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

“Fedor vs. Monson,” presented by M-1 Global, is being distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 7:30 AM/ET – 4:30 AM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, DISH Network and Avail-TVN, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.Check listings for same-day replays.

Fedor, who is fighting at home in Russia for the first time in four years, is coming off of three straight losses in the United States to Dan Henderson, Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdum. He’s fighting Monson because that’s who he is, not for his already secure legacy in MMA history.

“I’m really happy to be fighting in Russia because most of my fights have been overseas,” Fedor recently said from training camp in Holland. “The only time I’ve fought in Russia was four years ago in St. Petersburg. I feel good and I’m looking forward to this fight.

“This is my job. I always try to win each fight. I’m not fighting to prove anything to anyone. I fight; that’s what I do. What happened – happened. I felt I could win each of those fights but something went wrong. Anything can happen and I prepare for each fight very seriously.”

Monson, fighting out of Miami, Florida, is a two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist. The battle-tested veteran is looking at this fight as an opportunity of a lifetime in terms of his MMA legacy.

“This fight (versus Monson) has been talked about since my PRIDE days,” Fedor noted. “I am familiar with his career. I think Jeff is a very respected and tough opponent. I am looking forward to fighting him. Each fighter is different in his own way. I have had to fight various great guys. Jeff and I will offer an entertaining fight.”

Emelianenko has fought and defeated a virtual Who’s Who of MMA heavyweights during his 11 ½ year pro career: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), Mirko Filipovic, Heath Herring, Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman (twice), Renato Sobral, Matt Lindland, Andrei Arlovski, Hong Man Chio, Brett Rogers and Tim Sylvia.

“I’m very happy with the way training camp went, Fedor conclude. “I trained with my brother, Alexander, most of the time.

“I want to thank all of my fans. I know there are a lot in America. I truly appreciate fans that have supported me in America and I’m glad they will have a chance to watch this fight live. I truly appreciate their support.”

In the co-feature, M-1 Challenge Lightweight Champion Jose Figueroa (10-4, 4 KOs, 5 Submissions), also fighting out of Florida, defends against German challenger Daniel Weichel (27-7, 4 KOs, 16 Submissions).

Scheduled to fight on the PPV undercard is Russian welterweight Aleksander Yakovlev (12-3, 4 KOs, 7 Submissions) vs. undefeated Spanish prospect Juan Manuel “Juanma” Suarez (8-0, 1 KO, 3 Submissions), Austrian welterweight Mairbek “Beckan” Taisumov (15-3, 8 KOs, 6 Submissions) vs. Josh Thorpe (10-6, 3 KOs), from Alabama, and Russian middleweight Arthur Guseinov (9-2, 6 KOs, 2 Submissions) vs. French veteran Xavier “Professor X” Foupa-Pokam (21-16, 11 KOs, 7 Submissions). All fights and fighters are subject to change.

For more information about the Emelianenko-Monson PPV event go to www.integratedsportsnet.comor www.M-1Global.com. Follow Integrated Sports Media on Twitter @IntegratedPPV.

M-1 Global: Founded in 1998, M-1 Global (www.M-1Global.com) has established itself in the realm of mixed martial arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles and affiliates in Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged over 70 events worldwide including the M-1 Selection and M-1 Challenge events and its co-produced Strikeforce events in the United States. Captivating the live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 events have boasted some of the sport’s top names including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Stephan Struve and rising stars Shamil Zavurov, Guram Gugenishvili, Alexander Sarnavskiy and Vinny Magalhaes.

Integrated Sports Media: North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. Also World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Erik Morales, Vitali Klitschko, Ricky Hatton, Cristian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Tomasz Adamek, Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Khan, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Real Madrid,Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.

Photo Courtesy of Strikeforce

“Shark Fights is becoming THE place to fight. The UFC has already signed five fighters that Shark Fights had under contract this year. I’m glad the UFC is watching us and we wish nothing but the best for Chris,” states Bud Brutsman, Shark Fights Executive.

Strikeforce veteran Artenas “Machine Gun” Young (7-3) and unbeaten top contender Clifford Starks (6-0) will replace Camozzi and Lucas as the headline for Shark Fights 20. Young has been on a tear since joining Shark Fights, beating rising prospects Kyle Bracey (4-2) and Elvis Mutapcic (9-2). Starks has finished three of his fights by TKO all in the first round. “It doesn’t matter if I fight first or last, I am always the main event. Now its just official.” said Young. “Headlining Shark Fights 20 is a dream for me, but it’s going to be a nightmare for Starks, cause I’m putting on a SHOW at his expense.”

The co-main event will feature undefeated superstar Jared Downing (7-0) vs Bellator veteran Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (17-3). Shark Fights 20 will be the biggest test of Downing’s career as he takes on the much more experienced Karakhanyan. Karakhanyan has fought some of the best Featherweights in mixed martial arts such as Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Joe Warren, and Bao Quach.
Shark Fights 20 will take place on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at The Edgewater Casino Resort in Laughlin, Nevada and will be broadcast via tape delay on FUEL TV beginning November 4, 2011. Doors Open at 5:30pm PST. Fights start at 7pm PST. Tickets for Shark Fights 20 are on sale now. Tickets are priced at $20, $30, $40, $65, and $100. Tickets are available at www.edgewater-casino.com or by calling 877-344-1187. For more information, or current Shark Fights news, please visit www.sharkfights.com or www.facebook.com/sharkfights. Fight card subject to change.

Main Event:
-Artenas Young (7-3) vs Clifford Starks (6-0)
Co-Main Event:
-Georgi Karakhanyan (17-3) vs. Jared Downing (7-0)

Main Card:
-Casey Milliken (2-3) vs Jimmy Jones (3-0) 
-Brandon Sene (2-2) vs Tim Slater (1-0)
-Eddie Jackson (7-4) vs Rich Campbell (2-0)
Preliminary Bout: 
-Ernie Calma (1-1) vs Anthony Guerra (2-4)
-Chris Brady (0-0) vs Ian Omalza (3-2) 
-Amy Riehle (0-1) vs TBD (0-0) 
-Christian Palencia (0-0) vs Kimo Yadao (0-0)
About Shark Fight Promotions:
Texas based Shark Fight Promotions, founded in 2007, is an integrated entertainment and media company in the combat sports industry, committed to producing high quality fight events and effectively showcasing elite MMA talent. The company is engaged in the production, promotion, presentation and marketing of premier professional mixed martial arts fighting competitions. As an integrated entertainment and media company, Shark Fight Promotions is organized around three principal business activities: Live Event Promotions, Broadcast Television and Digital Media Production and Distribution, Sponsorship and Brand Licensing. As Mixed Martial Arts continues its dominance as the fastest growing sport in the world, Shark Fights is poised to become one of the top fight promotions in the industry. Shark Fight Promotions can be followed via Facebook at facebook.com/SharkFights and via Twitter at twitter.com/SharkFights.

About FUEL TV
FUEL TV is the only cable and satellite television network that features the exciting world of adrenaline and thrill-seeking sports and the stories that surround them. This new generation of sports provides a rich landscape of some of the most vibrant and action-packed television entertainment in the world. See why young adrenaline sports fans call FUEL TV the channel they never turn off. FUEL TV, part of FOX Sports Media Group, was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in more than 30 million U.S. homes and can be accessed by broadband, mobile devices and other digital platforms such as iTunes®. FUEL TV programming is available in more than 50 countries around the world with 24/7 channels operating in Australia and Europe. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.

###
Media Contact for Shark Fights:
George Meng
Media and Public Relations
818-333-3694
pr@sharkfp.com

Press Release and Photo Courtesy of Shark Fights

In the co-main event, Strikeforce veteran Artenas “Machine Gun” Young (7-3) takes on unbeaten top contender Clifford Starks (6-0).  Young has been on a tear since joining Shark Fights, beating rising prospects Kyle Bracey (4-2) and Elvis Mutapcic (9-2).  Starks has finished three of his fights by TKO all in the first round.  “It doesn’t matter if he’s 6-0 or 0-6, he’s just another guy in for a bad night,” said Young.  “Cliff’s a one dimensional fighter and I’m about to show him another dimension.”

The main card also features a pair of undefeated rising stars, Jared “Demon Eyes” Downing (7-0) and Jimmy “Rabbit” Jones (3-0).  Shark Fights 20 will be the biggest test of Downing’s career as he takes on Bellator veteran Georgi “Insane” Karakhanyan (17-3).  Karakhanyan has fought some of the best Featherweights in mixed martial arts such as Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Joe Warren, and Bao Quach.  Jones plans on continuing his undefeated streak against Casey Milliken (2-3).  “This is one of the most stacked cards we’ve had at Shark Fights,” states Shark Fights executive Wes Nolen.  “Every fight is evenly matched and there are no clear favorites.  We are planning to give the MMA fans of Laughlin, Nevada a great show.”
Shark Fights 20 will take place on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at The Edgewater Casino Resort in Laughlin, Nevada and will be broadcast via tape delay on FUEL TV beginning November 4, 2011.  Doors Open at 5:30pm PST.  Fights start at 7pm PST.  Tickets for Shark Fights 20 are on sale now.   Tickets are priced at $20, $30, $40, $65, and $100. Tickets are available at www.edgewater-casino.com or by calling 877-344-1187.  For more information, or current Shark Fights news, please visit www.sharkfights.com or www.facebook.com/sharkfights.  Fight card subject to change.

Main Event:
-Chris Camozzi (15-4) vs Matt Lucas (14-2)

Co-Main Event:
-Artenas Young (7-3) vs Clifford Starks (6-0)

Main Card:
-Georgi Karakhanyan (17-3) vs. Jared Downing (7-0)
-Casey Milliken (2-3) vs Jimmy Jones (3-0)
-Brandon Sene (2-2) vs Tim Slater (1-0)

Preliminary Bout:
-Eddie Jackson (7-4) vs Rich Campbell (2-0)
-Ernie Calma (1-1) vs Anthony Guerra (2-4)
-Chris Brady (0-0) vs Ian Omalza (3-2)
-Amy Riehle (0-1) vs TBD (0-0)
-Christian Palencia (0-0) vs Kimo Yadao (0-0)

About Shark Fight Promotions:

Texas based Shark Fight Promotions, founded in 2007, is an integrated entertainment and media company in the combat sports industry, committed to producing high quality fight events and effectively showcasing elite MMA talent. The company is engaged in the production, promotion, presentation and marketing of premier professional mixed martial arts fighting competitions. As an integrated entertainment and media company, Shark Fight Promotions is organized around three principal business activities: Live Event Promotions, Broadcast Television and Digital Media Production and Distribution, Sponsorship and Brand Licensing.  As Mixed Martial Arts continues its dominance as the fastest growing sport in the world, Shark Fights is poised to become one of the top fight promotions in the industry.

Shark Fight Promotions can be followed via Facebook at facebook.com/SharkFights and via Twitter at twitter.com/SharkFights.
About FUEL TV 

FUEL TV is the only cable and satellite television network that features the exciting world of adrenaline and thrill-seeking sports and the stories that surround them. This new generation of sports provides a rich landscape of some of the most vibrant and action-packed television entertainment in the world. See why young adrenaline sports fans call FUEL TV the channel they never turn off. FUEL TV, part of FOX Sports Media Group, was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in more than 30 million U.S. homes and can be accessed by broadband, mobile devices and other digital platforms such as iTunes®. FUEL TV programming is available in more than 50 countries around the world with 24/7 channels operating in Australia and Europe. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.

Photo and Press Release Courtesy of Shark Fights.

The landmark agreement, which puts UFC on par with many of the country’s professional sports organizations, delivers four live events in prime time or late night each year to the FOX broadcast network, home to the country’s biggest sports events, including the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500. The first live event airs Saturday, Nov. 12 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. Additional programming on multiple FOX networks launches January 2012 and includes live fights, pre and post shows, countdown shows, UFC Unleashed, UFC Primetime, the UFC Knockout series, Best of Pride, weigh-in specials, and much more original content from extensive Zuffa archives.  The agreement also provides for developing robust mobile and authenticated online offerings to exploit a vast array of digital platform rights.

In spring 2012, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC’s signature weekly reality show moves to FX, FOX’s general entertainment cable network now in more than 99 million homes.  With the move to FX, the show will feature a newly-designed format. FX is also set to televise another four-to six-live UFC events annually, with a mixture of additional events and programs heading to FSMG cable networks including FUEL TV.

“We’re excited to be part of the FOX family,” says Dana White, UFC President.   “The UFC is finally where it belongs on the number one network in the country and aligned with the most prestigious sports properties in the world.  I’ve always said that the UFC will be the biggest sport in the world and with this relationship it will become a reality.”

“My brother Frank, Dana and I always believed that our passion for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts would help us to build the UFC into a successful global brand and ultimately make it one of the premier sports properties in the world,” said Lorenzo Fertitta, Chairman and CEO of the UFC.  “The partnership with FOX is a major step in making this a reality and also builds on the great relationship that we already have established with FOX in Latin America, Australia and Europe.”

“Mixed martial arts is not only the fastest growing sport in the world, but also the world’s most exciting form of man-to-man competition, and the UFC is the world’s premier MMA organization,” said FSMG President & Co-COO Eric Shanks.  “Since FOX Sports is America’s No. 1 sports network and FOX is America’s No. 1 network for young adults, the UFC on FOX is a perfect match.”

“UFC’s growth over the past decade is nothing short of phenomenal and it has become one of the marquee sports in this country,” said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks.  “There is a reason for its rising popularity.  It features some of the greatest athletes in the world, and we believe it will be a terrific addition to our schedule and look forward to our relationship.”

Founded in 1993, UFC has been on a meteoric rise since 2001 when it was acquired by Zuffa, LLC, owned by Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta III and Dana White.  UFC’S first brush with FOX Sports goes back to June 2002, when Fox Sports Net carried UFC’s first non-pay-per-view event on basic cable television, and delivered what was then its largest audience to date.  Through cooperation with state athletic commissions, consistent rules were established and refined for competition through officiating, judging, the addition of weight divisions, length of rounds and better equipment.  Combined with an unyielding devotion to fighter safety, the UFC has vaulted to mainstream status in the minds of US sports fans attracting major sponsors such as Bud Light, Dodge and Harley Davidson.

UFC has displayed tremendous growth in digital and social media consumption. Unique visitors to UFC.com tripled between 2006 and 2010 (2.1 million to 6.3 million), and UFC established local web sites in 10 countries and Latin America.  Using a unique blend of incentives, promotions and original content, including live bouts, UFC has seen its number of Facebook friends increase from 800,000 in 2009 to 6.1 million at present, outpacing the NFL, MLB and the NHL.  UFC currently ranks second to the NBA in social media followers among the major sports organizations.  Additionally, UFC President Dana White regularly interacts with over 1.5 million fans that follow him on Twitter.

Mixed martial arts skews much younger than more established US sports, which ranged from age 43 for Super Bowl XLIV to 61 for horse racing’s Triple Crown in 2010.  Thus far, the median age for UFC on Spike in 2011 is 36 and 56% of UFC fans fall into the adult 18-34 demographic. Live UFC programming performs extremely well in the advertiser attractive, hard-to-reach male 18-34 demographic, with live event programing averaging a 1.53 rating, making it a top-20 cable show this year.

Photo: Sam Barretto

Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-on-fox-announcement081811

White tweeted the following on August 16: “You guys will know when we have a TV deal. So either SBJ jumped the gun, or he’s not ready to talk. Houston press, unite.” 

White was referring to the Sports Business Journal/Sports Business Daily saying: ”

In what would represent a major push into the mainstream for the UFC, Fox has agreed to a deal that will see the broadcast channel air as many as four MMA events per year, according to several sources. The multiyear deal would mark the first time the UFC will have consistent airtime on a broadcast network. Fox execs refused to comment on the deal, but sources with knowledge of the negotiations said bidding had gone as high as $90M per year. The Fox deal is believed to be for seven or eight years. As part of the deal, most of the weekly programming that UFC has on Versus and Spike TV will move to FX starting in January. That includes several fight cards, plus shows like the reality series “The Ultimate Fighter.” Fox-owned Fuel also will wind up with some UFC content. But rumors that Fox will rebrand Fuel as a UFC channel are not true, sources said.

The UFC’s talks with Viacom-owned Spike ended before that. Sources said Spike ultimately passed over concern that its UFC shoulder programming stopped growing. Shows like “Unleashed,” “Knockouts” and “Countdown” averaged 1 million viewers in ’05. This year, they are averaging 492,000.

We shall see what happens. Surely there is something in the works because White did nothing to dispel that his organization is not looking to jump the Spike ship. When he tweets something that says “when we have a TV deal,” it’s easy to fill in the blanks.

Photo by Sam Baretto

Masvidal let it be known early in the bout with Noons that he wasn’t afraid to stand and trade with the noted boxer, as he opened a cut on Noons’ forehead that bloodied the former champion late in the first frame. Masvidal nearly finished Noons before the first bell, and he finished out a first round that could have been scored 10-8. In the second round, Masvidal showed his ever-improving wrestling game by repeatedly taking Noons to the ground at will, winning the second stanza in nearly as dominant a fashion as he won the first. The third round was more of the same, with Masvidal proving that he was the better man on the night, as he took the bout via unanimous decision.

“I felt great last night.  KJ is a tough guy but he had nothing on me,” said Gamebred.  “I ready for the title shot.  I proved that last night and I hope Strikeforce and Zuffa agree.”

With the win, Masvidal now has his sights set on Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, who has been begging for worthy contenders. An elite striker who now possesses an adept ground game, “Gamebred” proved that he is exactly that contender that the champion is looking for. Melendez has said that he is looking to the UFC for elite competition, but Masvidal wants him to know that there are plenty of fighters in Strikeforce willing to take his title, including the native Cuban himself.

“Masvidal brought his game to another level,” said his manager, Tina Vidal. “He is focused in a way I have never seen him before and he brought his A-game last night. What a fight!”

About ML Management Group

ML Management Group was founded by a group of business executives and entrepreneurs to provide talent management specifically to the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) industry.  ML Management Group takes a comprehensive approach to MMA management, providing our clientele with a holistic approach and professional business environment for them to manage and further their careers, financial interests, and personal life objectives.

Photo Courtesy of Strikeforce & ML Management

Goldberg joins Apple for the call of Shark Fights 15 from the Santa Ana Star Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Shark Fights 15 is the first Shark Fights held outside of Texas. UFC veteran Chris Camozzi and Strikeforce veteran Joey Villasenor headline the event, with the co-main event featuring a compelling middleweight match-up between UFC veteran Dave Branch and TUF 7 alum Jeremy May. The high octane fight card features 12 action-packed bouts.

Throughout his illustrious wrestling career, Goldberg has multiple world championship titles and boasts the longest undefeated winning streak in pro wrestling history. After retiring from wrestling, Goldberg began work as a commentator for MMA promotion EliteXC. He has hosted numerous TV series including Bullrun on Speed and Garage Mahal on DIY. Goldberg also does numerous appearances throughout the year, and is extremely active in U.S. Military support work. But his true love continues to be the fight game.

According to Shark Fights executive Wes Nolen, “Having Bill Goldberg on our broadcast team is a dream come true. He is a true legend in the sport, and brings with him not only massive popularity but a real genius when it comes to calling the action on television. There is no doubt he will elevate the value of our broadcasts.”

Bud Brutsman, CEO of BCII and executive producer of the FUEL TV’s Shark Fights telecasts, was the point person in bringing Goldberg to the promotion. “I’ve worked with Bill Goldberg for years. He hosted two seasons of our show Garage Mahal, and just recently co-hosted a special we produced for Optima Batteries. We’ve always wanted to work together on a fight event, and now we have our chance. Bill is the consummate professional, and I know his work on the Shark Fights broadcast team will be not only entertaining, but also insightful. FUEL TV viewers are in for a real treat.”

MMA is currently the fastest growing sport in the world and continues to explode exponentially in popularity. Every year Shark Fight Promotions continues to grow and evolve along with the sport. As a result of the organizations out-of-the box tactics and strategic alliances with companies such as BCII, they are on the fast track to becoming one of the top MMA promotions in the country. With 14 successfully produced live events already completed, and nine events scheduled for 2011, Shark Fights is poised to become the third largest MMA promoter in America.

For more information on Shark Fight Promotions, please visit www.sharkfights.com. To learn more about BCII, please log on to www.bciitv.com.

About Shark Fight Promotions:

Texas based Shark Fight Promotions, founded in 2007, is an integrated entertainment and media company in the combat sports industry, committed to producing high quality fight events and effectively showcasing elite MMA talent. The company is engaged in the production, promotion, presentation and marketing of premier professional mixed martial arts fighting competitions. As an integrated entertainment and media company, Shark Fight Promotions is organized around three principal business activities: Live Event Promotions, Broadcast Television and Digital Media Production and Distribution, Sponsorship and Brand Licensing.  As Mixed Martial Arts continues its dominance as the fastest growing sport in the world, Shark Fights is poised to become one of the top fight promotions in the industry.

About BCII

Brentwood Communications International Inc. (BCII) was started in 1997 as an international entertainment company located in Burbank, CA. What started as a one-man company has grown into a lucrative corporation, producing over 300 television programs during its ten-year history. BCII became the early world leader in the production of mixed martial arts programming with the U.S. event King of the Cage.  In recent years, BCII has generated a string of hit prime-time cable series including Rides and Overhaulin’ (TLC), Payback, Forza Motorsports Showdown, Livin’ The Low Life, Hot Import Nights and Hot Rod TV (SPEED), Get Out Way Out (HGTV), Living With Ed (Planet Green), Celebrity Rides and Garage Mahal (DIY).  New productions for 2011 include American Trucker (SPEED), Single with 7 (Style Network), Inside West Coast Customs (Discovery HD Theater), Shark Fights (Fuel TV) and Punk Payback (Fuel TV).  By adapting their sense of style, characters, drama and storytelling from series and documentary television to commercial production, the BCII creative team is doing some of the most effective branded entertainment in the industry today.

About FUEL TV

FUEL TV is the only cable and satellite television network that features the exciting world of adrenaline and thrill-seeking sports and the stories that surround them. This new generation of sports provides a rich landscape of some of the most vibrant and action-packed television entertainment in the world. See why young adrenaline sports fans call FUEL TV the channel they never turn off. FUEL TV, part of FOX Sports Media Group, was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in more than 30 million U.S. homes and can be accessed by broadband, mobile devices and other digital platforms such as iTunes®. FUEL TV programming is available in more than 50 countries around the world with 24/7 channels operating in Australia and Europe. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.

About FOX Sports Media Group

FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) is the umbrella entity representing News Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets under Chairman & CEO David Hill. Built with brands that are capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FSMG includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FSMG now includes FOX Sports, the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; Fox’s 19 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; SPEED and SPEED2; Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus; FUEL TV; and Fox College Sports. In addition, FSMG also includes FOX Sports Interactive Media, which comprises FOXSports.com on MSN, whatifsports.com and scout.com, reaching over 27 million unique visitors monthly. Also included are Fox’s interests in joint-venture businesses FOX Deportes, Big Ten Network and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network, FOX Sports Skybox restaurants and FOX Sports Grills.

Photo Courtesy of Brentwood Communications International

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LOS ANGELES, CA and AMARILLO, TX – FUEL TV (www.fuel.tv), Fox Sports Media Group’s dynamic entertainment and sports network for young males, and Texas-based mixed martial arts promotion company Shark Fights announces an expanded television agreement that adds six upcoming Shark Fights events in 2011, starting with Shark Fights 15 next month. Each fight event airs as a two-part series, creating a total of 12 hours of original Shark Fights mixed martial arts programming for FUEL TV’s Friday Fight Night programming block.

Shark Fights 15 features marquee fighters including UFC veteran Chris Camozzi, Strikeforce veteran Joey Villasenor, and many more. FUEL TV airs the event in prime time on June 17 and June 24 at 10:00PM ET/PT. The remaining events and air dates are to be announced. As part of its original agreement with the promoter, FUEL TV aired Shark Fights 13 on consecutive Fridays in April.

“We’re excited to have Shark Fights as part of our regular line up of fight programming on FUEL TV’s Friday Fight Nights,” says George Greenberg, FUEL TV GM. “These are great matches with exciting fighters who are putting it all on the line every time they enter the ring.”

“Everyone at Shark Fights is thrilled that our FUEL TV network debut was so well received,” says Shark Fight Promotions Executive Wes Nolen. “Now, with the launch of FUEL TV’s Friday Fight Night, Shark Fights fans have a destination for our programming. We’re all thrilled to be part of the growth of MMA on FUEL TV, and it’s truly an honor to be aligned with the FOX Sports Media Group family.”

Shark Fights is produced for FUEL TV by Bud Brutsman and his team at BCII. Brutsman and BCII are responsible for producing all the early King of the Cage pay-per-view programs, as well as bringing the first Pride Fighting Championships programming to the U.S. on DVD.

“By combining the production quality that BCII will provide with the effort and focus that FUEL TV is putting into Friday Fight Night, we have no doubt that FUEL TV and the Fox Sports family will take Shark Fights to the next level and put it on par with the best MMA promotions in the country,” says Nolen.

FUEL TV’s Friday Fight Night features epic “must see” fights every Friday night at 10:00PM ET/PT. For more information on Shark Fight Promotions, please log on to www.sharkfights.com. For more information on FUEL TV, please visit www.fuel.tv.

FUEL TV:

FUEL TV is the only cable and satellite television network that features the exciting world of adrenaline and thrill-seeking sports and the stories that surround them. This new generation of sports provides a rich landscape of some of the most vibrant and action-packed television entertainment in the world. See why young adrenaline sports fans call FUEL TV the channel they never turn off. FUEL TV, part of FOX Sports Media Group, was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in more than 30 million U.S. homes and can be accessed by broadband, mobile devices and other digital platforms such as iTunes®. FUEL TV programming is available in more than 50 countries around the world with 24/7 channels operating in Australia and Europe. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.

FOX Sports Media Group

FOX Sports Media Group (FSMG) is the umbrella entity representing News Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets under Chairman & CEO David Hill. Built with brands that are capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, FSMG includes ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing partnerships. FSMG now includes FOX Sports, the sports television arm of the FOX Broadcasting Company; Fox’s 19 regional sports networks, their affiliated regional web sites and FSN national programming; SPEED and SPEED2; Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Soccer Plus; FUEL TV; and Fox College Sports. In addition, FSMG also includes FOX Sports Interactive Media, which comprises FOXSports.com on MSN, whatifsports.com and scout.com, reaching over 27 million unique visitors monthly. Also included are Fox’s interests in joint-venture businesses FOX Deportes, Big Ten Network and STATS, LLC, as well as licensing agreements that establish the FOX Sports Radio Network, FOX Sports Skybox restaurants and FOX Sports Grills.

Shark Fight Promotions:

Shark Fight Promotions, based out of Amarillo Texas, is an established, fast-rising 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 match-ups. They are also 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.

Shark Fights 15 Final Results

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Royce Gracie, a UFC Hall of Famer and early pioneer of the sport of mixed martial arts, told us, “I think in the long run this could be a good thing. Strikeforce was doing a great job on their own and now with the marketing power of the UFC behind them, only (the) sky is the limit.”

Back in 1994, Gracie earned the UFC 4 championship by defeating Dan Severn, a much larger foe who was lethal on the mat. But after nearly 16 minutes, Gracie was able to get the Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestler to submit via a triangle choke. According to Severn (a fellow UFC Hall of Famer and MuscleSport Magazine staff writer), he feels that the crossover market will benefit from the merger.

“I’m hoping the contracts in place will play out,” ‘The Beast’ said. “It would be interesting to see Herschel Walker, Bobby Lashley and Batista in the UFC.” (At this time, Batista has only been rumored to be joining Strikeforce.)

Even active fighters have an opinion on this subject, as Keith “The Dean of Mean” Jardine attests to. “I really think that it could be a positive thing,” the light heavyweight said. “It seems like everything the UFC touches turns to gold. So hopefully they will make Strikeforce a stronger promotion. Then they could employ more fighters and have more shows. With the sport growing the way it is, there are going to be a lot more top quality fighters, too many for the UFC.

“So I would say that I’m optimistic right now.”

Jardine’s optimism may be an understatement. Having all of the world’s greatest MMA fighters under the same umbrella can only bring more positive attention to a sport that is on the cusp of being top dog.

Photo Courtesy of Dan Severn