NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 29, 2008

No Fear Energy Sponsored MMA Fighter,
Joseph Benavidez to Fight at WEC 37

No Fear Energy sponsored MMA fighter Joseph Benavidez, who trains in Sacramento with WEC superstar Urijah Faber, will face fellow bantamweight Danny Martinez as part of the main card for December 3rd’s WEC 37 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
“No Fear Energy is excited to support Joseph Benavidez and his goal of moving up through the ranks of the WEC,” said Britt Galland, Vice President of Marketing for No Fear. “He’s a hard-working fighter who’s extremely dedicated to his sport, and judging by his undefeated record, we believe he has a bright future in MMA.”
Benavidez, who along with Faber is managed by Meyer Management Agency, Inc. has a professional record of 8-0-0, coming from six submissions and two TKOs. After a brief stint in Japan fighting for the Dream promotion, Benavidez is stepping up his fight game to the WEC, which has become the home of many of the world’s top bantamweights.
The undefeated Benavidez, who grew up wrestling in New Mexico, is looking to break the three-fight winning streak of Martinez (11-2) whose last fight was in early October. Martinez currently holds the Rage in the Cage bantamweight title.
The main event on the card features bantamweight, WEC Champion Miguel Torres taking on undefeated challenger Manny Tapia. WEC 37 will be broadcast live on Versus beginning at 5:00 pm Pacific time. Check your local listings.
Main Card Bouts for WEC 37: 

Miguel Torres vs. Manny Tapia for WEC Bantamweight Championship 

Brian Bowles vs. Will Ribeiro 

Wagnney Fabiano vs. Akitoshi Tamura 

Joseph Benavidez vs. Danny Martinez 

Justin Haskins vs. Johny Hendricks

For more details on WEC 37, visit www.WEC.tv To check out profiles of other No Fear supported MMA fighters, log on to www.nofear.com

NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 12, 2008

No Fear Extends Its Agreement to Sponsor
The NSSA’s Championship Series to 2011

Carlsbad, CA – No Fear’s VP of Marketing, Britt Galland and NSSA Executive Director, Janice Aragon announced today that No Fear has extended its commitment to serve as the title sponsor for NSSA’s four championship series through June of 2011. The original three-year contract was set to expire after the NSSA Nationals in June of 2009.

The newly extended commitment encompasses the sponsorship of the NSSA Interscholastic State Championships, East Coast and West Coast Championships and the grand finale—the NSSA National Championships—widely recognized as our nation’s most prestigious amateur surfing showcase.

“No Fear has always recognized the NSSA as the cornerstone of amateur surfing in the USA, which is why we jumped at the chance to associate our brand with NSSA in 2007,” Galland said. “No Fear’s philosophy is to support young athletes and help them realize their fullest potential…and that’s exactly the role the NSSA plays in the surfing community.”

According to Aragon, No Fear’s involvement will continue to provide significant benefits to NSSA’s member-competitors and multifaceted surfing program. “Promoting competitive accomplishment and scholastic achievement to our members is at the core of the NSSA’s DNA, and we are proud that No Fear supports our mission. We’re thrilled that No Fear has extended its support and we feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to continue this long-term partnership.”

Since inking its original three-year deal with the NSSA in 2007, No Fear has continued to escalate its support. In October of 2008, No Fear announced its sponsorship of the 2008-2009 NSSA Junior Series—the organization’s entry-level competitive series for middle school and high school surfers. More recently, No Fear Energy became the official energy drink of the NSSA.

Since its humble beginnings 30 years ago, the NSSA has evolved into the launching pad from the amateur level to professional surfing. Virtually every American surfer competing on the ASP World Championship Tour has come up through the NSSA organization.

For more information on No Fear, visit www.nofear.com For updates on NSSA events, schedules, and competitor rankings, visit www.nssa.org

Story By Frank Curreri Courtesy of WEC

WEC Featherweight Champion Faber has relied more on his grappling than his striking to win the vast majority of his fights. Yet the California Kid’s stand-up masterpiece against Jens Pulver in June shocked quite a few people and dramatically demonstrated how much his overall game has evolved. 

Faber’s five-round fistic gem came at a price: His right hand, the one that repeatedly cracked Pulver and even rocked him on at least one occasion, hurt like heck afterward. The bones became consolidated and rubbed together. Inflammation and swelling set in and stayed for months.

Weeks after the fight, Faber got a phone call. The WEC wanted him to defend his title against Mike Brown, winner of seven straight and 10 of his last 11 fights. Faber accepted, even though his right hand had not healed. He trained for Brown and “babied” the hand.

“I wouldn’t do a lot of combinations and stuff,” Faber said. “I trained a lot of standup, I just didn’t want to fire the right hand or hurt it.” 

But in a telling sign of just how perpetually sunny and optimistic Faber is (perhaps one of the secrets to his success), he never doubted he would prevail against Brown. 



“I’m an optimist,” the easy-going 29-year-old said. “I go into every fight, even if I’m hurt, thinking ‘I’ll make it happen. I don’t know how, but I’m going to win.’ I was going to use the right hand a lot. I wouldn’t have even thought about it once the fight started.”

Faber’s fight with Brown was originally scheduled for Sept. 10 in Hollywood, Fla. The threat of Hurricane Ike, though it never hit the city, forced officials to postpone the main event until Nov. 5 at the same location (VERSUS 8pm ET / 5pm PT). Rather than be miffed at the postponement, as many fighters might be, Faber considered it “a blessing in disguise,” giving his hand more time to heal. 



“It’s a lot better,” Faber said during a visit to UFC headquarters in Las Vegas a few weeks before the fight. “I’m all good. I’ll fight right now.”

Although Brown lacks the name recognition and legendary status of say, a Jens Pulver, Faber assures he is not taking his challenger lightly. Brown (19-4) trains with the renowned American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla. and is extremely powerful. His standup is solid and his only losses have come to formidable foes such as Genki Sudo, Hermes Franca, Joe Lauzon and Mazakazu Imanari – all by submission.

“The biggest thing with Mike Brown is he has been progressive with the sport,” Faber said of Brown, who turned pro in Nov. 2001. “He’s a guy that was there at the beginning when it first started to take off and he has continued to learn. Much like myself, he has made it his lifestyle and made a commitment to the sport. He’s very, very good. Even technique-wise, we’re both fairly close. Athletic ability, I think there will be a difference. Mine is more of a fluid athletic ability. He’s an intelligent guy, I’m an intelligent guy. He has heart, I have heart. It’s just going to come down to who is the better fighter.”

Get the Exclusive WEC Champion
Urijah Faber Signature Hoodie Online

Now through Tuesday, November 4, 2008 you can order your special edition, Urijah Faber Signature Hoodie at the No Fear online store. Go to www.nofear.com and click on Shop Online.

Be sure to watch Urijah defend his WEC Featherweight Title, Wednesday November 5th live on Versus from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, in Hollywood Florida.

Pipe specialist and QS journeyman Flynn Novak is getting fired up to compete in the season’s final three WQS events on the North Shore. Although he’s enjoyed some success, he’s clearly not content with his ranking in the top 100 for the past two years. We tracked down Flynn on the North Shore and talked to him about his plans for the remainder of the season and what adjustments he feels he needs to make next year to make a serious push to qualify for the Dream Tour.

Q: How would you describe your season on the QS this year overall?

Flynn: I would describe my ‘08 season as a disapointment and a lost opportunity. I had a really good seed in the beginning of the year, and I was looking to start the year off with a bang and go to as many events as possible, and come closer to qualifying for the ‘CT. But the investor for Pipeline Posse owed me $10 grand that he kept promising he would give me, but never did. That money would have sent me to all the events I needed to go to in the beginning of the year. Instead I was forced to sit back and wait for money that never got to me, meaning I wasn’t able to travel to all of the early events. Then they changed the rules in the WQS that said that they would re-seed everyone as of their halfway ranking. I went from having a 96 seed in 5 and 6 stars, to having to start in the 2nd round of even 4 stars. I wasn’t thrilled about that at all, but luckily No Fear stepped in and helped me get to most of the later events this year. That was a relief, because up until that point, I was pretty angry about my whole situation.

Q: What was the high point?

Flynn: Making two finals, and winning one at Ala Moana Bowls in pumping surf. I think I just held in all my frustration and anger and channeled it towards something positive. That was a good feeling, and it still is.

Q: Besides your win at the Macy’s Event at Bowls, what were some of your other top results this year?

Flynn: I finished in the top 10 of a couple of 4 and 5 stars this year, but nothing great yet.

Q: Was there a low point for you this year?

Flynn: Just the beginning of the year, with a solid seed in all the events but just no money to get there.

Q: About how much time did you spend away from your home on the North Shore?

Flynn: I was traveling for about 6 months solid this season.

Q: Do you enjoy all the traveling, or is it a grind?

Flynn: I enjoy the traveling most of the time, especially when I’m with my good friends. But it can be really draining for your body and mind. Sometimes you can’t help but feel like your heart just isn’t into it. For example, Europe is a really difficult place to go to and find a rhythm and stay happy.

Q: How tough is it to stay ranked in the top 100 on the QS for two years
in a row?

Flynn: It seems impossible for a lot of guys, but I think it’s all in your mind. For me, I expect to be at least in the top 100, but I know I should be way higher up there, and I’m not satisfied one bit. I’m actually kinda bummed when I see the two digit number next to my name.

Q: Your current ranking is 93. What was your highest ranking during
the 2008 season?

Flynn: I don’t know what my highest ranking was during this year, it’s been pretty low for most of the year. I try not to look on the ratings, because when I see a 93 next to my name it makes me really angry.

Q: What do you think you will have to do differently to make a serious
push to qualify for the CT at the end of next season?

Flynn: Get a stack of magic board that go where I want to go on waves, improve my backside surfing, and get a bunch of lucky breaks.

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Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Zuffa, LLC, owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) brand, today announced it has launched into the video on demand (VOD) spectrum of entertainment with Verizon FiOS TV.

“As UFC continues to thrive in sports, we constantly look for new ways to deliver the UFC experience to our loyal fans around the world,” said Dana White, UFC President. “The VOD program will provide more information on the UFC, training techniques, and some of the greatest fights in history available 24/7 through UFC On Demand.”

“Verizon’s FiOS TV customers are getting the ultimate entertainment experience with our industry-leading video-on-demand library,” said Terry Denson, vice president – FiOS TV content and programming. “And now our FiOS TV customers have access to all of the best ultimate fighting action from UFC, available at any time.”

UFC On Demand is a unique and innovative VOD program designed to educate new and casual fans about the sport, while giving hard-core fans access to “MORE UFC!” content they’ve been clamoring for — at price points accessible to everyone. The service consists of a triple-tiered offering of three distinct services, with UFC Free Zone, UFC Fight Zone and UFC Event Zone:

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LIVE ON VERSUS – WEDNESDAY, NOV. 5, 2008

LIVE FROM THE SEMINOLE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO IN HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA

Tickets on Sale Now

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The fights are on! World Extreme Cagefighting® presents WEC: FABER vs. BROWN, live on the VERSUS network at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, Wednesday, Nov. 5 from The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

The card that was originally postponed in September due to Hurricane Ike is back, finalized and better than ever. On November 5, “The California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-1) defends his WEC Featherweight championship against Coconut Creek, Florida’s Mike Brown (19-4).

Tickets for WEC: FABER vs. BROWN are on sale now and are priced at $175, $125, $100, and $50 (not including applicable services or taxes). Tickets are available at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office and all Ticketmaster locations. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (954) 523-3309. Tickets also are available online through www.wec.tv or www.ticketmaster.com.

WEC: FABER vs. BROWN will be televised live nationally on VERSUS beginning at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT. All live WEC events will be presented in Hi-Definition (HD) and Spanish SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus

Days before their title match, Mother Nature decided to make these two gladiators wait two more months. Now, the question is – Who will benefit from the extra eight weeks of training?

“I was 100 percent ready to go,” Brown said. “It was kind of rough on me. I took a week off to relax, just like I would’ve if I fought.”

But Brown remains confident. To counteract Faber’s wrestling ability, the Portland, Maine native who now trains with American Top Team in Florida, has been wrestling with Cuban Olympic Bronze Medalist Alexis Vila. Brown admits that it might be “easier to stand and trade” with the champ, but he is not focused on one aspect of the fight game.

“I just want the win,” he added. “I don’t care how it comes. I just want to be the No. 1 guy…this is the biggest fight of my life.”

As far as the 145-pound champion is concerned, the time off couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I think I definitely benefited from the break,” Faber said. “It gave me a chance to heal up a bit. I was 90 percent and now I’m ready to go.” (more…)

Reardon (and his clothes) looked cool Down Under.

By Eric Johnson

With 16,000 fans looking down at a spectacular course built inside the
historic Skilled Stadium in Geelong, Australia for round three of the Super
X, the Australasian Supercross Championship reigning Monster Energy AMA
Supercross Champion Chad Reed, despite having to call on all of his
formidable skills, won all three Open races of the new and mesmerizing
triple challenge format. Consisting of three short, individual races to
close up the riders and intensify the race action by sending the riders out
for quick, abbreviated and incandescent races, Reed was shown no quarter by
a number of racers from the water locked Australasian region of the planet.
In the opening heat, it was Australian-born, but America based GEICO
Powersports rider Daniel Reardon– the current Australian motocross champion
–showing Reed the way for the first four laps before the Rockstar/Makita
rider found his way around Reardon and onto victory.

In the second heat, Reardon certainly looked like a force to be reckoned
with, but a major shunt in the opening phase of the race sent him off the
track and onto the sidelines, his night of racing over. Hoping to keep Reed
honest, Shift Motul Suzuki¹s Cam Taylor ran up front, desperately trying to
keep Reed behind him, but it wasn¹t to be as Red¹s works Suzuki RM-Z450F
went whizzing by a the end of the third circuit.
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October 24th Marks Grand Opening
Of No Fear’s New Brentwood Store

Carlsbad, CA – No Fear announced today that the grand opening celebration for their new retail store in Brentwood, California will kick-off Friday, October 24, with a three-day sale*, in-store give-aways, plus free No Fear Energy drinks while supplies last.

Located in the “Streets of Brentwood” retail center at 2536 Sand Creek Road (94513), the newest No Fear store can be found in building C, space #108. In addition to No Fear branded apparel and motocross gear, the 2,200 square foot store will showcase lifestyle apparel and accessories from So Cal, No Cal, Metal Mulisha, Spy, FMF, SRH, Hustler and other core brands.

Three More Stores Coming Soon
The new Brentwood store, managed by Chris Juarez, marks the 48th location in No Fear’s growing retail chain, with three more stores slated to open by mid November. The brand’s next grand openings will take place October 31 in the Tucson Mall, Arizona, November 13 at the Roseville Galleria, in Roseville CA, and November 15 in Northridge, CA.

For news or information about No Fear retail stores, log on to nofearusa.com; To experience the brand’s involvement and support of motocross, surfing, mixed martial arts (MMA), wakeboarding, or music, visit www.nofear.com

* Discount applies to regular priced items and does not include previously marked discounted or sale items.

FORREST GRIFFIN vs. “SUGAR” RASHAD EVANS
ANTONIO RODRIGO “MINOTAURO” NOGUEIRA vs. FRANK MIR
WANDERLEI SILVA vs. QUINTON “RAMPAGE” JACKSON
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27 LIVE FROM THE MGM GRAND – LAS VEGAS, NV
Tickets Go on Sale Saturday, Oct. 25 at 10am PT
Las Vegas, NV (USA) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) organization is proud to announce three classic bouts on the historic final card of the year – UFC 92: THE ULTIMATE 2008, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, December 27, 2008. The stacked fight card will be headlined by UFC light heavyweight champion and the original Ultimate Fighter® Forrest Griffin as he defends his belt against The Ultimate Fighter® Season 2 heavyweight winner Rashad Evans, who is fresh off a devastating knockout win over former UFC champion Chuck Liddell.

“We are ending 2008 with a fight card like no other,” said UFC President Dana White. “One for every fight fan out there.”

Tickets for UFC 92: THE ULTIMATE 2008 will go on sale Saturday, October 25 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $800, $600, $400, $250, $150, $75. Tickets will be available at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, Charge-By-Phone at (702) 474-4000 or online at ticketmaster.com.

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