CARLSBAD, CA — No Fear will roll into 2009 with a one-two punch. The combination begins with the Action Sports Retailer (ASR) Trade Expo at the San Diego Convention Center, January 22 – 24, and follows up with No Fear Energy-sponsored Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, Urijah Faber appearing at the first World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) event held in San Diego.
 
“It’s definitely going to be a huge weekend for us,” says No Fear’s Vice President of Marketing, Britt Galland. “The ASR show is always a good launching pad for our apparel and moto gear sales, and our involvement in the fast growing sport of MMA is generating national television exposure for our brands. In addition to sponsoring Urijah, No Fear Energy has grabbed the title as the Official Energy Drink of World Extreme Cagefighting. The WEC event will be the perfect way to close out a hectic weekend,” Galland added.
 
Held twice annually, the ASR Trade Expo showcases the latest apparel, footwear, swimwear, accessories and hardgood products from over 700 surf, skate, swim, snow, moto, wake, lifestyle and streetwear brands. The Expo continues to identify cutting-edge trends that drive the diverse segments of the action sports industry.
 
On Sunday, January 25, the day after the ASR Expo wraps up, WEC will bring their first ever event to the San Diego Sports Arena. The event lineup features two blockbuster match-ups: A World Lightweight Championship fight between Jamie Varner and undefeated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone as the main event, and the much anticipated rematch pitting No Fear Energy backed Urijah Faber against former UFC® champion Jens Pulver as the co-main event. 

Don’t blink when WEC lightweight champ Jamie Varner (15-2, 1 NC) meets up with No. 1 contender Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (9-0, 1 NC). “I have a lot of respect for Cerrone, but I consider him just one more undefeated fighter that I have to put in his place,” said Varner.

Urijah “The California Kid” (wec.tv/) Faber (21-2) was the WEC Featherweight Champion until Mike Thomas Brown took it from him in a shocking upset last month. Faber is on a mission to reclaim his status as best featherweight in the world.  That mission begins with this rematch against former UFC Lightweight Champ Jens Pulver (22-10-1). The two first met in June 2008, fighting toe-to-toe in a five round war in which Faber emerged with a unanimous decision.
 
“I know this is going to be another classic for the fans,” said Faber. “Jens is always ready to fight, he's a competitor, and I expect a tough battle, but I'm going to try to finish it this time. I don't want it to go the distance.”

Jens Pulver looks to rebound from two consecutive losses. “Now that I train with Matt Hume, I’ll be doing things a lot differently. I’m still competitive…great fights are still in me,” Pulver promised.

The WEC event will be televised live nationally on VERSUS beginning at 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT. The broadcast will be presented in Hi-Definition (HD) where available. For information on the broadcast, visit versus.com/findversus. All bouts subject to change. For more information about current WEC fight news, visit wec.tv. For news and updates about No Fear’s involvement in MMA, visit nofear.com.
 
Tickets for the World Extreme Cagefighting event went on sale Dec. 4 priced at $175, $125, $75 and $35 (not including applicable services or taxes). Tickets are available through the San Diego Sports Arena Box Office, online at ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 619-220-8497.