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MFC 28: Supremacy
Friday, Feb. 25
Live on HDNet Fights
River Cree Resort and Casino
Edmonton, Alberta


The televised main card for MFC 28: Supremacy is finalized with:

Light-heavyweight title - Dwayne Lewis vs. Ryan Jimmo
Lightweight title - Drew Fickett vs. Antonio McKee
Lightweight - Kajan Johnson vs. Richie Whitson
Light-heavyweight - Razak Al-Hassan vs. Rodney Wallace
Welterweight - Thomas Denny vs. Sheldon Westcott
Lightweight - Robert Washington vs. Tyrone Glover

Plenty of fight left in McKee

Reigning MFC lightweight champ vows fistic fury against Fickett


Antonio McKee has the belt firmly in his grasp, but for his upcoming bout at
MFC 28: Supremacy, he has a different perception than that of most defending
champions.

While it has become routine for most reigning champs to take the approach
that they are looking forward to putting their belt on the line and proving
themselves to be a worthy champion, McKee has taken a slightly altered angle
to his fast-approaching defense at MFC 28.

"He's fighting for the title. I'm fighting to stay in the game," said McKee
in offering up his initial thoughts on the showdown with Drew "Night Rider"
Fickett that will go down as the co-main event on Friday, Feb. 25 at the
River Cree Resort and Casino, just outside Edmonton, Alberta, and live on
HDNet Fights.

As far as his birth certificate goes, McKee, at the age of 40, is on the
downside of his career. Yet when it comes to athleticism and the desire to
compete, McKee is as sharp as he was when he rolled out eight wins in the
first nine fights of a career that was launched in 1999.

The Lakewood, California, product is riding another high of late. For the
first time in his career, he's actually become a bit of a crowd favorite.
True, he's always been colorful without a doubt for his ability to hype a
fight. Few in the business of mixed martial arts can sell a fight better.
But popularity has never been something that McKee has been privy to.

But coming off a dynamic defense of his title, McKee has gained some measure
of fan approval. And in his typically boisterous manner, McKee (25-4-2) has
started to stoke the fire for his clash with Fickett (40-13), who will be
riding a four-fight winning streak of his own into the encounter. Though he
started with complimentary words on his opponent, McKee quickly poured
gasoline on the slow-rising flames.

"I'm going to blast right through him. It's not even going to be close . 10,
15 minutes tops," stated McKee. "He doesn't deal with pressure and strength
real well, and my top game is really good now."

Fight fans saw what happened the last time McKee put his top game to good
use. At MFC 26, McKee's title defense against Luciano Azevedo lasted a mere
3:11 as his sharp elbow strikes busted his Brazilian opponent wide open
resulting in a TKO by doctor's stoppage.

It was a side of McKee - unbridled, ultra-aggressive violence - that he has
rarely displayed before. Though there's a distaste that emanates from McKee
when he discusses that aspect of himself and the sport, he has come to
realize that the sort of vicious behavior he doesn't care to exhibit just
happens to be exactly what the fans want to see especially from a reigning
champion.

McKee, who claimed the crown with a win over Derrick Noble at MFC 20, has
come to terms with being more ferocious, and vowed that Fickett will get a
dose of that venom come fight night.

"I'm going to start dropping elbows on him and he's not going to know what
hit him," said McKee.

"He's going to be on his 'A' game but that doesn't bother me. I've seen
everything he can do. There's nothing that he can do that I won't be ready
for. He wants to come along and push me up against a wall, well, that just
brings the best out of me."

The McKee-Fickett showdown for the MFC lightweight title will share
main-event status with the battle for the MFC light-heavyweight title
between Dwayne "D-Bomb" Lewis and Ryan "The Big Deal" Jimmo. The remainder
of the televised main card will include:

'Demon' deepens lightweight roster

Demarce riding seven-fight streak into new MFC deal


The Maximum Fighting Championship has added another
force-to-be-reckoned-with contender to its rapidly deepening pool of
lightweight talent.

A winner of seven straight bouts, Curtis "The Demon" Demarce has agreed to a
new multi-fight contract, and the 22-year-old is eager to begin his climb up
the ladder in the MFC's 155-pound ranks.

"I'm really excited because this is exactly what I wanted to happen," said
Demarce of signing a deal with the MFC. "I had a long layoff that I needed
because I had an injury but I've been ready to come back for a while and I'm
very happy that I was able to come to an agreement to be in the MFC.

"I'm healed up and I'm ready to go. The MFC is an elite organization and I'm
excited to see where I'm going to go. Whoever I'm thrown in against, that's
fine with me - I'm ready. The MFC has a lot of good guys now at 155, but I'm
not worried about who I'm thrown in against. I'm excited to fight anybody."

Demarce made a great first impression on the MFC in his organizational
debut last September. In the first televised fight at MFC 26, the Brandon,
Manitoba, product scored a tapout victory via triangle choke late in the
second round over previously undefeated Tyson Steele. It was a victory that
put Demarce on the map and earned him the runner-up spot on the list of the
MFC's 2010 Submissions of the Year.

The five-foot-eight lightweight has notched six career wins by submission -
skills he has honed while training with The Arena MMA in San Diego alongside
notables such as K.J. Noons, Dominick Cruz, and Jeremy Stephens. Demarce
said he expects to head back to California to prepare for his next fight,
and he's eagerly eyeing two specific potential rivals who are going to face
each other at MFC 28: Supremacy on Friday, Feb. 25.

"I know a lot of people have been talking about a fight between me and Kajan
(Johnson). If that's a fight the fans want to see, I'd be excited to do it,"
said Demarce. "I've known him a long time. I think it would be exciting. We
both try to finish fights and we're both on a tear right now.

"I'd also like to fight Richie Whitson. That would be a really good fight."

Hard to get . harder to hold

MFC light-heavyweight title proving to be hot potato

Winning a title in the Maximum Fighting Championship is a difficult
challenge.


Holding onto the belt has proven to be an even greater battle. And certainly
in the case of the MFC's world light-heavyweight title, maintaining the role
of champion has not been an easy task.

While the belt has been an attractive treasure for several fighters over the
years, there's been very little longevity to any title reign. In fact only
once has the MFC's 205-pound division crown been defended successfully by
its holder.

So when Dwayne "D-Bomb" Lewis and Ryan "The Big Deal" Jimmo square-off for
the light-heavyweight gold at MFC 28: Supremacy, they go into the fight
knowing that just winning the belt isn't good enough. They have the
opportunity to not just claim the crown but to also start on a quest to be
the MFC's longest-serving light-heavyweight champ.

"It's been a pretty long journey for me in the MFC and I've been aiming to
get that belt so winning it would be huge," said Jimmo, who will be riding a
13-fight winning streak into the matchup. Included in that streak is a
decision victory over Lewis, though there have been some significant changes
since that original clash at MFC Unplugged 3 in 2007.

A previously tentative Lewis has found a more aggressive side that has
resulted in eight knockout wins. Jimmo, meanwhile, has maintained a very
deliberate style, but has flashed a mean streak on rare occasions such as
the second-round assault on Wilson Gouveia at MFC 25.

"All I'm doing is refining the system that I use because it has been
successful for me," noted Jimmo. "I've been training hard, and training with
more consistency than I did for my last fight. I've been training for a
five-round fight. Dwayne is very dangerous with that KO power so if I do see
the opportunity to end the fight that's what I'll do."

One past MFC light-heavyweight champ took that sentiment to heart - finish
the fight when the opportunity presents itself. Roger Hollett, the second
man to hold the title, pounced on a fallen Victor Valimaki to take his belt
only 2:06 into their matchup at MFC 13. But Hollett's reign was a short one,
in part affected by a serious knee injury, yet upon coming back, he
surrendered the belt to Emanuel Newton at MFC 19 in a five-round decision.
And Hollett would further tumble down the rankings in his next effort when
he was the victim of a shocking first-round submission at MFC 20 against
David Heath.

Newton lasted only one encounter as the man in the division, however, as he
was narrowly beaten by Trevor Prangley at MFC 21 - this too in a fight that
went the distance, though it was an entertaining scrap particularly a wild
fifth round that saw both men hit the canvas at the final bell. Like
Hollett, Newton also would take another tumble after losing his belt when he
dropped a decision to Jimmo at MFC 23. Newton will look to regain his
footing in the MFC's rankings when he meets Rodney Wallace at MFC 28.

Valimaki, in fact, was the only former champ who successfully defended the
belt. He claimed the title at MFC 10 with a quick submission win over Jason
Day, and then held off a hard-hitting Jared Kilkenny before scoring the
knockout at 3:26 of Round 1 in their main-event tussle at MFC 11.

Special weigh-in event for Supremacy



The Maximum Fighting Championship's official weigh-in for MFC 28: Supremacy
is taking a unique twist.

After numerous high-profile weigh-ins at West Edmonton Mall, City Centre
Mall, and River Cree Resort and Casino, the MFC has decided to give back to
the local community where the fight card is taking place. With that in mind,
the official weigh-in for MFC 28 will take place at Kitaskinaw School on the
Enoch Cree Nation beginning at 12:30 p.m. MT on Thursday, Feb. 24.

All MFC fans and sponsors along with all friends and teammates of the
fighters are invited to attend the event. Take Whitemud Drive West past
215th Street, continue till meeting up with Hwy. 60 and turn left. Take the
next left (approx. 1 km) and go past the community centre before reaching
the school.

The official weigh-in for MFC 28: Supremacy will also air live at
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mfc-28-weigh-ins
<blocked::blocked::http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mfc-28-weigh-ins> (2:30
p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT).

"I'm very excited to be bringing the weigh-in to the Kitaskinaw School as a
special thank you to Chief Harry Sharphead of the Enoch Cree Nation who is a
tremendous fan of the Maximum Fighting Championship and has shown our
organization a great deal of respect and trust to be able to have our weigh
ins at this fantastic school." said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich.

"It's been awesome doing the weigh-ins in the past in front of huge crowds
at the shopping centres but I think it's going to be something very special
to have the MFC fighters hit the scales in front a big group excited young
students.

"Chief Sharphead continues to be a huge supporter of the MFC and we wanted
to pay tribute to him plus also show the young people of the Enoch Cree
Nation what truly dedicated athletes the MFC fighters. The students are not
able to attend the show because it is in a casino but this is a super
opportunity for them to see the fighters up close."

Fighters will be available for a brief period following the weigh-in for
autographs and photos.

Drew Fickett Gets New Opponent For MFC 28, Expects Same Result

http://mmaweekly.com/drew-fickett-gets- ... ame-result

After a disastrous 2009 in which he went winless in four fights, former UFC fighter Drew Fickett rebounded last year by going undefeated, finishing all his opponents in the process.

“I got focused, I moved back to Tucson, (Ariz.), where I’m originally from and got myself some good training partners, a fight team and did fairly well,” Fickett told MMAWeekly.com.

“I had just had a baby girl (the year before) and was basically a stay at home dad, who didn’t really have the opportunity to train like I used to. Honestly, my heart wasn’t really in it. I really didn’t want to fight that year. I was really just doing it for a paycheck. I didn’t really have any passion for the sport at the time.”

Having gotten back on track and with a newfound enthusiasm for the fight game, Fickett feels like now he is truly entering the prime of his career.

“I’m more motivated than I’ve ever been,” he stated. “I look at fighting as not just a passion, but as a career. I look at it as a responsibility and hold myself accountable for my lifestyle. I have a daughter and there’s a lot more on the line now than when I was just a young kid in college wrestling.

“It’s fun and exhilarating, but it’s also a huge opportunity to make some money and leave my name on something that I really love and care greatly for.”

For his first fight of 2011, Fickett will make his long-delayed MFC debut in a 160-pound catchweight bout against Matt Veach, who is stepping in as a last-minute replacement for MFC lightweight champion Antonio McKee.

“It was a little upsetting at first, but in this sport, things happen and people back out of fights,” said Fickett. “I’m grateful that I’m still able to have a fight.

“The game plan really doesn’t change. Veach is similar to McKee, except that he’s a right-hander and the angle is a little different, but I’m better against right-handers.”

While he’s disappointed he won’t be facing McKee at MFC 28: Supremacy this Friday, Fickett is looking to make the best of the situation and has his eyes set towards a possible future confrontation.

“I think my next fight after I have this fight will be for the title, whether it’s going to be against McKee, I don’t know,” stated Fickett. “I’m really excited that Mark (Pavelich) scrambled so hard to find a really good opponent. Veach is a really tough guy who is on a winning streak, so it will be good for my career.”

Fickett’s goals for this year are twofold, be at the top of his game, and beat the top in the game.

“I just want to be the best Drew Fickett ever,” he commented. “Now after I’ve built my confidence and I’m in shape and I’m fight-ready, I can smoke anybody at lightweight. It’s not about just winning – it’s about dominating my fights.

“I’m a fighter’s fighter and I like to fight the best competition out there, and the best competition just happens to be in Strikeforce, the UFC, and some of the bigger events, so I’d like to get in those shows so I can fight the best guys.”

After reaching perhaps the lowest point in his professional career, Fickett has positioned himself to now reach his highest point, adding yet another dangerous fighter to the already stacked 155-pound division.

“I’d like to thank Luzbel Mixed Martial Arts Label, Gamma-O, Internet-Exposure.com, Empowered Clothing, Apex Mixed Martial Arts, and North Side Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,” he concluded.

“Thanks to everyone for supporting me through my ups and downs, and keep watching me because it’s going to be an exciting year this year and you’re going to see the best Drew Fickett there is. All my fights are going to be exciting, so don’t miss them.”