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============================================================================================================== Q&A: RICH CHOU NEWS! Jan 14 / 2013 
NEWS! Jan 14 / 2013 - Rich Chou "I'm currently the V.P. of Operations for ProElite and I do a lot of consulting work on the side with various companies who want to penetrate the MMA market whether it is clothing - I'm working with a beverage company right now. It was an interesting year (2012) for ProElite. We weren't very active as the company was being restructured. It's a public company so things move a lot slower than a private company. We have a new CEO and a new board and we're very optimistic and excited for 2013."
http://www.guamsportsnetwork.com/mmaboxing/qa-rich-chou/
============================================================================================================== ProElite, Inc. Names Jerold Rubinstein, Former Co-Owner of United Artists Records, as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer June 29, 2012 07:33 PM Eastern Time Renowned Entertainment Executive Brings Proven Record of Business Leadership to ProElite LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ProElite, Inc. (OTC Pink: PELE) announced today that Jerold Rubinstein has been appointed CEO and Chairman of the Board of ProElite, Inc. Mr.Rubinstein has been a member of the board of directors of Stratus since March 2011 and has been chairman of the audit committee since that time. He is a member of the board of directors and the chairman of the audit committee of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Carl's Jr. Restaurants and Hardee's Restaurants, which had $1.3 billion in revenues in 2011. He also serves as the non-executive chairman of U.S. Global Investors Inc., a mutual fund advisory company which had $42 million of revenues in 2011 and $2.6 billion of assets under management. Mr. Rubinstein has created and sold numerous companies during his career, including Bel Air Savings and Loan and DMX, a cable and satellite music distribution company. Mr. Rubinstein started and sold XTRA Music Ltd., a satellite and cable music distribution company in Europe. Most recently Mr. Rubinstein consults with, and serves on, 3 early stage development companies. Mr. Rubinstein is both a CPA and attorney. Details and updates for all ProElite events are available at . ABOUT PROELITE Founded in 2006, ProElite has been a major global force in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). ProElite, based in Los Angeles, California, continues its legacy to hold key domestic and international live MMA events. The company owns U.K. based MMA brand Cage Rage and is a significant stakeholder in Spirit MC in South Korea. ProElite signed a broadcast deal with HD NET in October 2011 to broadcast fights live in the highest quality video for consumers and fans. ProElite also holds the distinction of having produced one of the two highest -rated televised broadcasts of a live major network MMA event. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120629006038/en/ProElite-Names-Jerold-Rubinstein-Co-Owner-United-Artists
============================================================================================================== ProElite Holds Another Successfull Show With Grove & McMann Picking Up Big Wins (Photo Gallery)
By Charttopper on January 22, 2012 in Photos, Press Release, ProElite Kendall Grove vs Ikuhisa Minowa (Check out all of the event photo's at ProElite.com)  Kendall Grove vs. Ikuhisa Minowa Press ReleaseHONOLULU, HI (January 21, 2012) - ProElite (PK:PELE) held another successful event in the beautiful state of Hawaii as Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove (14-9) dominated all three rounds in his main event tilt with Japanese MMA legend Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa (51-33-8). With effective stand up and picture perfect back control, Grove took the score 30-27 on all three judges' score cards. "I put my own pressure on myself. Minowa has very dangerous leg locks and I know if I gave him the opportunity, he would have broken my leg." Grove said about going the distance in his bout.
 Sarah McMann vs Hitomi Akano In the co main event of the evening, Sara McMann (5-0) continued her dominance in the 135 pound women's weight class with her unanimous decision over #5 ranked Hitomi "Girlfight Monster" Akano (18-9). McMann used her extensive wrestling pedigree to complete some cage shaking slams throughout the bout. Sara addressed what she wants next by saying "I won't call out individuals in my class because I want everyone in it. I want to fight the best." With this win you can certainly expect Sara to be ranked well above the #9 spot she held before this fight.
 Cody Griffin vs Ryan Martinez The semifinals of the heavyweight Grand Prix saw two men emerge from their bouts who cannot wait to square off in the final. First Ryan Martinez (7-1) used solid kicks to welt the ribcage and thighs of Cody Griffin (5-3) on his way to a unanimous decision. On the other side of the bracket, Richard "The Black Eagle" Odoms (7-0) overcame a tough first round that saw him get slammed to the canvas and controlled on the ground by Jake Heun (2-2). In the second round Odoms took over the fight and ended it with a rear naked choke at 1:56 of the second round.
 Richard Odoms vs Jake Heun The card started off with two great opening round finishes. In the first bout of the night Brent Schermerhorn (5-1) showed off the dynamite he contains in his hands by blasting B.J Penn trained fighter Kaleo Gambill (1-1) with a left hook that put him to sleep at 45 seconds of the very first round. After the victory Schermerhorn said "That's what happens when I put my hands on someone, they go to sleep." The second bout of the card showcased wrestling standout Pat Cummins (2-0), who submitted a very game Tasi "The Tyrant" Edwards (2-1) with an arm triangle at 4:01 of round one.
http://www.themmanews.com/proelite-holds-another-successfull-show-with-grove-mcmann-picking-up-big-wins-photo-gallery/
============================================================================================================== ProElite 2012: Hawaii - Paul Feller Interview
January 21 / 2012 ==============================================================================================================
Miller Lite Sponsors ProElite MMA Hawaii 'ProElite Presents: DA SPYDER VS. MINOWAMAN' January 21 in Honolulu 
Press Release: ProElite - 50 minutes agoDate : 01/19/2012 @ 8:00AM HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Miller Lite takes 'Center Cage' Saturday, January 21 when ProElite MMA (PK:PELE.PK - News) Presents "DA SPYDER VS. MINOWAMAN" at the Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu.   "The Miller Lite flagship brand extends our sponsorship and advertising relationship with MillerCoors and Paradise Beverage in Hawaii," said Paul Feller, Chairman of ProElite and CEO of Stratus Media Group (www.stratusmediagroup.com). "Coors Light sponsored our initial Honolulu fight in August, and we're pleased that the Miller Lite brand takes our center mat cage placement for Saturday's event. The MillerCoors relationship in Hawaii reinforces the connection we have with the dynamic MMA fan base we have built on the Islands." Saturday's ProElite main fight card will be televised live on HDNet at 10:00 P.M. EST. Tickets are on sale at the Neal Blaisdell Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), www.ticketmaster.com, and www.proelite.com. The fight's main event features the rugged Hawaiian Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove (13-9) taking on the long-awaited North American debut of Japanese and international fan favorite Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa (51-32-8). The co-main event features Olympic silver medalist and #9 world-ranked Sara McMann (4-0) against #5 ranked Hitomi "Girlfight Monster" Akano (18-8), also from Japan. The card underscores the recently announced promotional partnership and fighter exchange with ProElite and DREAM, Japan's largest MMA fight organization. The semi-finals of ProElite's Heavyweight Grand Prix will also be contested at the Honolulu event. The first match pits hard-nosed Ryan Martinez (6-1) against headhunter Cody Griffin (5-2), while the second match sees heavy hitting Jake "The Honey Bear" Heun (2-1) take on 6-foot-5, Richard "The Black Eagle" Odoms (6-0). The winners of the respective bouts will square off in early Spring to determine the ProElite Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/miller-lite-sponsors-proelite-mma-130000094.html
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ProElite and DREAM form new promotional partnership and fighter exchange program Press Release on Jan 18, 2012 9:33 AM EST in ProElite News & Results LOS ANGELES, CA. (January 17, 2012) - ProElite MMA (PK:PELE) and DREAM, the largest Japanese MMA organization, have initiated a promotional partnership and fighter exchange program, jointly announced today. The alliance will foster co-promoted events, both in the United States and in Japan with fighter exchanges featured on the cards of both fight promotions, respectively. "Our partnership with DREAM forms a promotional bond with the most prominent Japanese MMA organization," said Billy Kelly, President of ProElite and COO of Stratus Media Group Inc. (SMDI:OTCBB) -- parent company of ProElite. "Dream has developed a stable of great fighters on their roster and a strong team behind the scenes. With this exchange, the two organizations are building a cultural and fight-event bridge that our fans are sure to welcome. The initial fighter exchange debuts this Saturday, January 21, in Hawaii when DREAM star and Japanese fan favorite Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa takes on Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove in the ProElite main event at the Neal Blaisdell Center. "I'm really honored to join the partnership with ProElite," said DREAM Event Producer Keiichi Sasahara. "It is important for us to exploit Asian or Pan-pacific markets by improving relationships with foreign organizations like ProElite. We would like to make this fighter exchange program a first step to generate synergistic success for both organizations." DREAM Light heavyweight tournament runner-up Tatsuya Mizuno will take on Ilima Maiava, also on the Honolulu fight card while the always exciting voice of Japanese MMA, Lenne Hardt, will be joining the shows as the fighter walk out announcer. The ProElite main fight card will be televised live on HDNet at 10:00 P.M. EST. Tickets are on sale at the Neal Blaisdell Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), www.ticketmaster.com, and www.proelite.com. http://www.mmamania.com/2012/1/18/2715790/proelite-dream-co-promotion-partnership-ufc#storyjump
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ProElite Adds Olympic Wrestler to Jan. 21 Fight Card ProElite on Wednesday announced the return of Olympic silver medalist wrestler Sara McMann. She will square off with highly regarded Japanese fighter Hitomi Akano at the promotion Jan. 21 event at the Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. McMann (4-0) submitted Racquel Pa'aluhi at ProElite's last event in Hawaii on Aug. 27. That moved her professional record to 4-0, but she knows that Akano will be the toughest test she's been handed in her mixed martial arts career. "This will be my biggest test since the Olympic Games, so I'm very excited to be competing against Hitomi," said McMann. "I'm confident I belong in the top 5 in the world and beating her soundly should put me there." Akano (18-8) far outstrips McMann in MMA experience, having competed against the top women in the world. After losing a unanimous decision to Miesha Tate at Strikeforce, Akano rebounded with back-to-back victories, including a win over highly regarded Roxanne Modafferi in July. "I'm as excited for this WMMA fight as I am for the Main Event," said ProElite Head of Fight Operations T.Jay Thompson. "Two Top 10 ranked fighters putting all on the line. That's what ProElite is all about!" The main event features UFC vet Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove facing off against Japanese star Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa. The main card also includes the semifinals of ProElite's Heavyweight Grand Prix: Ryan Martinez vs. Cody Griffin and Jake Heun vs. Richard Odoms, as well as a bout pitting Brent Schermerhorn against Kaleo Gambill. The ProElite: Da Spyder vs. Minowaman main card airs live at 10 p.m. ET on Jan. 21 on HDNet.
http://mmaweekly.com/proelite-adds-olympic-wrestler-to-jan-21-fight-card ============================================================================================================== Kendall Grove vs. Ikuhisa Minowa Headline ProElite MMA
Event In Hawaii Jan. 21st  
ProElite MMA Returns Live on HDNet At Neal Blaisdell Center Honolulu, Hawaii - January 21, 2012
Fight Card Headline features
"Da Spyder vs. The PUNK"
And ProElite Heavyweight Grand Prix Semi's Press Release - LOS ANGELES, CA (December 9, 2011) - ProElite (PK:PELE) makes its return to the MMA-centric islands of Hawaii, featuring a fight card loaded with world class talent on January 21, 2012 at the Neal Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. The main event matches Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove against Ikuhisa "The PUNK" Minowa, and includes the semifinals of the ProElite Heavyweight Grand Prix. Tickets for "ProElite: Da Spyder vs The PUNK" will be on sale soon to the general public at the Blaisdell Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800)745-3000, Ticketmaster online and www.ProElite.com. The ProElite event, a wholly-owned property of Stratus Media Group, will be televised live on HDNet at 10 P.M. EST Hawaii native Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove (13-9) returns to the ProElite cage to take on international fan favorite Ikuhisa "The PUNK" Minowa (51-32-8) of Nagoya, Japan. The 6-foot-6 Grove had an impressive showing on ProElite's last card in Hawaii (August 27, 2011) where he choked out tough MMA veteran Joe "Diesel" Riggs with a guillotine choke at just :59 seconds of the first round. With 35 of his 51 wins coming by way of submission, Japanese fight icon Minowa, is one of the most well known and recognizable fighters on the international circuit today. He has competed in PrideFC and Dream, where he defeated three MMA giants including Bob Sapp (Achilles Lock), Hong Man Choi (Heel Hook), and Sokoudjou (TKO) to capture the Dream Super Hulk (Openweight) Grand Prix title. The January 21 fight will mark Minowa's ProElite and North American debut. The Honolulu Card also features the first semifinal match of the Heavyweight Grand Prix, and showcases the very tough Ryan Martinez (6-1) taking on headhunter Cody Griffin (5-2). In his ProElite debut, Martinez handed 2009 NCAA Heavyweight wrestling champion Mark Ellis his first MMA defeat by unanimous decision in the first stage of the Grand Prix on November 5, 2011. Known for his go for broke fighting style, the 5-foot-11 Martinez hails from Greenley, Colorado where he trains out of Infinite MMA. Griffin, a true comeback kid, brings an explosive style to the match. Between the two fighters only 3 out of their 14 total fights have gone to decision. The opposite bracket features the heavy hitting Jake "The Honey Bear" Heun (2-1) against the biggest physical competitor in the tournament at 6-foot-5, Richard "The Black Eagle" Odoms (6-0). Heun looks to continue his rise to prominence after training with Chris "The Crippler" Leben during his time as a Linebacker at the University of Hawaii and is now refining his technique in Utah under the guidance of MMA pioneer Jeremy "Gumby" Horn. Heun has become a dangerous opponent for any fighter entering the cage with him. Richard Odoms, an imposing 6-foot-5 and weighing in at the heavyweight limit of 265 pounds, is truly a giant in the cage. The San Antonio, Texas police officer dominated his November 5 fight against Rod Housley and won a clear cut unanimous decision to advance into the Honolulu semifinals.
http://www.themmanews.com/kendall-grove-vs-ikuhisa-minowa-headline-proelite-mma-event-in-hawaii-jan-21st/
============================================================================================================== ProElite 2 results recap: Andrei Arlovski scores impressive last second KO victory, Tim Sylvia wins in heavyweight return by Kevin Haggerty on Nov 6, 2011 7:00 AM EST in ProElite News & Results
In the headline bout for last night's (Nov. 5, 2011) ProElite 2: "Big Guns" main event, former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia entered the cage for his first heavyweight fight since 2008. "The Maine-iac" had previously been competing only in super heavyweight fights during his time between 265-pound matches. Sylvia squared off against Andreas Kraniotakes, an up and coming German fighter who was almost not allowed to fight on this card, due to his small amount of professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fights. For three rounds, Sylvia tied up Kraniotakes' arms, clinched up, pushed the fight against the cage and essentially leaned on his opponent. While he did land a decent amount of dirty boxing strikes, he never did anything to threaten or get anywhere near a finish. Unfortunately, the headlining bout ended up being the least exciting fight on the card, causing the fans in attendance at the iWireless center to rain down boos as Sylvia performed his post-fight interview. Let's take a look at the rest of the action from ProElite 2. The co-main event saw another former UFC heavyweight belt holder in action as "The Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski went up against Travis Fulton, who was doing his best to earn his "Iron Man" moniker by making his 307th MMA appearance. Arlovski came out with the clean-shaven back; evidence that he's clearly evolved as a fighter. For almost three entire rounds, Arlovski fought a safe fight. Frank Trigg, the ringside commentator phrased it best when he said, "Arlovski is not trying to win. He's trying to not lose." It looked very much like "The Pit Bull" was going to win a narrow unanimous decision when, with one second remaining, Arlovski threw a thunderous head kick that landed squarely on the jawline of his opponent and sent him to sleep instantly. That's right. With one second left in the fight, Arlovski knocked out Travis Fulton with a perfect head kick that came out of nowhere. Big win for Arlovski. Congrats. After a disappointing showing by his older brother B.J. Penn at UFC 137 on Oct. 29 in Las Vegas (versus Nick Diaz), Reagan Penn looked to redeem the fmaily name and keep his MMA record perfect as he took on Evan Cutts in a welterweight contest. The tough month for the Penn family just got tougher. Cutts was able to take down B.J.'s liitle brother, almost at will. Surprisingly, Penn's jiu jitsu was almost completely futile against Cutts, who bludgeoned him with ground and pound for most of the fight. Several times, Cutts looked close to getting a submission but was unable to secure it. The judges scored the fight in favor of Cutts, 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27. Back to the drawing board for the youngest member of the Penn family's fighting stable. Former NCAA Division I wrestler Mark Ellis also looked to stay undefeated against the more experienced Colorado native Ryan Martinez. Experience proved to be an issue in this fight as Ellis just did not have the skill set to compete with Martinez, the former prison inmate turned professional fighter. Ellis looked uncomfortable in the stand up from the very beginning. You'd think a wrestling champion of Ellis' caliber should be able to land a takedown, pretty much at will. You'd be wrong. Ellis shot time after time, only be easily stuffed on every attempt. After realizing that he was not going to be able to take Martinez down, Ellis was rendered helpless, only able to circle uselessly and get repeatedly clipped every time he wandered in. Martinez did a great job of totally nullifying Ellis' grappling and put on a clinic on how to control the center of the cage. Bad loss for Ellis, but he's still very young in the sport. He trains out of one of the top camps in America in American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) and will hopefully be able to overcome this bump in the road. In his last Pro Elite appearance, former University of Hawaii football player Jake Heun was unable to overcome the wrestling of Mark Ellis. At ProElite 2, Heun sought to prove that he belongs as a mixed martial artist and move forward in the Pro Elite heavyweight grandprix with a win over fellow heavyweight Ed Carpenter. Mission accomplished. Heun was able to weather the initial storm from Carpenter who used his grappling to get dominant position and wear on Heun, who was unable to escape for almost two full minutes. Finally, Heun was able to find a hole and get back to his feet. Almost immediately, Heun landed a left high kick to the head and followed it up with a combination of punches, sending Carpenter to the floor. The former linebacker pounced on his staggered adversary and was able to secure the TKO (strikes) victory at 3:17 of the first round. With the win, Heun stays alive in the grand prix and showed MMA fans that he is still improving and maturing as a fighter. In the second Pro Elite hevyweight grand prix match up of the night, Cody Griffin faced off against Justyn Riley for the right to advance to the next round of the tournament. For the first two rounds, this one was all Riley. For ten-plus minutes, Riley backed Griffin down, took him down and hung all over him, brutalizing him with ground and pound. At the end of the second round, Riley very nearly got the finish by way of a rear-naked choke. Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Griffin isn't good at a ton of things. "Quitting" appears to fall into that category. Needing the finish, Griffin came out in the third looking to land a punch that would keep the fight from going to the scorecards of the judges. He was able to do just that. Griffin was able to clip Riley with a straight punch to the face that wobbled him. Griffin wasted no time, using a flurry of punches to send his opponent to the ground. He instantly pounced on him, causing the referee to call a stop to the action at 0:32 of the third round. The victory came by way of a TKO (strikes) as Griffin will move in grand prix bracket. Big win for Griffin. Fairly devastating loss for Riley who let this one slip away. The Pro Elite heavyweight grand prix opened up with a bang as Richard Odoms brought his perfect 5-0 record into the cage against the 4-1 Rodney Housley. From the get-go, the size differential was glaringly apparent. Odoms was far too big and far too strong for the outmatched Housely. For three rounds, Odoms used his jab, his power and his weight advantage to lean on Housely and bludgeon him. Never was there a point where a finish looked likely, but the fight was also never close. Odoms won the unanimous decision (30-27 by all three judges) and will now move on to the next round of Pro Elite's heavyweight grand prix tournament. http://www.mmamania.com/2011/11/6/2538980/proelite-2-results-recap
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ProElite 2 Fight Card Finalized, Seven Bouts To Air On HDNet 
ProElite has finalized the fight card for its sophomore effort under new ownership, ProElite: Big Guns. 11 fights line the card, with seven scheduled to air live on HDNet at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Saturday, November 5th. A pair of former UFC champions headline the action, as Tim Sylvia (29-7) duels German heavyweight Andres Kraniotakes (12-4) and Andrei Arlovski (16-9) meets a veteran of over 300 fights, Travis Fulton (247-48-10). Also featured on the main card is a welterweight tilt between Reagan Penn (1-0) and Evan Cutts (2-0), as well as the quarterfinal match-ups of the promotion's eight-man heavyweight tournament -- Mark Ellis (1-0) vs. Ryan Martinez (5-1), Ed Carpenter (5-1) vs. Jake Heun (1-1), Cody Griffin (4-2) vs. Justyn Riley (4-2), and Richard Odoms (5-0) vs. Rodney Housley (4-1). Headlining the non-televised undercard is featherweight contest between UFC veteran Waylon Lowe (10-4) and Team Fearless product Floyd Hodges (8-5), alongside a heavyweight tourney-reserve bout between Todd Monaghan (4-2) and Richard McCray (0-0). A pair of amateur fights round-out the action, as Jonathon Thomson (5-3) squares off against Kelly Skeffington (4-2) at a 165-pound catchweight limit, and Daniel DeCamp (3-1) battles Nick McClean (3-0) in a flyweight tilt. ProElite: Big Guns will be held at the iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois. ProElite 2 fight card: Main card (HDNet): Heavyweight: Andreas Kraniotakes vs. Tim Sylvia
Heavyweight: Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Fulton
Welterweight: Evan Cutts vs. Reagan Penn
Heavyweight Quarterfinals: Mark Ellis vs. Ryan Martinez
Heavyweight Quarterfinals: Ed Carpenter vs. Jake Heun
Heavyweight Quarterfinals: Cody Griffin vs. Justyn Riley
Heavyweight Quarterfinals: Richard Odoms vs. Rodney Housley Preliminary card: Featherweight: Floyd Hodges vs. Waylon Lowe
Heavyweight Tourney-Reserve: Richard McCraw vs. Todd Monaghan
165-pound Catchweight: Kelly Skeffington vs. Jonathan Thomson
Flyweight: Daniel DeCamp vs. Nick McClean
http://mma.sbnation.com/2011/11/3/2535691/proelite-2-fight-card-hdnet-sylvia-arlovski
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ProElite Signs Broadcast Deal With HDNet October 18 2011 Last updated at 08:31 AM ET By Ariel Helwani   ProElite is back on cable television.
The organization announced late Monday night that it had signed a multi-fight broadcast deal with HDNet to air its events live on the cable network. As a result, ProElite: Big Guns will air live on HDNet on Nov. 5 from the i wireless Center in Moline, Ill.
"Our multi-fight agreement with HDNet elevates the ProElite brand to a national MMA audience with a preeminent broadcast partner," said Paul Feller, President and CEO of Stratus Media Group, the parent company of ProElite, and Chairman of the organization. "This strategic partnership offers new opportunities for corporate sponsors and advertisers looking to reach this passionate and rapidly growing audience of ProElite fans."
The co-main event for the organization's second card under new ownership will feature Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Fulton and Tim Sylvia vs. Andreas Kraniotakes, plus the start of eight-man heavyweight tournament.
http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/10/18/proelite-signs-broadcast-deal-with-hdnet/
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MMA Promotion ProElite & UFC Hall of Famer Featured on CBS' Hawaii Five-0September 15, 2011 It looks like CBS is not completely done with MMA just quite yet. Los Angeles based MMA promotion ProElite and CBS top rated show "Hawaii Five-0" have teamed up to create an episode based around the sport of Mixed Martial Arts and UFC & MMA Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell.    ProElite's Head of Fight Operations T.Jay Thompson stated the following on Twitter: "#1 rated show Hawaii 5-0 shooting an episode based around a Pro Elite MMA event today. Rich Chou and I on set at Blaisdell Arena.I think there may be some raised eyebrows when you find out who is playing the role of ProElite fighter opposite McGarret on H50." The episode (Episode 6, Season 2) will air this fall and will feature no other than UFC and MMA Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell playing the role of ProElite MMA fighter who takes on Hawaii 5-0 star Alex O'Loughlin (Steve McGarrett). Hawaii Five-0 Season 2 Preview on CBS: Payout Perspective: ProElite held it's first event last month (8/27) in Hawaii under new Stratus Media ownership. The event took place at the Blaisdell Arena, which interestingly enough is the same location where the Hawaii Five-0 MMA episode is filming. The episode is set to air this fall on CBS, which is around the same time ProElite is rumored to host it's second event from New Jersey. Thompson informed MMAPayout back in July that the goal was to have a TV deal in place by the second event targeted for early November. The exposure that ProElite will gain from being featured on a top rated CBS show is another step in the right direction for the promotion in achieving that goal. For it's first event, ProElite was able to sign-on high profile sponsors such as Monster Energy Drink and PayPal without a TV deal and only a stream on Sherdog.com in place. For the second event, the goal will be to land a TV deal that is suitable for a company who is scheduling only their second event under new management and personnel. Chuck Liddell retired from MMA in late 2010 and was appointed as Executive Vice President of Business Development for the UFC shortly after. At the time, he still wanted to fight but agreed to retire from MMA to take a job with the UFC. At press time, it is not known whether this project is part of his job with the UFC or independent work, and if so, if he had UFC's blessing to jump inside the cage promoting a non-Zuffa owned MMA brand. http://mmapayout.com/2011/09/mma-promotion-proelite-ufc-hall-of-famer-featured-on-cbs-hawaii-five-0/
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ProElite Relaunches Website, Releases 8/27 Event Promo August 10, 2011 Stratus Media and ProElite officially announced today the re-launch of their website via press release.
Along with the site, the promotion also released a promo for their upcoming 8/27 card in Hawaii.  ProElite, Inc. (PELE.PK), today announces its newly redesigned and rebranded website with highly improved look and feel is now live. "It is an exciting time for ProElite and we are thrilled that the company's striking and revamped site is successfully up and running," said Paul Feller, CEO, Stratus Media Group and Chairman, ProElite. Proelite.com has gone under structural and facial reconstruction and now showcases upcoming fights, fighter bios, stats, links to Facebook and Twitter pages, and more. "The relaunch of the website is one of many steps ProElite is taking as it rolls out its new identity under Stratus," said William Kelly COO of Stratus and ProElite. Functionality and value for our site visitors and fans will continue to improve over the coming weeks. Fans will also soon be able to purchase a redesigned line of ProElite MMA merchandise." ProElite, Inc., newly acquired by Stratus Media Group, returns to the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena August 27. Tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.com. ProElite Hawaii 8/27 Event Promo: Payout Perspective: ProElite has been taking good solid strides in re-launching their MMA brand. The re-launch of their website and the release of the slick promotional video for the upcoming card in Hawaii are of very good quality. They are also heavily focusing on Social Media to promote their brand and event, already establishing accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. There were recent rumor's about ProElite possibly signing a TV deal with Showtime/CBS, but those rumors were recently put to rest by Vice President of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson. Thompson states that they want to grow at the right pace, and that they are looking for an entry-level TV deal first that fits as to where they are as an MMA promotion currently, which is refreshing to hear. Their second event is scheduled for November and will most likely take place in New Jersey, where they expect to already have a TV deal and host the first round of their own Heavyweight Grand Prix.
============================================================================================================== ProElite Pursuing Veteran Manager and Promoter Monte Cox as Consultant August 9 2011 Last updated at 05:15 PM ET By Ariel Helwani Video Reporter and Writer  Veteran MMA manager and promoter Monte Cox is in talks with ProElite to become a consultant for the upstart organization. Both ProElite's Vice President of Operations T. Jay Thompson and Cox confirmed with MMA Fighting that talks are ongoing but no deal has been struck just yet. "I'm excited about the prospect of working with T. Jay and ProElite," Cox wrote via text message. "We've been friends for a long, long time and think we work well together. It would be fun to get in on the ground floor and help build something." Cox has managed some of the biggest names in MMA, including Rich Franklin and Tim Sylvia. He entered the sport in 1995 and has also promoted close to 600 local shows. The role being offered to Cox is simply that of a consultant. Should he accept, he would not have to quit his manager or promoter jobs and would not be involved in ProElite's matchmaking process. "Monte and I have worked together on many projects through the years," Thompson said. "I would love to have him on board. He would be an incredible asset to the company "He'll be in Hawaii for the ProElite show and maybe after taking his money on the golf course, if he's not too grumpy, we'll come to an agreement." Cox was famously named CEO of M-1 Global in 2007 but left the organization in 2008. http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/08/09/proelite-pursuing-veteran-manager-and-promoter-monte-cox-as-cons/
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ProElite Announces Arlovski vs Lopez On August 27 July 28, 2011 ProElite announced today that they would be revealing more details on their "ProElite 2.0″ 8/27 event during a conference call this Friday morning.  WHAT: PRO ELITE MMA - PRESS CONFERENCE
WHEN: FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011 - 10:00AM
WHERE: RUM FIRE, SHERATON WAIKIKI BEACH, HAWAII
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LOS ANGELES, CA-Jul. 26, 2011- ProElite, Inc. (PELE:PK), today announces a press conference scheduled for Friday, July 29th in Honolulu to reveal the matchups on the upcoming August fight card.
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"It's exciting to have the MMA community on the edge of their seats awaiting the next ProElite news," stated Paul Feller, President and CEO of Stratus. "I am confident that MMA fans will not be disappointed with the matchups, which will be announced later this week."
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The August 27th fight marks the third time ProElite has staged an MMA event in Hawaii.
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T.Jay Thompson, head of Fight Operations said, "This is just the start of ProElite's return to a dominant player in the industry." "We look forward to regaining the support of the MMA global audience."
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Tickets can now be purchased at the Blaisdell Arena box office, or online at ticketmaster.com. Reserved seats are $28, $40, $65, and $90; Cage side seats are priced at $150 and $200.  Rumored ProElite 8/27 Card:
Andrei Arlovski (15-9) vs Ray Lopez (5-2)
Kendall Grove (12-9) vs Joe Riggs (34-13)
Kala Hose (7-5) v Drew McFedries (9-6),
Raquel Pa'aluhi (3-1) v Sara McMann (2-0),
Mark Ellis (Debut) v Jake Huen (1-0)
Reagan Penn (Debut) vs TBA Payout Perspective: ProElite's August 27 event from Hawaii has been building up nicely in the past couple of weeks. T.Jay Thompson and Rich Chou have done a great job of piecing the card together with a good mix of recognizable veteran names along with young prospects. The additions of Kendall Grove, Reagan Penn, and Kala Hose to the card should translate into good attendance numbers for the promotion. Young prospects such as Mark Ellis and Sara McMann will bring credibility to the promotion and should begin the process of creating their own stars. Sources have informed MMAPayout that the event will most likely be streamed from Sherdog.com as the UFC Rio event concludes. Another interesting piece of news is that Jens Pulver is in talks to become ProElite's color commentator for the event. Legendary PRIDE referee Yuji Shimada will also be working the August ProElite event in Hawaii. In terms of sponsors, ProElite's T.Jay Thompson informed us that he didn't expect any major sponsors for this event. If we look at the event poster, it only shows radio stations such as 101.9, 98.5, and 93.9.
http://mmapayout.com/2011/07/proelite-announces-arlovski-vs-lopez-on-august-27/ ==============================================================================================================
BJ Penn's Brother, Reagan Penn, to Make MMA Debut at ProElite's Return Event -
 - Reagan Penn (Photo courtesy of BJPenn.com)
UFC veteran BJ Penn isn't the only fighter in the family and his younger brother, Reagan, is going to get the chance to prove it. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with no amateur or professional mixed martial arts experience, Reagan is going to make his debut in the sport at ProElite's return event on Aug. 27 at the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu. The promotion has yet to sign an opponent for Penn. His brother's website, BJPenn.com, reported the news on Wednesday evening. MMAWeekly.com confirmed the signing with independent sources. Although Reagan has yet to make his MMA debut, he has trained for years and has been a constant at his brother's fights recently. ProElite, Inc. was recently resurrected by Stratus Media Group after being shuttered for more than two and a half years. The company formerly operated events under the EliteXC banner. The Aug. 27 event at the Blaisdell Arena marks ProElite's first event since October 2008.
http://mmaweekly.com/bj-penns-brother-reagan-penn-to-make-mma-debut-at-proelites-return-event ============================================================================================================== Andrei Arlovski and Mark Ellis Officially Signed; Signals New Approach for Pro Elite
 Andrei Arlovski Call it Pro Elite 2.0. Call it a new and improved version. Call it whatever you want, but the new version of Pro Elite is up and running and signing fighters for their return show in August. The organization that once promoted Elite XC, which landed on both Showtime and CBS, is now under new leadership and they are putting the finishing touches on the business model that will lead them in a new direction. Director of Fight Operations T. Jay Thompson knows a lot about building a fight promotion from the ground up. From his days in Hawaii running Superbrawl which then turned into ICON, Thompson helped mold and shape many young fighter's careers as well as veterans looking to build themselves back up. It's that very business model that Thompson along with fellow executive Rich Chou are doing with their first two major signings confirmed to MMAWeekly.com on Thursday. As previously speculated, former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski has signed a deal to compete for Pro Elite and will be headlining the first fight card on Aug 27 in Hawaii. Arlovski has fallen on tough times of late, dropping four fights in a row, but with his training now fully integrated at Greg Jackson's gym in New Mexico, the Belarus native will look for a rebirth of sorts when he debuts with Pro Elite next month. The other signing Thompson confirmed has the pedigree of a champion, even though he hasn't stepped foot in the cage for a professional fight yet. NCAA heavyweight champion wrestler Mark Ellis has signed a multi-figh t deal with Pro Elite to compete for the promotion, and will make his professional debut in August. Why is Ellis, a 0-0 fighter, so special as a signee for Pro Elite? Ellis signed on with the American Kickboxing Academy last year, and began working alongside fighters like UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and current Strikeforce contender Daniel Cormier. Serving as a major training partner for Velasquez as he got ready for Brock Lesnar, as well as assisting other teammates, Ellis is expected to be the next heavyweight stand out produced from the AKA system. "Bringing in a mix of veterans and young fighters are exactly how we want to build Pro Elite," Thompson said. "Watching Andrei Arlovski work his way back to the top, and then seeing a young guy like Mark Ellis develop into a potential star, it's going to be great to see how this all develops." It's a proven formula that Thompson has seen unfold before. He helped develop the career a young Jason 'Mayhem' Miller, and then helped resurrect fighters like Robbie Lawler and Frank Trigg after their time ended in the UFC. Thompson knows the formula can work again and he's banking on Arlovski and Mark Ellis as the first two pieces to this puzzle now called Pro Elite.
http://mmaweekly.com/andrei-arlovski-and-mark-ellis-officially-signed-signals-new-approach-for-pro-elite ==============================================================================================================
Pro Elite Targeting August for Return; T. Jay Thompson & Rich Chou on Board as Executives  From the ashes a new promotion will rise. Pro Elite, the parent company that once housed the promotion Elite XC, is on its way back and they've found a couple of MMA powerhouses to help run the show. According to sources speaking to MMAWeekly.com on Monday, former ICON owner T. Jay Thompson and former Strikeforce matchmaker Rich Chou have been brought on board to run the show at Pro Elite. Additionally, the promotion has targeted a late August date for their return to action, and they are currently scouting locations for the show. Sources have also indicated that former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski is one of a handful of fighters that have been in negotiations to fight for the organization when they return later this year. During their previous inception, Pro Elite housed several top fighters while also closing a deal to put them on network television appearing on CBS. The new ownership of the promotion is primarily under Stratus Media Group, which purchased the publicly traded company with intentions of bringing it back and now it appears they have the backbone of their organization lined up. T. Jay Thompson returns to the MMA scene after working for Pro Elite previously, and he was also the owner of the former Hawaiian promotion ICON Sport. Thompson has a long standing history with MMA, and ran shows on the island for many years before moving on to work for Pro Elite. Meanwhile, Rich Chou has also been a mainstay of the MMA scene for several years working as a referee as well as behind the scenes at the Hawaiian promotion 'Rumble on the Rock'. Chou moved on to become the Strikeforce matchmaker before Zuffa purchased the promotion and opted to instill new employees to oversee the operation. While the new Pro Elite is still working on securing fighters and a location for their first card, one area the could be a prime spot is Hawaii. Both Thompson and Chou have roots there and promotions like ICON and Rumble on the Rock thrived there for several years. http://mmaweekly.com/pro-elite-targeting-august-for-return-t-jay-thompson-rich-chou-on-board-as-executives
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   PROELITE RELAUNCH UNDER MANAGEMENT OF STRATUS MEDIA GROUP
--International MMA Events Planned for 2010--
SANTA BARBARA, CA - (February 23, 2010) -- Stratus Media Group, Inc. (OTCBB:SMDI), a live entertainment company, announced today that Stratus has assumed control over the board of directors and the management of ProElite Inc. (PK:PELE), an entertainment and media company involved in the promotion of mixed martial arts (MMA).
"This acquisition allows Stratus and ProElite to combine forces at the management and board levels of both organizations," stated Paul Feller, President and CEO of Stratus. "ProElite has a globally recognized brand. We believe that by combining select key experienced management executives, who made ProElite the immediate success it was, with new top executives with demonstrated successes in conducting and televising MMA events internationally and sufficient capital, that we will achieve the brand's strategy for global growth and success. With this combination, we can start focusing on strengthening and repositioning ProElite events and the brand, planning a series of MMA events that we believe will bring excitement to the MMA market, fans and our shareholders and establish ProElite as a leading international MMA company."
Founded in 2006, ProElite still holds the record for highest ratings for a major network telecast of a MMA event. ProElite also owns a web portal with social networking for MMA fighters and fans and live streams of MMA bouts not broadcast on television. A focal point of ProElite's live event promotions is Elite XC. Running its first show in 2007, it quickly became one of the most visible brands in mixed martial arts in the United States. Prior to the sale of specific assets which produce ongoing financial considerations owed from Strikeforce and King of the Cage, ProElite recorded $13.5 million in MMA event and television revenues for the 18 months ended June 2008. ProElite has engaged in an extensive restructuring that included the sales of certain assets for cash and a share of future revenues, significant expense reductions, the elimination of $12 million of direct and contingent liabilities and the shedding of unprofitable subsidiaries. The company maintains its ownership stake in South Korean-based Spirit MC, and British promotion Cage Rage.
About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite, Inc. historically has delivered exciting entertainment experiences in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment via the Internet. ProElite plans to deliver live MMA fight events that showcase the world's top fighters internationally. ProElite's interactive business, ProElite.com, plans to capitalize on the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts.
About Stratus Media Group, Inc.
Incorporated in November of 1998, Santa Barbara based-Stratus Media Group is an owner, operator and marketer of live entertainment and sporting events. The company is primarily focused on internal growth and acquisitions within the live entertainment-related market, including action sports, automotive shows, college sports, food events, motor sports, music concerts and festivals, running events, diversified media marketing, trade shows and expositions, and talent management. In addition, the company intends to expand its consumer rewards marketing and redemption activities through its Stratus Rewards Visa White Card -- providing exclusive redemption benefits to its cardholders in the form of VIP event access, luxury trips, private jet travel, luxury automobiles, high-end merchandise and other rewards for specified levels of use. For more information on Stratus Media Group, Inc., go to www.stratusmediagroup.com
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release relating to plans, strategies, economic performance and trends, projections of results of specific activities or investments, and other statements that are not descriptions of historical facts may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking information is inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors which include but are not limited to risk factors inherent in doing business. Although the company's management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The company has no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. ==============================================================================================================  STRATUS MEDIA GROUP TO ACQUIRE PROELITE a live entertainment company, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a 95% interest in ProElite, Inc. (PK: PELE), a sports, entertainment and media company that has produced arena-based mixed martial arts (MMA) events. --International MMA Advances Stratus` Global Growth Strategy
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STRATUS MEDIA GROUP, INC. SIGNS PARTNERSHIP WITH DUBAI PRO SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
LOS ANGELES, CA (April 23, 2009) - Stratus Media Group, Inc. (OTCBB: SMDI) today announced it has signed a partnership agreement with Dubai Pro Sports & Entertainment, a live entertainment company headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Terms were not disclosed.
The partnership a greement will entitle Dubai Pro Sports & Entertainment to become an operator, marketer and promoter of Stratus Media Group properties within the United Arab Emirates and surrounding countries. The properties will include concerts and music festivals, auto racing, talent management and VIP affiliate marketing programs. In addition to participating in the advertising, sales and branding rights opportunities, Dubai Pro Sports & Entertainment will also organize international mixed martial arts matches in conjunction with Stratus Media Group within select countries.
"The partnership agreement with Dubai Pro Sports will enable our organization to expand its geographic presence and capitalize on the growth opportunities we envision within the Middle East. Dubai Pro Sports & Entertainment shares our enthusiasm for live entertainment events and possesses the passion, teamwork, leadership values to achieve success. We are delighted to partner with Dubai Pro Sports and look forward to announcing exciting future events," said Paul Feller, president and chief executive officer of Stratus Media Group.
"Our vision is to establish a worldwide presence with unique live entertainment properties that are expected to have a broad appeal with the Middle East and the surrounding countries. We look forward to a mutually beneficial association with Stratus Media Group," said Meraj Syed, chief executive officer of Dubai Pro
Sports & Entertainment.
About Stratus Media Group, Inc.
Incorporated in November of 1998, Santa Barbara based-Stratus Media Group is an owner, operator and marketer of live entertainment and sporting events. The company is primarily focused on internal growth and acquisitions within the live entertainment-related market -- including action sports, automotive shows, college sports, food events, motor sports, music concerts and festivals, running events, diversified media marketing, trade shows and expositions, and talent management. In addition, the company intends to expand its consumer rewards marketing and redemption activities through its Stratus Rewards Visa White Card -- providing exclusive redemption benefits to its cardholders in the form of VIP event access, luxury trips, private jet travel, luxury automobiles, high-end merchandise and other rewards for specified levels of use.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release relating to plans, strategies, economic performance and trends, projections of results of specific activities or investments, and other statements that are not descriptions of historical facts may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking information is inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could
differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors which include but are not limited to risk factors inherent in doing business. Although the company's management believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The company has no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
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