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ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® ANNOUNCES FIRST EVER UFC® FAN EXPO™ FOR UFC 100

Fans Get Insider Access to UFC® Fighters, Demos, and Exhibitions

Las Vegas, NV - In celebration of UFC 100, the Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization, along with Reed Exhibitions, today announced the launch of UFC® Fan Expo™, a two-day fan exposition of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) activities starting Friday, July 10th and leading right up to the start of the historic fights on Saturday, July 11th. UFC Fan Expo will take place inside the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, and will be the first event of its kind for UFC fans.

Among the UFC Fan Expo two-day roster of activities will be meet and greets with legendary UFC and WEC fighters, MMA demonstrations, fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions, and other exciting opportunities and entertainment. All the UFC Fan Expo activities will be planned in conjunction with UFC 100, including the free-to-the-public weigh-in event on Friday, July 10th.

Expected to attract over 100 companies and brands, UFC Fan Expo will span more than 200,000 gross square feet of space exhibiting apparel, electronic gaming, food & beverages, fight gear and fitness equipment, MMA training and development, nutritional supplements, lifestyle products, and much more.

Currently seen on television in over 120 countries and territories in 17 different languages, UFC is the world’s largest pay-per-view content provider, and is the fastest-growing sports franchise in history. UFC programs are often the highest-rated television sports shows among the coveted male 18-34 and 18-42 demographic. UFC Fan Expo and UFC 100 are expected to attract tens of thousands of sports fans from throughout North America and abroad.

“We are pleased to work with Reed Exhibitions to present UFC Fan Expo in conjunction with UFC 100,” said UFC President Dana White. “The UFC 100 event is a milestone for us, for the sport of mixed martial arts, and for fight fans around the world, this will be an amazing weekend for UFC fans.”

“Reed Exhibitions is the largest global producer of high-profile and highly targeted events,” said Ed Gallo, event director of the UFC Fan Expo. “Drawing on our experience in pop-culture inspired events such as New York Comic Con and New York Anime Festival, the UFC Fan Expo will deliver an unprecedented all-access pass to loyal UFC fans around the world, and new fans discovering their passion for mixed martial arts.”

For more UFC Fan Expo information and to purchase tickets, visit UFCfanexpo.com. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Ed Gallo, Event Director at 1-203-840-5546 or email egallo@ufcfanexpo.com.

About The Ultimate Fighting Championship®

The Ultimate Fighting Championship® is the world’s leading professional mixed martial arts organization and offers the premier series of MMA sports events. Owned and operated by Zuffa™, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve live pay-per-view events annually that are distributed residentially through North American cable and satellite providers including iNDEMAND Networks, DIRECTV, DISH Network, TVN Entertainment, Bell ExpressVU, SaskTel Max™, Shaw Pay-Per-View, Viewers Choice, and WOWOW in Japan, and Premiere Combate and SporTV in Brazil, and via the Internet worldwide on Yahoo! Sports, and commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. In addition to its North American distribution, UFC programming is distributed in over 100 countries and territories throughout the world. For more information, or current UFC fight news, visit ufc.com or uk.ufc.com or ufcespanol.com.

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa™, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC or other respective owners.

About Reed Exhibitions
The UFC Fan Expo is operated by Reed Exhibitions, the world’s leading events organizer, with over 470 events in 37 countries. In 2008, Reed brought together over seven million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today, Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 38 fully staffed offices.

Reed organizes a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses, and meetings. Its portfolio of over 470 events serves 44 industry sectors, including:
Aerospace & aviation, automobiles, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering, manufacturing, environment, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewelry, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, medical education, printing & graphics, property & real estate, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel. Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations, and government departments, Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Special Attraction Added to UFC Fan Expo


As the first ever UFC Fan Expo on July 10-11 hits Las Vegas before UFC 100, fans are going to be in for a special treat with today’s announcement that a slew of exhibition matches featuring some of the Octagon’s best, past and present, will take place for viewing by all attending the event.

Particularly interesting will be a special match pitting the Voice of the Octagon, Bruce Buffer, against UFC color commentator Joe Rogan in a best two out of three matchup.

“Really, I don’t think Bruce has any business being in the Octagon with me or anyone else unless he has a mic in his hand,” said Rogan. “I’m younger, faster, stronger, and trust me, after the first match, he won’t want anymore.”

“It’s time…to begin…the beatdown,” said Buffer, a former kickboxer who promises fireworks once he gets his hands (and feet) on Rogan.

“Look,” continued Buffer. “I’m sure Joe’s jiu-jitsu is top notch, and admittedly, that’s my weak point. But when I pull the Buffer 180 on him and crack him on the chin, he’ll be the only one on the mat.”

For this special best of three matchup, the first bout will be a grappling match, the second will be strictly standup, and the third – if necessary – will take place under full mixed martial arts rules.

Of course, neither fighter believes that the series will make it to a third and deciding match.

“Oh hell no,” said Rogan. “I’m gonna put Bruce to sleep in the first one and they’ll have to wake him up for UFC 100 on Saturday night. Hopefully he’ll be well enough to speak in complete sentences by then.”

“Like Joe said, it’s not going past the first one, but the thing is, I will be the one with my hand raised,” said Buffer. “But hey, no hard feelings Joe. We’re all sportsmen here, and we can raise a glass together after UFC 100.”

Seats are still available for what may end up being the fight of the year.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 24, 2009

ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® CONFIRMS FIGHTERS FOR FIRST-EVER UFC® FAN EXPO™

UFC®, WEC® and Former Pride® fighters Signed for Historic Fan Event

Las Vegas, NV – The history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship is filled with stories of legendary fights and athletes who built a sport behind skill, heart, and determination. On July 10th and 11th, just before the lights go down and the first bell rings for July 11th’s historic UFC 100 event, fans will have the opportunity to meet and greet the fighters who made mixed martial arts what it is today, as well as the ones carrying the flag for the next generation, all under one roof at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center during the UFC® Fan Expo™.

Tickets for this fight fan’s dream event, which features an unprecedented lineup of UFC®, World Extreme Cagefighting® (WEC®) and former PRIDE® fighters, are limited, but are still on sale and can be bought exclusively at http://www.ufcfanexpo.com V.I.P. Passes for this event are already SOLD OUT, but Customers that purchase Expo tickets in advance will receive $10 off the two-day pass.

Already confirmed to be in attendance during the UFC® Fan Expo™ are UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, UFC Hall of Famers Royce Gracie and Randy “The Natural” Couture, and former world champions Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, “Suga” Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. UFC contenders Kenny Florian, Steve Cantwell, Shane Carwin, Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis, Tyson Griffin, Clay Guida, Dustin Hazelett, Keith “The Dean of Mean” Jardine, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann, Josh Koscheck, Joe Lauzon, Junie Browning, Nate Marquardt, Gray Maynard, Karo Parisyan, Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez, Sean Sherk and Mike Swick will also be meeting fans, along with The Ultimate Fighter winners Nate Diaz and Efrain Escudero.

Fans of the PRIDE Fighting Championships will have the chance to re-live the excitement of Japan’s classic organization as well, with MMA icons Renzo Gracie and Gary Goodridge being joined by “The Texas Crazy Horse”, Heath Herring, and Brazilian superstars Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

And if that’s not enough MMA star power, the premier fighters of the WEC will be on hand to sign autographs, with current champions Miguel Torres, Mike Brown, and Jamie Varner sharing the convention center floor with Urijah Faber, Jens Pulver, Brian Bowles, Joseph Benavidez, Donald Cerrone, Leonard Garcia, Ben Henderson, and Alex Karalexis.

Among the UFC Fan Expo’s two-day roster of activities will be the aforementioned meet and greets with legendary UFC, WEC, and PRIDE fighters, MMA demonstrations, fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions, and other exciting opportunities and entertainment. All the UFC Fan Expo activities will be planned in conjunction with UFC 100, including the free-to-the-public weigh-in event on Friday, July 10th.

Expected to attract over 100 companies and brands, UFC Fan Expo will span more than 200,000 gross square feet of space exhibiting apparel, electronic gaming, food & beverages, fight gear and fitness equipment, MMA training and development, nutritional supplements, lifestyle products, and much more.

Currently seen on television in over 120 countries and territories in 17 different languages, UFC is the world’s largest pay-per-view content provider, and is the fastest-growing sports franchise in history. UFC programs are often the highest-rated television sports shows among the coveted male 18-34 and 18-42 demographic. UFC Fan Expo and UFC 100 are expected to attract tens of thousands of sports fans from throughout North America and abroad.

For more UFC Fan Expo information and to purchase tickets, visit UFCfanexpo.com. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Ed Gallo, Event Director at 1-203-840-5546 or email egallo@ufcfanexpo.com.

OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 1, 2009

FOUR GRAPPLING SUPERFIGHTS FEATURED AT UFC® FAN EXPO™

The world’s best, including Japanese legend Rumina Sato, hit the mat to cap off the largest submission grappling tournament in history


Las Vegas, NV – Rumina Sato. Fredson Paixao. Joe Stevenson. Vinicius Magalhaes. Jeff Glover. Ulysses Gomez. Bill Cooper. To those in the grappling world, the names represent the best of the best. To have them in the same hall together at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center is electrifying enough. To see them competing against each other in four Superfights that cap off the largest Submission Grappling tournament in history is something that could only be held at the UFC® Fan Expo™ on Friday, July 10th and Saturday, July 11th, just hours before the lights go down for the biggest event in mixed martial arts history, UFC 100.

In the headline Superfight on Friday, July 10th, mixed martial arts pioneer Rumina “Moon Wolf” Sato faces Ulysses “Useless” Gomez. Also in action on Friday, July 10th, against an opponent to be determined, will be The Ultimate Fighter 8’s Vinicius Magalhaes. On Saturday, July 11th, the action continues with a match pitting four-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion and WEC contender Fredson Paixao against 22-time Grapplers Quest champ Jeff “Pipelayer” Glover, and an intriguing showdown between UFC lightweight contender Joe “Daddy” Stevenson and Bill “The Grill” Cooper. The Superfight doubleheaders on both days begin at 1pm.

“For fans of the ground game, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the world’s premier grapplers in one place competing against each other,” said UFC President Dana White.

Tickets for the first-ever UFC Fan Expo - which leads up to the historic UFC 100 event that takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday, July 11th - are limited, but are still on sale and can be bought exclusively at http://www.ufcfanexpo.com. V.I.P. Passes sold out quickly, but fans can still buy tickets to the Expo, and Customers that purchase in advance will receive $10 off the two-day pass.

About The Competitors:

Perhaps Japan’s most influential mixed martial artist ever, Rumina “Moon Wolf” Sato has inspired countless fighters to not only take up the sport, but to take it to new levels. A pro since 1994, Sato has fought the world’s best, including John Lewis, Yves Edwards, Caol Uno, Takanori Gomi, Javier Vazquez, Alexandre Nogueira, Joachim Hansen, and Gilbert Melendez. And when it comes to his grappling prowess, suffice to say that the Shooto legend and master of the flying armbar can do it all on the mat, making this rare United States appearance a must see for fight fans.

A native of Los Angeles who now makes his home in Las Vegas, Ulysses “Useless” Gomez has been training in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 2001, and this purple belt has learned his lessons well, winning championships in Grapplers Quest, Desert Quest, IGJJF, NAGA, and the Mt. Sac Submission Open. Gomez was also the first American to win a Gold medal in the FILA Pankration World Championships. Currently 3-1 in MMA, this member of Marc Laimon’s Cobra Kai team is eager to perform on the big stage against the world-renowned Rumina Sato.

If you wanted to list Fredson Paixao’s accomplishments in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you would probably need at least this entire page. Suffice to say that the 30-year old from Parintins – a four-time world champion – is one of the best grapplers of this era. Now competing in MMA for the WEC, Paixao – who is only the second person in the world to go from purple to black belt in just four years – will get back to his roots by grappling competitively during the UFC Fan Expo.

With 22 Grapplers Quest titles to his name, California’s Jeff Glover has taken the jiu-jitsu world by storm. Add in accolades as a 2008 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship-Silver Medalist, 2008 PacSun Hawaii Absolute/No-Gi/Gi Champion, 2007 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship-Gold Medalist, and it’s clear why seeing Glover’s name on the marquee means some high-level jiu-jitsu. Rated to have the number one rated guard in the United States by Gracie Magazine, Glover will put all his skills to the test against world champion Fredson Paixao.

Winner of 35 MMA fights, including a recent victory over Nate Diaz, UFC lightweight contender Joe Stevenson is one of the top fighters in the world, but what some may not know is that he’s also a skilled grappler. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under BJJ superstar Robert Drysdale, Stevenson has ended four MMA fights with his devastating guillotine choke, and he will be looking to test it against Bill Cooper on July 11th.

22-year old jiu-jitsu phenom Bill “The Grill” Cooper earned his black belt from Ricardo Miller at the age of 20, and he’s done his teacher proud to the tune of 24 Grapplers Quest titles from around the country. Now teaching in Thousand Oaks, California, Cooper will face one of the toughest tests of his young career in Joe Stevenson this July.

Rio De Janeiro’s Vinicius “Pezao” Magalhaes first came to the attention of UFC fans in 2008, when he finished three opponents in the first round en route to a spot in the finals of The Ultimate Fighter’s eighth season. But to those in the jiu-jitsu community, Magalhaes’ reputation was already rock solid. Winner of eight medals at the BJJ World Championships (four Gold, one Silver and three Bronze), this black belt under Vinicius Aieta and Royler Gracie will show UFC fans even more dimensions of his game when he steps on the mat on July 10th.

Please note that all rings of the UFC Fan Expo tournament will be stopped during these Superfights, and that while fans will get to see all the tournament and Superfight action, seating will be limited and handled on a first come, first served basis.

For more UFC Fan Expo information and to purchase tickets, visit UFCfanexpo.com. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Ed Gallo, Event Director at 1-203-840-5546 or email egallo@ufcfanexpo.com.

WHO COULD BE THE NEXT UFC® OCTAGON GIRL™?

UFC® AND MAXIM PARTNER TO FIND OUT AT UFC® FAN EXPO™


Las Vegas, NV – It’s the Ultimate gig in the world of sports modeling, and when The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) decided to search for potential new Octagon Girls™, it reached out to the only magazine devoted to discovering new beauty around the world: Maxim, the largest young men’s lifestyle magazine in America. The result? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for attendees of the UFC® Fan Expo™ to be on hand when the winner of the first-ever Maxim UFC® Octagon Girl™ Search is chosen at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, July 11th, just hours before the lights go down for the biggest event in mixed martial arts history, UFC 100.

During the two-day Fan Expo, the Octagon Girl Search will culminate with a live voting phase at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, on the main stage of Bayside Hall B. The event will feature UFC fighters and Maxim editors selecting the winner in a runway-style pageant during the UFC Fan Expo. The winning model will receive a UFC Octagon Girl contract and will be featured throughout the Maxim properties, including Maxim magazine and on Maxim.com.

Girls interested in entering the Maxim UFC® Octagon Girl™ Search will need to pre-register at Maxim.com or at one of Maxim’s upcoming casting events. Details on the casting events will be listed at Maxim.com. Participants must be 18 years of age.

Tickets for the first-ever UFC Fan Expo - which leads up to the historic UFC 100 event that takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Saturday, July 11th - are limited, but are still on sale and can be bought exclusively at http://www.ufcfanexpo.com. V.I.P. Passes for this event are already SOLD OUT, but Customers that purchase Expo tickets in advance will receive $10 off the two-day pass.

The UFC® Fan Expo™ features an unprecedented lineup of UFC®, World Extreme Cagefighting® (WEC®) and former PRIDE® fighters, and already confirmed to be in attendance are UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, UFC Hall of Famers Royce Gracie and Randy “The Natural” Couture, and former world champions Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, “Suga” Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin, and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. UFC contenders Kenny Florian, Steve Cantwell, Shane Carwin, Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis, Tyson Griffin, Clay Guida, Dustin Hazelett, Keith “The Dean of Mean” Jardine, Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann, Josh Koscheck, Joe Lauzon, Junie Browning, Nate Marquardt, Gray Maynard, Karo Parisyan, Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez, Sean Sherk and Mike Swick will also be meeting fans, along with The Ultimate Fighter winners Nate Diaz and Efrain Escudero.

Fans of the PRIDE Fighting Championships will have the chance to re-live the excitement of Japan’s classic organization as well, with MMA icons Renzo Gracie and Gary Goodridge being joined by “The Texas Crazy Horse”, Heath Herring, and Brazilian superstars Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

And if that’s not enough MMA star power, the premier fighters of the WEC will be on hand to sign autographs, with current champions Miguel Torres, Mike Brown, and Jamie Varner sharing the convention center floor with Urijah Faber, Jens Pulver, Brian Bowles, Joseph Benavidez, Donald Cerrone, Leonard Garcia, Ben Henderson, and Alex Karalexis.

Among the UFC Fan Expo’s two-day roster of activities will be the aforementioned meet and greets with legendary UFC, WEC, and PRIDE fighters, MMA demonstrations, fan-inspired special events, training and development sessions, and other exciting opportunities and entertainment. All the UFC Fan Expo activities will be planned in conjunction with UFC 100, including the free-to-the-public weigh-in event on Friday, July 10th.

Expected to attract over 100 companies and brands, UFC Fan Expo will span more than 200,000 gross square feet of space exhibiting apparel, electronic gaming, food & beverages, fight gear and fitness equipment, MMA training and development, nutritional supplements, lifestyle products, and much more.

Currently seen on television in over 120 countries and territories in 17 different languages, UFC is the world’s largest pay-per-view content provider, and is the fastest-growing sports franchise in history. UFC programs are often the highest-rated television sports shows among the coveted male 18-34 and 18-42 demographic. UFC Fan Expo and UFC 100 are expected to attract tens of thousands of sports fans from throughout North America and abroad.

For more UFC Fan Expo information and to purchase tickets, visit UFCfanexpo.com. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Ed Gallo, Event Director at 1-203-840-5546 or email egallo@ufcfanexpo.com.