Who: On JUNE 2ND 2012, Back Alley Promotions in association with Corona bring to you Xtreme Knockout 15 (XKO – Professional MMA Fights) and the top Pro MMA fighters in Texas. XKO will be filming in HD for their Xtreme Knockout television show. Back Alley Promotions has produced over 1,000 “live” events including a reality show featured on the Discovery Channel. THE GYM Combative Sports Training Facility (and location of XKO 15) is also the home of “TEAM TAKEDOWN” the Next Generation of Fighters including Johny Hendricks, Jake and Jared Rosholt, Chris Feist, Chas Skelly and Shane Roller!

What: Xtreme Knockout, Back Alley Promotions in association with Corona bring Pro Mixed Martial Arts fights to Arlington!

Pre-Fight Party from 6-8pm. Belltime 8pm.Pre-Fight party includes: Special appearance by UFC Hall of Famer Randy “The Natural” Couture, Team Takedown members and current UFC fighter Johny Hendricks! MMA & Sports Vendors including METROFLEX SPORTS, HOOTERS RING GIRLS, THE GIRLS ROOM, BORN 2 BANG CLOTHING, REDEMPTION CLOTHING, THE MARINES, THE ARMY, VIP CUSTOM MOUTH GUARDS, ULTRAVIOLENT FIGHT GEAR, WEIRDOZ CLOTHING, AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE COMPANY, LONGHORN HARLEY, BLU ENERGY, GIRLS FROM THE CLUBHOUSE, THE IMPROV COMEDY CLUB AND MORE! 10 professional cage fights, meet and greet with fighters, celebrity guest appearances, Bikini contest, live music and DJ! Television Taping for the TV show “Xtreme Knockout”.

When: Xtreme Knockout 15 – Saturday JUNE 2ND 2012 Pre-Fight Party at 6pm, Fights Start at 8pm. Meet and Greet UFC Legend Randy “The Natural” Couture and current top UFC Welterweight Johny Hendricks and Team Takedown members! Official XKO Weigh – ins Friday June 1st at 3 pm at The Improv Comedy Club in The Arlington Highlands 309 Cutis Mathes Way Suite 147 817-635-5555 will host the Official XKO 15 Weigh-ins with The State of Texas – ALL MEDIA WELCOME, family, friends and guests welcome! Come out and support the TOP fighters in Texas and watch as the fighter’s face of for the first time before they step into the cage! (FREE- OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – FREE)

Where: XKO 15 will take place at THE GYM COMBATIVE SPORTS ARENA 921 W. Mayfield Rd. Suite #112 Arlington, TX 76015

**Official After Party: Meet and Greet the fighters after the event, enjoy great food and drink specials and hang out with MMA Fans at Little O’s 4650 Little Rd Arlington TX 76017 817-561-0000
Tickets are available for purchase at THE GYM, Rustys Billiards and HYPERLINK “http://www.xtremeknockout.com” www.xtremeknockout.com – $30 for advanced general admission and $35 when purchased at the door. Ringside Reserved starts at $75, VIP tables start at $600 (limited tables) Purchase Ringside seats and get a private “meet and greet” with Couture and Hendricks on Friday June 1st! Visit HYPERLINK “http://www.thegym.org” www.thegym.org for more information. CORONA, MMA Merchandise and Concessions are available for purchase at the event!

XKO 15 OFFICIAL FIGHT CARD (Card Subject to Change)
205lbs UFC VETERAN JAKE ROSHOLT (12-3) Team Takedown fighter vs MATTHEW THOMPSON 6’5 (16-9) This is a highly anticipated matchup between Jake Rosholt a 3X Div. 1 Champion at OSU and 4 time All American with victories over some of the top fighters in MMA including UFC standout Chris Leben. He faces XKO newcomer and MMA standout the 6’5 Matthew Thompson. Thompson has faced some tough opponents including UFC Veteran Ben Rothwell and MMA standout Justin Wren. Both fighters are at the top of their game, this promises to bring fireworks!

185lbs CHRIS FEIST (3-0) Team Takedown Fighter vs JOSH STRAHAN (2-1) Chris Feist makes his return to the XKO cage with a perfect record and 2 of his victories in XKO. As Feist looks to become one of the top 170lbs fighters in XKO he must first face XKO newcomer Josh Strahan. Strahan’s two victories came with dominating ground and pound and finishing in TKO’s. Strahan’s training partner is undefeated fighter Jay Jay Sanchez who just KO’d his opponent at XKO 14 in less than a minute. With Feist’s wrestling background and Strahan’s striking and power this should be a very exciting match-up.

170lbs ROY SPOON (7-4) vs HAYWARD “The Hybrid” CHARLES (4-4 Metroflex MMA and Genesis) It’s hard to describe the excitement for this fight! Both Roy Spoon and Hayward Charles are some of the most well known fighters in the area with a reputation for dominating fights! Roy Spoon has never backed down from a fight in XKO and is considered to be one of the strongest fighters in the division. He steps into the cage against one of the top fighters in XKO – Hayward “The Hybrid” Charles! Hayward is coming off an impressive fight with Brad Cox and looks to get “Fight of the Night” honors. Known for his Jiu-Jitsu Hayward is arguably the best Jiu-Jitsu specialist in the company! A great match-up that will bring fireworks! “I don’t care who you put in front of me, I’ll fight them because I want to be at the top” – Hayward Charles

145lbs CHAS SKELLY (7-0) Team Takedown Fighter vs DJ FUENTES (9-7) Chas Skelly made his professional debut at XKO with an impressive submission win. Since then he has fought 6 more times which includes a win in Bellator most all victories by submission. This is Skelly’s first fight back in over a year and looks to move to 8-0. He will be taking on one of the top 145lb fighters from South Texas. DJ Fuentes is an impressive fighter both with his striking and takedown defense. Fuentes is the South Texas Fighting Champion at 145lbs and looks to make a statement at his first appearance in XKO! You can expect this fight to be an exciting match-up and could be fight of the night!

195lbs JACOB BRANNAN (2-0 ) vs JOSH FOSTER (5-3) Jacob Brannan made his pro-debut at XKO making an impact in the company and among other fighters. A Ft. Worth Police officer and Black Belt Brannan has a promising future in MMA. Jacob Brannan is a skilled striker looking to KO his opponent. His opponent is no stranger to MMA-Josh Foster! Josh is coming off a huge main event victory over the talented JJ Holmes. Foster is well known for his striking and never being knocked out or down in a fight. Both fighters have never lost in the square cage and on June 2nd one of these 2 top performers will have take their first loss in XKO, my guess is probably by Knockout. Look for a “Knockout of the Night” award winner in this match-up!

185lbs ZACK BOARD (0-1) vs DUSTIN ADAMS (0-1) American Revolution Corpus Christi. This will be a fast paced fight for the fight fan and a good matchup that will not disappoint. Zack Board is making his return to the cage after almost a two year layoff from the sport. Zack’s pro-debut was a fight to remember as he battled a dominating wrestler who had no quit in him. Zack is looking to stand and strike with someone so XKO matched him with XKO 12’s “Fight of the Night” recipient Dustin Adams. With training partners like top XKO fighter Chris Pecero, Dustin is comfortable keeping this fight on his feet! Both fighters were happy with this fight and will promise to put on a great show! Look for another “Fight of the Night” nominee!

155lbs ARMANDO “THE LATIN ASSASSIN” SERVIN (0-1) vs KEITH MINOR (4-3) There is so much we can say about the talent of these two fighters. Armando Servin became a key fighter in the 155lb division when he took Donnie Bell all the way to a decision in his pro debut. Armando is an exciting fighter that is strong and will go along way in the sport. He will face another fighter making his 2nd appearance in XKO – Keith Minor! Keith also fought Donnie at his first appearance in XKO losing by KO in the first round. Keith has overcome many things in his life including a tragic accident taking away his right hand. Both Keith and Armando didn’t hesitate when signing the contract for this fight. “I’m ready to do my part and put on an exciting fight and show” – Armando Servin

135lbs SIDNEY CAWDREY(Pro-debut Texas Fighting Syndicate) vs KLAYTON MAI (2-0 pro Octagon MMA) Training out of Texas Fighting Syndicate Sidney Cawdrey has the training partners and coaches to step up to anyone In the cage. After having 4 amateur fights Cawdrey is ready to make his pro-debut. He will be facing Octagon MMA’s Klayton Mai. Klayton’s first fight in XKO he took down highly skilled Casey Hudson by submitting him in the 3rd round! Klayton trains out of Octagon MMA who’s fight team is no stranger to XKO, competing in almost every event!

Danny Flick , Josh Rios , Polo Sanchez and Tommy"GUNN"Guerro

sPidA: Your coming off a great win on your MMA debut, was a submission your game plan or were you just prepared where ever it went?

Guerrero:For my debut i was ready for anything, i just wanted to make the fight entertaining for the fans and for everyone that came out to support me. This was my debut, i had been waiting for this moment for years so i didnt want to lose my first fight. When i got to the venue i was thinking i would be neverous walking to the cage but i was mentally and physically prepared, i was not nervous at all and i was very calm during my fight. It was just the right time to do work.

sPidA: You representing a great fight team, what guys do you have out there pushing you to reach your limits?

Guerrero: Man Full Contact Fight Academy is full of talent. We have guys like Hector Munoz, Roger Narvaez,Cory Bellino,and Josh Rios to name a few. These guys push me to the limit and they do not take it easy on me lol, at the same time they help alot. I am greatful to be part of such a great team and although the Flick brothers are not in town anymore , they too helped me so much. My jiu jitsu coach Aurelio Gallegos also has alot to do with us being well versed in the ground game.

sPidA : Has competing in MMA been in the works or was seeing your training partners compete just motivate you to do so?

Guerrero: To be honest i have been training MMA since 2007 and i was supposed to make my debut a few years back but things just kept on happening, then in 2009 i herniated 2 discs and that just set me back even further. I was so depressed that i couldnt train or do anything but be in pain. My doctor told me that i was never going to train or be the same again and i was determined to prove him and everyone else that said i wouldnt train again wrong. So i did alot of research and found a book online from a Dr. who specailized in spinal injuries. I bought that and followed his directions and i also found a local chiropracter who had a drx – 9000 (spinal decompression machine) and nearly a year later i was back at it.

sPidA: You’ve been to Cowboys Dance Hall before making your debut, what are your thoughts on the place, enjoy yourself there as a fan?

Guerrero: Cowboys Dance Hall is a great place for MMA! So many fans come out to not only support their local mma fighter but the sport of mma and that is awsome.They also advertise pretty well, facebook, the radio etc. so they are pretty popular.  As a fan of MMA myself I enjoy watching the fights, Jen does a awsome job of match making and that makes for some exciting fights.

spidA: I know your Team trains in all aspects of the fight game, is there one your better at(strking/grappling) are you still improving both?

Guerrero: I am still improving on both. I love the stand up game and my jiu jitsu is good. our jiu jitsu program run by Aurelio Gallegos is one of the best in Texas. We have 3 BJJ Black Belts in one place and so many technical jiu jitsu guys so our ground game is no joke. Our stand up is second to non, Hector Munoz has very technical kickboxing and im eager to get to the level he is at. I just need to let my hands go on this next fight and thats what we are working on. My hands are good, i have been boxing since 2001 but soon enough i will show what my hands are like, and with kicks being involved its just even better because i love to throw combos that end with kicks.

sPidA:  With promotions like M1 Global,BELLATOR and the UFC are you setting your goals to reach these promtotions?

Guerrero: I would love to fight for anyone of those promotions. Bellator puts on some awsome fights and the possibility of fighting for them is more realistic since they travel alot and have come to our area a few times. Id also like to fight in Japan, But of course the UFC is the main one. Im far from it but i will do my best to get there.

sPidA: What was the first live MMA bout you had seen, do you remember your thoughts on watching it live?

Guerrero: My first live event was one of the Renegade Extreme Fighting fights back in the day. A family friend from my home town of Alice, Texas would fight and i got to go with him and I got to be back stage. I also had my seconds license at 17 so being around the fighters and guys like Rocky Long and Carlo Prater who were very friendly got me hooked! Just to see the fighters before their fight, during and after was just like wow, these guys just put it all out there, i couldnt wait to get my turn. Oh and i got to meet my favortie fighter Yves Edwards at one of the Renegade Events in Houston that was a great night lol

sPidA: When not training, whats a chill day for you? (unwind,TV, Flying a kite ,<~kidding)

Guerrero: I am a huge History buff so i like to read up on history when ever i can. I also work in the I.T field so dealing with new technology is common so i like to read up and learn about how things work and how i can become a better I. T Professional. I also like to watch Ghost Adventures and Nat Geo and i cant forget playing Xbox live, That is always fun. But most importantly Im really close to my family, so when im not training i like to spend as much time as i can with them. I work 8-5, then go home to get my things and head to Corpus by 5:30. It takes me about 45 min to get to the gym so if they are home after 5 i get to see them briefly but usually they are not and by the time i get home from training my mom and step dad are asleep and my sisters are at their houses. You know time flies and i see my nieces and nephews growing up so fast it makes me sad that im not involved more in their lives. I wish that i could spend more time with everyone but one day this life i have chosen will be worth it.

sPidA: With a nickname like GUNN, can your opponents always expect an all out war,who gave you the nickname or how did it come about?

Guerrero: The nick name Tommy Gunn has been around since i was a kid. Before i chose to fight the older guys would say “whats up Tommy Gunn” so when i decided to fight i knew what i was gonna use. My opponents should expect to go all out for 15 minutes because thats what i train for but with the Gunns (my striking) should be what they worry about, but Im always ready for anything and everything.

sPidA: Is your family involved in your choice of acticities,how has their reaction been to watching your fight or hearing of it?

Guerrero: My family is very supportive of what i do.Since my jiu jitsu tournaments they have always been involved and now MMA they want to be there for me. My mom doesnt agree with it but she accepts it lol. She will see when i buy her a house one day that I chose a good profession. One of my sisters and uncles got to see my fight live along with one of my nieces and nephews and numerous cousins so they were very excited when i won. When i got home my family including my mom who never wants to hear about it was asking details lol so it was cool to come home with my first victory. There will be more to come thats for sure and hopefully they will be recorded so i can show my grandpa who is now a MMA fan. He used to bad mouth the guys hugging on the ground but now he is retired and watches alot of MMA reruns so he likes to see his favorite fighter Urijah Faber fight lol. He was so upset when Mike Brown beat Faber, he now hates Mike Brown. He also appreciates the submissions, its funny to sit with him and watch fights with the things he says like grab the arm and the neck so i hope we will be watching my fights on his tv or he will be watching me fights live on tv.

sPidA: If you could fight any other athlete in the world(non MMA) whom would it be and why?

Guerrero: If i could fight any other athlete non MMA I would have to choose Shooter McGavin from Happy Gilmore lol just kidding id say i would like to fight Juan Manuel Marquez. Not because i dont like him, because i think he is one of the best Mexican boxers out there. So if i got to fight him i would get to say i fought a legend in the sport of boxing. For some reason i also want to say Eli Manning because im a Dallas Cowboy fan and he upsets me alot lol
sPidA: Thank you for your time bro,I’ll be seeing ya come May, anything else you’d like to blast to end this inreview?

Guerrero: Your welcome and Thank you for taking the time to interview me. I know im just coming up but i intend to make a name for my self in MMA. I just want to thank the Lord for another day of life and for me being able to do the things im doing now and for the people in my life. I want to thank my family who I love very much for being there for me and put up with me. My friends who support what i do and my team mates and coaches who put it on me and help me prepare for my fights or tournaments. and to the MMA fans who come out to support their fighter, thank you for making this sport a great one!

Saw this young man fight his heart out at Element Fighting Championship and instantly became a fan, bout to step into the Cage again come April 28th in Plano, Texas / Dominion Warrior ” EVOLUTION” Here we go!

sPidA : How long have you been training in Mixed Martial Arts and how long after that did you decide you wanted to compete in the sport?

Javi: I have been training  since the age of 16, training for  7 years now. Ever since i was a young kid my cousin and I would always watch the cage fights.Both of us wanted to become pro fighters and make it to the UFC.. but a few years ago my cousin was in a car accident and passed away. I told myself that i would do this for the both of us

sPidA :So sorry for your loss bro, what other sports were you involved in growing up,did any of them encourage you to get into Mixed Martial Arts?

Javi : I played every sport in high school.  I also did boxing but the sport that carried me into becoming a better mma fighter was wrestling. i wrestled in Iowa and also went to wrestle for a College  in Minnesota.

sPidA: I was at the EFC event when you fought against Borzoo, how close do you feel that bout was? (loss to split decision)

Javi: The fight between me and Borzoo was a great fight for me. To be honest it was a very close fight but i thought i did enough to get the win just , i mixed it up  and was able to take him down more than 6 times. We both fought back in forth on our feet. but the loss was good for me because it made me a better fighter and i learned from it.

sPidA : If called back for a re-match,would you take it or just take the experience and keep going?

Javi : If they would called me back for the rematch i would jump right on it and take it. I’m a guy that likes tough fights cause those are the one that make me better.

sPidA : Everybody is trying to make it to the big leagues in MMA (UFC/BELLATOR etc..) Is this your goal as well, what do you feel will take you there?

Javi: Yes making it to the UFC or BELLATOR is my dream and I want to become a champion and at the end of my carrer i want to be a legend to be known as one of the best to ever stepped in the cage. I’m doing it for my family and me cause i love this sport. and for my son and daughter so I can give them things that I didn’t have as a child. I think by fighting the tough fighters and beating them will help me make a name in MMA and that i think will get me there.

sPidA : You are a family man, are you working full time if so how often do you train?

Javi : Yes i am a family man. i am a husband and a father of two kids. My son is 2 years old and my daughter is  3. My daughter lives in Iowa. I dont get to see her much. She is one of the main reasons i fight. If i make more money i could get to see more of her.My family is what keeps me going. I work full time and if im not able to go to a gym i will still workout at home.I get up early everyday for a run and after work I go train or workout. It gets hard sometimes but i know it will pay off at the end.

sPidA: Is your family supportive in you choosing to fight in Mixed Martial Arts?

Javi : At first my mother didn’t agree on me fighting for as a sport but she got used to it and she now supports me on my dream.My family is great on supporting me. and my little brother helps me train and my wife has been there for me since the beginning she has always supported me..

sPidA : Tell us a bit about your fight team and what City do you represent?

Javi : I fight out of Stephenville,TX  but when i fight i dont just want to represent a City I want to represent the whole state of TEXAS. The gym is great ,I have a great coach but he is also a great friend of mine. It’s a small gym but we have some very good fighters and we are like family we all support each other.

sPidA : Both your losses have gone all 3 rounds, conditioning isn’t a factor, what have you learned from these losses?

Javi : What I learned from those losses is to fight smarter cause not always will the better fighter win, the smarter one will.

sPidA : You’ll be fighting Derek Oneal on April 28th, does your game plan change for every fight or will you feed of your opponent?

Javi : Derek Oneal is my next opponent and yes I changed my game plan. I will keep the fight on my feet to show everyone that i am a good striker and bang it out but fight smart.

sPidA : Thank you for your time bro,hope to see you fight again soon, anything else you would like to add to this?

Javi : Thank you, I want to thank the lord for giving me the strength to keep going. I also want to thank everyone who has supported me in my carrer, Les Mayo my trainer and everyone who has helped me get ready for my fights. A big shout out to the people who cheer for me at my fights, thank you! And if there is any sponsors out there wanting some great exposure, contact me. (javierobregon16@hotmail.com) I would be very thankful.

Courtesy of Sonny Luque Trad

Sonny Luque: What’s up Spida! First of all thank you very much for taking time to interview me, really humbled..Fighting for Bellator is a dream come true man.. Any mma fighter wishes to make a big show and they dont get much bigger then ufc/strikeforce and bellator.. and the fact that its in my hometown is really an honor, I feel truly blessed.. As far as nervous, I wouldn’t say that, but would be lying if I told you I didn’t feel the extra pressure.. I have so many people counting on me and believing in me and I dont wanna let anybody down..

sPidA: What was it that first attracted you to MMA? Do you still have that same drive in the sport?

Sonny Luque: I’ve always been into martial arts. I started tae kwon do and boxing when I was 6yrs old. I’ve alway had that feeling that if I was born a couple of centuries swinging an ax during battle, I would have been right at home. Its just something I knew I was going to do all along, not necessarily mma, but I knew I had to do something with fighting. The drive is still there and has never left. I think every fighter wants to be the best. Anyone that says different is in the sport for the wrong reason and usually won’t last very long.

sPidA: We don’t hear much about MMA in Laredo,TX, how has the MMA scene grown in the past years or is it still growing?

Sonny Luque: The want and popularity is here for the sport. A lot of people love it and every bar is packed during ufc fights. Its still growing here in Laredo. Besides my school LAREDO MMA ACADEMY, there really isnt any other gym here in Laredo committed to 100% mma.

sPidA: Being so close to the border, do you guys fight outside the U.S.?

Sonny Luque: Actually Spida we do. I’ve fought a couple of times in Mexico and I take all my amateurs to compete over there as well. Yes it’s dangerous but thank god we haven’t had a bad experiences yet. On the opposite, the people from monterrey mexico show a lot of respect and support for us.. we have a good fallowing in mexico..

sPidA: Friday March 23rd you’ll be in the undercard for BELLATOR, anyone on the televised bout your looking forward to see compete?

Sonny Luque: Man I keep saying I hope I am the first fightsebecaue the whole card is stacked and I really want to watch all the fights man haha.. but iam really looking forward to the Patrick Pitbull fight.. that dude is a beast..

sPidA: Saw your walk out Tee, you seem to have a lot of support, give them a shout on this next question bro!

Sonny Luque: Yes, thank god I have plenty of support in my hometown.. I am really humbled and just really happy people believe in me this much.. if I could take time to thank VECTRA SECURE ZONE, MIKE’S BAIL BONDS, SOUTH TEXAS SOLAR SYSTEMS, DRAGONFLY AVIATION, GHP POOLS, MI ESPERANZA PROVIDER CARE, ROYAL E TRANSPORTS, CINCO MMA, SAITOS MA, SWOLLE FITNESS APARELL, EL PONCHO, JESSICA PRADO, THE FIGHT GYM, PERFECT FIT BY MANDY, AND OF COURSE ALL MY STUDENTS AT LAREDO MMA ACADEMY, I love you all!!

sPidA: What are your plans after this bout or are you taking it one fight at a time?

Sonny Luque: I’ve got plenty of offers on the table at this point.. iam really hoping to be impressive enough to fight soon for bellator again.. but this year i will be fighting again in mexico, miami, and one more time for my hometown in the summer.. its kinda hard to focus 100% on my fighting when i have other fighters to train, a gym to run, and i also help matchmaking for the shows that are here in laredo.. pretty much if it has to do with mma in laredo i find a way to get involved..

sPidA: Thank you brother for your time and best of luck on your next bout!

Sonny Luque: Thank you again Spida, really appreciate the opportunity, god bless..

On FEB. 18TH 2012, Back Alley Promotions in association with Corona bring to you Xtreme Knockout 14 (XKO Professional MMA Fights) and the top Pro MMA fighters in Texas. XKO will be filming in HD for their Xtreme Knockout television show. Back Alley Promotions has produced over 1,000 “live” events including a reality show featured on the Discovery Channel. THE GYM Combative Sports Training Facility (and location of XKO 14) is also the home of “TEAM TAKEDOWN” the Next Generation of Fighters including Jonhy Hendricks, Jake and Jared Rosholt and Shane Roller!

Xtreme Knockout, Back Alley Promotions in association with Corona bring Pro Mixed Martial Arts fights to Arlington! Pre-Fight Party from 6-8pm. Belltime 8pm.Pre-Fight party includes: MMA & Sports Vendors

10 professional cage fights, meet and greet with fighters, celebrity guest appearances, Bikini contest, live music and DJ! Television Taping for the TV show “Xtreme Knockout”.

(Card Subject to change)
Ciprian Hangan vs Jose Sanchez
Brad Cox vs Hayward Charles
Donnie Bell vs Keith Miner
Eli Tamez vs Nelson Salas
Burt McDonald vs Jonathan Wise
Aldo Davila vs Andrew Parker
Victor Reyna vs Andre Kavanaugh
Casey Hudson vs Klayton Mai
Aaron Culpepper vs Antuan Williams

185lbs Ciprian Hangan (2-0 DallasMMA300- 2011 XKO “Knockout of the Year” winner) vs Jay Jay Sanchez (2-0) This is a highly anticipated matchup between 2 of the fastest rising superstars in XKO! Ciprian Hangan has definitely made a HUGE impact in the 185 division with 2 devastating Knockouts (Steve Hess, Chris Collins) in his first 2 appearances in XKO! The man that plans on stopping Ciprian is Jay Jay Sanchez an undefeated fighter who is best known for the perfectly timed “Knee” to end the fight against top MMA fighter JJ Holmes! This is a fight you don’t want to miss! “I knock people out, that’s what I do” – Ciprian Hangan

155lbs Donnie Bell (3-1 Metroflex MMA) vs Keith Miner (4-2 Mohlers MMA) Donnie Bell makes his return to the XKO cage to face XKO newcomer Keith Miner. With a perfect record in XKO Bell is a crowd favorite! Bell is one of XKO’s featured fighters with a strong wrestling background and knockout power!

180lbs Brad Cox (2-0 Fitness Fight Factory) vs Hayward “The Hybrid” Charles (3-2 Ironside/pur-fit and Genesis) It’s hard to describe the excitement for this fight! Brad Cox is one of the most well known fighters in the area with a reputation for dominating fights! He steps into the cage against one of the top fighters in XKO – Hayward “The Hybrid” Charles! Hayward is coming off an impressive victory over XKO newcomer Andre Kavanaugh with a :43 sec triangle choke submission. Known for his Jiu Jitsu Hayward is arguably the best Jiu Jitsu specialist in the company! A great match-up that will bring fireworks! “I don’t care who you put in front of me, I’ll fight them because I want to be at the top” – Hayward Charles

170lbs Aaron Culpepper (1-0 The Gym Arlington, TX) vs Antuan Williams (0-2) Aaron Culpepper’s pro-debut at XKO 13 was what fight fans talked about for weeks after he got the victory and “Fight of the Night” honors! Aaron is a powerful striker, aggressive but yet calm in the cage! He takes on XKO newcomer Antwan Williams, a former training partner and current striking coach who knows the striking game and is not afraid to trade punches! You can expect this fight to be a striking battle with someone ending the fight with a KO or TKO!

170lbs Andrew Parker (1-0 Octagon MMA) vs Aldo Davila (pro-debut The Gym) Andrew Parker made his pro-debut at XKO and took “Fight of the Night” honors. Andrew is a well rounded fighter who can take the fight almost anywhere he wants. Parker will be taking on Aldo Devila an exciting fighter making his pro-debut! Also is coming off an impressive amateur career and looks to continue his success at the pro level! This has “Fight of the Night” written all over it!

135lbs Eli Tamez (3-0 Octagon MMA) vs Nelson Salas (2-0 Texas Fighting Syndicate) When XKO asked Eli and Nelson about this fight both fighters did not hesitate to sign the contract! This is not the first time the fighters have faced each other, both fighters crossed paths as amateurs with Eli getting the win by submission. Both Eli and Nelson are fast and explosive. This will be a fast paced fight for the fight fan and a good matchup that will not disappoint.

185lbs Victor Reyna (pro-debut The Gym) vs Andre Kavanaugh (2-2 Austin, TX) Andre Kavanaugh is known for is heavy hands and brawler type of style. With a split record Andre looks to get his first win in XKO. He will be taking on Victor Reyna a solid striker who can finish the fight at any given moment! Victor has only had 1 defeat as a amateur and believes he is ready for the pro level. We are excited to see new faces in XKO and see what happens in this fight!

150lbs Burt McDonald (1-2 Texas Fighting Syndicate) vs Johnathan Wise (1-2 Garland Police Boxing Gym) When it comes to Burt McDonald the first thing you think about is… “what a class act”. Burt is a “Fight of the Night” recipient and has faced 2 of the top 155ers in the XKO division (Chris Pecero and Donnie Bell). Training out of Texas Fighting Syndicate Burt is well known in the MMA community! With a boxing background Burt wants to keep his fights striking! At XKO 14 Burt will match up with the perfect opponent with an identical record and fighting style. Johnathan Wise makes his XKO Debut out of Garland Police Boxing Academy and looks to make a statement against the XKO veteran McDonald. I see this fight going 3 rounds and possibly “Fight of the Night”!

145lbs Casey Hudson (Pro-debut Fitness Fight Factory) vs Klayton Mai (1-0 Octagon MMA) Both fighters are new to XKO! This fight will come down to pure skill. Both fighters are aggressive and strong. Fighting out the two top schools in DFW both fighters will come prepared! Don’t blink during this fight because anything can happen!

Houston, TX — At UFC 136, middleweight Mike Massenzio made his Team Palooka debut with a gutsy, come-from-behind victory against former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion Steve Cantwell. The win represented what Team Palooka is all about: heart, determination, and a “never say die” attitude. The Massenzio-Cantwell bout kicked off the night, and definitely got the crowd going. Both fighters headed into the bout desperately needing a big win in order to keep their position with the UFC, and the New Jersey-based Massenzio came away with the “W.”

Copyright © 2011 PALOOKA, LLC · Joe Palooka™

“Winning this fight, it’s a great feeling…one of the greatest feelings of my life,” says Massenzio. “I’ve been through a lot over the last few years, and I’ve been through a lot in my career already. After a fast start, I got hit with some major injuries. I came back against Brian Stann, which was a very tough first fight, and we got ‘Fight of the Night.’ The Soszynski fight was tough, too. Against Cantwell, I took a little bit from him in the first round, then he caught me good, and I had to deal with that. But I was able to hang with it, and I came back. It was a great experience.”

While waiting for his next bout, the 185-pounder will continue to train with his team at AMA Fight Club in New Jersey. As far as who is next on his list, Massenzio is leaving that in the capable hands of the organization.

“I’ll fight whoever the UFC gets me. I feel good about being able to be in there with some of the best and hang. To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. So whatever they decide to do, I’ll go with it. I’m all about heart, and I’m always going to go out there and fight with everything I’ve got, every fight.”

While we don’t know who Massenzio will face next in the Octagon, we do know what is next for him outside the cage. This Thursday, 10/13 and Sunday, 10/16, Mike will be appearing at the Team Palooka booth (#349) at the New York Comic Con. He’ll be there in order to sign autographs, interact with the fans, and promote the new “Joe Palooka” comics being released!

“It’s an honor that Team Palooka wants to have me as part of what they’re doing. It’s great that they have interest in my career. I’m hoping that as they rise, I rise at the same time. And I’m really looking forward to being with the fans at Comic-Con. Come on out and come say hi…it’s going to be awesome!”

The news MMA comic book fans have been waiting for was recently announced: the comic series made its world premiere with its first issue last week when “Joe Palooka” issues #1 & #2 became available for purchase for the first time anywhere. Fans can get their hands on the comic at http://www.Palooka.com/, and hard copies of the issue will follow in early 2012.

A special 13-page FREE-VIEW is also available simply for signing up with an email address on http://www.Palooka.com/, and fans can also take advantage of a unique offer on “Joe Palooka” issues #1 and #2, which are available together for the low price of only $1.99.

The “Joe Palooka” comic series tells the story of Joe Palooka, an MMA fighter who competes in “Legion of Combat,” which is a sister comic publication. “Legion of Combat” will feature Joe Palooka and top MMA stars including “Suga” Rashad Evans, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, the Blackzilians, Brendan Schaub, and the Miller brothers in team matches between fighters representing countries such as the U.S., the U.K., Brazil, Russia, Japan, China, and other nations.

Copyright © 2011 PALOOKA, LLC · Joe Palooka™

About Team Palooka

“Joe Palooka” and “Legion of Combat” are MMA comic books that feature action adventure stories as well as compelling MMA fight action. Created by professional ring announcer Joe Antonacci, the books are being written and drawn by an all-star team of talent known as Team Palooka. The team includes Mike Bullock as the chief writer and Fernando Perniche (both of “The Phantom fame”), who are bringing the exciting stories of Palooka and the LOC to life.

For more information on “Joe Palooka” and “Legion of Combat,” please visit http://www.palooka.com/.

You can also “like” the Palooka Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/TeamPalooka

Follow Joe Palooka on Twitter @TeamPalooka

Roufusport is proud to announce that it has been named America’s Top MMA Gym by Versus.com. Chosen by the fans, Roufusport beat out the well-respected Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in the finals for the honor. The Milwaukee-based fight gym also topped Grudge Training Center and American Top Team en route to capturing the title.

The other gyms considered included Black House Team, American Kickboxing Academy, Xtreme Couture, Team Quest, Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts, Nova Uniao, Renzo Gracie Academy, and Tristar Gym.

Roufusport is home to MMA fighters such as UFC heavyweight star Pat “HD” Barry, UFC lightweight title contender Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, rising UFC featherweight star Erik Koch, and UFC featherweight prospect Daniel “Danny Boy” Downes.

Roufusport head trainer Duke Roufus had this to say regarding the accolade: “We were very proud just to be considered amongst the best gyms in America, so to be named the best…it’s quite an honor. Congratulations are definitely order to all the gyms in the contest.”

For more information on Roufusport, please visit milwaukeemma.com

About Roufusport
Roufusport is run by famed kickboxer and MMA trainer Duke Roufus and his business partner Scott Joffe. It is a world class brand that includes a state-of-the-art training facility, fight team, and MMA promotion, the North American Fighting Championship. Roufus is one of the most recognizable striking and MMA coaches in North America, and is considered to be one of the top trainers of Muay Thai kickboxing outside of Thailand. Roufus is the head coach of the Roufusport Fight Club team, which includes UFC stars Alan Belcher, Pat “HD” Barry, Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, Erik Koch, and “Danny Boy” Downes. Former students include former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, The Ultimate Fighter season one star Stephan Bonnar, and UFC veterans Ben Rothwell, Matt Mitrione, and Eric “Red” Schafer. Roufus and Joffe operate the Roufusport Martial Arts Academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Ran into Alexander “Pulga” Pimentel @ marrajj.com here in San Antonio, TX. With 9 victories in MMA all coming from events in South America, he’s bound to be a force to be reckoned with in the States… Interview coming soon… sPidA

photo courtesy of sherdog

Brett Rogers is no joke, he might even be able to beat a lot of the UFC’s Heavyweights, but he has only fought one UFC level fighter and that is Andrei Arlovski. Brett beat him by KO and no one can take that away from him. Andrei is an ex-UFC Champion and Brett knocked him out in 22 seconds. That is where Brett’s record begins and ends though, all of the rest of his competition would be happy to make it on the Ultimate Fighter. What you can take from Brett’s past fights are how quick he is and how devastating his punch combination’s are. One thing that has not been tested in recent fights is Brett’s ground game and his chin, but that is because all but one of his opponents did not get past the first round. Another thing about Rogers is that he did spend some time with Josh Barnett, who was supposed to be Fedor’s last opponent and has a very strong ground game. I do not think Rogers will go at this fight like Barnett would but some pointers from a veteran are always helpful. This was a positive sign from Rogers because he has been with his current fight camp all of his career. It is nice that he is loyal and he might be comfortable with them but he is fighting the best Heavyweight in the world and should be training as such in order to be the best Brett Rogers walking into the cage on Saturday. If Brett was fighting any other fighter besides Fedor then I would give him a chance. Fedor has proved time and time again through technique under pressure and confidence in his own skill that he will not be defeated by another human being. Only an experienced Brock Lesner could have the strength and talent to possibly control Fedor.

Fedor is not like many champions, out to prove that he is the best or that he can exchange blows with anybody. Fedor stills fights in Combat Sambo Tournaments in Russia, for fun I guess. Fedor has fought Worldclass kickboxers with knockout power, strong wrestlers that could takedown anybody and submission artists that seemed unstoppable and even people twice the size of him. Fedor has always found a way to win and in most instances found a way to finish them. Fedor is always calm before, during and after his fights and it makes it possible for him to take hard punches, wrestling slams and submission attempts and remember how to use everything to his advantage and win the fight. Nothing could display this better than when Kevin Randleman picked him up in the air and dropped him on his neck, watch it on YouTube and you will start to understand what Fedor is capable of. This fight is no different and he is facing a less experienced, more one-sided fighter than most of his fights in the past. Fedor will do what he’s done to all the others, he will come in, land a few strikes to daze Brett and then do a backward Russia Bear hug and choke Brett out.
One interesting fact about this fight that makes it especially interesting is that this is Fedor’s first fight in a cage instead of a ring. 31 fights over 9 years and 5 fight organizations and Fedor has never fought in a cage. The only way this will hurt his game is that he has used the ring ropes to his advantage in a few fights. The fight where this made the most difference was when he fought Matt Lindland in Bodog Fight and he slid the rope into his armpit and not only prevented Lindland from taking him down but reversed the situation and ended up taking Lindland down. For the fight with Rogers I do not see it being an issue, I do not think Rogers will try and take Fedor down. If that is true, cages are a decent amount bigger than rings and have no corners like in a boxing ring and Fedor could use it to slip away if Rogers rocks him with big punches or Fedor can use it to feel Rogers out early in order to figure out Rogers’ punching range and quickness.

In this day and age when the hype is built up just to get you to visit the local bar to buy an overpriced drink, Fedor still cannot be hyped enough because he truly is the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion or the World.

“All Elbows caught up with “Mayhem” Miller during his training for the upcoming Strikeforce Middleweight Title fight versus Jake Shields in Chicago this Saturday (on CBS!). Miller has spent a lot of time in the spotlight for Bully Beatdown on MTV and perhaps a lot of fans forgot he is a real MMA fighter too. Mayhem discusses that and how this fight is the most important of his career, culminating after ten years of training and mental preparation.“ via allelbows.com