Don “The Predator’ Frye will not be competing in the March 21st MMA event, promoted by Yamma. Here’s the press release:
Don “The Predator” Frye withdraws Due to Injury; Will Provide Commentary for the Fight
New York, March 21, 2008 - Today YAMMA Pit Fighting (YPF), a new mixed martial arts (MMA) organization created by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) founder Bob Meyrowitz, announced that “Masters Superfight” participant Don “The Predator” Frye has withdrawn from the organization’s debut due to surgery on his shoulder. Frye injured his shoulder while training for the YAMMA Pit Fighting April 11 pay-per-view event, in which he was scheduled to face MMA legend Oleg “The Russian Bear” Taktarov. Frye will still attend the fight and will provide commentary.
Frye will be replaced by legendary MMA fighter Patrick Smith, an American mixed martial artist and professional kick boxer. Smith gained notoriety in the early days of the UFC with his commanding wins in several memorable fights, including his defeat of Ninjitsu practitioner Scott Morris in UFC 2. The Denver, Colorado native stands 6 ft 2 in tall and weighs 230lbs., and has won five of his last six MMA fights.
Smith had been scheduled to face Taktarov in the UFC 6 tournament, but had to pull out of the match due to injuries suffered in an earlier tournament fight. Taktarov went on to win the tournament and capture the UFC 6 championship. MMA enthusiasts that have wondered what the outcome would have been had Smith not suffered the injury just may get their answer. On April 11th in Atlantic City, Oleg Taktarov and Patrick Smith will finally meet in a fight 10 years in the making.
“We regret to announce that Don Frye has suffered an injury and will be unable to compete,” said Bob Meyrowitz, Rope Partners. “However, I am happy to say that Don will be joining us on April 11 and will provide expert commentary for the Masters Superfight between Oleg Taktarov and Patrick Smith. We look forward to Don competing in YAMMA Pit Fighting in the future.”
The YAMMA Pit Fighting event, comprised of an eight-man tournament for the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion and two ‘Masters Superfights,’ will air live from the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on April 11, 2008. The other ‘Masters Superfight’ will feature Eric “Butterbean” Esch versus Gary “Big Daddy” Goodridge. Tickets for the event went on sale March 8 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Trump Taj Mahal Box Office. The live pay-per-view broadcast is available in the United States and Canada through In Demand Networks, TVN Entertainment, Bell ExpressVu, Viewer’s Choice Canada and Dish Network.
The April 11th event will unveil “The YAMMA,” an evolution of the traditional fighting structure that will change how the fight is fought and the strategy the fighters must use to win. This new “ring” has been specifically designed to keep the fighting more explosive and continuous.
For the first time in over a decade, MMA will return to its origins by reviving the hugely popular tournament format, in which fighters will participate in multiple fights on their way to claiming the ultimate victory, the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion. The format will test the endurance and skill of each fighter, as victory in each round is rewarded not with extended rest, but with another fight. Tournament fighting has long been a huge draw for dedicated MMA fans due to the non-stop action provided by fight-after-fight formatting.
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