Full Contact Fighter Database

Home

>

News

>

Article

Media

Sunday, Sep 12, 2004

Blind (up)date:



Blind (Up)Date:
Flirtatious Fighters Nab Coveted November Sweeps Week
By Loretta Hunt

Is M-M-A fast becoming America’s latest F-A-D? It would appear so with all the added attention the fledging sport has been getting via the small screen.

In recent months, mixed martial arts hopeful Josh Hayes was featured on the hit MTV series "True Life" training and then competing in his first pro fight in the WEC. On a separate episode, cameras followed Muay Thai and part-time MMA fighter Kit Cope to Thailand for his "true life" experience. Let’s not forget "The Ultimate Fighter," the UFC’s reality show set to premiere this January on Spike TV.

Next on that growing list, reality dating show "Blind Date" has also jumped onboard for some MMA-centric programming. The long running series, which pairs strangers together through a host of engaging activities in the hopes of catching a love connection (or repulsion) on air, shot five separate episodes with Ultimate Fighters Tim Sylvia, Wes Sims, Josh Thomson, Pete Spratt, and Tiki Ghosn last July in Las Vegas.

Apparently, higher-ups have been so pleased with the episodes as they’ve been edited that "Blind Date" executive producers, in correlation with NBC/Universal officials, have decided to air them during TV’s coveted "sweeps week," set for November 15th through 19th.

"The UFC is obviously very hot these days, so we’re taking advantage of that through sweeps week," says "Date" producer John Pepper. "We definitely save the best for that slot. That’s when the most viewers, the most eyes will be looking at Blind Date, so we wanted to save our absolute best for it."

"Date" reps were especially impressed with heavyweight Wes Sims’ encounter with his date, described as a young woman who was quite nonplussed by the 6’8" giant’s antics and chosen profession. It’s reported that Sims’ time went so rocky, that the outgoing fighter ended up at a Vegas strip joint by night’s end, his defiant date in tow.

Blind Date has enlisted "specialty" contestants before for themed weeks, from Tropicana showgirls to WWE characters. This will be their first collaboration with UFC fighters.



Cage Rage 8 – Knights of the Octagon
Held Sept. 11, 2004 – Wembley, London, UK
Results By David West

Hometown hero Lee Murray brought his legion of fans to the Wembley Conference Centre to see him square up to Pride veteran Anderson Silva in the biggest test of the Briton’s career. Murray’s fans went home unhappy after Silva proved too slick for their hero, comprehensively out-boxing him with sharp punches and some dazzling kicks for three rounds. Mark Weir made short work of Luta Livre fighter Johil De Oliveira and at the end of the evening challenged Anderson Silva for the Cage Rage Middleweight Title. In other titles fights, Peter Tiarks retained his Featherweight Title by tapping out Ian Butlin, while the vacant Heavyweight Crown was claimed by Ryan Robinson when the tall and lanky Carlson Gracie student ground and pounded Kuljit Degun into submission. Ian Freeman presented Robinson with his belt and promptly challenged him to fight for it in November.

  1. Peter Tiarks def. Ian Butlin by triangle/armbar – 1:45 R3
  2. James Evans-Nicolle def. Suley Mahmoud by KO – 4:59 R2
  3. Mark Epstein def. Silvio De Souza by majority decision after 3 rounds
  4. Sol Gilbert def. Jean-Francois Lenogue by armbar – 4:47 R2
  5. Phil Gildea def. Jeremy Bailey by disqualification – R2
  6. Damien Riccio def. Matt Ewin by KO – 1:45 R2
  7. Ryan Robinson def. Kuljit Degun by tap out (strikes) – 3:30 R2
  8. Leigh Remedios def. Ricky Salhan by armbar – 3:43 R1
  9. James Zikic def. Matthias Riccio by rear-naked choke – 2:43 R2
  10. Mark Weir def. Johil De Oliveira by side choke – 1:35 R1
  11. Anderson Silva def. Lee Murray by unanimous decision after 3 rounds



New!
Pigment Dyed Full-Zip Hooded NHB Sweatshirt
Pigment Dyed Full-Zip Hooded NHB Sweatshirt



For FASTEST service call in your credit card order
(516)676-0033
Or
Click here to order securely online with your credit card
or print off the order form & mail it in with your payment



From the event’s promoter:



Results of FFC XI
Held September 10th, 2004
at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi

  • Ira Boyd over Dustin Johnson (155lbs) by ref stoppage due to strikes 1:50 R1
  • Fred Griswold over Seth Clifton (170lbs) via Knockout 4:41 R1
  • Adam O’Keefe over Louis Simms (170lbs) tap from strikes 4:45 R1
  • Nick Gonzalez over Josh Sauder (155lbs) by ref stop due to strikes 4:58 R1
  • Kevin Jordan over Eric Loveless (230lbs) unanimous decision
  • Melvin Guillard over Angel Nieves (170lbs) unanimous decision
  • Josh Neer over Anthony Macias (170lbs) by ref stoppage due to strikes :41 R1
  • Jake Short over Dennis Davis (155lbs) by ref stop 3:03 R3

posted by Full Contact Fighter @ 8:00 pm
Have a comment about this story? Please share with us by filling out the fields below.

Comments are closed.