Philippines, 29 Apr 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


URIJAH FABER: "KINEKTIC BRINGING UNITY TO GRAPPLING WORLD"

PhilBoxing.com




LAS VEGAS (August 13, 2019) - UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber strongly believes that the time is right for the inaugural Kinektic submission grappling tournament this Friday (Aug. 16) in Anaheim, California.

All the exciting grappling action will be streamed exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS?, the world's leading digital subscription service for combat sports, live from Anaheim Business Expo Center.

Kinektic team formatted events will feature four competing squads, each comprised of five world-class grapplers, in a tournament consisting of semifinals and a championship final. A grappling Super Fight, featuring additional participants not already competing in the tournament, will be held between the final semifinals match and championship final.

Kinektic is the brainchild of Faber, Las Vegas entrepreneur and boxing promoter Keith Veltre, and award-winning announcer Sean Wheelock.

Faber, who also serves as Kinektic's Vice President of Business Development, will be the mat-side and backstage interviewer. Joining Faber will be UFC women's flyweight Paige VanZant, who is the lead color commentator, and play-by-play announcer Wheelock.

"We're bringing unity to the grappling world," Faber said. "There have been other grappling organizations, but we've made some twits to get the top talent in the world, and that makes us unique. We've absolutely put it all together with great grapplers, coaches and announcers to showcase this great product. There have been a lot of grappling tournaments, but we're getting the public interested, entertainment-side, like never before.

"They've been others, but Kineckic is unique because of our relationship with UFC, streaming on FIGHT PASS, my connections all over the world and Keith Veltre's experience promoting makes it a great combination. The world is ready for Kineckic!"

The captains of the four star-powered teams are UFC veteran and MMA media personality Chael Sonnen (Team SUG); world-class grappler Craig Jones (Team BJJ Fanatics); UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith (Team Lionheart); and former UFC welterweight Chris Lytle (Team Lights Out Urban Activities). Team Captains had the option to compete for their team, Jones and Lytle are competing for their respective teams.

Former Strikeforce Welterweight World Champion Jake Shields has been forced to withdraw from competition due to injury. He has been replaced by former ADCC World and IBJJF Nogi World champion Gordon "The King" Ryan, who has joined Jones as a grappler on Team BJJ Fanatics, along with ADCC Trials bronze medalist Nicky Rodriguez, IBJJF World Champion Edwin Najmi, and ADCC Asia and Oceania gold medalist Lachlan Giles.

Veteran UFC athlete and former WEC Middleweight Champion Joe Riggs, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Rico Rodriguez, Polaris Welterweight Champion Mansher Khera, and Grapplers Quest Champion and BJJ black belt Will Weed join Lytle on Team Lights Out Urban Achievers.

Team SUG has veteran UFC athlete and ADCC gold medalist Vinny Magalhaes, former WSOF Featherweight Champion Alexandre Almeida, former UFC veteran athlete and PFL light heavyweight Ronny Markes, IBJJF World Championships bronze medalist Rafael Domingos, and LFA veteran and BJJ black belt Gabriel Checco.

Former Bellator Featherweight and Bantamweight Champion, and Greco-Roman Wrestling World Champion, Joe Warren, Pan-American gold medalist Scott Morton, ADCC US Trials gold medalist Enrico Cocco, IBJJF No-gi World Champion James Brasco, and Fight 2 Win Champion Brian Sparrow comprise Team Lionheart.

BJJ Fanatics vs. Lights Out Urban Achievers and Team SUG vs. Team Lionheart are the semifinals matchups with the winners meeting on the same night in the championship final.

The world-class grappling SuperFight, contested at 155-pounds, will be held between the final semifinals match and championship final, when two-time NCAA Division II All-American wrester Raufeon "Supa" Stots takes on another former collegiate wrestler, Anthony "El Toro" Birchak.

The one-night Kinektic tournament consists of bouts with eight-minute time limits. Losers of the semifinal matches are eliminated; draws result in the elimination of both athletes; and the first cve team with five members eliminated will be out of the competition. The surviving team will be declared the winner. A feature unique to Kinektic Grappling is that the order in which athletes compete is not predetermined. There are thirty seconds between each bout and each team captain will be responsible for strategically deciding which team member will participate next. All members of each team must compete at least once.

Tickets are priced at $65.00 (VIP), $50.00 Reserved) and $30.00 (General Admission), and available to purchase by going online to: http://tickets.ticketforce.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=1656.

For more information about the event, please visit:
Twitter: @Kinektic1, @UFCFightPass, @UrijahFaber, @PaigeVanZant, @SeanWheelock, @Keith_Veltre, @ChaelSonnen, @LionheartASmith, @Crslytle
Instagram: @UFCFightPass, @UrijahFaber, @PaigeVanZant, @Sean_Wheelock, @KeithVeltre
Facebook: @UFCFightPass, @UrijahFaber, @PaigeVanZant, @SeanWheelock, @KeithVeltre




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 27 APRIL 2026: Jarrell Miller Outpoints Lenier Pero; Chaves, Sosa win in Vegas show
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • Ryan ‘The Bruiser’ Rozicki Preparing to fight on Major Global Platform
    , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • “The Boss” Mig is PBO president
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • Teófimo moving up to welterweight?
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • Donatelo Pinlac reigns supreme
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • 'THE COMEBACK' IS CONFIRMED: AJ RETURNS TO RIYADH ON JULY 25 AS HEAVYWEIGHT ICON FACES KRSITIAN PRENGA – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • SANDOVAL vs YAFAI UNIFICATION WORLD TITLE FIGHT TOPS THE BILL IN SHEFFIELD ON JUNE 6 – LIVE ON DAZN – AS DALTON SMITH IS SIDELINED
    , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • IBA Global Boxing Series 2026 – India Edition delivers landmark night of professional boxing in Mumbai
    , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • Xander Zayas Signs Multi-Year Extension with Top Rank
    , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • Victor Wembanyama ties Shaquille O'Neal's Playoff Points-Rebounds-Blocks Record
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • Pinoy chesser bags gold in China tilt
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 28 Apr 2026
  • MELBOURNE FIGHT WEEK: PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES IN FULL AS NICOLSON TAKES ON TURNER FOR THE WBC INTERIM WORLD TITLE
    , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • ‘I’m coming to put on a performance—something exciting, something real. Don’t blink – The Black Hulk Bilal Seidu is back May 29 in Perth – Thunderdome 54
    , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • Fil-Am Brandon Kier Sustento strikes again in US chess tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • Llover nears title shot
    By Joaquin Henson, , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • All Star Boxing, Inc. Signs Undefeated Japanese Prospect Yuga Ozaki to Multi-Year Promotional Agreement
    , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • Labog rules Okada Manila Chess Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • Dacullo Edges Cometa in Thriller, Remains GAB Philippine Youth Minimum weight Champion
    By Carlos Costa, , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • SKYE NICOLSON FIRES WARNING TO MARIAH TURNER AS SHE TARGETS HOMECOMING WIN THIS WEDNESDAY IN BID TO LAND UNDISPUTED SHOT
    , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • Salim Ellis-Bey Concludes 2026 World Boxing Cup - Stage 1 with Silver Medal
    , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • IIEE PSME Quezon City wins all matches in PCAP
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 27 Apr 2026
  • Alvin Gayeta Roma leads Mansa Engineering team to the championship of the Oliver Laroya 3x3 (Tatluhan) Rapid Chess Team Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 26 Apr 2026
  • Simona Winkler, Salim Ellis-Bey and Noelle Haro Advance to Medal Rounds At 2026 World Boxing Cup – Stage 1
    , Sun, 26 Apr 2026
  • Sanman 100 Official Weigh-In Results from General Santos
    , Sat, 25 Apr 2026
  • Subkhankulov stops Usmonov, Agrba wins hard test, and Aminova claims WBA Asia title at IBA.PRO 17 in Ufa
    , Sat, 25 Apr 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.