MONSON VS RIZZO
HEADLINE USA VS BRAZIL
INTERNATIONAL TEAM MMA EXTRAVAGANZA SET FOR
JUNE 30 AT DALLAS’ AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER, PAY-PER-VIEW
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DALLAS, TEXAS — The mixed-martial arts world stage is now set for an explosive night of International team fighting.
SUN Sports & Entertainment, CEO, C.J. Comu, announced today that SUN’s ART OF WAR 3, Undisputed Arena Fighting Championships will feature an All-Star lineup when Team USA takes on Team Brazil on Saturday, June 30th at Dallas’ American Airlines Center.
MMA heavyweight star Jeff “Snowman” Monson heads up Team USA when he challenges Brazilian Jui Jitsu legend, Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo for Rizzo’s IFA World Heavyweight title, in the Main Event.
The Monson vs Rizzo five-round title bout will headline an exciting ten-bout card that also features Team USA MMA stars Jeremy “Gumby” Horn, Jake “The Snake” Shields, Ron “H20” Waterman and Ricco “Suave” Rodriguez taking on some of Brazil’s best action fighters.
The first bout at the American Airlines Center begins at 7:00 pm/Central. The Live Pay-Per-View broadcast, which is being produced in association with Mark Cuban’s HDNet, begins at 8:00 pm/Central (9:00 pm Eastern, 6:00 pm/Pacific) and will be available on cable and satellite systems, nationally.
TICKETS for ART OF WAR 3 GO ON SALE THURSDAY, MAY 24th. Tickets are priced at $250 (VIP Cageside), $100, $75, $50, $35 and available at the American Airlines Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster Outlets. They will also be available online at www.ticketmaster.com
USA JEFF MONSON VS PEDRO RIZZO BRAZIL
Between Monson and Rizzo, they come into the June 30th showdown with 21 UFC bouts. Both are also veterans of Pride Fighting Championships and numerous other mixed-martial arts organizations.
Monson (23-6…Olympia, Washington) is coming off one his biggest career wins when he choked out Japan’s Kazuyuki Fujita in PRIDE 34 this past April 8, 2007. Three of the 36 year old Monson’s losses in the UFC were to mma stars Tim Sylvia, Ricco “Suave” Rodriguez and Chuck Liddell. His decision loss to Sylvia for the UFC Heavyweight title on November 18, 2006, was Monson’s only loss in his last 18 fights – dating back to July, 2003.
The 32 year old Rizzo (15-7…Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) is a former undefeated World Kick Boxing champion, as well as World Vale Tudo champion. He twice challenged for the UFC Heavyweight crown, losing on both occasions. In his 14 UFC bouts, he recorded a record of 9 wins and 5 losses. He holds wins over such stars as Ricco “Suave” Rodriguez, UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski, legends Dan Severn and Mark Coleman. Two of Rizzo’s losses were to UFC Champion, Randy Couture.
Rizzo captured the IFA World Heavyweight title in the inaugural “ART OF WAR” event, this past March 9, 2007 when he decisioned another UFC veteran, Justin Eilers.
According to Comu, the Rizzo vs Monson heavyweight title fight is only one reason to be excited about ART OF WAR 3. “All of us at Sun are extremely excited about not only the main event, but the over all card and team concept,” said Comu.
“Our dream of presenting an International event of this magnitude is now a reality and we can’t wait for the many great MMA fans to experience it with us. We anticipate a very big response not only at the live gate, but from pay-per-view as well.”
Comu also announced were several undercard bouts.
USA JEREMY HORN VS JORGE SANTIAGO BRAZIL
The well know Horn (79-15-5), a UFC, Pride and IFL veteran, will be taking on another UFC vet in the explosive Jorge Santiago (13-7), who will be representing Team Brazil. The 32 year old Horn has literally fought a who’s who in the mma fight game, including legends Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Dan Severn and Frank Shamrock. The Horn vs Santiago, Light Heavyweight bout is slated for 3-rounds.
AOW 3 – USA VS BRAZIL, page 3…
USA JAKE SHIELDS VS CARLO PRATER BRAZIL
Shields (17-4-1) will bring his high energy wrestling/Jui Jitsu style of fighting into the ring against Brazilian veteran, Carlo Prater (20-4-1) in a 3-round Welterweight fight.
USA RON WATERMAN VS MARIO RINALDI BRAZIL
The 285 lb. Waterman (13-5-2…Greeley, Colorado), also a UFC veteran, will defend the USA honors against undefeated Brazilian prospect, Mario Rinaldi (5-0) in a 3-round Super Heavyweight contest.
USA RICCO RODRIGUEZ VS MARCIO CRUZ BRAZIL
Rodriguez, the colorful UFC and Pride veteran, is set to go face to face with Brazilian Jui Jitsu fighter, Marcio Cruz (2-2…Rio De Janeiro, Brazil), in a 3-round Heavyweight battle.
The 6’4, 280 lb. Rodriguez has ironically fought three of the participants on the ART OF WAR 3 event. He has a win over American teammates Ron Waterman and Jeff Monson, as well as a victory over current UFC Heavyweight champion, Randy Couture. He has also battled Pedro Rizzo and UFC champion, Tim Sylvia – losing to both.
Other scheduled bouts include…
USA HECTOR MUNOZ (6-2) VS BRAZIL CRISTIANO MARCELLO (3-2)
USA DAMIEN STELLY (2-1) VS BRAZIL LUIS ARTHUR CANE (6-0)
Three Bouts to be announced.