ANTHONY JOHNSON TO COLLIDE WITH D.J. LINDERMAN AT INAUGURAL WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING MMA EVENT
Oct 5, 2012 Comments
(PRESS RELEASE) -- LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Oct. 3, 2012) – Ferocious,
hard-hitting superstar Anthony
Johnson (13-4) of Boca Raton, Fla. has signed an exclusive,
multi-fight agreement with World Series of Fighting and will face
off with fellow sensation D.J.
Linderman (14-3) Yreka, Calif. in a featured light heavyweight
(205 pounds) contest at the promotion’s inaugural Mixed Martial
Arts (MMA) event, live on NBC Sports Network from Planet Hollywood
Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 3.
In the co-main event, bantamweight (135 pounds) submission wizard Miguel Angel Torres (40-5) of East Chicago, Ind. will lock up with two-time national Muay Thai champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Marlon Moraes (8-4-1) of Jupiter, Fla. via Nova Friburgo, Brazil.
“With the addition of these two matchups, we have assembled a
complete main card that we feel is stacked from top to bottom with
some of the finest talent in the sport of MMA,” said World Series
of Fighting President Ray Sefo. “MMA
has an opportunity to expand its reach on Nov. 3 thanks to the NBC
Sports Network platform and World Series of Fighting is going to be
sure to make the most of this opportunity in order to take our
great sport to unprecedented, new heights.”
The 28-year-old, 6-foot-2 Johnson has been on fire of late, winning three consecutive fights - two by KO - in a fourth month span. In his last start on Sept. 21, Johnson took out three-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion Jake Rosholt, with a head kick in the second round (4:22) of their matchup in Tulsa, Okla.
Like Johnson, the 29-year-old Linderman, is looking to notch his fourth consecutive victory. In his last effort on July 13, the 6-foot-2 Linderman scored a furious TKO on Dale Mitchell with an onslaught of punches. Just one month earlier, he earned a unanimous decision over rising star Mike “300” Hayes, snapping Hayes’ six-fight win streak.
As a heavyweight, Linderman claimed a pair of championships and has earned 9 of his 13 career conquests by way of KO or submission.
The 31-year-old, 5-foot-9 Torres, a Brazlian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former protégé of famed trainer Carlson Gracie, Sr., is looking to rebound from a first round (3:18) KO (punches) defeat at the hands of Michael McDonald on April 21.
Torres exploded onto the MMA scene in 2010, scoring a stunning 10 second TKO on Larry Pulliam with a series of punches, before going on to win his next 19 fights. After losing a unanimous decision to Ryan Ackerman in his 21st start, Torres ran to another 17 consecutive victories, winning the world bantamweight title from Chase Beebe in the now-defunct World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) promotion, along the way, and defending the crown three times.
The 24-year-old, 5-foot-6 Moraes has established himself as a highly-aggressive, dangerous force on both his feet and on the ground in the hybrid sport of MMA since his professional debut five years ago, earning six of his eight career wins by way of KO or submission. He will look to secure his third straight win after scoring a 47 second KO (punch) on Jarrod Card on April 13.
A student of Muay Thai since the age of nine, Moraes used his speed and ring smarts to capture two titles in the stand-up fighting sport before picking up Jiu-Jitsu at age 15. After arriving in The United States, he joined forces with UFC lightweight (155 pounds) KO artist and countryman Edson Barboza to advance his career.
Tickets for the inaugural World Series of Fighting event, priced from $19.99, can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, at all Caesars Entertainment and Ticketron outlets and by phone at 800-745-3000. .
The live NBC Sports Network telecast of the World Series of Fighting event will begin at 10:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. PST.
In the heavyweight main event, Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (17-9) of Minsk, Belarus will square off with fellow hard-hitting KO artist Devin Cole (20-9) of Medford, Ore.
In other main card action, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gregor Gracie (7-2) of Rio de Janeiro will face off with red-hot prospect Tyson Steele (9-1) in a welterweight (168 pounds) contest.
In another welterweight bout, Josh Burkman (23-9) of Salt Lake City, Utah will battle fellow star Gerald “Hurricane” Harris (21-4) of Tulsa, Okla.
Fast-rising star Ronys Torres (25-4) will meet dangerous submission specialist Brian “The Bandit” Cobb (19-7) of Bakersfield, Calif. in a lightweight matchup.
In an undercard scrap, seasoned warrior Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante (16-6-1) Deerfield Beach, Fla. by way of Brazil will take on submission expert T.J. O’Brien (19-5) of Prole, Iowa at lightweight.
Additional undercard bouts will be announced soon.
ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING Based in Las Vegas, Nev., the fight capital of the world, World Series of Fighting is a professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering an incredible, action-packed entertainment experience for fight fans by producing the best possible matchups between elite fighters from around the globe. For more information please visit www.MMAWSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
ABOUT NBC SPORTS NETWORK NBC Sports Network is the 24/7 cable platform for NBC Sports' rich heritage of unmatched storytelling, best-in-class production and utilizing broad promotion to make big events bigger. Now in more than 79 million homes, NBC Sports Network serves sports fans by airing coverage of the Olympic Games and Trials as well as the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France, major college football and basketball, and horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown, among other events. The network’s original programming, such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point and NBC SportsTalk, exemplifies NBC Sports’ ability to tell stories and provide meaningful, relevant content. The network is also home to the best outdoor programming on television. NBC Sports Network, which prides itself on serving sports fans across multiple platforms, is distributed via cable, satellite and telco operators throughout the United States.
PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT & CASINO Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is the newest member of the Caesars Entertainment family and is a full partner in Total Rewards™. The hottest property on the Las Vegas Strip with 2,500 beautifully designed guest rooms and suites showcasing the best views in town, Planet Hollywood encompasses more than 100,000 square-feet of gaming, several lounges, nine restaurants including KOI, Strip House, the award-winning Spice Market Buffet and LA’s Pink’s Hot Dogs, and the Planet Hollywood Spa by Mandara. The mega resort is also home to PEEPSHOW, the sexy striptease spectacular starring bombshell Holly Madison, and Grammy® Award-winning recording artist CeeLo Green will premiere his new Las Vegas resident show, “CeeLo Green is LOBERACE” in Feb. 2013. The property is encircled by Miracle Mile Shops with more 170 specialty stores and restaurants. For more information, please visit www.planethollywoodresort.com or caesars.thedigitalcenter.com to access media materials and request high-resolution images. Find Planet Hollywood on Facebook and follow on Twitter.
Planet Hollywood, along with all Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts, including Caesars Palace, Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s, Bally’s, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Imperial Palace and Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon, proudly prohibit adding hidden resort fees to hotel guest room rates. For information on No Resort Fees visit www.caesars.com/vegasnoresortfees.
In the co-main event, bantamweight (135 pounds) submission wizard Miguel Angel Torres (40-5) of East Chicago, Ind. will lock up with two-time national Muay Thai champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Marlon Moraes (8-4-1) of Jupiter, Fla. via Nova Friburgo, Brazil.
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The 28-year-old, 6-foot-2 Johnson has been on fire of late, winning three consecutive fights - two by KO - in a fourth month span. In his last start on Sept. 21, Johnson took out three-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion Jake Rosholt, with a head kick in the second round (4:22) of their matchup in Tulsa, Okla.
Johnson, a native of Dublin, Ga. and a member of the fearsome
Blackzilians fight squad in South Florida, has blazed a trail
through the sport since he made his professional debut in 2006,
earning 9 of his 13 career victories by KO or TKO, three of which
came by head kick. On June 12, 2007, Johnson made his first big
statement in the cage, crumbling Chad Reiner
with a barrage of punches just 13 seconds into their UFC Fight
Night matchup
Like Johnson, the 29-year-old Linderman, is looking to notch his fourth consecutive victory. In his last effort on July 13, the 6-foot-2 Linderman scored a furious TKO on Dale Mitchell with an onslaught of punches. Just one month earlier, he earned a unanimous decision over rising star Mike “300” Hayes, snapping Hayes’ six-fight win streak.
As a heavyweight, Linderman claimed a pair of championships and has earned 9 of his 13 career conquests by way of KO or submission.
The 31-year-old, 5-foot-9 Torres, a Brazlian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and former protégé of famed trainer Carlson Gracie, Sr., is looking to rebound from a first round (3:18) KO (punches) defeat at the hands of Michael McDonald on April 21.
Torres exploded onto the MMA scene in 2010, scoring a stunning 10 second TKO on Larry Pulliam with a series of punches, before going on to win his next 19 fights. After losing a unanimous decision to Ryan Ackerman in his 21st start, Torres ran to another 17 consecutive victories, winning the world bantamweight title from Chase Beebe in the now-defunct World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) promotion, along the way, and defending the crown three times.
The 24-year-old, 5-foot-6 Moraes has established himself as a highly-aggressive, dangerous force on both his feet and on the ground in the hybrid sport of MMA since his professional debut five years ago, earning six of his eight career wins by way of KO or submission. He will look to secure his third straight win after scoring a 47 second KO (punch) on Jarrod Card on April 13.
A student of Muay Thai since the age of nine, Moraes used his speed and ring smarts to capture two titles in the stand-up fighting sport before picking up Jiu-Jitsu at age 15. After arriving in The United States, he joined forces with UFC lightweight (155 pounds) KO artist and countryman Edson Barboza to advance his career.
Tickets for the inaugural World Series of Fighting event, priced from $19.99, can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, at all Caesars Entertainment and Ticketron outlets and by phone at 800-745-3000. .
The live NBC Sports Network telecast of the World Series of Fighting event will begin at 10:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. PST.
In the heavyweight main event, Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (17-9) of Minsk, Belarus will square off with fellow hard-hitting KO artist Devin Cole (20-9) of Medford, Ore.
In other main card action, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gregor Gracie (7-2) of Rio de Janeiro will face off with red-hot prospect Tyson Steele (9-1) in a welterweight (168 pounds) contest.
In another welterweight bout, Josh Burkman (23-9) of Salt Lake City, Utah will battle fellow star Gerald “Hurricane” Harris (21-4) of Tulsa, Okla.
Fast-rising star Ronys Torres (25-4) will meet dangerous submission specialist Brian “The Bandit” Cobb (19-7) of Bakersfield, Calif. in a lightweight matchup.
In an undercard scrap, seasoned warrior Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante (16-6-1) Deerfield Beach, Fla. by way of Brazil will take on submission expert T.J. O’Brien (19-5) of Prole, Iowa at lightweight.
Additional undercard bouts will be announced soon.
ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING Based in Las Vegas, Nev., the fight capital of the world, World Series of Fighting is a professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering an incredible, action-packed entertainment experience for fight fans by producing the best possible matchups between elite fighters from around the globe. For more information please visit www.MMAWSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
ABOUT NBC SPORTS NETWORK NBC Sports Network is the 24/7 cable platform for NBC Sports' rich heritage of unmatched storytelling, best-in-class production and utilizing broad promotion to make big events bigger. Now in more than 79 million homes, NBC Sports Network serves sports fans by airing coverage of the Olympic Games and Trials as well as the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France, major college football and basketball, and horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown, among other events. The network’s original programming, such as Costas Tonight, NFL Turning Point and NBC SportsTalk, exemplifies NBC Sports’ ability to tell stories and provide meaningful, relevant content. The network is also home to the best outdoor programming on television. NBC Sports Network, which prides itself on serving sports fans across multiple platforms, is distributed via cable, satellite and telco operators throughout the United States.
PLANET HOLLYWOOD RESORT & CASINO Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is the newest member of the Caesars Entertainment family and is a full partner in Total Rewards™. The hottest property on the Las Vegas Strip with 2,500 beautifully designed guest rooms and suites showcasing the best views in town, Planet Hollywood encompasses more than 100,000 square-feet of gaming, several lounges, nine restaurants including KOI, Strip House, the award-winning Spice Market Buffet and LA’s Pink’s Hot Dogs, and the Planet Hollywood Spa by Mandara. The mega resort is also home to PEEPSHOW, the sexy striptease spectacular starring bombshell Holly Madison, and Grammy® Award-winning recording artist CeeLo Green will premiere his new Las Vegas resident show, “CeeLo Green is LOBERACE” in Feb. 2013. The property is encircled by Miracle Mile Shops with more 170 specialty stores and restaurants. For more information, please visit www.planethollywoodresort.com or caesars.thedigitalcenter.com to access media materials and request high-resolution images. Find Planet Hollywood on Facebook and follow on Twitter.
Planet Hollywood, along with all Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas resorts, including Caesars Palace, Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s, Bally’s, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Imperial Palace and Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon, proudly prohibit adding hidden resort fees to hotel guest room rates. For information on No Resort Fees visit www.caesars.com/vegasnoresortfees.
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