Deerfield Beach, FL – Authentic Sports Management today announced that three Blackzilians will fight live on AXS TV as part of the “Titan 24” event Friday, August 24, 2012 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City. As the headlining main event Anthony “Rumble” Johnson will face Esteves Jones and in an extraordinary co-main event World Jiu-Jitsu Champion Braulio Estima will make his MMA debut in a welterweight fight with Chris “The Hammer” Holland. Also Junior Karanta will make his American MMA debut vs. Matt Uhde. AXS TV will broadcast “Titan 24” live nationwide starting at 10:00 p.m. ET.
“I’m excited to make my light heavyweight debut on August 24 in Kansas City for all the Titan Championship fans, said Johnson. “I respect my opponent, but he’s in my way to get to the top of this new division. I’m looking forward to showing everyone my strength and power at 205, and exactly what I am capable of at this weight.”
Johnson (12-4-0), former UFC middleweight, is ranked among the top fighters in the world, having competed in the Octagon at both 185 and 170 pounds, and now at 205. He has fought the who’s who in the sport including Vitor Belfort, Josh Koscheck, and Dan Hardy. He holds seven wins by KO or TKO, and all but one of his six UFC wins were by KO/TKO. August 24 fight will mark his third time headlining for the Titan Fighting Championship organization. In his light heavyweight debut, Rumble will take on Esteves Jones (8-3, 6 KOs) the 6’2″/205 lb. former Super Heavyweight Champion of the King of the Cage organization. Johnson trains with the Blackzilians at JACO Hybrid Training Center in Delray Beach as part of Team JACO.
Braulio Estima (6’3″/170) is considered one of the world’s very best grapplers. His submission competition achievements include winning the CBJJ World Championship in 2004, 2006, and 2009, the Absolute World Cup Championship in 2006, the European CBJJ Absolute Championships in 2006 and 2009, as well as being the ADCC 2007 silver medalist. At ADCC 2009, Estima won both the under-88 kg and Absolute division championships, defeating Strikeforce/Dream veteran Andre Galvao and Sengoku veteran Xande Ribeiro in the respective finals. Estima is the head instructor and owner of the Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Birmingham, England. He also trains with the Blackzilians at JACO Hybrid Training Center in Delray Beach, Florida where he has been honing his stand-up game with noted striking coach Henri Hooft.
Estima will face the 5’10” Holland (5-3) who is currently riding a three-fight win streak, having recently defeating Phil Baroni with a second round TKO. Holland fights out of Denver, Colorado and trains at the Factory X Training Center.
“I’m excited to make my MMA debut, it’s been a long time coming and I’m really looking forward to it especially with the Blackzilians behind me,” said Estima. “I’ve been working hard on my standup with Coach Henri and actually all the fighters here at Team JACO have been bringing me along. I’m confident on my feet. I don’t think striking is going to be a problem, if the strategy goes the way we want. And if the fight goes to the ground, well that won’t be a problem either.”
Also on the AXS TV live card is a matchup between Blackzilian Junior Karanta (1-0 MMA / 4-0 Kickboxing) vs. Kansas local Matt Uhde (3-0).
