Tag Archives: Teddy Holder

mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

MIKE RICCI OUT OF WSOF27 WITH INJURY; LUIZ FIRMINO STEPS UP TO FACE CAROS FODOR ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, LIVE ON NBCSN FROM MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

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Luiz Firmino (pictured), whose last two victories came under the World Series of Fighting banner, will replace an injured Mike Ricci in the WSOF27 bout against Caros Fodor on Saturday, Jan. 23, live on NBCSN from Memphis, Tenn.

TEDDY HOLDER VS. SHAMIL GAMZATOV
ELEVATED TO MAIN EVENT STATUS

LAS VEGAS (January 12, 2016) –A re-injury of his hip has forced Mike “The Martian” Ricci to withdraw from his scheduled World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) main event bout with Caros “The Future” Fodor (10-4), who will now face streaking Blackzilians ace Luiz “Buscape” Firmino (18-6) under co-main event status at WSOF27, live on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT from the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. on Saturday, Jan. 23.

Originally billed as the co-main event, the light heavyweight (205 pounds) contest between heavy-handed finisher Teddy Holder (9-2) of Bartlett, Tenn. and undefeated Shamil Gamzatov (9-0) of Makhachkala, Russia has been elevated to the main event.

“Our entire team wishes Mike Ricci a full and speedy recovery, and hopes to see him return soon,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

“Luiz Firmino, no stranger to our decagon cage,” continued Sefo, “is truly a courageous warrior for stepping up on such short notice to compete against a fellow star like Caros Fodor.  We commend Luiz for doing so and look forward to seeing him back in action.”

The 33-year-old Firmino of Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil is riding a five-fight win streak.  His last two victories – a unanimous decision over Jacob Volkmann on October 26, 2013 and a unanimous decision over Tyson Griffin on June 21, 2014, both came under the World Series of Fighting banner.

Prior to the victory over Volkmann, Firmino earned an impressive, five-round unanimous decision over Luis “Baboon” Palomino, who has since gone on to challenge reigning, undefeated champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje twice for the World Series of Fighting lightweight title.

A veteran of professional MMA since the young age of 18, Firmino also boasts notable wins over prolific striker “Diamond” Ryan Healy and submission expertToby Imada, both of whom Firmino defeated by way of unanimous decision.

Tickets for WSOF27 start at just $39.99, and are on sale at WSOF.com, all Ticketmaster locations, ticketmaster.com, the FedExForum Box Office, or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

A three-bout preliminary card will stream live on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

For more information, visit fedexforum.com, ‘like’ FedExForum on Facebook or follow on Twitter (@FedExForum).

MAIN CARD

Light Heavyweight Main Event:  Teddy Holder vs. Shamil Gamzatov
Lightweight Co-Main Event: Caros Fodor vs. Luiz Firmino
Welterweight Bout: Jaleel Willis vs. Chauncey Foxworth
Featherweight Bout: Jorge Medina vs. Bryce Mitchell

PRELIMINARY CARD

Welterweight: Justin Hartley vs. Wade Johnson
Lightweight: Zach Underwood vs. Jason Williams
Lightweight: Alvin Williams vs. Wes Sharp
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING COMPLETES WSOF27 MAIN CARD WITH TWO NEW BOUTS FEATURING THREE UNBEATEN, RISING STARS

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Undefeated KO artist Jaleel “The Realist” Willis (pictured) will put his 5-0 record on the line against fellow unbeaten welterweight Chauncey Foxworth (2-0) at WSOF27 on Saturday, Jan 23, live on NBCSN from the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

MAIN EVENT: CARLOS FODOR VS. MIKE RICCI
CO-MAIN: TEDDY HOLDER VS. SHAMIL GAMZATOV

LIVE ON NBCSN FROM FEDEXFORUM
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 23
LAS VEGAS (January 5, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it has completed the live NBCSN televised (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT), main card portion of its inaugural event of the New Year that will also mark its debut at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. on Saturday, Jan. 23, with two new bouts featuring three undefeated, rising stars.

In a lightweight (155 pounds) contest that will kick off the live NBCSN telecast of WSOF27, unbeaten Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell will square off with Jorge Medina while, in a welterweight (170 pounds) matchup, Jaleel “The Realist” Willis and Chauncey “The Machine” Foxworth will put their respective, perfect records on the line against one another.

“We are looking forward to kicking off 2016 with another spectacular, action-packed fight card that is filled with our customary mix of established, name fighters and top level prospects that have been climbing the ranks of rival competitors in order to make it to the big show,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

Bryce Mitchell vs. Jorge Medina

At just 21 years of age, Mitchell (4-0) of Searcy, Ark. is quickly gaining steam on the professional circuit and a reputation for being a considerable threat on the mat.  Since making his pro debut last January, he has produced first round submissions – three by way of rear-naked choke and the last by way of armbar – in all four of his starts.

As an amateur, Mitchell delivered similar results, earning all five of his victories between June 2013 and August 2014 by way of first round submission, en route to a near-perfect 5-1 record.

Mitchell’s opponent, Medina (4-2) of Nashville, Tenn., has also imposed his will on the canvas with phenomenal submission work, forcing his first three professional opponents to tap out from either strikes or from a rear-naked choke.

A product of Nashville MMA, the training camp that gave rise to notable stars such as Dustin Ortiz and undefeated Luke Sanders, Medina is looking to rebound from a second round (4:22) TKO (kicks) defeat at the hands of Pedro Gomes on March 28, 2015.

Jaleel Willis vs. Chauncey Foxworth

Willis (5-0) of Memphis is a former high school wrestling star who has carried his previous athletic success into the cage where he has been taken the distance of a fight just once over the course of five professional matchups.

Outside of the sole unanimous decision that he was the victor of, Willis has finished all of his adversaries inside of one round, and all with an onslaught of punches.

To date, Foxworth (2-0) of Hot Springs, Ark. has dominated similarly, scoring first round TKO’s in both of his efforts as a professional.  The 24-year-old competed as an amateur for nearly three years and 15 bouts, winning 7 of the contests by way of (T)KO or submission.

Tickets for WSOF27 start at just $39.99, and are on sale at WSOF.com, all Ticketmaster locations, ticketmaster.com, the FedExForum Box Office, or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

In the lightweight (155 pounds) main event, Mike “The Martian” Ricci will square off rival star Caros “The Future” Fodor.

The 29-year-old Ricci (11-4) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada is riding a three-fight win streak after scoring a highlight reel KO on Joe Condon with a head kick in the first round (2:41) of their WSOF25 quarterfinal stage tournament matchup on November 20, 2015.

Fodor (10-4) of Kirkland, Wash. is a 31-year-old protégé of Matt Hume and brother of fellow World Series of Fighting athlete Phoenix Jones, looking to notch his third consecutive win in his promotional debut after concluding a successful, four-fight run in Asia.

In the light heavyweight (205 pounds) co-main event, heavy-handed finisherTeddy Holder (9-2) of Bartlett, Tenn. will battle undefeated Shamil Gamzatov(9-0) of Makhachkala, Russia.

Gamzatov, the number two ranked light heavyweight in the Ukraine, has yet to be taken past the second round of a fight, while Holder has earned all nine of his professional career wins by way of (T)KO or submission.

The WSOF27 preliminary bout card will be announced soon.

For more information, visit fedexforum.com, ‘like’ FedExForum on Facebook or follow on Twitter (@FedExForum).
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING HEADS TO FEDEX FORUM IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, LIVE ON NBCSN

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Main Event: Mike Ricci vs. Caros Fodor
Co-Main Event: Teddy Holder vs. Shamil Gamzatov

Tickets on sale now
LAS VEGAS (December 21, 2015) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) will kick off the New Year with its 27th live event and first trip ever to the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. on Saturday, Jan. 23, live on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

In the WSOF27 lightweight (155 pounds) main event, Mike “The Martian” Ricci will square off with Caros “The Future” Fodor while, in the light heavyweight (205 pounds) co-main event, heavy-handed finisher Teddy Holder will battle undefeated Shamil Gamzatov.

“We are excited to make our debut in Memphis thanks, in great part, to V3 Fights, which has a stellar reputation for putting together great events in that market and is helping us bring our brand of live, world-class MMA action to new fans,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.

Tickets for the event start at just $39.99, and are on sale at WSOF.com, all Ticketmaster locations, ticketmaster.com, the FedExForum Box Office, or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Mike Ricci vs. Caros Fodor

The 29-year-old Ricci (11-4) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada will enter the World Series of Fighting decagon cage on a three-fight win streak after scoring a highlight reel KO on Joe Condon with a head kick in the first round (2:41) of their matchup in the quarterfinal stage matchup of the WSOF25 one-night, eight-man tournament.

Fodor (10-4) of Kirkland, Wash. is looking to notch his third consecutive win in his World Series of Fighting debut after concluding a successful, four-fight run in Asia.  The 31-year-old protégé of Matt Hume and brother of fellow World Series of Fighting competitor and costumed superhero Phoenix Jones exploded onto the national MMA scene in 2010 when he ran to five consecutive wins with the now defunct Strikeforce promotion.

Teddy Holder vs. Shamil Gamzatov

Holder (9-2) of Bartlett, Tenn. is a former high school football star turned MMA machine who made his first big mark in the sport at WSOF19 on March 28 after being bumped up from the event’s undercard to a co-main event matchup with established star Thiago Silva, on the day of the event due to the withdrawal of Silva’s original opponent, Matt Hamill, from the matchup.

Holder, whose nine-career victories have all come by way of (T)KO or submission, scored an upset, first round (2:00) TKO on Silva with a barrage of punches.

The unbeaten Gamzatov (9-0) of Makhachkala, Russia will make his debut in the U.S.  after finishing all of his professional opponents to date in either the first or second round.  The 25-year-old is the number two ranked light heavyweight in the Ukraine and the number 24 ranked light heavyweight in Russia.

Additional matchups for WSOF27 will be announced soon.

For more information, visit fedexforum.com, ‘like’ FedExForum on Facebook or follow on Twitter (@FedExForum).
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
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.