Results - Mid Georgia Championship Wrestling - 2-26-2011

Mid Georgia Championship Wrestling
Stockbridge, GA
2-26-2011
Attendance under 100

Tyson Dean d. Jimmy Myers
Tag Champs Russian Nightmares squashed Ashton Hero & Rocky King Junior
Alistar McClang drew with Curry Kid
Mr. X d. Arch Angel via Countout
Thomas Johnson d. Shawn Clark
Simon Sermon d. Ashton Hero.
Andy Anderson d. Shane Marx to win MGCW championship. PCW title was not on the line.

Stephen Platinum sucker-punched commentator Dave Wills after the match and joined Marx and Simon Sermon in a Beatdown of Andy Anderson. Platinum celebrated afterwards included stripping down to his underwear.

Next Show is March 19th at Stockbridge High School

Source: Dave Wills

'THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER: TEAM LESNAR VS TEAM DOS SANTOS' CAST IS ANNOUNCED

14 Welterweights To Vie For A Six-Figure Contract With The UFC(R)

Premieres Wednesday, March 30 At 9:00 PM ET/PT On Spike TV

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2011 -- The 13th season of Spike TV's popular original series, "The Ultimate Fighter" will feature 14 of the best unsigned mixed martial artists in the welterweight division (170 lbs) competing for a six-figure contract with the preeminent mixed martial organization in the world, The Ultimate Fighting Championship(R). The new season premieres Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 9:00 PM ET/PT featuring Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos as coaches, two of the most intriguing figures in the sport of mixed martial arts.

From San Diego, CA to New Orleans, LA, to Dusseldorf, Germany, the 14 fighters have all gathered in Las Vegas with one goal - to become the next "The Ultimate Fighter." During the ten episode run of the show, under the tutelage of coaches Lesnar and dos Santos, the competitors endure a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, Muay Thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition among the fighters continues after they leave the gym - at the Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors must live together, knowing that any day they might be forced to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon(TM).

The two finalists will square off in a live finale on Spike TV Saturday, June 4, where the winner will be declared "The Ultimate Fighter" and net the six-figure contract. UFC President Dana White will once again serve as host of the series.

The following are the members of this season's cast:

Name: Nordin "Fist of Tangier" Asrih
Age: 32
Trains: Dusseldorf, Germany - Pride Gym
MMA record: 16-5-1

Name: Shamar Bailey
Age: 28
Trains: Indianapolis, IN - Integrated Fighting Systems
MMA record: 10-3

Name: Len "The Liger" Bentley
Age: 27
Trains: Olympia, WA - Victory Athletics
MMA record: 9-4-0

Name: Michael "Mick" Bowman
Age: 26
Trains: Liverpool, England - Wolfslair
MMA record: 7-2-0

Name: Keon "The Black Assassin" Caldwell
Age: 26
Trains: Moultrie, GA - Team Reality
MMA record: 8-1

Name: Chris "C-Murder" Cope
Age: 28
Trains: San Diego, CA - Arena MMA
MMA record: 4-1

Name: Zachary Davis
Age: 26
Trains: Rockville, MD - Evolve/Team Lloyd Irvin
MMA record: 4-1-0

Name: Anthony "El Cucuy" Ferguson
Age: 26
Trains: Ventura, CA - Knuckleheadz Boxing
MMA record: 10-2-0

Name: Clay Harvison
Age: 30
Trains: Marietta, GA - X3 Sports
MMA record: 6-1-0

Name: Myles "Fury" Jury
Age: 22
Trains: San Diego, CA - Victory
MMA record: 9-0

Name: Ryan McGillivray
Age: 24
Trains: Edmonton, Alberta Canada - Legends Training Centre
MMA record: 11-4-1

Name: Ramsey Nijem
Age: 22
Trains: Orem, UT - River Academy/The Pit
MMA record: 4-1-0

Name: Charlie "Superstar" Rader
Age: 29
Trains: New Orleans, LA - Power MMA
MMA record: 16-5

Name: Javier "Chunty Boy" Torres
Age: 25
Trains: Las Vegas, NV - Team Tompkins
MMA record: 3-0-0

Extended bios for this year's cast can be found at ultimatefighter.com. During the season, viewers can also find exclusive extended footage from each episode, an exclusive video leak of the upcoming episode, and five episodes of the popular web series "The Ultimate Fighter: The Aftermath," hosted by UFC veteran Stephan Bonnar.

Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films and Television, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White of Zuffa, LLC, and Kevin Kay of Spike TV are the show's executive producers. Brian J. Diamond, senior vice president, sports & specials, Spike TV is co-executive producer and Christopher Martello is executive in charge of production for Spike TV.

Spike TV is available in 99.4 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

Source: Spike TV

Product Review - Premium CSI Board Shorts, Courtesy Of MMA Gospel's Dan Griffin

When Canvas Chronicle and MMA HQ approached MMA Gospel with a request to test Combat Sports International’s line of board shorts, there was no option but to accept. When a fighter buys gear, he/she needs to know that it will hold up through the stress of wear, washing, training, and of course, fighting. For fight gear, there is absolutely no better test than a trial by fire and that’s exactly what we gave these. MMA Gospel views it as a responsibility to ensure that the fighters who risk it all to step in the cage have all the information they can get to help make the decisions about who they train with, where they fight, and what gear they use so they can focus on training and putting on their best performances. For CSI, MMA Gospel put the board shorts through multiple hard training sessions, daily wear, and multiple washings and compared them directly against their competition’s offerings including a pair of Bad Boy World Class Pro shorts and Sprawl’s V-Flex XT line.

The Basics:

The CSI board shorts are 100% polyester with a 6” leg slit and 6” wide flexible lycra panel along the inseam. The shorts are Velcro fly and an internal drawstring. The entire pair is made of four double stitched and triple threaded panels. This is the same basic material and construction of the Sprawl shorts. The CSI shorts offer about an inch and a half more length for the same waist size and the lycra band on the inseam is a good two inches wider. The Bad Boy shorts are made of a sturdier Ballistic Nylon material with polyester War Flex bands down both the exterior seams and the inseam. While the Nylon is a more durable material than polyester, it has a stiffer more plastic feel to it and requires more detailed maintenance. The polyester flex strips provide less mobility than the lycra material, but the addition of the exterior panels help make up for it.

In a direct comparison of the materials and construction the CSI shorts offer a better overall design that the Sprawl shorts. They offer the same strengths and weaknesses, but the Sprawl shorts give the fighter less of the flex material and a shorter length that can ride up the leg and hamper the mobility of the most flexible fighters. The Bad Boy shorts offer a more durable material at the cost of ease of maintenance and they use a less flexible immaterial for their flex panels, but offer them in a different layout. The choice between the two is really a matter of personal preference on paper, though the CSI shorts average nearly $35 less per pair than the Bad Boy shorts and $25 less than the Sprawls.

Care/Maintenance:

Both the Sprawl and CSI board shorts are 100% polyester with lycra flex panels. The advantage of the polyester is that the shorts are machine washable without fear of damaging or the material. They do have to be line dried due to the flex material, but in a world where most fight shorts, including the Bad Boy shorts tested here, are handwash only, that’s a nice commodity. After multiple washes, the CSI shorts also showed a bit less wear than their Sprawl counterparts but neither pair had anything more serious than a few stray strings hanging out of the waist band. The Bad Boy shorts are considerably more difficult to clean not only because they are hand wash only, but because the ultra sturdy ballistic nylon is also ultra difficult to remove any kind of stain from. A blood or sweat stain on the Bad Boy shorts may permanently discolor them even if an hour of scrubbing can remove the stain itself.

Durability/Performance:

All three pairs of shorts were worn for multiple daily training sessions including basic calisthenics, wrestling, kickboxing, and submission grappling sessions. The CSI shorts immediately set themselves apart from the other two in the kickboxing workouts. The tester from MMA Gospel is a long time professional kickboxer known by his training partners for his flexibility and striking speed. While there was no noticeable difference in mobility or kicking the body or legs, the CSI shorts were considerably easier to throw kicks the head with especially back, side, and spinning kicks. The Bad Boy shorts anterior polyester panels held them even with the Sprawl shorts in terms of flexibility, but the added width of the CSI flex panel made a world of difference. It is also worth noting that the Sprawl shorts shorter length and smaller leg slit caused them to ride up the leg uncomfortably during kicks above waist high.

As kickboxing trunks, the CSI shorts clearly beat the competition.

In grappling sessions, the CSI shorts suffered a little. The Bad Boy’s external panels provided a wider range of motions even if the provided less flexibility in those directions. The Sprawl shorts length actually became a bit of an advantage of the ground as they stayed neatly out of the way during transitions where the Bad Boy and CSI shorts caught a foot hand occasionally. The Sprawl shorts also made it a bit more difficult for the opponent to grab them as they rode high on the thighs and fit a bit more snuggly and the Bad Boy’s slick nylon was difficult to grip as well. The CSI brand shorts provided excellent comfort and mobility, but a fighter looking for every possible edge may be more comfortable with a shorter or less easily gripped pair of shorts.

After several washes and training sessions, the CSI board shorts showed a few signs of wear, most notably fraying stitches and a little separation on the outside of the bottom seam. The Sprawl shorts showed quite a bit more wear, with frayed stitching along both the bottom seam and the waist band where it seemed that the stitching that held the drawstring in place may have been coming apart. The Bad Boy shorts looked nearly brand new save that there was some more or less permanent creasing in the nylon material.

Miscellaneous:

The CSI shorts were very unrestricting and stayed in place without any need to adjust the waist band, worry about the Velcro hanging over the band and scratching, or retie the drawstring. They also shed a considerably amount of water, so a fighter who includes swimming as part of his/her cardio training can feel free to move from the gym to the pool in the same shorts. This also helped keep the drying time down as the must be air dried to avoid shrinking the flex panel. The shorts also breathe really well and stay cool even during strenuous training. This is a big advantage over the Bad Boy shorts where the nylon traps the fighter’s body heat and the shorts become an oven after about twenty minutes of hard training. The Velcro on the fly and buckle of the CSI shorts is also double stitched to ensure that the Velcro stays securely in place.

Overall, the Combat Sports International board shorts compare favorably against their direct competition and are far superior to brands of similar cost. With an average cost of $25, they are a very good buy. They out perform their Sprawl counterparts which cost an average of $50 and go stride for stride with Bad Boy shorts that cost an average of $60. For a stand-up fighter, they are a better design than most kickboxing trunks. For a submission grappler they may not be the choice for competition, but at the very least a fighter should consider them as a pair of daily training shorts as they are inexpensive, durable, and comfortable.

I'm Still On This Slow-Ass Computer, But Wanted To Mention ...

The March issue of 'Muscle & Fitness' will feature a story on Triple H and his training regimen. Because of this slow-ass computer ... well, that, and my poor work ethic ... I have no way of being absolutely certain, but believe, as Jim Ross might say, this to not be Trips' first dance with that particular magazine (which goes on sale, should you be Triple H or a fan, on Tuesday, February 22).

I'm Really Pressed For Time, And On A Slow-Ass Computer, But ...

I wanted to mention that Buddy Wayne returnz (see what I did, there?) to Rumerz Radio (I've been on this show!), tonight, at 11 PM ET. Be there ... or don't ... see if I care.

UPDATED LINEUP - STRIKEFORCE'S 'SAN JOSE: DIAZ VS. CYBORG'

HP Pavilion
San Jose, California
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Live on Showtime @ 10:00 PM ET
Card subject to change

TELEVISED
* Nick Diaz vs. Evangelista Santos - Welterweight title
* Robbie Lawler vs. Ronaldo Souza - Middleweight title
* Scott Carson vs. Herschel Walker - heavyweights
* Roger Gracie vs. Trevor Prangley - light heavyweights

PRELIMS
* James Terry vs. ??? - welterweights
* Nate Coy vs. Nate Moore - welterweights
* Germaine de Randamie vs. Stephanie Webber - female welterweights
* Ron Keslar vs. Eric Lawson - middleweights

WWE® Names Michael Luisi Head Of Business Affairs & General Counsel

STAMFORD, Conn., January 6, 2011 -- World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. announced that Michael Luisi has been named Executive Vice President of Business Affairs, General Counsel and Secretary, effective January 10, 2011. Luisi will report to WWE Chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon. In his new role, Luisi will be a key member of WWE's senior management team and responsible for business and legal affairs for the company.

“Michael has had a very accomplished career in the entertainment industry. He brings with him a wealth of experience, knowledge and contacts within the entertainment industry which will benefit WWE and serve him well in his new position,” said McMahon.

Prior to joining WWE, Luisi was with Miramax Films for 12 years, most recently as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Operations. In this position, he was the principal business and legal advisor to the President of Miramax Films and the company’s senior management team.

Luisi was an entertainment lawyer at Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein & Selz prior to Miramax. During his tenure there, he specialized in individual talent and production company representation across the motion picture and television industries. He has also held positions at Weil Gotshal & Manges and New Line Cinema.

Since 2004, he has served as an adjunct professor in the Entertainment, Media and Technology (EMT) program at New York University Stern School of Business.

Luisi holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from New York University Tisch School of the Arts and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law.

About World Wrestling Entertainment

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Toronto and Sydney.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.(NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, copyrights and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

WWE Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, feature films, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, our dividend is based on a number of factors, including our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan, our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends and such other factors as our board of directors may consider relevant.

Source: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

LO-FUCKING-L! ...

Read this, then see if there's anything else that can be said.

USA Network Orders “WWE TOUGH ENOUGH®”

Non-scripted Series to Discover Next WWE® Superstar Debuts April 4th

LOS ANGELES, Jan 03, 2011 -- USA Network has given a ten episode order to “WWE TOUGH ENOUGH,” a non-scripted series in collaboration with World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and Shed Media US. “WWE TOUGH ENOUGH,” slated to debut April 4, 2011, will feature a group of twelve individuals looking for an once-in-a-lifetime shot to become the next WWE Superstar or Diva. The grand prize winner will be awarded a contract with WWE, joining its roster of talent.

“WWE TOUGH ENOUGH” will premiere at 11/10c the day after WrestleMania® XXVII and immediately following USA’s ratings juggernaut “WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW®.” It will then move to its regularly scheduled slot, Mondays at 8/7c, starting on April 11th.

"We're thrilled to tag team with the WWE in bringing TOUGH ENOUGH back to television," said Chris McCumber, evp marketing, digital and brand strategy, USA Network and Jeff Wachtel, president original programming USA Network & co-head, original content, Universal Cable Productions. "By focusing on both the physical and the performance challenges of becoming a Superstar, the show will shine a new light on what it takes to truly make your mark in the WWE universe."

“For years, the return of `TOUGH ENOUGH has been one of the most talked about and speculated topics amongst reality show fans and television industry insiders,” said Kevin Dunn, Executive Vice President, Television Production, WWE. “With the combined promotional muscle of USA Network and WWE, the right time slot and the reality show experience of Shed Media, WWE is looking forward to the successful return of one of television’s first reality show hits.”

The diverse group of men and women will live and train together in a house in Los Angeles. To see who has what it takes to be the next WWE Superstar or Diva, the contestants will battle it out each week in a series of unique challenges designed to test for such characteristics as showmanship, creativity, athleticism and desire, just to name a few. Each episode will feature a current WWE Superstar, who will introduce the contenders to a quality that they must possess to make it to the top of the sports entertainment world. Along the way, viewers will witness the trials and tribulations of what it takes to be one of the best in the world’s greatest sports entertainment organization.

Each episode will conclude with the elimination of one of the hopefuls who is left outside of the ring, while those that remain will move one step closer to their dream. In the final episode, the remaining contestants will battle it out for the grand prize.

Shed Media US, noted for its strong characters and memorable casting in the non-scripted arena, will produce WWE TOUGH ENOUGH. The company’s previous reality credits include “The Real Housewives of New York City,” “Who Do You Think You Are,” “World's Strictest Parents.” Producing for Shed Media US are Alex Demyanenko and Eric Van Wagenen.

USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 98.5 million U.S. homes. A division of NBC Universal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, acquired television series and entertainment events. The award-winning USA website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly, PG content across all of its platforms including television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo and Mexico City. Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, copyrights and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

WWE Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, feature films, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, our dividend is based on a number of factors, including our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan, our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends and such other factors as our board of directors may consider relevant.

Source: World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

SUPERSTAR “RUTHLESS’’ ROBBIE LAWLER SIGNS NEW MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH STRIKEFORCE

Former Two-Time World Champion to Challenge “Jacare” Souza For 185-Pound Title Saturday, Jan. 29, Live on SHOWTIME® From HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

NEW YORK (Dec. 29, 2010) – One day after re-signing its world welterweight champion, Nick Diaz, to a new multi-fight deal, STRIKEFORCE announced Wednesday that exciting, hard-hitting former two-time world middleweight champion “Ruthless’’ Robbie Lawler had also signed a new, multi-year agreement with the San Jose, Calif.-based world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion.

One of the most lethal punchers in his weight class, Lawler (18-6, 1 NC) will challenge STRIKEFORCE middleweight belt-holder “Jacare” Souza (13-2, 1 NC) in one half of a STRIKEFORCE World Championship Doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 29, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). Diaz (23-7, 1 NC) will defend his title against Brazilian powerhouse Evangelista Cyborg (18-13) in the other.

Lawler, a 5-foot-11, 28-year-old southpaw fan favorite from Granite City, Ill., is coming off one of the most devastating MMA knockouts of 2010 – a brutal, single-punch, 50-second annihilation of Matt “The Law’’ Lindland last Dec. 4 at Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Fifteen of Lawler’s 18 career victories have come via knockout or TKO.

“STRIKEFORCE has treated me good and I am happy to re-sign with them,” said Lawler. “They have given me an opportunity to fight for the title and I’m looking forward to that and to fighting any and all of the top 185-pounders.’’

Since September 2006, Lawler has gone 7-2-1 with one No Contest. Three starts ago, the athletic, aggressive crowd-pleaser registered a dramatic, come-from-behind first-round (3:33) KO over highly regarded Melvin Manhoef on Jan. 30, 2010.

Lawler, who turned pro at 19, fought Scott “Hands Of Steel’’ Smith during the first-ever primetime network telecast of MMA on May 31, 2008, on The CBS Television Network.

In other featured fights on the stacked Jan. 29 SHOWTIME televised card, football legend and MMA upstart, the incredible Herschel Walker (1-0) will return to the cage to face Scott Carson (4-1) in a heavyweight bout and undefeated Roger Gracie (3-0), will battle former South African national wrestling champion and MMA star Trevor Prangley (23-6-1) at light heavyweight (205 pounds).

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its "Shamrock vs. Gracie" event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose's HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with "Shamrock vs. Gracie." In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose. In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network. The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

Source: Strikeforce

Ultimate Fighting Championship® Announces That UFC 125 Prelims Will Air Live On Network Television

LAS VEGAS, Dec. 28, 2010 -- The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that three UFC 125 preliminary fights will air live on ION Television on Saturday, Jan. 1 starting at 8:55pm ET/5:55pm PT.

The announcement marks the first time UFC prelims will air live and free on network television. The action kicks off this Saturday with three explosive fights featuring Phil Baroni vs. Brad Tavares in a middleweight contest, Josh Grispi vs. Dustin Poirier in featherweight action and Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens in a highly-anticipated lightweight clash.

By airing live prelim fights on network television, Saturday's UFC 125 prelims will reach almost 100 million U.S. households.

"I am excited for our fans because I've been looking for ways to broadcast UFC prelims free and to as many homes as possible," UFC President Dana White said. "ION is the largest broadcast television station group in the U.S. and this deal will put the UFC prelims in almost 100 million homes."

To find ION Television in your area, visit http://www.iontelevision.com/.

UFC 125: RESOLUTION is headlined by UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, as he defends his crown against the only man to beat him, unbeaten No. 1 contender Gray Maynard. Plus, always exciting middleweight contender Chris Leben looks to extend his hot streak against "All-American" Brian Stann, and all-action Clay Guida takes on Japanese icon Takanori Gomi.

UFC 125: RESOLUTION will be available live on Pay-Per-View this Saturday at 10pm ET/7pm PT on iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer's Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com.

Ultimate Fighting Championship® - www.ufc.com

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world. UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.'s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.'s Versus network. UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 147 countries and territories, reaching 430 million homes worldwide, in 19 different languages. Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC "Undisputed" videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.

About ION Television

ION Television (www.iontelevision.com) is a general entertainment network which reaches over 98 million U.S. television households via its nationwide broadcast television, cable and satellite distribution systems. Launched in 2006, ION Television features popular TV series and movies from the award-winning libraries of CBS Television, NBC Universal, Twentieth Television and Warner Bros. Parent company, ION Media Networks, Inc., owns and operates the nation's largest broadcast television station group. Using its digital multicasting capability, ION Media Networks has launched the digital TV brands Qubo, a channel for children focusing on literacy and values, and ION Life, a channel dedicated to active living and personal growth. It also has launched Open Mobile Ventures Corporation (OMVION), a business unit focused on the research and development of portable, mobile and out-of-home transmission technology using over-the-air digital television spectrum. For more information, visit www.ionmedia.com.

SOURCE Ultimate Fighting Championship

Big "Ups" (As The Kids Say) To CNBC

The network has listed the March 21 passing of "Baron" Mikel Scicluna, 80, as one of this year's most-notable sports-related deaths. Very nice to see how there were no snide comments on pro wrestling or its fans.

Tough Luck, UFC And Bellator - Nick Diaz Decides To Stay With Strikeforce

Regardless of what chance Nick Diaz had of signing with the UFC, Bellator Fighting Championships, or anyone else (and, in recent weeks, interest had been rumored or expressed, directly or otherwise, on both sides) the Strikeforce Welterweight champ will, for the immediate future, stay put.

Strikeforce even passed along the following, just to make sure everyone knew where they stood:

WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION NICK DIAZ SIGNS NEW MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH STRIKEFORCE

Diaz Set To Defend 170 Pound Title Against Evangelista Cyborg Jan. 29
Live on SHOWTIME® From HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

NEW YORK (Dec. 28, 2010) – STRIKEFORCE World Welterweight Champion and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt Nick Diaz (23-7, 1 NC) has signed a new, multi-year agreement with the San Jose, Calif. based world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion.

“I’m looking forward to continuing my career with STRIKEFORCE,” said the dynamic 27-year-old Diaz, a protégé of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Cesar Gracie and resident of Stockton, Calif. “When I first got here, there weren’t a lot of great 170 pound fighters for me to fight, but that’s definitely changed. There’s a lot of really good fighters in the division now and I’m ready to fight anyone who thinks they can beat me.”

Of late, the 6-foot-1 Diaz has been unstoppable, winning his last eight matchups. In his last effort, he settled a three-year old score with arch-nemesis K.J. Noons, out-striking Noons en route to a five-round unanimous decision at HP Pavilion in San Jose last Oct. 9.

Five months prior to the victory over Noons, the no-nonsense Diaz, one of MMA’s most intriguing figures, ventured to Saitama, Japan, to face top-ranked rival Hayato “Mach” Sakurai in a DREAM promoted affair. To the surprise of many, the southpaw Diaz made quick work of Sakurai, submitting the Japanese fighter with an armbar at the 3:54 mark of the first round.

Diaz was crowned the first STRIKEFORCE MMA welterweight champion in history last Jan. 30 after he scored a thunderous first round (4:38) TKO on rising star Marius “The Whitemare” Zaromskis with an onslaught of punches at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla.

Diaz’s next challenge and second title defense is set for Sat., Jan. 29 when he will square off with Brazilian powerhouse Evangelista Cyborg (18-13) in the main event of a stacked STRIKEFORCE fight card at HP Pavilion, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its "Shamrock vs. Gracie" event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose's HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with "Shamrock vs. Gracie." In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose. In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network. The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

Daniel Puder, Professional Strikeforce Mixed Martial Artist And WWE Wrestler, Gives One Lucky Fan The Chance To Win A 10-Minute Video Chat Through Social Gaming Application, DateBid

DateBid's Webcam Auction-Style Dating Game Gives Fans the Chance to Bid on a One-on-One Video Chat with MMA and WWE Star, Daniel Puder; Proceeds to Be Donated to Anti-Bullying Charity

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 27, 2010 -- Want to win a one-to-one private video chat with Strikeforce mixed martial artist and WWE Wrestler, Daniel Puder? Start placing your bids now! DateBid (http://www.datebid.com), the webcam auction-style dating game on Facebook, today announced the company has partnered with Daniel Puder to give fans the opportunity to bid on a live, two-way webcam chat with the celebrity.

A new and exciting way to experience social dating, DateBid gives participants DateBid Play Money to bid on webcam date auctions with other members they find interesting. By enabling shared wall posts, players can let their friends join in the fun and see anonymous photos of other players who have sent flirts, interests, and other alerts. The platform has recently opened the doors for celebrities interested in raising donations to charities and causes important to them, paving the way for the DateBid platform to evolve as a crowdsourced application, for people who prefer using a social network to potentially meet someone desirable, rather than the random roll of a dice.

The DateBid auction is open and will end at 1pm on January 5, 2011 (PST). The winning bidder will have the opportunity to share a private, 10-minute, two-way video chat with Puder on January 6, 2011. Proceeds from the auction will be given to MyLife MyPower (http://www.mylifemypower.org/), a non-profit, national campaign aimed at educating and training teachers, parents, student victims and the media about the serious issue of bullying among children both online and in the real world. Started in 2010 by Puder, MyLife MyPower provides various programs that help combat bullying through self esteem, self empowerment, and body image.

"It doesn't look like I was bullied as a kid, but I was," said Daniel Puder. "I had learning disabilities, but through hard work and dedication, I am today an undefeated MMA fighter and won the $1 million Tough Enough on WWE. Bid for my Charity Auction on DateBid.com, and your winning amount will be donated to helping to stop childhood bullying, plus get a chance to meet me in person! I look forward to meeting the auction winner."

Getting started with DateBid is free and easy. Simply log in with a Facebook account at http://datebid.com/fb/ and receive your free $5,000 DateBid Play Money to use in the game (for first time users only). There are several ways to increase one's DateBid Play Money including inviting friends, uncovering Easter eggs throughout the site, selling webcam dates, or, if you're a die-hard fan, simply purchasing them using the secure Facebook Credits payment system.

"We are very excited to see DateBid continue to break the stereotype of its auction style, paid, two-way video chat service for meeting new people online," said Alex Yamane, Chief Technology Officer for DateBid Limited. "Real-life heroes like Daniel Puder prove that the social webcam game platform DateBid is building has the potential for broad appeal beyond online dating to spreading acts of positive social contribution."

DateBid is an auction-style, ice-breaker game for meeting new people that brings a unique blend of social gaming and online dating to social network platforms and mobile devices. DateBid is available now on Facebook (http://datebid.com/fb/) with more than 2.5 million profiles, and will soon be available on other social networks and mobile devices.

About DateBid Limited

DateBid Limited is a privately-held company, based in the U.K., that brings innovative social network entertainment to people online and on mobile devices. DateBid combines social gaming and online dating in an auction-style ice-breaker game for meeting new people. For more information about DateBid, please visit http://www.datebid.com.

Source: DateBid Limited

OPEN CASTING CALL FOR FEMALE FIGHTERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-34 FOR NEW REALITY MMA SHOW "GIRLFIGHT"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

LOS ANGELES, CA - Producers of a brand new reality television show that will chronicle the day-to-day lives of female mixed martial arts fighters have announced plans to commence casting for the show.

Female fighters with a marketable look are encouraged to apply for the multi-episode show by sending the show's casting agents a resume, photos, video, as well as a cover letter stating why they feel they would be a strong fit for a reality female fighting show.

The casting is open to both professional and amateur fighters of any combat sports discipline including, but not limited to, MMA, Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo, Boxing, Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing, Judo, Kung Fu, freestyle or Greco Roman wrestling, and Karate.

Applications can be sent to: Girlfightshow@gmail.com

A trailer for the show is also available at: http://vimeo.com/18094056

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

CONTACT: Girlfightshow@gmail.com

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

ABOUT COMBAT SPORTS MEDIA (www.CombatSportsMedia.net): Combat Sports Media is a partner to Titan Entertainment and The Titan Fighting Championships. Owned and operated by Sam Caplan, CSM is an outsource business-to-business solution for companies in the combat sports industry. CSM provides an array of services on a contract basis such as public relations, television research production, website design and management, Internet video streaming, and matchmaking consulting. Its past and present client list includes M-1 Global, SHOWTIME, the Titan Fighting Championships, the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts, ChokeOutPoker.net, NameDrop.com, and FightMetric.com. CSM is also the parent company of the popular Mixed Martial Arts content website FiveOuncesOfPain.com (www.FiveOuncesOfPain.com) and is a shareholder in the Titan Fighting Championships.

Source: Combat Sports Media

FORMER U.S. JUDO OLYMPIAN DR. RHADI FERGUSON TO FACE UNDEFEATED ION CHERDIVARA JAN. 7 IN NASHVILLE LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

Woodley-Saffiedine Bout To Headline at Nashville Municipal Auditorium

NEW YORK (Dec. 20, 2010) – Four-time U.S. National Judo Champ and 2004 U.S. Judo Olympian Dr. Rhadi Ferguson will put his perfect MMA record on the line against up-and-coming undefeated light heavyweight Ion Cherdivara on the STRIKEFORCE Challengers Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card presented by Rockstar Energy Drink on Friday, Jan. 7, 2011, at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The only athlete to compete in the Olympic Games, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) World Championships and the Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling World Championships, Ferguson is 2-0 with two TKOs as a light heavyweight (205) in MMA.

A BJJ silver medalist, the 35-year-old Ferguson has successfully transitioned to MMA after a brilliant career in Judo and BJJ. A member of America Top Team (ATT) in Coconut Creek, Fla., the longtime martial arts competitor is also a well-respected trainer having worked with Bobby Lashley, Thiago Alves and Brandon Vera, among others.

“I don’t think MMA is ever a natural transition,” Ferguson said. “I did Judo, I did BJJ, I’m a strength and conditioning coach and a judo coach for some top MMA fighters. After training these guys for a while the sport caught me a little bit. I’m 35, but I feel like I still have some stuff in the tank.

“I’m satisfied with my athletic career but I wouldn’t mind putting the STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight title belt on my mantel.”

Ferguson, who also trains at Gracie Tampa and Nashville MMA, is excited by the challenge of MMA and the task of becoming a more well-rounded fighter.

“The thing about fighting is it makes me feel free,” Ferguson said. “I think what I enjoy from MMA is the newness of it – it’s new to me and there’s so much to learn. When you become good at a sport like Judo you have core skills that you hone in on so much. You’re only focused on that.

“With MMA, there are so many things which you have to become proficient at. You don’t have to be good at everything but you’re proficiency has to be high to be a true mixed martial artist.”

To get to 3-0, Ferguson will have to first beat a tough, and much younger, wrestler.

“It’s a good matchup, it’s an even matchup,” Ferguson said. “I have no fear of losing, but I don’t get super excited for winning. I get energized and get my thrills from training and the chance to test myself.

“My game plan is the same plan I always have – to have my hand raised at the end. I never really thought that it was the truth until it happened to me. You’re game plan goes straight out the window when you get hit in the mouth. You go straight into survival mode.”

The Miami, Fla., native was a three-sport star at Howard University in the mid-90s competing in football, wrestling and track & field. Ferguson then went on to compete in Olympic Judo as an alternate at the 2000 Olympics and a member of the ’04 team. While training for the Olympics, he furthered his schooling and received a doctorate in education in ’09 from Capella University.

His wife, Traci, is a medical doctor in Tampa, Fla., and the couple has two children – 4-year-old son Rufus and 11-month old daughter Rhadi.

A highly-regarded prospect and member of Brazilian Top Team Canada, Cherdivara (1-0, 1 KO) will make his STRIKEFORCE debut in Nashville. Already well-known in the Montreal fight scene, the powerful Moldovan-born light heavyweight is looking to become a threat in STRIKEFORCE’s deep light heavyweight division.

A former member of the Moldovan national wrestling team, Cherdivara has raw power and has been sharpening his boxing and other striking skills for his multi-fight deal with STRIKEFORCE. His training routine that includes shadow boxing with a 90-pound dumbbell has become legendary in the Montreal fight scene.

“I’m only 1-0 because I’ve had a hard time finding fights in Montreal,” Cherdivara said. “No one wants to fight me. With STRIKEFORCE, I’ll finally be able to face some quality opponents who otherwise wouldn’t dare fight me. I’m looking to face the best light heavyweights STRIKEFORCE has to offer.”

Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event are on sale at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000 including Kroger and FYE, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE's official website (www.strikeforce.com). The first non-televised, undercard fight on Jan. 7 will begin at 7:30 CT. Doors will open at 7.

Other televised fights: undefeated up-and-coming heavyweight prospect and former U.S. Olympic wrestling star Daniel Cormier (6-0) of San Jose, Calif. faces Devin Cole (18-8-1) of Medford, Ore., former University of Tennessee linebacker Ovince Saint Preux (9-4) will be opposed by fellow quickster “Abongo’’ Humphrey (7-2) of Atlanta, and promising Julia “The Jewel’’ Budd (1-0) of British Columbia, Canada, faces Amanda “Lioness Of The Ring’’ Nunes (5-1), of Salvador, Brazil, in a women’s middleweight (145 pounds) match.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.STRIKEFORCE.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its "Shamrock vs. Gracie" event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose's HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with "Shamrock vs. Gracie." In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose. In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network. The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

Source: Strikeforce