You could be A contender !
Six fighters that I picked and Myself where lucky enough to get an appointment to try out for the Contender. This was an awesome experience for all of us and we all have A great desire to be picked for the show.
The Contender will be the next big reality show that will be aired in prime time on NBC .This show was A creation of Sylvester Stallone along with Mark Burnet creator of Survivor and The Aprentice reality shows. They also have brought Boxing Legend Sugar Ray Leonard on board as well. This show will be a reality show based on Boxing and the stories behind the boxers challenging for the title of the Contender as well as $1,000.000 to the final winner .
The fighters that I brought where all good fighters. Ken Hewski " pro kickboxer" which I had to fight as that is who they picked for me even though he is my fighter. We all agreed that if they picked any of us to fight each other we would fight hard and shake hands after. We asked that we not be placed together if at all possabile for the tryout but we would fight each other if we had to. The other fighter where Lennox Chance "Amateur kickboxing World Champ", Tarek Rached "pro kickboxer and Pro Boxer",Dyer Davis son of "1976 olympic Gold Medalist" Howard Davis , Kadir Kadri "Pro kickboxer", and Pasqual "Tiger " Rouse pro Boxer and Kickboxer. As it turned out unfortunately Kadir Kadri and Pasqual Rouse where unable to try out due to medical suspensions. The other fighters all faired very well as they where all spoken very highly of by those in attendance.
The try outs where unique as they where only 1 long rd in duration as it was not an actual fight but hard sparring so that the show would be able to get to see how the fighters looked in fighting as well as in there interviews.
Frank Stallone was the referee and Suger Rey Lenard's trainer was on hand taking notes of the fighters .
There where fighters from different styles as well as different experience levels . The show really wants to give all A chance to try out and then they will choose the fighters that they think will make for the best show with similar experience levels.
Some of the fighters were amateur Boxers and kickboxers as well as former # 1 contender Kevin Moley from the area which I grew up in on Long Island ,NY who once fought for the Middleweight World title at Madison Sqaure garden against Wilfredo Benitez.
Some of the others were Kickboxers both amateur and pro but all try outs were with head gear and it seamed as they were placing fighters by weight and experience.
They are still doing some try outs in Las Vegas and in LA and I highly recommend that if you have what it takes to be A Contender that you try out .
Many people have many questions in regard to the show and the try outs, I was lucky enough to get A casting associate " Dean Houser " from the Contender to answer many of these questions :
Can you tell me when you guys will be reviewing all of the tapes and make A decision on the weight class and which fighters will be chosen for the
final cut ?
WE WILL DECIDE ON THE WEIGHT CLASS AFTER WE FINISH THE TRYOUTS
ON JUNE 13TH IN VEGAS AND REVIEW ALL OFF THE TAPES. I EXCPECT
WE WILL HAVE OUR DECISION THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE.
When is the show sceduled to air ?
THE SHOW IS SCHEDULED TO AIR ON TUESDAYS AT 8PM EASTERN
STARTING IN JANUARY OF 2005
Who will make the final decision on which fighters will be chosen ?
EVERYONE WHO IS INVOLVED IN THE CASTING PROCESS ALONG WITH
NBC, DREAMWORKS, MR BURNETT, MR. STALLONE, MR. LEONARD, AND
MS. KALLEN
For more go to :
http://www.ringoffirekickboxing.com
Written by :
World Kickboxing Champion
TOMMY "BEE" BOTTONE