UFC VET AARON RILEY AND FAMED TRAINER FIRAS ZAHABI SIGN MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS WITH ALCHEMIST MMA
Jun 17, 2011
(PRESS RELEASE) -- Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Aaron
Riley and striking coach Firas Zahabi are now members of Alchemist
MMA. At just thirty years of age, Riley is a seasoned veteran,
having started his career in the sport at the tender age of sixteen
in 1997. Zahabi is also a seasoned veteran, having boxed from the
age of fifteen. Now 31 years old, he has reshaped striking in MMA
with such high profile clients as Georges St Pierre and Kenny
Florian.
“Alchemist strives to work with only the best in the business,” says Alchemist President Lex McMahon. We are very excited to ass two more highly talented clients to our roster. Aaron Riley is a seasoned veteran who consistently puts on amazing fights and Firas Zahabi is a brilliant strategist and coach.”
Aaron Riley once won “fight of the year” honors in 2003 when his
slugfest with Robbie Lawler captivated fans at UFC 37. But don’t
discount him as a relic of the sport. Riley was only 22 years old
in that fight and still has a lot of mileage left in the tank. He
won five of his last seven fights and most recently earned “Fight
of the Night” honors against Jorge Gurgel at UFC 91 in 2008.
Riley is also part of a small club of fighters with over thirty wins in his career, which puts him in the company of Matt Hughes, Nate Marquardt, Fedor Emelianenko, and Anderson Silva.
Up in Montreal, another young veteran of the sport has also cast his lot with Alchemist. Firas Zahabi is a warrior–philosopher who earned a degree from Concordia University in Philosophy and is always looking to use that knowledge to evolve the sport and his fighters. It was Zahabi who morphed Kenny Florian’s striking from a Muay Thai style to that of a counterpunching boxer’s with a lower stance. The change immediately resulted in success as Florian knocked down Clay Guida and frustrated Takanori Gomi with crisp punches before submitting each one.
"MMA is such a quickly evolving sport that I feel privileged to be working with some of the best coaches and athletes in the industry,” Zahabi says. “Now I get a chance to be a part of MMA’s fastest growing brand in Alchemist MMA."
Not content with just being one of the best coaches in the sport, Zahabi recently earned his black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and was a Canadian Champion in Muay Thai as well as a two-time Provincial Freestyle Wrestling Champion. Like his clients, he is never satisfied and always seeks perfection.
“Alchemist has made working with the best coaches in the industry a key strategic initiative,” adds McMahon. “The sport is evolving at such a rapid rate that economic and media opportunities for coaches are presenting themselves with greater frequency and appropriate representation is now requisite. Additionally, these relationships afford the fighters signed to Alchemist access to the best minds in the sport. Alchemist is proud to add Firas to our roster of coaches, which includes Trevor Wittman, Jon Chaimberg, and Antoni Hardonk.
Alchemist Management is a dynamic name in the world of MMA athlete management. Alchemist takes a holistic view of each athlete's situation and contributes to every aspect of their life and career. Fight training, digital and traditional media development, cross-over industry exposure, business advisory services, corporate sponsorship development, and the ever-important, but often overlooked process of planning for a rich and fulfilling life after they wage their final battle in the cage are Alchemist’s signature services. Alchemist Management is based in Pompano Beach, Florida. For more information, please visit www.alchemistmgmt.com.
“Alchemist strives to work with only the best in the business,” says Alchemist President Lex McMahon. We are very excited to ass two more highly talented clients to our roster. Aaron Riley is a seasoned veteran who consistently puts on amazing fights and Firas Zahabi is a brilliant strategist and coach.”
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Riley is also part of a small club of fighters with over thirty wins in his career, which puts him in the company of Matt Hughes, Nate Marquardt, Fedor Emelianenko, and Anderson Silva.
“I’ve been away from the sport for a little bit nursing a back
injury, but I’m ready to get back in the cage and make a run for
the lightweight title,” he says. “I still have a lot of good years
left in me, so I’m excited to get hooked up with such a great
company like Alchemist and get my name out there more.”
Up in Montreal, another young veteran of the sport has also cast his lot with Alchemist. Firas Zahabi is a warrior–philosopher who earned a degree from Concordia University in Philosophy and is always looking to use that knowledge to evolve the sport and his fighters. It was Zahabi who morphed Kenny Florian’s striking from a Muay Thai style to that of a counterpunching boxer’s with a lower stance. The change immediately resulted in success as Florian knocked down Clay Guida and frustrated Takanori Gomi with crisp punches before submitting each one.
"MMA is such a quickly evolving sport that I feel privileged to be working with some of the best coaches and athletes in the industry,” Zahabi says. “Now I get a chance to be a part of MMA’s fastest growing brand in Alchemist MMA."
Not content with just being one of the best coaches in the sport, Zahabi recently earned his black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and was a Canadian Champion in Muay Thai as well as a two-time Provincial Freestyle Wrestling Champion. Like his clients, he is never satisfied and always seeks perfection.
“Alchemist has made working with the best coaches in the industry a key strategic initiative,” adds McMahon. “The sport is evolving at such a rapid rate that economic and media opportunities for coaches are presenting themselves with greater frequency and appropriate representation is now requisite. Additionally, these relationships afford the fighters signed to Alchemist access to the best minds in the sport. Alchemist is proud to add Firas to our roster of coaches, which includes Trevor Wittman, Jon Chaimberg, and Antoni Hardonk.
Alchemist Management is a dynamic name in the world of MMA athlete management. Alchemist takes a holistic view of each athlete's situation and contributes to every aspect of their life and career. Fight training, digital and traditional media development, cross-over industry exposure, business advisory services, corporate sponsorship development, and the ever-important, but often overlooked process of planning for a rich and fulfilling life after they wage their final battle in the cage are Alchemist’s signature services. Alchemist Management is based in Pompano Beach, Florida. For more information, please visit www.alchemistmgmt.com.
