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Tuff-N-Uff To Feature Xtreme Couture Vs. Team Quest Special Event.

Mixed martial arts icons Randy Couture and Dan Henderson have thus far avoided an in-cage confrontation during their legendary careers, but in August, the pair will be represented in an epic clash.
Tuff-N-Uff returns to the Orleans Hotel & Casino’s Mardi Gras Ballroom in Las Vegas on Friday, August 6, and Las Vegas’ premier amateur fight […]

Mixed martial arts icons Randy Couture and Dan Henderson have thus far avoided an in-cage confrontation during their legendary careers, but in August, the pair will be represented in an epic clash.

Tuff-N-Uff returns to the Orleans Hotel & Casino’s Mardi Gras Ballroom in Las Vegas on Friday, August 6, and Las Vegas’ premier amateur fight promotion is proud to host a special event, “Xtreme Couture vs. Team Quest.”

What was originally announced as a five-on-five competition has now grown to a massive eight-bout contest. Eight fighters from Couture’s Las Vegas-based Xtreme Couture camp will clash with eight combatants representing Henderson’s California-based Team Quest academy in a showdown for the ages, and in addition to respect and bragging rights, Tuff-N-Uff’s featherweight title also hangs in the balance.

Tickets for Tuff-N-Uff’s Aug. 6 event, which start at just $25, are available at the Orleans Hotel & Casino’s box office or online at OrleansCasino.com and TuffNUff.net. Fans from around the globe can watch the fights live at GoFightLive.com or TuffNUff.net.

Add in four female tournament contests and a main event title contest between top amateur prospects Chris Holdsworth (5-0), the Tuff-N-Uff 135-pound champion, and Anthony Gutierrez (14-1), and the Aug. 6 event is clearly positioned as one of the best in Tuff-N-Uff’s illustrious history.

In the night’s co-main event, Tuff-N-Uff 145-pound champion Jimmy Jones (6-3) represents Xtreme Couture against Team Quest challenger Jon Gorton (4-2).

An eight-time Tuff-N-Uff veteran, Jones opened his career in 2008 with three-straight decision losses. Since then, Jones has gone on a tear with six-straight wins – including four via stoppage – en route to claiming Tuff-N-Uff’s 145-pound title.

Meanwhile, Gorton, who earned a submission win under the Tuff-N-Uff banner in August 2009, has put together a 4-2 record and looks to halt Jones’ impressive run.

Whether or not Jones and Gorton’s result will also decide the evening’s team challenge winner will be determined by a field of 14 additional talented participants sporting an impressive combined record of 30-11.

Xtreme Couture featherweight Eric Center (0-3) meets Team Quest’s Craig Cook (2-0), Xtreme Couture’s undefeated Gil Guardado(5-0) faces Team Quest’s Brandon Morris (4-2) in a 160-pound affair, Xtreme Couture lightweight Jake Swinney (3-0) squares off with Team Quest’s Marco Davila (0-0), Xtreme Couture lightweight John Hahn (2-0) clashes with debuting Team Quest fighter Ozzy Abarca (0-0), Xtreme Couture middleweight Zach Conley (3-0) tangles with Team Quest rookie Chris Herrerra (0-0), Xtreme Couture veteran welterweight Justin Jaynes (7-6) squares off with Team Quest’s Brock Pagen (2-0), and Xtreme Couture’s Jesse Romero (2-0) faces Team Quest’s Carlos Garcia (0-0).

In addition to the exciting team challenge, Tuff-N-Uff’s Aug. 6 event also sees the semifinals of the promotion’s ambitious 125- and 135-pound female tournaments, which will ultimately crown the organization’s first-ever champions in the divisions in September.

In the semifinals of the talent-rich 125-pound tourney Lindsay Jones (1-0) fights Jen Yumm (5-0), and Stephanie Eggink (1-0) faces Katie Klimansky (0-0).

Jones advanced to the semifinals with a unanimous-decision win over Trish Clarke. The Jackson’s MMA product fought valiantly in an action-packed affair, and though Clarke offered an ample test, Jones was able to pick up her first career win with a combination of effective striking and active grappling.

Yumm entered the tournament as the early favorite, and while first-round opponent Nicole Hess pushed her to the limit, little has changed. Yumm survived a scare after being caught in an armbar in the second round of her quarterfinal bout, but with five-straight wins to open her career, she remains the woman to beat.

Eggink qualified for the semifinals with an impressive win over Jillian Lybarger. The West Coast Fight Club product threatened with a triangle choke in the opening round before finally securing the hold in the third. A spinning backfist also hit its mark before the final tap.

Meanwhile, Klimansky enters the bout as the freshest fighter in the bracket as her first-round opponent, Kim Novak, withdrew from their quarterfinal matchup. Klimansky seeks her first amateur win after receiving a fortunate bye into the semifinals.

In a re-shuffled 135-pound bracket, Tsui-Jen Cunanan (3-1) faces Emily Peters-Kagen (2-1) while Jillian Lybarger (2-2) meetsAshley Weakley (3-0).

Cunanan impressed in a July quarterfinal bout by swarming a favored Mollie Estes from the opening bell. The Phoenix Combat Academy product rocked her opponent early in the opening round before locking in a fight-ending guillotine choke.

Meanwhile, Peters-Kagen first burst on the Tuff-N-Uff scene with a stunning 23-second TKO stoppage of Autumn Richardson in May. Peters-Kagen dropped a hard-fought decision to Weakley in the opening round of the tourney, but with Michelle Velebit unable to continue, the Greg Jackson’s MMA product earns a reprieve.

Lybarger steps in for twin sister Jocelyn, who was also unable to continue in the tournament. Jillian was defeated in the opening round of the 125-pound tournament, but she now moves up a weight class to fill in for her sister, who advanced to the semifinals with a July win over Amanda Lauland.

Lybarger faces Weakley, who earned a unanimous-decision win against a tough Peters-Kagan in the opening round. The undefeated Team Leo Dalla fighter showed a powerful Thai clinch as she battered her opponent with brutal knees throughout.

The winners of the semifinal contests in both tournaments will return for the final round on Sept. 24, when two valiant combatants will join 115-pound belt-holder Ashley Cummins as Tuff-N-Uff female champions.

And as if all that weren’t enough, Holdsworth defends his title for what is likely the final time against the experienced Gutierrez. A pro contract is likely in the near future for both fighters, and Cobra Kai Jiu-Jitsu product Holdsworth is anxious to finish undefeated.

A Marc Laimon black belt, Holdsworth has ended all five of his career contests via submission or TKO. But Gutierrez, who has fought 15 times in a 14-month span, will undoubtedly prove Holdsworth’s toughest test. The Missouri native and Team Grindhouse fighter rattled off 14-straight wins to open his career, and nine of his victories have come via stoppage.

In addition to the evening’s featured matchups, a full lineup of aspiring amateur fighters from some of the world’s top academies, including TapouT Las Vegas and Eddie Bravo’s 10th Planet, will compete at Tuff-N-Uff’s Aug. 6 event.

The full fight card is available for viewing at TuffNUff.net, and the entire event will stream live on GoFightLive.tv.

Come see the future stars of mixed martial arts.

KSW XIV Main Event To Feature Mariusz Pudzianowski vs. Eric “Butterbean” Esch

Press Release
At today’s press conference promoting 14th Martial Arts Confrontation the fourth Mariusz Pudzianowski’s opponent in MMA competition was announced. The World’s Strongest Man is set to face US boxing legend Eric “Butterbean” Esch.
Pudzian’s opponent has eighty-nine boxing fights under his belt, with seventy-eight wins, eight losses and four draws. In the States he is […]

Press Release

At today’s press conference promoting 14th Martial Arts Confrontation the fourth Mariusz Pudzianowski’s opponent in MMA competition was announced. The World’s Strongest Man is set to face US boxing legend Eric “Butterbean” Esch.

Pudzian’s opponent has eighty-nine boxing fights under his belt, with seventy-eight wins, eight losses and four draws. In the States he is know as the “King of 4 rounders”, because most of his fights were contracted for this distance. Every fan should respect his skills as it is pretty uncommon to fight at the age of forty-four with fifty-seven KO victories throughout the career. The 180 kg Esch is also an experienced MMA fighter, with fights in Pride and Cage Rage promotions. His mixed martial arts record stands: twelve wins, seven losses and one draw. As befits a world class boxer also in MMA he usually knocks his opponents out, however you have to remember he is not a novice on the ground.

The showdown between Butterbean and Pudzian is very interesting on many levels. The American will try to fulfill his promise and knock Pudzianowski out, while the Pole will try to prove the doubters wrong and show that he has a bright future in MMA world. Who will prevail? These intriguing question will be answered at KSW 14 in September

Six tournament participants revealed

During today’s press conference another four fighters were announced for the KSW lightweight tournament. They will join Maciej Gorski and Artur Sowinski in the 8-man tourney. Here are their short profiles.

MICHA? MANKIEWICZ

The third Pole in the tournament. Undefeated in pro MMA. He finished all of his four opponents in exciting fashion. A well-rounded fighter, who trains out of renowned Octagon Rybnik gym.

KAZUKI TOKUDOME

The Japanese Judo player is a up-and-coming mixed martial arts star in The Land of the Rising Sun. Despite his young age, he’s very experienced. He won six out if his eight fights and also has one defeat and one draw. He fought in the biggest Japanese organizations such as Sengoku and Deep.

NIKO PUHAKKA

European MMA scene veteran and the highest ranked fighter in the KSW 14 tournament. The Finn is strong, tough and unpredictable competitor. His MMA record stands eighteen wins and ten defeats.

PER EKLUND

A year and a half ago he was fighting overseas in the UFC organization. In September he will to come to Poland to challenge for the KSW Federation lightweight title. He is from Sweden and trains in Hilti NHB gym. His pro MMA record stands fifteen wins, four losses and one draw.

Bellator Featherweight Title On The Line Sept. 2nd

Press Release
Bellator Fighting Championships World Featherweight Championship belt will be on the line Sept. 2nd when reigning champ Joe “The Hammer” Soto defends his title against Season 2 Featherweight Tournament Champion Joe Warren at Bellator 27 in San Antonio.
The five-round Main Event Championship fight — which will be televised LIVE nationwide from San Antonio’s Majestic […]

Press Release

Bellator Fighting Championships World Featherweight Championship belt will be on the line Sept. 2nd when reigning champ Joe “The Hammer” Soto defends his title against Season 2 Featherweight Tournament Champion Joe Warren at Bellator 27 in San Antonio.

The five-round Main Event Championship fight — which will be televised LIVE nationwide from San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre on FOX Sports Net — features two fighters at the top of their games each looking to make another huge statement that they are among the world’s top 145-pound fighters.

Soto, a native of California’s Central Valley, was a virtual unknown in the MMA world before knocking off Ben Greer, Wilson Reis and Yahir Reyes to take home the first-ever Bellator Featherweight Championship belt last June. He recently improved his record to a perfect 9-0 with an impressive May 20th ground-and-pound stoppage of durable UFC veteran Diego Saraiva at Bellator 19 in Dallas. The Hammer is known for his well-rounded arsenal and finishing ability with four of his wins coming via submission and four being stopped via KO or TKO.

Warren, the former NCAA all-American wrestler at the University of Michigan and two-time Greco-Roman wrestling world champion, burst onto the MMA scene in 2009 with stunning wins over former WEC standout Chase Beebe and Japanese sensation Kid Yamamoto. In 2010, he took home Bellator’s Season 2 Featherweight Tournament Championship with inspiring consecutive victories over Eric Marriott, Georgi Karakhanyan and the previously undefeated Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, improving his overall pro MMA record to 5-1 and solidifying his place among the best featherweights in the sport.

“Of our four upcoming world title fights, the Soto-Warren fight is hugely intriguing,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Joe Soto is extremely talented and has made a collection of top ten rankings. Warren’s a world-class wrestler who beat one of the greatest featherweights in the world in just his second fight. He has tremendous heart and he doesn’t understand what the word ‘lose’ means. Joe Soto also comes from a national-caliber wrestling background and anyone who saw his fight with Diego Saraiva in May knows that his game is polished and world-class throughout every facet of MMA. This should be a truly spectacular fight.”

Soto said that he “can’t wait for the fight” and thinks he matches up well against Warren.

“I’m just really excited to get in there and compete against him,” Soto said. “He’s a wrestler just like I am, but I think I can out-wrestle him. If he takes me down, I’m better on my back than he is on top. If we stay standing, I think I can out-box him. No matter where the fight goes, I think I’m a much better all-around fighter than he is.”

Warren, for his part, respectfully disagreed, saying that “after September 2nd, Joe Warren will have his first belt and that’s going to be big trouble for everyone in this weight division.

“Joe Soto is a tough fighter, but he’s going to see the best Joe Warren that’s ever been in a cage,” Warren said. “We’re both great wrestlers so I’m guessing we’re going to get in there and beat the crap out of each other, but in the end I’m going to be taking that belt home with me.”

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

Tickets for Bellator 27 are available at www.Ticketmaster.com.

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.

Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira Issues Open Challenge To All Light-Heavyweights

Looking to recover from the debacle that was the “Shine Fights 3: Worlds Collide” event, Brazilian fighter Alexandre Ferreira has issued an open challenge to all light-heavyweights in the sport of mixed martial arts. The MMA News had the chance to interview “Cacareco” recently when he was expecting to face Jamal “The Suit” Patterson […]

Press Release

When Alexandre Ferreira left his comfortable home at the luta livre-based Brazilian Top Team in 2008, he thought his MMA career was over. He hadn’t trained for eight months, and the five-foot-seven, 205-pound bull of a fighter was ready to call it quits after a decade in the sport. On a whim, he made his cell phone number public to trainers and promoters alike, hoping that he may get one last shot at a small camp that would allow him to finish his career on his own terms.

Much to his surprise, Cacareco’s phone rang just two days later, and on the other end was a man that he never imagined would call. Rudimar Fedrigo, the leader of BTT rival Chute Boxe, wanted Ferreira on his team. Just years earlier, Cacareco had been deeply entrenched in the rivalry between the luta livre specialists at BTT and the Muay Thai fighters at Chute Boxe when a brawl broke out between him and Chute Boxe member Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos after one of his two wins over Chute Boxe members.

“This invitation from Rudimar was a great lesson in my life,” Ferreira said at the time of his transition to Chute Boxe. “We can’t be arrogant because life is like a big circle. In the most difficult moment of my career, it was the person who I expected least that offered his hand and invited me to be part of this team.”

Now two years older and with two more impressive victories under his belt, the 30-year-old is ready to make a big impact in mixed martial arts. Already a favorite of hardcore fans who followed him through his up-and-down career in the early days of the sport, Cacareco now looks to continue his impressive journey through a sport that was illegal in most of the United States when he found it.

The Rio de Janeiro, Brazil native started his career with a willingness to fight anybody at anytime, and his record showed the battles that he had been through. After beginning his career with a disqualification loss, Ferreira went on an eight-fight win streak, including two impressive showings in the no holds barred World Vale Tudo Championships that saw him win the one-night tournament once and then nearly win a second time before being injured. The eight-fight win streak for the then 21-year-old Ferreira saw him earn victories over the likes of PRIDE veterans Heath Herring, “Dirty” Bob Schrijber, and Shannon Ritch, making him one of the hottest prospects in the sport.

Cacareco then went to Japan in the RINGS organization, but back-to-back losses to Hiromitsu Kanehara and Chris Haseman started a four-fight win losing streak that dropped the Brazilian’s record to a middling 8-5 overall. But since losing to Miquel de Souza in 2004, Cacareco has gone on an impressive streak that has saw him win ten of his past eleven fights, with all ten victories coming via submission in the first round. Perhaps even more impressive, however, is his seven fight win streak dating back to 2007. In the seven fights, Cacareco has spent just a total of nine minutes in the ring, including stopping four of his opponents in less than a minute.

The dominant streak earned the highly respected fighter a call from the UFC, where he was offered a fight with former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida. The top-ranked fighter declined to fight the fast-rising prospect. Machida instead faced another Brazilian in Thiago Silva, who he easily defeated en route to earning a title shot and becoming a seemingly unbeatable champion. All of that is not lost on Cacareco, who would still like to fight the former world champion. “It would be a very hard fight for him,” Cacareco said. “My style would make him confused. He knew I would take him down and submit him, for sure.”

A brilliant wrestler who went undefeated in more than sixty wrestling matches as an amateur, Cacareco brings a dominant well-rounded grappling style to mixed martial arts that has rarely been seen before. With one of the most impressive double leg takedowns in the game, Ferreira never has much trouble getting a fight into his realm.

After signing with fast-rising Shine Fights late in 2009, Cacareco was quick to disclose his goals in his new home: “I want to be the champion,” he stated simply. “I don’t want to know who [to fight], I just want to know when.” Unfortunately for Ferreira, his scheduled fight at the organization’s May event was cancelled at the last minute, leaving him to wonder once again where to go next.

To make things worse, Cacareco has still not been paid what he was promised after the cancellation of the Shine event. Regardless, the well-rounded fighter is ready to move on and is willing to fight any fighter in the world at 185 or 205 pounds.

Fighting in the United States has always been a goal of Ferreira, who has said once again that he’ll face anybody at anytime and in any place: “Lately, I have no idea how many times I had to answer the following questions: Why aren´t you fighting for a big event and what famous names in the game do you think you would beat?,” Cacareco said.

“The answer to the first question is hard, because it doesn’t depend only on me. I believe that I have what it takes to be in any show in the world. The answer to the second question is not that difficult: after seeing some light-heavy-weights that are in the best shows, I can say, with no doubts in my mind that I would do well against most of them. I have a unique way of fighting, I can go toe-to-toe with anybody and, as soon as I lay my hands on them, they know they will get submitted.”

“Since Lyoto [Machida] refused to face me in the UFC, people love when I tell them the names of fighters I´d submit. So, for starters, Gegard Mousasi would be a good name. I was offered to fight him last event [at DREAM], but it seems like he preferred to have an easier opponent, somebody who couldn’t even make weight. From the UFC Tito Ortiz, Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine, Stephan Bonnar, and all those fighters that come from The Ultimate Fighter reality show; Jon Jones, King Mo, Jeff Monson, Dan Henderson, well, there are so many names out there that it’s too hard to mention, and I’m just listing fighters at 205, because light heavyweight is the division I want to focus on right now.”

London, England To Host Next UFC Fan Expo In October

Press Release
Ever since the first UFC® Fan ExpoTM took place last July, UFC President Dana White has been inundated with questions from European fans when they get their own action-packed weekend of UFC events.
The fans’ persistence paid off. The Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization, in partnership with Reed Exhibitions, announced that the first-ever international UFC Fan […]

Press Release

Ever since the first UFC® Fan ExpoTM took place last July, UFC President Dana White has been inundated with questions from European fans when they get their own action-packed weekend of UFC events.

The fans’ persistence paid off. The Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization, in partnership with Reed Exhibitions, announced that the first-ever international UFC Fan Expo will be held at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London, England on Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16. The event will be part of a huge UFC weekend in the British capital, with UFC 120 taking place on the evening of October 16.

“I am excited to bring a UFC Fan Expo to our incredible fans in Europe,” said White. “People have been asking me about an International Expo ever since we held our first one at UFC 100, and now they have it – they’re getting two days of the best fan experience in all of sports, and on top of that an incredible fight card featuring Michael Bisping vs. Akiyama.”

The first-ever UFC® Fan ExpoTM London is expected to attract over 100 leading vendors covering roughly 20,000 gross square meters of space. In addition to training seminars and autograph and Q&A sessions with the world’s best fighters, the UFC® Fan ExpoTM London 2010 will feature a variety of offerings such as apparel, electronic gaming, food & beverages, fight gear, fitness equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements, lifestyle products and much more.

Building off the successes of the prior U.S. Expos and paired with the highly anticipated UFC 120 fight card scheduled to take place in London on October 16, UFC® Fan ExpoTM London 2010 will bring an exciting and unique experience that European fans have been waiting for.

For more information on UFC® Fan ExpoTM and to purchase tickets, visit www.ufcfanexpo.com. To subscribe to the official UFC® Fan ExpoTM newsletter visit www.ufcfanexpo.com/newsletter. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Ed Gallo, Event Director at 1-203-840-5546 or email [email protected]. Don’t wait, space is limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

Ultimate Fighting Championship® – www.ufc.com

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world. UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s Versus network. UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 130 countries and territories, reaching over 400 million homes worldwide, in 19 different languages. Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.

About Reed Exhibitions

The UFC® Fan ExpoTM is operated by Reed Exhibitions, the world’s leading events organizer, with over 470 events in 37 countries. In 2008, Reed brought together over seven million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today, Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 38 fully staffed offices.

Reed organizes a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses and meetings. Its portfolio of over 470 events serves 44 industry sectors, including:

Aerospace & aviation, automobiles, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering, manufacturing, environment, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewelry, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, medical education, printing & graphics, property & real estate, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel. Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

WEC Confirms Bouts For Cruz Vs. Benavidez On August 18.

In what is shaping up to be one of the biggest cards of the summer, World Extreme Cagefighting® has confirmed nine remaining bouts for its Aug. 18 card at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.
WEC General Manager Reed Harris announced today the following bouts: Shane Roller vs. Anthony Pettis, Chad […]

WEC General Manager Reed Harris announced today the following bouts: Shane Roller vs. Anthony Pettis, Chad Mendes vs. Cub Swanson, Brad Pickett vs. Scott Jorgensen, Bart Palaszewski vs. Zack Mickleweight, Anthony Njokuani vs. Maciej Jewtuszko, Mackens Semerzier vs. Javier Vazquez, Dave Jansen vs. Ricardo Lamas, Fredson Paixao vs. Bryan Caraway, and Danny Castillo vs. Dustin Poirier.

“We are really excited to bring the best lighter weight fighters in the world back to the Palms,” Harris said. “All 10 fights on this card are dynamic and we expect to put on another one of the year’s most memorable events.”

Tickets for WEC: Cruz vs. Benavidez are on sale now and priced at $250, $175, and $100. Tickets are available at The Pearl box office, online at ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Ticket prices do not include service charges.

Cruz vs. Benavidez will be televised nationally live on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. All of the network’s live WEC events are presented in HD and Spanish language SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.

Two of the world’s best lightweights collide with a potential title shot on the line when Shane Roller (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) takes on Anthony Pettis (fighting out of Milwaukee, Wis.). A three-time All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, the 30-year-old Roller has used his top-level grappling to fuel a three-fight win streak. Owning victories over Marcus Hicks, Danny Castillo, and Anthony Njokuani, the Marc Laimon-trained fighter believes a win over Pettis on Aug. 18 will propel him to a shot at WEC gold. Eager to earn a crack at the belt himself, the 23-year-old Pettis (9-1) plans to use electric striking and high-level jiu jitsu to diffuse Roller at The Palms. Perhaps the most dynamic fighter in the 155-pound division, “Showtime” Pettis looks to win his third straight when he meets Roller in Las Vegas.

The featherweight division’s hottest prospect faces the toughest test of his young career on Aug. 18 at the Palms. Unbeaten Chad Mendes (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.), a training partner of main event stars Joseph Benavidez and Urijah Faber, takes on seasoned veteran Cub Swanson (training out of Palms Springs, Calif.) in a hotly-anticipated 145-pound contest. Since joining WEC earlier this year, Mendes (7-0) has earned solid victories over Erik Koch and Anthony Morrison. His third fight in the organization pits him against Swanson, a phenomenal grappler and crafty striker. Boasting an impressive record of 14-3, Swanson trains alongside WEC stars Donald Cerrone and Leonard Garcia, as well as UFC contender Joe Stevenson. Fresh off a Fight of the Night performance against John Franchi in November, the 26-year-old looks to derail Mendes in their summer showdown.

Four consecutive victories have left Scott Jorgensen (fighting out of Boise, Idaho) knocking on the door step of a shot at the bantamweight crown. Before earning the coveted shot, the former Boise State University wrestler faces his toughest test to date, Englishman Brad Pickett (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.). No stranger to tough fights, the 31-year-old Pickett owns 20 professional wins and is unbeaten at 2-0 in WEC. A slick submission ace who trains with former featherweight champion Mike Brown, “One Punch” hopes to leapfrog Jorgensen (10-3) on Aug. 18 and move one stop closer to becoming WEC’s first English-born world champion.

Expect a barnburner when Bart Palaszewski (fighting out of Wonder Lake, Ill.) trades leather with Zack Micklewright (fighting out of Davenport, Iowa) in lightweight action. After defeating Karen Darabedyan and Anthony Pettis in consecutive fights, the 27-year-old Palaszewski (33-13) has emerged as an immediate title contender. He hopes that a win over his 23-year-old opponent at The Palms will push him closer to a date with lightweight champion Ben Henderson. A solid striker with knockout power, Micklewright made his debut in December with an impressive victory over Muhsin Corbbrey. The Iowan hopes to continue his ascent in the WEC with a win over “Bartimus” in August.

Heavy-hitter Anthony Njokuani (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) faces a stern test on Aug. 18 when he collides with unbeaten Polish newcomer Maciej Jewtuszko (fighting out of Szczecin, Poland). Having earned “Knockout of the Night” honors in three out of his last four fights, the 30-year-old Njokuani believes he is the best fighter in the lightweight division. Standing in his way on the road to the title is the versatile Jewtuszko (7-0). With all of his wins coming by way of stoppage, the dangerous Polish fighter hopes an impressive win in his WEC debut can propel him into the 155-pound elite.

Recognized as one of the sport’s premier grapplers, Javier Vazquez (fighting out of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) returns to WEC after defeating Jens Pulver by first round submission in March. The 34-year-old looks to keep the momentum rolling when he locks horns with once-beaten featherweight Mackens Semerzier (fighting out of Virginia Beach, Va.). An aggressive, well-rounded fighter owning a record of 7-1, Semerzier boasts explosive athleticism and a knack for finishing fights. He’ll try to match wits with the Carlson Gracie black belt Vazquez (14-3) when the two enter the cage on Aug. 18.

An intriguing lightweight fight pits two of the division’s dominant wrestlers against one another when Dave Jansen (fighting out of Troutdale, Ore.) takes on Ricardo Lamas (fighting out of Chicago, Ill.). Training out of the same gym that has produced UFC middleweight star Chael Sonnen, the 29-year-old Jansen enters his third fight in the WEC determined to make a statement. Thus, the 11-1 Oregonian has knockout on the mind when he battles Lamas at The Palms. Having scored one of the year’s most devastating finishes in his last fight in March, the once-beaten Lamas (8-1) plans to beat Jansen to the punch on Aug. 18. The former Division III All-American wrestler looks to extend his winning streak to three with a dominant performance in Las Vegas.

Four-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world champion Fredson Paixao (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) scored an impressive submission victory over Courtney Buck in his last fight in March. He’ll look to make it two in a row on Aug. 18 when he takes on Bryan Caraway (fighting out of Yakima, Wash.). A polished striker with a solid ground game, the 25-year-old Caraway (14-4) believes his well-rounded game will guide him to victory next month. Aware of the submission skills possessed by Paixao (9-3, 1 NC), expect the Washington native to test the Brazilian on the feet when the two collide at The Palms.

A member of Urijah Faber’s “Alpha Male” training team, Danny Castillo (fighting out of Sacramento, Calif.) is an explosive athlete boasting both power and finesse. As he prepares for his seventh fight in the WEC, the 30-year-old Castillo (8-3) hopes to rudely welcome newcomer Dustin Poirier (fighting out of Lafayette, La.). An exciting lightweight with a perfect record of 7-0, Poirier believes he can be the next big thing in the WEC’s lightweight division. With all seven of his victories coming by way of stoppage, you can be sure that the Louisiana native will come out swinging on Aug. 18.

For more information, visit www.wec.tv. Follow WEC at http://twitter.com/WEConVERSUS.

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.

About VERSUS
VERSUS, the fastest growing sports cable network in the country, prides itself on super-serving passionate sports fans across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the National Hockey League (NHL), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and Professional Bull Riders (PBR). VERSUS also airs NASCAR, NBA, UFC, college football and college basketball programming. The network is home to the best outdoor programming on television and airs original programs not available anywhere else, including The Daily Line, Sports Soup and Sports Jobs with Junior Seau. VERSUS, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

About The Pearl:
The Pearl is Las Vegas’ premier concert theater boasting accommodations for up to 2,500 ticket holders. Featuring a stage just four feet from the floor and the furthest seating area being a mere 120 feet from the stage, The Pearl offers the utmost in intimate viewing of your favorite acts. Private and semi-private skyboxes are located on each side of the venue offering private bars, lounges and restrooms. The Pearl is a marvel of modern technology using only top quality sound and video equipment throughout. Hard wired to The Studio at The Palms, The Pearl allows artists to create a cost-effective live album with efficiency and without additional venue set-up. For more information, please visit www.palms.com.