american_championship_fighting_may_6_2006

American Championship Fighting^SM

Releases May 6th Fight Card Featuring The Return of Mark Kerr

May 6, 2006

Denver Coliseum

Denver, Colorado

- Special Thanks go out to Ken Pishna (ACF^SM) for the following information:

DENVER, COLORADO – On Saturday, May 6th, American Championship Fighting^SM presents Exodus

featuring the return of “The One, The Only, The Original” Mark Kerr. In a fight for the first ever ACF^SM

Heavyweight Championship, Kerr will battle Wes “The Project” Sims a protégé of mixed martial arts legend

Mark Coleman. Kerr and Sims headline an eight-fight professional fight card along with a full amateur

undercard.

In the late 1990s, Mark Kerr rose to the top of the mixed martial arts world, first by destroying the

competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship® and then doing the same at the Pride Fighting

Championships. Kerr won twelve of the first thirteen fights of his career. Then, as documented on HBO in the

highly acclaimed documentary “The Smashing Machine,” his world came crashing down. In the throws of an

addiction to painkillers, Kerr lost four of the last five fights of his career, all in Japan. Now, having conquered

his addiction and looking to turn his life around, Kerr returns to fight on U.S. soil for the first time in nearly

nine years.

Looking to disrupt Kerr’s plans is a brash young fighter under the tutelage of UFC® and Pride champion

Mark Coleman. Just 26 years of age, Wes Sims is already a veteran of fight promotions all around the world

and nearly captured the UFC® heavyweight championship from Frank Mir in 2003. Coming off of a

controversial draw with Daniel Gracie after winning three straight fights, Sims intends to stop Kerr’s

comeback before it even gets started and to capture the first-ever ACF^SM heavyweight title in the process.

Aside from the mammoth main event, ACF^SM Exodus is stacked with an undercard of top fighters from

around the world. ACF^SM welterweight champion John Cronk returns to the Ocho^SM in a non-title bout after

defeating Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler Heath Sims. He faces one of the toughest challenges of his

career against a rising star out of the Midwest by the name of Joey Clark.

In a grudge match, Brett Shafer, having won four of his last five fights, looks to bounce back from a loss to

Cronk. His opponent, Chilo Gonzalez, has been diligently putting his career back on track and looks to

keep the train rolling by avenging a loss to Shafer from nearly two years ago, propelling himself upwards in

the middleweight class.

Rob Wince, like Wes Sims, also fights out of Mark Coleman’s Hammer House. A former professional bull

rider, he is looking to bounce back from a loss at ACF^SM Genesis to Team Quest’s Matt Horwich, but he

has his work cut out for him. In Jason Brilz, Wince faces one of the most underrated light heavyweight

fighters in the country. He is an assistant coach for the wrestling team at the University of Nebraska at

Omaha, who just won their third straight national championship. With only one loss in fourteen fights, Brilz

can fight as well as coach. Fresh off of a victory over The Ultimate Fighter® veteran Alex Schoenauer,

Brilz is looking to showcase his skills in front of an expected record-setting crowd at the Denver Coliseum.

Fighting out of the Tool Shed in Colorado Springs, Donnie Liles, with a spotless amateur record and only

one loss as a professional, looks to continue his return from injury and work his way into title contention.

He has no easy task before him, as he will battle Team Jackson’s undefeated fighter Chris Avila. Training

at Jackson’s with UFC® veterans Diego Sanchez, Keith Jardine, and Denver’s own Nate Marquardt,

Avila is sure to bring a varied attack to the Ocho^SM while Liles is known for his athleticism, technical savvy,

and nonstop attacking style.

Everybody loves the heavyweights, but history has shown that some of the most exciting fights in MMA have

come from the lightweight division. Exodus is sure to add to that conviction. A teammate of both Gonzalez

and Liles at the Tool Shed, Keith Wilson puts up his 5-1 record against the identical record of American

Top Team fighter, Brazilian-born Rafael Dias, sure to be a fast-paced fight. Two Colorado fan favorites,

Cruz “The Saint” Chacon and Noah “The Red” Thomas enter the Ocho^SM for what is sure to be an epic

battle. Dennis Davis is always an exciting addition to any fight card and is sure to wow fans his first time in

front of an ACF^SM crowd.

ACF: Exodus is scheduled for Saturday, May 6, at the historic Denver Coliseum. Tickets are on sale now

priced at $150, $100, $75, $50, $35, and $29. For children 12 and under tickets are available for $5 and

children under 6 are free. Tickets are available online at www.TicketsWest.com, by calling 866-464-2626, or

in person at all Front Range King Soopers locations. See full fight card below.

ACF: Exodus

Saturday, May 6

Denver Coliseum

Main Event: Heavyweight Title Bout

Mark Kerr (13-4-1) vs. Wes Sims (10-7-1)

Feature Bouts:

Chilo Gonzalez (9-8) vs. Brett Shafer (8-5)

John Cronk (15-12) vs. Joey Clark (12-4-2)

Jason Brilz (12-1-1) vs. Rob Wince (13-5)

Donnie Liles (5-1) vs. Chris Avila (3-0)

Keith Wilson (5-1) vs. Rafael Dias (5-1)

Noah Thomas (6-3) vs. Cruz Chacon (6-13-1)

Dennis Davis (7-4) vs. TBA

Plus, a full amateur undercard.

__________________

About American Championship Fighting, LLC

American Championship Fighting, LLC (ACF^SM) is a premier mixed martial arts promotion. Under the

ownership of Rico Vecc Promotions^SM, the ACF^SM provides a combination of the preeminent mixed martial

arts fighters in the world in a highly entertaining atmosphere. For more information go to www.theACF.net or

www.sorealithurts.com.

Rico Vecc Promotions^SM, owner of the ACF^SM, is operated by successful entrepreneur and the CEO of

the ACF^SM Rico Vecc. A self-made millionaire, Vecc built his fortune in real estate investing and has

committed to helping others through his National Wealth Institute (www.NationalWealthInstitute.com) and

his book “How to Become a Millionaire in Your Jeans and a T-Shirt Through Real Estate.”

From - Ken Pishna, American Championship Fighting^SM with a little editing from us (color, etc..)

(4/14/06)