Fight Empire

CHAZ MULKEY VS. SIMON CHU

“COKE” CHUNHAWAT VS. RAMI IBRAHIM

LION FIGHT PROMOTIONS
WBC CHAMPIONSHIP MUAY THAI FIGHT CARD
HARD ROCK HOTEL AND CASINO LAS VEGAS NOV. 19

Tickets On Sale Now

Stacked Main Card Also Features:
Kit Cope vs. Jose Palacios
Chidi Njokuani vs. Ken Tran
Elaina Maxwell vs. Roxy “Balboa” Richardson
Vivian Leung vs. Heidi Otterbein

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 6, 2011) – Lion Fight Promotions announced today that surging Muay Thai star Chaz Mulkey (7-4) of Las Vegas will collide with four-time British Muay Thai champion Simon Chu (29-7 (17 KO’s) of Leeds, England for the vacant WBC international middleweight (160 pounds) Muay Thai championship in the main event of Lion Fight Promotions: Battle In The Desert 4, live from The Joint, at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Sat., Nov. 19.

In the lightweight (135 pounds) co-main event, superstar Phanuwat “Coke” Chunhawat (145-24-1 (24 KO’s) of Oakland, Calif. via Thailand will face battle-tested Muay Thai champion and professional boxing contender Rami Ibrahim (13-7-2 (6 KO’s) of Philadelphia, Pa.

Four-time world Muay Thai champion Kit Cope (23-1 (9 KO’s) will make his long-awaited return to the ring on United States soil when he squares off with rising Muay Thai and MMA star Jose Palacios (5-2 (3 KO’s) of San Jose, Calif. in a featured WBC U.S. welterweight (147 pounds) championship bout.

Tickets for Lion Fight Promotions: Battle In The Desert 4, Live from the Hard Rock, priced from $25, are on sale and can be purchased at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino box office, at all Ticketmaster outlets (800-745-3000) and online at Ticketmaster.com.

Two knockout artists and rapidly emerging forces will collide when Las Vegas-based Muay Thai and mixed martial arts (MMA) standout Chidi Njokuani (10-1 (6 KO’s) squares off with aggressive-minded Ken Tran (13-3 (10 KO’s) of Vancouver B.C., Canada in a 170-pound catchweight fight.

The main card will also be highlighted by a pair of women’s bouts. Former Cung Le-protégé Elaina Maxwell (0-0) of San Francisco, Calif. will face off with Roxy “Balboa” Richardson (2-1) of Los Angeles, Calif. at super lightweight (140 pounds) while Vivian Leung (1-0) of Las Vegas via Saskatoon, Canada will lock horns with Heidi Otterbein (3-1 (1 KO) of Las Vegas via Vancouver B.C., Canada in a 120 pound catchweight affair.

“We are looking forward to bringing world-class Muay Thai fights to the big stage at one of the most popular destinations in the fight capital of the world and the home of Lion Fight Promotions,” said Lion Fight Promotions President, Scott Kent.

“I’m looking forward to showing the world that I’m the real deal – one of the best in the sport of Muay Thai,” said Mulkey, who earned his main event billing with a stunning, split decision upset victory over the far more experienced Remy Bonnel at Lion Fight Promotions; Battle In The Desert 3 on Aug. 20. The victory gave Mulkey the previously vacant WBC interim international middleweight title. “I’ve been in the grind for a long time now, training with some of the best Muay Thai fighters out there, and now is my time to shine.

“(Chaz) has a nice style with strong boxing and powerful low kicks, but I know that my technique, speed and power will be too much for him,” said Chu, who has faced and defeated some of Europe’s top champions during his stellar career. “It’s a great opportunity to fight for a WBC title. That green belt has my name on it and it’s coming home with me for sure.”

Chunhawat, better known to his fans as “Coke,” has put it on the line in Thailand’s most elite Muay Thai fighting arenas, including Lumpinee and Rajadamnern Stadiums. He holds wins over some of the sport’s top champions, including three-time K-1 Max World Champion, Buakaw Por Pramuk.

Ibrahim, a ferocious 29-year-old competitor has made his presence felt in the sport of Muay Thai since capturing his first title, a national championship, at the age of 17 by scoring a third round KO on his opponent. A native of The Middle East who relocated to The United States with his family in 1990, Ibrahim has shown an incredible passion for the martial arts, training and competing in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, wrestling, boxing in addition to Muay Thai.

The 34-year-old Cope brought instant mainstream attention to the sport of Muay Thai in 2004 when he lit up the television screen on the MTV True Life episode, “I am a Muay Thai Fighter.” The episode, which went on to become one of the most watched in the history of the networks’ smash-hit documentary series, followed Cope’s journey to Thailand for bare-knuckle rules competition against some of the country’s most dangerous fighters.

The Nov. 19 bout will mark Cope’s first Muay Thai fight in The United States since 2006. Since then, he has been competing in MMA.

“I’ve always been a Muay Thai fighter. Even when I was fighting under MMA rules, I was a Thai boxer at heart,” said Cope. “Until now, though, there weren’t any big opportunities in the sport of Muay Thai. Lion Fight Promotions is changing that, though, and I’m looking forward to getting back to doing what I love. Muay Thai has given me the life that I have today and I can’t wait to get in the ring on Nov. 19.”

Cope’s opponent, the 28-year-old Palacios will enter the ring on a three fight win streak. In his last effort on July 9, the quick moving southpaw earned a unanimous decision over Artem Sharoshkin in Commerce, Calif.

“I know this is a hard fight and Kit is a great Muay Thai fighter,” said Palacios, “but I always expect every fight to be hard. I like being considered the underdog in a fight like this because it just gives me more motivation to push myself to new limits so I can shock the world and show everyone that I’m capable of. I expect to win.”

The 23-year-old Njokuani, who brings a nine fight win streak to the ring, relocated from his home in Dallas, Texas to Las Vegas in 2010 to train amongst some of the sport’s best in the fight capital of the world. His opponent, 28-year-old Tran, known as a crowd-pleasing power puncher, represented Canada against Team China in a Muay Thai vs. San Shou style kickboxing event in China in January, and reeled off two victories in the ring in just a three day span.

Making her professional Muay Thai debut, Maxwell, 32, is a three-time San Shou style kickboxing champion under Le, her original mentor. In 2003, she reached the pinnacle of her San Shou career by capturing the gold medal at the World Wushu Games in Macau, China.
A versatile striker, Maxwell has also tasted success in the sport of mixed martial arts. She made history on Dec. 8, 2006 by competing in the first-ever Strikeforce-promoted women’s MMA bout, battling superstar Gina Carano for three rounds in San Jose.

The charismatic Richardson, a 31-year-old former amateur champion, turned professional in 2009. The Nov. 19 bout will mark her first since July 18, 2010 when she defeated England’s Sheree Halliday by way of unanimous decision in Montebello, Calif.

The 35-year-old Leung will make her second start as a professional. A classically trained pianist, Leung, who enjoyed a lengthy amateur Muay Thai career that began in 2000, is a renaissance woman who enjoys kicking and punching as much as she does the fine arts.

Otterbein, 30, will make her first start since January when she lost a decision in China. Prior to that, she had reeled off wins in all three of her professional bouts.
Complete Fight Card:
Professional:

Main Event
WBC International Middleweight (160 pounds) Championship
Chaz Mulkey (Las Vegas, Nev.) (Champion) vs. Simon Chu (Leeds, England) (Challenger)
5×3 rounds

Co-Main Event
WBC National Lightweight (135 pounds) Championship (Vacant)
Phanuwat “Coke” Chunhawat (Oakland, Calif) vs. Rami Ibrahim (Philadelphia, Pa.)
5×3 rounds

WBC National Welterweight (147 pounds) Championship (Vacant)
Kit Cope (Las Vegas, Nev.) vs. Jose Palacios (San Jose, Calif.)
5×3 rounds

Elaina Maxwell (San Francisco, Calif.) vs. Roxy Richardson (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Super Lightweight (140 lbs) / 5×3 rounds

Chidi Njokuani (Las Vegas, Nev.) vs. Ken Tran (Vancouver B.C., Canada)
Catchweight (170 lbs) / 5×3 rounds

Vivan Leung (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Heidi Otterbein (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Catchweight (120 lbs) / 5×3 rounds

About Lion Fight Promotions
Lion Fight Promotions is a Las Vegas, Nevada-based world championship Muay Thai kickboxing promotion dedicated to producing matchups between the best Muay Thai fighters in the world in their respective weight classes. Led by former Las Vegas casino executive, Scott Kent, the promotional company has been developed in consultation with Christine Toledo, one of the sport’s most popular champions and star of the Oxygen Network reality television show Fight Girls. Both Kent and Toledo share a common passion for Muay Thai and are working together to promote the sport.

About Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is a premier destination entertainment resort in Las Vegas, owned by Brookfield Real Estate Finance Fund II, a division of Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM) and managed by WG-Harmon, LLC, a subsidiary of Warner Gaming, LLC. Built in 1995, the property completed a $750 million expansion in 2010. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The property is known for its innovative nightlife and music scene where acts such as The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, Incubus, Linkin Park, Foo Fighters and The Killers have all performed. Features of the property include an 11-story Hard Rock Hotel tower with 640 guest rooms, 17-story Paradise Tower with 490 rooms and suites and the all-suite HRH Tower with 359 suites, eight spa villas and seven penthouse suites; 72,000 square feet of casino space; 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space; more than $3 million in rare music memorabilia throughout the hotel; the luxurious Vanity Nightclub; Reliquary Water Sanctuary & Spa; Reliquary Salon; 4.8 acres of tropical pool paradise; REHAB, the trendsetting Sunday afternoon pool party; The Joint concert venue; Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co.; restaurants including the new 35 Steaks + Martinis, a traditional steakhouse with an edge, casual Italian eatery LTO, world-renowned Nobu, Johnny Smalls, Pink Taco and Mr. Lucky’s 24/7 diner; numerous cocktail lounges; several retail stores; and a state-of-the-art Fitness Center. For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit www.hardrockhotel.com.

UFC^® HITS THE PALMS IN LAS VEGAS ON DEC. 3

WITH THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER^® FINALE

FIVE-ROUND MAIN EVENT

MICHAEL BISPING vs. JASON MILLER

 

PLUS, BANTAMWEIGHT AND FEATHERWEIGHT BOUTS

TO DETERMINE WINNERS OF SEASON 14 OF

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER^®

 

From the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.

Saturday, Dec. 3

 

Tickets Go On Sale Friday, Oct. 7 at 12 p.m. PT

 

Las Vegas – The Ultimate Fighting Championship^® returns to the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort on Saturday, Dec. 3 just in time for Michael “The Count” Bisping and Jason “Mayhem” Miller to settle a feud that has been spilling over for months. The middleweights, who traded verbal barbs for months as coaches on season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter^®, will meet in a long-awaited five-round main event in Las Vegas. Plus, the first-ever bantamweight and featherweight winners of The Ultimate Fighter^® will be crowned.

 

“Bisping and ‘Mayhem’ spent the last few months as TUF coaches and they really got on each other’s nerves,” UFC President Dana White said. “On Dec. 3, the talking finally ends and these two will go at it inside the Octagon. There’s a lot at stake in this fight. Not only do they get to settle their feud, but they get to prove that they belong in the mix to fight Anderson Silva.”

 

Tickets for The Ultimate Fighter^® Finale go on sale Friday, Oct. 7 at 12 p.m. PT and will be priced at $450.00, $350.00 and $200.00. Tickets will be available at the Pearl box office, online at ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices do not include service charges.

 

UFC^® Fight Club^™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m. PT via the website ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers on Thursday, Oct. 6 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through ufc.com.

 

The Ultimate Fighter^® Finale will be televised nationally live on Spike TV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Winner of season 3 of The Ultimate Fighter^®, Michael “The Count” Bisping (fighting out of Manchester, England) is one of the most successful products of the longest running sports reality show on television. Riding consecutive wins over Dan Miller, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Jorge Rivera, the 32-year-old now has his sights set on dominating his opponent on Dec. 3. Knowing a win puts him in contention for a title shot, the motivated Brit Bisping (22-3) seeks his fourth straight against a foe who has pushed his buttons for the last time.

 

“Jason is one of those guys that you either love him or you hate him,” Bisping said. “I definitely don’t like him. I think most people around him find him very, very annoying. I know people on The Ultimate Fighter did and I was no different. On Dec. 3, I’m going to kick his ass.”

 

A charismatic performer in and out of the Octagon^®, Jason “Mayhem” Miller (fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif.) returns to the UFC on a two-fight winning streak. The 30-year-old’s next task is besting Bisping, and after months of trading verbal jabs on TUF, he’d like nothing more than to shut him up when the two collide at the Palms.

 

“I definitely got under his skin during the season,” Miller, who owns a record of 34-8 with one no contest, said. “We hate each other’s guts at this point and on Dec. 3, we’re going to get in the cage across from each other and settle it. I’m excited for this fight.”

 

To find out which bantamweight and welterweight competitors reach The Ultimate Fighter^® Finale, tune in to The Ultimate Fighter^® Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SPIKE.

 

Remaining bouts for the card will be released at a later date. For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

 

About Ultimate Fighting Championship^®

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC^® produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the world.  UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s VERSUS network.  Beginning November 12, 2011 FOX will broadcast four fights annually. In spring 2012, The Ultimate Fighter^®, UFC’s signature weekly reality TV show debuts on FX. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 132 countries and territories, reaching 597 million homes worldwide, in 21 different languages.

 

UFC^® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over seven million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over six million fans on Facebook and over 300,000 followers on Twitter.  In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with over 1.6 million followers on Twitter.  On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.

 

Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVDs, a bimonthly magazine, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym^™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo^™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards,and articulated action figures.

 

About the Pearl

The Pearl is Las Vegas’ premier concert theater boasting accommodations for up to 2,500 ticket holders. Featuring a stage just four feet from the floor and the farthest seating area being a mere 120 feet from the stage, the Pearl offers the utmost in intimate viewing of your favorite acts. Private and semi-private skyboxes are located on each side of the venue offering private bars, lounges and restrooms. The Pearl is a marvel of modern technology using only top quality sound and video equipment throughout. Hard wired to Studio at the Palms, the Pearl allows artists to create a cost-effective live album with efficiency and without additional venue set-up. For more information, please visit www.palms.com.

 

About The Palms:

The Palms Casino Resort, heralded as one of Las Vegas’ hippest resorts, is an all-encompassing, one-stop destination. The boutique property boasts three distinct towers and a diverse mix of bars and restaurants across a 95,000-square-foot casino. Amenities include the legendary Playboy Club; Ghostbar; Rain Nightclub; the Pearl Concert Theater; Moon Nightclub; N9NE Steakhouse; Nove Italiano; Little Buddha; Simon Restaurant & Lounge; The Palms Pool & Bungalows; Palms Spa and AMP Salon; Drift Spa & Hammam; LA Sunset Tan; Brenden Theatres, a 14-theatre Cineplex; Huntington Ink Tattoo Lounge; the Fantasy Suites, including the Hardwood Suite, the only hotel room in the world with its own basketball court; and over 60,000 square-feet of meeting space. The Palms has played host to MTV’s Video Music Awards, Real World: Las Vegas, Bravo’s Celebrity Poker Showdown and E!’s Girls Next Door and Sunset Tan feature the resort on a regular basis. The Palms Casino Resort is located just west of the Las Vegas Strip and I-15 on Flamingo Road. For room reservation information, call toll free at (866) PALMS-RES, (866) 725-6773, or visit www.palms.com. For groups of 15 rooms or more, contact the Sales Department at (866) PALMS-MTG or (866) 725-6768.

TICKETS ON SALE THIS WEEK

The Ultimate Fighter Team Bisping vs Team Miller Finale
Saturday, December 3
The Pearl at the Palms – Las Vegas, NV

MANDALAY BAY TO HOST CLOSED CIRCUIT VIEWING PARTY FOR UFC^® 137: ST-PIERRE vs. CONDIT

 

Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 – Live in the Mandalay Bay South Seas Ballroom

 

Tickets on Sale on TODAY!

 

Las Vegas, Nev. (USA) – When the overwhelming demand for event tickets for UFC^® 137: ST-PIERRE vs. CONDIT resulted in an immediate sellout, the Ultimate Fighting Championship^® and Mandalay Bay needed to create the next best thing to being inside the Events Center. Thus, the companies announced today that they will host a closed circuit viewing event with large projection screens in the South Seas Ballroom at Mandalay Bay on Saturday, Oct. 29.

 

UFC^® 137: ST-PIERRE vs. CONDIT features the can’t-miss welterweight title fight between champion Georges St-Pierre and knockout artist Carlos Condit, as well as former two-division champion BJ Penn battling the fiery and unpredictable Nick Diaz. With action inside the Mandalay Bay Events Center, as well as in the South Seas Ballroom, the resort now has become the ultimate destination for fight fans to witness this epic card.

 

Tickets for the closed circuit viewing party are $50 and go on sale TODAY at 10 a.m. PT. Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com, www.mandalaybay.com or the Mandalay Bay box office.  Doors for the viewing party will open at 4 p.m. PT, with the preliminary fights being aired on SPIKE TV at 5 p.m. PT. At 6 p.m. PT, the live UFC 137 Pay-Per-View card will be televised.

 

For more information on UFC 137, or additional UFC fight news, visit UFC.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

 

About Ultimate Fighting Championship^®

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC^® produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the world.  UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s VERSUS network.  Beginning November 12, 2011 FOX will broadcast four fights annually. In spring 2012, The Ultimate Fighter^®, UFC’s signature weekly reality TV show debuts on FX. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 132 countries and territories, reaching 597 million homes worldwide, in 21 different languages.

 

UFC^® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over seven million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over six million fans on Facebook and over 300,000 followers on Twitter.  In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with over 1.6 million followers on Twitter.  On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.

 

Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVDs, a bimonthly magazine, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym^™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo^™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards,and articulated action figures.

 

DAN HENDERSON RETURNS TO UFC^® ON NOV. 19

WHEN HE MEETS FORMER CHAMPION

MAURICIO ‘SHOGUN’ RUA IN SAN JOSE

ALSO:

SAN JOSE’S CUNG LE vs. WANDERLEI SILVA

SACRAMENTO’S URIJAH FABER vs. BRIAN BOWLES

RICK STORY vs. MARTIN KAMPMANN

STEPHAN BONNAR vs. SAN JOSE’S KYLE KINGSBURY

 

UFC^® 139: SHOGUN vs. HENDERSON

Saturday, Nov. 19

From HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Live on Pay-Per-View at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

 

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, SEPT. 30

 

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Two powerhouses of the light heavyweight division will collide on Saturday, Nov. 19 for a chance to prove that they deserve at shot at the sport’s ultimate prize – the UFC^® world championship. Former PRIDE^® and STRIKEFORCE^® champion Dan Henderson returns to the Octagon^® at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. to take on former UFC light heavyweight champion and international superstar Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. The winner looks to earn a coveted shot at the UFC light heavyweight crown next year.

 

Plus, San Jose’s own Cung Le makes his UFC debut when he battles mixed martial arts legend Wanderlei Silva in middleweight action. In addition, Sacramento’s “The California Kid,” Urijah Faber takes on former world champion Brian Bowles in bantamweight action, while welterweights Rick Story and Martin Kampmann collide in a pivotal 170-pound bout. The loaded Nov. 19 card will also feature San Jose’s Kyle Kingsbury battling 205-pound star Stephan Bonnar.

 

“The UFC light heavyweight division is arguably the deepest division in the sport and Dan Henderson and ‘Shogun’ are fighting to prove that they deserve to be next in line for a shot at the title,” UFC President Dana White said. “Both of these guys want to earn the right to be called the best 205-pound fighter in the sport. These guys both have incredible power and I expect a great fight on Nov. 19.”

 

The official press conference announcing this card will take place TODAY at 1 p.m. PT from San Pedro Square Market in San Jose. Media and fans are encouraged to watch the press conference LIVE at www.ufc.com.

 

Tickets for UFC^®139: SHOGUN vs. HENDERSON go on sale Friday, Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $400, $300, $225, $150, $75 and $50. Tickets are available at the HP Pavilion ticket office, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone 800-745-3000.

 

UFC^® Fight Club^™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 10 a.m PT via the website www.ufcfightclub.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Thursday, Sept. 29, starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through UFC.com.

 

Official UFC VIP packages are also available at http://vip.ufc.com. These packages include tickets to UFC 139, official event merchandise, as well as special VIP experiences with backstage tours and meet and greets with top UFC stars. Get closer to the action than ever before with this unique UFC VIP opportunity.

 

UFC^®139: SHOGUN vs. HENDERSON will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.

 

Fresh off a massive knockout victory over rival Forrest Griffin in August, former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (fighting out of Curitiba, Brazil) is as motivated as ever to reclaim the title. The 29-year-old, a Muay Thai ace known for being the only man to ever knock out Lyoto Machida, also owns victories over the likes of Chuck Liddell, Mark Coleman and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. In November, he hopes to add Henderson’s name to his list of victims and prove to the world that he is ready for a return shot at the belt.

 

“I’m very happy to have a chance to fight Dan Henderson, who is a legend of the sport,” Rua, owner of a 20-5 record, said. “His career speaks for himself, and to be able to keep fighting at a high level for so long speaks volumes about him as a fighter. This is a fight that could have happened long ago in PRIDE, and I’m very happy to have a chance to compete against him in such an important time in our careers. Every time Dan Henderson fights, much like me, he comes to fight and is always trying to finish, so I expect a very tough fight that the fans will love!”

One of the sport’s most accomplished stars returns to the Octagon for the first time since UFC 100, as former two-division PRIDE champion Dan Henderson (fighting out of Temecula, Calif.) begins his quest to capture the UFC light heavyweight title. The former STRIKEFORCE champion, who has won three straight, including a devastating knockout victory over Fedor Emelianenko in July, heads to San Jose on Nov. 19 with his sights set firm on Shogun. Henderson (28-8) believes a win at HP Pavilion will springboard him toward a chance to secure his first UFC world championship.

 

“This is a fight that the hardcore and old-school PRIDE fans have been waiting for,” Henderson said. “Shogun is a tough opponent and this is a fight that I’m excited about. The fans are in for an explosive bout.”

 

Hometown hero Cung Le (fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) makes his UFC debut on Nov. 19 in a familiar location – the HP Pavilion. The once-beaten former San Shou world champion has fought all eight of his professional mixed martial arts bouts at the building known as “The Shark Tank.” On Nov. 19, Le (7-1), who owns wins over the likes of Frank Shamrock and Scott Smith, faces the toughest test of his career when he battles mixed martial arts legend Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.). The 35-year-old former PRIDE 205-pound champion is known as one of the most fearless competitors to ever grace the cage. Owner of wins over Michael Bisping, Rampage Jackson and Dan Henderson, Silva (33-11-1, 1 NC) continues his quest at middleweight when he meets Le in his opponent’s backyard.

 

A pioneer in the lighter weight classes, Urijah Faber (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) looks to earn another shot at the bantamweight crown when he locks horns with former 135-pound titleholder Brian Bowles (fighting out of Athens, Ga.). The 32-year-old Faber is fresh off a thrilling five-round war with champion Dominick Cruz. He believes a win in his native Northern California on Nov. 19 will secure him the rubber match he so highly covets. Standing in his way is the hard-charging Bowles (10-1), who has won two straight since dropping the title to Cruz in March of 2010. Equally hungry to earn another crack at the champion, expect the 31-year-old to press the action against “The California Kid” when the two meet in a pivotal bantamweight matchup.

 

At just 27 years old, welterweight Rick “The Horror” Story (fighting out of Vancouver, Wash.) has won six out of his last seven fights in the UFC en route to becoming one of the division’s hottest prospects. Now, the hard-hitting former collegiate wrestler meets proven veteran Martin Kampmann (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) in what is sure to be an all-out war. With memories of his Fight of the Year candidate with Diego Sanchez from March still fresh on fans’ minds, Kampmann (17-5), a 29-year-old Danish slugger, hits San Jose with a ton of steam. Owning wins over notables such as Paulo Thiago, Jacob Volkmann and Carlos Condit, expect “The Hitman” to come out swinging when he meets Story (13-4) at HP Pavilion.

 

Exciting light heavyweights Stephan Bonnar (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Kyle Kingsbury (fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) fight on Nov. 19 with the winner expected to move into the 205-pound title picture. The 34-year-old Bonnar (16-7) is a Carlson Gracie black belt known for his legendary fight with Forrest Griffin in 2005 that helped launch the UFC to what it has become today. Riding back to back wins over Igor Pokrajac and Krzysztof Soszynski, “The American Psycho” gears up for an intense battle with the 29-year-old Kingsbury (11-2, 1 NC), winner of four straight.

           

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

 

About Ultimate Fighting Championship^®

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC^® produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually around the world.  UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s VERSUS network.  Beginning November 12, 2011 FOX will broadcast four fights annually. In spring 2012, The Ultimate Fighter^®, UFC’s signature weekly reality TV show debuts on FX. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 132 countries and territories, reaching 597 million homes worldwide, in 21 different languages.

 

UFC^® also boasts a powerful presence online, with UFC.com attracting over seven million unique visitors per month, while also possessing one of the most powerful social media followings in all of professional sports. To date, UFC has over six million fans on Facebook and over 300,000 followers on Twitter.  In addition, UFC President Dana White is one of the most accessible and most followed executives in sports with over 1.6 million followers on Twitter.  On January 22, 2011, UFC continued to set trends in social media, becoming the first major sports league to stream live, broadcast quality action on Facebook.

 

Ancillary businesses include best-selling DVDs, a bimonthly magazine, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym^™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo^™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards,and articulated action figures.

 

About HP Pavilion

HP Pavilion at San Jose hosts nearly 100 sporting events annually including more than 40 San Jose Sharks regular season home games, SAP Open men’s professional tennis, and. The building hosts approximately 170 events every year — including Olympic athletes, Grammy award-winners and a variety of family and children’s favorites that account for more than 200 event days.  Pollstar, the leading concert industry trade magazine, nominated HP Pavilion at San Jose as “Arena of the Year” for 2005 and 2007. In 2007, Pollstar also recognized HP Pavilion at San Jose based on non-sports attendance as fourth in North America, top 10 in the world. Over the past 10 years, HP Pavilion at San Jose has consistently been in the Top 5 in North America and top 10 in the world.

 

 

Copa America Grappling Championships
Saturday, October 8 · 9:00am – 12:00pm
Lake Gibson High School

RFC MMA 25th EVENT ANNIVERSARY
Location: Doubletree Hotel
Time: 7:00PM Saturday, October 1st