Shine Fights’ next card will feature a one-night eight-man lightweight tournament. The card will take place at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. on Sept. 10. The promotion has announced the first first-round fight. UFC veteran Drew Fickett will faced the always-colorful Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett.
The promotion has invited fans to help with their matchmaking. You can email [email protected] and submit your suggestions for the first round of the tournament.
Since leaving the UFC after a 2007 victory over Keita Nakamura, Fickett has competed for a variety of promotions. The list includes HDNet Fights and Strikeforce. Over the span, he has gone 7-8 to drop his career record to 37-13. The veterans holds impressive victories over Edwin Dewees, Dennis Hallman, Kenny Florian, Josh Koscheck, Kurt Pellegrino and fellow tournament participant Carlo Prater.
“Krazy Horse” built a name for himself due to his brash personality and knockout power. During his career, he has competed for both Elite XC and Pride FC. Despite his seemingly limited skill set, his tremendous power has carried him to victories over respectable fighters like K.J. Noons and Yoshiro Maeda.
Shine Fights also announced that Josh Shockley has been forced to pull out of the tournament due to an undisclosed injury. Filling in for Shockley will be Strikeforce, IFL and Elite XC veteran Conor Heun. Heun is currently riding a two-fight streak, but has acquitted himself well in losses to Noons and Jorge Gurgel.
The rest of the tournament field includes former WEC title challengers Rich Crunkilton and Carlo Prater, Pride FC title-challenger Marcus Aurelio, Hector Munoz and James Warfield.
The entire eight-man tournament will take place on Sept. 10. The first and second round fights will consist of two five-minute rounds, with a possible three-minute overtime round. The finals will be scheduled for three five-minute rounds.