Video: AXS TV Fights 2013 Hightlights (Must SEE)

Video: AXS TV Fights 2013 Hightlights
By Chris Houten - @mrhouts

2013 was one of the best years in the history of MMA. We have seen stars rise and champions fall, amazing new talent emerge, and a host of international talent literally rise up like a phoenix from the ashes... and that's just whats gone on in the UFC this year.

Fans who haven't had the privilege of watching AXS TV Fights 2013 highlights video can be forgiven for thinking its been all UFC this year, but wait....

From the US TV network which is home to Legacy FC, XFC, MFC, RFA, CFA, BAMMA and others, sit back and enjoy 3 minutes of brutal slams, kicks, punches and submissions from the likes of Paul Daley, Sergio Pettis, Holly Holm, Brandon Thatch and many more.......GOOD NIGHT IRENE!

RFA & Double-D/Adidas Combat Sports Sign Multi-Year Deal

RFA & Double-D/Adidas Combat Sports Sign Multi-Year Deal

The President of Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA), Ed Soares, today broke news on several fronts when he announced organizational, promotional, and event plans for this year, including recently inking a landmark television distribution deal with AXS TV for 2013. Soares also revealed plans for up to 10 fights this year for the young MMA promotion, which is quickly earning a reputation as the ultimate proving ground for athletes who dream of fighting in an eight-sided cage.

"I am honored and excited to be in business with AXS TV and to have this national television deal in place for 2013," said Soares. "I'm already so far ahead of where I wanted to be at this time – we have plans to do up to 10 fights this year – and with this major TV deal in place, I think we have established that RFA offers aspiring athletes tough competition in fights that reach a national audience." 

"As one of the longest running live MMA series in the nation, we are always scouting for the best MMA promotions and athletes to feature on AXS TV Fights," said Andrew Simon, Chief Executive Officer, AXS TV Fights. "MMA fans and fighters alike have to be excited that Ed Soares, the long-time manager of the world's greatest champion, Anderson Silva, is in charge of RFA as well as recruiting and building new fighting stars for the promotion! There is no doubt in my mind that fight fans will be following all of RFA's AXS TV televised events in 2013."

With the size and scope of RFA rapidly escalating, Soares is forming a seasoned executive team to support his efforts. Today, he officially named Sven Bean as RFA's Chief Operating Officer (COO). Bean has 15 years of experience in fight promotions with over 100 successful kickboxing and mixed martial arts events to his name. With his record of achievement and his standing in the fight community, Bean brings the expertise, credibility and first-hand knowledge of the industry to RFA. Sven will work side-by-side with Soares to identify the best new talent for RFA and in all aspects of live event planning and execution.

"I am proud to announce Sven Bean as COO and lead executive in charge of fight operations for RFA," said Soares. "Sven is one of the most experienced and accomplished fight promoters in MMA. He is a trusted professional who shares my passion for MMA and my vision for the huge potential of RFA as a star-building league for the sport. With a TV deal in place and so many events planned this year, Sven will be central to RFA's success."

"Joining RFA with Ed Soares leading the organization is an incredible opportunity," said Bean. "Ed and I are very like-minded in business and in our goal to grow RFA as the best place for up and coming fighters to showcase their MMA skills. I look forward to bringing RFA 7 to my hometown of Denver on March 22, and to seeing so many rising fighters get the chance to compete on live national television."

Additionally, Soares named Jen Wenk to lead RFA's overall public relations efforts. Wenk worked as the PR Director for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) from 2005 to 2011. She was employed through UFC's rise as the fastest growing sport in the world and the most successful fight promotion in history. Two years ago, Wenk launched a PR agency specializing in fighting sports. She holds a BA in English and History from Hunter College, a PRSA Accreditation (APR) and over 20 years of public relations practice across government, network television, and fighting.

"I am pleased to welcome Jen Wenk to the RFA team," said Soares. "She is now handling public relations for RFA and our live events. I have known Jen since the first day she started work in this sport. The MMA experience that she brings to RFA is invaluable and I'm excited to have her on my executive team."

"I'm honored to join RFA and to be working with Ed Soares, someone that I have known and respected for years," said Wenk. "While Ed was managing the career for the most accomplished athlete in MMA, I was managing PR for the most accomplished fight promotion in the world. I am excited to join forces with Ed and to help build RFA into a vibrant MMA promotion and as a home for the sport's rising stars."

Soares stated that plans are set for RFA's second nationally televised event this year. He is working in conjunction with the Colorado-based Ring of Fire organization to present "RFA 7" at the 1stBank Center in Denver, Colorado on Friday, March 22.

Jeff Curran Out, Dillard Pegg Now Meets Sergio Pettis in RFA 8 Title Fight

Jeff Curran out, Dillard Pegg now meets Sergio Pettis in RFA 8 title fight

RFA president Ed Soares announced today that due to personal reasons, Jeff Curran was forced to pull out of the RFA 8 main event. Soares also confirmed that Dillard "Smokin' Joe" Pegg (5-1) has agreed to step up as a late replacement to fight Sergio "The Phenom" Pettis (7-0) for the RFA flyweight title in the main event of RFA 8 - Pettis vs. Pegg. RFA 8 takes place on Friday, June 21st at the historic The Rave / Eagles Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

"It's unfortunate that Jeff Curran had to pull out of the fight on short notice, but this happens, even at the highest levels of MMA," said Soares. As an organization that models itself after the UFC, we had to move forward and find a worthy replacement to give the fans an exciting title fight that is just as compelling as the original bout. Luckily, we were able to find that in "Smokin' Joe" Pegg. Pegg has finished all four opponents he has faced in 2013 and brings an explosive striking arsenal that will clash well with Sergio Pettis. Pegg is in shape after winning a fight five days ago with a 42-second submission, and like Sergio Pettis, he’s also a second degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. He's fast, aggressive, and looks for the finish. This is a huge opportunity for Pegg and I believe this is going to be a great main event for the first ever RFA flyweight title."

Pegg fights out of Amelia, Ohio with Team G-Force MMA. Dillard has a total of six professional fights with three knockouts and two submissions with his most recent submission coming June 7 over Jeremy Pender at Absolute Action MMA. Pegg has been fighting professionally for the past six years. He holds a black belt in Taekwondo and is known for his striking and aggressive fighting style.

"I didn't hesitate when the RFA called me, because headlining this card and fighting for a title against Sergio Pettis is the chance of a lifetime," said Pegg. "I expect people to look over me, but they shouldn't. I'm going to give everything I have on June 21st. I don't care what your last name is, this is a fight, and you never know what can happen. If I beat Pettis, not only will my confidence be sky high, but it also shows that win on national TV. This is a huge opportunity for my career and I am excited, in shape. and ready to take on Sergio Pettis."

The co-main event of RFA 8 is also a title fight, as RFA featherweight champion Jared "Demon Eyes" Downing (10-1) attempts to defend his title for the first time against four-time All-American wrestler turned undefeated MMA fighter Lance "The Party" Palmer (6-0).

Downing is a standout fighter at Hard Drive MMA in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At RFA 1, he defeated TUF 14 alumni Eric Marriott. Three months later, he would fight and defeat highly touted Brazilian prospect Alessandro "Zoio" Ferreira at RFA 2. That win earned Downing a shot at the RFA featherweight title last November as the main event of RFA 5. He gave the unbeaten TUF 15 alum Jordan Rinaldi his first loss in a dominant five-round unanimous decision.

Downing is now ready to defend his title against one of the most talented featherweight prospects in the sport.

"I'm happy that I get to fight Lance, who comes from a great camp like Team Alpha Male. He is a really good wrestler, but he has to bring more to the table in this fight. This will be an exciting fight, but I'm bringing my belt back home to Iowa," said RFA featherweight champion Downing.

Downing's stifling wrestling base and relentless cage control will be put to the test against Palmer, who is one of the most decorated wrestlers in Ohio's state history. His time at wrestling powerhouse St. Edward High School, where he won four state titles, was the centerpiece of the award-winning documentary Pinned. Palmer was also voted one of the "Top 50 Athletes of the Decade" by JJHuddle.com, Ohio's leading source of high school sports. Palmer went on to become a four-time NCAA Division I All-American in wrestling at The Ohio State University.

The main card of RFA 8 - Pettis vs. Pegg will be televised live on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, June 21. Taking place live from inside The Rave / Eagles Club in Milwaukee, this venue was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. RFA 8 will be the promotion's first event in the "Badger State" and will kick off a summer of festivities in the "City of Festivals".

Segio Pettis vs Jeff Curran Headlines RFA 8

Sergio Pettis Meets Jeff Curran in RFA 8 Main Event

 

This year fight fans can celebrate the first day of summer the MMA way, as Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) announced today that two title fights will be on the line as RFA brings its action-packed, exciting live event to the state of Wisconsin. RFA 8: Pettis vs. Curran, featuring Milwaukee’s best Sergio Pettis and Chicago’s hope Jeff Curran, will take place Friday, June 21 inside the historic The Rave/Eagles Club Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The event will also be televised in homes across America live on AXS TV starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

“With two title fights at RFA 8, we are aggressively moving forward with our goal to build RFA as a developmental organization for fighters who want to be in the UFC,” said RFA President Ed Soares. “At RFA 8 we are introducing a new champion at flyweight with a title fight between rising star Sergio Pettis and UFC veteran Jeff Curran. Also, our featherweight champion Jared Downing will attempt his first title defense against decorated wrestler Lance Palmer. We are excited to bring RFA to Milwaukee and honored to work with AXS TV to present our fights on live national television across the U.S.” 

 The RFA 8 main event will feature Sergio "The Phenom" Pettis (7-0) and Jeff "Big Frog" Curran (33-15-1). The two will square off in a much-anticipated battle for the inaugural RFA flyweight title.

Pettis vs. Curran is a contrast of two fighters who represent entirely separate eras in MMA. Pettis is still a teenager and is widely considered the next big thing at 125-pounds, while Curran is a 50-fight veteran who made his MMA debut when Pettis was only four-years-old. Pettis is a flashy kickboxer, he is unbeaten in 7 pro fights, and has a penchant for delivering devastating knockouts. Curran is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and is the only man ever to fight for the six promotions now owned by Zuffa: UFC, PRIDE, WFA, IFL, WEC, and Strikeforce.

“It’s an honor to be fighting Jeff Curran, because I grew up watching him on TV and I know he’s fought the best in every top MMA organization out there, including former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra,” said Pettis. “It's awesome knowing that I’m fighting him for the first-ever RFA flyweight title in the main event of the RFA in my home town.” 

The tale of the tape shows these two fighters share identical measurements as they both stand 5’6”, weigh 125 lbs. and have a 69-inch reach. Living roughly 80-miles apart, they represent a traditional sports rivalry between the cities of Milwaukee and Chicago. The “I-94 Rivalry” will be in full-effect at RFA 8.

Over the course of Curran's storied career, he has fought the who's who of MMA in the world's biggest organizations, but the opportunity to fight Pettis for the RFA flyweight title really intrigues him.

“The chance to fight a young guy like Sergio is really exciting to me,” said Curran. “His pedigree, where he trains, the fact that Anthony Pettis is his big brother, and all of their success is really impressive. I know this will be a fun fight for everyone.” 

The co-main event of RFA 8 is also a title fight, as RFA featherweight champion Jared "Demon Eyes" Downing (10-1) attempts to defend his title for the first time against four-time All-American wrestler turned undefeated MMA fighter Lance "The Party" Palmer (5-0).

 Downing is a standout fighter at Hard Drive MMA in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At RFA 1, he defeated TUF 14 alumni Eric Marriott. Three months later, he would fight and defeat highly-touted Brazilian prospect Alessandro "Zoio" Ferreira at RFA 2. That win earned Downing a shot at the RFA featherweight title last November as the main event of RFA 5. He gave the unbeaten TUF 15 alum Jordan Rinaldi his first loss in a dominant five-round unanimous decision.

 Downing is now ready to defend his title against one of the most talented featherweight prospects in the sport.

"I'm happy that I get to fight Lance, who comes from a great camp like Team Alpha Male. He is a really good wrestler, but he has to bring more to the table in this fight. This will be an exciting fight, but I'm bringing my belt back home to Iowa," said RFA featherweight champion Downing. 

Downing's stifling wrestling base and relentless cage control will be put to the test against Palmer, who is one of the most decorated wrestlers in Ohio's state history. His time at wrestling powerhouse St. Edward High School, where he won four state titles, was the centerpiece of the award-winning documentary Pinned. Palmer was also voted one of the "Top 50 Athletes of the Decade" by JJHuddle.com, Ohio's leading source of high school sports. Palmer went on to become a four-time NCAA Division I All-American in wrestling at The Ohio State University.

Now Palmer is looking forward to adding the RFA featherweight title to his long list of athletic accolades.

“I don't know much about Jared Downing, but I have watched tape on him and know he likes to move forward and go hard,” said Palmer. “I'm definitely looking to bring it. It's going to be a fun fight, but ultimately I'm leaving with the win and the belt.” 

RFA 8 will also feature three famous siblings. Along with Sergio Pettis, who is the younger brother of UFC #1 featherweight contender Anthony Pettis, RFA 8 will also feature the promotional debut of Keoni Koch (5-0) and Chinzo Machida (1-2). Koch is the older brother of former UFC #1 featherweight contender Erik Koch, while Machida is the older brother of former UFC light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.

Koch and Machida will be dropping down to their natural weight classes for the first time in their respective careers.

Koch will fight Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Pedro Munhoz (7-0) at bantamweight, while the Karate master Machida will face Milwaukee native James Barber (2-0) at featherweight.

Also on the main card, hometown favorite and Roufusport standout Mike "Biggie" Rhodes (4-1) battles Wisconsin native and Minnesota Martial Arts Academy representative Benjamin Smith (6-1) at welterweight. Meanwhile, Smith's undefeated teammate Dan "The Hitman" Moret (4-0) will face local standout Jose Pacheco (7-3) in a featherweight bout.

The main card of RFA 8: Pettis vs. Curran will be televised live on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, June 21

RFA 7: Thatch vs Silva (Fightcard)

RFA 7: Thatch vs Silva 
Date:March 23, 2013 1.00 GMT
1stBank Center, Denver, Colorado, USA

 Resurrection Fighting Alliance returns for the 7th time on March 22nd, featuring a main event bout between Brazilian Leandro Sliva and Brandon Thatch. UFC fighter Anthony Njokuani's younger brother Chidi Njokuani also features on the main card taking on Jeremy Kimball, as does undefeated Segio Pettis - brother of UFC lightweight contender Anthony Pettis, who takes on Matt Manzanares.

Main Card
Mike Rhodes vs. Brandon Thatch
Jeremy Kimball vs. Chidi Njokuani
Matt Manzanares vs. Sergio Pettis
Mirsad Bektic vs. Nick Macias
Carl Postma vs. Leandro Veal

Amateur Card:
 Jose Keven Hernandez vs. Allen Washington
Shannon Culpepper vs. Gina Begley
Carlos Huerta vs. Jason Huntley
Jared Deaguero (3-0) vs. William Gravely
Toby Lopez vs. Josh Smith