Affliction Formal Announcement

The national roll out for Affliction's Banned pay-per-view event will begin May 20 & 22 with press conferences in Los Angeles and New York. Scheduled to appear are Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Syliva, Ben Rothwell, Josh Barnett, Pedro Rizzo, Matt Lindland, Fabio Nascimento, Babalu Sobral, and Mike Whitehead. The events are open to the public and will take place at the Westfield Mall in Century City (12:30 PM PST) and Trump Tower (10:30 AM EST) respectively.

The event is scheduled for July 19 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Adrenaline Debut Show Announced

Russow eyes biggest test in debut of Adrenaline MMA

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- As a Chicago policeman, Mike Russow has become accustomed to dangerous situations.

So, it is understandable when Russow only smiles and refers to fighting veteran Jeff Monson in a professional mixed martial arts bout as a "great opportunity." Russow, 9-1 in his pro career, takes on Monson, 23-7, in the heavyweight main event of Adrenaline MMA on June 14 at the Sears Centre.

A total of 13 pro bouts are scheduled in the inaugural Adrenaline event. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and fights begin at 6 p.m.

"Monson is far more than just a veteran," said Adrenaline CEO Monte Cox. "He has fought in every major event in the world and competed for countless titles, including the UFC heavyweight title. He comes into the event having won 18 of his last 20 bouts and is looking to prove Russow is not yet ready for the big time.

"Russow, on the other hand, has been crushing opposition and has been tested twice in major events... losing to then No. 6 ranked Sergei Kharitonov in Pride, then crushing Roman Zentzov in Japan's Yarennoka event last New Years Eve. He's ready to show he should be considered among the world's best."

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Sears Centre Box Office, online at www.searscentre.com or by calling 1-888-SEARSTIX.

A foursome of UFC veterans make up the two feature bouts. Chicago's Terry Martin (16-4) will face Japan's Daiju Takase (7-11) while Chicago's Brian Gassaway (25-17) takes on Las Vegas' Tony Fryklund (14-9).

Martin is a knockout artist, but will need to be cautious of the submission ability of Takase, who owns wins over UFC champion Anderson Silva and former UFC champ Carlos Newton.

Gassaway and Fryklund are two of the sport's true veterans and both prefer the standup game, which should make for an exciting bout.

The International Fight League has allowed two of its standouts with Chicago ties -- Bart Palaszewski and Mark Miller -- to compete on the card as well as Zac George. And EliteXC provided striker Aaron Rosa and all-around standout Hector Urbina.

Other Chicago area fighters include Rory Markham, Herc Hayes, Kerry Schall, Clay French, Mike Stumpf, Ryan Williams and John Hosman.

For more about Adrenaline MMA, check out our website at: www.adrenaline-mma.com.

UFC Announces Secondary Ticket Market Deals

Yesterday the UFC announced a pair of deals in the secondary ticket market. Under the deals StubHub is now the "Official Fan to Fan Ticket Marketplace" of the UFC, while PrimeSport is the "Official Ticket Package Partner" of the UFC. According to the press release, "the deal promises to offer UFC fans the most user-friendly experience to buy and sell secondary tickets as well as exclusive package and hospitality opportunities that have never been available before for UFC events."

SEE ALSO: Upcoming UFC Advances and Secondary Marketplace Strategy

ProElite Inks DVD Distribution Deal

ProElite has reached a multi-year deal with Image Entertainment to distribute four EliteXC titles and eight ShowXC titles annually. EliteXC Destiny (featuring Shamrock-Gracie) and Renegade (featuring the debut of Kimbo Slice) will be released on May 13. On July 22 the company will release Huntington Beach Bad Ass featuring Tank Abbot.

CB Capital Partners Announces Sponsorship of MMAPayout.com

CB Capital Partners, a leading boutique investment banking firm, announced today that it has reached an agreement to become the presenting sponsor of MMAPayout.com. The site is one of the most respected within the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) community and garners a high, loyal readership base with quality content dedicated to the business of MMA.

“We have already seen positive results in partnering with Adam Swift’s MMAPayout.com,” said Chris Baclawski, Managing Partner of CB Capital Partners. “His site is read by some of the most well-respected MMA executives in the industry. It is a good fit for us since CB Capital already advises some of the most prominent MMA athlete-entrepreneurs in the world. Given our expertise in mergers & acquisitions and capital raises, we believe we are uniquely positioned to help MMA-related companies achieve their financial goals.”

"MMA professionals rely on MMAPayout.com to keep pace in a rapidly changing industry,” said Adam Swift, owner of MMAPayout.com. “As the leading source for news and analysis of the business of MMA, the site attracts the attention of some of the most important eye balls in industry. This audience makes CB Capital Partners an ideal partner and I am proud to be associated with the firm."

About CB Capital Partners Inc.
CB Capital Partners Inc. is a full-service investment banking and financial advisory firm headquartered in Newport Beach, California. CB Capital Partners specializes in customized financial advisory assignments including capital raising, debt placements, strategic and financial partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions transactions. Visit http://www.cbcapital.com for more information.

About MMAPayout.com
MMAPayout.com is the leading source for news and analysis of the business of MMA.

Former Executive Sues SUN Over Departure

Serious allegations about SUN Sports are contained in a press release that was submitted to MMAPayout.com. The allegations come on the heels of the company's announcement of a partnership with FSN:

DALLAS, TX — The former president of SUN Sports & Entertainment, Inc., who departed on March 7, 2008 after a year at the Mixed Martial Arts promoter of Art of War, has filed a $25 million lawsuit against SUN Sports & Entertainment, Inc., SUN Management Group, Inc., and Titan Securities of Dallas., claiming he was forced out of his job for questioning financial irregularities within the company, deceptive press announcements and what he believed was a huge conflict of interest by Titan executives.

John Buckeye Epstein filed the suit Friday against SUN Sports (pink sheets SSPE), not to be confused with SUN Sports owned by Fox Sports, claiming that CEO CJ Comu and Titan, acting as board members, illegally forced-out Epstein after he became very vocal regarding the financial management of SUN Sports.

"I can't believe the audacity of Mr. Comu; the company had no funds, credit cards are shut off, vendors are calling every day, employees are owed more than forty thousand dollars in back expenses, and the medical bill reimbursements of past fighters like Justin Eilers and Pedro Rizzo were not being paid. All this while Comu takes a limo to the airport ten miles away," Epstein said.

The suit alleges that Titan Securities was improperly involved in a huge conflict of interest, controlling the Board of Directors and the expenditure of funds, all without disclosures to the public, and that Titan conspired with Mr. Comu to cause the breach of Epstein's employment contract with SUN. It also alleges that Mr. Comu, SUN's CEO, never intended to fulfill his financial promises and commitments to Mr. Epstein.

Epstein added, "This is not a disgruntled employee case like most people assume when they hear an unhappy executive leave a company". Under Epstein's sports marketing direction, within a year Art of War was recognized as possibly the number two contender in producing Mixed Martial Arts events. "This is about an employee trying to fight for honest and ethical treatment of shareholders, vendors, fighters and employees who was thrown out of the company for his trouble. The problems at SUN are far-reaching. Just last week Mr. Comu signed for a nine-show tour (a start date of April 19th) with George Greenberg (Fox Sports Net's Executive Vice President, Programming & Production) with virtually nothing in the bank."

Moreover, Epstein goes on to explain the relationship with Titan Securities (FINRA or NASD Broker Dealer). "Brad Brooks' group at Titan was involved in drafting and approving SUN press releases to the public, at the same time having been a huge market maker in SSPE stock, all without disclosure to the public. It is just unbelievable".

A former business partner of Mr. Comu in SUN before Epstein, said, "There are people who invested thousands of dollars in a sports franchise that CJ sold and for over two years has never called them or repaid the amount of funds."

Epstein had been SUN president for a little over a year when the company announced his departure in March 2007, saying he was leaving to "pursue other interests."

Press Release: TapouT Named Official Apparel Sponsor of TUF 7

The cutting-edge clothing line, TapouT, has officially been named the first-ever exclusive apparel sponsor for "The Ultimate Fighter," Spike TV’s longest running and most successful original series. The first six seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter" on Spike TV were seen by 101.1 million viewers (36% of the U.S. population).

TapouT will receive exclusive apparel integration throughout all 12 episodes of season seven, which premieres on Wednesday, April 2 at 10:00pm ET/PT. The deal also includes signage in the ring and on the walls in the Ultimate Fighting Championship Training Center , where much of the show is taped. TapouT commercials will also run throughout the season of the "The Ultimate Fighter" and in 13 episodes of "UFC Unleashed," a highly-rated weekly series featuring the most thrilling matches in UFC history.

Founder and creator of TapouT, Mask stated, "Hey, we’re just an extension of MMA. Hopefully TapouT adds a little fun, hope and excitement. Spike TV and "The Ultimate Fighter" have done so much for the sport that it’s an honor to be involved."

Season seven of "The Ultimate Fighter" will feature current UFC light-heavyweight champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and "The Ultimate Fighter" season one victor and light-heavyweight contender, Forrest Griffin as coaches. During the six-week taping of "The Ultimate Fighter," the sixteen men endure a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, muay thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition between the fighters continues after they leave the gym and head for the Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors live together, knowing that any day they might be forced to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon™.

TapouT is the brainchild of the Crew’s leader, Mask. This decade-old-yet-fresh company operates independently without concern for competition, because they’ve been at the forefront of Mixed Martial Arts since the very beginning, and boast support from several MMA superstars.

TapouT is present at the most extreme events, supporting their fighters and offering everything from their line that reflects the Crew’s iconic status: the hottest, edgiest apparel for guys and girls, an exclusive magazine covering all that is MMA, a cable reality TV series gearing up for a second season and even their own flask-shaped bottled water. Their distinctive logo graces everything from hats, tees and car windows to their special limited edition 2007 Toyota Tundra TapouT truck. The TapouT logo has become so noteworthy that its most devoted fans are tattooing it on their bodies, demonstrating the ultimate in commitment.

Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films and Television, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White of Zuffa, LLC, and Kevin Kay of Spike TV are executive producers of "The Ultimate Fighter." Brian J. Diamond, senior vice president, sports & specials, Spike TV is co-executive producer and Christopher Martello is executive in charge of production for Spike TV.

Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com.

Press Release: BET Slams Into the Arena of MMA with Iron Ring

Introducing celebrities from theworlds of hip-hop, sports and Hollywood to the competitive ranks of mixedmartial arts (MMA), BET showcases a twist to this exciting format with itsnew original series IRON RING premiering Tuesday, March 18 at 11 p.m. ET/PT. IRON RING, a 13-episode half-hour weekly series showcasing mixed martialarts-- the fastest-growing new sports format in entertainment -- pairs celebrity team owners, trainers and fighters to produce some of the most compellingmatch-ups on television. Headlining the show is boxing champ FloydMayweather (with the assistance of hip-hop star Rick Ross) managing the Money Mayweather Boys, along with hip-hop heavyweights Ludacris and Nellyrepresenting Team Luda and Team Nelly (respectively); T.I. with the help of Big Kuntry, Young Dro, DJ Drama and Alpha Omega leading Team Grand Hustle;Juelz Santana and Jim Jones heading Dipset; and Lil Jon with the HeadBusters. "When I heard BET was bringing IRON RING to the air ... I wanted to be involved in any way I could," said team owner Ludacris. "... What people will get out of IRON RING is that it's less about the man in the fight andmore about the fight in the man." With $100,000 in prize money up for grabs, these skilled competitors gotoe-to-toe in the IRON RING using the combined fighting techniques ofjiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing and wrestling. From competitiveteam tryouts and grueling practices to the final face-off at the livechampionship, IRON RING not only exposes the hardcore sport of mixed martialarts, but also uniquely explores the human element by providing insight intothe lives of the fighters and coaches." With IRON RING, BET is delivering on our mission of providing a wide rangeof programming for our audience, while also creating another forum for black athletes to showcase their martial arts talent," said Reginald Hudlin,President of Entertainment for BET. IRON RING is produced by Zilo Live, Inc. in association with the WarringtonHudlin Organization. Executive Producers are Campbell McLaren and DavidIsaacs, originators of the popular Ultimate Fighting Championship franchise, along with Warrington Hudlin, best known as the producer of the popular feature films House Party and Boomerang. Integrated marketing partnerships include Sony PlayStation's "God of War,"Old Spice and Summit Entertainment's film "Never Back Down" featuring Djimon Hounsou. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information including releases andphotographs, visit BET's press-only Web site at http://www.bet.com/pr.For show highlights and access to the exclusive IRON RING blog, visithttp://www.bet.com/ironring.