Roundtable: Where Should Jake Shields Fight Next

Roundtable: Where Should Jake Shields Fight Next

With news breaking earlier this week that top 10 welterweight Jake Shields had been release from the UFC, Kingdom MMA writers Chris Houten, Chris Marzella, and Alex Dillon take a look at what the future may hold for Jake Shields.

Chris Houten - @Mrhouts
The UFC is the best organisation for mixed martial arts in the world, the same way the English premier league is arguably the best football league in the world, therefore both should be made up of the best of the best. In the case of the premier league, you would expect to see the best teams in the league, the same way you would expect to see the best fighters signed to the UFC. In the premier league the 3 worse teams go down, while boring to watch teams like Stoke City hang around because they did what they had to get the victories..... boring or not.  Why? Because football is a sport first and foremost, where the best compete against each other.

Jake Shields is the Stoke City of MMA, no one really wants to watch him, but if the UFC is truly a sport and the biggest league in its sports, then surely entertainment shouldn't come into it and we shouldn't even be having this conversation.

If Jake Shields is looking at his future beyond fighting then the offer from newly formed Titan FC his manager Lex McMahon mention on the MMA hour on Monday which includes equity might be the way Shields goes. He could may also consider ONE FC who by all accounts were willing to pay more than anyone else for similarly boring Ben Askren. From a competitive stand point though I'd like see Shields join WSOF where the best Welterweights outside the UFC reside. With the like of Palharus, Fitch, and Burkman as well as former champ Steve Carl, there is there is enough tough guys in World Series of Fighting to keep Jake Shields fighting at a competitive level and if he is still interested in competing for glory I expect WSOF to be his next home.

Chris Marzella - @ChrisMarzella
Once again we find ourselves talking about a guy firmly in the upper bracket of title contenders being cut. We've had Jon Fitch, Yushin Okami and now Jake Shields. The thing with Shields is his record. Look at the list of guys he has beaten recently. Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia, both guys who have been discussed as title challengers themselves. Shields was brutalised by Hector Lombard but I really don't think that lowers his stock much at all.

You need to look at what's best for Jake now. Does he want the biggest and best fights? Or does he want to make a quick buck? He's 35-years-old now and will probably have one big contract left in him at this point. I can't see him heading to Bellator because quite frankly their welterweight division isn't worth much at all. Without wanting to sound disrespectful, theor 170-pound division is so far below Shields level it's scary.

The more exciting prospect is seeing him head on over to the World Series of Fighting and into a budding 170-pound division with exciting, credible challenges for him. Palhares, Burkman, Fitch, Carl. The welterweights is one division WSOF can use as its flagship weightclass and would be a perfect fit for Shields.

Outside of those two there is always of a one off with Ben Askren over at One FC.but then again, where does he go after that fight.

I for one am hoping to see Jake Shields in an WSOF cage in the near future.

Alex Dillon - @_alexdillon_
If I could sum up Jake Shields’ UFC run in one word it would have to be ‘disappointing’. Before his UFC stint, he defeated elite level fighters such as Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit which certainly had me thinking this guy could actually beat GSP when the time came. Ever since that fight he’s been on and off squeaking through fights with a few split decisions so to speak. There could also be the argument that he ‘peaked’ a long time ago and just didn’t have it anymore once he arrived in the UFC.

Dana wasn’t wrong when he recently referred to him as just ‘another guy’ in my eyes he’s not someone who can sell a UFC PPV or even put bums on seats for a Fight Night card.

So where does he go from here? Well the obvious route in my opinion is WSOF, you’ve got Rousimar Palhares who’s the 170lb champion there as well as Jon Fitch who’s the #1 contender. Two really intriguing match ups for Shields, both are elite BJJ guys just like Shields. On a more interesting note, Shields never managed to face either in the UFC so WSOF have a selling point already. Shields will also undoubtedly get a good contract there as well as opportunities to fight for the Welterweight belt so I can’t see a better option for him going forward.

WSOF 9 Results: Palhares, Moraes, & Okami Win

WSOF 9 Results: Palhares, Moraes, & Okami Win

Lucas Noonan/WSOF

Brazilian submission master Rousimar Palhares (17-6) needed just 69 seconds to take the World Series of Fighting welterweight title away from former champ Steve Carl (21-4).

And it was his signature move - the heel hook - that led "Toquinho" to victory.

The championship fight headlined Saturday's "World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares" event at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and aired on NBCSN.

Making his World Series of Fighting debut, Palhares wasted little time in shooting the fight to the floor. From there, he rolled for Carl's leg, and the end was near. Looking first for a kneebar, Palhares then turned to his patented finishing hold, wrenching the inverted heel hook until Carl was forced to tap and hand over the belt.

In the night's co-feature, Marlon Moraes claimed (13-4-1) claimed World Series of Fighting's inaugural bantamweight title with a dominating decision win over a gutsy Josh Rettinghouse (10-3).

Rettinghouse looked to push the pace early, but Moraes' excellent defensive wrestling skills kept him on the feet, and his crisp muay Thai provided all the offense he would need. A sharp counter punch floored Rettinghouse in the first, but he crawled back to his feet and soldiered on. Moraes came forward with thunderous leg kicks that wobbled Rettinghouse early and often and left him nearly immobile for the final few rounds.

A game Rettinghouse pushed forward until the final bell, but in the end, Moraes was simply too much and cruised to a decision win, earning a championship belt in the process.

Fighting for the first time under the World Series of Fighting banner, Japanese middleweight Yushin Okami (30-8) proved he's still one of the world's best fighters, as he dominated Bulgarian opponent Svetlozar Savov (12-5).

Savov simply had no match for Okami's powerful wrestling attack and found himself on his back early and often. Pushing easily to mount in both the first and second rounds, Okami dominated the fight on the floor and eventually set up an arm-triangle choke and cranking the hold until he earned the tap with 14 seconds left in the frame.

Afterward, Okami admitted he had hoped to show off his striking skills but realized the importance of a win.

"My gameplan was to use my striking game, but once we got going, I saw that he had good distance, so I was forced to change my gameplan," Okami said.

In a key welterweight fight, Josh Burkman (27-10) picked up another highlight-reel win with a stunning knockout of Tyler Stinson (27-10).

While Stinson was the vaunted knockout artist, it was Burkman who landed a crushing lead right from a southpaw stance, sending his opponent crashing to the floor. Burkman made sure he had no time to recover, landing a huge follow-up right hand that ended the fight at the 2:15 mark of the first.

"The one thing I didn't want to do was stand in front of him," Burkman said after the win. "I knew he had enough respect for my hands, and if he hurt me, I was going to take it to wrestling."

In the night's first main-card matchup, lightweight Johnny Nunez (5-0) kept his career mark perfect with a hard-fought split-decision win over Ozzy Dugulubgov (5-2).

The aggressive Nunez set the tone early in each round, pushing forward with reckless abandon. Dugulubgov proved a tough foe, defending takedown attempts and answering back with submission attempts of his own.

Ultimately, while Dugulubgov had frequent moments in dominant positions, his inability to capitalize on the advantages cost him, and Nunez was awarded a split-decision win. Afterward, Nunez said he wasn't concerned with anyone claiming controversy in the call.

"I don't care what anybody says," Nunez said. "I'm not worrying about anyone but myself and my team." 

In the night's featured preliminary contest, Mike Corey (13-3-1) looked downright dominant in a second-round submission win over Shane Kruchten (11-3).

The shorter Corey dealt well with Kruchten's reach, leaping in with powerful punches and dropping him in the opening round. In the second, Corey took Kruchten to the floor, peppered him with punches and moved quickly to his back. While Kruchten tried to defend, Corey muscled in a rear-naked choke attempt and squeezed until he earned the tap at the 2:59 mark of the round.

Bryson Hansen (7-1) made an immediate impact in World Series of Fighting's bantamweight division, needing just 46 seconds in his promotional debut to score a TKO win over Sean Cantor (1-1).

Hansen looked for a takedown early in the fight, and while Cantor defended well, he also exposed his chin in the process. Hansen seized the opportunity, unleashing a barrage of left hands that stunned Cantor and forced a quick TKO stoppage.

Featherweight prospect Chris Gruetzemacher (12-1) made his long-awaited World Series of Fighting debut in impressive fashion, thoroughly dominating longtime veteran John Gunderson (34-16-2). Using a grinding wrestling attack, Gruetzemacher had Gunderson on the defense from start to finish, and "Gritz" was awarded a clear-cut decision win.

While his brother, Bryson, would later duplicate the feat, Brenson Hansen (6-2) picked up a victory, downing Boostayre Nefarios (2-2) via decision. Nefarios appeared to hold in the edge in speed and quickness, but Hansen moved constantly forward, firing heavy punches and outworking his opponent en route to the victory.

In an early welterweight matchup, Danny Davis (9-8-1) turned in one of the more impressive efforts of his career, outworking Phil Dace (9-5) over the course of three rounds and scoring a unanimous-decision win.

The night's first fight saw lightweight JimmySpicuzza (3-0) keep his perfect career mark intact with an impressive, first-round submission win over Gil Guardado (2-1).

Yushin Okami Meet Svetlozar Savov in WSOF Debut

Yushin Okami Meet Svetlozar Savov in WSOF Debut

 

Perennially top-ranked middleweight Yushin "Thunder" Okami (29-8) makes his World Series of Fighting debut on March 29, as he battles Svetlozar Savov (12-4) on the NBCSN-broadcast main card of "World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares."

Additionally, a featherweight matchup between Brenson Hansen (5-2) and Boostayre "Bullit" Nefarios (2-1) has also been added to the night's WSOF.com-streamed preliminary card.

"I was already excited for World Series of Fighting 9, but the addition of Yushin Okami against Svetlozar Savov to our live NBCSN broadcast leaves no question that this is the best card we've ever put together," World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said. "This card now has some of the world's most established talent, as well as some of the top up-and-coming names in the sport. This truly is a card you do not want to miss."

"World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares," which features a welterweight title fight between champ Steve Carl and challenger Rousimar Palhares, as well as Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse for the inaugural World Series of Fighting bantamweight title, takes place March 29 at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Tickets for World Series of Fighting 9, which start at just $39, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets can also be purchased at The Joint box office or by phone at (800) 745-3000. The night's featured fights air live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time) following preliminary bouts that stream on World Series of Fighting's official website, WSOF.com.

The 32-year-old Okami, of Kanagawa, Japan, is a judo black belt who owns career victories over MMA notables Alan Belcher, Hector Lombard, Nate Marquardt, Mark Munoz, Anderson Silva and Mike Swick, among others. He now meets 25-year-old Bulgarian prospect Savov, who boasts 11 stoppage wins among his 12 career victories.

Hansen has already fought three times under the World Series of Fighting banner, earning wins over Josh Montalvo and Tom Marcellino before suffering a hard-fought split-decision loss to Freddy Assuncao at January's World Series of Fighting 8 event. Meanwhile, Nefarios makes his World Series of Fighting debut. The son of longtime MMA veteran Marvin Eastman, Nefarios is a well-known name on the Las Vegas fight scene after fighting several times in Sin City as an amateur before making the transition to the pro ranks.

With the two additions, the World Series of Fighting 9 lineup now includes:

NBCSN-TELEVISED MAIN CARD

Champion Steve Carl vs. Rousimar Palhares - for welterweight title
Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse - for inaugural bantamweight title
Yushin Okami vs. Svetlozar Savov
Josh Burkman vs. Tyler Stinson
Ozzy Dugulubgov vs. Johnny Nunez

WSOF.COM-STREAMED PRELIMINARY CARD
Mike Corey vs. Shane Kruchten
Chris Gruetzemacher vs. John Gunderson
Sean Cantor vs. Bryson Hansen
Phil Dace vs. Danny Davis
Brenson Hansen vs. Boostayre Nefarios
Jimmy Jones vs. Rudy Morales
Gil Guardado vs. Jimmy Spicuzza

Should The UFC Give Rumble Johnson Another Chance?

Should The UFC Give Rumble Johnson Another Chance?
by Sam Heard - @samheard_ 

World Series of Fighting

Anthony ‘Rumble’ Johnson (16-4) made short work of Mike Kyle last Saturday at WSOF 8, dispatching the veteran by 1st round KO to create a rumble in the MMA community. The cause of this commotion? The fact that the in-form Blackzillian is now a free-agent, eligible to potentially be resigned by the UFC.

Anthony Johnson is a fighter whose career – filled with devastating highlight-reel knockouts – has been overshadowed by his inability to find a division he is effective in whilst still being able to make weight. Johnson’s skill already earned him a spot in MMA’s top-tier promotion; primarily fighting at Welterweight before moving up to Middleweight (where he was still incapable of meeting the 185-lbs weight requirement). His decent 7-4 UFC record would normally be more than enough to warrant keeping him signed, but Johnson’s inability to consistently make weight meant he was cut after suffering an understandable loss to Vitor Belfort. He then attempted to fight David Branch at Middleweight for Titan Fighting Championship and once again failed to make weight.

Johnson’s quest to find his best fighting weight – which has seen the 6’2 brute go from Welterweight to Heavyweight – may finally be at an end. Since settling at Light Heavyweight, Johnson has stringed together an impressive six wins – four of them coming via impressive knockouts. It is this brilliant form combined with his not having missed weight since the David Branch fight which means he is now a very viable option for the UFC.

So, should the UFC give Rumble another chance?

In my opinion, yes. Though he certainly messed the UFC around before, he is now settled as a Light Heavyweight; two weight classes above the Welterweight division he struggled to meet the requirements of back during his first UFC run. Moreover, the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division is in desperate need of a rejuvenated talented pool. Unlike any of the other UFC divisions, the average age of Light Heavyweight fighters is well on the wrong side of 30 (no thanks to Hendo). Introducing younger fighters is essential for the long term health of the division. It is very difficult to make a case that Dana and the gang shouldn’t sign Johnson.

If the UFC do choose to give Johnson a second run, who would be a good candidate to welcome him back? Phil Davis has recently been tweeting about wanting a fight, though I cannot see the UFC giving Johnson such a high level opponent to begin with. I personally would’ve loved to have seen him fight Jimi Manuwa in what would essentially be a feast of high-level kickboxing, though clearly Manuwa literally has bigger fish to fry with his fight against the towering Alexander Gustafsson.

Rumble Johnson’s future may be unclear at the moment but there can be no denying that his recent performances – both in preparation for a fight and in the cage itself – will certainly have strengthened his case for getting back into the UFC.

Tyrone Spong and Rampage Jackson Have War of Word on Twitter

Tyrone Spong and Rampage Jackson Have War of Word on Twitter
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Former UFC Champion, and current Bellator Light-heavyweight Rampage Jackson took to twitter today to tell Glory World Series Kickboxing Heavyweight Tournament Champion and World Series for Fighting Light-heavyweight to 'Come over or shut the fuck up!.

The war of words kicked off when Rampage responded to tweet Spong, who yesterday signed a new contract with World Series of Fighting sent out the following saying he was willing to fight Jackson as part of the fantasy Bellator vs World Series of Fight card that WSOF match maker Ali Abdel-Aziz proposed earlier in the week:

Yo @Rampage4real I just resigned with @MMAWorldSeries so have your BOSS make this fight happen! @MMAWorldSeries VS @BellatorMMA
— TyroneSpong (@Tyrone_spong) January 18, 2014

Lets just say Rampage didn't take kindly to the tweet and the following back and forth took place:

@Tyrone_spong bro I hear u getting loud over there,u keep calling me out and u r not even n Bellator. Come over or shut the fuck up!
— Quinton Jackson (@Rampage4real) January 18, 2014

@Rampage4real No need to talk tough cuz we both know you not really about it! Your boss no's how to sort it out so it can happen!
— TyroneSpong (@Tyrone_spong) January 18, 2014

@Tyrone_spong never said YOU dissed me! But I'll b happy 2 fuck u up if u ever come 2 Bellator,but until then stfu! #newbie
— Quinton Jackson (@Rampage4real) January 18, 2014

@Rampage4real there you go talkin stupid, ain't comin to bellator it about a challenge @MMAWorldSeries threw at @BellatorMMA talk is cheap
— TyroneSpong (@Tyrone_spong) January 18, 2014

Newbie?? I probably got triple your fights even if it's not in mma, anyways ask your BOSS polite to sign and make it happen @Rampage4real
— TyroneSpong (@Tyrone_spong) January 18, 2014

This could be a war of word that could last a while with a fight between Jackson and Spong unlikely to take place while both men are signed to Bellator and World Series of Fighting respectively. One thing for sure though, Spong is right, this is a fight the fans do want to see.

WSOF Challenges Bellator in WSOF vs Bellator PPV

WSOF Challenges Bellator in WSOF vs Bellator PPV
by Chris houten - @mrhouts 

World Series of Fighting are not playing around in 2014, throwing down the gantlet to Bellator in a fight for the number 2 spot. 

WSOF Executive Vice President and Matchmaker Ali Abdel-Aziz appeared on the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani this afternoon, and challenge Bellator to a 'winner takes all' PPV event which would see WSOFs best take on Bellators best.

"Listen, a lot of people said Bellator number two and a lot of the media said Bellator is number two, but I believe it's all about winning. If we line up nine of our guys and nine of their guys, I believe we'll win" Abdel-Aziz said. 

Appearing on the show to promote WSOF's 8th event, January 18th Justin Gaethje vs Lewis Gonzalez, Abdel-Aziz turned his attention to a MMA fans dream, a cross-promoted pay-per-view:

"A lot of people wanted to see UFC vs. PRIDE. It never happened. Strikeforce vs. UFC. It never happened. But why not get the fans excited and give them something they want" said Abdel-Azziz.

"It's great for everybody if we want to grow the sport," he continued. "If we can put on a megashow like that and entertain the fan, why not? Live on pay-per-view, winner take all."

At present neither promotion has held a PPV event with Bellator coming close last year before scrapping Tito Ortiz vs Rampage Jackson due to an injury to Ortiz. There would likely be hurdles to clear between both promotions TV networks - NBC Sports Network (WSOF) & Spike TV (Bellator) if such a cross-promoted event were to take place.

The 10-fight proposed lineup would consist of:

Tyrone Spong vs. Quinton Jackson
Anthony Johnson vs. Attila Vegh
Andrei Arlovski vs. Vitaly Minakov
Marlon Moraes vs. Eduardo Dantas
Yushin Okami vs. Alexander Shlemenko
Rousimar Palhares vs. Douglas Lima
Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler / Eddie Alverez
Georgi Karakhanyan vs. Daniel Straus
Jon Fitch vs. Rick Hawn
David Branch vs. Brett Cooper

Stay tuned to kingdomMMA.co.uk for all the latest on Bellator and WSOF

30 Bold Predictions for 2014

30 Bold Predictions for 2014
by Chris Houten @mrhouts

What we know so far about MMA in 2014: The UFC will stage the most shows they have ever in a calendar year, some notable UFC champions will be out injured in 2014, and Cage Warriors will continue their global expansion.... and thats about it.

We are in for a rough and ready ride in 2014, with some twist and turns along they way. Call them brave, call them bold, or call them just plain stupid, but here is my bold predictions for 2014 in no particular order.

1. The UFC will finally sign Mamed Kalidov in 2014, he will likely headline the promotions visit to Poland 
2. 2 UFC champions will lose their belts in 2014 - Chris Weidman and Anthony Pettis 
3. Nick Diaz will return to MMA in 2014
4. One of the Diaz brothers will fight for a UFC title in 2014 
5. Conor McGregor remains undefeated in the UFC in 2014, books a number 1 contender fight before the end of the year 
6. Mark Hunt and Roy Nelson fight each other putting on a fight of the year candidate 
7. At least 3 of the current Cage Warriors champions fight in the UFC in 2014 
8. Cathal Pendred wins TUF 19 
9. Rosi Sexton will sign with Invicta
10. Brad Pickett fights for the flyweight title in 2014 
11. Joanne Calderwood will KO ever opponent she faces in the TUF 20 house until she face Carla Esparza who out wrestlers her on route to winning the strawweight title 
12. Cain Velasquez doesn't fight in 2014 due to injury 
13. Paul Daley signs for Glory World Series before the end if the year taking a hiatus from MMA 
14. Chael Sonnen retires 
15. As do Dan Henderson and Frank Mir who both lose their next fights 
16. Holly Holm signs for the UFC; loses number 1 contender bout to Alexis Davis by submission 
17. Arnold Allen wins The CW featherweight title vacated by Jim Alers who joins the UFC 
18. Jose Aldo moves to lightweight before the year is out 
19. Jim Wallhead wins the Bamma Welterweight title 
20. Pat Barry returns to kickboxing after dropping to Light-heavyweight; Pat is knocked out in the first round of his 205 debut 
21. A minimum of 5 British fighters will be cut for the UFC in 2014 
22. James Brum will sign for the UFC in 2014 
23. The UFCs planned trip to Istanbul will not take place
24. Nick Newell wins the WSOF lightweight title in 2014
25. Norman Parke remains undefeated in the UFC in 2014, moves into the Top 10 in the Lightweight rankings
26. Johny Hendrick with beat Robbie Lawler to become the UFCs new Welterweight champion; he loses the title to Carlos Condit before the end of the year
27. Rampage Jackson will fight for the Bellator Light-Heavyweight title in 2014
28. Michael Bisping finally gets a shot the Middleweight title
29. Invicta gets TV deal in 2014
30. Lyoto Machida becomes only the 3rd man to become a 2 weight champion in the UFC

Agree? Let me know in the comments section below what you like, don't like, or what you think is just plain crazy!

WSOF Partners with Pancrase, Announces WSOF Japan

WSOF Partners with Pancrase, Announces WSOF Japan

The World Series of Fighting continues to expand its global footprint with the launch of World Series of Fighting Japan (WSOF Japan).

World Series of Fighting launches its new Japanese division in a partnership with the long-running and highly respected Pancrase organization, a Tokyo-based group that has promoted mixed martial arts events since 1993 and is widely considered one of the most historically important organizations in the sport.

"Japan has long been a home of top-level martial arts competitions of all types, and I personally have enjoyed some of the best moments of my fighting career there," World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said. "I'm excited to announce this new division with the launch of World Series of Fighting Japan.

"I look forward to working with Pancrase CEO Masakazu Sakai and his team, and together we will produce amazing events for the Japanese fight fans, as well as big opportunities for both Asia-based fighters and MMA fighters around the globe."

The first World Series of Fighting Japan event is expected to take place in early 2014. The relationship will allow fighters from both sides of the Pacific Ocean to be featured in fight cards in both the U.S. and Japan, including recent World Series of Fighting addition Yushin "Thunder" Okami (29-8), one of the world's top-ranked middleweights.

The launch of World Series of Fighting Japan marks the second international branch of the WSOF brand to be announced in the past month alone, as World Series of Fighting Canada is set for a Dec. 7 debut. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.

Video: WSOF - 4 Tyrone Spong vs Angel DeAnda (Full Fight)

Video: WSOF 4 Tyrone Spong vs Angel DeAnda (Full Fight)

World Series of Fighting 4 went down last night from The Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California and was headlined by decorated kickboxer 'King of the Ring' Tyrone Spong taking on MMA brawler Angel DeAnda who entered the fight with an 11-2 record and 10 wins in his previous 11 fights.

This one goes longer than you'd think

Anthony Johnson Meets Mike Kyle at WSOF 5

Anthony Johnson Meets Mike Kyle at WSOF 5

A light heavyweight slugfest between knockout artist Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (15-4) and slugger Mike “MAK” Kyle (20-9-1) headlines World Series of Fighting’s return to Revel Casino Hotel’s Ovation Hall in on New Jersey’s Revel Atlantic City on Sept. 14.

The contest serves as the main event of “World Series of Fighting 5: Johnson vs. Kyle,” which airs live on NBC Sports Network in The US and marks the promotion’s second visit to the world-class venue.

With 23 knockout victories between them, both Johnson and Kyle are fierce strikers capable of downing any foe with a single blow.

Johnson, made his World Series of Fighting debut at the promotion’s very first event and delivered a “Knockout of the Year” candidate finish of the durable D.J. Linderman. The 29-year-old Blackzilians product returned to action in March and scored a convincing decision win over former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder Andrei Arlovski.

Johnson now returns to the light-heavyweight division on the strength of a five-fight win streak and quickly is establishing himself as one of WorldSeries of Fighting’s most dynamic athletes.

Meanwhile, Kyle is a 12-year veteran of the sport who hails from one of MMA’s most-respected fight camps, American Kickboxing Academy. A resident of San Jose, Calif., Kyle is no stranger to the spotlight and has stepped in the cage against a who’s who list of MMA’s top fighters in two weight classes, including Paul Buentello, Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante, James Irvin, Gegard Mousasi, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva Krzysztof Soszynski and Fabricio Werdum, among others Kyle fought most recently in May, when he needed just 21 seconds to score a knockout win over 86-fight veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff.

World Series of Fighting 5 features a five-fight main card in addition to a full lineup of preliminary contests. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming weeks.

The live, two-and-a-half-hour NBC Sports Network telecast of the World Series of Fighting 5 main card begins at 9 p.m. ET. The night’s preliminary bouts stream live on World Series of Fighting’s official website, WSOF.com, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

5 Fights Added to World Series of Fighting 4

5 Fights Added to World Series of Fighting 4

Slated for the live, fight-five NBC Sports Network telecast of the World Series of Fighting event is a light heavyweight (205 pounds) showdown between world kickboxing champion turned unbeaten MMA upstart Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (1-0) of Boca Raton, Fla. via Suriname and fellow hard-hitting KO artist Angel “The Dream” DeAnda (11-2).

The 27-year-old Spong is a veteran of 77 professional kickboxing bouts while DeAnda has scored (T)KOs in 10 of his 11 career MMA victories, including his last four starts

Red-hot Marlon Moraes (10-4) of Jupiter, Fla. will battle fellow streaking bantamweight (135 pounds) Brandon “Hot Rod” Hempleman (9-1) of Boise, Idaho. The 25-year-old Moraes is coming off his fourth consecutive victory – a stunning first round (2:55) KO of rival star Tyson Nam by way of head kick at the World Series of Fighting event on March 23 – while Hempleman is a winner of six consecutive fights.

In other main card action, World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion Ray Sefo (2-1) of Las Vegas will shed his business attire and put on his fighting trunks and combat gloves to face heavy-handed KO artist Dave Huckaba (20-5) of Sacramento, Calif.
Sefo, also a two-time Hall of Famer, has faced and defeated nearly every major rival of his era in the kickboxing ring, while Huckaba, a dangerous and seasoned power puncher, has earned 16 of his 20 career victories by way of (T)KO.

“This will be, without a doubt, our finest event to date in terms of the talent lined up from top to bottom,” said Sefo. “As a promoter, I am extremely proud of this fight card that our company has assembled for our fourth live event and, as a fighter who still has the burning desire to compete, I am naturally excited to have the opportunity to step in the cage and show what I can do in there against a seasoned opponent.”

In other main card action, Tyson Griffin (16-6) of Santa Rosa, Calif. will face off with fellow lightweight (155 pounds) star J.Z. Cavalcante (17-7-1) of Deerfield Beach, Fla. via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Newly signed, undefeated phenomenon “Notorious” Nick Newell (9-0) of Springfield, Mass. will square off with Keon “The Black Assassin” Caldwell (9-1) of Moultrie, Ga. in another lightweight scrap. Newell has earned eight of his nine career wins by (T)KO or submission while, similarly, Caldwell has notched eight of his nine career victories by way of (T)KO.

In preliminary card action, welterweight (170 pounds) stars Jorge Santiago (25-11) of Boca Raton, Fla. via Rio de Janeiro and Gerald “Hurricane” Harris (21-5) of Tulsa, Okla. will collide.
Additional preliminary card bouts will be announced soon.

Unbeaten Nick Newell Signs with World Series of Fighting

Unbeaten Nick Newell Signs with World Series of Fighting

Unbeaten inspiration “Notorious” Nick Newell (9-0) of Springfield, Mass. has signed a multi-fight contract to compete for premier MMA promotion World Series of Fighting, it was announced today.

Newell is expected to make his debut for World Series of Fighting, live on NBC Sports Network,  on a summer date to be announced soon.

Born with only one arm, the 27-year-old, 5-foot-10 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and skilled Muay Thai-based striker has defied all odds throughout his life, winning over 300 career high school and collegiate wrestling matches before transitioning to MMA.

As a lightweight competitor, Newell has finished eight of his nine career professional MMA opponents – six by submission and one by KO.  All but one of his victories came inside of the first round of action.

“Nick Newell is an incredible individual who exemplifies the sheer strength of the human spirit and the kind of courage and determination that martial arts embodies, so we are naturally thrilled to welcome him to the World Series of Fighting roster, and look forward to having him compete and, hopefully inspire, our national audience on NBC Sports Network,” said World Series of Fighting President, six-time world kickboxing champion and two-time Hall of Famer Ray Sefo.

Newell, a two-time wrestling team captain for Western New England University, also holds the Connecticut state record for most wins (53) in a season of high school wrestling.

On June 20, 2009, Newell made his professional MMA debut, scoring a monstrous first round TKO on Daniel Ford with a barrage of punches in Plymouth, Mass.  In his last start on Dec. 7, Newell made quick work of Eric Reynolds, submitting Reynolds with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their matchup in Nashville, Tenn.

Newell was honored with the 2011 Boston Herald Submission of the Year award after he forced Denis Hernandez to tap out from a splendid heel hook in the first round (1:11) of their bout in Tampa, Fla.

WSOF Press Release: Gracie, Huckaba, Gauthje, Cobb, Lauzon Added to WSOF 3

WSOF Press Release: Gracie, Huckaba, Gauthje, Cobb, Lauzon Added to WSOF 3  

World Series of Fighting will hit The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas with a stacked world-class MMA card, headlined by a welterweight rematch between superstars Jon Fitch (24-5) of and Josh “The People’s Warrior” Burkman (25-9) on Friday, June 14, live on NBC Sports Network, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

In the light heavyweight (205 pounds) co-main event, hard-hitting, 27-year-old Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (1-0), a decorated champion and veteran of 77 professional kickboxing bouts, will make his much-anticipated, second start under MMA rules against fellow KO artist Angel “The Dream” DeAnda (11-2), DeAnda has scored TKOs in 10 of his 11 career victories, including his last four starts.

 “We are coming off a spectacular event showcasing some of the world’s greatest mixed martial arts athletes and up-and-coming talent of the sport and are looking forward to returning to Las Vegas with another outstanding night of world-class competition in the World Series of Fighting cage on NBC Sports Network,” said World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion and two-time Hall of Famer, Ray Sefo. 

The second meeting between the 35-year-old Fitch, a member of San Jose, Calif.-based Team AKA, and the 32-year-old Burkman, a winner of four consecutive fights, comes slightly more than seven years after Fitch submitted Burkman with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their initial encounter that, coincidentally, also took place at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Fitch has since gone on to become one of the top-ranked 170 pound fighters in the world, defeating the likes of Thiago Silva, twice as well as Diego Sanchez, Mike Pierce, Ben Saunders and Erick Silva and fighting all-time great B.J. Penn to a draw. Burkman is coming off his second consecutive win under the World Series of Fighting banner, a highlight reel, first round (3:04) TKO (knee and punches) of Aaron Simpson in Atlantic City, N.J., on March 23. At the inaugural World Series of Fighting event last Nov. 3, Burkman earned a unanimous decision over Gerald Harris.

Also slated for battle on the four-bout TV card is heavyweight rising star and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rolles Gracie (8-1), who will face off with Dave Huckaba (21-4).

Undefeated prospect Justin Gaethje (8-0), fresh off a first round TKO (doctor stoppage due to cut) of J.Z. Cavalcante at the World Series of Fighting event on March 23, will collide with Brian Cobb (20-7), in a lightweight (155 pounds) contest. In his last effort at the first World Series of Fighting event, Cobb took a split decision over Ronys Torres.

In preliminary card action, battle-tested submission specialist John Gunderson (34-14) will be pitted against Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon (16-4) in a lightweight scrap. All 16 of Lauzon’s professional career victories have come by way of TKO or submission.

Fellow undefeated prospects Krasimir Mladenov (8-0) and Kendrick Miree (5-0), will square off at middleweight (185 pounds)

Tyrone Spong vs. Angel DeAnda Slated for WSOF 3 Co-Main Event

Tyrone Spong & Angel DeAnda Meet at WSOF 3

Tyrone 'King of the Ring' Spong's returns to the cage in June highly marking his anticipated second MMA bout where he will take on Angel DeAnda.

Spong (1-0), who was victorious in his MMA debut in November, will meet Angel DeAnda (11-2) on June 14 in Las Vegas, WSOF president Ray Sefo announced the fight late Monday night via his Twitter

The bout will serve as the card's co-main event. Jon Fitch vs. Josh Burkman will be the WSOF 3 main event.

Considered one of the best pound-for-pound kickboxers in the world, 27-year-old Spong, who trains with the Blackzilians, improved his kickboxing record to 69-6-1 last month when he defeated kickboxing legend Remy Bonjasky at Glory 5 in London.

In his MMA debut At WSOF 1 Spong knocked out Travis Bartlett in devastating fashion, and has since drawn great interest from the MMA community, who have been pining to see the King of the Ring in more MMA bouts.

His opponent DeAnda enters the bout on a four fight win streak, most recently stoping veteran Anthony Ruiz in November, under the Tachi Palace Fights

A Las Vegas venue for WSOF 3, which will air live on NBC Sports Network, has yet to be announced.

UFC Vet Jacob Volkamnn Signs for World Series of Fighting

Recently cut UFC lightweight vet Jacob Volkmann (15-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) is a free agent no longer having signed a multi-fight deal with powerful upstart World Series of Fighting just one week after being cut from the UFC after going 1-2 in his last 3 fights, with both losses coming by way of submission to UK starlet Paul Sass, and recently signed Bobby Green respectively.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, however it is believe Volkmann will make his World Series of fighting debut at WSOF 3 in April.

Volkmann, a three-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler at the University of Minnesota, made his pro debut in 2007 going on to sign with the UFC 2 years later after an impressive 9-0 start to his career.

After back-to-back losses to welterweights Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann in his first two outings for the UFC, Volkmann made the successful drop to the UFCs lightweight division where he went on a 5 fight winning streak including wins over Paul Kelly, Efrain Escudero, & Danny Castillo, all by decision which drew criticism from from the fans due the Volkamnn's wrestling-oriented style and smothering top game drew.

For more information of World Series of Fightings upcoming cards, stay tuned to the Calendar section of our site.

World Series of Fighting 2 (Fightcard)

World Series of Fighting 2
Date: March 23, 2013 23.30 GMT
Revel Resort & Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

World Series of Fighting is back and is armed with a permanent TV deal with NBC Sports network.Fights include Andrei Arlovski vs Anthony Johnson, Marlon Moraes vs Tyson Nam, and Josh Burkman vs Aaron Simpson amongst others

Main Card
Andrei Arlovski vs. Anthony Johnson
Marlon Moraes vs. Tyson Nam
Josh Burkman vs. Aaron Simpson
Dave Branch vs. Paulo Filho
Gesias Cavalcante vs. Justin Gaethje

Preliminary Card 
Danillo Villefort vs Kris McCray
Rick Glenn vs. Alexandre Pimentel
Cameron Dollar vs. Waylon Lowe
Igor Gracie vs. Richard Patishnock
Ozzy Dugulubgov vs. Chris Wade

Frank Buenafuente vs. Bill Algeo