FORMER WWE CHAMPION, BROCK LESNAR MAKES OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF
MMA DEBUT
By: Press Release
8/14/2006 8:03:40 AM
For Immediate Release
August 12, 2006
Former World Wrestling Entertainment Champion Brock Lesnar
Announces Entry Into The MMA Ring In K-1s HEROs Series
LAS VEGAS Former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) World
Champion Brock Lesnar announced his entrance into the MMA ring
Saturday night at a press conference at Bellagio following the K-1
Battle at Bellagio event. Lesnar confirmed that he had signed a
contract to fight for HEROs, K-1s new Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
series of events which includes headliners Genki Sudo, Bob Sapp,
Kazushi Sakuraba and Don Frye. Lesnar also announced that Brazilian
Jiu Jitsu innovator and the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC)
first-ever champion, Royce Gracie, will be his trainer.
You are a great champion wrestler and I am a great Jiu Jitsu
fighter; we are going to be good together, said Gracie as he
eagerly shook Lensars hand in the K-1 ring at the sold out Battle
at Bellagio event on Saturday.
Lesnars career includes a number of years with WWE, a player with
the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL as well as Amateur Wrestling in
high school and college. He won the 2000 NCAA Heavyweight Wrestling
Championship and was a two-time All-American amateur wrestler.
Lesnars professional titles include WWE Heavyweight Champion, WWE
King of the Ring Champion, WWE Royal Rumble Champion and the IWGP
World Heavy weight Champion.
HEROs is the new and exciting MMA series brought to the United
States by FEG, also the organizers of K-1. Established two years
ago in Japan, HEROS combines all forms of martial arts disciplines
including Karate, Kickboxing and Kung Fu, as well as the grappling
techniques of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and Wrestling. This style
of fighting has been developed with the hope of eliminating
unnecessary techniques and creating more exciting fights that last
longer. The fights take place in a boxing style ring making it easy
for the viewers to follow the action.
Over the past decade, MMA events have increased significantly in
popularity. Creating a true international flavor by inviting top
participants from all over the world, the reputation of HEROs
shows has spanned far beyond Japan. With special lighting and
pyrotechnic effects, the HEROs events are packed with high-energy
action and excitement. HEROs events are currently broadcast in
prime time on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS).
HEROS will be held four times each year and is scheduled to begin
in February 2007. The location has yet to be determined but more
than likely will occur at a major venue on the West Coast. HEROS
will televise their events in more than 110 countries
worldwide.
K-1 is a martial arts fighting sport that derives its name from its
inclusion of a wide array of combat disciplines including Karate,
Kung-Fu and Kickboxing (K), with an intent to determine one
champion in one ring (1). After being staged for the first time
in Japan in 1993 under the direction of founder Master Kazuyoshi
Ishii, K-1 has evolved into the countrys most popular sport and
has achieved popular culture status as its athletes are
larger-than-life celebrities.
