The Maximum Fighting Championship is pleased to invite the media to the official press conference for the introduction of fighters taking part in the talent-laden card for MFC 39: No Remorse.
The main card of MFC 39 will have co-headlining bouts – both for MFC championship titles. In the main event, Anthony “Freight Train” Hamilton (11-2) will defend his MFC world heavyweight title against Darrill “The Boss” Schoonover (13-5), and in the other title fight, the MFC lightweight belt is up for grabs as Kurt “The Hurt” Southern (13-4) takes on Tom “Da Tank” Gallicchio (17-8).
Hamilton captured the MFC heavyweight crown at MFC 38 when he blasted Smealinho Rama with a head kick early in Round 2 to register the MFC’s Knockout of the Year. The stunning KO finish was Hamilton’s sixth of his career, and the Albuquerque, New Mexico, fighter will ride a five-fight winning streak into his first title defense.
Schoonover (Twitter: @D_SchoonoverMMA) comes to the MFC from El Paso, Texas, and after a stint on reality TV, he has won three straight and boasts seven knockouts on his career log.
In the lightweight title fight, Southern (Twitter: @KurtSouthern) rises to the challenge he has begged for following back-to-back stellar victories. At MFC 37, the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, product put a quick end to rival Mukai Maromo’s night with a first-round submission, and then at MFC 38, Southern earned long-awaited revenge with a first-round knockout of Jonatas Novaes.
Gallicchio enters the MFC on a strong roll having found his rightful home in the lightweight division. The Howell, New Jersey, native now trains alongside current MFC middleweight champ Sam Alvey in Temecula, California, and boasts 11 wins via submission with nine of those coming inside the first round.
The main card of MFC 39 also features the return of former MFC light-heavyweight champion Victor “The Matrix” Valimaki (17-8). A dynamic talent who will have plenty of hometown support fighting in Edmonton, Alberta, Valimaki captured the organization’s 205-pound division title at MFC 10 and then defended it with a huge knockout victory at MFC 11. Valimaki has registered six wins by both knockout and submission during his 13-year career.
Valimaki will take on Sean O’Connell (14-4), who joins the MFC from Salt Lake City, Utah, has earned five straight wins including a victory over veteran Marvin Eastman in his last outing. Six of O’Connell’s seven knockout victories have come inside the opening round.
Also on the MFC 39 lineup is a superb welterweight matchup that has former reality show standout Gilbert Jamal Smith (7-2) taking on onetime MFC middleweight title contender Jason “The Mover” South (10-1).
Smith (Twitter: @JamalSmithMMA), who fights out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, has won five of his last six fights, while South (Twitter: @jasonksouth), who hails from West Jordan, Utah, had his 10-fight winning streak snapped at MFC 38 when he was felled in dying seconds of a five-round war against Sam Alvey for the MFC middleweight title.
The MFC 39 card on AXS TV Fights opens up with two exciting bouts featuring a pair of young, talented newcomers to the MFC roster. In a welterweight clash, French fighter Mehdi Baghdad (9-3) enters the MFC and gets a stiff test off the start as he takes on brawler “Ruthless” Ryan Chiappe (10-8).
Baghdad who now trains in Temecula, California, has won five in a row and boasts six knockouts on his career resume. Chiappe, who hails from Vancouver, B.C., has racked up eight knockouts on his record and has won four his last six bouts.
In the show-opener, Edmonton’s own highly skilled submission fighter Andrew “Andrewconda” McInnes (3-1) steps up to the MFC ranks and gets his shot to prove himself against Vancouver veteran “Dirty” Dan Ring (5-2-1).
The MFC 39: No Remorse undercard will have three fights airing live on the MFC Facebook page. Featured in the preliminary bouts are notable fan favorites including Jared “The Yeti” McComb and Cody “Genghis” Krahn along with rising talent Paul Gerbinski.
