HDNet to Broadcast the Largest MMA Event in the World - FiELDS K-1 World Grand Prix 2008

HDNet to Broadcast the Largest MMA Event in the World - FiELDS K-1 World Grand Prix 2008

FEG USA and HDNet to bring North American fans LIVE coverage from the Yokohama Arena in Tokyo, Japan - Saturday, December 6 at 12:00 a.m. PT

DALLAS, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: The largest martial arts event in the world -- FiELDS K-1 WGP 2008 Final taking place at the Yokohama Arena in Tokyo, Japan -- will be broadcast live on HDNet to MMA fans in North America.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080324/HDNETLOGO)

Joining the broadcast team of Michael "The Voice" Schiavello, four time K-1 WGP Champion Ernesto Hoost and FEG USA's Mike Kogan will be none other than Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson. Kimbo was invited by FEG and HDNet to be a guest commentator for K-1's US debut.

FiELDS K-1 WGP 2008 Final, an 8-man knockout tournament for the coveted K-1 Grand Prix crown, features the world's best heavyweight strikers including Moroccan/Dutch Bad Boy Badr Hari; legendary triple K-1 World Champion Peter Aerts; French monster Jerome LeBanner; Russian wonder Ruslan Karaev; and two-time former champion Remy Bonjasky.

The broadcast also includes super fights featuring New Zealand's "Sugar" Ray Sefo vs. seven-foot-plus giant Hong Mann Choi; and Australia's Paul Slowinski vs. Dutch demon Melvin Maenhoff.

For complete card and bout order visit:
http://www.k-1.co.jp/k-1gp/btop.htm

WHEN: HDNet's coverage kicks off December 6 at 12:00 a.m. PT with an encore presentation later that evening at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

About K-1:

K-1 is a combat sport that combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San shou, Kickboxing, traditional Boxing, and other martial arts to determine the single best stand-up fighter in the world (the "1").

The K-1 organization's governing body is Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) headed by CEO, Sadaharu Tanikawa. FEG organizes a variety of fightsport events in Japan and around the world; including K-1's sister mixed martial arts promotion, DREAM. There are K-1 Regional Elimination Tournaments which qualify fighters for the K-1 World Grand Prix, along with licensed K-1 Fighting Network events designed to develop new talent internationally and there is also a 70.5kg (155lb) Super Middleweight division called K-1 MAX ("Middleweight Artistic Xtreme"). In 2007, K-1 introduced two new Title belts separate from K-1 World GP Champions, Super Heavyweight World Title for fighters over 100kg/220lbs and Heavyweight World Title for fighters under 100kg/156-220lbs.

About HDNet

HDNet (http://www.hd.net/) provides viewers with the best in original comedy, drama, news, sports and music programming.

HDNet is your exclusive, high definition home for popular, critically acclaimed original programming, including television's only HD news feature programs "HDNet World Report," the Emmy Award winning "Dan Rather Reports," featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather and "NASA on HDNet" (presenting live shuttle launches through 2010). HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring Major League Soccer, the NASCAR Camping World Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup re-broadcasts, and premiere Mixed Martial Arts from "HDNet Fights;" behind-the-scenes sports news with "Inside MMA;" groundbreaking music programming with the HDNet Concert Series featuring leading artists and bands including Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and more; and entertaining and irreverent lifestyle programming including "Deadline!," "Art Mann Presents," and "Get Out!" HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning programs such as the Emmy Award winning "Arrested Development," "The Black Donnellys," "Dead Like Me," "Smallville" and the hit series "Torchwood."

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Bright House Networks, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliate companies. For more information visit http://www.hd.net/.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080324/HDNETLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: HDNet

CONTACT: Colette Carey of HDNet, +1-303-542-5576, ccarey@hd.net; or Mike
Kogan of FEG USA, Inc., +1-408-583-7220, mk@feg-usa.com

Web site: http://www.hd.net/

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