MFC’s 2013 Year-End Awards The Zeddy for Knockout of the Year

Over the past several years, the Maximum Fighting Championship has developed its own holiday tradition right up there with turkey, spiked egg nog, and getting good ol' dad that bottle of Old Spice.

With the year-end fast-approaching, it’s time for our gift to fighters and fans. It's the return of the Z-Files’ MFC Year-End Awards – unofficially dubbed The Zeddys.

Last year, the awards added a few new twists and those new honors return as tributes to individual fighters who make 2013 memorable in one way or another.

Last but certainly far from least, now is the time to declare the winner of 2013's Knockout of the Year recipients. Past winners of the MFC KO of the Year are Mukai Maromo, Adam Lynn, Pete Spratt, Tom Watson, and Aron Lofton.

The countdown begins with …

5. Smealinho Rama vs. Mike Hackert, MFC 36 – Two big boys on big rolls came into this fight, looking to cement the No. 1 contender spot in the MFC heavyweight division as well as officially be recognized as the top heavyweight in Canada. Hackert supposedly had the edge in striking prowess, but it was Rama who came through with heavy hands at the right time. A quick clip to the side of the head rattled Hackert and Rama pounced to finish the bout before taking his celebration to the fans in the front row.

See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ldxvMnDb-k

4. Wes Swofford vs. Jay Silva, MFC 36 – It’s very rare that a late replacement does much more than roll over for his opponent but Swofford was determined not to let that happen. He did hit the deck and look done like dinner thanks to a Silva head kick, but “Nile” wasn’t to be denied. With a standing elbow strike reminiscent of Adam Lynn’s 2012 KO of the Year, Swofford buckled Silva against the ropes and battered him until the referee was forced to jump in.

See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCXiOCSgwIg

3. Kurt Southern vs. Jonatas Novaes, MFC 38 – Still fuming over his loss to Novaes in their first encounter, Southern wasn’t about to let his Brazilian foe get a second chance at stealing a victory. Southern called his shot by proclaiming he’d nail Novaes with an overhand right, and he did just that in the late stage of Round 1. Southern dropped Novaes and then rained down hammerfists to bring things to a sudden halt – an ending that also secured him a lightweight title shot at MFC 39.

See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbnpIv0uNmg

2. Aaron Gallant vs. Matt Jelly, MFC 38 – Gallant had not seen the inside of the MFC ring in over a decade. Ten years of waiting turned into just seven seconds of action. A left hook, right cross, and a right uppercut in lightning-quick succession ended the fight with Jelly dropping to the canvas without ever realizing what had just taken place (watch the video to see the startled reaction on Jelly’s face). “Gorilla” set a new MFC record for fastest knockout and would surely have won the Knockout of the Night and the Year had something even more spectacular not taken place about two hours later.

See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja_Nj_Lxt18

And the winner of the 2013 MFC Knockout of the Year is ...

1. Anthony Hamilton vs. Smealinho Rama, MFC 38 – For the first time in more than six years, the rejuvenated MFC heavyweight division would crown a new champion, and it came down to the surging veteran against the undefeated rising star. After a competitively grinding first round, Hamilton went to his corner and received a valuable piece of advice. Twelve seconds into Round 2, he executed the most potent high kick ever seen in the MFC. Hyperbole aside, it absolutely looked like Rama had been shot by a high-powered rifle as he flailed wildly and crashed to the canvas. With that spectacular finish, Hamilton had captured the MFC heavyweight title, the Knockout of the Night, and without a shadow of a doubt, the Knockout of the Year.

See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgIcoayZf9U

Fighter of the Year: Anthony Birchak – Two of the best performances of the year. A litany of top-notch interviews and a sparkling social media presence. A spotlight in Fighters Only. And a captivating moment highlighted by Sports Illustrated. The Year 2013 belonged to Anthony Birchak, who became the MFC’s inaugural bantamweight champion. All of the accolades came during a year that saw numerous pressures put on Birchak’s shoulders including a new baby boy and the loss of a long-time friend. “Wait till you see me perform without all of these life issues weighing on me,” said Birchak. That should be something to behold.

Prospect of the Year: Kurt Southern – Is it hard to say someone is a prospect with 17 fights already under his belt. To some, perhaps, but when you look at it, Southern had gone the vast majority of those fights unheralded and mostly unheard of. Now after three excellent outings in the MFC, Southern is being recognized for the truly massive talent he is. A title shot awaits the best thing out of Saskatchewan since The Sheepdogs.

Kenny Rice ‘Blast from the Past’ Award: Great moments should never be forgotten, and this new award goes to a treasured time in MFC history.

See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSucz-22Rfg

LW title fight & Smith-South showdown set for MFC 39

Southern vs. Gallicchio championship battle to co-headline No Remorse

The Maximum Fighting Championship is thrilled to announce two fights including the first of two title matchups that will headline MFC 39: No Remorse taking place on Friday, January 17.

The MFC’s first event of 2014 will air live on AXS TV Fights emanating from the Northlands Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/8 p.m. MT/7 p.m. PT (check cable provider listings for channel designation).

Riding a wave of momentum and five victories in his last six fights, Kurt “The Hurt” Southern (13-4) will get his crack at the MFC world lightweight title when he squares off against Tom “Da Tank” Gallicchio (17-8). Current MFC lightweight champ Graham Spencer is out with injury for several more months and upon returning to action will go down to his natural featherweight division.

The other freshly announced fight sees former MFC middleweight title hopeful Jason “The Mover” South (10-1) go down to the welterweight ranks to welcome newcomer and former reality show standout Gilbert Jamal Smith (7-2) to the Maximum Fighting Championship.

“Right out of the gate for 2014, we’re going to continue our trend of bringing exciting fights to the fans of the Maximum Fighting Championship and AXS TV Fights,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich.

“The MFC is on a tremendous roll right now as MFC 36, 37 and 38 were spectacular, and my whole organization is determined to keep it going. In fact, we’re determined to make it even better. I want fighters who are going impress and who aren’t afraid of big fights.

“I love the fact that Southern and Gallicchio will battle for the lightweight title, and I can’t wait to see Graham Spencer back in action and trying to become the first fighter in MFC history to win championships in two different weight classes. And I’m ecstatic to see the South-Smith showdown as we re-ignite the welterweight division.”

Southern has risen to stardom in the MFC with three impressive outings. Last time out at MFC 38, Southern erased the memory of his controversial submission loss to Jonatas Novaes when he blasted Novaes down and out for a first-round TKO in their hotly anticipated rematch. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, product also has a first-round submission under his belt in the MFC after he quickly dispatched Mukai Maromo at MFC 37.

Gallicchio, who is originally from Toms River, New Jersey, makes his MFC debut and a move to the lightweight division after a long stint at welterweight. Now fighting out of Murrieta, California, Gallicchio has won five of his last eight including a feature victory over Len Bentley.

South made a courageous attempt at claiming the MFC middleweight title at MFC 38, but suffered a stunning TKO loss to Sam Alvey, falling with just four seconds remaining in the fifth and final round. Before that setback, South, who hails from West Jordan, Utah, had gone undefeated and flexed his jiu-jitsu skills with nine submission victories.

Smith, a decorated former member of the United States Army, enters the MFC foray having won his last two fights. Fighting out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Smith boasts five submission wins on his resume including two inside the first round.

Tickets for MFC 39 are on sale now at the MFC Ticket Hotline by calling(780) 504-2024 and will also be on sale via Ticketmaster shortly.

For more information and interview requests, please contact:

Scott Zerr, Director of Media & Fighter Relations

Maximum Fighting Championship

Alvey’s smile gets brighter after receiving award

Nikolai Gionti, MFC Staff

Is it even possible for Sam Alvey to have a bigger smile than he sports in the ring on fight night? The state of California is testing that out after honoring Alvey with an award earlier this week.

Nearly two months after his victory at MFC 38 over Jason South, California has officially recognized him as the Maximum Fighting Championship middleweight champion.

Alvey says, “the assemblywoman saw on the news that I had won the title in my last fight and decided to officially recognize it.”

He received a package Thursday morning while he was training at Team Quest. Alvey understands what an honor it is to receive any kind of award from the state. For a fighter, however, it is even bigger just based on how the sport can be viewed by those in politics.

“It does get a bum rap sometimes,” Alvey says. “But the more people that see it, the more people that recognize it, the better it gets.”

Alvey doesn’t just view this as an individual award. He knows that without the help of the MFC that this would not be possible.

“The MFC has been fantastic. It’s one of the biggest organizations in the world. They keep me busy with fights, they keep me busy with interviews and I couldn’t be happier.”

He also knows that without the support of his family that this award would not have come either. Alvey met his wife prior to his MMA career and she has been beside him ever since. She wraps his hands prior to fights and even corners him during the fights. McKey Sullivan can be seen during every MFC event on AXS TV, but there was a new member of the family with him after his title fight, his newborn duaghter. This gives Alvey some high standards, but he isn’t worried.

“Yes, I have high expectations, but I’m not worried. I train with one of the best camps in the world and I’ll live up to them, but my daughter won’t be a fighter.”

MFC 39 on January 17, 2014. Tickets can be purchased atticketmaster.ca. Starting next week or call the MFC Ticket Hotline:780.504.2024

Former light-heavyweight champ Victor Valimaki returns to the MFC

‘The Matrix’ – Part 2

The man who became the Maximum Fighting Championship’s second-ever title-holder is returning to where he career first blossomed.

Former MFC light-heavyweight champion Victor “The Matrix” Valimaki has signed a multi-fight agreement with the Maximum Fighting Championship, and will make his return to the ring at MFC 39: No Remorse in January 2014 live on AXS TV Fights.

It’s a monumental homecoming for Valimaki, who claimed the MFC’s 205-pound division title at MFC 10 in September 2005. Though his career took various twisting turns and he had his share of personal difficulties outside of the ring, Valimaki’s bridge to the MFC never burned, and there is still much left for him to accomplish under the MFC banner.

“I’m a sucker for a happy ending, and this could be truly one of the biggest happy endings in our history,” said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich.

“Victor has immense talent … more raw, natural talent than 95% of the fighters out there. He just needs to be focused, and everyone I’ve talked to is giving me glowing reports on what I could only call the ‘new’ Victor.

“Sometimes you have to go through hell to get to heaven. Victor has made that journey and now it’s time to reap the rewards.”

Valimaki (17-8) became one of the original MFC stars when he upset legendary veteran Dan “The Beast” Severn at MFC 8 in September 2005. After claiming the MFC title with a win over Jason Day one year later, Valimaki defended the belt in February 2007 with a startling, come-from-behind knockout win over Jared Kilkenny at MFC 11. But in August 2007 at MFC 13, Valimaki had the title snatched away from him in a TKO loss to Roger Hollett.

Now 31, Valimaki vows to be better than ever as he attempts to regain the crown he once wore so proudly.

“I left things undone. I’m back to where I began and I’m going to prove to everyone why I had that belt in the first place,” said Valimaki, who believes personal growth will be the biggest factor in his rejuvenation.

“I was a kid mentally speaking back then. I was too easily distracted. Now my head is where it needs to be and nothing is going to faze me.”

Valimaki basically took himself out of the winning ways he developed over his early time in the MFC with an assortment of issues outside of the ring which in turn affected his in-ring performance. Those that have known him the longest say he has righted his own ship and is much more prepared for the rigors of training camps and the bright lights of fight night. Valimaki is well aware that he has more detractors than believers at this point, but he is determined to show everyone that he can live up to his own abilities and the hype that was once associated with his name.

“In the back of mind I knew I was holding myself back because of my struggles,” he explained. “But now I feel better and clearer about what I want to do with my career. This is my time now. It’s come later than some people’s but I feel I’ve restarted my career.

“To the critics, I’d just say wait and see. You’ll see a big difference.”

Valimaki holds other notable victories over Vernon White, Lew Polley, and Noah Inhofer, and has also faced off against David Heath and Alessio Sakara.

Tickets for MFC 39: No Remorse are on sale now and available via the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024.

Top Lightweight Southern signs new contract with MFC

Nikolai Gionti, MFC Staff

Kurt Southern (13-4) has inked a new three-fight contract with the Maximum Fighting Championship.

“They’ve treated me really well, keeping me active and I’ve never had this type of exposure with any other organization,” Southern says. “Being able to do interviews and have live fights on AXS TV.”

His new contract will start with a lightweight title shot at MFC 39 on January 17, but no opponent has been announced. That does not mean that Southern hasn’t been thinking about anyone in particular.

“Mark has mentioned a few guys, but nothing is set in stone, I don’t know whether I’ll have to use my stand up or my wrestling to go for the submission or the knockout in my next fight.”

“The Hurt” has been putting a hurt on his last two opponents in the MFC ring to earn his title shot with a submission victory over Mukai Maromo at MFC 37 and a TKO over Jonatas Novaes at MFC 38 that avenged his only loss in the Maximum Fighting Championship.

“That first fight that I had with Novaes was my first in 18 months. I was totally dominating that first fight up until he caught me with the arm bar in the third.”

The finishing ability is something that Southern takes pride in and looks forward to bringing each time out in his next fight.

“That’s what important,” Southern says. “That’s what keeps you valuable and relevant.”

As for Southern’s title shot, there is not a lot that he sees going differently and just wants to earn the title that he feels he deserves.

“I just want to win. I want to put on an exciting fight for the fans. I want to win that belt, be the best fighter I can and have the best fight of my life.”

MFC 39 will take place on January 17, 2014 and tickets for the event will be available on Ticket Master soon.

Fight for the finish in the MFC

Emphasis on finding right kind of fighters proves hugely beneficial

By MFC Staff

When one thinks of sports and statistics, mixed martial arts doesn’t readily come to the front of the list. Statistics seem more in-tune with sports such as baseball and football, but MMA does have key numbers and percentages.

The most prevalent of numbers in finishing rate – how many fights are concluded by knockout, TKO or submission, and not left to the ever-wandering wisdom of judges.

As the Maximum Fighting Championship puts a bow on 2013 and looks ahead to the array of possibilities for the 2014 campaign, it’s interesting to look back upon one of the most significant changes the organization made and how it relates on finishing rate. As the MFC moved into 2012, the decision was made to focus far less on a fighter’s name and put more emphasis on how many of his fights came to an end in dramatic fashion.

In simple terms, the MFC wanted fighters who brought excitement to the ring. We wanted fighters who wanted to win, not ones who just didn’t want to lose. And there’s a big difference.

From MFC 32 to MFC 38 there have been 42 main-card fights that have aired live on AXS TV Fights. Of those 42 fights, 27 have been ended with a clear-cut finish of T/KO or submission, for a finishing rate of 64.3%. A further breakdown shows 16 results by T/KO, 11 via submission and 13 from decision. One fight was declared a draw and there was one no-contest bout.

Since the ‘finish first’ edict was put in place by the MFC matchmaking team, only one event has had more than two decisions on the main card and that was MFC 32 when they were a staggering four fights left to the judges. From that point forward, no event had more than two decisions and four events had just one fight go the distance.

Take off MFC 32’s four decisions of the six main-card bouts and the finishing rate soars to 75%.

A look back at the past seven MFC main cards:

MFC 32 – 1 TKO, 1 submission, 4 decisions = 2 finishes

MFC 33 – 1 TKO, 1 submission, 2 decisions, 1 draw, 1 no-contest = 2 finishes

MFC 34 – 4 T/KO, 1 submission, 1 decision = 5 finishes

MFC 35 – 2 TKO, 2 submissions, 2 decisions = 4 finishes

MFC 36 – 2 T/KO, 3 submissions, 1 decision = 5 finishes

MFC 37 – 2 TKO, 2 submissions, 2 decisions = 4 finishes

MFC 38 – 4 T/KO, 1 submission, 1 decision = 5 finishes

Finishing rate can be further broken down into each individual weight class. Loaded weight classes vary from time to time in the Maximum Fighting Championship based on the strength of available talent. The past two years have also seen the MFC re-launch the heavyweight division as well as adding both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions to the talent pool.

The lightweight division has long-been one of the MFC’s deepest divisions and the past two years have kept that run alive with 11 fights in the 155-pound ranks. Six of those 11 fights have ended with a finish while four have gone to decision. The lightweights and the welterweights need the biggest push when it comes to finishing fights as the 170-pounders have managed just three of seven to avoid the judges.

The brightest stars when it comes to finishing rate have been the heavyweights and middleweights. Four heavyweights have all ended in a clear finish – three by knockout and one via submission. While for years the middleweight division was virtually empty, the MFC has found an impressive list of competitors of the past two years which has resulted in 11 of 15 fights ending in knockout or submission.

It’s obvious that the move to find finishers has paid off in a big way for the MFC which is why all new talent coming into the Maximum Fighting Championship ring are recruited to the show because they want to win and be exciting in the process.

MMA: The Grim Fairytale Part 1

By MMA Mother Goose MFC Staff

Once upon a time, in a sport created long, long ago, there was a certain amount of honour and hope, perpetuated by the classic good versus evil stories of beating the odds and the dark forces hell bent on forcing our protagonist heroes off their righteous paths.

It was a time of great potential. Sponsorship dollars were at an all-time high and the sport of mixed martial arts was poised to defeat the evil queen of combat sports, boxing, and take its rightful throne as the ruler of the land of fighting.

Then the bandwagon on its way to the victory parade began to pick up a ragtag band of stragglers and opportunists who would cause great strife in the land and attempt to rewrite the fairytale ending we should have been passing on to our children, and their children after them.

Jack and the Beanstalk

For the past three or four years the kingdom of MMA has been under siege. Dark forces have been at work commandeering the hard earned money of the people and allocating a small percentage of it back to the knights of the Octagon who give their blood, sweat and tears to entertain the masses. Realizing that the formula was working to fill the coffers of the King with gold, conmen and petty thieves began promoting their own schemes.

One popular technique was to sell fighters a promise of great wealth and celebrity. We’ll call this the Jack and the Beanstalk effect. Fighters bought into this and began signing their lives away in exchange for a handful of beans. Sure, with a certain amount of hard labour and care and nurturing they could potentially grow the seeds of their careers into bigger and better opportunities, but they would be the ones doing all of the work, selling tickets and promoting their fights for little reward. The beans would often yield little more than hope and would often never sprout into anything at all.

The Promoter Who Cried Wolf

These same conmen who began sprouting up around the kingdom and then far away kingdoms began telling everyone who would listen –  fighters, fans, managers, the media – that they were the next great ruler of the land and that when they became king they would share the riches they acquired with the people.

Time and time again the events never happened, the popular fighters never signed with them, and they never took over from the true Kings who were ruling the land. Eventually people stopped listening and the promoters fell victim to their own grandiose promises and started believing their own hype.  The townspeople stopped listening and forgot about the attention-seeking boys who cried wolf, but the wolves will never forget and will eventually get them.

Little Red Riding Hood

Around the time the fraudsters got involved to make a quick buck, sponsors saw an opportunity to get something for next to nothing by befriending unsuspecting fighters and telling them they should share their picnic baskets with them, instead of their loved ones. Offers from these wolves became less and less attractive – often consisting of product or a nominal financial amount of money. Some saw through the scam and refused to allow it to cost them their dignity and took a stand against the wolves claiming to be friends.

Some companies with honourable intentions – both promotions and sponsors -- saw that there was a problem and employed huntsmen to keep the wolves on the outskirts of town and ensure fighters could take care of their families without being taken advantage of, but unbeknownst to them, they had hired disguised wolves who were out for their own portion of the picnic basket. These well disguised predators would use their positions within the companies they worked for to get their hands in the pie and ensure their own were taken care of, all at the cost of fighters who they were supposed to be helping.

A Cinderella Ending

As with every good story there is a happy ending to this tale. For all of the dishonest and evil stepsisters in the sport who are more interested in lining their own pockets and taking credit for the success of their events at the expense of hardworking fighters, there are some whose primary goal is to give them a night at the ball where they can shine and take what is rightfully theirs. Although they are profitable and are often not given their due props, these honest companies don’t fool themselves into thinking they can take advantage of fighters and expect to survive more than a few years. Instead, they get their athletes to the ball and provide them with the glass slippers to potentially become royalty in this sport filled with jesters.

The pumpkin coach full of glass slippers rolls back into the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton on January 17 at MFC 39. Make sure you don’t miss the ball.