Frye-Taktarov Set for Yamma Pit Fighting
Don Frye (Pictures) will fight Oleg Taktarov at the inaugural
Yamma Pit Fighting event April 11 in Atlantic City, N.J., the
organization announced Tuesday.
The bout will be the first of the promotion's "Masters Superfights," which are planned to feature some of MMA's most memorable fighters. Taktarov, 15-5-2, first fought in the UFC in April 1995. He battled some of the biggest names of his era, including Ken Shamrock (Pictures) and Dan Severn (Pictures). The Russian's crowning achievement was perhaps his gusty victory over "Tank" Abbott in the finals of the sixth UFC. Last November, Taktarov returned to MMA after a nearly 10-year absence to submit John Marsh (Pictures).
"Don Frye (Pictures) needs to do only two things: fly to Russia and stay there for 10 years to study sambo. Then, maybe he'll be ready," Taktarov said in a news release.
Frye, 19-6-1, debuted in the UFC in February 1996. He lost only once in the Octagon -- to Mark Coleman (Pictures) at UFC 10 -- and won two eight-man tournaments, including the Ultimate Ultimate 1996.
In 1997 he retired for several years before returning to Pride in 2001. He had mixed success in Japan. Most recently he knocked out Bryan Pardoe (Pictures) in January.
The debut Yamma Pit Fighting event will also feature an eight-man heavyweight tournament. The promotion has announced the participation of the following fighters: Marcelo Pereira, Sherman Pendergarst, Rex Richards (Pictures), Tony Sylvester, Chris Tuscherer and Travis Wiuff (Pictures).
Jeff Blatnick will serve as a commentator for the show.
The bout will be the first of the promotion's "Masters Superfights," which are planned to feature some of MMA's most memorable fighters. Taktarov, 15-5-2, first fought in the UFC in April 1995. He battled some of the biggest names of his era, including Ken Shamrock (Pictures) and Dan Severn (Pictures). The Russian's crowning achievement was perhaps his gusty victory over "Tank" Abbott in the finals of the sixth UFC. Last November, Taktarov returned to MMA after a nearly 10-year absence to submit John Marsh (Pictures).
"Don Frye (Pictures) needs to do only two things: fly to Russia and stay there for 10 years to study sambo. Then, maybe he'll be ready," Taktarov said in a news release.
Frye, 19-6-1, debuted in the UFC in February 1996. He lost only once in the Octagon -- to Mark Coleman (Pictures) at UFC 10 -- and won two eight-man tournaments, including the Ultimate Ultimate 1996.
In 1997 he retired for several years before returning to Pride in 2001. He had mixed success in Japan. Most recently he knocked out Bryan Pardoe (Pictures) in January.
The debut Yamma Pit Fighting event will also feature an eight-man heavyweight tournament. The promotion has announced the participation of the following fighters: Marcelo Pereira, Sherman Pendergarst, Rex Richards (Pictures), Tony Sylvester, Chris Tuscherer and Travis Wiuff (Pictures).
Jeff Blatnick will serve as a commentator for the show.
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