Tag: Maximum Fighting Championship

Press Release – The Maximum Fighting Championship will be without rising star and lightweight champion Graham “Cracka” Spencer for an extended period due to injury.

Spencer originally suffered the injury in training camp prior to his title fight against Mukai Maromo at MFC 36 – a bout in which the Nanaimo, B.C., product would submit his foe to claim the MFC’s lightweight belt. Spencer (10-1) put the difficulties aside to secure a third-round submission victory, but the pain never went away. In the end, it was discovered the Spencer fought with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

“I couldn’t wrestle for the last month of my camp,” recalled Spencer. “After the fight I went to the doctor and told him about how I was having trouble and he thought I had a bulging disc in my neck so I got a bunch of tests done but nothing was wrong.

“So I got my shoulder x-rayed and it was separated. I did six weeks of rehab for that and tried to go back to training but it still didn’t feel right. Finally I just went and got an MRI and that’s how they found the tear.”

It’s unclear just how long Spencer will be sidelined. First and foremost, he needs to get on the operating table and get surgery to repair the tear.

“I’m very frustrated,” offered Spencer. “The first surgeon I talked to had a two-year waiting list. I’ve got a consult with a different doctor on July 31.

“If I don’t like what he says I’m going to just get it done privately. For now, I’m just working to get enough hours so I can get disability while I’m rehabbing. It doesn’t really bug me too bad unless I wrestle or lift weights but there no way it can hold up to training every day.”

The injury shelves Spencer’s desire to not only defend the lightweight belt but also his attempt to become the MFC’s first double-belt holder with his quest to win the featherweight title as well. Spencer is currently on a five-fight winning streak which includes two wins over Maromo and a decision victory over Shane Nelson at MFC 35.

“It couldn’t have happened at a worse time,” said Spencer, who was training with Team Alpha Male. “I was going to rent a place in Sacramento so I could be training there all the time and my wife could come down when she was available.

“Plus the MFC has been getting me so much recognition. Now I’m going to have to build it all up again.”

Press Release – The Maximum Fighting Championship is pleased to announce the official press conference for the introduction of several main-card fighters who will be competing at MFC 37: True Grit.

The press conference will take place on Wednesday, May 8 at 2 p.m. at the Baccarat Casino (10128-104 Ave, Downtown Edmonton). Fighters will be available for one-on-one interviews as well as for video and still photographs.

MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich will be on hand to meet with the media and discuss MFC 37: True Grit which will go off on Friday, May 10 at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. MFC 37: True Grit will air live on AXS TV (formerly HDNet) throughout the United States beginning at 10 p.m. ET/8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (check local listings for channel designation).

A battle for MFC world heavyweight title tops the lineup for MFC 37, as American star Chris “Beast Boy” Barnett takes on undefeated Canadian sensation Smealinho “The Prince” Rama.

Barnett (7-1), who fights out of Atlanta, Georgia, makes his debut in the Maximum Fighting Championship riding a two-fight winning streak and boasting five career victories by way of knockout. Barnett, a former football player at the University of South Florida, is also a talented grappler having successfully competed in numerous elite-level tournaments.

Rama (6-0) comes into the title fight on a tremendous high and having already dominated all his previous opponents under the MFC banner. A native of Albania who now fights out of Calgary, Alberta, Rama has won all six of his career bouts inside the opening round with three each coming by knockout and submission including his first-round destruction of Mike Hackert by TKO at MFC 36. Rama’s previous successes have earned him the MFC’s 2012 Submission of the Year and he was named 2012 Male Rookie of the Year by Fight Matrix.

Leading up to the title fight is a stacked MFC 37 main card featuring the inaugural fight in the MFC’s new bantamweight division. Kicking off the spirited 135-pound ranks is a showdown between young standouts Ryan “Baby Face” Benoit and Anthony Birchak. The two have already engaged in a boisterous war of words on Twitter and the rivalry is sure to explode once they enter the MFC ring.

Benoit (6-1), who fights out of Dallas, Texas, has won four straight fights, the last two being first-round knockouts coming in less than two minutes. Birchak (9-1), who hails from Tucson, Arizona, will bring a three-fight winning streak into the bout, all three of them finished by way of knockout.

Two middleweight bouts take center stage on the MFC 37 main card. Former MFC middleweight title challenger “Smilen” Sam Alvey will meet Jay “Da Spyda Killa” Silva in one clash, while Jason “The Savage” Zentgraf takes on Luke “Hayabusa” Harris in the other.

Alvey (19-5) lost a narrow decision in his last outing – a five-round war for the title back at MFC 36. The Temecula, California, product boasts 11 career knockouts, and will be once again cornered by his wife – “America’s Next Top Model” winner McKey Sullivan. Silva (8-7), who fights out of Huntington Beach, California, is one of the most dangerous strikers in the division with five career knockouts plus a pair of noteworthy submission victories.

Zentgraf (7-1) is on the verge of becoming a key figure in the MFC middleweight ranks as the Missoula, Montana, product has won four straight fights, all four coming by submission including three inside the first round. He’ll face the toughest test of his career in taking on judo/jiu-jitsu black belt and hometown favorite Harris (9-2). Harris, who trains in St. Albert, Alberta, won nine straight bouts – all by first-round submission – before suffering a first-round TKO loss to Joseph Henle at MFC 34.

A pair of lightweight matchups round out the MFC 37 main card. In one clash, Kurt “The Hurt” Southern and “The Afrikan Assassin” Mukai Maromo will lock horns as both fighters attempt to rebound from heartbreaking losses.

Southern (11-4) was in the midst of an impressive outing at MFC 36 when he was surprisingly submitted by Jonatas Novaes in the third round – a loss which snapped a three-fight winning streak for the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, fighter. Maromo (8-3) will also be out for redemption after suffering a third-round submission loss to Graham Spencer in the MFC lightweight title fight at MFC 36. Maromo, a native of Harare, Zimbabwe who now fights out of Edmonton, Alberta, will also be out to avenge a first-round submission loss to Southern from back in October 2010.

The other lightweight battle will launch the AXS TV Fights card as fan favorite Garrett “Nasty” Nybakken (5-5), an Edmonton, Alberta, product, meets Peter Neufeld (6-3), who hails from Lethbridge, Alberta.

The MFC 37: True Grit undercard will feature four fights, and for the first time in organizational history, the preliminary bouts will be airing live on the MFC Facebook page. The MFC 37 undercard is highlighted by the first “Brother vs. Brother” bout in any major organization as Edmonton natives Mike and Thomas Treadwell will go toe-to-toe. The Treadwells, who are not only siblings but also live together, will be making their pro debuts in the heavyweight ranks.

Schedule of Events for MFC 37: True Grit

*PRESS CONFERENCE*

Wednesday, May 8

2 p.m.

Baccarat Casino

10128-104 Ave. Downtown Edmonton

Those in attendance will include:

· Mark Pavelich – Maximum Fighting Championship Owner/President

· Chris Barnett and Smealinho Rama – Meeting for MFC world heavyweight title

· Ryan Benoit and Anthony Birchak – Debuting in the MFC’s new bantamweight division

· Jason Zentgraf and Luke Harris – Two of MFC’s top middleweight contenders

· Mike and Thomas Treadwell – Competing in highly anticipated brother vs. brother fight

*WEIGH-IN*

Thursday, May 9

12:30 p.m.

Baccarat Casino

10128-104 Ave. Downtown Edmonton

*All fighters will be on the scale and available for interviews and photos.

*FIGHT NIGHT*

Friday, May 10

Shaw Conference Centre

*Doors open at 5:45 p.m.

*Undercard bouts begin at 6:15 p.m. (live on MFC Facebook page)

*Main card bouts begin at 8 p.m. (live on AXS TV)

Press Release – April 22, 2013 – The two new stars in the MFC’s newest division are physically the smallest men on the roster, but they have created one of the biggest buzzes of any fight in company history.

And for Ryan “Baby Face” Benoit he’s enjoyed every minute of the ongoing war of words he’s engaged in against upcoming opponent Anthony Birchak. All of their heated banter is leading to a hotly anticipated battle in the MFC’s debuting bantamweight division at MFC 37: True Grit.

“The Twitter battles and words back in forth have been fun to me. I’ve never had so much public hype on a fight so it’s something kind of new to me but it’s all fun and games,” said Benoit.

“I’ve never truly gotten angry about any of the comments. I just laugh and try to think of something better to say.

“The real battle will be in the ring. Talking trash to me is just for the attention and helps promote the fight and ourselves as fighters. It’s something we will have to get good at and used to as fighters as we grow bigger and bigger in our careers.”

The next big step comes Friday, May 10 when Benoit (6-1) and Birchak (9-1) forget about the barbs and instead exchange strikes and submission. Their fight highlights the AXS TV Fights card emanating live from the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (check local listings for channel designation).

The verbal rivalry took an interesting turn last week when Birchak and the hosts of an online radio show all stated that Benoit was no big test and that the fight would come to a quick conclusion. Benoit wasn’t the least bit concerned about the on-air shot he was taking, opting to patiently wait for the right time to shoot back.

Ready … aim … fire!

“Anthony is going to be on the list of my quick finishes,” stated Benoit.

“His wild brawling and swinging to a takedown won’t work on real skilled fighters.

“I have a feeling his career is about to have a big setback of losses after this because his poor skills are about to be exposed. There is a reason I was begging for this fight and everyone will see why May 10th.”

Benoit (Twitter: @babyfacebenoit) may very well know what he’s talking about, having racked up four of his six wins inside the opening round plus five career victories coming by way of knockout. The Dallas, Texas, product is keeping a relatively standard method to his training camp, raising the focus in just a few specific areas.

He’s not at all worried about Birchak’s plan of attack. Instead he’s focused on making sure things go his way once the opening bell rings.

“I honestly see the fight going however I want it to,” said Benoit. “If he tries to take me down, it’s bad news for him. My ground game has yet to be exposed, and in all reality, the world hasn’t even seen how good my stand up is yet.”

An impressive outing for the winner of this showdown will put them into a fight to become the MFC’s first bantamweight champion. Benoit wants to makes sure he’s first in line to the crown.

“Being in the MFC is dream come true in my career,” Benoit stated. “I feel very blessed to even be able to get on the show and now the exposure I’m getting as a fighter and a person is amazing.

“I really want that beautiful MFC belt and I’m curious already to see who I will be fighting for it and I’m ready to bring a real belt back home to Texas and show everyone what a Dallas fighter is all about.”

Tickets for MFC 37: True Grit are available at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024.

Press Release – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – On May 10th at MFC 37: True Grit, two of the most dynamic and promising heavyweight fighters in mixed martial arts will meet in the ring for the main event. The prize will be the undisputed World Heavyweight Championship title. Smealinho Rama (6-0) and Chris Barnett (7-1) have each earned their place at the MFC’s “big boy” table and on May 10th it will be time to see who gets to eat.

Smealinho “The Prince” Rama is currently the #1 ranked heavyweight fighter in Canada. Coming off a first round TKO finish of previously top ranked Mike Hackert at MFC 36 in February, he now gets the call to compete for the title after only having competed in professional mixed martial arts for 13 months. At just 21 years of age, Rama is a significant force in the heavyweight division – an undeniable talent brimming with confidence.

In his 6 fights (which have lasted a total of only 14:06 combined), Smealinho has won half by TKO and half by submission, with all wins coming in the very first round. Not one to opt for the slow and steady route, Rama fought and won 5 times in 2012, building momentum, sharpening his skills and looking markedly better in each outing. This led Rama to his fight with Mike Hackert, who then held the rank of #1 heavyweight in the country. Rama finished Hackert with punches at 2:28 of the first round. His style of fighting and his achievements are very impressive, yet what is equally impressive is how Rama does it all with the calmness of a veteran fighter.

Chris “Beast Boy” Barnett is an athletic virtuoso: a tae kwon do black belt with boxing experience who played Division 1 football for the University of South Florida. At 5’9″ and 265 pounds, Chris possesses a level of athleticism normally reserved for men far smaller than himself. He overflows with charisma and consistently pleases fans with his fighting style. He has competed in MMA for 4 years, finishing 5 of the 8 opponents he has faced by KO or TKO. Looking to the immediate future, Chris has said that Smealinho Rama is precisely the kind fighter he wants for his next fight: a legitimate contender. Well aware of the level of skill possessed by his opponent, but eager to build his legacy, Chris Barnett predicts a win over Rama via TKO in the 2nd round.

These are two fighters who are not at all hesitant to put everything on the line and engage in the kinds of fights MMA fans have come to love and appreciate. Rama has stated that he doesn’t want to be a “decision fighter.” “I want to finish every fight and make it exciting… and I want the fans to love it.” Barnett has similarly stated that he is all about putting on a show and that he believes it to be his job to “humble fighters with massive egos.” Here we have all the makings of a heavyweight slugfest where nothing is held back, where the level of talent is extremely high, and from which a new MMA star will emerge.

Tickets for MFC 37: True Grit are on sale now and available at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024.

Press Release – For the first time in organizational history, the Maximum Fighting Championship will bring all the heated action of an event undercard to a live audience around the world via Facebook.

At MFC 37: True Grit, fans will be able to see a five-fight preliminary bout lineup streaming live on the Maximum Fighting Championship’s Facebook page. Simply go to www.facebook.com/MaximumFighting and click ‘LIKE’ to watch the fistic fireworks.

The MFC has set three of the five fights slated for the True Grit undercard which will get under way at 8 p.m. ET/6 p.m. MT/5 p.m. PT on Friday, May 10 from the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.

The main card of MFC 37: True Grit, headlined by the showdown for the MFC world heavyweight title between Chris “Beast Boy” Barnett and Smealinho “The Prince” Rama, will be airing live on AXS TV Fights beginning at 10 p.m. ET/8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (check local listings for channel designation).

Two middleweight fights will spark the undercard action at MFC 37. In what should be a rugged tussle, “The Loudmouth Assassin” Marcus Hicks will put a three-fight winning streak on the line against Jared “The Yeti” McComb. At MFC 36, Hicks notched a second-round submission victory over Paul Grandbois, while McComb will look to get back to winning ways after having his four-fight winning streak stopped at MFC 33.

In the other middleweight matchup, former Knockout of the Night winner Paul “The Punisher” Grandbois, who was the runner-up in voting for the MFC’s Fight of the Year in 2012, will take on hard-throwing striker Allen Hope. Back in April 2011, the two previously clashed with Hope earning the sixth knockout victory of his career in a first-round stoppage.

And as previously announced, the MFC 37: True Grit undercard will feature the much-anticipated “Brother vs. Brother” fight as Mike Treadwell squares off against his younger sibling Thomas Treadwell in a heavyweight clash.

Two more fights will be added shortly to the live Facebook undercard for MFC 37.

Tickets for MFC 37: True Grit are on sale now and available at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024.