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Welterweights to Collide at The Score Fighting Series; Forrest Petz and Sergej Juskevic match-up added to Hamilton event on March 16th


The Score Fighting Series has announced another main card match-up for its Friday March 16th event at Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario. In a welterweight (170 pounds) affair, UFC veteran Forrest "The Meat Cleaver" Petz (24-9) of Cleveland, Ohio will take on kickboxing champion Sergej Juskevic (11-6-2) of Toronto via Lithuania.

The 5-foot-9 Juskevic, who is riding a four-fight win streak, is known for his powerful kicks and fearsome body attacks. He has been living in Toronto for the past few years and fights out of Grant Brothers Boxing and MMA.

In his last fight against Gideon Ray, Juskevic, who complements his kickboxing skills with several years of sambo training that he did in Latvia, served notice that he's more than just dangerous on his feet by tapping the UFC veteran with a heel hook just 90 seconds into the first round.

The 36-year-old Petz (24-9), who also stands 5-foot-9, enters the match-up on a three fight win streak and represents a serious step-up in competition for the Lithuanian. The Meat Cleaver competed seven times inside The Octagon and trains out of the Strong Style Fight Team in Cleveland. Nearly 50 percent of his finishes have come via KO or TKO and he has notable career victories over Dan Hardy, Luigi Fioravanti and Charles "Krazy Horse" Bennett.

In his last effort, Petz scored a monstrous TKO (punches) on Rudy Bears in the first round (2:55) of their matchup in Newkirk, Ok.

Tickets for The Score Fighting Series start at $30 and are on sale now at the Copps Colesium box office and online at www.ticketmaster.ca.

In the main event, UFC and PRIDE veteran and Xtreme Couture team member John “The Natural” Alessio (33-14) will square off with Strikeforce and WEC veteran and Team Quest member “Diamond” Ryan Healy (19-9-1).

Undefeated Stoney Creek sensation Josh Hill (7-0) will take on rising star Eric Wilson (5-1) from Saskatoon at bantamweight (135 pounds).

Unbeaten Jason Meisel (2-0) of Caledonia will battle Mike Sledzion (3-2) of Barrie at lightweight (155 pounds). Lyndon Whitlock (5-2) of Hamilton will face Cory Houston (4-1) of Winnipeg at featherweight (145 pounds). John Macphearson (1-1) of Hamilton will lock horns with Craig “War Dog” Hudson (1-1) of Brantford at heavyweight (max 265 pounds).

Additional fights will be announced soon.

Two New Fights Featuring Local Athletes Added to The Score Fighting Series March 16th event in Hamilton



- Shane Campbell vs. Derek Boyle in a lightweight matchup

- Ryan Dickson vs. Chris St. Jean in a welterweight scrap



The Score Fighting Series has announced two additional bouts for its Friday, March 16th event at Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario. World Muay Thai champion Shane Campbell of Stoney Creek will face off with fellow power striker Derek Boyle of Lethbridge, Alberta at lightweight (155 pounds) and unbeaten prospect Ryan Dickson (2-0) of Hamilton will duke it out with Chris St. Jean (5-3) of Ottawa at welterweight (170 pounds).

The matchup between Campbell (5-1) and Boyle (7-5), both winners of four of their last five fights, pits two of Canada’s most exciting, young, up-and-coming strikers against one another.

The 24-year-old, six-foot Campbell, comes from a strong lineage of kickboxing talent at Stoney Creek’s Iron Muay Thai, under master trainer Kru Alin Halmagean. Since he made his MMA debut in June 2008, Campbell has taken on the grueling task of simultaneously maintaining his kickboxing career where he holds an overall record of 45-10 (11 KO’s).

Campbell’s opponent, 27-year-old, six-foot Boyle (7-5), has earned more than half of his victories by KO. He is coming off an incredible flying knee KO of Alex Popov in September.

Dickson (2-0) is the prize student of local MMA icon Jeff Joslin, the first and only Hamiltonian to date to fight in the UFC. The 22-year-old prospect claimed both his victories to date by way of submission.

St. Jean, 27, (5-3), who fights out of the Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts under Pat Cooligan, has proved to be one of the more durable fighters in the sport after competing seven times in 2011. All five of St. Jean’s career wins have come by way of either KO or submission.

St. Jean is hungry to return to the win column after his five-fight win streak was snapped in his last start at the hands of Brandt Dewsberry, who submitted St. Jean with a triangle choke in the second round of their meeting last October.

Tickets for The Score Fighting Series start at $30 and are on sale now at the Copps Coliseum box office and online at www.ticketmaster.ca.

In the main event, UFC and PRIDE veteran and Xtreme Couture team member John “The Natural” Alessio (33-14) will square off with Strikeforce and WEC veteran and Team Quest member “Diamond” Ryan Healy (19-9-1). For more on Alessio, check-out this video feature from theScore.com.

Undefeated Stoney Creek sensation Josh Hill (7-0) will take on rising star Eric Wilson (5-1) from Saskatoon at bantamweight (135 pounds).

In a featured welterweight bout, UFC veteran Forrest "The Meat Cleaver" Petz (24-9) of Cleveland, Oh. will take on kickboxing champion Sergej Juskevic (11-6-2) of Toronto via Lithuania.

Unbeaten Jason Meisel (2-0) of Caledonia will battle Mike Sledzion (3-2) of Barrie at lightweight. Lyndon Whitlock (5-2) of Hamilton will face Cory Houston (4-1) of Winnipeg at featherweight (145 pounds). John Macphearson (1-1) of Hamilton will lock horns with Craig “War Dog” Hudson (1-1) of Brantford at heavyweight (max 265 pounds).

Additional fights will be announced soon.

Three New Matchups Added To The Score Fighting Series March 16th Event
In Hamilton


- Will Romero vs. Jeff Harrison in a featherweight contest
- Alex Ricci vs. Iraj Hadin in a lightweight bout
- Adam Assenza vs. John Roche in a lightweight battle



The Score Fighting Series has announced three additional bouts for its Friday, March 16th event at Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario. Hard-hitting featherweight (145 pounds) Will “Leon” Romero of Brampton will take on Muay Thai striker Jeff Harrison of Ottawa and undefeated lightweight (155 pounds) prospect Alex Ricci of Woodbridge will square off with rugged ground and pound specialist Iraj “Cold Blooded” Hadin of London.

In preliminary card action, former “Fight of the Night” winner Adam Assenza of Burlington will battle John Roche of Toronto at lightweight.

Both the 29-year-old Romero (7-3), a member of the Iron Tiger Muay Thai stable, and the 30-year-old Harrison (5-4) will put winning streaks on the line when they meet in the cage. Harrison, who fights out of Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts (OAMA) and was a multi-time amateur Muay Thai champion before turning professional as a mixed martial artist, has won his last three contests and will be looking for vengeance in the matchup with Romero, a winner of his last two fights, after Romero battered and defeated Harrison’s teammate, Stephane Bernadel, in The Score Fighting Series’ last event in Hamilton on Oct. 14, 2011.

With four victories, all by way of KO or TKO, in his first four professional starts, the 29-year-old Ricci (4-0) will face his toughest test to date in Hadin (6-3), a 30-year-old product of Adrenaline Training Center, which also serves as home to UFC stars Mark Hominick, Sam Stout and Chris Clements.

Ricci, a seasoned Muay Thai stylist, scored a memorable KO in his last start on October 14th, 2011, sending Tim Smith to the canvas with a head kick followed by a series of elbow strikes. To date, Ricci has not been pushed past the second round of a fight.

For his part, Hadin has emerged a credible force in the lightweight division, taking out two of Quebec's top prospects in Samuel Guillet and Derek Gauthier, in his last two starts. Hadin scored a second round TKO (elbow strikes) on Guillet on November 13th, 2010 and earned a unanimous decision over Gauthier on April 9, 2011.

Assenza (0-1) will seek his first professional victory after losing a close split decision to Jason Meisel in a bout that was awarded “Fight of the Night” honors at The Score Fighting Series event on October 14th, 2011. (CLICK HERE to watch the bout between Assenza and Meisel) Roche (0-0) will make his pro debut after going unbeaten (2-0) as an amateur.

Tickets for The Score Fighting Series start at $30 and are on sale now at the Copps Coliseum box office and online at www.ticketmaster.ca.
In the lightweight main event, superstar John Alessio (33-14) will face off with Strikeforce and WEC veteran and Team Quest member “Diamond” Ryan Healy (19-9-1). For more on Alessio, check-out this video feature from theScore.com.

In a featured welterweight (170 pounds) contest, UFC veteran Forrest "The Meat Cleaver" Petz (24-9) of Cleveland, Oh. will take on kickboxing champion Sergej Juskevic (11-6-2) of Toronto via Lithuania.

Undefeated Stoney Creek sensation Josh Hill (7-0) will lock horns with rising star Eric Wilson (5-1) from Saskatoon at bantamweight (135 pounds).

Unbeaten Jason Meisel (2-0) of Caledonia will battle Mike Sledzion (3-2) of Barrie at lightweight. Lyndon Whitlock (5-2) of Hamilton will face Corey Houston (4-1) of Winnipeg at featherweight. John McPherson (1-1) of Hamilton will throw down with Craig “War Dog” Hudson (1-1) of Brantford in a heavyweight (max 265 pounds) collision.

World Muay Thai champion Shane Campbell (5-1) of Stoney Creek will go to battle with fellow power striker Derek Boyle (7-5) of Lethbridge, Alberta at lightweight and unbeaten prospect Ryan Dickson (2-0) of Hamilton will face an opponent to be announced soon. Dickson’s original opponent, Chris St. Jean, has been forced out of the matchup due to injury.

Two New Matchups Completes Fight Card for The Score Fighting Series March 16th Event In Hamilton


- Ryan Dickson vs. Brandon Johnson in a welterweight battle
- Erik Herbert vs. Elias Theodorou in a middleweight bout
- Rich Clementi bout postponed due to opponent’s injury


The Score Fighting Series has announced two additional bouts for its Friday, March 16th event at Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario. Undefeated grappling wizard Ryan Dickson of Hamilton, On. will take on Brandon Johnson of Grand Ledge, Mich. at welterweight (170 pounds) and unbeaten prospect Elias Theodorou of Mississauga, On. will face off with former United States Marine Erik “The Bull” Herbert of Buffalo, N.Y. in a middleweight (185 pounds) contest.

Former UFC star Rich Clementi’s next bout with The Score Fighting Series, originally slated for the March 16th fight card, has been postponed due to an injury sustained by his scheduled opponent, Kajan Johnson. This was despite efforts to secure an alternative opponent.

The 22-year-old Dickson (2-0), a protégé of MMA icon Jeff Joslin, compiled an unblemished amateur (6-0) record before turning professional, and has still yet to be beaten. In his last bout for The Score Fighting Series on Dec. 3, Dickson finished Josh Taveirne by submission (rear-naked choke) in the second round. He was originally due to fight Christopher St. Jean until injury struck the welterweight from Ottawa.

Johnson is looking to win his first professional bout inside enemy territory. As an amateur, the 24-year-old amassed a stellar record of 10-1, with 7 of his victories coming by way of KO or submission.

The 23-year-old Theodorou (2-0) is a highly-touted striker who has finished both of his professional opponents to date. In his debut on June 17, 2011, he punished Tanner Tolman, stopping Tolman with a series of punches and elbow strikes inside of the opening round of action, and three months later, Theodorou submitted Steve Hodgson with a rear-naked choke in the second stanza of their meeting.

“We both feel confident in our striking and I will rise to the challenge,” Theodorou said regarding the upcoming matchup with Herbert. “I have a pace I don’t think he’ll be able to keep up with. I feel comfortable and confident standing up or on the ground and, no matter where it goes, I will be the one that comes out on top.”

Outside of MMA, Herbert, 25, has competed in the sport of Muay Thai, under both amateur (4-1) and professional (1-0) status over the course of the last five years. While serving in the Marine Corps, he competed for the military branch’s wrestling team.

“[Theodorou’s] more of a Muay Thai stylist, more of a stand up guy but so am I,” stated Herbert. “I don’t have any problem exchanging strikes with him on my feet.”

In 2009, Herbert received an honorable discharge from the United States military, allowing him to maintain a more aggressive training regime and, beginning with his March 16th bout, Herbert said he will be far busier in competition than he has been to date.

The entire card now lines-up as follows:

• 155lbs - John Alessio (33-14) vs. Ryan Healy (19-9-1)
• 135lbs - Josh Hill (7-0) vs. Eric Wilson (5-1)
• 170lbs - Sergey Juskevic (11-6-2) vs. Forrest Petz (24-9)
• 145lbs - Jeff Harrison (5-4) vs. Will Romero (7-3)
• 155lbs - Alex Ricci (4-0) vs. Iraj Hadin (6-3)
• 155lbs - Shane Campbell (3-1) vs. Derek Boyle (7-5)
• 145lbs - Lyndon Whitlock (5-2) vs. Corey Houston (4-1)
• 170lbs - Ryan Dickson (2-0) vs. Brandon Johnson (2-1)
• 155lbs - Jason Meisel (2-0) vs. Mike Sledzion (3-2)
• 155lbs - Adam Assenza (0-1) vs. John Roche (0-0)
• 265lbs - John McPherson (1-1) vs. Craig Hudson (1-1)
• 185lbs - Elias Thedorou (2-0) vs. Erik Herbert (3-1)

Tickets for The Score Fighting Series event start at $30 and are on sale now at the Copps Coliseum box office and online at www.ticketmaster.ca. The entire event will be streamed live on thescore.com starting at 7:30pm.

The Score Fighting Series March 16th Event In Hamilton Nears Sell-Out

- Injury forces Will Romero to withdraw from event
- Event to be streamed live at theScore.com



Tickets are selling fast for The Score Fighting Series event, which takes place on March 16th at Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario. The event is close to a sell-out, with just a handful of seats remaining as of Friday.

For those unable to get their hands on tickets, the entire event will be streamed live on theScore.com.

Meanwhile, Will Romero has been forced to withdraw from the event due to injury. Romero was assessed by a doctor on Thursday afternoon, who confirmed he will unfortunately no longer be able to participate in the event.

Efforts are underway to secure a replacement opponent for Jeff Harrison, although finding an athlete able to compete with someone of Harrison’s calibre is expected to prove extremely difficult at such short notice.

Romero’s trainer, Alin Halmageon, said: “We did everything we could to have him fight Jeff Harrison but unfortunately it is clear that he will be not able to fight. Will is devastated and so am I. We are both very sorry that he cannot be part of this great show.”

The card for the event lines-up as follows:

• 155lbs - John Alessio (33-14) vs. Ryan Healy (19-9-1)
• 135lbs - Josh Hill (7-0) vs. Eric Wilson (5-1)
• 170lbs - Sergey Juskevic (11-6-2) vs. Forrest Petz (24-9)
• 155lbs - Alex Ricci (4-0) vs. Iraj Hadin (6-3)
• 155lbs - Shane Campbell (3-1) vs. Derek Boyle (7-5)
• 145lbs - Lyndon Whitlock (5-2) vs. Corey Houston (4-1)
• 170lbs - Ryan Dickson (2-0) vs. Brandon Johnson (2-1)
• 155lbs - Jason Meisel (2-0) vs. Mike Sledzion (3-2)
• 155lbs - Adam Assenza (0-1) vs. John Roche (0-0)
• 265lbs - John McPherson (1-1) vs. Craig Hudson (1-1)
• 185lbs - Elias Thedorou (2-0) vs. Erik Herbert (3-1)

Remaining tickets for The Score Fighting Series event are on sale at the Copps Coliseum box office and online at www.ticketmaster.ca.