that put the tenacious Palomino down in the third round of action and prompted the referee to call off the fight, giving Gaethje the TKO win at the 3:57mark of the third stanza.

Branch and Holder find themselves in championship round action in the WSOF tournament that kicked off in Phoenix on March 28, after both fighters faced unexpected, last-minute adversaries in the semifinal stage.

Originally slated to square off with Ronny Markes, the 33-year-old Branch (16-3), the reigning WSOF world middleweight (185 pounds) champion and a Renzo Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who hails from Brooklyn, N.Y., found himself with a new opponent in Jesse McElligott just 24 hours before fight time on April 10, after a dehydrated Markes was forced to withdraw from the affair.

Branch, who seized the WSOF middleweight strap with a first round (1:41) submission (d’arce choke) of Jesse Taylor on June 21, 2014, handled McElligott relatively easily, submitting him with a shoulder choke in the second round (1:28) of battle to notch his sixth consecutive win.

Holder (9-1) of Bartlett, Tenn. experienced a stroke of luck when, just hours before the 29-year-old was slated to enter the cage for a WSOF 19 preliminary bout, one of the original tournament participants, Matt Hamill, withdrew from his semifinal stage matchup with seasoned star Thiago Silva, and Holder was asked to replace him.

With a fraction of the professional experience of his new opponent, the heavy-handed Holder charged forward, eventually blasting Silva with a storm of punches that crumbled the Brazil native in the first round (2:00) and earned Holder a trip to the tournament’s championship round.

The live NBCSN telecast of “WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II” begins at 7:00 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Friday, September 18.

Doors at Comerica Theatre will open for WSOF 23 at 3:00 p.m. MT and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 3:45 p.m.

Additional bouts for the event will be announced soon.

About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF.com) is a world wide premier professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.

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