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‘UFC Tonight’ Show Quotes – UFC 159 Predictions From Daniel Cormier & Kenny Florian

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – On this week’s UFC TONIGHT, guest host Daniel Cormier and Kenny Florian break down the UFC 159 card. Plus, we’ve got an exclusive Georges St-Pierre interview and much more. Quote of the Week: Chael Sonnen on his upcoming fight with Jon Jones: “When I step off that plane […]

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – On this week’s UFC TONIGHT, guest host Daniel Cormier and Kenny Florian break down the UFC 159 card. Plus, we’ve got an exclusive Georges St-Pierre interview and much more.

Quote of the Week: Chael Sonnen on his upcoming fight with Jon Jones: “When I step off that plane in New Jersey, there’s a new family in town, the Sonnen family and I’m the new Don. I’m taking over that state. And my first order of business is to beat the bejesus out of Jon Jones. Jon Jones, you will be reminded the hard way why you never piss off a gangster.”

UFC TONIGHT’s Kenny Florian on Chael Sonnen vs. Jon Jones: “The reality is Jon Jones has an amazing arsenal of weapons and he’s going to have that advantage against anyone at 205 pounds. But we can’t forget that Chael Sonnen is a tremendous wrestler. We haven’t seen Jones really fight off of his back too much and Chael is a guy who will back you up and pressure you. And that’s exactly what he needs to do against Jones. This fight is very interesting.”

UFC TONIGHT Guest Analyst Daniel Cormier on Sonnen vs. Jones: “Chael is going to make him fight in places where he’s not used to fighting. I know Chael will take him down and is going to pressure him. Chael is going to make him uncomfortable by constantly going forward. Chael won’t make the mistake that many fighters make: backing up and circling. You cannot allow Jon Jones to be so comfortable going forward in the cage.”

Cormier on if a Sonnen victory would be the biggest upset in UFC history: “Hands down, without a doubt. People talk about Matt Serra vs. Georges St-Pierre. Serra had great knockout power and he also had the submission threat. If Chael is going to beat Jon Jones, he’s going to have to beat him over the course of 25 minutes and dominate that fight.”

Cormier picks Jones over Sonnen: “Chael’s speeches are great. But Jon Jones is the man and is going to win this fight. But Chael, go out there, take him down and set the game plan and the way to beat Jon Jones for the rest of us!”

Cormier on Michael Bisping vs. Alan Belcher: “It’s going to be a great fight. Bisping is a guy who has great, technical boxing. Belcher is a tough, durable guy who likes to pressure and can fight everywhere. They’re both great on the feet, but Bisping has a little bit of an advantage there.”

Florian on Bisping vs. Belcher: “Bisping has the wrestling and that’s the thing: we’ve seen Alan Belcher shut down against other guys who try to take him down. We saw him against Yushin Okami. Not only that, but Michael Bisping has been putting a lot of pressure mentally on him with his last comment on the conference call, where he said that if Alan Belcher does beat him, that will be the biggest win in Belcher’s pathetic career.”

Florian picks Bisping over Belcher: “Alan Belcher has the ability to knock out Bisping, but Michael Bisping is going to fight smart and has too much experience. I’m taking Bisping by decision.”

Cormier picks Belcher over Bisping: “Alan Belcher does have the ability to knock out Bisping, but Bisping doesn’t have the power to knock out Belcher. I’m going with Belcher.”

Cormier picks Roy Nelson over Cheick Kongo: “I’m taking Roy Nelson. He’s a big, strong, durable guy and he’ll take this to the ground with his great grappling and that’s what’s going to get it done.”

Cormier on if he’ll fight at heavyweight or light heavyweight next: “I’m thinking about both weight divisions. I’ve been watching the rankings and I want to fight someone who actually advances my career. I’m interested in big fights. I’m getting with my team this week and to make a decision.”

St-Pierre on if he’s talked to UFC President Dana White about his next fight: “We haven’t spoken. I probably need to know the outcome of the next couple fights. We’re going to talk later on.”

St-Pierre on if he’s going to change weight classes: “If I’m going up to 185, I will not be able to come back down after. At 170, I don’t think I have the luxury of choosing my opponent, and I will fight whoever the UFC tells me to fight.”

St-Pierre on if he needs to move up to fight new opponents: “I haven’t fought everybody at 170. I’ve been out for a long time and my division has changed. Now Johny Hendricks is a new guy right now, and he brings a very big threat to me.”

St-Pierre on why he wrote his new book: “I was injured, I was in bed and couldn’t do any training. I started writing notes and one of my friends picked up the notes and suggested I should do something with them. It’s not a biography and it’s not a book for MMA fans only. It’s about what I did from the bottom and my strategy to reach my current point. It’s not just a strategic fighting book – it’s more like a philosophical book.”

UFC TONIGHT Insider Ariel Helwani on Gegard Mousasi moving down to 185: “I spoke with his manager Nima Safapour and he told me that they like the idea of moving down to middleweight. He said he wants to talk to Zuffa, to the fans, and if they’re interested, they’ll consider going down. He said they can make the cut easily and want a top-five opponent. They also told me Anderson Silva is on their radar, so stay tuned for that.”

Helwani on what’s next for Miesha Tate and Liz Carmouche: “Both Liz and Miesha lost their UFC debuts. They want to fight each other on FOX UFC SATURDAY 8 on July 27 in Seattle. The UFC has not confirmed this.”

Helwani on the next international season of The Ultimate Fighter: “My sources have said that the next international season of The Ultimate Fighter will be Team Canada vs. Team Australia. The UFC has not confirmed this.”

UFC TONIGHT
UFC TONIGHT is the official weekly news and information show of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The show is co-hosted by veteran UFC fighter and multiple title contender Kenny Florian and UFC light heavyweight contender Chael Sonnen. Leeann Tweeden contributes, while three-time World MMA Awards Journalist of the Year Ariel Helwani adds insider news.

Follow FUEL TV and the talent on Twitter at: @FUELTV; @UFCTonight; @kennyflorian; @arielhelwani; @LeeannTweeden; @dc_mma;

For a complete listing of FUEL TV shows, go to: http://www.fuel.tv/schedule. For more information, go to www.fuel.tv, www.fuel.tv/ufc and on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/fueltv

To get FUEL TV on your television, go to www.fuel.tv/getfueltv, or call 877-4 FUEL-TV.

MFC 37 – Ryan Benoit Enjoying Verbal Exchanges With Opponent Anthony Birchak

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 […]

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.

Vladimir Matyushenko Wants To “Cement His Legacy” By Capturing A Bellator World Title

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (April 18, 2013) – At 42 years old, Vladimir Matyushenko has seen it all. From earning three submission victories in one night, to taking down opponents like Antônio “Little Nog” Nogueira, Travis Wiuff, Pedro Rizzo and Jason Lambert. Armed with one of the best wrestling backgrounds in the sport, […]

Vladimir Matyushenko

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (April 18, 2013) – At 42 years old, Vladimir Matyushenko has seen it all. From earning three submission victories in one night, to taking down opponents like Antônio “Little Nog” Nogueira, Travis Wiuff, Pedro Rizzo and Jason Lambert. Armed with one of the best wrestling backgrounds in the sport, “The Janitor” has signed with Bellator MMA, and will debut soon live on Spike TV.

“Vladimir is a fighter I’ve watched for years. He’s an exciting fighter with an incredible wrestling background and a great pedigree in our sport. When the opportunity presented itself and we had the chance to have him join the Bellator family it was a very easy decision to make,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “With our Champion Attila Vegh sitting at the top of the mountain right now, and with guys like Emanuel Newton, Mikhail Zayats and King Mo coming on strong, the light heavyweight division for Bellator continues to evolve and Vladimir should fit in perfectly to that mix.”

“Bellator is one of the biggest promotions in the world, and to be associated with them is an honor,” Matyushenko said. “I am optimistic and excited to work with Bellator. The amount of respect and honor I felt from Bjorn and the entire Bellator team was tremendous, and getting into the Bellator cage and cementing my legacy as a Bellator World Champion is the only thing on my mind.”

Matyushenko will make his promotional debut live on Spike in a non-tournament fight that will be announced shortly.

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 107 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About mun2

mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.

ONE FC: Rise To Power Adds Three Aditional Matches To May 31 Event

Press Release – 18 April 2013 – Manila: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), presented by Casino Filipino and in association with Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC), announced today three additional bouts for ONE FC: RISE TO POWER. Kevin Belingon will battle Masakatsu Ueda in the final of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. The winner will get […]

Press Release – 18 April 2013 – Manila: ONE Fighting Championship™ (ONE FC), presented by Casino Filipino and in association with Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC), announced today three additional bouts for ONE FC: RISE TO POWER. Kevin Belingon will battle Masakatsu Ueda in the final of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. The winner will get a shot at the ONE FC Bantamweight Title. Plus, Eduard Folayang is back in action against Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) veteran Kamal Shalorus and fan favorite Phil Baroni will return to the famed ONE FC cage to take on the KO artist from Japan, Nobutatsu Suzuki. All the action takes place live on 31 May from the MOA Arena in Manila, Philippines.

KEVIN BELINGON VS MASAKATSU UEDA

EDUARD FOLAYANG VS KAMAL SHALORUS

PHIL BARONI VS NOBUTATSU SUZUKI

ONE FC: Rise to Power will be broadcast live on Fight Network in Canada, Portugal, Turkey, Angola and Mozambique.

Tickets for ONE FC: RISE TO POWER will launch in Casino Filipino branches across the Philippines starting on 22 April 2013.

Fans from around the world can witness the action online via live streaming at www.onefc.livesport.tv.

The first two undercard fights are available for viewing free-of-charge and the main card fights will be available for purchase at just US$9.99.

CEO of ONE Fighting Championship™ Victor Cui stated, “ONE FC: RISE TO POWER will feature some of the biggest names in Asian MMA as we return to the fight capital of Asia. I’m beyond excited to see Honorio Banario back in action in front of his home crowd at the state-of-the art Mall of Asia Arena. Bibiano Fernandes taking on Koetsu Okazaki has all the ingredients for a possible Fight of the Night with one of the world’s greatest pound-for-pound fighters squaring off against a Japanese submission artist who is known for his impressive grappling game. I know fans cannot wait to watch these warriors collide on 31 May.”

The Bantamweight Grand Prix Final is also set and both fighters are ready to showcase their skills in Manila to earn a shot at the biggest Bantamweight title belt in Asia.

Bantamweight GP Finalist Kevin Belingon is a Filipino MMA champion and one of the best MMA fighters ever to emerge from the Philippines. It took him a few fights to become accustomed to competing inside the ONE FC cage but once he found his rhythm, the result was spectacular as he blasted through Yusup Saadulaev and Thanh Vu in less than a round to earn a slot in the Bantamweight Grand Prix Final. Known as “The Silencer” because he prefers to let his fists and feet do the talking, Belingon is a Wushu specialist with fast hands and devastating low kicks. He says that he is in the best shape of his life and nothing can stop him from earning a shot at the coveted ONE FC Bantamweight World Championship Title. His opponent is a veteran who is not at all concerned about fighting on Belingon’s home soil on 31 May.

Masakatsu Ueda is a Bellator veteran and former Shooto Featherweight Champion, a belt he defended successfully three times. He has an outstanding 17-2-2 record which makes him one of the best Bantamweights in the world. He was a very successful college wrestler who won numerous national wrestling competitions in Japan as well as the all Japan Shooto Grappling Championship. A very well-rounded fighter, he submitted MMA legend Jens Pulver at ONE FC: KINGS & CHAMPIONS to earn a slot in the final of the Bantamweight Grand Prix. Ueda understands the magnitude of this fight and knows very well that Belingon will be the toughest test of his career.

A Lightweight bout that is sure to get the crowd on their feet will pit Filipino MMA legend Eduard Folayang against UFC veteran Kamal Shalorus.

Folayang is a legend in the Philippines where he is universally regarded as MMA’s equivalent to boxing phenomenon Manny Pacquiao. A former school teacher, he is renowned for being humble and respectful outside the cage but a determined and relentless competitor inside. The Baguio-born mixed martial artist is never in a boring fight and the sight of Folayang struggling in a tough battle, but somehow finding a way to win in the end, is one which fight fans have become accustomed to. Folayang will square off against the resilient submission specialist from Iran, Kamal Shalorus.

Shalorus was born in the city of Khalkhal in Iran. He began wrestling as a teenager before moving to the United States to train in MMA. He is a UFC and WEC veteran with notable wins over Justin Milles and Bart Palaszewski. Shalorus will need to bring it all when he steps into the ONE FC cage for the first time at ONE FC: RISE TO POWER.

Manila’s favorite slugger Phil Baroni will be back in action on 31 May when he battles up and coming Japanese mixed martial artist Nobutatsu Suzuki. Baroni has faced some of the toughest opponents in the world and is renowned for his one-punch knockout power. Despite being one of the hardest punchers to ever compete in MMA, it’s not just Baroni’s hard-hitting fists that the fans come to see. His brash and charismatic personality and inimitable swagger down the fighter’s entrance makes him one of the biggest showmen in MMA. Suzuki is the complete opposite in personality but identical in fighting style. Eight of his fights have been won via impressive KO. On 31 May, he will look to make Baroni number nine.

ONE FC: RISE TO POWER is headlined by a ONE FC Featherweight World Championship bout between reigning champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario against number one contender Koji Oishi and pound-for-pound king Bibiano Fernandes taking on Koetsu Okazaki for the ONE FC Bantamweight Interim Title. All the action takes place live from the MOA Arena in Manila, Philippines.

For more updates on ONE Fighting Championship™, please visit www.onefc.com and follow on Twitter @ONEFCMMA and Facebook at www.facebook.com/ONEFCMMA.

About ONE Fighting Championship™

Headquartered in Singapore, ONE Fighting Championship™ (http://www.onefc.com) is Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization. ONE Fighting Championship™ hosts the best Asian mixed martial artists and world champions on the largest media broadcast in Asia. ONE Fighting Championship™ has partnered with STAR Sports, the number one leader in sports content, for an unprecedented 10-year cable television deal with a coverage that spans across 70+ countries in Asia.

‘UFC Tonight’ Show Quotes – Dominick Cruz Picking Benson Henderson At FOX 7 Event

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – On this week’s UFC TONIGHT, break down the FOX UFC SATURDAY card. Plus, we’ve got an exclusive Jon Jones interview and much more. Quote of the Week: UFC TONIGHT Guest Host Dominick Cruz on Benson Henderson vs. Gilbert Melendez: “Benson can make history in the UFC. In the […]

Press Release – LOS ANGELES, CA – On this week’s UFC TONIGHT, break down the FOX UFC SATURDAY card. Plus, we’ve got an exclusive Jon Jones interview and much more.

Quote of the Week: UFC TONIGHT Guest Host Dominick Cruz on Benson Henderson vs. Gilbert Melendez: “Benson can make history in the UFC. In the lightweight division, that’s crazy to do because it’s one of the most competitive divisions. But you’ve got to think Melendez brings a huge skill set to the table that Benson hasn’t seen. He has a great wrestling background, a great boxing background and he can box with Benson whenever he wants to. This is a real test for Ben Henderson.”

UFC TONIGHT’s Kenny Florian on Henderson vs. Melendez: “Benson really needs to be careful on the inside. Gilbert Melendez has a great knack of getting on the inside and throwing bunches of punches. He’s a high-volume striker when he gets in there, and we haven’t really seen Benson as the counter-striker. I think it’s going to force Benson to wrestle and it’s going to come down to who’s the better wrestler here. I pick Henderson to win this one.”

Cruz picks Henderson over Melendez: “Gilbert Melendez has power strikes. He has the most significant strikes in Strikeforce history. He doesn’t waste movement and makes you make a mistake and takes a good shot. But I take Henderson with his pace and the way he mixes it up. Gilbert is a beast though.”

Cruz on Frank Mir vs. Daniel Cormier: “You look at Mir and what he does on the ground and it’s absolutely incredible because he’s ripped people’s arms off, and he’s choked them unconscious. And you have to like a guy like Cormier, who’s an Olympic wrestler and if he doesn’t want to go to the ground, he won’t. We don’t even know if Mir will be able to use his grappling abilities on a guy like Cormier. Cormier will keep it standing, pick him apart with his striking and add a takedown to keep Mir off his rhythm. Cormier takes this one.”

Florian on Mir vs. Cormier: “You’ve got to look at the size advantage. Daniel Cormier isn’t the biggest heavyweight out there, but Frank Mir is a huge heavyweight. We’re talking about the guy who’s the best submission guy in UFC history against Daniel Cormier, who comes from a world-class wrestling background. Will he go into his default mode and take Frank Mir down? That could be trouble for him. But I’m going with the Olympian here. His wrestling is going to control where the fight goes and I think he has a little bit better hands.”

Cruz on Nate Diaz vs. Josh Thomson: “You’ve got to look at the styles. You’ve got Thomson who mixes kicks and punches. He might have the edge in the wrestling. I think this fight is going to come down to who gets more takedowns. You’re going to see Thomson move his feet a lot and it’s going to be hard for Nate Diaz to find him.”

Florian on Diaz vs. Thomson: “Nate Diaz really puts so much pressure on his opponents. If you don’t have good footwork, you’re in trouble against a Diaz. It doesn’t matter how much power you have, Nate Diaz will beat up your body. Josh Thomson has to be able to circle away from that pressure and mix things up with his takedowns. And if he takes him down, he better be careful on the mat because Nate Diaz is as good as it gets on the mat as well.”

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones’ response to Chael Sonnen’s comments on Twitter and UFC TONIGHT: “I don’t really have too much of a response. Chael’s doing what he does best. He’s promoting a fight and I’m going to let him do it.”

Jones on why he’s not trash talking before UFC 159: “I realize through experience that talking trash does nothing for the fight.”

Jones on his statement that Sonnen lacked a “champion’s soul:” “People know that Chael Sonnen has done steroids throughout his whole career and that’s probably why his testosterone is low now. I don’t think that is the heart or the attitude of a champion, so that’s what I meant when I said he lacks champion’s soul.”

Jones on what he’s most concerned about against Sonnen: “I’m really not concerned with too many of Chael’s gifts. Chael is an awesome fighter, he has pretty good boxing, he loves wrestling and he’s been really successful with his wrestling. He has really good ground-and-pound. I’ve just familiarized myself with the whole thing and I’m really comfortable with what I’m getting ready to face. I wouldn’t say any of it really concerns me. I’m just ready to go out there, react, be instinctual, do my best and try to do what I do.”

Jones on if he has something to say to Sonnen: “I’d tell him to bring it. Bring your best. I hope you’re having a great camp and I hope you’re healthy and I’m excited for this awesome challenge.”

UFC TONIGHT Insider Ariel Helwani on what’s next for Demian Maia: “Demian Maia’s manager Eduardo Alonso says that Demian’s anxious to get back. Demian wants to return on the August 3rd card in Rio, and he’d be honored to fight Nick Diaz. They have a lot of respect for Diaz. This fight makes a lot of sense. If you look at the welterweight rankings, everyone else is booked or just fought. They’re ranked fifth and sixth and would make a lot of sense.”

Helwani on what’s next for Urijah Faber: “Urijah Faber looked so good in his last fight. He says he’s in a good place, back on a winning streak. He had a few injuries before this fight, an injured sternum and had a small fracture in one of his hands, and he’s ok taking some time off and healing up. He’d be down to fight in a couple of months. He wants a fight that makes sense for him. He’ll wait and see.”

Follow FUEL TV and the talent on Twitter at: @FUELTV; @UFCTonight; @kennyflorian; @arielhelwani; @LeeannTweeden; @TheDomin8r;

For a complete listing of FUEL TV shows, go to: http://www.fuel.tv/schedule. For more information, go to www.fuel.tv, www.fuel.tv/ufc and on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/fueltv

To get FUEL TV on your television, go to www.fuel.tv/getfueltv, or call 877-4 FUEL-TV.

Holly Holm Announces Retirement From Boxing To Pursue Career In MMA

Press Release – ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (April 16, 2013, 2013) – Today at a Fresquez Productions media luncheon, 14-time, three-division world boxing champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (32-2-3, 9 KOs) shocked the combat sports world by announcing her retirement from boxing, effective after her May 11 fight with “Merciless” Mary McGee (20-1, 11 KOs), in […]

Holly ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ Holm – photo by Will Fox

Press Release – ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (April 16, 2013, 2013) – Today at a Fresquez Productions media luncheon, 14-time, three-division world boxing champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (32-2-3, 9 KOs) shocked the combat sports world by announcing her retirement from boxing, effective after her May 11 fight with “Merciless” Mary McGee (20-1, 11 KOs), in order to pursue her mixed-martial-arts career (3-0-0).

“Since I first started fighting, it became my passion,” Holly explained her decision. “I decided a long time ago, after quitting school to fight, that I would box as long as my heart was in it. One of my biggest and controversial fights was against Christy Martin. Then, it was Mary Jo Sanders. There’s always a champion. This is my own journey. Every one of my fights have helped me to believe in myself.

“When we were deciding which way to go with my future, my trainer, Mike Winkeljohn, said it best, ‘You want to climb a new mountain.’ This thing has created a new spark in me and I’m following my heart. I wish much success to Cecilia (Braekhus) but not fighting her does not, by any means, define my boxing career. I know there’s a lot of talk about that but what does that say about all the women I’ve already fought? I’ve never been a paper champion. I’ve grown so much every step of the way. I’m in this fight, on May 11,100 percent; I’m not distracted. This is obviously an emotional, spiritual and physical journey and I’m so grateful for the people who have supported me. I just want to fight where my passion is (MMA). I train in an MMA gym and always have.”

Holm defends her International Boxing Association and World Boxing Federation (WBF) junior welterweight titles in the 10-round main event on the “Mayhem” card, presented by Fresquez Productions, at Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albququerque, New Mexico.

“I love Holly’s team – the chemistry, the fans, the loyalty,” Holm’s promoter Lenny Fresquez said. “Regarding Cecilia – Holly doesn’t need anybody! She is headed toward the boxing (International) Hall of Fame and is already named for the New Mexico Boxing Hall of Fame. We will continue the Holly Holm saga. She’s at the top of her game and we support her history-making decision.”

The 31-year-old Holm has defeated a Who’s Who list of woman boxers from the 140 through 154-pound weight classes, including Christy Martin, Anne Sophie Mathis, Mary Jo Sanders, Mia St. John, Jane Couch, Duda Yankovich and Chevelle Hallback (twice).

Holm has an amazing 21-1-1 record in world championship fights, as well as a 14-1-1 mark against world champions.

“We are going forward with Holly’s MMA career and there’s nobody better than Lenny Fresquez to take us to that next level,” Holm’s manager/trainer Mike Wonkeljohn added. “I found it hard to bounce back and forth between MMA and boxing. Holly is focused. Expect the best Holly ever. Her future is bright.”

Tickets for “Mayhem,” ranging between $25.00 and $200.00, are on sale and available to purchase at the Route 66 box office, going online to www.rt66casino.com, or calling 505.884.7484.

Go on line to www.FresquezProductions.com or www.rt66casino.com for more information about “Mayhem”