Tag Archives: World Series of Fighting

mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING ANNOUNCES INTENT TO ACQUIRE MMA WORLD EXPO, PLANS FOR MMA BOUTS AT ANNUAL MANHATTAN EXTRAVAGANZA IN DECEMBER

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LAS VEGAS (April 1, 2016) – Following last week’s historic passage of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legislation by the New York State Assembly, World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) today re-enforced its commitment to bringing its prestigious brand of league competition to the Empire State with an announcement that it has signed a letter of intent to acquire the New York City-based MMA World Expo, and that, pending New York State Athletic Commission approval, it plans to stage a series of bouts at the seventh annual affair at Manhattan’s Jacob Javits Center in December.

“This is a very exciting and momentous time for our great sport, so we could not be more thrilled to take significant steps towards becoming owners of the MMA World Expo, which has been consistently delivering an incredible fan experience for the last six years and which will make for a great home for live World Series of Fighting action at a landmark location in Manhattan,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.

The announcement comes three months after World Series of Fighting opened the doors to a satellite office in midtown Manhattan.

Two weeks ago, the company announced the appointment of Michael Mersch to the dual role of Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel.  While serving as Assistant General Counsel for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Mersch was one of the key figures involved in the effort to legalize MMA in New York State.

Since launching in 2009, The MMA World Expo has hosted dozens of MMA celebrity guests, including Randy “The Natural” Couture, Anderson Silva,Matt Hughes, Fabricio Werdum and Matt Serra.

The annual convention is also the site of an array of martial arts seminars instructed by legendary trainers, as well as competitions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and catch wrestling, and brings together industry pioneers, vendors, athletes, trainers and fans.

World Series of Fighting will announce additional details about its MMA World Expo acquisition plans, including its intent to promote live bouts at the event this year.

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN on Saturday, April 2 at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT with WSOF30: Branch vs. Starks that will be headlined by a middleweight (185 pounds) championship showdown between defending kingpin David Branch (17-3) and top contender Clifford Starks (13-2).

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

WSOF30: BRANCH VS. STARKS FINALIZED WITH SIX PRELIMINARY BOUTS

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WSOF30: BRANCH VS. STARKS
FINALIZED WITH SIX PRELIMINARY BOUTS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MAIN CARD (Live on NBCSN)

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

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

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

PRELIMINARY CARD (Live on WSOF.com)

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

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING RETURNS TO FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO IN CONNECTICUT WITH HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MEGA-EVENT ON FRIDAY, JUNE 17, LIVE ON NBCSN

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TICKETS FOR WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
ON SALE FRIDAY, APRIL 1

LIGHTWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT:
JASON HIGH VS. MIKE RICCI

LAS VEGAS (March 29, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that it will return to Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. with a stacked lineup of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights led by a world heavyweight championship showdown between reigning kingpin Blagoy Ivanov(13-1) and Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1), live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Friday, June 17.

In the lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event, superstars Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High (19-5) and Mike “The Martian” Ricci (11-4) will square off with the number one contender ranking at stake.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland, go on sale on Friday, April 1 at 10 a.m. ET, at WSOF.com and Foxwoods.com.

“We are looking forward to returning to the great state of Connecticut, and putting on another phenomenal world championship event featuring some of our top superstars, for fans at Foxwoods Resort Casino,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

Blagoy Ivanov vs. Josh Copeland

Ivanov of Sulfia, Bulgaria is a 5-foot-11, 29-year-old Judo black belt and Sambo master who has earned 11 of his 13 career MMA wins by way of (T)KO or submission.  At the 2008 World Sambo Championships, he made his first big mark in combat sports, defeating all-time great Fedor Emelianenko.

Ivanov made his way to World Series of Fighting after a near-flawless, 8-fight run under the promotion of Bellator, posting an overall, 7-1 record there.  He seized the World Series of Fighting heavyweight championship from Smealinho Rama, forcing Rama to tap out from a guillotine choke in the third round (1:17) of their matchup on June 5, 2015, and successfully defended the title for the first time on October 17, scoring a second round (4:33) TKO on Derrick Mehman with a barrage of punches.

Copeland of Denver, Colo. is coming off his World Series of Fighting debut victory, a unanimous decision over Mike “300” Hayes, at WSOF29 on March 12.  The 6-foot-1, 33-year-old teammate of undefeated World Series of Fighting lightweight champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje has notched 8 of his 13 career wins, to date, via (T)KO or submission.

Jason High vs. Mike Ricci

Following his near 18-month absence from competition, High of Kansas City, Miss. made his long-awaited return to the cage on November 20 at WSOF25, after signing an exclusive, multi-fight contract with World Series of Fighting, and scored a thunderous, second round (:47) KO on Estevan Payan with a head kick-punches combination.

The 5-foot-9, 34-year-old High, a veteran of the UFC and Strikeforce, initially caught the attention of the MMA world while fighting at an elite level in Japan under the promotion of K-1 and Dream where he faced and defeated the likes of Andre Galvao and Hayato “Mach” Sakurai.  High also holds a victory over retired phenom Jordan Mein.

Ricci of Montreal, Quebec, Canada reached the final round on the 16th season of the hit competition reality show The Ultimate Fighter.

The 6-foot, 30-year-old member of famed trainer Firas Zahabi’s Tristar Gym fight team is looking for his fourth consecutive win, after defeating the likes of Jorge Gurgel, George Sotiropoulos and Joe Condon, whom Ricci conquered by way of first round (2:41) KO with a head kick at WSOF25.

Doors at The Grand Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino will open for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland, at 5 p.m. ET, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 6 p.m.

Additional bouts will be announced soon.
Las Vegas, mixed martial arts, MMA, Tuff-N-Uff, World Series of Fighting

Two exciting MMA events are coming to Las Vegas this April!

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World Series of Fighting tickets 50% off this week only!

World Series of Fighting 30 goes down at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas NEXT Saturday, April 2nd. Get your Cageside or Stage tickets now for 50% OFF by entering promo code 50WSOF30here.

BONUS: Bring your receipt (not your ticket) to their merchandise booth to receive a FREE WSOF T-Shirt! (while supplies last, quantities limited)

If you can’t make it to Vegas, catch the Prelims at WSOF.com at 6pm PT with the main card going live on NBC Sports Network at 8pm PT!

Tuff-N-Uff tickets start at $10 for our April 29th event at the Cox Pavilion

The card is shaping up for our show on April 29th! Tickets are on sale NOW starting at just $10 atTuffnuff.com and UNLVTickets. Mark it on your calendar, and come support amateur MMA and the Future Stars of MMA!
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING STATEMENT ON MMA LEGALIZATION IN NEW YORK

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LAS VEGAS (March 22, 2016) – New York State passed landmark legislation today permitting future Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) competitions to take place there.

World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva made the following remarks:

“This is an exciting and historic day for our great sport.  Those who have been lobbying for the legalization of MMA in NY State, including World Series of Fighting’s new COO Michael Mersch, should be commended for their persistence and commitment to seeing through the passage of legislation that will finally allow fans to watch live MMA in the Empire State, and fighters to compete there.  We recently opened an office in Manhattan so, along with our television partner, NBC, we are looking forward to bringing our brand of professional MMA to New York very soon.”
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING NAMES MICHAEL MERSCH CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND GENERAL COUNSEL

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LAS VEGAS (March 22, 2016) –World Series of Fighting has appointed distinguished Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) industry veteran and sports attorney Michael Mersch, its new Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, effective immediately.

Mersch brings to the world championship MMA league, over eight years of experience as a senior level executive and Assistant General Counsel for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).  In his latest role, he served as General Counsel and Chief Political Advisor for the Nevada Attorney General.

“I am excited to re-enter the MMA business with one of the premier players and recognizable brands in the space,” said Mersch.  “With its robust team of media and sports business executives as well as blue-chip partners, beginning with NBC and IMG, World Series of Fighting is in the midst of an exciting phase of growth with great things on the horizon.”

“We are looking forward to having Michael Mersch bring his wealth of industry specific knowledge, experience and relationships to our growing enterprise, and are confident that he will be a driving force in the next chapter of our business,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.

In his new, dual role, Mersch will be responsible for overseeing World Series of Fighting’s business operations and legal affairs; negotiating and drafting all talent, television, venue, sponsorship and merchandising legal agreements; and spearheading and managing all government relations efforts on behalf of the league.

A frequent guest speaker for the Sports Lawyers Association as well as numerous MMA industry summits, Mersch is recognized as one of the foremost experts on legislation and regulation in the world’s fastest growing sport.

World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN, live from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 2, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

In the main event of the star-studded, world championship doubleheader, reigning world middleweight (185 pounds) champion David Branch (17-3) will put his coveted title on the line against top contender Clifford Starks (13-2) while, in the co-main event, superstars Jon Fitch (27-7-1, 1 NC) and Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-7) will square off with the vacant world welterweight (170 pounds) crown at stake.
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

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

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

Plus:

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

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

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

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

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

The complete WSOF30 preliminary bout card will be announced soon.

David Branch vs. Clifford Starks

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

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

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

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

Jon Fitch vs. Joao Zeferino

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

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

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

Vinny Magalhaes vs. Jake Heun

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

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

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

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

Abu Azaitar vs. Danny Davis, Jr.

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

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

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

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

WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING COMES OUT SWINGING IN 2016

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Strong TV Ratings, Record Web Traffic and New Sponsorships
Highlight Formidable Start to the New Year

LAS VEGAS (February 17, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) came out of the gates swinging to begin the new year and its fourth year of operation, generating impressive NBCSN television viewership figures for its first live event of 2016, as well as record levels of traffic and engagement on its web platform and a pair of new sponsor partners.

The live NBCSN telecast of WSOF27: Firmino vs. Fodor, which took place at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. on Saturday, Jan. 23, generated an average viewership of 213,000, and peaked at 245,000, up 13% from NBCSN’s World Series of Fighting 2015 average.  An immediate replay of the event that began atmidnight, garnered another 111,000 viewers.

The number of unique visits to the league’s website skyrocketed by 515 percent between December and January, while World Series of Fighting secured two new sponsor partners in Talk2Legends and 1800 Tequila.

“It has been a tremendous start to a very promising year, and this is just the beginning,” said World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva.  “With a full schedule of world championship live events; a new, athlete-focused web TV series that we will be rolling out; and a host of other opportunities we are exploring with potential partners, it’s going to be an exciting year for World Series of Fighting and MMA fans.

“We are off to a great start, and we have a lot more in store for fans, with a new live event nearly every month this year,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.  “We made some strong additions to our fighter roster last year, and fans can expect to see some more top level talent join our ranks in 2016.”

“We are looking forward to continued growth of the league and delivering our audience another year of exciting world championship MMA action,” said Gary Quinn, NBC Sports Group’s vice president of programming.

WSOF.com engagement soared by 400 percent between December and January, and the number of user sessions increased by 480 percent over the same time period.  World Series of Fighting’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) all achieved their highest reach and levels of engagement since the

The partnerships with Talk2Legends and 1800 Tequila kicked off during WSOF27 last month.  Utilizing the Talk2Legends video chat app, World Series of Fighting offered fans unprecedented, one-on-one access to both its athletic and NBCSN on-air talent, including Chael Sonnen, Bas Rutten, Jon Fitch and reigning, undefeated world lightweight (155 pounds) champion Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje.

Live World Series of Fighting action returns to NBCSN from Garden Grove, Calif. on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with WSOF28: Moraes vs. Barajas.  Headlining the four-bout telecast will be a world bantamweight (135 pounds) championship showdown between reigning kingpin Marlon Moraes (15-4-1), who will risk his title against fast-rising star, Joseph Barajas (12-1).

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

THREE NEW MATCHUPS COMPLETE WSOF29: GAETHJE VS. FOSTER MAIN CARD ON SATURDAY, MARCH 12

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NEW, LIVE NBCSN START TIME OF 10 P.M. ET
FROM GREELEY, COLORADO

LAS VEGAS (February 3, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today the addition of three main card matchups, including a heavyweight co-main event contest between Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland(11-3) and Mike “300” Hayes (19-10-2), to its highly anticipated WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster world lightweight (155 pounds) championship event at the Bank of Colorado Arena in Greeley, Colo. on Saturday, March 12, live on NBCSN at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

In other action on the four-bout live telecast that will be headlined by the lightweight championship showdown between reigning, undefeated kingpin Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (15-0) and number one contender Brian Foster (25-9), middleweight (185 pounds) standouts Cory “The One” Devela (15-6) and Louis “Handgunz” Taylor (11-3) will collide in their respective World Series of Fighting debuts.

Kicking off the live, four-fight telecast will be a welterweight (170 pounds) scrap pitting Josh Cavan (11-6) against Kris Hocum (7-4).

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF29: Gaethje vs. Foster, are on sale at WSOF.com and the University of Northern Colorado’s online ticketing platform.

Josh Copeland vs. Mike Hayes

The 6-foot-1 Copeland of Denver, Colo. is a former number one ranked heavyweight in his home state, and a four-time title holder since turning professional in 2010.

The 33-year-old, former Youth Ministry student at Dallas Baptist College, has earned 8 of his 11 career victories as a professional by way of (T)KO or submission, with 5 of those wins coming in less than 2 minutes.

A teammate of Gaethje’s at Grudge Training Center, Copeland will look to rebound from a second round (2:50) submission (kimura) defeat at the hands ofVitaly Minakov on December 11, a result that snapped a two-fight win streak for Copeland.

During his professional career spanning eight-plus years, the 6-foot-4, 35-year-old Hayes of Redmond, Wash. has faced off with elite level competition, including former world champion Andrei Arlovski and superstar Ruslan Magomedov, both of whom he fought to a decision.

On November 2, 2013, Hayes notched his most impressive victory to date, scoring a devastating, third round (3:11) KO on decorated MMA, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and wrestling champion Jeff “The Snowman” Monson with a head kick.

In his last start on June 4, 2015, Hayes produced another impressive result, fighting former South African national wrestling champion and four-time MMA titlistTrevor Prangley, to a draw.

Cory Devela vs. Louis Taylor

The 6-foot-2, 31-year-old Devela of Bonney Lake, Wash., will enter the decagon cage in the midst of a four-fight win streak that includes a unanimous decision victory over superstar Nick “The Promise” Ring on June 26, 2015.

A longtime protégé of MMA superstar and submission expert Dennis “Superman” Hallman, Devela, who has notched 11 of his 16 career wins by way of (T)KO or submission, burst into the national spotlight at a Strikeforce promoted event in Tacoma, Wash. on February 23, 2008, scoring a first round (1:22) TKO on heralded superstar Joe “Diesel” Riggs with a thunderous slam that rendered Riggs unable to continue fighting.

Devela’s recent ascendance that has him knocking on the door of becoming a world championship contender again, comes after he took an extended, three-year hiatus from competition to care for a sick loved one between 2010 and 2013.

Also looking to earn his fifth consecutive win, the 5-foot-11, 36-year-old Taylor of Chicago, Ill. is the number one ranked middleweight in his home state, according to the latest Tapology.com ratings.

A prolific striker who has finished 10 of his 11 opponents to date by way of (T)KO or submission, Taylor’s last four victories all came inside of the first round of battle.

Prior to becoming a mixed martial artist, Taylor was a wrestling standout for the NCAA Division I program at Eastern Illinois University where he benefited from training with fellow, former team member turned assistant coach Matt Hughes, who went on to become a two-time UFC champion and Hall of Fame member.

Josh Cavan vs. Kris Hocum

Fighting out of Denver, Cavan is a 5-foot-10, 32-year-old, lifelong athlete who competed at the minor league level of professional hockey before turning his attention to MMA.  A winner of 9 of his 11 professional career fights by way of (T)KO or submission, Cavan will look to bounce back from a second round (1:28) TKO (punches) defeat at the hands of Joe Eichelberger on November 6.

The 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Hocum of Fort Collins, Colo. made his professional debut on October 27, 2012 as a participant in a one-night, eight-man tournament, defeating multiple opponents to emerge the victor of the grueling affair.   He will look to regain momentum after back-to-back losses in his last two appearances.

The WSOF29 preliminary bout card will be announced soon.