Glazer and Ranallo Added to EliteXC Broadcast
PLAY-BY-PLAY EXPERT MAURO RANALLO AND VERSATILE COLOR COMMENTATOR
JAY GLAZER NAMED TO SHOWTIME TELECAST TEAM FOR EliteXC
All-Star Announce Team Set For Debut Event
"Destiny: Shamrock vs. Gracie" Saturday, February 10
LIVE on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast)
Renowned mixed martial arts (MMA) play-by-play announcer Mauro Ranallo and veteran commentator Jay Glazer have been named to the telecast team for the newest phenomenon in MMA—EliteXC—debuting on SHOWTIME live Saturday, Feb. 10, at 10 p.m. ET/PT(delayed on the West Coast).
Ranallo and Glazer join will a star-studded crew including color analyst Bill Goldberg and roving reporter Mario Lopez for the anticipated premier of EliteXC featuring an explosive main event match up of MMA legends, Frank Shamrock (Pictures) vs. Renzo Gracie (Pictures), and four undercard fights from the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss., just outside of Memphis, Tenn.
Ranallo has one of the more diverse resumes in sports broadcasting. A native of Vancouver, Canada, Ranallo is best known for his work in professional wrestling and MMA and has called the action for everything from hockey to football.
From 2003 – 2006, he provided play-by-play for pay-per-view broadcasts of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships into the North American marketplace. Ranallo also is the lead anchor/play-by-play announcer for The Fight Network in Canada, a 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel.
"MMA is my passion," Ranallo said. "Not a day goes by that I don't research the sport. I am literally a student of the game and I respect every aspect of it.
"I am thrilled with the team that Showtime has put together," he continued. "Glazer, Lopez and Goldberg are not just celebrity faces. They are true fans of the combat sports. Together, I believe we will bring a new element to the MMA announce booth. Our natural energy applied to the exciting matches will make for compelling television, the kind of experience that fans have come to expect from premium network Showtime."
Glazer, as the top insider in the National Football League, is no stranger to hard hits. He has covered every aspect of the NFL for years and is allowed access by players and coaches not afforded any other reporter. But what you probably don't know is that he can hand out the pain as well as report on it.
Glazer holds a respectable record of 4-3 in mixed martial arts and submission fighting. In his last competition (March 2005), he won a gold medal on the blue belt level at the World Championships of Submission Fighting with Team Renzo Gracie (Pictures).
Prior to his two years with the Gracie's, he fought mixed martial arts under heavyweight Tim "Obake" Catalfo—a King of the Cage and Pride veteran and former Syracuse All-American wrestler. Glazer also has rolled with the likes of Rolles and Igor Gracie, Chuck Liddell (Pictures), Frank Trigg and Alex Karalexis (Pictures).
"I trained under Igor Gracie at Renzo's for a couple of years," Glazer said. "I love the guys over there. They all treated me like I was part of their family. How ironic is it that I will now be commentating on Renzo, one living legend, against another in Frank Shamrock (Pictures)?"
In addition to competing in MMA, Glazer also hosts the Pride Fighting Championships on FSN.
"MMA is incredible because 99.9 percent of the world is either unwilling or unable to do it. Guys in the NFL constantly tell me they'd never do it. As big and bad as they are, they are mesmerized by what it actually takes to walk into that cage.
"It's amazing how fast the sport has taken off," he continued. "When I used to travel to NFL training camps and games, the players and coaches used to talk to me about the NFL. Now, all they ask about is MMA. Not a few questions here, a few questions there, it's non-stop MMA. It's really blown my mind."
Glazer has kept busy with his football schedule and his MMA training. He has a breaking news segment on FOX NFL Sunday each week with Joe Buck, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson before working sidelines each afternoon of an NFL game.
He also hosts FSN's Pro Football Preview show, which airs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with Eddie George, Tim Brown and Jason Sehorn. He is also a weekly quest on Totally Football and The Best Damn Sports Show, Period. In addition, he is the NFL Insider for Fox Sports Radio and is the senior NFL writer for Fox Sports.com.
Prior to joining Fox, Glazer served as the NFL Insider for CBS Sports and was the senior NFL writer for CBS Sportsline.
Goldberg, following stints with the Atlanta Falcons and the LA Rams in the National Football League, became one of World Wrestling Entertainment's most popular global stars. In addition to starring on screen in "The Longest Yard" with Adam Sandler, the multi-talented entertainer has experience behind the microphone, serving as guest analyst for various MMA pay-per-view events in recent years.
Lopez, a native of San Diego, Calif., wrestled at Chula Vista High School, and always has loved martial arts and full contact sports. He currently trains in boxing and ju-jitsu at Freddy Roach's world-renowned Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, and recently scored several knockouts in amateur boxing bouts.
Lopez has served as color commentator for more than 15 boxing broadcasts on HBO Latino and HBO International. His on camera resume includes his newest gig as the weekend host of syndicated entertainment news show Extra and work on the Animal Planet's "Pet Star," "Name Your Adventure" and "The Other Half."
The executive producer of the SHOWTIME telecast will be David Dinkins, Jr. who serves the same capacity for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.
Eight-time Emmy Award winning director John Faratzis will call the shots from the television truck. Faratzis will add EliteXC to a long list of notable directorial credits including three Super Bowls and five Olympic Games.
All-Star Announce Team Set For Debut Event
"Destiny: Shamrock vs. Gracie" Saturday, February 10
LIVE on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast)
Renowned mixed martial arts (MMA) play-by-play announcer Mauro Ranallo and veteran commentator Jay Glazer have been named to the telecast team for the newest phenomenon in MMA—EliteXC—debuting on SHOWTIME live Saturday, Feb. 10, at 10 p.m. ET/PT(delayed on the West Coast).
Ranallo and Glazer join will a star-studded crew including color analyst Bill Goldberg and roving reporter Mario Lopez for the anticipated premier of EliteXC featuring an explosive main event match up of MMA legends, Frank Shamrock (Pictures) vs. Renzo Gracie (Pictures), and four undercard fights from the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, Miss., just outside of Memphis, Tenn.
Ranallo has one of the more diverse resumes in sports broadcasting. A native of Vancouver, Canada, Ranallo is best known for his work in professional wrestling and MMA and has called the action for everything from hockey to football.
From 2003 – 2006, he provided play-by-play for pay-per-view broadcasts of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships into the North American marketplace. Ranallo also is the lead anchor/play-by-play announcer for The Fight Network in Canada, a 24-hour combat sports and entertainment channel.
"MMA is my passion," Ranallo said. "Not a day goes by that I don't research the sport. I am literally a student of the game and I respect every aspect of it.
"I am thrilled with the team that Showtime has put together," he continued. "Glazer, Lopez and Goldberg are not just celebrity faces. They are true fans of the combat sports. Together, I believe we will bring a new element to the MMA announce booth. Our natural energy applied to the exciting matches will make for compelling television, the kind of experience that fans have come to expect from premium network Showtime."
Glazer, as the top insider in the National Football League, is no stranger to hard hits. He has covered every aspect of the NFL for years and is allowed access by players and coaches not afforded any other reporter. But what you probably don't know is that he can hand out the pain as well as report on it.
Glazer holds a respectable record of 4-3 in mixed martial arts and submission fighting. In his last competition (March 2005), he won a gold medal on the blue belt level at the World Championships of Submission Fighting with Team Renzo Gracie (Pictures).
Prior to his two years with the Gracie's, he fought mixed martial arts under heavyweight Tim "Obake" Catalfo—a King of the Cage and Pride veteran and former Syracuse All-American wrestler. Glazer also has rolled with the likes of Rolles and Igor Gracie, Chuck Liddell (Pictures), Frank Trigg and Alex Karalexis (Pictures).
"I trained under Igor Gracie at Renzo's for a couple of years," Glazer said. "I love the guys over there. They all treated me like I was part of their family. How ironic is it that I will now be commentating on Renzo, one living legend, against another in Frank Shamrock (Pictures)?"
In addition to competing in MMA, Glazer also hosts the Pride Fighting Championships on FSN.
"MMA is incredible because 99.9 percent of the world is either unwilling or unable to do it. Guys in the NFL constantly tell me they'd never do it. As big and bad as they are, they are mesmerized by what it actually takes to walk into that cage.
"It's amazing how fast the sport has taken off," he continued. "When I used to travel to NFL training camps and games, the players and coaches used to talk to me about the NFL. Now, all they ask about is MMA. Not a few questions here, a few questions there, it's non-stop MMA. It's really blown my mind."
Glazer has kept busy with his football schedule and his MMA training. He has a breaking news segment on FOX NFL Sunday each week with Joe Buck, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson before working sidelines each afternoon of an NFL game.
He also hosts FSN's Pro Football Preview show, which airs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with Eddie George, Tim Brown and Jason Sehorn. He is also a weekly quest on Totally Football and The Best Damn Sports Show, Period. In addition, he is the NFL Insider for Fox Sports Radio and is the senior NFL writer for Fox Sports.com.
Prior to joining Fox, Glazer served as the NFL Insider for CBS Sports and was the senior NFL writer for CBS Sportsline.
Goldberg, following stints with the Atlanta Falcons and the LA Rams in the National Football League, became one of World Wrestling Entertainment's most popular global stars. In addition to starring on screen in "The Longest Yard" with Adam Sandler, the multi-talented entertainer has experience behind the microphone, serving as guest analyst for various MMA pay-per-view events in recent years.
Lopez, a native of San Diego, Calif., wrestled at Chula Vista High School, and always has loved martial arts and full contact sports. He currently trains in boxing and ju-jitsu at Freddy Roach's world-renowned Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, and recently scored several knockouts in amateur boxing bouts.
Lopez has served as color commentator for more than 15 boxing broadcasts on HBO Latino and HBO International. His on camera resume includes his newest gig as the weekend host of syndicated entertainment news show Extra and work on the Animal Planet's "Pet Star," "Name Your Adventure" and "The Other Half."
The executive producer of the SHOWTIME telecast will be David Dinkins, Jr. who serves the same capacity for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.
Eight-time Emmy Award winning director John Faratzis will call the shots from the television truck. Faratzis will add EliteXC to a long list of notable directorial credits including three Super Bowls and five Olympic Games.
