When MuscleSport Mag contacted StrikeForce for a follow-up to our story on April 15 (http://www.musclesportmag.com/2010/04/15/fedor-brock-lesnar-ufc-super-match-may-be-a-reality/), what we received was not very detailed, giving even more credence to the possibility of Fedor coming over to the UFC.

“He is under contract with us right now,” is what was told to us by Mike Afromowitz of StrikeForce. Not exactly something to make it sound as if “The Last Emperor” was exclusive with StrikeForce/M-1 Global for the long term. Fedor will be in action for the promotion on June 26 in San Jose, California versus Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum, a two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion.

The way things were shaping up before this announcement was that Lesnar was going to make his comeback on July 3 versus Shane Carwin – unless he fought Fedor. On the official UFC website, the Lesnar-Carwin fight is already listed as the main event at UFC 116 in Las Vegas. Of course things can change, but it is starting to appear that anyone waiting for these two superstars to meet in the Octagon may not get their wish.

STRIKEFORCE PRESS RELEASE

After months of anticipation, the world’s No. 1 heavyweight and pound-for-pound Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (31-1), will make his eagerly awaited return to the cage to face two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and top-ranked superstar Fabricio “Vai Cavalo” Werdum (13-4) in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, June 26,  live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The Fedor-Werdum match will headline an event which will feature up to five televised fights on SHOWTIME and several non-televised undercard bouts that will be announced in the coming weeks. A special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity for the event will take place for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers (http://strikeforce.com/insider.html) from 10 a.m. PT Monday, May 10, until 10 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 13.  Insiders will receive an e-newsletter with the pre-sale code.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. PT on Friday, May 14, at the HP Pavilion box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/> ) as well as www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> . For more information, please also visit www.M-1GLOBAL.com <http://www.m-1global.com/> .

For M-1 GLOBAL’s Fedor, it is a means of gaining revenge three and a half years after the 32-year-old Werdum defeated Fedor’s brother Aleksander Emelianenko, via submission (arm triangle choke) in the first round (3:24) of a bout in Rotterdam, Holland, on Nov. 12, 2006. The M-1 GLOBAL superstar is simply referred to as “Fedor” by millions of fans around the world.  He stands at 6-foot, 235-pounds and hails from Stary Oskol, Russia.  He has become the most dominant MMA fighter of all-time since he began his professional career 10 years ago.

Fedor is one of the founders of M-1 GLOBAL and has competed for the organization since its inception more than two years ago.  The 33-year-old has faced and defeated nearly every other rival superstar and champion of this era, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Andrei Arlovski and Mark “The Hammer” Coleman.

A master of the Russian military combat system, Sambo, Fedor made his live, primetime network television (CBS) debut in his last start on Nov. 7, 2009, when he faced unbeaten rising star Brett “The Grim” Rogers in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 Global co-promoted event. After a difficult first round in which he sustained a cut and began bleeding profusely, the Russian suddenly turned the tide in the second round, sending Rogers to the canvas with a right hand and finishing him with a series of punches.

While the fight world still regards him as undefeated, Fedor actually has one official loss on his record, the result of a doctor stoppage due to a cut he sustained seconds into a matchup with Japan’s Tsuyoshi Kosaka on Dec. 22, 2000.  Fedor avenged the TKO loss with his own first round TKO of Kosaka at a PRIDE Fighting Championships event in Japan on April 3, 2005.

Since joining the ranks of STRIKEFORCE, the 6-foot-4, 240 pound Werdum, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and member of Brazil’s vaunted Chute Boxe fight squad, has notched a pair of impressive victories, the first of which came on Aug. 15, 2009 when he quickly submitted Mike “Mak” Kyle with a guillotine choke in the first round (1:24) at HP Pavilion. The following Nov., 7, Werdum battled his way to a close unanimous decision victory over Antonio “Big Foot” Silva in a live CBS primetime televised matchup.

During an eight-year tenure in MMA, Werdum has conquered a number of other superstars, including reigning STRIKEFORCE World Heavyweight Champion, Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem; and UFC stars Gabriel Gonzaga and Brandon “The Truth” Vera.

About  STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.  In March 2009, STRIKEFORCE signed a multi-year agreement with SHOWTIME® to stage live events on the premium cable television network.  The promotion has since also produced two live, primetime events on the CBS Television Network.

About M-1 GLOBAL

M-1 GLOBAL (www.m-1global.com <http://www.m-1global.com/> ) has been one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the world for well over a decade. M-1 has promoted over 150 shows worldwide since 1995. During the last two years, since the inception of M-1 GLOBAL, the organization has promoted events all over the world, in over 20 countries and is shown on television in well over 100. In 2010 M-1 GLOBAL is promoting the Selection tournament, a competition to find the best new talent in MMA the world over. 160 fighters started in February from four global regions, and will be reduced to 20 champions by September. M-1 Breakthrough will be taking place in the U.S. and Europe starting in the fall and will pit MMA’s better known athletes and stars in a one-on-one competition.

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2(tm), SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL(tm) ON DEMAND. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

Source: Mike Afromowitz/StrikeForce

Undefeated power puncher Sarah Kaufman (10-0) will challenge Japan’s Takayo Hashi (12-1) in the first STRIKEFORCE women’s world bantamweight (135 pounds) championship matchup in history while Luke Rockhold (6-1), one of MMA’s brightest up and comers, will take on Paul Bradley (12-1) at middleweight.

Tickets for the first STRIKEFORCE Challengers event of 2010, priced from $30, go on sale at 10 a.m. PT tomorrow/Friday, January 22 at The San Jose Civic Auditorium box office, Ticketmaster (800-745-3000) and online at Ticketmaster.com and STRIKEFORCE.com.

Since 1993 when STRIKEFORCE was founded as a kickboxing series, The San Jose Civic Auditorium has played host to numerous events produced by the organization that more recently emerged a leading promoter of MMA contests.

Prangley, a former national wrestling champion for South Africa who ventured to The United States years ago in order to further his wrestling career, will put on the line a five fight win streak that began with his unanimous judges’ decision victory over Anthony Ruiz during STRIKEFORCE’s event at the world famous Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, California on September 20, 2008.  The 37-year-old also finished as runner up in STRIKEFORCE’s four man tournament, the first sanctioned single elimination MMA event in California state history, on November 16, 2007.

The 24-year-old Amoussou, known for his devastating knockout power and unorthodox fighting style, hails from France and is an expert in Judo as well as Savate.  He brings a three fight win streak with him to the STRIKEFORCE cage.

Kaufman is a 24-year-old former professional ballet dancer who stumbled upon MMA after a martial arts school opened underneath her dance studio in Victoria, Canada.  Her mellow demeanor outside the cage is a stark contrast to her ferocity inside it, which has helped her knock out 8 of her 10 opponents.

In her last effort, Kaufman earned a unanimous judges’ decision over Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler during the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event at Kent Washington’s ShoWare Center on June 19, 2009.

The 32 year old Hashi of Honbu, Tokyo is a former champion of Japan’s Smackgirl MMA promotion. Since suffering the only defeat of her career to Hitomi Akano on August 17, 2005, Hashi has reeled off eight straight victories, including a revenge win over Akano on September 6, 2007.

In other action, James Terry (7-1) of San Jose will square off with Tarec Saffiedine (7-2) of Temecula, California in a welterweight (170 pounds) bout while Raul Castillo (6-0) of Half Moon Bay, California will face fellow unbeaten middleweight Yancy Medeiros (4-0) of Waianae, Hawaii.

San Jose Civic Auditorium doors will open for the STRIKEFORCE event at 5:15 p.m. PT.  The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the first main card bout will begin at 8.00 p.m.

The live SHOWTIME® telecast of the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event will begin at 11 p.m. E.T./P.T. (delayed on the west coast).

STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on premium cable television network SHOWTIME.  The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the “Fedor vs. Rogers” mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on Saturday, November 7 and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world’s number one heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett “The Grim” Rogers.

STRIKEFORCE Challengers is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. The series is designed to provide today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

Photo courtesy of StrikeForce

Source: Mike Afromowitz, StrikeForce

The live stream of the STRIKEFORCE:  Miami preliminary bout will begin at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on the official EA SPORTS(tm) MMA website (www.easportsmma.com <http://www.easportsmma.com/> ), the online platform for EA SPORTS forthcoming MMA video game title in which STRIKEFORCE will be featured as a premiere league.  The stream will precede the live SHOWTIME® telecast of the event’s main fight card, which begins at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

Riggs, a 27 year old native of Phoenix, Arizona, will attempt to extend a four fight win streak that began with his second round (2:05) TKO of Luke Stewart in a STRIKEFORCE:  Destruction bout at HP Pavilion in San Jose, California on November 21, 2008.

In his last effort under the STRIKEFORCE banner, Riggs dominated hard-hitting “The New York Badass” Phil Baroni for three consecutive rounds of action before walking away with a unanimous judges’ decision victory at St. Louis’ Scottrade Center on June 6, 2009.

Hieron, a former nationally ranked NCAA wrestler for Hofstra University, has been victorious in each of his last six starts.  The Long Island, New  York native made his STRIKEFORCE debut in his last effort, earning a unanimous decision win over Jesse “J.T. Money” Taylor at HP Pavilion on August 15, 2009.

A former troubled teen, Hieron has since become an inspiration, winning a world title with the now defunct International Fight League (IFL) and relocating to Las Vegas in order to train with the fight squad headed by MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture.

Slated for release later this year, EA SPORTS MMA will feature the most authentic, intense and broad mixed martial arts experience to date – complete with a vast array of top fighters and fighting styles from around the world.  EA SPORTS MMA will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in 2010.

The game will feature a host of STRIKEFORCE fighters, the six-sided STRIKEFORCE cage, the commentary team of Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo, and ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.  Legendary mixed martial arts referee “Big John” McCarthy will preside over the in-ring action and bring his in-depth knowledge of the sport to help deliver a truly authentic MMA experience. [confirm we have signed agreements and marketing rights to mention these people]

EA SPORTS(tm) is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences.  EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football and NCAA Basketball, Fight Night boxing and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, while EA SPORTS Active Personal Trainer for the Wii is the most critically acclaimed product available for interactive fitness.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums, fantasy leagues and game communities, please visit www.easports.com <http://www.easports.com/>  to connect, share and compete.

Tickets for STRIKEFORCE:  Miami are on sale at the BankAtlantic Center ticket office and Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000 as well as online at www.Ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/>   and www.Strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> .

In the live, SHOWTIME televised main event, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Nick Diaz (20-7) of Stockton, California will square off with fellow MMA superstar and DREAM champion Marius “The Whitemare” Zaromskis (13-3) of Siaulial, Lithuania for the STRIKEFORCE World Welterweight Championship.

STRIKEFORCE Women’s World Lightweight (145 pounds) Champion Cris Cyborg (8-1) of Curitiba, Brazil will put her title on the line against top ranked Marloes Coenen (17-3) of Deventer, Holland.

Football legend Herschel Walker (0-0) will make his highly-anticipated MMA debut against 26-year-old Greg Nagy (1-1) of Phoenix, Arizona.

Knockout artists “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-5) and Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef (24-6-1) will face off with each other in a middleweight (185 pounds) contest.

Undefeated heavyweight and former WWE champion Bobby Lashley (4-0) will make his STRIKEFORCE debut against Wes Sims (22-12-1).

Doors at BankAtlantic Center will open for the event at 6:30 p.m.  The first non-televised, preliminary bout will begin at 7:30 p.m.

STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.  The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the “Fedor vs. Rogers” mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on Saturday, November 7 and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world’s number one heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett “The Grim” Rogers.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA Mobile(tm) and POGOTM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com <http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ea.com&esheet=5957313&lan=en_US&anchor=www.ea.com&index=3> . More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com <http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Finfo.ea.com&esheet=5957313&lan=en_US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Finfo.ea.com&index=4> .

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile and POGO are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc.  John Madden, NFL, NBA, FIFA, NHL, NCAA, NASCAR, Tiger Woods and PGA TOUR are trademarks of their respective owners and used with permission.  Xbox and the Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.  PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.  All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE, sanctioned by ISKA, has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts (MMA) series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

A special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity will take place for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers (http://strikeforce.com/insider.html) beginning at 10:00 AM, ET Monday, Dec. 7, and ending at 10 PM, ET on Thursday, Dec. 10.  “STRIKEFORCE Insiders” will receive a special e-newsletter Friday, Dec. 4 with the pre-sale code. Tickets officially go on-sale next Friday, Dec. 11 at the BankAtlantic Center ticket office as well as online at www.Ticketmaster.com <http://www.ticketmaster.com/>   or by phone at (800)745-3000.

Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl competitor, will face an opponent to be announced in one of as many as five live, SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) televised bouts on the STRIKEFORCE card.

The 6 foot 1 inch, 220 pound former running back, who already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo, recently entered a 12 week MMA training camp at San Jose, California’s American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), which plays home to a host of the world’s greatest fighters, including STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson and undefeated middleweight superstar Cung Le.

Walker, a 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was also selected to Sports Illustrated’s NCAA All-Century Team that year, has never been one to shy away from the road less traveled. Following his junior year at the University of Georgia where he had set the NCAA freshman rushing record en route to an undefeated season and Sugar Bowl championship victory over Notre Dame, Walker, a born-again Christian, astonished the sports world by withdrawing from school to play professional ball in the newly formed United States Football League (USFL) rather than wait to enter the NFL draft after the graduation of his collegiate class, a rule maintained by the world’s largest professional football league at the time.

While the vast majority of football players typically follow an intensive weight room regimen, Walker relied on bodyweight exercise, conditioning, and calisthenics while maintaining very little body fat. Walker was eventually drafted in 1985 by The Dallas Cowboys and established himself as a premiere running back in the league.  In 1986, he was the driving force behind a historic trade that sent in to The Minnesota Vikings in exchange for five players and six draft picks.

In 12 NFL seasons with four different teams, he became the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways – rushing, receiving, and kickoff returns.  He is one of six players to exceed 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 touchdowns receiving and is the only player in NFL history to register a 90 plus yard reception, a 90 plus yard run, and a 90 plus yard kickoff return, all in one season (1994).

Off the gridiron, Walker has achieved a handful of feats, including a seventh place finish in the 1992 Winter Olympics two-man bobsled competition.  Now 47 years of age, the native of Wrightsville, Georgia will look to conquer a whole new world.

Diaz will make his first start since he submitted hard-hitting Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith with a rear naked choke in the third round (1:41) of their STRIKEFORCE:  Lawler vs. Shields matchup at St. Louis, Missouri’s Scottrade Center on June 6, 2009.  The 26 year old Diaz, a native of Stockton, California, will put a five fight win streak on the line.

Cyborg made history on August 15, 2009 when the 24-year-old native of Brazil stopped superstar Gina Carano with a punishing barrage of strikes in the first round (4:59) of their meeting to become the first-ever STRIKEFORCE women’s champion.  The long-awaited showdown between Carano and Cyborg also marked the first women’s main event in the history of any major MMA promotion.

Doors at BankAtlantic Center open at 7 p.m.  The first non-televised, preliminary card fight will begin at 8 p.m.

STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.  The promotion made its live, primetime debut on CBS with the “Fedor vs. Rogers” mega-fight that it co-promoted with M-1 Global on Saturday, November 7 and generated 5.46 million viewers for the main event between the world’s number one heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, and superstar Brett “The Grim” Rogers.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

Photo: Esther Lin/STRIKEFORCE

Source: Mike Afromowitz, STRIKEFORCE

“Mixed martial arts is quickly becoming one of the most dynamic and popular sports in the world. The

Strikeforce brand already represents the absolute best of this business domestically, and Shine International is thrilled to help them extend their brand internationally,” said Chris Grant, President of Shine International. “Strikeforce attracts the world’s best fighters and their events are superior to any others being offered to international broadcasters today. They are ideal partners for us.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to bring STRIKEFORCE fights to the homes of MMA fans throughout the world,” said STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO Scott Coker. “Shine International is a world renowned leader in the international television business and, with their support, we are confident that we will be able to greatly expand the scope of the STRIKEFORCE brand.”

The STRIKEFORCE library of programming includes 30 episodes of previously recorded fights that have aired on NBC and more than 56 hours of fights that have aired on SHOWTIME®. The deal between STRIKEFORCE and Shine International also encompasses new, upcoming live fights through February 2012 as well as STRIKEFORCE Challengers fights, pitting STRIKEFORCE up-and-comers against each other. STRIKEFORCE recently announced its first broadcast on CBS to air live fights on the U.S. network, further increasing the leagues exposure, with the first event slated for November 7, 2009 at Chicago’s Sears Centre Arena.

STRIKEFORCE has experienced significant growth since it launched its MMA series with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event that played host to a capacity crowd of 18,265 at San Jose, California’s HP Pavilion on March 10, 2006.  After signing a landmark deal to air live events on SHOWTIME earlier this year, STRIKEFORCE earned the premium network its highest MMA rating ever on August 15, 2009 with “Carano vs. Cyborg.”  Shortly before the live telecast, the main event principals-Gina Carano and Cris “Cyborg” Santos-were the most searched terms on Yahoo! and Google, while the fight was the most discussed subject on Twitter.

About Shine International

Shine International is the sales and distribution arm of the Shine Group, a leading independent production and distribution company focused on exploiting worldwide intellectual property rights through scripted and alternative television formats. Shine International distributes programming from the growing library of programming of the Shine Group, including Reveille, Kudos, Dragonfly, Princess Productions and Metronome, along with a broad array of programming acquired from independent producers and U.S. networks, to more than 150 countries worldwide.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

Photo: Esther Lin/STRIKEFORCE

Source: Mike Afromowitz, STRIKEFORCE

The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl competitor will soon embark on a 12-week training camp at AKA. The 6-foot-1 inch, 220- pound former running back, who holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo, will be trained by AKA co-owner and head trainer Bob Cook.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com <https://mail.svse.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.strikeforce.com/> ) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold out, record crowd of 18,265.

Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.

About M-1 Global

M-1 Global (www.m-1global.com) has been one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the world for over a decade. M-1 has promoted over 150 shows worldwide since 1995.  Billed as the “World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts,” the M-1 Challenge is a full season of MMA events that showcases some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world. Broadcast to over 90 countries around the world, including HDNet in the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters representing their respective countries against each other for international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge Champions. Fighters who succeed on the M-1 Challenge’s international breeding ground will earn the opportunity to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and their promotional partners such as STRIKEFORCE.

The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl competitor will begin a 12 week training camp next month at San Jose, California’s American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), which plays home to a host of the world’s greatest fighters, including STRIKEFORCE Lightweight Champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson.  The 6 foot 1 inch, 220 pound former running back, who already holds a fifth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and boasts additional training in the combat disciplines of Muay Thai and Kenpo, will be trained by AKA co-owner and head trainer Bob Cook.

“I’ve been training for several years.  I would play college football games on Saturday and then compete in martial arts tournaments on Sunday after church I’m now looking forward to opening up another chapter in my life and to competing in MMA,” said Walker, who recently  was a contestant on the second hit season of Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice reality series on NBC.

“I flew to LA last month to watch Herschel train and was surprised to see his advanced wrestling and striking abilities,” said STRIKEFORCE Founder and CEO Scott Coker, a martial arts promoter of over 25 years.  “He’s got work ahead of him, but he’s committed to training at one of the most notable gyms in the sport of MMA so it will be very interesting to watch him progress.”

Walker, a 1999 College Hall of Fame inductee who was also selected to Sports Illustrated’s NCAA All-Century Team that year, has never been one to shy away from the road less traveled.

Following his junior year at the University of Georgia where he had set the NCAA freshman rushing record en route to an undefeated season and Sugar Bowl championship victory over Notre Dame, Walker, a born-again Christian, astonished the sports world by withdrawing from school to play professional ball in the newly formed United States Football League (USFL) rather than wait to enter the NFL draft after the graduation of his collegiate class, a rule maintained by the world’s largest professional football league at the time.

While the vast majority of football players typically follow an intensive weight room regimen, Walker relied on bodyweight exercise, conditioning, and calisthenics while maintaining very little body fat.

Walker was eventually drafted in 1985 by The Dallas Cowboys and established himself as a premiere running back in the league.  In 1986, he was the driving force behind a historic trade that sent in to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for five players and six draft picks.

In 12 NFL seasons with four different teams, he became the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways – rushing, receiving, and kickoff returns.  He is one of six players to exceed 60 touchdowns rushing and 20 touchdowns receiving and is the only player in NFL history to register a 90 plus yard reception, a 90 plus yard run, and a 90 plus yard kickoff return, all in one season (1994).

Off the gridiron, Walker has achieved a handful of feats, including a seventh place finish in the 1992 Winter Olympics two-man bobsled competition.  He also nearly made the Olympic sprint relay team. Now 47 years of age, Walker, a native of Wrightsville, Georgia, will look to conquer a whole new world.  It is a challenge he is extremely optimistic about.

“I will go in there and test myself against any 20 year old,” said Walker.  “I know there will be naysayers and I’m fine with that.  I want to prove to people who sit on a couch and don’t do anything but criticize other people that, if you’re a true athlete or martial artist, you’re not old until you can’t get up and walk around anymore.  MMA fighters are said to be some of the best athletes in the world, my plan at the age of 47 is to show the world I am still one of the best athletes as well”

STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.  Last week, STRIKEFORCE announced that it would make its live, primetime debut on CBS with its “Fedor vs. Rogers” mega-fight that it will co-promote with M-1 Global on Saturday, November 7.

About STRIKEFORCE

STRIKEFORCE (www.strikeforce.com) is a world-class mixed martial arts cage fight promotion which, on Friday, March 10, 2006, made history with its “Shamrock vs. Gracie” event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts fight card in California state history.  The star-studded extravaganza, which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion, played host to a sold-out, record crowd of 18,265.  Since 1995, STRIKEFORCE has been the exclusive provider of martial arts programming for ESPN and, after 12 years of success as a leading, world championship kickboxing promotion, the company unveiled its mixed martial arts series with “Shamrock vs. Gracie.”  In May 2008, West Coast Productions, the parent company of STRIKEFORCE, partnered with Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment (SVS&E), an entity created in 2000 to oversee all business operation aspects of the San Jose Sharks and HP Pavilion at San Jose.