Battlecade Extreme Fighting
Encyclopedia
Battlecade: Extreme Fighting, sometimes referred to simply as Extreme Fighting, is a now defunct mixed martial arts
promotion which hosted four events in the USA and Canada
between 1995 and 1997. Although few events were held, a number of well known fighters competed for the promotion. Battlecade CEO Rick Blume is credited with coining the phrase mixed martial arts and the promotion was the first to implement weight classes in MMA.
Despite the number of fighters which the promotion was able to attract, Battlecade struggled financially and had trouble with authorities over the sanctioning of MMA bouts. Following the fourth and final Extreme Fighting event, General Media International, Battlecade sponsor and publisher of Penthouse
, withdrew their financial support of the promotion. Additionally, cable television
providers Tele-Communications Inc.
and Request TV
refused to air further Extreme Fighting events.
on a single day's notice. This event featured a four man heavyweight tournament which was won by eventual American Top Team
co-founder Marcus Silveira
. Silveira defeated Victor Tatarkin of Russia
by submission via strikes in the semi-finals of the tournament, moving on to defeat Gary Myers via guillotine choke
in the finals. With his victory over Myers, Silveira became the Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Champion.
This event also featured a four man middleweight tournament, showcasing judoka
Igor Zinoviev
and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
practitioner Mario Sperry
. Zinoviev defeated his first opponent, Harold German, by submission via strikes. Sperry won by the same means against his opponent, UFC 6
competitor Rudyard Moncayo. Zinoviev defeated Sperry in the finals by technical knockout
to become Extreme Fighting Middleweight Champion.
In addition to the two tournaments held that night, the event featured Ralph Gracie
and a bout between Carlson Gracie Jr.
and John Lewis
which ended in a draw after twenty minutes.
, who would go on to become a champion in the UFC
, made his professional debut that night, fighting eventual K-1 USA Grand Prix '98 competitor, and a man almost twice his size, in Jean Riviere. Newton lost the bout via submission by way of exhaustion.
Ralph Gracie returned to action and was declared Extreme Fighting Lightweight Champion after defeating Steve Nelson via submission in the first round of their bout.
Despite arrangements made with the Kahnawake tribal council for the event to be held, Montreal authorities arrested a number of the evening's competitors, the referee, announcer, and Battlecade's matchmaker following the event.
hosted the third Extreme Fighting event on the night of October 18, 1996. In one of the most recognized bouts from the short-lived promotion, kickboxer and eventual UFC Heavyweight Champion Maurice Smith defeated Marcus Silveira via technical knockout to become the new Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Champion.
Matt Hume
and Erik Paulson, who both went on to become well known trainers after their fighting careers ended, battled until Paulson suffered a cut in the third round of their bout.
Igor Zinoviev retained his middleweight championship after fighting to a draw with John Lober
. A bout between John Lewis and Luta Livre fighter Johil de Oliveira also ended in a draw.
Ralph Gracie submitted Ali Mihoubi via armbar
to retain his lightweight championship. Eventual Pride competitor Kazunari Murakami
defeated Bart Vale via technical knockout, while Anthony Macias
submitted to the strikes of Allan Goes
. Angolan
fighter João Roque
- who went on to compete in the UFC, DEEP, and Shooto
- defeated Abdelaziz Cherigui via armbar.
on March 28, 1997. Kevin Jackson, Olympic
gold medalist
freestyle wrestler
and winner of the UFC 14
middleweight tournament, defeated John Lober via arm triangle choke
. In what was his lone professional MMA bout, Kenny Monday
, another Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, defeated John Lewis via technical knockout.
Matt Hume proved victorious against Miletich Fighting Systems
founder Pat Miletich
, who suffered a fight-ending broken nose. Allan Goes defeated Todd Bjornethun via triangle choke
, while Erik Paulson fought Paul Jones
to a draw.
Finally, Maurice Smith defended his heavyweight title against Kazunari Murakami. Their bout ended decisively, as Smith knocked Murakami out in the first round.
Neither the middleweight or lightweight titles were defended on the final Extreme Fighting card, as champions Igor Zinoviev and Ralph Gracie did not appear. Zinoviev was unable to compete because of a separated shoulder
. Gracie's scheduled opponent, Luta Livre fighter Eugenio Tadeu, was unable to attend the event and Battlecade could not find a replacement in time.
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
promotion which hosted four events in the USA and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
between 1995 and 1997. Although few events were held, a number of well known fighters competed for the promotion. Battlecade CEO Rick Blume is credited with coining the phrase mixed martial arts and the promotion was the first to implement weight classes in MMA.
Despite the number of fighters which the promotion was able to attract, Battlecade struggled financially and had trouble with authorities over the sanctioning of MMA bouts. Following the fourth and final Extreme Fighting event, General Media International, Battlecade sponsor and publisher of Penthouse
Penthouse (magazine)
Penthouse, a men's magazine founded by Bob Guccione, combines urban lifestyle articles and softcore pornographic pictorials that, in the 1990s, evolved into hardcore. Penthouse is owned by FriendFinder Network. formerly known as General Media, Inc. whose parent company was Penthouse International...
, withdrew their financial support of the promotion. Additionally, cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
providers Tele-Communications Inc.
Tele-Communications Inc.
Tele-Communications, Inc. or TCI was a cable television provider in the United States, for much of its history controlled by Bob Magness and John Malone....
and Request TV
Request TV
Request TV, also known as Request Television, is a defunct pay-per-view service which was owned by Liberty Media and Twentieth Century Fox that was launched in November 1985. Request TV was originally owned by Reiss Media Enterprises; Group W Satellite Communications later purchased a 50% stake in...
refused to air further Extreme Fighting events.
Extreme Fighting 1
The first Extreme Fighting event was planned to be held in Brooklyn, New York on November 18, 1995. Pressure from state politicians forced the event to be moved to Wilmington, North CarolinaWilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
on a single day's notice. This event featured a four man heavyweight tournament which was won by eventual American Top Team
American Top Team
American Top Team is one of the leading teams in mixed martial arts. It was founded by former members of Brazilian Top Team, Ricardo Liborio, Marcus Silveira and Marcelo Silveira but there is no formal affiliation between the two teams. ATT's main academy is in Coconut Creek, Florida but has...
co-founder Marcus Silveira
Marcus Silveira
Marcus "Conan" Silveira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He competes in the Heavyweight division. He won his last fight at PFL - Genesis against Johnathan Ivey on March 31, 2007. He is the co-founder of American Top Team.-Arrest:...
. Silveira defeated Victor Tatarkin of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
by submission via strikes in the semi-finals of the tournament, moving on to defeat Gary Myers via guillotine choke
Guillotine choke
The guillotine choke is a chokehold in martial arts and wrestling applied from in front of the opponent. The choke involves using the arms to encircle the opponent's neck in a fashion similar to a guillotine. The technique is either a type of tracheal compression restraint that prevents air flow...
in the finals. With his victory over Myers, Silveira became the Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Champion.
This event also featured a four man middleweight tournament, showcasing judoka
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
Igor Zinoviev
Igor Zinoviev
Igor Zinoviev is a Russian former mixed martial artist. He competed in the Extreme Fighting organization, holding the middleweight title until their demise, then moved to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Most recently, he coached the Chicago Red Bears in the International Fight League.-Early...
and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
practitioner Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry is a Brazilian heavyweight martial artist. His specialty is Brazilian jiu-jitsu, grappling and ground fighting.-Career:Sperry first broke onto the sport Jiu-Jitsu scene in the early eighties...
. Zinoviev defeated his first opponent, Harold German, by submission via strikes. Sperry won by the same means against his opponent, UFC 6
UFC 6
UFC 6: Clash of the Titans was the sixth mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 14, 1995, at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyoming. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later released on home video.-History:UFC 6 featured the...
competitor Rudyard Moncayo. Zinoviev defeated Sperry in the finals by technical knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
to become Extreme Fighting Middleweight Champion.
In addition to the two tournaments held that night, the event featured Ralph Gracie
Ralph Gracie
Ralph Gracie is a Brazilian martial artist. Like other members of the Gracie family, he competed in mixed martial arts. He is the son of Robson Gracie and brother to Charles Gracie, Renzo Gracie and the late Ryan Gracie, both of whom have competed in various fighting events...
and a bout between Carlson Gracie Jr.
Carlson Gracie Jr.
Carlson Gracie, Jr. is a Brazilian martial artist and member of the Gracie family.- Biography :...
and John Lewis
John Lewis (fighter)
John Lewis is an American former mixed martial arts champion, UFC veteran, and a popular MMA/martial arts instructor considered a legend throughout the mixed martial arts world...
which ended in a draw after twenty minutes.
Extreme Fighting 2
On April 26, 1996, a second Extreme Fighting event was held in Montreal, Canada. Marcus Silveira and Igor Zinoviev were victorious in separate bouts. An eighteen year old Carlos NewtonCarlos Newton
Carlos Newton is a Canadian mixed martial artist and former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is considered one of the true pioneers in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Known as the "The Ronin", he competed worldwide in the biggest MMA organizations including UFC, Pride FC, IFL, K-1, Shooto and most...
, who would go on to become a champion in the UFC
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
, made his professional debut that night, fighting eventual K-1 USA Grand Prix '98 competitor, and a man almost twice his size, in Jean Riviere. Newton lost the bout via submission by way of exhaustion.
Ralph Gracie returned to action and was declared Extreme Fighting Lightweight Champion after defeating Steve Nelson via submission in the first round of their bout.
Despite arrangements made with the Kahnawake tribal council for the event to be held, Montreal authorities arrested a number of the evening's competitors, the referee, announcer, and Battlecade's matchmaker following the event.
Extreme Fighting 3
Tulsa, OklahomaTulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
hosted the third Extreme Fighting event on the night of October 18, 1996. In one of the most recognized bouts from the short-lived promotion, kickboxer and eventual UFC Heavyweight Champion Maurice Smith defeated Marcus Silveira via technical knockout to become the new Extreme Fighting Heavyweight Champion.
Matt Hume
Matt Hume
Matt Hume is an American mixed martial artist. He currently trains fighters for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and DREAM.The son of a policeman, Hume's father briefly trained with Bruce Lee...
and Erik Paulson, who both went on to become well known trainers after their fighting careers ended, battled until Paulson suffered a cut in the third round of their bout.
Igor Zinoviev retained his middleweight championship after fighting to a draw with John Lober
John Lober
John "The Machine" Lober is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Light Heavyweight division. He lost his last fight at Cage Wars Championship: Nightmare against Lee McKibbin on November 29th, 2009...
. A bout between John Lewis and Luta Livre fighter Johil de Oliveira also ended in a draw.
Ralph Gracie submitted Ali Mihoubi via armbar
Armlock
An armlock in grappling is a single or double joint lock that hyperextends, hyperflexes or hyperrotates the elbow joint and/or shoulder joint. An armlock that hyperflexes or hyperrotates the shoulder joint is referred to as a shoulder lock, and an armlock that hyperextends the elbow joint is called...
to retain his lightweight championship. Eventual Pride competitor Kazunari Murakami
Kazunari Murakami
is a Japanesefreelance professional wrestler and a retired mixed martial artist, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX and Big Mouth LOUD, of which he was a founding member...
defeated Bart Vale via technical knockout, while Anthony Macias
Anthony Macias
Anthony "Mad Dog" Macias is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes in the middleweight division. Anthony was introduced to the world of MMA in a fight against the legend Dan Severn at UFC 4. Anthony would go on to lose to Severn by submission. His most recent victory came against...
submitted to the strikes of Allan Goes
Allan Goes
Allan Goes is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He last fought for the Seattle Tiger Sharks of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
. Angolan
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
fighter João Roque
Joao Roque
João Roque is a former Pluma weight Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt World Champion and a retired Angola mixed martial artist. He competed in the Featherweight division in MMA ....
- who went on to compete in the UFC, DEEP, and Shooto
Shooto
Shooto is a mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission. Shooto was originally formed in 1985, as an organization and as a particular fighting system derived from shoot wrestling. Practitioners are referred to as shooters,...
- defeated Abdelaziz Cherigui via armbar.
Extreme Fighting 4
The final Extreme Fighting event was held in Des Moines, IowaDes Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
on March 28, 1997. Kevin Jackson, Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medalist
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
freestyle wrestler
Freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practised throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
and winner of the UFC 14
UFC 14
-External links:***...
middleweight tournament, defeated John Lober via arm triangle choke
Arm triangle choke
Arm triangle choke, side choke, or head and arm choke are generic terms describing blood chokeholds in which the opponent is strangled in between his or her own shoulder and the practitioner's arm. This is as opposed to the regular triangle choke, which denotes a chokehold using the legs, albeit...
. In what was his lone professional MMA bout, Kenny Monday
Kenny Monday
Kenny Dale Monday is an Olympic gold medalist and three-time All-American wrestler from Oklahoma State University. He began wrestling at age six at a YMCA after-school program and grew up idolizing Olympic wrestler Wayne Wells. He is a 3X Olympian.Monday attended Booker T...
, another Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, defeated John Lewis via technical knockout.
Matt Hume proved victorious against Miletich Fighting Systems
Miletich Fighting Systems
Miletich Fighting Systems is a mixed martial arts training organization. It is recognized as an excellent training camp. It has been the training camp for fighters such as Matt Hughes, Tim Sylvia, Jens Pulver, Robbie Lawler, and Jeremy Horn...
founder Pat Miletich
Pat Miletich
Patrick Jay Miletich is a retired American mixed martial artist and a current sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 tournament champion....
, who suffered a fight-ending broken nose. Allan Goes defeated Todd Bjornethun via triangle choke
Triangle choke
A triangle choke, or sankaku-jime in Judo, is a type of figure-four chokehold which strangles the opponent by encircling the opponent's neck and one arm with the legs in a configuration similar to the shape of a triangle...
, while Erik Paulson fought Paul Jones
Paul Jones (mixed martial artist)
Paul Jones is a former mixed martial artist. He began his fighting career in Extreme Fighting. His first match against Erik Paulson resulted in a draw. Paul Jones immediately went into USWF after his draw and won by submission. Jones then tried Shooto, which is located in Tokyo, where he won his...
to a draw.
Finally, Maurice Smith defended his heavyweight title against Kazunari Murakami. Their bout ended decisively, as Smith knocked Murakami out in the first round.
Neither the middleweight or lightweight titles were defended on the final Extreme Fighting card, as champions Igor Zinoviev and Ralph Gracie did not appear. Zinoviev was unable to compete because of a separated shoulder
Separated shoulder
A separated shoulder , is a common injury to the acromioclavicular joint. This is not the same as a shoulder dislocation as that involves a dislocation of the glenohumeral joint...
. Gracie's scheduled opponent, Luta Livre fighter Eugenio Tadeu, was unable to attend the event and Battlecade could not find a replacement in time.
Heavyweight Championship
| No. | Name | Date | Location | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Marcus SilveiraMarcus Silveira Marcus "Conan" Silveira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He competes in the Heavyweight division. He won his last fight at PFL - Genesis against Johnathan Ivey on March 31, 2007. He is the co-founder of American Top Team.-Arrest:... |
November 18, 1995 |
Wilmington, North Carolina, US | |
| 2 |  Maurice Smith |
October 18, 1996 |
Tulsa, Oklahoma, US |
Middleweight Championship
| No. | Name | Date | Location | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Igor ZinovievIgor Zinoviev Igor Zinoviev is a Russian former mixed martial artist. He competed in the Extreme Fighting organization, holding the middleweight title until their demise, then moved to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Most recently, he coached the Chicago Red Bears in the International Fight League.-Early... |
November 18, 1995 |
Wilmington, North Carolina, US |
Lightweight Championship
| No. | Name | Date | Location | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ralph Gracie Ralph Gracie Ralph Gracie is a Brazilian martial artist. Like other members of the Gracie family, he competed in mixed martial arts. He is the son of Robson Gracie and brother to Charles Gracie, Renzo Gracie and the late Ryan Gracie, both of whom have competed in various fighting events... |
April 26, 1996 |
Montreal, Quebec, Canada |