WEC 53 recap: Pettis lands flying ninja kick and wins belt in classic, Cruz dominates, Horodecki gets submitted

By Mike Johnston

The World Extreme Cagefighting ship has finally sailed as WEC 53 is over and there will never be another WEC event again. The promotion’s farewell saw Dominick Cruz retain his bantamweight title, Canadian Chris Horodecki take on Donald Cerrone, and Anthony Pettis become the final WEC Lightweight Champion in the organization’s history. It also saw one of the best moves to ever land in a mixed martial arts bout

London Ontario’s Chris Horodecki became the last ever Canadian to compete in the WEC, but fell short against perennial contender Donald Cerrone. Horodecki was submitted in the second round with a triangle choke. Cerrone had the choke locked in for a long time but Horodecki defended it well until Cerrone tightened it and forced the tap. With the loss, it is unclear whether or not Horodecki will get a shot at the UFC, but if he does it will likely come at UFC 129 in Toronto.

In the main event, Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis went to war for five rounds in a fight that saw perhaps the greatest move ever land in a mixed martial arts bout. Pettis won a unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46), but that was overshadowed by a highlight-real kick he landed in the final minute of the final round of the final WEC fight. Pettis ran up the side of the cage wall and landed a flying roundhouse kick that dropped Henderson. Although he didn’t finish Henderson, it sealed the victory for Pettis who also earned a UFC title shot against the winner of UFC 125’s Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard.

The co-main event saw Dominick Cruz dominate top contender Scott Jorgensen to defend his WEC Bantamweight Championship and become the first ever UFC Bantamweight Champion. In all five rounds Cruz used his incomparable footwork, precision punching, excellent leg kicks, and knee-tap takedowns to control the action for 25 minutes. The win cemented Cruz as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts today.

Also on the main card, Kamal Shalorus defeated Bart Palaszewski by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28) in a lightweight bout. Shalorus used his wrestling and powerful strikes to overcome Palaszewski’s more precise striking. Shalorus was also able to mix in takedowns to secure the victory. The win improves Shalorus’ record to 7-0-2. He should be a handful for any UFC lightweight.

The event was seen live in Canada on The Score. MAIN CARD




Anthony Pettis def. champ Benson Henderson via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) - claims WEC featherweight title

Champ Dominick Cruz def. Scott Jorgensen via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) - defends WEC title and becomes first-ever UFC bantamweight champ

Donald Cerrone def. Chris Horodecki via submission (triangle choke) - Round 2, 2:43

Kamal Shalorus def. Bart Palaszewski via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

PRELIMINARY CARD



Danny Downes def. Tiequan Zhang via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)

Shane Roller def. Jamie Varner via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:55

Brad Pickett def. Ivan Menjivar via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Eddie Wineland def. Ken Stone via knockout (slam) - Round 1, 2:11

Danny Castillo def. Will Kerr via knockout (punches) - Round 1, 1:25

Yuri Alcantara def. Ricardo Lamas via knockout (punches) - Round 1, 3:26

Renan Barao def. Chris Cariaso via submission via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:47
 
. For more MMA news and notes follow @MikeyJ_MMA on Twitter.

EVERLAST WORLDWIDE SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DIRECT-TO-RETAIL LICENSE WITH SEARS HOLDINGS TO BE DISTRIBUTED AT SEARS AND KMART IN FALL 2011

100-YEAR-OLD FIGHT SPORTS & FITNESS BRAND SIGNS EXCLUSIVE APPAREL, FOOTWEAR AND ACCESSORY LICENSE

New York, N.Y. – December 16, 2010 – EVERLAST WORLDWIDE INC. (EVERLAST), the global fight sports and fitness brand, today announced the signing of a long-term direct-to-retail licensing deal with Sears Holdings, the nation’s fourth largest broadline retailer.

EVERLAST has given Sears Holdings the U.S. license for the EVERLAST brand in their 850 Sears doors and the EVERLAST SPORT brand in 1,325 Kmart doors as well as launching on sears.com and kmart.com. The long-term agreement gives Sears and Kmart the rights to the EVERLAST brand for apparel, footwear and accessories for men, women and kids. Sears and Kmart plan to launch the brand nationwide beginning in the spring of 2011.

“As we continue to celebrate our 100-year anniversary, we could not be any more proud to announce this landmark agreement for the EVERLAST brand with Sears and Kmart. The brand will have unprecedented retail distribution and marketing in the apparel, footwear and accessories categories,” said Neil Morton, CEO of Everlast. “We believe the authenticity and individuality of this global brand will resonate with loyal Sears and Kmart customers who demand quality products and iconic brands.”

The EVERLAST and EVERLAST SPORT brand launches, in Sears and Kmart respectively, will be supported by national advertising, public relations, social media, and sports marketing campaigns starting in 2011.

“We are pleased to be working with a global, iconic fitness brand like EVERLAST,” said John Goodman, EVP for Apparel and Home at Sears Holdings. “With this agreement, we will add an authentic fitness brand to our Sears and Kmart stores, offering quality apparel and footwear to our customers from a brand they know and trust. We are committed to providing our customers the best brands at a great value, and our agreement with EVERLAST allows us to bring them one of the premier authentic athletic brands on the market today.”

EVERLAST wholesale and licensed boxing, MMA and fitness equipment will continue to be sold through sporting goods and sports specialty retailers across the country and will remain dedicated to being a market leader in the fight sports retail space.

MMA Gloves or Police Badge?? Sean Pierson may be one and done with the UFC.

"Life is full of tough decisions"

According to a report from The Star, Sean Pierson must choose between his Toronto Policing Career and his fighting career.

Sean Pierson has two budding careers ahead of him, but he gets to choose only one. Winning his debut in 1999, he has been "Hooked" ever since but he has been wanting to be a police officer since he was a young boy.  But the force says Pierson, 34, must choose between becoming a cop and becoming a famous fighter.

“I’ve been told I have to pick a dream,” he said. “I’m being asked do I want to fight or do I want to be a police officer?”

“It took my words away,” he said of receiving a standing ovation from the crowd of 23,000 at the Bell Centre.

“I just got in my first UFC fight and I’m tearing up in the back. I can’t believe what just happened,” he said.

When Pierson returned to Toronto, where he was supposed to pull his first shift as a police officer, he had to hand in his uniform and wait while the force investigates his situation.

“I can appreciate the position they’re in with what I do,” said Pierson. “I don’t look at mixed martial arts as a negative, but I think the mainstream still looks at us as a bit of a black eye.”

Pierson fought on the Canadian circuit for years, but this weekend at UFC 124 was his first chance at the “big leagues.” He is now hoping to get called to UFC 131 in Toronto this spring.

“Some people have a goal that they want to go to the world championships and stuff. That’s not my goal,” said Pierson. “I just want people to be proud of me.”

He said he doesn’t know which dream he’ll choose

WEC 53 Preview & Predictions: Chris Horodecki looking to make a statement

By Mike Johnston

MMA fans can wish a fond farewell to the WEC as it has produced some of the best fighters, knockouts, submissions and fights in MMA history. After this event, the UFC will envelop the WEC and most of its fighters. WEC 53 goes out on a high note, featuring two title fights and one young Canadian, Chris Horodecki, who looks to earn a win in the biggest fight thus far in his career. WEC 53 can be seen live in Canada on The Score starting at 9 p.m. EST. For more MMA news and notes followhttp://twitter.com/#%21/MikeyJ_MMA Here is a complete preview with predicitions of WEC 53:

• Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis (for lightweight title)

Henderson is entering this bout with supreme confidence even saying he believes he is the best lightweight in the world. His hands will be full against the dynamic, rising star Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis as they battle for the WEC belt and a chance to face the winner of UFC 125’s Edgar-Maynard for the UFC lightweight title. Henderson will use his wrestling to put Pettis on the ground and with good posture he’ll avoid Pettis’ dangerous triangle. Pettis is constantly improving and is unpredictable, albeit precise, on the feet. If he can avoid takedowns his chances increase. This fight could resemble the first bout between Henderson and Donald Cerrone in the sense that Pettis will be more active, but Henderson may gain dominant positions. In what will be the last ever World Extreme Cagefighting bout, look for Pettis to pull off the upset. Henderson is unrelenting though.
Pettis.

• Dominick Cruz vs. Scott Jorgensen (for bantamweight title)

Reed Harris may as well sign the ‘Fight of the Night’ cheque right now because there is no way this fight turns out to be dull. Jorgensen is relentless, using his wrestling and tenacity to get the better of his opponents. If he doesn’t land a big shot, he sinks in a guillotine or grinds out a decision. He just finds a way to win. However, he is facing a whole different beast in Cruz, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters out there. Cruz has the best footwork in MMA and might be the quickest fighter currently in the WEC. With his crisp boxing, excellent wrestling and explosiveness during scrambles, he has been virtually unstoppable. Look for him to do to Jorgensen what he did to Joseph Benevidez twice.
Cruz.

• Chris Horodecki vs. Donald Cerrone

London, Ontario’s Chris Horodecki is ready for the biggest fight in his career as he takes on perennial contender ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone. In his bout at WEC 45, Horodecki had trouble getting inside on Anthony Njokuani’s reach advantage and he may run into the same problem against Cerrone. As much as Canadian fans will cheer for Horodecki, he may be biting off more than he can chew at this stage of his young, promising career. If he can get by Cerrone, then Horodecki is undoubtedly one of the future contenders for the UFC lightweight belt. No matter how this fight turns out, Horodecki will likely earn a spot at UFC 131 in Toronto. This could be a barnburner, especially if it stays on the feet.
Cerrone.

• Bart Palaszewski vs. Kamal Shalorus

Two unsung lightweights face each other in what is a world-class matchup. Fans unfamiliar with Palaszewski and Shalorus will certainly get to know them, as they will likely be two of the better lightweights in the UFC next year. Shalorus has a serious strength, wrestling and power advantage, but Palaszewski has more polished MMA skills. Look for Shalorus to try for a knockout, but if he can’t penetrate Palaszewski’s range then he’ll mix in his world-class wrestling. Palaszewski needs to stay on the outside and win on points or surprise Shalorus with a submission. The Armenian should be a handful for any UFC lightweight once the merger is complete.
Shalorus.
PRELIMINARY CARD

• Danny Downes vs. Tiequan Zhang

In his WEC debut Downes gave Chris Horodecki a run for his money on just a few days notice at WEC 49 in Edmonton. Now after, having a full training camp to prepare, we should see the best Downes. Unfortunately for him, he takes on Zhang, a highly touted prospect with no losses on his record. Downes has said this fight is like Rocky 4, an American underdog taking on an undefeated fighter from a communist country. All levity aside, Zhang will have the more powerful strikes and the more dangerous submissions. Still, it’s never smart to count out Rocky.
Zhang.

• Shane Roller vs. Jamie Varner

Varner looks to bounce back from a decision loss to Donald Cerrone at WEC 51. Look for Varner to return to his old self in this bout, controlling the distance, sitting on his punches and looking for the knockout. Roller will counter that by implementing his strong grappling game. If he can get Varner on his back he’ll be happy. Still, Varner is too well rounded and should be able to keep this fight where he wants it, on the feet.
Varner.

• Danny Castillo vs. Will Kerr

Both men bring wrestling backgrounds into the cage although Castillo uses his strikes and Kerr uses submissions to finish most their fights. Castillo should have a strength advantage and the advantage on the feet where Kerr is active off of his back. Castillo trains with Urajah Faber, Joseph Benevidez, Chad Mendes and all of Team Alpha Male, which could give him a competitive edge. The winner of this fight will likely get a shot in the UFC.
Castillo.

• Yuri Alcantara vs. Ricardo Lamas

Lamas is a WEC veteran with only one loss and Alcantara has been wrecking guys in his native Brazil. With a record of 20-3 and riding a ten fight win streak, Alcantara is a promising prospect. Lamas is a solid wrestler with fast hands and fierce kicks that has flown under the radar since his first and only career loss. The biggest question surrounding Alcantara is the level of competition he has faced. He could either be a blue chip prospect or he could be better on paper then he is in real life. If he gets by Lamas, keep an eye out for Alcantara in 2011.
Lamas.

• Ivan Menjivar vs. Brad Pickett

Fun fact- Menjivar was actually Georges St. Pierre’s first MMA opponent. Unfortunately for the Salvadoran-Canadian, that won’t help him as he is fighting one of the best bantamweights in the world, Brad Pickett. Menjivar took four years off from fighting, but returned in June, picking up a first round submission win at W-1: Judgement Day. Pickett is coming off a decision loss to Scott Jorgensen in a fight that would have earned him a title shot, so he will be fully motivated to get a win.
Pickett.

• Eddie Wineland vs. Ken Stone

Wineland is an excellent striker and Stone has a collegiate wrestling background, so the fight may come down to how good Wineland’s takedown defense is. Stone is 9-1 with nine stoppages, while Wineland was the first ever WEC bantamweight champion and is riding a three fight win streak. In his last bout he won KO of the night at WEC 49 in Edmonton and he said that he plans on feeding off of that momentum. If he can keep it on the feet he should be able to; if not, then it’s a totally different fight.
Wineland.

• Renan Barao vs. Chris Cariaso

Since losing his MMA debut Barao has an astounding record of 23 wins and one no-contest with 15 of his wins coming by stoppage. Cariaso is 10-1 and coming off a decisive win at WEC 49 in Edmonton. If he can keep the fight on the feet his chances are better, but Barao is someone to look out for at bantamweight. This should be a brawl on the feet and technical on the ground.
Barao.

Ryan Jimmo to face Dwayne Lewis for MFC crown Matchup for LHW title set for main event at MFC 28

The Maximum Fighting Championship has signed an explosive and heavy-hitting title fight as the main event for its first card of 2011 – MFC 28: Supremacy.

In a rare All-Canadian matchup, Ryan “The Big Deal” Jimmo (13-1) and Dwayne “D-Bomb” Lewis (13-6) will square-off for the vacant MFC world light heavyweight title. Final details on the event’s location and date will be released shortly. The main card, which will be capped off with the title fight, will be shown live on HDNet Fights throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The showdown between Jimmo, ranked No. 1 in Canada and Top 30 worldwide, and Lewis, ranked No. 2 in Canada and Top 50 worldwide, follows in the path of the most-recent MFC title bout pitting Douglas Lima against Jesse Juarez. The Jimmo/Lewis clash is a title fight set between two of the MFC’s biggest names and two of its very own home-grown products. Jimmo has fought eight times under the MFC banner, while Lewis leads all competitors with 13 fights in the MFC ring.

“The fans want to see these two settle the issue of who is the best light heavyweight in the MFC, so this is it. It’s time to make it happen,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich.

“Both fighters deserve the opportunity. Ryan is on an incredible streak, and I made a promise to Dwayne that he would get his shot if he won his last two fights. Now it’s up to them to prove which one of them deserves to wear the championship belt.

“I know they respect each other immensely, but all that has to be pushed to the side now. The time for handshaking, and hugging, and pleasantries is over and done with. This is about which one of them truly wants it more. This is about a title, and in the MFC, you better be ready come fight night because your opponent sure will be.”

Jimmo, who is originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, but now lives in Edmonton, Alberta, is riding one of the most-impressive winning streaks in all of mixed martial arts. Since a loss in his professional debut, Jimmo has won 13 straight fights, including a three-round decision over Lewis at MFC Unplugged 3 in April 2007.

During that winning streak, Jimmo has compiled five wins by knockout and two via submission, with notable victories coming against Jesse Forbes, Marvin Eastman, and former MFC light heavyweight champ Emanuel Newton. Jimmo last took to the MFC ring at MFC 25 in May 2010, and delivered the best performance of his career has he handed Wilson Gouveia a dramatically one-sided defeat.

Lewis, one of the MFC’s most-popular fighters, is on a tremendous run of his own, having won nine of his last 10 fights. The Fort McMurray, Alberta, product is coming off back-to-back victories over Razak Al-Hassan (split decision at MFC 27) and Mike Nickels (TKO at MFC 26).

While ascending to the top of the contenders’ list, Lewis raised his career knockout total to eight with stoppages of Ryan McClain (second-round TKO at MFC 24) and Marvin Eastman (first-round KO at MFC 23). His only defeat during that run was a decision loss to Newton at MFC 25.

Ticket information for MFC 28: Supremacy will be detailed in the very near future. VIP, Row 1 and Row 2 tickets are available now by calling the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024.


History of the MFC light heavyweight belt:



Victor Valimaki def. Jason Day – tapout via rear-naked choke, 2:15 Round 1, MFC 10



Roger Hollett def. Victor Valimaki – tapout via strikes, 2:06 Round 1, MFC 13



Emanuel Newton def. Roger Hollett – unanimous decision, 5:00 Round 5, MFC 19



Trevor Prangley def. Emanuel Newton – unanimous decision, 5:00 Round 5, MFC 21

Rory MacDonald and Claude Patrick named among the top ten best UFC newcomers

By Mike Johnston

2010 is winding down and this is the time of year for the MMA world to reflect. The UFC has done some reflecting and has named Canadians Claude Patrick and Rory MacDonald as two of their top ten newcomers of the year. In an article on ufc.com the world’s leading fight promotion placed Patrick at number ten, one behind MacDonald who was named number nine on a list that includes several possible future champions.
“Winner of ten in a row (all finishes) when he stepped into the Octagon for the first time in June, Toronto’s Claude Patrick kept the streak going with a second round submission win over Ricardo Funch,” the article stated. “And while his decision win over James Wilks four months later was far from a barnburner, the 30-year old jiu-jitsu ace is going to be a tough out for anyone at 170 pounds in 2011 and beyond.”

Claude Patrick was recently in Toronto signing autographs for fans on the same day the UFC announced UFC 131 would take place in Toronto. He said it would be a dream come true to fight in front of his hometown crowd at the Rogers Centre. Patrick’s next opponent has yet to be named, but in all likelihood he will be fighting at UFC 131 on April 30.
“Just 21 years old, Rory MacDonald entered the UFC with plenty of hype behind him, and he kept the buzz going with a first round submission victory against veteran Mike Guymon in January,” the article said. “But the kid from Kelowna, British Columbia, made believers out of the staunchest skeptics in June, when he battled tooth and nail with Carlos Condit, a legit and longtime contender who no 21-year old should be holding his own with. But MacDonald is far from your typical youngster, and though he got stopped in the third round of UFC 115’s Fight of the Night, expect big things from him in the future.”
Rounding out the top ten were:
8. TUF 12 winner Jonathan Brookins,
7. welterweight Daniel Roberts,
6. heavyweight slugger Joey Beltran,
5. TUF 11 winner Court McGee,
4. Australian Kyle Noke,
 3.young gun Charles Oliveira,
2. top welterweight contender Jake Shields, and
1.“Mr. Wonderful” Phil Davis

There are several other Canadians that could have made the list as well. Sean Pierson won his UFC debut with a record setting performance. According to fightmetric.com Pierson landed 112 significant strikes in his three round war with Matthew Riddle at UFC 124, the most strikes ever landed by a UFC debutant.
John Makdessi who was also victorious in his UFC debut at UFC 124 put on a striking clinic, throwing spinning kicks, axe kicks, hook kicks, and crisp combinations. In addition to his offensive flair, Makdessi showed tight defense and solid takedown defense.
And, although he has yet to make his UFC debut, Chris Horodecki is on a two fight winning streak in the WEC’s soon-to-be-defunct lightweight division. He takes on Donald Cerrone at WEC 53 and with a good showing he could make waves in the UFC in 2011.
For more MMA news and notes followhttp://twitter.com/#%21/MikeyJ_MMA

OVINCE SAINT PREUX WILL FIGHT FOR THIRD TIME IN SIX WEEKS ON JAN. 7 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

Former University Of Tennessee Linebacker Will Seek Seventh Victory In A Row Against Abongo Humphrey; Woodley-Saffiedine Bout Headlines at Nashville Municipal Auditorium

NEW YORK (Dec. 14, 2010) - There will be no Holiday Season for streaking light heavyweight Ovince Saint Preux, who'll try to make it seven wins in a row when he fights for the third time since Nov. 19 on a STRIKEFORCE Challengers Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card presented by Rockstar Energy Drink on Friday, Jan. 7, 2011, at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

A former University of Tennessee linebacker, Saint Preux (9-4) will be opposed by fellow quickster Ron "Abongo'' Humphrey (7-2) of Atlanta. The first STRIKEFORCE event of the year will be highlighted by an eagerly awaited confrontation between two of the promotion's premier, up-and-coming welterweight (170 pounds) stars, unbeaten Tyron Woodley (7-0), of St. Louis, and hard-hitting Belgian, Tarec Saffiedine (10-2).

Originally scheduled to take place on the card, the middleweight (185 pounds) matchup between Yancy "Frisson'' Medeiros (9-0) of Waianae, Hawaii and John Salter (5-2) of Nashville has been scrapped due to a knee injury sustained by Medeiros.

The 6-foot-3, 27-year-old Saint Preux, of Knoxville, Tenn., will be the first fighter ever to compete on three consecutive STRIKEFORCE events. He is coming off a career-best, thoroughly dominant three-round unanimous decision over UFC veteran, Benji Radach, on Dec. 4, in St. Louis on SHOWTIME. Saint Preux registered a unanimous three-round decision over Antwain Britt during a STRIKEFORCE Challengers event on Nov. 19 in Jackson, Miss.

"I always thought I was fighting Jan. 7, but when I had a chance to take the fight (with Radach), I took it,'' said Saint Preux, a member of Knoxville Martial Arts Academy who passed what most expected to be his toughest test in impressive fashion. "That was a good fight and a hard fight that we both took on short notice but there was no way I could turn down fighting in Tennessee.

"I like to stay busy and I'm in the gym training, working out and trying to improve all the time anyway. So why not fight again? Besides, this is like a home game for me.''

Saint Preux, who won his STRIKEFORCE debut with a 0:47, first-round TKO (punches) over Chris Hawk last April 17 in Nashville, played for the Vols from 2001-2004.

After graduating with a degree in Sociology in '04, he became heavily involved in MMA, utilizing his impressive wrestling skills and natural athletic abilities. He made history on Feb. 20, 2009, by not only competing in Tennessee's first sanctioned MMA event, but also by recording the first knockout in the state.

One of six children, Saint Preux has one sister and five brothers. Four of his brothers are twins; one set is older and one set is younger. He has a couple of brands on his body. One is for his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi.

Humphrey, a military son who was born on a base in Vacaville, Calif., will be making his fourth appearance for STRIKEFORCE and third in a row on STRIKEFORCE Challengers on SHOWTIME. In his most recent outing, he was submitted (rear naked choke) in the second round by a red-hot Mike "Mak'' Kyle at a Challengers event last July 23 at Everett, Wash.

In his outing before last, the previous March 26, Humphrey made George Bush tap (guillotine choke) at 1:44 of the first round on a Challengers card in Fresno, Calif.

The birth name of the 5-foot-11, 33-year-old is "Ronald," but he prefers to be addressed as "Abongo," the name of an African warrior spirit believed to protect a village located in The Republic of Ghana. The moniker was bestowed upon him a few years ago after he endured a series of mentally and physically grueling tasks during a rites of passage trip to Africa.

Humphrey's experience there inspired him to establish a non-profit organization that allows him to introduce other African-Americans to their heritage by bringing them to Africa.

"There are certain things that are lacking in the black community here and one of them has to do with cultural identity," said Humphrey. "Fighting and doing the community work in Africa is something that really drives and motivates me in life."

Humphrey was introduced to a national audience as a contestant on BET's MMA reality series "Iron Ring" where he was a member of a fight team coached by MMA star, "Mr. International" Shonie Carter, and managed by hip-hop artist and producer Lil' Jon.

Among those Humphrey defeated during his stint on "Iron Ring" were former K-1 USA contender, Jeff "Big Diesel" Ford, and Carlos Moreno, whom Humphrey knocked out with a head kick.

Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event are on sale at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000 including Kroger and FYE, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com ) and STRIKEFORCE's official website (www.strikeforce.com ). The first non-televised, undercard fight on Jan. 7 will begin at 7:30 CT. Doors will open at 7.

Other televised fights: Undefeated up-and-coming heavyweight prospect and former U.S. Olympic wrestling star Daniel Cormier (6-0) of San Jose faces Devin Cole (18-8-1) of Medford, Ore., and promising Julia "The Jewel'' Budd (1-0) of British Columbia, Canada, faces Amanda "Lioness Of The Ring'' Nunes (5-1), of Salvador, Brazil, in a women's middleweight (145 pounds) match. A fifth televised bout will be announced soon.