Press Release
Edmonton, Alberta (Canada): The Fight Club (TFC) is proud to bring MMA fans “DEVASTATION” on Friday, December 10th, live from the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The event will showcase ten bouts featuring several top MMA superstars, including former TFC World Light Heavyweight Champion Victor Valimaki, top TFC middleweight contenders Bastien Huveneers and Nick Hinchliffe, as well as welterweight contenders Louis Carles and Rio Wells.
Tickets for “DEVASTATION” are available through Ticketmaster, or via phone at (780) 991-5670.
The main event will feature a title fight between Vancouver resident Bastien Huveneers (8-3-1) and Nick Hinchliffe (17-6), who hails from Nanaimo, BC. This scrap will be for the vacant TFC Canadian Middleweight title. The former main event, which was to feature Craig “Farmer” Brown (7-3) versus Chase Degenhardt (6-1), fell apart due to an injury to Degenhardt. Following the withdrawal of his opponent, Brown declined a chance at redemption against Hinchliffe, choosing instead to focus on his upcoming January clash in TFC with UFC veteran Jason “Dooms” Day (19-11).
Nick Hinchliffe is currently riding high with losses only to fellow Canadian MMA stars in current UFC welterweight Rory MacDonald (10-1), and current Armageddon FC Middleweight Champion Kalib Starnes (11-5). Hinchliffe is still pursuing a slot on Spike TV’s The Ultimate Fighter 13, but in the mean time, the Team Impact product will undoubtedly remain as active as possible. His appearance at “DEVASTATION” will mark Nick’s sixth fight of 2010.
“Hinchcliffe and now Huveneers are both top level Canadian middleweights and we would be proud to have either as our Canadian champ,” said TFC president Mark Sinclair. “There will certainly be several strong challengers in line for our new champ’s future title defenses.”
The co-main event will showcase Edmonton, Alberta native and local favorite Victor “The Matrix” Valimaki (16-7), a former holder of the TFC Light Heavyweight Championship, as he collides with the well-traveled and experienced Minneapolis, Minnesota native Karl Knothe (17-6). A former UFC fighter, Valimaki was riding a seven-fight winning streak until running into the man who took his belt, the current champ, Martin “The Stress” Desilets. Now, he’ll face Knothe, while hoping that a win will get him back one the championship path. “The Matrix” holds victories over MMA legend Dan “The Beast” Severn and UFC veterans Vernon “Tiger” White, and Jason “Dooms” Day. Knothe, for his part, trains with Sergio Cunha at The Minnesota Fight Factory in Burnside, Minnesota, and has won eleven straight fights since August 2007.
Also fighting at “DEVASTATION” will be knockout specialist Rio Wells, who will put his skills on display yet again as he looks to take the next step in his career. A three-time TFC vet, Wells has yet to taste defeat, knocking out all four of his pro opponents.
The fight card includes:
· 185 lbs: Bastien Huveneers (8-3-1) vs. Nick Hinchliffe (17-6) for the CND MW. Title
· 205 lbs: Victor Valimaki (16-8) vs. Karl Knothe (17-6)
· 170 lbs: Rio Wells (4-0) vs. Louis Carles (7-2)
· 155 lbs: Steve Beaumont (1-0) vs. Eric Andre (2-0)
· 200 lbs: Donald Willis (0-0) vs. Brendan Kornberger (2-0)
· 185 lbs: Sheldon Westcott (5-1) vs. TBA
· 190 lbs: Jesse Clarke (2-2) vs. Ryan Sieben (0-2)
· 155 lbs: Dia Grant (2-3) vs. Alex Ricci (0-0)
· 170 lbs: Mike Scarcello (1-0) vs. Brandon Dumais (0-0)
For more information, please visit our website at http://www.thefightclub.ca/