“Our partnership with DREAM forms a promotional bond with the most prominent Japanese MMA organization,” said Billy Kelly, President of ProElite and COO of Stratus Media Group Inc. (SMDI:OTCBB) — parent company of ProElite. “Dream has developed a stable of great fighters on their roster and a strong team behind the scenes. With this exchange, the two organizations are building a cultural and fight-event bridge that our fans are sure to welcome.  W

The initial fighter exchange debuts this Saturday, January 21, in Hawaii when DREAM star and Japanese fan favorite Ikuhisa “Minowaman” Minowa takes on Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove in the ProElite main event at the Neal Blaisdell Center.

“I’m really honored to join the partnership with ProElite,” said DREAM Event Producer Keiichi Sasahara.  “It is important for us to exploit Asian or Pan-pacific markets by improving relationships with foreign organizations like ProElite. We would like to make this fighter exchange program a first step to generate synergistic success for both organizations.”

DREAM Light heavyweight tournament runner-up Tatsuya Mizuno will take on Ilima Maiava, also on the Honolulu fight card while the always exciting voice of Japanese MMA, Lenne Hardt, will be joining the shows as the fighter walk out announcer.   The ProElite main fight card will be televised live on HDNet at 10:00 P.M. EST.  Tickets are on sale at the Neal Blaisdell Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), www.ticketmaster.com, andwww.proelite.com.

ABOUT PROELITE

Founded in 2006, ProElite has been a major global force in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). ProElite, based in Los Angeles, California, continues its legacy to hold key domestic and international live MMA events. The company owns U.K. based MMA brand Cage Rage and is a significant stakeholder in Spirit MC in South Korea. ProElite signed a broadcast deal with HD NET in October 2011 to show our fights live in the highest quality video for consumers and will continue this great partnership into our future events. ProElite also produced one of the highest rated televised broadcasts of a live major network MMA event.

www.proelite.com

ABOUT STRATUS

Headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, with offices in Los Angeles, California; New York City, NY; Geneva, Switzerland; and Perugia, Italy, Stratus Media Group, Inc. (SMDI) is an owner, operator, developer, producer, and marketer of live entertainment events. In addition, the company owns Stratus White, a new standard in personal lifestyle and card services for the global affluent. Available by invitation only, Stratus White is a discreet, elite member & partner community providing exclusive and unparalleled service and access across the luxury product & travel, social, sporting, cultural and philanthropic areas of life, including events and experiences.
www.stratusmediagroup.com
www.stratuswhite.com

ABOUT DREAM

Headquartered in Tokyo, DREAM is the only major Japanese major mixed martial arts organization started in 2008 and has held 20 events since. World-class fighters such as Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Hiroyuki Takaya and Gegard Mousasi have been fighting for the organization. DREAM is widely regarded as the top MMA event in Asia and aiming for Asian market in 2012 in order to take a leadership to bring the Asian MMA scene to the next step.

www.dreamofficial.com

McMann’s idea of patience is a little more fast-paced than normal. She turned professional in mixed martial arts in 2011 and in less than three months posted four victories, including a win over Tonya Evinger, then the No. 9-ranked woman at 135 pounds. To open 2012, she will fight No. 5-ranked Hitomi Akano in Honolulu on Jan. 21 as part of a televised ProElite event on HDNet.
“Sara may be the most focused fighter I’ve ever worked with,” said longtime MMA manager Monte Cox. “She sets her goals, maps out the course to go after them, and gets the job done. Will she make it to the top of women’s mma? I sure wouldn’t bet against her. It won’t be long until the best in the world are looking over their shoulders — if they aren’t already.”
For her efforts in 2011, McMann moved up to No. 9 in the world rankings by MMArising.com and she received the “Mighty” Mia Hayes Inspirational Female Fighter of the Year Award last month. The award is named in honor of courageous amateur fighter “Mighty” Mia Hayes, who lost her lengthy battle with cancer last year. It recognizes a fighter who has provided inspiration to others by persevering through adversity. McMann’s brother, Jason, was murdered in 1999 and shortly after her Olympic success, she suffered the loss of her then-fiancé, Steven Blackford, in an automobile accident.

“My life is really filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows,” McMann said. “I’ve come to accept the fact that that’s the way it’s going to be whether I like it or not.”
It was a tough start in MMA too, as opponents found a variety of reasons to turn down or back out of fights. At one point, Cox says nine straight scheduled opponents found a reason not to get into the cage. “I had promoters tell me they called all over the country and couldn’t get a replacement,” Cox said. “They said we should take down Sara’s wrestling videos on YouTube because she was scaring everybody off.”
Things took an upswing last year when McMann signed on to fight for ProElite. With a solid budget and a TV deal, the promotion has been able to keep McMann busy. “Sara is the real deal and I think she will be the best in the world, if she isn’t already,” said ProElite promoter T.Jay Thompson. “We were going to bring her along slowly and let her get experience. But she’s so good we had to change our plans. Now she is co-headlining our next show and fighting the No. 5-ranked woman in the world. There’s no holding her back.”
When not training and fighting, McMann, now 31, managed to secure a master’s degree and become a mother. Her daughter, Bella, was born in 2009. She also does volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity and Safe Homes and traveled to Sri Lanka with some Olympic teammates to help victims of the Tsunami rebuild homes.

Source: Evan Cohen/ProElite MMA

Photo Courtesy of ProElite MMA

The only noticeable advertisement came in the form of  billboard along the New Jersey Turnpike near Giants Stadium, the location of the Sentinels’ first home game. On that Thursday evening at the end of October, the California Redwoods came into town and kept New York winless by taking a close contest, 20-13. The attendance was light and appeared even more so because of the capacity of the stadium. And it didn’t help matters any that the game was up against the second installment of the World Series in the Bronx.

But with more promotion, football fans who are shut out from Giants or Jets games would probably be more than happy to take advantage of the very affordable $20 tickets the UFL is offering. Couple that with the familiar names that adorn the rosters of the four teams and this thing may be a viable alternative during the week to the NFL.

“We had some guys here, like Simeon Rice, who had some injuries and are just looking to come back to play,” said Sentinels head coach Ted Cotrell, a former defensive coordinator for a number of teams including the New York Jets. “There are a few players like that and there are players coming up that just need a chance. It’s a win-win thing. If they do well, then we do well.”

Sounds like a good plan but for that to come true, the UFL has to get its name out there more. With the three other teams employing head coaches like Dennis Green (California Redwoods), Jim Fassel (Las Vegas Locomotives) and Jim Haslett (Florida Tuskers), instant credibility is brought to the table. Plus they have a television deal with Versus and HDNet, so the coverage is there if the fans choose to tune in.

In any situation where a new product is released, there will be trial and error periods. Such is the case when the Sentinels changed the location of their next home game from Citi Field (the Mets new ballpark in Queens) to Hofstra University on Long Island. A much smaller venue is more appropriate in a town like New York where it is very difficult to catch on when you have to deal with the likes of the Giants and Yankees garnering all of the headlines.

A short eight-week schedule commencing with the UFL championship game on November 27 will wrap up a campaign that the UFL can hopefully build on. They intend on adding teams and games in 2010 but need the capital to do so.

Other football leagues have had a difficult time surviving in what has become an NFL-monopolized sport. The WFL, USFL, AFL, XFL, WLAF and NFL Europe all dot the landscape of failed attempts to at least share a piece of the pigskin pie. Hopefully the UFL can stay off of that list.

Bas Rutten and Ron Kruck of HDNet’s Inside MMA sat ringside and called the fight action, as the official commentators for the Shark Fight 6 internet pay-per-view. The stacked fight card featured two title fights and was lined with several well known fighters, including two time UFC Champion Don “The Predator” Frye, and his opponent Elite XC veteran Dave “Pee Wee” Herman.  There were also  several celebrity guests in attendance such as TapouTcrew members Punkass and Skyscrape, WEC fighters Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia, WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Brown, and pro wrestling legend Terry Funk.

Shark Fight 6 featured non-stop action from start to finish. During the main event bout, Herman defeated Frye exactly one minute into the first round via TKO stoppage, adding another win to his impressive fight record, now (15-1-0). In the co-main event, Gerald “Hurricane” Harris was crowned the organizations first middleweight champion, defeating UFC veteran Nissen Osterneck with an explosive knock out 46 seconds into the first round. Harris, who was a competitor on season seven of the Ultimate Fighter, is now on a seven fight win streak.

In other fight highlights, Anthony “T.J.” Waldburger successfully defended his welterweight title in a grueling match against MMA veteran Pat “Bam Bam” Healy. At the end of the compelling grappling match, Waldburger was declared the winner, via unanimous decision. Texas fan favorite Marcus “Money” Sursa was also victorious on Saturday night, defeating Isaac Villanueva in the first round via guillotine choke, securing his shot at the organizations first light heavyweight title.

Shark Fight 6 – Stars & Stripes Official Fight Results:

• Dave “Pee Wee” Herman defeated Don “The Predator” Frye 1 minute into the first round via TKO stoppage
• Gerald  “Hurricane” Harris defeated Nissen Osterneck 46 seconds into the first round via KO
• Ran Weathers defeated Phil Cardella 36 seconds into the first round via TKO
• Marcus “Money” Sursa defeats Isaac Villanueva 2:06 into the first round via guillotine choke
• “TJ” Waldburger defeated Pat “Bam Bam” Heely via unanimous decision
• Brian Humes defeated Lance Friedenstein via unanimous decision
• Anselmo Martinez defeated Lorenzo Borgomeo immediately following the first round via corner stoppage
• Karin Darabedyan defeated  Estevan Payan 1:20 into the first round via TKO
• Robert Clayton Hantz defeated Tony Castillo via unanimous decision

About Shark Fight Promotions:

Shark Fight Promotions, based out of Amarillo Texas, is an up and coming Fight Promotion Company dedicated to driving the growth of mixed martial arts through the production of high quality MMA events and by effectively showcasing MMA fighters. The organization takes pride in putting the fans and fighters first; therefore they strive to make each Shark Fight event more exciting than the last.

Executives within the organization are committed to producing impressive fight cards with extremely competitive matchups. They are also very passionate about their philanthropic endeavors. Shark Fight Promotions stays very involved in charity causes by partnering with, and contributing to, non-profit organizations in each city that hosts a Shark Fight Promotions event.

Photo courtesy of Shark Fight Promotions