SPECTACULAR MMA EVENT JUNE
2 AT L.A. COLISEUM PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
For
Immediate Release
Tuesday, March 27, 2007,
L.A. Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
“DYNAMITE!! USA’’
Fights On SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View
Saturday, June 2, 2007; One-Hour SHOWTIME
Telecast Will Precede PPV Event
LOS ANGELES (March 27, 2007)
-- FEG (Fighting Entertainment Group), ProElite
and SHOWTIME Networks Tuesday formally announced
a gigantic mixed martial arts fight card Saturday,
June 2, 2007, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The initial three bouts of
the live card will be shown on SHOWTIME during
a one-hour telecast that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6
p.m. PT. On Feb. 10, 2007, SHOWTIME aired the
first-ever MMA fight card carried live on premium
television.
The pay-per-view portion
of the June 2 mega event will feature up to
six bouts and immediately follow on SHOWTIME
Pay Per View (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).
The sensational evening’s
main event will feature a tremendous matchup
between 7-foot-2 South Korean giant Hong Man
Choi and hugely popular former pro and NCAA
wrestling champion Brock Lesnar.
Choi, Lesnar, legendary mixed
martial arts pioneer and Hall of Famer, Royce
Gracie, and former University of Southern California
and NFL star, Johnnie Morton, who is making
his MMA debut, attended Tuesday’s opening
press conference at the Coliseum.
For more information, please
visit ProElite.com.
HONG MAN CHOI
“This is my first MMA
fight in the United States and I am very excited
about it. I feel privileged to be on this show.
“The Coliseum is a
big place, just like me. I have studied my opponent
and know he is a very good fighter. I plan to
give my best. I hope I can live up to the expectations.’’
BROCK LESNAR
“Pro wrestling ran
its course and I wanted to do something else.
I tried pro football and visited the Minnesota
Vikings camp in 2004. When that didn’t
pan out and I saw how MMA was exploding, I said
to myself, ‘hey, there’s something
here for you.’
“This is my first MMA
event and I am very excited. I am happy to be
part of this sport. I feel fortunate to have
my health and I am ready to go. I have a good
feeling about this.
“My opponent is obviously
very, very large. But size doesn’t matter.
It just gives me a huge target to hit.
“I think they are making
a big mistake by fighting me. Choi has more
experience, but when it comes time for me to
put his butt on the mat, he will be like a fish
out of water.
“I want to thank everyone
involved. This is a heck of an opportunity and
a chance to get back to my amateur wrestling
roots. I’ve been training a year and feel
very comfortable.
“This is going to be
a great event and I can’t wait for when
it’s time for lights, camera and action.
I am looking to make a huge impact on the MMA
today.’’
ROYCE GRACIE
“I am pleased to be
fighting in California again. I live in Torrance
(Calif.) so this is like a home game for me.
I don’t get too many of those.
“I am very excited
to be part of an MMA event that will be the
biggest and largest ever in American history.
“I have fought in Japan
in front of 95,000 fans, so I am used to huge
crowds. But this is going to be a fantastic
and memorable event. I hope the fans who can’t
be at the Coliseum will watch the pay-per-view.
It will be very exciting.’’
JOHNNIE MORTON
“This is my first pro
fight. No, I don’t know of many other
NFL players doing this. But I got beat up all
those years playing football so I decided to
give this a try.
“I stay in shape year
round. So in the off-seasons, I would train
in kick-boxing gyms and learn new moves. I am
going into this totally blind.
“The big thing is,
this is a new challenge in a sport I have never
done before. My whole life, I played team sports.
This is a chance to do an individual one.
“This sport is nuts.
But football was nuts, too. At least in football,
you do get hit sometimes, too.
“I feel my strengths
are heart, courage, strength and competitiveness.
I feel extremely strong in my upper body and
on my feet.
“I’ve watched
MMA from the very start and always found it
interesting. It was my favorite sport to watch.
Now, I am going to be in the biggest MMA event
in American history. Sure, I will be a little
nervous. But if you are not nervous, you should
not be here.
“I am proud
to be involved in this big event. I am looking
forward to making a mark.’’