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Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts
An Open FU to UFC President Dana “Effing” White!
By: Rich Bergeron
Those who know me personally would all say I am a mellow individual, until you seriously cross me, like, for instance, if you become the subject of an investigative report I’m working on, or sue me for $25 million. Sometimes I may take things like that as a sign you might not want me to really find out who you are and what you do behind closed doors to screw hard working people over.
This week, a certain individual who won’t even let me follow him in Twitter (https://twitter.com/danawhite) pissed me off to the point where I could only think of one thing to do. Because I’m officially blacklisted in every possible way by the UFC brass, and have even had restraining orders placed against my directly contacting the Fertittas and ANY UFC fighter, my best option is to publish a drastic diatribe here I am just going to call my “OPEN FU” to Dana “Effing” White.
I’m sure Mr. White will not take my calls or subject himself to a one on one interview with me. So, I will have to settle for a written FU…and a multi-tiered and multi-purpose FU.
FU, Dana “Effing” White… for many, many reasons…too many for one small blog post to do justice, but let’s just say Most of all FU….
For what you THINK you know about Holly Holm…
Hey, Dana, you wanna talk about your “effing” reality show “Looking For a Fight????” I was actually looking for a fight when I watched that old reality “shit show” when you were supposed to box Tito Ortiz, but HE magically backed out at the last minute.
Now, you, DANA “EFFING” WHITE, are telling Holly Holm about a decision YOU think she didn’t think through enough??? And now you act like someone pissed in your Wheaties because you have two upset wins at UFC 196 to work around and figure out how to make sense of somehow.
Boo “effing” hoo, buddy.
Welcome to how things don’t go as planned sometimes in the fight business, you ungrateful prick.
Do you wanna be an “effing” Promoter, Dana “effing” White???
Holly Holm Was the Bantamweight Champion of the UFC when she allowed HER Manager (not Dana “effing” White) to negotiate the Tate fight on her behalf, and she knew (and her long-time manager knew, too) what she was doing and what she wanted. And guess “effing” what, Dana? She wanted to fight.
Sorry, Dana “Effing” White, but Holly didn’t want to sit on an “effing” sideline waiting for Ronda Rousey to finish her “effing” ROADHOUSE REMAKE!
Holly wanted to go to work… but unfortunately she has to work for a boss who has no idea what it’s like to step into HER office and handle HER daily workload with such tenacity, class, dignity and grace.
And I think maybe she looks back a bit differently than you do, Dana, with no “effing” regrets whatsoever for putting her absolute all into that fight and just plain getting caught in her one area of weakness in a battle where she likely would have won a three-round fight. Maybe if YOU were a fighter, Dana, you might get that whole concept. Maybe losing in this case only makes her better, stronger, and more durable as a career mixed martial artist. Who gives a damn if it makes her less marketable in your eyes? What do you really know, anyway?
UNLIKE YOU, Dana “Effing” White, Holly actually respects Miesha Tate and thought it would be a challenge to fight her. Yeah, she lost, but damn, she was absolutely correct about it being a challenge. I think the fight will go down as one of the greatest battles in female MMA history.
Now, why don’t you open your “effing” eyes, Dana, watch the fight again, and quit bitching about what should have happened in that cage you never fought in yourself.
Be grateful you have a champion you just paid $92,000 in fight pay (before bonuses) to take your organization’s belt from the girl you WANTED TO WIN (and paid $500,000 just to be there). It may not be what you expected, but the anxiety you feel about it is what you DESERVE to feel for being such a douchebag to the fighters who built the UFC.
My biggest questions on this subject for Dana are: Why are you such a biased, crooked asshole who can’t bother to give Miesha the time of day FOR ALL HER HARD WORK? Why can’t you give credit where it is due…on both sides of that fight? Why can’t you shut the “eff” up about what you think Holly or her management should have or could have waited for?
It’s not your place to look back with 20/20 hindsight and act like Holly and her manager should have gone all Nostradamus on this fight when you obviously didn’t see this shit coming, either, you dome-headed dimwit.
Fighters “effing” fight, Dana. That’s what they “effing” do, which you should know, since I am pretty sure you used to be an “effing” manager of MMA fighters yourself. Yes, that was many moons ago, but how could you forget?
Fighters don’t sit on their asses on corporate jets and stand at podiums in front of the press all day to earn the “effing” paltry paychecks your organization pays out to most of them. Most fighters simply cannot afford to wait around for shit to happen or for someone “worthy” enough in your eyes to step up and fight them.
Some fighters need to feed their kids. All of them need to pay their bills and for everything else involved with training camps, daily living expenses, travel and whatever costs medical insurance doesn’t cover when they have to address nagging injuries. Your shitty Reebok deal made it virtually impossible to get any other outside sponsors to help pay for anything like that stuff for many fighters, Dana.
Welcome to selling out and forgetting where you came from, Dana. You used to care more about fighters. Now you act like fighting in a cage is just like doing any other 9-5 job. It’s not. It’s “effing” hard work.
So, yeah, Holly chose to fight instead of waiting for Rousey to be ready for the rematch. And you think she needs your opinion now that everything didn’t work out as planned for you both?
FU, Dana.
She hurts a lot worse than you, and I can guaran-effing-tee that.
Oh…and…by the way…fighters are way more responsible for the growth and success of the UFC/Zuffa organization than you ever have been. And that’s real talk, you rich bitch with a stick up your ass because you were never good enough in your life to ever have your own official fight.
So, get over the God complex and learn to respect ALL of your fighters, not just the ones you want to see win because you might think you can work with them better or you think they will move the organization in a better direction. Respect the effort, the sacrifice and the pain ALL your fighters go through each and every day to get where they get. That belt you put on Miesha’s waist was EARNED, and don’t you ever think it is “effing” cool to call the fact that Holly Holm had the guts to face Miesha Tate “a mistake.”
It rings hollow, especially when I would consider that handing you a microphone to talk about MMA at all was THE greatest mistake the sport ever made, period! Anyone who would try to knock a former champion down a peg that way in his own organization does not deserve to be recognized as that organization’s president.
You have no clue what it’s really like to fight, and your criticism of Holly Holm tells me you can never possibly understand the mindset that led her to take the Tate fight and not wait an idle year for Ronda “effing” Rousey to be ready to appear at one of your precious shows.
So, FU Dana White for treating your former champ like she’s an idiot who doesn’t know how to control her own career without you butting your stupid, bald head into it. Holly’s fine without your advice, and she trusts her manager, which might be something you’re not familiar with, but for other people it is actually a reality of doing business with legitimate people.
FU, Dana for being a piss-poor ambassador for the sport, disrespecting fighters who bleed (and sometimes suffer lifelong injuries) for you and the sport, and totally underestimating and failing to grasp what it really takes to actually be a professional fighter who actually competes against other fighters…
Do you remember the days when you had to settle for being a lowly boxercise instructor because your boxing trainer Boston slapped you too hard in the ear once? You never had a single competitive fight in your life, Dana “effing” White, and that’s a DOCUMENTED FACT!
Do you ever even look back at those days before the silver-spoon-fed Fertittas helped you claw your greedy, selfish, egotistical ass into the position of OFFICIAL UFC MOUTHPIECE?
Do you remember those “hairy” days when you blew through $40 million of Fertitta funds to perpetrate the “Zuffa Myth” while claiming credit for the UFC brass singlehandedly legitimizing the sport and getting it regulated all by your “effing” selves? As if not a single FIGHTER nor any other industry professional who pioneered MMA before you dipped your greedy little paws into it had anything to do with it?
Your Mom remembers those “coulda been a contender” days, Dana..when you thought you might be able to have an actual fight with another human being. Your own mother remembers even though you and one of your sleazy friends tried to silence her, BASH HER ONLINE, and even blacklist her BOOK, too.
Do you remember the days when even Floyd Mayweather, Jr. thought you were cool, back when your daily driver was an “effing” Honda, Dana? Floyd Remembers. He knew you long before you could afford to blow a normal person’s yearly pay on a single hand of poker.
You’re in a different place now, Dana “effing” White, and it’s a delusional place. Like on the distant planet you live on, people actually believe YOU really, honestly, truly “effing” know what it’s ACTUALLY like to be an “effing” fighter? Do you actually believe YOU somehow could ever REALLY know that feeling?
REALLY?
You know what A FIGHTER is, don’t you, Dana? A fighter is a man or woman who has the courage to willingly step into unarmed combat against another actual man or woman instead of just criticizing up and down the guys and girls who do have the guts to actually stand across from another human being while knowing and internalizing that the accepted goal is to physically destroy each other.
A fighter, in more simple terms, is “one who fights.” And let’s be clear about one “effing” thing, Dana “effing” White, I know fighters, and YOU are no fighter.
You are nothing like a fighter, Dana “effing” White, and you never “effing” will be. You are too weak, both physically and mentally. Until we see you go through a six-week training camp and then get into the cage against someone and kick his ass, we shouldn’t have to listen to one damn “coulda,” “shoulda,” or “woulda” out of your cornfed mouth about what you think of any particular fighter’s performance or decision making process. Those people have the guts to do what you will NEVER do yourself, and you ought to respect that.
FU Dana White…For not recognizing Real Fighters Like Miesha Tate and Nate Diaz who keep at it no matter what and NEVER seem to earn your ULTIMATE RESPECT….
Nate Diaz stepped up to fight Conor McGregor for a reason. He had nothing to lose, and he wasn’t intimidated one bit. He famoulsy went on television with Fox Sports 1 on a split screen with Conor before that welterweight fight and quipped that his nemesis had already been choked out before, “by two lames.” Diaz also had the perfect instinct to add humourously that McGregor’s choke losses happened, “like a week ago.”
Diaz beat Conor in the shit-talk game long before he ever slapped him down and slipped that choke around his neck in the cage. The media created by that freakshow fight might have stopped the unchecked rise of your big, bold, six-headed dragon champion, but it created a new monster at the same time. And he’s a Reebok-hating, scowling, swearing, Stockton-slapping Mother-F$#king BEAST who doesn’t care what anyone else thinks about what he does or says.
You might think Diaz and his attitude are “bad for business,” but I think his victory was the best thing that could ever happen to all you smug punks running the UFC. It just proves once and for all that you do not control the MMA universe.
Nate Diaz went without respect and credit for being an MMA pioneer and a good UFC soldier for far too long. The bitterness brewed and boiled within him, and I loved every second of him letting it pour out in post-fight interviews after he choked the shit out of Conor until the Irish bloke tapped the “eff” out and left Dana White drooling in a stupor at the thought of having to congratulate a man who’s become more of a mortal enemy than a member of the big “team.”
More power to Nate and all the crazy, abrasive, in-your-face Diaz brother types out there in the UFC who will fight Dana “effing” White’s flamboyant fire with even more bravado and brash talk of their own. They can always say, “I learned it by watching you, Baldfather!”
As for Miesha Tate, she deserves true respect and admiration for being champ now after picking herself off the mat twice in the face of grueling losses to Rousey. Kudos to Tate for continuing her career and relentlessly focusing on getting by that Rousey armbar once and for all.
Though Miesha never did solve that Rousey submission dilemma, trying at all costs to get another crack at the belt paid dividends at UFC 196. Her never quit attitude led her to an opportunity of a lifetime, and she capitalized on it. Now, Dana, you actually have to pay this young lady what most of her fans would say she was worth a long time ago.
And now you simply have to treat Tate with a bit of reverence and appreciation for once in your ungrateful life, Dana “effing” White. I know it must pain you so much to give this young lady the credit she’s worked so incredibly hard for, because maybe she touched a nerve when she called you out in the past for being the true clueless and disrespectful prick you really are. She was right, and you were wrong about how great she really is at fighting. Then again, weren’t you also WRONG about women fighting in the cage, period?
So, you DON’T wanna be a fighter, Mr. White? Then step aside and let the people who DO wanna be fighters go to battle for you so you can ride around the world on your jet and act like you know what the “eff” you’re talking about when you stand in front of a microphone to describe the sport’s true athletes and what they do to make a living in mixed martial arts.
The line from Dana that most stands out to me as comblete BS in this whole debacle is this one:
“He’s an old boxing guy who thinks he’s smart and he isn’t,” White said of Fresquez [Holm’s Manager]. “I feel bad for Holly because I don’t know if she really knows what she lost.”
I have only two more “effing” questions for you Dana “effing” White…
1.) What makes you think you are really in any “effing” position to EVER know or understand what Holly Holm lost the other night? Aside from a few bad poker hands and tons of respect, the only thing you ever lost is your mind.
2.) Doesn’t your backhanded quote about Holm’s manager describe your own shitty character a whole lot better than that of Mr. Fresquez?
AND…just in case after reading all this anyone STILL needs yet another reason to have beef with the Baldfather:
NATIONAL BROADCAST DETAILS REVEALED FOR BELLATOR’S HISTORIC INTERNATIONAL EVENT FEATURING ‘BELLATOR 152: PITBULL VS. CAMPOS’ AND ‘BELLATOR KICKBOXING: TORINO
SANTA MONICA, CA. (March 11, 2016) – Broadcast details for Bellator’s groundbreaking, inaugural, international event have been finalized. “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” and “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will both emanate from the Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy on April 16, but be broadcast separately.
“Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” airs on SPIKE Saturday, April 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, while the debut of “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will be televised Friday, April 22 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following the broadcast of “Bellator 153: Koreshkov vs. Henderson” on SPIKE.
For more information on the card, you can view the most recent event press release by clicking here, or visit Bellator.com.
Complete “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” Fight Card:
Bellator MMA Lightweight Main Event: Patricky Freire (15-7) vs. Derek Campos (16-6)
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Alessio Sakara (17-11) vs. Brian Rogers (12-8)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (3-0) vs. Danilo Belluardo (5-1)
Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Anastasia Yankova (2-0) vs. Anjela Pink (Debut)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Daniele Miceli (2-0) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (6-2)
Updated “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” Fight Card:
Bellator Kickboxing Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (49-12) vs. Alexandru Negrea (8-2)
Bellator Kickboxing 165-Pound Feature Bout: Mustapha Haida (37-3-3) vs. Karim Ghajji (95-12)
Bellator Kickboxing Welterweight Feature Bout: Raymond Daniels (10-3) vs. TBA
Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight Feature Bout: Denise Kielholtz (43-2) vs. TBA
Bellator Kickboxing Bantamweight Feature Bout: Kevin Ross (30-9) vs. TBA
HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH ADDED TO NEF 22 FIGHT CARD
Lewiston, Maine (March 10, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur heavyweight bout to the MMA portion of the “NEF 22” fight card. Nick Gulliver (2-0) will meet Dave Smith (2-1) at a fight weight of 265-pounds.
Nick Gulliver is a product of John Raio’s First Class MMA gym of Brunswick, Maine, as well as the Foundry – a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) academy located in Farmington, Maine. He made his amateur debut last June at “NEF XVIII,” submitting Sonny Spratt (0-2) in the first round. Gulliver followed up that victory with a technical knockout (TKO) win over Jason Field (0-2) this past November a mere 12-seconds into the first round. He hopes another win on April 23rd will put him in line for a shot at the NEF MMA Amateur Heavyweight Title currently held by Billy Leahy (3-1).
“I’m looking forward to fighting again for NEF on April 23rd, and I’m thankful for the opportunity that Matt Peterson and Nick Disalvo give me to fight for their amazing organization,” said Gulliver. “I’ll be fighting who I think is now the number one heavyweight fighter fighting for NEF, Dave Smith. This kid is a great fighter and good athlete. I’m looking forward to a great fight. I fight for two amazing schools and organizations, the Foundry and First Class MMA. This fight will be the first time I won’t be fighting in front of my father who is sick. It’s a lot for him to go to these events being so sick and on oxygen all the time. But my father stated he would make it to one last fight if I get a title shot. I think fighting Dave Smith and winning would put me in a good spot to fight for a title. I’m looking to get that fight in front of my father who pushes me to be the man I am today. So, for three rounds on April 23rd, I’ll be pushing harder than I have in the past to get that opportunity. I’m always looking to impress the crowd. I think fighting someone like Smith will keep the crowd on their feet.”
Dave Smith is a member of Berserkers MMA based out of Rumford, Maine. Smith has an extensive wrestling background, having gone 147-17 while competing for Mountain Valley High School (MVHS) and winning two state titles in the process. He also wrestled for Plymouth State University (PSU) in New Hampshire. Like Gulliver, Smith finished his first two opponents in the opening round. He is looking to bounce back from a loss to Brendan Battles (2-0) at “NEF 21” last month.
“I’m glad to be on another NEF card,” exclaimed Smith. “I am also very excited to be fighting Nick Gully. Nick has had a couple impressive wins and I think this will be a good fight! So get ready because it’s going to be a hell of a show.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ FREIRE-DEREK CAMPOS WILL HEADLINE MMA PORTION OF ‘BELLATOR 152’ ON APRIL 16 IN ITALY
ANASTASIA YANKOVA WILL MAKE PROMOTIONAL DEBUT AGAINST ANJELA PINK
INFORMATION ON INAUGURAL BELLATOR KICKBOXING EVENT BELOW
SANTA MONICA, CA. (March 9, 2016) – The mixed martial arts portion of Bellator MMA’s first event overseas has been finalized, with the addition of Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (15-7) versus Derek Campos (16-6) in the main event of “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” at Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy on April 16.
Also, Anastasia Yankova (2-0) will make her promotional debut against Anjela Pink in MMA flyweight action and Oktagon competitors Daniele Miceli (2-0) and Daniele Scatizzi (6-2) will round out the MMA card with a featherweight showdown.
“Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” will also include the promotional debut of Italian fan-favorite Alessio Sakara (17-11), who faces Brian Rogers (12-8) in a light heavyweight matchup and one of MMA’s most promising young prospects, A.J. McKee (3-0), fights Danilo Belluardo (5-1) at 145-pounds.
Broadcast information for “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” and the debut of “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” will be available shortly.
Fresh off an emphatic knockout of Ryan Couture at “Bellator 148: Daley vs. Uhrich” to kickoff 2016, “Pitbull” will look to extend his current winning streak when he takes on a streaking Derek Campos. Also known as the “The Stallion,” Campos is riding a wave of momentum into Italy, as he is returning to action following a finish of Melvin Guillard during main card action at the rating’s-shattering “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event. With 15 TKO/KO’s between them, expect these two lightweights to trade leather in the center of the cage on April 16th.
It’s easy to classify Yankova as “just another pretty face,” but the 24-year-old Russian Muay Thai Champion has the fighting skills to more than match her good looks. Undefeated thus far in her budding MMA career, the Moscow native will face Pink in her Bellator debut. Ultimately, both women will look to make a statement as the Scott Coker-led promotion continues to build its women’s flyweight division.
In addition to five mixed martial arts contests, The Pala Alpitour, which hosted several amazing events during the 2016 Winter Olympic Games, will be the home of the inaugural “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” card, which will be headlined by one of the most accomplished knockout artists in combat sports, Melvin Manhoef (49-12), who takes on Alexandru Negrea (8-2). “No Mercy” is also scheduled to return to MMA when he challenges for the middleweight title against Rafael Carvalho at “Bellator 155: Carvalho vs. Manhoef” on May 20.
Raymond Daniels (10-3), Denise Kieholtz (43-2) and Kevin Ross (30-9) will also be competing at the groundbreaking “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino”event on April 16 against yet to be announced opponents.
Complete “Bellator 152: Pitbull vs. Campos” Fight Card:
Bellator MMA Lightweight Main Event: Patricky Freire (15-7) vs. Derek Campos (16-6)
Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Alessio Sakara (17-11) vs. Brian Rogers (12-8)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: A.J. McKee (3-0) vs. Danilo Belluardo (5-1)
Bellator MMA Flyweight Feature Bout: Anastasia Yankova (2-0) vs. Anjela Pink (Debut)
Bellator MMA Featherweight Feature Bout: Daniele Miceli (2-0) vs. Daniele Scatizzi (6-2)
Updated “Bellator Kickboxing: Torino” Fight Card:
Bellator Kickboxing Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (49-12) vs. Alexandru Negrea (8-2)
Bellator Kickboxing 165-Pound Feature Bout: Mustapha Haida (37-3-3) vs. Karim Ghajji (95-12)
Bellator Kickboxing Welterweight Feature Bout: Raymond Daniels (10-3) vs. TBA
Bellator Kickboxing Flyweight Feature Bout: Denise Kieholtz (43-2) vs. TBA
Bellator Kickboxing Bantamweight Feature Bout: Kevin Ross (30-9) vs. TBA
AMATEUR MMA CHAMPION VACATES TITLE TO MAKE PROFESSIONAL DEBUT AT NEF 22
Lewiston, Maine (March 9, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional featherweight contest to the MMA portion of the “NEF 22” fight card. Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (0-0) will make his professional debut against tough veteran “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey(3-5) at a fight weight of 145-pounds.
Aaron Lacey leaves behind a legacy of victory in the amateur ranks. He put together an impressive record of 6-1 since his debut in the fall of 2012. Lacey capped off his amateur stint by winning the inaugural NEF MMA Amateur Featherweight Championship last November, handing Caleb Horner (4-1) the first loss of his career in the process. Lacey is currently the number-one ranked amateur featherweight in the northeast. He is a member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine, and on April 23rd Lacey will make his professional debut alongside training partner, and NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Champion, Josh Harvey (0-0). Lacey will vacate the amateur featherweight title to enter the professional division. NEF executives are expected to make an announcement on the status of that championship in the very near future.
“I am super excited to finally be making my pro debut come April,” said Lacey. “This is a goal I have had for a long time and something I have always been working towards. Derek Shorey is a very tough challenge as a debut fight. He has a tremendous skill set and a ton of experience. As far as vacating my belt, I had always viewed capturing the title as the capstone to my amateur career. In the moment, it was an incredible feeling and it is something I will always be proud of. Part of what has made me successful is that I always keep looking forward for my next big challenge and my coaches along with myself believe that those challenges are within the professional ranks.”
After getting off to a 3-2 start in his professional career, Derek Shorey is looking to bounce back from a three-fight skid. Last September, Shorey scored a career-defining, highlight-reel knockout of Tollison Lewis (0-5), but would go on to taste defeat in his next three matchups. A 1998 Class-C Maine state wrestling champion for Foxcroft Academy, Shorey is the founder and head coach of the Shatterproof Combat Club based out of Dexter, Maine. He served his country in the United States Navy for four years of active duty and did a tour of Iraq with SEABEE Battalion NMCB 27. Shorey is hoping to find his rhythm in the cage against Lacey at “NEF 22.”
“Aaron is an incredibly tough, resilient fighter,” noted Shorey. “He keeps coming at you, solid technique. Nothing but respect for him and his skills. That being said, I’ve been growing rapidly under new instruction, but have been unable to find my rhythm in the cage. I feel that Aaron will bring his steady, solid pace and be met by my speed and power. I’m excited to welcome him into the professional ranks.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
BELLATOR MMA BRINGS FANS CLOSER TO THEIR FAVORITE FIGHTERS WITH NEW VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY
LINK TO VIEW VIRTUAL REALITY FOOTAGE BELOW
Above: Frank Shamrock experiencing Virtual Reality (VR) via headset (photo credit: Bellator MMA/Lucas Noonan)
SANTA MONICA (March 9, 2016) – Bellator MMA is always looking for new and exciting ways to bring the most forward-thinking technology to its ever-increasing fan-base, providing them with unrivaled access to the world-class promotion and its superstars. During the record-shattering “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie” event this past February, Bellator launched a virtual reality initiative, giving fans a new immersive behind-the-scenes experience, from inside and Kimbo Slice’s locker room before their fights to walking down the ramp with the fighters in front of thousands of fans at the Toyota Center in Houston.
“We’re continuously looking for new ways to leverage technology to bring our fans into the cage so to speak,” said Bellator COO Jason Jordan. “We want to make them feel more connected to the sport of MMA, to the fighters themselves and to the underlying storylines that fuel the emotion and passion of the sport. In this sense, we are very excited about the potential that Virtual Reality holds, and this was unequivocally proven in Houston where we captured some groundbreaking and incredibly immersive footage that I’m sure both hardcore and casual fans alike will enjoy. Not only did we break ratings records that night, but we also raised the creative bar with our VR coverage in terms of literally engulfing fans in the energy and excitement that makes MMA like no other sport.”
To shoot the VR footage, Bellator used three separate six-camera rigs using GoPro cameras including one that was fully spherical, attached to a stabilized, mobile monopod. This camera was used for capturing fighters as they left their locker rooms and entered the arena. Two rigs were tethered to a monitoring command center, which allowed producers to monitor the cameras from each rig. Bellator also used Kolor’s Autopano software to stitch together the footage from the GoPro rigs and Adobe Premiere and After Effects to edit and apply graphics to the final stitch.
CHECK IT OUT: To re-live some of the action from “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie,” fans can check out the Bellator VR Experience by clicking here. It is recommended to use a smartphone or tablet for best results, or better yet a VR headset.
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.
About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
Mixed Martial Arts Legend George St-Pierre To Attend Wizard World Philadelphia June 4-5
Hugely Popular UFC World Champion ‘GSP’ To Greet Fans, Sign Autographs, Pose For Photo Ops In First Wizard World Appearance At Pennsylvania Convention Center
PHILADELPHIA, March 8, 2016 – One of the most popular mixed martial arts fighters in the world, Georges St-Pierrewill attend Wizard World Philadelphia on Sunday, June 5, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, it was announced today by the Quebec native and Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD). The three-time former UFC Welterweight champion, known by many as the best “pound-for-pound” MMA athlete ever, will greet fans, sign autographs and pose for photo ops at his first Wizard World comic con appearance.
Already a 2nd dan Kyokushin karate black belt at 12, Georges dedicated himself to martial arts and training throughout his teen years. After seeing jiu-jitsu legend Royce Gracie fight in 1993 at UFC 1, “Rush” knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life and how he was going to reach those goals: he invested all his energy and all his time at becoming a better version of himself. When he wasn’t training or at school, Georges worked as a doorman in nightclubs, or hung off the back of a garbage truck, hauling in refuse. He discovered a simple truth: never stopping helps reach goals.
He grew as a person and as a fighter, adding fighting disciplines such as boxing, wrestling, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to his karate background and competed in his first amateur bout at age 16. He won that match, and continued his steady improvement. In 2006 he became the UFC Welterweight Champion. He lost the title in 2007 but subsequently regained it in front of his hometown fans of Montreal in 2008 and hasn’t lost a single title defense since then.
Along his career, St-Pierre, 34, accomplished numerous firsts and awards including: the all-time most consecutive welterweight title defenses, three-time consecutive Canadian Athlete of the Year Awards (’08– ’10) by Rogers Sportsnet, Fighter of the Year Awards (’09) bySports Illustrated , World MMA Awards, MMAPayout, Inside MMA and MMAJunkie, the “Most Dangerous Man of the Year” by the Spike Guys Choice Awards (’10) and the MMA Fighter of the Year Award (’08) by Black Belt Magazine .
St-Pierre is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Way of the Fight. Released in 2013, the book shares the lessons he’s learned on the way to the top. Later that year, St-Pierre officially announced that he had decided to vacate the title and take some time off from MMA, taking a role in the 2014 blockbuster Captain America: Winter Soldier. He has not ruled out a return to the ring in the future. GSP is based in Montreal.
St-Pierre, who appeared in joins an amazing lineup of superstar entertainers scheduled to attend the pop culture extravaganza, including “Marvel” movie standouts Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston, David Duchovny (“The X-Files”), the Back to the Futuretrio of Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson and “The Walking Dead” standout Norman Reedus , with many other headliners.
Wizard World comic con and gaming events bring together thousands of fans of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, graphic novels, cosplay, comics, television, sci-fi, toys, video gaming, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. Philadelphia show hours are Thursday, June 2, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, June 3, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, June 4, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, June 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
For more on the 2016 Wizard World Philadelphia, visit http://wizd.me/PhiladelphiaPR .
About Wizard World (OTCBB: WIZD)
Wizard World, Inc. (www.wizardworld.com ) produces comic cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture, movies, television, cosplay, comics, graphic novels, toys, video gaming, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles, contests and more. A first-class lineup of topical programming takes place at each event, with celebrity Q&A’s, comics-themed sessions, costume contests, movie screenings, evening parties and more. Wizard World has also launched Wizard World Store ( www.shopwizardworld.com), CONtv, a digital media channel in partnership with leading independent content distributor Cinedigm™ (NASDAQ: CIDM), and ComicConBox™ (www.comicconbox.com), a premium subscription-based monthly box service. Fans can interact with Wizard World on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media services.
The Wizard World 2016 schedule is available at: http://wizardworld.com/
WOMEN’S MMA FIGHT CONFIRMED FOR NEF 22 IN LEWISTON
Lewiston, Maine (March 8, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur women’s featherweight contest to the MMA portion of the “NEF 22” fight card. “Hollywood” Hannah Sparrell (1-0) will battle Angela Young (0-1) at a fight weight of 140-pounds.
Hannah Sparrell was introduced to the sport when she began taking her daughter to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) classes. Sparrell soon found herself training at John Raio’s First Class MMA in Brunswick, Maine. She made her in-cage debut last fall against Young’s teammate Kira Innocenti (0-1) at “NEF XIX” in Lewiston. Sparrell was victorious that evening, scoring a unanimous decision from the judges after an exhausting three-round fight. She looks forward to representing First Class MMA for a second time at “NEF 22.”
“I’m excited to be entering the NEF cage again, on April 23rd, against Angela Young,” said Sparrell. “Angela, coming from the school recently named New England’s ‘team of the year,’ has proven to be a heavy hitter, as we saw in her blood-shedding battle at ‘NEF XIX.’ That being said, First Class has been putting its name on the map, displaying our skilled training, coaches and leadership, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about going head-to-head against Young’s MMA once again. I learned a lot from the experience from my last fight and have used it as a catalyst in my focused training this winter. I will be entering the NEFXXII cage confidently and ready for a good solid fight.”
Angela Young is the wife of Young’s MMA founder and head coach Chris Young. Like Sparrell, Young made her debut in the NEF cage last fall at “NEF XIX.” In a wild, “fight of the night” performance, Young battled back and forth with Rachel Reinheimer (2-0) of Team Sityodtong. Reinheimer would win the decision on the judges’ scorecards, but Young would win the respect of the entire New England MMA community with her valiant effort. On April 23rd, Young vows to chalk up the first win on her record.
“I am beyond ecstatic for the opportunity to fight for NEF again,” stated Young. “Especially against an opponent as respectful and professional as Hannah. I’ve put the work in, I’ve improved my game and I’m aiming for another ‘fight of the night.’ This time, however, my hand will be raised.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
WANDERLEI SILVA RETURNS TO JAPAN! RIZIN FF SIGNS LEGENDARY PRIDE CHAMPION; ANNOUNCES SEVEN FIGHTERS, INCLUDING SILVA, FOR APRIL 17 LIVE EVENT IN NAGOYA, JAPAN
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