ProElite is back in business and steadily preparing for their debut card under new ownership. An executive board made up of former ICON owner T. Jay Thompson, former Strikeforce matchmaker Rich Chou, and Paul Feller have put together a rather impressive card for the promotion's second incarnation.
ProElite 1 will be headlined by a heavyweight matchup between two-time UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski (15-9) and King of the Cage veteran Ray Lopez (5-2).
Known for his nine year run within the UFC, Arlovski has fallen on hard times since his departure from the Zuffa banner, failing to record a win in the last three years. The 32-year-old Belarusian is currently mired in a four-fight losing streak that includes defeats at the hands of Antonio Silva, Brett Rogers, Sergei Kharitonov, and former PRIDE champion Fedor Emelianenko. Three of the losses have come via knockout in the first round.
Lopez is a three-time King of The Cage standout who has won four of his last five fights, including a 75-second TKO victory over Rob Morrow in July. The 24-year-old Michigan based fighter is a former boxer -- carrying a 3-4 professional boxing record -- with immense finishing ability. Just three years into his fighting career, Lopez has finished opponents in all five of his professional mixed martial arts victories.
Highlighting the main card is a middleweight bout between UFC veterans Kendall Grove (12-9) and Joe Riggs (34-13), and a middleweight contest between former UFC standout Drew McFedries (9-6) and ICON Sport Middleweight Champion Kala Hose (7-5). Also, 2009 NCAA Division I wrestling national champion Mark Ellis (0-0) makes his MMA debut in a heavyweight battle with Jake Heun (1-0), and B.J. Penn's younger brother, Reagan Penn (0-0), makes his professional debut in a welterweight bout against Paul Gardner (1-0).
ProElite 1 will be held at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. The event is scheduled for August 27th.
Updated ProElite 1 fight card:
Heavyweight: Andrei Arlovski vs. Ray Lopez
Middleweight: Kendall Grove vs. Joe Riggs
Heavyweight: Jake Heun vs. Mark Ellis
Middleweight: Drew McFedries vs. Kala Hose
Welterweight: Reagan Penn vs. Paul Gardner
Women's Bantamweight: Sara McMann vs. Raquel Pa'aluhi
Welterweight: Chris Cisneros vs. Sale Sproat