This should be a great event. I’m watching Dream III right now. I’ll do Play-By-Play as long as I’m awake and feeling like it. Maybe Jason Miller will have an awesome ring entrance. Also, it has the old PrideFC lady announcer with an awesome voice. I’m hoping to Nick Diaz, Jason Miller, Kawajiri, and Caol Uno win their fights. I also think I’d like to see Eddie Alvarez get a win. Wanna say something? Sign up on our MMA Forum and start a conversation!
**I’m starting to get sleepy. It’s nearly 5am here. I might lay off the PBP for now and just sit back and watch the fights until I fall asleep.
The XFA announces May 31st fight card featuring three female fights
Las Vegas, NV May 8, 2008 – After a successful debut on March 22nd, the Xtreme Fighting Association (XFA) will once again present a night of action-packed, full-contact, stand-up fighting at the Cox Pavilion, in Las Vegas on May 31. Only this time, a third of the card will feature some of the most talented female stand-up fighters in the U.S.
“The women are great. Some say they generally put on more exciting fights than the men,” said Christopher Reis President of the XFA. “You’ll rarely see women back down in a fight. It’s constant action.”
The fighting style of XFA resembles K-1 minus the tournament format. Fighters can use hand, foot, leg, and knee strikes - essentially the stand-up portion of mixed martial arts (MMA).
The May 31st card will feature a much-anticipated grudge match, a veteran against a super-talented up-and-comer and another test of wills with the return of the last show’s female “fighter of the night.”
Crafty fighter Amy Davis will take on Vanessa Aliling who trains out of Plano, TX with legendary trainer Saekson Janjira. In their last match in December 2006, Davis pulled off the win after a grueling battle. Aliling, who thought she won that match, is ready to settle matters once and for all.
Miriam Nakomoto (of the Oxygen Channel’s reality series Fight Girls) won the 2007 World WMPO Title at the Queen’s Cup in Thailand and will be facing veteran fighter Keri “The Bone Crusher” Scarr. Scarr has fought some of the best female fighters in the world (including Dutch sensation Germaine de Randamie).
After winning fight of the night against Michelle Waterson on the March 22nd XFA card, Catia Vitoria will return to the ring to fight MMA fighter Jaime Lynn Welsh.
“Our event will once again speak for itself. We have some really talented people and they’re going to put on a great show,” said Reis. “I expect to see a number of these fights end in a knockout.”
Also on the card:
Joshua Hancock vs. Shawn Yarborough
MMA veteran Vernon White vs. Muay Thai and Bare knuckle champ Anthony Brown
David Michael Smith vs. Marcelino Menchaca
Travis Garlits vs. Kevin Ross
Doug Edwards vs. Jack Thames
Mark Beecher vs. Mark Holst
Apart from the non-stop action in the ring, XFA brings to the table an impressive broadcast team including ring announcer Sonny Franco, lead commentator Lisa “The Black Widow” King, color commentator Gary Alexander, and celebrity interviewer Dave Farra.
In total this event will have 9 exciting toe-to-toe bouts, including 3 female fights. Doors will open at 5:00 p.m. the action begins at 6:00 p.m. sharp. Tickets are on sale now, and are only $40 - $75 - $110 and $150 for ringside. To order online go to: www.xfalive.com or, www.unlvtickets.com.
Imes Challenges Roy Nelson For Heavyweight Belt; Conn. Native Latina, New York’s Franchi Match Up in Lightweight Bout as Jim Miller Withdraws
NEW YORK, May 9, 2008 –Mixed martial arts veteran Brad Imes (Sacramento, Calif.) will challenge Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) for the heavyweight championship as part of the nine-bout card as the International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI) returns to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Friday, May 16. Imes replaces Branden Lee Hinkle (Weirton, W. Va.), who was injured in training.
A training injury to Fabricio Camoes of Brazil also necessitated a change in a non-championship lightweight bout. Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.) will battle John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.). Jim Miller (Sparta, N.J.), originally slated to face Camoes, withdrew from the bout following the injury to Camoes.
Imes, known as “The Hillbilly Heartthrob,” trains with Miletich Fighting Systems in Iowa. He has competed in several MMA organizations, and was notably a finalist in the second season of The Ultimate Fighter television series. Imes is 11-4 in his MMA career and will be making his IFL debut. May 16 will also mark the first IFL bouts for Latina (4-1 overall) and Franchi (3-0).
As previously announced, two other IFL Champions will put their respective titles on the line to headline the card, as Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) takes on Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) at middleweight and Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) defends against Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) at lightweight. HDNet will televise all three championship bouts, plus three preliminary matchups.
The preliminary bouts feature athletes from four MMA camps, including Team Quest, Team Bombsquad, World Class Fight Center and Team Prodigy.
Tickets are available via www.ticketmaster.com, the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, and by telephone at 860-886-0070.
IFL Mohegan Sun
Friday, May 16, 2008 (order TBD)
Preliminary Bouts
155 lbs.: Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.) (0-0 IFL, 4-1 overall MMA) vs. John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 3-0)
205 lbs.: Aaron Stark (Portland, Ore.) (Team Quest) (2-2, 5-4) vs. Lamont Lister (Philadelphia) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 5-3)
170 lbs.: John Howard (Boston) (0-0 IFL, 8-3 overall MMA) vs. Nick Calandrino (Emerson, N.J.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 5-0)
155 lbs.: Zac George (Norman, Okla.) (Team Quest) (1-1, 12-2) vs. Josh Souder (Mason, Ohio) (Team Prodigy) (0-0, 10-6)
185 lbs.: Matt Horwich (Portland, Ore.) (Team Quest) (6-4, 21-10-1) vs. Joey Guel (Oregon) (0-0, 12-5)
185 lbs.: Danillo Villefort (Pompano Beach, Fla.) (World Class Fight Center) (0-0, 6-2) vs. Mike Massenzio (Paterson, N.J.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 10-1)
Championship Bouts
185 lbs.: *Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) (Miletich Fighting Systems) (6-4, 12-5) vs. Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) (AMA Fight Club) (1-0, 7-1)
265 lbs.: *Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) (Lion’s Den) (5-1, 12-2) vs. Brad Imes (Sacramento, Calif.) (Miletich Fighting Systems) (0-0, 11-4)
155 lbs.: *Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) (Team Quest) (6-2, 19-9-1) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) (Renzo Gracie) (3-0, 9-2)
*Current Titleholder
Troy Santiago and Victor Davila Hosts of New UFC® Program on Galavision
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – In the upcoming premiere of “El Octágono del UFC” (The UFC’s Octagon), renowned sportscasters and UFC commentators Troy Santiago and Victor Davila will take viewers through some of the most thrilling battles and over-the-top mixed martial arts action ever seen in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. “El Octágono del UFC”, featuring Santiago and Davila as hosts, launches tomorrow night, Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 8pm ET/PT (7pm CT) on Galavisión.
“I am so proud to be part of this first UFC program for Galavision,” said Santiago. “This is a sport that seems to have been created for us, the Latinos. It has action, adventure, extreme passion and an always unpredictable ending.”
Troy Santiago is one of the most passionate and enthusiastic sportscasters in the United States and Mexico. With a trademark style that conveys emotions of the sports, Santiago, has specializes in chronicling martial arts, boxing, soccer and American football. He is the official voice in Spanish of the UFC, and also provides the play- by-play for the Major League Soccer (MLS), and serves as host of Copa Sudamericana and the play by play for the Italian League and Mexican Soccer League.
“Every fighter dreams to one day being part of the UFC, and today, here I am, in ‘El Octagono del UFC’ explaining to viewers, in every detail, the different disciplines that form part of the MMA,” said Davila.
“As the host of a UFC show created specifically for the Latin audience, I can not ask for more!”
Victor Davila has more than seven years of practicing and teaching mixed martial arts in Mexico. He is the voice and image of the play-by-play narrations for the Spanish audience for UFC live events. He has hosted and brought to Mexico top UFC and PRIDE® fighters such as Rampage Jackson, Tito Ortiz and Matt Hughes. D’Avila is the founder member of the Federacion Mexicana de Combate Libre y Artes Marciales Mixtas, the first federation in charge of overseeing MMA events in Mexico.
“El Octágono del UFC” will highlight matches from some of the biggest names in the sport and Hispanics’ favorite fighters, including, Diego Sánchez (Winner of the original The Ultimate Fighter® season), Kenny Florian (Top lightweight contender), and highly popular Roger Huerta who is 6-0 in the UFC. The show’s first episode features Huerta vs. Leonard García, in one of the most thrilling matches in the organization’s history.
Now in its fifteenth year of operation, The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the world’s premiere professional mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Watched around the world,
the UFC has the world’s best fighters across five different divisions, ranging from lightweight (155 lb) to heavyweight (220 lb). Fights take place in an eight-sided fighting arena which has become known worldwide as the UFC Octagon.
Univision Communications Inc. is the premier Spanish-language media company in the United States. Its operations include Univision Network, the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the U.S. reaching 99% of U.S. Hispanic Households; TeleFutura Network, a general-interest Spanish-language broadcast television network, which was launched in 2002 and now reaches 89% of U.S. Hispanic Households; Galavision, the country’s leading Spanish-language cable network; Univision Television Group, which owns and operates 64 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Spanish-language radio group which owns and/or operates 70 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and 5 stations in Puerto Rico; and Univision Online, the premier Spanish-language Internet destination in the U.S. located at www.univision.com . Univision Communications also has a 50% interest in TuTv, a joint venture formed to broadcast Televisa’s pay television channels in the U.S. Univision Communications has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States.
For more information, please visit www.univision.net.