Rutten

By WSOF

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Oct. 23, 2012) – Legendary MMA personality and former UFC heavyweight champion, Bas “El Guapo” Rutten, and NBC commentator Todd Harris will call the debut Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event for World Series of Fighting, live on NBC Sports Network from Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Rutten brings with him a long history of providing both insightful and entertaining commentary for numerous fight promotions.  He can also be seen on the silver screen, co-starring alongside Kevin James and Salma Hayek in the MMA-themed comedy film Here Comes The Boom, which hit theaters earlier this month.

Harris is a part of NBC’s coverage of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, and also serves as a play-by-play voice for NBC Sports Group’s college football and basketball coverage  and action sports events.

“We are thrilled that Bas and Todd have signed on for our first event,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo. “These guys are true professionals and we know that their commentary will add tremendous value to our first card.”

Tickets for the inaugural World Series of Fighting event are priced from $19.99, and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, at all Caesars Entertainment and Ticketron outlets and by phone at  800-745-3000.

The live NBC Sports Network telecast of the World Series of Fighting event will begin at 10:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. PST.

The heavyweight main event features Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (17-9) of Minsk, Belarus squaring off with fellow hard-hitting KO artist Devin Cole (20-9) of Medford, Ore.

In the light heavyweight (205 pounds) co-main event, hard-hitting superstar Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (13-4) of Boca Raton, Fla. will face off with fellow sensation D.J. “Da Protégé” Linderman (14-3) of Yreka, Calif.

In other main card action, bantamweight (135 pounds) submission wizard Miguel Angel Torres (40-5) of East Chicago, Ind. will lock up with two-time national Muay Thai champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt Marlon Moraes (8-4-1) of Jupiter, Fla. via Nova Friburgo, Brazil.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gregor Gracie (7-2) of New York, N.Y. via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will face off with red-hot prospect Tyson Steele (9-1) of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CA in a welterweight (168 pounds) contest.

The inaugural World Series of Fighting card will also mark the MMA debut of kickboxing phenom Tyrone Spong (0-0) of Boca Raton, Fla. via Amsterdam, Netherlands, who will take on skilled boxer Travis Bartlett (7-2) of Bangor, Maine in a preliminary card bout.

Josh Burkman (23-9) of Salt Lake City, Utah will battle fellow star Gerald “Hurricane” Harris (21-4) of Tulsa, Okla. at welterweight on the preliminary card.

Streaking Ronys Torres (25-4) of Manacapuru, Amazonas, Brazil will meet dangerous submission specialist Brian “The Bandit” Cobb (19-7) of Bakersfield, Calif. in a lightweight (155 pounds) tilt.

Doors at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino open at 4 p.m. PST for the World Series of Fighting event and the first preliminary bout will begin at 4:30 p.m.