When Riggs was contacted to take Parisyan's place he jumped at the chance, despite having fought at UFC 55 just a month earlier. So how good was Herb Dean actually?Music provided by YouTube Audio Library https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/ Starring: Joe Rogan, Dana White, Herb Dean, Mike Goldberg (II), Bruce Buffer, 'Big' John McCarthy Summary: Josh Koscheck vs. Jeff Joslin and Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Riggs highlight the action from MCAS Miramar near San Diego, California. Sports that he was retiring from his career as a fighter after the event and would instead focus on officiating. Due to the close proximity of a UFC cameraman, in the video footage a shocked Dean can be heard shouting "Oh, shit!"
Herb Dean | EDGE MMA | Fandom Longtime UFC and MMA veteran Joe Riggs suffered an eye injury, forcing Bellator MMA to postpone his 'Fight Master' finale against Mike Bronzoulis, which was scheduled to take place this Saturday Joe Warren discusses his upcoming Bellator fight. From there, a wild brawl broke out that lasted for almost five minutes before they were separated. [19] However, Riggs pulled out of the fight in late July, citing an injury, and was replaced by promotional newcomer Oluwale Bamgbose. And he has been credited as the best by many news outlets and UFC president, Dana White. Strangely enough, it occurred in a fight that hardly seemed to have a lot of personal animosity around it going in. Dean, a kickboxer and American jiu-jistu expert, took the fight to the ground throughout the opening frame. He took the action to Superman, engaging him on the feet in a brutal striking war in the first round. However, it was not overturned and Shamrock was subsequently ushered out of the Octagon. Filipovi has stated since that the elbows on the ground confused and damaged him enough that he was disoriented after the stand up, contributing to the subsequent knockout. He threw a metal dolly at it and smashed one of its windows. BE Radio: UFC Fight Night, TUF, Bellator Previews, Riggs vs. Bronzoulis scratched from Bellator 98, Riggs Injured, Bounced From 'Fight Master' Finale. I got Mirgliotta by KO in the second round. Mike Bronzoulis vs. Joe Riggs. The two men had engaged in a major war of words coming into the event. In the end, both Nurmagomedov and McGregor were suspended and slapped with hefty fines by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. [18], Riggs was expected to face Uriah Hall in a middleweight bout on August 8, 2015 at UFC Fight Night 73. [10], At UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till, Dean received more criticism for his late stoppage of a fight between Francisco Trinaldo and Jai Herbert, and got into an altercation with UFC commentator and former fighter Dan Hardy over the stoppage. 2 minutes of UFC referee Herb Dean high as f*ck watching fighters getting brain damage..*Note*Herb Dean in my opinion is the best referee in combat sports hi. Ringside physician Dr. Margaret Goodman agreed with Dean's assessment, and the fight was not restarted. Jebus is an encyclopedia. It was a memorable event that earned Dean the respect and admiration of fans and fellow fighters alike. Late in the first round, Dean stood the fight up from the guard position, a measure typically used against inactivity. Course it's old, just figured many didn't know Herb even fought at one point. why is the guy doing yoga while getting kicked in the head? Joe Riggs - Referee Herb Dean Fight - YouTube #JoeRiggs #HerbDean #UFCJoe Riggs - Referee Herb Dean FightHere, Joe Riggs is asked about his favorite referees, and he brings up. MMA news, interviews, pictures, videos and more since 1997. Riggs vs. Bronzoulis scratched from Bellator 98. That's all I'm going to say. In the preliminary round, Riggs defeated Eric Scallan via unanimous decision and went on to the quarterfinal round where he defeated Evan Cutts via unanimous decision. I watched Herb Dean's MMA debut. But it still felt like strange marketing from the promotion. Riggs scored a 52-second submission via strikes in the co-main-event bout. Shortly after the stand up, Gonzaga knocked out Filipovi with a kick to the head.
Official MMA Thread [Archive] - Page 40 - Beyond.ca - Car Forums The two men had plenty of bad blood going into the bout, not only because of Diazs generally abrasive nature but also because of Riggs own cocky, trash-talking persona. Oh yeah! [14] The fight ended early in the first round by TKO due to injury when Riggs hurt his neck on a take down and tapped out shortly thereafter. [11] The bout took place on November 2, 2013 at Bellator 106. Joe also has a daughter named Jadin who is 3 years younger than his son.[39]. Monday's episode featured interviews with Glover Teixeira, Herb Dean, Joseph Benavidez, Joe Warren, Malki Kawa, John Hackleman and Dave Meltzer. In the semifinal round, Riggs defeated number one seed Cole Williams in a three-round split decision victory. Riggs held him down for the most part after the takedown. [13], Riggs made his eventual return against Ben Saunders at UFC on Fox: dos Santos vs. Miocic on December 13, 2014 at US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Now you know. Nick Diaz infamously continued his fight with Joe Riggs in the hospital after their clash While the clash between Joe Riggs and Nick Diaz didn't continue in the octagon after the final. At UFC 61, held on July 8, 2006, Dean served as referee of the highly anticipated rematch between Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock. He seemed to have a major chip on his shoulder. At 1:18 into the first round, Dean stepped in and stopped the fight following several consecutive unanswered elbows to the head of Shamrock by Ortiz, giving the victory to Ortiz by TKO. In this match, Herb Dean showcased his impressive fighting skills against Randy Halmot.
Arguably the most recognizable MMA referee of all time, Herb Dean competed five times as a professional MMA fighter. Riggs lost via triangle choke submission in the second round. [34], Riggs faced Melvin Guillard at BKFC Fight Night: Montana on October 9, 2021. Evidently, though, nobody gave Brownes coach Edmond Tarverdyan that memo. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.
6 frequently used UFC referees who competed as MMA fighters No chance. Before long, all hell broke loose, with UFC officials and security attempting to separate Nurmagomedov and Danis. 9. by Luke Thomas Sep 3, 2013, 2:56pm EDT . In this match, Dean faced off against Dave Legeno in CR 22. After the loss to Grove he went on a five-fight win streak. Sure, Koscheck had definitely been hugely antagonistic, but from a long-term point of view, this was one grudge Daley wouldve been better off letting go. Kazuo Misaki vs. Joe Riggs Round 1: The fighters feel one another out for the opening two minutes, Misaki showing. 265 lbs | Pro MMA Joe Riggs defeats Herb Dean via KO/TKO at 0:52 of Round 1 Riggs KO/TKO Round 1 Joe Riggs Herb Dean "Diesel" Bout Information Event: RITC 43: The Match Date: Saturday 01.18.2003 Referee: Venue: Enclosure: Cage UFC president Dana White,[1] UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, articles covering MMA in ESPN.com,[2] Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, SB Nation (mmamania.com), Fightland and other publications have called Dean the gold standard for referees in MMA.
Strikeforce at the Playboy Mansion II Results, Updates and LIVE Fight Spann then leapt to his feet and lunged for Smith, forcing UFC officials to flood into the octagon to separate the two fighters. I wait for the replay. Riggs stepped in as a late replacement for Shonie Carter, who was injured in training. In a 2013 interview, Riggs claimed he taunted an angry Diaz about suffering back-to-back losses, and when he turned away, Diaz dropped him with a punch to the jaw that knocked half of a tooth out. (During that stretch, the Cage Rage veteran also picked up wins over UFC veterans Kimo Leopoldo and Dan Severn.). Riggs lost the fight due to knockout from a hook followed by a knee in 1:45 of the first round. He won the fight via unanimous decision. More to the point, it only added to Tarverdyans reputation as one of MMAs most controversial figures. Riggs won his next fight at Strikeforce: Destruction on November 21, 2008, against Luke Stewart by TKO (Punches) in 2nd round 2:05. The fight was to be contested at a catchweight of 178 pounds.
Joe "Diesel" Riggs once pounded out Herb Dean - UFC - Forum Did I mention this member is a she? Herb Dean, Joseph Benavidez, Joe Warren, Malki Kawa, John Hackleman and Dave Meltzer. The industry pioneer in UFC, Bellator and all things MMA (aka Ultimate Fighting). Jebus is an encyclopedia. When the fight ended, he decided to take another swing at his opponent, landing a shocking sucker punch on an unsuspecting Koscheck before referee Dan Miragliotta was able to restrain him. He won the bout via unanimous decision. Hardy clearly was livid at what he thought was an egregious late stoppage, but Dean has since come out and defended his handling of the fight, saying there was no late . I got Mirgliotta by KO in the second round. [35] He won the fight via first-minute knockout. If anyone has footage of the Joe Riggs Vs Dean fight I'll pay like 150 to see it . They will be joined by the BKFC broadcast team of Sean Wheelock and Chris Lytle. I can hold my own, but that dude can tell you anything about any fight Just between you and meI gave you the link yesterday. Non-title bout; Riggs missed weight (172 lb). . I can see you will be another CavemanJesus pretty soon No chance. That was enough to push Daley over the edge. Marcos Rogerio calls out knockout artist Derrick Lewis. He looked to be a better ref than judge lol. Riggs next fought on the Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields card from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO on June 6, 2009, against Phil "The New York Badass" Baroni in a three-round welterweight bout that won him the interim Strike Force Welter Weight title and that was broadcast live on the Showtime cable network.
Dan Hardy vs. Herb Dean: Who's right in late stoppage controversy? Dean quickly freed the pinned foot which helped prevent serious injury. Riggs made his professional mixed martial arts debut in 2001 and compiled a record of 133 with one no contest before being signed by the WEC. And you aren't allowed to post fight footage here either. SHOW TOPICS. In his professional debut match at Gladiator Challenge 6 in September of 2001, he defeated Randy Halmot by submission. The two men did hug post-fight, but the result clearly didnt sit well with Diaz. https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2007/07/referee-herb-dean-unsuccessful-in-cage-rage-bout. As a fighter, Dean has a record of 2-3 in professional MMA. i knew he fought i didnt know he fought Diesel though, theres a video of one of his fights he wins via knee in the muay thai clinch lol, I wanna see Herb Dean vs Dan Mirgliotta live on versus. Once freed from the armbar, Sylvia again began to argue with Dean, who continually told him, "It's fucking broken! Riggs was set to face Mike Bronzoulis in the Fight Master Finale on September 7, 2013 at Bellator 98. I can hold my own' date=' but that dude can tell you anything about any fight[/quote']. gerrycurl21 01-10-2010, 10:02 PM the entire card is really interesting, Hershels debut, Lashleys Strikeforce debut and Cyborg defends her belt too. Link to comment Share on other sites. Herb Dean has provided a good life thanks to the excellent salary he makes from his career. He attempted to square up to Vai Cavalo, only for the former UFC heavyweight champion to hit him with a front kick to the chest. Smarten up. Riggs made his WEC debut at WEC 9 against Alex Stiebling, in what was also his debut at Light Heavyweight. Riggs missed weight. [33], Riggs then faced Hctor Lombard for the inaugural BKFC Cruiserweight Championship at BKFC 18 on June 26, 2021. [12] However, Riggs was forced to pull out of the fight after accidentally shooting himself in the hand and leg while cleaning a pistol at his home. Your login session has expired. Who will win the rubber match between Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes at ONE's U.S. debut Friday? He won a championship fight against Christian Fat Boy Evans, an experienced bare knuckle fighter who had also been featured in the documentary "Bare Knuckle Fight Club" from Channel 4 news,[26] by unanimous decision at BKB 4. He was honest about his love for competing but humble enough to admit hes a much better reffing fights than competing in them. Spann hadnt exactly talked a lot of trash leading up to the fight. After that Riggs moved down to Welter Weight to fight veteran Chris "Lights Out" Lytle. Won the BKB Light Heavyweight World Championship, Strikeforce Challengers: Riggs vs. Taylor, Fight Master: Bellator MMA Season One Winner, M-1 Challenge 81: Battle in the Mountains 6, "Joe Riggs - Official UFC Fighter Profile", "Joe Riggs vs Luke Stewart Strikeforce fight booked with Shonie Carter hurt", "Riggs Denied Licensure for Strikeforce - Pictures", "Joe Riggs vs Jay Hieron at Strikeforce: 'Miami' on Jan. 30", "Strikeforce Parts Ways With Joey Villasenor and Joe Riggs", "Bellator signs veteran middleweight Joe Riggs", "HugeDomains.com - TitoCouture.COM is for sale (Tito Couture)", "Saturday's 'Fight Master' finale bout postponed", "Report: Joe Riggs returns to UFC, set to face Paulo Thiago at UFN 51", "Joe Riggs out of UFC Fight Night 51 after injury from accidental shooting", "Joe Riggs meets Ben Saunders at UFC on FOX 13 in Phoenix MMAjunkie", "UFC on FOX 13 results: Fluke injury gives Ben Saunders fast win over Joe Riggs", "Joe Riggs feared he had severely injured neck prior to UFC on FOX 13 tap", "Title Fight & 5 Canadians Officially Announced for UFC Montreal", "UFC 186 results: Patrick Cote gets hometown win, takes decision from Joe Riggs", "Uriah Hall vs. Joe Riggs booked for UFC Fight Night 73", "UFC Fight Night 73 fight card lineup finalized following Uriah Hall and Dustin Ortiz receiving new opponents", "UFC 191 adds Joe Riggs vs. Ron Stallings", "UFC 191 results, highlights: On one good eye, Joe Riggs gets DQ win over Ron Stallings", "Seven fights added to UFC Fight Night 82 in Pittsburgh", "UFC Fight Night 83 results: Knees! Incredibly, McGregor began to brawl with Abubakar Nurmagomedov, Zubaira Tukhugov and Esed Emiragaev inside the octagon. I really want to see Joe Rogan fight, everyone he trains with says there is nothing like his kicks in terms of power and precision. Grove quickly defeated Riggs by submission due to a guillotine choke, Thus avenging his previous loss to Riggs. Herb Dean took a lot of heat following the fight for his decision, including that of some MMA fighters. UFC president Dana White stated after UFC 109 and UFC 160, that he thinks Dean "is one of the best referees in this business. cecil peoples reffed his fight against timothy mendoza. Based on the two men continuing to snipe at one another on social media, nothing was truly settled in the octagon at all. 1.
Legendary UFC Referee Herb Dean is More Famous Than a Lot of the [3] Sylvia later admitted that he knew his arm was broken and wanted to keep fighting in spite of that, but he thanked Dean for saving his career by ending the fight when he did.[4]. Riggs' dream of fighting in the UFC materialized in 2004, in a winning bout against Canadian fighter Joe Doerksen. Herb Dean defended the Robbie Lawler vs. Ben Askren stoppage on Joe Rogan's podcast. Joe Riggs win. Required fields are marked *. While the UFC often markets its fights around grudges, the hatchet is mostly buried in the octagon after a fight. [2] Riggs began wrestling at Cactus High School in Glendale, Arizona. 2.
Bellator 106 Play By Play - Michael Chandler Vs. Eddie Alvarez II At UFC 48, held on June 19, 2004, Dean refereed a bout between Tim Sylvia and Frank Mir for the vacant UFC Heavyweight Championship. Herb Dean vs Randy Halmot, GC 6 (September 9, 2001) . It's called Google noob. This proved difficult, because Sylvia, who was still trying to defend the armbar, argued with him for several seconds, despite Dean's telling him "Stop, stop, stop! Riggs broke his hand throwing the first punch of the bout, but managed to rally in the second round, breaking Stewart's nose in the process.[5]. Unfortunately, there would never be a second. Riggs was to return to action on Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Thomson, facing Jiujitsu specialist Luke Stewart. He was originally supposed to face the winner of the upcoming title fight. Herbert Dean (born September 30, 1970) is an American professional mixed martial arts referee for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and former fighter. MMA news, interviews, pictures, videos and more since 1997. After the fight had ended with him defeating the Irishman with a neck crank in the fourth round, he decided to leap over the octagon fence and attack McGregors training partner Dillon Danis. And the Stockton native wasnt about to let up when he saw Diesel in a local hospital later that night. Deans tactical moves and quick reflexes proved too much for Mendoza, making the match an exciting one for fans. "Loretta Hunt: Riggs hoping to survive Bellator debut after surviving much more", "ZP Vacant Light Heavyweight Championship", "Former UFC Fighters Now Bare-Knuckle Boxing", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Riggs&oldid=1147341492, Hardcore Championship Fighting: Unfinished Business, This page was last edited on 30 March 2023, at 09:34. sroster", "10 Times MMA Stars Fought In Bare Knuckle Boxing", "Ex-UFC star wins UK bareknuckle boxing title fight after dishing out 'savage ass kicking', "JOE RIGGS VS CHRISTIAN EVANS - BKB4 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BARE KNUCKLE TITLE FIGHT * EXCLUSIVE *", "Bare Knuckle FC 3 live results stream, highlights for 'Adams vs Shewmaker' in Biloxi", "BKFC 4 results: Leonard Garcia KOs Julian Lane, Bec Rawlings and Chris Lytle pick up wins", "Bare Knuckle FC 6 results: Artem Lobov rallies late for decision win over Paulie Malignaggi", "Hector Lombard vs. Joe Riggs to headline BKFC 10 in February", "Hector Lombard gets new BKFC 10 opponent after Joe Riggs drops out", "BKFC 18 video: Hector Lombard gets in post-fight brawl after winning title in bizarre stoppage", "Taylor Starling vs. Randine Elkholm, Joe Riggs vs. Melvin Guillard set for BKFC Montana in October", "BKFC Fight Night Montana results: Joe Riggs knocks out Melvin Guillard in 59 seconds", "Interview with Joe where he talks about the death of his son". A rematch was held during Ortiz vs. Shamrock 3: The Final Chapter with Ortiz once again claiming victory in a very similar fashion to the second fight, although Shamrock did not question this decision. He was unsuccessful with a few submission attempts before the first round came to an end. Tarverdyan yelled at Werdum, who won, and then Werdum kicked him! There were no post-fight interviews conducted with either fighter. Cooler heads finally prevailed as they shook hands and buried the hatchet.
In the hospital room after the fight, Diaz and Riggs got into a physical altercation where they had to be separated by police. TKRIS He stated that due to the length of time hes spent in the sport, he merely wants his peers to respect him, something he felt Spann hadnt done leading up to their clash. People getting arrested during the fallout. Dean is 23 in professional MMA with one win coming via submission and the other via technical knockout. Please logout and login again. I don't know how long I can keep this up but I can't post under you know who for personal reasons.
Referee Herb Dean Unsuccessful in Cage Rage Bout | MMA Junkie [10] However, on September 3, it was revealed Riggs has sustained a significant eye injury and the bout was postponed indefinitely.
Joe Riggs - Wikipedia Actually, I think he's the best" in reference to his stoppage in the fight between Mike Swick and Paulo Thiago. Sylvia protested, claiming his arm was perfectly fine and even moving it around with no apparent problems. As a highly regarded referee himself, it has been estimated that Herb Dean makes between $250,000 and $550,000 a year. Other information. Mixed-martial arts fighter and referee Herb Dean (2-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC), perhaps best known for his frequent stints officiating in the UFC, was unsuccessful in his bout against Dave Legeno at.
Joe Riggs vs. Aaron Brink - YouTube Now you know. Herbs Fights are hard to obtain if your the casual fan or have only known of him since the UFC. Reports said that almost everyone at ring side had Stiebling's blood on both them and their paperwork. However, Riggs did not make the required weight and the fight was declared a non-title event, due to Hughes allowing Riggs to fight him (if a fighter does not make weight for a match, the match may still take place if their opponent allows it). Joseph Jonathan Riggs (born September 23, 1982) is an American professional bare-knuckle boxer and former mixed martial artist who is currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Dean, however, insisted that "I heard it snap. Deans impressive fighting skills were once again on display in his match against Jung Gyu Choi in Spirit MC 9. Herb Dean loss. Submission (Choke) Sost Infante: 1: 0:43: Related Videos PICTURES. A professional competitor since 2003, Stallings has also formerly competed for Strikeforce, Titan FC, and the UFC .
[Video] I wish Herb Dean fought more cause he's got a lot of skill and swagger. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Abubakar Nurmagomedov Set for UFC on . If you want to be apart of this show and our cage fighting, or muay thai shows..go to www.rageinthecage.com for more infoor contact the match maker at john@r.
What did Robbie Lawler say to referee Herb Dean after an - Sportskeeda Originally, the title shot was offered to Karo Parisyan, who had to withdraw due to a torn hamstring. Early in the fight Riggs was caught in a guillotine choke and tapped out. Browne's corner gets ejected. [32] However, in January, the company announced that Lombard will be facing David Mundell, with no further information. He is mostly known for his officiating role in the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization, but he has both competed in and is currently head official for the King of the Cage promotion. Posted June 18, 2010. . Playboy Mansion 2 pits Kazuo Grabaka Hitman Misaki vs Joe Diesel Riggs fight in Playboy Mansion, Los Angeles, California, United .
Joe "Diesel" Riggs MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos - Sherdog Evidently, despite putting a complete beatdown on The Notorious, Khabib remained infuriated by whatd happened. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . This was enough for mayhem to break loose inside the octagon, with Browne lunging at his opponent and both sets of cornermen including Werdums friend and notorious loose cannon Renato Babalu Sobral looking to get involved. MMA news, interviews, pictures, videos and more since 1997. Shamrock, visibly angered, immediately protested the decision.
5 times the action threatened to continue after a UFC fight ended Riggs received his shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 56 in November 2005 against Matt Hughes. Things got so out of control that once the dust had settled and the brawl had finally been stopped, UFC president Dana White was unwilling to present Nurmagomedov with his UFC lightweight title. Joe "Diesel" Riggs once pounded out Herb Dean Joe "Diesel" Riggs once pounded out Herb Dean. Riggs put on a very impressive performance by stopping Kimmons early in the 1st round, earning him the WEC world title, which he held for the next 2 years. His next match. Although the match is not well-documented, it's still an important part of Dean's career that should . @LionheartASmith is heated and wants his RESPECT! Be the first to review Herb Dean Career. Learn about the missing match in Deans record thats not well-documented but still an essential part of his career. Where he surprised the U.K crowd by dominating the fight and scoring 2 knockdown in the fight. Post-fight, when Werdum made a crying gesture at a portion of the crowd that were booing, the Armenian-American decided to take action. He's officiated more than 5,700 fights around the world for various promotions, obviously including UFC. Although the match is not well-documented, its still an important part of Deans career that should be recognized. Apparently though, the fact that hed claimed that he didnt care about Smiths previous experience, wins or main events got under the skin of Lionheart big time. Missing Match: Herb Dean vs Joe Riggs, RITC 43 (January 18, 2003) It's worth noting that there was a missing match in Dean's fight record - his match against Joe Riggs in RITC 43. And was the 1st and only man to ever stop the very popular battler Chris Lytle.
Rather than confront The Eagle, the Irishman launched a wild attack on a bus carrying the Russian and other UFC fighters. [36], Joe and his wife had a son who died shortly after birth. This means that the fighters involved often have to suffer some repercussions. In a performance that featured his versatile standup game, including several flying knees, Riggs won a unanimous decision over Baroni. Explore the impressive fight record of MMA fighter Herb Dean, including his notable matches against Randy Halmot, Timothy Mendoza, Jung Gyu Choi, and Dave Legeno. Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog. [31], Riggs was expected to headline BKFC 10 against fellow UFC veteran Hctor Lombard in February 2020. "When Herb Dean does shit, I don't even question it anymore. [6] Riggs lost the fight via unanimous decision. But Lionheart wasnt done there. Check out this week's "Spinning Back Clique" live stream covering the biggest topics in combat sports, like BKFC 41, Nate Diaz and UFC 288.
Herb Dean Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth Exodus9mm. The match was a thrilling one that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very end.
Bellator 98 Archives - Page 11 - MMA Fighting No contests. Joe "Diesel" Riggs once pounded out Herb Dean.
How GOOD was Herb Dean Actually? - YouTube Bizarrely, it largely centered around which man wore the black hat of a villain better. About a month later, on January 10, 2011, Riggs signed with Bellator to fight in its Middleweight division.