TKO Xtreme

By: Craig Sutherland

On Nov 29 at the Dartmouth Sportplex, Phoenix Fight Promotions will be hosting the most stacked card in Atlantic Canada to date. The card will feature 3 fighters with UFC experience and 3 others looking to use these fighters to spring board their careers to that level.

6 time UFC vet Drew Fickett will be squaring off with (8-1) Jason MacKay of MARMAC Athletics. Both fighters last saw action on Nov 8th, both in losing efforts. MacKay was at XMMA6 where he was forced to tap due to strikes in the 3rd to Steve Claveau. Fickett (35-8) lost a split decision to Jose Cortez at RITC 117 and has lost 3 of his last 4 fights.

3 time UFC vet Carmelo “The Fury” Marrero (10-3), who recently edged out Steve Steinbeiss at WEC 36 will be taking on TUF 8 cast member Ryan “Big Deal” Jimmo (8-1). Jimmo recently defeated TUF 3’s Jesse Forbes at XMMA6 and is looking to build on his TUF experience and hopefully earn a fight with the UFC.

The main event of the evening will pit heavy handed TUF 6 alumni Richie Hightower (7-3) against the local favorite TJ Grant (12-2). Grant’s last 2 fights have been dominant victories over UFC vets Forrest Petz and Chad Reiner. Many feel Grant is on the cusp of the UFC and another win over a notable fighter would serve him well. Look for this to be a very exciting fight!

This card will also mark the return of Shane Rice to Canadian soil. Rice is a Rickson Gracie black belt who has been instructing at Rickson’s school in California. Rice began his career in the TKO organization going 1-3, he then took some time away from MMA to earn his BJJ black belt and has reeled off 3 straight submission victories, all under 2 minutes into the fight. No opponent has been named as of yet.

Also on the card:
205lbs: Josh Strickland (2-3) vs Shane Daley (0-2)
155lbs: Jeremy Henry (2-0) vs Martin Grandmont (6-4)
145lbs: Tristan Johnson (3-0) vs TBA

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has announced that it will kick off its press tour for UFC 94: St. Pierre vs. Penn II on Tuesday, November 18 at the Scotiabank Theatre Toronto.

The event will feature UFC president Dana White, UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn as they officially announce the welterweight title fight and sign autographs for the fans in attendance.

Doors open at 9 AM EST and the press conference will kick off at 10 AM EST. Both Penn and St. Pierre will then be on hand for an autograph signing from 11 AM to 1 PM EST.

Brock Lesnar def. Randy Couture - TKO (Strikes)
Kenny Florian def. Joe Stevenson - Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Dustin Hazelett def. Tamden McCrory - Submission (Reverse Armbar)
Gabriel Gonzaga def. Josh Hendricks - KO (Punches)
Demian Maia def. Nathan Quarry - Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Aaron Riley def. Jorge Gurgel - Decision (Unanimous)
Jeremy Stephens def. Rafael dos Anjos - KO (Punches)
Mark Bocek def. Alvin Robinson - Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Matt Brown def. Ryan Thomas - Submission (Armbar)

Boston — World Championship Fighting closed out 2008 on a high note with its best fight card of the year providing highlight reel knockouts and some very slick submissions. In the featured fight of the night UFC veteran Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon put on a show in front of the 3,500 fans who packed the Shriners Auditorium on Friday by catching a kick from his opponent Justin “Sledge” Hammerstrom and countering with a straight right hand which staggered Hammerstrom. Lauzon, eager to finish the fight in convincing fashion, followed up with combinations that sent Hammerstrom to the canvas where Lauzon seemed to turn up the heat even more with power punches from the top position. Hammerstrom scrambled to protect himself, but Lauzon was not to be denied as he seemed to find every opening by delivering punches to the head of Hammerstrom causing the referee to stop the bout at 1:15 of round one. Lauzon has now won seven straight fights and was gracious in his win thanking Hammerstrom and all of his local fans. Lauzon will now prepare for his upcoming fight in January on Pay-Per-View against Chris Horedecki.

In one of the nights other featured matchups undefeated Renzo Gracie New Hampshire standout John Benoit tangled with a very game Bill Jones. Both fighters showed their wrestling skill with Benoit shooting in for the takedown and Jones defending. Benoit was eventually able to secure a takedown and the two scrambled for position. During the scramble Benoit was able to secure what looked to be a fight ending anaconda choke which had Jones’ face turning purple. Jones was able to weather the choke and power through which left Benoit’s arms exhausted and Jones sapped of energy. The two fighters came out for round two visibly winded from the first round, but Benoit was determined to get another takedown. Once on the ground Benoit used his Gracie Jiu-Jitsu training to set up a rear naked choke. Jones was able to fend off the choke for a while until finally succumbing to the choke. Benoit now runs his undefeated record to a perfect 7-0.

In other action local favorite Dan Bonnell extended his winning streak to five in a row by defeating a very tough Josh Spearman. The fight, which was ruled a draw at the end of two rounds, went into a third and final overtime round in which Bonnell was able to earn the Unanimous Decision victory. One of the most exciting moments of the night came when Jose Lopez landed a devasting head kick to Wayne Harnois at 35 seconds into the first round to send Harnois crashing to the canvas giving Lopez the win by knockout. In one of the nights most evenly matched and technical fights, WCF new comers Greg Rebello and Chris Canale went back and forth exchanging postion on the ground in a series of sweeps and submission attempts. Rebello was able to pull out the split decision victory in his WCF debut. Also making his WCF debut was Calvin Kattar who had previously fought on EliteXC’s Primetime event which aired on CBS. Kattar faced off against the ultra tough Bobby Dias who had turned in one of the most exciting fights in North East history at WCF 1 last September. Kattar landed a body kick which hurt Dias and followed up with punches. Dias, eager to try and get the fight to the ground shot in for a takedown. Once on the ground Kattar immediately locked on a triangle choke to get the submission win at 49 seconds into the first round.

Fans were treated to the best talent in the North East and special guests UFC fighter Joe Lauzon, Jorge Rivera and the first man to beat Kimbo Slice, Sean Gannon, were also on hand to watch the fights. In addition to the night’s action World Championship Fighting, WBCN and the U.S. Marine Corps were able to collect an overwhelming amount of toys for the Toys For Tots program. Head promoter Joe Cavallaro had this to say about the Toys For Tots drive and the event, “The fans really came through by bringing a ton of toys out to our show for the Toys For Tots program. That combined with the night’s action, what more can you ask for? This was probably our best event yet, and the Toys For Tots drive made it that much better.” World Championship Fighting would like to thank the U.S. Marine Corps, WBCN, Boston Brawler, Respek Fightwear, Fierce Contact Fighter, and all of the fans who made this event an overwhelming success. Stay tuned for more WCF action in 2009!!!

Official Results:

Chad Beane def. Joe McGann 1st Rd (Disqualification - illegal blows to back of the head)
Dan Ferrer def. Ethan Kean 3:36 1st Rd Submission (Kimura)
James Pittner def. Robbie Roberts :31 1st Rd Submission (Guillotine Choke)
Jose Lopez def. Wayne Harnois :35 1st Rd TKO (Strikes)
Dan Bonnell def. Josh Spearman 3rd Rd Unanimous Decision
John Benoit def. Bill Jones 1:45 2nd Rd Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Calvin Kattar def. Bobby Dias :49 1st Rd Submission (Triangle Choke)
Stephen Stengal def. Jay Fortier :49 1st Rd TKO (Strikes)
Greg Rebello def. Chris Canale 3rd Rd Split Decision
Dan Lauzon def. Just Hammerstrom 1:15 1st Rd TKO (Strikes)

VERSUS, the network that celebrates real competition, today announced a deal to bring the fourth season of THE CONTENDER to the network and that they have signed television icon Tony Danza to host. THE CONTENDER, which includes 11 one-hour episodes and a two-hour season finale, will debut on VERSUS December 3 at 10 p.m. ET. THE CONTENDER is produced by Mark Burnett Productions and DreamWorks Television and the series will be produced in Singapore in cooperation with Mark Burnett Productions Asia who is providing production and logistical support.

“We are thrilled to announce our alliance with Mark Burnett, DreamWorks Television and THE CONTENDER brand. As VERSUS continues to build upon its ratings momentum, THE CONTENDER is a perfect complement to our ever-growing portfolio of programming in the genre such as WEC, TapouT and Fight Night,” said Marc Fein, Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and Business Operations for VERSUS. “When you have the opportunity to bring a top brand with an established following to the network, and the ability to work with someone with a proven track record such as Mark Burnett and DreamWorks, you jump at it.”

The fourth season of THE CONTENDER features 16 Cruiserweights from around the world who will face each other in a 12-episode competition. With former boxer and television star Tony Danza serving as host and mentor and veteran Tommy Brooks & John Bray serving as trainers, these fighters will go through the most intense training of their lives and battle in the most challenging fights of their careers. In the end, the two left standing will get into the ring to fight for the coveted title of Contender Champion. The 16 fighter’s biographies and two trainers biographies are attached with this release.

“The gang at DreamWorks and I are really excited to be partnering with VERSUS on the fourth season of THE CONTENDER,” said Mark Burnett. “If the work they’ve done with the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and Tour de France is any indication, we are confident that THE CONTENDER will be a successful franchise for the channel.”

The series is executive produced by Mark Burnett and Jeffrey Katzenberg. Jeff Wald, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Eric Van Wagenen and Page Feldman are co-executive producers.

“VERSUS has shown that they intend to be a factor in the boxing business and we are looking forward to a long and successful relationship,” said Jeff Wald. “Overall this is the best group of fighters we have had.”

Tony Danza was discovered at a boxing gym in his native New York and was cast in the critically acclaimed “Taxi” which earned him a place in television history. He then went on to star in the long-running popular television series “Who’s The Boss?” cementing his status as a television icon. In addition, Tony hosted his own daytime series “The Tony Danza Show” as well as numerous other television series and specials.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be hosting THE CONTENDER this season,” said Tony Danza. “Not only is it one of the best shows on television but one of the wildest shows ever dreamed up. I feel right back at home in this great boxing environment and I am looking forward to seeing this great group of fighters contend for the title.”

Las Vegas – In March 2006, top welterweights Georges St-Pierre and BJ Penn fought for the division’s No. 1 contender’s spot. St-Pierre earned a razor-thin split decision and went on to win the Ultimate Fighting Championship® welterweight title. Penn dropped to the lightweight division and won the organization’s 155-pound title.

Now they’re about to do it again. But this time, there’s much more at stake.

UFC® lightweight champion BJ Penn looks to be the first fighter in history to hold two UFC championships at the same time when he faces Georges St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight championship at UFC 94: ST-PIERRE VS. PENN 2, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, January 31, 2009.

Two champions, two of the best in the world, pound-for-pound, and this time – two more rounds for the welterweight championship.

“This may be the most anticipated rematch in UFC history,” said Dana White, UFC President. “Their first fight was an epic battle of two of the best pound for pound fighters in the sport. After that fight, St-Pierre would go on to win the UFC World Welterweight title and Penn would go on to win the UFC World Lightweight title.

Now these two champions meet again with a lot of pride and St-Pierre’s title on the line. This fight will be talked about for years to come.”

Tickets for UFC 94: ST-PIERRE VS. PENN 2 priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges, go on sale Sunday, Nov. 16 at 10 a.m. at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to ten (10) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.ufc.com, www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, November 13 at 10 a.m. PT via the website ufc.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Saturday, November 15 starting at 10am PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through ufc.com.

UFC 94: ST-PIERRE VS. PENN 2 will be available live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, Bell ExpressVu, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

One of the sport’s most dynamic athletes, Georges St-Pierre (17-2) will be prepared to go five rounds to defend his UFC welterweight championship. The Montreal, Canada native has won his last four fights and nine out of his last 10. Most recently, the popular champ defeated number one contender Jon Fitch in a five round war, and at 27, he is in the prime of his brilliant fighting career and looking to send Penn back to the 155-pound weight class.

“I’m very honored to fight BJ Penn and very excited because it’s the fight that everybody wants to see, including myself,” said St-Pierre. “It will be one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history, and I’m glad and humbled to be a part of it.”

The welterweight division is old hat for Hilo, Hawaii’s BJ Penn (14-4-1). The current UFC lightweight champion earned the welterweight title in 2004 with a submission victory over UFC legend Matt Hughes. But Penn has been even more untouchable since moving back to the lightweight division. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has won his last three fights against three world-class foes in Jens Pulver, Joe Stevenson and Sean Sherk. But the only thing on Penn’s mind right now is a return to the welterweight division for a healthy dose of revenge.

“For that fight, I was at a point in my career where I didn’t prepare as well as I should have,” Penn said. “During the second and third round I realized that I ran into someone that wanted it more than I did…Now, I’m very prepared to go five rounds.”

MMAWeekly.com is reporting that PRIDE and K-1 veteran Denis Kang will make his UFC debut against Alan Belcher at UFC 93 on January 17 in Dublin, Ireland.

Kang, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, possesses a mixed martial arts record of 31-10-1 with victories over the likes of Marvin Eastman, Murilo Rua, Akihiro Gono, and Amar Suloev. After spending the better part of a year battling with K-1, Kang secured his release earlier this month and signed with the Las-Vegas based UFC.

Alan Belcher, a member of Remix MMA, possesses a mixed martial arts record of 13-5-0. Belcher holds victories over the likes of Ed Herman, Jorge Santiago, Sean Salmon, and Kalib Starnes.

Michael Clark def. Alex Lafond - Submission (Guillotine Choke)
Francois Hache Lacombe def. Nicolas Pariseau - Submission (Kneebar)
John Makdessi def. Dan Dechaine - TKO (Punches)
Michel Gagnon def. Gabriel Lavallee - Submission (Guillotine Choke)
Mike Ricci def. Rory McDonell - TKO (Kick to the Body)
Mark Holst def. Antoine Coutu - TKO (Punches)
Remi Morvan def. Tommy Pariseau - Submission (Heel Hook)
Yves Jabouin def. JT Wells - KO (Spinning Back Kick)
Daniel Grandmaison def. Andrew Buckland - TKO (Punches)
Guillaume Delorenzi def. Jason Motard - TKO (Punches)
Ryan Jimmo def. Jesse Forbes - Decision (Unanimous)
Steve Claveau def. Jason MacKay - Submission (Punches)
Kajan Johnson def. Samuel Guillet - Submission (Armbar)

Tomorrow night Xtreme MMA will present its 6th event titled “House of Pain.” The card will feature hot prospects Jason MacKay, Ryan Jimmo, and Guillaume DeLorenzi, all of whom we may see in the UFC in the near future.

XMMA 6: House of Pain

Steve Claveau vs. Jason MacKay
Jesse Forbes vs. Ryan Jimmo
Yves Jabouin vs. JT Wells
Guillaume de Lorenzi vs. Jason Motard
Daniel Grandmaison vs. Andrew Buckland
Rory McDonell vs. TBA
Antoine Coutu vs. Mark Holst
Tommy Pariseau vs. John Fraser
Mitch Gagnon vs. Gabriel Lavallee
Nordine Taleb vs. Sébastien Roy
John Makdessi vs. Dan Dechaine
François Haché Lacombe vs. Nicolas Pariseau
Alex Lafond vs. Mike Clark

The event is also expected to be aired live on The Fight Network. For those of you who missed the last XMMA event, I highly recommend taking some time to check out their product!

Sherdog.com is reporting that Canadian welterweight John “The Natural” Alessio will meet up with former EliteXC fighter Paul “Semtex” Daley at MFC 19 on December 5th in Edmonton, Alberta.

Alessio, a member of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nevada, possesses a mixed martial arts record of 24-11-0. The UFC veteran holds victories over the likes of Gideon Ray, Pete Spratt, Ronald Jhun and Chris Brennan.

Daley, a native of Nottingham, England, possesses a mixed martial arts record of 18-7-2. Daley holds victories of Mark Weir, Sam Morgan and Ross Mason. In Daley’s most recent outing, he was defeated by Jake Shields in a battle for the EliteXC welterweight crown.