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.