Tag: Press Release

Lauren Taylor Steps In To Replace Amanda Nunes At Invicta FC 5

Press Release – ANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 19, 2013) – Undefeated KO artist Lauren Taylor (5-0) of Anchorage, Alaska will replace an injured Amanda Nunes in a bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup with hard-hitting Kaitlin Young (7-7-1) of St. Louis Park, Minn. at the highly-anticipated Invicta Fighting Championships women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world championship doubleheader […]

Invicta FC 5 posterPress Release – ANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 19, 2013) – Undefeated KO artist Lauren Taylor (5-0) of Anchorage, Alaska will replace an injured Amanda Nunes in a bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup with hard-hitting Kaitlin Young (7-7-1) of St. Louis Park, Minn. at the highly-anticipated Invicta Fighting Championships women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world championship doubleheader event at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City on Friday, April 5.

Nunes was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a sprained elbow sustained in training camp.

To date, the 29-year-old Taylor has been unstoppable in the cage, scoring TKOs on all five of her professional opponents, including a first round (4:10) stoppage of Jennifer Scott with an onslaught of elbow strikes in Taylor’s last start on March 1. Taylor has yet to be pushed past the second round of action.

Young, a 27-year-old, three-time veteran of Invicta FC competition, is a prolific striker who has earned six of her seven career victories by (T)KO. She is looking to rebound from a second round (2:19) TKO (punches) defeat at the hands of Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith at Invicta FC 3 on Oct. 6, 2012.

Tickets for Invicta FC 5, priced from $25, are on sale online at TicketFly.com.

In the main event of the stacked 14-bout card, reigning Invicta FC Atomweight (105 pounds) Champion Jessica Penne (10-1) of Huntington Beach, Calif. will defend her crown against superstar Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson (10-3) of Albuquerque, N.M. and, in the co-main event and first-ever Invicta FC flyweight (125 pounds) title fight, submission ace Vanessa Porto (15-5) of Sao Paulo, Brazil will square off with red-hot star Barb Honchak (7-2) of Bettendorf, Iowa.

In a featured, main card bout pound-for-pound great and devastating featherweight (145 pounds) KO artist Cris Cyborg (10-1, 1 NC) of Curitiba, Brazil will make her Invicta FC debut against streaking submission ace and Unified Women’s Professional MMA Rankings world No. 2 featherweight Ediane “India” Gomes (10-2) of Coconut Creek, Fla. via Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Flyweight superstar Zoila Frausto Gurgel (12-2) of Cincinnati, Ohio will also make her Invicta FC debut in another featured bout against submission expert Jennifer Maia (6-2) of Curitiba, Parana Brazil.

In other action on the eight-bout main card, bantamweight superstar Sarah Kaufman (15-2) of Victoria, BC Canada will make her long-awaited Invicta FC debut against dangerous striker and Invicta FC 3 and Invicta FC 4 winner Leslie “The Peacemaker” Smith (5-2-1) of Pleasant Hill, Calif.

In a featherweight contest, hard-punching Julia “The Jewel” Budd (4-2) of Port Moody, BC Canada will meet rising star Fiona Muxlow (6-2) of Townsville, Queensland Australia

Crowd-pleasing “Rowdy” Bec Hyatt (4-2) of Brisbane, Australia will drop from flyweight to strawweight (115 pounds) and look to return to the win column against undefeated sensation and Invicta FC newcomer Jasminka Cive (5-0) of Graz, Austria.

The Invicta FC six-fight preliminary card will be highlighted by a bantamweight tilt between two undefeated prospects in powerhouse Jessamyn “The Gun” Duke (2-0) of Richmond, Ky. and Muay Thai stylist Miriam Nakamoto (1-0) of Dublin, Calif.

Katja Kankaanpaa (7-0-1) of Seinajoki, Finland will square off with fellow undefeated rising star Juliana Carnerio Lima (5-0) of Belo Horizonte, Brazil at strawweight in what will mark both fighters’ Invicta FC debuts.

Alex Chambers (4-1) of St. Ives New South Wales, Australia will meet unbeaten Jodie Esquibel of Albuquerque, N.M. at atomweight.

Fresh off of her professional debut victory in the Invicta FC cage, top-flight prospect Rose Namajunas (1-0) of St. Paul, Minn. will face off with fellow undefeated upstart Kathina Catron (2-0) of Tehlequa, Okla. at strawweight.

Following her explosive first round KO and professional debut victory over Katalina Malungahu at Invicta FC 4, recent Team Alpha Male enlistee Veronica Rothenhausler (1-0) of Sacramento, Calif. will return to the cage against Mollie Estes (1-1) of Kansas City.

Cassie Rodish (4-3) of Des Moines, Iowa will face Simona Soukupova (3-2) of London, England in an atomweight contest.

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta Fighting Championships (www.invictafc.com) is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.

About Ameristar Kansas City

Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City is owned and operated by a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameristar Casinos, Inc. (NASDAQ-GS: ASCA), and is a premier property characterized by a state-of-the-art casino floor and outstanding dining, lodging and entertainment options. The property features the largest casino and the most games in the Kansas City area, as well as one of the largest poker rooms in the Midwest. Ameristar offers nine diverse dining venues — The Horizon Buffet, The Falcon Bakery, Pearl’s Oyster Bar, Great Plains Cattle Co., Amerisports Brew Pub, Casino Deli, Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque, Burger King and Sbarro The Italian Eatery, as well as the Star Club, a private players’ lounge. Entertainment amenities include the Star Pavilion, featuring national headliners; Depot #9, with popular regional and local acts; the Regal Cinema’s Kansas City 18 Theater; Hi-Vi video arcade; and Kids Quest, a supervised child-care facility. The property also includes a 184-room hotel. The property was awarded “Favorite Casino” for the Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association’s 2012 Visitor Choice Awards. Best Casino in 2012 Ingram’s Magazine “Best of Business Awards;” in the 2003, 2005, 2007 – 2009, 2011 Kansas City Magazine’s “Best of Kansas City” readers’ poll and 2011 Best Casino in Home in the Northland Magazine’s readers’ poll. Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City also was awarded Best Steakhouse, Best Buffet, Best Live Poker and Best Tournaments in the 2012 Casino Player Magazine’s “Best of Gaming” awards.

Visit Ameristar Casinos’ website at www.ameristar.com

NAFC: Battleground To Feature Rising Phenom Sergio Pettis In Main Event

Press Release – (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA): The North American Fighting Championship (NAFC) today announced the main event for its next electrifying fight event, “Battleground,” which takes place Friday, March 29, 2013 inside the newly remodeled Potawatomi Bingo Casino-Expo Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Originally, the main event was to feature UFC veteran Marcus LeVesseur, who unfortunately […]

NAFC BattlegroundPress Release – (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA): The North American Fighting Championship (NAFC) today announced the main event for its next electrifying fight event, “Battleground,” which takes place Friday, March 29, 2013 inside the newly remodeled Potawatomi Bingo Casino-Expo Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Originally, the main event was to feature UFC veteran Marcus LeVesseur, who unfortunately suffered an injury in training and had to withdraw.

Replacing LeVesseur will be Roufusport’s Sergio “The Phenom” Pettis, brother of UFC star Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. The homegrown rising star was scheduled to face Matt Manzanares in the RFA on March 22nd, but Manzanares was forced out with an injury, leaving Pettis without an opponent. The RFA was gracious enough to allow “The Phenom” to return home to Milwaukee for this bout in the NAFC, where he will take on experienced striker Josh Robinson.

Two additional bouts have been announced for “Battleground,” as well. In the co-main event of the evening, Jose “Temato” Pacheco () from Adrian Serrano’s Combat Gym will take on Unified MMA’s “Captain” Morgan Sickenger of Manitowoc, Wisconsin in a highly-anticipated encounter between two local crowd favorites.

Doors open at 7:00 pm, with the undercard for “Battleground” starting shortly thereafter, the main card begins at 8:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com
, by calling 800-745-3000, in-person at Potawatomi Bingo Casino’s Northern Lights Theater Box Office, and at the door the night of the event. Tickets are $100 VIP Cageside ($110 door), $60 Floor Reserved ($70 door), and $35 Bleacher General Admission ($40 door). For more information, please visit http://nafc.tv/ticketing.php.

“We are extremely grateful to Ed Soares and the RFA for allowing Sergio to step up and take the main event slot on our NAFC card in his own hometown,” said NAFC partner and promoter Scott Joffe. “Sergio is a great, up-and-coming young fighter, and his many fans in Milwaukee love watching him compete. He’s definitely got a tough battle on his hands with Josh Robinson, and I expect nothing but non-stop fireworks between the two!”

A solid kickboxer with a developing ground game, the 19 year-old Pettis (6-0) has experienced a fast start to his career, winning all six of his professional MMA fights. He’s won two fights by TKO, two by submission and two by decision, giving him a good amount of well-rounded experience at such a young age. Now, he’ll put his undefeated record on the line against Robinson, who beat “The Phenom’s” teammate Dustin Ortiz by split-decision last year in the NAFC.

“I’m extremely grateful the RFA has given me an opportunity to fight outside of the organization,” explained Pettis. “I trained really hard for Matt Manzanares and cut a lot of weight, but, unfortunately, he got injured. So this was a blessing to get a fight in my hometown once again. Thank you, RFA!”

Regarding Robinson, Pettis said, “I saw him fight my teammate Dustin. He is very active and explosive…it’ll be an interesting fight. I’m excited to showcase my skills in front of my hometown once again, and Robinson better be ready, because I’m bringing my A game. And to the fans…they can expect to see greatness on the 29th.”

Josh “Shortstack” Robinson (7-6) is a tough-as-nails scrapper who has already made a name for himself in Wisconsin for his victory over Ortiz. He now has the opportunity to really make a splash in the MMA world with his bout against Sergio Pettis and he feels more than ready.

“To me, the name Pettis is only the name of the guy in front of me,” stated Robinson. “His last name doesn’t make him any better a fighter than my name makes me. It’s just that: a name he happens to share with his family. I have already shown the Wisconsin fans that I have world class standup, and we all know Sergio does too. But I’m coming in a new fighter, a new person, and a new man. I have tons of respect for Sergio, but also feel he had never faced an opponent like me. I’m not afraid of a name or a gym.”

To Sergio, Josh has a message: “My message to him is this: good luck, Sergio. No disrespect, but I have to end this fight with a statement. I have had a bad couple fights in a row, and that madness has made me more dangerous than an undefeated fighter. See you on the 29th!”

The full “Battleground” fight card will be released shortly. Stay tuned to http://www.NAFC.tv/ for the latest information!

About NAFC

North American Fighting Championship is operated by famed fight trainer Duke Roufus and his business partner and producer Scott Joffe. Roufus is one of the most recognizable MMA and striking coaches in North America, and is considered to be one of the top trainers of Muay Thai kickboxing outside of Thailand. Roufus also runs the Roufusport Fight Club team, which includes UFC stars Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, Alan Belcher, Erik “New Breed” Koch, Pascal “Panzer” Krauss and Chico “King” Camus.

NAFC creates and produces events that feature combatants who have fought in the UFC, WEC, and other top level organizations, as they take on local fighters looking to make it to the next level. Current and former UFC fighters who have fought on past NAFC and Gladiators Fighting shows (the NAFC’s predecessor) include Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, former UFC Middleweight Champion Dave Menne, Ben Rothwell, Pat Barry, Eric “Red” Schafer, Jesse Lennox, Bart “Bartimus” Palaszewski, Jason “Dynamite” Dent, Rex Holman, Joe Doerksen, Dan Bobish, Ryan “The Lion” Madigan, Josh “Heavy” Hendricks, and Sherman “The Tank” Perdergarst.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Renews Sponsorship Deal With SafeAuto Insurance

Press Release – Las Vegas, NV – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) announced a sponsorship renewal with SafeAuto Insurance through 2013. Under this agreement, SafeAuto will have a sponsorship presence at six UFC events throughout the year, including Octagon® signage at select UFC on FUEL TV events. SafeAuto, a leader in the car insurance industry, […]

ufclogo8xPress Release – Las Vegas, NV – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) announced a sponsorship renewal with SafeAuto Insurance through 2013. Under this agreement, SafeAuto will have a sponsorship presence at six UFC events throughout the year, including Octagon® signage at select UFC on FUEL TV events.

SafeAuto, a leader in the car insurance industry, will continue to sponsor individual fighters during UFC events throughout 2013. SafeAuto Fight Team members that will enter the Octagon® wearing a SafeAuto logo on their fight shorts and banner include Nick Diaz, Nate Diaz, Travis Browne, Donald Cerrone, Clay Guida, Diego Brandao, Erik Perez, Leonard Garcia, Bart Palaszewski and Antonio Silva. The SafeAuto Fight Team website (www.SafeAuto.com/mma) includes exclusive interviews, previews and videos of all the company’s sponsored fighters, as well as UFC content.

“SafeAuto is happy to continue our sponsorship of the UFC,” said SafeAuto CEO Ron Davies. “Fans of the UFC appreciate all the hard work that these athletes put into mixed martial arts. We are proud to be the only car insurance company that is an official sponsor of the UFC. We look forward to continuing our support of this growing sport, as well as the athletes themselves.”

“We’ve built a valuable relationship with SafeAuto through the years and we’re pleased to continue our partnership,” said UFC Vice President of Global Marketing Partnerships Mike Mossholder. “Our partnership drives home the fact that SafeAuto is a well-established and industry-leading brand. We are pleased to have them associated with championship caliber UFC athletes.”

SafeAuto and the UFC will continue to reach fans through custom built promotions such as “VIP at the UFC” contest. Last year, the third annual contest offered fans a once-in-a-lifetime prize to receive a trip to UFC on FX 4, including round-trip airfare, hotel and access to a private meet-and-greet with SafeAuto Fight Team Member Clay Guida.

SafeAuto will also have fully integrated campaigns and digitally driven national promotions on UFC.com that include digital banners, video features and home page takeovers.

The SafeAuto Fight Team can be followed both on Facebook, as well as the company’s “Legal for Less” YouTube channel. The SafeAuto Insurance Facebook page is currently hosting an autograph contest to giveaway a Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit signed poster to a fan in anticipation of UFC® 158: ST-PIERRE vs. DIAZ on March 16.

SafeAuto also covers the UFC on its official “Play it Safe” blog, with additional news and information about members of the SafeAuto Fight Team.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.4 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

About SafeAuto
Safe Auto Insurance Company is a property and casualty insurance carrier based in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1993, the company today is licensed in 19 states and employs nearly 1,000 associates in 4 offices around the country, with annual revenues topping $300 million. SafeAuto provides the state minimum insurance coverage to automobile drivers in 16 states including Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Missouri, Arizona, Oklahoma, Kansas, Virginia and Texas. For more information and for car insurance quotes, visit http://www.safeauto.com.

Champ Pat Curran Set To Defend Title At Bellator 94; Featherweight & Middleweight Finals Scheduled

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (March 15, 2013) – The Toughest Tournament in Sports will end its season in style as Bellator MMA makes return to Atlantic City from Revel on April 4th live on Spike. The night will feature reigning Bellator Featherweight Champion Pat Curran putting his title on the line against Season […]

Bellator 94 iiPress Release – Newport Beach, CA. (March 15, 2013) – The Toughest Tournament in Sports will end its season in style as Bellator MMA makes return to Atlantic City from Revel on April 4th live on Spike. The night will feature reigning Bellator Featherweight Champion Pat Curran putting his title on the line against Season 7 Tournament winner and explosive Russian striker Shahbulat Shamhalaev, while the Middleweight and Featherweight Tournaments will be decided, as Doug Marshall battles Brett Cooper for the $100,000 Middleweight Tournament Championship, while Mike “The Marine” Richman will square off with Frodo Khasbulaev, with the winner earning their guaranteed title shot. The night will also feature the return of fan favorite and former Judo Olympian Rick Hawn, who meets fellow Judo blackbelt and former WEC Champion Karo Parisyan in a welterweight affair.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and by calling 800-745-3000. The Main Card will broadcast LIVE starting at 10 p.m. EST on Spike, as well as in Spanish language on mun2. The preliminary card will be streamed LIVE and FREE on Spike.com, with doors to event opening at 6:30pm EST.

Widely regarded as one of the top two featherweights in the world, Curran brings a dominating 18-4 record into his latest title defense, including victories over Patricio Pitbull, Marlon Sandro, Roger Huerta, and Mike Ricci. While the reigning Bellator Champ had his original sights set on Straus, Curran is well aware of the challenges at hand April 4th with Shamhalaev.

“He’s a great counter striker, as am I, and I see a lot of openings with Shabulat,” Curran said. “Shabulat brings one punch knockout power, and with my style, it’s going to be a swing for fences fight. This is my second fight this season, and I couldn’t ask for more. I love staying active, and Bellator has provided that for me.”

Widely considered one of the best lightweights in the world, Rick “Genghis” Hawn returns to his more natural 170 lbs. to battle Karo Parisyan in a highly anticipated affair.

“I’m really excited to be back fighting so soon,” Hawn said. “I have a tough opponent in Karo, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. With two of the world’s best judoka fighters fighting each other, it should be an exciting fight.”

The preliminary card will be highlighted with a middleweight showdown between New Jersey star Tom DeBlass and New York native Carlos Brooks as the two look to collect their first Bellator victory. After announcing his retirement in 2012, DeBlass has returned to the cage and will make his highly anticipated return April 4th inside Revel.

“I’m very excited to be fighting for Bellator right in my backyard,” DeBlass said. “All of my friends, family, students, and many fans will get to see me live. I’m coming back and making a statement, you can count on that.”

The full card for Bellator MMA from Revel on April 4th is below:

MAIN CARD:

Bellator Featherweight World Title Fight: Pat Curran vs. Shahbulat Shamhalaev

Bellator Middleweight Tournament Finals: Brett Cooper vs. Doug Marshall

Bellator Featherweight Tournament Finals: Mike Richman vs. Frodo Khasbulaev

Welterweight Feature Fight: Rick Hawn vs. Karo Parisyan

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Welterweight Feature Fight: Lyman Good vs. Dante Rivera

Women’s Feature Fight: Munah Holland vs. Jessica Eye

Catchweight Feature Fight(140 lbs.): Jimmie Rivera vs. Brian Kelleher

Welterweight Feature Fight: Sam Oropeza vs. Shedrick Goodridge

Middleweight Feature Fight: Tom DeBlass vs. Carlos Brooks

Light Heavyweight Feature Fight: Liam McGeary vs. Anton Talamantes

Featherweight Feature Fight: Brylan Van Artsdalen vs. Brett Martinez

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.

Ultimate Fighting Championship Helps To Provide Kids With Breakfast

Press Release – Toronto, Canada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) announced Friday a $25,000 donation to the Club des petits déjeuners du Québec through its UFC Community Works® program surrounding UFC 158 ST-PIERRE vs. DIAZ. A nationwide initiative launched by UFC Canada, the UFC Community Works® program is designed to make meaningful contributions to […]

ufclogo8xPress Release – Toronto, Canada – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) announced Friday a $25,000 donation to the Club des petits déjeuners du Québec through its UFC Community Works® program surrounding UFC 158 ST-PIERRE vs. DIAZ. A nationwide initiative launched by UFC Canada, the UFC Community Works® program is designed to make meaningful contributions to the Canadian communities where UFC® events are held. On March 16, the UFC® will return to Montreal for the sixth time with a pay-per-view event at the Bell Centre.

Founded on November 1, 1994, the Club des petits déjeuners operates in 287 schools across Québec and has more than 18,000 children registered in their program. The Club served an impressive 2.5 million breakfasts in 2011-2012 with more than 3,500 volunteers who help prepare and serve breakfast. Schools are ranked from 1 to 10 on two scales established by the Québec government (lowincome cut-off and socio-economic environment), with 10 being the most disadvantaged. More than 1,000 Québec schools rank between 8 and 10 and areeligible to receive the Club’s services.

On March 15, Tom Wright, UFC® Director of Operations, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Former UFC® Welterweight champion Matt Hughes, UFC® Middleweight Francis Carmont, UFC® Lightweight TJ Grant and UFC® Welterweight Tyron Woodley volunteered at a local Montreal school to serve breakfast, meet with youth and present the donation on behalf of UFC®. The athletes communicated to the program participants about the importance of developing self-esteem and shared their own personal stories of how they were able to accomplish their dreams by believing in themselves.

Tickets for UFC® 158: ST-PIERRE vs. DIAZ are on sale and priced at $600, $350, $250, $200, $165, $115 and $85. Tickets are available at the Bell Centre box office, by phone at (514) 790-2525 / 1-877-668-8269 or at www.evenko.ca.

UFC® 158 will be available live on Pay-Per-View on March 16 at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on Shaw Communications, Bell TV, Sasktel, Viewer’s Choice Canada and Indigo (French) for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa,LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London, Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In 2012, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX networkannually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programmingbroadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This also includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which airs on FX.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries, to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide, in 28 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions, in English throughout Canada via Premium Sports Broadcasting Inc. and Australia via Main Event and in French throughout Quebec via Interbox. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with nearly 2.4 million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs and video games, an internationally distributed magazine, UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and trading cards.

About The Club des petits déjeuners
When Daniel Germain created the Club des petits déjeuners du Québec 18 years ago, he wanted to provide a good, hot and nutritious breakfast to children who might otherwise go to school with empty stomachs. He wanted them to be able to start classes like all the other children, with full stomachs and receptive minds. Last year, thanks to donations and numerous partnerships, the 3,500 Club volunteers welcomed 18,000 children and served at least 2.5 million breakfasts in 287 schools in Québec.

For more information on the Club des petits déjeuners du Québec’s mission or to make an on-line donation, go to www.clubdejeuners.org or visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/clubdejeuners.

Two Season Eight Finals Set For Bellator 94 On March 28th

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (March 13th, 2013) – The Toughest Tournament in Sports continues as The Finals of the $100,000 Lightweight and Light Heavyweight Tournaments will be decided as Bellator MMA returns the Sunshine State March 28th from The University of South Florida’s Sun Dome live on Spike TV, as well in Spanish […]

Bellator 94

Press Release – Newport Beach, CA. (March 13th, 2013) – The Toughest Tournament in Sports continues as The Finals of the $100,000 Lightweight and Light Heavyweight Tournaments will be decided as Bellator MMA returns the Sunshine State March 28th from The University of South Florida’s Sun Dome live on Spike TV, as well in Spanish language on mun2. The night will also feature the Florida return on fan favorite and World’s #1 ranked 115 pounder Jessica “Jag” Aguilar.

Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, by visiting the Sun Dome Box Office and at all Ticketmaster outlets including Wal-Mart. Ticket prices range from $30 – $120.

Only 24, “The Caveman” David Rickels enters the Lightweight Tournament Finals with his sights set on that $100,000 Tournament prize. Known for his tenacious, grinding style, Rickels is fully aware of what his challenger brings to the table.

“I’ve got all the respect in the world for Saad,” Rickels said. “The guy has two huge knockouts in this tournament, but not too many men have been able to stand with the Caveman, and that’s not going to change March 28th.”

Calling Awad’s two knockouts “huge” may be an understatement, as the California native has spent just 74 seconds inside the Bellator cage this season with first round finishes over Guillaume DeLorenzi and Will Brooks. With both challengers bringing a frenetic pace to the cage, fireworks should be in order March 28th.

The Light Heavyweight Finals are set as a pair of giant slayers enter the cage as Mikhail Zayats, the proud owner of a TKO victory over MMA legend Babalu Sobral battles “The Hardcore Kid” Emanuel Newton, who punched his ticket to the finals with a spinning back fist victory over tournament favorite King Mo.

“I shocked the world once, and I’ll do it again March 28th,” Newton said. “After this tournament, everyone is going to know who Emanuel Newton is, and I’m going to be coming for that belt.”

For Aguilar, the 14-4 submission ace brings an impressive resume into the Sun Dome with victories over Megumi Fujii, Carla Esparza and Lisa Ellis. With a five-fight win streak in place, the veteran Aguilar is looking to keep the momentum going with a victory over Patricia Vidonic March 28th.

“Bellator is my home and I can’t wait to get back into the cage in front of all my friends, family and fans and continue to show the world I’m the best female fighter on the planet,” Aguilar said.

The full card for Bellator MMA’s March 28th event is below:

MAIN CARD:

Lightweight Tournament Finals: David Rickels vs. Saad Awad

Light Heavyweight Tournament Finals: Emanuel Newton vs. Mikhail Zayats

Welterweight Feature Fight: Luis Melo vs. Trey Houston

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Featherweight Feature Fight: Joe Taimanglo vs. Shah Bobonis

Female Feature Fight: Felice Herrig vs. Heather Clark

Female Feature Fight: Jessica Aguilar vs. Patricia Vidonic

Heavyweight Feature Fight: Rob Horton vs. Augusto Sakai

Lightweight Feature Fight: Bruno Carvalho vs. Edson Berto

Welterweight Feature Fight: Ivan Devalle vs. Rory Shallcross

Lightweight Feature Fight: Patrick Cenoble vs. Tony Fryklund

Welterweight Feature Fight: Julien Williams vs. Kenny Moss

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.