*MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY*

WEC® Bantamweight Stars Benavidez and Jorgensen to
Sign Autographs at Meadows Mall on Dec. 17

Las Vegas, NV (USA) –World Extreme Cagefighting® bantamweight stars Joseph Benavidez and Scott Jorgensen will sign autographs at the No Fear Store at Meadows Mall on Thursday, Dec. 17 from 5pm-6pm PST. Both fighters will be competing on WEC’s huge card on Dec. 19 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort.

Benavidez, a phenomenal striker from Sacramento, Calif., will be taking on jiu jitsu ace Rani Yahya. Meanwhile, Jorgensen, a rugged wrestler from Boise, Idaho, meets feared Japanese star Takeya Mizugaki. Both fights will be televised live on VERSUS.

According to Britt Galland, No Fear’s VP of Marketing, “We appreciate these guys taking the time, just days before a couple of the biggest fights of their rising careers, to give back to the fans. It’s a rare chance for people to get up close and personal with two highly-skilled mixed martial artists —without having to face them in the cage.”

With the holidays right around the corner, Benavidez and Jorgensen are excited for the chance to meet fans at the No Fear Store inside Meadows Mall.

“One of my favorite aspects of this sport is interacting with the fans,” Benavidez said. “Scott and I are happy that No Fear has invited us to their store during a busy time of year to meet the fans and take part in a fun night out.”

WHO: Joseph Benavidez and Scott Jorgensen, WEC bantamweights

WHAT: Autograph Signing at No Fear Store inside Meadows Mall

WHERE: No Fear Meadows
Meadows Mall
4300 Meadows Mall
Suite 129
Las Vegas, NV 89107
(702) 878-1300

WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009
5pm-6pm PST

CARLSBAD, CA — No Fear Energy will be watching the action this Sunday night as their sponsored mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, Joseph Benavidez puts his undefeated record on the line at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Benavidez will square off in the cage against San Diego transplant Dominick Cruz, whose record (13-1) has only one blemish — a submission loss at the hands of Urijah Faber in March 2007. As the fight card’s co-main event, the Benavidez-Cruz bout will directly precede the World Extreme Cagefighting® (WEC®) bantamweight title fight between reigning champ Miguel Angel-Torres (36-1) and undefeated challenger, Brian Bowles (7-0).

The 24-year-old Benavidez (10-0) came to the WEC promotion in December 2008 with a lot of hype due to his raw talent and impressive previous performances, and he immediately lived up to the expectations with a big win over Danny Martinez. On April 5th of this year, Benavidez added Jeff “The Big Frog” Curran to his list of victims — by unanimous decision — in front of Curran’s home crowd in Chicago.

Benavidez trains at Urijah Faber’s Ultimate Fitness gym in Sacramento, California. Sunday night’s clash against Cruz should prove a pivotal step on his quest for a title fight. A win could garner a match-up with one of the other two top bantamweight (135 lbs.) contenders on Sunday night’s card — Brian Bowles or Japan’s Takeya Mizugaki, who proved to be a formidable opponent against Torres when the two warriors went the distance in Chicago in April. (more…)

From The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada – Sunday, August 9;
Fight to Air Live at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – In addition to live broadcasts of WEC: Torres vs. Bowles on VERSUS in the United States and TSN2 in Canada, as well as a tape-delay broadcast on Cadena Tres in Mexico, World Extreme Cagefighting® is pleased to announce a live global internet broadcast of the Aug. 9 main card beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on the WEC.tv and UFC.com websites. The broadcast will be available to all continents, with the exception of North America.

For the nominal fee of US $9.99, fans across the world can log on and catch a live, English-language broadcast of one of the most stacked cards of the year. Emanating from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV, the four-fight main card will be available via web broadcast in areas that boast large MMA fan bases.

“The demand for a broadcast of this fight card in areas like Japan was significant,” WEC Vice President Peter Dropick said. “The global buzz about WEC certainly grew louder after Japanese star Takeya Mizugaki’s performance against Miguel Torres in April. We expect countries with huge MMA fan bases, including Japan and England, to log on to our website and watch an exciting night of fights.”

The live card will feature a bantamweight title clash between champion Miguel Angel Torres (36-1) and Brian Bowles (7-0), as well as Joseph Benavidez vs. Dominick Cruz in a 135-pound contest, Danny Castillo vs. Ricardo Lamas in lightweight action, and Jeff Curran vs. Takeya Mizugaki in a bantamweight tilt.

On top of the broadcasts on VERSUS, TSN2, and WEC.tv, viewers in Mexico will have an opportunity to watch WEC: Torres vs. Bowles on Cadena Tres via tape-delay on Saturday, Aug. 15.

For more information on the global broadcast of WEC: Torres vs. Bowles, visit www.wec.tv. Follow WEC on Twitter at http://twitter.com/weconversus.

Jun-4-2009
Faber Vows To Find A Way: ‘I Just Have To Beat Him’
By Frank Curreri

Somewhere inside of Urijah Faber’s psyche, behind that million-dollar smile and perpetual surfer boy cool, it
must be eating at him that someone other than himself has been “The Man” in the featherweight division for the past seven months. Faber has never publicly uttered a harsh or unflattering word about Mike Thomas Brown, the human battering ram who dethroned him, but playing second fiddle to another man in the MMA realm has to bother a man of Faber’s uncompromising standards of excellence and Alpha male instincts.

Until a monster right hand by Brown short-circuited its target (and a barrage of heavy punches ensued and ended Faber’s 18-month title reign), Faber had been an emerging golden boy in the sport, widely regarded as the premiere 145-pound mixed martial artist on the planet. The words “former champion” now inconveniently reside on his resume, but Faber still has a champion’s extreme ego, mentality and drive. And on Sunday in Sacramento, his hometown, Faber will have a chance to feed that ego, pad his legacy, silence his doubters and bump Brown from the top spot.

“I had the belt for a long time and I’m eager to get some redemption here,” said Faber, who previously defended the belt five times.

To avenge defeat, Faber didn’t see a need to make sweeping changes in his training regimen or mental preparation. He has more or less tinkered with his system and pledged more caution in the cage this time around against his thunder-fisted adversary.

“I think the biggest thing is I have to be a little more careful,” said Faber, who precipitated his own demise against Brown by throwing a high-risk spinning elbow that left his chin alone on an island. “The last time I got caught for being careless. I sort of live by the sword and die by the sword. He’s one of the best fighters in the world so I need to be on my game and not make a mistake. But I still want to be aggressive and let it all hang out.” (more…)

WEC featherweight Urijah Faber threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Oakland-Seattle baseball game on Tuesday, May 26. The Sacramento native, preparing for his June 7 rematch with Mike Brown, took in the game with several of his training partners and watched as Oakland rallied late to beat Seattle 4-3.

May-6-2009

WEC featherweight star Urijah Faber is featured in a seven-page spread in this month’s edition of Fight! Magazine. In a piece penned by Fight! Editor Donovan Craig, Faber talks about life as one of Sacramento’s sports stars, as well as the camaraderie felt amongst members of the Faber-founded Team Alpha Male. Check out Faber in this month’s edition of Fight! Magazine on newsstands now.

WEC® ANNOUNCES REMAINING BOUTS FOR Brown Vs. Faber II JUNE 7 CARD IN SACARAMENTO

JOSE ALDO VS. CUB SWANSON
DONALD CERRONE VS. JAMES KRAUSE
JENS PULVER VS. JOSH GRISPI
MANVEL GAMBURYAN VS. JOHN FRANCHI
CHARLIE VALENCIA VS. KYLE DIETZ
MIKE CAMPBELL VS. ANTHONY PETTIS
SCOTT JORGENSEN VS. ANTONIO BANUELOS
EDDIE WINELAND VS. FRANK GOMEZ
ROLANDO PEREZ VS. SETH DIKUN

From ARCO ARENA in Sacramento, California,
Sunday, June 7; Tickets On Sale NOW

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – World Extreme Cagefighting® proudly confirms the remaining bouts for WEC: Brown vs. Faber II live from ARCO Arena in Sacramento, CA on Sunday, June 7.

Tickets for Brown vs. Faber II are on sale now and priced at $40, $75, $135, and $200. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 or by visiting the ARCO Arena Box Office. Tickets also are available online through www.wec.tv or www.ticketmaster.com.

Presented by Bud Light®, Brown vs. Faber II will be televised nationally live on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. All of the network’s live WEC events are presented in HD and Spanish language SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.

In addition to the featherweight title bout between champion Mike Brown (21-4) and Sacramento’s Urijah Faber (22-2), nine other bouts round out a stacked card in California.

Before Brown and Faber lock horns in one of the most anticipated fights in WEC history, featherweight contenders Jose Aldo and Cub Swanson do battle in a bout that may very well determine the next in line for a title shot. Undefeated in the WEC at 4-0 with four knockout victories, the Brazilian Aldo (14-1) has cemented himself as a rising star in the 145-pound division. In his last fight in March, the 22-year-old scored a menacing first-round stoppage victory over Chris Mickle. He’ll put his winning streak on the line against gifted ground expert Swanson. A winner of three out of his last four bouts, Swanson (13-2) is a gritty performer with a knack for submissions. No stranger to fighting through adversity, Swanson waged war with Hiroyuki Takaya in his last bout in December and earned an impressive, unanimous decision victory. The 25-year-old Californian will look to get one step closer to the featherweight title with a win over Aldo. (more…)

From ARCO ARENA in Sacramento, California, Sunday, June 7; First Bout at 3 p.m. PT Fight to Air Live on VERSUS at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT

Tickets Go On Sale Thursday, April 2, at 10 a.m. PT

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – On Sunday, June 7, World Extreme Cagefighting® returns to the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, CA with one of the most anticipated rematches in mixed martial arts history: Brown vs. Faber II. Looking to prove that his title win in 2008 was no fluke, WEC® featherweight champion Mike Brown defends the crown against former 145-pound king Urijah “The California Kid” Faber.

Tickets for Brown vs. Faber II go on sale Thursday, April 2 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $40, $75, $135, and $200.  A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to WEC newsletter subscribers on Tuesday, March 31 starting at 10 a.m. PT. To access this presale, users must register for the WEC newsletter through wec.tv. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster Charge-By-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 or by visiting the ARCO Arena Box Office. Tickets also are available online through www.wec.tv or www.ticketmaster.com.

Presented by Bud Light^®, Brown vs. Faber II will be televised nationally live on VERSUS beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.  All of the network’s live WEC events are presented in HD and Spanish language SAP where available. For more information and how to find VERSUS in your local viewing area, visit http://www.versus.com/findversus.

After shocking the world last November with a first round technical knockout of then-champion Faber, Brown has cemented himself as one of the toughest fighters in the sport. In his last fight in March, the American Top Team-trained Brown steamrolled highly-regarded challenger Leonard Garcia, dropping the Texas native with menacing strikes before submitting him in just under two minutes. That win, coupled with victories over Faber and perennial contender Jeff Curran, has Brown riding a nine-fight winning streak. Now, the Maine-born Brown looks to prove that his win over Faber had nothing to do with luck. (more…)

Benavidez Vs. Curran: Co-main Event at WEC BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
 MIGUEL ANGEL TORRES vs. TAKEYA MIZUGAKI

 Live From UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Sunday, April 5



Las Vegas, NV (USA) – When Japanese star Takeya Mizugaki (11-2-2) challenges Miguel Torres (35-1) for the WEC bantamweight title on April 5, he expects to be rudely welcomed to the United States by hordes of the hometown champion’s fans. However, when the 25-year-old steps inside the cage at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois, he plans on silencing the crowd the only way he knows how: by knocking Torres out.



 “Torres just keeps coming at you with almost no expression on his face so he is intimidating,” Mizugaki said. 

“But I’m not intimidated. He is a great fighter and awesome champion. But regardless of opponent, I’m going to stick with my style and strike. I’m honored and excited for this opportunity.”

In the co-main event, Island Lake, Illinois’ Jeff Curran looks to make his case for a shot at the belt when he battles undefeated phenom Joseph Benavidez.

 A longtime favorite of the Midwest fight scene, former WEC featherweight contender and title challenger Jeff “Big Frog” Curran (31-10-1) has long had his sights set on Miguel Torres, and he has even dropped down to the bantamweight division to chase his local rival.

There is business to take care of for both men first though, and for Curran, that means his clash with Joseph Benavidez on April 5th. So expect the 30-year old Curran to come out with guns blazing in order to move forward in the crowded bantamweight division.

 The 24-year old Joseph Benavidez (9-0) came to the WEC last December with a lot of hype due to his raw talent and impressive previous performances, and he lived up to the expectations with a big win over Danny Martinez.

Now the stablemate of former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber is ready for the next step in his career, and for him, there would be nothing better than to add the name Jeff Curran to his victims list.

 For more information about current WEC fight news, visit wec.tv. All bouts live and subject to change. (more…)

CARLSBAD, CA — No Fear’s involvement in the booming sport of Mixed Martial Arts will draw attention to its retail apparel business this weekend. On Saturday, January 24, the final day of the Action Sports Retailer Expo at the San Diego Convention Center, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC®) Welterweight Champion, Carlos Condit will be at the No Fear Booth signing autographs from 11:00 a.m. to noon. Condit has dominated the WEC’s 170 pound weight class with a professional fight record of 21 wins and only four losses.

On Sunday, January 25, the day after the ASR Expo wraps up, WEC® will host their first ever event at the San Diego Sports Arena. The lineup features two furious match-ups: A World Lightweight Championship fight between Jamie Varner and undefeated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone as the main event, and the much anticipated rematch between No Fear Energy backed Urijah Faber and former UFC® champion Jens Pulver as the co-main event. Tickets are still available online via Ticketmaster or at the San Diego Sports Arena box office.

No Fear Energy to Host a Private Urijah Faber Party After the Fight
To close out a huge weekend of ASR and MMA, No Fear Energy will host a private “Urijah Faber After Party” at the Belo nightclub, located at 919 Fourth Avenue in downtown San Diego. The party is by invitation only, but fight fans can get a chance to be put on the guest list by sending an email to NFENERGYGUEST@NoFear.com The party will feature an open bar from 9:30 to 10:30, and DJ FishFonics of WildFish Entertainment will be spinning the decks and keeping the beat. (more…)