World Series of Fighting 1's four-fight main card, seven prelims set

The lineup is set for World Series of Fighting's debut show.

In all WSOF 1 features 11 bouts, including four that air on NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus).

As previously announced, the heavyweight headliner features Andrei Arlovski (17-9) vs. Devin Cole (20-9-1), and light heavyweights Anthony Johnson (13-4) and D.J. Linderman (14-3) meet in the co-headliner.

Rounding out the main card are bantamweights Miguel Torres (40-5) vs. Marlon Moraes (8-4-1) and welterweights Gregor Gracie (7-2) vs. Tyson Steele (8-1).

The event takes place Nov. 3 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

WSOF 1 initially was slated to go head to head with a Strikeforce event in Oklahoma City. However, following injuries to Showtime co-headliners Frank Mir and Luke Rockhold, officials scrapped the event this past week.

In the featured WSOF 1 preliminary-card bout, Tyron Spong, a veteran kick boxer with a 68-6-1 record, makes his MMA debut against light heavyweight Travis Bartlett (7-2). Additionally, Rony Torres (25-4) meets fellow UFC vet and lightweight Brian Cobb (19-7).

The rest of the prelims feature notables such as Gerald Harris, Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante, David Branch, Waylon Lowe and Steve Carl.

The full WSOF 1 includes:

MAIN CARD (NBC Sports Network)

Andrei Arlovski vs. Devin Cole
Anthony Johnson vs. D.J. Linderman
Marlon Moraes vs. Miguel Torres
Gregor Gracie vs. Tyson Steele

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undercard lineup is available beforehand through a free stream on Sherdog.com.
preliminary fights set for the Sherdog stream at 6:00 p.m. ET

PRELIMINARY CARD

Travis Bartlett vs. Tyrone Spong
Brian Cobb vs. Ronys Torres
Josh Burkman vs. Gerald Harris
Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante vs. T.J. O'Brien
Dave Branch vs. Dustin Jacoby
Waylon Lowe vs. Fabio Mello
Ramico Blackmon vs. Steve Carl

I guess the only + to SF being cancelled is I get to watch this event live instead of on DVR.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31257/todd-harris-bas-rutten-named-broadcast-team-for-world-series-of-fighting-1.mma
Still 10 days from its debut, World Series of Fighting has made another change in its broadcast booth.

The promotion on Tuesday announced its official team to call World Series of Fighting 1 will be Todd Harris and Bas Rutten. Rutten already had been attached to the card, but Harris is a new addition.

WSOF 1 takes place Nov. 3 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The event's main card airs live on NBC Sports Network.

"We are thrilled that Bas and Todd have signed on for our first event," World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo stated. "These guys are true professionals and we know that their commentary will add tremendous value to our first card."

It's been a bit of a revolving door in the broadcast booth for WSOF. The first team reported to be on board was Michael Schiavello, Rutten and professional wrestler and Olympian Kurt Angle. But Angle had to pull out of the announcing gig due to contractual stipulations with Viacom, which owns Spike TV, the cable network Angle appears on for Total Nonstop Action wrestling.

Angle was replaced by Renzo Gracie, retaining a three-man booth. The Internet quickly was abuzz with chatter about the trio – all of whom could be classified as having unique personalities on the microphone.

But on Tuesday, WSOF made what appears to be its final switch, bringing in Harris. A WSOF official on Tuesday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the promotion, as well as NBC Sports Network, reevaluated the broadcast crew.

"WSOF and NBC Sports Network revisited and discussed the telecast team at length and we decided that, for the inaugural event, it would be best to simplify things and go with a two-person team in the booth," the official said. "Since Todd has extensive experience covering fights and working with NBC Sports Group, we felt he would be the best fit for one of the two positions."

Harris has an existing relationship with NBC as the former play-by-play voice for the WEC on Versus, which is owned by NBC. Harris also did broadcast work for NBC during the Summer Olympics. But in the current MMA realm, Harris is best known as the host of "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV, part of the FOX family of networks.

As previously announced, the WSOF main event features heavyweights Andrei Arlovski (17-9) vs. Devin Cole (20-9-1), and light heavyweights Anthony Johnson (13-4) and D.J. Linderman (14-3) meet in the co-headliner. Rounding out the main card are bantamweights Miguel Torres (40-5) vs. Marlon Moraes (8-4-1) and welterweights Gregor Gracie (7-2) vs. Tyson Steele (8-1).

Really looking forward to this card. Questionable Main card lineup in my opinion. I don't think AA vs Cole is a main event let alone main card fight and Gracie vs Steele should also be undercard. Move up Cobb vs Torres at the very least. Spongg's MMA debut could be good, JZ vs O'Brian and Brukman vs Harris are main card worthy imo also.

I agree about the lineup. Looks like the name "Gracie" was enough to get on the main card. But I think alot of people would recognize Burkman.

GDPofDRC wrote:

Really looking forward to this card. Questionable Main card lineup in my opinion. I don't think AA vs Cole is a main event let alone main card fight and Gracie vs Steele should also be undercard. Move up Cobb vs Torres at the very least. Spongg's MMA debut could be good, JZ vs O'Brian and Brukman vs Harris are main card worthy imo also.

Looks like it got bumped to main card.
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/10/23/3545274/world-series-of-fighting-1card-arlovski-vs-devin-cole
Here's the current card:

Main Card:
Andrei Arlovski vs. Devin Cole
Anthony Johnson vs. D.J. Linderman
Marlon Moraes vs. Miguel Torres
Gregor Gracie vs. Tyson Steele
Travis Bartlett vs. Tyrone Spong

Preliminary Card:
Brian Cobb vs. Ronys Torres
Josh Burkman vs. Gerald Harris
Gesias Cavalcante vs. T.J. O'Brien
David Branch vs. Dustin Jacoby
Waylon Lowe vs. Fabio Mello
Ramico Blackmon vs. Steve Carl

I wonder if they thought of matching up Spong vs Johnson?

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31353/company-president-ray-sefo-could-fight-at-second-wsof-event.mma
Ray Sefo could soon turn in his business suit for a pair of fight trunks. For one night, anyway.

Sefo – a 41-year-old veteran kickboxer and muay Thai fighter who's also dabbled in MMA and boxing – is president of the World Series of Fighting, which hosts its debut event this weekend on national TV in Las Vegas.

But when the second event rolls around in early 2013, don't be surprised if you see Sefo on the fight card.

Sefo is busy with the final preparations for Saturday's WSOF 1 event, which airs on NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus) from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The card features notables such as Andrei Arlovski, Miguel Torres, Anthony Johnson, Tyrone Spong and more.

Could Sefo, though, soon join their ranks?

"Absolutely," he joked while in studio with MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "It's my promotion."

Sefo said it became much more likely after he fielded offers to fight in New Year's Eve in Japan, as well as in March in Australia. While Sefo's WSOF partners weren't initially keen on the idea, the outside offers changed their minds.

"I think they're realizing if I'm still very active, why not have it in their own league," he said. "We just talked about it [four] days ago, and they were like, 'We should talk about that.'"

Sefo said they've even discussed a possible opponent for the card, which is expected to take place in January or February.

Sefo, a 2000 K-1 World Grand Prix runner-up who owns a 56-21-1 pro-kickboxing record, is 2-1 as an MMA fighter. After a pair of knockout wins, he suffered a submission loss to Valentijn Overeem in a Strikeforce heavyweight-grand-prix reserve bout in early 2011. He hasn't fought since.

He'd like to get back in the cage, and fighting in his own promotion would make sense. But he said for now, his focus remains solely on Saturday's big event.

The organization has dished out sizable purses to the night's competitors, and executives are optimistic about a sellout on Saturday night. But the real key to the organization's future – and his own future fighting for the WSOF – could very well depend on the NBC Sports Network deal. Right now, this weekend's event is simply a trial run, but if all goes well, WSOF could have a permanent home on the all-sports channel in 2013.

"We're going to sit down right after the show and pen out how we're going to move forward and how many shows we're going to do and everything else," he said. "We're getting a lot of support from NBC Sports Network right now."

For more on World Series of Fighting 1, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
[flash][/flash]

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undercard lineup is available beforehand through a free stream on Sherdog.com.
preliminary fights set for the Sherdog stream at 6:00 p.m. ET

Sweet, I was wondering if they were showing it anywhere.