RFA RETURNS TO MILE HIGH CITY WITH BJJ BLACK BELT vs BJJ BLACK BELT FEATURE MATCH

Alvin "Kid" Robinson uses MMA to motivate youth and his kids Robinson meets fellow BJJ black belt Fabio Serrão at RFA 20 RFA 20 IN COLORADO FRIDAY NOVEMBER 7TH LIVE ON AXS TV by Ryan Bevins  rbevins@rfafighting.com @Bevois   Some people get into MMA to chase titles. Others do it for the fame and fortune. Then there are fighters like Alvin "Kid" Robinson that do it for a greater reason: to impact the world.  Robinson knew he wanted to fight his whole life. He grew up in southern California and moved out to Colorado to wrestle in college at Colorado State University - Pueblo. Coincidentally, his college roommate was Leister Bowling, who is now one of the top MMA trainers in the sport.  Robinson's parents also moved out to Colorado to live closer to him and were fully aware of their son's passion to one day be a professional fighter. That is when his mother saw a gym called 'Mile High Gracie' and told her son he should check it out. The Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu gym was run by John Crouch. The same John Crouch who now runs one of the most famous gyms in the world, The MMA LAB in Glendale, Arizona. Robinson's voice perked up when reflecting on those days. "I walked in to John Crouch's school near my parent's house when I was 18-years-old," Robinson explained. "Back then, MMA and jiu-jitsu wasn't as popular and on most nights it was pretty much just me getting private lessons from John. He is such a great guy and I was his first student. Then Benson Henderson came in and started training and things took off." This was 14 years ago and we all know what happened next. Robinson would go on to win the Ring of Fire lightweight title and competed for the UFC four times. Henderson went on to win both the UFC and WEC lightweight titles.  At 32-years-old, Robinson has now been fighting professionally for nearly a decade and has accomplished many things in the sport that some fighters can only dream about. So what is motivating the Royce Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt to continue the grueling task of training daily at a high-level, only to get locked inside a steel cage with some of the best fighters in the world? He wants to leave a legacy for his three baby girls and inspire the kids he works with as a Youth Leader in Colorado. Twelve months ago, Robinson and his wife were blessed with the birth of triplets and that made him analyze his MMA career from a different perspective. This would be a perspective shared by an iconic MMA figthter who he has always looked up to. "B.J. Penn has always been one of my favorite fighters and he always will be," stated Robinson. "After my daughters were born, I started thinking the way he did after his fight with Nick Diaz when he said: 'I've got a daughter and another daughter on the way. I don't want to go home looking like this.' It's not about titles anymore. My daughters are all the motivation I need. I want my daughters to be able to grow up and look back and say: Win, lose, or draw, he laid it all on the line." Robinson will make his RFA debut on the main card of RFA 20 - Sanders vs. Mercado. He will fight Fabio Serrão in a battle of jiu-jitsu black belts that has been scheduled to happen on several occasions, but kept falling through due to injuries. Now that Robinson and Serrão are healthy and ready to finally face each other under the bright lights with the world watching, the Infinite MMA Academy representative says to expect the unexpected. "Fabio and I have been scheduled to fight each other a few times and now it will finally happen," Robinson explained. "It's being billed as a battle of jiu-jitsu black belts, but sometimes that turns into a stand-up battle. Fabio is a good wrestler, he has heavy hands, and likes to brawl, so I'll be ready for anything. If it goes to the ground, I feel my jiu-jitsu can match up with anyone in the world. He probably feels the same way, so this will be a fun fight for the fans. The entire main card of RFA 20 - Mercado vs. Sanders will be televised live on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT on Friday, November 7th. RFA 20 will be the promotion's fourth event to take place in the state of Colorado and it will be the second time the RFA has visited the state in 2014. More fights on the stacked RFA 20 fight card will be announced soon.  RFA 20 TV COMMERCIAL (click to watch)    About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents up to 10 fights annually around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 40 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved). About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. "The Voice" Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.

RFA 18 MANZANARES vs. PANTOJA THIS FRIDAY NIGHT IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

MAIN EVENT:    CO-MAIN EVENT: FEATURE BOUT:   TELEVISED BOUT:   TELEVISED BOUT: ALSO FEATURING IN A TELEVISED BOUT: JUSTIN LINN vs ADRIAN CRUZ CATCH WEIGHT 140 LBS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH LIVE ON AXS TV Live at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico   Tickets On Sale through HOLDMYTICKET.com

RFA HEADS TO ALBUQUERQUE, NM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, LIVE ON AXS TV   Tickets On Sale through HOLDMYTICKET.com  RFA 18 - Manzanares vs. Pantoja will feature a main event between two of the world's top flyweights as RFA flyweight champion Matt Manzanares defends his title for the first time against Brazilian dynamo Alexandre Pantoja. In the co-main event, popular UFC vet Ulysses Gomez returns to action against Abel Cullum, who is also an accomplished bantamweight looking to make a successful comeback. The event takes place Friday, September 12th at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.   Manzanares (8-2) has made name for himself in the RFA as one of the most exciting and fearless fighters in RFA history, who is always eager to test his skills against the best in the world. This will be the sixth fight in the RFA for the Wyoming native, who has accepted fights against the who's who of the flyweight division since joining the promotion in the summer of 2012. Manzanares' last three fights have come against Junior Maranhão, Zach Makovsky, and Steve Swanson, but in that time, he also had fights scheduled with Sergio Pettis, Leandro Higo, and Joby Sanchez that fell through due to injury, visa issues, and a UFC call-up respectively. After defeating Maranhão to win the RFA flyweight title in his hometown of Cheyenne, Wyoming in April, Manzanares will now look to defend his title for the first time against one of the most dangerous flyweights in the sport. Manzanares will be defending his title 11 days after his 28th birthday and plans to celebrate in style.  Pantoja (14-2) will challenge Manzanares for his world title in his highly-anticipated American-soil MMA debut. The dynamic Shooto - Brazil champion will be riding the momentum of a 7-fight win streak that extends well over 4 years. During this impressive run, Pantoja has defeated fellow Brazilian prospects Bruno Azevedo and Lincoln De Sa. He submitted Azevedo via Rear Naked Choke and defeated De Sa twice. The jiu-jitsu brown belt also enjoys the benefit of fighting out of Nova União, which is one of the top MMA teams in the world. UFC champion Jose Aldo, former UFC champion Renan Barão, UFC star Jussier Formiga, RFA star Raoni Barcelos, Bellator champion Eduardo Dantas, and Bellator star Marlon Sandro are just a few of his teammates at Nova União. The 24-year-old Andre Pederneiras protégé will now make his own international debut as he faces the biggest test of his career. Pantoja faces Manzanares, a Junior Olympian boxer turned MMA champion, for the RFA flyweight title in the main event of RFA 18.  The co-main event of RFA 18 will see the return of the always popular Ulysses Gomez (9-4). The 31-year-old earned a name for himself on the competitive jiu-jitsu and submission grappling circuit over a decade ago after being introduced to the the "gentle art" by UFC vet, jiu-jitsu black belt, and "Peruvian Necktie" creator Tony De Souza. De Souza was Gomez's wrestling coach in high school. Gomez then became one of the founding members of the famed Cobra Kai Jiu-Jitsu academy in Las Vegas, Nevada before crossing over into MMA. In MMA, Gomez became one of the first American fighters to help promote the flyweight division before the UFC established the division in 2012. Gomez would eventually win titles in both the flyweight and bantamweight divisions before earning a two-fight stint with the UFC. In his final fight with the UFC, Gomez lost a close decision to local English fighter Phil Harris and does not plan on going to the score cards again as he prepares to travel his next to opponent's hometown at RFA 18. Abel Cullum (18-6) returns to the sport of MMA after a 3-year hiatus from competition. In that time, Cullum served as an officer for the Tucumcari Police Department in his hometown of Tucumcari, New Mexico. Before that, Cullum and his trademark cowboy hat were a familiar sight on the bantamweight and flyweight MMA scene both nationally and internationally, where Cullum has competed against some of the world's best in the Japanese promotion DREAM, as well as KOTC and ShoXC. The 27-year-old recently decided to put his career in law enforcement on hold and moved to Albuquerque to prepare himself at Fit NHB and Chavez Dojo for a revamped run in the sport of MMA. Also on the main card of RFA 18 will be an explosive welterweight contest pitting RFA fan favorite Chidi "Chidi Bang Bang" Njokuani (10-4) against submission specialist Steve Hanna (4-1). In lightweight action, decorated French fighter and Muay Thai standout Mehdi "The Sultan" Baghdad (9-3) faces Evan DeLong (13-7) who has won 6 of his last 7 fights.  The entire main card of RFA 18 - Manzanares vs. Pantoja will be televised live on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT on Friday, September 12th. RFA 18 will be the promotion's first event in the state of New Mexico and the tenth state that the RFA has visited.   Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting. About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents up to 10 fights annually around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 40 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved). About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. "The Voice" Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.

RFA 18 GETS A NEW FLYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT

MANZANARES vs. PANTOJA   IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO   RFA 18 - MANZANARES vs. PANTOJA MAIN EVENT: MATT MANZANARES vs. ALEXANDRE PANTOJA FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE CO-MAIN EVENT: ULYSSES GOMEZ vs. ABEL CULLUM BANTAMWEIGHT SHOWDOWN FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH LIVE ON AXS TV Live at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico   Tickets On Sale through HOLDMYTICKET.com RFA HEADS TO ALBUQUERQUE, NM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, LIVE ON AXS TV   Tickets On Sale through HOLDMYTICKET.com  LAS VEGAS - Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will be bringing an explosive new top-tier flyweight world title fight to New Mexico in September. RFA 18 - Manzanares vs. Pantoja will feature a main event between two of the world's top flyweights as RFA flyweight champion Matt Manzanares defends his title for the first time against Brazilian dynamo Alexandre Pantoja. In the co-main event, popular UFC vet Ulysses Gomez returns to action against Abel Cullum, who is also an accomplished bantamweight looking to make a successful comeback. The event takes place Friday, September 12th at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. "I'm pleased to announce that the RFA will be bringing an exciting new flyweight title fight to New Mexico," stated Soares. "Once again, Matt Manzanares has shown his eagerness to compete against the best in the world. After Joby Sanchez got the call to the UFC, Manzanares will now defend his title against Brazilian champion and Nova União star Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of RFA 18."   Tickets for RFA 18 - Manzanares vs. Pantoja are available for purchase NOW through HoldMyTicket.com.   Manzanares (8-2) has made name for himself in the RFA as one of the most exciting and fearless fighters in RFA history, who is always eager to test his skills against the best in the world. This will be the sixth fight in the RFA for the Wyoming native, who has accepted fights against the who's who of the flyweight division since joining the promotion in the summer of 2012. Manzanares' last three fights have come against Junior Maranhão, Zach Makovsky, and Steve Swanson, but in that time, he also had fights scheduled with Sergio Pettis, Leandro Higo, and Joby Sanchez that fell through due to injury, visa issues, and a UFC call-up respectively. After defeating Maranhão to win the RFA flyweight title in his hometown of Cheyenne, Wyoming in April, Manzanares will now look to defend his title for the first time against one of the most dangerous flyweights in the sport. Manzanares will be defending his title 11 days after his 28th birthday and plans to celebrate in style.  Pantoja (14-2) will challenge Manzanares for his world title in his highly-anticipated American-soil MMA debut. The dynamic Shooto - Brazil champion will be riding the momentum of a 7-fight win streak that extends well over 4 years. During this impressive run, Pantoja has defeated fellow Brazilian prospects Bruno Azevedo and Lincoln De Sa. He submitted Azevedo via Rear Naked Choke and defeated De Sa twice. The jiu-jitsu brown belt also enjoys the benefit of fighting out of Nova União, which is one of the top MMA teams in the world. UFC champion Jose Aldo, former UFC champion Renan Barão, UFC star Jussier Formiga, RFA star Raoni Barcelos, Bellator champion Eduardo Dantas, and Bellator star Marlon Sandro are just a few of his teammates at Nova União. The 24-year-old Andre Pederneiras protégé will now make his own international debut as he faces the biggest test of his career. Pantoja faces Manzanares, a Junior Olympian boxer turned MMA champion, for the RFA flyweight title in the main event of RFA 18.  The co-main event of RFA 18 will see the return of the always popular Ulysses Gomez (9-4). The 31-year-old earned a name for himself on the competitive jiu-jitsu and submission grappling circuit over a decade ago after being introduced to the the "gentle art" by UFC vet, jiu-jitsu black belt, and "Peruvian Necktie" creator Tony De Souza. De Souza was Gomez's wrestling coach in high school. Gomez then became one of the founding members of the famed Cobra Kai Jiu-Jitsu academy in Las Vegas, Nevada before crossing over into MMA. In MMA, Gomez became one of the first American fighters to help promote the flyweight division before the UFC established the division in 2012. Gomez would eventually win titles in both the flyweight and bantamweight divisions before earning a two-fight stint with the UFC. In his final fight with the UFC, Gomez lost a close decision to local English fighter Phil Harris and does not plan on going to the score cards again as he prepares to travel his next to opponent's hometown at RFA 18. "Abel Cullum has a lot of fights and a good record, but he hasn't fought in 3 years. I'm not sure what he's been doing in that time, but fighters always train and I'm sure he's gotten better," stated Gomez. "I don't think he's better than me in any area and I plan on ending this fight early either standing or on the ground. I will not let this fight go to the hometown score cards like it did in my last fight. I know I have to finish him." Abel Cullum (18-6) returns to the sport of MMA after a 3-year hiatus from competition. In that time, Cullum served as an officer for the Tucumcari Police Department in his hometown of Tucumcari, New Mexico. Before that, Cullum and his trademark cowboy hat were a familiar sight on the bantamweight and flyweight MMA scene both nationally and internationally, where Cullum has competed against some of the world's best in the Japanese promotion DREAM, as well as KOTC and ShoXC. The 27-year-old recently decided to put his career in law enforcement on hold and moved to Albuquerque to prepare himself at Fit NHB and Chavez Dojo for a revamped run in the sport of MMA. "I'm excited to be fighting again. RFA has given me a great opportunity to make a comeback in my home state on national television," stated Cullum. "Ulysses Gomez is a really good jiu-jitsu guy that has fought in the UFC. This is a good comeback fight for me, because I think Ulysses and I are similar in the way that we can both roll with the punches and take the fight anywhere. I plan on controlling the tempo and getting my hand raised in front of a lot of great New Mexico fight fans." Also on the main card of RFA 18 will be an explosive welterweight contest pitting RFA fan favorite Chidi "Chidi Bang Bang" Njokuani (10-4) against submission specialist Steve Hanna (4-1). In lightweight action, decorated French fighter and Muay Thai standout Mehdi "The Sultan" Baghdad (9-3) faces Evan DeLong (13-7) who has won 6 of his last 7 fights. In the bantamweight division, local favorite and Bellator vet Adrian "Killa" Cruz (5-1-1) will square off with promising Power MMA product Joey "The Beast" Miolla (4-1).  The entire main card of RFA 18 - Manzanares vs. Pantoja will be televised live on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT on Friday, September 12th. RFA 18 will be the promotion's first event in the state of New Mexico and the tenth state that the RFA has visited. More fights on the RFA 18 fight card will be announced soon. Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting. About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents up to 10 fights annually around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 40 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).   About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. "The Voice" Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET. WATCH RFA MMA EXCLUSIVELY ON:                     Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.

RFA 18 GETS A NEW FLYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT  MANZANARES vs. PANTOJA   IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO   RFA 18 - MANZANARES vs. PANTOJA MAIN EVENT: MATT MANZANARES vs. ALEXANDRE PANTOJA FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE CO-MAIN EVENT: ULYSSES GOMEZ vs. ABEL CULLUM BANTAMWEIGHT SHOWDOWN FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH LIVE ON AXS TV Live at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico   Tickets On Sale through HOLDMYTICKET.com RFA HEADS TO ALBUQUERQUE, NM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, LIVE ON AXS TV   Tickets On Sale through HOLDMYTICKET.com  LAS VEGAS - Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will be bringing an explosive new top-tier flyweight world title fight to New Mexico in September. RFA 18 - Manzanares vs. Pantoja will feature a main event between two of the world's top flyweights as RFA flyweight champion Matt Manzanares defends his title for the first time against Brazilian dynamo Alexandre Pantoja. In the co-main event, popular UFC vet Ulysses Gomez returns to action against Abel Cullum, who is also an accomplished bantamweight looking to make a successful comeback. The event takes place Friday, September 12th at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. "I'm pleased to announce that the RFA will be bringing an exciting new flyweight title fight to New Mexico," stated Soares. "Once again, Matt Manzanares has shown his eagerness to compete against the best in the world. After Joby Sanchez got the call to the UFC, Manzanares will now defend his title against Brazilian champion and Nova União star Alexandre Pantoja in the main event of RFA 18."   Tickets for RFA 18 - Manzanares vs. Pantoja are available for purchase NOW through HoldMyTicket.com.   Manzanares (8-2) has made name for himself in the RFA as one of the most exciting and fearless fighters in RFA history, who is always eager to test his skills against the best in the world. This will be the sixth fight in the RFA for the Wyoming native, who has accepted fights against the who's who of the flyweight division since joining the promotion in the summer of 2012. Manzanares' last three fights have come against Junior Maranhão, Zach Makovsky, and Steve Swanson, but in that time, he also had fights scheduled with Sergio Pettis, Leandro Higo, and Joby Sanchez that fell through due to injury, visa issues, and a UFC call-up respectively. After defeating Maranhão to win the RFA flyweight title in his hometown of Cheyenne, Wyoming in April, Manzanares will now look to defend his title for the first time against one of the most dangerous flyweights in the sport. Manzanares will be defending his title 11 days after his 28th birthday and plans to celebrate in style.  Pantoja (14-2) will challenge Manzanares for his world title in his highly-anticipated American-soil MMA debut. The dynamic Shooto - Brazil champion will be riding the momentum of a 7-fight win streak that extends well over 4 years. During this impressive run, Pantoja has defeated fellow Brazilian prospects Bruno Azevedo and Lincoln De Sa. He submitted Azevedo via Rear Naked Choke and defeated De Sa twice. The jiu-jitsu brown belt also enjoys the benefit of fighting out of Nova União, which is one of the top MMA teams in the world. UFC champion Jose Aldo, former UFC champion Renan Barão, UFC star Jussier Formiga, RFA star Raoni Barcelos, Bellator champion Eduardo Dantas, and Bellator star Marlon Sandro are just a few of his teammates at Nova União. The 24-year-old Andre Pederneiras protégé will now make his own international debut as he faces the biggest test of his career. Pantoja faces Manzanares, a Junior Olympian boxer turned MMA champion, for the RFA flyweight title in the main event of RFA 18.  The co-main event of RFA 18 will see the return of the always popular Ulysses Gomez (9-4). The 31-year-old earned a name for himself on the competitive jiu-jitsu and submission grappling circuit over a decade ago after being introduced to the the "gentle art" by UFC vet, jiu-jitsu black belt, and "Peruvian Necktie" creator Tony De Souza. De Souza was Gomez's wrestling coach in high school. Gomez then became one of the founding members of the famed Cobra Kai Jiu-Jitsu academy in Las Vegas, Nevada before crossing over into MMA. In MMA, Gomez became one of the first American fighters to help promote the flyweight division before the UFC established the division in 2012. Gomez would eventually win titles in both the flyweight and bantamweight divisions before earning a two-fight stint with the UFC. In his final fight with the UFC, Gomez lost a close decision to local English fighter Phil Harris and does not plan on going to the score cards again as he prepares to travel his next to opponent's hometown at RFA 18. "Abel Cullum has a lot of fights and a good record, but he hasn't fought in 3 years. I'm not sure what he's been doing in that time, but fighters always train and I'm sure he's gotten better," stated Gomez. "I don't think he's better than me in any area and I plan on ending this fight early either standing or on the ground. I will not let this fight go to the hometown score cards like it did in my last fight. I know I have to finish him." Abel Cullum (18-6) returns to the sport of MMA after a 3-year hiatus from competition. In that time, Cullum served as an officer for the Tucumcari Police Department in his hometown of Tucumcari, New Mexico. Before that, Cullum and his trademark cowboy hat were a familiar sight on the bantamweight and flyweight MMA scene both nationally and internationally, where Cullum has competed against some of the world's best in the Japanese promotion DREAM, as well as KOTC and ShoXC. The 27-year-old recently decided to put his career in law enforcement on hold and moved to Albuquerque to prepare himself at Fit NHB and Chavez Dojo for a revamped run in the sport of MMA. "I'm excited to be fighting again. RFA has given me a great opportunity to make a comeback in my home state on national television," stated Cullum. "Ulysses Gomez is a really good jiu-jitsu guy that has fought in the UFC. This is a good comeback fight for me, because I think Ulysses and I are similar in the way that we can both roll with the punches and take the fight anywhere. I plan on controlling the tempo and getting my hand raised in front of a lot of great New Mexico fight fans." Also on the main card of RFA 18 will be an explosive welterweight contest pitting RFA fan favorite Chidi "Chidi Bang Bang" Njokuani (10-4) against submission specialist Steve Hanna (4-1). In lightweight action, decorated French fighter and Muay Thai standout Mehdi "The Sultan" Baghdad (9-3) faces Evan DeLong (13-7) who has won 6 of his last 7 fights. In the bantamweight division, local favorite and Bellator vet Adrian "Killa" Cruz (5-1-1) will square off with promising Power MMA product Joey "The Beast" Miolla (4-1).  The entire main card of RFA 18 - Manzanares vs. Pantoja will be televised live on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT on Friday, September 12th. RFA 18 will be the promotion's first event in the state of New Mexico and the tenth state that the RFA has visited. More fights on the RFA 18 fight card will be announced soon. Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting. About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents up to 10 fights annually around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 40 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved). About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. "The Voice" Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET. WATCH RFA MMA EXCLUSIVELY ON:                     Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.

RFA HEADS BACK WHERE IT ALL STARTED 20 YEARS AGO WITH RFA 11 LIVE FROM DENVER, COLORADO

RFA 11 - MANZANARES vs. MAKOVSKY IN A HIGH-STAKES FLYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT   CO-MAIN EVENT: ALVIN ROBINSON vs. RAONI BARCELOS  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd LIVE FROM 1STBANK CENTER    Tickets On Sale Now through TicketHorse.com   LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) will be returning to very place where the sport of MMA was born 20 years ago with RFA 11 - Manzanares vs. Makovsky live from Denver, Colorado. Featuring a high-stakes flyweight title fight between the red-hot fan favorite Matt Manzanares (7-1) and former world champion Zach "Fun Size" Makovsky (15-4), RFA 11 not only present yet another stacked card between the best new talent in the business, but it will serve as a celebration of the sport's 20th anniversary. On Friday, November 22nd, RFA 11 will take place from the 1stBank Center and live on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.     "There was no better place to hold RFA 11 than Denver, Colorado, the city where MMA as we know it was launched 20 years ago," said Soares. "Not only are we bringing fans in Denver an event where they can gather to celebrate this anniversary, but we are also presenting a completely stacked card topped by a championship headliner between two of the most complete and exciting flyweight fighters in the sport: Matt Manzanares, a dynamic fan favorite vs. Zach Makovsky, a former world champion. On November 22nd at RFA 11, the RFA will crown another great champion and salute the rise of MMA live from the 1stBank Center."     Tickets for RFA 11 - Manzanares vs. Makovsky are on sale NOW and available through  www.TicketHorse.com  or by calling 866.461.6556. Colorado customers can dial locally at 303-53HORSE. Tickets start at just $25. For VIP status, eight-seat catered cage-side VIP tables are available by calling 303-521-0966. Doors for RFA 11 - Manzanares vs. Makovsky open at 5:30 p.m. MT; first bout starts at 6:00 p.m. MT and the main card goes live on AXS TV at 8:00 p.m. MT / 10:00 p.m. ET.   Matt Manzanares is coming off a crowd pleasing affair this summer with highly touted-flyweight prospect Steve Swanson, who is the older brother of UFC star Cub Swanson. They engaged in a nonstop war at RFA 9, both standing and on the ground, before Manzanares locked in a fight-ending armbar from the guard at 3:37 of Round 2. The Cheyenne, Wyoming native is a former Junior Olympian boxer, who fought future boxing world champions Victor Ortiz and Devon Alexander during his time fighting in the squared circle. Prior to his scheduled fight with former RFA flyweight champion and current UFC star Sergio Pettis in March, that was scrapped due to an injury, Pettis stated: "Matt and I are the two best flyweight strikers in all of MMA."   Manzanares has since added to his knowledge of the "sweet science" with a well-rounded attack making him one of the most dangerous flyweight MMA fighters in the world today.     Manzanares is excited about fighting for his first world title just short ride from his home down the I-25. "To fight for a world title has been my goal since I started training when I was 8-years-old," stated Manzanares. "To fight a former world champion in my backyard makes me hungry to prove that I'm one of the best flyweights in the world. I'm looking forward to putting on a show for the fans and taking that title back to Wyoming."     Former bantamweight world champion Zach "Fun Size" Makovsky will be looking to play the foil in front of the local fans, as he travels from his native Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, looking to establish himself as one of the premier flyweight fighters in the world. He will be doing this after already proving to be one of the best bantamweight fighters in the sport. Makovsky is a former NCAA Division I wrestler at Drexel University and was the captain of the Dragons during his senior season. He went on to fight for various top MMA promotions around the world, including the EliteXC, DEEP, and Bellator where he won the Season 3 bantamweight 8-man tournament to become the first-ever bantamweight champion for the promotion. After compiling a 6-2 record for the promotion, he decided he was better suited to compete as a flyweight once the division began receiving its long-overdue attention. Makovsky won his flyweight debut in May and will now look to add flyweight gold to his already impressive trophy case.   Makovsky spoke about the opportunity to fight Manzanares for the RFA flyweight title.   "Manzanares is athletic, has good speed, and a very good boxing background. He's no joke," Makovsky explained. "That's the kind of fighter I want to fight to prove I'm among the best flyweights in the world. Any time you get to fight for a world title it's a pretty special thing. Fighting for a title in the RFA is even sweeter, since it has a great reputation among fighters and they always get fighters to the next level."   The next level that Manzanares and Makovsky will be looking to get to is the UFC, which is where former RFA flyweight stars Tim Elliott and Sergio Pettis currently ply their trade. In fact, the fighters who won the first three RFA main events of 2013 are now signed by the UFC. In total, all six RFA alum who are currently affiliated with the UFC (Tim Elliott, James Krause, Brandon Thatch, Sergio Pettis, Chris Holdsworth, and Jessamyn Duke) will be active for the promotion in November either in the UFC or on their hit reality television show The Ultimate Fighter. On November 22nd, Manzanares and Makovsky will look to join that group by winning RFA gold.   RFA 11 will also feature another familiar names facing a blue chip prospect. The co-main event will see four-time UFC veteran Alvin Robinson (14-7) fight in front of his home crowd two months after winning a local lightweight title with a 42-second armbar. The Denver native, who is a black belt in jiu-jitsu under UFC Hall of Fame member Royce Gracie, will now be facing one of the top featherweight prospects in the sport.   "The RFA is the gateway to the UFC. If I can go into the cage, perform onNovember 22nd, and get a dominant win, I'll be knocking on the door to the UFC," stated Robinson. "145 is my weight class and I'm ready to prove that one fight at a time. I know it's another tough fight, another tough opponent, but I'm confident I will come out with my hand raised."   Waiting for Robinson on November 22nd will be fellow BJJ black belt Raoni Barcelos (7-0), who is a highly-decorated jiu-jitsu practitioner (multiple-time IBJJF world champion) and freestyle wrestler (member of the Brazilian national wrestling team). Barcelos is the son of 7th degree BJJ coral belt Laerte Barcelos. He has won the Shooto - Brazil featherweight title and currently trains alongside current UFC champions Jose Aldo and Renan Barão and will be making his American-soil MMA debut.   "I am excited and honored to fight for the RFA. This will be my first fight in the United States and I look forward to showing the world what I can do," Barcelos proclaimed. "I train with the best in the world and my hard work will pay off at RFA 11. The fans will see a great fight on November 22nd!"   The entire main card of RFA 11 - Manzanares vs. Makovsky will be televised live on AXS TV starting at 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT on Friday, November 22nd. RFA 11 will be the promotion's second event in the state of Colorado this year. More fights for RFA 11 will be announced soon.   Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting and Twitter at @RFAfighting.   About RFA:   RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents up to 10 fights annually around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 40 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world.   About AXS TV Fights:   AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. "The Voice" Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, XFC, MFC, and BAMMA everyFriday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.