Photos: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

ShoBox: The New Generation Doubleheader Tomorrow/Friday, May 11,

LIVE on SHOWTIME^® At 11 p.m. ET/PT

LAS VEGAS (May 10, 2012) – All four fighters participating in an eagerly awaited doubleheader on ShoBox: The New Generation tomorrow/Friday, May 11, live on SHOWTIME^® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) made weight on their first attempts Thursday at Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel in Las Vegas. 

In the ShoBox main event at Texas Station, former Cuban amateur standout and 2004 Olympian Yudel Jhonson (12-0, 8 KOs) of Miami, Florida, will take on Willie “The Great’’ Nelson (17-1-1, 11 KOs), of Youngstown, Ohio, in a 10-round junior middleweight bout.

The co-featured bout will match six-time Swedish national champion and 2008 Olympian, Badou Jack (10-0, 8 KOs), of Las Vegas, Nev., and Alexander Brand (17-0, 15 KOs) of Bogota, Colombia, in an eight-round super middleweight bout.

WEIGHTS: Jhonson and Nelson each weighed 151½ pounds. Jack tipped the scale at 167 pounds; Brand 166½.  
 

What the fighters said Thursday:

YUDEL JHONSON

“Thank you to the United States for the freedom to fight professionally. Thanks to SHOWTIME for making me able to show my talents. I’m in great condition. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in and I had the best training camp of my career. 

“This is a great opportunity and I won’t let it pass me by. I’m dedicating this fight to all the mothers in the world, especially my mother in Cuba.’’

WILLIE “THE GREAT” NELSON

“I want to thank everybody for coming to this fight. The only thing I can say is Yudel is a great fighter, but I’m better. Tomorrow night I will be the better man.

“I’m not taking anything away from him, but I will win. Watch tomorrow night.’’

BADOU JACK “THE RIPPER”

“Thanks to my promoters and SHOWTIME for this opportunity. I can’t wait for the fight. I wish it was today. I will win by a knockout. He’s in with a real fighter now. You could tell he was nervous.

“I’m going to beat him up tomorrow night.’’

ALEXANDER BRAND

“This is only the beginning. I will definitely be victorious tomorrow night. He talked too much before the fight. He never beat anyone, so why is he talking like a world champ?

“I’m going to shut his big mouth.”

Tickets for “Shootout at Texas Station” are priced at $27 and $52 and on sale at Ticketmaster, any Texas Station rewards center or at SCLV.COM/CONCERTS. A few VIP seats are available at a price of $102 can be purchased by calling (954) 985-1155. The event is promoted by Warriors Boxing.

Mike Crispino, known for his work on the MSG Network in New York, will call the blow-by-blow action on ShoBox with Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst. Gordon Hall is the executive producer of ShoBox with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, visit the website at http://sports.SHO.com.

Johnson earned the night’s “Knockout of the Night”, Diaz the “Submission of the Night”, Gaudinot and Lineker “Fight of the Night” honors, each earning $65,000 bonus. Dana White confirmed at Saturday night’s UFC on FOX 3 post-event press conference that Diaz did earn a shot at the 155-pound title. Nate Diaz has agreed to wait until he can face the winner of Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar II.

IZOD Center, NJ

MAIN CARD (FOX)

• Nate Diaz def. Jim Miller via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 4:09
• Johny Hendricks def. Josh Koscheck via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Alan Belcher def. Rousimar Palhares via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 4:18
• Lavar Johnson def. Pat Barry via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 4:38

PRELIMINARY CARD (FUEL TV)

• Michael Johnson def. Tony Ferguson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• John Dodson def. Tim Elliott via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• John Hathaway def. Pascal Krauss via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
• Louis Gaudinot def. John Lineker via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 4:54
• Danny Castillo def. John Cholish via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Dennis Bermudez def. Pablo Garza via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)

• Roland Delorme def. Nick Denis via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:59
• Karlos Vemola def. Mike Massenzio via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:07

Friday, May 4, LIVE on FX at 10 p.m. ET/PT

The Ultimate Fighter^® Live on FX wraps up the preliminary round of competition tomorrow/Friday, May 4, live on FX at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) when Team Cruz’s Mike Rio (8-1), of Miami, Fla., takes on Team Faber’s Andy Ogle (8-1), of Tynemouth, England, for the last spot in the quarterfinals. 

Team Faber’s Chris Saunders scored an upset victory over Team Cruz’s Sam Sicilia as a massive underdog last week. Now, Faber’s squad holds a 4-3 lead over his bitter rival with just one fight to go until the quarterfinals. 

Rio and Ogle are looking to advance and move one step closer to a six-figure UFC contract alongside previous winnersJames Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta, Michael Chiesa, Joe Proctor, Vinc Pichel and Saunders. 

Below is a description of the upcoming “BECOME THAT HERO” episode:

 “Both teams head to a desert shooting range for an explosive Coaches Challenge.  Andy Ogle takes on Mike Rio in the last preliminary fight, then Dana announces the first two quarterfinal matchups.”

The 13-week season will culminate with a championship fight and three-hour finale on June 1 at the Pearl Palms Concert Theater in Las Vegas.  The coaches will then meet on July 7 at UFC 148, when Cruz defends his title against Faber in the rubber match of their epic rivalry.  

Below are select quotes from Rio and Ogle. 

MIKE RIO:

It’s the final preliminary fight this Friday. Team Cruz is down 4-3. Is there any added pressure to even the series? Or is it just another fight?

“There’s always pressure in a situation like this but the wonderful thing about our sport is that we don’t have to worry about the teams. You just focus on yourself and the better you do, the team just ends up benefitting from it. So as long as I just focus on what I have to do and not worry about the team or what’s best for the team, everyone will benefit. That takes a lot of the pressure off when you focus on what you’re supposed to focus on and not the outside distractions.”

What is your mood going into the fight and what do you have to do to win? 

“I’m always relaxed. I’m one of those guys that never gets over-anxious, nervous or gets butterflies. I’ve been in competition a long time. I’m very relaxed until the time of the fight and then I get very energetic and very aggressive.

“What I need to do to win the fight? I need to push the pace. Ogle is by no means an easy fight. He’s not just going to lay down for me. I just have to make sure I stay focused and take the fight to him and do what I need to do to win. I’m not going to focus on what he’s going to do to me, just what I’m going to do to him.”

How difficult is it to sit and watch during the weeks you weren’t fighting? Is it a relief to actually be fighting?

 “That was a double-edged sword. First off, I’m sitting there watching and waiting, seeing all my teammates fight, watching everybody fight. I came here to fight, and was just sitting on the sidelines every week, waiting, waiting, waiting. On the positive side of this though, I literally just got a month and a half training camp with the champ, Dominick Cruz, and the champ’s personal coaching squad. I’ve gotten in the best shape of my life for my first preliminary fight. “

Is there anything that’s happened in the first seven weeks that’s surprised you?

“Every fight has been a war. I’ve been really impressed by the level of talent in our season. We’re a great group of 16 guys and we deserve to be here. Everyone is serious as hell and there’s really no one who is here just to be a TV star.”

ANDY OGLE:

It’s the final preliminary fight this Friday. Team Faber is up 4-3. Is there any added pressure to keep the series lead? Or is it just another fight?

“It’s not a fight for the Team, it’s a fight for myself. Because at the end of the day, I’m the one who’s trying to get that glass plate. I’m the one that is trying to get that W. It’s all about me thinking about myself.  At the end of the day, two guys are going to go in there and the cage door is going to close and for 10, possibly 15, minutes I’ve got to kick somebody’s ass to secure myself into the next round.”

What is your mood going into the fight and what do you have to do to win? 

 “I feel confident. I feel strong. I feel as if I’ve trained a long time for this fight and I’ve developed as a fighter as well as a person and become a hell of a lot more patient. In this fight, I’m going to have to be very patient and defend his takedowns a lot. I feel as if I can kill his spirit by doing so and lighting him up with my shoots and hitting him a lot in the face. Basically, just not making him want to come in and attempt a takedown.”

How difficult is it to sit and watch during the weeks you weren’t fighting? Is it a relief to actually be fighting?

 “Since I’ve been in the house, I’ve had to think about everything in two ways. It was killing me not fighting for the first seven fights. But at the same time, I’m getting more time to develop as a fighter, which means [Rio]‘s going to get the best version of me because I’m last. I’ve now built up a relationship with the coaching staff and a great relationship with my team and gotten a whole lot stronger.”

Is there anything that’s happened in the first eight weeks that’s surprised you?

“I did not expect to get ill! I very rarely get ill. I’m the ‘one more round’ guy. I’m always happy to keep pushing. If I’m done training but someone wants to go another round, I’ll jump up, I’ll do that round. When my lungs were closing up and I felt as if I couldn’t breathe, I didn’t feel like the ’one more round’ guy. But when I went to the doctor and they did an X-ray, the doctor said, ‘Wow, you’ve got a large heart’ and I said tell me something I don’t know.  That’s something that Rio, or any opponent, won’t ever have larger than me.  It’s impossible, I want it too much.”

Photo Credit: Esther Lin / Invicta Fighting Championships

• Marloes Coenen def. Romy Ruyssen via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
• Jessica Penne def. Lisa Ellis via TKO (punches) Rnd 3, 2:48
• Liz Carmouche def. Ashleigh Curry via TKO Rnd 1, 1:58
• Kaitlin Young vs. Leslie Smith ruled a split draw (29-28, 28-29, 29-29)
• Sarah D’Alelio def. Vanessa Mariscal via submission (punches) Rnd 2, 3:19
• Sarah Schneider def. Sally Krumdiack via submission (armbar) Rnd 1, 3:01
• Amy Davis def. Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc via submission (kimura) Rnd 2, 3:47
• Sarah Maloy def. Michele Gutierrez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Randi Miller def. Mollie Estes via TKO (punches) Rnd 3, 3:27
• Ashley Cummings def. Sofia Bagherdai via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Cassie Rodish def. Meghan Wright via submission (guillotine choke) Rnd 1, 0:36 

Originally, Silva vs. Sonnen II was set as the main event for UFC 147 in Brazil on June 23rd but since the United Nations scheduled a conference in Rio De Janeiro during the same week, UFC decided to move Silva vs. Sonnen II to UFC 148 in Las Vegas on July 7 as the main event.  Also scheduled on the UFC 148 card is Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight belt as co-main event, Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le, Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin  for the third time, and Michael Bisping vs. Tim Boetsch. UFC 148 will be one of the most spectacular fight cards to date.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (April 23, 2012) – SHOWTIME Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) voice Mauro Ranallo, light heavyweight superstar “King Mo” Lawal and women’s star Julie “Fireball” Kedzie will call the action cageside at the first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships all-women’s professional MMA event, live on InvictaFC.com, from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Saturday, April 28.

Ranallo, the lead commentator for Strikeforce on Showtime as well as for Canada’s The Score Fighting Series and a former commentator for Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships, will serve as the play-by-play announcer during the live stream of the event.

“I have always been a huge advocate of female MMA and I am very excited to be a part of the inaugural Invicta show,” said Ranallo. “The ladies have a history of stealing the show from the guys, so it’s nice to see them get a show of their own.”

Lawal is a former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion who burst onto the fight scene four years ago with four straight victories in Japan’s World Victory Road MMA series and has since amassed a career record of 8-1 (1 NC). A former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler for Oklahoma State University, the 31-year-old has gained recognition for his technical knowledge of MMA and his meticulous attention to fighters’ styles.

“I’m excited to be a part of this event with some of the top women’s fighters in the world,” said Lawal. “The growth of women’s MMA is going to soar even more now, thanks to what Invicta is doing.”

Like Lawal, Kedzie brings a wealth of MMA fight experience with her to the show. A student of famed trainer Greg Jackson, the 31-year-old has been competing as a professional since 2004 and holds a career record of 16-9.

“This Invicta show is a landmark moment in the history of women’s MMA and I’m very excited and honored that I was asked to be a part of it,” said Kedzie.

The live stream on InvictaFC.com will begin at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST with the event’s five-bout preliminary card and continue with the six-bout main card.

The first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships event will be headlined by a long-awaited featherweight (145 pounds) rematch between superstar Marloes Coenen (19-5) of The Netherlands and Romy Ruyssen (5-1) of France. Coenen was the victor of their first meeting on Aug. 2, 2008 by way of submission (rear-naked choke) in the second round of action.

In the co-main event, two 29-year-old submission specialists – Jessica Penne (8-1) of Laguna Hills, Calif. and Lisa Ellis-Ward (14-7) of Lacey, Wash.- will square off with one another at strawweight (105 pounds).

Strikeforce bantamweight star and United States Marine Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche (5-2) of San Diego, Calif. will square off with unbeaten prospect Ashleigh Curry (1-0) of Kansas City, Mo.

Another Strikeforce bantamweight competitor, Sarah D’Alelio (4-2) of San Jose, Calif., will face undefeated former Royce Gracie student and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Vanessa Mariscal (2-0) of El Segundo, Calif.

Leslie Smith (3-2) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. will meet Kaitlin Young (7-5) of St. Louis Park, Minn. at bantamweight and Sally Krumdiack (9-4) of Bellingham, Wash. will duke it out with Sarah Schneider (5-5) of Kansas City, Mo. at flyweight (115 pounds).

Making her MMA debut on the preliminary card will be 2008 Olympic wrestling bronze medalist Randi Miller (0-0) of Denver, Colo. Miller will face unbeaten Mollie Estes (1-0) of Lake Lotawana, Mo. at featherweight.

In preliminary card action, Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (7-5) of Tulsa, Okla. will take on Amy Davis (2-2) of Idaho Falls, Idaho at strawweight. Sarah Maloy (2-2) of Ada, Okla. will meet Michele Gutierrez (3-2) of Las Vegas, Nev. in a super flyweight (125 pounds) tilt. Unbeaten Ashley Cummins (2-0) of St. Louis will battle Sofia Bagherdai (4-1) of Upland, Calif. at flyweight. Cassie Rodish (1-3) of Waukee, Iowa will face Meghan Wright (1-3) of Cincinnati, Ohio in a strawweight matchup.

All bouts have been approved by the Kansas State Athletic Commission.

About Invicta Fighting Championships:

Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.

Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

Rothwell earned the night’s “Knockout of the Night” bonus, Browne the “Submission of the Night”,  Yagin and Hominick the “Fight of the Night” honors, each earning bonuses of $65,000.

 MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

• Champ Jon Jones def. Rashad Evans via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45) 
• Rory MacDonald def. Che Mills via TKO (punches) Rnd 2, 2:20
• Ben Rothwell def. Brendan Schaub via TKO (punches) Rnd 1, 1:10
• Michael McDonald def. Miguel Torres via knockout (punches) Rnd 1, 3:18
• Eddie Yagin def. Mark Hominick via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Mark Bocek def. John Alessio via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX)

• Travis Browne def. Chad Griggs via submission (arm-triangle choke) Rnd 1, 2:29
• Matt Brown def. Stephen Thompson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)
• Anthony Njokuani def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Mac Danzig def. Efrain Escudero via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)

• Chris Clements def. Keith Wisniewski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
• Marcus Brimage def. Maximo Blanco via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)

Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® Telecast Will Replay

Sunday, April 22 at 9:30 a.m. on ET/PT SHOWTIME^®

Tuesday, April 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

EL PASO, Texas (April 22, 2012) – Abner Mares has power, he has speed, and now he has a second world championship belt.  Mares, the 26-year-old undefeated Mexican American from Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., by way ofGuadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, captured the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship with an emphatic victory over game veteran Eric Morel on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday night at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.

In the co-feature, Anselmo Moreno, the slick and talented Panamanian world champion, cruised to victory over David de la Mora with a ninth-round technical knockout. 

Mares, who recently vacated the IBF bantamweight title, brought considerable power up to 122 pounds and seemed to sacrifice none of his hand speed.  Morel, 10 years Mares’ senior, is a veteran of nine world title fights and a former two-time world champion.  Morel admitted coming into the fight that this could be his last shot at one of boxing’s crowns.  The Puerto Rico native, now living and fighting out of Madison, Wisconsin, came to win, but Mares’ confidence and ability won the night.

Fighting aggressively for every minute of every round, Mares dominated from the early going with a damaging body attack.  He moved fluidly from the body to the head, stunning Morel on several occasions.

What Morel gave up in age, he made up for in heart.  Morel withstood the punishment dolled out by the younger Mares.  He gave a valiant effort right through the final two rounds, making the 11^th and 12^th the two most exciting and competitive of the bout. 

“If this is the last major fight of his career,” said Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein during the telecast, “and it very well could be, he has nothing to be ashamed of.”

The judges had it unanimously for Mares by scores of 120-107 and 119-109 twice.  The young star improved his record to 24-0-1 (13 KO’s) and is looking for his next challenge – a fight with the super bantamweight division’s elite.

After the bout, a joyful Mares said the move up in weight was a good one for him.  “I felt a lot stronger at this weight.  I felt complete.

“I have to say Eric was very strong.  I was surprised he withstood the pressure.  He went out like a true champion.  That last round was a great round for both of us.”

The modest champion continued, “I feel I still need to improve.  I am still learning.  Sometimes I make it brawl when I don’t have to, so there’s definitely more I can do.”

When asked if he had been 10 years younger tonight, Morel said, “The (age) doesn’t matter.  He probably would have done the same thing.  He’s a great fighter.  He’s one of the best I’ve ever faced.  I have nothing to be ashamed of.  He put on a great performance.  What else can I say?” 

***

The 26-year old Moreno was coming off of a big win over tough veteran Vic Darchinyan.  On Saturday, he made the 10^thsuccessful defense of his WBA Bantamweight Championship. 

Moreno used his superior reach and defense to dispatch De La Mora, who retired after the 8^th round.  De La Mora went down twice in the fight – in the second and sixth rounds – both times from vicious body punches.

According to SHOStats, over his last five fights, Moreno’s defense has been hit with just 17-percent of his opponents’ punches – second only to Floyd Mayweather.

Moreno improved his record to 33-1-1 adding a 12^th knockout.

A 10-year professional at just 26 years-old, Moreno impressed ringside analyst Antonio Tarver and undoubtedly many others.  Tarver said, “This guy could be head and shoulders above the rest in the bantamweight division, but now it’s time to see him against the best.” 

Additional preliminary bouts aired live on SHOWTIME EXTREME. 

Light heavyweight prospect Rowland Bryant (16-1, 11 KO’s) of St. Augustine, Fla., made a statement by stopping veteran Librado Andrade (30-5, 23 KO’s) of La Habra, Calif., by TKO at 2:19 of the third round. 

Luis Ramos, Jr. (22-0, 9 KO’s) looked sharp in his 10-round decision victory over veteran Daniel Attah (26-10-1, 9 KO’s).  Ramos, the lightweight prospect out of Santa Ana, Calif., won by scores of 100-89 and 99-90 twice. 

Also, Francisco Vargas (10-0-1, 7 KO’s) of Mexico City, Mexico, scored a technical knockout win over Rafael Lora (11-8, 5 KO’s) of Irvington, New Jersey in the third round.

Photo Credit: Craig Bennett/SHOWTIME

Erislandy Lara Annihilates Ronald Hearns in First Round

Catch the Replay of Tonight’s Telecast on Thursday, April 26 at

10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

BILOXI, Miss. (April 21, 2012) – Jermain Taylor found himself in a very familiar place late in his fight – the canvas – but unlike in the past, Taylor returned to his feet and took home the victory. Taylor controlled a large majority of the 10-round middleweight bout beforeCaleb Truax floored him with a right hand early in the ninth. Taylor won the second straight fight of his comeback campaign via unanimous decision by the scores of 98-91, 97-92 and 97-94 in the main event of tonight’s ShoBox: The New Generationdoubleheader. In the SHOWTIME^®-televised co-feature, Erislandy Lara demolished Ronald Hearns via TKO at 1:34 of round one in a scheduled 10-round junior middleweight bout from Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Miss.

Fighting for only the second time in the last thirty months, Taylor (30-4-1, 18 KO’s), of Little Rock, Ark., started slowly, using his signature jab to dictate an effective tempo and put rounds in the bank early. Truax (18-1-1, 10 KO’s), of Osseo, Minn., fought tentatively throughout the fight before gaining some confidence by engaging Taylor on the inside in the eighth round. The two met in the middle of the ring to start the ninth and, after Taylor lazily returned his left after throwing a jab, Truax landed a perfect right hand to Taylor’s chin that sent him to the floor.

Instead of suffering another knockout loss, a well-conditioned, resilient Taylor returned to his feet and kept the fight – and his career – alive through rounds nine and 10 with heart, hope and holding. The defeat was Truax’ first as a professional.

Following the bout, an ecstatic Taylor was unfazed by the knockdown. “I got back up and did my thing,” said the former undisputed middleweight world champ. “I’ve been knocked out a few times. This is what I’ve been thinking about. This is what I’ve worked for. This is what I planned. Now I’m in shape so I can get back up from a knockdown.”

The co-feature ended almost as quickly as it began when Lara (16-1-1, 11 KO’s), of Houston by way of Cuba, steamrolled through Hearns inside the first round. Hearns (26-3, 20 KO’s), of Detroit, Mich., attempted to use his long jab to keep away his shorter opponent but Lara’s lefts shattered Hearns in short order.

After a clean left to the head sent Hearns flat on the canvas, Hearns was able to rise off the floor – if not to the occasion. Following the knockdown, the 29-year-old Lara had Hearns in trouble with an attack against the ropes. Referee Keith Hughes gave Hearns a standing eight count but allowed the bout continue. Lara had other plans. The former Cuban amateur standout landed two more flush lefts to Hearns’ head before Hughes halted the bout.

CompuBox recorded that Lara connected on 10 of 13 power punches compared to Hearns’ performance of 0 for 9.

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

• Champ Jon Jones (205) vs. Rashad Evans (204)
• Rory MacDonald (169.5) vs. Che Mills (170)
• Ben Rothwell (263) vs. Brendan Schaub (237)
• Michael McDonald (135) vs. Miguel Torres (135.5)
• Mark Hominick (145.5) vs. Eddie Yagin (144.5)
• John Alessio (155.5) vs. Mark Bocek (155)

PRELIMINARY CARD (FX)

• Travis Browne (250) vs. Chad Griggs (228)
• Matt Brown (171) vs. Stephen Thompson (171)
• John Makdessi (158) vs. Anthony Njokuani (156) – Makdessi was two pounds over the weight limit and agreed to pay 20 percent of his purse for fine to Njokuani
• Mac Danzig (155) vs. Efrain Escudero (156)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)

• Chris Clements (169) vs. Keith Wisniewski (170.5)
• Maximo Blanco (146) vs. Marcus Brimage (145)

Photos: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

Tickets, priced at $25, $50, $75 and $150, are available at the UTEP Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, please call: (915) 747-5234.

Reminder: Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME Extreme beginning at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Stockholm, Sweden
Ericsson Globe Arena

Bahadurzada earned the night’s “Knockout of the Night”, Maguire the “Submission of the Night” award, Pickett and Page the “Fight of the Night” honors, each earning a bonus of $50,000.

MAIN CARD (FUEL TV)

• Alexander Gustafsson def. Thiago Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Brian Stann def. Alessio Sakara via knockout (punches) Rnd 1, 2:26
• Siyar Bahadurzada def. Paulo Thiago via knockout (punches) Rnd 1, 0:42
• Dennis Siver def. Diego Nunes via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• John Maguire def. DaMarques Johnson via submission (armbar) Rnd 2, 4:40
• Brad Pickett def. Damacio Page via submission (rear-naked choke) Rnd 2, 4:05

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)

• James Head def. Papy Abedi via submission (rear-naked choke) Rnd 1, 4:33
• Cyrille Diabate def. Tom DeBlass via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
• Francis Carmont def. Magnus Cedenblad via submission (rear-naked choke) Rnd 2, 1:42
• Reza Madadi def. Yoislandy Izquierdo via submission (guillotine choke) Rnd 2, 1:28
• Simeon Thoresen def. Besam Ypusef via submission (rear-naked choke) Rnd 2, 2:36
• Jason Young def. Eric Wisely via unanimous decision (30-28, 29-28, 29-28)

PHOTO CREDIT: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

May 19, 2012

Live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT

From HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

SAN JOSE, CALIF. (April 12, 2012) - SHOWTIME Sports^® traveled to the home of STRIKEFORCE^® mixed martial arts in San Jose, Calif., to conduct a video and photo shoot for next month’s mega STRIKEFORCE event.  On hand were heavyweights Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier, slated to face off in the final of the STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix: Heavyweight Tournament, May 19, 2012 from the HP Pavilion in San Jose.  Also featured in yesterday’s shoot were co-main event fighters Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson, who will meet on the same evening for the third time in their MMA careers, to cap off one of the most exciting trilogies the sport has seen. 

STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix: Heavyweight Tournament Final will air May 19, 2012, live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), while preliminary fights will be shown live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on West Coast).

Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix: Heavyweight Tournament Final are on sale at the HP Pavilion ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LIVE ON FX CONTINUES WITH

“DOGS WITH NO BARK”

TEAM FABER’S JOE PROCTOR vs. TEAM CRUZ’S CHRIS TICKLE

Friday, April 13, LIVE on FX at 10 p.m. ET/PT

The Ultimate Fighter Live on FX continues this Friday, live on FX at 10 p.m. ET/PT (Delayed on the West Coast) when Team Faber’s Joe Proctor (8-1), of Pembroke, Mass., takes on Team Cruz’s Chris Tickle (8-4), of Bloomington, Ill., for a spot in the quarterfinals. 

With Team Faber’s Michael Chiesa notching a victory over Team Cruz’s Jeremy Larsen last week, the two coaches and bitter rivals’ squads are tied at two wins apiece.  

Below is a description of the upcoming “Dogs With No Bark” episode:

“Tempers flare between Mike Rio and Justin Lawrence during sparring.  Both teams enjoy a relaxing Easter Sunday.  Then, house loudmouth Chris Tickle faces tough guy Joe Proctor in the fifth preliminary fight.”

Proctor and Tickle are looking to move into the quarterfinals along with previous winners James Vick, Justin Lawrence, Al Iaquinta and Chiesa.  

The 13-week season will culminate with a championship fight and three-hour finale on June 1.  The coaches will then meet on July 7 when Cruz defends his title against Faber in the rubber match of their epic rivalry.  

JOE PROCTOR:

Q: How did it feel when your name was called on to fight Friday?

A: When my name was called on Friday I was excited. I’ve been waiting four or five weeks to get in there and show everybody what I’ve been training for.

Q: What have you been doing since then to prepare for the fight?

A: Since my name was called, I’ve just been taking it light by hitting a lot of mitts, working my strength, and critiquing everything for a good game plan.

Q: How has the support of the Team Faber coaching staff been?

A: The Team Faber coaching staff is unbelievable. They’re behind me a hundred percent and constantly motivating me and constantly pushing me. They’ve got me ready for this fight and I can’t wait for it.

Q: What do you think your strength is going into this fight?

A: I think my strength going into this fight is everything. I’m well rounded. If it goes to the ground I’m good, and I’m more than happy to stand up too. I can finish anyway I feel like.

Q: How’s life in the house?

Life in the house is hectic. As much as I love being here and having this great opportunity, I really can’t wait to get back home and see all my friends and my family.

Q: What’s the first thing you’re going to do when you get home?

A: The first thing I’m going to do when I leave the show is hug my girlfriend.

CHRIS TICKLE

Q: How is everything going so far?

A: Training’s going great. Dom’s been busting our butts pretty hard every day. I’m happy and in good shape so I’m ready to fight.

Q: How did it feel when your name was called on to fight Friday?

A: I was happy when Faber called me out. I get to shut his mouth and whoop some ass, so I’m ready to go.

Q: What do you think about your opponent Joe Proctor?

A: Proctor is a tough guy. I think he’s the best fighter on Team Faber. He’s well rounded and we’ll see what he can do.

Q: Do you think you’ve improved since joining the show?

A: Definitely, my cardio is up and I’ve learned a lot– I’m the best fighter I’ve ever been.

Q: What’s the first thing you’re going to do when you get home?

A: I’m going to go home and cuddle with my fiancé.

Submission specialist, Jacen Flynn, has signed on to compete in the Maximum Fighting Championship.  He is looking to make an immediate impact in the organization’s middleweight division and brings a potent mix of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expertise and raw aggression to the MFC ring.

Hailing from Twin Falls, Idaho, Flynn is known for coming at his opponents quickly and aggressively.  He recently submitted Edwin “Babyface” Dewees in 44 seconds.  His live-by-the-sword-die-by-the-sword mentality has seen all but one of his fights end in a submission.

At 33, Flynn is looking for an immediate challenge in his new MMA home: “I want to fight tough guys, and I know a lot of guys say that, but I truly want those tough fights.   I want to challenge myself.”  Although his first opponent is yet to be announced, the MFC’s middleweight division has a number of fighters ready to give Flynn the challenge he’s looking for.  The undefeated Brendan Kornberger is coming off a first round TKO and looks hungry for a new challenge, and the potential for a jiu jitsu showdown between Jacen Flynn and Thales Leites is very intriguing.

No matter who ends up in the cage with Flynn, they are in for a fight. Flynn brings a highly intelligent game that’s seen him capture 9 of his 10 wins by submission.  “I really sit down and break down technique, and I want to apply as much as I possibly can to making moves efficient,” explained the Idaho black belt.

Flynn holds notable wins over Dean Lister and Dennis Kang. 

Randy Couture and Benson Henderson Complete 

The MMA Show Live Line-up

Birmingham, UK – April 11, 2012 – It has been confirmed that the star of The Expendables, former 6X UFC Champion Randy Couture and current UFC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson will complete the star studded line-up for The MMA Show Live, Europe’s largest and most prominent MMA expo.  The MMA Show Live is being held May 12 - 13 at The NEC in Birmingham.

According to Liam Fisher, organizer of the event “We are thrilled that Randy Couture and Ben Henderson will be a part of the MMA Show Live, what better way to complete the shows line-up than with two of the sport’s biggest stars! There are more marquee fighters signed up for The MMA Show Live than ever before. This is truly an unmissable event!”

They MMA Show Live gives fans access to more top level UFC and MMA talent than any other MMA show in Europe! The sport of K1 will also be represented at the event, as 4X K1 Grand Prix Champion and PRIDE veteran Semmy Schilt has also been confirmed.

The MMA Show Live is an interactive fan experience dedicated to mixed martial arts from around the World. The show consists of five training areas where some of the biggest names in the business will host special group training sessions. The show also features a huge stage & screen for Q&A sessions, an autograph zone where fans can meet their favorite fighters, exhibition stands where some of the biggest brands in MMA will be selling merchandise and much more!

The MMA Show Live Full Line-up:

BJ Penn (UFC)

Randy Couture (UFC)

Ben Henderson (UFC)

Dan Henderson (UFC)

Michael Bisping (UFC)

Mark Munoz (UFC)

Sean Sherk (UFC)

Brittney Palmer (UFC)

Chandella Powell (UFC)

Diego Sanchez (UFC)

Thiago Alves (UFC)

Thiago Silva (UFC)

Kenny Florian (UFC)

Jake Shields (UFC)
Paul Daley (Strkeforce)

Alexander Gustaffson (UFC)

Matt Mitrione (UFC)

Alessio Sakara (UFC)
Brendan Schaub (UFC)
Rory MacDonald (UFC)
Chris Leben (UFC)

Phil DeFries (UFC)

Vaughan Lee (UFC)

John Maguire (UFC)

Neil Grove (UFC, Bellator, Super Fight League)

Rob Sinclair (BAMMA)

Marloes Coenen (Strikeforce, Invictus)

Semmy Schilt (K1, PRIDE)
Jimmy Wallhead (Bellator)
Jimi Manuwa (BAMMA)
Jack Marshman (BAMMA)
Andre Winner (BAMMA)
Tim Radcliffe (UCMMA)
Vladimir Matyushenko (UFC)
Brad Pickett (UFC)
Jason Young (UFC)
Ross Pearson (UFC)
Dean Amasinger (KSW)
Che Mills (UFC)
Simeon Thoresen (UFC)
Tom ‘Kong’ Watson (BAMMA)
Ian ‘The Machine’ Freeman (UFC, Cage Rage)
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (UFC, PRIDE and DREAM)

Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson (UFC)

Jorge Rivera (UFC)

Frank Trigg (UFC, PRIDE)

Mark Coleman (UFC, PRIDE)

Keith Jardine (Strikeforce)

Dan Severn (UFC, PRIDE, Cage Rage, WEC)

Marc Goddard (UFC Referee)

Gareth A Davies (The Daily Telegraph, ESPN)

Jon Chaimberg (Jackson’s MMA)

Kenny Johnson (BOLT Wrestling)

Martin De Jong (Golden Glory)

*Rashad Evans, Carlos Condit, and Sergei Kharitonov will no longer be in attendance due to scheduling conflicts.

Tickets are available now from The Ticket Factory at http://bit.ly/xXUcfa or from the 24 hour ticket hotline on 0844 338 0338.

For the full event schedule and more information on The MMA Show Live, please go to www.themmashowlive.com.  Fans can also follow The MMA Show Live on Twitter at www.twitter.com/themmashowlive and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/themmashowlive. 

Birmingham, UK – March 27, 2012 - It was confirmed today through their official website and Facebook page that current UFC Interim Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit and former two time UFC champion and MMA legend BJ Penn complete the lineup for Europe’s biggest ever MMA fan expo, The MMA Show Live, being held May 12 - 13 at The NEC in Birmingham.

They join a star studded lineup that includes the likes of Dan Henderson, Rashad Evans, Michael Bisping and Jake Shields, giving fans access to more top level UFC and MMA talent than any MMA show of its kind ever to be held in Europe.

Liam Fisher, the organizer of The MMAShow Live, stated “We promised a current UFC champion and a former UFC champion and we delivered! How often do you get the chance to meet and train with a legend like BJ Penn or a UFC champion like Carlos Condit? As we’re all such huge MMA fans, we’ve done everything we can to make this a show all about the fans and I think we’ve done exactly that. This show is made for the fans, by the fans! ”

The full schedule for the weekend was also announced on their official website www.themmashowlive.comwhich includes a PRIDE Retrospective on the main stage with Dan Henderson, Frank Trigg, Mark Coleman and Sokoudjou, and an Ultimate Fighter Retrospective with former TUF coach BJ Penn and TUF alums Matt Mitrione and Chris Leben.

Tickets are available now from The Ticket Factory at http://bit.ly/xXUcfa or from the 24 hour ticket hotline on 0844 338 0338.

For more information on The MMA Show Live and to view the full list of fighters attending, please go towww.themmashowlive.com.  Fans can also follow The MMA Show Live on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/themmashowlive and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/themmashowlive. 

About The MMA Show Live:

The MMA Show Live is a bi-yearly interactive fan experience dedicated to mixed martial arts from around the World. Populating a second hall at the NEC in Birmingham alongside The Martial Arts Show Live, The MMA Show Live consists of five training areas where some of the biggest names in the business will host special group training sessions, a huge stage & screen for Q&A sessions, an autograph zone where fans can meet their favorite fighters and exhibition stands where some of the biggest brands in MMA will be selling merchandise and much, much more.

Photo Credits: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

Friday’s Telecast Replays on SHOWTIME EXTREME^® on Tuesday, March 27 at 10 p.m. ET/PT; Available at SHOWTIME ON DEMAND beginning Sunday, March 25.

TUCSON, Ariz. (March 24, 2012) – Unbeaten, top-10 super featherweight contender Diego Magdaleno continued his rise up the rankings with an inspired performance on Friday’s ShoBox: The New Generation telecast from a sold-outCasino Del Sol in Tucson. 

Magdaleno, the popular and charismatic Las Vegas fighter, dispatched late-replacement Fernando Beltran Jr. ofMexico by seventh-round TKO as Beltran’s corner threw in the towel to save their near defenseless man late in the round.

Beltran accepted the fight early during fight week as Magdaleno’s original opponent Eduardo Lazcano withdrew from the fight on Monday with a training injury. Beltran, who usually campaigns at 122 and 126 pounds, had a fight cancelled last weekend in Mexico when his opponent fell out.

Magadaleno came into the fight looking to make a statement, fighting with a mix of determination, poise and ferocity.  His fast hands and creative combination punching was no match for Beltran, a veteran of two world championship bouts. 

Early in round four, Beltran dropped Magdaleno with a straight left hand. But the flash knockdown was not enough to discourage the young star.  Magdaleno responded with a furious attack. SHO Stats indicated Magdaleno out-landed Beltran 28 to eight in power punches in that round.

Magdaleno sensing he had turned the corner on Beltran in the fourth continued to punish the Mexican round after round until he scored a knockdown of his own early in the seventh.  After rising, Beltran absorbed more power shots until his corner, led by his father Fernando Beltran, Sr., waived the proverbial white flag.

Magdaleno entered the fight ranked second by the WBA and third by the WBC and is sure to be closing in on a world title shot at 22-0 with 8 knockouts. 

In the co-feature, Michigan upstart Johnny Garcia of Holland, Mich., defeated Cuban prospect Yordenis Ugas by narrow split decision in an eight-round junior welterweight bout. 

Garcia and Ugas was a battle of undefeated fighters but the result was seen as a surprising upset. Ugas came toTucson with a significantly higher pedigree than his workmanlike opponent.  The former Cuban international amateur standout and 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Ugas was the sharper and more accurate puncher in the bout.  But Garcia simply outworked Ugas in the eyes of two judges.  The scores were 76-75 twice for Garcia with one judge scoring the same total for Ugas.

Despite suffering a knockdown in the fifth, Garcia would not be denied. He threw wild upper cuts from the outside and brawling combinations on the inside in every round. His relentless attack was enough for the judges to award him the fight despite appearing to be in a class just below the stylish Ugas.

Garcia remains undefeated with 12 wins (8 KOs) and has a crowd-pleasing straight forward style that should earn him more exposure in the near future.  Ugas suffered his first professional loss and drops to 11-1 (5 KOs).

Barry Tompkins called the action alongside expert analyst Steve Farhood. Gordon Hall is the executive producer ofShoBox with Richard Gaughan producing the Rick Phillips directing.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, please visit the website at http://sports.SHO.com.

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. The growing list of fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Leonard Dorin, Scott Harrison, Juan Diaz, Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton, Joan Guzman, Juan Urango, David Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Malignaggi, Kendall Holt, Timothy Bradley, Bernard Dunne, Yonnhy Perez, Yuri Foreman, Andre Ward, Cornelius Bundrage and, most recently, Rico Ramos.

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®.

Photo Credit: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

RANDY CABALLERO REMAINS PERFECT

WITH HARD-FOUGHT WIN OVER JOSE LUIS ARAIZA

Catch the Replay on Tuesday, March 20 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

INDIO, Calif. (March 16, 2012) – Omar Figueroa (15-0-1, 11 KO’s) overwhelmed Ramon Ayala (22-3-1, 11 KO’s) with brutal body shots to score a second-round TKO in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation. In the co-feature, Randy Caballero (14-0, 7 KO’s) kept his perfect record intact with a tough unanimous decision victory over veteran Jose Luis Araiza (32-6-1, 23 KO’s) by the scores of 98-92 twice and 97-93 from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Figueroa returned to ShoBox for his second appearance on the series and earned another stoppage. In his usual style, the all-action pressure fighter from Weslaco, Texas dominated Ayala with power shots for nearly two full rounds before the fight was halted. Ayala, of Morelos, Mexico, seemed to deal with the head shots, but the body blows proved too much. Figueroa landed a left to the gut in the first that staggered his opponent, but it was the left hook to the liver in round two that spelled the beginning of the end. Figueroa, who threw more body punches than his opponent by a tally of 19 to 2, followed the liver shot with a barrage of shots to finish the taller Mexican. Ayala attempted to hold but Figueroa let him drop to the canvas and referee Lou Moret began the count. Ayala returned to his feet by the count of nine but wobbled backwards and Moret ended the contest at 2:53.

“It surprised me when he didn’t try to box because he is a pretty tall guy,” said Figueroa. “Once he started throwing power shots with me, I knew it wouldn’t last long. He had decent power so I was careful of his wild shots but I never thought the fight would make it past the third or fourth round.”

In the opening bout of the night, Caballero, of Coachella, Calif., added another win to his perfect record but it didn’t come easy. The charismatic 21-year-old enjoyed the comforts of fighting amidst the cheers from his hometown crowd and won the first several rounds over a tentative Araiza, of Tecate, Mexico. Poise and good hand speed carried Caballero until Araiza picked up his pace, aggression and punch output in the sixth round. Araiza tagged Caballero with many hard shots in the second half of the bout and took Caballero to the 10^th round for the first time in his young career. The late surge by Araiza brought excitement to the fans but not enough rounds to come back against Caballero. The victory earned Caballero the vacant NABO bantamweight title in his 118-pound debut.

“This was more of a learning experience for me,” said Caballero after the bout. “We knew he was going to try to do a couple of things in the ring and I let him do them a couple of times. That’s my mistake so we’re going to go back to the gym and keep working so we can come out even better next time.”

This ShoBox doubleheader was presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. The telecast will replay on Tuesday, March 20 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME^® and be available on SHOWTIME On Demand from March 19 through April 15.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.fantasyspringsresort.com, follow us on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/fantasysprings or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/fantasyspringsresort.  For information on SHOWTIME, visithttp://Sports.SHO.com, www.twitter.com/SHOsports or www.facebook.com/ShoBoxing.

Photo Credits: Tom Casino/SHOWTIME

ShoBox: The New Generation Doubleheader Tomorrow/Friday, March 16

LIVE on SHOWTIME^® At 11:00 p.m. ET/PT

INDIO, Calif. (March 15, 2012) – All four fighters participating in Friday’s ShoBox: The New Generation doubleheader (11:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) weighed in at the Lit Lounge at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, Calif.on Thursday, just steps away from where two prospects will step into the ring to face the toughest tests of their young careers. 

Undefeated lightweight prospect Omar Figueroa Jr. (14-0-1, 11 KO’s), of Weslaco, Texas, was over the division-limit 135 pounds – he weighed 136.2 pounds and forfeited his WBO Intercontinental Youth title on the scale.  His 10-round main event fight will go on as scheduled against Morelos, Mexico’s Ramon “Nino De Oro” Ayala (23-2-1, 11 KO’s), who tipped the scale at 135 pounds. 

 Figueroa, who has ended eight of his fights in knockout wins in two rounds or less, is fresh off of handing previously unbeaten prospect Michael Perez his first loss on Jan. 6 on ShoBox, while Ayala has won five in a row, including three by knockout. 

The fighters in Friday’s co-feature, local favorite Randy Caballero (13-0, 7 KO’s), of Coachella, Calif., andTecate, Mexico’s Jose Luis “Tapitas” Araiza (29-5-1, 20 KO’s), both weighed in at 117.8 pounds.  Caballero will make his ShoBox debut against the more experienced Araiza in a 10-round bantamweight bout.  

Caballero has won his last seven consecutive bouts – and eight overall – at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, while the hard-hitting Araiza has registered 11 of his 20 knockouts in three rounds or less. 

The ShoBox doubleheader is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T.  Tickets, priced at $25, $35 and $45, are available for purchase at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.  Doors at Fantasy Springs will open at 6:00 p.m. PT on fight night and the first bell rings at 6:30 p.m. PT.

What the fighters had to say on Thursday:

FIGUEROA:

“Honestly, I feel bad for my opponent.  I’m going to put every negative together from my camp and take it out on him, and there were a lot of negatives.  I had to sacrifice.  I sacrificed food, water, seeing my family – all because of my opponent.  People don’t realize that 50 percent of boxing is just getting to the ring.  I’m hungry.  I really hope to knock him out.

“In my last fight, I proved that I can do it.  I am not going to lose.  Whether people believe in me or not, I have my team – it’s all I need.

“I knew I wasn’t going to make weight.  I hurt my hand in camp and got sick twice and that took time away from working out and losing the weight.”

AYALA:

“I’m not a talker.  I do my talking inside the ring.  All I can say is that I prepared hard.  I hope Omar brings his best because I know I will.”

CABALLERO:

“I don’t see added pressure because I’m on TV.  I can’t walk in the ring and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m on SHOWTIME.’  I have to do what brought me here, but I’ll put on a show like I always do.

“All I need to know about my opponent is that he is trying to beat me.  He’s a veteran so he’s dangerous.  I’m ready for a tough fight.

“When I’m ready to challenge for a title, I’ll take on whoever is on top at whatever weight I’m at.”

ARAIZA

“I prepared well for this fight, believe me.  I think of fighting in someone’s backyard as a challenge.  I’ll use my experience in the ring and it will definitely be an advantage.

“I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like tomorrow.  To beat Caballero would me everything to me.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.fantasyspringsresort.com, follow us on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/fantasysprings or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/fantasyspringsresort.  For information on SHOWTIME, visithttp://Sports.SHO.com, www.twitter.com/SHOsports or www.facebook.com/ShoBoxing.

This Week the Series Moves to its Regularly Scheduled Time Period

Fridays Live at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT (Tape Delay at 10 p.m. PT/11 p.m. MT)

Coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber Pick Their Teams Friday

With the First Live Fight Between Team Cruz and Team Faber

LOS ANGELES, March 13, 2012 – The series debut of The Ultimate Fighter^® Live on FX got off to a strong start Friday night (3/9/12, 9:00-11:38 PM) delivering 1.28 Million Total Viewers, 953,000 Adults 18-49 and 538,000 Adults 18-34, and ranking among the top five cable programs on Friday in Men 18-34 (#2), Adults 18-34 (#3), Men 18-49 (#4), and Adults 18-49 (#5).

The combination of The Ultimate Fighter^® Live and its lead-in movie, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, propelled FX to cable’s #1 rank in primetime Friday (8-11PM) in delivery of Adults 18-49 (933,000), Adults 18-34 (532,000), and Men 18-34 (352,000).  In addition, The Ultimate Fighter^® Live (9-11:38 PM ET) was up +58% in Adults 18-49, +96% in Men 18-49 and +124% in Men 18-34 vs. year ago time period.

“We’ve been anticipating this day since FOX acquired the rights to UFC last summer and we knew it would be a special night for our network,” said Chuck Saftler, Executive Vice President of FX Networks. “The Ultimate Fighter^® Live makes Friday nights on FX the ultimate destination for MMA fans. We’re thrilled with the performance of the premiere telecast and we look forward to an exciting season ahead.”

Compared to other MMA telecasts on Friday evening, The Ultimate Fighter^® Live Season 1 debut significantly outperformed Spike’s repeat counter-programming of The Ultimate Fighter^® Season 10 by +189% in delivery of Adults 18-34, +162% among Adults 18-49, +208% with Men 18-34, and +167% in Men 18-49, and it also battered live MMA bouts on MTV2 by +703% in delivery of Adults 18-34, +947% among Adults 18-49, +568% with Men 18-34, and +842% in Men 18-49.

In the premiere telecast, which was televised live, 16 of the best unsigned fighters in the world took their first step towards glory as they won their first round tournament fights.  The result was some of the most intense, emotional and action-packed bouts in TUF history, including a startling eight-second KO. In addition, fighters were offered a bonus of $5,000 if they succeeded in scoring a submission or knockout in their fight. A total of $40,000 was handed out. With the win, the victors now move into The Ultimate Fighter^® Live House for the next 12 weeks as they continue to compete for a lucrative six-figure contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship^® (UFC^®).

The UFC has transformed The Ultimate Fighter^® Live and it no longer is just a competition reality series; it is a LIVE sporting event.

The first season of The Ultimate Fighter^® Live on FX features fighters from the lightweight division (155 pounds). The fighters will train together under the supervision of their team’s respective coach. One fighter from each team will be selected by their coach to fight at the end of each episode and the right to advance in the competition. At the end of the season, one man will be crowned The Ultimate Fighter^® Live Champion.

The coaches selected for the two teams this season are current UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and former champion and current top contender Urijah Faber. In addition to their coaching duties, Cruz and Faber will be training for their rubber match this summer.  The first time they met, Faber successfully defended his title against the rising contender, but Cruz was able to unseat Faber in their second match to capture the title.

FX’s coverage of the UFC this year includes two seasons (26 weeks) of The Ultimate Fighter^® Live, six major two-hour fight cards televised live nationally, and 14 live telecasts of preliminary fights preceding UFC pay-per-view telecasts

Ratings Source: The Nielsen Company (Live+Same Day)

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 98 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of critically acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series including Sons of Anarchy, Justified and American Horror Story, and acclaimed hit comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, Archer and Wilfred. Its library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. The network’s other offerings include the acquired hit series Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother, and live sports with college football and the UFC. For more information about FX, visit our web site at www.FXnetworks.com.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship^®

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Fight

Method

Round

Catch the Replay Today/Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME^® and

Tuesday, March 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

SAN JUAN, P.R. (March 11, 2012) – Another fight, another war, another stoppage over Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez (31-2, 28 KOs) for Orlando “Siri” Salido (38-11-2, 26 KOs). The latest installment of the storied Mexico-Puerto Rico rivalry saw Salido retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight world championship via 10^th-round technical knockout in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. In the co-featured event, undefeated Mikey Garcia (28-0, 24 KOs) furthered his path toward a title shot with an impressive seventh-round TKO over Bernabe Concepcion (31-5-1, 17 KOs) from Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.   

Although Lopez, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, attempted to alter his game plan, he was unable to alter the outcome. The popular Puerto Rican traded his brawling tendencies for boxing to start the bout but was unable to derail the relentless Salido, of Ciudad Obregon, México.

The two men traded blows for much of the fight with Salido often causing more damage. In the fifth round, Salido rocked Lopez and looked to capitalize when he walked into a perfectly timed short left hook from Lopez that sent the surprised Mexican to the canvas. The crowd roared and Lopez seemed to regain some of his confidence, but Salido refused to let up.

Round eight proved to be a short-lived candidate for Round of the Year as round nine eclipsed it only minutes later. The fighters stood toe-to-toe for an entire three minutes, exchanging power shots and displaying courage under fire.

In round 10, Salido – swollen but unfazed – stunned the capacity crowd when he devastated Juanma with a succession of power punches to the head. The last in the series of punches floored Lopez. A true warrior, Lopez returned to his feet but referee Roberto Ramirez, Sr. deemed him unable to fight and stopped the contest only 32 seconds into the round.

“This is how I planned this fight,” said Salido. “I knew it was going to be a very tough fight. We both competed punch for punch. I’m just lucky he’s the one that fell.”

“He hit me hard but I could still continue,” said Lopez after the fight. “I was dominating the fight. It was a tough fight but I was winning.”

After nine rounds, Danny Nelson had the fight a draw while Michael Pernick and Cesar Ramos had the fight scored 86-84 for Lopez.

As simply put by Salido, “This was a classic in the long rivalry between Mexican and Puerto Rican fighters.”

Opening up the SHOWTIME telecast, featherweight Garcia slowly raised the heat on his opponent from simmer to burn. A tentative beginning gave way to a calculated, masterful performance by one of boxing’s up-and-comers. The remarkably grounded Garcia, of Oxnard, Calif., put rounds in the bank early against his Filipino opponent. By round seven, Garcia began to chip away, stunning Concepcion with a stinging right hand and flooring him with a one-two combo. Concepcion made it off the canvas – but not out of the round. At 2:33 in the seventh, referee Luis Pabonstopped the fight after Garcia’s punches began to land cleanly without retaliation.

Continuing to prove that he is a finisher  with 24 knockouts in his 28 professional victories, Garcia said after the bout, “I think I showed everybody my skills and I was able to put him out when the time was ready.”

 As to what’s next for Garcia, he responded, “I would like to face any of the champions at 126.”

Earlier on SHOWTIME EXTREME^®, Jose Gonzalez (19-0, 14 KOs), of Toro Baja, Puerto Rico, scored a technical knockout at 1:12 of round eight over the late replacement Hevinson Herrera (15-9-1, 10 KOs), of Miami, Fla. Following a slow start, Gonzalez sped up his pace and teed off on Herrera in the middle rounds, scoring a knockdown just before the end of round six. In round eight, the referee stopped the lightweight fight schedule for 10 as Gonzalez began to unload on his opponent.

Flyweight  McWilliams Arroyo (11-1, 9 KOs), of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, scored a 10-round unanimous decision overLuis Maldonado (38-7-1, 29 KOs), of Baja California, Mexico. Showing his skills on national television, the young Puerto Rican dominated much of the fight against the rugged Mexican and won by the scores of 99-91 two times and 98-92.

SHOWTIME^®

The event was promoted by Top Rank, in association with PR Best Boxing Promotion, Zanfer Promotions and the city of San Juan. 

Gus Johnson called the action on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING with Al Bernstein and Antonio Tarverserving as expert analysts. Barry Tompkins and Steve Farhood announced the fights on SHOWTIME EXTREME.Jim Gray served as ringside reporter. David Dinkins Jr. is the Executive Producer of SHOWTIME Sports with Ray Smaltz producing and Bob Dunphy directing.