Weighty changes coming to MFC

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EDMONTON, AB – After some long and thoughtful consideration by management, the Maximum Fighting Championship has decided that bigger things do truly come in smaller packages. With an explosion of quality in the lighter ranks, the MFC has altered its championship structure and will add a featherweight division to the ranks. And there’s every expectation that a 145-pound champion of considerable substance will be crowned by mid-2009.

“There is such an impressive field of 145ers out there that we felt it was very important to add this weight class and this group of exciting fighters,” said Mark Pavelich, MFC Owner/President.

“With what we have done with the lightweights in creating a stellar crew of contenders and up-and-comers, we felt it was very possible to do the same with the featherweights. There are only a few organizations that feature the featherweights and even a smaller number that do it well with some strong fights.

“But what we’re going to do differently is sign a stable of 16-20 fighters at 145 pounds and they will all be upper echelon guys. We will have the deepest roster of featherweights and make this a high-profile division. The top guys will fight each other which will create a proper champion and a great cast of contenders.”

The MFC expects to announce the signing of several featherweights in the very near future and possibly have its first meaningful 145-pound bout by the time MFC 19: Long Time Coming rolls around on November 28.

With the addition of the featherweights comes a subtraction as well. After several attempts to stimulate the most stagnant division in all of combat sports, the MFC will retire its heavyweight championship belt effective immediately. Scott Junk was the MFC’s reigning heavyweight champ but has been unable to fight for several months after undergoing knee surgery. That injury, the lack of a heavyweight talent pool, and the creation of the featherweight division all prompted dropping the title.

However that doesn’t mean that the big boys won’t ever be back in the MFC ring. From time to time, the MFC will put heavyweight bouts on the card as one-offs or special attractions.

“There really are only a handful of heavyweights out there that people want to see so why give the fans something they don’t want?” added Pavelich. “Fans of all types want to see things happen and they aren’t getting that from a pair of 260-pound guys tying each other up in the clinch.

“What the fans do want is excitement and most of that is currently coming from the fighters in the 155- and 170-pound ranks. So why not give them more excitement by adding another division of fast-paced action? The 145-pound fighters move around at a lightning-quick pace, they are slick on the ground and they stand and bang. That’s the action that gets the fans out of the seats.

“The MFC fans are going to get a combination of speed and precision from the fighters at 145, 155 and 170 and they will get the aggression and raw power of the guys at 185 and 205.”

Tickets for MFC 18: Famous are going fast with just a few remaining for the Friday, September 26 fight card at the River Cree Resort and Casino. Tickets are available by calling the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024 or contacting Ticketmaster at (780) 451-8000, ticketmaster.ca or Ticketmaster outlets.

For more information and media accreditation, please contact:

Scott Zerr, Director of Media and Fighter Relations

Maximum Fighting Championship
(780) 914-5813
scott@maximumfighting.com
www.maximumfighting.com

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