The night’s main event featured two of New England’s best middleweights in Woody Weatherby from Renzo Gracie NH and Dan Keefe, from Brickhouse Fight Team. The fight was a war from start to finish with Keefe controlling most of the action, and Weatherby landing the cleaner strikes. Keefe pushed the pace undeterred by the big shots from Weatherby, and was able to take the fight to the ground where he was able to grind on Weatherby and rough him up a little. As the fight wore on, it turned into battle of Weatherby attempting submissions, with Keefe escaping and making Woody pay with big shots from the top. The fight came down to the wire with Weatherby locking in his best submission of the night, an arm bar that looked to be enough to finish the fight, but Keefe was able to hold on and take the hard fought victory by decision.

The night also featured a pair of big lightweight fights that featured four exciting and popular fighters. Calvin Kattar took on undefeated Rodrigo Almeida in the night’s co-main event, and the crowd was going crazy for both fighters from start to finish. Rodrigo was able to get in tight on Kattar and avoid his devastating punching power, and for the first time Kattar was force to show his impressive wrestling and jiu-jitsu game. As Almeida was fighting hard for a takedown, Kattar was able to lock up a tight guillotine choke and pull guard for the submission victory halfway through round 1.

In the second pairing of top lightweights, John Benoit and Damien Trites put on the most exciting fight of the night, a thrilling back and forth battle that truly brought out the best in both fighters. Benoit was able to land more effective punches and kicks on their feet, and bloodied Trites up quite a bit. On the floor, both fighters had their moments, but the combination of Benoit’s submission attempts and big combinations were enough to earn a decision, and get him back on track for a title run.

Looking ahead, World Championship Fighting also announced a featured fight for WCF 8, which will take place this fall. Wilmington’s Dan Bonnell makes his return to the ring to take on the streaking Josh LaBerge in what promises to be an exciting match up. Stay tuned for big announcements about WCF 8 in the coming weeks.

Official Results from WCF 7:

Dan Keefe def. Woody Weatherby — Split Decision
Calvin Kattar def. Rodrigo Almeida — Submission (Guillotine Choke) 2:16 R1
John Benoit def. Damien Trites — Majority Decision
Greg Rebello def. Jerry Spiegel — Unanimous Decision
Tom Moreau def. Don Carlo-Clauss — Majority Decision
Elias Rivera def. Scott Rehm — Submission (Heel Hook) 2:43 R1
Travis Bartlett def. Guillermo Echuaca — TKO (Punches) 2:18 R1
Saul Almeida def. Dan O’Keefe — Submission (Peruvian Necktie) 1:16 R1
Nick Evangelous def. Matt McKusker — TKO (Punches) 2:41 R1
Aniss Anlhajjajy def. Aaron Petrucelli — Majority Decision
Marcos Escalante def. John Walsh — Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 1:24
Zack Burhans def. Jeff Silva — Unanimous Decision
Nelson Gaipo def. Ryan White — TKO (Punches) 1:07 R1
Noah Wiseman def. Steve Beck — Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 1:50 R1

McGee (13-4) and 6’10” is coming off an impressive 2nd round TKO win against veteran fighter Johnathan Ivey last September and is looking forward to continuing his MMA comeback with an impressive win over Ruiz. But wait just one minute; Ruiz (21-13) at 6’3” has faced off and beat other giants before with Big Jimmy Ambriz, Brian Sesma and Brad Imes. Expect blood-shed in this main event as these two veterans slug it out and try to knock each other out!

In other action, many local fighters from the Central Valley in California will be giving it their all in hopes of making a name for themselves in front of their home crowds and in the MMA community. Additionally PureCombat MMA promotions and the non-profit organization, The United States Entertainment Force www.theusef.org , will be presenting a guitar that has been autographed by Forest Griffin, Jason Von Flue, Josh “The Punk” Thomson, Paul “The Head Hunter” Buentello, Josh Koshcheck, Jake Shields and country western singer Tracy Lawrence. It will be presented to a wounded Iraqi Veteran. Expect a great night of action packed fights.

Tickets for “Home Turf” are available at the Visalia Convention Center Box Office or by accessing http://www.purecombatmma.com/tickets.html. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the fights start at 7:00 p.m.

SEAL BEACH, California (July 2, 2009) – Coming off of his career-defining performance against 3-time UFC® heavyweight title challenger Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo last Saturday night in Biloxi, Dutch knockout artist Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel has been added to the Affliction M-1 Global’s star-studded “Trilogy” Pay-Per- View event against another former UFC® heavyweight title challenger, Paul “The Headhunter” Buentello, live August 1 from Honda Center in Anaheim.

Russian combat fighting legend Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (30-1-0) defends his WAMMA heavyweight title against No. 1 contender Josh “The Babyfaced Assassin” Barnett (24-5-0), in a highly-anticipated main event.

GoDaddy.com presents Affliction M-1 Global’s “Trilogy,” featuring Fedor vs. Barnett in association with Golden Boy Promotions and Donald J Trump. The show is separated into two live broadcasts on the same night—a one-hour special will air on HDNet starting at 7:30 PM/ET (4:30 PM/PT), followed by the sensational Pay-Per-View event, “Trilogy,” commencing at 9PM/ET (6 PM/PT).

In an awesome display of power striking, Yvel (36-13-1) registered his 31st knockout with five devastating rights in a row on a fallen Rizzo’s face and chin, ending at 2:10 of the first round. “I want to move up to (fight) the champions because I want a belt,” Yvel said after the fight. “I’m learning the ground game. I was patient, relaxed, and kicked-off (Rizzo to the mat).”

Buentello (27-10-0), who originally was scheduled to fight Tim Sylvia, is a 6-2, 245-pound Texan who has beaten David “Tank” Abbot, Justin Eilers, Gilbert Aldana, Kevin Jordan and Gary Goodridge.
The co-main event features former Strikeforce® light heavyweight challenger Renato “Babalu” Sobral (32-8-0) against Armenian kick-boxing specialist Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi (25-2-1) in his American debut.

Also on the PPV card is Brazilian bomber Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort (18-8-0), another former UFC® Light Heavyweight Champion, versus Sengoku middleweight title-holder Jorge Santiago (21-7-0). One other PPV fight will soon be announced.

The undercard on HDNet features ex-IFL® Welterweight Champion Jay “The Thoroughbred” Hieron (17-4-0) who will take on former Cage Rage belt-holder, British brawler Paul “Semtex” Daley (21-8-2), along with a pair of exciting, young lightweight prospects, Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (12-1-0) vs. Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon (12-2-0) and former IFL® heavyweight titlist “Big” Ben Rothwell (30-6-0) vs. hot, unbeaten prospect Chase Gormley (6-0-0).

Two other HDNet fights have been solidified as featherweight L.C. Davis (13-2-0) meets Javier “Showtime” Vasquez (13-2-0), former KOTC and Gladiator Challenge champion, while former IFL® lightweight challenger Deividas Taurosevicius (10-3-0) faces Mark “The Machine” Hominick (16-8-0). Two off-television matches are also on tap between heavyweights Jessie Gibbs (7-2-0) and Rob Broughton (10-4-1), as well as Brazilian light heavyweight Lucio Linhares (12-4-0) and Michael Zayats (8-3-0).

All fights and fighters are subject to change. For more information go online to www.afflictionclothing.com.

Tickets for Affliction M-1’s “Trilogy” range between $50.00 and $600.00, are on sale at Honda Center Box Office (1.714.704.2500) and also online at Ticketmaster.com and all Ticket Master outlets (1.714.740.2000).

Affliction
Already a mainstay for the most elite athletes, heaviest bands, A-listers and the fashion conscious, Affliction Clothing’s ability to set the bar high in fashion is evident in its collection’s indulgence of style and design, focus on quality, and its trademark series of divinely executed, dark and powerful themes. (www.afflictionclothing.com)

M-1 Global and M-1 Challenge
M-1 Global has been one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the world for over a decade. International MMA stars who have fought under the M-1 banner have included Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Keith Jardine, Alistair Overeem, Yushin Okami, Ben Rothwell, Mike Pyle, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zenstov, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Omar Suloev, and Chalid Arrab, to name a few. (www.m1mixfight.com)
The Trump Organization
The Trump Organization encompasses global real estate development and global licensing, sales and marketing, property management, golf course development, entertainment, entertainment and product licensing, brand development as well as restaurants and event planning. Donald J. Trump is the Chairman and President of the Trump Organization, a privately held company in New York. (www.Trump.com)
Golden Boy Promotions

Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by Oscar de la Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy Promotions currently has over 60 fighters under contract, from future hall of famers Bernard Hopkins, Sugar Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez to current world champions Ricky Hatton, David Haye, Joel Casamayor, Israel Vazquez and Gerry Peñalosa. Also included on the company’s roster are top contenders Jeff Lacy, Juan Diaz, Daniel Ponce De Leon, Jhonny Gonzalez, Librado Andrade, Rocky Juarez and Rey Bautista; 2004 Olympians Abner Mares, Vicente Escobedo and Rock Allen; and highly regarded prospects Danny Garcia, Jermell Charlo, Hylon Williams and Carlos and Juan Velasquez. (www.goldenboypromotions.com)

Date: July 10 (Friday)
Time: 8 p.m. (first fight)
Place: Orleans Arena
Tickets: $20 in advance; $25 at the door

“We are kicking off an historic weekend in MMA with an exciting match-up of some of the nation’s top female mixed martial artists,” said Barry Meyer, President of Tuff-N-Uff Productions, the promoter of Tuff Girls. “We have a line-up of featured fighters who not only pack a punch but have colorful lives outside the ring proving how diverse a sport MMA has become.”

One such fighter is Lauren Feldman. Fighting in the 120 lb class, Ms. Feldman is not only an exceptional fighter, but also an Ivy League graduate. After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities and Arts from Carnegie Mellon University, Feldman took her education to the next level by earning her Master’s Degree in Computer & Information Technology from the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League school.

Not to be outdone, Barb Honchak has a Bachelor’s Degree in Molecular Biology and a Master’s Degree in Ecological Genetics, Latoya Walker has a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise and Sports Science and a Master’s Degree in Human Movement and Paige Zio has a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics from the prestigious UC Berkeley. All of these women have pursued successful careers in their fields of study and train in MMA to conquer another challenge.

Tickets for the event are on sale now for $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the fight. Tickets may be purchased by calling 702.284.7777, online at www.orleansarena.com or in person at the Orleans Arena box office located at 4500 West Tropicana Avenue at Arville Road.

About Tuff-N-Uff:
Founded in 1994, Tuff-N-Uff Productions is the nation’s premiere amateur MMA organization. Tuff-N-Uff is a proving ground for amateur fighters providing an unparalleled outlet for up and coming fighters. Tuff-N-Uff has helped launch the MMA careers of pros such as Jon Fitch and Aaron Riley. Tuff-N-Uff strives to help the younger generation of fighters pursue their dreams of becoming professional MMA athletes through the development of individual athletic skills, work ethic, discipline, sportsmanship, self-respect and pride. For more information visit www.tuffnuff.net.

SALEM, New Hampshire (July 1, 2009) – UFC pioneer Patrick Smith was there at the beginning and 16 years later the ageless wonder is still going strong as he prepares to fight another UFC veteran, super heavyweight Kevin “The Shamnan” Jordan (11-8-0), in the Super Fight on American Steel Cagefighting’s (ASC) first professional mixed martial arts show, July 31 at the Icenter in Salem, New Hampshire.

Smith (16-13-0), now fighting out of Milburn, Oklahoma, was a UFC pioneer, losing a tough fight to Ken Shamrock in UFC1. He came back strong in UFC 2, winning three fights in a row, before eventually losing in the championship match to legendary Royce Gracie. Patrick’s most notable wins have been against Rudyard Moncayo in UFC6 and last year versus Eric “Butterbean” Esch.

Reflecting on his MMA career that Smith believes has taken off again, Patrick clearly is proud of where he’s been, as well as confident about where he’s headed. “I look at it and say, ‘Wow,’ because this sport is now the fastest growing in the country,” Patrick said. “I’m still here and doing very well. I’m more of an all-around fighter now, not just a good Muay Thai fighter and kick boxer. My body’s still good. (UFC president) Dana (White) keeps telling me to beat somebody more accomplished. I just beat Brad Imes in 28 seconds (TKO, March 13). I busted him up and did a lot of things to him in 28 seconds. I don’t know what more I can do. I’m outweighed by a lot every time I fight, but I’m still willing and able to fight anybody. Tim Sylvia, Chuck Lidell, Anderson Silva……they’re terrible strikers. They can’t hit me.”

Smith has fought all over the world – Russia, Japan, Brazil and Canada – and across the United States, but never before in New England. “I’m looking forward to coming up there,” Smith added. “I don’t talk trash because anything can happen in the heavyweight division. I’ll be in good shape and will bring my best.”

IFL veteran Nate “The Future” Lamotte (10-4-0), of Manchester (NH), battles dangerous Doug “Flash” Gordon (9-7-0). Also scheduled to clash on the explosive 10-fight ASC card is undefeated New York lightweight Pat Audinwood (7-0-0) vs. “Mr. Big” Al Buck (6-7-0), former Cage Fury Fighting champion; lightweight Damien “The Omen” Trites (2-3-0) vs. Joe Dechaves (3-1-0); pro debuting featherweights Al Germain Sterling vs. Albert Reccio; welterweight Carlos Nieves (3-6-0) vs. Ryan Schieding (3-1-0); Worcester featherweight Evan Parker (1-0-0), Boston welterweight Aaron McKenna in his pro debut, and Boston middleweight John Clark (7-2-0) against opponents to be determined.

All fights are scheduled for three, three-minute rounds; fighters and fights are subject to change. Tickets, priced at $50.00, $75.00, and $100.00, are available to purchase at Stateline Ticket Agency in Salem (NH) and all Two Guys Smoke Shop stores in Salem, Nashua and Seabrook (NH), as well as by calling toll free 888.224.4272 or going on line to www.AmericanSteelCagefighting.com.

Doors open at 6 PM, first fight at 8 PM. Go to www.AmericanSteelCagefighting.com for additional information.

American Steel Cage Fighting

ASC is co-owned by David Garofalo and Sal LoNano. Garofalo is the proprietor of Two Guys Smoke Shop, in Salem (NH), one of the world’s highest volume independently owned cigar retailer. LoNano, who managed professional boxers “Irish” Micky Ward and former world light welterweight champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, owns S & L Boxing, which has promoted numerous nationally televised pro boxing shows. Gary Marino is the ASC matchmaker.

“Going up against Bob,” Lashley said after the fight, “you always expect the big bulls. I had to take him down, cover and pound. The first thing is to win: ground-and-pound to wear the big man down. He has a big punch. I used my ground-and-pound and got out of there.”

“I got a good shot in the eye and was unable to see,” Sapp explained the ending. “He got me in the eye. No excuses, He got me down today and controlled it. Give it up to Bobby Lashley.”

In a devastating display of power striking, Dutch heavyweight Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel (36-13-3) registered his 31st knockout with five lethal rights on a fallen Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-9-0) at 2:10 of the first round in the co-feature. “I want to move up to (fight) the champions because I want a belt,” Yvel explained his next move. “I’m learning the ground game. What I did tonight was be patient, relax, and kick-off.”

Veteran Javier “Showtime” Vazquez (13-2-0) took pro debuting Mark Kergosian (0-1-0), who was a late replacement for Din “Dinyero” Thomas, to school with a first-round submission by Guillotine choke only 59-seconds into the opening frame. “I want to thank Mark or I wouldn’t have had a chance to fight tonight,” featherweight Vazquez remarked. “I was looking forward to fighting Din. It’s unfortunate. I’m back! This is my weight class. Very few guys can touch me at 145. That was just a tip of the iceberg.”

Hot 21-year-old lightweight prospect Chris “The Polish” Horodecki (13-1-0) won by submission for the first time, using a rear naked choke to force William “The Bull” Sryyapai (12-5-0) into a tap-out in round one.

Waachim “Native Warrior” Spirit Wolf (6-4-0) unleashed a barrage of punches to stop a dazed Brett Cooper (9-5-0) at 1:04 of the opening round of their welterweight fight. “I head Brett Cooper signed to fight in 30 days,” Spirit Wolf noted. “It was all over the news. I said, if he didn’t take me serious, he’d be in trouble and that’s what happened. He never should have looked past me. I’ve been fighting tough guys since I started. I’ve always told my management to get me the best fighters. I’ll fight anybody. I’ve gone through wars and it’s made me a more powerful, spiritual fighter.”

Affliction vice president Tom Atencio (2-0-0), 42, turned back the clock and ruined local favorite Randy Hedderick’s (0-0-1) pro debut in a spirited lightweight match. Atencio won the second-round TKO when Hedderick, 17 years Atencio’s junior, was unable to continue (broken nose) in the third. “Randy’s a tough kid and I thank him for the fight,” Atencio said. “Screw Dana White for what he said about you. Anybody who steps in the ring deserves a lot of respect. Win, lose or draw, at least you had the balls. He rocked me a couple of times and decked me.”

Mississippi lightweight Brandon Harder (2-0-0) used an arm triangle to submit John Harris (0-2-0) in round two.

James Orso (9-3-0) defeated Danny “The Assassin” Abbadi by decision for the second time in their welterweight rematch.

Northern Ireland welterweight Colin “The Gift” McKee (6-3-0) won by way of a series of strikes in the first round against tapping-out Lance Thompson (5-3-0).

FULL RESULTS:

SUPER HEAVYWEIGHTS
Bobby Lashley (4-0-0), Parker, CO WSUB1 (3:17 – Strikes) Bob Sapp (10-5-1), Seattle, WA

HEAVYWEIGHTS
Gilbert Yvel (36-13-3), Las Vegas, NV WKO1 (2:10 – Punches) Pedro Rizzo (16-9-0), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rocky Overstreet (1-0-0), Auburn, AL WSUB1 (2:08 – Arm Bar) Greg Maher (0-1-0), Gulfport, MS

WELTERWEIGHTS
Waachim Spirit Wolf (6-4-0), Las Vegas, NV WTKO1 (Punches) Brett Cooper (9-5-0), Los Angeles, CA

Colin McKee (4-2-0), Belfast, Northern Ireland WSUB1 (4:16 — Strikes) Lance Thompson (5-3-0), Slidell, LA

James Orso (9-3-0), McIntosh, AL DEC3 (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) Danny Abbadi (4-5-0), Orlando, FL

FEATHERWEIGHTS
Javier Vazquez (13-2-0), Pomona, CA WSUB1 (0:59 — Guillotine) Mark Kergosian (0-1-0), Gulfport, MS

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Chris Horodecki (13-1-0), London, Canada WSUB1 (4:02 – Rear Naked Choke) William Sriyapai (12-5-0), Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Tom Atencio (2-0-0), Laguna Beach, CA WTKO2 (5:00) Randy Hedderick (0-1-0), Biloxi, MS

Brandon Harder (2-0-0), Horn Lake, MS WSUB2 (4:31 – Arm Triangle) John Harris (0-2-0), Biloxi, MA

Drew Wallace (1-0-0), McComb, AL WTKO2 (4:02 – Punches) Eric Graham (3-1-0) Petal, MS

Telecasts Monday, June 29 (9:00 – 10:00 PM, ET/PT).

Luke Cummo vs. Joe Stevenson
Tito Ortiz vs. Evan Tanner
Brad Imes vs. Rashad Evans
* UFC Fight For The Troops

Telecasts Wednesday, July 1 (9:00 PM – Midnight, ET/PT).

The Ultimate Fighting Championship and Spike TV have joined forces to present “UFC Fight For The Troops”, a special three-hour live televised event on Wednesday, December 10 starting at 9:00 PM, ET to raise funds to build a treatment center for the brave men and women in the United States Armed Forces who have experienced traumatic brain injuries. The facility is being sponsored, built and equipped by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
* UFC Unleashed

Telecasts Sunday, July 5 (3:00 – 4:00 PM, ET/PT).

After many years of being teased by the prospect of a face off between Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva, MMA fans finally were able to witness the showdown in UFC 79.
* UFC Unleashed

Telecasts Sunday, July 5 (4:00 – 5:00 PM, ET/PT).

Middleweight Mike “Quick” Swick goes up against “The French Canadian” Steve Vigneault. Then Renato “Babaloo” Sobral faces NCAA All-American Chael Sonnen and then fellow Light Heavyweight Mike Van Arsdale. See the third and final faceoff between Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and Randy “The Natural” Couture.
* UFC Unleashed

Telecasts Sunday, July 5 (5:00 – 6:00 PM, ET/PT).

From UFC 65, George St. Pierre challenges Matt Hughes again for the UFC Welterweight title, and from UFC 62 Chuck Liddell faces off against Renato Sobral.
* UFC Unleashed

Telecasts Sunday, July 5 (6:00 – 7:00 PM, ET/PT).

From UFC 66, Keith Jardine battles Forrest Griffin and Chuck Liddell gives Tito Ortiz a shot at the Light Heavyweight title. Also features an encore of Diego Sanchez against Joe Riggs from Ultimate Fight Night Live.
* UFC Unleashed

Telecasts Sunday, July 5 (7:00 – 8:00 PM, ET/PT).

After many years of being teased by the prospect of a face off between Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva, MMA fans finally were able to witness the showdown in UFC 79.
* Unleashed Knockouts 7

Telecasts Sunday, July 5 (8:00 – 9:00 PM, ET/PT).

The 7th installment in the Ultimate Knockouts series brings you fights from some of the best bouts in UFC history.
* UFC’s Ultimate 100 Greatest Fights

Premieres Sunday, July 5 (9:00 – 10:00 PM, ET/PT).

In celebration of UFC 100, Spike TV will present a 5-part special, highlighting the best 100 bouts in UFC history, as voted on by the fans.

Harris, fighting out of Memphis, is a former high school football player at Dyersburg, Tennessee, who will be 90-pounds lighter in the cage than his playing weight on the gridiron. The 250-pound defensive end will fight Saturday night as a welterweight.

The spotlight, however, will be shining on former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley (3-0-0) and K1 and PRIDE combat fighting legend Bob “The Beast” Sapp (10-4-1), who will bull-rush each other in their highly anticipated super heavyweight main event headlining “Ultimate Chaos, presented by Prize Fight Promotions and Fight Force International, in association with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum, and Treasure Bay Casino.

“Ultimate Chaos” is being produced and distributed by Gotham MMA and Integrated Sports at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in the United States and Canada on cable and satellite Pay Per View via iNDemand, TVN, DirecTV, Bell TV, Shaw, Star Choice and Viewer’s Choice for a suggested retail price of only $29.95. The show will also air internationally to viewers outside of North America on www.gofightlive.tv.

Veteran blow-by-blow announcer Col. Bob Sheridan and colorful mixed-martial-arts heavyweight Seth “The Silverback” Petruzelli lead the PPV broadcast team that also includes color analyst Bray Deavours and ringside reporter Dave Ferguson.

Meanwhile, Lyons will be proudly fighting in front of his parents, girl friend and some friends. He couldn’t be happier being in one the opening acts for the star-studded PPV card.

“I’ve been thinking about it lately,” he said, “and I’m going to be star-struck with all of the big names on the card. I’m going to feel like I’m walking on the red carpet. I’m looking forward to meeting all of them and, hopefully, making valuable contacts for my MMA career.

“I started MMA training five years ago, competitively fighting about 2 ½ years ago, and had an 11-2 amateur record. When college football didn’t work out for me, I remember going to an MMA show and seeing heavyweights fight up close. I’m only 5-9, 5-10 and I knew I couldn’t fight those guys. I weighed about 240-pounds at that time. I’ve been working out and eating right ever since then and now I weigh about 160. I’m a free-style fighter, good on my feet and the ground. I can’t wait for Saturday night.”

In the co-feature, 3-time UFC heavyweight title challenger Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-8-0) meets Dutch knockout artist Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel (35-13-1) in an intriguing match-up. Former King Of The Cage and Gladiator Challenge lightweight champion Javier “Showtime” Vasquez (12-2-0) takes on The Ultimate Fighter 4 star Din “Dinyero” Thomas (24-8-0), while 4-time World Muay Thai title-holder William “The Bull” Sriyapai (12-4-0) faces highly-regarded Canadian lightweight prospect Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (12-1-0)

Also fighting on the card is Waachiim “NativeWarrior” Spirit Wolf (5-4-0) vs. welterweight Brett Cooper (9-4-0); middleweight Colby McMahan (3-1-0) vs. James Orso (8-3-0); Affliction vice president Tom Atencio (1-0-0) vs. pro debuting lightweight Randy Hedderick; veteran middleweight Lance Thomson (4-2-0) vs. The Ultimate Fighter 3 star Danny Abbadi (3-4-0); Belfast, Northern Ireland brawler Colin McKee (3-2-0) vs. welterweight Eric Bradley (2-1-0), 2-time All-America wrestler and 2003 NCAA boxing champion at Penn State. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets are priced at $25.00 (limited discount seating), $40.00 (general admission) and $55.00 (premium reserved seating) and sale at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum and all TicketMaster outlets.

For more information go to www.theultimatechaos.com or www.mscoastcoliseum.com. Doors open at 5PM/CT, first fight 6 PM/CT, and the first PPV fight is at 8 PM/CT.

After Cyborg and Villasenor weighed in at 184 ½ pounds and 185 pounds, respectively, both fighters met face to face. Things got a little too close for comfort and Cyborg pressed his head hard against Villasenor who then pushed back before words were exchanged. At one point, Cyborg pushed Villasenor by the throat before both fighters had to be separated.

Each of the other eight fighters taking part in the televised portion of the show also made weight and squared off without incident.

In the main event on SHOWTIME, Villasenor of Albuquerque, N.M., faces Cyborg of Rondonopolis Mato Grosso, Brazil, in a clash of top-notch middleweights. In another huge middleweight matchup, Nick “the Goat” Thompson takes on highly regarded Tim Kennedy, an Army Ranger and Special Forces sniper.

This is the second edition of the Strikeforce Challengers series from leading MMA promoter Strikeforce and premium television network SHOWTIME. The five-fight telecasts airs at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast). Strikeforce Challengers is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. The series is designed to provide today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

Other bouts on SHOWTIME: Cory “The One” Devela of Bonney Lake, Wash., faces Luke Rockhold of Santa Cruz, Calif. (middleweights), Sarah Kaufman of Victoria, Canada, takes on Shayna “The Queen Of Spades” Baszler of Sioux Falls, S.D., in a 135-pound women’s fight and Jorge Gurgel of Cincinnati, Ohio, will collide with Conor “Hurricane” Heun of Boulder, Colo., in a 155-pound scrap.

ShoWare Center doors will open for the Strikeforce Challengers event at 5:30 p.m. PT.

What the fighters said Thursday and their final weights:

“SMOKIN” JOE VILLASENOR – 184 ½

“I’m feeling incredible right now. I think this fight will be all about momentum. After this fight everyone will know what I’m capable of.”

EVANGELISTA CYBORG – 185

“Come Friday night, I will show that I deserve this: the main event. It’s very cool to be the main event. It’s going to be a good fight and I think everyone will know me when we’re all done. I have respect for my opponent. He has good boxing skill, good wrestling skill … but he’s not great at one thing. He’s good at a lot of things, but not great. I will win.”

TIM KENNEDY – 184

“I’ve got a huge Army following and am fighting out of Fort Bragg (Fayetteville, N.C.). I think it was very big of Nick to take this fight. I’ve been away from the game for awhile (he’s currently a Special Forces sniper serving in the Army). I’m sure he isn’t happy seeing me on the other side of the cage. This is fun. This is the good stuff. It beats getting shot at.”

NICK “THE GOAT” THOMPSON – 185

“This was the fight they offered me so I’ll take it. I don’t like fighting at 185. I hate it. I want to just do this and go back to 170.

“When you get a guy as technically sound as Tim it’s going to be dangerous.

“A loss here will definitely set me back. They don’t offer title fights to guys coming off a loss.

This is fun. To get paid to fight is so much fun. I like to have fun in the ring. Not that I don’t take it seriously but I like to goof around a bit.”

JORGE GURGEL – 157 ½

“I have never felt this good before. I never get nervous. But I never felt this good in UFC. I have put no pressure on myself. I guess I’m a late bloomer. I’ve never felt this great before and my cutting weight has been great. I’m having fun and having a great time out here. He’s a green fighter. I want to keep him standing up.”

CONOR “HURRICAINE” HEUN – 158 ½

“I haven’t fought an MMA match since October so I’m hungry. You’re in danger when you step in the cage with me. My cardio is absolutely impeccable. I’ll fight the fight wherever he wants it to go. It’s going to be beautiful. I hope everyone enjoys it.

“Having fun on Friday night would be looking into his (Gurgel’s) eyes and knowing he’s outclassed. I don’t go to church. Going into the cage is like my church.”

SARAH KAUFMAN – 134

“She’s going to try and go for things that you don’t really expect. She’s going to jump into some things that you don’t really see a lot of. So I’ll be looking for that.

“It’s a positive for me that I just fought last month (May 15; a win over Miesha Tate). It’s hard to peak so many times but I’d rather take this fight than not. I think as long as you’re trained and you’re not injured then you should always take the fight.

“I love the five-minute rounds. It’s going to be awesome. I would go10-minute rounds if I could. I get better as the round goes longer. I push the pace and my opponents hate it.”

SHAYNA “THE QUEEN OF SPADES” BASZLER – 134 ½

“I learned overtraining didn’t work for me (in a previous loss to Cris Cyborg). I learned mental exhaustion translates into physical exhaustion. At this training camp I had a deal with my roommates that once I got home there was no talking about the fight.

“I think Sarah has a pretty aggressive style and she’s confident that it works. The biggest challenge is we know each other too well. And not because, ‘Oh, I don’t want to fight my friend,’ but just strategically. She knows I’m going to want to take her to the ground and I know she’s going to want to stand and punch me in the face.

“I wish they had a stat on how many times people hit rewind on their DVR. I’d win that one for sure.

“Sarah is very good but she’s very predictable.”

CORY “THE ONE” DEVELA – 184

He’s the only Washington state resident on the televised bout from Bonney Lake, Wash., about 45 miles from Seattle.

“I get more frustrated with getting all my friends and family tickets than I do training for this fight. I’ll have like 150 to 200 people at the fight.

“I think the ref is going to stop it. I predict middle second round. I couldn’t find much on (Luke) Rockhold but I’m ready for anything.”

LUKE ROCKHOLD – 183 ½

“I know Cory’s going to be tough. He’s not the most technical striker but I know he likes to throw.

“It should be an all-around tough fight. I believe all around I have better range and am more fine-tuned than he is.

“I’m long and strong and flexible and not a lot of fighters are like that. So I cause problems for people. I have the strength to do things people don’t expect from me.”

Mauro Ranallo will call the action from cageside with Stephen Quadros and Pat Miletich serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr., with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast info and more, visit the SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports .

Friday’s non-televised fights: Dennis “Superman” Hallman (40-12-20) of Yelm, Wash., vs. Justin Davis (11-7) Olympia, Wash., at 195 pounds; Brian Caraway (10-3) of Seattle, Wash., vs. Alex Zuniga (2-1) of Everett, Wash., at 146 pounds; Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm (9-0) of Spokane, Wash., vs. Duane “Bang” Ludwig (18-8) of Denver, Colo., at 160 pounds; Landon “The Show” Showalter (7-12-1) of Arlington, Va., vs. George Stork (4-2) of Kennewick, Wash., at 186 pounds; Len Bentley (3-2) of Olympia, Wash., vs. Marques Daniels (1-2) of Tacoma, Wash., at 156 pounds; and Steve Hadsel (1-0) of Spanaway, Wash., vs. Taylor Roberts (1-1) of Seattle, Wash.

The undefeated Carano and once-beaten Cyborg are slated to battle five, 5-minute rounds in the first-ever fight for the STRIKEFORCE Women’s 145-Pound World Title, Saturday, Aug. 15, live on SHOWTIME® at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Tickets, starting at $30, are available NOW at the HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070), all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com), and the official STRIKEFORCE website (www.strikeforce.com).

The most-desired matchup in the history of women’s MMA is also one that is undeniably the most dangerous assignment to date for a pair regarded as the preeminent female fighters in the world.

Carano, who will be trained for this fight by MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture, has achieved larger than life status over the course of the last year. In a Yahoo! online poll that named the “Top 10 Influential Women of 2008,” the 27 year-old Las Vegas resident ranked fifth, placing ahead of First Lady Michelle Obama and famed journalists Katie Couric and Barbara Walters. Carano has also been featured in the pages of Maxim and profiled by ESPN’s newsmagazine show E:60.

Confident of ruining Carano’s eagerly awaited return to the cage is the talented 23-year-old Cyborg, who has been known to devastate foes with brute strength and has been calling out Carano for several months. Cyborg, along with her husband and fellow STRIKEFORCE competitor Evangelista Cyborg, is a member of Brazil’s famed fight squad, Chute Boxe.

Highlights from Thursday’s conference call:

OPENING COMMENTS:

SCOTT COKER:

“This isn’t just the biggest female fight in MMA history; I really believe it’s one of the largest female fights of all time. I can’t remember when a women’s fight has had No. 1 vs. No. 2 fight.”

“To me, the fight is historic on a number of levels. It’s the first time a woman has been on a main event on SHOWTIME. And secondly, the winner of this fight will be crowned the first ever Women’s 145-pound STRIKEFORCE Champion.”

KEN HERSHMAN:

“Gina has a long history of “firsts” on SHOWTIME. She was on our first-ever MMA card back in February, 2007. She was the first female fighter on CBS. And now, she’s the first female athlete to headline a major fight card on SHOWTIME against Cris Cyborg. We couldn’t be prouder to be associated with these two athletes.”

“I think we’re going to redefine what it is to be a female Mixed Martial Arts athlete.”

“Not since 1996 when Christy Martin was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, have we seen a female fight or event like this.”

GINA CARANO:

“This is an honor on so many different levels. It’s an honor to be fighting on STRIKEFORCE . I’m really impressed with the cards they’ve put on.”

“I’m honored to fight such a great opponent and to fight for the first-ever female MMA title. This is just all-around a huge honor.

“I’m really training hard and I’m looking forward to fighting Cyborg. I think it’s going to be the toughest fight of my life. I appreciate all the love and support. It’s going to be a tough fight, but I’m looking forward to it.”

CYBORG:

“I’d like to thank STRIKEFORCE and everybody else. I am extremely honored to fight Gina. I don’t think there is anybody else out there that is better than Gina.”

“What happened on the Internet with me choking out that interviewer, that was just a joke. It was a part of the scheme and there was nothing serious to it.”

How much do you weigh right now and how confident are you that you can get down to 145 pounds in time for the weigh in?

CARANO:

“I’d rather keep to myself how much I weigh right now, but I’ve never had any troubles getting down to 145. I’ve had trouble making 130 and 135.

“I think 145 is a perfect weight for me and Cyborg and I don’t see any problem for either of us getting down to it.”

CYBORG:

“I’m not weighing too much heavier than what I usually walk around at. Making 145 pounds is not a problem at all.”

How does the change to five, 5-minute rounds affect your training?

CARANO

“I think this is going to be a tough fight. It’s going to be tough even if it was three rounds or 3-minute rounds. Cyborg is such an amazing athlete and amazing fighter. This is all getting compounded by three: there’s a title, I’m fighting Cyborg and its 5-minute rounds. So, for me, mentally, this has done nothing but focus me and bring back the passion that I need to train. When I have an awesome opponent to train for I’m in the gym and I’m really excited for it. All I want is for it to be a good fight and for us to do our best out there. I think that’s what will happen. The 5-minute rounds are definitely going to intensify it, but we’re going to go for it. I know we can do it.”

CYBORG:

“In Brazil, my fights down there were three, 5-minute rounds, so this is really no change for me. When I came to the U.S., I was relieved that they were only three, 3-minute rounds because my cardio couldn’t be any better. My training hasn’t really changed at all.

“I’m happy that we’re getting the respect we deserve.”

Why did you start training with Randy Couture?

“Originally, when I first met Randy, it was before that SHOWTIME fight against Julie Kedzie. He just came into the locker room and said two sentences to me and it screwed my head on straight. I haven’t really gotten to work with him for the last two years I’ve been a part of Extreme Couture. We both had different things going on. I knew he would be in Las Vegas for the months leading up to this fight, so I thought it might be important for me to really not try to manage all this high level of intensity. I just didn’t want to have to deal with that all by myself, like I had to in the past. I’m not taking anything away from the managers that I’ve had, but there aren’t a lot of people that can put it straight and organize you like Randy Couture. He’s had the experience since the beginning of the sport. It was nice to not have to do it by myself and to have someone who has been through it before.”

What were you doing to keep yourself busy in the past few months?

“When I first came into this sport I was looking around for somebody who had come in before me and had paved the way, and I just didn’t see it at that time. I figured I would do it how I wanted to do it.”

“I don’t understand why everyone focuses on my looks. There are a lot of beautiful women out there. It’s just kind of thrown me off my feet with the attention that I’ve gotten. Now, I’m getting more organized and I’m taking a break from all the hype and everything so I can be more true to myself. I’m trying to do my best with the opportunities I’ve been given and I think I’m really maturing. It will be nothing but better from here on out.”

Why did you want to make this the headline fight?

COKER:

“The thought process was very simple. If you look at the caliber of this fight as being the No. 1 vs. No. 2 female fighters in the world, it was a no-brainer.”

What does it mean to be fighting as the main event above all the male fights?

CARANO:

“A fight is a fight when it comes down to it and I know that it’s going to be a very difficult fight. The fact that STRIKEFORCE put this on is a complete honor to once again have another first in history.

“I know that women’s MMA is going to do nothing but get bigger from here on out. To have the first main event in MMA history, against Cyborg of all people, is just going to be amazing for me. It’s such an honor, and since it’s such an honor I just don’t feel the added pressure. I think it’s a win-win situation.”

“I’m just so excited. I’ve never been so excited for a fight.”

CYBORG:

“This isn’t my first main event. Of course, there’s always some added pressure. But, the added pressure is overcome by the happiness and the opportunity to showcase women’s MMA with one of the best fighters of the time in Gina Carano.

“Perhaps one day we might even fight men!”

How deep is the women’s fight division?

CARANO

“I just think that the problem has been exposure for women.”

“People walk away from female fighting and they talk about it like it’s the main event. It’s just a matter of exposure.”

“It’s blowing up from here and I’m so honored to be a part of it from the beginning.”

CYBORG:

“Gina and I are just the blueprints of what future MMA stars will follow.”

“I’m excited for the potential for women’s MMA and its potential to grow. I’d like to see that happening in the near future.”

What did Randy Couture say to you?

CARANO:

“He sat down, and I’d never met him before. He sat down and my head was wound up a little bit too tight. He looked at me and said, ‘You know why we do this.’ And I looked at him like, ‘No, why am I doing this.’ And he said, ‘because we love it, right?’ His presence and his coolness completely took any anxiety that I was feeling and turned it into passion. I was ready to go from then. After that fight, I said if somebody can affect me that strongly I want to go train with them.”

What was the first thing that your dad said to you when he found out you were fighting for the title?

CARANO:

“Jab, jab, jab. He’s been supportive, but he hasn’t been saying too much.”

“At first, he didn’t really like it, but now he’s definitely one of my biggest supporters.”

Have you guys had a chance to meet each other?

CARANO:

“Our rooms were right across from each other at one of the fights. I don’t speak the same language as her, but it’s been nothing but smiles. She seems like a great girl and I’m excited and honored to fight her. I couldn’t have a better opponent to make history with.”

CYBORG:

“I was very happy and loved the opportunity to meet her a few times. There was nothing but an exchange and a smile like, ‘Hello, hi, how are you?’ “

“There’s nothing personal against Gina. We’re both going after the same thing and only one can come out on top. It is what it is. I think Gina is a great person. She lives up to everything her image stands for.”

Is there a day that goes by that you don’t think about each other?

CARANO:

“No, there’s actually not. I’ve been thinking about this fight for a long time. And now, more than ever, I think about her every day.”

CYBORG:

“I think about Gina pretty much every day. She’s on my mind whether I’m on the treadmill or training in the gym. Gina is on my mind constantly because she is such a great athlete and such a great woman.”

How do you see this fight going in terms of the balance between striking and grappling?

CARANO:

“I’m prepared for everything because I know that Cris is good at everything. She’s great standing, she’s great on the ground. I’m prepared for wherever this fight goes. I think in the past I’ve been labeled as a standup fighter, but I’m not afraid to take it to the ground either.”

“I’m going to be prepared for everything, however it goes, and, hopefully, I’ll come out the winner in it.”

CYBORG:

“I have no problem where the fight goes. Wherever it goes, it’s going to be explosive, it’s going to be fast and it’s going to be happening. It’s not going to be a boring fight.”

How do you manage all the attention Gina gets?

CYBORG:

“I love being feared because that’s one less thing I worry about when I step in there that the other lady is scared.”

“I would hope that I can be known as Cyborg. I’d like to be the face of women’s MMA, not just boxing and Muay Thai.”

How do you plan on handling Cyborg?

CARANO:

“I’m just going to fight my game plan and try to be in the best shape possible. And, hopefully, just do my best and fight my fight and not anybody else’s fight. She’s explosive. We’re going to find out how I handle it, I guess.”

CLOSING COMMENTS:

CARANO:

“I’m honored to be a part of such a great sport. I think that it has changed my life in a lot of ways and redirected me. I’ve learned so much about the world through this sport.”

“For this fight, it’s one of the biggest honors and it almost makes me choke up to say that I’m going to be able to fight such a wonderful opponent. It’s such a big deal for females in this sport. There are so many of them out there and there are going to be so many more in the years to come.”

“I really feel like we’re a part of something huge. I hope I make everybody proud and I’m looking forward to all the great fights in the future.”

About Strikeforce
Strikeforce is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265. Since 1995, Strikeforce has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.” In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of Strikeforce, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.