ProMMA.info BREAKING NEWS: Steve Cantwell NOT Officially Off UFC 108 Card

Speaking exclusively to ProMMA.info, Steve Cantwell's agent at KO Reps confirmed through Cantwell's manager that Cantwell has not been officially removed from the UFC 108 card as previously reported.

Head over to ProMMA.info for the exclusive story.

To hear what Steve Cantwell had to say about his upcoming fight with Vladimir Matyushenko, check out a recent episode of The Cageside Beat.

Enjoy.

-PreView


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Justin Wren's TUF Episodes 8 and 9 Blogs

Justin Wren is back with more writings on ProMMA.info on his experiences as a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter.

Check out his blog for episode 8 here.

Check out his blog for episode 9 here.

As always, Justin provides some excellent insight "behind the scenes" at the house.

Enjoy.


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Justin Wren's TUF Episode 7 (Junk vs. Mitrione) Blog

TUF 10 Competitor Justin Wren is back with another post-episode blog on ProMMA.info.

This week's episode featured a match-up between Scott Junk and Matt Mitrione. To hear the result as well as Justin's thoughts on the episode, head over to ProMMA.info.

Enjoy.


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Justin Wren's TUF Episode 6 (Shoonover vs. Jensen) Blog

In episode six of The Ultimate Fighter Season 10, Team Rashad fighter Darrill Schoonover faced off against Team Rampage fighter Zak Jensen. As always, Team Rashad member and PROMMA.INFO TUF blogger has taken the time to share his thoughts on this latest episode.

Check out Justin's thoughts on everything, including Rampage's constant harassment on Schoonover over at PROMMA.INFO.

Enjoy.


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Justin Wren's TUF Episode 5 (Wren vs. Sims) Blog

In what is already being described as the best episode of the season so far, Justin Wren faced off against former UFC fighter (and current TUF competitor) Wes Sims.

To find out how the fight went for Wren, and to hear his thoughts on the episode, head over to his most recent post on PROMMA.INFO.

Enjoy.

-PreView



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Justin "The Viking" Wren's TUF Episode 3 (Kimbo vs. Roy Nelson) Blog

As I reported here last week, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 10 competitor Justin "The Viking" Wren is doing a weekly blog for PRO MMA of his perspective on each new episode of TUF.

This week's episode was a highly anticipated one, with famed former street fighter Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson facing off against former IFL Heavyweight Champ Roy "Big Country" Nelson.

Wren has published his blog on the episode. You can find it on PRO MMA.

Take some time to check it out - he really offers some great behind-the-scenes access and info.

Enjoy.

-PreView


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TUF 10 Competitor Justin Wren Blogging for PRO MMA

For those of you unfamiliar with the structure of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), the UFC assigns a number of the competitors a blog on different MMA websites around the country. This season, PRO MMA is lucky enough to have Justin "The Viking" Wren as it's blogger during the course of the show. Wren will be posting a weekly blog after each new episode is shown, giving readers some great behind the scenes info and some hints into the logistics of the episode.

Check out his blog on episode one here.

Check out his blog on episode two here.

You'll be able to find the new posts each week on PRO MMA, but I'll also be posting links to each of the blogs each week in case you missed it.

Enjoy.

(Pic from PRO MMA.)

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Interview with Kenny Rice of Inside MMA (August 21, 2009)

In addition to my interview with Andrew Simon, I was able to get a few questions to Kenny Rice, who co-hosts Inside MMA with Bas Rutten. No stranger to broadcasting, Rice had a distinguished career before he joined up with Inside MMA. I have had the chance to speak to Rice on a few occasions, most recently at a show in Knoxville where he was providing commentary for the live broadcast on HDNet. He is always a nice guy to talk to, and has a genuine interest in the sport and the people involved.

Check after the jump to hear what Rice had to say on working with Bas, and what to expect after Inside MMA's 100th episode.

Brian Furby: How does working on Inside MMA compare to some of your previous broadcasting experiences?

Kenny Rice: Any sport that's worthy of a passionate fan base such as MMA makes it always interesting, fun and exciting to cover. The study time, the interviews,all pay off when you can relay information to a viewer. I understand the responsibility in acting as a conduit to the viewer.. The inherent pace, unpredictability of this sport naturally keeps me thinking, looking for ideas, new questions, to share with viewers.

Brian Furby: What do you think of working with Bas?

Kenny Rice: Bas is a great friend. I have never worked with anyone in any other sport and become as close. We know each other's families, we talk often and we will always be in touch regardless of where our careers take us. The same for Ron Kruck and our executive producer Darrell Ewalt, we're life long friends. HDNet cultivates that as well, Andrew Simon, Guy Mezger, of course the boss Mark Cuban, are truly good people. You enjoy hanging out with them and I believe that all reflects on Inside MMA. We invite you to our studio home each week.

Brian Furby: At the Kentucky Derby this year, you jokingly identified yourself as Randy Couture to a reporter and attempted to armlock him – is Bas the type of co-host that tries to submit you on the set?

Kenny Rice: The best part about that is showing how Inside MMA has reached a crossover audience, sports fans in general who are learning about and have taken to MMA. The reporter, Lee Cruse, is a friend who watches us and has become a fan, so I went with his playing it up about Couture. When have you ever heard of MMA mentioned on a horse racing show before that? And no, I've covered enough sports to never pretend I had the talent to be a pro athlete, only a pro sportscaster. I have no desire for Bas to show me how a world champ could make me tap out. I enjoy shooting hoops and someday I may ask Mark to let me shoot around after a Mavs practice, but I've refused to let my close friends Rex Chapman and Kenny "Sky" Walker dunk in my face, and they wanted to. I've been called many things, stupid isn't one of them.

Brian Furby: How does interviewing and working with people in the MMA industry compare to some of your previous broadcast subjects?

Kenny Rice: People are basic. We all generally like to talk about ourselves. We usually have similar desires, needs. Every athlete who has made it to a pro level has worked hard, there is almost always a story of what motivated them. The vast majority of the fighters are very cool to deal with. For any aspiring sportscaster, Psych 101 is more valuable than any broadcasting class and the 'who-what-when-where-why-how' in junior high newspapers still apply.

Brian Furby: What’s been your favorite moment on the show so far?

Kenny Rice: Not hedging, but too many fun and interesting times to just pick one, out of 100 hours it's impossible. And if I list favorite guests, I'll unintentionally leave out one, so why try?

Brian Furby: Inside MMA has played host to some of the biggest stars in the MMA world – who would you like to see on the show that has not yet been a guest?

Kenny Rice: I like to hear from athletes of other sports, and entertainers. They surprise with their insight. Herschel Walker was a great guest and knows the sport, trained in it during his football career. The actor Chris Bruno actually has fought MMA and understood the nuances. Jockey Gary Stevens stayed after the show and gave weight cutting tips to the fighters. The wish list guest is Dana White, the de facto commissioner of MMA, a controversial, intriguing, sharp guy who is always welcomed on the show. I would really like to sit down one on one for an interview. He owns the sport, end of story. I might have to revert back to Psych 102 if that interview happens.

Brian Furby: What are you looking forward to with Inside MMA as the show moves past the 100th episode?

Kenny Rice: Show 101. Really it's week to week keeping up with the news, going over the guest list with producers, staying sharp. I want us to continue to inform and entertain, remain an unbiased but caring voice for MMA. It has been an outstanding team effort--and no fight camp has as many assistant coaches as we do---that I look forward to continuing for many more years God willing.




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Interview with HDNet Fights CEO Andrew Simon (August 21, 2009)

As recently reported on FightTicker.com, HDNet will celebrate their centennial episode tonight, August 21st. I was able to shoot a few questions to some of the people involved with the show. The first interview was with Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. An interview with Kenny Rice will follow, and I was not able to interview Bas Rutten as he was busy with another project.

Check after the jump to hear what Simon had to say about the first 100 episodes of HDNet, and what we can look forward to in the future.

Brian Furby: Thinking back to when the idea for Inside MMA was first conceived, is the show where you thought it would be as we head into the centennial episode?

Andrew Simon: The show has evolved quite a bit through 100 episodes, but the premise of being the best news show for MMA on television remains the same. I think the production improved this year and the level of guests continues to rise. When we first started, I never would have guessed that we would have featured 135 different fight promotions in 39 states and 12 different countries! The sport has become a global phenomenon.

Brian Furby: How did you select Bas Rutten, Kenny Rice and Ron Kruck?

Andrew Simon: I will give credit to Mark (Cuban). He is a huge follower of MMA and assembled the cast right around the time I started with HDNet

Brian Furby: What’s it like working with Guy Mezger?

Andrew Simon: Guy is incredible to work with. For a legend of the sport, Guy is incredibly humble and eager to work on new projects. His latest role in the commentary booth shows the fans how much Guy really knows about the sport.

Brian Furby: Are you a fan of MMA, and if so, what has been your favorite moment on the show so far?

Andrew Simon: I am fortunate to be involved in a sport and career I love. I watched MMA for over 15 years and have been involved on the cable and PPV side of the business for a long period of time. I am not sure I have one favorite moment, but I am proud of the Bassie award show last year. Watching Gina Carano tape her acceptance speech while holding a Bas bobblehead makes me smile.

Brian Furby: You have had a distinguished career in the media industry – how does working for HDNet compare with some of your prior experiences?

Andrew Simon: Working for HDNet has been like being on the bullet train in Japan going 200 mph. It has been an incredible ride building HDNet as The Home of MMA! In the past 2 years we have built up HDNet where we broadcast more MMA than any network in the world. I have had the opportunity to work with great companies (Mirage, COX, etc) and great executives in my career, but I can say no one works harder than HDNet owner Mark Cuban. There is a reason he is one of the great entrepreneurs of our time….he is passionate and never stops learning and pushing the envelope. His understanding of MMA and all the businesses he is involved with is unparalleled in business. I would recommend people read blogmaverick.com for learnings that you won’t read in a book!

Brian Furby: What can we expect to see over the next 100 episodes?

Andrew Simon: More Inside MMA on the road like this past weekend at Strikeforce. It’s great doing the show LIVE….the excitement and the crowds help make the show even better.

Brian Furby: Based on the success of Inside MMA, are there plans for HDNet to further expand its original MMA-based content?

Andrew Simon: Yes, we just added MMA Worldwide and plan to add more fights and original series!

----------
Thanks to Mr. Simon for taking some time to answer the questions. I have always enjoyed Inside MMA and the idea of more MMA programming makes me happy.


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My New Writing Gig - PRO MMA

As I mentioned in my most recent post, FightTicker.com is shutting down effective this Saturday, September 26, 2009. However, I wanted to let you all know that my blogging will still continue. I have joined the top-notch staff over at PROMMA.info, an excellent MMA site.

More info after the jump.

PRO MMA is a great MMA site. I first ran into site President/Owner Jack Bratcher and site VP/Editor Denny Hodge at an XFC show in Knoxville. We had some good discussions that night on the XFC show and the state of MMA blogging and reporting. Then, I met PRO MMA staff writer Dusty Adams at an RFL show in Indiana. I'd planned on live blogging that show but when I arrived was asked to commentate. I jumped at the chance, but needed a second man to play the Joe Rogan to my Mike Goldberg (or vice versa). I happened to run into Dusty, there to cover the show for PRO MMA, so I asked if he'd like to give me a hand and we did an excellent job commentating the show (if I do say so myself).

When I learned that FightTicker might be shutting down, I started making inquiries with some sites who were looking for writers and with some sites who had previously contacted me about writing for them. Ultimately, I decided that PRO MMA would be the best fit for me, and I am really excited about this new opportunity.

I do have some things to learn in terms of posting format and other logistical issues but I am hitting the ground running.

I will continue to do the live coverage of all of the shows I normally go to, as well as provide you with the best in regional and national MMA news, commentary, product reviews, and original content. I have some great things in the works right now, including some previously announced product reviews including Brandon Quick's 3-DVD set called Fade to Black, and some great products recently sent to me by Victory Belt. Additionally, mine and Puddin's radio show, Cageside Seats, will be up and running full swing again in the very near future, after I sort out some of the technical details.

And that's just me - PRO MMA already has a number of great writers and big things are happening with the site, including a blog from TUF 10 competitor Justin Wren. Wren will be posting weekly updates on his experiences on TUF, and his first entry is already in the books. You can check that out here.

I'm really happy to be part of the PRO MMA crew. It's going to be a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to contributing what I can to PRO MMA's already strong staff.

-PreView

EDIT: I edited the article to correctly note that Cageside Seats is not just my radio show, but mine and Puddin's :)


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ICF to Open Nation's First Fight Club/MMA Sports Bar

I was recently granted sneak preview access to Intimidation Cage Fighting's new fight club/MMA sports bar. ICF Promoter and club owner Steve Stanton took some time to talk with me about this new venture. You can find my full write-up on FightTicker.com.

The opening show at the club will be this Saturday, July 25th - I'll be there live blogging and doing post-show interviews with a number of the fighters - check back on Saturday night for more links.


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Vanessa Bohleber-Higdon Featured in Women's MMA Reality Show.

The first female fighter I interviewed, Vanessa Bohleber, has been featured in the new Women's MMA reality show, Fight Life, produced by Warm Springs Productions. You can find all the details on the show as well as a link to an extended trailer on a write-up I just did for FightTicker.com.


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R.I.P. Billy Mays

I love watching infomercials. Period. I have only ever purchased one product from an infomercial, but I love watching them all the same. One of the greatest, if not the greatest, pitchmen of all time died this week. Billy Mays brought the world all kinds of products, and he always did it with a smile on his face. I recently read that everyone that attended his wedding got some Oxi-Clean, and he was known to give visitors to his house various cleaning products as well. I can only imagine what a trip to Billy's house might have been like - probably would've been pretty entertaining - just like watching him pitch a new product.

R.I.P. Billy Mays

For more info on Billy Mays, check out Wikipedia.


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FightTicker.com Exclusive: XFC 8 Post-Fight Interview With Julio Gallegos

One of the fighters I had a chance to catch up with after the recent XFC 8 event was Julio Gallegos, fresh off a second-round submission victory over CT Turner. In case any of you missed it, take some time to check out the excellent pre-fight profile of Gallegos done by FightTicker.com blogger Mike Menninger. The picture is from Fight For Life USA's Event Album. Pictured from left to right are Fight For Life USA co-founder Scott Wells, Julio, Zeena (holding their daughter Bralynn) and Fight For Life USA co-founder Brent Thompson.

Check after the jump for my interview with Gallegos.

FightTicker: Big submission victory tonight over CT Turner in the second round – obviously a lot of respect between you and CT, both tough guys – how did you feel going into the fight tonight?

Julio Gallegos: I felt pretty confident. I don’t know what it is man, but every time, the first round, it’s like I can’t get loose or something. It’s takes to the second or third round ‘til I get loose and I’ve got to change that. But physical-wise, conditioning, I felt very good, not a problem. I put a lot of work in between my teammates Reaction Fight Club, No Limits, and Submit Pit, they bust my ass.

FT: In your post-fight interview talking to Ron Kruck from HDNet you could’ve talked about anything and you took that time to talk about your association with Fight For Life USA. What does it mean to you being able to give them that kind of exposure on a live televised broadcast?

Gallegos: It means a lot because a lot of people lose their family members to something that they shouldn’t lose them to. I lost a couple close ones to me and it sucks to lose a loved one like that. It’s an honor to me being able to say Fight For Life USA like that. It’s an honor.

FT: You talked to my buddy and FightTicker.com blogger Mike Menninger about how you liked the XFC. Is it your plan to stay with them and keep fighting at middleweight?

Gallegos: Yeah, they always say try out your first contract and if you don’t like it, go to something else better. So far they treat me really good and I have no complaints so I’m going to stay with them until my future says not to.

FT: Anybody you want to give out a shout-out to or say thanks to?

Gallegos: I definitely want to say thanks to Rob Nickerson out of Reaction Fight Club, Willie Ray out of No Limits, Larry Combs and Darren out of Submit Pit. Thanks to Fight For Life USA which has allowed me to do what I do. Shout out to Zeena [Julio’s fiancée], and her father, [the man who was like] her second father, that just passed away from cancer, and Brenda, [Ron] Kruck’s mother, she’s battling breast cancer, so definitely a shout out to her. And a shout out to yourself, man, [laughs] being here and covering this and talking to me.

----------

Gallegos is a class act both in and out of the cage. He came back from a first round that by all accounts had him down on the Judges’ scorecards 1-0 and turned a small mistake by Turner into a big win. From beginning to end, Gallegos expressed nothing but respect not only for his opponent CT Turner, but for his role in the fight game. He’s a fighter dedicated not only to his training and advancement in the sport but also the advancement of those who have helped get him there like training partners and organizations like Fight For Life USA.

Fight For Life USA recently released Gallegos’s signature shirt [pictured above] for sale to the general public and it will be available on their website within the next few days. Also, for any of you who didn’t notice, Gallegos has now joined FightTicker.com – take some time to check out his profile and say congratulations.

-PreView

(Originally posted on FightTicker.com)

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XFC 8: “Regional Conflict” Explodes into a Full-Fledged Mixed Martial Arts Warzone, Live on HDNet Fights

From a Press Release:

Knoxville, TN: In the XFC’s first-ever fight card to be broadcast live on national television, the next generation of Mixed Martial Artists hurled haymakers, swapped submission holds, and turned Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee into an all-out warzone.


The end-result was XFC 8: “Regional Conflict,” an event airing live on HDNet that showcased the top emerging talent and most promising up-and-coming fighters in the entire Southeast.


In the televised portion of the fight card, 22-year-old, 264-pound debuting heavyweight Chris “The Beast” Barnett outlasted 60+ fight veteran Johnathan Ivey via unanimous decision. Barnett, a two-time statewide heavyweight high school wrestling champion in Georgia and a third degree Taekwondo black belt, began his MMA training just five months earlier, winning an open tryout with the XFC for a spot in the MTV reality TV series “Made.” The young prodigy dominated the older fighter from the get-go.


“He held position well and was hard to move… he’s just better than me,” said a dejected Ivey. The well-traveled heavyweight from Clarksville, Tennessee had previously battled the likes of Dan Severn, Gan “The Giant” McGee, Ben Rothwell, Ricco Rodriguez, Travis Wiuff, Jake O’Brien, Sam Hoger and Jeremy Horn.


“It was a great experience,” exclaimed an excited Barnett, a native of Athens, Georgia. “I knew he’d try to confuse me with his veteran tricks, but I’m a different breed. I can move! Kicks, flips – I can do it all!”


Jason Wood survived a back-and-forth battle with Derek Schiffer in a 150-pound showdown between twenty-something contenders with a combined 17-3 professional and amateur record. The first round was a close, competitive matchup with both men delivering – and receiving – colossal head-shots. In round two, Wood rocked Schiffer with a vicious volley of cascading punches, forcing the referee to dive atop Schiffer and stop the bout at the 3:41 mark.


Schiffer needed assistance vacating the cage.


In the third fight, ex-University of Tennessee linebacker and “wedge-busting” special teams ace Ovince St. Preux won his blood-feud with light heavyweight Ombey “Kryptonite” Mobley of Tampa, Florida, twisting his ankle and winning by submission 2:36 in round one. Mobley brought a theatrical flair to the contest, mocking St. Preux by dropkicking a Smokey hound dog doll and repeatedly making a “Gator Chomp” gesture in the cage; Smokey is the official mascot of the Tennessee Volunteers.


The highly-partisan crowd loudly booed Mobley throughout the contest, erupting into a crescendo of boisterous cheers when the hometown hero finally upended his Florida challenger.


“It was really satisfying,” said St. Preux, reflecting on his victory. “I was really cranking hard [on the submission hold]. If he hadn’t tapped, he would’ve had a serious injury. This was definitely the highlight of my MMA career.”


Former light heavyweight CT Turner dropped to 185-pounds to face undefeated Julio Gallegos in the fourth fight on HDNet. Both fighters opted to grapple and strike in concussive waves in the first stanza, with neither man able to dominate the other. Arguably, Turner won round one 10-9. But Gallegos began to incrementally deliver the harder and more damaging shots in the second round, locking Turner into a guillotine and refusing to release until he tapped at 2:47.


“There was a little bit of déjà vu,” noted Gallegos, who also bested Turner as an amateur. “I like CT a lot. He’s a good person. In a way it was hard to fight him, because we both overcame adversity – and adversity never overcame us.”


Both Gallegos and Turner experienced homelessness and other serious setbacks in life before discovering the sport of MMA and embarking upon successful professional careers.


In the co-featured bout of the night, Rafaello “Tractor” Oliveira faced XFC Lightweight World Champion John Mahlow at the catchweight of 160-pounds, with Mahlow agreeing to defend his title against Oliveira if he lost to the Brazilian-born BJJ black belt and sparring partner of UFC title-holder B.J. Penn. From the very first round, Oliveira utilized his jujitsu prowess to stymie the XFC champion, winning a three-round unanimous decision.


“Rafaello is a good fighter,” said Mahlow afterwards. “No excuses. We’ll see each other again.”


Undefeated MMA heavyweight and former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley was on hand to present the XFC Featherweight World Title Belt to the winner of the Bruce “The Noose” Connors versus Jarrod “The Wild Card” Card fight in the main event. Connors entered the fight as the favorite, boasting a 6-0 record – with all six wins coming by first round knockout or submission. By the end of the night, Connors’ record would receive its first blemish.


Utilizing blazing foot-speed and precision punches, Card confounded Connors, peppering him with strikes from unorthodox angles, slicing his face into a gruesome mask of shredded flesh and free-flowing blood. Connors refused to back down and twice clamped Card into a deep guillotine, but each time the young fighter wrestled free and returned to his feet. Card won the contest – and the XFC world title – via five-round unanimous decision.


“I’m the new guy on the scene,” said an elated Card, who elevated his record to 10-2-1. “I’m more than ready for the next level. I’ll fight anyone.”


For his part, Bobby Lashley – who announced that he’ll finally be fighting for the XFC in September – seemed impressed with the fight card.


“I thought it was an incredible night,” gushed the former two-time ECW world champion. “I was blown away by all the talent in the cage. These guys now know what it’s like to fight in the big show. As for my upcoming fight with the XFC, anyone they want me to take out, I’ll do.”


Veteran sportswriter Dave Link covered XFC 8 for the Knoxville News Sentinel newspaper, and certainly appeared to enjoy the drama and action.


“I’ve covered all kinds of sports for 25-years but I’ve never covered MMA,” said Link. “This was just great! The entire event was first-class. If I wasn’t covering it, I’d be here as a fan. I’ll definitely be back when the XFC returns.”


Final results for XFC 8:


Undercard

Devan Plaisance defeated Paul McEntee by TKO, 3:06 in round one

Matt Traylor defeated Richard Boyd by TKO, 4:37 in round one

Corey Krebs defeated Dean Hamilton by TKO, 1:22 in round one


HDNet Fights

Chris Barnett defeated Johnathan Ivey by three-round unanimous decision

Jason Wood defeated Derek Schiffer by TKO, 3:41 in round two

Ovince St. Preux defeated Ombey Mobley by submission (ankle lock) 2:36 in round one

Julio Gallegos defeated CT Turner by submission (guillotine) 2:47 in round two

Rafaello Oliveira defeated John Mahlow by three-round unanimous decision (Oliveira wins guaranteed rematch for Mahlow’s XFC Lightweight World Title)

Jarrod Card defeated Bruce Connors by five-round unanimous decision (Card wins vacant XFC Featherweight Champion)

###

About Xtreme Fighting Championships (XFC): Xtreme Fighting Championships – better known to MMA fight fans worldwide as XFC – is the Southeast’s leading independent MMA promotion, and stages the largest live shows in the entire sport this side of UFC. Dedicated to launching the careers of the MMA superstars of tomorrow, XFC’s North American fight cards are broadcast live on national television, exclusively on HDNet. For more information about XFC, please visit www.mmaxfc.com.


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FightTicker.com Exclusive: Interview with XFC President John Prisco

Just a few days before the XFC's debut live event on HDNet, XFC 8: Regional Conflict, I caught up with XFC President John Prisco to discuss the upcoming event, his feelings on the live broadcast and special guest Bobby Lashley. As always, Prisco took the time to give some thoughtful answers.

Check after the jump for the full interview with Prisco.

FightTicker: Your first show in Tennessee was an exciting night of great fights – what can we expect the second time around?

Prisco: Thanks so much for the kind words, Brian. The great thing about the XFC is that our shows are always so unpredictable. I know it’s become a cliché to “expect the unexpected,” but there’s a lot of truth to that expression. Of course, some of this is by design: As a matter of policy, the XFC does not protect any of its fighters, and every single bout on XFC 8: “Regional Conflict” – on paper – is a toss-up. And what could be better than a night of young, hungry, well-trained fighters battling each other in the pursuit of MMA greatness?

There’s going to be some brutal knockouts. There’s gonna be some tactical wars. There’s gonna be some shattered dreams and broken hearts. But there’s also gonna be a number of rising stars that take the next step – taking a giant leap forward on national television in their quest to become superstars.

That’s what the XFC is so passionate about, Brian – launching the careers of the next generation of MMA champions. I might have no idea which fighters will ultimately prevail, but I fully expect to see some full-fledged cage wars erupt this Saturday night!


FT: How do you think the turnout will be with this show since it’s on a Saturday night and not on a Friday night like your last show in Tennessee?

Prisco: Being on a Saturday generally helps, because it’s easier for people outside of your immediate area to travel to the event. So while I expect most of the audience to still be from Knoxville, we have heard from a number of MMA fans in Nashville and Memphis that are planning a weekend road trip to watch our show.

Saturdays usually work better for our younger fans, so I’d also expect many more college kids, 20-something-year-olds, and teens than last time. Which is something we love, since these fans tend to be exceptionally loud and especially vocal – and the fighters really feed off the energy of the audience. A hot crowd really does make a big difference.

So if you’re coming to XFC 8: “Regional Conflict” this Saturday, April 25, at Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena, plan on getting rowdy! It’s gonna be a tremendous night of MMA action!


FT: How does it feel to have the XFC card televised live exclusively on HDNet?

Prisco: It’s huge for us. In just one night, more people will see the XFC product than ever before – and we’re instantly transformed from a Southeastern promotion into a national promotion. Just one year ago, we were putting together the biggest fight cards in all of Florida – out-drawing everyone else, the UFC included – and now MMA fans from coast-to-coast will finally get to see what all the fuss is about! And what’s so special about what we’ve accomplished in such a short period of time is that we’ve done all this without compromising our core vision. See, some promotions – i.e. EliteXC – tried to buy their way into prominence. Others spent big money on past-their-prime “names” to draw a crowd. But the XFC has been singularly focused on developing new talent, growing the sport, opening new markets, and showcasing the superstars of tomorrow.

This vision has worked because our product is good: The fighters couldn’t possibly be more motivated, the fans are loud and boisterous, and these young warriors are now reaching new heights of prominence. And we’re very excited about finally sharing this product with MMA fans nationwide!


FT: You’ve already made great headway in Florida, and in hosting the first sanctioned Pro MMA card in Tennessee – how do you think this TV deal is going to further increase the XFC’s exposure?

Prisco: It doesn’t just increase our exposure, Brian. It also increases the exposure for all our young fighters. And if you’re an emerging star with big dreams – and you firmly believe in your heart of hearts that you have the skills and discipline to be a champion – then what could possibly be better than joining a promotion where all you have to do is perform, and everyone throughout America will get to see you in action?

Forget about all the politics and inter-promotional rivalries. We don’t get involved in that. What we do is provide a platform for emerging stars to perform against the top rising talent in their division. After that, it’s up to the fighter.

Which means that the XFC isn’t for everyone. If you’re a fighter with holes in your game and you need to be protected, we’re not a good fit. If you’re more concerned with inflating your record against so-so competition while hoping for a future payday, you’ll have to do it elsewhere. And if you’re a veteran looking to cash-in on your name recognition against an overmatch opponent, we’re not interested. But if you’re ready to battle the best available fighters – and do so live on national television – then we can truly help launch your career.

I think this mentality in and of itself will not just separate the XFC from everyone else – but will also separate the kinds of fighters that the XFC attracts from everyone else.


FT: New MMA Heavyweight Bobby Lashley is going to be there to present the XFC featherweight belt to the winner of Bruce Connors and Jarrod Card – when can we expect to see Lashley fighting for the XFC?


Prisco: I don’t want to negotiate through the media, but we think very highly of Bobby Lashley. His amateur wrestling background is superb, and I respect the hell out of him for walking away from the guaranteed paydays of the WWE to pursue his MMA dreams and start anew in a brand new profession. That takes a great deal of courage and a lot of faith in his abilities. Part of the appeal of Bobby is that nobody knows just how good he can be, but in my opinion, his ceiling is exceptionally high.

Bobby wants to work with us and we want to work with him. And when both parties have that kind of temperament, good things usually happen. So stay tuned!


FT: Ovince St. Preux will be making a return in front of his hometown crowd after his KO of CT Turner at XFC 7 – what are you expecting from St. Preux in his performance against Ombey Mobley?

Prisco: Ovince will definitely have his hands full with Ombey Mobley. Ombey is a former professional boxer and an absolute terror in the XFC training facilities, but Ovince has an uncanny knack for elevating his game and delivering when it counts the most. What’s so compelling about this fight will be all the emotions – and how each fighter handles them.

Ovince just won the biggest fight in his entire career with a highlight-reel knockout of CT Turner, instantly becoming a part of the light heavyweight conversation and is now a big celebrity in Knoxville. Will he be able to maintain his focus? Will he be able to build on his last victory?

Ombey is a close, personal friend of CT, and he’s legitimately outraged by how he believes Ovince has disrespected CT. Will his temper get the better of him? Or will he be able to control his emotions and simply take care of business in the cage? Psychologically, how will Ombey react when Ovince tries to kick him in the head – the same way he kicked and KO’d CT?

Either way, there’s definitely the potential for some serious fireworks!


FT: You have some other great match-ups on the card - Julio Gallegos will be facing CT Turner in Turner’s first fight for the XFC at Middlweight and XFC Lightweight Champ John Mahlow will be taking on Rafaello Oliveria at a catchweight of 160, to name a couple – is there a particular match-up you really think the crowd should look for as Fight of the Night?

Prisco: Gallegos against Turner is a fascinating matchup. Both men are in their 20s and both men have dealt with serious setbacks in life. Turner was homeless and fighting in the streets before he discovered MMA, and Gallegos’ mother and father were both killed in a senseless, violent crime while he watched as a young boy. In both instances, Julio and CT’s personal demons were exorcised, in a way, by this sport. I just know that neither man is gonna back down to the other, and both men are willing to sacrifice almost everything in order to prevail. Their hearts are just huge. Both men are class acts.

Mahlow versus Oliveira is another fight I’m really looking forward to watching. Mahlow is the XFC lightweight world champion, and since losing a tightly-contested split decision to WEC title contender Jeff Curran in May of 2007, Mahlow has gone 5-1, including 2-0 in the XFC. In his last three fights, Mahlow has defeated Eben “The Big O” Oroz, stopped UFC’s “Fight Night 13” veteran Ryan Roberts, and submitted Belator’s Luis Palomino in the fifth and final round of their XFC championship bout in December. Mahlow’s victory over Palomino attracted a particularly high level of media interest, especially after ex-UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Nogueira publicly declared Palomino to be his “personal protégé” and a future world champion. He’s a fighter who’s just starting to reach his peak.

Oliveira is a Brazilian-born BJJ black belt fighting out of Premier Martial Arts in Knoxville, where he works as a fighter and trainer. Interestingly, he trains one-on-one with UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn in Hawaii, serving as Penn’s sparring partner for his past three title fights. Penn flies him over to Hawaii, specifically to help Penn work on his BJJ. Oliveira is 7-1, and his one career loss was the byproduct of a doctor’s stoppage – by cuts – on the undercard of the “ShoXC Elite Challenger Series” on Showtime in October of 2008. He was winning that fight, too, when an inadvertent elbow sliced him.

Oliveira versus Mahlow should be an exceptional battle – and I honestly have no idea who’ll win!


FT: You beat the UFC to the Tennessee market with XFC 7, and now you’re hosting XFC 8 approximately a month after the UFC’s first show in Tennessee – what sets the XFC shows apart from the UFC’s?

Prisco: I have enormous respect for the UFC. More than anyone else in all of MMA, the UFC has helped grow the sport and create a climate where an organization like the XFC can prosper. For that, the XFC – and every other promotion – should always be grateful and respectful. But there are differences.

At its heart, the UFC is a private, invitation-only fight club. They crown their own champions within this fight club, and promote their most marketable matchups within their private universe. And they’re great at it.

But the XFC strives to be an open market for all rising MMA superstars – no matter where they’re from or who they are – with no politics and no hyperbole. See, the UFC is more about the present, and we probably focus more extensively on the future. The UFC showcases some of the best fighters of today, but the XFC’s guiding principle is that there’s more undiscovered talent than established talent – and if we can identify and promote these fighters first, we can really help build this sport – raising it to even greater heights for decades to come. Not that the UFC doesn’t care about MMA’s future, of course, but each company goes about safeguarding the future in a very different way.

I don’t view the XFC and the UFC as being in competition with each other, not in the classic sense. They’re older and much more established, while we’re younger and still forging an identity with fight fans nationwide. But to us, the bottom line is that the UFC and Dana White are good for the sport, and although they’re not perfect, they’ve earned every single accolade they’ve received, because the UFC is a tremendous, world class product. And this isn’t just something that I’m saying to you, Brian – I’ve also said it personally to Dana White.

But I’d also like to think that our work with young, emerging fighters is a positive for the sport as well, and that we both bring something a little different to the overall equation.


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Ex-UT Middle Linebacker and Strength Coach Kevin Simon: “Ovince St. Preux Was Born to Be a Cage Fighter!”

From a Press Release:

Knoxville, TN: Between 2001 and 2005, Kevin Simon trained, practiced, and competed on the gridiron against hundreds of Tennessee teammates. Some – like Albert Haynesworth, Jason Witten and John Henderson – went on to achieve considerable NFL success. Others are now in graduate school, pursuing various professional degrees. But none left an impression quite like Ovince St. Preux.



“He’s a little crazy,” laughed Simon from his office in Dallas, Texas, where he works as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys. As Tennessee’s starting middle linebacker, Simon led the Vols in tackles in 2003 and 2005 and played five years for the Washington Redskins. He rejoined the Volunteers in 2007 as a coach on the strength and conditioning staff, leaving at the end of the 2008 season. “There’s a screw loose somewhere in there. But that craziness is why Ovince was such a great special teams player – and why he’s so good in the cage. He just loves contact.”


Ovince St. Preux will be returning to the steel cage at XFC 8: “Regional Conflict” to face Florida fighter Ombey Mobley on Saturday, April 25 in Knoxville at the 21 thousand-capacity Thompson-Boling Arena. The MMA fight card will be broadcast live on national television, exclusively on HDNet. This will be St. Preux’s first fight since his spectacular one-kick knockout of rising light heavyweight prospect CT Turner on February 20 at the first-ever professional MMA show in Tennessee state history, XFC 7: “School of Hard Knox.” The kick earned St. Preux the FightTicker.com “Knockout of the Night.”


Even as a wide-eyed freshman, Simon remembers Ovince St. Preux as a fearless presence in the locker room.


“Ovince was a star wrestler in high school. I think he went something like 30-1 as a senior and finished second in the state,” said Simon. “So right from the beginning, he was always ready to mix it up, always ready to fight or wrestle anyone who got in his face. And that definitely translated to the playing field because he was one of our biggest hitters and most explosive tacklers. When Ovince hit someone, they stayed down for a very long time.”


St. Preux entered Tennessee as a 200 pound defensive end. The coaches moved him to linebacker because of his size limitations, but he made his biggest mark – both on the field and on the other players – as the Vols’ special teams ace and “wedge-buster.”


“Linebackers rely heavily on their instincts,” explained Simon, “and because Ovince was originally a defensive end, he lacked that instinctive first step that a linebacker needs to succeed. But he’s such an amazing natural athlete and so completely fearless, he was an absolute terror on special teams. And keep in mind what brutally violent position a wedge-buster is! Your job is to sprint at full speed, locate the wall of blockers trying to protect the returner, and blow-up the wall so your teammates can make the tackle. Nobody was better at this than Ovince.”


Perhaps his most devastating hit was against his own teammate.


“Oh, man – Ovince had something like 15 tackles and was named Defensive MVP of our 2004 Spring Game,” Simon recalled. “But he had one hit on our running back. Maybe it was Ced [Cedric Houston] or one of the backups, but Ovince just lit him up – knocked the poor guy’s helmet clean off his head. We must’ve watched that hit at least 20 times in the film room. ‘Course, his hit on CT Turner was pretty sick, too!”


Originally from Louisville but training out of Gainesville, Florida, CT Turner boasted before fighting St. Preux that he was going to “destroy Ovince like Florida destroyed Tennessee in football,” and even walked to the cage while doing the “Gator Chomp.” Turner, then 6-2, learned the hard way not to agitate the ex-Vols special teams ace: St. Preux silenced his trash-talking opponent with a jaw-busting rear leg kick to the chin that blasted Turner to the canvas. Out cold, the referee immediately stopped the fight at 2:36 in the first round.


“That victory really changed my life,” noted St. Preux from his training camp at the Knoxville Martial Arts Academy. “Even months afterwards, people are still congratulating me. In fact, after beating Turner, my hand was hurting – not because of any punches I threw, but because of all the autographs I signed! I really feel like I’m ready to make my move in MMA, and I can’t wait to fight one more time in front of the home crowd right here in Knoxville!”


St. Preux will face Ombey Mobley, a hard-nosed ex-convict and former pro boxer who trains with CT Turner in Florida.


“Ovince landed the luckiest kick in MMA history with both his eyes closed, and now he’s running his mouth like he’s frickin’ Chuck Norris,” complained Mobley. “And I definitely ain’t impressed by the fact that Ovince used to wear orange and white on Saturday mornings while the Vols got their skulls stomped by the Gators. He’s a dead man walking.” Mobley is undefeated (4-0) as an MMA amateur and will be making his pro debut.


For his part, St. Preux, 12-2 in MMA as a pro and amateur, declined to engage in a war of words.


“I’ll do my talking in the cage, but I have noticed that Mobley likes to point to his prison background a lot. I guess he thinks that makes him look tough. But people don’t go to jail because they’re tough; they go to jail because they got caught. There’re different kinds of toughness, and I’m confident I’m plenty tough enough.”


Kevin Simon would certainly vouch for his former teammate’s toughness.


“You kidding me?” chortled Simon. “Ovince never missed a single game because of injury. You better believe he’s tough enough, strong enough, athletic enough, crazy enough, and absolutely violent enough. Look, I scout prospects for a living now. Morning, day and night, I’m studying tape and accumulating information. And in the scouting world, people are always comparing prospects to someone else – that this guy has a release like Marino, or that guy can run like Deion. I have an unfair advantage over the other scouts, because when I need to compare a kid to the personification of toughness – and an insatiable blood-lust for violence – all I have to do is think of Ovince. He was born to be a cage fighter, and I sure wouldn’t want to be in Ombey’s shoes on April 25.”


XFC 8: “Regional Conflict” features the fastest-rising young prospects and top emerging superstars from Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky and North Carolina in a series of contender-versus-contender cage fights. Tickets are now available at the Thompson-Boling Arena box office and Tickets Unlimited outlets, including Cat's Music, Disc Exchange, and Fye Music.


###


About Xtreme Fighting Championships (XFC): Xtreme Fighting Championships – better known to MMA fight fans worldwide as the XFC – is the Southeast’s leading independent MMA promotion, and stages the largest live shows in the entire sport this side of the UFC. Dedicated to launching the careers of the MMA superstars of tomorrow, the XFC’s next mega-event, XFC 8: “Regional Conflict,” takes place on April 25 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee, and will be broadcast live on national television, exclusively on HDNet. For more information about the XFC, please visit www.mmaxfc.com.


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FightTicker.com Exclusive: Junie Browning Discusses Upcoming Fight With Cole Miller

I recently caught up with Junie Browning (via phone) after he'd arrived in Nashville for his upcoming fight against Cole Miller. Junie took some time out of his schedule to discuss his upcoming fight with Miller as well as his move to Xtreme Couture.

Check after the jump for the full interview

FightTicker: Just a few days out from your fight with Cole Miller, how are you feeling?

Junie Browning: I feel awesome. I'm actually walking around Nashville now.

FT: How did you training camp go?

Browning: It was awesome. I did everything I did in this camp for the last one plus some.

FT: A colleague of mine on FightTicker, John Buhl (aka jmb35) recently interviewed Cole Miller and Cole said he plans to beat you wherever the fight goes and that he thinks he's a way better fighter than you except maybe in wrestling - how do you feel about that?

Browning: Ah, he'll see. We'll see about that. I think he's been playing way too many video games, he's been getting too many of those combos, and that's not real life. He'll see. This isn't "Street Fighter," the good guy doesn't always win [Laughs].

FT: So you've implied you're the bad guy - you seem to have a really different approach to training and things now than you did on the show, how's training been going for you since you left the show?

Browning: The training out here [Las Vegas] is awesome. It's extreme training scenarios for extreme fighters, I think. There's no reason you can't get good out here. You can get good by default.

FT: Why Xtreme Couture?

Browning: It wasn't necessarily even Xtreme Couture, it was really Shawn Thompkins. Plus Xtreme Couture has the best Lightweights there are.

FT: Do you still train at 4 Seasons at all?

Browning? Nah, that was a good camp and stuff, but I had to be around more people who take it a little bit more seriously. Everyone out here [in Vegas] is more professional, people back home just do it for a hobby. This is something - being in the UFC isn't something you can just do part time, do for fun or do it for a hobby, you have to do it like a job. I'm out in Vegas for good now. It's just something I felt I had to do. You're part of the people you associate with and back home, they want to do it for fun and I couldn't treat it like that anymore, I couldn't treat it like a game anymore.

FT: What do you think about Miller in general?

Browning: I don't know much about him so I can't make any comments about him. I think all the stuff he's saying is to hype it up and stuff, to convince himself but I think he really knows what the outcome is going to be. I'm not Andy Wang or Jeremy Stephens.

FT: What about Miller's win over Jorge Gurgel?

Browning: I think Gurgel was beating the crap out of him, but he just made a mistake - anything can happen in a fight, but I feel like Gurgel was pretty much dominating him until the end of the fight.

FT: Your conditioning appears to have improved leaps and bounds since you left the show - is a rematch with Efrain Escudero something you'd be interested in?

Browning: Yeah, I'd do it right now out here on the street if I could just to show him that wasn't even me at 30 or 40% when I was on the show.

FT: So you think you're at 100% now?

Browning: Yeah, definitely.

FT: Your brother Rob ended up with a spot on TUF - when he was going for the tryouts, what kind of advice did you give him?

Browning: I just told him don't drink as much as I did, have fun, it's something you experience once in your life so make the best of it. Try and get your name out there as much as possible and try not to lose.

FT: So is this going to be something we see in the future, the Browning brothers going on a tear in the UFC like the Miller brothers have?

Browning: [Laughs]. That would be cool. He hasn't really told me much about the show. I don't even know what necessarily happens on it, but I know we'll be the most insane people ever on the show.

FT: You've said in some other recent interviews you haven't been drinking or partying, anything like that - what have you been up to besides training?

Browning: Just playing videogames mostly. Watch some movies, I try to concentrate on fighting. I don't really go out or anything, too many distractions and temptations and stuff so I just try to avoid it completely, stay home, play videogames and have a lot of sex.

FT: So you don't buy into the whole abstinence before a fight idea?

Browning: No, that's an old boxing rumor, that's not true at all. I actually think it would hurt you not to have sex before a fight.

FT: The videogames, the not going out - is that just fight prep or are you not going out at all?

Browning: It's not going to be like this year-round. As soon as this fight's over, I'm going to go get drunk and have some fun, you know what I mean? It's almost like a reward to yourself for training so hard, but 2-3 months out, I won't drink or party anything, I totally avoid it. Or if I do go out, I don't drink, I just hang out with friends.

FT: Do you think you're ever going to get past the reputation you set for yourself on TUF, or is that something you don't have a problem with?

Browning: Nah, I don't really care. Some people like it, some people hate it, I don't really care. I don't think there's really anything I have to do to get rid of that reputation. When people see me fight a few more times people will realize I'm not the same person.

FT: About fighting a few more times - where do you see yourself in the UFC's Lightweight division now?

Browning: I'm the best looking guy in the Lightweight division, I know that [Laughs]. Time will tell. I don't believe I'm even close to being one of the top guys right now, but I think I have the most potential and within the next few years, I could beat anybody.

FT: Thanks for your time Junie - is there anybody you want to thank?

Browning: Denaro Sports Marketing and TapouT.

----------

Browning was a nice guy to talk to - when I messaged him about the interview, he responded almost immediately. At the weigh-in for tomorrow's UFN 18 event, it appears that Browning wasn't even the one playing the "bad boy" role. Here is a video of his and Miller's weigh-ins.

-PreView

(Originally posted on FightTicker.com)




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XFC 8: “Regional Conflict” Main Event Now a World Championship Title Fight

From a Press Release:

Knoxville, TN: The XFC announced today that the highly-anticipated featherweight showdown between undefeated Bruce “The Noose” Connors (6-0) of Orlando, Florida and Jarrod “The Wild Card” Card (9-2-1) of Jacksonville, North Carolina will now be for the XFC featherweight world championship. The two 145-pound fighters will battle in the main event of XFC 8: “Regional Conflict” on Saturday, April 25, at the 21 thousand-capacity Thompson-Boling Arena on the campus of the University of Tennessee. The event will be televised live nationwide, exclusively on HDNet.

Check after the jump for the full press release, including the announcement of a special guest.

Rising heavyweight contender Bobby Lashley (2-0) will be at XFC 8 as a special guest, and the former two-time ECW world champion will present the custom-designed world title to the winner.

“I’ve gone on record as saying that Bruce Connors is the best featherweight I’ve ever seen outside of the WEC,” said XFC president John Prisco, “but Card is a tremendous natural athlete with a ferocious mean streak, and I’d actually give him a slight edge in power and experience. We’ve only crowned two other world champions in the history of the XFC [lightweight champion John Mahlow and bantamweight champion Jason Goodall], and it’s because we’re fanatically protective of the sanctity of our title belts. Whoever wins this fight will be a champion in the full sense of the word. Connors versus Card is a matchup that industry insiders are just salivating over, and it’s one of the most compelling fights that the XFC has ever had the privilege of promoting.”

XFC 8 features the fastest-rising young prospects and top emerging superstars from Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky and North Carolina in a series of contender-versus-contender cage fights. The combined professional and amateur records of all fighters currently assigned bouts is 130-22. “That means our fighters will enter the cage with a winning percentage of over 85 percent,” noted Prisco. “That’s virtually unheard of in today’s MMA, but this card is just loaded with do-or-die matchups between the top young talent in the entire Southeast. These are the champions of tomorrow – and the next generation of Mixed Martial Artists.”

Bruce Connors served two tours in Kosovo and Afghanistan as a sniper scout with the U.S. Marines – and later utilized his elite combat skills as an officer with the Florida police department’s SWAT [Special Weapons and Tactics] team. Training out of Gracie Barra Orlando, Connors exploded onto the MMA scene with a 6-0 record, earning multi-fight contract offers from numerous national promotions. All of Connors’ six wins are by first-round knockout or submission.

“A world title represents the ultimate achievement for anyone in the fight game,” said Connors, “because it means that you’re the absolute best at what you do. It’s the pinnacle of a fighters’ career and the reason why we push our bodies beyond the breaking point every day in training camp. I learned a little bit about mental toughness on the battlefields overseas, so I really hope I’ll be able to maintain focus on Jarrod Card and concentrate on executing my game plan, but I won’t lie to you: Fighting for the XFC world title on live TV is a dream come true, and I can’t help but smile from ear-to-ear when I think about what it would be like to wear that belt around my waist. On April 25, I’ll pay any price to win that championship.”

His opponent, Jarrod Card, also has a strong military background: Formerly a member of the U.S. Navy, Card currently works with the Marines at Fort Lejeune as a civilian contractor and aircraft expert. In his most recent fight, Card battled Jeff “Little Popeye” Bedard, a three-fight veteran of the WEC, where “Little Popeye” went 2-1. Bedard entered the bout with a sterling 9-1 record, but was quickly overwhelmed by Card’s lightning-fast hands and offensive onslaught. Card decimated Bedard, forcing the corner of “Little Popeye” to throw in the towel at the end of round one.

“In the eyes of the media, I was the underdog against Jeff Bedard, and according to the media I’ll be the underdog once again when I fight Bruce Connors,” said Card. “But that’s just perception. In reality, there are no favorites and there are no underdogs once the steel cage door swings shut and the bell chimes. All that matters is who fights harder – and whose heart is bigger. I’ve got nothing negative to say about Bruce. He’s a class act and a great young fighter. But I know me, and when we lock horns in the center of the cage – with the XFC featherweight world title on the line – I honestly don’t see how he can survive. I want that championship belt so badly, I can taste it. It’s the first thing I thing I think about when I wake up in the morning – and the last thing I think about when I go to sleep at night. Maybe it’s becoming an unhealthy obsession, but I need that title. He’ll have to break me to take it.”

Johnny Najjar is the president of Masis Boxing Belts, a family-run business that’s been the preeminent designer and manufacturer of world titles for over 60 years. His belts have been worn by every major boxing champion of the past half-century, including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, and now the Klitschko brothers. Najjar is personally hand-designing the XFC featherweight world title belt, and according to Najjar, his not-yet-completed creation will symbolize the sacrifice and discipline required to become a world champion.

“This is more than a trophy; it’s a work of art – an 18-karat gold-plated masterpiece!” exclaimed Najjar. “Over 200 man-hours will go into the XFC championship title. Its magnificent design truly symbolizes the bravery and fearlessness of the modern day MMA gladiator. Since the age of Pharaohs in ancient Egypt, championship belts have symbolized that – for just one fleeting moment in time – the title-holder has achieved true greatness and everlasting immortality. I know that Bruce Connors and Jarrod Card will put each other through hell and back to win the XFC featherweight world championship – and whoever prevails will have a title belt worthy of the occasion, I promise you that!”

XFC 8: “Regional Conflict” takes place on April 25 at Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena. Tickets are now available at the Thompson-Boling Arena box office and Tickets Unlimited outlets, including Cat's Music, Disc Exchange, and Fye Music.

###

About Xtreme Fighting Championships (XFC): Xtreme Fighting Championships – better known to MMA fight fans worldwide as the XFC – is the Southeast’s leading independent MMA promotion, and stages the largest live shows in the entire sport this side of the UFC. Dedicated to launching the careers of the MMA superstars of tomorrow, the XFC’s next mega-event, XFC 8: “Regional Conflict,” takes place on April 25 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee, and will be broadcast live on national television, exclusively on HDNet. For more information about the XFC, please visit www.mmaxfc.com.


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Official Statement from Xtreme Fighting Championships (XFC) on the Bobby Lashley Rumor

From a Press Release:

From XFC president John Prisco:

“It’s come to our attention that a rumor has started circulating that Bobby Lashley will be fighting Marcus Jones at XFC 8: ‘Regional Conflict’ on Saturday, April 25 – a show featuring the fastest-rising young prospects and top emerging superstars from Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky and North Carolina in contender-versus-contender bouts, airing exclusively nationwide on HDNet. That rumor is false, and no such statement was ever issued by the XFC, Bobby Lashley, or Bobby Lashley’s manager.

(Check after the jump for the full Press Release.)

“It is true that the XFC and Bobby Lashley have had numerous conversations, and both parties hope to find a way to work together in the very near future. Bobby has publicly stated his interest in fighting for the XFC, and we can confirm that the interest is mutual. We look forward to continuing to grow our relationship.

“The XFC hopes Bobby Lashley – and MMA fans nationwide – enjoy XFC 8 ‘Regional Conflict’ on April 25, as it airs live from the 21 thousand-capacity Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee, exclusively on HDNet. For more information, please visit www.mmaxfc.com.”

###

XFC 8: “Regional Conflict” takes place on April 25 at Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena. Tickets are now available at the Thompson-Boling Arena box office and Tickets Unlimited outlets, including Cat's Music, Disc Exchange, and Fye Music.


About Xtreme Fighting Championships (XFC): Xtreme Fighting Championships – better known to MMA fight fans worldwide as the XFC – is the Southeast’s leading independent MMA promotion, and stages the largest live shows in the entire sport this side of the UFC. Dedicated to launching the careers of the MMA superstars of tomorrow, the XFC’s next mega-event, XFC 8: “Regional Conflict,” takes place on April 25 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee, and will be broadcast live on national television, exclusively on HDNet. For more information about the XFC, please visit www.mmaxfc.com.


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