The Fight Network has learned that two-time WBC Heavyweight Champion Hasim Rahman is off the February 22nd Versus Fight Night card slated for the Mountaineer Race Track and Casino, in Chester West Virginia.
Rahman was to have faced former WBO heavyweight champion "Merciless" Ray Mercer.
There is no word on Rahman's replacement, if Mercer will still appear, or if the loss of "The Rock" means that the proposed Joe Mesi-George Linberger co-feature will go ahead as planned.
The card will be televised LIVE on The Fight Network.
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GOLDEN BOY INKS JUAREZ
Golden Boy Promotions announced Monday that they have signed super featherweight Rocky Juarez to a promotional contract.
"Seeing Rocky Juarez in back to back fights with Barrera showed us not only Rocky’s skill and determination in the ring, but his character as well, and he is a perfect fit for our company," said Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya.
"We’re honoured to have him on the team and we’re looking forward to leading him to a world championship."
Juarez’ first bout as a Golden Boy Promotions client will be against Emmanuel Lucero on February 9 at the Diamond Desert Casino in Tucson, AZ.
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ERDEI READIES FOR SEVENTH DEFENSE
Unbeaten WBO light heavyweight champion Zsolt Erdei (25-0, 15 KOs) will make his seventh world title defense this Saturday when he takes on Danny "The Bronx Bomber" Santiago (29-2-1, 19 KOs) at the Burg-Wächter Castello in Düsseldorf, Germany.
"This is a tough kid. His record speaks for itself. Naturally I have respect for "The Bronx Bomber," Erdei said at Monday's press conference.
"But my son (Zsolt is a new father) gives me strength for this fight. I'm glad to be in Düsseldorf."
According to Santiago, Saturday's fight is a chance to proudly represent the Bronx on the world stage.
"Zsolt is the world champion, but I come from the Bronx – a tough part of town. I am proud of that and will represent my country with pride. The dream of being a world champion has been mine since I was 14 years old."
Pride has announced via its official website more match-ups for its upcoming second show in Las Vegas on February 24th. In addition to the main event featuring Wanderlei Silva versus Dan Henderson for Pride's 205-pound title, the organization has added several more marquee fights to the card.
Pride Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi will make his Las Vegas debut when he takes on former UFC mainstay, Nick Diaz. This will be the first fight at 160lbs for Diaz, who has fought the majority of his career at welterweight. The bout is a non-title contest but should be a phenomenal match-up between two of the most exciting fighters in the world. Diaz won the last two fights on his UFC contract before signing with both EliteXC and Pride.
Also on the card will be former UFC welterweight contender and current ICON sport middleweight champion and Pride color commentator Frank Trigg, as he steps up to face Pride Grand Prix winner, Kazuo Misaki. This bout will be the second fight for Trigg in the organization that hired him most recently as a color commentator. His opponent, Misaki, is the #4 Middleweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings. The former co-host of MMAWeekly Radio will make an appearance on Tuesday’s show to talk about his bout with Misaki at Pride 33.
Kazuhiro Nakamura will have his second tour in the Pride ring in America when he takes on former UFC and IFL standout, Travis Wiuff. Nakamura, who is currently ranked #9 at light heavyweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings, was successful in his first fight in the U.S. against Travis Galbraith and this fight will surely be another tough test for the young Judoka.
Pride also confirmed one other fight on its Japanese web site. As previously reported by MMAWeekly's Mick Hammond, former King of the Cage Lightweight Champion Mac Danzig will make his Pride debut against Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, who is the #2 lightweight fighter in the world according to the MMAWeekly Rankings.
Pride 33 will take place on February 24th at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas and will air live on pay-per-view in the United States.
Pride has announced via its official website more match-ups for its upcoming second show in Las Vegas on February 24th. In addition to the main event featuring Wanderlei Silva versus Dan Henderson for Pride's 205-pound title, the organization has added several more marquee fights to the card.
Pride Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi will make his Las Vegas debut when he takes on former UFC mainstay, Nick Diaz. This will be the first fight at 160lbs for Diaz, who has fought the majority of his career at welterweight. The bout is a non-title contest but should be a phenomenal match-up between two of the most exciting fighters in the world. Diaz won the last two fights on his UFC contract before signing with both EliteXC and Pride.
Also on the card will be former UFC welterweight contender and current ICON sport middleweight champion and Pride color commentator Frank Trigg, as he steps up to face Pride Grand Prix winner, Kazuo Misaki. This bout will be the second fight for Trigg in the organization that hired him most recently as a color commentator. His opponent, Misaki, is the #4 Middleweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings. The former co-host of MMAWeekly Radio will make an appearance on Tuesday’s show to talk about his bout with Misaki at Pride 33.
Kazuhiro Nakamura will have his second tour in the Pride ring in America when he takes on former UFC and IFL standout, Travis Wiuff. Nakamura, who is currently ranked #9 at light heavyweight in the MMAWeekly Rankings, was successful in his first fight in the U.S. against Travis Galbraith and this fight will surely be another tough test for the young Judoka.
Pride also confirmed one other fight on its Japanese web site. As previously reported by MMAWeekly's Mick Hammond, former King of the Cage Lightweight Champion Mac Danzig will make his Pride debut against Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, who is the #2 lightweight fighter in the world according to the MMAWeekly Rankings.
Pride 33 will take place on February 24th at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas and will air live on pay-per-view in the United States.
GROUPE TKO MMA inc., a Canadian owned and based company has its headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. TKO is Canada’s #1 Combat sports fight promotion and one of the world leaders in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). TKO produces five (5) pay-per-view events yearly that are broadcasted on Viewer’s Choice Canada (pay-per-view), Bell Express Vu (pay-per-view satellite provider) and Star Choice (pay-per-view). TKO events are also broadcasted on Canada’s Largest Sports Network, from coast to coast on TSN, in Quebec on RDS and everywhere in North-America on The Fight Network. All the events are distributed on DVD.
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