(PRESS RELEASE) -- LAS VEGAS (July 3, 2013) – A light heavyweight showdown between world kickboxing champion turned unbeaten MMA upstart Tyrone Spong (1-0) and fellow hard-hitting knockout artist Angel DeAnda (11-2) headlines next month's World Series of Fighting 4 event, which takes place Aug. 10 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.
The 27-year-old Spong is a veteran of 80 professional kickboxing bouts and recently claimed victory in an eight-man single-night tournament, where he defeated three opponents in a single evening, including two by way of first-round knockout. Born in Suriname but currently residing in Boca Raton, Fla., Spong said he's anxious to make his second MMA appearance and hopes to build on the success of his knockout win over Travis Bartlett at World Series of Fight's debut event.
"I'm excited to make my return to MMA, and I'm honored that World Series of Fighting trusts me to headline the card," Spong said. "Angel is a dangerous striker, but he hasn't fought anyone with my skills. I think fans are going to get to see a spectacular finish."
Meanwhile, California's DeAnda has scored knockout wins in 10 of his 11 career MMA victories. Eight of those opponents didn't make it past the opening frame with the Oakdale MMA product.
"I know Tyrone is a legend in kickboxing, but this is a different sport," DeAnda said. "With four-ounce gloves on, MMA is a whole different game. Tyrone is going to find that out real quick."
In the night's co-feature, red-hot Marlon Moraes (10-4-1) of Jupiter, Fla., battles fellow fast-rising bantamweight Brandon Hempleman (9-1) of Boise, Idaho. The 25-year-old Moraes is coming off his fourth consecutive victory – a stunning first-round knockout of rival star Tyson Nam by way of head kick at March's World Series of Fighting 2 event – while Hempleman is a winner of six consecutive fights.
In other main card action, World Series of Fighting president and six-time world kickboxing champion Ray Sefo (2-1) of Las Vegas will shed his business attire and briefcase and put on his fighting trunks and combat gloves to face heavy-handed knockout artist Dave Huckaba (20-5) of Sacramento, Calif.
Additionally, undefeated phenomenon "Notorious" Nick Newell (9-0) of Springfield, Mass., squares off with fellow lightweight Keon Caldwell (9-1) of Moultrie, Ga. And in the night's first main-card contest, Tyson Griffin (16-6) of Santa Rosa, Calif., meets fellow lightweight star Gesias Cavalcante (17-7-1) of Deerfield Beach, Fla.
"This will be, without a doubt, our finest event to date in terms of the talent lined up from top to bottom," Sefo said. "As a promoter, I am extremely proud of the fight card that our company has assembled for our fourth live event, and as a fighter who still has the burning desire to compete, I am naturally excited to have the opportunity to step in the cage and show what I can do in there against a seasoned opponent."
In World Series of Fighting 4's featured preliminary card bout, welterweight star Jorge Santiago (25-11) of Boca Raton, Fla., faces Gerald Harris (21-5) of Tulsa, Okla. Additional preliminary card bouts will be announced soon.
Doors at Citizens Business Bank Arena open at 4 p.m. PT local time (7 p.m. ET), and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 5 p.m. PT local time (8 p.m. ET).
The live, two-and-a-half-hour NBC Sports Network telecast of the World Series of Fighting 4 main card begins at 7:30 p.m. PT local time (10:30 p.m. ET). The night's preliminary bouts stream live on World Series of Fighting's official website, WSOF.com.
ABOUT WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING Based in Las Vegas, 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 WSOF.com. Follow World Series of Fighting on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
ABOUT CITIZENS BUSINESS BANK ARENA Citizens Business Bank Arena, built and owned by the City of Ontario, operated by AEG Facilities, includes 9,500 fixed seats with additional “portable” seating risers to accommodate capacities of 11,089 for concerts, 9,736 for ice hockey and 10,832 for basketball. The 225,000 square foot venue features 36 luxury suites located on two levels and a continuous concourse hosting a variety of refreshment stands, merchandise kiosks, a VIP club and other fan amenities. Citizens Business Bank Arena hosts ice hockey and a variety of other sporting competitions, concerts, family shows, special events, conventions, school and community activities as well as private events. The Arena is home to Ontario Reign, an ECHL Premier AA Hockey Team. The venue is the biggest and most modern arena within the Inland Empire, an area with over 4.1 million people. It is located in the City of Ontario, on a 37-acre parcel located between Haven Avenue and Milliken Avenue, Fourth Street and the I-10 Freeway. For more information and future updates please visit: CBBankArena.com
ABOUT NBC SPORTS NETWORK NBC Sports Network, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 80 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2013, the Premier League and Formula One. In addition, NBC Sports Network features college football, college basketball, college hockey, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Action Sports Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, The Crossover, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk and The Dan Patrick Show. NBC Sports Network is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.