HDNet

Fight of the Day: Hong Man Choi vs. Jose Canseco

From DREAM.9, courtesy of HDNet Fights

Also, Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou vs Jan Nortje after the jump.

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HDNet to Air DREAM.9 Live on May 26

HDNet will broadcast exclusive coverage of “HDNet Fights Presents: OLYMPIA DREAM 9 Featherweight Grand Prix, 2nd Round 2009,” early Tuesday morning, May 26, at 12:00 a.m. PT LIVE from the esteemed Yokohama Arena in Kanagawa, Japan.

MMA fans can catch former MLB slugger Jose Canseco who will be making his mixed martial arts debut in the open weight competition entitled the “Super Hulk” Tournament vs. 7-foot-2 and 330-plus pound Hong-Man Choi from Korea.

Gegard Mousasi, Mark Hunt, and Bob Sapp will also compete in first round action in the “Super Hulk” tournament. DREAM 9 will also feature the second round of its Featherweight Grand Prix including a highly anticipated bout between Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto and Joe Warren, plus Jason “Mayhem” Miller meets Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza for the vacant DREAM Middleweight Title.

Strikeforce Destruction Weigh Ins

San Jose, CA. —Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-5) weighed in at 185 ½ lbs. and his opponent, Terry Martin (18-5), tipped the scales at 186 lbs. one day before their meeting at Strikeforce “Destruction,” the mixed martial arts mega-event at San Jose’s HP Pavilion.

Strikeforce World Light Heavyweight (205 lb. limit) Champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) and his opponent, Renato “Babalu” Sobral (30-7), both registered in at 204 lbs.  Knockout artists and opponents Duane “Bang” Ludwig (17-8) and Yves Edwards (34-14-1) weighed in at 163 lbs. and 164 lbs, respectively.

The following are the official fighter weights from today’s weigh-ins at Hotel DeAnza:

Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith – 185.5 lbs. vs Terry Martin – 186 lbs.
Bobby Southworth – 204 lbs. vs Renato “Babalu” Sobral – 204 lbs.
Duane “Bang” Ludwig – 163 lbs. vs Yves Edwards – 164 lbs.
Kim “Sugar Free” Couture – 132 lbs. vs Lina Kvokov – 133 lbs.
Joe “Diesel” Riggs – 170.5 lbs. vs Luke Stewart – 170.5 lbs.
Brad Royster – 134 lbs. vs Darren “Bone Crusher” Uyenoyama – 136 lbs.
Nik Theotikos – 185.5 lbs. vs Luke Rockhold – 185.5 lbs.
Zakary Bucia – 169 lbs. vs Adam Steele – 168 lbs.
Alvin Cacdac – 143 lbs. vs Jose Palacios – 145 lbs.
Lemont Davis – 173 lbs. vs Brian Schwartz – 175 lbs.
Josh Neal – 184 lbs. vs Kurt “Rhino” Osiander – 185 lbs.
Bobby Stack – 155 lbs. vs Cyrillo Padilha – 156 lbs.
Tony Johnson – 184 lbs. vs Eric Lawson – 185 lbs.

HP Pavilion doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for Strikeforce “Destruction” and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m.  The main card will commence at 7:30 p.m.

The live HDNet telecast of Strikeforce “Destruction” will begin at 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST).

Affliction’s Day of Reckoning Shaping Up

Tickets go on sale tomorrow for Affliction Entertainment’s second PPV effort, Day of Reckoning.  The fight card will feature Fedor Emelianenko defending his WAMMA Heavyweight Championship against former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Andre “The Pitbull” Arlovski.  The event is set to take place on January 24, 2009 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. 

Main Card live on Showtime PPV
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski
Josh Barnett vs. TBA
Matt Lindland vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral
Chris Horodecki vs. Dan Lauzon
Vitor Belfort vs. TBA

Undercard live on HDNet
Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Paul Buentello vs. Kiril Sidelnikov
Brett Cooper vs TBA
Albert Rios vs Antonio Duarte
Mark Hominick vs LC Davis
Jay Hieron vs. Jason High

HDNet to Purchase IFL Assets

The remaining assets of the now-defunct International Fight League appear to be headed into the hands of Mark Cuban and his HDNet empire.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York on Tuesday ruled that the billionaire owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks is permitted to acquire the IFL’s assets, which include it’s video and image library as well as the rights to the IFL brand name, for $650,000.

It’s a move that is likely being done to further increase HDNet’s growing collection of MMA event footage. The digital cable channel currently televises live and archived events featuring fights from past DREAM, Strikeforce, Maximum Fighting Championship, and Sportfight events.

Once a promising organization with a good amount of a value, the IFL quickly degenerated shortly after it’s inception in January 2006. Following the cancellation of it’s planned August 15 show, the company formally closed it’s doors, allowing many of the stars it had built up such as Chris Horodecki and Jay Hieron to sign with other promotions.

Night of Combat II to Air on HDNet

“Night of Combat II”, an upcoming fight card featuring multiple Xtreme Couture fighters and co-promoted by Kim Couture’s KC Concepts and Superfights MMA, will be broadcast on HDNet via tape delay one week after the event takes place on October 11 in Las Vegas.

Although the exact date and time of the broadcast have yet to be determined, MMA Junkie has confirmed with HDNet that the network has indeed secured the rights to air the program, which will be headlined by John Alessio taking on fellow UFC veteran Gideon Ray.

Additional bouts signed to take place at the event include Jay Hieron vs. Bryson Kamaka, Mike Pyle vs. Brian Gassaway, and Steve Byrnes vs. Josh Haynes. Tickets are still on sale for the show, which will emanate from the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV.

Affliction, HDNet Agree to Long-Term Deal

Digital cable television network HDNet today announced a long-term partnership with Affliction Entertainment that will have select fights from the promotion’s pay-per-view undercards air on the network as a lead-in to events.

“This is the beginning of a long-term partnership with Affliction that encompasses live MMA, co-marketing and top fighters for the top weekly show in MMA - Inside MMA on HDNet,” Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights, said today in a press release. “Affliction has quickly become one of the top organizations in MMA which means it is a must have for HDNet.”

As per the agreement, HDNet will feature a 90-minute live broadcast as part of each Affliction-promoted event. HDNet will kick off it’s coverage with Affliction’s upcoming “Day of Reckoning” card, which will take place on October 11 at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV.

Fights scheduled to be broadcast include Paul Buentello vs former IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson, and Xtreme Couture’s Mike Pyle vs. Jason High among others. Kenny Rice, former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten, and Ron Kruck will be on hand to call the action beginning at 7:30 PM ET.

Ortiz Talks Free Agency, Interested Parties

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz was featured as a panelist on last night’s edition of Inside MMA on HDNet and discussed his current state as a free agent in the world of mixed martial arts following the conclusion of his contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship earlier this month.

Despite his ongoing feud with UFC President Dana White, Ortiz admits that he is actually still negotiating with his long-time home, although a clause in his contract may be giving the UFC more room to talk to him than he would like.

Even after all of the drama, Ortiz says that there is still a small chance he may end up signing with the UFC after all.

“EliteXC - possibility, Affliction - possibility, the UFC - a small chance of that happening,” Ortiz said when asked about where he might end up. “You know I’m taking this stuff with Dana White and shoving it aside and moving on with my life. I’m going to wash my hands [of it] and make sure that my future is going to be very, very, very… great.”

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Strikeforce’s October Show to be on HDNet

HDNet will reportedly televise Strikeforce’s scheduled “Payback” card, which takes place on October 3rd at the Broomfield Event Center in Denver, Colorado. The show is headlined by a main event rematch between Duane Ludwig and Sam Morgan.

Strikeforce vice president Mike Afromowitz has confirmed the plan to MMA Weekly and HDNet now has the show listed on it’s website as well. The digital cable network announced a deal to televise four Strikeforce shows this year back in February. “Payback” will be the second of that agreement.

Despite Strikeforce officials releasing a press release advertising former UFC welterweight title challenger Frank Trigg as facing fellow veteran Falaniko Vitale at the show, Trigg himself has stated that he will not commit himself to the fight until after his scheduled matchup against Makoto Takimoto at World Victory Road’s “Sengoku IV” show on August 24th in Japan.

Along with the pending participation of Trigg and Vitale, UFC veterans Phil Baroni and Pete Spratt were also officially announced as being part of the card in October. Opponents were not named for either fighter but are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.

Surprises and Switches at Affliction Presser

Affliction Entertainment held a press conference earlier this afternoon at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to confirm a quartet of fights and reveal broadcast details for the promotion’s scheduled “Day of Reckoning” event, which will take place on October 11th at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV.

Among the bouts officially announced today by Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio included two previously reported bouts: a rematch between IFL light heavyweight champion Vladimir Matyushenko and longtime divisional contender Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and a middleweight contest between former UFC standouts Vitor Belfort and Matt Lindland.

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