July 9 – MMA Update – EliteXC Books Eilers-Silva

By:  | Posted: Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 at 8:33 pm.

The American Top Team’s Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva will lock horns with Justin Eilers for the vacant EliteXC heavyweight championship at EliteXC: Unfinished Business on Saturday, July 26 at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif.

The heavyweight title match will anchor the Showtime portion of the event, which will serve as a one-hour lead-in to EliteXC’s second show on the CBS Network. A rematch between EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler and UFC veteran Scott Smith will headline the action on CBS.

Silva (10-1), one of the sport’s most talented big men, will enter the bout on a three-fight winning streak, though he has not competed since he earned a split decision victory against former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez at EliteXC: Street Certified in February. He also holds wins against UFC veteran Wesley “Cabbage” Correira, Pride Fighting Championships veteran Tom Erikson and former Cage Rage champion Tengiz Tedoradze.

The reigning International Fighting Council heavyweight champion, Eilers (19-6-1) will enter his EliteXC debut on a three-fight winning streak. The 30-year-old has posted 10 wins in 11 fights, losing only to Brazilian veteran Pedro Rizzo in that span. Based out of the Miletich Fighting Systems camp, Eilers has secured 18 of his 19 victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

EliteXC: Unfinished Business
Saturday, July 26
Stockton Arena
Stockton, Calif.

EliteXC Middleweight Championship
Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith

EliteXC Welterweight Championship
Jake Shields vs. Nick Thompson

EliteXC Heavyweight Championship
Antonio Silva vs. Justin Eilers

Nick Diaz vs. Thomas Denny
Shayna Baszler vs. Cristiane Cyborg
Wilson Reis vs. Brian Caraway

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AKIYAMA DRAWS SHIBATA AT DREAM 5

Controversial Judoka Yoshihiro Akiyama will take on Katsuyori Shibata in a middleweight bout at Dream 5 on Monday, July 21 at the Osaka Dome in Osaka, Japan. The promotion made the bout official on Wednesday.

The soon-to-be 33-year-old Akiyama (10-1) will enter the matchup on a nine-fight winning streak, though two of his past three matches have ended in no contests. He last appeared in December, when he was knocked out by Pride Fighting Championships veteran Kazuo Misaki; the result was later ruled a no contest when it was determined Misaki had struck Akiyama with an illegal soccer kick. Akiyama owns victories against Spirit Martial Challenge champion Denis Kang and Dutch juggernaut Melvin Manhoef.

Shibata (2-4), meanwhile, has lost four consecutive fights, the latest a technical knockout loss to Jason “Mayhem” Miller at Dream 3 in May. In fact, he has not won a bout since he stopped Yoshihisa Yamamoto on strikes in nine seconds at a K-1 Hero’s show in March 2007.

Dream 5
Monday, July 21
Osaka Dome
Osaka, Japan

Dream Lightweight Grand Prix
Shinya Aoki vs. Caol Uno
Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Eddie Alvarez

Dream Lightweight Grand Prix Reserve Bout
Joachim Hansen vs. Kultar Gill

Non-Tournament Bouts
Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto vs. Joseph Benavidez
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Katsuyori Shibataa
Motoki Miyazawa vs. Kuniyoshi Hironaka
Mark Hunt vs. TBA

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FORD, JORDAN TO BATTLE FOR MFC BELT

Unbeaten Ryan Ford will collide with Joe Jordan for the vacant Maximum Fighting Championship welterweight title at MFC 17: Hostile Takeover on Friday, July 25 at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Enoch, Alberta.

Ford (6-0) has yet to go to a decision and has already scored wins over UFC veterans C.J. Fernandes and Pete Spratt. He has competed at the MFC promotion’s last five events and emerged as a potential centerpiece. Ford was originally scheduled to face Drew Fickett, but when Fickett and MFC president Mark Pavelich butted heads last month, the door opened for another opponent.

A UFC and King of the Cage veteran, Jordan (42-12-2) has rattled off 19 wins in 20 fights. He last appeared at the Adrenaline MMA premiere in June, when he earned a unanimous decision over Ryan Williams. Jordan, who fought current UFC lightweight contender Roger Huerta to a draw in 2004, has delivered 30 of his 42 career wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission.

CATEGORIES:MMA