FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE FIGHT NETWORK GOES "BIG"WITH LEGENDARY MMA OFFICAL JOHN MCCARTHY JOINING THE TEAM

Toronto, Canada -- May 16th, 2007 - The Fight Network's - North America's first and only all combatant sports and entertainment channel - is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with "Big" John McCarthy, who will join The Fight Network as a mixed martial arts analyst across its various distribution platforms.

McCarthy is considered the pre-eminent referee throughout the world for mixed martial arts (MMA), beginning with his involvement at UFC 2 over thirteen years ago, and is a much sought-after figure when it comes to historical knowledge of the sport of MMA.

It is unlikely that anyone has been more prepared or destined to become an MMA referee than John McCarthy. McCarthy has been a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department since 1985. As a student of the legendary Rorian Gracie, he has also experienced the rigorous training associated with Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Having excelled at both, it was inevitable that he became an instructor.

McCarthy was awarded his Tactic/Self Defence Instructor Certification by the LAPD on August 12, 1993, and has been teaching for the department since. He was also designated a certified "GRAPLE" instructor by Rorian Gracie on December 30, 1993.

McCarthy is the leading authority on mixed martial arts officiating worldwide. He began refereeing on March 11, 1994 at UFC 2 and has never looked back. He has refereed every UFC to date save one. Standing 6'4" and weighing 260 lbs, McCarthy and his famous fight opener "Let's Get It On" has become instantly recognizable to MMA fans worldwide. He is the paradigm by which all other referees are measured.

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