Hollett Draws Newton for Main Event Tilt at MFC 19

Although it has been more than a year since he defeated Victor Valimaki to
take the MFC light heavyweight crown, Roger "The Hulk" Hollett finally has a date and a dance partner for his first title-defense.

Hollett (8-1 career, 3-0 MFC) will face Norwalk, California native Emanuel Newton (16-3-1 career, 1-0 MFC) at MFC 19: Long Time Coming on December 5 at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Enoch, Alberta. According to the Halifax, Nova Scotia native who has been sidelined with a knee injury, his MFC return has been just that.

"I'm excited to get back in there and defend my belt. Whoever the MFC wants to put in front of me is fine by me," Hollett says. "I look forward to continuing to challenge myself."

Newton, who is undefeated in his past ten fights earned a shot at Hollett's
gold by controlling and submitting UFC veteran David Heath with a second round rear-naked choke Friday night in the main event of MFC 18: Famous. Fans in attendance at the sold out event at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Enoch, Albert boisterously showed their approval of the MFC's number one contender rewarding Newton's dominative performance with a thunderous ovation.

Hollett says he hopes Newton relished the win and the short-lived celebration because when they square off December 5, regardless of where the fight ends up his belt is coming home with him to Halifax.

"[Newton] is a grappler and I like to strike," Hollett explains. "I just got my brown belt [in Brazilian jiu-jitsu] so I'm comfortable anywhere the fight goes but I'd rather keep it on the feet and give the fans the exciting fight they want to see."

Having undergone successful surgery in February for a trio of knee ligament
tears sustained in his only career loss to American Top Team standout Lew
Polley at ECC 6, Hollett says he's back in shape and ready to go. Showing no
signs of any ring rust that may have developed from the one-year layoff, Hollett humbled Marcus "The Loudmouth Assassin" Hicks by TKO at 1:35 of the opening stanza in his first fight back last weekend at ECC 8. Known for his KO power and strength, the 29-year-old Maritimer says the time off allowed him to focus on strength and conditioning and that his knee is 100 percent after being tested by Hicks.

"My knee is really good. I took some big kicks in my last fight [against Marcus Hicks] and they didn't affect me. [My knee] felt great," Hollett says. "I was totally confident and I felt that as far as training, I'm right back to where I was [before the injury]. It took a minute to chase him down but I was patient and eventually I caught him."

The fight against Newton will be the first of a new five-fight deal Hollett signed with the MFC last month and will be aired live on HDNet.


Tickets for MFC 19: Long Time Coming are on sale now and can be ordered by
visiting  WWW.TICKETMASTER.CA or by calling 780.451.8000.