(PRESS RELEASE) -- HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Championship Fighting Alliance (CFA) has announced a CFA 08 stacked fight card that aims to capture the world’s attention when its goes down on October 6 at 7 p.m. at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The Main Event headliner will be Miami’s Valdir Araujo (10-3) vs. Fortaleza, Brazil’s Marcus Aurelio (21-10) with 12 other bouts including world renowned Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighters. Tickets go on sale Saturday, September 8 at noon.
CFA CEO and founder Jorge De La Noval said he is excited to bring a phenomenal fight card to a new location as the company prepares to take the show on the road on a worldwide scale. “We have a fight card so strong that any of these bouts could be a main event,” De La Noval said. “With a new venue and zip code, we’ll be extending our reach and audience to ensure that Broward County, the state of Florida and the world receives a top notch exciting MMA event.
A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and second degree judo black belt, Valdir Araujo, 27, is a European BJJ champion and last defeated compatriot Nicolae Cury via TKO punches in the second round at CFA 05. He fought in the inaugural CFA show and will be making his third appearance for CFA. In the past, he has competed for Bellator and holds a two winning streak. His record includes five knockout, three submission and two decision victories. His competitor, Marcus Aurelio, 39, has toured the world and now gets to fight in front of a home crowd atmosphere. He has been training with the Blackzillians in South Florida, where UFC former champion Rahad Evans, former Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem and Vitor Belfort train. Aurelio fought for the now defunct PRIDE Fighting Championship and the UFC. He defeated then PRIDE Bushido lightweight champion Takanori Gomi with an arm triangle in a non-title fight. He is coming off a loss against Lyle Beerbohm. Aurelio has four knockout, 14 submission and three decision victories.
Marcelo Alfaya (14-6) competed in MMA back in the day when gloves weren’t even worn. Today, he has a respectable career in the sport and will be fighting for CFA for the second time. A BrazilianJiu Jitsu expert, who trained with UFC fighter Minotauro Nogueira and currently trains with American Top Team, Alfaya holds a two fight-winning streak. He holds three knockout, six submission and five decision victories. Prior to training at ATT, he trained at a gym ran by Nogueira in Miami. His last fights were victories against Daniel Aspe and Hamdan. Competitor Paul Bradley (20-4) defeated former The Ultimate Fighter 7 Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest cast member Dante Rivera for the middleweight championship of another event. He plans to bring a champion’s mentality to CFA. Bradley performed well in the TV show, until he was diagnosed with a rare contagious skin condition. He trains with The Academy in Minnesota where former UFC champion Brock Lesnar trained. He holds seven knockouts, seven submissions and six decision victories.
Devin Cole (20-9-1) is a veteran of the sport having fought against well-known heavyweights such as Daniel Cormier and Ben Rothwell. He competed in both Strikeforce and IFL. Most recently, he defeated an opponent in December in a Strikeforce event. The 35-year-old heavyweight fights out of Portland, Oregon and has been wrestling practically his entire life. He credits The Ultimate Fighter contestant Mike Whitehead for getting him involved in MMA. Competitor David Yost (9-3) is a heavyweight fighting out of Largo, Florida. His last three winning fights came via TKO punches and doctor stoppage. Most of his fights have taken place in the Sunshine State. The 32-year-old is set to make an impactful debut in CFA.
American Top Team standout Ralph Acosta, 31, (9-7) will be making his debut at CFA 08. His last fight took place in Miami, Florida last November where he won via submission in the second round. In the past, he has fought in several promotions including Bellator and has fought overseas including Japan. Most of his victories have come via submission. Competitor Fabio Mello (11-6) has a long list of fights in his MMA resume that include challenges against UFC champion Jose Aldo, Takanori Gomi and a victory against CFA veteran Charles Bennett. The Imperial Athletics representative has fought overseas including Japan and Brazil. He has five victories coming from submission. Currently, he holds a seven fight-winning streak.
Tickets are $59 and 39* and all seats are reserved and available at all Ticketmaster outlets online at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Prices for table seating are $700 for 10 people and may be reserved via e-mail at cfa@cfafights.com or by calling 305-520-5574. *Additional fees may apply.
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