Score Fighting Series veterans Rich Clementi, Josh Hill, Alex Ricci, Shane Campbell and Lyndon Whitlock are all slated to be in action. Opponents for all of them are awaiting approval by the Ontario Athletic Commission and will be announced shortly.

Alessio is a Vancouver native and trains out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Nicknamed “The Natural”, he has competed in the WEC, UFC and PRIDE with 10 of his 33 career victories coming by KO and 15 via submission. He recently dropped to the lightweight division where he scored a win over Luiz Firmino in November.

Healy is a WEC veteran and a member of Team Quest where he trains with MMA legend Matt Lindland and UFC star Chael Sonnen. Like his twin brother and fellow scrapper Pat, Healy has a dominant ground game but prefers to use utilize his wrestling to keep the fight standing.

The match-up was originally supposed to take place in December but was postponed when Healy suffered an injury during training. Alessio has been vocal in praising his opponent and looks forward to fighting again in Canada. “Ryan is a tough guy with good boxing skills and he’s well conditioned with no quit,” says Alessio. “This is a great fight for me to showcase all my skills, I feel like I’m better everywhere and I’m coming to finish!”

Tickets, priced from $30, go on sale on Tuesday, January 24th at the Copps Coliseum box office and online atwww.ticketmaster.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Mike Afromowitz
Witz End Communications, Inc.
917-566-8754
mafromowitz@yourwitzend.com

Sharon Lassman
Score Media Inc.
416-977-6787 x2217
slassman@scoremedia.com

About Score Media Inc.
Score Media is a media company committed to delivering interactive and authentic sports entertainment. Score Media’s primary asset, theScore Television Network (“theScore”), is a national specialty television service providing sports news, information, highlights and live event programming in more than 6.8 million homes across Canada. The Company’s digital media assets include theScore.com and the industry leading mobile sports applications ScoreMobile, ScoreMobile FC and SportsTap which reach over three million unique users per month. Growing from a team of 60 in 1997 to over 290 employees in 2012, Score Media is a revolutionizing interactive media company.
About The Score Fighting Series.

The Score Fighting Series is a mixed martial arts promotion operated by Score Fighting Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Score Media Inc. The Score Fighting Series (SFS) features fighters from North America and beyond with the focus on showcasing both established veterans and the sport’s best young athletes. The Series can currently be seen across Canada on theScore on Thursdays at 4pm ET and Saturdays at 1pm ET. Individual fights are also available in the MMA section on theScore.com.

“The lightweight division is one of the most talent-rich in the UFC, and this card is a prime example of that,” said UFC President Dana White. “Maynard and Diaz are two top contenders with a history between them, and this is one of those fights that could be career-changing for the winner. The stakes are just as high in the Escudero-Dunham fight, as both of these guys are looking to make the jump from prospect to contender.”

Tickets for this event will go on sale Saturday, November 21 at 10 a.m. ET and are $203, $128, $93, $63 and $43 (plus applicable service charges). Tickets will be available through all Ticketmaster outlets including the Patriot Center box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com or via Phonecharge at 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT or 410-547-SEAT.

UFC® Fight Club™ members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to this event Thursday, November 19 at 10 a.m. ET via the website ufc.com. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter subscribers Friday, November 20 starting at 10 a.m. ET. To access this presale, users must register for the UFC newsletter through ufc.com.

The UFC Fight Night main event features a rematch of lightweight contenders Gray Maynard (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) and Nate Diaz (fighting out of Stockton, Calif.) who first met in the Octagon on season five of The Ultimate Fighter™. Diaz defeated Maynard on his way to being named “The Ultimate Fighter” that season.

A former teammate of Rashad Evans on the Michigan State wrestling team, Maynard currently trains with UFC legend Randy Couture in Las Vegas. The 30-year-old with the 9-0, 1 NC record is riding one of the most impressive winning streaks in the sport, defeating an impressive array of 155-pound fighters including Frankie Edgar, Jim Miller, and, most recently, Roger Huerta this past September.

Diaz has won six of his last eight UFC fights including a win over Melvin Guillard this past September. The pride of Stockton, California and a product of the renowned Cesar Gracie Fight Team, Diaz needs a win over Maynard to continue on his path toward a shot at BJ Penn’s lightweight crown.

Winner of the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter™, 23-year-old Efrain Escudero (fighting out of Tempe, Ariz.) is coming off of an impressive TKO victory over Cole Miller at UFC 103 in September. At a perfect 13-0, Escudero will look to use his superior grappling skills against another rising star in the division, Evan Dunham.

An Oregon native, Evan Dunham (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) was victorious in his first two fights in the UFC, most recently earning a split decision win over Marcus Aurelio at UFC 102 in August. Now at 9-0 as a professional mixed martial artist, the 27-year-old lightweight fighter is looking for his third win in the UFC.

Coming off a submission win over CB Dollaway at UFC 100, Fall River, Massachusetts’ Tom Lawlor (fighting out of Orlando, Fla.) has already compiled a 6-1, 1 NC record with two consecutive wins in the UFC. A former three-time national wrestling champion for the University of Central Florida, Lawlor uses his superior wrestling skills to dominate his opponents.

Another up-and-coming fighter in the UFC, undefeated Aaron Simpson (fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz.) is a perfect 2-0 in the UFC and 6-0 as a pro. A former Arizona State University wrestler and two-time NCAA All-American, Simpson scored a TKO win over Ed Herman at UFC 102, his second knockout in as many UFC fights.

The remaining bouts will be announced in the near future.

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com, UK.UFC.com, GERMANY.UFC.com, UFCJapan.jp or UFCEspanol.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

About The Ultimate Fighting Championship®
UFC is the largest live pay-per-view event content provider in the world and the fastest growing main stream sports organization in history. Owned and operated by Zuffa™, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve live pay-per-view events annually that are distributed residentially through North American cable and satellite providers including iNDEMAND Networks, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN Entertainment, BellTV, SaskTel Max™, Shaw Pay-Per-View, and Viewers Choice. International distributors include WOWOW in Japan, Rede TV and Globosat’s Combate Channel and SporTV in Brazil, ESPN in United Kingdom, Televisa in Mexico and throughout Central America, with worldwide distribution via the Internet on UFC.com and Yahoo! Sports. UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. UFC programming is distributed in 132 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 430 million homes worldwide, in 20 different languages.

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 Spike TV
Spike TV is available in 97.7 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com.

Source: http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=26517

Tickets for UFC 107: PENN vs. SANCHEZ, priced at $350, $250, $150 $100, $75 and $50, are on sale now and available online at ticketmaster.com or UFC.com, at all Ticketmaster locations, the FedExForum Box Office or by phone at (800)745-3000. Tickets are subject to additional fees and service charges. 

UFC 107 will be available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.95 for standard definition or high-definition broadcasts (where available).

A phenomenal wrestler who honed his craft at Purdue University, welterweight Jon Fitch (fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) heads into UFC 107 riding back-to-back victories over Akihiro Gono and Paulo Thiago. The 31-year-old hopes to extend that streak to three and climb one step closer to the world title when he meets ground-and-pound specialist Mike Pierce (fighting out of Vancouver, Wash.) at FedExForum. Boasting a six-fight winning streak, including a 1-0 mark in the UFC, Pierce (9-2) looks to impose his will on Fitch (23-3, 1 NC) and prove that he belongs among the welterweight elite. The 29-year-old believes a win over Fitch on Dec. 12 will launch him into immediate contention in the stacked 170-pound division.

Two of the lightweight division’s most exciting fighters lock horns when Clay Guida (fighting out of Johnsburg, Ill.) meets Kenny Florian (fighting out of Brookline, Mass.) at UFC 107. After competing in a torrid “Fight of the Year” candidate against Diego Sanchez in June, the 28-year-old Guida (25-7) returns to the Octagon™ with his sights set on derailing “Ken-Flo.” Having trained for this fight under the tutelage of renowned trainer Greg Jackson in New Mexico, Guida believes he has refined all of the tools needed to best his seasoned opponent. A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who also possesses some of the most dangerous elbow strikes in all of MMA, Florian (13-4) has shown a knack for finishing fights in his 12-bout UFC career. The 33-year-old has won six out of his last seven fights, including five by way of stoppage.

Heavy-handed striker Paul Buentello (fighting out of San Jose, Calif.) returns to the UFC for the first time since 2006 to take on 21-year-old rising star Stefan Struve (fighting out of Beverwijk, the Netherlands) in heavyweight action. Owning a 3-1 mark with three knockouts inside the Octagon, Buentello (25-10) looks to reinsert himself in the title picture with a win over his 6’11” opponent. The task may be easier said than done for “The Headhunter.” An outstanding kickboxer and submission artist, Struve (22-3) has submitted his last two opponents and is on a meteoric rise in the division. Known for his smooth transitions and slick grappling, “Skyscraper” plans to spoil Buentello’s homecoming and take a giant leap toward his goal of one day wearing UFC gold.

A terrific Muay Thai striker with an advanced ground game, Alan Belcher (fighting out of Biloxi, Miss.) is an exciting fighter with a “go-for-broke” style of fighting. The 25-year-old, nicknamed “The Talent,” is hungry to make a statement in the middleweight division and believes a win over gifted grappler Wilson Gouveia (fighting out of Coconut Creek, Fla.) will propel him into pivotal bouts in 2010. Equally determined to end the year with a bang is the American Top Team product Gouveia (12-6). A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who trains alongside the likes of Luiz Cane and Thiago Alves, the 31-year-old has earned 11 of his 12 professional wins by stoppage. He’ll look for another dominant performance when he clashes with Belcher (13-5) on Dec. 12.

A purple belt in jiu jitsu under BJ Penn, Shane Nelson (fighting out of Hilo, Hawaii) has steadily become one of the lightweight division’s most promising prospects. With wins in eight out of his last nine bouts, the 26-year-old Nelson (13-4) faces a stiff test in Memphis when he battles Matt Wiman (fighting out of Dallas, Texas). Known for his aggressive, gritty performances inside the Octagon, “Handsome” seeks his fifth win in the organization against the Hawaiian. Having already fought some of the best fighters in the lightweight class, Wiman (10-5) thinks his experience will play a key role in the bout with Nelson.

Riding the momentum of a first round stoppage victory over Amir Sadollah in August, Johny Hendricks (fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) looks to remain unbeaten when he touches gloves with newcomer Ricardo Funch (training out of Ludlow, Mass.) in welterweight action. A four-time Division I All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, Hendricks (6-0) boasts heavy hands and powerful takedowns. He’ll look to impose his will on the undefeated Funch in Tennessee. Holding a record of 7-0, “Golden Boy” Funch trains alongside UFC heavyweight Gabriel Gonzaga and the 29-year-old, who originally hails from Lencois-Bahia, Brazil, believes he’ll become an impact player at 170 pounds with a win over Hendricks later this month.

Training under the guidance of former UFC middleweight champion Murilo Bustamante, submission ace Rousimar Palhares (fighting out of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) is one of most feared grapplers in the sport. With five of his last six wins coming by way of submission, “Toquinho” will put his grounds skills on display when he battles fellow Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt Lucio Linhares (fighting out of Helsinki, Finland). A winner of five consecutive fights, Linhares (13-4) has a solid grappling game, but doesn’t mind slugging it out on the feet. With nine stoppage victories in his career, the fighter nicknamed “The Spartan” is ready to test his mettle in the UFC when he battles Palhares (18-2) in a 185-pound contest.

A contestant on season nine of The Ultimate Fighter®, Damarques Johnson (fighting out of Salt Lake City, Utah) believes he can one day rule the welterweight division. Johnson (14-7), who is trained by UFC vet Jeremy Horn, continues his quest for the title on Dec. 12 when he takes on heavy-handed Edgar Garcia (fighting out of Yuma, Ariz.). A close friend and training partner of lightweight star Efrain Escudero, Garcia (7-1) owns five wins by way of knockout. Also a state wrestling champion in his native Arizona, the 25-year-old looks to demonstrate his versatility when he battles Johnson inside the Octagon.

Having only gone the distance once in his 11-fight career, Kevin Burns (fighting out of Des Moines, Iowa) is a relentless competitor with a strong desire to finish fights. The Iowan, who has ended all eight of his wins before the final bell, seeks another impressive victory when he battles TJ Grant (fighting out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada) at UFC 107. Equally dominant in ending fights, the 25-year-old Canadian Grant (14-3) owns 12 submission victories and one knockout win since launching a professional career in 2006. He seeks his 15th victory when he takes on Burns (8-3) in “The Volunteer State.”

For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit UFC.com, UK.UFC.com, GERMANY.UFC.com, UFCJapan.jp or UFCEspanol.com. All bouts live and subject to change.

About The Ultimate Fighting Championship®

UFC is the largest live pay-per-view provider in the world and the fastest growing main stream sportsorganization in history. Owned and operated by Zuffa™, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve live pay-per-view events annually that are distributed residentially through North American cable and satellite providers including iNDEMAND Networks, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN Entertainment, BellTV, SaskTel Max™, Shaw Pay-Per-View, and Viewers Choice. International distributors include WOWOW in Japan, Premiere Combate and SporTV in Brazil, with worldwide distribution via the Internet on UFC.com and Yahoo! Sports. UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. UFC programming is distributed in 132 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 415 million homes worldwide.

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.

MIKE PIERCE VS. JON FITCH

CLAY GUIDA VS. KENNY FLORIAN

STEFAN STRUVE VS. PAUL BUENTELLO

WILSON GOUVEIA VS. ALAN BELCHER

SHANE NELSON VS. MATT WIMAN

RICARDO FUNCH VS. JOHNY HENDRICKS

LUCIO LINHARES VS. ROUSIMAR PALHARES

EDGAR GARCIA VS. DAMARQUES JOHNSON

TJ GRANT VS. KEVIN BURNS

Source: http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=30066

Fast forward to May 6 at the Atlantic States and Penteado strolled onto the same stage at BMCC looking even better. She took the lightweight division and then had to go head-to-head with Andrea Giacomi and Charlene Maschette, the winners of the heavyweight and middleweight divisions, respectively.

Even giving away some size, Penteado was the clear cut winner and showed a good deal of stage presence, flair and personality. Couple that with her sheer beauty and it will not be too long before she is knocking on the door for her pro card. She will need to add some mass to her physique to get to that level and become a favorite, but hopefully she will not take it too far and lose some of the positive attributes that she brings to the sport right now.

After finishing in third place in the 2007 Mr. Olympia, 38 year-old Dexter Jackson knows that the window of opportunity may be closing on him. In September, he will give it another go, this time coming off three consecutive first place finishes in the calendar year.

Earlier, Jackson won the Arnold Classic, IFBB Australian Grand Prix VIII and the IFBB New Zealand Grand Prix. While that is a nice accomplishment, the Mr. O is a whole different world.

Persevering through his career, Jackson finished third in the 1992 NPC Southern States Lightweight Division. He next took the stage three years later, which was also his first victory in the NPC USA Championships Light-Heavyweight Division.

Jackson turned professional in 1999, which included a ninth place finish in his inaugural Olympia show. He would not taste victory again until the 2002 Grand Prix England, and has finished first on eight different occasions since then.

Competing in eight out of the last nine Mr. Olympia contests (he missed the 2005), Jackson has finished ninth, ninth, eighth, fourth, third, fourth, fourth and third. To break into the top two, he will need to come into Las Vegas looking the way he has all year, possibly even better.

At the Australian Grand Prix, Jackson’s thighs were extremely impressive, as was his abdominal section. His obliques appeared as if they were carved away from his midsection and all of his 5’6″ frame looked to be in peak condition.

Having his eye on the prize, Jackson knows what he has to do in September. “I’ve beaten everybody else and Jay (Cutler) is the only person I haven’t beaten and he’s the Mr. Olympia, so he’s the man to beat,” he said. “I don’t look behind me, I only look what is in front of me.”

And the time in front of him is getting shorter.

Photo credit: wikipedia.com