LAS VEGAS (March 4, 2014) – Perennially top-ranked middleweight Yushin “Thunder” Okami (29-8) makes his World Series of Fighting debut on March 29, as he battles Svetlozar Savov (12-4) on the NBCSN-broadcast main card of “World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares.”
Additionally, a featherweight matchup between Brenson Hansen (5-2) and Boostayre “Bullit” Nefarios (2-1) has also been added to the night’s WSOF.com-streamed preliminary card.
“I was already excited for World Series of Fighting 9, but the addition of Yushin Okami against Svetlozar Savov to our live NBCSN broadcast leaves no question that this is the best card we’ve ever put together,” World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo said. “This card now has some of the world’s most established talent, as well as some of the top up-and-coming names in the sport. This truly is a card you do not want to miss.”
“World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares,” which features a welterweight title fight between champ Steve Carl and challenger Rousimar Palhares, as well as Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse for the inaugural World Series of Fighting bantamweight title, takes place March 29 at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Tickets for World Series of Fighting 9, which start at just $39, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets can also be purchased at The Joint box office or by phone at (800) 745-3000. The night’s featured fights air live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT local time) following preliminary bouts that stream on World Series of Fighting’s official website, WSOF.com.
The 32-year-old Okami, of Kanagawa, Japan, is a judo black belt who owns career victories over MMA notables Alan Belcher, Hector Lombard, Nate Marquardt, Mark Munoz, Anderson Silva and Mike Swick, among others. He now meets 25-year-old Bulgarian prospect Savov, who boasts 11 stoppage wins among his 12 career victories.
Hansen has already fought three times under the World Series of Fighting banner, earning wins over Josh Montalvo and Tom Marcellino before suffering a hard-fought split-decision loss to Freddy Assuncao at January’s World Series of Fighting 8 event. Meanwhile, Nefarios makes his World Series of Fighting debut. The son of longtime MMA veteran Marvin Eastman, Nefarios is a well-known name on the Las Vegas fight scene after fighting several times in Sin City as an amateur before making the transition to the pro ranks.
With the two additions, the World Series of Fighting 9 lineup now includes:
NBCSN-TELEVISED MAIN CARD
Champion Steve Carl vs. Rousimar Palhares – for welterweight title
Marlon Moraes vs. Josh Rettinghouse – for inaugural bantamweight title
Yushin Okami vs. Svetlozar Savov
Josh Burkman vs. Tyler Stinson
Ozzy Dugulubgov vs. Johnny Nunez
WSOF.COM-STREAMED PRELIMINARY CARD
Mike Corey vs. Shane Kruchten
Chris Gruetzemacher vs. John Gunderson
Sean Cantor vs. Bryson Hansen
Phil Dace vs. Danny Davis
Brenson Hansen vs. Boostayre Nefarios
Jimmy Jones vs. Rudy Morales
Gil Guardado vs. Jimmy Spicuzza
About “World Series of Fighting” (WSOF)
“World Series of Fighting” (WSOF) is a world wide premier profesional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight promotion dedicated to delivering the best action-packed fights for fight fans by producing the best possible match-ups between elite fighters from around the world. For more information please visit WSOF.com. Follow “World Series of Fighting” on Twitter @MMAWorldSeries and “World Series of Fighting” President Ray Sefo @SugarRaySefo.
About NBC Sports Network
NBC Sports Network, part of the NBC Sports Group, is dedicated to serving passionate sports fans. Now in more than 80 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the Summer and Winter Olympics, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and the 34th America’s Cup, and beginning in 2013, the Premier League and Formula One. In addition, NBC Sports Network features college football, college basketball, college hockey, outdoor programming, horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup, Fight Night boxing, Ironman, the Dew Action Sports Tour and USA Sevens Rugby. The network is also home to original programs such as Costas Tonight, The Crossover, NFL Turning Point, Pro Football Talk and The Dan Patrick Show. NBC Sports Network is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.
About Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is Las Vegas’ off-strip playground, just minutes and less than three miles from McCarran International Airport. The premier destination entertainment resort is owned by Brookfield Real Estate Finance Fund II and managed by WG-Harmon, LLC, a subsidiary of Warner Gaming, LLC. Built in 1995, the property completed a $750 million expansion in 2010. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The property is known for its innovative nightlife and music scene where acts such as The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, Incubus, Foo Fighters, Carlos Santana, Mötley Crüe and Guns N’ Roses have all performed. Features of the property include an 11-story Casino Tower with 640 guest rooms, 17-story Paradise Tower with 490 rooms and suites and the all-suite HRH Tower with 359 suites, eight spa villas and seven penthouse suites; 72,000 square feet of casino space featuring Peacock High-Limit gaming and Asian gaming amenities; 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space; more than $4 million in rare music memorabilia; Body English Nightclub; Reliquary Water Sanctuary, Spa & Salon; 4.5 acres of tropical pool paradise housing world-famous pool parties REHAB Sunday and RELAX Monday; live music/entertainment venues The Joint and Vinyl; Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co.; restaurants Culinary Dropout, Nobu, The Ainsworth, 35 Steaks + Martinis, Pink Taco, Mr. Lucky’s Café and 福Fú; a state-of-the-art fitness center and trendsetting retailers John Varvatos, Affliction, Love Jones, Rocks The Jewelers and Rock Paper Photo. For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit hardrockhotel.com. Follow Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and updates.