HARD HITTING UFC VETERAN DREW MCFEDRIES CONFIRMED FOR
TITAN FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS 16 ON JANUARY 28
Kansas City, KS –The Titan Fighting Championships (www.TitanFighting.com) confirmed today that a middleweight encounter has been added to its scheduled broadcast debut on HDNet (www.HDNetFights.com) for January 28 between UFC veteran Drew McFedries (8-6) and rising prospect Gary Tapasua (6-1).
The McFedries vs. Tapasua matchup joins the previously-announced main event for Titan Fighting Championships 16 between UFC veteran Todd Duffee (6-1) and Ultimate Fighter season ten veteran Abe Wagner (6-3).
McFedries, who fought for the UFC eight times during a nearly three-year span from 2006-2009, will be returning to active competition for the first time since his last UFC bout in September of 2009. The long-time Miletich Fighting Systems product garnered a strong fanbase thanks in large part to an aggressive fighting style that led to highlight reel first round finishes of Jordan Radev, Marvin Eastman, and Xavier Foupa-Pokam during his UFC tenure.
“Drew was scheduled to make his return to the cage this past September but had to pull off the show due to injury. However, when his fight was first announced, we took great notice at the strong fan reaction from his inclusion on that card,” commented Titan Fighting Championships CEO Joe Kelly. “Fans are going to be excited to see his return live on HDNet on Jan. 28 because they know they are guaranteed to see fireworks.”
While McFedries may have more recognition than his opponent, Tapasua, he will be subjecting himself to a stern challenge in his first fight in over a year.
Tapasua is a Kansas City-area native of Samoan descent and is considered one of the market’s most popular fighters. After a strong amateur career in which he amassed a 3-0 record with three first round (T)KOs, Tapasua made his professional debut last November during a Strikeforce Challengers event, suffering a close split decision loss to fellow middleweight prospect Darryl Cobb.
Since the loss to Cobb, Tapasua has fought six times, finishing all six of his opponents via (T)KOs and establishing himself as one of the most feared prospects at 185 lbs. in the Midwest.
“Gary is very popular in this area and will have a lot of fan support at Memorial Hall on Jan. 28. Gary made his debut on a big show but this will be the first time he’s fought on television so we expect his fans to come out in droves to support him,” said Kelly. “We’re excited to have Gary on this card because Titan’s goal is to feature a mix of fighters that are familiar to the casual MMA fan while also exposing fans to some of the best new talent in the sport. Those who do not know the name Gary Tapasua will know his name come Jan. 28.”
With both fighters notorious for a smash mouth style of fighting, the outcome of the McFedries vs. Tapasua fight is one that will likely make an indelible mark on those in attendance at the event and watching at home on HDNet.
“Win or lose, those that tune in to see Gary fight Drew will not be disappointed as these two were tailor made for each other,” stated Kelly. “As a promoter, you never want to see one of your fighters get seriously hurt but the reality is that a brutal knockout between Gary and Drew is simply inevitable. Their respective fighting styles simply won’t allow for anything else.”
The live national televised broadcast of Titan Fighting Championships 16 will begin at 10:00 p.m. ET/9:00 p.m. CT with the local undercard starting at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT. Tickets for the event, which will emanate from the historic Memorial Hall (www.MemorialHallKC.com), are currently on-sale at Ticketmaster.com, all local Ticketmaster outlets, and the Memorial Hall box office.
For additional information on Titan Fighting Championships 16, please visit www.TitanFighting.com or www.HDNetFights.com. You can also follow the Titan Fighting Championships on Facebook (search: Titan Fighting).
