(Editor’s note: Henderson won a grueling five-round battle via decision.)

To borrow a phrase from his former teammate Randy Couture, “Not bad for an ‘old’ man.”

Yet while wins in six of his last seven fights against top level foes speak for themselves, Henderson isn’t about to say that he feels 25 on the inside. In fact, when asked if there are things he can’t do now that he used to, he chuckles.

“There are a lot of things. Give me a week and I’ll give you a list of what I used to be able to do. But the key is experience, knowing that I can relax in a lot of places where I used to not relax. I could keep going back then, but now I go when I need to go, and I put my energy and strength in the right places.”

It’s worked for him, yet Henderson is not a cagey gameplanner like Couture was when he was beating top level foes into his 40’s. “Hendo” is still a free swinger and a deadly finisher if he lands his right hand. That hasn’t changed, and while it proved a detriment to him at times when he didn’t use the wrestling skills that got him to two Olympics, eventually he settled into a style where that right hand finds a home more often than not. It certainly did in the last fight of his previous UFC stint against Michael Bisping in 2009, and it worked wonders for him in Strikeforce, where he followed up a decision loss to Jake Shields in 2010 with KOs of Babalu Sobral, Rafael Cavalcante, and Emelianenko. So is it safe to say that he accomplished all he wanted to in Strikeforce before returning to the Octagon?

“With the exception of the one loss,” he said. “I didn’t expect to lose, but that happens. I had a bad fight and I’m the one that has to learn from that and move on. I’m not dwelling on it at all, Jake did a good job and did what he needed to do, but regardless, I didn’t perform the way I knew I could, so the only thing I didn’t accomplish when I was there was a good performance in every fight.”

But after the win over Emelianenko, at heavyweight no less, it was almost inevitable that the biggest fights left for the 14-year pro were going to be in the UFC. So Henderson was welcomed back into the fold, even though he didn’t know that was going to be the case when he left the UFC after the Bisping fight.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” said Henderson. “When I left the UFC and went to Strikeforce, I didn’t know what was in the future. It was always a possibility; I knew the UFC wasn’t going anywhere and I know I didn’t leave on bad terms at all, so it was a matter of how things worked out at Strikeforce. And (UFC President) Dana (White) missed me so much he had to go buy Strikeforce.”

Henderson laughs after deadpanning that last line, but in all seriousness, for the 41-year old, who is the first and only man to hold PRIDE titles in different divisions simultaneously, and who has done so much in the sport, a UFC title is the only thing missing on his resume, and he’s ready to make a final run at getting it.

“I do this for the challenge as well, and not saying there’s not tough guys to challenge me in Strikeforce, but the bigger fights and better matchups for me right now are in the UFC, so I think I will be retiring in the UFC, and not somewhere else,” he said. “I’m not retiring soon, but I won’t be going anywhere and I’ll be fighting the remainder of my fights in the UFC I’m sure.”

Does he think about a legacy that includes the aforementioned wins and titles, along with victories overCarlos Newton, Minotauro Nogueira, Renzo Gracie, Murilo Bustamante, Kazuo Misaki, Vitor Belfort,Wanderlei Silva, and Rich Franklin?

“I don’t really give too much thought to that,” he said. “I know I’ve accomplished quite a bit in the sport, but in my mind, I’m not gonna be satisfied with what I’ve done when I have bigger goals that I want to accomplish. Once I accomplish those goals, maybe I’ll retire and be satisfied with that.”

Probably not, as Henderson seems like the type to instantly formulate new goals as soon as he’s done with the first batch.

“I’ve been doing it a long time and it’s tough to stay motivated throughout that many years of fighting, 14 years now, and the challenges with the different opponents is what kept me motivated.”

On Saturday, it will be a fight fan’s dream fight when he takes on Rua, like Henderson a former PRIDE star now slugging it out in the Octagon. Henderson admits that he “really didn’t give too much thought” to a matchup with the Brazilian Muay Thai master while the two fought in Japan, but now that the fight is a reality, he’s preparing for the same ferocious force that tore up the ring a few years back.

“He (Rua) has still got that youth to him, and obviously the rules are a little bit different now than they were in PRIDE, but he’s dangerous and he’s well-rounded, so I think he’s definitely as dangerous as he used to be,” he said. “He’s got a lot more experience and he’s better than he used to be as well.”

As for Henderson?

“I’m better.”

That’s the answer you have to expect from a man who has been at the top of this game for nearly 15 years now. And when Saturday comes, expect him to be ready for five rounds, just like always.

“My gameplan is to win every round, pick my shots, control him the whole fight, and beat him everywhere we’re at.”

Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/Dan-Henderson-Like-He-Never-Left

Photo by Bob Barton/ STRIKEFORCE

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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Zuffa has already swallowed up PRIDE and WEC and Strikeforce was their closest rival, if you will. Both employed big name fighters and some have crossed over both ways, but the UFC is considered the gold standard of the fledging sport. Competition keeps everyone on their toes, but the UFC has been able to not only integrate these former organizations into their ranks, but do so in a strategic manner to keep great interest abound.

According Dana White, this merger will be different than the others, as Strikeforce will remain as is – for the time being. The UFC president told MMAFighting.com, “Strikeforce is going to continue to run business as usual. There are contracts in place. These guys are on Showtime. Strikeforce pulls good ratings for Showtime. I think Showtime is happy with them. All those contracts will be honored. These guys are going to remain Strikeforce fighters.

“Could guys in the UFC leave and end up in Strikeforce? Yeah.”

That last part of White’s statement is the most interesting and leaves many doors open for what the fans have coined ‘super fights’ between the elite in both organizations. White has been enamored with Fedor and hasn’t exactly been shy about that. But he also said that will not occur with the purchase of Strikeforce and that all contracts will be unaffected. But an interesting scenario would be when a fighter’s deal is up and a perfect fight is waiting to be announced. Because they are basically the same company now, short term deals may be used to put together match-ups that everyone wants to see.

Of course this is all speculation and we will have to wait and see how this unfolds. But the official announcement will come on Monday of the purchase. Mike Afromowitz of Srikeforce added, “Right now the plan is to operate on our own,” he told the AP. “Business as usual.”

Strikeforce has been operating as a MMA organization since 2006 and their contract with Showtime expires in early 2012. Expect that to be when Strikeforce will cease as a separate organization. A similar circumstance occurred when Zuffa purchased WEC and merged them with the UFC at the beginning of this year when their television contract with Versus ran out.

Photo by Sam Baretto

Wilcox (10-3), of San Jose, Calif., has emerged a contender in the deep lightweight (155 pounds) division, while Damm (9-4), of Brazil, is looking to climb back into title contention.

Tickets, starting at $20, for STRIKEFORCE’s first fight in Stockton go on sale tomorrow/Friday, March 4 at 10 a.m. PT at the Stockton Arena ticket office, online at www.StocktonTickets.com<http://www.stocktontickets.com/>, by phone at (209) 373-1700 or (866) 373-7088 and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com<http://www.strikeforce.com/>).

The first non-televised, undercard fight will begin at 5:30 p.m. PT. Doors will open at 4:45 p.m.

In a featured, televised bout, 2008 Judo Olympic Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii (4-1), of Japan, will take on kickboxing specialist Scott Lighty (6-1), of San Luis Obispo, Calif., in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) bout.

David “Tarzan” Douglas (6-2), of Antioch, Calif., will face Caros “The Future” Fodor (7-2), of Kirkland, Wash., in a featured lightweight bout.

Strikeforce Challengers is a SHOWTIME Sports® series that serves as a proving ground for up-and-coming Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters, providing 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.  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.

The date originally reserved for continuation of the three-stage, single-elimination tournament comprised of eight of the world’s top heavyweights, April 9, will now feature a terrific STRIKEFORCE World Championship Doubleheader from Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif., formerly the San Diego Sports Arena.

In the second event of the tournament, STRIKEFORCE Heavyweight World Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem (34-11, 1 NC) will face the only man to tap out MMA legend Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1) and the heavy-handed Brett “The Grim” Rogers (11-2) will take on former UFC World Champion Josh Barnett (29-5).

“STRIKEFORCE is coming off a record presale and impressive attendance for the kickoff of the Grand Prix at IZOD Center in New Jersey that also drew a record viewership on SHOWTIME for live MMA,” said STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker.  “To build on the tremendous momentum from New Jersey we needed the proper time to promote an event of this magnitude, which is why we have decided to continue the Tournament on June 18 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, a venue that has been identified as one of the premier sports and entertainment venues in the U.S.”

Coker continued: “We have a great relationship with the Texas State Athletic Commission, who, along with the American Airlines Center, is enthused to host the Grand Prix.”

STRIKEFORCE Welterweight World Champion Nick Diaz (24-1, 1 NC) will defend his title in a highly anticipated grudge match against the brawling Paul “Semtex” Daley (26-9-2) in the April 9 main event.  Gilbert Melendez (18-2) will make the second defense of his STRIKEFORCE Lightweight World Title against the powerful Tatsuya Kawajiri (27-6-2).  Also on the April 9 card is a bitter showdown between current DREAM Light Heavyweight Champion Gegard Mousasi and Mike Kyle.

“We are fortunate to replace the April 9 date with a tremendous World Championship Doubleheader featuring the eagerly awaited showdown between Nick and Paul and the sensational matchup between Gilbert and Tatsuya,” Coker said.  “This is a fight everyone has been waiting for and I’d like to thank DREAM for allowing Tatsuya to come to the U.S. to take on our Lightweight World Champion.”

For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and STRIKEFORCE mixed martial arts telecasts, along with access to the SHOWTIME Sports Facebook® and Twitter® pages, please go to http://Sports.Sho.com<http://sports.sho.com/>.

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 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™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™  XTRA.  SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, SHOWTIME 2 HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™ and FLIX ON DEMAND®.  SNI also manages Smithsonian Channel™, 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®.

Amongst a chorus of boos, the Showtime play-by-play announcer for Strikeforce was able to get a few lines out of the beaten Fedor, who was swollen, bloodied and appeared to be the victim of a brutal crime rather than a sanctioned fight with rules. His right eye was barely recognizable and was the reason why the doctors stopped the fight following the second round.

The fight was the main event at the Strikeforce World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament at the IZOD Center in New Jersey.

Silva dominated the fight, especially the second round, one in which he put a new definition on the MMA term ‘ground and pound.’ He was able to keep Fedor down and hit him repeatedly with raining hammer fists.

Fedor’s record now stands at 31-3 with one no-contest, but he has dropped his last two fights and has looked much less of the intimidating force he once was. It is definitely time for Fedor to go after seeing this one-sided bout. No official announcement was made, but there really isn’t any need for one at this point besides confirming what everyone already knows.

Officials from M-1 Global (the organization that Fedor fights under) and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker did their best to deflect the possibility of carrying on with out their main draw. The post fight press conferences went on without Fedor, who needed to be taken to the hospital with a possible broken orbital bone. When asked about Fedor retiring, all three said that they felt he would fight again.

Photo: Esther Lin/Strikeforce

After his recent X-1 middleweight title defenses over Kala Hose and Kalib Starnes, Vitale is ready for a big step up in competition – namely, he would like a rematch with current Strikeforce middleweight contender Jason “Mayhem” Miller or a fight with current Strikeforce world champion Nick Diaz. In fact, Vitale is ready to take on all challenges: “I would really like to take on all challengers at 170 and 185 pounds,” he said.

Having competed as high as 205 pounds, Vitale has decided to cut weight in order to compete in the middleweight and welterweight divisions. Vitale plans on coupling his brute strength with the speed of a 170 pounder: “I feel just as strong at 170 pounds as I did when I was 205lbs,” Vitale said.

Stars MMA, Vitale’s current management agency, is in negotiations with top MMA organizations in order to secure a multi-fight contract, which will allow him to pursue his goal of taking on elite fighters.

Niko Vitale is an experienced jiu-jitsu practitioner and wrestler who represents 808 Top Team, one of the toughest fight gyms in Hawaii. The pride of the Aloha State has appeared in major promotions such as the UFC, Strikeforce, International Fight League, King of the Cage, Rage in the Cage, SuperBrawl, and Icon Sport. With 29 wins to only nine losses, Vitale’s record is a testament of his talents as a mixed martial artist, and he has showcased these talents in matches against Robbie Lawler, recent Strikeforce middleweight title challenger Jason “Mayhem” Miller, MMA pioneer Jeremy Horn, Strikeforce/UFC veteran Trevor Prangley, and UFC veteran Frank Trigg. As a recognizable name in the sport, Vitale has gained this admiration through notable victories over UFC veteran Aaron Riley, former UFC middleweight champion Dave Menne, UFC middleweight contender Yushin Okami, 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist Matt Lindland, and UFC veteran Kalib Starnes.

On March 20,2010, Vitale defeated Kalib Starnes via submission to become the X-1 Middleweight Champion. In September, Niko defended his middleweight title at X-1: Heroes, where he submitted Kala “Kolohe” Hose via Ezekiel choke.

For more information about Stars MMA or Niko Vitale please contact Stars MMA:

info@starsmma.com

415.421.6272 or 323.962.1800

23 Grant Avenue, 4th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94108

www.starsmma.com

Bio/Profile

Intro

Kulia i ka nu’u, strive for excellence, is a motto that Falaniko “Niko” Vitale models his life after. The pursuit of excellence occurs in all aspects of Vitale’s life, from being an attentive father to being a strategic submission and knockout practitioner in the cage. Vitale is a Hawaiian native, born and raised in Waipahu, Hawaii, and he is arguably one of the most revered Hawaiian fighters to date. The moniker, “The people’s champion,” expresses Vitale’s love for his community and Samoan heritage. This nickname also holds true because Vitale has expressed that he fights to make the lives of his family, friends, and community better off.

Personal Journey

Vitale learned at an early age that he excelled at sports, and he decided that it might be his ticket to success. While attending Waipahu High School, Vitale was part of the football, wrestling, and track teams. He excelled in wrestling, becoming an Oahu Interscholastic Association champ.

After high school, Vitale played football at Snow College in Utah for two years before returning to the islands. He returned home to attend the University of Hawaii, where he continued his football career for two more years. It’s important to mention that Brigham Young University, the University of Southern California, and the University of Kansas also recruited Vitale, but he decided to play for the University of Hawaii so his family would be able to witness his accomplishments. Vitale hoped to play professional football, but he was unsuccessful in his tryouts with the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, and a couple of Canadian teams. Niko played arena football for the Hawaii Hammerheads and Islanders before discovering MMA.

Vitale was 22 years old by the time he started training jiu-jitsu in 1997. Due to his extensive wrestling background, he excelled in the sport. After only two ears of training, Vitale won his first fight by TKO, in 1999.

Life as a fighter

Niko Vitale is an experienced jiu-jitsu and wrestling practitioner, who represents 808 Top Team, one of the toughest fight gyms in Hawaii. Vitale has had an illustrious mixed martial arts career spanning well over a decade, and he has appeared in major promotions such as the UFC, Strikeforce, the Fight League, King of the Cage, Rage in the Cage, SuperBrawl, and Icon Sport. With 29 wins to only nine losses, Vitale’s record is a testament of his talents as a mixed martial artist.

Vitale has showcased these talents in matches against Elite XC and Icon Sport middleweight champion Robbie Lawler, recent Strikeforce middleweight title challenger Jason “Mayhem” Miller, MMA innovator Jeremy Horn, Strikeforce/UFC veteran Trevor Prangley, and UFC fighter Frank Trigg. As a recognizable name in the sport, Vitale has gained this admiration through notable victories over UFC veteran Aaron Riley, former UFC middleweight champion Dave Menne, UFC middleweight contender Yushin Okami, 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist Matt Lindland, and UFC veteran Kalib Starnes. On March 20,2010, Vitale defeated Kalib Starnes via submission to become the X-1 middleweight champion. Recently, Vitale defended his middleweight title at X-1: Heroes, where he submitted Kala “Kolohe” Hose via Ezekiel choke.

Marketable Opportunities

With a million-dollar smile and great physique, it’s hard to envision that Vitale is a professional fighter. Being a professional athlete who is constantly in the limelight, Vitale has developed great communication skills. He has showcased his talents on a recent episode of Hawaii Five-0, entitled “Ko’olauloa.” He appeared in two scenes as one of the lead character’s bodyguards, and he anticipates several more cameos on Hawaii Five-O in the coming months. His demeanor, physical tributes, and experience truly make Niko Vitale a mass marketable athlete.

About STARS MMA
The Mixed Martial Arts division of the almost 30-year old San Francisco-based talent agency, STARS the Agency, STARS MMA is dedicated to advancing and preserving the sport of mixed martial arts through full agency servicing and leveraging the current commercial rise of mixed martial arts and its athletes into other mainstream opportunities.  STARS MMA seeks to provide MMA athletic talent inroads into television, film, commercial/print advertising and modeling prospects.

For more from STARS MMA, visit www.starsagency.com, or follow us on Twitter (@StarsMMA) and Facebook (facebook.com/StarsMMA).

About STARS the Agency
STARS the Agency, now celebrating over twenty years in business, is a full service talent agency located in the heart of downtown San Francisco.  STARS, which has consistently enjoyed the reputation as one of the largest, most successful and respected agencies in the world, provides a comprehensive list of services, representing men, women and children for on camera, voice-over and theatrical work and screenplay writers. The agency is state licensed, a member of the Association of Talent Agents (ATA) and franchised by the performers unions including American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), Actors Equity Association (AEA), Directors Gild of America (DGA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA). Although Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has not had a franchise agreement with agents since 2001, STARS continues to provide talent with opportunities to audition for and book SAG work.

STARS the Agency is recognized worldwide in Europe, Asia and Australia, providing numerous international opportunities for its talent.

Photo courtesy of Stars MMA

The son of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legend, Randy Couture, is expected be sidelined for three to four weeks.

The 28-year-old Couture, a member of Las Vegas, Nev., based Xtreme Couture, won his STRIKEFORCE and MMA pro debut with a 1:15, first-round submission (triangle choke) over Lucas Stark last Aug. 13 on STRIKEFORCE Challengers.

“I was really looking forward to fighting so this is a big disappointment, but I’ll be back” said Couture.  “As soon as I’m cleared, you can bet I’ll be back in the gym preparing for my next STRIKEFORCE fight.”

In the Nov. 19 main event on SHOWTIME®,  lightweight star and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro (20-4) will face Justin “The Silverback” Wilcox (9-3) of Cincinnati. In another   televised fight, former University of Tennessee linebacker Ovince St. Preux (7-4), of Knoxville, Tenn., will seeking his fifth consecutive conquest inside the distance when he faces Antwain “The Juggernaut’’ Britt’’ (11-4) of Virginia Beach, Va., in a light heavyweight (205 pounds) scrap.

The MMA fight card is presented by Rockstar Energy Drink and will mark STRIKEFORCE’s initial foray into the state of Mississippi.

Tickets are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, including the Coliseum box office and Be-Bop Record Shops, by phone at 800-745-3000 and online at Ticketmaster.com and www.STRIKEFORCE.com.

Doors at Jackson Convention Complex will open at 6:45 p.m. CT.  The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 7:30 p.m. The first fight on SHOWTIME will begin at 10 p.m.

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, 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.

Source: Mike Afromowitz/SrikeForce

Mixed martial arts superstar Dan Henderson will take on former STRIKEFORCE world champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral at light heavyweight (205 pounds) in the main event. Football legend and unbeaten MMA fighter, the amazing Herschel Walker (1-0), will be opposed by an opponent to be determined in a televised heavyweight bout. Popular St. Louis native Jesse Finney will take on a foe to be announced in the top non-televised undercard scrap.

Daley is an exciting British bomber and freelance mixed martial artist whose style is a mix of striking, striking and more striking. Smith is a superb Muay Thai striker with tremendous one-punch knockout power. Neither is accustomed to putting in a full night’s work.

Combined, the fighters have 42 victories, but only five of those wins have come via decision, and all five belong to Daley. Smith, a pro since June 2001, has never been triumphant on points.

The world-ranked 5-foot-9, 27-year-old Daley scored a decision over Jorge Masvidal last Sept. 11. Prior to that, Daley’s last victory on points came on July 1, 2006.

“I am a striker – there is no secret about that,” said the brash-talking Daley, a winner of two in a row and six of his last seven. “I like to knock people out aggressively and quickly. That’s my game and no opponent’s going to change that. Almost all my fights are exciting and memorable with non-stop action.”

Daley, who has compiled a highlight reel of impressive knockout victories, has competed against some of the best since turning professional in June 2003. Three of his most significant victories came against Masvidal, a 2:24, first-round KO (punches) over Dustin Hazelett on Jan. 2, 2010, and a 2:31, first-round TKO (punches) over Martin Kampmann on Sept. 19, 2009.

“Everyone knows I detest decisions,” said the soft-spoken six-foot-tall, 31-year-old Smith, a proven finisher known for dramatic, stirring comebacks. He’s won all his fights by knockout or technical knockout – 12 in the first round.  The fight with Daley will mark Smith’s first start at 170 pounds.

“Fans want action all the time and so do I. That’s what I am all about.”

In his most recent start last June 26, Smith lost to former STRIKEFORCE World Middleweight (185 pounds) Champion Cung Le in a rematch, one fight after Smith handed Le the first loss of the San Jose-based Vietnamese star’s fight career with an astonishing comeback third-round knockout on Dec. 19, 2009.  The dynamic Le had previously amassed a perfect, combined 22-0 record in professional MMA and kickboxing.

Smith has fought some of the biggest names in MMA, including Le, Diaz, Robbie Lawler (twice) – their first fight was during the first-ever MMA primetime broadcast on the CBS Television Network) – Benji Radach, Dave Terrell, Patrick Cote, James Irvin, Jaime Jara and Pete Sell.

A special ticket pre-sale for STRIKEFORCE; Henderson vs. Babalu for “STRIKEFORCE Insiders” began yesterday and will conclude tomorrow/Thursday, September 30 at 10 p.m. CT.  Fans can sign up to become an “Insider” at STRIKEFORCE.com.  Anyone who purchases tickets during the pre-sale period will receive a special $5 off discount.

Tickets for the event go on sale to the public this Friday, Oct. 1, at 10 a.m. CT at Scottrade Center, online at Ticketmaster.com or by phone (800) 745-3000.

Doors at Scottrade Center will open for the event at 6 p.m. CT.  The first preliminary bout will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the first SHOWTIME televised main card fight will begin at 9 p.m.

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.

Mike Afromowitz/StrikeForce

In the co-feature, undefeated STRIKEFORCE Women’s Welterweight World Champion Sarah Kaufman (12-0) will make the second defense of her 135-pound title against No. 1 contender and Dutch superstar Marloes Coenen (17-4).

Another featured fight will pit an emerging star from the STRIKEFORCE Challengers series, up-and-coming Luke Rockhold (7-1), against the vastly more experienced, 2000 Olympic Games wrestling silver medalist, Matt “The Law” Lindland (22-7), in a middleweight (185 pounds) contest.

Tickets go on sale to the general public this Saturday, Aug. 28, at 10 a.m. PT online at Ticketmaster.com <http://www.strikeforce.com/insider.html> , at HP Pavilion ticket office, or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

A special presale opportunity for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers begins today, Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. PT.   Sign up to become a “STRIKEFORCE Insider” at http://www.strikeforce.com/insider.html.

Diaz has not lost a fight since he first faced Noons, losing via disputed first-round TKO on Nov. 7, 2007.  Diaz has been devastating in recent outings notching seven in a row.  The talented, outspoken, no-nonsense brawler also boasts a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.

The always-dangerous Noons is an aggressive and prolific striker who has won his last six fights, including the thrilling slugfest against Diaz that ended when the cageside physician halted  the proceedings due to excessive cuts around Diaz’ eyes.

Since that fight, there has been no love lost between the pair of brash fighters.  Seven months after their first fight, on June 14, 2008, the fighters and their camp members nearly came to blows in the cage after the fighters registered victories in separate bouts.

“Nick has no class, he’s a bum, a piece of (expletive) and he and his team disrespected my family and I with their gestures and trash talk and tried to upstage my fight,” said Noons after the near-fracas.

Offered Diaz: “I’m sorry about what happened in the cage afterward, but I didn’t start it. His guys were talking (expletive) to us.”

Diaz is coming off a first-round submission (armbar) over fellow superstar Hayato “Mach” Sakurai last May 29 at DREAM 14 in Japan. The six-foot, 27-year-old Diaz won the STRIKEFORCE title with a convincing first-round TKO (punches) over Marius “The Whitemare” Zaromskis on Jan. 30, 2010.

The 5-foot-11, 27-year-old Noons, who was born and raised in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, registered a spectacular, crowd-pleasing second-round knockout over Jorge Gurgel during last Saturday’s STRIKEFORCE: Houston, live on SHOWTIME.

Kaufman, a former ballet dancer, retained her belt for the first time with an explosive third-round body slam KO over Roxanne Modafferi at STRIKEFORCE Challengers in Everett, Wash., on July 23.

The personable, hard-hitting, 5-foot-5, 24-year-old Kaufman, of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, has scored knockouts in nine of her 12 victories.

Coenen, 29, will appear before an audience for the first time since suffering a hard-fought third-round TKO loss to Cris Cyborg for the STRIKEFORCE Women’s Middleweight (145 pounds) Championship at STRIKEFORCE: Miami last Jan. 30.

The game and courageous, 5-foot-9 Coenen gave Cyborg one of her toughest fights. A member of Holland’s Team Golden Glory, Coenen has been a mixed martial artist since the age of 14. She will be moving down in weight to challenge for the title.

Rockhold of Santa Cruz, Calif. will bring a six-fight winning streak into what figures to be the toughest assignment of his career. Many feel the 25-year-old is one of STRIKEFORCE’s next great middleweight stars. He has been victorious by submission in all but one of his wins. A member of Team AKA in San Jose, Rockhold won his last start with a first-round TKO (knees to body) over Paul Bradley on Feb. 26, in San Jose.

Lindland of Oregon City, Ore, brought home the silver in Greco-Roman wrestling. He’s fought the best in a 13-year MMAs career, including the famed Fedor Emelianenko. An All-American at the University of Nebraska before turning pro in 1997, Lindland holds victories over Pat Miletich <http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Pat-Miletich-188> , Jeremy Horn, former UFC welterweight champion Carlos Newton <http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Carlos-Newton-7>  and remains one of only two men to submit Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Travis Lutter <http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Travis-Lutter-4586> .

In his most recent fight, the six-foot-tall Lindland scored a third-round TKO over “King” Kevin Casey on May 21 during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers in Portland, Ore.

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.

Source: Mike Afromowitz/StrikeForce