MARCH IS A MONSTER MONTH OF MMA ACTION ON HDNET – HEADLINED BY “AFFLICTION: DAY OF RECKONING”

Explosive match-up between Fedor and Arlovski to air for the first time since the live pay-per-view event – exclusively on HDNet Friday, March 13 at 10:00 p.m. ET

DALLAS (February 25, 2009) – For true MMA fans, HDNet is THE place to be this March as the network kicks off a full schedule of new MMA events, featuring the first cable network television broadcast of the blockbuster “Affliction: Day of Reckoning” event.

“Affliction: Day of Reckoning” was originally broadcast on pay-per-view and featured the long-awaited match-up between World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski.

HDNet will air “Affliction: Day of Reckoning” on Friday, March 13 at 10:00 p.m. ET. The broadcast is part of an exclusive long-term partnership to air Affliction Entertainment events on HDNet in North America.

“HDNet Fights continues its mission to bring the best fighters in the world to HDNet,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “After watching ‘Day of Reckoning,’ there is no doubt that Fedor is the #1 pound for pound fighter in the world. This event had the highest fighter payroll in MMA history – and the fighters delivered throughout the night.”

Also this March, HDNet will broadcast three new Mixed Martial Arts events.

On Saturday, March 14, at 9:00 p.m. ET HDNet will premiere “HDNet Fights Presents: HEIWA DREAM 7 Featherweight Grand Prix – 1st Round.” This event, taped in Japan on March 8, features Atsushi Yamamoto, Chase Beebe, Takafumi Otsuka, and Abel Cullum – plus the match-up between WAMMA World Lightweight Champion Shinya Aoki and David Gardner.

Then, on Friday, March 20, it’s the debut of Sengoku as “HDNet Fights Presents: World Victory Road: Sengoku 7″ airing LIVE from Japan at midnight PT. The event will feature Hatsu Hioki, Hideki Kadowaki, L.C. Davis, Nick Denis, plus undefeated Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal takes on Ryo Kawamura. HDNet will also broadcast an encore presentation of this event at 10:00 p.m. ET on Friday, March 20.

Finally, on Saturday, March 28, “HDNet Fights Presents: FieLDS K-1 World Grand Prix 2009.” This is the first event in 2009 of the much anticipated K-1 World Grand Prix. HDNet’s partnership kicked off late last year with the K-1 World Grand Prix Finals and has featured the best K-1 fighters in the world through the K-1 Classic series – airing Friday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET. Participants for the K-1 World Grand Prix 2009 include Remy Bonjasky, Badr Hari, Semmy Schilt, and Peter Aerts. Timing for this live broadcast will be announced at a later date.

These events and much, much more round out a full month of MMA action this March – making HDNet THE television destination for MMA fans!
About HDNet
HDNet (www.hd.net) is a network that is original, thinks independently and delivers unique content and provocative, authentic programming, all in true high definition.

HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, original programming, including television’s only HD news feature programs “HDNet World Report,” and the Emmy Award winning “Dan Rather Reports,” featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather. Only HDNet goes beyond the headlines to deliver real news that is redefining the way we look at our world. HDNet News is provocative, sometimes controversial and always relevant – telling the important stories of our time in-depth, with attitude and with independence.

HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring the best of Mixed Martial Arts through HDNet Fights. HDNet Fights partners with leading MMA promoters including Affliction, DREAM, Sengoku, XFC, M1, K-1, K-1 Max, MFC, Adrenaline and more. HDNet produces more live mixed martial arts events than any other network and HDNet’s “Inside MMA” is the hottest mixed martial arts program on television, giving MMA fans their weekly fix for everything MMA.

HDNet also delivers the world’s largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series. The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and more. HDNet also features revealing lifestyle programming featuring “Art Mann Presents,” “Vegas Confessions,” “Deadline” and “Get Out!” HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries as part of the InFocus series. “NASA on HDNet” presents all live shuttle launches through 2010.

Only HDNet Movies delivers exclusive Sneak Previews of new movies before they hit theaters. The HDNet Movies Sneak Preview series features top Hollywood stars in critically acclaimed performances including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Vera Farmiga, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow and Eric Bana.

Upcoming Sneak Previews include “The Great Buck Howard,”starring Colin Hanks, John Malkovich and Tom Hanks, and “HarlemAria,” starring Damon Wayans.

In addition to being the exclusive home of Sneak Previews, HDNet Movies presents viewers with over one hundred films and an average of twenty-five “HD Premieres” each month. HDNet Movies viewers enjoy the best films from the classics of the 1950s-1970s, to favorite films from the 1980s and 1990s, to recently released theatrical films.

HDNet Movies offers subscribers a premium movie viewing experience in true HD, and more original movies shot entirely in HD than any other network.

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Bright House Networks, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliate companies. For more information visit www.hd.net.