XFO: Worlds Collide - Dec. 5
XFO: Worlds Collide - Dec. 5

“The Big Frog” Jeff Curran’s Xtreme Fighting Organization (XFO) presents “XFO 34: World’s Collide” on Dec. 5 at the Lakemoor Banquet Facility in Lakemoor, Ill.

The main event features current Strikeforce fighter* Jeff Curran (30-12-1), taking on Japanese star Tomohiko Hori (10-7-5) in a bantamweight showdown. The fight will be Curran’s second in under a  month. On Nov. 7, he defeated Dustin Neace via submission at “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers.”

The win was a big deal for Curran, who was coming off a four straight losses in the WEC prior to his win over Neace. Now back on track, Curran does not want to waste any time in keeping the momentum going.

Tomohiko Hori is a training partner of one of Curran’s toughest opponents to date, WEC bantamweight title contender Takeya Mizugaki. Curran lost a split decision to Mizugaki at WEC 42 back in August.

Although Hori won the DEEP 135-pound tournament earlier this year, he is coming into his fight with Curran on the heels of two decision losses. He lost a decision to Masakazu Imanari at DEEP 43 back in August, and lost to Sami Aziz at Sweden’s Superior Challenge back in May. Prior to that, he had gone 7-1-1 in his previous nine bouts.

Hori knows Curran’s greatest strength is on the ground and commented on the match-up:

My impression of Jeff Curran is, he is very strong on the ground. I have to be very careful of his submission, especially a triangle. I accepted this opportunity to fight Curran because he is one of the top fighters at this weight class, and also, I always wanted to fight in America. And I am happy and pumped up that this is the headliner of the show. I know striking is the strongest part of my game, so this is going to be a hard fight with me winning at the end with a knockout.”

In addition to the Curran vs. Hori headliner, “WORLDS COLLIDE” will also feature more than a dozen bouts showcasing some of the top MMA prospects in the Midwest. Additional fights are being added, and the full fight card will be released shortly.

Tickets for the event are on sale now for $100-VIP ringside, $75-ringside, $60-table seating, and $35-general admission, and are available at Curran Martial Arts, located at 221 Liberty Road, Crystal Lake, IL, 60014, or by calling (815) 356-0454. Doors open at 6:00 PM, and the fights will begin at 7:30 PM. Please visit www.xfomma.com for more information.

*Although under contract with Strikeforce, Jeff Curran has a non-exclusive deal that allows him to take certain agreed upon bouts outside the Strikeforce promotion.

By:  Jack Bratcher

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