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Nov 10, 2009 Feb 09, 2012 787 20

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MMAmania.com Invicta Fighting Championships 2 announced for Memorial Hall on July 28 in Kansas City

Photo of Sarah Schneider by Esther Lin via AllElbows.com.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (May 29, 2012) - Tickets for the highly-anticipated, star-studded sophomore Invicta Fighting Championships all-women's Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event featuring a bantamweight (135 pounds) main event showdown between 2004 Olympic Wrestling Silver Medalist and undefeated MMA star Sara McMann (5-0) of Gaffney, SC. and battle-tested submission wizard Shayna "The Queen of Spades" Baszler (14-6) of Sioux Falls, SD., go on sale Fri., June 1.

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) co-main event of the 13-bout fight card that will take place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Sat., July 28, Japanese Jiu-Jitsu black belt and Cesar Gracie-protégé Alexis Davis (11-5) of Colborne, Ontario Canada will take on former Smackgirl Champion Hitomi "Girlfight Monster" Akano (18-9) of Tokyo, Japan.

Priced from $25, tickets will be available for purchase at Memorial Hall box office (913) 549-4853), online at Ticketmaster.com and InvictaFC.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000.

"With our second event, we are bringing in top competitors from all over the world in order to deliver a card stacked, from top to bottom, with some of the best matchups in the entire women's field of MMA fighters," said Invicta Fighting Championships President and Co-Founder Shannon Knapp.

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MMAmania.com Russia to take on U.S. Olympians in Times Square Freestyle Wrestling on June 7

IOWA CITY, IA - APRIL 21:  Jordan Burroughs waits to wrestle Andrew Howe in the 74 kg freestyle weight class during the finals of the US Wrestling Olympic Trials at Carver Hawkeye Arena on April 21, 2012 in Iowa City, Iowa.  (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

New York, May 22, 2012 - USA Wrestling and Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc. has announced that a team of talented athletes from World champion Russia will face the U.S. Olympians who will represent our nation in the London Games in Duffy Square in New York's Times Square on Thursday, June 7.

This major international freestyle wrestling match, billed as "The Grapple in the Big Apple," will be the featured competition for the 2012 Beat the Streets Gala and Benefit, which will be held following the dual meet at Roseland Ballroom. Included in the Gala is the Beat the Streets Reception and Awards Ceremony.

This is the second straight year that Team USA has battled Russia as part of the Beat the Streets Gala in Times Square. In 2011, the United States defeated World champion Russia, 5-2, in a dual meet there. It was the first sports event ever held in historic Times Square, and thousands of fans packed the area to see history in the making.

The Russian lineup for the Beat the Streets Gala has not yet been finalized. The final roster will be provided to USA Wrestling at the conclusion of the Russian National Wrestling Championships next week.

The U.S. team for the dual meet has been determined. It will feature six of the athletes who earned spots on the men's freestyle team for the London Games with victories at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowa, April 21-22.

Included on the U.S. roster are four past World medalists:

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MMAmania.com Bellator 70 fight card and line up set for May 25 in New Orleans

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Chicago, Ill. (May 15, 2012) - The Big Easy will be the host for Bellator 70 as heavyweights Cole Konrad and Eric Prindle face off for the Bellator World Championship and headline a loaded fight card presented by Harrah's New Orleans from the New Orleans Convention Center on Friday, May 25.

The night will also feature the Finals of Bellator's Lightweight Tournament, a Bantamweight Tournament Semifinal fight and a host of preliminary action featuring some of Louisiana's best talent, including New Orleans' own Rich Clementi.

Tickets for Bellator 70 are now on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the New Orleans Convention Center Box Office. Tickets are priced from $30-$125. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 7 p.m. CST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CST, with the first fight scheduled for 6 p.m. CST.

The preliminary card, featuring the area's top talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com starting at 6 p.m. CST. The official weigh-ins for Bellator 70 will be held at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 24 at Masquerade inside Harrah's Casino.

After a dominating run through the Season 6 Lightweight Tournament that included a vicious knockout over Ricardo Tirloni at Bellator 62. Rick Hawn is looking to secure his guaranteed title shot with a victory over Brent Weedman. For Weedman, the longtime Bellator veteran is eager for his title shot, and knows it's just a victory away.

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MMAmania.com Lion Fight Muay Thai weigh-in results

WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Joe Schilling (right) faces off with undefeated Simon Marcus (left) after both weighed in at 174 pounds for their much-anticipated rematch in the main event at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 11, 2012) - All 24 fighters, including main event opponents Joe "Stitch ‘Em Up" Schilling (12-2, 10 KO's) of Los Angeles, Calif. and Simon Marcus (26-0, 19 KO's) of Toronto, Ontario Canada, made weight yesterday at Body English at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for the Lion Fight Muay Thai VI: Schilling vs. Marcus II, WBC championship full-rules Muay Thai event at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Saturday, May 12, live on LionFightPromotions.com.

Schilling, the WBC Light Heavyweight Champion, and Marcus, an unbeaten top contender, both tipped the scales at 174 pounds for the highly-anticipated rematch to their first meeting at The Joint on Feb. 25 when Marcus scored a controversial, first-round TKO victory in a winner-take-all contest.

The live stream of the 12-bout card, which will be facilitated by Go Fight Live, will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on LionFightPromotions.com and can be purchased for a one-time credit card charge of $14.99.

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MMAmania.com Bellator signs wrestling phenom Shanon Slack for May 18 fight against Booker Arthur

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CHICAGO, Ill. (May 9, 2012) - Bellator Fighting Championships continues to add to its impressive roster, this time adding dynamic featherweight Shanon Slack to its growing list of talent. Slack joins a stacked talent pool that includes reigning Bellator Featherweight Champion Pat Curran, future title challenger Patricio Pitbull, and a collection of some of the top featherweights in the world including Daniel Straus, Marlon Sandro, and "Popo" Bezerra.

"The Bellator featherweight division is tough as hell, and it was a huge reason why I decided to join Bellator," Slack said. "The tournament format is something that really stood out to me as well. There aren't any politics involved, and like any fighter, I want my title shot. Any fighter can say they want to take things one fight at a time, but if you aren't in this to become a champion, then you're in the wrong sport."

Armed with a wrestling base that earned him a spot as a U.S. Olympic alternate in 2008, Slack has trained with some of the biggest names in the sport and currently is a member of the world renowned Blackhouse fight team. Slack already boasts a spotless record of 3-0, but knows the sky is the limit with Bellator.

"I've been around for a while, and now I feel like I'm on a stage where I can showcase my skillset, and everything I bring to the table," Slack said. "After talking to everyone with Bellator, the organization really seemed like the best fit for me, and I can't wait to get into the cage."

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MMAmania.com Anderson Silva's Undefeated Nephew Set For Battle At Lion Fight Muay Thai VI On May 12

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LAS VEGAS (May 8, 2012) - Undefeated 19-year-old prospect Guilherme Bertholdo (6-0), the nephew of UFC Middleweight Champion and pound-for-pound great Anderson Silva, will look to extend his perfect run in Muay Thai's amateur ranks and move one step closer to turning professional when he faces off with Chris Lazaro (7-2) of Las Vegas, Nev. in a welterweight (147 pounds) matchup on the undercard of the Lion Fight Muay Thai VI: Schilling vs. Marcus II full-rules Muay Thai event at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Saturday, May 12, live on LionFightPromotions.com.

"I am excited to finally test my skills against top level amateur opponents," said Bertholdo, a member of Black House Team Nogueira, the famed training camp that is also home to Silva and is headed by MMA legends and twin brothers Antonio "Rodrigo" and Antonio "Rogerio" Nogueira in San Diego, Calif. where he trains under Kru (trainer) Alex Palma.

In Brazil, Bertholdo took up Karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at an early age before relocating to San Diego with his family. While his father has schooled him Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and helped Bertholdo attain the rank of purple belt in the submission fighting discipline, Bertholdo has gravitated to the sport of Muay Thai due to his love for kicking and punching.

"Striking is my passion," he said. "My Kru (trainer) has really taught me to use my hands and angles and, because of this, I've learned to appreciate the beauty of Muay Thai. MMA is a sport that I eventually will focus on in the future but, for now, I want to sharpen my striking and compete in an all-striking sport."

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MMAmania.com Bellator 69 fight card and line-up finalized for May 18 in Lake Charles

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CHICAGO, Ill. (May 8, 2012) - All eyes will be on Bellator as the promotion returns to Lake Charles, Louisiana for Bellator 69 from L'Auberge Casino Resort on Friday, May 18. The night will feature the long-awaited battle between No. 1 ranked women's 115-pound fighter Megumi Fujii and No. 2 ranked Jessica Aguilar, as well as the semifinals and finals of the $100,000 welterweight and middleweight tournaments respectively, along as a Heavyweight Tournament qualifier as knockout specialist Ron Sparks takes on rising star Kevin Asplund, who is currently riding a 15-fight win streak.

Tickets for the event are on sale and are available through Ticketmaster.com or at the L'Auberge Casino Resort Box Office. Tickets are priced from $40-$65.

The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 7 p.m. CST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. CST, with the first fight scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CST. The preliminary card, featuring the area's top talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 6 p.m. CST. Fans must be 21 years or older to enter the Event Center.

Maiquel "Big Rig" Falcao will bring his explosive knockout power to the Bellator Middleweight Tournament Finals as he battles Swedish born Andreas Spang as both fierce competitors look to lock up a guaranteed title shot later this year. Spang delivered a vicious knockout to Brian Rogers in the semifinals and will look to continue his impressive run with another dominating victory.

After Brian "The Beast" Baker punched his ticket to the Bellator Welterweight Finals at Bellator 67, David "The Caveman" Rickels and Karl "Psycho" Amoussou will look to do the same at Bellator 69. Both fighters can end a fight in the blink of an eye, and are sure to provide fireworks on May 18 from L'Auberge.

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MMAmania.com Bellator 68 fight card and line-up finalized for May 11 in Atlantic City

Photo of Marlon Sandro (top) via MMAnews.com.

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 26, 2012) - Bellator Fighting Championships makes its return to the Garden State on Friday, May 11 with a talent-filled fight card from Caesars Atlantic City.

The night will feature a Bellator Featherweight Tournament Final fight between Marlon Sandro and Daniel Straus, with the winner earning a guaranteed title shot for the Bellator Featherweight World Championship.

The next finalist in the Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament will be decided as Marcos Galvao and Travis Marx square off in a semifinal bout. Additionally, Caesars Atlantic City will host the return of Seth "the Kimbo Killer" Petruzelli as he takes on MMA veteran Carmelo Marrero. Plus, it's the long-awaited rematch between Marius "The Whitemare" Zaromski vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf.

Bellator 68 will also feature a stacked undercard full of the area's top talent. Tickets for the Bellator 68 are on sale and are available through Ticketmaster.com or at the Caesars Box Office. Tickets are priced from $45-$125.

The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. EST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. EST, with the first fight scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST. The preliminary card, featuring some of the area's top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. EST.

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MMAmania.com Tim Sylvia vs Randy Smith set for NEF: 'Fight Night 3' on June 16 in Lewiston, Maine

Bellator veteran Randy Smith (above) will try to spoil Tim Sylvia's return to Maine MMA on June 16 in Lewiston. Photo via ADcombat.com.

Lewiston, Maine (April 24, 2012) - When former two-time UFC World Heavyweight Champion Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia (30-7, 19 KO's, 4 submissions) fights in his home state for the first time, he will be faced with a tough challenge in Randy "The Wolf" Smith (14-10-1).

The Sylvia-Smith heavyweight battle has been officially signed to headline New England Fights' (NEF) Fight Night III on June 16th at The Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.

Smith, who trains out of CNYMMA in Cortland, NY, is no stranger to the New England MMA scene, having competed extensively throughout the region, capturing several local titles and making a name for himself as one of the top heavyweights in the territory.

"Randy Smith is ranked number five at heavyweight in the entire northeast right now," said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. "We were approached by so many fighters and teams that wanted the June 16 bout with Sylvia, but it was Randy who really stood out as the best opponent in our minds."

NEF is expecting another huge crowd at the Colisee for the follow-up to their debut event at the arena back in February.

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MMAmania.com King Mo Lawal returns to MMA at Invicta Fighting Championships on April 28 in Kansas

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (April 23, 2012) - SHOWTIME Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) voice Mauro Ranallo, light heavyweight superstar "King Mo" Lawal and women's star Julie "Fireball" Kedzie will call the action cageside at the first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships all-women's professional MMA event, live on InvictaFC.com, from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Saturday, April 28.

Ranallo, the lead commentator for Strikeforce on Showtime as well as for Canada's The Score Fighting Series and a former commentator for Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, will serve as the play-by-play announcer during the live stream of the event.

"I have always been a huge advocate of female MMA and I am very excited to be a part of the inaugural Invicta show," said Ranallo. "The ladies have a history of stealing the show from the guys, so it's nice to see them get a show of their own."

Lawal is a former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion who burst onto the fight scene four years ago with four straight victories in Japan's World Victory Road MMA series and has since amassed a career record of 8-1 (1 NC). A former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler for Oklahoma State University, the 31-year-old has gained recognition for his technical knowledge of MMA and his meticulous attention to fighters' styles.

"I'm excited to be a part of this event with some of the top women's fighters in the world," said Lawal. "The growth of women's MMA is going to soar even more now, thanks to what Invicta is doing."

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MMAmania.com Badr Hari returns to K-1 World Grand Prix on May 27 in Madrid, Spain

Kickboxing bad boy Badr Hari (R) is back. Don't expect the other participants in the 2012 K-1 World Grand Prix to rejoice.

The new organization K-1 Global Limited President, Mr. Mike Kim, announced today they have signed one of the biggest fighters in the world, Badr Hari, to fight for a chance to become the 2012 K-1 World Grand Prix Champion in New York in December.

Badr Hari is currently training in the USA with the world-famous maker of champions, Naazim Richardson. Hari's goal is to become a World Boxing Champion within three years.

Hari stated he's excited about training with Richardson: "I have just finished the first six weeks of intensive training, including a high altitude training camp in California. I am in great shape and we have made a plan for the next three years, leading to the ultimate goal... becoming the world heavyweight champion in boxing. The past weeks we've been working mostly on my technique as a boxer."

Richardson added he believes in Hari's incredible potential: "Every century, a number of unique talents are born. Those talents have the capacity to make it to the absolute top of the world. Badr is one of those unique talents. He has the perfect fighting mentality, an amazing reach, an incredible punch, and technically it's looking great. On top of that, his physique works to his advantage. He is the ultimate fighting machine. I support Badr's wish to take one more shot at the K-1 World Grand Prix Title. It's also his way of showing respect to the sport of kickboxing."

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MMAmania.com Bellator 71 'Summer Series' debut booked for West Virginia on June 22

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CHICAGO, Ill. (April 16, 2011) - Bellator Fighting Championships will make their 2012 Summer Series debut from The Mountain State when the promotion brings Bellator 71 to The Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in Chester, West Virginia on June 22.

Bellator 71 will feature the quarterfinals of the Bellator Summer Series Light Heavyweight Tournament, along with a host of preliminary fights.

Tickets for the event are now on sale and can be purchased online at Etix.com or by visiting The Mountaineer Casino Players Club. Tickets are priced from $25-$200. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. EST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 6 p.m. EST, and the preliminary card, featuring some of the area's top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. EST.

"We've been in discussions with the team at Mountaineer Resort for quite some time, looking to bring a major nationally and internationally televised event to this spectacular Casino Resort" Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. "When the chance came to host the opener of our Summer Series, we jumped at the chance."

Canadian native Roger "The Hulk" Hollett will get his first taste of tournament action when he locks horns with explosive Slovakian finisher Attila Vegh. A 14-time Hungarian Kempo karate champion, Vegh brings an impressive resume into the tournament and should be a force to be reckoned with.

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MMAmania.com Bellator 70 Season 6 Finale finalized for the New Orleans Convention Center on May 25

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CHICAGO, Ill. (April 11, 2012) - The final chapter of Bellator Fighting Championships' memorable sixth season, which is presented by Harrah's New Orleans, will take place at the New Orleans Convention Center on May 25. Bellator 70 will feature the long-awaited Bellator Heavyweight World Title fight between explosive knockout artist Eric Prindle and reigning Bellator Heavyweight Champion Cole Konrad.

Plus, it's the Finals of Bellator's best Middleweight Tournament to date as four fighters remain in this Season 6 race for the title with only one walking away with the $100,000 prize.

Tickets for Bellator 70 are now on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting New Orleans Convention Center Box Office. Tickets are priced from $30-$125. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 7 p.m. CST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CST, with the first fight scheduled for 6 p.m. CST.

The preliminary card, featuring the area's top talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 6 p.m. CST. The official weigh-ins for Bellator 70 will be held at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 24 at Masquerade inside Harrah's Casino.

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MMAmania.com Bellator 65 'Prelims' finalized for April 13 in Atlantic City

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CHICAGO, Ill. (April 10, 2012) - When Bellator Fighting Championships makes its first trip of the season to Atlantic City, it brings with it a loaded fight card including a Bantamweight Title Fight headlined by Bellator Bantamweight World Champion Zach Makovsky and challenger Eduardo "Dudu" Dantas, as well as a Season 6 Featherweight Tournament semifinal bout and the last two quarterfinal fights in the Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament. Also, a stacked preliminary card is official and is loaded with the best talent from the East Coast and Midwest. Tickets for the event are on sale and are available through Ticketmaster.com or at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office. Tickets are priced from $50-$150.

The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. EST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 6 p.m. EST, with the first fight scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The preliminary card, featuring some of the area's top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. EST.

The night will feature the return of former Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman Good as he takes on the always dangerous LeVon Maynard in a welterweight matchup. Good returns for the first time since dropping a decision to Season 6 Bellator Tournament semifinalist Rick Hawn and is looking to get back to the form that saw him win 10 consecutive fights to start his career. Maynard, a three-time Bellator veteran, is looking to score the biggest win of his career when he meets "Cyborg" on April 13.

The hits keep coming as Philadelphia's Will Martinez takes on Andy Main in a featherweight contest. Main, a New Jersey hometown favorite, is coming off a huge win over Bellator veteran Bobby Reardanz, while Martinez will be looking to extend his winning streak to three.

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MMAmania.com MFC 33: Edwin 'Bam Bam' Dewees returns to face Luke Harris on May 4 in Edmonton

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A new bout featuring a pair of high-profile names has slid into position on the main card of the Maximum Fighting Championship's MFC 33: Collision Course lineup.

Meeting at a catchweight of 195 pounds, veteran Edwin "Bam Bam" Dewees (37-15) will clash with submission specialist Luke Harris (8-1) in a featured matchup that will be part of the HDNet Fights live broadcast on Friday, May 4 from the Mayfield Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.

The televised card, topped by the MFC welterweight title fight between Ryan "The Kid" McGillivray and Nathan "Soul Force" Coy, kicks off at 10 p.m. ET/8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (check local listings for channel designation).

The Dewees/Harris matchup will take the spot vacated by the postponed contest pitting Dwayne Lewis against Aron Lofton. That rematch has been shelved due to Lewis sustaining a hand injury in training.

Dewees, who hails from Phoenix, Arizona, has collected 30 submission wins over his career, and will make his organizational and 2012 debut at MFC 33. The 29-year-old has fought a who's who of big-name competition throughout his career including such notables as former MFC middleweight champion Patrick Cote, Rich Franklin, Chris Leben, and Frank Trigg. Dewees, who fought three times in 2011, is a former reality show standout alongside Cote, Matt Serra, and Jorge Rivera.

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MMAmania.com K-1 Rising: 2012 schedule announced featuring World GP Final in New York City

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Today, the new "K-1 Production team" announces the rise of K-1, offering millions of devoted fans and new audiences, an established world-class brand of combat.

A wide array of the world’s best stand up fighters, square off face to face, bringing together their own techniques born from Karate, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, and other martial arts. Few other sports share the global interest, elaborate the showmanship and the popularity of K-1, along with the deep spirituality and ritualism practiced over centuries by millions of martial artists.

WHERE AND WHEN: Seven major, worldwide K-1 heavyweight (K-1 World GP) and K-1 middleweight (K-1World MAX) events are planned for 2012, where the world’s top warriors will battle in a survival series of explosive, three-round, single-elimination fights.

2012 schedule after the jump.

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MMAmania.com Bellator Fighting Championship MMA reality show coming to Spike TV in 2013

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New York, NY, April 3, 2012 - Spike TV and Bellator Fighting Championships are partnering with one of television’s most acclaimed producers, eight-time Emmy® Award winner Bertram van Munster, the visionary behind "The Amazing Race," to create a cutting-edge new unscripted reality show.

The one-hour original Spike series will premiere in 2013 and will showcase the fighters from the emerging mixed martial arts league, Bellator Fighting Championships. Details of the show will be kept closely under wraps until later this year.

"Some of the most physically-gifted and fascinating athletes in the world fight in Bellator, and I believe they make ideal subjects for an innovative new non-scripted series," noted van Munster.

"We are thrilled to partner with an industry legend such as van Munster, whose creativity and ingenuity will help expose Bellator to an expanded new audience next year on Spike," said Bjorn Rebney, CEO and Founder of Bellator.

"The concept of this ground-breaking new series will broadly appeal to not only mixed martial arts fans, but to reality show enthusiasts as well," said Sharon Levy, Spike TV’s Executive Vice President of Original Programming.

van Munster and Elise Doganieri will serve as Executive Producers for the new series. Levy and Tim Duffy, Senior Vice President, Original Programming, Spike TV, will oversee the project for the network.

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MMAmania.com Bellator 64 fight card headed to Caesars Windsor in Canada on April 6

Bellator 64 poster pic via Bellator.com.

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 2, 2012) -- As Bellator Fighting Championships makes its long awaited return to Canada, it brings with it a stacked fight card headlined by a Bellator Welterweight Title Fight between World Champion Ben Askren and Season 5 Tournament Winner Douglas Lima, a Season 6 Featherweight Tournament semifinal featuring dangerous Brazilian Marlon Sandro and Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra and the first two fights in the Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament.

The night will also feature a loaded preliminary card filled with some of the best talent across Canada.

The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. EST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. EST, with the first fight scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The preliminary card, featuring the area's top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. EST.

The night will feature the return of Bellator veteran and London, Ontario native Chris Horodecki as he battles Minnesota's Mike Richman in a Lightweight fight. Horodecki brings with him an impressive 18-3-1 record while the 11-1 Richman is looking to impress the Bellator brass in his debut with the promotion.

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MMAmania.com Antonio McKee returns to face Chad Dietmeyer at 'Untamed 2' on May 30 in Anaheim

Photo of former UFC and MFC lightweight Antonio McKee via MMA Weekly.

Extreme Fighters World Championship is back with "The Untamed 2" on Friday, May 30 at The Grove of Anaheim, California. This is the debut event for EFWC on GFL.tv and the organization looks to make a splash in a big way with a stacked card and a hotly anticipated main event. "The Untamed 2" will no doubt build on the growing momentum of high level events that EFWC presents.

In the main event, Antonio McKee (27-4-2) fights Chad Dietmeyer (8-1) in a lightweight scrap. McKee is a former UFC veteran, a former champion with MFC and an IFL standout. There is not a better fighter in the game that can control a fight and take it to the ground and keep it on the ground like McKee. McKee went on an 8 year undefeated streak and looks to continue his two-fight streak he is currently riding.

For Dietmeyer, this will be a huge step up in competition and with it comes a huge career opportunity. Dietmeyer has fought on the Arizona circuit for some time, grabbing regional titles and a victory over the vaunted McKee would do wonders for his future.

Expect McKee to do what he does best and try to get the fight to the ground early and keep it there. Dietmeyer needs to make McKee pay when he comes in for a takedown, a tall order, and then if he finds himself on the bottom work submission after submission.

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MMAmania.com Bellator 63 fight card finalized for March 30 at Mohegan Sun

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CHICAGO, Ill. (March 27, 2012) - As Bellator Fighting Championships prepares to make its sixth trip to Connecticut, the fight card for Bellator 63 has been finalized and features a night of incredible finishers, including the start of Bellator's $100,000 Welterweight Tournament as well as preliminary action loaded with East Coast talent.

Tickets for the event are on sale and are available through Ticketmaster.com or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office. Tickets are priced from $30-$70.

The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. EST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. EST, with the first fight scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The preliminary card, featuring the area's top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. EST.

The night will feature the debut of American Top Team product and Danbury resident Marianna "The Crushen Russian" Kheyfets as she battles New Jersey native Munah Holland. Kheyfets brings a spotless 5-0 record into the cage, and will be looking to impress the Bellator brass in her debut.

"I'm incredibly excited to be fighting in such a big event so close to home," said Kheyfets. "This is a tremendous opportunity for me, and I can't wait to get into the cage on March 30th."

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MMAmania.com UFC vet Anthony Johnson to fight David Branch at Titan Fighting 22 on May 25

UFC washout Anthony Johnson will begin his climb back to the big time when he takes on David Branch in the Titan 22 main event on Fri., May 25, 2012, at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.

Kansas City, KS -- Joe Kelly, CEO of Titan Fighting Championship, today confirmed that Anthony "Rumble" Johnson will take on former UFC middleweight fighter Dave Branch in the headlining main event of Titan 22 on Friday May 25 live from Memorial Hall in Kansas City. HDNet will present the main card live starting at 10 p.m. ET.

"Anthony Johnson and David Branch are two of the most aggressive, powerful and athletic middleweights in the world, and to have this as the main event of Titan 22 is a defining moment for this brand," said Kelly. "Titan 22 is going to end with Rumble vs. Branch, but wait until you see the fights leading up to it, there will be more familiar faces and I will be announcing more incredible matchups soon."

"David Branch versus Anthony "Rumble" Johnson is the kind of matchmaking that makes Titan Fighting Championship one of the premier MMA organizations in the world," said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. "Both of these guys have something to prove and they know a win on HDNet puts them right back into the conversation of the top MMA middleweights."

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MMAmania.com BAMMA 9: Fraser Opie and Matt Howard bounced from March 24 fight card due to injury

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(Mar 22th .12) Europe's leading Mixed Martial Arts promotion, BAMMA, is proud to announce the updated fight card for BAMMA 9: Watson vs. Marshman, which takes place at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena this Saturday 24th March. BAMMA 9 is proudly sponsored by Go Daddy, the world's largest provider of Web hosting, domain name registrations and new SSL Certificates.

Misfortune has struck at the last hour, with both Fraser Opie and Matt Howard forced to withdraw from their scheduled fights due to injuries sustained during the last leg of training.

Patrick Valle (7-2-0) will now replace Howard to face dangerous Spennymoor warrior, Andrew Punshon; who is renowned for fast, first-round, submission finishes, as well as his devastating knock-out power. That Valle has stepped up to the challenge of Punshon at three days' notice is a testament to his strong heart and to the calibre of fight that fans can expect to see from the French athlete.

Fighting out of Haut Tension, and training partner to Bellator competitor and Dream vet, Karl Amoussou; Vallee matches Punshon with his penchant for dramatic finishes. With wins via KO, TKO and submission (with three via Rear Naked Choke), Vallee looks set to push this bout in any number of directions. Expect the unpredictable in this pacey, neck-to-neck and ultimate test of speed, power and prowess, in a match that promises to be unforgettable.

BAMMA 9 fight card and line-up after the jump.

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MMAmania.com Bellator 63: Brian Foster out, Jordan Smith in against David Rickels on March 30 at Mohegan Sun

Photo of Jordan Smith via Bodykore.com.

CHICAGO, Ill. (March 22, 2012) - Bellator newcomer Jordan Smith will now get a chance to make a run in the stacked Bellator Season 6 Welterweight Tournament as talented 170-pounder Brian Foster is officially ineligible for action in the quarterfinals, which begin at Bellator 63 next Friday, March 30 at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

According to the Mohegan Sun Commission, Foster will need to be screened for additional testing before he is medically cleared to fight. The 18-5 welterweight was originally scheduled to face David Rickels in the opening round, but now the 27-year-old Smith gets his shot in the $100,000 tournament.

"Brian's a hugely talented fighter who we were hoping to see next Friday, but his Bellator premiere will need to be delayed just a bit" Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. "But to pick up a rising star in Jordan Smith and place him into the fire of our $100,000 Welterweight Tournament is what makes great moments. The Mohegan Sun Commission is one of the best in the world and we support their decision.

The 16-2-1 Smith has recent victories over one-time UFC contender Karo Parisyan and a win in November against Josh McDonald. But now the One Hit and Black House MMA trained fighter is staring his dream right in the face.

"This is the best opportunity I've ever had in my career," Smith said. "This is the break I've been waiting for. What I like about Bellator is there's a clear line of sight to the title."

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MMAmania.com Bellator 62 'Prelims' announced for March 23 in Laredo, Texas

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CHICAGO, Ill. (March 20, 2012) - Bellator Fighting Championships returns to Texas for the first time since the promotion's third season as Bellator 62 kicks off from the Laredo Energy Arena on March 23. The night features the long-awaited rematch between "The American Soldier" Eric Prindle and Thiago "Big Monster" Santos to determine a winner from last season's heavyweight tournament, as well as the quarterfinals of Bellator's $100,000 Season 6 Lightweight Tournament and a host of Texas' top MMA talent.

Tickets for the event are now on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting The Laredo Energy Arena Box Office. Tickets are priced from $22-$120. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 7 p.m. CST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CST, with the first fight scheduled for 6 p.m. CST. The preliminary card, featuring the area's top talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 6 p.m. CST.

Laredo favorite Sonny Luque is back after being away from the cage for over a year. He'll meet Brownsville native Luis Vega, who enters the fight with an impressive 7-2 record and brings a six fight win streak into the cage.

The always inspirational Rad Martinez is back with Bellator and will be in a featherweight battle with Amarillo native Douglas Frey. A dedicated family man, many MMA observers are familiar with Martinez after his incredible journey was documented on ESPN's "Outside the Lines."

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MMAmania.com Eric Prindle vs Thiago Santos rebooked for Bellator 62 on March 23 in Laredo, Texas

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CHICAGO, Ill. (March 19, 2012) - Everything is bigger in Texas - including the fight cards. Bellator Fighting Championships returns to The Lone Star State on Friday, March 23rd with a completely stacked night of fights at Bellator 62 live from the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas.

The night will feature the long-awaited rematch between "The American Soldier" Eric Prindle and Thiago "Big Monster" Santos to determine a winner from last season's heavyweight tournament. The night's main event, which was originally scheduled for Bellator 61 on March 16, was moved to this Friday because of a commission mandate due to Prindle battling flu-like symptoms. Despite the minor setback, "The American Soldier" is itching to not only get his hands on Santos, but to get that heavyweight gold.

"I'm just ready to get into the cage and end this," Prindle said. "I'm a warrior and want my shot against Konrad."

But Thiago "Big Monster" Santos doesn't agree with Prindle's game plan; and the colossal Brazillian wants to make sure that he's the one that earns the $100 K and world heavyweight title shot.

"Now I've just got one more week to train and one more week to think about winning," Santos said. "It sounds like Eric may have been sick, and I don't want to fight with any excuses. I want to beat him at 100 percent."

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MMAmania.com How to watch BAMMA 9: 'Watson vs Marshman' on March 31

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BAMMA, Europe's leading Mixed Martial Arts promotion, is proud to announce that BAMMA 9 will be broadcast on Extreme Sports Channel in the UK. The two hour TV event will air on Saturday 31st March at 10pm GMT and will be broadcast on Sky Channel 419 and Virgin Channel 527. The broadcast adds to BAMMA's current global reach which includes HDNet in the United States, The Fight Network in Canada, Setanta in Africa and Red Media in Russia.

BAMMA 9 sees BAMMA-Lonsdale's British Middleweight Champion, Jack Marshman challenge Tom 'Kong' Watson for the BAMMA World Middleweight title on Saturday 24th March at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena.

BAMMA's Middleweight champs have made waves as two of the promotion's most iconic faces. Etched into UK mainstream memory as the man who beat Alex Reid at BAMMA 4, World Middleweight Champ Tom Watson is known by fight fans for his catalogue of tough victories over fighters that include the UFC's John Maguire at BAMMA 1 and Maurilo Rua whom he famously blasted into retirement at BAMMA 6.

BAMMA-Lonsdale's British Middleweight Champion and serving British Armed Forces Afghan vet, Jack Marshman comes into the fight undefeated with a record of 10-0-0. Marshman wowed audiences at BAMMA 7 with his tremendous heart, after he came back from a sustained Ground 'n' Pound attack at the hands of Carl Noon, turning fortune around at the final hour to secure an unforgettable victory. The clash between BAMMA's World Middleweight and British Middleweight champions is bound to have fight fans on the edge of their seats.

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MMAmania.com The Score Fighting Series weigh-in results for Friday night (March 16) event in Ontario

Photo by Chris Suppa.

TORONTO, March 15th, 2012 - The weigh-ins and talking are over and now it's time for the real action. The Score Fighting Series (SFS) weigh-ins is finalized ahead of Friday night's event at the Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, ON.

Every fighter made weight except lightweight Jason Meisel, who came in more than 12 ounces over the 156lb allowance. Meisel will now surrender 20 per cent of his fight purse to opponent Mike Sledzion.

In related news, the scheduled bout between welterweights Ryan Dickson vs. Brandon Johnson has had to be removed from the card after Johnson failed to pass his pre-fight medicals.

All 10 fights will stream live and free online around the world Friday starting at 7:30 p.m. ET on theScore.com.

Complete weigh-in results after the jump.

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MMAmania.com Bellator 61 fight card finalized for March 16 LIVE from the Horseshoe Riverdome in Bossier City on MTV2

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CHICAGO, Ill. (March 12, 2012) - Bellator Fighting Championships returns to the Bayou State on Friday, March 16 for Bellator 61 live from Bossier City at the Horseshoe Riverdome. The night will feature the long-awaited rematch between "The American Solider" Eric Prindle and "The Big Monster" Thiago Santos to determine a winner from last season's heavyweight tournament.

The quarterfinals of the Season 6 Middleweight Tournament will kick off as well, along with a host of local talent from the Louisiana area.

Tickets for the event are now on sale and can be purchased online at Riverdome.com, by phone at 888-512-SHOW (7469) or by visiting The Gift Horse at Horseshoe Bossier City Casino. Tickets are priced from $25-$75. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 7 p.m. CST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. CST, with the first fight scheduled for 6 p.m. CST. The preliminary card, featuring the area's top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 6 p.m. CST.

Lake Charles native and local-favorite Josh Quayhagen takes on Quaint Kempf in lightweight action. Quayhagen made quite the impression on Bellator fans after collecting a convincing unanimous decision victory over highly-touted kickboxing champion Cosmo Alexander at Bellator 52.

The undefeated Trey Houston looks to keep his spotless record intact as he battles Bellator veteran Jeremiah Riggs in a middleweight affair. No stranger to being in front of the camera, Riggs has appeared on Spike's TNA's Impact Wrestling as well as WWE's Tough Enough.

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MMAmania.com Bellator 67: Michael Chandler vs Akihiro Gono booked for May 4 in Ontario

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CHICAGO, Ill. (March 7, 2012) - On the heels of his title-winning fight of the year performance against the world's top lightweight Eddie Alvarez, Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler returns to face one of his greatest tests to date as the Las Vegas-trained fighter takes on former UFC lightweight Akihiro Gono LIVE on Friday, May 4 at Bellator 67 in the always electric Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada.

Tickets for this event are on sale now and are available at Ticketmaster.com and in-person at the Casino Rama Box Office. Tickets are priced from $25-$175 Canadian.

After Chandler's amazing fourth-round submission victory against then champion Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 58, the undefeated champion knows that he's the one now with the target on his back.

"I'm just excited to get back into the cage," Chandler said. "I fought four times in 2011 and I'm ready to get back to work. Gono has beaten some of the best fighters in the sport and this should be a good test for me."

With 32 career wins, Gono has fought some of the world's best. And with wins over reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard and world-class middleweight Gegard Mousasi, Gono has beaten some of the world's best. Known for jumping weight classes, Gono has a solid reputation of never turning down a fight, and he will have his hands full when he takes on Bellator's Lightweight Champion on May 4.

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MMAmania.com Helio Gracie vs. Masahiko Kimura: Roots of Fight commemorates seminal grappling match with mini documentary and new apparel collection

The Gracie vs. Kimura T-Shirt is an off-white, premium vintage triblend T. Art work channels the spirit of what a fight T from the epic bout would have looked like in 1951. Photo via MMAWarehouse.com.

Vancouver, BC (March, 6th, 2012) -- Roots of Fight releases another stunning mini documentary and accompanying apparel. The film pays tribute to the epic grappling match between Gracie family patriarch and father of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Helio Gracie and legendary Japanese judoka Masahiko Kimura on October 23rd 1951.

Prior to the match, Kimura, considered at the time to be the greatest judoka in the world, boasted that he would "finish the fight with the first grip." Kimura used his significant weight advantage to repeatedly throw the smaller Gracie, but could not finish him. In the thirteenth minute of the match, Kimura secured an ude garami shoulder lock. Gracie refused to submit, but his corner, realizing the only possible outcome, threw in the towel and forfeited the match.

Today, in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu the ude garami is simply known as the Kimura.

"He knew he was going to lose in front of his whole country, but he still engaged," says Rener Gracie. "And that's the definition of a warrior. That's the definition of a fighter. That's the definition of a modern-day samurai."

Roots of Fight commemorates Gracie vs. Kimura through the release of a short documentary with the story of the historic match recounted by Helio's grandson, Rener Gracie and footage of the match itself.

Check out video of the short documentary after the jump:

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