Nov. 20, 2007

FAIRFAX, Va. - Former George Mason University standout wrestler and one of the most decorated athletes in the greater Washington region, John Curtis, will make his professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) debut at SMASH, the highly-anticipated MMA show being held at the Patriot Center on Friday, Nov. 30. Curtis, a member of Fairfax High School's Athletics Hall of Fame and a former U.S. National team wrestler, starts his MMA career against Greg White (3-4) of Riverside (Calif.) Submission Camacho MMA gym in a special attraction heavyweight bout held on the campus of Curtis' alma mater.

"It's been a dream of mine to compete again in front of my hometown fans, who have supported me throughout my high school, college and professional life," said Curtis, who serves as a volunteer assistant coach for head coach Mark Weader's Patriots' wrestling squad. "I'm looking forward to a great night of battles and some wild Fairfax MMA fans at SMASH on Nov. 30."

Curtis was a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier at George Mason from 1989 to 1993, and was twice selected the Colonial Athletic Association's (CAA) Wrestler of the Year. He compiled an overall record of 114-30 during his four years with the Patriots, won two CAA Championships, three Virginia Division I state titles and an NCAA Eastern Regional crown. He graduated from George Mason in 1993 with a degree in government and politics.

A Manassas resident, Curtis trains and is an instructor at Herndon's One Spirit Martial Arts under highly-regarded owner/founder and resident Gracie Jiu-Jitsu/MMA/Krav Maga instructor Dave Anderson.

SMASH's undercard will feature an East vs. West competitive theme, with fighters from California and the Midwest converging on the Patriot Center to face an emerging class of contenders from the Mid-Atlantic region.

Fierce middleweight Rashad Woods (3-1) of Herndon, Va., who trains alongside Curtis at One Spirit, faces "Adam Bomb" Adam Lehman (4-4) from Riverside, Calif. Riverside will also send lightweight Todd Guimond (5-3) to take on Richmond's Combat gym veteran Dwayne Sheldon (3-3), and Ben Gonzalez (2-2) to face Team ROC's Will Clark from Chapel Hill, N.C., in Clark's pro debut.

Also traveling from the West Coast is welterweight Darryl Moore (1-1), fighting out of Subfighter/The Body Shop, who will try to topple the undefeated Bo Baker (2-0) of Valley Chute Box in Stanton, Va.

East Coast fighters will have to combat talented Midwest grapplers as well. In a collision of undefeated heavyweight sensations, Antwain Britt (3-0) of Hybrid MMA in Virginia Beach, Va. battles Isaiah Larson (2-0) of Hastings, Minn. Bill Clifford (5-2), a heavyweight from Hill Tae Kwon Do MMA in Ft. Wayne, Ind., clashes with Baltimore big man Gamel Spencer (6-1), a kickboxing/MMA expert and University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) graduate. Also from Ft. Wayne, Antonio Grant (1-1) will defend Team Planet pride against Phillip Wyman (1-1), Britt's Hybrid teammate, in a welterweight showdown.

Jay Cox, a middleweight from Ocean Pines, Del., training out of Primal Fighting System in Salisbury, Md., makes his pro debut against Robert Houston (1-1) of the MMA Institute in Richmond, Va. The MMA Institute will also send lightweight Kyle Baker (2-1) to face Chris Reedy (3-4).

Headlining the card will be the third matchup of rival warriors and respected cage veterans Travis "Diesel" Wiuff (47-11, 13 TKOs, 18 Submissions) and Travis "The Ironman" Fulton (181-43-9, 56 TKOs, 119 Submissions, 1 No Contest). Wiuff took decision victories over Fulton in 2002 and 2003. Wiuff and Fulton have competed in the elite MMA organizations, including UFC, IFL, WEC, PRIDE, King of the Cage and countless others.

Tickets, priced at $30, $50, $75, $100 and $125, may be purchased through Ticketmaster by going online at www.ticketmaster.com, calling 703-573-SEAT, 202-397-SEAT or 410-547-SEAT or by visiting any Ticketmaster outlet, including the Patriot Center box office. George Mason University students, staff and faculty may receive a $10 discount on all tickets by presenting a valid ID at the Patriot Center box office only. Group discount tickets are available by calling 202-661-5061. Contact the Patriot Center box office at 703-993-3000 or visit www.patriotcenter.com for more details. All bouts are subject to change.