From fighter to promoter

April 14, 2008

Kind of a slow week the last seven days, but that all changes this weekend.

Got an email from X-1 middleweight champion Niko Vitale, who is going to test his skills as a promoter. Niko Vitale Promotions is putting on an event Friday night at the Dole Cannery Ballroom called Local Pride. Should be good so if you have some free time, go check it out. If I can get my hands on a fight card, I will put it up.

The UFC is also back with the big Georges St. Pierre/Matt Serra rematch on Saturday. Can Serra shock the world again or will GSP get his revenge and put his name back in the running with Anderson Silva as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. According to the UFC, over 21,000 tickets have been sold for the event being held in Montreal. I believe it’s the UFC’s first show in Canada. Also, Rich Franklin makes his return following his second loss to Silva against Travis Lutter.

Here at home, X-1 is having a huge Legends show in May where Egan Inoue will fight for the first time in nearly five years. His opponent will be announced tomorrow at a press conference so check back in the late afternoon to find out who he is. Already confirmed for the card is Ray Cooper vs. Shane Nelson for the X-1 lightweight title, Kana Hyatt vs. Tyson Nam for the featherweight belt and Brendon Wolf vs. Chad Reiner for Reiner’s welterweight title.

EliteXC is still on for June and now comes word that K-1 will hold its USA Grand Prix card in Hawaii some time in late July or early August. Mighty Mo, who won the tournament in Hawaii last year, just lost a unanimous decision to Keijiro Maeda on Sunday.

Hopefully those tax returns come just in time for the summer where there will be at least four big shows in a span of three months.

Posted in Fights