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Marcus Aurelio Out Of Shine Fights’ Eight-Man Tournament

UFC veteran Marcus Aurelio (20-8) has been replaced by another UFC vet, Shannon Gugerty (12-5), in this Friday’s Shine Fights’ lightweight Grand Prix tournament.
Aurelio had been hoping to fight through an elbow injury, even receiving a cortisone shot, but was still unable to train. There is also some controversy surrounding an upcoming lightweight fight […]

UFC veteran Marcus Aurelio (20-8) has been replaced by another UFC vet, Shannon Gugerty (12-5), in this Friday’s Shine Fights’ lightweight Grand Prix tournament.

Aurelio had been hoping to fight through an elbow injury, even receiving a cortisone shot, but was still unable to train. There is also some controversy surrounding an upcoming lightweight fight against Shinya Aoki on the DREAM.16 card. With the injury, Aurelio may be unlikely for that event.

Aurelio spoke to MMAjunkie.com about the injury and the DREAM bout.

“I can’t do anything with my right arm,” Aurelio said. “I have no strength at all to push. I don’t like to go to fight like that….”

“I’m going to do my best to fight (in) DREAM,” Aurelio said. “Every day, my manager, he talks to them. I have two or three weeks for the (DREAM) fight. I think I’ll be OK. I’m going to have a chance to have another shot in my elbow, and I’m just keeping my conditioning now. There’s not much (else) I can do.”

Here is the full Shine Fights’ press release announcing Shannon Gugerty as Aurelio’s replacement.
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NEWKIRK, OK (September 8, 2010) – As anyone involved in the sport of mixed martial arts can tell you, injuries can happen at anytime. UFC/PRIDE veteran Marcus “Maximus” Aurelio is no exception to that concept. After sustaining an injury while training for this weekend’s Shine Fights Lightweight Grand Prix, the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu master has been forced to vacate his spot in the tourney. Taking his place will be fellow submission specialist Shannon Gugerty.

A UFC veteran in his own right, Gugerty is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under famed grappler Dean Lister. He began his professional MMA career successfully with a submission victory over current WEC mainstay Cub Swanson. After amassing a 10-2 record, he was invited to compete for the Ultimate Fighting Championships, where he has fought five times. During his time with the UFC, Gugerty was able to rack up wins over Dale Hartt and Matt Grice. The 28 year-old San Diego native trains at Victory MMA with fellow notables Jeremy Stephens, Court McGee, Toby Imada, Peter Sobotta, Joe Brammer, and Tomas Drwal.

Jason Chamber, Shine Fight COO stated, “I am sad to see Marcus pull out of the tournament and wish him a fast recovery. Stepping up to a challenge of this magnitude on 3 days notice is a very daunting task- it is a testament to what a warrior Shannon Gugerty is. We are excited to see him compete!”

The Shine Fights Lightweight Grand Prix is a unique throwback to the original format of mixed martial arts. Fighters will need to be at their best in order to win the tourney and in the process gain the glory that comes along with victory. The Grand Prix will be contested under standard Nevada State Athletic Commission rules for MMA. Each of the eight 155 lb. fighters will be paired off in the tournament’s opening round, with the four winners moving on to round two.

The two winners of round two will move on to the tournament’s final round, and battle for the championship. The single-elimination format means that the tournament winner will need to win three bouts that evening. Rounds one and two of the tournament will be composed of two 5-minute rounds. They will also have a three-minute overtime if needed to decide a winner. Round three (the finals) will increase to three 5-minute rounds. There will be two alternate bouts held in case of an injury.

Some of the best 155 lb. fighters in the world will compete in the tournament, a colorful array of combatants that will lay it all on the line in order to capture the Shine Fights Lightweight Championship. This group of outstanding athletes includes Rich “Cleat” Crunkilton, “Alley Cat” Kyle Baker, James Warfield, Drew Fickett, Carlo Prater, and Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett.

This Grand Prix Tournament will be beamed on PPV on cable and satellite in the United States and Canada. The event will be in High Definition and it will be available in both English and Spanish (where available). The Grand Prix Tournament will be distributed live on Pay Per View beginning at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST by Multi Vision Media, Inc. The suggested retail price is $29.95.

TFC 11 Card Finalized, Weigh-ins Open To Public This Thursday

Press Release
Edmonton, Alberta (Canada): Rising Canadian fight promotion The Fight Club (TFC) today announced the finalized fight card for their next event, “TFC 11: Full Force.” This exciting event will take place on Friday, September 10th at the Shaw Conference Center. In the main event, one of the most anticipated rematches in Canadian MMA history […]

Press Release

Edmonton, Alberta (Canada): Rising Canadian fight promotion The Fight Club (TFC) today announced the finalized fight card for their next event, “TFC 11: Full Force.” This exciting event will take place on Friday, September 10th at the Shaw Conference Center. In the main event, one of the most anticipated rematches in Canadian MMA history will commence, as newly-minted TFC Light Heavyweight Champion Martin “The Stress” Desilets (10-2) and UFC veteran Victor “The Matrix” Valimaki (16-6) will lock horns for the belt. Also on the line will be the TFC Canadian Lightweight Championship as undefeated Edmonton native Mitch Clarke (7-0) will battle Josh Machan (7-3). In addition, top Canadian welterweight Ryan “The Kid” McGillivray (10-4-1) will put his talents on display against three-time TFC veteran Markhaile “Showtime” Wedderburn (10-7), who will be taking the place of the injured Adam Lynn (13-8). Doors for this exciting nine-fight event will open at 7 PM, and the fights will begin at 8 PM. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, http://www.thefightclub.ca/, or (780) 451-8000.

In their first bout, which took place at “TFC 10: High Octane” this past March, Martin Desilets and Victor Valimaki laid it all on the line, throwing punches with abandon. In the end, Desilets was able to outlast his foe en route to a TKO victory with only ten seconds left in the first round. He gained Valimaki’s light heavyweight strap in the process. Check out the full fight here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEVf9dK3NR4. Now, these two will look to exceed their performances from their first fight at “Full Force.” Valimaki will attempt to regain his lost crown, while Desilets will do everything he can to hold onto it. Regardless of who comes out on top, the true winners will be the fans.

In a battle for the TFC Canadian Lightweight title, the undefeated Mitch Clarke (6-0), a native of Edmonton, will fight Josh Machan (7-3, seven straight victories), who hails from Red Deer, Alberta. This scrap features two top young Canadian lightweights, and is sure to electrify the crowd.

With the TFC World Welterweight Title declared vacant due to the departure of Ryan Ford from the organization, TFC’s top welterweight contender, Ryan “The Kid” McGillivray, is now in the spotlight. “The Kid” has only been competing in mixed martial arts for the past four years, but has quickly established himself as one of the top Canadian prospects in the welterweight division. All of Ryan’s fights have been in and around his hometown of Edmonton, so he is very well-known in the local MMA community, and he has built a loyal and enthusiastic fan base. And with eight of his ten victories coming via submission, fans know that they can always expect an exciting fight for McGillivray. He’ll be facing a strong Muay Thai fighter in Markhaile “Showtime” Wedderburn. This tough Canadian fighter has fought top 170ers such as Ford, Jason High, and Dan Grandmaison. It will truly be a test for “The Kid.”

Here is the finalized fight card:
Light-heavyweight: Champion Martin Desilets (10-2) vs. Victor Valimaki (16-6) for the TFC World Light Heayweight title
Lightweight: Mitch Clarke (7-0) vs. Josh Machan (7-3) for the TFC Canadian Lightweight title
Welterweight: Ryan McGillivray (10-4-1) vs. Markhaile Wedderburn (10-7)
Welterweight: Ryan Machan (11-5) vs. James McCutcheon (3-2)
Welterweight: Rio Wells (3-0) vs. Chuck Pelc (2-1)
Women’s 130lb: Sy Jewett (1-0) vs. Rachael Swaetz (3-1)
Welterweight: Darcy Boizard (1-1) vs. O’Denva Phillips (0-0)
140 lbs: Reece Chapman (0-0) vs. Adam Bodwell (0-0)
Lightweight: Steve Beaumont (0-0) vs. Dean Cox (0-0)

The event will be shown on The Fight Network on tape delay, and news on a press conference will be announced soon. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.thefightclub.ca/

Bellator Matches Baker vs. Horn For Sept. 23 Louisville Event

Bellator Fighting Championships is looking to give Bryan Baker (13-2) and Jeremy Horn (86-19-5) a chance to enter the mix for a middleweight title shot with the announcement that both men will meet at Bellator 30.
Bellator 30 is set for Sept. 23 at the Fourth Street Live! in Louisville, Kentucky.
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CHICAGO, Ill. (September 7th, 2010) – […]

Bellator Fighting Championships is looking to give Bryan Baker (13-2) and Jeremy Horn (86-19-5) a chance to enter the mix for a middleweight title shot with the announcement that both men will meet at Bellator 30.

Bellator 30 is set for Sept. 23 at the Fourth Street Live! in Louisville, Kentucky.
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CHICAGO, Ill. (September 7th, 2010) – Bellator Season 2 Middleweight Semifinalist Bryan “The Beast” Baker will face off with dangerous MMA veteran Jeremy Horn at Bellator 30 as Bellator Fighting Championships returns to Fourth Street Live! on September 23rd from Louisville, Kentucky.

After suffering the first TKO loss of his career, Baker is ready to make his return to the Bellator cage. Impressive victories over Sean Loeffler and Eric Schambari put Baker in the Bellator Season 2 Middleweight Tournament Finals and a win away from having the chance at the Middleweight Championship. Knockout specialist Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko was the only fighter standing in Baker’s way, and the hard-hitting Russian proved too much for Baker to handle, as Shlemenko delivered a first round TKO ending Baker’s tournament run.

“The whole goal was to have a shot at the title, and I didn’t get to that point, so obviously there is disappointment,” said Baker. “I didn’t get much of a chance to show my abilities in that fight, but I’m excited I get another chance in Louisville to give the fans a good show.”

The chance Baker is referring to is at Bellator 30 when he battles one of MMA’s most experienced fighters in Horn on September 23rd in Louisville, Kentucky. Horn, a veteran of over 100 fights since his professional career began in 1996, has fought MMA legends including Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Dan Severn, Frank Shamrock and Anderson Silva. Horn holds impressive victories over the likes of Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Chael Sonnen and others during his decorated fighting career.

Baker is well aware of the experience the battle-tested Horn brings to the cage, but hopes to use it to his advantage.

“Knowing who Jeremy has taken on, it just makes me even more focused for this fight. Fighting an opponent with a history like that, it pulls the better fighter out of me, and I’m excited for Bellator 30,” said an eager Baker. “Everyone knows Jeremy has made his career off of his submission moves, so I’m looking to stay on my feet. I’m more athletic than him, and my reach should give him all sorts of problems.”

For Horn, the longtime MMA mainstay sees the landscape of the sport changing in front of his eyes, and realizes that his vast amount of experience isn’t as valuable as it once was.

“As the sport progresses on, my experience starts to mean less and less in the ring,” said Horn. “I obviously have a good understanding of when to stay calm and when to turn things on, but for the most part, I feel like a lot of us are on a pretty level playing field. With a guy like Bryan, he is a well rounded fighter that doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses, and it’s just going to be a great fight.”

Not surprisingly, Baker and Horn aren’t the only ones looking forward to the matchup.

“Bryan was the favorite going into our Season 2 Middleweight Tournament, and deserves another high caliber fight to put him right back in the mix,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Jeremy Horn will be a perfect test for Bryan, and fans should be looking forward to a great fight.”

Tickets for the event – which will also be broadcast LIVE nationwide on FOX Sports Net along with action-packed highlight shows that will air on NBC Saturday nights – are on sale now at ticketmaster.com

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

About Bellator Fighting Championships

Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator’s founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.

First Chinese Fighter Signed By The WEC

As part of UFC president Dana White’s plan to conquer China, the WEC has announced the signing of it’s first Chinese fighter, Tiequan “The Mongolian Wolf” Zhang, who will make his promotional debut on Sept. 30.
It will be interesting to see how the 16-0 fighter does against North American fighters and whether or not […]

It will be interesting to see how the 16-0 fighter does against North American fighters and whether or not he can break the trend of Asian fighters failing in the market.

Press Release

World Extreme Cagefighting® announced today the signing of undefeated lightweight fighter Tiequan “The Mongolian Wolf” Zhang of Beijing, China. Zhang, who will take on The Ultimate Fighter® alum Alex Karalexis in his debut on Sept. 30 in Broomfield, Colo., becomes the first fighter from mainland China to fight in the WEC.

“Tiequan is an excellent addition to our lightweight division,” WEC General Manager Reed Harris said. “He trains at a tremendous camp in Beijing and we are excited to have him compete with the best lighter weight fighters in the world.”

Boasting a perfect record of 16-0, Zhang trains with China Top Team, a group led by former Brazilian Top Team member Ruy Menezes. His arrival in the WEC is a milestone not only for the organization, but also for Chinese mixed martial artists.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship® recently announced that it was establishing operations in Asia, with former NBA executive Mark Fischer being named Executive Vice President and Managing Director. Fischer will be based in Beijing.

About World Extreme Cagefighting®

The WEC brand is recognized as one of the premier mixed martial arts organizations in the United States. WEC, founded in 2001, is the sister organization of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® and today features the most prominent light weight fighters in the world. Owned and operated by WEC Holdings LLC., and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., the WEC produces live and taped events annually that are distributed through the Versus network.WEC programming is also available on Fox Sports en Espanol. In addition to its U.S distribution, WEC programming is shown on The Score network in Canada, Setanta Sports in Australia, Globosat in Brazil, and Cadena Tres in Mexico. For more information and current WEC fight news, visit wec.tv. World Extreme Cagefighting® and WEC® are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by WEC Holdings, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions and are licensed to WEC Productions, LLC.

Late Replacements For Shark Fights 13 Official

A couple of injuries has forced Marcus Hicks and Drew McFedries to withdraw from the upcoming Shark Fights 13 event set for Sept. 11 in Amarillo, Tex.
Shark Fights Promotions has found replacements for each fighter with just weeks left before their first ever pay-per-view event, making the announcement official with this press release.
Replacing the injured […]

A couple of injuries has forced Marcus Hicks and Drew McFedries to withdraw from the upcoming Shark Fights 13 event set for Sept. 11 in Amarillo, Tex.

Shark Fights Promotions has found replacements for each fighter with just weeks left before their first ever pay-per-view event, making the announcement official with this press release.

Replacing the injured fighters will be Daniel Straus (12-3), who faces Karen Darabedyan (9-3) in a lightweight matchup, and Danillo Villefort (11-3) will take on Joey Villasenor (27-7) in a middleweight bout on the ppv portion of the event.

Here is the official Press Release, as well as the updated Shark Fights 13 card after the jump.

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Shark Fight Promotions announced today that Joey Villasenor and Karen Darabedyan will be facing new opponents at “Shark Fights MMA: Jardine vs. Prangley.” Drew McFedries and Marcus Hicks recently withdrew from the event due to training injuries. Villasenor is now slated to face hard-hitting UFC veteran Danillo Villefort and Darabedyan will take on Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Daniel Strauss.

As the son of Vale Tudo legend Francisco “Master Indio” Silva, Joey Villasenor’s opponent, Danillo Villefort (11-3-0) was raised in competition. The seasoned Brazilian fighter holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has fought for notable organizations such as the IFL, WEC and the UFC. He now trains out of Florida at American Top Team. Villefortholds notable wins over top contenders such as Mike Massenzio and Mike Campbell.

Karen Darabedyan will now face Team Vision fighter Daniel Straus (12-3-0). Straus is a highly skilled, well-rounded fighter, known for grinding it out to the bitter end. Six of Straus’s twelve wins have come by way of decision. Straus is currently riding an eight fight win streak that includes a recent Bellator Fighting Championship win over Chad Hinton and a unanimous decision victory over UFC veteran Gideon Ray.

Updated Bout Card for Shark Fights: Jardine vs. Prangley:

Main Card:
1. Keith Jardine vs. Trevor Prangley
2. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs. Houston Alexander
3. Paul Daley vs. Jorge Masvidal
4. Joey Villasenor vs. Danillo Villefort
5. Brock Larson vs. Tarec Saffiedine

Undercard:
6. Ronnie Mann vs. Douglas Evans
7. Paul Bradley vs. Johnny Reese
8. Aaron Rosa vs. Devin Cole
9. Daniel Straus vs. Karen Darabedyan
10. Pete Spratt vs. Eric Davila

“Shark Fights MMA: Jardine vs. Prangley”, will take place on Saturday, September 11 at the Amarillo Civic Center Coliseum. The fights begin at 8:00 p.m. ET. The pay-per-view airs at 10:00 p.m. ET; tickets are on sale now! To purchase event tickets please go to www.Sharkfights.com, www.Panhandletickets.com, or visit any Panhandle ticket outlet.

Log on to Sherdog.com at 8:00 p.m. ET to catch the live “Shark Fights MMA: Jardine vs. Prangley” undercard action. The main card is available on pay-per-view for just $29.99! The pay-per-view will air live on iN DEMAND, AVAIL-TVN, Dish Network, Bell TV Canada, and Viewers Choice Canada. Contact your cable provider for details. For additional information on Shark Fight Promotions, please visit www.sharkfights.com.

Bellator Main Card Set For September 9.

CHICAGO, Ill. (September 3, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships today finalized the official main card fights for Bellator 28, which is taking place at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre in New Orleans on Sep. 9th, marking the promotion’s first trip to the city.
Headlining the card will be a lightweight battle between Season 2 Lightweight semifinalist […]

Headlining the card will be a lightweight battle between Season 2 Lightweight semifinalist Carey Vanier (9-3) and explosive UFC veteran Rich “No Love” Clementi (37-16-1).

Vanier TKO’d his way into the semi-finals in Season 2, but fell to submission specialist Toby Imada at Bellator 17. Vanier will be hungry for a win at Bellator 29, which marks his first fight back since the loss to Imada.

An eight year Navy veteran and eleven year, 54-fight MMA veteran, Clementi comes to Bellator Fighting Championships after spending the last decade fighting some of the toughest opponents MMA has to offer. Well known for stopping his opponents early, 20 of No Love’s 36 victories have come via submission with another nine being finished via KO or TKO.

Also on the card, will be a closely contested match-up between two powerful middleweights when Bellator Season 2 semifinalist Eric Schambari (12-2) takes on battle-tested UFC veteran Matt Horwich (25-15-1).

In featherweight action, hard-hitting Season 2 semifinalist Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (13-2-1) collides with dangerous WEC veteran Anthony Leone (8-1).

Karakhayan is understandably eager for a victory after dropping a unanimous decision to eventual Season 2 Featherweight Champion Joe Warren at Bellator 18.

The Fox Sports Net event will also feature an exciting lightweight fight between fast-rising NCAA Division I Wrestling Champion Eric Larkin and up-and-coming Louisiana native Marcus Andrusia.

“We’re happy to be headed o New Orleans,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “This event has some great fights scheduled and it should make for a great night of fights for New Orleans fans.”

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

About Bellator Fighting Championships:
ellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator’s founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.