Lavar Johnson & Billy Evangelista,

Shana Olsen & Brandon Cash

Open Media Workout Quotes & Photos

 

Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010,

Fort Washington Fitness, Fresno, California

 

STRIKEFORCE Challengers This Friday, Oct. 22, at Save Mart Center in Fresno

 Live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT

 

October 22, 2010

Save Mart Center

Fresno, California

 

 

FRESNO, Calif. (Oct. 20, 2010) – Four of the fighters who will appear on a top-notch STRIKEFORCE

Challengers event presented by Rockstar Energy Drink at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif., live on

SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), this Friday, Oct. 22, participated in an Open

Media Workout on Wednesday at Fort Washington Fitness.

 

The four were heavyweight Lavar “Big” Johnson (14-3), of Madera, Calif., who faces Virgil “RezDog”

Zwicker (8-1) of Temecula, Calif.; undefeated Fresno resident Billy Evangelista (10-0, 1 NC), who takes on

Waachiim “Native Warrior’’ Spiritwolf (8-6-1) of San Diego in a 165-pound catch weight bout,  world-

ranked Shana “Rock Solid’’ Olsen (4-0), of Diluth, Minn., who faces highly regarded Canadian Muay Thai

Champion Julia “The Jewel” Budd (pro debut), of Sechelt, British Columbia, at 145 pounds, and Fresno

heavyweight Brandon Cash (4-2), who battles John Devine (5-2) of San Francisco.

 

In this Friday’s main event, welterweight Relentless” Roger Bowling (8-0) will put his unbeaten record on

the line one more time against “Vicious” Bobby Voelker (22-8) of Kansas City, Kan., in a rematch of an

exciting fight last May 21 that ended prematurely due to an accidental poke in the eye.

 

Tickets for the STRIKEFORCE Challengers event are on sale at the Save Mart Center box office, select

Save Mart Supermarkets, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online

(www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE's official website (www.strikeforce.com). 

 

Doors will open at 4:45 p.m. PT. The first preliminary bout will begin at 5:30 p.m.  The first televised match

starts at 8 p.m. PT.

 

What the fighters said Wednesday:

 

- LAVAR JOHNSON

  “I feel good and I am very happy to be on a STRIKEFORCE card that has so many of my (Fresno Pro

  Buhawe) teammates on it. I’m excited for everybody.

 

  “I know Zwicker will be ready. He’s a fast, scrappy fighter who comes to fight. He may be a little shorter

  than me, which will definitely be a little different. The last two guys I’ve fought have been taller. 

 

  “God blessed me with an opportunity to have a second chance at life and has put me in position again to

  show what I can do. I’ll be ready to go on Friday.’’ 

 

- BILLY EVANGELISTA

  “I’ve been working really hard. I want to keep this winning streak going. I’ve prepared like I always do. I

  don’t watch tapes. My job is to do the best I can and not worry about my opponent.

 

  “Winning is always the main goal, but I really would like to submit this guy – just so I could get a

  submission on my record.’’

 

- SHANA OLSEN

  “I’m really excited about fighting for STRIKEFORCE the first time and fighting on SHOWTIME. I consider

  myself a well-rounded fighter and look forward to displaying my skills. 

 

  “I never look past any opponent and this will be a tough fight. But, of course, I will fight anybody, and that

  includes (STRIKEFORCE 145-pound World Champion and No. 1 Female Fighter in the world, Cris)

  Cyborg. My goal is to become the world champion. It doesn’t matter to me who I fight to get the title.’’ 

 

- BRANDON CASH

  “It’s always great when STRIKEFORCE comes to Fresno because they use a lot of local fighters like me.

  I don’t like losing and I lost the last time I fought in Fresno so I appreciate STRIKEFORCE giving me

  another chance. 

 

  “I am going to thank them by knocking this guy out.’’

 

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Photos: Paul Breski/For STRIKEFORCE

 

 

Heavyweight Lavar "Big Johnson'' works out Wednesday at Fort Washington Fitness in Fresno, Calif., for his

important match against Virgil Zwicker in one of the featured fights this Friday, Oct. 22, on STRIKEFORCE

Challengers on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) at Save Mart Center in Fresno.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Undefeated Billy Evangelista, shown working with Jasper Tayaba, meets Waachiim Spiritwolf in one of the

headlining bouts on SHOWTIME.

 

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Johnson (left) hits the mitts with Rudy Cruz Jr. while Evangelista does the same with Tayaba.

 

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Unbeaten Shana "Rock Solid'' Olsen speaks to a local television reporter and smacks the heavy bag on

Wednesday. One of the top 145-pounders in the world, Olsen makes her STRIKEFORCE and SHOWTIME

debut against highly touted Julia Budd.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Brandon Cash, shown working with Cruz, looks to regain his winning ways against John Devine in the

opening bout of the telecast.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________

 

Contact:

- Strikeforce

  Mike Afromowitz: mafromowitz@strikeforce.com

 

- SHOWTIME

  Chris DeBlasio: Chris.DeBlasio@Showtime.net
  Annie Van Tornhout: annie.vantornhout@showtime.net

 

- Brener Zwikel & Associates

  John Beyrooty: Johnnybey@aol.com

  Steve Pratt: Stevep@bzapr.com

 

 

- Press Release from Strikeforce

- Photos courtesy of Strikeforce

 

 

 

Subject to change

 

 

 

(10/20/10)