Author: John Morgan [kingofabuelos]

Stratus CEO sees co-existence, not competition, as goal of new ProElite Since
its inception in December 2006 as the “new big player” on the MMA
scene, the question was how ProElite, Inc. planned to compete with the
UFC.

With brash figurehead Gary Shaw serving as ProElite’s face, the company
got swept up in that race as it continued to hemorrhage money. But
after 20 months of operations and $55 million burnt, it closed up shop.

Paul Feller, CEO of Stratus Media Group, the company that assumed
control of ProElite, Inc. this week, said his goal is not to be the
next promotion to challenge the UFC.

Highly touted heavyweight prospect Cole Konrad (2-0) is the latest
addition to the upstart Bellator Fighting Championships organization.

The former NCAA wrestling champion and current training partner of UFC
heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar was officially announced as the
newest member of the organization immediately after a first-round TKO
win at a Matrix Fights event in Philadelphia.

MMAjunkie.com has since learned that the 25-year-old is expected to compete in two
non-tournament bouts during Bellator’s second season, and positive
results will likely lead to a spot in an as-yet-unannounced heavyweight
tournament during the promotion’s third season.

The WEC’s first trip to Ohio now has a full 11-bout card as a
featherweight matchup between UFC veterans Leonard Garcia (13-5 MMA,
3-2 WEC) and George Roop (10-6 MMA, 0-1 WEC) is finally official.

The preliminary card bout, which was first reported by MMAjunkie.com, was announced by WEC officials late Saturday night.

The contest completes the “WEC 47: Bowles vs. Cruz” card, which takes
place March 6 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The main card airs
on Versus.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia (25-6) is currently under
consideration for three separate fights spanning from March through
June, though none of them are a done deal.

Sylvia’s manager, Monte Cox, on Saturday told MMAjunkie.com that his phone rings every day with promoters who
look to employ the former UFC heavyweight champion.

But three fights – including a rematch with Wes Sims and a “guilty
pleasure” fight against five-time World’s Strongest Man champion
Mariusz Pudzianowski – are in advanced negotiations.

Diehard MMA fans remember well the day when Paulo Filho (18-1) appeared to fight more than one opponent in the WEC cage.

Filho, 31, was once the top-ranked middleweight in the world, going undefeated in seven years of competition, but things quickly took a turn for the worse.

And though he rebounded from that bizarre November 2008 loss to Chael
Sonnen – a bout where he often gazed outside the cage and frequently
talked to himself – with three-straight wins, his U.S. manager, Ed
Soares, said the grappling ace is still battling personal demons.

Diehard MMA fans remember well the day when Paulo Filho (18-1) appeared to fight more than one opponent in the WEC cage.

Filho, 31, was once the top-ranked middleweight in the world, going undefeated in seven years of competition, but things quickly took a turn for the worse.

And though he rebounded from that bizarre November 2008 loss to Chael
Sonnen – a bout where he often gazed outside the cage and frequently
talked to himself – with three-straight wins, his U.S. manager, Ed
Soares, said the grappling ace is still battling personal demons.