STRIKEFORCE CHALLENGERS: BEERBOHM BECOMES A STAR
KENT, Wash. (June 19, 2009) - Thirty-year-old Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm (10-0) continued his miracle transformation from drug addicted felon to undefeated mixed martial arts (MMA) hopeful and elevated his status to certified star by choking out seasoned knockout artist Duane “Bang” Ludwig (18-9) in the first round (4:27) of battle in an electric, non-televised Strikeforce Challengers 160 pound catch weight fight at ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington on Friday, June 19.
“I did exactly what I wanted to do - beat him up a bit on the ground and choke him out,” said Beerbohm a native of Spokane, Washington.
From the outset of the first round, Beerbohm gave the far more experienced Ludwig little opportunity to create any distance between the two competitors, space that Ludwig needed in order to execute his world class kicking and punching skills.
Beerbohm secured a takedown. Ludwig scrambled to his feet, but was dealt a point penalty by the referee in charge of the bout after tagging Beerbohm with a kick to the side of the face while Beerbohm was still on the ground (Striking a downed opponent while standing is illegal.).
Rather than take advantage of the rule that allows a fouled fighter to rest for as long as five minutes, Beerbohm immediately shook off any damage he sustained from the illegal blow and signaled to the referee that he was ready to return to work.
“That’s not me - I always want to go,” said Beerbohm of his decision to immediately re-engage. “I always want to push the pace. That’s how I beat people - I push them and I break them. If I take a break, that means he’s taking a break and I don’t want that.”
Beerbohm tossed Ludwig to the mat and, shortly thereafter, began hammering Ludwig with a flurry of punches. Ludwig broke free, but the unrelenting Beerbohm secured a choke hold from side position.
Once again, Ludwig tried to fend his opponent off, but Beerbohm’s tight hold forced Ludwig to tap.
In the weeks leading up to the fight, Seattle was buzzing about Beerbohm as local radio and TV revealed the fighter’s former addiction to crystal meth, a lifestyle that landed him an 18 month sentence in Walla Wall state prison three years ago. Beerbohm, who insists he was never beaten over the course of numerous street fights and a handful of prison scuffles, learned of MMA while tuning into Spike TV’s smash-hit reality series The Ultimate Fighter from the prison lounge.
“When I was sitting in prison and watching the show,” he said, “I was like ‘Are you serious? Those guys are on TV, making money?’ I knew I could take those guys so, right then and there, I made up my mind and haven’t looked back since.”
Beerbohm’s back story also landed him on the front page of The Seattle Times’s sports section today.
With his 10th professional win under his belt, Beerbohm has his mind set on one thing.
“I want to be the Strikeforce champ,” he said. “I want the belt. That’s my only goal.”
STRIKEFORCE FIGHT CARD GREAT FOR JUNE 19
Strikeforce Challengers MMA event at Kent, Washington’s brand new ShoWare Center on Friday, June 19 will be out of control. First, we get to enjoy what should be a great match-up between “Cyborg” Santos and “Smokin” Joey Villasenor as our headline attraction then they let us know we’re also being treated to Lyle Beerbohm’s possibly toughest fight yet when he steps up to face “Bang” Ludwig.
This card is free on Showtime which means more money for po..pcorn, and sodas….or just strippers and drugs, oh yeah, you’re training.
Here’s the full card, including Strikeforce’s fancy fighter descriptions:
Middleweight (185 pound) powerhouses “Smokin” Joey Villasenor (26-6) and Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (16-12) will face off in the card’s main event.
Decorated United States Army Ranger Tim Kennedy (9-2) will square off with seasoned veteran Nick “The Goat” Thompson (38-10-1) in a middleweight contest.
Rising stars Cory “The One” Devela (9-2) and Luke Rockhold (4-1) will face off with each other in yet another middleweight battle.
Jorge Gurgel (12-5) will battle Conor “Hurricane” Heun (8-2) in a lightweight (155 pound) battle and welterweight (170 pound) submission ace Dennis “Superman” Hallman (40-12-2) will lock horns with Cedric Marks (26-18).
In women’s action, undefeated power puncher Sarah Kaufman (9-0) will meet Shayna “The Queen of Spades” Baszler (11-5).
ShoWare Center doors will open for the Strikeforce Challengers event at 5:30 p.m. PT on June 19 and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. PT.
Strikeforce’s affair at the Tacoma Dome on February 28, 2008 marked the largest live gate in the history of any boxing, MMA, or kickboxing event in Washington State.
Strikeforce Challengers is a proving ground for up-and-coming MMA fighters. It provides today’s top prospects with the opportunity to step-up their level of competition and demonstrate their ability in a nationally televised event.
UNBEATEN FIGHTER BEERBOHM TO BATTLE DUANE LUDWIG
NEW YORK (June 12, 2009)—Two years ago, Lyle Beerbohm was sitting in a prison cell, serving an 18 month sentence. A crystal meth addict, he had stolen from his loved ones and committed multiple felonies during a dreadful, downward spiral.
On June 19, the reborn 30-year-old native of Spokane, Washington will attempt to continue his miraculous and inspiring transformation into an undefeated athlete in the world’s fastest growing sport – mixed martial arts (MMA).
“This is the biggest fight of my life,” said Beerbohm (9-0), who will face his most difficult test to date in the cage when he squares off with seasoned knockout artist, Duane “Bang” Ludwig (18-8) in a lightweight (155 pound) matchup during the Strikeforce Challengers MMA event at Kent, Washington’s brand new ShoWare Center on Friday, June 19. “Once I beat him, I’ll be a superstar – where I need to be. I have full confidence that I will win this fight.”
Beerbohm enjoyed a stint in high school wrestling and claims to have been unbeaten over the course of numerous street fights as well as three scuffles in Walla Walla state prison, but it was only after he tuned into The Ultimate Fighter, Spike TV’s smash-hit MMA reality series, that he decided he would make combat his livelihood and his path to redemption.
“When I was sitting in prison and watching The Ultimate Fighter show,” he said, “I was like ‘Are you serious? Those guys are on TV, making money?’ I knew I could take those guys so, right then and there, I made up my mind and haven’t looked back since.”
So determined was Beerbohm to get the ball rolling immediately after his release that he ordered his father to stop driving after they passed by a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy on the ride home from prison. Beerbohm quickly introduced himself to the school owner and explained his intentions.
Just eight days after his first lesson, Beerbohm stepped in the cage where he won his first amateur bout. After amassing a 12-0 record under amateur status in only nine months, he decided the time was right to turn professional. He has since finished all but one of his nine victims.
“I traded one addiction for another,” said Beerbohm, who has also earned the nickname “Fancy Pants” due to his flashy looking fight shorts that his mother designed for him. “I had put all my time and focus into that drug, unfortunately, so I needed something else to put my time and effort into and that’s why I’ve done what I have so far in MMA.”
Beerbohm no longer has a trainer – only training partners at the Spokane based Sik Jitsu club whom he claims have been the key to helping him learn on the job. He has visited a number of prominent training centers including submission expert Dennis Hallman’s Seattle-based Victory Athletics and former Olympic wrestler Matt Lindland’s Team Quest, but prefers doing things his own way.
“(The other camps) are pretty good, but we’ve got the best thing in Spokane,” said Beerbohm. “When I was at other camps, I wasn’t in charge. In Spokane, I’m in charge. The guys do what I want to do and that’s the way I want it.”
Beerbohm’s next opponent boasts far more formal training than him. A native of Denver, Colorado Ludwig, also 30 years of age, immersed himself in the world of Muay Thai kickboxing as a teenager and has gone on to become a star in the sport of MMA. He also holds the record for the quickest knockout in UFC history (Ludwig stopped Jonathan Goulet in 11 seconds on January 16, 2006). That doesn’t intimidate Beerbohm one bit, though.
“His stand up (skills) is pretty good, but my style is breaking people. The way I pace myself, people can’t handle it,” stated Beerbohm. “I’ll break him by the third round. If he gets to the 3rd round, he’s not going to get out of the third round.”
“When you see me get in the cage with Ludwig, I will be a different fighter and a step above where I was from my last appearance. I’m a brand new fighter and can’t wait to show the world.”
Tickets for the Strikeforce Challengers event, priced from $32, are on sale at the ShoWare Center Box Office (253-856-6999 or 877-840-0457), online at ShoWareCenter.com, and at www.strikeforce.com.
The live SHOWTIME® telecast of the event will begin at 11 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on the west coast) and will include up to five bouts.
Who Will be the Comeback Kid?
UFC 99: The Comeback in Cologne, Germany is going to be a slugfest and for good reason. The “Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva looks to re-claim his dominance in the octagon by squaring up against fan favorite, Rich “Ace” Franklin at a catchweight bout of 195 lbs. After suffering four losses in his last five matches (two in the UFC), this may be Silva’s last chance to redeem himself in search of a title shot.
Since making his debut in the UFC, Wanderlei Silva has not been the dominant fighter fans were used to seeing in his infamous Pride days. Once classified as one of the most aggressive MMA fighters in the world, Wanderlei’s debut match in the Ultimate Fighting Championships was a match years in the making against the “Ice Man” Chuck Liddell at UFC 79. After three dominating rounds, Liddell walked away with the win and the glory. It wouldn’t look any better for Silva winning his only fight against Keith Jardine at UFC 84 and losing again to Rampage Jackson at UFC 92. If he’s going to be a serious contender, he’s going to need to take this fight very seriously.
The remainder of the card seems to be very promising also, featuring the return of Mike “The Quick” Swick against “Big” Ben Saunders and heavy handed Marcus Davis against Dan Hardy. Enjoy the fights!
MAIN CARD
Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva
Heath Herring vs. Cain Velasquez
Ben Saunders vs. Mike Swick
Marcus Davis vs. Dan Hardy
Spencer Fisher vs. Caol Uno
PRELIMINARY CARD
Justin Buchholz vs. Terry Etim
Dale Hartt vs. Denis Siver
Peter Sobotta vs. Paul Taylor
Roli Delgado vs. Paul Kelly
Denis Stojnic vs. Stefan Struve
Mustapha al Turk vs. Todd Duffee
John Hathaway vs. Rick Story
More on Gina Carano and a little on Cyborg
Carano has soared to super stardom over the last two years while dominating opponents live on CBS and SHOWTIME. She raised her profile further during a stint as “Crush” on NBC’s athletic competition series American Gladiators. Carano is represented by Wasserman Media Group.
The matchup with Cyborg will be the second start of Carano’s career under the STRIKEFORCE banner. On December 8, 2006, she turned the tides on a determined Elaina Maxwell, a protégé of Cung Le, and pulled out a unanimous judges’ decision at STRIKEFORCE: “Triple Threat.”
The media has emphatically shown its appreciation for Carano’s individuality. She has been prominently featured in a number of national magazines including Muscle And Fitness and Maxim. Big Biz Magazine voted her “The Hottest Woman In America” in its Spring 2008 issue and Maxim ranked her number 16 in its Hot 100 list published in May 2009. Carano has also been profiled in the popular ESPN documentary series E:60.
The 23-year-old Cyborg, who hails from Brazil, has established herself as Carano’s top rival by leveraging her superior strength and striking skills to pummel opponents. In her last start, also her Strikeforce debut, Cyborg manhandled Hitomi Akano on April 11, stalking and battering the Japanese fighter before finishing Akano at the 35 second mark of the third round.
Cyborg is a member of Brazil’s famed Chute Boxe fight squad and trains alongside her husband and fellow Strikeforce competitor, Evangelista “Cyborg.”
After co-promoting two events live on SHOWTIME in 2007 and 2008, STRIKEFORCE in March 2009 signed a multi-year agreement to stage live MMA events on the premium cable television network.
GINA CARANO BACK! BIGGEST WOMEN’S FIGHT IN HISTORY
NEW YORK (June 9, 2009)–After an eight month hiatus, mixed martial arts’ (MMA) leading lady, the undefeated and extremely popular Gina “Conviction” Carano (7-0) will compete in the first fight of her multi-fight agreement with STRIKEFORCE and is set to square off with rival powerhouse Cris “Cyborg” (7-1) in what is one of the most eagerly anticipated battles of all time, Saturday, August 15, live on SHOWTIME® at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.
Carano and Cyborg, the consensus two best female fighters in the world, will be the first women in MMA history to headline a major MMA fight card. In addition, they will fight for the first STRIKEFORCE 145-pound Female Championship.
“I’m really excited to be coming back and to have a new home with Strikeforce,” said the 27-year-old Carano, whose combination of stunning looks and athleticism have cemented her role as the face of women’s MMA. In a Yahoo! online poll that named the “Top 10 Influential Women of 2008,” Carano ranked fifth, placing ahead of First Lady Michelle Obama and famed journalists Katie Couric and Barbara Walters.
“I’ve wanted this fight with Cyborg for a long time and so have the fans so it was important to me that it happen in my first fight back. I’ve been training hard the last few months and come August 15, I will be in the best shape of my life. This fight will absolutely deliver on all the hype.”
The live SHOWTIME telecast of STRIKEFORCE: “Carano vs. Cyborg” will begin at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on the west coast) and will include up to five bouts.
Kimbo Slice to Compete on TUF
It's been a while since former Elite XC poster boy, Kimbo Slice, last stepped foot in the octagon. Actually, the last time he did he only spent fourteen seconds there before getting knocked the hell out by no-name, Seth Petruzelli, with a simple jab. With a performance like that, why wouldn’t the UFC consider Kimbo a prime candidate for The Ultimate Fighter, season 10?
“It should be interesting, given some of the things I’ve said about him,” UFC president Dana White said. White proclaimed that Slice (or any other street fighter for that matter) would never be granted a contract in the UFC unless they marched their way to victory via The Ultimate Fighter. White has called Slice a joke and a bum among other less than kind descriptions. He said that Slice would “get murdered if he fought in the UFC”. Now it appears that Mr. White will finally give Slice a chance to prove him right. And Slice will take that chance and try to prove him wrong.
Quinten “Rampage” Jackson and former TUF winner “Sugar” Rashad Evans will coach the new season featuring this time around, only heavyweight contestants. I’m sure Kimbo won’t be fighting early on but when he does, I’ll be there with my popcorn and Tivo set.
UFC Undisputed a Big Hit
When it comes to UFC Undisputed 2009, there’s only one question you have to ask yourself: ”Do I like kicking people in the head?” If you answered yes, then you should probably take a look at this game. Among other things, Undisputed is one of the best head-kicking simulators I’ve ever played. 3D fighting games will usually struggle to convey the brutality of what happens when one man hits another, but here every blow feels solid and devestating. Whether it’s a rising knee, an arching kick, or a fierce elbow to the face, you’ll feel the impact of every strike you give or take. The impact of an uppercut will knock more teeth out than Frank Lester from TUF.
Undisputed’s success in mimicking the fighters versatility and is arguably its greatest strength. Whether you’re using one of the 80 something stars or an in-depth create a character, you’ll ultimately have to learn how to fight in several different stances and situations. Some are experts in boxing, kickboxing, or Muay Thai. Others are versed on grappling, wrestling, Judo and BJJ. Most gamers will find the stand-up styles a little bit easier to pick up since their controls closely resemble most boxing games on the market. Most moves will combo together pretty easily, but it requires smart timing and a range of tactics to slip past your opponent’s guard.
But above all else, the sheer joy of violence makes Undisputed so much fun. You might knock out your opponent in 30 seconds, or you may find yourself drawn into an epic five round struggle on the ground. You’re never really safe, and you don’t even have a stamina bar on the screen to let you know just how beaten up you are. There’s a certain purity to the clutter free screen, allowing you to focus on more important things like the bruises, bleeding cuts, swelling eyes, and limping legs that make this game so realistic. When you pin someone down and knock them out, you can carry on punching your unconscious opponent until the referee drags you away. It’s nasty and you’ll love it. Undisputed is deeply engaging and in short, is as much a bruising powerhouse as Brock Lesnar.