PRESS RELEASE: On Tuesday a gigantic mixed martial arts fight card was formally announced for June 2, 2007, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The initial three bouts of the live card will be shown on Showtime during a one-hour telecast that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The pay-per-view portion of the June 2 mega event will feature up to six bouts and immediately follow on Showtime Pay Per View (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).
“Dynamite!! USA promises to be one of the most exciting MMA events in history, and FEG is extremely excited to bring our production to this legendary Los Angeles venue,” said Mr. Tanikawa, CEO of FEG. “Mixed martial arts has shown tremendous growth in recent years and events like this show that we are looking to raise the bar in making it one of the more popular sports in the U.S.”
Headliners on the fight card will come from a variety of backgrounds, including 7-foot-2 South Korean giant Hong Man Choi, aka “Techno Goliath,” who will face off against former NCAA and WWE wrestling champion Brock Lesnar. Also joining the fight card on June 2 will be mixed martial arts legend Royce Gracie and Johnnie Morton, a former USC Trojan wide receiver and NFL player.
Hong Man Choi, a K-1 Asia champion, will be making his first U.S. MMA appearance at the June 2 event, where he will take on newcomer Lesnar, a North Dakota native who rose to WWE stardom in shows such as WWE Raw, SummerSlam and WrestleMania. Gracie, a 14-year MMA pioneer and UFC Hall of Famer, began his training in the discipline of Jiu-Jitsu and has taken on many larger opponents during his career, including 6’8, 486 lb. Sumo Grand Champion, Akebono, who Gracie defeated. Morton, a Los Angeles native and football star with University of Southern California and the NFL’s Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers during an illustrious career, will be making his MMA debut at “Softbank presents Dynamite!! USA in association with ProElite.”
The pay-per-view fight card, which begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, will feature up to six fights, with co-main events. Prior to the pay-per-view, SHOWTIME will televise three explosive bouts featuring EliteXC stars Jake Shields, Antonio Silva and Gina Carano, free to SHOWTIME subscribers from 9-10 p.m. ET/6-7 p.m. PT. For pay-per-view pricing and ordering information, viewers should contact their local cable or satellite provider.
“Dynamite!! USA will offer one of the most diverse and exclusive fight cards to appear in an MMA ring, something we feel is important for our inaugural event in the U.S.,” said Mr. Tanikawa, CEO of FEG. “All the fighters bring different sets of skills to the ring, which makes for truly entertaining combat. MMA fans stateside and around the world will be treated to a number of exhilarating matches and unique competitors that make these fights so exciting.”
“Softbank presents Dynamite!! USA in association with ProElite” will combine the disciplines of karate, kickboxing and kung fu, as well as masteries of jiu-jitsu, judo and wrestling. The action takes place in a boxing-style ring, which provides easy accessibility for TV viewers and audiences. FEG matches take place in a controlled environment, where competitors are required to adhere to a series of rules and regulations. Fighters are not allowed to use elbows and attacks are not allowed to the head when one of the opponents is on the ground.
QUOTES:
HONG MAN CHOI:“This is my first MMA fight in the United States and I am very excited about it. I feel privileged to be on this show.
“The Coliseum is a big place, just like me. I have studied my opponent and know he is a very good fighter. I plan to give my best. I hope I can live up to the expectations.’’
BROCK LESNAR:“Pro wrestling ran its course and I wanted to do something else. I tried pro football and visited the Minnesota Vikings camp in 2004. When that didn’t pan out and I saw how MMA was exploding, I said to myself, ‘hey, there’s something here for you.’
“This is my first MMA event and I am very excited. I am happy to be part of this sport. I feel fortunate to have my health and I am ready to go. I have a good feeling about this.
“My opponent is obviously very, very large. But size doesn’t matter. It just gives me a huge target to hit.
“I think they are making a big mistake by fighting me. Choi has more experience, but when it comes time for me to put his butt on the mat, he will be like a fish out of water.
“I want to thank everyone involved. This is a heck of an opportunity and a chance to get back to my amateur wrestling roots. I’ve been training a year and feel very comfortable.
“This is going to be a great event and I can’t wait for when it’s time for lights, camera and action. I am looking to make a huge impact on the MMA today.’’
ROYCE GRACIE:“I am pleased to be fighting in California again. I live in Torrance (Calif.) so this is like a home game for me. I don’t get too many of those.
“I am very excited to be part of an MMA event that will be the biggest and largest ever in American history.
“I have fought in Japan in front of 95,000 fans, so I am used to huge crowds. But this is going to be a fantastic and memorable event. I hope the fans who can’t be at the Coliseum will watch the pay-per-view. It will be very exciting.’’
JOHNNIE MORTON:“This is my first pro fight. No, I don’t know of many other NFL players doing this. But I got beat up all those years playing football so I decided to give this a try.
“I stay in shape year round. So in the off-seasons, I would train in kick-boxing gyms and learn new moves. I am going into this totally blind.
“The big thing is, this is a new challenge in a sport I have never done before. My whole life, I played team sports. This is a chance to do an individual one.
“This sport is nuts. But football was nuts, too. At least in football, you do get hit sometimes, too.
“I feel my strengths are heart, courage, strength and competitiveness. I feel extremely strong in my upper body and on my feet.
“I’ve watched MMA from the very start and always found it interesting. It was my favorite sport to watch. Now, I am going to be in the biggest MMA event in American history. Sure, I will be a little nervous. But if you are not nervous, you should not be here.
“I am proud to be involved in this big event. I am looking forward to making a mark.’’
