Bodog to Stage Four Man Tournament in Vegas

Las Vegas will host Bodog Fight: Nick Thompson vs John Troyer on February 1st 2008 with a card that includes a four-man tournament. Incredibly, it was just last April that the Nevada State Athletic Commission sanctioned its first MMA tournament.

"Fans really seem to love the tournament format," says co-promoter Barry Meyer. "It's popular in amateur boxing, karate, wrestling and kickboxing, and we're starting to see more of it now in MMA."

As a veteran of the first-ever sanctioned MMA tournament in California, Bodog Fight Middleweight Champion Trevor Prangley says it's exciting for the fighters too.

"I won't lie; it isn't easy," says Prangley. "If you get banged up in the first fight, your body can stiffen up going into the next fight. But as tough as it is physically, I think the real test is mental. Physically, most fighters can do it, but not everyone has the mental toughness to do it. I like the challenge of pushing myself to the limit, both mentally and physically."

Assuming it receives final approval by the NSAC, the 170-pound Feb. 1 tournament in Vegas will feature three three-minute rounds, meaning the fighters would compete for a maximum of 18 minutes should both their fights go the distance.

Hawaiian native Seth Baczynski and Las Vegas' own Chris Kennedy are scheduled to meet in the tournament's first match.

A graduate of UNLV, Kennedy competed on the school's boxing team before becoming an officer with the Las Vegas Police Department. Baczynski is an IFL veteran who now trains with Don Frye in Arizona.

The second tournament match pits Greg Jackson fighter Jerome Martinez from Albuquerque, New Mexico against Waachim Spiritwolf, who has trained with some of the top names in mixed martial arts, including Abu Dhabi Absolute champion Dean Lister and kickboxing champion Kit Cope.

Winners will advance to the tournament final later in the evening. Bodog Fight: Nick Thompson vs John Troyer will take place at the Las Vegas Sport Center.