Press Release – Kansas City, KS: A heavyweight tilt between Abe Wagner and Aaron Rosa is the latest matchup to be confirmed for Titan Fighting Championship 17 (www.TitanFighting.com), scheduled to take place on Friday, March 25 and to be televised live on HDNet (www.HD.net).
“Both Abe and Aaron like to stand in the pocket and trade,” said Titan Fighting CEO Joe Kelly. “Fans attending the fight at Memorial Hall and viewers watching at home on HDNet will have a lot to look forward to when it comes to Titan Fighting Championship 17. However, Wagner vs. Rosa is the matchup to watch because it has all the hallmarks of an epic slugfest.”
Up until Titan Fighting Championship 16 this past January 28, Wagner had been best known for his appearance on the tenth installment of the hit Spike TV reality series, The Ultimate Fighter. However, he became an overnight YouTube sensation following his upset first round TKO victory against former two-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim “The Maineiac” Sylvia.
The win over Sylvia has recorded close to 800,000 hits on YouTube and now has Wagner being scouted by all of the top major MMA organizations. With the win, the former NCAA All-American in football improved his record to 8-3 with five of his victories coming via TKO.
“I think the win over Sylvia was huge for me,” said the Omaha native. “It’s one thing to win when nobody thinks you will; it’s another to win when nobody thinks you can. I’m just going to carry this momentum forward into my next fight. Aaron Rosa is a very skilled and respected fighter and I’m eager to test my skills against his.”
Rosa is one of the most respected free agent light heavyweight fighters not currently signed to a long-term contract. A well-traveled veteran, Rosa has fought for EliteXC, Strikeforce, and the Bellator Fighting Championships.
The matchup vs. Wagner creates an interesting dynamic in that both Rosa and Sylvia are managed by Monte Cox. A regular training partner to former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, Rosa is 15-3 overall in his career and holds notable victories over Anthony Ruiz, Robert Villegas, and Ron Fields. On March 25, Rosa will be looking to enact a measure of revenge on behalf of his management stablemate, Sylvia.
“It’s a big fight for me,” proclaimed Rosa. “I want to take his hype that he got when he beat Tim.”
Titan Fighting Championship 17 will emanate live from the historic Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. In addition to Wagner vs. Rosa, the event will also feature the Titan Fighting debuts of ex-WWE superstar Bobby Lashley and former UFC star Phil Baroni. Tickets for the event are now on-sale at all local Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com (www.Ticketmaster.com), as well as the Memorial Hall box office. Tickets start at just $25.
Additional matchups for Titan Fighting Championship 17 will be announced in the coming days. In order to stay updated with all of the latest news pertaining to Titan Fighting, please visit www.TitanFighting.com; become a fan of Titan Fighting on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/titanfighting; or follow the promotion on Twitter @titanfighting.