WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 3, 2018)--This past Saturday night, Tori Nelson pounded out a 10-round unanimous decision over Sanna Turnunen to retain the UBF Middleweight title in the main event of the first ever fight card at The Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C.
The eight-bout card was promoted by Tricky Entertainment and DCFightNight.

Nelson controlled the action against Turunen by out working her. Turunen was gritty in defeat, but Nelson took the fight in shutout fashion to the tune of 100-90 on all cards. Nelson of Ashburn, Virginia is 19-2-3. Turunen of Finland is 4-2-1.

Sam Crossed was fortunate to gain a split decision over Twon Smith in a cruiserweight bout.  At the end of round two, Smith dropped Crossed with a hard right hand. Crossed came back to land some solid shots, but was rocked again in round four. The fight was a close fight, but some in the crowd showed their disapproval when the scores were read 57-56 twice for Crossed and 57-56 for Smith.

Crossed, 189.6 lbs of Greenbelt, MD is 8-0. Smith, 187.6 lbs of Oklahoma City is 3-2.

Kareem Martin won a six-round unanimous decision over Andrew Rodgers in a welterweight bout.
Scores were 59-55 on all cards for Martin, 148 lbs of Washington, DC, who is now 11-2. Rodgers, 149 lbs of Elkhart, IN is 4-5-1.

Jordan White stopped Ndira Spearman in round one of their scheduled four-round featherweight bout.  White landed a body punch that was followed by a left to the shoulder area, and Spearman went down for the count at 2:02.  White, 128 lbs of Washington, DC is 7-1 with five knockouts. Spearman, 128.2 lbs of Lavergne, TN is 1-4.

In a surprising result, Matt Murphy and undefeated Antonio Magruder battled to an entertaining draw in a welterweight bout.  Murphy rocked Magruder several times in round's two and three, but Magruder came back to salvage the draw with a strong 4th frame. Scores were 39-37 Magruder, and 38-38 twice.  Magruder, 147 lbs of Washington, DC is 5-0-1. Murphy 144.8 lbs of St. Louis is 3-30-4.


Alexander Johnson won a six-round unanimous decision over Mengistu Zarzar in a light heavyweight bout.  Johnson, 177.8 lbs of Washington, D.C. won by scores of 59-55 twice and 58-56 and is now 17-4-1. Zarzar, 182.2 lbs of Palmer Park, MD is 6-6-1.

Good looking prospect Kiante Irving stopped George Sheppard in round two of their scheduled four-round super middleweight fight.  In round two, Irving dropped Sheppard with a long right hand. Sheppard staggered to his feet, but the fight was called off at 1:06.  Irving, 163.4 lbs of Beaver Falls, PA is 3-0 with three knockouts. Sheppard, 163.8 lbs of Virginia is 1-5-1.

George Harris remained undefeated by stopping Lamar Lewis in round three of their scheduled four-round heavyweight bout.  In round three, Harris dropped Lewis with a hard combination. Harris finished Lewis off by rocking him several more times, and the bout was stopped at 2:00.

Harris, 218 lbs of Silver Spring, MD is 2-0 with two knockouts. Lewis, 235.2 lbs of Arkansas is 0-4.

Tricky Entertainment has been promoting music, entertainment and lifestyle events in D.C. for the past ten years, and is run by Erwin Pendergrast.

DCFightNight is run by Sean Magruder, and this will be his second boxing show in DC.

The Matchmaker was Chris Middendorf.

Marc Abrams at 856 287 7611 or phillyboxing@gmail.com ​

National Harbor, MD - Alliance MMA, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMMA) company, Shogun Fights has held their renowned mixed martial events at Baltimore's Royal Farms Arena for some time.  On Saturday they ventured 50 miles south to MGM National Harbor, taking the short ride to bring their brand of MMA to a new market, a Washington D.C. forum.  

The MGM National Harbor's first ever MMA event showcased 10 scheduled bouts and featured two championship fights.  The bantam weight affair at 135lbs. between Jesse Stirn of Ground Control in Baltimore, MD and Terry Bartholomew of Frederick, MD and an interim title fight at 175lbs. between Stephen Regman fighting out of Killer B Combat Sports Academy in Ocean Township, NJ vs. Kenny Gaudreau of Disciple MMA in Sterling, VA.  MMA fans will travel for support and tonight's night was no different.  Each fighter on the card, had their own cheering section throughout the arena. Allowing for an interesting battle in the crowd of who could provide the most support for their fighter.

Matchmaking was on point this night at most of the fights were decided by close decisions.  That was until Terry Bartholomew stepped into the cage against Jesse Stirn for the 135lbs. title. Terry, an instructor at Bowerhouse Martial Arts Academy made quick work of Stirn, closing the show with a rear-naked choke in the first round.

In the main event at 170lbs., Stephen Regman fighting away from his home state of New Jersey went into a patient back and forth with the Kenny Gaudreau.  Kenny, the aggressor for most of the fight, used his range well early in the contest and displayed an assortment of strikes with spinning back fists, front kicks and leg kicks. He did well to keep Regman at range while he came forward but didn't do a great job at cutting off the cage.  Regman was able to escape at will keeping his back off the cage  whenever he felt Gaudrea was closing in.

Gaudreau had success early on with his interesting mix of strikes. But he either wasn't aware or decided to march on through the fact that Regman was timing his counter strikes.  Regman's left hook seemed to be his preferred counter measure and he finally connected with it in the second round, knocking Gaudreau down and inexplicably walking away?  It appeared he thought he'd knocked out Regman and was headed back to celebrate when Gaudreau dusted himself off and regained his feet.

Early in the third round, Regman now became the aggressor but Gaudreau refused to give ground. Regman was still looking for replay of his left hook from earlier but it would be his counter right cross that finished the night as it landed flush against the jaw of Gaudreau.  Regman was declared interim 175lbs. champ with a KO in dramatic fashion.

For full results of Shogun XIX, click here.

About the Author:
Darryl Keeton is an avid striking, grappling and wrestling fan living in Upper Marlboro, MD.  He is a Certified Personal Trainer and holds a black belt in ITF Tae Kwon Do with additional training in Combat Jujutsu, Boxing and Muay Thai.​ ​

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD - In the main event Saturday night at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland, WBC Featherweight Champion, Gary Russell, Jr. (29-1, 17 KOs) suited up to go against #1 contender Joseph “JoJo” Diaz (26-1, 14 KOs).  The parallels for both men were unmistakable. Both fighters trained by their fathers, both former U.S. Olympians, both rising through the professional ranks boasting only a mild blemishes on their records and now both on a collision course to determine who would take home the WBC Featherweight championship belt.

In a sport where loud trash talking and cocky dispositions are used to sell tickets, these two men were refreshingly calm and respectful of one another. Neither shying away from their gifts and what they believed they would bring to the fight. But both staying within the lines of professionalism and decorum.

Leading up to tonight’s fight, Russell Jr. had fought once in three years. In May of last year he beat Oscar Escandon at this same venue with a 7th round TKO.  There was some question, whether he might suffer some ring rust headed into the headline fight this evening. Over this same period, Diaz, Jr.  has had eleven fights leading to this evening.  Russell, Jr. is known for his incredible hand speed, and quickness while southpaw, Diaz, Jr. brings notable power into the ring. The age old question would be asked again. Does speed beat power?

​In the opening round, Diaz, Jr. was quick to take the center of the ring and almost immediately gave up ground as Russell, Jr. would fire several rapid jabs through the peek-a-boo guard of Diaz, Jr.  Russell, Jr. speed was apparent and Diaz, Jr. seemed comfortable absorbing pitty-pat jabs in the first round.  While no real damage was done, Diaz, Jr. returned to his corner at the end of the round with a face that belonged on a tomato can.  

“This will just make me a hungrier fighter. I hope I got the respect of a lot of fight fans. I wanted to become champion against the best featherweight fighter in the world. Tonight wasn’t my night but I’m going to bounce back harder and I’ll be champion soon, said Diaz, Jr.”

​Both men’s performances this evening should pave the way for future fights in the near future. We just hope to find them in the DMV.

Round 2 would see the arrival of Diaz, Jr.  as the bigger fighter he began to move forward and deliver body shots on Russell, Jr. that could be felt in the first row. At times through the first four rounds, it appeared that Russell, Jr. might be in for a long night. The game plan for Diaz, Jr. was evident. He would try to break down the body of Russell, Jr. and wear him down for the later rounds.  But it seemed that Diaz would be the one who wore down.  Russell, Jr. out landed Diaz, Jr. with a personal best of 992 punches to Diaz, Jr.’s 491.  What made this punch count even more remarkable was that Russell, Jr. suffered a hand injury early in the fight. 

“I hurt my right hand in the second or third round, so we had to make adjustments.  “We train to survive those body shots, said Russell, Jr.”

The fight would go the distance with Gary Russell, Jr. raising his arms to a unanimous decision victory, 117-111; 117-111; 115-113.  But Diaz, Jr. made it known that he was the real deal at the #1 ranking. He fell short this evening but put on a tremendous display of heart and character throughout the fight, taking no rounds off and marching forward on every occasion he could find.  

“This will just make me a hungrier fighter. I hope I got the respect of a lot of fight fans. I wanted to become champion against the best featherweight fighter in the world. Tonight wasn’t my night but I’m going to bounce back harder and I’ll be champion soon, said Diaz, Jr.”

Both men’s performances this evening should pave the way for future fights in the near future. We just hope to find them in the DMV.


​About the Author:
Darryl Keeton is an avid striking, grappling and wrestling fan living in Upper Marlboro, MD.  He is a Certified Personal Trainer and holds a black belt in ITF Tae Kwon Do with additional training in Combat Jujutsu, Boxing and Muay Thai.​ ​

Baltimore, MD - Shogun Fights returned to action Saturday night with their 18th edition of mixed martial arts entertainment at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore.  Anchoring the 10 bout card this evening were 3 title bouts at 125lbs, 145lbs. and 185lbs.

​Darren Costa of Glen Burnie, MD fighting out of Noel Smith BJJ made relatively quick work of Elijah Gbollie from Crofton, MD fighting out of Conquest BJJ. From the start of the first round, Costa looked to impose his will upon Gbollie with several guillotine choke attempts before eventually cinching it closed, forcing a tap at 2:53 in the first round. Costa would be named new middleweight champion at 185lbs.

​Greg Fischer of Baltimore, MD would go against Blaine Shutt of Christianburg, VA. for the 125lbs. Flyweight title.  Fischer training out of Ground Control Baltimore was looking to make the match a grappling contest. Shutt from Tech MMA held Fischer off until 3:10 in the 2nd round before succumbing to a rear naked choke.

In the main event, Tucker Lutz of Ground Control in Baltimore would do battle against Francisco Isata of Disciple MMA in Sterling, VA.  Both fighters traded inadvertent eye pokes in the first round and were each cleared by medical staff to continue. This time last year Isata was able to grind out a victory against Binky Jones at Shogun XVI for the featherweight title. This evening Isata looked unbalanced and at times somewhat reckless. Isata didn’t appear to have a game plan and was uncharacteristically winging his punches in an attempt to catch Lutz with single shots rather than setting up any calculated offense. Lutz on the other hand seemed to be the more disciplined fighter. He was more fluid with jab, cross, and low-kick combinations and was able to remain free from the free spirited punches of Isata. Early on Lutz was taking liberties with the lead leg of Isata, slowing his movement and forcing him off balance at times before Isata adjusted and began checking the kicks.  In the end Lutz would win a unanimous decision and take the belt as the new featherweight champion.

​Full results for Shogun Fights can be found here.  For more information on future Shogun Fights, visit www.shogunfights.com.

​About the Author:
​Darryl Keeton is an avid striking, grappling and wrestling fan living in Upper Marlboro, MD.  He is a Certified Personal Trainer and holds a black belt in ITF Tae Kwon Do with additional training in Combat Jujutsu, Boxing and Muay Thai.​ 

PFL Inaugural Season Starts June 7; Available to 300 Million MMA Fans Worldwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the world’s only major mixed martial arts league, has reached exclusive multi-platform distribution agreements for 2018 with NBC Sports Group and Facebook. The new deal will allow approximately 300 million MMA fans worldwide to watch every PFL fight live on television, tablets, smart phones, and other connected devices. In addition, the PFL has named Peter Murray as its Chief Executive Officer. Murray had previously held senior executive positions at Under Armour and the National Football League.

The Professional Fighters League is the first organization ever to present MMA as a true sport that features a regular season, playoffs, and championship. Individual fighters will control their own destiny, competing in a win-and-advance post-season format. The 2018 PFL season consists of seven regular-season events, a bracket-style playoff, and a $10 million postseason prize pool. The premiere season begins with 72 athletes, 12 in each of the six different weight-classes, with one fighter in each division earning the title of true champion.

“Today is an enormous step forward for the PFL and our mission of re-imagining and growing the sport of MMA,” said Russ Ramsey, Executive Chairman of the Professional Fighters League. “We’re thrilled to offer broad distribution for our first season, with great media partners in NBC Sports Network and Facebook. Pete Murray is an accomplished marketer and builder in sports and media, making him the ideal leader to deliver the innovative experience to MMA fans and build the PFL brand.”

All PFL regular season, playoff, and championships fights will be available to watch and stream worldwide.
Within the United States, NBC Sports Group will establish an exclusive live Thursday night PFL fight franchise, presenting seven regular-season live events in prime time exclusively on NBCSN beginning June 7 through the end of August. Events televised by NBCSN will also stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. All regular season events will have encore telecasts on NBCSN later the same night.

“We are excited to create a Thursday night destination that will be appointment viewing for MMA fans,” said Jon Miller, President, Programming, NBC Sports Group. “NBCSN, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app will be home to the PFL’s innovative format, which will keep viewers on the edge of their seats from the first fight June 7 through the championship finale December 31. We look forward to working with Pete and the PFL team on what promises to be a thrilling season.”

Outside the U.S., Facebook will stream up to six hours of free, live coverage for each event. Facebook will also open each event with a live 30-minute pre-fight show and close with a live 30-minute post-fight show. In the U.S., fans can watch the first three hours of undercard coverage of each event on Facebook prior to NBCSN’s presentation of the main bouts.
“We’re excited for Facebook Watch to be a home for the Professional Fighters League’s inaugural season,” said Dan Reed, Facebook Head of Global Sports Partnerships. “The PFL’s comprehensive coverage on Watch, combined with its plans to deliver an innovative viewing experience, will give MMA fans ample opportunity to come together, talk about, and interact with this exciting new league in ways that are unique to our social video platform.”

The PFL postseason will be held in October on consecutive Saturday nights, with an exciting win-or-go-home elimination format. The season-ending PFL Championship promises to be one of the most talked about nights in sports, with championship fights for each of the six weight classes in one night on New Year’s Eve in prime time. Before the ball drops, six MMA athletes will have each earned $1,000,000 in prize money and be crowned true champions.

“I am thrilled to work with partners NBC Sports Group and Facebook as we launch the PFL with the format fans love in all other major sports — with a regular season, win-or-go-home playoffs, and $10 million championship” said Pete Murray, Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Fighters League. “MMA fighters are the greatest athletes in the world, and the PFL is excited to provide them an opportunity to control their destiny, and have the opportunity to earn the biggest payday of their lives.”

Peter Murray previously was a senior executive at Under Armour, where he was responsible for global marketing strategy and the sports business categories of Basketball, Global Football, Baseball, Tennis, Rugby, Combat, and Olympics. Before Under Armour, Murray co-founded and served as President and CEO of Insignia Sports and Entertainment, an innovative sports marketing and content development firm, and was also head of Client Marketing at William Morris Endeavor. Earlier in his career, Murray spent 13 years at the National Football League (NFL) in senior leadership roles in marketing, content creation, sponsorship, and business development.
Murray will lead the existing PFL executive team which includes Carlos Silva, President; George Greenberg, Executive Vice President; Ray Sefo, Head of Fighting Operations; and Will Blair, Executive Vice President of Brand Partnerships & Media Sales.
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ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE
The Professional Fighters League brings the sport format to MMA for the first time with a regular season, post-season, and championship. The PFL is co-founded by Donn Davis, Russ Ramsey, and Mark Leschly and backed by business titans in sports, media, and technology. The Professional Fighters League purchased the fighting operations and event infrastructure of the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) and will launch its first season June 2018 on NBC Sports Network and Facebook. Visit ProfessionalFightersLeague.com.

Annandale, VA – Strike Off Fighting Championships, Episode 11 took place this past Saturday, October 7th at the Richard Ernst Community Cultural Center in Annandale, Virginia.  Strike Off FC ‘s appeal stems from their presentation of talented local MMA fighters in an easy to access venue.  

On a busy weekend of activities in Washington D.C. area, combat sports fans were treated to a line-up of seven thrilling fights, none of which would go the distance.  Submissions and knockouts decorated the cage this evening and the crowd showered support of their favorite fighters by yelling encouragement along the way.

​The big fellas would open the show with heavyweights Cedric Savage lining up against Chris Stanton at the first bell.  Stanton would move forward to try to take the initiative from Smith who was caught off balance early while on the receiving end of a strike from Smith.  This fight quickly moved to the ground where Smith would put his grappling skills on display taking control of the outcome and ending the evening for Stanton with a rear naked choke at 2:39 in first round.

Steven Parsons of Glen Allen, VA would be next against Latif Idris from Venice, CA at 125 lbs.  Parsons would make quick work of Idris who never had an opportunity to throw a punch. Parsons was the aggressor early and as Idris tried to circle away.  Parsons found the right moment to cut off Idris’ escape with a throw away left and a right hand over the top, immediately dropping Idris in his stance. The KO win went to Parsons in the opening seconds of the first round.
​
Brandon Mason fighting out of Method MMA would submit his opponent Chevelle Womack from Largo, MD via triangle choke claiming a nice win with stellar technique.

​Chris Rollins was all business against his opponent, Shawn Joffe when the two met at 145lbs.  Rollins was the taller fighter with a reach advantage, so the expectation would be that he would try to keep the fight at range and pick off Joffee as he came inside.  But if was Rollins who would pressure Joffee on the inside, pressing him to the cage and inflicting all manner of damage from the clinch with knees and elbows. Joffee to his credit refused to go down easy, giving a valiant effort in a losing cause. Rollins would take the win with a KO late in the first round.

​At 170 lbs., Jason Brown, also of Method MMA would cement is his victory against Mikaeel Middleton from North Carolina with what looked to be a flying scissor takedown that he converted to a leg lock for a submission win.  Before that nifty move, Brown and Middleton exchanged heavy shots with both men arriving to the cage seemingly built for battle.

It was a race to see who would connect their hands first and Marino came through with flying colors lifting Kermon off his feet and clearing his hips to make way for the slam to mat.  Kermon would be in trouble for the remainder of the fight. As he tried to rise from the mat, he would expose his back and Marino took advantage quickly by sliding in position and sinking in a deep rear naked choke that gave Kermon no chance to recover from.

​The final fight of the evening would take place at 155 lbs. pitting Mischa Christensen from Baltimore, MD against Alan Stephenson of Goochland, VA.  The signature of this match was the movement of Stephenson early on. Christensen was a step behind most exchanges with Stephenson choosing to circle and fire at will. When Christensen would try to advance, Stephenson would circle out and leave behind an upper cut or check hook as something to remember him by.  Christensen decided to change the course of the fight by going inside and pressing Stephenson to the cage and eventually too him down with a single leg.  They didn’t seem to serve him well either as Stephenson established his guard from the bottom and deftly setup a triangle chose that would spell the end for Christensen.  

Full results for Strike Off 11 can be found here.  If you would like more information on the Strike Off Fighting Championships, please click here.

About the Author:
Darryl Keeton is an avid striking, grappling and wrestling fan living in Upper Marlboro, MD.  He is a Certified Personal Trainer and holds a black belt in ITF Tae Kwon Do with additional training in Combat Jujutsu, Boxing and Muay Thai.​ ​

Ashburn, VA – The Silver Eagle Group training facility was bursting at the seams Saturday night with the 48th installment of CageZilla, featuring a swollen card of 17 fights for the evening.

​Fans of combat sports couldn’t have picked a better show to attend this evening. There’s not a chance that you couldn’t find something you wanted to watch at this event.  Small guys, big guys, mid-size guys, women, and three title bouts at 125 lbs., 155lbs, and the headliner at 115lbs.  Muay Thai, Glory rules kickboxing and MMA were all on tap. The fight was also streamed live on FloCombat.com.

Video produced with permission of Cagezilla.

The first title fight kicked off nearly half-way through the event with Tia Jablonsky of Bang Bang Kickboxing in Richmond, VA facing Faye Huynh of Fairfax Jiu Jitsu for the women’s 125 lbs. Muay Thai title.  Jablonsky was able to walk through Huynh in fairly dominating fashion.  She marched towards the title belt without much resistance claiming a unanimous decision 30-27 on all the judges’ scorecards.

Stephen Nguyen of Lotus Muay Thai would bang it out with Nahom Demissie of BETA Academy for the Light Middleweight Muay Thai title. This was a very competitive fight with both men looking to establish their own game.  At this level, what you tend to see a lot is guys not taking the time to set-up their work. By that, I mean they attack openings they see versus creating openings to exploit.  But it’s a process and when the lights go on, the adrenaline is pumping and another fighter is in front of you, the natural tendency is to punch and kick what you see.  The best at this level begin to emerge when they can be calm under fire and process the tendencies and weaknesses of their opponent.  Nguyen and Demissie started a bit tentative at first and then begin exploding with leg kicks at all levels.  Most of the fight took place on centerline with neither fighter doing much to create angles of attack.  This usually produces an enjoyable fight for the crowd because just about everything one side throws against the other lands somewhere.

Nguyen has a very quick rear leg kick but he sometimes telegraphs his intentions by stepping into the kick first, rather than just delivering in space. Demissie no doubt could see this coming and began to time Nguyen’s entries with kicks off his own or straight line punches.   This was a close fight and justifiably came down to a split decision with Demissie getting the edge and leaving with the belt.

​Dylan Sieng of Urban Boxing DC would close out the evening in a Strawweight Championship MMA match against up and comer Vincent Striker of Level Up Boxing.  Striker who is fresh off a national title win with the World Kickboxing Association, proved his fight game is well rounded as he was able to submit Sieng by arm bar at 2:42 in the second round.

Full main card results for CageZilla 48 can be found here.  More information on CageZilla's upcoming fights can be found at www. cagezilla.com.   For additional photos of the event, click here.

By PFL League Staff / WASHINGTON, D.C. – Fight Night has become one of the most anticipated events in Washington, D.C., and this year’s event will be held Thursday, November 2, 2017. In its 28th year, the event has generated over $60 million for Fight For Children – a nonprofit based in Washington D.C. with a mission to ensure all kids in the District of Columbia region, especially those in the highest need areas, receive a quality early education and solid foundation for future success. Fight For Children and The Professional Fighters League have forged a new partnership that will bring some of the world’s elite MMA athletes to the Nation’s Capital for the November 2 event. Former heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov and rising star featherweight Lance Palmer will be among the PFL talent competing in four three-round, high-energy matchups.

“I can’t think of a better place to showcase the growing popularity of MMA than at Fight Night 2017,” said Raul Fernandez, Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports and Chairman of the Board of Fight For Children. “The PFL and Fight for Children will join forces that night, and have a huge impact on at-risk kids in the Greater Washington D.C. area.”

“Fight Night has been a staple in Washington for nearly three decades, and the Professional Fighters League is excited and honored to have some of our top athletes compete at this year’s event,” said Professional Fighters League Executive Chairman Russ Ramsey. “MMA fighters are among the most disciplined, driven, and committed athletes in the world – traits we hope to instill in our own kids and children everywhere, regardless of their backgrounds. As a D.C.-native myself, I have seen the incredible work of Fight For Children up close, and can think of no better way to cap off 2017 and begin the PFL’s mission of putting athletes first and reimagining the sport of MMA forever.”

Ivanov, a native of Bulgaria, will square off with heavy-hitting Brazilian Caio Alencar (11-1) in the main event. The last man to hold the WSOF heavyweight title, Ivanov (15-1) has rattled off four consecutive victories including three by stoppage. In his last outing he needed less than two minutes to dispatch Shawn Jordan by TKO. Ivanov will be looking to solidify his top-seed status heading into the PFL’s inaugural season in 2018.

Alencar is on a four-fight win streak of his own and is hoping to knock off the promotion’s top heavyweight. He is returning from an upset knockout win over former NCAA Division I wrestling standout Jared Rosholt last New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden. Alencar needed just 77 seconds to dispatch the former All-American and cement his place in the PFL. Look for fireworks when these two take to the Decagon, the heavyweight sluggers have only seen the final bell four times in a combined 28 professional bouts.

Palmer (11-3) will return to the cage for the first time since injuring his hand in March during a featherweight title fight with undefeated Andre Harrison. The Team Alpha-Male product is a four-time Division I wrestling All-American out of Ohio State University and he is a two-time WSOF featherweight champion. Palmer is viewed by many as the top threat to Harrison once the 2018 PFL season gets underway. His opponent will be named shortly.

The Nov. 2 event will hail from the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. and will round out the PFL’s 2017 schedule. The remaining two bouts will be announced at a later date. The show will be streamed live at ProfessionalFightersLeague.com, Facebook Live, YouTube, Periscope, via the FITE TV app and on the Kiswe Mobile App.


ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE 2018 SEASON
The Professional Fighters League will kick-off its inaugural season in January 2018. The League brings the pure sport format to MMA, with individual fighters competing in a scheduled regular season and $10 million post-season tournament. The season begins with 84 athletes, 12 in each of seven weight-classes, with one fighter emerging as the champion in each.

ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE
The Professional Fighters League is co-founded by Donn Davis, Russ Ramsey, and Mark Leschly and backed by business titans in sports, media, and technology and will debut in January 2018. The Professional Fighters League purchased the fighting operations and event infrastructure of the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) in January 2017. For more visit www.professionalfightersleague.com.

Washington, DC (July 25,  2017)— Nation’s  Fight  Night (NFN), today announced it will be making its grand debut in the nation’s capital on Saturday, August 12 from 6pm-12am at the historic Howard Theatre, located at 620 T St NW, Washington, DC 20001. The ground-breaking event is bringing a dynamic new flair to a tradition that is hailed as one of the most iconic sports in America—boxing!

With leading fashion, footwear, music and lifestyle retailer, Downtown Locker Room, in the ring as the presenting sponsor, Nation’s Fight Night is set to launch its premier boxing and entertainment event series with the promise of bringing professional bouts and A-list entertainment to the District quarterly throughout the year. Each match will showcase the nation’s top boxing talent and notable champions, while paying homage to the city’s iconic boxing legends, culture and history—all in a prolific fight to make a difference in the community. The pro bout card will feature a knock-out line-up of the city’s most dynamic boxers, including top prospect and main event Patrick Harris, 11-0 (7KOs), the highly touted co-main event Jaron Ennis, 13-0 (11KOs), two-time world medalist Franchon Crews, 1-1, world gold medalist, Tiara Brown, 2-0 (1KO), the pro-debut of three-time national amateur champion light heavy-weight Christian Montano, and more electrifying under cards hailing from world-renown Headbangers Gym. The star-studded affair will bring together nearly 1,000 heavyweights of business, government, philanthropy, sports, and entertainment for a memorable evening of boxing, entertainment, philanthropy and musical performances.

In addition to the action inside of the ring, the August 12th launch will feature several notable touches that offer an unprecedented fan experience, including an honorary award presentation to world boxing champions including Lamont and Anthony Peterson, along with live music by award winning DJ Quicksilva. Performing the national anthem will be NBC’s “The Voice” breakout recording artist, Malik Davage, and internationally acclaimed Henry “Discombobulating” Jones will be the Ring Announcer for the card.

Tickets are priced at $60 (General Admission), $80 (Reserved Seating), $100 (Ringside), $150 (VIP) with limited VIP tables of 4 with complimentary bottles priced at $1,000. Doors open at 6pm and the opening bell will sound at 8pm. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.nationsfightnight.com or by calling 202.681.0745. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit The Midtown Youth Academy, a local area non-profit organization dedicated to inner-city youth empowerment through boxing and therapeutic recreation, in an effort to make a positive impact in the community in loving memory of Nation’s Fight Night’s co-founder,  LaMont “Monte” Wanzer.

The event series is slated to make a big splash in the community that will be felt across the nation. Nation’s Fight Night, DC’s Premier Boxing and Entertainment series, will feature a heavy-hitting line-up of top boxing talent, legendary boxers champions, celebrity hosts and entertainment icons, taking center stage in the nation’s capital for a knock-out night of entertainment, philanthropy and stars.

About Nation’s Fight Night (NFN)
Nation’s Fight Night was founded on the premise of creating a unique fusion of boxing, entertainment and philanthropy that will provide a stellar platform for fans to convene for a fun and meaningful purpose. The company’s mission is to celebrate Washington’s rich boxing legacy, while creating an entertaining, meaningful and lasting experience for audiences. Each quarterly event is dedicated to making a difference in the community in loving memory of it’s co-founder, LaMont “Monte” Wanzer, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting local area non- profit organizations in an effort to raise awareness and support for deserving community causes. Heavy-weights from business, government, philanthropy, sports and entertainment are set to enjoy a memorable event series dedicated to fundraising, networking, boxing and musical performances—all in the fight to make a positive impact in the community! Visit www.nationsfightnight.com for ticketing information and event details.