(Newell chokes out Eric Reynolds at XFC 21 last December. Photo courtesy of Brian Siskind via facebook.com/nicknewellmma)
World Series of Fighting officials have confirmed with MMAFighting.com that they’ve signed undefeated lightweight and former XFC champion Nick Newell to an exclusive multi-fight contract. Newell’s debut date and first opponent haven’t been announced yet, although WSOF executive vice president Ali Abdel-Aziz suggested that Notorious Nick’s promotional debut will likely happen in August or September.
(Newell chokes out Eric Reynolds at XFC 21 last December. Photo courtesy of Brian Siskind via facebook.com/nicknewellmma)
World Series of Fighting officials have confirmed with MMAFighting.com that they’ve signed undefeated lightweight and former XFC champion Nick Newell to an exclusive multi-fight contract. Newell’s debut date and first opponent haven’t been announced yet, although WSOF executive vice president Ali Abdel-Aziz suggested that Notorious Nick’s promotional debut will likely happen in August or September.
The elfin warrior tells AboveAndBeyondMMA.com that he didn’t deserve to be cut and is now on a mission to expose what he sees as the UFC’s unfair treatment of fighters.
“Well, I didn’t realize there was that much politics in martial arts, especially in the UFC. That was kind of frustrating. It’s not who is the best; it’s more of a political kind of BS,” he said.
“I was released after a loss against Bobby Green, which I should’ve never lost. It was kind of a fluke loss, going into the fight sick. I lost and then after that, they cut me. I was 6-2 at lightweight and they still cut me.
“You’ve got to know the right person, have the right manager in there. And your style determines if you stay in, too. The guys that stand and bang are the ones who are still fighting for the UFC. The ones that take the fights to the ground and focus more on the technique on the ground, they’re not in there because apparently the fans don’t like that.”
The elfin warrior tells AboveAndBeyondMMA.com that he didn’t deserve to be cut and is now on a mission to expose what he sees as the UFC’s unfair treatment of fighters.
“Well, I didn’t realize there was that much politics in martial arts, especially in the UFC. That was kind of frustrating. It’s not who is the best; it’s more of a political kind of BS,” he said.
“I was released after a loss against Bobby Green, which I should’ve never lost. It was kind of a fluke loss, going into the fight sick. I lost and then after that, they cut me. I was 6-2 at lightweight and they still cut me.
“You’ve got to know the right person, have the right manager in there. And your style determines if you stay in, too. The guys that stand and bang are the ones who are still fighting for the UFC. The ones that take the fights to the ground and focus more on the technique on the ground, they’re not in there because apparently the fans don’t like that.”
Volkmann is dead-on in saying that the UFC and the sport of MMA as a whole favors striking and strikers, and he goes on to include some interesting details about the UFC’s health coverage, but his whining tone probably distracts from any good points he has. No one begrudges someone for being upset at being fired, but excuse-making isn’t very sympathetic — especially from a boot-straps kind of conservative like Volkmann.
Volkmann has clearly shown that he’s a UFC-caliber fighter over the years, but he’s unfortunately not the first such guy to be cut after he goes on a downturn. First off, as we mentioned, Volkmann has been finished in two out of his last three bouts. Sure, maybe he was sick and injured in the last one but no one really ever cares about that. Also, he is 6-4 in the UFC — impressive for sure, but when half of those losses have come recently, he shouldn’t have been too shocked at being released.
Volkmann admits to being “very bitter,” over the firing but then displays a poor understanding of what poverty is.
“People always tell me, ‘You’re rich — you’re on TV!’ Are you kidding me? I made $54,000 two years ago, paid $9,000 in taxes, so that leaves me with $45,000. This last year, I made $50,000 and paid $8,000 in taxes. That leaves me with $42,000 — that’s barely above poverty. I have three kids and a wife I’m supporting.”
We’ve never gotten a crystal clear look at the UFC’s health care plans ever since they implemented one a few years ago, so tidbits of information are always great to get from fighters. Volkmann, now a lover scorned, claims that the coverage is too costly for fighters to do much good.
“They always claim that they treat the fighters so well. Yeah, they treat the top five per cent of the fighters well — the ones that are on the main card all the time. They don’t treat the rest of them very well. The healthcare plan is horrible, with a $1,500 deductible per injury — the catastrophic-injury insurance is not even really good insurance. There’s no retirement fund, there’s no signing bonus. You start off at six-and-six, you’re really not making too much money because you’re self-employed, so you’re paying the self-employment tax and you’re paying the regular tax and income tax. So you’re paying twice as much in tax. They claim they’re treating the fighters well, but they’re not, realistically.”
Rough sauce indeed. Many fighters get paid less than six and six to start, however, and lots of those are presumably in the World Series of Fighting.
What do you say, nation? Is Volkmann just mad because a black man is President and a white bald dude fired him? Or should his voice be heard on the matters of fighter compensation and job security?
Press Release – LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 15, 2013) – Surging KO artist Chris “Gritz” Gruetzemacher (11-1) of Glendale, Ariz. will square off with fellow fast-rising star Jerrod Sanders (11-1) of Oklahoma City, Okla. in a World Series of Fighting featherweight (145 pounds) preliminary card bout at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas […]
Press Release – LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 15, 2013) – Surging KO artist Chris “Gritz” Gruetzemacher (11-1) of Glendale, Ariz. will square off with fellow fast-rising star Jerrod Sanders (11-1) of Oklahoma City, Okla. in a World Series of Fighting featherweight (145 pounds) preliminary card bout at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, June 14.
A bantamweight (135 pounds) contest between emerging force Carson “Little Juggernaut” Beebe (13-2) of Schaumburg, Ill. and undefeated submission ace Joe Murphy (6-0) of Huntington Beach, Calif. has been added to the preliminary card as well, World Series of Fighting announced today.
“We are excited to add another pair of matchups to our preliminary card that will showcase a collection of the sport’s brightest up and coming athletes and future champions,” said World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion Ray Sefo. “Since we launched our promotion last year, World Series of Fighting has made a commitment to building a roster of its own stars, so fighting as many potential future stars at our live events is critical in order to ensure that these athletes gain the necessary competitive experience to take their careers to the next level.”
The 26-year-old Gruetzemacher has been on fire since 2009, winning his last 10 fights. He has defeated each of his last seven opponents by way of (T)KO or submission, including four consecutive (T)KO victories.
Likewise, Sanders has notched nine straight wins. The 33-year-old has finished his last three opponents – two by way of submission and the third via TKO.
Beebe, the 24-year-old younger brother of bantamweight submission specialist Chase Beebe, is looking to return to the win column after he dropped a unanimous decision to Rolando Velasco in his last effort on Nov. 15, 2012. Prior to that, Beebe had reeled off seven consecutive victories.
The 25-year-old Murphy has been unstoppable since he made his professional debut with a first round (2:01) submission (armbar) victory over Orlando Aspericueta on May 1, 2009. Five of Murphy’s six wins to date have come by way of submission, including his last bout, an April 14, 2012 matchup with Tyler Weathers that Murphy won by way of armbar in the second round (2:56).
Tickets for the World Series of Fighting event, priced from $29 (plus applicable service fees), are on sale at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000.
The four-bout main card will air live on NBC Sports Network, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
In the welterweight (170 pounds) main event and a long-awaited rematch, Jon Fitch (24-5) of Fort Wayne, Ind., will square off with fellow superstar Josh “The People’s Warrior” Burkman (25-9) of Salt Lake City, Utah.
The second meeting between the 35-year-old Fitch, a member of San Jose, Calif.-based Team AKA, and the 32-year-old Burkman, a winner of four consecutive fights, comes slightly more than seven years after Fitch submitted Burkman with a rear-naked choke in the second round (4:57) of their initial encounter that, coincidentally, also took place at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
In the co-main event, streaking stars and fearsome submission aces Tyson “Man of” Steele (10-1) of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada and Steve Carl (19-3) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa will face off at welterweight (170 pounds).
Also slated for battle on the main card is heavyweight rising star and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rolles Gracie (8-1) of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, who will face off with Dave Huckaba (21-4) of Sacramento, Calif.
Undefeated prospect Justin Gaethje (8-0) of Denver, Colo. will collide with Brian Cobb (20-7) of Bakersfield, Calif., in a lightweight (155 pounds) contest and the first televised main card bout of the night.
In preliminary card action, battle-tested submission specialist John Gunderson (34-14) of Houston, Tex. will be pitted against Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon (16-4) of Bridgewater, Mass. in another lightweight tilt. All 16 of Lauzon’s professional career victories have come by way of (T)KO or submission.
Grappling wizards Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm (21-2) of Spokane, Wash. and Jacob Volkmann (15-4) of White Bear Lake, Minn. will meet at lightweight.
Fellow undefeated prospects Krasimir Mladenov (9-0) of Borica, Bulgaria and Kendrick Miree (5-0) of Atlanta, Ga., will square off at middleweight (185 pounds).
Doors at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will open at 4:30 p.m. PT and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5:30 p.m.
ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING
Based in Las Vegas, Nev., the fight capital of the world, World Series of Fighting is a professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering an incredible, action-packed entertainment experience for fight fans by producing the best possible matchups between elite fighters from around the globe. For more information please visit www.WSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
About The Joint
The Joint is a 4,000-person capacity venue that serves as a sophisticated, intimate and unparalleled entertainment destination. The Joint features seven Luxury Suites, a VIP Studio Level, state-of-the-art sound system, superior video system and a production package tailor-made for artist comfort. It has received numerous accolades including “Best Concert Venue” in Las Vegas Review – Journal’s “Best of Las Vegas” awards 2010 – 2012, “Best Music Venue” in 2012 Las Vegas Weekly Awards, “No. 1 Hottest Club in America” award by Billboard Magazine in 2011, “Best Live Music Venue in Las Vegas” by MetroWize.com in 2011, “Best New Major Concert Venue” at the 2010 Pollstar Awards, and “Best Live Music Venue” in AOL City’s Best 2010 awards. The Joint delivers unforgettable live music experiences with performances by both legendary and ground-breaking artists including Paul McCartney, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Arcade Fire, Avenged Sevenfold, Rise Against, Paramore, Muse, Drake and No Doubt. The venue created the successful concept of rock ‘n’ roll residencies with Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits, Mötley Crüe in Sin City, Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Democracy and Def Leppard VIVA Hysteria! as well as Tiësto In Concert, featuring the world’s No. 1 electronic DJ and producer Tiësto. For additional information, visit www.thejointlasvegas.comor call 702.693.5583 or 702.693.5000.
ABOUT NBC SPORTS NETWORK
NBC Sports Network, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 80 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2013, the Premier League and Formula One. In addition, NBC Sports Network features college football, college basketball, college hockey, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Action Sports Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, The Crossover, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk and The Dan Patrick Show. NBC Sports Network is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
Press Release – LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 3, 2013) – World Series of Fighting announced today a new co-main event matchup between streaking, prolific welterweight (170 pounds) rising stars and fearsome submission aces Tyson “Man of” Steele (10-1) of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada and Steve Carl (19-3) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the professional Mixed Martial […]
Press Release – LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 3, 2013) – World Series of Fighting announced today a new co-main event matchup between streaking, prolific welterweight (170 pounds) rising stars and fearsome submission aces Tyson “Man of” Steele (10-1) of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada and Steve Carl (19-3) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion’s highly-anticipated fight card at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, June 14, live on NBC Sports Network, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
The announcement comes in the wake of the withdrawal of Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (1-0) of Boca Raton, Fla. via Suriname from his scheduled light heavyweight (205 pounds) co-main event matchup with Angel “The Dream” DeAnda (11-2) of Oakdale, Calif. due to Spong’s inability to return from the Netherlands to his Boca Raton-based MMA training camp Blackzilians in time to prepare adequately for his second-career MMA-rules bout.
Additionally, a lightweight (155 pounds) contest between grappling wizards Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm (21-2) of Spokane, Wash. and Jacob Volkmann (15-4) of White Bear Lake, Minn. has been added to the event’s preliminary card.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to replace the original co-main event with a matchup between two of MMA’s fastest rising stars who are both on course to become future champions,” said World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion Ray Sefo. “Losing Tyrone from this card is unfortunate, but our fighters need to prepare sufficiently to compete at this level, and we are certainly not going to take any shortcuts or try to rush a matchup if one or both fighters are not ready to compete. We will move forward and look forward to seeing Tyrone back in the World Series of Fighting cage very soon.”
A former oil industry laborer, the 26-year-old Steele, who is riding a four-fight win streak, found greater opportunity in the sport of MMA after discovering the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and hasn’t turned back since. On Nov. 3, he notched his greatest victory to date in his first start outside of Canada, a first round (4:52) TKO (knee and punches) of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gregor Gracie at the inaugural World Series of Fighting event in Las Vegas.
Thus far, 7 of Steele’s 10 professional career victories have come by way of submission and 2 of the other 3 have come by way of TKO.
The 28-year-old Carl is a U.S. Army veteran who, likewise, found his calling in life in the world’s fastest growing sport after taking up Army Combatives. Of his 19 professional career victories to date, 14 have come by way of submission.
Against Steele, Carl will put a five-fight winning streak on the line. He earned his latest victory at the World Series of Fighting event on Nov. 3, submitting Ramico Blackmon with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:11) of their matchup.
The 34-year-old Beerbohm, a former meth addict who discovered MMA while watching television from a prison sofa, later became an inspiration, taking up MMA training the same day he was released from incarceration. After just two amateur fights in which he stopped both of his opponents, Beerbohm made his professional debut in 2007 and ran to 15 consecutive victories over the course of the next three years.
Beerbohm, whose nickname originated as a result of the colorful fight shorts that his mother sews for him, holds notable wins over the likes of former Muay Thai champion and KO artist Duane “Bang” Ludwig, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro and former PRIDE star Marcus Aurelio.
Volkmann is a 32-year-old, three-time NCAA Division I All-American and former Big 10 Conference wrestling champion for University of Minnesota. Since turning pro in 2007, he has earned 7 of his 15 career victories by way of submission.
Volkmann boasts wins over fellow stars Danny Castillo, Bobby Voelker, Ronys Torres and Antonio McKee.
Tickets for the World Series of Fighting event, priced from $29 (plus applicable service fees), are on sale at the Hard Rock Hotel Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000.
In the welterweight main event and long-awaited rematch, Jon Fitch (24-5) of Fort Wayne, Ind., will square off with fellow superstar Josh “The People’s Warrior” Burkman (25-9) of Salt Lake City, Utah.
The second meeting between the 35-year-old Fitch, a member of San Jose, Calif.-based Team AKA, and the 32-year-old Burkman, a winner of four consecutive fights, comes slightly more than seven years after Fitch submitted Burkman with a rear-naked choke in the second round (4:57) of their initial encounter that, coincidentally, also took place at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Also slated for battle on the four-bout TV card is heavyweight rising star and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rolles Gracie (8-1) of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, who will face off with Dave Huckaba (21-4) of Sacramento, Calif.
Undefeated prospect Justin Gaethje (8-0) of Denver, Colo. will collide with Brian Cobb (20-7) of Bakersfield, Calif., in a lightweight contest.
In preliminary card action, battle-tested submission specialist John Gunderson (34-14) of Houston, Tex. will be pitted against Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon (16-4) of Bridgewater, Mass. in another lightweight tilt. All 16 of Lauzon’s professional career victories have come by way of (T)KO or submission.
Fellow undefeated prospects Krasimir Mladenov (8-0) of Borica, Bulgaria and Kendrick Miree (5-0) of Atlanta, Ga., will square off at middleweight (185 pounds).
Additional preliminary card bouts will be announced soon.
Doors at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino will open at 4:30 p.m. PT and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m.
ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING
Based in Las Vegas, Nev., the fight capital of the world, World Series of Fighting is a professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering an incredible, action-packed entertainment experience for fight fans by producing the best possible matchups between elite fighters from around the globe. For more information please visit www.MMAWSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
About The Joint
The Joint is a 4,000-person capacity venue that serves as a sophisticated, intimate and unparalleled entertainment destination. The Joint features seven Luxury Suites, a VIP Studio Level, state-of-the-art sound system, superior video system and a production package tailor-made for artist comfort. It has received numerous accolades including “Best Concert Venue” in Las Vegas Review – Journal’s “Best of Las Vegas” awards 2010 – 2012, “Best Music Venue” in 2012 Las Vegas Weekly Awards, “No. 1 Hottest Club in America” award by Billboard Magazine in 2011, “Best Live Music Venue in Las Vegas” by MetroWize.com in 2011, “Best New Major Concert Venue” at the 2010 Pollstar Awards, and “Best Live Music Venue” in AOL City’s Best 2010 awards. The Joint delivers unforgettable live music experiences with performances by both legendary and ground-breaking artists including Paul McCartney, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney, Arcade Fire, Avenged Sevenfold, Rise Against, Paramore, Muse, Drake and No Doubt. The venue created the successful concept of rock ‘n’ roll residencies with Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits, Mötley Crüe in Sin City, Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Democracy and Def Leppard VIVA Hysteria! as well as Tiësto In Concert, featuring the world’s No. 1 electronic DJ and producer Tiësto. For additional information, visit www.thejointlasvegas.comor call 702.693.5583 or 702.693.5000.
ABOUT NBC SPORTS NETWORK
NBC Sports Network, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 80 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2013, the Premier League and Formula One. In addition, NBC Sports Network features college football, college basketball, college hockey, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Action Sports Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, The Crossover, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk and The Dan Patrick Show. NBC Sports Network is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
(Quite possibly the strangest reaction to Pig Destroyer’s “Gravedancer” that we have ever seen.)
Bad news, Potato Nation, as it has been recently announced that the upcoming World Series of Fighting 3 card has taken a major hit in the form of Tyrone Spong, who has allegedly been pulled from the event due to visa issues. The kickboxing powerhouse was expected to face 11-2 Angel DeAnda in the co-main event of the June 14th-scheduled card, which features Josh Burkman vs. Jon Fitch II to determine the promotion’s inaugural welterweight championship.
On the heels of a successful MMA debut beatdown of Travis Bartlett at WSOF’s first event (as well as a second round KO over Remy Bojansky in his latest kickboxing exhibition), Spong was heavily favored to make short work of DeAnda as well. Fortunately for DeAnda, he will live to fight another day. Unfortunately for DeAnda, no replacement opponent has been named as of this write-up, and even if one is, it is very likely that the fight will now be buried on the prelims. The sorrowful life of a stepping stone, you guys.
Based purely off name value, this setback would presumably make Rolles Gracie vs. Dave Huckaba the co-main event of WSOF 3. In other words…
(Quite possibly the strangest reaction to Pig Destroyer’s “Gravedancer” that we have ever seen.)
Bad news, Potato Nation, as it has been recently announced that the upcoming World Series of Fighting 3 card has taken a major hit in the form of Tyrone Spong, who has allegedly been pulled from the event due to visa issues. The kickboxing powerhouse was expected to face 11-2 Angel DeAnda in the co-main event of the June 14th-scheduled card, which features Josh Burkman vs. Jon Fitch II to determine the promotion’s inaugural welterweight championship.
On the heels of a successful MMA debut beatdown of Travis Bartlett at WSOF’s first event (as well as a second round KO over Remy Bojansky in his latest kickboxing exhibition), Spong was heavily favored to make short work of DeAnda as well. Fortunately for DeAnda, he will live to fight another day. Unfortunately for DeAnda, no replacement opponent has been named as of this write-up, and even if one is, it is very likely that the fight will now be buried on the prelims. The sorrowful life of a stepping stone, you guys.
Based purely off name value, this setback would presumably make Rolles Gracie vs. Dave Huckaba the co-main event of WSOF 3. In other words…
(Griffin pops Nik Lentz a good one at UFC 123. / Photo via Getty Images)
From Anthony Johnson and Jon Fitch to Josh Burkman and Miguel Torres, World Series of Fighting seems to have no problem with raiding the UFC’s leftovers for usable scrap. Their latest acquisition is Tyson Griffin, the tenacious lightweight/featherweight contender who spent five years in the UFC — and collected five Fight of the Night bonuses along the way — before being cut in October 2011 following a 1-4 stretch that ended in a blown weight-cut and knockout loss to Bart Palaszewski.
Griffin announced the news of his World Series of Fighting signing this morning via twitter, saying that he hopes to compete on WSOF’s August card (date/venue TBA); Griffin’s opponent hasn’t been confirmed yet. Currently training at American Kickboxing Academy, the 29-year-old last competed in November 2012, scoring a unanimous decision over fellow UFC castoff Efrain Escudero in the headliner of Resurrection Fighting Alliance 4 in Las Vegas.
Semi-related: Light-heavyweight kickboxing ace Tyrone Spong has been forced out of his WSOF 3 co-headlining matchup against Angel DeAnda due to visa issues. His return will likely be postponed to the promotion’s August card. Wait a minute…are you thinking what I’m thinking? WSOF 4: Spong vs. Griffin. It’s not like they’re above a good freak show.
(Griffin pops Nik Lentz a good one at UFC 123. / Photo via Getty Images)
From Anthony Johnson and Jon Fitch to Josh Burkman and Miguel Torres, World Series of Fighting seems to have no problem with raiding the UFC’s leftovers for usable scrap. Their latest acquisition is Tyson Griffin, the tenacious lightweight/featherweight contender who spent five years in the UFC — and collected five Fight of the Night bonuses along the way — before being cut in October 2011 following a 1-4 stretch that ended in a blown weight-cut and knockout loss to Bart Palaszewski.
Griffin announced the news of his World Series of Fighting signing this morning via twitter, saying that he hopes to compete on WSOF’s August card (date/venue TBA); Griffin’s opponent hasn’t been confirmed yet. Currently training at American Kickboxing Academy, the 29-year-old last competed in November 2012, scoring a unanimous decision over fellow UFC castoff Efrain Escudero in the headliner of Resurrection Fighting Alliance 4 in Las Vegas.
Semi-related: Light-heavyweight kickboxing ace Tyrone Spong has been forced out of his WSOF 3 co-headlining matchup against Angel DeAnda due to visa issues. His return will likely be postponed to the promotion’s August card. Wait a minute…are you thinking what I’m thinking? WSOF 4: Spong vs. Griffin. It’s not like they’re above a good freak show.
