MMAX ANNOUNCES THE ADDITION OF THE AMATEUR TEAM LEAGUE TO THEIR SCHEDULE AT THE JOINT INSIDE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO
First exciting event will be official team qualifier on September 16, 2011
Press Release – Las Vegas – It was announced today that MMA Xplosion (MMAX), proudly presented by Millennium Events, will host a Team Qualifier event at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, Sept. 16, 2011. This action-packed event boasts several unique elements as MMAX Team Qualifier will feature an all-amateur card, with teams coached by UFC® veterans Tony “The Freak” Fryklund and Marvin “The Beastman” Eastman, respectively. In addition, the fighters will be competing for an opportunity to become part of two newly established Las Vegas home teams, named the Las Vegas Spiders and the Las Vegas Scorpions, who will compete against each other at the next scheduled team event in October.
In short, MMAX is developing a league of amateur teams coached by high-profile MMA coaches and fighters that will be sponsored by trainers/team owners. Regional squads will be added in the near future as the amateur league develops into a country-wide recognized and established brand, and MMAX continues to stage exciting professional fight events featuring top names and athletes. The amateur league is designed to become a platform for young fighters to gain experience on their way to becoming professional athletes in mixed martial arts.
The September 16th fight card is sure to become a fan favorite, as it is stacked with the best talent from some of the top gyms in Las Vegas –The Tapout Training Center, Throwdown MMA, Xtreme Couture, Wand Fight Team, Sunset Boxing & MMA, and others will all be represented on the card. In the main event, fan favorite Cesar Campos (8-1) will battle the tough and rugged Rudy Morales (7-1) in an excellent match-up between two rising local stars.
“This is a great fight card, and MMAX fight fans will be extremely pleased with the amount of action they will witness on the 16th,” stated MMA Xplosion Owner, Rani John. “I know that Campos and Morales will bring the heat, and we are honored to have pros like Fryklund and Eastman coaching at the event. It has been a determined goal of ours to develop a team oriented MMA league to help us capture the support of fans across America.”
Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from $25 and can be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Box Office, by calling (702) 693-5222 or visiting www.hardrockhotel.com or www.ticketmaster.com. The event is open to all ages. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the first match is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Tony “The Freak” Fryklund (14-9) made his pro MMA career way back in 1997 at UFC® 14. The Militech Fighting Systems product ran his record to 8-1 to start off his career. In addition to the UFC®, Fryklund competed in Strikeforce® and Cage Rage during his career. The six-foot welterweight, never one to shy away from a fight, battled many top names in MMA, including Jonathan Goulet, David Loiseau, Brian Ebersole, Eugene Jackson, Matt Lindland, Ivan Salaverry, Thomas “Wildman” Denny, Duane “Bang” Ludwig, Cung Le, and Anderson “The Spider” Silva. Fryklund retired in 2007 after a stellar career, and is now intent on giving back to the sport that gave him so much.
A native of California, Marvin “The Beastman” Eastman (17-13-1) is a consummate professional who has taken on all comers during his career. He has fought all over the world, in promotions from King of the Cage to the Maximum Fighting Championships to the UFC®. “The Beastman” holds wins over well-known competitors such as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Floyd Sword, Vernon “Tiger” White, Jason MacDonald, Alan Belcher, Travis Wiuff, Jason Guida, Rob Kimmons, and Terry Martin. He’s also faced Rich Franklin, Vitor Belfort, Travis Lambert, Jason Lambert, Drew McFedries, Denis Kang, and Ricardo Arona. In short, Eastman has battled a virtual who’s who in MMA, and is determined to pass on his experiences to the next generation of fighters through Team Beastman.
MMA Xplosion Promoter Vlad Warton said, “Given the level of success from the four professional shows staged at the Hard Rock, we decided to add the amateur league concept to enable the top amateurs the transition to professional ranks. We are committed to developing our amateur/professional MMA brand name to the status of national and international following and recognition. Holding both amateur and professional events will help us achieve out goal and I’m very excited to finally see the Team Qualifier concept come to life.”
Here is the Team Qualifier fight card as it stands now:
Cesar Campos (8-1) vs. Rudy Morales (7-1)
TapouT 145 lbs. Torres MMA Sport
David Jordan (8-1) vs. David Tompkins (4-1)
Team Beastman 155 lbs. TapouT
Joe Angelo (7-5) vs. Daniel Cuison (2-0)
TapouT 170 lbs. Throwdown
Mike Florio (5-1) vs. Weston Duschen (6-6)
Excel Defense Center 205 lbs Xtreme Couture
Prentice Williams (5-1) vs. Khalil Roundtree (2-0)
Xtreme Couture 205 lbs Wand Fight Team
Jimmy Like (1-2) vs. Christian Cardona (2-2)
Team Beastman 155 lbs. TapouT
Kevin Smith (0-1) vs. Jason Rivera (1-3)
Sunset Boxing & MMA 155 lbs. Wand Fight Team
Shane Benbow (2-1) vs. Boostayre Nagarios (2-1)
Throwdown 145 lbs. Team Beastman
Richard Patini (0-0) vs. Cruz Ramos (0-0)
Sunset Boxing &MMA 125 lbs. Team Torres
Ramsen Merza (1-2) vs. Hugo Gonzalez (0-0)
TapouT 140 lbs. Team Torres
Aaron Fonseca (0-0) vs. Nate (0-0)
Sunset Boxing & MMA 185 lbs. Throwdown
Jamie Sanchez (0-1) vs. Jake Malili (2-0)
Team Torres 155 lbs. Throwdown
Joshua Lopas (0-0) vs. Sean Cantor (3-0)
Throwdown 135 lbs. Wand Fight Team
Junior (15 fights) vs. Arthur Nicholas (2-0)
Throwdown 125 lbs. Independent
Rick Fell (0-0) vs. Eddie Guerrero (0-2)
Throwdown 135 lbs. Team Torres
*Fight card is subject to change
For more information on MMAX, please visit our website at http://www.mmaxplosion.com/
About The Joint
The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is a 4,000-person capacity venue that serves as a sophisticated, intimate and unparalleled destination. The Joint features seven Luxury Suites, a VIP Studio Level, state-of-the-art sound system, superior video system and a production package tailor-made for artist comfort. It has received numerous accolades including “Best Concert Venue” in Las Vegas Review-Journal’s “Best of Las Vegas” awards in 2010 and 2011, “No. 1 Hottest Club in America” award by Billboard Magazine in 2011, “Best New Major Concert Venue” at the 2010 Pollstar Awards, and “Best Live Music Venue” in AOL City’s Best 2010 awards. The Joint delivers unforgettable live music experiences with an ongoing roster of legendary artists taking its stage including the first rock ‘n’ roll residency in Las Vegas with Carlos Santana’s Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits, Paul McCartney, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Arcade Fire, Motley Crüe, Avenged Sevenfold, Alice in Chains, Paramore, Muse, Drake and No Doubt. The venue is also home to Tiësto In Concert, a groundbreaking live show created exclusively for The Joint featuring the world’s No. 1 electronic DJ and producer Tiësto. For additional information, call 702.693.5583 or 702.693.5000. HardRockHotel.com / TheJointLasVegas.com. Keep up with the latest updates on The Joint via Facebook and Twitter.
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 newest dining destination, 35 Steaks + Martinis, casual Italian eatery LTO, Pizzas & More, 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.