UFC Fans Vote Miguel Angel Torres as the 18th Recipient of the Tequila CAZADORES Spirit Award
The 18th recipient of the Tequila CAZADORES Spirit Award is bantamweight fighter Miguel Angel Torres . Miguel is known for his strong will, competitive nature and loyalty to mixed martial arts.
Tequila CAZADORES and UFC invited fans (21+) to decide the Tequila CAZADORES Spirit Award winner for UFC 123. Consumers had the opportunity to vote online at UFC.com for the fighter they thought demonstrated social responsibility, dedication to their art form, and good sportsmanship; the core values behind the Tequila CAZADORES brand and its sponsorship with UFC.
Miguel’s win was announced LIVE on February 5, 2011 , at UFC 126 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada as well as on Pay-Per-View during the fighter’s walk out to the Octagon™. Tequila CAZADORES congratulates Miguel on his win and would like to thank the increasingly growing number of fans for voting and supporting the Tequila CAZADORES Spirit Award.
A graduate of Purdue University, Miguel Angel Torres has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and specializes in Muay Thai Kick Boxing. Prior to his career in Mixed Martial Arts, he worked as a Radiologist’s assistant for five years. His experience working in a hospital setting inspired Miguel to raise awareness for breast cancer. As the winner of the Tequila CAZADORES Spirit Award, Tequila CAZADORES presented Miguel with a plaque and a check for a $1,000 donation made in his name to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Read more
Chuck Liddell Retires from UFC Competition, Joins UFC as Executive Vice President of Business Development
UFC President Dana White started the press conference for the lightweight title fight between champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard at UFC 125 with a surprise announcement regarding one of the sport’s most respected icons.
In front of assembled media and fans at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, White broke the news that former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC Hall of Fame member Chuck Liddell, a true pioneer and legend in the sport, is retiring from competing in the UFC.
White’s announcement however, was not about the end of a career, but rather just a change in Liddell’s future, because White also announced that Liddell is UFC’s new Executive Vice President of Business Development.
“Chuck is the perfect example of a UFC athlete, someone who is smart inside the Octagon and smart in business,” White said. “With his background and expertise, Chuck is exactly the guy we need to work with regulators in existing and new jurisdictions, and work with all of the UFC athletes, as we grow this business around the world. Read more
MatchFights.com Announces September 25, 2009 Date For Premier Live Bare Knuckle Brawlers Fight Club Event
MatchFights.com is pleased to announce the September 25, 2009 date for the premier of its Bare Knuckle Brawlers fight club event — the Internet’s only live, high definition, pay-per-view venue for true bare-knuckle combat. For a limited time, fight fans can subscribe to see the live premier broadcast on the Bare Knuckle Brawlers website, www.bkbfightclub.com, at a special introductory price of $9.99.
Bare Knuckle Brawlers features no-holds-barred combat in an interactive venue where viewers will not only determine which fighters are matched but also who ultimately wins each contest. In addition, viewers can chat with other viewers live during the broadcast, making the experience truly interactive.
Bare Knuckle Brawlers is ushering in a new era in human combat, with un-sanitized, no-holds-barred fights between highly skilled fighters. The broadcast will also feature between-fight entertainment, including a ring-girl bikini contest where the viewers will vote for the winner, and a rock concert.
Bare Knuckle Brawlers will deviate from the current “mainstream” Mixed Martial Arts product in a number of ways. First, there will be no preference given to any one style of fighting, MMA or otherwise. All styles of fighting will be welcomed with separate rules governing each style. Second, the past several months have been spent previewing some of the top bare knuckle fighters in the country in an attempt to find the twenty best. Many of these exhibition bouts have taken place in warehouses and backyards, with video posted online. The voting public will then match these fighters up for the live broadcast. Finally, because the broadcast will be live over the Internet, anyone anywhere is the world with internet access can watch the event for the low price of $9.99.
Gregg Geddes, spokesman for MatchFights, explained, “The intent of MatchFights and its Bare Knuckle Brawlers property is to take fighting back to its roots — the way grandpa used to do it on the docks to scrape up enough cash to feed his family. While we applaud the efforts of the major MMA organizations to become recognized by the mainstream, we appreciate that there is a segment of the population that has no interest in sanctioned fights between contract fighters. We want to offer the fights that fans want: karate vs. tae kwon do, street fighters vs. professional boxers — the matchups are limitless. MatchFights will provide a clear alternative to the existing product, with true human combat presented in the highest quality high definition format. Viewers will not feel left out and short changed since they will have the ability to choose the match-ups that are broadcast and even help to determine the winners with their votes.
“We look forward to presenting our first live broadcast on September 25th and encourage those interested in real, bare-knuckle combat to visit our website and register for the events at our low introductory price. Visitors can also see some preliminary demo fights, which do not have the production values or film quality that the live events will have, but they do showcase some of the fighters we expect to see on September 25th,” he added.
To register for the inaugural Bare Knuckle Brawlers events, or to try out to fight for Bare Knuckle Brawlers, please visit http://www.bkbfightclub.com/.
Source: MatchFights, LLC
HDNet Fights Presents: HEIWA DREAM 10 Welterweight Grand Prix 2009, Final Round
A new champion will be crowned on HDNet, LIVE beginning early morning Monday, July 20 at 12:00 a.m. PT
HDNet to broadcast “HDNet Fights Presents HEIWA DREAM 10 Welterweight Grand Prix 2009, Final Round,” Monday, July 20, 12:00 a.m. PT. The event airs LIVE from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. HDNet will also air an encore presentation on Friday, July 24 at 10:00 p.m. ET.
The event features the conclusion of the Dream Welterweight Grand Prix as the legendary Hayato “Mach” Sakurai (35-8-2) meets Marius Zaromskis (9-2) and Andre Galvao (3-0) meets Jason High (7-1) in semi-final action with the winners advancing to face each other in the final later in the evening.
And, in what Sergio Non of USA Today calls “from a stylistic point of view, the most interesting fight of the summer,” Shinya Aoki, widely regarded as the number one lightweight in the world, faces Vitor “Shaolin” Riberio. And, the always exciting Melvin Manhoef (23-5-1) meets former WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho (16-1).
WHEN: Monday, July 20, at 12:00 a.m. PT (early morning Monday) with an encore presentation on Friday, July 24 at 10:00 p.m. ET
HDNet Fights Presents: XFC 8: Regional Conflict
LIVE event now includes a World Featherweight Title fight – Saturday, April 25, 9:00 p.m. ET
HDNet will broadcast exclusive LIVE coverage of “HDNet Fights Presents: XFC 8: Regional Conflict” from the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, TN. The main event features a highly anticipated showdown between two military veterans as undefeated Bruce “The Noose” Connors of Orlando, Florida goes against Jarrod “The Wild Card” Card of Jacksonville, North Carolina for the XFC Featherweight World Title. Former pro wrestling superstar and undefeated heavyweight Bobby Lashley will be on hand to present the winner with the title. Also on the card, Rafaello “Tractor” Oliveira faces off with John “Mulatto Mauler” Mahlow and former University of Tennessee football player Ovince St. Preux will take on Ombey “Kryptonite” Mobley in a special light heavyweight showdown.
LIVE – Saturday, April 25 at 9:00 p.m. ET on HDNet.
